Welcome! These easy to prepare dishes can be used in many different ways. Some will make an ideal accompaniment to a main meal while others can be eaten as snacks or starters or as a meal in themselves for those with a smaller appetite. Here you'll find:
Seeded Bread Rolls Cheesy Garlic Bread Cajun Potato Wedges Nutty Mixed Salad
Most of these recipes were taken from the Viva! guide 'Snappy Veggie Cooking with the Mollster'. Read it online here. The 'Seeded Bread Rolls' recipe and the dips are family recipes.
You can't beat the smell and taste of freshly baked home-made bread! The seeds give these delicious rolls extra flavour and goodness and they work well as an accompaniment to a meal or with soup. Alternatively, you can use them to make sandwiches. They're easy and fun to make but, of course, they're even more fun to eat! You'll need to plan ahead as this recipe is time consuming and remember to let the finished rolls cool first!
You will need:
450g flour (use wholemeal flour to make brown rolls)
7g yeast (available in easy-blend sachets)
350ml warm water
1tbs vegetable oil
1tsp salt
Topping:
Sesame seeds
Poppy seeds
A little soya milk (for glazing)
Extra flour for work surface
Method:
1. Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a bowl. Add the oil and water then blend by hand to form a soft dough.
2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface (e.g. chopping board) and knead for 5-7 minutes until soft and elasticated.
3. Return the dough to the bowl, cover in clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour.
4. When the dough has roughly doubled in size, transfer it to your work surface again and knead it for a further five minutes.
5. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape them into whatever shape you want.
6. Transfer the rolls to a baking tray, cover in a tea towel and leave to rise for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 220C.
7. Glaze the rolls with soya milk then sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds or flour.
8. Bake the rolls for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and allow them to cool before serving.
Garlic bread, with or without cheese, will make an excellent accompaniment to many meals. Try it with the spaghetti bolognese or smoky korma! This easy recipe will make one garlic baguette which can be cut into approximately seven pieces but it could easily be adapted. The cheese is optional but absolutely delicious.
You will need:
1 large baguette
3 handfuls cheddar or mozzarella cheese (try Cheezly or Scheese, if vegan)
50g butter/margarine (try Pure or Suma, if vegan)
1tsp mixed herbs
1 pinch pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6
2. Slice into (not through!) the baguette at regular intervals.
3. Chop and crush the garlic cloves into a bowl. Add the butter or margarine, mixed herbs and pepper.
4. Spread the mixture evenly into the cuts on the baguette and wrap the baguette in foil.
5. Bake the baguette for 10 minutes then remove the foil and add the cheese.
6. Bake (uncovered) for a further 5 minutes until the cheese has melted and the baguette is golden brown, then serve.
These tasty, spicy wedges make a delicious alternative to chips with your main meal or can be used as a starter or side. Add melted cheese or vegetables or use with dips (such as those below) to make them more interesting.
You will need:
4 large potatoes (scrubbed but not peeled)
2tbs wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove (chopped and crushed)
1 heaped teaspoon black pepper
1 heaped teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½tsp ground cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 220C/425F?Gas mark 7
2. Cut the potatoes (lengthwise) into 6-8 pieces.
3. Rinse them under the tap, drain and place in a large bowl. Add oil and toss well.
4. Mix other ingredients in a seperate bowl.
5. Add mixture to potatoes. Ensure they're well coated and salt to taste.
6. Place potatoes on baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
You can serve this delicious and versatile salad with almost any main meal. It's packed with vegetables and mega healthy and the colours will make such a difference to the presentation of a meal. The different nuts give it a really nice flavour and texture too. If you don't like one particular ingredient, just substitute it or leave it out.
You will need:
Fresh spinach leaves
Fresh broccoli florets
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Spring Onions
Carrots
Celery
Cashew nuts
Pistachio nuts
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Method:
1. Line a bowl with the spinach leaves.
2. Chop the tomatoes,spring onions and celery and add them to the bowl.
3. Slice the mushrooms into the bowl, add the broccoli florets then grate the carrots and sprinkle on top.
4. Crush the pistachio and cashew nuts and sprinkle over the salad with the seeds.
5. Mix the sald well and serve with salad cream or the dressing of your choice.
Vegetable fingers make healthy yet delicious snacks and starters and are fabulous with dips. The dips given here are simply suggestions. Experiment! Almost any sauce or dip will work. Experiment with dipping other finger foods too such as crackers, biscuits, crisps or fruit. The possibilites are endless.
You will need: For the houmous/hummus For the cheesy dip
8 baby sweetcorns 400g canned chickpeas (drained) 250g cream cheese (try Cheezly or Scheese, if vegan)
4 celery sticks 1 carton plain soya yoghurt 2tbs soya milk
4 carrots 2 garlic cloves (crushed) 2 spring onions (finely chopped)
1 yellow pepper 1tsp lemon juice 1tbs parsley (chopped)
1 red pepper Parsley 1tbs chives
½ cucumber 125ml olive oil Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Wash the courgettes and celery and peel the carrots.
2. Chop the courgettes, celery and carrots into sticks 6cm long (approx) and put them on a plate.
3. Cut the cucumber in half, lengthwise, remove the seeds and cut into equal sized sticks.
4. Halve the peppers, remove the seeds and cut each half into long strips. Put cucumber and peppers on plate.
5. Put the sweetcorns on the plate, cut into smaller pieces, if desired.
Cheesy Dip:
1. Blend the milk and cheese togther in a small bowl until smooth and creamy coloured.
2. Add the spring onion, parsley and chives to the bowl and mix well.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste and put the bowl of dip on the plate.
Houmous/Hummus:
1. Blend the chickpeas, lemon juice and garlic cloves in a food processor.
2. Add the yoghurt and blend again until smooth.
3. Keep the food processor running and add the oil a little at a time.
4. Transfer the houmous/hummus to a small bowl and put in on the plate
Finally:
1. Arrange the vegetable fingers neatly on the plate with the two dips in the middle.
2. Sprinkle the dips with a little parsley or paprika to add the final touch and serve.