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

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

How to Make Homemade Soy Yogurt (Without A Yogurt Maker)

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Friends, this is the best homemade soy yogurt I’ve tasted (and created). Being vegan and dairy-free, finding a good yogurt is bloody hard. Some are ridiculously overpriced, and some are full of sugar and flavourings. Some taste good but way too rich for everyday consumption (and yes I’m looking at you CoYo).  But this…this is perfect.

Homemade soymilk

It’s creamy, tart, and thick (it can be made even thicker if you could be bothered draining the whey, which I don’t). But more importantly, it is super easy to make.

You don’t need even need a special equipment or a yogurt maker or a thermometer. It’s almost foolproof.

The Steps. It’s easier than you think

Here’s my steps to making this homemade soy yogurt.

  1. Get a good non-dairy starter culture. I highly recommend Belle+Bella which you can get from Iherb. You can also get a probiotic capsule from the pharmacy.
  2. Use a good quality soy milk. I used Vitasoy Soy Milky for this recipe. It’s my favourite at the moment.  Bonsoy also work great
  3. Get an insulated lunch bag and a mason jar. The bag will act as your ‘incubator’ and the mason jar filled with hot water will act as your heat pack to keep the temperature inside the bag nice and warm for your culture.

The secret to making Homemade Soy Yogurt without a yogurt maker

When I was making this soy yogurt for a first time, I was worried that I don’t have a yogurt maker to make it. But then I was reminded of my time as a Microbiologist. Bugs grow… even if the temperature is not optimum. The colder or hotter temperature will just make them grow slower or faster (unless it’s too hot in which case, they will die). So as long they in an ‘okay’ temperature, they will be ok. I know a lot of people are nervous about not having everything in perfect condition for these little bugs but trust me… they’re tougher than you think.

Without a yogurt maker to keep the temperature at the optimum level for the bugs to grow, we need to do something in order to get the same result. And that is by doubling the amount of starter required.

That’s it. That’s the secret.

Homemade soymilk

There you go!

Homemade Soy Yogurt (Without A Yogurt Maker)

  • 500 ml soy milk
  • One packet of non-dairy yogurt starter or one probiotic capsule (I use Belle + Bella.)
  • 2 clean mason jars
  • An insulated lunch bag
  1. Heat up 500 ml soy milk in a pan until it almost come to a boil. Set aside to cool to about 35 C (warm to touch).
  2. Add a packet of non-dairy yogurt starter
  3. Pour into one of the jars and place it inside the lunch bag
  4. Pour hot water into the other jar and place it inside the lunch bag
  5. Close the bag and let it sit in a dark warm place for 2 days. Taste and if it’s ready, place in the fridge to cool.
  6. Add your flavourings.
  7. I use a teaspoon Beyond Latte Ginger Latte Mix to give it a nice spicy ginger flavour.

Let me know how you go

If you make this homemade soy yogurt, 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.

Keren x

Vegan Meyer Lemon Cake

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A while ago I was given a dozen of Meyer Lemons. I’ve never had them before so I was quite surprised at how mild they are compared to the regular lemons. They’re smaller, sweeter and their skins are softer than regular lemon.

So what do you do when life gives you lemons? You make lemon cake of course.

The Secret

The secret to making this vegan meyer lemon cake so soft and moist is that you use the entire lemon (4 of them to be exact). Skin and all. Less waste, more flavour.

It is very easy to make:

  • You cut the lemon
  • You mix the flours and baking soda together
  • You blend the wet ingredients and lemon together
  • You add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients
  • And you bake the thing.

Oh and there’s more

I added slices of fresh lemon on top of the cake to give it extra zing! No mucking around here. This is the ultimate lemon cake for hardcore lemon fan.

What are you waiting for…

This cake uses a total of six whole Meyer lemons (four for the batter and two for the topping). Meyer lemon is smaller, sweeter and less tangy than normal lemon but you can also normal lemon as an alternative (use two instead of four for the batter). And if you worried about it being too bitter, you can peel the skin off before putting them in the blender.

Stay in touch!

If you make this cake, 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.

Kerenx

Vegan Meyer Lemon Cake

A delicious, soft, and super lemony cake that will take your breath away

  • 4 Meyer lemon (washed and quartered)
  • 2 Meyer lemon (slice thinly)
  • 1 cups all-purpose flour (or glutenfree flour for GF option)
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
  2. Lightly spray a cake tin. I use a small loaf pan.
  3. In a large bowl, add plain flour, almond flour and baking soda. Mix well
  4. Remove seeds from lemon quartered. Add them to a blender. Blend until smooth.
  5. Add coconut oil, sugar, water, vinegar, vanilla extract and salt into the blender and blend for a few seconds to combine.
  6. Pour the mixture into flour, mix until just combine.
  7. Pour into the prepared tin. Carefully place sliced lemon on the surface of the batter.
  8. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes. Check after 30 minutes by inserting a knife or a skewer in the middle of the cake. If the knife comes out clean, the cake is ready.
  9. Remove from the oven to cool for 5-10 minutes.
  10. Store in an airtight container.

