Veganes Chili

Zutaten:
getrocknete Kidneybohnen
Sojabrocken
Lorbeerblatt
Olivenöl
1 Dose Tomaten
Tomatenmark
Zwiebel
Knoblauch
Oregano
Chilipulver (Puritaner nehmen hier getrocknete, gehackte Chilischote)
Salz

Die Kidneybohnen über Nacht in reichlich Wasser einweichen lassen.
Unter fließendem Wasser abwaschen, und mit der doppelten Menge Wasser zum Kochen bringen. Ich habe der besseren Verdaulichkeit halber je eine Prise Bohnenkraut und Thymian zugegeben sowie ein Lorbeerblatt für den Geschmack. 1 Stunde bei niedriger Temperatur köcheln lassen, bzw. bis die Bohnen gar sind.
In der Zwischenzeit die Sojabrocken in Wasser einweichen. Zwiebel und Knoblauch würfeln.
Kurz vor Ende der Garzeit Öl in einem Topf erhitzen, die Zwiebel anbräunen, Knoblauch dazugeben, dann die abgetropften Sojabrocken. Ein weiteres Lorbeerblatt, Tomaten und -mark dazu, die gegarten Bohnen zugeben, und mit den Gewürzen abschmecken.

Besonders gut zu Baguette.

 

Lebkuchen

Grundrezept:
250 g Mehl (zB. 200 g Roggenvollkorn, 50 g Weizen 1050)
100 g Vollrohrzucker, 110 ml Reissirup
10 g Kakaopulver
30 ml Rapsoel
1/2 Paeckchen Backpulver
3 g Lebkuchengewuerz
250 ml Sojamilch

zusaetzlich:
50 g Zitronat
20 g dunkle Schokolade, zerkleinert
20 g gehackte Paranuesse
(oder:  etwas geriebene Zitronenschale, 30 g getr. Ananas, eingeweicht, mit dem Einweichwasser, 40 g Mandeln)

Zuerst die Grundzutaten gut vermischen zu einem dickfluessigen Teig. Dann die optionalen Zutaten dazugeben. Auf ein mit Backpapier ausgelegtes Backblech geben.
Im 180 Grad Ofen 30 Minuten backen. Ich wollte schon ein Stueckchen probieren als ich mich daran erinnerte, ein Foto zu machen. Wie man am Schnittrand sieht.

Vegan Banana Pancakes

Veganizing pancakes had been a challenge to me. This has been the one area in which I haven't gotten good results using soyflour as an egg-substitute. I finally gave up on them. Then I went to Lithuania and had blynelai (the Lithuanian version of pancakes, and one of the few vegetarian choices on the menu), and got inspired.

This version basically just leaves out the eggs, and you won't miss them. The only difference is that these don't have as much protein, so you will need to get that from other sources.

This recipe is for German pancakes, they are different from the American kind, more like French crepes, but not as thin. Make sure to let them cook long enough so they are cooked through. You won't get food poisoning if they aren't - as they don't contain eggs - but it makes for a much better eating experience texture-wise if they are.

Ingredients per pancake:
40 g flour, I use 1050 wheat or spelt
dash of baking powder
dash of sea salt
one squeeze of the rice sirup container
about 80 ml soymilk or whichever plantmilk you have
1 banana
canola or other vegetable oil

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, add the liquids, blend with a whisker. Slice the banana into the dough. In a frying pan, heat canola oil. Pour dough into pan, even out the banana slices so they cover the whole pancake. Cook on one side, over medium heat, until the bottom has browned and there is no more liquid on the top. Turn over, cook other side. Enjoy.

Another Meal with Green Beans

I've lately discovered I love green beans. Was happy when I found bags of them at the health food store today. Decided to pair them with a new product I found in the fake meat section, a tofu-based ground meat substitute which is different from the ones I've had before, it's drier for one thing. It browns rather nicely. (It's made by provamel.) As a starch I opted for mashed potatoes.

Peel and dice 1 large potato per person.

Wash beans, cut off strings.

Add beans to boiling water, potatoes to cold salt water.

Dice a small onion, fry in olive oil, add fake grounds. Add salt and pepper, oregano, cilantro. Let brown, add diced clove of garlic, let brown some more.

Mash potatoes with vegetable shortening, soymilk, salt and pepper. Remind me to get a nutmeg grater so I can add nutmeg next time.

Top potatoes with fake grounds, beans on the side.
Great with pumpkin pie as dessert.

Pizza with Cornmeal Crust

I'll start with a disclaimer, I'm not a 100% Vegan these days, I've started eating some cheese and milk chocolate. Hence this is my first recipe that's not 100% vegan, even though it's easy enough to veganise by substituting vegan cheese for the dairy.

