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April 2016 £4.50

Healthy • Sustainable • Delicious

Photograph: julie renouf

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

wholefood curry

APRIL 2016

Inside this issue …

spring greens

try the fresh flavours of spinach, sorrel & watercress

It’s easy to be inspired and create great food every month with our superb seasonal recipe ideas.

spring greens | hemsley + hemsley | trattoria suppers | calgary avansino | wild eats

Suitable for vegans Adaptable for vegans

Roman Holiday

Starters & light bites

Give your midweek meals the tempting taste of the trattoria

Sister act

healthy new ideas from Jasmine & melissa hemsley

48

meat-free recipes

25

Puy lentil, watercress, rocket and spinach salad

dairy-free ideas

Yes cheese!

Make your own cashew ‘cheese’ and paneer

From freekeh to farro, add these superfoods to your cooking

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

Real life Calgary Avansino’s

wild eats Create delicious

hands on Erin Gleeson writes

philosophy for living and eating well

foraged feasts with wild garlic and nettles

simple recipes for kids who love to cook

PLUS: Easy fermenting | Indian entertaining | Grow edible flowers

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20 N ettle soup 23 Puy lentil, watercress, rocket and spinach salad with watercress pesto 55 Beetroot and quinoa bowl 57 Crunchy bulgur salad 58 Amaranth and green lentil salad with za’atar 68 Spicy courgette ginger-chilli pancakes 80 Curried rice salad with mango dip

Main courses

The grain event

87

16 M editerranean roasted halloumi with new potatoes and basil dressing 18 Okonomiyaki 24 Palak paneer 26 Spinach and sorrel barleyotto 30 Courgette and cannellini bean lasagne 36 Parmesan-crumbed aubergine and courgette slices with arrabbiata sauce 37 Oven-roasted veg with red pepper and walnut sauce 38 Asparagus caponata 38 One-pot cannellini bean pasta with fennel and peppers 41 Mushroom and asparagus risotto 41 Mediterranean gnocchi grill 44 Wild garlic pasta primavera 46 Wild garlic goat’s cheese flan 49 Sweetcorn pancakes with Thai-style salsa verde 51 Cauliflower couscous 52 Broccoli ‘meatballs’ 53 Black bean burgers 72 Baked leek and saffron orzotto

Suitable for freezing Ready in minutes 78 Kale and black bean tacos 80 Open ravioli with spinach and almond ‘ricotta’ 86 Oat and ricotta pancakes with avocado salsa 87 Tofu and vegetable curry with raita 89 Roasted vegetable stack with cashew ‘cheese’

Sweets & treats 17 R hubarb sour cream crumble cake 21 Nettle and lemon cupcakes with lavender buttercream 32 Tahini date fudge 71 Kulich 79 Greek parfaits 81 German chocolate layer cake 82 Avocado chocolate cookies

Dips, sauces, sides and more…

23 25 31 43 45 66 67

atercress pesto W Paneer Flaxseed buns Wild garlic cheese scones Wild garlic hazelnut pesto Spicy orange-mint lentils Cauliflower with ginger and peanuts 78 Edamame hummus 89 Cashew cheese 90 Hot pink kraut 91 Carrot cake kraut

Many of the recipes have suggestions on how to adapt them for vegans, written by our vegan editor Alice Gunn.

Submit a recipe

Do you have a fabulous vegetarian or vegan dish that you want to share with the world? Then do so at www.vegetarianliving.co.uk.

Subscribe today!

Subscribe to the UK’s best vegetarian and vegan magazine, on page 62.

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And receive a FREE copy of Deliciously Ella.

See page 62 for full details.

30 Jasmine & Melissa Hemsley

‘We like our food – rather than the pharmaceuticals – to do the talking. Let’s save them for emergencies instead! Eating is one of life’s great pleasures, so what can be better than to enjoy eating our way to health and a good life?’

© Kristin Perers

There’s a fresh, healthy and outdoorsy feel to the recipes in this issue, inspired by a combination of brighter weather and the arrival of delicious new produce at the farmers’ markets and in the countryside. In Chef’s Larder, Rachel Demuth puts her trademark global twist on dishes using British spring greens such as spinach, sorrel and watercress (page 22), while our gardening editor Alice Whitehead explores the culinary uses of edible flowers in one of her prettiest features to date (page 28).

Foraging may not appeal to everyone, but if you do fancy giving it a go – and the kids will love it too – then aromatic wild garlic and ubiquitous nettles are among the easiest and safest wild foods to look for at this time of year. Follow the expert advice on how to pick safely from experienced forager Christopher Robbins (page 19), then try our recipes on pages 43–46 and 20­–21.

Grains are an important part of a healthy vegetarian diet, and while most of us have probably tried fashionable and nutritious quinoa by now, there are many other interesting grains enjoying a revival of popularity. Check out our handy guide to grains, including delicious recipe ideas, on page 54.

Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley, Calgary Avansino, Erin Gleeson and Chrissy Freer are all food writers who believe that eating more real, plant-based meals and less processed food is best for body and soul – and we couldn’t agree more. This month, restock your fridge with fabulous new season veggies, try their inspiring new recipes and give your health and wellbeing a spring clean.

50

Calgary Avansino

‘You need to accept that you are worth making an effort for – no one else will do that for you. Only you can make yourself go to the gym or buy good food’

© Erin Gleeson

© Dan Pearce

Welcome

Subscribe today…

COVER RECIPE: Puy lentil, watercress, rocket and spinach salad by Rob Wicks/Eat Pictures Recipe by Rachel Demuth

© Nick Hopper

The UK’s best-selling, award-winning vegetarian magazine

Eat well, Lindsey Harrad, Editor

Editor’s pick

76

Wild foods

Enjoy the short season for wonderfully aromatic wild garlic leaves Page 43

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Good grains

Experiment with supergrains such as freekeh, amaranth and teff Page 54

In a pickle

Have fun fermenting with our easy step-by-step sauerkraut recipes Page 90

Erin Gleeson

‘My cooking style is simple, vegetable-based and focused on fresh produce. I try to let the flavours of the fruits and vegetables shine by using just a few ingredients’

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In this issue…

win!

tickets to harrogate flower show page 29

66

51

22 36

30

43

50

60

28

Food matters

48 Vegan kitchen

15 Season’s eatings

Create Áine Carlin’s tasty little sweetcorn pancakes with a Thai-style twist

See what delights spring has to offer, from tender Jersey Royals and crisp radishes, to foraged wild garlic and nettles

54 The grain event

22 Leafy loveliness 54

89

Rachel Demuth shows how to get creative with flavoursome watercress, rocket, spinach and sorrel

30 How to eat well

3 ways to buy Never miss an issue of Vegetarian Living l Subscribe: get the equivalent of two FREE issues delivered direct to your door – see page 62 l Buy online at www.selectps.com l Download the digital edition from www.pocketmags.com

Sisters Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley share great-tasting nutritious recipes from their new cookbook

Get the low-down on all the wholesome new-style grains, from amaranth and freekeh to spelt and teff

66 Top table Treat your girl friends to a simple but stylish lunch from Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna

70 A Russian loaf affair Join Sarah Beattie in the kitchen for some traditional Easter baking

36 Mamma mia, it’s mealtime!

76 California dreaming

You’ll love our easy Italian supper dishes for an authentic taste of the trattoria

Simple recipe ideas for kids from West Coast artist and photographer Erin Gleeson

43 Wild thing

80 Home cooking with Chava

Cook with fragrant wild garlic leaves gathered on a woodland walk

Avoid the dull dinner rut! Try new ways to get inspired again with cooking

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Contents

Subscribe today and receive Deliciously Ella for FREE! – see page 62

81

Editor’s pick

37

16

79

86 The real deal

Regulars

Wholefood dishes from Australian nutritionist Chrissy Freer

03 Welcome

90 Kitchen tutorial

07 Shopping list

Step-by-step sweet and savoury sauerkraut

Go bold with geometric designs for the home

Features 28 Blooming tasty Gardening editor Alice Whitehead looks at the trend for edible flowers to add to your plot

08 New shoots News, competitions, new veggie and vegan products, and wine recommendations

73 Back issues Don’t miss out! Order your copies here

60 From City trader to Fairtrade

92 Beauty notes

How a desire to create an ethical business led James Livingstone-Wallace to discover quinoa

Clean up your act with natural face cleansers, scrubs and gels

50 Learn to love yourself

94 Conversion tables and next issue

Vogue writer Calgary Avansino reveals her simple philosophy for positive lifestyle changes

Conversion tables and May issue on-sale date

82 Little life Grow your own seedlings in recycled containers

17

76

You have the power to decide what goes in the shopping trolley calgary avansino, learn to love yourself, page 50

98 Places to go: Manchester Alex Bourke visits this lively northern city, a mecca for vegan dining www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Shoppinglist

Barista style Tapas time

This pretty set of four Valencia bowls is perfect for everyday dining or to serve nibbles at your next gathering. £18 from BHS

If you like good coffee and contemporary design, this House of Rym ‘No Baby in a Corner’ Coffee Pot in elegant black and white is just the job for your kitchen table. £60 from www.amara.com

Cushioned comfort

This modern embroidered cushion designed by Christiane Lemieux for House of Fraser adds a smart splash of geometric style to your sofa. £40 from www.houseoffraser.co.uk

To boldly go Inject bright colour and contemporary prints into your home with our pick of modern geometric designs.

Perfect patterns

Floral tribute Cash & carry

This spacious jute bag is strong and sustainable, so you can use it at the farmers’ market, on the beach or for storage in the home. Each one is hand-woven by women in a Fairtrade project in Bangladesh. £44.95 from www.decoratorsnotebook.co.uk

Happy feet Make a colourful entrance with this striking geometric doormat. Pretty and practical, it’s almost too good to wipe your feet on! £10 from www.next.co.uk

We love this vase from Kelly Hoppen’s new Pop Art inspired collection, featuring graphic patterns, bright colours and statement shapes. £25 from www.kellyhoppen.com

Protect your coffee table with a Queen of Hearts (green) or Upside Down Heart (yellow) set of four coasters, or mix and match for an eclectic look.

Coordinating placemats are also available.

Set of four, £16.50 from www.cordellohome.com

Not a chore

This bright cotton tea towel in geometric print designed by Natalie Lea and made in the UK, adds a pretty pop of colour to your kitchen. £12 from www.designersmakers.com

Tea party

Make a statement with your morning brew using Sue Timney’s bold monochrome teacup and saucer design. £9.50 from www.marksandspencer.com

Take note Keep your recipe notes and ideas handy in this geometric reversible notebook, with cool blue pattern on the front and smart grey geometric pattern on the reverse. £5.75 from Ginger Line Designs at www.notonthehighstreet.com www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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newshoots All the latest vegetarian and vegan lifestyle news and products, plus wine, events and much more...

How much meat?

Brits are rejecting the classic meat-and-two-veg diet

Veggie pledge New survey reveals the nation is cutting back on meat A recently published survey has revealed that 3 in 10 people in Britain (29%) say they have reduced the amount of meat they eat in the past 12 months. A further 1 in 10 people said they were considering reducing their meat intake or cutting meat out completely, according to questions commissioned by the Vegetarian Society.

The report, produced by NatCen, also states that nearly half (44%) of people either do not eat meat, have reduced the amount of meat they eat or are considering reducing the amount of meat they eat.

Lynne Elliot, chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, said: ‘We commissioned this research because, for some time, we have noticed people are positively engaging with the idea of eating less meat, but until now there has been little academic evidence to support this. This report very much reflects what we see every day in our work: that there is an increasing awareness of the issues relating to our food choices.’

The analysis found that over a third of women (34%) and nearly a quarter (23%) of men had reduced their meat intake in the last year. Older people (65–79-year-olds)

were twice as likely to have reduced their meat consumption as 18–24-year-olds (39% compared to 19%).

Ian Simpson, senior researcher at NatCen Social Research, said: ‘High-profile news stories, like the horse meat scandal, could be behind this behaviour, as may Department of Health guidance around reducing meat consumption. Since we collected the data, the World Health Organisation has classified processed meat as carcinogenic, suggesting we may see even more people cutting down on meat in the future.’

‘The World Health Organisation has classified processed meat as carcinogenic’

58% Health reasons 21% Saving money 20% Animal welfare 19% Food safety in relation to meat 11% Environmental concerns

l Find out more about the Vegetarian Society at www.vegsoc.org or read the full report at www.natcen.ac.uk.

Why change?

NatCen researchers also asked people who had given up or reduced their meat intake, or were thinking about doing so, what had influenced their decision.

People were asked to pick reasons from a list and could give as many reasons as they liked.

In response to the national trend to reduce meat consumption, organic meat and veg box company Riverford has taken the unusual step of discouraging people from buying one of its own products.

Livestock agriculture contributes 10–12 per cent of manmade climate change; arguably as much as every car, plane, truck and ship on the planet. It is also hugely inefficient, requiring 5–10 times more land than a vegan diet and there just isn’t enough land to go round. Riverford’s new How Much Meat? campaign is designed to inspire the public to look at the wider impact of the meat they consume.

Riverford founder Guy Watson, says: ‘All the health, animal welfare, pollution and antibiotic resistance arguments against eating meat are hard to quantify, but very real. I would agree, uncomfortably for someone selling meat, that no thinking person can reasonably claim to be an environmentalist while continuing to eat more than very small amounts of animal protein; most forms of animal agriculture are simply wrecking our planet.’

A new survey commissioned by Riverford has shown that 27 per cent of the population are eating less meat now than they were a year ago, largely by going vegetarian one or more days a week, or by eating smaller portions of meat. To encourage more people to follow this trend, Riverford have created a How Much Meat? hub, where people can pledge to drop a day or more of meat eating, and find inspiring vegetarian and meat-minimising recipes. Join in the debate at www.riverford.co.uk/ how-much-meat.

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Celebrating Southwest produce The annual Exeter Festival of South West Food & Drink Festival returns to the Castle and Northernhay Gardens on 22–24 April, featuring over 100 artisan food and drink producers from the region selling cheeses, bread, cider, wine, beer, oils, cakes and much more.

The award-winning festival has been championed by Michael Caines since its launch in 2003 and the Michelin-starred chef is as excited as ever about this year’s event. Michael said: ‘I’m really looking forward to our 13th festival. It’s always a joy for me to be part of something that celebrates the exceptional produce of the South West. It’s something to shout about.’

Regular attractions include the Darts Farm Taste & Knowledge Teepees and the Cookery Theatre with demonstrations by regional chefs and producers, plus Great British Bake Off contender Glenn Cosby will be returning to the festival to host the Westcountry Bakery.

The family-friendly event will also keep small hands busy in the Little Cookies area, with cookery classes, storytelling and a farmyard to entertain children throughout the day. l For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, go online to www.exeterfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk.

Around the kitchen table

Family fun!

We’re giving away two family passes to the Exeter Festival of South West Food & Drink for 24 April. Each ticket admits two adults and two children up to the age of 15. To enter, go to www.vegetarianliving. co.uk/competitions.php. Competition closes midday 6 April 2016.

Particular foods and flavours can remind us of good times or past celebrations, or give us a sense of home. We all have a dish or meal that is special to us, and this National Vegetarian Week (16–22 May) the Vegetarian Society is asking everyone to share their favourite food stories and traditions at an online ‘Kitchen Table’ at www.nationalvegetarianweek.org.

Lynne Elliot, chief executive at the Vegetarian Society, says: ‘Food has a special place on everyone’s table because it can evoke great memories of places, people and events. Maybe a family holiday once inspired you to rustle up something you now call Skegness soufflé, or perhaps you invented a recipe for banana curry the day you ran out of potatoes and you’ve loved it ever since. Whatever it is, we want to hear from you – and our “Kitchen Table” is waiting to collect your stories.’

Calling all green fingers! workshops to guided walks, face painting and garden parties, there’s something for all the family. National Open Gardens Day is on 15 April too – it’s a great opportunity to visit beautiful gardens for free! l Find events near you at www.nationalgardeningweek.org.uk.

© RHS/Jason Ingram

Launched five years ago by the RHS, National Gardening Week is the UK’s biggest celebration of gardening, involving thousands of people, gardens, charities, retailers, culture and heritage organisations and groups. Events and activities take place during 11–17 April – from beginner’s

Dates for the Diary 7 & 14 April

16–17 April

30 April

Spring comes to Hardwick Spring is a time of celebration at the National Trust’s Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire and on ‘Spring Comes to Hardwick’ walks you can join the property’s gardeners as they explore the garden. Discover the new stumpery and try to identify the trees without their leaves. A free event included in normal admission. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hardwick-hall

Porthleven Food Festival Enjoy a weekend of Cornish food, beer and bands in the little harbour town of Porthleven. Marquees on the quayside will offer over 90 food and craft stalls, and cookery demos from some of the UK’s biggest names. There will be a party atmosphere too, with live music from local and international acts, and a firework finale. www.porthlevenfoodfestival.com

Birmingham Viva! Vegan Festival This free event at Birmingham Council House offers the opportunity to sample vegan food, receive one-toone nutritional advice and pick up free recipes and factsheets. There will be cookery demos and talks, plus vegan products on sale, from chocolate to clothing and cruelty-free cosmetics. www.viva.org.uk www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Meet the maker

More peas, please!

Nick Saltmarsh, Josiah Meldrum and William Hudson had between them almost 100 years of experience working in the food sector when they joined forces in 2012 to run a company specialising in pulses, grains and quinoa.

‘We’ve herded goats, run pop-up restaurants, established communityowned farms and gardens and, along the way, eaten a lot of food!’ laughs Josiah.

But in 2012 they teamed up to establish Hodmedod, a business that emerged from the Norwich Resilient Food Project, a community initiative led by Transition City Norwich and East Anglia Food Link.

‘The project aimed to discover what a more sustainable, climate-friendly diet might look like for a small city,’ explains Josiah. ‘The answer was: grow more beans and peas! Initially buying a tonne of split fava beans that would otherwise have been exported from Suffolk, we packed and distributed them through community groups and local shops. The response was astonishing and overwhelmingly positive, so we established Hodmedod to turn the community project into a small business.’

For at least a thousand years fava beans and field peas, including carlin, marrowfat and green and yellow split peas, were a staple food in the UK – a vital year-round store of protein and

essential nutrients. But over the last few hundred years they’ve almost completely disappeared from our diets.

But now British pulses are back on the menu and 2016 is the UN International Year of Pulses, celebrating these lowcarbon, water-efficient crops that are easy to grow, store and cook. ‘Pulses represent a vital part of our future diets which will need to change, moving away from resource-intensive proteins like meat, eggs and dairy, if we’re to tackle climate change, the huge environmental impact of food production and offer some kind of nutritional security to a growing global population,’ says Josiah.

With this in mind, Hodmedod aims to increase homegrown production and consumption of pulses. ‘As well as promoting pea and bean varieties already being grown, we’re carrying out trials of our own. In 2015 we harvested our first organic quinoa in Suffolk and this year we’re developing a two-acre trial plot to experiment with Bronze Age barley varieties, buckwheat, as well as bean and lentil varieties not currently grown here.’

So what’s next for the dynamic Hodmedod trio? ‘We’re in the middle of a project to change all our packaging to 100 per cent (certified) home compostable materials,’ says Josiah. ‘Plus we’ve just launched our new organic naked barley. It’s a Bronze Age crop we’ve almost forgotten in the UK that’s high in complex carbohydrates, especially beta-glucan – a soluble fibre that has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, has a low-GI and is high in flavanoids. It also tastes great – we think there’s huge potential for it to replace oats, wheat and even rice in many recipes.’ l Find out more at www.hodmedods.co.uk.

Golden years For 20 years now, Udo’s Choice Ultimate Oil Blend has provided a natural source of unprocessed, undamaged essential fatty acids (EFAs) omega-3 and -6 from oils including flax seed, sunflower seed, sesame seed and coconut, which can be drizzled on to salads, soups, porridge, pasta, casseroles, mashed potato or even used in smoothies.

Over the last decade, the dangers of unhealthy trans fats and the benefits of EFAs omega-3 and -6 have become better understood – it was in 2006 that major brands started announcing they would be removing all trans fats from their products, with UK supermarket own-brand ranges following suit a year later.

At the same time, olive oil sales crossed the £100 million mark for the first time, as UK consumers were becoming more aware of the health benefits of undamaged oils, and public awareness of the importance of EFAs has seen the market for polyunsaturated oil grow steadily ever since.

Caomhán McKernan at Udo’s Choice says that Udo Erasmus, the creator of Udo’s Choice Ultimate Oil Blend, was way ahead of his time with his philosophy on natural fats. ‘His bestselling book published in 1986, Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, extolled the use of undamaged, natural-state fats for maximising health, and backed his thoughts up with countless citations.’

Erasmus also warned of the perils of hydrogenating vegetable oils to turn them into saturated, trans fats. ‘He recognised that these fats are foreign to the human body, and interfere with enzyme pathways,’ she says.

‘Mainly used to make polyunsaturated oil harden for use in margarine, the use of trans fats was always in the interests of saving money for manufacturers, rather than health. Udo argued that polyunsaturated oils should be treated with care, left unrefined, and stored in the fridge to preserve their limited shelf life.’ l Udo’s Choice Ultimate Oil Blend is £12.49 for 250ml from www.udoschoice.co.uk.

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In our trolley

Perfect pairings

The Veg Living team’s favourite products…

With Italian-inspired dishes on the menu (page 36), we’ve rounded up some wines that work beautifully with those Mediterranean flavours.

Magic miso If you’ve never tried using miso in your cooking, Clearspring has introduced a trial size 150g jar of its popular Organic Japanese Brown Rice Miso to encourage more people to give it a go.

This robust unpasteurised miso with brown rice and whole soya beans is made using traditional methods and aged in cedarwood kegs, resulting in rich and complex flavours and an abundance of umami. You can use this versatile veganfriendly miso in sauces, spreads, baked dishes, soups, stir-fries and stews. l Available at £2.89 from health food stores and at www.clearspring.co.uk.

Araldica d’Aria Pinot Grigio 2014

Lovely lollies With the arrival of spring, Claudi & Fin has launched a new healthier option for children who love their lollies. The natural Greek-style frozen yogurt lollies are now available in a pack of eight mini lollies, featuring peach and apricot, strawberry, and mango flavours. Made with real fruit, whole milk and Greek-style yogurt, each lolly provides a healthy dose (30%) of a child’s recommended daily intake of vitamin D and contains less sugar than 75 per cent of lollies on the market. l Available for £2.99 exclusively at Tesco.

