The Vegetarian Experience

New Riverford Quick Vegetarian Recipe Box

2017-01-30T15:21:00.000+00:00

Another fantastic offering for Vegetarians from Riverford Organic Farmers today.

Riverford's new Vegetarian "Quick" Recipe Box. You already know how much of a fan we are of Riverford Organic Recipe bBoxes.

There's nothing like fresh, measured out ingredients being delivered to your door with recipe cards, taking all of the thinking, stress and hassle out of cooking (now if only they offered a clearing up service too!)

Riverford's new Vegetarian Quick Recipe Box features all of the ingredients and instructions needed to make either two or three vegetarian meals from scratch. The recipes are designed to be ready to eat in around thirty minutes, great for people who want to eat well but are time-deprived - just like we are!

The girls typically eat a main meal at school nowadays, so often I am preparing a main meal for two, meaning that these types of quick recipe boxes are perfect for us, when we have to get the kids tea and then prepare ours too!

Riverford delivered our box, with everything separated into compartments for both recipes, meaning that it's easy to see what ingredients are meant for each recipe and easy to store them together in the fridge or the cupboard.

The two recipes in our box were Lentil, Bean and Kale Stew with Pumpkin Seeds and Pitta, and Sweet Potato Rosti with Roast Curried Sprouts, Red Onions and Poached Eggs.

Both recipes were perfect for a seasonally cold snap. First up was Lentil, Bean and Kale Stew with Pumpkin Seeds and Pitta. Personally, this was my favourite recipe. It was super easy to prepare, and the step-by-step instructions were easy to follow. In the winter, when it's cold and you want something warm to eat quickly I do sometimes find it hard to find a hearty, healthy and nourishing option. This recipe definitely ticked all three boxes. The butter beans and lentils were a great combination and I thought that adding the pesto element to the stew was a great idea as it added texture and flavour, as did the kale.

The second recipe we cooked was Sweet Potato Rosti with Roast Curried Sprouts, Red Onions and Poached Eggs. I have never tried curried sprouts before, so this was definitely a first for me. Again the recipe was very easy to follow, but if i'm honest, this did take me a lot longer to prepare than the other recipe as grating the sweet potato, making the patties and frying the rosti took me a while. I can see how this would be quicker for someone why does a lot of frying, but personally I don't tend to fry a lot of stuff, and my induction hob is a little temperamental, so this all took me a while longer. It probably took around 45 minutes to prepare, but still quicker than many other meals!

The seasonal organic veg grown on Riverford farms is the inspiration for each week's recipes, meaning that each week's box is different. I love the variety of recipes that Riverford recipe boxes provide. Every box I've had, contained recipes and ingredients that I wouldn't typically have ever tried off of my own back.I am really happy that Riverford have also now started offering "quick" recipe boxes as we don't often have much time to cook at night.

Riverford "quick" recipe boxes are available via the Riverford website. They are priced at £24.95 for two meals and £33.95 for three.

Riverford offered us a Quick Vegetarian Recipe Box in consideration for review

Sainsburys Protein Milk

2017-01-22T00:08:00.000+00:00

Sainsburys recently contacted me to let me know that they have launched an own-brand Protein Milk, the first Supermarket in the UK to do so. This is fantastic news for vegetarians who often struggle to get enough protein in their diet. When they asked me if I would liked to sample some I immediately thought of how this would also be great for my daughter as I worry about her eating meat free and getting enough protein.

Sainsbury's Protein Milk is 1% fat and tastes just as good as it's counterparts. One serving (200ml) delivers 10g of protein - 38% more protein than regular milk. At £1.25 per litre, Protein milk is an easy swap for regular milk and much more beneficial health wise. The milk can be found in the chilled aisle at most Sainsbury's stores.

We used the milk on our cereal, in cups of tea & coffee, and in our cooking. I also found it particularly useful for making smoothies with as my daughter loves fresh fruit, so this was a great way to get the protein in her diet too.

I was really impressed with Sainsburys Protein Milk and it will be definitely be my milk of choice going forward!

Jamie's Italian: The Buyers Guide to Olive Oil

2017-01-13T11:21:00.000+00:00

When I was younger, I always remember my Mum frying everything with lard, or a really heavy oil as was the custom in the eighties, but nowadays, Olive Oil is my oil of choice for almost everything I cook.

Even a few weeks ago when I cooked our vegetarian, animal fat free Christmas Dinner, I cooked the Roast Potatoes in Olive Oil, and I have to say I think that they came out fantastically!

With so much choice on the supermarket shelves, nowadays it can be tricky to know which Olive Oil to choose for your cooking, do you go virgin, extra virgin, Italian, Spanish, the choices are endless!

Jamie's Italian has created a beautifully crafted guide to tell you about this fantastic ingredient. You can use it as a tasting guide, for cooking suggestions or as a handy manual when shopping for your next meal.

I always think it's great to have different olive oils depending on what you are cooking, so this guide is brilliant for knowing which to use!

. A beautifully crafted guide that tells you all you need to know about this fantastic ingredient. Use as a tasting guide, for cooking suggestions or as a handy manual when shopping for your next meal. - See more at: http://visual.ly/jamies-italian-olive-oil-buyers-guide#sthash.JVRrwM8s.dpuf

Riverford & Delicious Magazine create tasty Vegetarian Recipe Boxes

2016-11-09T15:54:00.002+00:00

Riverford Organic Farmers, experts in Organic Produce since 1987 have been kind enough to send us recipe boxes in the past, and they have all been a great success in our eyes.

Recently we were offered another Riverford Vegetarian Recipe Box which showcases their collaboration with "Delicious" Magazine and it's Food Editor Rebecca Woolard.

Rebecca who is a trained Chef and has won a BBC Good Food award oversees all of the recipe content for Delicious Magazine and alongside Riverford has nttaken some of the recipes featured in Delicious Magazine and created Recipe Boxes for them, meaning that they can be recreated in a simple and effective way in your own kitchen.

Now that I'm working full time, anything which makes meal times easier is welcomed from me! As I have said previously, I love that when you receive a recipe box everything is measured out, and all you have to do is prepare and cook it, which cuts out so much time!

The recipes and ingredients we were sent to make included:

Gnocchi with Spinach Pesto & Caramelised Leeks

Roasted Tomato Salad with Feta, Pearl Barley and Herbs

Baked Butternut Squash with Ricotta and Spinach

All three recipes were a great success! Our favourite recipe was the Baked Butternut Squash with Ricotta and Spinach - a warming hearty Autumn recipe as the weather is starting to turn!

The Gnocchi with Spinach Pesto was the first time I have ever made pesto from scratch and I was surprised how simple it was. The recipe challenged me to improve my cookery skills too!

The Roasted Tomato Salad was a refreshing reminder that salad is not just for the summer! I loved the combination of the pearl barley and vegetables with the Feta.

What I love about Riverford is that 90% of the vegetables supplied are UK grown and often locally grown. Our box was produced in conjunction with a local supplier, and so you also feel that local businesses are directly benefitting from your sale.

Riverford offer a fantastic supply of Vegetarian recipe boxes each week. I would definitely recommend trying a box as it takes the stress out of having to decide what to cook at meal times, and encourages you to try an array of delicious recipes you wouldn't typically consider.

Recipe boxes are priced between £24.95 and £33.95 and the range changes each week.

June Kitchen Roundup - Heck Vegetarian Products and Appl Fizzics

2016-06-21T23:08:00.002+01:00

It's time for the June Kitchen Roundup and so today I am featuring a couple of products I have been sent to review on the blog in the last few weeks.

Heck, the fast growing food company from Yorkshire are well known for their meat products as a friend of mine exclaimed when I told her we would be receiving some meat-alternatives, but it is not so well known that they have now launched their new range of vegetarian sausages, burgers and balls with super-food vegetables as the stars of the show.

Hecks Super Green Balls, Nuts about Cheese Sausages and Gourmet Goat's Cheese Burgers are veg society approved and don't contain faux meat or Soy. The range is purely made up of vegetables and the Super Green Balls are Vegan too!

We sampled all three products. Our favourite were the Super Green balls with Quinoa, spinach. kale and ginger. They cooked really easily in the oven and were so delicious. The Goats Cheese Burgers with Quinoa, goat’s cheese and caramelized onion were also really tasty. The Nuts About Cheese Sausages with Cashews, two cheeses, flax and chia seeds, plus a dash of chilli were probably our least favourite as they didn't cook so easily, but they were still a fantastic vegetarian sausage.

