- Throw the thistle seeds into a coffee grinder. 2 tablespoons are ideal for 600-700ml water.
- Pull it until it becomes powder.
- Transfer to a coffee filter. Brew it.
- You will get a light yellow tea.
- Transfer all the ingredients at room materials to a high speed blender. Process until smooth.
- Let it cool in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. You can consume it either by scooping it on bread or crackers. Also a great filling for desserts. It can be used as a filling in croissants and can be used instead of dates in making raw brownie.
- Chop the garlic and fennel into small pieces. Cook with olive oil at low heat until soft. Continue to cook until soften at a lower temperature for 2 minutes by adding vegetables and tomatoes.
- When the tomatoes with plums soften and integrated with fennel and garlic, add the tomato paste. Then add the boiled water of the pasta around 1/4 cup. Cover the pot and cook over low to medium heat until the sauce thickens well.
- Add salt and chipotle and mix your sauce. If it is too dark, add more water and cook.
- Add your cooked pasta to the sauce and toss well. Pour over 2-3 spoons of pasta water, quickly turn 3-4 times over high heat and immediately turn off the heat.
- Divide betweeen plates. It can be decorated with thin fennel leaves and on top of vegan parmesan. Bon Appetit.
- Cut a 1/2 to 3/4 inch cap off the top of the peppers. scoop out and discard seeds and any excess white pulp. Rinse well and set aside to drain. Keep the cap to use later.
- In a large skillet, sauté the onion, damson plums and garlic in olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Add bulgur and stir to coat with oil. Stir in tomatoes with juice, 1 cup of water, tomato paste, salt, sumac and pepper, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in parsley to distribute well and remove from heat. Let rest for 6-7 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 190°C. Using a teaspoon, stuff the peppers loosely to within 1/4 inch of the top.
- Place peppers upright in a baking dish, to fit snugly so they won’t tip. Place caps on top, add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the dish and cook in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the peppers have softened enough.
- Cool before serving. Enjoy at room temperature. Serve with vegan parmesan if desired.
- Chop the onion, carrot and fennel finely. If you do not use oil in a wide pan, sauté until softened with vegetable stock or olive oil.
- Add the pea and vegetable stock and cook for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to the blender. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to it. Mix until you get a smooth consistency. Add more water if necessary.
- Transfer the soup to the pot, cook over low heat and serve.
- Serve with pan-fried artichoke hearts and crispy peas. Bon Appetit
- Cut the onion and garlic finely and transfer to a large pan. Saute with olive oil if you use olive oil, saute the onions with vegetable juice if you want to make it without oil.
- Add the rice that you have washed and drained and fry with onions for a minute.
- Then add tomato paste, diced tomato and water and cook.
- When the rice has absorbed the water, add the mallow leaves and fry for a minute on low heat. Be sure to add the vegetables at the last stage and roast them gently to prevent them from dying. They will soften with steam and heat.
- Remove from the heat, serve on the plates, serve with avocado yogurt if you prefer.
Silybum marianum – Milk Thistle is a flowering plant similar to the sunflower family. Although it is unique to the Mediterranean countries, it can be said that it is possible to see in Scotland and Southern European countries.
It is also common for regions near the coast of Southeast England, such as North America, Iran, Australia, and New Zealand to be considered an invasive weed.
What is thistle used for?
Thistle is used as a natural treatment for liver problems. Among the problems in this regard are cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis and gall bladder.
Also, the silymarin substance found in thistle seeds has been for about years with toxins and fungal poisonings, snake bites, insect bites.
this medicinal plant has the feature of slowing aging and protecting against cancer. Seeds of milk thistle can be roasted or used to make tea, the leaves can be consumed raw or cooked.
Although it is not easy to find the fresh leaves today, we can quickly get its seeds.
How to consume milk thistle tea?
Thistle tea energizes, accelerates metabolism and strengthens memory. Brewing and drinking this tea is so easy just like brewing a coffee.
It can be consumed 2-3 times per day.
Where to buy?
You can get it from a spice stores you trust or quickly order online from Amazon.
How does the thistle taste?
It is not easy to eat without processing, as the thistle seeds are hard and tasteless.
First, grind it just like grinding flaxseeds, then brew as a tea or mix into smoothie, shake, add a spoonful of sauces, salads and soups.
The taste of tea is not very tasty, like many herbs. We compared the taste to wormwood tea very much. Although it does not leave a burning taste like wormwood, it is very reminiscent of both smell and aroma.
What is Carob Fruit ?
