When on holiday back in the UK last year I came across a vegan “egg” salad sandwich in Marks & Spencers.. needless to say I had to try it! It was so good and realistic that I snapped a photo of the ingredients and decided I would try and copycat it, making any necessary replacements when I got back here. It uses cannellini beans and tofu as the egg replacement. I had just created my vegan mayo so this was the perfect addition for a sandwich. The recent royal coronation was a perfect opportunity to try it out. It has been very well received by vegans and non-vegans! 🙂
Creamy mayo with mashed white beans, tofu, onion and parsley. If you can find (or grow) cress that would be perfect!
Author: Deb
Recipe type: Sandwich filler
Cuisine: English
Serves: 4-6 sandwiches
Ingredients
400g can cannellini beans drained
3-4 tbsp my tofu mayonnaise
(If not using my mayo add ½ teaspoon black salt for that eggy aroma)
200g Macro medium firm silken tofu
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 spring onions (scallions) trimmed and very finely sliced
1 tablespoon finely sliced fresh parsley (or cress if you have it)
1 tsp salt or to taste
black pepper to taste
Instructions
Mash the drained beans in a large flat bottomed bowl with a fork or masher until no whole beans are left. Crumble in the tofu gently into large pieces. Add the mustard, onion, parsley, seasoning.
Add the mayo and stir gently until all well combined
I’ve had these on the back burner for a while. I was trying out some mushroom burger recipes and noticed I had half a block of tofu and some already cooked brown rice that needed to be used up so I added them in and the texture was lovely. Rather than shaping by hand I used a muffin tray which gave them a nice crispy exterior and made portioning them out really easy. Just as delicious cold as a light lunch with a salad or hot with mashed potato and gravy!
Pulse the onion, mushrooms and thyme in a food processor until finely chopped but not a purée.
Tip into a large frying pan, sauté for 7-10 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. No need to wash out the processor - put the rice, tofu and miso into the processor and pulse until well incorporated.
Tip the contents into a large bowl, stir in the mushrooms and onion and mix really well until all the ingredients are completely combined.
Pack into muffin trays. This makes enough for 6 small or 4 large roasts.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Cool for 5 mins, tip out onto baking tray and put back in oven for 5-10 minutes.
Another lifetime ago when I lived and worked in London there was a Cranks Wholefood Cafe not too far away from my office and I used to love their “macro rice” which was basically brown rice, ginger, soy, and toasted sesame seeds. So comforting and deliciously simple! I had a sudden craving for it the other day and so decided to reinvent it with some additions. It did not disappoint. I served mine with a little cubed avocado. It should be just a little warm or at room temperature, though it is probably nice on a summer’s day, chilled.
Optional: top with a little dried chopped chillies / cubed avocado
Instructions
When the rice is still hot (do not rinse, it should be a little stickly and still with some moisture) put it in to a large bowl and mix in the cabbage parsley, onion and ginger.
Once it has cooled a little add the baby spinach and soy sauce to taste, then stir in the toasted sesame seeds and sushi seasoning. Leave to sit for 5 minutes and serve at room temperature.
My family is a big fan of the mix I use in my Kale & Red Pepper Bites so i decided to try and simplify the recipe so I could make it more often as it’s so versatile. As well as making little bites, you can roll into falafel-like balls as I have done here and use just as snacks (or as meatballs with spaghetti); roll into sausages, or a filling for sausage rolls or pies. The flavourings are easy to change up too so you could do Indian or Mexican spiced for example. Fun to play around with the flavours! This simple version just uses mixed herbs but feel free to add herbs and spices you love! If you do not have rice cooker use a large heavy based pan with a close fitting lid on a low light and be prepared to top up the water a little if need be. The water should be completely absorbed by the end of cooking.
Rinse the 1st four ingredients in a sieve - rice, millet, lentils and quinoa and put into your rice cooker with 3 cups of water. Cook!
Preheat then oven to 190 degrees C.
Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl put the remaining ingredients apart from the sesame seeds.
Once the grains and lentils have cooked scrape them into the bowl and mix thoroughly. If liked you can refrigerate at this stage. The mixture will become much firmer as it cools down.
Roll into balls or use an ice cream scoop to divide into portions, roll in the sesame seeds - or sprinkle them over the top and place on a lined baking tray.
Bake for 20 minutes then turn and cook again for a further 10 minutes or until crispy and firm.
3 teaspoons of semi-dried chillies (Gourmet Garden brand), or 1 teaspoon chopped chillies in brine
¾ cup mint leaves, chopped
DRESSING:
3 heaped tablespoons oil free hummus
2 tablespoons cashew cream (optional - replace with extra hummus)
Juice of a a lemon
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Salt & pepper to taste
1 large avocado, diced
Instructions
Put the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to chop roughly. Or smash in a bowl with a potato masher or fork. Tip into a bowl
Add the spring onions, lemon zest, celery, cucumber, chillIes and mint leaves and mix well.
In a separate bowl mix together the hummus, cashew cream if using, lemon juice, maple syrup and seasoning.
