Tofu Katsu Curry

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A warming, spicy, flavoursome dish, this is surprisingly easy to put together. Serve with sushi rice and shredded carrots and cabbage for a filling and nourishing meal. The tofu is cooked in an air fryer, but you can bake or pan fry if you prefer.

Ingredients:

For the tofu:
400g extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
Liquid from 1 can chickpeas
1/4 cup flour
2 cups suitable-for-vegans panko crumbs

For the sauce:
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 inch piece ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic
500ml vegetable broth
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tsp rice vinegar
1-2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce, to taste
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp white or yellow miso
1 heaped tbsp cornflour

Directions:


1. Slice the tofu into 1/4 inch slices. Dip in flour and shake off excess. Add to the chickpea liquid and then coat in breadcrumbs. Fry in a preheated air fryer at 200C for 15 minutes, turning once.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Lightly sauté the onions over a medium-low heat, add the garlic and ginger and stir briefly. Mix in the broth, curry powder, turmeric, tomato purée, vinegar, tamari, maple syrup and miso. Bring to a simmer. Mix the cornflour with a little water to a smooth paste. Add to the sauce and cook until thickened.
3. Serve the tofu and sauce with cooked sushi rice, shredded carrots, and cabbage.

Fast Food Meal Plan

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Don’t be put off by the title; this isn’t a week full of expensive, processed meals. Instead, we’ve given you 21 meal ideas that you can make without recipes and very little fuss. Serve vegetables of your choice on the side if and as desired. Don’t forget to season to taste!

*Please ensure that any ready-made products (bread, preserves, frozen products, sauces, cereal, etc.) are suitable-for-vegans

DAY ONE
Breakfast: Mashed avocado on toast (optional: baby spinach, tomatoes, red onion)
Lunch: Quick pizza (pita bread or tortilla, spread with tomato sauce and veggies, and baked 10 mins at 200C)
Dinner: Bean chilli: 1 can kidney beans, 1 can chickpeas, 1 can tomatoes, 1 can water with garlic powder and chilli powder, simmered 5 minutes.

DAY TWO
Breakfast: Banana, peanut butter, and preserves on bread or toast
Lunch: Vegetable soup (sauté an onion, add some minced garlic, top with vegetables and cover with suitable-for-vegans broth. Simmer until vegetables are cooked. Blend or serve chunky)
Dinner: Grains, beans, sweetcorn, avocado, and salsa

DAY THREE
Breakfast: Cereal with fruit and all-plant milk (add seeds and nuts if desired)
Lunch: Baked potatoes with hummus and salad vegetables
Dinner: Pasta with tomato sauce, olives, spinach, and pine nuts

DAY FOUR
Breakfast: Frozen hash browns or potato waffles with mustard and ketchup
Lunch: Pita bread stuffed with salad veggies and hummus
Dinner: Stir-fry vegetables with noodles

DAY FIVE
Breakfast: Oatmeal made with water or all-plant milk, dried fruit, and cinnamon
Lunch: Tortilla with mashed sweet potatoes, black beans, and salsa
Dinner: Chunky stew with lentils and sweet potatoes (sauté an onion, add garlic; stir in lentils, diced sweet potatoes, a can of tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Simmer until cooked)

DAY SIX
Breakfast: Smoothie (blend fruit, all-plant milk or juice, and a handful of oats)
Lunch: Suitable-for-vegans baked beans on toast with fried tomatoes and mushrooms
Dinner: Chickpeas simmered in tomato sauce with Italian herbs and garlic powder. Serve with rice or a baked potato.

DAY SEVEN
Breakfast: Overnight oats (soak 1 part oats to 2 parts water or all-plant milk) with fruit, nut butter, and maple syrup
Lunch: Large salad with hummus; serve with nuts, seeds, or croutons
Dinner: Baked sweet potato with mashed white beans, chopped bell pepper, red onion, and sriracha

Twice-Baked Tempeh Potatoes with Red Pepper Sesame Sauce

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These potatoes are a fusion of textures from the creamy potato filling to the crispy skins. This recipe serves 2 hungry people as a main, or 4-8 as a side.

Ingredients:
4 large baking potatoes
2 tbsp suitable-for-vegans hummus
3 tbsp soy milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
150g ready-to-eat (steamed and marinated) tempeh, finely diced
2 green onions, finely diced
2 tbsp fresh, minced parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Red Pepper Sauce:
1 red pepper, roughy chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 heaped tsp suitable-for-vegans Dijon mustard
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 190C. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, and bake for 60 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by blending all ingredients.
3. Allow to cool, halve, and scoop out the filling. Mash with the hummus, soy milk, garlic powder, nutritional yeast. Stir through the green onions, tempeh, and parsley. Season, and return the filling to the shells. Spoon about a tsp sauce over each potato half, and bake in the oven for 15 more minutes.

Italian-Inspired Chickpea Salad

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An incredibly bold and lively Italian-Inspired Chickpea Salad from Frances McCormack, this takes just minutes to make andis served with a Wholegrain Mustard and Balsamic Dressing. Packed with flavour, this makes a great sandwich spread or topping for a bed of greens. Serves 1 as a large salad, or 2 as a side or sandwich spread.

