Joyful, Delicious, Vegan: Life Without Heart Disease

Enjoy this guest post by Sherra Aguirre, author of Joyful, Delicious, Vegan: Life Without Heart Disease.

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We can all learn how to enjoy good health naturally at any age, and it starts in our kitchens by changing what and how we eat. With a delicious plant-based diet we feed our health and not disease. This is the most effective way to prevent or reverse heart disease, the leading cause of death in the US.  Heart disease especially impacts African American women, who are on the front line of the fight against this killer and other chronic diet related illnesses.  

In Joyful, Delicious Vegan: Life Without Heart Disease I share my own story of reversing hypertension, based on current nutritional knowledge, and despite my family history. I was guided by the recommendations of two world-renowned cardiologists, who have demonstrated results with patients for many years. I show readers how to build a simple food plan around their particular needs with delicious anti-inflammatory foods, and how to develop the habit of mindful eating. There are powerful tips for success, encouragement, and staying power.   

Despite the growing body of nutritional research, the mainstream medical community has been slow to integrate this knowledge in patient treatment and education. Only recently has it been introduced into modern medical training, leaving many doctors and health care providers in the dark about its effectiveness – while only offering patients costly maintenance drugs and surgical procedures, none of which offer a cure.   

I want to get this message in the hands of as many people who can benefit from it as possible. I particularly want to empower those underserved by our healthcare system with the knowledge along with simple, affordable ways to prevent it, reverse it, and practice good self-care for themselves and their families. I also want to share the sheer joy of eating great healthy food, simple to make at home, that you love, and that loves you back! Whole plant-based eating is an adventure with endless possibilities to enjoy your favorite tastes and textures in healthier versions, and easily adapts to so many cultural food traditions.   

This change in diet is the most powerful thing we can do as individuals to save our environment by reducing methane pollution from factory animal farming, while promoting compassion for animals. I can’t imagine a more powerful opportunity to make one change that contributes to our own health, the health of animals and of Earth itself.

Sherra Aguirre is a health enthusiast and food justice advocate, passionate about empowering others (especially African American women and other communities who are at high risk for diabetes and heart disease), to maintain vibrancy and good health throughout their lifetimes. She improved her own overall heart health and eliminated symptoms of hypertension despite a significant family history of heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure, by adopting a whole plant-based diet. 

10 Vegan Nigerian Recipes You Must Try

Whether you're new to Nigerian cuisine or want to try your hands at vegan versions of your favourites, these are the top ten best vegan Nigerian recipes you need to try. 

Block out a weekend, stock up on ingredients, and get cooking! 

Simply click on each image to access the full recipe. 

If you like this post, be sure to share it with your friends.

1. Egusi Soup

Made using ground melon seeds, this spinach soup is a tasty classic with a rich flavour profile. Serve it with yam, fufu, pounded yam or even rice. Click here for the recipe.

2. Yam and 'Egg' 

Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Simply replace eggs with scrambled tofu and serve alongside a few slices of boiled yam. It's nutritious, still high in protein and incredibly filling. Click here for the recipe.

3. Jollof Rice

This list would be incomplete without this West African classic. Jollof Rice is a one-pot dish consisting of rice that has been steamed in an aromatic blend of peppers and tomatoes. If you make only one dish on this list, let it be this one. Click here for the recipe.

4. Beans and Plantain

A food pairing made in heaven. This high-protein meal is ideal for when you want something that's comforting and relatively simple to make. The beans do take a while to cook but the wait is well worth it. Click here for the recipe.

5. Red Stew (Obe Ata) 

The staple of every Nigerian meal plan is the classic red stew, made by blending red peppers, tomatoes and onion. Add in your preferred meat substitute for a delicious dish best served with rice, yam, plantain, potatoes, and more! Click here for the recipe.

6. Moin Moin 

Can best be described as a steamed bean pudding. Steam in banana leaves for maximum flavour or use ramekins if you don't have access to that. Click here for the recipe.

7. Yam Pottage

A simple one-pot dish that's so unbelievably comforting. If you've never cooked with yam before, this recipe is an accessible place to start. Click here for the recipe.

8. Suya Vegetables

Suya spice is normally used to coat chunks of roasted meat; a popular street food across Nigeria. Here we'll use chunky vegetables and mushrooms instead for a kick-ass vegan version. Click here for the recipe.

9. Nigerian Buns

For a delicious snack that tastes like a doughnut but takes less than half the time to make, have a go at this egg-free and dairy-free version of fried buns. Click here for the recipe.

10. Plantain Mosa

Beyond fried plantain, there's mosa. An excellent way to use up any overripe plantain you may have lying around your kitchen. Can be made sweet or savoury, depending on your mood. Click here for the recipe.

