As a vegan cook, it’s almost smug-inducing when an omnivore not only enjoys my cooking, but is genuinely surprised that it contains no animal products whatsoever. This tofu scramble recipe has seemingly had that effect, I would assume people were just being polite if I hadn’t had to fight to be able to eat some myself.

 

There are so many reasons to cut eggs out of our diet. The egg industry alone is enough to put a lot of people off – don’t be fooled by the ambiguous ‘free range’ on the supermarket egg cartons, there is a difference between hens in cages and in a barn, but a lot of the time they are kept in cramped unsanitary conditions, jostling for space, not running free in the fields as the term ‘free range’ leads us to believe. I know this doesn’t apply to every egg carton on the shelf, but unfortunately there just isn’t a guarantee when the main priority is to make profit.

 

A better way of keeping eggs in your diet, if you’re not ready to cut them out altogether is to buy local, from people with open areas for the chickens to run freely; or rescue some hens from a battery farm and give them a chance at a better life while giving yourself an instant supply of fresh eggs! This is a cleaner way to eat animal products, if you can provide care and love for the animals. It’s important to remember that we consume everything that animal has gone through when we eat its meat and eggs or drink its milk; all the fear, pain, exhaustion, grief, trauma. Ask yourself if these are things you really want you and your family consuming, because that is the stark reality of the animal agriculture industry, these experiences the animals go through are very often unpleasant at best, and we directly ingest that energy. For a cleaner world, we need to be thinking cleanly and to think cleanly we need to consume cleanly, not just with food, with everything we do, but food is a great place to start.

 

So with this in mind, and the fact that I don’t have the space to keep my own chickens, I opted for tofu scramble instead of egg scramble with my fry up. Vegan cooking is a great way of discovering new combinations of ingredients and experimenting with taste, especially with something that can be challenging, like egg replacement; but tofu scramble is so easy to make, fun to play around with and versatile. It can be added to a vegan fry up, with salad or added to a stir fry. In this version I’ve added condiments and spring onion to make an egg mayonnaise replacement, enjoy on toast or with some rocket as the perfect sandwich filling!

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 block of Cauldron Tofu
• 1 – 2 tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2-3 sprigs of spring onion
• 1-2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
• ¼ tsp English mustard

 

Method

1. Mash the tofu with a fork until you have a crumbly consistency.
2. Add the spices and mix together until blended. If you’d like a more orange colour to your scramble, add more turmeric.
3. Fry until slightly browned then allow to cool before adding the mayonnaise and mustard. Chop the spring onion widthways and add to the mixture.

 

Health Benefits

Tofu contains all of the essential amino acids that the body needs to build protein, as well as manganese and calcium, which help maintain bone and heart health.

Turmeric and black pepper is a powerful combination, containing anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, reducing pain and aiding in digestion. Turmeric’s main active ingredient is curcumin, which has been used in India for centuries as a healing herb. When combined with the piperine, a bioactive compound found in black pepper, the body is better able to absorb the healing properties of both ingredients.

Spring onions are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, A, B6, calcium, manganese and iron, helping maintain a healthy immune system, blood and bone function.

Luckily, for a lot of us in the UK, lockdown so far has been spent in glorious sunshine; and if you’re lucky enough to have a garden, then I’m sure you too have spent hours enjoying the minutiae of  nature while basking in the warmth.

It may just be my eccentric vegan side coming out, but I’ve been getting lost in the lives, traits and habits of the wildlife in my quarantine zone. A few that have kept me entertained for hours are the local frog, Bob along with his mates, and Brazen the blackbird.

 

Bob & The Gang

Amongst the monotony of lockdown life, there came an exciting day, when a lonesome frog hopped up to the back door. I decided his name was Bob. Clearly enquiring where the nearest pond was, I pointed Bob in the direction of our carefully curated watering hole at the back of the garden. A few days later, to my delight, I saw Bob had acquired some friends, each with their own quirks. Bert, for example LOVES bubbles. He sits for hours at the bottom of the little waterfall, enveloped in pond foam, blinking serenely. Now, I love a bubble bath, so I could relate to Bert.