Ingredients:
For the salad
1 can chickpeas, drained and minced
1 roasted red pepper (I used one from a jar), finely diced
3 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
8 black olives, finely chopped
Large bunch basil, chiffonaded

For the dressing
1 tbsp suitable-for-vegans wholegrain mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Mash the chickpeas. Mix with all of the salad ingredients.
2. Whisk the dressing ingredients together. Season to taste.
3. Toss the salad with the dressing, a little at a time, tasting as you go (I used all of the dressing, but I like bold flavours).

Crustless Tofu and Vegetable Tart

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Bound to be a winner for lunch or breakfast, this tart is sett on the outside and slightly creamy inside. It’s filled with vegetables and potatoes for for plenty of colour, texture, and flavour.

Ingredients:

For the Vegetables:
2 medium potatoes, peeled and finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely diced
10 black olives, finely chopped
1 bunch asparagus, in 1 inch pieces
4 green onions (scallions) chopped
1 cup spinach, minced
1 bunch basil, minced

For the Tofu:
400g tofu, drained and pressed
2 tsp onion granules
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 cup aquafaba (liquid from can of chickpeas)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 heaped tbsp yellow miso
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp cornflour
3 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp chickpea flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Oil a loose-bottomed cake tin.
2. Sauté the potatoes until browned. I used the air fryer at 200C for 15 minutes, tossing midway through.
3. Add the potatoes and vegetables to a large bowl.
4. Mix the tofu ingredients in a food processor. Stir into the vegetables and mix well to combine.
5. Transfer the mixture to the cake tin, and even off the top. Sprinkle with plenty of black pepper.
6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Cover with foil, and bake 40-50 minutes more, or until set (check with a knife inserted into the centre; there will be a little residue on the knife, but the tart shouldn’t be too wet). Serve and enjoy.

Waste-Not Want-Not Soup

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Don’t throw those vegetable scraps away. You can slow-simmer them for a flavourful vegetable broth, or you can turn them into a hearty soup that’s very easy on the budget.
Ingredients:
2 medium onions, medium chopped
3 parsnips, medium dice
3 carrots, medium dice
1 small turnip or swede, medium dice
Stems from a bunch kale, chopped
Cauliflower leaves, chopped
Outer leaves of a savoy cabbage, finely shredded
Stem of 1 broccoli head, chopped
Inner stalks and leaves of celery, chopped
2 potatoes, medium dice
2 l vegetable broth
2 tsp turmeric
1.5 cups soup mix
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1) Sauté the onion in a large soup pot until lightly coloured.
2) Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are cooked to your liking.
3) Serve.

Broccoli with Hazelnuts

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Quick, easy, and incredibly delicious, this serves 4 as a side.

Ingredients:
1 head broccoli, cut into florets (save the stem for salads or stir-fry)
1/4 cup hazelnuts
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tbsp soy sauce

Directions:
1. Lay the hazelnuts on a baking tray. Place in an oven heated to 170C for about 10 minutes, or until golden.
2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a simmer. Add the broccoli and cook 4-5 minutes until done to your liking. Drain, and run under cold water to stop further cooking.
3. Remove hazelnuts from oven, place into a tea towel, and rub to remove the skins. Allow to cool until suitable to handle, and then roughly chop.
4. Toss the broccoli with nuts, ginger, chilli flakes, and soy sauce in the pot to heat through.

Ginger-Miso Cabbage Salad

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Perfect for packed lunches or picnics, this is even easier to put together if you can use the shredding attachment on a food processor.

Salad:
200g red cabbage, shredded
150g white cabbage, shredded
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
1 large carrot, shredded
2 tbsp golden raisins or cranberries
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted in a frying pan until golden

Dressing:
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
pinch dried ginger
1 heaped tsp yellow miso

Directions:
1. Mix all of the salad ingredients.
2. Mix all of the dressing ingredients.
3. Mix the dressing into the salad.

Easy Breakfast Tortilla Bowl

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Short on time? This breakfast can be made in a flash and should keep you full until lunchtime.

This Breakfast Tortilla Bowl from Frances McCormack is incredibly quick and simple to make.

Ingredients (per bowl):
1 flour or corn tortilla bowl
2 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 banana
2 tbsp suitable-for-vegans granola
2 tbsp dried fruit

Directions:
Heat the tortilla bowl according to packet directions. Layer in the peanut butter and banana, and top with dried fruit and granola.

Vegan Sushi

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You won’t believe how easy this is to make until you try it. If you’re not used to rolling sushi, we recommend you watch an online tutorial.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups sushi rice
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
large pinch salt
1/4 cucumber, cut into batons
1 carrot, cut into batons
1 bell pepper, any colour, cut into batons
4 sheets roasted nori

Directions:
1. Cook the rice according to package directions.
2. Heat the rice vinegar, maple syrup, and salt in a small saucepan until combined.
3. Lay a sheet of nori on a clean kitchen towel, shiny side down. Wet a spatula and layer rice evenly across the nori, leaving an inch of nori free from rice at the top edge.
4. Make a line each of carrot, cucumber, and bell pepper down the middle of the nori.
5. Use a towel to roll the sushi tightly from the bottom up. Wet the top edge with a pastry brush dipped in water, and seal.
6. Cut with a sharp knife, wetting it between cuts.