Halloween Recipe - Roast pumpkin linguine with sundried tomatoes and a chilli, basil, walnut pesto.

Happy Halloween!

I love pumpkin - not quite as sweet as butternut squash and very versatile. But I bet there's a few people who carve one up for Halloween and don't know what to do with the flesh?! Oh! what a waste :(

So, no excuses now, I've come up with this delicious Vegan creation especially for you - perfect for a cold autumnal eve before sitting round the fire and telling ghost stories until the witching hour.........

Enjoy!  

Chantal xx

roast pumpkin linguine with sundried tomatoes & a chilli, basil, walnut pesto

[serves 2 - 4 or 2 generous suppers & 2 light lunches the next day]

Gather:

ingredients gathered - i used half of this pumpkin

Roast veg

Chopped flesh of a small - medium pumpkin.

2 small - medium red onions sliced into 8-12 (leave root intact so slices hold together)

1/2 jaror deli pack of sundried tomatoes in oil - tomatoes cut into 4 pieces each

freshly ground black pepper

salt (I use pink Himalayan - expensive but wonderful and toxin-free)

Pesto

2 cloves of garlic roughly sliced

1 small pack of fresh basil - roughly torn (reserve a few leaves for the garnish)

1 handful of walnuts (approx 10 halves)

1 red chilli deseeded and roughly chopped

extra virgin olive oil or light rapeseed oil (or oil of choice)

Other

150g dry linguine pasta

1 slice stale bread (I used granary sourdough)

A little oil for frying

Create:

Set your oven to high - 220C, 200C fan, GM 7, Aga 'hot'.

1.  Chop the pumpkin, onion and tomatoes, add to a roasting dish, season and pour over about 2 tbsp of the oil from the sundried tomatoes. Mix well to coat.

veg ready to roast

2.  Roast in the oven for approx 25 mins (stiring half way) or until the pumpkin has caramelised around the edges.

3.  Add the pesto ingredients to a blender and whiz to your preferred consistency - adding oil as you go - again to the consistency that you prefer. Season if you wish.

chilli, basil, walnut pesto

4. 15 minutes into roasting your veg bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the linguine according to packet instructions - usually for about 9 minutes for the perfect 'al dente' texture.

5.  Whilst this is cooking heat some oil in a pan and fry the bread cubes until golden brown and then drain on kitchen paper.

granary sour dough bread made incredible croutons

6.  Remove the roast vegetables from the oven, drain the pasta, add to the vegetables, pour over the pesto and stir to coat and mix in well. Serve topped with the croutons, fresh basil leaves and condiments as below!

Enjoy:

I can't resist serving any pasta dish with added Nutritional Yeast Flakes as sprinkles (good for your B12 intake too). I also added some Vegan bacon flavour salad sprinkles - which were incredible with this! And lashings of Vegan mayo on the side made my trio of condiments complete!

Cooks Tips:  This would also be lovely with other cucurbits such as courgettes and with pumpkin other herbs such as rosemary and sage work well roasted with it (although they are very pungent and pumpkin has quite a delicate flavour - so use sparingly).

Learn to love this veg and don't just cook it for Halloween (see why below!)

Health benefits of Pumpkin

• It is one of the very low calorie vegetables. 100 g fruit provides just 26 calories and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol; however, it is rich in dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals, vitamins. The vegetable is one of the food items recommended by dieticians in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.
  
• Pumpkin is a storehouse of many anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin-A, vitamin-C and vitamin-E.
  
• With 7384 mg per 100 g, it is one of the vegetables in the Cucurbitaceae family featuring highest levels of vitamin-A, providing about 246% of RDA. Vitamin A is a powerful natural anti-oxidant and is required by the body for maintaining the integrity of skin and mucus membranes. It is also an essential vitamin for good visual sight. Research studies suggest that natural foods rich in vitamin A help a body protects against lung and oral cavity cancers.
  
• It is also an excellent source of many natural poly-phenolic flavonoid compounds such as α, ß carotenes, cryptoxanthin, lutein and zea-xanthin. Carotenes convert into vitamin A inside the body.
  
• Zea-xanthin is a natural anti-oxidant which has UV (ultra-violet) rays filtering actions in the macula lutea in retina of the eyes. Thus, it helps protect from "age-related macular disease" (ARMD) in the elderly.
  
