Vegan Bolognese Sauce

Have this over pasta or couscous. Top with vegan cheese if desired.

 

Ingredients:

200 g dried lentils

water or stock (vegetable stock gives it a really nice flavour)

1 onion

olive oil

3 garlic cloves

2 stalks celery

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 pinch salt

 

Instructions:

1. Rinse the lentils and boil them in about three times the amount of water or stock for 20-25 minutes, until tender. Drain if necessary.

2. Peel and dice the onion and cook lightly in oil.

3. Peel and chop the garlic and chop the celery, and add to the onion. Cook a few more minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes and lentils and cook another 10 minutes.

5. Season with salt.

Matzoh Ball Soup

Ingredients:

1-2 carrots

1 celery stalk

1 onion

1 vegetable stock cube

water (about 6-8 cups)

matzoh balls (see previous recipe)

 

Instructions:

1. Peel and chop the vegetables and cook with the stock cube in water.

2. Add the matzoh balls and cook for 10-30 minutes, depending on size, until they are cooked and fluffy.

3. Serve and eat.

Vegan Pot Pie

I’ve posted a pot pie recipe before, but this time I made it completely vegan and in filo dough.

 

I also had leftover chestnuts, so I added them in for extra texture and flavour.

 

Ingredients:

2-3 carrots and/or parsnips, chopped into pieces

water or rice milk

1 celery stalk, chopped

1-2 cups frozen veggies (peas and corn are great)

2-3 garlic cloves, optional (for some extra flavour, I used black garlic)

1-2 stalks spring onion

1/3 cup flour

2/3 cup rice milk

1 vegetable stock cube

salt

black pepper

1 package filo dough (about 270 g)

 

Instructions:

1. Peel and dice the carrots and/or parsnips, then cook the pieces over medium heat until slightly soft in water or milk to cover (about 10 minutes).

2. Wash and chop the celery. Add it and the other veggies. Cook briefly, until defrosted.

3. Chop the garlic and onion and add it to the pan..

4. Add the flour, milk, stock cube, salt, and pepper. Cook a bit more over medium heat, stirring.

5. Put some filo on the bottom of a pan (if you want, you can bake it for 2-3 minutes first). Top it with the filling.

6. Add the rest of the filo on top.

7. Bake for 30 min at 220 C, until golden.

Egg Foo Young

This is a traditional Chinese-American dish, so I grew up eating. It comes with a thick, brown sauce, almost like gravy. I got a taste for it suddenly when my mother mentioned having shrimp egg foo young for lunch, so I made a vegetarian version.

 

This recipe made 8 patties, and eating even 2 is very filling.

 

Ingredients:

2- 2½  cups vegetables (I used 1 cup cabbage, 1 celery stalk, 2 spring onions, ½ cup bean sprouts, and mushrooms)

oil

7 eggs

1¼ cup water

1 tbsp corn starch (or flour)

½ bouillon cube

1 tbsp soy sauce (I left this out as M can’t eat soy, but if you add it, it will be more “traditional” and murkier)

1 tsp ginger, optional (I used this to brighten up the flavour)

1 pinch lime leaves, optional (I used this to brighten up the flavour)

 

Instructions:

1. Wash and chop the vegetables. If using vegetables such as cabbage and onion, fry them lightly in oil for a few moments.

2. Whisk the eggs and add all the vegetables. Distribute the vegetables evenly.

3. Fry patties a couple at a time in a little oil.

4. Start the sauce by first making a smooth paste with ¼ cup water and the corn starch or flour.

5. When it’s completely smooth, add the rest of the water, the bouillon, and the soy sauce. If using the ginger and lime leaves, add them too. Cook over low heat, whisking frequently, for a few minutes, until it thickens.

6. Serve the patties with the sauce over them.

Hot Pot

I saw a recipe for a vegetarian hot pot. I’ve never had a hot pot, not being English, but I liked the idea, so I made my own variation on the recipe. I don’t know if it’s like a hot pot, but it was good and warming.

