This is a little recipe that has been kicking around my head for a while and I’m so glad to be finally sharing it with you all. It’s always a joy to share something that has turned out even better than I’d first anticipated. Due to the continued popularity of the Dal Kofta I really wanted to try and create another dish that embraces the deliciousness of lentils and spices.

These spicy lentil patties are something akin to a falafel with chickpeas, spices and dates all rolled into one tasty little fried patty. Perfect in a salad pocket, sandwich, wrap or burger. Alternatively you could roll them into balls and serve them as a delicious vegetarian appetizer.

I made a sweet and spicy chilly, apple, tomato sauce to accompany the patties that adds a lovely hit of heat and a touch of that wonderful sweet/savoury combination that I love.

This vegetarian recipe is super versatile and so very, very tasty. Serve as messy pockets to family and friends on summer picnics or at barbeques. They’d also make a lovely family dinner served with salad or veggies in winter. A great vegan meal full of flavour and so much yumminess, enjoy!!

Spiced Lentil Patties

Preparation time: 35mins
Makes 10-12 small patties or balls

• 160g (5½ oz) red lentils, rinsed
• 450ml (15 fl. oz.) water or vegetable broth
• 175g (6 oz) tinned chickpeas
• ¼ small red onion, finely minced
• 4 fresh dates (approx. 85g (3 oz)), diced
• small handful fresh mint leaves (approx. 1 tbs), finely shredded
• 1 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 tbs dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin

Add the lentils and water or broth to a medium saucepan, bring to a boil and gently simmer for 10 minutes, adding more water if needed.

Strain off excess liquid and allow to cool.

Meanwhile by hand or in a food processor coarsely pulse the chickpeas, being sure not to over process them to a paste.

In a large bowl combine the chickpeas with the dates, mint and spices season with a good pinch of ground rock salt and add in the cooled lentils.

The lentils should be reasonably mushy and this should bring the patty mixture together nicely. Roll about a tablespoon of the mixture at a time into small flat patties or balls if you prefer.

The patties can be tossed in breadcrumbs at this stage if you like.

Fry the patties or balls in about 1cm of vegetable oil until golden on all sides, set aside on absorbent paper. Serve warm.

Chilly, Apple, Tomato Sauce

Preparation time: 10mins
Makes 1 Jar

• 4 red chillies, deseeded (or try ½ red capsicum (bell pepper) for a milder version)
• 1-2 large ripe tomato
• ¼ cup apple sauce
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, roasted
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• pinch raw sugar
• squeeze of lemon juice
• 3 tbs olive oil

In a food processor blend the chillies or capsicum with the tomato, apple sauce, cumin seeds, apple cider vinegar, sugar and lemon until smooth.

Fold through the olive oil.

Transfer to a sterile jar and keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Spiced Lentil Patty Pockets w/ Chilly, Apple, Tomato Sauce

• spiced lentil patties
• chilly, apple, tomato sauce
• wholemeal pocket bread, warmed in the oven
• cucumber, sliced
• tomato, sliced
• avocado, sliced
• baby spinach, washed
• fresh coriander (cilantro)

Slice the top off the warmed pocket bread and fill with the ingredients topping off with a drizzle of the tomato sauce and a few sprigs of fresh coriander.

Alternatively add your favourite vegan or dairy cheese and yoghurt or hummus to complete this delicious and healthy vegetarian recipe.

We had a lovely Saturday night over the weekend, staying with my brother Tim and his girlfriend Rhiannon. They cooked us an amazing summertime meal and we ate glorious food, chatting, laughing and enjoying the cool breeze on what was a balmy November evening.

Inspired by the fantastic salads Rhi made this is a noodle dish that’s perfect served cold on a hot summers evening. I love noodles, hot or cold and find them a really quick and easy meal to throw together no matter how little you have in the fridge or pantry.

The vibrant colours of this dish really pop off the plate and together with the fresh flavours and textures it’s a really yummy veggie meal. Toasted sunflower seeds add a lovely crunch and the sweet flavours of orange and honey add something a little different.

