WINTER WARMER MEALS PERFECT FOR VEGGIES AND VEGANS

Winter is officially here!

The cold months are perfect for staying in and cooking tasty dishes, that will keep you warm and toasty.

We’ve put together a list of recipes that are perfect for veggies and vegans, or for those who are looking to add some more veg into their life.

Chana Dhal With Spicy Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

• 350g Love Life Yellow Split Peas
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 red onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 28g pack fresh coriander, leaves and stalks chopped separately
• 1 red chilli, halved lengthways
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp garam masala
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• Juice 2 limes

For the roasted vegetables

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 whole cauliflower, florets only
• 4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and sliced into 2cm diagonals
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• ¾ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 115g pack baby spinach

Method

1. Soak the split peas in cold water for 1 hour then drain.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, coriander stalks, chilli and bay leaves and cook for a further 1 minute. Sprinkle in the garam masala and cumin and fry, stirring almost continuously, for 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomatoes, drained split peas and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes until the peas are very tender. Stir in the lime juice and scatter with coriander leaves.
4. Meanwhile, to make the roasted vegetables, preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Pour the oil into a large, shallow baking tray and place in the oven for 5 minutes to warm up. Add the cauliflower and carrots, toss to coat in the oil and roast for 10 minutes.
5. Mix together the cumin seeds, turmeric, paprika, garam masala and black mustard seeds. Sprinkle over the vegetables, turning to coat, then return to the oven for 10–15 minutes until the veg are tender. Stir the spinach through until wilted then serve alongside the dhal. Delicious with warm naan bread and steamed basmati rice.

Hearty Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 25g dried porcini mushrooms
• 250ml boiling water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• 500g fresh mushrooms, any variety, roughly chopped
• 2 litre vegetable stock
• 5 tbsp marsala or dry sherry
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 100g tinned haricot beans, drained and rinsed

Method

1. Put the porcini mushrooms in a bowl with the boiling water, soak for 25 minutes.
2. Set a large pan over a medium heat; heat the oil, add the onion, carrot, garlic, rosemary and seasoning. Fry for 5 minutes until soft.
3. Drain the porcini mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and finely chop. Add the porcini mushrooms and fresh mushrooms to the pan and fry for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the stock, marsala or sherry, tomato purée, haricot beans and reserved porcini mushroom liquid. Cook for 30 minutes, adding extra stock if the soup becomes too thick

Halloumi Chickpea & Spinach Curry

Ingredients

• 150g white basmati rice
• 150g halloumi
• 1 onion
• 2 vine tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 red chilli
• A handful of coriander
• 2 tbsp tikka masala spices
• 400g tin of chickpeas
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 200g spinach
• ½ tbsp olive, sunflower or coconut oil
• 2 tbsp cold water
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 600ml boiling water

Method

1. Tip the rice into a bowl, pour in enough cold water to cover it and set aside to soak while you prepare the curry.
2. Dice the halloumi into chunks around 1cm across. Warm a deep-frying pan or wok over a medium heat for 2 mins, then add ½ tbsp oil and the halloumi. Fry for 5-6 mins, turning now and then, till the halloumi is browned all over.
3. While the halloumi fries, peel and finely chop the onion. Dice the tomatoes. Scoop the halloumi out of the pan and pop it on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Add the onion to the pan with 2 tbsp water and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring now and then, for 5-6 mins till the onion has softened and picked up a little colour.
4. While the onion fries, peel and grate or crush the garlic. Finely chop the chilli, flicking out the seeds and white pith for less heat. Finely chop the coriander stalks (keep the leaves for later).
5. Stir the tomatoes, garlic, chilli and coriander stalks into the onion. Add 2 tbsp of the tikka masala spice blend. Cook and stir for 2 mins.
6. Stir the halloumi back into the pan. Drain the chickpeas and add them in. Crumble in the stock cube. Pour in 300ml boiling water. Pop a lid on the pan, bring to the boil and then turn the heat down a bit and simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.
7. While the curry simmers, drain the rice and tip it into a small pan. Add 300ml boiling water and a pinch of salt. Cover, bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down and very gently simmer the rice for 8 mins till all the water has been absorbed. Take the rice off the heat and leave it in the pan, with the lid on, for 5 mins to steam the rice and finish cooking it.
8. Finely shred the spinach. Roughly chop the coriander leaves. Stir the spinach into the curry. Simmer, without the lid on, for 2-3 mins to wilt the spinach. Taste the curry and add a pinch more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
9. Fluff the rice with a fork and divide between a couple of warm bowls. Top with the curry and garnish with the chopped coriander to serve.

