Vegan Chipotle Carrot & Coriander Soup

Vegan Chipotle Carrot & Coriander Soup

Soups are so comforting, warming and simple. Served with a lovely lump of bread there are few things that can make me feel more like I'm being hugged from the inside than than a big old mug of warmness. As someone who is vegetarian and dairy free, soup in a can is not really something that I can get down with because even when it's veggie, nine times out ten, they put milk all up in it. But that's cool, that's alright, I'll just make my own! Making soup from scratch means that you can miss out the dairy AND all of that extra salt that they use to store it for ages.

This carrot and coriander soup is a spicy little number inspired by the jalapeño pickled carrots that you get in quality Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles. I'm a little bit obsessed with chipotle chilli flakes at the moment and the smokiness is put to great use here.

Vegan Chipotle Carrot & Coriander Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients

500g carrots, peeled & chopped
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp chipotle chilli flakes
2 tbsp soy margarine
1 clove garlic crushed
600g vegetable broth
2 tbsp almond milk

1. Dry roast the cilantro seeds and chilli flakes in the bottom of your sauce pan for 1 or 2 minutes or until you can smell them. Once toasted, remove from heat, and crush in a pestle and mortar.
2. Add margarine to the saucepan along with chopped carrots, garlic and all the coriander seeds. Stir everything around until everything is evenly coated, then cook on a low heat until carrots begin to soften - 10 mins or so. 
3. Add the vegetable stock and season to taste with salt and pepper, before bringing to a boil.
4. Reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook for another 15 mins until everything is tender. Remove from heat and liquidise with a hand blender or food processor. To finish, return to heat and stir in almond milk. Dish up and eat.

Vegan Recipe: Lemon Basil Butter Bean Salad

Mmmm butter beans, also known as lima beans, also known as in my belly. They have a flavour that is so stand alone indulgent that they don't need much doing to them. This makes these little pulses perfect for salads, so I set about making it happen. A little bit of dressing and the mineral rich sources of protein, potassium and b vitamins are ready to eat.

Lemon Basil Butter Bean Salad

Ingredients

250g cooked butter beans
2 medium tomatoes
1 tsp chipotle chili flakes
1 clove garlic minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 bunch of basil, chopped
pinch of salt

1. Mix tomatoes, chili, garlic lemon and basil together in a medium sized bowl. 
2. Add butter beans and mix until distributed evenly. 
3. Serve chilled over a bed of mixed leaves.

Vegan Recipe: Oven Baked Red Pepper & Sun Dried Tomato Risotto

I bought some risotto rice ages ago and had big plans to add it to my repertoire. Everyone says how easy it is and that it's really versatile and blah blah blah. So I get the bag home and whip out my recipe book and suddenly realise that traditional risotto requires a lot of stirring. Like a whole lot. Like a where is Sweet Brown when you need her because I shouldn't have to tell you that ain't nobody got time for all that stirring, amount of stirring. And I did remember being at college with an Italian room mate who made risotto once and watched him stir it for what seemed like days. He made it look so simple, but he didn't leave that pan alone for a second.

So I procrastinated. For months. And every time I opened my cupboard, that bag of rice was starring at me like 'Whatcha gonna do?', 'What's that matter? You afraid of a little bag of grain?'.  ENOUGH, I thought. There must be a way to do this and keep my sanity - though I was already talking to vacuum packed food at this point.

Enter oven baked risotto. The no fuss, simple, one stir cousin of the traditional method. I made this recipe this afternoon and it was delicious first time - which is exactly what we like. It took me about 10mins to prep then I popped it in the oven and wandered off to check my Twitter feed. Came back gave it a stir. By the time I had retweeted the latest raw vegan smoothie in a mason jar, it was ready to eat. That's 30mins from start to finish. Now that I can do!  

But it's not all about convenience, this risotto was off the charts. The sweetness of the peppers and the tang of the sun dried tomatoes makes for a beautiful combination that tastes as good as it looks.

Oven Baked Red Pepper & Sun Dried Tomato Risotto

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 finely chopped yellow medium onion
4 sliced garlic cloves
1 finely chopped red pepper
1 cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes (about 15 slices)
2.5cups or 600ml of vegetable stock
250g risotto rice
pinch pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1. On the stove top, cook finely chopped onions and sliced garlic in olive oil until soft in an oven safe pan.
2. Add coarsely chopped red pepper and sun dried tomatoes to the pan and mix well. Add rice to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add vegetable stock to pan, stir through, cover and place in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring once in between. 
4. Season with pepper and vinegar to taste and serve.