• The fruit is a good source of B-complex group of vitamins like folates, niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin and pantothenic acid.
  
• It is also rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorus.
  

Conversations with a Vegan - Oh! the youth of today?! Our positive future it seems...

A couple of weekends back I decided enough was enough and it was time to broach the subject of my veganism in more depth with my friends and family.

I felt as though time had moved on, relationships had drifted and that although my life has changed quite significantly, I haven't fully included those people who I love and trust the most.

Consequently, it's not surprising that I was feeling 'Alone in Veganville' and that no-one understood me! How could they, if I hadn't taken the time to explain my new life?

I got some help and encouragement from some Twitter friends (thanks guys - awesome, as usual) and armed with spoon-dissolving strong coffee, bravely picked up the phone.

I got 6 no-replies and 12 answering machines.

Great.

 

Undeterred by the feeling that people have now started screening out my vegan-evangelising calls :( I left chatty, lively, 'hello'! messages and turned to good ole' email.

A (no-doubt plant-fuelled) brainwave then hit me to include a little Vegan questionnaire that I had recently posted - you know, just to see what THEY all thought about vegans and veganism.

I have to say - that so far - it's been by far the best approach I've taken to talking this through! Because their responses told me what they knew and how they felt about it all - giving ME the opportunity to dispel any myths, present the facts and explain just how much my new life means to me and why.

What a revelation! And to my further surprise, I had this rather lovely conversation with one of my younger family members - my beautiful 13 year old niece. What an utter joy.

See what you think, and, as always with these posts, I'd love to hear your constructive feedback, thoughts and suggestions.

And if you're facing some similar issues with speaking to friends and family - then I can wholeheartedly say that you too - SHOULD try this at home!

Enjoy.

Chantal xx

ME

Extract from original email I sent to people:

[Family news / waffle]

Also in other news, David and I have gone fully vegan now. Its been really interesting and our health has improved amazingly! We're really enjoying it. Im getting involved in some research about it all and actually would really value all of your opinions if you could spend just a couple of minutes each answering a few research questions for me???

I'll list them below.

Its best to just go with initial gut reactions and dont worry about offending us - we probably would have given some quite different answers a couple of years ago ourselves!

Anyway - hope you are all well and hear from you soon. Lots of love to you all.

1.    What do you think of when you hear the word 'vegan' ? i.e. what does it mean to you?

2.    What type of people do you think are vegans?

3. Who do you know that is vegan? (can be in your circles or in the public eye etc)

4.    Have you ever considered being vegan?

5.    What do you think has stopped you from trying a vegan lifestyle?

6.    What would tempt you to try a vegan lifestyle?

[if the answer to 4. is that you have already tried being vegan, but you are no longer vegan - please say why you gave up and what would tempt you to try again.]

NIECE

1. Vegetables

2.healthy

3.uncle and auntie

4.no

5.i like meat and I love cheese and chocolate

6.trying new foods

Hope this helps x

ME

Hi!

Thank you so much for answering these Q's for me - I'm doing a survey to find out more about how vegans are perceived. Its really interesting finding out what people think and know because there is a lot of incorrect information out there. Its important to me and your uncle that you know we havent changed (perhaps only for the better) and that we arent part of a weird cult or anything. 

If it helps, I can tell you a little bit more?

You're right we do eat lots of vegetables, but there are lots of grains that we eat too - things like rice you will be familiar with (I know you love a curry!), there is a vast variety of veg to get through so its never boring! There is also fruit of course and a whole range of herbs and spices. There are also many products on the market now that are like fake meats and cheeses and they are improving all the time - so if we ever fancy anything like that we can have it!
You're right about health too - did you think your uncle looked better? His doctors say his health has never been better :) Veganism is described as a plant-based diet and all of the foods that are good for the human body are in this diet and science is proving just how beneficial it is.

