Recipes for Vitality

Recipes for

Vitality The Power of Plant Based Meals

by Natalie Sabih-Stone

Plant Simple based plant based food recipes food recipes • Be •kind Be kind to your to your body body • Boost • Boostyour yourimmune immune system system www.recipesforvitality.com

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Introduction

Hi, I’m Natalie Sabih-Stone and I am hugely passionate about creating delicious whole food plant-based dishes. Here I have shared some of my favourite recipes (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for you to enjoy... the benefits are endless!

Boost your health, increase your energy, raise your vibration and effortlessly shed those extra pounds.

I have also listed a few benefits for each recipe to help you really understand just how powerful eating plant based food is for your body.

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Recipes to boost your immune system

Recipes Good Morning Booster Juice

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Immune Boosting Smoothie

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Golden Milk

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Superfood Porridge

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Avocado Toast with a Bite

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Tasty Tomato Tostada

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Budhha Bowl

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Mixed Bean Salad

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Tabbouleh (gluten free)

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Colours of the Rainbow

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Immune Boosting Soup

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Mediterranean Quinoa

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Fresh and Crisp Summer Rolls

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Sweet Potato and Quinoa Curry p16 Courgettie a la Jackfruit

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Mediterranean Spicy Penne

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Lentil Bolognese

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Rainbow Tofu Thai Red

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Plant based Cottage Pie

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Aubergine – Mince Chocolate Chilli p22 Plant and Ale Pie

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Good Morning Booster Juice

Ingredients (2 days supply) 1 bag carrots 3 lemons Large piece of ginger 2 turmeric roots 2 apples 2 whole raw beetroot 2 vine tomatoes ½ whole cucumber 2 celery sticks ¼ fresh chopped pineapple Method Wash, prep and chop produce as necessary. Add produce to juicer one at a time. Stir well before drinking.

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Benefits This is an overall powerhouse of a juice. All these amazing ingredients help to support and promote a healthy immune system, boost our body’s natural detoxing abilities by removing toxins. This juice also can help support healthier blood vessels and improve blood flow circulation.

You get a wonderful hit of antioxidants from all those amazing colours which reduce inflammation and oxidative stress caused by diet, lifestyle and general everyday living.

Not to mention the amazing cancer fighting properties that are in there too.

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Immune Boosting Smoothie Ingredients (serves 1-2) 2 carrots 1 banana 2 inches ginger Flaxseed aka linseed ½ inch turmeric root ½ cucumber 2 broccoli florets Fresh filtered water and/or plant based milk – fill your blender 1/3rd way up with your chosen liquid 1 handful of a dark leafy green of your choice- I use spinach 1 lemon peeled 1 handful of frozen berry of your choice Try and use a 3 veg for 1 fruit ratio where possible, or at least a 2 veg for 1 fruit ratio.

Benefits Flaxseed is full of omega 3 and lignans which can have powerful anti-cancer properties.

Doctor Gregor of Nutritionfacts.org recommends we have 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed a day, you can use it on salads or throughout your daily meals too.

Frozen berries are actually better to use in your smoothie as they are picked and frozen straight away so hold more of the ‘good’ stuff than a lot of ‘fresh’ fruit that has made a long journey across the globe.

This smoothie can have profound effects on lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and anti-cancer properties.

Method Add your vegetables, fruit and liquids all together into your chosen blender and blitz until you have your chosen thickness and consistency.

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Golden Milk Ingredients (2 weeks supply) 100g ceylon cinnamon 100g turmeric 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 tbsp of coconut oil

Method In a pan, put the turmeric, cinnamon, the ground black pepper and half pint of water (for now). Bubble it all over a low heat stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes until it forms a sloppy paste, you may need to add more water to get that consistency.

Let the paste start to cool and then stir in the coconut oil.

Once cooled, pop into a jam jar or kilner jar and put in the fridge to set. I use a heaped teaspoon morning and night in warm Koko milk (you can use your choice of plant milk). You can also use this paste in your superfood porridge too.

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Benefits Golden milk is an ancient Eastern tradition; it has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. The key ingredient is turmeric, a yellow spice popular in Asian cuisine which gives curry its yellow colour. The list of health benefits are endless, it is mostly known for its anti-inflammatory effects which can help all types of joint pain such as arthritis due to its strong antioxidant properties.

