Last summer I never got round to posting my recipe for easy peasy guacamole. It only takes five minutes to make, and I for one, can't get enough of the stuff.
Its great on its own, on top of a chilli, on toast or with tortilla chips or if like me following a more healthier diet carrot sticks!
It is very easily transported but needs to be eaten fairly quickly, otherwise the avocado starts to brown even if using lemon juice. I never have any leftovers, its always eaten on the same day and even in the same sitting!
Ingredients
1 Avocado
¼ Onion, finely diced
3 Cherry tomatoes, finely diced
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
Salt & Black pepper
Method
Mash the avocado flesh with a fork, then stir in the other ingredients. Simple!
Enjoy!
I really don't know what's happening with this weather! We finally managed to get a week of the sun coming out albeit still a little cold. So, I started wearing my summer wardrobe and went bare legged for the first time this year, and yes on some days I wish I hadn't I was freezing. But I figured we're in June and soon the longest day will be upon us and I thought the dresses need to come out of the closet sometime! But wait Saturday was so darn miserable, it rained constantly all day and the temperature dropped I don't think I've ever been this cold in June.
I needed some comfort food, and I needed it to be quick and easy as I had a lot on. So I gave myself 40 minutes to come up with something comforting and healthy. This recipe worked a treat, packed full of veggies and it really can be on the table in under 40 minutes and that's including all the prep. Yay!
Ingredients - Serves 4 people
6 Vegan sausages ( I used Linda McCartney sausages)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Onion, diced
2 Sticks celery, diced
100g Broccoli, cut into small florets
½ Red pepper, cut into strips
½ Yellow pepper, cut into strips
3 Cloves of garlic, minced
2 Sprigs rosemary, finely cut
4 Sprigs thyme, stalks removed
1 Tsp Balsamic vinegar
150g Mushrooms, diced2 Tsp Smoked paprika
1 Tbsp Flour
1 Tin chopped tomatoes
500ml Vegetable stock
Method
Turn on your oven to a medium temperature.
Prepare all your vegetables.
Place the vegan sausages in an oven proof dish and place in the oven, while you cook your vegetables, around 20 minutes.
Add the olive oil to a large saucepan and heat before adding the onion and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
Add the broccoli and sauté for another two minute, stirring all the time. Add the peppers and sauté for another 3 minutes.
Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme and stir to combine, then add the balsamic vinegar. Continue to sauté the vegetables and herbs for another minute stirring all the time.
Add the chopped mushrooms and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes or until the mushrooms have released their liquid into the vegetable mix.
Add the smoked paprika and stir to combine. Add the flour and stir to combine, the mixture will become quite stiff as the flour soaks up whatever vegetable juices are in the pan. Sauté for 1 more minute to cook out the flour.
Add the chopped tomatoes and stir through, the mixture will still be very thick. Add the vegetable stock a little at a time, stirring all the time and bring the mixture up to a boil. The mixture will now be a lot thinner.
Remove the sausages from the oven and cut each sausage in half. Add the halved sausages to the pan and reduce the heat so the mixture is simmering.
Cook for a further 10 minutes to thicken the sauce before serving.
Serve in bowls with a garnish of chopped chives for a warm and comforting klunch or serve with mash potato and more vegetables for a hearty dinner.
Yesterday I made a summer vegetable pie and I didn't quite use all the puff pastry. I thought I'd used half in the pie but it appears that I'd used most of it as there was only a quarter of the pastry left. I still had some mushrooms and a jar of vegan pesto that needed using up so tonight dinner was an easy decision. Mushroom tart. This is a very simple recipe that relies on a good quality vegan pesto, in this instance I used zest.
Ingredients
80g Puff pastry
2 Tsp Zest pesto
200g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, finely sliced
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Method
I rolled the pastry out a little thinner to make the base for the tart and scored about a centimetre in from the edge all around. The inside rectangle I brushed on the vegan pesto and popped it in the oven to start cooking. After about 5 minutes remove from the oven and rest whilst you make the mushroom topping.
To make the mushroom topping saute the onion in a little olive oil over a low heat, you don't want to brown the onion, just soften it. When the onion is translucent add the mushrooms and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the pesto and stir to combine, add the salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the middle rectangle of the pastry and put back in the oven to bake for about 10 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
As I slid mine of the baking sheet it broke in half! It was still delicious though.
Now, if you remember I tried the Linda McCartney sausages on Saturday, in the packet were 6 and as I only ate 3 there were another three lurking in my fridge that needed using up. So I used them in a spicy sausage pasta dish. This could easily serve 4 people if you used around 300g of your favourite pasta shapes.
Ingredients
3 vegan sausages - cooked
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1 celery stick
1 carton passata with chillis
Jalapeno peppers from a jar- as much as you dare
1 tsp Chilli flakes
1tsp Mixed herbs
1 tsp Paprika
½tsp Oregano
125ml Soy cream
Method
Finely dice the onion, celery and garlic and saute in a little olive oil for around 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the chilli flakes, paprika, mixed herbs and oregano and give the mixture a good stir. Slice the sausages and add to the pan with the jalapeno's and stir to combine. Add the passata and a little water to thin out the mixture just a little. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cream and heat through being careful not to allow the mixture to boil. Boil 300g of pasta till al dente and add to the sausage mixture. Stir thoroughly so all pasta shapes are coated in the sauce and serve at once.
Last summer I never got round to posting my recipe for easy peasy guacamole. It only takes five minutes to make, and I for one, can't get enough of the stuff.
