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VEGAN TOMATO AND RED PEPPER SOUP

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 75-80 minutes

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

3 large red peppers (I used the variety as shown in the images above)

3tbs olive oil

6 ripe plum tomatoes

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2tsp smoked paprika

coarse ground pepper (and salt) to taste

1 bunch of basil, stems removed, chopped + extra for garnish

750ml vegetable stock

Added extra (optional)

a drop or two of vegan cream (I used soya single cream for food photography purposes)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan/Gas 6) and line two baking trays with baking paper. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and inner membrane. Arrange on one of the prepared trays and drizzle with some olive oil. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and arrange on the second tray, cut side up, Drizzle over some olive oil.

Place the trays in the oven and roast the vegetables for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook until softened.

Add the paprika and season to taste with pepper.

Add the roasted pepper and tomato, then stir in the chopped basil and saute for 15-20 minutes. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for a further 20 minutes. Next blend the soup with a stick belnder or (like I did) in a vitamix, until smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust with salt if need be. Garnish as you see fit and enjoy!

Tip 1: If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, use a gluten-free stock cube!

Tip 2: Serve with toasted bread (gluten-free if that’s your thing)

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VEGAN PEA AND MINT SOUP WITH ALMOND DUKKA

Preparation Time: 15 – 20 minutes Cooking Time: approx. 20 minutes Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS FOR THE PEA AND MINT SOUP:

1 ltr vegetable stock (I used 1 -1.5 vegetable stock cubes and 1ltr water for this)

1 tbs olive or rice bran oil 1 medium white onion 1-2 tsp dried thyme leaves 500g frozen peas 20g mint leaves, washed a pinch of salt and pepper to taste mint leaves to garnish

INGREDIENTS FOR THE ALMOND DUKKA:

120g almonds 1tbs cumin seeds 1tbs coriander seeds 3tbs sesame seeds (black and/or white) 1tsp rock salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Dissolve your vegetable cube/s in 1 litre of boiling water to yield a litre of vegetable stock. Set aside.

Chop up the onions, finely. Then heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and sweat the onions with the thyme until soft and translucent. Next add the vegetable stock, peas and mint leaves. Season, bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the peas are tender. Pour the soup into a blender (or use a stick blender) and blend until it has a creamy, smooth texture. Then return it to the pan and heat through.

For the dukka, chop the almonds roughly. Next, in a small pan over a low heat, warm the cumin and coriander seeds. You should start to smell their aroma after a few minutes, but be sure not to burn them! After about 5 minutes or so, transfer to a mortar and pestle and break up the seeds. Then lightly toast the sesame seeds in the same pan you used for the cumin and coriander seeds, add the sesame seeds and the almonds to the mortar and bash until broken up and combined. Then enjoy!

The dukka recipe here will yield more than you need to garnish the soup. Hence keep any left-overs in an airtight glass container, sprinkle over other soups or salads. It should keep for a few weeks :).  

Tip 1: Even if you’re just cooking for 1-2, please do make this quantity and just freeze any surplus. It’s great for a quick mid-week dinner.

Tip 2: You can use red onions too. They are healthier than white onions, but for food photography purposes, I chose a white one :).

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CREAMY WINTER CAULIFLOWER, PARSNIP AND GARLIC SOUP

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

½ a garlic bulb 1 tsp olive oil + about 1 tbs for frying the onion a pinch of salt for the garlic and anther pinch or two to add to the soup (see instructions)

1 white onion 1 small cauliflower (about 500g/1lbs) 500g/1lbs parsnips 6 cups of filtered water 1 tsp tamari sauce generous sprinkle of coursely ground black pepper

Garnish with: fresh herbs such as parsley or coriander sliced almonds raw vegan pesto

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F.

Take ½ garlic bulb and separate each clove from one another (keeping the skin on!). Please the garlic cloves on a baking tray tined with non-stick baking paper, drizzle them with the olive oil and sprinkle with some salt. Then place them in the pre-heated oven for about 10 minutes or until their skin is crispy (not burnt!) and their insides nice and soft. Remove them from the oven, let them cool until you can easily handle them; peel the garlic cloves, discarding the skin and set aside for later use.