This amazing drink can also support your immune system which helps to fight and protect your body from cancer, improve gut health and digestion. Not forgetting it has also been shown to support healthy blood sugar levels too.

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Superfood Porridge

Choice of oats Choice of plant based milk Handful of blueberries 1 banana chopped 1 teaspoon golden paste (optional) Sprinkle of flaxseed & linseed

Method Make your porridge as directed on the packet and then stir in the rest of the ingredients and enjoy.

To vary the taste daily, you could try topping your superfood porridge with different fruits.

Photo by Melissa Belanger on Unsplash

Ingredients (serves 1)

Benefits A bowl of porridge is such a great way to start your day! Not only does it provide a long lasting supply of energy, but oats have been proven to have powerful cholesterol lowering effects and can even help the body recover from certain cancers by removing excess hormones from our body.

The fibre present in porridge will leave you feeling fuller for longer and can help reduce the risks of naughty junk food cravings. Incorporating blueberries and flaxseeds will help fire up the brain with healthy Omega 3 fats while supplying the body with a nice hit of antioxidants which can help fight free radical damage and prevent cancer. By opting for a plant-based milk instead of dairy milk you instantly eliminate cholesterol and dramatically reduce the bad saturated fat from your diet, a far healthier way to go.

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Avocado Toast with a bite

Benefits Avocado is now regarded as a superfood as its health benefits are incredible. It is full of nutrients, vitamins and good healthy fats including oleic acid which has been associated with reducing inflammation and also shown to have benefits on genes linked to cancer.

They are loaded with fibre and can also help to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Chia seeds despite their small size are full of important nutrients. They are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, rich in antioxidants, and they provide fibre, iron and calcium. Omega-3 fatty acids help raise the “good” cholesterol that protects against heart attack and stroke.

Tomatoes are the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.

They are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K, I try and have tomato with at least 2 out of 3 meals a day.

Along with the watercress this simple yet tasty snack/brunch is full of many antioxidant foods, packed full of natural vitamins and minerals and a beneficial meal for a healthy heart.

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Ingredients (serves 1) 1 slice of your choice of bread – I enjoy the seeded wholemeal ½ ripe avocado 3 small tomatoes diced – I love on the vine ripened piccolo ¼ lemon – for squeezing over the mix 2 tsp hummus – I like to mix it up and sometimes use a red pepper hummus 1 tsp chia seeds Pinch Himalayan salt and black pepper for seasoning Fresh red chilli sliced or chilli flakes – optional Choice of hot sauce – I use my favourite tropical reaper sauce – (HOT) optional Handful of watercress on side

Method Crush your avocado in a bowl with a pinch of salt, pepper and a small squeeze of the lemon.

Add some sliced red chilli to the avocado mix, this gives a kick of heat- however this is not a necessity.

Toast your bread and leave to slightly cool – you don’t want this going soggy with the mix on top. Once the bread is cooled spread your hummus all over – not too thick... add a sprinkle of seasoning and a further gentle squeeze of the lemon.

Next top your toast with the smashed avocado mix, add your tomatoes and chia seeds. Add a final squeeze of lemon and a good pinch of Himalayan salt and your black pepper.

This is where you can leave this dish, or like me I add my chosen hot sauce sporadically over the top. Garnish with a handful of watercress leaves, the crispness and pepper of the watercress flavour really works well with this dish.

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Tasty Tomato Tostada Ingredients (serves 1) 1 soft tortilla wrap 140g fresh sundried tomatoes diced Ÿ red onion diced 1 avocado Juice of ½ lemon Small bunch of mint and coriander (chopped)

Salt and pepper Vegan sour cream and Violife cheese (optional) Fresh diced chilli Handful of watercress

Benefits This Tostada will give you a nice hit of taste, colour and leave you feeling full and satisfied. It’s also a great way to get some healthy fats from the avocado, antioxidants from the tomatoes and lemon juice in your diet. Not to mention the powerful cancer fighting properties from the red onion, garlic and coriander.

