Vegan Chickpea Brownies

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So healthy, you could almost eat them for breakfast!

I did say almost, right 🙂

I love the idea of using up things that one would normally throw away

But when I heard about using the water from cooked chickpeas (or the water from the tin) I have to admit I was a bit skeptical

After all its a bit brown and slimy looking!

Aquafaba Recipes: 10 Tasty Things You Can Make With Chickpea

picture from huffington post – 10 Tasty Things You Can Make With Chickpea Water

However, I still had to try it – and what a pleasant surprise I got

It really does whip up like egg whites

And you can absolutely use it in place of egg whites – in meringues, pavlova, macarons, ice-cream, mayo, aioli and in cakes

Or brownies, as in this these…

mmm, gooey, chocolatey. delicious….

These brownies are decadently chocolatey and fudgey

As I believe all good brownies should be

However they do have a tendency to fall apart

So please handle with care

Next time I make these brownies, I’m going to try folding in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts at the same time as adding the aquafaba

I think that would be a lovely addition

Do let me know if you give these a go and what you think


Vegan Chickpea Brownies
 
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Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1 tin chickpeas, or 240 grams cooked chickpeas
  • ½ cup rapadura or soft brown sugar
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence
  • ½ cup raw cacao powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ⅔ cup aquafaba (water from cooked or tinned chickpeas) or 2 eggs if not vegan
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 170 °C. Line an 8 inch, 20 cm square baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
  2. Drain chickpeas, but reserve water and set aside.
  3. Combine chickpeas, sugar and olive oil in food processor bowl and blend until smooth.
  4. Add vanilla, cacao powder and baking powder, blend again until well combined.
  5. Pour the aquafaba into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip up until foamy. Soft peaks will form and it will become white, thick and glossy.
  6. Fold whipped aquafaba through brownie mix as gently as you can to prevent the bubbles from popping.
  7. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.
  8. Allow to cool before cutting.
Notes: A tin of chickpeas has approx 160 ml of aquafaba = 2/3 cup

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Spiced Mushroom, Tomato and Black Lentil Soup

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You may have noticed, if you have been following my blog for any length of time

Just how much I like lentils

the glorious variety of lentils we have available in Australia

And while I have included many recipes using the red, brown and Australian green (also known as puy) lentils

Until now, I have only included one recipe using these gorgeous black ones

black beluga lentils

Which is this scrumptious salad…

Black Beluga Lentils with Rocket, Pumpkin, Beetroot, Avocado & Feta

black beluga lentil salad

Yet I cook with black lentils all the time

This soup was inspired by a recipe from an old copy of Gourmet Traveller

Originally containing chicken and chicken stock, I have adapted it to be vegan

Not that I don’t eat chicken, I just don’t eat it very often

Plus I have been getting many requests for vegan recipes lately

And I’m also not so good at sticking exactly to recipes

Not even my own!

Gourmet Traveller’s Spiced Chicken and Lentil Soup – doesn’t it look deeelicious!

So I give you my version of this delicious looking soup

Which actually is VERY delicious

And since I have nothing to compare it to, I am going to suggest it tastes just as good

Actually, possibly even better than the original!

My spiced mushroom, tomato and black lentil soup…delicious!

I hope you enjoy it too

Do let me know

Spiced Mushroom, Tomato and Black Lentil Soup
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
  • 400 grams Swiss brown or Portabello mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely sliced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon ras el hanout
  • 400 gm tin crushed or cherry tomatoes
  • ⅔ cup black lentils, rinsed
  • 2 small stalks celery (approx 1¼ cups), diced
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
  • ¼ cup each finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and coriander
  • Greek yoghurt or vegan sour cream, to serve
Instructions
  1. Place a large pot on medium-high heat.
  2. When hot add oil and onion and cook until soft, 5-8 minutes
  3. Add mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes
  4. Add garlic, ginger and ras el hanout and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes
  5. Then add tomato, lentils, celery, zuchini and stock
  6. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer
  7. Cook for 20-30 minutes, until lentils are tender
  8. Add herbs, taste and season as necessary
  9. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt or sour cream and seedy crackers

NOTES

Ras el hanout, is a Moroccan spice blend. I really like the Spice and Co version which is available from Harris Farm, some delicatessens and green grocers. You will also find ras el hanout in Middle Eastern stores and some supermarkets

Black beluga lentils are available from Alfalfa House, Honest To Goodness, The Source bulk food and health food stores

If unavailable, substitute Australian/French green (puy) lentils

The original recipe used 1/2 celeriac which I couldn’t get so I replaced it with celery and zucchini, so feel free to change back to celeriac if you like

Adapted from this Gourmet Traveller August 2012 recipe

Recipe for seedy crackers

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Tuscan Bean Soup with Pesto and Croutons

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I’ve been surprised lately by the number of people I have seen in clinic who don’t know how to make soup

So I thought I’d share one of my most basic but very tasty soups I make

It’s one of those soups where you can add pretty much any veggies you have to hand

And add any tin of beans, lentils, chickpeas or even 4 or 5-bean mix you fancy, to boost the protein and carb content

And make this soup more filling; more like a meal

This time I used cannellini beans as I love how creamy and soft they are

BTW, all that fibre in those beans (or other legumes) and vegetables feed your gut microbes, keeping your insides healthy and happy

Which also supports your immune system

Plus this soup can be made in bulk and frozen

I love having pots of soup in my freezer for those nights when you get home and can’t be bothered cooking

You do have those nights, right?

I sure do!

homemade pesto – pesto recipe is at the bottom of the pesto pasta recipe on the page in this link. I love to make batches of pesto in summer when basil is at its best and freeze it.

Simple additions of pesto and croutons takes this soup to whole new level

It turns a fairly standard soup into one that’s super delicious

So dust off your soup pot and start chopping


Tuscan Bean Soup with pesto and croutons
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 2 sticks of celery, diced
  • 1 cup, approx 150g, diced pumpkin
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1 x 400 gram can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 litre (4 cups) of chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 x 400 gram can cannellini beans or other legumes of choice, drained and rinsed
  • 50 grams green beans, sliced into 2 cm lengths
  • 100 grams baby spinach leaves
  • Pepper to taste
  • ½ cup pesto, to serve, optional
  • Approx 4 slices of wholegrain or sourdough toast, cut into small cubes or 'croutons' to serve
Instructions
  1. Add onion and oil to a large pot.
  2. Saute for about 4-5 minutes adding water as needed to stop it from burning or sticking.
  3. When soft add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Then add carrots, celery, pumpkin, zucchini, tomatoes and stock.
  5. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes, until veggies are soft.
  6. (Sometimes, if short on time, I don’t saute the onion and garlic first and just throw everything into the pot and start cooking. Sauteing first does develop the flavour though.)
  7. Add tinned beans and green beans and simmer a further 5 minutes.
  8. Remove from heat, stir through baby spinach leaves and add pepper to taste.
  9. (If you prefer your soup thinner, add a little extra water or stock).
  10. Serve topped with a big dollop of pesto and scattered with croutons.
  11. Enjoy
Notes: Variations

I often replace onion with leek, celery with fennel and if I don’t have pumpkin, I just use all carrots or vice versa

You can also replace the green beans and spinach with 2 cups of shredded cabbage

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