Perfect served as a light evening meal or try this delicious vegetarian recipe at your next barbeque or picnic. Easy to prepare ahead of time and store covered in the fridge. I used udon noodles here as they are a favourite but go ahead and use your favourite noodles or pasta instead. Be sure to enjoy this colourful and healthy recipe with the company of family and friends this summer.

Preparation time: 20mins
Serves 4 (6 as a side)

• 180g (6oz) Udon noodles
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• ½ cup fresh basil & mint leaves
• 3 sun ripened tomatoes, diced
• 1 avocado, diced and tossed in a little lemon juice
• 2 medium navel oranges, diced
• 1 cup spinach leaves, shredded
• ¼ small red onion, finely diced

sweet balsamic dressing

• 4 tbs good quality olive oil
• 1½ tbs good quality balsamic vinegar
• ½ tsp honey or agave nectar

Cook the udon noodles in rapid boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain and rinse well under cold water, rinse again and strain well. Set aside.

In a small frying-pan dry roast the sunflower seeds over a medium heat, tossing frequently and adding fresh ground salt and pepper to taste. Continue to toss the seeds in the pan until lightly golden, this should take just a few minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

In a food processor of by hand pulse the roasted sunflower seeds with the mint and basil leaves to form a coarse crumb or dry pesto like consistency.

In a large bowl toss the cold noodles with the sunflower seed mixture, diced tomatoes, avocado, oranges, baby spinach and red onion. This can be kept covered in the fridge until required.

To make the dressing whisk or shake in a screw top jar all the ingredients together.

Just before serving dress the noodles and either serve in a salad bowl or on a large platter. The perfect light and healthy summertime vegetarian meal or great as a side dish when entertaining.

Cathy from the wonderful and inspirational blog What Would Cathy Eat? recently launched a Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge. She’s been super busy creating beautiful healthy alternative recipes plus sharing clever hints & tips on avoiding all the saturated fat and salt of traditional Thanksgiving fare.

When Cathy invited me to take part, Aussie or not, I couldn’t give up the chance to tackle a recipe makeover. Cathy’s enthusiasm and flair for sharing healthy, heart conscious food is infectious and I was inspired to try re-creating a healthy and tasty version of the traditional Green Bean Casserole.

Farm-fresh green beans are layered with a creamy mushroom and walnut sauce, all topped off with crispy oven baked onions tossed in quinoa flakes and almonds, it’s a recipe full of flavour and lots of healthy and tasty ingredients.

Head over to What Would Cathy Eat? to check out this and loads of other great healthy and delicious recipes for Thanksgiving. Plus check out her Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge for hints, tips and ideas on eating healthy this holiday season!! Thanks Cathy :)

I know what this looks like, another salad recipe right. And yes it is something like that but, also something a little more. This is a delicious veggie dish that can be served a number of ways. Try serving tossed together either as a warm or chilled potato salad. Or serve layered on individual plates for a complete and tasty meal.

The lentils are gently simmered with fresh apple juice, dried cranberries and basil for a subtle sweet/savoury kick. Accompanied with steamed new potatoes and the crisp crunch of snowpeas, celery and radish; it’s a potato salad recipe with a little twist.

I love the colour and flavour combo here and it may seem a little early but I see this dish as a perfect addition to a veggie Christmas menu or simply when entertaining. Full of delicious and healthy ingredients this beautiful vegetarian recipe is sure to please :)

Preparation time 35mins
Serves 4 as a main ~ 4-6 as a side

• 560g (1lb) new potatoes, scrubbed & larger ones halved
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup of brown lentils (cooked or tinned)
• 1 cup fresh apple juice
• ¼ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
• ½ cup torn fresh basil leaves
• 150g (5oz) snowpeas
• 2 celery stalks
• 3 radishes

Steam the potatoes for about 5-8 minutes until just tender. If serving warm keep the potatoes warm until ready to assemble otherwise allow to cool.

