Tomato Artichoke Soup

I was working from home one day and wanted a fast, healthy lunch. This is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

olive oil

½ vegetable stock cube

1 tin tomatoes

½ tin artichoke hearts (bottoms would probably do well too)

1 cup rice milk

pine nuts

pumpkin seed oil

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil and add the stock cube, breaking it up.

2. Add the tomatoes and artichokes (I used about half the tin and saved the other half for pizza, but feel free to use more or less). Cook for 5-10 min.

3. Add the milk and blend with a hand mixer.

4. Warm a few more minutes, then serve topped with pine nuts and a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil.

Aubergine with Garden Veg

Originally I was inspired by a Middle Eastern recipe, but then we had lots of fresh garden veg that M had grown that we needed to use, so this turned into something completely different, but tasty.

 

Ingredients:

2 aubergines

olive oil

salt

mint

1 onion or 2 shallots

4 cloves garlic

1 courgette

6-8 runner beans

8-10 cherry tomatoes and/or 1-2 large tomatoes

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp sugar

½ cup water

 

Instructions:

1. Wash the aubergines and halve them. Warm some oil in a frying pan and fry the aubergines on each side for 4-5 minutes over medium heat. Add some salt and mint when you turn the aubergines over.

2. Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion and garlic. Wash and slice or chop the courgette, beans, and tomatoes.

3. Remove the aubergines from the pan, then add the other veg and more olive oil. Cook it for a few minutes, adding more mint and a dash of salt, plus the lemon juice and sugar.

4. Add the aubergines to the pan again, along with the water and more olive oil (3-5 tbsp oil). Cover with the lid and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Check the aubergines. If not tender, leave to cook longer, adding more water and/or oil as needed.

6. Serve on its own or over rice.

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.

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.

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.

Easy Lunch

I know this sounds a bit odd, but I had a leftover baked potato (already baked, I mean) and I didn’t quite know what to have it with. I sliced some beautiful fresh tomatoes and squirted a dab of mayonnaise on it and ground some black pepper on top, and it was really tasty! I’d recommend the combination.

Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

olive oil

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp agave or sugar

1 tin tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Warm some olive oil in a saucepan.

2. Peel and dice the onion and garlic and cook them in the oil. Add the agave or sugar so they caramelise. Cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes. Continue to cook, stirring now and then, for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Pasta with Raw Cheese

One evening, I was feeling weak and told M I was just going to make a simple, dull pasta dish. It turned into anything but dull. It was delicious and I couldn’t wait to eat the leftovers the next day for lunch. The raw cheese added a great flavour.

Ingredients:

broccoli

pasta (about 50 g per person)

olive oil

1 tin artichoke hearts

1 tin tomatoes

olives

raw cheese (see recipe a few posts back; you can also use regular cheese if you prefer)

truffle oil

Instructions:

1. Wash and chop the broccoli and boil it and the pasta together for 10-15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Drain and add the artichokes and warm for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice and simmer.

3. Slice the olives and add them.

4. Serve the pasta and broccoli topped with the tomato sauce. Add spoonfuls of raw cheese and drizzle with truffle oil.

Easy Scrambled Eggs

This is a perfect light and healthy evening meal. I served it recently with my focaccia and it was very soothing for a cold night. It can be varied endlessly.  Add different vegetables or serve with smoked fish or top with fresh herbs.

Ingredients:

5-8 mushrooms

oil

2 large tomatoes or a handful of cherry tomatoes

about 50-75 g spinach

6 eggs

¼ cup milk (I used rice milk)

Instructions:

1. Brush the mushrooms and slice them. Saute them lightly in oil.

2. Wash and slice the tomatoes. Add them and the spinach to the mushrooms.

3. Whisk the eggs and milk. Then add it to the pan.

4. Stir frequently and cook over low heat until just set (just a few minutes). Serve with toast.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Here’s a classic, vegan style! You can top with some shredded cheese, if desired.

Ingredients:
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
oil
1 tsp sugar (or honey if you’re not vegan)
1 package soya mince or other non-meat product (about 250 g for 2 people)
2 tins tomatoes (whole or chopped)
spaghetti (about 100 g per person)
water
black pepper
olive oil

Instructions:
1. Chop the onion and garlic and brown them in oil. Add the sugar so they caramelise slightly.
2. Add the mince to the pan and let it brown for about 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes (break them up if they are whole) and their juice.
3. Boil the spaghetti in the water.
4. Season the sauce with black pepper and olive oil and serve over the noodles.

An Unusual Tomato Sauce

I often make curries with curry paste and coconut milk and I was planning to do that one recent night when I suddenly discovered I didn’t have any curry paste. I had to quickly rethink my dish. I looked in the cupboard and found that there was a jar of tomato-olive pasta sauce that M had bought while I was out of town. I decided to use that instead.

