Superfood Tempe Taco

With the weather getting cooler it’s time for something comforting, something warm, and something spicy. It’s time to Taco!

Avocado and Tomato

There’re a few reasons why I love Mexican food. I love food with bold flavours, the kind of food that punches you in the face with a strong taste and then makes you come back for more. It’s sexy and daring. It’s passionate.

One of my favourite Mexican foods is taco. I mean, who doesn’t like taco? It’s tasty, easy to make and it’s great for parties!

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Traditionally, taco is made with meat but I make mine with tempe, walnuts and chia seeds. These make the taco highly nutritious and their unique texture gives the taco that ‘meaty’ and chewy taste, even though it’s completely plantbased.

You can find tempe (also spelled tempeh) at your local supermarket, health food store or an Indonesian or Malaysian speciality grocery store. You want to get raw tempe, as the cooked version is often flavoured and not as firm as the fresh type so it might be difficult to grate.

Superfood Tempe Taco

Why I love it

It’s not only that this superfood tempe taco is easy and quick to make, it’s also nutritious, delicious, and high in protein. The added chia seeds provide a boost of omega 3 and they also help thicken the taco’s ‘meat’ mixture in next to no time.

The leftover ‘taco meat’ can also be used to spice up salad or sandwiches for lunch the next day, if you can manage not to eat it all in one sitting.

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The key is to a good taco is a good taco seasoning. You can get it at the store or you can make it your self. If you’re a big taco fan, I recommend making it yourself because it’s so easy to do and you can customise it to suit your preferences.

You just need to get all the spices, mix them together and then store the mixture in an airtight jar to keep its freshness. The best thing about making your own taco seasoning is that you can adjust the taste to your liking. You can make it as hot (or as mild) as you like, you can add more of the spices you like, maybe reduce the salt, or add more pepper.

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Superfood Tempe Taco

Ingredients:

  • 1 pack (250) raw tempe, grated
  • ¼ cup walnut, finely chopped
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon of chia seeds
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • ½ red onion, sliced
  • ¼ cup non-dairy cheese
  • 8 hard taco shells

Method:

  1. Heat oil in a sauté pan on medium-high heat.
  2. Add onion and stir for about 3 minutes, until it begins to soften.
  3. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Stir grated tempeh; cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
  5. Pour vegetable broth over the tempeh mixture and reduce heat to low. Add the taco seasoning, oregano, and ground red pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

*How to Make Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • ½ – 3 teaspoon chilli powder (depending how hot you like it)
  • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together

Tips:

  • Make a big batch of taco seasoning and use it to season roast vegetables, salads, wraps, etc
  • Use lettuce leaves in place of taco shells if you want to make it lighter (or if you run out of taco shells)
  • Use leftover taco meat to fill sandwiches or to sprinkle upon your salads.

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you Leave a comment below or share a picture and tag me on Instagram!

 

Keren x

 

This recipe is also created in collaboration with Australian Avocado

New Zealand – North Island

Being an ex-pat who has lived in the land of Down Under for over 15 years, New Zealand presented an experience which felt a little like Australia, and yet was a vastly different setting. The mix of beautiful landscapes, the omnipresent Māori culture, friendly, easygoing Kiwis, and delicious Sauvignon Blanc was both charming and disarming. I loved it.

Here’re some of the highlights of my short adventure trip with the boy to New Zealand – North Island region, which includes Auckland, Rotorua, and Lake Taupo.

Me and my Lowell backpack

Me and my Lowell backpack at the airport – ready to go

New Zealand-2

Waiting to board the plane

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Māorian welcome sign at the airport

Moments after we touched down in Auckland, we headed straight to Countdown (the largest grocery store chain in New Zealand) and bought oats, bread, fruits, nuts and some snack carrots. We knew we wanted to make breakfast every day and have healthy snacks available all the time so it was a good move on our part. We stayed at Quest serviced apartments equipped with a kitchen which helped tremendously with our effort to maintain a somewhat healthy diet during our travels.

Quests Apartments
AUS 1800 334 033
NZ 0800 944 400
International +61 3 9645 8357

Our breakfast every morning looks a little like this.

