Category: Dinner

Ackee, Callaloo and Pumpkin | VEGANUARY

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Can you believe it’s 2018?! It’s currently 6 pm on 6th Jan, and I’m wondering how we got here already. One good thing to come out of this month though, is Veganuary, and I’ve dedicated myself to it this time round. I’m not into resolutions these days, but I do love a good challenge. If you’re not familiar with Veganuary, it’s essentially an initiative to encourage people to eat and live more consciously for just 31 days – and with that comes a vegan diet. You can get support, recipe ideas, starter kits and regular news online, so that’s half the work done for you.

As you guys know, this blog usually documents vegetarian (and the occasional plant-based) recipes, so I’m excited to take full advantage of the opportunity to blog 100% vegan! I want to show you how easy it can be; not at all restrictive, expensive or time consuming. Also, I plan to share more savoury recipes because I actually bake less often than I cook! Taking only 15 minutes to rustle up, this ackee, callaloo and pumpkin dish reflects my Jamaican heritage with a little bit of a twist and is probably one of my favourite things to eat. Usually eaten with dumplings, rice or bread, I enjoy this best with seasoned bulgar wheat (a little bit healthier, amazing texture!). This is a great one for breakfast, lunch or dinner, plus ackee is high in fibre so your digestive system will thank you for it.

Serves 2-4 | Prep: 5 mins | Cooking: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 540g tin of Jamaican ackee (in salted water)
  • 280g tin of Jamaican callaloo (in salted water)
  • 150g ripe pumpkin
  • 6 small plum tomatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 small red onion
  • 1 small white onion
  • 1 large spring onion
  • 1 small yellow sweet pepper
  • A few sprigs of thyme
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • Half a veggie stock cube
  • 1 cup water
  • A thumb-sized piece of scotch bonnet pepper (or chilli flakes)
  • 1/4 tsp curry powder (hot or mild)
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper
  • Olive oil

Step one: Heat a large, deep saucepan with two tablespoon of olive oil. Chop the pumpkin into small chunks leaving the skin on. Sautée on a medium heat for five minutes until softed, adding the water little by little.

Step two: While the pumpkin cooks, prep your veggies. Finely chop the onions, tomatoes, peppers and garlic. Set aside.

Step three: Add the seasonings, crumbled stock cube, bay leaves and thyme to the pumpkin and mix well. There should be little water left by now. Add the raw veggies and simmer down for five minutes with a lid on. They will release natural juices and add a tone of flavour!

Step four: Taste test the sauce at this point for thickness, then add the ackee and callaloo. Combine gently as these are both very delicate, before simmering on a low heat for five minutes more. Turn off the heat. To serve, garnish with spring onions.

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Asian noodle soup

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As soon as winter swings around, the British tradition is always to enjoy a few more warming home cooked meals that can be knocked up quickly without spending hours in the kitchen. For me, by the time January comes around I want to consciously eat cleaner, but still keep that element of comfort food for those cold nights! This recipe is one I created based on my appreciation of Asian flavours and the humble coconut and it also happens to be a brilliant way to use up the remainder of fresh veggies in the fridge come Sunday.

So, all you really need is 20 minutes spare in the evening and you’re good to go. The noodles really bulk out this soup, so it can easily serve 3-4 or if you’re cooking for one then divide out for the week. As with most of the recipes on here, adapt the heat/spice to your liking so if you want a milder flavour just use one chilli.

Serves 4 | Prep: 5 mins  Cooking: 15 mins

Ingredients: 

• 1 large carrot
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 2 spring onions
• 1 small white onion
• 2 green chillies
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 oxo vegetable stock cube or 1 tbsp bouillon powder
• 2 handfuls fresh or frozen green beans
• 200ml good quality coconut cream
• 300ml hot water
• 2 dried wheels of dried wholewheat noodles or rice noodles
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Sea salt and black pepper

Step one: Prep the veggies. You’ll need to peel and cut the carrot into four even quarters and then slice finely length ways. Finely slice the onion, bell pepper and spring onions to even sizes. Crush the garlic clove.

Step two: Heat a large, deep saucepan on a medium heat with the olive oil. Add the garlic, chillies and onion and sweat for 2 minutes until softened.

Step three: Add the coconut cream and water, stir and simmer for 2 minutes before adding the spices, seasoning and stock cube.

Step four: Add the remaining veggies except the green beans. These cook the quickest and should be added last to retain the crunch and colour. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Step five: For the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the noodles and green beans and cook until soft. Serve hot and garnish a few spring onions and a drizzle of sesame oil.

Soy and ginger pak choi, broccoli & portobello mushroom

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I’m a huge fan of Asian dishes (Thai and Chinese) especially because of their speed, versatility & vibrant flavours. I’ll whip up a stir fry when I want quick, clean, no fuss and honest food. There’s no endless dirty pots and pans to contend with either. I came up with this delicious recipe that happens to be vegan, too. It’s light & full of green goodness!

Along with the mushroom, broccoli & pak choi base (you can find this in larger supermarkets or a local fruit & veg market), I add courgettes and spinach along with a delicious mix of fiery red chilli, garlic, lime and muscovado sugar to balance out the hot, sour and salty flavours. There’s a few other additions but this really is a simple and satisfying meal alone or as a side dish. Grab your wok and you’re ready to go!

Serves 2-4 | Prep: 5 mins Cooking: 8-10 mins

For the stir fry:

  • 1 bulb pak choi
  • 10 – 12 small broccoli florets
  • 2 large portobello  mushrooms
  • 1 courgette
  • 1 small white onion
  • 1 handful baby spinach
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of scotch bonnet red chilli
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark muscovado sugar
  • 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 lime
  • Ground nut or vegetable oil
  • Sea salt & black pepper

Step one: On a medium heat, warm up a wok with enough oil to cover the base.

