“Beef” and mushroom stroganoff with rice

Hey there, im so sorry its been soooo long since my last post iv had so much goin on recently an im just exhausted but now im back (inbetween redecorating my house and helping my best friend decorate her new home lol) ill keep you all updated 🙂 
Anyway I called a restaurant where im goin for a family meal on Saturday an they said they didnt have vegan options but they would be “willing to make a mushroom stroganoff but without ghe cream…..”  an I said to my friend that a stroganoff without the cream is a “notanoff” lol but then they said they would make veg fajitas so that will do.
So I have had a hankering for stroganoff since I spoke to them, then realised I have faux beef chunks in the fridge so I made my own stroganoff 🙂 

So here is my recipe for stroganoff so you never have to have a notanoff lol

Ingredients:
Faux “beef” chunks, sliced into strips (I use vbites)
3 portabello mushrooms, sliced into strips (any large mushroom)
1 onion, sliced thinly
1cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup soy cream (I use alpro)
2tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp paprika (add more or less to taste)
1/2 tbsp parsley
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Optional: cayenne pepper dusted ontop to serve if you like a kick

Method:
1.  Fry onion in a little oil till translucent, add mushrooms and “beef chunks” an fry for 4-5mins, add mustard and paprika and stir thoroughly.

2.   Add the stock to the mixture now an simmer, add your dry parsley and salt an pepper to taste.

3.   Allow to simmer for about 5mins then add soy cream and mix, simmer for another few mins, taste as you go and adjust what you think it needs more of, make it according to YOUR tastes 🙂

4.   Serve on a bed of rice with a sprinkle of paprika or cayenne ontop (or really go nuts an put both ontop haha)

Hope you enjoy and again i apologise for bein MIA lol xxx

Tooona mayo sandwich

Hey there,  soooo just cos were vegan or vegetarian doesnt mean we cant still have a yummy “tuna mayo” sandwich, but wait, tuna is a fish and the process of stealing them from the sea where they belong means that dolphins are killed and theres just no need for that an I dont particularly want to have a dead body in my sandwich……if we can survive and have a super healthy life without having to eat dead bodys then why wouldnt you?! Im living proof that anyone can be healthy and be vegan as I have a long history of illness in my life and iv not been in hospital since being vegan 2yrs ago, bearing in mind I used to be in hospital monthly!!!….being vegan doesnt mean you “miss out” on anything because absolutely anything can be veganized 🙂  when I went vegan about 2years ago I didnt think id be able to have a tuna mayo sandwich again but that didnt stop me I just put it out of my mind but I had been trying to recreate a tuna mayo style vagan sandwich filling to no avail none tasted like the sea, which is what I fancied tasting….then one day on a vegan page on facebook called “what fat vegans eat” a lovely woman shared her version of toona mayo and a light bulb went on above my head and I thought “omg why didnt I think of that it makes soooo much sense…” I cant find the post so I cant thank her by name but if your reading this then please comment so I can thank you in “person” you have rocked my world 🙂   so that secret ingredient I was missing was nori, toasted nori sheets are the seaweed that sushi is wrapped in, it tastes like the sea and is soooo good in this…..I can say with confidence that its very very very yummy cos my husband (who hates hummus and anything with chickpeas) loves this!  Pretty cool huh?!

Ingredients:

1can chickpeas drained
2 sheets of nori
1 large dill pickle (gherkin) or 4 small ones
Salt and pepper
1tbsp Apple cider vinegar
2tsp toasted sesame oil
Red onion sliced thinly
Wholewheat seeded bread
Spoonfull of egg free mayo
Cup of sweetcorn (cooked and cooled or drained straight out the can)

Method:

1-  place the chickpeas, torn up nori, vinegar,  salt and pepper, sesame oil and pickle into a food processor and pulse a few times till all combined then empty into a large mixing bowl (remember not to pulse too much u want a bit of texture)

2- add the sweetcorn into the bowl along with the mayo and stir to combine, you can add as much or as little mayo as you like.