The Heck range makes a fantastic alternative to soya meat-free varieties and I would recommend sampling the products, especially if you are planning a BBQ this summer!

The range is now on sale at Waitrose and online.

Newtons Appl Fizzics

If the great British Summer ever gets started, these new Appl Fizzics from Newtons will make a great non-alcohol alternative to enjoying a nice cold glass of beer or cider in the garden.

A refreshing blend of Apple juice and lightly sparkling water, this new apple drink contains 40^% less sugar than Apple Juice.

It is also completely natural, so there are no artificial preservatives, colours, flavours or sweeteners; and no added sugar. These drinks went down really smoothly in a tall glass with some ice and were not too fizzy. I don't like drinks with too strong a flavour, but these were so light and delicious.

With an RRP of £1.59 for 330ml or £3.49 for 750ml, Newton’s appl fizzics is available from Amazon.co.uk, Harrods, and a growing number of independent grocers, farm shops, delis and quality pubs bars and restaurants nationwide.

Sunrise Senior Living & Taste of Sunrise Butternut Squash Soup Recipe!

2016-03-03T10:43:00.003+00:00

As a Mum, I am passionate about cooking delicious food for my family and ensuring that they are eating a healthy balanced diet.

However, I realise that although I am able to cook for myself and my family at the stage of life I am in now, it might not always be the case. One day I might have to be relying on other people to cook my meals for me, and I hope that they will put as much care and attention into the food they produce for me as I do, for the food I produce for my family.

I know that many people lose their interest in food as they age. Cooking for one or two people perhaps just isn't as appealing as cooking for a whole family. It's common for older people to stop eating, or just eat minuscule sized portions. Therefore, it's reassuring to hear that there are Senior Living Homes out there who are caring for older people, who are passionate about the food that they are serving to their residents.

Sunrise Senior Living champions the lives of elderly people through excellent care and delicious food – many of their residents have specific dietary requirements so it’s essential that all residents are presented with tantalising meals to keep them interested in food.

Sunrise Senior Living has launched their annual "Taste of Sunrise" events to showcase the delicious and nutritious meals homemade in their care homes every single day to the public.

Between 5th and 13th March Sunrise care home communities are inviting the public to meet their talented chefs, sample their delicious and nutritious food and take home a free "Taste of Sunrise" Recipe Book when they take a tour of the community. The recipe book has signature dishes designed by Michelin star chefs such as Butternut Squash and Chestnut Soup, Ginger and Marmalade Sponge and Fruity Green Smoothie.

Our local nursing home in Elstree will be hosting one of the "Taste of Sunrise" events and I would recommend going along!

Sunrise invited me to make one of their Vegetarian Recipes from the Cookery Book. I chose to make Butternut Squash and Chestnut Soup. The recipe was very quick and easy to follow, and I have included it below if you would like to have a go at making your own.

Disclosure: Ingredients offered in anticipation of Review

Review: Riverford presents "The Happy Pear" Recipe Box

2016-02-13T00:37:00.000+00:00

We reviewed a Riverford Box last Autumn previously and from that experience we were complete converts to the Riverford brand. The invite to review another recipe box this month was a welcome opportunity and another chance to sample the delights of healthy, wholesome, fuss-free, delicious cooking which Riverford offers.

We were invited to review the "The Happy Pear Box" from Riverford, created by guest chef duo Irish twins, David and Steven Flynn. "The Happy Pear" began as a veg shop in County Wicklow, and has now developed into a natural food store, restaurants, whole food cafes, cook books and they are also part of Jamie Oliver’s FoodTube.

Most importantly, like Riverford, the Happy Pear twins are on a mission to get people to eat more veg.

The box we were sent contained recipe cards and ingredients for three meals. I love the way that Riverford presents their boxes, with the veg in one area, dairy/fridge ingredients in another, and three different compartments, numbered with the accompanying ingredients in, so that you don't have to spend hours trying to decipher which pots and cans go with which meal.

Even the six year old was impressed with the box as it came complete with Sheep's Wool for insulation and she demanded to visit the farm it came from straight away as she wanted to meet the sheep who supplied the wool!! I think this is a great way to get kids thinking about where food comes from and the people who supply our food rather than just seeing it as coming from the supermarkets.

Anyway, I digress...

The "Happy Pear" Box meals we were given to cook and enjoy were:

Mexican Leek and Black Bean Chilli

Puy Lentil Coconut Dahl

Spanish Chickpea and Potato Bake with Beetroot and Apple Salad

You could be mistaken for thinking that with just veg and salad in the box, it is impossible to create a hearty winters meal, but these recipes go the distance to debunk the myth that all meals have to come complete with meat or fish to be a decent winter warmer.

All of the dishes featured wouldn't look out of place as the Vegetarian option on any decent Winter Pub Menu. They are perfect for the freezing cold weather we are having at the moment. There have also been lots of bugs and germs going around school, so I hoped to aid our family's immunity by eating some delicious, nutritious and healthy meals full of goodness, and these dishes certainly ticked that box also.

All of the meals tasted absolutely amazing, but for the sheer ease of preparing and cooking, I would have to choose the Mexican Bean and Leek Chilli as my favourite dish. It was the first one I sampled on a night when I was pushed for time and it didn't take long to prepare or require too much brain power after a hard day at work. This dish was really hearty, and I served it with some crunchy bread and some sour cream too - the perfect accompaniment to Chilli!

The next dish we sampled was the Spanish Chickpea and Potato Bake with Beetroot and Apple Salad. This was closer to my comfort zone of the more traditional "veg, potato, protein" meal I would typically prepare, and as a fan of "one dish" meals, this would be a quick and easy dish to recreate. I wasn't so sold on the beetroot and apple salad. I can't fault the delicious, out of this world flavour combinations that the apple, beetroot, sunflower seeds and balsamic vinegar/olive oil/honey dressing provided, but just for the sheer "faffing" of having to grate the beetroot and even with gloves having it stain my hands, I would not be inclined to make it often (perhaps some grated beetroot as the ultimate lazy cheat would be a good substitution!!).

We also very much enjoyed the Puy Lentil Coconut Dahl, although this was probably the trickiest dish which took the longest to prepare. This dish did require some perseverance, however, it was definitely worth it!

I loved the combination of sweet potato and leeks - two vegetables I wouldn't typically put together, and the lentils and spring greens added amazing textures to the dish. I also loved the coconut sauce it was cooked in.

I would never have thought to cook this dish off of my own back, and it is one I will definitely be trying again.

One of the biggest barriers to us having a healthy meal every night is often me having to think about what to cook in the first place, and despite trying to meal plan, there are often nights when the inspiration just isn't forthcoming - especially if it's been a busy day at work.

With the Riverford Box, I loved not having to think about what we were going to cook. All of the ingredients were there, in the right amounts, measured out, and all I had to do was prepare and chop the veg and get cooking.

The recipes were very simple to understand and easy to follow, even someone without much cooking experience could follow them and come out with a fairly decent result at the end.

The Happy Pear Recipe Box costs £33.95 and comes with everything you would need to create three meals for two people (although we stretched ours to two adults and two children as the portions were on the generous side). Everything is weighed out and measured, so all you have to do is prepare the veg and get cooking!

The Happy Pear Box is only available from Riverford for a limited time, so I would hurry up and get one if I were you, and I would definitely recommend that you give it a try, as it is a fantastic option for anyone who is following a Vegetarian diet, or anyone who fancies sampling some meat-free recipes.

You can find out more about The Happy Pear Twins and Riverford in the video below.

Review: Anna Jones Riverford Vegetarian Recipe Box

2015-10-26T05:24:00.001+00:00

I have previously reviewed a Riverford Recipe Box and very much enjoyed it, and so when I was approached to sample a Vegetarian limited edition Guest Recipe Box created by Guest Chef Anna Jones I was excited to get cooking with it.

Anna Jones is a protege from Jamie Oliver's "fifteen" restaurant and is unique amongst chefs in that she believes that vegetables should be the main ingredient of a dish (always refreshing for a Vegetarian to hear). Anna works as a stylist and food writer in London and has worked with some of the best-loved food brands, cooks and chefs of our time, including Antonio Carluccio, Mary Berry and Yotam Ottolenghi. The recipes created by Anna are inspiring, and simple for anyone who is looking to get dinner on the table without a fuss or having to compromise on variety and depth of flavours.

