Top 10 Veggie and Vegan Blogs - National Vegetarian Week

 

I have to bring National Vegetarian Week to a close with my favourite veggie and vegan blogs. Those that will carry on eating veggie and sharing veggie recipes all year long. They are the heroes of this week.

It was so hard to pick a top 10,  to be honest top 20 would have been easier. There are so many fab blogs out there. I managed to narrow it down to my top 10. These are the blogs I love to visit, who challenge and inspire me. I don't visit them nearly enough, but when I do, I fall for them all over again.

 

Blog: Green Goumet Giraffe

Blogger: Johanna

Blog born: 2007

Location: Melbourne, Australia 

I've been friends with Johanna for 7 years  now. We met through our blogs in 2007 when we were just newbies. We hit it off right away and I've been lucky enough to meet up with Johanna in Edinburgh when she was visiting. Cooper had a rare time with her daughter Sylvia and I got to meet her lovely husband, who is a fellow Scot.

Johanna cooks family food, which is a mixture of vegetarian and vegan. She also gives us lovely glimpses of family life and cafe culture in Melbourne.

 Quinoa Pizza Balls

Green Gourmet Giraffe

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Blog: Amuse Your Bouche

Blogger: Becca

Blog born: 2011

Location: Liverpool, UK

I always think of Becca as a new blogger, but she's been writing over at Amuse Your Bouche for 3 years now. I just don't know where they time goes, I remember when her blog appeared as if it was yesterday. Saying that, you just need to visit Becca's blog to see how established and professional she is.

Becca makes the kind of vegetarian food I like. I've never yet seen a dish on her blog that I didn't want to eat. Of course the beautiful photography helps and the fact that she loves cheese as much as I do.

 

Burrito Bowls

Amuse Your Bouche

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Blog: Allotment 2 Kitchen

Blogger: Shaheen

Blog born: 2009

Location: Wales

Allotment 2 Kitchen is another blog I've been following for years. Originally Shaheen blogged recipes she created from veg out of her allotment just outside Glasgow. Her allotment was sadly vandalised, but although it shook her, Shaheen kept going,  producing gorgeous recipes that make the most of seasonal veg. I am sad to say I never got the chance to meet Shaheen before she moved to Wales where she currently resides.

 

Radish Leaf and Root Tart

Allotment 2 Kitchen

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Blog: Lisa's Kitchen

Blogger: Lisa

Blog born: 2007

Location: London, Ontorio, Canada

I can honestly say that Lisa is my best online buddy. We have been friends for years and gone through a lot together. It make us both sad that we live on opposite sides of the world, well really far away anyway.

Lisa's speciality is Indian food. She loves it and does it so well. She likes her food hot and thinks me a wuss for liking my spice milder. For all that, she has a wonderful blog and is a true friend, one who never forgets my birthday. Something I can't lay claim to. Have told you my memory is shocking?

Black Tea and Gingered Black-Eyed Peas

Lisa's Kitchen

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Blog: Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

Blogger: Susan

Blog born: 2006

Location: Jackson, Mississippi, US

Susan started off as a vegetarian back in 1988, but a few years later made the jump and became vegan. She lives in Mississippi with her teenage daughter and husband. She makes the most amazing vegan food and sinful but sin-free desserts. She is an all round lovely person and I love her blog. Her photographs are beautiful and her recipes inspired.

 

Beetballs

Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

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Blog: Veggie Desserts

Blogger: Kate

Blog born: 2013

Location: Midlands UK

Kate was born in Canada, but moved to England in her teens. She now lives with her husband and 2 little ones in the Midlands.

Her current obsession (I say that in a nice way) began when she was making her son's first birthday cake. It was to be a chocolate cake, but she wanted to make it healthier, so she made one layer a chocolate and beetroot cake and the other chocolate and butternut squash and so her journey began.

Kate's blog is full of cakes and desserts where vegetables are the star of the show. I admire Kate's skill and imagination so much. A wonderful blog.

Black Forest Cherry Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Veggie Desserts

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Blog: Simply Food

Blogger: Nayna

Blog born: 2008

Location: London, UK

Nayna lives in London with her family where she makes really great veggie food. I was lucky enough to meet her last year at Food Blogger Connect and we got on really well. She is such a warm and friendly person and it shines through in her blog too. I'm looking forward to meeting her at the conference again this year. Aren't we lucky to make so many good friends through our blogs? We have such a nice community.

