Mexican Pie

I get a newsletter from VegNews, which always has an interesting vegan recipe. A recent one included tamale pie and while I couldn’t get all the ingredients here (in a small city in the UK without a Mexican population) and others weren’t to our taste, I adapted the idea and made a Mexican-style pie.

Ingredients:

 

pastry

1 vegetable stock cube

2 cups boiling water

2 cups fine cornmeal

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup vegetable oil

2 tsp mint

1 dash lemon juice

 

filling

2 red onions

3 garlic cloves

oil

1 tsp honey

5 mushrooms

1 pepper

2 cups spinach

1 tin/package black beans

½ cup frozen or tinned corn

1 tin peeled tomatoes

1 tsp salt

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp parsley

1 tsp chilli flakes, if desired

 

Instructions:

1. Put the stock cube in the water.

2. Mix all the other pastry ingredients and then add the vegetable stock. Stir well.

3. Press half of the pastry mixture into the bottom and sides of an oven-safe dish and bake for 10 minutes at 180 C.

4. Peel and dice the onions and garlic. Fry lightly in the oil and honey.

5. Brush and slice the mushrooms. Wash and chop the pepper. Add them and the spinach to the frying pan.

6. Drain the beans and add them, the corn, the tomatoes (not drained, so add the juice too), and the spices.

7. Stir and warm through for a few minutes.

8. Pour the filling over the pastry. Spoon the rest of the pastry over it and smooth out.

9. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 180 C.

Rhubarb Spice Cake

I love rhubarb in the springtime and I try to make lots of different dishes! This was wonderfully moist, and M loved it with a bit of Oatly cream.

 

Ingredients:

130 g vegetable oil, plus extra for the pan

130 g sugar (use dark sugar if you prefer)

200 ml water

4 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp mixed spice

2 tsp ginger

50 g honey

1 tbsp malt extract, if desired (molasses could work too, or you can leave it out)

4 tsp baking powder

300 g flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 eggsba

400 g rhubarb

 

Instructions:

1. Whisk the oil and sugar together.

2. Boil the water.

3. Add the spices, honey, malt extract, baking powder, and flour to the oil and whisk again.

4. Mix the bicarbonate of soda and water together and leave to fizz for a few moments.

5. Add it to the mixture.

6. Beat the eggs and mix them in. Make sure all is blended thoroughly.

7. Wash and chop the rhubarb into small pieces and stir into the mixture.

8. Pour into a lightly greased oven-safe dish.

9. Bake for about 30 minutes at 180 C, checking after 20.

Roasted Spicy Sweet Potatoes

This can be varied with other spices. If I were making it just for me, I’d use chilli powder. You can also add regular potatoes and/or other veg.

 

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes

3 tbsp olive or other oil

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp mixed spices (I used tikka masala mix and mint)

 

Instructions:

1. Wash the potatoes and cut into chunks.

2. Lightly oil an oven-safe dish and toss the chunks with the sugar, spices, and oil.

3. Roast for 15 minutes at 220 C. Stir, then roast for another 15-20 minutes.

4. Serve with rice or quinoa.

Aubergine Pate

This is great as a dip or spread, especially when with people who are busy munching on caviar or liver pate or similar. You can vary it with different spices or by using yogurt instead of tahini.

 

Ingredients:

1 aubergine

olive oil

sea salt

1-2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp tahini, optional

1 tsp mint

1-2 tsp honey

1 tsp chilli powder or flakes

 

Instructions:

1. Wash and slice the aubergine, then drizzle it with olive oil and salt. Roast at 200 C for about 25 minutes, until soft. You can remove the peel if you prefer.

2. Mix it in a food processor with the other ingredients and more olive oil until smooth.

Vegetable Korma

This seems somewhat involved, but it actually isn’t that complicated, and the results are lovely. The veg can be varied, and the sauce can also easily be varied – I added dried chilli flakes to spice it up for me.

 

Ingredients:

1 onion

water

50 g cashews

50 g almonds

2-3 dried apricots

1 tin coconut milk

rice (about 50 g per person, so 200 g would suit this amount of food)

1 pepper

1 head cauliflower

150 g other veg (frozen peas and beans are fine, but vary according to taste)

2-3 garlic cloves

1-3 tsp fresh or frozen ginger

1 tsp oil

1 tsp sugar

1-2 tsp tikka masala (or curry powder or garam masala or other spices)

1 tsp mint

 

Instructions:

1. Peel and quarter the onion. Simmer it in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Add the nuts and continue to simmer for 5-10 more minutes.

