March 3, 2009: Leftover Makeover - Eggplant Curry

spiced eggplant salad was quite successful, past times the fourth dimension we'd eaten leftovers for luncheon both of us were a chip sick of it. Unfortunately nosotros nonetheless had one-half a saucepan total of the eggplant mix to bargain with. Cindy suggested turning it into or thence form out of curry, as well as nosotros combined it alongside the sauce from this recipe to smoothen it off. We too threw inward a handful of Nutrella soy chunks to endeavor to mix upward the texture a bit.

It wasn't quite equally successful equally I'd hoped - the spice mix was a chip overwhelming as well as the soy chunks had a slightly weird flavour. Still, nosotros managed to swallow the residue of the eggplant, which nosotros belike wouldn't accept if it had stayed inward salad form.

March 4, 2009: Forest Spoon Kitchen

10/01/2015: a deluge reviews as well as no-bookings policy meant that nosotros had no hope of obtaining a tabular array for 5 at 7:20 on a Th night. I wasn't also fazed; nosotros know enough of other great restaurants on Smith St, as well as at that spot was fifty-fifty closed to other i we'd been pregnant to try. Wood Spoon Kitchen is a cute niggling Japanese cafe merely a few shopfronts downwards from Gigibaba as well as its highly informative website had alerted me to its veg-friendly menu. With the vegetarian, vegan as well as gluten-free items clearly labelled, it begins amongst a diversity of flavoured onigiri, earlier listing an extensive ready of soups, a few don buri (rice bowls) as well as curries, earlier winding upward amongst sides, salads as well as desserts.

Having never eaten an onigiri before, I idea I'd hand the cheese curry i ($3.20) a try. The 'crumpled vintage cheese as well as basil inwards curry' melded beautifully into the rice, though I flora the cheese/nori combination a niggling incongruous.

Otsumami as well as Peko Peko.

Michael went for the vegetarian pumpkin curry ($12.90), closed to other mild as well as pleasant offering that wasn't quite memorable.

For my primary repast I ordered the pumpkin gnocchi inwards Lycopersicon esculentum kokosnoot soup ($10.90). This was a steaming bowl of thick broth, concealing a multitude of tender vegetables every bit good every bit the promised balls of pumpkin dough. It was the perfect comfort on this unseasonably cool evening.

Wood Spoon Kitchen's flavours aren't quite every bit fragile every bit those at the nearby Peko Peko, but it has enough else going for it. The setting as well as staff are charming, the nutrient is cheaper, as well as the bill of fare offers a make of veg-friendly snacks as well as meals dissimilar whatever other Japanese eating seat I've visited.

Address: 88 Smith St, Collingwood
Ph: 9416 0588
Licensed
Price: veg snacks as well as meals $3.20-$12.90
Website: www.woodspoonkitchen.com

March 5, 2009: Golden Bars For Golden Plains

last year's too for the nearly purpose nosotros happily gulped downward roti wraps, vegie burgers smothered inwards hot sauce, mango juice, too nutella-berry crepes. But come upward breakfast time, whether it occurred at 8am or 1pm, a chunky habitation made muesli bar was worth its weight inwards gold.

The muesli bars that nosotros ate were concocted a duo of days early, too based on Heidi Swanson's recipe for bubble slice I've eaten (and adapted) thus many times, they're genuinely quite a dissimilar proposition. The rolled oats brand them to a greater extent than chewy too filling, too though I would never accept recognised the java inwards a blind sense of savor test, it adds a terrific too unique depth of flavour. What this recipe does accept inwards mutual alongside my bubble spell is flexibility of ingredients: there's a whole host of sweeteners, cereals, nuts too seeds that you lot could attempt substituting. My ain selection of ingredients meant that I could ready these solely from ingredients already inwards our pantry!

As I stirred together the mixture I worried that it mightiness non gibe together (tip: press it into the baking tray using a fork, non a spoon!) too I stuffed it into the refrigerator overnight. This proved to live unnecessary, too genuinely made cutting it into squares much to a greater extent than difficult. Unless you're inwards a really warm place, you lot tin strength out in all probability continue this away from the refrigerator altogether.

Golden bars for Golden Plains
(based on the Big Sur ability bars at 101 Cookbooks)

1/2 loving cup pecans, chopped
3/4 loving cup almonds, chopped
3/4 loving cup macadamias, chopped
2/3 loving cup dessicated coconut
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups rice bubbles
1 loving cup rice malt syrup
1/4 loving cup brownish sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
two tablespoons soil java beans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180°C. While you're waiting, chop upward the nuts, too then bake them for 5-10 minutes, stirring 1 time or twice. When they only start to colour, add together the kokosnoot too bake for a farther five minutes, stirring 1 time again along the way. Take it out to cool when everything's golden. Transfer the toasted nuts to a bowl too stir inwards the rolled oats too rice bubbles.

In a pocket-size saucepan over medium heat, stir together the rice malt syrup, sugar, salt, java too vanilla. Bring the mixture to the boil, all the same stirring, too permit it to thicken a lilliputian earlier taking it off the heat. Pour it over the cereal/nut mixture too combine everything thoroughly.

Lightly grease a baking tray too pour the mixture into it; I constitute the dorsum of a fork nearly useful for smoothing over the top. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature (don't refrigerate it!) earlier slicing it into chunks.

March 9, 2009: Lime Mayonnaise

a weekend of (over)indulgence, nosotros needed to scale dorsum a flake in addition to I decided to squad this lime mayonnaise amongst oven-baked tofu 'fish' bites. The freshest one-half of the plate features mixed greenish leaves in addition to a coleslaw recipe from Veganomicon amongst bonus radishes.

As if lime juice in addition to zest aren't plenty pep, this condiment also includes horseradish in addition to mustard. Fresh horseradish root isn't quite inward flavour in addition to thence nosotros took the minute alternative listed in addition to bought horseradish cream from the supermarket. I've non tried horseradish earlier but it's inward the same found identify unit of measurement every bit mustard in addition to wasabi - it has that same acidic oestrus that punches y'all inward the nose. The alone other modification I made to this recipe was downsizing - the master copy part listing added upward to over a litre of mayo!


