Here are a couple of recipes to lend a helping hand to everyone who (like me and Samia) are staying at home.

As it's not so easy to restock your cupboard these days, I've started filming these quick and easy cookery lessons in our kitchen. 

 

The Recipes

Day 1: One-Pot Vegetable and Lentil Stew
 

It's the perfect way to make a substantial meal using only a few ingredients that you should have in your kitchen already.

The great thing is that at first it’s a hearty soup which you can enjoy with some bread, vegetables and salad. 

This food is very economical too. Because of the lentils and stock, it expands as you cook it. It becomes like the never-emptying pot—however much you take out there still seems to be some left.
 

Ingredients

100 g red lentils (washed)
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium onion (coarsely chopped)
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
1 medium carrot (diced)
1 parsnip (diced)
100g celeriac (peeled & diced)
1 medium potato (peeled & diced)
1ltr vegetable stock
salt & pepper (to taste)

Method
To begin I start sautéing all the vegetables (except the potato) in the coconut oil, just to seal in and intensify the flavours.
Then I added the diced potato, the washed lentils and vegetable stock.
You then have a choice: 

• Option 1: Cook in the saucepan. Simply let it stew for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Option 2: Use the slow cooker. I love to pop it into the slow cooker and leave it for 3-4 hours. The advantage is that you don’t have to watch over it all the time. 

Alternatives: There are actually lots of other options besides Shepherd’s Pie. The Stew can be turned into a delicious dhal with added ayurvedic spices or a kitcheri by simply adding white basmati rice.

My aim is to show you a handful of plant-based ingredients can feed a household for days. Yum!
The great thing is that there is no set recipe you can use almost any vegetables (and good oil) you have in your cupboard. 
 

Day 2: Shepherd's Pie

The second dish is my version of the nation's favourite... Shepherd's Pie! 
With about 1/3 of the Lentil and Vegetable Stew you have enough to make a second dish a delicious Shepherd’s Pie.

To 1/3 of the above Stew add:
1 tbsp tamari 
1 tsp yeast extract
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp mixed herbs. 


Vegetarian Mashed Potato 
500 g potatoes (peeled & chopped)
1 tbsp butter

100 ml milk (or as needed)

salt & pepper to taste

Steam or boil the potatoes until it tender. Mash in the normal way with butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper. 

Vegan Mashed Potato
500 g potatoes (peeled & chopped)
50 g cashews  
60 ml water  
1 tsp yeast flakes  
2 tbsp olive oil  
salt & pepper (to taste)

Method
Steam/boil the potatoes until they are soft then drain and mash them. Blend the cashews and water together in a Nutri Bullet or another powerful food blender until really smooth. Add to the potatoes, along with the yeast flakes and olive oil. Mix with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with steamed vegetables and salad.

 

Day 3: Delicious Curry

So this is the 3rd day where we take Day 1's Stew and spice it up into a curry.
 

Ingredients

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 clove of garlic
I medium red onion (diced)
2 cm of fresh ginger
1/3 of Stew
1 tomato (peeled & diced)
1 tsp tomato puree
2 tsp Samia's Secret Spice Mix
(1 part ground curry powder, 1 part ground coriander, 1 part ground cumin, 5 parts ground coriander, 7 parts ground paprika)
 

Method

Crush the garlic/ginger to make a paste.
Melt the oil in a non-stick pan.
Add the garlic/ginger paste and onion. Fry on a low heat until caramelised.
Add the Spice Mix. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the tomato puree, stir for a few seconds and then add the chopped tomatoes. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the Stew mixture. Leave to cook for 5 minutes.
Enjoy!