Category Archives: Main Meal

Vegan Style Fish ‘n’ Chips

Gluten-Free, Main Meal, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , , , , ,

If you are a vegan and miss having your fish ‘n’ chips on a Friday here is the answer! The idea for this delicious vegan fish ‘n’ chips was told to me by a friend. The seaweed nori sheet makes the vegan style fish (or tofish!) smell and taste like fish from the sea and it also looks like fish skin. The batter is gluten-free. So why not treat yourself to this English classic!

Vegan Fish 'n' Chips

Serves 2

Vegan Style Fish Ingredients

1/2 Block firm tofu

200ml Olive oil

100g Rice flour + extra for dusting

1tsp Baking powder

1/2tsp Turmeric

1tsp Flaxseed

150ml Soya milk

2 Nori sheets

Vegan Chips Ingredients

2 Large potatoes

1/2tsp Black pepper

1/2tsp Sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Remove the tofu block from the packaging, drain and wrap in sheets of kitchen roll. For extra firmness, press the tofu between two chopping boards and put something heavy on top (I used the Vitamix base!) to press down for a least 10 minutes.

Now to make the chips, wash the potatoes and chop them into chips lengthways. Place the chips in a baking dish. Sprinkle over the salt and black pepper.

Place the chips in the oven and dry roast for 45 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.

To make the vegan-style-fish, first add the olive oil to a frying pan and turn to a low heat.

Now prepare the batter. Put the rice flour, baking powder and flaxseed into a bowl and create a well in the centre. Next pour in the soya milk and beat together with the flour using a whisk. Mix in well until you have a smooth batter.

Next slice the block of tofu in half lengthways. Slice the half block diagonally to make the vegan-style-fish fillets. Now place the tofu fillet on one nori sheet. Drizzle some olive oil on the tofu fillet and wrap the nori sheet around it. Now dip the tofu fillet into the extra flour. Place in the batter and coat all over using your hands. Lift up the tofu fillet and let the excess batter drip off the sides.

Finally drop the battered tofu fillet into the hot oil. Turn the heat up until the oil begins to bubble gently around the edges of the tofu fillet. Cook for no more than 1-2 minutes on each side. Repeat with the other tofu fillet.

Serve the vegan-style-fish and chips warm with mushy peas and ketchup. Enjoy!

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Vegan Thai Green Curry

Main Meal, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , , ,

Hope you are all enjoying the summer holidays! I am enjoying having lots of time to cook new things outside of my usual culinary comfort zone. This delicious vegan Thai green curry made a refreshing change from my usual curry. The fresh fragrances of the basil and coriander give it a delicious aroma.

Vegan Thai Green Curry

Ingredients

Curry Paste
2 garlic cloves
1/2 red onion
1 stalk lemon grass
1tsp ground coriander
2tsp ground cumin
1/2 lime juice
30g fresh coriander
10g fresh basil
1/2 can coconut milk

Veggies
1tsp coconut oil
2 bay leaves
1 small sweet potato precooked
1 carrot
1/2 head broccoli
100g green beans
100g mushrooms
100ml filtered water

Method

Pre-bake the sweet potato in the oven at 190C for 45 minutes.

Now add the chopped garlic, onion, lemon grass, ground coriander, ground cumin, lime juice, fresh coriander, fresh basil and half a can of coconut milk to a blender to make the curry paste. Blend for 30 seconds until smooth.

Next melt the coconut oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Add the curry paste and fry for a few minutes to release the fragrance. Now finely chop the broccoli and carrot for a faster cooking time and add to the curry paste. Chop up the precooked sweet potato into cubes and add to the curry paste with the chopped green beans and mushrooms. Add the extra water and stir the veggies regularly.

Cook on a low heat for 30 minutes or until you can pierce the broccoli with a knife.

Serve warm with basmati rice or rice noodles. Garnish with a few basil leaves.

Golden Root Vegetable Curry

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This is my favourite curry recipe at the moment! It is so delicious! And perfect to warm up on a cold day! I use white basmati rice as I have read recently that it is easier to digest than brown rice and I find it is much nicer in curries!

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Serves 3

Ingredients

1tbsp              Coconut Oil

1                     Red Onion

1                     Garlic Clove

1inch               Fresh Root Ginger

80g                  Mushrooms

1tsp                 Mustard Seeds

1tsp                 Ground Cumin

1tsp                 Ground Coriander

½ tsp               Ground Turmeric

½ tsp               Cayenne Pepper

½ can              Coconut Milk

1000ml            Filtered Water

125g                Red Lentils

100g                Green Beans

200g                Jerusalem Artichoke

1                      Large Carrot

1                      Small Sweet Potato

75g                  Basmati Rice (per portion)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Put the Jerusalem artichoke, carrot and sweet potato on a baking tray. Pierce all over with a fork so the skins do not burn. Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes.

