Easy Vegan Cooking: Over 350 delicious recipes for every ocassion
Leah Leneman
An exciting cookbook filled with over 350 creative, nutritious recipes together with a wealth of cooking advice.This cookbook shows just how easy, varied and creative vegan cooking can be. Packed with ideas for starters, soups, main courses, side dishes and salads, it offers a wealth of dairy-free, meat-free ideas for every day of the year.Includes:Quick and easy recipes• Recipes for one• Dinner party ideas• Sugar-free desserts and cakes• Microwave instructionsAn ideal source of inspiration for the vegan cook.
Easy Vegan Cooking
Over 350 delicious recipes for every occasion
Leah Leneman
Contents
Cover (#ufc014dd2-e3e2-507e-aef1-19eb4ce59a02)
Title Page (#ub0c5ce42-ccf6-553a-b11d-5a4d08b21aa0)
Introduction (#ua6bf0b30-2407-51e9-83f5-e482f84e2e2a)
1. The Vegan ‘Dairy’ (#u2848d62b-818e-52e5-b537-785727907b5d)
2. American Breakfast and British Afternoon Tea (#udd6d7611-75b5-5884-9e4b-ba6c3e754814)
3. Soups (#u72e3b266-5b1c-5741-b31e-9a7356a5e037)
4. Salads (#u78e792be-0900-571d-ba5b-0158a99b02eb)
5. Starters, Spreads and Snacks (#ubc6de4dd-12c0-58b9-8d80-beedbb15c64a)
6. Rice and other Grains (#u0597f9d0-70fe-5ecf-97b9-9ae653c61d39)
7. Pasta (#u6153b66e-9d8f-5084-832a-25a12856a347)
8 Beans (#uf792785d-208a-5074-8691-b6a41837911f)
9. Vegetables (#u020f6e1e-6bb5-5a58-b8b2-9136e0386075)
10. Nuts (#u7d8fbd4d-6cf0-552e-bff7-481e83859e74)
11. Tofu and other Soya Foods (#ud5509004-bd11-5381-9507-62be3f7d5b36)
12. Ready-made Health Food Products (#u76f80404-119f-537d-b7ad-b8786531e474)
13. Sea Vegetables (#uac7d8bc7-ebb3-5c46-b298-ef04b4619dcc)
14. Vegetable Side Dishes (#u9354b1ec-aef0-54c7-b020-26c5987734b9)
15. Fresh Fruit-based Desserts (#u3b85918d-4ac4-5ebe-950b-1bb2bf825c2f)
16. Miscellaneous Desserts (#u168ed63a-559e-50cd-b455-61b9b9941db7)
17. Cakes and Biscuits (#u1ced288d-4158-57b8-8fab-24b715bf08da)
Appendix: Directory of Recipes (#u2ce28cb0-e07a-5928-8a78-66f9f9631bf3)
Index (#uc6a53188-f183-5167-abcc-bd17d4ca103f)
Acknowledgements (#ubbd4e22f-a840-5dec-8b7c-0613e2cd348c)
Copyright (#ueeeba8f6-3f63-5ea4-ba2f-0a2499764c6f)
About the Publisher (#u07f5d9e3-4950-592d-91c1-b8d082ccff71)
Introduction (#u30cb2e11-e267-5e66-a240-240b843aa461)
Vegetarianism is entering a new and dynamic phase. A cuisine based on vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains, flavoured with the herbs and spices of the world, is taking the place of a diet reliant on dairy products. This has come about primarily because of the growing realization that everyone in the world could be fed if a switch were made to a completely vegetarian diet. Britain could be self-sufficient if grazing land were used to grow pulses and grains were fed direct to humans instead of being diverted to animals. Since dairy farming is almost as inefficient a way of using land as beef farming, the switch must be complete if it is to be effective.
It is not only human beings who would benefit for slaughterhouses would disappear. Lacto-vegetarians are beginning to realize that drinking cows’ milk contributes to animal slaughter. Cows are kept continually pregnant and lactating. their calves usually taken away very shortly after birth (many ending their brief lives as veal), so that the milk can all be sold for human consumption. Even if factory farming were to be abolished, male calves would still have to be slaughtered to maintain the dairy industry. Similarly, in order for hens to lay there must be fertile eggs, and all of the male chicks will be killed. Thus, while free-range hens do not have to endure the inhumane battery system. eating any kind of eggs still contributes to animal slaughter.
