This chilli, is very soupy and also almost like a casserole! So, you really could have it as either. I found this recipe whilst looking for something different for lunch. Of course, I always adapt and came up with something quite spicy and just the right treat for an empty stomach. This keeps me going all day and is great for those watching the calorie intake!

Serves:

• at least 6 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 can corn
• 1 can chickpeas, keep water
• 1 can kidney beans, keep water
• 1/3 bottle jalapenos
• 1 red and 1 green pepper/capsicum
• 1 can Sanitarium vegetarian casserole mince
• 3/4 packet taco seasoning
• 1 can tomatos peeled and diced
• 1.5 stalks celery sliced thinly
• 3 cloves garlic sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper
• (optional) chilli

Instructions:

1. Place the olive oil in the pan and saute the onions.
2. Add the bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt.
3. Add the celery, peppers, and jalapenos and heat till cooked.
4. Add all other ingredients, stirring to mix.
5. Simmer for at least 45 minutes.
6. Serve with toasty bread!

Now that there are plenty of recipes, I thought it was a worthwhile time to make it easier for you to find by certain ingredients or particular meals. Take a look or check out the links below:

• anything sweet
• baked goods
• casserole
• legumes
• other
• pasta
• porridge & other brekky
• rice
• salad
• snack
• soup
• spicy foods
• tofu
• vegetables

If you have any ideas on particular ingredients, you would like me to try or make something out of or any ideas on what else you would like categorised, feel free to make comments here!

Who could like a vegetable that smells of aniseed?

I was never even game enough to try this vegetable until now… This is one vegetable that is freely available from many fruit and vegie stores at the moment and is quite an interesting winter comfort food.

Not knowing what would actually compliment this vegetable well, I thought the sweetness of the kumara (sweet potato) would balance off the aniseed taste and chilli would bring the spiciness up to another level.

This soup is also very low in fat and calories, it only has vegetables, spices and minimal olive oil!

Serves:

• max 8 serves

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet potato, skin removed
• 1 fennel bulb, hard bulb area removed and fennel sliced thin
• olive oil (for when roasting)
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper
• pinch chilli
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• pinch of nutmeg
• 2 cubes of Massel chicken style vegetable stock
• 1.5 litres of water
• 3 tsp minced garlic

Instructions:

1. Preheat over to 180 degrees celsius
2. Slice the potato and fennel up small and place in a baking tray lined with olive oil.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and salt on top.
4. Cook for 30 minutes or until soft.
5. Heat water, stock and garlic in boiling water.
6. Mash potato and fennel, adding to the water.
7. Use a blender to vitamise the potato and fennel.
8. Add all other ingredients, simmer for at least 10 minutes.
9. Add more water, if you would prefer a thinner mixture.

Sorry for the play on words, but the title just soooo reminded me of the song with the words “Red, red wine”…

As a follow on from yesterday, I’ve made a tempeh beef flavoured version of this dish with different vegies. Apologies for the photo quality, these are with my phone camera until I’m motivated to grab my real camera!

This casserole is another hearty dish which could be accompanied with bread, rice or pasta. I’m again using this as a soup as it’s filling enough for a lunch by itself. The sauce is absolutely delicious and I recommend trying this out.

I’ve not classified this as a vegan dish because of the wine used. If you use a vegan red wine, this will be vegan.

Serves:

One

Ingredients:

• 100 grams tempeh, cubed
• 1/3 stock Massel Beef-flavour vegetable stock
• 125 grams chickpeas beans can
• 1/2 cup water
• 1-2 tbs red wine
• 60 grams carrot, sliced thin
• ¼ can 410 grams diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• pinch oregano and other pasta/italian spices you like
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper

Instructions:

1. Slice tempeh into cubes and cook until brown with the garlic making sure not to burn.
2. Add all other ingredients, including using the water from the cans of beans and extra water.
3. Simmer for ten to fifteen minutes.

Lunch today was taken from the latest Australian version of Oxygen magazine. I’ve adapted it a little to make a vegetarian/vegan version without the tortillas. This is a very quick meal to make also!

It’s a little spicy but very delicious and nice warm dish for the coming cold winter. I wouldn’t exactly say a soup, but more like a casserole – just without rice or anything else!

Serves:

One

Ingredients:

• 3-4 vegetarian chicken nuggets, sliced
• 1/3 stock Massel Chicken-flavour vegetable stock
• 125 grams kidney beans can
• 125 grams kernel corn can
• ¼ can 410 grams diced tomatoes
• pinch chilli (to your taste)
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper

Instructions:

1. Slice nuggets into smaller pieces and cook until defrosted and brown.
2. Add all other ingredients, including using the water from the cans of beans and corns.
3. Simmer for ten minutes.

I love vegemite! Yes, I know it’s an aqcuired taste and mainly aussies love it, but these little numbers are delicious for breakfast, lunch or tea!

I made these this morning for brekky. I usually have the baker’s delight version for lunch occasionally when I can’t be bothered making a sandwich or want something quick to take before my hockey game.

These scrolls could be made with marmite or be made to a sweet version, give it a try! It would also be a great addition for bentos, which I’ll do at some stage!

Makes:

12

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1-2 tbs butter
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk (to dough consistency)
• 1/4 cup grated cheese
• 1 tsp vegemite

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
2. Mix flour, BP and salt together
3. Rub butter into flour
4. Mix milk into mixture to gain dough consistency
5. Roll the dough to 1/2-1 cm thick
6. Spread vegemite on dough and place grate cheese on top
7. Roll the mixture into a sausage and cut into pieces, placing on a floured tray.
8. Heat for 10-12 mins or until golden brown.

I was checking out my RSS feeds for some ideas on food for tea last night, when I came across the Pistachio Arugula Pesto with Penne and Sauteed Broccolini picture on VeganYumYum’s site.

I’m not really one to follow recipes and after seeing this I decided to come up with my own little variation of this dish using Rocket instead of basil.

Rocket or arugula (as some other countries call it) actually complements this dish quite well, as it has a sharp taste combining well with the parmesan and pinenuts. Next time, I will be adding some chilli to warm it just a fraction!

Serves:

• One, pesto enough for two though

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked pasta (spaghetti or fettucine)
• 1 cup rocket
• 15 grams pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tsp capers
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp parmesan
• 1 tbs olive oil
• pinch pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta, if not already done so.
2. Combine all other ingredients in blender or vitamiser and mix well.
3. Warm pan with pasta and mix pesto in.
4. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan on top.

Today’s bento consists of:

• Vegan Chestnut soup
• Fuji Apple
• Sultanas fresh from Mildura
• 1 piece of dark rye bread from South Melbourne market with nuttlex plant sterol margarine
• Weight watchers cocoa with cayenne pepper and cinnamon. I’ve brought the milk mixed in and will add hot water later on.

Bento Summary:

• falafels
• lettuce
• 1/2 hydroponic tomato
• garlic alioli / mayonnaise
• nudie banana and strawberry yoghurt (these are delicious and low in calories)
• mandarin

Exercise Summary:

• yesterday was 40 min i-train iclimb set 9, 495 calories burnt
  
• today will be training with weights and ab workout beforehand

Bento Summary:

• vermicelli noodles with chilli haloumi, mushrooms, garlic and olives, dressed with balsamic vinegar
• greek salad
• carrot pieces with homemade cheesy chickpea cumin dip
• microwave muffin with strawberries

Exercise Summary:

Workout today will be hockey and gym!