220. Gelatin contains animal marrow, so if you want to make something that calls for it, use Agar instead. (It’s made from algae.)
221. Chantilly cream: Whipped cream with added vanilla.
222. If your sponge cake has dried around the edges, revive it by brushing the edges lightly with a syrup of sugar and water.
223. For a quick, delicious vegeburger, slice the top off a portabella mushroom and remove the stem. Brush with marinade of your choice, including minced garlic (if you like garlic). Grill on the barbecue and use as a vegeburger with tomato and mustard or steak sauce.
224. Make sure you invest in a great spice rack and a wonderful collection of fresh spices, if you are planning to go vegetarian. Adding spices and herbs is essential: It can bring the taste of vegetarian dishes from mundane to heavenly.
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365 Cooking Tips & Tricks Every Cook Needs To Know
225. Try using a pressure cooker, if you make a lot of vegetable ratatouilles or stews. It will preserve all the vitamins – and concentrate the flavor.
226. Vegetarian diets are usually rich in fiber, but make sure you are getting adequate daily protein. (46-60g per day for the average woman). Good sources of protein are avocado (10 g. per whole fruit); lentils (18 g. per cup); other legumes (from 13-15 g. per cup, depending on variety); tofu (22 g. per cup); soy or almond milk (7-9 g.
per cup); quinoa (9 g. per cup).
227. If you don’t naturally eat enough protein in your preferred vegetarian or vegan daily food choices, do be sure to supplement this by adding protein drinks.
228. Add protein powder to hot cereal or baking for extra protein.
229. Turn left-over rice into fried rice by sautéing in oil with minced ginger and garlic. Add green onion or pineapple. Finish with a good dash of soya or tamari sauce. Add roasted pepper chunks for color and flavor, as well as your favorite spices. (Get creative!)
230. Quickly turn your leftover rice into a bean burrito by heating it with a can of refried beans and lacing it with hot sauce. (Add grated, fresh cheese, if you are not vegan.)
231. Use leftover rice in quiche by making a rice crust. (Simply blend rice, grated fresh cheese and 1 egg together and press mixture into your pie plate; about 1/4“ thickness.) Fill and bake as you would with any other type of quiche.
232. You can make condensed milk from almond milk, if you are vegan. (There are several recipes online.) Or simply substitute canned coconut milk.
233. Make “whipped cream” by refrigerating a can of coconut milk for a couple of days. When you open the can, it will have separated into a thick layer and a thin. Remove the thick layer and whip it. (Add a hint of maple syrup for extra oomph.)
234. Making sure your meals are balanced, with adequate amounts of protein and fiber, doesn’t have to result in
“boring” taste. Include chewy ingredients to give the meal staying power emotionally. Combine flavors and textures. Add spices and herbs. Include color for eye appeal.
235. If you make your own tomato passata or sauces, slow roast your tomatoes first for extra-intense, rich flavor.
236. Whip up a quick, tasty curry with cubes of butternut squash, a tablespoon or two of Madras curry paste, a can of coconut milk and fresh coriander. (Add chunks of red pepper for contrast and taste.) Sizzle your curry paste for about a minute in a wok, stir in your squash cubes and red pepper, mixing well. Add your coconut milk and half a cup of water and simmer for 20-30 minutes (until liquid has reduced and your curry has thickened). Garnish with fresh coriander and spices to taste.
237. Visit Peta.org to view the “ultimate Vegan cheat sheet” on how to replace eggs in your baking – and what with.
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365 Cooking Tips & Tricks Every Cook Needs To Know
238. Bake slower and lower, when you’re not using eggs. (In other words, reduce the temperature and increase the time.)
239. When following vegan or vegetarian recipes, follow them exactly – don’t omit or substitute ingredients.
Doing so can greatly damage the final outcome, since various ingredients are there to replace non-vegan or non-vegetarian components, and have a direct action on the cake.
240. Don’t try to combine “low fat” with vegetarian baking. You’ll end up with a dry, disappointing cake.
241. Avoid the infamous vegetarian “lead bread” syndrome by using equal parts of unbleached white flour with whole grain flour (whole grain alone is too dense).
242. Use plain or original flavor when substituting nut or grain milks for regular milk in sauces, entrées or soups. (You can experiment with the flavored nut or grain milks in baking.)
243. If your vegan or vegetarian cake mixture is too runny, add a little extra flour with a pinch of baking soda.