Category Archives: Food

3-Ingredient Fig & Almond Bites | Raw, Vegan

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Each one of these 3-ingredient fig & almond bites is a perfect mouthful of sweet fig, delicate almond and nutty tahini, and is packed full of vitamins A, B2, E & K, calcium and more.Fig & Almond Bites, Raw Vegan | The Tofu DiariesI seem to be on a roll at the moment making lots of vegan desserts. This time of year, and all of winter really, makes me crave sugary things and hopefully these will be something to turn back to for a sweet treat that doesn’t really have any added sugar. These fig & almond bites are another ideal healthy option.Fig & Almond Bites, Raw Vegan | The Tofu DiariesAs I mentioned in my last recipe post (a vegan apple crumble recipe using quinoa if you missed it!) my new kitchen is slowly coming together with the addition of some carefully chosen blue crockery. Another recent addition is this adorable Scandinavian-inspired Setesdal set of measuring cups that were sent to me by Culture Vulture Direct. I’m excited about these for two reasons. Firstly they add some much needed animals into my crockery collection with foxes, squirrels, hedgehogs and more incorporated into the folk print.Fig & Almond Bites, Raw Vegan | The Tofu DiariesSecondly, as someone who only really weighs ingredients so I can write proper recipes that stand a chance of being followed, these really appeal to me as an effortless way to measure ingredient ratios. Actually, as a bonus they make following US recipes that rely on cup measurements a whole lot easier too!Fig & Almond Bites, Raw Vegan | The Tofu DiariesCulture Vulture Direct is a website full of what they call ‘finds from a world well-travelled.’ I’ve completely fallen in love with their curated selection of home and kitchen ware and, consequently, I now have my eye on several things from their website such as these zinc photo frames and this gorgeous folk print coffee pot. They are exactly the kind of website I love stumbling across to find something that bit more special and I know these measuring cups are going to be very well-used in my kitchen.Fig & Almond Bites, Raw Vegan | The Tofu DiariesFor this recipe, using measuring cups was an ideal way to get the right ratio of figs/almonds/tahini easily and quickly. I’ve been making some kind of raw treat almost every week as they are perfect to keep me going during an afternoon in the office, without resorting to something processed or full of refined sugar. The quantities here make twelve small balls but can be increased or decreased just by keeping the 4:2:1 ratio the same.

Makes approx. 12

Ingredients:

1 cup dried figs, chopped

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup tahini

Method:

1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until they have formed a sticky dough

2. Separate the mixture and roll into small balls

3. Eat and enjoy!Fig & Almond Bites, Raw Vegan | The Tofu Diaries

What have you bought for your kitchen recently? Share in the comments!

Eating Out: The Brown Cow, Bingley

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Being someone who regularly eats out (albeit a bit too frequently) and lives in a city that just gets better and better when it comes to restaurants, I’m a little disappointed in myself at how few restaurant reviews are on here. To be honest, the main barrier for me is a strong case of “behind-the-camera shy.” I can’t help but cringe getting my DSLR camera out and snapping my food before tucking in. I feel slightly less conspicuous using my phone’s camera but usually end up feeling the photos aren’t high enough quality and scrapping the review.

It’s been a bit of a relief to discuss this with other bloggers lately and discover I’m not the only one who worries about this kind of thing. The best advice I’ve had from everyone, of course, has been to just do it! Well, it makes a lot of sense so I have been endeavouring to brave getting my camera out in restaurants more often and, though there have still been too many missed opportunities where I haven’t taken any photos, I am slowly building up a to-blog list… which brings us onto a gorgeous pub lunch I want to share with you all now.

The Brown Cow, BingleyThe Brown Cow Pub, BingleyTo blow out the cobwebs and enjoy some country air, a few weeks ago I went out to the beautiful St Ives estate in Bingley for a long Saturday morning walk. It already felt like I’d achieved something great just being up and out of Leeds so bright and early but the walk itself was fantastic with gorgeous views and wonderful company and a chance to get my camera out.

