Tag: quorn recipe

Recipes

What the cluck Veggie Stir Fry

Dr Nancy P

This is a super easy dinner or lunch option. There are lots of vegetarian chicken alternatives out there but this is one of the best I’ve tried. It’s absolutely delicious, not dry like some can be, with a fab texture. It’s good enough to pass as chicken in this dish (in case you have any fussy eaters you want to get this past!).

This comes in at around 263 cals for a portion. You can obviously add rice or noodles if you wish but it’s a massive portion so you won’t need it! You can use any veg you have, or make life easy and grab a pre made bag of stir fry veg. You can have it plain, with soy sauce or if you like you can add hoisin sauce.

You will need:

1 pack of veggie ‘chicken’ (I used ‘what the cluck’ from the vegetarian butcher’

1 small onion

1/2 red pepper

Handful mushrooms

Assorted greens (or do what I did and use a pre made mix!)

Soy sauce to taste (or hoisin sauce if you prefer)

Chop the veg.

Heat a little oil on a wok or frying pan and sauté the onions.

Meanwhile pop the veggie chicken in a separate pan (you can do it with the veg but I prefer to brown it separately to ensure it’s nice and crispy)

Add the peppers and mushrooms to the onions, cook for a couple of mins.

Add the other veg and stir fry for a few mins and then add the soy sauce to taste (or hoisin sauce) and cook through.

Add the chicken pieces and then serve!

Enjoy 🙂

Xx

Recipes

Veggie Sausage Casserole – perfect mid week warmer

Dr Nancy P

This is an easy meal for a mid week dinner on a great day. I like to cook up a batch of this so it gives a few meals.  You can obviously use any sausages you like, but using veggie sausages really reduces the calories without sacrificing the taste. I usually use quorn sausages but this time I used Cauldron’s lincolnshire sausages and they are delish! If you want to save time use a bag of frozen grilled veg, or use any veg you have in the fridge! Also it’s worth noting that Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies so if you’re vegetarian then double check – Biona and other companies make one without the use of animal products and it’s widely available.

This serves 6 at about 220 cals per portion.

You will need:

6 vegetarian sausages

800 g passata or chopped tomatoes

Approx 500g mixed vegetables (either a pack or 1 onion, 2 sticks celery, 1 pepper, 1 courgette, 1 small aubergine etc – you don’t need to be exact)

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/4 tsp chilli powder (adjust for taste)

1 tsp mixed herbs

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 vegetable stock cube

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1/2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp marmite (optional)

1/2 tsp of sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

If using fresh veg then prepare it and chop it up. Heat a little oil in a pan, add onions first and allow to soften. Chop the sausages in to slices and add to the pan and allow to brown (NB I like my sausages a bit browner so I often brown them in a separate pan and add them later – but either way works fine). Then add the pepper, courgette and aubergine or whatever veg you like  (if using a pack then just throw it all in at once once the sausages have browned).

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Cook for a couple of mins until the veg start to soften and then add the passata. Stir well and bring to a slow simmer. Add the stock cube, all the spices, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Add the sugar (this brings out a richer tomato flavour). (If you browned the sausages separately then add them now).

Bring to a simmer and allow to cook through for about 10-15 mins.

Serve with green veg and grains, with a jacket potato or just on its own!

enjoy 🙂

Xx

Recipes

Veggie Shepherd’s Pie

Dr Nancy P

This is a great option for batch cooking for the week ahead, or a hearty weekend dinner. I’m not really sure whether to call it Shepherd’s or Cottage pie – as it’s neither – it’s meat alternative pie but that definitely doesn’t have the same ring lol!

This is really easy to make and if you’re busy you can speed it up even more by using bags of frozen veg. Waitrose/Ocado do a bag of mixed onion, celery and carrots (‘soffritto mix’) and a great bag of frozen mixed grilled veg (onion, aubergine, courgette and pepper) which work brilliantly. Don’t be afraid of using the frozen veg – often they’re actually higher in nutrients than fresh as they’re frozen immediately rather than sitting in warehouses for months. I’m very much a believer in making eating healthily as easy as possible so this is a really easy option.

Even if you’re not vegetarian I’d definitely suggest you try this – it’s a lot lighter in calories and just as tasty. And if you’re worried the family may not want a meat substitute I’d suggest trying it and not telling them – I bet they don’t notice! Loads of my clients have found that their other halves and children haven’t even realised it’s not meat (though obviously you could use turkey or beef mince if you wanted to).

The base is my veggie chili recipe – so it makes a large batch of the mince (8-10 servings) so you can make some of it into Shepherd’s pie and some of it can be used for bolognese/chili etc. Or just make extra pie!

If you’re making the shepherd’s pie it comes in at around 374 cals per serving!

You will need:

1000g of Quorn mince (or ‘meet the alternative’ or any other meat substitute)

1500g Pasatta or chopped tomatoes

Either – 1 bag of soffritto mix OR 1 large onion, 2 sticks of celery and 1- 2 large carrots all finely chopped

Other mixed veg – pepper, courgette, aubergine, mushroom (your choice, or 1 bag of the frozen veg)

3 vegetable stock cubes

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp Mixed herbs

Dash of Worcestershire sauce (vegetarian brand if necessary)

Spoonful of marmite (optional)

Salt and pepper

For the potato topping – I made small pies so just used 2-3 medium potatoes per pie but you can adjust the quantity as you like.

