If you are looking to go vegan for January (aka Veganuary), or at least eat a lot less meat, here are some fam-friendly vegan recipes to help!
Veganism is the practice of not exploiting animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. However, most people start with food which means not eating animal products (meat, eggs, fish and dairy). There has been a record takeup on veganism of late, thanks to a growing awareness of how going vegan is better for the environment, better for animals, may promote a healthier lifestyle and is more sustainable. Singapore has lots of vegetarian restaurants but for when you’re cooking at home, here are some fab plant-based meals to cook for the kids!
Check out these vegan recipes submitted by nutritionists and food writers in Singapore!
Read more: Kids’ Lunchbox Recipes: Nut-free
1. Vegan Aqua-fabulous Granola
“I am a huge fan of home-made granola as it is extremely forgiving with substitutes and eyeball measurements and always tastes better than store-bought. Granola can, however, be high in fat. To make it aqua fabulous, I used whipped Aquafaba (from a can of chickpeas), as a substitute for some of the oil. Aquafaba whips up like egg whites and helps to clump the granola. It is reminiscent of Quaker Harvest Crunch cereal without all the bad stuff.”
Recipe by Alison and Eric from Grams to Ounces, Instagram: @Gramstoounces
Ingredients
– 3 cups (300g) rolled oats
– 1 cup (100g) sliced almonds
– 1 cup (75g) large flaked coconut
– 2 tsp cinnamon
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1/4 cup (60mls) coconut oil
– 1/4 cup (60 mls) honey (or maple syrup)
– 1 Tbsp vanilla paste or vanilla
– 1/4 cup (60 mls) aquafaba (~ half of the liquid from one can)
– 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
– Dried fruit (to taste)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300F / 150C degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, almonds, salt and cinnamon (do NOT add coconut flakes). In another bowl mix together oil, honey, and vanilla. Stir liquid ingredients into the oat mixture and set aside.
2. In a stand mixer, beat aquafaba and cream of tartar until peaks form. This can take 3-5 minutes depending on the mixer. Stir aquafaba into the oat mixture and then spread out onto a paper or silpat lined baking tray.
3. Bake for 5-10 minutes until just starting to brown. Remove from oven and stir in coconut flakes. Cook for 10-15 minutes longer or until golden brown. Check regularly as this can burn easily and stir every few minutes for even cooking.
2. “They’ll Never Know” Vegan Ragu
This vegan ragu is from Sam Rice’s new book The Midlife Method: How to Lose Weight and Feel Great after 40. “This is my version of a vegan Bolognese sauce – great with spaghetti, obviously, but also a good alternative to meat sauce in a lasagne. The secret meat stand-in here is brown button mushrooms (also known as chestnut mushrooms) blitzed in the food processor to resemble minced beef but don’t worry, the flavour isn’t overwhelmingly of mushrooms, just rich and tomatoey like a proper ragu should be.”
Recipe by Sam Rice: Instagram @midlifekitchen.
Ingredients
– 1 red onion, peeled and chopped
– 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
– 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
– 250g brown mushrooms, washed
– 1 x 700ml bottle passata
– 50g red lentils
– 1 tsp dried oregano (or mixed dried herbs)
– 1 tsp brown sugar
– A pinch of salt
– A pinch of black pepper
Directions
1. In a food processor blitz the onions and garlic to a fine pulp. Gently heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic mixture. Fry gently for a couple of minutes to soften.
2. In the meantime, put the mushrooms in the food processor and blitz to small pieces. Add the mushrooms to the pan and continue to fry for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the passata to the pan and then rinse out the bottle with water (fill it about ¾ way full) and add the tomatoey water to the sauce. Add all the remaining ingredients and season well with salt and pepper. Now turn the heat right down, place a lid loosely on the pan and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. Add more water during the cooking process if the sauce is getting too thick. Enjoy with your favourite pasta!
