INGREDIENTS

• 1 aubergine (sliced into 1 cm disks and quartered)
• 1 can of butter beans
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 Large onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• Handful black olives
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Ketchup (trust me on this one!)
• Chill flakes for seasoning (optional

PREPARATION

Fry off the onion will a generous glug of oil, adding the chopped garlic cloves after a couple of minutes. Add the aubergine and continue to cook until it has softened (3-4 minutes). Add the chopped tomatoes and half a tin of water, the ketchup and olives- bring to a simmer.

Cook with the lid of for 5-10 minutes and then add the beans and seasoning. Place the lid on and reduce heat and let the stew cook for 20-25 minutes.

Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread or rice! 

INGREDIENTS

• Potatoes
• Leeks
• Chili powder/flakes
• Oregano
• Vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper
• Oil
• Plant-based cream (optional)

PREPARATION

Cut the potatoes and leeks, fry them in oil until soft (approx. half as much leek as potato in weight). Add spices (be creative here! – but chili and oregano are a great combo) and vegetable broth.

Cover the vegetables with water and let it simmer until the potatoes are cooked. Taste with salt and pepper, and more chili/other spices.

You can eat it as it is, or you can blend the soup and boil it once again, this time adding a plant-based cream (eg. soya cream) to make the soup creamy. Serve hot and garnish with some fresh herbs and more spices and with toasted bread on the side! 

INGREDIENTS

• Roasted crown prince pumpkin
• Aubergine
• Sweet potato
• Romaine lettuce
• Cherry tomatoes,
• Tahini
• Lemon juice 

PREPARATION

Chop up the pumpkin, aubergine and sweet potato and toss with olive oil and herbs de provence. Roast in the oven for around 20-25 minutes.

Mix tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and salt to make the dressing and set aside. Chop lettuce into small strips and halve the cherry tomatoes.

Take out the roasted vegetables and combine all the ingredients, pouring over the dressing. Serve with toasted almond flakes. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 medium beets peeled and grated  
• 4 Tbsp olive oil divided  
• 4 cups reduced vegetable broth + 6 cups water 
• 3 medium yukon potatoes peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces  
• 2 carrots peeled and thinly sliced  
• 2 celery ribs trimmed and finely chopped  
• 1 small red bell pepper finely chopped  
• 1 medium onion finely chopped  
• 4 Tbsp ketchup  
• 3 Tbsp tomato sauce  
• 1 can white cannelini beans with their juice  
• 2 bay leaves  
• 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar or to taste  
• 1 tsp sea salt or to taste  
• 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground  
• 1 large garlic clove pressed  
• 3 Tbsp chopped dill 

PREPARATION

Peel, grate and/or slice all vegetables, keeping sliced potatoes in cold water until ready to use. Heat large soup pot (5 1/2 Qt or larger) over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add grated beets and sauté 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beets are softened.

Add 4 cups broth and 6 cups water. Add sliced potatoes and sliced carrots then cook for 10-15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Place a large skillet over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add chopped onion, celery and bell pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally until softened and lightly golden (7-8 minutes).

Add 4 Tbsp ketchup and stir fry 30 seconds then transfer to the soup pot to continue cooking with the potatoes. When potatoes and carrots reach desired softness, add 1 can of beans with their juice, 2 bay leaves, 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 pressed garlic clove, and 3 Tbsp chopped dill. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes and add more salt and vinegar to taste.

Note: I did not invent this recipe–it’s from Natasha’s Kitchen! I have merely made it with success and enjoyed it and want to spread the knowledge of an Eastern European food not commonly served in the UK. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin (pinch of chilli flakes for extra spice)
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 400g can mixed beans drained and rinsed
• Small tin of sweetcorn
• 1 red pepper cut into chunks
• Tortilla chips to serve
• Lime wedges to serve 

PREPARATION

Heat the oil in a big pot and fry the chopped onion over medium heat until tender. Add the garlic and tomato purée, stirring for 1-2 mins until combined. Sprinkle in the spices and cook for another 1 min.  

Tip in the chopped tomatoes, half fill the can with water, and add to the pan. Pour in the stock and simmer on medium heat for 10-15 mins uncovered. Season, then whizz using a hand blender until smooth. Add the beans, sweetcorn and red pepper, and cook for another 20 mins until the pepper is tender. If you want you can whizz it again, to make it slightly thicker.  

Serve in bowls with a side of tortilla chips and a lime wedge, or whatever else you wish! Then enjoy! 

