30-Minute Plant-Based Recipes Ebook

This 30-recipe ebook features all plant-based (i.e. vegan) recipes, from Lunch and Dinner through to Snacks and Bakes. Each recipe only takes 30 minutes (or less) from start to finish, to make your weeknight cooking less daunting! Delivered straight to your inbox as a downloadable PDF, with images for every recipe. It’s going to be 60% off until February so get it now to take advantage of the discount. Overview of the contents Only £1.99 for all of January 2020 (going up to £4.99 thereafter) All the recipes are given in grams and cups (or ounces where appropriate) with degrees C/F as well. Thirty vegan recipes which you can make in 30 minutes or less. All the recipes will serve from 1 to 4 people, making them perfect for weeknight cooking and smaller batches Easily accessible ingredients An image to accompany each recipe Top tips for speedy cooking PDF format with over 70 pages Lunch – 9 savoury recipes which are perfect for leftovers (so great for lunchboxes) or lighter dinners. Recipes include a carrot, coconut & lemongrass soup, salt & pepper tofu noodles and kale, pecan, pear & cranberry salad. Dinner – 10 savoury recipes which are hearty and warming. Recipes include butternut squash spaghetti with crispy sage, hoisin pulled […]

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This 30-recipe ebook features all plant-based (i.e. vegan) recipes, from Lunch and Dinner through to Snacks and Bakes. Each recipe only takes 30 minutes (or less) from start to finish, to make your weeknight cooking less daunting!

Delivered straight to your inbox as a downloadable PDF, with images for every recipe. It’s going to be 60% off until February so get it now to take advantage of the discount.

Overview of the contents

  • Only £1.99 for all of January 2020 (going up to £4.99 thereafter)
  • All the recipes are given in grams and cups (or ounces where appropriate) with degrees C/F as well.
  • Thirty vegan recipes which you can make in 30 minutes or less.
  • All the recipes will serve from 1 to 4 people, making them perfect for weeknight cooking and smaller batches
  • Easily accessible ingredients
  • An image to accompany each recipe
  • Top tips for speedy cooking
  • PDF format with over 70 pages

  • Lunch – 9 savoury recipes which are perfect for leftovers (so great for lunchboxes) or lighter dinners.
    • Recipes include a carrot, coconut & lemongrass soup, salt & pepper tofu noodles and kale, pecan, pear & cranberry salad.
  • Dinner – 10 savoury recipes which are hearty and warming.
    • Recipes include butternut squash spaghetti with crispy sage, hoisin pulled mushroom pancakes and frying pan lasagne.
  • Snacks + Bakes – 11 sweet & savoury recipes for dessert, snacks and bridging the gap between meals.
    • Recipes include mini chocolate chip cookies, a brownie for one and, a crowd-favourite, ‘chorizo’ dip.

Supporting The Trussell Trust Charity

From every sale, 99p will go to The Trussell Trust, a charity dedicated to ending hunger in the UK. They have a network of food banks to help those facing poverty.

Thanks for all your support! I hope you enjoy the recipes and that they brighten up your Winter cooking a bit. Tag me on instagram (@izyhossack) if you make anything so I can see your pics & re-share ? 

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Butternut Squash & Caramelised Shallot Tart

Every year I try to come up with some plant-based alternatives to Turkey. Most of the time I’m drawn to winter squash for their versatility and beauty. This year for my veggie Christmas main (which was also for Thanksgiving), I made a savoury butternut squash tart in a walnut-oat crust. I topped it off with balsamic-caramelised shallots and some baby kale. It was an utter delight!! The filling is slightly creamy and sweet and you get the savoury flavour from the crust and shallots. It pairs VERY well with a bit of gravy (I make mine with veg stock, brown onions, lots of marmite and MSG) which I think is a *must* when it comes to a Holiday main. I use chickpea flour with water to set the filling but, if you’re not vegan/making it for vegans, an egg can be used instead. If you’re not feeling up for making a tart crust (understandable when theres 10000 other things to make for Christmas lunch), you can always buy chilled shortcrust pastry from the supermarket and use that instead as it’s usually vegan-friendly. Serving size/serving more people This recipe makes one smallish tart, enough for 4 people as a main with […]

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Overhead image of sliced squash tart with shallots and kale

Every year I try to come up with some plant-based alternatives to Turkey. Most of the time I’m drawn to winter squash for their versatility and beauty. This year for my veggie Christmas main (which was also for Thanksgiving), I made a savoury butternut squash tart in a walnut-oat crust. I topped it off with balsamic-caramelised shallots and some baby kale. It was an utter delight!!

A squash tart with bowls of caramelised shallots and baby kale

The filling is slightly creamy and sweet and you get the savoury flavour from the crust and shallots. It pairs VERY well with a bit of gravy (I make mine with veg stock, brown onions, lots of marmite and MSG) which I think is a *must* when it comes to a Holiday main. I use chickpea flour with water to set the filling but, if you’re not vegan/making it for vegans, an egg can be used instead.

If you’re not feeling up for making a tart crust (understandable when theres 10000 other things to make for Christmas lunch), you can always buy chilled shortcrust pastry from the supermarket and use that instead as it’s usually vegan-friendly.

Serving size/serving more people

This recipe makes one smallish tart, enough for 4 people as a main with sides. You could even cut it into 8 pieces to have as a starter! If you’re cooking for more people, the recipe doubles very well and can be made as one large tart in a 28cm (11-inch) loose-based tart tin.

