Where’s the sun?  Where is it?

I’ve searched high and low but ohhh well, it seems I’ll have to wait a bit longer to feel the sand between my toes and the warm sea breeze…   and until then there are always healthy Indian curries (and singing ‘Here comes the sun! na na na naaaa!’ at high volume) to cheer up the chilly nights.

This spicy little number was inspired by that magical Chana Masala Pizza and the creamy awesomeness of eggplant.  Soaked in a spicy tomato sauce and served with steamed brown rice and fresh coriander leaves, it’s the perfect healthy indulgence.  And did I mention a cinch to make and free of unhealthy fats, sugar and gluten?

You can even pair this with a delicious Frozen Mango Lassi mocktail if you’re feeling adventurous!

Treat yourself to organic chickpeas, beautiful; they’re so much softer and tastier. Any leftovers are happy in the fridge for a couple of days and taste great reheated, so don’t be shy about cooking up a big batch.  Your family/friends/neighbours/postman/future self will love you for it.

xx

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Eggplant Chana Masala

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Rebecca Weller - Vegan Sparkles

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil optional
• 2 small brown onions finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 large eggplant/aubergine
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup filtered water
• 3 cups organic cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed if from a can)
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh coriander/cilantro leaves chopped

Dried Spices

• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tsp garam masala

Instructions

• Wash eggplant and (skin on) chop into 1 inch cubes. Discard both ends. Place cubes into a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion in oil (or a splash of water) until translucent.
• Add garlic, ginger and eggplant and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes.
• Add dried spices and mix well to fully coat the onions and eggplant.
• Stir in the tomatoes, water and chickpeas. Simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from the stove. Stir in lemon juice and half of the coriander. Season with salt & pepper.
• Serve topped with coriander. Enjoy! xx

The post Eggplant Chana Masala appeared first on Vegan Sparkles with Rebecca Weller.

I’m a summer girl through and through and I know that in a few weeks I’ll already be lamenting the cold, but for now I choose to enjoy my romantic notions and endless daydreams of fluffy jumpers, mugs of hot chocolate, lying in bed listening to the rain, and cosy snuggles with my lovebug. ♥

It’s about this time of year that I really start to crave root vegetables and curry flavours.

I’ve always been a fan of Dhal, but too often for my liking it is served as a tasteless and boring side-dish.

Forget that!  I say bulk it up and make it a spicy and delicious main attraction!

One of the biggest reasons that Dhal rocks – besides the fact that it’s fat-free and brimming with nutrients – is that it’s so versatile.  Substitute any of these vegetables with your own favourites – zucchini, cauliflower and peas also work really well.

I threw some carrot pulp in because I’m always looking for ways to use up the pulp from my morning juices, but this is completely optional too.

Any leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3-5 days and taste even better reheated, so this is a great meal to make in large batches to fill Autumn lunch boxes and super hungry tummies.

Enjoy!

xx

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Autumn Sweet Potato, Vegetable & Red Lentil Dhal

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Rebecca Weller - Vegan Sparkles

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Brown Onion peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 cup Sweet Potato chopped into 1cm cubes
• 1 1/2 cups dried Red Lentils
• 4 cups Vegetable Broth/Stock
• 1 cup Carrot pulp optional
• 1 cup Broccoli florets sliced
• 1 cup Mushrooms sliced
• 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes quartered
• 1 cup Baby Spinach leaves
• 1 cup fresh Coriander leaves

Spices

• 1 tsp grated fresh Ginger
• 2 tsp Mustard Seeds Black or Yellow
• 3/4 tsp ground Cayenne Pepper less if you don't like medium-level spiciness
• 1 1/2 tsp ground Cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground Turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• 1/2 tsp ground Coriander
• 1 clove fresh Garlic chopped (optional)

Instructions

• Assemble spices in a small bowl.
• Heat oil in large saucepan or frypan over medium heat.
• Add onion and sweet potato and sauté until onion is soft.
• Add spices and cook, stirring, until mustard seeds start to pop.
• Add lentils and stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add remaining vegetables and carrot pulp and simmer for another 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in spinach leaves until wilted.
• Serve topped with coriander leaves.

