Vegan Shepherd's Pie recipe

My Vegetarian/Vegan Shepherd's Pie recipe is so delicious that we have not used minced meat in a very long time to cook a shepherd's pie. The meat alternative in this recipe is mung beans, if you have never used mung beans you will wonder how they could replace meat, but trust me when I say that these are one of the meatiest tasting beans there is!

This shepherds pie recipe tastes so good that you will forget that you ever cooked it without meat as you will be far too busy savouring the delicious flavours coming off your spoon! This recipe is also fat free.

It is always best to use a pressure cooker for this recipe as the consistency is a lot better, but if you don't use one then just make sure you cook all your pie filling till it is soft textured.

Also if you do not use butter in your mashed potatoes like in this recipe then use Vivaldi Potatoes as they are so creamy in taste that it would not be necessary to add any butter.

I promise you that once you taste my vegetarian/vegan recipe you will never look at a meat made pie the same ever again.

Ingredients

1 Cup Mung Beans
1 Pint Water (or just over 2 cups)
2 Carrots (diced small)
1 Small Leek (diced small)
1 Small Onion (diced small)
1 Small Celery Stick (diced small)
1 Parsnip (diced small)
Salt and Pepper
8-10 Small Vivaldi Potatoes

Getting Started.....

Take your cup of mung beans and place them in a dish. Carefully pour just over 1 pint or 2-2+1/2 cups of hot water or until the beans are fully covered with double the amount of water. Leave them to soak for a few hours I soaked mine for 8 hours they will cook after being soaked for 1-2 hours in a pressure cooker. If you are not using a pressure cooker you need to soak your beans over night.

Vegetarian pasta

Vegetarian pasta is not just about vegetables as you can use tofu that will give this dish a fabulous taste. I used "smoked tofu" in this dish that combines very well with pasta.

Tofu is also very good for you and has many health benefits.

This recipe is healthy, delicious and does not take long to cook.

Ingredients for Jeenas Saturday Kitchen Vegetarian Pasta Recipe:

100g Smoked Tofu (sliced into chunks)
1 Large Flat Mushroom (diced)
1 Small Onion (sliced)
1 Tomato (peeled & diced)
1 Garlic Clove (crushed)
Few drops Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Parsely Leaves
Parmesan Cheese (or dairy free alternative)
Rigatoni Pasta (small pan full)

'Note ...I used a smoked tofu with added chopped nuts, there are many types of smoked tofu, you can use which ever smoked tofu you can get.'

Below are photos of my smoked tofu used in this saturday kitchen recipe: It looks so very tasty !

chocolate rum truffles

How to make easy chocolate rum truffles.

Chocolate truffles can come in many forms.

This chocolate rum truffle recipe is more of a small moist cake than chocolate sweet, for a delicious chocolate cake recipe click here for chocolate cake recipe with step-by-step pictures.

This rum truffle recipe tastes exactly like the shop bought ones, they are that good.
Chef uses the same recipe as the Russian slice for the truffle balls.

The texture is moist, the flavours are blended perfectly and the rum comes through to give the chocolate truffle that extra bit of delicious flavour.

A traditional rum truffle is placed into a medium sized paper cake case, in this recipe I have made medium sized truffles and also mini small truffles.
This recipe is very simple to make and prepare.

Healthy Split Pea Curry.... Fat Free!

This is a very healthy dish to eat and fat free !

If you are dieting or just fancy a real healthy dinner then this recipe is just for you.

It is full of flavour and extremely tasty even without the oil and is so very good for you.

Ingredients
Approx 1 Cup Yellow Split Peas
1 Flat Mushroom (chopped)
1 Green Pepper/Capsicum (de-seeded chopped_
2 Small Onions (cut fine)
2 Medium Tomatoes

Spices
1 Inch Fresh Ginger + 1 Garlic Clove (chopped and blended)
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp Cayanne Pepper
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
Pinch Cumin Seeds
Small Pinch Coriander Seeds
Salt
Pinch Dried Coriander


Rinse your split peas and place them into the basket of your pressure cooker with approx one inch of water covering. Wash your tomatoes and put 3 deep slits into them - place them on top of the peas in your pressure cooker. Secure your lid and bring to the boil then turn the heat right down and cook for 10 minutes

Lebanese Vegetarian Kebab Recipe

It is Lebanese style because the kebab filling is cooked with a Falafel mixture.

