Author: Sharon

Chickpea Nuggets with Home-Made Chunky Tomato Sauce

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In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe that caught my eye in this month’s Vegan Life magazine. These ‘Chickpea Nuggets’ have been a big hit with the family and we’ve made them multiple times in the past couple of weeks. They’re simple to prepare, packed full of nutritional goodness and budget-friendly too!

I had my first experience of vegan nuggets a couple of weeks ago at a fast food establishment in Valencia, Spain (yes, Valencia has vegan fast food joints! How cool is that?) The fast-food nuggets were okay, but the home-made variety win my vote. They just taste more like ‘real food’ to me. Plus they definitely make me feel better on the inside.

The main ingredients in these nuggets are oats and chickpeas. Both ingredients are packed full of nutrients including protein, complex carbs, dietary fibre, B vitamins, iron, zinc and magnesium.

Chickpea Nuggets (Vegan)

The nuggets are great for dipping into all kinds of sauces. We love mayo, BBQ sauce, even hummus, but our current favourite has to be home-made chunky tomato sauce. I’ve posted the recipe below in case anyone else fancies trying it. I find it tastes much nicer than shop-bought tomato sauce (fresher and less processed) plus it’s rich in vitamin C, which helps our bodies absorb all the iron in the nuggets.

To make the outside of the nuggets nice and crispy, I used Panko breadcrumbs which can be found on the world food aisle in supermarkets (in the Japanese section). Onion powder is not currently available in UK supermarkets (such a shame as it’s really useful!) however you will find it in independent health food shops and online. (I buy mine in Harvest Coop in Bath).

Along with the onion powder, the nutritional yeast helps to give these nuggets a delicious, savoury flavour. I use the Marigold nutritional yeast flakes with added B12, available from the larger UK supermarkets, health food shops and online.

Recipe Card

Vegan Chickpea Nuggets

These nuggets are simple to make, packed full of nutritional goodness, budget-friendly and versatile! We love to serve them for lunch, as a healthy snack and as a main meal (alongside potato wedges, baked beans and a side salad). They are best served straight from the oven (when the outer coating is super crispy), however they can also be eaten cold and make a great addition to school and work lunchboxes.
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Hands-on time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Healthy Snacking, Light Dinner, Lunch
Servings 2

Ingredients
 

Chickpea Nuggets

  • 40 g / heaped ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 50 g / ½ cup rolled oats
  • 400 g / 14 oz can chickpeas thoroughly drained (reserve the chickpea water aka ‘aquafaba’)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder or granules
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 TBSP nutritional yeast flakes
  • 60 ml / ¼ cup 'aquafaba' (water from the chickpea can)

Chunky Tomato Sauce

  • 400 g / 14 oz can Italian vine-ripened chopped tomatoes
  • 2 TBSP tomato puree (paste)
  • 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp unrefined sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

Instructions
 

To make the chickpea nuggets:

  • Heat oven to 190C (180C fan) / 365F.
  • Place the oats in a food processor and process into a flour.
  • Add the chickpeas to the food processor, along with the garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast and salt. Pulse until crumbly. Add the aquafaba (chickpea water) and continue to process until the contents form a ball. If the mixture feels a little wet, add more oats.
  • Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and shape into nuggets. Coat each nugget completely in the panko breadcrumbs and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until firm. Serve with your favourite dip.
  • Any leftover nuggets can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.

To make the chunky Tomato Sauce

  • Place all the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Use a wooden spoon to break up any large chunks of tomato. Taste test and adjust the seasoning to suit.
  • Stored in an airtight container, this sauce will keep for five days in the fridge.

Notes

Recipe lightly adapted from Heather Lawless and Jen Mulqueen’s ‘Chicknuggets’ in The Chickpea Revolution, featured in the April 2018 edition of Vegan Life magazine.
Keyword Easy Vegan Meals, Healthy Snacking, Vegan Lunchbox Ideas, Vegan Nuggets
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Big thank you to Heather Lawless, Jen Mulqueen and Vegan Life magazine for the inspiration! This is definitely a recipe I’ll be making time and again.

And if you make these vegan nuggets, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.   

