love ♥ living ♥ vegan
Following a plant-based or vegan lifestyle, is about food, drink, clothes, shoes, body treatments, hair products and more.
It's a conscious decision to think, walk and possibly, talk a better lifestyle.
I support individuals who are thinking about making the shift, as well as, those who have already begun their plant-based journey.
This Shaak (curried beans) is simple, filling and quick to make. It involves minimal preparation and tastes delicious.
I've never really mixed curried beans with hummus before but it actually turned out to be really tasty! The grated carrots, cucumber and cherry tomatoes complimented it really well.
Chaas is often described as a yogurt drink. It's usually made of 4 ingredients - yogurt, water, salt and cumin. It is popular in the Indian states Gujarat and Rajasthan, where it is drunk with the main meal.
Before I shifted to a vegan diet in 2008, I used to drink Chaas quite often. Mum made her own yogurt at home and we'd make Chaas from it. However, after becoming aware of how the dairy industry works, there was no compromise. I had to shift to a vegan diet and therefore Chaas was out!
Find out how I excited I was to find a vegan alternative!
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This dish takes less than 30 minutes to make. It's healthy, filling and can be eaten hot or cold.
This recipe serves 2.
• 1/2 teaspoon of oil – I use sunflower oil or olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 2 cloves
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• a handful of raw red skin peanut kernels – about 30g
• 1 fresh chilli – finely chopped
• 2 carrots - chopped into small cubes
• a handful of chopped fresh coriander
• 1 bowl of peas – about 150g
• 3/4 of a cup of rice - brown or white
• salt to taste
• 1/8 of a teaspoon of turmeric
• 2 and 1/4 teacups of water
1. Soak the rice in hot water
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and when it’s hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon
3. Put the lid on the pan and leave it on a low heat
4. When the seeds begins to pop add the peanuts and chilli
5. After 30 seconds, add the carrots and put the lid on the pan
6. Wash and drain the rice
7. After 2 minutes add the washed rice, 2 and 1/4 teacups of water, salt and turmeric
8. Turn the heat up to medium high, put the lid on the pan and leave it to cook for 5 minutes
9. Add the peas, stir, turn the heat down to a low setting and leave the contents to cook with the lid on the pan
10. Cook on a low heat for 15 minutes
11. Keeping the lid on the pan, tilt the pan towards you to see if there’s any excess water in it
12. If the rice is fluffy and there’s no water left in the pan, turn the heat it off
13. If not, continue cooking for another 5 minutes
14. Add some coriander and serve in a bowl or a small plate
Enjoy with some plain vegan yoghurt.
This is a quick, healthy and light meal which is full of flavour.
This recipe serves 2.
• 8 tomatoes – chopped into small pieces
• 1 finger chilli – finely chopped – reduce or increase the amount of chilli you use depending on how hot this particular chilli is, whilst considering your love of spice
• 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil
• salt to taste
• 1 pinch of turmeric
• 2/3 teaspoon of ground coriander powder
• 1 handful of freshly chopped coriander
1. Put the coconut oil in a pan
2. When it warms up, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and put the lid on the pan
3. When the seeds begin to pop, add the chillies and cover the pan again
4. After 15 seconds, add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric and ground coriander powder
5. Let it cook for 7 minutes
6. When the tomatoes are as soft as you'd like, add the fresh coriander – I usually do this after 5 minutes
• 1/2 a cup (125ml) of cous cous
• 1 cube of vegan stock
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• water
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper
1. Boil the kettle
2. Put the cous cous in a bowl
3. Crumble the stock on the cous cous ensuring there are no lumps and mix
4. Drizzle the olive oil on it
5. Add water so that the level of water reaches about 1cm above the cous cous
6. Add freshly ground salt and pepper
7. Stir a little
8. Cover the bowl with a plate and leave it for 3 minutes
9. The cous cous will be ready when the water has been absorbed completely
10. Put the cous cous in a little bowl and turn it upside down to create a mound of cous cous and serve the tomatoes alongside it
Suraj put the cous cous in a little bowl and then turned it upside down to present the cous cous as shown in the photo