The rest of the gang were very photogenic, which I appreciated immensely as it took care of a sunny Saturday afternoon with nowhere to go. Unfortunately, before I was able to memorise the rest of their names (there were six frogs in total), they disappeared. I still look mournfully at the pond, hoping they’ll come back and entertain me again.

 

Brazen

I gave Brazen the blackbird his name because he was the first bird who wouldn’t fly away when I went into the garden (many of them ignore me completely now – I’m just part of the furnishings). He has proven to live up to his name consistently, deciding that the garden is his, and if so much as a sparrow decides to eat some seeds on the ground, he will turn nasty. I’ve started calling him Brazen the Bastard.

Brazen had his ego knocked a little the other day however, when a very flirty female blackbird landed in the garden, batting her eyelashes to any potential males. She stood there for a few minutes, looking around, pretending to be coy, but as soon as Brazen gave into her womanly wiles and flew down to offer her some attention she took off, leaving him looking very put out. He later took it out on a fellow male blackbird who tried to steal a worm.

Apart from blackbirds, there are sparrows, thrushes, chaffinches, robins and blue-tits, as well as the odd pigeon, which as my housemate pointed out, if you’re a sparrow it must be like a block of flats landing next to you.

 

In addition to obsessing over the garden creatures, I’m enjoying the extra time I have to get back into cooking nutrition rich dishes. I always try to use up all the food I buy, and more so now than ever. But in the panic of not wanting to waste any food, I’ve had fun experimenting with more recipes. This one was created from needing to use up butternut squash and rocket. Named hot mess, because it looks like one and our world is one right now.

Feeds Five

Ingredients

• 3 small butternut squash/ 2 large
• 100g salad leaves
• 60g rocket
• 1/2 jar of artichoke hearts
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 2 avocados
• 60g steamed beetroot
• 100g quinoa
• 1tsp sesame seeds
• 1tsp chia seeds
• 1tsp flax seeds
• 1tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 70ml olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1tsp English mustard
• 4 cloves garlic – crushed
• Pinch of salt and pepper (to taste)

I also added The Vegetarian Butcher’s ‘Little Peckers’, cut up into cubes, but you can add tofu or any meat substitute you like.

 

Method

1. First, chop the butternut squash into small chunks and place in an oven proof dish.
2. Mix together 20ml of the olive oil, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, and pepper and coat over the butternut squash and roast for 40-45 mins.
3. Add the quinoa to a pan or rice cooker, with 250ml water, bring to the boil and let simmer until all the water has gone (about 20 minutes).
4. Prepare your meat substitute – the ‘Little Peckers’ take 10 minutes in the oven, but if you’re using tofu I would recommend baking it for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally until all sides are golden.
5. Cut the cherry tomatoes, beetroot, artichoke hearts and avocado and add to a large bowl along with the salad leaves and rocket. Add the seeds and, once cooked and cooled slightly, add the butternut squash, quinoa and meat substitute.
6. In a bowl, mix together the remaining 50ml of olive oil, lemon, mustard, crushed garlic and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
7. Pour over the salad and mix together using a pair of salad tongs (or your hands, just make sure they’re clean!)

We had this with Paul Hollywood’s Ready to Bake Rustic Rolls (quite a bit of product placement in this post). And, despite my Italian snob of a boyfriend’s protests, you can put (vegan) butter on your bread, as well as use it for scarpetta (an Italian word meaning to mop your plate clean with bread).

 

Health Benefits

Butternut squash are low in calories and a brilliant source of vitamin A, C, B1, B3, B6, B9, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. Packed full of these nutrients, butternut squash helps maintain a healthy immune system, muscle, blood, bone and hair development, among many other functions.

Rocket and cherry tomatoes also contain vitamins A and C, as well as vitamin K, which helps regulate the blood and carry calcium to the bones. Artichokes are contain Vitamins A, K, along with folate, magnesium and potassium.

