Virtuously Vegan
Enjoyed a meat and dairy-free Veganuary? To add to your culinary repertoire, here are two deliciously light and simple vegan recipes from Wallflower Kitchen’s Aimee Ryan and the Vegan Society
CREAMY PEA SOUP
A simple but flavourful soup that can be ready in minutes! Perfect for a warming winter lunch.
Ingredients – Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 medium white onion, diced
1 stick of celery, roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped
450g frozen peas
700ml vegetable stock
50g raw cashews
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Dairy-free cream or soy yoghurt, to serve
Method
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and saute the onions and garlic, until softened. Add the chopped leek and celery and cook for a further couple of minutes.
Stir in the peas and cashews, then add the stock and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for five minutes.
Transfer to a blender and mix until smooth.
Ladle the soup into four serving bowls and top with a swirl of dairy-free cream or soy yoghurt.
LEMON POSSETS WITH SHORTBREAD
Ultra creamy lemon puddings with sweet, crumbly shortbread cookies – perfect for dipping!
Ingredients – Serves 4
For the lemon possets:
600g silken tofu
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
120ml agave nectar
4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
A few fresh raspberries, to serve
1 tbsp icing sugar, to serve
For the shortbread biscuits:
200g vegan margarine
125g icing sugar
310g plain flour
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
2 tsp extract
1 tbsp dairy-free milk, if needed
Method
For the lemon possets:
Blend all the ingredients, except the raspberries and icing sugar, together in a food processor until smooth.
Divide the mixture equally between four glasses and chill for at least an hour or overnight. To serve, top with fresh raspberries, a sprinkling of icing sugar and two shortbread biscuits.
For the shortbread biscuits:
Preheat the oven to 180˚C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Mix the vegan margarine and icing sugar together in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the dairy-free milk.
If the mixture is too stiff, add the dairy-free milk to help thin it out until you have a soft but firm mixture.
Transfer to a piping bag with a large star nozzle. Pipe the mixture into small circular spirals. Starting from the outside, working your way in. Try and keep them all the same size.
Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Leave to cool completely.
