Friday, December 8, 2023

Easy Vegan Recipes To Try While Self-Isolating

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Self-isolating? Cupboards a bit bare? Fan of sweet or savoury? Looking for a protein punch? This is all covered below, with 3 ingredients easy vegan recipes. Enjoy making yummy plant-based food while stuck at home during the coronavirus outbreak.

3-Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Cookies

For the cookies:

3 bananas

2 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened)

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

For the topping:

  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. In a food processor, finely chop the coconut until it is the texture of breadcrumbs.
  3. Add in the bananas and cocoa powder to the food processor; blend until smooth
  4. Drop the cookies by round tablespoons onto the tray, about 2 inches apart. Using moistened fingertips (dip fingers in water), flatten each cookie into a 2-inch round.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until edges are slightly crisp. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
  6. For the chocolate, topping combine the chips and coconut oil in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute stirring every 15 seconds until fully melted. Drizzle over the cookies and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.
  7. Enjoy

Vegan Pancakes

Ingredients: 

Method:

  • Place oats into a high-speed blender and process until there is a flour constituency.
  • Add in the remaining ingredients until a batter is created.
  • Heat a non-stick pan on medium-low and pour 40g of batter, using a measuring cup to ensure equal size and cooking times.
  • Allow the pancake to cook until bubbles appear around the edges, then flip and cook until golden.

Add whatever you fancy to spice up those pancakes – blueberries, lemon or strawberries.

Vegan Gnocchi

Ingredients: 

  • 6 medium Russet potatoes
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 190C. Poke the potatoes with a fork and place on a large baking tray. Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife can be inserted into the middle of the potato easily.
  2. Slice the potatoes down the middle lengthwise and leave to cool for about 5 minutes.
  3. With a clean kitchen towel, grab hold of one of the potatoes and scoop the flesh out. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
  4. Pass your potato flesh through a potato ricer and place it all on a clean surface in your kitchen.
  5. Spread out the potatoes on your surface and sprinkle the flour on top, about 220g at a time. Cut the flour into the potatoes with a large spatula. Once the flour is absorbed, add another 220g of flour, repeat and add 110g cup of flour and cut it in, as well. If needed the final 110g, add it, and cut it in. If you don’t need it, just leave it out. This should now form the dough that can be shaped into a large disk.
  6. Dust with flour and then wrap the disk in plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
  7. Cut a chunk of the dough off of the disk and roll it until it is about ½ inch thick. Cut the roll into 1-inch pieces. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  8. Heat a large pot of water over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add 1 tsp salt, then add a bunch of the gnocchi (do this in batches – don’t over-crowd them or they won’t cook properly). They should sink to the bottom and then float to the top when they are done (about 2-3 minutes).
  9. Serve with pasta sauce, vegan cheese and fresh basil.

Butternut squash soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 large Butternut Squash
  • 1 Medium yellow or white onion
  • 775ml  Vegetable Stock

(Salt and pepper to taste)

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 200 C.
  2. Slice squash in half lengthwise.
  3. Place squash sliced side down on a baking tray.
  4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until fork-tender. Set aside to cool.
  5. While squash is baking, slice onions thinly, and fry in some oil in a pan over medium heat until soft and they begin to brown. (approx. about 15 minutes)
  6. Scoop seeds out of the squash and set aside.
  7. Using a spoon, scoop the flesh out of the squash leaving the skin.
  8. Place squash, onions and 2 cups stock into a blender and blend until smooth. Add more stock a little at a time if the soup is too thick.
  9. Pour into pot and warm on the stove.
  10. Enjoy with some vegan bread.

High Protein Bean Balls

Ingredients, which makes about 20 balls:

  • 400g cooked/canned chickpeas (rinsed & drained)
  • 170g tomato-based pasta sauce
  • 210g almond flour (or substitute oat flour if preferred)
  • around 70g almond flour (or another kind of flour, or breadcrumbs) to coat

Method:

  1. Add chickpeas into a food processor and pulse a few times until mashed, alternatively mash with a fork or masher.
  2. Add mashed chickpeas into a large mixing bowl along with the pasta sauce and almond flour. Mix everything well. If the mixture is too wet, add a little more almond flour.
  3. Add 70g cup of almond flour onto a plate. Form small balls out of the chickpea mixture and coat each ball with the almond flour.
  4. Cook in a preheated oven) at 180 C for 20-25 minutes or until slightly browned and firmed, flipping halfway.

Three Ingredient Vegan Chili Recipe

  • 796ml (large) can of stewed or diced tomatoes with herbs and spices
  • 200g cooked/canned black beans, rinsed & drained
  • 95g  textured vegetable protein (TVP)
  • 235ml cup water

Method:

  1. Add all ingredients into a wok or a pot.
  2. Add other ingredients, such as vegetables, if preferred.
  3. Bring to a boil on high heat then turn down to simmer for about 10-20 minutes.

Three Ingredient Red Curry Peanut Pasta 

  • 85g high protein pasta 
  • 2 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
  • 1-2 tbsp water

(salt & pepper to taste)

  1. Cook pasta according to instructions. Keep a small amount of pasta water before draining the pasta.
  2. While pasta is cooking, add peanut butter and red curry paste into a small bowl and mix well.
  3. Add 1-2 tbsp of water to thin out the sauce mixture and mix well.
  4. Take out the cooked pasta and using the same pot, add the sauce mixture along with the saved pasta water. Then add the pasta back in and mix well.
  5. Add in other optional ingredients, and serve.
Olivia Preston
Olivia Preston is currently living and studying to be a world-class journalist in London. Fan of fashion, politics, feminist activism and all things canine. A very happy individual!