Posts Tagged With: beach house kitchen

Quick and Delicious Plant-based Brunch! Middle-Eastern Mushrooms, Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Smoky Chickpeas

Posted on March 3, 2019 by leroy watson

Weekend Plant-based Brunch

A simple, colourful and delicious brunch that is ready in double quick time.

I wanted something fresh, tasty and healthy this morning. It’s Sunday, a treat brunch is on the menu! I love baked beans, but fancied something healthier with a spicy and smoky twist, also pan fried vegetables with some of my favourite flavours of the Middle East.

When this brunch is served with hummus/ tahini sauce and toasted pitta bread, it hit’s the spot; weekend, weekday, in fact any time of day. Add bulghur wheat or cous cous to make it a hearty lunch or dinner.

Middle-Eastern Mushrooms, Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Smoky Chickpeas – Vegan

I love the combination of delicious, fresh vegetables, warm breads, olives, herbs and something tahini-ish. Its a tried and tested format for a tasty vegan meal. Light and full of flavour and nutrition.

With that in mind, this is my version of things today, with what we’ve got locally (and in the cupboards/ veg basket). That’s how my favourite recipes arise, out of necessity and a chunk of inspiration. Bringing the best out of what you’ve got. I only ever plan meals if I really have too.

In the pan

It’s that time of year when we’re all feeling the pinch as far as seasonal veggies are concerned. I can’t wait for Spring, the wild garlic, dandelions, elderflowers, nettles etc all on the way soon.

Trigonos has been stunning this past month, this is where we have coffee/ lunch. Not a bad view! The beautiful Nantlle Valley.

At Trigonos, preparation is in full swing for the coming growing season. The seeds are being sown and the soil prepared. With all this uncertainty about our food, something to do with that Brexit thing that’s going on, it’s a great time to invest in and celebrate local farmers/ growers. Having organic local produce available is a real blessing for any cook, but I think anyone can feel the benefits of eating with the seasons and celebrating what’s available in our area.

I’ve traveled all over the UK and there are so many passionate foodies, we’re looking forward to meeting more at this year’s food festivals.

Hope to catch you there and get loads of new foodie inspiration. Seems like every year, there is greater diversity at these festivals and plant-based options.

On the plate – quick and delicious weekend treat

Let us know in the comments below if you like the look of this dish, or get to try it out. We hope you are all well and feeling inspired to cook some fresh and colourful plant-based dishes. We’re always here to support you if you have any questions.

Happy cooking from the BHK!:)

Recipe Notes

Make sure you cook the vegetables on a high heat for a short time, something like a stir fry. The tomatoes and broccoli will get slightly charred, bringing out the flavours. Quick and hot will mean the vegetables cook, but don’t get too soft, we seal in the flavours and retain their vitality.

Use any olives you like, but I love the flavour and texture of Kalamata olives. Make sure they’re de-stoned to avoid any unwanted brunch-based crunches.

This makes a great lunch or dinner, serve with cous cous or bulghur wheat to bulk it out and make the meal more substantial.

Middle-Eastern Mushrooms, Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Smoky Chickpeas

The Bits – For 2 as a brunch

Middle-Eastern Mushrooms
2 large flat mushrooms, portobello or field (chopped in half)
100g/ 2 handfuls purple sprouting broccoli
85g/ 3 handfuls cherry tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 heaped teas cumin seeds
16 kalamata olives (de-stoned)
2 tbs olive brine or water
Sea salt and black pepper

Smoky Chickpeas
1 tin chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
2 tbs tomato puree
1 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs maple syrup or other sweetener
2 teas smoked paprika
1 teas za’atar or dried thyme
½-1 teas chilli powder
4 tbs water
1/2 teas salt (to taste)

Olive oil (for cooking)

To serve
Hummus or tahini/ tarator sauce
Toasted Pitta Bread

To Do

For the Smoky Chickpeas – Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan. Warm on a medium heat, cooking for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste and season with salt.

For the Mushrooms – Trim off the woody ends of your broccoli. In a large frying pan, add 1-2 tbs olive oil, warm on high heat. Add the cumin and fresh thyme, then the mushrooms. Fry for 3 minutes, turning the mushrooms once.

Add the broccoli, tomatoes and olive brine/ water. Stir and toss the vegetables and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the olives to the pan and warm for 2 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Serve straight away with hummus and toasted pitta bread.

In the Trigonos poly tunnels, not much to see yet, but give it a couple of months…..