While the root vegetables are roasting, melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan on a low heat. Chop up the red onion, mushrooms and root ginger and add to the pan. Sizzle the onions and add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add in the chopped garlic and spices and stir.

Now pour in half a can of coconut milk. Fill the pan with around 700ml water and bring to the boil. Add in the chopped green beans and red lentils. Simmer for at least 20 minutes.

When the root vegetables are cooked, chop them into cubes and add to the pan.

Next pour around 300ml of water into a small pan. Bring to the boil and add the basmati rice. Simmer for 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Keep the rice in the pan with the lid on to stay warm until ready to serve.

Scoop the curry sauce onto a plate next to the rice. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Veggie Cakes

Gluten-Free, Main Meal, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , , , , , ,

Veggie Cakes

These delicious veggie cakes are a treat to have for a main meal! They are a combination of savoury pancakes, scones and veggie burgers! They are also a great way of using up any leftover vegetables you have in the fridge!

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Makes 12

Ingredients

1tbsp              Coconut Oil

1                      Small Red Onion

1                      Garlic Clove

80g                 Mushrooms

1                      Carrot

1/2                  Sweet Potato

Handful          Spinach

75g                  Quinoa

75g                  Brown Rice

1tbsp               Desiccated Coconut

1tbsp               Ground Flaxseed

500ml              Almond Milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C. Bake the sweet potato for 45 minutes.

Now prepare the batter. Add the quinoa, brown rice, desiccated coconut, flaxseed and almond milk to the Vitamix blender. Blend on full power for 30 seconds.

Next, melt the coconut oil in a hot pan. Add the chopped onion and sliced mushrooms. Fry for a few minutes. Add the finely chopped carrot. Lastly add the chopped garlic, cooked sweet potato cut into cubes and the handful of spinach. Now add the cooked vegetables into the batter in the blender. Mix with a spoon.

I use a specialised pancake pan with 4 moulds to cook 4 veggie cakes, but you can add spoonfuls of the mixture to a hot pan to cook. Add 2 dessert spoonfuls of the batter mix to the hot pan, cooking 4 veggie cakes at a time. Cook for 5 minutes on one side then flip over and cook for another 5 minutes or until golden brown on each side. Place the cooked veggie cakes on a plate then cook 4 more.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Store in the fridge and eat within 3-4 days.

Quinoa & Mushroom Risotto

Gluten-Free, Main Meal, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , , ,

P1000990This tasty Autumnal dish is high in protein with the mushrooms and quinoa.

I went out to the woods on the day and picked wild mushrooms which taste amazing! Had to identify them first as many wild mushrooms are poisonous!

You would cook the quinoa as you would the rice in a risotto, by simmering and adding water as necessary.  P1010056

Serves 2

Ingredients

1tbsp              Coconut oil

1                     Small red onion

80g                 Mushrooms

1tsp                Thyme

150g               Quinoa

500ml             Filtered water

1/4tsp             Pink Himalayan salt

1/4tsp             Black pepper

Method

Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan. Chop up the onion and add to the hot pan. Now slice the mushrooms and add to the pan. Fry until the mushrooms are browned.

Now pour in the quinoa. Add the thyme and stir in. Fry for a minute, then pour in the filtered water.

Bring to the boil, then put the lid on and simmer for 20 minutes.

Check the pan regularly and add extra water when the quinoa is looking dry. Quinoa absorbs water very quickly!

When cooked, add in the salt and pepper and serve immediately!

Roasted Root Vegetable Casserole

Gluten-Free, Main Meal, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , , , , ,

The delicious sweet flavours of the roasted root vegetables combine with the tomato sauce to create a tasty Autumnal dish! I will be making something similar for Christmas dinner with the addition of parsnips and brussels sprouts!P1000921P1000930P1000949P1000961

Serves 2

Ingredients

2                      Carrots

2                      Sweet Potatoes

1                      Red Onion

2                      Garlic Cloves

2tsp                 Cumin

3tbsp               Olive Oil

1 400g can      Chickpeas

350ml              Passata

1tsp                 Oregano

¼ tsp               Pink Himalayan Salt

¼ tsp               Black Pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Wash the vegetables. Cut the ends off of the vegetables and slice them lengthways, arranging them in layers in a baking dish. Add in the peeled garlic cloves. Sprinkle with cumin and generously drizzle over the olive oil.

Place the baking dish in the oven for 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Drain the chickpeas and add to the baking dish with the passata. Season with oregano, salt and pepper.

Return the dish to the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Scoop out a portion onto a plate and serve immediately.

How to Make Kitchari

Gluten-Free, Main Meal, Recipes, Vegan, Videos, , , , , ,

Kitchari is used in an ayurvedic diet for detoxing the body. It is simple, nourishing food that is easy to digest. Usually I make a large batch and store the extra in glass containers in the fridge to eat for lunch for the next few days.

You can find the full recipe below.