As the garlic cloves are roasting nicely, peel and dice your onion. Next wash the cauliflower, removing the leaves and cut into small-ish dices. Then wash and peel the parsnips, cutting them into small-ish dice too.

Next, grab a large pot and over a medium heat, fry the diced onion in about 1 tbs of oil. Add a pinch or two of salt as well. (By this stage your garlic cloves should be done, so don’t forget to remove them from the oven as noted above).

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RAW MEXICAN AVOCADO LIME SOUP WITH HOME-MADE RAW VEGAN SOUR CREAM

Pre-preparation Time: 2-4 hours soaking Preparation Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4 as a starter

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SOUP:

2 (organic) avocados 3/4 of a medium (organic) cucumber 1 (organic) celery stalk Juice of 1 lime

Small handful of fresh (organic) coriander (cilantro) 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon (organic) tamari or dark soya sauce 1 cup (filtered) water To garnish:

sour cream (see recipe below) chopped (organic) chives (optional) Shimeji mushrooms (optional) a pinch of ground paprika (optional) poppy seeds (optional) (organic) baby tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes

INSTRUCTIONS:

Peel the avocado and remove the stone. Wash the other ingredients. Blend everything in your food blender until nice and smooth Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with sour cream, a pinch of paprika, poppy seeds, some chopped chives and mushrooms.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE RAW, VEGAN SOUR CREAM

1.5 cup (organic) unsalted cashews nuts 2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon) 1 tablespoon (organic) apple cider vinegar 1 cup (filtered) water 1/2 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Soak the cashew nuts for 2-4 hours. Drain the water away and wash the nuts before using them. Then blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Use to garnish the soup. Any left-overs will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days and make for a great dip 🙂 Tip 1: I wanted to keep the recipe raw, but you can of course marinate the mushrooms in olive oil and garlic and then pan fry them 🙂 Tip 2: Eat with some home-made crackers. SO good!

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CURRIED ROOT VEG SOUP WITH BEET CRISPS

Preparation Time: 30 minutes (chopping takes a little while) Cooking Time: 30 minutes Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbs vegetable oil of your choice (I used rice bran oil) 2 large (organic) onions (red or white or a mixture, it doesn’t matter, weighing about 650-800g all together

4 (organic) garlic cloves, finely chopped 4-5cm piece of (organic) ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 tbs tandoori masala powder 2 tsp mild curry powder 350g (organic) sweet potatoes or seasonal pumpkin, washed, peeled and diced 350g (organic) carrots, washed, peeled and diced 1litre vegetable stock (I used stock cubes and followed the instructions on the pack, but if you have time to make your own veggie stock, go for it!) 400ml tin of coconut milk

Salt to taste (optional) A small handful of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (optional) A splash of fresh lime juice (optional) Garnish with beetroot crisps

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare all the ingredients as noted above and chop the onions. Also remember to have the vegetable stock ready. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium to low heat. Add the chopped onions and stir for about 10 minutes, until they are soft and translucent. Then add the chopped garlic, ginger, tandoori masala and curry powder and stir for a minute or two. Add the pumpkin/sweet potatoes/carrots/your-choice-of-root-veg and stir for another minute or so. Pour in the vegetable stock. Increase the heat and bring to a simmer. Cook gently until the root veggies are soft – about 15 minutes or so. Remove the soup from the heat, add the coconut milk and place in a blender  or food processor until the mixture is nicely combined and super smooth. (I’ve also used a hand-held mixer in the past and that worked well too). To serve, add salt to taste (I never add any, but it’s up to you), the fresh coriander, a dash of lime juice, coconut milk and beet crisps to impress. A-mazing! Tip 1: Even if you’re cooking for yourself or just 1 other person, please do make this quantity. Remember you can take the left-overs into the office the next day for lunch or freeze the soup in small portions and enjoy over the weeks to come. Tip 2: I deliberately called this root veg soup (as opposed to carrot or pumpkin soup) as it’s really up to you whether you just use carrots, potatoes, pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes or a mixture of them all. Be creative and use what’s local, affordable and seasonal to you.