Meanwhile slice the celery and snowpeas into super thin batons and slice the radish into thin rounds. Toss and set aside.

Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a deep frying pan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, add the lentils and toss in the garlic and oil for a further few minutes.

Add the apple juice and dried cranberries and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow to reduce by about half simmering over a gentle heat and stirring occasionally. Once reduced remove from the heat and stir through the torn basil leaves.

If serving warm as a main meal arrange the crunchy salad greens on individual plates, top with a few potatoes and drizzle over the lentil dressing.

Alternatively serve as a warm or chilled potato salad. Arrange the tossed crunchy greens on a large serving dish, top with potatoes and spoon over lentil mixture.

A delicious combination of flavours and textures creating a super yummy veggie meal for everyone to enjoy!!

{ this recipe was inspired by Donna Hay’s Mint and Apple Lamb with Crunchy Salad found in the Seasons cookbook }

It’s November and that means the warm hazy summer weather is just round the corner. Days spent lazing at the beach, relaxing by the creek, picnicking in the country or dining alfresco; summer can be a wonderful time of year.

With the lovely warm sunshine weather on the way I couldn’t help create a fresh and crunchy salad to celebrate! Carrots and their brilliant orange colour are an obvious choice for a simple healthy salad recipe full of crunch and flavour. I teamed them with a little fennel and added fresh grapes and slivered almonds for super extra yumminess. This is a very simple vegetarian recipe perfect as a side salad or served up in little buns for a delicious and light summer lunch.

The salad can easily be made ahead making it perfect for picnics; simply pack a few fresh rolls, some salad greens and maybe an avocado or two and you’ll have yourself one delicious little sandwich full of goodness and the tastes of summer… enjoy!!

Carrot & Fennel Salad w/ Grapes & Almonds

Preparation time: 10mins
Serves 4 {as a side}

• 4 medium sized carrots (approx. 300g/10.5oz), peeled & coarsely grated
• ½ small fennel bulb (approx. 80g/3oz), grated
• small bunch of grapes (approx.. 170g/6oz), sliced in half
• ½ cup slivered almonds, dry roasted

for the dressing

• ¼ cup natural set dairy yoghurt or vegan mayonaise
• ½ tbs double strength apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbs olive oil
• ¼ tsp good quality curry powder
• sprinkle of sumac (optional)

Toss the grated carrot, fennel, grapes and almonds together in a large bowl.

To make the dressing whisk all the ingredients together, except the sumac, to form a smooth dressing.

Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with a little sumac and garnish with fennel leaves if desired.

A lovely healthy summer salad perfect as a crisp and crunchy side or serve as below in little buns for a delicious light lunch.

Carrot & Fennel Salad Rolls

Preparation time: 5mins
Serves 4

• Carrot & Fennel Salad prepared as above
• 4 small seed buns (I used cape seed rolls)
• small bunch of baby salad rocket (arugula)
• 1 or 2 avocados, sliced

Slice your buns in half, top with rocket leaves, slices of avocado and a good pile of carrot and fennel salad.

Of course add your favourite sandwich fillings if you like; feta cheese and/or pickled beetroot would be lovely too!!

I’m sure I’ve mentioned before the comforting qualities of fragrant subtle spices like turmeric, cinnamon and paprika. There is something about a big bowl of warm and fragrant food that makes you fell so good inside. And a pilaf is a fantastic way to enjoy fragrant spices, veggies and rice all in one simple and quick to prepare dish.

I added tempeh to this recipe as I love its texture and it’s also a delicious way to add protein to a vegan dish. The vegetables and spices come together with the rice and tempeh to create a lovely tasting veggie meal full of flavour and spicy aromas.

Accompanied with all the lovely extras like naan, chutney and yogurt or cucumber raita (if you like) and this vegetarian pilaf recipe is a super delicious and colourful meal perfect for a family dinner or a quick meal when entertaining. Super simple and quick to prepare – you can have this beautiful dish on the table in just over 30 minutes.

