Mouthwatering Boat Recipes (mainly plant based)

[Seaworthy Lass]

So if you find barley or any type of whole wheat in your travels, what is the easiest way to cook it?

Hands down, the thermos wins (same goes for quinoa).

Simply boil the kettle and pop a cup of rinsed whole wheat into a 710ml wide mouthed thermos and fill with boiling water. Shake it well and leave for two hours (one is not quite enough for wheat). Drain the excess water. If using in salads I let it cool and dry slightly spread out on a paper lined tray.

Nutritional info: hulled whole durum that is readily available in the tiniest of grocery stores in Greece is a cheap, nutritious grain with nearly 14g of protein per 100g according to the packet (as much as quinoa, in contrast to white rice that only has about 2.7 g).

As a passage meal it is perfect. Just drain and add anything you like while it is still hot. To bump up the protein content even further, throw in a tin of drained chickpeas (or salmon). For contrasting sweetness, crunch and heat, add some sultanas or cranberries, a sprinkling of mixed seeds or nuts and a dash of sweet chili sauce or hot sauce. Adding shaved parmesan and sundried tomato turns it into a risotto type dish. When tired, cold and hungry and the boat is being tossed about making time in the galley unappealing, it is fabulous to be able to make a hot nutritious meal just by boiling the kettle .

SWL

[NaturalJourney]

Hi Seaworthy, are you looking for vegan crew at all? Or anyone else ? would love to talk more and see if we are a good fit. I'm in America at the moment in the northeast, but willing to travel. WOuld like to get into sailing. Was a student varsity athlete before having some dead end jobs and then getting into organic farming/gardening and a more natural way.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by NaturalJourney

Hi Seaworthy, are you looking for vegan crew at all? Or anyone else ? would love to talk more and see if we are a good fit. I'm in America at the moment in the northeast, but willing to travel. WOuld like to get into sailing. Was a student varsity athlete before having some dead end jobs and then getting into organic farming/gardening and a more natural way.

Hi NaturalJourney
I'm very sorry, but we are not looking for crew. I suggest starting a thread in the "Crew positions" section of the forum, or check out existing requests for crew there:
Crew Positions: Wanted & Available - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

Good luck finding a spot .

SWL

[NaturalJourney]

Thanks. Ya I posted there as well. I was in awe when I saw all of your vegan meal knowledge and pictures that I figured I would reply. If others run a ship like yours, the world would be a better place

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by NaturalJourney

Thanks. Ya I posted there as well. I was in awe when I saw all of your vegan meal knowledge and pictures that I figured I would reply. If others run a ship like yours, the world would be a better place

Thanks for your kind words. I feel a bit of a fraud , as I am not actually vegan, just have a very plant rich diet. This is partly because I enjoy it and partly from convenience (it suits boat life here in the Med beautifully, particularly in summer), rather than because I am purely trying to follow the philosophy of being kind to other animals.

At the time I started this thread, vegans were being given a hard run in another thread (the concept of being vegan is often regarded as peculiar, just as being vegetarian was regarded a few decades ago). Throwing the word "vegan" in the title was an attempt to promote a bit of tolerance.

SWL

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Nirvava .
Here on the little islands shopping for veggies is simply "buy anything I am lucky enough to find". Meals can't be preplanned, I just need to find recipes to deal with whatever is for sale.

The only upside is that much of the produce is sourced from small growers on the island and is picked at its prime and bought not long after picking.

I suspected that. I've lived in areas like that and the up side is it encourages one to experiment with new foods they would have never tried if their favorite veggies were available.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Over Easter I made several delicious eastern European sweet loaves flavoured with lemon rind and vanilla (see the "Let us eat cake" thread). These are, however, loaded with butter and eggs and sugar and seeking a lighter alternative, I have just had a play with an oat bread recipe. The oats are indiscernible in this bread, but they give it a lovely soft texture and stop the loaf from going stale quickly.

