Clea is very much the ‘home cook’. Her kitchen is her haven and she loves cooking for friends and family whenever she can. The recipes she shares tend to be quick, filling and really tasty. She recommends a bit of kitchen dancing for extra flavour 🙂
-
Buddha Bowl / Vegan Dinner Bowl / Bowl Food
I'm totally bowl obsessed right now! Almost every dinner is a bowl, involving some wonderful mixture of flavours and textures. The great thing about bowls is that they're healthy, filling, easy to make, and every one tastes different so you don't get bored. They're also a great 'catch all' if you've had a bad food day or are training for a marathon (which is how I got into them), as you can pack them with good carbs, greens, beans and all sorts of good stuff. They've been the inspiration behind my latest Veganuary hashtag, #peacefuel. I just love them!
-
Tofu Scramble Breakfast Burritos
There's something wonderful about a breakfast burrito! Below is my easy peasy recipe for tofu scramble and how to turn it into a meal that's truly brunchtastic.
-
Friday Night Pizza
Friday night is pizza night in our house, but you can have this any night you want. But pre-made bases make this is the tastiest quick and easy meal for the end of the working week. There are lots of vegan base options available, but you do have to check the labels as some brands do sneak milk or eggs in there... No idea why, as traditional Italian pizza dough is always vegan. Adding kale to pizza has revolutionised my pizza topping world, so do give it a try! Crank up the stereo and add beer for extra Friday flavour.
-
Easy Dessert: Chocolate Yoghurt and Strawberries
Perfect when you want something sweet but cannot be bothered to make anything. Strawberries are one of nature's most delectable treats, and chocolate always feels decadent!
-
Vegan Sausage and Mash
Comfort food at it's best. Vegan sausages and mashed potato, with crunchy broccoli and gravy.
-
Roast Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Toasted Sunflower Seeds
Perhaps my favourite salad of all time. Good enough to eat by the bucketload on its own, with crusty bread, or perfect as one of the sides at a dinner party. In a former life I made this with feta, and when I veganised it I experimented with toasted sunflower seeds... It tasted so good that I've never bothered experimenting with anything else.
-
Hummus, Pure and Simple
Making your own hummus is so easy. Plus it's so much cheaper and tastier than anything pre-made that you'll wonder why you ever bothered buying it! Once you have a basic recipe sorted, you can go on to make all sorts of wild and crazy combinations.
-
The Best Simple Smoothie Ever (Berry and Banana)
I love smoothies, but I don't have an endless budget or an enormous fridge for a zillion ingredients. So this is my 'go-to', easy, yummy smoothie, where the only effort is cleaning out the blender.
-
Yoghurt and Fruit Snack
A pot of yoghurt and some fruit are an easy snack; at home, work or on the go.
-
Cheese Toastie and Crisps
A cheese toastie with crisps on the side is the ultimate in comfort and convenience food. A great treat for kids and grown ups alike!
-
Vegan Cheese and Crackers
This simple snack is still available to you as a vegan! All you need is some plant-based cheese and some great tasting crackers... lots of well-known (Ritz, for example) and supermarket brands are vegan... just check the label first.
-
Avocado, Tomato and Marmite on Toast
My absolute favourite breakfast, favourite snack, or just favourite, favourite... ever!
-
Cheatin’ Chicken Sandwich
There are some great mock meats around, and the sliced ones are perfect for sandwiches. I'd recommend these for transitioning vegans, and they're so useful for lunch on the run. You can store a packet of these chicken slices in the fridge at work, or take the sandwiches with you. Sliced mock meats are great for kids as well, so one to remember when making up a school lunch box.
-
Falafel and Hummus Sandwich
Sometimes you gotta conform to stereotype, and falafel and hummus are a vegan stereotype I am more than willing to embrace! There is a reason this combination is so popular the world over... Because it's divine! And with the great pre-made falafel mixes that are around nowadays, this can also be a cheating chef's quick fix any day of the week.
-
Chickpea Salad
Looking for a replacement filling for tuna sandwiches? Then look no further. This will totally hit the spot. And if you're not a sandwich fan, then this is also just great on it's own. Ideal for packed lunches, or alongside other salads at dinner.
-
Vegan Ploughman's Lunch
I cannot think of a good British pub without thinking of a Ploughman's Lunch! And being a pickle fan, and a lover of crusty bread, it would be a crime not to have a vegan version. Plus sharing platters (tapas, bread and cheese, salads) are my favourite kind of meals to eat. They're so much more fun and social. This is great for lazy weekends, but also so easy to whip up mid-week.
-
Lentil Bolognese
I love lentils, and I'll choose them over a mock mince any day. Puy lentils have a really 'meaty' texture and appearance when cooked, so this is a great one to try out on non vegan family members and friends.
-
Mexican Plate, with Chilli, Guacamole, Refried Beans and Black Rice
I love Mexican food, and I like to eat all my favourite things on one plate! This is great served with flour or corn tortillas, tacos, or just on its own.
-
Cheese on Toast (with Potato and Carrot Cheese!)
Yup, you read it right. Potato and carrot cheese. And it is insanely good! So easy to make and great on pizza too.
-
Vegan Roast Dinner
People often give me funny looks when I say I'm cooking up a big roast for dinner. But I've served my roasts up to many a meat-eater and not yet had a complaint. A good roast is all about combinations and flavour. And the fantastic thing about roasting vegan is that there are so many flavour combinations for you to choose from!
-
Zoodles with Pesto, Rocket and Roasted Tomatoes and Chickpeas
Zoodles are noodles of raw zucchinni (courgette) created using a spiralizer - a gadget which sounds terribly technical, but actually isn't. I have a manual spiralizer that cost only a couple of quid; they're easily available online and are fantastic for creating an exciting meal out of simple ingredients. This dish is completely made up, but tasted really good!
-
A Great Big Lunchtime Salad Bowl
OK, so it's true... vegans do eat salad! But we're not talking a few sad looking lettuce leaves and half a tomato on the side of your plate. This is big, and flavourful, and filling! Chuck it all in a bowl and dig right on in. Couldn't be easier.
-
Chilli Non Carne
A faithful crowd pleaser and a one pot wonder. Great in a big bowl on its own, in a burrito or wrap, with rice, or in a big old nachos. You just can't go wrong!
-
Super-Quick, Super-Tasty Week Night Stir Fry
When you're exhausted at the end of the day, this is a winner! Flavour-packed, filling and healthy.
-
Moroccan Lentil, Chickpea and Kale Soup
A good friend brought me a this spicy lentil soup when we moved house and I fell in love with it there and then. My adapted version has become a weekly staple ever since. I'm not sure if it is Moroccan but it tastes like I imagine a Moroccan soup tastes, so that's what I call it! An easy weekday dinner, and fabulous the next day as a leftover lunch; this really is one of my favourites!