Moroccan Lentil and Aubergine Soup

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This Moroccan Lentil and Aubergine Soup is a current favourite: mildly spicy, incredibly fragrant, and singing with coriander and parsley.

Ingredients: 
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2cm piece ginger, grated
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 aubergine, small dice
800ml vegetable stock
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp suitable-for-vegans brown sugar
1 red chilli, halved lengthways and de-seeded
100g red lentils, rinsed and picked over
Suitable-for-vegans plain yoghurt (I used soy)
Coriander and parsley, minced 
Paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: 
1. Heat a deep skillet over a medium low heat. Spray with a little cooking spray, and sauté the onions until they start to soften. Add the garlic, ginger, and spices for about 30 seconds. Stir in the aubergine, stock, tomatoes, and mix through the brown sugar. Add the red chilli, and sprinkle the lentils over the top, mixing in very gently. 
2. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until the aubergine is soft. 
3. Top with suitable-for-vegans plain yoghurt, minced herbs, a shake or two of paprika, and salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you find coriander soapy, remove as much of the stem as possible from the leaf, and discard the stem before mincing the leaf.

Mushroom Noodle Soup

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This Mushroom Noodle Soup from is quick, easy, full of flavour, and very filling.

Ingredients: 
30g shiitake mushrooms
250g white or brown mushrooms, sliced 
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece ginger, minced
1l vegetable broth
2-4 tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
200g suitable-for-vegans noodles of choice (we used black bean noodles)
Bunch spring onions (green onions), sliced
Block smoked tofu, cubed (exact measurements don’t matter here)
Jar or can beansprouts, drained
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Directions: 
1. Cover the shiitake mushrooms with plenty of boiling water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes or so. 
2. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over medium low. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their juices. Add the garlic and ginger for about 1 minute until fragrant. 
3. Add the broth, soy sauce, tofu, noodles, and spring onions, and cook for the time recommended on the back of the pack of noodles. 
4. Add the tofu and bean sprouts to heat through. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

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Want an easy sandwich filling? Try this Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Date and Mustard Dressing quick and cheap dish.

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas
2 tbsp sweetcorn
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
Suitable-for-vegans bread

For the Dressing: 
1/2 cup soy yoghurt (I used sweetened; if you have plain, you can use that too)
1 tbsp suitable-for-vegans Dijon mustard
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp miso paste
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion granules
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: 
1. Lightly mash the chickpeas. Mix with the sweetcorn and tomatoes. 
2. Mix all of the dressing ingredients. 
3. Mix about 2/3 of the dressing, or more if you desire, into the chickpea mix. Season to taste. Serve.

Gochujang and Miso Tofu

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The mix for this simple and tasty dish has a wonderful flavour balance, and the slight acidity and the sweetness create a beautiful scaffold for the Gochujang. This is cooked in the air fryer, but if you prefer you can use the oven–adjust temperatures and times accordingly.

Ingredients: 
1 block tofu (approx. 350g), cubed, but not pressed

For the tofu coating: 
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

For the glaze: 
1 tbsp yellow miso paste
1 tbsp Gochujang paste
1 tsp date paste
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp lime juice
2 tbsp water

1. If using the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 180C. Mix all of the ingredients for the tofu coating. Toss the tofu in it. Bake the tofu for 8-10 minutes until lightly crispy, shaking occasionally. 
2. Mix the glaze ingredients. When the tofu is cooked, toss in the glaze. Return to the air fryer at 80C for 3 minutes.
3. Serve with green onions and sesame seeds.

Herbed Tomato and Bread Salad

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Heirloom tomatoes are wonderful for this simple yet flavoursome Herbed Tomato and Bread salad, but any tomatoes will do. The measurements are merely approximations; you don’t have to be exact. This serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main.

Ingredients
8 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into eighths 
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
7g fresh Greek basil, roughly chopped
3g fresh mint, finely chopped
4g fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
120g crusty suitable-for-vegan bread, cubed

Directions
1. Mix the tomatoes and herbs in a large bowl. 
2. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, oil (if using), salt and pepper. 
3. When ready to serve, add the bread to the tomatoes, pour over the garlic mixture, and toss. Season to taste.

