Recipes

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Happy Families – effortless veggie meals with the folks!

There are loads of easy ways to take the heat out of family meals (show this to your mum or whoever does most of the cooking!) So, if they’re eating…

Meat & two veg?

• Get yerself a Linda McCartney pie to pop in the oven – then you can eat the potatoes and veg! Or try Quorn fillets/‘chicken’ pie/ribsters (contain free-range eggs and milk), available in most supermarkets in the fridge and freezer sections, for a quick alternative to meat.
• If you’re going the vegan route, check out the healthstore – Clive’s Pies are lush and other brands like Ambrosian or Zedz Foods are cool too. And Holland & Barrett do a mean Porkless Pie.
• Redwood Foods’ Cheatin’ Roast Beef or Turkey is also excellent – and vegan too. Go to http://www.redwoodfoods.co.uk/ for your local stockist. Or buy from their online shop

Burgers or sausages?

Stick the veggie/vegan versions under the grill!

• Linda McCartney, Quorn and supermarket own brands are fine for veggies. 
• If you’re vegan, try your healthstore again – look for brands like Realeat, Fry’s, Vegetarian’s Choice – The L-Plate Vegan gives other brands also.

Pass the gravy!

If you adore litres of gravy poured on your sausage and spuds, no fear – you can get animal free versions from the supermarket too.

• Bisto Original Gravy powder, Bisto Onion Gravy Granules (NOT Bisto complete Gravy Mix).
• Oxo Onion or Vegetable Gravy Granules are all veggie/vegan  
• Co-op Gravy Mix is another good one
• Your healthfood shop will sell products such as Naturally Good Vegetable Gravy Powder.
• Or make your own! The L-Plate Vegan has easy ideas about making your own! Below is a special mushroom gravy recipe to die for…

Mushroom Gravy

• *1 medium onion, finely chopped
• *6-10 mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp shoyu soya sauce. (Brands such as Kikkoman are available at supermarkets in the Asian or foreign foods sections).
• Small pinch cayenne pepper
• Dried dill or basil to taste
• 1/3-½ cup flour
• 11/3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tsp miso or yeast extract (eg Marmite), or more to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, sauté (fry gently) the mushrooms and onions in oil on medium-high heat until onions are clear and mushrooms tender.
2. Add soya sauce, cayenne, basil, dill and pepper and stir together.
3. Remove from heat and slowly stir in flour, mixing together well. It will become pasty and dry.
4. Slowly start adding stock (add one teaspoon of vegetable bouillon powder to the potato liquid) a little at a time until everything becomes well mixed and there are no lumps (use a food processor/blender or whisk if it does go lumpy!).
5. Leave it to simmer, stirring occasionally.
6. Add more miso/yeast extract if necessary.

Perfect Pasta?

• Lazy There are tons of ready-made veggie and vegan pasta meals from the supermarkets. Check out L-Plate Veggie/L-Plate Vegan for lots of ideas
• Quick & Saucy Same with sauces – all the big brands and supermarkets’ own have veggie and vegan options in jars and fresh tubs. Our helpful L-Plate Veggie/L-Plate Vegan guides will give you some ideas.
• Home made Use the basic recipe in Tomato Pasta Sauce later in this section – and check out all the different ways to vary it.

Curry?

India is the home of vegetarianism so this is one of the best options if you love curry as much as we do! Every supermarket curry selection will feature veggie alternatives and so will your local takeaway. (At your takeaway try buying several vegetable side dishes with rice and naan bread instead of just one main dish – as this is the best way to experience Indian food.) Plus most of the ready made sauces and pastes are veggie or vegan – and so are side-dishes like dahl, onion bhajis and samosas.

Chinese?

Chinese food is often meaty but there are always veggie alternatives available.  Fry up some tofu link to Top Tips … Virgins/What’s That and veg and add to a jar of supermarket sauce. Your local takeaway will have veggie options on offer also. Again, a selection of vegetable side dishes will make up a more interesting meal.

Thai?

Many supermarkets sell ready-made green vegetable or red vegetable curry in the fridge section – serve with Thai rice (also sold in all supermarkets). Thai restaurants usually have excellent vegan choices (as they traditionally cook with coconut milk instead of cow’s milk – just check there isn’t fish sauce in any of it!)  

Jacket Potatoes?

Good with just about anything: baked beans, curry, chilli, pasta sauce, veggie sausages, coleslaw, bean salad… . link to Jacket

Family Meat-Out!

See if you can persuade the family to have one meat-free meal every now and then. Keep it simple – sausage, mash, gravy and veg is always a favourite and so is a delicious and easy Chilli Non-Carne or a pasta dish like Spaghetti Bolognese.