Italian flavours Archives - Feast of Plants

Chargrilled Cauliflower Winter Salad (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 11:00:06 +0000

See the recipe I love this salad because it’s so simple and easy to throw together when you’re in a bit of a pinch. It combines the lovely charred flavour of roasted cauliflower with both beautiful aubergine and the umami hit of shelf staples like olives and sundried tomatoes. Typically Kenny isn’t very keen on salads but this is the first time he’s asked for salad seconds. I serve it with a dressing based on the oil you’ll find with your jarred artichokes or sundried tomatoes. Since it’s already seasoned, it makes for a great base for a dressing and saves you from throwing this away – win-win! This is the perfect salad for winter months when fresh, seasonal produce can be hard to find. Using self staples, this makes for a salad you can throw together at a moment’s notice. We’re starting to head into spring now but we’re still eating it as it’s just so tasty! Leftovers? This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If you’re making this ahead, then keep the dressing separate until just before serving. Makes: Serves 4 – 6 Ingredients 1 Large Cauliflower, cut into bitesize florets 2 Red Onions, cut into thin wedges 1 Large Aubergine, cut into thick slices 2 Tbsp Cornflour 2 tsp Paprika 1 tsp Oregano 1/2 Jar Marinated Artichoke Hearts 1/4 cup Pitted Black Olives 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, roughly chopped 4 Sundried Tomatoes, cut into strips 120g Rocket Oil for cooking Salt & Pepper to taste Dressing 1 Cup Oil from the artichokes or sundried tomatoes jar 60ml Red Wine Vinegar 2 tbsp Lemon Juice 3 Garlic Cloves 1 tsp Chilli Flakes 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano 1/2 tsp Dried Basil Salt & Pepper to taste Directions Preheat the oven to 220 C (200 Fan/ 425 F). Start with the dressing so the flavours have a chance to meld. Grate the garlic and mix well into the rest of the ingredients. Taste and season a little heavier than you’d normally prefer, remember this is your only seasoning in the dish. Cover and leave to sit while you prepare the salad. Lightly toss the cauliflower and onions in no more than a tablespoon of oil before evenly spreading out onto baking tray. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the both the cauliflower and onions are starting to char, turning at least once. While the cauliflower cooks, toss the aubergine slices in the cornflour and paprika. Place a wide frying pan on a high heat with a tablespoon of oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, fry off the slices until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a big bowl and add the rest of the salad ingredients. Toss well to combine before pouring over the dressing and tossing again. Notes Allergy Notes: This is naturally vegan, gluten free, soy free and nut free. If you have any allergies to the ingredients in this dish or have questions on substitutions, leave me a comment below.

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Marinara Sauce (Kitchen Basics)

Feast of Plants — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 17:00:52 +0000