INGREDIENTS

For the pancakes:

• 1 banana (mashed up)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 cup of your favorite non-dairy milk (oat has been my go-to)
• 1/5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp of maple syrup
• 1 cup of flour (I prefer spelt but really just use your favorite)
• Splash of oats
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• Spoonful of cocoa powder
• Dab of cinnamon (to taste – I prefer a good amount)
• Dab of flax seed (gotta get those omega-3’s)
• Pinch of salt  

For the top: 

• Blueberries
• Some dark chocolate chunks
• Peanut butter
• Maple syrup (I HIGHLY recommend the legit stuff)
• Non-dairy butter of choice 

PREPARATION

First, mash the banana in a medium size bowl. You want it not necessarily smooth but not necessarily chunky (if that makes sense). Then add in the brown sugar and mix it up. Throw in the non-dairy milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup and whisk them together briefly.

Now for the dry ingredients: add the flour, oats, baking soda, cocao powder, cinnamon, flax seed, and salt. This is also the best time to add protein powder if you’re down with that (I would avoid to strong of a flavour one as it could mess with the pancakes too much; hemp is also a good go-to). Mix all of that together so that the batter has a thick consistency but is still a little runny. Don’t over-stir, just mix it until the flour is fully integrated and not chunky. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

Now get your toppings (very important)! Make sure the chocolate is in small-ish chunks and the blueberries are washed. Pancakes cook pretty fast so put them next to your stove-top if you can. Get a pan (the size will just impact how many pancakes you can cook at once) and put it on the stove-top to heat on a medium setting. Once the pan is warm, add the dairy-free butter (relatively heavily) and coat the bottom of the pan in it. Now get your batter and add about a quarter of a cup onto the pan. Immediately add the blueberries and chocolate chips to your heart’s content. Make sure to cover them up a little bit with some extra batter as you don’t want the pan to burn them. Now let the pancake cook until the bubbles in the middle begin popping and the bottom is golden-brown. Flip and let the other the other side cook the same.

As you go through the batter keep adding more butter to the pan so the ‘cakes don’t stick. Once you’re all done cooking, drizzle (or spread, your choice) some peanut butter on top and break out the maple syrup (this is my favorite part).

P.S. My very favorite thing to do also is during peach season, slice up some of those bad boys and put them on top and it is genuinely heavenly. Also, really these pancakes are super adjustable and you can use whichever toppings you love most. I definitely recommend real maple syrup because the fake stuff just doesn’t hit the spot as much. These can also be made gluten free by using gf plain white flour and self-rising flour. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1x 500g uncooked black turtle beans,
• 1x large pack of Kale
• 1x rice
• 2x onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1x vegetable stock cube
• 1x lemon 

PREPARATION

Part 1 (the beans “feijão”): sauté/caramalize the onions and garlic in a large pan. Once golden brown, add vegetable stock approx. 3x the amount compared to the beans because they will soak up a lot of it. Add more water/broth as needed to keep the beans covered throughout cooking. Add the beans and bring to a boil. Keep on high for approax 30 min.

*IMPORTANT* add some lemon juice or lime to ensure your body can absorb all the essential amino acids that are naturally found in the beans. Then cover with a lid (leaving a gap so that some vapour can escape) for the next 3 hours. Check in and stir periodically making sure that the beans do not stick/burn on the bottom. After around 4 hours you will have a thick sauce like consistency with the beans still being intact.

Part 2 (the kale): Add 2 finely chopped garlic gloves to a large frying pain (add oil). Once golden, add fresh Kale and fry on high heat. Stir the kale until it has significantly decrease in volume (think of cooking spinach) and is nice and tender when chewing. Part 3 (rice): Cook rice, preferably parboiled rice, if not use basmati. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 autumnal vegetable of your choice: squash or aubergine (or pumpkin or swede)

Sauce (increase ratios if you have a big squash/aubergine):

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar (optional)
• Chili paste
• Chili sauce or chili infused oil (simmer a roasted chilli in oil such as sambal or gojuchang)
• Oil
• Salt and white/black pepper
• Other cupboard seasonings  

Toppings

• 1 spring onion chopped  
• 1 chili pepper chopped
• Half an onion sliced
• A handful of watercress Walnuts  

Side (optional)

• 2 salad tomatoes quartered
• 100g mushrooms sliced
• 1 Leek sliced 

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven (180-200 degrees)

2. Warm a pan with oil at a moderate temperature and chilli.

3. Add the onion, tomatoes, mushrooms, leeks, salt, pepper, walnuts and simmer.

4. Cut squash/aubergine in half lengthwise and score with a knife.

5. Rub a seasoning blend on all sides (quite a bit of salt, black/white pepper, chilli powder, others of your choice such as cloves/nutmeg/ginger powder).

