Chickpea curry recipe: vegan, dairy free, soya free, syn free

This quick, easy and incredibly tasty recipe is vegan, dairy free, egg free and soya free - when I Instagrammed it I used the #veganuary hashtag and it got lots of interest, similarly in both my Slimming World and CMPA groups people were after the recipe.

I wrote that first paragraph back in January. And then abandoned this post - and to be honest a lot of the blog. Without wishing to jinx things, I do have a few posts lined up at the moment.

This recipe was supposed to be the Chana Masala from the Oh She Glows cookbook, and it is still loosely based on that. However, I did that food blogger thing of adding a bit of this, a bit of that - until it became a bit different. Then when I made it the second and third times I did it from memory rather than a recipe and we seem to have set on my recipe so I thought I'd take the opportunity to blog it.



Chickpea curry - dairy free, soya free, vegan
Syn free on Slimming World

Fry light spray (or coconut oil if you're not on Slimming World)
2 red onions
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 red chilli
Thumb sized piece ginger
3-4 carrots
2-3 sweet potatoes
2 - 400g tins chickpeas (if you're egg free, keep the water and use it to make awesome egg free meringues)
2 - 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1 400g carton passata
1.5tsp cumin seeds
1.5 tsp garam masala
1.5tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
If not feeding a baby - Half tsp salt
Large bunch coriander

Either by hand or in the food processor, peel and finely chop the onions, garlic, chilli (I deseed it as I'm feeding Harry too) and ginger
Peel and grate the carrots and sweet potatoes
Liberally spray a large pan with the Fry light - or add about a tablespoon of coconut oil and warm it so that it's liquid
Add the cumin seeds and fry gently until they start to pop
Add the garlic, chilli, ginger and onions and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly. The onion should be really soft and completely translucent
Add all the spices and stir well
Add the grated sweet potatoes and carrots, and both tins of chickpeas. Stir to make sure that everything is coated in the spice/ onion mix
Add the tomatoes and passata and stir well.
Bring to a gentle simmer, put a lid on the pan and leave for half an hour - 45 minutes
Top with lots of freshly chopped coriander and serve with rice or roti.

Quick, easy, and super healthy. What's not to like?

If that's piqued your interest in a dairy free or vegan curry - why not try one of these recipes from some other lovely bloggers too:

• Over at The Veg space there's a lovely Swiss chard and new potato dhal that's ideal for those of us who are dairy free as it's packed full of calcium containing greens.
• Recipes from a Pantry has a gorgeous looking Roasted pumpkin red thai curry  Do not that you'll want to omit the fish sauce if you're veggie or vegan. Bintu suggests simply and easily replacing it with extra lime juice
• There's another Thai curry - this time green from Tin and Thyme - packed full of loads of lovely veggies and with my favourite cashew nuts too
• Tinned tomatoes has a curry my hubs would love - Mushroom and potato 

I'm adding this post to Attachment Mummy's Friday fabulous linky...

And A mummy too's Recipe of the week one too

Meal Planning Monday: for M, with love

This week I'm working away again. Well if this storm that's forecast lets me travel that is. The meal plan is a very M friendly one as it doesn't require too much of him. Don't get me wrong, M can cook - but, he prefers not to. To paraphrase - he'd rather take tablets at an appropriate time than bother to cook. Food is purely fuel for him, and it's only when I'm cooking that he really enjoys it.

Breakfasts - cereal and toast for M. Fruit and yoghurt for me.

Lunches - sandwiches, crisps, cheese and a cereal bar for M. Cup-a-soup (or similar) for me. I'll have fruit throughout the day, M and his colleagues will have the chocolate traybake I made and iced yesterday.

Supper -

Monday: I'll have my sandwich evening. M has leftover beef curry, rice and flatbread.

Tuesday: I'll probably investigate a Pizza express or similar. M has more leftover curry with rice.

Wednesday: I'll give in and eat in the hotel. M has lentil ragu from the freezer, with pasta and grated cheese

Thursday: I'm home! Well, sort of. I'm popping up to see my sister and nephew.