With love,

Sharon xx

Pea Basil Hummus

Book Review: Hummus Where the Heart Is by Dunja Gulin and Recipe for Pea & Basil Hummus

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In today’s post, I’m delighted to share with you a new book that’s dedicated to one of my favourite foods of all time… HUMMUS! This stylish book, humorously title ‘Hummus Where The Heart Is’ is the latest publication by cooking teacher and cookbook author, Dunja Gulin. It features over 50 vegan-friendly recipes, each one accompanied by a stunning photograph taken by London-based food & lifestyle photographer, Mowie Kay.

If you thought hummus was a bit dull and bland-looking, this book will completely change your perception. The pages are filled with a riot of colours, from the vibrant oranges of spicy lentil hummus, fresh greens of pea and basil hummus, through to the rich browns of cacao and rum hummus… yes there is even chocolate hummus in this book!

Hummus Where The Heart Is Front Cover

All the recipes have simple-to-follow instructions (with the ingredients listed in grams and cups). I was pleased to find that all the essential ingredients for the recipes are easily accessible in UK shops and when a recipe calls for a ‘specialist’ ingredient, it’s listed as an optional add-in.

Savoury hummus recipes are divided into three chapters depending on the main ingredient – Chickpeas – Beans and Lentils – Veggies and Nuts. So far, I’ve tried three recipes from these chapters – Pea and Basil Hummus, Cauliflower Hummus and Mediterranean Tomato Hummus. All three were delicious and easy to make.

If you have hummus that’s languishing in the fridge and needs using up (a rarity in our house!) then there’s a helpful chapter on how to use your leftover hummus to make burgers, salad dressings and much more besides.

Hummus Where The Heart Is Open Sandwiches

The final recipe chapter is ‘Sweet Treats’. I’ve never used chickpeas in desserts before and was intrigued to give it a try. The first recipe I made was the Cacao and Rum Hummus Pudding with Chickpea Cream. It may sound odd but it was very tasty indeed! I absolutely loved the flavour of this dessert and will definitely be making it again. I think it would be a great dessert to serve to children too (just don’t tell them what the ‘secret ingredient’ is unless they’re okay about beans featuring in their sweets).

Hummus Where The Heart Is Cacao Pudding

I was kindly given permission to share a recipe from the book and, after some deliberation, I’ve gone for the Pea and Basil Hummus. This recipe is just perfect for this season. It has the most beautiful texture and fresh flavour, as well as that gorgeous, vibrant green colour. The first time I made it for the family, it was devoured within seconds. Always a good sign! This is one recipe that I’ll definitely be making time and again.

Pea Basil Hummus

Recipe Card

Pea Basil Hummus

Pea and Basil Hummus

“This thick hummus-like spread made with green peas is so good! The texture always surprises me, since peas might seem light and watery, however, the finished dip has an amazing smooth texture, strong flavour and punchy colour. A simple recipe, but delicious and very lunch-worthy!”
Summary and Recipe from 'Hummus Where the Heart Is' by Dunja Gulin. Reproduced by arrangement with Ryland Peters & Small
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Hands on time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Lunch
Servings 3

Ingredients
 

  • 720 ml / 3 cups water
  • 260 g / 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
  • 10 g / ½ cup basil plus a few leaves to garnish*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for drizzling
  • 2 garlic cloves**
  • 2 tablespoon sunflower seed butter***
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds dry-roasted and crushed (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Bring the water to the boil, add the peas and cook, covered, until soft but still green (about 8–10 minutes). Drain, saving the cooking water. Blend in a food processor or blender with all the other ingredients until thick and creamy, adding about 60 ml / 1⁄4 cup of the cooking liquid as necessary. Drizzle with extra olive oil to serve, if you like.

