Top 5: Delicious Vegan Recipes for VeganuaryBy Loriley Sessions
If you’re looking to kickstart the new year in a healthy way, going vegan is without doubt a step in the right direction. But it’s not always that simple. If you’re worried about how to keep it up and what exactly you can eat, help is on the way.
Veganuary was introduced in January 2014 as an accessible awareness month designed to encourage the vegan-curious, vegetarian, health conscious, or those people just looking to feel better, to take the pledge to try to live a vegan lifestyle for a month.
Whether you’re looking to try the odd vegan dish, think you can give the challenge a try for the next month, or want to stick at it long term, definitely try out the simple recipes below and give yourself a flavour of the vegan lifestyle. For further advice and vegan recipes visit www.veganuary.com
1. The Ideal Start
Scrambled Tofu
Serves 2-4
Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
½ onion
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp white flour
½ cup/120ml soya milk
1 block tofu (200g or 250g) crumbled
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1/2 tsp turmeric
2-3 medium vine tomatoes, finely chopped
1 dsp Dijon mustard (2 tsp)
Handful of fresh basil leaves, snipped with scissors
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Fry onion and garlic on low heat until soft.
2. Stir in flour, followed by soya milk. Stir in well to avoid lumps and cook for a minute or two.
3. Add tofu, tomatoes, herbs, turmeric and mustard and stir for 5 minutes. Make toast now if appropriate.
4. Serve with fresh basil leaves and lots of black pepper. If you wish, serve with brown sauce or soya sauce on the side. It’s also really nice with added fresh spinach leaves and toasted seeds.
Recipe and image courtesy of Viva! Cookbook by Jane Easton
2. The Simple Lunch
Avocado & Walnut Toast with Tomato and Coriander
Serves 1
Time: 7 minutes
A taste of sunshine that is super quick to make
Ingredients:
2 slices of toast, made with good wholegrain bread
Vegan mayonnaise (eg Plamil, Solesse, TigerTiger)
Slices or chunks of ripe avocado
Fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black, pepper
½ a tomato, sliced OR a few ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
A few roasted walnut pieces
Fresh coriander leaves
Method:
1. Make toast and spread it with mayonnaise.
2. Arrange avocado on it in a thick layer.
3. Sprinkle lightly with lime juice and salt.
4. Tuck some halves of cherry tomato among avocado and top with a few walnut pieces.
5. Add more salt and pepper to taste, top with coriander leaves and eat.
Recipe and image courtesy of Viva! Cookbook by Jane Easton
3. The Oriental Snack
Mushroom Tempura with Shoyu Ginger Dip
Serves 4 for mains, 8 as starter
Time: 30-40 minutes, including preparation of batter and vegetables
This is based on a traditional Japanese dish and is fantastic as an occasional treat! This is the mushroom only version but it can also be made with a mixture of vegetables and tofu.
Ingredients:
Batter180g/6oz fine wholemeal self-raising flour or gluten-free equivalent
180g/6oz gram flour (also known as chickpea or besan flour)
275ml/10fl oz water – sparkling mineral water works particularly well
Pinch salt Mushrooms 250g starter / 500g main Fresh plain vegetable oil to fry Dip 2 tbsp soya sauce – shoyu or tamari
2 tbsp cold water
½ tsp grated root ginger
Method:
1. Sieve the flours in a large bowl. Make a well and add water gradually, using a balloon whisk or stick blender to ensure there are no lumps. Set batter aside.
2. Prepare the mushrooms. Pieces need to be small enough to cook quickly in the batter but not so small that they disintegrate. Button mushrooms are a good size – otherwise, chop larger mushrooms in half or quarter them.
3. Pre-heat oven to a medium-low heat (160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3). Have an oven tray ready, lined with kitchen paper.
4. Heat oil and do the batter test: drop in a little dollop of batter and if it floats, the oil is hot enough, if it sinks it isn’t. Quickly make the dip while oil is heating – or the garlic mayo. Set aside.