We were sent a box of fresh ingredients which contained everything we needed to make three meals for two. The recipes included in with our box were:

Beetroot Curry with spiked cottage cheese
Warm Kale, Tomato and Coconut salad with quinoa
Sweet Potato and Puy Lentil Pie

As always, the huge benefit of ordering a Riverford box is that as well as receiving a box full of delicious organic produce, all of the extra ingredients are pre-weighed out into small containers, so that there is no extra shopping, weighing out ingredients, or throwing away excess food.

Each Recipe and Box comes equipped with a recipe box to tell you what to cook and what ingredients to use. I found that the recipe sheets fitted the timings given on the recipe perfectly and the quantities were also really good on them, so very accurate recipe sheets.

We made the Warm Kale Salad first, which took around thirty minutes to make. This was a fantastic recipe. I loved the saltiness of the Kale mixed with the juicy sweet tomatoes - a perfect flavour combination and the Quinoa also added some texture to the dish. The meal was very filling and I loved the concept of a warm salad.

Next we tried the Beetroot Curry which took about an hour to make. I have to say that although I very much liked the taste of this dish, grating all of the Beetroot left me with completely red stained hands, so perhaps a small pair of disposable gloves would help as it was rather messy to grate it all. Due to this, this was my least enjoyable recipe to make, although I did enjoy the taste and the cottage cheese mixed with the herbs and the lemon juice was a highlight of this dish.

The last dish we cooked was the Sweet Potato and Puy Lentil Pie. I don't tend to use lentils too much in cooking which is odd for a vegetarian but I always think they need to pre-soak. The puy lentils I used could be used straight away and once cooked offered just the perfect texture of a pie filling. I also loved the idea of making the pie with sweet potato instead of regular potato. This dish was by far my favourite and is perfect for those Autumn and Winter Nights rapidly approaching.

I really enjoyed making the recipes and thought that the end products were absolutely delicious. These recipes are a great way of cooking something creative and a little "outside the box" whilst also packing your diet full of veg and not compromising on flavour.

Anna Jones boxes are available for delivery 12th October to the 6th November and are priced at £33.95

Disclosure: Product offered in consideration for review.

Two Chicks Whole Egg: Review and Recipe

2015-10-19T20:21:00.000+01:00

We love baking cakes in our house, although I will readily admit that I am not as good a baker as I am cook, so I am all for taking shortcuts whenever possible!

Whenever I make a cake I am typically either 1) being interrupted by two small people desperate to help or 2) running really short of time and so shortcuts or quick cheats are often really helpful to me.

I was approached to sample Two Chicks Whole Egg, a time saver which enables you use ready mixed fresh egg straight from the carton. Each carton contains ten free range whole eggs and all you have to do is pour. Two Chicks Whole Egg also saves you time, mess and ease having to crack the eggs and get them all sorted.

Two Chicks eggs are free range, pausterised, high in protein and have no preservatives. The egg keeps for up to two days after opening and is really convenient. We don't always have fresh eggs available, so this is a handy thing to keep in the fridge and it can also be frozen into smaller portions

As well as making cakes, there are lots of things that you can do with Two Chick whole egg. You could make and Omelette, Quiche or Frittata, or add it to bread, cakes or even a protein shake perhaps!

We were sent the ingredients to make a Victoria Sponge filled with Passion Fruit Cream using Two Chicks Whole Egg. The method given was simple to follow and I was very impressed using the product within the cake. It made the batter really creamy and looked really great. There was no mucking about with the egg, trying to fish the shell out of the bowl or getting mucky fingers like can happen when using egg from the shell. The cake was quick and simple to make and using the Two Chicks Egg made it a much easier recipe.

The cake was also delicious. You wouldn't have known that Two Chicks whole egg had been used over a freshly laid egg. I think that this product is a great idea and I would definitely recommend trying again as I think this would save lots of time and hassle in the kitchen and would make life easier.

Two Chicks Whole Egg is available from Waitrose. Ocado, Tesco, Sainsburys and Morrisons and retails at £3.00

Product Offered in consideration for Review

Review: Sage No Mess Waffle Maker

2015-10-12T14:28:00.000+01:00

During the week our breakfast routine typically consists of grab what you can and go, so at the Weekend we often love to sit down as a family and enjoy breakfast or brunch together. During this time we typically eat the food we don't have time to enjoy in the week such as pastries, a cooked breakfast or Waffles!

I usually buy our waffles ready made, however recently we were approached to review the Sage "No Mess" Waffle Maker by Heston Blumenthal.

I loved the sound of a "no mess" waffle maker and so was interested to find out how it all worked. The Sage No Mess Waffle Maker has a unique moat which captures all of the mess that typically occurs as the waffle batter doubles in size. Once cooked, you can just cut off the extra, and eat or discard it. There are seven darkness settings depending on how well done you like your waffles. It also has a non -stick finish which releases the waffles easily.

We found the Waffle Maker very simple to use. It comes boxed with an instruction manual and recipe book which gives you examples of the different kinds of waffles you can make including Classic, Belgian-Style, Chocolate and Buttermilk. We decided to keep things simple and go for the classic waffle at first.

After we had made the batter mix as per the recipes book, we tried out the machine. The machine pre-heats and then lights up and makes an audible sound once hot enough. We then spread 125 mls of batter evenly over the waffle plate and closed the lid. The light switches off whilst cooking and then switches back on and another beep sounds once cooked. You can get about 8 waffles from the batter mixture.

You can see a demonstration of the Sage No Mess Waffle Maker in the video below.

I was really impressed with the No Mess Waffle Maker, it does exactly what it says on the tin. I think that this is a necessary item for any family kitchen as we have found it really handy for making waffles and toasted sandwiches at all times of the day and night! I would definitely recommend it to others.

The Sage No Mess Waffle Maker retails £99.95 and is available from John Lewis, Amazon and Sage Appliances online.

Disclosure: Product sent in consideration for review

September Finds: Sacla "Free From" Sauces

2015-09-16T12:02:00.000+01:00

I'm a big fan of Sacla sauces as I love Pesto, so I was excited to find out that Sacla has launched three new, "Free From" sauces: Free From Basil Pesto & Tomato Stir-In, Free From Creamy Tomato Stir-In and Free From Creamy Whole Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce.

The new sauces are made in Italy, and are suitable for vegans, certified gluten free, dairy free and wheat free - so suitable for those followig a variety of free-from diets or perhaps just trying to eat a little more healthily.

Sacla’ Free From sauces give a wonderfully homemade feel to any eating occasion. We tried the Sacla sauces and kept it simple by serving with Pasta. The Basil Pesto and Tomato Stir In was our favourite - although we loved the other two sauces also. As Pesto may sometimes not be vegetarian, it was also reassuring to know that these are completely Free-From.

Sacla’ Stir Through sauces are available from Waitrose and Ocado from 28th August priced £1.89 for the stir in sauces (150g tub) and £1.99 for the Free From Creamy Whole Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce (350g).

New Summer Recipe for Aldi: Squash, Courgette, Pepper and Tomato Gratin

2015-08-25T09:00:00.000+01:00

Even if the weather outside today isn't summer like I'm still clinging onto the last remnants of summer and so today I am featuring a Summer inspired vegetarian recipe which I was asked to create using ingredients from Aldi.

A quick trip to my local Aldi store indicated that the supermarket's products do indeed change with the seasons as there were lots of summer-inspired produce and products around - particularly in the dessert aisle! As you may also know their fresh produce tends to be cheaper than other supermarkets as does their organise produce, although this doesn't compromise on the quality.

When I think of summer I think of lighter meals which incorporate fresh vegetables and fragrant flavours. I decided to create a Squash Courgette, Pepper and Tomato Gratin which featured some delicious summer vegetables as a great lighter alternative to a crumble or pie. The breadcrumbs give the Gratin a slightly lighter topping than a flour/butter mix.

This recipe is really simple to make - you literally just pop everything in one pan to cook, and then into another to cook. It's fantastic for busy people with not much time to prepare a delicious vegetarian meal. You could also pop all of the ingredients into the slow cooker to cook if you wanted to leave it to slow cook all day. To add to our meal, we started with Aldi Garlic and Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms as a starter and finished with delicious Aldi Deluxe mini Ice Creams available in four flavours - white milk or dark chocolate and almond. Here is my recipe - I hope you like it!