I have a somewhat paranoid method of managing my kitchen. With my various health conditions, I’ve had many periods where I’ve been too ill to make dinner so I tend towards making sure I’ve always got backup. This takes many forms from piles of leftovers in the freezer, to recipes so easy I can make them when ill. My marinara is part of this. Every now and then I’ll make up a big batch then save in individual portions. Want to make some pizzas, pull together some easy pasta, or have a sauce ready for (vegan) meatballs? Then you’ve already got a lot of the heavy lifting done. I’ve given instructions for making this with your pressure cooker, slow cooker, or even on the hob so you can do what works best for you. My version of this classic Italian base sauce isn’t entirely traditional, I’m no Italian Grandmother, but it’s oh so tasty. What’s more, it’s an incredibly easy recipe and makes for several dinners with very little effort. Let me know what you think of my marinara! Makes: 1.5 Litres (aprox) Ingredients 1 Onion, diced 1/2 Large Carrot, diced 1/2 Celery Rib, diced 4 Garlic Cloves, minced 125ml Vegetable Stock 1200g Tinned Tomatoes (3 x 400g Tins) 1/3 cup Tomato Puree 1 Tbsp Dried Basil 2 Bay Leaves 1/2 Tbsp Dried Oregano 1/2 Tbsp Dried Thyme 1/2 tsp Crushed Chillies 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar Sugar, to taste Salt & Pepper to taste Directions Instant Pot: Using the sauté function, place your pot on low with a touch of oil. Sauté the onions, carrot, and celery until softened and the onions have just started to brown. Add in the garlic and continue to cook for a minute, just until the garlic is fragrant. Deglaze the pan with a touch of stock, making sure to scrape up all the tasty brown bits at the bottom (this is very important with some models of pressure cooker. Neglecting to deglaze after sautéing can cause the dreaded burn warning). Turn off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients, stirring well. Cook on high for 30 minutes, allowing a natural pressure release. Slow Cooker: If you have time, soften and lightly brown your veg in a small pan before cooking but it’s not essential. Put all your ingredients in the bottom of your slow cooker and stir well. Cook on low for up to 8 hours (this isn’t a recipe that happily converts to high in a slow cooker). If your slow cooker has a tendency to loose some liquid then check halfway through and add an extra half cup of stock if running dry. Hob Cooking: Place a large, heavy based pot on a medium heat with a touch of oil. Sauté the onions, carrot, and celery until softened and the onions have just started to brown. Add in the garlic and continue to cook for a minute, just until the garlic is fragrant. Deglaze the pan with a touch of stock before adding the rest of the ingredients and stirring well. bring up to a low simmer, cover, and turn heat down low. Gently simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the carrots are soft and the sauce if flavourful. Which ever method you use, once the sauce is cooked, season to taste and add a touch of sugar if needed. At this point I like to bring out the immersion blender and blend until mostly smooth. If you prefer a chunky sauce then blend slightly less but I like it smooth to make the perfect pizza sauce. Use immediately with pasta or on a pizza base, or freeze in individual portions to take out as and when needed. Notes Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free, nut free and soy free! If you have any issues with any of the ingredients in this dish then let me and I can suggest substitutions.

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Sweet Potato Gnocchi (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 12:38:57 +0000

The end of summer has arrived, the kids are heading back to school and holidays are coming to an end. I admit we don’t have kids but life always seems to speed up this time of year. There’s this subconscious feeling that time is running out, just as the days start getting shorter. I even had someone quip to me last week that ‘Christmas is only four months away’! With the hectic days it’s still important to take some time to chill. Surprise, surprise, I’ve always enjoyed using mindful recipes as a chance to pause. Gnocchi is so easy to make, a few leftovers, a spare 30 minutes, and you have some comforting little pillows. I don’t see myself ever attempting homemade pasta (gluten free and vegan). It’s so much work without much reward. But gnocchi, is both easy to make and actually tastier than shop bought version. Fresh gnocchi is fluffy, comforting, full of flavour, and so quick to cook. Boil yours for just a few minutes or pan fry till crispy. Toss with a little pesto or toss with your favourite pasta sauce. You can eat it as soon as it’s ready or it keeps well in the fridge. So whip up your gnocchi when you’ve got time on the weekend and you’ll have dinner ready in just three minutes on your busy day during the week. Let me know what you do with yours! Makes: Serves 4-6 Ingredients 600g Cooked Sweet Potatoes* 70g Potato Starch** 100g Chickpea Flour 100 – 200g Gluten Free Flour 1 tsp Salt Directions Peel and mash your cooked sweet potatoes. In a large bowl mix the potatoes with the starch and chickpea flour. Gradually mix in the gluten free flour, a quarter cup at a time, until you form a soft, slightly tacky dough. The amount of flour you might need for this will depend on how much liquid your sweet potatoes contain. I find it easier to switch from a bowl to a lightly floured counter top once you get closer to a dough like texture and kneed in the flour. Feel free to use whichever method works best for you but if you’re using the counter then I find a bench scraper to be essential. Cut the dough into four equal sized pieces before rolling each one into thin tubes, ever so slightly thicker than your thumb. Now cut the dough into 1 inch pieces and lightly flour. If you wish, you can roll of the back of a fork for those classic gnocchi ridges but that’s entirely optional. Cooking the gnocchi just in boiling water is the classic cooking method. It will result in light, pillowy dumpling and can be just so quick. Boil a large pan of salted water before adding your gnocchi. The gnocchi is cooked and ready to eat when it floats to the top – remember to stir in case any of them stick to the bottom. Drain completely. For Crispy Gnocchi (optional): Going the extra step and crisping your gnocchi before eating takes a little longer but it worth it for a tasty crisp outside to pair with their delicious fluffy inside. Cook the gnocchi as per above before heating a few tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan, on a medium to high heat. Cook until crispy on both sides, touching only to flip once one side is cooked. Once cooked using your preferred method, toss in your favourite accompaniment – pesto, some crispy sage leaves maybe – and eat straight away. Notes * If you don’t have any cooked sweet potatoes to hand then toss about 700g of scrubbed sweet potatoes in the oven, pricked a few times. Cook until soft at 200 degrees – the time this takes will vary depending on the size of your potatoes but will likely take between 45-60 minutes. ** Corn starch and tapioca starch work as good substitutes here if you don’t have any potato starch to hand. Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free, nut free and soy free but keep an eye on anything you put with your gnocchi as plenty of classic pairings – like pesto – aren’t always allergy friendly.

