Tag: Vegan

Vegan Pea and Pumpkin Pasta

Vegan Pea and Pumpkin Pasta

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Vegan Pea and Pumpkin Pasta

It’s not easy being vegan. People always think you eat bland and boring meals. Although, being vegan doesn’t mean you need to compromise on flavour as this punchy pasta proves.

Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the pumpkin, while the peas bring a creamy element to this dairy-free dish. Delish.

Serves – 4-6
Prep – 10 minutes
Cook – 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of McCain Diced Pumpkin
  • 2 cups of McCain Peas
  • 500g shell pasta
  • 1 lemon – juice + rind
  • 100g rocket
  • 1 long red chilli – halved lengthways and finely sliced
  • 2tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves – torn
  • Pinch of raw sugar
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh mint leaves, garnish

Method

  1. Pre-heat a fan forced oven to 220°. Cook McCain Diced Pumpkin and McCain Peas according to packet instructions.
  2. Place cooked McCain Pumpkin onto a lined baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and black pepper and sprinkle with a pinch of raw sugar. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, turning halfway, or until golden.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Once bubbling rapidly, add pasta and cook until all dente. Drain pasta and return the pot to a low heat.
  4. Add oil and chilli to the pot and cook stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Return pasta to the pan, add peas, pumpkin, lemon juice, lemon rind, rocket, mint and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Divide pasta among bowls, garnish with remaining mint springs and serve.

Enjoy!

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Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry

Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry

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Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry

This vegan dish is rad as a standalone meal or perfect as a side dish to spiced meat, fish or crispy tofu. This is a great warming dish to enjoy in winter. If you can make it ahead and give all the wonderful flavours a chance to develop and blend together. Everything tastes better the next day, right?!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of McCain Cubed Pumpkin – cooked as per packet instructions
  • 400g tin of chickpeas – drained
  • 1 medium brown onion – quartered and finely sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic – crushed
  • 3 tbs of curry powder
  • 400ml tin of coconut milk
  • 1 tbs of peanut oil
  • Salt and pepper, to season
  • Toasted chopped cashew nuts and fresh coriander leaves, to serve
  • Basmati rice and/or naan bread, to serve

Method

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the curry powder and stir for 1-2 minute or until aromatic. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes or until onion has softened.
  2. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to the boil, reduce heat to simmer, stir in McCain Cubed Pumpkin and chickpeas and cook, uncovered for 5-10 minutes or until the coconut milk has reduced. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. Divide among bowls, top with coriander leaves and toasted cashew nuts. Serve with basmati rice and/or naan bread.

Enjoy!

Rainbow Noodles

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Vegetarian Rainbow Noodles

This week is Meat Free Week; why go meat free? I hear you ask… Well, it encourages you to think about how much meat you eat, where your meat comes from and the impact eating too much meat has on your health, the environment and animals. Head to www.meatfreeweek.org for more info. 
If you’re a little hesitant to try a week without meat, and I totally understand, meat is delicious; why not try 2-3 dinners sans our fury and scaled friends? Opt instead for a tonne of deliciously nutritious veggies and I guarantee you your body will be feeling great! Try starting with these Rainbow Noodles, filled with so many noms that you won’t even notice you’re missing meat. So, go forth and taste the rainbow!

Ingredients

  • 450g of Hokkien Noodles – cooked as per packet instructions
  • 2 cups of McCain Pea, Corn and Carrot Mix – cooked as per packet instructions
  • 1 red capsicum – cut into long strips
  • ¼ red cabbage – cut into long strips
  • 3 shallots – sliced into 5mm diagonal rounds
  • 1 tbs of peanut oil
  • 2 tbs sweet or hot chilli sauce depending on your tastebuds
  • 3 tbs of oyster sauce
  • 3 tbs of freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Toasted sesame seeds and chopped unsalted peanuts – to serve

Method

  1. Cook Hokkien Noodles according to package instructions.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the whites of the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add cabbage, and capsicum, cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until cabbage has wilted and capsicum has softended.
  3. Place the McCain Pea, Corn and Carrot Mix, Hokkien Noodles, sweet chilli sauce, lime juice, oyster sauce and vegetable mix to a large mixing bowl and toss well to combine.
  4. Serve topped with the greens of the shallots, toasted sesame seeds and peanuts if desired.

