Recipe: Peanut sauce within 10 minutes

Peanut sauce can be used in many dishes.

It can go well with noodles, vegetable kebabs and more.

Ingredients for vegan peanut sauce

• 1/2 cup of natural peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown rice juice/lemon juice/lime juice

How to make vegan peanut sauce

1. In a small bowl or blender, mix all ingredients
2. Add salt to taste
3. Slowly add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of warm water or more until you attain a consistency that suits you

Recipe: Cauliflower Shaak (curry) within 25 minutes

Cauliflower Shaak is a nutritious dish which can be enjoyed with wraps, rice, Rotli or even on its own. This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients for the cauliflower Shaak

• 1 small cauliflower
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 fresh chilli
• Oil
• 1/2 a teaspoon of Rye
• 1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds
• 2 Sweet Neem Leaves
• A pinch of Asafetida
• A pinch of Turmeric powder
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon of dried coriander powder

How to make the cauliflower Shaak

1. Chop the cauliflower up into small pieces - it's tastier if the pieces are small
2. Chop the tomatoes and blend
3. Add the chilli and blend it all for another 5 seconds
4. Heat some oil - I use sunflower oil or coconut oil
5. When it's heated, add the Rye and Cumin seeds
6. Add the Sweet Neem Leaves and Asafetida
7. After the seeds have popped add the blended tomatoes and chilli
8. Let it cook
9. Add the cauliflower
10. Add the Turmeric, salt to taste and the dried coriander powder
11. Stir and let it cook until you feel it's ready to be served - some people like it very soft and others like to eat it when it's semi cooked
12. Garnish with fresh coriander

Recipe: Spaghetti in olive oil and a tad more within 25 minutes

Suraj made this meal, which didn't take very long and it consisted of only a few ingredients. Although it was simple, it was delicious and satisfying! :)

This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients for the spaghetti

•    2 handfuls of vegan spaghetti – about 120g
•    1 tablespoon of olive oil
•    1 teaspoon of chilli sauce
•    pepper to taste
•    10 cherry tomatoes – left whole
•    2 handfuls of wild rocket
•    2 pieces (or more) of Taifun Basil Tofu
•    1 tablespoon of salt

How to make the spaghetti

1.    Boil some water in a kettle and put it in a pan
2.    Hold the spaghetti upright in the pan of water for 20 seconds, when it will begin to soften, allowing you to bend the spaghetti around the pan
3.    Add the salt and stir, leaving it to cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes
4.    When it's ready, drain the water and drizzle the olive oil over the spaghetti
5.    Add the chilli sauce, stir and season with salt and pepper if needed
6.    Put the spaghetti in a pan, add the cherry tomatoes and let it cook for a few minutes
7.    Mix and serve in a plate or a bowl, with a large piece of Basil Tofu on top of the spaghetti

Serving suggestion

Garnish with Wild Rocket Add a piece of Basil Tofu Serve and enjoy!

Spaghetti served with rocket and basil tofu

Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup

I made this soup for the first time a couple of days ago.
It didn't take too long to make and was full of flavour, so I will definitely make it again!
I must admit that I cheated by using pre-cut Butternut Squash!

This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients for vegan butternut squash soup

•    a (350g) packet of butternut squash – roughly chopped
•    2 tablespoons of olive oil or sunflower oil
•    1/2 a teaspoon of salt
•    1/4 of a teaspoon of pepper
•    a pinch of cinnamon powder
•    a pinch of nutmeg powder
•    1/2 a cup of coconut milk
•    2 mugs of water – 700 ml

How to make vegan butternut squash soup

1.    Put the pieces of butternut squash on an oven tray and drizzle the oil over them
2.    Roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes
3.    Put the water, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg in a pan and boil it
4.    When you are happy that the butternut squash is roasted enough, add it to the pan mentioned in step 3
5.    Boil it until it’s tender and then blend it using a hand blender
6.    Heat it for 3 minutes before adding water if it's too thick or boil further if it's too watery
7.    Taste it and add more salt, pepper, cinnamon or nutmeg if required
8.    Serve in a bowl, drizzle with coconut milk and enjoy

Serving suggestions

Put some in a bowl and drizzle with coconut milk before serving. 
Serve with wholegrain bread.

