Courgette, Green Bean and New Potato Salad

It's that time of year again and my home grown courgettes are fruiting in abundance - the yellow variety are doing particularly well.  As I'm not a fan of traditional potato salad, coated in mayonnaise, I devised this recipe instead.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish

• 200g/8oz baby courgettes/zucchini, sliced
• 100g/4oz green beans, sliced
• 500g/1lb new potatoes, halved if large
• 2 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
• 2 tbsp olive oil

For the dressing:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• a good handful of chopped, fresh tarragon or a mixture of any fresh, green herbs you have to hand (parsley, oregano, basil, mint etc)
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
• 2 heaped tsp coarse grain mustard
• Himalayan pink salt to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 200 C/190 C Fan/400 F/Gas 6 and heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a baking tray or dish.

Boil the new potatoes for around 15-20 minutes (until tender), drain, then add to the hot roasting dish. Turn to coat with the oil and sprinkle with salt to taste.
After 5 minutes in the oven, add the sliced courgettes and garlic. Roast for  a further 10 minutes, or until beginning to turn a golden brown.

Meanwhile, boil the green beans for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente.
Drain and set aside.

Once the potatoes and courgettes are nicely browned, add the green beans to the baking dish and roast for a further 3-5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Make the dressing by blending or mixing the crushed, roasted garlic, oil, herbs, vinegar and mustard.
Pour over the warm vegetables and turn gently to coat with the dressing.

Serve warm or cold for lunch or with barbecued food.

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Piri-Piri Mushroom & Halloumi 'Burger'

This super-easy meal was inspired by a well-known chicken burger chain. I ate there once. I enjoyed the 'burger' but didn't know how they could possibly charge £6 (that's without any side orders) for something so cheap and simple to prepare. I knew I could make a similar meal far cheaper with better ingredients, so I did...

Assuming you have most of the piri-piri/peri-peri sauce ingredients already, this costs around £1.50 per portion for the 'burger'. For 4 servings, I used: Sainsbury's Halloumi £2.25, large, flat mushrooms £1.40, burger buns 70p, lemon 35p, lettuce 60p.

Serves 4

For the burgers:

• 1 (250g/10oz) pack of halloumi cheese cut into 8 slices
• 4 large flat/Portabello mushrooms, wiped and de-stalked
• 4 burger buns (or make your own)
• Finely sliced lettuce

For the piri-piri sauce:

• 1-2 red chillis - finely chopped (or use 2 tsp frozen chopped chilli, or hot chilli sauce)
• 1 lemon, juiced (add zest for more citrus flavour)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• A pinch of salt (vegan version only)

Make up the piri-piri sauce, by mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl, or whizzing up in a mini food-processor.

Brush the mushrooms with the sauce and either fry, grill or barbecue them until soft and golden brown. Keep warm in the oven.

Repeat with the halloumi cheese slices.

Put a little shredded lettuce on the bottom half of a bread roll.

Layer up with the mushroom and 2 slices of cheese, a little more piri-piri sauce and topping with the other half of the bun.

Serve with grilled corn-on-the-cob and/or home-made seasoned sweet potato wedges.

Mushroom alternative: For fungi-phobes like Miss K, use grilled bell pepper instead.
Vegan alternative: Omit the halloumi and top the mushroom with a good dollop of vegan coleslaw.

Camping alternative: Use ready made piri-piri sauce.

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Cheddar Cheese Fondue

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It might be a little retro for some, but the Onykahonie household love a cheese fondue; in fact we love anything cheesy, including Eurovision,  X Factor and Abba! 

In this recipe, I added a British twists by swapping the traditional Emmental cheese for Cheddar, as I find the combination of Gruyère and Emmental is just too cheesy, even for a cheese lover like me! I also used dry British cider instead of wine and I prefer the flavour with the Cheddar...