And that's kind of it. Really simple right? Enjoy!

Vegan Recipe: Ginger Cranberry Granola

I'd never made granola from scratch before but it was actually simple, satisfying and pretty tasty if I don't say so myself.   I found that making my own was a really good opportunity to clear out odds and ends of tasty little tidbits from the pantry and I'm looking forward to trying more combinations in the future.

Making your own is also a good way to get high grade granola a a reasonable price. There are lots of different brands and flavours available to buy readymade but the good stuff often comes at gourmet prices and the cheap stuff tends to come with preservatives and questionable ingredients like palm oil. I got packs of the dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds for just 99cents each, and I had all the other ingredients in the cupboard already so it worked out to be cost effective and delicious. And this particular recipe made about 700g of granola which should keep me happily munching for days.

Ginger Cranberry Granola

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1 cup dried cranberries

1. Mix oats, seeds, salt, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl.
2. Add agave nectar and oil to mixture and stir until well coated.
3. Spread oat mix on a baking sheet or tray, and cook at 300F/GasMark2 for 30mins or until a little bit golden brown.
4. Remove oat mix from oven to cool, then add cranberries.
5. Store in an air tight container and eat with milk, I like almond milk, or ice cream!

Sweet Potato and Fennel Pizza

Sweet Potato & Fennel Pizza

Yes, sweet potato pizza a pile of carbs. That is true. But my goodness if it isn't tasty, so you know...every thing in moderation! I had the authentic version of this Italian potato pizza at a friend's house and was fascinated. The original, pizza bianco con patate, is generally served vegan and consists of thinly sliced white potatoes, on a sauceless pizza base topped with rosemary and can be found throughout the pizzerias of Italy.

For my version, I joined up earthy sweet potato with fiery chili and subtlety flavoured fennel for something with a little vitamin K and that nostalgic taste of home.

Now, I must admit that this particular recipe is a bit of a cheat because I didn't make the base from scratch - I don't think this is something to be ashamed of because sometimes life happens and while mastering pizza dough is generally and aspiration of mine, it was not on this particular night - but if you are looking to have a pizza party or make your own there are a few good recipes around the web. That said, let's eat!

Sweet Potato & Fennel Pizza

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 small sweet potato
1 chopped layer of a fennel bulb - about 1-2 tbsp
1 pizza base
1 finely chopped deseeded red chili pepper
1 tsp dried basil
2-4 tbsp olive oil

1. Heat your oven to 450F/Gas Mark 8.
2. Peel and very thinly slice your sweet potato into little discs, lightly toss them in olive oil and set aside.
3. Coarsely chop the fennel, toss in olive oil and set aside.
4. Grab your pizza base and place on a pizza tray or baking sheet. Brush with a thin layer of olive oil and add your toppings. Sweet potato first, then fennel sprinkled on top, then chili and herbs.
5. Bake for 10 -15 minutes or until the crust is brown. Drizzle pizza with remaining olive oil.
6. Serve with salad.

Serve with salad greens for a balanced meal

Vegan Recipe: Black Eyed Bean Dip Boats

Vegan Black Eyed Bean Dip Boats make perfect party food!

I grew up eating one recipe for black eyed peas - soul food classic stewed in pork fat. But these little beans are packed with so many nutritional goodies - Omega 6, Omega 3, dietary fiber, protein, folate, iron and potassium - that it's a crying shame not to get them more involved with daily kitchen proceedings. Alongside the soul food recipes of the American south, black eyed peas are found in dishes from Sephardic Jewish, African, South American, Vietnamese, Indian, Greek, Brazilian and Indonesian cuisine. So there is plenty of inspiration for getting creative with these earthy beans.

For this recipe, I wanted to get down with a little bit of finger food, because it's picnic season and eating with your hands is always fun. The main element of this is a Black Eyed Pea Dip that can be dressed as you like in it's tiny tostada. I sandwiched the dip between a green salad base and a chopped tomato topping, but you could easily mix it up with a creamy avocado sauce, cashew crema, or spicy salsa. But I would recommend something with a little bit of  juice - not too much though, you don't want your boats taking on too much water!

