Tag Archives: Recipes

Delicious Cruelty Free Recipes

Whether you’re vegan or vegetarian, or just trying to limit your meat intake, you’re in for a culinary treat because we’ve rounded up some of our favourite recipes that are tasty, easy to make and get the cruelty free tick of V.

But before you prep your utensils, remember that one of the many perks of vegan cooking is experimentation. While these recipes are delicious as they are, they are also great for customising to suit your tastebuds.

Happy cooking!

Pan-Fried Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Ingredients (Serves 2 burgers)
2 x Portobello Mushrooms
2 x Soft and fluffy vegan hamburger buns
1 x Tomato, sliced
1 x Head of butter lettuce
1x Avocado, sliced
¼ Olive oil
Yumi Hummus Topper in Basil Pine Nut
Pinch of salt and pepper

Method
1. Heat olive oil in a skillet or fry pan on medium-high heat for one minute
2. Trim the stalks from the Portobello mushrooms and place them on the pan, gill side up first and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until lightly brown
3. Spread Yumis Hummus Topper on lightly toasted hamburger buns
4. Add Portobello mushrooms, avocado, sliced tomato and lettuce
5. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and enjoy!

*Optional: Swap the avocado for your choice of tasty vegan cheese (add combine both!)

Quick and easy to make – and definitely not lacklustre in taste, these mushroom burgers are the perfect fix for the aftermath of a busy and tiresome day. The dense and juicy textures of the Portobello mushrooms are an excellent substitute for meat patties, not to mention they’re a healthy addition to your plate. Serve with a light salad or some homemade sweet potato fries.

Ginger and Garlic Tofu Stir-fry

Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 Cup of brown rice/or quinoa
500g Firm organic tofu, cubed
1 x Brown onion, chopped
1 x Red Capsicum, chopped
1 x Head of broccoli
2 x Large carrots, sliced
200g fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
4 x Cups of snap peas
2 tbsp. fresh minced ginger
4 x garlic cloves minced
2 tbsp. water
4 tsp. pure sesame oil
1 tbsp. coconut oil
Salt and pepper
Sesame seeds and coriander to garnish

Method
1. Prepare rice or quinoa according to packet directions
2. Heat 2 tsp. of sesame oil in a pan for one minute, add cubed tofu and panfry until crispy
2. Combine coconut oil, sesame oil, water, fresh ginger and garlic in a bowl and mix well
3. In a separate pan on a medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil – add carrots, capsicum, snap peas, broccoli, mushrooms and onions and stir until lightly cooked
4. Add tofu and marinade to vegetables and stir fry for a further 1-3 minutes or until cooked – season with salt and pepper
5. Plate up a serving of rice, add stir-fry and garnish with sesame seeds and coriander

Healthy, filling and delicious, this stir-fry is the ultimate no fuss, quick and easy midweek dinner recipe. With the addition of ginger aka the wonderful spicy root vegetable, your tastebuds will experience a nice little buzz and your metabolism will experience a nice little boost.

Vegie Tofu Skewers

Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 x cup of button mushrooms, halved
1 x red capsicum, deseeded and cut into 2cm pieces
1 x zucchini, trimmed and cut into 2sm pieces
1 x 400g firm tofu, chopped into 2cm pieces
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 x Pack of bamboo skewers

Method
1. Combine spices with a pinch of salt in a bowl.
2. Preheat grill to medium heat
3. Coat vegetables and tofu with 2 tbsp. of olive oil and mixed spices in a large bowl
4. Once coated, thread onto skewers evenly
5. Cook skewers on the grill for 2-5 minutes each side or until tofu is crispy and vegetables are cooked through. Lightly season with salt and pepper

Perfect for any occasion, these crowd-pleasers are quick and easy to prepare and guarantee minimal mess (and effort!). Serve them as an entrée, at a BBQ or as a main with some steamed rice.

Serve up swiftly; they’re normally the first item on the menu to go!

Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients (Serves 2)
4 x Ripe Bananas, sliced
3 x Tablespoons of smooth peanut butter

Method
1. Slice bananas into 2cm discs and place them on a tray. Freeze them for 1-2 hours
2. Once nicely frozen, place bananas in a food processor (or a blender will do!) and puree until mixture is smooth and lump-free. Add the peanut butter to mixture and stir well
3. Scoop and serve immediately or pop the ice cream back in the freezer for a further 1-2 hours for a harder consistency

Because who doesn’t love ice cream? This recipe is tried and true and only requires two ingredients! Plus, it’s a great way to use up those overly ripe bananas chilling in your fruit bowl.

Organic Bliss Balls

Ingredients (Makes 10-12 balls)
14 x organic dates
1 x cup of organic almond meal
1/2 cup of shredded coconut, plus extra for presentation
1/3 cup organic coconut oil
1/3 cup of organic cacao powder
1 ½ tablespoons of organic chia seeds

Method
1. Place dates in a generous sized bowl and cover them with water. Let the dates stand for one hour, then drain and remove the seeds.
2. Add dates, almond meal, coconut oil, cacao powder, chia seeds and shredded coconut to a food processor, and blend until nicely combined.
3. Transfer bliss ball mixture to a bowl and leave to stand for 30 minutes while chia seeds soften.
4. Place extra shredded coconut in a bowl. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into round balls and then roll them lightly in the shredded coconut until coated.
5. DIG IN!

