Springtime Stew with Celeriac Puree

So the low cal diet plan got a little interrupted with last minute dinner guests. I had to change tack and carb things out a little, simply to make the veggies go further. Last night I picked up where I left off with this veg laden, lighter version of a stew. Instead of the traditional mashed potato, rice or cous cous accompaniment, I went for celeriac. It's lighter tasting and much lower in calories than potatoes.

Ingredients:

For the stew...

low fat cooking spray

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 leek, finely sliced

1 large carrot, cut lengthwise and chopped

1 red capsicum, chopped

1 small eggplant, diced

1/4 head of broccoli, chopped into small florets

1 courgette, sliced lengthwise and chopped into chunks

1 tin cannellini beans

1 Tbs tomato paste

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tbs vegetarian gravy granules

1 tsp brown sugar

1/2 c water

1/4 c red wine

1 Tbs nutritional yeast

20 fresh basil leaves, chopped

A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

For the puree...

1 celeriac, chopped into big pieces

1/2 tsp celery salt

Black pepper

To make:

1) In a large pot, heat some low fat cooking spray and add the onions. Cook for 2 minutes before adding the garlic and cooking for another minute. Add the leek, salt, pepper and celery salt and stir well, then cook for another 2 minutes.

2) Add the rest of the vegetables (except the beans) and cook, stirring every now and then for 8 minutes, then turn the heat down, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

3) While the stew is cooking, boil the celeriac in plenty of water until soft (about 10 minutes).

4) In a small bowl, mix together the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, gravy granules, sugar, water and wine. Add this to the vegetables with the nutritional yeast and cannellini beans and mix well, then cover and cook for 10-15 minutes (until all veggies are tender), adding the fresh herbs 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

5) Puree the celeriac with a stick blender and spoon onto plates. Serve the stew over the puree.

Serves 2 to 3.

Carrot, Coriander and Chickpea Koftas

Our flat happens to be situated above an exceptionally good Indian takeaway shop. Sometimes the scent is just too much when coming home from a long day at work. Today was one such day, so I set about creating an Indian inspired feast of my own. These koftas have been forming in my mind for a while, so I was more than happy to put them into practice.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 onion, finely sliced

1 tsp garam masala

1 clove garlic

4 medium carrots, grated

1/2 tin of chickpeas, lightly mashed

A good handful of fresh coriander, chopped

2 tsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

3 Tbs chickpea flour, plus extra for rolling

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 200°c and line and oven tray with foil. Spray with cooking spray.

2) In a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin and coriander seeds. Warm a small pan over a medium heat, spray some cooking spray and then add the ground seeds. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes until aromatic.

3) Add the onion and stir for 2 minutes before mixing in the garlic and the rest of the spices. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft.

4) Add the grated carrot and stir well to combine, then cover and leave to cook for about 5-10 minutes until the carrot is very soft.

5) Tip into a bowl and add the chick peas, coriander, lemon juice and salt to taste. Then stir in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

6) Shape into balls and roll in some flour. Place on the baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, turning once at about 12 minutes. Serve as part of an Indian meal with chutney and plain soy yoghurt.

Makes 6.

Ottelenghi's Multi-vegetable Paella

Straight from the pages of my treasured Ottolenghi recipe book 'Plenty', this was my second ever attempt at paella and by far the best of the two. The trick with paella is to leave it well alone while the rice cooks. A hard task, but it just won't work properly if you insist on stirring.

You could substitute the veggies for what is in season, I had a delicious paella the other day with big chunks of butternut squash and eggplant. Delicious.

Also note - while saffron is expensive, a little goes a long way and it makes all the difference to both the look and taste of the dish.