Tip the chickpea mixture into the bowl and gently stir through the diced avocado.
Warm the wraps in a hot pan or sandwich press for a minute until flexible.
Place some baby spinach or a few cos lettuce leaves on the wrap, heap a few tablespoons of the mixture on top, fold up and then toast briefly to seal the edges. Cut in half and serve.
I’ve been making these for several years now at Easter, managing to avoid the temptation to buy them in the supermarkets (from February onwards)! Seems to get earlier every year but I like special occasion foods to be just that and so only make these once a year and they are so much nicer – and oil free – and wholemeal – and no preservatives – that its really worth it. I usually am cooking them for a crowd so I want to impress and therefore don’t do 100% wholemeal flour as they are much heavier and take longer to make as the rising time has to be longer. Feel free to go that way if you wish** and in that case add a splash more liquid to the dough and allow an extra 30 minutes or more rising time
You will need: A large mixing bowl, a whisk or fork, measuring spoons, a clean work surface, a large rectangular baking tray, baking paper, digital scales (not essential unless you’re particular about bun size like me!), tiny zip lock bags, small bowl (1/2-1 cup size), teaspoon, cling film, oil spray, pastry brush.
** Update April 2019. I have been making them with 100% wholemeal flour for the past couple of times now and they’re just as good. I do allow a little extra rising time and find best results with bakers flour if you can find it, but if not the supermarket wholemeal flour is fine.
Note the cook and prep times do not include rising times; allow 2-3 hours in addition.
Author: Deb
Serves: 12
Ingredients
230g wholemeal flour +
220g plain flour OR 500g wholemeal flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
50g raw brown sugar
7g instant yeast
270ml warm water
150g mixed dried fruit & peel - any combination you like
extra: plain flour rolling, for making crosses; & sugar for glazing
Instructions
[Dough can also be mixed in a breadmaker or with a dough hook attachment in a food processor or hand mixer - just mix all ingredients from flour to water together then mix in the fruit]
In a very large bowl whisk the dry ingredients all together then slowly stir in the water. It will suck up the water very quickly and seem quite dry but keep mixing until all the flour is incorporated and then add a splash more (tablespoon at a time) until the dough is soft and a little sticky. It should be a little wetter than a regular bread dough. Tip it onto a floured working surface and knead in the dried fruit. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough becomes springy and elastic and all the fruit is incorporated.
Wash out the bowl and place the dough inside, cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for an hour or so or until doubled in size.
Tip the dough back onto a floured work surface.
Line a large baking tray (as wide as a regular oven) with baking paper.
Here is where digital scales are very useful. If you're at all like me, you want 12 buns exactly the same size. The only way to achieve this is to weigh each ball of dough. 🙂 So weigh the entire amount, divide by 12 and then pull off balls of dough that weight, roll in to a neat ball between your lightly floured palms and place on the tray. Repeat! You want 3 x 4 on the tray, even spaced. They will grow as they rise so allow a good 3-5 cm between each bun.
Spray a piece of cling wrap with oil (otherwise they will stick and deflate when you pull off the wrap). and place over the buns and return to their warm spot until they have risen sufficiently to be stuck to each other.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.
Make the cross paste: Mix 2-3 tablespoons of flour in a little bowl with enough water to make a thick but runny paste (like single cream). Pour it into a little ziplock bag.
Remove carefully the cling wrap and take your bag of flour and water paste. Snip off a tiny corner off of the bag and carefully drizzle in long lines across the middle of the buns, then back the other way. It's easier to do this in one continuous motion rather than individually. Plan your route before you set off! 🙂
Once you've finished, place in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Make the glaze: Mix 2-3 teaspoons of sugar in a small bowl with boiling water and stir until it dissolves.
Once the timer goes off check that they're cooked by cutting one open (use tongs!), it should be firm and not wet inside.
Brush the glaze over the hot buns and leave to cool - if you can. 🙂
Juice and zest of 1 juicy lemon - about 4 tablespoons
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2-4 tablespoons finely chopped red or spring onion (as preferred)
6 black or green olives, chopped
1 tsp capers, chopped (optional)
1 tsp tahini (optional)
⅓ cup finely chopped parsley
⅓ cup finely chopped mint
pinch of chilli flakes or semi-dried chopped chililes
Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Zest the lemon and tip into a medium bowl
Juice the lemon into a small bowl and tip the crushed / Microplaned garlic into it to steep.
Mash the beans with a fork in a bowl, or pulse in a food processor until broken down but not a smooth paste.
Prepare the herbs, olives, onion & capers and add to the bowl with the lemon zest.
Add the beans and stir thoroughly, add the tahini, chilli and salt and pepper as desired.
Stir in the lemon juice and garlic mixture. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes as flavour will continue to develop. The garlic flavour will be stronger the next day if it lasts that long! 🙂
Serve on hot toast with sliced baby tomatoes.
NB: You can use all or one of the herbs, equally delicious with any combination of fresh herbs.