A sliced savoury squash tart with caramelised shallots with a slice removed on a side plate

To make ahead of time

To make this ahead of time you can prep the tart crust, filling and shallots the day before serving and leave them all separate. You can keep the crust out at room temperature but chill the filling & shallots. About 30 minutes before you’re about to serve, stir the filling up (as it may have thickened), spread it into the crust, and bake the tart as instructed in the recipe. Finally, warm up the shallots in their pan on the stove or in the oven (covered with a lid, for around 5 minutes) and top the tart with the warm shallots & a handful of leaves.

Butternut Squash & Caramelised Shallot Tart

Butternut Squash & Caramelised Shallot Tart

Yield: serves 4
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Tart filling:

  • 500g (1 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed
  • 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 large or 5 small garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tsp chilli crisp (optional)*
  • 3 tbsp chickpea flour (see notes)
  • 3 tbsp water
  • zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
  • Salt, to taste

Tart crust:

  • 60g (1/2 cup) walnuts
  • 45g (1/2 cup) rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 120g (1 cup) plain white (all-purpose) flour
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 to 4 tbsp non-dairy milk or water

Shallots:

  • 200g (7 ounces) shallots, halved, peeled
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • handful of salad leaves, to serve (optional)

Instructions

Cook the squash:

  1. Cut the butternut squash into roughly 2 inch (5cm) chunks. Heat the olive oil in a large pot (I use a dutch oven here) on the stove over a medium heat. Once hot, add the squash and a pinch of salt and stir to coat. Cover with a lid and lower the heat to medium-low. Leave to cook, stirring occasionally, until the chunks and soft and starting to break down (about 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.


Make the crust:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (350°F).
  2. Place the walnuts and oats in a food processor and blitz until you get a scruffy mealy texture. Add the baking powder, salt, fennel seeds and flour to the food processor and pulse to combine. Add the olive oil and 2 tbsp of the non-dairy milk and pulse together until you get a cohesive dough. You may need to add more milk to get it to come together.
  3. Crumble the dough into the base of a 23-cm (9-inch) springform cake tin (or a loose-based tart tin) and use your fingertips to press it down into an even layer over the base and up the sides of the tin (in a springform tin it should come up about 3cm high). Reserve a little bit of the dough for patching up cracks later on. Prick the crust all over with a fork.
  4. Place the cake tin/tart tin on a baking sheet and then into the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes until it looks dry. Remove from the oven and use the reserved pastry to patch up any cracks that may have formed. Set the crust aside.

Make the filling:

  1. Blend the cooked squash until smooth - you can either do this straight in the pot using an immersion blender (hand blender/stick blender) or by transferring it to a food processor/blender and blitzing, then transferring to a mixing bowl.
  2. Add the remaining filling ingredients and stir together. Taste and season with salt as needed.
  3. Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the top looks set and dry.

Cook the shallots:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy, oven-proof frying pan/skillet over a medium heat. Sprinkle over the sugar in an even layer and then lay the shallots cut side-down over the sugar.
  2. Lower the heat to medium-low and leave to cook until you get a nice brown crust underneath (about 5 minutes). Flip each half over and allow to cook until the other side is browned (about 5 minutes again).
  3. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and then pour in the balsamic vinegar. Cover with a lid or a piece of foil and transfer to the oven - roast for 15-20 minutes until the shallots are soft all the way through. Remove from the oven and uncover.

Finish the tart:

  1. Top the cooked tart with some leafy greens (I used baby kale) and the caramelised shallots. Serve warm.

Notes

  • *I use the Lao Gan Ma 'crispy chilli in oil' which is BANGING!! Get yourself some from your local East Asian food shop, or online.
  • If you're not vegan, you can use 1 egg instead of the 3 tbsp chickpea flour + 3 tbsp water in the filling.
  • Tart crust adapted from Amy Chaplin
  • This recipe makes one smallish tart, enough for 4 people as a main with sides. You could even cut it into 8 pieces to have as a starter though. If you're cooking for more people, the recipe doubles very well and can be made as one large tart in a 28cm (11-inch) loose-based tart tin.

Have you made this recipe?
I’d love to see how it went! Tag me on instagram @izyhossack and hashtag it #topwithcinnamon so I can have a look & reshare in my stories!

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Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts & Smoky Olives

Come Christmas or Thanksgiving, these crisp, golden Brussels sprouts will always be a favourite. My mum used to make sauteed brussels sprouts with chestnuts, juniper and bacon when I was growing up. The pairing of sprouts and chestnuts is so classic and for good reason – the sweet, creamy chestnuts match perfectly with the earthy sprouts. I pan roast my sprouts here so they get golden and caramelised but still have bite to them (NO soggy sprouts allowed!!!). Instead of bacon, I opted for a salty olive to offset the sweetness, cooked in a smoky, spicy chipotle paste for that almost meaty flavour. I do love a Nocellara olive for their sweet, buttery flavour but you can also use a more bitter, black olive (like I’ve done here with Moroccan dried olives) or even capers if that’s your jam.

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Close up of pan roasted Brussels Sprouts with chestnuts and smoky olives

Come Christmas or Thanksgiving, these crisp, golden Brussels sprouts will always be a favourite.

