Vegan Passionfruit Ice Cream Cups

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Today I’m sharing my latest kitchen creation – Vegan Passionfruit Ice Cream Cups. Make this when you need some icy treats, yesterday. 

And yes it’s currently very cold in Sydney and I have no business making ice treats. However, I’m one of those weirdos who love eating ice cream when it’s freezing colds. Why not? The ice cream melts slower and it reminds me of summertime :)

The recipe for this dessert is very simple. You don’t need to cook or churn the batter, just blend and chill. Also, the great thing about making them in little cups is that they defrost a lot quicker and you can just bite straight into them rather than messing around with a scooper. You don’t even need to make the base but it gives a lovely flavour and texture to the ice-cream.

Note: Since the recipe uses coconut cream, you’ll need to do a bit of preparation the night before. Leave one or two cans (use two cans) of coconut milk in the fridge at least overnight. The cooling process will allow for the ‘cream’ to float to the top, which is what we need. You can use the liquid part for smoothies or mix it with coffee to make a nice cold coffee drink.

In this recipe I’m using Norbu – a sweetener made of monk fruit extract. It’s tastes just like sugar but with 96% less calories and none of the bitterness of other sweeteners. I’ve been experimenting with it and I’ve used it in this desert. I love it.

Monk fruit or known by Chinese as ‘luo han guo’ has been around for century and is commonly used by Chinese as medicinal herb for treating cough and sore throat. I still remember my mum making me a cup of this luo han guo tea, whenever I have a sore throat. You can other sweetener if you like such as maple syrup, agave nectar, stevia or even sugar. If you’re using stevia, make sure that you adjust the amount to achieve the sweetness of 2 tablespoons sugar, which is what we need.

Vegan Passionfruit Ice Cream Cups

Bite-size, no churn ice cream recipe perfect for entertaining. Just blend and chill!

  • Base
  • 1/2 cup raw almond
  • 5 pitted medjool dates
  • 1 tbsp coconut flakes (or shredded coconut)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • a pinch of salt
  • Filling:
  • 1 cup coconut cream (the thick creamy bits from a can of coconut milk left in the fridge overnight)
  • 2 tbsp of your favourite sweetener (I use Norbu)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (about half a lemon)
  • 2 tbsp Passionfruit pulp (plus extras for serving)
  1. Add all the ingredients for the crust into a food processor or a small power blender until a dough forms.
  2. Place about a teaspoon into a mini muffin silicon tray and press down with your fingers to flatten and cover the base. Place in the freezer while you make your ice cream filling.
  3. Blend all the ingredients until is well-combined and smooth. Pour over the base, cover with foil and place back into the freezer for at least 3 hours.
  4. Take out of the freezer and allow to slightly defrost for about 5-10 minutes before eating.

If you make this, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or find me on Instagram and share your creation. Don’t forget to tag me @passionatelykeren so I won’t miss your post.

Keren x

Vegan Carrot Cake

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Well hello, I have a delicious vegan carrot cake recipe for you. It’s simple, easy to make, and most importantly, it’s yum.

 

Vegan baking can be a bit of a hit and miss. When it’s a miss (a.k.a #fail) it can be devastating. Especially when you use expensive organic ingredients which I often do.

Luckily, I have been having more luck than misfortune at baking this year. This cake is certainly one of my successes. I’ve made them three times in a row now and as I look at these photos, I feel like making them again.

Gosh, wedding is in eight weeks and it doesn’t look like I will lose the one to two kilograms needed to make my dress looks ‘perfect’ (said the seamstress…). Thank God for Sphanx!

I cut the cake into halves and frost them with this Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, which although optional, I highly recommend because it takes the cake to a whole new dimension. I only used about a third of the batch for frosting the cake so you don’t need to make the whole batch. However, because it’s so good (and very light) I ended up serving it with the cake as a side as well.

I also use a teaspoon of Beyond Latte – Ginger Latte Mix for a bit of a ‘ginger kick’. The mix also have turmeric which gives the cake a lovely golden colour. You can replace it with 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder if you want.

Try this vegan carrot cake you must. It’s delicious.

Vegan Carrot Cake

Easy and delicious vegan carrot cake for everyone!

