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Vegetarian Meals Out in April – Toby Carvery and Carriages Afternoon Tea

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I’ve eaten out well this week! Starting with a lovely Toby Carvery with my family, followed by a gorgeous afternoon tea with my friend. I was pleasantly surprised with how both catered so well for vegetarians.

My Mum and Dad invited me to the Toby Carvery, and my Mum said “but what are you going to eat?” Toby Carvery is no longer strictly for the carnivorous type! There are a variety of plant based and fish alternatives to the usual meat offerings. There is also a salad option but who would go to the carvery and order a salad?

When you get seated at your table, you get the option of ordering from the menu or going straight up for the carvery. I ordered the melt in the middle roast, because who can resist a melty, cheesy option! My parents went straight up to the meat carving area whilst I waited for my dish to arrive. It came pretty quickly and then I was able to join the queue for the best bit in my opinion; all the veg, roasties and don’t forget the Yorkshire pudding!
I went for the classic paxo style stuffing, mash, roasties, cauliflower cheese, dauphinois style potato and butternut squash and green beans. Surprisingly, everything was cooked beautifully and I went back for seconds of the dauphinois and roasties! You cant see my melt in the middle roast in the picture but it really was lovely. I’d call it a vegetable bake that had a coating similar to stuffing with breadcrumbs and nuts perhaps. Then the star of the show was the Camembert centre! It didn’t scrimp on the Camembert either. The vegetarian options are included in the carvery price, which differs from midweek to Saturday and Sunday. Also, for those with a Blue light card – they offer 20% discount during the week.

I would give the melt in the middle roast an 8 out of 10 and the dinner as a whole an 8.5 out of 10. I love a roast and it’s nice to know that there are tasty veggie options. There is also the option of paying less and just getting yourself a plate of the vegetable and potato selection.

Afternoon tea at Carriages in Cambridgeshire was an absolute delight. Not only is it a lovely location and executed at such a high quality, the food was bloody gorgeous too. I recommend booking in advance as it is very popular and space is limited. They have 3 train carriages and we were in the Lancelot carriage. We were warned at our booking that this carriage was dining tables and chairs only, and not plush train seats. However, we were not disappointed! The decor is still so fancy and you feel transported back to vintage train travel.

Upon booking, I specified that I was vegetarian and my friend was not. We were presented with the prettiest array of petit-fours, 2 scones each and a variety of sandwiches. I’m not exaggerating when I say that everything was delicious! The petit-fours consisted of an extremely light and zingy slice of lemon cake, a lemon macaron, a very fresh raspberry tart and I am still unsure of what the lovely sweet cream filled puffs in the middle were.

There were the usual scones, a fruit and a plain one each. I’m not usually a fan of scones with raisins in but there weren’t too many raisins and the scones were super fresh and warm. No where near enough cream or jam came with the scones for 2 people, but they were happy to get us some more.

They kept the sandwiches nice and simple. I had 2 coronation chickpea sandwiches, I love chickpeas, so this was great. I also had a cheese and coleslaw and an egg mayonnaise. I swapped the egg mayo with my friend for her cheese and coleslaw – winner!

I’m weird and I don’t drink tea or coffee, so I went for a Diet Coke with my afternoon tea. There were plenty of fancy teas and coffees to choose from though. Alcoholic drinks including a variety of cocktails were also available.

I will definitely be going back, I think I fancy going at Christmas time. I imagine it feeling like a scene from the Polar Express movie. Ambience and attention to detail 10/10, food 8/10.

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Nando’s Veggie Food Review

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Most people wonder why vegetarians would want go to a chicken restaurant and I used to agree. However, Nandos veggie food hits the spot! All their starters are suitable for vegetarians and they have a substantial selection of plant based mains and sides too.

I didn’t go for a starter this time but I will try them all out in due course! I went for the great imitator wrap. Like with their chicken options, they have the same spice options ranging from their new “Peri-Tamer” and “Plain-ish” up to “Vusa XX Hot”. I love my spicy food so I tried the Vusa XX Hot. As I’m used to very spicy food, I didn’t find it that spicy which was slightly disappointing. The great imitator is a meat substitute made from pea protein. I haven’t tried this option plain, with no spice. However with extra spicy Nando’s marinade, it genuinely tastes like meat. The consistency is good, not too soft, and no weird after tastes.

The wrap comes with a little bit of lettuce, sweet chilli jam, mayonnaise and I added some halloumi in there too because I can’t live without halloumi. The combination of the spice, with the sweetness of the chilli jam and the mayo is juicy and delicious. I’d give the wrap 9/10. 100% would have again. Though, it could have been spicier.

For the side dishes, I went for my usual. My favourite is their spicy rice and then I went for the spiced grains with butternut squash and feta. I ordered this by accident once on the app, (I meant to order coleslaw) and now I order it every time. Their sides are always a solid 9-9.5/10.