Method In a bowl mix the onion, tomatoes, mint and coriander. In a separate bowl mash the avocado until desired consistency; add the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and mix together.

Pop the tortilla into a hot oven for 5 minutes to slightly warm. Once out, grate the Violife cheese onto it then sprinkle the tomato and onion mix all over leaving a space in the middle for the avocado.

I like to add my avocado mix to the middle and also sprinkle fresh chilli and then a few drops of the sour cream.

You can either fold in half or eat open like a pizza with the watercress on the side.

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Buddha Bowl

Ingredients (Serves 2) 1 cup of spinach 1 cup of sliced red cabbage ½ cucumber sliced 12 cherry tomatoes halved 1 mango diced 1 red pepper thinly sliced 2 carrots grated 4 sweet potatoes diced and roasted 1 avocado sliced 1 handful of cashews 100g edamame beans 1 tbsp sesame seeds Handful of coriander chopped

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Benefits The name says it all – this all ‘rounded’ belly full of incredible rainbow foods is not only delicious but hugely powerful! By including colour in your diet you can ensure you’re getting enough fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help to protect against illness, bone density loss, digestive problems and weight management.

Along with maintaining good health, the nutrients in these raw vegetables and fruits work together to really boost your immune system.

Method You can be the designer of your own ‘buddha bowl’. I start in the middle and one by one fan out each ingredient to create something not only deliciously nutritious, but very pretty on the eye. Sometimes I add extras like grains, chickpeas, falafel or tofu.

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Mixed Bean Salad Ingredients (serves 1 as main, 2 as a side) ½ white onion roughly diced 1 6 small tomatoes of your choice – 8 roughly diced and 8 quartered (I use on the vine piccolo) 2 red chillis (deseeded and sliced) Juice of 3 limes Juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar Large handful of coriander finely chopped Large handful of parsley finely chopped 6 mint leaves finely chopped 2 tsp pink Himalayan salt 150g sugar snap peas sliced 3 tins of beans (I use butter, kidney and mixed) drained and rinsed 1 tin green lentils drained ½ red onion diced 1/3 cucumber diced Drizzle olive oil 1 tbsp chia seed

Benefits

This salad is a fresh and tasty nutritionally dense dish. It is rich in protein and omega 3 fats, flavoursome and will leave you feeling fuller for longer. This is a great source of energy without the excess calories and is a powerful antioxidant dish.

Method Add your onion, roughly chopped tomatoes, chillis, lime, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar into a blender of your choice and blitz until a smooth liquid has formed. If you need to add some water – a little is fine to create more liquid.

Next put your beans and green lentils into a mixing bowl, add your salt, sugar snap peas, coriander, parsley, mint, rest of tomatoes, red onion, cucumber and olive oil and mix well. Now stir through your tomato and chilli sauce and leave to infuse. You can eat straight away but I recommend leaving it in the fridge for 1 hour.

When you are ready to eat sprinkle your chia seeds on top and enjoy!

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Tabbouleh (gluten free) Benefits This is a great way to get some healthy whole grains into your diet which play a key role in good health. Quinoa (which is technically a seed, however classed as a grain) was a staple in the Egyptian diet and is a well known source of good health.

It is loaded full of micro nutrients and is also a great choice of healthy carbohydrates, protein and fibre that will leave you feeling fuller and nourished for longer.

Ingredients (serves 4) 300g quinoa rinsed 2 vegetable stock pots mixed in 900ml boiling water 1 pack radishes thinly sliced 1 pack pomegranate seeds (between 200-300g depending on shop) 150g dried cranberries 3 sprigs of fresh mint chopped Large handful of fresh parsley chopped Large handful of fresh coriander chopped Juice of 2 lemons

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Method Add the quinoa to the bubbling stock water. Leave to bubble for about 30 seconds then lower the heat, add a tea towel fully across the top of your pot and replace the lid. Let it slowly cook, stirring occasionally. Around 12 to 15 minutes it should have absorbed the water and be fluffy and soft.

Add the sliced radishes, pomegranate seeds, dried cranberries, chopped fresh mint, parsley and coriander and then squeeze the juice of 2 whole lemons over it and mix well.