I was really pleased with how these came out because as well as being tasty and cute, they're the kind of thing that looks impressive on the pot luck table but doesn't take that long to make! Win and win! Enjoy.

Black Eyed Bean Dip Boats

Makes 9 Boats

Ingredients

3 soft tortillas, 8 inch
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
175g (just over 1 Cup) Black Eyed Peas
2 cloves garlic
1/4 medium yellow onion
1 tbsp jalapenos in brine
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garnish with chopped salad underneath and chopped tomatoes with cilantro(coriander) on top

1. To make the tiny tostadas, heat your oven to Gas Mark 6/400F/200C and grab a muffin tin from the cupboard. You can use any size muffin tin for this, as long as you can find a stencil that is about 1 inch larger in diameter than each muffin hole. So for a tin that made 3 inch muffins, I got a "stencil", aka "a bowl", that was about 4 inches across to cut my tortillas into smaller circles.
2. Once they're all cut out, I got about 3 per tortilla, brush each side of the shells with a bit of olive oil and place into the muffin holes. The should fit easily if you pinch them into a sort of  wonton shape like a cross. Place in the oven for about 5- 10 mins or until they are brown.
3. While this is cooking, put the garlic, onion, jalapenos, and olive oil into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more jalapenos if you like it spicier or another spoonful of olive oil if you like it smoother.
4. When your shells are brown, remove from the oven to let them cool. While this is happening prepare your garnishes.
5. To serve, fill shells with shells with salad, then bean dip then saucy topping like chopped tomatoes or guacamole. Yum!

My "stencil"

Cut tortillas in the muffin trays

Black Eyed Bean Dip Boats

Vegan Recipe: Wild Garlic Potato Salad with Crushed Almonds

No Mayo Necessary: Vegan Wild Garlic Potato Salad with Crushed Almonds

Yeeeessssss. Potato salad. It's the quintessential BBQ side dish with the starchy fluffiness making the perfect counterpart to the saucy smokey mains. Get the flavours right, and it will set off your whole plate.

This no mayo masterpiece is as simple as it is delicious, and can be eaten warm or cold. The wild garlic add a layer of depth to the whole affair, while the crushed almonds add texture and nutrients to this fabulously simple side.

I whipped this up in about 20 mins and it was ready to eat straight away. Yum!

Wild Garlic Potato Salad with Crushed Almonds

Makes 2 Side Portions 

Ingredients

1 large potato
1/4 onion
4-5 leaves wild garlic
1 handful of almonds
2 tsp mustard
1 tbsp vinegar (use a light vinegar like ACV or a white wine vinegar. I used rice vinegar on this occasion)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Chop the potato into bite sized chunks, place in a sauce pan with water and bring to a boil.
2. While the spud is cooking, finely dice your onion, coarsely chop your garlic, and crush your almonds. Put in a large bowl to wait for the potato.
3. In a smaller bowl, whip up the dressing. Whisk to together the mustard, vinegar and olive oil. And let stand.
4. When the potatoes are soft, drain them and add the dry potatoes to the bowl with the onions, almonds and garlic. Pour in the dressing and mix until everything is coated. Cover the bowl for a 2-3 minutes to let the warmth of the potato soften the almonds and then mix through again.
5. You can serve warm or chill it in the fridge for later.

Vegan Recipe: Easy Watercress & Potato Soup

Vegan Watercress Soup

I adore watercress. It's got such a unique combination of spicy bitterness and is such a versatile green. Delicious for salads but hearty enough to stand up to a bit of cooking. No to mention that it's generally pretty cheap, available almost year round and has some nutritional vitals that are out of this world. Yes and Yum.  

I grabbed a bag the other day and whipped up this tasty bowl of soup that would have served two, it I hadn't eaten it all!

Vegan Recipe: Easy Watercress & Potato Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/4 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp vegan margarine
500 ml vegetable stock
4-5 small potatoes chopped (with or without skins is up to you I generally go with skins)
100 g watercress
2 tbsp almond milk

Instructions

1. Saute onion and garlic in margarine on low/medium heat until onions are soft.
2. Add coarsely chopped potatoes and stock to pan, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover for about 10 minutes or until the the potatoes fall off the fork when you give them a poke.
3. When the potatoes are soft, add the watercress to the pan and stir until the leaves wilt into the spuds. 
4. Add the almond milk and stir for another minute or so.
5. Remove pan from heat and blend mixture into a soup using a hand blender or tabletop blender.
6. Once smooth, return to heat and stir for another minute or so before serving.
7. Grab some bowls and dig in.

