Chick’n and Ham Spaghetti Carbonara

If you’re new here, you probably don't know that I live in a shared university house with 4 non-vegans, and recently one of my housemates was making carbonara.

I'd made a vegan carbonara a few times, but it was a bit of a half-arsed effort. It got me wondering just how close I could get to making a vegan carbonara that takes like a traditional meat one...

The answer: Very.

I used Vivera Bacon Pieces slices and Fry's Artisan Lightly Seasoned Vegan Chicken-Style Strips (for some added protein), but whatever equivalents you can get your hands on should work great, I also like to add some chopped up sun dried tomatoes if I have them around!

* A little edit to add that since I wrote this recipe, This Isn't brand has released lardons, these are absolutely fantastic for a real authentic feel! *

If you want to boost your veggie intake, you can always add some peas, broccoli, spinach or whatever you have around. You can also substitute the mock meats for mushrooms if you'd prefer!

If we asked Gino D'Acampo from This Morning what makes a carbonara, mine wouldn't even make it through the door. Carbonara is traditionally made with egg as one of its main ingrideients. I've used a white sauce made for the creaminess we all know and love and then added Himalayan black salt for an eggy hint. I've listed the black salt as optional as I know not everyone will have it laying around, but it's worth investing in if you're a fan of tofu scramble too!

Make sure you let us know in the comments below how yours turned out and if you did anything differently. Also remember to tag us in your foodie makes on instagram!

 

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Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 30M

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp dairy free spread

• 1 white onion, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 175g Vivera bacon pieces or 1 pack This Isn't lardons 

• 250g vegan chicken pieces (optional)

• 4 tbsp plain flour

• 2 cups / 500ml non-dairy milk

• 1 tbsp Himalayan black salt (optional and also to taste)

• A good few sprigs of basil

• Salt and pepper

 

To serve:

• 400g (dry weight) dried spaghetti or pasta

Method:

1.  Place your chicken pieces and bacon bits/lardons into a large saucepan and fry them off in 2 tbsp dairy free spread along with your garlic and onion.

2. Add your flour, gently stir in and leave to cook for about a minute, at this point you’ll want to put your spaghetti on to boil as per the instructions on th back of the pack.

3. Add your non-dairy milk into your carbonara mix and gently stir together, reduce to a medium heat to bring to the boil, when it will begin to thicken. Add in your Himalayan black salt and gently stir through.

4. Once your spaghetti is cooked, simply drain and then mix it all together, or place your spaghetti on the plate first and top with carbonara! Chop up some basil and mix through with some salt and pepper just before you serve.

 

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Let us know how you got on in the comments below, and any changes you made!

 

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Written by Amy Northwood
Her-Bivore
My passion for food and conservation has led me to where I am now! My aim is to show people that veganism can be diverse, tasty and adapted to fit every lifestyle and budget!
You can find me on Instagram

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Jump to Recipe>>

Breakfast is often seen as one of the challenging meals to keep vegan, with so many people accustomed to having animal products at breakfast time it can be daunting when first exploring veganism to find replicas of your most loved morning meals.

For those who have been vegan for a long time, it can also be easy to fall into the trap of having the same breakfasts over and over again, often purely for convenience. For super quick and easy breakfasts, there are many vegan (and accidentally vegan!) breakfast cereals out there, simply pair with any plant or nut milk and vuoi la! 

However, if you have a bit of spare time, you can also just as easily whip up something altogether a bit more special. There are so many options out there in the world of vegan recipes that allow you to enjoy the same breakfasts you did before, just a little different. 

Whilst the flavorus may not be identical, they all make a delicious breakfast in their own right. If you’re craving scrambled eggs, try out our scramble tofu recipe. But if you’re here because you’re after a delicious alternative to dip your toast soldiers in, you’re already in the right place.

Many people complain that vegans shouldn’t name their foods and recipes after animal products, so i just want to clarify that here and now. I haven’t named this recipe ‘vegan dippy egg’ because I’m trying to aggravate any omnivores. I’ve simply chosen the name that best informs people of what to expect! 

So behold, our vegan dippy egg. The nutritional yeast is the star of the show in this one, bringing the special rich flavour into the ‘egg yolk’. Sometimes if im feeling a bit generous, i'll throw in a bit extra for an even deeper, richer taste, but it’s fabulous just the way it is. 

The corn flour thickens the mix, making it the perfect consistency for dipping, and the tumeric helps to provide that perfect breakfast eggy colour, whilst also being a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant! Whilst on the topic of health, it’s also worth mentioning that this recipe is 100x healthier than the animal product version, with the nutritional yeast containing all 9 essential amino acids, providing a great source of protein, as well as containing B vitamins and trace minerals. 