Friday: Something from the freezer :vague: possibly some of the leftover rice I've been making

Saturday: We have M's parents with us for the weekend, so a roast chicken with all the trimmings

Sunday: Parsnip and bacon pasta - see post later this week

That's our week - next week I'm going to make a beetroot cake, and hopefully we'll have a more interesting one - this is deliberately thrifty and apologies about it being a bit dull. Hopefully someone over at At home with Mrs M will have some more interesting cooking going on!

Meal Planning Monday - a freezer audit

When I graduated, attention to detail was not my forte - 14 years and countless admin roles, holidays to New York, and one Guide unit later it turns out you can teach yourself attention to detail and it's an utterly vital skill.

It turns out skills honed looking for one person in 600 who you know should have an NVQ but who for some reason isn't coming out on Business Objects actually come into their own when one is getting organised. This meant last night was spent sat in front of the freezer, notebook in hand, auditing the contents. The list (yes it's a spreadsheet) looks like this: 

Item	Amount	Notes
Yorkshire puddings	1 packet	4
White finger rolls	1 packet	6
Sloes for gin	1 tupperware
Prawn biryani	1 tupperware
Bolognaise	1 tupperware
Garlic doughballs	1 packet	12
Potato wedges	1 packet	3/4 left
Fajita wraps	2 packets
Higgidy steak pie	1	Serves 2
Peas	2 packets
Sausages (loose)	3
Part baked baguettes	1 packet	2
Chicken breasts	4
Grated courgettes	2 lots
Sausagemeat		200g
Diced courgette	1 lot
Pork sausages	3 packets
Carnitas	1 tupperware
Sweetcorn	1 packet
Stewing steak	1 peice
Braised red cabbage	4 portions
Frozen chips	1 packet	tiny portion
5 baby croissants
Toffee ice cream	1 tub
Split pea soup	1 tupperware
Cooked chicken	2 tupperwares
Fishcakes	3
Pesto	1 tupperware

That was a slightly longer list than (my clearly tardis like freezer was hiding) I was hoping for. Still, not to be dissuaded, I've done a meal plan that spans the coming 3 weeks and will hopefully use most things up. It should mean that we only really need fruit and vegetables, and aside from 3 loaves of banana bread that will go into the freezer as food for the supporting troops - there is a veto on buying anything to go inside. 

This week's mealplan is a short one as I'm off to Wellies and Wristbands on Thursday with 10 of my Guides. 

Breakfasts: Summer porridge for me, with very overripe chopped banana

Lunches: M is having ham baguettes this week (check off those part-baked baguettes), I'm having home made aubergine houmous either with warmed up fajitas or veggies 

Dinners: 

Monday: Sausages, baked sweet potato, sweetcorn, peas and braised red cabbage

Tuesday: Pasta bolognaise and garlic doughballs for M, Prawn biryani for me

Wednesday: Leftovers of the above for us both

Thursday: Fishcakes and salad for me. Pasta pesto for M

Wish me luck as we embark on our mammoth freezer clean out - hopefully in three weeks it'll be emptied, defrosted and gleaming

Meal planning Monday: the 3 day week

I've been awol on the meal planning front for a little while. The planning has still been taking place, it's the motivation to write it that's absent.

This week I've taken today and tomorrow as leave in a bid for a bit of a rest. However,  I then made a list of all the things I need to do, and suddenly it's not so restful. Which is why I'm writing this on the phone in the dentist surgery.

Breakfasts: I've switched back to yoghurt with a sprinkling of grape nuts and fruit. 0% fat Total Greek is my favourite

Lunches: I've been starting the switch from soups over to crudités,  salad and home made houmous or smoked mackerel pate. 

Suppers: we're trying to clear down the freezer so I can defrost it.  Much of what we're eating has had part of it previously frozen!

Monday: leftover lasagne and salad

Tuesday: chicken and vegetable enchiladas, and salad

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Mark's at his archery AGM so poached smoked haddock with peas for me

Friday: Mark's night - a new development in the pantry to give me a night off!