3- now get your bread, thinly spread some vegan margarine one side of each slice (2 slice per person) then add the tooona mayo to one half of the bread then sprinkle with thin slices of red onion (you can use thin slices of pickled onion instead which is very yummy) then pop the other piece of bread ontop, cut into trianges or rectangles, whatever your heard desires hehe

The forth step is to eat it hahaha

Hummus and veggie toastie

Hello world 🙂 its been a while since I posted any recipes bit iv had a million things going on at home with things breaking, one of those things that broke was my laptop where I find it easier to type on the laptop than my touchscreen phone lol but im doing it just for you beautiful people 🙂   the weather has been just glorious in scotland right now,  well it has been sunny this past couple weeks but today its clouding over…..typical but I have been doing some summer cookin so iv been busy in the kitchen so now ill get busy writing recipes for you guys now its cloudy haha

This is an awesome lunch for anyone who likes a toastie….and even if you dont like toasties, youll like this since its just totally amazing and yummy in hits the spot….its also healthy too as I dont use oil so much anymore in my hummus and its still great…..I also dont usually put garlic in it now either as it can be too strong and my mum hates garlic…..I must admit that iv never had shop bought hummus in my life it just looks so depressing like if it had a face it would be a sad one hahaha anyway haha…..so this toastie satisfies your hunger its healthy and if you think back to what used to be “the norm” on toasties it was all things like cheese an ham on white bread an all your getting out of that is a big fat belly and thats it, theres no nutritional goodness in a cheese an ham toastie its all fat, processed meat an empty calories…..now if your not vegan your probably thinkin well theres calcium in cheese and you would be right but the poor innocent calcium in cheese is covered in saturated fats which cause heart problems….switch to a hummus toastie on wholewheat seeded bread with fresh hummus and grilled peppers an spring onions you have lots of vitamins and minerals just in chickpeas alone never mind the extra veg and the seeds in the bread….its protein packed awesomeness….but if your thinkin about the calcium side of things think about this…..

100g of whole milk = 118mg  calcium

Compared to:

100g chickpeas = 150mg calcium

Really gets you thinkin about the healthier ways to eat and still enjoy food 🙂 

Ingredients:
1 can organic chickpeas in water, drained and rinsed reserving a little of the water from the can.

A few jalapeños to taste, (jarred sliced kind in vinegar or water) I like it spicy so I put like 5 to 7 in lol

3 or 4 sun dried tomatoes (kind in oil but drain them so there not dripping but its ok to have a little oil)

Salt and black pepper

Red or yellow pepper deseeded and sliced (grilled either on griddle pan or health grill for the charred marks)

Courgette sliced in thin ribbons and grilled with the peppers

Spring onion (scallions) thin sliced

2 wholewheat seeded bread per person

Method:

1.  First heat your grill and prepare the raw veg put a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil into your palm (a drop of oil) and rub hands together then massage the veg, this coats the veg without adding loads of oil…then place on grill for 5 mins or until the veg is marked with those lovely stripes of char 🙂 

2.   While veg is grilling, throw your chickpeas, sun dried tomatos and jalapeños into a food processor, add a pinch of salt and pepper, a drizzle of chickpea water an whizz, stopping and making sure everything is bein mixed, you dont want it smooth you want it a little chunky an good texture……taste an if u want it more spicy add more jalapeños or if it needs another tomato then go for it….its as simple as that!

3.  Now to assemble the toastie,  take a slice of your bread and spread a good coating of hummus ontop, then sprinkle the spring onions ontop then the grilled veg, add a little salt and pepper and stick the lid on, in other words put the other bit of bread ontop…put it in your health grill and close….in a few mins once its all nice n toasted with the nice stripy design on the bread its ready to be cut into triangles and served with a salad 🙂   simple, healthy and all made in under 10mins!! 🙂 

Note:  you can spread some margerine thinly on the outside of the bread so it toastes more golden but you dont need to….

