It doesn't get greener than this

Say the word 'vegan' in this house, and you are more than likely going to met with a look of horror, not to mention a reluctance to venture anywhere close to the dinner table. Basically, we like cheese. Whether it's your English mature cheddar, your French Triple Cream Brie, your Dutch Gouda, Italian Pecorino Romano or Mexican cotija, we'll take seconds of that, thank you very much. Youngest son will eat the shredded variety out of the bag in handfuls which, yes, I know is kind of disgusting. We have even been in the US long enough to consider American cheese a real food, even if we eschew it in favor of its far superior European cousins. Vegan is a scary thought, and therefore, most of the vegetarian dishes that I indulge in tend to have cheese as an ingredient, even if it is but a sprinkling of parmesan at serving time.

However, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and knowing that we love coconut milk-based curry sauces in general, I thought this recipe was worth a try, and WOWSERS! This one is a keeper, lack of cheese notwithstanding. No, we are not going to stop raiding the Cotswold and Camembert selections at Trader Joe's, nor quit the occasional expensive nip into Whole Foods for some CowGirl Creamery deliciousness. But now and again, we will go cheese-free, and still end up smiling through our dinner.

Ginger Coconut Green Spaghetti
adapted from Produceonparade.com
Serves 5

16oz wholewheat spaghetti or linguine
olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 TBSP fresh ginger, grated
1 15oz can coconut milk (lite works fine, if you want to cut the fat)
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 bunch green swiss chard, stems removed and roughly chopped
3 handfuls fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
lemon wedges to serve

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti/linguine and cook according to directions, then drain and return to the pan.
2. In a large saute/frying pan, cook the garlic and ginger in some olive oil for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not yet sticking to the pan.
3. Add coconut milk, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the chard and spinach and mix to coat.
4. Put a lid on and simmer for about 5 minutes until the greens are all wilted.
5. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor, add the basil leaves and whizz until smooth. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.
6. Pour over the cooked pasta and stir to coat the pasta.
7. Serve in bowls with a lemon wedge to squeeze over the top.

Salad Season Cometh

Not too long ago, if you had said "Tahini" to me, I would probably have answered "Bless you!". And yet now, thanks to Yotam Ottolenghi, among other genius cookbook writers, Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food has become a staple feature of the cookbook aisles. And if you want to put one of those cookbooks to good use, then you're going to need some tahini. Allow a linguist a moment's digression: the word tahini is derived from an Arabic root meaning 'to grind'; unsurprising, since the sole ingredient in pure tahini paste is ground hulled sesame seeds.

Tahini is pretty widely available these days, and has the look and texture of a nut-butter. And, just like with a nut butter, you should set aside a little time (and be prepared to make a little mess) stirring it together each time before you use it, as the oil tends to settle on top, and needs to be reincorporated before you measure out the tahini you need for a recipe.

Spring is a tough time of year for me. My favorite foods, if the truth be told, are comfort foods drenched in sauces, soups, stews and the like, so winter is my sweet spot. I do love a good salad, but I need a gentle transition to the summer and its different eating style. I need to be coaxed back into the warm season. This recipe therefore caught my eye, because although it is called a salad, it can be served warm, and isn't your classic leaf-based salad, but more of a veggie side. I served it with a kale salad (there's a recipe for a rather delicious one here), and it made a delicious satisfying plant-based meal. I may not be ready to dish my bowls of chilli or saucy pastas just yet, but I'm at least heading in a summery direction!

Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Adapted from budgetbytes.com
Serves 5 (more if served as a side)

2 heads cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 red onion, quartered and then sliced into 1/4" thick slices
olive oil
salt and pepper
2/3 cup tahini
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400F (220C).
2. Toss the cauliflower and onion together on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with a few TBSP of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, then stir and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, by which time the cauliflower should be tinged with brown at the edges. Allow to cool slightly.
3. While the veggies are roasting, make the tahini dressing by whisking together the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and cayenne. Taste, and add a touch more cayenne if you like things more spicy :-)
4. Heat a TBSP of olive oil in a small skillet and add the chickpeas, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne. Toss over a medium high heat for about 5 minutes, until the chick peas start to color and go a little crispy. You'll need to stir them pretty much continually so that they don't stick and burn. Set aside.
5. Toss the still warm cauliflower and onion with most of the chopped parsley and the chick peas in a large bowl, and stir in most of the dressing (you probably don't need it all, so don't add it all straight away). Sprinkle with the remaining parsley to serve.