Saturday: we're off to see Matilda so supper will be out. Any suggestions of somewhere lovely for a pre theatre meal?

Sunday: Mark's off to see the Touring cars at Thruxton. I'm undecided about what I'm doing

So that's us this week. Not wildly exciting. I'll add links to recipes when I'm at the laptop, but don't forget to pop on over to the linky At home with Mrs M to see what the other meal planners are up to. 

Frozen Grapes: Probably the simplest summer essential in the world. Ever

 

So much so, I can't believe I'm writing this post. I've coerced M into taking photos so I have to write it really. But even so, I'm blushing, futilely hiding behind my rose hoping that you won't abandon me purely for the fact that I'm writing this up on a food blog.

I'm a hardened dieter/ healthy eater and abandoner of both of those pasttimes, usually in the face of something with vast quantities of butter or sugar. Junk food has never been my thing and I eat pretty healthily most of the time, but there's nothing that's quite the same as crispy roast potatoes. So, I have to think about my snacks - make sure that my innate tendency towards fabulously flavoured badness is balanced out by fresh, clean, healthiness.

This tends to mean that Monday - Friday, fruit is my snack of choice - apples, bananas, satsumas, cherry tomatoes, sharon fruit. I get frustrated when I can't get British apples, but aside from that am fairly easily pleased. I tend to avoid berries as they don't travel well when wedged in between a laptop and 16 copies of handouts and tupperware containers add to unecessary bulk when travelling on trains that no longer give you somewhere to put your luggage when you're 5'4" and can't lift something above your head.

So yes, fruit. for years I've heard about freezing grapes as a dieters sweetie. It must come up at least annually as a suggestion in every women's magazine I've ever read - from Just Seventeen up to Easy Living. It's there in every Weight Watchers and Slimming world material I've ever read. And yet, I've never tried it. I've dismissed it, much like 'swap your regular sausages for Quorn - you'll never tell the difference!' Yes. I. Will. Or, 'try Turkey bacon in place of regular bacon for a Sunday morning fry (or grill) up' No, it has a weird texture - it's squeaky. Having tried those recommedations and been forced to dismiss them on account of the fact that they're RUBBISH, I also dismissed frozen grapes. Oh how stupid I was. Frozen grapes are a cross between grape flavoured sweeties and an ice lolly. Having stupidly sensitive teeth I choose to suck them and love when they start to go squishy.

I'm so embarrased by including this, but also so keen to spread the word - for those of you doing the 5:2 Feast:Fast I'm hoping frozen grapes might prove to be a something yummy you can fit in on your fast days - according to myfitnesspal, 1 grape is 2 calories and the good thing about freezing them is that you don't pop one in your mouth after another, barely tasting them as they go down. It forces you to slow down and to really enjoy each mouthful.

Quite simply, wash your grapes, put them in a tupperware or similar without a lid, and in your freezer - help yourself to them every time you're peckish.

If I weren't so embarrassed I'd submit these to Kavey's Bloggers Scream for Ice Cream this month, the subject of which is Ice lollies, but I'm too embarrassed. By far.

Come over for dinner. There's plenty to eat! Chilli con carne

When talking about blogging people always say you should find your niche. To be entirely honest, I'm not sure what mine is, if I even have one that is. (M's input on this was to suggest that I was jumping the gun and it might be a nephew. NICHE!) However, when I look at how people find me, it's often with "how do I?" searches, and some of my more popular posts are the comfort, family food. It's logical really, it's the food I eat the most, and am most passionate about, because it's where anyone with any level of confidence in their cooking abilities can make a difference to their health and wellbeing with a few,small, easy changes. Moving from sugar and preservative laden jarred sauces to making your own, fresh, unprocessed meals is the biggest difference anyone can make to their diet. I'm not talking about weight loss here, but how you feel - not craving sweets all the time, feeling gently full, healthier skin and brighter eyes, from making that switch.

