Food: Venice-New Zealand (1)

Traveling is one of my greatest passion. Especially I like remote places. For a long time I've been dreaming about New Zealand. As a student I had all the time in the world, but I didn't have enough money. Once I was very near to save the minimum budget, but than by accident I poured some water on my laptop... and as I was writing my diploma thesis, I had to buy a new one. And my NZ was postponed again;(

But this year I did it;) After a long preparation I got seven weeks of holidays (thanx my employers, I'm really grateful;) and the time of the departure came. When I booked the flight tickets, I was very satisfied to fly with the Emirates. Last year I traveled with them to Indonesia and the service, including the food, was excellent. Well, this time I was a bit dissapointed. As usually I ordered the vegan meal. For all the veggies: if you want a special meal on the flight, you need to order it when you book the tickets or at least 24 hours before the departure. The best way to not be hungry on the plane,(which is a pain on long flights), is to order the special meal when booking and than check it before departure.

So, where the disappointment comes from? On my first flight (Venice - Dubai) the food was nothing special. I got some rice and soy beans with grilled veggies. Two leaves of salad and some fruit. I can not say it was disgusting but neither it was a gourmet dish. Ok, I know this is food on planes. But on the other hand I can still remember the last year's food and it was much much better. The lady sitting next to me had the Asian vegetarian dish. I don't know how it tasted but it looked much better than mine. There was rice as well with veggies and tofu. However, when I came to the Dubai airport I went for a vegetarian wrap and some dates;) Now let's see if Emirates performs better on the flight Dubai-Melbourne.

What's happening?

Some people asked me whether I quitted my blog. Of course not. The main reason of not writing recently is that I'm on my way to a long trip. Being absent for seven weeks requires lots of preparation, which results in no time for cooking;( But although the hurry I managed to organise my second cooking course, which become nearly a tradition;) As some friends continued to ask me how I prepare my delicious dishes, I organised a cooking course. The first one happened last year on the third sunday of November . And so did this year, thus we called it traditional;) Here are some pics of the event: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/album.php?aid=163738&id=526508477

Saying the truth it's not just "mine" cooking course, actually I prepared it with my beloved, but the main organizational activities are on me, for instance, the menu, shopping etc. On on the d-day we divide our friends in two groups: one was cooking with me and one with him. Last year we were in total 12, so 6 in each group. This year we decided to have a smaller group - three attendants in each group (plus one of us), so in total we were eight.

What did we cook? Mine group prepared 5 dishes: Hot White Soup, Pumpkin Steaks with Nut Pesto, Mexican Salad, Kiwi-Pear or just Fruit Fantasy and the Simple Chocolate Cake. Most of my friends appreciated the soup although they found it quite spicy. I liked the Fruit Fantasy the most. The other group prepared 4 dishes: Onion's Ciabatte, Guacamole, Mushrooms Cups and Three-Colour Lasagna (made of spinach, vegan curd and butter squash). Everything was delicious, but for me the Onion's Ciabatte were great;) We really indulged ourselves in the delicious meals accompanied with home made wine and good company. Next year we'll do it again;)

Miscellaneous Peas

My fridge is dangerously getting empty. It not because of a salary reduction or because I'm on a diet (not possible;). The main reason is that the day of my departure is getting nearer and nearer. The positive side of this story is that my imagination of what to cook increases. Having a can of peas and some tofu left, I mixed them and have a nutritious lunch - Miscellaneous Peas (for 2):
- 150 g pasta
- 250 g tofu
- 1 - 2 dcl (soy) milk
- 1 can of peas
- 2 T dill
- salt & pepper

1) Cook the pasta.
2) Blend or mash the tofu. If it is too thick, add some milk. Transfer it to a pan, add the peas and milk. Cook for some minute. Add the dill.
3) Combine the pasta and the pea sauce. Season to taste.

Pumpkin Feta Pie

Weekends mean more time for cooking and for time-consuming recipes. After a lot of girls' talking I took my time to prepare the Pumpkin Feta Pie. Get ready with:
- 250 g flour
- 150 g good margarine
- 700 g pumpkin
- 4 garlic cloves
- olive oil
- 1 red onion
- 2 T balsamic vinegar
- 150 g feta cheese (or any other)
- rosemary
- 50 g pine nuts
- salt & pepper

1) Prepare the dough. Cut the margarine in the flour, add some water and make the dough. Let it cool in the fridge for at least half an hour.
2) Preheat the oven on 200 C. Cut and peel the pumpkin (if you have a hokaido pumpkin, you can skip the peel part;). Place the pumpkin and garlic in a baking try. Toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft. Cool.
3) Meanwhile chop the onion. Heat the olive oil and saute the onion for 10 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is caramelized.
4) Cut the pumpkin and mix it with the onion. Add the feta cheese, rosemary, pine nuts. Mix very well. Season to taste.
5) Spread the dough in the baking and arrange the mixture on the top. Bake for 45 minutes.