Mushroom and Kale Alfredo

Hey everyone 🙂  how are you all? i hope your all well 🙂  im feeling great and even more great now iv got a tummy full of this mushroom alfredo…..right ill give you a glimpse into a day in the life of me (lol)….iv been having a fight with myself all day trying to decide what to make for dinner, and iv been going through all my old recipes and trying to find something nice but i couldn’t shake the need for mushrooms in a creamy sauce….so what would it be between?  i was thinking mushroom stroganoff, veggie supreme, mushroom au vin, mushroom pasta, mushroom and rice……then my indecisive brain decides to throw broccoli into the mix (we dont even have broccoli but i was wanting the same greenery and vitamins so kale sounded good)….so im thinking and thinking about what i could do and i thought “hey wait, iv never had mushroom alfredo before…do that!”  by this time i had already promised my husband that he would have creamy mushroom pasta and decided not to tell him id changed the name and thrown some new things in the mix in my brain hahaha so down i went to the kitchen and got out my ingredients for creamy mushroom pasta and the likes, chopped my veg while the water was boiling for the pasta and in the time it took to cook the pasta i had a full meal ready 🙂   and it was a success too 🙂  oh how i love a well stocked kitchen 🙂  So now i really hope you love this too ….its a super easy dish to make and use your nooch (nutritional yeast)

 

Ingredients: this recipe will feed 4 people along with salad

1 small onion chopped

punnet of mushrooms, anything that catches your eye

2 big garlic cloves, chopped finely

half bag of kale washed and chopped into bitesized pieces

1 carton of soya cream, i use alpro soya single cream

knob of vegan butter (gold packet stork or earth balance)

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

splash white wine

1/4 cup nutritional yeast, i use marigold

1/2 teaspoon of mustard powder

salt and pepper to taste

handful of fresh chopped parsley

250g dry wholewheat pasta twists (can use any you like)

 

Method: 

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a pinch of salt, once its at a rolling boil (bubbling) add your pasta.
2. Add onion to a wok on a med/high heat with the butter and oil and toss through for a min or so, add your mushrooms and toss to coat and fry for about 3-4mins, then add your garlic for a few mins until it becomes fragrent and smells yummy…..then add your wine until it evaporates…add the kale and stir fry for a few mins…. now add the cream and reduce heat to simmer (your pasta will be nearly cooked by now) add 1/4cup of the pasta cooking water into the sauce along with the mustard powder…..give a good stir
3. Add your nutritional yeast, parsley and pepper and taste if you need it which you might not then add salt and stir again to combine….taste again (the key to cooking is tasting all the time, its a little bonus haha)   
4. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat the pasta…..yummy…..serve with a little fresh pasley ontop and a salad on the side 🙂

 

Burns supper

hello and warm greetings from Scotland….the home of Robert Burns aka Rabbie (pictured above), along with countless other famous Scots, but for now we will concentrate on good old Rabbie since on the 25th January it will be that time of year again where Scottish people all over the world will tuck into a traditional feast at there Burns Supper…we celebrate Robert Burns night on the same night every year which is the anniversary of his death, he was a legendary poet he wrote the very popular song “Auld Lang Syne” which we all sing at the end of party’s or new years….everyone knows it the world over but some may not know it was robert burns who wrote it….traditionally we would eat haggis neeps and tatties or to everyone else, haggis turnip and mashed potato.   For starter’s we would have some soup, either scotch broth or cock-a-leekie soup….my favorite would be the latter, but what i don’t like about it is the chicken in the soup, but that’s easy fixed, you just don’t use it lol   and obviously haggis as we all know (and 99% of people like to ignore!!) is made from sheep’s pluck (heart, liver and lungs) combined with  with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally encased in the animal’s stomach and simmered for approximately three hours…not a nice thought at all and certainly not good for your heart or arteries either!!….Now a days you can get different variety’s of vegetarian haggis from supermarkets that are fine but still full of fats and carbs with only a tiny bit of protein …..so this Burns Supper ill be making “Mock-a-Leekie Soup” for starter and a traditional dish “Stovies” for main course with oatcakes on the side…… that a little bit healthier for your heart…..still allot of carbohydrates but who cares haha    There’s nothing wrong with a little of what you fancy hehe