Protein punch The classic breakfast cereal beloved by adults and children alike has reinvented itself with a new high-protein variety.

New Weetabix Protein has been specially developed with high quality wheat protein and contains all the goodness of the original cereal – high in fibre, low in sugar, salt and fat and fortified with iron and vitamins.

One serving with milk (40g portion with 135ml semi-skimmed milk) contains 12g of protein compared to 6g from a large egg, making it ideal for anyone

Tesco Finest Soave Classico Superiore

£6.25, Tesco A refreshing yet rich dry white with flavours of peach, apple and citrus, with the characteristic notes of creamy almonds that is typical of a top quality Soave.

Veglio Angelo Foje D’Autun Barolo

£22.99, www.oxfordwine. co.uk A bright garnet red Barolo with orange flecks and a delightfully floral, fruity bouquet resulting in a balanced, yet powerful, palate. A top quality bottle to celebrate a special occasion.

Aristocratico Appassimento Salento

looking for a quick and easy way to pack a bigger protein punch at breakfast. l Available from supermarkets nationwide for £2.99.

Naturally sweet Responding to the trend for cutting our sugar intake, Yeo Valley has launched Bio Live, a new range of yogurts that contain no added refined sugar, with live cultures and less than 10 per cent total sugars per pack.

The new Bio Live thick and creamy yogurts are made from organic British milk and are available in packs of four 120g pots. There are five fruity varieties to choose from, with flavours including strawberry, blueberry and mango. The Yeo Valley team has also

£8.99, www.virginwines.co.uk Made by one of the best producers in Piedmont, this is a crisp and lively dry white, lightly aromatic with characters of peach and citrus fruits.

£13.99, www.thenewwineshop. co.uk A deep ruby-purple colour with an expressive nose of ripe plums and raisin, this appassimento has a velvety smooth texture, plus notes of dried fig, spice and tobacco.

Perfect with a cheeseboard.

Tesco Finest Frappato

£5.50, Tesco This classic Sicilian wine is bursting with crushed strawberry and wild berry flavours, framed by a spicy southern charm. Frappato can be served lightly chilled and is delicious with tomato-based pasta dishes.

Il Cascinone Rive Barbera 2013

reinvented their favourite recipe for No Added Refined Sugar Granola, which goes perfectly with a pot of Bio Live. Find the recipe at www.yeovalley.co.uk. l Available in selected supermarkets at £2.

£15.99, www.virginwines. co.uk Vibrant aromas of black cherries and prunes dominate with subtle chocolate notes and toasty oak, providing complexity. The perfect partner for dishes with cheese and rich sauces. www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Karin Ridgers, passionate vegan presenter and founder of VeggieVision TV, reveals what she’s loving this month…

Super spiralizing If you’re a fan of spiralizing – and these days, who isn’t?

– you’ll love the Oxo Good Grips Hand-held Spiralizer.

The hand-held version of the latest gadget is a compact device that’s easy to store and clean, and ideal for a smaller kitchen – plus it’s perfect for taking on holidays too! Offering a quick and easy way of creating the perfect lower-carb alternatives, from sweet potato fries to ‘courgetti’ or carrot ‘noodles’, this nifty hand-held gadget works with a variety of fruit and vegetables. l £15 from John Lewis, House of Fraser, Lakeland and Debenhams.

Win a handy spiralizer We have five brandnew Oxo Good Grips Hand-held Spiralizers to give away to lucky readers. To enter, go to www.vegetarianliving. co.uk/competitions.php.

Competition closes midday 6 April 2016.

Spotlight on…

Snacks to go When we’re out and about, it’s all too easy to reach for the quickest and easiest snack option available. All too often, this ends up being a bag of crisps, a cake or some chocolate. However, with a bit of forward planning, Emma Robinson from Suma says it’s possible to avoid the junk food temptation. ‘Keeping healthy, wholesome snacks on hand when you’re out and about helps avoid the hunger pangs that lead to unhealthy choices,’ she says.

‘And as an added bonus,

making your own snacks can help save a few pennies too.’

To satisfy a sweet tooth, Emma suggests making dates stuffed with peanut or almond butter.

‘Dates are lovely and sweet and cut through the richness of the nut butter, which fills you up with a satisfying protein hit.’

Cereal bars may be promoted as health foods, but some varieties contain as much refined sugar as a chocolate bar. ‘But it’s so easy to make your own natural snack bars at home,’

says Emma. ‘Simply blitz 250g nuts in your blender – I find combinations of cashews, almonds and pecans work well. Then add around 12 dates and blend for a minute or two until you get a sticky consistency that holds together well.

Press this mix into a tray and leave it to set in the fridge. You now have wholesome homemade snack bars.’ www.suma.coop

Dairy-free delights Vegans can now enjoy a delicious new breakfast and dessert option with Koko Dairy Free’s new range of authentic-tasting yogurt alternatives that are free from dairy, soya and allergens.

There’s a plain variety, plus strawberry, raspberry, peach and passionfruit, and coconut and lemon flavours, which all contain ripe fruit pieces and natural flavourings.

Made with freshly pressed coconut cream – sourced from the company’s own coconut

My new favourite thing

Finding a hair salon experience that uses all vegan and organic products is a dream come true for me, and my recent visit to the award-winning Karine Jackson salon in Covent Garden was a real treat. I was delighted to be in the safe hands of training specialist Ian Florey – in his previous role as resident stylist at the Dorchester he’s looked after A-listers such as Angelina Jolie and Sharon Osbourne.

The salon uses beautiful Organic Colour Systems products, and salon founder Karine Jackson explains why: ‘Using natural ingredients in the colours minimises your exposure to potentially harmful toxins. As the colours don’t contain ammonia and only have the lowest level of PDDs possible – the ingredient that makes hair colour permanent but also most frequently responsible for sensitivities or allergies – it’s less likely to irritate skin. Organic colour also contains fewer silicones and gives a lighter coverage. It’s gentle on the scalp and doesn’t have that usual hair dye smell, so it’s much more pleasant – both for the client and the stylist.’ l A full head of colour at Karine Jackson costs £62–£95. Find out more at www.karinejackson.co.uk. For cookery, celebrities and news, visit www.veggievision.tv.

plantation in Indonesia – for a silky smooth creamy texture, and fermented with live dairy-free yogurt cultures, the new range has a flavour and nutritional profile that is very similar to dairy-based yogurts and contains added calcium and vitamins. l Priced from £1.25 for 2 x 125g pots, the yogurts are now available at Morrisons and will shortly be available at other national supermarkets. To find your local stockist, visit www.kokodairyfree.com.

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26/02/2016 12:51:00

Setting the standards

It’s not just a jar of manuka honey. It’s New Zealand’s sweetest natural treasure. It’s 2,000 honeybees making 10 million trips per pot. It’s years of pioneering research into the Methylglyoxal (MGO™) content of manuka honey. It’s a guarantee that you’re getting the real deal.

When you look at the details. The time, integrity and care that goes into each and every tablespoon of our certified MGO™ Manuka Honey. That’s when you really see what separates the best manuka honey in the world from the rest.

Visit genuinemanuka.com to find out more

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26/02/2016 12:53:27 21/12/2015 13:20

Season’seatings

Delicious in April

April heralds the arrival of some of the stars of the growing year, the equivalent of the Hollywood elite among vegetables. From the sheer joy of tasting British-grown asparagus to the arrival of Jersey Royal new potatoes, these delicacies are even more prized because of their short seasons. And like all the best produce, they need little fuss or adornment to be enjoyed at their best.

We …

Jersey Royals These island potatoes are one of the most prized crops of spring and eagerly anticipated, not least because the season is very short, lasting only around two months through April and May. The wonderful taste of these little spuds is down to the unique growing conditions in Jersey, with lots of sunlight hitting the soil during the growing season.

Simply buttered Jersey Royals need little intervention – simply steam or boil, skins on for maximum flavour and nutrition, until tender.

Toss in butter, seasoning and fresh herbs – mint, chives, parsley or dill all work well – and serve as a side dish.

Potato salad Boil the potatoes, leave to cool a little, then stir in a mix of mayonnaise and crème fraîche, sliced spring onions, seasoning and fresh herbs – try chives or chervil.

To make into more of a meal, steam seasonal veg such as purple sprouting broccoli or peas, toss into the potato salad and serve topped with halved boiled eggs.

Frittata Cook and slice the potatoes, then sauté with chopped spring onions. Add lightly steamed green veg – try asparagus, broccoli, peas or wild garlic leaves. Whisk a couple of eggs with chopped fresh herbs, pour into the pan and cook until set. Finish off under the grill, topped with Cheddar, feta or mozzarella, if liked.

Turn the page for a tasty oven-roasted new potato supper dish. >> www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Your April larder Fruit Bananas (Windward), kiwi fruit, rhubarb Vegetables Asparagus, broccoli,

Jersey Royal new potatoes, leeks, purple sprouting broccoli, samphire, spinach, wild nettles Salad and herbs Basil, chives, dill, lettuce and salad leaves, radishes, rocket, sorrel, spring onions, watercress

Turn to page 18 for a Japaneseinspired radish recipe.

Seasonal star

Mediterranean roasted halloumi with new potatoes and basil dressing This simple dish is delicious with any new potatoes, but will taste extra special with Jersey Royals.

Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins Cook 35 mins 500g new potatoes, halved lengthways 3 mixed peppers, deseeded and sliced 1 tbsp lemon-infused olive oil 25g pack basil, stalks removed zest of ½ lemon, plus squeeze of juice 125g cherry tomatoes, halved 125g vegetarian halloumi, thickly sliced 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/ fan 180C/gas 6. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain, then tip into a

large, shallow roasting tin and scatter over the sliced peppers.

2 Place the olive oil, basil leaves, lemon zest and juice into a small blender with some seasoning and blend until coarsely chopped. Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat.

Roast for 20 minutes.

3 Turn up the heat to 220C/ fan 200C/gas 7. Add the halved tomatoes and sliced halloumi to the tray and return to the oven for a further 5–10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.

Serve straight away. n Per serving 253 cals, fat 10.2g, sat fat 4.1g, carbs 27.9g, sugars 8.4g, protein 12.5g, salt 0.8g, fibre 3.5g Recipe adapted from www.waitrose. com/recipes.

Radishes

These crunchy, crisp and surprisingly juicy vegetables are often rather underrated, possibly because traditionally they’ve been served in rather dull salads. But radishes are sparky little stars of the spring larder and although you probably either love or loathe their distinctive peppery taste, it’s this pepperiness that stimulates the production of saliva and awakens the appetite – making them perfect for starters or served with aperitifs. Fans swear by a glass of chilled fino sherry served with radishes, a dish of butter and sea salt on the side. Simply swipe the radish in butter, dip in salt and enjoy.

Although the radish has uncertain origins, it is known they were eaten in Japan and China since prehistoric times, but were not cultivated in the UK until the 16th century and are now popular across the globe. Related to horseradish, turnip and mustard, there are many varieties including red, white and black radishes, and the daikon or mooli that are popular in Japan.

Radishes make wonderfully peppery salads, salsas and pickles, they are delicious with Jersey Royal new potatoes or in Japanese noodle dishes, or try them French-style tossed raw with cooked fine green beans, a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of seasoning.

Cook’s tip For extra crispness and bite, soak your radishes in iced water an hour before use.

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Season’seatings

Rhubarb sour cream crumble cake A moist, versatile cake, you can happily serve it warm for dessert with cream or ice cream, and enjoy any left over for morning coffee or afternoon tea the next day.

Serves 12 | Prep 25 mins Cook 1 hr 10 mins

For the crumble topping: 35g plain flour 55g raw or brown sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon 60g chilled butter, cubed 50g flaked almonds 1 Preheat the oven to 170C/fan 150C/ gas 3. Grease a 22cm springform cake tin with melted butter and line the base with baking paper (see cook’s tip, below).

2 To make the crumble topping, put the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Use your fingertips to rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the almonds. Cover and put in the fridge while making the cake.

3 Place the flour, raw caster sugar, butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat on low speed until combined.

Increase the speed to high and beat for 3 minutes or until the mixture is well combined and very pale in colour.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

Photograph: Alan Benson

melted butter, to grease 185g self-raising flour 165g raw caster sugar, plus 1 tablespoon extra 125g butter, at room temperature, cubed 85g sour cream 2 free-range eggs, at room temperature 1½ tsp natural vanilla extract or essence 250g trimmed rhubarb, washed and cut into 4cm lengths icing sugar, to dust softly whipped cream or ice cream, to serve (optional)

Rhubarb sour cream crumble cake

4 Toss the rhubarb pieces with the extra raw caster sugar. Scatter evenly over the top of the cake and then press gently into the batter. Sprinkle with the crumble topping to cover.

5 Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to stand in the tin for 5 minutes before removing the side of the tin, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, on its own or with cream or ice cream.

Cook’s tip To line a springform tin, tear off a square of baking paper

about 10cm larger than the tin, release the outside of the tin, place the paper over the base and then clamp the side of the tin around the base to hold the paper in. n Per serving 434 cals, fat 30.3g, sat fat 17.4g, carbs 36.2g, sugars 22.2g, protein 4.8g, salt 0.5g, fibre 1.3g

Recipe adapted from BakeClass by Anneka Manning (Murdoch Books, £20). Photography by Alan Benson.

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Season’seatings Okonomiyaki Sometimes referred to as ‘Japanese pizza’, the name ‘okonomiyaki’ actually means ‘grilled as you like it’, which goes to explain the many regional styles as well as personal variations there are of this dish. Just to confuse matters, okonomiyaki is probably more accurately described as a cross between a thick omelette and a pancake. This interpretation is based on the Osaka-style, where all the ingredients are mixed together before cooking.

Serves 4 | Prep 15 mins | Cook 12 mins 150g white cabbage, finely shredded 6 spring onions, thinly sliced 50g kohlrabi or turnip, peeled and coarsely grated 110g plain flour ½ tsp sea salt 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten 1½ tbsp sunflower oil

Learn how to make your own on kraut on page 90.

1 Put the cabbage, spring onions and kohlrabi in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour and salt and stir well until thoroughly combined.

2 Mix the eggs with 100ml water. Pour it into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and stir gently but thoroughly until combined. Try to keep the stirring brief as you don’t want to activate the gluten in the flour as this will produce a heavy pancake.

3 Heat half the oil in a medium non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and tilt the pan so it coats the base. Tip the contents of the bowl into the pan and flatten with a spatula into a thick, round pancake shape, as even as you can get it. Turn the heat down slightly and cook for 5–6 minutes, until light golden.

4 Turn the pancake over (the easiest way to do this is to place a large plate on top of the pan and carefully turn it over to release the pancake). At this point, add the remaining oil to the pan before sliding the okonomiyaki back into the pan. Press down with a spatula and cook for another 5–6 minutes.

5 Slide the okonomiyaki on to a chopping board.

Drizzle the mayonnaise in lines over the top and pile the radishes, wild garlic, pickled ginger and nori in the middle. Serve cut into wedges. n Per SERVING 295 cals, fat 18.6g, sat fat 2.2g, carbs 24.8g, sugars 3.2g, protein 7.5g, salt 1.2g, fibre 3.4g

Photograph: Haarala Hamilton

For the topping: mayonnaise in a squeezy bottle, for drizzling handful of radishes, sliced handful of wild garlic leaves (and flowers) or chives, chopped 1 tbsp pink pickled ginger (see below) 1 tsp nori flakes

okonomiyaki

Pickled ginger

Recipe adapted from The PartTime Vegetarian

by Nicola Graimes (Nourish Books, £20).

Photography by Haarala Hamilton.

Liven up veggie sushi, rice and noodle dishes with this simple recipe for pickled ginger which, unlike most shop-bought alternatives, is natural coloured, rather than artificial pink. Mix together 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar and 2 tablespoons of caster/granulated sugar in a shallow bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add a 5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and cut into paper-thin slices, and turn until coated. Leave the ginger for about 30 minutes to steep, or until softened. The ginger is ready to eat, but can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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26/02/2016 10:08

Season’seatings Turn to page 43 for recipes using wild garlic.

Growing tales

Christopher Robbins, expert forager Interview: Lindsey Harrad Describing himself as a plant physiologist, botanist, medical herbalist, nutritionist and food writer, Christopher Robbins knows a thing or two about foraging for wild foods.

With spring bringing a fresh crop of edible goodies to our hedgerows and woodlands, he says two of the safest plants for beginners to pick at this time of year are also the tastiest. ‘I do get tired of hearing foragers talking about all these things that are edible,’ says Christopher. ‘But many of the wild plants that are safe to eat are deadly boring and not worth eating – you may as well eat your lawn mowings!’

The thrill of foraging is being able to find interesting and delicious ingredients that you would not be able to find at the supermarket,

Using your foraged finds Wild garlic Keep unwashed wild garlic lying flat in a dry plastic bag in the fridge for 7–10 days and wash before use. Add the raw leaves to salads, or if cooking, add them right at the last moment. Wild garlic is quite mild, so you’ll need plenty of leaves to ensure the flavour comes through in your dish.

Nettles Once picked, pop all the leaves into a trug or carrier bag and as soon as they wilt they can’t sting you. Use just like spinach.

Nettles also make wonderful pesto – add nuts blitzed with a good oil – and it lasts very well in the fridge.

and wild garlic is one of the best exclusively wild treats of early spring. The leaves appear quite early in the season, often at the end of March, and the plants tend to grow prolifically on shady banks in woodlands.

So how do you recognise wild garlic?

‘They have beautiful classical spear-shaped leaves that come out of the ground like a lily.

If you pick and rub a leaf, you will smell the most delicious garlic aroma.’ Christopher recommends picking the large and small leaves right up until the point of flowering.

‘As soon as they flower the larger leaves tend to go yellowish,’ he says. ‘Don’t bother to pick those, they go slimy when cooked – although they’re not harmful – so look at the bottom of the plant and you’ll find tiny plants with dark green leaves around 5–6cm long and you can still pick those. The buds and flowers are edible too and are best used raw in salads.’

Nettles are in season from March until they flower in late June, and Christopher believes they are a rather underrated delicacy. ‘I think nettles are often under-used because they have a reputation as stinging weeds, but they have a very unique and wonderful flavour.

When people first discover nettles they tend to get very, very excited about them – try them, you’ll be converted!’

Nettles love fertile ground and often colonise paths and horse tracks where manure has been left behind. The key to successful nettle foraging is to be bold and confident in handling the leaves.

‘Many people are frightened of nettles, but when I take people foraging I show them how to pick nettles with their bare hands.

I don’t have magic powers – the knack is understanding which bit of the nettle stings you! If you grab the leaves with your thumb and forefinger very tightly and quickly, you will flatten the erectile hairs before they can sting you. But you can use gloves and scissors if you prefer.’

Christopher recommends picking just the top four to six leaves, before flowering, as these are the youngest and tenderest on the plant. ‘After the plant has flowered, look around for new nettle plants coming through,’ he says. ‘Alternatively, if you have a favourite nettle bed, you can manage the nettles to extend the season and stop them all flowering – simply cut some of the plants down to 10–15cm off the ground and they will re-shoot. Pick the new tender shoots then cut them down again, and you can keep going through summer and autumn until the first frosts.’ l Christopher will be leading two foraging courses in May and June from Demuths Vegetarian Cookery School in Bath. For details, go to www.demuths.co.uk.

Safety first Accurate identification of plants is essential. Never eat anything you don’t recognise. www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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26/02/2016 13:57

Season’seatings Rachel Demuth’s

Nettle soup Nettle soup is a lovely emerald green colour with a unique flavour. At Demuths Cookery School we always like to keep the nettle soup a surprise and ask people to guess what it is made from. Everyone always loves it, but can’t pin down its humble origins. Nettles are best when very tender, so in the spring pick the tips, and later in the season pick just the leaves.

Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 35 mins 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 250g nettle leaves, washed 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder 1 tbsp pearl barley 250g new potatoes, diced black pepper 25g hazelnuts, roasted and lightly crushed soya cream or yogurt (optional) 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion until soft, add the garlic and quickly stir-fry.

2 Add the nettles, 700ml water and the vegetable bouillon powder. Simmer gently for 30 minutes. Blend until smooth.

3 In another saucepan, add 300ml water, the pearl barley and diced potato, and cook until tender. Take off the heat.

4 In a large saucepan, mix the puréed nettle with the pearl barley and potato mix, and heat through. Check for seasoning and add black pepper.

5 Serve hot, topped with the crushed roasted hazelnuts. You can add a swirl of soya cream or yogurt too, if desired. n Per SERVING 177 cals, fat 7.8g, sat fat 0.7g, carbs 20.8g, sugars 5.5g, protein 6g, salt 0.7g, fibre 4.3g

How to…

Pick & prepare nettles

Turn to page 22 for more of Rachel’s recipes.

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Wear rubber gloves or pinch the leaves hard when picking the nettles, so you don’t get stung. Lay them out on a tray to wilt – once wilted, they can no longer sting you (the sting relies on erect hairs to penetrate the skin and inject the stinging formic acid). Strip the leaves off the stems, using only the best tender specimens. Like spinach, nettles reduce to one-quarter their volume when cooked; a supermarket bag full will give you about 250g once you have removed the stalks.

24/02/2016 10:07

Season’seatings

Taste not waste

Veggie blogger Kate Hackworthy loves to save on food waste, and what could be better for a thrifty cook than using free, foraged ingredients?

Recipes don’t often involve rubber gloves until it’s time to do the washingup, but for these cupcakes you’ll need them before you’ve even donned the apron!

Stinging nettles don’t often conjure up thoughts of appetising treats such as cupcakes, but bear with me. These much-maligned weeds are actually nutritional powerhouses that are fantastic in a range of recipes. You can use them much like cooked spinach, but since I love replacing some of the fat and sugar of cakes with vegetables, one of my favourite ways to use them is baked into cupcakes. The flavour of the nettles fades away beneath the zingy lemon, so you’re left with a surprisingly bright green sponge that tastes light and zesty. Plus it’s great knowing that the main ingredient is free and packed with iron and minerals.

When foraging for nettles, you’ll have to take a bit of care. Be sure you know which plants you’re looking for and stay away from areas that might be tainted by car fumes or pesticides. Wear rubber gloves (see opposite), and pick only the top four to six leaves.

Nettles are best in early spring when they are young and fresh-tasting, so to take real advantage of these free, healthy greens, I’d suggest picking, preparing and blanching as much as you can, then keep a supply in the freezer for quick soups and smoothies.