Ingredients for a Personal Pizza
Dough
100 g whole spelt flour
25 g cornmeal (polenta)
2 g dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
lukewarm water as needed

Toppings
2 teaspoons of vegan pesto
1 tomato
1/2 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 piece of broccoli
swiss cheese

Stir the ingredients together and work into a dough, knead for 5 - 10 minutes. Form into a ball, put into the bowl, a clean kitchentowel on top, and put aside to rise for 30 minutes. Give another knead and roll out onto baking paper. Let rise for another 20 - 30 minutes.

Now it's time to prep the toppings.
Slice the tomato and onion, dice the garlic, break the broccoli into small pieces. Slice the cheese.

When the dough is ready, turn the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Spread pesto onto dough, add vegetables, cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes.
I like the grittiness the cornmeal lends to the texture.

Pumpkin Galette

Well, I just went and did it. The best pumpkin pie I ever had. I didn't have a pie form so I made a galette instead. Which means you roll out the dough on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper, pour the filling onto it, leaving the edges free, and then fold up the sides.

Crust
I found the recipe for the crust here: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/piecrustrecipes/r/flakypiecrust.htm, cutting the amounts in half for a smaller pie. It really does make for a flaky and delicious crust.

70 g wholespelt flour, 70 g 1050 wheat
3/4 tablespoon raw sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
60 g alsan vegan margarine
1 tablespoon oil, 2 tablespoons cold water

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the margarine, mixing until crumbly. I use two knifes to do so.
In a small container, whisk together the oil and water, then add to the flour mixture, mixing just until a dough forms.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap, chill for 30 minutes.

While the dough is sitting in the fridge, get the filling ready.

Filling
180 grams of baked pumpkin
70 ml coconut milk, 50 ml cold water
36 g raw sugar, 40 ml ricesirup
1 tablespoon cornstarch or riceflour
1/2 teaspoon each of vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Put all ingredients into a blender and puree.

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius/350 Fahrenheit.
Roll out the dough, pour the filling onto it, bake for 60 minutes. Really good with a side of soyatoo non-dairy whipped cream.

Oatmeal Cookies

Here are some oatmeal cookies I've been baking a lot recently, they are really good. I'm using different variations for the optional ingredients. My last batch was with ginger, the one in the oven right now has almonds and chocolate streusel.

For one cookie sheet:
80 g vegetable shortening
100 g raw sugar (40 of which I substituted with rice sirup this time around)
1 tablespoon of soymeal + 2 tablespoons water = substitute for 1 egg
1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon, baking soda, salt and vanilla
54 g flour
130 g rolled oats
optional: whatever floats your boat
very good: 40 g of walnuts, toasted in the oven for about 6 minutes - dependent on oven temperatures.
and/or 40 g raisins
candied ginger

Mix ingredients and shape into balls. Put them out on a cookie sheet, flatten and bake for 12 - 15 minutes in a preheated 175 degree Celsius/350 Fahrenheit oven. The longer the baking time, the crispier the cookies get.

adapted and veganised from:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/OatmealCookies.html

Polenta with dried Porcini mushrooms and Fennel

Soak dried porcini mushrooms at least 30 minutes in water.

Fry chopped garlic and ginger in olive oil. Add chopped fresh fennel. Stir in polenta meal, add mushrooms and soaking water. Stir well, add more water if needed. Add half a bouillon cube, salt, curry powder. Let cook for at least 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Quinoa with Cauliflower

Ingredients:
Olive Oil
Garlic
40 g Quinoa p.P.
1 Carrot p.P.
several pieces of Cauliflower
Curry powder
Black Pepper
Summer Savory
Textured Soy Protein
1/2 Bouillon Cube
Nori flakes
Fresh Cilantro
Sprouts

Fry the garlic clove in olive oil, add well-washed quinoa, roast that for a bit, add spices and Nori, then add hot water. Add bouillon cube. Let cook for 25 minutes. After some time add the soy bits, carrots and cauliflower. When done, add fresh cilantro and sprouts.

Boberger Niederung

This morning I decided to visit the Boberger Niederung, part of the Elbe Urstromtal, which has a fascinating history, if you're into geology. It's only about a half hour from my place, just one station past Ikea Moorfleet. You take the S 31 to Sternschanze and change into S 21 to Bergedorf/Aumuehle and get off at Mittlerer Landweg. Head left at the station, and you soon come to a sign to Boberger Niederung.

Where else can you find sanddunes in the middle of town?

I did encounter a couple of herons, as well as different kinds of butterflies and a dragonfly. There was also a guy with his bike, listening to the radio out loud, which created quite another kind of experience. At least you could hear him from a ways off.