Every morning looks a little like this


Wai-O-Tapu

Wai-o-tapu-13

Stairs at Wai-o-tapu

We started our journey with a trip from Auckland to Rotorua via Wai-o-tapu. It’s a great spot for geothermal gazing complete with an extensive walking track and funky coloured bubbling thermal mud pools.

Wai-o-tapu - Dew on tree branches

Dew on tree branches

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One of the many thermal pools at Wai-o-tapu

Green smoothie coloured pool

Kryptonite coloured pool

Champagne Pool at Wai-o-tapu

The famous Champagne Pool

My favourite picture from Wai-o-tapu and NZ. A girl taking a photograph with her man supporting her. Hashtag love!

Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland
Open every day including all Public Holidays
April-October: 8:30am-5:00pm (last admission 3:45pm)
November-March: 8:30am-6:00pm (last admission 4:45pm)
Christmas Day: 8:30 am-5:00 pm (last admission 3:45pm)
Phone: +64 7 366 6333


Rotorua

When in Rotorua, one must visit the hot spring pool. Nothing is as pleasant, or potent, as a mineral-rich thermal spa (and a shivering cold rinse after) to ease one’s troubled mind and relax one’s tired body.

We went to the Polynesian Spa which was within walking distance from our Quest apartment and I must say, it was pure bliss. The spa encloses five shallow hot mineral pools with various degree of ‘hotness’ and a picturesque view of  Lake Rotorua.

Polynesian Spa
Address: Hinemoa St, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand
Hours: Monday – Sunday 8AM-11PM
Phone: +64 7-348 1328

Rotorua lake view from Polynesian spa

Rotorua lake view from Polynesian spa


Taupo

From Rotorua we drove to Lake Taupo where we stayed overnight at the largest and probably most scenic freshwater lake in New Zealand.

Lake Taupo

View from the balcony – Lake Taupo

View from the motel, can you see the steam coming off the surface of the lake?

Can you see the steam coming off the lake’s surface on the left hand side? It’s like a giant hot spring

For dinner we went to Bistro Lago, located at the Hilton Lake Taupo. It’s not the most vegan-friendly restaurant but we were quite happy with our fresh green salad and our simple yet delicious veggie roast featuring snow peas, green beans and potatoes.

Dinner at Bistro Lago - Taupo. Roasted vegetables featuring snow peas, green beans and potatoes

A simple roasted dinner at Bistro Lago

Bistro Lago at the Hilton Taupo
Hours: Restaurant 7am-9pm Bar 8am until late
Address: 80/100 State Highway 5, Taupo 3330, New Zealand
Phone:+64 7-378 708


Huka Falls

One highly recommended activity in Taupo is a visit to the Huka Falls and the Huka Falls Jet ride.  The ride offers a thrilling 30 minute ride along the Huka river while passing through bushes ‘so close you almost crash’ at high speed, and lots of 360° donut spins to keep your adrenaline rushing.

If that doesn’t appeal to you then this might: it’s the only water jet that can take you right in front the magnificent Huka Falls.

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Waiting for our boat ride

Huka Falls

Up close and personal with Huka Falls

Huka Falls Jet
Address: 200 Karetoto Rd, Taupo 3330, New Zealand
Hours: Monday to Sunday 9AM – 4:30PM
Phone:+64 7-374 8572


Auckland

We ended our trip where we started, in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, where we spent most of our time mmm.. eating.

Street Art in AucklandStreet Art in Auckland

We made sure to visit The Unbakery at Little Bird Organics. It’s a raw, organic, vegan cafe which came highly recommended by a lot my vegan friend. It serves delicious salads, sumptuous raw cakes and dairy-free coffee. It was fabulous!

Little Bird Organics
Address: 385 New North Road, Kingsland, Auckland 1021, New Zealand
Phone:+64 9-550 7377
Hours: Monday – Friday 8AM-2:30PM Saturday – Sunday 8 AM-3PM

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Cold drip coffee at Little Bird Organics

Tea selection at Little Bird

Tea selection and sprouting kit at Little Bird Organics

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Superfoods and other goodness

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Bird Bowl from The Unbakery – A tasting bowl of delicious salads and dehydrated raw goodness

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Special of the day – Dosa pancake with slaw, corn and creamy avocado dressing

On our last night in New Zealand we treated ourselves with a lovely dinner at Eight at the Langham. They had buffet and à la carte menus available. We chose à la carte and managed to get a few dishes specially made vegan for us.