Serves 2-4 - double this recipe to share with more people

• 1 clove of garlic
• 225 ml/1 cup dry/hard cider (or dry white wine) 
• 150g/6oz medium or mature Cheddar cheese, grated
• 150g/6oz vegetarian Gruyère cheese, grated
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp apple brandy/kirsch (optional)
• A little grated nutmeg
• toasted ciabatta/pitta, bread-sticks, crudites, potato wedges, breaded mushrooms, onion rings etc, for dipping

Cut the clove of garlic in half and rub around the inside of the pan/fondue pan.
Mix the brandy/kirsch or a little of the cider/wine with the cornflour, in a cup.
Heat the cider/wine (add the halved garlic clove too, if you like) in the pan until warm.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cornflour mixture and season with nutmeg.
Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring regularly. 
As soon as the mixture starts to bubble, add the cheese a little at a time, whisking all the time, until the cheese has melted and you have a smooth mixture.

Keep warm and serve with baked/toasted chunks of ciabatta, crudites, bread-sticks etc.

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Alternative: For a quick and easy cheese fondue without all the faff, just take a whole Camembert, remove any plastic packaging and wrap in a layer of grease-proof paper (or original wrapping) and foil.

Bake for 20 minutes at 180C/170C Fan/Gas4/350F or on the barbecue. 

When melted, score around the top and remove the 'skin'.

To flavour the cheese, score little cuts into the top of the cheese before cooking and insert slices of garlic and/or springs of rosemary. Remove these before serving.

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No-Bake Mini Desserts

If you're hosting a bbq, party or buffet and catering for a large number of people, make up a batch of these really simple mini-puddings in advance and refrigerate until needed.

You can buy packs of mini plastic shot 'glasses' from pound stores and supermarkets.

Serves 10 (1 of each dessert per person) - double or treble the recipe to feed more!

For the basic mix

• 250g/10 oz lighter/reduced fat mascarpone 
• 200ml/8fl oz double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

Lightly whip the cream.

Add the remaining ingredients and lightly whisk together.
Divide between two bowls...

Tiramisu

• 50g/2 oz amaretti or chocolate chip biscuits/cookies, roughly crushed
• 1 tsp coffee granules dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water, allowed to cool and mixed with 1 tbsp Amaretto or Tia Maria
• 1 tbsp Bailey's liqueur
• Crushed chocolate flake/chocolate chips/drinking chocolate powder to top

Evenly divide the crushed biscuits between 10 small shot glasses.
Drizzle around 1 tsp of the cold coffee/liqueur mixture over the biscuits in each glass.
Mix the Bailey's into one half of the cream cheese mixture.
Using a teaspoon, carefully spoon the mixture into each glass.
Top with crushed chocolate flake/chocolate chips or drinking chocolate powder.
Chill until needed.

Alternative:  For an alcohol-free version, swap the liqueurs for cold strong coffee.

Deconstructed Strawberry Shortcake

• 50g/2 oz shortbread biscuits, roughly crushed
• 100g/4oz ripe strawberries, half diced finely, half sliced
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Mix the vanilla extract into the remaining half of the cream cheese mixture.
Lightly fold in the diced strawberries and crushed biscuits.
Using a teaspoon, carefully spoon the mixture into 10 small shot glasses.
Top with the sliced strawberries.
Chill until needed.

Alternative: Swap the shortbread biscuits for crushed meringue to make Eton Mess.

Not suitable for freezing. Eat within 24 hours of making.

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Paneer Tikka Kebabs

These simple paneer tikka kebabs taste delicious cooked on the barbecue, but can be grilled or baked instead.

• 200g/8oz paneer, cubed
• 2 bell peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarters 

For the marinade:

• 2 tsp tandoori/tikka spice mix or paste
• 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 heaped tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

For the mint sauce:

• 1 cup of plain yogurt/dairy-free yogurt
• 1 small clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp garden mint sauce concentrate (the type you add your own sugar and vinegar to)
• A few dashes of chilli sauce

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl.
Add all of the kebab ingredients and coat well in the marinade.
Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for an hour.
Soak wooden kebab skewers in water for a few minutes (to help prevent them from burning), and thread alternate chunks of paneer, onion and pepper onto the skewers.
Grill or bbq for around 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
Serve in a warm pitta or naan bread with salad and mint sauce. 

To make the mint sauce, simply mix all of the ingredients together, adding chilli sauce to taste.