I like to pair my vegan dippy egg with a couple of slices of super seeded toast, creating the perfect nutrient packed, protein rich start to the day that everyone needs!

 

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Recipe

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 5M

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water

• 1 tbsp corn flour

• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast

• ½ tsp turmeric

• Ground pepper to taste

Method:

1. Whisk all your ingredients together in a small pan, place over a medium heat until it comes to the boil and has thickened! You’ll need to keep whisking constantly to ensure that it doesn't stick as the corn flour starts to thicken.

 

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I bet you didn't think it would be that easy… with just 4 main ingredients (one of which comes out the tap) and one step to complete, this is my go to savoury breakfast option.

Be sure to share all your foodie makes with us using the hashtag #HBivore.

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Written by Amy Northwood
Her-Bivore
My passion for food and conservation has led me to where I am now! My aim is to show people that veganism can be diverse, tasty and adapted to fit every lifestyle and budget!
You can find me on Instagram

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Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry

Let's get one thing straight, i absolutely love sweet potato. I love it baked, mashed, as fries or wedges, if there is a way to eat sweet potato, chances are I love it. Unfortunately, Him-Bivore (Jack) absolutely despises it, and the only way i can get away with using it is by hiding it in his favourite food… curry!

So this one is the culmination of years of compromise between us both and has always been a go-to when I’m feeling sweet potato, this is one we use so much that i can't understand why i haven't shared it with you all sooner!

The spinach adds some great colour, flavour depth and is great for packing in some more vitamins and protein (bet pop-eye would approve of this one!)

This recipe genuinely couldn’t be any easier. It’s only got 4 easy steps and is sure to make everyone think you spent way more time in the kitchen than you did.

 

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Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 30M

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes

• 1 large white onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 fresh red chilli

• 1 x 400ml can reduced fat coconut milk

• 250ml vegetable stock

• 150g baby spinach

• 1 tsp dried ginger or 1 inch piece peeled and grated

• Rice to serve (optional)

• Fresh coriander (optional)

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan, fry off your onion, garlic and spices for a few minutes until the onion is softened.

2. Add your coconut milk, veg stock and sweet potato and then bring to the boil on a high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook until the sweet potato is soft, this will take about 10 minutes, but you can test it by gently stabbing a large piece with a knife.

3. If you’re serving with rice, this is the time you’ll want to pop that on, just cook as per instructions on the packet.

4. Add in your spinach and gently stir into the curry, once this is wilted you're all ready to go, serve topped with chopped coriander and any accompaniments you like!

 

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You can substitute the sweet potato for regular potatoes if you prefer, and it also cooks great with pak choy or other similar leafy greens. I always like to keep my curries fairly mild by picking a chilli with gentle flavours, but you can crank up the heat with this one by adding in some extra chilli powder or fresh chopped chillies.

How did it go? We love to hear your feedback, so make sure to let us know in the comments below how you got on and whether you made any changes!

We’d love to see what you come up with! Remember that you can share your foodie makes with us using the hashtag #HBivore.

Follow us on Facebook and like us on Instagram to keep up to date with our latest recipes, news and content. You can also use the form below to receive all our news straight to your inbox each week.

Written by Amy Northwood
Her-Bivore
My passion for food and conservation has led me to where I am now! My aim is to show people that veganism can be diverse, tasty and adapted to fit every lifestyle and budget!
You can find me on Instagram

 

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Coconut Carrot Cake

Carrot cake is a traditional spring-time recipe and with Easter just around the corner, I decided it was time to give it a shot.

I was hesitant to give this recipe a go because a) Amy’s a better baker than I am and b) (fun-fact) I’m a vegan that is allergic to carrots (and an assortment of other raw vegetables). Just being in the same room as them when they’re being peeled will set me off. So the next time you hear someone saying “oh I could never be vegan” remember my sad story.

Anyway… I muddled through and after a lot of stress and deliberating as to whether or not this recipe was actually going to work, I succeeded. The result was tremendous…

Both vegans and non-vegans had a slice of this cake to try and the resounding feedback was “damn… you’d never know this was vegan. This could possibly be the best carrot cake I’ve ever had in my life”.

(Their words, not mine, heaven forbid if anyone thought I liked to brag… hahaha yeah right!)

The sponge was so moist and delicately flavoured with cinnamon and the icing complimented this so perfectly. I really took a chance with the coconut yoghurt in the mixture but it worked a treat.

Of course, feel free to change the recipe up however you would like but as it stands… this is one of my best recipes to date and I’m really excited to share it with you.