There are so many second, third and even fourth generation lacto-vegetarians in this country now that no one could convincingly claim that flesh foods are necessary for health. Many people still fear, however, that to give up all animal produce is dangerous (and anyone who embarks on a vegan diet while riddled with apprehensions may well become ill from sheer anxiety). In fact, many lacto-vegetarians consume an excessive amount of dairy produce, thereby clogging up their arteries with saturated fat – a far greater health risk than a vegan diet.
The biggest worry seems to be protein. Giving up cheese and eggs, it is feared, will mean eating only ‘inferior’, and therefore insufficient. protein. Fortunately it has become more generally known that cereals can be combined with pulses or nuts to obtain all the necessary amino acids (the building blocks of protein) in required proportions. This combination forms the basis of many of the recipes in this book, making it virtually impossible for anyone using it to become deficient in protein. It is certainly not necessary to eat foods high in protein at every meal, or to worry about food combining.
The one and only nutrient which does not occur naturally in a vegan diet is vitamin B
. Although some pioneering vegans who had never heard of this vitamin appear to have been able to synthesize it in their intestines, the effects of a deficiency are too drastic to make it worth the risk. Most of the plant milks now available in Britain are fortified with vitamin B
as are most textured vegetable protein (t.v.p.) products and a number of other foods. Yet only a small amount of this vitamin is required, which makes it very easy to incorporate into a vegan diet by eating any of the above foods regularly. (Note, however, that nearly all of the breakfast cereals found at supermarkets which contain vitamin B
also contain vitamin D derived from an animal source and are not therefore vegan.) For those who prefer not to use processed foods, vegan vitamin B
tablets are available in health food stores. Incidentally, anyone who argues that a vegan diet cannot be a truly natural one since it lacks an essential vitamin, should realize that the answer lies in our perhaps ‘unnatural’ level of hygiene, since an all-vegetable diet in a country where produce is not so vigorously cleaned would certainly contain that elusive vitamin.
Honey is a contentious issue as, strictly speaking, it is an animal product, but whether it causes suffering is matter for disagreement. The Vegan Society does not admit those who consume honey as full members, and honey is not used in any of the recipes in this book, although many vegans do eat it.
The concern with animal products usually spills over into other areas as well. Most vegans do not wear leather or use soaps or cosmetics which contain animal products or are tested on animals. Wool production can be cruel, and as for lanolin, the idea of putting sheep fat on one’s face is not appealing.
Some vegetarians who are vegan at home find it difficult to maintain the diet elsewhere. This is understandable in view of British restaurants’ obsession with animal produce, but that culture is changing so that even establishments listed in the Good Food Guide are now aware of the existence of vegans, although they vary greatly in their ability to cater for us. It is easy to get delicious vegan meals in Indian, Chinese and Thai restaurants, and often in Italian and Greek or Middle-Eastern ones as well.
Vegans have varied eating patterns. Some eat only raw foods, some stick strictly to unprocessed wholefoods, while others rely mainly on t.v.p. and vegan convenience meals. Variety is the key-note of this book. The philosophy here is that if the basic diet is one of natural unrefined foods, then there is no harm at all in using a certain amount of good quality processed and packaged foods to add different tastes and textures, as well as to save time.
Vegan cookery can be as quick as any other kind. After all, one of the most popular foods in Britain is baked beans on toast – a quick and nutritious vegan snack, particularly if the bread is wholewheat. A number of the recipes in this book can be prepared in half an hour or less. It is simply a question of gearing oneself to the use of a completely different set of foods; once you become used to the idea then no great mental effort is required to prepare tasty, healthy vegan meals. And should anyone still think that vegan food lacks variety, this book will prove just the opposite.
Clarification of some ingredients, quantities etc.
All recipes serve four unless otherwise stated, but do keep in mind that appetites vary a good deal. I am often astonished at the quantities that are supposed to provide ‘four generous servings’ in some cookery books, and I am aware that on days when I am feeling very hungry the recipes I create are likely to be more substantial than on days when I have no desire for a big meal; a certain amount of independent judgement is necessary.