TIP: this is delicious cold and is great for picnics or lunchboxes.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Rainbow Noodles

Sugar Free Crumble

Berry Crumble

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Sugar Free Berry Crumble

I love making this lush berry crumble; it takes minutes to prepare and can be served warm or cold with custard, thick natural yoghurt, a light drizzle of coconut cream, el naturale or with ice-cream if the whole sugar-free thing isn’t your cup of tea.

The use of frozen berries means it’s super quick to prepare and the crumble topping can be personalised to suit your preferences or what’s in your pantry. Hazelnuts, macadamia’s and pistachios are personal favourites of mine, although this combination with the coconut and almonds is delicious!

Ingredients – berries

  • 600g of McCain’s Season’s Choice Four Berry Mix
  • 1/3 cup of honey or rice malt syrup

Ingredients – crumble

  • 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup of desiccated coconut
  • 1/3 cup of slivered almonds
  • ½ tsp of ground cinnamon

Method

  1. Place berries and honey in a saucepan over a medium-low heat and allow to gently simmer for 10-15 minutes or until berries are defrosted and have released their juices.
  2. Meanwhile, combine oats, coconut and almonds in a saucepan over a medium-low heat, stir well to combine and allow to toast for 5 minutes, or until golden stirring regularly. Stir through cinnamon.
  3. Divide berry mixture between teacups, top evenly with crumble mixture and serve.

Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

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Easy French Onion Soup

So simple, so rich, so delicious. There is something incredibly humbling about a French Onion Soup. Originating as a hearty soup for Paris market workers to warm themselves up on cold mornings, French Onion Soup is now considered one of the worlds classic soup dishes and has the ability to turn an ordinary meal into something deeply extravagant and sensual.

My tip is to make sure you caramelise your onions so they’re really rich, sweet, tender and impart that lovely deep brown colour that the dish is known for.

Ingredients

  • 1 packet of Abe’s Bagels – Roasted Garlic Bagel Crisps
  • 1L of beef stock – change to vegetable stock for a vegetarian/vegan option
  • 1kg of brown onions – halved and thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic – halved, lengthways and finely sliced
  • 1 tbs of butter
  • 1 tbs of olive oil
  • 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 large bay leaves
  • 1 tsp of dried rosemary
  • 40g of grated parmesan
  • Fresh thyme leaves, to serve

Method

  1. Heat oil and butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes, or until onion is well browned and softened.
  2. Add stock, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, bay leaves and rosemary. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and allow to cook for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme stalks and bay leaves.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat grill and arrange half a packet of Abe’s Bagels – Roasted Garlic Bagel Crisps on a large baking tray. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and Grill for 1 minute or until cheese is golden and melted.
  4. Arrange remaining Abe’s Bagels – Roasted Garlic Bagel Crisps in the bottom of soup bowls, ladle soup into bowls over the crisps. Top with parmesan grilled Abe’s Bagels – Roasted Garlic Bagel Crisps, scatter with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Easy French Onion Soup

Pea and Avocado Gazpacho

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Pea and Avocado Gazpacho

This is honestly one of the easiest dishes I have ever made – measure, blend and top. It is delicious, in fact I surprised myself with how good it tasted, and it can be ready in a flash. The vibrant green of the gazpacho against the red of the prawns gives this dish instant visual appeal which means it’s a sure thing for summer get together’s, parties or Christmas do’s.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups of McCain Frozen Peas – thawed
  • 3 cloves of garlic – crushed
  • 3 cups of vegetable stock
  • 1 ripe avocado – mashed
  • 2 tbs of lemon juice
  • ½ cup of thickened cream
  • 500g cooked peeled prawns
  • 1 red chilli – halved, seeds removed and finely sliced
  • ½ cup of pea shoots
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • ½ cup of McCain Frozen Peas – thawed, to serve
  • Salt and pepper – to taste
  • Oil olive – to serve, if desired.

