It is steaming hot outside! Too hot to cook. It is time to get naked and take a Summer dip.....right into Kurma’s inspired trough of Heaven that is! With all of these gorgeous Summer nights (no I am not going to break into a number from Grease for this dish) I have been existing on a very low maintenance raw vegan piggy diet of lettuce wraps slathered with scrumptious spreads. Whatever raw nuts have been dehydrated take a spin in the food processor with a handful of fresh herbs and spices, lime juice and sea salt, making a great base for rawlicious inspiration. I found a sad lonely little bag of green peas in my freezer the other night begging for a nutty match. As I lay my hands on those naked little beads my taste buds immediately... Keep Reading
This is my last Winter recipe for those of you in Australia, before I head back to enjoy the American Summer and all things raw! But it is really cold here in Melbourne and my body is crying out for something warm. Whenever I need a nourishing, strengthening gluten free Winter recipe I look no further than the whole foods recipe collection of Tony Chiodo. I got this fantastic creamy vegan cauliflower mash recipe about ten years ago when I took a series of macrobiotic cooking classes with Tony in Australia, and I have been chowing down on this cauliflower millet mash with gratitude ever since. Tony’s gentle, laid back approach to vegetarian cooking, and his philosophy of love and sharing quick easy recipes really appealed to me. I quickly... Keep Reading
The weather has well and truly turned in Melbourne, and it is time to rug up with a blanket and a steaming hot bowl of vegan soup! As much as I mourn the loss of hot Summer nights, daylight saving, and sunshine, I do look forward to my “bug-in-a-rug” vegetarian soup season in front of the fire! It seems to soften the blow just a little. I am a huge fan of vegan soups. In particular thick creamy blended (I like to use my Vitamix) soups! Vegetarian soups are just the ultimate comfort food that just seems to nourish the body and the soul; and best of all, they are dead easy to make! For those of you following the Body Ecology Diet and looking for delicious body ecology recipes this vegan recipe is a winner. I apologize to the American and... Keep Reading
Well, the weather has turned! Today I had a scarf and jacket on. I can’t say I was disappointed this week, as I needed to cook up some vegan soups! My friend Shez has just had an operation and is resting at home; and Bethy just had her third baby boy! I was inspired to cook for my friends laying in bed; and what better comfort food than a beautiful bowl of vegan soup. I couldn’t pass over this fantastic velvety vegan cream of spinach soup which is just simply scrumptious. I cooked this vegan spinach soup for a lunch and lecture at Dr Elaine Carter’s office and received rave reviews from people that “didn’t know they liked spinach”! I had originally planned to serve a vegan lemon asparagus soup, but there were people on the guest list that... Keep Reading
I don’t know about you, but I just can’t eat enough eggs. Boiled, poached, scrambled -- I will take them any way I can get them. They would be in my top 5 favourite foods, and I never mind having egg on my face. If the trough was filled with eggs every day my snout would just chow down with joy and never look up. I always make sure I eat organic, free range eggs that have a healthier Omega 3 – 6 ratio; and to be honest, I eat as many as I want, and my snout keeps singing out for more. I love them on their own, sprinkled with a bit of Celtic sea salt; and about once a week I blend up a vegetarian omelette and throw in whatever left over veggies are screaming to be used. Vegetarian omelettes are just so quick and easy, and OH SO good for... Keep Reading
My friend Beth and I cooked together this week, and it was so much fun. She has a phenomenal natural flare for flavours. I love watching her cook, cooking with her, and talking about food with her. Most of all, I love eating with her! I don’t think I have a friend who is as passionate, and gets as excited about the pleasures of vegetarian food like I do. I utterly adore her. I have so many fond memories with her -- eating and celebrating great food all over the world. I have a grin from ear to ear when I think about the countless times we have bitten into some special treats together, and giggled and moaned with delight; then tried to deconstruct the recipe, and plot how we would recreate the present masterpiece. Today was no exception.... Keep Reading
Piggies, if you are after amazing red cabbage recipes this is your lucky day. This raw red cabbage salad is one of my favourite vegan recipes. I would make this salad almost every week. I had never been a fan of cabbage (perhaps I overdosed on it as a Russian or German in a previous life), and had struggled to lovingly include it in my diet until I tasted this raw red cabbage salad. I am now a fan of any red cabbage recipes! I love simple, raw, shredded salads, and this would be amongst my favourites. The first time I ate a version of this raw red cabbage salad, it was made, and served to me, by a very proud 8 year old. That is how quick and easy it is. I was volunteering in my mum’s school kitchen. To read more about my adventures... Keep Reading
I am very mindful about what I put inside my body. But I am just as vigilant about what I put on my body. I have this rule: “if I can’t put a spoon in it and put it into my body, I can’t put it on my body”! This philosophy has served me well, leading me into the wild and wonderful world of natural skin care products. We are really fortunate to have so many fantastic organic food-grade skin care products on the market today. However, I find that a lot of these products still have too many preservatives, coagulants, and emulsifiers for my liking. So, you guessed it, I look to my kitchen, grab my blender (my Vitamix) for inspiration and always blend up homemade skincare that beats anything I can find on the grocery store shelf. I will use my... Keep Reading
When I have people over for dinner in the Winter, I pretty much always start with a beautiful bowl of vegan soup. I have to admit, when I love a movie or a song, I have been known to play it over and over again until it also makes me insane. Come on, if it aint broke don’t fix it! I kind of feel like that about this vegan cream of cauliflower soup. However, so often in college I would play an album over and over again while I was studying, only to find that tune replaying in my head like Chinese water torture, distracting me during a much dreaded exam. I could then never play the album again, as it had so unfortunately attached itself to one of my more frustrating memories. However, I pledge to you, that only happy memories will be... Keep Reading
Hearty, nourishing, delicious, nutritious, and dead easy to make. This vegan garlic and potato soup, which I affectionately refer to, as my “Happy Peasant Soup” (do you like the smiley face I made in my photo?) is quite simply phenomenal. I don’t know about you, but when I travel, I always seek out the local peasant food in order to get a really authentic taste of the culture. Not to mention the fact that it is always the best food on offer! You just can’t go past rustic country food to feed the body and the soul. I fell in love with this hearty chunky vegan potato soup on a family trip to Ireland many years ago. Maybe it’s the Irish in me, but give me a chunky vegan soup or stew, and I am happy as a pig in shit! This chunky garlic and... Keep Reading