Alternative: Use diced meat-free/Quorn 'chicken-style' fillets instead of paneer if preferred.
For an easy camping version, just swap the marinade ingredients, for a ready-made tikka paste.
Vegan version: Use whole button mushrooms or firm, pressed tofu instead of the paneer.

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Lime and Coriander Quorn Kebabs

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This is another old recipe which I have veganised/vegetarianised...the original recipe used sardines. Use Quorn or any other meat-free alternative such as firm tofu or paneer, depending on which you prefer. This dish went down particularly well with the chicken-eating Mr O!

Serves 8 as a starter/4 as a main course

• 1 pack of Quorn fillets/vegetarian or vegan chicken-style fillets, defrosted if frozen
• 2 limes (or 1 lemon), juice and zest 
• 1 tsp ground sweet paprika
• ½ red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped or ½ tsp hot chilli sauce
• 2 tsbp olive oil
• 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp chopped coriander or parsley

Mix the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl.
Cut the vegetarian fillets into large chunks (about 1"/2½cm square)  - I cut each Quorn fillet into 6 pieces.
Add the Quorn pieces to the bowl and turn to coat.
Marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge.
Thread the pieces onto skewers, retaining any marinade (if using wooden skewers, soak them first in water...I forgot to do this, hence the charred ends in the photo!)
Grill or bbq for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with the remaining marinade, until cooked through and lightly browned.

Serve with a side salad and a wedge of lemon/lime as a starter, or with rice or a wrap for a more substantial dish.

Not suitable for freezing.

Alternatives: Add whole button mushrooms, sliced courgette, bell peppers and onion to the kebabs. Pin It

Peri Peri Vegetable and Halloumi Stacks

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This is a posh, dinner party version of my roasted vegetables with halloumi recipe. I think it looks much prettier sitting in a stack with a drizzle of home made peri-peri sauce encircling it, although both versions taste good!

Serves 4

For the stacks:

• 1 large aubergine, sliced thickly
• 1 large courgette, cut in half and then sliced into strips
• 2 large bell peppers, deseeded and cut into quarters
• 1 large sweet potato or baking potato, peeled and sliced thickly
• 4 large, flat mushrooms, de-stalked
• 200g halloumi cheese, sliced thickly 

For the peri-peri/piri-piri sauce:

• 1-2 large red chillis - grated* or finely chopped
• 1 large lemon or 2 limes, juiced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano

Make up the peri-peri sauce, by mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Brush the vegetables and halloumi cheese slices liberally with olive oil and either fry, grill or barbecue them in batches until soft and golden brown; Cook the sweet potato/potato and aubergine slices first as they take longer to cook.
Keep them warm in the oven (on a baking tray) until all the ingredients have been cooked.

Drizzle the vegetables and cheese with half of the peri-peri sauce and return to the oven for 5 minutes. 
Stack the vegetables and cheese slices on four plates.
Drizzle the remaining sauce around each stack.
Skewer with a cocktail stick and top with a sprig of parsley.
Serve with home made bread or mini roasted potatoes and salad.

Not suitable for freezing.

*Top tip: Freeze the chilli and then grate on a fine grater from the pointy end. Once you get to the seeds at the stalk end, discard the chilli.

Vegan Option: Either omit the halloumi cheese or swap for  vegan cheese or firm, drained and fried tofu (marinate tofu in some of the peri-peri sauce before frying). 

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Barbecue Sauce (Vegan)

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This is my tried and tested bbq sauce recipe, which is great for basting and serving with barbecued veggie burgers, kebabs and sausages.

• 5 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp white wine/cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp vegan Worcester Sauce (I use Life Worcester Sauce)
• 1 tsp soft brown sugar (optional)
• ½ tsp dried English mustard powder (or use a pinch of cayenne)
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dried oregano

Mix the dry ingredients with the vinegar and Worcester sauce. 
Add the ketchup and stir well.
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until needed (keeps for 1 week).

Alternatives: Add different herbs and spices if preferred.

Find more bbq recipes here. Pin It

How to make your own vegetarian chorizo

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I have an admission to make...I've never eaten real chorizo sausages, so my humble attempt at a recipe for vegetarian version of chorizo may be way off. However, it's worth having a go at making them, as they taste good whether they're realistic or not! I've looked at loads of  meaty recipes and I've come up with a combination based on those flavours added to my basic shami kebab recipe.