Notes

Notes on my adaptations:
* I used frozen basil
** I used 1 tsp of garlic and ginger paste instead of raw garlic (as I’m not a fan).
The flavours worked perfectly for this recipe.
*** Instead of sunflower butter, I used 1 TBSP tahini
Keyword Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Hummus, Vegan Dips, Vegan Sandwiches
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

It’s unusual for me to find more than a couple of recipes in a cookbook that I’m eager to try, but that’s not the case with this one. I’m planning on working my way through the entire book and next on my list are these four beauties…

  • Spicy Red Lentil Hummus
  • Greek-style Hummus
  • Carob Hummus Mousse
  • Fudge Cookies

And my verdict on Hummus Where The Heart Is? Well if you’re a hummus lover like me, then this book will be perfect for you. I’m really enjoying experimenting with new flavour combinations, as well as trying different pulses and vegetables in my hummus. I’ve also discovered that chickpeas can be blended to make delicious desserts. Who would have thought? This book would also make a lovely gift for hummus-loving friends and family. It’s a beautifully-designed, quality hardcover book filled with creative recipes and stunning photography.

Big thank you to Ryland Peters & Small for supplying me with a copy of this publication and giving me permission to post the photographs and recipe.

All the images contained within the post are © Ryland Peters & Small and cannot be used without express permission. The recipe text is © Dunja Gulin.

Roasted Summer Vegetable Pasta Dish with Mojo Sauce

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In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for a pasta dish that features colourful roasted veggies and chunks of sausage, coated in a delicious red pepper sauce. It’s easy to prepare and makes a great weeknight meal.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta with Mojo Sauce

The mojo sauce really is the star of this dish, and takes it to a whole new level of deliciousness. I first discovered this sauce in a supermarket in La Palma, and it was just perfect for brightening up our simple home-cooked veggie meals. Back home, I’d been dreaming about this sauce and finally, nearly a year later, I set to re-creating it.

The main ingredient in mojo sauce is pepper. In La Palma, it is traditionally made with small red peppers called pimienta picona, which gives it a beautiful orangey-red colour and spicy flavour. According to Wikipedia, every Canarian family has its own recipe for mojo though, so it can vary greatly in flavour, spiciness and texture.

Mojo Sauce

I love that the sauce is so adaptable, and I really enjoyed creating my own rendition. I can’t claim that it’s in any way authentic, but it’s very similar to the colour, flavour and texture of the sauce we enjoyed last year.

While it’s packed full of flavour, I’ve kept the chilli heat to a minimum so that it’s suitable for all members of the family, including kids and spice wimps (like me!) Of course, you’re very welcome to crank up the heat by adding some fresh chillies into the mix.

Roasted Veggie Tray

To prepare this pasta dish, I first roast a tray of colourful veggies. My favourite mix is bell peppers, courgette and red onion. Into the oven, I also add four or five vegan-friendly sausages.

While the veggies are roasting, I cook the pasta and prepare the mojo sauce. To make the sauce, it’s simply a case of throwing all the ingredients in a high speed blender, whizzing smooth, then gently heating through.

Once the veggies, sausages and pasta are ready, I stir them through to combine…

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Dish

… transfer to warm bowls…

Roasted Veg Pasta with Mojo Sauce

… and invite the family to drizzle on the mojo sauce, before tucking in.

Roasted Veg Pasta with Mojo Sauce

So good!

Recipe Card

Roasted Summer Vegetable Pasta Dish with Mojo Sauce

This recipe was inspired by a visit to La Palma. It was on this beautiful Canary Island that I discovered mojo sauce. It’s a delicious, flavour-packed sauce, which you can use in myriad ways. I love drizzling it on pasta, rice and couscous dishes and stirring it through beans and veggies for burrito-style wraps. I also use it as a dressing for salads, dip for bread and topping for jacket potatoes.
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Hands on time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Spanish
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 2 red medium onions sliced into chunks
  • 1 large courgette (zucchini) (about 325g) sliced into bite-size chunks
  • 2 sweet romano or bell peppers deseeded and sliced
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • pinch of salt
  • 6 vegan-friendly sausages I used Linda McCartney Chorizo & Red Pepper sausages which are vegan & gluten free
  • 350 g / 12.5 oz penne pasta (Use GF pasta, if needed)

Mojo sauce

  • 400 g / 14 oz can chopped tomatoes with chilli*
  • 2 tsp minced garlic (raw or pan-fried – see Note **)
  • 1 sweet romano or red bell pepper chopped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½-1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp unrefined sugar
  • 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 slices of bread broken into pieces [see Note *** for a GF option]