Many cookery books state that imperial and metric measurements should not be mixed. As far as I am concerned, the recipes in this book are robust enough for imperial, metric and American measurements to be mixed at will. This is home cooking, not biochemistry.
Onions and other vegetables are assumed to be ‘medium-sized’ unless otherwise stated.
Breadcrumbs are always fresh. I never use dried ones since I always keep sliced bread in the freezer which defrosts very quickly.
It is a good idea to cook double quantities of rice and potatoes and refrigerate half; many of my recipes call for cooked rice or potatoes.
When a recipe calls for mashed potato that means mashed with a little soya (soy) milk and vegan margarine added. Many dried mashed potato mixes are vegan; they contain undesirable additives, but the time they can save may justify their occasional use.
For deep frying I strongly recommend a deep-fat fryer for both health and safety reasons. It heats the oil to the right temperature so that the food immediately seals up and does not absorb the oil.
It will be clear that eggs are not a necessary item in cooking, but if you want to use existing recipes that call for egg as a binder, the American-made Ener-G Egg Replacer is vegan and available at most health food stores. Mayonnaise, which traditionally contains eggs, is readily available in vegan form at all British health food stores. A recipe for a homemade vegan version is in The Tofu Cookbook by Leah Leneman.
American readers may be puzzled by the ingredient ‘yeast extract’ while British readers might be puzzled by ‘nutritional yeast’. Yeast extract is a salty brown paste which some American health food stores stock, most likely under its Australian brand name of Vegemite. If it cannot be found then soy sauce may be substituted, though the flavour will be different. Nutritional yeast comes in powdered or flaked form and is sold in British health food stores under the ‘Engevita’ brand.
Microwaves are marvellous for speeding up dishes that would traditionally be cooked in the oven or steamed. Timings are given for a 750 watt appliance and should be extended for a 650 one and reduced for an 850 one. Always check that a dish is heated right through before serving. Note that, unlike dishes cooked in any other way, which take the same time even if a recipe is halved or quartered, microwave times need to be cut down in proportion if a smaller amount is made.
(#u30cb2e11-e267-5e66-a240-240b843aa461)
Adult animals have no need for milk, either their own or that of another species, but in the western world people have become so accustomed to cows’ milk and the products made from it that it becomes difficult to imagine a diet without such foods. Thus, while there is no physical need for dairy products – in the Far East much of the population is lactose-intolerant and never uses milk – the dishes which have evolved in the west require substitutes.
Over the past decade the growth in soya (soy) milks available has grown astonishingly, with some supermarkets offering own brand products. Although the ingredients on the different cartons appear similar, they are actually quite different in taste so if you try soya (soy) milk for the first time and don’t like it then do try other brands. Soya (soy) milks are available either unsweetened or sweetened; I must admit to finding the former much more palatable than the latter.
Soya (soy) milks can be added to tea or coffee: they will curdle slightly but that does not affect the taste. An alternative is a true non-dairy creamer (but note that the so-called non-dairy creamers sold in supermarkets actually contain casein, a dairy derivative), which can be found in Jewish delicatessens.
Home-made Soya Milk
This recipe is for those who wish to make their own soya (soy) milks at home, although with such a choice now available few people need to.
1) Bring about 570ml (1 pint/2½cups) of water to the boil, add 115g (4 oz) soya (soy) beans, boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat, cover and leave to soak overnight.
2) Drain the beans and wash them thoroughly. Put 1 cupful of beans in a liquidizer, add about 570ml (1 pint/2½cups) of hot water and blend them thoroughly. Pour through a clean tea towel (dish towel) or muslin, squeezing to extract all the liquid (the pulp can be used for savoury dishes if desired). Repeat until all the beans are used up.
3) Bring the milk to the boil, stirring frequently. (It has a tendency both to burn on the bottom of the pan and to boil over if not watched carefully.)
4) Simmer the milk over the lowest possible heat for 15–20 minutes. Set aside to cool and then keep in the refrigerator.
5) This can be made more palatable by adding pure vanilla essence or sweetening to taste.
Cashew or Almond Milk
In southern Spain a popular summer drink is horchata, which is basically a nut milk. A milk made from either cashews or almonds is very pleasant over cereal. This recipe can be made thicker or thinner, if preferred, by increasing or decreasing the proportion of nuts and oil to water.
