Category Archives: Vegan

Spaghetti With Raw Tomato ‘Sauce’ (Vegan/Dairy-free)

This wonderful ‘sauce’ is so easy to make, can be prepared in advance and is a delicious refreshing summer recipe! My mum makes this sauce using a smaller quantity of tomatoes (without draining the juice from the tomatoes) and lots of Parmesan cheese, but I personally prefer a healthier version of the recipe with lots of tomatoes and no cheese.

This raw tomato sauce contains anti-oxidants, lots of fibre and is low-fat….you’ll love it!!
You could also have this sauce on a bruschetta or serve it with meat, if you prefer.

Spaghetti with raw tomato sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

320 g spaghetti

350 g tomatoes

2 garlic gloves

a big bunch of fresh basil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Method.

1. Wash the tomatoes and basil, then dry them using a kitchen towel.

2. Crush two garlic cloves (use a knife or a garlic press).

3. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces and let them drain for about 10-15 minutes.

4. Then mix the tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Place the sauce in the fridge for at least half an hour.

5. Cook the pasta al dente, following the instructions on the packaging, then drain.

6. Mix the pasta with the sauce and serve chilled.

Spaghetti con “salsa” di pomodoro crudo.

Ingredienti

Per 4 persone

320 g di spaghetti

350 g di pomodori

2 spicchi d’aglio

un mazzetto grosso di basilico

2 cucchiai di aceto balsamico

olio extravergine d’oliva

sale e pepe

Preparazione.

1. Lavate e asciugate i pomodori e il basilico.

2. Utilizzando un coltello, pressate e molto tagliate finemente due spicchi d’aglio.

3. Prendete i pomodori e tagliateli in pezzetti piccoli con il coltello, poi lasciate scolare per 10-15 minuti.

4. Mescolate i pomodori con 4 cucchiai d’ olio d’oliva, 2 cucchiai di aceto balsamico, il sale e il pepe. Mescolate ancora e mettete nel frigorifero almeno per 30 minuti.

5. Cuocete la pasta al dente e scolate.

6. Condite la pasta con il sugo e servite come piatto freddo.

Quick and Easy: Plum And Apple Smoothie

Lovely and sweet breakfast smoothie, high in fibre and full of energy!

Plum and apple breakfast smoothie.

Ingredients

2 smoothies

4 large plums

1 golden delicious apple

2 tablespoons rolled oats

1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup (optional)

2 tablespoons vegetable milk (almond, soy or rice milk)

2 ice cubes

Method.

1. Wash the fruit, then peel the apple and cut the fruit into large chunks.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of rolled oats, 1 tablespoon of honey (or agave syrup), two tablespoons of vegetable milk of your choice and two ice cubes. Blend everything until smooth.

3. Serve in two large glasses.

Breakfast smoothie con prugne e mele.

Ingredienti

2 smoothies

4 prugne rosse grosse

1 mela golden

2 cucchiai di fiocchi d’avena integrali

1 cucchiaio di miele o sciroppo d’agave (facoltativo)

2 cucchiai di latte vegetale (latte di mandorla, di soia, oppure di riso)

2 cubetti di ghiaccio

Preparazione.

1. Lavate bene la frutta e sbucciate la mela. Tagliate grossolanamente la frutta a pezzi e mettetela in un frullatore.

2. Aggiungete i fiocchi d’avena, il miele (o lo sciroppo d’agave), due cucchiai di latte vegetale e due cubetti di ghiaccio. Frullate fino ad ottenere un composto denso e cremoso.

3. Versate in due bicchieri grandi e servite.

Quick And Easy: Pear & Ginger Smoothie

Start the day with this tasty and delicious smoothie! Packed with nutrients and vitamins, this lovely drink is perfect for this time of year! 🙂

Enjoy! x

Pear and ginger smoothie.

For 2 smoothies

4 pears

1/2 a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger

4 tablespoons of non-dairy milk (almond, rice or soya milk)

the grated zest of half a lemon (organic)

a few crushed cardamom seeds

2 ice cubes

Method.

1. Wash and peel the pears, then place the fruit in a blender.

2. Add the ginger with the crushed seeds, the zest of half a lemon and two ice cubes.

3. Blend everything until smooth and serve in two large glasses with a couple of straws.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Pera e zenzero frullato.

2 smoothies

4 pere

1/2 cucchiaino di zenzero fresco, grattugiato

4 cucchiai di latte vegetale ( latte di mandorle, riso oppure soia)

la buccia grattugiata di mezzo limone, non trattato

alcuni semi schiacciati di cardamomo

2 cubetti di ghiaccio

Preparazione.