Squash, Courgette, Pepper and Tomato Gratin

Ingredients

5 tbsp. Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic

1 medium Butternut Squash, chopped into small chunks

1 medium Red Onion, chopped into chunks

300g Quorn Chicken pieces

2 Courgettes chopped into chunks

1 large Red Pepper, chopped

1 large Yellow Pepper chopped

Half a tsp Salt

2 tbsp Fresh Basil Leaves, finely chopped

100g Aldi Vintage Reserve Cheddar, grated

250g Fresh Vine Tomatoes, sliced

2 Aldi Ciabatta Rolls, processed into breadcrumbs

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic and butternut squash and cook for ten minutes on a medium heat. It may help to soften the squash by putting the lid on to add some steam for a few mins of this process.
Add the red onion and cook for a further five minutes until the onion is transparent.
Add the quorn chicken, peppers, courgettes and salt and continue to cook for a further ten minutes.
Add the chopped basil and two tablespoons of the vintage cheddar into the mix and continue to cook for a further three to five minutes.
Transfer the mixture into a deep oven-proof dish. Drizzle the top with oil.
Meanwhile, process the ciabatta rolls into breadcrumbs.
Combine the breadcrumbs with the rest of the reserve chunky cheddar in a separate bowl. Sprinkle the breadcrumb/cheddar mixture over the top of the vegetables.
Top with sliced tomatoes
Cook in the oven for around thirty minutes or until the butternut squash is soft and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Serve immediately.

Disclosure: Vouchers offered in consideration for recipe development

New finds for August: Munchy Seeds

2015-08-18T12:42:00.000+01:00

I often find myself feeling peckish during the day and like others, I find that it is very tempting to reach for something sweet, or a sugar fix when I need one. I was approached to sample Mumchy Seeds which are ready to go wholesome seed mixes and breakfast toppers, and make a great alternative to more fattening snacks.

Designed as a healthier more low-fat option, Munchy Seeds release slow-burning energy which helps curb hunger cravings. Munchy Seeds are available in :

Honey Seeds
Chilli Bites
Omega Sprinkles
Choccy Ginger
Choocy Apricot

I very much enjoyed all of the different flavours, although the Choccy Ginger and the Honey Seeds were my favourite. They did make a great alternative to other snacks and I will be reaching for them if I see them at the supermarket.

Munchy Seeds are available from Icado, Waitrose, Tesco, and Co-Op.

Disclosure: Products offered in consideration for review

Riverford Vegetarian Recipe Box Review

2015-08-11T14:33:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago we were sent a wonderful Riverford Recipe Box to review from Riverford, the award winning organic delivery company. I'm sure many of you are familiar with the Riverford Box Scheme which delivers freshly grown fruit and veg produce and dairy to around sixty thousand homes around the UK, but did you know that they now offer recipe boxes? I certainly didn't and so I was excited to find out more when I was approached to review a recipe box..

Riverford Recipe Boxes are an easy and innovative way to cook delicious organic meals without the fuss of having to source everything that you need from scratch. We were sent a Vegetarian Recipe box, which contains everything that you need to create three home-cooked meals. Inside there is fresh seasonal organic produce, step-by-step recipe cards and all of the extra ingredients in exact quantities. There is no need to go and buy a whole tin or packet of something, just to use a teaspoon of it (which saves on waste), and no weighing or measuring of ingredients (which saves massively on time). Everything is provided for you and all you have to do is some minimal preparation and then the cooking.

Now this idea hugely appeals to me as I like to try and eat delicious, freshly prepared healthy meals, but as many working Mums are (and perhaps even most of the working population in general), I am very time poor. I typically probably have around thirty minutes in the kitchen per night to cook something from start to finish, so anything which speeds up this process is a bonus to me, and anything which saves me deliberating on what to cook is also a quick win.

I was extremely impressed with the way that the box was packaged when it was delivered. It had everything labelled with the exact quantities, and packed into compartments so that you knew what was what, and there wasn't stacks of excess packaging to throw away.

The meals we were sent ingredients for were Portobello Mushroom Rarebit, Spinach and Sugar Snap Kedgeree, and Panzanella and Mozzarella.

Over the next week we sampled all three meals. Having all of the ingredients there in the little containers was so easy, I kept the fresh ingredients together in the fridge drawers and so could just grab what I needed as I went along. Everything was in the right quantities to cook with and there were step by step instructions to follow along the way. The only thing I would say would be to read all of the recipe card instructions when you get them as it might be that some things need some pre-preparation, or have to be left for a certain amount of time. For example I had to soak the onions in the oil and vinegar for the panzanella and so had to make sure I made this dish on a night when I was not in a hurry to go anywhere.

I think that the two meals I most enjoyed were the Portobello Mushroom Rarebit served with salad and shoots which was very tasty and filling, and the Panzanella which was a fantastic meal for a summers evening. My husband was also very impressed with the taste and quality of the meals and remarked that it was a welcome change from my usual offerings!

I was extremely impressed with the Riverford Recipe Box service. Everything was delivered to me, it was fresh produce, and all ready to go. The recipes were easy to follow and the instructions were so self-explanatory. All three meals were very appetising and satisfying. I didn't feel hungry at night after I had eatern them, and there were ample portions all round. I also liked the wide range of recipes on offer, so every week there is something different on offer and great variety to choose from. All of the recipes are seasonal, organic and created by professional chefs.

The price of a Vegetarian Box is £33.95 for three meals for two people. I think that this is extremely reasonable as it comes in at around £5.50 a head - which is what you would pay if you were buying a ready meal with the accompanying salad or bread. Plus and more importantly, the meal is freshly prepared and cooked, organic, and you know ingredients are going in! The Vegetarian box is slightly cheaper than the meat alternatives. There is no obligation to subscribe weekly, you can buy as little or as often as you want to. I wouldn't say I would purchase this each week as some nights we eat with the kids and some nights without, and the kids may not be open to every recipe (perhaps a kids meal box could be a good seller! However, I think we would use this service at least once or twice a month, and I am also looking into ordering the veg and fruit boxes on a weekly basis!

I would definitely recommend sampling the Riverford Recipe Box scheme. We loved our complimentary box and I will definitely be ordering this again as it took all of the time and hassle out of deciding what to cook, going to the shops to hunt for the ingredients, then preparing the individual dishes. It was so easy and ultimately any company who is going to make my life easier gets my business!!

Disclosure: We were offered the Riverford Recipe Box in consideration for review.

New finds for June: Cawston Press, Our Little Secret and Beech's Fine Chocolates

2015-06-29T08:00:00.000+01:00

Some more exciting vegetarian products have graced our table this month and so here is a round-up of the products we received and what we thought of them.

Cawston Press
Having sampled Cawston Press Juice recently, I was excited to receive some new offerings from Cawston Press' lightly sparkling drinks range. A "grown-up" take on the humble soft drink, these new flavours are fantastic drunk just as they are, or mixed with your favourite choice of tipple.

Each canned drink is made from a blend of pressed fruit juices mixed with sparkling water and without any colourings, preservatives or artificial sweeteners. I was sent some of the new flavours in the range include Ginger Beer and Elderflower Lemonade.

Ginger Beer - a dry twist on the classic, with fiery root ginger and pressed apple juice.

Elderflower Lemonade - a wonderfully light blend of fragrant elderflower and pressed apple juice

I tried both products and was impressed with the intense flavours. Having said that, both flavours were so light and smooth and went down really well in a glass with some ice. It seems that they are the perfect beverage for summer, especially to pack in a picnic basket!!

The Elderflower Lemonade stood out to me as a clear winner. I could imagine sitting drinking this on a warm summer day and a cool summer evening. Look out for them on the shelves of Waitrose, Ocado and other supermarkets.

Our Little Secret
Our Little Secret is a unique brand inspired by world flavours including Indian, Oriental and Mediterranean dishes. The brand aims to bring expertly prepared cuisine to the table in a convenient and easy way. Having scoured the globe for the tastiest ingredients, the Our Little Secret range includes nineteen individual products that are divided into meal kits, authentic cook-in sauces and single portion pots of rice.

