veggie recipe – #ThisGirlEats

RECIPE: Lean ‘n’ Green Pasta | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 4
How much does it cost? This lean ‘n’ green pasta recipe cost me less than 25p per person.
What are the benefits? This dish is suuuper high in antioxidants, very low in fat and somewhere between two to three of your five a day.

When you’re trying to eat healthier, it’s very easy to get swept up in the diet culture of calorie counting and restrictive eating, and I’ve had to really train myself out of those habits (I still fall off the wagon, believe me).

Nowadays, when I want to eat a little healthier, I just try to think of obvious changes, like making sure you eat your five a day, cutting down on processed food and, of course, eating your greens.

Recently I made a very conscious effort to inject some more “green” into our diets. It’s not my favourite colour to serve up on the plate, but many green veggies are super good for you, full of health benefits and definitely worth making space for. For me, it’s about combining these sorts of ingredients with things I love and eat regularly, like pasta.

That’s how I came up with this lean ‘n’ green pasta recipe, which can be pretty much made up with any leftover greens you’ve got at home, a spoonful of pesto and whatever pasta shape you can find. I’ve used broccoli, peas and kale, but these are totally interchangeable!

INGREDIENTS
300g Dried Pasta
1 Large Onion, Chopped
8 Small Broccoli Florets
50g Curly Kale
300g Garden Peas
2 tbsp Green Pesto
1 Vegetable Stock Cube

SEASONING
I know not everyone is the biggest fan of green veggies and their often unique flavour, so a great way to disguise this is using plenty of garlic (dried or fresh), salt and pepper, as well as the pesto, to season this dish.

HOW TO MAKE LEAN ‘N’ GREEN PASTA

1. Put on a large pan of salted water, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to simmering and cook the pasta according to packet instructions (mine takes around 15 minutes!).

2. In a decent-sized frying pan, throw in the onion and garlic, cook for a couple of minutes until soft and then reduce the heat.

3. Add the broccoli, crumble in the vegetable stock cube and scatter in some salt and pepper. Pour in 200ml (or around one quarter of a standard mug) of water and simmer for around 5 minutes.

4. Throw in the peas and kale and finish cooking for another 5 minutes, or until the liquid dries up.

5. Drain the pasta, combine with the veggies and stir in a couple of spoonfuls of pesto, and that’s that!

RECIPE: Mixed Bean and Avocado Tostadas | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This mixed bean and avocado recipe cost me less than £1 per person.
What are the benefits? This recipe provides at least two of your five a day, is a great source of plant-based protein and is totally suitable for vegans.

When you have two leftover tortillas on their very last legs stuffed at the back of the bread bin and have already eaten all the wraps you can handle for one week, what do you do with them?

Make toastadas, of course! Well, a version of them, anyway.

Everyone knows that Mexican is one of my favourite cuisines, so anything inspired by this kind of food is right up my alley. A tostada is a crispy tortilla wrap, usually either flat or in a bowl shape, sometimes fried, sometimes toasted – always delicious!

This is my version of a tostada, easy to make in the average kitchen and with very little time or effort necessary. I’ve topped mine with heaps of spicy mixed beans for some protein, a few slices of fresh avocado (because I couldn’t be bothered to make guacamole) and a spoonful of sour cream – an optional extra, of course.

These mixed bean and avocado tosatadas are tasty, vibrant and full of flavour, and definitely worth a try.

*Tostasda topped with mixed beans, avocado, sprinkling of cheese and a spoonful of sour cream*

INGREDIENTS
1 Onion, Chopped
1 Bell Pepper, Chopped
400g Mixed Beans (preferably in a spicy or tomato sauce)
1 Large Avocado, Peeled, Pitted & Sliced
2 Wholemeal Tortilla Wraps

SEASONING
If you’ve managed to grab some beans that are already in some kind of sauce (mine were mixed taco beans in a spicy tomato sauce) then you don’t really need to do too much here. Just throw in a little garlic with the onion and then season the beans with a pinch of paprika, salt and pepper. Chuck in a sprinkle of dried chilli flakes too if you want a little more heat.