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Creamy White Wine Spaghetti with Seared Hearts of Palm (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 12:00:24 +0000

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. Cashews are the secret to this creamy sauce that you’ll swear has really cream in. Seriously, you’ll have dinner in 20-15 minutes and you’ll be ready to think it was made in a restaurant rather than your own fair hands. Makes: Serves 3-4 Ingredients For the Hearts of Palm: 1 400g tin of Heart of Palm, drained and rinsed 1/4 tsp Celery Salt 1/2 tsp Paprika 1/4 tsp Sumac 1/4 tap Ground Black Pepper 1 Tbsp Oil For the Creamy Spaghetti: 225g Cashews 375ml Vegetable Stock 250g Gluten Free Spaghetti 1Tbsp Vegan Butter 1Tbsp Olive OIl 4 Garlic Cloves, minced 1/4 tsp Chilli Flakes 250ml White Wine* 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast 15g Fresh Parsley, finely chopped 80g Spinach (optional)** 1 tsp Lemon Juice Salt & Pepper to taste Directions For best results, I recommend soaking your cashews overnight in the stock. If you loose track of time then heat up the stock to almost boiling before adding the cashews. Once soft, blend the cashews and stock together until completely smooth to create a thick savoury cream. Put to one side till needed. Slice the hearts of palm into thick rounds, no more than 2cm thick. If you have time, score a shallow crosshatch pattern into both ends of the rounds. You can skip this if you’re short on time but it will help the dry rub be absorbed. Mix the spices together and scatter onto both sides of the rounds. Heat the oil in in a large, wide bottomed pan until shimmering and add the scallops. Don’t overcrowd the pan so be prepared to do a few batches if your pan isn’t large enough. Sear the heart of palm rounds on a medium to high heat with a tablespoon of oil. Once they’re in the pan, only turn once and try not to touch them too much so they can form that nice crust. The palm hearts should be done when they develop a nice crust on both ends and are soft and buttery all the way through, this should take about 10-15 minutes. While cooking the palm hearts try to multitask and cook both the pasta and sauce at the same time. Cook your pasta according to the instructions on the pack. When ready, reserve about 500ml of the pasta water. At the same time, place both the oil and butter into a large frying pan. Place onto a medium heat until the butter is melted and add the garlic and chilli flakes. Cook until the garlic has softened and is just starting to brown. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid has reduced to at least half. Reduce the heat to low and add the cashew cream we whipped up earlier along with the nutritional yeast. Mix well with the reduced white wine before gradually adding the pasta water a quarter cup at a time until you reach a consistency you’re happy with, we’re aiming for a sauce similar to single cream keeping in mind it will continue to thicken as you finish the last few steps. Remove from the heat and add the parsley, lemon juice and spinach stirring until the spinach has begun to wilt. Taste and season well, adding more lemon juice to balance if needed. Now toss through the pasta and palm hearts. Serve immediately in bowls piled high. Notes * Admittedly I don’t often have white wine in the house as I don’t drink. If you don’t have any to hand then a substitute of half vegetable stock and half white wine vinegar will work as well- just make sure you don’t skip any part of the simmer. ** I couldn’t resist throwing in the spinach but if you want to skip it, it won’t affect the taste. Alternatively a handful of frozen peas will work just a well. Allergy Notes; Using the Gluten free pasta will ensure this dish is gluten free as well as vegan (provided your pasta is without eggs, most are), and soy free. I’m afraid it’s a little tricky to avoid the nuts in this one but you can purchase oat or soy cream as a decent alternative.

