VEGAN CHILLI, low fat/cholesterol/salt; budget friendly; high fibre,

Vegan Chilli with tofu mince offers muscular flavour and rich spicy sauce...

Vegan Chilli with Tofu Mince & Kidney Beans: muscular, spicy, fabulous
(here with avocado in lime juice & corn tortillas)

This recipe is a vegan version of 67goingon50's popular flagship dish, Chilli con Turkey.

It's a winner for plant eaters, and for the budget conscious, producing an intensely savoury dish that negates worries that vegan food is bland.  It also scores high on the health meter, substituting low fat & cholesterol tofu for meat and using salt-free organic tomato paste.  And all without loss of flavour.

A Chilli from 67 takes people aback - in a good way - not just by the layers of spices but also by their heart and weight friendly qualities, and by the low cost.  

Even better, apart from tofu, no exotic ingredients are necessary (though if you like heat, dried chipotles* are good to have in the cupboard.  

67 tested M&S's organic extra-firm tofu**, a recent addition to the supermarket's wide range of plant food.  The extra-firm doesn't need to be frozen and squeezed, saving time and energy, and you can make the vegan chilli in a few hours.  

A warning: the chilli is hot and spicy.  If serving kids, cool it down by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of yoghurt.  

The recipe was adapted from one of the first modern gourmet chefs, Robert Carrier, from the 1960's. 67goingon50's copy - sadly out of print - is so battered, the publication name and date have vanished.

Cost: £5'ish
Serves: 6 as a main course; more as a crowd-pleaser

250g/8.8oz organic extra firm-tofu*, coarsely processed to resemble mince  
scant 1.5 tsp olive oil 
1 large onions, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced or grated
1 x 250 g passata OR or 250gm fresh baby tomatoes, peeled and pureed plus 2 tins plum tomatoes (divided)
2 tbsp salt-free organic tomato puree

2 tablespoons mild chilli powder OR 1.5 tbsp mild chili powder and 1/2 tbsp  M&S Roasted Mexican Spices
1 small dried Chipotle chilli, reconstituted in 1-2 tbsp water (opt).
1/2 tablespoon flour
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1/8 tsp powdered cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tin kidney beans, rinsed and drained
small courgette in fine dice (opt)
med carrot, grated (opt but adds a bit of sweetness to temper the heat)

up to a tablespoon of sugar
s&p
chopped parsley for garnish.

Method:

HARVEST: NO-SWEAT ROASTED VEG, easy vegan main or carnivore side

Lively multi-layered vegan melange: delicious, hot or cold

Easy low-fat Roasted Harvest Veg, Pumpkin Seeds & Potato Wedges
'Absolutely stonking combo, especially with sunflower seed garnish!' 

Photo 30/5/18

Vegan Roasted Veg with Potato Wedges is a quick, low-maintenance, 'skinny' meal that is as far from dull and boring as it could be.  

The wedges and a base of courgettes, tomatoes and mushrooms require little prep but a timer is necessary.   

They turn burnished and juicy in the oven or air fryer and are then enlivened with balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, chilli flakes and pumpkin seeds.  

The dish can be eaten hot or cold, on its own or alongside a plant or carnivore main course.  

Save time and effort by doubling or tripling the recipe and refrigerating leftovers.  A little bit more of this and a bit less of that is no problem.  

