What Vegans Eat: Over 100 Simply Delicious Dishes. Brett Cobley
place in their good books.
SERVES 2
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp flaxseeds
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp apple sauce (or just blend some apple in a blender, or cook chopped apple until pulpy)
60ml (¼ cup) maple syrup, plus extra to serve
250ml (1 cup) cashew milk or oat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 slices of sourdough bread
Oil, for frying
Fruit, to serve
Icing sugar, for dusting (optional)
Put the chia seeds, flaxseeds and cinnamon into a blender and pulse until finely ground. Add the apple sauce, maple syrup, milk and vanilla and blend until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a wide bowl, then add the bread, one slice at a time, pressing down on it to make sure the mixture soaks right into it.
Add a little oil to a frying pan set over a medium heat, then when hot, add the bread slices one at a time if necessary, and cook for a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown.
Serve hot, with some fresh fruit and a drizzle of maple syrup or a little dusting of icing sugar.
Stealing the show
Vegan and omelette might not be two words you ever thought you’d see combined, but I am here to tell you that you’re missing out if you’ve not yet tried this delicious dish. Slightly firmer than a traditional omelette, this vegan version has tons more flavour and there’s no harm done.
SERVES 2
175g silken tofu
2 tbsp (½ cup) nutritional yeast
60g (¼ cup) gram (chickpea) flour
1½ tsp cornflour or arrowroot
¼ tsp ground turmeric
Large pinch of smoked paprika
½ tsp salt
125ml (½ cup) aquafaba (juice from a tin of chickpeas)
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Suggested fillings (optional)
Vegan cheese
Wilted spinach
Chopped tomatoes
Dijon mustard
Add all the omelette ingredients to a blender and blitz until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps. If it looks too thick to pour, add a splash more aquafaba. If you want to add vegan cheese to your omelette, stir it in now.
Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. When the pan and the oil are hot, pour in half of the batter mixture and tilt the pan to coat the base with the batter.
At this stage, add any of the fillings – I suggest chopped spinach and tomatoes, but go crazy and make it how you would a regular omelette. Cook for just over a minute, then carefully flip the omelette using a spatula and cook on the other side until browned.
Serve hot with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with the other half of the mixture to make your second omelette.
TIP
This omelette is also great eaten cold – you can cut it up and make it into egg sarnies with a little vegan mayo and some spring onions scattered over.
Stealing the show
Eggs Benedict is a long-standing breakfast classic served in hotels, restaurants and cafés all across the world. Here’s my vegan twist, made with seasoned tofu and a delicious vegan hollandaise. You can use the hollandaise recipes for dipping asparagus too!
SERVES 2
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic pepper
½ tsp onion salt
175g firm tofu
Oil, for brushing and frying
2 shallots or 1 small white onion, finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, cut in half
50g fresh spinach
2 muffins (check the label for eggs and milk, wholemeal usually don’t contain any)
For the vegan hollandaise
60g (½ cup) cashews
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp garlic powder
⅓ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Start by making the hollandaise sauce. Soak the cashews for 1–2 hours in 125ml (½ cup) water and the lemon juice – this helps to break down the phytic acid in the nuts, making them easier to digest.
Drain and rinse the cashews under cold water in a sieve, then add to a blender with the remaining ingredients and blend to smooth consistency. Set aside.
Using a pestle and mortar, grind all the seasonings – paprika, oregano, garlic pepper and onion salt – to a fine powder, then tip out on to a flat plate.
Cut the tofu in half and dab with kitchen paper to remove any moisture. Brush the tofu slices with oil and press them into the seasoning to coat on all sides.
Heat a little oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the shallots, tomato halves and tofu and fry for 10 minutes, turning the tofu every couple of minutes to brown on all sides.
Wilt the spinach in a separate pan with a little water over a low heat, then scoop out with a slotted spoon and stir into the tofu. Cook for 1 minute.
Meanwhile, halve the muffins and toast lightly. Warm the hollandaise sauce in a pan over a low heat.
Put the muffin halves on two plates and layer the spinach, tofu and tomato on top, then a dollop of warm hollandaise sauce. Garnish with a dusting of smoked paprika and serve immediately.
Quick bites
Pesto is my favourite sauce! I love it on everything. I could create a book dedicated to it (and I might), so this