Covered Cauliflower

The other half of the cauliflower had to be used in some way. As I liked the combination of cauliflower, potatoes and tomatoes I did it again, but differently;). So for the Covered Cauliflower you need (2 persons):
- half cauliflower, cut
- 2 potatoes, diced
- 1 dcl tomato sauce
- 15 g butter or good margarine
- 1 - 2 T flour
- cheese, grated (the quantity depends how much cheesy you are;)
- 3 t (soy) milk
- 1 t paprika
- 2 t parsley
- salt & pepper

1) Preheat the oven on 180 C
2) Cook or preferably steam the cauliflower and potatoes.
3) Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Melt the margarine over medium heat, add the flour, stir. Remove from the heat, add the soy milk and cheese. Stir. Put back on medium heat, stir. Add the spices and season to taste. If the sauce is to thick add more milk.
4) Grease the baking tin and put first the cauliflower, spread the tomato sauce and then cover with potatoes. And finally cover with the prepared sauce. Grill in the oven for cca 20 minutes.

Crushed Curry

I don't each much potatoes. It is not that I don't like them... but they seem so boring;) Unless you combine them with some other veggies and sauces;) As our today's Crushed Curry:
- sunflower oil
- 2 big potatoes, diced
- half cauliflower, cut in "bunches"
- 2 t turmeric
- 1/2 chili flakes/powder
- 2 t ground cumin
- 2 t brown sugar
- 1 dcl tomato sauce
- 1 t garam masala

1) Heat the oil and saute the potatoes until golden. Set aside (preferably on kitchen paper, so the oil can drop off).
2) Add some more oil and repeat the process with the cauliflower. Set aside.
3) (If needed add some oil) In the same pan add all the spices and sugar. Saute for a minute or two. Add the tomato sauce and stir. Add the potatoes and the cauliflower. Pour in some water if necessary. Cook until the veggies are soften.
4) Before serving add the garam masala and stir well.

Poor Rice

Light and fragrant. Just with pumpkin. Poor Rice. Prepare:
- olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 150 g pumpkin, grated
- spices: 1 t cumin, 2 t ground coriander, 2 t mustard seeds, 1 t ground cardamon, 3 bay leaves
- 150 g rice
- cca 400 ml vegetable stock
- 2 t soy sauce (tamari)
- 50 g chestnuts
- fresh grated ginger

1) Heat the oil. Saute the onion and the garlic. Add the pumpkin, stir and cook for some minutes.
2) Add the spices, stir. Add the rice and the vegetable stock. Cook until the rice is cooked. Add the soy sauce, stir.
3) Finally, add the chestnuts and the fresh grated ginger.

Spicy Red Lentils Soup

Another day of bad weather, another soup to warm me up;) For the Spicy Red Lentil Soup you need (for 2):
- coconut grease or olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 t chili powder or flakes
- 1 t lemon grass (if you have fresh, even better)
- 100 g red lentils
- 1 t ground coriander
- 1 t paprika
- 200 ml coconut milk
- juice of one lemon
- salt & pepper

1) Heat the grease or oil. Add the onion, garlic, chili and lemon grass. Saute for some minutes until the onion is softened. Stir occasionally.
2) Add the lentils, coriander and paprika. Stir for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and water (or vegetable stock). Bring to boil, reduce the heat and cook until the lentils are soft.
3) Blend the soup. Add the lemon juice. Garnish with leek, coriander and black sesame.

Simple Chocolate Cake

Bad weather means I have more time for cooking as outdoor activities are limited. On the request of the beloved I prepared the Simple Chocolate Cake with excellent Chocolate Frosting with Soy Cream. This time with a little help of webveg.com;)

I. Simple Chocolate Cake
For the cake you need:
- dry ingredients: 3 cups flour, 2 cups brown sugar, 6 T cocoa, 2 t baking soda, 1 t salt &
- wet ingredients: 2 cups water, 3/4 cup sunflower oil, 2 t vinegar, 1 T vanilla.

1) Preheat the oven on 180 C.
2) Mix separately the dry and the wet ingredients. Then pour the wet ingredients in the dry and mix thoroughly. Put the mixture in the baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes.
3) Let the cake cool.

II. Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar, 6 T flour (or corn starch), 4 T cocoa and 1/2 t salt
- 2 cup water
- 2 T sunflower oil, 1 t vanilla

1) Mix the sugar, flour, cocoa and salt. Add the water and stir very well. Heat over medium fire until it gets thick and starts to boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes (don't boil it too long - it will get like taffy)
2) Remove from the heat. Stir in the oil and vanilla. Cool and spread on the cooled cake.

III. Decoration with the Soy Cream
Just use your imagination;) You can put on the cake also some fruits, strawberries for example. And now indulge yourself .... ;)

ps sorry the picture is not the best of, but we were really in a hurry to taste it;)

Floating Soup

In these freezing days soups are more than welcomed. One of the most easiest and at the same time very tasteful is the Floating Soup, which is named by the floating chunks of hokaido pumpkin and shitake mushrooms. So, start with:
- coconut grease (or any other oil)
- 500 g hokaido pumpkin
- 1 l vegetable stock
- 200 g shitake mushrooms
- 1/2 t anise
- (herb) salt, pepper

1) Dice the hokaiod pumpkin. Boil and cook in the vegetable stock.
2) Meanwhile cut the mushrooms. Heat the grease or oil and saute the mushrooms for some minutes. Salt.
3) Add the mushrooms to the pumpkin. Add the anise and season with salt and pepper if needed. Cook for some minutes and serve.

SSS

SSS stands for Strong Solid Salad. And it is especially good for those freezing winter days. Be ready with (adapt the quantities to your hunger;):
For the salad mixture:
- lettuce
- 1 red pepper, cut in to small pieces
- 2 T corn
- 1 T capers
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2 T beans, cooked
- 2 T cheese, diced
- 2 T seitan, diced
- olive oil

For the dressing:
- 2 T pumpkin spread
- 1 T (vegan) mayonnaise
- salt
- 1 lemon juice
- pumpkin seeds

1) Heat the olive oil and saute the diced seitan for some minutes. Mix all the other ingredients, on the top add the seitan.
2) Mix the ingredients for the dressing, except the pumpkin seed.
3) Pour the dressing on the salad and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds.

Greens with Dark Cheese Sauce

My Greens with Dark Cheese Sauce are a perfect meal for lunch if you have a bigger dinner on schedule. You are not hungry after having it and at the same time you will starve for dinner. The quantities depend on you, but in any instance you need:
- green beans
- (soy) milk
- (soy) cheese (preferably the one which melts better)
- soy sauce
- some herbs: parsley, dill ...
- sesame & grated almonds

1) Cook or (preferably) steam the green beans.
2) Grate the cheese. In a pan melt the cheese in the milk. Add the soy sauce and finally the herbs.
3) Pour the dark cheese on the green beans. Sprinkle with sesame and grated almonds.

My Classical Chocolate Muffins

I love muffins. I don't know why but I start making them when the temperature falls below 5 C. Somehow I connect them with winter time;) And moreover - I just needed some comfort today as it was dentist time;) To prepare 12 Classical Chocolate Muffins you need:
"Dry" ingredients: 200g flour & 3 t baking powder and "wet" ingredients: 125 g non diary butter, 4 bananas, 150 - 200 g dark chocolate (depend how chocoholic you are;), 65 g molasses, 2 T chickpeas or carob flour.
1) Preheat the oven on 180 C.
2) Mix the dry ingredients.
3) Melt the butter. Cut the chocolate in small pieces (you an use the food processor). Crush 3 bananas and dice the remaining one. Mix all the wet ingredient together.
4) Pour the wet ingredients in the dry and mix very well together. Put the mixture in the muffin baking tin (you can grease it first or use the tins made of paper) and decorate it with almonds (optional, but nice;). Bake for cca 20-25.

You can eat the muffins alone, but to have a really good event, serve them with soy cream and cacao.... and a delicious cup of coffee;) My next visit to the dentist will be in the new year;)

Modern Pumpkin Goulash

Get ready! Today I want to present you a very easy dish based on the tradition of goulash, but modernized with the best pumpkin ever;) For your Modern Pumpkin Goulash prepare:
- olive oil
- 1 big onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 small pumpkin (preferably hokaido; if not don't forget to peel it), diced
- 200 g tomato sauce
- 1,5 T soy sauce (tamari)
- spices: 1 t of thyme & ginger & curry; 1/2 t chili; 2 bay leaves;
- salt & pepper

1) Heat the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic. After some minutes add the pumpkin. Stir for some minutes.
2) Add the tomato sauce and cook for cca 10 minutes or until the pumpkin is softened.
3) Add the soy sauce and all the spices. Season to taste (note: the soy sauce is usually quite salty, so the additional salt is not needed). Serve with anything you like, this time we had some polenta (maiz porridge).