Watercress, Asparagus and Garden Pea Salad with Grilled Goats Cheese and a Lemon Mint Dressing

Grill Goats Cheese until Golden Brown and Melted in the Middle!

I think this recipe would work as a really lovely starter at a dinner party or as a nice simple lunch, maybe served with some crusty bread to spread the cheese on. I really love watercress and use it a lot in my salads, not only because it is so pretty and strong in flavour (holding its own with strong cheese and lemon dressing) but also because it is super healthy.

I think presenting a piece of grilled cheese like this is a little “70′s dinner party” but it still works in a modern setting, especially mixed with asparagus and peas. You could also present this with chunks of soft set goats cheese mixed into the salad if you didn’t like the sliced cheese presentation.

Goats Cheese is very low in lactose so it is perfect for people like me who suffer with dairy products!

Serve the Salad cold and the Goats Cheese hot

Asparagus is nearing the end of its season however you can still buy it fresh in the shops, probably for the next month or so! If you really can’t get it then don’t buy the awful canned asparagus, instead why not make it more of a salad by using thinly cut cucumber or even some steamed tenderstem broccoli.

I always buy frozen peas, they are frozen very soon after being picked and they only need a very quick boil or steam to cook them through. I literally give them 1 minute in the pan!

Make sure you use fresh, vibrant veg for your salad

To serve 2:

6-10 Spears of Asparagus (depending on thickness)
100g Garden Peas (roughly 1 cup)
2 Large handfuls Watercress
2 slices of Goats Cheese, approx 1 inch thick

Dressing:
1 Lemon
1 tblspn Olive Oil
Small Bunch Mint
Black Pepper

Peel the rough edges off the asparagus and then chop the tips off. Slice the stalks in half length ways and place in a steamer (or boil in hot water) with the peas and the asparagus tips. Cook for 2 minutes until tender but still al dente. Drain the veg then run it under cold water or place into a bowl of ice water to cool it down and keep it bright green.

Juice the lemon into a bowl and finely chop the mint then add that in with the olive oil and black pepper. Give it a good whisk and set it to one side.

Wash your watercress throughly then pile up on two plates. Scatter the peas and asparagus around the watercress making sure everyone gets an even amount of the asparagus tips (my favourite part!).

Place the sliced of cheese under a hot grill for 5-6 minutes until golden brown and starting to bubble.

Place the cheese in the middle of the salad and pour over the dressing then serve while the cheese is still hot!

mmm gooey hot cheese!

Homemade Pomegranate Lemonade – Vegan/ Sugar Free

Three Simple Ingredients!

At the weekends we sometimes buy fizzy drinks…. drum roll…. I know! Terrible! They are so high in sugar and other rubbish and the diet versions are even worse for you. But I’ve always thought that you should have a little amount of something if you fancy it and enjoy life. Problem is people who become addicted to these fizzy drinks don’t enjoy life for very long!

So, I decided to make a healthier soft drink which would satisfy our weekend craving for something more fun than water or orange squash! It’s not fizzy (although it could be!) but it is sweet and brightly coloured, I think kids would love it! Although I haven’t tested this theory out yet.

I love the bright pink colour!

I googled a few lemonade recipes and they all had alot of sugar in them. I mean you do still have to tone down the sour lemons, but I wasn’t comfortable putting something on Veghotpot which had 2 cups of sugar in it! Then I stumbled across Savvy Vegetarian and they included an option to use Agave Nectar instead, I found this really interesting so I popped down to Holland and Barretts and picked some up for this recipe.

Agave Nectar is 1.6 sweeter than honey so don’t just substitute the amount of sugar with agave nectar in your normal lemonade recipe. I don’t know all the pros and cons of agave nectar (apparently it is not as natural as they make out however it is low GI) but it’s better than buying a bottle of fruit fanta which contains Carbonated water, sugar, orange fruit from concentrate (3%), citric acid, flavourings, preservatives (E202, E211), stabilisers (E445, E412, Acacia Gum), colours (E104, E122, E124).

Plus my recipe includes real lemons and the best part – pomegranate, which is full of anti oxidants, lowers risk of blood clots and heart disease, reduces cholesterol and hels rebuild cells. The most antioxidants are contained in the inedible skin, however juicing them releases alot of them into the juice! (Source: Global Healing Centre)

Makes 1 large jug

5 Lemons
1/2 Cup Organic Agave Nectar
1 Pomegranate
6-7 Cups Water
Extra Lemon to serve Slices in the glasses
Ice to serve

Juice the lemons into the jug and pick out any pips. Place a sieve over a large bowl and slice the pomegranate in half, squeeze each half over the sieve and scoop out the seeds into the sieve. Press the juice through the sieve until you are just left with some rough pulp. Pour the pomegranate juice into the jug with the lemons, add the nectar and give it a really good stir.