We were sent an Our Little Secret Makhani sauce and a Tikka Lababdar sauce. We love Indian food in our family so we were excited to try them out. I am also constantly short of time during the week and so this sauce was a great "quick fix" for me to get meals prepared. I prepared the tikka sauce with some quorn chicken style pieces, and served it with some rice. It went down a treat and the kids enjoyed the smooth flavour that the tikka had. I served the peshwari sauce with some vegetables and served it with naan bread for hubby and I one evening. We both also enjoyed the sauce and would definitely look out for it in the supermarket.

Our Little Secret Sauces are available to buy in Morrisons Supermarkets and Makro Cash and Carry stores.

Beechs Fine Chocolate
An approach to ask me to review any kind of chocolate is rarely turned down, especially when the chocolate in question is suitable for vegetarians and surprisingly also vegans - a rare find in the market these days.

Enter Beech’s Fine Chocolates, who have been producing quality traditional British Chocolates in Preston, Lancashire since 1920. All of Beech’s products are made using the finest ingredients and only natural colours and flavours.

I was sent a whole host of different flavours including Beech's Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate and Anglesey Sea Salt Milk Chocolate flavours which are all suitable for vegetarians.

I also received Dark Chocolate, Lime and Chilli Dark Chocolate, and Ginger Dark Chocolate which are all suitable for vegans.

When the chocolate bars arrived, I loved the look of the packaging. The chocolate looks a little extra special and I could imagine bringing it out and serving to friends.

Having sampled all of the flavours, I can honestly say that all of them were delicious. However, there were some clear winners which stood out, including the more interesting flavour combinations of Anglesey Sea Salt, the Ginger, and the Chilli and Lime dark chocolate, which we all agreed was really delicious and our clear favourite.

Beech's Fine Chocolate is perfect to enjoy as it is, but you can also cook with it. The thins are great for popping on top of cakes or cupcakes, the dark bar can be grated and used in sweet or even savoury cooking.

Beech's Fine Chocolates are available to buy online on their website.

How to eat Vegetarian in Southern California

2015-06-26T13:54:00.001+01:00

Some of you may know we recently visited California to see family and having visited many times, I know how hard it can be to eat out for a vegetarian as everything there is mainly geared up for meat and fish eaters and they really do look at you as if you have two heads if you say you don't eat meat - even though California has a wide variety of food from so many different cultures and heritages. Today I just wanted to give you a sample of the delicious food we sampled during our visit to prove that vegetarians can eat well in California!

We flew American Airlines to LAX from London. Plane food can be notoriously dodgy, especially for vegetarians and so and I was pleasantly surprised to find they had a vegetarian pasta on offer both ways as one of the choices. I had ordered a veggie meal which basically consisted of stewed vegetables, but I quickly swapped it for the pasta which was delicious. A vegetarian panini was offered as a snack shortly before we landed in LAX and granola with blueberry yoghurt was served on the leg back to London shortly before landing in London.

We stayed in Orange County, about 40 miles south of LA. The first morning, we ate at our hotel - Hotel Irvine, which I would definitely recommend if you are in the area. The food was amazing. A light buffet breakfast was on offer (coffee, juice, yoghurt, pastries) and then you could order from the menu too which was not too expensive. We ordered egg rancheros for breakfast which was absolutely delicious. The concept of being able to eat something that a fried breakfast was a little lost on the kids, but we thoroughly enjoyed the change!

Lunch took us to California Pizza Kitchen, where the kids ordered delicious pizzas and I ordered the Caramelised Peach Salad which had cranberries, gorgonzola, toasted pecans and red onions and of course the peaches served on a bed of greens. This dish was one of the food highlights of the trip as it was so delicious and unlike anything I have had in the UK. I am definitely going to try and recreate this salad at home as it was so delicious - although I'm sure the peaches won't be as fresh as they are in the sunshine state!

No trip to the USA would be complete without a visit to Denny's Diner for breakfast. I thought I remembered there being more vegetarian options on the menu, but it seems I was mistaken. There wasn't huge amounts of choice, but I opted for a cheese and tomato omelette which was ok and the hashbrown potatoes which were really yummy!

Then there is Del Taco! Our family is a huge fan of Mexican food. We virtually ate Mexican at some point every day whilst away. Although Mexican food in the USA I'm sure does not hold a candle to authentic Mexican food from Mexico, it is a million times better than many of the lacklustre chains you find in the UK with disappointing versions of Mexican food. Enter Del Taco. We found a really nice, recently refurbished Del Taco where you could get a reasonably priced meal which was freshly made. Although I forgot to take pictures of the food (the food was so good we ate it before remembering to take pictures!) Our regular order included the 8 layer Veggie Burrito, Spicy Jack Cheese Quesadilla and Fries - which were the best I have tasted in any fast food restaurant. Eldest also loved the bean and cheese Burrito. We love Del Taco for a quick and easy meal. I think it's much nicer than Taco Bell and a great choice for fast food for Vegetarians as others - In and Out, Carls Jr, McDonalds etc don't always have as much vegetarian choice.

A trip to Newport Beach cannot be forgotten, along with their awesome Balboa Bars - the delicious ice cream bar delicacy native to the bay of Newport - which is literally one of my favourite places in the world. We enjoyed our Balboa Bars as we watched the yachts sail along the harbour and took a ride on the Ferris Wheel. As a big fan of the tv show "The OC" in my late teens/early twenties, it just reminds me of a simpler time when as a single gal I could "hop across the pond" to California anytime I wanted to visit family and chill out at Newport Beach.

We were lucky enough to enjoy traditional American Hospitality when we went to a Memorial Day BBQ at a local church. It was a bring a dish policy and the offerings were absolutely immense! I have never seen to many different salad and pasta dishes, not to mention the unbelievable cupcakes which the kids soon got stuck into. Funnily enough there were no veggie burgers on offer - it was a meat fest on the BBQ - not room for anything vegetable related! However, I didn't go hungry as there was so much other great food to sample. Our lasting memories of the day though are the kids taking part in a watermelon eating competition. Youngest had a brilliant time and I loved seeing her playing with other children and having fun.

Another regular stop when we are in SoCal is Jamba Juice. A little "passe" these days for some, a few years ago, a visit to Jamba Juice was "the" thing to do and the queues would often be out of the door. Our regular Jamba Juice had closed down, but we did find another outlet, and enjoyed a delicious juice from Jamba whilst we soaked up the California sun.

Next stop Rubios - a slightly more upmarket version of Del Taco I guess. Serving "coastal inspired cuisine, Rubios is very fish focused. However, I did manage to find a Veggie Burrito. Nachos and quesadilla, along with some delicious black beans which we found really tasty.

Youngest has also begged me to mention "which wich" a sandwich shop where she ate from whilst we had Rubios. She loved it as she got to pick a bag and tick what type of sandwich she wanted, what bread and fillings,and then watch the bag go along the line and be filled with her sandwich. I love the idea of this, so I think we will all be visiting next time!

Last in our mentions is Chilli's, I love the local Chill's in the city where we stayed. It conjures up happy memories of my childhood, and my Dad taking me for Quesadillas whilst we watched Monday night Football. I always remenber the delicious Quesadilla's with cheese and scallions. This visit we went all out and ordered a few different dishes from the menu to share. We opted for the White Spinach Queso, Tostadas with Avocado and Veggies (minus the chicken), a combo dish with Cheese Quesadilla and Veggie Tortilla and Crispy Cheddar Bites,

As some of the main courses were not specifically vegetarian, I think that Chillis was very accommodating in allowing customers to make their food veggie. I love Chill's as I think they are really vegetarian friendly and we will be back next time we visit!

Other food highlights included a trip to Panda Express for Chinese and lots of other places. Although California is very meat and fish orientated, I think it's easy to eat Vegetarian if you know where to look and hopefully some of these have inspired you to take a look if you are ever in that part of the world.

What's your favourite place for vegetarian food in Orange County? Do you have any good tips for me for next time?

Featured Post: Cheddar & Leek Crumble with Barbers 1833 Vintage Reserve Cheddar

2015-05-25T08:52:00.000+01:00

Ask any vegetarian and they will typically tell you that one of the things they find hardest as a vegetarian is not actually avoiding meat and fish. It is knowing which products are vegetarian, and which are not. It can be a tricky minefield to navigate as there are all sorts of products which you might think would be vegetarian, but are surprisingly not. Cheese is a typical example of such a product as some cheese is vegetarian but not all cheese is. Some vegetarians can easily get a little stuck in a rut as they may stick with a cheddar which they know is vegetarian, even if it does not have the most delicious flavour, rather than going through the hassle of trying other brands.