Ingredients:

4-6 small potatoes or 2-3 medium ones

water

1 onion

1 clove garlic

oil

1 tsp honey

1 vegetable stock cube

1 tbsp tomato puree

2 carrots

2 stalks celery

½ cup liquid (I used a combination of coconut milk and water, but wine or ale or just water would work too)

2 tbsp herbs (I used dill and sage, but any would probably work well)

black pepper

Instructions:

1. Parboil the potatoes in the water for about 10 minutes.

2. Peel and dice the onion and garlic and lightly soften them in the oil and honey. Mash in the stock cube and stir in the tomato puree, then continue to caramelise for a few minutes.

3. Peel and chop the carrots and wash and chop the celery. Add them and the liquid to the pan. Cook for 5-10 minutes.

4. Add the herbs and season with black pepper.

5. Pour the vegetables and liquid into an oven-safe dish. Slice the potatoes and layer them on top. Drizzle with a little oil.

6. Bake at 180 C for 10-15 minutes.

Fish Chowder

This is a dish that’s really easy to vary. Use different types of fish or vegetables. I might make it if we have fish-eaters over for dinner.

Ingredients:

100 g (or more) potatoes (I used Jerusalem artichokes once for a very different flavour and it turned out well, with a hint of sweetness)

olive oil

1 vegetable stock cube

2 stalks of celery

1 cup other vegetables (carrots, corn, peas, onions, whatever you like)

water (about 3 cups)

2 fish fillets (haddock, cod, salmon) and/or 1 bag frozen prawns (about 300 g)

smoked salmon (about 50 g)

milk (about 1 cup; I used rice milk)

herbs (mint, thyme, tarragon, parsley)

paprika and/or black pepper

Instructions:

1. Scrub and/or peel the potatoes (or Jerusalem artichokes), rub with oil, then roast for 20-30 minutes at 200 C.

2. Put about 1 tbsp of oil in a large pot and add the stock cube. Warm gently.

3. Wash and chop the celery and other vegetables. Add them to the pot and fry lightly.

4. Boil the water and add it.

5. Remove the bones and skin from the fish and break the fillets into pieces. Add the fish (and/or prawns) to the pot. Cook for 5-10 minutes.

6. Add the potatoes (or Jerusalem artichokes) and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

7. Break/cut the pieces of smoked salmon and add it and the milk, herbs, and paprika and/or pepper. Cook for another 5 or so minutes.

8. Stir and serve.

Pot Pie

Growing up in the US, I regularly had what we call “pot pie”. This is a pastry filled with vegetables and chicken or turkey. Once I became a vegetarian, I wanted something with the same sauce but without the poultry. So I made my own version, and I’ve successfully served it to people here in the UK, and they have complimented me on it.

Ingredients:
500 g puff pastry
1-3 carrots and/or parsnips, chopped into pieces
water or milk
1 celery stalk, chopped
1-2 cups frozen veggies
some chopped tofu, if desired
1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup milk
1 vegetable stock cube
salt
black pepper

Instructions:
1. Roll out the pastry and make two pieces from it.
2. Peel and dice the carrots and/or parsnips, then cook the pieces over medium heat until slightly soft in water or milk to cover.
3. Wash and chop the celery. Add it and the other veggies. Cook briefly, until defrosted. Add the tofu if using it.
4. Add the flour, milk, stock cube, salt, and pepper. Cook a bit more over medium heat, stirring.
5. Put one crust on the bottom of a pan. Top it with the filling.
6. Add the other crust on top.
7. Bake for 30 min at 220 C, until golden.

Starring...Celery

Poor celery, that much ignored vegetable. People rarely seem to give celery a starring role in any dish. Instead, it’s relegated to an extra bit of crunchiness in a salad, or else used as a snack by those on a diet. But actually, celery has quite a lovely little bite, and I like to keep it around to munch on or throw into a variety of dishes.

When I was a child, I remember being given “ants on a log” as a snack at school. This involves spreading celery with peanut butter and topping it with a few raisins. In my opinion, this is a still a tasty combination. I think celery and peanut butter work together well and it’s easy to imagine a peanut butter sandwich with a few pieces of celery on it.

My lovely M recently introduced me to celery and cream cheese as well. I was sceptical at first, but she converted me. Celery, of course, works well with dips, but then it’s usually served along with carrots, peppers, and other veg, just one out of many. So why not focus on celery and let it be the main player in a dish or snack?