Meatless
#COOKING: FRESH MOZZARELLA, RICOTTA & KIMCHI-STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS RECIPE
Mozzarella, Ricotta & Kimchi-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms. These are all the rage right now with Zucchini Blossoms being available right now, through end of August. We made the best of our trip downtown with a visit to our fave Eataly, where we found everything we needed to make these. We love the combination of cheese and Kimchi (Korean Pickled Cabbage) as these flavours blend beautifully. You can do this without Kimchi, just add a bit of sea salt to the filling to taste to account for it.
Ingredients:
Package of Zucchini Blossoms (usually contains about 20)
1/2 cup Ricotta
1/4 cup Fresh Soft Mozzarella (Mozzarella Classica), minced
1/4 cup Kimchi, minced
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
3 eggs
1 tsp Truffle Oil
1 tsp parsley
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Canola Oil
Instructions:
1. Heat canola oil in large skilled on medium heat, till oil is hot. Oil should be about 2″ high.
2. In shallow platter, mix flour, milk, 2 eggs, 3 tbsps Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper until it becomes a smooth batter.
3. In bowl, mix minced Fresh Mozzarella, Ricotta, 1 egg, Truffle Oil, 3 tbsps Parmesan and a bit of pepper till combined. Do not over-mix.
4. Take Zucchini Blossoms, opening gently till you can see the base. Gently scoop in a bit of the cheese mixture, careful not to over-stuff. Take a smidge of Kimchi and press it into the cheese gently. Pinch tip of Blossom to seal. Refrigerate a few minutes in refrigerator.
5. Dip stuffed Blossoms into batter, coating lightly. Place into oil and repeat, frying Blossoms in batches, careful not to overcrowd skillet.
6. Fry till golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Place on paper towel-lined tray to absorb oil. Serve.
Gallery:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: PULLED JACKFRUIT SANDWICHES & KOREAN CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE
Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches & Korean Cucumber Salad. Summer’s here and this is a fun way to celebrate flavours of the season and we are doing it clean and meatless here. You’ve got crunch, chew, heat and cool all-in-one. If you’ve never had the pleasure of trying Jackfruit, you’re in for a treat. This beloved fleshy fruit of both South and Southeast Asia looks a bit like a Durian (without the stench), but is closer to the taste and texture of Pineapple. If you visit your Asian grocer now, you should be able to find it as it’s in peak season right now. Instead of pork, we’re doing this with Jackfruit but if you like you can even do this with Tofu.
Pulled Jackfruit:
2 1/2 cups of Jackfruit flesh, minced
1 Avocado, pitted and cut into 1″ slices
1/4 cup Barbecque Sauce
1/4 cup cashews, unsalted
2 tbsps Ketchup
1 tbsp Gochujang
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
Sea salt and pepper
Water
Olive oil
Juice of one lime wedge
Hamburger Buns
Havarti or Cheddar Cheese Slices
Korean Cucumber Salad:
10-12 mini cucumbers or 1 large cucumber, cut into 3 mm-thick slices
3 tbsps rice vinegar
3 tbsps sesame oil
1 1/2 tbsps organic raw sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Fish Sauce (optional)
1 tbsp black or white sesame seeds, toasted
1 stalk green onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper/Korean Red Pepper Powder
Sea salt and pepper
Instructions:
1. On medium-high heat, heat oil in skillet.2. In bowl, season Jackfruit in salt, peppers, paprika, garlic and onion powders, brown sugar.
3. Place Jackfruit in skillet and brown for 4-5 minutes.
4. In small bowl, mix Barbecque Sauce, Ketchup, Gochujang, syrup and soy sauce.
5. Pour sauce and water (about 1/2 cup or more) into skillet and coat Jackfruit. Bring to boil.
6. Reduce heat to a simmer on medium-low heat, covered for about 20-30 minutes.
7. Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high. Allow mixture to thicken (4-5 minutes), stirring occasionally and scraping bits at bottom. Once thick, turn-off heat and remove from heat.
8. In large bowl, prepare Korean Cucumber Salad. Whisk rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, fish sauce, peppers and salt. Toss-in cucumber slices, garlic, sesame and green onion. Refrigerate sealed for up to 2 days.
9. Toast cashews, cradling in foil in toaster oven. Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper over top and toast for a few minutes till slightly darkened.
10. Season avocado with lime juice, salt and pepper.
11. Toast hamburger buns slightly with cheese till melted.
12. Spoon Jackfruit mixture on top of bun with cheese. Place 2-3 avocado slices on-top. Sprinkle cashews as well. Plate with side of Korean Cucumber Salad. Serves 4.