Oddly enough, it worked quite well with the coconut milk. I stir-fried courgette, cabbage, and cauliflower together, added some coconut milk and tomato sauce, and let that simmer for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, I made some sticky rice, to which I added the rest of the coconut milk and another tablespoonful of the tomato sauce. The meal worked out quite well and I would actually make it again. I might also use the leftover tomato sauce to marinate some tofu.

Salmon and Prawn Stew

This is another easy dish that you can use when cooking for those who eat fish and/or seafood. Other fish and types of seafood can be used, so play around with this.

Ingredients:
rice
water
olive oil
2 tsp parsley
about 200 g prawns
about 300 g salmon
3-5 tomatoes
1 stock cube
½ cup water
½ - ¾ cup cream or soy cream
black pepper
smoked paprika

Instructions:
1. Rinse the rice and boil it in the water for about 15 minutes.
2. Warm the olive oil in a sauce pan and add the parsley. If the prawns are frozen, add them to the pan now too.
3. Chop the salmon into small cubes and remove the skin. Wash and chop the tomatoes. Add the salmon and the tomatoes to the pan and if the prawns are fresh, put them in now too.
4. Add the stock cube and water and cream.
5. Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
6. Season with pepper and paprika and serve over rice.

Green Stir-Fry

Green Stir-Fry

This can be endlessly varied, depending on what sort of veg or spices you have on hand. It’s fast for weekdays.

Ingredients:
1 leek
½ green garlic
1 courgette
½ cabbage
1 handful cherry tomatoes
oil
spice (curry paste, miso paste, soy sauce, sweet-and-sour sauce, etc)
noodles (I like rice noodles)

Instructions:
1. Wash the vegetables and dice them.
2. Stir-fry them in the oil and add the spice of your choice. Mix well.
3. When it is all nearly cooked, add in the noodles. Stir-fry for a couple more minutes, then serve.

My Cousin Chad’s Pasta

When I was last in my hometown, one of my two lovely cousins cooked a couple of vegetarian dishes. Let me point out that no one else in my family is a vegetarian and that my cousin is just 21. I think that will emphasise to you just how kind it was that he went to all the effort for me.

One night while everyone else was dispersed, Chad made me pesto pasta. It was so nice to sit with him and chat and eat food that he’d cooked especially for me. I immediately requested the recipe for the blog. And if you need any work done on websites, do use Chad’s excellent services.

Thanks for being such a great cousin, Chad!

Ingredients:
1 box of farfalle pasta (about 450 g)
water
1 clove garlic
1 tsp butter
1 jar traditional pesto (about 180 g)
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil (about 240 g)
parmesan, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions:
1. Boil the pasta in the water. This will take about 12 minutes. Strain the pasta, then put it back in the sauce pan.
2. Mince the garlic and add it, the butter, and the pesto to the pasta. Chop the tomatoes and add them.
3. Season with parmesan and red pepper flakes to taste. Stir everything together.

Squash Couscous

This was a simple weeknight meal that was healthy and full of flavour. The tomatoes might seem a bit odd, but I had tomatoes to use, so I added them. It worked fine, but you can leave them out too.

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
oil
1 courgette
1 tsp sugar
2 tomatoes
200 g couscous
water
¼ cup raisins
handful of pine nuts (about 30 g)
2 tbsp crème fraiche or yogurt, optional
salt
black pepper

Instructions:
1. Wash the butternut squash and coat it lightly with oil. Roast it in the oven at 200 C for about an hour, until the skin has browned. Leave aside to cool.
2. Wash and dice the courgette. Fry it in oil over low heat for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sugar so it caramelises.
3. Meanwhile, peel and de-seed the squash. Dice it into small pieces and add to the pan.
4. Wash and slice the tomatoes and add them as well. Continue to stir-fry.
5. Put the couscous in a pot. Boil the water and add it to the couscous. Leave it to stand, covered, for about 5 minutes.
6. Add the raisins and pine nuts to the squash.
7. For a more creamy couscous, add the crème fraiche or yogurt to pot and mix in well.
8. Season the squash with salt and black pepper to taste.
9. Serve the squash over the couscous.

Pasta with Beans and Peas

This is a simple pasta dish that was great at the height of summer with fresh produce.

If you eat seafood, you can add in some prawns as well. My M likes prawns, so I add them in sometimes for her.

