Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

Hummus with Olives On Toast

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Want a healthy and quick snack? It’s cheap and very easy to make your own hummus and, served with olives on toasted pitta bread or crusty bread, it’s satsifying too

Hummus with Olives On Toast

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g can chickpeas drained
  • 1 fat garlic clove
  • 2 tbsp tahini paste
  • Juice of ½ a lemon
  • 6-7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Toasted pitta bread or crusty bread sliced olives and smoked paprika, to serve

Instructions
 

  • on toaPulse the chickpeas in a food processor with the garlic, tahini paste and lemon juice.
  • With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil, to make a rough pâté. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve spread on toasted pitta bread or crusty bread with sliced olives, a sprinkle of smoked paprika and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

If you don't have chickpeas, use canned butter beans, cannellini beans or frozen broad beans to make this recipe.

Date Granola Bars

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Now you can have your healthy breakfast on the run! Take these to work or school or have as a mid-morning snack for extra energy

Date Granola Bars

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Prep Time 15 mins
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 150 g 5oz stoned dates
  • Juice 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp low-calorie sweetener
  • 2 tbsp golden syrup
  • 40 g 1oz polyunsaturated margarine
  • 110 g 4oz oats
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • 40 g 1oz pistachios, roughly chopped
  • 40 g 1oz chopped hazelnuts

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to gas 4/180C/fan oven 160C. Lightly grease a 18cm (7in) square tin.
  • Place the dates in a small pan with 2 tbsp water, bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 mins until soft. Add more water if needed to create a stiff paste. Set aside.
  • Place the lemon juice, low calorie sweetener, golden syrup and margarine in a large pan and heat gently until melted. Add the remaining ingredients including the date paste and mix well. Press the mixture into the tin, smoothing the surface and bake for 20-25 mins until set and golden.
  • Remove from the oven, cut into 8 bars and leave to cool in the tin. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Potato Sailboats

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A great, healthy potato snack for kids- even if the shapes don’t turn out right!

Potato Sailboats

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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • Ingredients
  • 16 potato wedges
  • 4 cherry tomatoes
  • 40 g gruyere or emmenthal cheese cut into slices

Instructions
 

  • Cook the potato wedges in the oven according to the packet instructions.
  • Arrange the wedges on skewers with slices of cheese in between.
  • Return to the oven for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese.
  • Remove from the oven and decorate the top with a halved cherry tomato.

Beetroot Raita

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Vibrant beetroot raita is a delicious dip that’s ready in 5 minutes. Just throw all of the ingredients into a bowl, mix and ta-dah, you’ve got a classic Indian dip for your onion bhajis or samosas.

Beetroot Raita

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Prep Time 5 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 100 g cooked beetroot finely chopped
  • 1 green chilli finely chopped
  • 150 g pot natural yogurt
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp chopped mint

Instructions
 

  • Mix together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until combined.

Notes

Leftovers? Cover in clingfilm and pop into the fridge. Use within 1-2 days.

Lentil, Squash and Mushroom Stew with Quinoa

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Puy Lentils are a lovely slate grey colour and have an earthy flavour that is delicious in soups, stews and salads. They keep their shape well during cooking too. Use the dried lentils for this recipe as a can of lentils will cook too quickly. If you like them, you can add carrots or parsnips too to this hearty vegetarian supper. If you want to add a little meat, fry some bacon lardoons or chorizo when frying the onions. We’ve served this dish with quinoa but you could also serve it with mash or a large hunk of crusty bread.

Lentil, Squash and Mushroom Stew with Quinoa

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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion peeled and diced
  • 300 g butternut squash peed and cubed
  • 1 stick celery sliced
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 150 g Puy lentils
  • 200 g portobello mushrooms
  • Sliced spring onions to garnish
  • Quinoa to serve

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the onion until soft but not browned. Add the butternut squash and celery and fry for another 5 mins until the butternut squash is lightly browned.
  • Add the paprika and cayenne pepper, tomato puree and stock. Bring to the boil and add the lentils. Cover and simmer on a low heat for 45 mins until the lentils are tender,
  • Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 10 mins. Sprinkle with spring onions and serve with quinoa

Notes

Quinoa is a very healthy grain, packed with protein. Rinse then cook in boiling water, according to the pack instructions, until the grains have fluffed up.