*Optional: You can also freeze your bliss balls for longer storage and enjoy them either frozen or at room temperature.

The perfect afternoon treat, and a deliciously healthy alternative to that pack of Oreos you’ve been devouring during the 3pm snack attack. The best part? They’re super easy to make (and digest) and require zero cooking! So if you’re a busy bee with little-to-no spare time on your hands, this recipe is probably going to become your best friend.

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Check out the upcoming challenges on our calendar and find your adventure!

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A delicious Nepalese momo recipe to try at home

Set against the backdrop of the spectacular Himalayas, Nepal has a rich variety of dishes to offer anyone lucky enough to pay a visit. Nepalese cuisine is known to be generally healthier than most other South Asian cuisine, relying more on lean meats and vegetables to create flavoursome dishes inspired by the country’s rich spices and fresh produce.

Momos (dumplings) are a very popular dish in Nepal and are surprisingly easy to make at home. These dumplings can definitely be customised to your taste and you can add any vegetables or meats you prefer. Why not try this one for yourself?

Making the dough

Mix 3 cups of flour with ¾ cups of water. Knead the dough with your hands to get a smooth and doughy consistency.

Making the filling

Ingredients

2-3 cups of flour
¾ cup of water
2 tsp fresh minced ginger
2 finely chopped onions
2-3 cloves of garlic finely minced or crushed
400g beef mince or other choice of meat mince
400g cabbage finely chopped
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp of your choice of broth

Combine ingredients ginger, onions, garlic, beef and cabbage into a bowl and mix together. Use your hands to mix and evenly distribute the mince. Then add soy sauce and broth to the mixture, stir and set aside.

Making the momos

Once your filling is ready, get the dough you prepared earlier and use a roller pin to create a very flat, thin sheet of dough. Use a circular pastry shaper that’s roughly 6-10cm across to cut the dough. Place the circular dough in the palm of your hand and add a dollop of the filling in the centre. Fold the dumpling carefully in pleats around the sides to close it. You can see how this is done in the video below:

Cooking your momos

You can cook your momos any way that you like, in Nepal they are usually steamed. Add your momos to a steamer and line them up without touching each other. Steam for about 10-15 minutes. If you do not have a steamer, you can also boil them, by adding them to boiling water and leaving them for 5-8 minutes or until they float to the surface.

You can also fry your dumplings if you prefer the light crunchy texture. Remember, if you want to make vegetarian momos you can simply swap the meat for cabbage and tofu. Momos are best served hot with hot lime relish sauce. You can also use a tomato-based sauce which is also popular in the region. We hope you enjoy this simple momo recipe that will bring the delicious aroma of Nepalese cuisine into your home.

Feeling inspired?

You can check out our adventures to Nepal.

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Vietnam inspired rainbow rice paper rolls

When exploring our beautiful world there is a common experience most travellers rave about apart from the picturesque landscapes and the thrilling sightseeing. That is, THE FOOD!

Many of our Inspired Adventurers journey to destinations that have unique styles of preparing delicious dishes for our participants to try. Coming home and raving to friends and family is bound to happen, but it doesn’t have to end there. Why not try it at home!?

We attempted to make one of our favourite Vietnamese dishes, with a little Inspired twist. By no means are we professional chefs, but we are willing to take on the challenge! Like coriander, you will either love or hate making rice paper rolls. But with a little perseverance and practice, you can add a new skill to your home cooking repertoire.

For this attempt we have chosen a rainbow of ingredients and taken a more mild approach. Perfect for lunch or a healthy snack.

Ingredients:

  • Cabbage
  • Bean sprouts (fresh or canned)
  • Coriander
  • Avocado
  • Capsicum (red and/or yellow)
  • Cucumber
  • Lime
  • Mint leaves
  • Sesame seeds (for garnish)
  • Peanut sauce (for serving)
  • Nuoc cham sauce for dipping (make your own or grab a bottle of similar from the store)
Inspired's take on a rice paper roll
rainbow-ricepaper-rolls-3

Method:

  • Slice your vegetables in similar sized strips and have them on hand to begin rolling
  • Soak one rice paper in a bowl of warm water for a few seconds and carefully place on a clean damp tea towel
  • Place a few pieces of each of your chosen ingredients on the wrapper about 3 cm from the base (closest to you)
  • Squeeze a little lime over filling for some extra flavour
  • Starting from the bottom of the wrapper fold up, followed by the sides and roll up to enclose your filling
  • Place your rolls on a tray with a damp tea towel covering them and repeat the process with the rest of the wraps and filling
  • Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top as a garnish. Slice in half or leave whole to serve with your chosen condiment
  • Enjoy!

Tips:

  1. Prep all your veggies and have them ready to roll
  2. If you’re not a fan of coriander, replace it with flat leaf parsley
  3. Prepare the rolls as close to serving time as possible so they don’t dry out
  4. Don’t overfill your rice paper sheet otherwise it will split
  5. You can vary this recipe to your heart’s content. Mix it up and try different combinations or stick with the more traditional ingredients
  6. There are some great condiments out there – take the easy route and buy a great satay sauce or simply use tamari
  7. Remember: like pancakes, the first one is always dodgy!

Feeling inspired?

You can explore Vietnam on our Northern Vietnam Trek or by bike on the Vietnam Cycle adventure. Don’t forget to check out our calendar for our upcoming adventures!

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