Raw Vegan Mango Pistachio Ice Cream

This one is soooooo easy peasy to make! Doesn't look like it and definitely doesn't taste like it. It's so delicious that you'd think it took hours of labor. Well, I didn't even need to make the effort of pulling out the ice cream maker for it. :oP

When you start with just plain fruits you can get a sorbet out of it. Well sorbets are light and slightly icy and can be nice sometimes, but they are just not ice creams! However, by adding a nut into the mix, you can achieve the kind of rich, creamy texture that all ice creams should have.

The beauty of this raw ice cream is that it has only healthy ingredients and you can eat as many scoops as you like without guilt (unless you're allergic to nuts).

Raw Vegan Mango Pistachio Ice Cream

3 very ripe mangoes (I used large Alphonsos)
1/4 cup plain, raw pistachios (without the shells) + 1-2 tsp (chopped/sliced)
Raw agave nectar to taste

Peel, cube and chill the mangoes in the fridge for a day.
Soak the 1/4 C pistas in filtered water for 5-6 hours.
Drain the pistas completely and chuck the water away.
Place the pistas in a blender/grinder/food processor and grind well.
Add the mangoes and blend some more, until you get a creamy mixture (it'll have the color of avocado).
Squirt in a little bit of the raw agave nectar and blend again.
Taste, add more agave if you desire and blend more.
Transfer to a freezer safe container, add sliced pista and whip with hand whisk for a few minutes.
Freeze overnight.
Transfer to fridge and leave for about an hour to soften it. Serve with an ice cream scoop. Enjoy! :)

Note: You can refreeze it after you've had your fill and then leave it in the fridge again for a while before eating each time.

My EtsyVeg team needs your vote.

So I might have mentioned to you before that I'm an active member of a few, really great street teams on Etsy. Amongst these, Team EtsyVeg is one of the kickass-est teams eva! My fellow teamies are group of vegans and vegetarians who are compassionate and fun-loving. Not to mention highly talented! When you do a search on Etsy.com using the keywords EtsyVeg Team, you'll be totally blown away by the many fabulous offerings.

We are an incredibly active group with many enthusiastic members who are willing to jump at an opportunity to get involved in team events. It is for one such event that I'm asking for YOUR help. Handmadeology.com is running an Etsy Top 10 Teams challenge and Team EtsyVeg is participating.

Members submit items to be rated on a scale of 1 to 10 and each day people can stop by and rate the creations. The team with the largest number of rated items and the highest ratings wins!

So please take a few moments to drop by our EtsyVeg list, admire the many items and rate the listings. You can rate one item or multiple items. Of course, if you rate ALL the items on out EtsyVeg list, we'd be very, very grateful. :)

Vegan Pineapple Pastry

Since my very vanilla cake recipe was such a hit, I thought I'd share the pineapple pastry recipe too. When we say 'pastry' here in India, we refer to a form of extra succulent cake. The main way this decadence is obtained is by dousing the cake with flavored sugar syrup to add moistness. Another thing that makes a pastry what it is, is the inclusion of fresh or canned fruits to enhance the richness of the flavors and textures.



1 Basic Yellow Cake made by replacing the pure vanilla extract with 1/2 t of pineapple essence
1 small can of Pineapple Slices in Syrup
Vegan Whipped Cream like Rich's Non-Dairy Whip Topping or Merry Whip

After the cake has cooled completely, slice it horizontally to form two layers.
Place one layer of cake in a large container and pierce randomly with a fork.
Pour half the syrup from the pineapple can over this layer of cake.
Cover with a thin layer of vegan whipped cream.
Spread most of the pineapple pieces over this saving some for the final topping.
Cover with the second layer of cake and pierce it randomly with a fork.
Pour the remaining syrup evenly over this.
Spread vegan whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake and cover it completely.
Place the remaining pineapple slices on top of the cake in an aesthetically appealing way.

Cover the container and place the pineapple pastry in the fridge. Let it sit for at least a day to soak up the syrup and some of the whipped cream. Serve cold and enjoy! :)

Will last for a minimum of one week when stored in a tightly closed container inside the fridge.



Note: Pastries and cakes taste more delicious as the days go by. Especially chocolate flavored ones. I personally prefer them most two days after they've been made.