The Brown Cow Pub menuThe walk around St Ives came to an end, somewhat conveniently, at back in Bingley town. We were warmly welcomed in and got down to the business of perusing the menu. With five veggie options on the menu and one more on the daily specials board, it was a tough choice but I opted for the bubble & squeak cakes with watercress sauce. Bubble & squeak isn’t something you would expect to see on a pub menu so I was intrigued to see what they would do with it.Bubble & Squeak at the Brown Cow, BingleyAs you can see, the bubble & squeak cakes arrived beautifully presented with the watercress sauce in a milk bottle. It couldn’t have been any more photogenic, right? The cakes themselves were encased in crunchy breadcrumbs that contrasted delightfully with the soft potato and cabbage inside and accompanied with roasted cherry tomatoes.

Bubble & Squeak at the Brown Cow, BingleyEveryone else was suitably impressed with their mains and the other two veggie dishes on the table; the mushroom risotto and the goat’s cheese and beetroot tart looked equally delicious. Even as more standard veggie dishes you would expect to see on a menu they both had extra flourishes that showed more thought had gone into them than usual.

After we had all taken a little time for our mains to settle, some more time to choose our desserts (also not an easy choice…), and lots of time for conversation, we ordered our next course. I opted for the treacle tart served with fresh cream and raspberry coulis. Once again, the presentation was stunning with coulis arriving in its own tiny jar. In fact the presentation was gorgeous for all of our desserts so I’ll give you a peek at some of the others too, namely the chocolate fudge cake and jam roly poly!Desserts at the Brown Cow, BingleyOverall, I was very impressed with the quality of the food and the reasonable prices. The atmosphere and décor was very much of a country pub but the food was a step above! I’ll definitely return next time I’m in the area!

You can find out more about the pre-lunch walking route I did in Bingley on the Walk in Yorkshire website and see my photos of the walk itself featured on the Turtle Mat blog.

How do you feel about taking photos in restaurants? Any tips for getting over the fear?!

Wholemeal Quinoa Apple Crumble | Vegan

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A tangy base of gently cooked organic apples bursting with cinnamon topped with a crunchy, wholesome crumble. Added quinoa ups the nutrition for a healthy dessert perfect for autumn but delicious any time of year!

Wholemeal Quinoa Apple Cumble, Vegan | The Tofu Diaries

Ever since spotting that the tree in my new back garden is an apple tree, I’ve had my eye on it just waiting for the right moment to pick the fruit. To be honest, I did have to do a bit of research to be sure that the apples would be edible. Luckily said research confirmed that no apples are actually poisonous; the worst that could happen is that the apples would be very sour but still very much edible.

Wholemeal Quinoa Apple Cumble, Vegan | The Tofu Diaries

Once a couple had started to drop, it seemed the time was nigh to pick the others if I wanted a big enough batch to make something from. With a little assistance from Pete’s shoulders, some giant tongs and a lot of laughter (let’s hope no neighbours were watching) I have a batch of organic, home-grown apples that I knew were destined for my autumn favourite, apple crumble.Wholemeal Quinoa Apple Crumble | @TheTofuDiaries

My favourite kind of apple crumble is always one where the tartness of the apple shines through and there is only a hint of tempering sweetness from the crumble. That’s why this recipe doesn’t add any sugar into the stewed apples, instead there is just a sprinkling that browns on the crunchy top. You could of course change this around to suit your taste, or even skip the sugar all together for a version healthy enough to dig into for breakfast.

The addition of quinoa was an experiment that paid off; it adds an extra layer of texture and slight nutty flavour to the crumble top, already deeper in taste through the wholemeal flour. Breaking open the quinoa seeds in a pestle and mortar before mixing them in ensures that you still benefit from the nutrients inside – otherwise, unsoaked as they are, they would pass through undigested.Wholemeal Quinoa Apple Cumble, Vegan | The Tofu Diaries

I just have one more thing to add: how gorgeous is this Le Creuset mixing bowl and utensil pot? I’m slowly building up a blue theme in the kitchen – I adore mismatched crockery and kitchenware held together by a colour theme and (despite the green dish here spoiling the illusion!) these additions have fitted in a dream. I picked them up in TK Maxx at an absolute bargain of a price and am keeping my fingers crossed I see more in this colour!