Makes 8 sausages

• 1 ½ cups vegetarian mince (vegetarian ground-beef style crumbles), defrosted if frozen
• 1 ½ cups fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 1 large onion, finely chopped or grated
• 1 small or medium egg
• 2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 heaped tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp sweet/mild paprika 
• 1 tsp chilli paste/1 fresh red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
• ½ tsp ground fennel seeds
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Black pepper to season
• 1 tbsp tomato purée 
• 2 tbsp wine/cider vinegar

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan.

Add the onion and cook on a medium heat until soft, but not brown.
Add the garlic, herbs and spices and cook for a further minute

Stir in the tomato purée and vinegar and heat through.

Remove from the heat.

Place the veggie mince and breadcrumbs in a bowl and mix to combine, breaking up any lumps of veggie mince. 

Add the onion and spice mixture and stir together (or blend in a food processor for a smoother texture -  I did this the second time I made them, and found that they stuck together a little better).

Finally add the egg and mix/blend until combined to make a firm but moist mixture, adding more breadcrumbs if needed.

Place in the fridge and allow to firm up for 30 minutes.
Shape into 8 sausages or 16 meatballs, and fry on a low-medium heat for 10 minutes, turning once or twice. Alternatively, brush with oil and bake in the oven at 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 for around 15 minutes, or grill/broil/bbq.

Eat hot or cold.
Suitable for freezing.

Alternatives: For a vegan version, replace the egg with a suitable binder.
For a Mexican-style vegetarian chorizo sausage, swap the ground fennel and smoked paprika for ¼ tsp ground cinnamon and 1-2 tsp ground cumin. 

Find loads more veggie recipes celebrating National Vegetarian week, over at Tinned Tomatoes.

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Veggie Mince Shami Kebabs

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My mum used to make shami keema kebabs (in fact she may still make them, but she obviously doesn't make them when we are visiting!). I thought I'd have a go at making a vegetarian version using veggie mince and breadcrumbs to replace the meat, and I was pleased with the result. 

Serves 4-6

• 200g/8oz vegetarian mince (I used Quorn) - defrosted if frozen
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (about 100g/4oz)
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 large onion finely chopped or grated
• 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped/1 tsp chilli paste, optional
• 3 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds

Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan.
Fry the spices with the onion and garlic on a low heat for a few minutes, until the onion is soft.
Remove from the heat.
Put all of the ingredients into the food processor and blend until combined.

Chill for 30 minutes to firm up.
Form into 8-12 small sausage or burger shapes, pressing the mixture together with your hands.
Shallow fry in a drop of oil until golden brown, or brush with oil and grill or bbq.

Serve with spicy pilau rice, or in bread rolls, chapattis or wraps...they taste great with a good dollup of tomato ketchup!

Alternatives: Add 1-2 tbsp of your favourite curry paste instead of the spices/chilli if preferred.
For a Middle-Eastern version (Kabab Koobideh), swap the spices for some finely chopped parsley, ½ tsp cinnamon and ½tsp sumac. Rolls the mixture out into thinner, longer sausage shapes and cook as above.

I haven't tried making a vegan version yet, but you would need to swap the egg for something that would help bind the mixture together (maybe arrowroot?). If you find one that works, please let me know!

Not suitable for freezing. Pin It

Squash, Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad

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A friend passed this hearty salad recipe on to me, which she found on the American blog called Stacey Snacks. I've changed the recipe a bit, using a combination of squash and sweet potato and adding some fennel seeds.

Serves 4-8 as a side salad

• 300g/12oz butternut or other firm pumpkin/squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 300g/12oz sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 50g/2oz dried puy lentils
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp fresh, chopped parsley or mint
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp wine or cider vinegar
• 100g feta/soft goats cheese, crumbled (optional)
• Salad leaves to serve

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a non-stick baking dish, in a pre-heated oven (190C/180C Fan/Gas 5).

Add the squash and sweet potatoes and coat with the oil.

Bake for 20-30 minutes turning once or twice. 