Vegan Very Vanilla Cake

Basic Vanilla Cake:

1 3/4 C all purpose flour
2 t arrowroot powder (optional)
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C white sugar
3 t pure vanilla extract
1 t vinegar or lemon juice
5 T oil (canola or sunflower)
1 C cold water

Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

Lightly oil a 9 inch baking pan and keep it aside.

In a large mixing bowl, sieve together the flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder and baking soda about 6-7 times (the more number of times you sieve, the fluffier the cake will be).

Mix the remaining ingredients separately and beat well to dissolve the sugar to some extent.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk together with a few quick strokes just until no lumps remain (too much mixing is not advisable). Pour the cake batter into the baking pan and immediately pop into the preheated oven.

Bake for about 35 minutes. Test by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake and see if it comes out clean. If so, the cake is done. If not, then bake for a few more minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and keep it aside. Let the cake cool completely before you remove it from the pan.

This cake is delicious eaten as it is but it can also be enjoyed layered with vegan whipped cream.



Vanilla Cream Cake:

Prepare vegan whip topping by carefully following the directions on the package. Rich's is the most well known brand of non-dairy whip topping in India. I also like to use the Merry Whip brand which is available at the Institute of Baking, Bangalore (these guys also carry another non-dairy brand called Gold Top but stay away from that one because it tastes too artificial essence-y!)

Slice the cooled cake horizontally to form two layers. On a large plate, place the bottom layer. Cover it with some of the whipped cream. Place the top layer over this and cover the whole cake with whipped cream with the help of a spatula.

Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.

The cake is best stored in a closed container in the fridge. It will last at least a week IF it hasn't been finished well before that. :)

Pecan Pesto Cabbage Patty Wraps

It's always fun to walk into the kitchen clueless as to what I'm going to cook for dinner, just grab a few ingredients and then invent a dish as I go along. As I've mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of stuffed/wrapped meals. Multiple layers and textures are a great way to make any dish interesting.

It all started with a cabbage. I first thought I'd be making stuffed cabbage rolls but because it was raining, I had a hankering for deep fried goodies. So I decided to make cabbage patties and then make them healthier (I say 'ier' because deep fried or not, veggies are healthy to begin with) by turning them into whole wheat wraps with raw veggies and a nice pesto.

Pecan Pesto Cabbage Patty Wraps



For the Cabbage Patties:

1 Small Cabbage chopped finely
1 Large Onion chopped finely
1/4 c Rice Flour
1/2 c Besan Flour (aka Gram Flour)
1 t Red Chilli Powder
1/2 t Cumin Powder
1 1/2 t Coriander Powder
Salt to taste
Pinch of Baking Soda
Sesame Oil for deep frying (Canola or Sunflower Oils are fine too)

Heat the oil in a wide pan or wok.

Place the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Add a little bit of water and mix to form into a rough ball of dough. It should hold its shape (add a little more fried gram flour if required) Pinch off little bits, form them into balls and flatten them into a patty shape.

Deep fry them, a couple at a time, on medium flame until golden brown and keep aside on a plate layered with tissue paper so any oil can get absorbed.

For the Pesto:

Spinach
Baby Mustard Greens (I grow them at home in a little pot and pick them while they're tender)
Cilantro
Pecans
Salt
Green chillies
Nutritional Yeast (optional)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Blend everything, except for the olive oil, together into a smooth paste using a little bit of filtered water. After it's smooth, keep the blender running and drizzle in the olive oil so it gets incorporated well. Transfer to an airtight container and keep aside.

This pesto will keep well in the fridge for at least a week when stored properly.

Other ingredients:

Whole Wheat Chapathies (any other thin flat breads like Pita or Tortillas would work too)
Tomatoes sliced into rounds
Capsicums (Green Bell Peppers) sliced into strips
Carrots grated
Black Pepper freshly crushed

How to proceed:

Place a chapathi on a flat surface and spread the pesto on it evenly in a thin layer. In the center, place three slices of tomatoes in a vertical line. Place the cabbage patties on the tomato slices. Top with green bell pepper strips and grated carrot. Crush pepper over everything and roll up the chapati snugly to form a wrap.

Bite into it and enjoy the burst of flavors in your mouth. :)