Brown Bread

Ingredients

1 cup porridge oats

1 cup oat bran

¾ cup oat flour 

½ cup ground hazelnuts

½ cup linwoods

1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 ½ cups hazelnut milk 

1 cup soya yoghurt

Squeeze lime juice

2 tsp groundnut oil

Mix the dry ingredients

Add in the wet ingredients and mix well, pour into greased and floured tin

Bake for 50 mins at 190 until hollow sounding underneath.

Wrap in towel until cool

granola

Ingredients

3 ½ cup porridge oats

1 cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup chopped hazelnuts

2 tsp cinnamon

½ cup linwoods

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup flaked almonds

3 rice cakes, crushed

1 cup peanut butter/hazelnut butter

3/4 cup groundnut oil

3/4 cup maple syrup

Method

Melt peanut butter and groundnut oil together. Mix in maple syrup after that. 

Stir all the dry ingredients together.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. 

Spread out evenly onto baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. press down a bit.

Bake in oven at 180 for 10 minutes. Press down again and cook at 160 for 15 minutes. Leave to cool on baking tray for half an hour. 

Hearty Root Soup

 INGREDIENTS

1 red onion, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 sticks celery, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon

4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp turmeric
1 inch fresh ginger root or 1 tbsp ground

1 red pepper, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled & chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled & chopped
4 carrots, peeled & chopped

1 tin of tomatoes

1 cup red lentils
600ml veg stock

1 tin coconut milk

Handful of chopped parsley

METHOD

Gently heat a little oil in a pan and add the onions.

Once the onion starts to soften, add in the turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, mustard seeds, cumin, celery and garlic and stir well.

Add in the sweet potato, butternut squash, carrots, pepper and tomatoes and stir.

Add in the stock and lentils, before turning down the heat to a simmer and letting everything cook for about an hour. Check on it regularly and add more water/stock as needed.

Once everything has softened, add the coconut milk and chopped parsley and blend. 

spiced black bean nachos

Ingredients

 1 onion, chopped

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 green chilli, chopped (seeds removed if you don't want it really hot)

1 tin black beans, drained but not rinsed

1 tsp each of cayenne pepper/cumin/garlic powder/smoked paprika/coriander/oregano

1 bag of tortilla chips

grated cheese

1 tomato, chopped or some salsa

sour cream

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Fry the onion in some oil. Add the drained beans, tomatoes, herbs and spices and half of the chilli. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stirring occasionally allow it to cook for about 10 minutes until thickened and the liquid has reduced down and doesn't pool in the bottom of the pan. 

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Line with one layer of tortilla chips. Spoon on half the black bean mixture and sprinkle on half the cheese. Do another layer of the same again. Bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges of the chips are browning. Remove from the oven and top with sliced chilli, sour cream and tomatoes/salsa. 

Lentil bolognaise

 Ingredients

1 white onion, finely chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped 

1 stick celery, finely chopped

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

8 cloves garlic, minced

6 oz tin tomato purée

Two 400g tins chopped tomato

400g tomato passata

2 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp dried oregano

2 cups red lentils, rinsed

2 cups water

Method

Fry onions, celery and carrot in olive oil for  about 10 minutes until softened.

Add garlic and tomato purée, stir in and cook for 1 minute.

Add passata, tinned tomatoes and herbs, and season to taste. Stir well.

Stir in the lentils and water.

Simmer for 20-30 mins until lentils have softened. 

Serve with spaghetti. 

Caribbean Sweet Potato Curry

Ingredients

2 onions, sliced

Seasoning Paste
2" ginger, peeled
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp jerk seasoning - see tips below
100 ml pineapple juice
1 tbsp dried coriander
1 tbsp dried thyme

2 cans chopped tomato
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp dark brown sugar
500 ml vegetable stock
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tins black beans, drained and rinsed
large jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced

Method
Fry the two onions in oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, blend all the seasoning paste ingredients together with a hand blender.

Add the paste to the onion in the pan and fry for a few minutes until flavours come out.

Add the chopped tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and stock. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, cook for another 12 - 15 minutes more.

Add in the beans and peppers and simmer for another 5 minutes until the sweet potatoes are done. Serve with rice and scatter with coriander leaves.