Sprinkle with the spices and bake for a further 10 minutes until cooked and golden.

Meanwhile boil the lentils for about 20-25 minutes, then drain.

Allow the vegetables and lentils to cool for around 20 minutes.

Mix the remaining oil, vinegar and herbs in a bowl to make the dressing.

Add the lentils to the baking dish and pour the dressing over the warm vegetables.

Mix well to coat.

Serve warm or cold on a bed of salad leaves, topping with the cheese (optional) - leave out for a vegan dish.

Variations: Add a combination of other vegetables such as bell peppers, courgettes and sweetcorn.
Vegan option: Swap the feta for some toasted pine nuts.

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Herby Glamorgan Sausages

This recipe came about as we fancied a cooked veggie breakfast last weekend and didn't have any vegetarian sausages in the freezer. I had a couple of bits of cheese that needed using up, so made up some Glamorgan sausages, using the left over cheeses instead of Caerphilly.

If you have a food processor, you can make these in just a few minutes.

Makes 8 mini or 4 large sausages (or about 8-12 'meatball' sized balls).

• 100g/4oz grated hard cheese (you should traditionally use Caerphilly, but I used feta and cheddar)
• 2-3 slices of stale bread made into breadcrumbs
• 1 small onion, diced finely or grated
• 1 medium egg
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped herbs (I used parsley, sage and rosemary)
• black pepper
• ½ tsp English mustard powder or paprika

Cook the onion in a drop of oil or a knob of butter, until soft (I microwaved it in a covered bowl).
Mix the cheese, breadcrumbs, herbs and seasoning together.
Add the onion and stir in the egg to bind the mixture and make a firm dough.
Add more breadcrumbs if the dough is too sticky to handle.
Divide the mixture into the required number of pieces and roll into sausage shapes (or meat balls).
Heat a drop of vegetable oil in a frying pan.
Cook the sausages for about 5-8 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden brown.

Serve as part of a 'traditional' vegetarian British breakfast; Instead of meatballs with a spicy tomato sauce and pasta, or eat cold for lunch with a salad.


Alternatives: Add extra flavourings such as chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives etc.
To barbecue, brush with oil first.

Suitable for freezing.

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Easy Falafel

I've made several versions of falafel in the past, but they've always been apt to fall apart on cooking. Not a major problem, but I've found that adding an egg and some fresh breadcrumbs to the mixture makes a more structurally sound falafel, which will even stand up to barbecuing.

Makes 8-10 falafel.

• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin 
• a little black pepper or chilli powder
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 tbsp tahini paste 
• 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 egg 

Blend the chickpeas, garlic, herbs and spices with the tahini and egg.
Mix in enough fresh breadcrumbs to make a dough-like mixture - add more if needed.
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
Form into 8-10 small balls and flatten slightly.
Brush with vegetable oil on both sides and fry, oven bake or barbecue.

Serve with salad and hummus or tzatziki.

Makes 4 large 'veggie burger' patties instead of falafel.

Suitable for freezing.

Vegan alternative: Omit the egg and replace with and extra 1 tbsp tahini paste for a vegan option. Use around ½ cup of fresh (vegan) breadcrumbs,as the mixture will be slightly drier. Pin It

Tzatziki Dip

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Tzatziki is one of my family's favourite things to eat and always bring back memories of our many holidays in Greece. It's really simple to make and tastes so much better than the shop-bought variety.
I forgot to take a photo of my last batch of tzatziki, so I've included a photo from our holiday in Skiathos, instead!

• 250ml Greek/Greek-style plain yogurt
• ¼ cucumber, grated
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed 
• a little chopped fresh dill (optional)
• a dash of chilli sauce/pinch of cayenne/black pepper to taste (optional)

Grate the cucumber onto several sheets of kitchen roll.
Squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the cucumber.
Mix all of the ingredients together and chill until needed.
Serve with fresh, warm pitta bread.

Alternative: I'm not sure how this would taste using a dairy-free yogurt, but it's worth a try...you might want to add a glug of olive oil to get a more 'creamy' taste. Let me know if it works!