Eight Restaurant
Address: The Langham Hotel 83 Symonds St, Grafton, Auckland 1010
Hours: Friday to Wednesday 6AM-10PM
Phone:+64 9-300 2924

Veggie burger at Eight at the Langham

Veggie burger at Eight

Eight at the Langham

Digging into some deep fried tofu with peanut sauce

The following morning we managed to squeeze another organic vegan meal at Wise Cicada, thanks to Zarah from VegTravelGuide who told us about this gem. Their raw banoffee pie is to die for!

Wise Cicada Café
Hours: 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday & 9am – 6pm Sat & Sunday
Address: 23 Crowhurst, Newmarket, Auckland
Phone: +64 9-529-9529

Wise Cicada Cafe

Wise Cicada Cafe

Bits of everything lunch at Wise Cicada

Bits of everything lunch at Wise Cicada Cafe

And that’s a wrap.

E noho rā New Zealand. You’ve been awesome!

Vegan Degustation at Yellow

I still remember my first fine dining experience. It was about 12 years ago at a French Restaurant in Surry Hills. I can’t remember the name, but I remember everything else. I remember the dress I was wearing, the people I was with, the service, the food, and I especially remember the amazing experience which sparked a decade of fine dining pursuits. I collected degustation menus like stamps and spent most of my salary on eating out. It was my dope.

Yellow Vegan Degustation

My recent visit to Yellow reminded me of that first fine dining experience. Sure, I’ve had gorgeous vegan meals at Otto and delicious customised vegan degustation at Marque. But Yellow stood head and shoulders above any those venues. It was splendid in every way possible. The efficient service, the romantic ambiance, the delicious food, everything was exactly on point.

Yellow Vegan Degustation-6

I had the 5 course vegan degustation menu and by the end of the night I promised myself that I will go back to try the even longer 7 course menu. It was good. Really.

Yellow Vegan Degustation-2

My pictures don’t do justice on how attractive all the dishes were. They were as bright and beautiful as a flower garden. There’s no seitan here. Instead, you’ll be delighted by plant-based whole foods which were carefully prepared and minimally processed, with lots of textural elements and umami-rich flavours – dishes that will make you forget they were vegan. That my friend, require some serious skills.

Salted Mexican Cucumbers + Tomatillos + OcaYellow Vegan Degustation-10

It was my first time trying Mexican cucumbers. They look like miniature watermelons but they taste like cucumbers with a hint of citrus. It was slightly tangy, enjoyably light and refreshing.

Kohlrabi + Enoki Mushroom + Vegetable BrothYellow Vegan Degustation-3

I had to look at the menu again when I was presented with this dish. I was expecting roasted kohlrabi or a soupy dish but, instead, I got beautiful and crunchy ribbons of kohlrabi with enoki mushrooms and violet flowers. It was a gorgeous dish which was rich in textures and, oh my, that consommé! A true umami experience.

Black Rice + Celtuce + KojiYellow Vegan Degustation-4

What is celtuce? It doesn’t really matter. Delicious chewy rice, rich kryptonite green sauce and crunchy koji fit to die for.

Spaghetti Squash + Persimmon + PepitasYellow Vegan Degustation-5

Gorgeous yellow strings of perfectly cooked squash with sweet melty persimmon, crunchy pepitas and a thick nut cream. Divine!

Raspberry Sorbet + Plum + HazelnutYellow Vegan Degustation-8

Finely sliced plums encasing a delectable sorbet which was super smooth and creamy with just the right amount of sweetness. I could only say that I wish I could have had more of this. Come to think of it, if my boyfriend had any manners he’d have given me his plate as well.

Yellow Vegan Degustation-9

As I concluded my night at Yellow I bade farewell to Australia, my friends, my dog and my dear love. It was my last night in Sydney before my 3-month trip overseas and I couldn’t have wished for a better place to end the night. Adieu, till we meet again.

