Lauren Burns - Food from a loving home : a collection of vegetarian recipes

Food from a Loving Home

A COLLECTION OF VEGETARIAN RECIPES

This book is a project of love made by two friends, home
cook Lauren Burns and designer Sarah Rudledge, who
have collaborated to produce a work with local origins.
It represents handcrafted food and design and aims to
encompass the pleasure and beauty of cooking and
sharing food.

Lauren Burns is a qualified naturopath, nutritionist and
herbalist who is best known for winning the first Olympic
gold medal for taekwondo in the -49kg category when the
sport made its debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Lauren has always been passionate about food. She became
a vegetarian at the age of three and is proud that, despite
many nutritionists telling her it simply wasnt possible,
she was able to continue being a vegetarian through her
elite sporting career. Lauren lives in Melbourne with
her husband, Nathan, and two beautiful children,
Mac and Piper.

Sarah Rudledge runs a communications strategy company
called Midnightsky with her business partner, Luke Hockley.
She is a passionate designer, artist and illustrator who
enjoys working on projects that contribute to a healthier
planet. She lives in Melbourne with her husband, Joe.

www.laurenburns.com

Food from a
Loving Home

A COLLECTION OF VEGETARIAN RECIPES

Lauren Burns

Photography by Steven Pam

Published by Lauren Burns and Sarah Rudledge
PO Box 349
Kangaroo Ground, VIC 3097

First published by Lauren Burns and Sarah Rudledge, 2011

Text copyright Lauren Burns 2011
Photography copyright Steven Pam 2011
Design copyright Sarah Rudledge 2011
Edited and indexed by Katie Purvis

The moral right of the author has been asserted

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise),
without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher
of this book.

Printed in Australia by BHI Digital Print Services in conjunction with Snap Printing West Melbourne VIC

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Burns, Lauren.
Food from a loving home : a collection of vegetarian recipes / Lauren Burns; photographer, Steven Pam.
9780646545691 (pbk.)
9780987570185 (eBook)
Includes index.
Vegetarian cooking.
Pam, Steven.
641.5636

Lauren Burns: www.laurenburns.com
Sarah Rudledge: www.midnightsky.com.au
Steven Pam: www.smartshots.com.au

For Mac and Piper

Contents

Introduction

Food should be a source of joy. A pleasure of wonderful tastes, flavours, textures and colours. Living energy to nourish and nurture our bodies. Food can be social, festive, decadent, nurturing, mouth-watering, sensual, comforting and creative. It is to be enjoyed, celebrated and respected.

This book is a collection of my favourite recipes that represent all of the above. It is about eating wholesome, creative food and having a positive attitude towards food and its role in our lives.

It was Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, who said, Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food'. This statement could not be more poignant as our society moves further towards convenience and fast-food eating, driven by marketing campaigns and multinational corporations. The concept of food as medicine transcends the medicinal and healing properties of foods, of which there are many. I believe Hippocrates' statement also encompasses farming practices, food preparation, mindfulness, quality, pleasure and the social aspects of food.

I believe in cooking with fresh seasonal produce and good-quality ingredients that are as unadulterated as possible, and endeavouring to keep things close to their whole form. The less food is polluted with chemicals, preservatives and additives, the more you can taste the subtle flavours of nature.

We eat with our eyes as well as our mouths, so preparation and presentation are important. Studies have shown the effects on our health of eating in a calm environment, and how stress can impact on digestion. So it's good to be mindful of your situation and state of mind when you sit down to a meal.

These recipes are not just for adults many were my favourites to cook as a child. I am a firm believer in not dumbing down' food for children. Involve kids in cooking and give them family food to teach their palate to enjoy a variety of tastes and textures. As Stephanie Alexander says, (They) become seduced by the pleasures of good food, and develop an appreciation of the rituals and tastes of the table that lasts a lifetime.'

In this book I want to share my love of food and my enthusiasm for cooking delicious, plentiful, tasty and creative meals. I hope you enjoy the recipes, which are coming from my home to yours.

Protein for Vegetarians

Protein is a structural component of all human cells. It is used by the body in enzyme function for membranes, and in transport of hormones and precursors for nucleic acids, vitamins and hormones.

Protein combining is imperative for a healthy vegetarian diet. It was once thought that you needed a variety of proteins to make a complete' protein in each meal, but the latest research shows that a variety of different proteins such as eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds consumed over a few days will give you the complete protein requirements. A general rule of thumb is to try to have protein with every meal; this also helps you feel satiated.

The concepts of protein combining are good to keep in mind, and once you have the basic concepts in your head, it's easy to make sure you get adequate protein throughout the day.

Sources of protein

Animal products: dairy, milk, yoghurt, eggs

Plant foods: legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, tofu, tempeh, soy

For complete protein for vegetarians and vegans, combine:

Grains + legumes e.g. rice and lentils, wheat and peas, bean burritos

Seeds/nuts + legumes e.g. hommus (chick peas and sesame/tahini), tofu and sesame

Grains + milk or eggs e.g. rice and eggs, french toast, lasagne, quiche

Vegetables + milk or eggs e.g. cream soups, vegetables with eggs or cheese sauce, salad with boiled egg, vegetable omelette, eggplant parmigiana

A great source of protein is to carry a nut or trail mix with you throughout the day or have it on hand to snack on at home. I make up a large mix every few weeks and store it in an airtight container. From this I make smaller portions to carry with me during the day. Almonds, brazil nuts and cashew nuts provide a range of protein so they form a good base. From here you can add other nuts, such as walnuts, and seeds, such as pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and sunflower seeds. Make sure your mix is visually appealing; otherwise, you won't be inclined to eat it. Inclusions such as dried cranberries, pawpaw, sultanas or goji berries can give colour to the mix.

Hot Oat and Quinoa Porridge

Kick-start the morning with this great breakfast. Oats are an excellent
source of fibre and are brilliant for the nervous system, and quinoa is an
excellent source of protein. For more information on quinoa, see .

SERVES 2

Pour the water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa and boil for