My mum used to make sauteed brussels sprouts with chestnuts, juniper and bacon when I was growing up. The pairing of sprouts and chestnuts is so classic and for good reason – the sweet, creamy chestnuts match perfectly with the earthy sprouts.

A bowl of roasted Brussels Sprouts with chestnuts and smoky olives on a table

I pan roast my sprouts here so they get golden and caramelised but still have bite to them (NO soggy sprouts allowed!!!). Instead of bacon, I opted for a salty olive to offset the sweetness, cooked in a smoky, spicy chipotle paste for that almost meaty flavour. I do love a Nocellara olive for their sweet, buttery flavour but you can also use a more bitter, black olive (like I’ve done here with Moroccan dried olives) or even capers if that’s your jam.

Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts & Smoky Olives

Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts & Smoky Olives

Yield: serves 4 to 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500g (1lb 2 ounces) Brussels sprouts
  • 2 tbsp refined olive oil
  • salt
  • 100g (heaped 1/2 cup) cooked, peeled chestnuts
  • 50g (heaped 1/4 cup) your favourite olives, pits removed, roughly torn (see notes)
  • 1 tsp chipotle chilli paste (I use Gran Luchito) (see notes)

Instructions

  1. Trim the bases off the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half. Remove any gross outer leaves.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan (I like to use cast iron here) over a medium-low heat. Add the Brussels sprouts in a single layer, cut side down - you'll probably need to do cook them in two batches. Let them sit, undisturbed, until golden underneath (about 5 minutes). Flip and let cook until tender (roughly a further 5 minutes). If they still seem too crisp, cover with a lid and let cook on low for another 1-2 minutes to soften. Tip into the serving dish.
  3. Return the pan to the heat, add the remaining olive oil and cook the rest of the sprouts, as before adding them to the serving dish too.
  4. Return the pan to the heat and add the cooked chestnuts. Cook on high for a minute or so just to warm through, then scatter over the sprouts in the serving dish.
  5. Return the pan to the heat. Add the torn olives and the chipotle paste and cook, stirring constantly, until coated and hot. Scatter over the sprouts in the serving dish and serve.

Notes

- For the olives, I really like Nocellara olives as they are juicy, sweet & buttery. If you prefer something deeper, try using 'dried' olives - they usually come in a jar without brine/oil and look slightly wrinkled. They have a more bitter flavour and chewier texture to them.

- An alternative to the chilli paste is 1 tsp smoked paprika.

Have you made this recipe?
I’d love to see how it went! Tag me on instagram @izyhossack and hashtag it #topwithcinnamon so I can have a look & reshare in my stories!

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Simple Garlicky Vegan Sourdough Stuffing

Stuffing is always a popular Thanksgiving side dish, isn’t it? Basically just crispy pieces of bread intertwined with chunks of delicious veg. Almost like a warm panzanella! This vegan version is just as good – I cook down leeks and garlic until soft and sweet to fold into the crusty sourdough chunks. Then the whole thing is covered with herby broth and dotted with salty soy-coated mushrooms for those who you know might miss the meat! Other than that it’s a simple affair as that helps it pair really well with all the other side dishes you have at a roast (and definitely goes well with gravy!). The most extravagant part really is the decent amount of garlic I add whiiiich basically makes it into a big ol tray of garlic bread. Other vegan Thanksgiving recipes Vegan Pecan Pie Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Gratin Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts & Smoky Olives Hassleback Squash with Garlic-Sage Butter

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A close up of a dish of vegan sourdough stuffing with leeks and soy-sauce mushrooms

Stuffing is always a popular Thanksgiving side dish, isn’t it? Basically just crispy pieces of bread intertwined with chunks of delicious veg. Almost like a warm panzanella!

A dish of sourdough vegan stuffing on a table

This vegan version is just as good – I cook down leeks and garlic until soft and sweet to fold into the crusty sourdough chunks. Then the whole thing is covered with herby broth and dotted with salty soy-coated mushrooms for those who you know might miss the meat! Other than that it’s a simple affair as that helps it pair really well with all the other side dishes you have at a roast (and definitely goes well with gravy!). The most extravagant part really is the decent amount of garlic I add whiiiich basically makes it into a big ol tray of garlic bread.

Other vegan Thanksgiving recipes

Simple Vegan Garlicky Sourdough Stuffing

Simple Vegan Garlicky Sourdough Stuffing

Yield: serves 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided (plus extra for greasing + drizzling)
  • 1 large leek, cleaned, sliced into 1 cm (1/2 inch) coins
  • 5 large (or 7-10 medium/small) cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 200g (7 ounces) shiitake or chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce or tamari
  • 250ml (1 cup) hot vegetable stock/broth
  • 1 sprig rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • 3 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
  • 7 cups (300g) sourdough bread, cut into 3cm (1 inch) cubes

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) and grease a medium roasting dish (around 1.5 litre capacity) with a bit of extra olive oil.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the coins of sliced leek and season with a pinch of salt. Stir to coat with oil and turn the heat to low. Leave to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring every now and then, until soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Tip the cooked leeks and garlic into a large bowl.
  3. Place the frying pan back on the heat and add the mushrooms to the pan with a pinch of salt. Allow to cook, stirring often, until most of the water has been drawn out and evaporated from the mushrooms. Once you see them start to brown, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the white pepper and soy sauce and let cook until reduced and dry. Set aside to cool.
  4. To the bowl of leeks add the vegetable broth, rosemary, thyme and bread cubes. Stir to allow the bread to soak up the liquid. Tip into the prepared roasting dish. Dot with spoonfuls of the soy sauce mushrooms. Drizzle with a bit of extra olive oil.
  5. Bake for 25-35 minutes until the top is crisp and starting to brown. Serve hot.