For more plantain recipes, check out my Plantain Cookbook.

For more regular food inspiration, be sure to follow on Instagram.

Vegan Nigerian 'Egg' Stew ('Egg' Sauce)

This recipe was recently requested by a reader of the blog. Although I was never really a huge fan of egg stew (or egg sauce) back in the day, I know that it's a common breakfast dish in many Nigerian households. It is often eaten for breakfast, with a side of boiled yam, agege bread or fried plantain. To be honest, it can also be eaten at any time of the day, so feel free to whip it up for a light lunch or dinner. It's one of the easiest things you can make and I hope you give it a try! If you do, be sure to share your pics with me on Instagram @vegannigerian.

In this vegan version, we're going to be using firm tofu to replace the eggs. We're also going to be making a slightly healthier version by making it oil-free. 

If you like this recipe, you will also like my recipe for yam and scrambled tofu.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

- 3 large cooking spoons of red stew mix (thick blend of red pepper, tomatoes, chillies and onion) 

- 1 red onion, chopped

- 1 red bell pepper, chopped

- 1 green bell pepper, chopped

- 200g firm tofu, drained

- salt to taste (use black salt/kala namak for an eggy flavour)

- 1/2 tsp curry powder

- 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Method

1. Pour the red stew mix into a non-stick frying pan or saucepan. Cook on high heat for one minute then add the chopped red onion and peppers. Cover and allow to simmer on medium-low heat for three minutes until the vegetables soften slightly.

2. Add the block of firm tofu and break it down to a 'scramble'. Stir to combine and season with salt, curry powder and thyme. Cover and allow to simmer for another five minutes.

3. Serve hot with some freshly cooked yam or a slice of bread or a helping of fried plantain. 

Vegan Chicken | Easy Seitan Recipe

If you're an avid TikTok watcher, you may have come across the viral "chicken made from flour" videos that were circulating a few weeks back. However, there's nothing new about this technique or recipe. The practice of making mock meat using vital wheat gluten can be traced as far back as the 6th century when Asian monks developed it as a substitute to meat. In this week's video, I show you my attempt at making vegan "chicken" using this method.

What is vital wheat gluten?

Vital wheat gluten is made by hydrating wheat flour to activate the gluten. The starch is washed away and discarded and the gluten is retained. It is possible to make mock meat straightaway using the gluten obtained from this process. However, the gluten can also be dried and ground back into a flour. This flour can then be used to make seitan, but it has a bunch of other uses too. It's great as a binder in plant-based burgers to stop them from falling apart. It can also be added to bread recipes to improve the chewiness and crumb texture of the loaf.

Where can you buy vital wheat gluten?

You can buy vital wheat gluten online or at most health shops (check the baking section). 

What is seitan?

Sounds weird when you say it out loud. We are not referring to the devil here, but rather the name for 'wheat meat' which originates from 6th century Asian cuisine. Seitan is made by mixing vital wheat gluten with water and spices to form a dough. This dough is then boiled, steamed or baked, causing it to develop a chewy meat-like texture. 

There are tons of seitan recipes you can try, using a variety of spices and additional ingredients to achieve various textures and results. You may make a seitan sausage or seitan 'shredded meat' or seitan 'chicken', etc.

Are vital wheat gluten and seitan suitable for those with gluten intolerance? 

As the name suggests, gluten is the main ingredient here so it is NOT suitable for celiacs or those with a gluten allergy. 

Is seitan a healthy meat substitute?

On the plus side, seitan is high in protein, low in fat and a good source of selenium and iron. However, because of its highly processed nature, I wouldn't recommend that you make this a staple part of your diet. It's good as an occasional addition to your meals or for those times that you find yourself craving something with a meaty texture. Enjoy it as part of a balanced whole food plant-based diet. Other healthy and unprocessed meat substitutes include mushrooms, aubergine/garden egg, beans and jackfruit.

Easy Seitan "Chicken" Recipe

- 1.5 cups vital wheat gluten

- 3 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 tsp smoked paprika

- 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder

- 1 tbsp black pepper

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 cup warm water

- 1 tbsp sunflower oil

- 1 red onion, roughly chopped

- 1 cup liquid vegetable stock

Method

Combine the vital wheat gluten, garlic, paprika, bouillon powder, black pepper, salt and water in a large bowl. Mix until well combined, then knead for a couple of minutes in the bowl to form a dough. Please note, the dough will not be perfectly smooth as you might expect from a bread dough.

Stretch out the dough, twist it and tie into a knot.

Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan and add the dough. Brown on both sides for about two to three minutes. 

