Author Archives: Deb

About Deb

Vegetarian since 17, taught myself to cook as a matter of urgency when my mother had no idea what to give me. That was over 30 years ago. Now a mother of 2, I emigrated from London in 2002 with my Australian husband. After watching Forks Over Knives, reading The China Study, etc, we chose to go plant-based so stopped eating eggs and dairy a couple of years ago.

2 Lentil Bolognese

2014-02-18 19.52.09
Whenever I ask my son (11) what he would like to put on the menu for next week he ALWAYS says Spag Bol.  It really is rather good.  This is an easy midweek meal as once it’s all in the pot you can just leave it pretty much unattended for ages and then just pop on your spaghetti once you’re ready.   It only improves the longer you cook it, just watch it doesn’t catch and burn on the bottom (one of those heat diffusing pads is useful here) and that it doesn’t become too reduced.   It also “cheats” a little by using a small jar of ready made pasta sauce as one of the ingredients.  If you don’t have one to hand you could sub with another can of tomatoes, or equivalent of sieved tomatoes / passata type of thing.

It’s called “2 Lentil Bolognese” as it uses both the wonderful Split Red Lentils which break down so beautifully to that dhal-like creamy mush and the slower-cooking Puy Lentils which are those beautiful little round green/blue ones which keep their shape and add great texture to the dish.

I like to blend the sauce just a little using the immersion blender to break up some of the lentils and make a thicker sauce, but that’s completely up to you.  Smaller children may well like it much smoother as they often object to the presence of lentils.  🙂

This usually makes enough for 2 dinners for 4 so the rest goes in the freezer for next time!

5.0 from 2 reviews
2 Lentil Bolognese
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 2 small sticks celery
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 1 field mushroom/ 6-8 button mushrooms
  • :- all diced small
  • ½ cup red lentils
  • ½ cup Puy (French) lentils
  • 1 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 (use empty tomato) cans water
  • 2 heaped Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 heaped tsp "chicken" or vegetable stock / bouillon powder
  • 1 rounded tsp dried mixed Italian herbs
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 small (375g) jar tomato and basil pasta sauce / your favourite
Instructions
  1. Fry or dry fry / water sauté the onions and garlic for a few minutes whilst you chop the other veggies.
  2. Add the celery, carrot and mushrooms and sauté for another 10 minutes over a gentle heat.
  3. Add all the other ingredients, bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Cover if required to cook longer without reducing volume.
  4. Test for seasoning, add more water if too thick.
  5. Use immersion blender if required to thicken / smooth the sauce as required.

Kale Stuffed Potatoes

This is more of concept than a recipe so quantities are a bit vague.  Anyway, this is what I do:

Bake 4 large baking potatoes in the oven on a baking tray (I put a metal skewer through each one which speeds up the cooking – don’t bother microwaving – you know it’s not the same!) and bake for a good hour – hour and a half depending on their size and your oven.

Whilst they’re baking boil or steam a smallish bunch of kale until tender then chop finely, and steam-fry a finely chopped medium onion.

Make sure they’re soft and fluffy all the way through before halving them lengthwise, and across the widest part so they will sit flat on the plate without wobbling.

Scoop all that soft fluffy potato out into a bowl, leaving a thin shell that helps the potato keep some sort of integrity and not collapse in a heap.

Add whatever you like to add to your potatoes to mash – we use creamy soy milk, (low fat), houmous, salt and pepper, nooch etc, mash thoroughly, then stir in your onions and kale until really well combined.

Pile this filling back into  your potato shells place back on the baking tray and bake for another 15 minutes or so or until you can’t wait any longer.  Mmmmmmm.

NB: I will add a photo to this post when I remember not to eat them all so quickly…

Tomato Soup and Kale Stuffed Potatoes

I’ve decided to post most days now and share not just my own recipes but things I find online, from books etc and musings on our food in general.  🙂

I’m making a concerted effort now to simplify weeknight meals.  I have a tendency to get all excited when I’m making my weekly meal plan and then after a day at my desk stumble into the kitchen, when at 6:30 pm that list of delicious dishes is looking rather overwhelming.  SO, I have decided to keep anything very unfamiliar or challenging to the weekend (well, Fri, Sat and Sun) and keep Mon-Thurs of the easy or “done it a million times” variety.

