It Just Has To Be Delicious

Archive for the ‘Vegan/Vegetarian’ Category

Pixel Coffee, Leederville

Pixel is a cafe that sits on Oxford Street about halfway down, away from the main Leederville hubbub and close to Bourke Street.
There are tables inside and out, but not a lot of them. We started off seated at the coffee bar and the moved to a table as one became available.

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The menu is quite varied with healthy bowls, chia pudding, and brunch options and Pixel are famous for their array of milks. If you don’t drink dairy, they have pretty much every other option you could need. I chose the banana smoothie with coconut milk, a lovely thick banana honey smoothie with cinnamon – absolutely yum.

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My partner chose a decaf soy coffee, a Colombian blend which was rich and smooth, you couldn’t tell it was decaf by the flavour.

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I chose the Pix Plate to eat – a potato and herb hash with poached eggs, prosciutto, peas, sprouts, parmesan and lemon oil. What a lovely combination. The oozy eggs soaked over the potato hash, the parmesan added a salty piquant hit as did the prosciutto. Posh bacon and eggs with a twist.

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My partner chose the Mushroom Ragu, rich braised mushrooms with tomato and fennel, on two pieces of Mary St Bakery sourdough, with fried eggs, peas shoots, crushed walnuts and smashed avocado. He really enjoyed it.

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The staff were nice and really enjoyed serving the customers, and the cold take away cabinet looked very appealing. There was a steady stream of take away customers. I’d definitely go back to Pixel, it’s good honest healthy food, well prepared and nicely seasoned. There are good vegan options too.

Last Visit Date – January 2019

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Coffee shop review, Restaurant review, Vegan/Vegetarian

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Little Cultures, Subiaco

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Little Cultures is a healthy superfood and dessert bar on Rokeby Road in the heart of Subiaco. If you are on a dairy free or paleo diet, there are plenty of options to choose from, and there is seating inside and on the pavement.
The menu consists of yoghurt bowls and smoothie bowls with all of the health freak ingredients like acai, goji berries and raw cacao. You can also order a smoothie to drink or for dessert a Hong Kong/Macao style egg waffle puff. The waffle puffs are a hexagon of bumpy puffy batter, dressed with all kinds of goodies like banana, strawberry and caramel.
You can also have the waffle puff folded into a cup and filled with ‘yolato’ or other goodies. Yolato is yoghurt gelato. I chose the strawberry fields waffle with coco yolato, nutella and whipped cream.

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My partner chose the popcorn cookie party – with cookie crumbs, caramel and chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream, and caramel popcorn.

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Both were nice, I loved the eggy waffle, it was more interesting than a regular waffle. The yolato didn’t blow me a way, but the rest of the ingredients were good quality. After a while, I found the whole thing a bit sickly and it would have been nice to have a half serve. I would like to return to try some of the other offerings like the superfood bowls.

Visit Date – April 2018

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Coffee shop review, Restaurant review, Store review, Vegan/Vegetarian

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Kobe Sushi, Whitfords

Kobe sushi has been serving up great Japanese options for many years at Whitford City Hillarys. There are a few vegan things on the menu – delicious vegetable tempura, and vegetable sushi rolls. There are bento box options and donburi as well as items in the cold cabinet. I chose the tempura with udon noodle soup. This was freshly made to order.

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The tempura veggies were beautifully crispy, a selection of onion, potato, broccoli, zucchini, and sweet potato served with a tentsuyu sauce. The noodles were nicely soft and in a delicious broth.

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Kobe is definitely a good choice for lunch when you are shopping at Whitfords.

Last Visit Date – January 2020

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Restaurant review, Vegan/Vegetarian

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Health Freak Cafe, Joondalup

If you are on a special diet, or have food allergies, Health Freak provides a range of foods that you can eat – Vegan, Vegetarian, Paleo, Dairy Free, Gluten Free – there’s something for everybody.
With a range of healthy burgers, salads, dessert bowls, juices, smoothies and fries the menu is tempting for the dietary-challenged customer, and it’s nice to read it and think “oh I can eat almost everything here” rather than the regular process of picking just one or maybe two items that fit one’s brief. Options include Pulled pork BBQ jackfruit burger, the ultimate vegan burger, sweet potato fries which can be loaded with jackfruit, keto waffle egg benedict, dairy free ice cream, natural iced teas, acai bowls, caffeine free lattes…the list
goes on.
We popped in to the Joondalup branch for a healthy treat and chose a peanut butter slice:

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This was nice but could have been a bit sweeter – agave syrup is a good sweetener. The peanut section was quite thick and crumbly and could have been nicer to eat if it was softened with maybe some vegan cream substitute. The chocolate a biscuit layers were very nice.

