Inner West Food Suggestions?

Hi

Just a quick post to say that we are alive just life has been a bit hectic at the moment, especially since we are the middle of moving house. We haven't moved for several years so forget how much stuff we have. I was talking to someone at a party the other day about the popular blog called zenhabits which focuses on minimalist living, so I have been reading it for inspiration at night, so trying to declutter as we move but its so muck work. Remind me if I buy any new clothing/kitchen stuff in the future to get rid of at least 2 things. On the bright side, i'm looking forward to having room in our new place for a dining table, a proper garden and hosting a potluck in summer time!

No, it's not us!

I wondered if any of you know of any vegan and gluten free food options in the inner west, particuarly around yarravile, footscray and seddon? I know a few vegan options but struggle a little with the annoying gluten free.

Purple Patch- Sandringham

Our friend Craig has recently started working at a vegetarian cafe called Purple Patch in Sandringham. I went along with vegan friends a few weeks ago who had similar fry ups to the ones Cindy blogged about with tofu scramble, deep fried 'sausages' and loads of  other fried things. Craig listed a range of things which are gluten free and savoury but then suggested that he have a go at making some gluten free pancakes. As you all know I have a sweet tooth so I said yes but was a little dubious, you can't just make up a gluten free pancake recipe can you???

But then this amazing plate arrived with a stack of soft pillowly pancakes, a berry cream cheese sauce (why haven't I had a cream cheese sauce with pancakes before?), bananas and maple syrup. It was A-MAZ-ING. Seriously some of the best pancakes I have ever had, including gluteny ones. My gluten eating friends also enjoyed the bits I shared.

If you ask nicely when he is working I'm sure he would make them again.

I also enjoyed a take away coconut raspberry slice.

Purple Patch has also been blogged about by Veganise This.

Purple Patch
19 Bay Road
Sandringham

Dosa Hut- West Footscray

I've been craving dosas since our Hong Kong trip and so suggested dosa hut for a family event. It's a nice looking cafe with very reasonable prices. I wasn't completely confident of their gf-ness because when I asked she said that they use regular flour too but Toby and I were pretty sure that she was talking about the whole restaurant rather than the dosas. I didn't get sick afterwards which is a good sign.

 excuse the phone pic

Toby and I both ordered the masala dosa (about $8). It comes with a coconut sauce, a mild vegetable curry and a slightly spicer sauce. The potato curry inside the large pancake was very tasty but also very spicy. My family members enjoyed their dosas and curries too although my grandfathers rice based dish was far too spicy for him. I think Toby struggled too with the spice level, so if you can't handle the heat I would stay away. I loved it though. My mother who is a big fan of Indian food said that she couldn't believe that she had only just discovered dosas. My only complaint was that I was still a little hungry so ate half of a second serve.

You can read other reviews at footscray food blog and consider the sauce.

Salaam Namaste Dosa Hut
604 Barkly Street
West Footscray
9687 0171

Green Smoothies and Hemp Truffles

About a fortnight ago when we got our first taste of spring , I felt inspired and energised to be healthier. While the weather quickly went back to being miserable with only a few good days inbetween. I've kept up some good habits. I'm still eating some junk particularly at the potluck yesterday but I feel that at least I start the days on a good start by having a green smoothie for breakfast. I started out with:

Classic Green Smoothie from Oh She Glows:

Yield: 1 serving/2 cups
Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond milk, or milk of choice
• 1 ripe banana, preferably peeled + frozen
• 2 handfuls organic spinach or 1 handful kale
• 1 tbsp chia seeds OR 1 tbsp ground flax
• 1 tbsp nut butter, optional
• 1-3 ice cubes
• protein powder of choice, optional

Directions: Starting with the liquid, add in 1 cup of milk of your choice. Now add in the chia or flax and nut butter. Next, add in the spinach followed by the banana on top. Blend until smooth. Add in your ice cubes and blend some more. Serves 1- about 2 cups.

This was great, I skipped the ice and the protein powder. You can't taste the baby spinach at all, so its a great way to start. It didn't quite fill me up.  But I've found that if I increase almond milk to about 1&1/4 cup and increase the seeds or nut butter slightly then I'm right to lunch time.

I've slowly been making more adaptions using frozen bluberries, cherries, raspberries and using kale and boy choy (yes sounds gross but again can't taste it), I've also used hemp seeds too.

I'm not a morning person at all, so I put it in my klean canteen bottle and drink it on the way to work. Be warned if you do this to rinse it out straight away. I once left my bottle dirty until I got home which was a big mistake-smell wise. I do need to floss at work now though unless I start getting up earlier and having it at home.

I recently bought some hemp seeds which are supposadly good for you. I'm always suck a sucker for the latest 'superfood'.  This US study suggests a range of benefits like high in omega 3 and 6, and may lower cholestrol and blood pressure. They are actually legal to eat everywhere except for australia and new zealand. So they are sold as a skincare product in some larger health food stores. See below:

I'm also been making a few different versions of these raw truffles so if I do get hungry before lunch I eat a couple. This is my favourite, its slightly sweet and Toby who hates these sort of raw snacks loves these (and not just for the high protein).

Hemp Truffles adapted from the raw project

• 1 cups shelled hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 2 tbsp. almond butter
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1/8 cup cacao powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Place hemp seeds, chia seeds, almond butter, cacao powder, and salt into a food processor and process until well blended. While processing, feed in pitted dates and process until the mixture is well blended and clumping. Add in vanilla and maple syrup. Roll mixture into small, quarter-sized balls and enjoy. Makes about 15 balls.

 I love these type of recipes, if you have any similar recipes please let me know.

They both may look gross but taste great!