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Colours of the Rainbow

Ingredients (Serves 1) 1 large sweet potato (roasted whole) 1 cup red cabbage (sliced) 1 courgette as ‘courgettie’ 1 carrot (grated) 6 chestnut mushrooms (halved) 10 cherry tomatoes (halved) 2 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp garlic salt 1 tsp paprika 2 cups spinach 1 inch ginger (diced) Juice of 1 lemon

Method This is a super healthy, tasty and easy lunch, just chuck all your ingredients into a wok with a splash of water and lightly steam fry for 6 minutes.

Season with Himalayan salt and black pepper!

Serve with your warm roasted sweet potato (cut in half) and some watercress salad.

Benefits This dish is a great lunch full of nutrients, antioxidants, super rich in vitamins and will fill you up. It is also fat free and great to have after a workout to give your body the good carbohydrates it will be craving and help to prevent muscle breakdown. This colourful dish is not only for weight loss – you are pumping your body with rich nutrients and antioxidant rich foods. Red cabbage on its own has massive benefits including weight loss, protects bones, anti-ageing, can fight arthritis and strengthen your immune system.

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Benefits – Lentils are low in calorie, rich in iron and an excellent source of protein including BCAAs. This dish alongside the antiinflammatory immune boosting ginger can be great for weight loss, can boost your energy, is very easy to digest and alkalising on your body.

It packs health-promoting polyphenols and may reduce several heart disease risk factors.

Ingredients (Serves 4) 300g red lentils (rinsed) 6 carrots (roughly diced) 6 celery stalks (roughly diced) 4 inches ginger (roughly diced) 2 white onions (diced) 3 tsp paprika 3 tsp ground coriander 3 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp cayenne pepper 2 tsp garlic salt 2 tsp turmeric 1 tsp curry powder (medium or hot) 2 veg stock pots Himalayan salt Method Add 900ml water and stock to the pan and bring to the boil, add the quinoa and boil for a further 5 minutes then reduce the heat to a low simmer.

Get a clean tea towel and pop it under the pan lid, cover the quinoa and leave for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast the sweet potato in coconut oil, thyme, cumin and garlic salt until soft and lightly steam the asparagus. After 15 minutes check the quinoa – by now it should be fluffy and cooked – you can use a fork to lightly stir. Add the sweet potato, olives, tomatoes, chopped asparagus and spinach to the quinoa and mix well. Serve with roasted Mediterranean veg (bell peppers, aubergine, courgette and red onion) and salad.

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Immune Boosting Soup Method Add the ginger, onion, carrot and celery into a deep pan filled with water so it covers all the ingredients, pop the lid on and gently bubble for 8 minutes (you may need to add more water – check half way through).

Next add your lentils, veg stock pots and all spices, stir well and add 500ml of water to the mix. Leave to simmer for a further 10 minutes (again checking half way as you may need to add a little more water depending on the lentils – you don’t want them drying out).

Once the lentils are cooked (you can tell as they will have swollen in size and slightly lost their ‘red’ colour) get your blitzer of choice, I use a hand blender and blend to your preferred consistency. I sometimes enjoy it totally smooth and other times I like it a little chunky.

Season with Himalayan salt and black pepper!

Mediterranean Quinoa Ingredients (Serves 4) 300g raw, rinsed quinoa 900ml boiling water with 2 veg stock pots 4 sweet potatoes (peeled and diced) 1 bunch of asparagus (quartered) 200g sun dried tomatoes or raw cherry tomatoes if you prefer 200g pitted Kalamata olives Handful of spinach Tsp of coconut oil Tsp fresh or dried thyme Tsp cumin Tsp garlic salt Your choice of mediterranean vegetables

Benefits – This dish is not only gluten free but high in protein. It can improve metabolic health, by reducing blood sugar, insulin and triglyceride levels. This dish is LOW on the glycemic index which is important because it can bring your blood www.recipesforvitality.com sugars to a healthy level which is essential for reversing type 2 diabetes.