Then top the jug up with the water and taste. If you want more water/ lemon or agave then play around until you find the balance you like! I liked it with a little lemon kick!

All the hard work of squeezing lemons is worth it in the end!

Summer is Here….What’s in Season?

This is technically an “Out of Office” Notification! This morning we are heading off to Download Festival for 5 days and although I have been organised enough (just!) to schedule some great posts for you, please do not be offended if any comments go without replies until Tuesday! Please still leave your feedback I love all comments and will look forward to seeing what you’ve liked over the weekend!

As you may have noticed at the top of the page I have a “Seasonal Produce” Guide tab, I change this each season as a rough guide to what yummy vegetables you can find in your local farmers market or shop at the moment (UK based). I’ve also started including some recipe suggestions to help you be inspired with what to do with the latest crops. I’ve given you an outline of some ideas below, I really hope you enjoy my favourite Summer picks-

Black Olive and Chilli Polenta with a Tomato, Spinach and Broad Bean Sauce

Braised Cabbage with Butterbeans in a rich tomato sauce

Morrocan Spiced Carrots with Cous Cous in a Raw Leaf Wrap

Courgette, Melon and Watercress Bruschetta

Fresh Courgette, Lemon and Tomato Pasta

Fennel and Potato Fritatta

New Potato, Spring Onion and Fennel En Papillote

Vegan Tofu and Garden Pea ‘Quiche’

Roasted Pepper Platter with Goats Cheese and a Herb Oil

Spinach and Lentil “Meatballs”

Quinoa Stuffed Beef Tomatoes – No Bake

Watercress Salad with Beetroot, Asparagus and Orange and a Hazelnut Dukah

Nori Seaweed Wrap with Edamame and Wasabi Hummous and Raw Veggies

Nori handrolls made easy for a light weekend lunch

I’m still coming up with ideas to use up my sushi ingredients! With my last couple of nori seaweed sheets I decided to make a wrap. I thought that if I can eat the nori wrapped around sushi rice then I can eat it instead of a flour tortilla wrap! It is kind of similar to a hand roll and I used the same technique of how to roll it up into a cone but instead of filling it with rice and pickled ginger, I filled it with home made Japanese inspired hummous and raw julienned salad veg!

I love the bright green colour and the kick of wasabi!

The sea weed flavour is quite intense this way and it took a little getting used to. I can’t lie and say I preferred it to a tortilla styled wrap but I definitely felt more healthy afterwards and it was a much lighter meal!

The hummous is really easy to make and the flavour is nice and creamy with a hint of sesame oil and the classic ginger and garlic. I used edamame beans (soya beans) instead of chickpeas which went nicely with the sea weed.

Edamame and Wasabi Hummous:

Makes enough for 6 wraps

1 cup (approx 100g) Frozen Edamame/ Soya Beans – defrosted and cooked for 3-4 minutes then cooled down
2Garlic Clove – peeled and crushed
1 inch Ginger – Peeled and chopped
3-4 drops Toasted Sesame Oil
1/2 tspn Wasabi Paste (More if you like a real kick)
4-6 tblspn Water

Place everything in a blender and whizz until smooth. Start with 4 tablespoons of water and keep adding 1 tablespoon at a time until you have the desired consistency.

Spread the hummous onto the seaweed halves and sprinkle on black sesame seeds

Fill with your julienned vegetables

You can fill the wraps with anything you fancy including a mix of salad items or some of the sushi ingredients such as pickled ginger. I also liked the idea of filling them with quinoa or brown rice as an easy version to the sushi rice however for now I just used the following salad items:

Cucumber
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Carrots
Celery
Black Sesame Seeds

To make the wraps you need to snap a nori sheet in half (so one sheet will make 2 wraps) and spread the hummous onto each half. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you are using them then place all the julienned salad down the centre. Roll the wrap up so it is a cone shape and serve with any left over veggies as a side salad.

This would also be nice served with a dipping sauce but I just used some sweet chilli sauce from a bottle!

The assembled wraps ready to eat!

Smokey and Spicy Black Bean Burger: Perfect Vegan, Gluten Free BBQ Option

A really tasty smokey Blackbean Burger to make you the envy of the BBQ!

I wanted to make a beany burger which kind of looked like a beef burger! With the BBQ season coming up there are loads of overly processed “meat alternatives” in the shops including quorn burgers and sausages . I love a good home made beany burger but I understand that not everyone wants to be so obviously different with bright pink beetroot burgers or green speckled garden burgers, so here is a burger which looks kind of dull but is packed with flavour!!!

