Mama's Choices

We all love a hearty omelette! Perfect for a weekend breakfast, with all the trimmings (like mushrooms, hash browns, grilled tomatoes, a little bit of sauted spinach with garlic, baked beans, yum yum yum!) or for lunch, with a lovely green side salad, or for an evening meal, with potato wedges and a bit of mayo (recipe here) and basil pesto (recipe here). Made with nutrient-dense chickpea flour, it's also reassuringly healthy! The one in the photo above is filled with pico d

I adore loaded nachos, but it used to be hard to find a plant-based cheese to go on top that that was smooth and stretchy. So I set about creating one, and I've used it endlessly ever since! It has the perfect taste and texture: rich, creamy and perfectly melty, so it also works really well on pizzas, in plant-based omelettes (recipe here), on loaded fried and potato-topped pies etc. Simply put the following ingredients in a pan, over a low heat, and whisk continuously: 1 c

These little bites have become a real family favourite in our house. They’re naturally sweet, really easy to make, and perfect for those evenings when you’re craving something sugary but still want something made from simple, wholesome ingredients. The dates give them a lovely caramel-like sweetness, while the orange zest keeps them fresh and light. I also love that they take just a few minutes to throw together and that they're gluten free! Simply put the following ingredien

Our family loves curry! We can never go too long without eating one and this creamy korma is an absolute hit every time! I don't love the addition of sugar, as I like to use a minimum amount of oil and sugar in my recipes, but this is one occasion when I let it go. First, soak 3/4 cup of cashew nuts in hot water. Then, put the following ingredients in a pan and boil until the potatoes are tender: The florets cut from one cauliflower. 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chu

Being from the UK, I grew up with Yorkshire puddings being an integral part of every Sunday roast. It's taken me a long time to create a perfect plant-based version, but I finally feel that I've nailed it! Crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle, these Yorkshires are a delight to the taste buds and my kids can't get enough of them! To start, make the batter. Put the following ingredients in your vitamix or food processor and blend until smooth: 1¼ cups self-raising flo

I don't know why it's taken me so long to write the recipe for these tofu nuggets because they're a firm family favourite and get...

I'm not sure there are enough words in the English language to describe how mouth-wateringly good this vegan tikka masala is! It's become my husband's signature dish and an absolute family favourite; we just can't get enough of it! It's rich and spicy with an exquisite combination of flavours! Ordinarily, we try to limit the amount of mock meat products we consume as a family and we generally only eat them at weekends. In this recipe, George uses No Chick Strips from Spar sup

This frittata is a simple, tasty dish that's loaded with protein! It uses cheap, easy to find ingredients and is quick to make, so it's a winner in our house! I often serve slices of it at breakfast time, along with hash browns, garlic mushrooms, baked beans flavoured with Mexican spices and, sometimes, homemade bacon or a sausage. It makes for a delicious, filling start to the day! Other times, I'll serve it for lunch with a delicious salad, or I'll serve it for dinner with

It's a tradition in our family to make gingerbread houses in the run up to Christmas. The kids absolutely love doing it; they lose...

There's just something about the taste of bacon that's so satisfying and addictive! It's delicious, smokey, crunchy, comforting and...

I really enjoyed studying this course in Plant-Based Nutrition. It's offered by Cornell University, in conjunction with the T. Colin...

As a big family, we go through a lot of milk. We use it every morning for porridge and then throughout the day in milky drinks, baking and cooking. We used to buy almond milk, but then it dawned on me that it only contained about 2% almonds, so it suddenly seemed like a waste of money. From that point on, we started to make our own, and we've never looked back. Every morning, either my husband or I will create a fresh batch and keep it in a jug in the fridge. It's actually s

I just love how Italian food offers the perfect combination of white, creamy smoothness with red, tomatoey richness. You needn't lose any of the flavour when you make vegan versions of these traditional meals. This parmigiana dish in particular offers a taste explosion with every fork full. The eggplant is cooked so that it melts in your mouth and the vegan parmesan gives the same distinct flavour as the real thing. This dish is also bursting with the goodness of nuts, but yo

I wanted to create the perfect tofu and nut loaf for our Christmas Day feast, and, after a few trials in December, I finally came up with...

We all love Minestrone soup, so when I cook it I make enough for seconds and leftovers! It's perfect topped with vegan parmesan (you can...

No more spending money on expensive vegan parmesan, with dubious ingredients! This version is so quick and easy to make and is bursting with the goodness of cashew nuts and nutritional yeast. I use it on pasta, minestrone, pizza, vegan parmigiana and other Italian inspired dishes. It's delicious and tastes really similar to the real thing! It doesn't melt, but it does toast nicely. Simply put the following ingredients in a vitamix or food processor and blend until it reaches

I find myself making this simple filler a lot, because it's tasty and everyone in the family loves it. It's our version of tuna...

When I reminisce about our summer in London, it’s not the vibrancy, the architecture, the events, the museums, the art galleries, the...