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 200C (180C fan) / 400F.
  • Arrange the onions, courgette and pepper pieces in a large roasting tin. Drizzle in the olive oil and stir through to combine. Sprinkle on the oregano and a pinch of salt. Roast for about 16-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Stir half way through the cooking time.
  • Cook the sausages as per the instructions on the packet (I pop them in the oven at the same time as the veggies). When cooked, slice into bite-size pieces.
  • Prepare a large pan of salted boiling water and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, then return the pasta to the pan. Drizzle in a drop of olive oil and stir through to prevent the pasta sticking together.
  • Prepare the mojo sauce: Add all the ingredients to a jug blender. Initially begin with ½ tsp cumin and sugar, and 1 slice of bread. Blend from low to high speed, until smooth. Taste test and add more cumin and sweetener, if desired. Pour the sauce into a pan and gently heat through before serving.
  • Once the vegetables, sausages and pasta are cooked, combine them and transfer to warm pasta bowls. Drizzle the mojo sauce on top, and serve.
  • Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to five days. Gently heat through before serving.

Notes

* If serving to children, use a can of plain chopped tomatoes or chopped tomatoes with basil.
** If, like me, you’re not a fan of raw garlic, pan-fry it in a splash of olive oil until it just starts to brown.
*** For a gluten-free mojo sauce, use 150g / ¾ cup butter beans to thicken the sauce instead of bread.
Keyword Easy Vegan Meals
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Summer Roasted Vegetable Pasta with Mojo Sauce

Big thank you to Suma for supplying the following ingredients that I used in the recipe:

– Suma Organic Chopped Tomatoes with Chilli
– Suma Organic Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Suma Organic Corn Rice Penne Pasta
– Aspall Red Wine Vinegar

If you make this Roasted Summer Vegetable Pasta Dish, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.   

With love,

Sharon xx

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A Vegan Trip to La Palma, Canary Islands

Published on by Sharon3 Comments

Last Easter, I spent a glorious two weeks with the family on the Canary Island of La Palma. It was one of the most beautiful hiking destinations I’ve ever visited. In today’s post, I thought I’d share a few highlights from the trip, as well as details of our favourite vegan eats.

Vegan Trip to La Palma

Having already visited Lanzarote on multiple occasions, in 2017 we decided to explore another Canary island. La Palma was our island of choice. Its designation as a “Starlight Reserve” really appealed to me as I adore star-filled skies, yet rarely get to experience them. La Palma is also known to be a ‘walkers paradise’ so I was looking forward to spending time in nature, breathing in the fresh air and exploring new sights.

Tazacorte La Palma

I was intrigued by the landscape colours of La Palma. Unlike Lanzarote which is mostly volcanic rock, with black/brown/orange being the dominant colours, La Palma appeared to be mostly green from the images I saw on the internet.

Upon the recommendation of Andrew Locking from the blog Andrew’s Walks, I purchased a copy of Walk! La Palma before we headed to the island. Andrew’s accounts of the hiking routes on La Palma are so helpful and his photos are stunning. If you’re considering a vacation on La Palma, I’d highly recommend checking out his posts (to view them, simply type ‘La Palma’ in the search box on his ‘Find Walks’ page). After reading them, I was even more excited to be heading to the island.

And it did not disappoint.

The scenery is breathtaking.

La Palma

La Palma Flowers

And the landscape is really varied too.

There are black beaches…

Tazacorte by the sea

… lush green forests…

La Palma walks

La Palma Walks

… beautifully scented pine forests…

Pico de la Nueve Pine Trees

… and swathes of wild flowers.

La Palma Walk

La Palma flowers

La Palma flowers

Whilst on our adventures, we also stumbled across lots of beautiful animals. On one hike, I looked down and was surprised to see a lone cow. I think she was surprised to us too! She paused, looked up and, after assessing us, she called out ‘mooooo’ and two little calves came trotting out the forest and followed her down the path. It was a lovely sight to behold.

La Palma walk cow

La Palma walk cows

Another memorable hike was ‘La Cuevas de Buracas’. More breathtaking views…

La Palma walk

La Palma old dwelling

… as well as a chance encounter with a cockerel…

La Palma cockerel

… and two endearing goats.