Notes

To make ahead:

Prepare up until just before you bake it. Cover the dish (I just use a baking sheet to cover it) and place in the fridge for up to 2 days. Uncover and bake straight from the fridge, no need to bring to room temperature.

Have you made this recipe?
I’d love to see how it went! Tag me on instagram @izyhossack and hashtag it #topwithcinnamon so I can have a look & reshare in my stories!

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Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Gratin

This creamy, vegan ‘cheese’ sauce is the perfect base for steamed cauliflower and broccoli to reinvent the British classic Cauliflower Cheese. A crispy topping of breadcrumbs makes it even better!! The sauce is based off of one by Kenji at Serious Eats – I changed it to suit my tastes and I’ve used it multiple times now to make vegan mac and cheese. I think the addition of a few key things really helps. Firstly, the potato helps give the sauce a thickness and stretchiness that you can’t get from a flour-based roux. It’s the blending action on the potato that really makes this work. Secondly, adding a bit blob of something salty & savoury – my favourite is marmite and I have to say, I haven’t even been the biggest fan of marmite in the past. This sauce has changed my mind. Lastly, a bit of acidity & sweetness from the mustard (I use the French’s yellow mustard as it’s quite neutral but sweet) and apple cider vinegar. All of that together helps to create that faux cheesy effect and without having to resort to using pre-made vegan cheese (most of which smells kinda weird). Anyway, I used this […]

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A tray of vegan cauliflower cheese gratin with a pair of hands holding it

This creamy, vegan ‘cheese’ sauce is the perfect base for steamed cauliflower and broccoli to reinvent the British classic Cauliflower Cheese. A crispy topping of breadcrumbs makes it even better!!

The sauce is based off of one by Kenji at Serious Eats – I changed it to suit my tastes and I’ve used it multiple times now to make vegan mac and cheese. I think the addition of a few key things really helps. Firstly, the potato helps give the sauce a thickness and stretchiness that you can’t get from a flour-based roux. It’s the blending action on the potato that really makes this work. Secondly, adding a bit blob of something salty & savoury – my favourite is marmite and I have to say, I haven’t even been the biggest fan of marmite in the past. This sauce has changed my mind. Lastly, a bit of acidity & sweetness from the mustard (I use the French’s yellow mustard as it’s quite neutral but sweet) and apple cider vinegar. All of that together helps to create that faux cheesy effect and without having to resort to using pre-made vegan cheese (most of which smells kinda weird).

Anyway, I used this for a vegan Christmas dinner I did last year for my friends and it went down super well with everyone! I added the breadcrumbs for a crispy top but if you’re coeliac, just leave them off or use GF ones instead!

Other vegan Thanksgiving recipes:

Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Gratin

Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Gratin

Yield: serves 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

A super creamy & tangy vegan 'cheddar cheese' sauce coating steamed cauliflower and tenderstem broccoli, with a crispy breadcrumb topping.

Ingredients

For the vegan 'cheese' sauce:

  • 60ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 white onion, finely sliced
  • 120g (~3/4 cup) peeled, cubed potato
  • 130g (1 cup) cashews
  • 375g (1 1/2 cups) water
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic granules
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp marmite, soy sauce or miso (my fave is marmite)
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

For the gratin:

  • 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into medium florets
  • 150g (5.4 ounces) tenderstem broccoli (optional)
  • 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

    For the 'cheese' sauce:

    1. Heat 4 tbsp of the olive oil in a large pot over a
      medium-low heat. Add the onion to the pot and saute until it starts to brown
      slightly – about 10 minutes. Add the potato, cashews, water, smoked paprika,
      garlic granules, nutritional yeast, soy sauce/miso, and mustard to the pot.
    2. Bring to the boil and turn down to simmer – leave for 15
      minutes so that the potatoes and cashews can soften.
    3. Pour the contents of the pot into the jug of a high-speed
      blender along with the apple cider vinegar and blitz until completely smooth,
      adding more water as needed to get the right sauce texture (I added about 250ml/1 cup to get it thin enough). Taste and season
      with salt and black pepper.


    For the gratin:

    1. Preheat your oven grill to a medium heat and place an oven rack in the top third of the oven.
    2. Pour a few cm (1-2 inch) depth of water into a large pot and set over a high heat on the stove. Once the water is boiling, add the cauliflower and broccoli to the pot. Cover with a lid, turn down the heat to low, and let the veg steam for 4 minutes until tender but still with firmness to it.
    3. Drain the veg and add to a roasting dish. Pour over the 'cheese' sauce and stir to coat. Mix the breadcrumbs and oil in a small bowl until coated then scatter this over the vegetables.
    4. Place under the grill in the oven and watch carefully. You want the breadcrumbs to toast and the sauce to brown slightly. This should take around 5 minutes but will depend on your grill.
    5. Once finished, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.





