South American Sweet Potato, Grains and Kale

This one’s a whopper with 9 plant portions. Combining traditional vegetables of South America with ancient grains; lentils and quinoa. It’s technically a fusion dish with Mediterranean, Indian and Mexican influences.

Prep time: 30-45minutes

Serves 4 – 5

100g red lentils

100g quinoa

tbsp tomato puree

one small red onion (chopped)

an orange pepper (chopped)

medium sweet potato (chop into 2” pieces)

one can kidney beans

one can chopped tomatoes

250ml stock

2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp turmeric, sprig of oregano

200g kale

tahini

Chop the onion, pepper and potatoes. Fry the onions and pepper in a little oil in a large frying pan. Add the paprika and turmeric. Add the potatoes and stir well coating in spice. When the potatoes are seared, add the can of tomatoes, kidney beans and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer.

Boil some water in the kettle. Put the lentils and quinoa in a saucepan. Pour boiling water over the grains, twice as much water as grains. Boil for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. After 20 minutes the water should be absorbed and the grains cooked. Stir in a two large spoonfuls of tomato puree.

Chop and then boil the kale for 8 – 10 minutes. Optionally, drain and mix with the other vegetables, and continue to simmer. Otherwise, serve as is, Veg alongside grains, and kale. Top with a generous dollop of tahini.

Black Beans, Salsa and Rice

I’ve been craving tomato salsa and black beans, so I decided to make my own burritos this week. I’ve added a portion of kale for calcium and iron, drizzled in lemon juice for extra zing.

Prep time: 30min

Serves 3-4

125g brown rice

tsp stock powder

for the salsa:

1 small onion

3 large tomatoes

bunch of parsley (or dried herb)

garlic

lemon juice

pinch of cumin

oil

for the beans:

can of black beans

yellow pepper

garlic puree/cloves

tomato puree

lemon juice

150g kale

pot of guacamole

optional: soft wraps

Put the rice on to boil, including a spoonful of stock. While the rice is cooking chop the tomatoes and onion as finely as you can. Mix onion and tomato in a bowl with a pinch of cumin, parsley finely chopped, a generous squirt of lemon juice and a drizzle of cold pressed oil. Steam boil the kale in a saucepan in an inch of boiling water for 8-10 minutes. In a frying pan, warm some oil over a high heat and add the beans, stirring frequently. Chop the pepper and add to the beans. Add tomato puree, garlic and a drizzle of lemon juice to the beans and pepper, mix thoroughly. Drain the rice and kale, and serve either in bowls or on plates so that you can (optionally) make wraps.

Seitan Curry

No, not the devil, say-tan is in fact the exact opposite, wheat meat, designed for vegan angels! This is a quick and easy curry made with seitan, plenty of greens, and beans too.

Serves 4-5

Prep time 45min

3 teaspoons of your favourite spice

1 large sweet potato, chopped

225g seitan, shredded

can of coconut milk

200g broccoli, cooked

200g kale, chopped

one can black beans

200g couscous

In a large frying pan, over a medium heat, drizzle some oil. Chop the potato into 1” pieces, put into the pan and sprinkle with your favourite spice. I use turmeric, cardamon and curry powder. Tear the seitan block into meat like chunks and add to the frying pan. After searing the potatoes and seitan, pour over the coconut milk. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Stir to avoic sticking. Cook the broccoli in a separate pan. Chop the kale into 1cm pieces. Add the kale and black beans to the frying pan, allow to steam for 10minutes. Drain the broccoli and add to the pan. Mix gently yet thoroughly. When the kale is cooked, take off the heat. Prepare couscous, or rice and serve with the curry.

