Vegan Lentil Pie

1 cup green lentils

6 medium potatoes, mashed

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 Tbsp dried thyme

1-2 Tbsp red or white wine

pinch black pepper [to taste]

1-2 tsp sea salt [to taste]

2 Tbsp whole grain flour

½ cup water

Cook the lentil by bringing to the boil and then simmering until soft, around 30 minutes.

Cut the potatoes, add a little salt, and boil until soft, also around 30 minutes. Drain and then mash until smooth - you can add rice milk or dairy-free spread if desired.

Lightly fry the onions until soft, adding the carrots and thyme. Add the wine and other vegetables before adding the flour. Add the remaining water whilst dissolving the flour. Then combine with the lentils, season to taste and stir well.

Place the lentil mixture in your chosen dish(es) and top with the potatoes. I like to use the back of a fork to create lines in the top of the potatoes, as this ensures the potato crisps in the oven. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 190C.

Can be served immediately, or left to cool before freezing/refrigerating for later use.

Sweet Potato Soup

2 sweet potatoes, grated
100g of creamed coconut
2 tbsp. yellow Thai curry paste [free from fish stock]
1-2 cups of vegan vegetable stock
1 chopped onion
1 tsp coriander

Lightly fry the onion until soft and then add the sweet potato and vegetable stock. Crumble in the creamed coconut and yellow Thai curry paste. Cook on a medium-high heat for approximately 20 minutes. Add the coriander.
Once cooked, use a hand blender to create a smooth consistency.

Serve immediately or cool to freeze for a later date.

Sweet Potato Burger

2 sweet potatoes
500g normal potatoes
1 roasted red pepper
1/2 tsp. chopped, dried chillies
1 tbsp. dried coriander
Breadcrumbs [I used wholemeal pitta breadcrumbs]
1 carrot, grated
3 tbsp. olive oil

Peel the potatoes [normal and sweet] and cut them into chunks. Boil until just tender. Drain well and mash.
Chop the red pepper and add to the potatoes with the chillies and coriander, season to taste. Stir in half the breadcrumbs [coarse in texture] and carrot to make a dough. Mix well.
Shape into 10 burgers and coat lightly in breadcrumbs [finer in texture].
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the burgers for 2-3 minutes each side, until golden.

Serve with salad and relish or tomatoes, on a bun, or as i chose, in a pitta bread.

Scrambled Tofu

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 small chopped onion

1 large chopped tomato

100g firm tofu

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1 small clove of garlic chopped

1 tbsp soy sauce

Heat oil in frying pan, adding onions and tomatoes. Cook until soft.

Crumble in tofu and add soy sauce, garlic and turmeric.

Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until the tofu is thoroughly heated.

Serve immediately on toast.

[Makes one generous serving.]

Mattar Tofu Curry

3/4lb. firm tofu; cut into 2cm cubes

1 tsp. powdered ginger

1 clove of fresh chopped garlic

1 medium chopped onion

1 tbsp. garam masala

1 tsp. salt [to taste]

1 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 [400g] can of chopped tomatoes [include juice]

1.5 cups of frozen peas

1 tsp. sugar

Dry-fry tofu cubes over a high heat until golden. Set aside.

Place ginger and garlic in hot pan and fry with a little water for 5 minutes. Add spices and seasonings and 1/4 cup of water. Add the tomatoes, peas and sugar and return the tofu to the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve over rice.

[Makes 4 servings. Curry can be frozen for later use.]

Egg Custard Tart

Pastry, rolled out and used to line a greased sandwich tin.
4 eggs
2 cups of milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup of sugar
Ground nutmeg, to taste

Crack eggs in a sauce pan and add milk, salt and sugar. Beat gently to mix over a medium heat. Add the nutmeg and stir in. Keep on the heat until the mixture is hot.
Place the mixture into the pastry case, and bake the tart for 30 minutes at 180C.
Allow to cool before serving.

Steak & Ale Pie

Pastry, rolled out and used to line one or more pie dishes. [The mixture will make three of the above sized pies.]
400g diced stewing steak
2 medium carrots thinly sliced
1 large onion finely chopped
1 bottle of ale [eg, Spitfire Ale]
1 beef oxo cube
black pepper [to taste]
1 tsp. olive oil

This dish can be made in different ways. I prefer to use a slow cooker for the filling and thus this dish takes around 9/10 hours from start to finish. I find that slow cooking the beef aids the flavour. However, you can cook the filling in the oven in around 2 hours, or on the hob, if you prefer.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook until soft [around 5 minutes]. Add the beef and brown its exterior. Transfer the beef and onion to your desired dish [an oven-proof or slow cooker dish]. Add the carrots and pour over the ale. Crumble in the oxo cube and black pepper and stir.