My kids love Heinz tomato soup so I’ve been trying to find a substitute that doesn’t send you into a diabetic coma or sculling a litre of water along with it due to all that sugar and salt.  I found this one online but can I find it now?  Typing in the exact title only takes me to MyFitnessPal where it’s listed as a caloric total someone once added, but no recipe.   Anyway it was called Not Your Campbell’s Cream of Tomato Soup.  I amended it a fair bit anyway, but if you find it, that’s the original source. And thank you whoever you are, it was delicious.
Rather than just having it with bread, I decided to serve it with baked potatoes, this time stuffed with steamed kale.  We love something we call “Stuffily Brocked Potatoes” (due to saying it wrong one day – should have been “Broccoli Stuffed Potatoes”!) so thought I’d ring the changes, and find another way to get the awesome kale into the offspring and the result was perhaps even better.  We also had some good wholemeal sourdough (this is our favourite) and a simple cos lettuce salad on the side.

Potato recipe to follow in next post… 🙂

Tomato Soup
 
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A knock off of that tinned soup, but so much better for you .
Author:
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: British
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 5 cups water
  • 2 cups diced sweet potato
  • 2 cups diced tomatoes (no need to peel)
  • 1 very small onion (e.g. golf ball), diced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • 150g tomato paste
  • 1 tblspn nutritional yeas
  • 1 tblspn agave syrup
  • 1 tsp salt - or to taste
  • black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Put water, sweet potato, tomatoes, onion, thyme, coriander, garlic powder, salt and cashew nuts into a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
  2. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender - about 15 minutes.
  3. Add tomato paste, yeast, and syrup and blend with immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Leave to simmer for longer if nuts need a little more time to soften completely and then blend again.

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Spanish “Risotto”

I adapted this recipe from an old favourite, “Spicy  Rice” by Mary Gwynn.  My kids love risotto but I got a bit tired of the usual mushroom and thought I’d try to take the flavours of paella and take them to Italy..  result was delicious and we really enjoyed this topped with asparagus, parsley, and pine nuts, but you can add your own favourite veggies (broccolini is lovely too) or just a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.

2014-02-12 19.21.58

Spanish "Risotto"
 
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A mix of vegetable paella and risotto!
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 smallish onion, chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 large zucchini, diced
  • 120g green beans, cut into 1cm lengths
  • 1 yellow capsicum, diced
  • 1 large jarred roasted red pepper, chopped
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 200g risotto rice
  • 800ml vegetable stock
  • 1 cup soy milk
  • Zest of a lemon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 handfuls (about 100g) baby spinach leaves
  • 4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
  • To serve (optional)
  • - Grilled/ steamed asparagus spears
  • - Freshly chopped parsley
  • - Lemon wedge
Instructions
  1. In a large heavy bottomed casserole pan (e.g. Le Creuset), spray a fine layer of oil or use a splash of vegetable broth and use to saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes.
  2. Add the zucchini, green beans and roasted red pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
  3. Add tomato, spices, rice and stir until well combined.
  4. Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes (this will depend on your rice age and variety so check regularly) until green beans and rice are tender. Take care the rice doesn't stick to the bottom and burn, so a simmer pad is a good idea if you have one, or just stir regularly.
  5. Stir in soy milk, lemon zest and juice, spinach and turn off the heat. Allow to stand for 10 minutes (cook asparagus now if using) before serving sprinkled with the pine nuts, parsley and topped with the asparagus.
  6. Some vegan parmesan / "cheesy sprinkles" goes well on the top too (grind some nuts with nutritional yeast and salt to taste).

Mediterranean Lentil, Eggplant & Mushroom Ragout

Mediterranean Lentil, Eggplant & Mushroom Ragout

I’m not sure what I was aiming for with the flavour balance on this one, I just started adding herbs and spices I happen to love.  The result was  a delightful surprise!  My kids who aren’t that fond of lentils when they stay whole (they prefer mushy cooked-down texture of dishes like dahl) lapped this up and went back for seconds.  It’s summer here so a stew isn’t the kind of thing I’d usually think of making but it really works with its south of France / Moroccan / Greek flavours.  This comes together really easily with little effort once it’s all in the pot so although the cooking time is quite long, most of it is unattended.  🙂

 

