Bare Bars

Posted by Tigger-Piglet

These are based on Nak'd Bars, hence the name.

Date and Nut Bar

Makes 5 @ 4PP each

150g pitted dates
25g blanched hazelnuts 
25g pecans 

Process dates in a mini chopper or food processor. Mix all ingredients together with hands & shape into bars.

Bliss Balls

I have also made something called bliss balls from 'my cookery club'. You can basically add whatever you like to them, and just experiment! They are such a doddle to make really.

Basic recipe:  21 PP total

35g / 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds 
20g / 1 tablespoons almonds (sliced or whole) 
2 tablespoons Agave Nectar / syrup 
4 tablespoons oats (any) 
30g raisins 
tip teaspoon cinnamon 
pinch nutmeg (or few grates of freshly grated) 

Pulse the seeds, nuts and syrup in a blender or food processor until just broken up. 

Spoon out and stir in the oats, raisins and spice. Shape into balls & set in the fridge for a few minutes or until needed 

Date and Cinnamon:  23 PP total

35g / 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds 
20g / 1 tablespoons almonds (sliced or whole) 
3 dates (any) 
2 tablespoons Date syrup 
4 tablespoons oats (any) 
20g / 1 tablespoon raisins 
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

Pulse the seeds, nuts and syrup in a blender or food processor until just broken up. 

Spoon out and stir in the oats, raisins and spice. Shape into balls & set in the fridge for a few minutes or until needed 

Flapjack version: 30 PP Total

100g porridge oats 
25g bran or wheat germ (optional) 
2 tablespoons coconut milk - the thick cream on top of the tin 
1 tablespoon honey 
80g raisins 
60g dried apricots - chopped 
60 ml / 4 tablespoons any milk - e.g.- soya 
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds 
1/2 tablespoon sunflower seeds (or 1 tablespoon of one or the other seeds) 
35g / 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds 
20g / 1 tablespoons almonds (sliced or whole) 
2 tablespoons Agave Nectar / syrup 
4 tablespoons oats (any) 
30g raisins 
tip teaspoon cinnamon 

pinch nutmeg (or few grates of freshly grated) 

Pulse the seeds, nuts and syrup in a blender or food processor until just broken up. 

Spoon out and stir in the oats, raisins and spice. Shape into balls and set in the fridge for a few minutes or until needed 

Romanian Bean Soup (or Stew)

Posted by Ceejayh

Serves 4 at 6 PP each (fewer if you use Frylight)

2 Cans Mixed Beans (450g each)
1.5l water
1 onion
1 red pepper
2 teasp olive oil
2 tsp plain flour
2 tsp ground paprika
2 tsp chilli powder
1 veg stock cube 

Heat oil and add diced onion, chopped petter, chilli powder and cook until softened. Add Paprika and flour and mix well. Stir in the beans.  Pour on the stock, stir well and turn down the heat.

Simmer over a low to medium heat for 20 - 30 minutes until liquid reduces and soup thickens.  (If you simmer it longer you can really reduce it down to make a topping for jacket potatos or a type of chilli with rice.)

You can add more paprika and chilli if you prefer it spicier.  

Packed Lunch ideas

Collated from recent threads on the board! (purple items are vegan)

Sandwich ideas from Vegan Society here
Vegan Lunch Box
50 Vegan Sandwiches 

Leftover dinner!

Pasta, low fat philly, roasted veg
Pasta salad (tomatoes, red onion or spring onions LOADS of herbs and balsamic vinegar)
Pasta salad with black beans, sweetcorn, peppers and a bit of red onion and jalapenos

Pouch of Tilda flavoured rice (e.g sundried tomato) with added chickpeas

Couscous with roasted veg and halloumi
Couscous 40g (4) + stock + 10 cashews (2) + cucumber chopped up and tomotato and onions then I season, add lemon juice and parsley
Half a packet of flavoured couscous, made the night before, added roast veg/raisins/nuts (if you have the points) or salad veg
Or tabbouleh, (Could also use whizzed cauliflower instead of grains if being ultra-good)
1 pack of asda giant Moroccan couscous (comes with spices and raisins n bits already added)
400g tin of chickpeas (cooked with the couscous). 19pts for the whole recipe,  divided into 4, served cold with salad each day is 5pp a serving

40g feta (3pp), cucumber, vine toms, peppers, olives (1pp) red onion and lots of oregano! Drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Noodle salad (dressing of apple juice, soy sauce, garlic, chilli & ginger)
Falafel salad with couscous, harrisa dressing and a dollop of tzatziki or hummus
Frozen edamame, bean and pea mix, feta and m&s chilli & coriander dressing
Bean salad (mixed beans, bit of pesto, celery, onion, herbs)

Jacket potato, beans with low fat cheese

ww soups when they are on offer, and dip oat cakes or ryvitas
Soup & bread

lots of small items of food: olives, carrots, melba toast or rice cakes, cheese in cubes, plain biscuits, fruit, walnuts, etc!

