Category Archives: Vegetables

Vegan Lupini Bean and Brussels Sprouts Slaw

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Lupini Bean and Brussels Sprouts SlawThis salad celebrates a great many of my current favourite things.

Favourite things of the edible and savoury variety, that is.

After all, it would be hard to make a salad out of late night gigglefits with my housemate Sarah, hours spent talking and walking in the sun with the amazing Amelia, the heart-soaring card I received from a wonderful London-based reader-friend, or the crazy random happenstance that was seeing every breed of dog my family has ever owned (Airedale Terrier, Weimaraner, Poodle) in the space of an hour on Toronto’s streets.

I can’t eat any of those things.

Lupini Bean and Brussels Sprouts SlawBut I can make a salad out of the following:

Sweet, crispy, in-season, raw Brussels sprouts.

Fresh thyme.

Chili flakes (always).

Zingy lemon juice and peppery olive oil.

Addictive, firm, buttery, umami-y, salty, addictive, did I mention addictive? lupini beans.

Yes indeed. Just a few of my favourite things, tumbled together to create a simple yet vibrant and nourishing lunch (along with a slice or two of pumpernickel bread).

I present to you my zingy vegan Lupini Bean and Brussels Sprouts Slaw.

Enjoy.

Lupini Bean and Brussels Sprouts Slaw

Lupini Bean and Brussels Sprouts Slaw

Serves 1
Recipe by me

  • 150g Brussels sprouts, finely shredded
  • 1/2 cup lupini beans, rinsed
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup
  • salt and pepper, to taste

1. Toss the finely shredded Brussels sprouts and lupini beans together in a bowl.

2. In a little jug, stir together the garlic, thyme, chili flakes, lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour over the sprouts and beans, and toss to combine.

3. Check for seasoning, adding a little more of whatever your heart desires to create the perfect balance of flavour for you. Serve with a slice of pumpernickel bread, a lovely glass of wine, and laughter. Always laughter.

Submitted to Ricki’s Wellness Weekend and Healthy Vegan Friday.

Vegan Artichoke and Tomato Quinoa Risotto

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Vegan Artichoke Tomato Quinoa RisottoLast week was the week that winter broke me.

In truth, I’m pretty chuffed that I lasted four months before my soul crumpled under the figurative and literal weight of snow and unrelenting cold. After all, I’ve always been a summer girl at heart, and I can’t even begin to tell you how many people back home laughed at me when I proclaimed I was moving to Canada in time for its winter.

Vegan Artichoke Tomato Quinoa RisottoFor the past four months, the cold and snow and blizzards and “feels like -32C” and thermals and winter boots and dumpling jackets and sunshine-on-white days and piercing nights have been a novelty. An adventure. A triumph of survival for this Australian who used to mope when Canberran days sank to the single digits.

I’ve appreciated the beauty of snow, the magic of winter clothing, and the comfort of morning cups of coffee here in Toronto.

But, this weekend, every single fibre of my being cried out “Enough! Enough! I want to be able to slip on a dress and lightweight shoes and dance out the door into radiant heat without spending fortybillionthreeveteen minutes bundling up! I want to walk outside for more than half an hour with my head uncovered without feeling like my brainmind has turned into an icicle! I want to drink a Starbucks Frappuccino and feel bad only because it’s Starbucks and I’m a terrible person for supporting that corporate behemoth, and not because I can’t feel my lips anymore!”

Vegan Artichoke Tomato Quinoa RisottoPlease come soon, spring and summer. Please. I’ve tried my hardest, I’ve kept my head high, and I’ve danced in the snow as much as I can. I’ve even kept up a constant supply of delicious, warming, hearty, healthful, vegan winter soups and stews.

Dear Canada, will you accept this offering of Vegan Tomato and Artichoke Quinoa Risotto as a mark of my good faith? Of my commitment to you? If I give you this lovely bowl of joy, will you give me a week of warmth in return so that I can buy a pair of polka-dot short-shorts and twirl around in circles on the street until I think I might just fly up into the clouds?

Let me know.

