Meat Free Sausage Casserole via Linda McCartney Foods

It has been snowing here in Edinburgh, so tonight I’m making a veganised version of this hearty feast:

http://www.lindamccartneyfoods.co.uk/tastiestmeatfree/recipe.php?id=69

Sage and Onion Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 4. Large Flat Mushrooms (stems trimmed)
• 85g (1 standard size small pack) Sage and Onion Stuffing
• 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp. Vegan Margarine
• 1 Medium White Onion diced
• 1 Garlic Clove crushed
• 2 T. Fresh Parsley chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Brush oil around a medium sized baking dish.
3. Heat the margarine in a pan over medium high heat.
4. Add garlic and onions and sauté for 6/7 minutes. Stir in stuffing and parsley.
5. Evenly distribute mixture to mushroom caps.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes on the middle shelf of your pre heated oven. Stuffing should appear lightly browned and crisp.

I served this with a light babyleaf salad.

A Vegan Burns Supper (Includes Cock-a-Leekie Soup, Vegan Haggis & Clootie Dumpling)

As I’m Scottish and Burns Night is just a couple of days away (25th Jan) I thought I’d share recipes I’ve penned for our home-made Burns Supper.

Traditionally a Burns Supper is a bit of an offal fest and a fair number of meat eaters prefer a veggie or vegan option to the traditional Scottish Fayre. I created these recipes with that in mind. The meal consists of:

• Starter: Cock-a-leekie Soup
• Main: Haggis Neeps & Tatties
• Dessert: Clootie Dumpling

Mexican-style Chili Feast

As it has been far too many weeks since I blogged one of my own recipes I must write up the Mexican inspired feast we enjoyed for dinner this evening, which consisted of:

• Three Bean Chili
• Tomato Salsa
• Home-made Tortilla Chips
• Veganised Sour Cream

Vegan Festive / Turkey Roast

This, or rather last, year for Xmas dinner I was a big fat cheat and for our main course made the ‘thanksgiving roast’ featured on the Ellen show.

A video of the recipe is here:

and full recipe / instructions here: http://ellen.warnerbros.com/recipes/main_dish/turkey_roast_1119.php

I reduced the quantities (by around 1/3 per ingredient) to make this suitable for 2, used pre-prepared Veg stock (as opposed to the “no chicken” stock recommended) and seasoned with mixed herbs, onion powder, garlic powder & mustard powder to replace the Blackened Steak Magic spice – which, as far as I know, is not available in the UK. I found it a bit of a pain to find Cheesecloth in Edinburgh, but got lucky at a local Italian deli; though a haberdashery may be a better bet.

Tomato & Coconut Curry

- taken on iPhone

It has been far too long since my last blog entry. I have been cooking – honest – just terribly lax in writing up the proceedings, though as so many people are reading these pages(and thanks to every one of you, it’s most humbling)  I had to share tonight’s triumph of Sri Lankan-style Coconut curry. This was really simple to prepare & was a taste bud tickler.

The scrappy image above, snapped on my mobile phone, certainly doesn’t do it justice.

Here goes:

Serves 2 -4

- To make the Spice Mix

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons of dried bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon of chilli flakes
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne
• 1 teaspoon of dried coriander
• ½ teaspoon of ground fenugreek
• 1 teaspoon of powdered cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 & ½ teaspoons of cumin

1. Combine all ingredients (if possible pulse in a food processor until evenly mixed & ground)
2. Set aside until ready to use, as per the method below.

- For the Curry

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of vegetable or sunflower oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 3 cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated (or processed in a blender)
• 400 grams (or 1 tin) of thick coconut milk (low fat if possible)
• 400 grams tin of chopped tomatoes, chopped into a puree (can also use passata)
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 head of broccoli, divided into small to medium florets
• 1 teaspoon of arrow root (optional)
• 3 large bell peppers (colour is up to you), sliced
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• Juice of half a lemon, or one full small lemon

Method

1. Heat Oil in a large pan, when heated add the onion and saute until translucent (around 5 minutes). Add garlic and ginger, combine well and saute for a further two minutes.
2. Add the pre-prepared spice mix and cook for another minute. Ensure to mix the spices continuously to ensure they don’t stick to the pan.
3. Add the pureed tomatoes and mix until spices are evenly distributed, then add the coconut milk. Mix throughly.
4. Stir in potatoes and allow to cook for 3-5 mins before adding Broccoli.
5. Add Veg stock & simmer on a medium to low heat for around 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so.
6. Add Chopped Peppers and cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring occasionally – also add arrowroot at this stage, if using.
7. Once the potatoes & broccoli are cooked through, remove from the heat & stir in the lemon juice.
8. Serve hot.

I served this curry with whole grain rice but Basmati would be a more appropriate accompaniment.

“Macaroni Cheese”

Can’t believe I’ve not yet posted during the Vegan Month of Food, bad, bad me!

