A week of VEGAN - Meal Plan - Day 4 - Mexican comfort food

Hello!  Day 4 of my meal plan.  What a day of food!

You know, even though I'd made Tamales once before I was feeling a bit anxious about it (what a silly thing to worry about..its not as though anyone is even reading this..oh, of course..except for you, wonderful you. I hope you are having a lovely day!).  I was excited though too, 'tasting' the filing I was going to experiment with in my mind.  God, should I experiment when I'm going to post it on the wobblyweb?  what if the tamales were a culinary horror?!  da da DAA!  I got a grip and remembered I had to eat lunch first.  Focus on the task in hand you obsessive vegan I childed myself.  One step at a time...so right.

After another grey skied day in East Sussex I decided I needed to have colour and comfort.  Sorry to those of you sitting in bikinis sipping icy cocktails being little sun beams but it is a bit nippy here today (I'm plotting to make some salads in next few days).  I wanted soup. I love soup.  Especially this one. 

Spicy butternut squash  & coconut soup

To serve 4-6

1 large butternut squash (approx 1.5kg)

2 med-large onions

1 tbs grated ginger

liquid * For a light low-fat version I used roughly 6 cups - 4 x water & 2x coconut milk (carton stuff and not the thick stuff in a can).  If you want to have a more coconut flavour use a can of lite coconut.

1 vegan stock cube (I used yeast free)

1-2 tsp chili powder

1 tbs oil

salt & pepper to taste

*optional...to garnish use roasted squash seeds and toasted coconut shreds

1.saute the onions in oil

2.chop the squash.  I wash it well and keep the skin on.

3.put squash and grated ginger in with the onions and fry for a 2-3 mins

4.add liquid, chili powder and stock cube, bring to boil and simmer until squash is soft (approx 25-30mins)

5.blend

6.salt & pepper to taste.

I LOVE this soup. It is thick, spicy I acutally danced around the kitchen with the bowl in my hand thus was the extent of my happiness.  This soup, to me, is SO satisfying I love it.  I would marry it.  I'd even sign a pre-nup.

I failed to get very creative with the pics as I was SO hungry and I just wanted to sit and savour a bowl full.  I did and then repeated with another bowl....don't judge me reader, it's bloody good soup!

4pm rolled around and I started to draw out ingredients from drawers and cupboards.  Tamale time!  I decided on my filling.

Cheezly, Chorizo & chili tomato Tamales

Makes approx 8-10

250g masa harina

3 cups water - this may vary according to your flour and humidity etc so add slowly to make a dough

1 1/2tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tbs vegan butter

corn husks or baking parchment

I have only discovered tamale flour (masa) in a London market so far.  It's a rare beast here. Why?...it's so good.  Even though I'd made them before I followed the complicated instructions on the back..cream the vegan marg, with salt, make dough with water..then a whole load of shenanigans to put it all together.  They came out no better than my through it all in a bowl was so this is what I will tell you.

Cream 'butter' with the salt, then add the other ingredients (not the water yet) and then mix.  Slowly add in the water to form a dough.

For the filling

50g vegan chorizo

60g cheezly or if you were blessed at birth to be American, you have Daiya. Use Daiya (oh God I wish I had Daiya..)

2 tbs capers

Chili sauce - 1 mild red chili boiled in a cup of water with chopped onion and 2 tbs tomato paste.  Boil 20mins then blend.

Soak enough corn husks until soft or use baking parchment

spread the masa as above and place in your filling.  Fold the husks to bring the masa together and seal the filling, use your finger to seal and square off the ends and fold over the top and bottom.  Place in the steaming pan.  Repeat until you've used all the filling.

Steam for one hour.  To test if done, remove one tamale and leave to cool for 5 mins.  It is mushy, pop it back and check again every 5 mins until done.  A hour should be ample though to steam the tamales in to a aromatic sponge.