Cost: £1-£4, depending on what's in the cupboard and fridge
Serves: 2-3

Ingred:
   1 large baking potato 
   1-2 tbsp pumpkin seeds  

   200 gm/7oz courgette in 1.5 inch half slices 
    80gm/scant 3oz sweet pointed or bell pepper in 1.5 in/3cm chunks 
   2 generous handfuls (100'ish gm) cherry tomatoes, halved
   1/2 cup (100'ish gm) quartered mushrooms
   1/4 cup small cauliflower florets

   small handful tenderstem broccoli, thick stems halved or quartered  
   small handful other quick cooking raw veg, eg. mange toute, green beans

   olive oil
   pepper & salt
   smoked paprika (opt)

   zest of a lemon
   1-2 tsp lemon juice
   1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar
   1-2 pinches chilli flakes, to taste
   1/2 tsp sumac (opt)

   finely sliced radish 

Method:

1. If veg are not organic, blanch 20 mins in a solution of 9 parts water & 1 part vinegar; drain & rinse
2. Preheat oven/air fryer to 190c/375f/gas 5
3. Spread sunflower seeds on small ungreased tray, bake no more than 5 minutes until smelling toasty; pour onto a plate to cool
4. Return empty tray to oven
5. Cut potato vertically into 6 wedges; spray generously with olive oil; season with pepper, salt and smoked paprika if using.  Spread on small tray 
6. Bake on centre shelf 30-40 mins or golden & cooked through, turning once halfway
7. Trim stems & remove strings on the veg, top & tail peppers, de-seed and remove membranes  
8. Place everything except for easy cook veg like green beans/mange tout plus radishes on a large tray; add a tablespoon olive oil, toss with clean hands; spread out, hiding tops of broccoli under bits of pepper (to prevent the 'burnt tree' effect)
9. Cover lightly with a layer of foil; place on top shelf; bake 15 mins
10. Remove foil; add easy-cook veg; mix; cook another 15 mins or until soft & browning at the edges; remove from oven
11. Sprinkle balsamic over veg; add lemon juice & zest, chilli flakes and sumac; stir
12. Add in toasted pumpkin seeds and radish slices, reserving some for garnish; serve alongside wedges 

Comments:
'The combination of vegetables was surprisingly successful; the toasted sunflower seeds were inspired.' Retired writer

Tips:

1. Sweet pointed peppers are more expensive than bell peppers but are sweeter and more tender.  Plain bell peppers work just as well.
2. Leftover Roasted Summer Veg can be added to other salads, rice or pasta OR cooked in a frittata

More vegetarian/vegan on Nav Bar/Recipes II

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

SLOW COOKERS FOR BEGINNERS

Perfect vehicle for frugal, tasty, healthy meals in busy households...

Basic Slow Cooker with 24-hour Mechanical Timer and Cooker Pot Liners

updated Sept 2019
When 67goingon50 had to choose - for financial reasons - between an Instant Pot and an Air Fryer, the Air Fryer won easily.

That's because Instant Pots are pressure cookers in disguise and 67 has a long-standing anxiety about pressure cookers.  And though Instant Pots have come down in price, Slow Cookers are still better value, though planning is essential. 

Your intrepid blogger bought a Morrisons own-brand slow cooker in 2014. It was 5.5 litres, big enough for family meals plus plenty leftover to freeze.  It has a removable ceramic serving dish and cost all of £15 though prices have risen since then.   ( 2019: you should be able to find a decent family-sized slow cooker for £20-25.  For 1-3 people, smaller ones cost about £15.)

The slow cooker is still going strong and in regular use, despite the lid handle melting into a puddle during an experiment with artisan bread.

Of course, there are plenty of snazzy versions of slow cookers available in which you can brown food and which have super efficient digital timers/warming buttons.  But whatever your choice, it will be worth it.

Slow cookers:

• use roughly the same amount of energy as a light bulb
• transform cheaper, tougher cuts of meat and root veg into juicy, tender morsels
• can reduce the amount of meat used; the flavours permeate the whole dish
• encourages use of lentils & pulses to bulk out meals, cutting saturated-fat  
• help cut the grocery budget
• provide a home-cooked main course at the end of long days 
• produces soups overnight, terrific stock from meat carcass and a few veg,  and light and lovely steamed sponges 

BUT:

• if you're not careful, slow-cooked dishes can become like baby food.  67 checks the meat an hour before the end of cooking to make sure the meat still has 'give' but is tender and easy to digest.  After a few tries, you'll recognise where the line is
• the ingredients still have to be prepped 
• you're out all day but you may only need 4-6 hours of cooking 
• the slow cooker can be hell to clean

GUIDELINES FOR MAKING THE MOST OF SLOW-COOKERS

Use a Mechanical Timer

They're vital to prevent slow-cooked meat from falling apart and veg from disintegrating.  The timers can be found for as low as £4 at supermarkets*, electrical shops and hardware stores.  The timer plugs into the wall socket and your slow cooker (or other device) plugs into the timer.  They turn the electricity for your cooker on and off at the times specified. 

Overnight cooking Saves More Money

Electricity is cheapest from midnight to 7 am so it's worth using your slow cooker overnight.  Health-giving soup stocks/broth - which take a good 12-14 hours in a slow cooker - are ideal for overnight cooking. 

Also, casseroles and stews can cook overnight with your handy timer.  Reduce cooking time by an hour; the food continues to cook as it cools. Refrigerate before you head out the door and reheat when you get in. 

Saving time on prep

• do it the night before, not in the morning
• if browning isn't your thing, chucking everything in the cooker will work but the flavour may not be as subtly layered  
• double the recipe or increase it by half so leftovers can be frozen and provide another meal

Avoiding dishes that all taste the same 

• choose dishes that have strong, defining flavours
• use different cuts of meat: chunks make great stews and casseroles; large cuts braise well and can be served sliced; poultry joints and ribs of beef/pork/lamb make portioning easy; whole chickens can be poached until butter-tender without falling apart and you end up with gorgeous stock, too! 
• start with plenty of onion and garlic
• use fresh herbs where possible and throw in the stems, tied with string (remove before serving)
• check seasoning at end of cooking; more herbs and spices may be needed  
• root veg cooks well in a slow cooker but other carbs (eg pasta) & veg are best cooked separately 
• half an hour before the end of cooking time, frozen seafood, quick cooking veg like broccoli or green beans can be placed on top of the other ingredients where they will steam gently without turning into mush 

Cooking Temperatures

• slow is best; flavours are much deeper
• if your dish requires only 4-6 hours cooking and you're going to be out for longer than that, use a plug-in 24-hour mechanical timer (£4'ish, from Morrisons) 

Cooking Techniques

• trim the fat off meat 
• root veg goes on the bottom 
• cayenne & tabasco become bitter if cooked too long; only use towards the end of cooking time
• fill the cooking dish only 1/2 to 2/3 full and never more than 3/4 full
• the liquid should barely cover the contents 
• a thicker sauce can be achieved by rolling the meat in seasoned flour before cooking, OR at the end of cooking by adding a cornflour slurry of 1-2 tsp cornflour mixed with a similar amount of cold water 

Cooking Times (67 recommends the lower number to prevent overcooking)

Normal                   SC High                   SC Low

15-30 mins             1-2 hours                 4-6 hours

30 min-1 hr             2-3                          5-7

1-2 hrs                    3-4                          6-8

2-4                          4-6                          8-12

Recommended Meats for Slow-Cooking

• beef brisket 
• shin of beef   
• pork shoulder  
• pork ribs
• lamb shoulder 
• ham hock
• chicken thighs 
• whole chicken
• boiling fowl

Slow cookers also good for:

   pulses

   steamed puddings

*Morrisons

Note: 

• 67goingon50 has plenty of fabulous slow cooker recipes, including brisket, pheasant and chicken wings. See NavBar:RecipesII/Slow Cooker
• BBC Good Food also has plenty of recipes for slow cooking. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/slow_cooker_recipes
• See also Vegan Slow Cooker Meals  and Vegetarian Slow Cooker Meals (neither tested by 67goingon50)

FOR THOSE COMPLETELY NEW TO SLOW COOKERS

• lifting the lid: wear oven gloves; hold the handle facing you, directing the hot steam away from face and hands
• turn cooker off at the mains before removing cooking dish
• wait till cooker cools before washing it; soaking it overnight will soften and remove cooked-on food
• slow cooker liners at not unreasonable prices save on scrubbing 

Please leave a comment in the box below

B Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises accept no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  The material was assembled by BM Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced without the author's permission. 