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Vegan Lasagne (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 12:36:53 +0000

A good lasagne is a labour of love and one of those dishes that is greater than the sum of it’s parts. Everything needed is basics I tend to always have in the house. It’s not difficult and all it needs is plenty of time to turn into a rich, filling, tasty, comforting dish that will feed a crowd with ease. This recipe features a rich lentil bolognese and creamy bechamal – you won’t miss the meat here! I always make a huge batch in a large roasting tin so we can freeze the leftovers as it freezes so well. What’s more, even though it can take a while a good proportion of that time is cooking where you leave it to it’s own devices so it’s the perfect meal for working from home. Take a few minutes to do the prep work and leave the bolognese simmering for a few hours. When you’ve got another few minutes make the white sauce, throw everything together and bake. Normally I’ve give you a few cooking options with something like this but because this is such a big batch cook, the bolognese won’t fit in my instant pot. So … no slow cooker or pressure cooker options here I’m afraid but if you decide you don’t need as much as I’ve give here I bet you could halve this recipe and easily fit it into your slow cooker or instant pot. Don’t feel like lasagne tonight? Then the lentil bolognse will work great as a standard spaghetti bolognese. Feel like you need a few extra veg with this? A quick side salad pairs really well. Want to push the boat out? Garlic bread is the ideal pair to this dish. Enjoy and let me know if you enjoyed this feast! Makes: Serves 6-8 Ingredients For the Lentil Bolognese: 1 cup Red Lentils 1 cup Brown lentils 2 Sticks of Celery, fine diced 3 Carrots, finely diced 2 Large Onions, finely diced 1 Red Pepper, finely diced 6 Garlic Cloves, minced 250g Walnuts 300g Mushrooms 3 tins Chopped Tomatoes, 400g each 2 Tbsp Tomato Puree 1 Ltr Vegetable Stock 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 2 Tbsp Vegan Worcestershire Sauce 1 Tbsp dried Thyme 1 Tbsp Dried Oregano 2 tsp Rosemary 1 tsp Basil 3 Bay Leaves 1 tsp Chilli Flakes 1 tsp Yeast Extract* 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg For the Bechamel (White sauce): 140g Vegan Butter 40g White Rice Flour (sweet rice flour works best here if you have it)** 30g Tapioca Flour** 1.25 Ltr Plantbased Milk, oatmilk is my favourite here 2 tsp salt 1 tsp White Pepper 1/2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast 1 Tbsp Vegan Green Pesto (optional)*** For the Lasagne: 18 Gluten Free Lasagne Sheets Your favourite vegan cheese (optional) Directions Dig out your largest casserole pot so we can start with the bolognese. Place your pot on a medium heat on the hob and add a glug of oil. Throw in the onion, carrot and celery and gently saute, stirring occasionally until softened. This will likely take between 10-20 minutes, be patient. Once the vegetable are soft, add the garlic and red pepper. Continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant and the pepper has just started to soften. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the walnuts and mushrooms. Now while I love mushrooms, Kenny hates them so whenever I use them i a dish they have to be hidden. if you have a similar picky people in your house then blend the mushrooms into a paste – this will cause them to just disappear into the mix. Don’t skip the mushrooms, you won’t taste them but they do add a great meaty base. If everyone i your house can tolerate mushrooms them just finely dice and put to one side. Really finely dice the walnuts, I tend to pop them into a food processor until they look like breadcrumbs. Put to one side with the mushrooms. Add just a touch of the stock at this point and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the brown bits that have stuck to bottom. From this point it’s really simple, add all the rest of the bolognese ingredients and stir really well, making sure everything is well combined. Bring up to a simmer, partially cover, and drop the heat as low as it can go. Very slowly simmer for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. While the bolognese cooks, whip together the white sauce. Melt the butter in a medium pan over a low heat. Add the flours and whisk until smooth. Season well and cook until the mixture turns a very light, golden colour, about 10 minutes. At this point there are two methods you can use to mix in the milk. The traditionally method is to add the milk a little at a time. Pour in no more than a few tablespoons of milk and mix really well, until fully combined. Repeat until all the milk is fully added and no lumps remain. The second method is to preheat the milk until almost simmering (like with normal milk, don’t let it boil) then put the roux and milk into a high speed blender and mix on high until fully combined before returning to the pan. Be as quick as you can with this so the temperature doesn’t drop too much. Whichever method you use, once combined turn up the heat to medium high and bring the sauce up to a boil. Turn the heat down a little a simmer, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes. The sauce should thicken to a texture similar to double cream. Mix in the nutritional yeast and pesto (if using), taste and season if needed before removing from the heat. When the bolognese is ready, taste and season if needed. Preheat your oven to 180 C (160C Fan/350 F). Lightly grease a 30cm by 40cm roasting tin, paying particular attention to the sides so the pasta doesn’t stick too much during cooking. Start layering up your lasagne starting with an even layer of bolognse, cover with a layer of uncooked lasagne sheets then coat with a layer of white sauce. Repeat (bolognese, pasta, sauce, bolognese, pasta sauce ….) until the tin is full, finishing on the white sauce. Tightly cover with a sheet of greased foil (seriously, don’t forget to oil your foil first or the pasta will stick to it like glue) and bake in the preheated oven. After 45 minutes remove the foil, top with cheese (if using, I love a homemade mozzarella) and place back into the oven for another 15 minutes or until the top is crispy. Rest for a few minutes before cutting. Serve and enjoy! Notes Don’t feel like lasagne tonight? the lentil bolognese works great with spaghetti for an equally tasty weeknight dinner. *If you can’t find a yeast extract that works for you then substitute with 1/2 Tbsp of your favourite soy sauce substitute and 1/2 tbsp of nutritional yeast. It won’t be the same but it’ll get you close. Marmite isn’t gluten free but you can find alternatives that are. **If you don’t have these to hand you can try just subbing in cornstarch – it won’t be quite the same but it’s a traditional recipe for a gluten free roux. ***adding pesto to the white sauce adds an interesting extra dimention to the lasagne but it will still be tasty without it. We use a free from pesto which is both vegan and nut free. Allergy Notes; To make this nut free, substitute sunflower seeds for the walnuts and make sure you use a nut free pesto.