6. Meanwhile, combine honey, soy sauce, chilli sauce to make the glaze, let simmer until thickened.

7. When the aubergine begins to sweat/the squash has rested for 10 minutes, brush off the liquid and seasoning blend (particularly the salt) with a paper towel.

8. Place aubergine/squash in a lined baking tray with a drizzle of oil and the glaze. Roast until glaze is shiny, rotate.

9. When it is beginning to char, remove from oven. Optional: Scoop a bit of flesh out and reserve.

10. Top roasted ‘boats’ with the onion slices, spring onion, chopped chilli, watercress, walnuts and any remaining glaze.

11. Optional: Surround the scoop of flesh with the tomatoes, leeks and mushrooms.  

If you don’t want to slice the squash in half, use a fork/knife/skewer to poke some holes into the squash, place on lined baking sheet/roasting tray and leave in the oven (around 180 degrees). It is ready with the squash is easily cut through. Leave to cool. Halve the squash, and season as desired and add any toppings and glaze. 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g buckwheat noodles
• 4 eggplants (1.5kg)  
• 3 tbsp miso paste  
• Vegetable oil (sesame, coconut or olive)
• Salt and pepper  
• 2 tsp chopped ginger  
• 200g eschalots/onions thinly sliced  
• 2 crushed garlic cloves  
• 200ml vegetable stock/dashi  
• 3 tbsp mirin and 1 tbsp sake (if you don’t have this use vinegar and perhaps some sweetener to taste)  
• 2 tbsp soy sauce  
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped  
• Chinese shallots or coriander cut finely to top

PREPARATION

Cut eggplant into 2cm cubes and place on baking tray. Drizzle with oil and roast at 200 degrees C for 25 mins (or until tender). Place in colander to cool and salt to taste.

Place eschalots and oil in pan and saute on medium heat for 3-4 mins. Once softened add garlic and ginger and cook on low for another 5 mins. Then add miso, stock, soy sauce, mirin and sake (or alternative) and stir well to combine. Let thicken for a couple minutes and add roasted eggplant to miso sauce and combine well.

Meanwhile, in a pot of salted, boiling water cook the buckwheat noodles for around 5 minutes. Drain the noodles and refresh under cold water. Combine noodles, miso eggplant and season well. Top with walnuts and cut herbs. Enjoy! 

INGREDIENTS

• Porridge oats
• Water
• Plant milk of choice
• Strawberries (frozen is fine, or other fruits you like)

PREPARATION

Heat water, oats and fruit, and add milk. Bring to boil. Keep stirring. Crush the strawberries with a wooden spoon to get the flavour out.

Top with granola or fruit of choice. Strawberries can be replaced with other fruits like raspberries or blueberries. Cored and pealed apples also give a great flavour. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of oat or other non-dairy milk
• 1 cup of oats, a teaspoon of baking soda
• A pinch of salt
• 1 banana
• 2 tablespoons of pumpkin purée (can substitute with roasted and mashed squash or sweet potato)
• 1 tablespoon of flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract,
• 2 teaspoons of mixed spice (or sub 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, half a teaspoon of ground ginger, and a quarter teaspoon each of ground cloves and nutmeg)

PREPARATION

Blend all the ingredients together and let sit for 10-30 minutes to thicken. Warm up a large pan on medium-low heat (like a 3/8) for about ten minutes (this is important, as too hot a pan will burn the batter on the bottom and not cook it through, while a pan too cold will not cook the pancake!) before spreading some vegan butter onto the pan, coating it evenly.

Use 2-3 tablespoons of batter for each pancake; and let them cook for several minutes. They’re pretty small pancakes, but because they don’t have any egg in them it’s better to keep them small so that they stay in tact easier when flipping them. Here you can add any topping. I like vegan chocolate chips, which you can find in free from aisles at the grocery store. Just be sure to use a knife to cover the toppings with a bit more pancake batter so that they don’t burn when flipped.