And with that - here is the Pantry version of how to cook Chilli con carne. Freezes beautifully. Works really well in the slow cooker - I just whack everything in before work, leave it on low and eat that night. Also, eats really well a day or so after making - so I made this on Friday night after work, and we had it today. The flavours have really developed and it was lovely.

This goes well with red wine, if you're having people over. If you want to be a bit more fancy and foodie about it, I picked up some dried anjo chillies at the Newbury show last year. I chop one with everything else in the food processor, and add one in whole to the chilli just before it goes in the oven. After cooking I take that one out, but if you're feeding someone that likes a bit of heat - pop it on their plate!

Penelope's Pantry does Chilli con carne

1 glug olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped
500g (or so) of minced beef
1 red chilli
1 teaspoon cumin (powder or seeds - if using seeds, crush first)
1 stick cinammon (or a pinch of dried if you've run out. Not that that happens here. Oh no *shifty eyes*)
1 teaspoon of chilli powder/ dried chilli
2 tins tomatoes
2 tins red kidney beans
About 100g of tomato paste (you can make your own by blitzing sundried tomatoes) or buy it. Either way.

Preheat oven to Gas mark 3/ 150 degrees
Either chop, or food process the onions, garlic and red chilli (if I'm being fancy/ organised and using home made tomato paste, I add the tomatoes into the food processor and blitz it all together)
Add to an ovenproof pan (with a lid) over a low heat on the hob, cook until the onions are starting to colour
Add your spices; cumin, dried chilli/ chilli powder
Add minced beef and cook, stirring regularly until browned
Add both tins of tomatoes - rinse them out with water and add that
Drain both tins of kidney beans in a colander
If you're using one, add the cinammon stick now
Add those, stir in
Put on the lid, and put in the oven for a couple of hours
Voila! - this easily makes 4-6 adult portions, I normally serve 4 and freeze the rest.


I've served this with cornbread or brown basmati rice, in tortillas, in tacos, with cheese on from a bowl on my lap. Anyway that suits me at the time.

Meal Planning Monday: a thrifty week

It's a bit of an odd week in the pantry - I just don't really know what's going on. As usual I'm busy: Brownies, Guides and a catch up with a friend take out all but Monday and Friday. By the time I've added a swim imto that mix, it'll just leave Friday. At least I'm starting the week with a tidy house I guess.

I am however in need of a big shop - I've been on half pay because of the forty two day migraine of doom for a bit now, and am holding out for this payday as I'm back on full pay. Simple basics are what I'm out of: pasta, olive oil, and those other basics. That said, I've still got most of this week to get through so I'm hoping as it's veg box week, that plus freezer gubbins will do us.

More excitingly however, I have just started up a new sourdough starter - having lost Mabel, and Herman bread not quite working have meant that I've been thinking about doing this for ages. Fortuitously I popped on to twitter, and saw the hashtag #sourdoughtweetalong Run by Baker and Loaf it's a day by day guide to starting a starter. I've done Day one, and am looking forward to nurturing my new baby over the next week. Fingers crossed for some success and longevity this time!

So, onto actual meal planning.

Breakfasts for me will be fruit, or poached eggs. I'm trying to stay off the dairy products, although I have had a tiny spot of cheese today. M will have cereal and toast.

Lunches, houmous and carrot sticks for me, if the weather gets any colder I'll be raiding the freezer for soup.

So, dinners:

Monday - leftover roast pork (from the freezer) purple sprouting broccoli and some roast potatoes

Tuesday - last week's pantry pasta as I froze the leftovers

Wednesday - sausages in what I suspect is a tomato based sauce. There's some green lentils in the cupboard, so I may cook those in with both the sausages and tomato sauce.

Thursday - M is at Welsh and I'm at Brownies, so something quick and easy for me - there's a tupperware of leftover curry so I think I'll tuck into that

Friday - I have what is labelled (it's the only thing that is) as bolognaise, so that with pasta for M and just a big bowl of it for me.

