Cooking With Dia

It has been a rough week for me, so I needed a chocolaty treat! And yes, this is a vegan cheesecake–no dairy products in this whatsoever! I actually made my own vegan sweet cheese to put in the cake because the UK is lacking in any kind of vegan products. I know in the US you have vegan cream cheese, so if you would like to substitute it with that, it will be quicker. But if you would like to try to make some easy homemade vegan cheese, please give my recipe a shot.

For the homemade vegan cheese:
Ingredients:
500g container of Vanilla Soya Yogurt (I used Alpro)
1/4 cup unrefined cane sugar
1 paper towel
2 bowls
sieve

Pour the yogurt into the first bowl and whisk together with the sugar.
Place the sieve over the second bowl, and apply the paper towel inside the sieve.
Pour out the yogurt into the sieve, and there it will drain the liquid for the next 12 hours.
It is best to leave overnight in your fridge.
When you awake you will see a nice ricotta consistency soft cheese to use in your cheesecake.
To see more pictures of the homemade cheese and to watch a 1 minute video of my cheesecake click here
For the cheesecake:
Homemade vegan sweet cheese (see above)
150g of dark chocolate
1/3 cup of unrefined cane sugar
6 digestive biscuits
3 tablespoons of vegan spread
6″ Sandwich tin

Take the digestive biscuits or graham crackers if you wish and crush until crumbs.
Mix the crumbs with the vegan spread until it all sticks together.
Pat down the crumb mixture on the bottom of the sandwich tin.
Place in freezer until finished next part of the recipe.

For the filling:
Take the homemade vegan cheese from the night before and place in a large mixing bowl.
Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave for 4 minutes.
Fold the chocolate into the cheese until it has turned brown.
Add in the 1/3 cup of sugar and mix until it is dissolved.

Take the crust out of the freezer.
Pour the chocolate/cheese mix into the sandwich tin.
Level out with spoon.
Put in fridge for 3 hours to set.
This cake is bakeless, did I forget to mention that?
No heating involved!
After it has set in fridge, take out and drizzle some melted vegan white chocolate on top if you wish.

Slice and serve immediately. Try not to eat the entire thing yourself !

Even in nice weather, people get unwell. There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of noodle soup. Many have come to associate noodle soup with chicken, but as someone who does not eat meat I had to improvise.

In my noodle soup you will find a “super food”–the chili pepper. I use the bird’s eye, but if you want something less spicy, try the Anah­eim. Chili peppers have been known to reduce cancer cells in mice, but in humans they have been known to reduce arthritic pain because of the high amounts of capsaicin. These are just two of the many benefits the chili pepper brings us. What better ingredient to put in my noodle soup?

Printable Recipe
Serves 4 or 2 twice

3 Bird’s Eye Chili Peppers
2 cups of chopped baby corn
4 cups of fresh raw baby spinach
3 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
5 vegetarian yeast free stock cubes
5 chopped spring onions
125 g of Soba noodles
1.5 liters of boiling water

After you bring the water to a boil, add the spring onions, garlic, chili peppers and stock cubes.
Once the stock cubes have dissolved add in the baby corn and spinach.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes so the chili peppers have time to work their magic.
Add in the Soba noodles, which by the way are made from rice flour and are completely gluten free.
Simmer for another 5 minutes or until Soba noodles are cooked.
Ladle out into bowls and enjoy!

It wasn’t easy to come up with a recipe for Macrobiotic Pizza–no cheese, no tomatoes and no yeast. Where do I start? Well, the “pizza sauce” is pretty much hummus–I decided to do it this way so it would still add moisture while being tomato-less at the same time. Tomatoes are considered too yin because of their natural sweetness, but even so, if I really wanted to I could have added them.

While I’m on the macrobiotic philosophy, there is no one right way to go about this diet. You should avoid anything too sweet or too salty. Unfortunately the natural sugars in most fruit are enough to avoid them almost entirely. Although, if you are in good health, you are allowed to indulge once in a while.

I know, I know, most of us have grown up believing all fruit and veg is good for us. On the macrobiotic diet however, too much tomato soup or apple sauce will put your health off balance. Have you ever eaten a meal high in sodium and immediately after craved something sweet? The macrobiotic diet tries to avoid going from one extreme to another, but again, if you have your own way of living a macrobiotic life, who am I to say it’s wrong?

This pizza however, is for those following a strict macrobiotic diet–it is gluten and yeast free, cheese- less, tomato-less and concentrates on beans, nuts and green vegetables.

