You can practice Ashtanga Yoga with Tamara and Emma on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
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Is shrove Tuesday one of the best days of the year (Yes, yes it is). We’ve been discussing in the office whether pancakes should be savoury or sweet. So, lay down your cards - what team are you on?
But what have pancakes got to do with Yoga? If you look deeper into the philosophical side of a Yoga practice you’ll discover the Yamas (moral discipline) and Niyamas (guidelines) - principles and guidelines which will aid you on your spiritual path.
Iyengar describes the Yamas and Niyamas as “golden keys to unlock the spiritual gates” as each action taken in accordance with these guidelines has the power to give your life a deeper meaning, and even if you’re not inherently spiritual taking these actions can make the world a better place.
The first Yama is Ahimsa, which can be translated as non-harming / non-violence. An easy way to incorporate this Yama into your wider life is by adopting a vegan diet (or by consciously eating less meat and animal products, if veganism is not for you).
So… back to pancakes! Good news, we’ve done the searching for you and found 2 completely different vegan recipes, one for savory lovers and one for those with a sweet tooth.
Best Vegan Savoury Pancakes
with Creamy Mushrooms
12 Servings
Ingredients
For the pancakes:
2 cup plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp baking powder
1.5 cup oat milk unsweetened
For the creamy mushrooms:
450 g chestnut mushrooms – sliced
2 cloves garlic – crushed
2 tbsp fresh chives – roughly chopped
2 tbsp vegan crème fraîche or cream
2 tbsp vegan butter
Salt and pepper – to taste
Method:
Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl and then add the baking powder and salt.
Pour the milk and apple cider mixture into the large bowl and whisk by hand, or on a low setting with an electric mixer. The batter should be thick but not gloopy. Like a thick smoothie.
Heat a non-stick frying pan on a medium-high hob – if you're not using a non-stick pan, use a tiny bit of oil spray or vegan butter to stop the pancakes sticking.
Using a quarter cup measurer, pour in a quarter cup of the pancake mixture into the frying pan, and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
Small holes or bubbles should start to form on top of the pancake – this is usually a sign that it's ready to flip. Lift up a bit of the pancake using a spatula to see if it's ready - it should be a golden-brown colour.
Using a spatula, carefully flip the pancake and allow it to cook for a couple of minutes on the other side. Be careful it doesn't burn by keeping a close eye on it – the second side will brown a bit quicker! Repeat until all the mixture is used up. It should make 12 pancakes.
Time to make the creamy mushrooms. Add the vegan butter to a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. It should start to melt gradually.
Pop the garlic in and give it a stir.
After a minute add the mushrooms and give it a good stir
Let it cook for around five minutes and then add in the chives, vegan crème fraîche, salt, and pepper.
Cook for another few minutes and stir well. Make sure the crème fraîche is well mixed in. Serve the mushrooms on top of the pancakes with more chives and crème fraîche.
Best Vegan Fluffy & Sweet Pancakes
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 cup flour (125 g)
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup non-dairy milk (240 ml)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence/extract
Maple syrup and icing sugar, to serve
Method
In a medium bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and stir to combine.
In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, add almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla, and stir to combine
Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until smooth.
Let batter rest for 5 minutes.
Pour about ½ cup (65 grams) of batter onto a nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat.
When the top begins to bubble, flip the pancake and cook until golden.
Serve warm with maple syrup and a dusting of icing sugar.
Let us know how you get on… bonus points if you show your allegience to team savoury or team sweet.
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Smoothies are great to drink after a yoga session. Not only do they taste absolutely delicious, they also help to provide your body with a potent dose of essential vitamins and minerals.
To make a smoothie all you need is some fruits, vegetables, a liquid and a blender. You can also add in some nuts & seeds for good measure.
This smoothie has the following ingredients in it:
1 cup of frozen mixed berries – namely blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. Berries are excellent sources of powerful antioxidants which means eating them helps to reduce damage caused by free radicals in your body. This in turn helps fight off diseases such as cancer. Using frozen berries will give the smoothie a thick milkshake like consistency.
1 cup of spinach – spinach has long been known to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet and for good reason. Even though it is made up of more than 90% water, it is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin K, folate and manganese. In place of spinach you can also use kale or Swiss chard.