I sweetened the original recipe by increasing the honey and added orange juice & rind and with a nod to Swedish loaves, cardamom. The freshly ground cardamon seeds pack a heady powerful punch. The Hario coffee grinder is earning its keep . If pre ground packaged cardamom is used, the flavour and fragrance significantly deteriorate over time and it would contain the milder outer pods as well, so probably double the quantity.

CARDAMOM ORANGE LOAF

¾ cup instant oats
1 cup boiling water
½ cup honey or pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup orange juice
finely grated zest of 2 oranges
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, freshly ground
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (using my homemade brew for the first time )
1 cup sultanas/raisins/currants
¼ cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
7g package active dry yeast
approx 3½ cups bread flour (high gluten)

- Whisk oats into the boiling water so lumps don't form
- Whisk in the honey, oil, orange juice and rind, cardamom, vanilla and sultanas and let it stand until lukewarm
- Meanwhile mix yeast with warm water and sugar and leave 10-15 minutes to start foaming (mainly to make sure you don't have a dud lot of yeast)
- Add yeast to the oat mix
- Add enough flour to form a soft, sticky dough
- Knead 10 minutes (smells heavenly while kneading)
- Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled (approximately one hour if conditions are warm). In summer simply let it stand, otherwise, place a hot water bottle filled with a couple of cups of boiling water on top of the plate used to cover the bowl, and wrap it all in a blanket.
- Knock down the dough, ¾ fill a greased 12 muffin tin and put the rest in a greased loaf pan. I find using muffin tins is good on board as the cooking time is then short.
- Let rise until doubled again a slightly warmed oven (usually only needs about 40 min)
- Bake in a hot oven approx 20 minutes. I don't bother preheating the oven.

These would be excellent with orange icing made with fresh juice and rind, but this would bump up the sugar content dramatically.
These are good even simply dusted with icing sugar:

[Seaworthy Lass]

Conclusion to the vanilla extract tale:

Six weeks ago I made up 3 batches of the below mix. I initially just finely sliced the beans, but I decided a larger surface area would give a better extraction, so I pureed the lot.

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

VANILLA EXTRACT

8 vanilla beans (recipes used anywhere from 3 to 9)
1 cup 35-40% vodka (or gin, bourbon, rum or brandy)

- With a sharp knife split the vanilla pods, scrape out the seeds, finely slice the pods and put it all in a jar or bottle roughly chop the pods
- Add the alcohol and puree with a stick mixer
- Give the bottle a few good shakes and store in a cool dark place
- Shake occasionally

A few days ago I twice filtered a couple of cups of the mix using a funnel and paper coffee filter, then combined the dregs and added a bit more alcohol to sit for longer. From the instant change in colour of the fresh alcohol, I suspect there is still some life left in the residue.

I added a tablespoon of sugar to give the classic taste of bought extract. It has a rich fragrance and best of all will stop the need to bring vanilla extract back from Australia every couple of years in my suitcase. I have visions each time of opening my case and finding everything reeking of vanilla from a broken bottle . The vanilla available here is a thick syrup that tastes artificial despite the 'natural' label.

On the left is the filtered lot. On the right you can see the colour of the new mix is instantly almost as deep. The combined remains of the beans almost half fill the container:

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Conclusion to the vanilla extract tale:

Six weeks ago I made up 3 batches of the below mix. I initially just finely sliced the beans, but I decided a larger surface area would give a better extraction, so I pureed the lot.



A few days ago I twice filtered a couple of cups of the mix using a funnel and paper coffee filter, then combined the dregs and added a bit more alcohol to sit for longer. From the instant change in colour of the fresh alcohol, I suspect there is still some life left in the residue.

I added a tablespoon of sugar to give the classic taste of bought extract. It has a rich fragrance and best of all will stop the need to bring vanilla extract back from Australia every couple of years in my suitcase. I have visions each time of opening my case and finding everything reeking of vanilla from a broken bottle . The vanilla available here is a thick syrup that tastes artificial despite the 'natural' label.

