» Celebrating World Vegan Day

November 1st is World Vegan Day, a day devoted to boosting awareness about plant-based diets. Here are a couple of our favourite vegan-friendly recipes that are quick to make, but full on flavour.

Crispy barbecue tofu lettuce wraps

SERVES 4

With some bite from the tofu and pickle, but light on carbs by using the lettuce as wraps, this is a great healthy alternative to the usual meaty barbecue fare. The perfect light dish to celebrate World Vegan Day!

For the tofu

280g firm tofu

1 lime, zest and juice

1tbsp soy sauce

1 clove of garlic, grated

1tbsp sesame oil

For the carrot pickle

1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks

1tbsp rice vinegar

1tsp caster sugar

½tsp sea salt flakes

For the nuoc cham dip

1 clove of garlic, peeled

1 fresh red chilli, roughly chopped

2½cm fresh ginger

1–2tbsp soy sauce

50ml water

½ lime, zest and juice

To serve

1 small cos lettuce, leaves separated

A handful of toasted cashews

Cut the tofu into large cubes, and put them into a bowl with the lime zest and juice, soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil. Mix gently to coat, then cover and set aside.
For the carrot pickle, mix the carrot matchsticks with the rice vinegar, caster sugar and sea salt flakes. Cover and set aside.
To make the nuoc cham, put the garlic, chilli and ginger in a pestle and mortar, and bash into a paste. (Alternatively, grate all the ingredients into a jug.)
Add the soy sauce, water, lime zest and juice, and taste. Adjust the amount of soy, water and lime as needed, and set aside.
When your barbecue is hot and ready, griddle the marinated tofu for 2–3 minutes per side, until lightly charred and crisp. Scatter with a pinch of sea salt. Arrange the lettuce cups on a platter and add a spoonful of carrot pickle to each.
Divide the crispy tofu between the cups, scatter with the toasted cashews and a drizzle of nuoc cham, and serve the remaining nuoc cham alongside.

Chipotle, mushroom and black bean burgers with peanuts and lime

SERVES 4

These burgers are so filling and delicious.

50g smooth peanut butter

1 x 400g tin of black beans, drained, but not rinsed

2 small cloves of garlic, peeled

2tsp chipotle chilli flakes

1tsp ground cumin

1tbsp olive oil

1 heaped tbsp rye flour

1 lime, zest only

1tsp sea salt flakes

250g chestnut mushrooms

To serve

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

A handful of chopped salted peanuts

A handful of chopped fresh coriander

4 burger buns

Put the peanut butter into a food processor with 60g of the black beans, the garlic, chilli flakes, cumin, olive oil, rye flour, lime zest and sea salt flakes, and blitz until you have a very thick paste.
Tip the paste into a large bowl and stir in the rest of the black beans. Tip the mushrooms into the processor — no need to wash them — and pulse until you have a dry mushroom mince. Stir this into the black bean mixture.
With damp hands, form the mixture into four thick burgers and arrange them on a lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 180°C fan/gas 6 for 25–30 minutes. When they’ve got 10 minutes left, gently flip them over so they can crisp up on the other side.
They’re ready to serve straight from the oven, but for a nice bit of smokiness you can let them cool down, then heat them through on a medium barbecue for a couple of minutes on each side.
Squeeze over with lime juice and top with a handful of chopped peanuts and coriander, then sandwich them into lightly grilled burger buns.