1 cup of coconut water – coconut water is naturally sweet, which when combined with the sugars found in the berries helps to make this smoothie more palatable. Coconut water also contains potassium and magnesium, both of which are important for heart health.
1 tablespoon of almond butter – nuts and nut butters are some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. They contain minerals such as phosphorus, zinc and copper, all of which are needed by your body in small amounts.
1 Medjool date (pitted) – dates are one of the most delicious fruits on the planet and are a great alternative to chocolate & candy. Adding a date to the smoothie will really help to enhance its flavour.
1 tablespoon of chia seeds – these seeds though tiny are a good source of calcium and dietary fiber. When they are added to water, they swell up, thereby helping to thicken up the smoothie. You can also use flax or sunflower seeds instead.
To make the smoothie, add the coconut water to a blender followed by all of the other ingredients and process for 30 seconds until everything is well mixed. For added thickness, throw in a few ice cubes and process further.
If you enjoyed this recipe, try out some of these smoothie recipes as well.
Guest Blogger Veronica writes for Healthsomeness.com, a website dedicated to providing information on fitness, healthy eating and general wellbeing.
This is the perfect accompaniment to a creamy curry or tagine, or as a barbecue side salad. Packed with dried fruit, toasted nuts, green herbs, citrus and pomegranate seeds, this has all of the flavours of Western Asia and the beautiful colours make an elegant and stunning dish on the table. Although quite a hefty list of ingredients, there aren't many steps as it is pretty much just a case of combining everything together.
Recipe
250g couscous
1 red onion (100g), thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves (12g), crushed
1.5 tsp citrus zest (lemon or lime or a combination of both)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2.5 tbsp orange juice
1.25 tsp toasted cumin seeds
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp cinnamon
100g dried fruit (raisins, chopped apricots, chopped figs or a mix of 3)
30g roughly chopped fresh herbs (coriander, parsley, mint or a mix of 3)
80g pomegranate seeds
150g toasted nuts (flaked almonds and pistachios or a mix of both)
Directions
Mix all of the ingredients from the red onion through to the pomegranate seeds together and let sit in a bowl for as long as possible, preferably overnight. This will allow the red onion to soften and the dried fruit to plump up in the citrus juices.
Cook the couscous according to packet instructions, usually by soaking in hot water for about 10 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.
Mix the couscous and the nuts into the rest of the ingredients. I find that mixing by hand is easiest. Serve at room temperature.
Recipe by CAMYOGA Chef Alice Kabala
I always think that dips are a perfect choice for parties: they're relaxed and informal to eat; they're easy to scale up and make in large quantities; and they're served cold so you can just put them on the snack table and forget about them. Probably most importantly, they are very quick to make, which is a huge bonus for those of use who don't take huge pleasure in rolling tens and tens of individual filo pastry parcels!
Homous is a steadfast favourite of vegans and non-vegans alike so you will rarely get anyone complaining about the basic recipe, but this variation on the classic makes it a touch more special (not to mention beautiful to look at!) I always think that you can make quite a striking looking platter with dips as well, combined with a variety of colourful vegetable sticks, crackers, breads or crisps, depending on what you like to dunk in to them! I would thoroughly recommend using a blender for this too; even a high-end food processor won't be able to get the smooth, creamy consistency that you want for this dip. The one downside for this recipe is that it doesn't keep brilliantly, so you will want to make it the day before, or the day of, the event that you're serving it.
Recipe
1 can (240g) cooked chickpeas
250g raw beetroot
75g tahini
50g extra virgin olive oil
50g water (from the chickpea can or fresh water)
Zest (1.25 tbsp) and juice (50ml) of 1 large lemon
2 large (13g) garlic cloves
1.5 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
Scrub the beetroot (no need to peel) and chop in to slightly more manageable chunks for the blender.
Place in to the blender, along with all the other ingredients, and process until completely smooth. That's it!
Garnish with parsley, sesame seeds or anything else you feel like!
I have been seeking a good vegan victoria sponge recipe for a while, as it seems a little tricker to pull off than a vegan chocolate cake (which was perfected long ago!)