Vegan Recipe: Avocado Yeasadilla with Scallion Salsa

Avocado Yeas-adillas & Scallion Salsa

¡Felicitaciones! Hoy es Cinco De Mayo! As a California girl, I don't really need any excuse to eat more Mexican food. I genuinely LOVE it. The spices, the vegetables, the chilies, the cilantro, rice, beans, tortillas and of course, avocados. This quick little rececta is a vegan take on the classic quesadillas that I grew up eating in Los Angeles and San Diego. Avocado gives it that gooey satisfaction while the nutritional yeast adds a slightly cheese flavour to the mix, and the simple scallion salsa refreshes the palette. I promise that you won't miss the grease and it will make a great addition to your vegan sandwich repertoire. Now who's got the margaritas?

Avocado Yeas-adillas

Makes 2

Ingredients

Avovado Yeas-adilla

1 avocado
1 scallion/spring onion
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp vegetable oil
tortillas (I used tortillas that are about 8 inches in diameter)

Scallion Salsa

1 chopped tomato
1 scallion/spring onion chopped
1 tbsp dried cilantro/coriander

Instructions

1. Place the avocado, scallion, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, nutritional yeast and lemon juice in a blender/food processor and blend until smooth. Place to one side.
2. Mix chopped tomato, scallion/spring onion and cilantro/coriander together in a bowl and leave to one side.
3. On a medium heat, heat 1 tbsp oil in large flat frying pan, big enough to fit your tortillas. When the oil is hot add a tortilla to the pan and move it around to make sure that all parts have a thin layer of oil, then flip and do the same thing on the other side. Reduce heat to low. Add about half your avocado spread to one side of the tortilla and spread evenly. Then fold the blank half of the tortilla onto the part with the spread. Flip and cook until both sides are golden brown. Repeat or second tortilla.
4. To serve, cut yeas-adilla in half and plate up on a bed of salsa with a few scallions on top. Perfecto!

Vegan Recipe: Sweet Bean Pie with Coconut Whip Cream

Vegan Sweet Bean Pie with Coconut Whip Cream

This recipe for Vegan Sweet Bean Pie is inspired by the traditional Bean Pie that has been a staple for followers of the Nation of Islam for generations. It is also part of my personal mission to make friends with silken tofu. BUT, as I found out after I cooked it, this is not actually something that could be eaten by anyone in the Nation of Islam because tofu is made from soy, which is actually a forbidden food for that religion! Clever me.

So I went back and forth in my mind about whether or to post this or not, and in the end I thought it was tasty enough to stand alone outside of it's original religious context. It's got seasonings that are similar to the pumpkin or sweet potato pie and pairs surprisingly well with the coconut whipped cream and coconut water instead of milk. And though beans might seem like a strange thing to make a pie out of, there is plenty of precedent for making sweet treats from beans in East Asian cuisines, specifically the candies from sweet bean paste seen in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cooking. So lets just think of this as an opportunity to expand our beany repertoire.

BEFORE YOU START: If you want to make the coconut whipped cream you will need to place a can of coconut milk in the fridge for a few hours so that it will separate.

Bite Sized Sweet Bean Pie

Vegan Recipe: Sweet Bean Pie

Makes one pie large pie

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked navy beans or cannelloni beans
1 vegan pie shell
120 ml of blended sliken tofu
1 cup coconut water (this will come from the bottom of the separated coconut milk that you use for the whipped cream)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp clove

1 cup thick coconut cream separated from the top of a cold can of coconut milk
2-3 tbsp of powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F/220c/Gas Mark 7 for 15 minutes.
2. Open your can of coconut milk. Carefully scoop the cream from the top of the can in to a large bowl and let stand. It should separate into about 1 cup of coconut water and 1 cup of coconut cream.
3. Blend the coconut water, should be about a cup, and silken tofu in a bowl until smooth.
4. Add spices and beans, and blend until this is smooth.
5. Pour batter into the pie shell and bake in the oven at 425f/220c/Gas Mark 7 for 15mins.
6. Now is a good time to start on the whipped cream.
1. Grab your bowl of cream, which should now be room temperature and add the powdered sugar and cinnamon.
2. Get a whisk or electric beater and whip until it looks like whipped cream.
3. Let stand until ready for use.
7. Reduce the heat to 350f/180c/Gas Mark 4 and bake for another 35 minutes. 
8. Serve warm with coconut whipped cream on top.