I’m fairly new to the world of foraging, but I love showing my kids how nature provides us with nourishment in surprising places.

Although nettles aren’t the easiest food to harvest with young children, we’ve enjoyed hunting for wild garlic to use in salads and pesto, as well as vitamin-rich dandelions from the garden, tearing off their petals to use in bread, honey and biscuits.

So now I actively seek out nettle beds – and try to remember to take a bag and rubber gloves with me when we go on country walks.

Nettle and lemon cupcakes with lavender buttercream Makes 12 cupcakes | Prep 20 mins Cook 15 mins 100g nettle leaves, stems removed 200g unsalted butter, softened 150g granulated sugar 3 free-range eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract zest and juice of ½ lemon 250g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt For the lavender buttercream: 150g unsalted butter, softened 300g icing sugar 2 tsp dried culinary lavender, ground in a mortar and pestle 2 tbsp milk 1 Preheat the oven to 170C/fan 150C/ gas 3. Line a muffin tin with paper cases.

2 Using rubber gloves, wash the nettle leaves. Place in a pan of boiling water and cook for 2–3 minutes. Refresh with cold water, drain and purée with a handheld blender. Set aside.

3 In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the nettle purée, vanilla, and the lemon zest and juice. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, then stir to gently combine.

4 Spoon the mixture into the paper cases, filling three-quarters full, then bake for 15 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes in the tins, then move to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

5 For the icing, cream the butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add in the icing sugar and ground lavender and beat.

Add in the milk, if necessary, to make it a frosting consistency. Decorate each cupcake with a swirl of buttercream. n Per cupcake 461 cals, fat 25.7g, sat fat 15.7g, carbs 54.2g, sugars 38.1g, protein 4.2g, salt 0.5g, fibre 1.1g

SOS

Save our scraps Get inventive in the kitchen with these delicious ways to cook your fresh foraged nettles. l Make nettle soup, it’s probably the most popular way to use these free greens and it’s really delicious (see recipe, opposite). l Bake nettles into a quiche or tart for an alternative to spinach. l Wilt into scrambled eggs or tofu for an ironrich breakfast – perfect with grilled tomatoes. l Cook into a risotto or wilt into a tomato-based pasta sauce. l Boil the nettles in vegetable stock and serve as a side dish with a little herb butter. l Boil a handful of leaves in a few cups of water for a few minutes, then strain to make a tea-like tonic.

Nettle and lemon cupcakes with lavender buttercream

About Kate Kate Hackworthy is a food writer and recipe developer who blogs at www.veggiedesserts.co.uk.

Her creative vegetable desserts have frequently appeared in The Guardian and she was Jamie Oliver’s Food Blog of the Month.

Follow Kate on Twitter: @veggie_desserts, Facebook: VeggieDessertsBlog and Instagram: @kateveggiedesserts.

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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24/02/2016 10:07

Leafy loveliness

Discover the distinctive springtime flavours of watercress, rocket, spinach and sorrel with professional chef and cookery school tutor Rachel Demuth.

Watercress, rocket, spinach and sorrel all have a tangy taste thanks to their plant acids or hot oils, but have their own different flavours. These leafy greens have cultivated forms and also closely related wild forms that grow in Southern Europe and can be foraged here in Britain.

Both watercress and rocket are members of the cabbage family. Their sharp, heady taste comes from the mustard oils in their leaves, which can sometimes have an almost ‘hot’ flavour. Wild watercress grows in streams in Britain, but it’s not advised to harvest it, because of the risk of picking up liver fluke parasites that may lurk in the water from sheep and cattle. The wild relatives of watercress include hairy bittercress and large bittercress that look like miniature watercress, but grow all year in our gardens and supply tangy salad goodies rather like mustard and cress.

I prefer to buy bunches of watercress that have been grown in pure cool flowing water in Hampshire and Wiltshire, rather than the vacuum-packed, chlorine-flushed packs of watercress you get in the supermarkets.

About Rachel Chef-proprietor of the awardwinning Demuths restaurant in Bath for 25 years, Rachel is now dedicated to running the Demuths Vegetarian Cookery School, which offers a range of themed workshops, guest chef events, cookery holidays in France and Italy, and the Demuths Vegetarian and Vegan Diplomas for professional chefs and keen cooks. As a well-travelled foodie, Rachel loves to combine her passion for global cuisine with the best of locally grown produce. www.demuths.co.uk

Once bought, watercress needs to be used quickly, as it soon loses its vibrancy and turns yellow and limp. It is delicious and distinctive in both hot and cold dishes. Try it in soups, salads and sauces. Its taste goes particularly well with soft cheeses and feta.

There are two forms of rocket common in Europe, and both can be bought here or grown in your garden. The perennial wall rocket has narrower leaves and yellow flowers and has a less strong flavour. The large-lobed rocket has darker green, broader leaves and the most beautiful creamy flowers with crimson veins. The seeds of this rocket are known as ‘gargeer’ in India where they are used in cooking in the same way as mustard seeds. Rocket adds a peppery element to salads, pestos and to top pizzas.

Spinach comes in two main types: the soft summer spinach and the taller, more robust perennial spinach. Spinach is quite high in iron, but it is in an unavailable form and very little can be absorbed in human digestion.

Like most green leafy vegetables, spinach has a good range of minerals and vitamins, as well as that lovely mouth taste sensation.

Wild spinach – or sea beet – grows widely around the British coastline and is a delicious foraging harvest.

Sorrel is difficult to buy. Sometimes you can find it with the fresh herbs in shops, but it is easy to grow in your garden or gather in the wild. There are several wild varieties, one of which is sheep’s sorrel. It can be found in meadows through the spring and summer months and identified by its small spear-shaped leaves in a rosette, and a conspicuous, red flower spike. Garden sorrel has a larger, paler leaf. I have a large clump that I dug up from my mother’s garden 15 years ago and it is still thriving – when the clump gets too big, I divide it and give some to friends.

Sorrel has a lemony acidity. When cooked the leaves lose their attractive pale green and go khaki coloured, but the flavour stays fresh and lemony. Sorrel is lovely in risottos, omelettes or frittatas, makes a delicious sharp soup with new potatoes, or can be eaten raw in a salad or made into a green sauce.

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24/02/2016 10:54

Chef’slarder

Recipe images © rob wicks/eat pictures

Puy lentil, watercress, rocket and spinach salad with watercress pesto This is a delicious and satisfying salad that can be served on its own with some good bread, or as a starter or side dish. It would also be lovely topped with a few slices of grilled or fried halloumi.

Serves 2 as a main meal or 4 as starter or side dish Prep 20 mins | Cook 20 mins 75g dried Puy lentils 1 small onion, peeled and halved 1 bay leaf sprig of fresh thyme watercress pesto (see recipe, below) 1 tsp olive oil 1 tsp lemon juice salt and pepper For the salad: 1 medium beetroot, sliced very thinly with a mandolin or sharp knife 6 radishes, thinly sliced 25g hazelnuts, skinned, toasted and roughly chopped 75g watercress 50g rocket 50g baby spinach olive oil, to drizzle baby nasturtium leaves, for garnish (optional)

1 Place the lentils in a saucepan with the onion, bay leaf and thyme.

Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still firm.

2 Drain and remove the onion and herbs. Stir 2–3 tablespoons of the watercress pesto through the warm lentils, adding the olive oil and lemon juice. Add a pinch of salt and ground black pepper, to taste. Set aside to cool.

3 Prepare the beetroot, radishes and hazelnuts. Spoon the lentils on to a serving platter and pile the watercress, rocket and spinach on top.

4 Arrange the beetroot and radishes among the leaves to look pretty, and then spoon drops of the pesto over the salad (you may not want to use all of it). Finally, drizzle over a little olive oil and scatter the chopped hazelnuts and nasturtium leaves over the top. n Per serving (for 2) 833 cals, fat 70.1g, sat fat 9g, carbs 32.8g, sugars 11.6g, protein 18.1g, salt 2.4g, fibre 9.8g If you’re looking for a halloumi substitute to top this dish, try marinated tofu or tempeh.

Watercress pesto Watercress pesto has a lovely peppery flavour and it is worth making a double quantity to keep for another meal, as it is goes extremely well with tomatoes, grilled vegetables, cooked grains or pasta.

25g hazelnuts, skinned and toasted 1 clove garlic, crushed 75g watercress, stalks removed 100ml olive oil 2 tsp lemon juice ½ tsp agave syrup or honey pinch of salt

Puy lentil, watercress, rocket and spinach salad with watercress pesto

Place the hazelnuts and garlic in a processor or blender and pulse until the nuts are chopped. Add the watercress and the oil, and pulse again until thick, but not totally puréed. The pesto is good with a bit

of texture. Decant the pesto into a bowl and stir in the lemon juice and agave syrup and season to taste.

Store in a jar or plastic container with a layer of oil on the top and keep in the fridge for 3–5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Choose agave nectar over honey to sweeten this pesto.

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Chef’slarder Palak paneer ‘Palak’ is Indian spinach and this curry is best made with dark thick-leaved spinach or perpetual spinach. In supermarkets you can buy ‘cooking’ spinach which has more flavour than baby spinach leaves, which shrink to very little when cooked.

Serves 4 | Prep 15 mins | Cook 30 mins 450g spinach, washed and stems removed 2 cloves garlic, crushed 5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled 2 green chillies, chopped 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion, sliced 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 100g cherry tomatoes, halved ½ tsp garam masala ¼ tsp turmeric 250g paneer, cubed (shop bought or homemade: see recipe, opposite) lemon juice, to taste salt, to taste 1 Wilt the spinach in a large saucepan and drain through a sieve, keeping the liquid to add to the curry later (see page 26).

2 Blend the garlic, ginger and chillies in a mini processor, or chop very finely.

3 Heat 1 tablespoon of the sunflower oil and fry the onion until beginning to caramelise. Add the ground coriander and cumin with the garlic, ginger and green chilli mix and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Mix in the wilted spinach.

4 Heat 1 teaspoon of the sunflower oil in a frying pan and gently cook the cherry tomatoes with the garam masala, until the tomatoes are beginning to colour.

Set aside.

5 Wipe out the frying pan and add the rest of the sunflower oil with the turmeric and heat gently. Add the cubed paneer, then gently fry on all sides until golden.

6 Heat the spinach mix with about 100ml of the leftover spinach water.

Season to taste with lemon juice and salt. Add in the fried tomatoes and the paneer, and heat through. Serve with kulcha leavened Indian flatbreads, chapattis or parathas.

Cook’s tip You can buy paneer from Indian stores and some supermarkets.

Shop-bought paneer has a bland taste and is more rubbery-textured than homemade; it must always be cooked before eating. n Per serving 315 cals, fat 22.2g, sat fat 10.4g, carbs 7.5g, sugars 5.3g, protein 20.9g, salt 1.4g, fibre 4.4g

While this recipe is very much about the paneer, it shouldn’t stop vegans customising it with tofu, fresh vegetables or their favourite vegan meat substitute.

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Paneer Homemade paneer is easy to make and is creamy, light but rich, somewhere in texture between ricotta and mascarpone. The richness and tastiness of the milk makes all the difference to the quality of the paneer.

Makes 250g paneer 2 litres whole milk 3–4 tbsp lemon juice

palak paneer

1 Put the milk in a large, heavy pan and set over a medium heat.

2 Meanwhile, set up a sieve over a large bowl and line it with 2 layers of muslin or a clean tea towel.

3 When the milk begins to boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, add 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and stir. The mixture will curdle and the curds will separate from the whey. If this doesn’t happen, add the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice.

When the curd has separated, turn off the heat and leave to cool.

4 Empty the mixture into the lined sieve, letting the whey drain into the bowl. Gather up the ends of the cloth and twist, gently squeezing out as much whey as possible. Place a heavy weight on top of the paneer and leave to firm up – the longer it is left, the firmer it will be.

Cook’s tip The whey can be used instead of water in dishes, added to scones or soda bread. www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Chef’slarder Spinach and sorrel barleyotto Pearl barley makes a lovely change from rice in a risotto, and has a nutty taste and robust texture.

This spring ‘barleyotto’ is zingy with sorrel, lemon juice and zest.

Serves 2 | Prep 15 mins | Cook 30 mins 150g pearl barley 500ml vegetable stock or water 250g spinach 100g sorrel 50g vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese, grated 25g pumpkin seeds, toasted salt, to taste pea shoots, to garnish For the lemon oil: juice and zest of ½ lemon 2 tsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil 1 Put the pearl barley and vegetable stock or water in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat, keep covered and leave to cool.

Drain through a sieve, but reserve the pearl barley cooking liquid.

2 Wilt the spinach and sorrel and drain through a sieve. Keep the spinach water to add back to the barleyotto later. Purée half the spinach and sorrel mix and roughly chop the rest.

3 To make the lemon oil, mix the lemon juice, zest and rapeseed oil together. Set aside.

4 In a saucepan, gently heat up the pearl barley with the puréed and chopped spinach. Add the Parmesan-style cheese and pumpkin seeds, keeping some back to sprinkle on top, then stir in the lemon oil. Season to taste. You will then need to add a little spinach water and pearl barley cooking liquid to reach a soft, moist risotto consistency. To serve, decorate with fresh herbs, such as pea shoots.

Cook’s tip This can be made with wild sorrel or garden sorrel; if you don’t have either, add in watercress or rocket. n Per serving 516 cals, fat 20g, sat fat 6.3g, carbs 64.6g, sugars 3g, protein 24g, salt 5.6g, fibre 5.8g Grate in some VBites Hard Italian Style Cheezly or throw in a handful of nutritional yeast flakes.

How to…

Wilt spinach Wash the spinach leaves and place in a large saucepan – you won’t need to add any extra water. Wilt on a gentle heat, until the leaves are cooked but retain their colour. Drain, and keep the nutritious water for stock or a drink. Leave to cool, then squeeze out any extra water.

spinach and sorrel barleyotto

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“Eat Me !”

Edible Flower Petals

Lots of

Sugared and plain varieties For Chocolates, Wedding Cakes, Cupcakes, Deserts, Meringues, Drinks, Sugar Dipping, Salads, Marshmallows, Ice Cream, Jam EDIBLE FLOWERS -YEAR ROUND

By Uncle Roy

MORE THAN 350 OF OUR EXCITING PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE FROM INDEPENDENT STORES OR www.uncleroys.co.uk VL69_027.indd 27

26/02/2016 12:58:34

photograph: Greens of Devon photograph: www.groweatgather.com

photograph: www.neilwhite.co.uk

Pick ‘n’ mix

Blooming tasty Gardening editor Alice Whitehead discovers that her spring flower garden isn’t just good looking – but good eating too!

When gardener Kathy Brown helped her mum decorate the annual simnel cake as a child, it wasn’t hundreds-and-thousands or Easter eggs that were dotted among the marzipan balls – it was primroses. ‘As the youngest of five, it was my job to help scour the hedgerows for wild primroses,’ recalls Kathy, who now tends her own awardwinning flower garden at The Manor House, in Bedford. ‘Mum would crystallise them in sugar – and the scent would be delicate and sweet.’

Indeed, while many of us might relegate flowers to patio pots or borders away from the veg patch, for centuries edible flowers have been prized for their culinary uses. Early records show floral oils and tinctures being used for herbal medicine, the Romans using

About Alice Alice Whitehead is a writer who loves to grow, eat and get muddy. For 16 years she has written garden and food features for magazines and newspapers, and more recently split her time between tending two large, city allotment plots and a school garden club. She still hasn’t decided whether she prefers the pen or the spade. www.wonderlandfreelance.co.uk

roses, violas and lavender in cookery, and later the Victorians making ‘Parma’ violets famous. And while many cultures still use flowers as part of their cuisine – Indian and Asian cooks use rose petals to bring heady perfume to cakes and teas, Italians stuff courgette flowers with ricotta and, in China, peppery chrysanthemums are served whole in soups and stews – in the UK, the popularity of cooking with flowers has waxed and waned.

But thanks to the recent resurgence in foraging – and a growing band of edible flower growers – all that is changing. Flower power is back on the menu!

Floral tribute For grower Jan Billington – who swapped management consultancy in London for the good life in the West Country – edible flowers were also a childhood favourite. ‘My grandma made everything from scratch and the highlights of our visits were her elderflower lemonade and rose petal biscuits,’ says Jan, who now runs her own online delivery service, Maddocks Farm Organics, in Cullompton, Devon.

Ordering petals by post means you can have fresh forage within 24 hours, without lifting a finger. But if you fancy having a go yourself, primroses, violas, violets and bellis daisies can be grown from seed. Daylilies are perfect planted now for stunning flower heads (to stuff or batter) come summer, or sow nasturtium seeds for edible leaves, caper-style seed heads and flowers that make a glorious pesto. Borage is incredibly easy to cultivate too – just scatter seed

on the soil and rake in (although beware: it self-seeds readily). Its flowers give a lovely cucumber tang to Pimms.

The key with all edible flowers is to remember that what goes on the petal, will go in you! So, ensure the flowers have not been sprayed with chemicals, or grown near roadside verges. ‘Likewise, florists, supermarkets and garden centres will spray with chemicals, so do thorough research first,’ adds Jan. And, of course, while many flowers might look deliciously edible, in reality they can be deadly, so always have a good guidebook to hand. ‘Only eat those that have been tried and tested for centuries!’ says Kathy, whose book The Edible Flower Garden is a treasure trove of tips, tricks and floral recipes.

Petal power Chosen and grown wisely, edible flowers can have many added benefits. Recent research has suggested roses, lavender, chrysanthemum, violets and nasturtiums all contain anti-inflammatory ‘phenolics’, believed to help reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease.

‘It’s easy to forget that many have been used medicinally for centuries. The allium family – wild garlic, chives, onion or leek flowers – are all packed with antioxidants, and many others are high in vitamin C,’ adds Jan. ‘An oil made from infused calendula petals is wonderful at preventing scarring, for example.’

Fellow grower Janice James at Greens of Devon says edible flowers also play an integral part in the veg patch. ‘They’re

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Where to buy For eating www.maddocksfarmorganics.co.uk www.greensofdevon.com

photograph: Greens of Devon

photograph: Jan Billington

photograph: Kathy Brown

Greenliving

an extremely useful companion plant – attracting beneficial insects and warding off harmful bugs. Our cutting garden resonates with the low hum of our winged friends in summer, providing a delightful soundtrack to a day’s work!’ she says.

But their beauty and flavour can be fleeting – so grab edible flowers while you can. ‘You’ll only have a few days with each flower,’ says Kathy. ‘But primroses, violets and roses can all be saved using a thin coating of beaten egg white and a drizzling of caster sugar. Dry in a warm place for 24 hours and they’ll keep for a few days.’

Jan recommends harvesting them early in the day after the dew has gone but before their essential oils evaporate. ‘I harvest small quantities and pop them into a lidded container, and into the fridge,’ she says. ‘This way they’ll last for several days. But if you’re growing them yourself, there’s nothing nicer than harvesting edible flowers straight from the plot to the plate.’

photograph: www.neilwhite.co.uk

Signed copies of Kathy Brown’s The Edible Flower Garden are available from her garden shop or from all good bookshops. She also runs edible flower workshops, with a garden tour and slice of edible flower cake thrown in!

Go to www.kathybrownsgarden. homestead.com

photograph: Jan Billington

For inspiration

Stuffed tulips

TRY

‘Tulips have a wonderful crunch and taste like a sweet cos lettuce,’ says Jan Billington. ‘Only the petals should be eaten, but they are wonderful used as posh canapé boats, stuffed with sweet or savoury fillings. I like mine with a red pepper and goat’s cheese dip, a spicy hummus or even ice cream!’

Flower focaccia ‘I serve this bread warm for dipping in oil and it’s a constant favourite at the family dinner table,’ says Janice James. ‘Remove it from the oven, drizzle with a little olive oil, season with sea salt, and add any of the following flowers: garlic chive, tagetes or rocket.

Eat immediately.’

Primrose curd

For growing www.theedibleflowershop.co.uk www.sarahraven.com

Four flavours with flowers

Maddocks Farm’s curd is perfect on toast or sandwiched between scones. Finely chop 2 handfuls of primrose petals and place in a container with 450g sugar. Cover and leave for 24 hours so the flavours mingle. Peel, core and chop 450g Bramley apples and heat on the hob in 100ml water with the zest of 2 lemons (reserve the juice). Cook until soft, then mash into a purée. Combine in a glass bowl with 125g butter, the reserved lemon juice and the primrose sugar. Place over a pan of simmering water and heat until the butter melts. Take off the heat and add 4–5 large eggs through a sieve, then stir with a balloon whisk. Gently reheat and stir for 10 minutes until it thickens. Pour into sterilised jars and seal immediately. Store in the fridge for 1 month.

Daisy drinks ‘Bellis daisies are among the first edible flowers to appear in spring and their confetti-like petals make a pretty petal rim on cocktail glasses,’ says Jan. Mix the petals with some caster sugar (2:1 ratio of sugar to petals) and then dip the rim of your glass into an elderflower cordial or sugar syrup. Lift out, ensuring the syrup drips off and doesn’t run down the glass, then dip into the petal mixture. Shake off any surplus and upturn. This can be done hours in advance of a party – and the petals will continue to look great.

Win tickets to the Harrogate Flower Show!

The Harrogate Flower Show (April 21–24) is first class for florals – edible or otherwise – and this year the Great Yorkshire Showground event offers blooming displays and ‘How2’ demos on garden upcycling, as well as vegan cookery in the Cookery Theatre with blogger Katy Beskow (winner of the Great Vegan Bake Off) and Rosie South, owner of Treasure & Relish vegetarian bookshop and deli in Ripon. We have five pairs of tickets to give away to Vegetarian Living readers! To enter, go to www.vegetarianliving.co.uk/offers.php. Competition closes midday 6 April 2016. www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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As the popular Hemsley sisters Jasmine and Melissa launch their second cookbook packed with ideas for eating more nutritious, natural food, they share some of their favourite new free-from recipes.

How to eat well Courgette and cannellini bean lasagne This delicious take on a classic lasagne is not far off the real thing in our opinion! It’s tasty, slices well and is delicious cold. The pasta sheets are replaced by fine layers of courgettes then, to make this dish more substantial and add a contrast in texture, we use a blend of cannellini beans, sundried tomatoes and tomato purée. There’s no need to cook a béchamel either – just whizz up the cheese and egg mix below. All you need is your food processor and lasagne dish to layer everything up before baking. Simple!

Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins | Cook 45 mins 3 large courgettes For the ‘béchamel’ sauce: 250g ricotta 80g vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese or pecorino, finely grated, plus extra for sprinkling 1 free-range egg For the tomato sauce: 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 cloves garlic 120g sundried tomatoes (about 20 pieces) in oil, drained

3 tbsp tomato purée pinch of sea salt ¼ tsp black pepper 1 Add the ingredients for the ‘béchamel’ sauce to a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2 Add the ingredients for the tomato sauce to the food processor (no need to clean out the bowl) and blend until smooth.

3 Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, finely slice the courgettes lengthways into 3mmthick pieces.

4 Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Spread about half the tomato sauce over the

‘All you need is your food processor and lasagne dish to layer everything up before baking. Simple!’

About Hemsley + Hemsley

Courgette and cannellini bean lasagne

Sisters Melissa and Jasmine Hemsley are food lovers with a passion for wellness and delicious, nutrient-dense cooking. Their recipes are free from gluten, grains and refined sugar, making you healthier and more energised.

After starting Hemsley + Hemsley six years ago as a bespoke service aimed at helping people with their digestion and relationship with food, they’ve since published The Art of Eating Well and now their second cookbook, Good + Simple. Connect on social media @ hemsleyhemsley or visit their website at www.hemsleyandhemsley.com.

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photographY: Nick Hopper

Celebritycook bottom of a 16cm x 22cm ovenproof dish which is at least 8cm deep, as a thin layer. Top with about a third of the courgette slices in an even layer. Cover the courgettes with about half the ‘béchamel’ sauce, then top with half the remaining courgettes in an even layer. Repeat the layering with the remaining tomato sauce, courgettes and ‘béchamel’, then sprinkle over a final layer of Parmesan-style cheese to finish.

5 Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5–10 minutes before serving.

Cook’s tip Feel free to substitute the cannellini beans for chickpeas, aduki or butter beans. The egg can be left out for a slightly sloppy lasagne – still tasty! n Per serving 444 cals, fat 32.8g, sat fat 11.8g, carbs 14g, sugars 5.9g, protein 23.4g, salt 1.8g, fibre 5.5g

Flaxseed buns After making variants of flaxseed bread for years, we’ve now simplified it to a nut-free version using just butter, eggs and flaxseed. Dare we say, this recipe is lighter and even more bread-like than those you have enjoyed before! You can bake this in a lined 20cm tray focaccia-style, but we’ve taken to making buns.

Makes 6 buns | Prep 20 mins Cook 22 mins 150g ground or whole flaxseeds 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda just under ½ tsp sea salt pinch of black pepper 3 free-range eggs, beaten ½ tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar 3 tbsp butter or coconut oil, melted 3 tbsp water ½ tsp dried herbs (such as thyme) or bruised fennel/caraway seeds (optional) 1 tbsp white sesame seeds, for sprinkling (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/ gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

2 Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl using a fork. Beat in the remaining ingredients (except the sesame seeds) and leave the batter to

Flaxseed buns

rest for 5 minutes to thicken up.

If using whole flaxseeds, mix with just the water and beaten egg first then allow to stand and thicken for 30 minutes before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.

3 Take 4–5 tablespoons of batter and shape into a bun with your hands.

Place on the prepared baking tray and use wet hands to shape/smooth the top and to press down lightly so that the bun is 5mm–1cm thick. Repeat with the rest of the batter, sprinkling the tops with the sesame seeds (if using) and gently pressing them in.

4 Bake in the oven for 20–22 minutes until the buns spring back to touch.

Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then slice in half and fill. n Per BUN 238 cals, fat 20.8g, sat fat 7.3g, carbs 5.1g, sugars 1.4g, protein 7.7g, salt 1.2g, fibre 1.7g

Jasmine & Melissa’s tips l Don’t mix this in a food processor!

The batter thickens so much it’s a pain to get out. l Use an ice cream scoop to make neat and easy flax bread soup rolls. l This dough keeps really well, so just cover and store somewhere cool, such as in your fridge or even your countertop, for up to a week. Make double batches and freeze (pre-sliced) for last minute breakfasts and lunches – just defrost and go. l Be sure to keep ground flaxseed well sealed and store in the fridge to preserve its nutrients. If you have a high-powered blender, you can grind whole flaxseeds to make your own flax flour, which gives a much smoother texture, while keeping the flaxseed whole gives a nuttier texture.

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Celebritycook Tahini date fudge Sweet and nutty, this is a cross between halva and fudge with a melt-in-the-mouth texture – much easier to make (just blend and set in the fridge) and of course better for you! We love the unique creamy and nutty flavour that the tahini gives and the fudgy texture from the dried dates, used in place of sugar. We usually make this by eye with a mug, rather than getting the scales out. Blend, taste and then adjust – not forgetting to reduce the sweet flavour by a date or two every time your make it.

Makes about 18 fudge squares Prep 15 mins + chilling 85g (about ½ mugful) pitted dates (chewy dried dates rather than the larger soft ones), or to taste 110g light tahini 2 tbsp coconut oil, at room temperature, or extra-virgin olive oil sea salt flakes 1 tbsp white sesame seeds or desiccated coconut, to decorate (optional) 1 Line a small baking tin – about 11cm x 17cm – or similar-sized container (we use a glass lunchbox) with baking parchment.

2 Slice one of the dates finely and set aside to decorate the top of the fudge. Place the rest of the dates in a food processor with the tahini, coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil and 1 /8 teaspoon of salt flakes and blend to a smooth, thick paste. Taste and add more salt, if desired.

3 Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and use a spatula to press the mixture down evenly.

4 Decorate the top with the date slices and a sprinkle of sesame seeds or desiccated coconut (if using), pour over any leftover oil from the food processor and press down gently.

5 Freeze or chill in the fridge until firm – about 15 minutes in the freezer and 30 minutes in the fridge. Slice into squares, then store in the fridge or freezer. Eat chilled/frozen straight from the fridge/freezer. n Per SQUARE 65 cals, fat 5.2g, sat fat 1.6g, carbs 3.1g, sugars 3.1g, protein 1.4g, salt 0.3g, fibre 1g

Jasmine & Melissa’s tips l Choose a wholefood tahini which contains no emulsifiers (the tahini should naturally separate in the jar) otherwise your fudge may not set properly. You can upgrade to the more nutritious dark tahini, which has a bitter flavour, if you like. l You could sub in almond butter for the tahini and use dried apricots (dark unsulphured ones) or prunes instead of the dates.

Recipes adapted from Good + Simple

by Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley (Ebury Press, £25). Photography by Nick Hopper.

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Tahini date fudge

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find us here!

ur o y all

spring cleaning essentials...

www.ecozone.com VL69_034.indd 34

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photograph: Clare Winfield

Wild garlic goat’s cheese flan page 46

Everyday eats From wild garlic recipes to hearty super-grain salads and family dishes inspired by Italian favourites, we’ve got your midweek meals sorted.

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Everyone loves Italian food and these quick and easy supper ideas will bring the tempting taste of the trattoria to your kitchen table any night of the week.

Parmesan-crumbed aubergine and courgette slices with arrabbiata sauce Serves 4 | Prep 25 mins | Cook 30 mins 1 free-range egg, beaten 125g focaccia breadcrumbs 75g freshly grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese 1 aubergine, cut into 8 slices 1 large courgette, cut into 12 slices 8 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 chilli, chopped 400g can chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp fresh chopped basil basil leaves, to garnish 1 Beat the egg in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Dip the vegetable slices in the egg and then the breadcrumb mixture to coat.

2 Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the vegetable slices, in batches if necessary, for about 8–10 minutes, turning once during cooking, until golden and tender.

3 Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a pan and sautĂŠ the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and basil, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

4 Assemble the tomato sauce and breaded aubergine and courgette slices on each plate, and serve with a green salad. n Per serving 435 cals, fat 30.7g, sat fat 7.4g, carbs 25.1g, sugars 9.4g, protein 15.1g, salt 0.7g, fibre 5.9g

Parmesan-crumbed aubergine and courgette slices with arrabbiata sauce Recipes and styling: Liz Martin Photography: Michael Dannenberg

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Italianflavours

Oven-roasted veg with red pepper and walnut sauce Serves 4 | Prep 25 mins Cook 35 mins For the vegetables: 4 tbsp olive oil 500g squash, cut into pieces 375g small new potatoes, halved if necessary 1 aubergine, cut into large pieces 1 red onion, cut into wedges 175g asparagus spears For the red pepper and walnut sauce: 230g jar red peppers in water 1 clove garlic, halved 50g walnuts 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley 100g freshly grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese 3 tbsp olive oil herbed farro, to serve

potatoes, aubergine and onion, place in a roasting tray and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and stir. Add the asparagus and cook for a further 15 minutes, until golden and tender.

2 To make the sauce, place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and whizz until smooth.

3 Serve the vegetables on a bed of herby faro, and either stir the warmed sauce into the roasted vegetables or spoon over the top. n Per serving 867 cals, fat 40.1g, sat fat 9.6g, carbs 97.1g, sugars 12.6g, protein 30.3g, salt 0.5g, fibre 15.4g

Look out for VBites Hard Italian Style Cheezly or another similar vegan Parmesan-style cheese.

1 To cook the vegetables, preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Toss together the oil, squash, new

Oven-roasted veg with red pepper and walnut sauce

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Italianflavours

Asparagus caponata

until golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2 Heat half the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the aubergine for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

3 Heat a separate frying pan and cook the asparagus for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender.

4 Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in the pan and sauté the onion, celery and pepper for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

5 Gently stir the olives, sugar, vinegar, capers, sultanas, parsley and oregano into the pepper mixture together with the asparagus, aubergine and any juices. Serve either warm or cold, with the pine nuts scattered over the top. Serve with garlic bread. n Per serving 449 cals, fat 26.3g, sat fat 2.3g, carbs 42.8g, sugars 18.4g, protein 10.9g, salt 1.2g, fibre 7.1g If serving with garlic bread, choose one that does not use dairy butter, or consider making your own with dairy-free spread or olive oil.

One-pot cannellini bean pasta with fennel and peppers Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 20 mins 2 tbsp olive oil 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 head of fennel, cut in half and then thick slices 125g macaroni 400g cannellini beans 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 750ml vegetable stock 150ml white wine vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese shavings (optional) and chopped fresh parsley, to serve

Asparagus caponata Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 20 mins 75g pine nuts 3 tbsp olive oil 1 aubergine, cut into 1.5cm cubes 175g asparagus spears 1 onion, roughly chopped 1 stick of celery, sliced 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced 2 cloves garlic, chopped

12 pitted black olives, halved 1 tsp caster sugar 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tbsp capers 2 tbsp sultanas 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tbsp torn fresh oregano leaves garlic bread, to serve 1 Heat a non-stick frying pan and sauté the pine nuts for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally,

1 Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the peppers for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.

2 Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.

3 Serve scattered with fresh Parmesanstyle cheese shavings, if liked, and freshly chopped parsley. n Per serving 346 cals, fat 12.3g, sat fat 3.9g, carbs 38.7g, sugars 5.2g, protein 17.1g, salt 3g, fibre 10.9g Serve without the optional Parmesan-style cheese or choose from an ever-expanding range of vegan alternatives.

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One-pot cannellini bean pasta with fennel and peppers

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Mushroom and asparagus risotto

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Italianflavours Mushroom and asparagus risotto

Mediterranean gnocchi grill

Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 30 mins 4 tbsp olive oil 500g mixed mushrooms, sliced 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 275g Arborio rice 300ml white wine or vermouth 800ml hot vegetable stock 200g asparagus spears grated zest of 1 lemon 75g freshly grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill (optional) 1 Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a pan and sauté the mushrooms for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and keep warm.

2 Heat the remaining oil and sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and rice and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine or vermouth and bring to the boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until all absorbed.

3 Gradually add the stock in ladlefuls, simmering and stirring until the liquid is absorbed.

4 Meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan and cook the asparagus for about 8 minutes, turning once during cooking, until tender.

5 Add the lemon zest to the risotto.

Stir in the Parmesan-style cheese, half the dill, if using, and mushrooms.

Serve topped with the asparagus and remaining dill. n Per serving 514 cals, fat 18.9g, sat fat 5.5g, carbs 60.8g, sugars 4.3g, protein 15.8g, salt 3.2g, fibre 4g

Opt for a block or tub of vegan Parmesanstyle cheese. If cooking with wine, check labelling or with the manufacturer before purchasing, in case there are sneaky animal ingredients in the fining process.

Mediterranean gnocchi grill Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 30 mins 2 tbsp olive oil 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tbsp tomato purée 400g can chopped tomatoes 3 tbsp chopped fresh basil 2 x 350g packets gnocchi

100g fresh spinach leaves 400g can borlotti beans 125g mozzarella or 150g mozzarella balls in water, drained 75g olive ciabbatta breadcrumbs 2 tbsp chopped fresh mixed herbs 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the pepper for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and basil. Bring to the boil and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2 Preheat the grill to medium.

Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi

following packet instructions. Drain, return to the pan, stir in the spinach leaves and tomato sauce, then cover and leave to stand for 3 minutes.

3 Stir in the borlotti beans and transfer to an ovenproof dish or pan.

Top with torn pieces of mozzarella or the balls, if using. Mix together the breadcrumbs and herbs, and scatter evenly over the top.

4 Place under the grill and cook for 10–15 minutes, until golden. n Per serving 550 cals, fat 14.2g, sat fat 5.6g, carbs 85.7g, sugars 9g, protein 21.2g, salt 0.6g, fibre 12.3g

Tofutti, VBites, MozzaRisella, Violife and Sheese are among the top alternatives to mozzarella that you could take advantage of.

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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26/02/2016 13:06:03

photography: Clare Winfield

Foragedfood Go to page 19 to find out more about foraging.

Wild garlic cheese scones

Every spring, the savoury aroma of wild garlic fills the air through our woodlands.

Make the most of one of nature’s finest free ingredients with these stylish recipes.

Wild garlic cheese scones Freshly baked scones, served warm from the oven and spread generously with butter, are always hard to resist. These savoury scones, with their earthy flavour, are no exception.

Makes 8 scones | Prep 20 mins | Cook 15 mins 250g self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder pinch of salt 50g butter, diced, plus extra to serve 75g finely grated vegetarian Cheddar cheese 1 free-range egg 125ml buttermilk (or 100ml whole milk with

25ml yogurt mixed in), plus extra for glazing 25g wild garlic leaves, thoroughly rinsed and finely chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and grease a baking sheet.

2 Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Mix in the salt. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until absorbed, then mix in the grated Cheddar.

3 Whisk the egg into the buttermilk. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, add in the chopped wild garlic and mix together to form a soft, sticky dough.

4 Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of 2.5cm and use a 6cm cookie cutter to cut out the scones, reshaping and re-rolling the trimmings, to form 8 scones. Place the scones on the greased baking sheet. Brush lightly with buttermilk.

5 Bake the scones for 10–15 minutes in the preheated oven until they have risen and are golden brown. Serve at once, split in half and spread with lashings of butter. n Per scone 215 cals, fat 10g, sat fat 5.9g, carbs 24.7g, sugars 1g, protein 6.8g, salt 1g, fibre 1.3g www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Foragedfood

Wild garlic pasta primavera Primavera means ‘spring’ in Italian and this simple yet elegant recipe makes use of seasonal ingredients to create a lovely fresh and light garlicky pasta dish.

Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 15 mins 1 tbsp pine nuts 100g fresh asparagus, sliced into 2.5cm lengths 75g fresh peas (or frozen, if preferred) 75g green beans, topped, tailed and sliced into short lengths 200g farfalle pasta 100g wild garlic hazelnut pesto (see recipe, opposite) 2 heaped tbsp mascarpone cheese grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese, to serve 1 Put the pine nuts in a dry heavybased frying pan set over a medium heat and toast, stirring often, until golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

2 Cook the asparagus, peas and green beans in separate pans of boiling water until just tender – you want them al dente. Drain at once, immerse in cold water to stop the cooking process, then drain again thoroughly.

3 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain.

4 Toss the freshly drained pasta first with the wild garlic pesto, then the mascarpone cheese, coating well.

Add the asparagus, peas and green beans and toss together thoroughly.

Scatter over the toasted pine nuts and serve at once, with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top. n Per serving 507 cals, fat 31.9g, sat fat 11.3g, carbs 40.5g, sugars 4.4g, protein 15.2g, salt 0.3g, fibre 5.3g 44 |

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Wild garlic hazelnut pesto

Wild garlic hazelnut pesto Makes about 350g 80g hazelnuts 80g wild garlic leaves, thoroughly rinsed, roughly chopped 150ml extra-virgin olive oil 50g grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese salt

Wild garlic pasta primavera

1 Dry-fry the hazelnuts in a heavybased frying pan over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown.

Set aside to cool, then finely grind.

2 If using a food processor, blitz the wild garlic into a paste. Add the ground hazelnuts and olive oil and briefly whizz together. Mix in the Parmesan-style cheese, then season with salt, bearing in mind the saltiness of the cheese.

3 If using a pestle and mortar, pound the wild garlic into a paste.

Add in the ground hazelnuts and olive oil and pound to mix together.

Mix in the Parmesan cheese, then season with salt.

Cook’s tip The pesto can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days; covering the surface with a thin layer of oil helps to preserve it. Alternatively, it can be frozen.

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Foragedfood Wild garlic goat’s cheese flan

Wild garlic goat’s cheese flan This stylish savoury tart, combining subtle goat’s cheese with earthy wild garlic, has a delicate, moist texture. Serve with a crisptextured salad for a light meal.

Serves 6 | Prep 20 mins | Cook 1 hr 300g shortcrust pastry 2 free-range eggs, plus 1 egg yolk 300ml crème fraîche or sour cream 25g wild garlic leaves, thoroughly rinsed, finely chopped freshly grated nutmeg 200g white rind vegetarian goat’s cheese, sliced salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Lightly grease a 24cm loose-based flan tin.

2 First make the pastry case. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface, then line the greased flan tin. Press it in firmly and prick the base several times to stop the pastry bubbling up. Line the case with a piece of parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the baking beans and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes.

3 While the pastry is baking, lightly whisk together the eggs, egg yolk and crème fraîche. Stir in the wild garlic and season with grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.

4 Layer the goat’s cheese slices in the pastry case. Pour over the egg mixture. Bake for 40 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

n Per serving 369 cals, fat 26.9g, sat fat 12.5g, carbs 19.1g, sugars 0.8g, protein 12.8g, salt 1.5g, fibre 2g

Recipes adapted from Garlic by Jenny Linford (Ryland Peters & Small, £14.99). Photography by Clare Winfield.

Gorgeous garlic Vegetarian Living readers can buy Garlic for the special price of £10.99, including p&p.

Call 01256 302699 and quote reference GK5.

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24/02/2016 10:23

Celebrating 20 Years of Healthy Living

Essential Nutrition For Optimum Health Since 1996 @UdosChoiceUK

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udoschoice.co.uk

26/02/2016 13:07:32

n Robbins photograph: Jaso

Our new columnist Áine Carlin focuses on fun, flavour and fantastic food, sharing everything from brilliant baking tips to essential ingredients and simple switches that will transform your dairy-free cooking.

Frittering time Spring is in the air and I’m currently channelling Thai vibes in my little Cornish kitchen. Okay, so this is definitely my simplified (anglified, ahem) spin on those most delectable of Thai treats, the humble sweetcorn fritter – and in no way remotely authentic I might add, but hey, that doesn’t make them any less delicious.

Gluten-free and light as a feather, these flavour-packed morsels are the perfect lunchtime pick-me-up or dinner party starter sure to wow – better still, make them minisized for the perfect canapé (a teaspoon amount of batter should suffice). Falling perfectly in line with my long-held cooking ethos (go easy or go bust), these pancakes could not be more straightforward to make – even more so if you have a food processor, which will do all the hard work for you. Being quite delicate in nature, the scant amount of gram flour just about binds these beauties together while still letting the sweetcorn shine – and who doesn’t want sweetcorn to shine!

These days, I’m all about stripping things back to their minimal effort basics (paring down, if you will), whether that’s in my cooking or indeed my life. Yes, I’ve succumbed to the Marie Kondo way of thinking, and am in the midst of decluttering

About Áine Áine blogs about vegan food, fashion and lifestyle at www.peasoupeats.com.

Her first cookbook, Keep it Vegan, was published in 2014, and her second – The New Vegan – is published by Kyle Books and on sale now.

my home in the hopes that it will have a similarly Zen-ified ‘feng shui’ knock-on effect on my brain… because heaven knows, there’s way too much ‘clutter’ up there too. Social media is partly to blame, of course. I devote too many precious hours scrolling Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and even Facebook (ugh) and before you know it, the day is gone and that deadline is still looming over me like a ticking time bomb – although I did make a pretty virtual moodboard, so progress was made, right?

Keeping up with the world is exhausting folks, and I for one am tired of mentally comparing myself to others and losing sight of my ‘real self’. Even with the best of intentions, a single Tweet can send me into a downward spiral if I’m not careful and Instagram is a sure-fire way to convince yourself you’re living your life all wrong – hands up those whose space is ever really that spick and span? Reality dictates that my kitchen is a continual work-in-progress that goes a little like this: make a mess, clear up, make a further mess, deliberate whether to unload the dishwasher, make a ‘tidy pile’, re-consider unloading the dishwasher, add to said mess before finally deciding to wait until my husband comes home when he will inevitably deal with the dishwasher situation – and make me a cup of tea in the process.

Job done.

What exactly does this have to do with savoury pancakes? Well, in my world, there’s virtually nothing that can’t be solved with a plate of good food – so, if you want my advice, take a break from all that scrolling and get up close and personal with a funky yellow batter and a hot frying pan instead.

Oh, and don’t forget the salsa.

Sweetcorn pancakes with Thai-style salsa verde

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Vegankitchen ‘Gluten-free and light as a feather, these flavour-packed morsels are the perfect lunchtime pick-me-up’ Sweetcorn pancakes with Thai-style salsa verde Makes 10 | Prep 25 mins | Cook 20 mins 250g cooked sweetcorn kernels (frozen or canned), plus extra to garnish 4 tbsp gram flour ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp pink Himalayan salt or good quality sea salt 100ml water ½ tsp sambal oelek or chilli paste coconut oil, to fry ground black pepper a little chopped chilli and a sprinkling of sesame seeds, to serve For the Thai-style salsa verde: 100g fresh coriander, including stalks 1 clove garlic 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger juice of ½ lime 2–3 tbsp olive oil pink Himalayan salt 1 Place 150g of the sweetcorn kernels in a food processor and blend to a purée before adding the gram flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and water. Blitz until it forms a batter and transfer to a large bowl.

