RED STEW MIX

I mentioned in a previous post that peppers are pretty fundamental to Nigerian cuisine.  

This particular red stew mix forms the base of most dishes, which is why I've decided to dedicate an entire post to the versatile mixture. It's not unusual to find some Nigerians lugging what seems like a month's worth of peppers, tomatoes and onions to the market to have it blended to a pulp in large grinding machines. The mix  is then divided into doubled up nylon bags or plastic containers to be stored at home and used for stews and soups and other Nigerian lovelies. 

To be frank, I'm also tired of having to write out the process for every single recipe that requires this mixture. From now on I'll just refer to it as 'red pepper mix' and provide the link back to this post.

Tip: make a large batch of this and store in the freezer. Whip it out when needed.

You'll need: 5 red bell peppers, 2-3 scotch bonnet peppers, 6 large tomatoes, two large onions, water.

Blitz the lot together to form a smooth mixture. Pour into a large container and pop in the fridge/freezer.

LIEBSTER BLOG AWARDS

Thank you to Berry Dakara for nominating The Vegan Nigerian for a Liebster blog award! :)

After a bit of research, I discovered that the Liebster Award involves tagging/nominating fellow bloggers who have less than 300 followers. I guess the aim is to encourage them to keep blogging, which is pretty sweet. There are a few fun rules to go along with it:



1. Thank the blogger that nominated you
2. List 11 random facts about yourself
3. Answer the questions by the blogger who nominated you
4. Nominate 11 other bloggers
5. Ask your nominees 11 questions
6. Notify your nominees

1. 
Thanks again Berry Dakara :) Everyone go check out her cool blog.

2. 11 FACTS

1. I can't snap my fingers.
2. I balance serious reading/literature with dumb TV shows.
3. I wouldn't mind being trapped in a bookshop for the rest of my life. Not even kidding.
4. I would like to travel the world. 9 countries so far and counting... I have a long way to go.
5. I speak French.
6. The fictional character I identify with the most is Nick Carraway from The Great Gatsby
7. If it wasn't for my alarm, I'd wake up at 2pm everyday.
8. I'd like a life-sized lion (stuffed toy!) for my bedroom.
9. I can't wait to be 22 because 2 is my favourite number.
10. I cook a lot (if you haven't already noticed :D)
11. I'm a Christian

3. ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. Why is your blog name what it is? Pretty self-explanatory. Cuts to the chase.
2. Who's your favorite celebrity and why? I've always thought Jordin Sparks has a great personality. Then again, there's Denzel Washington with his awesome acting chops. 
3. What color shoes are you wearing right now? Pink and white (not as tacky as it sounds :p ...) 
4. Would you wear an engagement ring on your middle finger or fourth finger? (Yes it's such a random question, I know) Fourth. Who wears it on their middle finger?! 
5. What's your dream vacay destination? Such a cliché but some kind of remote island - sand, sea, sun, the works. 
6. #TeamNatural, #TeamRelaxed, or #TeamItsJustHairChillOut? #TeamNatural all the way. Looks nicer, feels nicer etc 
7. When was the last time you prayed? This afternoon. 
8. What's your favorite color? I've been drawn to green lately. I also had a purple phase not long ago. But blue will always have a special place in my heart - we go way back. 
9. What number child are you? 2! 
10. What's the last meal you cooked? rice and efo 
11. Would you rather do 100 jumping jacks or 75 squats? jumping jacks. Squats are weird.

4. NOMINATE 11 OTHERS

1. Ada in Progress

2. The Source

3. Fresh Young Coconut

4. Veggie Terrain

5. Vegan in a Pretty Dress

6. The Relentless Builder

7. Ms.Buki

8. Musings of a Caramel Latte Addict

9. Tizzle's Voice

10. Crazy Vegan Lady

11. Ginger's Blog

5. ASK 11 RANDOM QUESTIONS

1. Why did you start blogging?
2. If you could be any fruit or vegetable, what would you be?
3. Would you every consider becoming a vegetarian/vegan?
4. What was/is your favourite subject at school?
5. Are you scared of the dark?
6. If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
7. Favourite movie of all time?
8. If you could change your name to anything, what would your new name be?
9. Are you much of an adventurer? I'm talking bungee jumping, mountain climbing and all that jazz.
10. What's the greatest thing about being your nationality?
11. What do you do to keep fit?

