Go Vegetarian for Lent

While still in the Lenten season, some may opt to go completely vegan. If you do, here are some delicious recipes from Simply Vegan by Chorvelle Johnson. Enjoy!

Jerked almond spread

Ingredients

1¹/² cups almond

1 cup water

3 lemons

1 medium onion

1 Scotch bonnet pepper

1 chilli pepper

3tsp Jamaican Jerk seasoning

Cayenne pepper (to taste)

3tbsp coconut oil

Salt (to taste)

Method

1. Soak almond over night in water in the refrigerator for at least eight hours.

2. Remove the brown skin from the almonds (just use fingers and peal or use a knife to help).

3. Juice the three lemons.

4. Chop onions and pepper very fine.

5. Place peeled almond in food processor and crush until the mixture is smooth.

6. Add jerk seasoning, salt, cayenne pepper, crushed onions and chilli pepper.

7. Combine all ingredients.

Serve on toasted bammies or biscuits.

Serves: 12.

Pumpkin and plantain salad

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin (shredded)

3 ripe plantains (sliced in circles)

1 cup pecans

1 cup craisins

3tbsp olive oil

2tbsp honey

Method

1. In a bowl combine pumpkin, plantain, nuts and craisins

2. Add olive oil and honey

3. Cover bowl and shake for two minutes

Chill and serve.

Serves: 4

Corn soup

Ingredients

9 corn on the cob

4 cups water

6 small coco

1 large sweet potato

2 large Irish potato

1 medium sized carrot

2 cups coconut milk

1 large onion

4 stalks scallion

2 stalks thyme

1 Scotch bonnet pepper

Sea salt (to taste)

Method

1. In a large pot, add water and salt and bring to a boil.

2. Remove corn from three cobs and blend with coconut milk.

3. Add the corn purée and coconut milk to the boiling water.

4. Finely chop all seasonings, except pepper and add half to the boiling water.

5. Cut the remaining corn on the cobs in about three or four equal pieces and add to the pot.

6. Dice sweet potato, Irish potato, coco and carrot and place in pot.

7. Allow to boil and then place on low flame for 45 minutes to an hour.

8. Add the remaining seasoning and allow to simmer until done.

Serve hot.

Serves: 4.

Pasta sauce

1. Heat oil and stir fry remaining seasoning

2. Add coconut milk

3. Combine with tomatoes and pumpkin and blend

4 In a dish combine cooked pasta with vegetables

5. Pour pasta sauce on top

Serve hot.

Serves: 6.

Jerked vegetable pasta

1 small red onion

¹/² cup broccoli floret

1small yellow onion

¹/² cup chocho (diced)

2 cloves garlic

¹/² cup carrot (diced)

3 stalks scallion

6 plummy tomatoes

1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper

¹/² cup sweet corn

1 chilli pepper

6 whole pimentos

Cayenne pepper and salt (to taste)

2 cups coconut milk

3tbsp olive oil

4 cups wholewheat pasta

1cup diced mushrooms

2 cups pumpkin (diced)

1 red sweet pepper

¹/² cup almond (diced) (optional)

¹/² cup cauliflower floret

Method

1. In a saucepan heat olive oil.

2. Saute half of seasoning in oil.

3. Add pimentos.

4. Add cauliflower, broccoli, chocho, carrot and mushroom, then stir-fry.

5. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

6. Let stand for two minutes.