More info (in German):
http://www.stiftung-naturschutz-hh.de/boberg/allgeme.htm

Duvenstedter Brook/Wohldorfer Wald

Last week I went to Duvenstedter Brook, in the North of Hamburg. I'd been meaning to go there since I moved here, it's a nature reserve, with frogs and deer and such. It's a bit of a trip. From Altona Station you take the S-Bahn to Jungfernstieg and change to the U1 to Ohlstedt, it takes a bit over 50 minutes altogether. Once you exit the train station, you head to the left and very soon you're in the Wohldorfer Wald (Wald=Forest). A stroll of about an hour brings you to Duvenstedter Brook.

Wohldorfer Wald, view from bridge over the Aue. In the back you can see the grainmill of Wohldorf.

Recipes

Polenta
Here's the recipe for a polenta dish I made yesterday. I love coming up with meals that are easy, quick, and don't leave a lot of dirty dishes.

For one portion:
Slice a carrot, then quarter slices. Fry in olive oil in medium sized pan. In the meantime, dice a piece of garlic, add to the carrot. Add some salt, curry, kurkuma and hot water. Bring to a slow boil, add 50 grams of polenta meal. Dice some tofu and add into the mixture. Grab some fresh herbs from your window sill, I used cilantro, basil, and nasturtium leaves, cut them into bits and stir into the mixture just before serving.

Poppyseed Bread
For a pound loaf:
200 g whole spelt flour
200 g 550 wheat flour (all purpose)
100 g rolled oats
1 pack of dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon flaxseeds
1 table spoon olive oil
warm water

Mix the ingredients, then knead the dough thoroughly for 5 to 10 minutes. Fold into a ball, place in a bowl, put into a warm place with a clean towel on top. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour, until the ball has doubled in size. Knead dough briefly and form into a loaf, put on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper. Make a cut through the length of the loaf to help release steam while baking, as well as several cross-wise cuts. Put cookie sheet into the oven, let sit for another 30 minutes. Turn oven to 200 degrees Celsius and let bake for about 35 minutes. Turn down temperature to 180 after about 15 minutes, depending on your oven and the browning of the bread. During baking, use a water sprayer to wet the loaf occasionally, this makes for a great crust. I also spray water into the lower part of the oven to provide steaming, for the same reason.

Benefits of Kombucha

There's a lot of controversy around the supposed health benefits of Kombucha. One could assume that the pharmaceutical industry isn't really thrilled about a remedy they can't make money with. So any scientific studies would need to be taken with a grain of salt. And some thorough research on who ordered it and who's behind it.

What I've noticed myself is that my general energy and activity level is higher since I've started drinking it. Within a few days of starting on it, I could notice a difference. It's not like what you would expect from an energy drink, or methamphetamine, or even coffee, nothing like a sudden jolt or a racing heart or such. It's that my overall wellbeing has increased, I get more done, I have more stamina. This means a lot when dealing with fibromyalgia. Recently I've even been able to go for long walks again, which seems nothing short of a miracle.

Also, I haven't been sick since I started on it. Of course, this could be a coincidence.
One other thing, and this is kind of weird. Looking at myself in the mirror, I noticed my hair looking different. There's less silver. Not that I had a lot of it, but, it's noticeably less. Strange, huh? I did find an article later claiming that this effect has been reported by others as well.

Here are some sites to peruse for more info:
http://www.kombuchahome.com/
http://www.gaiaresearch.co.za/kombucha.html
http://en.heilkraeuter.net/kombucha/medicinal-uses.htm
http://www.kombu.de/benefits.htm

Kombucha Goodness

By this time I've been brewing Kombucha for months. For the last few weeks my enthusiasm in the brewing process has somewhat flagged, seeing it is rather involved. It's well worth it, though, and my enthusiasm in drinking it is as high as ever.

I'm starting to build a routine. Every eight days or so is brewing day. I start the tea (using green tea leaves, Sencha to be precise) either the evening before, so it can cool overnight, or early in the morning. First I wash all the implements with freshly boiled water. After the bottles have cooled off - I use glass bottles only, don't know what the culture can do to plastic and don't want to try out - I take the cloth from the container, take out the culture and rinse it well under cold water. I put it onto a plate, use a clean kitchen towel to cover it, and set it aside. Then comes the bottling. I use a measuring cup to pour the liquid, a funnel and a strainer on top of the bottle to catch sediment, and leave a bit of space in case there's further fermentation. Then the container needs to be cleaned with boiling water, and left to cool. Then I pour the tea into it through a strainer, add the sugar, add some of the batch as starter, mix everything together with a wooden spoon, and finally add the culture. A fresh cloth, bound tight with a piece of elastic band, and the new batch gets to sit for another eight days or so. And I get to wash the dishes.

At some point there's taste testing. It's interesting how different the brew gets dependent upon how much sugar I use or how long I let it sit. This is about the only time I drink it straight, since it's rather potent and strong tasting.