2 Stir through the remaining sweetcorn and sambal oelek. Season with a little more salt and pepper, and set aside for 10 minutes.

3 To make the salsa verde, roughly mince the fresh coriander, garlic and ginger with a sharp knife before transferring to a pestle and mortar.

Add the lime juice, oil and season with salt before vigorously muddling until it forms a sauce. Check for seasoning and set aside until needed.

4 Heat a teaspoon amount of coconut oil in a frying pan and drop in a tablespoon amount of batter. Fry for several minutes over a medium heat until bubbles appear and the edges are cooked, before flipping. Cook for 1–2 minutes on the second side before keeping warm in a low oven. Repeat until all the batter is used. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan.

5 Serve the pancakes alongside the coriander salsa. Finish with some reserved sweetcorn kernels, a little chopped chilli and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. n Per pancake 156 cals, fat 11.2g, sat fat 6g, carbs 10.1g, sugars 2.6g, protein 4.1g, salt 1.5g, fibre 3.4g www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Calgary Avansino shares her positive plan for changing your approach to food and lifestyle – and it all starts in the mind, not in the kitchen.

When Calgary Avansino moved to London from California with her then fiancée, now husband, 16 years ago, she landed on her feet career-wise, securing her first job as an intern at British Vogue. ‘It was definitely not a bad place to start out when I arrived in the UK,’ she laughs. ‘I made great contacts and friends that I still spend time with today.’

But Vogue also proved to be the perfect platform for Calgary to introduce her interest in health, nutrition and wellbeing to a wider readership, flavoured with her characteristically American, can-do attitude.

‘After being Alexandra Shulman’s assistant, my next job was in the beauty department and British Vogue was the first magazine to have a page named ‘Spirit’ and one called ‘Cult’. The pages were my idea and I wrote them – I wanted to bring the idea of wellness into the pages of Vogue. So I was writing about food products, exercise practices, meditation, spirituality and these kinds of topics that hadn’t really been talked about in glossy magazines before. That was the first time I started writing in my own voice about things that I believed in and it just went from there.’

After encouragement from a colleague, who felt there would be great interest in Calgary’s approach to life, food and family, she started blogging on similar subjects at vogue.co.uk. ‘I’m still writing the Weekly Wellbeing blog and it’s just about what I’m into at the moment, things I’ve been trying or ingredients I’ve been using. It did really

well and got a lot of interest; it gave me confidence to think about doing it full time and more wholeheartedly.’

The blog’s success was the push Calgary needed to step away from a full-time role at Vogue and become a contributing editor so she could pursue her own venture. ‘It was definitely a big decision, but I didn’t have time to do both jobs well, so I had to choose,’ she says. ‘I started doing videos and putting together recipes; I worked on it very hard and signed a book deal soon after. It all seemed to fall into place quite quickly.’

Positive changes The result is Keep it Real, her first cookbook and wellbeing manual for life, which focuses on a simple philosophy of eating less refined, sugary, processed and ready-made food and eating more real, plant-based food, alongside common-sense advice, such as moving your body every day. She also advocates giving up diets and self-deprivation and focusing on positivity and self-love instead, which she admits is the change many people struggle the most to make.

‘People in the UK are not always used to being really positive about themselves, but change all starts in the mind,’ she says. ‘You need to accept that you are worth making an effort for – no one else will do that for you.

Only you can make yourself go to the gym or buy good food. If you don’t love yourself then not much else will give you that love instead. The diet industry, messages from

‘You need to accept that you are worth making an effort for – no one else will do that for you. Only you can make yourself go to the gym or buy good food’

the media – these are often very hard to deal with and stay positive. Yes, it may be a rather American attitude but it’s so helpful to rally behind yourself. Ultimately, you have to physically and mentally decide to do it.’

Calgary admits she’s not a nutritionist or a trained chef, but she’s a working mum to three children, a wife, friend and colleague who loves cooking, eating and feeding others healthy food, and the advice in the book comes from the heart, and from years of personal experience. The result is recipes that are simple and achievable, with a plan for change that is sensible, realistic and not intimidating. ‘I’m not a fancy chef; I wanted the book to be mostly about quick and easy recipes that I use and my family enjoy.

Making overnight oats for your children, for example, this could easily become a new habit and you won’t even need to look at the recipe after you’ve made it twice. I wanted to prove to everyone that healthy eating can be tasty and not hard to do.’

Walk the talk For many people, having children can be the motivation for a change of approach to diet and lifestyle, and Calgary agrees it’s worrying what passes as ‘family food’ these days. ‘It’s getting harder to tell what is real food these days. If you go to the supermarket most of the food in there is processed, so we’ve come to think that food in a box is okay and that’s horrible – it’s not okay to feed ourselves and our kids this kind of food all the time. We’re not machines, we’re humans that were made to eat plants grown from the sun’s energy, so my philosophy is all about getting back to this.

‘The bottom line for me is to teach children by example. You can’t give your kids carrot and celery sticks and then sit there eating crisps yourself, it has to be a family effort.

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Health&wellbeing photographY: Kristin Perers

It’s easy to forget that you decide what you buy, so you have the power to decide what goes in the shopping trolley. Don’t buy stuff that’s going to rot your kids’ teeth and give them health problems in the future – just don’t have them in the house. It’s so easy to get into bad habits and only you can get yourself out of them.’

If you’re feeling inspired to make changes to your way of eating and lifestyle, Calgary advises against a radical approach. ‘I think the best way is to make small changes as often as you can,’ she says. ‘I just tell people to have a small goal of one thing to change each week, so it could just be cutting down from four coffees a day to two or not having that can of diet coke in the afternoon, or not buying a sugary cereal when you go to the grocery store. A huge, complete change can be overwhelming for most people, and by changing gradually you can feel proud of each baby step you take. Then you’ll be more ready and positive about making the next change.’ l Find out more at www.calgaryavansino.com.

Calgary’s family suppers Cauliflower couscous Cauliflower ‘couscous’ or ‘rice’ is having its moment, and you may have come across a version or two of this recipe before, but this is my favourite combination of flavours and textures. It’s so quick and simple and is a brilliant plant-packed, gluten-free alternative to using the grain itself.

Serves 4 | Prep 15 mins 1 large cauliflower (about 750g after trimming) 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground nutmeg grated zest of 1 lemon juice of ½ lemon 15 mint leaves, roughly chopped 60g pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped 4 spring onions, chopped 100g vegetarian goat’s cheese, crumbled 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Cauliflower couscous

½ pomegranate, seeds removed (optional) juice of 1 lime salt and pepper 1 Core and cut the cauliflower into medium florets. Blitz the florets in a food processor until they resemble couscous. Do it in two batches if the food processor is more than three-quarters full. Don’t over-blend, otherwise it will become puréed – that’s baby food, not couscous!

2 Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and fluff with a fork, then season with the salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and nutmeg.

3 Then add all the remaining ingredients except the lime juice and toss together. Add additional olive oil, salt and pepper if necessary. Pour the lime juice over the top and serve straight away. n Per serving 392 cals, fat 25.9g, sat fat 7.1g, carbs 22.2g, sugars 9.1g, protein 18g, salt 1.6g, fibre 9g www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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25/02/2016 14:45

Broccoli ‘meatballs’

Broccoli ‘meatballs’ The much-loved traditional meatball is a classic and a staple in many households, so I wanted to create a plant-friendly version that my kids would still plead for and my husband and I could enjoy as a meal. Voilà – I give you the broccoli ‘meatball’. You can serve these the traditional way – topped on spaghetti with a homemade tomato sauce – or you can enjoy them as I do: with hummus and a big green salad or as part of a mezze selection.

Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins Cook 35 mins 275g broccoli florets (about 1 large head) 125g plain almonds (not roasted, salted or sweetened) 1 large free-range egg 10g basil leaves, finely chopped 10g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 5g coriander leaves, finely chopped (optional) 10g finely grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste salt and pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/ gas 4 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

2 Place your broccoli florets in a steamer and steam for approximately 10 minutes, until tender and still bright green, rather than mushy and going grey; keep checking them with a knife to ensure they don’t overcook. Once steamed, refresh in cold water to stop the cooking and leave in a colander to drain.

3 In a food processor or high-powered blender, grind the almonds until they are a fine powder and place in a mixing bowl. Then pulse the steamed broccoli in the food processor or blender until finely chopped (not puréed) and place in the bowl with the almonds.

4 Whisk the egg in a separate small bowl, then add to the mixing bowl along with the basil, parsley, coriander, if using, Parmesan-style cheese, garlic and cayenne pepper, and season with salt and pepper.

5 Mix everything well, until thoroughly combined. Then, using your hands, make approximately 12 ‘meatballs’, pressing them firmly together to be 52 |

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Health&wellbeing sure they retain their shape.

6 Place the balls on the baking sheet, making sure they are not touching.

Pop in the oven for 25 minutes or until they are just turning golden brown. n Per serving 247 cals, fat 19.9g, sat fat 2.3g, carbs 4.6g, sugars 2.7g, protein 12.5g, salt 1.1g, fibre 3.3g

Black bean burgers

Black bean burgers ‘Burger night’ at our house is always a highly anticipated meal – it’s guaranteed fun to stack your own with lots of favourite toppings to make it bespoke. I am always trying new vegetarian burger recipes but this is one of my family’s top choices and we make it over and over again.

Try serving these with a fresh spinach salad, topped with toasted pine nuts and chopped apple.

Makes 4 burgers Prep 20 mins + chilling Cook 20 mins 225g cooked black beans or 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 clove garlic, chopped ½ yellow onion, roughly chopped juice of ½ lemon 1 medium free-range egg yolk, beaten 25g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 25g finely grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese 40g toasted breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if possible) 2 tsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper 1 tbsp cumin 1 Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/ gas 5 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

2 Pour half of the black beans plus the garlic, onion and lemon juice into a food processor. Pulse until smooth.

3 Place the mixture in a mixing bowl and add the other half of the black beans and all of the other ingredients.

Mix together so that everything is incorporated and well combined.

Divide the mixture into 4 and shape into burgers. Place in the fridge for 15–30 minutes on the prepared baking sheet to firm up.

4 Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until they are cooked through. n Per burger 138 cals, fat 4.5g, sat fat 1.7g, carbs 16g, sugars 2.3g, protein 8.7g, salt 1.1g, fibre 5.8g

Recipes adapted from Keep it Real by Calgary Avansino (Yellow Kite, £25).

Photography by Kristin Perers.

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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The grain event

Get out of the pasta, couscous and rice rut and try one of the many interesting, nutritious and tasty grains available. You can use them in everything from baking, breakfast cereals and savoury dishes – here’s our guide to help you pick the right grain for the job.

Barley

A high-fibre, nutty-flavoured grain, traditionally barley was most commonly used in soups. It is sold in many forms, depending on how much of the outer covering is removed. Hulled barley, with the bran layer still intact but the outermost layer removed, retains the nutrition from the bran layer but needs cooking for longer than other barleys, as well as soaking the night before. Pearl barley is most commonly available – an underrated and economical alternative to rice, with its soft, slightly nutty grain – and cooks more quickly than regular barley, as it has had its outer Enjoy a zingy bran and husk removed. ‘barleyotto’ Try it Barley is a filling and nutritious with lemon and addition to veggie dishes – pop some spring greens, into stews and soups to make them extra on page 26. hearty and the portions go further.

Quinoa

The Incas called quinoa (pronounced ‘keenwah’) the ‘mother grain’, and cultivated this tiny, slightly bitter grain high in the Andes.

However, it’s not technically a grain, but the seed of the goodefoot plant – and it’s more closely linked to spinach and beets than cereals. However, this grain-like ingredient has become hugely popular in recent times, and is now recognised by the UN as a super-crop for its nutritional properties. It is a complete protein and contains all eight amino acids – a rare find in a non-animal food, making it ideal for veggies and vegans – and it’s gluten-free and more digestible than grains such as rice and wheat. There are actually over 120 known varieties of quinoa, with white, red and black the easiest to find, plus there are quinoa flakes and flour for breakfast and baking recipes.

Try it For an alternative to traditional oat porridge, why not try quinoa flake porridge? Go to www.quinola.com for an easy recipe.

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Newideas

Buckwheat

Beetroot and quinoa bowl

Beetroot and quinoa bowl Serves 4 Prep 20 mins + pickling and soaking Cook 15 mins 2 medium beetroot, weighing around 400g ¼ tsp salt 170g quinoa 70g sunflower seeds 1 tbsp umeboshi vinegar 1 small onion, finely chopped 4 tbsp olive oil freshly squeezed lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to taste 4 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 Wash, peel and finely grate the beetroot.

Put in a bowl, add the salt and squeeze really well with your hands until the flesh starts ‘sweating’. Cover with a small plate that fits into the bowl, top with a weight, and allow to rest for 24 hours. If you have a small pickle press, use this instead. If there isn’t enough juice to cover the beetroot, add just enough salted water to cover. Drain off most of the pickle juice before using.

2 Put the quinoa in a sieve and rinse well under cold running water. Drain. Put the drained quinoa into a preserving jar covered

Despite the name, buckwheat is completely wheatand gluten-free, and is another grain that’s not a grain at all. It’s a fruit seed – related to rhubarb and sorrel – which contains all the essential amino acids, plus calcium, potassium, iron and zinc, and is low-GI, high in protein and rich in magnesium.

Hugely popular in Russia and Eastern Europe (where a toasted version is called kasha), you can buy the kernels (groats) to use as a grain in salads and other savoury dishes, or buckwheat flour to use in baking recipes, and it’s possible to get all kinds of readymade products such as buckwheat bread, noodles, pasta, crackers and breakfast cereals. Recently buckwheat has attracted attention for its apparent ability to lower blood sugar levels, which could be great news for people with diabetes.

Try it Buckwheat pancakes are a great introduction to using this versatile ingredient. Try the recipe at www.dovesfarm.co.uk. with 480ml water. Loosely cover the jar with a lid or with muslin with a rubber band tied around it. Soak for 24 hours at room temperature.

3 Put both the quinoa and the soaking water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, add a few pinches of salt, lower the heat to its minimum setting, half-cover the saucepan and cook for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa absorbs all the water. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

4 Put the sunflower seeds in a frying pan over a medium heat and dry-roast, stirring vigorously until the seeds start sizzling and turn golden brown. Pour into a clean bowl and, while still hot, pour over the umeboshi vinegar and stir until absorbed.

5 In a large glass mixing bowl, gently mix all the ingredients except for the parsley and season with the olive oil, some lemon juice or cider vinegar, salt and pepper.

Garnish with the chopped parsley.

Refrigerate before serving.

COOK’S TIP If you don’t have umeboshi vinegar, dissolve ¼ teaspoon of salt in ½ tablespoon hot water and pour over the seeds. n Per serving 390 cals, fat 21.7g, sat fat 2.9g, carbs 37g, sugars 12.9g, protein 12.2g, salt 1.8g, fibre 8.1g

Farro

With a nutty flavour that’s a little like brown rice, farro is an ancient grain (beloved by the Romans, apparently) grown mostly in the central and northern regions of Italy.

Often used as a substitute for pasta or rice, it looks a lot like spelt (and is often assumed to be the same thing) but actually comes from a different plant. Use it cooked and cooled in salads or hot in soups, or topped with sauces as you would serve pasta.

Try it Zuppa di farro is a speciality dish of Lucca in Tuscany. It’s a hearty soup containing beans or lentils, and Try herbed modern veggie farro with variations may also oven-roasted include additions vegetables, such as kale, squash on page 37. or mushrooms too.

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Newideas

Spelt

Technically an ancient form of wheat that has not been hybridised or chemically altered over the years (unlike conventional wheat), spelt has enjoyed a renaissance as a health food in recent years.

The attraction of spelt is that it is easier to digest than wheat (and those with a mild sensitivity to gluten can often tolerate the gluten found in spelt), and higher in protein and the B-complex vitamins. It also has a high water solubility, so nutrients from other ingredients are easily absorbed in cooking. Often confused with farro, spelt is different because it becomes creamy when stirred during cooking, making it ideal for making ‘speltotto’, while farro always retains a ‘bite’ in the centre.

Try it Dress cooked spelt with lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning, then toss in roasted beetroot, goat’s cheese, sliced apple, rocket and fresh dill.

Bulgur wheat

A common Middle Eastern grain made from cracked wheatberries, bulgur wheat is widely available and well worth including here because it is high in fibre, low in calories and quick to cook. It is traditionally used to make tabbouleh but can be the base for any cold grain salad. If you use a lot of couscous, try switching to bulgur for a change.

Try it As a Middle Eastern ingredient, bulgur wheat is perfect for serving with a rich, spicy tagine. Use it plain or jazz it up with chopped parsley, mint and coriander with a dash of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.

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Newideas

Crunchy bulgur salad Serves 6 | Prep/cook 25 mins 250g coarse bulgur wheat 200g fennel bulb, trimmed and finely diced freshly squeezed juice and grated zest of ½ lemon 200g celery, thinly sliced on a diagonal 100g dried pitted dates, roughly chopped ½ small radicchio, cored and leaves finely shredded 75g walnuts, roughly chopped 20g roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 20g roughly chopped fresh mint sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste For the dressing: 1 clove garlic 1 tsp sea salt 2 tsp pomegranate molasses 50ml olive oil 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Crunchy bulgur salad

1 Begin by making the dressing.

Crush the garlic to a paste with the salt in a pestle and mortar. Transfer to a small mixing bowl and whisk with the remaining ingredients.

Cover and set aside.

2 Put the bulgur in a separate large mixing bowl. Add just enough boiling water to wet the grains but not to submerge them. Cover with cling film and set aside for 15–20 minutes, until just tender but still with a bit of bite. Drain off any excess moisture using a fine mesh sieve, if necessary.

3 Put the diced fennel in another large mixing bowl and dress immediately with the lemon juice and zest to prevent any discolouration. Add the remaining ingredients and the soaked bulgur.

4 Pour over the prepared dressing and season with extra salt and pepper, to taste. Serve on a large plate with salad spoons. n Per serving 373 cals, fat 17.7g, sat fat 2.2g, carbs 45.6g, sugars 14.7g, protein 8.6g, salt 2.1g, fibre 5.6g

Freekeh

Sometimes called frikeh or farik, freekeh is essentially young, green wheat that has gone through a roasting process, resulting in a smoky flavour. It’s an ancient Arabian ingredient, popular in both Middle Eastern and North African cuisines, and high in fibre and protein. Use wholegrain freekeh for salads or pilafs, and cracked freekeh for soups or stuffings.

Try it Make Middle Easterninspired stuffed peppers with cooked freekeh and roasted veggies flavoured with sumac, lemon and mint and topped with feta or a drizzle of tahini dressing.

Teff

Teff is a fine grain – about the size of a poppy seed – that comes in a variety of colours, from white and red to dark brown. Teff grows predominantly in Ethiopia and Eritrea, and thrives even in difficult climates, so it has become a staple of their cuisines. The grain has a very mild, nutty flavour, and it packs a serious nutritional punch with an excellent balance of amino acids, and high levels of protein, calcium and iron. Teff grains can be cooked and eaten whole, but are traditionally ground into flour to make injera, the Ethiopian flat fermented bread.

Try it Teff is an excellent glutenfree flour alternative and can be used for all kinds of baked goods from bread to brownies.

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Newideas

Amaranth

This gluten-free grass species was cultivated by the Aztecs and Incas, and has a similar nutritional content to quinoa. The small seed, which comes from the love-lies-bleeding plant, is high in protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium and folic acid, and retains a little texture once cooked. Although it was revered by the Aztecs, the plant is not as exotic as you might imagine and is widespread in the UK. These days you can find amaranth popping up in readymade products such muesli, rice cakes and bread, often in gluten-free ranges or in combination with other grains.

Try it Amaranth can be substituted for quinoa in most recipes and is delicious in a tabbouleh-style salad with lots of chopped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, mint and parsley dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning. Additions such as pine nuts, chickpeas and feta would also work beautifully.

Coming soon…

With farmers and food suppliers always searching for ‘the next quinoa’, look out for these new grains appearing in our stores soon.

Kamut A larger grain with a higher oil content, kamut holds its shape well, so it works in recipes such as pilafs and is also available as a flour.

Fonio A West African grain, fonio has been tipped to be as popular as quinoa in the future, thanks to its drought-resistant qualities and fantastic nutritional content.

Lupin There’s more to lupins than pretty flowers – lupin grains are high in protein and fibre and low in starch and oil, giving them great potential as a superfood of the future.

Amaranth and green lentil salad with za’atar

Amaranth and green lentil salad with za’atar Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins | Cook 20 mins 165g green lentils, rinsed 4 tbsp amaranth 6 spring onions, sliced 6 vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 yellow courgette, coarsely grated 2 handfuls of freshly chopped mint leaves, plus a few whole leaves to decorate 1 tbsp za’atar (see below) For the za’atar: 3 tbsp thyme leaves 2 tsp sumac ½ tsp sea salt 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted For the dressing: 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 Put the lentils in a large pan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer, partcovered, for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and transfer the lentils to a serving bowl.

2 Meanwhile, toast the amaranth in a dry pan for 2 minutes, shaking the pan regularly, until the grains start to pop and turn golden. Pour enough water over to cover and bring to the

boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 6 minutes or until tender. Drain and add to the bowl with the lentils.

3 To make the za’atar, preheat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 2½. Put the thyme on a small baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes, or until dried. Crumble the thyme leaves into a bowl and mix in the sumac, salt and sesame seeds. Let cool and transfer to an airtight container, if not using immediately.

4 Mix together all the dressing ingredients and season to taste.

5 Add the spring onions, tomatoes, courgette and mint to the serving bowl, and pour enough of the dressing over to coat. Toss until combined and serve, sprinkled with the za’atar and a few whole mint leaves. n Per serving 342 cals, fat 10.2g, sat fat 1.5g, carbs 49.4g, sugars 13.3g, protein 14g, salt 1.3g, fibre 5.6g Recipes adapted from Power Grains (Ryland Peters & Small, £9.99).

Grain expectations Vegetarian Living readers can buy Power Grains for the special price of £7.99, including p&p. Call 01256 302699 and quote reference GL1.

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James Livingstone-Wallace talks to Jon Bennett about how he left a lucrative job in finance to travel to South America in search of a Fairtrade business – and discovered quinoa.