Lots of people have never considered trying being vegan for exactly the reasons you say. Like you, we used to love meat and cheese but over time just felt that living in the UK we dont need to eat these things (because we have other options) and that we'd therefore rather we didnt, because farming techniques are getting worse.
Fortunately, with a bit of learning I've been able to compensate by making lots of lovely new types of foods!
Veganism is about more than food though as well - we now don't use any products that contain an ingredient or component that originates from any animals and we don't buy any products that have been tested on animals. Of course this is better for the animals, but it turns out that its quite an environmentally friendly option too. We havent got rid of all our old stuff though - so we may still wear leather occasionally, but we make different decisions on new stuff we buy now. If you're still into design it will be something for you to consider in the future because people are moving away from using fur, leather, skins and feathers etc

It was interesting that you said trying new foods would interest you. I think your Dad said to Uncle D that you are going to be studying Hospitality Management at school - did he tell you thats what I went on to study at Uni? snap! I really loved it because there was a lot of variety in it. As part of the course I expect you will do some catering lessons maybe and also some menu planning?? It may even crop up that you have to consider customer types and different diets like vegetarian and vegan - which hospitality places need to provide now. So maybe knowing us as vegans could help??!!
If you are interested - for the last few weeks I have kept a food diary of some of the things we eat at home and you can see all of the pictures on my blog - I'll give you the links here

http://veggiesoup4thesoul.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/vegan-mofo-90-ways-to-show-compassion.html

http://veggiesoup4thesoul.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/vegan-mofo-real-freedom-food-week-2.html

http://veggiesoup4thesoul.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/veganmofo-compassion-is-fashion-with.html


Thanks again - shame I couldnt have come with Uncle D and seen you all - hopefully won't be too long until we meet up! 

Hope school is good and you're having fun as well as working hard!

Lots of love

NIECE

Thanks for that information. I am doing a lot of work in catering about different diets so it is very useful to know about veganism.

I am going to ask people in my class about some of the questions you asked me and so i will come back to you with my own research for you.

I am also going to ask my catering teacher if we can discus veganism in class and maybe cook some vegan meals.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

ME

Hey - aw its a pleasure - and thank you for your lovely reply. That would be so wonderful if you could ask your friends what they know about vegans too - I'd be really interested to hear that. You see its quite upsetting that there is a lot of wrong info out there.
Hopefully your teacher will be open to the idea of discussing it in class - and you can ask me any questions any time you like (or uncle D) and I will answer you honestly and to the best of my knowledge. Of course I have lots of vegan food ideas and recipes too - for example I can now make a cheesecake without cheese or any dairy products or even butter in the biscuit base and it tastes just as good!! imagine that! its also possible to make cakes without butter or eggs!! its very clever how modern food products can be used - and its advancing all the time - so I may even have a more up to date idea than your teacher!
Have fun and let me know how it goes.
Its lovely to hear from you.

Chantal xx

Recipe: Sweet potato and chilli empanadas with lime mayonnaise.

'Hola'!

I've gone all Mexican in my house lately. I discovered a little freebie Mexican cook book tucked in my bookcase which turned out to be vegetarian and actually 90% vegan! So it's revived my love of this tasty cuisine.

Empanadas are basically fried Mexican pasties and while the recipe I've used (as you'll see from the 'chaos' pic below, was tasty - it sure as hell was messy! So I've rewritten it, with my slant on improved flavour AND a methodology that won't have you getting sweet potato and dough up the walls for 3 hours (sorry Dave).

 I've been meaning to make these for ages and I'm so glad I finally have. These are 'deliciosa'! and I unapologetically scoffed 4 of them and then needed a siesta...

Chantal xx

sweet potato and chilli empanadas with ribbon salad & lime mayonnaise

[ makes either 12 or 24 large empanadas - enough for you and a mariachi band :) ]

Gather                                                                                                                                       

Kitchen stuff you'll need:

Food processor, large pan, kettle, chopping board, peeler and knives, 2 large roasting tins, rolling pin, pastry brush, pastry cutter, large bowl, dessert spoon, fish slice and spatula, sense of adventure, poncho, apron... 

ingredients

Filling (for 24, halve if you only want to make 12)

600g sweet potato - peeled and cubed

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 small brown onions - finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic - grated / crushed

1 red jalapeno chili - deseeded and very finely sliced (leave some seeds if you like it hot!)

1 green jalapeno chili - deseeded and very finely sliced (leave some seeds if you like it hot!)