I read somewhere that in the making of Bionade they use Kombucha as the foundation. I've been trying out different combinations, using Kombucha, juice, and sparkling water. These drinks taste so good I had to get a soda maker so I don't have to haul all those bottles of sparkling water home.
Pour a small amount of Kombucha into a large glass, add at least the same amount of ginger ale/elderberry flower spritzer/mango juice/banana juice, and fill up with lots of sparkling water. The juice needs to have some kind of sweetness, when using 100% blueberry juice I had to add agave nectar to make it palatable. 

Ohlsdorf Cemetery

After living in this city for well over two years, I finally made it to the most famous cemetery, Ohlsdorf. It's like a very large park with graves in it. And cars. Actually, it's the largest park in the city of Hamburg. It's lovely, with lots of old-growth trees, and statuary from different eras. It's a great place to walk and ponder life and death.

Recent stuff

Porridge with strawberries

Artwork

Handiwork

Oatbread

The most infamous street in the world

Last week I took a stroll to St. Pauli, the next 'hood over, which is infamous for its live sex shows and other forms of formerly scandalous behavior. Here's where sailors used to come on shore leave to get drunk, get laid, and get tattooed. Maybe they still do.

I must be a total prude, because window-shopping for sex toys with the in-laws (or parents) is very high up on my creepometer.

 This is probably where the Salvation Army originated.

I had currywurst here on my very first day back in Germany. (Before I became a Vegan, obviously.) I remember it not being very good. The Tofu King vegan currywurst from viana is definitely much better. Without the grossness factor as well. But you can't beat the local color.

I think there is or was a German tv series based on this police precinct on Reeperbahn and Davidstrasse.

Stairs to the famous Hafenstrasse, the Elbe down below.

Detail on the old fishauction hall.

On the Vegan front, not that much to report, got my snacks (organic cornwafers and pretzel sticks) at Budni on Talstrasse (Budnikowski = fabulous local Hamburgian drugstore chain). And the Rockn' Roll Hotel Kogge does serve soylattes.

Plantings

I took these photos of this year's plantings about 10 days ago. I planted basil, cilantro, calendula, lemon balm and nasturtiums. There is no fresh cilantro (coriander) to be had in the stores here, and no seed either, so I bought a pack of whole cilantro seeds which is sold as a spice, and planted some to see what would happen.

Apartment Search with Vegan Fringe Benefits

I was up at 4 am yesterday, which wasn't that strange, considering I'd gone to bed at 8 pm the night before. Which wasn't that strange, considering I'd only slept 4 or so hours the night before going to bed at midnight,still waking up at sunrise as usual. It was early enough to catch the 6:14 train to Berlin, if just barely. I literally got there the very last minute, the conductor was doing her 'The doors are closing' spiel. No idea how I made it to the station in 5 minutes.
It was great because the train wasn't all that crowded. A lot of people were sleeping, stretched out all over the place. It reminded me of those 40 and 55 hour trainrides we took to Greece and Italy back in the day.

I didn't know there are compartments exclusively for women.

Neither did this guy.

Took the subway to look at an apartment, which of course was the main purpose for this trip. I did like it, even though the bathtub is really short, and the balcony had been turned into an indoors space.

 

This building in Schoeneberg on Grunewaldstrasse speaks for itself.

Had a lovely soy cappuccino at this chocolate place in Schoeneberg, called Winterfeldt, it's on Goltzstr. 23. They have an extensive selection of all kinds of unusual and pricey chocolates. I particularly think the tiny pralines are cute. Love the way they decorated the walls.

Then my stomach dragged me all the way to Friedrichshain to Yoyo's Foodworld, where I opted for a Vegan Sumatra burger. Sorry, couldn't wait to take a photo before starting in on it. It was absolutely delicious. Juicy, great fries, good salad, even though I couldn't decide if those couple of large leaves were for decorative purposes or for eating. Got some of the patties to take home, along with a Buccaneer bar, which is sort of like a Vegan version of the German Mars bar = American Milky Way. Or is it the other way around?

And, a soy hazelnut icecream cone for dessert at Caramellos.

To round the day off, I found the perfect summer jacket at the Chapati store next door.

Another amazing subway ride

I probably don't get out enough. When I saw these kids on the subway with their crazy 'dos I thought to myself, how atrocious. My second thought was, I must be getting old. And then: Does this have something to do with the band Tokio Hotel? A friend told me years ago about this German (?) band that seems to be very popular with teenagers. I might have come across photos of them somehow. You know, like you pick up completely useless information from the magazine rack at the cash register when you're waiting to check out, or when you open your yahoo account and there it is, the so-called latest news in headlines.

Maybe their hair looked something like this? Are they responsible for this fashion?

I wasn't really stalking them, they did get off at the same stop and changed into the same connecting train. Anyway, I thought they were pretty darn cute.