I’m not vegan. Nor vegetarian. But I eat a heavily plant-based diet. AND I get a lot of requests from vegos/vegans for non-dairy, non-meat, non-egg sugar-free eating. So it was that I noticed Maria at Scandi foodie had done a 21 day sugar free vegan challenge after doing my I Quit Sugar program a few months back so I invited her to share her 5 favourite recipes from the challenge. Go to her site for more ideas and recipes…so clever and pretty!
amaranth and quinoa stuffed capsicums
Maria says:
At the start of the New Year, I set myself a little challenge. What if I go vegan for 21 days?
My goal with this challenge is simply to inspire and raise awareness. I encourage you to give vegan cooking a go, even if it means just adding one or two extra vegan meals in your weekly menu. Here are some of my favourite recipes from the challenge to get you started….
amaranth and quinoa stuffed capsicums
This recipe is one of my favourites and a perfect dish to impress vegans and non-vegans alike!
- 4 red capsicums (bell peppers) *
- 1/2 cup black quinoa, rinsed
- 1/2 cup amaranth
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup edamame, thawed
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2 shallots/green onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbl sesame seeds, lightly toasted
- 2 tbl brown rice vinegar
- pinch of sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
*I used 3 capsicums, but the filling makes enough for 4 medium sized ones. Any leftovers can be served as a salad the next day.
Place the quinoa and amaranth in a saucepan and cover with one and a half cups of water. Bring to boil and let simmer for about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 5 more minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Cut the tops of the capsicums and remove the insides and the seeds.
Combine the quinoa and amaranth mixture with the edamame, carrot, shallots and sesame seeds in a large mixing bowl. Season with brown rice vinegar, pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Stuff the capsicums with the mixture and place in an oven proof dish. Cover with the ‘lids’ of the capsicums. Pour 1/4 cups of water into the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until tender.
baked rhubarb oatmeal
- 230g rhubarb, chopped into 2cm pieces (fresh or frozen)
- 230g rolled oats (use gluten-free, if you prefer)
- 100g almonds, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 500ml home-made almond milk (recipe here)
- olive oil, for brushing
Preheat oven to 180C and brush a medium-sized oven dish lightly with olive oil.
Cover the bottom of the dish with rhubarb pieces. Combine the oats, almond, chia seeds, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl. Pour the mixture on top of the rhubarbs and finally pour the almond milk (evenly) on top.
Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm.
skin beauty salad
This salad combines many of those ingredients vital to a good skin health. Tahini dressing coats the chickpeas and the baby spinach leaves, grilled zucchini and diced avocado bring extra creaminess to the dish. I also added some soaked almonds for an extra layer of texture.
- 230g cooked chickpeas (or use 1 tin)
- 2 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- small handful of almonds, soaked in water overnight
- 1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 cm disks
- olive oil, for brushing
- 2 tablespoons unhulled tahini (or use this recipe)
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- water
- pinch of salt
- 1 small garlic clove
- freshly ground black pepper
Lightly brush the zucchini slices with olive oil and grill on a pan for a couple of minutes on each side. Set aside.
Combine tahini, lemon juice and grated garlic in a small bowl. Add enough water to form a smooth, runny dressing. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Place the chickpeas in a bowl and coat them with the tahini dressing.
Place the baby spinach leaves in serving bowls, top with tahini coated chickpeas, diced avocado and the zucchini slices. Sprinkle with soaked almonds (or seeds of choice).
red lentil and sweet potato soup
I love this thick and velvety soup any time of the year! It’s filling and satisfying and full of goodness.
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin coconut oil
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
- 5-6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- freshly ground black pepper
Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-based pan. Add onion, spices and salt and simmer for a few minutes.
Add the lentils, sweet potato and water and simmer for 30 minutes or until the potato is tender.
Season the mixture with tamari and freshly ground black pepper and puree into a smooth, thick soup.
power balls
I adore these gooey, spiced sweet potato and cacao power balls. They are a perfect snack after exercise or whenever you feel like a little extra energy!
- 450g cooked and mashed sweet potato
- 2 heaped tablespoons almond butter (made with 1/2 cup raw almonds, recipe here)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons pure, raw cacao powder (unsweetened)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground licorice
- virgin coconut oil, for rolling
- unsweetened desiccated coconut, for rolling (optional)
Combine the sweet potato, almond butter and chia seeds in a bowl.
Mix together the cacao and the spices and stir into the mixture. You should have a gooey, sticky mixture. Rub your hands lightly with coconut oil and roll the dough into about 10 balls.
Chill the balls in the fridge (20-30 minutes), then roll the balls in desiccated coconut before serving. These will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
If you’re interested in doing a 21 day sugar-free vegan challenge, check Maria’s blog here for more recipes, meal plans, tips and shopping lists. Whatta you think? Enough to turn you??
Vegan or not I would eat all of these in a heartbeat.
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I make the power balls, they are very tasty
. I’ll have to try the others now, especially the soup as I’m really getting into sweet potato
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I’m definitely trying that salad! I love zucchini, and especially love meals where it is the main ingredient.
Yum!