You really will not miss eating meat when you eat my vegetarian kebab wrapped up a lovely pitta with your favourite sauce.

My veggie kebab recipe is so very tasty that you must cook it to see how you can still have that lovely meaty kebab treat but without all the saturated fat that a meat kebab contains.

Taste the delicious spicy flavours for yourself and get cooking a Lebanese style vegetarian kebab with Chef Jeena.

Ingredients for Lebanese Vegetarian Kebab Recipe
Half Tin Chickpeas
Half Tin Flageolet Beans
1 Heaped Tbsp Cumin Powder
Large Sprinkle Dried Parsley
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
Water
Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
2 - 3 Small Cloves Garlic
2 Small Onions
Sprinkle of Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Chickpea Flour

How to make a Vegetarian Kebab Lebanese Style

Blend the onion and garlic and place into a bowl.

Blend the pulses to a paste (it does not have to be a fine paste) then add to the onion and garlic, mix together along with the other ingredients apart from the chickpea flour.

Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.

How to make a Russian Slice

How to make a Russian Slice

If you live in the UK you must remember eating a Russian Slice from the local bakery as a child ?

I remember eating many lovely cakes from the bakery as a child; Russian Slices and Rum Truffles were always a big favourite as they tasted so nice.

You can get Russian Slices in different variations, some are placed on to a layer of shortcrust pastry and some with out.

In this Russian slice recipe I use stale (dry) chocolate cake and white Madeira cake with real dark rum and a few other ingredients to produce a delicious moist slice.

Both cakes used in the ingredients need to be dry as the moisture of these cakes depends on how the texture of this Russian cake slice recipe will turn out.

The texture is moist and wonderful to eat, the rum flavour comes through the chocolate and blends so well with the other ingredients.

If my Russian Slice recipe does not take you down memory lane then it will have you hooked as a fabulous new cake recipe to eat.

When your family and friends taste this Russian Slice recipe they will be amazed at how you have made such a fantastic tasting cake.

Impress your loved ones with the ultimate comfort food.

How to make a Middle Eastern Spice Mix

How to make a Middle Eastern Spice Mix
There are many different spice blends in the Middle East varying from country to region.

This Middle Eastern spice mix recipe has been specially blended by Chef Jeena.

As with Indian spices, Middle Eastern spice blends have a variation of some select spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, sumac, mint, thyme, nutmeg, pomegranate, cinnamon and many more.

Middle Eastern cuisine uses garlic, olive oil and lemons just as the Mediterranean.

This delicious and aromatic spice blend is very easy to make, there is no roasting of the spices.

Chefs Middle Eastern spice blend recipe can be used to sprinkle on food, marinate meats and more

Sirloin and Vegetable Kebabs Recipe

 Sirloin and Vegetable Kebabs Recipe. Enjoy a collections of quick & easy Middle Eastern food recipes and learn how to make Sirloin and Vegetable Kebabs. 

Yield Serves 4

Ingredients

4 teaspoons whole coriander seeds, finely ground
4 teaspoons anise seeds, finely ground
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon ground paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt
1 1/2 pounds boneless sirloin steak, fat trimmed, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
20 small white button mushrooms (10 ounces)
12 red pearl onions (3 ounces), peeled and cut in half lengthwise
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat a grill or grill pan until hot. Place ground coriander and anise seeds in a medium bowl. Add garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season marinade with salt, and stir until combined. Add sirloin cubes, and stir to coat.

In a medium bowl, combine mushrooms, onions, and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Divide steak among four skewers; thread, leaving 1/2 inch between each cube. Divide vegetables among another four skewers; thread.

Grill the sirloin kebabs until well browned and medium rare, and grill the vegetable kebabs until glistening, tender, and slightly charred, 5 to 7 minutes for both. Serve on the skewers.