Vegetarian Foods Archive

Halloween theatrical feasts have come and gone and so has Friday the 13th, but I share with you something dark, dramatic and bold - Spreadable Black Butter.  Please don't be judgemental and deceived by its menacing appearance, it is nutty and subtly sweet.  Give it a chance and it may win you over.   I've had a jar of these black tear-drop shaped seeds in my kitchen cupboards for a couple of years.  I've reached for the jar a few times, but its mostly been used as a garnish than an ingredient in its own right.  So recently when a Korean friend was telling me about the new rage in the West for (Kimchi and) Black Sesame Tahini being sweetened a little either with honey or maple syrup and then used as a spread, well I just had to give it a try.   I made it.  I tried it.  I spread on a toasted bagel and liked it, but the man in the house wasn't that keen on it.  So,  the sweet black sesame butter is pretty much all for me.  The o...

I am in Wales, a land not known for the sunshine but rain rain rain, but today it felt like I was somewhere in the Mediterranean.  I stepped out of the office onto the busy streets and honestly it felt like I had walked into a greenhouse.   Anyway, y ou know what hot, clammy weather means - no energy for cooking and your appetite to eat leans more towards quick light and easy bites: such as this Strawberry Jalapeno Salsa which requires no cooking at all, even better.   I actually made this Strawberry Jalapeno Salsa at the weekend with homegrown strawberries. The strawberries take the place of tomatoes which can either be acidic or sweet.  I have to admit, as much as I wanted to make this and experiment, I was not sure that I would like it and I could see D looking down at the bowl and thinking the same.  Then we both tucked in with our tortilla chips and were Wooed!  This is not the first savoury strawberry recipe I have made, I have made a Savour...

A few months ago, I got hold of some purple sweet potato.  I made a Pizza with it, but we were so hungry that evening that I never got round to photographing its bold vivid colour.  I did not want to lose out on sharing the striking bright colour of this easy red purple cabbage pesto.   So I asked D to get a photograph for me while I got on with other things in the kitchen.   I had half a red cabbage in the fridge, left over from another another dish  that I had made (also not photographed).  I was inspired to make a Red Cabbage Pesto that I saw a long while back in The Guardian and bookmarked.   Its a relatively simple and easy recipe, only four ingredients: red cabbage, garlic, sunflower seeds and olive oil.   I have to admit the raw garlic was quite pungent to the point it had heat and left that burning sensation in the mouth, not particularly pleasant.  So I sauteed the pesto in a little oil before using it for the required dish,...

Another really easy lush green  Bara Lawr – Welsh Laverbread recipe. This time I decided to stir some bara lawr into a traditional hummus base.  I have also used  Bara Lawr – Welsh Laverbread Hummus as a sandwich spread.   Bara Lawr - Welsh Laverbread Hummus Your will need Ingredients 4-6 tablespoons fresh laverbread 1 x 400grams tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 cloves of garlic Juice of a lemon Olive oil 1 teaspoon Tahini Salt and pepper to taste Method In a food processor blend all the ingredients to taste adding more of less oil if necessary. Previously shared Hummus Recipes on my blog Carrot Hummus  - July 2014 Beetroot Hummus  - February 2013 Wild Garlic Hummus  April 2011  Traditional Hummus  January 2010 

My first ever experience of a fruit in a salsa was at a deli, the name of the place escapes me - it may not even be there anymore as this was 10 years ago.   Anyway, it was a salsa made with mangoes.  I have bee n making fruit salsas on and off since.  Last year it was Strawberry Salsa and a few year before that it was Papaya Salsa and way before that  Kiwi Salsa .      Today on this bright sunny day, I share you with Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa.   Handsome Whippet and Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa Most salsas are made with fresh tomatoes, but this Pineapple Jalapeno one is not but enhanced further with red onions and my absolute favourite herb, fresh coriander.  This salsa was really lovely and complimented the Green Chile, but of course you can dip your tortilla chips in this chunky refreshing salsa.  On another note, a little while back a fellow blogger asked me about the  images  in the  background  of so...

Whether its the start of the tomato season or the end of it, the b est way to enjoy homegrown tomatoes is fresh of course, but its not always easy. This recipe started off as Pan Con Tomate  - Catalan Tomato Bread  or is it   Catalan  Pa Amb Tomaquet  - bread with tomatoes,  but it quickly evolved into a Tomato Salsa on Toasted Bread.   It was good and enjoyed just before the griddled bread could go soft and soggy.  As I have mentioned before I don't do soggy bread. Many oif the Pan Con Tomate recipes I found did not use a herb, and those that did used either basil or parsley, so i was not sure if this was authentic.   My version has coriander because I always have some to hand.   I have also eaten something similar in Cyprus, but it was doused with good extra virgin olive oil.  I f you don't have one of those char grill pans, just toast your bread in a toaster or under a grill. Tomato and Coriand...

I made this Luxurious Hazelnut Tempeh Pate a few weeks back when I needed a bit of a mental break and sometimes kitchen therapy helps. The Hazelnut Tempeh Pate is packed with rich flavours. This vegan meat-free  Pate seriously puts those tube ones to shame, but I understand there place as I have used them in the past and see their convenience when time is of the essence. But if you want to impress or just want a pate with deep 'meaty' flavours, then it is definitely making your own from scratch.   This Hazelnut Tempeh Pate does  take time to make, but its well worth the effort when plated up and served to your guests with good crusty bread. Luxurious Hazelnut Tempeh Pate Makes 4 - 6 ramekins Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon dried thyme 240grams tempeh, chopped into cubes 1 x Kallo Mushroom Stock cube made up with 125ml hot water 2 tablespoons Meridian Tamari 100grams hazelnuts, c...

It's Friday evening and the start to our weekend. Yay, even better its a long weekend with the public Bank Holiday in the UK on Monday. Later on this evening, we will be sipping white wine and snacking on some crackers with some homemade red Nut Cheese. Nut cheeses are all the rage right now with vegans.   I first came across Nut cheeses in 1990s when I stumbled across publication by a little known vegetarian writer calle d Dave Dutton - I think the cookbook was The Green Revolution Cookbook, but I cannot remember for sure as he has a few publications.  His vegan nut cheese recipe also contained soya flour which is not used often as it once was. However, the recipe I made was not based on his recipe, as I could not locate the book on my shelves.  The red in this vegan Nut cheese comes from smoked paprika.   To give you an idea of how this red nut cheese sliced. I have served it on some red crackers.  It was really good with umani undertones ...

This Dippy Green pate was made in the same week as the Blood Orange Tart when time in the kitchen was becoming more annoying than enjoyable. This originally started off as a walnut and spinach pate that were meant to be turned elegantly into quenelles, but it didn't work out so well. The mixture was just too wet,  so in a bid to rescue them, I adapted or rather enhanced the recipe.   I turned some of it into Spinach Cream Cheese.  Here it is spread onto some rye crackers and then finished off with some alfalfa sprouts.   Here is the Spinach Pate au naturale . I am sharing this with  The Veg Hog   is hosting  #EatYourGreens Vegetarian and Vegan Blog challenge  this month, so please do join in there is plenty of time.     For those of you who have not participated before, please  Follow this link on how to join in .     Sauteed in a little olive oil and stirred into some spaghetti pasta and garnished...