For more video showing how to make my gluten-free, vegan recipes check out my YouTube channel! Cooking to Heal ME

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Serves 4

Ingredients

1tbsp              Coconut oil

½ tbsp            Mustard seeds

½ tbsp            Fennel seeds

1inch              Root ginger

½ tbsp            Ground turmeric

½ tbsp            Ground cumin

½ tbsp            Ground cumin

150g               Mung beans

150g               Brown basmati rice

500ml             Filtered water

1                     Medium Sweet potato

1                     Carrot

50g                 Frozen peas

¼ tsp              Pink crystal salt

¼ tsp              Black pepper

Method

Melt the coconut oil in a hot pan.

Add the seeds to the hot oil. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the finely chopped root ginger, turmeric, cumin and coriander.

Now add in the mung beans and rice, followed by the filtered water. Cut the sweet potato into slices and then quarters. Add to the pan with the chopped carrot and pour in the frozen peas.

Bring to the boil. Now put the lid on and simmer for 45 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Sweet Potato & Coconut Curry

Gluten-Free, Main Meal, Recipes, Vegan, , , ,

This delicious curry is full of flavour and takes only 30 minutes to prepare! It is my favourite curry and I often take the leftovers into work to have for lunch the next day! It is vegan and gluten-free! I like to cook the rice in with the sauce to save on washing up!

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Serves 4

1tbsp               Coconut Oil

1                      Leek

1tsp                 Nigella Seeds

2cm                 Root Ginger

1tsp                 Mustard Seeds

1tsp                 Fennel Seeds

1tsp                 Poppy Seeds

1tsp                 Ground Cumin

1tsp                 Ground Coriander

½ tsp               Ground Cinnamon

½ tsp               Ground Cloves

600ml              Filtered Water

75g                  Frozen Peas

2                      Small Sweet Potatoes

150g                Basmati Rice

75g                  Creamed Coconut

¼ tsp               Pink Crystal Salt

¼ tsp               Black Pepper

Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Chop up the leek and add to the pan. Finely chop the 2cm piece of ginger and add to the pan followed by the seeds. Leave to cook for 5 minutes.

Now quickly add in the spices so they don’t burn. Slowly add in the filtered water. Wash and chop up the sweet potatoes into chunks. Add to the pan with the peas. Rinse the rice in cold water and add to the pan followed by the creamed coconut.

Bring to the boil, then simmer for 12 minutes. Stir occasionally and add in extra water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

Scoop into a bowl and serve immediately.

Store any leftovers in a container in the fridge and eat within 3 days.

Red Lentil and Kidney Bean Curry

Gluten-Free, Main Meal, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , , , ,

Now that it’s Autumn, it’s a great time to start cooking curries again! The warming, spicy flavours of this delicious red lentil and kidney bean curry are perfect to warm up on a chilly day!

Red Lentil and Kidney Bean Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients

1tbsp                          Coconut Oil

1                                 Red Onion

1                                 Garlic Clove

½ tbsp                        Ground Cumin

½ tbsp                        Ground Coriander

½ tsp                          Ground Turmeric

½ tsp                          Cayenne Pepper

½ tsp                          Ground Ginger

½ 500g can                Passata

400g can                    Coconut Milk

125g                           Red Lentils

400g can                    Red Kidney Beans

600ml                         Filtered Water

300g (75g/serving)      Brown Rice

¼ tsp                          Pink Crystal Salt

¼ tsp                          Black Pepper

Instructions

Pour the brown rice into a pan of filtered water at the ratio 1:2 brown rice:water. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 40 minutes on a low heat. Do not stir.

Melt the coconut oil in a medium pan. Add the chopped onion and stir. When the onions start to brown, add in the chopped garlic. Next add the spices and stir to mix in.

Now add the passata, coconut milk and red lentils. Simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes stirring regularly. Add in extra water if necessary. Finally stir in the red kidney beans and heat for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Serve the curry with the brown rice. Enjoy![amd-zlrecipe-recipe:29]

Red Lentil Dhal

Gluten-Free, Main Meal, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , ,

As the days get colder, we need to cook warm, spicy, comforting meals to stay warm. Try this tasty and filling red lentil dhal recipe to warm your heart! This is one of my favourite winter recipes as it is quick to make and rich in protein.

Red Lentil Dhal

Serves 2

Ingredients

1tbsp               Coconut Oil

½                     Onion

1tsp                 Mustard Seeds

1tsp                 Ground Coriander

1tsp                 Ground Turmeric

500ml              Filtered Water

400g can         Chopped Tomatoes

½ 400g can     Coconut milk

125g                Red Split Lentils

1/4tsp              Pink Crystal Salt

1/4tsp              Black Pepper

Instructions

Melt the coconut oil in a sauce pan. Chop the onion finely and add to the hot oil. Add the mustard seeds. When the onion has started to brown, add the ground coriander and turmeric. Stir in the spices.

Pour in the filtered water. Add the can of chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and red split lentils. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Season with the salt and pepper and serve warm with a slice of bread. Store in a container in the fridge.

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