3. Loaded Vegan Sweet Potatoes
By day I write and manage the editorial team here at Sassy Mama, by night I cook and document my recipes on IG! Loaded sweet potatoes are a great way to get little eaters to be involved in their dinner – they get to pick the stuffings from a “veggie buffet” or just from the fridge depending on your patience! Have a variety of different veggies in a rainbow of colours (we eat with our eyes too after all). Tired of toast and cereal? It takes a bit of ‘unthinking’ but why not serve loaded sweet potatoes for brekkie with bananas and peanut butter, scrambled egg (or tofu if vegan), or coconut yoghurt and fruit. Go crazy!
Recipe by Beate, Managing Editor here at Sassy Mama: Instagram @FlavourForager
Ingredients
– a sweet potato each (orange ones are great)
– toppings of your choice!
Pictured is:
: yoghurt (coconut yoghurt for vegan), blueberries, goji berries and crunchy sunflower seeds
: peanut butter, banana, and cacao nibs
: scrambled eggs or scrambled tofu with oven roasted tomatoes
Directions
1. Roast the sweet potatoes first (keep the skin on it’s edible and so good for you!). Prick with a fork, rub with coconut oil, put on baking sheet in preheated oven at 425º/220c for 45 mins until soft inside (check the thickest part of potato). Remove from oven and let cool a little.
2. Let the kids choose toppings from a selection on the table for dinner: grated carrot, steamed broccoli, pomegranates, avocadoes. Or for breakfast just choose one of the ideas above. Just slice the sweet potatoes and fill with coconut yoghurt, blueberries, and seeds, or peanut butter and banana, or scrambled tofu/eggs and tomatoes. Enjoy!
4. Vegan Chocolate Mousse
This vegan Mighty Mousse, is from Namita Mehra’s recently published children’s book Superfoods for Superheroes.
“This chocolate avocado mousse is a mighty and perfect little dessert that’s sweet but healthy. This vegan treat is made with superfood avocado but many kids (and even adults!) wouldn’t even realize that when they eat it! Avocados are rich in healthy fats which makes this dessert deeply satisfying. You could play a fun little guessing game to let the person eating it guess the secret ingredient!”
Recipe by Namita Mehra: Instagram @IndianSpiceBox
Makes 4 shot glass-sized dessert portions
Ingredients
-2 ripe avocados, (cut, remove the pit and scoop out)
– 60 grams dark non-dairy/vegan chocolate, melt over stovetop or in the microwave
– 1 tbsp vegan cocoa powder/cacao
– ½ tsp vanilla essence or 1 vanilla pod, slice and scrape out seeds
– ½ tsp cinnamon powder
– 1 tbsp raw honey
– ¼ cup vegan milk of choice
– pinch of salt- ½ over-ripe banana
Directions
Note: Make sure the melted chocolate cools completely before using in the recipe.
1. Add all the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Spoon out into serving cups/glasses and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. Garnish with grated dark chocolate and serve cold.
5. Vegan Waffles with Apple Compote
“These spiced apple waffles will fill your house with the delicious scent of cinnamon and cardamon. The waffles have grated apple in the batter and diced apples in the compote and taste like apple pie a la mode. If there are leftovers, they can be re-heated in the oven, directly on the rack to regain some of the crispiness.”
Recipe by Alison and Eric from Grams to Ounces, Instagram: @Gramstoounces
Servings: 4
Ingredients
– 1.5 cups (200g) flour
– 2 Tbsp sugar
– 1 Tbsp brown sugar
– 1/2 tsp baking powder
– 1/2 tsp baking soda
– 2 tsp ground flax meal
– pinch salt
Wet
– 2 Tbsp oil
– 2 tsp vanilla
– 1.5 cups grated apple
– 3/4 cup plant-based milk
– 1 Tbsp white vinegar
Apple compote
– 2 medium apples, peeled and diced
– 1 Tbsp maple syrup
– 1 Tbsp vegan butter or refined coconut oil
– 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Directions
1. For the apple compote: In a frying pan over medium head, melt butter or oil and saute apples for 2-4 minutes until lightly brown and soft. Add syrup and cinnamon and cook for 1 more minute. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. For waffles: In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Make a well in the dry and stir in the wet ingredients until just combined. Let batter sit for 5 minutes as the waffle maker comes to temperature.