Tips
Swill the hand blender around in the stock to clean it of the debris from the paste so you don't waste any.

I buy the 200 ml lunchbox size pineapple juices, and I use the other 100 ml to make up part of the stock.

Jerk seasoning that you buy in the shops is really heavy on salt. I like to make up my own. Might not be completely authentic but I like the taste of it. I keep it in a kilner jar.

2 tbsp ground allspice
2 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp onion granules
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander

Enchiladas

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into chunks
3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 white onions, finely chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
250g red lentils
2 tins tomatoes
tube of tomato puree
600 ml stock
2 tsp ea. oregano, coriander, thyme, cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle powder
Tortilla wraps
Sour cream
Grated cheese

Method
Preheat the oven and roast the red pepper. Fry the sweet potato, carrots, onion, garlic and celery for 15 minutes until soft.

Add in the red pepper, lentils, tomatoes, tomato puree, stock, herbs and spices. Simmer for 20 mins until the lentils are cooked.

Grease an ovenproof dish. Line the bottom of the dish with a couple of spoonfuls of the mixture. Lay a wrap out flat and put a few spoonfuls of mixture in the middle. Fold in the ends and fold over the wrap, please seam side down in the dish. Repeat until the dish is full. Cover with tinfoil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Mix the sour cream and grated cheese together. Remove tinfoil, put the sour cream mix on top of the enchiladas and place back in the oven for 15 mins until the mixture is melted and the enchiladas are crispy at the edges

mongolian beef

Pack of beef stir fry strips
2 onions, sliced
3 tbsp cornflour
80 ml soy sauce
100 ml water
80 grams dark brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 inches ginger, grated
1 tbsp chilli flakes

Coat the beef in the cornflour and set aside.
Fry the onion, garlic and ginger in oil on the pan for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, water and sugar, stir until mixed and bring back to the boil. Pour off into a bowl and set aside.
Add some more oil to the pan and fry the beef for a few minutes, adding a little water if it sticks. Add the sauce back on, bring back to the boil, add more water if it's too thick, and serve on a bed of rice.

Bean Enchiladas

2 white onions, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 large carrots, grated/julienne
250 g red lentils, rinsed
2 tins tomatoes
2 tins beans, drained and rinsed (I used 1 tin cannellini beans, 1 tin mixed beans)
Chipotle, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder

Sour cream and grated mature cheddar

Preheat oven to 190C. Fry the onions, garlic and carrots in oil for 10 minutes.
Add the spices, lentils and tinned tomatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes.
Add the beans and bring back to the boil, simmer for a few minutes.
Spread a layer of bean mixture in the bottom of the cooking dish.
Take a tortilla and spoon some mixture along the centre. Tuck in the ends, roll up and place in the dish. Repeat until the dish is full. Spoon some more mixture on top.
Mix the cheese and sour cream together and spoon on top of the enchiladas down the middle.
Bake in the oven until bubbling and the cheese mixture on top is starting to brown, about 15 minutes.

Easy Veggie Stirfry

Two cloves of garlic, grated/crushed
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
1 red onion, sliced
1 white onion, sliced
3 carrots, julienned
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
100g baby corn, cut in half
1 courgette, julienned
4 balls frozen spinach, thawed
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce

Noodles to serve

Heat 2 tbsp rapeseed oil in a wok/pan. When hot, add the garlic, ginger and onions and fry for a couple of minutes, stirring to ensure they don't brown.

Add the carrots, peppers and corn. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Start boiling the noodles.

Add the courgette and spinach. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring.

Add the sweet chilli sauce and soy sauce. Stir well and cook for another minute or two. Serve over noodles.

veggie shepherd's pie

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients 

2 onions, chopped
2 whole garlic cloves, grated
2 packs mushrooms, chopped
shake of mixed herbs
2 sticks celery, chopped
5 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 balls frozen spinach, thawed
2 cups frozen peas
tin of tomato purée
tin of tomatoes
1 cup red wine
2-3 cups stock
Cornflour mixed with water to thicken

6 big potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
head of cauliflower, broken into florets
Splash of olive oil
splash of soya milk
some grated vegan cheese

Method

Make your topping; boil the potatoes, sweet potatoes and cauliflower until soft. Drain and mash. Stir in the olive oil and milk and season.

