Tag Archives: vegan food

Warming Apple & Parsnip Soup | Vegan

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A hearty soup to take you from autumn to winter with earthy parsnips and tangy apples perfectly combined. Warm spices add a delicate complexity and added nutritional yeast brings vitamin B12 for an all-round healthy meal.

Vegan Apple & Parsnip Soup

I don’t know about where you are, but here in Leeds winter has firmly dug its heels in making me only have tastebuds for warm, hearty lunches. That means making up batches of soup over the weekend with some portions to keep me going through the week and some to save in the freezer. I’m not ashamed to admit that I liked this one so much I had it for four lunches in one week.

Sadly there are no apples left in my garden anymore so I picked up some big Bramley apples to use in this soup. The apple flavour really shines through and does add a slight tartness; if that’s not your thing you could swap one of the apples for an extra potato instead.

This could also be cooked in the slow cooker for around 8 hours on low or 4 on high. Head over to Pinterest for more inspiration on .

Vegan Apple & Parsnip SoupMakes 8 servings

Ingredients:

500g parsnip, peeled and cut into small pieces

2 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces

600ml hot vegetable stock

3tbsp white wine

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ground all spice

1/4 tsp black pepper

1tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, I use Engevita)

Method:

1. Place the parsnip, potatoes and stock into a large pan. Bring to the boil over a medium high heat, cover and simmer for around 15 minutes.

2. Add the remaining ingredients (bar the nutritional yeast if you are using it) and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes until the vegetables have softened.

3. Remove from the heat and blend the soup until it is thick and creamy. Add additional stock/water if it is too thick.

4. Stir in the nutritional yeast and serve with crusty bread or roughly chopped croutons.

Vegan Apple & Parsnip Soup

What is your go-to winter lunch?

Ginger & Cocoa Rawnie | Raw, Vegan

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5-ingredient, no bake brownies that are rich, chocolately, slightly nutty and more than moreish. The addition of fresh ginger creates an extra special combination of flavours.Ginger Cocoa Raw Brownie | The Tofu DiariesThese raw brownies or “rawnies” take the raw snacks I have talked about in the past to another level; this is perfectly acceptable dessert territory. You could serve them with whipped coconut cream, a scoop of vegan ice-cream or, failing that, still feel free to munch on them as an extra special indulgent mid-afternoon treat.Ginger Cocoa Raw Brownie | The Tofu Diaries Ginger Cocoa Raw Brownie | The Tofu Diaries Ginger Cocoa Raw Brownie | The Tofu DiariesIngredients:

200g dates, roughly chopped

2tbsp mixed seeds (I used milled seeds)

2tbsp tahini

4cm piece of ginger, finely chopped

2tbsp cocoa powder, plus extra to dust

Method:

1. Add all of the ingredients together into a high-powered food processor and blend until combined.

2. In a small baking tray, dust the bottom with a light layer of cocoa powder. Press the rawnie mix into the tray – you can level it out and get rid of your thumbprints by rolling a cup across the top.

3. Dust the top with another light coating of cocoa powder. Place in the fridge and when you are ready to eat it, slice into bars.Ginger Cocoa Raw Brownie | The Tofu DiariesI’m entering this into Simplyhealth‘s healthy smile recipe competition. Did you know that, as an anti-inflammatory, ginger can help you to keep your smile healthy by supporting healthy mouth tissue? I certainly didn’t but I’ll be taking any excuse to include it in my recipes along with some of these other smile-supporting healthy foods!

What sweet treats have you made recently?

Holiday Cooking: Champagne Mushroom Tart & One-Pot Pasta | Vegan

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A two course meal for two that can be cooked in virtually no time at all; mushrooms cooked in sparkling wine with a tang that cuts through the puff pastry base for a light starter and a simple pasta dish with a velvety sauce, fresh tomatoes and gentle chili kick for a satisfying main.

Self-catering when you’re on a longer trip abroad easily becomes part of your routine and a great way of saving money, but for a holiday when you want to relax a bit more it can seem like a lot of hassle. However, depending on where you are, it can be a helpful way to make sure you get a bit more variety if local vegetarian or vegan options aren’t really up to scratch.

For these occasions, I’ve created two recipes that make an ideal starter and main course for staying in self-catered accommodation. They require very few pieces of equipment, all ingredients are likely to be widely available, and the entire meal can be whipped up from start to finish in no more than thirty minutes and for less than £20.

Some items are used in both the starter and the main to cut down on what you need to buy, whilst still achieving distinctly different flavours in each dish. You could save money even further by buying a full-sized bottle of sparkling wine, using some to cook into the starter and the rest to accompany the meal. Whilst the name of the starter says “Champagne,” I have used Prosecco to make it more affordable (Champagne is just a bit catchier though, isn’t it?).Shopping listA lot of shop-bought puff pastry is vegan and is one area where it is perfectly acceptable to cheat (no one wants to spend any evening, let alone a holiday evening, brushing sheets of pastry!) I used Jus Rol ready rolled puff pastry and found most of their pastry is vegan.

