Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Hazelnuts

Hey lovelies,
So it's been a while (like a year what?) since I posted any recipes on here. But I made these amazing Brownies as a little treat yesterday and oh boy, they are good. I just had to share them with you because they've been tasted, demolished and left people craving more. Just a little warning though, they are so good you won't want to stop with one. Also in efforts to prove just how good vegan food can be I've thrown out all the rules about "healthy eating" after all, it was the easter long weekend. So here it is, the recipe you've been waiting for...



Ingredients:

• 200grams + 2 tbsp vegan butter ( I used Nuttelex-coconut oil) 

• 200 grams vegan Dark chocolate block 

• 1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts

• 2 large spotty bananas 

• 1 cup sugar of choice

• 1 cup plain flour 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and grease a square or rectangular pan with the 2 tbsp vegan butter. Then line the pan with baking paper (have a little hanging over the edges for easy removal).

2. In a medium heat-proof bowl break the chocolate into pieces and add the rest of the butter. Either place over a saucepan of simmering water or microwave until the chocolate and butter have melted. Then stir slowly to combine.

3. In a large bowl mash the two bananas until runny then add the chocolate mixture and stir until combined.

4. Sift in the flour and sugar to the wet mixture (you can grind any sugar to powder to make it easier to combine). Add the hazel nuts and beat until combined.

5. Pour into pan and bake for 40 minutes or until the top starts caramelising. A handy trick is to insert a skewer to the centre, if it comes out with moist crumbs it's ready.

6. Set aside to cool for 15 mins and then slice.

Serve immediately with some peanut sauce or nice cream. If there's any left you can store it in the fridge for a few days (but I'd doubt it'll last that long).

Enjoy!

Finally, here's a photo of Kira staring longingly for the chocolate brownies she will never have.

No-bake crunchy nut bars

Oh yes, these are no-bake crunchy peanut butter protein bars! I just threw together a few ingredients and voilà! Not to toot my own horn but these are seriously good and seriously crunchy. Did I mention that they are crunchy? I apologise for the quality of this photo. I just made these in a rush before the gym and didn't think they'd be noteworthy enough to share the recipe. That was before I actually tried them... and by then it was too late to turn back and take some quality snaps. Whoops!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup nut butter (I used peanut butter) 
• 2 tbsp organic maple syrup
• 1/2 cup whole almonds 
• 1/3 cup cranberries (with no added sugar)
• 1/3 cup dry raisins 
• 1 and 1/2 cup rolled oats

Method:

1. Melt the nut butter and maple syrup over a low heat until the mix is liquid. Remove from heat immediately, you don't want this to burn.
2. In a bowl mix the rest of the ingredients and then pour in the nut butter and maple syrup mix.
3. Combine all ingredients as the nut butter hardens. You may want to use your hands to mix until you get a cookie dough consistency.
4. Line a square tin or dish with baking paper and press the 'dough' into it. The bars should be 1.5 to 2cm thick.
5. Refrigerate the bars for 2 hours or until they are crunchy but can easily be cut without crumbling.
6. Cut into bars of desired size. 

These are perfect as a pre or post workout snack. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. 

Enjoy!

Samara,
xx

Funky Thai Veggie Curry

I posted this Thai Veggie Curry last week onto my instagram and got a few requests for the recipe so here it is. It's incredibly easy to make, you'll notice that I tend to have the same base ingredients for many of my recipes because it's all about efficiency and keeping it simple. That's the best way to fit healthy foods into our busy lives. This dish is best served with rice, I used tumeric to make 'yellow rice' but if you're looking for a healthier option brown rice is the way to go. It's also nice with a fresh nut and avo salad on the side to get your daily dose of greens and healthy fats. I might make another post on the 'how-to' for the salad later on. 

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp avocado oil 
• 1 large white onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli powder or dried chilli pieces
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 large cucumber
• 1/2 large green capsicum
• 1/2 large red capsicum
• 1 1/2  cups fresh crimini mushrooms
• 1 tin coconut cream
• 1 cup water (or as desired for consistency)
• 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato puree

Method:

1. Put the avocado oil in a pot on medium heat for one minute, chop the onion and garlic and add to the pot once the oil is hot. 

2. Slice the carrots into long thin slices and add to the pot, cook for 5 minutes.

3. Slice the cucumber and capsicums, add to the pot. Cook this for another 5 minutes. Slice mushrooms while the other veggies are cooking.

4. Add mushrooms to the pot and toss for 1 minute, then add turmeric and chilli powder.  Mix in the cream from the tin thoroughly with the vegetables. 

5. Add the water and let the curry simmer for 5 minutes then add the crushed tomatoes or tomato puree and stir.

6. Let the curry cook for another 10 minutes until the vegetables are firm but not crunchy. Add Himalayan salt if desired, I personally prefer not to add salt to this dish.

7. Serve and eat hot.

Samara,

xx

'Cheesy' Mushroom Pasta

As requested by so many of you on instagram, here is the recipe to my cheese free and completely vegan 'cheesy' pasta. It has all the flavours of Italian cuisine without the unnecessary animal products.

Ingredients:

• 250grams uncooked vegan penne pasta
• water to cook pasta
• 3 tbsp vegan margarine
• 1 small onion diced
• 6 garlic cloves crushed/diced 
• 1/2 cup green beans cleaned and cut in half
• 2 cups small cremini (white) mushrooms sliced
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup almond milk
• 3 tbsp toffiti (or another vegan cream cheese)
• 1 cup tomato pure or crushed tomatoes
• 2 small fresh tomatoes quartered
• basil to taste
• Himalayan salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Put the uncooked pasta in a pot and cover with water. Bring the water to boil and cook until the pasta is soft but tough enough to pick up without breaking. Drain the water and set the pasta aside.