Oh my gosh, they were fabulous..'punch the air' good.  So FULL of yummy flavour.  How happy am I?!  AND, in my freezer sat some                  salted caramel & choc chip banana ice cream!

This picture does not do this ball of frosty magic justice.  I used the basic recipe I'd posted previously but added soft, gooey chopped organic apricots (for caramel taste) and bashed a couple of tbs of vegan choc chips with 1 and a quarter tsp of pink salt and mixed that in also. H E A V E N!

See you tomorrow for Day 5 of the meal plan. x

The easiest low fat VEGAN ice cream recipe EVER with a magic ingredient

Take the easiest ice cream recipe and go crazy with your very own twist on it.

Banana ice cream is the most simple, delicious and seemingly magic dessert.  The possibilities for adding your own jingle to it are endless.  Since being given the recipe on a trip in Thailand years ago I've pretty much stayed the course and kept it to its traditional roots.  Lately though, feeling particularly creative (and hungry) I've whizzed up some fab new ways to banana ice cream.

Basic recipe - serves 4

Ingredients
8 over ripe (but not bruised) bananas
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt


Recipe

Skin the nanas and break up into smallish pieces.  Sprinkle over with salt.  Place into zip loc bag and freeze.  Once frozen, put into blender and pulse until smooth...like soft whip.  Put back into the freezer for 2 hours.

This by itself is delicious.  You will not believe how creamy it is.  Alchemy!

At this point you can add anything you like to it.  I've added coconut, raisins, nutmeg, blueberries, chopped fresh figs, chocolate chips, carrot & cinnamon and chopped nuts.  I ALWAYS add chili powder.  My most recent concoction was inspired by a trip to my beloved Trader Joes.  I discover a packet of DEFATTED PEANUT FLOUR!  Wow! Soo good.  More ways to devour PB!  I added about a cup of it to the mix and then popped it back in the freezer to chill up good and proper and about 2 hours later..voila!  LOW FAT VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA ICE CREAM.  You could of course just use regular PB but then it wouldn't be low fat. 




banana ice cream with a maple infused quinoa & crushed pecan topping

The flour is also amazing mixed with rice/almond/quinoa/oat milk and chunks of sweet 'n juicy pineapple and raisins soaked in the juice with a dollop of Tofutti cream cheez on top.  If I can get some shipped over to the UK, I will test it out in some cupcakes, muffins....ooh and banana bread...or pancakes or.....

I feel like I’m reminiscing a holiday romance.  Heart longing, stomach rumbling.  Recalling that first bite...first thrilling taste that got my heart beating faster..rendered me a little breathless.  I find myself doing the ...head to on side.... goon smile, as I pour over slide-shows of entrees I’ve set on ‘continuous’..  I jealously wonder who is enjoying you now?  SAN FRANCISCO.  Five weeks were not long enough......so many VEGAN options...so little time..



How do I whittle it all down?...   WRITE A LIST!?

This is by no means an extensive list of ALL the vegan places or vegan friendly joints in SF, that would take a lifetime.  Though I would be very happy to make it my life's work!   Here is my 'buffet' list. Mostly from eateries in the Mission District...


BEST SALAD...Persimmon with chipotle vinaigrette from Gracias Madre.  So amazing, the flavours and textures are fresh...triumphant almost.  Like a party where everyone gets on well.
BEST FRENCH FRY...........Pica Pica.  Garlicky, salty, with a happy crunch and a little oozie oiliness.

Garlicky yucca fries and crispy, salty plantains...Oh sweet Jesus these were DELIGHTFUL

BEST TAMALE - (I obsessively, sampled a few)...One in the Sunshine Cafe, the Tamales de los dias served up at Gracias Madre, Amy’s Kitchen (frozen but not to be sniffed at), I’d made a promise to sample one in Sugarlump, a retro cafe in the Mission...this was not to be.   They were good, but all them were beaten hands down, by a fling with a perfectly spiced and spongy, sweet bean tamale, handmade, organic and delivered STEAMING to your door by La Guera Tamalera.  I know, I know, it is not from San Francisco but Silverlake, Los Angeles.  But I'd moved on..I needed a hit...It isn't cheating!