Preparation time 35mins
Serves 4-6

• 3 tbs vegetable oil
• 450g (16 oz) tempeh, crumbled into bite sized pieces
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 3 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• ¼ cup shredded coconut
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 600g (21 oz) piece of cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
• ½ cup sultanas (raisins)
• ½ cup raw cashew nuts, roughly chopped
• 1 cup coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

to serve

• 4-6 naan bread
• mango or fruit chutney
• plain natural yoghurt or cucumber raita (for non-vegans)

Heat 2 tbs of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the pieces of tempeh and fry for a few minutes until golden on all sides. Remove from the pan and drain on absorbent paper.

Add the remaining oil to the pan along with the mustard seeds and heat over a medium-low heat until the seeds begin to pop. Add the turmeric, paprika and cinnamon and over a low heat combine the spices with the oil until you have a paste.

Add the onion and increase the heat a little continuing to fry until the onion is soft. Add the ginger and coconut and cook for just a minute before adding the rice.

Combine the rice well with the spices and onion, add the cauliflower and cooked tempeh and increase the heat. Add the stock and bring to the boil.

Cover and decrease the heat to low, allow the pilaf to cook for about 10 minutes until rice is tender and stock nearly absorbed. Add the peas, stir through quickly and cover and cook for a further few minutes until stock is fully absorbed and rice cooked.

Stir through the cashew nuts (reserving a few for garnish) and sultanas, cover again and stand for 5 minutes before tossing through the fresh coriander.

Serve warm accompanied with naan bread, chutney and plain yoghurt or cucumber raita for a truly delicious and warming vegetarian or vegan meal.

{ this dish was inspired by Lucy Nunes “Indian Chicken & Cauliflower Pilaf” found in Super Food Ideas }

Cam gets to eat out quite a lot more than I as he is always off to business lunches with work and business colleges. Sadly I miss out and have to be regaled by tales of sumptuous veggie feast, no fair!! After telling me about a little Vietnamese place, Pho Vietnam, they had been visiting lately and the amazing sounding noodle bowls I demanded at the next opportunity he must take me along too!

Recently we did just that and I was not disappointed. As we ate our way through the huge and tasty bowl of grilled vegetable, crispy puff tofu, fresh salad and noodles we dissected each bite with the hopes of recreating a similar dish at home. With bellies full and happy and a long list of ingredients we decided this bowl of deliciousness was something we had to master in our very own kitchen.

So over the weekend we took another trip to our favourite Asian supermarket picked up a few supplies and then cooked up a little kitchen storm and am happy to say a very tasty Vietnamese inspired vegetarian noodle dish. I love these kinds of vegetarian meals; full to the brim with healthy and delicious ingredients they are both good to eat and good for you.

All the ingredients should be easy to come by. Try an Asian supermarket for the fried tofu puff (in the cold section) and why not experiment adding any of your favourite vegetables or salad ingredients. With silky rice noodles, layers of fresh salad and topped with spicy grilled veg and tofu this recipe is perfect for when you feel like something super tasty and healthy too!!

Preparation time: 40mins
Serves 4

Spicy Grilled Vegetables

• 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), cut into pieces
• 1 small brown onion, cut into wedges
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 155g (5 oz) green beans, sliced
• 2 small bunches of Bok Choy, sliced (reserving leafy tops)
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 2 tbs peanut oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbs kecap mains (Indonesian soy sauce)
• 2 tsp sambal oelek (to taste/optional)

Heat the peanut and sesame oil in a large wok or frying pan over a medium heat.

When hot add the vegetables (reserving the bok choy leafy tops) and toss over heat allowing to fry quickly.

Add the kecap manis and sambal oelek, tossing through the cooking veg for about 4 minutes until onion is soft. Add the bok choy leafy tops and toss through quickly before removing from the heat. Set aside and keep warm.