HOW TO MAKE MIXED BEAN AND AVOCADO TOSTADAS

1. In a pan, spray a little cooking spray or a drop of oil and cook the onions and peppers for a couple of minutes with some garlic, just to soften.

2. Turn down the heat and pour in the mixed beans. Season and simmer for around 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, it’s time to crisp up the tortillas. Pop the tortillas on a large, grease-proof baking tray and cook in the oven at 180℃ for around 10 minutes, or until they’re crispy and crunchy.

4. Remove the tortillas from the oven and allow to stand for 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and pile the beans up in the middle of the flat tortillas. Scatter your slices of avocado across the top and dig in!

Things I’ve Learnt About Food – and Myself! – Since Becoming Vegetarian | #ThisGirlEats

I haven’t eaten meat for six months now. I told myself one day, yep, that’s it. I’m going vegetarian. And, surprisingly, I haven’t looked back.

Read: The Moment I Decided to Become a Vegetarian

It’s hasn’t always been super easy, but it actually hasn’t been anywhere near as difficult as I thought it would be either. Nonetheless, there have definitely been a few things to learn along the way…

Transitioning made the whole thing possible.

It started with leaving meat off our weekly shopping list to cut costs. Then we decided to only eat meat on weekends or when we went out. Then my boyfriend went vegetarian and I set myself some 30 day challenges to see if I could consistently go without too. And then, eventually, I felt confident and comfortable to stop eating meat altogether.

Not feeling forced or rushed into making any sudden decisions is the reason I was happy to make the choices I have, and it’s also how I’ve been able to stick to it since the day I made up my mind.

Online menus are a must.

Although most restaurants do offer veggie options these days, there’s no guarantee they’ll actually be good. You might find yourself stuck with yet another bean burger or vegetable lasagne – both great, sure, but it gets a bit boring after the millionth time.

Researching menus online before going somewhere is an absolute must these days. If I can’t find one, we ain’t going!

*Menu for plant-based pub The Monument in Canterbury*

Cheese > everything.

People ask if I feel healthier since giving up meat and the honest answer is: no.

Partly because not eating meat has nothing to do with how healthy your diet is, but also mainly because, since becoming veggie, cheese has pretty much become my answer to everything. Pepperoni pizza becomes four cheese pizza; chicken pie becomes cheese and veg pie; spaghetti bolognese becomes cheese and tomato pasta; a BLT becomes a cheese toastie… You get the idea.

It’s the easy option, and it’s also bloody delicious, so I’m not really complaining.

Mealtimes do take some imagination.

When you’ve grown up in a “meat and two veg” environment at the dinner table, it can take a little imagination to keep mealtimes interesting once you start leaving meat off your plate.

Because I love being in the kitchen I quite enjoyed having a new challenge but, over time, it’s become much easier to adjust. It’s all about making smart swaps and thinking outside the box to create food that you and your family will continue to love.

Looking for some inspiration? Check out some of my favourite veggie meals to make at home.

I haven’t once gone hungry.

“Vegetarian? What do you even eat, rabbit food?! lolololol.” Well, no, obviously not.

Look at me. Look at my blog. Look at the NAME OF MY BLOG! Of course I’m not going to follow a diet of lettuce leaves and quinoa. Just because I don’t eat meat anymore, don’t doubt for a second I haven’t found new ways to stuff my face whenever I feel like it.

There are so, so many options available now that cater to meat-free and plant-based diets; burgers, sausages, bacon, chicken, steaks, you name it and there’s a veggie alternative out there. I don’t miss out on BBQs, roast dinners, takeaways, meals out or any of that good stuff (thanks Linda McCartney 😉).

*Linda McCartney’s vegetarian hoisin duck meal kit*

With the right mindset, I can achieve things I never thought possible.

This is something I definitely learnt about myself when I decided to become a vegetarian.

If you told me just a few years ago that I’d make a free, conscious choice to no longer eat meat, I would never have believed it. I would’ve said I don’t have the willpower, I’d miss out on too many foods I love, I’d never be able to stick with it, bla bla bla.