The post Autumn Sweet Potato, Vegetable & Red Lentil Dhal appeared first on Vegan Sparkles with Rebecca Weller.

As you know I’m a huge fan of fast, simple, vegan food so I’ll whip my disclaimer in early: this recipe made enough deliciousness for 2-3 people but it’s a fiddly process, so next time I’ll be smarter and make a larger batch.

There was one lovely triangle left in the fridge the next day that was delicious re-heated in the oven, so you could definitely cook once and eat for a few days if you made a larger batch.

Or just become super popular by rocking up with them to BBQs and parties.

Trade for cocktails, anyone?

Sprinkle with sesame, poppy or chia seeds to make them look pretty and pair their hot, sweet spiciness with a fresh, tangy mint sauce and you have a feast fit for an Indian Princess.

Sparkle on, glitterbugs!  xx

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Tandoori Sweet Potato Triangles with Minted Cashew 'Yoghurt'

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -12

Author Rebecca Weller - Vegan Sparkles

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup Tandoori paste
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Dash of sea salt
• Half a packet of filo pastry sheets note that the refrigerated kind is easier to work with than the pre-frozen sheets - usually located near the fresh noodles in the fridge section of the supermarket
• Olive Oil spray
• 3 tbsp chia seeds

Instructions

• In a food processor or high-speed blender, blend cashews, lemon, water and salt on high until smooth and creamy.
• In a large, airtight container, combine Tandoori paste, cashew 'yoghurt' and sweet potato slices. Pop the lid on and give it a good shake until the marinade covers all the potato.
• Place container in fridge overnight.
• The next day/night, remove container from fridge and pre-heat oven to 180C.
• Lay potato slices on a baking sheet and tray and pour marinade over the top. Bake until potato is soft.
• Remove potato from oven, place in a bowl and mash with a fork, and allow to cool.
• Allow 3 filo sheets per triangle/parcel and spray oil between each sheet before turning it over onto itself. Fill with a few spoonfuls of potato mixture (depending on how large you want them) and roll up into triangles or parcels.
• Place parcels on a clean baking sheet and top each with a spray of oil and a sprinkle of chia seeds.
• Bake until golden.
• Serve with a fresh, crunchy salad and minty 'yoghurt' dressing.

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Minty Cashew (Dairy-Free) Yoghurt Dressing

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -12

Author Rebecca Weller - Vegan Sparkles

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup coriander
• 1 cup mint
• 4 spring onions sliced

Instructions

• In a food processor, blend mint, coriander and spring onion on low-speed until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Next, blend cashews, water, lemon juice and vinegar on high-speed until creamy. Add a little more water if needed.
• In a bowl, combine cashew 'yoghurt' with the chopped herbs.
• Enjoy!

The post Tandoori Sweet Potato Triangles with Minted Cashew ‘Yoghurt’ appeared first on Vegan Sparkles with Rebecca Weller.

Happy Vegan MoFo, everyone!

I’m so excited, I’m kicking off with not one but two recipes for you!  * Cue sparkles! *

Recently I spotted some incredibly creative ideas via My New Roots’ Whole Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower and Veg Hot Pot’s Tandoori Cauliflower Naan Wrap.  Tandoori Cauliflower??  I was so intrigued, I knew I had to try it immediately.

Someday I’ll make the amazing spice blend that My New Roots wrote about but in keeping with the ‘fast, fresh and simple’ VeganMoFo theme I promised, I went the quicky route and used a store-bought Tandoori paste and adapted as so:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 3-4 tbsp Tandoori paste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 270ml can coconut cream

• Mix all marinade ingredients together and cover a clean cauliflower completely.  Allow cauliflower to marinate in the fridge for at least one hour.
• Preheat oven to 180C and roast cauliflower until tender.  My cauliflower had an extraordinarily large head so it took about an hour.

TA-DA!  The finished product!

I tandoori roasted a cauliflower!  I got excited.  *happy dance*

SO tasty and fun to make and it made an incredible meal paired with steamed Basmati Rice, Cucumber Raita and Coriander ‘Butter’ Beans.