Ingredients:

A drizzle of olive oil

2 small shallots, sliced

1 small red and 1 small yellow capsicum, cut into strips

1/2 fennel bulb, cut into very thin strips

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp chilli powder

150g paella rice

100ml sweet or medium sherry

A good pinch of saffron threads

450ml boiling veg stock

A pinch of salt

200g shelled broad beans (frozen are fine)

10 mini plum (or cheery) tomatoes, halved

5 small grilled artichokes in oil (from a jar) drained and quartered

12 pitted Kalamata olives, roughly crushed

2 Tbs roughly chopped parsley

To serve...

Lemon wedges and salt

To make:

1) Heat the olive in a large, shallow frying pan and gently fry the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring. Add the capsicums and fennel, continue to fry for about 6 minutes until the veges arte soft and the onions golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

2) Add the bay leaves, paprika, turmeric and chilli powder and stir well. Then add the rice and stir well for 2 minutes (you really want to get all the rice coated in the flavours) then pour in the sherry and sprinkle the saffron in.

3) Boil down for a minute, then pour in the stock and pinch of salt. Turn the heat down to the minimum and let it gently simmer for about 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. DO NOT cover or stir during this time.

4) While you leave the rice to cook, keep yourself busy by pouring plenty of boiling water over the broad beans in a bowl and leave them for a minute or two. Drain and leave to cool, then when cool enough to handle, squeeze each bean until it pops out of the skin. Discard the skins.

5) Take the paella off the heat and taste - add more salt if needed, but try not to stir the mix. Scatter the tomatoes, artichokes and broad beans over the rice and cover with a lid or foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

6) Remove the covering, scatter over the olives and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Serves 2 very well.

Zingy Wild Rice and Roast Veg Salad

My very first foray into cooking wild rice.

Not only does it look amazing, but the taste and texture add another dimension to your standard image of rice. The flavour is somewhat nutty and the texture is slightly crunchy/chewy on the outside, yet soft in the middle. Very different from you standard rice and this is probably because wild rice is actually an aquatic grass. It is packed full of nutrients and contains folic acid, B vitamins and protein.

Wild rice freezes well once cooked, so cook up the whole packet and freeze in single portions for easy lunches.

This recipe was a bit of an experiment and I took the flavour ideas from the many grain salads that I have cooked over the years. Black rice would also work exceptionally well with seafood and oriental flavours.

Ingredients:

125g wild rice

low fat cooking spray

1/4 butternut, peeled and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into batons

1 red onion, cut into wedges

1 red capsicum, sliced

1 courgette, sliced

Salt and pepper

1/2 bunch of corriander, roughly chopped

1 satsuma, chopped into small pieces

1 Tbs each of pumpkin and sesame seeds

For the dressing...

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 Tbs tahini

2 Tbs lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp crushed hot chilli

Juice and zest of 1 satsuma

Some water to thin the dressing as you go

Salt

1) Cook the rice according to the packet instructions - it will generally take 50-60 minutes.

2) Turn the oven to 200°c, or gas mark 6. Spray the cooking spray into a foil lined tin and add all the vegetables, sprinkling with salt and pepper. Roast them in the oven for about 45-50 minutes until tender, stirring around a couple of times.

3) To make the dressing, mix the garlic, tahini and lemon juice together with a fork. Add the chilli and a good pinch of salt and then add a little warm water (about a Tbs at a time) until you get a dressing like consistency. Don't add to much at a time because it quickly goes from too thick to too thin. Stir in the zests and set aside.

4) In a small, oil free pan, toast the seeds over a low heat and stir every few minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they'll burn easily. They'll take about 15 minutes and the pumpkin seeds will start to burst their little green skins when done. Again, set these aside.

5) When cooked, drain the rice and allow it to cool a little. Take the orast veggies out of the oven. Put the cooled rice in a large bowl with the corriander and satsuma flesh and pour half the dressing in, mixing well. Add the roast vegetables, mix well together and then pour over the rest of the dressing and mix everything again.

6) Serve scattered with the toasted seeds.

Serves 2-3.

Indulgent Banana-Chocolate Crumbles

I don't think banana is used enough in desserts. Yes, cakes and breads, but not so much in the actual dessert category. Mixing the banana with dark chocolate makes a really smooth filling that sets well. I think it would be delicious used to sandwich layer cakes together.