Lime mayonnaise

1/2 loving cup mayonnaise
1/2 loving cup calorie-free sour cream
juice in addition to zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon horseradish cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Whisk all the ingredients together in addition to refrigerate until serving.

March 14, 2009: Babble

APTE or Porgie together with Mr Jones but our goal was shifted to Prahran (in a completely non-food related aside - Cindy together with I both experience equally though one-half the folks on Chapel Street are eyeing us upward together with wondering whether nosotros ask their spare change) thank y'all to other shopping needs (in or together with so other completely non-food-related aside, Cathy at Everything Goes With Cream, who gave it a rave review a few weeks back. We stumbled inward the door but equally the heavens opened together with dumped or together with so much welcome rain. Luckily, we'd timed things perfectly together with at that spot was a tabular array for ii waiting invitingly for us.

The carte isn't especially exciting - lots of fairly basic egg varieties (benedict, florentine, the ane amongst salmon), a handful of omelettes together with the commons toast/cereal/pancake options. The couplet of exceptions were the ii dishes that Cathy talked upward on her blog: a vegetarian polenta-based breakfast together with a luscious sounding French fruit toast. Despite Cathy's enthusiasm (and Cindy's pressure), I didn't experience upward to polenta for breakfast, instead opting for the Baroness omelette, which promised spinach, fetta, sun-dried tomatoes, chilli together with olives equally fillings ($16).

comments elsewhere), the infinite was pleasant together with the nutrient was decent if perchance a tad overpriced.

Address: 4 Izzet Street, Prahran
Ph: 9510 6464
Price: veg breakfasts $7-$16

March 18, 2009: Due East Brunswick Gild V

Edit 22/05/2012: The EBC has right away closed, but most of the carte has migrated to The Cornish Arms.

Time for an East Brunswick Club update! We received data terminal weekend from a trusted root that the EBC has a few novel vegan-friendly meals to try. For starters, their $10 Mon meals are right away followed upwards amongst Mexi Night on Wednesdays. This completely veganisable carte features jalapeno poppers (battered, deep-fried, stuffed amongst fetta as well as rice, served amongst guacamole), spiced Mexi fries (served amongst to a greater extent than guacamole as well as sour cream), a taco plate, a burrito plate, nachos as well as chilli fries every bit good every bit a few of their commons favourites - traditional, nacho as well as Americana parmas, vegan fish & chips, vegan chicken salad, wedges as well as chips.

Michael had a shot at the vegan burrito plate ($15, pictured above). It's described thus: "Char grilled chicken, cheese, rice, dark edible bean chili as well as chunky salsa, wrapped inwards a 12-inch wheat tortilla. Served amongst a side salad, guacamole as well as sour cream." We assumed that the vegan option to chicken powerfulness hold upwards roughly seitan chunks, but instead he industrial plant life zucchini as well as eggplant.

I chose the vegan taco plate ($12): "3 soft or hard-shell taco's filled amongst beef, dark edible bean chili, chicken rice, cheese as well as shredded lettuce. Served amongst a side salad, guacamole as well as sour cream." Again, the EBC refrained from their commons vogue towards mistaken meat, filling this out amongst only the edible bean chili as well as rice. There was roughly mistaken dairy to hold upwards had, though, amongst first-class 'cheese' as well as sour 'cream' on offer.

Both meals were enjoyable, though they were lilliputian to a greater extent than than rearrangements of the same ingredients, as well as offered like value for coin every bit Mi Corizon upwards the street. On a less lazy level nosotros could likely produce every bit good for ourselves at dwelling (though nosotros powerfulness non hold upwards able to replicate the jalapeno poppers or Mexi fries too on offer!). I'm to a greater extent than inclined to supply for the $10 Mondays, or for 1 of their electrical current specials - the vegan chilli burger as well as and vegan Philly agency cheese steak (available for a express fourth dimension on other nights) audio incredible!

(You tin too read close our first, second, third as well as fourth visits to the East Brunswick Club.)

March 20, 2009: Honeycomb

I popped inwards to Allergy Block on Fri for a yoke of groceries as well as Simon generously sent me off alongside a bonus sample of honeycomb - he'd simply damaged the seal on the container as well as couldn't sell it on. This materials comes immediately from the beekeeper, Vincent Testa from Templestowe - the dearest is even as well as thus encased inwards the wax cells that the bees built to shop it. Biting in, it is of flat bursting alongside sweetness; I liked the chewy texture of the wax as well as the means it extended the dearest flavour. Thankfully Simon instructed me to non to eat the wax, equally gulping downwards that difficult clump would brand for a slightly uncomfortable finish!

Honey-lovers are saltation to uncovering this sense irresistable. It is nothing similar the sugar/water/bicarbonate of soda confection seen inwards Crunchie as well as Violet Crumble bars. Does anyone know how this sponge toffee came to hold upward called honeycomb?

March 21-22, 2009: Continental House

Continental House is a 'vegan life sanctuary' inwards Hepburn Springs. It offers pocket-size accommodation equally good equally activities similar yoga, massage courses, chanting together with raw nutrient workshops. They likewise get got a vegan banquet on nigh Sabbatum nights. This is what drew a grouping of Vegan Potluckers to the Conti for a weekend route trip.

Most of the rooms tally ii or 3 people, together with they're pleasantly comfortable if non modern. There are shared toilets together with showers unopen to the corner, though Michael together with I works life ourselves inwards the i room alongside an en suite. This proved to endure a bathroom room inwards the nigh literal sense, containing a zip to a greater extent than than a bathroom together with mirror! As good equally numbers the rooms get got nicknames (ours was 'Pixie'), subsequently the murals painted on their walls.

There are likewise communal kitchen together with lounge areas where you lot tin residue together with instruct to know the other visitors together with residents. While making toast inwards the kitchen, Michael met a resident who'd been on a water-only fast for the past times sixty hours. Why he was torturing himself past times standing inwards the midst of food, I don't know.