Notes

To make ahead:

  1. Prep the sauce and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  2. Prep the veg and, once steamed, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  3. When ready to assemble: Gently warm the sauce with an added splash of water, in a small pot on the stove, stirring often until hot. Toss with the cold vegetables in a roasting dish and continue with the recipe as usual.


To make gluten free:

Use gluten free breadcrumbs for the topping

Have you made this recipe?
I’d love to see how it went! Tag me on instagram @izyhossack and hashtag it #topwithcinnamon so I can have a look & reshare in my stories!

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Lentil Ragu (vegan)

Ahh spaghetti bolognese, a definite comfort food in many countries but particularly a British staple (although the version most Brits make is nothing like a classic ragu all bolognese – especially as we usually serve it with spaghetti which would be blasphemy in Italy). When writing my second book I included a recipe for a fennel & lentil ragu with caramelised onions. That is what this ragu is based on with some tweaks like swapping the fennel for celery to make it more of an approachable, everyday recipe. That said, if you do like fennel and can get it, it’s a great addition to this sauce for even more flavour. Through trial and error of cooking vegetarian replacements for ‘meaty’ dishes, I’ve managed to get that savoury flavour into the sauce quite easily. I use miso, dried mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce (or mushroom ketchup) for their richness. They really do help bring this dish from a tomatoey lentil sauce up a notch to something with much more depth. I hope you give this one a go, it’s a favourite of mine as it’s so versatile. I’ve used it in veggie lasagne, stuffed cannelloni, veggie shepherd’s pie, as a filling for […]

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Ahh spaghetti bolognese, a definite comfort food in many countries but particularly a British staple (although the version most Brits make is nothing like a classic ragu all bolognese – especially as we usually serve it with spaghetti which would be blasphemy in Italy).

When writing my second book I included a recipe for a fennel & lentil ragu with caramelised onions. That is what this ragu is based on with some tweaks like swapping the fennel for celery to make it more of an approachable, everyday recipe. That said, if you do like fennel and can get it, it’s a great addition to this sauce for even more flavour.

Through trial and error of cooking vegetarian replacements for ‘meaty’ dishes, I’ve managed to get that savoury flavour into the sauce quite easily. I use miso, dried mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce (or mushroom ketchup) for their richness. They really do help bring this dish from a tomatoey lentil sauce up a notch to something with much more depth.

I hope you give this one a go, it’s a favourite of mine as it’s so versatile. I’ve used it in veggie lasagne, stuffed cannelloni, veggie shepherd’s pie, as a filling for homemade ravioli and even served over cheesy polenta. All delicious, comforting food for when you’re craving something super savoury and satisfying.

Lentil Ragu

Lentil Ragu

Yield: serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion, finely diced
  • 2 sticks of celery, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons refined olive oil or vegetable oil
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • a (400g / 14 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
  • 800ml (3 1/4 cups) vegetable stock (made with 1 low-salt stock cube)
  • 125ml red wine (or more veg stock)
  • 2 tablespoons vegan Worcester sauce or mushroom ketchup (see notes)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 heaped tablespoon miso paste (I prefer to use dark miso here but light/medium is fine too)
  • 50g walnuts
  • 90g puy lentils or 'French' green lentils
  • 1 tablespoon dried shiitake/porcini mushrooms, blended into a powder (optional)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs or dried oregano

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and celery. Stir occasionally and cook until softened and slightly translucent, about 7-10 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic to the pan and stir in for 30 seconds. Then add the ground coriander seed and fennel seed and stir again for 30 seconds to toast.
  3. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and swill out the can with a little water then pour that into the pan too. Add the vegetable stock, wine, Worcester sauce/mushroom ketchup and balsamic vinegar. Mix the miso with a few tablespoon of water in a small bowl or mug to loosen it, then pour that into the pan as well. Stir together.
  4. Chop the walnuts so they are the texture of minced meat (not to small, not to big). Add the chopped walnuts, the lentils, mushroom powder, bay leaves and dried herbs to the pan. Stir together then bring the mixture to a boil.
  5. Once boiling turn down to simmer, cover with a lid and let it cook for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are softening but not mushy. Remove the lid and let it simmer for another 10-20 minutes so the liquid can reduce.
  6. Meawhile cook your pasta in a large pot according to the directions on the package. Reserve a mugful of pasta water then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add a few scoops of the lentil ragu, along with a splash of pasta water as needed to help the sauce coat the pasta.
  7. Divide the pasta between 4 bowls and top with the remaining ragu.
  8. Serve with grated parmesan or vegan parmesan on top.

Notes

- Worcester sauce note: regular Worcestershire sauce is not vegetarian as it contains fish. So if you are vegan or veggie, use a vegetarian alternative. You can also use mushroom ketchup which most UK supermarkets sell - sometimes it's in the 'speciality ingredients' section, sometimes near the hot sauce or sometimes next to the Worcester sauce. Or you can get it online. If you can't get any of them, use 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce instead.

- Miso note: If you don't have miso you can use 2 tbsp of dark soy sauce or 1 tbsp marmite instead.