That's it, folks!

IYAN AND EGUSI SOUP | YAM AND EGUSI

Time to get all traditional with one of my favourite Nigerian meals - iyan and egusi soup. It's also a staple dish from my home town (Ilesa).

Iyan is the Yoruba name for pounded yam. The yam is boiled and then pounded to thick, smooth, dough-like consistency. Unless you have a giant mortar and pestle lying around, along with incredible upper body strength, then a food processor will do. You can find pounded yam flour in most African food stores, but why use that when you can make it fresh yourself? It takes a bit longer, but tastes a whole lot better.

Egusi is a thick soup made with leafy green veg, ground egusi (melon) seeds, tomato, pepper and onions. My vegan version is probably also a lazy version. No need to spend forever in the kitchen to make this tasty dish.

If you live outside of West Africa, you can find egusi at your nearest African/Carribean/Indian food store. Or you can buy online - click here to view my favourite brand for ground egusi and here for whole egusi seeds.

Ingredients

- 1/2 yam cut into chunks

- 1 red bell pepper

- 2 large tomatoes

- 1 scotch bonnet pepper

- 1 red onion

- 2 tbsp palm oil

- Salt to taste
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 cup ground egusi
- 5-6 cups chopped spinach
- Chopped mixed vegetables or mushrooms (optional)

To make the iyan, boil the yam in some salted water until soft. Place in a food processor and blend with a little water to form a thick, smooth consistency. Scoop into a bowl, ready to be served with the egusi soup.

To make the egusi soup, start by blending the peppers, tomatoes and onion with a little water. Heat some palm oil in a large pot and add the blended mixture. Season with salt.

Stir in the vegetable stock and sprinkle the ground egusi over the top. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. The egusi should cake and form little air pockets.

Add the chopped spinach, give it a good mix and cook uncovered for a further 5 minutes. At this point you can add in some extra chopped vegetables or mushrooms (as a meat alternative).

Serve hot with some pounded yam or boiled yam. A winning combination.

VEGAN PEPPERSOUP

~ Feeling 'blah'?

~ In need of a mid-week pick-me-up?

~ Got a nasty cold you want to get rid of in double time?

~ Want a bit of a thrill without stepping out your front door?

Admit it - I've got your hopes up now, haven't I? I probably went a bit far with that last point but you know what, I have every confidence that this recipe is up to the job. Nigerian peppersoup is this gloriously spicy, distinctly aromatic broth.The original is laden with all kinds of meat (it seems that no part of the animal is spared in the traditional preparation) but my version is 100% vegan and delivers on taste and heat!

Disclaimer: this recipe is not for the faint-hearted! Honestly, if you can't stand mind-numbingly hot food then back away slowly... run even, if that's more your style... or make a tame version without the scotch bonnet peppers (I'd hate to exclude anyone, I suppose).


















Ingredients
(serves 4-6)
- 8 cups water
- 4 large slices of yam (cut into small chunks)
- 1 red bell pepper (cut into small chunks)
- 1 green bell pepper (cut into small chunks)
- 2 scotch bonnet pepper (cut in halves, seeds left in)
- 1/2 head cauliflower (cut into small chunks)
- 1/2 courgette or cucumber (cut into small chunks)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp chopped ginger
- 2 tbsp palm oil
- 2-3 scent leaves (or bay leaves)
- 2 vegetable stock cubes
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
-  4 tbsp quinoa (optional, but adds a lovely smoky flavour)
- Salt to taste

Place the chunks of yam, peppers, cauliflower, courgette/cucumber in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil as you add the rest of the ingredients (herbs and spices).

Cover and allow to simmer on very low heat for 35-40 minutes. Check on it to make sure the water doesn't dry out and give it a good stir from time to time.

