Roasted Aubergine and Courgette Salad

It’s summer time, and you know what that means… SALADS! I basically live off salads during the summer, and I know you probably don’t want to stand around grilling all day, so roasting vegetables is a great alternative and gives amazing flavour to the vegetables!

I used aubergine and courgette, but I would have loved to add red peppers and I once made this adding caramelised onions and all I can say is that it was AMAZING (but then again, I’m obsessed with caramelised onions)!

Check out the video tutorial here!

Roasted Aubergine and Courgette Salad vegan, gluten free and dairy free
Serves 2

1 large aubergine, cut into rounds
1 cougette, cut into rounds
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

For the salad:
Bag of salad leaves (I used bistro salad which had beetroot in it too)
Coriander
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon

Preheat your oven to 170ºC.

Cut the vegetables into rounds and salt the aubergine so it starts to sweat.
Rinse them after about 15-20 minutes.
Sweating of the aubergine is optional but recommended.

Line your baking sheets with tin foil (they’ll be easier to clean up later!) and add a layer of olive oil.

Put the vegetables in the oven for about 20 minutes then flip them over.

Cook for another 10-15 until vegetables are soft.

While vegetables are roasting, make the salad but combing salad leaves, olive oil and lemon and put them around a plate.

Once vegetables are cooked, put them on the plate with the salad and drizzle with good quality extra virgin olive oil and lemon and coriander, for presentation.

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15 Minute Vegan Stew

I’ve recently just been revising all day erryday so haven’t really had time to sit down and cook a proper fancy meal. I don’t know about you, but i love grazing on snacks throughout the day, so it’s totally cool, but sometimes I crave that home cooked meal!

This is perfect for those times, because as a student, I don’t want to spend hours standing in the kitchen for one thing to be done. Also, this required one pan (and one saucepan to boil something in… But that doesn’t really count), so minimum washing up! Can I get a woop woop?!

This is super hearty and packed with goodness. The mushrooms give a real depth and meatiness, but if you really are insistent on adding meat or fish, I would recommend adding something that can stand up to the strong flavours of the sauce.

15 Minute Vegan Stew vegan, gluten free and dairy free
Serves 1 large serving (or two smaller)

1/3 aubergine, diced into small cubes
note: I took the skin off my aubergine as it was really tough
1/2 leek, sliced
3 chestnut mushrooms, diced into small cubes
Tomato passata
Oregano
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

optional: I thought after that carrot would be a really good addition, so I might try that next time too!

Boil some water in a pan and put the leeks in. Boil until softened and drain and let them cool on the side.

In another pan (or the same!) add the oil and sauté the small cubes of aubergine until soft.
Remember to add salt at this point so the flavour of the aubergines come out!

When they’re soft, add the diced mushrooms and sauté till soft.

Once softened add in the passata and the leek and add any more seasonings, such as oregano and more salt and pepper to taste.

When the stew has boiled down to your desired consistency, serve with couscous!

Aubergine and Chickpea Stew

I’ve been quite obsessed with chickpeas recently. I mean, I have hummus everyday (#hummusandcarrots4lyf) but I’ve also loved eating chickpeas ‘in the raw’ (roasted chickpeas, yes please)!

It’s no secret I love chickpeas in stews, as they really pack a protein punch so keep you full, aaaand I am also obsessed (probably an understatement) with aubergines. So I thought, why not make an aubergine and chickpea stew?! It’s an amazing combination of silky, melt inthe mouth aubergines with chickpeas and tangy tomato. Foodgasm in the mouth.

Aubergine and Chickpeas Stew
Serves 4

2 white onions, diced
1 large aubergine, cut into roughly the same size
2 carrots, chopped into roughly the same size
1 tin of chopped tomatoes (I also added passata to give it a smooth taste)
1 tbsp oregano
1/2 tbsp of paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, to cook

Saute the onions until soft and add garlic and carrots. When it all becomes fragrant, se aside.

Cook the aubergine until soft in some olive oil in a pan.

Once the aubergines are soft,a dd to the onion, carrot, garlic mixture an sauté so all the flavours are bound together.

Add the tomato tin (and passata if necessary) and possibly some water, as the stew will reduce.

Add the chickpeas and leave to simmer for a while.

Serve with couscous or with bread.

note: I would recommend making this in the morning so the flavours will be able to mingle together and it will taste super good!