Not sure It rightfully sits in healthy eating as it does contain sugar, but it is a great celebration or party cake and will fool non vegans everywhere!
This recipe has been adapted from one we found on Jamieoliver.com and made with me by my daughter Ilia who loves to bake!
Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 190c
Grease and line with baking paper two springform tins, approx 20cm
Ingredients:
Cake mix:
300g Vegan margarine (I use Pure sunflower)
300g Golden granulated or caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence (I use Neilsen-Massey, it's the best)
200g soya yoghurt
1 lemon zest
300 g Self raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
Filling:
Jam (strawberry or raspberry)
Buttercream (beat 1/2 cup vegan margarine with 1- 1 1/2 cups icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla essence until it is very thick)
Directions:
Cream margarine and sugar together for about 5 mins until very creamy and light.
Add lemon zest, yoghurt and soya yoghurt. Sift together flour and baking powder and add gradually to the mix, beating the mix with a wooden spoon. Don't panic if your mix has curdled! If it does curdle, just grab a whisk and gradually add the flour 1/2 a cup at a time, whisking until the mix returns to normal. The mix should not to too firm, add a little soya milk until it is a thick pouring consistency. Once the mix looks the right consistency, do not over mix and pour right away into your two tins.
Bake for 25-30 mins (the original recipe said 15-20 mins but i never found this enough). The top of the cake should be firm to the touch, if it is not then bake a little more.
Cool in the tines for 10 mins then carefully turn our onto a wire rack. Leave the baking paper on the base until it is completely cool. If your cake had risen quite a bit in the oven, don't be surprised if it sinks a bit once it is out! Should end up flat or slightly risen.
This cake is quite firm and easy to handle. Once it is cool carefully peel off the base baking paper. Put one side top side down on your serving plate. Add a layer of jam, then a layer of buttercream. Remove the baking paper from the second side, and carefully place on top.
Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar (place a teaspoon of icing sugar in a small sieve or tea strainer and gently shake all over the top)
That's it! This cake slices really well and is delicious! My children insist on the buttercream, but it is also great with just the jam filling (and not so sweet)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup soy milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon English mustard
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoons agave/maple
- 1 cup sunflower/rapeseed/olive oil
Directions:
Blend soy milk, salt, mustard, vinegar and sweetener (i use a hand blender)
Once mixed gradually pour in the oil, preferably slowly whilst still blending.
May should be thick and creamy, if it feels too runny, add a little more oil.
I generally use sunflower oil, but it works fine with any other oil. Olive oil gives a stronger taste.
These brownies are somewhat controversial; I've had mixed responses to them and they certainly divide the crowd, mainly due to the addition of hot chilli flakes. I think that the 3 main flavours compliment one another well, yet you can also taste (and see!) the beetroot, cacao and chilli individually. Raw cacao powder is made from cold-pressed cacoa beans, as opposed to cocoa powder which is made from roasting and grinding the beans. This ensures that the chocolate-y taste we know and love is there, but that the beneficial nutrients are not lost in the cooking process. With the combination of beetroot, nuts, dates and cacao powder, these brownies are very good for you but will satisfy your sweet craving or mid-afternoon slump. If you are not a spice lover, reduce the chilli content to your taste.
Makes 12 brownies
Ingredients:
For the brownies:
Pinch of salt
For the topping:
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tsp chilli flakes
350g beetroot
200g cashew nuts
250g dates
150 ground almonds
50g raw cacao powder
1 tsp chilli flakes
Instructions:
Prepare the beetroot by cutting off the leaves and stalks, and the knobbly bits at the top and bottom of the bulb. (Don't throw the stalks away; reserve and use them for a soup or stir-fry). Chop the bulbs in half and place in the food processor (no need to remove the skin; just scrub off the mud!).
Add the cashews, dates, almonds, cacao powder, chilli flakes and salt to the beetroot and whizz everything together. The mixture will need quite a bit of processing; continue until everything is combined.
Push the mixture in to a 20cm by 20cm baking tray lined with non-stick paper.
For the topping, melt the coconut oil and maple syrup in a bowl (I put the bowl in the microwave on full power for 10 seconds). Stir in the cacao powder and mix together. Spread this mixture over the brownies.