If you don’t have Meyer lemons required for the recipes you can replace them with 2 normal lemons.

Acai Bowl

Best Ever Acai Smoothie Bowl

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Best ever acai bowl

Nothing like a simple delicious breakfast that requires little to no preparation. Though my go to brekkie is oat porridge, lately I’ve been craving something cooler, like a smoothie bowl.

Now, I’ve made many acai smoothies before, but this time I added something that makes this bowl the most refreshing and delicious acai bowl I’ve ever made and tasted.

Mint.

I added fresh mint leaves on a whim as the idea popped into my head. And it’s a game changer.

The mint flavour is very subtle. You probably won’t be able to taste it if you don’t know it’s there. But it just works so well with the acai and berry flavour. Give it a go!

Best ever acai bowl

Acai breakfast bowl (serve 1)

Ingredients:

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 2 tsp acai powder
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 10 fresh mint leaves

Blend all ingredients and then serve with your favourite topping.
I use desiccated coconut, granola, and berries (1-2 tbsp each).

 

Best Ever Acai Smoothie Bowl

  • • 2 frozen bananas
  • • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • • 2 tsp acai powder
  • • 1/2 cup soy milk
  • • 1/2 cup water
  • • 10 fresh mint leaves
  1. Blend all ingredients and then serve with your favourite topping. I use desiccated coconut, granola, and berries, around 1-2 tbsp each).

Miyoko Schinner’s Glorious Butterless Butter

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You guys, this post is long overdue. My number one favourite recipe from Miyoko Schinner’s Homemade Vegan Pantry.

It’s an amazing book and I’ve made a few things from it, but this recipe, Glorious Butterless Butter, has changed my life! It’s surprisingly easy to make once you get your hands on lecithin granules (I found mine at my local IGA), and it’s definitely a game changer for me in the kitchen. I’ve made countless baked goods with it and have slathered it on many pieces of toasts and muffins. It is very, very good.

I highly recommend using soy milk and refined coconut oil for the best result. Here’s the recipe and the video. If you want to take your vegan cooking to the next level, I highly recommend you getting the book. It is incredible.

Glorious Butterless Butter

  • 11/2 cup of refined coconut oil*
  • 1 cup soy milk
  • 1/4 cup canola oil (or grapeseed oil)
  • 3 of lecithin granules
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender.
  2. Process at medium speed for about 1 minute until mixture is thick.
  3. Pour into a silicone mould tray.
  4. Let set in the refrigerator for a few hours until hard
  5. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month or longer in the freezer.

* Normal coconut oil will impart a coconut flavour so best to use refined coconut oil.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjdTYx8XVc0[/embedyt]

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

 

How to make truffle vodka

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What’s better than soft and smooth vodka? How about truffle vodka?

Do you remember when I went to Canberra for the truffle festival? I ended up making this Truffle infused vodka not long after. I had some fresh black truffles from The Truffle Farm and it seemed really silly not to try and make Truffle Infused Vodka, so I went ahead and did it.

 

Infusing Truffle Into Vodka

The process is quite simple. You just need to mix truffle with vodka and let it sit, and that’s it. The only questions you might ask is how much truffle you need, and how long should you wait before you can enjoy it.

After conducting some research (i.e., rummaging around the internet), I discovered that there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to making Truffle Infused Vodka. Obviously, the more truffles you use, the stronger the taste is going to be. I think a 8-10% weight/volume ratio of truffle to vodka is enough to impart a nice and savoury truffle flavour into the vodka without making it too strong or overwhelming.

As for how long you should wait for it to infuse, following my little experiment. I’d have to say a minimum of one week.

I’ve gotta say… I’ll be making this again during the truffle season this year. And it will be a bit more (or a lot more) than 300ml!

Here’s a quick video on how you could do it.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkxx6ukPWoI&width=1500&height=873[/embedyt]

And here’s the recipe!

How To Make Truffle Infused Vodka

Ingredients/Equipment:

  • 330ml good quality vodka (I use Grey Goose)
  • 30g sliced fresh black truffle (mine comes from The Truffle Farm)
  • Glass bottle
  • Funnel

Method:

  1. Slice black truffle thinly
  2. Using a funnel, pour vodka into the bottle. Add sliced truffle.
  3. Close the lid and turn a few time. Sit for at least a week before consuming.

 

Enjoy!

Keren x