From City trader to

Fairtrade You can see why James Livingstone-Wallace’s father-in-law thought he’d gone mad. The father of three had a top job in the City, but when the offer of redundancy came up he decided the time was right for a change. The sort of seismic change that makes parents think you’re having a major midlife crisis.

‘I was running an investment fund when the financial crash hit. I’d been working in the City for 15 years, so when voluntary redundancy was on offer I stuck my hand up.

I’d really enjoyed my time there, but decided I wasn’t going to learn any more and wanted to do something different.’

A new client base Five years later and James has ‘willed into existence’ Quinola, the UK’s first Fairtradecertified quinoa brand, which has already won six Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food.

Looking back he cheerfully admits he didn’t know what he was doing, but that he just needed to do something different.

‘I’d spent years making rich people richer

and I thought it would be good to make some poor people richer instead. I think it’s called changing your client base!’ he laughs.

‘Doing something Fairtrade really appealed.

I took my redundancy cheque and got my three children out of school and we went off travelling for the best part of a year. I wanted to use the time to find something that I could build a Fairtrade product around, but I didn’t have a clue what it would be.’

With no food industry or Fairtrade experience behind him, James really was starting from scratch. ‘I had no experience whatsoever! No network, nothing! Both my father and father-in-law thought this was a particularly bad idea; they said I was stupid doing something I knew nothing about. It worked out all right in the end, but perhaps it’s not a strategy I would recommend! I read some awful statistic when I was about three months into it that 90 per cent of food businesses close within five years, which is a pretty scary number. But in a way there is a great advantage to naivety because it makes you creative and innovative.’

Discovering quinoa The family spent six months in Latin America, visiting Brazil nut cooperatives in the Amazon jungle and mango producers, before they came across quinoa on a restaurant menu in Peru.

‘I’d never heard of quinoa – let alone eaten it – but we thought it was very interesting both in terms of taste and texture. I did a little more research on the internet and found out it was this “rock star” food in terms of protein content. We loved it as a food and there’s a massive case for eating it from a nutritional angle too.’

James laughs again when asked what market research he did to test out whether there was an appetite for the product in the UK. ‘None! I just went to see some quinoa cooperatives and got started. I found the Coopain Cabaña just north of Lake Titicaca in Southern Peru. What I liked immediately was that they have a deep respect for the land and use a sustainable approach. They grow quinoa but also have livestock and use the manure from their animals to fertilise the

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Ethicalenterprise James with members of the cooperative in Peru

Love quinoa?

Try our beetroot and quinoa bowl recipe on page 55.

land. It’s all organically certified but Fairtrade was new to them.’

The cooperative is made up of 500 farmers who produce premium pearl, red and black quinoa. James says that Fairtrade has had a huge impact on the lives of the farmers, whose annual wage he estimates at around $4,000. It guarantees them a minimum price for their product, which protects them from slumps in the market.

‘Some people might say it’s crazy to pay more than we have to, but I think it’s an ethical stance. Everyone has the right to a living wage and you can imagine the impact it has if the farmer expects to make $3,000 for his yearly crop but the market says it’s only worth $2,000 that day. They work very hard all year and I think they deserve a fair price for the work they do and some certainty about their finances.’

An extra 10 pence…

James estimates that 98 per cent of the quinoa market isn’t Fairtrade and says the public need to do more to force big

companies into taking it seriously by spending differently. ‘We have a long way to go in the UK. We’ve done a lot but Fairtrade still isn’t at the forefront of most people’s minds when they’re shopping. To me it’s wrong that we will pay a hundred quid for a pair of trainers, but we won’t spend an extra 10 pence on a chocolate bar that’s Fairtrade. That 10 pence means some poor guy growing the cocoa beans can’t send his kids to school. We need to better understand how the supply chain works, but I’m hopeful Fairtrade will grow over the next 10 years.’

He believes that telling the story of the real changes that Fairtrade brings is an excellent way of hammering home the difference. ‘I see it myself in the people we work with. Fairtrade is really important to their lives because it makes their existence a lot less hand-to-mouth. Because they know they have a minimum price they are able to financially plan and that has allowed them to buy two tractors, which is a huge thing because traditionally they would farm with oxen. Ploughing with oxen was back-

breaking work that would take a couple of days per hectare; now with the tractors they can do it in a couple of hours.’

Quinola currently has an annual revenue of around £1 million and the products are stocked by Ocado and 50 Asda stores. Now they are big enough to be taken seriously by the major supermarkets, James expects more stockists to come on board this year.

So, does his father-in-law still think he’s mad? ‘He’s all right about it now!’ he laughs.

‘Sadly my dad passed away a couple of years ago, but even he was coming round to it too.

I think I rather underestimated just how hard it would be, but there’s this huge sense of fulfilment. We literally started with nothing and have now built a company, created quite a few jobs and changed people’s lives – both the farmers and also the customers who eat our products. We eat far too much red meat and it’s dangerous for us and the planet, so getting people to eat quinoa is something that helps with that.’ l Find out more at www.quinola.com. www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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25/02/2016 14:54

Spicy courgette ginger-chilli pancakes

Photograph: Michael Swam

page 68

cooking for a crowd Serve light and healthy Indian dishes for a special lunch with the girls, or why not rustle up Russian Easter bread for a weekend treat?

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Top table Got the girls coming over for lunch? Why not serve one of Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna’s light, flavoursome Indian dishes for something delightfully different.

Spicy orange-mint lentils This healthy lentil recipe combines the refreshing citrus flavours of orange juice and fresh mint with the deep appetising aromas of garlic, cumin and fragrant curry leaves. Cream-coloured white lentils are actually black lentils, split and skinned, and they have a wonderful, mild earthy flavour.

Serves 6 | Prep 10 mins Cook 25 mins 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 large red onion, finely chopped 1 tsp red chilli powder 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cumin seeds 6–8 curry leaves 1 tsp turmeric 200g white lentils, rinsed and drained juice of 4 oranges, plus zest of 1 orange salt, to taste 2 tbsp yogurt handful of coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, chilli powder, garlic, cumin, curry leaves and turmeric and cook until fragrant, about 3–4 minutes.

2 Add the lentils, orange juice and salt with 120ml water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface.

Cook until the lentils are tender, about 15–20 minutes, and add more water, if required.

3 Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt, orange zest and mint.

Serve hot. n Per serving 179 cals, fat 4.5g, sat fat 0.4g, carbs 25.6g, sugars 7.3g, protein 9.6g, salt 1.1g, fibre 3g

Spicy orange-mint lentils photography: Michael Swam

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Lunchdate

Cauliflower with ginger and peanuts The mild and subtle cauliflower gets a new avatar in this simple dish. It’s a very good recipe for large groups, especially when you are serving meals buffet-style. The creamy cheese dressing along with the crunchy, roasted peanuts is a perfect combination for the cauliflower.

Serves 8 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 12 mins

About Vikas Vikas was born and raised in Amritsar, India, and now lives in New York. He is the host of MasterChef India and has appeared on television with Gordon Ramsay and Martha Stewart. Junoon, his Flatiron building restaurant in New York, has been awarded a Michelin star.

2 small heads of cauliflower, cut into florets salt, to taste 2 tbsp butter 5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 tsp turmeric 4 spring onions, finely sliced freshly ground black pepper, to taste 100g cream cheese 30g roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed

1 Fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the cauliflower florets and salt to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook until the cauliflower is tender and cooked through, about 8–10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a platter and keep warm.

2 Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger, turmeric and half the spring onions and cook, stirring for about 1 minute.

3 Season the butter with salt and pepper to taste and cook for another minute. Stir in the cream cheese and remove from the heat.

4 Pour the cream cheese sauce over the cauliflower and serve hot, garnished with the peanuts and reserved spring onions. n Per serving 140 cals, fat 12.1g, sat fat 6.7g, carbs 4.4g, sugars 2.9g, protein 3.6g, salt 1.1g, fibre 1.8g

Cauliflower with ginger and peanuts

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Lunchdate

Spicy courgette ginger-chilli pancakes A quick and simple recipe for savoury pancakes. Topped with soft and delicately flavoured thin courgette slices, ginger and green chillies makes this a delight. The baking powder and buttermilk added to the batter make them extra light and fluffy with a wonderful spongy texture.

Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins Cook 12 mins 150g plain flour 1 tbsp sugar 2 tsp baking powder salt, to taste 240ml buttermilk 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more if required 1 courgette, thinly sliced 5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced 3 chillies, such as serrano, minced

1 In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the buttermilk and whisk to make a smooth batter.

2 Heat a large non-stick frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Brush lightly with oil.

3 For each pancake, put 2–3 tablespoons of batter on to a frying pan. Using the back of the spoon, spread the batter into a round, 8cm in diameter. Garnish the pancake with a slice of courgette, ginger and chillies.

4 Drizzle some oil over and around the pancake. Continue to cook until bubbles form on the surface, 1–2 minutes. Turn over and cook the other side until golden brown, another minute.

5 Repeat the process with the remaining batter and serve the pancakes hot with any chutney of your choice. n Per serving 240 cals, fat 7.3g, sat fat 1.2g, carbs 37.6g, sugars 8.4g, protein 6.6g, salt 2g, fibre 1.8g

Recipes adapted from Indian Harvest

by Vikas Khanna (Bloomsbury, £24.99).

Photography by Michael Swam.

Spicy courgette ginger-chilli pancakes

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A Russian loaf affair

To welcome the bounty of spring, many cultures celebrate the start of the season of plenty with rich foods and special baked goodies. For something different, Sarah Beattie suggests making kulich – Russian Easter bread.

Greece, Eastern Europe and the Middle East contain hardboiled eggs, still in their shells.

After the privations of Lent, Easter foods are celebratory, full of cheese, cream and eggs, but in contrast to many Christmas treats, they are lighter, reflecting the spring. Dried fruit is used but it’s not so dark and dense.

Citrus – lemons, oranges and glacé peels – lift breads and puddings. Pashka, a Russian fresh-pressed cheesecake, is studded with dried fruit but it is as pale as a Christmas pudding is dark.

Easter is a time for baking. Seasonal treats fill the supermarket shelves, but making your own is not difficult and you get the added bonus of those heady spicy scents filling your kitchen. There are so many recipes to choose from: hot cross buns, Simnel cakes, buttery Easter biscuits with currants, Cornish saffron loaf or the tall Russian bread, kulich.

Much like Italian panettone, kulich is a fruited, almost brioche-type bread.

Traditionally baked in deep narrow tins to give it its characteristic shape, kulich is eaten with pashka (see my recipe in Vegetarian Living, August 2015). The recipe harks back to an earlier age. If you have seen Victorian Bakers on BBC2, you may have noticed Harpreet making a seed cake. As baking powder was not yet available, she used leaven dough to give the cake rise. The kulich

is made much in the same way, virtually combining a bread dough and a cake batter.

The kulich is usually topped with a thick white icing and decorated with cherries and angelica, but I felt that was gilding the Easter lily and omitted this stage. I used new terracotta flowerpots to bake the loaves: after they’re baked you can fill the pots with primroses or narcissus.

And if you think you’re reading this article too late to bake your kulich, don’t worry, as Russian Orthodox Easter falls on 1 May this year.

about Sarah A Vegetarian Living regular, Sarah is the author of seven cookbooks. She has been vegetarian since she was 17 and revels in the pleasure of good food through the alchemy of cooking.

She has appeared on BBC Food & Drink, This Morning and Woman’s Hour and has been shortlisted for the prestigious Guild of Food Writers Cookery Journalist of the Year award in 2013 and 2015.

Photograph: LilliRu

Easter, like Christmas, has its own special foods. Often they are rooted in traditions older than Christianity: in Judaism or earlier in Paganism. Easter heralds spring, the season of birth and rebirth and all over the world eggs are used as a symbol of this cycle and of fertility. In ancient Egypt the phoenix burns and its egg reappears from the ashes, in Hinduism the world comes from an egg, and the Romans gave eggs as prizes in spring races. Colouring and decorating eggs – especially colouring them red – has been practised for centuries, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that German confectioners started making chocolate eggs. After eggs came chocolate bunnies, hens and chicks and – here where I live in France – bells.

French tradition says that the church bells fall silent from Good Friday until they ring out on Easter Sunday. Children were told that the bells had gone to Rome and when they returned they would bring chocolate (not the Easter bunny).

Eggs are also much used in cooking for Easter. In part, this is because a hen’s lay is increased with the lengthening daylight, but also it’s because during Lent no cakes or puddings would have been consumed (except on Mothering Sunday). The Italian torta pasqualina is stuffed with whole eggs and greens, and some breads from Spain,

Follow on Twitter @sarahbeattiegra

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photograph: Sarah Beattie 2016

Gettogether

Kulich Serves 10 | Prep 20 mins + proving | Cook 1 hr 500ml whole milk good pinch of saffron 2 tsp instant dried yeast 500g strong white flour 250g butter 125g sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 free-range eggs, separated 400g plain flour 125g currants 50g almonds 50g candied peel pinch of salt 1 free-range egg yolk, for glazing (optional) 1 Warm the milk to blood heat and add the saffron. Put the yeast and flour into a large bowl and mix in the saffron milk. Mix well to make a very soft dough. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and put in a warm place to double in size.

2 Cream the butter and sugar with the vanilla until light. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Now beat in the risen dough sponge and the plain flour. Mix in the currants, almonds and peel.

3 In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with the salt until softly peaking and then gently mix into the dough.

4 Line two new 15cm terracotta flowerpots (or deep cake tins or soufflĂŠ dishes) with baking paper, allowing the paper to protrude

at least 10cm above the top edge, forming a high collar. Divide the dough between the pots or tins. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise.

5 Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

Brush the tops of the kulich with the extra egg yolk to glaze. Bake for about 1 hour, until risen, firm and dark brown on the top. Allow

to cool completely before slicing. Keep in an airtight tin.

Cook’s tip If you have any leftovers, stale kulich is excellent toasted, or made into bread and butter pudding. n Per serving 706 cals, fat 29.5g, sat fat 15.6g, carbs 96.2g, sugars 26.1g, protein 15.5g, salt 0.9g, fibre 4.2g

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Promotion

New season cooking With fresh spring ingredients arriving in the shops and markets, it’s time to revamp your tried-and-trusted recipe repertoire! Meat-free Any Day is an inspiring cookbook by Vegetarian Living’s popular food writer Sarah Beattie, featuring recipes with exciting global flavours and fresh seasonal ingredients.

This collection of over 150 exciting recipes includes ideas for everything from simple and budget-friendly midweek meals to lavish dishes for gatherings and special occasions, plus a range of tempting desserts and plenty of vegan dishes too. Meat-free Any Day is also the ideal gift for a vegetarian or vegan friend who loves to cook.

With fresh young leeks at their peak of deliciousness right now, why not showcase these versatile alliums in Sarah’s twist on the traditional risotto using orzo pasta. Plus, it’s baked in the oven so no standing and stirring!

Follow Sarah on Twitter @sarahbeattiegra

Baked leek and saffron orzotto Orzo is the pasta shaped like a fat grain of rice (or strictly speaking barley – which is what orzo means). In this recipe it is cooked like a risotto, but in Turkey, it’s added to pilaf and, in France, where it’s called avoines (meaning ‘oats’), it is served in soup. If you can’t find it you can use stellini, the tiny star-shaped pasta.

Serves 6 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 25 mins pinch of saffron strands 1 tbsp boiling water 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp oil (you could use the flavoured oil from the sundried tomatoes, below) 500g leeks, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes in oil

250g orzo 100ml dry sherry or wine (optional – if not using, increase the quantity of stock to 700ml) 600ml vegetable stock salt and pepper 50ml cream (optional) grated Italian-style hard cheese, to finish (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

Soak the pinch of saffron strands in the tablespoon of boiling water.

2 Heat the butter and oil in a flameproof casserole and gently fry the leeks with the garlic and sundried tomatoes, until the leeks are softening.

3 Add the orzo and cook, stirring for 4 minutes.

Add the wine and stir over the heat for another 2 minutes. Then add the stock and stir until just below the boil. Stir in the saffron

and season well. Cover and put into the oven for 15 minutes.

4 Stir through the cream, if using. Ladle into soup plates and dust with the cheese, if desired.

Special offer!

Vegetarian Living readers can buy Meat-free Any Day for the discount price of £9.99. To order your copy, call +44 (0)1202 586848 or order online at www.selectps.com.

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24/02/2016 10:40

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27/11/2015 11:23:51

Something for everyone Discover how to keep family food interesting by trying new ingredients or techniques, plus encourage your kids to make their own forest feast!

Curried rice salad with mango dip

Photograph: Chava Eichner

page 80

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photography: Erin Gleeson

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Homecooking

California dreaming The beautiful cookbooks created by artist, photographer and author Erin Gleeson offer a taste of her idyllic life in a West Coast woodland cabin.

Moving to a cabin in the woods not only led to a change of lifestyle and career for New York-based photographer Erin Gleeson, it also provided an opportunity to change her creative direction.

After years spent building a career as a food photographer in New York, Erin’s husband Jonathan was offered a job in Northern California, the pair stumbled across an advert for a cabin in the woods an hour outside San Francisco, and were sold on the idea of a complete change of scenery.

‘It was tough starting my career from scratch again!’ she admits. ‘But I also saw it as an opportunity to reinvent my work. However, I never anticipated that living in this place would change the style of my artwork so significantly.’

After working for clients such as The New York Times and the James Beard Foundation in New York, Erin discovered her edgy portfolio didn’t have anything that reflected the earthier, more Californian vibe that editors in San Francisco were looking for.

‘I started my blog as a way to post new work online, and to motivate myself to shoot in a new way. I didn’t set out to be a blogger and was pleasantly surprised to get such a positive response from followers,’ she says.

An artist who loves food Despite having just published her second cookbook, Erin says she had never considered writing her own recipes previously. ‘Not at all! I’m an artist who loves food. I started out as a food photographer, but I learned a lot from cooking with my family as a child and spent years experimenting on my own. Because I’m a home cook, my recipes are quite simple. Many of them have fewer than five ingredients and I believe anyone can make them.’

Erin’s childhood growing up in a vegan family with parents who were keen kitchen gardeners has provided invaluable experience for her new career direction, and she also finds creative cooking inspiration from the rich pickings of the Californian larder on her doorstep. ‘Because we now live on the West Coast the offerings are good year-round, so I feel very lucky. My cooking style is simple, vegetable-based and focused on fresh ingredients. I try to let the flavours of the fruits and vegetables shine by using just a few ingredients. Although I’m not a strict vegetarian, all my books and home cooking are vegetarian, since that’s the way I know how to cook best and it’s the way we eat on a daily basis.’

Her first cookbook, The Forest Feast – a New York Times bestseller – was her first foray into publishing her nowtrademark collages of watercolour painting, photography and handwriting that make this book series so distinctive.

‘This style began with the first book project.

I’d never combined my illustration with my photography before,’ she explains. ‘I always thought you had to choose one medium as a professional artist and focus on that, and for me that had always been photography. I’ve always enjoyed doing watercolour illustration on the side, and after our move to California I found myself starting over with nothing to lose and began to play around with the combination to make collages. The collages got such a positive response on my blog that I continued making them.’

A handful of simple ingredients As a relatively new mother to a toddler, perhaps inevitably Erin’s latest book in the series focuses on inspirational family eating.

The Forest Feast for Kids is packed with

simple recipes that children will love – and that they’ll enjoy making themselves too.

‘I’m a mother now, so I see what a challenge it can be to get your kids to eat vegetables!’ she laughs. ‘But I think the more colourful and interactive you can make their food, the better chance you have of getting them to eat it. My son Ezra loves avocados – which come in our weekly farm box practically all year – and he loves being in the kitchen. He’s 18 months now and we’ve just started to enjoy making challah bread together.’

For anyone with a fussy eater, Erin advises persistence and getting them to be more hands-on in preparing meals. ‘I think as much as you can involve kids in the whole food-making and growing process the better. And I’ve also realised that you just have to keep introducing fresh foods to them. As my mom always said when I was little, “Maybe today you’ll like it”.’

Reflecting on her transition to a rural life from the fast pace of NYC, Erin says it’s been the right move for a better quality of family life. ‘While I think there is so much value in a child being exposed to the rich diversity a city can offer, I love the fact that we can spend so much time outdoors year-round here. The slower pace and the constant exposure to nature is also quite valuable. But thank goodness San Francisco is only an hour away!’ l Erin’s latest book, The Forest Feast for Kids (Abrams Books for Young Readers, £11.99) is available now. The third book in the series, featuring vegetarian menus for entertaining, The Forest Feast Gatherings, will be published in September 2016.

Read more about Erin’s life and work at www.theforestfeast.com. www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Edamame hummus

Erin’s new recipes for kids Edamame hummus Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins 310g shelled edamame beans 60ml lemon juice (around 1–2 lemons, seeds removed) 60ml water 1 tbsp tahini 3 cloves garlic, peeled ¼ tsp salt ½ tsp cumin 7ml olive oil To serve: sprinkling of paprika and sliced raw vegetables, e.g. cucumber, peppers Combine everything in a food processor until very creamy. Scoop the mixture into a bowl. Sprinkle the hummus with paprika and serve with raw sliced vegetables. n Per serving 172 cals, fat 11.8g, sat fat 1.6g, carbs 4.5g, sugars 2g, protein 12.7g, salt 0.5g, fibre 7.8g

Kale and black bean tacos

Kale and black bean tacos Serves 4 | Prep/cook 15 mins 6 leaves of flat-leaf kale 1 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1/8 tsp salt 430g can black beans, drained 15cm corn tortillas 78 |

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Homecooking Recipes adapted from The Forest Feast for Kids by Erin Gleeson (Abrams Books for Young Readers, £11.99). Photography by Erin Gleeson.

Greek parfaits

To serve: Greek yogurt hot sauce or salsa lemon juice 1 Slice the leaves of kale into thin strips. Sauté in a pan with the olive oil, minced garlic and salt on a medium heat for 3 minutes, or until bright green and slightly wilted.

2 Add the drained black beans to the pan and stir until hot, then spoon into warm corn tortillas, and fold.

3 To serve, top each taco with 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt, a dash of hot sauce or salsa, and a squeeze of lemon juice. n Per serving 278 cals, fat 10.8g, sat fat 4.9g, carbs 34.3g, sugars 4.8g, protein 11.2g, salt 1.6g, fibre 7.9g Serve without the Greek yogurt, or opt for a plain non-dairy alternative.