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I never thought of adding pumpkin to the power ball recipe…how different! I’m going to give it a go next time. My recipes includes:
Two handfuls of finely shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw cocoa powder
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
2 table spoons of flaxmeal
1 tablespoon of raw maca powder
1/4 cup Rich in Health Pea Protein – Chocolate Flavor
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Stevia to taste
A sprinkle of chia seeds
A quarter of a jar of peanut butter or any nut butter
Filtered water if necessary (if the mixture is too dry)
You can find the whole recipe here http://livehealthysimply.com/2011/12/protein-balls/
And if you are after more sugar free, vegan and vego recipes have a look at my blog
http://livehealthysimply.com. All 100% vegan and sugar free!
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Yum! They all look amazing! Where can you buy amaranth… ?
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February 7th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
Coles & Woolies in the health food section with the gluten-free cereals!
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I have cooked many of the recipes on Maria’s blog and I love them all.
I made her mung bean patties with grilled vegies and home made tahini last night and even my boyfriend loved them!
Her blog has certainly inspired me to have some vegan days and I have to admit, when I do I feel amazing.
On a different note, I am in my 7th week of being sugar free. I have not told a lot of people that I am doing it, but I have had so many people tell me how well I look – and for me… that is enough to keep going! Aside from how well I feel that is!
Thanks for the great work Sarah!
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February 8th, 2012 at 7:34 am
I’m the same! I try to cook a Scandi Foodie recipe once or twice a week and I feel like a new woman afterwards. I figure it’s all the vitamins and awesomeness from the vegetables.
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Hi there,
I am a huge rhubarb fan (did a huge stew up this morning in fact). How is it on the sugar front?
Sarah can you share some of your knowledge on this one?
Many thanks,
Clare
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February 7th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Yep, compared with apples, it is quite a bit lower in fructose (about half as much as apples). But it is still about 5g/100g sugar (plus a bit extra pure fructose). So you don’t want to go overboard with it.
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Yay! Thanks Sarah. I’m not vegan but I am intolerant to eggs and most dairy, so I’m very appreciative of these recipes!
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My love for cheese, meat and dairy has just doubled looking at this. Don’t get me wrong, beautiful pics and recipes look yum, but I sure do love not being a vegan!
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February 7th, 2012 at 10:53 pm
Hey Erin
I don’t know why you felt the need to post that comment since there are many of us out there who really appreciate being able to have access to quality vegan or veggo recipes. Leave the smart comments at home – there are those of us that don’t need cheese, meat or dairy and we also don’t need your comments such as the above….
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February 8th, 2012 at 8:16 am
Erin, I’ll support you. Happy Vegan, lighten up! She’s allowed to give some feedback. Your comment supports why people think Vegans are angry, hungry people
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February 8th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Wow, yes, Dana is right. Lighten up!
The comment wasnt malicious or harmful it was simply a bit of fun!
I never incinuated that being a vegan wasn’t bad or wrong, I simply pointed out that I love meat, dairy and cheese.
Perhaps you need to think about things before you get behind a keyboard.
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Maria – what kind of camera do you use for your blog pics? And do you do a lot of work on them in Photoshop? They’re beautiful
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I’ve been following Maria’s blog since someone linked to it here a few weeks ago. I made the skin beauty salad last week and will be putting it into high dinner rotation from now on. It’s DELICIOUS!!!
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This is the kick up the bum I needed, will head to the shops this weekend to get myself sorted with some groceries and ingredients, and I’m going to take on Maria’s challenge come Monday!
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I tried out the oatmeal and am really enjoying it for breakfast and as a snack. I add some banana in when i eat it as I’m still not used to the lack of sweetness. But i’m getting there!
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I usually read your blog on my iphone to takes me a while to remember to come back and comment when I’m on the computer.
Just wanted to say thanks for this, as someone who is lactose and egg intollerant, this whole quit sugar (and a lot of other things) can be a little bit rough. This recipes definitely brightened my day (and my tastebuds!).
Em
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JUST what I’ve been looking for!!
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Hi all vegans
There is an excellent site called Oh She Glows at http://ohsheglows.com/ and you can find heaps of amazing recipes. I’m not a vegan or a vegetarian but I have printed off a few to make myself! So enjoy.
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These look wonderful! Thanks for sharing the veggie love!
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[...] posted about Maria’s challenge here – amazing vegan/vego sugarfree suggestions. I’m not vegan and so my ebook tends to be [...]
Hi Sarah,
I notice in this post you mention you are eating more raw cacoa. I’ve been doing the same. I use it in sugar free treats, and sometimes stir it into hot water with cinnamon for a healthy ‘hot chocolate’. I read this yesterday and am now feeling very confused: http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/is-raw-cacao-really-healthy/ I was wondering if you would be able to share your thoughts? I’d be really interested to hear what you think.
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p.s. My comment was supposed to be on the easter post…don’t know what happened there…
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Rad! Thanks so much for sharing these
.
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I find it interesting that you have the audacity to write this especially after some of your ill-informed and convenient (MLA anyone) comments about vegetarians. “25 times more animals are killed to produce a vegie diet than a diet with meat in it.” !!!! What are your sources.
Read Angela Crocombe, Peter Singer (both Aussies, by the way) to get some insight. But hey, that won’t work with your bosses will it?
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