PICA PICA -

Yes...I ate the WHOLE LOT!  The arepas were stuffed with deep fried plantains, avocado, perfectly seasoned black beans and a warm tomato salsa

BEST VENEZUELAN  - Pica Pica Maize Kitchen.  Pica, meaning a little bit of this..a little bit of that...Their menu is gluten free and VEGAN friendly.  Their arepas are corn flour cakes.  Soft on the inside but crispy on the outside. 
BEST MEXICAN - Gracia's Madre

VEGAN FROZEN DINNER!  WOW!

 BEST 'GRAB IT FROM THE FREEZER' ENTREE....Joint first listing goes to...

GRAB IT FROM THE FREEZER

 MOST FRIENDLY & PASSIONATE RESTAURANTERS - Souley Vegan

The EVERYTHING plate from Souley Vegan in Oakland.  The deep fried tofu and herby cornbread are FABULOUS!

 MOST OVERPRICED (they should be ashamed of themselves) 'concept' restaurant - Cafe Gratitude!

No calories...fizzy, spices...catch the back of your throat loveliness.  Made in the Bay by a passionate brewer!

 

BEST SODA  - ~Taylor’s tonic. 

BEST GROCERS - ~Rainbow foods - THIS PLACE IS VEGAN UTOPIA...I spent hours wandering around in here, marvelling at the inventiveness of VEGAN BEINGS.

Oh so moreish...they make chocolate flavour too....One for my 'to try' list..

BEST SNACK - KALE CHIPS!  Blue Mountain Organics.  AN EXPENSIVE ADDICTION!  But SO  blooming good!
BEST RAW - Lydia’s Kitchen.  The Varta Plate .  I enjoyed this TASTE SENSATIONAL raw entree at a Green Fayre in the Bay and the drove all the way to Fairfax..across the Bridge, to have Varta, The sequel.

Not very photogenic but filling and DELICIOUS.  Vegan sourcream, nacho cheese, creamy avocados and curried cashew cheese.

MOST INNOVATIVE VEGAN CREATORS - Gracias Madre.  Hands down...Their quesos blancos, nachos cheese and guac, partnered with their home-grown, heirloom corn is nothing short of hands in the air, praise be, gorgeousness.

Quesadillas de Calabaza - RAMJAM PACKED with butternut squash, topped with Nacho cheese made from cashews and a sunflower salsa.  HEAVEN!

UDUPI - Indian food extraordinaire!

BEST INDIAN - UDUPI PALACE - I went to this place on Valencia Street 4 times, just to make sure the quality prevailed.. The DOSA's where so good they induced, in me, fits of giggling!  Highly embarrassing when dining solo! The sambal pasted on the crispy pancake, greeting the perfectly spiced potato curry inside was MANNA!

BEST SOUP - Whole Foods Market hot counter - Moroccan lentil - these fellas know how to use those Middle Eastern spices.  Comfort food on a spoon!

BEST ICE-CREAM - Coconut Bliss  ANY FLAVOUR

How can i sum up VEGAN San Francisco, when I feel I only scratched off the first layer...the crust?  How about entrees I wished I’d tried?  Like the Tamales at the Ferry building or Sugar Lump Coffee Lounge, Potato Pie at Herbivore (instead of ordering the sugar laden carrot cake....regrets I have a few..) or the tofu scramble at the Sunshine cafe.  Millennium.how about Millennium?  How could I have missed that?!  No, NO, I will have to go back.  San Francisco, this is not the end....

Carrot cake at Herbivore... Too much sugar!

THE BEST TAMALE...SO GOOD THEY SHOULD NAME IT TWICE!  La Guera Tamalera

My late night writing haven in the Misson...Sugar Lump Coffee Lounge



Tamale and tea at the Sunrise Restaurant