Sprinkle the chilli flakes on top and leave to set for a few hours in a fridge or freezer. When hard, cut in to 12 pieces. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for much longer.
P.s. Don't forget to checkout more of Alice's yummy recipes on her blog (thoughtfulforkfuls.com)
If you're looking for some veggie inspiration, look no further. Alice Kabala, the Chef at Great Shelford and food blogger, creates delicious, seasonal and healthy recipes. Feeling fancy and want to get in the kitchen? Check out her blog at Thoughtful Forkfuls. Haven't got the time but have a growling stomach? Come to the Great Shelford studio to try a super yummy meal. Carry on reading for a quick insight into Alice...
What inspired you to become vegan?
A: I’ve been a vegetarian since I was about 6 or 7, and then when I moved out from home I started thinking more about the sort of impact that our diets have on animals, the planet, and different people. Vegetarianism started to make less sense to me because animals are still intensively farmed for the dairy and egg industry, and if I wanted to be an ambassador for animals and think of animal welfare, then I thought that I should go completely vegan. I also studied environmental science at university so that allowed me to become more aware about food sustainability and food security, and again choosing a lower impact dietary choice on the planet just seemed to make sense to me. It’s the amount of meat that we are eating all over the world that isn’t sustainable, and anyway which we can all help individually is very important.
What does a typical day, food wise, look like for you?
A: I snack quite a lot and frequently so I eat smaller amounts. Also, because I’m in the kitchen, I’m often tasting throughout the morning so when I get to lunch I’m not starving hungry. I usually start the day in Winter with porridge, but I’m feeling less like that now. I’ve actually started to become a green smoothie person which I never thought would happen but I like to throw in nuts, oats, different fruits, chia seeds, mint – different things just to make it more exciting. I will tend to choose healthy snacks, like carrots and hummus, dried fruit, those kinds of things. For lunch I will eat soup or a salad, whatever I’m making that day, and then for dinner again just something that’s different to the other meals I’ve had because I try quite hard to have a varied diet, so things like curry, stir-fry, fajita wraps, all different kinds of things.
Do you have any foodie inspirations?
A: I like Yotam Ottolenghi - he has some really interesting recipes for vegetarians and vegans. I generally admire and respect all of the big foodies out there who are advocating a more plant based diet. I think they’re very important in terms of glamourising veganism. Someone like Jamie Oliver who’s done loads of work with school meals and factory farming helps to raise awareness of these issues - whilst also being a very likeable character it really helps in terms of getting that message out there. In terms of specifically vegan chefs, I tend to use a lot of food blogs – sometimes the best recipes are from people who aren’t well known, but who have just set up a free blog.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
A: I like things in tortilla wraps, like falafel and hummus wraps or just beans and guacamole, because it reminds me of street food and being at festivals and I really love that way of eating. It’s messy and fun and good for a group of people for a more casual setting.
How did you come to work at Camyoga?
A: I was still finishing my degree and I was looking into what career I might go into and I originally wanted to stay within the field of food sustainability, but my main passion was cooking and I thought it would be great if I could do this for a living, whilst promoting a more sustainable way of eating if you’re cooking and people are enjoying it. So I just looked for job adverts online and found this one. I didn’t think there was a chance of getting it because I hadn’t had any professional kitchen experience but I applied, bought some falafels to the interview which went down well and I got the job.
Have you got anything you’d like to add to the menu in the future?
A: Not specifically, but I do like to challenge myself and try new things. I don’t tend to plan as such, I like to cook with the seasons, for example getting a vegetable box with the best veggies from that week locally, and being forced to create something with just those ingredients. We have these herbs that one of our clients brings in and they change weekly so we don’t know what we’re going to get. It’s nice to think, oh wow, we’ve got this so I’ll make that, and that sort of thing.
What makes you happy?
A: Listening to music, eating food, and being with the people I love of course.
We all know that vegetables are great. And we all know we need to eat more of them, but there are only so many salads you can munch on in a day and so many carrot sticks you’re willing to chomp on – so how can you get more vegetable goodness into your daily diet enjoyably and easily? Even if you are a plant based powerhouse yourself, maybe you know someone who needs a little convincing before they join the veggie tribe, or maybe you have a child who will not eat anything green. Here are 5 ways to sneak more veggies into your diet without you even noticing!
