Acuri

My Dad used to make Acuri at home on a Sunday evening so thought I would give an eggless version a go. For those of you that haven't heard of it - it's really a spicy scrambled eggs usually served on toast.

- Fry 1 chopped red onion with 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
- Add 2 chopped tomatoes and 1 chopped chilli with seeds and fry a little longer
- Add 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp salt
- Add 1 block mashed firm tofu and fry till some edges look golden
- Chuck in a handful of chopped fresh coriander, cook for 1 minute
- Quickly toast and butter 2 pieces of bread - chuck the acuri on top and beat your husband to the TV to watch something lovely like the Kardashians :)

Nandos at home :)

The husband adores Nandos like possibly more than me but it is quite pricey and unfortunately we cannot eat out all the time! Here is my at home version - it was yummy and firey.

- To make the sauce blend in a food processor: half red pepper, 2 tbsp tomato puree, 5 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 scotch bonnet, 1 red onion, juice of 1 lime and juice of 1 orange. Simmer this in a saucepan to reduce - Season with salt, pepper, sugar, chopped coriander and turn off heat
- Bake 4 frozen mock chicken breasts of your choosing according to packet instructions until crispy
- Meanwhile boil 2 cups frozen peas, drain and saute in 1 tsp butter, 1/2 tsp dried mint, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes and 1/2 tsp salt. Mash a little to get that mushy pea effect
- Peel and chip 4 large potatoes - deep fry and sprinkle with paprika and salt
- Dip the cooked mock chicken in the sauce to thoroughly coat and griddle until charred black criss cross lines show.
- Stick it all on a plate and eat!

French Toast and Necterine Slices

- In a sealable plastic bag crush 2 cups Frosties cereal (anysweet cornflakes will do)
- Add to this 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp baking powder and pour into a bowl
- Add 1cup vanilla soya milk and whisk into a batter, if too thick add a little more
- Heat a pan with a mix of butter and oil- Dip 1 at a time 6 pieces of wholemeal bread into the batter and fry until golden flipping half way
- Serve with slices of fresh necterine and maple syrup

Teriyaki stirfry with crispy noodles and garlic brocolli

I love nothing more than crispy crispy noodles in a chinese restaurant, this is my at home and hopefully slightly healthier version! Serves 2 with some leftovers for the next days lunch.

- Chop the very ends off 8 pieces of tenderstem brocolli and place in a small saucepan
- Boil the kettle
- Fry in groundnut oil 1 sliced onion with 8 sliced mushrooms and 4 crushed cloves garlic
- Add 15 thick slices of your favourite seitan - I used a new version that came in a glass jar from Whole Foods, fry mix for about 10mins
- Meanwhile pour hot water over 2 nests of egg free but still yellow thread noodles, cook for 3 mins, drain in cold water and fry in 2 tbsp ground nut oil with 1/2 tsp salt until crispy
- Pour hot water over the brocolli, boil for 5mins, drain, return to the pan with 2 crushed garlic cloves and 2 tsp butter and cook until the garlic is done
- Add 4 tbsp teriyaki sauce to your mushroom, onion, seitan mix, stir to combine, add 2 tbsp chopped coriander and turn off the heat
- Enjoy :)

Sweet potato and butternut squash soup

This is one of my mums favourites and a version of something I once saw on Saturday Morning Kitchen :)

- Peel, scoop out the seeds and dice 1 butternut squash
- Peel and dice 3 sweet potatoes
- Peel and slice 1 white onion and crush 8 cloves garlic- Fry all the above in 2 tbsp good olive oil and 1 tbsp butter for aboout 15mins
- Add 1 veggie stock cube to the pot and pour boiling water from the kettle in until all the veg is covered
- Add salt and black pepper the soup and bring to the boil
- Simmer for 20 mins or until squash is soft
- Turn off heat, use a masher to mash some of the chunks but not all, taste for seasoning and enjoy

Yummy potato salad

-Boil 20 small new potatoes in salted water until tender
-Meanwhile prepare vegan mayo
-Mix in a food processor 60ml soya milk, 2 crushed garlic cloves and 1 tsp cider vinegar
-Slowly add 150ml sunflower oil while the food processor is on medium speed until the mayo has a creamy consistency
-Add a generous twist of salt and black pepper, mix and taste
-Drain the potatoes and add to a bowl with a big bunch of chopped mint and 4 finely sliced spring onions
-Add the vegan mayo and stir to combine

Serve preferably on a sunny day with bbq veggie sausages and burgers!

The best vegan cupcakes I have ever tasted!

I was getting frustrated with claims that this recipe or that recipe was truly the best vegan cupcake only to end up with stodgy/weird smelling/lumpy cupcakes. So i bought Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World and was delighted! These are the basic vanilla ones - the first recipe in the book - that I made on Easter Sunday :)

Mushroom and seitan pasta

A nice hearty winter warmer dinner. It was however 25 degrees celsius when I fancied making this so with the heat in the kitchen and the heat in the pasta I nearly boiled to death!

- Cook 200g brown fusilli pasta in a big pot of boiling salted water with a little oil for 20mins
- Meanwhile chop and fry 1 red onion, 10 mushrooms and 5 garlic cloves until brown and sticky
- Add 1/2 tsp salt, lots of black pepper, 1 tsp dried rosemary and 2 tsp chili flakes
- Add about 20 thin strips of your favourite seitan, I defrost frozen black pepper mock chicken from Veggie World
- Fry for about 10 mins whilst stirring
- Add 1 cup red wine and allow to cook off for 5 mins
- Stir in 2/3 cup low fat crème fraiche and taste/adjust for seasoning
- Drain and add the pasta to the sauce and serve

Paneer skewers and stuffed mushrooms

This is a nice snacky dinner when you fancy something warm but not too filling/too much hassle

- Soak some wooden skewers in water and prehat the oven to 200 degrees celsius
- Cube 200g paneer
- Cube half a red pepper
- Thread onto the skewer alternating between paneer and pepper
- Brush with you favourite chilli sauce and a bit of tikka masala paste and bake for 20mins
- Meanwhile scoop out the middle of 7 chestnut mushrooms
- Put 1/2 tsp butter in each followed by a sprinkle of garlic powder and as much grated mozerella as you can squeeze in
- Place on a baking tray, brush each with a little oil and sprinkle with my new favourite veggie seasoning Bacon Salt!
- Place in the oven for 15mins and serve

Veggie Tacos

This dish starts with a boring shop bought pack but turns into something much more fun and tasty!

- Prepare the salad with 2 chopped avocados, 4 chopped tomatoes, 3 chopped spring onion, a big bunch of chopped coriander, juice of half a lime, salt and olive oil
- Peel 3 sweet potatoes, chop in rough chunks, place in a roasting dish and then drizzle olive oil over and sprinkle salt and garlic pepper. Roast at 200 degress celsius for 30mins
- Open the Old El Paso Taco kit. Lay the taco shells on a baking tray ready for heating later and pour the salsa in a bowl
- Lay out a handful of grated cheese in another bowl
- Defrost 1 pack soya mince in the microwave for 5mins
- Meanwhile in the food processor blitz - 1 tomato, 1 red pepper, 1 onion, 4 garlic cloves and 2 green chillies- Fry the vegetables in oil until fragrant and add the defrosted soya mince
- Add the spice mix from the kit, some salt and paprika to taste and 3 tbsp water and cook for a further 5 mins
- Put the taco shells in the oven for 3 mins
- Assemble your taco with the soya mince on the bottom of the shell, then a sprinkle of cheese followed by salad and salsa
- Serve with the roasted sweet potatoes