But I’ve proven to myself that I can stick with it and I do have power over my food choices. I am able to resist things, I can turn certain food down, and I can set myself a goal and see it through.

Now it’s time to take that new revelation about myself and apply it to other parts of my life, because I know that I can.

RECIPE: Roasted Vegetable, Mozzarella & Garlic Flatbreads | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2 (well, it makes two breads)
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than £1.25 per bread.
What are the benefits? This roasted vegetable, mozzarella and garlic flatbread recipe is perfect for vegetarians, contains at least two – if not three! – of your five a day, and it a much healthier takeaway alternative.

I’m not even going to pretend; I’m rubbish at baking. Bread, in particular, never quite goes right for me. I don’t know, perhaps it’s just a knack I haven’t picked up yet but, thankfully, flatbreads I can juuust about handle.

I need help when it comes to baking though, and can’t just throw things together like I can when I’m cooking (and yes, baking and cooking are very different things!). To get the hang of how to make the base for this roasted vegetable, mozzarella and garlic flatbread recipe, I looked to the internet and one of my favourite back-to-basics chefs Jack Monroe for inspiration.

I jiggled around the measurements and methods a little and came up with this version. But really, for me, the bread isn’t even the most important thing (thank god!). It’s all about what goes on top.

Smothering these breads in delectable, mouth-watering garlic butter is flippin’ gorgeous, and then covering them in delicious roasted vegetables and melting mozzarella is what really starts me salivating.

I love making this bread because it’s super simple, combines three of my favourite things – veggies, garlic and cheese – and works as a tasty homemade alternative to takeaway pizza. And remember kids – carbs are our friends. 💛

*Sliced roasted vegetable, mozzarella and garlic flatbread*

INGREDIENTS

BREAD
350g Plain Flour
250ml Milk (or milk alternative)
5g (or 1 tsp) Dried Active Yeast
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Sugar

GARLIC BUTTER
1 Garlic Bulb (or 1 tsp dried garlic)
5g (or 1 tsp) Grated Hard Cheese
15g (or 1 tbsp) of Butter or Spread
Pinch of dried parsley

TOPPINGS
1 Onion, Sliced
1 Red Onion, Sliced
1 Bell Pepper, Sliced
1 Aubergine, Chopped
6 Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
1 Ball of Mozzarella (light if possible), Drained

SEASONING
For the garlic butter, don’t be afraid to really pile on the garlic but also don’t forget to season with a teeny tiny touch of black pepper, salt and dried parsley – failing that, mixed herbs will do. With the roasted veggies, make sure to season really well with some dried garlic, chilli flakes, dried herbs, black pepper and salt.

HOW TO MAKE ROASTED VEGETABLE MOZZARELLA FLATBREADS

1. Mix the milk (it needs to be at least room temperature, don’t take it cold right from the fridge) with the yeast. Sieve the flour into a large bowl and, into the middle, pour the milk and yeast with a pinch of salt and pepper.

2. Combine the ingredients together until they form a dough, then split the dough into two halves, cover and leave for around 20 minutes.

3. Heat the oven to around 200°C. Throw all your chopped vegetables into a roasting tin together, cover with cooking spray or a little oil, season and cook for around 20 – 30 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, add your butter or spread and pop into the microwave for a few seconds until melted (this literally only takes about 10 seconds!) and stir in the hard cheese, garlic and herbs.

5. Uncover the dough, roll out into flatbreads, brush the melted garlic butter all over them and place them on a large baking tray. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and leave to one side; replace with the flatbreads. Leave to cook for around 6 – 8 minutes.

6. Take the breads out of the oven, scatter the vegetables and the torn mozzarella over the top and pop them back into the oven for 3 – 5 minutes, just enough time for the cheese to melt and everything to cook through.

7. Leave to cool if you want to eat later, or scoff a few slices straight from the oven if, like me, you just can’t wait!