Wet Ingredients:

  • 2 large carrots (grated (about 277 gram))
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup raw sugar
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Beyond Latte <a href="http://www.beyondlatte.com.au">Ginger Latte Mix</a> (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground clove
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnut
  • 1/2 cup of <a href="https://www.passionatelykeren.com.au/vegan-lemon-cream-cheese-frosting/">Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting</a>
  1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 34 x 24 cm baking pan
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
  5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then carefully remove them from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

If you’re a super lazy person (like me at times) you can put all the ingredients and pulse them in a blender. You want to be careful though, not to overblend so you still get some texture from the carrots of the nuts.

If you make this, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or find me on Instagram and share your creation. Don’t forget to tag me @passionatelykeren so I won’t miss your post.

Keren x

Vegan Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

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A healthier frosting that’s creamy and delicious, but also good for you. It’s light, refined sugar free, dairy-free, and oh so addictive! Use it to frost carrot cake, muffins or serve with pancakes.

Vegan Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 ½ cups raw cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight, drain)
  • 1 can of full fat coconut milk
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tsp pure organic vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  1. In a food processor or power blender, blend all ingredients on high for a few minutes until creamy, scraping the sides to ensure even blend.
  2. Chill in the fridge to thicken for at least 1 hours before using.
  3. Store in the fridge for up to one week.

**Prep time does not include the time needed to soak cashews.

If you make this, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or find me on Instagram and share your creation. Don’t forget to tag me @passionatelykeren so I won’t miss your post.

Keren x

The Ultimate Vegan Crepes

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Oh crepes! Yummy vegan crepes! I call this Ultimate Vegan Crepes recipe because it is very simple and takes little time to prepare and so it’s perfect for when you’re craving something sweet (or savoury) but can’t be bothered with baking a cake.

It’s very similar to making a pancake batter, but with more liquid. I added allspice to the batter to give it a nice spice flavour and a lovely aroma. If you don’t have it you can skip it or replace it with cinnamon powder. For this recipe I use normal plain flour but you can use gluten-free flour to make it to be gluten free. I also use coconut sugar which you can replace with normal sugar or your favourite sweetener.

You can be creative with the filling. I love to use fresh fruits like sliced banana and strawberries with a generous drizzle of chocolate spread (I’m a big fan of Pure Harvest COCO² coconut and cacao spread). Yum!

The Ultimate Vegan Crepes

Quick and easy vegan crepes that everyone will love.

  • 1 ½ cups plain or GF flour
  • 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 cups soy milk (of your favourite dairy milk)
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
  • 1 tsp allspice ground
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Filling

  • Sliced banana
  • Sliced strawberries
  • Chocolate spread
  • Sesame seeds
  1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. If the batter is too thick, add a little more soy milk until you get the perfect consistency.
  2. Lightly oil a non-stick pan using an oil spray (I like using this coconut spray) over medium high heat. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter, then twirl the batter around to cover the bottom of the pan as much as you can.
  3. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes and then flip the crepe.
  4. Cook the other side for another minute.
  5. Add filling and serve.

f you make this, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or find me on Instagram and share your creation. Don’t forget to tag me @passionatelykeren so I won’t miss your post.

Keren x

Steamed Broccolini with Japanese Sesame Ginger Dressing

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I thought I’d share with you a really easy dressing which you can use to make your greens taste wonderful.

I was inspired to share this recipe after a recent visit to a lovely Japanese restaurant. They served it cold and it was delish!  I personally like my veggies warm (especially in winter) so I made a warm version and also added some ginger. It took only 10 minutes to prepare (even shorter if you steam the veggies in the microwave).

By the way, I just finished watching What The Health on Netflix. Such an eye-opening! I highly recommend this movie if you need some encouragement to eat more veggies.

I use broccolini in this one but you can use any greens you like. You can also double or triple the batch for the sauce for bigger servings of veggies.

Steamed Broccolini with Japanese Sesame Ginger Dressing

Delicious broccolini with a super simple dressing

  • 1 bunch of broccolini
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp shaved or grated fresh ginger
  1. Steam broccoli in a steamer for 7-10 minutes until cooked and the colour changed to bright green.
  2. Lightly toast sesame seeds on a small nonstick pan under medium heat for a few minutes until they just turn golden brown and fragrant. Careful not to overcook them.
  3. Mix sesame oil, soy sauce and ginger (if using).
  4. Drizzle the sauce over steaming hot broccoli and sprinkle with some sesame seeds. Serve.

Hope you like the recipe!

If you make this, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or find me on Instagram and share your creation. Don’t forget to tag me @passionatelykeren so I won’t miss your post.

Keren x

Giveaway – Cocolife Coconut Lovers Pack

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Just a quick post to let you all know that I’m doing a giveaway on Instagram.