Pea and Avocado Gazpacho Progress

Method

  1. Place McCain Frozen peas, garlic, vegetable stock, avocado and lemon juice in a large bowl and add in batches to a blender blitzing until smooth.
  2. Stir through the thickened cream and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Place the prawns, chilli, lime and pea shoots in a small bowl and toss to coat.
  4. Divide the gazpacho evenly among bowls, top with prawn mix, scatter with remaining McCain Frozen Peas and drizzle with olive oil, if desired.  Serve.

Pea and Avocado Gazpacho

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Almond, Coconut and Raspberry Slice

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Raspberry, Almond and Coconut Slice 1

I am not much of a baker. It think it’s the pressure of non-success if you don’t follow the recipe. Things might not rise or bind and then you’ll be left with a pile of sweet goop. That being said, I decided to give baking another shot over the weekend and make Raspberry, Almond and Coconut Slice. Lucky I did because it is DELICIOUS! It is tasty, moist and moreish – everything you want in slice. 

This slice is gluten free and it can be dairy free with a simple recipe tweak. Also, if raspberries aren’t your thing you’re crazy you can replace them with blueberries or choc-chips.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups of almond meal
  • 1 cup of caster sugar
  • ¾ cup of desiccated coconut
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 150g of butter – melted and cooled (use Nutalex if you are making it dairy-free)
  • 1 cup of McCain Season’s Choice Raspberries – thawed

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180C and line a 20m baking tin with baking paper.
  2. In a large bowl combine the almond meal, coconut and sugar; using a whisk to remove all lumps.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the butter, eggs and vanilla until well combined.
  4. Add the butter mixture to the almond meal mixture and stir until smooth and free from lumps.
  5. Slowly pour the mixture into the prepared tin and dot the top with McCain Season’s Choice Raspberries.
  6. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden and a test skewer removes clean from batter.
  7. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

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Risoni and Pumpkin Salad

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Risoni and Pumpkin Salad

I recently attended a bring-a-dish dinner party to farewell a friend from town who happens to be a vegetarian. I was on salad duties and decided to whip up a Pumpkin and Risoni salad which is a personal favourite of mine. It’s light, fresh and delicious. This dish is perfect for a dinner party, BBQ or to be served with grilled fish or chicken. The lemon sings through and compliments the pepperiness of the rocket and the acidic bite from the tomatoes; while the creamy pumpkin and risoni balance the dish.

Ingredients

  • 500g risoni
  • 700g butternut pumpkin – peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
  • 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes – quartered
  • 200g baby rocket
  • 1 large lemon
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil
  • Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees and a line a large baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Par-cook pumpkin in a lare saucepan of boiling water, drain and place on a lined baking tray.
  3. Coat lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper, place in the middle of the oven and bake 20-30 minutes or until golden.
  4. Meanwhile, cook risoni in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 8 minutes or until cooked through as per packet instructions. Drain and cool.
  5. Using a peeler, peel the rind from the lemon and finely slice. Juice the lemon and reserve.
  6. Add pumpkin, tomato, rocket, lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to risoni, toss until well combined and serve.

Enjoy!

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Vegan Broccoli, Mushroom and Tofu Soup

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Okay, so I am sure the word vegan has thrown you off and you probably think this recipe will be tasteless and leave you hungry, but you would be wrong! This soup is a wonderful set and forget meal that is hearty and will fill you and the family to the brim. It’s packed full of goodness and is a great winter warmer.

Ingredients

  • 1 head of broccoli
  • 10 mushrooms
  • 200g silken tofu
  • 1 x 2 person serve of 90 second brown rice
  • 1L of vegetable stock or chicken stock but obviously it won’t be vegan if you use the chicken stock
  • 1 large brown onion – diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic – minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Heat 1 tbs of oil in a heavy bottomed casserole dish – I used my La Chasseur cast iron pot.
  2. Add the onion and garlic and fry until fragrant and translucent.
  3. Break the florets from the head of broccoli, chop the stalk, quarter the mushrooms and add to pan.
  4. Cover with stock, bring to the boil, reduce to simmer and cover for 40 minutes.
  5. Cook the brown rice according to packet instructions, add along with the tofu.
  6. Use your spoon to break up the tofu and a stick blender to blend.
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve!

I also cracked black pepper over the top when it was served so it didn’t look as much like a brown/green blob – just a thought.

Enjoy!

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