On the left is the filtered lot. On the right you can see the colour of the new mix is instantly almost as deep. The combined remains of the beans almost half fill the container:

I know what your intention is! I know how fond you are of booze and
adding sugar with the lid on tight will create an anerobic environment allowing the alcohol content to increase... ...If it is open creating an aerobic condition it will eventually turn to vinegar so please keep the lid on tight..

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by bfloyd4445

I know what your intention is! I know how fond you are of booze and
adding sugar with the lid on tight will create an anerobic environment allowing the alcohol content to increase... ...If it is open creating an aerobic condition it will eventually turn to vinegar so please keep the lid on tight..

Did you notice the purple seal on one of the bottles?
It is a vacuum seal that has been designed for wine bottles. I use this to remove the air from lots of things. When my filtered bottle of vanilla starts reducing I will seal it with one of these rather than the cap.

By the way, the small plastic pump used for this is interchangeable with the one used on my manual vacuum bag sealer. I find that absolutely invaluable on board!

SWL

[bfloyd4445]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Did you notice the purple seal on one of the bottles?
It is a vacuum seal that has been designed for wine bottles. I use this to remove the air from lots of things. When my filtered bottle of vanilla starts reducing I will seal it with one of these rather than the cap.

By the way, the small plastic pump used for this is interchangeable with the one used on my manual vacuum bag sealer. I find that absolutely invaluable on board!

SWL

No I didn't.... I should have known you would never attempt to decrease the alcohol content only increase it. What a dummy i yam...

I love quality vinegar but to make vinegar you first must make alcohol and thats as far as I have ever gotten<< big smile >>...I've attempted honey vinegar, rose hip vinegar, more honey vinegar....te..he....maybe in my next century I will be able to make some.

[MooseMarine]

Hi SWL,

Thanks the forum, my go to cruising fix, been keeping me going....


Haven't had anything vegan to contribute for a little while, but tried the recipe below and it was a hit. I love beetroot and this bourguignon recipe kept me away from the beef. The parsnip mash was an added bonus, keeping me away from the potatoes as well...

I have a new toy, a pressure cooker, and at the "cook for 30-40 mins" I brought it up to pressure for 10 mins.


Beetroot stew a’la bourguignon
A warm, fragrant stew served with dairy-free, light mash. The lentils keep you full, and the hazelnuts and herbs keep things interesting. If you can’t get parsley roots, use parsnips.
Dorota Krysińska via GuardianWitness

Serves 4-6
For the beetroot stew
2 tbsp olive oil
4 small onions, thickly sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 parsnip or parsley root, peeled and roughly chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 large beetroots, peeled and roughly chopped
75g hazelnuts
200g green lentils
500ml dry red wine
225ml vegetable broth
225ml water
Salt and and ground black pepper
1 tsp each thyme, rosemary, sage, ground allspice
5 bay leaves
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
For the mash
4 parsley roots or parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
175ml dairy-free milk of choice (even sweetened will work here)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
1 Heat the oil in a large casserole dish or saucepan, then add the onion and garlic and cook over a medium heat, stirring every now and then, until the onion slices begin to fall apart, soften and eventually shrink noticeably . This will take about 15 minutes.
2 Remove the garlic cloves from the pan, then add the chopped vegetables and fry for 10 minutes, until the carrots look soft around the edges and the celery loses its green colour.
3 Add the hazelnuts and lentils. Stir and bring the heat up to high. Cook for 3 minutes then add the wine. After 2 minutes, add the rest of the liquids, salt, pepper, herbs, allspice and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, lower the heat again to a gentle simmer, put a cover on, then cook for around 30-40 minutes. Stir every so often to prevent sticking.
4 In the meantime, make the mash. Put the parsnips or parsley roots in a small pot, cover with boiling water, cover then cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside.
5 Add the milk to the same pot along with the oil and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer over a very low heat – this allows for the bay to infuse the milk. Once hot, remove the leaves and add the veg back to the pot, then cover and heat through – around 2 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or go all retro and mash with a potato masher. Taste and season to taste.
6 The stew is ready when the lentils are tender and the beetroot soft. Turn the heat off. Season and if you like, stir in a splash of vinegar. Serve with the mash.
Will try your lemon tahini recipe. I have an orange version that was paired with kale and quinoa, that may go with the roadside greens that you mentioned. And, yes, I have googled liver fluke as it can apply to wild watercress here in the UK downstream from sheep...