Well ill be honest, iv only ever had this dish once in my life before now but ill start with a little history on my eating habits growing up and why i had never ate this dish or many other meat dishes until i knew you could make them safely with vegetarian food….  iv always tried to be vegetarian since very very young, like allot of kids they see the connection with animals and food and think “no thanks” but as i had no support and everyone thought i was “going through a phase” and because it was such a “big deal” to not eat what i was given i used to just pick at things and there’s no way you would see me eat a mooshed up mess of meat haha  i always picked at things and wasted half of my dinner because i didn’t like it…..allot of kids decide to go vegetarian and are not taken seriously its terrible when the majority of people say you have to let the kids choose to be veggie themselves…. but if a vegetarian decides to bring there kids up vegetarian there’s a big shocked reply saying its not fair to force kids into a life of vegetables but the fact is no one gives there kids a choice we all make a decision based on what we ourselves think is right…. if a kid is told the truth about where the meat is coming from and what it involves most would choose to be veggie its all about being honest about where your food comes from …..NO KIDS GET A CHOICE UNLESS YOU LET THEM DECIDE……just a little thought 🙂   Anyways  i was at my husbands cousins wedding 4 years ago and to set the scene it was beautiful, the bride was stunning the house looked onto a loch and hills, the wine was flowing so later on we had a ceilidh,  strip the willow and the dashing white sergeant were some of the favorites haha but in between the céilidh we had a snack of Stovies …i didn’t really know what it was but i heard the word vegetarian and i got a bowl, it was nice….don’t know if that was the wine taking affect but it stuck in my mind….i never did have it again until today as i haven’t been anywhere that had vegetarian stovies….or stovies for that matter haha  if your wondering what a ceilidh is well i hope this demonstrates how fun it is….if you ever have the chance to attend a ceilidh do it you will have lots of fun and probably end up with a few bruises but you’ll live hahaha  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdH2CD-mKb8

So there’s the history of stovies in my life…..and a bit of a letting off of some steam hahaha     Now lets get onto the recipes and cooking….oh and some photos 🙂

Mock-a-Leekie Soup.

INGREDIENTS:

2 leeks, trimmed, washed and chopped

1 medium potato, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped small

1/2 cup brown rice, rinsed

1 liter of vegetable stock

tbsp chopped fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1.  Throw all of your ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil, let boil for a few mins then turn down to a simmer, leave to simmer checking and stirring every 10 mins (ish) to ensure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom….
2.  If your soup is looking too thick then just add more water…..its not an exact science you just add it in and taste, if its good then its good 🙂
3.  once the veg and rice are all cooked through (about 45mins) its ready…..don’t worry if your soup takes longer to cook its ok its not exact just keep tasting and adding water.

^^^ that looks good 🙂   ^^^

Stovies

INGREDIENTS:

2 onion’s, halfed and sliced

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large maris piper, chopped

8 new potatoes cut into 4 each (baby or salad potatoes)

5 Linda McCartney sausages, cooked and chopped chunkie

1 liter of vegetable stock

1 tsp Marmite or other yeast extract

salt and pepper

METHOD:

1.   Pop the onion into a pot with a little drizzle of water to “fry” the onions without the fat (if your not watching the calories then use a little vegetable butter) once they start to soften add the carrots to sweat, then add the baby potatoes for a few mins until they sweat or change colour a little……now add the Maris piper and stock and bring to bubble adding Marmite and thyme and salt and pepper, stir and cover and simmer for 30 mins making sure you stir and make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
2.   Once 30 mins is up add the sausage chunks and stir, if the veg is looking very dry then add a little more stock or water to keep from sticking, if the veg is ready and there seems to be too much moisture then just bring to a bubble with the lid off, stirring all the time, it will thicken up in no time at all.
3.   Serve in a bowl with a little stack of good old Scottish oatcakes to scoop it all up…..easy peasy 🙂

^^^ Ill be the first to admit its not very pretty….but it tastes darn good!!  honestly you’ll love it 🙂

^^^^ This is a photo i took on Sunday, its Loch Lomond on a cold and frosty morning….it was soooo cold, i think those little ducks are frozen into the water haha just kidding hehe

^^^^ This is a photo of Dunnottar Castle on the east coast of Scotland….beautiful isn’t it..

^^^^ Glamis castle…..you may know this castle from reading Shakespeare’s Macbeth or maybe you know that Glamis was the childhood home of HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the birthplace of HRH The Princess Margaret!  If you didn’t know those things, you do now haha

haste ye back ……hope you have a lovely Burns Supper and learn a little about Scotland…ill leave you with a little poem about a little mouse that robert burns found in winter….