I had my doubts about how it would emerge from the oven, but I was pleased with the overall flavor. The pizza crust/base did not disappoint either, and I was delightfully surprised.

Preheat oven to 200°Celsius

Printable Recipe
For the pizza base:
3.5 cups of gluten free flour
25g of vegan spread
1.5 cups of warm water

For the pizza sauce:
1 drained can of chickpeas (225g)
1 drained can of Haricot beans (225g)
260 g of drained sweetcorn
1 romano pepper chopped
2 chili peppers chopped
2 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
3 shallots chopped
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of safflower oil

For the toppings:
handful of baby spinach
handful of red chard
handful of baby red leaf
Broccoli florets from 1 crown of broccoli
1/2 cup of unbleached peanuts
splash of sesame oil
splash of safflower oil
1/4 cup of sesame seeds

For the pizza base:
Mix together the gluten free flour, vegan spread and water.
Form into a dough and set aside, if it is still to crumbly add a bit more water.
After preparing the sauce come back to the base and roll out to a 12 inch circle.
Cut the excess bits of dough off so the pizza base looks perfectly round.

For the pizza sauce:
Mix the chickpeas, haricot beans, sweetcorn, Romano and chili peppers, garlic and shallots up in a food processor.
Add in the safflower and sesame oil and pulse for 1-2 minutes.
When it looks creamy pour out into a bowl.

Take the rolled out pizza base and spread the sauce evenly around.
Once the sauce is spread start to add the toppings.
First lay out the spinach, red chard and baby red leaf.
On top place the broccoli florets.
Sprinkle on the peanuts and sesame seeds.
Finish up by splashing on the sesame oil and brushing the crust
with some safflower oil.

Bake in oven for 25 minutes.

Printable Recipe

I almost fainted when I tasted this cake this afternoon–one of the most delicious desserts I have ever experienced. You may think I’m a little biased, but believe me, I’m my worst critic! For me to say this is by far the most fantastic cake I have ever made, means it tastes wonderful! And it is refined sugar free!!
No more caster sugar for me, I don’t need it anymore. All of the natural sugars in this cake have made me realize something: food tastes better without overly processed sugar, and in addition to that, I don’t feel as guilty knowing my desserts are more healthy.

Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons of pure organic maple syrup
1/2 cup of rapadura sugar (raw cane sugar)
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
2 Granny smith apples peeled, cored and sliced
1 3/4 cups of Gluten and Wheat Free Self Raising Flour (I use this brand, and it is a mixture of rice and bean flour)
1 cup of rice milk or Oatly milk
1 tablespoon of natural vanilla extract
1/2 cup of vegan spread
1 teaspoon of safflower oil
1 tablespoon of grated ginger root

Preheat oven to 180° Celsius (Check out the new converter on the right)
Take out a square casserole dish and grease with the safflower oil.
Pour the maple syrup into the casserole dish and spread evenly with a spoon.
Layer the sliced apples on top of the maple syrup.

In a large mixing bowl combine the gluten free flour, raw cane sugar, ginger and cinnamon.
Stir in the rice milk, vegan spread and vanilla extract.
Pour this mixture on top of the apples, spreading evenly so no apples are exposed.

Place casserole dish into the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
When baked, cool for 10 minutes before turning the cake out onto your cake stand.
When turned over you will see the glistening apples oozing with maple syrup.

Slice and serve while hot.
Don’t forget to print out the recipe!

Some will argue that the raw sugar cane is more yin than say maple syrup, but as a macrobiotic you are allowed the occasional splurge. Most would have used 1 cup of raw cane sugar, but I felt even though this sugar is unrefined it wouldn’t hurt to put less in. I wondered what the outcome would be, anticipating it may be a little dull in flavor, but boy was I wrong. Like I said above, the flavors were mouth popping–the ginger and cinnamon came through most for me and topped with the syrupy apples, I couldn’t have experienced a more heavenly moment.

Yummm
© 2009 Cooking With Dia

If you would like to vote for Cooking With Dia for the Veggie Awards 09′, click the picture below. It will take you to a voting form for all sorts of wonderful veggie things, when you come to “best blog” and “best website” click on “other” and fill the box in with “http://cookingwithdia.com”

I know what you’re thinking, “Macrobiotic???”. Yes, Macrobiotic. Macrobiotic cooking is very similar to cooking vegan: no eggs, dairy, meat, etc. In addition–no refined sugar! If you are feeling sluggish, try going macrobiotic for 30 days and see how much better you feel!

The sesame and peanut sauce in this dish is incredibly moreish, you won’t be able to put it down!