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VEGAN GINGERBREAD MUFFIN

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 20 minutes

Makes: 12 regular sized muffins or 9 large muffins

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MUFFINS:

12 paper muffin cups OR coconut oil to grease your muffin tin

210g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

a pinch of salt

1 tbs ground flax/linseeds + 3 tbs water

95g vegan butter

75 caster sugar

120ml date syrup

120ml almond milk (or any other plant based milk to make the recipe nut free)

INGREDIENTS FOR THE ‘MELTED SNOW’ VEGAN FROSTING (OPTIONAL):

50g vegan butter

50g vegan cream cheese

55g caster sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

A handful of cranberries, some fresh rosemary and a sprinkle of cinnamon to garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat the oven to 175C/350F and either line your cupcake pan with paper muffin cups OR grease with coconut oil.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, all the spice and salt. Mix well with a spoon and set aside. In a small bowl, mix together the ground flax seed and water, set aside.

In a separate bowl beat the butter and sugar with your hand mixer, until a soft creamy mixture has been formed (see image). When ready add your flaxseed/water mixture as well as your date syrup and combine. Add the milk slowly before combining everything with the dry flour mixture.

Divide the mixture evenly into the 12 (or 9) muffin tin and bake for appropriately 20 minutes or until golden and a toothpick put into the centre of the muffin comes out clean.

Whilst the muffins are baking, make the icing (optional) by combining all ingredients in a bowl and mixing with your hand mixer until evenly combined. Place the icing in the ridge until you’re ready to use it.

Allow the muffins to cool for approximately 10-15 minutes. Divide the icing evenly over the muffins and garnish with cranberries, fresh rosemary and a sprinkle of cinnamon if you wish. Then, enjoy!

Tip 1: If you’re not vegan you can replace the flax and water for 1 egg. Equally for non vegans, regular butter and regular milk can be used in place of the plant-based version.  

Tip 2: Want to keep the recipe vegan and nut free? Then use soya milk in place of almond milk.

Tip 3: I used date syrup so the muffins aren’t too sweet and can deal with the added sweetness of the icing. However, you can use molasses instead of date syrup if you have that to hand.

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VEGAN PEANUTBUTTER NICECREAM WITH STRAWBERRY

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Freezing Time: overnight + at least 1 hour

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

4 ripe bananas

2 tbs smooth peanutbutter + 2 tbs for serving

100g strawberries + a handful of extra strawberries for serving

To serve:

a handful of pretzels, crushed (see alternatives below)

a drizzle of maple syrup (optional)

a tiny piece of organic dark chocolate (minimum 80%), grated OR a sprinkle of cacao nibs (see alternatives below)

INSTRUCTIONS

Take 4 ripe bananas, cut into 1/4 pieces, place in a freeze bag and freeze overnight. The next day, take the frozen bananas out of the freezer, place them in a high speed blender together with 2 tablespoons of peanutbutter and blend until smooth (like the consistency of soft serve icecream).

Put the content of the blender in a plastic container and return to the freezer for approximately 60 minutes or until set. As the nicecream sets, prepare the strawberry compote by removing the strawberry stems of approximately 100g of strawberries and pureeing them with a handheld blender.

When the nicecream is ready, evenly distribute it into 2 glasses, pour over the strawberry compote, take a small handful of salty pretzels, crush by hand and distribute evenly over the 2 servings of nicecream. Add 1 tablespoon of creamy peanut butter to each serving of ice cream. Sprinkle over some grated dark chocolate or a small handful of cacao nibs. Next, drizzle over some maple syrup if you wish, top with a few whole strawberries and serve immediately

Tip 1: Don’t like pretzels or want to keep this grain-free/gluten-free/paleo, then take a handful of nuts instead for added crunch.