30g raisins

30g ground almonds

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Dough (for 12, make 2 lots if you want to make all 24 empanadas)

350g plain flour

50g soft sunflower margarine (I use Pure)

1/2 tsp salt

200ml boiling water

Oil to cook - approx 200ml+

Extra flour to dust your work surface and rolling pin.

Dip

4 heaped dessert spoons of mayonnaise (I use Plamil Organic Egg Free)

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Create

1.  Cook the sweet potato in simmering water for about 10 minutes or until soft. Drain and add to your large bowl.

2.  While the potatoes are cooking sautee your onions in the oil on a low to medium heat until they start to soften and go translucent. 

3.  Add the garlic, chillies and raisins to the onions and continue to cook gently for another 5 minutes.

4.  Add the onion mix to the potatoes, sprinkle over the ground almonds, cinnamon, salt and pepper and mix really well to combine. It is fine if the potato mashes up a little.

5.  Switch on your oven to warm up and pour enough oil into the roasting tins to completely cover the bottom - up to about 5ml deep. Place the trays in the oven.

6.  Next prepare your dough - add all of the dry ingredients to your blender, switch it on and carefully add the boiling water. Keep the blender running until a dough ball has formed -
** this will not take very long - just a few moments**.

7.  Flour your work surface and tip the dough out onto it. Cut the dough into 12 pieces - half, half again and then each piece into 3 will help to make them equal.

8.  Flour your rolling pin and roll a piece into as round a shape as you can manage - about 3mm thickness and 18cm diameter. Don't worry too much about getting a perfect round though as you can trim them to tidy them up.

9.  Place a heaped dessert spoon of your sweet potato mix onto the dough circle. Place it on the half furthest from you (there's a good reason for this). 

10.  Use a pastry brush to brush a little water in a crescent shape around the filling on the far side from you.

11.  Gently fold the dough nearest you over the filling using a cupped hand to press the filling down and expel excess air. Then press the dough together where the water has been brushed to form a tight seal. (NB the dough should be big enough that no filling will ooze out of the sides.)

12.  You can then trim excess 'scruffy' dough either using a sharp knife or a serrated pastry cutter to form a neat & pretty edge and a large crescent shape.

13.  Gently lift the empanada with a fish slice and set to one side on a lightly floured surface and repeat with the remainder of the dough and the filling. (You can either make a second batch of dough as mentioned above or keep the remaining filling to make chimichangas or enchiladas!)

Tip: I used a 'fish slice' spatula to lift the empanadas off the work surface as they are quite delicate to lift by hand and you don't want to risk tearing them.

14.  By the time you've made all 12 your oven should be up to temperature, so take out the roasting trays and carefully add 6 empanadas to each - flipping them over gently with two spatulas so that they are covered in oil.

empanadas gently place on tray of hot oil

15.  Place the trays back in the oven and bake for approx 8 minutes. (you can make a salad accompaniment during this time). Then carefully remove the trays and turn each empanada over with your 2 spatulas (I say carefully as they can still be a little fragile at this stage and the oil will be bubbling hot.)

16.  Return to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes or until you can see that the pastries are a lovely golden brown colour. (You can make the mayo dip during this time by simply combining the ingredients listed in a small bowl with a fork or small whisk).

17.  Once the empanadas are cooked, carefully remove them from the oven and rest on some pieces of laid out kitchen roll to absorb some of the excess oil.

chaotic aftermath - but worth it!

Enjoy!

Serve with a fresh crisp salad (as you can see, this time I used a mixed baby leaf salad with ribbons of cucumber and carrots topped with tomatoes slices, drizzled with a little omega 3,6,9 oil and some grinds of fresh black pepper. I had the mayo as a dip on the side but ended up pouring it all over the salad!

Cooks tip: for an authentic taste use Serrano chillies - which are a little hotter than jalapenos. If this has inspired you to get your sombrero on I'd recommend these great Mexican food product websites:

http://www.mexgrocer.co.uk/home.php

http://www.mexgrocer.co.uk/home.php

VeganMofo - Compassion is the fashion with fabulous vegan foods... Week 3

Can you believe it's:

Week 3 of VeganMofo!

What's it all about and what did you miss on weeks 1 and 2? Please check here!

What's coming up next? Only another 21 more delicious meal ideas!
Is there no end to the vegan food possibilities???
I don't think so!

