Easy Vegan Choc Chip Cookies

Choc Chip Cookies

For over five years now, my Wednesday Workshop children have requested these cookies as their end of term treat. Who would have thought that a vegan wholemeal cookie would be such a hit!

I must admit, the children were a little surprised when I first admitted that they were vegan, but it didn’t deter them. To be honest, I got more cautious looks when I told them they were wholemeal, but even this wasn’t enough to put them off. They enthusiastically tucked into them, then proceeded to give me lots of lovely compliments. Some even told me they were the ‘Best Choc Chip Cookies Ever!’ Now that’s an impressive accolade for a humble home-made cookie! Continue reading “Easy Vegan Choc Chip Cookies”

Chocolate Rose Energy Balls

For this month’s entry to the Suma Blogger’s Network, I’m sharing a recipe for one of my all-time favourite snacks – Chocolate Rose Energy Balls They taste more like a decadent treat than a snack, yet they’re packed with nutrient-rich energy-fuelling ingredients.

Chocolate Rose Energy Bites

Filled with wholegrain oats, nuts, dates and cacao, each ball provides a healthy does of protein, heart-healthy fats, slow release carbs, as well as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are really satiating, so I find that just one is enough to fill me whenever I need an energy boost or afternoon snack.

They’re easily portable, so perfect for stashing in backpacks for day trips and bike rides. They also make a great after school snack. Lil’ L loves them! Continue reading “Chocolate Rose Energy Balls”

Easy Vegan Mince Pies

When it comes to mince pies, for me, nothing beats home-made. Sure, my pies won’t be uniformly shaped and coloured like the factory-produced ones. And my stars are usually a little wonky. But hey, they taste REAL. Once you’ve tried home-made, I don’t think you’ll ever go back to shop-bought again.

If you’ve never baked your own mince pies before, you must give it a try. They’re incredibly easy to make. Even the pastry is a breeze.

Easy Vegan Mince Pies

The recipe I’m sharing today is for mini vegan mince pies. The size makes them perfect for serving with an ‘elevenses’ coffee or afternoon tea during the festive holidays. They’re small enough to not spoil your appetite, however, if you do fancy a second, you can tuck-in guilt-free as at least two minis is equivalent to one regular size pie.

Continue reading “Easy Vegan Mince Pies”

Salted Pistachio Rose Cookies

Here in the UK, we’ve been experiencing an Indian summer. Blue skies, sunshine, warmth, walking around in short sleeves… I’ve been enjoying it for sure. And so has the garden. Typically winding down for Winter this month, gardens have suddenly burst into colour again. June roses are back in full bloom. I’ve never known this happen before.

Pink Rose

Seeing the roses out in bloom again has been the inspiration for my latest experiments in the kitchen. Continue reading “Salted Pistachio Rose Cookies”

Smoky Bean Salad

Today I’m sharing a flavourful, versatile Smoky Bean Salad recipe for the Suma Blogger’s Network. It’s perfect for sharing at BBQs and summer parties, while Lil’ L loves it as a jacket potato topping alongside a Mexican style ‘cheese’ sauce (a tasty vegan twist on the classic ‘beans and cheese’).

Smoky Bean Salad

It’s also my current favourite ‘lunch on the go’. I fill up a container with colourful salad leaves, smoky bean salad and any leftover grains that I find in the fridge – couscous, millet, even pasta – then stuff it into my backpack, hop on my bike and head into Bath city centre. At midday, nothing beats chilling out in one of Bath’s beautiful parks and tucking into my delicious home-made lunch

Continue reading “Smoky Bean Salad”

Tagliatelle con Verdure. Vegan. Gluten Free Option

Tagliatelle con Verdure

For this month’s Suma Blogger’s Network entry, I’d like to share one of my favourite quick ‘n’ easy evening meals. I’ve used the Italian name for this dish ‘Tagliatelle con Verdure’ as the English equivalent ‘Ribbon Pasta with Green Vegetables’ just sounds far too plain and boring for such a beautiful dish.

For me, Tagliatelle con Verdure is the perfect pasta dish for this time of year. It’s much lighter than cheesy or cream-based pastas, and the addition of peas and tender green leaves make it taste fresh and Spring-like.

Tagliatelle con Verdure

This dish also happens to be incredibly simple and quick to make. It’s ready in just 20 minutes, and there’s very little prep or chopping involved. It’s perfect for busy week day nights, but also for weekends when you want to prepare something quick for friends and family.

Tagliatelle con Verdure

I always use wholegrain pasta as it contains more vitamins and minerals than white pasta (plus my family prefers the coarser texture and nuttier flavour of the wholegrain varieties). At the moment, the health food shops in the UK stock a much wider selection of wholegrain pastas compared to the supermarkets. Pastas made from ancient grains like spelt and kamut are amongst my favourites. For a gluten-free option, ribbon pastas made from maize are available (like this one from Le Veneziane).

In today’s recipe, I used organic whole wheat tagliatelle from one of my favourite pasta companies – la BIO IDEA – which produces its pasta using traditional methods dating back to 1911.

La Bio Idea Tagliatelle

I often keep jars of antipasti in the fridge, as they’re great for throwing into pasta dishes, salads and sandwiches. I especially love the jars of sun-dried tomatoes packed in herb-infused olive oil.  The oil is great for loosening up pasta ribbons, as well as adding extra flavour.

Pea shoots are currently in season here in the UK and I adore their fresh pea flavour and tender texture. If you can’t get hold of pea shoots, baby spinach or rocket (arugula) would make good substitutes.

Pea Shoots

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This pasta dish is full of the fresh flavours and colours of Spring. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weekday nights or weekends when you’re looking for a quick and easy dish to prepare.

Serves 4
Hands on time: 15 minutes   Cooking time: 9 minutes
Ready in: 20 minutes

Ingredients
300g / 10½ oz wholegrain tagliatelle (e.g. whole wheat, spelt or kamut. For a GF option, use maize)
107g / 1 cup fresh or frozen fine green beans, trimmed and halved
75g / ½ cup fresh or frozen green peas
6 sun-dried tomatoes in herb-infused olive oil, drained and chopped (reserve the oil)
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1 medium courgette (zucchini), quartered lengthwise and sliced
40g / 2 cups pea shoots (or sub with baby spinach or rocket arugula)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 TBSP pine nuts, toasted (or sub with sunflower seeds)

Method
Prepare a large pan of salted boiling water and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Three minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the beans and peas to the pan. Once the pasta is cooked al dente, drain and return to the pan. Drizzle in ½ TBSP of olive oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes and stir through.

While the pasta is cooking, dry fry the pine nuts in a large frying pan (skillet) on a medium heat, stirring regularly. As soon as they start to brown, remove from the heat and set to one side.

Heat 1 TBSP of olive oil (from the sun-dried tomato jar) in the frying pan and cook the courgette until it starts to brown. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking for another minute or so. Stir in the pea shoots until they just start to wilt then remove from the heat.

Once the pasta is cooked, combine it with the contents of the frying pan. Stir in the sun-dried tomato pieces. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Divide between four warm bowls, add a sprinkling of pine nuts and serve.

This pasta dish can also be eaten cold and any leftovers make a great addition to lunch boxes.

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Tagliatelle con Verdure

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear your feedback Do leave me a comment below or post a photo on my Facebook or Twitter pages. Hearing from readers always makes me smile xx

What’s your favourite Spring-time dish?