You can keep these ready made in the freezer (Cook them first then just reheat as desired) which makes them perfect as a make ahead option ready to take around to a BBQ with friends. the mixture itself is much wetter than any other burger I have made in the past but they firm up once cooled then cooked. I quite liked the wet texture because it made the burger very soft to eat and the flavours blended nicely.

These would be good on the flat cooking surface of a modern BBQ rather than on a grid, mainly so that it can firm up nicely without falling through the gaps! You could also lay a sheet of foil or place a small frying pan on to the bbq.

Top your Black Bean Burger with any salad you like! I went for tomatoes and lambs lettuce

I’ve learnt recently that cooking the spices before adding them to the burger mixture really improves the flavour, giving it more depth and getting rid of that slightly raw bitter taste they can sometimes have. I’ve used some nice strong spices to create a real smokey taste to this burger so I definitely recommend not skipping this step!

Makes 4 large burgers

Vegan, Gluten Free, Processed Rubbish Free, Summer approved!

1 Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Red Chilli
1 tspn Smoked Paprika
1/2 tspn Ground Coriander
1/2 tspn Fennel Seeds
1 Can (230g) Drained Black Beans
Pinch Salt
6 tblspn Cooked Quinoa
1 – 1 and a 1/2 heaped tblspn Gluten Free Flour

Finely chop the onion, garlic and chilli and cook in a frying pan for 4 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent then add your spices and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Put the onion and spice mixture in a blender with the black beans and a good pinch of salt and blend until you have a rough paste. This was the stage where I realised the mixture gets smooth very quickly so only blend for short intervals and keep checking. It should be smooth and wet but not runny.

Tip the blended mixture into a bowl and add the cooked quinoa and 1 tblspn flour and mix well. At this point do not panic and add loads more flour, I promise it will set beautifully in the pan.

Put the mixture in the fridge for an hour or so (or over night). When ready to cook heat a pan/ grill and scoop out 1/4 of the mixture and shape it into a ball then place it into the pan, press down with a spatula so it becomes a pattie/ burger shape. Cook on one side for 2-3 minutes then flip it over (I flipped it like a pancake).

You can use the flat edge of the spatula to reshape the edges if it goes a bit oblong! Cook for a further 2-3 minutes on the other side and serve hot. It will be done when the edges are crispy and dark and the middle is hot.

This burger is perfect served with a good BBQ sauce with loads of salad in a nice burger bun (Gluten free if you choose of course!)

How to Survive a UK Music Festival as a Vegetarian

Me and Scott surviving the rain last year

It’s that time of year again! In exactly one week I’ll be dragging my tent/ camping bag/ beer to a spot in a rough terrain field all in the name of Download Festival!!! Last year I posted some ideas for what to pack and a snapshot of the sort of things I ate whilst there.

Going to a festival is a great way to let loose, be carefree, run about outside, dance wildly, drink one too many and generally just be a free spirit. However you can’t leave your dietary choices behind! The best way to have a good time and not let food become a worry or a hassle is to be prepared and pack meals and snacks in advance!

Last year was my first time going to a festival as a vegetarian and it was easier than I thought! I’m using last year as a guide to get me through this year, Some of the things that helped me last year were (you’ll notice they’re a bit carb heavy but you can include protein with the food you buy (aim for green foods not more bread!) and things like quinoa, eggs and protein bars) -

Cous Cous - This is perfect because you can take it dry and then you just have to add hot water and cover it. I got a variety of flavours from the Ainsley Harriot range. My favourite is the mushroom flavour!

Pitta breads – Great for scooping up any juices from meals and it’s great for filling you up! Carbs are good for soaking up the alcohol

Cook meals in your mess tin then pile up any extras you’ve packed! A box of salad will last the first day, maybe 2!

Packet Pasta – Now I’m not saying this is the pinnacle of health but you can buy packets of pasta where you just add water and there is a powdered sauce. I have to admit these are my guilty pleasure at a festival and this is the only time I allow myself to eat them!

Soreen/ Cereal Bars – ‘Snack pack’ sized Soreen loaves were perfect, I popped one in my bag each day and they kept me going when energy levels were flagging.

Fruit and Nuts I took some sandwich bags with me and separated the pack into 5 portions then put a portion in my bag each day. These were great for snacking on and stopped me from buying chips/ crisps when everyone else did

My diet has taken another step forward this year and I have been cutting out wheat and gluten (although I am still not following it full time) so this year instead of pitta breads I might take along my fave gluten free crisp breads and we have bought some raw nakd bars instead of cereal bars. I wouldn’t eat cereal bars on a regular basis but the nakd bars are great for festivals because they are high slow burning energy. We bought the apple flavour which include cinnamon and peanuts…nom!