2. Drain the onion and nuts (save the water to boil the veg in, if you want). Remove any almond skins.

3. Mix the onion, nuts, apricots, and half a tin of coconut milk in a food processor until fairly smooth (though some pieces are fine).

4. Rinse the rice and cook according to directions. I usually add 1-2 tbsp coconut milk for extra flavour.

5. Meanwhile, wash, de-seed, and slice the pepper. Wash the cauliflower and break it into florets.

6. Boil the veg for 4-6 minutes in water, then add the frozen veg and boil for another 2-3 minutes.

7. Peel and dice the garlic and ginger and fry lightly in the oil. Add the sugar and spices and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add any leftover coconut milk.

8. Add the nut mixture to the spice mixture and warm through.

9. Serve the rice topped with vegetables and korma sauce.

Sweet Potato Casserole

I saw a similar recipe in the Sainsbury’s magazine, but it had a lot of dairy and various spices we didn’t want, so I adapted it quite a bit. It was nice for a cold day.

 

Ingredients:

oil

1 leek

2 shallots

1 tsp sugar or maple syrup

4 sweet potatoes

75 g margarine (I used Pure spread)

75 g flour

500 ml milk (I used rice milk)

2 eggs

1 tbsp parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp mustard

2-3 tsp other herbs and spices (I used a bit of ginger and a bit of curry powder; I think tikka spice, mint, etc could work too)

1 tbsp lemon juice

 

Instructions:

1. Oil the pan.

2. Wash and dice the leek and shallots and cook over low heat. Add the sugar or maple syrup to get a sweeter flavour.

3. Peel and slice the sweet potatoes.

4. Melt the margarine. Add the flour, whisking.

5. Let cool, then add the milk and eggs, whisking until smooth. Season with the various herbs and spices and lemon juice.

6. Put the leek, shallots, and sweet potatoes in the pan, and pour in the sauce.

7. Bake at 180 C for 45-60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the top is slightly golden.

Pumpkin Pancakes

A nearby fancy grocery store started selling American pumpkin puree, so I snatched a couple of tins. With one of them, I made pumpkin pancakes for breakfast.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin puree

1½ cups milk

1 egg

2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp sugar

2 cups flour

3 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp allspice

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

agave or maple syrup to serve with it

 

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together well.

2. Fry by spoonfuls on a frying pan.

3. Serve with agave or maple syrup.

Naan

The traditional Indian flatbread isn’t that hard to make at home. We put garlic, chives, and rosemary in the middle but you could really go wild with flavour combinations (almond and coconut, like a Peshwari naan, or potatoes, or cheese and herbs, or cheese and jam, etc).

 

Ingredients:

6 g fast-action dry yeast

225 g warm water (or about 1 cup)

1 tsp sugar

4½ cups strong white bread flour

3 tsp salt

4 tbsp milk (I used rice milk)

1 egg

2 tbsp oil (toasted sesame oil adds a nice flavour)

 

Instructions:

1. Mix the yeast with the water and sugar and leave to get frothy for about 10 minutes.

2. Mix all the other ingredients together, then add the yeast.

3. Knead or mix well (about 5-10 minutes). Leave to rise for an hour or so in an oiled bowl in a warm place.

4. Roll out the dough. Divide into 10-12 pieces.

5. If using filling, put it in the middle of each piece and then fold the pieces together and roll out again.

6. Heat a frying pan over high heat. Dry-fry one or two pieces at a time, about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden.

Butternut Squash Tagine

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

100 g spinach

water

couscous (about 75 g per person)

1 tin chickpeas

spices (cinnamon, mint, smoked paprika, black pepper, etc)

 

Instructions:

1. Roast the squash for about 40 minutes at 190 C. Slice it in half and roast for another 10-15 minutes.

2. Defrost or wilt the spinach. Boil the water and pour it over the spinach and couscous (the water should just cover the couscous.

3. After a few minutes, add the chickpeas. Peel and chop the squash and add it.

4. Season to taste and serve.

 

Vegetable Udon Soup

When I had some dental work done, I wasn’t in the mood to have anything too hard to eat. Vegetable soup with udon noodles fit the bill. This can be adapted so you use whatever vegetables you have on hand. You can add miso paste if you want as well. You can also replace the udon noodles with other noodles or even dumplings.