Uncover and bring to a boil for a further 10 minutes.

Serve hot!

YAM AND SAUTÉED SPINACH

While digging around for a few facts about this wonderful root vegetable, I discovered that although it is grown throughout Africa, Nigeria is actually the world's largest producer and exporter of yam, responsible for over 70 percent of the world total output. For some reason, this makes me extremely proud and I'm not exactly sure why. And while I'm on the topic of weird sensations, I guess this would be as good a time as any to admit that one of my guilty pleasures in life is sneaking a bit of cold yam from the pot long after the end of the meal and munching my way through a thick chunk of the stuff. Again, not exactly sure why.

Moving on, I must admit that yam is not the most attractive looking vegetable around and if you're not used to cooking it, it might seem a little daunting at first. BUT once you get past the thick, knife-blunting, rough exterior, you've got yourself a versatile super food packed full of A B C vitamins, iron, potassium and dietary fibre to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Not bad, not bad...

I've kept this recipe pretty basic but it's delicious to boot. The mild taste of the yam soaks up the intense flavours of the spinach sauce. It's fresh and moreish all at once.

Ingredients

- 1/2 yam tuber (cut in thick slices and peeled)

- 3 cups chopped spinach

- 1 red onion (sliced into thin circles)

- 1 green pepper (finely chopped)

- 4 tbsp lentils or cooked beans (for some extra protein!)

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- 1-2 tsp chilli powder

- 1 tbsp palm oil

- 1/2 cup water

- Salt to taste

Start by boiling the yam in lightly salted water until soft (but not mushy!).

To make the spinach sauce, sautée the red onions in oil for 5 minutes before adding the spinach. Sautée for a further 5 minutes then cover with half a cup of water. Add the cooked beans or lentils, chopped green pepper, stock cube, chilli powder and salt to taste. Leave uncovered and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. 

Serve the yam and spinach hot. Enjoy!

PLANTAIN FLATBREAD

A soft, mellow alternative to regular bread. And it only requires 2-3 ingredients. Roll it out thin enough and you can even turn it into a wrap to fill with vegetables, beans and whatnot. It's great for tearing, sharing and dipping into hot & spicy soups. Try it with bean chilli too.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

- 2 ripe plantains

- 2-3 cups wholegrain flour

- 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)

Peel and cut the plantains into small chunks. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the chilli powder. Add the flour slowly, mixing as you go along, until you have a firm dough. 

Wrap the dough in some cling film and refrigerate for 20 mins. 

Take the dough out of the fridge and divide it into 4-6 portions. Roll each portion out on a lightly floured surface to form a round flatbread shape.

Cook each piece in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat for 5 minutes on each side (or until it has browned nicely)

COUSCOUS SALAD

A light lunch idea inspired by North African cuisine. I'm a bit of a couscous fiend to tell you the truth and this recipe is one of my favourites at the moment. Takes hardly any time to make, it's fresh, healthy and addictive for all the right reasons. The hardest part of this recipe is probably boiling the kettle - doesn't get any more accessible than that.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

- 1 cup couscous

- 1 cup boiling hot water

- 1/2 red bell pepper (finely chopped)

- 1/2 yellow bell pepper (finely chopped)

- 1/2 green bell pepper (finely chopped)

- 1/4 cup dried raisins

- 1 lemon (for the juice)

- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- 1/2 tsp salt

Place the couscous in a bowl and add the boiling hot water (straight from the kettle!). Leave to sit for 5 minutes, add the lemon juice and olive oil, then fluff the couscous with a fork. 

Add the chopped vegetables, raisins and salt. Mix it round a bit and you're good to go.

DODO AND BEAN CHILLI

Dodo is just another name for fried (ripe) plantain. Lovely on it's own, even better with something else on the side to make a complete meal.



