We also chose a chocolate brownie square:

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This was a nicer texture than the peanut butter slice and much more chocolatey but had a bit of a bitter aftertaste.
I chose a red apple tea which consisted of rooibos tea with freshly squeezed apple and mint. It was nice, but I didn’t get much of the tea flavour.

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All in all the healthy treats were okay, but they also didn’t blow us away, and it was quite expensive – not surprising really, because healthy does seem to equate to costly.

Visit Date – January 2018

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Restaurant review, Vegan/Vegetarian

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Grill’d, Joondalup

Of all the burger joints in Perth, Alfred’s Kitchen is my favourite, but when I don’t want to make the trek to Guildford, Grill’d is probably the best chain around. I like that they offer a low carb superbun, and the patties are always fresh, lean and tasty.
My go to option tends to be mustard and pickled, but I spotted a wagyu version on the menu and decided to try the Bonfire BBQ (minus the cheese) – the menu description is:
Premium wagyu pattie with native Davidson plum barbeque sauce, crispy bacon, Dijon mustard, pickle, aged cheddar, Spanish onion & egg mayo.
It was very good, the dijon and plum sauce add a nice piquant but sweet twist.

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My partner chose the Moroccan lamb – Grass fed lean lamb, roasted peppers, tzatziki, salad & relish. This was nicely spicy, very tasty and a great combination with the smooth contrast of the tzatziki.

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We also chose the herby chips and a chilli mayo dip. Grill’d always delivers on flavour choice and great service.

Grill’d also have several vegan and vegetarian options with veggie patties, pea protein patties and Beyond meat patties.

Last Visit Date – January 2020

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Restaurant review, Vegan/Vegetarian

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Blueberry and Lemon Scones

I made these scones this morning when my friend Sarah came to visit. They taste incredibly good. If you treat the dough really gently, the blueberries keep their shape and they burst in your mouth as you eat the scone. you can also make them with raspberries and strawberries and you can add chunks of white chocolate if you want to be a bit decadent, but I found them sweet enough with just the lemon glaze.

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Ingredients:
2 cups (approx 250g) self raising flour – (if you only have plain flour, you can use plain and add 2 teaspoons baking powder)
half a teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder (even though it is self raising flour, I added a little extra boost)
5 tablespoons (70g) butter or non-dairy spread
1 cup of blueberries (this is approx one small 150g punnet) washed and patted dry with kitchen roll
1 cup (250ml) of double cream (or approx 100ml of premium coconut cream if you are dairy free/vegan, this also works with coconut yoghurt)
For the glaze – approx 1 cup (140g) of icing sugar and half a fresh lemon

Method:
1. Heat the oven to 200 deg C and line a baking tray with some baking parchment.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl or food processor i.e. the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
3. Either rub in the butter/dairy free spread, or use the food processor to blend it in until it is like fine breadcrumbs.
4. Stir in the blueberries.
5. Add the cream and very gently fold it in without crushing the blueberries, then pat the mixture together to form a soft dough. Treat it very gently, it does not have to be perfectly smooth. (If using coconut cream, just add 50ml to start and then add more as you need it – you shouldn’t need more than 150ml in total but it depends on the consistency of the coconut cream. I also added a teaspoon of lemon juice when I used coconut cream, because regular milk has an acid in it and I think you need a little acid to help with rising. A little
cream of tartar would also work)
6. Roll the dough out into a long rectangle approx 12 inches by 3 inches. It will be quite a thick layer of dough (1-2 inches thick) Cut this in half, then cut each piece in half again so that you have four pieces approx 3 inches square. Cut each piece diagonally so that you have 8 scones.
7. Brush each scone with some cream (or milk) and place on baking tray. Bake for approx 25 minutes. If brushing with coconut cream, bear in mind that they will not brown like milk basted scones, so touch them gently to test if they are done. If they are a little blonde, it doesn’t matter, because the top will have icing on it.
8. To make the glaze, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Wash the lemon, then grate the zest from the lemon – add this to the icing sugar. Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice. Add the juice to the icing mixture a little at a time until you get a soft glaze which isn’t too runny. You want it to flow, but not run off the scones.
9. Spread the glaze over the top of each scone. You can use a piping bag if you like, or just use the back of a spoon like I did.
10. Enjoy with tea, coffee and friends.

