dinners – Page 5 – Bit of the Good Stuff

Chestnut and Mushroom Bourguignon Pie (Vegan with Gluten Free Option)

Published on January 30, 2017 by Sharon9 Comments

In today’s post I’m sharing a recipe for a delicious pie that’s just perfect for serving in the cold weather months. It’s an adaptation of a recipe published by the Vegetarian Society back in 1995. We first tried this pie last month and it was a big hit with the family. Since then, we’ve already eaten it a couple more times as special weekend dinners. While it looks pretty impressive, it’s really easy to make and requires less than 30 minutes hands on time.

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Smoky Yellow Split Pea Soup

Published on January 3, 2017 by Sharon7 Comments

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful break over the festive holidays. I spent a magical five days with my mum and her three dogs in Verwood, Dorset. It was so relaxing, which was just what I needed after a busy year finishing the cookbook.

We went for daily walks in Verwood Forest, had a glorious day on Bournemouth beach, and spent our evenings watching films and munching our way through all the Christmas goodies. As you may have seen on my social media channels, I was totally spoilt by family and friends this Christmas and received lots of beautiful boxes of vegan chocolates. Needless to say, most are empty now.

And after all the excesses of the festive season, this month I’m looking forward to getting back to my favourite way of eating – simple meals filled with natural ingredients and packed full of flavour and nutrients.

To kickstart my recipe shares for January, I have one of my family’s favourite winter-warming dishes – Smoky Yellow Split Pea Soup ❤️

Not only is this soup easy to make, but it’s incredibly cheap too. A 500g bag of Suma yellow split peas costs £1.15 and we only use half a bag in this recipe. Add in the remaining ingredients and this soup costs about £2.25, which works out at 56p per portion. Bargain!

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My Top Picks of Festive & Winter Vegan Dinner Centrepieces

Published on December 24, 2016 by Sharon6 Comments

For the past six years or so, my family has eaten our Cranberry Glazed Nut Loaf as the centrepiece to our Christmas dinner. It’s our favourite nut loaf and I only make it once or twice a year to keep it special. I originally posted the recipe on the blog in 2013 and it fast became a reader favourite. If you have the Bit of the Good Stuff cookbook, you’ll also find the recipe on p141 along with my favourite easy vegan Red Onion Miso Gravy.

The loaf stores really well (in fact I think it tastes even better a day or two after its made) so I’m planning on making it today (Christmas Eve). Then, tomorrow, all we need to do is cut some slices and heat them up either in the oven or in my mum’s microwave. Easy peasy and minimal time spent in the kitchen, which means more time for fun, games, films and forest walks. That’s how I like to spend my Christmas day!

While I have our main Christmas meal sorted for this year, I am really looking forward to trying out some new recipes during our week off. There are a handful in particular that have caught my eye and I thought I’d share them in today’s post in case you’re looking for some recipe inspiration too.

It wasn’t intentional, but all the recipes I’ve picked happen to be pastry-based. I do love a tasty pie or tart this time of year!

Let’s kick off with a couple of puff pastry pies that would make fantastic centrepieces for festive or winter dinners. Continue reading “My Top Picks of Festive & Winter Vegan Dinner Centrepieces” →

Curried Vegetable Pasties (Vegan / Dairy-Free)

Published on September 19, 2016 by Sharon8 Comments

Here in the UK, the temperatures are starting to cool off and there is definitely change in the air. So to celebrate the start of another beautiful season, for this month’s entry to the Suma Blogger’s Network I’d like to share my Curried Vegetable Pasties ❤️

I’m a huge fan of pasties, especially the home-made variety. You can fill them with all manner of vegetables, herbs and spices. One of my all-time favourites is this curried pastie. With its warming flavours and beautiful golden and red hues, this has to be the perfect pastie for Autumn. Continue reading “Curried Vegetable Pasties (Vegan / Dairy-Free)” →

Nourishing Noodles & Recipe for Carrot & Beet Noodles with Ginger Sesame Dressing

Published on September 6, 2016 by Sharon6 Comments

If you managed to get your hands on this month’s Vegan Life Magazine, you will have seen some stunning shots of noodle and smoothie bowls from Chris Anca’s recent publication Nourishing Noodles. I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this book from the publisher and I’ve been spiralizing like crazy ever since.

You may know Chris from her fabulous blog Tales from a Kitchen. Her newly released recipe book contains nearly 100 plant-based recipes featuring spiralized vegetables and fruit. The seven recipe chapters cover breakfasts, appetisers, snacks, soups, entrees*, desserts, condiments, toppings and more. So, if you’re looking for some spiralizing inspiration, this is definitely a book to check out.

Nourishing Noodles

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Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Vegan Style!) with Peanut Dipping Sauce + Step-by-Step Guide on How to Roll Rice Papers

Published on May 18, 2016 by Sharon13 Comments

I absolutely love this time of year, with the trees full of blossom and the wisteria out in flower. Not only does it look stunning, but it smells glorious too! Here in Bath, the weather is finally starting to warm up and we’ve actually managed a few meals in the garden this past week. Our dinners have definitely shifted to lighter dishes, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of our favourites over the coming weeks.

The rolls are a vegan twist on the classic Vietnamese spring roll. Instead of meat or prawns, the rolls are filled with a rainbow of fresh veggies, making them both visually beautiful and delicious.

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