Simple Overnight Oats

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Rushing in the morning with no time to prepare breakfast? Try these very simple overnight oats; you can even make them up in a small lunchbox to eat on the bus or train.

Ingredients

50g oatmeal
150g plain soy yogurt snack
150g berries (fresh, frozen, canned) of choice
1-2 tbsp nut butter (optional) 

Optional toppings: 

Suitable-for-vegans granola
Suitable-for-vegans chocolate chips
Suitable-for-vegans sprinkles
Suitable-for-vegans cookie crumbs
Toasted or ground seeds

Directions

1. Mix the oatmeal with the soy yogurt. 
2. Meanwhile, heat the berries briefly (1 minute or so) to soften. 
3. Layer the berries and oats into a sundae glass. Top with peanut butter or one of the other optional toppings, if desired.

Chia Jam

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This jam has three ingredients and takes 15 minutes to put together. While chia seeds are pricier than other ingredients we regularly use, they go a long way, and they’re packed with nutrients. This jam is much lower in sugar than shop bought varieties, and you can control the sweetness yourself–forego the sweetener altogether, if you prefer!

We made a large batch of this jam, but feel free to scale it down; you don’t need to be overly precise.

Ingredients: 
400g frozen mixed berries
2 tbsp suitable-for-vegans sweetener (or to taste)
2.5 tbsp chia seeds, or as desired

Directions: 
1. Heat the frozen berries in a saucepan over a medium heat until they’ve defrosted; lower the heat and simmer until softened (about 10 minutes). 
2. Stir in the sweetener, to taste. 
3. Add the chia seeds, stirring in just 4 tbsp at first. Leave for 5 minutes, and if you prefer a thicker jam, then stir in the other tbsp. Stay tuned until tomorrow to see one of our favourite ways to use this jam.

Peavocado Toast

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Peavocado Toast! It’s our new favourite lunch: the peas give a creamy sweetness to the dish and contrast with the acidity of the balsamic vinegar. This is a filling lunch, and a great post-workout refueller! It serves 2.

Ingredients: 

For the peavocado purée:
2 avocados
1 cup peas (defrosted if frozen)
1 large bunch basil
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Pinch chilli flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice

For the tomatoes: 
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp olive oil (optional) 
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 large tomatoes, sliced

Everything else: 
4 slices bread, toasted

Directions: 
1. Purée all the peavocado ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2. Meanwhile, mix the garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, and pour over the tomatoes. Heat a large frying pan over a medium low heat. Add the tomatoes and cook each side until slightly softened and coloured. 
3. Make the toast. Top with avocado and tomatoes, and enjoy.

Peanut Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

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This budget dish serves 2 (but you can easily scale it up) and it takes under 15 minutes. For an even cheaper dish, you can substitute tofu for the tempeh (cube and fry; no need to steam).

Ingredients: 

200g tempeh
1/2 head round lettuce, divided into leaves and cleaned
1 red pepper, diced
1/4 cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/4 cup sweetcorn
1 spring onion, sliced
2 tbsp peanuts, chopped

For the peanut sauce:

2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp hot sauce (or to taste)
1 tbsp maple syrup

Directions: 

1. Steam the tempeh until tender, and then cut into chunks. 
2. Mix the peanut sauce ingredients. 
3. Place the lettuce leaves on a plate and top with the red pepper, cucumber, and sweetcorn. 
4. In a frying pan with a little spray oil, fry the tempeh until lightly coloured. Add 1/4 cup water and the peanut sauce, and stir to coat. 
5. Top the lettuce and vegetables with the tempeh, and sprinkle with peanuts. To eat, roll the leaves around the filling and enjoy!

Five-Minute Black Bean Tacos

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This is one of our favourite quick dinners: flavoursome comfort food that’s ready in a flash!

Ingredients:

1 can black beans
4 corn tortillas
1 red pepper
1 carrot
½ green cabbage
2 green onions
½ cup all-plant coconut yoghurt
1 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp garlic granules
Salt and pepper

Directions: 

1. Shred the carrots and cabbage, and finely slice the pepper; I used a food processor to speed it up. 
2. Warm the beans and toast the tortillas in a pan to make them crispy. 
3. Make the dressing by mixing the coconut yoghurt, lime juice, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. 
4. Serve the tortillas with the beans, veg, and dressing.