Featured Post: Butternut, Asparagus and Red Onion Homity Pie

You may have heard of Cranks. a vegetarian and whole food brand. Since 1961, they have been inspiring vegetarians with their chain of pioneering restaurants and their range of products which include vegetarian cookery books, breads and sandwiches.

I think they are a fab brand and so I was excited when they got in touch to ask me to design my own take on their classic "Homity Pie" recipe.

Cranks are renowned for their Homity Pie, a traditional British open vegetable pie containing potatoes, onions and cheese which dates back to the efforts of the land girls during the second world war. The Homity Pie was a simple dish which could be made using home grown produce during war time rationing.

To make my Homity Pie unique, I decided to add some extra fantastic produce - asparagus, butternut squash and red onions. I also added some vegetarian Italian hard cheese for an extra kick of flavour. I feel that the asparagus and hard cheese worked really well, although I slightly undercooked my butternut squash, so I have upped the cooking time when precooking it before adding to the pie.

I hope you enjoy my twist on the Homity Pie. I would love to hear what you think!

Competition Time!
Cranks are running a competition to celebrate the launch of the new edition of the classic Cranks Bible Recipe Book, due out later this year. Cranks are offering the chance for you to see your own recipe featured alongside Michelin starred chef Richard Corrigan who has also contributed recipes to the book.

To enter, all you need to do is share your recipe title, ingredients, instructions and recipe cooking time (plus a picture if you have one) on Cranks Facebook page and they’ll be choosing their favourite recipe to be included in the new Cranks Bible this October 2015. You can also find more info on their blog.

The competition closes Sunday 05 April, so be sure to get your entry in to be in with a chance of winning!

Homity Pie with Butternut Squash, Asparagus and Spanish Onion 

Ingredients

300g Wholemeal Flour

150g Butter

400g Butternut Squash, cubed

400g Potatoes, roughly chopped

400g Red Onions, sliced

2 Garlic Cloves – crushed

4 tbsp Oil

100g Asparagus, trimmed and halved

25g Butter

1 tbsp Milk

100g Cheddar Cheese, grated

100g Vegetarian Italian Hard Cheese, grated

Salt and Pepper to Season

Method

1. Make the wholemeal pastry using 300g of wholemeal flour and 150g butter. Combine the flour and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, and bind together with water to form a ball of dough. Refrigerate for twenty minutes. 
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Place the butternut squash in a roasting pan with 2 tbsp of oil and roast for around 25-30 minutes or until al dente.
3. Roughly cut the potatoes into fours and boil them in a pan on the hob until they are suitable for mashing, and drain. 
4. Finely chop the red onions and crush the garlic. Saute the onions and garlic in a pan with a little oil for around five minutes. 
5. Add the asparagus tips and continue to cook for a further five minutes. 
6. Roll out the wholemeal pastry and line a pie or flan tin.  
7. Once the butternut squash, onions and asparagus are cooked, drain the oil and allow the vegetables to cool a little.
8. Mash the potatoes, adding the milk, butter and around half of each of the cheeses. Combine the potato mixture with the vegetables to make the pie filling. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Spoon the filling into the pastry case and smooth over. 
10. Top the pie with the remaining cheese. 
11. Bake in the oven at 200°C, gas mark 6 for around thirty minutes until golden brown. 
12. Serve immediately. 

Disclosure: This is a featured post which I have received payment for. All views are my own

Vegetarian and Vegan Menu at Las Iguanas Restaurants

Last weekend we were invited to Las Iguanas South American restaurant which specialises in Brazilian and Mexican cuisine, to sample their Vegetarian menu.

Our nearest restaurant is in Milton Keynes so we took a trip up there to check it out. Now I have to confess, our track record of visiting Mexican restaurants hasn't been too favourable in recent months, as we have visited at least two or three Mexican chains in different places and have had to eventually leave due to problems either with the food or the service. So I was very much hoping that Las Iguanas was going to be a completely different experience!

Upon arriving it was clear to see that Las Iguanas is a really fun place to visit. There was South American music playing in the background and we were quickly greeted by friendly staff. We could also smell the delicious food as soon as we entered!!

We settled down into a corner booth and started to have a look at the menu. The children's menu also doubled as a colouring station and the kids were giving colouring to keep them occupied whilst we had a look at the menu.

I was extremely surprised to find that I had been provided with a completely separate Vegetarian and Vegan menu which also had a gluten menu on the other side. I have never come across a completely separate vegetarian menu for vegetarians before, so I really appreciated the fact that Las Iguanas had spared a thought and really cared about their customers with different dietary requirements. Also, clearly displayed on their menu was a call to action for guests to let their waiter know about their dietary requirement so they could let the chef know - a great plus point.

Typically in a restaurant i'm limited to around three vegetarian choices, which makes it pretty easy choose what to have as the choices are limited. However there were so many vegetarian main courses on the menu at Las Iguanas that I spent quite a while debating what to have. I'm not used to having so much choice, so it made it a little bit tricky to choose especially as South American and especially Mexican in particular is one of my favourite cuisines!!

