How’s this week been for you all? I have had the most ideal week. Working on a new version of the module one syllabus and on retreat menus has been a slower paced week for me. I have been working regular hours rather than sixteen hour days like I do when catering on retreats. Working an eight hour day has allowed me to have plenty of time to look after myself.  The first thing in practicing good selfcare is to cook and eat nourishing, wholesome, organic food.  I have had the opportunity to do that this week and experiment with new recipes. I’m feeling good! 
 
A few weeks ago I asked for requests for recipes and I got a few, thank you. One being the millet porridge recipe, which I shared last week and another request was recipes with chickpeas. The next couple of weeks I will feature recipes with chickpeas. 
 
To be honest I don’t cook with chickpeas a lot as they are not so easily digestible for me. However I have enjoyed this week developing chickpea recipes as they are one incredibly tasty bean. If you don’t like chickpeas or have trouble with them you can substitute a different bean instead. 
 
For cooking chickpeas and beans in general check out my blog post Problem Free Bean and Legume Eating and Complete Guide to Easy Digestion
 
This week’s recipe is quite involved but really worth the effort as it is delicious. First time you make it allow 1 hour and 45 minutes but after that I think you will get it whipped up in 1 hour 15 minutes. To speed things up invite family members or friends to come help you roll the cabbage parcels. It’s a fun thing to do.
 

Cabbage rolls filled with mushroom, tofu and chickpeas

 
 
 
For this recipe if you don’t like tofu, add more chickpeas instead. IF you don’t like mushrooms, add more chickpeas instead and if you don’t like chickpeas add more mushrooms. It’s so versatile. For Low FODMAP diets use garlic infused oil instead of garlic and omit the onions.
 

Ingredients

1 medium green, savoy or wombok cabbage
½ cup brown rice (dry)
 
Filling
200g tofu crumbled small
½ bunch spring onions chopped small 
2 cloves garlic minced 
180g mushrooms cut very small 
180g cooked chickpeas then mashed
1¼ tsp Lebanese 7 spice 
Splash lemon
Salt and pepper
1 small red capsicum diced small 
1 grated carrot grated
2 chillies - if you like spicy 
Splash of olive oil 
 
Sauce 
10 medium tomatoes
6 sundried tomatoes chopped small 
Splash olive oil 
2 onions
1 cup water
1 tsp Lebanese 7 spice
4 cloves garlic 
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp of vegan sprinkle
 

Method

For the sauce 
Dice the onions and tomatoes and mince the garlic. 
Add the splash of oil to the saucepan and sauté the onion, garlic and a sprinkle of salt for a few minutes. 
Then add the tomatoes and 7 spice. Place a lid on and bring to the boil. 
Turn the tomatoes down to a simmer and add a bit more salt and some pepper.
Let the tomatoes break down. It will take 5 or more minutes.
Then take the lid off and let the tomatoes reduce a little and add the sundried tomatoes. When the tomatoes look fully cooked add the cup of water. 
Taste for salt and pepper.
# note you want a runny sauce not a thick sauce as you want the rice to soak it up.
 
Cook the rice by placing it in a saucepan and adding 1 cup water. 
Bring to the boil then put on the smallest stove hob on the lowest temperature and cook for 40 minutes. 
You want the rice to not be fully cooked as it will cook when you put it in the oven.
 
For the filling 
Put a splash of oil into a frying pan and sauté the onions, garlic and chilli (if using) with some salt. 
Add the mushrooms and red capsicum and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until they are almost cooked. 
Add the tofu and cook for a few minutes adding more salt if needed and the 7 spice. Cook for 3 to five minutes. 
Turn off from the heat and add the grated carrot. 
Taste for salt and pepper.
 
For the cabbage
Leave the cabbage whole and take the core out with a knife. Carefully remove the cabbage leaves one at a time. If using a wombok you will need to remove the hard end.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and then blanch the cabbage leaves in the water for 4 minutes.
Strain and place the cabbage leaves on a clean tea towel. Let cool a little.
 
To roll the cabbage and assemble the cabbage 
Place a cabbage leaf on a board and scoop in 1 tbsp of filling. Roll by bringing in the sides first then roll away from you. If any of the leaves are broken or too small you can put them together with another broken or small leaf and it will work easily too.
 
Place the rice in a baking tray then the cabbage rolls on top and cover with the tomato sauce. 
Bake in a 180°C oven for 30 minutes.
Scatter the sprinkle of top and serve. 
 

Number One of Self Care

As this week has seen me really focusing on self-care I have realised that the first important part of self-care is to nourish your body. By nourishing your body with good organic vegan wholefood that is well balanced in protein, vitamins and minerals you are more emotionally able to take care of your self better. 
Number one to great self-care is – feeding yourself well.
 
I know for many this does not come easy, which is a big reason why I developed the three day vegan cooking course.  By immersing yourself into three days of wholefood vegan cooking you are setting yourself up with not only lots of recipe ideas but also some good strategies on how to take care of your food needs on a daily basis for the rest of your life.
 
There are three spots left in the April 25th to 27th vegan cooking course. Who is ready to invest in taking care of yourself for the rest of your life by learning how to make inspired nutritious vegan food?
 
"I completed Veet's foundation module three years ago and it proved to be a life-changer. I wanted to move to a more plant-based diet but was floundering. The course gave me a very solid foundation: good kitchen practices, menu planning, ingredients to have on hand, nutritional balance, and best of all, how to prepare lots of incredible dishes. This included how to adapt non-vegetarian dishes to vegan ones. Since the course, I've had the confidence to hold dinner parties again and to be adventurous with food preparation. My daughters love my food! Not only does it feel like I have discovered a whole new cuisine but I have become part of a circle of like-minded people who wish to reduce suffering in animals, improve the health of the planet and create better personal health."
David 
 
"I found the 3 day course invaluable. Not only all the info about vegan cooking but the amount we got through (both information and food). Shopping fresh and organic is unfortunately expensive ... but that’s what the school does. I found the course exceptional value for money. Preparing many diverse dishes and up to 6 meals with morning and afternoon snacks over the packed three days. The course is informative and creative. It’s the best thing I’ve done to support my health and my passion for cruelty free living. As a foundation course I was blown away ... I am thinking of doing it all again as a refresher and also the extensive new knowledge that Veet so warmly and generously shares."
Paul 
 
"I completed the 3 day foundation course in 2018 and I just loved every moment of it. The course is so comprehensive and well organised and accompanied by a very clear and thorough manual. Veet is so dedicated and totally committed to sharing about plant based nutrition. As well, she is a fantastic cook, teacher and facilitator. I thought the course was amazing value, considering we were cooking and creating with totally organic ingredients. I wanted to learn more about plant based eating and all my questions and concerns were answered. One of the best aspects is that I am still referring to the manual, having fun cooking recipes from the regular blog and feeling inspired about plant based eating. I love cooking based on good nutrition and this course has further ignited that passion. I couldn't recommend this course highly enough. Thank you so much Veet!"
Paritosho
 
"I absolutely loved the foundation vegan cooking course with Veet. I got all the information I needed about vegan cooking and more. Veet teaches in an inspiring, fun and creative way and I still use a lot of the information we were given and handed out. We used only organic and fresh produce if it was possible. I find the course being exceptional value for money. I was blown away by the amount of cooking we did over the few days and it has been so easy to live a healthy vegan life style since then. Thank you Veet for your passion and generosity, your knowledge and the ease with which you held us all."
Ghata

Categories:Mains Snacks/Sides

Tags:chickpeas cabbage mushrooms Gluten Free Tofu

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