Author: Lauren Carter

Retro Aprons & Modern Recipes
Recipes

Vegan Minestrone Primavera Soup

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 800ml vegetable stock
  • 400g butter beans
  • 200g soup pasta
  • 200g broccoli
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 1 leek
  • A handful of cavelo nero
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp green pesto
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • A drizzle of olive oil
  • A pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Method:

  • Begin by preparing the carrots. Peel and chop the carrots in to bite size pieces
  • Finely chop the celery and leek
  • Add the carrots, celery and leek to a large pan along with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Saute on a low heat for around 5 minutes
  • Finely grate or chop the garlic. Add the garlic to the pan along with the Italian seasoning
  • Stir to combine then saute for 5 minutes
  • Chop the broccoli in to bite size pieces. Add the broccoli to the pan along with the butter beans
  • Stir to combine then saute for a further 5 minutes
  • Add the vegetable stock and the pasta. Stir to combine then simmer on a medium heat until the pasta is soft
  • Finely chop the cavelo nero. Add the cavelo nero to the soup then stir to combine
  • Once the cavelo nero has wilted, season to taste then serve
  • Top with green pesto for a final flourish

This recipe serves 4.

Recipes

Vegan Thai Butternut Squash Curry Soup

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 400g coconut milk
  • 400ml vegetable stock
  • 1 medium butternut squash
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 1 brown onion
  • A thumb of ginger
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 red chillis
  • 1 stick of lemongrass
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp lime zest
  • A squeeze of lime juice
  • A drizzle of sesame oil
  • A pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Method:

  • Begin by preparing the butternut squash. Peel and chop the butternut squash in to bite size pieces
  • Finely chop the celery and onion
  • Add the butternut squash, celery and onion to a large pan along with a generous drizzle of sesame oil. Saute on a low heat for around 5 minutes
  • Finely grate or chop the ginger, garlic, chilli and lemongrass. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli and lemongrass to the pan along with the spices
  • Stir to combine then saute for a further 5 minutes
  • Add the coconut milk, vegetable stock, lime juice, lime zest and sugar. Stir to combine then simmer on a medium heat until the butternut squash is soft
  • Using a ladle, transfer the soup to a food processor. Process until a smooth mixture is formed
  • Season to taste then serve

This recipe serves 4.

Recipes

Vegan Seeded Tin Loaf

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 500g seeded bread flour
  • 7g fast action yeast
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 400ml warm water
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil

Method:

  • Begin by preparing the dough. Add the dry ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine
  • Add the wet ingredients. Using clean hands, bring everything together to create a dough
  • On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl once complete
  • Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and set to one side
  • Allow the dough to prove. This will take around 1 hour. The dough should double in size
  • Grease a 2lb loaf tin with a little sunflower oil and set to one side
  • Once the dough has proved, remove it from the bowl. Knead the dough for a further 5 minutes
  • Shape the dough into an oblong and transfer it to the loaf tin. Cover with a clean tea towel and set to one side
  • Allow the dough to prove again. This will take around 30 minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
  • Once the dough has proved for the final time, dust the top with a little flour then score using a sharp knife or a bread razor
  • Put the loaf tin in the pre-heated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until there is a hollow sound when tapping the surface
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and set to one side. Allow to cool before removing from the tin and transferring to an airtight container

This recipe serves 4.

Recipes

Vegan Vanilla Chia & Oat Pudding

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 250g oats
  • 250g fresh or frozen berries
  • 100g coconut yoghurt
  • 600ml coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract

Method:

  • Begin by preparing pudding. Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine
  • Add the wet ingredients, apart from the fresh or frozen berries, and stir to combine combine
  • Evenly divide the pudding between 2 small containers
  • Put the containers in the fridge and allow to set. This will take around 1 hour
  • Decorate with the fresh or frozen berries for a final flourish

This recipe serves 2.

Recipes

Vegan Balsamic Bean Salad

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 400g black beans
  • 400g black eyed beans
  • 400g chickpeas
  • 400g haricot beans
  • 2 bell peppers
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 2 spring onions
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • A drizzle of olive oil
  • A pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Method:

  • Begin by preparing the bell peppers, celery and spring onions. Chop the bell peppers, celery and spring onions in to bite size pieces
  • Add the bell peppers, celery and spring onions to a large bowl along with the black beans, black eyed beans, chickpeas and haricot beans
  • Stir to combine then add the wholegrain mustard, Italian seasoning and balsamic vinegar along with a generous drizzle of olive oil
  • Stir to combine, season to taste then serve

This recipe serves 4.

Recipes

Vegan Moroccan Chickpea Stew

Lauren Carter2 Comments

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 500g passata
  • 400g chickpeas
  • 100g green olives
  • 2 bell peppers
  • 2 courgettes
  • 1 red onion
  • A handful of coriander
  • 1 small preserved lemon
  • 2 cloves of smoked garlic
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 tbsp ras el hanout
  • A drizzle of olive oil
  • A pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Method:

  • Begin by preparing the onion. Peel and finely chop the onion
  • Add the onion to a large pan along with a generous drizzle of olive oil
  • Saute on a low heat for around 5 minutes
  • Finely chop or grate the smoked garlic. Add the smoked garlic to the pan along with the tomato puree and ras el hanout
  • Stir to combine then saute for 5 minutes
  • Chop the courgettes and bell peppers in to bite size pieces. Add the courgettes and bell peppers to the pan along with the chickpeas and olives
  • Stir to combine then saute for a further 5 minutes
  • Add the passata. Stir to combine then simmer on a medium heat until the courgette is soft
  • Finely chop the coriander and preserved lemon. Add the coriander and preserved lemon to the stew
  • Stir to combine, season to taste then serve

This recipe serves 4.