Wrap with hummus and roasted veg
Wrap with halloumi, salad and extra light mayo
Wrap, mini pot of houmous, salad
Pitta with quorn bites, salad and extra light mayo
Wholemeal sub rolls from Aldi (twinpack) - scoop out the bread from the middle leaving just shell (becomes 4 pp)...and stuff it full of lettuce, tomato and veggie bacon with a small spreading of extra light mayo around the shell – GORGEOUS
Bagel with toffutti or cream cheese & onion
Grilled tofu roll with salad & mustard mayo
Coronation 'chicken' with extra light mayo, curry powder, grapes or sultanas and frozen quorn pieces. You can use it on butties, ryvita or jacket potatoes

Quinoa Salad with asparagus, feta and olives posted by kamikazekid

Serves 4

• 200g dried quinoa
• Vegetable stock
• 2 x courgettes thinly sliced (diagonal works best)
• 2 x peppers thinly sliced (red, yellow and orange work well)
• Bunch of asparagus spears sliced in half lengthways
• 120g feta cheese (I used the M&S marinated one)
• 2 x tablespoons basil infused olive oil
• 2 x vine tomatoes chopped
• 100g Kalamata or dried Greek Olives, chopped
• Fresh baby spinach (about half a bag)
• Fresh basil
• Salt and Pepper

Rinse the quinoa in a sieve then boil in the veg stock until tender
Meanwhile brush a griddle pan with the basil oil and cook the asparagus, peppers and courgettes, brushing with oil when necessary to stop them sticking
When the quinoa is cooked, drain in a sieve and rinse in cold water
Drain well so as much of the water is out (I pushed it into the sieve to squeeze it out)
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, adding salt and pepper to taste, (you shouldn't need much salt!) and crumbling the cheese over the salad

I also sprinkled a bit of balsamic vinegar on top

10pp per serving for a really nice fresh and filling meal

Butternut coconut rice, black eyed beans and pineapple greens

Adapted from Appetite for reduction, Posted by Shoanib

Butternut Coconut Rice with black eyed beans    23pp per recipe
serves 3, 8pp per portion

• 90g brown basmati rice

• 1 cup (125ml) water
• pinch of salt
• 1 tin black eyed beans, drained and rinced

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 100ml coconut milk

• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped finely
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped finely
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1/8 tsp dried chilli flakes
• pinch salt
• small amount veg broth (~50ml, water would be fine too)
• 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Roast and peel squash (or peel then roast). Mash squash together with the coconut milk.
While the squash is roasting, cook the rice. Rinse the rice, pour the water on top, cover and bring to the boil. Simmer on a very low heat until all of the water is gone - about 30 mins for my rice.

In a large frying pan, saute the shallot in the oil for about 7 minutes, until it is starting to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, lime zest, chilli flakes and salt, give it a stir, then add the beans and cook on a medium heat for 2 more minutes.

Turn the heat down low. Add the squash to the pan and stir, then add the rice and mix together. Add lime juice and some veg broth to get the desired consistency. Serve!

Substitutions:
stock or rice milk instead of coconut milk, entire recipe 18pp.
no beans (but with coconut milk), entire recipe 15pp.
no beans or coconut milk, entire recipe 10pp. (but it's totally worth those extra points).

Pineapple greens
Serves 2, 1pp per portion

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 2 heads of spring greens, centre stalks removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
• 4 pineapple rings (1/2 cup), chopped finely
• pinch salt

Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute the garlic, ginger, and chilli flakes in the oil for about 2 minutes. Add the greens, pineapple, and salt, and use tongs to saute for about 10 more minutes. Use splashes of water if the pan seems dry. The collards should be tender and cooked down pretty well. Serve immediately.

greens would probably serve up to 4 people, but we wanted them all!