La Palma Goat

La Palma Goat

It’s a very steep island, so many of the hikes start with a hill climb, for which you’re then rewarded with the most incredible views.

The ultimate hike had to be the ‘Pico De La Nieve’. It began with a steep climb through pine forests (which smelt incredible!)

Pico de la Nueve

After the climb, we popped out through the trees and were rewarded with the most breathtaking views I’ve ever seen! A blanket of fluffy white clouds stretching as far as the eye could see.

Pico de la Nueve

We really did feel on top of the world!

Pico de la Nueve

After the descent back to the car, we were met by this adorable raven. He was such a friendly guy and seemed really intrigued by Lucien.

Lucien and the Raven

We split the holiday into two halves, spending the first week in Los Llanos de Aridane on the west coast, then San Pedro on the east coast. Of the two, Los Llanos was our favourite location to stay as the town is larger, with more going on. It has a lovely al fresco cafe in the central plaza where we enjoyed chilling out, sipping coffees and reading.

Lucien in Tazacorte

A short drive from the town is Puerto Tazacorte, with its colourful houses and black volcanic sand beach.

Tazacorte Beach Sea

We loved heading to this place at dusk to sit on the rocks and watch the sun set.

Tazacorte Sunset

In Los Llanos, we found La Vitamina, which is a little cafe/restaurant serving vegan dinner options, as well as fresh juices and smoothies.

La Vitamina La Palma

The boys chose the lasagne every time we visited La Vitamina (they really loved it!), but I was more adventurous and tried three different meals. All were delicious!

La Vitamina Lasagne

Though it may not look spectacular in the photo, this chickpea dish was incredible!

La Vitamina Vegan Meal

On the other side of the Island, we found Veg Art – a lovely little vegan cafe and health food shop that’s located in Brena Baja, next to the hotel complex. [Sadly this cafe has now closed down. See Rob’s update from 2023 in the comments section below with new vegan food establishments on La Palma]

Veg Art La Palma

Whilst staying on the east coast, we visited a few times for refreshing smoothies, sweet treats and lunches.

Veg Art Juice

Whilst we enjoyed eating out, we prepared most of our meals at the rental apartments as it was much cheaper. The supermarkets on La Palma aren’t as big as those on Lanzarote, so we didn’t find such a big selection of vegan-friendly foods, however there was still plenty for us to eat. Most days we had cereal and soya milk for breakfast, then we made packed lunches of multigrain rolls filled with hummus or guacamole and salad.

La Palma Vegan Supermarket finds

For evening meals, we tended to buy frozen packs of mixed vegetables, cans of pulses (chickpeas, lentils, etc) then added in some sauce and served with pasta, rice or in wraps. My favourite foodie find of this holiday was Mojo Sauce, which hails from the Canary Islands. It took vegetable dishes to a whole new level of deliciousness. Back home, I was still dreaming about this sauce so decided to have a go at re-creating it myself. It turns out it’s really easy to make! Check out my next blog post where I share the recipe.

La Palma Vegan Supermarket finds

We also found an abundant supply of strawberries on La Palma. I lost count of the amount of trays we bought. They were so sweet and delicious!

Strawberries

In summary, La Palma is a fantastic destination for a walking holiday. It’s full of breath-taking scenery, including those stunning star-filled night skies. This island will always hold a special place in my heart. One day I’ll be back.

With love,

Sharon xx

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Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas

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In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for the perfect Winter warmer – Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas 💛 With its delicious, sweet flavour and golden orange hue, this soup is so bright and cheery that it’s bound to put a smile on your face. It also happens to be packed full of immune-boosting nutrients to help keep those pesky Winter bugs at bay.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash is a fantastic immunity-booster. Of all the winter squashes, it contains the highest amount of vitamin C. It’s also packed with the vitamin A antioxidants alphacarotene and betacarotene.

I love blending some cashews into this soup to make it thick and creamy. The cashews also provide protein and heart-healthy fats, which help us to feel full and satiated. Simmering the cashews in the soup softens them, making them easy to blend smooth in a high-speed blender.