1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup peanut butter (organic and sugar free)
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup roasted peanuts
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce (bought from health store)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root (optional)
1 pound soba noodles
2 medium garlic cloves (chopped)
2 chili peppers
2 tablespoons of Safflower oil

Take out two frying pans.
Split the safflower oil into both pans.
In one pan pour the sesame seeds, and toast them until they turn golden brown.
In the other pan fry the soba noodles along with the chopped garlic and roasted peanuts.
In a food processor mix the chili peppers, peanut butter, toasted sesame oil and soy sauce.
Add this mixture to the soba noodles and stir for 5 minutes.
Pour the sesame seeds on top of the noodles, and mix thoroughly together.
Add in the ginger root if you wish, and serve while hot.

Eat with chopsticks! If you want

© 2009 Cooking With Dia

I remember the first time I experienced Monkey Bread–I was eight years old and at a very wealthy girl’s tenth birthday party. I expected an extravagant cake, so when this lumpy pile of balls approached the table with 1 measly little candle on it, I was taken aback. I asked, “What the hell is that?” “We don’t say hell in this house Miss Dia,” my friend’s mother whispered, “It’s Monkey Bread!” “WHAT?!?!” I screamed, “There are monkeys in this bread?” “Ha ha ha ha, no dear, it’s just called Monkey Bread,” the mother explained. “Why????” “Time to blow out the candles!!!” Needless to say I was ignored. My point is, I don’t know why it is called Monkey Bread–even Wikipedia doesn’t know:

The origin of the term monkey bread is uncertain. Possible etymologies include that the bread resembles the monkey puzzle tree, [2] or the act of several people pulling at the bread is reminiscent of monkey behavior.

Regardless of where this cakey treat got its name, the sloppy sticky bread balls are fantastic! I have been meaning to bake this for a while now, and finally got around to it early this morning. Making Monkey Bread from scratch is not exactly quick, but if you have the patience and the energy, you will love the outcome.

I decided to do a Gluten Free/Vegan version–I’m no longer vegan and am not on a gluten free diet, but
out of respect for some friends who are, I went ahead with this version.

Printable Recipe

For the Dough
2 tablespoons vegan spread , softened, plus 2 tablespoons melted
1 cup warm rice milk
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 cup caster sugar
3 tsp instant yeast
3 1/4 cups Gluten Free flour
2 teaspoons table salt

For the Brown Sugar Coating
2 cups soft dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons vegan spread, melted

Preheat oven to 95° Celsius(check out the new converter on the right)
Once the oven is heated, turn off again.
Grease a bundt pan with the 2 tablespoons of softened vegan spread

For the Dough:
In a bowl, mix together the yeast, water, milk, caster sugar and melted vegan spread. Set aside.
In a large bowl pour in the gluten free flour and salt.
Mix together and then form a well.
Slowly pour in the milk/yeast/sugar mixture into the well, while stirring with a wooden spoon.
Stir until dough becomes firm and difficult to move.

Take dough and place on a lightly gluten free floured surface.
Kneed with hands for approximately 15 minutes. The more air you get into the dough, the better.
Shape into a nice big dough ball.
Take the big dough ball and place it in an oven friendly dish, and cover with tin foil.
Place this dish in the preheated, but turned off oven, and let it sit inside for 1 hour.
This will help the dough to rise more quickly.

While the dough is rising start making the brown sugar mix.
For the Sugar Coating:
Take out two bowls. In one put the soft dark brown sugar and cinnamon.
In the other put the melted butter.
Set both aside.

To Form the Bread:
After the hour is up, remove the giant dough ball from the oven ready dish.
Replace this dough back onto the lightly gluten free floured surface.
Roll out the dough to an 8 inch square.
Slice the square into four sections.
Take each of the four sections and slice them into tiny squares.
For my Monkey Bread, I made around 45 tiny squares.
Roll each tiny square into a little dough ball.
When all the balls are rolled, dip them into the melted vegan spread, and then into the brown sugar bowl.
Ball by ball, layer inside bundt pan. Stagger seams in new rows.
Cover the bundt pan with tin foil.
Preheat oven to 175° Celsius
Place bundt pan inside oven for 35 minutes.
When finished baking, remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Please do not forget to let bundt pan cool, we don’t want your Monkey Bread to fall apart.
After the pan has cooled, turn over the Monkey Bread onto a plate.

You can either drizzle fondate icing over the top, or dust the Monkey Bread with icing sugar.
I decided to do both. I know, sugar overload!!

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