Sweet Bean Pie

This post is shared at Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop

Vegan Recipe: Soy Roasted Beetroot

Beetroot is one of my favourite foods. Soy sauce is one my favourite seasonings. Kikkoman is by far my favourite soy sauce.  And now this is one of my favourite dishes. First I tried this simple recipe as a side dish for dinner, then had the cold left overs in a salad the next day. I'm not gonna lie: it was delicious both times.

Soy Roasted Beetroot

Ingredients

4-6 medium boiled beetroot
2 -3 tbs Kikkoman soy sauce
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 tbs agave nectar
1 tsp rice vinegar
dash of pepper

1. Cut beetroot into quarters and place in a roasting tray.
2. In a separate small bowl, mix soy sauce, oil, agave nectar and vinegar together. Then pour over the beetroot. Rub the sauce into each of the beets making sure that they're all covered. Pepper to taste.
3. Place in the oven for 15 - 10 mins on Gas Mark 6/400F/200C giving it the occasional shake to the them a roasted on all sides.
4. Serve hot or place in the refrigerator to eat cold with salad.

Vegan Recipe: Green Plantain Chips with Lime

Pan-Fried Plantains Green Plantains with Lime

Plantains are a global food eaten throughout the tropics. African, Indian, South American, South Asian, Caribbean cuisine, all count plantain as a staple comfort food.  Plantains make me think of my Nigerian friend from college who made them pan fried with black pepper. My Venezuelan friend whose tostones are amazing. A little Cuban joint in Downtown Las Vegas where the waitress called me 'Mami' every time we spoke. I didn't grow up eating plantains, but when I do the natural sweetness and warm fluffy flesh, make me feel like I've come home.

Along with being quick and delicious to cook, they are a complex carbohydrate that provide a good source of potassium as well as vitamin A, C and B6, and I just love me some vitamins. If you're new to plantains, have a go at this tangy little plantain recipe which is a great side dish or zesty snack.

Green Plantain Chips with Lime

1 plantain
juice of 1/2 a lime
salt
2-3 tbsp coconut oil

Peel the plantains and slice into discs. Cover with lime juice, add a pinch of salt and mix well until each disc is covered evenly.

Heat some oil in a large pan. Drain the plantain slices, then fry them for 3 minutes until they are crisp and golden brown. When they are ready, remove them from the pan and place on a paper towel to dry. Serve when cool.

Source: luigig

Vegetarian Recipe: Meat Free Monday's Curried Eggs with Turmeric Rice

Of course when you're 'Meat Free Monday' in its various guises might be taking over the world. It's hard to keep track of which one is which as there is Meat Free Monday, Meat Free Mondays in the UK, and Meatless Mondays in the US. But general gist of it is these campaigns is to try to encourage all people to go a least one day a week without meat. They say it's good for your health, your pocket, your planet and they're right. Stella McCartney's branch of this movement has even published a book, The Meat Free Monday Cook Book, with recipes for every meal of the day, making it easier than ever for part-time, transitioning, or beginner vegetarians to get into their greens.

I had a go at one of their recipes for Curried Eggs with Rice. It was lovely, simple and extremely quick with a rice cooker. I used basmati rice instead of wild rice, but the final result was still quite satisfying. Here's my version take on it.

Curried Egg With Turmeric Rice

Serves 1-2

2 cups of cooked rice
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
1 small head of cabbage shredded
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
2 hard boiled eggs

1. Heat oil in a frying pan on high heat. When it's hot, add in the shredded cabbage and chopped garlic and cook until the cabbage has gone all soft in the middle and a little bit brown on the edges. 
2. Next add in the rice, curry powder and turmeric, then mix everything together until it's that beautiful golden colour. 
3. Finally coarsely chop up your eggs and add to the mixture. Salt to taste and serve.

 And that's all she wrote. It comes out in a beautiful rich yellow tone which looks amazing next to a bold green salad.