More Greek meze recipes: Greek salad, Hummus, Aubergine dip

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Fried Aubergine/Eggplant with Herbs and Garlic (Vegan)

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This is a recipe which I've adapted from the Greek Vegetarian by Diane Kochilas. Serves 4 as a starter or side dish.

• 2 aubergines cut into 2-3cm chunks
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (or 1 tsp dried mint)
• 25g/1oz vegan Parmesan-style topping such as Parmazano (or grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese for non-vegans).

Fry the aubergine in batches in the olive oil, until soft and golden brown.
When all the aubergine is cooked, return to the pan and add the oregano, mint, garlic and vinegar.
Simmer on a low heat for around 3-5 minutes, until soft and tender. 
When cooked, sprinkle with the cheese/cheese substitute (optional).

Alternatively, marinate the aubergine in oil, vinegar, garlic and herbs. Thread onto skewers and cook on the barbecue.

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Vegetarian and vegan barbecue recipes

There's nothing like the taste of barbecued food, but us vegetarians and vegans sometimes get raw deal (excuse the pun) in the barbecue department. 

If eating with non-veggie friends and family, we might find that we can't cook our food on the BBQ at all, as it's full to bursting with slabs of meat, so our food gets relegated to the oven; Or if we are catered for on a separate barbie, we have the choice between a veggie burger or a sausage. Now, I know these are by far the easiest vegetarian options to BBQ, and they taste pretty good, but there are plenty more inventive and delicious options out there...

Halloumi cheese and vegetable kebabs
Thread chunks of halloumi, onion, mushroom, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, courgette etc onto skewers. Drizzle with oil before cooking on the BBQ.
(Vegan option - vegetable kebabs, marinated tofu/no halloumi.)

Baked feta in foil
Finely slice one onion and two green peppers. Divide the vegetables between 4 squares of foil. Cut the feta in four. Place a piece of cheese on top of each pile of vegetables.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with dried oregano/mixed herbs. Fold up foil tightly and place on the BBQ for 15 minutes. Warm pitta breads, spilt open and then fill with the feta and vegetables.
(Vegan option - baked vegetables topped with basil tofu.)

Barbecued portabello mushrooms
Brush mushrooms with olive oil, cook on one side, then turn over and top with a slice of cheese - goats cheese, halloumi or a strong cheddar work well. Cook for a few more minutes to heat the cheese through.
(Vegan option - mushrooms topped with vegan cheese, chutney or salsa.)

Stuffed bell peppers
Cut peppers in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Fill with packet/microwave rice or cous cous, drizzle with oil, wrap in foil and then place on the barbecue for around 20 minutes, turning twice.
Flavour combinations to mix into the the rice/cous cous, before cooking:

• A good pinch of cinnamon and a handful of raisins and pine nuts.
• 1 tsp garam masala and some drained, tinned chickpeas.
• 1 tsp oregano and a handful of chopped olives.
• 1 tsp basil and 1 tbsp sundried tomato paste.

Veggie tikka kebabs
Mix 1 tbsp of tandoori/tikka spice mix or paste with 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Marinade your choice of paneer/Quorn/meat-free chunks/very firm tofu for an hour (in the fridge). Thread onto skewers. Bbq for 10 minutes, turning 2-3 times.

Sausage kebabs
Defrost a pack of veggie sausages slightly and cut into thirds. Cut 2 bell peppers and 1 onion into chunks and wipe a handful of button mushrooms. 
Thread the sausages and vegetables onto skewers alternately and drizzle with a little oil or bbq sauce. Barbecue for around 10 minutes turning once or twice.

Corn on the cob
Place each cob on a piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil or add a knob of butter. Wrap tightly and cook for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally. To speed up up cooking time, microwave (covered with cling film) for 3-4 minutes, before bbqing.

Vegan garlic bread
Mix 50g/2oz dairy-free spread with 1 crushed clove of garlic and a good pinch of dried mixed herbs. Cut a ciabatta or small baguette in half, lengthwise. Spread the garlic butter on both cut sides. Sandwich together and wrap in foil. BBQ for 10 minutes turning occasionally. Brown off by placing directly on the grill for the last couple of minutes.