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Gnocchi Puttanesca-ish (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 12:00:26 +0000

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 under the gill till it melts, its the perfect dish to have in your back pocket for a midnight snack or a quick dinner. Tangy, salty, fresh, creamy cheese, and comforting little gnocchi pillows – can you imagine a more perfect end to a long day? Makes: Serves 2-3 Ingredients 250g Red Onions, roughly chopped 1 Red Pepper, roughly chopped 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed 1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes 800g Tinned Chopped Tomatoes 2 tsp Vegan Fish Sauce 70g Pitted Black Olives, halved 1 Tbsp Capers, drained & diced 500g Gnocchi 5 Basil Leaves (with extra for garnish) 100g Vegan Mozzarella Salt & Pepper to taste Oil for Cooking Directions Place a large, wide bottom pan on a medium heat with a touch of oil. Add the onions and red pepper and gently soften, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and chilli and cook for a minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, fish sauce, olives, capers, and gnocchi, and bring to a gentle simmer. Very gently simmer on a low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the gnocchi is soft and the sauce has thickened. Taste and season before stirring through a handful of fresh basil leaves. At this point you may need to transfer your dish to an oven proof tray, I tend to use oven proof pans so this step wasn’t needed for me. Scatter over torn chunks of the mozzarella and grill until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Serve scattered with a few extra basil leaves. Notes Allergy Notes; This dish is vegan and gluten free. To make sure it’s nut free then make sure you pick a vegan cheese that works with your allergy needs.