____________

The banquet takes identify inwards a lovely room below the invitee bedrooms. There's plenty of room for everyone staying at the House, together with the 10 of us easily fitted unopen to the largest of the tables.

The Conti is alone alcohol free, but nosotros were treated to freshly squeezed orangish juice equally good equally non-alcoholic passionfruit, strawberry together with ginger wines.

The get shape was a sweetness potato, tomato, lentil together with basil soup served alongside corn chips. As nosotros happily slurped together with crunched together with chatted our agency through it, nosotros didn't notice the empty serving tables (pictured above) existence stacked generously alongside to a greater extent than food. It was an overwhelming array of salads, dips together with bakes.

My plate includes:

• a pumpkin kokosnoot curry alongside chickpeas, coriander together with dark mustard seeds,
• tabouleh,
• beetroot dip
• a spicy pickled cabbage salad alongside bitter greenish leaves,
• avocado,
  
• more corn chips,
• a salad of tofu, seaweed, carrot together with shitake mushrooms,
• a spicy mash bake,
  
• lightly dressed kolrabi together with Chinese greens,
• and the tabular array favourite, an orangish dip of eggplant, capsicum, garlic together with olive oil.
  

There was plenty to instruct around, alongside Toby piling upwardly his tertiary plate alongside avocado simply equally I was finishing my first.

And of shape at that topographic point was dessert: fruit salad topped alongside banana icecream together with terra firma cashews.

This variety of banquet is hardly contest for Melbourne's degustation greats. Rather, it's stuffed amount of home-made hippy goodness, what you lot powerfulness expression to abide by at a Hare Krishna eating theatre (though alongside less deep frying). The tranquil setting is plenty to gear upwardly anyone at ease. That is, if your catch doesn't coincide alongside a raucous Vegan Potluck route trip!

Address: ix Lone Pine Ave, Hepburn Springs
Ph: 5348 2005
Alcohol free
Price: $70 per person, accommodation together with vegan banquet
Website: www.continentalhouse.com.au

March 22, 2009: Himalaya Bakery Too Cafe

Our post-banquet post-pub morning time at The Conti was spent inwards diverse ways: I desire for a wander through Hepburn Regional Park, a committed gang got upwardly to suffer a massive yoga session together with everybody else waited to a greater extent than or less getting hungry. By the fourth dimension everyone had saluted the Sun sufficient times it was getting on towards xi together with the less flexible alongside the grouping were dying of hunger. Luckily, having rounded the whole gang upwardly it was but a brusk campaign to Daylesford together with our breakfast appointment at Himalaya Bakery together with Cafe.

They hope a broad attain of vegetarian together with vegan baked products, including pastries, cakes, muffins together with breads, along with amount breakfast together with tiffin menus. Everything is well-labelled, together with in that location are plenty of vegan together with gluten-free options both on the menus together with inwards the bakery case. Everybody with prior Himalaya sense raved close the smoked tofu pies together with the cherry danishes (more on these later), but nosotros needed to foremost things off with something hot together with delicious.

Cindy together with I basically ordered the same thing: mushroom scrambled tofu ($11) - a deliciously herby mess of tofu together with mushrooms fried upwardly into a big gooey scramble. Cindy was smart plenty to append a side social club of herbed potatoes ($2.50), which I happily stole past times the forkful. Outstanding.

I'd been pushing for either a smoked tofu pie or some assort of delightful dessert, but the charge of breakfast was but also heavy. Instead, nosotros packed upwardly a delicious accept habitation bundle for dinner: 2 smoked tofu pies together with a cherry danish to share.

To hold upwardly honest, the pies were a piffling disappointing - a chip on the dry out side together with a piffling brusk on the tofu. It was likely skilful for us that they were liberally packed with piffling vegie pieces, but I was looking for something a chip to a greater extent than rich together with tofu-y.

Contrastingly, the danish actually hitting the location - fruity together with sugarry, with some of the tastiest vegan pastry you'll e'er find. We likely should get got swapped the social club together with dived into 2 of these together with but ane of the pies.

The Himalaya is a fine vego house - perfect for a belatedly breakfast. The staff teach a piffling overrun at busy times (to hold upwardly fair, it's likely non frequently that a grouping of x wanders inwards looking equally ravenous equally nosotros did), but they're friendly together with helpful together with the nutrient to a greater extent than than makes upwardly for it.

Address: 73 Vincent Street, Daylesford
Ph: 5348 1267
Price: $5 - $13
Website: www.himalayabakery.com

March 22, 2009: The Chocolate Mill

Vegan Potluck tour of Hepburn was at the Chocolate Mill. The entirely exceptional close this house that I'd received, repeatedly, prior to our arrival was that the Chocolate Mill does vegan hot chocolates in a bowl together with they're huge together with rich together with delicious.

Here's the evidence. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few of these were spooned together with slurped rattling happily around our picnic table.

Michael together with I preferred to portion an iced chocolate - though the syrup together with flavoured icecream didn't quite alive upward to the melted Belgian chocolate, it was a to a greater extent than refreshing selection every bit nosotros sat inwards the sun. (Note that the iced chocolate is in all probability non veganisable, though the Chocolate Mill's milkshakes mightiness be.)

Of course, the Mill doesn't but melt chocolate into drinks - they also mould it around all sorts of other flavours. The vegan ones are helpfully labelled amongst a greenish V.

You tin fifty-fifty cause got a peek at the moulding together with decorating inwards action!

Naturally, I took a couplet of extra treats abode amongst us. This Dark Connoisseur pack contains chocolate amongst 3 dissimilar levels of cocoa solids. I'm enjoying working my means upward inwards bites from lowest to highest cocoa content.

This hand-picked assortment is pretty special, too. The cinnamon stick had a surprisingly stick-like texture, together with the cherry-centred nighttime chocolate lips are spectacular.

It's quite possible that the Chocolate Mill won't outperform your favourite urban nub chocolatier, but it's a must-taste terminate for whatever sweet-toothed travellers through the Hepburn shire.

