Creamy Polenta with Red Wine Mushrooms

A comforting and rich dish, this Creamy Polenta with Red Wine Mushrooms is great for entertaining, but easy enough for a decadent-tasting meal for two.

Ingredients:
For the Polenta:
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups soy milk
1 tbsp herbes de provence, crumbled
1 cup polenta (or cornmeal)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Mushrooms:
1 red onion, finely sliced
350g mushrooms, sliced (I used 250g chestnut and 100g shiitake)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup suitable-for-vegans red wine
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
1 heaped tsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed to a smooth paste with a little cold water
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Add the vegetable broth and soy milk to a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the herbes de provence. Sprinkle in the polenta, whisking vigorously as you go (there’s no need for the water to be boiling or even warm to start polenta).
2. As soon as the polenta starts to spit, reduce the heat to low. Stir occasionally until the polenta starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Add the nutritional yeast, if using, and season to taste.
3. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms and the onion until the liquid released from the mushrooms is reabsorbed. Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds before stirring in the wine. Mix in the tomato purée and thyme and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cornflour mixture and allow to thicken. Season with black pepper.
4. Serve the mushrooms on top of the polenta, garnished with a little parsley if desired.

Diner-Style Bean Burger with Classic Sauce

Have a knife and fork, or a stack of napkins, on hand, because this could get messy! This burger serves 2 very hungry people, but if there are sides we’d recommend 4 smaller patties. The fixings are up to you; we went with lettuce, tomato, sauerkraut, pickled cucumber, and lightly fried onion.

For the Burger

Ingredients
1 red onion, finely chopped
180g mushrooms, finely chopped
1 can haricot beans
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp suitable-for-vegans Worcester sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke (or smoked paprika)
1 tbsp herbes de Provence
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp tamari
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten

 

Directions
1. Sauté the onion and mushrooms over a medium heat until the onions are lightly caramelised. Add the garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds.
2. Mash the beans in a large bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients.
3. Form the mixture into patties, wrap in foil, and steam for about 30 minutes.
4. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes more. Fry and serve.

For the Sauce

Ingredients
6 tbsp Creamy Potato Dressing, or other neutral-flavoured creamy vegan sandwich spread
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
3 tbsp suitable-for-vegans ketchup
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Mix all ingredients. Serve with the burger and enjoy.

Brinjal Bhaji (Aubergine Curry)

Pleasantly spicy, incredibly fragrant, and full of textural contrasts, this aubergine curry serves 4 with rice.

Ingredients

3 medium aubergines, cubed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black onion seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 red onions, chopped
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp soy sauce
3/4 cup vegetable broth
100g frozen peas
1 tsp garam masala

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with a silicone sheet or baking parchment, and spread the aubergine out in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, turning once.
2. Meanwhile, preheat a large pot, and add the seeds. When they start to move about, remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Dry-sauté the onion until softened, adding a splash of water if they start to stick. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes, and turmeric for 30 seconds more. Stir the seeds back in.
4. Add the tomatoes, soy sauce, vegetable broth, peas, garam masala, and aubergine to the pot. Simmer until the liquid is mostly thick and evaporated and the aubergines are soft.

Sweet Potato Pizza with Barbecue Tempeh and Bean Béchamel

With a soft and dense base, this isn’t like traditional pizza dough, but it’s filling, satisfying, full of flavour, and probably too nice to share. But if you insist on sharing, this will serve 2.

Ingredients

For the Base

700g sweet potato, peeled, cooked, and cooled until tender
100g rolled oats
100g coarse wholemeal flour (or flour of your choice)
2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt

For the Béchamel

1 cup white beans (I used butter beans)
11/2 cup soy milk
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tbsp yellow miso
1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder

For the Tempeh

150g tempeh, steamed for 15 minutes, and chopped small
2 tbsp barbecue sauce
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
1 tbsp maple syrup

To assemble

Steamed kale, as desired

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Line a 9″ dish with silicone or parchment (I used a loose-bottomed flan tin for easy removal).
2. In a food processor, blend the sweet potato. Add the oats, flour, flaxseeds, garlic powder, and salt until potatoes are smooth and all ingredients are well combined.
3. Place the potato mixture into the prepared dish and smooth out. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the top starts to turn golden.
4. Meanwhile, make the béchamel by blending all the ingredients.
5. Mix the barbecue sauce, water, soy sauce, and maple syrup in a shallow dish. Add the tempeh and toss.
6. When the potato is ready, invert onto a baking tray and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes more until what is now the top is lightly golden.
7. Remove from the oven, spread with béchamel, add kale, top with tempeh, and bake for 10 minutes more. Cut and serve.

Raw Curried Sunflower Pâté Lettuce Wraps with Purple Cauliflower Rice

A light lunch for 2 people, this makes 8 lettuce wraps.