Don't fancy cooking yourself? Our Chef Alice makes fresh dishes every day, so you can simply pop in for something yummy and even take it with you if you're in a hurry!
It's been a while but I've finally got the spiralizer back out of the cupboard! We have had an abundance of herbs delivered by one of our very generous clients today, and I decided to use them in my favourite way: pesto. Using courgette instead of pasta is great if you're cutting out gluten from your diet, or even if you just fancy a lighter alternative to the Italian staple. If you don't have a spiralizer, you can create flat courgette noodles by using a vegetable peeler and just peeling off strips off the courgette. The mint, almond and sun-dried tomato pesto might seem quite thick, but as you start to combine it with the courgette, moisture is released from the vegetable so you don't want the mint, almond and sun-dried tomato pesto any runnier or it'll become too wet. In this vein, it's important to dress the courgettes noodles just before serving as it doesn't keep well at all and if it sits for too long, you will end up with a pile of water at the bottom of your bowl!
For a more substantial dish, the pesto works wonderfully served hot with real spaghetti. I would use 300g spaghetti for this amount of pesto, and combine it with around 400ml of the cooking water from the pasta to loosen up the sauce a bit. For some greens, 300g peas instead of the tomatoes is always a winner with pesto and pasta.
Finally, feel free to play around with the ingredients. Pesto is a great way to use up any herbs you have lying around, and you could use any nut or seed (instead of almonds) and any citrus fruit (instead of lemon). For an Asian twist, you could use peanuts, coriander and lime, like in this quinoa recipe.
Serves 4 hungry people
Ingredients:
For the pesto:
60g almonds
60g sun-dried tomatoes (or 40g dried, re-hydrated with hot water and then drained after 20 minutes)
25g mint
Zest (2 tsp) and juice (75 ml) of 1 lemon
3 cloves of garlic
60g raisins
90g extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
For the rest:
1200g courgette
300g cherry tomatoes
10g mint
Instructions:
- Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees C. When hot, toast the almonds on a baking tray for 10 minutes and then remove.
- Whilst the almonds are toasting in the oven, it's time to spiralize! 1200g courgette makes around 900g of courgette noodles (or 'courgetti'), but hang on to the discarded bits- you can thrown them in a soup or grate them in to a salad.
- To make the pesto, simply blend all the ingredients in the food processor, wiping down the sides regularly. It takes a while to grind the almonds to a smooth paste so be patient.
- Chop the tomatoes in to quarters, and roughly chop the extra mint. Combine it all (with your hands!) in a big bowl until everything is incorporated. Enjoy!
It's National Cookie Day today, guys. As far as we're concerned, whoever came up with that concept deserves a medal. We felt we just had to share this yummy peanut-ginger-sesame cookies recipe with you. We admit this is not our own recipe, it's from one of our favourite vegan cookbook "Veganomicon", which you should totally check out if you're looking for delicious vegan recipes. Don't be put off by what looks like a long list, it's really straight-forward and these bad boys are totally worth it!
Here's what you need:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegan shortening, softened
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 1/4 cups sugar (plus additional sugar for rolling)
1/2 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ounces candied ginger, diced finely
1/3 cup each white and black sesame seeds (or just use 2/3 of one kind)
Here's how to do it:
- Preheat the oven to 175C, grease 2 cookie sheets
- Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon -> set aside
- Cream shortening (light and fluffy) with whisk, approx. 3 mins
- Add peanut butter, rice syrup, sugar, soy milk, and extracts -> continue beating until creamy (4-5 mins)
- Stir in flour mixture (with spatula or wooden spoon)
- Add chopped candied ginger -> stir until forms very firm dough (can use hands)
- Roll tablespoon of the dough into small balls
- Roll each ball in sesame seeds and a little sugar, place on cookie sheet (leave 1 1/2 inches between each cookie)
- Flatten balls slightly and bake for 10/11 mins (if you prefer them less chewy and firmer, bake for 14 mins)
- Remove from oven, cool and finally: hide from the cookie monster!!!