Enter Barbers Vintage Reserve Cheddar - a completely vegetarian and extremely tasty and delicious Vintage Cheddar Cheese! Based in Dicheat Somerset since 1833, the sixth generation of the Barber family are now creating cheese which Vegetarians can feel completely guilt-free and comfortable about enjoying. Barbers Vintage Reserve Cheddar doesn’t contain any animal rennet or animal products and so it is completely 100% vegetarian! Using traditional “cheddaring” techniques, it takes up to two years to create this fantastic West Country 24 month matured Farmhouse Cheddar, and the proof of the quality of the cheddar is definitely in the tasting, as this cheese is full of flavour, taste and depth. I regularly buy Barbers Cheddar as I trust the brand to be vegetarian, and I also love the taste of the product. The cheddar has a distinct mature flavour, which is also very smooth and mellow at the same time and is well suited to use in a grilled cheese sandwich, alongside a nice glass of wine, or in a more creative dish!

Barbers asked me to create a recipe using their vintage reserve cheddar which would demonstrate the versatility of the product, and not compromise on taste. I decided to create a Cheddar and Leek Crumble as the simple ingredients do not mask the flavour of the cheese, and so the rich taste of the cheddar really comes through. The recipe is really easy to make and could even be made and left to cook in the slow cooker!

I think that Cheddar and Leek Crumble is a great dish to serve all year around. This dish would make a great main course in the Spring and Summer, and would also be a great side dish to a slightly more hearty meal in the Autumn and Winter.

Barbers Vintage Reserve Cheddar is available to buy online, from the deli counters in good farm shops, and Sainsbury's, Waitrose & Morrison's stores.

I would recommend getting yourself some Barbers Cheddar and trying out this recipe as you will not be disappointed! I would love to hear what you think of this dish, so feel free to leave me a comment below with a review when you have made it!

Barbers Reserve Cheddar and Leek Crumble

Ingredients

30g butter

4 large leeks , cut into slices of around 2cm

1 onion, sliced into small pieces

400ml single cream

400ml vegetable stock

500g Barbers Vintage Reserve Cheddar Cheese, grated

1tbsp wholegrain mustard

200g breadcrumbs

50g hazelnuts, shelled,

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Melt the butter over a low heat and swish around the pan to distribute evenly. Add the onion and leeks and cook for around 5 minutes until the onion is transparent.
Add the cream, vegetable stock and mustard, and cook for around 15 minutes, or until the leeks start to soften.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 250g of the Barbers cheddar cheese, allowing it to melt into the mixture.
Transfer the leeks and pan juices into a ceramic oven-proof dish. The pan juices should be just covering the leeks, but not saturating them, so you may need to remove some of the pan juice from the dish.
In a blender, whizz the nuts and breadcrumbs together until finely chopped. Take 125g of the Barbers Cheddar and stir through the mixture.
Sprinkle the other 125g of the cheddar over the top of the leek and pan juices.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the leeks and cheese. Spread evenly to cover.
Bake for around 25 minutes in the oven, or until the crumble topping turns golden
Serve immediately.

Disclosure: Products and payment offered in consideration for review and recipe development

May Finds - a NVW Special: Amy's Kitchen, Fragata Olives and Mildreds Cookbook

2015-05-22T08:00:00.000+01:00

So, how are you enjoying National Vegetarian Week so far? Well, today I am featuring some more fantastic vegetarian brands whose products are perfect to sample during National Vegetarian Week.

Amy's Kitchen
Amy's Kitchen, the leading natural frozen food brand in the USA have been in the UK since 2010 and have been leading the way in changing the perception of frozen food. The Berliner family named the range after their daughter Amy, and have ensured that their range retains that "made with love" homemade taste. Amy’s Kitchen is a great alternative to cooking from scratch and still having a wholesome meal. The products are made from all natural ingredients and are all Vegetarian and Gluten Free guaranteeing that you won't find any hidden nasties or surprises in the food.

To celebrate National Vegetarian Week, we were sent a selection of Amy's Kitchen products to try. Having sampled the range before, I know that they are well known for their delicious food and so we were excited to try some different products.

For breakfast this week I sampled the Breakfast Sandwich made with meat-free sausage and scrambled tofu - much healthier than a fast food version and twice as delicious too! I also loved the Mexican Bean and Cheese Burrito which I ate alongside the kids. They had the rice mac and cheese, and the vegetable lasagne and both agreed that their dinner was "scrumptious".

We love Amy's Kitchen products. They are convenient, easy to serve and the quality is second to none. I would definitely recommend trying them - whether you are vegetarian or not!

Amy's Kitchen products are available from most major supermarkets.

Fragata Olives
It's always exciting to receive antipasti through the post, especially as we have held a few social gatherings recently and needed some essential nibbles to keep everyone well nourished until the main meal was ready. We were sent a range of antipasti from Fragata Olives who produce and distribute olives from family owned olives groves in Seville, Spain. Fragata allow you to savour the taste of Spain whilst enjoying the great British weather! They also feature Olives and other Mediterranean specialities such as Capers, Pimiento Piquillo Peppers and Guindillas (hot yellow peppers) in their range. Alongside their own olives, which are available stuffed and pitted with lots of varieties, they also have a range of Greek olives and antipasti.

Olives and antipasti are a great source of essential vitamins and ‘good fats'. They are also versatile and can be added to lots of different dishes. I mainly tend to eat them as they are, or use them in a salad or a bowl of pasta, but apparently, you can even make them into olive ice cream.

I enjoyed sampling the Fragata range of antipasti, The olives were delicious, and the sweet red peppers were out of this world. You can use them however you like. Whether you include them in a salad, mix into a main meal, whip them up in to a pasta or even make some olive ice cream! Fragata products are available from most major supermarkets.

Mildred's Cookbook

This month a new cook book is released from Mildreds - one of the longest-standing and most popular vegetarian restaurants in London. For over twenty five years Mildreds has been at the heart of vegetarian cafe culture, serving up budget friendly dishes to veggies and non veggies alike.

Now they have decided to immortalise some of those famous dishes in Mildreds The Vegetarian Cookbook, a new and exciting cookbook with delicious recipes to suit every budget and cooking skill. This book makes it really easy for people to embrace a no-meat diet, as there are over one hundred mouth-watering recipes to choose from.

What I love about this book is that the dishes come from such a wide a varied variety of countries and cultures. This is good food at it's best, made with delicious, fresh ingredients, which are easy to source and easy to cook with. I have been drooling over the pictures of the food, and I also love the pictures of love the pictures of the restaurant interspersed throughout the book.

I'm looking forward to trying the Sun-blushed tomato and Mozzarella Arancini with warm grilled aubergine and courgette salad, as Arancini is one of my absolute favourite dishes. I also like the look of the Mango Fool and the Maple Pecan Pie!

I would encourage you to purchase Mildreds: The Cookbook and give the recipes a go, because whether you are a vegetarian or not, I guarantee you will be inspired to enjoy some delicious, exciting vegetarian dishes in the comfort of your own home!

Mildreds: The Vegetarian Cookbook by Mildreds, Photography by Jonathan Gregson, Published by Mitchell Beazley, £25, www.octopusbooks.co.uk

Disclosure: Products offered in consideration for review

Review: Ocado #Vegchallenge for National Vegetarian Week

2015-05-20T09:00:00.000+01:00

Continuing our National Vegetarian Week theme, today I am featuring some fantastic Vegetarian brands which can be found at Ocado.

Did you know that Ocado now has an Ocado Vegetarian shop? I am a regular Ocado customer and I have to admit that even I didn't know that Ocado has a Vegetarian Shop. However, now that I have found it, I am super excited that I did as my online shop has now got even easier because pretty much every Vegetarian product I might want to buy is now all in one place!

The new Ocado Vegetarian shop combines a mixture of eating and drinking occasions with specific essentials all in one shop, making it extremely convenient for vegetarians to find exactly what they need in as little time as possible and who has time to spend ages shopping online? Definitely not me!

Ocado now had one of the best veggie-friendly ranges available on the market. Whether you follow a completely vegetarian diet, or you are one of the one million people who likes to observe ‘Meat Free Monday’, Ocado has lot of great products to support your dietary choices.