Las Iguanas offers a full menu and also a special lunch menu where the food is around a third cheaper. You can also add starters for a reduced price, and there are specials on alcohol.

Whilst we chose, we had some nachos to keep us to keep our stomachs from rumbling. As a starter we decided to get some tapas dishes to share. We opted for Brie and Mango Empanadas, Quesadilla with chargrilled garlic mushrooms, baby spinach and rocket, and Roasted Coconut Butternut Squash Tacos. Having spent so much time in the USA and by the Mexican border as I've said before, I don't think I've ever found truly authentic South American food in the UK. Our starters arrived in a very timely fashion and they all looked so appetising and were presented really well. They were all really tasty too. Quesadillas are right up there as one of my absolute favourite food in the world. I really enjoyed the mushroom quesadilla, although it would have been great to have a cheese option as the kids didn't like the mushrooms, but I thought it was lovely. The kids thought that the empanadas were amazing, as did hubby. This was easily the favourite starter. The brie and the sweet mango worked so well together and we couldn't get enough! The coconut butternut taco was also amazing and was probably the "prettiest" starter of the lot.


Starters cleared, and a fresh set of cutlery on the table which I feel always sets the tone of the restaurant if the waitress thinks to replace the cutlery between courses. The staff knew that we were coming to review the restaurant, but I have to say the service was fantastic. I was also keeping my eye on other fee paying tables and I would say that the service was just as good for them too.

For main course I opted for the Vegetarian Fajitas. We often eat fajitas at home so it's always interesting to see how other people serve them. The Fajitas arrived, and a sizzling hot plate of mushrooms, peppers and onions was presented to me, along with my own tub of tortillas and some ramekins filled with sour cream, salsa and guacamole. I also opted for a ramekin of cheese which is available at an extra cost.

It was a great main course and a generous serving of food. The hot filling was hot, the tortillas were very soft and warm, and the dips all complemented the main course really well. I actually couldn't eat all of my main course and hubby ended up having to give me a helping hand as there was so much of it!

Hubby and the kids opted for a meatier option. Eldest chose the Chicken Fajitas, whilst youngest went for the fish sticks. For kids, there were three vegetarian main courses to choose from, including fajitas and quesadillas.

Of course, after such a delicious lunch it would have been rude to decline dessert! The girls chose chocolate brownie and ice cream from the kids menu. Hubby went for the Aztec Chocolate Fudge Cake which uniquely had pieces of shredded orange peel in it. This gave it a really interesting flavour, and we were both surprised that the chocolate cake was so light. I chose the Creamy Caramel Cake drizzled with dulce de leche. My cake was out of this world! I would go back to the restaurant just for a slice of this!!

The kids were treated like royalty at Las Iguanas and so loved their time there. They were given balloons and also a T-shirt which they are now wearing with pride, as were other children visiting.

I would definitely recommend a visit to Las Iguanas for anyone, but especially for vegetarians, vegans, and people following a gluten free diet as they really considered those with different dietary requirements and seemed all too happy to accommodate their requests. The price of the dishes was also extremely reasonable for a family, especially if you go at lunch time when there is a reduced price menu.

I also have to say having sampled lots of Mexican fare in the UK, this is the closest I've found to authentic  South American dishes, and so for that reason alone as well as the amazing outstanding vegetarian menu, we will definitely be back to visit as it's rare to find a place which suits my food preferences, and which looks after the kids. We all had an absolutely fantastic time!!

Disclosure: Complimentary Meal offered in consideration for review.

Healthy Meal Idea: Vegetable Risotto Kievs served with Salad

I am on a bit of a healthy eating kick at the moment and so I have been trying to find meals to eat which are more healthy and lower in calories than the average meal. You would think that eating healthily would be pretty easy for a vegetarian, since we have a range of fruit and vegetables to choose from! However, trying to find good proteins to eat can be tricky - especially if you are eating out as so much contains meat, or fish, and veggie options tend to be very carb heavy.

For Meat Free Monday, this was my meal:

• Mixed Salad of Watercress, Rocket and Spinach
• Chopped Red Pepper
• Chopped Cucumber
• Sainsburys Green Risotto Vegetable Kiev
• Shredded Mozzarella
• Balsamic Glaze to garnish

This meal averages out at about 500 calories. 

What would your healthy vegetarian meal tips be - please do share them with me! 

Cawston Press - New Fruit and Vegetable Juice Blends

I am on a bit of a juice crusade at the moment and aiming to introduce more fruit and vegetables into my diet - which is quite ironic for a vegetarian!!

Happily, this week I was given a bit of a helping hand by Cawston Press, who have recently produced some delicious vegetable and fruit blends which feature only the pressed fruit and vegetables. They are made from all natural ingredients and contain no added sugar, sweeteners, preservatives or colourings.