Vegan Recipe: Okra & Potato Bake with Mint Sauce

Okra. O. Kra. Ladys Fingers. Kingambo. Bhindi. I am intrigued by these pointy fuzzy pentagonal vegetables and have tried countless okra recipes to find one that would make me love them. Don't get me wrong I haven't been actively avoiding them, but like many I sometimes find them a little hard to season and can be put off by the sliminess of a little okra action.

So the other day, when I was flipping through the Dock Kitchen Cookbook, I was pleased to find a new recipe for okra that I hadn't tried before that looked simple and lovely. I made a few vegan alterations, added a sauce, and the results were delicious.

I also discovered that if you only slice them longways, that the sliminess is reduced significantly!

Okra & Potato Bake with Mint Sauce

Serves 2

For the Okra Bake

olive oil
1 large red onion
2 cloves garlic
100g potatoes
3 tomatoes
100g okra
1 teaspoon cilantro aka coriander seeds
pinch pepper
tablespoon lemon juice

For the Mint Sauce

2 heaping tbsp vegan mayo
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp dried mint
1 tsp chopped onion

1. Cut potatoes into bite sized pieces and boil in a large pan until soft. 
2. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, heat oil in in a skillet or wok and fry the onions and garlic and coriander seeds until soft. And the tomatoes and then cut the the tops of the okra and then slice it long ways and add to the mix. The potatoes should be soft now too, so add them in. Season with pepper, add in the lemon juice.
4. To finish off, transfer the mix to a roasting tray and bake for about 5 minutes while you whip up the sauce...
5. Mix vegan mayo, mint, onion and lemon juice together in a small bowl for quick sauce.
6. To serve remove okra mix from the oven and serve with splashes of minty sauce. Just gorgeous! 

Vegan Recipe: Red Beans & Rice with Zesty Avocado Sauce

Red Beans & Rice with Zesty Avocado Sauce

Mmmm comfort food. Red beans and rice make me think of my Mom and warm summer nights. When you want something hearty but not heavy. It is family food all over. Authentic red beans and rice is a Louisiana staple, 'Rice and Peas' a Jamaican delicacy. Cuban, Haitian, and African peoples all kick it with kidney beans. And with good reason, because not only is red beans and rice delicious, but it's also full of all kinds of nutritious goodness. When my Mama put them beans on the table she was serving up a good source of Omega 3, Omega 6, Protein, Thiamin, Manganese and even a little bit of Vitamin B6. Thanks Ma.

For this recipe I went for a method that I don't see very often but that I actually really love, which is to saute the beans in a little bit of oil until they get some chewy crispiness on them. This means that they're not as saucy as what my Mom used to make, but they're quick and give me a perfectly good excuse to add an avocado into the mix.

Red Beans & Rice with Zesty Avocado Sauce

Serves 2

1 can of rinsed kidney beans
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 large onion
1  chopped bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin seed
1 pinch Cayenne pepper
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 avocado
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro aka coriander
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons water

     You'll need to cook some rice for this...in the normal way that you cook rice 

1. In a frying pan, cook onion and garlic on a medium heat until the onions have gone soft. Next add the bell pepper to the mix, letting them cook through until they are soft as too. Don't rush this part because  beans won't take long at all.
2. Add cumin seeds to the pan and mix through.
3. Next add the rinsed and drained beans, keeping back a little bit so to splash into the pan if it starts looking a little dry. Season with cayenne pepper, salt and lemon juice. Cook until the beans are hot and starting to get a little crunchy bits...this might take a minute, so keep your eye on it while you whip up the avocado part...
4. Put avocado, cilantro (coriander), lemon juice and water into a blender or food processor and blend until you've got a juicy sauce.
5. Serve beans on rice with a dollop of avocado sauce on top. 

Vegan Grilled aubergine with chick pea purée & harissa Recipe

I've done recipes from Nigel Slater's Real Fast Food before and that's because Nigel is my homeboy. I've not found a bad recipe yet - they're all good. It's not a book that is aimed a vegetarians, but my mate Nige, that's what I call him when we hang out, is amazing at getting the seasoning just right on everything he does and that is a special skill that is useful for any cook. Plus there's a boatload of tasty veggie recipes in the book that are easy to do and will make you look good in front of your friends.

