Parmesan Alternative - Dairy free

Hi, we see more and more a need to find healthier ways of eating. I came across this simple alternative for Parmesan cheese and it is really tasty and easy to make so have a go and see what you think. You can use this wherever you would normally use Parmesan cheese but it won't melt. Remember when you make changes to your eating do it slowly and make small changes at a time.

Parmesan Cheese Alternative

1 c sesame seeds
1/2 c savory yeast flakes
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

Lightly toast seeds in a dry pan. When cool wizz all ingredients in a blender.
Use on pizza, lasagna, spaghetti, in a separate bowl when using dips to dip in, on my layered Mexican dip etc Store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

its as easy as that. Enjoy ....Valita

and some food for thought

To read without reflecting is like
eating without digesting

Layered Mexican Dip - Dairy free

Hi all, hope you are all well and healthy!! We have just had our monthly vegetarian cooking club and our theme this month was Mexican food. So I thought you would enjoy my version on a Mexican dip without the heavy sour cream. I forgot to take a pic of the larger one made up ready so when i got home i put together this smaller one to show you. so here we go.....

Layered Mexican Dip
first layer:
2 c cooked Borlotti beans (pinto or black beans)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion diced finely
1 garlic clove crushed
1 tomato chopped finely
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp Mexican chilli powder (med heat)
1/2 tsp coriander flakes
2 tsp salt

second layer
2 avocados mashed, you may need more depending how large they are.a little lemon juice and salt

third layer:

1, 300g pack firm silken tofu

2 tsp Massel Beef style stock powder, which is animal and dairy free.

chopped tomato and shallots to top

First layer:Cook beans to the directions on the pack. 1, 375g pack will do 2 lots of dip….so when you’ve cooked a whole pack put half of the beans in the freeze for another time. In a fry pan put the oil, onions, garlic and cook till clear. Next add tomatoes and all the spices. Reduce the heat to low, put in your cooked beans and start to mash while it continues to cook. Add tomato paste and salt stir and let cool. Once cool spread evenly on a serving plate.

Second layer: Mash avocados lemon and a little salt and layer on to of the bean mix.

Third layer: place the firm silken tofu in a blender and the beef stock powder wizz till smooth. Place this over the top of the avocado layer.

To finish sprinkle the top with finely chopped tomato and shallots…..you could also use parmesan alternative, or savory seed sprinkle. Note that this will be much lighter in the stomach and no cholesterol.

I hope you give this one a go we all enjoyed it. I know one man coming to the cooking demo's enjoyed these as he just found out he can't have dairy so it was rewarding to know we could help him. Until next post keep well .....Valita

and some food for thought

Remember this, that very little is needed to make a happy life.

Marcus Aurelius

Savory Seed Sprinkle

Hi all, today we are going to cook Savory seeds.....Now don't be like the kids and say .....were not birds.....they call it bird seed but this stuff is so yummmmmy! here we go.

Savory Seed Sprinkle (10 Min. cooking time)

260g Pumpkin Kernels
375g Sunflower Kernels
250g Sesame Seeds
1/2 cup Poppy seeds
1/3 -1/4 cup Soya sauce

Place all but the poppy seeds in a dry fry pay on medium heat.

Add the soya sauce and dry cook this for around 5 minuets stirring all the time to keep those little sesame seeds from burning.


Continue cooking and stirring and in the last 5 minuets add the poppy seeds....these need to go in last or they will burn. and this is the finished seed mix you should smell my kitchen mmmmmm.

See how golden they are now.....Let them cool and store in an airtight container. These will keep for at least 2 weeks. Now our favorite way to eat these is simply on a slice of buttered bread. The kids love this in there school lunch. But be ware this stuff is addictive!!! LOL :)

But we use these as a cheese alternative as we try not to eat loads of cheese and if we do its the soft cheeses like ricotta of cottage cheese . Use on Pizza, to top lasagna, Have this in a bowl along with a dip so you dip your cracker then dip in the seeds....that's yummy, top savory baked dishes......etc. i know you will love this.
Valita

Food for thought

“Happiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower”

To celebrate my first post it has to be CUPCAKES

Welcome to my first post in Valita's Kitchen. to celebrate I'm gong to share with you my cupcake recipe. Once a week we cook a speacial dinner and have a yummy treat together and these are what we cooked last week.

Vanilla Cupcakes with rose water cream.

125g butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1&1/2 cups SR flour...use a good quality flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
cupcake cases

Rose water cream
600ml Thickened cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
1/2 tsp Valilla
a few drops of rose water (essence will do)
sprinkles for the top
and a piping bag and tip.

Cream butter and sugar. add 1 egg at a time using a mixer. sift in half the wet ingredients and half the dry, mix well then add the other half and mix well. spoon into cases 2 thirds the way full and cook in a moderate oven 180 c or 350 f for 15 minuets. should make 24 small cupcakes or 12 muffin size.
To make the rose water cream, with a mixer add your cream, icing sugar, vanilla, rosewater and mix together till the cream has turned stiff but not mixed to butter.....pipe over the cupcake and use your sprinkles to decorate. You will have a little cream left over after piping...I found this little tip if you want the cupcakes to rise to a peak increase the oven temp to moderately hot 190 c or 375 f


Well i hope you enjoy these cupcakes as much as we did.....until the next yummy post...Valita

some food for thought

No one is useless in the world who lightens
the burden of it for anyone else. - Charles Dickens