Category: Dinner

Pasta in a Basil Cream Sauce

creamypasta1Just like the majority of the world, I adore pasta and it has taken me a long time to fully feel comfortable eating this carby meal once again. But, I think we can all agree that there is nothing better than to cwtch up after a long day and indulge in a big bowl of pasta; especially as Autumn is just around the corner and those dreary evenings are fast approachingBasilMy favourite pasta dish has always been cream-based with lots of garlic and basil: it’s rich, indulgent and satisfying and makes me one very happy welsh girl. Thankfully, going vegan didn’t mean that I had to sacrifice on any of my favourite foods which is why I can still enjoy this creamy pasta as a vegan. Top it off with some vegan cheese and a side of homemade garlic bread and you have yourself a delicious vegan meal that would satisfy any carb cravingpasta-2

Ingredients 

Serves 2 

  • 2 Cups Fusilli Pasta (or any other pasta with texture)
  • 1/2 Carton Soy Cream
  • 250ml Dairy Free Milk (I used Cashew)
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Tbsp Dry Basil
  • 4 Sundried Tomatoes
  • 250g Cooked Broccoli
  • 2 Cups Fresh Spinach
  • 1/2 Large White Onion
  • 2 Tsp Cornflour
  • 4 Tbsp Cold Water
  • 1/2 Vegetable Stock Cube
  • 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • Salt to Taste
  • Fresh Basil For Garnish (optional)

Directions 

Start by boiling the pasta and broccoli per instructions on the packet and cook until its to your satisfaction.

While you’re waiting for the pasta to boil, heat a sautee, or frying pan on a medium heat.

Peel and finely chop both the white onion and garlic; spray the pan with a little low-fat cooking spray and toss the chopped ingredients into the hot pan — proceed to cook both the onion and garlic until they start to soften.

Now you can add the soy cream, milk, stock cube, basil and two cups of pasta water to the pan and cook for 5 minutes – make sure you stir occasionally.

Place the two teaspoons of cornflour into a cup and combine it with the cold water; before stirring it through the cream sauce to thicken. Leave the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes on a medium heat – stir occasionally

Lastly, cut up the sundried tomatoes and combine the remaining ingredients and pasta with the cream sauce.

For more vegan ideas follow me on Instagram 

For a full day of eating as a vegan – check out my short video on Youtube  🙂

 

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‘Cheezy’ Rissoles

DSC_2140.jpgI pretty much grew up eating Franco’s fish ‘n’ chips down on Aberavon seafront and I know anyone who reads this, who has also experienced the creamy, deep fried chip that Franco’s offer will agree they are the best chips ever. I’ve often found myself eating chips in other places, both in the U.K and abroad and comparing them to the humble chip at Franco’s and none of them are as good. Even now while I write this I can taste the distinctive flavour of their fatty product and all I want to do is rush out and get me some.

dsc_2127-2However, this post isn’t about Franco’s chips, this post isn’t even about Aberavon, it is about rissoles and one which was inspired by the cheesy rissole that Franco’s offer.

As the cheesy rissole is the only vegetarian option Franco’s make, I’ve found myself enjoying one many a time with a side of chips; staring aimlessly out over the oil slicked waves to Swansea, savouring every mouthful of that deliciousness.DSC_2135-2.jpgNow that dairy no longer agrees with my me and I’m vegan, I decided to try and make my own vegan Cheezy rissoles in the hope I could recreate that delightful treat I’ve enjoyed many times over the years as a vegetarian.Obviously my vegan rissoles aren’t as good as Franco’s rissoles and rightly so: creamy, cheesy and deep fried, I was never going to achieve that. However, they still didn’t disappoint my hungry tastebuds.

Ingredients

  • 1000g White Potato
  • 200g White Onion or Leek (finely chopped)
  • 1/3 Cup Nutritional Yeast
  • 125ml  Non- GMO Soy Milk
  • 30g Margarine
  • 100g Vegan Cheese (optional)
  • 1-2 Tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1.5 Tsp Onion Powder
  • 2 Tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 2 Handuls Fresh Parsley
  • 1 Tsp Thyme
  • 1 Tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper

Breadcrumbs

  • 2 Slices of Wholemeal Bread

Directions

Pre heat an oven to 175c (fan assisted)

Peel and chop the potatoes and place them in a saucepan to boil. Remove when they are soft enough to mash.

Heat a frying pan with the vegan butter and when hot enough,  sautée the finely sliced leek or onion until it starts to soften.

Mash the potatoes and stir in the ingredients, including the leek.

Now leave the rissole mixture to cool, before forming it into large balls and coating it in the breadcrumbs. When the rissole mixture cools, it will be easier to form into balls.

Place the rissoles on a lined baking tray – I also sprayed them with low fat spray – before popping them into the oven for 15 minutes or until they are golden all over.

NB: You can also deep fry these babies for a truly authentic british rissole.

Now serve with some chips and peas, sit back and imagine you’re at the beach.

For more vegan recipes follow me on Instagram and please tag me in any of the recipes you try here, as I would love to hear your feedback, whether it’s good or bad.

© The Hungry Welsh Girl 2016
All photos, recipes and texts are copyrighted unless otherwise stated.
All Rights Reserved.