Cawston Press have produced three new vegetable and fruit blends which I was sent to sample:

"Sweet Greens" featuring apple, lettuce, pear, cucumber lemon, water and garden mint extract.

"Sunshine Blend" featuring apple, carrot, orange, celery root juice, lemon and water.

"Radiant Roots" featuring apple, carrot, beetroot, lemon, water and ginger extract.

Inspired by the juice bar culture and kitchen garden ingredients, each juice has a very distinct flavour and has been expertly blended by Micah Carr - Hill, a food scientist who has worked on Covent Garden Soups and Green and Blacks.

I tried all of three fruit and vegetable juice blends and was really impressed by their flavour and how smoothly and easily they went down. I have to say that the "Sweet Greens" flavour did't resonate with my taste buds and wasn't my cup of tea. However, I really enjoyed the Sunshine Blend which had a very sunny orange and carrot flavour filled taste and the Radiant Roots where the lovely warming flavours of the ginger coupled really well with the beetroot and the carrot.

These juices make a great combination and are fantastic if you are into juicing but don't have the time or the inclination to make your own, or you just fancy picking up a healthy nutritious drink from the supermarket which doesn't compromise on flavour. I would definitely recommend trying them especially going into spring and summer as they would make a great thirst-quenching drink.

Cawstons Juice retails at £2.99 RRP and is available in the chilled drinks cabinets at Tesco and in independent stores.

Featured Post: - Tesco Vegetarian Wines

The age old adage of red wine for meat, white wine for fish often misses vegetarians by a mile, because of course, what wine do you serve if your meal doesn’t actually contain meat or fish? Sometimes as a vegetarian it can be tricky to know what wine to serve with your food!

Even if you have found the perfect wine, how do you know that it is actually a vegetarian wine? “What do you mean? – surely all wine is vegetarian!!” I hear you cry! Well actually, no... it isn’t! Thankfully, Tesco have now made it easy for consumers to find Vegetarian Wine by creating a whole section on their website dedicated to Vegetarian Wines.

We also often assume that all wine must be vegetarian since surely there is no meat or fish in wine? However, sometimes animal-derived ingredients may have been used in the production process of wines in order to improve the finished product, which renders them unsuitable for a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Animal products used in the production of wines may include gelatine, isinglass (made from fish bladders) or even bulls blood in some countries!! Alternatives to animal products include bentonite - a clay mineral which will clarify the wine. With all fining agents, often traces of the material remain in the finished product, although they are often undetectable, so some vegetarians may not feel comfortable knowing that the glass of wine they are drinking contains some kind of animal product.

Some vegetarians may not mind reaching for any bottle of wine, whilst others may want to ensure that their wine is either vegetarian or vegan. With Tesco’s new search function, you can now do just that!

I think all of us vegetarian wine drinkers can now sleep a little easier at night knowing this information!

Disclosure: This is a Post written for Tesco which I received payment for

Q Hotels Vegetarian Menu

This weekend I experienced the Vegetarian menu at Q Hotels when we went to stay at one of their hotels in Chatham, Kent for a family celebration. As we were on a deal which included meals, I knew that we would be eating at the hotel restaurant.

Upon perusing the menu, the starter options looked pretty good - a Vegetarian soup of the day, Goats Cheese, and Mushrooms in a Stilton Sauce - not bad. However, when it came to the main courses, there were only pretty much three to choose from, which wasn't a great choice. The choices were Gnocchi (which I always find to be hit and miss), Moroccan Cous Cous (not my thing at all) or a Salad. It was freezing cold outside so I immediately discarded the salad.

The first evening I opted for Mushrooms in a  Stilton Sauce to start, which tasted quite nice but could have done with being warmer. This was followed by the Gnocchi, which I was right, was very stodgy and quite tasteless. I think I managed half of it and didn't enjoy it.

On the second evening I decided to peruse the bar menu to see if anything else was available. I found that they served freshly made Pizza, and also a Goan Vegetarian Curry. Knowing that as there was nothing else "Indian" on the menu, the Curry would be coming straight from the freezer, I decided to opt for the Pizza. The pizza came out a little well done around the edges, although it was a nice Pizza and freshly cooked. I only managed half of it as I just found the bread so filling. Also before hand I had been served a rather lovely Butternut Squash Soup as a starter, which I really enjoyed.

Although I enjoyed what I ate, apart from the Gnocchi, I don't know what it is about Hotels, but they just don't seem to get the Vegetarian menu quite right. I would love to go somewhere and have similar offerings to everyone else - something served with potatoes and green beans perhaps, or a Vegetarian Sausage and Mash or Similar. It seems that often, Pasta and Rice are the only offerings, along with salad. All of the menus are very similar in the QHotels I have visited. I would say it's ok for one night, but I think Vegetarians struggle if they are eating in the restaurant for more than one evening.

How do you find the Vegetarian meals in Hotels?