Midsummer Super Salad

Salad has never been my favourite dish, but this creation contains a multitude of tasty salad ingredients, olives, avocado and rocket, dressed in my allotment favs oregano and chive. I added couscous for a boost of protein and selenium. It’s surprising how quickly the bowl fills up, but it will keep overnight in the fridge if you make too much.

lettuce

olives

broad beans fried in garlic puree and lemon juice

fresh tomato, chopped

avocado

rocket

chive and oregano, chopped

spinach, cooked

tahini and soya yoghurt dressing

Not much cooking involved in this one: just the broad beans in their pods to be fried in oil, lemon juice and garlic puree; and spinach steamed in a little boiling water. Tear the lettuce leaves and rocket, peel the avocados, chop the tomatoes. Prepare the couscous in a bowl and spoon over the lettuce leaves. Add the chopped ingredients and pour on the broad beans. Sprinkle chopped chives and oregano over the salad, and drizzle in oil. Mix tahini and soya yoghurt in a ramikin and drizzle over the salad.

Broad Bean and Walnut Tagliatelle

This is the first time I have made tagliatelle using chickpea flour and I have to say I am impressed with how easy it is! Chickpeas are high in protein and this seasonal pasta dish is a clever way of incoporating the bean. Walnuts and tarragon add a creamy earthiness to the fresh, green taste of the broad beans and spinach, brought to life by the lemon and garlic.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

320g baby broad beans (in their pods)

100g walnuts, chopped

200g chickpea flour

200ml water

tarragon, fenugreek, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper

200g spinach

320g pasta

Put the pasta on to boil in a large saucepan. Chop the broad beans into 1.5cm pieces. Roughly chop the walnuts. Pour a drizzle of oil into a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add the beans and walnuts. Add a generous sprinkling of tarragon, fenugreek, and lemon juice. Then add two teaspoons of garlic puree, salt and pepper. Stir well, but then allow to sizzle, browning the beans and nuts. When the pasta has 2 minutes left, cook the spinach in a little water. Drain the pasta and spinach, and add to the frying pan. Turn up the heat. Use a whisk, or a fork, to mix the chickpea flour with the water in a separate container to form a smooth, runny paste. Pour the paste into the frying pan and stir slowly coating the pasta etc with a scrambled egg like texture. Serve as is, bread and salad optional.

Broad Bean Soup

Taking my classic bean soup, and adding broad beans, this feel good soup is exactly what’s needed on a brisk summer’s day. 

Prep time: 45min

Serves: 7

1 onion, diced

1 bunch of celery, chopped

sprinkle thyme, curry leaves, garam masala

2 cans chopped tomatoes

200g kale, chopped

1 can beans (any)

500ml stock

300g broad beans (in pods, top ‘n’ tail, cut into 2″ pieces)

bread

tahini

Dice the onion and fry in a little oil. Chop the celery stalks into slices and add to the onion. Sprinkle with thyme, curry and garam masala. Fry for 5 – 10min. Add the tin tomatoes and stock. Add the beans, kale and broad beans. Put lid on pan and bring to the boil. Allow to simmer for a further 30minutes. Serve with bread and a dollop of tahini.

Summer Salad (8* plant points)

Designed to be calcium rich this salad draws on all its ingredients to provide a healthy kick. Offering 270mg of calcium, this is more than a third of your RDA – not bad for a salad! Using the last of the winter lettuce (I know, I know, it’s supposed to be a summer salad) the dish takes on the freshness of the oregano combined with the earthy nuttiness of a tahini yoghurt dressing. Not for the faint hearted, this is one mean salad.

Prep time: 25 – 45minutes

Serves: 1

90g roasted squash, or a small avocado

80g kidney beans (a third of a can)

100g quinoa (more for hungry folk)

80g broad beans (still in pods)

80g spinach

2 – 3 handfuls of lettuce

sprig of oregano, or pinch of the dried herb

teaspooon wholegrain mustard and drizzle of lemon juice

For the sauce:

40g soya yoghurt

Spoonful tahini

Roast your butternut squash for 40 minutes at 180 degree (fan oven) in oil. Boil the quinoa for 20 minutes. Top and tail the broad beans, chop into 2” pieces and fry in a little oil, teaspoon of wholegrain mustard, and a generous drizzle of lemon juice, the pan so hot it should sizzle. Broad beans only need to be blanched for 3 – 5 minutes, but add the spinach at the same time and put a lid on the pan. The spinach should wilt as the beans brown slightly. Tear the lettuce into a large bowl, spoon the kidney beans on top. Then add the butternut squash, the quinoa, and the greens. Tear your sprig of oregano into small pieces and sprinkle over salad. Mix the tahini with yoghurt to create a thick dressing.