Grilled Veggie Noodle Bowl

• 350g (12 oz) vermicelli (rice stick) noodles
• 200g (7 oz) fried tofu puff (or firm tofu diced)
• ¼ red cabbage, sliced thinly
• ½ telegraphy cucumber, sliced
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced
• 100g (3.5 oz) bean sprouts
• 1 small bunch coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped
• grilled vegetables as prepared above
• ¼ cup raw peanuts, crushed
• 1-2 chillies, sliced (optional)

Dressing

• ½ cup sweet chilli sauce
• 3 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs mirin (or white vinegar)

Cook the noodles to the packet instructions, set aside.

Fry the tofu in a little peanut oil over a medium heat until heated through and golden, set aside.

To make the dressing whisk all the ingredients together quickly until well combined.

To assemble your noodle bowl divide the noodles between four large deep bowls. Top with the salad ingredients, fried tofu puffs and grilled vegetables, finish with a scattering of crushed peanuts and sliced fresh chilli.

Serve the noodle bowl straight away either already dressed or with the dressing on the side. Eat messily and happily; the perfect vegetarian recipe for a tasty Asian inspired meal!!

The last few days here in the southeast corner of Queensland have felt just like summer. It seems mother-nature has decided we’re not getting spring this year; the weekend was hot and hazy and yep every little bit like summer.

So it may seem strange that I turned on the oven and cooked up this super warming pumpkin soup. And I admit it is a little strange but, after a long weekend visiting family and friends in Brisbane, both Cam and I felt like a nice big bowl of yummy comfort Sunday food. Pumpkin soup being one of our absolute favourites I was inspired by my brother Tim’s recent tales of mouthwatering homemade roasted pumpkin soup and decided it was high time to try something similar.

This simple soup recipe is easy to prepare with only a few tasty ingredients. The crunchy maple croutons adding that something special to what is essentially a really effortless vegetarian recipe.

I found a lovely butternut pumpkin at our local farm store and teamed this with purple garlic and red onion all roasted to sweet golden deliciousness before being transformed into a rich creamy soup. For the croutons I used a lovely multigrain loaf that had pumpkin seeds scatted over the crust. Try to find something similar or a lovely dark rye would also work beautifully for the sweet crunchy croutons.

Enjoy this vegetarian soup as a warming meal or a lovely entrée to serve to guests. It looks beautiful and is full of amazingly comforting and delicious flavours!!

Crunchy Maple Croutons

Preparation time: 8 minutes
Serves 2–4

• 4 thick slices of multi-grain or rye bread, diced into cubes
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 2 tbs olive oil
• ½ tsp paprika

Toss the cubes of bread with the maple syrup, olive oil, paprika and ground salt and pepper until evenly coated.

Heat a good fryingpan over a medium heat, add the cubes of bread and fry for 3-4 minutes tossing the pan frequently until crunchy and golden on all sides.

Remove from the pan and set aside on absorbent paper until the soup is ready.

Roasted Butternut Pumpkin Soup

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Serves 2-4

• 1 small butternut Pumpkin, peeled, seeded and chopped into pieces
• 3 whole garlic cloves
• 1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 tbs rice bran or vegetable oil
• 1.25 liters (2.5 pints) vegetable stock
• 1-2 tsp chilli paste
• ¼ cup soy cream or natural yoghurt (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/392°F

Toss the pumpkin pieces, whole garlic cloves and red onion with the oil and cumin seeds until evenly coated.

Transfer to a large baking tray and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden (shake the pan occasionally to avoid sticking and to move the pieces around a little to cook evenly).

Remove from the oven and allow to cool just slightly. Transfer the roasted pumpkin pieces and wedges of onion to a large pot with any pan juices. Squeeze the garlic from their skins and add to the pot with the stock and chilli paste.

Bring to a gentle boil and allow to simmer for just a minute of two, remove from the heat. Using a stick blender or in batches in a food processor blend the soup until smooth.

