Meat-Free Bites and Starters - Vegan Diet Challenge: Start the Vegan Diet with These Delicious Quick Meals within Your Budget (2016)

Vegan Diet Challenge: Start the Vegan Diet with These Delicious Quick Meals within Your Budget (2016)

Chapter 1. Meat-Free Bites and Starters

There is this thing about going vegetarian that makes people want to pass up and just stick to the good old eating lifestyle consisting of meats, sweets, and processed food. But who says you cannot have the pleasure of eating them again? Only this time, with vegetarian ingredients and doing it the vegan way.

1. Cake Salé

Ingredients:

· 125g flour

· 1 teaspoons baking powder

· 50ml oil

· 50ml almond milk

· ¼ cup applesauce is equivalent to 1 egg

· 50g vegetarian goat’s cheese

· 50g olives

· Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Grease and flour muffin cases.

2. Sift flour with the baking powder into a large bowl. Combine the oil, milk, and apple sauce. Mix well. Stir through the cheese and olives. Season with salt and pepper and mix.

3. Spoon into the muffin cases and bake for 15 minutes until risen and the color is lightly browned.

2. Cheese on Toast

Ingredients:

· 2 thick slices of bread

· 1 small red onion, chopped

· 100g vegetarian Cheddar cheese

· 1 teaspoon grainy mustard

· 4 tablespoon vegetarian dark ale

· Vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Toast the slices of bread and allow them to cool.

2. Mix the red onion, cheese, mustard, dark ale, and Worcestershire sauce, and pile on the toasted bread.

3. Place under the grill and cook until golden brown.

4. Serve with a cup of tea.

3. Blood Orange Salad with Carrots

Ingredients:

· 10 medium carrots, sliced

· 3 blood oranges

· Pinch of sugar

· 200ml olive oil

· 50ml white wine vinegar

· 100g soft vegetarian goat’s cheese

· watercress, washed

· salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice the carrots lengthwise and as thinly as possible. Put them in a bowl of cold water to maintain crisp. Set aside. Afterwards, squeeze in the oranges in a different bowl.

2. For the dressing, add the sugar and juice together until the segments are broken down. Pour the olive oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Drain the carrots and drizzle the blood orange mixture. Crumble the goat’s cheese and finish with the watercress on top.

4. Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

· 3 tablespoons olive oil

· 1 clove garlic, peeled

· 1 onion, peeled

· Salt and pepper to taste

· 1 teaspoon ground cumin

· 1 teaspoon ground coriander

· 150g red lentils

· 1 liter vegetable stock

· Juice of½ lemon

· 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 8 minutes or until the onion is slightly golden.

2. Add the ground cumin and coriander, lentils, and the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil for 12 minutes or until the lentils have softened.

3. Remove from the heat and pour in the lemon juice. Sprinkle chopped parsley and serve.

5. Asparagus and Watercress in Creamy Dressing

Ingredients:

· 1 clove garlic

· 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

· 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard

· 100ml sour cream

· 15 asparagus spears

· 2 bunches of watercress

· 1 red onion, shredded

Directions:

1. Combine together the garlic, apple cider vinegar, mustard, and sour cream. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile in a large griddle pan, heat the oil and stir in the asparagus for 8 minutes or until tender.

3. In a platter, arrange the asparagus, watercress, and shredded onion. Drizzle over the dressing. This dish is best served with bread.

6. Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup with Cashew Pesto

Ingredients:

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 2 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

· 5 carrots, peeled and diced

· 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

· 1 large onion, diced

· Fresh root ginger

· Salt and pepper to taste

· 1.2 liters vegetable stock

For the Cashew Nut Pesto

· Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

· Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

· 1 stick lemon grass, finely chopped

· 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

· 100ml extra-virgin olive oil

· 1 tablespoon chopped cashew nuts

· Juice of½ lime

· Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic, onion, ginger, salt and pepper. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Continue cooking until all vegetables are tender.

2. For the pesto, mix in the parsley, coriander, lemon grass, garlic, olive oil, cashew nuts, lime, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Whizz together until the mixture becomes smooth and fluffy.

3. To serve, pour in the soup to the fresh coriander. Drizzle with a teaspoon of coriander and cashew nut mixture. Serve.

7. Vegan Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

· 7 ounces multigrain pasta

· 1 clove garlic, halved

· 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil

· 2 roasted red peppers

· 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

· ½ cup coconut milk yogurt

· ¼ cup basil leaves

· 4 cups baby arugula

· 2 ounces Tofutti cream cheese

Directions:

1. Prepare the pasta according to the manufacturer’s directions. Rinse with cold water and drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree the garlic, oil, and peppers. Add the vinegar until smooth. Add the yogurt and pulse until well blended. Transfer into a large bowl. Cut the basil into thin strips and toss into the bowl. Add the pasta and basil to the yogurt mixture. Toss to coat.

3. In a platter, arrange the arugula leaves. Top with pasta mixture and with Tofutti cream cheese.