Look through pinterest sometime and you might see hundreds of Poke bowl recipes. They’re bright, fresh and multicoloured so perfect for pictures but what they also tend to be is non-vegan. Poke actually refers to the fish component, diced raw tuna. Originating in Hawaii, the bowl is built around the best fresh fish and surrounded by sushi components like rice, seaweed, edamame and others. I’ve seen some vegan recipes for this where the fish is replaced with tofu or tempeh but none of them come close to the freshness of the original recipe. Instead I’ve taken inspiration from the budget version of poke bowls that use tinned tuna. You might…
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Spanish Omelette (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Surprisingly enough, this is one of those recipes that doesn’t have to change much from the original to make it vegan. Chickpeas are a familiar staple in Spain and a well known traditional substitute for eggs which makes it easy for us. Traditionally filled with potatoes, this makes a filling breakfast for a crowd or a great light lunch with a side salad. I like to mix mine up with more than potatoes, sweet red peppers make a great addition too, along with red onion. It’s an incredibly easy dish to make and doesn’t need to be closely watched. If you’re into batch cooking then the vegetables can be easily…
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Sticky Toffee Pudding (Vegan, Gluten Free)
I must admit I don’t bake as much as I used to. Kenny doesn’t quite share my weakness for desserts and a lot of vegan desserts tend to centre around chocolate which I don’t eat. I never was much of a traditional cake person, to the point where we didn’t even have a standard wedding cake and most of my baking used to be done for other people, but I miss proper puddings. For those of you that aren’t British, by pudding I mean a hot, cooked dessert, something that should be smothered in custard and is both entirely comforting and indulgent. The calorie count on these things is off…
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Savory Chickpea Waffles (Vegan, GF, NF)
I’ve been looking for a new, interesting base for brunch. My first choice is to start my day with something savoury, not sweet. So while pancakes, waffles with syrup, and muffins are all good, they’re not my first choice. Instead, I’ve taken the idea of waffles and come up with a great savoury version. These savoury waffles are crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside and full of flavour. Using chickpea flour as a base means these are packed full of protein but still vegan and gluten free. The additional flavours make a tasty savoury waffle and a great base for your next meal. Pile on top some coleslaw…
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Beet Burgers (Vegan, GF)
If you’ve taken a look at my recipe for Beetroot Wellington then you’ll know that recipe started as a burger. This is that burger. It works beautifully as a cheeseburger, the earthiness of the beetroot pairing perfectly with the smoothness of a great vegan cheese. But to make the best burger, a messy burger that you’ll need napkins to eat but will never regret – use my peppercorn sauce. Believe me, it’s a revelation. What’s more, it’s easy to make a batch for a crowd as they cook in the oven. Want to prep a batch in advance? They freeze or can be stored in the fridge in an airtight…
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My Mother’s Hummus – Kitchen Basics
I’m well aware that probably every food blog has a recipe for hummus so yet another one might be slightly redundant. BUT I have to say that I’ve yet to find one that’s as good as this. Another one of my mother’s recipes that I grew up making, it’s incredibly easy and so simple. Ahead of her time in her love of hummus, this was a common snack for us in an era that predated the world’s current hummus obsession. I’ve put this into the Kitchen Basics, a series that I’ll keep occasionally adding to as we go. Focusing on easy recipes that anyone should be able to handle, these…
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Chickpea Scramble – Perfect for your next Breakfast! (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Eggs were the last thing I gave up when I went vegan and the hardest thing for me to stop eating. Meat? No problem, there were days when my parents would worry about my protein intake because of the little I ate. Dairy? My only issue was the lack of milk in my tea (still can’t find a plant based milk that works in tea – if you have a favourite let me know!). But eggs played a part in most of my breakfasts, baking is a whole new ball game without them, and they make an easy dinner when you’ve had a long day. Breakfast was the first meal…
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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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Coffee and Walnut Cake (Vegan & Gluten Free)
We’ve all picked up new obsessions during lockdown, mine seems to be the desire to create the ideal, easy, gluten free and vegan cake. I’ve spent a fair amount of time working on these cakes and we’ve had a lot of not-good cake to get through. Both types of cakes have the same issues – structure. Gluten free cakes rely on the protein in the eggs to maintain their structure while vegan cakes typically need the gluten in flour. If you’ve ever tried to make a cake that combines these two aspects and it’s collapsed, this is why. If you don’t want to hear me ramble on about the fundamentals…
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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…
