Go-To Chocolate Cake

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This cake will be your go-to chocolate cake as it’s extremely easy to make; it rises easily, and produces a deliciously fudgy, flavoursome cake that’s perfect served warm with the glaze poured over it.

Ingredients: 
For the cake:
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp granulated stevia
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup strong coffee, warm, but not hot
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup soy yoghurt
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 tsp white wine or cider vinegar

For the glaze: 
4 tbsp suitable-for-vegans margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp granulated stevia
2 tbsp all-plant milk mixed with 1 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 squares suitable-for-vegans 70% dark chocolate

Directions: 
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a round loose-bottom cake tin, and sit it on a baking tray. 
2. Mix all of the cake ingredients so that the flour is well incorporated. Pour into the cake tin. 
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes (ovens vary) or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin. 
4. Meanwhile, Place all of the glaze ingredients except for the chocolate into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, but don’t allow to boil. Add the chocolate to melt, adding more if glaze is too sweet. 
5. Serve cake warm with glaze poured over the top.

Apple and Sultana Oatmeal

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You don’t need a recipe for this one: make up the oatmeal on water or all-plant milk, according to package directions. Add a chopped apple and as many sultanas as you like, and enjoy. 

If you have some spices like cinnamon and ground cloves, you could add those for an apple pie flavour. Sweeten, if desired, with vegan sugar or maple syrup.

Nori and Rice Salad

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A healthy, nourishing salad that’s really filling and packed with flavour.

Ingredients: 
½ cup dry weight sushi rice, cooked according to package directions
1 carrot, shredded
60g broccoli, in small florets
¼ red pepper, chopped (use the other whole red pepper, if following the plan, and cut down the side, leaving the other ¾ intact)
1 scallion, sliced
3 or 4 mushrooms, sliced
2 or 3 tbsp red cabbage, shredded (cooked, if desired)
100g baby spinach
2 sheets of nori, finely chopped
Soy sauce, if available; if not, use either salt or some of the sultanas to flavour
Flaked almonds, toasted, to garnish

Directions
1. Steam the broccoli until just fork tender. Cool in an ice bath (or under cold running water). 
2. Fry the mushrooms with the spinach until cooked.
3. Mix all ingredients, and season to taste. Sprinkle with flaked almonds, if desired.

Baked Beans

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Simple, hearty, and nutritious, these beans make for a perfect breakfast with some toast.

Ingredients: 
1 can cannellini beans
1 can tomatoes (we won’t use it all)
1/4-1/2 tsp suitable-for-vegans sweetener (to taste)
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 slices suitable-for-vegans bread, toasted

Directions: 
1. Meanwhile, empty the beans and their liquid into a saucepan. Add the juice from a can of tomatoes and stir. 
2. Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Add a tomato from the can, crushed between your hands, to thicken if necessary–alternatively, you can use a couple of tbsp of tomato purée if available. 
3. Meanwhile, make the toast. 
4. Add the sugar, to taste, and the salt. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve, reserving half of the recipe for tomorrow’s lunch.

Banoffee Oat Sundae

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How could you wake up feeling grumpy when you’ve planned this delicious breakfast?

Ingredients: 
1 cup oats
2 bananas (1 mashed, 1 sliced)
8 dates
a pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla essence, if available
Peanut butter and flaked almonds to serve

Directions: 
1. Soak the oats in enough water (or use all-plant milk if you prefer) to just cover them. Add 1/2 of the mashed banana and stir. 
2. Place the dates in a blender with salt, vanilla essence, and enough hot water to blend to a smooth consistency. If you don’t have a blender, chopped dates will work perfectly well! 
3. Layer the oats, sliced bananas, date caramel, and mashed banana into a glass, alternating. Top with a few dots of peanut butter, and sprinkle with flaked almonds.

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.

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.

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.