Enjoy!!! Love to here your feedback on these. Give them a go :-)
Serves 4
This quinoa salad is a great one-pot meal, which transports really well and could be a great dish to take to work for lunch. The inclusion of tofu, peanuts, cashew nuts and quinoa makes it a real high-protein meal which will certainly keep you going all afternoon. Try and get British-grown quinoa if you can, and use whatever vegetables are in season. I've used pak choi and carrots, but asparagus, spring greens or kale would all work really nicely here too. If you're short of time, you could just throw in some raw vegetables instead of cooked and if you have leftover rice or noodles, the dressing also works well with those instead of quinoa. I've also used the coconut milk from a carton rather than a can, which is just a less concentrated form of coconut. If you only have the canned variety, you could use half canned coconut milk, and half water.
Ingredients:
250g quinoa
450g tofu
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp tamari soya sauce
250g carrots
100g pak choi (or any greens)
60g fresh coriander
60g peanut butter
60ml coconut milk (I use Alpro coconut milk from the carton)
2 cloves of garlic
Zest and juice of 1 lime (I just peel the zest off with a grater)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp agave (or any liquid sweetener)
Instructions:
- Cook the quinoa according to packet instructions. I use 250g quinoa to 375ml water and a pinch of salt. I steam the quinoa on a low heat for about 15 minutes until the quinoa has soaked up all the water. Then, in a colander, run the quinoa under cold water until it is cool.
- For the tofu, pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Slice the block of tofu in to slabs around 1cm thick and place on a baking tray. Smother with the vegetable oil and tamari, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for around 30-45 minutes, until it is beginning to develop a crispy exterior. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and cut in to bite size chunks.
- For the vegetables, cut the carrots in to chunks and roughly chop the pak choi. I tend to cook these together, with the carrots boiling in some hot water in a pan for around 10 minutes and the pak choi steaming in a sieve above the carrots, with the saucepan lid tightly on. This way, both vegetables are cooked together, and are just tender at the same time. Like you did with the quinoa, drain the vegetables and run under cold water until they are cool; this will halt the cooking process.
- For the dressing, I use a food processor to whiz up the coriander, peanut butter, coconut milk, garlic, lime zest and juice, salt, chilli flakes, pepper and agave until a smooth consistency if formed.
- Finally, combine all the ingredients. I use my hands to incorporate the quinoa, tofu, vegetables and dressing to make sure everything is mixed in.
- Garnish with roasted cashew nuts, lots of chopped coriander, extra chilli flakes (if you want) and a wedge of lime.
This recipe is a more interesting take on the standard 'vegan option'; the risotto. I've tweaked it to make it a little bit healthier by using brown rice instead of arborio, and the addition of coconut milk and peanut butter make it taste luxurious and rich, despite the distinct lack of butter and cheese! Going even more off-piste, this brown rice risotto contains loads of great flavourings from various tropical regions: lemon grass, ginger, chilli and fresh coriander give it a great burst of freshness and spice which means that this is far from boring vegan fare. I've used sweet potato, parsnip and kale here, but feel free to use whatever vegetables you fancy, or whatever is in season. It may look like a long list of ingredients and a lot of steps but trust me, it's worth it. This is the perfect meal to impress friends or family when they come round for dinner!
Ingredients:
1 small sweet potato (around 400g)
1 parsnip
100g kale
400g block of tofu
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves
1 red jalapeno chilli (seeds removed)
25g fresh ginger
2 stalks of lemongrass
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
250g brown rice
800ml vegetable stock (I use bouillon powder)
50g peanut butter
1 can of full-fat coconut milk
3 tbsp dark soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free version)
Zest and juice of 1 lime
20g fresh coriander, chopped
Instructions:
- Chop the sweet potato and parsnip in to small chunks and place in a roasting tin. Cover with a little coconut oil and roast for about 30-40 minutes in a 200 degree C oven, until tender and crisp.
- Slice the tofu in half length-ways and lay each rectangle in a roasting tin. Again, rub coconut oil and a bit of salt on to the tofu and roast in the same oven as the vegetables. The tofu will take about 45-60 minutes to get a nice crispy exterior. When it is done, cut in to bitesize chunks.
