Baked Aubergine

Serves: 4
Ready in: 45 minutes

I wont lie, I thought this up when I drunkenly invited friends over and forgot about it until they turned up. It's good because it tastes like you put more than 15 minutes worth of effort into the prep. Luckily they don't read vegan food blogs...

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry rice

• 1 aubergine
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 red onion
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes

• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp tamari
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ginger powder

• Sesame and spring onion to dress

Method

1. Add vegetable stock, tamarind, tomato puree, hot sauce, tamari, garlic powder, onion power and ginger powder in a sauce pan, mix well and bring to the boil.
2. Chop the aubergine, into 1cm cubes and the pepper and onion into similar sized squares. 
3. Once vegetables are chopped add to a baking dish with the sauce and cherry tomatoes and put into a pre-heated, 200C for thirty minutes, mixing every 10 minutes. If it starts to look dry, add in a little water.
4. As soon as the aubergine goes into the oven, start to cook your rice.
5. Plate up with the sesame and chopped spring onion.

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings

Serves: 2
Ready in: 45 minutes

I based the batter for these wings on the Hot for Food Cauliflower Buffalo Wings batter. I didn't use milk though, because I had none and I didn't care enough to put pants on and walk 30 seconds to the end of the street to buy some. Honestly though, I couldn't tell the difference without it.

Ingredients

• These cauliflower wings (this recipe makes enough sauce for 1 head of cauliflower)
• 1 red onion
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Method

• Fry the onion until soft
• Add the stock, hot sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic powder and soy sauce to the pan and reduce for about 15 minutes. The finished result should be thick and sticky.
• Mix the cauliflower wings in and put back on the baking sheet in the oven for another 20 minutes, turning half way. Remember to tap off any excess liquid.
• You should still have a few table spoons of the sauce left to put the cauliflower wings back in and mix through.
• Plate up, sprinkling the sesame seeds on top.

Avocado Pesto Tart

Serves: 6

Ready in: 20 minutes

I'll be honest with you on this one, I had absolutely no idea what I was going for when I started making this so was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to not be super weird. It face planted the floor after I took these pictures though so I didn't get to eat it.

Ok fine, I still ate it...

Ingredients

• 175mm x 115mm sheet of puff pastry

• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews/pine nuts/walnuts
• 1 handful basil
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 red onion
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

Method

1. Blend avocado, nuts, basil, nootch, garlic and lemon juice.
2. Spread the pesto onto the pastry sheet and then add the onion, peppers, mushrooms and onions.
3. Cook in oven for the amount of time stated on the pastry box.

Salt and Pepper Broccoli

Serves: 1

Takes: 15 minutes

I'm going to pretend that I used 2 different kinds of broccoli for artistic effect rather than because I had prepared the normal broccoli before realising that the purple sprouting broccoli in the fridge was about 2 hours away from actually sprouting. I know I could have frozen one but that option involves me eating less food and I 'm not about that life.

Ingredients

• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 half red pepper
• 1 half onion

• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1 spring onion
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Method

1. Chop the broccoli florets off the stem and pour over the oil, garlic, onion powder, chilli, salt and pepper. 
2. Place the florets on a baking tray in the oven at 180°C. I put mine in for 10-15 minutes because I like it really crunchy but you could leave it in for longer if you prefer your veg softer.
3. On the same chopping board you seasoned the broccoli on, chop the pepper and onion. Rub them around on the surface of the board to pick up any left over seasoning and oil. 
4. Cook on the hob for 5 minutes
5. Plate up with the chopped spring onion and sesame seeds!

Turnip Mash and Mushroom Sauce

Serves: 2

Takes: 1 hour 10 minutes

Mashed turnip and vegan sausages with a creamy mushroom and onion sauce.

Its like Bangers and Mash were your childhood friends but then you lost touch after school, until one day when you bump into them in Harvey Nics when you nip in to use the toilet and now you don't know how to talk to each other anymore cause they got classy and you have doughnut in your hair

Anyway...

Ingredients

• 1 turnip
• 2 tbsp vegan butter

• 4 vegan sausages (homemade or shop bought, I'm not here to judge*)

• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 red onion
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup of vegan cream (I used Alpro soy cream)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 tsp marmite
• 1 tsp dried parsley/1 handful of fresh parsley

Method

1. Chop the turnip into 1 cm cubes and boil for an hour or until soft enough to mash.
2. Start to cook the sausages and sauce about 30 minutes into the turnips cooking time (may vary depending on the sausages stated cooking time)
3. Stir fry the mushrooms and red onion for about 5 minutes
4. Add in the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.
5. Pour in the stock and cream, along with the mustard, marmite and parsley and simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Add the spinach into the sauce to wilt.
7. When the turnip is soft, drain well and mash with the butter.
8. Plate up!

Substitutions
Marmite- you could use vegemite. I get that 50% of the planet hate marmite but just trust me on this one, you really can't taste it.
Sausages- whatever you have; tofu, tempeh, more mushrooms...



*mostly not judging because I have no intention whatsoever of ever making my own.

Breakfast Qaesadillas

Serves: 1
Takes: 15 minutes

I'm planning on attempting to start going to the gym in the morning before work. I say 'attempting' because my morning self has no willpower and cannot be trusted. But I intend to start an that's enough for now. I realised that if I was going to be working out so early on I would probably need something a little more substantial that a granola bar for breakfast. I have a feeling that this is going to be more likely to stick than the exercise...

Ingredients

Quesadilla

• 2 tortillas 
• 1/2 cup of re fried beans
• 1/2 cup of tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of vegan cheese

Tofu scramble

• 1 tsp rapeseed oil
• 1/2 cup of tofu
• 1/2 tsp turmeric 
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Method

1. Crumble the tofu into a frying pan along with the turmeric, onion and garlic powder and nutritional yeast. Mix together until cooked- about 5 minutes.
2. Place one tortilla flat into the bottom of a fresh frying pan.
3. Spread on the re fried beans and then space out the tomatoes, cheese and tofu scramble on top.
4. Place the second tortilla on top and leave to cook.
5. Keep checking the bottom of the tortilla to make sure it doesn't burn. When it has turned crispy flip over for the other side to cook. Mine took about 10 minutes to do both sides.

Tahini and Wholegrain Mustard Chopped Salad

Serves: 1 as a main or 2 as a side dish
Ready in: 10 minutes

I like this salad because you can really just use whatever vegetables/fruits/grains/nuts you have to hand. And because it's already chopped you can just put it all straight in your face without having to bother with cutting implements and what not.

Ingredients

Salad

• 1/2 cup kale
• 1/2 cup of broccoli
• 1/2 cup sweetcorn
• 1/2 cup tomato
• 1/2 pepper
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 medium sized beetroot
• 1 spring onion

Dressing

• 1 tbsp tahini
• 1/2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp water

Method

1. I put my kale and broccoli in the oven for 5 minutes whilst chopping but you can skip this step if you prefer them raw.
2. CHOP EVERYTHING.
3. Mix the dressing ingredients together. When you first add water to tahini, it looks pretty gross but whisk with a fork for about a minute and it'll blend together perfectly.
4. Throw it in a bowl.

Substitutions
Leave that damn dressing alone. I suppose you could sub out the maple syrup for another sweetener BUT THAT'S IT.
Salad ingredients- literally just use whatever you have. You cant go wrong here...