Tag: vegetarian

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Pumpkin Pie

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If, like us, you are dealing with lots of pumpkin scrapings at the moment, this pumpkin pie recipe is a great way to get through a good chunk of them.

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 150g plain flour
  • 75g vegan block – available in our freezer in store (or butter)
  • 50g icing sugar
  • 1 egg yolk – organic eggs available in store

Filling

  • 750g pumpkin (cut into smallish chunks)
  • 140g caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg, grated
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 eggs – organic eggs available in store
  • 25g vegan block – available in our freezer in store (or butter)
  • 175ml oat milk (or dairy milk)
  • 1 tbsp icing sugar

Method

First make the pastry for the pumpkin pie. Tip the flour into a bowl and add the vegan block in small chunks. Rub this together with your fingers until it is well combined and there are no large chunks left. Add the icing sugar and egg yolk and bring the dough together with your hands. You might need to add a couple of tablespoons of water if it’s too dry. Roll out until it fits inside your tart tin (around 22cm). Line the tart tin and place in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

For the pumpkin pie filling, first place the pumpkin in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until soft. Drain and allow to cool.

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line the pastry with baking paper and baking beans and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Puree the cooked pumpkin (it really pays to get this as smooth as possible so a hand blender or nutribullet do the best job). In a seperate bowl, combine the sugar, nutmeg and half the cinnamon. Mix in the eggs, melted vegan block and oat milk and beat thoroughly to combine. Add to the pumpkin puree and stir to combine.

Remove the pastry from the oven and turn the oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Pour the filling into the pastry case and bake for 10 minutes then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and bake for a further 35 minutes.

Leave to cool. Mix the icing sugar and the remaining cinnamon and dust over the top. Enjoy!

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Super Speedy Egg Fried Rice

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At the moment we are really into our quick meals and this super speedy egg fried rice is an absolute win. Great for children too, it’s got plenty of vegetables and protein, but don’t worry, the Chinese 5 spice gives it a wonderful flavour that satisfies everyone.

Ingredients (serves 4)

80g TVP mince – available in store
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper (ground)
25ml soy sauce (add to TVP to marinade) – refill in store
2 medium carrots (diced)
Bunch of chard or other leafy green (roughly chopped)
100g fresh or frozen peas
3 eggs (whisked in a bowl ready to scramble). Or drop this to make it vegan
5 spring onions (sliced and whites kept separate from green)
500 grams day old cooked rice
1 heaped tsp Chinese 5 spice – available in store
25ml soy sauce (add to fried rice) – refill in store
1 tsp flour 
Sesame seeds

For the sauce
50g honey (or agave to make it vegan) – refill in store
30ml soy sauce – refill in store
40g ketchup – available in store
20ml white wine vinegar – refill in store
3 garlic cloves (diced)

Method
Simmer the TVP for 8-10 minutes until tender

Drain TVP and allow to steam dry before adding the black pepper, garlic powder and soy sauce to marinade until needed.

Simmer the diced carrots for 8 minutes. Then drain and add to a deep pan with some oil, the chard, spring onion whites and the peas. Leave to cook for a few minutes then push to the side of the pan and pour the eggs in and scramble them. Add the rice, Chinese 5 spice and 25ml of soy sauce to the pan and mix well. Once heated through take off the heat and add the spring onion greens.

Combine the sauce ingredients. Heat the cooked TVP chunks in a hot pan with some oil and then pour the sauce in and stir. Leave it to simmer for a couple of minutes then add the flour and stir until it thickens.

Plate up the rice and veg mix, a big scoop of the TVP and sprinkle over some sesame seeds to finish.

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Refreshing Orzo Salad

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This refreshing orzo salad is just what you need on a hot day. Not too heavy but filled with flavour and lemony punch, it ticks all the boxes. We make a batch up as it is a little faffy to make but well worth it.

Ingredients:

1 onion (finely chopped)

1 garlic clove (finely chopped)

1 tsp demerara sugar

350g orzo (refill in store)

Olive oil (refill in store)

Juice of half a lemon

Basil (dried or fresh)

Cherry tomatoes (halved)

Method:

Heat some olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Fry for 10 minutes until golden and caramelised, stirring regularly.

While the onion is cooking, boil the kettle. Cook the orzo in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with plenty of olive oil and leave to cool.

After the onion has been cooking for 10 minutes add the garlic and sugar. Cook for a further 3 minutes then remove from the heat.

Add the lemon juice, basil and sticky onion mixture to the orzo. Chop the cherry tomatoes in half and add. Toss together and season.

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Pumpkin koftas with smoky tomato sauce

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This is a seasonal win for me and went down a treat at home. Pre-warning, it is a bit of a faff, so perhaps not your usual run of the mill weeknight meal, but it is a great one for guests or a weekend when you have a little more time. This meal really needs ALL the components though. The koftas are nothing without the tomato sauce, and the sauce is bland on it’s own. Served with delicious focaccia and this will be a winner with everyone. Continue reading Pumpkin koftas with smoky tomato sauce