Ingredients

Filling:

1 onion diced
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp thyme
1 rapunzel veggie stock cube
1 cup dried split red lentils soaked and sprouted (or 2 cups cooked)
1 cup dried French green lentils soaked and sprouted (or 2 cups cooked)
2-3 carrots grated
2 zucchinis grated
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup tamari
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Topping:

4-5 large sweet mashed potato or kumara
1/3 cup savoury yeast (optional)

Glass baking dish 33 x 23 x 6cm.

*Optional sprouting of lentils:

Soaking your lentils has a few benefits:

• cook quicker
• digest easier
• makes nutrients readily absorbable.

Soaking lentils removes phytic acid which can block nutrient absorption. In addition, you can sprout your lentils until they grow little tails, this makes them more nutritious with sprouted lentils having a higher content of Vitamin C and B compared to their dried counterparts.

Soaking and sprouting takea a little more organisation so if you want to make the pie as a last-minute dish you can use canned lentils instead or make the whole dish from red split lentils which cook quickly when boiled.

Directions for sprouting

If using dried lentils soak them overnight in filtered water (make sure you fill with 3-4cm extra water on top as the lentil mixture will soak it up).

Option: to sprout the lentils, rinse and drain and cover with glad wrap. When the lentils have sprouted you will see little tails on the ends of them. In colder weather, this can take a little longer. If you're sprouting over a couple of days make sure you rinse and drain your lentils daily.

Instructions

Get started with your kumara topping chop and get boiling. Now start on the other ingredients…

• Dice your onion and grate your carrot and zucchini.

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan/stockpot and add onions, rosemary and thyme. Sautee.
• Add veggie stock cube and mix through

Add all remaining ingredients (excluding sunflower seeds):

• grated veg
• sprouted lentil mixture
• tamari
• tomato paste

If you have sprouted your lentils this is where you will need to allow some time for cooking. Stir the ingredients. Turn heat down to low and put the lid on for everything to simmer. Some liquid will come to the surface which needs to be cooked off and absorbed by the lentils. Give it a stir now and then put the lid on- this takes about 20 minutes but make sure you test your lentils to ensure they are cooked.

• Add sunflower seeds. This helps to absorb any leftover liquid but you shouldn't be left with any really.

• Stir and pour out into serving dish
• Mash potato topping mix (add savoury yeast if you are using it) spread evenly on top.
• All done!

Ready to serve as is, or you can heat in an oven 150 degrees to rewarm. The servings often hold together better if allowed to sit for a while as the sunflower seeds absorb any liquid.

Alternatives:

• Instead of using dried lentils use canned lentils and drain them
• Dried red split lentils cook quickly too. You can make this with all red lentils or change the ratios.
• Add more zucchini and carrot
• Use a mix of potatoes and sweet potato
• Add savoury yeast to give this a cheesy flavour without the dairy

The post Healthy Vegan Shepherdless Pie Recipe appeared first on MetaMed.

This is my quick dessert to whip up when we have last-minute guests. Gluten-free, dairy-free, raw and vegan. It's one of those raw desserts that doesn't require a blender if you don't have one (see alternatives later). Once you get the hang of it, it takes about 10 minutes to make, 30 minutes for setting time and even quicker to eat. Over the years I've cut back on the sweetener to only 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. The rest of the sweetness comes from the dates. The great thing is you don't feel the sugar slump after eating and the sesame in tahini is a rich source of calcium and magnesium (great for nerve function), methionine which helps liver detoxification, and high in B1, B2, B3, and B5.

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 1/2 cups mixed nuts and seeds (almonds, pepitas, sunflower, flaxseeds) blended to a meal
8-10 Medjool dates
1/3 cup of melted coconut oil

Caramel filling:

2 cups unhulled tahini
1/3 cup coconut oil
2-3 Tablespoons maple syrup (or more to taste but remember the dates are sweet)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Big pinch Celtic sea salt

Chocolate topping:

3 tsp cacao powder
1/3 cup coconut oil

You'll also need a 28 x 18 cm slice tin and some GLAD cling wrap.

Instructions

Crust:

2 1/2 cups mixed nuts and seeds (almonds, pepitas, sunflower, flaxseeds) blended to a meal
8-10 Medjool dates
1/3 cup of melted coconut oil

• Blend chopped dates and coconut oil to make a thick paste.
• Add to mixed nut and seed meal and squash together with your hands until it comes together and holds.
• Line a 28 x 18 cm slice tray with GLAD cling wrap (this helps you lift out the slice when it’s ready) and press the mixture down evenly.

Tip: you can add more coconut oil if the mixture is too dry.

Caramel filling:
2 cups unhulled tahini
1/3 cup coconut oil
2-3 Tablespoons maple syrup (or more to taste but remember the dates are sweet)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Big pinch Celtic sea salt

• Stir all the ingredients briefly till blended.
• Pour the mixture over your crust.
• Sprinkle a pinch or crack some Celtic sea salt over the top.
• Freeze.

After it’s firmed (about 20 minutes) you can add your topping. It's best to not have the filling too cold otherwise your coconut oil will set before you have time to spread it.

Chocolate topping:
3 tsp cacao powder
1/3 cup coconut oil

• Sift the cacao powder and mix with melted coconut oil. Allow to cool a little before pouring on top of the filling. Quickly tip the dish to fill in the gaps.
• Freeze until firm (about 20 minutes).

Cut into squares using a hot knife (run under hot water) to get a clean cut.
Store in the freezer (if there's any left!). A bonus with this raw dessert is it doesn't need to be thawed before you eat it!

Alternatives:

• If you don't have a good blender you can buy an almond meal for your base.
• Medjool dates are nice and soft so you can dice them up and squash through the nut meal mixtures
• The recipe is fairly flexible so if you find you don't have enough filling or topping to fill your gaps just top up your ingredients. Coconut oil is just there to help everything set and hold its shape.

The post Vegan Caramel Slice Recipe appeared first on MetaMed.