1. Lavate e sbucciate le pere, poi mettete la frutta in un frullatore.

2. Aggiungete lo zenzero, la buccia grattugiata di mezzo limone e i semi di cardamomo con due cubetti di ghiaccio.

3. Frullate tutto fino ad ottenere un composto cremoso e servite in due bicchieri con le cannucce.

Traditional Recipe : Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce (Sugo Finto)

I have to admit that since I stopped eating meat there are some traditional dishes that I really miss…Bolognese sauce is one of them! There is a very tasty vegetarian alternative though, which is as good as the original Bolognese sauce with all the flavour of an old fashioned classic! This amazing sauce is called sugo finto ( fake sauce), an old traditional recipe made using minced vegetables instead of meat. This sauce can easily replace the Bolognese sauce in many recipes such as cannelloni, lasagne or any other dish which requires a similar sauce.

The sugo finto is delicious and it has been on my family menu for generations! In fact, my mother remembers my grandfather’s aunty preparing the sauce for meatless family meals on Fridays.

The sugo finto is a must for vegetarians who love tasty traditional recipes!!!!

Try it and let me know what you think…

Vegetarian Bolognese sauce (sugo finto)

Ingredients

1 can of tomato passata (best quality)

1/2 an onion (medium size)

1 clove of garlic

1 carrot

2 stalks of celery

1 big bunch of fresh aromatic herbs (marjoram, thyme, rosemary, 2 bay leaves, oregano)

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons of tomato paste

1/2 a organic stock cube

a large glass of water

Method.

1. Finely chop the rosemary.

2. Cut the celery, carrot and garlic in small pieces, then place the vegetables with the herbs (without the bay leaves) in the mixer and blend for a few minutes. Now add the onion and blend once more.

3. Fry the vegetables with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add two bay leaves.

4. Add 4 tablespoons of tomato paste, then add the passata and stir.

5. During the cooking time add a large glass of water and mix well.

6. Cook and stir until you get a Bolognese sauce consistency.

Tip. The cooking time may vary between 30 or 50 minutes, depending on whether you want a slightly milder sauce or dense sauce with a stronger flavour.

Ragù vegetariano (sugo finto)

Ingredienti

400 g di passata di pomodoro (di ottima qualità)

1/2 cipolla di media grandezza

1 spicchio d’aglio

1 carota

2 gambi di sedano

1 mazzetto bello grosso di erbe aromatiche fresche (maggiorana, timo, rosmarino, 2 foglie di alloro, origano)

4 cucchiai di olio extravergine d’oliva

4 cucchiai di concentrato di pomodoro

1/2 dado biologico di buona qualità

un bicchiere d’acqua

Preparazione.

1. Tritate finemente il rosmarino.

2. Tagliare il sedano, la carota e l’aglio a pezzetti. Mettete quindi le verdure con le erbe (senza l’alloro) nel mixer e sminuzzate per qualche minuto. Aggiungete anche la cipolla e continuate a sminuzzare fino ad ottenere un tritato abbastanza fine.

3. Fate soffriggere le verdure sminuzzate con 4 cucchiai d’olio, per una decina di minuti. Aggiungete anche due foglie intere di alloro.

4. Aggiungete 4 cucchiai di concentrato di pomodoro, poi unite la passata al concentrato e mescolate bene.

5. Durante la cottura annaffiate con un bicchiere d’acqua e mescolate di tanto in tanto.

6. Fate ritirare il liquido in eccesso e lasciate cuocere fino ad ottenere un sugo con la consistenza del ragù.

Nota. Il tempo di cottura può variare da 30 a 50 minuti, a seconda se desiderate un sugo più delicato oppure più denso e dal sapore un po’ più deciso.

Light Avocado And Garlic “Mayonnaise” (Vegan)

Avocado is a delicious highly nutritional food, full of good vegetable fat; it also contains some vegetable proteins, a high quantity of folic acid and a good quantity of vitamin E. Avocado is a healthy ingredient for your recipes but it contains lots of calories, therefore it’s better not to eat too large a quantity of it. I usually replace mayonnaise or butter with some avocado in various sandwiches…It goes really well with several kinds of fish and seafood, but it is also great with tomatoes, onions and green salads.

Today I am sharing a light “mayonnaise”, actually more a fake mayonnaise sauce or a kind of hummus, as it does not contain any oil or eggs but lots of avocado and lemon juice!

