Food and Music in a Paradise City

Forgetting that I was a poor, unemployed student earlier in the year, I found myself browsing Amazon.com late at night, only to come across a couple of books which inevitably saw me punching in the digits of my Visa card.  This time however, it wasn't to indulge my great love of music.  This time it was to indulge my other great loves - books, food and health.  What can I say?  Everyone loves music, reading about and eating food.

The first book was 'Crazy Sexy Diet' by Kris Carr, whose release I had been waiting with anticipation for sometime, and the second was 'Appetite for Reduction' by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, a little gem that I'd not yet heard of, and now can't stop raving about! 

I'm not ashamed to say, I completely judged this book by its cover.  My love for music and food, together at last, even though the title and cover is a Guns n Roses parody.  I realise that vegan food may not be perceived to be very rock n roll, and you're quite right, I can't actually visualise Axl Rose chowing down on a quinoa pilaf, however as they say, you should always trust your gut, and my gut was telling me that not only was I hungry, but that this book had great potential. 

Turns out I was right.  This rock n roll sounding recipe book is my favorite, and FULL of delicious vegan recipes, one of which I loosely based a delicious cannelloni on a couple of nights ago.  The cannelloni tubes are filled with a roasted cauliflower and tofu 'ricotta', as well pumpkin mash with a dash of nutmeg.  

It's delicious, and perfect for these wintery nights!

I can't remember the exact proportions I used but it went along the lines of the following:

1 box wholemeal lasagna sheets or cannelloni tubes

1 half cauliflower head, chopped into small florets

250gm firm tofu

2 hefty tablespoons of nutritional yeast

juice of a lemon

small bowl mashed pumpkin

himalayan salt  

tin chopped tomatoes

onion

garlic

basil

parsely

To make the 'ricotta', you need to spread the cauliflower florets out on a baking tray, drizzle a bit of oil on them and season with salt.  Bake for about 20 minutes on 220C.  

Meanwhile, juice the lemon and break the tofu up into crumbly pieces. When the cauliflower is ready - lightly browned, soft but firm - process together with the tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast in a food processor, to a ricotta like consistency.  Season with salt to taste. 

If you are using lasagna sheets instead of shells, boil till they are soft enough to stuff with filling and roll into tubes. Season the bowl of mashed pumpkin with a little salt, pepper and nutmeg, and commence stuffing your cannelloni tubes, or rolling your pasta sheets.

Lay the tubes out in an oven proof dish, and top with your favorite tomato sauce.  Mine consisted of a tin of tomatoes, simmered with a couple of cloves of garlic, a chopped brown onion and a handful each of basil and parsley from the garden.  

Bake the cannelloni at 220C for around a half hour or forty minutes - or until they feel soft enough, and hot enough to eat.  

Locate and dust off your copy, or your brother's copy of 'Appetite for Destruction', because we all know that there's one lying around somewhere in the house, set the needle to 'Paradise City' and chow down baby.

ENJOY!

For more amazing recipes, check out Food Renegade