Beetroots are a great source of fibre, folate, manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C.

Avocados are high in omega 3 fatty acids, improving heart health, they include vitamins C, E, K, and B6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium.

Sesame, chia and flax seeds all contain protein, fibre and iron. Sesame seeds contain omega 6 fatty acids, magnesium, manganese and zinc. Chia seeds are full of antioxidants, as well as being rich in omega 3 fatty acids, as are flax seeds.

Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. It is also linked to healthy brain function, heart health and can even reduce the growth of cancerous cells in the body. Consume with black pepper to help enhance the body’s absorption.

It’s Easter in Quarantine, so what better to do than to spend our time baking – and then eating those bakes as though we’ve all actually been practicing lent up till now? I seem to be going from productivity which is when I also bake loads, to increasing my indentation in the sofa, which is when I eat said bakes. I have two functions.

It’s difficult to acquire all the ingredients needed for my recipes at the supermarket right now, but sometimes being forced to use something I wouldn’t usually can turn out even better than the original recipe. Other times it’s just a hot mess. I hope you manage to get hold of all the ingredients (or good substitutes) for these cookies and enjoy making (and eating) them as much as I did.

I made some and dropped them off at my friend’s front door, he later text me his review: “I feel like what me and the cookies just had is the closest I am getting to having sex in a while and my god, it was better than some of my exes.”

Ingredients 

• 165 Stork Vegetable Shortening
• 75 Caster Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 4 tbsp Golden Syrup
• 2 tsp Plant Based Milk (I used Coconut)
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 260g Plain Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 150g Vegan Chocolate (I used Bourneville)

Method

1. I’ve listed the ingredients in order that you’ll need them. So, first place the vegetable shortening, sugar and salt into a food processor and blend until pale and fluffy.
2. Then add the golden syrup, milk and vanilla extract and blend again until all ingredients are mixed together.
3. In a large bowl, sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda together and add the other ingredients from the food processor. Mix together with a spoon until blended.
4. If you have a bar of chocolate, chop into rough chunks (however big you like your chocolate chips) add to the bowl and mix together.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and place baking parchment on 3 trays and using two teaspoons, mould together a small ball of the cookie dough and place on the tray – make sure they are spaced far enough apart as they spread while baking (between six and eight cookies on each tray).
6. When the oven has reached the temperature, place the cookies in (preferably on the middle tray for an even bake, so you may have to put them in one at a time) and bake for 8-10 minutes.
7. Allow them to cool for 15 minutes on the tray before transferring them to a wire rack to cool for a further 15-30 minutes.

My first introduction to Rio de Janeiro was my best friend running towards me at the airport, right at the gate. We hadn’t seen each other in six months and before that it had been a year, so we were overdue to spend some quality time together.

Tasha and I have been friends since secondary school and after drifting apart for several years, we reconnected in 2016, only for her to move half way around the world a couple of years later. We both love to travel and so, with the acceptance that we will probably spend a lot of time in different countries to each other, we’ve managed to keep our friendship going strong.

 

From the airport, we headed straight to our AirBnB, hosted by a wonderful lady Jaline. She made us vegan tapioca and peanut butter pancakes in the morning and supplied us with more fruit, coffee and iced tea than we could consume. I’ve never felt so welcome in a strangers home, she was attentive, kind and I would highly recommend her as a host to anyone staying in Rio. You can find her at: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/7472642?s=67&unique_share_id=a8136ca5-d3f8-475e-a9bb-d8452f401498

Much to my surprise, vegan food was very easy to come by. Some of Brazil’s most popular foods are vegan; like açaí which is a fruit and superfood, accompanying meals in the Amazon rainforest, but in other parts of Brazil it’s most commonly mixed with sugar and eaten as a type of sorbet. Açaí is packed full of nutrients and antioxidants and is so refreshing on a hot Brazilian day. Also popularly used are: tapioca, almost entirely made up of carbs (remember we do need carbs); polenta, which contains fibre, protein and vitamin A; plantain, full of potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and C and antioxidants; rice, containing B vitamins, manganese and magnesium; beans, a great source of protein,  fibre, folate and manganese. There are of course so many fresh fruits and vegetables available, I am always amazed by the size and flavour of fruit and vegetables in countries with hotter climates than the UK (even though we tend to import a lot, someone explain that to me please).