Now it may be a year since I’ve tasted yoghurt but if I’m not mistaken, this concoction tastes incredibly like the real thing:

• 1 1/4 cup cashews, raw
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 small Lebanese cucumber, diced
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

While the cauliflower is roasting (for an hour or so), add cashews, water and lemon juice to blender and allow to soak.  Blend until smooth and creamy.  Remove from blender and stir in diced cucumber and salt.

 
In a large frypan, sauté green beans in a little vegan margarine until gently cooked.  Add coriander and stir well.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

 
Then for the best part – for your delicious lunch the next day, simply heat leftover cauliflower in a frypan (with a little EVOO and some more Tandoori paste if you dare!) and serve in Silverbeet leaf wraps topped with Cucumber Raita, salad, rice and fresh coriander.

Fast, fresh and simple!  And did I mention deeeelish?

See you tomorrow!  xx

The post Vegan MoFo Tandoori Cauliflower & Cucumber Raita Wraps appeared first on Vegan Sparkles with Rebecca Weller.

When I read this post by Lindsay Is Vegan and saw what she was doing with Chana Masala appetisers, I got pretty excited!  Serving Indian curry on bread!  YES!  Genius!

I’ve always loved this Chana Masala recipe by The Copycat Cook, and thought it’d make the perfect pizza topper!

I altered the recipe to make it spicier and creamier for pizza, but it’s still just as easy (and delicious!):

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (400ml) coconut milk
• 1 can organic chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 red capsicum, sliced
• mango chutney
• 2 small or 1 large pizza base (or make your own)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
2. In a large saucepan, sauté half of the onion in oil until translucent.  Add garlic and ginger and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the spices to the onions and fully coat them.  Cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas and coconut milk.  Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Remove saucepan from the stove.  Season with salt & pepper.  Allow to cool a little.
6. Top pizza bases with the Chana Masala mixture, capsicum and remaining onion and bake for about 15 minutes.
7. Serve pizza topped with mango swirls and coriander.  Enjoy!

I’m munching on the leftovers as I type this and it’s just as tasty the next day.  hehe, nom.

The post Chana Masala Pizza appeared first on Vegan Sparkles with Rebecca Weller.

I have a regular weekday morning ritual. Get to work, wake up, go to the kitchen to make a coffee, and check my horoscope in the daily paper. If I don’t like what I read, I read the horoscopes of my friends and family until I forget all about my horrorscope. Just like kindred spirit and fellow Aries, Scarlett O’Hara, I’m all about the mantra: “I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think about that tomorrow.”

If I do like what I read, I like to memorise every single word and spend the rest of the day daydreaming about the possible exciting implications… When will it happen? Will it light the way for a whole new and exciting path? Who will be involved? And would I look cute in a dress made from a green, velvet curtain??

Something awful happened last week. First of all, it was a Monday morning (never fun), and secondly they all seemed to be horrorscopes. Blergh! How was I supposed to get the yucky taste out of my brain if they were all bad?

Disappointed and frustrated, my gaze fell to the ‘Recipe of the Day’ section, only to discover… it was a vegan recipe!! *Cue new-age music and harps from the heavens!* A vegan recipe was the most exciting recipe of the day in a mainstream newspaper!!

It was a sign. (See what I did there???)

I was all over that recipe like a hippie at Woodstock, and it turns out that Newspaper Recipe Lady really knows her stuff, because this was seriously good! I’d even go so far as to say it was in the top five of the Best Curries I Have Ever Eaten.

Being Aries, naturally I made a few changes and added more fire to the original recipe. For 4 spicy serves:

• Splash of Oil (I use Coconut)
• 1/2 brown onion, sliced
• 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp Indian curry paste (I used Tikka Masala)
• 1 tbsp chilli (or a fresh red chilli, chopped)
• 1 zucchini, cut into chunks
• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 10 button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• steamed brown rice
• coriander leaves

1. Heat the oil in a medium pot over moderate heat and brown the onions.
2. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and curry paste and cook for 2 minutes longer.
3. Add the vegetables, coconut cream and milk, chickpeas, and enough water to barely cover the mix, if required.
4. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes and then add the lemon juice.
5. Serve with steamed rice and coriander leaves.
6. Enjoy whilst reading a good horoscope, or daydreaming about Rhett Butler, mmmmm…

The post Horoscope Chickpea & Veg Curry appeared first on Vegan Sparkles with Rebecca Weller.