Fair winds and smooth seas

MooseMarine

PS need some tips on font formatting!!

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by MooseMarine

Beetroot stew a’la bourguignon
A warm, fragrant stew served with dairy-free, light mash. The lentils keep you full, and the hazelnuts and herbs keep things interesting. If you can’t get parsley roots, use parsnips.

Hi MM
Oh, that sounds like such an interesting combo! I will have to give it a go. Many thanks for the recipe. I have plenty of beetroot on board.

Originally Posted by MooseMarine

Will try your lemon tahini recipe. I have an orange version that was paired with kale and quinoa, that may go with the roadside greens that you mentioned.

I am on exactly the same wavelength as you today. This morning I made orange tahini dressing and poured it on a salad of beetroot, orange and hazelnut .

SWL x

This was it. I will write up the recipe later and post it:

[Sailor g]

MM The salad looks wonderful. Will be excited to hear how to make that dressing. Can't wait to try it.

[Buzzman]

Winter is here in the Antipodes, and the soup pot has made it's first forays onto the stove top.

Initially I decided to go with your trad. Brit Pea and Ham soup - slow-cooked ham hocks and split peas, but as I like this so much I thought I'd make a vegan version for y'all out there.

Green Pea and Split Pea Soup

250g split peas, soaked overnight
500gm fresh or frozen peas
2L vegetable stock
1 sml onion, roughly chopped
3-6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly crushed (to taste)
1 tsp smoked paprika (or more if you like it)
pepper and salt to taste
olive oil for sautéing onion and garlic

Add the oil to a heavy-based pan such as a cast-iron Le Creuset pot or similar, on high, heat to sputtering when a pice of onion is dropped in. Add onion and sauté till translucent. Add crushed garlic, saute for one minute.

Pour in the split peas, don't bother draining them first (provided you have soaked them 'just covered'). Then add the stock. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to simmer with lid partly off (to allow liquid to reduce) for at least an hour. Add frozen peas and return to boil, then reduce and simmer for a further hour.

You can add chopped carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, what have you, at this point. Changes the flavour slightly but is a good way to bulk up the total volume. I'd estimate 1-2 carrots, no more than four sticks of celery, similar qty of whatever else.

If you don't have frozen or fresh green peas, double the qty of split peas, but beware that this will make a thick, gluggy soup that sticks to the roof of your mouth. Add more stock at the end to thin it, or use the additional veggies to do this for you.

Simmer on low heat for a further hour. Puree using stick blender or jug blender.

Serve. Eat. Enjoy.

You may choose to add sour cream, cream, chopped chives, croutons, toast or fresh crusty bread with the soup. Your choice.

The green peas 'soften' the sometimes cloying texture and strong flavour of the split peas, making it a milder version of split-pea soup. Although the majority of the 'smoky' flavour in pea and ham actually comes from the peas, not the smoked ham (counter-intuitive, but there you go) I find the smoked paprika adds that extra little bit of smokiness and 'bacony-ness' that is missing along with the ham from the vegan version.

You probably only need to stir the soup once every 15 minutes for the first hour, but check regularly during the last hour, as it can stick very easily and burn, ruining the entire pot.

I use a wooden scraper/spoon with a squared-off edge as it covers more of the surface and scrapes any incipient gunge off the bottom before it has a chance to burn. Critically, I use a heat diffuser under the pot to assist with this on my propane stove as it is very difficult to get the propane to burn low enough without self-extinguishing to prevent the soup sticking to the bottom of the pan.

It really is very simple to make and can be cooking away while you do something else. Like surfing the net ... or, I dunno, ironing...???