 

Burns Original                                             Standard English Translation

Wee, sleekit, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie, O, what a panic’s in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty Wi bickering brattle! I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee, Wi’ murdering pattle. I’m truly sorry man’s dominion Has broken Nature’s social union, An’ justifies that ill opinion Which makes thee startle At me, thy poor, earth born companion An’ fellow mortal! I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! A daimen icker in a thrave ‘S a sma’ request; I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave, An’ never miss’t. Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin! An’ naething, now, to big a new ane, O’ foggage green! An’ bleak December’s win’s ensuin, Baith snell an’ keen! Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste, An’ weary winter comin fast, An’ cozie here, beneath the blast, Thou thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel coulter past Out thro’ thy cell. That wee bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble, Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! Now thou’s turned out, for a’ thy trouble, But house or hald, To thole the winter’s sleety dribble, An’ cranreuch cauld. But Mousie, thou art no thy lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men Gang aft agley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, For promis’d joy! Still thou are blest, compared wi’ me! The present only toucheth thee: But och! I backward cast my e’e, On prospects drear! An’ forward, tho’ I canna see, I guess an’ fear!

Small, crafty, cowering, timorous little beast, O, what a panic is in your little breast! You need not start away so hasty With argumentative chatter! I would be loath to run and chase you, With murdering plough-staff. I’m truly sorry man’s dominion Has broken Nature’s social union, And justifies that ill opinion Which makes you startle At me, your poor, earth born companion And fellow mortal! I doubt not, sometimes, but you may steal; What then? Poor little beast, you must live! An odd ear in twenty-four sheaves Is a small request; I will get a blessing with what is left, And never miss it. Your small house, too, in ruin! Its feeble walls the winds are scattering! And nothing now, to build a new one, Of coarse grass green! And bleak December’s winds coming, Both bitter and keen! You saw the fields laid bare and wasted, And weary winter coming fast, And cozy here, beneath the blast, You thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel plough passed Out through your cell. That small bit heap of leaves and stubble, Has cost you many a weary nibble! Now you are turned out, for all your trouble, Without house or holding, To endure the winter’s sleety dribble, And hoar-frost cold. But little Mouse, you are not alone, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes of mice and men Go often awry, And leave us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy! Still you are blest, compared with me! The present only touches you: But oh! I backward cast my eye, On prospects dreary! And forward, though I cannot see, I guess and fear!

Lean Mean Bean Burger (L.M.B.B Burger)

hey all 🙂  hope everyone is well and keeping healthy 🙂  are you sticking to your resolutions? i hope your here because one of your resolutions was to go veggie or vegan, or even just a promise to cut down on meat for your health….either way you will hopefully love to get your jaws round a nice burger…but it gets better, this is a healthy burger full of protein, fiber, yummy flavors and packed full of vitamins and minerals too 🙂    We all know that meat burgers are full of protein and some people who are uneducated with nutrition would think that anything without meat is missing protein….they wouldn’t be further from the truth,  while meat burgers do have protein its high is saturated fat which causes heart problems and high cholesterol oh and not to mention the news just out that there’s horse DNA in some burgers lol ….plant protein on the other hand is healthy, low in fat and calories, packed full of vitamins and fiber (which you will not find in your meat ones)  PLUS ….they taste soooo good too 🙂  Also if your looking to get your kids into the kitchen, helping and cooking this is a great recipe to start them out….rolling up is great fun for kids 🙂  

hope you enjoy xx

 

Ingredients:  (makes 6 patties) 

 

2 tins black beans (drained, washed)

1 cup mashed sweet potato (chop small and roast or steam until soft)

1cup porridge oats (not quick cook) you probably wont need all of these just add till correct texture

3 Tbsp barbecue sauce

1 Tbsp Vegetarian Worcestershire style sauce

2 Tbsp chopped pickled jalapenos

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

cracked black pepper and pinch of salt

**Whatever your favorite toppings are feel free to use them but here’s mine**

beef tomato slices

gherkin slices (dill pickles)

organic ketchup

sliced jalapenos

wholegrain sandwich thins

romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, pea-shoots, cucumber, red pepper tossed salad for topping burger and as a salad on the side……make a quick vinaigrette using, extra virgin olive oil + balsamic vinegar + wholegrain mustard + drop of brown rice syrup (or honey if you eat it) and shake up in a tiny jar (i recycle jars by washing out old jars of mustard and things and use them for all sorts of things) 

 

Method:

1.   Throw all the burger ingredients (not oats yet) into a food processor and pulse a few times and remember to push the mixture down to make sure it all combines, you want to keep it a little chunky….add in the oats little by little until the mixture is firm but moist and holds together.
2.   Take a handful of mixture into your hands and form a ball, then gently press down to form a burger patties and set onto a baking sheet sprayed with extra virgin and continue until all mixture has been transformed into burgers.  grill in a medium grill for around 15mins or until golden brown all over, flipping carefully halfway through.
3.   While there cooking get a burger decorating area for everyone to help themselves to when the burgers are ready….