Return the soup to a gentle heat and allow to warm through. Stirring add the soy cream or yoghurt once warm and over a low heat allow to gently heat through and thicken making sure not to boil the soup as it may curdle.

Serve this tasty soup in warm bowls topped with crunchy maple croutons and a little drizzle of olive oil if you like.

The ups and downs of life have been lurking round us this past month and I decided it was time to take a little break from Veggie num num. In that time Cam and I took a well-earned holiday and spent almost two beautiful weeks soaking up the spring sunshine in picture-perfect Byron Bay. There is seriously nothing quite like a beachside holiday to relax and recharge… it was pure bliss!!

Soooooooo inspired by all that sunshine and the promise of warmer weather round the corner I had to prepare a colourful and spicy barbeque recipe that’s just right for springtime eats! The homemade piri piri sauce lends a nice hint of spice and heat to this tasty dish and is complimented nicely by the subtle sweet flavours of the couscous salad.

I made a mixture of vegetarian skewers here, using pumpkin and halloumi; you could choose to use just pumpkin or substitute pieces of tofu or another vegetable like zucchini or eggplant for the halloumi cheese.

The amount of heat you get from the piri piri will depend on the chillies you use and weather or not you deseed them. If you prefer a milder dish try substituting one or two red capsicums (bell peppers) instead of the chillies.

A great vegetarian recipe to feed friends and family when entertaining or for a lovely light summery meal when relaxing at home, the fresh herbs and spicy/sweet flavours of this dish are so very, very good!

Barbequed Piri Piri Pumpkin and Halloumi Skewers

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Makes 12 skewers

• 6 long red chillies
• 2 whole garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbs smoky paprika
• 3 tbs apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp dark brown sugar
• 750g (1 lb) piece of pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 250g (9 oz) halloumi cheese (or eggplant, zucchini or firm tofu), cubed
• small bunch of fresh mint and basil leaves, shredded
• lemon wedges to serve
• 12 bamboo skewers

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/356°F and if cooking the skewers on a barbeque be sure to pre-soak them.

Spread the chillies and unpeeled garlic cloves on a baking tray, prick the chillies with a fork and roast in the preheat oven for 5-10 minutes until soft and golden.

Allow to cool and then roughly chop the chillies (you can deseed them now if you prefer a milder sauce) and squeeze the garlic from their skins.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium/low heat, add the chopped chillies, garlic, paprika, vinegar and sugar. Gently simmer over a low heat for about 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced and caramelized slightly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before processing in a food processor until smooth.

Steam the pumpkin pieces for 3-4 minutes only until a skewer inserted just easily slides through. You don’t want to over steam the pieces and turn them to mush so watch them carefully.

Toss the steamed and cooled pumpkin pieces with the halloumi or other vegetable or tofu in the prepared piri piri sauce until well coated. Thread alternating pieces of pumpkin and hallouim onto the skewers and set aside.

Heat a small amount of vegetable oil on a barbeque grill plate or in a stove top grill pan. Cook the skewers over a medium heat turning until golden on all sides.

Remove from the heat and serve scattered with the fresh herbs, lemon wedges and the sweet couscous salad.

Sweet Couscous Salad w/ Walnuts, Dates & Cinnamon

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Serves 4 as a side

• 2 cups couscous
• 2 cups hot vegetable stock
• 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves, shredded
• 10 fresh dates, roughly diced
• 1 cup walnut, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 3 tbs olive oil

Add the couscous to a bowl and pour over the hot stock. Cover and allow to steep for about 5 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Using a fork fluff the couscous to separate the grains.

Whisk the ground cinnamon with the lemon juice and olive oil until well combined.

Toss the dates, walnuts, mint and dressing through the prepared couscous until well combined.

The salad can be prepared ahead of time and either served cold or simply reheat by tossing over a low heat in a non-stick frying pan for a few minutes until warmed through.