Sunday  15.9.13

Spicy bravas-style tofu scramble on multiseed toast with baked forestiere mushrooms.

You all know by now I love a brunch at the weekend and this one is so low calorie and so tasty that you can enjoy a really hearty portion that sets you up for the day! 

Egg-free, dairy-free chocolate macadamia fudge brownies.

My first attempt at making these - made using a ground flax seed 'egg' ! Who knew this could be so easy and who would have guessed they would disappear in an afternoon?!

A nut roast slice (from Healthy Pulses, Exeter) with olive oil mash and lots of mixed steamed veg.

We've all heard of the stereotypical 'vegan nut roast' - but let me tell you, don't knock it 'til you've tried it - it's far tastier and far better than many other roasts I could mention!

Monday 16.9.13

Porridge made with almond milk and oats, topped with the last of the summer berries (raspberries, blueberries & a lone strawberry!), flaked almonds & agave nectar.

One of the simplest most delicious breakfasts you can make and there are so many different moo-free milks to try. Almond and oat are my favourite.

#VeganMofo lunch: I'm eating a 'Hungry Monk' (!) at Tyepyedong #Exeter. Noodle bars r gr8 4 #vegan food! pic.twitter.com/sETWcHtKVx
— Chantal DH (@vegsoup4thesoul) September 16, 2013

Baked leek risotto with onions, peppers and vegan mozarella.

This is a great weeknight supper dish, because you chop, throw it into a dish and bake.

I love it with lashings of tomato ketchup - may not be classy, but it works for me!

Tuesday 17.9.13

Pumpkin-seed toast with homemade damson jam and a fresh pear on the side.

I always try to add a fruit or veg element to a breakfast and these blush pears are amazing!

Baked sweet potato falafels with fresh salad and wholemeal pitta.

The 'after' pic was a somewhat full pitta oozing with mayo and chilli sauce too! Pretty much anything could go into a falafel - they're as limiting as your imagination :)

Mixed marinated vegetable kebabs (mango chilli sauce, BBQ sauce, satay sauce) on a bed of fluffy couscous and with a side of hm coleslaw.

Yes, I am officially addicted to coleslaw - I would add it to everything if I could. It's raw and healthy too!

Wednesday 18.9.13

Birchers-style muesli with fresh apple and blackcurrants.

This seems to be one of those breakfasts you get on buffet bars in more upmarket hotels - but so simple to make at home. Last week on Mofo I made this goji pineapple muesli and here it is revamped with some added fruit and soya yoghurt.

Homemade crispy, golden, spicy sweet potato empanadas, with lime mayonnaise and a 'ribbon' salad.

A bit of an indulgent lunch this one - but fabulous if you have people over (which I did) because it's tasty, unusual and they'll never guess its vegan! 

Homemade spaghetti bolognaise, made with soya mince and vegan red wine (1 bottle of!)

Everyone loves a good 'ole spag bol don't they - and I'm no exception. Making meals like this using a meat substitute is a great way to start out on the vegan lifestyle. 

Thursday 19.9.13

Sunflower seed toast with cashew nut butter and a raspberry, pineapple, vanilla smoothie on the side.

I never used to like peanut butter, but nut butters do really appeal to me, so I tried cashew as an alternative and I love it! Worth a go if you feel the same :)

Spicy sweet potato with baby gem and homemade coleslaw in a salsa tortilla wrap.

This was left over empanada filling and perfect for a lunch wrap either at home or on the go.

Homemade beetroot burger - simply in a bun with a light garnish it was so good!

Although my kitchen looked like horrendous after making this - it was worth it! Forget trying to grow 'meat' in petri dishes - we have the solution here already.

Friday 20.9.13

Gluten-free mixed cereals with chocolate almond milk and fresh banana.

Why should chocolate milk be just for kids? I love this breakfast - hits all the right notes for a Friday :)

Red kidney bean dip with warm pittas and crudites.

I really try to keep some lunches light and I love crunchy fresh veg so much that its no hardship. Sugar snap peas are one of the most delicious things. They have to be fresh though.

Baked avocado goujons in panko crumbs with a jacket potato, homemade sweet chilli sauce, coleslaw and some seeded salad.

