One year veganniversary video!

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This is me a year ago. Fat, red, puffy face, bloated, low self esteem, tired, no energy, the list goes on. How things have changed!! Check out my video on your tube. Find it in a recipe link or search Aaron Calder Vegan on Youtube.

Taco Bell Vegan Naked Chicken Chalupa

One of my followers @Daddi_nature from New York challenged me to come up with a vegan version of Taco Bells new Naked Chicken Chalupa. The wrap is breaded chicken filled with creamy avocado ranch dressing, lettuce, tomato and grated cheese. I headed straight for the kitchen and a few hours later I have passed my mission. I've never been to Taco Bell or eaten the Chalupa so I hope this version will meet any new vegans needs. Its packed full of protein and I used wholemeal breadcrumbs to make it as healthy as possible. I really hope you enjoy making this recipe and the taste. I most certainly will be making it again and trying it out on my vegan friends and family.

This recipe makes 2-3 wraps.

Ingredients
For the chicken style wrap:
130g vital wheat gluten flour
25g chickpea/garbanzo/gram flour
15g nutritional yeast
1 tbsp vegan Worcester sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cup hot water
Vegetable stock (to simmer the wrap in)
½ tsp mixed herbs
¼ tsp turmeric
Season with sea salt and black pepper
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
pinch of ginger powder
Breadcrumbs (I blitzed to slices of wholemeal bread in a blender to make crumbs)

For the filling
Vegan grated cheese
Chopped tomato
Lettuce/salad leaves

For the ranch dressing
½ an avocado
4 tbsp vegan mayo
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
Season with sea salt and black pepper
fresh/dried parsley
2-3 tbsp almond milk
Blended in a food processor

Method
In a large mixing bowl add the gluten flour, chickpea flour, yeast, onion, garlic, turmeric, salt, pepper, paprika, ginger and whisk/mix together. Add the water, soy sauce, Worcester sauce and mix thoroughly. Use your hands and kneed on a floured surface for 2-3 minutes. Cut into 3 portions and roll out into a circle 7"/8" diameter. Triple wrap in cling film and place in simmering stock for half an hour, turning once. Carefully remove from heat and unwrap the seitan. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then coat in plant milk and cover in breadcrumbs. Fry on a medium to high heat for a total of 8 minutes turning every couple of minutes. Place a napkin on a plate then lay the wrap on top. Add the ranch dressing, salad and cheese then wrap the napkin around to hold it together. Enjoy!!

Sausage, Bacon and Egg Slices

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I've been trying to think of something different to cook that (I don't think) hasn't been done before. I don't, but I know some vegans who miss egg, bacon and sausages so I came up with this recipe. It's easy to make and so delicious! You can serve it hot or cold, on toast with beans for breakfast, a slice (or 2) for lunch on its own or with salad for a light dinner. As always I have tried to keep the ingredients as healthy as possible and I was absolutely shocked when I worked out the nutritional values for my vegan version and a real meat and egg version.

Ingredients:
6 vegan sausages (not frozen)
Vegan bacon (I used Sgaia Mheat Rashers)
30g vegan egg (Follow Your Heart) Available from health stores and online.
300ml soya milk
Small onion
Clove of garlic Black salt (gives an egg taste)
Black pepper
Sage
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax seed + 6 tbsp water)
Nutritional yeast

Method:
In a blender/food processor add the sausages, pinch of salt, season with pepper, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, sprinkle of sage, chopped onion and garlic. Blend until you have a sausage meat like mixture. Pour into a loaf tin and spread evenly on the base and around the sides, creating a dent in the middle for the egg.

Now blend the vegan egg powder with the milk, black pepper, 1 tsp black salt and 3 tbsp nutritional yeast. Pour the liquid egg into the middle of the sausage mixture and cover with bacon. Bake for 25 minutes. If you find the bacon is cooking too quickly cover with tin foil to avoid it burning. Remove from the oven and with a sharp knife cut around the edge of the tin and tip onto a plate. Now carefully place another plate on top and turn bacon side up. Cut into slices and enjoy!

Lemon Meringue Pie

This recipe for lemon meringue pie was one of my most popular posts online. My Sister set me a challenge to make her one as she thought it wasn't possible now she is vegan. I have had a few failed attempts at this recipe so the final ingredients and method are sure to give you a great result.

