Stuffed Squash

I was able to stop at a gourmet grocery store after a lecture one day and I was happy to see that they had a  nice selection of squash. I got an acorn squash and a kabocha squash. That evening, I baked the acorn squash, and stuffed it with couscous and raisins. A simple, lightly sweet evening meal. M had hers as described below, but I added some chilli peppers to mine for an extra depth of flavour.

Ingredients:
1 squash
oil
1 onion
1-2 tsp honey
couscous (about 50 g per person)
water
1 handful raisins
1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:
1. Wash the squash and rub it lightly with oil. Wrap it in aluminium foil and roast it at 200 C for about 30 minutes.
2. Dice the onion and fry it in the oil and honey.
3. Halve the squash and remove the seeds. Put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.
4. Add the couscous to the onion.
5. Boil the water and pour it over the couscous.
6. Add the raisins and cinnamon to the couscous. Cover the couscous and set it aside for about 10 minutes.
7. Stuff the squash halves with couscous and serve.

Vegan Pasta Alfredo

This was really tasted and it reminded me of that rich dish, fettucine alfredo. It was so nice to have a lower-fat, cruelty-free alternative!

Ingredients:
2-3 garlic cloves
oil
1 onion
tofu
2-4 tsp basil
1 tsp miso
pasta
other veg as desired

Instructions:
1. Rub the garlic cloves in some oil and put them in aluminium foil. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes at 200 C.
2. Dice the onion and fry it lightly in the oil.
3. Blend the tofu with the basil and miso until smooth.
4. Boil the pasta and add other veg as desired.
5. Serve the pasta with the veg, onions, and the tofu alfredo sauce.

Oatmeal and Raisin Pancakes

M likes porridge, but I like to make pancakes, so this is a perfect compromise dish.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp vegetable oil
¾ cup oatmeal
¾ cup spelt flour (or plain flour)
1½ cups soya or rice milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
water
¾ cup raisins
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
oil
banana to serve with
honey or agave to serve with

Instructions:
1. Mix the oil, oatmeal, flour, soy milk, baking powder, and baking soda together.
2. Boil the water. Put the raisins in a bowl and pour the water over them.
3. Add it, the cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar to the oatmeal mixture.
4. Lightly beat the egg. Mix it into the mixture. Stir until just blended. Drain the raisins and add them.
5. Fry spoonfuls of the mixture in oil until golden on both sides. Serve with slices of banana and honey or agave.

On Marriage

By the time you read this, M and I will have gotten married. I’ve been so lucky to have M in my life for innumerable reasons, and I’m looking forward to many more years together. I love you, M! You’ve been an amazing partner so far and I am sure you are going to be the best wife imaginable. Thank you for being you.

Quote on Vegetarianism

I do feel that spiritual progress does demand, at some stage, that we should cease to kill our fellow creatures for the satisfaction of our bodily wants. --Gandhi

Lavash Bread

This is easy to pull together, but the hard work is rolling it out. That’s one reason why I’m lucky to have my beloved sous chef, M. She does all the hard work of chopping, kneading, and rolling for me.

You can serve it with any sort of topping, such as hummus, Nutella, ratatouille, etc.

Ingredients:
350 g white bread flour (about 3½ cups) (you can also use a combination of white and wholemeal, so I used 3 cups of white and ½ cup wholemeal)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp seeds (sesame, linseed, poppy, etc)
2 tbsp olive oil
200 ml warm water (about 1 cup)

Instructions:
1. Turn the oven on to 220 C and put the baking tray in to warm up.
2. Mix the ingredients together by hand or in a mixer.
3. Divide the dough into 8-10 pieces and roll the pieces out until quite thing.
4. Bake for 5-10 minutes on a pizza stone or tray, 2-3 pieces at a time.

Mushroom and Tofu Stir-Fry

I used to think I didn’t like mushrooms, but M convinced me to give them another try and I have found I really do enjoy them. I use them in omelettes and stir-fries and with pasta quite a bit. Here I’ve cooked them with tofu, but my beloved can no longer eat soya products, so I can’t make this anymore.

You can easily vary the seasoning by varying the sauces. I loved ume plums (sour plums) in Japan, so I was pleased when I found the ume plum sauce at my local vegetarian store. It adds a distinct tang and is good as a salad dressing or in dishes such as this one.

Ingredients:
oil
1 tsp honey or sugar
¼-½ cabbage
1 handful mushrooms (about 5-8)
200 g tofu
soy or tamari sauce
plum sauce or ume plum seasoning, optional
noodles

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil over low heat and add the honey.
2. Wash and slice the cabbage and mushrooms and fry them in the oil and honey until the mushrooms are darkening, about 5-8 minutes.
3. Chop the tofu and add it to the pan.
4. Season with soy, tamari, and/or plum sauce as desired.
5. Add the noodles and stir for another minute or two, then serve.