Pour in the vegetable stock and add the red onions. Cover and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. Be sure to flip the seitan over halfway through the cooking time. If the stock dries up too quickly, you may add a little bit of water.

Once cooked, remove from the pan and leave to stand for 15 minutes. Shred, dice or slice the seitan. Why not add it to your red stew or egusi soup or efo riro? 

Vegan Blueberry and Strawberry Cake

Looking at my most recent posts, you would think this is turning into a full on cake appreciation blog, but my mum's birthday was a couple of days ago and in keeping with tradition, I baked her a scrumptious vegan cake to celebrate. After posting the picture/video on Instagram, a lot of interest rolled in for the recipe. Here we are! This cake is soft, succulent and fresh, with bursts of juicy blueberry in every mouthful. I hope you enjoy trying it out and I would love to hear what you think.

It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since I made the vegan orange cake for my mum's birthday - definitely check it out if you haven't because it is fabulous! This year, I kept the fruit theme going as my mum's a big fan of fresh fruit in cakes. The blueberries really take centre stage in this, with the strawberries acting as a featured guest.

The recipe below is enough to make one layer of the cake, but if you are making a two layer celebration cake like I did, you can go ahead and double the ingredients and sandwich the cake with your buttercream of choice, such as the strawberry one below or chocolate buttercream or vanilla buttercream. 

You'll see below that the measurements are in cups and spoons. I recommend this set of stainless steel measuring cups and spoons. There are also online tools that allow you to convert from cups to grams if necessary.

On a side note, I've been considering setting up a vegan cake delivery business here in London. A side project to indulge my love of baking while providing people with tasty treats. If anything comes of it, you'll hear about it. In the meantime, if you know for sure that it's something you'd be into, feel free to message me on Instagram to express your interest.

Where appropriate, I have included links to the exact brands (ingredients and equipment) I used to make this cake. If you need any more product recommendations, just drop me a comment or message.

Ingredients

For one layer of cake

- 2 cups self-raising flour 

- 1 tsp baking soda

- pinch of salt

- 1 cup caster sugar

- 1/3 cup sunflower/vegetable oil

- 1 cup vegan milk (such as almond, oat, soya etc.)

- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 

- 1 cup fresh blueberries (approx. 200g)

- 2-3 strawberries (thinly sliced)

For the strawberry buttercream and toppings

- 4 heap tablespoons vegan margarine 

- 1 cup icing sugar

- 1 tablespoon strawberry jam

- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

- 4 drops red gel food colouring 

- 1 cup chopped cashews 

- fresh blueberries and strawberries

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C.

2. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, vegan milk and vanilla together. Pour this into the dry ingredients and use a spatula to gently fold the mixture until a cake batter forms. Do not over whisk or stir too vigorously otherwise you may lose the fluffy cake texture.

4. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the blueberries (in a bowl) and toss together until the berries are well coated. Gently fold this into the cake batter.

5. Lightly grease a round 20cm cake tin with oil or vegan margarine then line the bottom with a round piece of baking paper. Pour the batter into the tin and use a spatula to smooth out the top. Layer the slices of fresh strawberry over the top. If you are icing the cake later, no need to be too neat. If you are not icing the cake, you may wish to make a pretty pattern with the strawberries.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick stuck in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack before icing/serving

6. To make the strawberry buttercream, combine the vegan margarine, icing sugar, strawberry jam, vanilla bean paste and red food colouring. Whisk until you have a fluffy buttercream.

7. Decorate the cooled cake with the strawberry buttercream and garnish with chopped cashews and more fresh berries. As mentioned earlier, you can turn this into a 2 layer sandwich cake by doubling the ingredient quantities. 

I made mine a two-layer cake and put the buttercream between the layers and around the side. I then pressed the chopped cashews into the buttercream all the way around and sprinkled some more on top.

Vegan Edible Dish Sponge Cake | April Fool's Prank | Illusion Cake

April Fool's day is just around the corner and who doesn't love a good prank? Throw food in the mix and even better! I first saw this illusion cake concept on Emmymade's YouTube channel, by way of Emma's Goodie's YouTube channel. I stored the video at the back of my mind, determined to make a vegan version some day. Now's the perfect time!

I used a 28cm by 21cm rectangular tin. You can also use a brownie tin. 

Ingredients

(makes approx. 8 "sponges")

- 4 cups self-raising flour

- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

- pinch of salt

- 1.5 cups caster sugar

- 2/3 cup sunflower oil

- 2 cups vegan milk (such as almond, oat or soya)

- 1 tsp vanilla extract or juice from half a lemon

- yellow gel food colouring

- green gel food colouring

- 1 tbsp golden syrup or maple syrup or marmalade

- 1/4 cup extra vegan milk (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, sugar, oil and vegan milk in a large mixing bowl. Fold gently to form a thick cake batter. Flavour with either lemon juice or vanilla extract. Mix to combine.

