Whether you are taking part in Veganuary or are part of the one in six Brits who made a new year’s resolution to reduce their environmental impact, these waste-free, these vegan recipes from Oddbox are for you.
Fighting food waste has been identified as the number one solution to curbing global warming, so why not take your plant-based pledge that bit further by making sure you’re not only maximising your veg, but also minimsing your waste?
From quick and easy breakfasts to time-intensive, whole veg roasts, take the first step to reducing your carbon footprint with one of these fives recipes.
Croissants filled with blueberry compote
Buttery golden croissants split in half and filled with a warm and saucy blueberry compote. The leftover compote can be used on porridge, pancakes or vegan yoghurt.
Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
150g blueberries
4 vegan croissants
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g vegan cream cheese
Maple syrup
Substitutes:
No blueberries? Use strawberries, raspberries, peaches, plums or nectarines.
No icing sugar? Use any sweetener of your choice.
No cream cheese? Try with whipped ricotta instead.
No maple syrup? Use honey or golden syrup instead.
Method:
Put blueberries in a pan with the icing sugar, corn flour, vanilla and 2 tbsp of water.
Heat gently over low to medium heat until saucy, about 6-8 minutes.
Turn off the heat and set aside. The compote will slightly thicken as it cools down.
Split your croissants and lightly toast the halves.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese/vegan cream cheese and 1 tbsp maple syrup.
Spread the cream cheese on the croissant bases, drizzle over the blueberry compote and put on the croissant tops.
Serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup on top.
How to store:Store the blueberry compote in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Leftovers:The blueberry compote is delicious served on buttered toast, on pancakes, or in porridge and yoghurt/vegan yoghurt. It would also make a great addition to vanilla or citrus cake recipes – swirl some of the compote in the cake batter or top on the already cooked cake.
Whole roasted harissa cauliflower
Whole cauliflower smothered in a spicy oil and baked until tender. A simple vegetarian main and an impressive alternative to traditional Sunday roast.
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 cauliflower
3 tbsp rose harissa pesto
40ml olive oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground turmeric
Salt and pepper
Substitutes:
No cauliflower? Try with cabbage or broccoli instead.
No harissa pesto? Use any hot sauce instead.
No maple syrup? Try with honey or golden syrup instead.
No cumin? Use curry powder or any similar spice blend.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C/160 fan/gas mark 4. Rinse the head of cauliflower and peel away any green leaves. Do not discard the leaves, set aside for later.
In a bowl, mix together the harissa pesto, olive oil, maple syrup, ground cumin and turmeric. Season with a generous pinch of both salt and pepper.
Place the cauliflower head in a baking dish and pour over the harissa mixture. Pour 50ml of water at the bottom of the dish – this will help cook the cauliflower by creating a steam, as well as preventing the harissa mixture from burning.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden and tender. Try with a knife; it should easily pierces the core. If you prefer a softer cauliflower, then roast for longer. If you like a crunchier cauliflower roast for less time.
Remove from the oven, and place the cauliflower on a chopping board to rest. Place the cauliflower leaves in the baking dish, toss to coat with the harissa sauce and bake for 10 minutes, until wilted and tender.
Serve the cauliflower head alongside the cauliflower leaves.
How to store:Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a preheated oven at 180C/160 fan/gas mark 4.
Leftovers:Serve the leftovers with cooked quinoa, chopped lettuce and top with flaked almonds. You can also blend the cauliflower into a spicy puree.
Kale shakshuka
A great comforting winter dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The kale is cooked in chopped tomatoes and served with poached eggs, feta cheese/vegan feta and served alongside crusty bread.
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
100g kale
1 red pepper (sliced)
1 onion (sliced)
2 garlic cloves (chopped )
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 eggs
50g feta (crumbled)/vegan feta
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small baguette
40g parsley
Salt and pepper
Substitute:
No kale? Use cavolo nero or spinach instead.
No vegan feta? Try with any plant based alternative.
No baguette? Use naan bread or pita bread instead.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C/160 fan/4 gas mark and roughly chop the kale.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, garlic and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped kale, and crack the eggs into the sauce and sprinkle with crumbled feta.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until egg whites are set but yolks are still slightly runny, 8-10 minutes.
Scatter parsley over top and serve warm from the pan along with bread.
Enjoy!
How to store:Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Leftovers: Serve the leftovers with a side of green salad seasoned with a light vinaigrette.
Crispy dredged Jerusalem artichokes
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
350g Jerusalem artichokes
60g plain flour
60g milk of choice
60g panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp rosemary (chopped )
1 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Spicy onion relish
Substitute:
No Jerusalem artichokes? Try with carrots, parsnips, celeriac, butternut squash or beetroots.
No plain flour? Use any flour you have on hand. Gluten free included.
No rosemary? Try with thyme or oregano instead.
No smoked paprika? Use turmeric, chilli powder or garlic powder instead.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C/160 fan/gas mark 4. Cut the Jerusalem artichokes into 1cm thick slices.
Prepare three containers: one with flour, one with the milk and one with the breadcrumbs, rosemary, paprika, salt and pepper.
Dip the Jerusalem artichokes in flour, milk, breadcrumbs, and then place in a large baking tray.
Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden and crisp on the outside and tender inside. Serve with your favourite relish or dipping sauce.
Stuffed cabbage parcels
Cabbage leaves stuffed with chopped cabbage, lentils, fresh herbs and spices then baked in a passata style tomato sauce.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
1 cabbage (any)
1 onion (chopped )
1 carrot (cubed)
1 tin lentils (drained and rinsed )
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
For the tomato sauce:
500g tomato passata
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 tbsp dried thyme
30g parsley
Salt and pepper
Substitute:
No white cabbage? Use any cabbage you have: red cabbage, savoy cabbage.
No carrots? Use parsnips or Jerusalem artichokes instead.
No lentils? Try with rice or beans instead.
No cumin seeds? Use fennel seeds instead.
No turmeric? Add ground coriander or ground cumin instead.
No passata? Pour a can of chopped tomatoes into a food processor and blend until smooth.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C/160 fan/gas mark 4. Gently remove the outer cabbage leaves trying to keep them whole, and roughly chop half of the cabbage centre – reserve the other half for another recipe.
Blanch the outer cabbage leaves in boiling salted water until tender, for 4-5 minutes, then drain and lay out on a chopping board.
In a large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the chopped onion, cumin seeds, turmeric and a pinch of both salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the chopped cabbage, cubed carrot and lentils. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender. If the mixture is too dry add a splash of water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In the meantime, pour the passata in a baking dish and season with dried thyme, salt and pepper.
Spoon 3 tablespoons of the lentil mixture into the centre of each cabbage leaf.
Roll up and place, seam-side down, in the baking dish.
Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with fresh parsley on top.
How to store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the preheated oven at 180C/160 fan/gas mark 4 for 10 minutes.
Leftovers: Serve the leftovers with a side of potato salad or warm crusty bread.
For more recipe inspiration, visit the Oddbox website, here.
