Veggie Sausage and Barley Casserole

The days are growing increasingly chilly and as a result I am finding myself in need of some seriously comforting autumnal suppers. The following recipe is the culinary equivalent of a warm, toasty wool blanket and is a great dish for all the family to enjoy. It's particularly good with a chunk of good crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Recipe:

Serves: 4/ Prep: 10 minutes/ Cook Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pack of good quality vegetarian sausages ( I like to use Cauldron)
4 carrots, chopped into wedges
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
Handful of fresh flat leaf parsley
200g pearl barley
1 jar of sun dried tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 vegetable stock cube

Method

1. Heat 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in a heatproof medium casserole dish and add 1 onion and 1 clove of garlic, both peeled and chopped. Fry for 2 minutes until softened, then add 200g pearl barley. Make up 1.2 litres of hot vegetable stock using 1 stock cube and add 800ml to the pan. Reduce to a low heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the sausages for 12-15 minutes until brown and cooked through.
3. Trim the carrots, scrub clean and chop each one into 3 segments. Add to the pearl barley along with chopped tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes and the remaining 400ml of stock. Cook for 20 minutes or until the carrots and pearl barley are tender.
4. Cut the sausages in half and add to the pot with two tablespoons of finely chopped flat leaf parsley. Stir to combine, garnish with a little extra parsley, then serve.

Luke's Verdict: Can I have some more pearly bits?

Saving the planet and Squishy Oat Flapjacks

If I was still living in my little flat in Soho, I would definitely be a regular of this new veggie restaurant which is opening on Wardour Street later this month. Otarian will list the carbon footprint of every item on its menu. Regulars can save up Carbon Karma credits to get free menu items. We would love to see something like this in York.

Meanwhile, Luke and I rustled up some delicious flapjacks this afternoon. Perfect for that mid-afternoon slump.

Luke's Verdict: 'They're not flapjacks they're porridgey bars!'

Recipe:

250g oats
150g unsalted butter
75g golden syrup
75g brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 175 Degrees( Celsius/350 Farenheit/Gas Mark 4) and line your baking tray with greaseproof paper. Put the butter, syrup and sugar into a pan and melt, then add the oats. Stir together and pour onto the baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes or until olden brown.

Sunday Roast

Thanks to Grandad and his wonderful garden, we now have boxes full of fresh vegetables filling up the kitchen and begging to be turned into delicious meals. I asked Luke what we should cook and he said 'Sunday Roast!' I didn't need much convincing and we were soon busy chopping, steaming and roasting all those yummy green beans, carrots, potatoes and onions to accompany the nut roast and gravy.

Luke's Verdict: I love Sundays!

Recipe

Nut Roast

Prep: 10 minutes/ Cooking: 40 minutes/190c, 375f, gas mark 5/Serves: 4

150g chopped mixed nuts
75g wholemeal breadcrumbs
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp lemon juice
25g butter or margarine
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp yeast extract
2/3 cup water

Method

Thoroughly mix together all the ingredients except the yeast and water.

Dissolve the yeast extract in the water, and then add it to the rest of the mixture, mix thoroughly.

Press into a greased loaf tin or baking dish.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes until crisp on top and hot in the middle.

Serve in slices.

Roast Vegetables

Prep: 5 minutes/ Cooking Time: 1 hour/ 190c, 375f, gas mark 5/Serves: 4

3oog new potatoes
6-8 cloves garlic
2 red onions, quartered
4 parsnips, sliced lengthways
4 carrots, sliced lengthways
olive oil
sea salt.

Method

Place the vegetables and garlic cloves in a roasting tray and sprinkle with a little olive oil and sea salt. Cook for an hour or until the vegetables become nicely crisp and browned.

Onion Gravy

3 large onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 oz plain flour
3 fl oz vegetarian gravy browning
18 fl oz vegetable stock

Method

Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onions, garlic and sugar over a low heat until golden. Sprinkle on the flour and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the gravy browning and stock and bring to the boil. Season, then simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Cowboy Casserole

It's been feeling a little chillier of late, and the summery salads and picnic food we've been enjoying for the last few weeks have been replaced with more warming comfort foods. Luke's favourite dish whatever the weather is a real autumnal classic and, even better, cowboys eat it too.

Luke's Verdict: Can my horse have some too?

Recipe

Cooking Time: 20 minutes/ Serves: As many cowboys as you like!