The prefect quick and easy vegetarian salad recipe to accompany so many vegetable dishes… enjoy!!

{ the piri piri sauce recipe was adapted from a recipe by Kate Nichols for Barbequed Piri Piri Prawns found in Delicious magazine }

We took another trip to our local Asian supermarket recently, which resulted in an immediate need for wontons! Who doesn’t love little dumplings filled with yummy ingredients and then either pan-fried or like in this tasty recipe served with a rich earthy broth for a scrumptious vegetarian wonton soup!!

It’s really easy to create tasty vegetarian versions of this popular Asian soup and you can try adding all sorts of ingredients to your wontons. Replace the enoki mushrooms in this recipe with tofu or tempeh or button mushrooms if you prefer. The truly beautiful flavour of shiitake mushrooms is essential to get the best flavour out of your broth so be sure not to skip them.

This vegetarian soup recipe is fairly simple to prepare, with three main elements it take a little preparation time but, nothing difficult. A veggie wonton soup is just the thing to warm your belly and keep you happy. Full of lots of lovely and healthy ingredients; this soup is destined to be a favourite in our home and hopefully yours too :)

Enoki Mushroom Wontons

Preparation time: 30mins
Makes approx. 20 wontons

• 20 wonton wrappers (some store brought wrappers contain egg so be sure to check the ingredients if you are vegan)
• 1 tbs rice bran or peanut oil
• 3 spring onions, finely diced
• 10g (0.35oz) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 200g (7oz) fresh enoki mushrooms, finely diced
• 2 tbs kekap manis (Indonesian soy sauce)
• ½ tsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp grated palm sugar
• 2 tbs (small handful) fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 150g (5oz) wombok (Chinese cabbage), finely diced

Heat the oil in a frypan or wok over a medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and spring onions; fry off for 1 minutes then add the enoki mushrooms tossing over the medium heat add the kekap mains, soy sauce and palm sugar.

Continue to fry for 1-2 minutes and toss to combine all the ingredients well, remove from the heat and toss through the fresh coriander and diced wombok, set aside.

On a clean dry work surface lay out one wonton wrapper and place about a teaspoon of the mushroom mixture into the center. Wet the edges of the wonton wrapper and then fold in half diagonally to form a triangle. Gently seal the edges and then fold and pinch the three corners together to form the wonton, set aside. Repeat with remaining wontons.

Grilled Baby Bok Choy

Preparation time: 15mins

• 1 tbs rice bran or peanut oil
• 2 bunches of baby bok choy (or you favorite Asian Greens)
• 3 tsp sesame oil

Heat a grill pan or grill BBQ plate to medium/high and lightly grease with the rice bran or peanut oil. Add the baby bok choy and sprinkle with a dash of sesame oil. Allow the bok choy to grill for a few minutes before turning.

Continue to cook the bok choy making sure all sides are golden, finish with another sprinkle of sesame oil and then remove from the heat. Allow to cool slightly before chopping into bite-sized pieces, set aside.

Enoki Mushroom Wonton Soup w/ Grilled Baby Bok Choy

Preparation time: 25mins
Serves 4

• 2 lts (4 pts) good quality vegetable stock (I used a no animal content ‘chicken’ stock)
• 150ml (5 fl oz) water
• 20g (0.7oz) dried sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 10g (0.35oz) fresh ginger, peeled
• prepared enoki wontons
• prepared grilled baby bok choy
• soy sauce to taste
• chilli flakes to serve

Bring the stock, water, shiitake mushrooms and ginger to a gentle boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Check the broth for seasoning and add soy sauce to taste (approx. 1-2 tsp). Remove the piece of ginger.

With the broth still simmering add the prepared wontons and allow to gently simmer for 5 minutes.

To serve spoon the wontons out between deep bowls top with chopped bok choy and then spoon over a generous amount of broth and shiitake mushrooms. Serve sprinkled with chilli flakes if you desire.

A delicious vegetarian wonton soup recipe to fill hungry bellies!!