Chocolate and Beyond

Recipes: Raw Vegan Cherry Tomato & Chilli Lime Soup

Oh my god! Do not, I repeat, do not, look at the name of this recipe and think "Urgh! That's one of those raw vegan recipes, I won't be eating THAT!" This chilled, raw soup is utterly delectable. And let's face it, there is ABSOLUTELY NO COOKING INVOLVED! How can you grumble at that? It takes literally minutes to whizz up (so please, none of that "Oh raw food takes so much time" nonsense), and it is also very cheap to make. I was taking advantage of Aldi's current 49p a pack of cherry tomatoes for this, admittedly - but they never cost that much, do they?

It is also not very 'tomatoey' tasting, so tomato-haters, take a chance. This is creamy and delicious, and really - don't expect a standard 'tomato soup' flavour because you won't get it. In fact, dare I say it, I am most amazed with myself for this creation. It is so very yum and is going to be something that I will impress people with at dinner parties for ages to come, I'm sure.

Recipe: Spaghetti Alla Carbonara Vegan Style

Oh my, oh my, oh my. If you have been craving a serving of thick, creamy, pasta stodge, and haven't quite managed to find that in vegan form yet, then this Spaghetti Alla Carbonara Vegan Style is just the thing that you have been looking for. The essential vegan comfort food, very tasty, and very filling.

I have been itching to make an animal-friendly version of this dish, which normally contains ham or pancetta. Not that I ever ate it all that much, at least not with the pig flesh, though I probably had veggie adaptations. However, I just love creamy pasta (who doesn't?!), and sometimes a big, heaped serving of the stuff is just what you need to fill your boots. And if you want a quick, impressive supper in less than 15 minutes (other than the time for the cashews to soak), then this is your pick.

Recipes: Black-Eyed Bean, Celeriac & Wild Garlic Burgers (Gluten Free)

Are you are forager? If so, get out and start harvesting the wild garlic that is in season right now! It won't be around for much longer, and gone by June, but you can still find plants that are ripe for picking. I am lucky enough to have abundant access to wild garlic via my parents garden, which is overgrowing with the stuff. And I can't believe it has taken me this long to actually bother using it.

The leaves are edible as long as they are healthy-looking - though they turn more bitter once lots of flowers start appearing, you can still eat them if you don't mind the taste. In some recipes, bitterness of the later season leaves is not likely to come through - it would be more noticable eating in a salad. But if you find a crop of them, you may as well just pick and see what you think.

Recipes: Spinach & Tofu Ricotta Tart

This Spinach & Tofu Ricotta Tart is such an easy peasy and delicious way to knock up dinner for guests or for your family. It was one of my offerings to take to the latest Manchester Vegan Potluck that I went to last weekend. The potluck has become one of my favourite monthly events, and why wouldn't it be? There is a table laden with sensational and inventive vegan food, rustled up by the many talented cooks that attend, and you get to try it all, for free! And usually, there is so much food that I sadly don't get to try everything.

This month's event was a Mediterranean theme. Because of the Easter weekend, there weren't as many of us as usual. BUT it was still wonderful - with many dishes to try and I managed to get a bit of everything this time, with seconds on a few. Anyhow, as I say, this tart was one of my contributions.

Recipes: Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Mushrooms, Cherry Tomatoes & Spinach

I love to eat this Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Mushrooms, Cherry Tomatoes & Spinach for a quick supper and when I'm stuck for imagination on anything else. Also - as I tend to always have mushrooms and tomatoes in the refridgerator, and frozen spinach in my freezer (and I usually have a pack of gnocchi in my cupboard), it's one of those 'end-of-the-week' meals that can be pulled together when I've almost run out of everything else.

The beauty of this dish is that it looks lovely on a square plate, haha (doesn't all food?) so for presentation marks, it is good for dinner guests (but it is also tasty), and yet you can rustle it together in a matter of 10 minutes. It also tends to please many palates, there's nothing too challenging or weird here, and like many of my recipes - you can get the ingredients in one shop, at your local grocery store.

Recipes: Tofu Breakfast Scramble with Vegan Chorizo, Kale & Spinach

My latest version of the much-loved tofu scramble really packs some punch, especially with the spicy touch of the vegan chorizo, and the protein power of the tofu. It will keep you going for hours, and give you a good whammy of nutrients to lever you into the day (if you use tofu that has been set with calcium sulphate, all the better).

I had a big-time phase of making tofu scramble soon after going vegan, because previously to that, I tended to rely on scrambled eggs as one of my main breakfast foods. So this popular vegan dish played a starring role in my own kitchen, and for a while, I just thought I'd never stop eating it! I used to make the PPK blog Scrambled Tofu Revisited, and made up a larger amount of the herb mixture so I had it handy for each time. But I have now moved on to my own versions.

Recipes: Baked Aduki Beanballs with Spaghetti & Sauce

O comfort food, comfort food, where art thou, comfort food? HERE you are! Mmmm. A big stodgy pile of spaghetti with 'meaty' vegan beanballs is just what the carb doctor ordered for these still-chilly nights. And a glass of cheap plonk will wash it down perfectly, too.

I find aduki beans are one of the best types to create vegan versions of traditional 'meaty' type dishes which used to involve ground up animal flesh - meatballs, meatloaf, cottage pie and so on. These beans have a great, chewy texture and deep flavour, and hold well in recipes where they are minced and then reformed. They are also highly nutritious and protein-dense, too! In this recipe, the wheat gluten flour helps give an additional 'meaty' texture.

Recipes: Vegan Shrove Tuesday Pancakes - Egg-Free & Flippin' Delicious!

When I were a lass, my home economics teacher at school dubbed me the "Queen of Pancakes". Oh the joy! I remember how I blushed when she declared it to my fellow peers after a particularly successful flip. I enjoyed a short period as her cookery class pet, but I eventually fell from grace and she was nice to me no more.

I have no idea what caused her change of mind about me - a slap-dash upside down pudding maybe? Rock buns that were rockier than the Rockies? I don't know, but I put it down to her being something of psychopathic little Hitler in the end, though I never let myself lose that accolade of being a pancake queen.

Recipes: Sweet Potato & Parsnip Dumplings in Home-Made Broth

Great for lazy Sundays or a simple supper with crusty bread, this recipe is inspired by one in Yottam Ottolenghi's 'Plenty' book - and is a recipe which I have, of course, veganised (the book is mostly vegetarian, with some vegan recipes). It's easy to make although the cooking time is quite a while to allow the flavours of the vegetables to meld into the broth.

The original recipe uses floury potatoes and parsnips to make the dumplings,  as well as butter and egg, but my version uses sweet potatoes which I like the flavour of more, and either vegan margarine or coconut oil rather than butter.

Recipes: The Ubiquitous Budget Veggie Chilli (A Meal for 60p Per Person!)

Okay. I know that everyone knows how to make a veggie chilli (although I have to say, mine is an especially tasty one!), but in purse-tightening January, I thought it would be good to show just how budget-friendly vegan cooking can be.

This hearty, healthy and satisfying family meal can be had for approximately 60p per per serving - and that's if you assume this recipe serves four people, though I think with some rice, crusty bread and a green salad, it can easily stretch to six.