Thanks to the Cocolife I will be choosing TWO lucky followers from my Instagram account everyday for five days from 16 – 20 June 2017, to win a Coconut Lovers pack. That’s 720ml of Cold-pressed Virgin Coconut oil and the Coconut Oil Spray.

Here’s what you need to do to enter this giveaway.

1. Head over to this post on Instagram (with the picture like the one below) and tell us “WHAT YOU USE COCONUT OIL FOR?” Write it in the comment section.
2. Follow @livethecocolife on Instagram.
3. Live in Australia 🇦🇺. Sorry, it’s only open to Australian resident this time. Another reason to move to Down Under? 😄

That’s it! As for me, I use coconut oil everyday for cooking but my favourite is using them to make popcorn 🍿 🍿🍿🍿. Now it’s your turn! Good luck!

Keren x

Air-Fried Vegan Polenta Chips (or you can use the oven)

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Well hello! Fancy something tasty tonight? How about some Crispy Air-fried Vegan Polenta Chips?

You do watch Netflix while having dinner right?

Beside, these stuff are healthy. They’re made of corn. Full of fibre, beta-carotene and carbs. We love carbs.

They’re very easy to make and once you learn how make them, I guarantee you will be making them again, and again..

Most polenta chips uses parmesan and so for this vegan version I use my vegan parmesan, which you can replace with nutritional yeast.

I love making this using an air fryer. I use Philips Air Fryer which I can’t recommend enough. It’s easy to use and makes everything crispy and crunchy with very little oil. That said, you can also use the oven. In face, until I bought an air fryer, I’ve been using the oven to make this. The good thing with oven is that it’s has more space so you can cook more chips than the oven, but it also takes about twice as long. With the air fryer it cooks really quickly but I would need to make two batches. At the end it’s the same, but I personally like using the air fryer more because I don’t have to flip the chips halfway through, which I need to do with the oven.

Crispy, delicious, vegan polenta chips. Give it a go!

Air Fried Vegan Polenta Chips (or you can use the oven)

Crunchy, air-fried, healthier, polenta chips that are super easy to make, but just as addictive.

  • Coconut oil spray (I use <a href="http://thecocolife.com.au/">Cocolife</a> – you can use code "passionatelykeren" to get 15% off your online order)
  • 2 cups vegetable stock (or 1 stock cube and 2 cups of water)
  • 250 g polenta flour
  • 1/3 cup
  • vegan parmesan
  • or nutritional yeast
  • Sea salt
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  1. Spray a baking pan with oil spray and set aside.
  2. Heat stock saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to boil. Gradually add the polenta in a thin steady stream, stirring constantly until all the polenta is incorporated into the stock.
  3. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast.
  4. Pour the polenta onto the prepared pan and use the back of a large spoon to smooth the surface. Cover with non-stick baking paper and set aside to cool, then place in the fridge for four hours or overnight to set.
  5. Turn polenta onto chopping board. Cut lengthways into 2cm strips then each strip into fingers (about 6-8 cm).
  6. Arrange polenta pieces on the air fryer basket with space in between each pieces, spray with coconut oil. Bake at 200C for 20-25 minutes. Alternately you can use the oven.
  7. To cook polenta chips in the oven, arrange strips on an oiled baking pan, bake for 20 minutes at 190C and then turn the chips around and bake for a further 20 minutes.
  8. Sprinkle with rosemary is using and season with sea salt. Serve immediately.

If you make this, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @passionatelykeren so I won’t miss your post.

Cheers,

Keren x

My Big News + Crispy Salt & Pepper Tofu recipe

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Salt and Pepper Tofu is a classic Chinese dish that Nat and I like to order when we’re eat at Chinese restaurants but also make at home, when we feel like something tasty and crispy.

But first, I have an announcement to make.

I’m engaged!

Well it’s been three months but forgot to mention it here on the blog until now… I’m a bad blogger I know.

We’ve picked a date and the wedding is less than three months time. In fact, at the time this post is written we have 75 days before the wedding…crazy! Nevertheless, we’ve managed to have some the important wedding stuff organised, like my dress, the church, the venue, the photographer etc. Now it’s about organising the small details, which is probably is going to be as big of a job as the big stuff I think.