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Recipe, Vegan/Vegetarian

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Smoothie Bowls

Smoothie bowls are a great breakfast idea and they can be made up in advance. The possibilities are endless, but one of my favourite breakfast smoothies is a combination of frozen blueberries, frozen cherries, almond milk, soy milk and protein powder. I bulked this up a bit by adding some cooked quinoa and then topped it with sliced banana, chia, strawberries, dried apricots, almonds and a few chocolate nibs.

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To get the best smoothie bowls, you need to be a little bit organised at the start of the week. If using quinoa, wash and cook up a small amount and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. Put some chia seeds in a jar and soak them – they should swell with the water and form a gel like slurry. The smoothie can be made up in advance but will probably need a stir in the morning, then all you need to do is add your toppings.

Frozen berries make a great smoothie base because you don’t have to add ice. You can use blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries and some of the mixed berries too. Fresh berries are also good but don’t add the coldness to the smoothie.

You can use whatever milk you like and add yoghurt – thick greek yoghurt has a great protein content – and if you prefer not to add dairy you can use coconut yoghurt. For a bulkier smoothie you can add protein powder, quinoa, oats, psyllium husk and shredded coconut, and you can also soak cashews in water and whizz them up in the blender for a lovely cashew cream. I like to mix my milks so that I get a good fat/carb/protein mix.

Toppings can be fresh or tinned fruits – peaches, pears, apples, banana, strawberries, kiwi, lychees, pineapple.

You can also add nuts – if they are slightly toasted, that’s even better, and you can crush them too. You can also sprinkle desiccated coconut over the top.
Dried fruits make a great topping – sultanas, apricots, dates, figs.

Soaked chia is a nice addition, also agave syrup, maple syrup, honey and even a slight drizzle of nutella. Yum. Every bowl can be different, and they are fun to make.

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Recipe, Vegan/Vegetarian

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Gusto Gelato, Leederville

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Gusto Gelato is the brainchild of Sean Lee, a gelato enthusiast who decided to learn his craft in the Italian town of Bologna. He uses traditional artisan techniques and the result is a smooth creamy dreamy gelato which tastes divine.
The parlour is in Leederville at the top end of Newcastle Street, a bright cheery place with pastel coloured tables and chairs so that you can eat in. Sean and his staff are friendly and knowledgeable and they serve the gelato with love and care, washing the scoops in between each flavour.
His flavours are not overly sweet and sickly, he has the balance of sweetness just right and the flavours are full and precise. I chose the Salted Caramel – which tasted exactly like salted caramel – salty but not overly so and caramel but not cloyingly sweet – absolutely delicious. I also had the Brittle Sweet Symphony – honey gelato with almond brittle and dark chocolate pieces – again just divine.
It’s not cheap at $8 for 2 scoops, but you get what you pay for and this is the best gelato in Perth.

Vegan flavours include – Dark chocolate, Coconut and mango, sour cherry, raspberry, lemon, orange and passionfruit and mango. Sometimes they have a fab lemon and lime bitters flavour.

If you also want to learn how to make great gelato, Gusto run classes!

Last Visit – We’re always here – it’s a favourite

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Fun thing to do, Vegan/Vegetarian

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Homemade baked beans

Canned baked beans….meh. They’re great for a quick and convenient snack, but beware – the average can of beans has 21g of sugar. It is simple to make your own, you then know exactly what goes into them, and you can also mix up your beans if you like. You don’t have to use haricot, you can use cannelini, pinto, navy, any type you like or a mixture.

