Cheesy Vegan Fondue!

By Pam Hadder

For a lot of potential vegans, the hardest thing to imagine is life without cheese!  For me, it was butter, but then I discovered the marvels of coconut oil and other veganlicious delights. Nonetheless, when I received a vegan cookbook for Christmas and discovered a cheese fondue recipe in it, I was so excited - what could be nicer on a winter weekend than a leisurely, luxurious, cheese fondue accompanied by a crisp green salad and some excellent wines? So I had to try that recipe straight away!  The first thing that struck my attention was that the recipe did not include any vegan cheese - what the...???  How was this going to work? But I stuck with it, and a baguette and bottle of wine later...well, it was an amazing feed and I would never of known it was vegan.  I have made some adjustments to the excellent recipe, however - reduced the salt and completely replaced the water with wine (duh - that's a given!).  This fondue is easy to make and will serve 6 for a hearty appetizer or snack; if you combine with a big salad, you have a wonderful meal for four. Whether you are vegan or just looking for healthier alternatives from time to time, I hope you will indulge in this amazing fondue experience xo!

Pam's Cheesy Vegan Fondue

Ingredients:
1 clove fresh garlic, cut in half
1-1/2 cups white wine (something sweet and fruity - but not too sweet)
4 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. Marmite (or miso paste)
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/8 tsp turmeric (for colour)
1 cup raw cashews
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. onion powder

Method:
Prepare the fondue pot by rubbing the inside thoroughly with the cut garlic halves- discard the left-over garlic pieces. Place 1/2 cup of the wine to the side, and put all remaining ingredients into a blender, buzzing until creamy smooth (about 3 minutes). Heat the fondue pot to low, add the reserved 1/2 cup of wine to heat through. Pour in the blender mixture and continue to heat on low, whisking gently to avoid clumping/burning. The fondue will thicken in about 7-10 minutes. Dim the lights, cue the dreamy music and start dunking that bread!  Delicious!

Note: fondue can be prepared ahead on stove-top and reheated - will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. xo

Yummy Vegan Crepes!

By Pam Hadder


My kids and I love going to Kawaii Crepe, and the best part is the vegan versions they have available at all times - that and the bubble tea... oh, and in my case,  the organic coffee... yummmm!


But how to make tasty crepes without eggs... this is a newly acquired skill for me, and one that I was eager to learn, as crepes are a very versatile item.  Sweet or savoury, they are simply delightful - although my preference is definitely skewed toward the savoury ones.... in this case, filled with spinach and mushroomy goodness  :)  


So, here is the best vegan crepe recipe I have found - the flavour is great and there are no hard-to-find ingredients - just simple, straightforward stuff that most of us have at home.  Hope you will try them and let me know about your favourite fillin's and toppings too xo xo xo

Yummy Vegan Crepes

Ingredients - Batter:
I cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup plain, unsweetened soy milk (or almond milk!)
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. water
3 Tbsp. full fat coconut milk
1-3 Tbsp. brown sugar (adjust to your desired sweetness)


Ingredients - Filling:
4 cups fresh spinach leaves
1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms - any variety, but shitake are especially nice
1 small onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. Fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup grated smoked Gouda flavour vegan cheese


Method:
In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and sugar.  Then combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.  Gradually add the wet to the dry ingredients, stirring to form a smooth batter. Lightly grease a medium griddle - I like the buttery flavour of vegan margarine in this instance.  Heat the pan to medium temperature, and bear in mind that these crepes cook a bit more quickly than other crepes!  


Use 1/4 cup of batter per crepe, making one at a time.  Try and swirl the batter to distribute it as evenly as possible in the pan.  Cook for about one minute or until small bubbles begin to appear on the surface - then carefully turn the crepe with a spatula, cooking the second side until light golden in colour.  Repeat until all batter is used, setting the finished crepes on a plate.


To make the filling, heat the oil in a large fry pan over high heat, and add in the onions, mushrooms, salt and pepper, stirring constantly.  When the onions are soft and clear, add in the oregano and spinach leaves.  Once the spinach is wilted, reduce the heat and fold in the grate cheese - remove from the heat.  Spoon into the prepared crepes and roll - I like to drizzle these with some vegan pesto and a half and half mixture of ketchup and vegan mayo.  The basil flavour and tangy ketchup-mayo sauce really make these crepes extra special.


A simple side salad of fresh greens dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette and a lemon wedge is a nice accompaniment. Enjoy!