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Tomato Risotto with Basil & Garlic Breadcrumbs (Vegan, Gluten Free & Nut Free)

Feast of Plants — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 12:00:34 +0000

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 creamy, rich, tasty risotto is my take on the Italian classic. It’s an incredibly simple dish that comes out greater than the sum of it’s parts. I’ve included instructions for both the stove top method and using a pressure cooker so you can try whichever works for you but I have to admit that more often than not I tend to just use the pressure cooker as its so much easier. If you want to take a look at the science of perfect risotto then Serious Eats did a brilliant article on this subject many years ago. I use their method for washing the rice to add to the creaminess but it’s entirely optional so if you’re short on time do feel free to skip this step. Credit should also be given to Laura at Hip Pressure Cooking who first mastered pressure cooker risotto here – give her site a look! Makes: Serves 2-3 Ingredients For the Risotto: 750ml Vegetable Stock 3 Tbsp Vegan Butter 400g Tinned Chopped Tomatoes 500ml Risotto Rice 1 tsp Vegan Fish Sauce ½ Tbsp Cider Vinegar* 2 Garlic Cloves, minced 1 Onion, chopped 1 Rib of Celery, very finely diced ½ tsp dried Basil ½ tsp dried Thyme 1 tsp Dried Rosemary 1 tsp Dried Oregano 1 tsp Smoked Paprika ½ Tbsp Nutritional Yeast 1 Medium Potato, very finely diced Salt & Pepper to taste For the Crispy Basil & Garlic Breadcrumbs: 2 Tbsp Oil 4-5 Basil leaves, roughly ripped 1 Slice of Gluten free bread, grated to form breadcrumbs 2 garlic cloves, minced or fine diced 1 tsp Nutritional Yeast ½ Tsp Chilli Flakes Salt & Pepper, to taste Optional Finishers: 3 Sun dried Tomato halves, thinly sliced Lemon Juice 1 Tbsp of vegan Creme Fraiche or Cream 150g Spinach Handful of Vegan Cheese Fresh Basil Directions I’ll start by walking you through the basil and garlic breadcrumbs, if you’re doing the risotto on the stove then I recommend doing this first as you won’t have time while doing all that stirring. However, if you’re leaving the risotto to your pressure cooker then I tend to throw the breadcrumbs together while the risotto is cooking – it all depends on what works best for you. Put a small fry pan on a high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the basil leaves and allow to fry until bright green and just starting to crisp (this will take literally seconds so don’t look away). Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, or until fragment. Now turn the heat down to low and add your breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, chilli, and season well. Mix well and toast gently until the breadcrumbs are browned and crunchy, stirring occasionally. Put your breadcrumbs to one side until needed. Mix together your stock, fish sauce, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add your rice to this mix stir well to ‘wash’ your rice and remove the starch into your stock. Drain well into a separate bowl so that you retain all the starch you’ve just rinsed off and your rice is mostly dry. Now stir the tomatoes into your stock. If you’re cooking on the stove you’ll want to place this mix into a small pan and heat gently so it’s ready when you need it. Stove top Method; Add 2 Tbsp of your butter to a wide saute pan on a medium heat. when your butter has melted, add the chopped onion and celery, and saute until the onion is soft and translucent. Throw in your herbs, paprika, 1 tsp of salt, as well as the garlic and continue to cook until the onions have started to very gently brown. Add the potato and rice, stirring continuously and cook until the rice grains are translucent, ever so slightly golden and smell toasty. Use a dash of your stock to deglaze the pan (i.e. scrape up all the tasty brown stuff that’s stuck to the bottom) and now we’re ready to start adding the stock for real. Add your simmering stock mix a ladle full at a time, ensuring each addition is fully absorbed before adding the next and stirring well. Once all the stock is absorbed, taste your rice to ensure it’s cooked – you’re looking for soft rice that still has a slight bite to it. Stir in your last tablespoon of butter and season to taste. Instant Pot method; Place your instant pot onto saute and add 2 Tbsp of your butter. As with the method above, when your butter has melted add the chopped onion and celery, and saute until the onion is soft and translucent. Throw in your herbs, paprika, 1 tsp of salt, as well as the garlic and continue to cook until the onions have started to very gently brown. Add the potato and rice, stirring continuously and cook until the rice grains are translucent, ever so slightly golden and smell toasty. Turn of the saute function and use a dash of the stock mix to deglaze the pan. Add the rest of your stock and mix well. Seal the lid and set to cook for 6 minutes at high pressure. when the time is finished, do a quick pressure release. The risotto will look far too wet but stir well and the excess liquid will be adsorbed. Add your last tablespoon of butter, season to taste and stir until the butter is melted and mixed through. For either method you can add whichever finishers you feel it needs that day, if the risotto needs a burst of acidity then add a little lemon juice (this will often depend on the tomatoes). Spinach is a great addition and bumps up the amount of veg in your dish – just add with the butter and stir through until just wilted. If you’ve got some vegan creme fraiche or cream hanging around in your fridge then they can really up the creaminess of your dish. Serve topped with cheese (if that’s your thing), a good helping of the breadcrumbs you prepared earlier, and a few leaves of fresh basil. Notes * Traditionally, this should be white wine but I don’t drink so we never have any in the house. If you do then feel free to sub in about a quarter of a cup of white wine. Don’t mix this with the rest of the stock but use it at the deglazing stage instead of using the stock. move on to the next step when the wine has been fully absorbed. Allergy Notes; This should be naturally vegan, gluten free and nut free. As always, double check your stock for any allergens and if soy is an issue for you then check your vegan fish sauce – if you can’t find one without and need to skip the soy then feel free to skip it entirely.