Place in a pre-heated oven, at about 180C, for 2 hours or in a slow cooker on the 'high' setting for up to 8 hours.

Once cooked, spoon into the pie cases. Top with extra pastry and make one or two cuts in the top [see the image]. Cook at around 200C for 30 minutes.

They can be eaten immediately or cooled to be frozen for a later date.

Tomato & Basil Quiche

Pastry, rolled out and used to line a greased sandwich tin.
2 small eggs
1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. grated Cheddar cheese
1 tbsp. dried basil
3 tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup of single cream
Salt and pepper [to taste]

Pre-heat oven to 200C.

Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and spread over pastry-case bottom. Arrange the tomatoes over the onions.
Combine the cream, eggs and cheese. Stir in the basil and season to taste. Pour over the tomatoes and onions.
Place the dish on a baking sheet [to collect any spillages] and bake for 40 minutes.

Can be eaten hot or cold and can be cooled and frozen if desired.

Lamb Steak with Parsnip

Lamb leg steak [appropriately 150g per person]
2 potatoes chopped
1 parsnip finely chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. rosemary
1 clove of garlic chopped
black pepper [to taste]
1 chicken oxo cube
1/2 cup of water

Place the chopped potatoes in a pan and boil until soft [approximately 25 minutes]. Once cooked, drain the liquid and mash [you can add milk or butter as desired].

Place the finely chopped parsnips in a pan with the thyme and boil until soft. Once cooked, drain the liquid, retaining as much of the thyme as possible, and use the back of a fork to break up the parsnip into a shredded mixture.

Heat the oil in a frying pan until very hot. Add the rosemary and garlic and fry lightly. Add the lamb and cook on both sides for 1-2 minutes with some black pepper. Continue cooking for up to 10 minutes depending on personal preference [rare-well done]. Once the lamb is cooked, plate up alongside the shredded thyme parsnip and the mashed potatoes.

Return the lamb pan to the heat and add the water gradually [you may not require the full amount] and crumble in the stock cube. Bring together all the flavours in the pan [rosemary, black pepper, garlic and lamb jucies] to form a sauce and pour over the meal, then enjoy.

BBQ Chicken Melt

2 chicken drumsticks/thighs [per person]
BBQ sauce
Cheddar cheese, sliced
Black pepper
Sweet potato
Olive Oil

Brown the chicken legs and oven cook [at 190C] for around 30 minutes. To check if they are cooked, insert a knife alongside the bone - if the meat is still pink, return to the oven.
Peel, chop and boil the sweet potato. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the black pepper and sweet potato [once cooked]. Lightly fry until crispy on the outside.
Once the chicken is cooked, add the BBQ sauce and top with the cheese and return to the oven for up to 5 minutes.
Serve alongside the crispy [on the outside, soft on the inside] sweet potato cubes and enjoy. Works well with sweetcorn.

Sweet Potato Pie

400g beef mince
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 sweet potatoes
1 'normal' potato
1 (400g) can of tomatoes, with juice
2 beef oxo cubes
black pepper [to taste]
1 tbsp. olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

Peel and chop all the potatoes and bring to the boil. Boil for around 20 minutes, until soft. Mash together [you can add milk and/or butter as desired] until you are left with a smooth orange potato mass. [Parsnips and normal potatoes make an interesting and tasty variation.]

Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the onions until soft, for around 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook until browned throughout. Add the tomatoes, crumble in the oxo cubes and the carrot. Season to taste. Cook over a medium heat for around 10/15 minutes.

Spoon the mince mixture into an oven proof container. Top with the mashed potatoes. Using a fork, create lines in the top of the potato as this ensures it develops crisp tips in the oven.

Oven cook for around 30 minutes until golden.

This dish can be cool and frozen for a later date.

Bacon & Potato Chowder

This is a very easy and quick dish to make, which can be easily frozen for use at a later date and comes in at a very low price-per-portion. Perfect student food!

15g butter
1 onion, diced
4 rashes of bacon, chopped
400g potatoes, diced
175ml chicken stock
300ml milk
15g frozen sweetcorn
1 tsp. dried parsley

Heat the butter in a pan. Fry the bacon and onion in the butter for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and the stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer for around 15 minutes.
Add the milk and sweetcorn and bring to the boil once again. Stir in the parsley and serve.

[Makes 2/3 portions.]