Shakshuka is a popular, one-skillet Middle Eastern dish featuring eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce. Unfortunately, being vegan, I've never been able to sample it for myself. However, my new found addiction to vegan poached eggs has led me to incorporating them into many, varied meals, and this shakshuka was a hit with the whole family! (I know I sound a bit egg obsessed lately, I'll make sure my next post is egg-free, promise!) First of all, make 8 vegan poached eggs. Y

This vegan version of a universally loved dish looks and tastes just like the real thing...in fact I had a hard time convincing my daughter that it wasn't made from real eggs! I've previously posted a recipe for scrambled tofu (here) which tastes absolutely delicious in its own right, but couldn't really be mistaken for real eggs. This scrambled 'egg' dish, however, offers an almost exact imitation. The ingredients are nearly identical to a recipe I recently shared for vega

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that these eggs are life-changing! Pre-vegan days, I used to love poached egg on toast. It's been a long time since I've eaten one, however, and recently I found myself craving a vegan version. After a lot of researching and experimenting, I finally came up with a recipe that really hit the mark and I've been a bit obsessed with eating them ever since! They really do taste like the real deal; the kala namak makes for a convincingly e

I absolutely love butter. I especially love it slathered on toast with marmalade or generously spread onto a crusty loaf when I'm enjoying my favourite soup. Unfortunately, however, I haven't yet found a store-bought vegan butter that quite hits the mark, plus I'm always wary of the long lists of questionable ingredients. I'd previously blended desiccated coconut to make butter. It was a simple approach that fell short of the creamy buttery texture that I craved, so I set my

I've just written a blog post about our family Halloween shenanigans, but I thought our Halloween feast deserved a mention in my Vegan...

This chocolate spread is so quick and easy to make, I keep a constant supply of it in the fridge. Although I love my Vegan Nutella...

Before my eldest daughter, Ruby, chose to become vegan, she adored Jaffa Cakes. They're quintessentially British biscuit-sized cakes offering an irresistible pairing of chocolate and orange. Thankfully, making a vegan version is relatively simple and she loves them just as much as the original, as do the rest of the family! Being healthier than the original treats, it also means we can over indulge with less guilt! First, make the jelly: Put the following ingredients in a s

Dahl is a staple dish in our home. Most days, I will have a pot full of it on the stove, available for anyone in the family to have a...

I've always loved quiche; the combination of a fluffy, moist, creamy filling with a delicious, slightly crisp crust makes for an...

Yesterday, we got back from a fabulous six week holiday in Australia, where we were utterly delighted by all the vegan food available. It seemed that we couldn't turn a corner without sighting yet another enticing vegan eatery, and every market we went to was bursting with vegan food stalls. Australia really does seem to be one step ahead of the game in the vegan stakes! Newmarket, in Sydney, and Fitzroy, in Melbourne, are leading the way with a vast array of mouth-wateringly

It’s taken me a long time to get around to sharing my recipe for this curry because on paper it sounds a bit plain. Believe me, though,...

I make various versions of these veggie balls, but this is probably the recipe that my husband and children enjoy the most. Even though...

I’m in love with this bread. It’s really simple to make yet it tastes so wholesome, hearty and nourishing. It perfectly complements a...

I love the bursts of goji berry sweetness in these tasty squares! They’re a perfect accompaniment to an afternoon cup of tea, and they...

I'm a little bit obsessed with Buddha bowls at the moment! We recently returned from Munich, where, fortunately enough, our hotel was a...

This dish is so simple but so tasty, warm and comforting. My whole family loves it. The sauce is, in fact, a version of regular British...

I absolutely love curry, and out of all the curries in the world, Bhindi Masala is one of my absolute favourites. When we were living in...

It’s amazing how the addition of one or two fresh herbs can totally transform a dish. It’s the dill in this pie that really makes it...

Combining all the health benefits of avocado with the deliciousness of chocolate, this dessert has become a firm favourite in our house!...

I first made this as a gluten free alternative for myself when I was cooking lasagna for the rest of the family. However, it was so...

We all get a chocolate craving now and again, and the good news is that you don’t have to give up on your chocolate treats just because you’re vegan! These deliciously decadent chocolate bars are so moreish, they’ll have you sneaking back for just one more over and over again! To make these particular bars, I used store-bought vegan marshmallows as a rare treat. However, you can omit them entirely or replace with your favourite nuts, which give a beautifully crunchy contrast

These roasted butternut squash bowls, filled with Moroccan stew, are so visually appealing, easy to make and delightfully delicious, they...

My sister was staying with us last week and I served up an array of salads, including my Buckwheat, Apple and Walnut Salad (you can find...

A few months ago, my husband went on work trip to Indonesia and discovered an amazing little vegan restaurant called Loving Hut. He made me suitably envious by sending photos of all the cheap, delicious, meat-free feasts he was enjoying on a daily basis, while I could only daydream about being able to enjoy a similar vegan eatery. We’ve just got back from spending the summer in Fiji and Hong Kong, and imagine our joy and surprise when we found that there was a Loving Hut, of

I've always felt there's something really appealing about tucking into oodles of delicious noodles. I suppose my intrigue was ignited by...

If you want a really simple family meal idea, then look no further. I was inspired to make this dish through my love of Fijian food,...

Everyone in our family adores Mexican food. It’s very easy to make it all plant-based and to use a lot of raw ingredients, so it’s a really healthy option too. The children love stuffing their taco shells, or filling their tortillas and rolling them up, and I purposely make too much of everything so we can enjoy lots of leftovers the next day! Our meal today was totally gluten free as we used corn taco shells, with a few corn nachos on the side for dipping. I made the follo

Bringing a delightful creaminess to Mexican meals and perfectly complimenting the crunch of iceberg lettuce and the acidity of tomatoes,...

I’ve loved pico de gallo ever since I first visited Mexico, where they always offered it, along with some corn nachos, as a free snack at...

I simply love avocados. When we lived in Fiji, they grew in our garden so we regularly used them in a wide variety of delicious recipes, or ate them by themselves as a tasty snack. Luckily, they’re also supremely healthy, containing more potassium than bananas and bursting with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids and fibre. Sometimes I simply slice them in half, take out the stone, fill the dip with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a little sea salt, then eat the flesh

There are a few staple ingredients that I always have in my cupboards because I use them in so many recipes; dates, cashew nuts, almonds,...

This is the perfect dessert; light, refreshing and totally delicious! Thankfully, it’s also really simple to make. Chia seeds date back...