What does a lifelong vegetarian serve for Christmas? Who better to ask than Tammy Fry, former Winston Park resident and St Mary’s old-girl, the epitome of a meat-free lifestyle.
From festive vegan granola and cashew fried rice with crispy baked tofu to vanilla nice-cream with cookie crumble, Tammy serves up her favourite recipes, right out of her book Made with Love & Plants, to help you enjoy a compassionate Christmas with all the trimmings.
Going back to her roots in Durban, Tammy was given a vegetarian diet from the very beginning. Her father, Wally, grew up as an animal farmer where meat was a staple in his everyday diet. Tammy’s mother, Debbie Fry, is also a lifelong vegetarian and together they helped to inspire Wally to embrace a vegetarian diet. This sparked the creation of The Fry Family Food Co, where enabling others to live a happier and more energetic lifestyle through plant-based nutrition is the cornerstone of their passion.
“When it comes to incorporating more plant-based foods into your family’s lifestyle, the options are endless. What started off as a trend, I believe is now a rooted lifestyle choice and it is just going to continue to grow. Some of my favourite recipes include a plant-based burger patty cooked on the braai, a delicious spaghetti bolognese filled with herbs and spices, and warming cottage pie.”
Try some of these favourite dishes Tammy enjoys preparing over the Christmas holidays.
Cashew Fried Rice with Crispy Baked Tofu
Trust me – you will need to make an extra-large batch. This rice is a wonderful easy dinner if you’re entertaining friends. Tastes even better the next day – because who wants to cook two nights in a row over the holidays! It is nutritionally well-balanced and satisfying, but who’s counting! Serves four to six.
You’ll need: 4 cups water; 2 cups uncooked brown rice 2 cups firm tofu, pressed; Tbsp. sesame oil;
2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 brown onion, finely chopped; 3 spring onions, sliced; 1 tsp smoky paprika 1 red pepper, diced 1 carrot, diced; ½ cup sugar snap peas, sliced diagonally; ½ cup roasted cashew nuts; 1 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari or to taste; 1 long red chilli, deseeded and chopped (optional)
Sauce: 5 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari; 2 Tbsp. smooth nut butter; 3 Tbsp. maple syrup; 1 clove garlic, crushed
To make: Preheat the oven to 180°C and lightly grease a baking tray with cooking spray or coconut oil. Bring the water to the boil and add the brown rice. Leave to simmer, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes. Try to avoid stirring the rice. Meanwhile, wrap the tofu in absorbent paper towel and place something heavy on top to squeeze out the water. Cut the tofu into 2 cm cubes and arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn once during baking so that they brown on both sides. While the tofu is baking, heat the sesame oil over a medium-high heat in a large pan. Add the garlic, onion, spring onions and paprika and lightly sauté for 3–4 minutes. Add the red pepper, carrot, peas and cashew nuts, and sauté for a further 3 minutes.
To make the sauce, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Place the baked tofu in a bowl and pour over the sauce. Mix well until the tofu is evenly coated. Once the rice is tender, rinse and drain in a colander or sieve until completely cool. Ensure that all the water is drained. Add the rice and tofu to the sautéed vegetables in the pan, mix and fry for 4 minutes over a high heat. Add soy sauce or tamari to taste. Serve, topped with chopped fresh chillies, if using.
Tofu Scramble
Who doesn’t love a good brunch with friends over the holidays? This Tofu Scramble will satisfy even the most avid of egg eaters. Serves two to four.
You’ll need: 1 Tbsp. coconut oil; 1 medium brown onion, diced; 1 red pepper, deseeded and diced; 6–8 mushrooms, sliced 2 cups organic baby spinach;
1 block organic tofu (I prefer firm), crumbled; ¼ tsp ground turmeric; a pinch of ground smoky paprika; a pinch of Indian black salt (this smells exactly like egg, so if you’d prefer, replace with; ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder and ¼ tsp Himalayan salt); avocado, sliced
To make: In a frying pan, heat the coconut oil over a medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, red pepper and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and tofu, then cook for another 5 minutes. Add the turmeric, paprika and salt and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve with sliced avocado
Festive Vegan Granola
I love a homemade gift, and this vegan granola tastes just like the holidays. Put it in a pretty jar and wrap with a festive ribbon for a wonderful gift. Serves 12.
You’ll need: ½ cup coconut oil;
½ cup maple syrup; 1–2 tsp grated orange zest; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup puffed amaranth; 1 cup rolled oats; ½ cup raw macadamia nuts; ½ cup pepitas or shelled pumpkin seeds; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ cup dark vegan chocolate chips; 1 cup dried cranberries
To make: Preheat the oven to 120°C and line a baking tray (25 x 35 cm) with baking paper. In a small pot over a medium heat, melt the coconut oil until it is completely liquid. Remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup, orange zest and vanilla. Place all the remaining ingredients, except the chocolate and cranberries, into a bowl and mix well. Pour over the coconut oil mixture and stir until well combined and all the ingredients are coated with the oil. Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared baking tray and bake for 15–20 minutes. It can burn easily so keep checking! Once lightly browned, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Stir through the chocolate and cranberries once the granola is completely cool. Transfer to pretty gift jars.
Vanilla Nice Cream with Cookie Crumble
Delicious, plant-based, melty goodness – this one makes the nice list. Nice to eat, nice to make, nice ’n healthy too. Serves 4.
You’ll need: 3 frozen bananas; 1 tbsp. maple syrup; a few drops natural vanilla extract; 1 tbsp. cocoa powder (optional for making chocolate ice cream); quarter cup coconut milk (if necessary); crunchy oat and choc cookies (recipe in the book, or use any other vegan cookie, crumbled)
To make: Add the bananas, maple syrup, vanilla extract and cocoa powder (if using) to a powerful blender and blitz until smooth. Add small amounts of the coconut milk, if required for a smoother texture. Serve in a bowl or a cone, topped with crumbled cookies.
Details: Follow Tammy on Instagram @TammyFry_
