Vegetarian Cooking Classes
Once again the Schofields church offered the public another series of vegetarian cooking classes during the month of October. These classes took place during three consecutive Monday evenings, the 12th, 19th and 26th of October at 7:30pm at the Schofields Function Hall.
Throughout this program, Br. Alfredo Carlos Sas, Br. Domenic Polistina and Sr. Susan Lausevic took the health lecture segment for these evenings.
On the first night, Br. A C Sas spoke on the digestive system. Digestion starts in the mouth. How important it is to chew our food so it mixes with saliva before swallowing. A phrase he wanted the audience to remember is “Drink your food and chew your drink.” Br Sas also talked about herbs and plants, the important part they play in curing one’s self when sick; he also shared some things about the book “Plants and Health” of which he is the author.
Brother Domenic Polistina took the second lecture on improving intelligence, memory and mood, based on nutrition.
When we learn, we actually change the wiring of our brain, either in a positive or in a negative way, depending on what we are focusing on and learning about. Both brain and neurotransmitters are derived from nutrients and are affected by what we eat or drink. The saying: “you are what you eat” is very true.
You can learn more about this lecture by watching it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XWYldwimds&feature=share
Sr. Susan Lausevic spoke on the “Benefits of Raw Foods”.
Raw foods contain phytonutrients, essential oils and other health-generating elements that are lost when foods are exposed to heat.
A raw food diet will flush the system of toxins, support the immune system better and lower blood pressure.
A good goal is to eat 20% of your food cooked, and the rest should be raw.
Some of the benefits or eating a RAW food diet is: raw foods look more appealing, they have more colour, texture shape etc., it improves an athlete’s performance, helps with weight loss, gives us more energy, benefits the whole person, spring cleans the whole body and aids in curing many diseases.
Organically grown raw foods are the best for our intake.
We would like to thank each of the heath lecture presenters for their time and efforts.
Keeping consistent with the spring and summer seasons, we thought a fresh and light menu was in order.
The following recipes were demonstrated:
1st night: Refreshing green drink, quinoa, millet and tofu patties, spinach and beetroot salad, avocado, kiwi fruit and lime slice.
2nd night: Brussels sprouts salad, potato and baby spinach rolls, Russian salad, no bake peanut butter banana pie.
3rd night: RAW vegetable curry with cauliflower rice, Vegan cashew cheese sauce, soy mayonnaise/sour cream, eight-layer dip, zucchini wrapped vegan quiches, coconut and mango chia pudding.
Here are a few favourite recipes to whet your appetite.
Avocado, Kiwi Fruit and Lime Slice
INGREDIENTS
Base:
2 cups almonds
2 cups desiccated coconut
2 cups dates
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup maple syrup
2 lemons, juice and zest
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
Filling:
1 large avocado (or two small ones)
1 cup cashews
½ Tablespoon vanilla paste
4 limes, juice and zest (reserve some zest for sprinkling)
½ cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
Topping:
7 kiwi fruits, thinly sliced
Mix reserved lime zest with ¼ cup desiccated coconut
METHOD
- Process first four base ingredients together, in a food processor.
- In a small bowl, mix all wet ingredients together, then add to the processed ingredients.
- Spread crumb-like mixture evenly on a paper-lined tray, then press to form the base.
Place all filling ingredients in a blender, and blend till smooth. Pour filling over prepared base; then arrange sliced kiwi fruit on top, and sprinkle with lime and desiccated coconut.
No Bake Peanut Butter Banana Pie
INGREDIENTS
Base
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup almonds, (or any nuts e.g. walnuts, macadamias, cashews, or mixed)
½ cup desiccated coconut
Pie
1 ¼ cups peanut butter
3 medium-ripe bananas
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt (more if peanut butter is unsalted)
3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
METHOD
Base
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor or heavy duty blender till well mixed and comes together as a course dough. You may need to add a little water or a few more dates if the mix is too dry.
- Line a pie tin with cling wrap, then press the crust dough into the tin. Set aside in the fridge.
Pie
- Blend all ingredients together in a heavy duty blender till well combined.
- Pour into the prepared pie crust, and chill in the fridge till ready to eat.
Raw Vegetable Curry with Cauliflower Rice
INGREDIENTS
Rice
1 cauliflower, medium size
Salt to taste
Vegetables
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1 cup carrots, grated
1 cup fresh corn kernels cut from cob
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 cup frozen baby peas
½ red capsicum, finely chopped
Curry cream
1 tin coconut cream (400g)
1 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Massel chicken-style stock powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
METHOD
- In food processor, chop the cauliflower until it resembles rice. Set aside.
- Rinse frozen peas with hot water and drain. Place all vegetable ingredients in a bowl and mix.
- Put all curry cream ingredients in blender; process until smooth, then add it to vegetables. Mix it together.
- Serve on cauliflower rice.
Vegan Cashew Cheese Sauce
Cashews will give you healthy fat without empty calories. This recipe can be added to noodles, over rice, lasagne or as a sauce over taco salad.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup raw cashew pieces
1 cup water
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
Juice of 1 lemon
1 baked and peeled red capsicum or 3 tablespoons Ajvar (red capsicum spread)
METHOD
- Blend the cashews, then add 1 cup of water, along with the nutritional yeast, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, baked capsicum and salt.
- Blend until the sauce is extremely creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes, depending on your blender.
Quinoa, Millet and Tofu Patties
INGREDIENTS
½ cup millet
½ cup quinoa
1 cup cauliflower, chopped
3 cups Massel chicken-flavoured liquid stock (vegetarian)
¼ cup mushroom seasoning
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup firm tofu, mashed with a fork
2 Tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1½ cups rice flour
No Egg equivalent to 3 eggs, beaten
Approx. 2 cups cornflake crumbs for rolling mixture
Rice bran or sunflower oil for frying
METHOD
- Wash and drain millet and quinoa; place in medium-sized saucepan. Add chopped cauliflower, mushroom seasoning and liquid stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the liquid is absorbed and cauliflower is soft (approx. 40 minutes). Let it cool. This can be made a few hours earlier or even the night before and refrigerated.
- Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil and add to the millet mixture. Add tofu, parsley, rice flour and No Egg mixture. Season to taste.
- Shape mixture carefully and roll in the cornflake crumbs.
- Shallow fry in oil until golden all over, or bake in 200°C fan forced oven for 40 minutes.
Makes about 20
Coconut and Mango Chia Pudding
INGREDIENTS
1 tin coconut cream (400gms)
1 cup soy milk
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chia seeds
1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
2 large ripe mangoes, finely chopped, for serving
METHOD
- Mix first four ingredients together well; add chia seeds last. Stir for a couple of minutes then a couple of times while it sets (approx. ½ hour).
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Serve with fresh or frozen mangoes.
A huge “thank you” to all who have volunteered throughout this series of cooking classes. We appreciate all the help you have given us and could not have done this work without you.
May God bless the health work being done everywhere.
~ Lidia Voncina