115g/4 oz/¾ cup cashews or blanched
almonds
285ml/
/
pt/1
/
cups water as required raw cane sugar or chopped dates 2 tsp vegetable oil
1) Put the cashews into the liquidizer and grind finely. Add the other ingredients and blend thoroughly.
There are two brands of soya (soy) creams readily available in British health food stores, which can be used in savoury as well as sweet dishes. At Jewish delicatessens it is possible to find a vegan whipping cream, called Snowwhip Topping, and also, in canisters, a Canadian product called Richwhip Topping. These are very sweet and not particularly nutritious, but for special occasions when a whipped ‘cream’ is required I have found them invaluable. It is also possible to make some delicious vegan creams at home.
Mock Cream
1–2 tbs cornflour (cornstarch)
285ml/½ pt/1
/
cups soya (soy) milk 30–55g/1–2 oz/2 tbs-
/
cup vegan margarine
1) Blend the cornflour (cornstarch) to a smooth mixture with a little of the milk, then add the rest of the milk; pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
2) Cream the margarine until very soft, but on no account warm the margarine.
3) Gradually beat in spoonsful of the cornflour mixture – the more you beat this, the better it becomes.
Cashew Cream
The thickness of this cream may be adjusted according to taste by altering the proportion of cashews and oil to water.
115g/4 oz/¾ cup cashews
425ml/
/
pt/
/
cup water 1 tbs vegetable oil as required raw cane sugar or chopped dates 1 tsp pure vanilla essence (optional)
1) Grind the cashews finely in a liquidizer. Add the rest of the ingredients and liquidize thoroughly.
Coconut Cream
Canned coconut milk from the Far East is now available. This is really more like a cream than a milk. When you open the can you will probably find a thick almost solid chunk and a very watery remainder. The secret is to empty the whole thing into the liquidizer and blend thoroughly. Any coconut milk not used at the time can be refrigerated for a few days and is unlikely to separate again. Creamed coconut is made from the solidified creamed coconut available at most delicatessens and many health food stores. It makes a particularly good topping for fresh strawberries or raspberries.
55–115g/2–4OZ/
/
–½ cup creamed coconut 140ml/
/
pt/½ cup very hot water (or to taste) as required sweetening
1) Grate the creamed coconut into a liquidizer or jar. Add the hot water and sweetening and liquidize or shake until the coconut has completely dissolved. Chill in the refrigerator. This can be made as a pouring cream or as a thick cream. It will thicken up when chilled so always make it a bit thinner than desired.
One product which vegans previously thought they had to do without was yogurt, but in fact the lactobacillus bulgaricus which so loves cows’ milk is equally keen on soya (soy) milk, and soya yogurt is delicious. Without paying attention to the extravagant ‘health’ claims for yogurt, I would still urge vegans to include this in their diet. A high-fibre vegan diet is not necessarily the easiest thing for a delicate digestion to adjust to, and the friendly bacteria in soya yogurt can make a big difference. Most of the vegan yogurts now available in Britain are long-life ones which means that though they may taste pleasant and be a reasonable source of protein, they are not ‘live’ and therefore will have no beneficial effects on the intestinal flora. The exceptions are the French and Belgian brands Sojasun and Proramel.
However, it is very easy to make soya yogurt at home. Sojasun unflavoured yogurt can be used as a starter or a dried ferment may be purchased at a health food store (but read the ingredients before buying – not all are vegan). Any soya milk can be used, even, surprisingly, the unsweetened ones. A yogurt maker is not necessary: I have always used a wide-rimmed thermos flask. Heat the milk to lukewarm, mix in the starter or ferment and leave for several hours. The yogurt can be used as a starter for the next batch and so on. The first batch is not usually that good, but it gets progressively better, and when it is at its best I usually freeze a little to be used as a starter later.
It is now well known that animal fats are not good for human beings, and however much the dairy industry attempts to disguise the fact, butter is an animal fat. Annoyingly, most supermarket ‘vegetable’ margarines still contain unnecessary dairy derivatives, but the own-brand ‘soya margarine’ found at many of them (and in the USA corn oil margarine) are vegan, and all of the health food store brands are 100 per cent vegetable. Most of them are soft margarines. but Tomor (available also in Jewish delicatessens) is more similar in texture to butter and is the one I prefer for pastry. Vitaquell is the only unsalted one I know of in the UK, and I use it for spreading on bread.