New Potato Salad with a Yoghurt and Coriander Dressing

Simply Food

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Blog: Food to Glow
Blogger: Kellie
Blog born: 2011
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Kellie is from Florida, but she has lived in Edinburgh with her family for years. She isn't a vegan, but most of her recipes are. She's a health educationist and nutrition adviser with the Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres and she really believes that a plant diet is the best diet you can eat to look after your body.

Her photographs are stunning, her food enticing with it's lean towards Cuban and Florida style and she is another lovely blogger. I've had the pleasure to spend time with Kellie at the Scottish Food Blogger Conference in Ayr and last year's Food Blogger Connect. I look forward to meeting her again sometime.

Quinoa Bowl with Citrus, Avocado and Edamame 

Food to Glow 

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Blog: Keep Calm and Fanny On

Blogger: Veggie Fanny

Blog born: 2013

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

To be honest this blog is bathed in secrecy. We know it is a blog about making Franny Craddock's recipes veggie. We know the blogger lives in Edinburgh and is veggie, but that is about it. We don't know if it is a she or he, never mind what their name is. I'm hoping that once they get to know us better they will open up a bit, but until then go visit the blog. It's different, it's veggie and it's amusing.

Spinach Souffle Omelette

Keep Calm and Fanny On

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Blog: The Garden Grazer

Blogger: Kaitlin

Blog born: 2012

Location:Illinois, US


I love Kaitlin's blog. It's so clean and fresh with the most amazing photos that are sure to make you drool. Kaitlin is really into her veggies and she does such lovely things with them. I want to move in with her so she can feed me. I particularly love her chopped salads and Mexican dishes. Go visit, quickly, now!

Asian Garlic Tofu with Rice

The Garden Grazer

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I hope you have enjoyed my veggie posts for National Vegetarian Week and that you'll go visit my favourite veggie and vegan blogs. In case you missed them, here are my veggie week posts:

1. Bringing up a Vegetarian Child

2. Rocket Hummus

3. Falafel, Beetroot and Goats Cheese Wraps 

4. Tomato and Basil Gnocchi Bake 

5. Mediterranean Pizza with Goats Cheese and Rocket

6. Top 10 Veggie Burgers and Sausages

7. Choc Chip Sweet Cherry Yogurt Muffins

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Choc Chip and Sweet Cherry Yogurt Muffins

 

Day 6 of National Vegetarian Week and Yogurt Week.

Yes this is the first Yogurt Week here in the UK and it just so happens to fall on the same week as Veggie Week, which was set up by The Yogurt Council to celebrate all things yogurt.

There are so many ways you can enjoy yogurt – it's versatile, convenient and a great food staple for all the family. It's such a healthy ingredient and I always have a big tub of Greek Yogurt and some smaller tubs of flavoured yogurt in my fridge. The Greek I serve with fruit, in smoothies and in baking.

Today I have made some Choc Chip and Sweet Cherry Yogurt Muffins. They are golden, sweet and delicious, with bites of sweet dark chocolate and tangy hints of cherry.

They are adapted from one of my mum's old handwritten recipes, so it must be pretty old, but I don't know where it came from.

I've found that muffins made with yogurt don't rise as much as those without but as long as you don't over stir the batter, they will be light and fluffy.

 

Now for some yogurt facts:

• Yogurt contains a range of nutrients important in a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
• Yogurt is one of the oldest foods developed by man.  
• Yogurt is believed to have been eaten since 10,000 to 5,000 BC. 
• It is probable that the earliest yogurt was made by accident in Mesopotamia around 5,000 BC, when milk-producing animals were first domesticated. By 2,000 BC it is estimated that about half of the human population was accustomed to eating dairy products.    

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Choc Chip and Sweet Cherry Yogurt Muffins

Written by Jacqueline Meldrum

May 24, 2014

 

Mini golden muffins made with Greek yogurt and studded with dark chocolate chips and sweet cherries.

Ingredients

• 300g self-raising flour
• ½ baking powder
• 250g butter
• 240g Greek yogurt, made up to 250g with milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g golden caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 100g dried sweet cherries, chopped
• 100g dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 f/200 c/180 c fan/gas 6.2. In a pan, melt the butter, let it cool a little, then add the yogurt and vanilla extract and mix well.3. Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until frothy.4. Whisk the yogurt mixture into the eggs, then fold in the flour, cherries and chocolate chips. Be careful not to over mix as that will make the muffins heavy. Don't worry about lumps.5. Fill a 12 hole muffin tray. Each hole should be three quarter filled. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Check with a skewer to see if they are ready. It should come out clean.6. Leave them to cool for a few minutes in the muffin tray before moving to a cooling rack to continue cooling. Do the same for the second batch.7. Enjoy!

