Showing posts with label autumn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label autumn. Show all posts

Thursday, 16 April 2015

VEGETABLE LASAGNE


I used to love making vegetable lasagne back when I was a vegetarian and recently remembered how good it was, lasagne is my ultimate comfort food. It was then I decided it immediately needed to be revived as a vegan dish! It's perfect for family occasions, as it's not so complicated that you'll be slaving away all day, but there's also something so warm and homely about tucking into a huge casserole dish with your loved ones.

You could even make it in advance and stick it in your fridge/freezer for when you need it. It's one of those really versatile meals that you can eat all year round; in Spring/Summer with some fresh salad on the side or in the Winter with some hearty veg and potatoes. 


To veganise my lasagne I just changed my usual cheesy béchamel sauce to this amazing recipe. It's just as creamy and you won't even notice the difference. I previously also used to layer slices of cheese on top, which this version doesn't even need, so it just goes to show how flavoursome (and how much healthier) this vegan version really is!

Ingredients (Serves 4-6):

- 6 pasta sheets (I used Biona spelt) 

Filling:

- 5 carrots

- 3 courgettes
- 290g pack of white button mushrooms
- 2 large onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 cans of organic chopped tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Dried oregano
- Pink salt
- Black pepper 

(All veg organic if possible)


Topping:

Béchamel sauce (link above)
- Fresh torn basil leaves


Instructions:

1.) First fry the onion and garlic in a small pan. In a large 
separate pan heat some oil then add the carrots, courgettes and mushrooms. 

2.) Fry the veggies for 5 mins then add the chopped tomatoes, purée and seasonings. Add the onion and garlic into the big pan, stir then set a timer to simmer the whole thing for 10mins. 


3.) While the filling is on simmer you can make the creamy béchamel sauce to pour on top of your lasagne. 


4.) Once the timer is done, start to line a large square casserole dish with your filling first.


5.) Next add a layer of the pasta sheets overlapping each one as you go. Add another layer of filling and one more layer of pasta. 


6.) Top your lasagne off with the béchamel sauce and pop in the oven for 35mins at 180c until the top becomes golden brown. Top with the fresh basil leaves.



Monday, 14 October 2013

FAUX FIX: BIKERS

The weather can't make up it's mind from one day to the next and it's not quite winter coat weather just yet (except when venturing out in the evenings brrr!). So for Autumn I'm craving a vegan friendly, faux leather biker jacket to layer up with cosy jumpers, hats and scarfs. 


Above is my selection of the best bikers around at the moment. I've been wanting the cropped Nasty Gal jacket since well forever so I'm glad they're still stocking it but I haven't plucked up the courage to order it yet since it has to be shipped from the US. I've tried the Topshop biker on and since it's now gone down to £40 I may have to purchase it. I love the quilted sleeves and the lining is really quite warm so you would get some wear out of it in the winter too. 


The White Pepper is a really cool brand to watch at the moment, they're doing exceptionally well, having started out as a marketplace seller on ASOS and now being sold as a concession in Topshop, so I predict great things to come. They also do a killer (with no killing involved) PU skirt available here