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Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 2 cups / 240g plain flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 ½ tsps cinnamon

• 1 ¼  cups / 310ml sunflower oil

• 1 cup / 200g granulated sugar

• 1 cup / 200g brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 4 tbsps chia seeds / 12 tbsps water (mix together and leave for 5 minutes before adding)

• 6 medium carrots, peeled and finely grated

• ½ cup / 50g of desiccated coconut

• ½ cup / 75g sultanas

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

• ½ cup / 115g vegan margarine, softened 

• 1 cup / 225g vegan cream cheese

• 2 tsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 4 cups / 400g icing sugar, sifted

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C / 350F / gas mark 4. Take out 2 9” cake tins and cover lightly in dairy-free spread and a light dusting of plain flour.

2. Mix together your plain flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in one bowl. In another bowl, mix together your oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract and chia seed gel until well combined.

3. Time to add your dry ingredients to your wet mix. Add it gradually in parts and stir it in well until the mixture is smooth. Then add in your carrots, coconut and sultanas.

4. Split the mixture between the two cake tins and then bake in the oven for 35 minutes. To test them, spike the center with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. If it doesn’t, put them back in for a little while.

5. Leave them to cool for about 20 minutes in the cake tins. Then transfer the cakes from the tins to a cooling rack and leave for an hour or so until they are completely cool.

6. To make your frosting, use the paddle attachment of your mixer to combine the cream cheese and softened margarine and then beat until smooth. Add in your lemon and vanilla and beat again for about a minute, then start to add your icing sugar about ½ cup at a time, making sure the previous lot has mixed in fully. If you don’t need all your sugar, don’t add it all.

7. Spread a thick layer of your frosting over the top of one of your cakes and then place the other on top. Then you can either just cover the top with icing too or you can choose to coat the top and sides, it's completely up to you!

8. Sprinkle your desiccated coconut over the top of the cake and your chopped walnuts around the edge. Then leave your cake to set in the fridge for an hour before tucking in! 

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Honestly, there were a few moments where I really thought this wasn’t going to work the first time i made it. The sponge looked very dark and the icing didn’t look like it was going to set. However, if you trust in the recipe, I’m sure you won’t regret it. I've madet his so many times since and it's such a favourite in my household now.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! I’m hoping it makes a great treat for you over the Easter Weekend. What are your plans for your Easter meal? I’d love to hear what you’ll be serving up in the comments below!

Be sure to share all your foodie makes with us on Instagram using the #HBivore. We may even repost your image to our profile!

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Written by Jack Ricketts
-Him-Bivore
Marketing has always been my career focus. I am striving to promote a plant-based lifestyle to the masses through positive campaigns and sharing the benefits of veganism. The animals, and the planet, need us more than ever to make a change. 
You can find me on Instagram

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This was another recipe that we hadn't got around to writing up yet. I’ll be honest upfront, I never really very much liked Mac ‘N’ Cheese before I went vegan.

Now, after hearing the vegan outcry for Mac ‘N’ Cheese I was persuaded to give it a go…

Consider me converted. You’re obviously a Mac ‘N’ Cheese fan as you’re here, so get ready for a recipe that packs a huge punch of creamy cheesey flavour that’s but delicious and satisfying.

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Recipe

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 30M

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of macaroni (I cheated and used ditaloni rigati / ridged tubes)

• 2 tbsps oil

• 1 small onion diced

• 3 bulbs garlic diced

• ½ tsp mustard powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1tsp cracked black pepper

• 100g / 1 cup cashew nuts

• 1 cup of free-from grated cheeze (optional)

• 1 cup water

• 2 tsps of cider vinegar

Method:

1. Bring a pan of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook your pasta as per the packet instructions and drain in a colander when done.

2. Meanwhile, fry your onions off in a pan with your oil. When they are soft, add in your garlic, mustard powder, salt and pepper and fry for a further 2 minutes.

3. Add in your cashews, cheeze and water. Keep it on a low simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. Carefully transfer your ingredients into a food processor with your cider vinegar and blend until nice and smooth. You can add more warm water if it appears too thick.

5. Add your sauce to your pasta and mix it all together! 

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Vegan Macaroni Cheeze in just 5 steps… You would have thought it’d actually be a difficult recipe right?

How did you get on with this recipe? Did you make any changes or add anything in? I’m kinda considering that this would make an awesome pasta bake so if you have a go at that, be sure to share it!

Don’t forget that you can share all your foodie makes and ideas with us on Instagram using the hashtag #HBivore.

Follow us on Facebook and like us on Instagram to keep up to date with our latest recipes, news and content. You can also use the form below to receive all our news straight to your inbox each week.

Written by Jack Ricketts
-Him-Bivore
Marketing has always been my career focus. I am striving to promote a plant-based lifestyle to the masses through positive campaigns and sharing the benefits of veganism. The animals, and the planet, need us more than ever to make a change. 
You can find me on Instagram

 

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