 

 

 

Vegetable and lentil broth

Hey you guuys 🙂 so your looking for a healthy dinner or lunch? Well you came to the right place…..im all about health and well being 🙂  this is a soup that my gran used to make and that her mum made an her mum made too….everyone has this soup in my family, though they blend or cook it with ham or chicken in it which isnt so good at all 😦  i think this version is the same if not a million times better and also super healthy too….we had it for dinner tonight and kept it very chunky as i dont like blended soup much i prefer to eat my soup not drink it 🙂  dont get me wrong sometimes i like blended soup but if i have lots of veg i like to make it into a meal 🙂   my granny makes soup allot and her soups are lovely but i do like a chunky soup…..my gran makes a lovely broccoli soup and a curried cauliflower soup which ill get up one day but this one is perfect for now 🙂   great for a health kick and great for your tummy too full of yummy veg that keeps your bowels full of fibre…..before i go onto the recipe, if you simply MUST have bread with your soup and you usualy have 2 or more slices then cut that out…stop it! Lol …if you must have bread have a slice of wholemeal seeded bread with some pure spread or other vegan spread you like….i dont have bread with this soup because it doesnt need it it has everything in it already to keep you full……note to self…say no to the bread if your having a chunky soup with potatoes and lentils in it hehe

Ingredients:
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium leeks, chopped into circles
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 or 2 maris piper potatoes cubed, leave skin on
1cup red split lentils
1pint vegetable stock, vegan boullion melted in boiled water
Water to cover the vegetables and more to add as they cook to keep it soup and not moosh 🙂

Method:

    1.   Throw all your veg and lentils into a large pot and add everything else to the pot…the water is just added to make it brothy.   Boil until your veg is soft and cooked through and taste….if it needs more stock then add a spoonfull of veg boullion into the pot and leave for 10 mins stirring all the time so the stock dissolves……add in a little salt and as much cracked black pepper as you like…..we are a pepper pot household we looove our pepper and add allot of it so it burns our lips hahaha its sooo good tho…..

This recipe is soooo simple and so yummy and you know its healthy too….

***TIP FOR PARENTS:    hey mummys and daddys….if your wondering if your babies and kids can have this soup of course they can but remember to buy low sodium stock, you can get that from the baby food area of the supermarket ….dont add salt or pepper and if its for a little baby then blend if its for a slightly older baby who likes some lumps then mash it with a potato masher 🙂

***TIP…FREEZING:  this freezes really well so just pop it in a dish and freeze either in a big batch or indevidual portions…if its for the little ones then in little pots for them 🙂 remember to lable them and date them but they should keep for a good while 🙂

“chicken” pot pie

hello everyone wherever you are in the world….i just thought id say how happy i am your reading this and hope you try out my recipes and love them as much as me and my family do 🙂   i hope you all take a second to give me some feedback or even if you have any questions id love to answer them…..or any requests of anything you wish to see veganised or if you have visitors who are vegetarian or vegan id love to help with that too 🙂   

   I first thought up this recipe years ago and just found it stored in my computer it needed a bit of dusting off and a freshen up but it was super yummy and worth a try…its great for a winter warmer to heat you up when its pouring of rain outside like it is here right now….its vegan but i serve it to meat eaters and they have no idea…..its so creamy and fresh you would never know…..i think that’s how you make a winning vegan dish, to make it so good that even a meat eater wouldn’t notice 🙂  Also you don’t need any accompaniments with this pie as it has everything all in one bowl 🙂 

 

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

40g butter

100g button mushrooms, sliced 

40g plain flour , plus extra for dusting

400ml soya milk , (warmed in pot with a bay leaf, 5 whole black pepper corns and half an onion) 

1 cup vegetable stock

grating of nutmeg, (i love nutmeg so i use too much probably but id say about a quarter nut) 