Fresh and Crisp Summer Rolls

Ingredients (Serves 3) 6 sheets round rice paper 1 carrot (sliced long and thin or grated) 1/3 cucumber (sliced long and thin) 1 red bell pepper (sliced long and thin) 1 cupful of sliced red cabbage Handful of coriander 12 mint leaves 1 avocado (sliced long and thin) 1 mango (sliced long and thin) 2 spring onions (sliced long and thin) 1 cupful of beansprouts 100g vermicelli noodles (cooked) For the sauce: 1 inch ginger – grated 1 red chilli sliced 1 clove garlic crushed or finely chopped 1 tsp crunchy peanut butter 2 tsp tonkatsu sauce 2 tbsp of soy sauce or tamari (gluten free) 2 tsp Chinese rice vinegar Juice of 1 lime Chopped coriander

Method For the sauce mix everything together in a bowl stirring well and set aside to infuse.

When it comes to ‘mastering’ the rice paper, it has taken me several times at making these summer rolls so don’t be put off if the first couple of attempts go a bit wrong – stick with it as they are sooo delicious and worth it...

You can find many videos online and different ways of how to make them, personally I add boiling water to a large mixing bowl and leave to slightly cool for a few minutes.

Lay down a thin, clean tea towel on your work surface, hold your rice paper with the tips of your fingers and slowly dip into the water. Hold for a few seconds then bring it out of the water and lay down onto your tea towel.

I always start with two mint leaves in the middle of the paper as this looks great for presentation when you are finished. Start laying one by one each ingredient on top and to the side of each other keeping it all in the middle. Once done fold the bottom of the paper up onto the ingredients, then fold down the top, roll from far right over the middle and lap the paper over until it is rolled nice and tight.

You can either serve these whole or cut them diagonally in half (see pictures). I dip each mouthful into the sauce. You can play around with your ingredients with what you prefer to go into it.

Benefits – Low in calories, high in fibre and based on ingredients that are packed full of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. This is a super healthy and tasty lunch that is surprisingly filling which can help towards healthy weight loss.

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Sweet Potato and Quinoa Curry - medium spice Ingredients (Serves 4/6 as a side dish or 2 as a main) 300g of quinoa – rinsed 600ml water 1 veg stock pot 1 red onion – diced 2 sweet potatoes – peeled and diced 250g frozen peas 2 tsp of garam masala 2 tsp of cayenne pepper 2 tsp of madras curry powder 2 tsp of cumin 2 tins chopped tomatoes Salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon fresh garlic Bunch fresh coriander Sprig of mint Alpro soya yoghurt (plain) ¼ whole cucumber grated 1 tsp garlic granules

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Benefits Not only is this dish full of flavour and colour but it will help fuel your body with the goodness that it needs. This dish also has an abundance of nutrients that can help support your immune system, lower cholesterol, balance your blood sugars and fire up your metabolism.

Method Peel and dice the sweet potato and lightly season with some extra garlic granules, cumin and cayenne and roast for 15 minutes or until soft.

In a pan fry the onions until slightly soft on a medium heat, add the quinoa, fresh garlic, the veg stock pot, the water, all the spices, peas and the tinned tomatoes.

Gently bubble away on a low heat stirring frequently. You may need to add a touch more water depending on the cooking speed of the quinoa.

It takes about 20 minutes for the quinoa to cook with these extra ingredients to become light and fluffy but may need slightly longer. Mix in the cooked sweet potato, salt and pepper to season.

Sprinkle the coriander on top of the curry to taste. Mix the grated cucumber, yoghurt and chopped mint into a bowl for the cucumber raita and serve on the side.

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Courgettie a la Jackfruit

Ingredients (serves 2) 6 courgettes 2 tins cherry tomatoes Juice of 2 lemons 1 red chilli sliced 1 tsp garlic salt 1 tsp cayenne (or more depending on heat) 1 tsp ground coriander Handful of chopped coriander 1 tin jackfruit in water Benefits

This nutrient rich, extremely tasty, very low calorie dish is great for weight loss, contributes to healthy digestion, may help towards lowering your blood sugar levels and may improve heart health.

Method In a large deep pan add your chilli, tinned cherry tomatoes, lemon juice and herbs, pop the lid on and slowly simmer for 8 minutes.

While this is simmering get your ‘courgettie’ prepared... I use the back of a julienne peeler and find this more effective than a spiralizer but you can use whatever you prefer.