Divide the cake batter into two separate bowls in the fraction of 1/3 and 2/3. 

Add a few drops of green gel food colouring to 1/3 of the batter. Add 2-3 drops of yellow gel food colouring to 2/3 of the batter.

Pour the green cake batter into a 28 by 21cm cake tin that has been lightly greased and lined with baking paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.

Pour the yellow cake batter into a 28 by 21cm cake tin that has been lightly greased and lined with baking paper. Bake for 20 minutes until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.

Take the cakes out of the tin and allow to cool completely. If the top of the cakes are a little bumpy, use a serrated knife to even them out.

Spread a thin layer of syrup or marmalade or jam over the yellow cake (this will act as a glue) and gently place the green cake on top so that all the edges match. Use a serrated knife to trim around the edges of the cake. Cut the cake into 8 "sponges".

To add to the illusion effect, whisk 1/4 cup vegan milk until frothy. Scoop some of the froth over the sponge to mimic soap suds.

Lentils in the Style of Ewa Riro (Nigerian Stewed Beans)

Ewa Riro is the Yoruba name for one-pot stewed beans. The honey beans (also known as oloyin beans) are soaked overnight and then boiled for what can seem like hours until very tender/mushy. It is then cooked with palm oil and often a blend of red peppers and tomatoes. I have a recipe post for that if you want to check it out. 

But this post here is for my fellow lazy home cooks who can't be bothered (sometimes) to make Ewa from scratch. Red lentils are a great alternative because they take a fraction of the time. If you're into meal prep, I recommend making a big batch of this and freezing portions of this to have during the week.

Serve with a side of sweet fried plantain and you've got a winning dish on your hands.

Ingredients

(serves 6-8)

- 4 cups red lentils

- 4 cups red stew mix

- 1 cup warm water

- 2 tablespoons palm oil or coconut oil

- salt to taste

Method

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and cook on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Serve hot with a side of fried plantain, a chunk of soft bread or a sprinkling of garri over the top.

Cheesy Garlic Plantain Bread | Easy Vegan Recipe

When that craving for garlic bread hits, you just have to follow suit. I was minding my business one morning when I saw a recipe video for garlic bread pop up on my feed. Recipe videos are my guilty pleasure; I could spend hours watching them and that is no exaggeration. This particular video caught my eye because of the shape and construction of the garlic. Although a non-vegan recipe, I sat through the whole thing and resolved that a vegan version needed to be made. Even better if I could put my own spin on it and use up some old, neglected plantain we had lying around in the kitchen. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe. If you make it and like it, please share your photos with me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations and I love reposting them to my stories.

Recipe notes

• I used a similar dough recipe as the one I used in my steamed buns recipe. Worked out pretty great, with a focaccia-style crumb. For a more chewy dough, you could use bread flour instead of regular plain flour. 
• If you do not have access to vegan margarine, coconut oil is a fantastic substitute. Imagine the flavour if the oil is scented and coconut-ty too...yum!
• I bought my vegan cheese from a local supermarket, but if you really cannot find any then you can make your own at home (there are so many amazing vegan cheese recipes online these days) or leave it out completely.

Ingredients

For the dough

- 3/4 cup vegan milk

- 2 tbsp caster sugar

- 2 tsp instant yeast

- 2 tbsp vegan margarine (melted)

- 2.5 cups plain/all-purpose flour

For the toppings

- 50g vegan cheese (cut into thin batons)

- 1 heap tbsp vegan margarine (melted)

- 1/4 red onion (finely chopped)

- 1 tsp dried parsley

- 10 cloves garlic (finely chopped or minced)

- 1/4 tsp salt

Method

To make the dough, add the vegan milk, sugar, yeast and margarine to a large mixing bowl. Add the flour and mix to form a sticky dough. Knead the dough inside the bowl for a few minutes until it is smooth and less sticky (see video above for results).

Place the dough on a lined baking tray and use your fingers to flatten it into a thick, round shape. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to stand for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

After an hour, gently press down the dough to remove any excess air bubbles. 

Cut deep lines along and across the length and width of the dough. Press the vegan cheese batons into the lines.

Make the "garlic butter" by combining the melted margarine with red onion, parsley, garlic and salt. Mix well then brush over the cheesy dough, making sure to cover the edges as well.

Bake for 30 minutes, then place under a grill for another 5 minutes for extra browning on top.

Serve warm and enjoy!