Wonderful with prawn, mackerel or egg sandwiches. It is also a great vegan sauce to use with lots of different vegetables…

Enjoy the recipe! X

Light avocado and garlic “mayonnaise”.

1 large avocado

1 clove of garlic

the juice of half a lemon

1 tablespoon of sesame seeds

a few crystals of sea salt (here I am actually using Himalayan salt)

Method.

1. With a small mortar crush a tablespoon of sesame seeds with a few crystals of sea salt.

2. Using a mixer, blend the pulp of an avocado with the crushed sesame seeds and a clove of garlic until smooth (remember to remove the core of the garlic clove).

3. Add the juice of a lemon and blend until you get a creamy mixture.

Maionese light di avocado (aromatizzata all’aglio).

1 avocado grande

1 spicchio d’aglio (togliete l’anima)

il succo di mezzo limone

1 cucchiaio di semi di sesamo

alcuni cristalli di sale marino ( qui in realtà uso sale rosa dell’ Himalaya)

Preparazione.

1. Frantumate in un piccolo mortaio un cucchiaio di semi di sesamo con alcuni cristalli di sale marino (bastano pochi minuti).

2. Utilizzando un mixer, amalgamate bene la polpa di un avocado con i semi di sesamo schiacciati e uno spicchio d’aglio.

3. Aggiungere il succo di un limone e frullate fino ad ottenere un composto molto cremoso.

Light Mango And Strawberry Smoothie (No Milk Or Added Sugar)

Today’s smoothie is packed with antioxidants and it’s great if you, like me, need a little help to strengthen up and boost the immune system with natural vitamins and minerals, during the change of seasons. This is also a delicious and light breakfast smoothie, but it could be a tasty non-alcoholic drink to enjoy with friends if diluted with a little more orange juice.

Mango and strawberry smoothie.

Serves 2

1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into pieces

200 g strawberries, washed , cleaned and cut into halves

the juice of half an orange

the grated zest of an organic orange

a pinch of grated ginger

3 ice cubes

Method.

1. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

2. Serve in two big glasses with some straws.

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Smoothie light con mango e fragole.

Per 2 persone

1 mango maturo, sbucciato e tagliato a pezzi

200 g di fragole lavate, pulite e tagliate a metà

il succo di mezza arancia, biologica

un pizzico di scorza grattugiata d’ arancia, biologica

un pizzico di zenzero grattugiato

3 cubetti di ghiaccio

Metodo.

1. Frullare tutti gli ingredienti insieme fino ad ottenere una bevanda cremosa.

2. Servire in due bicchieri grandi con alcune cannucce.

Quick And Easy: Strawberry And Banana Smoothie

This week’s healthy recipe is packed with fibre, vitamin C, B6, manganese, potassium and with the vegetable proteins of the oats and the soya milk….Today I am sharing a dairy-free smoothie recipe for a super healthy and delicious energy boosting drink filled with bananas and strawberries; perfect for breakfast or as a light lunch. No need to say that banana and strawberry are a match made in heaven… Enjoy! 😉

Strawberry and banana smoothie

Ingredients

Serves 2

250 g strawberries, washed and cleaned

100 ml soya milk

2 bananas, cut into chunks

4 tablespoons of rolled oats

the grated zest of an organic lemon

1 tablespoon of honey (optional)

a few leaves of fresh mint (optional)

3 ice cubes

Method.

1. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

2. Serve in two large glasses or glass jars with two straws.

Smoothie con fragole e banane.

Ingredienti

per 2 persone (due smoothie grandi)

250 g di fragole, lavate e pulite

100 ml di latte di soia

2 banane, tagliate a pezzi grandi

4 cucchiai di fiocchi d’avena

la scorza grattugiata di un limone, non trattato

1 cucchiaio di miele (facoltativo)

qualche foglia di menta fresca (facoltativo)

3 cubetti di ghiaccio

Preparazione.

1. Frullate tutti gli ingredienti fino ad ottenere una consistenza cremosa.

2. Servite in due bicchieri grandi (oppure in due vasetti di vetro) con delle cannucce.

Chickpea And Potato Soup With Lots Of Rosemary!

I have to admit that this recipe comes from my mother’s favourite dishes. She was enthusiastic about this dish and as soon as I tasted it I could see why… Not only is it a delicious and tasty soup, but it’s also a recipe that anyone can make and with ingredients that are cheap and everyone has in the kitchen pantry.

