Welcome to the Hepburn Retreat Centre Vegan Recipes page. Over the next few months we are beginning to document some of our favourite vegan recipes, most of the the wonderful creations of Alexis.

There are a few recipes ideas below. At the moment, some of them do not show food quantities - these will be added as the page is updated. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you are interested in learning more about vegan cooking & raw vegan food preparation, we run a Yoga & Vegan Cooking Retreat every few months here at the retreat centre. The next one is October 16th to 18th

Saag curry with potato, chickpeas, chilli, tamarind and coconut

A saag is a curry made with a leafy green vegetable puree base. Most often mustard and/or spinach greens seem to be used but any other leafy greens can be and are used. We use spinach and wild radish. Any of the wild edible greens described in the notes on wild plants will give this dish their own wonderful, distinctive flavour which is the aim of a good curry.

Method

Wash the greens thoroughly then place them wet into a tightly-lidded pot on a low heat (I always find glass lids very useful) without any extra water. Stir/turn over occasionally until all cooked soft. Mix through some curry powder before cooking or curry paste before puree/blending. Then add pre-prepared ingredients i.e. finely chopped or sliced vegetables and/or herbs., cooked beans, chickpeas etc. Mushrooms, tofu, whatever you like. Finish with some tamari and chunks of coconut creme block.

Biriyani rice

With peas, fox nuts, lotus seeds, soaked raw peanuts, tomato, curry leaves, cumin & mustard seed, safflower petals & turmeric.

Method

Cook fox nuts and lotus nuts or seeds (all available from any Asian grocer) in with the rice. Fry the spice seeds, some salt, peanuts and curry or fenugreek leaves and other spices in 5mm deep of sesame, mustard, peanut, coconut or other flavoursome oil. Add some chopped tomato (or a tin) just as you start to really smell the spice aromas. Simmer for a few minutes then stir through rice.

You could serve the two dishes above with a salad. Perhaps pineapple, mixed capsicum, fresh coriander - good combination, any way you like, fine or in chunks. Or papaya salad with fresh shallots, ginger, chilli & lime - refreshing and strong.

Greek eggplant dip

2 large eggplant, roasted whole, until completely soft and skin a little charred 2 lemons 1 cup bread crumbs or gluten-free rice crumbs Lots of garlic, olive oil 1½ cups parsley or mint

Method

 

Cut baked eggplants in half, lengthways. Scoop out flesh. Try to scoop out as much as possible; a lot of the smoky flavour comes from just under the burnt skin. Add the mashed garlic, lots of parsely, lemon juice, and its pulp, olive oil and the bread crumbs (to give the dip a solidness). Blend all together with hand blender. It will turn out smooth… and green, due to the herbs. Serve dips with chopped carrots and celery

Buckwheat stirfry

2 cups buckwheat Paprika and dried thyme Red cabbage Snow pea shoots Shallots, fried Coconut creme block chopped roughly 2 sheets of nori seaweed Method: Cook buckwheat, paprika and thyme in water in a rice cooker. Stir fry the shallots in 5mm oil. Add buckwheat and all other vegetables and toss to stir fry. Add the cubed creamed coconut on top; it will melt in on its own.

Ostii's Yoga Retreat Porridge Recipe

Click here to go to the recipe page for Rice & Quinoa porridge.