*Roasted vegetable, mozzarella and garlic flatbread*

RECIPE: Sweet Chilli Tofu with Vegetable Stir Fried Rice | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 4
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than 75p per person
What are the benefits? This sweet chilli tofu with vegetable stir fried rice recipe is really high in protein, high in fibre and low in fat.

I’ve spent a good few years being scared of tofu, but it turns out if you season it properly, toss it in vegetable stir fried rice and drizzle sweet chilli sauce all over it, it’s pretty damn good!

Probably about.. four years ago? Maybe five? Anyway, a few years ago, I dived into my very first, very spontaneous foray of vegetarianism and decided I’d give it a crack (I was incredibly unsuccessful and bombed in about two weeks, but whatever).

Where I worked at the time had limited lunch options and, being a brand new and totally clueless herbivore, I panicked and just went with the first thing I saw – sweet chilli tofu from Wasabi. And it was gross. Like, really disgusting and I had to throw most of it away. It was like chewing on pieces of sponge – not nice.

I was completely put off of tofu and have always been wary of cooking with it, even though I’ve educated myself massively on veggie food since then. But I started getting bored with meat replacements and decided it’s about time I faced my tofu fears and give it a try – and it was awesome!

This sweet chilli tofu is oven baked and high in protein while the vegetable rice is a great source of fibre, and the whole shebang is really low in saturated fats. Tofu can be a little more pricey than I’d like, I won’t lie, but a little goes a long way. We ate leftovers for lunch the next day and it lasted well, so you can definitely stretch this one out.

INGREDIENTS
400g Firm Tofu
240g Brown Rice
1 Bell Pepper, Diced
1 Onion, Diced
1/2 Mug of Sweetcorn (fresh or frozen)
4 Mushrooms, Chopped
4 tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce

SEASONING
Okay, so it turns out when cooking tofu it’s super important to season things really well. I marinated my tofu in a combination of soy sauce, ground coriander, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and some chilli oil from the cupboard that I hardly ever use. I also gave the rice a pinch of salt and pepper before blitzing it in the microwave and seasoned the veggies with garlic and, you guessed it, a little more salt and pepper.

HOW TO MAKE SWEET CHILLI TOFU WITH VEGETABLE STIR FRIED RICE

1. Drain the tofu (I cut mine into chunks, sandwiched it between two paper towels, rested a book on top and left for about an hour to try and squeeze as much moisture out as possible) and then marinade in a dish or bowl with a combination of soy sauce, ground coriander, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and a chilli oil if you’ve got it for at least half an hour – longer if possible – before it’s ready to cook.

2. Empty the marinated tofu onto a baking tray (you might want to use greaseproof paper to make sure it doesn’t stick) and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

3. Cook the rice according to packet instructions (30 minutes in the microwave does the trick with mine).

4. Add the diced onion, pepper, mushroom and sweetcorn to a pan with garlic, salt and black pepper and stir fry on a low heat for 10 minutes with a splash of oil or cooking spray.

5. Drain the cooked rice and add into the pan with the vegetables. Fry everything together for the last couple of minutes until well combined.

6. Serve the veggie rice, remove the tofu from the oven and place on top, then drizzle generously with sticky sweet chilli sauce.

Mixed vegetable stir fried rice topped with oven baked tofu and drizzled with sweet chilli sauce.

RECIPE: Rainbow Salad | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This rainbow salad recipe cost me less than £1.50 per person.
What are the benefits? This dish is loaded with veggies and easily gives you three of your five a day, not to mention it’s a great low-carb meal and vegan option.

I think I’ve probably said before that I’m not really a “salad person”. I’ll be honest – I don’t trust them. I know that sounds a bit weird, but hey, whatever. I just don’t trust salads. I don’t believe a salad will set my tastebuds alight and I’m very suspicious of a salad’s ability to actually fill me up. They’re just not a meal you can rely on, in my opinion.

However, I know that’s mostly nonsense made up in my head and that salads can actually be very tasty filling – if you do them right!

This rainbow salad is something I came up with on Pancake Day, mainly because I knew we’d be eating a mountain of batter loaded with chocolate spread, honey, fruit and basically all the sugar in the world later for dessert and needed something light and nutritious for dinner to offset the upcoming pancake rush.