Carob tree – “Ceratonia siliqua” is a fruit of dark brown, pea-like use with pulp and seeds. Carob carob is a sweet and healthy alternative to chocolate.
Carob can be found in many different forms such as powder, fruit, a syrup or molasses, cold-pressed extract or a supplement. Unlike Europe, there are many forms of carob produced in Turkey.
The healthiest is the cold-pressed carob extract at low temperature.
Unlike carob molasses, its extract doesn’t boil. It is produced at low temperature by blowing excess water under the vacuum.
In summary, we can say that the last stage is very important here.
A carob dried in a dehydrator will be raw when grinded, but it is impossible to talk about it if it is roasted.
Can we say that dates that dry at the top of date trees in Dubai at high temperatures exceeding 60 degrees are not raw?
How to use your carob?
You can add carob powder as a cacao alternative to your favorite desserts, choose carob extract as an alternative to liquid sugar.
It is a great alternative to use cold press carob extract instead of Agave which contains high fructose.
When we look at those who are interested in working on raw cakes in the world, we have seen that they started to use alternatives such as stevia, xylitol, eryritol and maple because of the high fructose content of agave.
Xylitol, stevia or erythritol does not provide full performance in raw desserts. Maple syrup is a healthier alternative to agave.
Maple is not considered raw but, it is accepted by raw food chefs.
If we go back to carob, we can say that it is a real source of healing in Turkey. Cold pressed carob extract is a great substitue of chocolate or date syrup in raw vegan desserts.
Although carob powder is common in the world, the extract cannot be found easily. In the near future we presume that the carob extract will become widespread and replace other liquid sweeteners .
Which carob?
In Turkey, GEKOO brand is the superior in quality. In addition carob products, the brand has also organic baby products, legumes, tahini, tomato paste, etc.
You can use Gekoo safely and buy for your children. They are available in Turkey for now. We hope they will be available around the Europe and Scandinavian countries soon.
Reasons that make Carob a great alternative to chocolate:
contains high fiber
great source of antioxidants
contains low levels of fat and sugar
free from caffeine
does not contain gluten
contains 2x more calcium than cacao
It has been confirmed by research that carob contains 3x calcium amount compared animal milk.
Does not contain a migrating trigger compound.
Carob contains vitamins B-2, B-3, B-6, as well as calcium, magnesium, copper, potassium, selenium, zinc.
Gurmevegan’s alternative healthy nutella recipe with carob:
Ingredients:
1 cup of organic cold press Gekoo carob extract – (not molasses, make sure you are using extract)
1/3 cup hazelnut butter or Gekoo organic tahini (both can be used, tahini is our favorite but both of them have great results when combined with carob.)
2 tablespoons of Gekoo organic carob powder (alternative raw cacao can also be used.)
Instructions:
If you can’t find carob extract in your city, you may want to have a look at Amazon. Check options HERE.
We hope you enjoyed this article. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
This herb known as Istifno in Turkey and Stifno in Greece; It belongs to Solanums, an important taxon of the Solanaceae family of potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants. Some parts of this herb ( unripe fruits), whose English name is “black nightshade” in Latin, “Solanum nigrum”, may be poisonous.
Benefits: Black nightshade has been used for stomach irritation, cramps, spasms, pain, and nervousness. Some people apply black nightshade directly to the skin for a skin condition called psoriasis, hemorrhoids, and deep skin infections.
How does it taste? Leaves of the Stifno, which have a slightly bitter mustard flavor, becomes very delicious when combined with lemon, garlic, zucchini and tomatoes. Stifno, which is consumed very frequently especially on the island of Crete in Greece, is boiled with the crete zucchini ( a.k.a summer round squash) and eaten by pouring tomato sauce on it. The leaves and tender shoots are boiled in the same way as spinach.
The ripe black berries of the plant are described as sweet and salty, with hints of liquorice and melon.
I like eating stifno leaves by making crete style salad or sometimes fritters.
Simply remove and wash the leaves of 1 armful of stifno, mix 2 grated zucchini, a large grated onion, salt, peppermint, paprika and 3 tablespoons of ground flax seed in water. You can add very little flour if you need it. But don’t overdose, otherwise it shadows the taste of weed.
In the pan, fry in olive oil and serve with tomatoes. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
100 g white beet cutted into small cubes
200 g risotto rice
2 small shallot chopped finely
2 garlic cloves grated
1 cup sunflower cream cheese with dill
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup water + more if you need
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup vegan parmesan ( optional but recommended)
Decoration:
Tagetes
White beet, red beet, damson plum, strawberry rounds
White wine vinegar
A pinch of salt
Instruction:
1. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil then add chopped garlic, onions, white beet cubes. Cook until soften.