Foodie Fact

Chickpeas, aka gigglebeans, aka garbanzos, aka the Egyptian pea, are probably the best named legume. What do you reckon?

It’s a very good idea to eat lots of chickpeas, or at least, enjoy them regularly. Full of protein and fibre, some calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron….. Plus they just taste fine, I’ve been making cakes with them!! There is no end how awesome and versatile the humble chickpea can be.

Categories: Breakfast, gluten-free, healthy, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Vegan, Wales | Tags: beach house kitchen, recipe, vegan brunch, vegan food | 4 Comments

Thai Red Pepper and Coconut Soup – Vegan

Posted on January 10, 2019 by leroy watson

Thai Red Pepper and Coconut Soup – Vegan

Something quick and easy to kick start 2019!

A simple, healthy and delicious soup with some of the Thai flavours I totally love.

This is how I’d like to kick off 2019, a steaming, bright and nourishing bowl of goodness. Red peppers are packed full of vitamin C and after the festive season, I’m sure a lot of you fancy a pick me up, tasty dishes that are lighter and give our body a big hug. Comfort food can be healthy and satisfying. No probs.

This soup contains coconut, chickpeas, turmeric, ginger, loads of my favourite foods. Bar the Kaffir lime leaves (see below) and lemongrass these are easy to find ingredients, that many of you might have in the kitchen already.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year………………

Of course, January is now officially Veganuary, they’ll be changing the calendars next year for sure! If you’re trying out Veganuary, you’re not alone, record numbers have signed up worldwide this year. I even saw it all over the TV around New Year’s, right there, bang in the middle of prime time programmes. Just awesome to see a vegan lifestyle skyrocketing, being embraced and enjoyed!

The people over at Veganuary have always been lovely to us and we even have some recipes over on their website, check them out here. Good luck to anyone giving it a go and long may your vegan-ness continue! Let us know if you need a hand or some advice, we’re fully available for pats on back, big thumbs up and bags of encouragement. GO FOR IT!!

Nourishing vegan Thai soup

What are Kaffir Limes? Why are they so awesome!!

Dried kaffir lime leaves can be found in most supermarkets. I buy them frozen in a local Chinese supermarket, these have been frozen fresh. They are much better than the dried varieties, but you can use either in this recipe.

I’ve been lucky to travel around South East Asia and work and stay in some beautiful places, some even had kaffir lime trees. The limes themselves are like big, nobbly limes, with thick piths, very fragrant. The leaves can be used in all kinds of cooking, it’s essential oils are use in perfumery, and it’s really like a bay leaf with an Asian turbo charged twist. Their flavour is unmistakable! When I worked on an organic farm in India, I’d wake up, pick a few leaves and make a refreshing tea with them, watch the lizards and mongoose chase each other.

Eating peppers at this time of year means we have a great source of vitamin C. Peppers are said to be three times higher in vitamin C than oranges, red peppers are best, but green peppers also contain good levels of vit C.

Beach House Kitchen bowl! Nourishing, light and satisfying. Red Thai Coconut Soup – Vegan

Jane and I have been spending time with family and friends over Christmas, we’ve been to North Yorkshire and Durham mainly and really love the time away with the people who rock our world!!

We’ve actually not stuffed ourselves too much! We both feel like we’ve lost weight over Christmas, which is pretty unusual. I go back to the fact that freshly cooked vegan food can be so, so healthy and tasty. We’ve had many positive comments over Christmas, so many non-vegans digging the food.

Keep up to date with all our news, recipes and other bits and pieces by signing up for our seasonal newsletter, right here.

Big thanks to all who cooked our recipes over Christmas and New Years and let us know, it was great to see pictures over on Facebook, it makes our day!! We love to see your kitchen creations, you really bring our recipes to life!!

Recipe Notes

You may like to pick the lime leaves out before you blend the soup, but I generally leave them in.

Use the softer, centre piece of your lemongrass. Discard the tough outer leaves. You’ll find lemongrass in most supermarkets.

Thai Red Pepper and Coconut Soup – Vegan

The Bits – For 4-6 large bowls

5 red peppers (deseeded and chopped)
3 medium carrots (chopped)

1 large onion (sliced)

3 heaped tbs fresh ginger (roughly chopped)

2 heaped tbs fresh lemongrass (peeled and chopped)

1 fresh chilli (sliced)

1 can chickpeas (drained)
1 can chopped tomato or passatta
1 can coconut milk

8 kaffir lime leaves
1/2 tbs turmeric
Sea salt

To Serve

Tamari or g.f. soya sauce
Lime wedges
Sliced chillies
Chopped coriander

Do It
In a large saucepan, add 1 tbs cooking oil, fry the onions and ginger with 1 teas salt until soft, 3 minutes will do.

