Some friends and I recently started a recipe exchange to help break down the monotony of lockdown. One of the ones that caught my eye was an aubergine curry with plenty of potential but not enough flavour. This is my version of this recipe, I’ve developed it to build the flavours. Now it’s an intensely flavourful curry that’s incredibly easy to make and perfect for midweek. Enjoy! Makes: Serves 4-6 Ingredients 600g Aubergine, roughly diced 1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled & roughly chopped 2 Onions, finely diced 4 Garlic Cloves, minced 2 tsp Garam Masala 1 tsp Coriander Seeds 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds 1 tsp Crushed Chillies 1 tsp Paprika 1…
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Thai Green Curry (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Thai green curry is one of Kenny’s favourite takeout choices so I’ve been working on my own version for quite some time. The key to this delightful dish relies is the green curry paste which offers a great oomph of flavours. Even though I know you can buy perfectly serviceable curry pastes in the supermarket, I make my own for that extra fresh taste and for the reassurance that it’ll match our dietary needs. It might seem like a lot of extra effort but believe me, the blender does all the work and it’s just so worth it. Now there’s one thing I want to point out, this is a…
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Vegan & Gluten Free Ravioli Two Ways
I did a thing and I am oh so proud of it. I made homemade pasta, it was vegan and gluten free and it was oh so tasty, and I’ll teach you to do it too. It’s not difficult and you don’t need a lot of special equipment. You will need time and patience but hey, we’re in lockdown, time isn’t something we’re short of right now. Get the kids involved, they’ll love it, or spend your next Friday night making pasta, while you watch something fascinating. I found it really quite satisfying. But first, before we look at pasta, we need to talk about flour. Gluten free flour to…
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Black Bean and Butternut Squash Empanadas (Vegan & Gluten Free)
The weather in good old blighty is a little confusing at the moment. While we sign about white Christmas’s and bleak midwinters, the weather seems convinced it’s mid September. Damp, a little chilly, but certainly not cold with no chance of snow or ice. Never mind, our Christmas preparations continue on apace. In the weeks leading up to Christmas I always to like to make food that completely contrasts with Christmas dinner just so you’re completely invested in the feast on the day. Even better, is food that I make make easily or even reheat from the freezer, leaving plenty of time for Christmas prep. These empanadas are perfect –…
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Spiced Autumn Lattice Pies (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free)
Kenny insists that he doesn’t like pie. It’s hard to tell when you watch him eat it but when you get right down to it, he finds it a waste of pastry. Good pastry is rich, buttery and crisp – to do justice to good pastry the filling should be just as memorable. This autumn lattice uses many of your favourite autumn vegetables in their best way. Roasted, tossed in spices and harissa, before being trussed in crisp puff pastry and baked. I like to add a touch of vegan feta to add a touch of creaminess but that’s entirely optional, it’ll be equally tasty without. Whats more, this is…
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Roasted Pumpkin Satay Tacos (Vegan, GF)
With our first batch of the season’s pumpkin I’ve been a little creative. As soon as i got my hands on the small, mottled beauties I knew I wanted to do something spiced but not a standard curry. I know, this is probably a corruption of several different cuisines but it really works! Freshly toasted corn tortillas pair unexpectedly well with the satay sauce while the roasted pumpkin and rainbow salad made this light while still filling. If you’re not in the mood for salad then some great multigrain rice will work equally well. This is a quick and easy dinner to make, everything will easily pull together while you…
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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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Vegan Mac & Cheese
It’s creamy, it’s cheesy, it’s a satisfying bowl of carbs – but it’s all based on veg that’s begging to be used from the bottom of the fridge. This recipe has been a life saver for me when we really need to go to the shops and all we have in the fridge is odds and ends of old veggies. Brought together that old veg can make something extraordinary with out really much effort or tie spent. I also like to tell myself it’s much healthier than your typical non-vegan mac & cheese as it actually contains some vegetables! A lot of this recipe is really quite forgiving so feel…
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Butternut Squash and Kale Spaghetti
There are days when I just don’t want to cook dinner, when I’m tired, can’t be bothered, or just want something with very little effort. This is the recipe I make when those moods strike. It’s incredibly easy and once you’ve roasted the butternut squash there’s really only 15 minutes more work. So if you’re getting tired of social distancing, tired of cooking, and just overall frustrated – pull together this dish, pour yourself a glass of wine, and breathe. Believe me, it’ll all feel better over a massive bowl of carbs! Makes: Serves 2 (Generously) Ingredients 900g Butternut Squash 1Tbsp Paprika 300g Spaghetti 2 Red Onions 4 Garlic Cloves…