At Ocado, I tend to opt for firm favourites such as Quorn, Cauldron and Higgidy. However, there are also some new exciting vegetarian food brands on the market including new-comers La Tua Pasta, Smoke and Pickle and Raw Health.

Ocado sent me some products to review including Higgidy Feta and Red Pepper Veggie Rolls, Spinach and Pine nut Bites from Great Food and Goodlife Nut burgers. Alongside these, included some chicken pieces from the veg deli, Soupologie soup and marinated tofu. We eat a variety of "convenience" veggie foods *such as quorn cocktail sausages) and meals which I cook from scratch, so it's always good to have a few go to brands for each.

Often as vegetarians, the range of foods available can be quite boring and bland, but these interesting and exciting brands just go to prove that being vegetarian is not about eating food which tastes like cardboard as it may have been twenty years ago! These Feta and Red Pepper veggie rolls were a clear hit with my girls. They actually requested them rather than their usual sausage rolls and wolfed them down. I tried them too and I have to say that they are probably one of the most interesting and delicious veggie products I have ever tasted.

Tonight I am aiming to make a chicken stew with the Veg Deli chicken pieces. it is a really versatile product, which you could have on salads, in stir fries, in a pie, or it also has many other uses. However, tonight I am going to make a stew with the Veg Deli Chicken Pieces using my slow cooker. Here is the recipe:

One-pot Veggie Chicken Stew: Quick and Easy Version

Ingredients
2 x Homepride White Wine Sauce
2 Carrots - sliced into small pieces
2 Onions, chopped into small pieces
500g Mushrooms - chopped into small pieces
Box Veg Deli Chicken Pieces
Olive Oil

Method

Add the white wine sauce and carrots to a slow cooker pot.
Fry the onions and mushrooms for around five minutes.
Add the Veg Deli Chicken and continue to cook for a further two to three minutes.
Drain the oil and transfer the chicken and vegetables to the slow cooker.
Stir to combine.
Cook for around four hours on high, or eight hours on low.
Serve with rice, or allow to cool cover in pastry and make into a chicken and vegetable pie!

So that is my idea of what to do with one of the ingredients from the Ocado Vegetarian range - what;s yours? Any ideas for the sauerkraut?

Disclosure: Products offered in consideration for review

Featured Post and Review: Glorious SkinnyLicious Vegetarian Soups

2015-05-18T09:00:00.000+01:00

Today I am showcasing the perfect product to kick off National Vegetarian Week 2015, especially if you are a carnivore joining us vegetarians for the week and missing your meat already!

Glorious Foods, the makers of sauces, dips and soups recently released their range of SkinnyLicious vegetarian soups by GLORIOUS! - a soup range full of exciting and adventurous vegetarian flavours,

All of the SkinnyLicious soups are less that 2% fat and under 150 calories per portion. That's great for those who are on a diet, or maybe just wanting to watch their calorie intake. However, one thing that Glorious has not compromised on is the taste. With delicious flavours such as "New England in Autumn", "Singapore Fling" and "Goa Express", the soup range contains interesting flavour combinations from around the world.

Here is an overview of the different vegetarian flavours:

San Antonio: Meat-free chilli soup, made with four bean mix and basmati rice

Goa Express: Tomato, lentils, low fat yogurt and Goan spice

New England in Autumn: Butternut squash with a hint of cumin

Persian Hug: Roast tomato soup with eastern spice, saffron and mint

Singapore fling: Crushed tomato and coconut soup with basmati rice, lemongrass (Waitrose exclusive)

Thai tuk tuk: Carrot soup infused with coconut, lime leaves and lemongrass

More Bangalore: Daal, lentil and chickpea soup with garam masala, curry leaves and mago chutney (Tesco exclusive)

Sun kissed Sicily: Tomato and balsamic soup with roast garlic, fennel

I actually purchased some of these soups previously to being offered them for review as they looked so appetising when I saw them in the supermarket. We were sent the full range of vegetarian soups to sample. Particular SkinnyLicious favourites of ours included the San Antonio meat-free chilli soup, which definitely rivalled a delicious bowl of chilli. and the Singapore fling with it's creamy coconut flavour. Each one definitely felt like a taste of the exotic, and was different to anything I had smapled before.

The SkinnyLicious soup range makes a refreshing change to the drab, boring plain flavours of soup one is typically subjected to as a vegetarian. I absolutely loved the bold interesting flavours and was excited to sample each one. These soups are extremely filling, and absolutely delicious. You really feel like you have had a meal, and aren’t craving anything else afterward, like you might typically do with a bowl of soup.

Glorious SkimyLicious Soups are available in all major supermarkets, and I would definitely recommend giving them a try as they are a fantastic range!

Disclosure: This is a featured post which I received payment for and products were offered in consideration for review

National Vegetarian Week - Monday 18th - Sunday 24th May

2015-05-16T00:56:00.000+01:00

National Vegetarian Week 2015 starts this coming Monday and so I just wanted to say "Happy Veggie Week!" to all of my readers. Thanks to those of you who follow my blog and recipes and leave comments.

Whether you are already vegetarian, or just thinking about it for this week, then you can find some fantastic recipes in the recipe section of my blog.

This week I will be featuring some delicious recipes and products to celebrate National Vegetarian Week, so watch out for furher updates during the week!

Jewelled Persian Rice from Amira

2015-05-06T14:02:00.001+01:00

Today I am featuring a delicious Vegetarian recipe fit for a Princess, which is rather apt given the birth of the newest member of the royal family!

Amira is a new speciality rice brand, sold in over forty countries worldwide which provides quality, delicious aromatic rice to bring that gourmet touch to every meal. Founded one hundred years ago by the Chanana family, Amira produces delicious, high quality premium specialty rice. Their expertise and commitment to the rice ageing process ensures a flavoursome and aromatic quality to their basmati. Amira’s flagship products are matured for a minimum of twelve months, giving them a distinctive and delicious flavour. Deriving its name from the Sanskrit word for “fragrant one”, basmati is known for its distinctive, sweet aroma.

Amira has several key attributes that make it a high quality grain worth cooking with:

Delicious flavour
Longer grains
Up to 1.5 times longer than traditional basmati rice
Aged to perfection. Amira’s rice is aged for 12-18 months to improve the taste

Indeed, Amira is one of the highest quality rice variants available in the UK and their Superior Aromatic grain is the rice of choice in the kitchens of Michelin-starred restaurants Trishna and Gymkhana.

With such high endorsements, I was excited to try Amira's superior aromatic rice. Amira sent me the ingredients to sample their Jewelled Persian Rice with Pomegranates, Walnuts & Parsley

The recipe took a little while to prepare, but you can't rush perfection! I would recommend cooking this dish for friends and family during a relaxed meal perhaps alongside a glass of wine, where you can chat during the cooking.

I really noticed the difference using Amira rice vs. using other rice. The grains of rice were much longer, and the texture was much more silky smooth. I loved the Jewelled Persian Rice recipe - the pomegranates and the walnuts mixed together so well with the rice and I thought that the sticky rice I scraped from the bottom of the pan (tahdig) was especially delicious.

Amira can be found on the shelves of Waitrose, Morrison's, Tesco and Asda. The next time you are considering buying rice, I would recommend giving this brand a try. I'd love to hear what you think!

Disclosure: Ingredients offered in consideration for review

April Vegetarian Roundup - Macsween Haggis, Jealous Sweets and Rachel's Organic Luscious Fruits

2015-04-28T23:05:00.000+01:00

Today I am featuring a round-up of all of the delicious vegetarian products which have graced our kitchen table this month.

Macsween Vegetarian Haggis

Traditionally associated with the stomach of an animal, haggis isn't something which I would guess rates highly on the wish list to sample for a Vegetarian. I have to say, with Scottish ancestry in the blood I often baulked when I saw haggis grace the dinner table as a child.

Happily, there are now vegetarian versions of haggis available on the market to try and I have to say, I have been pleasantly surprised when sampling Vegetarian Haggis from Macsween of Edinburgh the award winning, family owned haggis producer. Their vegetarian Haggis, which is approved by the Vegetarian Society and also vegan friendly is made of a combination of fresh vegetables, pulses. locally milled oats, spices, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Macsween's vegetarian Haggis is really easy to cook and prepare. You can either boil it in it's packaging, or pop it in the microwave for a quick and easy meal. I was sent some regular vegetarian Haggis and also a Moroccan Spiced Haggis to sample. I very much enjoyed both, but the extra depth of flavour which the Moroccan spiced Haggis had really tickled my taste buds, and I have to say that I enjoyed this flavour a little more and it was a clear winner for me.

