Sweet Potatoes in a Coconut and Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
a little sunflower oil
1 teaspoon of curry powder
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 tin of coconut milk
5 or 6 medium sized sweet potatoes, cut into bite size chunks
seasalt to taste

Preparation:
Fry the onion and garlic in the oil for a few minutes. Add the curry spices and stir well. Add the peanut butter, stirring over a medium heat until in begins to melt and then pour in your coconut milk and stir until well blended. Put the sweet potatoes and salt in the pan and bring to the boil and then turn down to simmer until they are softened (10 minutes +). Nice with rice and salad.

Stuffed Marrow Rings

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 medium marrows
a couple of tablespoons of olive oil for coating
1 large onion
100g/4 oz/1 cup almonds
3 slices of bread
a good handful of fresh basil (or two teaspoons of dried herbs of your choice)
 

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 190C/380F. Cut the marrow into approx. inch/2cm rings. Cut out the seedy middles (off to the compost!) and peel if necessary (fresh from the garden ones don't need but older ones may be tougher) and rub with the olive oil. Lay on a baking tray. Combine the onion, nuts, herbs and bread in a food processor until it reaches a nice pate like consistency. Spoon this mixture into the rings and bake for about half an hour or until the marrow is beginning to go golden and soft.

Paella

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
12 oz. (300g) brown rice
1½ pint (800ml) of vegetable stock
1 red and 1 green pepper, roughly chopped
3 sticks celery
8 oz. (200g) mushrooms, sliced
2 oz. (50g) mange tout, topped and tailed
4 oz. (100g) frozen peas
2 oz. (50g) broken cashew nuts
1 Tin (454g) chopped tomatoes
6 fl.oz. (150ml) dry white wine (or substitute with 1 tbsp vinegar)

Preparation:
In a large, heavy saucepan fry the onion in 4 tbsps olive oil. Add 1/2 tsp chilli powder and the rice and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add vegetable stock, wine, tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato puree, 1/2 tsp tarragon, 1 tsp basil. 1 tsp oregano. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add peppers, celery, mushrooms, mange tout and cook for another 30 minutes until the rice is cooked. Add peas, cashew nuts, salt and pepper. Heat through until peas are ready and serve.

Butterbean Burgers

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped finely
1 red or green pepper, chopped finely
1 carrot, grated
4 oz. (100g) breadcrumbs
1 tin butterbeans
Ground cumin
Ground coriander Soya flour

Preparation:
Fry onion, carrot and pepper for 5 minutes.
Place them in a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, 1 tsp. each of cumin, coriander and chilli. Add a little salt and pepper, 1 tbsp. soya flour. Mash the butter beans and add them. Mix well.
Form the mixture into 4 thick burgers and coat them with flour.
Fry the burgers for 20 minutes and serve with vegetables.

Sheperds Pie

Ingredients:
2 lbs (900g) potatoes
1 small onion
5 oz. (125g) TVP soya mince (dried or frozen)
1 leek
2 medium carrots
1 pint vegetable stock
1 oz. (25g) wholemeal flour
1 tsp. peanut butter

Preparation:
Pre-heat the oven to GM 4 / 350 °F / 180 °C. If using dried TVP mince, soak it in the vegetable stock until you're ready to use it. Boil the potatoes.
Chop and fry the onion. Add chopped leek and carrots. Add the stock and TVP mince, 1 tsp. mixed herbs, salt and pepper. Boil and simmer for a few minutes. Add the flour and peanut butter and cook for a few more minutes.
Mash the potatoes. Put the mixture in an ovenproof dish and top with the potato. Smooth the top with a fork. Bake for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Orange Cake

Ingredients:
8 oz. (200g) plain wholemeal flour
4 oz. (100g) vegan margarine
4 oz. (100g) raw cane sugar
1 tbs syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/3 pint (175ml) orange juice (or use soya milk)
2 tbsps baking powder
2 tbsps cocoa powder
1 tbsp orange peel, finely grated (or chopped nuts)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4 / 180 °C / 350 °F. Cream together margarine, sugar and syrup. In a jug, stir bicarb. or soda into orange juice and add to bowl. Sift flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and gradually stir into the bowl. Add orange peel. Spoon the mixture (which will be quite sloppy) into a medium sized square tin. Generously sprinkle the top with more sugar. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until cooked in the centre. Cool briefly in the tin and then turn out onto a wire rack.

Trifle

Ingredients:
8 oz. (200g) vegan ginger biscuits
1 packet vegan jelly
1 pint (568ml) thick custard, made with soya milk
1 carton (250ml) of soya cream
Concentrated apple juice
Topping, such as hundreds-and-thousands, grated chocolate etc.

Preparation:
Break the biscuits into pieces and put in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Make the jelly, pour it over the biscuits and allow to set.
Make the custard and pour over the jelly layer. Again, allow to set.
To make the topping, put a little soya cream in a cup and add half a teaspoon of concentrated apple juice. Whip the cream and you should find that it forms peaks, like real whipped cream. I've had problems getting this to work sometimes so a bit of experimentation with the quantities may be required. When you have whipped all the cream, spread it over the top of the trifle. Add your chosen toppings.
As a variation, try adding sliced banana or a tin of mixed fruit to the jelly layer.

Broccoli Sauce

Ingredients:
1 head broccoli, cooked, including peeled stems
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
about 15g (1/2 oz) fresh basil
1/2 - 1 tsp garlic puree or pressed garlic
Optional - a few Tbsp hummous

Preparation:
Put it all in the blender and whizz to a rough puree. This makes a fairly stiff mixture; dilute with water to make a thinner consistency.

Peanut and Lemon Dip

Ingredients:
200g (8oz) split red lentils
650ml (20 fl oz) water
50g (2oz) unsweetened peanut butter
50g (2oz) fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp Marmite or other yeast extract
Black pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Put the lentils and water in a pan; bring to the boil and simmer until soft, adding more water if necessary. Cover the pan or not; it's up to you. Covered is more likely to boil over but uncovered will need more water. Make sure the lentils are fairly dry when cooking is finished.
2. Mix the cooked lentils with the peanut butter, breadcrumbs, parsley and Marmite. Add lemon juice and black pepper to taste; and adjust texture if necessary, by adding more water.
Serve with breadsticks, crackers or French bread.