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Veganuary inspiration
It’s Veganuary! Whether you are already a vegan or are just trialling it out for the month, we’ve got heaps of recipe inspiration from our friends at BBC Good Food, so you have all the best dishes at your fingertips. Why not invite some guests over for a weekend celebration of vegan dining or go fancy for a mid-week meal. We’ve done the hard bit for you and put together some potential main courses as well as dessert options. Take a read of the blog below and don’t forget to tag us in your final creations!
Vegan pulled jackfruit
When you taste how good this pulled jackfruit is in a sandwich or taco filling, combined with your favourite slaws and salads for extra crunch, you’ll want to eat it every day!
What you’ll need
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
1 x 600g tin jackfruit, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp tomato puree
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp treacle or dark brown sugar
200ml/7fl oz vegetable stock
chilli paste, chipotle paste or Tabasco, to taste
burger buns or flour tortillas, to serve
Method
In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the red onion for 5–10 minutes over a medium heat until softened and browned at the edges.
Meanwhile, drain the jackfruit and rinse well. Trim off the core and pop out the seeds with the tip of a knife. (You can skip this. The seeds taste absolutely fine, but rather spoil the “pulled pork” illusion.) Cut each piece of jackfruit in half.
When the onions are caramelised, add the garlic, the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, black pepper and tomato puree. Fry for a minute, stirring, then add the jackfruit, soy sauce, treacle or brown sugar, and vegetable stock. Stir everything together, bring to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.
When the sauce is reduced and thickened, remove the pan from the heat and use a fork to mash the jackfruit into shreds. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a bit more soy sauce, sugar or some chilli sauce of your choice.
Serve immediately in the burger buns or wraps.
Butternut squash and chickpea curry
Try this easy vegan butternut squash and chickpea curry from Tom Kerridge! This is a great dish to warm up a cold January evening. Plus, this is perfect to batch cook as it freezes well. Want to see more inspiration from Tom? He’ll be joining us in the Big Kitchen at the BBC Good Food Show Summer. Big Kitchen tickets are now on-sale so make sure you book now to secure your seats!
What you’ll need
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
12 cardamom pods, split
handful of curry leaves
2 large onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, grated
5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger, finely grated
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 litre/1¾ pint hot vegetable stock
1kg/2lb 4oz peeled, deseeded butternut squash (prepared weight), cut into 2.5cm/1in chunks
250ml/9fl oz coconut cream
2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200g/7oz green beans, cut into 2.5cm/1in lengths
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a high heat, then add the mustard and cumin seeds, cardamom and curry leaves. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, or until the mustard seeds begin to pop.
Add the onions to the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or until softened and starting to brown. Toss the garlic and ginger into the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat a little, stir in the ground spices and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Add the butternut squash, bring back to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut cream, chickpeas and beans and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced and thickened slightly.
Meanwhile heat up the pouches of rice (if using), following the packet instructions. Serve the curry in warmed bowls, with the rice and salad on the side if you like.
Vegan chocolate mousse
This quick and easy chocolate mousse is a brilliant vegan dessert. Made with silken tofu, it’s even high in protein!
What you’ll need
For the chocolate mousse
300g/10½oz silken tofu, drained
150g/5½oz vegan dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1 vanilla pod, seeds only
½ tsp ground star anise
2 tbsp treacle
agave syrup, to taste
20g/¾oz toasted flaked almonds, to serve
For the honeycomb
100g/3½oz caster sugar
100g/3½oz glucose syrup
2 tbsp golden syrup
pinch bicarbonate of soda
For the apricots
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 dried apricots
pinch sugar
Method
Put the tofu, ground star anise, vanilla seeds, treacle and agave syrup into a large bowl and blend with a hand blender until silky smooth.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl sat over a saucepan of simmering water, being careful not to let the bowl touch the water. Fold into the tofu. Spoon the mixture between 4 glasses and refrigerate until set.
To make the honeycomb, line a baking tray with baking paper. Put the sugar, glucose and golden syrup into a deep saucepan and heat until it reaches 145C. (This should take about 5 minutes). Quickly whisk in the bicarbonate of soda. Be careful as the mixture will bubble up very suddenly. Quickly pour onto the lined baking tray. Set aside to cool and harden.
To make the apricots, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the apricots and star anise and cook until the apricots start to caramelise. Sprinkle over a pinch of sugar and leave to cool.
To serve, sprinkle the toasted almonds on top of the mousse and serve with the apricots and peices of honeycomb.
Vegan Cheesecake
This no-bake vegan cheesecake, with its boozy Black Forest cherry topping, is a luxurious twist on a retro classic. It’s completely delicious and just the thing for celebrations and parties.
What you’ll need
200g/7oz vegan bourbon biscuits, crushed (see recipe tip)
75g/2¾oz dairy-free margarine, melted, plus extra for greasing
350g/12oz vegan dark chocolate, chopped (see recipe tip)
50g/1¾oz cocoa butter (or coconut oil – see recipe tip)
400g/14oz extra-firm silken tofu
2 tsp vanilla extract
100g/3½oz caster sugar
200ml/7fl oz oat crème fraîche
For the cherry compote
200g/7oz frozen cherries
2 tsp cornflour
3 tbsp kirsch
50g/1¾oz caster sugar
½ lemon, juice only
Method
Grease a deep 20cm/8in round springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted margarine and 2 pinches of salt, spread evenly over the base of the prepared tin and press down firmly. Place in the fridge for 40 minutes.
Melt the chocolate and cocoa butter (or coconut oil) in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
Put the tofu, vanilla, sugar and oat crème fraiche into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the melted chocolate mixture and blend again, then add a pinch of salt. Spread over the chilled base and smooth the top. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or, better still, overnight.
You can make the cherry compôte in advance, but keep it separate until serving. Put the cherries into a saucepan, add the cornflour and stir until all are coated. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the kirsch, the sugar and 100ml/3½fl oz water. Stir over a medium heat for 5–6 minutes, simmering gently until the sauce has thickened and the cherries are soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon of kirsch, adding lemon juice to taste. Cool, then place in the fridge if making ahead.
To serve, carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin, peel away the lining paper and put the cheesecake on a serving plate. Spoon the boozy cherry compôte (warm, or stirred to loosen if chilled) over the cheesecake, letting the syrup and fruit run down the sides.
As January draws to a close there is no better time to try one of these delicious recipes, happy cooking! Looking for more recipe inspiration? The BBC Good Food Show Summer is returning this June and will be packed full of recipe inspiration, top chefs and experts as well as delicious food and drink to taste, try and buy from 100’s of artisan producers. The ultimate foodie wonderland, you won’t want to miss it. Book now!