2. In a large pan heat 1 tbsp of margarine for 30 seconds. Add the diced onions and garlic to the pan and lightly fry. Add the beans and cook for 4 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes. 

3. In another pan heat 2 tbsp of margarine and flour. Whisk the mixture as you add the almond milk to the same pan. Mix in the toffiti and mix until combined. At the same time add the crushed tomatoes, fresh tomatoes and basil to the vegetable pan. Once the toffiti has combined, pour this mixture to the vegetables. 

4. Season with salt and pepper then add the drained pasta to the sauce. Lightly toss the pasta and then serve hot. 

Let me know what you think of this recipe by leaving a comment here or on instagram. It was my first time making a creamy vegan pasta sauce and I was pleasantly surprised. Feel free to ask me for any clarifications on the recipe and of course change anything as you wish. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as my family and I did.

Samara,

xx

Snackarolls

An easy peasy recipe for an after school/work snack. Prepare the filling a head of time and then roll these up when you're feeling a bit peckish.

Just boil, mash and season (if you really need to, it tastes delicious without anything) carrot and beetroot. I added a little desiccated coconut to the boiled veggies. Roll the filling in thin wraps and hold it together with tahini or natural peanut butter. Enjoy!

Chickpea and Lentil Curry

Some-times you need some heart-warming, tummy filling curry in your life so here's a recipe that's close to my heart. Although I was born in Australia, I grew up in Sri Lanka for half of my childhood and got to experience the delicious authentic curries made with so many different vegetables. I took this recipe from my mum and added my own twist to it. If you're not used to eating a lot of chilli, feel free to leave that out... or if you like to live life on the edge why not add more?

Simple lentil and chickpea curry with brown rice.

Lentil curry with eggplant, okra and brown rice.

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 3 cloves of garlic

• small piece of ginger

• 1 cup red lentils 

• 1/2 cup chickpeas (soaked and boiled or from a can)

• a couple of sticks of cinnamon

• handful of bay leaves

• 2 small tomatoes

• 4-5 cups water

• 1 tbsp of turmeric powder

• 10 cumin cloves crushed (use the inside only)

• 1 tbsp of chilli powder

• 1 green chilli sliced fine

• 2 tbsp of coconut milk powder (or fresh coconut milk)

• 1 cup fresh spinach 

1. Start by heating the coconut oil in a pan (or a clay pot if you want the real authentic taste).
x


Ingredients: Serves Four

2. While that's heating chop up onion, crush garlic and ginger. Add these to the pot. 
3. Wash and rinse red lentils and chickpeas and add once the onion is cooked and becomes transparent. Break up cinnamon and throw this in with a handful of bay leaves. Chop the tomatoes and add these to the pot too.
4. Add 4-5 cups of water and bring to boil (this part takes a while around 10- 15 mins). When it's boiling reduce the heat and simmer for another 10mins. Mix in turmeric powder, cumin cloves, chilli powder, chilli and cook until it's combined. 
5. For the final touches I add coconut milk powder  and mix until combined. Turn off the heat, add the spinach and mix.

Tofu 'Burger' Buns

Plant-based living is so great! Seriously I can not express enough how much I love creating these nommy foods. Lets be honest... food just tastes that lil (lot) better when no animals were harmed in the process. Vegan food is so colourful and delicious. Don't despair if you're new to this and struggling to understand how plants can be so exciting (Samara what are you on? I'm on plants baby). Okay, I'll stop talking to myself and let's get down to why you're really here... to make some good looking vegan burgers that get your taste buds dancing!

Here, have a bite.

Just an inside look at those fillings...mmm

Ingredients: Serves Two

• 1 brown onion
• 4 small tomatoes
• 1 cup small  mushrooms
• 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar*

• 1 block of firm tofu

• 2 tsps chilli powder

• 2 tsps turmeric powder to taste

• 3 tbps tamari sauce (optional)
• cos lettuce (as much as you desire/can fit on the bun)

• vegan multigrain buns

Preparing the firm tofu (skip this step if you know what to do):

1. Open the packaging and drain the liquid.
2. On a chopping board lay a few paper towels and put the block of tofu on top.
3. Cover the tofu with more paper towels and weigh down with another chopping board and ALL the cooking books ( just a few will do too I guess).
4. Leave the block to drain for 10 minutes. It should be firm enough to cut without getting liquid everywhere. 
5. Cut to desired size and shape with a knife

Method:
1. Fry the tofu on a pan in 2 tbsp of the apple cider vinegar and half of the chilli powder and turmeric as well as 1 tbsp of tamari sauce. This should take 10 mins, it depends how hot your pan is. It's ready when the tofu is spongy not crumbly. 
2. While that's cooking, slice the onion, mushrooms and 2 tomatoes.
3. Fry the vegetables in the remaining apple cider vinegar and spices. Add 1 tbsp of tamari sauce and crush the tomatoes as they soften ( I use the same pan as the tofu to make these).
4. Once everything is cooked it's TIME TO MAKE ZE BURGUR!!
5. Slice open the buns and layer with lettuce, sliced fresh tomato, the tofu and finally the cooked vegetables. Put the top bun to finish off your burger. That's it! It's really not necessary to add any other sauces or vegan cheese because this tastes so good on its own. 

If you try this recipe, comment and let me know what you think or if you post a picture, tag me @urbanveganstudent on Instagram. 

Have a lovely day xx