The base crumble isn't overly sweet - you could add sugar if you like, but the banana contributes such a lovely sweetness (very important to use a really ripe one) that I really don't think sugar is necessary.

For how naughty these taste, they are actually rather healthy.

Ingredients:

75g wholemeal flour

75g rolled oats

40g dairy free margarine

1/4 c barley malt

1 large banana, mashed

60g dairy free dark chocolate, melted

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 180°c, gas mark 4 and prepare 5 silicone muffin moulds or small ramekins.

2) Combine the flour and oats in a bowl and rub the margarine in so it is evenly distributed. Spoon in the barley malt and mix initially with a spoon, but then with your hands to ensure it's well mixed in.

3) Use 2/3 of the mix to press into the bottom of each mould as the base.

4) Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave on medium low (keep an eye on it, but about 2-3 minutes) and while it's melting, mash the banana. When the chocolate is smooth, add the banana to it and mix well with a fork. Spoon an even amount of this mix over each base and level it gently with the spoon. Sprinkle some of the remaining oat mix over each one.

5) Bake for 15 minutes then remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. Serve with dairy free vanilla yoghurt or ice cream.

Note: Kept in the fridge, these make a delicious cereal bar substitute. Just make sure you keep them cool until eating or the chocolate and banana will melt everwhere...mmmm

Mixed Mushroom Penne

I love mushrooms. Shitake, oyster, button, portabello, chestnut; you name it, I love it. They are so versatile and while I know it's the texture that puts so many off, I just think it adds to their deliciousness.

A creamy mushroom sauce on pasta is a flavour match made in heaven, so here I've made a lighter, healthier, vegan version which is still rich and really flavoursome and with a little hint of heat. Perfect for a spring evening with a nice green salad.

Ingredients:

10g dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated and finely chopped

A drizzle of olive oil

3 small Spanish onions, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

200g fresh mushrooms (I used standard white mushrooms, but portobellos, chestnuts or buttons would also work)

Salt and black pepper

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

1/2 tsp crushed hot chilli

1/2 c sweet sherry

1 tsp cornflour, mixed with hot water to remove any lumps

2 Tbs nutritional yeast

200g penne pasta

1/2 tin of cannelini beans

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 packet of rocket

Fresh parsley or chives

1) Start by rehydrating the porcinis in a bowl of warm water. Cover them and put to the side - they'll take about 15 minutes.

2) Heat some oil in a large pan over a medium-low heat and add the shallots. Cook until they turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir for another 2 minutes.

3) Tip in the fresh mushrooms and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are softening. Add the porcinis, seasoning and herbs. Mix well so everything is combined cook for another minute before pouring in the sherry. Again, mix to combine, turn down low and leave to cook while you put the penne, according to the packet instructions.

4) Add the cornflour mix and nutritional yeast to the mushrooms and stir. You may like to add a bit more water at any stage if it's looking too thick. However this recipe is very 'saucy' as such, it just has enough liquid that should be thick enough to coat the pasta.

5) Tip in the cannelini beans and leave it all to cook until the pasta is done. Then, while the penne drains, take the mushrooms off the heat and tip in the rocket and add the lemon juice. Stir well and add the drained pasta to the pan. Mix thoroughly so each piece of pasta is coated in the mushroomy sauce. Serve with fresh parsley or chives.

Serves 2-3.

Cheesy Vegan Pizza

Who doesn't love pizza? Although I didn't eat it a lot, when I gave up dairy, I was sad to say goodbye to pizza. Now I know that you don't HAVE to have cheese to make a good pizza, but to me, it really makes it. So I set about looking for something that would add the same deliciousness. And I think I've become pretty darn close with this spreadable tofu based alternative. It stops the base from drying out and adds a cheesy richness - all with the low fat content of tofu.