Then add the carrots, chilli, lemongrass and peppers, fry for 5 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes, chickpeas, kaffir lime leaves and turmeric, bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes more, until the carrots are soft.

Blend with a stick blender then season with salt, if needed, and adjust the consistency using hot water if it’s too thick.

Serve with chillies, coriander and lime wedges. We also love it with sticky coconut rice balls.

Foodie Fact

Kaffir lime has many uses in Asia, not just for the pot! The lime juice makes a great shampoo, the plant is a natural insect repellent, when used in aromatherapy kaffir lime is relaxing, can reduce stress and help with a good nights sleep, also many people chew the leaves, it is said to help with oral health.

Categories: gluten-free, healthy, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Soups, Vegan, veganism | Tags: beach house kitchen, thailand, vegan cooking | Leave a comment

Homemade Shroom Dogs – Vegan Mushroom Sausages

Posted on September 18, 2018 by leroy watson

Shroom Dogs – highly recommended with mustard

These tasty Shroom Dogs are loaded with big flavours and a very sausage-y texture. They’re really simple, just blend the ingredients and bake. That’s it!

These sausages can then be sliced up, on a full vegan fry up breakfast (yes please!!) or added to stews, soups or curries.

They’re also nice just like this, as pictured today for lunch, sliced and served as a part of an autumn platter. Mustard is essential! I served mine with some local tomatoes (great time of year for toms) and some fermented cucumber relish and of course, a decent slice of homemade loaf. I chucked some smoked cheese on later too. It was hiding in the fridge.

Bring on the Shrooms….

I’ve been hearing a lot about Shroom Dogs, aka vegan mushroom sausages, they seem really popular in the UK. It’s great to see! I’ve been making sausages like these for years now and there are just so many ways to flavour them up, fill them with big flavours, all very much approved by non-vegans. They love them!! I’ve made these Shroom Dogs as simple as possible.

You know, I wasn’t sure about this name. To call these hot dogs, well, they’re homemade and delicious and nutritious and packed with good things, very unlike your average hot dog. So I gave it two names, more descriptive and a great way of hiding my indecisiveness.

Also the ‘shrooms’ thing, I know some real mushroom experts and foragers who can’t stand it. I just think it’s fun. Mushrooms are surely one of my favourite foods, if you spend a few more pennies on a better quality mushroom, the flavour of these sausages goes up a notch or two.

New dawn of vegan food

There are so many new vegan products turning up in the shops, it’s awesome! I love the fact I can pop into the shops and pick up things like vegan yoghurt, cheese and milks. A few years ago this just wasn’t the case. I love the fact that more and more products are being marked as vegan. Looks like the dawn of vegan convenience food has arrived!

But, you know what I’m like (you may be like me!), I’ll always prefer home cooked dishes and variations. These sausages are better than shop bought in many ways, taste and nutrition, there are only natural and delicious ingredients here. They’re actually really healthy, with beans, garlic, herbs and spices. All good stuff! You will taste the difference;)

Vital Wheat Gluten – What the….?

I know, some of these vegan cooking ingredients have weird and off putting names. I have no idea why. This one sounds like a grainy science experiment. But really, its a genius ingredient. You will have to track some of this down for these sausages, I recommend a local health food shop, or of course, ask google!

VWG is not anything too freaky, its basically washed flour, all the starch gone, just the elastic gluten left which can be made into a dough and taken in so many directions, all with a very distinct, full, you could say chewy (in a good way) texture. Vital Wheat Gluten makes Seitan. Have you tried it?

It has been used for ages in South East Asia for example to make things that look like meat but ain’t meat. This was done, mainly in Buddhist countries, because people wanted something like meat, but wanted to stick to, or once a month try out, a more peaceful diet. In Vietnam especially, I have tried some things that are very strange indeed. Chicken wings, with skin on, which are made of VWG! That was freaky!!

These will make a great sausage sandwich, with HP sauce of course! I like them because they’re a bit lighter in texture than some vegan sausages.

Enjoy and feel free to share this recipe far and wide!

Do you like what we do? Do you fancy making these sausages or just want to say hello? Please do, leave a message in the comments below.

