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For many years now we have baked a Vasilopita  (St Basil’s Bread) to mark the new year and St Basil’s Day on January 1st. As we have a Basil (Vasilios) in our house, it is also a Name Day celebration and a special time for us. In fact Vasilios has baked the bread himself now for the past fifteen years or so.  When we became vegan, we modified the recipe so that it no longer included animal fats. We also modified it to bake in our bread machine as living in a  hot climate does not exactly motivate one to want to knead dough and have the oven running for hours!  There have been many trial runs but the recipe is now tried and true and we are pleased to be able to share it here. We also use this same recipe for Tsoureki at Easter, but I will post that version closer to the time.

Vegan Vasilopita

Ingredients

3 teaspoons of orange zest

2 Tablespoons of orange juice

Egg replacer (Made up to be equivalent of one whole egg and one egg white.)

65ml soy milk

6 Tablespoons of vegan margarine (We have found a soy based one works very well but any dairy free margarine will work.)

2 teaspoons of aniseed juice (instructions below)

90g raw caster sugar

425g plain white flour

1 x 8g sachet of yeast

3 Tablespoons of warm water

Method

1. Prepare the aniseed juice by boiling 1 Tablespoon of aniseed in 1 cup of water for a few minutes, then strain and set aside. (This process is a bit like making tea.)
2. Zest finely one orange and set aside. (This should give you approximately 3 teaspoons of zest. We usually use large navel oranges, but Valencias work fine too.)
3. Juice the orange and set aside.
4. Prepare the egg replacer as per instructions on packet and set aside.
5. Prepare yeast by placing the 3 Tablespoons of warm water in a glass bowl and dissolving a pinch of sugar. Sprinkle the contents of the sachet into the water, swish about a bit then cover with a cloth and set aside out of drafts.
6. Measure out milk and set aside.
7. Measure out margarine, melt and set aside.
8. Weigh the flour and set aside.
9. Weigh the sugar and set aside.
10. By now, the yeast should have started to activate (It will look a little bit fluffy/frothy.)
11. Place ingredients into the bread machine in the following order:
    1. zest
    2. juice
    3. aniseed juice
    4. egg replacer (you may need to whisk as it may have settled)
    5. margarine
    6. soy milk
    7. caster sugar
    8. flour
12. Make a small well in the top of the flour and tip the yeast on top.
13. Place pan into bread maker and select the sweet bread setting.

A note about bread machines…

We have two different bread machines. On one we simply choose the sweet bread setting. On the other we have to choose the size and crust, in which case we select 750g, light crust, then sweet bread.  Unfortunately all machines are a little different so you may have to experiment with this aspect of the recipe.

Adding the Coin

Traditionally, new year’s breads have a coin hidden inside. We have found that it is easier to add the coin after the bread is baked by simply poking it up through the hole created in the base by the kneading pin in the machine. The little brochure that came with our coin has the following instructions, keeping in mind that the bread is traditionally baked in a circle. As we do not have this shape, we simply cut slices.

“ The head of the house will bless the Vasilopita with the cutting knife crosswise in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He will then cut the centre in a circle as an offering to our Lord Jesus, Who is first in our life. Then he will proceed to cut wedges starting with a piece for the Ever Virgin Mary, and for St Basil. Subsequently, a wedge for himself and all other members of his family and guests in succession. The one who finds this coin in his or her piece, is considered to be blessed especially for the New Year.”

 This year the coin lay halfway between St Basil’s piece and Vasilios’ piece! (Photographic evidence below!)

Happy New Year to all our vvoc.org readers.

Take a look at our newly updated recipe page. The ‘Recipes‘ page appears under the ‘About’ tab on our home page. We are beginning to collate some of our favourite recipes. There are sweet and savoury vegetarian and vegan recipes available. Enjoy!

These go by many names. In our house we call them vegan rum balls, but I have also heard them called chocolate truffles.

Christmas Chocolate Truffles

For a gluten and sugar free rum ball idea I have also tried modifying the fruit and nut bite recipe. Instead of rinsing the fruit, just add 1-2 Tablespoons of rum to make the mixture moist.  Anyhow, back to the recipe at hand.  This recipe is very flexible and forgiving.  Just remember, it is easier to add more moisture than to remove it!

Ingredients

1 x 250g packet of vegan/vegetarian sweet biscuits

135ml of coconut cream (make sure you use coconut cream not coconut milk)

1 cup dessicated coconut

1/3 cup raisins (or you might like to used mixed dried fruit)

2 Tablespoons of dutch processed cocoa

1 Tablespoon rum

extra coconut for rolling

Method

1. Process the biscuits in a food processor until finely ground.
2. Add the cocnut, raisins and cocoa and continue to process.
3. Add the coconut cream and rum and process until a ball forms. This may take a little while but it will happen.
4. Roll teaspoons of mixture to form a ball shape and roll in extra coconut. You could also roll them in cocoa or vanilla bean powder.
5. Refrigerate

Makes approximately 30 (Depending on how many you eat while you are making them!)