Details

Total time: 50 mins
Yield: 24 muffins

Recipe of the Day

 

Kale, Mint and Dark Chocolate Chunk Frozen Yogurt

from Veggie Desserts

Catch up on my other posts for veggie week and join in the conversation using #veggieweek and @nvw2014

• Bringing up a Vegetarian Child

• Rocket Hummus

• Falafel, Beetroot and Goats Cheese Wraps 

• Tomato and Basil Gnocchi Bake 

• Mediterranean Pizza with Goats Cheese and Rocket

• Top 10 Veggie Burgers and Sausages

Disclosure: this recipe was commissioned by the Yogurt Council. I was not expected to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are my own. For further information visit loveyogurt.org and follow @loveyogurtuk on Facebook and Twitter.

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Mediterranean Pizza with Goats Cheese and Rocket - National Vegetarian Week

 

National Vegetarian Week - Day 5

PIZZA. We all love it. Sometimes when you have a takeaway pizza, it can be really really bad, but good pizza, nay good homemade pizza is simplicity in itself and mouth-wateringly tasty.

There is such a variety of bases, sauces and toppings to add, it never needs to be the same twice.

This Mediterranean Pizza is my ultimate pizza. I could happily eat it again and again. In fact my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

 

I made it this week with wholemeal and onion pizza dough, but you could use my standard white pizza dough.

I topped it with my whizz bang pizza sauce, which is whizzed up in a flash and tastes fabulous, then I added fresh milky mozzarella and all my favourite pizza toppings, then I popped it in the oven until it was crisp and golden.

Before I served it I added a heap of fresh rocket and drizzled the pizza with chilli oil.

To make your own chilli oil, fill an oil drizzler with olive oil and chilli flakes. Over time the chilli will impart flavour and a kick into the oil. It's great for drizzling over pasta and salads as well as pizza.

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Mediterranean Pizza with Goats Cheese and Rocket

Written by Jacqueline Meldrum

May 23, 2014

 

Homemade pizza with all the flavours of the Mediterranean on freshly baked pizza dough and homemade pizza sauce. Well worth a bit off effort. The pizza dough and sauce can be made in advance and frozen.

Ingredients

• 1 portion fresh pizza dough
• 1 portion pizza sauce
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese
• 6 mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 sundried tomatoes, sliced
• ½ - 1 roasted red pepper
• a generous slice of goats cheese, crumbled
• a handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
• ½ tsp dried coriander
• a good grinding of black pepper
• a handful of fresh rocket leaves
• a drizzle of chilli oil (optional)
• a dusting of flour for rolling
• a dusting of polenta (or flour)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C /gas 8.2. Scatter some polenta over your baking sheet or pizza pan, to prevent the pizza from sticking. 3. Lightly dust your worktop and roll out a ball of dough until it is thin and even. The size of a dinner plate.4. Place your pizza base on the baking sheet and spoon over some pizza sauce and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon.5. Slice the mozzarella thinly and distribute across the pizza6. Top the pizza evenly with mushroom, pepper, sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and basil.7. Crumble the goats cheese over the pizza and then sprinkle on some oregano and a good grinding of black pepper.8. Bake in the over for 8-12 minutes. I like mine a little overdone, but take it out when it is right for you.9. Serve topped with a fresh rocket and a drizzle of chill oil.

Details

Total time: 25 mins
Yield: Make 1 thin and crispy 12 inch pizza

Veggie Recipe of the Day

Mushroom, Lemon and Lentil Salad

from Delicious Everyday

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Catch up on my other posts for veggie week and join in the conversation using:

 #veggieweek 

@nvw2014

• Bringing up a Vegetarian Child

• Rocket Hummus

• Falafel, Beetroot and Goats Cheese Wraps 

• Tomato and Basil Gnocchi Bake

• Wholegrain and Onion Pizza Dough

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Wholemeal and Onion Pizza Dough - National Vegetarian Week

 

National Vegetarian Week Day 4.

Nothing beats homemade pizza. Thin crisp dough, slathered with rich tomato sauce, topped with melted mozzarella and slightly charred vegetables.

