Sweet Potato & Cauliflower Curry

I haven't been eating too well these past few days, so I thought I would go for a vegetable and spice filled supper tonight. This hit the spot for sure! :)

1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tsp ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 cup vegetable stock
1 can [400g] chopped tomatoes
0.5 can [200g] chickpeas
300g sweet potatoes, chopped
300g cauliflower florets


Heat the oil and saute the onions and garlic.
Add the spices - cumin, coriander, curry powder, ground ginger. Cook for 1 minute.

Pour in the tomatoes, including the juice, and the stock. Bring to the boil.


Reduce the heat. Add the sweet potato and cauliflower. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the chickpeas. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes.


Serve with rice or chapattis.

Mocha Chip Loaf

From the wonderful 'Vegan with a Vengeance' book, I have created this loaf version of a recipe for Mocha Muffins. As is so often the case, it was mainly due to resource limitations - ie. I have no muffin tin lol. I think it worked out pretty well though, along with the other minor modifications I made along the way. The taste test proves that this makes a really moist and rich cake - it is yummy! :D

1.5 cups self-raising flour
0.75 cups sugar
0.25 cups cocoa powder
0.5 tsp salt
2 tsp instant coffee
1 cup soy milk
0.5 cups vegetable oil
3 tbsp plain soy yoghurt
1 tbsp Tia Maria
8 pieces of chocolate, broken up

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add the coffee and mix well.

Separately, whisk together the milk, yoghurt, oil and Tia Maria.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.

Pour into a greased/lined loaf tin and cook at 180C for around 40 minutes. Check it is done by putting a fork into the middle [if it comes out clean, the cake is ready].

Curried Split Pea Soup

This recipe is taken from 'Vegan with a Vengeance' by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, who also runs a vegan-based website called Post-Punk Kitchen. I gave it a go tonight and was quite pleased with the results. The soup ends up thick and filling, and could definitely be put over rice as suggested in the cookbook. :)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
0.25 tsp coriander
0.25 tsp cardamom
Pinch of cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 pints water
450g dried split peas
1 carrot, grated


Cook the onions in the oil for a few minutes and then add the ginger, garlic and spices. Cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the water, split peas and stir well. Cover and bring to the boil.

Simmer for around 1 hour. 40 minutes in, add the carrot. Stir well and serve hot.

Sweet Parsnip Soup

I went on the hunt for a good parsnip recipe tonight and created this one by merging a few I liked the look of. I know the convention is to have spicy or curried parsnip soup but I fancied something a bit different. :)
[This makes 6-8 portions and is suitable for freezing.]

2 cups of diced parsnips
1 cup of diced carrots
1 chopped onion
2 chopped apples
4 cups of water
1 tbsp of vegan bouillon/vegetable stock cube
0.5 tsp cinnamon
0.25 tsp nutmeg
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

Roast the prepared parsnips and carrots in a little oil for around 40 minutes.

Heat some oil in a pan and fry the onions.
Add the parsnip, carrot and apple.
Cook for around 5 minutes.

Add the water. Add the bouillon, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt & pepper to taste.

Bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.

Allow the soup to cool and then blend, using a food processor or hand-blender. Serve hot.