This recipe was so simple to do and I reckon that a deconstructed version would work really well as dainty h'orderves for your next dinner party. And any left over chick pea puree make a very tasty bean dip with tortilla chips.

Here's a vegan version of Nigel's recipe...

Vegan Grilled aubergine with chick pea purée and harissa

1 x 400g tin chick peas, drained
a sprig of fresh thyme, plus 1 tbsp chopped leaves
225g large diced, peeled potatoes
3 large cloves of garlic, halved
salt
1 large aubergine, weighing about 275g
150ml pint virgin olive oil
50g vegan margarine
harissa sauce
1 lemon

1. Tip the chick peas into a pan and cover them with water or vegetable stock. Throw in the thyme sprig and bring to the boil. Add the diced potato and two of the garlic cloves. Salt and simmer for 15 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, slice the aubergine into 12 rounds about 1cm inch thick. Chop the two remaining garlic cloves and add to oil with the thyme leaves. Brush aubergine with thyme and garlic oil and cook under or over a preheated hot grill for 7-8 minutes, brushing with more oil as necessary; turn once. 
3. Remove the thyme sprig, drain chick peas and mash. Stir in the margarine. Season with salt. 
4. Put six of the hot grilled aubergine slices on a warm serving dish, place a generous spoonful of chick pea purée on each. Spread the remaining slices with a little harissa, then place on top of the others to form six sandwiches, three for each person. Serve with lemon.

Source: The Guardian

Vegetarian Recipe: Quick Vegetarian 'Lincolnshire' Fajitas?

They say you can take the girl our of California, but you can't take the California out of the girl. No really, they say that all the time. So even though I've lived in England for almost 10 years now, Digital Underground's The Humpty Dance is still my favourite song. I still find it weird cheering for the Clippers. I  regularly take pictures of cars that I think are beautiful. And I am a little bit obsessed with Mexican food. I love everything about it. The beans, the salsas, the freshness, the versatility, the mixture of delicate flavours like corriander (or cilantro as they say in Cali) with earthy beans and tangy lime, tamarind and tomatillo. Oh, and tortillas might be the best thing ever. Dear Mexico, I love your food.

That said....living in England, sometimes it's slim pickings. People: they put sour cream in the guacamole here. No seriously. And it makes me cry. So sometimes one must get creative, when in Rome right? Like check out this little Mexi-British-Vegetarian fusion recipe that is a quick and satisfying, if inauthentic, supper I rustled up the other day featuring Cauldron's Veggie Lincolnshire Sausages. And I know that sounds like it shouldn't work, but I promise it does, and isn't that what fusion is about?

Quick Vegetarian 'Lincolnshire' Fajitas

Ingredients

2 firm 'Lincolnshire' veggie sausages -I used Cauldron
2 sweet peppers
1 small onion
1 clove of garlic
3 mushrooms
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander aka cilantro (dried or fresh)
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup of coarsely chopped raw spinach
1 tortilla

1. Take your veggie sausages and cut them into strips - I sliced them across the round in at an angle so that I got long discs and then sliced each disk in half.
2. Stir Fry the sausage strips, garlic, peppers, onion, mushrooms in a little vegetable oil and season with lemon juice, black pepper, cumin, black pepper, coriander until the sausage is a little brown, and the onions are soft.
3. Place fajita bits on warm tortilla add spinach on top of this and roll into a delicious wrap.

Bring on the Beetroot Hummus

Beetroot Hummus

Hummus. Delicious hummus. I'm not sure what I'd do without you. Who ever decided to blend up chick peas and tahini into that delectably delightful dip should be given a medal for contributions to mankind. I commend you for making sandwiches less boring and flat bread more tasty.

There is a bit of a knack to making homemade hummus though. I have definitely had a few rough experiences ending up with a pile of bean mush that never quite got the tahini/chickpea balance right and totally missed that garlicky sweet spot. After a few tries I realised that the real secret to making hummus that tastes as good or better than what you can buy from the shop is: garlic powder. No joke. This makes all the difference. You can actually spread the garlic flavour all the way through your hummus rather than ending up in a situation where you taste nothing until you bite into an overly spicy garlic chunk. Lame. I know it sounds like a cheat, but garlic powder is amazing, seriously.

This vegan beetroot hummus recipe is a take on the classic one of my favourite root vegetables. I like it because it's tasty and purple.