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Vegan Spaghetti Alfredo

Feast of Plants — Fri, 01 May 2020 12:00:00 +0000

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 and sauce combo. If you’re a regular follower of my Instagram page you’ll know I have a slight obsession with roasted tomatoes and these made the ideal counterpoint to this dish. Seasoned before roasting with dried herbs, garlic, and chili these come out of the oven bursting with flavour. These little umami bombs lift the dish into something else along with a little curve ball of balsamic vinegar. You’ve now got an almost sinfully creamy sauce, thanks to the addition of the cashews, enough flavour and depth from the toppings to make your mouth water and yet I think there’s 3 of your 5 a day squeezed in here (the cauliflower, peas, and tomatoes). Not bad for a quick weekday pasta craving. Serves: 4, Generously Ingredients 12 Large Vine ripened tomatoes 1/2 tsp Garlic Granules 2 tsp Oregano 2 tsp thyme 1/2 tsp Chili Flakes 2 tsp Rosemary 1 Large Cauliflower 1 tbsp Oil 3 Large cloves of Garlic 90g Cashews 750ml Vegetable Stock 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast 1 tbsp lemon juice 350g Frozen Peas Balsamic Vinegar, to taste (optional) Fresh Parsley, to taste (optional) Salt & Pepper to taste Past of your choice, I like spaghetti or tagliatelle Directions Preheat your oven to 200°C (190°C Fan) and lets start by looking at the tomatoes. Halve them, put them on a lined baking tray cut side up and season well with salt and pepper. Mix together your dried herbs, garlic granules and chili flakes and spread this mix evenly over your tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and place in your oven and roast for about 60 minutes or until they take on a good colour. While they’re cooking its time to pull together the main part of the dish, the cauliflower alfredo sauce. Preheat your instant pot in the saute function and while its warming you can prepare the rest of your vegetables. To prep the cauliflower, discard the leaves*, break up the florets, halve the stem and cut into even chunks. I want to be quite clear here – don’t throw the stem away, it’s perfectly edible, you’ve paid for that and its going to be used and eaten as part of the recipe – as such you may want to clean or trim off the very end if you’re feeling fancy. Roughly chop your garlic and add this along with the the oil into your warmed instant pot. Saute until the garlic becomes fragrant and add the cauliflower, cashews, and stock. Stir well, turn off the saute function, seal, and cook on high for 5 minutes. As there’s a lot of liquid here, you’ll want to use a 10 minute natural release when the cooking is complete. Now this next bit is where you may want to be careful, everything wants to be transferred to a blender and pureed until completely smooth. Whether you prefer to use an immersion blender or a stand blender – you’re dealing with very hot liquids so please be careful. When the sauce is smooth, transfer back to the instant pot and set to keep warm (if needed), gently stir in the peas, nutritional yeast and lemon juice. When your pasta is just ready, stir through the sauce, taste and season as needed – the sauce and pasta are ready when the peas are just cooked and still taste fresh. When your tomatoes are ready, chop them very roughly. Serve your pasta with a potion of the chopped tomatoes on top, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Not your traditional spaghetti alfredo but oh so tasty! Notes * Cauliflower leaves are perfectly edible too so don’t just throw them away! While I wouldn’t recomend putting them into your stock pot (like most brassicas) they roast up a dream, add interest to salads, or why not throw them into your next kale or cabbage recipe? Allergy Notes; I used GF pasta and keep an eye on your stock – I like to use my own or use Marigold Vegan Bouillon when I don’t have any in. I’d suggest checking your shop bought stock powders as gluten sources like wheat are often used as thickeners. I’m afraid this one can’t be nut free!