Ingredients

For the Sunflower Pâté

1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soaked for 2 hours (or overnight) and then drained
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
Pinch chili powder
1 x 1 cm slice pineapple, juiced
1 x 2 cm piece ginger, juiced
Pinch sea salt

For the Purple Rice

1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 cup red cabbage
1 garlic clove, minced
1 x 2 cm piece ginger, juiced
Pinch sea salt

To serve
2 tbsp finely diced red bell pepper
2 tbsp finely diced yellow bell pepper
2 tbsp finely diced green bell pepper
1 tbsp finely diced red onion
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
8 lettuce leaves, washed and dried well
Coconut flakes, to garnish

Directions

1. To make the pâté, place the seeds in a food processor or blender with the spices. Start to blend and add the pineapple and ginger juices little by little, scraping down the sides as necessary, until a firm pâté is formed. Season to taste.
2. To make the rice, place the cauliflower in a food processor with the red cabbage and pulse until the vegetables are very fine, like grains of sugar. Mix in the minced garlic and ginger juice, and season to taste.
3. To assemble, divide the rice and pâté between the lettuce leaves, top with the other ingredients, and enjoy. A squeeze of lime juice is optional.

Fennel and Mushroom Penne in a Lemon and Garlic Sauce

Delicately fragrant, vivid, and lively, this comforting gluten-free dish is full of nutrients. Eat your fill!

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 leek, finely chopped
250g mushrooms, sliced
1 fennel bulb, quartered and finely sliced
150g tenderstem broccoli (substitute with broccoli florets if tenderstem is hard to find)
5 sage leaves, finely minced
Small bunch each basil and parsley, minced
200g brown rice pasta
2 large handfuls baby spinach

For the sauce

50g white beans of choice
150g silken tofu, drained
Zest 1 lemon
Juice 1/2 lemon
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup unsweetened, unflavoured all-plant milk of choice (soy milk used here)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
1. Steam the fennel and broccoli until just tender (about 5 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid, and rinse to remove the excess starch.
3. Sauté the leeks and mushrooms over a medium heat in a non-stick pan until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the sage.
4. Blend all the sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.
5. Add the sauce to the leeks and mushrooms vegetables, thinning out to desired consistency with a little of the reserved cooking water. Toss in the pasta, fennel, and broccoli to warm through.
6. Serve the pasta on a bed of spinach, garnished with a little extra lemon zest, more black pepper, and the minced basil and parsley.

Oil-Free Sambal Stir Fry

Warming but not overly spicy, with plenty of fragrant aromatics, this is a great way to enjoy a stir fry without the oil. This recipe serves 2-4, depending on the quantity of noodles used.

Ingredients

300g tempeh (approx.)
1 head of broccoli, in florets
2 pak choi, chopped; stems and leaves separated
1 red pepper, finely diced
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 heaped tbsp suitable-for-vegans sambal oelek paste
1 heaped tbsp suitable-for-vegans garlic ginger paste
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Soba noodles, to serve

Directions

1. Steam the tempeh for about 12 minutes to remove the bitter flavour. Place the broccoli in another steamer basket on top and steam for 3 minutes more. When cooked, plunge broccoli into a bowl of cold water to stop it cooking. Drain as soon as it’s cool.
2. Meanwhile, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, pastes, lime juice, and cornflour, and set aside.
3. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium high heat. Cube the tempeh, and add to the frying pan, and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden on each side (about 8 minutes). Set aside and keep warm.
4. Add the broccoli and pak choi stems to the frying pan, along with a splash or two of water or vegetable broth. Cook for about 4 minutes, until the broccoli starts to soften. Add the pak choi leaves, red pepper, and tempeh, until pak choi is wilted (about 2 minutes).
5. Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions.
6. Add the sauce to the vegetables and tempeh, and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly (about 2 minutes).
7. Serve the rice noodles with the vegetables and sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Tempeh-Potato Bake with Caramelized Fennel and Red Onions in a White Wine and Dijon Mustard Gravy

The beautiful aniseed flavours of fennel are tempered in this dish by the caramelizing process and they blend perfectly with the earthiness of the cabbage and the umami notes of the tempeh. This is an oil-free dish and it serves 4-6 (depending on appetite!). If you use a mandolin, it will make slicing the onions, fennel, and potatoes much easier.

Ingredients

227g block tempeh
300g cabbage, shredded
2 red onions, very finely sliced
1 bulb fennel, very finely sliced
1kg potatoes (skins left on), very finely sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

For the Tempeh Marinade
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika

For the Gravy
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup suitable-for-vegans white wine
3 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp suitable-for-vegans Dijon mustard
2 tsp maple syrup
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Steam the tempeh for 15 minutes, slice into thin strips and then each strip into thirds. Mix the tempeh marinade ingredients together in a shallow bowl, and add the tempeh. Toss to coat.
2. Preheat a large nonstick or stainless steel frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onions, fennel, and salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the volume is greatly reduced and the vegetables are lightly coloured. If the vegetables start to stick, add a splash or two of water. Add the rest of the salt, the maple syrup, and the balsamic vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring frequently. Add the cabbage, and cook until starting to soften.
3. Make the gravy by combining all ingredients in a bowl and whisking.
4. Spray a large casserole dish with suitable-for-vegan spray oil, and layer half of the potatoes in the bottom, overlapping them. Layer on the tempeh, and then the onion-fennel-cabbage mixture. Top with the remaining potatoes. Pour over the gravy. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
5. Bake for 45 minutes; remove the foil, and bake for 15 minutes more until the potatoes are soft and golden.