Gallery:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: GENERAL TAO BROCCOLI RECIPE
Ingredients:
General Tao Broccoli. You’ve all had this classic with chicken, but who knew it could be replicated so well and done vegan? This is so hearty it serves as a main with a side of rice. We’ve been seeing this pop-up on Instagram often of late and thought we’d give it a go. Loved it! 🥦
Broccoli:
1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
1 cup corn starch
1/2 cup Aquafaba (Chick Pea liquid)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
Canola oil
Sauce:
3 tbsps rice vinegar
1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean Pepper Paste)
3 tbsps organic raw sugar
3 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps maple syrup
1-2 tbsps corn or tapioca starch
1 tbsp ginger, minced
3 green chillies, seeded and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk green onion, minced
1 tbsp canola oil
Parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions:
1. Heat oil large skillet/wok on medium-high heat till hot.2. In shallow platter, mix 1 cup corn starch, 1 tbsp soy sauce, salt, baking powder and soda.
3. Dip florets into Aquafaba, then starch mixture and into hot oil.
4. Fry about 3-4 minutes each side or till golden brown.
5. Place on platter lined with paper towels to absorb oil.
6. In clean skillet/wok, heat oil on medium-high heat.
7.Sautée ginger, garlic, chillies, and green onion for 1-2 minutes.
8. In small bowl, prep sauce by mixing Gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, syrup, vinegar and starch. Add about 2-3 tbsps of water and mix well. Pour into skillet and stir well.
9. Once sauce thickens, toss-in broccoli and stir gently till coated in sauce.
10. Transfer to platter, garnish with parsley and serve.
Gallery:
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: CORN CHEESE RECIPE
Corn Cheese. This is huge in Korea and you’ll realize exactly why once you try. Imagine cheese, peppers, corn and chewy rice cakes all together. A sweet, textural sensation! You can serve it as an accompaniment to your rice or noodles and it’s just as perfect on its own! What better way to observe Meatless Monday than with an amazing veggie dish that stands on its own?
Ingredients:
1 7 oz. can corn kernels, drained and pat dry
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 sweet green pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
2 1/2 tbsps mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella
2 tbsps unsalted butter
1/2 tsp organic raw sugar
10 Korean Rice Cakes (stuffed with cheese if available), frozen
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Cilantro for garnish
Instructions:
1. Mix corn, peppers and onion in Mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper.
2. Heat butter in skillet till melted. Add corn mixture and cook on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add-in rice cakes and stir gently, cooking another 5 minutes.
4. Add 1/4 cup of Mozzarella, stirring gently till melted.
5. Transfer mixture to a baking pan, top with remaining cheese and cilantro. Broil 5-7 minutes till cheese is golden brown. Serve.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: MEATLESS SAUSAGE x PEPPERS RECIPE
Meatless Sausage x Peppers. This is a hearty Italian classic which I felt could’ve been replicated with a plant protein. You easily could swap it out for meat sausage and that’s totally cool! I chose a tiny pasta, Tubetti, to sop-up all the liquid here, that way none of the flavour in the sauce gets lost. This has got a bit of kick, so you can omit the chillis if you like and use the non-spicy Yves Sausage as well. You’ll most definitely have leftovers! 🇮🇹
Ingredients:
1 green, yellow and red pepper each, seeded and sliced thin
1 450g package of Pasta
1 package Yves Spicy Italian Veggie Sausage, each sausage cut into six pieces
1 pint mushrooms, sliced thin
1 small onion, minced
1 can crushed tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 red chillies, seeded and minced
1/2 cup red wine
Olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Handful of chopped basil
Cilantro
Parmesan Cheese, grated
Instructions:
1. Cook pasta in salted water, drain in colander. Do not rinse.
2. In large skillet, heat oil medium-high heat. Brown sausage pieces on both sides. Remove from skillet.
3. Add more oil, sautée garlic, onion and chillies till translucent.
4. Add peppers and mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook till fully caramelized and pan has some brown bits.
5. Add wine and cook down till some of liquid is gone. You can add a bit of water if there isn’t much liquid there.
6. Add tomatoes, basil and sausage into pan and bring to boil.
7. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes.
8. Add pasta to the skillet and coat evenly, allowing pasta to soak-up sauce. Add one more round of salt and pepper.
9. Scoop onto plate. Garnish with cilantro and top with Parmesan Cheese. Serve.
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(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: MEATLESS CURRY BUNS RECIPE
Meatless Curry Buns. Delicious Brioche with mildly-spicy “meaty” filling. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or a snack. And they freeze well! By all means, use ground beef if you like instead.
Ingredients:
5 cups flour
2 1/2 tsps yeast
3 tbsps organic raw sugar
1/2 tbsp sea salt
3 tbsps cold unsalted butter
4 tbsps condensed milk
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Sesame seeds, toasted
Filling:
1 cup Yves Ground Round
1/2 white potato, diced
1/4 white onion, minced
1/4 cup corn kernels
1/4 carrots, diced
1/4 cup green peas
6-8 mushrooms, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 block Glico Medium Curry
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
1. Mix flour, salt and butter in mixing bowl. Use 2 forks criss-crossing to cut butter in.
2. In bowl, mix 1/2 cup lukewarm water (not warm or hot) with condensed milk, yeast and sugar till dissolved. Stand a few minutes.