Butternut Squash Soup in blender

Butternut Squash Soup in blender

My family loves to serve this soup as a weekend lunch or weeknight supper. The Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas that I posted last week, make the perfect topping.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe Card

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is cheery, flavourful and packed full of immune-boosting nutrients. The addition of cashews makes it thick, creamy and filling. We love to top it with Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas (recipe link in Notes below). These only take eight minutes to make, so we prepare them while the soup is simmering or cooling.
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Hands on time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Light Dinner, Lunch
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • ½ TBSP olive oil
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 750 ml / 3 cups vegetable stock (broth)
  • 800 g / 5 cups butternut squash deseeded and chopped into small, bite-size pieces
  • 1 TBSP tomato puree (paste)
  • 72 g / ½ cup cashews
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Gently heat the oil in a large saucepan. Cook the onion until it starts to soften (about 4 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
  • Add the vegetable stock, squash, tomato puree and cashews to the pan. (This is meant to be a thick soup, so the liquid should just be sufficient to cover the squash). Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until the squash is tender.
  • Leave to cool slightly then transfer to a high speed jug blender (due to the quantity of soup, I recommend blending half at a time). Start blending on low speed, then increase to high speed until silky smooth.
  • Transfer the soup back to the pan and gently heat through. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
  • This soup will keep for five days in the fridge. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m pretty confident it will be freezable too.

Notes

My recipe for Golden Pan-Fried Chickpeas can be found here.
Keyword Budget Vegan Meals, Dairy-Free, Easy Vegan Meals, Vegan Soup
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

As you can probably imagine, it’s pretty tricky taking food photos this time of year as the days are so short and the weather’s so changeable! It was certainly a fun challenge taking these soup photos. As I was shooting them, the sky suddenly clouded over, which totally changed the look and feel of the photos. Compare the photo below to the ones above. It looks pretty different, doesn’t it? It’s dark and gloomy, but kind of atmospheric too.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

If you make this Creamy Butternut Squash Soup, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.   

With love,

Sharon xx

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Quinoa Winter Bowl

Quinoa Winter Bowl with Roasted Vegetables, Cranberries and Balsamic Glaze

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In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for a delicious quinoa bowl that’s just perfect for serving this time of year. It features roasted veggies, dried cranberries and crunchy pumpkin seeds, topped with a sweet balsamic glaze. We’ve been enjoying it as a light evening meal, with leftovers served for lunches later in the week. It can even be served cold, and Lucien’s been taking it to school in his lunchbox.

Quinoa Winter Bowl

I must admit that I never used to be a fan of quinoa. I found the texture and flavour of plain quinoa quite strange and not particularly appealing. However, I discovered a couple of key steps that make it much more palatable…

  1. Ensure the quinoa is thoroughly rinsed before cooking to remove the bitter saponin coating.
  2. Flavour the quinoa using seasoning or a dressing.

One of my favourite ways to flavour quinoa is using a combination of toasted sesame oil and sweet white miso. These seasonings not only add a delicious savoury flavour but they also enhance the texture of the grain.

Quinoa has lots of health benefits, so I’m happy that I found a way to really enjoy the grain, rather than just eating it because ‘it’s good for me’!

Quinoa Winter Bowl

For this Winter quinoa bowl, I use a combination of roasted sweet potato and brussels sprouts. This dish has been a great way to entice Lucien to eat more sprouts. He won’t touch the boiled or steamed varieties, but he’ll happily eat pan-fried or roasted sprouts. One of his favourite sprout recipes is the Brussels Sprout Hash with Balsamic Red Onions & Pecans but I think this one is a close second. Of course, if you’re not a fan of brussels sprouts in any shape or form, feel free to leave them out or substitute with another roasted vegetable.

This bowl is super easy to prepare. While the veggies are roasting, I cook the quinoa and prepare the Balsamic glaze (if using a home-made one rather than shop-bought). Once everything is cooked through, it’s simply a case of mixing the quinoa, veggies, cranberries and pumpkin seeds together.

Quinoa Winter Bowl

I recently discovered that pumpkin seeds can vary enormously in flavour, size and colour. For this recipe, I used Suma’s organic pumpkin seeds which are smaller, lighter in colour and far tastier than the ones I’d previously bought from a big supermarket. I didn’t need to toast the Suma seeds to improve the flavour as they were tasty raw.