Sweet Potato & Chickpea Curry

 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp essential Waitrose sunflower oil
• 1 large essential Waitrose onion, finely chopped
• 350g essential Waitrose cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Tikka Curry Paste
• 350g essential Waitrose sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• 35g essential Waitrose raisins
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 400g can essential Waitrose chopped tomatoes
• Juice of ½ essential Waitrose lemon
• 400g can essential Waitrose Chick Peas, drained and rinsed
• 115g pack baby spinach
• 25g toasted flaked almonds
• 200g Love Life Bulgur Wheat with White & Red Quinoa, cooked, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion and cauliflower for 6-8 minutes until starting to turn golden and soften. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute.
2. Stir in the sweet potatoes, raisins, stock and chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender, and the sauce is thickened.
3. Stir in the lemon juice, chickpeas and spinach and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Scatter over the toasted flaked almonds and serve with the white and red quinoa mix.

Find more find more healthy vegan / veggie recipes here.

Bombay Leek & Potato Filo Parcels (courtesy of Discover Great Veg) 

 

Ingredients

• 300g new potatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp oil
• 400g pack leeks, sliced (approx. 3)
• 100g frozen peas
• 1 tbsp medium curry powder
• 270g pack filo pastry (7 sheets)
• 50g butter, melted
• Mango chutney and natural yogurt to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200^oC, gas mark 6.
2. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 10-15 minutes until tender, drain well and roughly crush.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the leeks for 5 minutes, add the peas and curry powder and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in the crushed potatoes and season. Allow to cool and divide into 7 equal piles.
4. Unfold the filo pastry and cut in half to give 14 squares.
5. Brush 1 square with butter and top with another square at right angles, brush this with butter and place 1 filling pile in the centre. Gather up the filo edges into bundles and place on a baking tray. Repeat to make 7 parcels.
6. Brush with remaining butter and bake for 15 minutes until golden and crispy.
7. Serve with mango chutney and natural yogurt.

Peppadew® Sweet Piquanté Pepper, Corn and Sweet Potato Bhajia

Ingredients

• 410 g can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 sweet potato, finely sliced and grated
• 150g cake flour
• 12 spring onions, finely sliced lengthways
• 50 ml chopped coriander leaves
• 3 cm fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 6 Peppadew® Sweet Piquanté Peppers, chopped
• sunflower oil for frying

Sambal:

• 1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 3 red chillies, finely sliced
• 3 Peppadew® Sweet Piquanté Peppers, finely sliced
• 15 ml peanut oil
• 15 ml castor sugar
• 4 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
• 30 ml dark soy sauce

Method

1. For the sambal: Mix the lemongrass, garlic, chillies and peppers together. Heat the peanut oil in a saucepan and fry the lemongrass mixture for about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and 100 ml of warm water, remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile:  Mix the corn with the remaining ingredients except the sunflower oil. Mix well to form a firm mixture.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan; add a spoonful of mixture and fry in small batches until golden on both sides. Serve with sambal.

Brown Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms, Watercress and Pine Nuts (courtesy of www.watercress.co.uk) 

 

Ingredients

• 250g brown basmati rice
• 700ml vegetable stock
• 100g pine nuts
• 100g shiitake, chestnut or button mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp paprika
• 25g butter (can be left out or swapped for vegan butter for vegan or dairy free option)
• 15g watercress, roughly chopped
• 15g rocket, roughly chopped
• Juice of half a lemon
• 4 eggs
• 1 red chilli, finely diced
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• 100ml white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• Black pepper

Method

1. Bring the vegetable stock to the boil.  In the meantime, place a large frying pan on a medium high heat.  Add the pine nuts and toast for a few minutes until lightly browned, tossing occasionally.  Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
2. Return the pan to the heat.  Add the chopped mushrooms and dry-fry, stirring occasionally, until they have released liquid and begun to brown.  Remove from the pan and add to the bowl with the pine nuts.
3. Add the vegetable oil to the pan and turn up the heat to high.  Add the rice and stir to coat thoroughly with the oil.  Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the onions and continue to cook until the onions have softened and turned translucent.  Add the pine nuts, mushrooms and spices and remove from the heat.
4. Carefully add the rice mixture to the saucepan with the stock along with 2 tsp of salt and a pinch of ground black pepper.  Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cover the pan.  Cook for around 40 minutes or until the rice is tender.
5. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 10 minutes.  While the rice is standing, bring another pan of water to the boil then add the white wine vinegar.  Once the water has boiled again, turn down to a gentle simmer and carefully crack in the four eggs.
6. Cook the eggs in the simmering water for 3.5 minutes, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on some paper towel.
7. To serve, stir the watercress, rocket, lemon juice, chilli, spring onion and butter into the brown rice, adding seasoning to taste.
8. Split evenly between four serving bowls and top each with a poached egg, finishing with a sprinkling of sea salt and black pepper.  Serve immediately.

Spicy Carrot And Coriander Soup (courtesy of Love Fresh Herbs)

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 600g carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 litre vegetable stock or half a stock cube dissolved in water
• 1 ciabatta roll, broken into bite sized pieces
• 35g chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200^oC, gas mark 6.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion, carrot and ground coriander for 5 minutes.  Add the stock, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until tender.
3. Meanwhile, to make the croutons, toss the bread pieces in the remaining oil and 1 tbsp chopped coriander, place on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes until golden.
4. Puree the soup and stir in the remaining coriander.  Serve garnished with the croutons