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Buddha Bowl

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This Buddha bowl was a life changing experience. It was delicious. Delicious doesn’t even cover how incredible this Buddha bowl actually was. Every mouthful was just an experience in itself. It was like a buffet in a bowl – a buffet budda bowl?

I know what you are all thinking, I thought it too. How can you get so excited over a bowl full of veggies? But, seriously, there’s just so much going on in this one bowl, that it’s hard to not get excited about it. It has flavour, carbs, nutrition, carbs, it’s low in fat, it has carbs.

Carbs. Carbs. Carbs.

Did I mention it has carbs?

 

You have to try it for yourself to believe me. Although, anything that has carbs is going to be a winner.                                                I’ve seen these Buddha bowls countless times over Instagram and they are huge among the yogis and vegans; I didn’t understand why people were fussing over them so much. But now that I do, I just feel they are genius and a different way to get in some veggies. I’m already planning my next one.

 

This Buddha bowl had some kick to it, not a lot because lately my sensitive tastebuds can’t handle the heat. But, there was enough to give the veggies some flavour without overpowering them and I’m sure you can tell from the photos that turmeric was one of the main spices; you’ve just gotta get that turmeric in around this time of year.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 Can Chickpeas
  • 1 Medium Sweet Potato
  • 80g Vegan Chicken Pieces
  • 1/3 Cup Basmati Rice
  • 1/2 Bell Pepper
  • Red Cabbage
  • Baby Beets
  • Sultanas
  • Pumpkin Seeds
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Tandoori Gym Chef Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

There is a lot of elements to this meal and you do have to time the food so that it’s already at the same time, but it’s worth the extra fuss.

Directions

Heat an oven to 200c

Slice the red cabbage and combine it with the ACV and some sea salt.  Place the cabbage in a separate ovenproof dish or skillet and pop it into the oven.

Stab your sweet potato and place it in the microwave for 5 minutes; slice it into chunky strips and pop them into the oven: cook both the sweet potato and cabbage for 20 minutes.

Boil your rice following the instructions on the packet or cook it until it looks like a mushy mess like I do 😉 Sticky rice is better rice.

Add your chickpeas to an ovenproof dish or skillet and combine with the gym chef seasoning, garlic powder and turmeric. I fried mine in a skillet with a little water, then added the vegan chicken pieces to give those some flavour too. Place the chickpeas in the oven and roast for 10 minutes.

Slice up some bell pepper and toss these into the oven for 10 minutes.

When your rice has cooked you can season with salt and stir in the sultanas. The sultanas are optional, but it gives the rice more flavour.

Now that the food has cooked, you can start layering your Buddha bowl.  You can add whatever you like to your Buddha bowl – I also added mango chutney and I made a tzaztiki with cucumber, coriander and alpro plain soy yoghurt.

And people say vegan food is boring right? Pah!

For more recipes, reviews and ideas follow me on Instagram and tag me in any of my recipes that you try.

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Chunky Minestrone Soup

imageA quick chunky minestrone soup for an on-the-go snack or as part of a lunch break. It can even double up as a toast topper when thickened – think childhood favourite; alphabet spaghetti. I used Rizopia brown rice pasta shapes in my chunky minestrone soup, but obviously any pasta will work.

Ingredients

  • 2 Carrots
  • 1 Medium Onion
  • 1 Courgette
  • 1 Clove Garlic
  • 1 Carton Chopped Tomatoes
  • 1 Cup Rizopia Brown Rice Pasta Shapes
  • Basil Leaves
  • 1 Vegetable Stock Cube
  • 1 Pint Water
  • Salt to season

Directions

Peel and chunk the vegetables, before adding them to a saucepan, along with the vegetable cube, garlic and water – leave the courgette until last as it will take the shortest time to cook.
Bring the vegetables to a boil until they start to soften -15 minutes –  and add in the carton of chopped tomatoes, pasta, basil and courgette; proceed to cook until the pasta is soft or to your liking. You may need to keep adding more water. Stir the soup occasionally so that nothing burns or sticks to the pan.
Serve immediately with fresh basil leaves and a slice of bread.
For more recipes, reviews and ideas follow me on Instagram and tag me in any of my recipes that you try.
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Satay Quorn Chicken Kebabs, Wrapped in a Herb Power Wrap.

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Since I received the Kodiak Cakes products a few weeks ago. I haven’t stopped using them. I mean, it would be pretty hypocritical of me if I were recommending products to people and not using them myself. I also wouldn’t have the heart to do such a thing. But these Kodiak Cakes are genuinely a gift from the gods, as they are so versatile.

Continue reading “Satay Quorn Chicken Kebabs, Wrapped in a Herb Power Wrap.” →

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Almond Butter Chik’n with Sticky Rice

imageHave you ever had one of those meals where you’re eating it and you don’t want it to end and  in amongst the mouthfuls and silent moaning, you’re mentally patting yourself on the back for creating such a tasty meal? Because that’s exactly what I was doing today while I was eating this delicious Almond Butter Chicken with Sticky Rice – modest I know – but simple meals are always the best.

Continue reading “Almond Butter Chik’n with Sticky Rice” →

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