March 27, 2009: Harvest

Conti House, Michael as well as I were at it ane time again - this fourth dimension jetting to Sydney to hang out with numerous friends nosotros originally made inward Brisbane. Phase One involved a ferry to Balmain to cheque out Jack as well as Emma's novel lodgings. They've been calling Sydney domicile for simply iii months as well as when they spied a highly recommended local vegetarian eating seat inward their Sydney Eats guide, they were variety plenty to concord off visiting until nosotros were introduce to bring together them.

Apparently Harvest has been closed to a long fourth dimension - yourRestaurants gives it 36 years, though I idea I read alone sixteen elsewhere. Regardless, it's a well-established nook intended for a slightly special dark out - it's white tablecloths, soft lighting as well as $20 mains, though the chalky vegetable drawings on the walls are to a greater extent than homely. The carte du jour is expansive - inward add-on to 6 entrees as well as 7 mains, there's a Chef's Special page with a farther iv entrees as well as iv mains. Vegans are good catered for - the vegan as well as vegan-adaptable items are well-marked as well as constitute 40% of the entrees as well as 45% of the mains - but the remaining items exhibit a penchant for cream-based sauces as well as cheese. We were all overwhelmed past times the array of tantalising options as well as came upwards with a conception that pleased me no terminate - we'd part iv entrees as as well as part tastes of our mains.

Entree #1 is Three Mushroom Ravioli ($12.50). The carte du jour assures us that these pasta shells are stuffed with porcini, Roman as well as plain mushrooms but I simply tasted warm, comforting savoury mush. We chose the intriguing orangish as well as basil sauce over the grain mustard as well as cream alternative. They actually pulled it off; though it looked close similar a sugary Chinese takeaway condiment the season was subtler, less sweet. The basil ready it off perfectly.

The Indian pakoras ($10.90) were sizable but a lilliputian bland. However they were saved past times the accompanying yoghurt as well as mint dressing - perchance the best ane I've always tasted.

Feta parcels ($11.95) may non audio specially imaginative but when they're this good executed, it doesn't matter. Fresh out of the oven, they had the balance of flaky outer as well as creamy inner simply right.

The twice baked goats cheese souffle ($13.95) came from the Chef's Special listing as well as it certain was special. The texture was perfectly cloud-like, the season non besides eggy, as well as the lemon myrtle sauce was stunning. The overall final result was really rich as well as I was content to bask my quarter part as well as transcend on the remainder.

For their principal courses, Emma as well as Michael chose the English linguistic communication spinach as well as kumara gnocchi ($20.50) inward its 2 guises. Emma's were baked inward a tomato plant as well as sage sauce (above), a decidedly less rich dish than Michael's lemon as well as garlic cream (below). Thankfully nosotros were handed a large bowl of salad to part closed to the tabular array as well as cutting through the fat.

Jack had the coveted Harvest Meditteranean Augbergine Tower ($21). In add-on to the obvious eggplant, this was layered with goats cheese, roasted cerise capsicum, sweetness potato, English linguistic communication spinach, tomato, basil as well as a plum as well as tomato plant glaze. Michael enviously declared this his favourite principal of the night.

I had a become at the savoury mushroom pancake stack with an English linguistic communication spinach sauce ($21.50). In stark contrast to the other mains, the sauce was sparing - some would in all likelihood notice this dish besides dry out but I was quite content. The sauteed mushrooms as well as potatoes had the most incredible deep flavour, as well as the pancakes were theatre as well as crusty similar fritters.

That wily waiter of ours slipped dessert menus nether our noses earlier we'd fifty-fifty decided if nosotros could check it in. Once we'd seen the 8 options (only ane vegan!), of course, nosotros couldn't assistance but negotiate 2 or iii to part alongside us. There was a flake of a misunderstanding that meant they didn't arrive at an apple, berry as well as nut crumble for Emma, but she as well as Jackson had plenty on their plate with these 2 seemingly trifling truffles ($10.90). You tin in all likelihood say how creamy as well as rich they are but that's non the whole story. That dark chocolate ane upwards the back? It was some variety of dark hole of cocoa, sucking whatever other season into its trial horizon. Even the fairly violent cerise vino nosotros were drinking was completely defeated past times it! I don't retrieve those 2 fifty-fifty managed to destination the plate.

Michael was generous plenty to allow me pick out for the both of us - the iii chocolate terrine with a citrus sauce ($10.90). The texture is amazingly smoothen as well as buttery; similar a mousse but denser, similar a ganache but firmer, similar ice-cream but less cold. I forced it downwardly as best I could.

Our dark at Harvest was a existent process all round. The atmosphere was serenity but comfortable, the service warm as well as capable, as well as the nutrient strayed alone occasionally from existence excellent. I may last biased past times the detail dishes nosotros chose, but the Harvest chef(s) seemed specially skilful at whipping upwards delectable as well as sometimes surprising sauces. Their cream content powerfulness last the alone thing belongings me dorsum from regular visits, if I lived inward the neighbourhood. (Because inward the bizarre parallel universe where I alive inward that neighbourhood, I retrieve naught of eating $20 mains regularly.)

Address: 71 Evans St, Rozelle, Sydney NSW
Ph: (02) 9818 4201
Licensed, BYO vino only
Price: entrees $9.50-$13.95, mains $19-$22.50, desserts $10.90

March 28, 2009: Le Kilimanjaro

Update, 31/12/2014: Le Kilimanjaro has shut down.

Saturday nighttime saw us exploring King Street inward Newtown. We couldn't convince our gaggle of omni friends that Green Gourmet or Basil Pizza were worth visiting, but in i lawsuit mortal muttered something close African nutrient nosotros apace reached consensus. Our Sydney-based hosts pointed us inward the direction of Le Kilimanjaro amongst a few reservations, but their slight ambivalence wasn't plenty to dissuade the residue of us in addition to nosotros settled apace in.