Tip 2: You can also replace the strawberries with blueberries or raspberries or any seasonal sweet fruit you’ve got to hand.

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VEGAN LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes Baking time: 65 minutes Generously serves: 10-12

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE:

3tbs ground flax seeds + 9tbs water grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons 250ml almond or rice milk 1/3tsp vanilla extract

250ml olive oil (about 1 cup + 1 tbs)

320g caster sugar 350g plain or glutenfree flour OR self raising flour 1.5tsp baking powder (omit if using self raising flour) 1tsp salt

INGREDIENTS FOR THE LEMON GLAZE:

1 cup icing sugar 2-3tbs lemon juice

INGREDIENTS FOR THE LEMON DRIZZLE (OPTIONAL):

freshly squeezed juice and zest of 1 lemon 50g caster sugar 100ml water

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 170c (325F). Prepare your bundt tin we used a 20cm silicon tin by greasing it, (we used coconut oil) and covering the oil with a dusting of flour. Make sure to spread the oil well as you do not want the cake sticking to the tin!

Prepare the flax seed mixture by combining the ground flax seeds with the water in a medium bowl. Mix briefly. Next add the grated lemon zest, milk, vanilla extract and olive oil. Set aside.

In a separate, large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients – the sugar, flour, baking powder (if using) and salt. Mix well.

Next combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and mix by hand with a wooden spoon until the mixture is nicely combined. Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt cake tin and place in the oven. Bake for 65 minutes or until golden brown.

Whilst the cake is baking in the oven prepare the glaze by combining the sugar and the juice and set aside.

Also prepare the drizzle (optional) by putting the lemon juice and zest and sugar and 100ml of water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over a low heat. Let it reduce to about 1/2 the amount until it has a thin syrupy consistency.

When the cake is cooling down allow it to cook for about 5-10 minutes before removing it carefully from the cake tin. Allow it to cool for a further 15-20 minutes before pouring over the drizzle and finishing off the cake with the glaze.

Enjoy!

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VEGAN SPRING SALAD WITH WARM POTATOES

This salad just shouts Spring! It’s got lots of different textures and flavours and is one of my all time favourite Spring dishes. Unlike other salads I make there is a lot going on here, so the preparation time is longer than normal. But so worth it ;). Measurements are approximate and please play it a bit by ear :

Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes Serves: 2 as a main about 4 as a starter or side dish

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SALAD:

500g small salad potatoes a pinch of salt 1-2 handfuls/1 cup of frozen peas 1 handful/1/2 cup radishes 1/4 cucumber 1/4 courgette (see instructions below) 2 handfuls/1 1/2 cups of greens of your choice – we used lamb’s lettuce 1/2 red onion OR 1 long onion some olive oil for pan frying edible flowers to garnish (optional)

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DRESSING:

2 tablespoons/30ml fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons maple syrup 4 tablespoons/60ml olive oil salt/pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Wash the potatoes, cut away any bits that are unsightly, then cut the potatoes in half and place in a pot with cold water and a pinch of salt. Boil for 15 minutes or until you can just about poke your fork through. Don’t cook through completely though! As the potatoes are boiling, place the peas in a separate small pot with cold water and boil until just ready (5 minutes or so). Drain away the water and set aside. Wash, top and tail the radishes, cut in half and set aside. Next give the cucumber and courgette a quick wash. Cut the cucumber in half, remove the centre and then slice in long thin stripes using a potato peeler or mandolin. Please do the same with the courgette. (Please note we used 3 different coloured courgettes for food photography purposes and had LOTS of courgette left over! It looks pretty but it’s not necessary and you can just settle for the colour you like). Give the greens you are using a quick wash and set aside. Finally, get the onion and cut in thin rings. Give the rings a thorough wash in cold water, taking away some of the pungent flavour of the raw onion.