Baked Vegan and Gluten Free Cheesecake with Strawberry Glaze

It was Toby's birthday this weekend and when I discussed the idea of making him a cake he had zero interest in fact he said if I made a cake he won't eat any. We are such opposites in some ways. Until Lisa on twitter suggested a tofu cheesecake and he suddenly become interested. So I made him this protein packed cake:

Baked Vegan and Gluten Free Cheesecake with Strawberry Glaze

Base:

1 packet of gf biscuits- 175 grams, I used organ gluten free vanilla outback animal biscuit

60 grams dairy free margarine (nuttelex), melted

Place biscuits in food processor and process til they become crumbs, add melted margarine and press into base of 9 inch case pan. Place in fridge.

Cheesecake (from baking bites):

1-14 oz (390 grams) package firm silken tofu (I think the silken tofu I used was a little smaller)
1-8 oz (227grams) package Better than Cream Cheese
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup lemon juice (I used tiny bit of lime juice since I didn't have enough lemon)
½ tsp almond essence (I used vanilla)
2 tbsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place silken tofu and vegan cream cheese in the food processor. Process for 1 minute, then add sugar. Process until smooth and no sugar granules remain, 3-5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and almond extract. Whisk in cornstarch. Pour mixture into the food processor and process until very smooth. Pour into prepared crust and bake for 45 minutes.
Allow to cool at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight.

Strawberry Glaze:

1/4 cup strawberry jam

2 tablespoon of water

1 punnet of strawberries (you made need more or less depending on how you want to decorate it)

Heat jam and water until simmering and brush on cake, add strawberries and glaze more on top. Chill until ready to eat.

I put the strawberries in the shape of a 'T' in the middle. This was a pretty easy cake to make, it does make a small cake though and it does have a slight soy flavour. Everyone seemed to enjoy it though particularly the birthday boy!

Here is a not so great phone pic:

P.S: Planet VegMel is celebrating its third birthday this year with a picnic on Saturday September 15 at Edinburgh Gardens, starting at 1pm.  Check out the facebook event here. Come along and bring some vegan food to share. If you are up for a challenge or just wanting to feed me you can make it gf too :-)

Red Robyn Cafe and Ten Year Vegan Anniversary

I came back from semi blogging retirement to tell you two things.

First: I've been vegan for 10 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't really remember what month it was but suspect it was some time between June and August. I still remember family members telling me it was a stage that I was going through. Remember, mum? I think i've changed a lot over those years though in the beginning I was so passionate that I wanted to tell everyone, would happily engage in conversations/arguments whereas now I've become somewhat non confrontational in fact loads of people in my life don't even know, particularly colleagues. I'm also trying to move away from eating vegan junk food and move to healthier wholefoods.

Second:

There is a relatively new gluten free cafe called Red Robyn which I adore. I've been twice now. It's an omni gluten free cafe but caters really well to vegans. Often vegetarian places like chinese vegetarian restaurants do not cater at all for coeliacs and gluten free cafes don't cater for vegans. So Red Robyn makes my heart sing!

The first time I went, I had the sweet potato rosti with smoky beans and avocado which I loved. Yesterday when I went I got the curried lentil pot pie with chickpea chips. The pastry on top of the lentil pot pie was great for gf pastry which is no easy feat. The lenil curry was surprisingly good with a coconut base and the chicpeas fries were amazing. I need to try to make these at home.

Then it was DONUT TIME, I got a custard donut. Yes a vegan and gluten free custard donut! I should have taken an inside shot but I was too excited. The donut part was quite similar to a regular donut but it needed more custard. Last time I went I got a vanilla slice which was awesome. I also have a jam donut in my fridge waiting for me to eat after dinner tonight and I had some yoyos last night. The yoyos are ok but perhaps too sweet, but I don't think i've ever been a yoyo fan.

It's quite a quitea cute cafe too, I loved these features:

They have lots of other awesome things that I want to try like too like the vegan and gluten free pancakes! The customer service is great and they cater well to other intolerances too like fructose malabsorption. Toby said that the coffee is actually pretty good and they have rice milk, as well as soy milk available. Both times I went with people who can eat gluten like Toby, Michael and Erin and they all enjoyed their meals. My only complaint is that its not super close to my house but so worth the drive!

Red Robyn Cafe & Restaurant
393 Camberwell Rd
Camberwell
9077 3763

Quinoa Croquettes

I've been making these croquettes a lot lately, I never use black eyed beans though, and substitute whatever I have on hand so far I've tried kidney beans, chickpeas and cannelloni beans. They are so versitile too, each time we have served them in a different way, one night we had them with pasta and tomato based sauce and a cheesy sauce, another night with mashed potatoes and gravy and last night we took them to a potluck with a tangy dipping sauce. They freeze really well too. I recommend doubling or tripling this recipe and freezing what you don't need.

Black-eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes from vegan with a vengeance

1 1/2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained, or 1 can, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 cup cooked quinoa, at room temperature

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp paprika

For the bread crumb coating:

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used gf breadcrumbs)

1/8 tsp sea salt

Few dashes of black pepper

1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

2 tsp olive oil


1.

Preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F) degrees. Mash the black-eyed peas (or whatever beans you subsitute) and combine with the olive oil and soy sauce until just blended. I made it with food processor last night but they become too soft. Add the quinoa and spices and combine the mixture. You should be able to mould them into balls that readily stick together.

2.

In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the breading. Spray a baking pan with a little oil. Form the croquettes into walnut-sized balls. Gently roll the balls between your palms 3-4 times, then flatten out the ends so that the croquettes resemble marshmallows. Coat each ball with the bread crumbs and place on the baking sheet. When all the croquettes have been formed, spray lightly with oil. Bake for 40 minutes, turning once after 20 minutes.

Excuse this slightly blurry pic