Drain your jackfruit and either with your fingers or a knife ‘shred’ it apart so it is very thin and almost resembles tuna or crabmeat.

(You can do this dish without jackfruit it is delicious on its own – or with your own choice of plant based foods – e.g. falafel etc) Add your ‘courgettie’ to the tomato mix. stir and simmer again for a further 6 minutes.

Now add your jackfruit and cook for a further 3 minutes. I always season with some pink Himalayan salt and black pepper.

I serve mine with a watercress salad and avocado.

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Mediterranean Spicy Penne

Benefits This tasty wholesome dish is packed with nutrients including complex carbs, protein, fibre, iron, magnesium and zinc.

This dish may boost your metabolism due to the cayenne and chilli and is good for contributing towards digestive health and may lower your blood pressure alongside reducing your risk of cancer.

Ingredients (serves 2) 1 aubergine (cut into very small cubes) 1 courgette (sliced into chunks) 175g chestnut mushrooms (sliced) 6 raw plum tomatoes 1 can plum tomatoes 1 clove garlic 1 red chilli – sliced Handful of basil leaves 1 onion (chunky diced) 1 tsp cayenne pepper (or more depending on heat) Splash (or two of your choice of red wine) Sprinkle of garlic salt Pink Himalayan salt (to taste) Choice of pasta 75g pp (I like whole wheat penne)

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Method In a frying pan with a lid add some water in the bottom to ‘shallow fry’, add the aubergine, pop the lid on and steam fry on a medium to high heat, stirring every couple of minutes. Reduce the heat if it is starting to stick, you want the aubergine cubes to be very soft so you may need to add more water if necessary. Once you are happy the aubergine is completely soft, including the skins, set to one side. Blitz together the red chilli, chopped onion, garlic, basil and tinned plum tomatoes and set aside.

In a deep pan fry off the chunky courgettes (I use water but if you like to use oil a tablespoon of olive oil is fine), sprinkle on a dusting of garlic salt and keep turning until al dente. Add the mushrooms, raw tomatoes, red wine and cook out for 8 minutes on a medium to low heat.

Add your tomato sauce and soft aubergine, a sprinkle of pink salt and bubble on a high heat for 5 minutes. I like to add two teaspoons of cayenne as I like it spicy but add a little as you go and you can always add more. I always finish with a further sprinkle of pink salt, a sprinkle of cracked black pepper.

Toss through with your choice of pasta and ingredients of your choice. I use whole wheat penne pasta 75g per person with a side of watercress salad and some diced avocado.

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Lentil Bolognese

Method Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic into a pan with a splash of water in the bottom to shallow fry and leave on a low heat to start to soften.

In the meantime, add the aubergine to a smaller frying pan with a splash of water and fry on a medium heat to get really soft and almost sloppy then set aside.

By now your celery, carrots and onions should be softening and ready to add the lentils, water and stock pots into the pan.

Leave this bubbling for 5 minutes on a medium high heat stirring frequently so they don’t stick.

Now add your red wine, tinned tomatoes, soy, marmite, balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

Bring the sauce mix back to the boil, gently bubbling for 20 minutes, add your mushrooms and aubergine mix and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Remember to check the consistency of the sauce as the lentils may need a little bit more water depending on the thickness and how soft they are. If they still have a bite to them and the mix is getting quite thick add more water and one more stock pot if you feel it is necessary. I prefer my sauce to be slightly runnier.

Once you are happy with the sauce and the lentils are cooked through to your taste, serve on your choice of spaghetti and use the remaining nutritional yeast to sprinkle over as a plant based alternative to parmesan.

Benefits This lentil bolognese is a great healthy alternative to the traditional minced meat version. By choosing a plant-based option you eliminate cholesterol and greatly reduced the bad saturated fat in your diet.