Keren xx

Yellow Vegan Degustation-6

The Colonel via Deliveroo + Coupon Code

Deliveroo-1

As much as I love going out for dinner, there are days when I don’t feel like eating out, even on the weekends. Lately this has been a frequent occurrence thanks to the arrival of the boxed DVD sets for Breaking Bad (the complete series) and Walking Dead (seasons 1- 5). I had forgotten how addictive television series can be. The last few shows I was into were Gossip Girl, True Blood and Man vs. Food…. sad, I know… but they’re nothing in comparison to these two gems. Breaking Bad and Walking Dead are a hundred times better, and a hundred times more addictive. Goodbye, life.

Deliveroo-13A lot of times when Nat and I choose to eat in, we’d get takeaway at a local Thai restaurant, Khaohom, which is cheap and easy. Some days however, especially on the weekend, I want something a bit different. Something fancier. Without having to leave home. Just so I can squeeze in another literally gut wrenching, skull-smashing episode of Walking Dead.

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Deliveroo is a restaurant delivery start-up which seeks to satisfy this need. It was founded in London two years ago and the company has recently launched in Australia. They may seem like just another food delivery service, but Deliveroo is different in that they focus on delivering food mainly from mid to high-end restaurants – restaurants that traditionally don’t offer a delivery service in the first place. This opens up a completely new range of delivery options.

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Image from uk.businessinsider.com

Image from uk.businessinsider.com

Here’s a short clip of my experience using Deliveroo to get one of my favourite dinners home-delivered. I found the website very easy to use and I especially love the ability to add special dietary requirements for my order. I selected The Colonial, a lovely Indian Restaurant in Neutral Bay. Nat is not really (not at all) a fan of spicy food so it takes a lot of effort (or a huge faux pas on his part) for me to get him to an Indian Restaurant. So getting the food to come home instead is the next best thing!

Coupon Code
I’ve teamed up with the cool kids at Deliveroo to give you $10 off your first order with so you can try their service. Just type in the code PASSIONATE when you place your order. This code is valid until 14 June 2016. Enjoy!
Have the best day ever,
Keren
Disclaimer: I received credits from Deliveroo to try and review their service. This is not a sponsored post and as always, all opinion is my own. 

My thoughts on 4 My Earth eco-friendly food bags

What if we don’t need to use plastic to cover or store our food?

 

I have to say, I was not brought up to care much about the environment. Growing up in a developing country it is not a subject that people would discuss. No one seemed to care. It wasn’t until my first year of university here in Sydney that I learned about the some of major environmental issues the world is facing, and how we as human beings play an important role in protecting the environment.

Read more

5 Tips To Keep Your Vegetables Stay Fresh Longer

I eat a lot of vegetables. But having tons of produce in the fridge can be tricky to manage. We’ve all been there before… watching our expensive produce go to waste right before our eyes. If you’re tired of having to throw out vegetables before you had the chance to use it, or hate watching your potatoes sprouting and turning green in front of your very eyes, This post is for you.

Here are my 5 tips to keep your vegetables stay fresh longer. Tried and tested :)

5 Tips To Keep Your Vegetables Stay Fresh

1. Buy local and choose the freshest vegetables you can afford.

It’s a given that the fresher the vegetables the longer they keep. As much as we can’t reverse the signs of ageing, or turn water to wine (unless you’re Jesus!), we can’t preserve veggies that are not fresh to start with. It’s that simple. Buy local, support your local farmers and get better tasting vegetables that last longer than the ones you get at the large supermarket.

2. Wash vegetables just before you use them.

Avoid storing your vegetables in the fridge after washing without drying them thoroughly first. Moisture encourages mold growth and therefore accelerates spoilage.

3. Know your fridge’s microclimate.

This is nerdy but important. Your fridge has Cold Zone, Moderate Zone and Humid Zone/Crisper drawer. You can check this by using a thermometer to measure each shelf, but usually the one closer to the cold vent is the cold zone. The crisper drawer is best for storing vegetables so if you must store counter top vegetables (i.e., when counter top space is tight or you bought enough vegetables to survive a nuclear winter), make sure you put them here. If you have very cold fridge, you might want prevent vegetables like salad leaves and Chinese greens from wilting due to very cold temperature and excess moisture by storing them on the moderate zone instead.

