The Perfect Veggie Fry Up

Saturday is fry up day in our household. We have a lazy lie in (well we stay in bed and bribe Lex to stay upstairs for as long as possible...) and the come down to a large pot of coffee and a fry up for brunch.

For 3 people you need:
2 medium tomatoes, sliced in half
4-5 small mushrooms, destalked
2 knobs butter
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sunflower oil
3 hash browns
5 potato croquettes
3 rashers veggie bacon
3 veggie sausages
1 can beans
2 slices toast with butter and good quality marmalade
copious fresh orange juice
3 eggs

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and season. Drizzle over the oil and bake for 15 mins in a hot oven.

Place the mushrooms in a pan, with some butter, seasoning and the sunflower oil. Cook covered for 10 mins before removing the lid and allowing to brown slightly.

Cook the croquettes and hash browns as per instructions on the packet (i.e. bung them into a hot oven for about 20 mins). Do the same with the sausages.

Heat the beans in a pan.

Fry the eggs. Toast the bread. Cook the bacon in the oven for 2 mins each side.

Serve, scoff and then run away and hide from the washing up...!

Lex's Favourite Snack (aka a plain omelette...)

This is what Lex requests most often for supper after school. It takes 3 minutes to make and imho is a good, filling snack.

For one hungry boy you need:
2 eggs
1 tsp sunflower oil
3 tbsp ketchup

Break the eggs in to a bowl and whisk lightly. Heat the oil in a small non stick frying pan. Add the eggs and swirl to cover the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and leave to set on the bottom side. Once mostly set, flip over the eggs and cook on the other side for 30 seconds. Serve with copious ketchup and the Simpsons.

Thai Broth with Vegetables and Noodles (v)

I had a hangover yesterday. A hangover of epic proportions. A hangover never again to be repeated (until the next time ;-)). This was an attempt to restore some normality to my poor tummy and head...

For 2-3 portions you need:
1 can coconut milk
1 small can coconut cream
1 small jar thai red curry paste
500ml boiling water
1 courgette, roughly chopped
1/2 pack stir fry veggies
1 pack pak choi, chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
2 handfuls peanuts
2 tbsp soya sauce
1/2 lime, squeezed
2 nests fine noodles

Place everything bar the peanuts, soya sauce, spring onions, pak choi and lime juice in a pan and bring to the boil. Stir well and simmer for 3-4 mins till the noodles are cooked. Add the pak choi and steam for one further minute. Serve in ramen bowls topped with the remaining ingredients and eat. Feel immediately better.

Marmite and Vegetable Stew (v)

Yes this is another variation on my favourite theme of the moment: slow cooker magic! But honestly, there's nothing nicer than coming home after a bloody long day to a hot, filling meal. Bliiiiiiiiis...

For 4-6 portions you need:
2 medium onions, chopped
1 leek, sliced
4 carrots, chopped
1/2 swede, diced
1 turnip, diced
2 sweet potatoes, diced
1/2 cup each of red lentils, pearl barley and quinoa
1.5 litres boiling water
1 tbap marmite

Bung everything into the slow cooker and leave on low for 8-10 hours. Eat. Sigh. Feel happy.

Vegan Peppermint Creams (v)

This recipe replaces dried egg White with liquid glucose so is effectively peppermint fondant icing. Cut in to whatever shapes you fancy.

For 30 or so shapes you need:
250g sifted icing sugar
2 tsp peppermint extract (or to taste)
2 tsp lemon juice
A little water if necessary
2 tsp liquid glucose

Mix everything together until it forms a soft dough. Add more water if needed. Roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin and then cut into shapes. Leave to firm on a cling film lined tray till dry. Scoff. Dip in plain chocolate if you fancy.

Coconut Ice Snowmen

These are cute and easy and go down well with teachers!

For about 20 snowmen you need:
200g condensed milk
250g sifted icing sugar
200g desiccated coconut
Petit four cases

Sift the icing sugar in to a bowl and add the milk. Mix well and stir in the coconut. Roll into balls, placing a slightly larger one in the base of the petit four case and top it with a smaller ball. Leave to set and then deliver to coos of delight.

Root Vegetables in Beer (v)

This is ultimate winter comfort food. Ad it's also being blogged cos I was moaned at for being too political in my tweets recently what with all the to do over tuition fees etc ;) so here is a nice comforting recipe to sustain you after being kettled for hours by evil Police officers :)

For 4-6 portions you need:
4 carrots, peeled and cut into diagonal wodges
2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 large turnip peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 swede oiled and roughly chopped
8 baby onions/shallots, peeled
1 can guiness
2 tbsp each of soya sauce, mushroom ketchup and hendersons relish
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried herbs e.g. oregano
2 tbsp soya marge/butter
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pack vegan beef style chunks
1 tsp marmite

Hea the oil and sauté the vegetables in a pan, covered with a lid, for about 10 mins. Add everything else, aside from the butter and flour, and cook for 15 mins or so till the vegetables are tender. Mix the flour with the butter to make a buerre marnie and mix in to the stew. Allow to thicken and then serve with mashed potatoes. Lovely.