Ingredients:
½ red onion
olive oil
1 tsp sugar
200 g runner beans
200 g sugar snap peas
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp tomato purée/paste
cream, to taste
200 g multigrain tagliatelle
water to cook the pasta in

Instructions:
1. Dice the onion and fry it lightly in olive oil, then add the sugar to caramelise it.
2. Wash the runner beans and sugar snap peas and cut them as necessary. Add them to the onion, along with the coriander, tomato purée/paste and cream.
3. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in the water.
4. Serve the vegetable sauce over the pasta.

Quiche with Feta, Artichokes, and Spring Greens

Quiche is heavy due to the eggs, cheese, and cream in it, but I try to lighten it up a bit with plenty of vegetables and fresh herbs. It’s not the healthiest of dishes, but it’s a nice treat once in awhile.

Ingredients:
pastry (500 g) (short crust or puff)
oil
1 onion
1-3 garlic cloves (depending on taste)
1 tsp herbs (I used mint this time, for variety)
1 tbsp mustard powder
300 g spring greens or spinach
200 g artichokes
50 g tomatoes (sun-dried or fresh, optional)
50 g mozzarella
50 g cheddar cheese
50 g feta cheese
300 ml milk or cream (single or double)
4 eggs
black pepper

Instructions:
1. Roll out the pastry.
2. Light grease an oven-safe pie dish or casserole dish. Place the pastry in it and use a fork to make a few indentations in the pastry.
3. Pre-bake the pastry for about 5 minutes at 190 C.
4. Meanwhile, dice the onion and garlic. Fry them lightly in oil with the herbs and other mustard.
5. Wash and chop the greens and add them to the pot with the onion. Wilt for about 10 minutes over low heat.
6. Dice the artichokes and tomatoes (if using) and add them. Do the same with the cheese.
7. Beat the milk or cream with the eggs.
8. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables.
9. Pour everything into the pastry.
10. Bake for about 45 minutes at 170 C.

Goat Cheese Sauce

Someone brought M’s mum lemon pasta from Italy, so I wanted to make a simple sauce to go with the light noodles. This sauce can also be used on a pizza.

Ingredients:
1 tin/package crushed tomatoes
10 or so cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
100 g goat cheese
1 pinch sea salt
black pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Warm the crushed tomatoes over low heat. Wash and halve the cherry tomatoes and add them and the oil to the crushed tomatoes. Cook for 18-10 minutes.
2. Crumble in the goat cheese and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook another 5 or so minutes, stirring well, and then serve over pasta.

Green and Red Couscous

Couscous is tiny pieces of semolina. It’s extremely fast to cook (you pour boiling water over it and leave it for 5-10 minutes) and it’s healthy and cheap. So I’ve been trying to make more dishes with couscous. Combine vegetables and protein and serve it over couscous, and you’ve got a meal in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients:
about 150 g couscous
boiling water to cover the couscous
1 red pepper
oil
frozen peas (about 75 g)
1 handful cherry tomatoes (5-10)
1 handful radishes (3-5)
black pepper
creamy cheese such as Boursin, if desired

Instructions:
1. Put the couscous in a pot and pour the water over it. Place the lid on the pot and set aside for about 5 or so minutes.
2. Meanwhile, wash and dice the pepper. Fry it in oil.
3. Add the peas so they defrost.
4. Wash and dice the tomatoes and radishes. Add them to the pan. Season with black pepper.
5. If desired, mix creamy cheese into the couscous. Top the couscous with the vegetables, then serve.

Leek, Cheddar, and Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche

This is a very rich dish, so I wouldn’t make it too often. It’s loaded with eggs, cheese, and cream, which is what makes it tasty, but I can envision arteries getting clogged with each bite.

Yes, of course you can make your own pastry, but I bought it this time. Sometimes it’s just simpler to purchase the pastry. Shortcrust works better, I think, but I had puff pastry on hand and that was fine. In fact, M said she liked that it was a bit different.

Ingredients:
pastry (500 g) (short crust or puff)
oil
1 leek
2 tsp parsley
1 tsp lime leaves or basil or other herb
6 eggs
1 tbsp mustard powder
300 ml cream (single or double)
100 g sun-dried tomatoes
50 g mozzarella
100 g cheddar cheese
other vegetables (I had asparagus that I threw in, but next time I might use red pepper or spinach)
black pepper

Instructions:
1. Roll out the pastry.
2. Light grease an oven-safe pie dish or casserole dish. Place the pastry in it and use a fork to make a few indentations in the pastry.
3. Pre-bake the pastry for about 5 minutes at 190 C.
4. Meanwhile, dice the leek. Fry it lightly in oil with the parsley and other herbs.
5. Beat the eggs with the mustard powder and cream.
6. Chop the tomatoes, cheese, and any other vegetables. Mix them into the eggs, add the leek, and season with black pepper.
7. Pour the egg mixture over the pastry.
8. Bake for about 45 minutes at 170 C.