- Meanwhile, cook the kale. I choose to steam mine over a pan of boiling water until it is tender but still crisp; around 5 minutes of cooking time.
- In a large pan over a medium heat, warm the coconut oil. Chop the onion and fry in the coconut oil for about 5-10 minutes, until soft.
- Finely chop the garlic, chilli, ginger and lemongrass. I used a small food processor for speed and ease, but by hand is also fine.
- Add this mixture to the pan, along with the cumin seeds, salt and pepper and fry for a minute more.
- Then add the rice to the pan and begin to add the stock. Turn the heat to low but make sure the mixture is still at a simmer throughout. Like with a standard risotto, the aim here is to add the stock in small installments- adding a bit more each time it is absorbed by the rice- and stirring frequently.
- After you have used all the stock (this should take around 30-45 minutes), stir in the peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, lime zest and juice, fresh coriander, roasted vegetables, kale and baked tofu pieces. Cook for around 5 more minutes.
- If the mixture is left to stand it will thicken up but don't worry, add a little more stock to loosen the mixture again.
- Serve with a handful of roasted peanuts on top and a crisp green side salad.
This is a great recipe to kick-start the New Year; it’s light, super-healthy and still uses the best of the vegetables that we have in season here in the UK. It is also very easy to make, especially if you own a food processer which can chop and grate the vegetables in a matter of seconds. It also happens to be vegan, gluten-free and raw! The richness of the tahini in this vegan salad works wonderfully with the sweetness of the apples and raisins, especially when offset by the sharp tanginess of the cider vinegar. I would serve this dish as part of a salad selection, perhaps with a quinoa salad, a dip and some protein. However, it’s also excellent as a crunchy side to a stew and rice, or combined with some falafel and homous inside a flatbread or tortilla wrap. The possibilities are endless!
One thing to note is that it doesn’t keep too well because the vegetables start to release water, and the taste deteriorates over time; I would suggest combining the dressing and the vegetables just before you intend to serve.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
70g tahini
60g cider vinegar
15g flat-leaf parsley (plus more to garnish)
2 small sweet apples (I used gala), cored and de-seeded
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
For the salad:
225g celery
500g carrots
Half a red cabbage
150g raisins
Instructions
- To prepare the dressing, use the small component of a food processer to whizz up all the ingredients. If you don’t own an electric mixer, grate the apple manually and whisk up all the ingredients in a bowl. The dressing is quite a stiff mixture; this is because the salt in it will encourage the vegetables to release moisture and if it were runnier, the whole dish would end up being too ‘wet’.
- Grate (or use the grating attachment from a food processer) to grate the celery, carrots and cabbage.
- Combine the dressing, the vegetables and the raisins in a large bowl. I find it easier to mix using my hands to make sure everything is incorporated.
- Garnish with some springs of parsley for colour. Enjoy!
These vegan chocolate muffins are delicious! Excellent muffin texture, choc muffin with chocolate chips AND banana. What's not to love!
I tend to use cups for baking, these american style cups (don't be confused and use mugs) come in 1, 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4 sizes usually in a set of four. They are really quick and easy to us. If you don't have cups there is a really good conversion here
Most vegan baking uses a bowl of 'dry' and a bowl of 'wet' ingredients. The wet and dry are mixed separately first, then added together and mixed.
First the dry: 1 and 1/2 cups self raising flour 1/2 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar (any sugar you like) 1 cup vegan chocolate chips or broken chocolate
Then the wet: 1 cup mashed bananas (i use 2-4 depending on how many i have) 1/2 cup almond or soy milk 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup coconut oil
Hot to make:
Add the cider vinegar to the milk and set aside (it will curdle) Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl Mash the bananas and add to the coconut oil and vanilla extract. Then add the curdled milk/vinegar mix Add the wet to the dry and mix week. Add the chocolate chips and mix Put mix into 12 muffin cases (might make a duple of extra ones)
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180C
Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack still in their cases.
Delicious vegan pumpkin soup recipe from Alice at the Camyoga kitchen - spiced with Carribean flavour
A delicious way to use your pumpkin this Halloween, with just a little kick of chilli and a hint of creamy coconut. Enjoy with crusty bread- perfect as a chilly autumnal lunch or light supper!