2. Then add washed and drained risotto rice. Mix together for 20-30 seconds on medium-high heat. Then add water and white wine. Cook until soften. Add more water if you need.
3. Once cooked, remove from the heat. Add sunflower cream cheese and parmesan. Mix well.
4. Serve to the plates immediately. Decorate with tagetes, beet, plum and strawberry rounds marinated in white wine vinegar with a pinch of salt overnight. Enjoy!
This pasta sauce which I developed by adding damson plums and fennel, has become a classic now. .It has such a delicious slightly sour and sweet pleasant taste that although it is in the summer, it does not feel weight after eating pasta.
Ingredients:
220 gr. tagliatelle ( you can also use gluten-free pasta . It does not go well with legumes pasta. I recommend you to try a very good quality italian pasta like Rummo or a gluten-free variety.)
1 large damson plum (two plums if the plums are small, 80g of plums I use)
1 large san marzano tomato (approximately 250 gr.)
1 spoon of tomato paste
A branch of fennel with its root
1 mini carrot (optional)
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon chipotle
Vegan parmesan, fennel leaves and edible flowers (optional) to serve
Instructions:
If you make it , do not forget to tag us @gurmevegan on instagram. We are excited to see your results!
Ingredients
6 large bell peppers (any color or 10-12 medium-small peppers)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
1 cup bulgur +1 cup water
4-5 medium tomatoes1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tsp sumac
1 large damson plum chopped
1/2 cup parsley (flat leaf, fresh, and finely chopped)
Vegan parmesan to serve
Cornflower petals to decorate
Instructions:
Ingredients:
1/2 fennel
1 large carrot
1 large onion
3 pieces of artichoke hearts (+ 2 pieces halved, pan fried for the decoration)
200 gr. pea
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon of olive oil (optional, if you prefer not to use oil, you can sauté the onions in vegetable stock.)
2 glasses of water or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper (optional)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instruction:
Decorative and edible succulent-looking plant with a crispy texture and freshness. The fresh taste of Gangnam Tops combines with a slightly bitter taste reminiscent of purslane.
Gangnam Tops makes a delicious addition to salads or sandwiches, but it combines well with multiple ingredients that resemble seafood like seaweed, celery, and artichoke. It also goes well with zucchini, fennel, beans, legumes and potatoes.
You can find the plant in some producers selling edible flowers or you can grow it from the seed and grow it yourself.
After I bought a few plants, I noticed that the leaves were closed, I put them in cold water for a few hours and realized that the leaves were opened. I changed the water every day and continued to soak for about a week.
They started to give very thin white roots. I planted it in the ground and watered it little by little every day. They kept it right now and they have a very healthy look.
When I want to add it to my meals, I use it in small amounts.
Thanks to their light flavor, they also go well with desserts with red fruits.
The light green color and the short length of the Gangnam hills make them extremely decorative. They provide a very nice appearance especially in Scandinavian cuisine.
I discovered this plant while working on pasta with vegan skagenröra (a type of Swedish sauce made with seafood, cream, lemon and dill) in my New Nordic Meets Old Italian book and it was hard to give up.
Gangnam tops, which can turn into a delicious combination with almost everything, are an indispensable material for me to create the most elegant plates in appearance.
Malva – Common Mallow is a delicious plant to eat, its texture can be described as soft to viscous. Mallow has beautiful pinkish-purplish flowers that can be seen along roadside edges, bushes and field edges.
Leaves and stems can be eaten fresh in salads. Also, the seeds are edible. The leaves can be used as an elegant garnish or sautéed with oil, salt and vinegar.
Malva can be cooked in the same way as we cook spinach, especially a combination of bulgur and tomato paste is classic but delicious.
Large leaves can be used in stuffing. So you can make delicious dolmades.
As with many wild food plants, the common mallow has a long history of medical use. Due to its high mucilage content, it is an excellent sedative and soothing, especially for cases of inflammation for the urine, digestive or respiratory systems.
Practical Mallow Recipe
Ingredients:
150 gr. common mallow
1 large onion
1 cup of rice
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil or 1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup shredded tomatoes
1 glass of water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
How to make avocado yogurt?
Just like making guacamole sauce, put avocado, chopped onion, garlic, jalapeno, lemon juice and salt in the blender. In addition, add water to a slightly watery consistency. It should not be too juicy, it should be in the consistency of yogurt. Taste it, add more lemon juice if you need it. Here is garlic and lemon, which will give a creamy flavor to the avocado cream. By balancing the two, you can get a pleasant sour taste.