Artichoke and Tomato Quinoa Risotto

Serves 4

  • 1 tb olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup tomato passata
  • 1 cup quartered canned artichoke hearts, drained
  • salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast (optional, to taste)
  1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan, then sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger for five minutes until the onion has softened. Stir in the smoked paprika and cumin and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.
  2. Add the quinoa and toast for one minute. Now, a true risotto would involve adding the liquid slowly, but a true risotto would also be made with rice, so we’re going to wild and add the stock and tomato passata all at once. Whee! Kitchen rebels we are, yes indeed!
  3. Once you’ve added the stock and passata, bring the pot to the boil then reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, for 20 minutes.
  4. Gently stir in the artichokes and season to taste with salt and pepper. If you’re a nutritional yeast fiend like me, throw in a few tablespoons at this point. It adds a wonderful creaminess and nuance to the flavour. Now you can serve! Hurrah!

Submitted to Ricki’s Wellness Weekend and Healthy Vegan Friday.

Spiced Red Lentil Vegetable Soup

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Spiced Red Lentil Vegetable SoupLife is a dream and a wonder and a swirl and a song.

It is doing heel clicks in the snow on the way to work and it is singing softly in the kitchen on the weekend while turning a heavy pomegranate orb into a bowl of ruby jewels.

It is coming home late at night and then staying up even later with your housemate, laughing first then talking seriously, lowhushedintent, into the early hours of the morning.

It is wearing your new white-with-a-black-floral-pattern skinny jeans into the office and exclaiming, with a whoosh of relief, “I was scared I looked like mutton dressed as lamb!” when a colleague compliments your outfit straightaway.

Spiced Red Lentil Vegetable SoupLife is loving the fact that you’re a bit exhausted from All Of This Living, and secretly being a little pleased that you’re too busy to blog as often as you used to. Life is the heartsoulrush of being truly in the world, laughing loving learning. Life is knowing that not only could you still fit in a myriad more adventures each week, but that you want to.

Life is taking a quiet moment to tilt your head and smile at the gorgeous colours in the Spiced Red Lentil Vegetable Soup before you, smiling again at its wonderful complex healthful nourishing vibrant taste, and then smiling once more, again again again, because you didn’t splash even one red drop on your new white-with-a-black-floral-pattern-hopefully-not-mutton-dressed-as-lamb skinny jeans.

Spiced Red Lentil Vegetable Soup

Serves 4, adapted from the wonderful Angela at Oh She Glows

  • 1 tb olive oil
  • 1 large red onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1tsp smoked paprika
  • ½-1tsp chilli flakes, optional (or, if you’re me, absolutely necessary)
  • 14-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 5 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 165g green beans, chopped
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in oil for about five minutes, until onion is softened.
  2. Stir in thyme, cumin, chilli powder, paprika, and chilli flakes, and sauté for two minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add the tomatoes, stock, and lentils, bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
  4. Throw in the beans and simmer, uncovered, for 10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve.Note: Freezes and reheats beautifully. To life! (I hope at least half of you are singing Fiddler on the Roof right now.)

Submitted to Ricki’s Wellness Weekend and Healthy Vegan Friday.

Quick and Easy Adzuki Pumpkin Soup

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Quick and Easy Vegan Adzuki Pumpkin SoupThank you to everyone who sent well wishes after my last post! I’m happy to say that my Monday turned out to be even more magnificent than I’d imagined. To shed a little more light upon matters, and because I still can’t say it any better than I did last night, I give you this Facebook status update:

Facebook intern announcmentI am on clouds. I promised myself when I left my Australian life behind that, once overseas, I had to truly take chances, that I had to leap and reach towards what my heart longs for, whether this be an age-old longing or a sudden unexpected longing. I told myself I couldn’t cheat by simply calling this adventure an adventure; I had to actually be adventurous, and push myself out of my comfort zone whenever possible.

I promised myself I would stand up and say to the world: I am here and I want, I want, I will, I’ll try, please, I promise, I’m here.

Hannah in new Lucca dressSo I’m starting from scratch in an industry I’ve dreamed of joining for a very long time. I bought myself two new dresses in the hopes of looking the part, and took a silly photo of one such dress in the snowy early morning darkness so I could show my mum (hi mum!). I’m excited, thrilled, hopeful, ready.