Pumpkin Seeds

Just before serving, the bowl is dressed with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, which adds a beautifully rich, sweet and tangy flavour. Balsamic glaze is widely available in UK food shops, however if you can’t get your hands on some, it’s easy to make your own. Check out the tips in the recipe below to see how I do it.

This bowl is not only tasty, but it’s packed full of nutrient-rich ingredients, which help to keep us in good health. In particular, this dish is a good source of…
– Protein, Complex Carbohydrates and Fibre
– Vitamins A, B, C & K
– Minerals Zinc, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese, Potassium and Iron
– Antioxidant Phytonutrients, including Glucosinolates, which help boost the immune system and protect against disease

Recipe Card

Quinoa Winter Bowl

Quinoa Winter Bowl with Roasted Vegetables, Cranberries and Balsamic Glaze

This Quinoa Winter Bowl is simple to prepare and is perfect for serving as a light evening meal or lunch. I find it makes a great ‘make ahead’ option and can be warmed through in a frying pan before serving. It can also be served cold and any leftovers make a great addition to lunchboxes.
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Hands on time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 500 g / 3 cups sweet potato peeled and diced into small pieces (about 2cm x 2cm x 1.5cm / ¾” x ¾” x ½”))
  • 2 TBSP olive oil divided
  • 16-20 brussels sprouts trimmed and halved lengthways
  • 300 g / 1½ cups quinoa
  • 720 ml / 3 cups water
  • 1 TBSP toasted sesame oil
  • 1-2 TBSP sweet white miso (I used Clearspring Sweet White Miso)
  • 55 g / ⅓ cup dried cranberries
  • 38 g / ¼ cup pumpkin seeds raw or toasted
  • Balsamic glaze for drizzling (See Note 2)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 210C (190C fan) / 410F. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
  • Place the diced sweet potato in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle in 1 TBSP olive oil and stir until thoroughly coated. Transfer the potato to a prepared baking tray and distribute in a single layer. Season with salt. Roast for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
  • Tip the brussels sprouts into the mixing bowl. Drizzle in 1 TBSP olive oil and stir through. Transfer the sprouts to the second baking tray. Arrange the sprouts cut side facing down. Season with salt (and black pepper, if desired).
  • When the sweet potatoes have roasted for 10 minutes, add the sprouts to the oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then flip them over and roast for a further 5 minutes, or until browned on both sides.
  • While the veggies are roasting, prepare the quinoa. First, rinse the quinoa (see Tip 1 below), then thoroughly drain and transfer to a saucepan. Add 3 cups water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Remove from the heat and leave to rest, covered with a lid, for 5 minutes. Drizzle in 2 tsp toasted sesame oil and stir through with a fork. Add 1-2 TBSP white miso and stir through until the quinoa is coated. Taste test and add more sesame oil/white miso if desired.
  • Tip the quinoa into the mixing bowl. Add the roasted veggies, cranberries and pumpkin seeds, and stir through. Transfer to bowls. Just before serving, add a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
  • This dish will keep for up to five days in the refrigerator.

Notes

Tip 1: To rinse quinoa, place it in a fine mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water, agitating it with your fingers for a couple of minutes.
Tip 2: If there is no shop-bought balsamic glaze on hand, I make my own by simmering ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar and 1 TBSP coconut sugar in a small pan, stirring from time to time. As soon as it starts to thicken, I remove it from the heat (it continues to thicken as it cools). I find this home-made version is best used immediately.
Keyword Dairy-Free, Easy Vegan Meals, Gluten-Free, Lunchbox Ideas, Quinoa, Vegan, Vegan Dinners, Vegan Lunch
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Quinoa Winter Bowl

This recipe is being shared with the Suma Blogger’s Network. Big thank you to Suma for supplying the following products used in this recipe…

– Suma Organic Quinoa
– Suma Organic Pumpkin Seeds
– Clearspring Sweet White Miso
– Meridian Organic Toasted Sesame Oil
– Aspall Organic Balsamic Vinegar

If you make this Quinoa Winter Bowl, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.   

With love,

Sharon xx