Recipes

Vegan Christmas Cake

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 500g dried mixed fruit
  • 400g plain flour
  • 300g marzipan
  • 300g white fondant icing
  • 200g light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 200ml sunflower oil
  • 200ml spiced rum
  • 100ml unsweetened soya milk
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • A squeeze of orange juice

Method:

  • Begin by soaking the dried fruit. Add the dried fruit to a large bowl. Pour 150ml of the spiced rum on top. Stir to combine then cover the bowl with cling film or a clean tea towel
  • Store in a cupboard to allow the flavour to develop. For an intense taste, leave up to 1 week
  • Once the dried fruit has been soaked, preheat the oven to 140 degrees (gas mark 2)
  • Grease a 20 x 20cm cake tin with a little sunflower oil and set to one side
  • Add all of the dry cake mixture ingredients to a bowl
  • Add all of the wet cake mixture ingredients, apart from the soaked dried fruit, to a measuring jug
  • Pour the wet cake mixture ingredients in to the dry cake mixture ingredients and stir to combine
  • Add the soaked dried fruit, including any liquid which may not have been absorbed, to the batter and stir to combine
  • Gently pour the batter in to the cake tin
  • Put the cake tin in the pre-heated oven and bake for 2 hours, or until a skewer can be inserted in the centre and removed cleanly
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and set to one side. Allow to cool before removing from the tin and transferring to an airtight container
  • Brush the top and sides of the cake with a little of the remaining spiced rum. Repeat the process once a week for 2-3 weeks
  • Line a work surface with a sheet of baking paper. Place the marzipan on top of the baking paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the marizpan to create a square slightly larger than the Christmas cake
  • Lay the marzipan on top of the Christmas cake. Gently smooth down the sides then remove any excess marzipan
  • Turn over the sheet of baking paper. Place the fondant icing on top of the baking paper. Roll out the fondant icing to create a square slightly larger than the Christmas cake
  • Lay the fondant icing on top of the marzipan. Gently smooth down the sides then remove any excess fondant icing
  • Decorate with festive trimmings for a final flourish

This recipe serves 16.

Recipes

Vegan West African Peanut Stew

Lauren Carter1 Comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 400ml coconut milk
  • 200g passata
  • 100g peanut butter
  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 2 bell peppers
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 1 red onion
  • A handful of spring greens
  • A thumb of ginger
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • A pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Method:

  • Begin by preparing the onion. Peel and finely chop the onion
  • Add the onion to a large pan along with the coconut oil
  • Saute on a low heat for around 5 minutes
  • Finely chop or grate the ginger and garlic. Add the ginger and garlic to the pan along with the tomato puree and spices
  • Stir to combine then saute for 5 minutes
  • Chop the sweet potatoes, bell peppers and celery in to bite size pieces. Add the sweet potatoes, bell peppers and celery to the pan
  • Stir to combine then saute for a further 5 minutes
  • Add the coconut milk, passata and peanut butter. Stir to combine then simmer on a medium heat until the sweet potato is soft
  • Finely chop the spring greens. Add the spring greens to the stew then stir to combine
  • Once the spring greens have wilted, season to taste then serve

This recipe serves 4.

Recipes

Vegan Flapjack

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 450g oats
  • 200g golden caster sugar
  • 200g golden syrup
  • 200g dairy free butter
  • 50g plain flour

Method:

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
  • Line a 30 x 20cm tin with baking paper and set to one side
  • Add the oats and plain flour to a bowl. Stir to combine then set to one side
  • Add the golden caster sugar, golden syrup and dairy free butter to a pan. Simmer on a medium heat until the golden caster sugar has dissolved and the dairy free butter has melted
  • Pour the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients and stir to combine
  • Spread the mixture evenly across the base of the tin
  • Put the tin in the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and set to one side. Allow to cool before slicing

This recipe serves 12.

Recipes

Vegan Blueberry & Almond Banana Bread

Lauren Carter2 Comments

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 250g plain flour
  • 150g light brown sugar
  • 150g blueberries
  • 100ml sunflower oil
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • A handful of flaked almonds

Method:

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
  • Grease a 2lb loaf tin with a little sunflower oil and set to one side
  • Add all of the dry cake mixture ingredients, apart from the blueberries and flaked almonds, to a bowl
  • Peel the bananas and add to a food processor. Process until a smooth mixture is formed
  • Add all of the wet cake mixture ingredients to a measuring jug
  • Pour the wet cake mixture ingredients in to the dry cake mixture ingredients and stir to combine
  • Add the blueberries to the batter and stir to combine
  • Gently pour the batter in to the loaf tin
  • Decoratively arrange the flaked almonds on top of the batter
  • Put the loaf tin in the pre-heated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown

This recipe serves 8.