Hot Cross Buns

These spiced buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, and they are best served halved with some suitable-for-vegan spread. The majority of their sweetness comes from the dried fruit. Makes 12.

Ingredients

For the buns

250g strong white flour
250g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp mixed spice
2 tbsp suitable-for-vegans sugar
2 tsp instant yeast
zest 1 lemon
zest 1 lime
250ml plant milk, warmed slightly
60g mild-flavoured oil (I used rice bran oil)
2 tbsp whole flaxseeds, ground and mixed with 3 tbsp water
200g mixed dried fruit of your choice (I used 75g mixed peel; 75g raisins; 50g dried cranberries)
For the crosses
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp cold water
For the sugar glaze
20g suitable-for-vegans sugar
20ml water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix the flours, salt, spices, and sugar.
2. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast and rinds, and then mix in the plant milk, flaxseed mixture, and oil.
3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead well, about 5 minutes (alternatively, you can use a stand mixer). Knead in the dried fruit. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a bowl, cover with a tea towel, and leave to stand for an hour until risen.
4. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, and roll each into a ball. Place on a baking tray lined with a silicone sheet. Cover again with a cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes more.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220C.
6. When the buns are nearly done rising, prepare the mixture for the crosses by mixing together the 3tbsp flour and cold water. Transfer to a piping bag. Once the buns have risen, pipe a cross on each one.
7. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. While the buns are baking, mix the ingredients for the sugar glaze in a saucepan over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved. When the buns have finished baking, brush them with the sugar glaze, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. It’s highly recommended to eat one while they’re still warm.

Naan (with a Peshwari Naan Option)

This is a beautifully soft and airy naan, perfect for serving with soups, curries, and so on. The secrets to its fluffiness are the strong white bread flour and frying it in a lidded pan. Although this recipe calls for white spelt flour, you can substitute that with plain wheat flour if desired, but adjust the liquid quantities accordingly. This recipe makes 8 side-plate-sized naan, so feel free to scale the recipe down if desired.

Ingredients for the Plain Naan

250g white spelt flour
250g strong white bread flour
2 tsp quick-acting yeast
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup soy yoghurt
250ml warm soy milk
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp salt
Additional salt, smoked paprika, garlic granules, and nutritional yeast for frying
Suitable-for-vegans spray oil

Directions for the Plain Naan

1. Mix the flours. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast, maple syrup, soy yoghurt, soy milk. Combine. Sprinkle over the baking powder, garlic, granules and salt and begin to knead in the bowl. Transfer to a floured surface and knead well for about 5 minutes. Return to the bowl, dust with flour, cover with a tea towel, and leave in a warm place for about an hour to rise.
2. When ready to cook, heat a lidded frying pan over a medium heat and spray with some oil. Gather the dough into a ball, divide it into 8, and roll each piece out on a floured surface about 1/4 cm thick.
3. Spray the top of the rolled-out piece of dough with spray oil, and sprinkle with a little paprika, garlic, salt, and nutritional yeast. Place carefully into the frying pan, cover, and cook for a couple of minutes until the top bubbles and the bottom is browned; flip, and cook again until the bubbles start to blacken.

Ingredients for the Peshwari Naan

250g white spelt flour
250g strong white bread flour
2 tsp quick-acting yeast
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup soy (or other all-plant) yoghurt
250ml warm soy (or other all-plant) milk
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp salt
Suitable-for-vegan spray oil

For the Filling

100g unsalted pistachios, shelled
100g ground almonds
Pinch salt
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
1/4 cup soy (or other all-plant) yogurt
30g raisins, sultanas, or dates

To serve:
Toasted, flaked almonds for sprinkling

Directions for Peshwari Naan
1. Mix the flours. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast, maple syrup, soy yoghurt, soy milk. Combine. Sprinkle over the baking powder, garlic, granules and salt and begin to knead in the bowl. Transfer to a floured surface and knead well for about 5 minutes. Return to the bowl, dust with flour, cover with a tea towel, and leave in a warm place for about an hour to rise.
2. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a food processor, mix everything together until you have a thick paste.
3. When the dough is doubled in size, knock it back and divide it into 8 pieces.
4. Roll the filling into 8 balls. Take each piece of dough, roll it into a ball between your hands, and make an indent in it with your thumb. Push one of the balls of filling into it, and smooth the dough back over it.
5. When ready to cook, heat a lidded frying pan over a medium heat and spray with some oil. Flatten out each ball of dough with your palm, and start roll each ball into a teardrop shape about 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface.
6. Place carefully into the frying pan, cover, and cook for a couple of minutes until the top bubbles and the bottom is browned; flip, and cook again until the bubbles start to blacken.
7. Spray the bubbled side of the naan with a little spray oil, and top with some flaked almonds.