1 heaped teaspoon mustard powder 

couple handfuls of vegan chicken style pieces 

2 bay leaf’s

200g mix of sweetcorn , peas, broccoli broken into small pieces, carrots chopped small 

4 new potatoes sliced, steamed slightly before adding

glass white wine

250g shortcrust pastry (you can make your own but its easier to buy pre-rolled its exactly the same just quicker and its vegan read the packet)

salt and pepper

chopped fresh chives and parsley about a handful all together

zest of 1 lemon and juice of half

soya milk, for glazing

sprinkle of poppy seeds to finish

 

METHOD              Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

1. Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and leave to cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. 
   add carrot and mushrooms to the pan with the onions, fry for about 5mins then add your flour a bit at a time to create a roux which is really a thick paste that will help your sauce thicken, and cook for around 2mins just so the flour combines well and the flour cooks so the dish wont have a floury taste.

2. Slowly add the warm milk to the pan, stirring all the time.
   Once all the milk has been added, stir in the stock, wine, season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and mustard powder.
   Add the bay leaf and bring to the boil, stirring all the time to stop the sauce becoming lumpy and add your veg and vegan chicken style pieces, your herbs and lemon.

3. When the sauce has thickened, simmer for around 20mins to cook the veg through.

4. Put the pastry on a clean, floured surface. Make sure you also dust the rolling pin with flour.
   Roll out the pastry and lift it carefully over the dish and trim off the pastry hanging over the edge of the dish.
   Press the outside edge of the pastry with a fork or your fingers.

5. Brush the top of the pie with a little soya milk and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
   Make a small hole in the center of the pastry top to allow the steam to escape.

6. Place the pie in the oven for 25 mins. It is ready when golden brown.

*TIP* You can use any leftover pastry to decorate the top of the pie with pastry shapes i like to make a couple of little leaves or love hearts or anything that takes my fancy……like if you do individual ones you could put initials on them 🙂

 

Enjoy xx

 

 

 

Healthy Tacos with all the Trimmings

hello foodies 🙂 hope everyone is well and hope you are not having the same horrible wet weather were having here its horrible….i have a cheek to complain because we dont get hurricanes and horrible things like that just rain, wind and very slippy leafs on the ground lol anyways back to the food……you need to promise me you wont tell on me but im still supposed to be on a soup and mooshy food but today i needed to eat some tacos so i did…..im paying for it now since my jaw is agony but it was sooooo worth it !! thats how i know these are great haha Also i would like to introduce you to a healthier way to have tacos and guacamame is extra special as it tastes just like traditional guacamole but with half the fat and more vitamins 🙂  win win situation right there!!

Ingredients:

taco “meat”:

1lbs veggie crumbles (minced beef style)
2tsp chili powder
2tsp ground cumin
1tsp garlic salt
1tsp black pepper
1tsp paprika
1tsp shoyu
few splashes of tabasco depending on how hot you like it
1/2tsp dijon mustard
1/4tsp chilli flakes
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 tin chopped tomatoes
4 wholewheat tortilla wraps

Method:

1.   fry your onions in a tbsp of vegetable oil until translucent then add the crumbles until cooked then add all the spices and sauces along with your tomatoes and fry for about 15mins…….

2.    while thats cooking now make your guacamame and salsa and set aside (directions below)

3.    to make your taco shells preheat oven at gas 5 you take your tortillas and heat for about 20seconds just to soften in the microwave and spray with some low calorie cooking spray and hang over the racks in the oven and bake for about 3-4 mins you can keep them in longer or shorter depending on how crispy or soft you like them.

Guacamame:

1/2 avocado (ripe)
cup cooked edamame beans cooled
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tomato fine chopped
salt and pepper
splash tabasco
1spring onion chopped fine (scallion)
1/2tsp garlic salt
handfull of chopped parsley (you can use corriander but im not a fan)

method:

1.  moosh everything together and taste and add salt and pepper and more tabasco to taste

Salsa:

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion chopped fine
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 jalapeno pepper (or a couple pickled jalapenos chopped)
handfull of chopped fresh parsley

method:

1.  mix everything together and taste and add some salt and pepper to taste.

ps….hope you enjoy 🙂 and sorey for the bad photos my fancy camera was out of batterys and i used my phone but it gets the idea out there!