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Slow Cooker Lasagne Soup

Feast of Plants — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:00:00 +0000

Lasagne soup was completely foreign to me until recently thanks to some browsing on social media. It seems to be an american invention but what a great idea it is! All the elements of a great lasagne but with almost none of the work since, in my version, most of the cooking is done in the slow cooker. I like to serve mine with an easy homemade vegan ricotta which serves as a great counterpoint to the rich tomato sauce. This recipe works great for a crowd, uses mostly pantry stables, and is really quite hands off so is ideal for these days were so many people are working from home and trying not to go shopping so much. Remember – #Stayathome and enjoy some good food while you’re at it! Makes: Serves 4-6 Ingredients For the Soup: 1.2 ltr Vegetable Stock 1 Large Onion 2 Sticks of Celery 2 Carrots 1 Green Pepper 3 Garlic Cloves 150g Lentils* 1 tsp Crushed Chillies 2 Tbsp Vegan Worcester sauce 2 tsp Basil 2 tsp oregano 1 tsp Thyme 2 tins Chopped Tomatoes 8 Lasagne Pasta Sheets** 250g Frozen Spinach Salt & Pepper to taste For the Cashew Ricotta: 225g Cashews 150ml Plant based Milk (I like oat or almond milk) 1Tbsp Lemon Juice 1Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive OIl 1 tsp Nutritional Yeast 1Tbsp Vegan Pesto (optional) Directions For best results, I recommend soaking your cashews overnight or a long as possible but if you loose track of time then try to soak them for at least an hour in boiling water. Chop all your veg into small dice and place into your slow cooker with minced garlic, herbs, lentils and stock. Cook on high for 2 hours (or on low for 4 hours), if you’re using brown lentils they should be ever so slightly firm. Add your tomatoes and worcester sauce, stir well and cook on high for another 2 hours (or on low for another 4 hours). While your slow cooker is bubbling away you can whip together your ricotta. Place all the ricotta ingredients except the pesto into a blender and blitz until completely smooth. If using the pesto, swirl it into your ricotto and taste – add salt if you feel it’s needed and place in the fridge till ready to serve. Finally, break up your pasta into easily manageable chunks and stir through along with your frozen spinach. Leave cooking for another 15 minutes or so, or until the pasta is fully cooked. Season to taste (seriously here, you haven’t added any salt to your soup by this point so do taste and season as needed, don’t season before hand as salt can inhibit the cooking for lentils). Serve with a healthy dollop of ricotta on top and enjoy! Notes * I like to use a 2:1 balance of brown lentils to red but this works equally well with just brown lentils. ** We use Gluten free pasta but this should work with normal pasta too Allergy Notes; To make this gluten free, just use GF pasta per the note above. If cashew nuts are a problem for you then there are plenty of tofu based ricotta recipes

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