The best thing about this salad is you can literally swap out any part of it to suit your needs. I made my plate out of veggies I love and ingredients that are easily accessible for me; that might not be the same for you. You want cucumber instead of tomatoes? Cool! Celery instead of sweetcorn? Go for it! Chicken breast instead of sweet potato? Okay, fine! Whatever changes you want to make, you can.

It’s a bright, vibrant plate of food with loads of different flavours and textures and plenty of variety to keep you full and tick plenty of boxes. Love yourself AND what you’re eating without missing out on a thing!

INGREDIENTS
2 Sweet Potatoes
1 Onion, Sliced
1 Bell Pepper, Sliced
1/2 Red Onion, Sliced
1 Avocado, Sliced
1/2 Cup of Sweetcorn (frozen or fresh)
4 Cherry Tomatoes
1 Bag of Prepared Salad

SEASONING
With the onions and peppers, throw in a small pinch of garlic (dried or fresh), paprika, chilli flakes, salt and pepper to give a little flavour to the dish. But that’s about it!

HOW TO MAKE RAINBOW SALAD

1. Heat the oven to 200°C, wash and prick the sweet potatoes and bake them in the oven for around an hour, until soft all the way through. If, after the hour, they’re still a little hard, blast in the microwave for a couple of minutes to finish them off.

2. Meanwhile, in a pan with a very small drop of oil or cooking spray, fry the onions and peppers with seasoning on a low heat for 10 minutes or so.

3. In a saucepan of salted boiling water, chuck in the sweetcorn and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. The last step is really just to bring everything together on the plate. Arrange the salad leaves, avocado slices, red onion and tomatoes on the plate. Pile up the cooked onions and peppers, drain the sweetcorn, and top everything with the sweet potato.

*Rainbow salad with buttered sweet potato, salad leaves, tomatoes, avocado, sweetcorn, peppers and onion*

RECIPE: Five Bean Chilli | #ThisGirlEats

Chilli was probably the first meal I learnt to cook from scratch and really “perfected” (there’s always room for improvement, but my chilli is pretty damn good I’ll be honest) and it’s still my favourite home cooked meal. 🌶️

It started with beef mince, then I moved onto using Quorn or mince alternatives to experiment with different versions of my most cherished recipe. I fancied trying something new, so I thought I’d have a go at making a bean chilli which bursts with colour, flavour and texture, as well as being an excellent choice for vegetarian or vegan meals.

You could make this recipe even easier by just buying a couple of tins of mixed beans rather than buying each individually – this will shrink both the cost and ingredient list – but I prefer choosing which beans go into my chilli and having the option to chop and change each time I make it.

Beans are honestly so, so good for you. First off they count as one of your ‘Five A Day’ so, along with the carrot, onion, pepper and chopped tomatoes, you’re well on your way with this recipe! Beans also help with heart health, are a good source of protein and fibre, and keep you fuller for longer. They’re cheap, too, so make a great base for eating on a budget.

So, this is how I did it…
(Serves 4)

1. Heat up a large pan with a touch of oil (or some light cooking spray) and gently fry the onion and carrot on a low heat for 10 minutes.

2. Pretty much everything else goes in once the carrot and onion have softened. Add all of the beans (make sure you drain the ones in water), chopped tomatoes, chopped pepper, a crumbled stock cube, tomato puree and the seasoning.

3. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, giving the flavours a chance to develop.

