Food waste in never good. Not for the environment, not for your financials and not for your peace of mind. Now that summer ist hitting really hard everything spoils so much faster than it usually does. And let’s say that these days I don’t like…
I call this salad a “Balkan salad” although (and I am greatly aware of it), they don’t have so much in common. Apart from the tomatoes, salt and pepper. It’s the word “Balkan” that makes my heart jump to excitness of summer, vegetables that have…
Fallin’ in love with me Possibilities I look like all you need
Let me take the night, I love real easy And I know that you’ll still wanna see me On the Sunday morning, music real loud
I’m positive not very many people dedicate a song to their favorite kitchen gadget. Surely, Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa had a more sensual relationship in mind when they wrote One kiss is all it takes.
Nonetheless, imagine two first time kissers danced dizzy under a mirror ball on a Saturday night listing to One kiss is all it takes. Sunday morning, Ninja Foodi whistling your porridge is ready. Pushing two buttons was all that it took.
Somehow like that goes my love story about what I believe to be the most useful invention of kitchen assesories of the 21st century.
Enough of the introductive blabla already, let’s talk technical details of this little (well, actually not so little) sweetheart:
What is the Ninja Foodi?
It’s practically a multifunctional electric appliance most well-known for being a pressure cooker, but depending on the model, it can also function as an all-in-one yogurt maker, slow cooker, grill and more!
I personally use the pressure cook function more than anything. By number two go to function is grilling, followed by air-frying. I don’t ever use sous-vide (as most vegans will, I suppose) and the slow cooker function made for patient people (thus not for me).
Why is the Ninja Foodi amazing?
Everyone loves a good list, so here is one on the pro’s:
One gadget instead of many (definition of multi-functional haha) no need to have a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice maker, and yogurt maker
Speeds up the process of cooking legumes a lot
Results in perfectly tender grains every time
Improves the digestibility of beans and grains
Set it and forget it
Dishwasher hello! The dirty parts go in the dishwasher, no stove top cleaning,no oven cleaning (blah)
You’re going camping? Great, take you Ninja Foodi with you. All you need is one working socket. No Pans, no pots, no gas
The little gem doesn’t heat up the kitchen as much as the stove or oven, making it perfect for warmer climates and summertime heat.
Angela Lidsons fail-proof chocolate cupcakes. I sub the one cup of cane sugar for one cup of chopped mejdool dates. This diabetes patients, small kids and everyone else can enjoy them sin-free too.
I’m usually zero worried about my protein intake. It just feels like one of these things that come from the US and become a thing in Europe. The average vegan does fine protein-wise since lots of naturally vegan food is a good source of protein.
First of all, everything “soy” such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, soybeans followed by vegan pantry staples such as lentils, chickpeas, peas and so on.
If you want liquid protein in your smoothie, that’s easy too. A spoon full of nut butter such as almond butter or peanut butter (or both of course) can enhance your smoothie in terms of protein. Seeds such as chia and hemp seeds are easily added too for an even greater nutritional boost.
You can make your smoothie ahead of time or just in time. I’ve found smoothie packs from the freezer a perfect solution in a hectic day as a full-time working mum with a small child (and a husband – although he’s quite self-sufficient).
Place the dry and powdery smoothie ingredients in a freezer zip bag and freeze. When you desire a smoothie, remove a package from the freezer, place 1 cup of liquid in the blender. Empty the zip bag in the blender, and blend! This option allows you to prep smoothies well in advance. I’ve only stored them up to one month but I’m pretty sure they’ll keep longer than that.
Smothie Pack Prepping requires very little equipment:
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #theveganprepper. I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Keyword: green smoothie pack, smoothie, smoothie pack, smoothie prep
Servings: 2cups
Ingredients
1cupwater
1tspalmond buttersub: water and almond butter for 1 cup of almond milk
1cupkale leaves
1large banana
1cuppineapple chunks
1tbsppeanut butter
pinchground cinnamon
1tbspchia seeds
1tbspwheatgrass powderoptional
1tbspspirulinaoptional
Instructions
For Smoothie Pack
Add all the ingredients except the water into a freezer bag and seal air-tight.