Sweat the onions and garlic until tender. Add in the mushrooms, carrots, herbs and celery. Cook until the carrots are softening up, about 15 mins.

Add tomato purée, tinned tomatoes, wine and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the cornflour. Stir well, bring back to the boil if needs be and slowly add the stock until your mixture is a nice consistency.

Add in the peas and spinach. Stir mixture well. Pour into large ovenproof dish. Top with potato mixture then sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180C until bubbling and the top is browned.

Green veggie pasta

Bag of Cabbage
Half bag of frozen leeks
Cup of frozen peas
Two onions, sliced

Optional
Pancetta/ bacon lardons
Pack of cream cheese

Fry everything (including the pancetta if using) bar the peas (and cream cheese) in a knob of butter and a dash of oil for about five minutes. Add the peas and cream cheese, cook for another three or four minutes. Serve over pasta.

Aubergine Lasagne

Veggie Lasagne

Ingredients

2 onions, sliced
1 red onion, sliced

1 garlic, sliced

2 aubergines, chopped into chunks

2 red peppers,  chopped
a shake of chipotle chilli flakes

4 tomatoes, quartered 

700 ml passata

2 tubs ricotta and some milk to loosen it
1 garlic, grated

Lasagne sheets

grated parmesan and mozzarella 

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/180 Fan.

Toss the onions, red onion, sliced garlic, aubergines, peppers, chilli flakes and tomatoes with a couple of tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread mixture across a shallow baking tin and roast in the preheated oven for about half an hour until lightly charred. Stir once or twice during cooking. 

Stir the grated garlic into the ricotta/milk mix. 

Grease a large baking dish with some rapeseed oil. Put a layer of veg in the bottom. Top with some passata, then lasagne sheets then ricotta. Keep layering like so until everything is gone, ending with ricotta. Top with mozzarella and parmesan. 

Bake in the oven for 30-40 mins until bubbling and golden on top. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving. 

Veggie Chilli

2 onions, chopped
2 single garlic bulbs, grated
shake of chipotle chilli flakes/half a red chilli
1 red pepper, chopped
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into smallish chunks
Cumin, cinnamon, paprika, chilli powder
Can of mixed beans/cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
can of tinned tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
3 balls of frozen spinach, defrosted
squeeze of lime juice

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Sweat the onion, garlic and chilli flakes for 2 minutes.
Tip in the pepper, sweet potato, spices and seasoning. Give it a good stir.
Tip in the beans and tomatoes and tomato puree.
Fill the tomato can up with water and pour that in too.
Stir and bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer.
Put the lid of the saucepan and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is softened. Stir in the spinach, and add water if the sauce is too thick.
Just before serving, stir through the lime juice. Serve with rice, avocado and grated cheddar.

Chicken pie

3 chicken fillets, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
150 g (half a cup) red lentils
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
350 ml vegetable or chicken stock
3 oz spinach, stalks chopped off and leaves coarsely chopped
1 kg rooster potatoes, peeled and chopped
Half a head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 tbsp garlic and herb butter
2 tsp garlic puree
50 ml milk
4 oz grated cheese

Method
Sweat the onions and the garlic until in rapeseed oil for 5 or so minutes until softened. Add the chopped chicken, carrots and parsnips and fry for 5 minutes; add more oil if needed.

Stir in the lentils, stock, tinned tomatoes and tomato puree. Season and bring to the boil; reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until the veg and lentils are softened and the chicken is cooked through.

Turn the heat off and add the spinach and stir in. Pour into a large dish and leave to cool slightly.

Meanwhile,  preheat the oven to 190 C. Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes until tender. Add the cauliflower for the last 6-8 minutes of cooking. Drain.

Add the milk and butter and mash. Add the garlic puree and cheese and stir through well. Top the filling with the potato and smooth over.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the potato is turning golden. The filling may spill over so it might be a good idea to put a baking tray under the cooking dish in the oven.

