Textured Soy Protein

 

Whenever I feel like eating rice with vegetables I always think there is something missing and this something usually is protein. Two good vegan sources of protein are quinoa and soy. *Make sure to buy organic, as most countries use GMO soy and quinoa*

Today my lunch was very easy, practical and super nutritious. I made a simple rice with quinoa, cooked together, kale stir fried with some garlic, mushrooms and soy protein seasoned with tomato paste, Kalamata olives, garlic, spring onions and vegetable stock. It was simply delicious and I actually had seconds.

I really missed some home cooked food! Working in a restaurant I usually eat with the staff and the food, although very good, is not always with that homemade feel and I find it too elaborated sometimes. I’m a simple girl, who likes simple, yet very tasty food and most of the time I crave pasta or some other childhood memory meal that includes carbs. Having an Italian family doesn’t help! Plus, at the restaurant I end up eating just salad as the main food always seems to be meat for some reason! So, yes, I really missed my own homemade food. It might be extremely simple but it definitely is full of love and nutrition.

I don’t know how you make your soy protein, but I simply fry some garlic in olive oil, add 2 cups of dehydrated soy and season it with salt and pepper to taste. Then, I add tomato paste (2 tbsp), a little water (about 1 cup), spring onions and olives or whatever else I have in the fridge. And that’s it. It’s very simple and fast to make and such a good complement for the rice and veggies.

By eating vegan and organic not only we are contributing to our own health but also making sure life is respected the way it should be, without antibiotics and fertilizers and without helping the terrible processed food industry to make billions. We are helping the animals live a longer and good life and being cruelty free. We are helping our intestine digest better and giving our bodies more vitamins.

Respect what you eat, respect your body and your soul and respect the mother nature!

Anybody has another soy protein recipe to share? Or any absurdly delicious vegan dessert?

Sweet Bread with Pastry Cream

This is a delicious bread to have any time of the day, especially for breakfast. It's very simple to make and the best part is that it has no additives and it's truly homemade.

Sweet Bread with Pastry Cream

Ingredients:

dough

15g fresh yeast or 1/2 a pack of dry yeast

3 tbsp. sugar

1 1/4 cup warm milk

1 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. sugar

1/4 cup butter (melted)

about 500g flour

filling

1 recipe for pastry cream (500g) - make 1/2 of this recipe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkCtbtzrHN8

1 egg and 1/4 cup water with 1 tbsp. apricot jam for brushing

Instructions:

1- In a bowl, dissolve the yeast with 3 tbsp. sugar and milk. Add 1 cup of flour and mix well. Let it rest covered with a damp towel for about 30 minutes or until it doubles in size. Preferably in a warm place. I usually let it rise on top of the stove with the oven on.

2- When it has doubled in size, add the salt and 2 tbsp. sugar and the melted butter and mix well with a wooden spoon.

3- Add about 500g of flour, little by little, stirring with a wooden spoon until the dough becomes sticky and difficult to stir.

4- Transfer dough to a floured surface and working with your hands, knead the dough until it becomes homogeneous and elastic. About 10 minutes. Add more flour if needed. This step can be done using a kitchen aid mixer.

5- Make a ball with the dough and place it inside a lightly floured bowl. Let it rise until it doubles in size again.

6- When it has doubled in size, roll out a rectangle of 35 X 40 cm. Spread the pastry cream all over. Roll dough lengthwise until you have a cigar shape. Stick together the two edges making a big doughnut shape. Cover it with a damp towel and let it rise one more time until it doubles in size.

7- When dough is ready, brush the top with egg wash (1 egg lightly beaten) and bake for about 5 minutes in a 375 F oven and then  lower the oven to 350 F and bake it for another 30 minutes.

8- When it comes out of the oven, brush the top with a mixture of 1/4 cup water and 1 tbsp. apricot jam while still hot.

9- Let it cool down completely before serving.

 

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