- Wine note: ensure you're using a vegan red wine, if needed

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Crispy Gochujang Tofu Bao Buns (vegan)

After having Korean fried chicken in a restaurant a while ago, *that* spicy gochujang sauce stuck in my mind. It’s like a grown up version of the sauce on sweet & sour chicken. I made it at home, using it to coat crispy tofu (coated in cornstarch and pan fried) to stuff into pillowy soft bao buns. I actually made these a while ago but never got round to posting the recipe! Now that I’ve been going a bit bao crazy I thought I would get this one up on the blog at the same time so there are some filling options for people to look at. We used this sauce last night for coating katsu seitan and it was epic – we had it with pickled radish/red onion and carrot ribbons which was a great combo. I think the sauce would work well on katsu sweet potato for an easy option. These are a bit ‘involved’ since you do need to do the whole tofu pressing, coating & frying situation. I also roasted some butternut squash to go in the buns but you can leave it out if you want (or use something seasonal like roasted carrots instead). However, […]

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Assembling Bao buns filled with crispy gochujang tofu, lettuce and butternut squash

After having Korean fried chicken in a restaurant a while ago, *that* spicy gochujang sauce stuck in my mind. It’s like a grown up version of the sauce on sweet & sour chicken. I made it at home, using it to coat crispy tofu (coated in cornstarch and pan fried) to stuff into pillowy soft bao buns.

I actually made these a while ago but never got round to posting the recipe! Now that I’ve been going a bit bao crazy I thought I would get this one up on the blog at the same time so there are some filling options for people to look at. We used this sauce last night for coating katsu seitan and it was epic – we had it with pickled radish/red onion and carrot ribbons which was a great combo. I think the sauce would work well on katsu sweet potato for an easy option.

Bao buns filled with crispy gochujang tofu and lettuce with a bamboo steamer

These are a bit ‘involved’ since you do need to do the whole tofu pressing, coating & frying situation. I also roasted some butternut squash to go in the buns but you can leave it out if you want (or use something seasonal like roasted carrots instead). However, once you’ve done the prep it’s easy to keep the components warm or reheat them, making the whole thing perfect for when you have a few friends round.

You can get frozen bao from Chinese supermarkets or, if you want to make them yourself, see my post for an in-depth recipe with some helpful shaping GIFs.

Crispy Gochujang Tofu Bao Buns

Crispy Gochujang Tofu Bao Buns

Yield: 12 buns (serves 3-4)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Squash:

  • 1/2 a butternut squash, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons gochujang
  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Tofu:

  • 340g (12 ounces) extra firm tofu
  • 50g (1/2 cup) corn flour (cornstarch)
  • 2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

To serve:

Instructions

For the squash:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  2. Cut the butternut squash into pieces about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick. Toss with the vegetable oil on a baking tray. Roast for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through roasting, until starting to turn brown around the edges.

For the sauce:

  1. Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Add a bit of water if needed to thin it out so it's drizzleable.

For the tofu:

  1. Press the tofu: drain the tofu, wrap in 2 layers of kitchen towel and place on a cutting board. Top with another cutting board and place something heavy (like a few cookbooks) on top. Let sit for 30 minutes to drain.
  2. Unwrap the tofu. Cut into 12 planks.
  3. Place the corn flour in a wide, shallow bowl. Toss the tofu in it to coat well, shaking off excess.
  4. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the coated tofu in a single layer and fry on both sides until crisp.
  5. Remove to a dish lined with paper towel to drain. Repeat the frying with the remaining tofu, adding more oil to the pan if needed.
  6. Once you've fried all of it, toss the tofu into the bowl of sauce and stir to coat. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
  7. Keep warm in an oven at 100°C (215°F) until serving.

Warm the bao:

  1. Place the bao into a steamer and cover with the lid. Fill a wide saucepan with a ~1 inch depth of water and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Turn the heat down to low then place the steamer into the pan.
  2. Steam for 5-6 minutes if they were frozen, or 2-3 minutes if they're fresh.

Assemble:

  1. Take the warm bao and fill with a leaf of gem lettuce, some of the warm crispy tofu and a piece of butternut squash.
  2. Eat warm!

Notes

  • Gochujang is a spicy, Korean fermented chilli paste. It can be found in many Korean or Chinese grocers and even in larger supermarkets in the 'world food' aisle.

Bao buns filled with crispy gochujang tofu and lettuce with a bamboo steamer" data-pin-description="Crispy tofu with a sweet & spicy gochujang sauce in soft, fluffy bao buns. Great for a plant-based dinner!

Have you made this recipe?
I’d love to see how it went! Tag me on instagram @izyhossack and hashtag it #topwithcinnamon so I can have a look & reshare in my stories!

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Grilled Asparagus Bao Buns (vegan)

Although sometimes I like a bao filling which takes a bit more time to prep, these asparagus bao are super fast to make. I keep frozen unfilled bao on hand which only take 5 minutes to heat up so this is a good one for weeknights if you do the same. Since asparagus is in season at the moment I’ve been going absolutely crazy for it. It’s probably one of my favourite vegetables – so delicious and SO quick to cook. I made these for lunch a couple of weeks ago for a friend who came to visit and we sat on the sunny balcony eating them. They were so quick to make (plus I had so many buns) that I ended up having them again for dinner too that week! I think the grilled vegetable vibe is definitely going to be big for me this year, especially when I can chuck them into a bao and have dinner all done and dusted. You can get frozen bao from Chinese supermarkets or, if you want to make them yourself, see my post for an in-depth recipe with some helpful shaping GIFs. Have you made this recipe?I’d love to see how […]

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two bao buns filled with grilled asparagus, sesame seeds, miso glaze and carrot ribbons on a wooden board.