Greek parfaits Serves 1 | Prep 10 mins 30g fresh raspberries 120ml Greek yogurt 3 tbsp chopped dried figs 2 tbsp chopped pecans 2 tbsp chopped pistachios 2 tbsp honey 1 tsp olive oil, to serve (optional) In a small, clear glass, make alternating layers starting with raspberries at the bottom, then yogurt, mixed dried figs and nuts, a drizzle of honey, then another layer of yogurt. Repeat the layers ending with a dollop of yogurt and a single raspberry on the top. Drizzle with the olive oil, if using. n Per serving 774 cals, fat 51.7g, sat fat 11.1g, carbs 62.1g, sugars 60.7g, protein 16.1g, salt 0.6g, fibre 9.7g

Forest fun Vegetarian Living readers can buy The Forest Feast for Kids by Erin Gleeson for the special price of £8.99, including free p&p in the UK. To order, call 01903 828503 and quote ref 50529.

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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If you’re stuck in a kitchen rut and bored with your usual repertoire of family meals, Chava Eichner suggests playing with new recipes, different ingredients or an untried technique to get your cooking mojo back!

You’ve come home from a busy day, exhausted, and the last thing you feel like doing is cooking a fancy meal. We’ve all been there. That’s why the supermarket shelves are stacked with ready meals, pre-prepared veg and frozen pies. In our busy lives we sometimes have to opt for convenience and super-quick, easy dishes. Cooking just for necessity rather than enjoyment quickly gets boring, though.

Wouldn’t it be a shame if our love for cooking and experimenting got lost along the way?

When my boys were little I was at that place too.

I often found myself opening fridge, cupboards and drawers and quickly throwing something together – as long as it covered the nutritional boxes I was happy enough. Food had always been such a major part of my life and my work, but suddenly I felt bored by my own meals!

So how do we get out of a dull dinner rut and feel inspired again? As children we play to learn and I think that’s a great philosophy to keep things fresh in the kitchen too. I encourage you to go beyond the ‘salivating at gorgeous picture’ stage. Grab your shopping list and add those new ingredients!

Even if it’s just once a week, try to make something that really inspires you. Whether that’s an exotic foreign meal, a new ingredient or a technique you’ve never tried. There are lots of wonderful dishes in this month’s issue of VL. Or how about browsing through recipe blogs or getting inspired by a cookery course? There are some brilliant (day or evening) courses available.

The Vegetarian Society and Demuths Cookery School offer unusual, fun options. Our Lizzy cookery school is another great choice with its allvegan range of courses.

Funnily enough, it was the open ravioli recipe (opposite) that got me ‘playing’ this month. I discovered, to my dismay, that you shouldn’t precook a whole stack of dried lasagne sheets at the same time. Some stick together and some fall apart. Apparently, you need to do it in batches. As a result, though, I decided to give the whole ‘pastamaking business’ a go. It was so easy and so much fun! It actually did feel like playing – a mixture of playdough and cutting out biscuits.

I hope you’re inspired to try out something new this month and I’d really love to hear about it.

Connect via Twitter @flavourphotos and share your latest kitchen success!

Curried rice salad with mango dip

Curried rice salad with mango dip

This colourful salad makes a perfect lunch to brighten your day.

Alternatively, you could serve it with samosas and crispy onion bhajis as part of a buffet.

Serves 6 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 20 mins 250g easy-cook basmati rice 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 large carrot 2 tbsp dairy-free margarine 1½ tsp paprika 1½ tbsp medium-hot curry powder 1 tsp mixed spice or ground cinnamon 1 tbsp brown sugar 2–3 tbsp unsalted pistachios, chopped 50g dried cranberries salt fresh coriander or parsley, chopped For the mango dip: 1 fresh mango, peeled 4 tbsp dairy-free mayonnaise 5 tbsp dairy-free yogurt 1 Place the rice and turmeric in a large saucepan with boiling water. Cut the carrot finely – a julienne cutter would be great if you have one. Add the carrot for the last 2–3 minutes of cooking time, then drain the rice and set aside.

2 While the rice is cooking, prepare the dip. Place the mango flesh, mayonnaise and yogurt in a blender and whizz until smooth. Pour the dip into a bowl to serve with the salad.

3 Now melt the margarine in a saucepan and stir in the paprika, curry powder, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Heat for a couple of minutes until the spices are warmed through and fragrant. Stir in the rice, cranberries, pistachios and fresh herbs. Season with salt to taste and serve with a generous drizzle of mango dip. n Per serving 436 cals, fat 23.9g, sat fat

2.8g, carbs 50g, sugars 14.4g, protein 6.6g, salt 1.3g, fibre 4g

Open ravioli with spinach and almond ‘ricotta’ As I mentioned before, it’s absolutely fine to use shop-bought lasagne sheets; you’ll just need to cook them in batches to make sure they don’t stick together. Once you’ve cooked your pasta sheets place them next to each other on a plate and keep warm.

If you’ve got a microwave, you could heat the pasta once more just before serving. To serve, I made a quick tomato salad by cutting red and yellow tomatoes into small pieces, adding some olive oil, a dash of vinegar, salt, a little agave nectar and sliced basil leaves. It looks fantastic on the plate with some fresh rocket leaves. You can, of course, serve it with a warm tomato sauce, if you prefer.

Serves 4 | Prep 25 mins | Cook 25 mins For the filling: 2 tbsp olive oil ½ medium onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed

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Familyfare 200g fresh spinach, finely chopped 75g ground almonds 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes zest of ½ lemon 2 tbsp lemon juice 5 tbsp soya milk salt and freshly ground black pepper For the pasta: 100g fine semolina 60g plain flour 75ml water 1 To make the pasta, combine the semolina and flour in a bowl and add enough water to make a dough that’s soft enough to roll out but not sticky. Add a little more flour/water to get the right consistency.

2 Take a quarter of the dough and roll it out as thinly as you can on a floured surface.

Keep turning it over, sprinkling with a little more flour and rolling it out again.

3 When the pasta is about 2mm thin cut a long rectangular shape. Try to cut it a bit larger than a traditional lasagne sheet for a good sized ravioli. Continue with the remaining dough until you have 4 portions.

Set aside until you’ve made the filling.

4 Heat the oil and sauté the onion gently until softened. Add the crushed garlic and chopped spinach. When the spinach has started to wilt, add the remaining ingredients. Stir well for another couple of minutes until evenly combined. Season the filling with salt and pepper to taste.

5 Now cook your fresh pasta sheets, two at a time, for 3–4 minutes. Place a ravioli piece on each plate, spoon a quarter of the spinach filling on top and fold the pasta over. Serve with a tomato salad (see above) or traditional tomato sauce.

COOK’S TIP Any leftover pasta dough will be great for making homemade pasta shapes. n Per serving 342 cals, fat 17.5g, sat fat 1.9g, carbs 33.6g, sugars 3.3g, protein 13.1g, salt 1.2g, fibre 3.8g

German chocolate layer cake Known as Kalter Hund (literally ‘cold dog’!), this dessert brings back many childhood memories for me. It’s really popular in Germany and this vegan version works a treat. If you have any leftover Easter chocolate you need to give this stunning ‘no-bake’ cake a try. Nobody would guess how easy it is to make!

Serves 20 | Prep/cook 15 mins + chilling 100g coconut oil 150g dairy-free chocolate, broken into pieces 75g icing sugar

Open ravioli with spinach and almond ‘ricotta’

100ml dairy-free cream 20 vegan rich tea biscuit fingers apricot jam or orange marmalade (optional) 1 Place the solid coconut oil and broken chocolate in a metal bowl and heat over a pan of simmering water, until melted. Sift in the icing sugar, add the cream and stir well until evenly combined.

2 Cover the inside of a 20cm loaf tin with cling film or baking paper. I stick my paper to the sides of the tin with a little margarine.

3 If you’re using the jam, spread it thinly on your biscuits. Now add a first layer of chocolate cream to the bottom of the tin, just a few tablespoons. Place a layer of biscuits over the top – keep them as flat as you can.

The more even they are the better it will look when sliced.

4 Continue with layers of chocolate cream and biscuits. Finish with a final layer of chocolate cream and chill the tin in the fridge until the chocolate is firm, ideally overnight.

5 To serve, cut the cake into thin slices and decorate with fresh fruit.

COOK’S TIP I like Morrisons’ own-brand rich tea biscuit fingers. n Per serving 147 cals, fat 8.9g, sat fat 6.4g, carbs 16g, sugars 12.2g, protein 1g, salt 0.1g, fibre 0.5g

‘As children we play to learn and I think that’s a great philosophy to keep things fresh in the kitchen too’

German chocolate layer cake

ABOUT CHAVA Chava Eichner is a freelance food writer and photographer who passionately creates for Viva!, Animal Aid and National Vegetarian Week, among many others.

She lives in the Cotswolds with her partner David and two young boys, Sam (8) and Alex (6). Visit her website and blog to find more mouth-watering food inspiration at www.flavourphotos.com.

Follow on Twitter @flavourphotos

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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24/02/2016 10:41

, It s grow time!

The outdoor gym This year’s RHS National Gardening Week on 11–17 April has a ‘get fit in the garden’ theme, encouraging people to exercise by raking, weeding, digging and doing other gardening tasks. The fitness benefits apply to kids too, and encouraging the whole family to get involved in gardening together is an ideal way for children (and grown-ups) who aren’t so keen on sports to get moving and enjoy the outdoors.

Plus, they’ll love to see the plants growing and eventually eat their healthy harvest!

Get them started with our easy seedling project using recycled materials (opposite), or head to the RHS website, which has lots of family-friendly ideas to try in the ‘Learn’ section at www.rhs.org.uk, including making a garden diary and building a bee hotel, plus advice on growing different types of flowers. We also like the fun projects and ideas at www. gardeningwithchildren.co.uk.

To inspire budding gardeners, don’t forget to check out some of the open garden events going on all around the country for

DO

National Gardening Week at www.nationalgardeningweek. org.uk too.

If you’re not a green-fingered family, why not take the kids foraging instead? Tramping through the fields and woods is

Avocado takes the biscuit!

Before baking, this mixture tastes (and looks!) very vegetable-like, but once cooked these dairy- and gluten-free cookies are gooey, soft and really chocolatey.

Avocado chocolate cookies Makes 6 large cookies Prep 15 mins Cook 15 mins 1 ripe avocado (when it’s peeled and stoned you’ll need around 100g) 1 free-range egg 150g light brown soft sugar 40g cocoa powder 40g plain or milk chocolate, melted pinch of salt 50g gluten-free flour (any combination of the following will work: standard GF flour, rice flour, gram flour) 1 tsp vanilla bean paste ½ tsp xanthan gum (optional: without this, your cookie will be crumblier) 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

great exercise, and they’ll love picking their own wild garlic and nettles to take home – especially if they make our nettle and lemon cupcakes (see page 21). Turn to page 19 for expert foraging tips!

cook

80g plain chocolate, roughly chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2 Scoop the avocado flesh into a large bowl and thoroughly mash until a smooth green goo is formed – no lumps please!

3 Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until a shiny consistent wet mixture is formed.

It will look like a very sticky and dark-coloured cake batter rather than a firm cookie dough. Add most of the chocolate chunks, reserving some of the larger pieces to press into the top of each cookie before baking.

4 Using two metal spoons, dollop even-sized round-shaped cookies on to the lined baking tray – larger is always better with these ones, and they don’t spread much when baking. If you prefer a thicker, fudgier cookie, pile the mixture high and be prepared to bake for the full time. If you like a thinner, chewier cookie then spread it out more and bake

for less time. Press a couple of chocolate chunks into the top.

5 Bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes. Allow to cool.

The cookies will still be slightly soft to the touch when done, but firm up and go nice and gooey after cooling. n Per cookie 295 cals, fat 11.4g, sat fat 5.3g, carbs 43.7g, sugars 35.8g, protein 5g, salt 0.6g, fibre 2.8g

Recipe adapted from Bee’s Brilliant Biscuits by Bee Berrie (Pavilion, £12.99) Photography by Haarala Hamilton.

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Littlelife

BUY

We love…

Make gardening more fun with this cute flamingo watering can! £8.95 from www.dotcomgiftshop.com.

Plant your own seeds... in loo rolls!

GROW

Turn household waste and recyclables into containers for your seedlings – and watch them grow into edible and ornamental delights.

hot & tasty

The weather’s getting warmer and picnics may be on the agenda again – but sometimes only a hot lunch will do. Tum Tum has launched a range of insulated stainless steel thermal food flasks that keep food hot for up to five hours and cold for up to seven hours.

Now kids can enjoy their favourite pasta at the perfect temperature, even at the park! l £17 from www.tumtumtots.com and also at Amazon.

Propagation is the process of creating new plants from seeds, cuttings, roots or bulbs. Seeds can be propagated, or ‘raised’ in a number of ways, including in items destined for the compost or recycling bin, like eggshells, egg cartons, toilet rolls and newspaper. Biodegradable containers like these are ideal for raising seeds in, as unlike the plastic trays you buy seedlings in at a plant nursery, they can be placed directly in the soil. This reduces ‘transplant shock’, and increases seedlings’ chances of survival.

Eggshells offer the added bonus of providing extra calcium for your plants and soil.

Preparing your seeds

1

Label your chosen containers with the date and type of seeds you are planting, so that you can see how long it takes for your seeds to germinate.

2

If using egg cartons, simply place them on a waterproof tray. Before you start, make sure you provide drainage by holding a needle in the flame of a candle until it’s hot, then carefully piercing a hole in the bottom of each eggshell (adult supervision required!). Toilet paper and newspaper rolls can be placed vertically and side by side in a dish with a decent lip, like a baking tray or pie dish.

3

Fill the containers with your seed-raising mix, gently pressing into each container.

Plant one seed per container if the seeds are large (such as peas and beans), and a pinch of seeds if they are smaller (such as lettuce or rocket). Plant larger seeds deeper, and smaller seeds closer to the surface. Make sure your seeds are covered by a thin layer of seed-raising mix.

4

Place the containers in a light and protected location, but not in direct sunlight as this can burn delicate seedlings.

Water gently – the soil should be kept moist but not saturated.

5

Your seedlings will initially produce two leaves called cotyledons, followed by the plant’s true leaves. Once three to four true leaves have grown, it’s time to plant out your seedlings. Gently take one container at a time and plant in your garden, patio pots or window box, just below the surface soil. Refer to the seed packet for advice on spacing, then give your newly planted seedlings a good soak, and enjoy watching them grow.

Project adapted from 365 Nature: Projects to connect you with nature everyday by Anna Carlie (Hardie Grant, £25). www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Everyday food, fit for every occasion... ...easy to make and even easier to eat!

Made in the U.K. by

Vefgam halfpage:Vegfam Half page

www.justwholefoods.co.uk

09/12/2013

13:44

Page 1

a totally vegetarian company

Vegfam “Feeds The Hungry Without Exploiting Animals” by funding sustainable, self-supporting plant food projects providing food security for children and adults throughout the world; alleviating hunger, malnutrition, starvation and thirst.

Long-term Projects: seeds and tools for vegetable growing, fruit and nut tree planting, irrigation and water wells.

Also emergency relief in times of crisis and disaster.

Recent Beneficiaries: flood/earthquake survivors, HIV/AIDS sufferers, homeless people, marginalised communities, orphanages, refugees, schools/colleges, villagers and tribal people.

Vegfam is professionally operated by volunteers, so as much as possible is spent on funding the projects.

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES ENABLE US TO CONTINUE PROVIDING LIFE SAVING PROJECTS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTEN OUT OF REACH OF THE MAJOR CHARITIES AND WHO ARE IN MUCH NEED.

www.vegfamcharity.org.uk Vegfam, c/o Cwm Cottage, Cwmynys, Cilycwm, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales, SA20 0EU. Tel: 01550 721197 /+44 1550 721197.

RCN 232208. Established 1963.

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Roasted vegetable stack with cashew ‘cheese’

photograph: Julie Renouf

page 89

mindful meals Try healthy dishes packed with real wholefood ingredients and bags of flavour, plus have a go at fermenting with easy, vibrant kraut recipes.

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The real deal Australian nutritionist and food writer Chrissy Freer reveals how to make healthy wholefood dishes that are good for you – but don’t look or taste like ‘diet’ food.

Oat and ricotta pancakes with avocado salsa These light, wheat-free pancakes are based on protein-rich ricotta and finely processed oats, which are an excellent source of soluble fibre. For a sweet version, serve the pancakes with chopped walnuts and a drizzle of honey.

Serves 4 | Prep 15 mins | Cook 10 mins 100g rolled oats 230g ricotta cheese 4 free-range eggs 60ml milk 1 tsp baking powder 150g sweet potato, finely grated olive oil, for brushing 50g baby English spinach leaves

photography: Julie Renouf

For the avocado salsa: 200g cherry tomatoes, halved 1 small avocado, diced 2 tbsp chopped herbs, such as chives, basil or flat-leaf parsley 2 tsp olive oil

Oat and ricotta pancakes with avocado salsa

1 For the avocado salsa, toss together the tomatoes, avocado, herbs and olive oil.

2 Process the oats in a food processor until they form a coarse flour. Add the ricotta, eggs, milk and baking powder and process until smooth. Stir in the sweet potato.

3 Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Ladle one-third of a cup of batter per pancake into the pan. Cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Keep warm while you cook the rest, adding a little more oil if necessary.

4 Serve 2 pancakes per person, topped with the avocado salsa and baby spinach leaves. n Per serving 415 cals, fat 25.7g, sat fat 8.2g, carbs 29g, sugars 5.7g, protein 17.5g, salt 0.8g, fibre 6g

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Goodfood Tofu and vegetable curry with raita Tofu is a rich source of complete vegetarian protein: it contains all the essential amino acids and is rich in phytonutrients, which have diseasefighting properties. For curries, firm tofu works best because it retains its shape and absorbs the flavours of the spices. Finely chopped macadamia nuts enrich and thicken the sauce.

Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins | Cook 30 mins 1 tbsp macadamia or peanut oil 350g firm tofu, cut into 2cm cubes 1 aubergine, cut into 3cm cubes 1 onion, finely chopped 2 long red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tsp grated ginger 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp paprika 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped 375ml homemade or low-salt vegetable stock 2 large carrots, sliced into rounds 150g green beans, sliced 2 tbsp finely chopped macadamia nuts For the raita: 260g natural yogurt 1 grated cucumber 2 tbsp chopped mint 1 clove garlic, crushed squeeze of lemon juice steamed quinoa or brown rice, to serve 1 Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large wok or non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the tofu and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes or until golden. Remove

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the tofu, add 2 more teaspoons of oil to the wok and stir-fry the aubergine for 2 minutes or until golden. Remove the aubergine.

2 Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining oil and stir-fry the onion for 3 minutes until light golden. Add the chilli, garlic, ginger and spices and stirfry for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients to make the raita.

4 Return the tofu and aubergine to the wok with the green beans. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the beans are just tender. Stir in the macadamias.

5 Serve the curry with raita and steamed quinoa or brown rice. n Per serving 540 cals, fat 19.2g, sat fat 3.1g, carbs 71g, sugars 17.7g, protein 23.6g, salt 0.6g, fibre 12.4g Serve the curry without raita or choose a soya variety of natural yogurt.

24/02/2016 10:42

Roasted vegetable stack with ‘cashew cheese’

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Goodfood Roasted vegetable stack with cashew ‘cheese’ Even the most committed meat-eater will love this vegetable stack. The lentils in the tomato sauce add protein, the mushrooms are rich in B vitamins and the cashew ‘cheese’ is a delicious stand-in for the traditional cheese sauce. What’s more, the cashews offer a good dose of healthy fats and magnesium, assisting heart health.

Serves 6 | Prep 30 mins | Cook 1 hr 850g sweet potato, cut into thin rounds 1 large aubergine (about 550g), cut into 5mm slices olive oil spray 1 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp extra for drizzling 1 red onion, finely chopped 200g mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 70g red lentils, rinsed ¼ cup basil leaves, plus extra to garnish 3 large courgettes 1 quantity of cashew cheese (see recipe, right) 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. Place the sliced sweet potato and aubergine on the trays and spray them with olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes, turning and swapping the trays halfway through cooking, until golden and tender.

2 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes or until browned. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, lentils and 170ml water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender and the sauce is thick. Stir in the basil and season to taste.

3 Cut the courgettes into long ribbons with a vegetable peeler, stopping when you reach the seeds.

4 Lightly spray a 2-litre ovenproof dish with olive oil. Spread half a cup of the tomato mixture in the dish. Arrange a third of the courgette ribbons overlapping in a single layer on top of the tomato.

5 Top with half the aubergine and half the sweet potato. Spread with half the cashew cheese and half the remaining tomato mixture.

Repeat with half the remaining courgette and all the remaining aubergine, sweet potato, cashew cheese and tomato mixture. Finish with the layer of courgette and drizzle with extra oil.

6 Bake for 20–25 minutes or until bubbling.

Leave for 5 minutes before cutting, and serve garnished with basil. n Per serving 517 cals, fat 27.7g, sat fat 7.7g, carbs 51.5g, sugars 18.6g, protein 16.5g, salt 0.6g, fibre 11.3g

Cashew cheese Makes 400g 235g unsalted raw cashew nuts 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp white wine vinegar 2 tsp Dijon mustard 125ml coconut milk or water Place the cashews in a large bowl, cover with cold water and soak for 3 hours.

Drain. Combine the cashews, lemon juice, vinegar and mustard in a blender.

Blend on high speed, gradually adding the coconut milk, until the cashews are smooth and have the consistency of thick cream cheese.

Cook’s tip This cashew cheese will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Recipes adapted from Real Delicious by Chrissy Freer (Murdoch Books, £14.99).

Photography by Julie Renouf. www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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photograph: Courtney Apple

Hot pink kraut at 1 day (left) and 2 weeks (right)

handy pickle

How to…

Make your own kraut

Fermenting is experiencing a renaissance at the moment.

From fashionable Korean kimchi to traditional British pickled onions, preserving is a surprisingly easy way to introduce an incredible new flavour dimension to your cooking. Plus, fermenting fans say these foods are rich in feelgood probiotics and nutrients too.

If you’re new to pickling, making kraut is one of the simplest techniques to master, and even the most basic recipe – which uses just salt and cabbage – tastes extraordinary.

Here we show you how to make a beautiful pink pickle that will convert even the most krautsceptic, and an interesting variation – a dessert kraut.

Hot pink kraut Makes 900g 675g green cabbage 225g red cabbage 4 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp mustard seeds 3 juniper berries

Prepare the cabbage leaves Remove any unattractive or wilted outer leaves from the cabbages, reserving one. Cut out the core and rinse the leaves.