5. Fry mushrooms in batches of eight pieces. Dip in the batter, making sure all are coated. Give a quick shake to rid of any excess and, using the basket/slotted spoon, place carefully into the hot oil.
6. Fry each batch, tossing gently to ensure the pieces don’t stick together. Fry until golden brown – use a toothpick to test if the pieces are tender – mushrooms don’t take long.
7. Drain and transfer the mushrooms to oven tray – use a chip basket or slotted spoon. Place in oven and repeat the process, making sure the oil stays hot enough during the cooking process – if it loses heat the tempura will be soggy. Do the batter test again to ensure it is hot! You may need to skim the surface of the oil to remove bits of cooked batter.
8. Serve hot with the dip and any other dishes of your choice.
Recipe and image courtesy of Viva! Cookbook by Jane Easton
4. The Hearty Dinner
Artichoke & Filo Pie with Creamy Butterbeans, Olive & Sundried Tomatoes
Serves 4-6
Time: 40-50 minutes – includes 20-30 minutes baking time
Ingredients:
1 medium red onion, chopped plus a little olive oil or oil spray to cook
2 tins of butterbeans, rinsed and drained OR 480g home-cooked beans
2 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley plus more to taste if needed
2 tbsp olive oil (or soya milk if making reduced-fat version)
4 tsp lemon juice
½-1 tsp salt, according to taste
Black pepper – freshly ground – to taste
1/8-¼ tsp cayenne pepper – start with the minimum, taste and add more if desired
1 tin of artichoke hearts, drained OR 240g frozen hearts, defrosted
4 tbsp chopped pitted kalamata or black olives
6 large sundried tomatoes, chopped very small with scissors – any type, but if using the dried variety, soak in hot water first
Filo pastry sheets (about 1/3 of a pack)
Oil or oil spray to coat the filo layers
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
2. In a frying pan, wok or heavy-bottomed pan, heat a little olive oil/oil spray and sauté the onion until tender – add a little water if it starts to dry out.
3. Part-blend/mash two thirds of the butterbeans until smooth and creamy. Mash the rest with a potato masher or hand blender but leaving some texture – and mix in. Add the olive oil/soya milk, lemon juice, parsley, salt and cayenne. Mix in well to form a creamy mixture that is stiff but not too dry.
4. Add the chopped artichoke hearts, olives and sundried tomatoes. Mix in gently. Taste the mixture and add more lemon juice/salt/pepper/soya milk if necessary.
5. Lightly grease the tin or dish with spray or oil. Place the damp tea towel over the unwrapped filo pastry to stop it drying out while you assemble the pie.
6. Line the baking tin with several overlapping layers of filo sheets, oiling each layer well. Don’t worry if they crumble a bit or have holes – all the layers will make it work! Make sure the sheets overhang the tray so they can be folded back on top of the bake.
7. Spoon half the filling on top of the filo base and smooth out evenly. Fold over some of the filo layers that hang over the edge of the tin. Repeat the folding/spraying process with the second part of the filling. Use a little olive oil to brush the top.
8. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before slicing into portions.
Recipe and image courtesy of Viva! Cookbook by Jane Easton
5. The Sweet Treat
Nākd Chocolate Mousse Pots
Serves: 4
Time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
Ingredients:
For the chocolate mousse:
2 ripe avocados
8 tbsp cocoa powder
8 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
120ml dairy-free milk
For the topping:
4 Nākd Cocoa Delight bars
Edible flowers
Method:
1. Scoop the flesh out from the avocados and add to a blender, along with the cocoa powder, sweetener and milk. Blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Divide the mousse equally and spoon into your serving glasses. Leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
3. Add the Nākd Cocoa Delight bars to a food processor and grind until it turns to rubble.
4. To serve, spoon the crumbled Nākd bars on top of the mousse pots and top with a few edible flowers.
Recipes and image courtesy of Nākd Wholefoods
Nākd bars are supporting Veganuary this year, sign up at: www.veganuary.com and get in touch @eatnakd