Lemons This year I plan to take a couple of lemons with me to squeeze into hot water in the morning. Every stall sells cups of tea so I hope to ask for hot water when I can’t be bothered to heat the kettle! This will help counter balance all the cider!….won’t it!

Soup I really hate the taste of cuppa soups, they taste like powder! But I found these Food Doctor soups in Tesco which are really tasty and much healthier for you. Great as a snack or a meal along with some pittas and salad.

Quinoa I have bought some cous cous but I thought about taking quinoa as well because you only need to add water to cook it. I’m still browsing for any “just add water, flavoured quinoa”. This is also a great source of protein!

Baked Beans Or your favourite type…cans are heavy to carry but baked beans are a great source of vegan protein! You can get no added sugar versions but you do so much walking/ dancing whilst at a festival I don’t worry too much! These make for a preferable breakfast to pasta or cous cous!

Fruit Last year I kind of neglected fruit, but I did eat lots of salad!! Apples are quite sturdy low GI fruits which will survive not being in a fridge. They are great because they are filling and hydrating. Take a bag for snacks at the campsite.

Water Don’t forget to drink water!!!

Is anyone off to a festival this year? Not in the UK? Then what is the food like at your festivals!! Any Downloaders?? Who you looking forward to seeing!

I’m personally very very excited about Slipknot! Plus me and Scott saw this Iron Maiden set when in New York so I think it will bring back great memories!

Shiitake Mushroom and Nori ‘Noodle’ Soup

I had quite a few ingredients left over from my sushi making session including half a pack of Nori Seaweed, dried shiitake mushrooms, some wasabi paste, black sesame seeds and pickled ginger. Pretty much all of these things will keep until I fancy making sushi again but I wanted to experiment with other ways to use them up.

I’ve been making a lot of Asian soups recently because they are nice and light for the summer months but still filling enough to eat as a main meal. I decided to use the leftover dried shiitake mushrooms from the dumplings we made to make a deep mushroom flavoured broth with the nori seaweed cut into strips to act as noodles. This makes the soup carb free and low calorie but still with interesting flavour and texture.

Nori seaweed is really good for you, extremely low calorie (10 calories per sheet) and high on vitamins, antioxidants and surprisingly high in protein. Although it is better eaten raw, as with a lot of foods, using these sheets in a soup is a nice way to add it into your diet. I personally find the taste of raw nori a little over powering, especially when you don’t have the rice to balance it out, but matched with a strong mushroom broth in this soup is much more subtle.

You can add as much or as little as you fancy, I only broke up 1 sheet into thin noodles to feed 4 which I felt was enough goodness without adding too much seaweed flavour. As I get used to it I might add more!

Serves 4

Vegan, Low Carb, Low Calorie, Gluten Free option

2 Carrots
4 Spring Onions
100g (large handful) Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms or closed cup mushrooms will be fine.
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Red Chilli
1 Inch piece Ginger
Sunflower or vegetable oil
1.9 Litres Gluten Free Vegetable Stock
12 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
1/2 Small Savoy Cabbage
1 Bunch Coriander Leaves
1 tblspn Gluten Free Soya Sauce (Check its vegan)
1 Lemon
1 Sheet Nori Seaweed

Soak the dried mushrooms in boiling water for 15 minutes (chop all the below veg whilst this is soaking)

Julienne your carrots, peel and chop the spring onions, slice your fresh mushrooms, finely chop your garlic, de seed and finely chop the red chilli, peel and thinly slice the ginger.

Slice your nori sheet into thin noodles, a pizza cutter is perfect for this. You can’t saw it with a knife so try pressing the sharp edge of the knife down on the sheet until you hear it snap. It’s extremely sturdy for such a delicate looking ingredient.

Add your chopped carrots, onions, fresh mushrooms, garlic, chilli and ginger to a large saucepan with some oil and cook for 2-3 minutes then add the vegetable stock. Drain the soaked mushrooms (reserving the liquid) and chop them up then add them to the pan.
Put a lid on and gently simmer for 5-6 minutes.

Shred your Savoy cabbage and add to the pan with the coriander, mushroom soaking liquid, soy sauce and juice of 1 lemon. Give it a good stir then continue to cook with the lid on for 5 minutes.

Remove the lid and add the nori noodles, these will only take 2-3 minutes to be ready.

Serve hot and garnished with more fresh coriander if desired.