Cheese was originally just a way of using extra cows’ milk, but it has become so much a part of the western diet that the lack of it can be felt keenly. However, cheese can as easily (and as ‘naturally’) be made from soya (soy) and other vegetable sources as from animal ones. There is an increasing number of vegan hard cheeses available in health food stores in Britain. By using one of these cheeses, soya (soy) milk, and. if necessary, vegan egg substitute, it is possible to make a facsimile of any of the popular British savoury dairy dishes. (Apart from the Soymage brand, American soy cheeses unfortunately tend to contain casein and are not therefore vegan.) There are vegan cheese spreads which can also be used in cooking, as well as soft cheeses and cream cheeses, and even ‘sour cream’. A great boon is a vegan Parmesan-style cheese which can be used to good effect on pasta dishes. Nutritional yeast can also add a mildly ‘cheesey’ flavour to various dishes.
Alternatively, any of the following can be made at home.
Soya Flour Cheese
Equal quantities of soya (soy) flour
and vegan margarine
Yeast extract to taste
1) Melt the margarine, add the flour and yeast extract and mix well.
2) Pour on to a greased tin and refrigerate until required. If a soft margarine is used then the resulting ‘cheese’ is easy to spread. If Tomor margarine is used then the ‘cheese’ can be sliced for sandwiches or grated and sprinkled over a hot savoury to be grilled (broiled) or baked.
Pimento ‘Cheese’ Spread
115g/4 oz/
/
cup cashew nuts 1 tin (200g/8 oz) pimentos 1 tbs sesame seeds 1 tsp nutritional yeast ½ tsp onion salt 4 tbs vegetable oil 2 tsp lemon juice
1) Grind the cashews and sesame seeds finely in a liquidizer.
2) Add the pimentos (including the juice) and the rest of the ingredients and blend thoroughly.
Yogurt Cheese
Place some thick soya yogurt in a square of muslin or cheesecloth and tie securely; hang the muslin or cheesecloth over a tap to drip for several hours or overnight, then refrigerate. This is a soft cheese similar to a cream cheese texture.
Cashew Cottage Cheese
Cover some cashew nuts with lukewarm water. Leave undisturbed in a warm spot for three or four days. Drain off the liquid and grind the fermented cashews in a mouli or grinder. (A liquidizer can be used, but the texture will be different.) Use with salads, particularly those with fruit.
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It was difficult to know what to call this chapter because eating habits differ within the English-speaking world. In Britain, scones and muffins would be eaten in the afternoon, while in America they are eaten in the morning – as are pancakes, waffles and pastries, most of which the British would eat as dessert. I have put all such dishes in this chapter.
Quick and Easy Coffee Cake
In Britain something called a coffee cake will be flavoured with coffee, but Americans have adopted this kind of cake from the Continent, i.e. it is a cake served with coffee. It is not as sweet as the cakes in Chapter 17 (#u1ced288d-4158-57b8-8fab-24b715bf08da), and it is best served warm.
Cake225g/½ lb/2 cups wholewheat flour Pinch sea salt 4 tsp baking powder 3 tbs raw cane sugar 2 tbs vegan margarine, melted 285ml/½ pt/1½ cups soya (soy) milk
Topping 3 tbs wholewheat flour 4 tbs raw cane sugar 3 tsp ground cinnamon 55g/2 oz/
/
cup vegan margarine
1) In a bowl combine the flour for the cake ingredients, salt, baking powder and sugar. Stir in the melted margarine and milk.
2) In a small bowl combine the topping flour, sugar and cinnamon. Rub in the margarine.
3) Pour the batter into a cake tin and spread the topping over it. Bake at 400°F/200°C/Gas Mark 6 for about half an hour. Serve warm, split and spread with additional margarine.
