Tortilla Baskets

We were rather low on food, so I put together whatever I could find round the house...and it somehow became one of the best lunches I've ever had!

I made wholewheat tortilla baskets by cutting tortillas into squares, pushing them into a cupcake pan and lightly basting the centre with oil. I then baked them quickly until they became light and crispy.

I then filled them with a warm mix of cereals and pulses and topped this with a nest of quick-fried courgette and carrot, then finished it with a single slice of yellow courgette.

I tried two different serving ideas. Firstly, for a single person, I put three on a plate, with a teaspoon of beetroot dressing and a sprig of basil:

I also tried a larger tapas-style serving for 2-3 people by placing them in a circle around a pile of the courgette/carrot mix:

Jen x

Tomato & Herb pancakes

I failed to get a particularly good picture of these, but they were delicious. I essentially made my standard savoury pancake batter, then mixed in tomato puree and plenty of herbs. I then fried them, cut them into points and served them with a homemade soy-based tzatziki dip, garnished with radishes and black garlic.

Jen x

Chocolate Fondant!

The recipe for these was very loosely based on a Gordon Ramsay Recipe, but veganised beyond recognition, which I'm sure would greatly offend Gordon Ramsey, if he knew!

It's essentially an incredibly rich and dense chocolate cake, made by mixing chocolate cake mix with melted chocolate and non-dairy margarine. It's then served warm, on a plate with soya cream and a drizzle of golden syrup.

Jen x

Chocolate Chestnut Torte

I may have written about my Chocolate Chestnut Torte before. But I have since improved and perfected it.
I've discovered speculoos spread, which you can buy online, or make yourself with a decent blender.

The creamy caramelised biscuit paste perfectly compliments the rich chocolate base.

Jen x

Lemon & Herb Couscous

Couscous is one of those things that's always useful to have in your food cupboards. It can be made into an easy lunch in minutes!
I always prepare couscous in stock, instead of plain water. And I tend to dress it with plenty of lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, coarsely ground black pepper, paprika and a nice selection of herbs. Then I add in finely chopped vegetables.

I made my lemon and herb couscous today, with beetroot dressing, and peppers charred with a blowtorch...

Delicious!

Jen x

Best of Jens Vegan Eats!

My blog has existed for about six months so far, so I thought it's about time for my first 'best of' post.

So, these are my favourite things I've posted in this blog so far...

       Kayanas

This is a traditional Green dish of scrambled egg and fresh tomatoes, veganised by changing the egg for seasoned scrambled tofu.

        Cake Pops

Balls of dense, moist chocolate cake on lollipop sticks and coated with chocolate.

       Chocolate Cake

I coated this chocolate cake with a rich chocolate 'buttercream' icing, and made that decorative final touch with a star-shaped cookie cutter and plenty of grated milk and white vegan chocolate.

         Houmous & Crudités

Caramelised onion houmous and sundried tomatoes make this extra delicious.

        Baked Apples

Stuffed with mincemeat (mince pie filling, that is) and baked in plenty of golden syrup with cinnamon.

         Apple-Cinnamon Pancakes

Vanilla and cinnamon pancakes, stuffed with apple and cinnamon sauce, then drizzled with golden syrup. Served with vanilla ice cream.

         Chocolate Chestnut Torte

This is probably my most popular dish ever. An incredibly rich chocolate and chestnut cream, on a caramelised biscuit base. I've since worked on the presentation, but have yet to post the results. Watch this space!

         PanCupcakes

Pancake mix, baked in bite-sized cake cases. Served with fresh lemon juice, white sugar and/or maple syrup for dipping.

       Salade de Chevre Chaud

A veganised version of a classic Normandy dish. A mixture of peppery and more mild salad leaves with cox apple chunks and a herby vinaigrette dressing, topped with vegan 'bacon' strips and miniature toasts with warm mature vegan cheese.

Jen x