Interestingly, vegetarian Haggis actually accounts for one in four of Macsween's products sold annually. You could eat it on it's own, with a salad as I did, use it as a stuffing for vegetables, or spread on top of bread. It is a very versatile product and a fantastic source of protein. I am now firmly a vegetarian haggis convert as is hubby. As a meat-eater, he was really surprised at how delicious the vegetarian version of haggis was.

Macsween Vegetarian Haggis is available in a 500g pack, RRP £3.55, and as a microwaveable version, 130g, RRP £1.50, from Waitrose, independent retailers and online from the Macsween website, I would definitely recommend that you try it as it is fantastic!

Jealous Sweets

Jealous Sweets are a company aiming their sweets firmly at grown-ups rather than children, so they immediately get my vote for trying to do something new and interesting in the confectionary market.

Unboxing the package of delicious sweets I was sent, I was extremely excited to find the beautiful packets buried deep inside. I love the luxurious gift boxes and stylish packaging, they really make you feel that these sweets are something special. With flavours like Grapefruit & Orange, Morello Cherry & Pineapple and Pomegranate, these sweets are firmly for the adult market, even tempting chefs such as Tom Aiken and Jamie Oliver.

I have to confess that I am not typically a huge sweet eater. So many sweets have hidden gelatine in them that I tend to just avoid them. However, Jealous sweets are full of natural fruit juices, free from artificial colours and flavours, and they’re 100% vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free, so they are definitely enough to tempt me to give them a whirl!

We were really impressed with how much flavour the sweets contained. They tasted so vibrant and fresh We also absolutely loved the smell of the cherry sweets - they smelt just like cherries! My personal favourites were the tangy worms and the grizzly bears!

I would go out and get a few boxes of these if I were you - either for yourself or perhaps as gifts. Jealous Sweets are available online and via Amazon, Ocado, Selfridges and other stockists for £2.49 per 50g Box. If you are looking for some Vegetarian sweets, or just something a bit different, maybe consider giving them a go!

Rachels Yoghurt

Rachel's "Luscious Fruits" multi-pack range of yogurts have been receiving a bit of a makeover recently. The organic food brand has redeveloped their recipes to be creamier and more indulgent, and the pack has also been redesigned to give it a fresher feel.

Luscious Fruits multi-packs now offer creamy new combinations to choose from including creamy rhubarb and raspberry, creamy apricot & vanilla and blueberry & vanilla as well as Peach and Mango. Made using only the finest organic fruit and ingredients, these bio-live Luscious Fruits yogurts are made with locally sourced milk and no artificial colourings, flavours or preservatives.

We sampled the Rhubarb and Raspberry, and Mango and Peach flavour pots. I really loved the creamy mango flavour. The girls enjoyed the peach and raspberry flavours. I was impressed with the creamy thickness of the yogurts, and the rich, developing flavours. The fact that these yogurts are also organic is a lovely bonus. They make a great addition to the table for pudding and I would advise picking up a multi-pack or two to sample!

Rachel's new Luscious Fruits multipack range is npw available in Waitrose stores and online at Ocado this spring priced at £1.89 (RRP) for a pack of four 110g pots.

Disclosure: Products offered in consideration for review.

Salad with Quorn Sausage

2015-04-24T07:45:00.000+01:00

I know that vegetarian sausage is not something you may typically see on a salad, but recently I have been trying to incorporate more protein and less dairy into my diet, which as a vegetarian is pretty hard as without meat, fish and cheese, there is not always much else left!

Eggs are a fantastic source of protein, as are vegetarian protein replacements and so my go-to lunch of late has consisted of a salad with Quorn Sausages. For this meal, I did add a bit of sour cream to my salad, but if you want to avoid dairy altogether, you could add balsamic glaze instead. You could also replace the sausage with perhaps the quorn ham/chicken too.

I hope you enjoy making this salad. What is your favourite salad?

print recipe

Salad with Quorn Sausage

by Clare Rudd, April-24-2015

Ingredients

Spinach, Watercress and Rocket Salad
Cucumber, cut in half
Tomatoes, cut in half
4 Quorn Ready Made Sausages, chopped
2 tsps Sour Cream and Chive
Alternative: Balsamic Dressing

Instructions

1. Assemble the salad by placing the salad leaves in a dish first, followed by sprinkling the tomatoes, cucumber and Quorn sausage over the top.
2. Add the dressing - either 2 tsps Sour Cream and Chive dip, or balsamic dressing.
3. Serve immediately.

Covent Garden Souper Boosters: Roasted Moroccan Stew & Mexican Chilli Soup

2015-04-23T13:03:00.001+01:00

Sometimes a helping hand is never a bad thing when you are a busy Mum and so I am all for food brands giving us a little boost to make quick and easy delicious meals. New Covent Garden approached me to sample their new "Souper Booster" range and to create a recipe for them with the Souper Booster blends and the wonderful array of vegetables they sent.

Souper Boosters are a quick and easy way to add a fresh flavour boost to homemade soup. They are available in four blends including Mexican Chilli, Aromatic Thai, Wild Garlic & Herb and Roasted Moroccan.

I very much enjoy making soup and often use up leftover vegetables in the fridge by throwing it all in a pan with a bit of stock, blending it and freezing until needed, so these products are right up my street. Soup can be a bit boring and flavourless and so I love the idea of introducing some interesting and varied flavours into the pan.

The souper booster range of flavours all smelt and tasted absolutely fantastic. For us, the Mexican Chilli and Roasted Moroccan flavours stood out by a mile as we love Mexican and Moroccan food and so I decided to create dishes using both of those flavours.

I created a Roasted Moroccan dish using red peppers, chickpeas, and butternut squash. The dish can be eaten as a stew/tagine, or you could blend it to make a soup. I also created a Mexican Chilli Soup using sweet potato, red and green peppers and red onion. The recipes are below for you to sample.

I would definitely recommend adding New Covent Garden Souper Boosters to your cupboard as they offer soup a pick-me-up and turn them into amazing flavoursome dishes. My hubby absolutely loved the Mexican Chilli Soup as the flavour has a bit of a kick to it. The Roasted Moroccan dish was a bit of a richer, warmer flavour and still equally as delicious. The kids also enjoyed the soups, so it's also a great way to get hidden veg into them!

New Covent Garden Souper Boosters are available to buy online for £2 each

Disclosure: Products offered in consideration for Review

print recipe

Roasted Moroccan Stew or Soup!

by Clare Rudd April-23-2015

A Stew or Soup made with Roasted Moroccan Souper Booster

Ingredients

2 Onions, chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
400g Chickpeas, drained
700g Butternut Squash, cubed
400g Chopped Tinned Tomatoes
1/2 a tube Roasted Moroccan Souper Booster
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Litre Hot Water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and cook the butternut squash cubes, covered in a little oil for around twenty minutes.
2. Saute the onions in olive oil until golden and add the red pepper and cook until the red pepper softens also.
3. Add the Butternut squash and Chickpeas and combine. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring regularly.
4. Add the tinned tomatoes and half a tube of Moroccan Paste to the vegetables and combine well.
5. Cover the Vegetables with the hot water, and simmer for around fifteen minutes. For a stew, transfer to an oven proof dish and cook in the covered dish for around forty minutes at 200 degrees.
6. Once cooked, serve immediately.

For soup, rather than transferring to the oven, cook on the hob in a covered saucepan for a further thirty minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool and then blend to make soup.

print recipe

Mexican Chilli Soup

by Clare Rudd April-23-2015

A soup made with Mexican Chill Souper Booster

Ingredients

1 White Onion, chopped
1 Red Onion, chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 Green Pepper, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
1/2 a tube Mexican Chilli Souper Booster
2 tbsp Olive Oil
500ml Hot Water
500g Passata
1 Sweet Potato, chopped

Instructions

1. Saute the red and white onions in oil until softened. 2. Add the red and green pepper, carrots and sweet potato to the pan and cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring regularly. 3.Add the hot water, passata and half a tube of Mexican Chilli Souper Booster to the vegetables and combine well. 4. Bring to the boil and simmer for around twenty minutes5. Once cooked, allow to cool a little, blend in a food blender and serve.