4. Not everything needs to go in the fridge.

You can print a handy chart like the one I found on Spark People or follow this hack. Just look at where the vegetables or fruits are stored/displayed at your fruit and vegetable shop and replicate it at home. For example, things like tomatoes, garlic, ginger and lemon – you would find them displayed at room temperature on the counter. So do that at home and you’ll find they would last longer. It may seem odd, especially if you’re used to storing everything in the fridge, but it works.

5. Do not store fruits and vegetables together.

Some fruits produce high amount of ethylene gas which accelerates the ripening process of other foods nearby so keep them separate from other fruits and vegetable, especially in a tight, confined space. Ethylene producing fruits include:

  • fruits-82524_1280Banana
  • Avocado
  • Melon
  • Kiwifruit
  • Mangoes
  • Papayas
  • Nectarines
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Plums
  • Tomatoes

This could be why your potatoes sprouting and turning green quicker that they should have. Are you storing them in the same place as you store your onions? Though not a fruit, onion is a high ethylene producer. Keep onions and potatoes separate!

Want more tips?

Here’s some of my favourite links from around the net where you can find a comprehensive list of vegetables and their storage tips:

What to do with wilted vegetables:

I hate throwing food away so I would normally find a way to use them up. Here’re some ideas:

  • Stir fry with other leftover vegetables
  • Make soups
  • Make vegetable dips
  • Make vegetable stock

What’s your favourite tip for keeping fresh vegetables fresh for longer? 

Tempe Scramble

One of the things I love to make for breakfast is tempe scramble. It’s perfect for weekend brunch or even for lunch. Actually, it doesn’t really matter what time of the day you have it. Indonesians often eat lunch for breakfast, dinner for breakfast and dessert for at any time of the day so you won’t be breaking any cultural traditions. I know this because I grew up in Indonesia and I’ve had mee-goreng, fried rice and toasted chocolate sprinkle sandwiches for breakfast. People still do.

Tempe is fermented soybeans originally from Indonesia. Yes, the correct spelling is without the ‘h’. It’s pronounced tém-pé, without the ‘h’ sound at the end. Here in Australia (and I guess a lot of Western countries) everyone spells it incorrectly. I’ve started doing that too, just so people know what I’m talking about. But tempe, not tempeh, is the correct spelling, and I will start spelling it correctly now since I’m Indonesian and I should know better.

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I’m surprised a lot of people have not tried tempeh, which is a shame because tempeh is even better than tofu in terms of its nutritional value and wholesomeness. I speculate a lot of people are afraid to try it or they’ve had a bad experience before. Maybe it wasn’t cooked right, or maybe the tempe they used wasn’t fresh. Fresh tempe smells and tastes delicious. The fermentation process that makes tempe (transforming the soybean into a cake or patty form) gives it a firm texture and an earthy mild flavour. It also has the same fermented aroma as cheese. Try to find raw organic tempe if you can. They can be fresh or frozen, but make sure they’re not pre-cooked or flavoured. You can also make them yourself. It takes a fair bit of time and it can be daunting at first but it’s actually quite simple, once you know the tricks of the trade. I sometimes make my own tempe but these days I don’t have a lot of time so I just buy them. I use the Nutrisoy brand and I can say they make great, authentic tempe! You can find them at Indonesian or Malaysian grocery stores.

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Why I love this tempe scramble

Tempe is great source of plantbased protein, Vitamin B12, iron and probiotics. Tempe scramble is one of the easiest things you can make using tempe. If you have a food processor, you can make it even quicker by chopping all your ingredients (separately of course) using the food processor and all you need to do is cook! Regardless of how you cut up the ingredients, it’s a great meal for when you want to make something fast and it creates an aromatic, slightly crunchy scramble with a somewhat meaty and chewy texture. Serve the tempe scramble with a slice of toasted sourdough bread or some steamed vegetables and you have a deliciously filling meal.

