Product Test: Daiya Cheese - Cheddar Style Shreds

I had heard so many great things about daiya cheese, how it melts and pulls strings like cow cheese does! So when I recently had the chance to get some for a much lower price than usually (227g/8oz. sell for around €7! - I got 2 for the price of one!), I went for it.

What better way to try vegan cheese than on a pizza?

This is what the bag looks like. 

This is what the bag looks like next to homemade pizza dough!
How to make pizza dough and sauce!

The shreds look a little greasy and
taste okay-ish when they're not molten yet.

Before and after baking

Ooooh, the cheesy goodness!

I have tried a number of different types of vegan cheeses and I like daiya quite a bit! It melts beautifully and it's true: It melts like cow milk cheese, it's a bit stringy when you pull out a slice or take a bite. BEAUTIFUL! <3

I really like it, but I am most certainly not willing to pay €7 for 228g. That's over €30 per kilo. I understand that vegan cheese is more expensive because the production is much lower than animal milk cheese, because it isn't subsidized, because many companies avoid cheap ingredients that are harmful to the environment (like palm oil).... I understand all that and I appreciate that awesome stuff like daiya is being made. But it's just not in my budget on a regular day. 

Final commentary!

Mediterranean Red Lentil Tomato Frikadellen

English version below!

Ich habe ja eine gewisse Vorliebe für Linsen entwickelt. Wir haben im Moment drei verschiedene Sorten zu hause und ich mache verschiedene Gerichte damit! Ich habe zum Beispiel letztens eine Sorte mit Berglinsen gemacht. Geschmacklich geht des in die gleiche Richtung wie konventionelle Fleischgerichte. Aber die Frikos heute mache ich für eine Freundin die Fleisch noch nie mochte, darum versuche ich keine Geschmäcker oder Gewürze zu verwenden, die man traditionell mit Fleisch assoziiert.

Zutaten:

für 15-18 Minifrikadellen

• 200g rote Linsen
• 50g Paniermehl
• 4 EL Cashew Parmesan  (Supereinfaches Rezept hier)
• 5 getrocknete Tomaten
• 2 Zwiebeln
• eine Hand voll frischer Basilikum
• 100g Tomatenmark
• etwas Olivenöl zum braten
• 3-4 Zehen Knoblauch (optional)
• Salz

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is a family favorite. I would usually use arugula instead of the basil, but it's not in season right now, so it's super expensive. The fresh, organic basil was a special offer today! Hooray!

Ingredients: 

• 2 large zucchinis
• 300g of Hello Kitty pasta (the salad gets exponentionally better with Hello Kitty pasta, but regular pasta works, too)
• one glass of dried tomatoes (225g drain weight)
• 5 fresh tomatoes
• lots of fresh basil (I used as much as you can see on the picture - the whole thing!)
• 3 tablespoons vegan honey (agave sirup works, too)
• 60g (7-8 tablespoons) olive oil
• some extra olive oil for frying
• 60g (7-8 tablespoons) balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons mustard
• salt
• pepper

Lentil Balls/Frikadellen

I do like my soy-based frikadellen, but these are grand, too! Soy-free lentil-based frikadellen, high in protein, and super yummy! They can also be made gluten-free.

Ingredients:

• 150g lentils (I used Spanish pardina)
• 400ml water
• salt
• 60g gluten (you can replace this with corn starch if you wish to make this gluten-free!)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon marjoram
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon pimento
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 1 onion

Frikadellen/Meatballs

Die deutsche Übersetzung findet ihr unter dem englischen Rezept!

Our frikadellen are great for party buffets, picnics, bentos/work lunches, ...  and they also make wonderful burger patties if their shape is changed accordingly!

Der perfekte Burger | The Perfect Burger

English version below

Burger! <3 Muss man mehr sagen?

 

Mit karamelisierter Ananas, Avocado,
Hoisinsauce und Kääsesauce (Rezept)

Cupcakes Cupcakes Cupcakes

I figured it wouldn't hurt to make some list posts to make it easier for you (and me) to find the right recipe. This is the cupcake list!

Lemon Almond Cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream with Strawberries

Bienenstich Cupcakes

Matcha (Green Tea) Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes (and Variations)

Death by Chocolate Cupcakes with Nougat

More to be added ... as soon as I post new recipes!

Can't live without Apple Pie

Die deutsche Übersetzung findet ihr unter dem englischen Rezept!

We had apple crumble last week. I keep remembering how great apple desserts are. I usually love my desserts with chocolate, but the truth is: Apple desserts are great, too!

Ingredients:

For the crust:
250g flour
125g vegan butter (I used Alsan)
60ml water
40g of sugar
1/2 tea spoon of baking powder

For the filling:
850g of apples (this is the weight before you core, peel, and cut them)
300g of apple sauce [recipe for homemade apple sauce here]

For the crumble:
100g vegan butter (I used Alsan)
125g sugar
180g flour

Kitchen Basics: Cashew Parmesan

Die DEUTSCHE ÜBERSETZUNG findet ihr unter dem englischen Rezept!

I posted this in a previous blog, but I'd hate for it to get lost in the pasta recipe post. And since I got was specifically asked to repost this on my facebook page, here we go! How to make cashew parmesan!

Special thanks to Marcus Kösters at camslinger.de for taking the picture with his awesome
new camera while I was sick. And for bringing me tea, snacks, love, and tissues.

Ingredients:

• 100g of cashews
• 1 tea spoon of sea salt
• 3 tea spoons of yeast flakes

This is really easily made. It stores well in the fridge. I usually have a small mason jar full of cashew parmesan at hand.

Summer Rolls with a Sweet and Sour Lime Sauce

Or with sweet and sour sauce

This would have been lunch for my colleage and me, ... if my body hadn't decided to be sick. But I didn't want to let the ingredients go to waste and made the summer rolls. These are Vietname style summer rolls, so they are not fried/deep-fried. They're low in fat and gluten-free (in case anyone suffers from celiac desease) if you substitute the beer that is used to soak the rice paper for water or gluten-free beer. 

The summer rolls are great for buffets, picnics, lunch at work, or long trips. They're also really yummy!