4. Serve with a jacket potato, rice, flatbreads, whatever you fancy! 🍚

The prices below are the cheapest I could find when doing a comparison and are accurate at the time of publishing!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Tin of Baked Beans – Reduced Sugar & Salt Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce – 30p – Sainsbury’s
Tin of Cannellini Beans – Cannellini Beans in Water – 42p – ASDA
Tin of Black Eye Beans – Black Eye Beans in Water – 55p – ASDA
Tin of Pinto Beans – Pinto Beans in Water – 55p – ASDA
200g Tin of Kidney Beans in Chilli Sauce – Chilli Beans in Chilli Sauce – 40p – ASDA
Tin of Chopped Tomatoes – Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice – 29p – ASDA
1 Carrot, Chopped – Carrots, Loose – 6p – Tesco
1 Onion, Chopped – Grower’s Selection Onions by Weight – 15p – ASDA
1 Bell Pepper, Chopped – Red Pepper – 41p – Tesco
Vegetable Stock Cube – Stock Cubes, Vegetable – 39p – ASDA
1tsp Tomato Puree – Double Concentrated Tomato Puree – 37p – ASDA

SEASONING
When you start frying off the vegetables, throw in some dried garlic flakes along with them. Then, once you’ve added the beans and tomatoes, season with a generous helping of paprika and cumin, a pinch of dried chilli flakes and salt and pepper to taste.

I Gave My Boyfriend a New Recipe to Make By Himself, This is What Happened! | #ThisGirlEats

We like a challenge. Last week, I decided to challenge both myself and my boyfriend. I always cook but, since we started scheduling our entire lives around the World Cup, Andy got home before me and offered to make dinner so no-one was cooking by time the England game started. Which is great, but his idea of cooking generally involves transferring food from the freezer to the oven. You know, fine, but a bit uninspiring.

That’s when I came up with the GENIUS idea – to test run one of my recipes! This was brand new, something totally made up and never tried before. Philly cheese “steaks” made with aubergine and sweet potato fries on the side (find the recipe here) is tricky, I won’t lie. I really did throw him in at the deep end!

I left the ingredients and a very detailed recipe, but didn’t want to make things too easy with hints of “Maybe you should do it this way…” I just sat on the sofa quietly and waited. That was my challenge!

And you know what? He only went and bloody did it! It went really well, too. I’m actually incredibly proud of how he pulled it off, he made everything as it should be and it tasted amazing!

It just goes to show that a-n-y-o-n-e can cook. As long as you’ve got ingredients and a recipe to follow it doesn’t matter about the bumps along the way, something messy and delicious and wonderful can still come out of it. If my boyfriend can do it, so can you!

But just to prove that it doesn’t always go perfectly, here are just a few of the more stressful moments from Andy’s time in the kitchen…

“Does aubergine go bad if you cut it and then leave it out? Like avocado?” – good question! No idea tbh.
“What consistency am I looking for here?” – it’s sauce, babe. It’s meant to be the consistency of.. sauce.
“Mate, it’s REALLY hot in here.” – I say this all the time, it’s now fully appreciated just how bloody hot our kitchen gets.
“This is crazy, I’m trying to get ready and cook everything at the same time!” – literally every. day. of. my. life. Get used to it hun.

Recipe: Veggie Philly Cheese “Steaks” with Sweet Potato Fries

RECIPE: Cheese “Steak” Subs & Sweet Potato Fries | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than £1.25 per person.
What are the benefits? This recipe is low fat compared to an original cheese steak, helps you out with at least two of your five a day and, best of all, is great substitute for vegetarians!

First off, I’m super excited to share this totally delicious recipe with you! What’s even more awesome about it is that the trial run was actually carried out by my boyfriend, who is somewhat clueless in the kitchen but managed to cook this all by himself (following my very detailed instructions, of course). But more on that coming soon…

Cheese sauce is cheese sauce, I’m not gonna pretend it’s a health food. But #ThisGirlEats is all about giving food we know and love a healthier twist.

Removing red meat for aubergine rich in fibre, potassium and magnesium? That’s a big tick! Not to mention wholemeal rolls instead of sugary subs, low fat cheese sauce and a side of veggies – that’s right, sweet potato fries are vegetables!

This recipe is full of benefits and is honestly so tasty, I’d really recommend giving it a go.

INGREDIENTS
2 Sweet Potatoes, Sliced Into Chips
1 Onion, Sliced
1 Green Pepper, Sliced
3 Mushrooms, Chopped
8 Slices of Aubergine
2 tsp of Plain Flour
1/2 Mug of Milk or Milk Alternative
Handful of Low Fat Cheddar Cheese
Handful of Spicy Grated Cheese
1/2 tsp of American Mustard
4 Wholemeal Hot Dog Rolls
The pickle on top is optional!