I've never been that keen on avocado, as you know, but with this amazing way to cook with them I could even get to love them!

Saturday 21.9.13

Mixed scrumped-fruit crumble (raspberries, figs, apples, blueberries), with a spiced oaty topping.

Yes - you see right, I had this for breakfast with some soya custard! What the hell. There was no room in the fridge and it just looked too good. This was one of my best ever crumbles. Yum! (NB I didn't eat it all by myself - I had help!)

Vegan packed lunch - cucumber and Marmite rolls, fresh tomatoes, some Thai-spiced crisps and a free-from chocolate bar.

What on earth do vegans have in sandwiches? It turns out there are a hundred things (I think I'll do a post on it one day). This is a childhood favourite of mine. Unusual, but if you are in the Marmite love camp - you'll like it!

Mixed vegetable jalfrezi with saffron rice and steamed tender stem broccoli.

Yay! Curry night! Indian food is a cuisine that lends itself so well to veganism - there are lots of choices and flavours and it also means a great weekend treat if you are a spice/heat fan. (Pappadums were out of view!)

Vegan Mofo - REAL freedom food - Week 2

OK lovely foodies:

Week 2 of VeganMofo!

What's it all about and what did you miss on week 1? Please check here!

What's coming up? 21 more delicious meal ideas - wait 'n' see :)

Sunday 08.09.13

Hot pan-griddled wholemeal soda bread with sausage, roast portobello mushroom, fresh tomatoes and '5 bean' baked beans.

You've got to love bread that you can mix, cook & eat hot in just half an hour!

Blueberry and almond muffins. Dairy-free, egg-free, but flavour-full.

A MsCupcake special, easy to make and even happier to eat - because they're cruelty free :)

Lentil and vegetable roast with gyo new potatoes, mixed steamed vegetables, cranberry sauce and veggie gravy.

I'm lucky I guess that I've always loved my veg and sometimes the simplicity of a meal like this is just wonderful. Perfect before either a Sunday afternoon or evening nap!

 

Monday 09.09.13

Creamy herby mixed mushrooms on organic seeded rye toast.

To me, mushrooms are an amazing food - versatile, more nutritious than you'd think and VERY low calorie! (I use them a LOT!)

Caribbean spiced butternut squash with wild rice, pilau rice, marinated tofu pieces & other nibbly bits (cherry tomatoes, olives, sugar snap peas, artichokes & pate).

Another example of a 'fridge-raiders' delight! But this is always my favourite type of lunch and makes sure nothing is ever wasted. 



Puff pastry pizza with tomato salsa then Mediterranean vegetable toppings - artichokes, olives, peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms & marinated tofu pieces.

This is such a quick and simple meal for when you've had a busy day and you can add anything you have in the fridge / freezer or even a jar! Serve with chilli oil, nutritional yeast flakes & a large crisp salad.

Tuesday 10.09.13

HM Raspberry and banana smoothie with a crispy cereal bar (goji berries, sultanas, cashew butter, maple syrup, cinnamon).

I don't have smoothies very often, but in the peak of summer when there are so many berries to chose from - they're a delicious treat.

Toasted wholemeal bagel with savoury toppings - sweetcorn relish & sesame tofu, Mexican tomato pate & cucumber.

Another lunch created from "what do I have in the fridge?" and it turned out to be very tasty!

Louisianna chicken tenders with gyo new potatoes, HM coleslaw (using vegan mayo) and lots of salad.

Whilst I rarely eat processed ready-made vegan foods like this now, they're still handy when time is tight & I found them very useful when I first stopped eating meat and became vegetarian.

Wednesday 11.09.13

Olive bread toast with hummus and some home made fresh raspberry (sugar-free) yoghurt on the side.

Shop bought yoghurts are so full of sugar (and not much fruit) that I usually prefer to add fresh fruit to plain soya yoghurt instead. Delicious.

Griddled hot polenta with warm balsamic wild mushrooms and toasted walnuts. Served on a bed of fresh mixed garden leaves.

I've never really got to grips with polenta & this could have been griddled on a higher heat - but with these fabulous tasting mushrooms it's the perfect 'simple' lunch!

Golden sesame roasted tofu with vegetable fried rice, steamed broccoli and a coconut satay dipping sauce.