Ingredients
(serves 2)
1-2 ripe plantains
Sunflower oil, for frying
1 cup cooked beans (black-eyed, brown, red kidney...whatever you have at home)
3 tomatoes (finely chopped)
1/2 red bell pepper (finely chopped)
1/2 green bell pepper (finely chopped)
1 large carrot (chopped)
1 onion (finely chopped)
2 tsp chilli powder
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the bean chilli, place the chopped tomatoes in a large saucepan and simmer with a 1/4 cup of water for 5 mins. Add the chopped vegetables (peppers, onion, carrot). Simmer for a further 10 mins until the vegetables are soft (but not mushy!) and most of the water has evaporated. Stir in the cooked beans, chilli powder and season to taste.

To make the dodo, peel the plantain and cut into medium-thin diagonal slices. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the plantain slices. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until golden brown underneath then turn over to brown on the other side. When done, drain on some kitchen paper to get rid of excess oil.

Plate up the dodo and serve with your scrumptious bean chilli.

MOIN MOIN

Packed full of wonderful protein and fibre, this savoury steamed bean cake is a "superfood" in my opinion. Glance at any plate of jollof rice or fried rice at a Nigerian wedding or party and you're bound to see some moin moin hanging about on the side. It's not the quickest thing to prepare but the final product is totally worth all the effort.

There are various ways to steam moin moin but the traditional method is with ewe eran (uma leaves) which you're likely to find in any good African shop/market place. These are folded into little parcels to hold the bean mixture, giving you the signature pyramid shape - I will try my absolute best to describe this in the instructions below. The leaves also give the moin moin a distinct smell and flavour so it's worth buying some if you can. Otherwise, little ramekins or pudding moulds should do the trick.

Picture updated: March 2020

Picture updated: March 2020

Ingredients

(makes 12-15)

- 2 cups black-eyed beans

- 1 red onion

- 2 tomatoes

- 1 red bell pepper

- 1 scotch bonnet pepper

- 1/2 cup water

- 2 vegetable stock cubes

- 2 tbsp vegetable oil

- Salt and pepper to taste

- 1-2 bundles of banana leaves

Soak the beans (overnight, if possible) in warm water, then peel and discard the outer layer. 

Blend the beans, peppers and tomatoes with a little water to form a thick batter.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the stock cubes, vegetable oil and seasoning. You can get a little creative here and add some vegan extras like sweetcorn to liven it up a bit. Loosen the mixture with a bit more water. You want it to be thick but pourable.

If you're not using the banana leaves, divide the mixture into little moulds and steam on low-medium heat for 1hr 30mins until the moin moin is firm and solid.

If you're using the banana leaves, prepare a large pot by filling it a 1/4 of the way up with water. Now, grab 2 or three leaves at a time and lay them on top of each other. Hold upright in the palm of your left hand and start by folding the sides and then bottom in to form an open-topped parcel. 

Pour the mixture into the leaf mould, making sure you're still holding on to it securely in one hand. To close it up, fold the top section inwards and bend the loose flap backwards. Place it flat and ever so gently in your large pot of water. Don't worry if a little mixture seeps out at this point, even the experts can't avoid this (so I'm told...). 

Repeat this process until your pot is filled with the moin moin parcels.

Set the pot on a low-medium heat, cover and steam for 1hr 30 minutes until the moin moin is solid. You can test it by sticking a skewer or toothpick in to see if it comes out clean. 

Moin moin can be served hot or cold. Pair it with a plate of fresh salad and you've got yourself a tasty, light lunch.

GROCERY HAUL #5

I honestly feel like I robbed someone today. Here's a top tip: if you want a truckload of fresh produce at knock-down prices then make your merry way to a large produce market. Even though I hated going to the market with my mum as a kid (it was always too noisy, crowded or smelly), I'm beginning to realise that our parents and grandparents had it good! Nothing beats the experience of actually "looking, touching and smelling" before you buy. It's a highly sensory experience, not to mention the opportunity you'll get to practice your haggling skills!
When it comes to fruit and veg, most supermarkets will only charge you for the extra packaging, and chances are that you'll be left with some measly items that are totally lacking in taste and personality. Well, sometimes anyway...
So, whether you live in a small town or a big city, I encourage you to get out there and see what's on offer. Spread your wings a little and pay some extra attention to the food you allow in your body.