When ready to enjoy, empty the pack into a high-speed blender adding a cup of lukewarm water. Pulse until frozen chunks are small enough. Then, blend on high for 1 minute. Best sreved cold with some icubes and enjoyed immediately.
The pack keeps in the freezer for up to one month.
For immediate consumption
Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
I love recipes that are gluten-free. Not because I follow a gluten-free diet but because there is usually lots of good stuff that replaces the gluten. These sugar-free and gluten-free lemon cupcakes have a flour blend consisting of almond flour and oat flour. What to…
Domestic baking can be great fun. Or a great disaster. You have to make sure to get the yeast going, thus choosing the right water temperature to activate the yeast. You have to find the one spot in your home that has the perfect climate conditions for letting the dough rest. Don’t even get me started on kneading.
Kneading is a rocket science on its own. My life drastically changed after getting a Kitchen Aid machine with a dough kneading hook. I’m practically no longer required. Kneading for 3 minutes? No problem. My little helper is switched on and I stack the dishwasher. See you when you’re done, dough!
Once the dough is done, it’s either baking right away or freezing. I find freezing doughs much more convenient than loafs of bread. Dough takes up less space and when you put it in the oven to finish, you have a nice and freshly baked loaf of bread, your house smells like a bakery, everyone gets excited about a warm bread that just left the oven.
Meanwhile, I personally don’t get overly excited about thawing bread from the freezer. Definitely better, when I thaw bread that I made myself but certainly none of my desires to thaw and serve store-bought bread.
So, what’s the trick? How do you freeze bread dough/roll dough/pizza dough?
Unless you’re a frozen dough manufacturer with access to superior freezing equipment that freezes the dough very quickly, your dough’s yeast will suffer damages and it’s structure will be hurt. In home freezers, dough freezes slowly, increasing the risk of damage to the yeast and dough structure. Often, the result is a less than perfect end result with low (or no) volume.
How to freeze loafs/rolls
Adjust the recipe: Double the yeast as your freezing action will kill some of it.
After the dough has been kneaded, immediately divide it into properly sized dough balls for your loafs or rolls.
Place the loaf or roll dough balls on a baking sheet, greased or lined with a silicone mat or parchment, then freeze. Once the dough pieces have formed a hard ‘shell’ around the outside, transfer them to a zip loc freezer bag, seal the bag, airtight, and then return them to the freezer.
How long do the dough pieces keep in the freezer?
They are still perfect within 2 weeks. They don’t go bad on the 16th day but every additional day makes it more likely that they don’t turn out soo perfect after baking.
How do you thaw the loaf doughs?
To thaw, remove the bag from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator overnight. I’ve used a thaw mat for rapid defrosting on the same day (planning all meals wisely doesn’t always work out). It’s quite affordable and if you have the cupboard space for one – why not?
For rolls you can remove them from the freezer about 1 ½ – 2 hours before dinner, place them on a baking sheet, lightly greased or lined with a silicone mat or parchment. Let rise. Bake them according to the recipe instructions and serve hot rolls, fresh from the oven!
What’s a good recipe to get started?
Potato Bread
We’ve eaten this potato bread at least 4 times in the past two weeks. It’s perfect to freezer dough prep them as we almost never buy potatoes. If we do, well, we have a 10kg sack and need lots of ways (or only one way: potato bread) to use them up.
Banana Bread – Oh She Glows
I fully omit the sugar the recipe calls for with no negative impact on taste. We keep things as sugar-free as possible for the little eater (and ourselves really). I’m planning to experiment with a bit more liquid and a cup of shredded walnuts or pecan nuts for additional nutritional boost.
Yeah, can’t wait for my Vegan Green Smoothie Prep Day to start. Shopping list is written, hubby is out doing the grocery run. I love my freezer stacked with a good variety of different smoothie packs. Whatever mood we’re in, I can be sure there…
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