Shred into 0.5cm-wide strips.

Massage in the salt Place in a large bowl, add the salt, and toss thoroughly for about 30 seconds or until the cabbage has a sheen of moisture on it. Gently massage and squeeze the cabbage, or let it sit for a bit, to make the work easier, until there is a visible puddle of water in the bottom of the bowl

and the cabbage pieces stay in a clump when squeezed.

Add the spices Add the cumin and mustard seeds to the mix, and continue tossing and massaging the strips of cabbage.

Pack in a preserving jar Place the juniper berries into a clean 1-litre jar. Now pack the mixture. First, pack it along the bottom using the top of your fist or your fingers. Continue packing in this fashion, pressing along the sides and bottom, until it comes to 4–5cm below the rim.

If you need more space, press down on the cabbage and tilt the jar to pour cabbage liquid back into the bowl.

Weight the cabbage down Use the reserved cabbage leaf to create a ‘cabbage shelf’ (see details, opposite). Pour the cabbage liquid from the bowl

into the jar to cover the cabbage.

Leave 4–5cm of headspace at the top of the jar. Weight the cabbage down (see opposite for tips) and cover your jar. watch out! Red cabbage juice

is a beautiful, vibrant purple that will stain just about anything, so place your jar on a small plate or in a small plastic bag for the duration of fermentation. On the off chance that your jar bubbles over, stains won’t be a concern.

Leave to ferment Allow to ferment at room temperature for 3–4 weeks.

Check weekly to make sure that the brine level is still above the top of the cabbage. If it isn’t, press down on your weight to get the brine to rise back above. Once you’re happy with the acidity, remove the weight, secure the lid, and place the jar in the fridge.

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Kitchentutorial How to make a cabbage shelf Those less-than-perfect outer cabbage leaves you set aside are good for more than the compost pile. That sturdy rib makes a great shelf for your chosen fermentation weight, and the leafy part around it can be tucked down around the sides of your kraut or piled up and pressed down on top of the rib, creating a layer that protects the surface of your sauerkraut from any surface yeasts that could form.

To make your shelf, simply tear away the outer edges of a leaf until you’re left with a piece that is roughly twice as large as your jar opening.

Press the rib on to the top of the cabbage and tuck the leafy ends down around the sides of the kraut. Pour some of the remaining brine over the top of the leaf, leaving 4–5cm of space between the surface of the brine and the rim of the jar.

When the kraut tastes sour enough, you can discard the leaf and refrigerate the jar.

Other ideas

Weighty matters There are many different ways to weight down and submerge your fermenting kraut. You can buy special pickle or fermentation weights, but if you’re new to fermenting, you can simply use a small zip-lock sandwich bag filled with some of the salty brine from your recipe. Do not fill the bag completely, but zip securely and place on top of the vegetables in the jar. Using brine in the bag ensures that if the bag does leak, the salt concentration of the ferment will not be altered.

Alternatively, you can use clean glass marbles or ceramic baking weights wrapped in a piece of cheesecloth.

Carrot cake kraut

How to use your kraut l Traditional German sauerkraut is used to top a hot dog – pile your hot pink kraut on to a veggie sausage or burger in a good quality roll or bun. l Alternatively, serve on the side with veggie sausages and mash. l Add punchy flavour and colour to almost anything with lashings of kraut – try it on homemade pizza, salads or grill under cheese on toast for a quick snack. l Try the carrot cake kraut with vanilla ice cream for a pudding with a healthy twist!

Carrot cake kraut Makes 900g 790g cabbage 2 carrots 1 tbsp kosher salt 2.5cm piece of ginger, unpeeled and grated 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground nutmeg 55g pecans, coarsely chopped 35g unsweetened raisins Prepare the cabbage and carrots as opposite, then massage in the salt. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to massage, mixing them in as you go, until the cabbage pieces stay in a clump when squeezed. Pack your mixture in a preserving jar, weight it down then leave to ferment.

Recipes adapted from Ferment Your Vegetables

by Amanda Feifer (Fair Winds, £15.99).

Photography by Courtney Apple. www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Spring clean

by Sara Niven, beauty editor

Creams, gels, foams and oils – there are so many options when it comes to cleansing and getting your skin new-season ready!

Organic Surge Gentle Cleansing Lotion With rosemary and lemon essential oils and skin-calming chamomile and aloe vera, this veganfriendly product would be a good option for skin that is quick to flush or is easily irritated. £7.50 from www. organicsurge.com

Katherine Daniels Essential Cleansing Gel A lightly foaming, gentle cleansing gel that is free from mineral oil and parabens. Although not cheap, the large 200ml size does last well. £19 from www. katherinedaniels cosmetics.com

MuLondon Organic Lavender Foaming Face Wash A foaming face cleanser with lavender essential oil, jojoba and rosemary, this vegan formulation is suitable for dry and sensitive skins. It contains no SLS or detergents, so cleans gently without stripping the natural oils from your skin. £13 from www.mulondon.com

B. Pure Micellar Oil This new veganfriendly oil-to-milk cleanser is effective even on waterproof make-up and contains moisturising pomegranate, vitamin E and chia seed oils. Our tester enjoyed the feel on her face and considered it great value for money. £6.99 from Superdrug

Green People Gentle Cleanse & Make-up Remover A certified organic, alcohol-free two-in-one cleansing lotion that even did a reasonable job on waterproof mascara. It has anti-inflammatory and skin-nurturing properties from calendula and shea butter, so didn’t leave our tester’s skin feeling tight.

From £12.50 for 50ml at www.greenpeople.co.uk

Disclaimer: Vegetarian Living only features products that are entirely vegetarian and/or vegan in formulation. The magazine also requests an assurance that the product and ingredients within it are not tested on animals and the company does not carry out or fund animal testing either in the UK or overseas. However formulations can change and policies can vary so we would advise checking directly with the companies if you have any concerns.

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Beautynotes

Out of this world

Exfoliating should be a regular part of any skincare routine.

Here are three products to help you scrub up well.

1

With natural pumice to remove dead skin cells and sandalwood to soothe and moisturise, this would be a good option for sensitive skin, and is free of parabens and SLS. £12.99 from www.urbanveda.co.uk

Exfoliators

2

One for the guys – although we’re told this new scrub is also being snapped up by women looking for a more intense exfoliator!

This heavy-duty product contains charcoal, cocoa butter and walnut shell and offers a stronger, more effective scrub.

Vegan friendly. £5.99 from Superdrug

3

This is a fresh-smelling exfoliator with a natural formulation and is suitable for all skin types, from oily to sensitive.

Our tester felt her skin looked more radiant after using. £27.50 from www.botanicalbrands.com

Radiant beauty Vegetarian Living readers can get £9.50 off the usual price of Living Nature Skin Revive Exfoliant and buy it for just £18, plus £3.75 p&p, during April. Visit the offers page at www.botanicalbrands.com.

Making headlines All Paul Mitchell hair products are cruelty-free and the company aims to spread the word to ensure others follow suit. This year, all profits from sales of their Take Home haircare bags will be donated to Cruelty Free International, the leading organisation working to end animal experiments worldwide and creators of the leaping bunny logo featured on all the bags.

The haircare bags are available from Paul Mitchell salons and include two products designed for different hair types, with prices ranging from £17.80 to £28.50. Visit www.paul-mitchell.co.uk for your nearest stockist.

Like many working mums, even managing to dash out for an eyebrow shape once a month can feel like a decadent luxury. So when I was offered the opportunity to review a threehour pampering treatment, I didn’t need asking twice!

I had no idea what to expect from The Planets – the recently launched treatment at my nearest Lush spa – except that it would involve a facial and body massage.

But three delightful hours whizzed by in a haze of lemon grass-scented massage and dramatic music with swirling planets and stars projected on to the ceiling of the therapy room.

The treatment was divided into past, present and future, represented by a body massage, hand treatment and facial – and even included a (scarily accurate) palm reading over a cup of herbal tea with Harry Potter-style theatrics thrown in for good measure!

There’s a lot of one-to-one therapist time involved, so it’s not cheap at £285.

But for a very special one-off treat – like a milestone birthday – this is the most fun and original way to be pampered I’ve ever experienced. The treatment can be individually tailored to use all-vegan products too. There are eight Lush spas across the UK; visit www.lush.co.uk for more information.

It’s a wrap

Grab a goodie bag!

These pretty little make-up brush rolls (£7) will help keep everything in one place and are handmade by keen seamstress Jane Lincoln from Buckinghamshire. Visit www.janes-sewingbox.co.uk.

We have five Paul Mitchell Moisture Bags to give away. Each bag includes a 300ml Moisture Daily Shampoo and 200ml Moisture Daily Treatment worth £22, plus a Limited Edition Paddle Brush worth £12.25. To enter, go to www.vegetarianliving.co.uk/ offers.php. Competition closes midday 9 March 2016. www.vegetarianliving.co.uk

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Laksa Lemak: rachel demuth Photography: Rob wicks/eat pictures

Vegetarian Living, PO Box 6337 Bournemouth BH1 9EH Subscription enquiries t. +44 (0)1202 586848 • chris@selectps.com

Editorial Editor Lindsey Harrad lindsey@vegmag.co.uk Group Managing Editor Sarah Moran sarah@vegmag.co.uk

Production Editor Suzanne Juby Contributors Sarah Beattie Jon Bennett Alex Bourke Áine Carlin Rachel Demuth Chava Eichner Kate Hackworthy

Nutrition Editor Sue Baic Food Editor Liz Martin Gardening Editor Alice Whitehead Vegan Editor Alice Gunn

Design Nick Trent enty209@gmail.com

Beauty Editor Sara Niven Cover images Puy lentil, watercress, rocket and spinach salad

by Rob Wicks/Eat Pictures Sister act by Nick Hopper Real life by Kristin Perers Wild eats by Clare Winfield Hands on by Erin Gleeson

Fresh seasonal ideas May issue, On sale 7 April

Additional images courtesy of Shutterstock

Publishing

Useful conversions

Publisher Tim Harris Advertising Sales Manager Wendy Kearns wendy@vegmag.co.uk t. +44 (0)1392 466099 Online Marketing Executive Adrian Lito adrian@selectps.com

Production Manager John Beare IT Manager Vince Jones

Circulation Manager Tim Harris

Subscriptions Manager Chris Wigg chris@selectps.com (See page 63 for subscription details)

Published by Select Publisher Services PO Box 6337 Bournemouth BH1 9EH t. +44 (0)1202 586848

Printed by Precision Colour Printing Haldane, Halesfield 1 Telford, Shropshire TF7 4QQ t. +44 (0)1952 585585

www.vegetarianliving.co.uk © Select Publisher Services Ltd 2016. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine, or digital versions of the magazine, may be used, reproduced, copied or resold without written permission of the publisher. All information and prices, as far as we are aware, are correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change. Select Publisher Services Ltd cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. Unsolicited artwork, manuscripts or designs are accepted on the understanding that Select Publisher Services Ltd incur no liability for their storage or return.

Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee that events (such as festivals, markets, workshops, courses, etc.) covered in Vegetarian Living are completely vegetarian and/or vegan.

Use these handy conversion guides to help you out in the kitchen. For readers in Australia or the USA who prefer to use cup measurements, try an online converter, like the user-friendly calculator at www.theonlineconverter.co.uk.

Weight 10g 25g 50g 75g 100g 125g 150g 175g 200g 225g 250g 275g 300g 325g 350g 375g 400g 425g 450g 500g 600g

¼oz 1oz 1¾oz 2¾oz 3oz 4½oz 5½oz 6oz 7oz 8oz 9oz 9¾oz 10½oz 11½oz 12oz 13oz 14oz 15oz 1lb 1lb 20z 1lb 5oz

700g 800g 900g 1kg

1lb 9oz 1lb 12oz 2lb 2lb 4oz

Oven temperatures Celsius Fahrenheit Gas

mark 110 225 ¼ 130 250 ½ 140 275 1 150 300 2 170 325 3 180 350 4 190 375 5 200 400 6 220 425 7 230 455 8 Volume 30ml 50ml 100ml 125ml 150ml 175ml 200ml 300ml 400ml 500ml 600ml 700ml 850ml 1 litre 1.2 litres

1fl oz 2fl oz 3½fl oz 4fl oz 5fl oz (¼ pint) 6fl oz 7fl oz 10fl oz (½ pint) 14fl oz 18fl oz 1 pint 1¼ pints 1½ pints 1¾ pints 2 pints

Source: Guild of Food Writers

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Promotions

Beautiful butters Handmade Naturals have become wellknown as specialists in creating high quality natural butters, balms and unusual oils. Their best-selling Care Jelly is made with organic shea butter and their unique calendula oil infusion, making it deal for treating dry, chapped skin and minor wounds with its soothing and antibacterial properties. Handmade Naturals Organic Shea Butter is also available to buy as a separate product. l From £3.95 at www.handmadenaturals. co.uk or call 01270 877516.

Keen on quinoa Biofair red quinoa is a delicious base for salads or as an accompaniment to savoury dishes.

Providing a good source of protein and fibre, quinoa is not only healthy it’s quick and easy to cook too – simply add water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes! All Biofair products are both Fairtrade and certified organic. l £4.99 from www.ethicalsuperstore.com.

Enter offer code X2VEGO at the online checkout and get £2 off your order (offer ends 30 May 2016).

Go Greek!

The most recent addition to Bute Island’s growing range of 100% dairy-free vegan alternatives to cheese is the new Greek Style Sheese. Made with coconut oil, Greek Style Sheese is reminiscent of traditional feta cheese, with a delicate, crumbly texture and a summery taste that

The essential collection A shopping guide to the latest products for your vegetarian or vegan lifestyle…

Food to go Klean Kanteen insulated food canisters replace a lifetime of throwaway plastic containers and sandwich bags you use for all those packed lunches and picnics in the park. Perfect for transporting food to work, school or on your next adventure, the vacuum insulation means you can take everything from chilled drinks to hot soups, and still keep your food cold and fresh or piping hot on the go. l Prices start at £29.95 from www.whitbyandco.co.uk/klean-kanteen.

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makes it a delicious addition to a fresh, healthy salad. This Sheese melts too – so try it on a toastie! Delicious and good for you, new Greek Style Sheese promises to be a popular addition to the range. l £2.20 from health food shops and online at www.buteisland.com.

Soya sizzlers Plant Based Foods are committed to producing the highest quality, tastiest soya frankfurters, perfect for making vegan hot dogs.

All their sausages are free from GMO ingredients, palm oil, hydrogenated fats and artificial preservatives. Find out more at www.plant-based-foods.ie. l £2.55 from www.goodness-direct.co.uk and independent health food shops.

Fresh & fruity Packed with juicy natural aromas, Faith in Nature’s Watermelon Shower Gel & Foam Bath is enriched with naturally moisturising organic watermelon extract, skinloving vitamin E and organic moisture-retaining glycerine to create a wonderfully nourishing, fresh and fruity shower gel and foam bath to revitalise your skin and senses every time you wash. Perfumed only with 100% natural fragrance and free from parabens and SLS, this natural beauty product is suitable for the whole family. l £5.60 from health shops nationwide or at www.faithinnature.co.uk.

26/02/2016 10:10

vegetarian LIVING Discover an Island of Nature!

La Maison du Vert vegetarian & vegan hotel & restaurant

eat

Our hotel & restaurant is set in a stunning Normandy valley within 3 acres of beautiful gardens.

• Delicious vegetarian and vegan gourmet menus • Naturally grown produce, organic wines, ciders and beers • Visit Honfleur, Camembert, Monet’s garden, Mont St Michel Bayeux, D-Day landing beaches and war memorials • Chateaux, markets, gardens, beaches, picturesque towns • Walk, cycle, relax!

• Free WIFI

45mm wide x rest 55mm high see

Contact: Debbie & Daniel Armitage 61120 Ticheville, Normandy, France 00 33 2 33 36 95 84 Email: mail@maisonduvert.com

www.maisonduvert.com

relax

Earth Connections Eco Centre, Isle of Eigg, Scotland

Green Holidays and Eco-courses - full board with delicious organic vegetarian/vegan meals.

www.earthconnections.co.uk tel: 01687 482495

Advertise in the pages of Vegetarian Living 95mm wide Call Wendy Kearns on x 55mm high01392 466099 or email wendy@vegmag.co.uk

Vegetarian Society Cookery School gift vouchers

45mm wide x 115mm high

Gift v

ouc95mm herx wide

To Ja ne, Happ y want cooking ! You ed to ’v Socie ty Co go to the e always oker Love y Sch Vegetaria Mum ool. E n and njoy!

Dad xx

£50

115mm high

For more details, go to www.vegsoc.org/cookerygiftvouchers Email: cookery@vegsoc.org Tel: 0161 925 2015

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www.vegetarianliving.co.uk www.vegetarianliv w Mountain House, Garfagana, Tuscany

One bedroom house to let with stunning views.

Terrace. Log fire.

Offering peace and tranquillity.

Contact twmffat@gmail.com

45mm wide x 175mm high

45mm wide x 235mm high

45mm wide x 235mm high

Sandburne Vegetarian Guest House

Keswick’s Vegetarian Accommodation of Choice!

This spacious, relaxing, quality accommodation is the former home of Donald Watson, founder of the Vegan Society.

It offers stunning views of the North Western Fells and a choice of twin rooms with luxury showers or a self-catering cottage sleeping 2- 5 next door. * Delicious vegetarian or vegan breakfasts * Plentiful parking, free wifi For more information please contact; Anthony Hazzard Sandburne Vegetarian Guest House Chestnut Hill Keswick CA12 4LS 95mm wide wide 017687 73546 / 07795673687 45mm

45mm wide 95mm wide www.sandburne.co.uk x x x x email: anthony@sandburne.co.uk 175mm high 175mm high 175mm high 175mm high

45mm wide x 235mm high

145mm wide x 55mm high

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45mm wide x 235mm high

145mm wide x 55mm high

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5

to advertise call Wendy onto01392 advertise 873270 call or email: onto wendy@vegmag.co.uk 01392 advertise 873270 call Wendy or email: on to wendy@v 01392 advertis 87 to advertise call Wendy on 01392 466099 or Wendy email: wendy@vegmag.co.uk VL69-96-7.indd 97

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Eatingout

Alex Bourke of Vegetarian Guides tours the northern vegan powerhouse.

NEED TO KNOW

Manchester

V Revolution

www.vrevolution.co.uk

Thirsty Scholar Manchester is one of the five most visited cities in Britain, with legendary live music, nightclubs, family-friendly museums, shopping and football. It is also a powerhouse of animalfree eating, hosting the huge Northern Vegan Festival not just once but twice a year, in April and October, and the Chorlton Vegan Fayre in May. There are two vegetarian food pubs, Indian, Chinese and gourmet veggie restaurants, several super new vegan cafés and takeaways, and children are welcomed everywhere.

V Revolution vegan fast food café, in the Bohemian Northern Quarter, specialises in huge burgers with names such as ‘Barbecuban Missile Crisis’ and ‘Hell-vis Presley’, replete with vegan cheese, coconut bacon and barbecue sauce.

Daily specials add a twist, like ‘chicken’ burger Indian-style in naan bread. Also hotdogs, grilled sandwiches, nachos, desserts such as baked cheesecake, and ice cream milkshakes. Ingredients are on sale too, so you can go fun food crazy back home.

Oxford Road has two cracking veggie venues. Martin the Mod’s Café in the Thirsty Scholar pub dishes up all-day cooked breakfasts, burgers, pie and mash, TexMex chilli non carne, rogan josh, and sweet chilli mock duck with noodles. There are vegan desserts such as apple and cinnamon tart with ice cream. Nearby at Eighth Day vegetarian café and wholefood store, your tummy will feel like it’s been hugged after filling up on a curry, stew, pie, tagine or enchilada, followed by hot traditional puddings.

In complete contrast 1847, near the art gallery and theatres, was the first of a national chain of four (so far!) fine-dining vegetarian restaurants named

www.thirstyscholar.co.uk

Eighth Day

www.eighth-day.co.uk

1847

www.by1847.com

Earth Café

www.earthcafe.co

Go Falafel

www.gofalafel.co.uk

Lotus after the year the Vegetarian Society was founded. Menus vary with the seasons and starters might include mushroom and walnut paté, followed by spiced Puy lentil sausage with turnip and sage mash, or Malay curry laksa with tofu and noodles. Fancy desserts feature tropical streusel with pomegranate, orange caramel and burnt pineapple.

Jaipur Palace

www.jaipurpalacerestaurant.com

Sanskruti

www.sanskrutirestaurant.co.uk

Fuel

www.fuelcafebar.tumblr.com

Teatime Collective

www.teatimecollective.co.uk

Unicorn

www.unicorn-grocery.co.uk

Festivals

www.northernveganfestival.com www.veganorganic.net/ manchester-vegan-fair

Also recommended… l Earth vegan café and juice bar, near the Arndale shopping centre, does a fabulous value platter with your choice of four items from mains, sides and salads. l Go Falafel vegan takeaway near Piccadilly Gardens is revered for wraps, salad boxes, juices and smoothies. l For an evening feast, head southeast to the cluster of vegetarian restaurants in Withington: Lotus Chinese, Jaipur Palace or Sanskruti Indian, and Fuel veggie food pub. l Teatime Collective vegan café and ice cream parlour in

www.lotusvegetariankitchen.com

l For more info go to www.visitmanchester.com

About Alex

Hulme makes monster cooked breakfasts, burgers, burritos, jackfruit and plantain tacos, and seitan steaks. l Unicorn is a huge vegan supermarket in trendy Chorlton, with a new kitchen turning out hot and cold soups, salads, curry, chilli, dhal and pasties.

Alex Bourke is the coauthor with Ronny Worsey of Vegetarian North of England, which includes dozens of places to eat out in Manchester and a veggie map of the city centre.

Available from bookshops for £9.95 and online at www.vegetarian.travel.

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Now Availab le in Selected

be kind to your skin

Stores

Beautifully Fragranced Natural Deodorant Spray for Women Pure Aura is part of the award winning Salt of the Earth range and is fragranced with a delicate combination of over 15 natural botanical extracts and oils – perfect for hot summer days and cool winter breezes.

Vegetarian and Vegan Society approved 100% natural Sweet lavender and vanilla fragrance Long lasting, effective protection Won’t block the skin’s pores No white marks

www.crystalspring.co.uk Available from Ocado and independent health food shops and pharmacies

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