3. Cook the waffles until golden brown, slightly crispy and cooked through (this will depend on the waffle maker used). Serve immediately with apple compote and additional maple syrup.
6. Vegan Spelt Risotto with Mediterranean Vegetables
This Vegan Spelt Risotto is adapted from Amazing Grains by Ghillie James. “Pearled spelt can be found in many health food shops; but risotto rice or pearl barley could also be used. Spelt is an ancient grain that is super healthy and much easier to digest than more commonly used durum wheat. Try using spelt flour if you are slightly intolerant to everyday plain flour. It is a great alternative”
Recipe by Ghillie James: Instagram @ghilliejameswriter author of five cookery titles including her latest, The Little Grower’s Cookbook
Serves 2
Ingredients
– 3–4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
– 2 small red onions, cut into wedges
– 2 small or 1 large courgettes, cut into 2.5cm chunks
– 1 pepper, red or orange, cut into cubes
– 1 x 250g aubergine, sliced and cubed
– 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
– 2 garlic cloves, crushed
– a sprig of rosemary
– 100g pearled spelt, washed and drained
– 450ml vegetable stock
– 2 bay leaves
– a squeeze of lemon
– sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Heat 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of the oil in a sauté pan or shallow, wide saucepan and fry the onions gently for about 10 minutes. Then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Add the courgette and pepper to the pan, season and fry for about 5 minutes over a high heat, then place in the bowl with the onions. Add another 11⁄2 tablespoons oil and fry the aubergine over a high heat for 4–5 minutes until nearly softened.
3. Turn the heat down to medium, then add the chopped tomatoes and their juice, the garlic and the rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the spelt, stir with the tomatoes over the heat for a minute or so, then pour in the boiling hot stock and add the bay leaves. Bring up to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the onion, peppers and courgettes and cook for a further 10–15 minutes or until the spelt is just tender, adding a splash of water if the risotto looks a little too dry. Squeeze over the lemon, stir and taste for seasoning, then serve.
7. Avocado on Toast
You hardly need a recipe for this one! But it’s here as a reminder that vegan meals don’t need to be lengthy or complicated. Just grab some toast, and smush or slice your avocado on top! If you want to be a bit fancy, I like to smear miso paste on my toast and then layer avocado slices, and for that picture-perfect look, sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top.
Check out my avo toast recipe here @FlavourForager
8. Vegan Tofu Coconut Curry
“One night I was thinking of making Paneer Matar, a quintessential recipe from North India which usually I like to cook with heavy cream but since I didn’t have any, I used coconut cream instead. It was refreshing, light and delicious. To make this curry vegan make it with tempeh or my preference is tofu instead of paneer. If cooking for kids, reduce or leave out the chilli. Serve with rotis and rice!”
Recipe by Chef Gayatri Singh:www.culinarynirvana.life, Instagram @GayatriiSingh
Serves 4
Ingredients
– 250 g tofu half cut and half crushed
– 1 onion sliced
– 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
– 1 tsp ginger paste
– 2 medium tomatoes small diced
– 1 chilli chopped (optional)
– 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
– 1 tsp red chilli powder adjust to taste (optional)
– 1/2 tbsp black pepper powder
– 1/2 tbsp coriander powder
– 3/4 cup coconut milk
– 1/4 cup water
– Salt to taste
– black peppercorns and cardamom 2 each
– 2 tsp mustard oil you can use coconut oil too
– coriander for garnishing
– 1 tbsp coriander stalks finely chopped
Directions
1. Heat oil in a saucepan, add in the cardamom, black peppercorns and onion. Add a pinch of salt and saute for 5-7 minutes.
2. Add in the garlic, ginger paste, green chillies, coriander stalks and all the spice powders with 1 tsp of water. Mix well and saute for another 2 minutes, then add in the tomatoes. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. When the tomatoes are cooked, add in the tofu.
