Tempeh is one of those ingredients I’d never heard of before turning vegan. It’s also one I’ve struggled to get Kenny to be happy with, I suspect because he finds it just too strange. However, it’s a great source of protein as well as being good for the gut. I started making my own a few months ago, it’s typically made from soy beans but I make mine from black beans and seeds. The mix ensures it’s still a protein source but it’s free from soy which works well for me. Tempeh can be used in a lot of places where you’d typically use meat, or treated like tofu. I…
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Vegan Egg Fried Rice (Vegan & Gluten Free)
We’re doing a little series this week on Fakeaways. Recipes that you can easily cook at home that taste as good, if not better than what you’d order for a takeout. What’s more, when cooking at home you have the guarantee that everything will be vegan and match your allergy needs. Want it vegan? Of course you do! Need it gluten free? Not a problem here! Need to avoid soy? I’ve got you. Nuts are a problem? All of this week’s fakeaways are nut free. Today I present to you egg fried rice, no egg needed. A Chinese takeout classic, it’s also one of the best things you can do…
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Thai Style Potato Salad (Vegan & Gluten Free)
I’m a big fan of salads in all forms. From little side salads to big heaping mounds of veggies drenched in a delicious dressing, and warm salads that contrast winters cool. A good salad shouldn’t be just a few leaves, but rather is a vehicle for your creativity. Experiment with ingredients you have around the house to add that extra special touch, fruit for sweetness, nuts for crunch Potato salad works well as a side with just so many dishes. Serve as a side with your next barbecue, with a picnic, or leftovers. This version is bursting with flavours, creamy, sweet and just a little acidic. Whats more, it’s incedibly…
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Mum’s Roast Potatoes – Kitchen Basics
It’s been a long, difficult week and the weather really hasn’t helped with grey skies and near constant rain. So I reached for on of my favourite comfort foods, roast potatoes. I grew up eating the perfect roast potatoes but it was only once I moved out and started cooking for friends that I realised just how good mum’s roast potatoes really were. If I wanted to impress someone, roast potatoes would often feature in dinner, the first time I cooked for Kenny I’m pretty sure they were there. The perfect roast potato is crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, a little salty, and with the perfect balance…
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Courgette and Sweetcorn Fritters (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Some great dishes have great cultural heritage behind them, while others are created just because something in the fridge needs to be eaten. Today’s fritters are in that last category. We had a lonely courgette in the fridge that had seen better days and really needed to be eaten. In the spirit of anything can be turned into a fritter (much like anything can be turned into a pakora), this dish was born with the minimum of reliance on fresh ingredients. Which make this perfect for emptying the fridge or for those days when you really could do with going to the shops but just don’t have the time. Paired…
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Green Papaya Salad (Som Tom Thai)
Dig out your spiralizers people – today we’re making Papaya Salad! I know, using a spiralizer isn’t authentic, it’s certainly not how you’ll see them making it at the night markets in Thailand! Personally if I tried cutting papaya using the traditional method then I’d probably loose a finger. An alternative method often suggested is using a grater and while this will work in a pinch, it often leaves you with papaya strands that are just too thin. A favourite of Thai cusine, this salad is spicy, sour and yet sweet, with the contrasting textures of soft and crunchy. Wandering around the markets in Thailand you’ll see different stalls at…
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Crunchy Chickpea ‘Tuna’ Salad (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Before I went vegan, tuna sandwiches were a big favourite of mine. Never home made, these shop bought sandwiches were my go to choice whenever I didn’t have to see anyone too soon afterwards – not wanting to subject anyone to my fishy/onion breath! This vegan version of one of my favourite snack, has a surprisingly similar texture from the chickpeas (just go with me on this – you won’t believe me till you try it!), and such a similar taste from the seasonings. It’ll only take 10 minutes to make and, while it works better if made the night before so the flavours can meld, you can eat it…
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Cauliflower Pakoras with Glasgow Pakora Sauce
Taking a picture of this one was a little tricky – mainly because Kenny kept eating them! He’s a Glasgow boy and Glasgow has vibrant community of people from India. This has fed into a strong tradition of Indian food that has developed almost separately from the rest of the UK. Now that we live in London, Kenny misses so many Indian dishes that you just can’t get down here, most of all Pakora Sauce! Traditionally, pakora batter is made from Chickpea flour so is both gluten free and vegan. The challenge was to remake Kenny’s favourite Pakora sauce so that it was both vegan and tasted the same. We…
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Garlic Pickle
I know, this one is a little left field as it’s not a meal but more an accompaniment but trust me on this. If you’re one of those people who just can’t get enough of garlic then you’ll love this. Heavilly spiced and the perfect partner to a curry, a sandwich, or even a simple salad – this can liven up any dish. I’ve even been experimenting with using this in dishes as a base ingredient – I’ll let you know how those experiments go! So go for it, if you’re still social distancing then now is the perfect time to really indulge that garlic craving! Makes: 500ml Jar Ingredients…
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Spicy Asian Style Cauliflower Bites
Cauliflower is one of those veggies that have been through a massive ‘glow-up’ over the past few years. Once thought of as a bland, uninspiring veg that tends to be boiled to death, it’s now become a stable for many once you realise how flexible it truly is. My sister makes pizza bases with it, others I know make cauliflower ‘wings’, often for a tasty side I’ll roast it. Seriously it seems we’ve all been missing a trick by boiling it all these years. These cauliflower bite are a little salty, a little sweet, with a flash of chilli and crunch. What’s more they’re baked rather than fried so they’re…