To make amends here is a fine Vegan Macaroni “Cheese” recipe which we had for dinner tonight. This one involves cashew nuts so is a bit on the fancy side and possibly costs more per portion than anything I’ve posted thus far but fear not the additional expense is worth it.

Ingredients

• 120g uncooked macaroni
• 1 cup unsalted cashew nuts
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup water
• salt to taste
• 1/3 cup ground nut oil
• 1 small red pepper, chopped & roasted
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees ºF (175 degrees ºC).
2. Cook Macaroni in lightly salted boiling water, then transfer to a baking dish.
3. In a blender mix cashews, lemon juice, water, and salt, then blend in ground nut oil, roasted red pepper, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, chopped onion & tumeric blend until smooth then mix with the macaroni. Sprinkle bread crumbs to cover macaroni, sprinkle paprika if using.
4. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until bread crumbs are lightly browned. Let the dish cool before serving.

If you have a go at this leave a comment to let me know how you get on.

I have an even easier recipe for mac & cheese which is nut free & a little less fancy, though still perfect comfort food.

Ingredients:

• 125g elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons vegan margarine
• 3 tablespoons corn flour
• 1 cup unsweetened soymilk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• sprinkle of paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees ºF (175 degrees ºC).
2. Cook Macaroni in lightly salted boiling water, then transfer to a baking dish and set aside.
3. Melt margarine in large saucepan over medium heat, then stir the lemon juice and soymilk and corn flour, mix constantly until the sauce thickens, ensuring corn flour isn’t lumpy and sauce is smooth.
4. Add veg stock, nutritional yeast, dry mustard, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, and soy sauce, keep mixing to Blend until smooth.  Add the sea salt.
5. Combine the macaroni with the sauce in a medium oven dish. Mix well and cover the top with bread crumbs and paprika.
6. Bake in the oven for 20 – 25 mins, until breadcrumbs have browned.
7. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Sweet Corn & Potato Chowder

I love sweet corn, roasted, fried, raw, in soup, to my pallet it borders on the divine. Needless to say chowder is a personal favourite, particularly in late summer / early autumn as corn is in season. This recipe works best with fresh, in season, sweet corn kernels, though these can be substituted for frozen or tinned, if easier to obtain.

Ingredients

Makes: 4 small or 2 large servings

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 small green peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Ground black pepper
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 250ml vegetable stock
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 5 ears of corn)
• 300g new potatoes, peeled or unpeeled and cut into chunks
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 75ml plain soy milk
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

Method

1. In a medium soup or stock pot heat the olive oil add the onion, bell pepper, carrot and chillies in and cook over a medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion becomes translucent (5 – 6 minutes). Add rosemary, thyme, black pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook for a further 2 minutes.
2. Add sweet corn, potatoes and cayenne and mix though, then add the vegetable stock. Cover and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender to the tip of a knife.
3. Remove half of the mixture and set aside for 5 minutes to allow it to cool, when cooled puree in a blender until smooth, then add back to the pot.
4. Add the soy milk and brown sugar, and remaining salt (to taste) & simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.
5. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Peanut Kofta Balls

Kofta is generally spiced meatballs, this version is a sweetened vegan version and was adapted from a recipe in the Vegan Taste of East Africa cookbook, though I changed it significantly based ingredients I had to hand.

Ingredients

• 2 Large ripe Bananas – peeled & mashed
• 50g ground (unsalted) peanuts
• 50g Veggie Mince (or  minced TVP)
• 70g chick pea or rice flour
• 1 medium white onion pealed & grated
• 2 cloves of Garlic
• 1 teaspoon of Curry Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon of freshly ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 250ml of Vegetable Stock
• 3 tablespoons Groundnut Oil

Method

1. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a medium sized pan add mince (or hydrated TVP) and onion and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.
2. Add Curry Powder, Cumin & Ginger and mix into the mince, then add Vegetable Stock and bring to the boil.
3. Cover mixture and allow to simmer until all of the stock is absorbed.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and add onion, garlic & chopped nuts, then mix throughly.
5. Add mashed banana and flour to the mince mixture and mix until mince toughens, then season with the black pepper.
6. In a frying pan place remaining oil and heat for 1-2 mins, then take spoonfuls of the mince mixture and roll into balls, fry in the oil, turning the koftas regularly to brown evenly.
7. When browed, place onto kitchen paper to drain excess oil and serve warm – or  smother with a curry sauce.

Shepherd’s Pie

I’ve been asked by the lovely people at Onekind.org to submit some of my recipes to their ‘lifestyle’ section, have a look at my first submission, a tried & tested recipe for Shepherd’s Pie (link below).

It’s a good ‘un, though I seem to have mistyped the milk requirement, use 150ml of Soy Milk, rather than 250ml.

http://www.onekind.org/live_onekind/review_article/shepherds_pie

More to come here & there, I’ll try not to double up.