Plantbased Pantry

I love a good cooking fail and I've had plenty in my time. Here's an especially great one from yesterday involving the weirdest of vegan ingredients, aquafaba.

I have never used aquafaba before because I find the idea repulsive. Why use chickpea juice to make desserts when you have coconut cream and flax eggs, WHY? But the pics in the Bosh recipe book are so pretty and I got sucked in and thought I too could be a vegan pastry chef. It turns out I cannot.

The first picture is what I was trying to make. Spoiler alert: I did not make that.
In the second picture, things seemed to be going ok - I beat my brine into stiff meringue-like peaks like the recipe said. I only just managed to remember what I was working with as my finger was on my way to my mouth for a taste. Thank f #$k.
Picture number 3 is all the evidence we need to confirm that baking with chickpea juice is unnatural and offends the cooking gods. The undissolved sugar and melted chocolate sank to the bottom of the bowl and did not mix into the briney 'meringue'. The air deflated in 5 seconds flat to create a watery, chickpea-scented ocean. The best part? It still tasted like chickpeas!

In conclusion, that is the first and last time I ever go against the natural order of COMMON SENSE and create desserts out of legume juice, but at least I got a good story out of it 🤣🤣

10 MINUTE RECIPE 🍜 HEALTHY VEGAN FRIED RICE
Fried rice from your local Chinese is comfort food at its best, but it feels a bit unhealthy for a weeknight dinner. Also, how do you make fried rice without eggs?! Read on my healthy veganised version, quick to make and deliciously nutritious.

Ingredients:
🍜 Omelette strips 🍜
* 1 cup chickpea flour
* 1/2 cup tapioca flour
* 1 cup water
* Olive oil for frying

🍜 Fried rice 🍜
* 2 cups of cooked brown rice
* 2 spring onions, finely sliced

* 2 tsp crushed garlic
* 1/2 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
* 1/2 head broccoli, roughly chopped
* 1 bunch pak choy, roughly chopped
* 1 tbsp soya sauce
* Coconut & olive oil for frying
* 1 tbsp sesame seeds
* 1 tsp chilli flakes
* Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions 🍜
1. For the omelette, whisk the ingredients together and let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Pour mixture into a large non-stick frying pan greased with olive oil. Fry as you would an egg omelette, flipping once the bottom starts to brown. Once it is done, allow to cool for a bit before slicing into small strips.

2. While the omelette is cooking, heat the coconut oil in another pan. Add the spring onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for a further 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and cauliflower and sauté until just cooked ie still firm to touch. Season as desired.

3. Stir in the soya sauce and add the pal choy. Once the pak choy starts to wilt, add the cooked brown rice and egg strips and stir until heated through. Season with salt & pepper.

Top with sesame seeds and chilli flakes to serve!

Yesterday's guess the secret ingredient game was so enlightening! You guys are inspirational and quite mad, but not as mad as this cake. If you haven't seen it yet, the secret ingredient is cauliflower. I know - who does that, people are sick. And yet....why is it so damn delicious? If you ever need proof that we can exist on a diet of veggies alone, here you go 🤣 As promised, here is the recipe.

https://plantbasedpantry.co.za/blogs/recipes-1/healthy-fudgy-chocolate-cake

Guys, this is the best chocolate cake I have ever made! Look past the inexpert frosting (baking is not my strength) and into its fudgy depths and let's play a game in exchange for the recipe 🤗 There is a healthy twist to this cake involving a secret ingredient. What is it? Guess below and I'll post the recipe tomorrow. Hint: let your mind go to crazy places 😜