Once the starter is in the oven, the ingredients for the main can be quickly prepared and put to one side leaving you the opportunity to nibble a few of the olives. As soon as you serve up the starter, the main can go on the hob to cook as you eat as it needs minimal attention. The pasta main all cooks together in one pot; there is no need to drain as the water largely evaporates and the starch from the pasta adds a delicious creaminess to what it is left to form a sauce. It also significantly cuts down on the amount of washing up you’ll have to do at the end!

Starter: Champagne Mushroom Tart (Serves Two)

Ingredients:

1/2 sheet of ready-made ready rolled puff pastry (approx. 160g), cut into two

150g closed cup mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 medium courgette, thinly sliced

100ml sparkling wine

1tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

Black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220C / gas mark 8. Heat the oil in the frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the courgettes and mushrooms and cook for around five minutes or until they have begun to soften.

2. Stir in the garlic and black pepper. Add in 3/4 of the sparkling wine a tablespoon at a time, allowing each one to be absorbed first. Mix in the final 1/4 of the wine and fresh basil leaves, then remove from the heat.

3. Grease the baking tray using a small amount of olive oil and place the two pieces of puff pastry on to it, making sure there is ample space between them as the pastry will expand during cooking. With a knife, criss-cross the base of the pastry, leaving a 1.5cm border around the edges.

4. Scoop the filling onto each piece of pastry. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry has risen and turned golden brown. Serve with a sprinkling of extra black pepper and a fresh basil leaf.

Champagne Mushroom Tart Champagne Mushroom Tart Champagne Mushroom Tart

Main Course: One-Pot Pasta (Serves Two)

Ingredients:

175g spaghetti

1 onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely sliced

100g vine tomatoes, halved

500ml boiling water

1tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Handful fresh basil leaves

1tsp black pepper

1-2tsp chili flakes (according to taste)

Olives to serve

Method:

1. Add all of the ingredients into a large pan over a medium-high heat. Simmer for ten to twelve minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked al dente and the sauce has thickened.

2. Serve with torn fresh basil and chopped olives on top.

One Pot Pasta One Pot Pasta One Pot PastaThese recipes are my entry in the SACO cooking challenge to create a two course meal for two that could easily be cooked in an apartment kitchen on holiday and for under £20.

Do you ever self-cater on holiday? What would be your quick go-to recipes?

Raw, Vegan Food on the Go – Creative Nature Bars

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Working full-time means it can be hard sometimes to find time to create my own healthy snacks on a regular basis. As a result there are few foodie discoveries right now that delight me more than finding more amazing companies who are filling this gap with raw, vegan, super food packed options.Creative Nature BarsCreative Nature are a UK company creating high quality nutrient-dense snack bars filled with cold-pressed oils, seeds and dried fruit that more than fit the bill. All of their products are vegan-registered and certified organic.Creative Nature BarsThe bars come in four flavours: Tropical Treat, Heavenly Cacao, Blissful Berry, and Sublime Seed. The cold-pressed oils in them give them a more moist texture than many raw food bars, whilst the added extras such as hemp powder in the Sublime Seed bar and pau d’arco in the Tropical Treat give the flavours an unexpected complexity. The Heavenly Cacao is perfect for satisfying a chocolate craving too with its raw cocao nibs, cocao powder and maca powder.Creative Nature BarsCreative Nature offers free UK mainland shipping for orders over 2kg so there’s no reason not to head over to their range of super food bars and stock up!

Have you ever tried Creative Nature Super Food Bars? Do you have a favourite healthy snack?

Tofu Bacon | Vegan

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A versatile and tasty option, these strips of tofu are marinated in a sticky sauce that is both smoky and slightly sweet. Perfect for a veggie brunch, a breakfast sandwich, or as a creative topping on almost any dish!Tofu Bacon Recipe | The Tofu DiariesSince getting a bit more settled into the new house, I’ve been enjoying a few slow weekends at home: waking up early, appreciating a good coffee, and setting myself up for the day with a tasty breakfast. This tofu “bacon” made for a perfect sandwich filling in seeded brown bread with a creamy cajun sauce.

As someone who has never seen the appeal of the real stuff, I’m somewhat loathe to call it “bacon” but it does best encapsulate the flavours and how this can be eaten. Next time, I want to serve it up as a veggie breakfast with mushrooms, baked beans, and toast, yum!Tofu Bacon | The Tofu DiariesTofu Bacon | The Tofu Diaries Tofu Bacon | The Tofu DiariesIngredients:

1 block tofu, drained and pressed for at least 30 minutes

1tbsp tomato purée

1tbsp soy sauce

1tbsp maple syrup

2tsp smoked paprika

1tbsp olive oil (or oil of your choice)

Method:

1. Slice the tofu into 5mm thick strips. In a bowl mix the tomato, soy sauce, maple syrup and smoked paprika into a smooth paste. Coat the tofu in the marinade (you could leave them to marinate but it isn’t necessary if you want to save time).

2. In a pan, heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the tofu to the pan, spacing the slices evenly. Fry for around eight to ten minutes, turning occasionally, until they have crisped and browned.

3. Take off the heat and remove any excess oil using kitchen roll. Serve as you please – as part of a cooked breakfast, in a sandwich, or chopped into small bits as a topping!Tofu Bacon | The Tofu Diaries

What would you eat this tofu bacon with?