Not a Chicken Kiev

The childhood food of chicken kievs has made a return..

 However this is its grown up vegan lower fat and healthier self. 

Not only is this baby gluten free but is stuffed with flavor and protein. It's taken me a while to plan and get round to this one, coming up with different ways to replicate this chicken dish, but I've finally done it. The key is a good firm tofu (smoked) and a bag f good mixed herbs. I like to use Dragonfly Organic tofu, which in the UK you can get and Holland and Barret and most other health food store. 

Tofu Kiev

Ingredients

Marinade

1/4 cup soy sauce/tamari

3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

2 sun dried tomatoes

1-2 tsp of agave (depending on your taste)

1 tbsp of mixed Italian herbs

Pepper to taste

- Mix together all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl big enough to fit your tofu block in 

1 block of smoked firm tofu

3 toasted corn crispbread (or gluten free cracker of choice)

2 tbsp of mixed seeds and nuts

1 tsp of mixed Italian herbs

1/2 a tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of cumin seeds

3 heaped tsp of flaxseed

1/4 cup water

-Place your tofu in the marinade and spoon over the mixture. Leave to marinate whilst you prepare everything else. If you rotate the tofu ever couple of minuets or so the better the coverage of marinade.

- In a blender place your crispbreads, herbs, seeds and nuts, salt and cumin seeds. Blitz till they resemble fine bread crumbs, remove from blender and place in a flat bowl.

- In another flat bowl create your flaxseed egg mixture by mixing your flaxseed with water and setting it aside for it to turn gloopy (like an egg). 

1 cup  spinach

1 garlic clove

2 sun dried tomatoes

1 tbsp mixed Italian herbs

2 tbsp of veggie stock

2 tbsp of lemon juice

1 heaped tbsp of vegan cream cheese (i used one with chives in, garlic and herb ones would work well too)

1 chopped large spring onion

-Clean out your blender and place in all the ingredients above apart from the spring onion. Blitz till fairly smooth.

-Remove from blender and add finely chopped spring onion

-Now cut your tofu in half to make two 'kievs'

- Insert a whole through the center of your 'kiev' here you can see me using a knife sharpener to do it, as i couldn't find the apple corer, an apple corer would probably work better.

- Stuff your 'keiv' with the vegan cheese spinach garlic mixture

- Set out your flat plates of flaxseed and crispbread crumbs. Then coat you 'kiev' first in the flaxseed egg, then in the crumbs then place on a packing tray.

- Place in a oven at 180 degrees for around 20 minuetes or till cooked.

with chunky tomato ketchup and small trees

YUMM!

Beans for tea

Asked to cook dinner;
Sure, that's cool
what's in the cupboard
(looks in the cupboard, nothing but beans)

beans it is then.

I am sure this occasion has happened to many, the attempt at constructing a tasty meal out of beans. Although beans on toast it a great breakfast staple its not exactly the most gastronomic of dishes eh? However although not always celebrated fine dining the humble bean is a health bundle of joy, staying true to the rhyme 'beans, beans good for your heart the more you eat them the more you..'. Beans are full of fiber and protein keeping you full, controlling blood sugar levels and helping you build and repair muscle. So here is a recipe up your sleeve that is nutritious, cheap and is basically made completely out of your cupboard staples. 

Smokey bean stew and home made seed and herb flat breads with cool garlic, mint and coriander dip (all vegan)

 Flat breads

Ingrediants
150g seeded bread flour
50g whole meal flour
50g corn meal
3 tbsp of favourite oil ( garlic or herb infused oils will work nicely too)
140 ml warm water
1 tbsp of agave
1 tsp of salt
7g of yeast

-Mix water and agave together, add yeast and set aside to ferment for 10 mins.
- Meanwhile mix together flours and cornmeal in a big bowl. If you don't have all these flour you can just make up 250g worth of any bread flour combination. Add salt to one side of the bowl and the water/yeast and oil to the other. using your hands bring together to a dough and knead till smooth and elastic.

- Leave in a covered oiled bowl for an hour in a warm place to rise. Then knock the air out of it and knead again break in to golf ball sized balls.
- Roll out the balls into very flat circula disks. Brush with oil and cook on a hot plate or large flat frying pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Smokey Bean stew

Ingredients
1 large carrot
1 large stick of celery
1 large onion
1 green bell pepper
2 cloves of garlic
8 button mushrooms
1 can of baked beans
1/2 can of mixed beans
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup of stock
1 heaped  tbsp of smoked paprika
1 heaped tbsp of favorite Mexican spice blend
2 tsp of mustard
1 tbsp of dark agave/treacle
1 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tbsp of tomato purree

- Dice your carrot, celery, onion, garlic and bell pepper. Add to a large pan with a little oil. Saute for 10 mins till the vegetables are browning ever so slightly on the edges. Add the tomato puree and saute for 5 mins adding the spices 1-2 mins before the end. de-glaze with the stock.

pouring shot.

- Add your agave/treacle, soy sauce, mustard and tomatoes and let the mixture reduce till its the consistency of tomato ketchup.
- Slice your mushrooms and add to the pan along with the beans. Cover and cook till the beans are soft and the mushrooms are cooked through. Serve when ready, you can have this stew sitting on the stove all day it only gets better.

Cool garlic, mint and coriander Dip

Ingredients
1 cup vegan plain yogurt
hand full of mint
hand full of coriander
half a clove of garlic
pinch of coarse salt

-In a pestle and mortar add garlic, salt, and some of the mint and coriander (reserving some for garnish later).

- Grind till a thick paste is formed. Add the vegan yogurt and combine.
- Tear up the the rest of the herbs and stir through or place on top to garnish the dip.

All together! Hozaa amigos, enjoy your beans