Although sometimes I like a bao filling which takes a bit more time to prep, these asparagus bao are super fast to make. I keep frozen unfilled bao on hand which only take 5 minutes to heat up so this is a good one for weeknights if you do the same.

Since asparagus is in season at the moment I’ve been going absolutely crazy for it. It’s probably one of my favourite vegetables – so delicious and SO quick to cook. I made these for lunch a couple of weeks ago for a friend who came to visit and we sat on the sunny balcony eating them.

bao buns overhead filled with grilled asparagus and carrot ribbons

They were so quick to make (plus I had so many buns) that I ended up having them again for dinner too that week! I think the grilled vegetable vibe is definitely going to be big for me this year, especially when I can chuck them into a bao and have dinner all done and dusted.

You can get frozen bao from Chinese supermarkets or, if you want to make them yourself, see my post for an in-depth recipe with some helpful shaping GIFs.

Grilled Asparagus Bao Buns (Vegan)

Grilled Asparagus Bao Buns (Vegan)

Yield: 8 buns
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 250g (9 ounces) asparagus
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons black bean sauce
  • 1 tablespoon miso or doenjang
  • 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce (or 1 tbsp maple syrup + 1 tsp hot sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons Mushroom ketchup or vegan Worcester sauce

To serve:

Instructions

Cook the asparagus:

  1. Peel the tough ends of the asparagus and trim off the very base. If you have quite thick asparagus spears, cut them in half down their length. Place in a roasting dish, drizzle with the oil and toss to coat.
  2. Mix the black bean sauce, miso/doenjang, chilli sauce, rice vinegar, tomato ketchup and mushroom ketchup in a small bowl until smooth.
  3. Heat a grill pan on the highest heat on the stove (or you can use a barbecue). Place the asparagus spears into the pan and grill, until blackened on one side. Flip and grill the other side.
  4. Once that side is blackened, brush the asparagus spears with some of the glaze and turn so you can coat the other side too. Grill for 1 minutes then remove from the pan.
  5. Repeat with any remaining asparagus.

Warm the bao:

  1. Place the bao into a steamer. Fill a wide saucepan with a ~1 inch depth of water and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Turn the heat down to low then place the steamer into the pan.
  2. Steam for 5-6 minutes if they were frozen, or 2-3 minutes if they're fresh.

Assemble:

  1. Fill the warm bao with the asparagus, some kimchi and carrot ribbons. Eat immediately.

Notes

  • I love the vegan kimchi made by The Cultured Collective in the UK
  • Black bean sauce is also known as black bean garlic sauce. You can get it from supermarkets in the 'world food' aisle or from Chinese grocers.
  • If you're not veggie/vegan you can use Oyster sauce instead of the black bean sauce and standard Worcestershire sauce instead of the mushroom ketchup.
  • Mushroom ketchup is a common veggie alternative to Worcestershire sauce, found in most large supermarkets.
  • If you don't have a grill pan/BBQ, a cast iron pan will also work. You can also just roast the asparagus on a baking tray in the oven at 180C (350F) for 10 minutes with the oil, then brush with the glaze and roast for 5 minutes more.

Bao buns filled with grilled asparagus, carrot ribbons and cilantro, topped with sesame seeds on a wooden board

Have you made this recipe?
I’d love to see how it went! Tag me on instagram @izyhossack and hashtag it #topwithcinnamon so I can have a look & reshare in my stories!

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How to make Bao

This post has been updated as of August 2021 In light of recent racially-targeted attacks and hate crime against Asian people, I will be donating all ad revenue generated from this blog post (any previous ad revenue generated in 2021 as well as revenue…

This post has been updated as of August 2021 In light of recent racially-targeted attacks and hate crime against Asian people, I will be donating all ad revenue generated from this blog post (any previous ad revenue generated in 2021 as well as revenue from the remainder of 2021) to besea.n, a network for East and South East Asian people in the UK. They work to tackle negative stereotypes and provide resources to promote a positive representation of ESEA people in the UK media as well as other important work to increase equality for this marginalised group. Over the past few years there has been an explosion of bao restaurants in London. These soft and fluffy steamed buns are incredibly delicious and usually not too pricey. BUT you can make them at home which can be a fun weekend ‘project’ to do (and you can freeze extras for weeknight dinners!). The idea of steaming bread can seem daunting so I’ve gone in deep here with as much detail as I can muster! I’ve made them quite a few times at home now so, although I’m definitely not an expert, I may have some tips from what I’ve learned. Contents: Videos […]

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Broccoli Soup with Coconut, Coriander & Noodles (Vegan)

When I was writing the proposal for my second cookbook, one of the first recipes I’d made for it was a Thai green pea soup. This recipe is kind of a riff on that but instead has broccoli soup as its base with lots of extras thrown in. The peas and broccoli take so little time to cook, this is a definite weeknight-friendly dinner to make. The flavour is gentle here, with coconut milk and coriander (cilantro to those in the US) plus a bit of ginger for a slight ‘curry’ flavour. I used miso for the salty savouryness but it isn’t strong. I added frozen peas in here too which are a) super easy for adding bulk to a meal and b) naturally sweet so lift up the flavour of the whole broccoli soup. When it comes to soup, I’m ALLL about the extras on top (…as you may have noticed by this broccoli soup recipe). Here I baked some smoked tofu with soy sauce for a salty, smoky hit, almost like bacon, to sprinkle on. I added crispy onions too (inspired by this Donna Hay recipe) which are SO delicious here – they’re sweet and crispy and definitely […]

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A bowl of creamy broccoli coconut soup with noodles, smoked tofu and crispy onions by Izy Hossack

When I was writing the proposal for my second cookbook, one of the first recipes I’d made for it was a Thai green pea soup. This recipe is kind of a riff on that but instead has broccoli soup as its base with lots of extras thrown in. The peas and broccoli take so little time to cook, this is a definite weeknight-friendly dinner to make.