Fisherman's Feast

2 chicken fillets
1/2 packet prawns
1/2 packet smoked pancetta
1/2 bag spinach, stems cut off
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 tbsp garlic and herb butter
1 tbsp garlic puree
1 tbsp chilli puree
2 tsp basil pesto
1/2 lump mozzarella, sliced

Method
Preheat the oven to 190 C. Rub the stick of garlic and herb butter around the bottom of an ovenproof dish to grease it. Place the two chicken fillets in the dish and place in the oven while it is preheating to partially cook.

While the oven is preheating, melt the butter on the pan and fry the peppers with the garlic and chilli purees. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.

Take the dish of chicken from the oven. Pile the spinach and pepper on top. Spoon some pancetta on top of both. Place five or so prawns on top. Spoon the pesto on in small dollops around the prawns.

Return to the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Take out 10 minutes before it's done and add the mozzarella on top, to melt and brown.

Chicken Soup

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, chopped into a few pieces each
Paprika
Chilli flakes
Cayenne pepper
Garlic powder
Cumin
Oregano
4 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
3 sticks celery, chopped
3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
5 garlic cloves, grated
1 litre low-salt vegetable stock
1 tsp mixed herbs

Optional
2 red peppers, sliced
1 tin tomatoes
half a bag of spinach
1 pack of tortelloni, cooked

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Put 1 tbsp oil into an ovenproof dish. Add chicken pieces and garlic and coat in oil, spices and herbs. Add a covering of boiling water and cover with tinfoil. Place in the oven for 45 minutes. 
2. After 25 minutes, turn oven down to 150 C and stir chicken around before returning to the oven for remaining 20 minutes. 
3. When finished cooking, remove chicken (and garlic) from dish and pull apart with two forks. Sieve the remaining liquid into a bowl to remove scum.
4. Meanwhile, peel and chop your veg. 
5. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add carrots and celery and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. 
6. Add sweet potato and cook for 5 minutes. 
7. Add garlic and stock and liquid from oven chicken. [If adding peppers and tomatoes, add now]. Stir well and bring to the boil.
8. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until everything is nearly fully cooked. 
9. Add chicken to the soup now and stir in. [Add spinach and tortelloni at this stage if using]. When chicken is fully heated through again, spoon into bowls and serve with crusty bread.

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

Topping

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks

2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks

Dash of milk

Knob of butter

Grated mozzarella

Filling

2 large onions, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 sticks celery, chopped

1 cup of lentils, rinsed and soaked

1 whole beetroot, chopped

1 can chickpeas, drained

Good handful of frozen peas

2 tins of tomatoes

Dried basil, paprika, cumin

Method

1. Boil sweet potatoes and potatoes for 15-20 mins until soft. Preheat oven to 180 C.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan. Sauté onions, carrots, celery  for 5 mins until softened.
3. Add lentils, chickpeas, peas and beetroot. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add tinned tomatoes, herbs, and spices and stir well.
5. Cook for 10 mins until carrots are tender and lentils are cooked.
6.  Mash topping ingredients together and season.
7. Pour filling into an ovenproof dish. Top with potatoes and sprinkle cheese on top.
8. Bake in the oven for 15 mins until browned. Serve with crusty bread. 

Soup

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into cubes
3 onions, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into cubes
3 medium rooster potatoes, peeled and chopped.
1 litre of vegetable stock

Method

1. In a stock pot, heat some butter and oil until melted. Add in the onion and sauté until soft.
2. Add in the carrots, squash, sweet potato and potatoes. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring to coat in oil/butter. 
3. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 mins until all the veg are soft. 
4. Blend with a food processor/stick blender until the desired consistency is reached. 

Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake

Ingredients
250 g chicken, cooked and chopped into bitesize pieces
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 jar of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp goat's cheese
50 g mozzarella
2 tbsp basil pesto
1/2 pack of sour cream/cream cheese
enough pasta for 4 people

Method

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Preheat oven to 180 C.
2. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a large saucepan. Sauté the onions and garlic until softened.
3. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and chicken and cook until heated through. 
4. Add in the pesto and the sour cream. Stir until mixed in and everything is fully coated. 
5. Pour the cooked pasta into the pesto mixture and stir to coat. 
6. Tip this mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. 
7. Dot the goat's cheese on, and sprinkle with mozzarella.
8. Bake in the oven for 15 mins until cheese is melted and browned.