This pizza base recipe is a brilliant one because it's so easy - all the proving is done in the microwave so there's no waiting around while the dough sits in the hot water cupboard for hours. It's from a fabulous little book called Destitute Gourmet by Sophie Gray. Originally for calzone, it makes enough dough for 2 large, thin crust pizzas.

Ingredients:

For the base...

1 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

1 Tbs dried yeast

1 cup plain flour

1 cup wholemeal flour (or another of plain instead if you prefer)

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbs oil

For the 'cheese'...

400g carton of silken tofu

3 Tbs nutritional yeast

Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings...

Tomato paste

Crushed garlic

Mushrooms, sliced

Capsicum, sliced

Red onion, finely sliced

Olives

Mixed Italian herbs

Salt and Pepper

To make:

1) Start by turning the oven to 200°c.

2) In a small bowl, mix the water and sugar, then sprinkle the yeast evenly over the top and leave somewhere warm for 10 minutes, until it goes frothy.

3) Warm the flours in a large bowl for 1 minute in the microwave on 70%. Stir in the salt and oil, then add the frothy yeast and water mix.

4) Stir together and kneed on a well floured surface (you may have to add a little more flour as you go) for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

5) Put it back in the bowl and microwave for 1 minute on low, stand for 10 minutes. Repeat this until the dough has doubled in size, normally 2 cycles is enough.

6) While you are letting the dough stand, prepare the 'cheese' spread by pouring any excess water off the tofu and tipping it into a bowl. Add the nutritional yeast and salt & pepper and blend with a stick blender for a smooth consistency. Season to taste.

7) When the dough has doubled, divide it into 2 even portions and roll out on a floured surface. Transfer this to a greased pizza tray.

8) Spread each with tomato paste and crushed garlic, followed by the 'cheese'. Then arrange the toppings and bake for 25 minutes until the edges are risen and golden.

Pear and Banana Breakfast Loaf

This makes a delicious, nutritious and satisfying weekend brunch. Lovely on its own, or served with jam or honey and some plain soy (or dairy) yogurt. It's best served warm and fresh out of the oven, but we discovered it's still really tasty cold - if you're lucky to have some left over for afternoon tea!

Adapted from a recipe in the trusty ol' NZ cooking bible, the Edmonds Cookery Book, it uses barley malt extract to sweeten which provides slow release energy.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c self raising flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

2 tsp egg replacer, mixed with water (or I used apple juice) according to the packet

1/4 c rice milk

70g vegetable margarine, melted

1/3c barley malt extract

1 large banana, mashed

1 medium pear, peeled and finely chopped

rice milk to brush

sunflower seeds to scatter

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 180°c and grease a loaf tin.

2) Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and mix.

3) In another bowl, whisk the egg replacer mix, milk, barley malt extract and melted marge until well combined. Mix in the mashed banana and pear.

4) Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Fold together until just combined.

5) Spoon the mix into the loaf tin (it'll be quite a sticky mix) and brush with rice milk. Scatter sunflower seeds over the top and bake in the oven for 50 minutes, until it comes away from the edges and is slightly golden.

6) Let it sit in its tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Minty Lebanese Salad

A wonderful friend gave me a recipe book from her favourite cafe in NZ for my birthday. She knows me too well! This recipe is adapted from that book - Ripe Recipes by Angela Redfern. There are so many different flavours and textures, it was declared 'a taste sensation' when I tested it.

I usually use tinned beans, but this time I thought I'd give dried ones a go. Not sure if they are worth the effort to be honest, but it was gratifying seeing the hard little beans turn into something edible. You can easily use tinned chickpeas here though, just add them into the salad at the end - in this case use about a cup.

Ingredients:

100g bulgur wheat

1/3 c dried chickpeas, soaked overnight

1/2 c fresh mint, chopped

1/2 c fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 c whole almonds

12 Kalamata olives, chopped into big pieces

zest of 1 lemon

100g fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

1 Tbs pumpkin seeds

1 Tbs sunflower seeds

Salt and black pepper

For the dressing...