We actually have no plans next weekend so I'm going to roast a chicken as I don't feel like I've had a 'proper' roast in an age, and am hoping to have some time to potter.

Baking wise: I promised M some homemade flapjacky/ granola bars for his packed lunches about a month ago, so I'm going to try and make those - possibly tomorrow after swimming.

Be sure to pop over to At Home with Mrs M to see what everyone else is up to this week

Also - this is your last call for entries to the Asda Extra Special Hamper giveaway as it closes next week.

Meal planning Monday: my week as a headless chicken (not for eating either)

Hello all, I know I'm late again, I do have a(nother) good excuse, this is my first week in my new job. Truth be told I had intended to just schedule posts for this week, but last week I was ridiculously busy and disorganised and utterly failed to do that.

This week I'm not anticipating having loads of time to cook, plus being between jobs for a few weeks has meant that money is tight(er than usual), so it's a bit of an empty the freezer week in the pantry. I'm lucky in that I keep the staples for things like Pantry pasta in my storecupboard so it's not as if I'll be going hungry and I'm a thrifty soul, good at freezing my leftovers, making stock out of chicken carcasses and the like so I have a healthy freezer. It's just a case of using that up rather than making fresh.

So this is what the week looks like in the Pantry:

Monday: Leftover Broadbean risotto

Tuesday: I'm at Guides, so possibly the last of the salad in the fridge with some cheese.

Wednesday: Baked potatoes, with defrosted ratatouille and grated cheese

Thursday: Sausages, homemade potato wedges and beans

Friday: we're at M's parents this weekend so I'm not sure.

Hopefully it's a nice cheap week for the Pantry, and then we'll look at next week. My main expense this week was fruit and yoghurt for breakfasts and lunches. My aim is not to do a top up shop and ideally to only need essentials (as in milk) next week. Fingers crossed.

Be sure to pop over to At home with Mrs M to see what else everyone else is up to this week.

Meal Planning Monday: Does anyone want to go to Sainsbury's for me?

Last week I stayed almost entirely on plan for the main meals, which was great. My snacking wasn't too bad, but I'm still in a place where if it's there I'll eat it. I have to change this, but d'you know what - I have no idea how (and clearly no willpower). I don't think it helps that I had a couple of days where I was vomitting again because of another migraine and so wasn't really eating meals at all, but picking when I could keep things down.

This week should be fairly straightforward, the migraine is receeding so I'm eating normally again, and hoping to go back to work. My only problem being that I have nearly no food in, and no motivation to go and get any. So you're welcome to do my shop for me. In the absence of that I'm going to walk a fine line with scurvy.

Fortunately on weeks like this I have a freezer full of leftovers to call on, however my new kitchen doesn't have a microwave, so I'm hoping that a meal plan will remind me to get things out of the freezer in advance!

Monday: Leftover salmon with greens. (In order to ward off the scurvy, I'm going to add some fresh spring greens)

Tuesday: Guides and a return to work will probably mean I miss out on tea, so I'll try to have a proper lunch. I've got some butternut squash soup I made and froze and homemade bread to take into the office.

Wednesday: Chicken and mushroom risotto (again from the freezer)

Thursday: Leftover, leftover risotto (I froze 2 portions),

Friday: We're on camp, and the girls are coming out after their dinner. As I'll probably be out there a bit earlier I'll pick up something quick and easy. Pizza with a side order of a bucket of tea it is then!

Saturday: Chicken fajitas with guacamole, soured cream, cheese and salad. All cooked over an open fire. My Guides love this, I think it's partly to do with the fact that they assemble it themselves, as well as being involved in the preparation and cooking of the meal. The girls choose the menu at Guide camp and we went through options last week so there's no reason for them not to eat what they've picked, prepped, and cooked themselves. Being so involved in the meal planning means we cater to our fussy eaters as everyone needs to eat to stay warm on camp.

So that's this week's meal planning - hopefully I'll get to the shops on Sunday afternoon, so that next Monday's is a bit more interesting.