Vegan Gluten-free Mustard and Parsnip Rosti
Vegan Christmas: Fennel, Chickpea and Balsamic Salad
Vegan Christmas: Mushroom, Walnut and Spinach Puff Pastry Rolls
Warm Butternut Squash, Curried Lentil and Peashoot Salad with Basil Dressing

Featured ingredient: Almonds

Vegan No-bake Raspberry Coconut Bars Almonds

No-Bake Raspberry Coconut Energy Bars

On September 2, 2014
Zesty Orange and Nut Vegan Salad Almonds

Zesty Orange and Nut Salad

On April 1, 2014
Easy Vegan Parmesan Almonds

Easy Vegan Parmesan

On March 31, 2014
Raw Vegan Three-Layer Peanut and Coconut Bars Almonds

Raw Vegan Three-Layer Peanut and Coconut Bars

On February 13, 2014

Parsnip Rosti

By • January 20, 2015 • Brunch, Garlic, GF Breakfasts, Gluten-free, Limes, Mustard, Onion, Parsnips, Potatoes, Savoury, Tahini

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Vegan Gluten-free Mustard and Parsnip Rosti

There is truly no purer joy in life than a lazy Sunday brunch. If there were enough cafes in Edinburgh (I lie: there clearly are) and I had enough money, I would probably go out for a 4-hour brunch every Sunday, but as my lust for food far outstrips my budget, I often cook brunch at home with friends, listening to BB6Music and reading each other bits of interesting things. It is bliss.

Since moving back to the UK a few months ago, I’ve remembered all the ingredients that I’ve barely used in the last 6 years – and parsnips feature heavily at this time of year! They’re affordable, versatile and can last for a long while in your fridge, which helps cut down on wastage. And yet they’ve been given short shrift for so long, much like the long-maligned beetroot (poor guys).

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Fennel, Chickpea and Balsamic Salad

By • December 18, 2014 • Balsamic vinegar, Beans, Peas & Lentils, Big Salads, Cabbage, Chick peas (garbanzo beans), Fennel, Flavour Pairings, Gluten-free, Mustard, Olive oil, Peppers, Salads

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Vegan Christmas: Fennel, Chickpea and Balsamic Salad

It’s only 7 days til Christmas, and you know what that means. The presents are bought, the neighbours have got their cards, so now the only thing to worry about is the food.

Or if not, just forget everything else and just worry about the food anyway.

Yesterday I posted up this recipe for the dish that’s going to be my vegan Christmas dinner starter: a delicious Mushroom, Walnut and Spinach Puff Pastry Roll. You can serve these as they are, but I like to serve a couple on top of a light and fresh salad – and so I’m giving you the recipe for that salad today!

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Vegan Christmas: Mushroom, Walnut and Spinach Puff Pastry Roll

By • December 17, 2014 • Almond Milk, Apple cider vinegar, Flavour Pairings, Garlic, Mushrooms, Mustard, Olive oil, Onion, Pizzas & Pies, Puff pastry, Spinach, Sugar-free, Thyme, Walnuts

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Vegan Christmas: Mushroom, Walnut and Spinach Puff Pastry Rolls

Christmas dinner in our house has always been a pretty joyous occasion. Folk from Yorkshire love a roast, and at our Christmas table, amongst the napkins and crispy veg and crackers with shit jokes in you can find a little present for each person, a little something to make the excitement of the morning last through lunch.

My mum cooks a mean turkey, and her roasties are well known to be fantastic – but these days, she has two little grandkids running around as well as a house full of bickering relatives, so you might say that she has enough on her plate without having to deal with crafting an entirely different meal for her difficult vegan daughter. You might also say that a meal that nut roast and stuffing are basically the same thing, so a vegan Christmas dinner might not want both. For these reasons, I have taken Vegan Christmas Dinner into my own hands this year.

And oh, I have some big plans.

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Warm Butternut Squash, Curried Lentil and Peashoots Salad in a Basil Dressing

By • December 8, 2014 • Basil, Beans, Peas & Lentils, Big Salads, Butternut squash, Cumin, Garlic, GF Mains, Ginger, Lemon, Lentils, Olive oil, Peashoots, Tomatoes, Walnuts

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Warm Butternut Squash, Curried Lentil and Peashoot Salad with Basil Dressing

Butternut squash is one of those odd ingredients that I seem to forget about for a large portion of the year. I suppose that this is the ideal for seasonal cooking, but I can’t claim that I’m an entirely seasonal shopper; rather, I get more obsessed with beetroots and cashews and a whole host of other things and squash just falls out of my head entirely.

My friend brought a beautiful butternut squash home from the market (yes! A winter market!) last week, and when I was scouting through the fridge post-yoga with a ravenous need to eat, there it was: just what I needed.

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Beetroot Thoran: Dry Curry with Spring Cabbage, Beetroot and Coconut

By • December 1, 2014 • Beetroot, Carrot, Coconut, Coconut oil, Cumin, Curries, Curry leaves, GF Mains, Green chilli, Mustard seeds, Spring cabbage, Stir Fries, Turmeric

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Beetroot Thoran: Dry Curry with Spring Cabbage, Beetroot and Coconut

Even the most hardcore curry lovers amongst you (I know you’re out there) might be a little perplexed by the name of this recipe. Don’t worry; you’re not out of the loop. Rather, thoran is much a lesser-known dish than the korma, tikka masalas and even the daals that regularly appear on English-language recipe sites and in cookbooks.