As for today’s recipe? It’s a good-un. Super easy and quick to pull together, rich in layered flavours, healthful, vegan, warming, and just a little bit unique due to the less-commonly-used adzuki beans, this spicy Adzuki Pumpkin Soup is guaranteed to put a skip in your step.

Because my internship is of the unpaid variety, you can look forward to seeing a great many more legume recipes on this blog in future.

Are you excited? I am. Here’s to adventure.

Quick and Easy Vegan Adzuki Pumpkin Soup

Quick and Easy Adzuki Pumpkin Soup

Serves 4

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped finely
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons Mrs Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend (or 1 tablespoon chipotle chilli powder)
  • 1/2 teaspoon (or more, to taste) red chilli flakes
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 can (420g/15oz) pumpkin puree (or homemade if you’re fancy!)
  • 1 1/2 cups (240g/1 can, drained) cooked adzuki beans
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in oil for five minutes or until translucent. Add cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle seasoning, and red chilli flakes, and stir for two minutes.
  2. Pour in the stock, pumpkin puree, cooked adzuki beans, and fresh thyme. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 35 minutes.
  3. Season to taste, garnish with more fresh thyme, and serve.

Submitted to Ricki’s Wellness Weekend and Healthy Vegan Friday.

Vegan Red Lentil Dal with Cranberries

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There are times in life when an idea pops into your head and you feel certain that it’s going to turn out well. Later, when you follow through, you discover that your idea wasn’t merely adequate; it was utterly marvellous.

Vegan Red Lentil Dal with CranberriesLike, say, when you decide on a whim to move to Canada despite never having visited the country before and you know it will be an adventure then almost a year after you first conceived of the plan you find yourself lying with your two new housemate-friends on a half-broken couch-futon squished together like laughing sardines and it’s your second night in your new sublet and you’re watching Midnight in Paris and you have a mug of hot tea resting on your stomach moving up and down slightly with each breath and there’s a cat printed on the mug and your stomach feels wonderfully warm in a perfect circle beneath the tea and the cat is looking at you and you’re looking at the pairs of feet lined up at the base of the half-broken couch-futon and suddenly all of your earlier quiet fluttering panic about not knowing what you’re doing with your life melts away and all that matters is the crystal clarity of this moment, this crystal perfect moment, this one moment in time.

Vegan Red Lentil Dal with CranberriesOr when you decide to make a red lentil dal but you want to make it different and unique somehow; you want it to be representative of the fact that you’re in Canada, that you’re really living in Canada, so you think let’s add some fresh tart lovely bright red jewel cranberries to the spiced red lentils, and you think it will be good, but it turns out to be better than good. Your Vegan Red Lentil Dal with Cranberries turns out to be the best dal-slash-red-lentil-soup you’ve ever made or eaten.

It’s like that.

Vegan Red Lentil Dal with Cranberries

Vegan Red Lentil Dal with Cranberries

Serves 4
Adapted from Orangette

  • 1 tb olive or coconut oil
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 medium green capsicum (bell pepper), chopped
  • 1 tb (heaping) tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 1/4 litres vegetable stock
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 3/4 – 1 cup fresh cranberries (see note for substitutions)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then sauté the onion, garlic, and capsicum for about five minutes until onion is translucent and capsicum has softened.
  2. Add the tomato paste, cumin, and smoked paprika, and stir for another two minutes until the paste and spices are beginning to toast and your kitchen starts to smell delicious.
  3. Pour in the vegetable stock and lentils, bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for half an hour.
  4. Add the fresh cranberries ten minutes into the lentils’ cooking time, so that the cranberries simmer and meld with the deliciousness for about twenty minutes.
  5. Season to taste, and serve.

Notes: If you can’t access fresh cranberries where you are (hi Australia!), try adding an equal amount of thinly sliced rhubarb. Alternatively, skip the cranberries altogether but season with a few squeezes of fresh lemon, to taste, just before serving. This makes a very soup-y dal, so if you’d prefer something more suited to serving over rice, cut down the stock by about two cups.

Submitted to Ricki’s Wellness Weekend and Healthy Vegan Friday.