SEASONING
When the sweet potato chips go into the oven, make sure they’re seasoned with plenty of salt and pepper, as well as a sprinkling of dried thyme and dried garlic. You’ll need the garlic, salt and pepper again to season the veggies, and the slices of aubergine will need a pinch of salt and pepper too.

So, this is how I did it…

1. Heat the oven to 200°C, lightly coat a baking tray with cooking spray or a dash of oil and spread the chips across it. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and thyme and cook for 45 minutes, turning halfway through.

2. Add cooking spray (or oil), onions and garlic to a pan and fry on a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add the peppers and seasoning, and cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Lower the heat, add the mushrooms and cook for a final 5 minutes. If the vegetables start to stick, add a splash of water to the pan 💦

4. With a touch of cooking spray, grill the aubergine slices for around 5 minutes on each side.

5. To make the cheese sauce, add the flour to a saucepan, very slowly pour in the milk and whisk gently with a fork over a low heat. When the mixture has been simmering for a minute or so, remove from the heat and add the cheese and mustard, stirring until melted and combined.

6. Either serve the sauce immediately or, if you’re not quite ready, return the pan to the hob but on a really, really low heat. Keep stirring too! If the sauce is allowed to cool, it’ll go thick and gloopy.

7. Serve the aubergine, toppings and cheese sauce in the rolls and plate up with the fries 🍆

RECIPE: Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Jambalaya | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This cost me less than £1 per person.
What are the benefits? This recipe provides at least two of your five a day, is full of fibre and a great vegan meal.

Apparently, I’m going through a “rice phase”. Since discovering how cheap it can be, how long it lasts and how versatile it is, I’ve realised it’s the perfect ingredient for creating a bunch of budget meals, so a lot of my recent recipes have been bulked out with brown rice. I think the other people in my house are getting a little sick of it, actually… 🍚

But who cares when you can make brilliant dishes like this with it?! Jambalaya is something I wasn’t all that familiar with if I’m honest, but my limited experiences with it have always been amazing. The flavours, textures, sights and smells of this gloriously exciting meal are a real pleasure, and I enjoyed experimenting with different jambalaya recipes until eventually coming up with my own take on it.

This meal is really great if you’re trying eat more healthily – there’s no dairy, barely any fat, very little sugar… basically, it’s just rice and vegetables! Sweet potatoes and brown rice are excellent ways of getting energy into your system without the sugar rush and inevitable crash of processed carbs. On top of that, you’ve got Vitamin C from the onion and pepper, fibre from the sweetcorn and antioxidants from the chopped tomatoes – who says nothing good can come from a tin?!

INGREDIENTS
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, Chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced
1/2 Cup of Frozen or Fresh Sweetcorn
1 Large Onion, Chopped
1 Mug of Vegetable Stock
1 Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
140g Brown Rice

SEASONING
There’s a really lovely, mild spice to this recipe, and it’s very rich in warm flavours but still fresh and not too heavy. This balance comes from using just the right seasoning; dried garlic flakes are added at first with the sweet potatoes, while paprika, cumin, dried chilli flakes, dried basil, pepper and salt (or onion salt, if you’ve got it) go in with the stock, tomatoes, etc..

So, this is how I did it…

1. Heat a large pan or stove-top dish and throw in the sweet potato, onion and garlic and fry on a medium heat for around 10 minutes, but make sure the potato doesn’t stick to the bottom – keep stirring! 🥄

2. Once the onion has softened, add the red pepper, stock, chopped tomatoes, spices and rice. Simmer on a medium heat (and cover if possible!) for 30 minutes. Check on the rice – if it’s still crunchy, it needs more time! If your rice takes a while to cook you may need to add a little more liquid so it doesn’t dry up.

3. For the final 5 minutes of cooking, add the sweetcorn and stir through so all flavours are well-combined.