The flavour is gentle here, with coconut milk and coriander (cilantro to those in the US) plus a bit of ginger for a slight ‘curry’ flavour. I used miso for the salty savouryness but it isn’t strong. I added frozen peas in here too which are a) super easy for adding bulk to a meal and b) naturally sweet so lift up the flavour of the whole broccoli soup.

A large pot of creamy broccoli coconut soup served with noodles, smoked tofu and crispy onions by Izy Hossack

When it comes to soup, I’m ALLL about the extras on top (…as you may have noticed by this broccoli soup recipe). Here I baked some smoked tofu with soy sauce for a salty, smoky hit, almost like bacon, to sprinkle on. I added crispy onions too (inspired by this Donna Hay recipe) which are SO delicious here – they’re sweet and crispy and definitely worth the effort of making them. You should also be able to find big bags of crispy shallots/onions in Asian supermarkets which make things even easier.

Two bowls and a pot of broccoli soup with smoked tofu, noodles, crispy onions and coriander by Izy Hossack

What should I do with leftover broccoli soup?

When I’ve made this for our dinner, we usually have enough soup leftover for lunch or dinner the next day. If you feel like freshening up those leftovers, the soup works great as a base for a Thai green curry – fry off some Thai green curry paste in a pot, stir in the leftover soup, add some veg (carrot coins, pepper chunks, sugar snap peas etc) and simmer covered until soft. Then just serve it up with rice for a delicious dinner!

Broccoli Soup with Coconut, Coriander & Noodles

Broccoli Soup with Coconut, Coriander & Noodles

Yield: serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the soup:

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large white onion, roughly diced
  • 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
  • 500g (1 lb) broccoli
  • 1 (400ml / 14 ounce) can coconut milk
  • 250ml (1 cup) water
  • 260g (2 cups) frozen peas
  • 30g coriander (cilantro), leaves and stalks, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp dark miso (or soy sauce)

For the tofu:

  • 225g (8 ounces) firm tofu (I like smoked tofu here)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

To serve:

  • 300g dried udon noodles
  • a handful of storebought crispy fried onions (or see recipe below for homemade crispy onions)
  • 1 lime, quartered, to serve

Instructions

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often until softened and starting to brown.
  2. Add the ginger to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Finely chop the broccoli and add to the pot along with the coconut milk and water. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot with a lid. Let the broccoli cook for 5-6 minutes until completely soft.
  4. Add the peas to the pan and stir through until defrosted.
  5. Remove from the heat and add the coriander and miso. Blend the soup until smooth - either using a hand blender straight in the pot, or by pouring the contents of the pot into a free standing blender. If needed, thin with a little more water and season with salt to taste (the miso added enough salt for my taste)

For the tofu:

  1. Drain the water from tofu packet and wrap the tofu in a couple of layers of paper towel. Set on a cutting board with another board on top. Place something heavy on top (I usually use a stack of cookbooks!). Leave to drain for 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan / 350°F). Cut the tofu into ~1 cm chunks. Toss onto a baking tray with the vegetable oil and soy sauce to coat.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes until crisp around the edges.

To serve:

  1. Cook the noodles according to the package, then drain, rinse with cold water and set aside in a bowl of cold water until needed.
  2. Ladle the warm soup into 4 bowls. Divide the noodles between the bowls and top with the crispy onions and tofu. Serve with a lime wedge for squeezing over.

Notes

  • If your blender isn't that powerful I'd advise that you peel your broccoli stalk and cut off the very base of it. Otherwise you may end up with stringy bits of broccoli in your soup!
  • If you have Thai green curry paste sitting in your fridge/freezer, feel free to throw a tablespoon or two of that into the pot as you cook the ginger at the start. It'll add a good punch of flavour!
  • You can also serve this without the noodles/tofu if you want a lighter meal. It's nice to sprinkle a few defrosted peas on top of the soup for added texture if you do this.

Homemade Crispy Fried Onions

Yield: 1 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 white onion, peeled, thinly sliced (I use a mandoline)
  • 1 tbsp white rice flour or plain flour
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Toss the thinly sliced onion with the flour in a bowl until all coated.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pot or frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the sliced onion - you will probably have to work in batches so you don't overfill the pot.
  3. Leave to fry, stirring occasionally - the oil will bubble up, the bubbles will recede and the onions will start to turn brown. Once they are all mostly brown, remove from the oil with kitchen tongs to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
  4. Repeat to fry all the onions.
  5. Store excess, cooled, fried onions in a lidded container in the freezer.
Broccoli Soup with Coconut, Coriander and Noodles

Have you made this recipe?
I’d love to see how it went! Tag me on instagram @izyhossack and hashtag it #topwithcinnamon so I can have a look & reshare in my stories!

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