Apple Coffee Cake
Topping
55g/2 oz/
/
cup raw cane sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 30g/ 1 oz/2 tbs vegan margarine 3 tbs wholewheat flour
Cake
225g/½ lb/2 cups wholelwheat flour
Pinch sea salt
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
55g/2 oz/
/
cup raw cane sugar 285ml/½ pt/1
/
cups soya milk 4 tbs vegetable oil 340g/¾ lb apples
1) Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl until crumbly and set aside.
2) Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, soda and sugar in a bowl. Stir in the milk and oil. Spoon into a greased pan.
3) Peel, core and slice the apples. Press them on top of the batter. Sprinkle with the topping.
4) Bake at 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4 for about half an hour.
Waffles
This is a fairly conventional waffle recipe but of course without the unnecessary eggs. Serve the waffles with maple syrup.
225g/½ lb/2 cups wholewheat flour
1½ tsp baking powder
Pinch sea salt
425ml/¾ pt/2 cups soya (soy) milk
4 tbs vegetable oil
Optional As required chopped pecans
1) Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and add the baking powder and salt.
2) Gently stir in the milk and oil (and pecans if using). Prepare on a waffle iron.
Oat and Cashew Waffles
This more unusual waffle recipe, which requires no raising agent, is still best served with maple syrup.
225g/½ lb/2 cups rolled oats
85g/3 oz/½ Cup cashews
Pinch sea salt
1 tbs vegetable ol
225ml/8 fl oz/1 cup water
1) Put the oats and cashews in a liquidizer and grind. Add the salt, oil and water and blend thoroughly.
2) Pour the batter in a waffle iron and leave for a few minutes until cooked.
Hot Cakes
I used to think this kind of pancake originated in the U.S.A. until I discovered ‘Scotch’ pancakes, which I think are similar. These are served piping hot, with maple syrup.
225g/½ lb/2 cups wholewheat flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) Pinch sea salt 170g/6 oz/
/
cup soya (soy) yogurt 225ml/8 fl oz/1 cup water 2 tbs vegetable oil
1) Mix the flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a bowl. Add the yogurt, water and oil, and stir briefly.
2) Fry the hot cakes in a heated frying pan or griddle, flipping them over when done on one side.
American-style Muffins
Nowadays American muffins are almost as sweet as cake, but in their original form they were only slightly sweetened and served with jam. This recipe makes about 2 dozen small muffins or a dozen large ones.
225g/½ lb/2 cups wholewheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
Pinch sea salt
1–2 tbs raw cane sugar
3 tbs vegan margarine
425ml/¾ pt/2 cups soya (soy) yogurt
1) Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix them well.
2) Melt the margarine (I often do this in the muffin tins in the oven, thereby greasing them at the same time). Add it to the dry ingredients along with the yogurt. Stir the mixture until it is a smooth batter.
3) Pour the batter into greased muffin tins and bake at 425°F/225°C/Gas Mark 7 for 15–20 minutes.
Crêpes
For breakfast, tea or dessert fill these with jam. They can also be used for savoury pancakes.
170g/6 oz/1½ cups wholewheat flour
3 tbs soya (soy) flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sea salt
As required water
1) Combine the flours, baking powder and sea salt. Make a well in the centre, pour in the oil, then pour in the water gradually, stirring constantly with a fork. The consistency should be like thick cream. Leave to stand for about half an hour. If it is too thick then add more water; if it is too thin, add more flour.
2) Melt some vegan margarine or vegetable oil and fry the crêpes on both sides.
Banana and Lemon Pancakes
In Britain pancakes like these would probably be served as a dessert, but Americans might prefer them for breakfast.
30g/l oz/2 tbs raw cane sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Grating nutmeg
Pinch sea salt
1–2 tbs lemon juice
455g/l lb ripe bananas
As required vegetable oil
Crêpe batter made from 225g/l lb/2 cups
wholewheat flour (see above)
30g/l oz/2 tbs melted vegan margarine
As required icing (powdered) sugar or finely
ground raw cane sugar
As required lemon wedges
1) Mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and lemon juice in a small bowl. Slice the bananas and mix gently into the lemon mixture.
2) Heat a frying pan and add a little vegetable oil. Fry each of the crêpes on both sides, and spread them with melted margarine and some of the banana mixture. Keep everything warm.
3) Serve the crêpes sprinkled with icing (powdered) or finely ground raw cane sugar. Garnish with lemon wedges.