It's such fun to make too. 

This is my fail safe pizza dough. I usually make it with strong white flour or wholemeal bread flour, but today I mixed my wholegrain with some onion bread flour I'd picked up at a market. If you want to recreate the flavour and don't have onion bread flour, you could add some crushed dried onions to your flour.

Use this recipe, but choose the flour you want to use. Decide how many pizzas you're making then make double the dough. You'll thank me the day you pull some fresh pizza dough out of the freezer before heading to work in the morning, then come home and quickly whip up the finest pizza.

Of course you may need a helper!

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Wholemeal and Onion Pizza Dough

May 22, 2014

My perfect pizza dough recipe, that can be changed to use whichever flour you like. It makes an easy and delicious thin, crispy pizza base.

Ingredients

• 250ml lukewarm water
• 2 tsp dried yeast
• 1 ½ tsp caster sugar
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 275g onion (bread) flour
• 200g wholegrain (bread) flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• a sprinkling of polenta

Instructions

1. Mix the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes until it has started to froth, then stir in the olive oil.2. Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl. Pour in the yeasty mixture and mix together with your hands until you form a soft dough.3. Pop the dough onto your work surface and knead with the heal of your hand for 5-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Do not flour the work surface as this will dry out the dough.4. Lightly oil a bowl and pop your dough in. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise for an hour.5. Lightly dust your work surface with flour, then place your dough on it and give it one good punch to let any air out. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and pop onto a lined tray, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 15 minutes.6. Roll out each ball of dough until quite thin. Sprinkle some polenta on your baking tray and place the pizza base on it, then add your sauce, cheese and toppings. 7. Bake in a hot oven for 8-10 minutes until crisp and golden.8. Enjoy!notes: balls of dough can be kept in the fridge for a couple of days or frozen until required

Details

Total time: 120 mins
Yield: 4 portions

For today's veggie recipe of the day, I would like to share with you the winning and the runner up dish from the Betta Living vegetarian recipe competition I announced in April and took part in judging.

Veggie Recipes of the Day

Grown up Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

from Jacob and Me

Spicy Cauliflower Tempura

from Citrus Spice 

 

Catch up on my other posts for veggie week and join in the conversation using #veggieweek and @nvw2014

• Bringing up a Vegetarian Child

• Rocket Hummus

• Falafel, Beetroot and Goats Cheese Wraps 

• Tomato and Basil Gnocchi Bake

 

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Tomato and Basil Gnocchi Bake - National Vegetarian Week

 

It's day three of National Vegetarian Week and I have another recipe for you.

Tomato and Basil Gnocchi Bake.

I believe it's possible to make fresh gnocchi really easily, however on the two occasions I've made it, I've not been impressed with the results. Maybe I just need the right recipe. 

So, when I make a gnocchi bake I use shop brought gnocchi.

For this bake, I make a fresh tomato and basil sauce, then I lightly fry the gnocchi, which gives it a great texture.

 I mix the gnocchi with the sauce and top it with fresh mozzarella and more basil, then pop it in the oven until the mozzarella has melted.

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Tomato and Basil Gnocchi Bake

Written by Jacqueline Meldrum

May 21, 2014

 

Lightly fried gnocchi coated in a rich fresh tomato and basil sauce and baked topped with fresh mozzarella.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• ½ glass red wine
• a handful of fresh basil
• a good grinding of salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 packets of ready made gnocchi
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella

Instructions

1. Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onion is soft and translucent.2. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree and wine and cook gently for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add some roughly torn fresh basil.3. Pre-heat the oven to 200c/180 c fan/gas mark 6. 4. Gently fry the gnocchi in a frying pan until golden and starting to crisp. Mix with the sauce and pour into an ovenproof dish.5. Top the gnocchi with slices of mozzarella and some more torn basil and bake for 20 minutes until the mozzarella has melted and is starting to turn golden.6. Serve with garlic bread and a side salad.7. Enjoy!

Details

Total time: 50 mins
Yield: Serves 3-4 

Veggie Recipe of the Day

Labneh with Olive Oil and Za’atar

from the Lemon Bowl 

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Catch up on my other posts for veggie week:

 

• Bringing up a Vegetarian Child

• Rocket Hummus

• Falafel, Beetroot and Goats Cheese Wraps 
  

   

  And join in the conversation using #veggieweek and @nvw2014

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