Ingredients:
- 700g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and chopped in to 1 inch chunks
- 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
- Handful of fresh thyme sprigs, tied with string
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp coarse ground black pepper
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, diced
- Around 500ml vegetable stock
- Half a can of coconut milk (around 200ml)
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 200°C. Place the pumpkin in a large baking tray along with the whole cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, allspice, chilli flakes and 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Roast until tender (around 45 minutes), removing the cloves of garlic halfway through so they don’t overcook and burn.
- Meanwhile, heat the other tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan. Fry the onion and carrot over a medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Add the roasted pumpkin, garlic cloves and thyme to the pan, along with about 500ml of vegetable stock.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes
- Before serving, remove the sprigs of thyme and blend until smooth. You may wish to add more vegetable stock to reach the desired consistency.
- Finally, add the coconut milk and season to taste.
[show-icon icon="Vegan Pumpkin soup"]Mmm mmmm mmmm Enjoy!
These tasty muffins are so filled with vegetable goodness, but if that puts off the kids then there's no reason they ever need to know! We've made them with butternut squash but this recipe works just as well with courgette if that's what you have in. If you've a sweet tooth then you could whip up a quick batch of vegan icing, otherwise a dusting of icing sugar works just as well. Here we've topped them with rolled oats before baking, which adds a pretty touch and an interesting texture. These measurements are American cups. It's absolutely worth getting yourself a set - they make baking and cooking a whole lot easier. Just use a 250ml mug if you don't have a set of proper measuring cups.
2 cups butternut squash, grated
2 cups sugar
3 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup plant-based oil (ie. sunflower)
1/2 cup apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp cinammon (or less, if preferred)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
handful of rolled oats
Method
1) Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and grease your muffin tins or line them with muffin cases. Leave the grated squash in a sieve over the sink so that it drains for around an hour. Squeeze out the remaining moisture.
2) In a large bowl, mix the squash, sugar, oil, apple sauce and vanilla. Add flour and other dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Fold in the nuts and raisins.
3) Fill muffin tins with the batter, sprinkle with the oats, and bake for 18-24 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Tops should be golden brown. Allow to cook fully on a rack before eating.
Yes that's right, vegan fudge is possible! And guess what? It not only tastes absolutely delicious but is a whole lot easier to make than the traditional, dairy-laden stuff. So what are you waiting for? This is the perfect dose of sweetness for when you need a little bit of an afternoon or after dinner pick-me-up, but it also works really well as a gift too. Line a pretty box with greaseproof paper, arrange your sliced fudge inside, wrap up with a bow and, hey presto, a tasty treat lies in store for someone special!
1/2 cup maple or date syrup
1/2 cup high quality cocoa
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup pistachios
few drops of vanilla essence
pinch of salt
Method
1) Chop the nuts and lightly toast them in a heavy based frying pan, or in the oven. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over a low heat and set aside.
2) Sieve the cocoa powder into a large bowl. Slowly add the warm coconut oil and the date syrup. Stir in the vanilla essence and salt. Finally add the nuts and combine thoroughly.
3) Pour into a lined square baking pan, refrigerate until solid. Simple!
Energy balls seem to be cropping up everywhere, from health food stores to yoga studios. They make a great raw, vegan alternative to sugar-packed cereal bars and other unhealthy snacks. Often they contain lots of protein and healthy fats too! Did you know that once you have the ingredients (which are readily available from shops such as Arjuna on Mill Road) these are a piece of cake to make? All that's required is a food processor. Here's one simple version to get you started, but the possibilities are endless - try experimenting with coconut, spirulina, dried cranberries and cashews. Let us know your favourite energy ball combination using the comments section below!
1 cup dates, pitted
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup walnuts
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tbsp hemp protein powder
1 tbsp water
extra cacao powder for dusting
Method
1) Blend the nuts and seeds in a food processor until almost flour-like. This could take up to a minute depending on the power of your blender. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to blend.
2) Roll the mixture into little balls. Place the remaining cacao into a dish and roll each ball in this until coated.
3) Place the balls on a sheet of non-stick baking parchment and place in the fridge until chilled.