Recipe: Savoury toppings on toast within 10 minutes

This was a creation fuelled by desire! I fancied something different and I knew I wanted to use certain things, so I put it together and made this light snack.

This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients

• 4 slices of brown bread
• Cheezly Pepperjack Style cheese
• 1 fresh chilli
• 2 fresh tomatoes
• Vegan sausage
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

1. Turn the grill on
2. Toast some brown bread
3. After it's lightly toasted add thinly sliced cheese - I used Cheezly Pepperjack Style vegan cheese
4. Let it melt a little and then add chopped chillies, tomatoes and sliced vegan sausage
5. Put it back under the grill until it's ready
6. Add salt and pepper to taste

Savoury toppings on toast

Cheezly Pepperjack Style - my favourite vegan cheese!

Recipe: Toast with a twist made within 10 minutes

Toast which is savoury yet refreshing

Suraj made this for us a couple of days ago. It was quick, tasty and positively different.

This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients

• 4 slices of brown bread
• Hummus
• English mustard
• 1/2 cucumber

Method

1. Lightly toast some brown bread
2. Spread Hummus on it
3. Spread some Mustard on top of the Hummous - we use English Mustard as it's vegan
4. Add sliced cucumber
5. Add crushed salt and pepper to taste
6. Serve on a small plate and enjoy it with a cuppa

Recipe: A selection of yummy sandwiches within 10 minutes

It's quite hot in the UK at the moment. It isn't a complaint as I do like a warm/hot climate BUT I tend to want to eat raw foods and lighter dishes when it's not cold. So I've been having lots of salads and sandwiches too.

Here's some recipes for yummy sandwiches I've had:-

1. Spread Hummus on both slices of the bread - I use brown bread
2. Spread some English Mustard on top of the Hummus on one of the slices - I use this mustard because I like the taste and it's vegan
3. Add sliced lettuce, cucumber & quartered cherry tomatoes
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Slice and enjoy

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1. Spread Vegan Mayonnaise on both slices of the bread- I use brown bread
2. Spread some English Mustard on top of the Mayo on one of the slices - I use this mustard because I like the taste and it's vegan
3. Add sliced lettuce, cucumber & quartered cherry tomatoes
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Slice and enjoy

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1. Spread Hummus on both slices of the bread- I use brown bread
2. Spread some English Mustard on top of the Hummus on one of the slices - I use this mustard because I like the taste and it's vegan
3. Add chopped avocado, sliced lettuce & quartered cherry tomatoes
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Slice and enjoy

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1. Spread Vegan Mayonnaise on both slices of the bread - I use brown bread
2. Spread some English Mustard on top of the Mayo on one of the slices - I use this mustard because I like the taste and it's vegan
3. Add a little lettuce & chopped vegan sausage
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Slice and enjoy

Vegan mayonnaise

Vegan sausage

Vegan Wiener

Recipe: Sweetcorn Shaak (curry) and rice within 30 minutes

This is one of my favourite dishes.
It doesn't take long to make and it's full of flavour and texture.

This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients for sweetcorn Shaak

•    1/2 a tablespoon of coconut oil
•    2 tomatoes – diced
•    1 fresh chilli – finely chopped
•    1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
•    1/2 a teaspoon of mustard seeds
•    2 sweet neem leaves
•    a pinch of asafetida
•    sweetcorn - frozen or a 340g tin
•    1 teaspoon of dried coriander powder
•    less than 1/4 of a teaspoon of turmeric
•    salt to taste
•    a tablespoon of lemon juice
•    1 handful of freshly chopped coriander
•    a handful of raw red skin peanut kernels  – about 30g

Ingredients for the rice 

•    a small teacup of brown rice
•    2 & 3/4 teacups of fresh water

How to make the Shaak

1.    Heat the oil in a pan, and add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, sweet neem leaves and asafetida when it’s hot
2.    Put the lid on and wait until the seeds begin to pop
3.    When the silence in between pops is longer, add raw peanuts, chilli and tomatoes and put the lid back on the pan – don’t be alarmed if it sizzles
4.    After a 2 minutes add the sweetcorn, salt, dried coriander powder and turmeric
5.    Taste it after it’s cooked for another 5 minutes and add the lemon juice if desired
6.    Finally, garnish with freshly chopped coriander 