List:

~ Almond milk, yam, plantain, red onions, avocados, dark chocolate (vegans need treats too!), pawpaw (or papaya), tomatoes, spinach, maize meal, black-eyed beans, egusi ~

A few shots from the market I visited today.

  

EATING OUT #3 - HAAGEN-DAZS

There are a few things to do if you find yourself in an ice-cream shop with a group of others.

One is to sit in the corner with your arms folded.

The other is to order a sorbet and join in the fun! Sorbet is basically a frozen dessert alternative to ice-cream. It's made with sweetened water flavoured with fruit (juice or purée).

You'll want to avoid the chocolate sorbet as it contains egg-whites.

Otherwise, there's mango, raspberry, lemon, peach, strawberry...

Haagen-Dazs has over 650 shops in 54 countries across the world so, for the folks in Nigeria, it probably won't be long before it makes its way over there. If you really can't wait, then I have a great sorbet recipe coming up soon.

CURRIED RED LENTIL SOUP

This soup turned out to be surprisingly light and refreshing. The fact that I skipped out on adding any oil probably helped. I've been making a conscious effort to reduce the amount of oil I use in my cooking recently, but I've found it to be surprisingly difficult. I could be halfway through making a dish and this inexplicable (almost irrational) urge to add an unnecessary drop or two of oil suddenly emerges. 

Now, I'm not totally anti-oil or anything - a little goes a long way in binding flavours together and giving dishes that extra 'je ne sais quoi', but sometimes you just feel like pulling back a little, you know? And I happen to feel that way this week. Except, there's a bit of a disconnect somewhere. The act of adding oil to nearly everything is somehow so engrained that I find myself reaching for it before my brain even has time to process what I'm about to do. 

Oil is pretty central to Nigerian cuisine. If we're not deep-frying our snacks (puff puff, chin-chin, plantain chips...need I go on?), we're giving our stews and soups a glazed sheen with the stuff. This always makes for incredibly yummy food, but it's probably not something you want to have every day if you're trying to develop a healthy lifestyle. With that in mind, don't be too surprised if I stray into alternative, oil-free cooking methods in future recipes. 

Thankfully, lentils are extremely flavourful and the spices I used provide an additional lift. This is great for lunch or dinner and will leave you feeling full without the added calories.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

- 2 cups red lentils

- 4 cups water or vegetable stock

- 1 grated carrot (optional)

- 1 clove crushed garlic

- 2 tbsp curry powder

- 1 tsp mixed herbs

- Freshly squeezed lemon juice

- Salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer for 20-25 minutes (until the lentils are soft). I didn't use the grated carrot this time but it occurred to me afterwards that it would work great in this dish, not to mention giving it an extra nutrition boost. If you have other vegetables at home, feel free to add them too.

Serve hot or warm with a slice or two of wholegrain/seeded bread.

SLOW-COOKED SPICY PASTA WITH CABBAGE AND CHICKPEAS

I don't mind the fact that whole wheat pasta takes longer to cook than regular white pasta. What it usually means is that I can make one-pot meals such as this one, leaving it to simmer and do its own thing while I get on with something else for a while. Perfect for days when I get back from work and I'm not immediately hungry but know I'll want something good later on.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

- 2 cups water

- 1 cup whole wheat pasta

- 3 cups fresh cabbage (roughly chopped)

- 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas

- 1 tomato (roughly chopped)

- 1 carrot (diced)

- 1/4 cup chopped celery 

- I vegetabe stock cube

- 1-2 tsp chilli powder

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- 1 tbsp organic palm oil

- Salt to taste

Chuck all the ingredients into a cooking pot. Turn the heat alllll the way down. Go chill out or something and leave it to cook for about 40-45 mins (maybe check it half way through to make sure things are still going swimmingly and the water hasn't dried out).

Not surprisingly, the pasta and veg soak up all the heady spices, the chickpeas thicken the sauce slightly and you're left with a glistening, warming plate of pasta.

