I picked up this recipe when we visited Fiji a few years ago. While it was part of a truly wonderful holiday, the cooks there struggled with the concept of veganism. Around the repetitive meals and a few not so tasty dinners, this soup became a favourite for both me and Kenny, despite being before he went vegetarian. Totally tasty, I begged the chef for his recipe not even half way through our stay. I’ve made some tweaks since then to make this my own and it makes for a quick, cheap and easy meal. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a great backup to have in your pocket for…
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Jackfruit Carnitas (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Lets do some real talk folks, I’m a white girl living in suburban London. Authentic Mexican food can be a little hard to track down round here and I’ve never been to Mexico so I’m left to look at pictures on the internet and imagine. I’m not going to be your most authentic source of Mexican food but I can tell you whats tasty and these carnitas are so tasty! Inspired by the traditional Mexican dish of pork carnitas where a shoulder of pork is slow cooked until it starts to fall apart, then grilled to crisp up the edges. Cooked with tons of aromatics, this tender and flavourful dish…
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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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Tomato Risotto with Basil & Garlic Breadcrumbs (Vegan, Gluten Free & Nut Free)
Risotto is one of those comforting recipes that can seem so unapproachable when served in a restaurant but it’s really not! The secret to a traditional risotto is hot stock, and stirring – never stop stirring. it can be an extremely soothing way to end a stressful day to stand at your hob and gradually nurse a risotto to life. On the other hand, if you don’t have the time or inclination to stand there, constantly stirring, then just leave it to your pressure cooker. Seriously, with very little work you can have dinner ready in 15 to 20 minutes by just leaving the risotto to your pressure cooker. This…
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Aubergine Banh Mi (Vegan & Gluten Free)
These spicy, crunchy sandwiches are a staple in Vietnamese food culture and are perfect on a warm summer’s day. It may seem complicated when you pick one up from a food truck but it’s actually quite approachable with lots of little bits that can be done ahead. In other words, its a recipe that’s made for lockdown, doing the odd bit here and there as working from home allows! The big benefit of doing this yourself is that it allows your to modulate the heat in this Sandwich. Traditionally, this is served with plenty of chillies and an extra layer of even more fresh chillies for those who want it.…
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Vegan Shakshouka (with no tofu in sight!)
Shakshouka is one of those classic regional dishes that has as many different versions as it does regions who lay claim to it. A rich, spicy, tomato sauce with poached eggs, and plenty of bread for dipping. Traditionally it’s most commonly used for breakfast (and a great hangover cure!) but it works wonderfully for any time of day and we always used to love it for dinner. It’s one of those meals that made taking that final step towards being vegan and giving up eggs quite hard, so today I wanted to have a go at tackling a vegan shakshouka. There have been plenty of attempts to veganise this dish…
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Pad Kee Mao (or, Thai Drunken Noodles)
A few years ago, I went on holiday to Thailand with my sister and mother. It remains one of my favourite holidays and when we came home my brother asked about my favourite part. I told him about all the brilliant food, the wonderful street food stalls and the restaurants that appeared at night. Ever since then I have tried to recreate some of the flavours we had then and this, this is the closest I’ve come in a long time. There are a number of stories of how drunken noodles got their name. Some claim it’s because they’re meant to be so hot they’ll make you feel drunk, others…
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Coronation Chickpea Burgers
Coronation chicken is one of those classic kitschy English recipes. Invented when the country was still struggling with rationing after the second world war, it was then seen as exotic and sophisticated. These days you can get cheap tubs of the stuff in most supermarkets and people use it as sandwich fillings or cheerful additions to an impromptu barbecue. These chickpea burgers were inspired by that classic British dish. Spiced and slightly sweetened with the addition of mango chutney and sultanas. Served with my take on the classic coronation sauce, this works perfectly stuffed into a pitta bread or sandwiched between two naan breads. Yum! Makes: Serves 4 Ingredients For…
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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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Vegan Spaghetti Alfredo
Carbs are my comfort food, and there’s no mistaking it, some days you just want a big bowl of pasta with a creamy sauce. But its a weeknight, so you want it to feel decadent but to be relatively healthy too, and well, I’m still me, so vegetables were going to have to be involved here. So in response to that urge I revisited Pasta Alfredo with the thought of putting my own stamp onto it. Done right, with a cauliflower and cashew base, the sauce is wonderfully smooth and creamy. However, I like a little bit more depth to my meals – it needed more than your standard pasta…