This heart healthy dish is loaded full of protein and a great source of carbohydrates that can help keep you leaner and full of energy, while helping to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

Ingredients (serves 4) 1 brown onion, diced 2 cloves of crushed garlic 2 large carrots, finely sliced 2 celery sticks, sliced 200g chestnut mushrooms quartered 1 aubergine roughly diced into small pieces 1 ½ cups dry green lentils rinsed 500ml water 2 veg stock pots 2 cans plum tomatoes Large ‘glug’ of (vegan) red wine 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp of soy sauce 1 tbsp of marmite 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast 2 tsp of oregano Salt and black pepper, to taste Spaghetti of your choice

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Rainbow Tofu Thai Red Ingredients (Serves 2) 2 tins of full fat coconut milk 3 medium heat red chillies (if you like it hotter use birds eye chillies) 1 bulb of bashed lemon grass then chopped 100g of root ginger (peeled) 25g of garlic 30g of tomato puree 30ml of dark soy sauce 5g of table salt 100g of fresh coriander 1 small tin of bamboo shoots 1 small tin of water chestnuts 100g of fresh bean sprouts 100g of pak choi 100g shitake mushrooms (or your own choice) 100g of baby corn (halved long ways) 50g of sugar snap peas (sliced)

Benefits This dish is packed full of vitamins A, D and C which are great antioxidants, anticarcinogens and help to detox the body as well as increase your metabolism. Tofu is rich in phytoestrogen which can help maintain healthy oestrogen levels which play a key role in reducing the risk of hormone related cancers. The vibrant red colours of the dish contain a powerful antioxidant known as lycopene which has been proven to prevent and help reverse prostate cancer.

2 red bell peppers (sliced long ways) 100g of fresh tofu (diced)

Method Add the ginger, garlic, chillies, lemon grass, tomato puree, coconut milk, soy sauce, salt and coriander stalks (keep the leaves for garnish) into a jug or pan that you can blitz in.

Blitz everything until smooth. (There will be little bits that don’t disappear (we will deal with them later).

Put your mix on a medium heat and bring to the boil, once boiling reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Then using a fine strainer, pour the sauce through to pass out the fine bits of

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ginger and lemon grass (or keep them in if you like it).

Now put your strained sauce into a clean pan, add the rest of your ingredients and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Check your seasoning as you may need more salt (no need for pepper as the chillies will provide that).

NB: Sometimes pak choi can release quite a lot of water, so if you find your sauce has gone slightly runny, just thicken with a little bit of corn flour to bring it back to a nice consistency.

I serve with jasmine rice and fresh coriander.

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Plant based Cottage Pie

Ingredients (serves 4) 1 white onion (finely chopped) 2 aubergine (whole) 2 celery sticks (thinly sliced) 250g chestnut mushrooms (halved) 2 carrots (chopped) 2 tins plum tomatoes 1 medium courgette (chopped) 1 tin baked beans 1 tin green lentils (drained) Dash red wine 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp tomato purée 2 tbsp marmite 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp dried rosemary 2 veg stock pots Gravy granules 15 cherry tomatoes (halved) 3 tbsp nutritional yeast 8 large maris piper potatoes (peeled and largely diced) 1 tbsp vegan butter Dash plant based milk

Method Put two aubergine in to a medium/high oven for 30 minutes or until soft on the inside and crispy on the skin then set aside to cool.

In a large pan add your onion, celery and carrots with some water (to the top of the vegetables) and simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes. Next add your tinned tomatoes, mushrooms, courgettes, red wine, soy, balsamic, tomato puree, marmite, herbs, stock pots and continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Now it’s time for the beans and lentils to be added, season with Himalayan salt and pepper and depending on thickness you many want to

Benefits This wholesome and delicious plant based cottage pie is a great option for eliminating the amount of cholesterol in your weekly diet, it’s a heart healthy dish that will fill you full of goodness and will also benefit in weight loss and may help to prevent heart disease.

add some gravy granules. Cut your aubergines in half and spoon out the soft flesh inside. If it doesn’t fall apart you can run a knife through the flesh to dice it quite small, discard of the skins and add the soft aubergine to your cottage pie mix. Put your lid on and cook in the oven on a medium heat for a further 40 mins.

While it is cooking let’s make mash! Add your potatoes to some salted water and bring to the boil, once soft drain and mash with butter and milk – season where necessary.

Once the base ingredients are ready, empty it into a pie dish and start to spoon the mash on top.

I use the edge of a fork to create a nice pattern.

Once fully covered decorate your mash with the tomatoes and then generously sprinkle the nutritional yeast all over the top. Pop your dish on a medium to high heat in the oven for 35 minutes. I serve with petis pois and a glorious glass of red!!