How to make the rice

1.    Wash the rice, drain the water and put the rice in a pan
2.    Add 2 & 3/4 teacups of fresh water and leave it to cook on a high heat, keeping the lid off the pan
3.    When it begins to froth, place the lid on the pan, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and leave it for 20 minutes
4.    Keeping the lid on the pan, tilt the pan with the rice in it, to see if there's any water left in it - if there's a little left, cook it for another 5 minutes, otherwise turn it off

To serve, spread the rice across the plate to create a circle with a hole in the middle, where you can put the sweetcorn and enjoy

Serving suggestion

Put the rice in a bowl/cup and then tip it upside down on the plate, to create a mound of rice.
Place the mound on one side of the plate or in the centre and place the sweetcorn around it.
A variation
To mix it up a bit, add 1 teaspoon of desiccated coconut to the sweetcorn, 5 minutes before serving it. 

Going for a picnic

I wanted you to know how easy it is to have a vegan picnic. :)

Here's what we took: -

• Ryvita Sesame Crisp Bread

• Hummus

• Peanuts

• Chocolate

• Tikha Gathiya

• Nacho crisps

• Fruit

• Provamel Organic Forest Fruits Yofu

• A bottle of juice

It was effortless and delicious!

Goodies for a spontaneous picnic

Let me know what you take when you have a vegan picnic. :)

Recipe: Stir fried vegetables and rice within 25 minutes

This is a great recipe as it can be adapted and varied in many ways. You can use different vegetables. You can also use different rice e.g. white, brown and wild rice.

This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients for the stir fry and rice

•    3/4 of a cup of rice  – white, brown or wild rice
•    2 & 3/4 teacups of water
•    1 carrot – chopped into thin 3 cm strips
•    1 pak choi – separate the leaves
•    150g of tofu – chopped in to bite-size chunks
•    1/2 a red or green pepper – diced
•    1/2 a bunch of broccoli – chopped into bite-size pieces
•    1/2 a teaspoon of coconut oil or sesame oil
•    2 tablespoons of soy sauce

How to make the rice

1.    Wash the rice and drain the water
2.    Put the rice and 2 & 3/4 teacups of water in a pan on a high heat, with the lid off
3.    When it begins to froth, put the lid on the pan, reduce the heat to as low as it can go, and leave it to cook for 20 minutes
4.    Keeping the lid on the pan, tilt the pan with the rice in it, to see if there's any water left in it - if there's a little left, cook it for another 5 minutes, otherwise turn it off

How to make the stir fried vegetable

1.    Heat the oil in a pan and when the oil's hot, add the tofu, stir gently and wait 3 minutes before adding the carrots and soy sauce
2.    Stir gently and put the lid on the pan
3.    After 2 minutes add the remaining vegetables and stir
4.    Let it cook until it's the texture that you like it to be
5.    When the vegetables are ready, put the cooked rice in a bowl/cup and tip it upside down on the plate, to create a mound of rice.
6.    Place the mound on one side of the plate, or in the centre, and place the vegetables around the rice.

Serving suggestion

Spread the rice across the plate to create a circle with a hole in the middle, where you can put the vegetables. 

Below, you can see how I've used the same recipe but changed the ingredients a little

Recipe: A nutty, fruity and cooling snack within 5 minutes

This recipe makes a quick, delicious, healthy, cooling snack.

Ingredients for a vegan, nutty, fruity, cooling snack

•    5 tablespoons of vegan yoghurt also known as yofu
•    1 chopped mango
•    10 blueberries – you can use a different fruit
•    10 almonds – you can use different nuts

How to make a vegan, nutty, fruity, cooling snack

1.    Put the vegan yoghurt in a bowl
2.    Add the fruit
3.    Add the nuts
4.    Serve in a bowl and enjoy