Margaret’s new Vegan Cook Book

VeganJUST LOVING

MARGARET’S LATEST COOK BOOK CELEBRATING HER LOVE FOR VEGAN FOOD HAS JUST HIT THE SHELVES IN HIRSCH’S

NEW COOK BOOK

With the pandemic, consumers have become a lot more health conscious and have been researching ways to live healthier lives. According to Google trends, in 2020 interest in veganism reached an all-time high and is now twice as popular as it was five years ago – and is not showing any signs of slowing down.

Buying wholeheartedly into the vegan concept is Margaret Hirsch who has been a vegetarian for most of her life, and more recently became vegan. She is about to launch her well researched Vegan Cook Book.

“I’m delighted that I took the plunge. Consuming a plant-based diet has made a huge difference to my health. I feel so much fitter and seem to have more energy than some people half my age. However, it’s not an easy route. It takes a lot of discipline, courage and preparation. My book shows that you don’t have to eat boring food if you’re vegan. There are a lot of fantastic options you can eat that are really good for you. Meals are quick and easy to prepare, your grocery bill will be much lighter, and you will feel so much better too,” says Margaret.

Here are some of our favourite recipes from the book.

KALE AND BUCKWHEAT SALAD

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup (250ml) buckwheat (or sub wheat berries, bulgar wheat, quinoa, or other grain); 1 bunch kale (4-5 cups), finely chopped; 4 Tbsp (60ml) olive oil; 1 garlic clove, finely minced; 1 Tbsp (15ml) lemon zest; 1/2 tsp (2,5ml) salt; 1 bunch (1-2 cups) flat leaf parsley, very finely chopped (tender stems, OK); 1/4 cup (60ml) red onion, finely chopped; 1 cup (250ml) pomegranate seeds; 1/2 cup (125ml) toasted almonds,

chopped, slivered, or sliced; 1 Tbsp (15ml) lemon juice, and more to taste; 1/2 tsp (2,5ml) allspice, more to taste; 1/2 tsp (2,5ml) cinnamon (optional)

Garnishings: Avocado, peppadew and sliced red cabbage.

TO MAKE: Place buckwheat (or grain of your choice) in a pot of salted water. Bring to boil, lower heat, cover, simmer gently until tender, 30-40 minutes. Drain. Place kale in a large bowl. Add oil, salt, garlic and lemon zest. Massage the kale with clean hands until it becomes tenderised, 4-5 minutes. Add parsley, onion, pomegranate, almonds and buckwheat. Toss to combine, then add lemon juice, allspice and cinnamon. Mix and taste, adding more salt, allspice and lemon to your liking. If making ahead, make sure to re-taste before serving as the buckwheat will soak up much of the salt and lemon, so usually more will need to be added.

To serve: Add slices of avocado and top with peppadew and sliced red cabbage.

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

INGREDIENTS: Whole cabbage leaves; 1 cup (250ml) cous cous; 2 Tbsp (30ml) sunflower oil; 2 chopped onions; 500ml sweet potatoes; 500ml vegetable broth; 1 tsp STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS: 2 cups (500ml) strawberries, fresh or frozen; 1 banana; ¼ cup (60ml) dairy-free milk, unsweetened, you can add more milk if you like it thinner; 2 Tbsp (30ml) maple syrup, optional

TO MAKE: Get out your blender or food processor.

Add all ingredients and blend until smooth. (5ml) turmeric; 1 tsp (5ml) ground cumin; 1 tsp (5ml) ground coriander; chilli flakes, to taste; ¼ cup (60ml) sesame seeds; ¼ cup (60ml) sunflower seeds; small bunch parsley, chopped; salt and pepper

TO MAKE:

Cabbage: Slice the core of the cabbage and separate desired amount of cabbage leaves. Pre-boil for 3 minutes each and lay them flat on to a board.

Filling: Cook the cous cous as per package instructions. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, cook onions until translucent. In the meantime peel and roughly grate sweet potatoes. Add to onion, continue cooking for a further 2 minutes. Add vegetable broth, cover pan and cook gently. Add turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilli flakes to taste, sesame and sunflower seeds. Adjust taste with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley.

Cabbage rolls: Preheat oven to 180°C. Place cabbage leaves on a chopping board and remove lower part of the leaf, where the stem is very thick. Place a little filling more or less in the middle of leaf. Roll leaf up and tuck in the open end. Arrange cabbage rolls in a dish, in a tight, single layer. Pour broth over rolls to barely cover them. Bake for about 35 minutes or until rolls are nicely coloured and cabbage is cooked through.

BANANA COCONUT FRENCH TOAST

INGREDIENTS: Ripe banana; medium-size can fullfat coconut milk; cinnamon; vanilla essence; salt; bread of choice

Toppings: Maple syrup, coconut flakes, berries, vegan bacon, etc

TO MAKE: If you are using a full loaf of bread, cut into slices about ¾ of an inch thick. This should give you a properly browned outside while retaining a soft, custardy inside. We make our batter in a square Tupperware container because it easily accommodates the sliced bread. However, you can use whatever bowl or container you have. Start by mashing banana with a fork in a bowl. A ripe or slightly over-ripe banana will work best. Mash until it turns into a liquidy purée. Add in full-fat coconut milk. Mix banana and coconut milk together, add cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir thoroughly until well combined. If it’s a little chunky, that’s fine.

Warm up a non-stick skillet over medium heat. One at a time, dunk bread slices into batter, allowing them to soak on each side for about 10 seconds, and then load them into skillet. Only start the soaking process if you have room to immediately put it in the skillet, otherwise it will become oversaturated. As soon as one side becomes golden brown, flip, wait, remove, and repeat. Once the production line gets started, you can quickly start turning them out. Garnish with desired toppings. H