3 Vegan Recipes by Nutritionist Rhian Stephenson

In honour of Veganuary, our friends at ARTAH have shared with us their 3 favourite vegan recipes from their holistic, results based 28-day programme ARTAH At Home that targets weight loss, stress reduction & metabolic health.

Spinach & Pea Falafel

Calories: 192

Serves: 4 

A greener take on the classic falafel using mineral and protein rich ingredients, these are great to freeze raw and bake as needed. We’ve used frozen spinach here as it is more economical than fresh, but you can of course use fresh as well. Pairs perfectly with our fresh Beetroot Hummus. This recipe makes 12 x 40g pieces and serves four, with three falafels per serving. 

Ingredients

160g frozen spinach, leave to defrost overnight or for a few hours
100g frozen peas, soak briefly in water to defrost 

200g chickpeas, drained
50g fresh parsley/coriander, or mixed if possible, roughly chopped, including stalks 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
20g tahini
1⁄2 lemon, juiced & zested

1 tsp cumin

1⁄2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp baking powder
40g chickpea flour
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 C. 

This recipe is to bake your falafel so as to reduce any unnecessary oil. Place everything except the chickpea flour in a food processor and blitz until combined, then add in the chickpea flour, tablespoon by tablespoon, until the mix starts coming together and is thick enough to shape with your hands. Taste the batter and add further seasoning if you wish. 

To shape the falafels, it is best to wet your hands with cold water as this makes it much easier to handle the mix and roll it into 40g balls. Once you have made them, lay them evenly across a parchment lined baking tray, then bake for 20-25 minutes. Best served immediately.

Socca with Mushrooms &
Caramelised Onions

Calories: 229

Serves: 2

Socca is an incredibly versatile base for you to experiment with all sorts of flavour combinations. You can serve as a plain base with toppings, or just as easily incorporate a variety of vegetables, herbs and spices into the mix and bake as usual. This combination works particularly well incorporated into the batter or served on top. This recipe makes one large pancake which can serve two or split the batter for two individual servings. 

Ingredients 

1⁄2 cup chickpea flour
1⁄2 cup potable water, warm
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided 1⁄2 red onion, finely sliced
5 mushrooms, finely sliced, variety of choice
sea salt and pepper, to season 

Optional:
fresh or dried herbs or your choice 

Method 

Preheat your oven to 230 C. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chickpea flour, baking soda, salt and warm water, and any herbs of your choice and whisk away any lumps. Cover with a dishcloth and leave to sit for at least 15 minutes. 

While the batter is resting, sauté the sliced onion in a pan on a medium heat in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for around 5 minutes until softened and caramelised, then add in your sliced mushrooms, seasoning with salt and pepper. Leave both to colour in the pan for a further 5 minutes, then set aside. 

When your batter is ready add in the onion and mushrooms if you are mixing them in. If not, leave aside and place on top of the pancake once it is cooked. 

Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil in the pan and place it in the oven to heat up for a minute or so. Carefully remove the pan and pour in your batter, encouraging the mix to the sides with a spatula if needed. 

Leave to bake in the oven for 8 minutes or until crisp and golden at the edges. Best served immediately. 

Red Lentil Dhal 

Calories: 273

Serves: 4 

An ARTAH staple, dhal is an incredibly comforting dish full of plant-based protein and healing spices. The grated vegetables and coconut milk give it a great, full texture and beautiful vibrant colour. This recipe is on the milder side of spiciness but feel free to add some fresh chilli if you want a little more of a kick. 

Ingredients 

250g or 11⁄2 cups of soaked split red lentils, soaked overnight
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp coconut oil 

1 medium white onion, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1⁄2 tsp black/white pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric or 1⁄2 tsp of fresh grated turmeric 

1 tsp fresh/ground ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garam masala/curry powder 2 tbsp tomato puree 

50g/small handful grated carrot 50g/small handful grated sweet potato 200ml potable water
400g or 2 cups chopped tomato (fresh or tinned)
200ml coconut milk
sea salt & pepper, to season 

Optional toppings: 

1 tsp chilli powder/ finely chopped fresh chilli coconut yoghurt
sliced radishes
toasted seeds 

Method 

It is important to leave the lentils to soak in water overnight, to break down any indigestible starches. Cover the lentils in
a bowl with cold water, then add 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar for each 250g of lentils. Drain and rinse when you are ready to use. 

Sauté the onion and sliced garlic in the coconut oil for a few minutes, season with a little salt - this can also help with the onions catching in the pan - then add in all of the spices and cook these off to remove any raw taste, developing the flavours. 

After a few more minutes stir in the tomato puree, followed by the grated carrot andd sweet potato. Leave to soften, stirring from time to time. 

Now you can add in your drained lentils with the chopped tomato followed by half of your coconut milk and water. Leave this to simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through. 

To serve stir in the remaining half of coconut milk for a creamy finish, adding any optional toppings you wish. 

 

For more delicious recipes like these ARTAH are offering access to over 120 nutrition-forward, low calorie recipes as part of their ARTAH At Home Programme. All recipes are free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar. For just £30, ARTAH At Home features these recipes along with a comprehensive, three phase 28-day plan designed to help you lose weight and improve energy.