As well as an abundance of fresh, healthy and nourishing foods, there are also vegan restaurants, offering ‘dirty vegan’ food (love that expression). One we tried, Las Vegans near the centre of Rio, is a place I would definitely go again. We both ordered the ‘Dark Burgers’, a shitake mushroom and aubergine burger in a charcoal bun; and ‘Batata cheddar com Linguiça’ – chips, onion, vegan cheese and soya sausage. It was all amazing, if you’re vegan and even if you’re not, I strongly recommend visiting: https://business.google.com/website/las-vegans. Situated perfectly in the centre, we walked dinner off strolling around Lapa, drinking cheap caipirinhas and taking in the sounds and sights around us.

 

We spent the rest of our weekend being typical tourists, strolling along Copacabana with our açaí and fresh coconuts, exploring the botanical gardens, climbing Christ the Redeemer, taking selfies on Selaron Steps and hiking Sugarloaf mountain.

In our youth, Tasha and I would have been absolutely hammered most nights. But we’re nearing 30 and this trip together showed us how grown up we really are now. Now, we’re more interested in wellbeing, nutrition and the world around us than getting inebriated (it didn’t even happen by accident which is a definite first for us).

 

After our weekend in the city, we took a bus to Arraial do Cabo and spent a few days on the beach, taking boat tours and scuba diving. I swam with my first sea turtle! With four actually, the last one was like something out of Jurassic Park, I’d never been in the water with something so big (that I’ve been aware of). I didn’t manage to get a picture unfortunately, but it was an experience I won’t forget.  

 

After much debate of getting matching tattoos on the beach (we didn’t in the end), we left Arraial do Cabo and headed back to Rio. We just had time to grab something to eat and print our tickets before we had to board the bus to Tasha’s town, Timóteo in Minas Gerais.

 

I spent the second week of the trip experiencing Timóteo and what it had to offer. For the first couple of days it rained relentlessly, and in true British style we had a BBQ, thrown by Tasha’s boyfriend Marcelo. Tasha made her amazing chocolate chip cookies, and we made vegetable skewers, sweet potato wedges, salads, salsas, rice, beans – who says vegans can’t enjoy a BBQ?

Towards the end of the night, Marcelo surprised Tasha with a belated birthday cake, made by Boca Verde, you can follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bocaverdevegan/.

I still dream about it – I know that’s pretty sad but when it comes to a vegan chocolate, passion fruit cake, obsession is justified.

 

 

As well as the food (I am aware there’s more to life), I had the chance to meet Tasha’s friends and colleagues, and to get to know Marcelo and her new flatmate and fellow teacher Ashleigh – who has an awesome blog: https://travel-bugg.org

Although the rain hampered our travel plans, it helped me remember why I went to visit Brazil in the first place – to see my best friend and the place she was living. We managed to create a perfect balance between chilling in the apartment and exploring the city and the surrounding area in Minas Gerais. One day, Tasha showed Ashleigh and I around the town, surrounded by green peaks and with everything you need on offer – including great açaí, health food shops and self serve restaurants (I recommend Aroma). Later, we took an Uber and did some shopping in Ipatinga’s Shopping do Vale. I’m not really one for shopping, but we all managed to find new and relatively cheap trainers. Plus the vegan mango ice-cream at Coelhinhos was sure worth the trip. The evening was spent in Tasha’s apartment, adorned with face and hair masks, watching ‘The Shining’ and eating vegan pastels from Empório Nattu (https://www.instagram.com/emporionattutimoteo/). I don’t have a picture of them but they’re delicious, with a texture similar to samosas.