Olive oil
Vegetarian sausages ( 2 per child)
1 onion ( finely chopped)
1 400g can cannellini beans
1 400g can tomatoes
1 tbsp golden syrup or dark brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Fry the sausages in the oil in a heavy based frying pan, then take them out while you cook the onions in the remaining oil until they're golden. Add the beans (rinsed), tomatoes, syrup/sugar, the Worcestershire sauce and 150ml of boiling water. Cook for a few minutes and then put in the sausages and bring to a bubbling, ranch style crescendo.

Courgette Cheddar Muffins

Luke and I had planned on having a picnic today but the rain had left the ground all damp so we had an indoor picnic instead. These delicious muffins are simple to make and are ideal for packing into a picnic basket. The end result is a light but moreish savoury snack that lends itself to any vegetable - carrots, spinach or sun dried tomatoes work just as well as the courgette.

Luke's Verdict: 'Mmm deeelicious! Bit more?'

Recipe:Prep/5mins Cooking/25 mins Serves:6-12

2 large eggs
100ml cold milk
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
275g grated mature cheddar
1 large courgette (about 275g), grated
275g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder tsp paprika

In a large bowl, beat the eggs well, then stir in everything except the flour and baking powder, and mix. Place muffin papers in the pockets of a 12-hole muffin tray and heat the oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted)/390F/gas mark 6.

Sift the flour and baking powder into the mix in the bowl, fold through gently, then spoon into the prepared cases almost to the top. Bake for about 25 minutes until puffed and golden.

Omelette cannelloni with curly kale filling.

I sometimes find pasta too heavy, but I love Italian herbs and flavours, so discovering this dish where the pasta is substituted for omelettes was a revelation. The recipe recommends spinach as a filling but I used curly kale which I think gives it a heartier, more substantial kick.

The result was a delicious, creamy yet surprisingly virtuous supper dish oozing with flavour.

Luke's Verdict: 'I like rolling the parcels!'

Recipe:

Prep: 20 mins/ Cooking: 40 mins/ Serves 4

750g curly kale/ spinach/ or spring greens
125g low fat soft cream cheese
8 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
grated nutmeg
4 eggs
2 tablespoons of water
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Put the curly kale into a pan, cover with boiling water and cook for 6-7 minutes. Drain well.
2. Add the cream cheese to the spinach along with 4 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Mix well and season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. Set aside.
3. Whisk the eggs with water, add salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a frying pan and pour in 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture to make a small omelette. Cook for a few seconds until set, then lift out onto a plate. Repeat until you have about 8 omelettes.
4. Spoon a little of the curly kale mixture onto the edge of one omelette, roll it up and place into a gratin dish. Repeat with the remaining omelettes and place them said by side in the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake in a pre-heated oven, 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit), Gas Mark 5, for about 25 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown on top.

(Source: Rose Elliot 'Vegetarian Supercook')

Welcome

Hello and welcome to Luke Loves...

I'm Nuala, a thirty one year old freelance writer and mammy to the amazing Luke who is three years old. I am busy working on my first novel Soho 4am and am half way through a Masters in Creative Writing.

My very favourite thing, apart from Luke and writing, is to spend hours poring over cookery books and experimenting in the kitchen. I love cooking and discovering new tastes and combinations. As a veggie, I have made it my mission to make sure we never miss out on variety, excitement and deliciousness when it comes to mealtimes.

My little boy Luke appears to have inherited this love for cooking and has progressed from being quite a fussy eater to a real adventurous little gourmet. He can identify all the spices in the cupboard ( his favourite is cumin), absolutely adores picking tomatoes, potatoes, green beans and shallots from Grandad's garden and chives and courgettes from our own little patch, and is my right hand man in the kitchen when it comes to stirring, whisking, sprinkling and best of all tasting!

At the moment Luke loves:

1. Peanut Butter
2. Stewed Rhubarb with Custard
3. Avocado
4. Boiled Eggs and Soldiers
5. Cheese and Onion Souffle
6. Cowboy Casserole (Veggie sausages and beans)
7. Kidney Beans ( we have to make double the amount when cooking Chilli)
8. Spicy Aubergine Curry
9. Brioche
10. Falafel Packed Pittas

Each day will feature recipes, meal ideas, tips and advice on creating wholesome, delicious veggie dishes that are affordable and simple to prepare.

Enjoy xxx