MANGO & CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE

Cooking is like my other great love: writing. You conceive of this vague idea and you let the characters reveal themselves to you over time; you trace out the possible narrative in daydreaming sessions throughout your day; you stew over the conflicts and resolutions of your killer plot; you adhere to the distinguished literary tradition that came before you, all the while trying to carve out your own path with innovation and originality. Replace all the literary jargon with some cooking terms and you get the picture...

All this to say that I baked a mango and chocolate marble cake today - the marriage of two headstrong ingredients that had no real business being together and would never have found bliss had my imagination not brought them into the same cake tin. 

The bitter-sweet ending to this tale is that the cake is pure goodness. Two of my favourite ingredients kicking it, loving life, but trying to escape my antagonistic appetite.

Ingredients

- 2 cups wholegrain flour

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 2 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp ground ginger

- 1 cup almond milk

- 1/2 cup sunflower oil

- 3 tbsp cocoa powder

- 1/2 cup mango purée (cut a very ripe, medium-sized mango into small pieces and mash or blend to form a purée)

You'll need two mixing bowls for this recipe, but start off with one and put the other aside for now.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, sugar, baking powder, ground ginger). Add the almond milk, and sunflower oil to form a nice, thick cake batter. This is the base mixture.

Here's where the second bowl comes in. Pour about a third of the cake batter into the second bowl and put aside. In the first bowl, add the mango purée and mix well to combine.

In the second bowl, add the cocoa powder and mix well to combine.

Take a regular-sized cake tin and lightly grease it with some oil/vegan butter or line with grease-proof paper. Pour the mango batter in first. Then swirl the chocolate batter into it. Use your finger to create a pattern if you want, don't be afraid to get your hands a bit messy here.

   

Bake in a pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Happy eating :)

GARRI COOKIES | Cassava Biscuits | Gluten-Free

Updated photograph: May 2020

This recipe has lingered in my mind for a long time now. Today was the day to finally transform the abstract image of a garri-based cookie into a concrete final product. In all honesty, it turned out a lot better than I thought it would. It's based loosely on the other popular way to eat garri in Nigeria (soaked in water with sugar and groundnut/peanuts) so bear that in mind before you go wondering why anyone would dream of using garri in a sweet instead of savoury recipe. Three reasons to try these out?

1) Crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside

2) Healthy but yummy

3) They're different and you've probably never tried a garri cookie before...live a little :)

Updated photo: May 2020

Ingredients

(makes 6)

- 1/2 cup garri

- 1/4 cup oats

- 2 tbsp brown sugar

- 1-2 tbsp dried raisins

- 1-2 tbsp chopped groundnut (peanuts)

- 1/2 cup hot almond milk

- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- extra hot water

Combine all the dry ingredients and oil in a large mixing bowl. Add the almond milk slowly, mixing as you go along until you have a sticky dough. If the mixture seems too dry, go ahead and add a bit of extra hot water, one tablespoon at a time. 

Line a baking sheet with some grease-proof paper. Use a tablespoon to scoop a mound of cookie dough into your palm and carefully flatten/mould the dough into a round cookie shape. 

Bake in a pre-heated oven, 180 degrees Celsius, for 20 minutes until golden brown on one side, then flip the cookies over and bake for a further 10 minutes. Leave to cool and harden on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes after baking. Enjoy!

JOLLOF SURPRISE

This is what happens when you replace the usual red bell pepper with yellow and green pepper in a traditional jollof rice recipe (click here for my previous post). I also threw in a bunch of fresh parsley to jazz things up.

My latest discovery is brown basmati rice, which I used in this recipe - absolutely delicious stuff. You know you're doing something right in the kitchen when the fragrance starts to waft through the entire house. Rivals the euphoric feeling of freshly baked bread.

GROCERY HAUL #4 + BRIGHT FOOD

It's another week of colourful food with most of the usual stuff. I got some extra mangoes this time around because they were incredible the last time and I've been craving them ever since. I fancy creating some sort of mango dessert this week too..hmm. Also picked up a humongous tin of chickpeas on special offer, and some cauliflower for a change.