CARNIVORE'S DELIGHT VEGETARIAN/VEGAN LASAGNA

Few will twig that this marvellous lasagna is totally meat free...nor will they care...

originally posted 2018 as 'I can't believe it's not beef' Lasagne; updated 12/24

Vegetarian Lasagne (half recipe) 
'Restaurant quality; as good as any I have tasted!' 'Yum!''Tastes like meat.' 

Who doesn't love the oo-ey goo-iness of a meaty lasagna: the layers of pasta,  mince in thick tomato sauce, plus lashings of cheese?  It's perfect indulgent food   as the weather cools, whether for a family meal with freezable leftovers, or for a crowd. 

If you've cholesterol-phobes and vegans/vegetarians to cater for, life can get a bit complicated.  

Here's a beautiful solution. A rich meat-free lasagna with the textures and flavours of beef.  The cheeses: lower-fat but still creamy OR one of the many tasty plant cheeses now available replacing the usual artery clogging choices.  

Reader, it is sensational!  67 expected the lasagne* to be pretty decent but it was so much more than that.  Beautifully textured, gorgeous flavour, melting layers --and so difficult to tell it wasn't meat.  

Cholesterol and calorie counts go way down with easy make-it-yourself tofu mince  your favourite meatless mince OR make-it-yourself tofu mince, cottage cheese or vegan cream cheese plus reduced fat or vegan cheddar.  Even so, this is not one of 67's 'skinny' dishes.  It does, however, mitigate the worst of the usual damage.

The initial outlay for the lasagna seems high but, per serving, works out at less than a pound.  Replacing the cheeses with a med-thick béchamel sauce - made from dairy or plant milk - cuts costs sharply.  

There are a few steps but they've been simplified and spread  over 2 days.  The results are more than worth it.

Note: unless you have extra-firm tofu, firm tofu must be frozen and defrosted before you start  

Cost: £7'ish (2019)
Feeds: 10-16, but recipe halves nicely

Ingredients:

    12-15 lasagna leaves, depending on your baking dish 

 'Meat' Sauce
        450gm/15.8oz your favourite vegan mince OR firm tofu that has been frozen & defrosted 
        
        3 tbsp olive oil 

       
        1 good-sized onion (OR fodmap friendly fennel) + 

        1 med carrot + 

        1 large celery stick , all coarsely processed

        1 large clove garlic, grated (opt)

        1-2 glasses red wine/grape juice   

        400 gm tin good Italian chopped tomatoes incl juice PLUS
        400gm fresh tomatoes, cored and coarsely processed (pref)
                 OR 2x400gm tins tomatoes 

        6-10 (yes, 6-10) tbsp tomato puree, low salt if poss 

        

       10-20 basil leaves, coarsely chopped

        1 bay leaf

        pinch salt & pepper
        generous pinch thyme
        generous pinch oregano
        2/3 tsp smoked paprika
        1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (opt but adds a bit of zip)

        50gm mushrooms in large dice (opt)
        75gm courgettes, quartered vertically and in 1/8in/1/4cm slices (opt)

        4 tbsp chopped parsley
        8-12 dashes Worcestershire sauce (opt)

      450gm/16oz onion & chive (or plain) cottage cheese, drained (or vegan opt: 67 uses vegan cream cheese)
      100-150gm/3.5-5.2oz goat's cheese (or vegan equivalent)
      zest of lemon (opt if using dairy cheese)

      80gm/2.8oz reduced-fat dairy OR vegan cheddar, grated (or if pockets are deep, dairy or plant parmesan) 

The following steps can be completed the night before