Another day we spent in the beautiful Rio Doce State Park, containing and protecting a large part of the Atlantic Forest, swimming in the lake, trekking in the jungle and photographing the Capuchin monkeys. It was absolutely blissful and the sight from the top of the view point was well worth the bug bites.

 

We spent my last full day at Limon Waterfalls in Jacuba, climbing the waterfalls, lazing in the sun, letting the waters wash over and past us. Water has such a cleansing affect, we basked in bliss all afternoon. What a perfect way to spend a last day in Minas Gerais.

 

(The dog lived there.)

 

My journey back to Rio was in stark contrast to my time spent with Tasha and Ashleigh. I left Timóteo on a Thursday evening and caught the night bus to the station. As nice as the bus was, in between the freezing air con and the crying child behind me kicking my seat, I didn’t sleep much. I arrived back in Rio at 6am, with a sixteen hour wait until my flight. Alone and uncertain of the city, especially without Tasha, I spent my time in Botafogo Praia Shopping centre, reading Your Silence Will Not Protect You, a collection of essays, speeches, and poems by Audre Lorde. Underlining excerpts that spoke to me, snacking on Biscuito de Povilhos (a kind of crisps made from cassava starch) and binge watching Grace & Frankie on my phone, made those sixteen hour wait bearable. (I would very much recommend anything by Audre Lorde, she was fantastically insightful, passionate and inspiring.)

I had never really been drawn to the idea of Brazil, honestly there isn’t a country I wouldn’t visit given the chance, but for some reason I was always more interested in the Eastern part of the world. If it hadn’t been for Tasha, I’m not sure when I would have visited, but I’m so glad I have (especially now as I write this in quarantine). The landscape in Brazil (from what I saw of it) is beautiful and diverse; the energy is tranquil and welcoming; the people are so relaxed and friendly; and the food is luscious and fresh. Take me back!!!

 

There are some vegan recipes that are so flavoursome, even the most carnivorous of people don’t miss the meat, and chilli is definitely one of them. It’s such a warming dish and is packed full of vitamins to help keep those pesky colds at bay, making it perfect for winter.

I’ve played around with this recipe a lot and will probably continue to do so over the years. Sometimes I add mushrooms, or replace the kidney beans with butter beans; vegan ingredients are in abundance and so many work well together which we might not think of, so experimentation is key when it comes to plant based cooking!

 

Ingredients

• 2 white onions
• 1 green pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 2 chilies
• 400g kidney beans
• 260g Naked Glory vegan mince
• 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2-4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sunflower oil for frying

 

Method 

1. Roughly chop the onions, peppers, garlic and chilli.
2. In a large pot on a medium heat, add a little sunflower oil, and fry the onions until soft.
3. Next, add the peppers, garlic and chillies and fry for 5 minutes before adding the tomato puree, chill powder, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika.
4. Then add the mince and fry for a further 3-5 minutes before adding the kidney beans and chopped tomatoes.
5. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for 25 minutes.

Serve with rice, taco shells, or with soft tortillas.

 

 

Health Benefits 

Soya and kidney beans are packed full of protein and fibre, is a perfect meat substitute and the first go-to  for many people on a plant-based diet. We need protein to help build and maintain healthy bones and muscles. The myth that vegans are instantly protein deficient because of their diet choices is something that, I’m sure everyone on a plant-based diet has had to argue against at one point or another.

Garlic, onions and chillies all contain antioxidants, potassium and vitamin C, helping the body absorb iron and fight infection.

Paprika has anti inflammatory properties, which is great for aches and pains. It also contains vitamins B6 and E, which help maintain healthy hair and skin.

Peppers are a great source of vitamins A, B6, C, E and folate. We need these vitamins for our eye health, blood, nerve and muscle regulation and for healthy skin and hair.

On my last evening in New York I sat at a restaurant in Little Italy, enjoying a beer and watching the maître d’ treat the street to a rendition of the Frank Sinatra classic New York, New York! It was a perfect way to top off my visit to the Big Apple.