1/4c white wine vinegar

3/4 Tbs soft brown sugar

1 clove garlic, crushed

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 c chopped, fresh mint

1 Tbs wholegrain mustard

To make:

1) Cover the beans in plenty of water and bring to the boil. Turn them down after about 10 minutes and cook rapidly for a further 50 minutes or until tender.

2)Put the bulgur Wheat in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for about half an hour.

3)Toast the almonds and seeds in the oven on about 180°c for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they'll quickly go from toasted to too-toasted.

4) Mix all the dressing ingredients in another bowl and use a stick blender to get a smooth(ish) consistency.

5) Chop the almonds roughly, but so they are still in large chunks.

6) Combine all of the ingredients, except the seeds, in a big bowl and carefully mix. Seaon with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over and again, mix carefully.

7) Sprinkle with seeds to serve. Goes really well served with roast veggies.

Serves 2 for dinner with leftovers.

Spinach, Potato and Mushroom Curry

Easy to make and very healthy, this curry is a lovely Sunday night supper. It's got some great earthy flavours, which contrast really well with a nice sweet chutney. It's a distant relative of a Nigel Slater potato and spinach dish.

Ingredients:

500g potatoes

1 tsp hazelnut oil

1 large onion, finely sliced

3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp chili paste

1cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp crushed cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp garam masala

salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon

200g mushrooms

300g baby spinach

To serve...

Nigella seeds

Basmati Rice

Chutney

To make:

1) Peel and chop the potatoes, cook them in a large pot of water until tender. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

2) Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion. Fry for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and start to colour.

3) Add the garlic, chili and ginger and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring. Then add all the spices and mustard seeds. Cook for another 1 minute, stirring.

4) Tip in the potatoes and a cup of water and bring to the boil. Stir well to get the potatoes coated then add the mushrooms and turn down to a simmer.

5) When the liquid has reduced, add the lemon juice and salt, followed by the spinach. Cook 3-4 minutes until the spinach is well wilted. Sprinkle with Nigella seeds and serve with Basmati rice (or naan if you prefer) and chutney.

Serves 2 very well for a main.

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Curry

A tasty veggie curry with lots of aromatic, earthy flavours. The sweetness of the potato really compliments the rest of the flavours. You could easily use butternut squash if you wanted to.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (cook for 3 min on high in the microwave to speed up cooking time)

1 Tbs tahini

2 Tbs tomato paste

2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp curry powder (use whichever heat you prefer, I used medium)

1 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp brown sugar

6 Tbs hot water

50g green beans, trimmed and chopped

6 mushrooms, chopped

1 cup water

150g fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

1 tin chickpeas, drained

2 Tbs fresh coriander, chopped

1 tsp Nigella seeds

To serve...

Rice

Pita or naan bread

Chutney

Plain soy yoghurt

To make:

1) Spray a large saucepan with low fat cooking spray and put over a medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the sweet potato and cover, cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

2) In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, tomato paste, lemon juice, curry powder, garam masala, salt, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, and brown sugar. Gradually add the hot water, stirring.

3) Add the mix to the sweet potato and onion mix, recover and cook for another 10 minutes, checking every few minutes and stirring in the water gradually as the sauce reduces.

4) Add the beans and mushrooms and cover again, cooking for 3 minutes. Then add the chickpeas and spinach and cook for 3 minutes, until the spinach is well wilted.

5) Mix in the coriander and turn off the heat. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with the Nigella seeds. Serve with rice, breads, yoghurt and chutney.

Serves 4.

Tofu, Quinoa and Mango salad

This dish takes its inspiration from a Marks and Spencer crayfish salad that really isn't similar in any way, except for the use of mango. I used to think that mixing fruit with savoury dishes was an abomination, but done with the right flavours, it can be a match made in heaven.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is an exceptionally nutritious grain and contains all 9 amino acids to make it a complete protein. The tofu adds an extra proteinous boost.