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My recipe uses chorizo, you can also use bacon if you don’t like the strong flavour of chorizo, or if you are vegetarian, you can leave out the meat (or include vegan sausages) and up the flavour stakes with additional herbs and spices. This recipe makes enough for 4 serves for dinner or approx 6 batches of smaller lunch-time serves. Quite an easily portable snack too. You can also serve more people at dinner by adding other ingredients to the plate such as toast, cheese, eggs, sausages, chips, hash browns and sauteed mushrooms.

Ingredients:
2 x 400g cans of beans of your choice (you can also use dried beans if you soak them overnight)
1 x 400g can of diced tomatoes (or about 6 large Roma or Truss tomatoes skinned and chopped)
1 average sized onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, very thinly sliced or chopped
Optional extra veg: a small chopped carrot, a small chopped capsicum
1 chorizo chopped into small dice, or two to three rashers of smoked bacon diced or vegan sausages chopped
1 teaspoon of Worcester sauce (If vegan, use a spoon of liquid smoke instead)
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
Half a teaspoon of cumin powder
1 teaspoon of mixed herbs, dried, fresh or freeze dried
1 teaspoon of vegetable stock powder
salt/pepper/sugar to taste

Method:
Prepare the chopped ingredients:

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If using canned beans drain them:

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Fry the chorizo, or vegan sausages, (or bacon) in a few tablespoons of olive oil until it is slightly crispy and the fat has rendered.

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Add the onions and garlic (and the carrot and capsicum if including them):

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Once the onion begins to soften add the flavourings – mustard, cumin, paprika, herbs, Worcester sauce, stock powder.

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Stir everything to combine well and then add the tomatoes.

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Half fill the tomato can with water, swirl it to rinse the last bits of tomato and add it to the pan. Alternatively just add a little extra water if using fresh tomatoes.

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Add the beans, but try not to stir them too much (this tends to mush them up. Shake them around the pan.

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Leave to cook for 20 – 30 minutes until the beans are soft enough to eat. Add salt and pepper to taste. You shouldn’t need to add sugar, but if you do, consider adding some honey or agave syrup instead of granulated sugar.
Serve in a bowl with fresh crusty bread and some grated cheese. So simple and tasty that you’ll probably never buy cans of baked beans again.

Vegan version with vegan sausages and carrot:

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Recipe, Vegan/Vegetarian

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Moore & Moore, Fremantle

This was my first trip to Fremantle for brekkie, and I was very pleased that we discovered Moore and Moore. It’s a long drive, but I will be happy to go back for a return visit. The cafe is within an art gallery, and it is very interesting, a little kitsch in places, but very warm, cosy and inviting – I really loved the atmosphere.

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A lot of the dishes on the menu are vegetarian. If you want meat the only options are bacon and meatballs, and if you want fish, there is a smoked salmon dish, however, as a meat eater, I found the vegetarian dishes very appealing and the lack of meat did not worry me.
I chose the burnt butter, sage and roast pumpkin mash. This consisted of roast pumpkin spread on turkish toast with two poached eggs on top, rocket, and tomato relish. I added bacon as an extra. The whole dish was delicious – the bacon good quality and nicely crispy, the pumpkin mash slightly sweet and the eggs cooked perfectly.

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My friend Karen chose the smashed new potato rosti. This consisted of mustard seed, spinach and romano cheese potato rosti topped with a poached egg, avocado, green olives and caper salsa, rocket and tomato relish. Karen really enjoyed it, she has been a vegetarian for quite a few years and found it tasty and the flavours quite interesting.

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As well as the food, the coffee and the drinks were really good – fresh orange, home made lemonade – all refreshing and delicious.
I really loved Moore and Moore, the menu is inventive without being ridiculous, the flavours all go well together and it is nice to see a menu with a wide vegetarian choice. The building is lovely – the Moores building – it is a heritage listed building that used to be an old merchant’s warehouse. There are various rooms where you can dine including an alfresco area out the back. When we were there a musical trio were entertaining everybody in the walkway. It was very typically Fremantle – a bit different, a bit quaint and very colourful. I loved it.

Last Visit Date – December 2014

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Coffee shop review, Restaurant review, Vegan/Vegetarian

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