Recipe Notes

I’ve gone on the mild side of flavours here, feel free to add more yeast extract and smoked paprika for a stronger flavour. It balances nicely with the mushrooms.

I think the nutritional yeast flakes add a lot to the flavour, but you can leave them out.

If you’re going to add these to stews or curries, add them just before serving, with the sausages hot from the oven.

Shroom dogs, how do you like yours?

Homemade Shroom Dogs – Vegan Mushroom Sausages

The Bits – Makes 3 large sausages

250g mushrooms (washed well and chopped)

2 small garlic cloves (crushed)

175g cooked white beans (or other beans is fine)

3 teas yeast extract

1 tbs rapeseed oil

2 1/2 teas smoked pap

1 teas dried thyme

2 tbs nutritional yeast flakes (optional)

1 teas sea salt

175g vital wheat gluten

Do It

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blitz until a dough forms. There will be some small chunks of mushrooms, that’s fine.

Kneed the dough for a minute or so, then split the dough into 3 even balls, it easiest to do this on a chopping board I find. If you want to be very precise, you can weigh each ball, this means that each sausage will be the same size and length.

Preheat oven to 190oC and boil 250ml water in a kettle. Warm a long casserole/ baking dish in the oven.

Grab some kitchen foil, tear off a piece, 6-8 inches long. Using your hands, roll out each ball into a long sausage shape, long enough to fit into the kitchen foil, with space at the ends to be tucked in. The foil acts a guide for how long you want the sausages. Roll the sausages tightly in the foil, then tuck in the ends and twist. The sausages may expand a little when being cooking, making sure they’re tucked in and wrapped up nicely, it will ensure a good shape.

In the warm casserole dish, pour 250ml hot water, then add your wrapped up sausages. Pop into the oven and cook for 40 minutes. Unwrap the sausages and enjoy them nice and hot. You might also like them served cold? We loved the platters in the photos.

Homemade Shroom Dogs – Vegan Mushroom Sausages

Foodie Fact

Vital wheat gluten is packed full of protein and is also a decent source of calcium and iron.

PS – this is not supposed to be an advert for that mustard or olive oil brand;)

Categories: healthy, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Vegan | Tags: beach house kitchen, mushroom sausages, recipe, shroom dogs | 4 Comments

Roast Carrot & Ginger Hummus

Posted on December 1, 2017 by leroy watson

Roast Carrot & Ginger Hummus – Get dippin’!

This is a lively one; zesty, colourful and filled with spice. Ideal for a winter party, sure to brighten things up! Playing with hummus flavours is something I believe all vegans enjoy, absolutely nothing wrong with the classic, but hummus is one of the tastiest vehicles imaginable for fabulous flavours! Hummus is important!! It’s one of those things that we can all cook, and we all have our own take on, some prefer a little more tahini, some more garlic…..

This hummus is not only a great combination of flavours, it’s also filled with all we need at this time of year to keep us shining, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, citrus and of course tahini (we love it!) I have added a small amount of oil here and think its rich enough, but by all means, add more to make it a really rich treat. Just sub the water for oil.

I’ll be sharing some more festive recipes soon…..

The Bits – One medium bowlful, For 4-6 for dipping

500g chickpeas (cooked, drained and rinsed)

2 large carrots (roasted and chopped)

1 1/2 teas turmeric

1 teas ground cumin

1/2 teas cinnamon

4 tbs light tahini

2 tbs heaped ginger (finely diced or grated)

2 limes (juice)

50ml olive oil

50ml water

Salt

Do It

Add carrots, chickpeas, spices, lime juice, ginger, 1/2 teas salt and tahini to a blender and blitz for a while. As it’s going, pour in the water and oil. It is fine a little chunky, but blend for longer if you like a really smooth hummus. Taste and add salt if needed to really bring out those zingy flavours.

Foodie Fact

There is so many vibrant and healthy ingredients packed into this hummus, it’s difficult to know where to begin with this foodie fact. Shall we talk about turmeric? Why not! Turmeric is a colourful root, that looks a lot like ginger in it’s raw state. Most of us know that turmeric is an incredible ingredient from a nutritional point of view, here’s a quick low down. It full of beneficial bits and pieces, loads of iron, vitamin C, magnesium and good amounts of protein and fibre. I like to sneak turmeric into meals, smoothies etc whenever I can. Turmeric is also known as an anti-inflammatory and has been said to cure a whole host of ailments. It is also a very cool colour (which is important;)

Categories: gluten-free, healthy, Nutrition, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Side Dish, Snacks and Inbetweens, Superfoods, Vegan, Winter | Tags: beach house kitchen, hummus, recipe | 10 Comments

Charred Fig & Rocket Salad with Lemon Tofu Feta

Posted on October 12, 2017 by leroy watson

Photo by Al Richardson

This is a salad for all those who can’t say goodbye to summer just yet! Figs seem all of a sudden plentiful in the UK. I’m seeing them in most shops I go to. I love cooking figs, so sweet and fragrant, and I can think of a few nice things to do with them, but charring them slightly and serving them with a crispy and lively salad is one of my favourites.