Blintzes
This is a vegan version of a traditional Jewish dish (makes 15–20 blintzes). Serve them topped with additional sugar and yogurt or vegan sour cream.
Crêpe batter made from 250g/½ lb/2 cups
wholewheat flour (see above)
455g/l lb/2 cups tofu
2 tbs soya (soy) yogurt plus additional
as required
or 225g/½ lb/1 cup tofu and 225g/½ lb/1 cup
vegan cream cheese
2 tbs raw cane sugar plus additional
as required
1 tsp vanilla essence
As required vegan margarine
1) Put the tofu into a tea towel (dish towel) and squeeze to extract the water. Transfer the dry tofu to a mixing bowl. Stir in the yogurt (or cream cheese, if using), sugar and vanilla essence.
2) Fry each pancake in margarine on one side only. Fill with the tofu mixture on the cooked side and roll up.
3) When all the pancakes are filled, heat a little margarine in the frying pan and fry the blintzes, turning them so that they are lightly browned on both sides.
Tofu French Toast
‘French toast’ is actually American, traditionally made with an eggy batter. Tofu gives the same effect. Serve with maple syrup, or jam, or a mixture of raw cane sugar and cinnamon.
340g/12 oz/1½ cups soft or medium tofu 230ml/8 fl oz/1 cup water 4 tbs vegetable oil Pinch sea salt 1 tsp vanilla essence 3–4 tsp raw cane sugar 8 slices wholewheat bread As required margarine for frying
1) Put the tofu. water, oil, salt, vanilla and sugar in a liquidizer and blend thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl, and dip the slices of bread in it.
2) Heat a little margarine in a frying pan, and fry the bread over a moderate heat until browned on both sides.
Nutty French Toast
This is a variant on the traditional French toast. Serve with the same toppings.
55g/2 oz/
/
cup cashews 55g/2 oz/
/
cup almonds 285ml/½ pt/1
/
cups soya (soy) milk 8 slices wholewheat bread As required vegan margarine or vegetable oil
1) Grind the cashews and almonds in a liquidizer. Add the milk and blend thoroughly.
2) Pour the nut and milk mixture into a shallow bowl and dip the bread slices in it.
3) Heat the margarine or oil and fry the coated bread, turning once so that it is golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately.
Queen Scones
Scones are a close relation to American biscuits.
255g/9 oz/2
/
cups wholewheat flour 2 tsp baking powder Pinch sea salt 45g/1½ oz/ 3 tbs raw cane sugar 60ml/2 fl oz/
/
cup vegetable oil 85g/3 oz/½ cup sultanas (golden seedless raisins) 115g/4 oz/½ cup medium or soft tofu 120ml/4 fl oz/½ cup water
1) Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl. Mix well. Stir in the oil and then the sultanas (golden seedless raisins).
2) Put tofu and water in a liquidizer and blend well. Pour into the dry mixture and stir well.
3) Turn out on to a floured board, roll the dough out and cut it into scones. Place the scones on an oiled baking sheet and bake at 425°F/220°C/Gas Mark 7 for 15 minutes.
Treacle Scones
225g/½ lb/2 cups wholewheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch sea salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground allspice
55g/2 oz/
/
cup raw cane sugar 55g/2 oz/
/
cup vegan margarine 1 tbs black treacle or molasses 140ml/
/
pt/
/
cup soya (soy) milk
1) Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Rub in the margarine.
2) Soften the treacle a little and add it with the milk to make a fairly soft dough. Turn on to a floured board, roll out to about ½ inch thick, and cut into rounds.
3) Place the scones on a greased baking tray and bake in a hot oven 425°F/220°C/Gas Mark 7 for 10–15 minutes.
Potato Scones
455g/l lb potatoes
½ tsp sea salt
115g/4 oz/1 cup wholewheat flour
1) Cook the potatoes (or use leftover cooked potatoes). Peel and mash them.
2) Add the salt and flour to the potatoes and knead the mixture. Roll it out thinly on a floured board and cut into rounds or triangles.
3) Bake in a very hot oven 500°F/240°C/Gas Mark 9 for 10 minutes, turning the scones after 5 minutes.
4) Serve warm with golden syrup or jam.
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