For this dish I used ditaloni, which is a short pasta often used in soups in Italy. If you don’t find this particular kind of pasta you can replace it with some broken spaghetti (make them two-three centimetres long). You can also add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to add some flavour and protein, however this soup is so tasty that you don’t really need to add any additional ingredients to flavour it…It is delicious!!!

Chickpea and potato soup with rosemary.

Preparation and cooking time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

3 sprigs of rosemary

2 cans of chickpeas

Vegetable stock made with organic vegetable stock cubes

2 large potatoes, washed, peeled and diced

220 g of ditaloni

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method.

1. Sauté the chopped onion with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, after a few minutes add the chopped garlic.

2. When the onion is soft and transparent, add the chickpeas with the diced potatoes and the rosemary sprigs. Cover with vegetable stock and simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Stir quite often during the cooking time.

3. Cook the pasta separately and then drain when is al dente.

4. When the soup is ready remove the rosemary, then add the pasta and serve.

Zuppa di ceci e patate al rosmarino.

Tempo di preparazione e cottura: 30 minuti circa

Ingredienti

Per 4 persone

1 cipolla

2 spicchi d’aglio

3 mazzetti di rosmarino

2 scatole di ceci

Brodo fatto con due dadi vegetali biologici

2 patate grosse, lavate, pelate tagliate a pezzetti

220 g di ditaloni

3 cucchiai olio extra vergine d’oliva

Preparazione.

1. Fate soffriggere la cipolla tritata con tre cucchiai d’olio extra vergine d’oliva, dopo qualche minuto aggiungete l’aglio tritato.

2. Quando la cipolla sarà diventata morbida e trasparente, aggiungete i ceci, le patate e 3 rametti rosmarino. Ricoprite con del brodo vegetale e fate cuocere per 20-25 minuti, mescolando abbastanza spesso.

3. A parte cuocete la pasta, poi scolatela quando è al dente.

4. Quando la minestra è pronta togliete i rametti di rosmarino, poi aggiungete la pasta e servite.

Even Better Than Apple Pie! (Vegan)

Nothing better than a thick and creamy apple smoothie, aromatised with lemon, maple syrup and cinnamon to make you feel utterly spoiled! This smoothie will make you feel special inside out! It’s not just a wonderful way to take care of yourself, it’ s a delicious and quick-to-make treat that you’ll truly enjoy! But don’t take my word for it, give it a try!

I almost forgot to add that this smoothie is packed with calcium, proteins and nutrients…

Enjoy!

Apple pie smoothie

Ingredients

Serves 2

2 golden apples

60 g of almonds, with skins

2 tablespoons of maple syrup

200 ml of almond milk (or the vegetable milk you prefer)

the grated zest of half a lemon (use organic lemons)

2 tablespoons of rolled oats

a pinch of grated cinnamon

4 ice cubes

Method.

1. Roast the almonds for 7-10 minutes at 160 ° C (320 °F). Remove from the oven, then finely grind the almonds until you get a paste and let cool.

2. Peel and clean apples.

3. In a blender, blend the almond paste, the chopped apples, the rolled oats, then add 4 ice cubes, the almond milk, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and the grated lemon zest with a pinch of cinnamon. Blend everything until smooth.

4. Garnish with a few mint leaves, a couple of straws and serve.

Apple Pie smoothie

Ingredienti

per 2 smoothies

2 mele golden

60 g di mandorle con la buccia

2 cucchiai di sciroppo d’acero

200 ml di latte di mandorla

buccia grattugiata di mezzo limone, non trattato

due cucchiai di fiocchi d’avena integrale

un pizzico di cannella grattugiata

4 cubetti di ghiaccio

Preparazione.

1. Tostate le mandorle per 7-10 minuti a 160° C. Togliete le mandorle dal forno e tritatele molto finemente.

2. Tagliate e pulite le mele.

3. Frullate insieme le mandorle tritate, la polpa di mele e i fiocchi d’avena; aggiungete 4 cubetti di ghiaccio, il latte di mandorla, la buccia grattugiata di mezzo limone, due cucchiai di sciroppo d’acero e un pizzico di cannella. Continuate a frullare fino ad ottenere una crema.

4. Guarnite con qualche foglia di menta, due cannucce e servite.

Pear And Passion Fruit Smoothie

A delicious and delicate smoothie, high in fibre, vitamins A, C and also contains a good quantity of iron, calcium, manganese and potassium. I added some chia seeds for extra fibre, omega 3 fatty acid and vegetable proteins.
If I was to describe it in a few words, I’d say that this smoothie tastes like spring! So take a sip of this wonderful drink, relax and enjoy the flavours!