Mediterranean Lentil, Eggplant & Mushroom Ragout
 
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Author:
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dried Puy lentils (those are the little round dark green/blue ones)
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 500 g sliced mushrooms
  • 1 large eggplant, diced
  • 1 very large fat garlic clove - or ⅔ smaller ones
  • 1 medium red capsicum, diced
  • ½ bottle passata (or a can of chopped tomatoes, pureed)
  • Same volume of water as passata (fill up the empty jar / can)
  • 1 t vegetable stock powder
  • 1 t turmeric
  • 1 t ground coriander
  • 1 t smoked paprika
  • ¼ cup apple juice
  • ⅓ cup white wine
  • 3 small bay leaves
  • 1 t marjoram
  • 1-2 T lemon juice
  • Small handful fresh mint leaves, (about 12 large leaves) chopped
  • ** NOTE: t = teaspoon; T = tablespoon.
Instructions
  1. Put the lentils into a smallish saucepan, cover with water by a good inch or so and bring to the boil whilst you prep your veg. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and put the lid on. They should take around 20 minutes.
  2. Heat a large frying pan on a medium heat and dry-fry the onion, mushroom and garlic until the moisture is released. Add the capsicum, eggplant and spices and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.
  3. (You can use a large casserole dish for the whole cooking process, however you need to avoid stewing the vegetables or their flavour won't be brought out, that's why I'm starting off in the pan).
  4. - Check your lentils and drain if cooked. You want them to be al dente, not hard and not breaking apart.
  5. Pour into a large casserole dish (which has a close fitting lid), add the passata / tomatoes, water and stock powder, apple juice and white wine, bay leaves and marjoram. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to a simmer and put on the lid and simmer until eggplant very tender and falling apart (about 20-30 mins).
  6. Add your cooked lentils and simmer, covered for another 10 or so minutes.
  7. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.
  8. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and mint and leave to sit whilst you prepare / serve your accompaniments. Don't worry about it cooling down (especially if you're serving it in summer) as It is actually much better served at room temperature than "straight from the pot" hot.
  9. We had ours with large gently boiled new potatoes (I put them on to cook at the same time as the lentils). Would also be great with couscous / rice or just good crusty bread. Some people might like to add hot chilli sauce at the table. (Yes I'm looking at you my chilli-sauce addict of a husband..).

Pasta Primavera

Another family favourite.  Creamy but low fat sauce with garlic and lemon poured over wholegrain pasta and your favourite springtime vegetables.  Top with toasted pine nuts and / or a parmesan type topping.  Try grinding almonds with some nutritional yeast, salt, and lemon zest for a delicious sprinkle.

Pasta primavera

Pasta Primavera
 
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Creamy sauce with spring green vegetables over wholegrain pasta
Author:
Recipe type: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 300g wholewheat pasta shells/penne
  • 30g raw cashews, soaked
  • 100-200ml Soy Milk
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Slice of onion
  • Salt & pepper
  • Green vegetables of choice:
  • asparagus, broccoli / broccolini, peas, snow peas, etc
  • Bunch of basil, leaves torn
  • Toasted pine nuts, for garnish - optional
Instructions
  1. Put pasta on to boil.
  2. Meanwhile, in a high speed blender blend cashews, soy milk, lemon zest, garlic, onion until smooth and creamy. Amount of milk will depend on how thick you want it and how much it’s sucked up by the pasta, you can always add more milk to the pasta once you combine it.
  3. Put the vegetables on to steam .
  4. Taste cashew cream and adjust seasoning/flavourings as desired: more lemon / garlic or onion/salt pepper.
  5. Once pasta is and vegetables are ready, drain and return to pan over a very low light, add the cashew cream, vegetables (once ready) basil and pine nuts.
  6. Serve!

Creamy White Sauce

Creamy White Sauce
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Sauce
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 large / 2 small leeks, well washed, finely sliced
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup soy milk / other plant milk
  • ½ cup raw cashews, soaked
  • 1 T Dijonnaise
  • 1 T Nutritional yeast
  • 1 t tahini
  • 1 t agave
  • 1 t miso
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 2 t cornflour
  • Salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Sweat the leeks in a small saucepan with the lid on, over a low light until they are very tender.
  2. Add all the other ingredients apart from cornflour and blend with stick blender or in food processor / blender.
  3. Pour back into the saucepan if necessary, and heat through. Mix the cornflour with 2 T water in a small bowl, then mix into the sauce, stirring continuously until it thickens – about 5 minutes.
  4. Season to taste.

 

Lasagne

 

My kids voted this my best ever lasagne and it’s their “favourite ever” meal!
We usually have with salad and a good crusty bread.
The creamy white sauce I use for this is also on this site here.