This is an adaptation of a Rose Elliot recipe and I cannot recommend it enough - it is delicious! The sauce may seem runny but trust me you'll finish it all! DM me for details.

 

Thursday 12.09.13

 

Vibrant fruit salad with 7 different summer fruits and some plain soya yoghurt on the side with added cinnamon and dark agave nectar.

As usual, I love the variety of a fresh fruit salad - I could eat bowls of it! 

Oriental-style rice noodle salad with crunchy raw shredded vegetables, toasted cashews, sesame seeds and hm sweet chilli sauce (added after the pic - oops!).

I don't follow a raw diet, but a large percentage of what I eat just happens to be raw & I love the fresh flavour & crispness of this type of salad. 

Homemade mushroom & lentil burger, in a toasted seeded bagel with fresh garden salads and vegan coleslaw.

This burger was a recipe by a vegan athlete - healthy, delicious and far more flavour than a meat burger!

Friday 13.09.13

Homemade muesli with goji berries, pineapple, apricots, oats, barley flakes, ground flax, nuts and seeds (pumpkin, sunflower etc).

This is great to use up bits n pieces & to have in the cupboard as a standby brekkie, PLUS you know what went into it! Delicious with yoghurt and grated fresh apple.

Classic hotdogs in buns with fried onions, ketchup and American mustard!

There are a couple of vegan brands of great hotdog sausages - I like Taifun Tofu and Vegusto. A million miles away from the junk that goes into frankfurters.

Home-made Thai green vegetable curry with coconut rice.

I adore the flavours of Thai food. It's relatively simple to cook and you can add any vegetables that you like. I'm not keen on coriander as a rule, but I love it in this curry!

Saturday 14.09.13

Breakfast bap: A vegan sausage pattie hiding under fresh tomato slices, a grilled portobello mushroom and topped with BBQ sauce.

What can I say - delicious, but messy to eat! 

Thai-style spicy butternut squash soup with a fresh coconut, pink grapefruit and coriander garnish.

This is a wonderful soup to have as autumn starts setting in. Beware of using the Thai chillis - they're small but pack a punch.1 will be plenty for most people - but try 3 if you love it really ho-ho-hot like I do!

Peanut and mango stir-fry with wheat noodles, shredded greens and fried tofu.


Thia is quite a light and fresh- tasting stir-fry and actually doesn't need the tofu if you want to reduce it.

And that's the end of Vegan Mofo Week 2 here at Veggie Soup for the Soul.

But there's more to come - 16 days to go yet and another 48 delicious vegan meal ideas!

Don't forget - whilst I haven't posted recipes here (not enough hours in the day!) I will happily send you recipes for any dishes that catch your eye and that you'd like to try.

Enjoy the diverse and tasty world of cruelty-free vegan cuisine.

Chantal xx

@TheVeggieGreen ha ha! TY! I get bored v easily so for the last 4months i've cooked something diffrent every day! veg offer endless variety!
— Chantal DH (@vegsoup4thesoul) September 11, 2013

@TheVeggieGreen a lot of things ive simply veganised what i used to cook before - i also consume food books n mags avidly!
— Chantal DH (@vegsoup4thesoul) September 11, 2013

@vegsoup4thesoul vegan mofo is made for you!!!
— TheVeggieGreen (@TheVeggieGreen) September 11, 2013

@vegsoup4thesoul keep tweeting your pics, it gives us all cooking ideas! :)
— TheVeggieGreen (@TheVeggieGreen) September 11, 2013

 

@vegsoup4thesoul @VeganMofo You're an inspiration! ❤
— Healing Inspirations (@RisingSign) September 13, 2013

 

@vegsoup4thesoul I think you should open a restaurant!  Inspiring for myself on the verge of going vegan!
— Gary Bridge (@bridge9118) September 17, 2013

@vegsoup4thesoul I think you need to move nearer to me or I need to move nearer to you then we can 'share' lunch (and dinner...) ;)
— I Choose What I Use (@ichoosy) September 17, 2013

@vegsoup4thesoul Don't be alarmed if you find me sat on your doorstep tomorrow with my bowl - your food always looks so yummy!
— Teri-Ann Saywell (@MrsTeriA) September 17, 2013