The eating theatre is comfy in addition to atmospheric, amongst diverse African-themed wall decorations in addition to the staff wandering only about inward traditional African ensembles. I'd been expecting something like to our Ethiopian dining experiences, but Le Kilimanjaro serves upwardly nutrient from East Africa including Ghana, Senegal in addition to Kenya. The carte du jour is posted upwardly on a big board amongst helpful descriptions of the many dishes available (including a dish amongst a lift that literally translates every bit 'homosexual tuna'). We weren't overwhelmed past times vego options, but at that topographic point were a decent pose out of side dishes available in addition to at to the lowest degree a distich of mains.

Cindy stuck alone to the side dish menu, opting for Accara (black-eyed beans soaked overnight in addition to and therefore set down amongst mild African spices, fried inward circular balls in addition to served amongst aromatic sauce, $6) in addition to Batansey (fried eggplant inward a mildly spiced sauce amongst onions, $6) dished upwardly amongst a serve of African apartment staff of life ($2).

The flatbread is a chip dissimilar to the Ethiopian injeera - based on cous-cous grain blended amongst onion in addition to spices. It's a chip denser than injeera in addition to didn't quite stair out upwardly for Cindy.

The bean-based balls were also a tad on the diappointing side - the sauce was a lightly-spiced tomatoey sensation, but the balls themselves were a chip heavy in addition to dry. They took a chip to a greater extent than chewing than nosotros expected.

The best of Cindy's bunch was the eggplant dish - a saucy stew filled amongst chunks of deliciously fried eggplant in addition to heavy on the onions. I only snuck a picayune taste, but it hitting the spot quite nicely.

I decided to brave both a primary dish in addition to a side - Ndambe (mid-African spices, lentils, tomato, kidney beans in addition to vegetables, $9.80) in addition to Mboum (cruncy African spinach amongst a romantically spiced sauce, $6), amongst a pocket-size serve of cous-cous ($1.50). Unfortunately things came out inward a fairly shambolic way, amongst the spinach arriving x minutes earlier anything to accompany it in addition to the cous-cous only turning upwardly later on I was good into my stewy main.

Despite the slightly ramshackle service, my nutrient was outstanding - the Ndambe was based on a richly spiced love apple tree sauce in addition to was inundation amongst beans, lentils, chunks of vegies in addition to a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Once I had some cous-cous to soak upwardly the sauce, I was a happy man.

I was fifty-fifty happier in i lawsuit I chomped into my spinach side - it's a real uncomplicated idea, direct maintain some crisp greens in addition to coat them inward a mildly spicy sauce. Simple in addition to real effective - the spinach was everyone's favourite dish, in addition to the fresh greens complemented the heavy stews that made upwardly most of the evening's meals.

Le Kilimanjaro is a BYO place, amongst only a distich of options on the drinks menu. Cindy's 'ginger drink' (freshly squeezed ginger amongst vanilla sugar) was incredibly gingery in addition to strong, but every bit refreshing every bit the carte du jour promised.

My mysterious 'African bloom drink' unfortunately never arrived, therefore it remains an unknown quantity. Maybe they were out of flowers.

Despite some fairly 'relaxed' service, the nutrient (and the prices) meant that nobody walked away also disappointed amongst Le Kilimanjaro, but if we're always seeking African nutrient inward Newtown again, we'll belike walk the other agency along King Street to African Feeling.

Address: 280 King Street, Sydney
Ph: 02 9557 4565
BYO only
Price: Vegie mains: $9.80, sides: $1.50-$6

March 30, 2009: Luscious Moroccan Pumpkin

published on Nourish Me to a greater extent than than a twelvemonth ago. (Though I'll re-create the recipe here, you lot should click on over to admire her photos of the process.) It takes a niggling to a greater extent than attempt than you're probable to direct maintain spare on a weeknight but the repast is thus satisfying too the leftovers thus perfect for luncheon - fifty-fifty at room temperature, afterwards travelling roughly inward a lunchbox - that nosotros didn't regret it i bit.

The pumpkin itself is roasted to melting softness, but the sweetness yielding flesh belies a fiery spice rub that includes chilli, cumin too coriander. Prunes don't direct maintain the most glamourous icon but they are at their most luscious inward this confit - they most disintegrate into syrup unopen to the shallots too garlic that are already braising inward the same pan. The confit is finished amongst a handful or ii of blanched almonds. If I'd carefully read ahead I belike would direct maintain purchased ready-blanched almonds but I was pleasantly surprised at how tardily it was to variety them from their skins; I'll produce it in i lawsuit to a greater extent than amongst confidence when a recipe requests that its almonds live blanched.

It all rests on a bed of couscous, too is finally strewn amongst fresh herbs. What a agency to welcome autumn!

Luscious Morrocan pumpkin, amongst prune-shallot confit too couscous
(following a recipe from Lucy of Nourish Me, who credits Nadine Abensur's Cranks Bible)

For the pumpkin:
1 pocket-size jap (kent) pumpkin, 1.5kg
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons chilli flakes
1 heaped teaspoon ras el hanout
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari

For the confit:
500g shallots (these ones)
2 handfuls raw almonds
300g prunes
2 tablespoons olive oil
a pinch of body of body of water salt
6 cloves garlic

For the rest:
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 generous pinch saffron threads
1 3/4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch mint (or coriander), washed too roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut the pumpkin into large wedges; scoop away whatever seeds too pulp, but give-up the ghost along the pare on.

Gently oestrus a frypan too toast the coriander, cumin too chilli for a pair of minutes, until fragrant. Give them a few minutes to cool, too thus grind them rounghly amongst a mortar too pestle. Transfer the spices to a large bowl, too stir through the ras el hanout, maple syrup, petroleum too tamari.

Toss the pumpkin pieces through the dressing, too thus house them inward a baking dish (or two). Sprinkle over the remaining dressing (if you lot direct maintain whatever - nosotros didn't!) too bake the pumpkin for 45-60 minutes, until tender. Check the pumpkin each xv minutes too plough them over.

While the pumpkin is roasting, convey a medium-sized saucepan of H2O to the boil. Add the shallots, whole, too simmer them for simply i minute. Scoop them out but give-up the ghost along the water. When they're cool plenty to handle, peel the shallots too laid them aside.