 

Ingredients:

udon noodles

water

1 vegetable stock cube

1-2 carrots

½ cup mushrooms

½ cup sugar snap peas or regular peas

2 spring onions

black pepper, smoked paprika, other spices

 

Instructions:

1. Boil the udon noodles in water (this takes about 10 minutes), then drain and set aside.

2. Boil another 4 or so cups of water and add the vegetable stock cube.

3. Wash the carrots, slice, and add to the stock. Clean and slice the mushrooms, then add them.

4. After 5-10 minutes, wash and add the peas.

5. Cook for another 5-10 minutes.

6. Add the udon noodles and heat for 1-2 minutes.

7. Set out in bowls, then slice the spring onions and add on top.

8. Season as desired.

Berry Sorbet

This is very easy to make. You can replace the berries with just about any fruit you can think of (mango and peach would be great), and you can add spices or nuts as well. I made berry cinnamon sorbet and I think peach almond would taste delicious.

 

Ingredients:

360 ml water

150 g sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

500 g fruit (I used raspberries and strawberries)

spices or nuts as desired

 

Instructions:

1. Boil 160 ml of the water and mix in the sugar and lemon juice. Remove from the heat and stir. Once the sugar has dissolved, set aside to cool.

2. Wash, peel, de-stone, and hull the fruit as needed.

3. Mix the fruit with the remaining 200 ml of water in a food processor. Add the spices, if using.

4. Add the cool sugar water and blend again. Add the nuts, if using, and stir to mix.

5. Place in a Tupperware container and freeze. Stir after an hour, then freeze again. Stir again after another hour. Freeze until set (it takes several hours).

Hummus

Maybe it’s the heat, but lately I’ve been feeling like minimal cooking, so I’ve been making lots of spreads. The latest was hummus. Ingredients: 1 tin chickpeas (about 400 g) 2 cloves of garlic (or more, if you prefer) 3-4 tbsp tahini juice from 1 lemon (or 2-3 tbsp lemon juice) 5-6 tbsp olive oil (use more for a looser, smoother spread, or less for a stickier spread) 1-2 tbsp fresh parsley spices (I use cinnamon and smoked sweet paprika, but cumin is also common) salt and pepper to taste Instructions: 1. Drain the chickpeas and rinse well. 2. Blend all the ingredients except the salt and pepper in a food processor. Then season to taste. 3. Serve with vegetables or pita bread.

Chickpeas, Corn, and Spinach in a Coconut Sauce

This can be varied easily, depending on what legumes or vegetables you have at home. Have it over rice or with potatoes or sweet potatoes.

 

Ingredients:

oil

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cilantro

1 tin chickpeas

1 tin coconut milk

1 tin corn

400 g spinach

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon

dried chilli peppers, to taste

 

Instructions:

1. Warm the oil in a sauce pan. Chop the garlic, ginger, and cilantro and add to the oil.

2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and cook them in the garlic mixture for 2-5 minutes, stirring now and then.

3. Add the coconut milk and the other vegetables and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and everything is thoroughly warm.

4. Season with lemon juice, cinnamon, and chilli peppers.

Cinnamon Buns

This is a Scandinavian classic. When I was taking a French class, a Norwegian woman in the course brought these buns to our final session. She gave me the recipe and I fiddled with it and though my final product was not as fluffy as hers, it was still good.

If you want a Cinnabon-style bun, you can also make an icing for the top, but I think that’s overkill.

Ingredients:

4¼ cups flour

½ cup sugar

2 tsp cardamom

2 tsp cinnamon

14 g yeast

100 g margarine (or butter)

1½ cups milk (I used rice milk)

cinnamon filling:

75 g margarine or butter

¼ - ½ cup sugar

1/8 cup cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Mix the flour, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, and yeast together.

2. Warm the margarine and milk together, then mix with the dry ingredients. Blend well.

3. Leave to rest for 45-60 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the cinnamon filling. You can vary the proportions here according to your own taste.

5. Roll the dough out. Spread it with the filling, then roll it up. Slice it into buns.

6. Let rise another 30-40 minutes.

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

Spicy Aubergine Stew

The spices and herbs here can be varied as you like – add more chilli peppers, if you want it hotter, or use garlic or cinnamon or mustard or anything else. The veg can be varied too. I served this over couscous.

Ingredients:

1 onion

oil

1 tsp sugar

2-3 tsp chopped ginger

1-2 tsp coriander (fresh, frozen, or dried)

1 chilli pepper

1 red pepper

2 aubergines

liquid (water is fine; I’ve used rice milk)

1-2 tsp dried mint

Instructions:

1. Peel and dice the onion, then sweat it in the oil in a large saucepan. Add the sugar after a few minutes.

2. Add the ginger and coriander. Wash and dice the peppers and aubergines and add them to the pan.

3. Add a little liquid. Cook over low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring now and then. If it is dry, add some more liquid. You don’t want the veg to stick to the pan.