Beetroot Hummus

3 boiled beetroot
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon tahini
juice of half a lime
1 tablespoon olive oil

Cut beetroot into quarters and place in a food processor. Add all other ingredients and blend until you have a chunky mixture. Now it should be ready for dipping, spreading or keeping for later.

I put it on some flat bread, because I love flat bread.

Vegan Sandwich: Tangy Tamarind Beetroot Sandwich

Vegan sandwiches are remarkably hard to come by. Hummus and roasted vegetables are lovely but ever so predictable. I'm not strictly vegan, but as a lactose in tolerant vegetarian, I eat a lot of vegan food. When I'm on the go and in need of a vegetarian lunch time solution, checking the counter at the corner shop or my local deli, I am often left sad and hungry because all their offerings are full of flesh and cheese. Everybody loves a good sammich and I don't see why I should go without! 

You've seen my recipe for Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Sandwich on Toasted Turkish Bread with Homemade Vegan Olive Tapenade and Tempeh 'Chik'n' Salad Sandwich, my latest addition to my vegan sandwich roster is this tasty little flat bread number with beetroot and 'slaw. Yum!

 

Tangy Tamarind Beetroot Sandwich

2-3 boiled beetroot (boil yourself or use vacum pack style)
1 teaspoon Green Tamarind Pickle
Juice of 1 lemon
approx 1/2 cup water
flat bread - something thick like a chappati or paratha
2-3 tablespoons flat bread
3- 4 leave of Spring greens
1 carrot
1/2 onion
2-3 tablespoons of vegannaise/mayonnaise

1. Slice your beetroot into 1/4 inch thick disks and place in a long bowl.
2. Add your Green Tamarind Pickle, lemon juice and water to the beetroot and let them marinade while you make your coleslaw. Make sure that all the beets are covered.
3. For the coleslaw, finely chop greens, and onion and mix with vegannaise/mayonnaise until fully covered. This s a vey basic 'slaw without too much seasoning as I don't want to over power the beets. Let stand.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and saute the beets until you've got a few crunchy bits and they're hot all the way through. Add the marinade to the pan to make sure they don't dry out...they should be hot and juicy when your done. Remove from heat and let stand while you heat the flat bread.
5. In a hot pan(I used the same one!) add a tablespoon of oil and heat your flat bread until it's hot and foldable.Then remove from heat and assemble you tasty lunch. Place the beets on half of the flat bread, slaw on top and fold over for serious tastieness.

Marinating Beetroot

Sauteed Beetroot with Crunchy Bits

Warming Paratha Flat Bread

Tangy Tamarind Beetroot Sandwich

Tangy Tamarind Spring Green 'Slaw

On a recent trip to my local international food store, I came across something that changed my life: Green Tamarind Pickle. It is, simply put, amazing. Call me slow to catch on, but I have only just discovered that there are is a lot of cross over between the flavours that I associate with the Mexican food I grew up eating in California, and the Indian food that is in abundance here in England. Cumin, coriander/cilantro,chillies, flat bread, rice and beans are common in both Mexican and Indian cuisines, but they also share a common a love for tantalisingly tangy tamarind. As a child, I used to eat Mexican sweets covered with the stuff and grew up loving the flavour but not consciously knowing what it was. As an adult I can now proudly profess my love of tamarind.

Green Tamarind Pickle is a store bought item that you would find at a good international food store alongside other Indian chutneys and pickles. It's has a strong, tangy, mustardy, spicy and slightly tart taste that I just love. It turns mayonnaise/veganaise  into the most delicious aioli type sauce, making it perfect of picnic loveliness like potato salad, you guessed it, coleslaw.

This recipe is oh so simple, delicious and sure to impress your friends at the next company picnic.

Tangy Tamarind Spring Green 'Slaw (Coleslaw salad for 4)

Ingredients:

1 head of spring greens (approximately 6-8 large leaves and the little ones in the middle)
3 medium sized carrots
1 medium sized onion
4 tbsp vegannaise/mayonnaise
1 tbsp Green Tamarind Pickle

Instructions:

1. Wash and coarsely chop vegetables (either by hand or with a food processor).
2. Place chopped veg in a bowl and mix add mayo and Green Tamarind Pickle.
3. Mix well.
4. Serve.

I know, really easy right? But it's gorgeous.

Tangy Green Tamarind Pickle 'Slaw