Place all the ingredients in a serving bowl, back in the fridge until ready to serve. By this stage the potatoes should be read. Drain away the water. Then heat a frying pan, pour in 1 tablespoon or so of oil, and pan fry the potatoes over a medium heat until brown and crispy, I’d say about 10 minutes or so. Keep a close eye on things so the potatoes don’t burn! As the potatoes cool, make the dressing by combining all the ingredients as noted above. When all the elements are ready, combine and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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SUMMER BERRY AND FENNEL SALAD

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves: 3

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 tablespoons of quinoa (see below for paleo, grain-free option)

240g coconut yoghurt

150-200g fresh cherries (of various colours if possible)

1 baby fennel

a handful of fresh red currants

a drizzle of maple syrup

3-6 edible flowers to decorate (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat a small pot over a medium-high heat until very hot. Add the quinoa, turn the heat down to medium, cover the pot and shake it. This way the quinoa will pop like popcorn (you can even hear it) without burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot. The quinoa should be ready within 5 minutes and when it is just remove it from the heat to stop the cooking process. Set aside in a little bowl.

Distribute the coconut yoghurt evenly. Wash the fennel, slice thinly with a mandolin and distribute on the 3 plates. Wash the fruit, slice some of the cherries and distribute evenly on the plates. Drizzle with maple syrup and top with edible flowers and the popped quinoa. DONE!

Tip 1: If you want to keep this grain-free, paleo and raw then replace the quinoa with black sesame seeds for crunch.

Tip 2: I kept the red currants on their branch for visual effect but for ease, serve them removed from their little branch.

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VEGAN TOFU SATAY BOWL RECIPE

INSTRUCTIONS:

Start by making the satay sauce; combine all the satay sauce ingredients in a small blender (think Magic Bullet style), once smooth, set aside.

Heat a pot full of water, bringing the water to the boil. Once boiled, turn off the heat and place your rice noodles inside the boiling water for about 3 minutes (or follow instructions on the package). Discard the water immediately when

done and pour some cold water over the noodles to stop them from cooking further!

Whilst the water for the noodles is heating up, wash and cut the cucumber into slices. Set aside.

Also, prepare the broccoli/broccolini by giving them a good wash, chopping off the stalky bits and boiling them in hot water for about 5 minutes or until the broccoli is still crisp, but warm and just cooked. Discard the hot water, splash the broccoli with cold water to stop it from cooking further and set aside.

Take your firm tofu and discard the water it came in. Place the tofu on a kitchen towel to soak up any residual moisture and then gently place another kitchen towel on top, press lightly and carefully absorbing more moisture. Next, cut the tofu into equal sized cubes, place in a non-stick frying pan together with a splash of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. Over a low heat, gently brown.

Serve the warm noodles, cucumber, broccoli and tofu immediately with a dash of satay sauce. Enjoy!

Tip 1: You can use coconut milk (the drinkable type that comes in a carton for the fridge) instead of almond milk. It will give it a more authentic, creamy flavour.

Tip 2: If you’re ok about eating honey, you can replace the maple syrup with honey. It’ll be a bit cheaper.

Tip 3: The quantities above will give you more sauce then you need. This means you have extra for your next meal.

Tip 4: The cucumber and broccoli can be replaced with spinach, chard, grated carrot, thinly sliced red cabbage or any other veg you have to hand.

Tip 5: Serve with rice if you prefer.

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VEGAN PASTA RECIPE WITH EPICA’S RED PEPPER TAPENADE

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Resting time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2 – 3

INGREDIENTS FOR THE PASTA:

260g ‘00’ white flour (plus more to sprinkle onto your work surface for kneading)

1/4 tsp salt (plus more to salt your pasta cooking water)

130ml water

1 tsp paprika (optional)

1 tbs EPICA red pepper tapenade

1/2tbs olive oil

1 tbs semolina flour (plus more for preparing your pasta machine and work surface for kneading)

INGREDIENTS TO SERVE:

4-6 tbs EPICA red pepper tapenade

2-3 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)

a few fresh basil leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large bowl, mix all the pasta ingredients together with a wooden spoon until combined, use your hands towards the end if need be.