A little butter/spread, and skimmed milk is also needed.

Heat a little oil in a large pan. Add the onion, celery and carrot and sauté for a few mins. Then add any other veg you’re using.

Add the mincemeat and mix well and let it heat through (if using turkey, beef etc then ensure the meat browns at this point). Add the stock cubes and mix well. Heat for a few mins.

Stir in the passata and then add all the spices, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar and marmite. Mix well and allow to simmer.

Taste it during this phase and adjust seasoning to taste.

Allow it to simmer for at least 20 mins, if you can let it cook a bit longer do as it helps to give a better flavour.

While it’s cooking peel and chop your potatoes and boil them until soft. Add a little spread and skimmed milk and mash to your desired consistency. I also add some salt and pepper.

Add a good quantity of the mince to a bowl/pie dish and then top with potato.

You can freeze it in portions using takeaway containers etc. I like to them pop it in the oven to crisp the top a little before serving.

If you don’t make all the mince into pies then freeze the rest and have with spaghetti, jacket potato or add a little chili and have it with a dollop of Greek yoghurt!

Enjoy 🙂

Xx

Recipes

No-meat meat ball ragout!

Dr Nancy P

This is another quick and easy lunch or dinner recipe – it can be served with pasta, rice, cauliflower rice or just on its own! There are lots of veggie meat balls out there – I’ve used the Birdseye ones for this but I’ve also used the Quorn ones in the past. Even if you’re not vegetarian they’re a great way to cut calories without feeling like you are!

I cook up a batch for the week and then it’s nice and easy to quickly heat it up for dinner (or lunch!).

Use fresh or frozen veg (or any leftover veg you have will work well) – I happened to have peppers and mushrooms so they went in, but courgettes, aubergines etc would also work well.

Also it’s worth noting that Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies so if you’re vegetarian then double check – Biona and other companies make one without the use of animal products and it’s widely available.

This serves at least 6 at about 227 cals per portion.

You will need:

2 packs of no-meat meat balls

2 cans chopped tomatoes (400g each)

2 small onions (or 1 large)

2 peppers

Handful of mushrooms (or any veg you like)

1 tbsp concentrated tomato purée

1/4 tsp smoked Paprika

1 tsp mixed herbs

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 vegetable stock cubes

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 tbsp marmite (optional)

A dash of Balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

Chop the veg. Heat a little oil in a pan, add onions first and allow to soften, then the peppers, mix and allow to soften.

Add the no-meat meat balls to the pan allow to brown. Then add the mushrooms and any other veg you’re using. Be gentle with the mixture as otherwise the meatballs will break up.

Cook for a couple of mins until the veg start to soften and then add the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée . Stir well and bring to a slow simmer. Add the stock cubes, all the spices, balsamic vinegar, marmite and Worcestershire sauce and stir well.

Bring to a simmer and allow to cook through for about 10-15 mins.

Serve on its own, with green veg and grains, pasta etc.

Enjoy 🙂

Xx

Recipes

Veggie ‘steak’ casserole

Dr Nancy P

I spotted these quorn veggie steak strips in the supermarket so thought I’d whip up a quick casserole. This is a another easy weekday dinner option, perfect for the cooler evenings. I cook up a batch for the week and then it’s nice and easy to quickly heat it up for dinner (or lunch!).

I’ve used frozen veg for this one as I was running short on time. Never be afraid to use these sorts of frozen veg – they actually have more vitamins and minerals in than the fresh variety so you’re not doing yourself any harm and they’re brilliant if you’re busy and short of time. Obviously use fresh veg if you prefer. Also it’s worth noting that Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies so if you’re vegetarian then double check – Biona and other companies make one without the use of animal products and it’s widely available.

This serves at least 8 at about 223 cals per portion.

You will need:

2 pack of quorn steak strips (or any alternative vegetarian product you fancy)

1320g passata (2 bottles at 680g each, but just get approx the same amount)

1 kg mixed vegetables (either 2 packs (500g each) or 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 sticks celery, 2 peppers, 2 courgettes, 1 small aubergine)

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/4 tsp chilli powder (optional – adjust for taste)

1 tsp mixed herbs

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 vegetable stock cube

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

A dash of Balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp of sugar

Salt and pepper

If using fresh veg then prepare it and chop it up. Heat a little oil in a pan, add onions first and allow to soften, then the carrot and celery. Otherwise add the frozen soffito (onion, carrot and celery) mix and allow to soften.

Add the steak strips to the pan and allow to brown. Then add the pepper, courgette and aubergine (if using a pack then just throw it all in at once once the steak strips have browned).

Cook for a couple of mins until the veg start to soften and then add the passata. Stir well and bring to a slow simmer. Add the stock cube, all the spices, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Add the sugar (this brings out a richer tomato flavour).

Bring to a simmer and allow to cook through for about 10-15 mins.

Serve on its own, with green veg and grains, or with a jacket potato etc.

enjoy 🙂

Xx