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

Should we consume soya? Is it safe?

I've heard a lot of varying comments about soya so I thought I'd ask a friend of mine to write an article examining whether it's safe to consume or not! Over to Sagar Kirit Shah.

Can anyone avoid soya?

For many vegetarians and vegans, soya products may seem almost impossible to avoid. The most widely available substitutes for dairy products (milk, cheese, ice cream) and meat (tofu, tempeh, burgers, sausages) are made from the soya bean. And other soya products such as soya oil and soya lecithin are common ingredients in many processed foods found in modern supermarkets.

Stifled about soya!

For some, soya is confusing and controversial.

From a health perspective, soya is claimed to be a high protein, miracle health food which can help reduce cholesterol. But others have linked it to cancer and/or reduced fertility.

Vegetarians and vegans often note the environmental advantages of soya as it produces more protein per acre than almost any other food. Yet critics often point out how soya is associated with the GM industry and rainforest destruction.

Over the next three posts, I aim going to unpick these controversies a little to help you make up your mind about whether to eat soya products, and if so, which products to eat.

Part 2 - Does soya consumption have a negative impact on health?

Part 3 - Is soya good for the environment?

Part 4 (final part) - Conclusion: The effects of soya on health and the environment

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"The Gods created certain kinds of beings to replenish our bodies; they are the trees and the plants and the seeds."
- Plato

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