Crispy Salt & Pepper Tofu recipe

Delicious, crispy salt and pepper tofu that will make your Chinese grandmother proud

  • 300 gram packet of <a href="https://www.harrisfarm.com.au/products/tofu-firm-small-tly">firm tofu</a>
  • ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • ½ cup corn starch
  • 2 tbsp tapioca starch
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp ground pepper
  • A ziplock bag
  1. Cut tofu into bite size pieces. Place on two layers or paper towels and top another two layer paper towels (you can also use a kitchen towel). Place a small chopping board on top of the tofu. s
  2. Meanwhile, mix corn starch, tapioca starch, salt and pepper in a ziplock bag.
  3. Heat the oil in a pan to medium-high heat.
  4. Add tofu pieces into the ziplock and shake gently to coat the tofu. Allow to sit for about a minute.
  5. Pan-fry tofu on one side until golden brown, for about 2-3 minutes, and the turn to the other side and cook for another 2 minutes.
  6. Drain on paper towel and keep warm (I normally place cooked tofu in a low temperature oven to keep them warm) while cooking the rest.

Now as far as the salt pepper tofu goes, you won’t believe how easy it is to make. All you need to is just cut, press, crumb, and pan-fry…and voila, a tasty, restaurant-worthy dish.

I use a ziplock to make the crumbing process less messy and so that I can just throw the leftover straight in the freezer. Less washing up = winning. Enjoy!

If you make this, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @passionatelykeren so I won’t miss your post.

Cheers,

Keren x

Nasu Dengaku | Japanese Eggplant

Harajuku Gyoza and Nasu Dengaku Recipe

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A week ago I was invited to Harajuku Gyoza in Potts Point to try their vegan dishes. It was quite a pleasant surprise, as I visited them only a month ago for a quick lunch, and I thought to myself, ‘this restaurant is actually vegan friendly’. And indeed it is, and very much so. I went with my vegan friend, Jo, and we both had a great time tasting all their vegan dishes, from dumplings, to tacos, and finally a lovely dessert, for which we had no idea what it was made made of, but which looked and tasted delicious.

My lovely friend Jo

 

Japanese Plum Wine – delish!

Vegetable Gyoza. Great with some vinegar and chilli oil.

Open Tofu Taco, Tempura Eggplant, and Agedashi Tofu (veganised) – triple yum!

Raindrop Cake – delicate melt in your mouth jelly served with peanut powder and I’m not sure about the rest! Tastes good though :)

 

It’s not every day that I can eat more than just salad and vegetable tempura at a Japanese restaurant, and so I was very cheerful (the plum wine and sake might have contributed to the elevated mood as well).

What a spread! All vegan :)

I got home feeling motivated to create a Japanese-inspired video recipe. Nasu Dengaku, or miso glazed eggplant, is one of my favourite Japanese dishes to make at home because it’s so simple, healthy and most importantly tasty. It’s also especially useful for this time of the year when the weather is getting colder and I’m craving things that are more comforting. And this dish is just that, comforting, especially when eaten with a steaming bowl of rice… heaven-sent.

Here’s the video and the recipe. I posted it on Instagram a few days ago and a few people have tried the recipe and told me how delicious it is. If you don’t have sake, you can omit it, the recipe will still taste good.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUT1_jifq4Y[/embedyt]

Harajuku Gyoza and Nasu Dengaku Recipe

Simple, delicious, and comforting. Recipe adapted from fatfreevegan.com

  • 1 large eggplant or 2 small ones
  • 2 tablespoons mirin
  • 1 tablespoons sake
  • 2 tablespoons shiro miso
  • 1 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
  1. Cut eggplants lengthwise and score.
  2. Mix all the sauce ingredients.
  3. Brush the cut sides of the eggplants with the sauce and cook for 20 mins at 180C (or about 10 mins for smaller eggplants)
  4. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with boiled rice.

If you make this, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @passionatelykeren so I won’t miss your post.

Cheers,

Keren x

5 Tips On Growing Your Vegetables In The Balcony

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If you are a passionate vegan like me, the thought of growing your vegetables would have probably crossed your mind once or twice. Today I have five tips for growing your vegetables on your balcony thanks to the folks at Love Backyard.

1. Assess the Physical Condition of your Balcony

Usually, balconies facing southwest get full sunlight for most of the days. However, buildings or walls my obstruct sunlight on some part of your balcony space. Hence, you need to assess, how many hours of direct sun remain on the space, you intend to grow vegetables. You can do this with a watch or by using a gizmo, called sun calculator.

Assess the timing of the growing season because the movement of the sun varies from winter to summer. Also, consider the heat because all plants can’t bear with extreme heat to which your balcony may usually be subjected to. For instance, lettuce and endive won’t thrive in extreme heat, whereas succulents can. Also, the quality and the taste of endives and lettuce improve with adequate sunlight.