3. Mix yeast water into flour bit by bit, using forks. Pour another 1 1/3 cup lukewarm water, forming dough.
4. Turn dough onto flat, floured surface. Sprinkle with flour till dough no longer is sticky. Knead 10 minutes till punchy.
5. Grease large bowl and transfer dough into it. Cover with damp cloth and place in oven on top rack with a pot of hot water on the rack below. Shut oven. Replace hot water again in 30 minutes.
6. Prep filling. Sautée garlic and onions till caramelized. Add potatoes and mushrooms. Cook till translucent. Add ground round, carrots, corn and peas. Cook about 5 minutes. Add Glico Curry, 2/3 cup water and coconut milk. Bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
6. Dough will double in size in 1 to 1.5 hours if proofed right. If it’s risen but not enough, proof a bit longer.
7. Grease baking sheet. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Cut dough in half, separating each half into 6 even pieces on lightly-floured surface. Flatten each piece with hands. Fill with tbsp of filling. Pinch and seal each bun tightly, sealed side facing bottom. Place on tray.
8. Proof again for 45 minutes covered, with pot of hot water underneath in oven.
9. Preheat oven at 400°F. Brush top of loaf with egg wash using fingers or a brush. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, pressing them in gently.
10. Bake for 17-20 minutes or till golden brown. Rotate pan once, half-way through. Cool 20 minutes and serve.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: MEATLESS LASAGNA RECIPE
Meatless Lasagna. Growing-up I had Lasagna maybe twice. Being from a Chinese family, we rarely ever ate Italian other than my Dad’s take on Spaghetti, which though not bad, was Tomato Paste and Ketchup-based with ground pork, peas and carrots. You can imagine the shock of my classmates who got introduced to Hong Kong-style Spaghetti at my sixth birthday party!
My Mom was excited that I asked her to help assemble my Meatless Lasagna and I’m glad I got to show them a proper Lasagna. No processed cheese, LOL. 🧀
You cannot tell this is meatless. It’s got the same heartiness and flavour a Meat Lasagna has. Everyone should be pitching-in their part and reducing our carbon footprint. Eat meatless once a week. This is an easy way to do it!
Ingredients:
9 Lasagne noodles
2 packages of Yves Original Veggie Ground Round
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
2 cups of shredded Mozzarella
1/2 tub of Ricotta
1 pint of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1 white onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon organic raw sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions:
1. Boil noodles till al dente. Place aside in a tray and drizzle a bit of oil on them to prevent from sticking.
2. In medium-sized sauce pan, sauteé garlic and onion. Add-in peppers and mushrooms, cook till mushrooms wilt. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add-in Veggie Ground Round.
4. Cook about 5 minutes on medium heat.
5. Add-in crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Add 1/4 tomato paste can of water.
6. Bring to boil and add sugar.
7. Reduce to low heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Pre-heat oven at 375°F.
9. Prepare a 13 x 9″ tray, ladle some of the tomato mixture in, covering bottom.
10. Layer 3 Lasagne noodles on-top.
11. Add layer of Mozzarella, followed by dollops of Ricotta, covering surface.
12. Add 3 more noodles. Ladle some tomato mixture on-top, then Mozzarella and Ricotta.
13. Repeat steps 10 to 12 again.
14. Add 3 final noodles on-top. Ladle tomato mixture on-top. Cover with Mozzarella.
15. Cover tray with foil and bake 35 minutes.
16. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes.
17. Cool 20 minutes and serve.
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(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COOKING: MEATLESS MISO KRAFT DINNER RECIPE
Meatless Miso Mac & Cheese. Take your Kraft Dinner and elevate it with this amplified take on a comforting favourite! The combination of cheese and miso you’d think would be too salty, but this is a perfect marriage. KD has a bad rap but it has a healthy serving of protein, aids in iron absorption and contains minerals that help with boosting metabolism, your immune system and brain function. 🧀
Ingredients:
1 box Kraft Dinner
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon Miso paste
1/2 package Yves Original Veggie Ground Round
6-8 large white mushrooms, sliced thin
8 grape tomatoes
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 cup Arugula
1 stalk green onion, chopped
1/4 cup old white cheddar, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
1. Prepare Kraft Dinner, cooking noodles. Strain in colander.
2. In skillet, sautée mushrooms, onions and tomatoes in oil. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.
3. Stir-in 1/2 tablespoon of Miso paste, continue to fry until vegetables wilt.
4. Add-in meatless Ground Round and stir-fry for about two to three minutes on medium heat.
5. Prepare cheese sauce in a medium-sized sauce pan that is oven-safe. Melt butter and 1/2 tablespoon Miso paste in sauce pan. Add packet of cheese powder and milk. Once sauce just is about to bubble, turn heat off. Fold-in macaroni and vegetable/ground round mixture. Mix evenly till sauce is dispersed.
6. Stir-in Arugula gently till dispersed. Grate old cheddar over the top.
7. Broil mixture 5 minutes in oven. Allow to cool and serve.
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(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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