When I’ve had a difficult week I start to crave something nutritious and comforting and this lentil soup is both those things. It may not be sexy but it’s easy to make and just so heart warming. With a complex mix of spices and warming harissa, the deep flavours of this soup will make you think it must have been a deep labour of love. In reality, you will have spent very little time chopping some vegetables and standing over the pot, the soup will look after it’s self and bless your kitchen with amazing smells. The perfect soup for a bad day or even just a mediocre one! Enjoy…
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Creamy White Wine Spaghetti with Seared Hearts of Palm (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Seared hearts of palm can look just like scallops. With their mild taste and melt-in-your-mouth buttery texture once cooked they can taste just like them too. Pair with a pile of pasta smothered in a creamy, garlicy sauce and you’ll have a dinner fit for any special occasion. What’s more, you’ll only need to spend 15 mins in front of the stove for this dinner with minimal prep work! This is so easy to make, a child could probably handle it with with few issues. The hearts of palm will cook easily if you just leave them alone in the pan, don’t mess around with them and they’ll be happy.…
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Butternut Squash Nut Burgers (Vegan & Gluten Free)
There are two paths I tend to follow when making a burger. Either you’re aiming to make a good meaty burger that will satisfy any carnivore (like my kidney bean burgers) or embrace the flavours of your vegetables to make a truly tasty and interesting veggie burger (like my coronation chickpea burgers). Today’s burgers fall into the second category. A good source of protein thanks to the variety of nuts and quinoa, these burgers are easy to make and full of so many flavours. We served them with all your normal burger fixing in a bun but the mix is flexible enough that you have plenty of options here. Need…
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Power Miso Soup (Vegan, Gluten free, Nut Free & with Soy Free options)
I was always regarded as a slightly odd child when it came to food and when I moved to live by myself, I embraced my unconventional nature. Tired of reaching for traditional British breakfasts, I started looking at international breakfast ideas that were preferably low in sugar. It led me to spend some time perfecting my version of Miso Soup. Surprisingly easy to make, miso soup can be made flexible to how hungry you are and it lends itself incredibly well to batch cooking. There was a long time where I would spend a little time each Sunday to prepare a few basic ingredients that would allow me to whip…
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Kidney Bean and Quinoa Burgers (Vegan & Gluten Free)
It can be tricky sometimes to meet the craving for a good meaty vegan burger without soy or gluten. Finally I think I’ve done it, and it’s easier than I thought it would be! The burger is deeply tasty, full of protein, and doesn’t fall apart like so many veggie burgers. This all comes from investigating an interesting new ingredient: Methylcellulose. The secret to the texture of beyond meat, this binder has the unique ability to firm up when hot. Since discovering it, I’ve been taking a second look at all my burger recipes to see if it can improve their texture. Want a burger that tastes as good as…
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Takeout Style Sweet & Sour (Vegan & Gluten Free)
For the last post in this week’s fakeaway series I bring my version of that takeout classic, Sweet and Sour. Sweet and sour is a classic takeout dish but not very Chinese. I have memories of ordering takeout for a girls night and a friend from China went from excited to horrified. She couldn’t believe that this sticky, sweet dish was what we considered part of her nation foods. If we’re honest it’s not, it’s one of those dishes that was dreamt up to satisfy the palate of westerners. I have to admit, I love it irrespective of where it came from! In the recipe below I’ve used tofu but…
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Salt & Pepper Cauliflower (Vegan & Gluten Free)
There are evenings when Kenny goes out with the boys and I get to order whatever takeout I want, no gluten allergy worries needed. On these days it’s not uncommon that my first instinct is to reach for my favourite Chinese place. Generally a cuisine that we avoid ordering like the plague, when it’s just me it doesn’t matter if our local takeout doesn’t understand the term ‘gluten free’ because they won’t kill me if they use the wrong soy sauce. But Kenny? That’s a whole different story. I’m not going to play soy sauce russian roulette with his life just so I can get my Chinese takeout fix. That’s…
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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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Gnocchi Puttanesca-ish (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Lets just pretend this recipe doesn’t exist for anyone with an Italian background – I think I might get into trouble for messing with an Italian classic! Translated as ‘Spaghetti a la whore’, Putanesca is traditionally a spaghetti based dish. While there are plenty of arguments on where this was originally invented, one of my favourites is the claim it was originated in the brothels of the Spanish Quarters as a dish mistresses made for their clients. With a few tweeks from the original, it’s perfect for a quick, one pot dinner. The comforting little pillows of Gnocchi cook perfectly in the sauce. Finished with some vegan mozzerella and finished…
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Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Sloppy Joes is one of those iconic American foods that you see on TV but don’t really get over here in the UK. Originating in the early 1930s, the basis of this dish is cheap mince meat in a tangy, barbecue or tomato based sauce, served in a white roll. It’s one of those cheap dishes that was created during the depression to serve hungry workers and it’s survived all this time by being greater than the sum of it’s parts. Incredibly tasty and comforting, it’s perfect for those days when you need to make something filling from basic pantry stores – in other words, perfect for during lockdown! There…