Baby Broad Beans and Mediterranean Couscous (5* plant points)

Fresh from the garden, broad beans are the first things ready to harvest after winter. If you pick them young, the whole of the pod is edible: a crunchy green case full of sweet baby beans. I fry minein lemon juice and wholegrain mustard, served on a bed of garlic greens and Meditarranean couscous.

Prep time 15minutes

Serves 4

200g couscous

24 large olives, halved

12 vine tomatoes, chopped

2 dessert spoon tomato puree

thyme

for the beans

oil, 4 tsp wholegrain mustard, lemon juice

320g broad beans, top n tailed

320g greens (I cooked spinach and broccoli)

4 tsp garlic puree

Ready in minutes this dinner is bursting with flavour, but it takes concentration. Boil the water for the couscous while you chop the tomatoes and olives. Put the greens on to boil. Put some oil in a saucepan, turn to a high heat and add the tomatoes, olives, thyme and tomato puree. Put some oil in a frying pan, again on a high heat, add the broad beans, lemon juice and whole grain mustard, stir occasionally. Allow the tomatoes and beans to brown slightly then turn off the heat. When the greens are cooked, drain and return to the pan with garlic puree and a little oil, stir well. When the couscous is ready mix in with the tomatoes and olives. Serve in a ring, fill the centre with garlic greens and place broad beans on top.

Cream of No-Chick*n, Mushroom and Kale Soup

High in protein with 20g of protein per serving and 6 plant points, this cream of mushroom soup combines seitan with kale for a nutritious punch. Seasoned with tarragon and paprika the earthy, aniseed flavours mingle with fragrant , fruity spice.

Onion, diced

Garlic puree (teaspoon)

Tarragon (or thyme), paprika, salt and pepper

400g mushrooms, chopped

200g kale

Can of white beans, drained

225g seitan, cubed

Can of coconut milk (or plant based crème fraiche)

250ml stock

Bread

In a large frying pan on a medium heat, pour a generous drizzle of oil. Fry onion, garlic, tarragon, paprika, salt and pepper. Chop mushrooms and add to frying pan, stirring well. Add raw kale. Add can of butter beans. Add chopped seitan. Pour on coconut milk. Add 250ml of veg stock. Put on lid and allow to cook for further 15 minutes. Blend in a blender. Serve with bread.

White Bean and Cashew Curry (6* plant points)

If you don’t like coconut milk this roux based curry offers a creamy alternative. Nutrient dense yet low in calories, the textures of the white beans and cashews intermingle, all wrapped in white sauce and spinach.

Prep time 30min

Serves 3

1 ½ tsp garam masala 

Spring onions (finely chopped)

Tsp garlic puree

for the roux:

40g oil

40g flour

450ml of milk

Can of white beans

90g cashews

260g spinach

600g potatoes (1-2” pieces)

150g couscous (dry weight)

Chop the potatoes and put on to boil for 20minutes. Drizzle some oil in a large frying pan, add the spice, garlic and onions. Once lightly fried, make the roux by adding 40g of oil (about a fingers width on the bottle) into the frying pan. Sprinkle one and a half dessert spoons of corn flour on top of the oil and stir in. This will make a thick paste. Add oat milk gradually (about 50ml at a time) stirring gently but constantly, making a thinner sauce each time. Once the sauce is ready add the cashews, white beans and spinach. Add the potatoes and when the spinach in wilted stir in. Prepare the couscous and serve.