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Aubergine-Mince Chocolate Chilli Ingredients (Serves 6) 2 aubergine (whole) 1 white onion (diced) 4 carrots (in tiny small cubes or largest section of the grater) 4 sticks of celery (in tiny small cubes or largest section of the grater) 1 red bell pepper diced 400g can green cooked lentils 400g can kidney beans in chilli sauce 2 x 400g can plum tomatoes 2 tsp miso paste 50g dark chocolate (very finely chopped) 250g chestnut mushrooms (sliced) 5 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp hot chilli powder 3 tsp oregano 4 tsp cumin 3 tsp paprika 3 tsp cayenne pepper (ground) 3 tsp ground coriander 2 veg stock pots 2 limes Water when needed Bunch of coriander chopped to garnish

Method Put the two aubergines into a medium/high oven and roast whole for 30 minutes or until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle – set aside to cool.

In a large oven proof deep pan add 2cm of water, then add your onion, carrots and celery – pop the lid on and steam fry over a low-medium heat for about 15-20 minutes or until the ‘mix’ is soft.

Cut your aubergines in half and scoop out the inside, if it is still slightly firm then you can roughly chop it into small chunks and set aside.

Add in your tinned lentils (drained and rinsed), your chilli kidney beans with all the sauce, plum tomatoes, aubergine, soy sauce, chocolate, 2 veg stock pots and all herbs and spices. Stir well and add drops of water if you feel it is getting too thick while cooking. Bring your mix to the boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer or pop in a slow cooker.

Cook the mix for at least 1 hour stirring every 20 minutes or if you prefer once bubbling pop in the oven to cook out at a medium heat.

Before you serve add the juice of 2 limes and stir in well. You may want to season with some salt (I use Himalayan pink salt) and adjust any spices for taste, sometimes go less on the chilli and cayenne as you can always add more.

Serve on basmati rice, chopped coriander sprinkled on top and petis pois.

Benefits This dish really is a fantastic start to introducing more plant based recipes into your daily life. Packed full of wholesome foods and using the aubergine as a ‘mince’ replacement you are getting minerals, potassium, B1 and B6 to name a few naturally into your body. Its antioxidant properties along with the mushrooms and lentils gives you a balanced diet, may help lower your cholesterol, blood pressure and keep you lean.

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Plant and Ale Pie Ingredients (Serves 6) 1 onion – diced 2 sweet potatoes – cubed 1 butternut squash – cubed 1 suede – cubed 3 celery sticks – chopped chunky 3 carrots – sliced 1 small pack of chestnut mushrooms – halved 1 bottle of real ale 1 tbsp of marmite 2 veg stock pots Gravy granules of your choice – to thicken 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast Soy sauce Tsp dried thyme Jus roll puff pastry sheets x 2 (or one if using a smaller pie dish) Vegan butter

Method Fry off the onion, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and suede with the celery and carrots in some water with the lid on (I fill the pan to half way up the vegetables with the water) on a medium heat and stir every few minutes for 15 minutes.

Next add a bottle of real ale and simmer for 5 minutes, then add your mushrooms, marmite, veg stock pots, some gravy granules and the nutritional yeast and a dash of soy sauce.

Cook your mix out until the root veggies are soft and adjust flavourings if needed, I now add some dried thyme and season with salt and pepper.

When you are happy with the thickness and taste add the root veg mix to your pie dish and let it cool. Once cooled add the puff pastry sheets over the mix and lap them over the edges of your pie dish and brush the vegan butter on it to brown. Cook in the oven for 40 minutes on a medium/high heat or until the pastry is browned nicely.

Serve with mash or roast potatoes and green vegetables of your choice.

Benefits

For all you pie lovers this is the ultimate winter warmer with a deep rich flavour that even meat lovers find hard to say no to. This is a much healthier alternative to a traditional meat based pie as it is much lower in saturated fats and contains no cholesterol which can help to lower your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

www.recipesforvitality.com

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"I do hope you enjoy my recipes!"

Natalie Sabih-Stone www.recipesforvitality.com Designed by www.spotgraphics.co.uk