Vegetarian pizza

Makes enough for 2 or 3 people, depending on what else you have with it.


Ingredients

1 packet pizza base mix
l tin tomatoes (the larger sort)
1 large onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
a few mushrooms or half a small pepper(capsicum), or half a small tin of sweetcorn - or a combination of these
a few tablespoons grated hard cheese e.g. mozzarella or cheddar, or more if liked
1 tsp dried mixed herbs, or basil, oregano etc.
salt and pepper to taste

Make the pizza base according to instructions on the packet.

While the dough is rising, switch on the oven to warm up (usually a fairly hot oven but check the packet), grease the baking tray with oil or margarine and make the topping.
Chop the onion fairly finely and fry gently in olive oil, without letting it brown. When soft, add the tin of tomatoes and let it simmer without a lid so that it turns to a mush, stirring occasionally, then add the washed and thinly sliced mushrooms, chopped pepper or sweetcorn. Cook until vegetables are tender.
Add the dry herbs, taste and add salt and pepper according to taste.
When the dough is ready, spread the topping over it, as close to the edges as possible (you may not need all of it) then sprinkle the grated cheese evenly on top.
Cook on a baking tray in oven according to pizza packet instructions. It is ready when the cheese has started to turn golden brown - if you leave it too much longer than this the cheese goes hard, though still edible.

Serve with: new potatoes, chips, a salad etc.

Variation: add other combinations of vegetables to the topping - you may want to boil or steam these lightly first if they take a long time to cook.

vegetarian chilli

 vegetarian chilli

Ingredients

For 3- 4 people:

half a packet of either dried or frozen soya or quorn mince - about 3 - 4 cups
1 pint stock (about 500 ml)
1 tablespoon oil for frying
1 tin chopped tomatoes
half tin kidney beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 large onion
1 large carrot or a small red/green pepper
half teaspoon chilli powder (or more if liked) OR 1 small finely chopped green chilli OR 1 finely chopped dried chilli
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
half teaspoon Marmite
1 large clove garlic
few sprigs fresh parsley
salt

Possible accompaniments: rice, jacket potato, dollop sour cream, handful of rocket on top, separate side-salad

Chop and fry the onion in the oil until soft, adding the crushed garlic and chilli. Keep on a low heat to make sure it doesn't burn. If using frozen mince, add this now with the stock and cook for 15 minutes, adding the dried herbs, tinned tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato puree and Marmite towards the end of this time.
If using dried mince, soak this in a separate heat-proof bowl in most of the stock for 15 minutes before adding to the pan. Then add the rest of the stock plus herbs and kidney beans etc (see above).

Peel and slice the carrot thinly, or wash and chop the pepper into small pieces. Add these to the pan and cook on a low heat until vegetables are tender.

Just before serving, add the coarsely chopped parsley and salt to taste.

spicy sweet potato soup

Need a blender for this. Filling and warming, it's a bit like lentil soup.

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato
1 onion
 about 25g or one dessertspoon margarine
3 carrots
1 teaspoon curry powder, or cumin or coriander
2 dessertspoons creme fraiche or natural yogurt
1 - 1 and a half pints (500 - 750 ml) stock
salt and pepper to taste

Chop the onion and fry in the margarine in a large pan for a few minutes, adding spices. Peel and chop the sweet potato into chunks and add to the pan. Add the peeled and sliced carrots and fry gently until the onions are fairly soft. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer until all vegetables are tender. Blend in blender until smooth, then mix in the creme fraiche. Check seasoning and add salt and papper if needed (but it probably won't be). Thin out soup with a little water if required - it should be fairly thick.

vegetable casserole

A warming supper for cold winter days.

Ingredients for 2 people:

2 medium potatoes
1 tablespoon oil
small cup lentils - any sort, soaked for a few hours beforehand
2 medium carrots
2 sticks celery
1 medium onion
 5 or 6 mushrooms
1 pint (500ml) water
1 vegetable stock cube
few squirts soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried herbs, or 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped
(optional) small portion of any other frozen or chopped fresh vegetables as liked
black pepper


Cook the lentils until almost tender - about half an hour for green or brown ones, less for red ones.
Wash and chop the fresh vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chopped onion, potatoes, celery and  carrots, plus any other fresh vegetables. Cook gently, stirring often so it doesn't stick.
Add the water, then the lentils and mushrooms and frozen vegetables, if using, and bring to the boil. Add dried herbs.
Simmer for at least 15 minutes until lentils and vegetables are tender. Add crumbled stock cube towards end of cooking time. Stir well.
At end of cooking time, add soy sauce and any fresh herbs. Check seasoning and add pepper if required.

lentil and carrot soup

It helps if you've got a blender; otherwise, chop the onions very small and either slice the carrots thinly, or grate them.

Ingredients (for 4 - 6 people)

4 large carrots
2 medium onions
about 1 tablespoon oil
 a cupful of red lentils (about 5 ounces or 150g)
at least 1 pint  or 250ml water
2 teaspoons dried ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste

Chop the onions (see note above) and fry them gently in the oil in a large pan.
Add the coriander.
After a few minutes peel and chop the carrots (see above) and add these to the pan.
Rinse the lentils in a fine seive, then add them to the pan with the water and bring to the boil.
Simmer for about 20 minutes until lentils are soft, stirring occasionally to make sure the soup doesn't stick to the bottom: may have to add more water.
Add crumbled stock cube and stir until dissolved.
Cool slightly, then blend in a blender for a few seconds, so that some texture is still present and not completely smooth.
Check water content, season with pepper and salt if required and reheat to serve.

Variations: other spices and/or herbs may be added.

lentil and potato bake

Uses mainly storecupboard ingredients. Good for a healthy, warming family dinner/supper.

For 4 people:

 - 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise
 - about 200g/4oz lentils (any sort, but the small brown ones work best) preferably soaked beforehand
 - 1 large onion
 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
 - couple of carrots, sticks of celery, or any other odd vegetables you've got
 - handful grated cheese
 - 1 teaspoon dried herbs, or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ones if you can get them (chives, thyme, sage, rosemary etc.)
 - 1 vegetable stock cube
 - squirt of tomato puree OR ketchup OR half a small tin chopped tomatoes
 - salt and pepper

Method

First  rinse and then cook the lentils until soft in enough water to cover, keeping an eye on them so they don't stick. This will take less time if you soak them beforehand.
Steam the potatoes; this can be done over the lentils if you have a colander and watch over it to make sure they don't boil over!
Chop, then fry the onion gently until fairly soft, then add other chopped vegetables and cook for a few minutes.
Heat up oven to gas mark 6.
Add the lentils, with cooking water, tomato puree etc, dried herbs (if using) and crumbled stock cube. Cook gently until vegetables are tender, adding more water if the mixture threatens to stick to the pan. Season to taste.Add fresh herbs now (if using).
Place lentil mixutre in a deep ovenproof dish; arrange potatoes on top, drizzle with oil and top with grated cheese. Alternatively, mash the potatoes before putting them on top, for a shepherd's pie effect.
Cook in oven until potatoes are golden brown.
Serve with a steamed green vegetable such as broccolli.