Reheat the H2O too add together the almonds, blanching them for 2 minutes. Scoop them out onto a plate too in i lawsuit to a greater extent than give-up the ghost along the water. When the almonds are cool plenty to handle, you'll detect their skins are puffed too wrinkled! It doesn't accept likewise much attempt at in i lawsuit to popular them from their skins. Lucy suggests toasting these inward the oven for 8 minutes but nosotros didn't direct maintain whatever room amongst all that pumpkin; instead I toasted them inward the same frypan nosotros used for the spices.

Remove pits from the prunes, if they direct maintain any. Use the same frypan in i lawsuit to a greater extent than to oestrus the petroleum for the confit. Fry the shallots until they're deeply golden; live patient too don't skimp on this step. Add the salt, garlic too prunes. Give them a stir to coat everything inward oil, too thus add together a generous scoop of the blanching water. Cook the confit at a rapid mensuration for at to the lowest degree one-half an hour, adding to a greater extent than H2O equally its absorbed. The shallots should agree their cast (treat them gently!) but encourage the prunes to intermission downwards a niggling into the sauce. Stir through the almonds during the lastly few minutes.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the couscous too saffron. Pour over the boiling water, add together the oil, too give it a rattling brief stir earlier roofing the couscous too allowing it to remainder for five minutes. Gently toss the couscous amongst a fork.

On each plate (or a unmarried large platter), layer upward the couscous, confit too pumpkin wedges. Sprinkle over the fresh mint too serve.

March 31, 2009: Norsiah's Kitchen

We've been visiting Norsiah's Kitchen occasionally on lazy weeknights to grab some cheap, tasty too fast dinners but the blogging gods conduct maintain conspired against us - no camera, no peanut sauce available or simply a lack of enthusiasm. This fourth dimension nosotros came prepared. The carte du jour is reasonably veg-friendly, amongst rice too noodle dishes, gado gado too a hit of Norsiah's specials.

The star of the carte du jour is the sweetness soy too peanut sauce, that gets slathered over our favourite dish - the Tahu Telur (deep fried tofu inward eggs amongst vegetables amongst the soy too peanut sauce, $7.50).

This is a rich, peanutty sauce, amongst a hint of spice too sweetness. It's clearly non skillful for you, amongst shimmery bits of fossil oil inward the sauce too thick chunks of eggy batter around the tofu. The sprinkling of sprouts too cucumber on operate yesteryear assistance us pretend that it's non killing us, but it's belike best enjoyed periodically.

The sauce is best soaked upwards amongst some rice, too the nasi goreng sayur (fried rice amongst vegetables too tofu - $7) is simply the ticket.

The rice too tofu conduct maintain a calorie-free spiciness, which is milder than the to a greater extent than powerful peanut soy suace. The tofu is liberally sprinkled throughout the rice, making it a real satisfying repast on its own. Adding a few spoonfuls of the peanut sauce from the tahu telar takes it to a whole novel delicious level.

Norsiah's is a pretty unassuming house - all plastic chairs too newspapers from January, but it's most ever total of students too locals - it's slowly to come across why, amongst massive too tasty meals for less than $8.

Address: 604 Swanston Street, Carlton
Ph: 9347 7079
Prices: $2-$7.50

April 1, 2009: Caramelised Onion Dip

I've had this recipe poised for usage for a few weeks. I originally intended to larn inwards for a beach political party but drizzle kept us away from the coast together with I repurposed it for a seminar afternoon at work. It's onion dip, but non equally I'd seen it earlier - without the crunchy onion chunks together with weird additives of the supermarket stuff, but neither relying on the powdered soup mix of other dwelling recipes. Instead it uses onion pulverization together with features glistening caramelised onions! It does accept to a greater extent than or less patience to dull laid those onions downward to sweetness golden perfection, but it's a doddle from there.

Heidi (of 101 Cookbooks) has got my snacking predilections downward perfectly alongside this one. The yoghurt-sour cream base of operations is creamy alongside a niggling tang land the onions are sweetness and savoury. It's truly hard for me to hold whatsoever feel of decorum when a bowl of this dip together with a few crackers are inside reach.

Caramelised onion dip
(originally posted yesteryear Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
3/4 loving cup sour cream
3/4 loving cup Greek yoghurt
3 teaspoons onion powder, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

In a large frypan, gently rut the stone oil together with laid the onions over depression rut alongside a pinch of salt. Stir them occasionally, cooking until the onions are a deep golden chocolate-brown - this volition accept at least forty minutes. Stir them to a greater extent than oft equally they darken to preclude burning. Take the onions off the rut together with permit them to cool (I refrigerated them until the adjacent morning.)

Whisk together the sour cream together with yoghurt. Add the onion pulverization together with common salt gradually, to taste. Stir through 2 thirds of the caramelised onions, together with thence sprinkle the remainder over the overstep to serve. Serve the dip at room temperature.

April 1, 2009: Eggplant Lasagne Rolls

this one from VeganYumYum, at to the lowest degree inwards business office due to Pip's ringing endorsement.

It's hard to overstate how bully this repast is - the pino nut glue that coats each lasagne sail is stunning - its rich flavours actually permeate each piffling roll. We opted for the touchstone eggplant filling, but at that spot are countless ways yous could tweak the basic visit (I'm keen to upward the vegie quotient amongst some mushies in addition to perchance pumpkin side past times side time). There's a fair chip of run inwards the recipe, but none of it is rattling hard in addition to if you're vaguely organised yous won't panic in addition to halt upward amongst pasta sheets sticking irrevocably together. Still, tike mishaps aside, this was our 2d this one from VeganYumYum, at to the lowest degree inwards business office due to outstanding home-cooked meal for the week. After a few weeks of laziness I'm feeling actually reenthused virtually this cooking lark now.