This is an original recipe from Peace & Parsnips, I rarely cook recipes from the past, I’m too busy creating new ones normally, but this is a winner and I really like the tofu feta and flavour combos. I normally make tofu feta by simply crushing the drained firm tofu with herbs and other flavourings, but cooking it briefly in a pan here intensifies the flavours even more.

I’m very happy when eating figs, but must admit, most of the year only eat them dried. I love the way they can be incorporated into traditionally savoury dishes like salads and they are perfect when mixed with a little spice and wholegrains.

I remember in Morocco living off figs for a few days in the mountains (which was not a great idea, they are full of oxalates), as a veggie back then, there was not a great deal to eat and I was really rural, up in the Atlas mountains hiking with some Berber musicians. I bought figs on long ropes, big fig snakes, that I kept hanging from my backpack. Whenever I needed a nibble, I just plucked one off the rope. It was a great snack.

Experiences like that make me a little sentimental about some foods and figs do bring back loads of good memories. Still, this is quite a long way from this dish which was influenced by my times picking grapes and travelling through France. One of the stand out dishes of that time was a meal prepared in the Loire region, a salad with charred figs that I’ll always remember. I felt so grateful that the chef prepared a special dish just for me.

Most of you know that Jane and I can normally be found tucked away somewhere in Snowdonia, or travelling the less beaten path somewhere in the world, but this recipe found its way over to the food section of the Washington Post! It’s incredible to see the food that we are passionate about in the Beach House in newspapers and blogs around the world.

So this is a very healthy twist on a traditional feta salad that can be bulked out by adding more toasted nuts (cobnuts would be perfect!) and maybe some white beans would be nice, even mix in something like orzo or oven baked polenta…..ok, I’m getting carried away now! It’s ideal for an autumn lunch, as we’re just hanging onto the sunshine and warmth in the UK and getting ready for the big, sustaining stews and soups of winter. I say, get in the fresh figs while you can!

Recipe Notes

As we all know, figs are precious! They are delicate and should always be handled and stored with care. Give them a gentle squeeze when you buy them to check that they’re not too soft.

Figs are best washed just before you use them, because they can be so delicate, it’s best to cut them with a sharp knife. Eat them within a few days of purchasing.

If you don’t have a griddle pan for the figs, a nice frying pan will do the trick.

————-

Charred Fig & Rocket Salad with Lemon Tofu Feta

The Bits – Serves 4

3 handfuls of rocket leaves
handful of fresh basil leaves
6 ripe figs, quartered
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Lemon tofu feta
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
juice of ½ a lemon
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon olive oil
400g firm tofu, well drained, crumbled
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
large pinch of sea salt
pinch of cracked black pepper

Lemon dressing
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown rice syrup
½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Do It

To make the tofu feta, put the nutritional yeast flakes into a bowl with the lemon juice and zest and leave to dissolve.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan on a medium heat and add the tofu and garlic. Pan-fry until slightly golden, then add the lemon mix, salt and pepper, bring to the boil and cook until the lemon juice has evaporated. Spoon into a bowl and allow to cool. Check that it’s just a little too salty, like feta.

To make the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, syrup, vinegar, salt and extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl.
Mix the rocket and basil leaves together in a bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the dressing over the leaves and toss together. Keep the rest of the dressing for further dipping and drizzling.

Warm a griddle pan on a high heat and brush with a little oil. Just as the oil begins to smoke, place your figs widthways in the pan. Allow to cook for 2 minutes, basting them with balsamic vinegar as you go.Turn them when well caramelized, then remove the now sticky figs from the heat.

Scatter the leaves beautifully on plates, and top with the warm figs, a couple of spoons of the tofu feta and a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts.

Foodie Fact

Apparently figs are one of the worlds oldest trees. They are high in minerals like calcium, magnesium and iron and are a great source of anti-oxidants like vitamin A, E and K. They also have a lot of fibre.