I was so excited to visit New York. As soon as I boarded the plane at Heathrow, Alicia Keys’ Concrete Jungle began playing on a loop in my head. I already knew that I wanted to be a typical tourist and see all the main attractions, all the places which felt almost familiar to me after seeing them in countless films and TV shows. But once I had spent a couple of days doing this I realised, as I often do when I visit new places, that it’s the small things that can leave the biggest impressions. I was surprised to find that, although checking off my to-do list was satisfying, what I enjoyed the most was being around so many different people. It really is a land made of immigrants, and all the better for it.

Everyone I met seemed so friendly and helpful, from telling me which side of the subway I needed to be on when I was so clearly lost, to striking up conversations in coffee shops. But as much as I enjoy interacting with people, one of my favourite pastimes is people watching. I love seeing people as they naturally are and how they naturally interact with each other. You can gain such insight into how the world really is when you watch strangers interact with each other. There is such a sense of kindness, respect and compassion in the majority of the people on this planet, you just have to look for it.

 

It’s not hard to imagine how people get inspired. The classic dream of moving to New York, renting an apartment with a fire escape and becoming a writer definitely appealed to me, as I walked down the bohemian streets in Greenwich Village. There is a part of me that is drawn to that lifestyle, surrounded by so many different and interesting people, artistries and commotions, it would be hard to not to get some inspiration. However, there is also the other part of me that hates noise and crowds; and New York is the physical definition of both. So, in a state of cognitive dissonance, which is often where I find myself, I headed towards Central Park to get away from hustle and bustle and I instantly felt every fibre of my being becoming revitalised. To be honest, I am a typical introvert and as much as I love being around commotion at times, I also have that need for solitude, nature and the tranquillity of the countryside to feel a sense of calm, clarity or creativity. So New York was a challenging place at times, I really could go from loving it to hating it within the space of five minutes.

 

But I haven’t even gotten to the food yet! Honestly, I didn’t eat nearly as much as I thought I would. Between the general stimulation of New York, trying to keep an eye on money and my not so forgiving high waisted jeans, food was usually at the back of my mind. The places I did visit are well worth mentioning, but the pictures are sub-par – eating the food was, as ever, the priority for me.

 

On my first night I wandered around the East Village and stopped at a sunken restaurant, called Caravan of Dreams. I’d always heard people ordering Ruben sandwiches in American shows so I decided to try their vegan version. The wait was a little long so they brought out hot soup on the house. I really liked this place, with a bohemian and friendly atmosphere, I would definitely recommend stopping by.

 

For the best vegan chili cheese fries, check out Urban Vegan Kitchen on Carmine Street. It’s such a cool place, the walls are covered in graffiti artwork and pictures of famous musicians, their music filling the room; and the menu is mouth watering. It took a long time to decide what to eat. I would have ordered more if my aforementioned high waisted jeans weren’t getting in the way.

 

I’ve spent a while searching for a decent vegan cinnamon bun and I finally found one at
The Cinnamon Snail in Pennsylvania Plaza. They have delicious burgers and coffee. It’s a great spot to stop and refuel when sightseeing.

 

One other place I would recommend, and is definitely on the pro list of moving to New York, is the Orchard Grocer in the Lower East Side. The best thing I had was a swirl of vanilla and peanut butter soft whip ice cream. Even writing about it is making me salivate.

 

 

 
I would go back to New York, and I plan to one day. I would like to stay for a while and see how a sensitive introvert, such as myself handles the day-to-day life of a city so intense. But first, I have so many other places to see!

I still remember my delight in Tesco when after a thorough scan of Jus Rol, I found that their Puff Pastry Sheet was vegan. My first thought was the cheese and onion pasties I missed so much (and this is perfect for them), but I must have had some veg I needed to use, because somehow I created the aforementioned vegan puff pastry pizza (I’m a long-time fan of alliteration).

There is a lot of prep involved, but this is so easy to make and is a winner amongst my omnivore friends.

