Have you tried polenta? I absolutely love the stuff! I love its texture and versatility. Plus it’s super cheap, so perfect for budget-friendly meals.
Since I’m such a fan of polenta, I was really excited to see it featured in the January/February Issue of Vegan Life magazine ♥
In my experience, polenta is incredibly easy to make from scratch, providing you use the right kind of cornmeal.
Continue reading “Seared Polenta – Vegan Life Issue 12”Have you ever tried thinly slicing Brussels sprouts and pan-frying them? They take on this amazing nutty taste and aroma that sets them worlds apart from stinky boiled or steamed sprouts. I’m pretty confident that a pan-fried sprout ‘hash’ could win over the most avid of Brussels sprout haters in your family. It won over mine!
While I’ve always been a Brussels sprout lover, Lil’ L didn’t share my enthusiasm for this cute little brassica. Every year I’d optimistically add a couple to his Christmas dinner plate. He’d work his round the whole plate, eating every morsel in sight… except those sprouts!
I was determined to find a way to convert our sprout hater and, earlier this year, I hit jackpot when I made a Brussels sprouts ‘hash’ by shredding and pan frying them with balsamic red onions and pecans.
Continue reading “Sweet Miso Brussels Sprout Hash with Pecans and Pomegranate”
When I was a kid, macaroni cheese was one of my all-time favourite comfort foods. Sadly this childhood favourite turned into the ultimate ‘discomfort’ food for me in my 20s, when my intolerance to dairy became acute. With almost instant flare ups of eczema, stomach cramps and joint pain, the pay off for indulging in this dairy-laden dish just wasn’t worth it.
It was probably a good ten years before I tucked into a cheesy pasta dish again. And it was thanks to the highly creative vegan food blogger community that I discovered how cheese sauces could be replicated using non dairy ingredients.
These past few years, I’ve tried a whole host of non dairy ‘mac n cheese’ recipes and have experimented with a few of my own. I now have a favourite self-devised vegan ‘cheese’ sauce recipe which I use for pasta dishes, which the family absolutely loves (and has hidden veggies inside!) but I’m always on the lookout for new ones to try. So when I saw the tantalizing macaroni cheese shot on the cover of November’s Vegan Life magazine, I couldn’t wait to check out the recipe.
I was intrigued to find that the ‘cheese’ sauce is actually a dry mix that you can make ahead of time and store in the pantry. It was devised by Miyoko Schinner (the blogger behind Artisan Vegan Life) and appears in her recently published book The Homemade Vegan Pantry: The Art of Making Your Own Staples.
The recipe sounded so simple to make. I couldn’t wait to give it a try! It’s dairy-free and gluten-free so this is a great dish to serve to anyone that’s vegan or gluten / dairy intolerant. Continue reading “Quick and Easy Macaroni Cheese. Vegan Life Issue 10”
It’s been just over a year now since Vegan Life launched here in the UK and, for me, this magazine just gets better and better. I love the variety of features it covers. This month, I especially enjoyed the interviews with Born Free president Bill Travers OBE, who explained the reasons why he has recently gone vegan,
and the interview with Earthlings director Shaun Monson. After reading the article I checked out the trailer for his new film Unity. It looks awesome! Has anyone seen it yet? Continue reading “Indian-Spiced Cauliflower Rice and Vegan Life Issue 9”
Today I’m sharing a lightly adapted family-friendly version of Terry Hope Romero’s Backyard Buffalo Ranch Caesar Salad which featured in Issue 8 of Vegan Life magazine. Filled with crisp colourful veggies, crunchy croutons, chewy tofu, and the most delicious creamy (yet healthful) ranch dressing, this salad is a total feast for the senses. It’s kid approved too. Lil’ L declared it to be the “best salad ever” and has enthusiastically devoured it for dinner twice this week already.
Continue reading “Terry Hope Romero’s Backyard Buffalo Ranch Caesar Salad”
As usual, this month’s issue of Vegan Life was packed with inspiring articles, as well as a whole bunch of mouth-watering recipes. I was especially excited to see the feature on Daniel Acevedo, Head Chef at Mildreds Vegetarian Restaurant in Soho, London. I’ve heard so many good things about this restaurant and one day hopefully I’ll get to experience it for myself.
Continue reading “Roasted Vegetable and French Lentil Salad with a Tangy Balsamic Vinegar and Fennel Seed Dressing”