Do not attempt to flip until the bubbles on the uncooked top of the pancake have popped, and the surface is no longer shiny. Flip, and cook for about 2-3 minutes. T

hen, serve up with any toppings! I like to go crazy and cover them with nut butter, jam, vegan yogurt, maple syrup, and more chocolate chips. These are great because they’re refined sugar free but still sweet, gluten free if using gf oats, and can be totally customized by changing the spices and toppings. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil  
• 2 cloves garlic minced  
• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced or grated  
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh turmeric 
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric  
• 1 chili, diced  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander  
• 1/2 teaspoon Indian red chili powder  
• 2 teaspoons curry powder  
• 1 teaspoon garam masala Salt to taste Freshly cracked black pepper to taste  
• 1 cup (180-190g) red lentils, or split red lentils (the split variety will cook a bit quicker)  
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth  
• 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes  
• 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk  
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened creamy almond butter  
• 1/2 a small lemon, juiced  
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro 
• Rice or naan 

PREPARATION

Rinse the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear. Heat a large, deep skillet or large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the coconut oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the garlic, ginger, fresh turmeric (if using), and Serrano pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent garlic from burning.

Add the cumin, coriander, chili powder, curry powder, garam masala, salt, and black pepper to taste, and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, tossing frequently to prevent burning. If using ground turmeric instead of fresh turmeric, add the ground turmeric now, along with the rest of the spices. Pour in the vegetable broth, and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.

Add in the lentils and the crushed tomatoes and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through and have mostly softened. If you find that the lentils are not quite soft after 25 minutes, add a few spoons more of broth or water and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove the lid and stir in the coconut milk, almond butter, along with salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking on low heat, uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes, until the curry has thickened and is creamy. Finally, stir in the lemon juice and cilantro, and turn off the heat. Serve the curry with rice and/or flatbread. Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 eggplants (around 0.7 kg worth)  
• Vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)  
• 2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
• 2 tsp soy sauce  
• 1 tbsp chinkiang vinegar (or balsamic) 
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2-3 chilies, as hot as you like  
• Rice wine vinegar or white vinegar  
• 1.25 tsp corn flour  
• 4 garlic cloves  
• A knob of ginger  
• 4 spring onions  
• 2 tbsp chili black bean paste or similar fermented soybean paste  
• Cilantro (for garnish)  
• Rice 

PREPARATION

1. Cut the eggplant into planks and soak in very salty water for 10 minutes (while you do steps 2-4).  

2. Make the sauce from shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and sugar. Mix well.

3. Heat white/rice vinegar in a saucepan until simmering, then pour over sliced chilies. Rest for 5 min, then pour the sauce in, and add corn flour. Mix until combined.  

4. Mince garlic, spring onions, and ginger. 

5. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. 

6. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or big pan until very hot, then add eggplant (in batches if necessary). Fry until well browned and soft, then remove from pan.  

7. Add garlic, ginger, and spring onion, fry for ~30 seconds. Then add the bean paste and fry for another ~30 seconds.  

8. Add the chili cornstarch sauce, and then add back the eggplant, tossing until coated in the sauce.  

9. Serve on a bed of rice with a cilantro and spring onion garnish. Enjoy! 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes  
• 1 tin coconut milk  
• 1 tin of chickpeas  
• 2 large sweet potatoes  
• 1 large onion  
• Garlic  
• Half a bag of spinach 
• 2 bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon of paprika  
• 1 tablespoon of cumin  
• 1 tablespoon of ginger  
• Chili to taste  
• 1 stock cube  
• Sunflower oil 

PREPERATION

Chop the onion and garlic (and ginger if fresh) finely and add to a big pan with the oil. Fry it on a low heat until translucent and then add the spices and fry a minute or two longer.  

Chop the potato into bite sized chunks and add to the pan. Keep stirring until all of the potatoes are covered in curried goodness.

Add the tin of tomato, coconut milk, and chickpeas (with their water… its called “aquafaba” and you can actually make vegan chocolate mousse with it!) and the broth cube. Bring it to a simmer and then let the mixture cook for ten minutes.  

Add the bell peppers and cook until everything is ready to eat! Add the spinach in at the very end. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts only) sliced and chopped
• 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 1 lb potatoes peeled and chopped
• 3 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Slightly less than a 1/4 cup part skim milk, and fill the rest (~2tbsp) with melted butter 

PREPARATION

Melt butter in a pot until slightly brown, then add leeks and onion. Cook until onions become clear and leeks are softened. Add potatoes, water (or broth), and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook partially covered for 30-40 min.

Let it cool off a bit then use a hand blender, or normal blender if you don’t have one, to blend everything together in the pot until it is smooth. Once it has cooled, add the milk and melted butter combo and stir until fully combined. keep refrigerated, eat cold, but not too cold!