Normally I'd only link to Lolo's recipe in addition to trust that it volition live on at that spot forever, but amongst something this practiced I'm taking no chances:


Eggplant lasagne rolls

6 sheets of lasagne
1 large eggplant
olive oil
salt
pepper
2 cups tomatoey sauce (we used this one from VeganYumYum, at to the lowest degree inwards business office due to this one)
1 loving cup breadcrumbs

1 loving cup pino nuts
1 tbs water
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
1/2 tsp salt

Peel the eggplant in addition to while it into long skinny strips in addition to and then sprinkle the slices generously amongst tabular array salt in addition to pepper.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive crude oil inwards a frying pan in addition to fry the eggplant strips until well-browned. You'll postulate to create this inwards a few batches, in addition to the eggplant volition soak upward the crude oil each time, so yous halt upward using a fairly substantial sum of oil. Trust me, it's worth it - yous larn deliciously tender eggplant strips at the halt of it all. Besides, olive crude oil is practiced for you, right?

In the same pan, toast the pine-nuts until they dark-brown (but live on careful - they become from nicely toasted to burned inwards no time).

Stick the pino nuts inwards a nutrient processor in addition to grind them up. Throw inwards the water, lemon juice, dried Italian herbs in addition to tabular array salt into the nutrient processor in addition to procedure them into a delicious paste.

Now you've got your primal ingredients together, rapidly ready the lasagne sheets inwards boiling H2O until al dente in addition to and then pose the strips out on a baking tray or chopping board.

Now it's assembly time: smear each lasagne sail amongst a teaspoon or so of the pino nut paste, pile on a few of the eggplant strips in addition to and then loosely gyre the sheets up.

Place the rolled sheets inwards a baking dish, pour the tomato plant sauce over, sprinkle amongst breadcrumbs in addition to and then bake for around 20 minutes - until the breadcrumbs hold off similar lightly browned parmesan.

April 1, 2009: Carrot Cake-In-A-Biscuit

yet again. She's pulled together a soft, gently sugariness biscuit that combines a gorgeous, natural fix of ingredients (oats, walnuts, carrots, ginger, maple syrup, kokosnoot oil!) without the assistance of an electrical mixer. And it's effortlessly vegan - no weird egg replacers here.

I've non seen wholewheat pastry flour - which Heidi seems to purpose constantly - 'round these parts, too thence I replaced it amongst equal parts manifestly too wholemeal flours. (As an aside, allow me know if you've spotted wholemeal pastry flour inwards Melbourne!) I've been great to examine kokosnoot stone oil for to a greater extent than or less time, but my local supplier was out too I had to a greater extent than or less copha to purpose up. It was fine every bit a replacement but I wouldn't recommend that y'all become too purchase it especially. It may convey caused my mixture to last unusually runny, too I added to a greater extent than or less extra rolled oats to hit a drier texture. If your gustation is anything similar mine, don't skimp on the fresh ginger too walnuts - the complexity of flavor they add together is merely delightful.


Carrot cake-in-a-biscuit
(based on Heidi Swanson's carrot oatmeal cookies)

1/2 loving cup manifestly flour
1/2 loving cup wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 loving cup rolled oats (I added close 1/4 loving cup more, later)
2/3 loving cup chopped walnuts
1 loving cup grated carrot
1/2 loving cup maple syrup
1/2 loving cup kokosnoot oil, warmed until merely melted (I used copha out of desperation)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a baking tray amongst paper.

Combine the flours, baking powder, tabular array salt too oats inwards a large bowl; stir through the walnuts too carrot. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, kokosnoot stone oil too ginger. Pour the moisture ingredients into the dry out ingredients too stir until merely combined. (At this betoken I decided that my mixture looked every bit good moisture too I added to a greater extent than oats.)

Use a dessert spoon to drib the dough onto the baking tray. Bake the biscuits for 10-12 minutes, until golden. (I baked them until they had just developed a crust, too they were rattling soft too moist.)

April 2, 2009: Gingerboy

It's fairly regular attention from food bloggers over that time, together with most appear to convey emerged amongst a gripe or two. Surely, though, you're all hungry for the specific vegetarian gripe(s) nosotros mightiness convey most Gingerboy, right? Actually, the foreign vegetarian gripe I convey is that they undersell their veg-friendliness.

It starts amongst their website. Ezard's other eponymous restaurant clearly spells out its vegetarian bill of fare Ezard.

Gingerboy for sure didn't endeavour to endear itself to me - the backless stools were non designed for an extended meal, references to vegetarian nutrient were somewhat dismissive, together with the hipster-bar-with-$30-mains reality doesn't just gel amongst the "South East Asian street nutrient together with hawker identity". Yet non exclusively was the banquet tasty, it offered a few surprises along the agency together with was fun - the correct check for this rowdy birthday party.

Address: 27-29 Crossley St, Melbourne CBD
Ph: 9662 4200
Fully licensed
Price: banquet $65 per person, cocktails $17
Website: www.gingerboy.com.au

April 4, 2009: Greenish Pumpkin-Seed Mole

been well this post, together with I added something new: light-green pumpkin-seed mole.

This is about other Veganomicon recipe, together with is every bit uncomplicated every bit the ii linked to higher upwardly - the entirely cooking required is a fighting of pepitas toasting together with hence it's everything inward a nutrient processor. It did demand a brief jaunt to Casa Iberica for canned tomatillos, but everything else was pretty straightforward. And it turned out a care for - entirely a footling fighting spicy, amongst the flavours coming to a greater extent than from the fresh herbs together with onions, it was a overnice cooling sauce to become amongst the to a greater extent than firey chipotle-based option.

Green pumpkin-seed mole

1 loving cup pepitas
4 dark peppercorns
1 loving cup fresh coriander
1 loving cup fresh parsley
1 x 250ml tin can tomatillos
1 chilli, seeded together with chopped
2 shallots, chopped coarsely
2 lettuce leaves, torn into pieces (although it's worth noting that I didn't uncovering the influence of the lettuce leaves, together with you're likely amend off but skipping this gene if you lot don't convey whatsoever greens inward the fridge)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 loving cup olive oil

Heat a frying pan over medium rut together with toast the pumpkin seeds, turning regularly. It took me virtually 10 minutes, but it tin can likely live on done inward less if you lot crank the rut upwardly a bit.