This would be great as a summer meal; there are lots of flavours and textures working together here, and they do get on rather nicely.

Ingredients:

For the tofu...

400g block tofu, diced

soy sauce

juice of 1/4 lemon

heaped teaspoon of crushed garlic

1cm grated ginger

For the dressing...

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp crushed hot chili

1/2 tsp tamari soy sauce

1/2 Tbs rice vinegar

1 Tbs sweet chili sauce

1/2 Tbs water

2 Tbs fresh, chopped coriander

1/8 tsp brown sugar

And the rest...

1/2 c quinoa

50g mangetout, cut in half

1/2 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 small iceberg lettuce, shredded

1/2 mango, cut into small pieces

1/2 avocado, diced

1/4 bunch fresh coriander

To serve:

Fresh coriander, chopped

Lemon wedges

To make:

1) Put all the tofu into a shallow bowl and drizzle with soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic and ginger. Cover and refrigerate to marinate overnight or for at least an hour.

2) Turn the oven to gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Put it into the oven to heat up for a couple of minutes, then lay the tofu evenly out on it. Put in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, turning once.

3) Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together and set aside.

4) Put the quinoa in a small pot with 1 and a half cups of water. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the quinoa is cooked and the water absorbed.

5) Put the hot quinoa into a large bowl and mix in half the dressing. Leave it to sit while you blanch the broccoli for 3 minutes and the the mangetout for 1 minute.

6) To the quinoa, add the red onion, lettuce and coriander. Mix well. Next add the mango and slightly cooled broccoli and mangetout. Add the avocado last, gently stirring through with the remaining dressing.

7) Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Serves 2.

Moroccan Chickpea Bites

This is so simple to put together, it takes almost no time and makes a great starter. You could make the patties large and serve as a main course. If you are having people over, make the mix the night before and simply shape them and put in the oven before your guests arrive.

Ingredients:

400g can chickpeas, drained

1 small courgette, finely grated

1/8 of a red onion, finely chopped

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp dried mint

1/2 tsp Moroccan seasoning (or 1/4 tsp each of ground cumin and coriander)

juice of 1/4 lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

Chopped fresh coriander

Good quality fresh tomato salsa

To Make:

1)Heat the oven to 190°c or gas mark 5.

2)Put the chickpeas in a food processor and blend until smooth and paste like.

3)Turn the chickpeas into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, then mix well and season to taste.

4)Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or overnight.

5)Shape into small patties and bake for 20 minutes, turning the patties half way through.

Serve sprinkled with the coriander and the fresh salsa on the side.

Black Forest Tofu Cheesecake

Before I adopted a dairy free diet, I'd never given even the slightest thought to vegan desserts, why would I? So when I said no to milk, I got curious about the illusive tofu cheesecake. After tasting a few VERY bland examples, I have come up with a recipe that is delicious, SO easy to make, and produced a product that has been licked from the plate by unsuspecting tasters, always shocked when I tell them it's tofu. Now I am not saying this is healthy, but without the presence of cream, cream cheese etc, it is a healthier alternative and exceptionally indulgent.

One thing I would point out, is that you need to beat the tofu really well to get a smooth consistency and get rid of any white flecks.

It's best made the the day before you want to serve it.

Ingredients:

For the base

200g dairy free ginger nuts, broken

2 Tbs dairy free margarine, melted

For the cheesecake

1 400g pkt of silken tofu (hard variety)

1/4 c soft brown sugar

1/4 c caster sugar

1/4 cup cocoa, sifted

1 tsp vanilla essence

100g dark, dairy free chocolate. Set aside about 20g to serve, then grate half of the remaining chocolate and finely chop the other half

200g fresh cherries, halved and stoned. Finely chop half, and reserve half for serving

Icing sugar to dust

To make:

1) Lightly grease a lose based 20cm cake tin, line the bottom with some baking parchment and turn the oven to 180°c or gas mark 4.