Tempe Scramble
Recipe Type: Breakfast
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2
An aromatic, slightly crunchy eggless scramble made with a somewhat meaty and chewy texture. Rich in plantbased protein, nutritious and delicious
Ingredients
  • 250 raw fresh tempe, minced or grated
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • a pinch of cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Using a non-stick frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for about two minutes or until soft.
  2. Add tempe into the pan. Stir for a minute.
  3. Add soy sauce, nutritional yeast and cayenne pepper. Stir for a few more minutes until golden brown.
  4. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  5. Serve with toasted sourdough bread or some steamed vegetables.
Notes
Add spinach with kale or any other greens you like: diced asparagus, spring beans, or even peas and corns.[br]Add some shredded dairy-free cheese for a cheesy twist.[br]Add a tablespoon of chia or linseed (or your favourite superfood) for nutritional boost.[br]Use this to fill wrap or sandwich, layered with sliced avocado and tomato.

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to share a picture on Instagram and tag me. I’d love to see your creation.

With love,

Keren

Tempe Scramble-3

Chandra Koftas

This recipe has a special place in my heart as Isa Chandra personally recreated the dish when she came to Sydney a few years ago to attend the Sydney Vegan Festival. It was delicious. The original recipe actually comes with a creamy cashew sauce but I like to make these koftas as is, without the sauce, and use them to fill a veggie wrap or have as finger food.

Kofta traditionally refers to a meatball or meatloaf, and is popular in Indian cuisine. It usually consists of ground meat mixed with spices, but these koftas are vegan by using chickpeas and zucchinis!

Chandra Kofta-3-2Why I Love These Chandra Koftas

These koftas are a feast of flavours and texture. Bite into the crispy skin and you’ll find a soft dumpling with ‘surprise’ bits of toasted almond and zucchini on the inside. These koftas are substantial but light at the same time.

 

 

Chandra Koftas
Author: Keren
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 20
Recipe adapted from Isa’s Does It Cookbook
Ingredients
  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • 3 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 500g zucchini, shredded
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
  • 2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ tsp of freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
  • Spray oil
  • Fresh coriander, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Prepare the kofta mixture
  2. In a medium bowl, mash the chickpeas until they are mushy but not quite pureed.
  3. Preheat a large, heavy pan over a medium heat. Toast the almonds for about 7 minutes, tossing frequently, until they are golden and browned in some spots. Transfer immediately to the bowl containing the chickpeas. Next, toast the cumin seeds for 3 minutes or so, until fragrant and a shade or two darker. Transfer those to the bowl as well.
  4. Add the zucchini, coriander, ginger, garlic, salt, and black pepper, and mix well.
  5. Now add the breadcrumbs and use your hands to mix and mush until it holds together. Cover with plastic wrap (or a plate) and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper to keep the formed koftas from sticking. Scoop up about ¼ cup of the mixture. Roll between your hands to pack it well, and then roll into a spherical shape. Set on the baking paper and continue to form all koftas (I got about 20 koftas).
  7. Spray the koftas with cooking oil spray and bake for about 20 minutes or until brown. Roll them around halfway to get them browned on all side.
  8. Garnish with coriander and serve with some rice.

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to share a picture on Instagram and tag me. I’d love to see your creation.

Chandra Kofta-1

Matcha Latte

Drinking matcha latte has become a morning and afternoon ritual for me. It’s soothing and comforting, not to mention smooth, creamy and delicious. The act of making the tea itself is very calming, especially on a very busy day. It brings me back to me. It allows me to pause, breathe and enjoy a moment of calm among the bustle. I’m here, right now, alive. Life is good.

Why I love my Matcha Latte

Unlike green tea where leaves are discarded after they are infused into the hot water, with matcha you’re drinking the actual leaves. It’s rich in antioxidants and nutrients. But above all, I love the taste of matcha, especially matcha latte. Matcha itself has a very strong earthy taste but it becomes a lot milder after you mix it with milk (soy milk in my case). It also has a high amount of caffeine (similar to a cup of coffee) but unlike coffee, it doesn’t cause adrenaline spikes. It creates a rather calm alertness with no spikes and crashes. It comes on gently and leaves just as gently. It’s beautiful.