Step two: Wash and prep your vegetables. Cut the courgette into half-moon shapes, slice the onion and mushrooms, separate the broccoli florets and pak choi leaves, thinly slice the garlic, ginger and chilli.

Step three: The wok should now be hot. Fry the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli for one minute before adding the remaining veg. Keep the pan moving constantly for 5 mins to spread the heat and cook them evenly.

Step four: Season with salt and pepper, then add the thyme, soy sauce, a squeeze of lime, sugar, sweet chilli sauce and spinach leaves. Add a splash of water if needed to create a little steam. Cook for another two minutes before turning off the heat. Best served hot, with steamed basmati rice, noodles or as an accompanying side dish.

Cream cheese, spinach & tomato elicoidali

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It’s Meat Free Week from the 23 – 29 March, which means all vegetarians and vegans out there like myself are making full use of this time to encourage meat eaters to eat less of it, really enjoy fresh produce, get cooking and trying alternatives to meat and poultry. This year’s campaign is also supported by various charities including Beating Bowl Cancer and World Land Trust. It’s a great way to raise awareness about animals and the environment, as well as highlighting the many health benefits of cutting out/down on meat in general. And let’s face it, our bodies always need a good detox once in a while – myself included.

After giving up red meat a year ago, I slowly made the full transition and I’ve been veggie for around three months now and I have to say, it’s been fantastic. I’ve never had so much energy and I generally feel brighter, lighter and happier. I’m also saving money, now that’s no bad thing! Eating a vegetarian or vegan diet is a lot more fun and rewarding than you may anticipate if you just put some time and effort into it. It’s not for everyone though, and I’m well aware many people simply won’t give up meat and poultry out of choice, but one week for a worthy cause like this is a challenge I think everyone should get involved with!

This vegetarian recipe is so simple, and has only a handful of ingredients that together are classic flavours. I use elicoidali pasta – a ridged tube shape pasta – for this dish which is one of my favourites because it looks a little more special than regular penne or spaghetti. It also has a larger surface area so really holds the sauce and all the flavours quite well.

I hope you enjoy it; it takes almost no time at all to make and will keep in the fridge for a day or two. Use as much garlic as you like – I recommend two cloves here but you can amp up the intensity for a stronger flavour.

Serves 2 | Cooking: 15 mins

For the dish: 

  • 200g dry elicoidali pasta
  • 90g full fat cream cheese
  • 1 small white onion
  • Large handful of fresh baby spinach
  • 7 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Olive oil or extra virgin
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 fresh red chilli
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried mixed herbs

Step one: Boil the pasta for 10 minutes in enough water to cover on a medium heat, with a pinch of salt and tablespoon of oil.

Step two: While the pasta cooks, chop the onion and tomatoes. Fry the onion in a deep nonstick saucepan with some oil for two minutes. Crush and add the garlic cloves, half a chopped chilli, seasoning and mixed herbs.

Step three: Add the cream cheese and stir in well with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes and spinach then turn off the heat. You want the veggies to remain fresh with some bite so the remaining heat will warm them through and wilt the spinach.

Step four: Finally, drain the cooked pasta and add to the saucepan with a small amount of cooking water. Mix well and serve hot.

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Quinoa superfood salad

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So I’ve been taking time out recipe planning, testing and playing with my new toy – my Canon 700D dslr. I have no words to share my excitement, I’m definitely loving it. As a recent vegetarian convert (it was a long time coming because I rarely ate meat and is one of the best decisions I’ve made), there’s definitely more of a need for me to prioritise my diet even more and get as much nutrients and goodness from non meat sources so for me, Quinoa was the obvious choice to start implementing. It’s a complete protein and lends itself to being gluten-free and easy to digest, so it’s a great alternative to standard brown rice or wholewheat pasta. Good carbs, hello!

Quinoa is one of those grains I’ve been meaning to cook with for a long time so coming up with this recipe was quite a fun task. I love vegetables (no, really) so I’ve thrown in a super delicious mix of superfoods to bulk this salad out so its nutrient rich and substantial for a main meal or light lunch. I even have this warm; just be sure to put the avocado and goats cheese on after you’ve heated it up! If you need a pick-me-up come mid week, definitely try this one! Your body will thank you later.

For the salad:

  • 150g dry quinoa – black and red varieties also work well
  • Half a butternut squash, de-seeded
  • 1 small red onion
  • 10-12 small broccoli florets
  • 1 small Romano pepper
  • Handful of mange tout
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 lemon
  • Crumbled goats cheese
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 50g of almonds
  • 1 red birdseye chilli
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • Olive oil and vegetable oil
  • Salt and black pepper

Serves 3-4 | Prep: 5 mins, Cooking: 25 mins

Step one: Simmer 150g of quinoa on a medium heat for 15 mins. Two parts salted water to one part grain.

Step two: Heat up the vegetable oil in a wok or large deep pan then chop the butternut squash into small cubes, skin on. Fry them first for 5 mins til browned and softened.

Step three: Chop the remaining veg into even small pieces; red onion, red pepper, chilli and broccoli florets. Leave the mange tout whole. Crush the garlic cloves too. All veg prepped!

Step four: Add the garlic and chilli to the pan, along with the seasoning and soy sauce. Then add the vegetables and a splash of water and cook rapidly for 5 mins.

Step five: The quinoa will have soaked up all the water and be fluffy but still with defined texture. Pour into the pan and stir til well mixed. Add the whole almonds and drizzle everything with olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Turn off the heat.

Step six: Peel, de-stone and chop the avocado into small chunks and crumble the goats cheese over the salad to serve.