2) Put the biscuits in a food processor and whizz until they are fine crumbs. Add the softened margarine and pulse again so the crumbs bond together when pressed. Firmly press the crumbs into the bottom of the tin and cook for 5 minutes. Take out of the oven and leave to cool completely.

3) Discard any excess liquid from the tofu and put it into a large bowl. Beat well with an electric whisk.

4) Add in both sugars and cocoa and blend until smooth with the whisk. Add the vanilla essence and mix.

5) With a wooden spoon, stir in the grated and chopped chocolate and the chopped cherries. Mix together well, pour over the cold base and use a spatula to smooth the surface.

6) Bake for 25 -30 minutes, take out of the oven and cool in the tin. The top will crack a little and should be coming away from the edges. Refrigerate (still in the tin) for at least 2 hours until thoroughly set.

7) Remove from the tin and serve topped with the remaining cherry halves and the rest of the chocolate, grated, then dust with icing sugar.

It tastes best if you take it out of the fridge and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Delicious with plain soy (or dairy) yogurt.

Creamy Celery and Celeriac Soup

This soup is a dieter's dream when trying to shed a few of those Xmas pounds. It is so creamy, that it's hard to believe it's just veg. Plus it's super easy to make.

This was originally a Weight Watchers' recipe that has evolved a little over time.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 large onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp celery salt

ground pepper

1 large celeriac, diced

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 stock cube

1L boiling water

1 bay leaf

To make:

1)Cook the onion over a medium low heat with some cooking spray for about 5 minutes, until soft but not brown. Add the garlic, celery salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.

2)Add celery, celeriac, bay leaf and stir together, then crumble in the stock cube and pour in the water.

3)Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until veggies are really soft.

4)Remove the bay leaf, pour soup into a blender and give it a really good blend so it's very smooth.

Serves 4

Chunky Veg Soup

Don't let the long list of ingredients put you off this filling, hearty, chunky and healthy veggie soup/stew (I use the / as it's very, very chunky) is a delicious winter warmer and once you've done the chopping, it's just a matter of adding.

The sweet potato and capsicum impart a lovely sweetness that counters the acidity of the tomatoes.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 meduim carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp celery salt

1/2 Tbs thyme

1 bayleaf

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1 Tbs tomato paste

1 Tbs soy sauce

1 stock cube

100g lentils verte, washed and pre-cooked for 10 min in the microwave (just cover with water and cook on high)

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 L boiling water

1 yellow capsicum, chopped

1 courgette, chopped

2 handfuls of mini pasta shapes (note the heart shaped pasta in the pic - a gift from my sister's recent trip to Italy)

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

handful torn basil

To make:

1) Heat some cooking spray in a pot over a medium heat and add in the onions. Stir fry for 3minutes and then add garlic and stir.

2)Put the carrots, celery, salt, pepper, celery salt, bayleaf and thyme and stir for 3 minutes.

3) Then add sweet potato, tomato paste, soy sauce and crumble in the stock cube, mix well.

4) Then add the lentils and tomatoes and stir well to get everything mixed before pouring in the water. Bring to the boil then turn down, cover and leave to simmer for 20 minuites.

5) Add the yellow capsicum and let that cook for 15 minutes before adding the courgettes, pasta and vinegar. Turn up the heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is done (it will take longer than the packet instructions to cook as it's in with everything else).

6) Just before serving add the torn basil.

Serves 4.

This is very satisfying and delicious with crusty white bread, or on its own.

Pure pesto with pasta

A result of having broccoli, courgettes and not much else in the fridge - this pesto is so easy to throw together and still has an intense, pesto-ey flavour without the masses of oil. You could sprinkle with toasted pinenuts before serving for a tasty final touch.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 head broccoli, chopped into small florets

Juice of 1/4 lemon

Salt & pepper

2 courgettes, grated

1 tsp crushed chili

2 Tbs nutritional yeast

1/4 c soy milk

Handful fresh basil, torn

Cooked, drained spaghetti of your choice (I used wholewheat)

To make:

1) Spray some cooking spray to a pan over a medium heat and cook onions for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and cook onions until translucent.