If your balcony is exposed to heavy wind, select the wind tolerant plants. Avoid growing tender plants. You can create windbreaks to protect fragile plants. Coldness is another factor for consideration if you want the plants to grow throughout the year. Check your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone.

  • Select plants that are rated two zones more cold tolerant than the rating of your zone.
  • Choose the vegetables; you like to eat, based on the number of hours of sunlight your balcony gets in a day. Note: tomatoes, cucumbers require 5 to 8 hours of sunlight for a good growth and yield.
  • If your balcony is shaded partially and sunlight is insufficient, you may choose kale, chard, and lettuce.
  • You can find information regarding the amount of sun required, from the seed packets or seedlings.

TIP: If you lack space for your vegetable garden, you can also have a “hanging garden” on your balcony, as long it gets enough sunlight.

2. Select the Right Containers

Choose appropriate containers or pots, according to the root lengths the fully grown plants. For instance, peppers, greens, and lettuce have shallow roots and need containers of around 20 cm depth. Tomatoes have a larger root system and require a container of around 19 litre capacity. You can choose containers made of ceramic, clay, and cement, food grade plastic or wood. Make a hole below the containers for drainage of excess water.

3. Plant using Soil, Fertilizer, and Water

Along with soil, fill three fourth of the pot with organic container mix. If you are planting a seed, put it in the hole, twice as deep as its diameter. If you are planting a seedling, dig a hole, as deep as its diameter. After placing the roots in the soil, cover it with container mix and a little compost. Water the container thoroughly after planting and then daily, as the soil dries down quickly.

4. Add Fertilizer Regularly

Organic fertilizer is vital to achieving next-to-perfect gardening soil. As the plants don’t get their usual nutrients from the soil, put fertilizer on the containers, every month. You can dig a small amount of compost or organic fertilizer, as per availability.

It will help in enhancing the nutrients holding capacity and water content of your vegetables and plants. It will also aerate and loosen the quality of your clay soil.

5. Utilize Vertical Space and for Aesthetic Arrangements of Pots

Space being the main constraint, optimize the use of your vertical space. Hang planters on the wall and grow vegetable vines and shrubs like beans, tall tomatoes, squashes, gourds, near the railings and walls.

Arrange the pots symmetrically, according to their sizes so that they have an aesthetic look, such as putting the larger pots behind, the smaller ones.

Vegetable inspired Dinner

Here are some delicious plant-based recipes you can try to showcase the delicious flavour of fresh vegetables:

  1. Asparagus pasta and Portabella; Supplemented: Add a few sun-dried tomatoes, green-side salads, and some toasty garlic bread to your portobello and asparagus pasta for transforming to an ordinary pasta recipe. Read full recipe here.
  2. Irish Apple and Potato Mash: Although best suited for the celebration of St Patrick’s Day, you can find this odd combination of Irish apples and mashed potatoes an equally good match for the Easter recipe. Read full recipe here.
  3. Ginger Carrot Soup: This recipe is nutritious and tasteful, with a touch of sweetness and spice. The addition of a dollop soy yogurt and vegan sour cream to take it to the next level or creaminess. Read full recipe here.
  4. Creamy Artichoke Lemon Pastas: To make it special for the Easter, add mushrooms or few sun-dried tomatoes to this creamy artichoke lemon pasta. Read full recipe here.
  5. Tofu Artichoke Risotto: This can be a delicious one for the entire family; the tofu artichoke risotto recipe is low in fat, but little more of protein. Read full recipe here.
  6. Praline Sweet Potatoes: This lovely dish is made with sweet potatoes, pecans and orange with a little sugar added. You can get a Southern touch to these praline sweet potatoes by adding vegan margarine. Read full recipe here.
  7. Lentil Shepherd’s Pie: It is lower in fat, compared to the traditional meat-based pies. To add to this pie’s flavor, put a layer of mashed potatoes over it. Read full recipe here.
  8. Bunny Salads for Kids: Your kids will love this bunny salad a lot because it is shaped like bunnies and nestled in fresh spring grass. Read full recipe here.
  9. Broccoli Soup: Delicious and easy broccoli soup to please the entire family. Read full recipe here.
  10. Mushroom and onion soup: This is another recipe that can be cooked from vegetables grown on your balcony. It’s an easy, healthy cooking option perfect for the cooler season. Read full recipe here.

Enjoy !