Sweet Potato Cakes

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Vegetarians needn’t miss out on the comforting burger with these sweet and spicy potato cakes. Delicious served with a crispy green salad and a dollop of fruit chutney, children will love making these too. Quick to make and packed full of flavour, they can be made in advance and kept covered in the fridge

Sweet Potato Cakes

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kg sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 100 g plain flour
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp spring onions sliced
  • ½ fresh chilli chopped
  • Knob of butter

Instructions
 

  • Boil the sweet potatoes until cooked (about 15 minutes). Drain, and leave to dry.
  • Place the sweet potato chunks, soy sauce, flour, spring onions, chilli in a mixing bowl. Season, and mix together with your hands until smooth.
  • Melt a knob of butter in a large frying pan. Use a table spoon to scoop out some of the sweet potato mix and place in the frying pan, flattening with the back of the spoon to create a burger shape.
  • Fry on a medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, until cooked.
  • Your rating

Notes

Add a healthy twist to the traditional burger by serving it with spinach leaves and natural yoghurt

Turkish Halloumi Bake

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This delicious Turkish halloumi bake is easy to make and full of flavour. It’s a classic recipe packed full of freshly cooked vegetables such as sweet potato, aubergine and red peppers. It takes hardly anything to cook and is topped with thick chunks of creamy halloumi which melts and bakes into the mix for added flavour. This bake is ideal for feeding the whole family. If there are any leftover make sure you pop them into an airtight container and leave in the fridge. Eat within 1-2 days and reheat for the best taste.

Thyme and Leek Tart

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Thyme and leek tart makes a spring main course for vegetarians, or can be made smaller to serve as a vegetarian starter. The tangy leek and fragrant thyme work really well together to make one flavoursome tart.

Thyme and Leek Tart

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 25 g butter
  • 1 tbsp vegetable boullion powder
  • 4-5 leeks sliced
  • 2 sprigs thyme leaves only
  • 320 g ready rolled puff pastry
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 6 tbsp green olive tapenade
  • 6 eggs

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in a pan with the bouillion powder and 2tbsp water over a gentle heat. Add the sliced leeks, thyme leaves and season. Cover with a lid and allow to soften for 10-15 mins.
  • Heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Cut out 6 x 10cm circles from the pastry, using an 8cm cutter make an indentation in each to create a border. Score the base of the pastry to prevent it rising too much, then brush the borders with a little milk. Bake for 10-12 mins, until golden and risen.
  • Turn the oven off. Push the scored centres of the pastry down and spread each with 1tbsp tapenade. Top with leek. Return to the oven to reheat just before serving.
  • Poach the eggs and place on top of the leeks to serve.

Notes

Poach the eggs ahead and pop each one into a bowl of cold water, then gently re-warm in a pan of hot water to serve.

Creamy Carrot and Parsnip Soup

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Try this delicious creamy carrot and parsnip soup recipe is easy to make, simple and healthy too. This recipe takes around 40 mins to make and serves 4 people. It’s a quick recipe that is perfect for keeping you warm in the winter months. This recipe is ideal for using up leftovers from your Sunday roast dinner. If you use already cooked root veg, you don’t need to soften them. Just add with stock and simmer to make the soup. Why not serve with crusty bread, parsnips crisps or homemade croutons for an extra crunch? Parsnip and carrot soup is a real winter warmer! Any leftovers can be stored in a Tupperware in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Creamy Carrot and Parsnip Soup

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tbsp butter softened
  • 1 large onion peeled and chopped
  • 450 g 15oz carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 large parsnips peeled and chopped
  • 1 level tbsp freshly grated root ginger
  • 1 level tsp finely grated orange rind
  • 600 ml 1 pint vegetable stock
  • 125 ml 4fl oz single cream
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • Sprigs of fresh coriander to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3 mins, until slightly softened. Add the carrots and parsnips. Cover the pan until the vegetables have softened a little. Stir in the ginger, orange rind and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 30-35 mins, until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 mins.
  • Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. Return the soup to the rinsed-out saucepan, stir in the cream, and season well with salt and pepper. Warm through gently over a low heat.
  • Remove from the heat and ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle pepper over and garnish your parsnip soup with a sprig of coriander.

Notes

The parsnip soup may be frozen without the single cream. Pack the soup into a suitable container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat the parsnip soup and stir in the cream just before serving.
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