3. Add coconut milk and water, adjust salt. Mix it well, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
9. Paleo Cauliflower Falafel
“These falafels from my blog healthyishandhappy.com can be made without eggs (just substitute a flax egg as seen in ingredients). They are paleo and much healthier (lower carb) than the usual. Falafels are delicious and simple to make. I love falafel but am not a fan of the deep frying or high-carb content they have. My version is baked and made with cauliflower. They are crispy on the outside, have a great texture inside, and are full of fresh and flavorful herbs. Finish them off with a drizzle of tahini dressing!”
Recipe by Riyana Rupani, Holistic Nutritionist & Mom of 3: Instagram @healthyishandhappy
Ingredients
– 1/2 cup, finely chopped onion
– 3/4 cup almond flour
– 3 tbsp coconut flour
– 2 eggs or 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flax meal and 5 Tbsp water mixed, rested 5 mins)
– 4 garlic cloves, minced
– 3/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
– 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
– 3 Tbsp white sesame seeds
– 4 tsp coriander powder
– 4 tsp cumin powder
– ½ tsp turmeric
– 1 tsp sea salt
– 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
– 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
– 1/2 medium head of cauliflower, minced (or about 2 packed cups riced cauliflower)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 190C/380F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor blend together all the ingredients, except the cauliflower and olive oil (yes, even the eggs/flax). Blend until all the herbs are well minced. Once the herbs are minced, add in the minced cauliflower or cauliflower rice and pulse until combined. Remove ingredients to a bowl and give everything a nice mix.
4. Form the falafel dough into 1″ to 1.5 inch round balls. Use a pastry brush and brush each falafel with olive oil or use a spray olive oil.
5. Cook for 15-20 minutes then flip the falafels, brush with some more olive oil or give another spray and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Serve with your favourite salad, my low-carb flatbread, and some homemade tahini dressing.
NB: If the mixture seems too wet, add an extra tbsp of coconut flour. If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can use dried. Remember the ratio of fresh to dry is 3:1. So for the parsley, you would need 1/4 cup of dried parsley and for the coriander, you would need about 1.5 Tbsp.
10. Corn and Tortilla Soup
“If you are a soup fan like me, you have to give this brilliant recipe a try. It ticks all the boxes, it’s got texture, protein and some delicious flavours. And this is a perfect recipe for those busy weeknights, it cooks in a trice.”
Recipe by Chef Gayatri Singh:www.culinarynirvana.life, Instagram @GayatriiSingh
Ingredients
– 5 tortillas cut in thin strips
– 1 large red onion small diced (optional)
– 4 cloves garlic chopped
– 1 cup carrot small diced
– 1/2 cup mixed vegetables such as capsicums, celery
– 2 sweet corn fresh or frozen
– 1 can pinto beans drained and washed
– 1 each red and green chilli (optional1)
– 1 each green and red capsicum (peppers) small diced
– 1 tbsp roasted coriander crushed
– 2 tsp cumin seeds crushed
– 1 tsp black pepper crushed
– 1 tbsp olive oil
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 500 ml vegetable stock
– coriander and lime for garnishing
Directions
1. Place the thinly sliced tortillas in a lined baking sheet. Spray it with oil and sprinkle some salt. Bake in the preheated oven 125C/250F for 15-20 minutes till they are crispy. Keep it aside.
2. Heat oil and onion, garlic and carrots and saute them for 2-3 minutes. Tip in the mixed vegetables and continue to cook for further 2-3 minutes.
3. Add in the chilli, corn keeping 1/2 cup corn kernels aside for later. Season it with salt. Add the spice powders. Mix well. Add 500ml vegetable stock and 500ml water. Cover the pot and simmer for 7-8 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender make a coarse puree. Add in the pinto beans, 1 cup of water and check the seasoning. Add in the corn and both the capsicums. Stir well, cover the jar slightly ajar and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Just before serving the soup, top the bowl with the baked crispy tortillas. Garnish with coriander, lime and serve immediately.
Read more: Kids’ Lunchbox Recipes: Nut-free