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 roll of Jus Rol Puff Pastry sheet
• 1 red onion
• 1 pepper
• 1 aubergine
• 1 block of Violife (vegan cheese)
• 1 jar sundried tomatoes
• 70g basil
• 100g pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• Pinch of sugar
• Pinch of salt & pepper
• Olive oil for cooking

 

Method

1. First, make the pesto by blending the sundries tomatoes, basil, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste.
2. Next, slice the aubergine into quarters about 1cm thick then, using your hands, coat in a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes.
3. Thinly slice the red onion and fry until soft, then chop the pepper into small chunks and add to the onions. Cook until soft.
4. While the veg is cooking, take the pastry sheet out and leave to sit for 10 minutes. Then poke lightly with a fork and cook for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden brown.
5. Take the pastry sheet out of the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes, then cover with the pesto.
6. Grate the Violife and cover the pesto, then add the onion, peppers and aubergine.

This is one of my favourite wintery dishes. It’s warm, comforting and filling. Plus, casseroles are a great way to use up random vegetables legumes and spices you have lying around.

 

Ingredients

• 4 Linda McCartney’s sausages
• 2 Red Onions
• 1 Red Pepper
• 1 Yellow Pepper
• 250g Mushrooms
• 5 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Cans Tinned Chopped Tomatoes (900g)
• 1 Can Butter Beans (400g)
• 2 tbsp Tomato Purée
• 2 tsp Garlic Purée
• 1 tsp Rosemary
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Parsley
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
• 250ml Red Wine
• Salt, Pepper and Sugar to taste
• Sunflower oil for frying

 

Method

1. Firstly, cook the sausages in the oven for 20 minutes at 180°C. While they’re cooking, roughly chop the onions and fry in some sunflower oil until soft.
2. Then roughly chop the peppers, mushrooms and garlic and fry for 10-15 minutes, occasionally stirring.
3. Take the sausages out of the oven and allow to cool.
4. Add the spices and tomato and garlic purées and stir until combined. Then add the chopped tomatoes and butter beans.
5. Bring to the boil then let simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Using a pair of scissors, cut the sausages into 2cm slices and add to the casserole.
7. Then add the red wine and let simmer for a further 5 minutes before adding the salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Allow to simmer again for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Pairs well with mashed sweet potato, rice, pasta, quinoa – literally whatever you want!

Health Benefits

A lot of these ingredients contain antioxidants, vitamin C and vitamin B-complex, making it a great meal to boost your immune system.

Something I always miss when I’m travelling is home-made cakes. There’s something so comforting about eating food that has been made with love, especially knowing that no animal has been harmed in the process.

And what better comfort is there than indulgent, chocolatey brownies? After a particularly hard day, I’ll whips up some brownies, run myself a bath and soak all my troubles away with brownies, bubbles and wine. Even on a good day, I’ll do this in celebration. Sometimes it’s good for us to just indulge and enjoy something, right?

There are so many delicious looking vegan brownie recipes out there, this is a relatively simple one and you can find all the ingredients in your local supermarket.

Feeds however many you like, maybe just you – I’m not here to judge

Ingredients

• 200g Bourneville chocolate
• 3 heaped tsp Bourneville cocoa powder
• 170g self-raising flour
• 180 golden caster sugar
• 230 ml coconut or Oatly milk
• 5 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• A pinch of salt

Method

1. First, preheat the oven to 180ºC.
2. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar and salt.
3. Next, break up 150g of the chocolate and melt in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water.
4. Once melted, add to the mixing bowl along with the sunflower oil, milk and vanilla essence then mix until well combined.
5. Roughly chop the remaining 50g of chocolate and mix in with the other ingredients.
6. Pour the mixture into a baking parchment lined tray (20x20cm), spread evenly and bake for 20-25 minutes.
7. Leave to cool in the tray for 10-20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. I prefer to eat these after they’ve chilled in the fridge for a couple of hours but they’re also delicious while still warm and gooey.