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

For the filling:

700g apples, peeled, cored, chopped

100ml water

1/2tsp cinnamon

For the topping:

150g wholemeal flour

1tbsp quinoa, uncooked

125g dairy-free margarine

2-3tsp brown sugar (optional/according to taste)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to around 180C/350F/Gas mark 4.

2. In a large pan, add the chopped apples, water and cinnamon. Cook over a medium hob for around ten minutes, stirring frequently, until the fruit has softened.

3. Meanwhile, in a pestle and mortar, lightly crush the uncooked quinoa. In a large bowl add the quinoa, flour and margarine. Rub together with your fingertips (or using a fork) until it forms breadcrumbs.

4. In a large oven-proof dish, spread out the stewed apple and top evenly with the crumble mix. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top according to taste and cook in the oven for around 20-25 minutes until the topping has turned golden with a slight crunch.

5. Serve!

Wholemeal Quinoa Apple Cumble, Vegan | The Tofu Diaries

What is your favourite autumn dessert? Have you cooked with apples lately?

Recipe Round-up: 10 Veganised Recipes from Around the World

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A selection of recipes inspired by dishes from around the world and creatively transformed into delicious vegan meals.10 Veganised Recipes from Around the WorldFrom fluffy American-style pancakes to a slow-cooked tangy Iraqi stew, I would say there are few places where inspiration cannot be found for a delicious vegan feast. New flavours and unique ingredients that give each international cuisine its distinctive taste can be transported and recreated into a subtly tweaked or an entirely refashioned dish.

Here is a round-up of my favourite “veganisations” so far:

1. Egypt – Falafel Loaf

Egypt - Falafel Loaf

2. France – Mushroom Bourguignon

France - Mushroom Bourguignon

3. Hungary – 3-Bean Paprikash

Hungary - Paprikash

4. Iraq – Slow-cooker Daube

Iraq - Slow Cooker Daube

5. Italy – Frittata di Carciofi

Italy - Tuscan Artichoke Omelettes

6. South Korea – Spicy Potato Stew

Korea - Spicy Potato Stew

7. Thailand – 2-Lentil Thai Soup

Thailand - 2 lentil soup

8. UK – Tofu Bacon Sandwich

UK - Tofu Bacon Sandwich

9. Vietnam – Caramel Tofu & Carrots

Vietnam - Caramel Tofu

10. USA – Spinach PancakesUSA - Spinach Pancakes

Have you veganised any international dishes? Share your favourites and recipes in the comments!

Ginger & Cocoa Rawnie | Raw, Vegan

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5-ingredient, no bake brownies that are rich, chocolately, slightly nutty and more than moreish. The addition of fresh ginger creates an extra special combination of flavours.Ginger Cocoa Raw Brownie | The Tofu DiariesThese raw brownies or “rawnies” take the raw snacks I have talked about in the past to another level; this is perfectly acceptable dessert territory. You could serve them with whipped coconut cream, a scoop of vegan ice-cream or, failing that, still feel free to munch on them as an extra special indulgent mid-afternoon treat.Ginger Cocoa Raw Brownie | The Tofu Diaries Ginger Cocoa Raw Brownie | The Tofu Diaries Ginger Cocoa Raw Brownie | The Tofu DiariesIngredients:

200g dates, roughly chopped

2tbsp mixed seeds (I used milled seeds)

2tbsp tahini

4cm piece of ginger, finely chopped

2tbsp cocoa powder, plus extra to dust

Method:

1. Add all of the ingredients together into a high-powered food processor and blend until combined.

2. In a small baking tray, dust the bottom with a light layer of cocoa powder. Press the rawnie mix into the tray – you can level it out and get rid of your thumbprints by rolling a cup across the top.

3. Dust the top with another light coating of cocoa powder. Place in the fridge and when you are ready to eat it, slice into bars.Ginger Cocoa Raw Brownie | The Tofu DiariesI’m entering this into Simplyhealth‘s healthy smile recipe competition. Did you know that, as an anti-inflammatory, ginger can help you to keep your smile healthy by supporting healthy mouth tissue? I certainly didn’t but I’ll be taking any excuse to include it in my recipes along with some of these other smile-supporting healthy foods!

What sweet treats have you made recently?