Then sprinkle some flour onto your kitchen surface, take the pasta mixture and start kneading it with the palm of your hand. Knead for approximately 10 minutes, until the dough feels smooth to touch. You’ll know when it’s done if it has a slight shine to it and gently bounces back when you touch it with your fingers. If the dough feels too wet and sticks to your hands, add a little bit more flour and a sprinkle of semolina.

Once done, place the pasta dough in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for approximately 30 minutes.

When the dough is ready, cut it into smaller chunks and slowly push it through the pasta machine, starting at the thickest setting (on my machine that is 1 ) and running it through a few times before slowly reducing your setting until you reach 1 (or the equivalent setting that results in the thinnest pasta sheets). Every time before you push the dough through, sprinkle some semolina over the pasta sheet to prevent it from sticking to the pasta machine.  

If the pasta sheets split or tear, fold them over into a thicker sheet, let them rest a few minutes and then run them through the pasta machine again.

Next gently push your pasta sheets through the linguine settings of your pasta maker (or the spaghetti if you prefer), sprinkle over some more semolina (as shown), so that the linguine doesn’t stick and set aside. You can create little nests (as shown) if you intend to cook and eat immediately, or hang the pasta over a chair if you want to dry it and use later.

Bring a large pot with water and a generous sprinkle of salt to the boil. When the water is boiling hot, add the pasta and cook through, around 1-2 minutes at most or until the pasta floats to the top (note fresh pasta cooks through very quickly!). Remove the pasta from the water, place it in a serving bowl, mix it in with a generous dollop of EPICA’s red pepper tapenade and serve immediately with nutritional yeast and/or some fresh basil leaves.

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VEGAN CAULIFLOWER WINGS RECIPE

This recipe is perfect for the current colder evenings in London, yet healthy enough to feel like you’re still on track with your new year’s resolutions

Preparation time: 40 minutes (including marinating time)

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAULIFOWER WINGS:

1 head of cauliflower, washed, cut into florets (about 4 cups/500g)

Batter ingredients:

1/2 cup/130g unsweetened (vegan) yoghurt

1 cup (250ml) plant milk (I used almond milk, but soya and regular milk if you’re not vegan can work too)

3/4 cup/100g plain flour (sub with plain gluten-free flour or rice flour for a gluten-free version)

1cm ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp salt

glaze ingredients:

1 cup/250ml tomato passata

2tbs maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp salt

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MINT AND CUCUMBER RAITA:

cup/260g vegan yoghurt

1cm ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1/4 cup/15g washed and finely chopped mint leaves

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 garam masala

1/4 cup/45g of washed and finely chopped cucumber

SERVE WITH (OPTIONAL):

bitter greens like watercress

pitta bread or flatbread (look for a gluten-free option if required)

chilly flakes

fresh mint leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut the cauliflower into florets, wash and set aside.

Next make the batter by combining all the ingredients in a large bowl, mixing it well with a wooden spoon. Then add the cauliflower florets, ensuring each floret is fully covered by the yoghurt batter. Finally place the bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes to marinade.

As the cauliflower florets are marinading, please make the glaze by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and place in the fridge.

Then preheat the oven to 230C/445F and line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Once fully marinated, place the yoghurt covered cauliflower florets in the oven for 20 minutes.

As the florets are baking, make the raita by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and place in the fridge until you’re ready to serve the dish.

After 20 minutes, take the cauliflower florets out of the oven and, one by one, dip them into the glaze. shaking off any excess and then placing them back on the tray. When all the cauliflower florets are glazed, return them to the oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the glaze looks dry and the florets are slightly caramelised.  

Once baked, serve immediately with the optional extras and the raita for dipping and enjoy!