I didn't go to my usual fruit & veg place because I spent the whole day in town doing other non-food related things. Then, like some kind of special blessing, I saw this other store open as I made my way back home at 7pm. Literally two seconds away from my usual place (which was closed by then) and still brimming with all this inviting produce. The amazing guy at the store even gave me some free celery and parsley, because I'm just that loveable (OR..they had a bunch of stock left over that they needed to get rid of! OR..trying to bribe me so I can ditch the other place and come back to them! Whatever the reason, I was grateful. Nothing beats a bit of random kindness :) ).

Here are a few meals from the previous week. I like to cook enough to have some leftover for lunch the next day. It's a system that works for me and makes life as a vegan pretty darn easy. And I still can't get over how bright each plate of food looks. 

  

NIGERIAN SALAD DRESSING

Spice up any salad with this fiery, fruity salad dressing. An unapologetic taste explosion if I ever did see one... Now there's no excuse to avoid a giant plate of greens.

Ingredients

- Juice of 6 limes

- Juice of 1 large orange

- 2 tbsp grated ginger

- 1 garlic clove (finely chopped)

- 1/2 ripe mango (finely chopped)

- 1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (finely chopped)

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- 4 tbsp sunflower oil

- Pinch of salt

NIGERIAN MEAT-LESS PIE

The 'Meat Pie' (cue dramatic music) is probably the king of Nigerian snacks. You know the scenario - you've had a chilled or stressful day out in Lagos, you're heading back home and Mr Bigg's is just at the next roundabout. You stop over to buy a great, big succulent slab of the stuff and wash it down with an ice-cold bottle of coke (or fanta, if you're that way inclined).

I'm proud of my healthy, vegan version of this classic, not only because it looks and tastes great but because it still has the ability to make any kind of day feel that much better.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

- 2 cups whole-wheat flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 4 tbsp sunflower oil

- 1/2 cup cold water

- Pinch of salt

- 1/4 cup almond milk 

- 1 large potato (diced into cubes)

- 1 carrot (finely chopped)

- 1/2 onion (finely chopped)

- 6 broccoli florets (finely chopped)

- 4 tbsp cooked beans or lentils

- 2 tbsp sunflower oil

- 1/2 cup water

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- 1 tsp curry powder

- Salt and pepper to taste

To make the pastry, combine the flour, baking powder, oil and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the water a little at a time, kneading constantly until you have a firm but supple dough. If it feels too dry and flaky, add another tablespoon or so of water. If it feels too soft and gooey, throw in a tiny bit more flour. Wrap the dough in clear plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To make the filling, sautée the finely chopped onions, carrot and broccoli in oil for 5 minutes. Then add the diced potatoes and seasoning ( vegetable stock cube, curry, salt and pepper). Add the water and cooked beans/lentils and simmer on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the veggies are soft but still holding their shape (you don't want the mixture to turn mushy).

Take the dough out of the fridge and split it into four equal parts. Roll each part out on a lightly floured surface, forming a flat, round shape.

Spoon enough filling into the centre of each circle and fold over, tucking the edges in to secure the pie. Use a fork to press down on the edges to create the signature meat pie pattern. 

Place the pies on a baking tray covered in grease-proof paper and brush with a little almond milk.

Bake in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 5, for 20-25 minutes.

BREAKFAST #3 - AVOCADO/TOMATO TOAST

I've heard it said that avocado is nature's butter. And too right. I'm currently obsessed with the stuff and have worked my way through a fair few in the past 4 weeks or so. 

This attractive toast ensemble is now one of my favourite things to have for breakfast. It's the sort of thing you bite into and think to yourself: 'This tastes so flipping amazing, it can't be good for you'. Except that it actually is...

Ingredients

- Wholegrain bread (3 small slices or 1 large slice cut in half)

- 1 small avocado (sliced)

- 1 medium tomato (halved and sliced thinly)

- Sunflower seeds

- Pinch of salt

Toast the bread. Layer on the tomato and avocado slices. Sprinkle each with sunflower seeds and a pinch of salt. 

So simple.