All posts tagged: Vegan

Harvesting Happiness: Microgreens & Culinary Inspiration

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Microgreens are young, edible greens harvested at a seedling stage stage of growth, typically before the onset of the first true leaves. These tiny greens are packed with nutrients and flavor, making them a favorite addition to salads, sandwiches, and garnishes. I had been contemplating growing microgreens for awhile now, as they often come in handy for plating and garnishes. The best part of growing microgreens is that you may use some of your pantry staples such as mustard, fenugreek, coriander or sunflowers seeds. I like to grow them in some organic potting soil that I use growing my herbs. However you may try growing them hydroponically too. Here are some handy tips in growing Microgreens: Microgreens can be a wonderful and visually appealing garnish to may dishes, adding a burst of flavour and tons of nutrition too. These tiny shoots are a powerhouse of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Mustard microgreens at Day 4 of sowing the seeds. Mustard microgreens at day 11 Use Microgreens In: I have rounded up a series of some of …

Hello Summer

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Sometimes Simplicity Is The Ultimate Sophistication- Clare Boothe Luce Summer is the perfect time to pack in some fresh flavours and ingredients into your cooking. I love the flavours in these recipes as they are a great way to move over to lighter and brighter meals. It’s most certainly time for quick and easy cooking and these recipes here will get done in less than 30 minutes from start to table. Also a great way to use wonderful seasonal produce and locally grown vegetables and fruits. These recipes lend a sense of vibrancy to the palate and ignite one’s taste buds. From fresh Asparagus, Beets, Cilantro, Eggplants, Zucchini, Oyster Mushrooms and Watermelons, here are some of my absolute fav recipes that I often toss together. Now you could serve these up as sides or they work great as mains and appetizers too. Either way’s they make a meal complete. The roundup of recipes here celebrate summer and are primarily vegetarian , some vegan and mostly gluten free. They are easy to put together and accompany …

Quinoa Burgers

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Meatless Mondays just got even better with these ridiculously easy and delicious Quinoa Burgers. Yes I get it, I’m probably giving way too much importance to Quinoa of late. The fact is, I now substitute Quinoa for rice most often, and now hooked and a diehard Quinoa fan. As a result, I almost always have leftover Quinoa in the refrigerator and looking for creative ways of using it before it heads to the bin. Leftovers always make for interesting innovations in my kitchen and the Quinoa quite often gets turned into a spicy Curried Quinoa or Potato Quinoa Patties. The burgers worked out very flavourful and packed with clean  and wholesome ingredients. Last week I gave the Quinoa Burgers a try and they sure turned out great. Best part is they freeze well too for the weeks ahead when you need a vegetarian fix. Of late I seem to be going Vegan almost three to four times a week and quite enjoying it. Well, I do cook Meat and chicken for the family, however quite …

Potato & Quinoa Patties

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  This fabulous vegetarian dish could be served as an appetizer, a side or even part of a main meal accompanied with a  garden fresh salad or roasted vegetables.Do bring it to your dinner table the next time around and I’m sure it will please even a staunch carnivorous dinner guest. Quinoa has come a long way in the last couple of years when it became quite the rage around one’s kitchens. It has slowly moved up from being stocked in the health food isles to the regular shelves in most supermarkets. I recently hosted a virtual cooking class and called it ” Quinoa Goes To Hollywood”. It was a fun session where the participants used simple cooked quinoa and twisted up two traditional Indian recipes, one  into a Curried Quinoa (the original recipe being Poha, which is curried flattened rice) and Potato Quinoa Patties which is the Aloo Tikki (classic Potato patty that got a makeover) I for one quite enjoy cooking with Quinoa and while the obsession continues, I’d been looking at something …

Kale Chips

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    Imagine eating a packet of crisps without the guilt? Now I’m not talking about the potato ones,all though I must admit I’m insanely crazy about potato chips. Of course a healthier option is always welcome with everyone on a diet of sorts. I’ve been cooking with Kale for awhile in my kitchen.Well the family has been served a Kale soup on various occasions,sautéed Kale and yes even Kale juice. However the crisps are something I’d been shying away from,primarily from the fact that I just didn’t imagine they would turn out crisp enough. Every year, November 1st is celebrated as World Vegan Day.Well that’s what I did yesterday,finally braved the idea of experimenting with baking up some Kale crisps. I woke to a gorgeous bunch of curly Kale that I had picked up at the last of the farmer’s markets around our neighbourhood here in Toronto. Not soup please, hollered my son,who has been pottering around the kitchen wondering what I’m planning to rustle up for him.Why not try out some Kale crisps …