Recipes for transitioning to a plant based diet

Protein packed spaghetti bologniase

Serves 2
Ingredients

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 medium mushrooms chopped
1 cup of textured vegetable protein (tvp) mince. Hydrate in a bowl with 1 cup of boiling water and a teaspoon of vegetable stock powder 
1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast (optional, but adds to the flavour and nutritional value)
1 1/2 teaspoons of mixed dried herbs
1 x 4000g tin of chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons of tomato paste

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions stirring regularly until translucent
Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 3-4 minutes stirring regularly
Add the mixed herbs and nutritional yeast powder, stir well 
Add the tin tomatoes and tomato paste
Add around 3 cm of water to the empty tin and add to the pan
Stir ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally 
Add the hydrated tvp. Mix the ingredients and simmer for a further 10 minutes stirring occasionally 
Season to taste with salt and pepper 
Cook enough spaghetti for 2, following the instructions on the packet. Once cooked drain and add to the sauce and gently fold through covering the spaghetti with the sauce.
Serve immediately with your favourite salad leaves of spinach

Thai tempeh salad bowl

Serves 2

Salad ingredients

300g pack organic tempeh cut into 1cm cubes

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1 tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce

1 teaspoon of tamari

1 medium carrott peeled and grated

8 cherry tomatoes halved

1 avocado sliced

10 cm length of cucumber halved length ways and cut again lengthways into strips

2 generous handfuls of baby spinach or your favourite salad leaves

Sauce

4 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of almond butter

2 tablespoons of tahini

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1 tablespoon of tamari

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 garlic gloves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Place all of the ingredients for the sauce into a blender with 6 tablespoons of water and blend to a smooth sauce, adding extra water if necessary.

Fry the tempeh cubes in the sesame oil, adding the maple syrup, sweet chilli sauce and tamari until golden brown (around 5 minutes) turning the pieces regularly.

Dividing equally between two bowls, make a bed of spinach and assemble the grated carrots, tomatoes, cucumber and avocado in roughyly equal sections on the spinach.  Scatter the tempeh equally  on top of each bowl, generously drizzle the sauce over top and enjoy.