2) Add the broccoli and cover, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the broccoli is very soft. Mix in the lemon juice and seasoning.

3) Put this all into a food processor and blend until smooth. Put aside.

4) Rinse the pan, put it over a medium heat and use a little more cooking spray. Tip in the courgettes and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes, until soft.

5) Scrape the blended mix into the courgettes and stir in chilli and nutritional yeast, then gradually add milk, stirring until you achieve a smooth consistency.

6) Just before turning off the heat, stir in the basil.

7)Pour over drained pasta and mix through until all strands are coated. Garnish each serving with a few basil leaves.

Makes enough for pasta for about 4 people.

NB. As this isn't made with oil like normal pesto, it won't keep for longer than a few days.

Bean, Basil and Tomato Hotpot

Incredibly easy to make and very warming and satisfying, this bean, basil and tomato hotpot is a winner for a weekend brunch or easy supper.

Ingredients:

low fat cooking spray

1 meduim onion, sliced

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 Tbs tomato paste

salt and pepper

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tin butterbeans

handful fresh basil, chopped

To make:

1) Add some low fat cooking spray to the frying pan over a medium heat. Put onions to the pan, and cook stirring until they start to turn translucent. Add garlic and cook, stirring for another minute.

2) Mix in the tomato paste, seasoning, herbs and vinegar then pour in just a little water to deglaze the pan and stir well. Pour in the tomatoes and add the sugar. Let it cook at a fast simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the beans and leave to cook for another 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes until it begins to reduce.

3) Take off the heat and mix in most of the basil, keeping some back for garnishing.

4) Serve sprinkled with basil and with toast, pita bread or ciabatta.

Serves 2.

Note: For variation you could add in different ingredients like mushrooms (add them just before the tomatoes), spiced sausage (to meat it up, add these at the same time as the onion), crumbled feta (at the same time as the basil).

Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Soup

A creamy soup with subtle flavours and a protein boost from the tofu.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium potato, cubed

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp chilli power (mild, as I am a bit of a wuss)

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 litre of veg stock

1 pack of silken tofu (firm)

200g baby spinach, chopped

To make:

1) Boil the butternut until tender, drain and reserve the water to use as part of the stock.

2) Put some cooking spray in a pot and add onion, cook 2 minutes and add garlic. Cook, stirring, for a further 3 minutes.

3) Add potato and all seasoning. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the stock, bring to the boil and turn down to simmer. Cook about 15 minutes until the potato is tender.

4) While that is simmering, combine the butternut squash and tofu in a bowl, then blend or whisk until smooth.

5) When the potato is cooked, blend the mixture. Add this gradually to the tofu mix, stirring to combine, then blend the mix.

6) Put soup back in the pot, reheat and add the spinach. Cook another few minutes until spinach is wilted. Serve garnished with some baby spinach leaves.

Serves 4.

Carrot, Corriander and Split Pea Soup

Earthy and really satisfying, this soup takes a while to cook, but not long to actually prepare. You can put it on a leave it to simmer while you get on with anything else. It has a fair amount of spice, but is by no means hot, just nice and aromatic.

Ingredients:

Oil or low fat cooking spray

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

450g carrots, peeled and chopped

150g yellow split peas, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper

2 tsp ground corriander

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1 litre vegetable stock

fresh corriander to serve

To make:

1) Spray the cooking spray into a pot and add onion. Cook 2 minutes and add garlic. Cook a further minute and add carrots. Cook 4 minutes, stirring.

2) Add in the split peas and spices and mix together. Pour in the stock, then bring soup to the boil, turn down and simmer.

3) Cook for about 25 minutes until split peas are soft. Add to blender and puree.

4) Serve topped with corriander and paprika.

Serves 3.