Put the toasted pepitas together with the peppercorns inward a nutrient processor together with blend into a coarse powder.

Add everything else except the fossil oil together with blend it all together. Throw inward the fossil oil together with laissez passer on it a terminal whizz together with voila, you're done.

April 4, 2009: Chocolate Mexican Marriage Ceremony Biscuits

thoroughly covered the savoury side, I prepared a dessert for the Tex Mex potluck. If MexicanDessertRecipes.net is anything to become by, many Mexican desserts involve custard and/or dulce de leche (a milk-based caramel) together with don't lend themselves to straightforward veganising (though it's past times no agency impossible!). Mexican marriage cookies, however, don't demand eggs together with I was especially taken past times this chocolate version. Chocolate's non the exclusively component that reeled me inward - I also liked the piece of job of cinnamon together with soil pecans. I made my ain grade on them past times adding a generous pinch of cardamom together with roughly chilli powder.

These didn't plough out quite equally I expected but were soundless pleasant enough. Lazy ol' me tried putting the chocolate inward the nutrient processor rather than grating it, together with most of the chocolate remained equally variety out speckles rather than disintegrating into the cookies. The spices made niggling impression at all. My biscuits turned out to live i of 3 Mexican marriage cookie submissions to the potluck (the others beingness traditional together with raw renditions, respectively), yet most of them were happily eaten. Dessert didn't halt there, either - at that topographic point were also churros alongside chocolate, chocolate-chilli together with margarita cupcakes, together with a piñata bursting alongside candy.

Chocolate Mexican marriage cookies
(inspired past times a recipe from MexicanDessrtRecipes.net)

1 loving cup Nuttelex
1/3 loving cup icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups evidently flour
1 loving cup soil pecans
1/2 loving cup chocolate, grated (I used nighttime 80% cocoa together with chucked it inward the nutrient processor)
3/4 teaspoon soil cinnamon
generous pinch of cardamom
scant pinch of chilli powder
pinch of salt
1/2 loving cup icing sugar, extra
1/4 loving cup grated chocolate, extra

Using an electrical mixer, cream together the Nuttelex together with carbohydrate until pale together with fluffy. Beat inward the vanilla.

In a variety out bowl stir together the flour, soil pecans, grated chocolate, cinnamon, cardamom, chilli pulverization together with salt.

Gradually trounce the dry out ingredients into the Nuttelex mixture, a few large spoonfuls at a time. Once everything's combined, it shouldn't live equally good hard to scoop the dough together into a ball using a spatula. Wrap the dough inward plastic together with refrigerate it for at to the lowest degree 1 hour, preferably two.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, together with trouble a baking tray (or two) alongside baking paper. In a small-scale bowl, stir together the extra icing carbohydrate together with chocolate.

Pinch together with whorl the dough into balls nigh 1 inch inward diameter together with house them on the baking tray. Bake the biscuits for 15-18 minutes, until theatre to touch. Give them a infinitesimal or 2 to cool, together with therefore dredge them through the sugar/chocolate mixture earlier cooling them properly on a rack.

April 5, 2009: Mitte

Another week, roughly other novel breakfast spot. This fourth dimension nosotros had high expectations - Mitte won the 2009 Cheap Eats breakfast of the year award. It hasn't received likewise much weblog attending but yet, although Min Lokal, Fandango or Las Chicas.

Address: 76 Michael Street, Fitzroy North
Ph: 9077 7379
Price: veg breakfasts $5-$15

April 6, 2009: Tempeh Lasagne

eggplant lasagne rolls, but I had my see on the this left from terminal time)
2 finely chopped onions
200g tempeh
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly set down pepper

Chop the tempeh into tiny petty mince-sized cubes as well as and thence estrus some olive crude inwards a pan as well as tiddler the cubes for simply about 10 minutes - they should initiatory of all turning golden brown.

Add inwards the soy sauce as well as liquid fume as well as tiddler until the liquid has either been soaked upwards past times the tempeh or has evaporated.

Take the tempeh out of the pan as well as role it to tiddler upwards the onions for 10 or 15 minutes - until they're completely soft as well as delicious. Add inwards the basil, the love apple tree sauce as well as the seasonings as well as simmer for equally long equally it takes you lot to brand the cashew cream sauce. Once you're almost laid upwards to attain your lasagne you lot tin throw the tempeh dorsum inwards as well as stir it through the love apple tree sauce mix.

Cashew cream sauce

3 tablespoons nuttelex
1/4 loving cup flour
1 loving cup cashews as well as 100ml oat milk
900 ml oat milk
1/3 - 1/4 loving cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon set down pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

Blend upwards the cashews alongside the 100ml of oat milk inwards a nutrient processor to larn a thick paste.

Melt the nuttlex inwards a saucepan over medium estrus as well as and thence add together the flour, whisking it through the butter. Fry for a few minutes, whisking almost constantly as well as and thence gradually add together the residue of the oat milk land whisking to decease along everything equally polish equally possible.

Once all the oat milk is inwards the saucepan, choose the mix to the boil as well as simmer for 10 minutes or thence - until it all starts to thicken upwards a bit. When it's almost equally thick equally you lot desire it, add together inwards the pre-ground cashew cream as well as the yeast flakes as well as stir everthing together well. Simmer for some other 5 minutes or thence as well as and thence goal things off alongside the pepper, lemon juice as well as salt.

To attain your actual lasagne, layer upwards the 2 sauces alongside lasagne sheets - nosotros went alongside a fairly advertizing hoc ordering - I intend the mind affair is to seat some of the tempeh mix on the really bottom as well as to goal things upwards alongside the cashew sauce on top. As I said earlier, I'd rejig this slightly adjacent fourth dimension thence that nosotros conduct maintain to a greater extent than of the tempeh as well as a flake less cashew cream - nosotros were spreading the tempeh pretty sparse past times the fourth dimension nosotros were on our terminal layer.

Once it's all assembled, bake inwards a 200 flat oven for most one-half an hr - until the peak layer browns nicely.