Mains
Nutmeat Stew
A healthy, hearty, traditional stew made with one of my all-time favourite meat alternatives (since I went vegan in 1983), Sanitarium’s Nutmeat!
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 1 large green capsicum, chopped
- Approximately 700 grams (1.5 pounds) potatoes, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 415 gram (14.6 ounces) can crushed tomatoes
- 415 gram (14.6 ounces) can of Nutmeat (or other protein-rich meat alternative)
- 300 millilitres (.6 of a pint) of water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Method
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions, capsicum, potatoes, tomato paste and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add tomatoes and spices. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add Nutmeat, water, and soy sauce.
- Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. Serve with rice or warm, crusty bread.
Tofu Loaf
A healthy, filling version of the traditional meat loaf, packed with plant protein!
Ingredients
- 500 gram (1.1 pounds) block firm tofu, mashed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 stick celery, chopped
- Third cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- Half cup fresh parsley, chopped
Method
Combine the ingredients thoroughly, until blended. Press the mixture into a lightly oiled baking dish.
Then mix the following:
- Third cup tomato sauce/ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Spread tomato sauce mixture on top of loaf. Bake loaf for 60 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius (320 degrees Fahrenheit).
Stand for 15 minutes before cutting and serving with roast vegetables or salad.
Loaf may be served with tomato chutney or barbecue sauce.
Scrambled Tofu
Delicious, healthy protein-rich alternative to scrambled eggs.
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 1 zucchini chopped
- 2 tomatoes (or 10 cherry
tomatoes) chopped - 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 red pepper/capsicum chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegan stock
powder - 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 500g/1 pound block firm tofu
chopped and crumbled - Half cup water
Method
- Fry onion, stock and garlic in
water for 5-10 minutes in pan - Add zucchini, capsicum,
tomatoes and mushrooms, and
cook for another 5 minutes - Add tofu and mix in thoroughly
for another 10 minutes - Mix in sweet chilli sauce, soy
sauce, turmeric and curry
powder - Serve on wholegrain toast. Add a
dash of salt and/or pepper to
taste.
Nut and Lentil Roast
This roast is packed with flavour and protein!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp Massel ‘Chicken’ (or other vegan) stock powder
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 third cup chopped parsley
- 1 tin crushed tomatoes
- 1 tin cooked lentils, rinsed
- Half cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 3 Weet-Bix (or other dry wheat cereal biscuit), crushed
- 2 cups or 600 g finely ground nuts, such as almonds, walnuts (or other raw nuts like pecan nuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts)
- 1 third cup tomato sauce
- Half cup water
Method
- Saute onions in water
- Add spices, tomatoes, parsley, Weet-Bix, tomato sauce, ground nuts and peanut butter
- Stir in and mix ingredients for 5 minutes
- Add lentils, mix thoroughly into a solid mixture – add more Weet-Bix if mixture too wet
- Grease a loaf tin (or line with baking paper) and spoon in mixture
- Spread tomato sauce over the roast
- Bake for 30 minutes at 180C
- Serve with fruit chutney or gravy, side vegetables or salad
Spinach and Tofu Pie
A scrumptious spinach pie that uses firm tofu instead of ricotta or fetta cheese.
Ingredients
- 250g (half a pound) pack of frozen spinach, chopped
- 500g (1.1 pounds) block of firm
- tofu, drained and finely chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon dry vegetable stock
- Quarter teaspoon nutmeg
- Quarter cup water for frying
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Sprinkle of pepper to taste
- Half a tablespoon soy milk for glazing
- 3 sheets of puff pastry
Method
- Pre-thaw pastry sheets. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit). Fry onion and garlic in water until softened. Add spinach, nutmeg and pepper, saute for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
- Put tofu, stock powder, soy sauce, lemon juice, in a food processor (or use a masher) and blend until smooth.
- Mix tofu mixture with spinach. Line a long dish with baking paper and lay down pastry sheets, overlapping edge. Place mixture in pastry case, flatten out. Place rest of pastry on top of mixture, pinch and fold sides to enclose. Glaze top with a little soy milk.
- Bake for 40 minutes until pastry is browned. Serve with salad or side vegetables.
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
A hearty, flavoursome vegan version of the classic ‘comfort food’
Ingredients
- 1 tin cooked lentils, rinsed
- 1 tin casserole (or vegan) mince
- 1 tablespoon Massel ‘Chicken’ (or other vegan) stock powder
- 2 tablespoon tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoon Gravox (or other vegan gravy powder) mixed in with 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water
- 2 large onions, diced
- 10 large potatoes, peeled
- 500g (2 heaped cups) frozen diced vegetables – carrots, peas, corn and half-cup mushrooms
- Half cup water
- 2 tablespoons vegan margarine (e.g. Nuttelex)
Method
- Saute onions and stock powder in water
- Add lentils, veggie mince and vegetables
- Stir in and cook ingredients for 10 minutes
- Add gravy and tomato sauce, cook for 10 minutes
- Cook potatoes, then mash up with margarine
- Add mixture to large baking dish
- Spread mashed potato on top
- Bake for 30 minutes at 180 C, or until potato is crispy brown.
Red Lentil Stew
A warming, nourishing lentil and vegetable stew filled with flavour!
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed in cold water
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 2 cups diced pumpkin
- 2 cups chopped sweet potato
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 100g green beans, cut into 2cm lengths
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Steamed brown rice , to serve
- Half cup water for frying
Method
- Place rinsed lentils, curry powder and 3 cups of cold water (750 ml) in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Heat water in a large frypan over medium heat, add onion and cook 2-3 minutes until soft. Add garlic, ginger and spices and cook for 1 minute. Add pumpkin, sweet potato and celery and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes.
- Add pumpkin mixture to lentils and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Add beans, cook for 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in juice and coriander.
- Serve with brown rice.