Other recipes suitable for the bbq

• Veggie shami kebabs
• Veggie chorizo
• Glamorgan sausages
• Lime and coriander Quorn kebabs

My camping food page contains more ideas suitable for alfresco eating.

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Vegetarian and vegan camping recipes

There's something special about eating outside. I don't know what it is, but food just tastes better in the great outdoors, whether that's in the back garden, on a picnic, or during a camping trip. I know it's a bit early in the season to talk about camping, but the sun's been out and the holidays are just around the corner, so I'm posting this before it starts raining again!

I reckon that the key to great camping food is good planning!
I plan our camping meals in advance and write them down as a meal plan, so I know what to take and what to buy on site.

We generally take these staple foods and buy fresh ingredients as needed:

• Small bottle of olive oil
• Small jar of Marmite, jam or Nutella in a small pot
• Tins of beans/chopped tomatoes/sweetcorn
• Packet of microwave rice
• Packet of tortilla wraps
• Bread rolls
• Small bottle of tomato ketchup
• Small portions of dried herbs/spices in little bags  
• Tea bags
• Litre carton of fruit juice, frozen to use as ice pack in the cool box
• Packet of dried burger/sausage mix or frozen burgers/sausages/veggie bacon

We also take the following cooking equipment with us:

• Camping kettle
• 2 x 1 ring gas stoves
• Small frying pan
• Small saucepan
• Small sharp vegetable knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Can/bottle opener
• Tongs/spatula/spoon
• Skewers
• Foil 
• Plastic cutlery/picnic set
• Small chopping board

All of the recipes/ideas below either require no cooking, or can be cooked on a one/two ring camping stove.

Breakfasts

• Fried eggs/omelette/baked beans/veggie bacon/veggie sausages/hash browns/tinned spaghetti with fresh bread.
• Warmed croissants/crumpets/mini pancakes/waffles/pastries.
• Scones with jam.
• Cereal with or without milk/non-dairy milk.
• Cereal/flapjack bar.
• Fresh/tinned fruit.

Lunches

• Filled sandwiches/baguettes/bagels.
• Tinned/packet soup and bread.
• Baked beans/tinned spaghetti and crusty bread.
• Instant noodles.
• Crudites, breads and dips - Buy tubs of dips (hummous, tzatziki, salsa etc), bread-sticks, pitta bread etc. Make cucumber, pepper and carrot crudites.
• Pittas stuffed with ready-made falafels and salad.
• Veggie burgers, hot dogs or sausages in bread rolls.
• Ready-made onion bhajis/vegetable pakoras/samosas with naan.

One Pan Camping Meals

Garlic mushrooms - heat a drop of oil/butter in a pan. Add sliced mushrooms, a chopped red pepper and a large clove of crushed garlic. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Serve on warm ciabatta or garlic bread.

Quick veggie chilli/curry - Fry a chopped onion in a drop of oil. Add either 2-3 tsp mild chilli powder/fajita seasoning OR 1 tbsp curry powder/paste. Add a tin of ratatouille (or some chopped veg and a tin of chopped tomatoes) and a drained tin of beans/chickpeas/lentils. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve with wraps/nachos or naan bread.

Macaroni cheese - Buy a pot of 'fresh' cheese sauce and a bag of fresh pasta. Cook the pasta and drain. Pour the sauce over and heat through.
(Vegan option - use a tub of 'fresh' tomato and basil sauce and egg-free pasta.)

Quorn & vegetable pilaf - Make a simplified version using packet rice: Fry a chopped onion in a little oil, add some chopped veggie sausages or meat-free pieces and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1-2 packets of flavoured microwave rice and a drained tin of sweetcorn. Heat until piping hot, stirring regularly.

Vegetable fajitas - Make these with paneer/halloumi cheese, or Quorn pieces. Simplify spices by just using mild chilli powder or fajita seasoning.
(Vegan option - omit the cheese and add extra beans.)

Veggie couscous - a drop of oil in a pan. Fry 1 chopped onion until soft. Add a drained tin of chickpeas and heat through. Stir in 1 or 2 packets of instant Moroccan flavoured couscous. Add the required amount of boiling water, cover and leave to heat through as directed. 