PLEASE NOTE: In the video I make a meringue top and mini meringues that go in the oven to crispen. I found some parts of the meringue stuck to the parchment paper and a silicone baking mat is much better. You cannot put the base and filling in the oven to crispen the meringue so making a separate one to sit on top is a better option. You can also decorate the pie with the freshly whipped meringue and brown it with a cooks blow torch or place gently under a low grill. My Sister likes the soft fresh meringue and my partner prefers the crisp meringue. To cover this problem I decorate the pie with fresh meringue and then place cooked meringue on top of that or as decoration or on the dish its served in. I hope I haven't made this sound complicated as it's not. You'll find your own version trying both.

Ingredients
For the meringue:
1 can of chickpeas drained. You just need the juice (unsalted if possible)
1 Tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup of castor sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

For the base:
140-150g vegan biscuits. I used Lotus Biscoff biscuits in the video
40g of liquid coconut oil

For the lemon filling:
2 cups plant milk. Soya worked best for a creamy taste
1-2 tbsp soya/coconut cream
The juice and rind of 2 lemons
6 tbsp agave/maple syrup
3 tbsp corn flour/starch
1 tsp of agar agar
1/2 tsp turmeric

METHOD:

Turn on the oven to 100ºC, 212ºCF Drain chickpea juice into a large bowl (keep chickpeas for humus or another dish) Whisk juice for 10 minutes. You may be tempted to stop once it thickens but keep going for the full 10 minutes. Add vanilla essence, sugar and cream of tartar and whisk again for another 2-3 minutes until the meringue forms glossy stiff peaks. Add to a piping/icing bag and on parchment paper or a silicone matt squeeze small circles of meringue in a circle to form a top for your pie. On a separate bit of paper make separate small meringues which you can use to decorate. Place in the oven and let them cook for 2 hours. When they are ready turn off oven and wait another hour for the meringues to cool inside the oven.

For the base:
Put biscuits into a food processor/blender and blend until you have crumbs.
Add the coconut oil and blend again until everything is combined.
Pour into a loose base baking tin 7" and press down firmly.
Place tin in the freezer to set.

For the filling:
On a medium to high heat place a saucepan on the hob and add the milk, cream, corn flour, syrup, turmeric, agar agar, lemon juice and rind. Stir thoroughly and quickly to combine all the ingredients. Stir continually for 3-4 minutes until it thickens like custard. Grab your tin from the freezer and pour over the liquid. Place in the fridge for at least an hour until it's set.

Just before removing the meringues from the oven retrieve your pie from the fridge and have a bottom plate ready for it to sit on. Gently push the bottom base upwards and place your pie on the plate ready for the meringue.

Make sure when your meringues have finished cooking do NOT remove them from the oven. Turn the oven off and let the meringues cool inside.

Carefully peel the meringue from the paper/mat and then place on top of your lemon pie.

Alternatively with your fresh meringue mix decorate the top of the pie and brown with a cooks blow torch or gently under a grill.

Enjoy!!!

Superfood Goji & Banana Muffins

This recipe is a mixture of all my favourite superfoods made into a mega healthy muffin. So healthy you could have it for breakfast. I used gluten free oats but you can use any oats if you're not gluten intolerant.

Makes 12 cup cakes.
Cook for 25-27 minutes 190ºC 374ºF

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup of goji berries
3 ripe bananas
1/4 cup of coconut oil (liquid form)
1/4 cup maple/agave syrup
2 flax eggs (2 tbsps ground flax mixed with 6 tbsps plant milk or water. Let stand for 10 mins)
1/2 cup almond/soya milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 3/4 cups oat flour (blend normal oats in coffee grinder or use a blender)
1 1/2 cups of oats
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp turmeric

In a large bowl mash the bananas with a fork. Add coconut oil, syrup, milk, flax egg and vanilla. Mix thoroughly until combined. Now add the oat flour, oats, baking powder, soda, spices and goji berries. All ingredients should now be in your bowl. Mix again for 2 minutes until you have a cake batter.

Spoon into paper/silicone cup cake cases and sprinkle with oats or coconut sugar for decoration. Cook for 25-27 minutes in the oven. Leave to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. You can remove the cases or leave them on. Please note when the muffins cool they will become darker, this is normal.

Enjoy!!!