Lasagne
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 red capsicum, diced
  • 1 green capsicum, diced
  • 2 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 stick celery, diced
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 375g jar of your favourite tomato based pasta sauce, e.g. basil and garlic
  • 50g Lentils, Red, split
  • 1 teaspoon Oregano
  • 150g Baby Spinach, chopped (or use 4 cubes frozen spinach)
  • 15 leaves basil, chopped
  • 6-8 Wholemeal Lasagne Sheets
  • Creamy White Sauce – 1 batch
  • Optional : fresh breadcrumbs
Instructions
  1. Make the Creamy White Sauce - see other recipes.
  2. Sauté onion, garlic after 5 mins, then add capsicum, carrot, celery, zucchini and let soften – about 15 minutes.
  3. Add tomatoes, jar of sauce, lentils, oregano, baby spinach, and basil, season to taste. Allow to simmer until spinach wilts.
  4. Heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade.
  5. In lasagne dish put a thin layer tomato sauce, cover with lasagne sheets
  6. Layer the 2 sauces and pasta alternately in lasagne dish, topping with 2nd half of white sauce (or 3 layers depending on how thick your layers are)
  7. If liked, sprinkle a cup of fresh breadcrumbs over the top of the white sauce.
  8. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Test with a sharp knife to make sure the pasta is very tender.
  9. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

 

Nutritional info: Cals: 280 | Fat: 7g | Protein: 13.5g  | Carb: 34.5g  | Fibre: 10.65g | Sodium:  291mg

Cashew and Mushroom Nut Roast

cashew-nut-roast
Well seeing as Christmas is fast approaching I thought the obvious recipe to share would be the nut roast I make every year.  It has changed a little over the years, the main overhaul 2 years ago when I made it vegan by removing the egg, but also mixing the mushrooms in to the mix rather than as a separate layer, as I found it would always break in two when I sliced it.  This is an OLD recipe.  From a Sarah Brown book called Vegetarian Kitchen published in 1984.  So to say this has passed the test of time is an understatement!

Cashew and Mushroom Nut Roast
 
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Christmassy Nut Roast
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: British
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 225 g mushrooms - finely chopped
  • 225 g cashew nuts
  • 110 g sliced wholemeal bread - for breadcrumbs (in processor)
  • 1 tsp chia, 1 tsp flaxmeal mixed with ⅓ cup water
  • 3 medium parsnips, peeled, steamed or boiled then mashed
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • ¼ - ½ tsp sage (optional)
  • 1 tsp marmite or vegemite dissolved in 1 cup boiling water / 1 cup vegetable stock
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven at 180 Celsius.
  2. Heat a large frying pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft, adding a splash of water where necessary. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until the liquid has been released and evaporated.
  3. Grind the bread into breadcrumbs and place in a large bowl. Prorcess the cashew nuts in the same way until they resemble breadcrumbs, add to the bowl.
  4. Mix in the mashed parsnips and herbs.
  5. Add the fried onions and mushrooms; be sure to scrape the pan so that any remaining liquid goes in, don’t lose that flavour!
  6. Add the chia/flax mixture
  7. Dissolve the marmite in the hot water or stock and add to the other ingredients. Mix very thoroughly and season well. The mixture should be like a thick cake mixture.
  8. Grease a 900g loaf tin or line with baking paper. Spoon the mixture into the tin and press down firmly.
  9. Cover with greased foil and bake for one hour.
  10. When cooked, remove from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes before turning it out.
  11. NOTES: Timesavers:
  12. Make sure you put the parsnips on to cook first if you haven’t got them cooked already.
  13. Make the dry ingredients first - breadcrumbs, then the ground cashews in the processor, then add to your bowl.
  14. Then use processor again to chop the onion and mushrooms, add that to your frying pan.

Oooh this is exciting…

.. but I haven’t a clue what I’m doing!  Have already had 2 support chats with Bluehost as I’d no idea what to do next!  And I thought I was fairly technical (jobs in IT and all that..!). Rather a steep learning curve!

Anyway, very soon I will be posting our first recipe.  I’ve been trawling through my old recipes trying to find a family favourite which has stood the test of (vegetarian and now vegan) time and I think I’ve got the one.   It’s been on the repertoire for around 13 years so it’s a goodie!  I need to make it this week so I can take a reasonable photo to accompany it.  Watch this space, it’s coming soon.. 🙂