Thoran is a “dry” curry from Kerala, which means that it may not be what you consider to be a traditional curry – it doesn’t have any sauce. Instead, the vegetables are cooked in a spice-laden oil with a little water, which might go against everything you consider a curry to be, but it’s incredibly delicious.

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Harissa and Basil Tomatoes on Toast

By • November 27, 2014 • Basil, Breads, Brunch, Harissa paste, Lemon, Olive oil, Rolls, Breads & Pastries, Sandwiches, Wraps & Rolls, Savoury, Sugar-free, Tomatoes

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Harissa and Basil Tomatoes on Toast

I’ve never really been a toast girl. I mean, I’ve eaten a frankly obscene amount of it in my life, especially as a child, but later in my life I’ve never considered it a decent breakfast, and the thought of choking down soggy toast covered in beans makes me feel so ill that I wonder if I’m a Yorkshire girl at all.

Lately, though, I’ve begun to appreciate the sheer brilliance of a great slice of high-quality bread, toasted well, and topped with something simple but gorgeous; last week, my friend Craig made us garlic mushrooms on toast and with some black coffee and the Sunday papers, it was some kind of heaven.

I’m really into Harissa right now (okay, always) and while most people cut it with yogurt, I love to pair it with a little squeeze of lemon and some fresh basil for a very layered but not too complicated flavour. Some good quality olive oil will bring all these elements together beautifully.

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Quinoa, Red Kale, Edamame and Parsnip Bowl with Ginger-Tahini Dressing

By • November 25, 2014 • Apple cider vinegar, Beans, Peas & Lentils, Big Salads, Edamame, Garlic, GF Mains, Ginger, Gluten-free, Kale, Onion, Parsnips, Pomegranate, Quinoa, Quinoa & Other Grains, Tahini, Walnuts

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Quinoa, Red Kale, Parsnip and Edameme Bowls with Tahini-Ginger Dressing

Parsnips? Pomegranate? Edamame? This can’t surely be good, can it?

Well, yes it can. In fact, it can be tasty as hell as well as incredibly good for you! Parsnips are everywhere right now, and a little sweetness from the pomegranate seeds in a dish like this will go a long way! Little bursts of colour are super important in a dish that contains lots of brown and beige, so the edamame here will brighten up your plate and make it look as delicious as it is. And who can argue with kale?

This ginger-tahini dressing will steel your immune system against the coming season of germs everywhere and sniffly noses, so don’t hold back on the garlic and ginger – and if you want to spice it up a little more, add in some paprika and maybe even a little turmeric. It’s all good for you in winter time!

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Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Empanadas in a Culantro Chimichurri Sauce

By • October 29, 2014 • Apple cider vinegar, Artichoke Hearts, Coriander / cilantro / culantro, Cumin, Garlic, Olive oil, Onion, Paprika, Peppers, Pizzas & Pies, Sauces, Marinades & Pastes, Savoury

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Roasted Red Pepper and Marinated Artichoke Empanadas in a Chimichurri-style Culantro Sauce

*Please note that the time for this recipe does not include 4-8 hours resting time for the dough!

I am approaching that horrifying yet wonderful time; my last 2 weeks in yet another country.

In 2 weeks, I’m moving from the stifling, exciting, wonderful Panama City to the freezing, exciting, glorious Edinburgh (yes, in Scotland), and it’s all starting to hit home that my cab drivers will no longer play merengue at deafening levels and my rice and beans lunch will longer cost $1.50. It’s time to go, for sure, but that doesn’t make the going any easier.

When I leave a place, I always do the “why didn’t I” dance. Why didn’t I learn salsa? Why can’t I speak more than barely passable Spanish? Why did I never go to Las Tablas on Carnavales? Another, worse one occurred to me this weekend: why have I never made empanadas?

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Vegan Arroz con Leche and Mango Parfaits

By • October 9, 2014 • Cardamom, Cinnamon, Coconut milk, GF Desserts & Treats, Mango, Parfaits & Pilafs, Puddings & Sundaes, Rice

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When I’m putting together a menu (which is a fancy way of saying “when I’m trying to decide what to make for friends”), I’m a big fan of sticking to one cuisine for several courses. Or, if that’s not possible (or preferable), taking the best out of similar cuisines and serving them up in a way that complements each one.

Last night, I had my wonderful friend Sofia of Beautiful Imperfect and her partner over for a rooftop dinner, and I couldn’t help myself; it was going to be 3 courses. A sesame salad / slaw thing, Vegan Laksa (always) and…something else. Something using Malaysian flavours, something coconutty but fresh. Something simple that would go nicely with the intense flavours of the Laksa.

This recipe was it.

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Vegan Lemon Drizzle Cake

By • September 14, 2014 • Cakes, Coconut oil, Lemon, Oils

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Vegan Lemon Drizzle Cake

When it comes to baking, less is often more.

When you’re whipping up a tasty little something, you can add chocolate or cream or icing or cinnamon or caramel or more cream ’til the cows come home, and sure, it’ll be some sort of delicious sensory overload in the end (maybe) – but the true test of a good baker is making something with simple ingredients that ends up being perfection. Lemon drizzle cake is that thing.

The origins of this cake aren’t clear, although it is often referred to as a French tea time favourite (of course it is; the French have wonderful taste in desserts) and us Brits absolutely adore it too. The combination of the sweet sugar and the tart lemon within the fluffy, light sponge is the very definition of subtlety, and there’s nothing better to enjoy on a light afternoon with a good bit of gossip from a friend.

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