4. Season with the mint. Serve with rice or couscous, as desired.

Chestnut Pancakes

Ingredients:

200 g chestnut puree

¼ cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2-4 tbsp sugar, to taste

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

2 eggs

oil

fruit, to serve with it

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients but the oil together.

2. Warm the oil in a frying pan and fry the pancakes, a few at a time.

3. Serve with blueberries or other fruit.

Chestnut Pie

When we had a friend visit us from another city for a day, we went to one of the vegetarian restaurants in town. That day’s special was chestnut pie and it was very hearty and filling, which was great considering how cold it was. We each ordered that and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I decided to make something similar at home. This was my first attempt, but I plan to try other chestnut pies, sweet and savoury, in the future.

Ingredients:

200 g chestnuts (vacuum-sealed or tinned)

1-2 onions

oil

1 vegetable stock cube

other herbs/spices, as desired (I used some rosemary, cinnamon, and a hint of mint)

about 300 g vegetables of your choice (I used mushrooms and a courgette)

water (about 1 cup)

1 package puff pastry (500 g)

Instructions:

1. Grind the chestnuts or else dice them into small pieces.

2. Chop the onion/s and fry the pieces lightly in oil a saucepan. Add the stock cube and the other herbs/spices.

3. Chop the vegetables and add them to the pan. Fry for a few moments and then add the water and boil for 5-10 minutes over low heat.

4. Add the chestnuts.

5. Roll out the puff pastry and separate it into two pieces (one will be the lid, so it should be smaller).

6. Oil an oven-safe dish and line with puff pastry. Fill with the chestnut mixture and put the lid on top.

7. Bake at 200 C for 20-35 minutes.

Honey Cake

We had some friends over to celebrate one of their birthdays and I wanted to make a cake that had no dairy or soy in it, so M could eat it. I decided to make a honey cake (never mind that I’m allergic to honey!). I made it a day in advance so the flavours could blossom, so to speak.

If you want, you can add a milk glaze (½ cup confectioner’s sugar and 1-2 tbsp milk or rice milk).

Ingredients:

½ cup water

2 tsp instant coffee

3 eggs

¼ cup sugar

½ cup honey

3 tbsp oil

1½ cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ginger (you could also use cloves)

2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Boil the water and mix it with the instant coffee, then leave to cool.

2. Separate the eggs and beat the whites until stiff.

3. Mix the yolks with the sugar, honey, and oil until creamy.

4. Mix the dry ingredients together, then mix into the honey. Add the coffee.

5. Carefully fold the egg whites in.

6. Bake at 165 C for about 35 minutes.

Dairy-Free Rice Pudding

Since my sweetie can’t have dairy but wanted rice pudding, I tried to think of a way of making a nice dairy-free pudding for her. You need very little sugar since the coconut milk is quite rich and sweet on its own.

Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

oil to grease the dish

½ cup pudding rice

2½ tins of coconut milk (save the other ½ tin for something else)

4 tsp cinnamon, or more to taste

1 tsp nutmeg, or more to taste

2 tsp vanilla, or more to taste

2 tbsp coconut palm sugar (or regular sugar), or to taste

½ cup raisins, or more to taste (I soak them in boiling water first, to plump them up)

Instructions:

1. Grease an oven-safe dish and put the pudding rice, 1½ tins coconut milk, and 2 tsp cinnamon in it.

2. Bake at 150 C for 40 minutes

3. Stir, then grate in the nutmeg. Add another ½ tin of coconut milk and the vanilla. Bake for another 20 minutes.

4. Stir again, then add the rest of the coconut milk and cinnamon, and the raisins.

5. Bake for another 20 minutes, then serve.

Seasoned Chickpeas

This is easy to vary, as you can add any spices you like. You can have this as a snack (instead of crisps, for example) or with rice. I served it with red rice and radish sprouts recently and it worked out very well. A dollop of sour cream or yogurt would go well with it too.

Ingredients:

1 tin or container of chickpeas

olive oil

spices (I used 1 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp crushed chilli flakes, 2 tsp mint, 1 tsp ginger)

Instructions:

1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.

2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the spices, cook for a minute or two, then add the chickpeas.

3. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring once in a while. Then increase the heat and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the chickpeas are popping a bit.

4. Serve as is or with rice.