Sloppy Joes - Make using ready-made bbq sauce. 

Quick Mexican quesadillas/burritos - Heat a tortilla wrap in a pan, spread with some tinned refried beans a dollop of tomato salsa and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Roll up the wrap and flip over to warm through. Or try these green vegetable burritos or the very tasty Hawaiian quesadillas  (vegan option - use vegan melting cheese.)

Middle Eastern pittas -  Heat a wholemeal pitta in a pan, split open and spread the inside with some olive paste. Fill with a few ready-made falafels, a chopped tomato and some crumbled feta cheese. Pop back in the pan to heat through. (Vegan option - omit the feta.)

Pesto spaghetti - Don't panic, I realise that pesto generally contains Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, which contain rennet, but I've found that the cheaper supermarket brands contain vegetarian 'hard cheese' instead (eg: ASDA smart price pesto.) Cook some fresh or dried spaghetti. Drain and add a good dollop of pesto. Stir through and serve.
(Vegan option - use vegan pesto or sun dried tomato paste.)

Cheese fondue - Add a glug of dry white wine and a handful of Gruyere cheese to a tub of fresh cheese sauce. Heat until bubbling gently. Alternatively, double wrap a whole Camembert cheese (plus box) in foil and cook on the bbq or stove for around 15 minutes, turning once or twice. Serve with chunks of ciabatta or breadsticks to dip in.

Frittata - Fry a chopped onion and a pepper in some oil. Add a drained tin of sweetcorn and break in 4 eggs. Mix well and cook for a few minutes until the eggs are cooked through. Serve with crusty bread.

Cheat's patatas bravas - Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan/frying pan. Shallow fry some (partially-defrosted) frozen potato chunks, turning every few minutes until golden-brown and crispy. Throw in 1 jar of tomato and chilli sauce and heat through. 

Baked beans with portabello mushrooms & halloumi - Heat 2 cans of baked beans and a tin of ratatouille. Add 4 tbsp of spicy barbecue sauce and heat. Serve with barbecued Portabello mushrooms, halloumi and garlic bread.

Two Pan Camping Meals

Noodles and stir fried vegetables - Buy a pack of stir fry vegetables, a sachet/jar of black bean or sweet and sour sauce and 2 small packs of 'quick noodles'. Boil a pan of water. Add the noodles, bring back to the boil, cover and remove from the heat.  Meanwhile, heat a drop of oil in a pan. Fry the veg for 2-3 minutes. Add the sauce and heat through. Drain the noodles and top with the veg and sauce.

Sausage and bean stew -  Chop an onion and fry in a drop of oil. Add some chopped veggie sausages and brown for a few minutes. Add a tin of tomatoes, a tin of baked beans, a small tin of sweetcorn and some mixed herbs. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile make up some instant mash, or cook some pasta, new potatoes or rice.

Mexican rice burritos - Fill wraps with a combination of Mexican rice, refried beans and grated cheese.

My barbecue food, kids' camping food, camping dessert recipes and family-friendly festival guide posts contains more ideas for campsite catering. If you have any other camping food suggestions, please do add them below.

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Baked Feta Cheese

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This is a recipe that I made up after eating several different variations on holiday in Greece. If you don't like the taste of feta, you could try it with a soft goat's cheese instead.
Serve as a starter with a salad and fresh crusty (or pitta) bread, as part of mezze, or as a sauce over pasta.

Serves 2-4 

• ¼ portion of tomato pasta sauce (whole recipe made with 1 tsp dried oregano rather than the fresh herbs).
• 1 pack (200g) of feta cheese
• Hot chilli powder or hot chilli sauce 

Make the sauce up and add a pinch of dried chilli or a dash of chilli sauce to the portion you're using in this recipe. Freeze the rest.
Pour the sauce into a small oven proof dish.
Top with the whole piece of feta and sprinkle with a little more oregano.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C/Gas 6 for around 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is starting to brown.

Alternative: If you don't like tomatoey sauces, try this version instead - Slice an onion and a green pepper thinly and lay on a piece of baking foil. Place the feta on top. Sprinkle with oregano and dried chilli and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly in the foil and bake as above.
You can also bake this on a barbecue.

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