I currently use organic matcha tea powder from Kenko Tea, which are pure stone ground tea leaves with slight sweetness, and grassy tones with a slight tannin. This is one of the best tasting matchas I’ve had here in Australia. Yes, it may seems quite expensive at first at $44 per 30 grams, but it’s actually cheaper than a buying a cup of latte. 30 grams gives you around 30 cups of matcha latte so it works out to about $1.50 a cup.

Matcha latte-6

This is how I make my matcha latte almost every day. It’s nothing fancy and it’s probably not the best way to do it, but it works for me. I don’t use a sieve and most days I don’t even use a milk frother (though it will taste even better if you do). But honestly, you can just use warm or hot milk and it would be just as nice. You really can’t mess it up. Matcha latte is amazing and I hope you will try it one day, if you haven’t already.

Matcha Latte

 

Matcha Latte
Recipe Type: Drinks
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • 1 scoop of organic matcha tea powder
  • 1/4 cup of hot water
  • 1 cup of soy milk
Instructions
  1. Add matcha tea powder to cup.
  2. Add a bit of hot water and whisk the powder with the bamboo whisk until pasty.
  3. Then add the remaining water and whisk vigorously to dissolve and make lots of air bubbles.
  4. Heat soy milk on the stove on in the microwave for 40 second on ‘high’.
  5. Add to the matcha tea and stir the surface using the bamboo whisk to make air bubbles (I’m not very good at this).
  6. Sip and enjoy the moment :)

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and/or share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #littlegreenhabits.

Love and (matcha) greens,

Keren

Vegan Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns

Vegan Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns

With Easter just around the corner (and very early this year) I thought it’s time for me to share this recipe. I remember my first Easter as a vegan and I struggled finding vegan hot cross buns, especially the chocolate chip variety. So I went and made my own, and I’ve been making them ever since for Easter.

Friends, this is what Easter is made for…

 

Why I love these vegan choc chip hot cross buns

Aside from the sensation of biting into warm gooey chocolate, these buns smell as delicious as they are tasty. The added spices give them that traditional hot cross buns smell and taste, but with a sprinkle of chocolate magic.

Vegan Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns
Author: Keren
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 9
Ingredients
  • Dough
  • 2 tsp instant dried yeast (1 sachet)
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup of soymilk (or your favourite non-dairy milk)
  • 3 cups plain flour
  • 1/2 all spice
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • a pinch of salt
  • 100g dairy-free dark chocolate, finely chopped (or dark chocolate chips)
  • 2 tsp organ egg replacer (equivalent of 2 eggs)
  • 4 tablespoons water
  • Flour Paste for Crosses
  • 2 1/2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp water
  • Sugar Glaze
  • 1 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoons boiling water
Instructions
  1. If you’re using cold soymilk, heat the milk microwave for 20 seconds until lukewarm but not hot to the touch (you can also use the stove to do this).
  2. Mix sugar and soymilk. Add yeast and mix. Stand for about 10 mins until frothy. If the yeast doesn’t froth at this stage, it’s not active and you’ll have to get some fresh yeast.
  3. Whisk egg replacer powder and 4 tablespoons water in a small bowl until thick and frothy.
  4. Sift flour, salt and spices into a big bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture, egg replacer mixture, and then the chopped dark chocolate. Knead for 5-10 mins or so until it becomes a smooth, elastic dough. Use a mixer with dough hook attachment to speed up the process. It took me 2 minutes to do this using the Tefal Cuisine Companion.
  5. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave to rise in a warm space for an hour (an oven with the light turned on works a treat).
  6. Turn dough out and divide into 9 portions. Roll them into balls and place them on a baking tray. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place till nearly doubled.
  7. Preheat oven to 180C
  8. Make the flour paste by mixing ingredients together until smooth. Pipe crosses on buns using a piping bag.
  9. Bake buns for 20 mins or until light golden brown.
  10. Make the sugar glaze by mixing all the ingredients together. Brush glaze over hot buns.
Notes
Use dairy-free milk chocolate if you like it sweeter.[br][br]For the traditional hot cross buns, replace chocolate with mixed dried fruits.

Vegan Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns-6

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to share a picture on Instagram and tag me. I’d love to see your creation.

With love,

Keren