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VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE

Preparation time: 25 minutes (for everything)

Baking time: 35-40 minutes (for the sponge)

Cooking time: 45 minutes (for the icing)

Cooling time: 3 hours (for the icing)

Makes: a 4-tier layer cake

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SPONGE:

4tbs ground flax seeds + 12tbs water

600g plain flour

400g sugar

4tbs cacao

4tsp bicarbonate of soda

a good pinch of salt

200g of dark vegan chocolate (70% cacao and upwards)

450ml almond milk (or coconut or soya milk for a nut-free recipe)

150g coconut oil (melted) + extra for greasing

2-3 large unwaxed oranges

INGREDIENTS FOR THE ICING:

2kg sweet potatoes

350g cacao powder (or more to taste)

1/3 cup rice or maple syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla essence

grated orange peel of 1 orange

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

We placed some vegan bliss balls coated in turmeric, greenery, candles, orange pieces and ice cream cones on top, but the world is your oyster, so do what you like!

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease 4 round cake tins (16cm each)  with coconut oil and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the ground flax seed and water with a spoon and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

Take the chocolate and with a knife or grater, break it into little, thin pieces. The finer, the better.

Place the grated chocolate into a large bowl and mix it with the wet ingredients: the almond milk, melted coconut oil and flax seed mixture. Add the juice of the oranges, grate in the zest of the oranges and combine.

Next mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until nicely combined. Though be sure not to overmix!

Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared cake tins and place into the oven immediately. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes. (Do a toothpick test after 35 minutes, the cake needs to be cooked through but not dry).

Whilst the cake is baking in the oven prepare the chocolate icing by cutting the sweet potatoes into chunks, placing them over a large pot with water and steam them until they are soft and fully cooked through (about 45 minutes). Pour away the water when done. Let the sweet potatoes cool.

If the cake sponge is ready, remember to remove it from the oven now. Let it cool. Once cool remove any uneven tops gently with a sharp knife, so that the cake layers are relatively flat and even. (Feel free to eat the off cuts:

Finish the icing by placing the sweet potatoes together with the cacao powder and syrup in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add more sugar/cacao until you obtain the level of chocolate-ness and sweetness you desire. Place in the fridge for at least 3 hours before you start icing the cake.

Ice the cake by spooning icing on top of the first sponge layer. Spread evenly. Then place the second cake sponge layer on top of the first iced one. Ice evenly and continue until all 4 have been placed on top of each other. Next ice the outside of the cake, filling any gaps between the slices. Remember this is a naked cake so there will be parts on the outside of the cake with very little icing! Decorate to your liking.

Tip 1: You can also bake the sweet potatoes for about 45 minutes in the oven (or until soft) instead of steaming them.

Tip 2: You can also use raw cane sugar in the frosting in stead of maple syrup. Please do to taste!

Enjoy!

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VEGAN MOROCCAN CHICKPEA STEW RECIPE

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped finely 1 tablespoon harissa paste

1/2tsp salt + a pinch of ground black pepper 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 6 medium sized carrots, washed, peeled and cut into thin disks

a good handful of baby spinach or kale leaves, washed

250ml/1 cup water 500g cooked chickpeas OR 2x 400g tin pre-cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed 75g pitted medjool dates (around 5), roughly chopped

SERVE WITH (OPTIONAL):

freshly chopped and washed coriander leaves

vegan yoghurt

naan bread, pita bread, coucous or rice

Instructions below…

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cook the onion in a pan over a medium heat with a splash of water until the onion pieces are soft, but not brown, about 5-10 minutes. Add the harissa paste, salt and black pepper. Mix well, then add the tomatoes, carrots, spinach (or kale leaves) and water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

If you are serving the stew with couscous or rice, now’s a good time to get that ready.

Finally, add the chickpeas and chopped dates to the stew and cook for a further 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if need be.

Serve with some coriander leaves, yoghurt, naan bread or whatever you like and enjoy!

Tip 1: This stew freezes really well. So if you’re a family of 1-2 still make this quantity and freeze any extras for a quick mid-week meal. If you’re a family of 4 then double the recipe and freeze the extras for another day!

Tip 2: How long you have to cook the carrots depends on how thick/thin you slice them. Please keep checking every 5-10 minutes and know that if you slice them relatively thick your cooking time will be longer.

Tip 3: Not so into mixing sweet and savoury? Then replace the dates with olives. The dates are my suggestion, the olives are from the original recipe.