These little bites are raw, vegan, sugar and gluten free!  You can use different nuts, vegan choc chips or even add some cocoa to vary the recipe depending what is at hand.

1 cup raw nuts (I used 1/2 cup walnuts + 1/2 cup cashews and macadamias)

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons coconut

Extra coconut for rolling

(1) Rinse the nuts and fruit to make them moist and easier to process

(2) Food process everthing until a ball starts to form.

(3) Take teaspoons of mixture and roll into balls, then roll these in coconut.

Refridgerate

Quinoa Cous Cous

This recipe is like Cous Cous, but much more nutritious.

1/2 cup of quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 stock cube
250g mushrooms
olive oil
150g green beans
2 boiled eggs or 200g cooked chickpeas

Rinse quinoa a couple of times and let sit in water while getting the other ingredients together.  Slice mushrooms and fry in oil. Slice green beans and steam. Rinse quinoa again in fresh water. Place quinoa in pot with water and stock cube. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is soft and separated looking. Mix mushrooms, green beans and egg or chickpeas in.

Lentil Loaf

Ingredients

2 cans lentils
1 medium carrot
1 stick celery
1 cup bread crumbs
130g tomato paste
1 medium onion
1 egg or equivalent egg replacer

Method

1. Use a food processor to process 1 can of lentils. Remove this to a large bowl.
2. Process the carrot, celery and onion until finely grated. Add to the processed lentils.
3. Add the unprocessed lentils, tomato paste, bread crumbs and egg or egg replacer.  Mix well.
4. Press into a lightly oiled loaf tin and bake in 180C oven for about 35 minutes.  Stand for 10 minutes before turning out.
5. Serve with gravy, green beans and roast potatoes.

2 tbsp oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
1 cup red lentils, rinsed well
600 ml vegetable stock (I use one stock cube dissolved in water)
300 ml coconut milk (I use the whole tin - 400 ml - and reduce the water in the stock)
2 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Heat oil in a large pot and saute the onion till clear or gently browned, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute or so, stirring.  Add the spices and cook for a further 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add the tomatoes, lentils, lemon juice, vegie stock and coconut milk and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender and cooked.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

(Serves 4)

Mango Rice Pudding

1 cup short grain (arborio) rice
400 ml water
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup coconut cream
2 – 3 mangoes, peeled and sliced

Place rice and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil.  As soon as the rice boils, reduce heat to low and cover;  cook for 10 mins.  (If not cooked soft enough to your taste, add a little more water and cook for a few more minutes, repeating until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked to your taste).
Stir through sugar and coconut cream.
Spoon into bowls and serve with fresh mango.
(Serves 4 – 6)

Lentil Pie

For the lentil stew:

• 1 cup brown lentils, washed
• 2.5 cups water
• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2.5 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• salt

For the pastry:

• 250g butter, chopped and softened
• 125g plain wholemeal flour
• pinch salt
• 1/4 -1/2 cup water, cold

1. Place lentils in saucepan with 2.5 cups water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Check on lentils and if going dry, add extra water.

2. Add potatoes, onion and extra 2.5 cups of water to the lentils. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. While potatoes and onion are cooking, in a separate saucepan, place the oil and slowly heat for a couple of minutes. Then add the flour and mix for about one minute. Add the tomato paste and mix a little until slightly brown and pasty. Remove from heat.

4. When potatoes and onion are finished cooking, leave on heat. Ladle out some watery mixture from the lentils into the tomato paste mix to thin. Mix the tomato paste mixture into the lentils and stir until combined and stew has thickened. Turn off heat. Flavour stew with salt. Let the lentil stew sit and cool and it will continue to thicken.

5. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. To make the pastry, place the butter, flour and salt into a bowl. Use a pastry cutter to chop the butter into the flour. When well combined, add1/4 cup of water to the mixture and mix in. Handle the pastry as little as possible. If pastry requires, add a little more water.

6. Flour a board and place just over 1/2 the pastry on the board. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry, keeping it floured on both sides. When pastry is an appropriate size for a pie tin, roll pastry around rolling pin. Lift the rolling pin over the pie dish and unroll over tin. Cut pastry to size. If any gaps in pastry, use excess pastry to patch.

7. Blind bake the pastry: prick the pastry in the tin with a fork and and place some baking paper over the pasty. Lay some dry chickpeas or beans on the baking paper. Bake for 10 minutes.

8. Remove pastry from oven. Pour lentil stew into pastry case. Roll the rest of the remaining pastry on the board as described in item 5. Lay the pastry over the top of the stew and cut. Use a fork to press the sides of the pastry together all around the edge of the pie tin. Press a fork into the top of the pie about four times across the pastry. Place pie in oven.

 9. Bake pie for approximately 40 minutes, or until golden. Let pie sit for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.

Frittata Bites

• 5 eggs
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 med size zucchini, finely diced
• 1/3 cup semi-dried tomatoes or roasted capsicum
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 100g fetta, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Using a 12-hole muffin tin, place baking paper for each frittata.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the egg, cheese and milk. Season to taste. Combine remaining ingredients.

3. Pour mixture evenly into the recesses.

4. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until golden and set.