Well done Nando’s for the great selection of not chicken dishes to try. Thank you also for continuing to provide us ever grateful NHS staff with a discount. We appreciate you too.

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Wetherspoons Vegetarian Food Review No.1 – Burrito Bowl and Chocolate Brownie

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I’m not embarrassed to say that I am a spoons girl through and through. Don’t get me wrong, some are a lot better than others! I love the value for money and on the whole, the food is good.

So, when we went vegetarian last year, I thought let’s try everything on the Wetherspoons vegetarian menu! Sadly I can’t eat Quorn products, due to a nasty reaction. But I will try everything else and give my review.

They have a pretty good amount of vegetarian and vegan options on their menu. Unlike the typical, one vegetarian burger, that you sometimes find on pub menus. My friend and I decided to have a nice day out in Cambridge starting off in The Regal for lunch. It was a busy Saturday and the place was packed, so immediately I expected the quality to be lacking. I was proved wrong.

I ordered the burrito bowl with added vegan chilli and a side of onion rings. The burrito bowl is listed as vegetarian. It comes with; salad, spicy rice, roasted vegetables, grated cheese, sliced chillis, guacamole and tortilla chips. It is listed as 681 calories and the extra vegan five bean chilli is an extra 248 calories.

The portion size is deceptive in this photo but there was a decent portion of salad, rice and cheese in the bottom of this bowl before all the other toppings. It arrived very hot and fresh, and it was delicious. I am someone with a huge appetite so I felt I needed a side order of onion rings too. However the burrito bowl alone did actually fill me up! As onion rings go, these were very good ones. Again, very hot, fresh and crispy. The burrito bowl costs £8.76 and comes with a soft drink or it is £10.16 with an alcoholic drink. I paid £13.11 as I added the chilli for £1.75 extra. I ordered a gin for my included drink and for £1.88 extra, I got a double. The six onion rings side dish cost and extra £2.14.

Ratings: Burrito bowl, delicious – 8.5/10. Onion rings, standard but lovely 8/10.

My friend then ordered a dessert, and not to feel left out, I thought I had better order one too! Though, who can go out for lunch and not order dessert?! I ordered the mini chocolate brownie which comes with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. It is on the menu as vegetarian and is 426 calories. The brownie itself was very nice and not too rich. It is served warm and has chocolate chips inside. The ice cream is your standard tub style vanilla ice cream but goes well with the brownie. The chocolate sauce lets the dessert down slightly. It tastes pretty artificial and not really of chocolate and maybe because of this, I felt like there was too much of it. It overpowered the brownie.

The brownie dessert is pretty cheap at only £2.74.

Rating: Mini chocolate brownie with ice cream – I would have again but I would perhaps ask for no sauce. 6.5/10.

Overall it was a lovely lunch. The service was very quick and food was of very good quality. I would recommend The Regal if you’re out and about in Cambridge.

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High Protein Squash Macaroni

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High Protein Squash Macaroni

Tofu and squash of choice creamy macaroni. Perfect for lunch pots or larger portions for dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Main Course, Snack
Servings 6 Lunch pots
Calories 395 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Blender or food processor You could use a hand blender
  • 2 Large sauce pans Could use one; cook the butternut squash first and then the pasta.
  • 1 Small/medium frying pan
  • 1 Kettle or hot water dispenser

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp Olive oil You could substitute for oil spray to reduce calories
  • 3 Garlic cloves
  • 2 Small Onions Finely chopped
  • 1 Sweet pepper Chopped
  • 1 Large Butternut squash Can use other types of squash. Around 750g when chopped into 1 inch cubes.
  • 250 Gram Silken tofu Drained
  • 500 Gram Macaroni
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 Tsp Chilli flakes Increase the amount if you like it spicy!
  • 2 Tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Tsp Pepper
  • 1 Vegetable stock cube or stock pot
  • 250 Ml Hot water

Instructions
 

  • Fill a large sauce pan with water, add a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil.
  • Chop all your vegetables ready. Add your squash cubes into the boiling water and boil until tender. This will take around 5-10 minutes.
  • Cook pasta as per packet instruction.
  • Meanwhile, add your oil or oil spray to a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic and fry for around 5 minutes. Take care not to burn, as this will give an unpleasant bitter taste to your sauce. Add the chopped pepper and the chilli flakes and fry until pepper is soft.
  • Drain your cooked butternut squash cubes and cool them down by rinsing under a cold tap. Then add these to your blender. You may need to blend in stages depending on how big your blender or food processor is. Add the cooked onion, garlic and pepper to the blender. Add the drained tofu, mustard and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add in the stock until you gain a smooth sauce consistency.
  • If you do not have a food processor or blender you could add the butternut squash to the frying pan with the onion, garlic and pepper and use a hand blender to blend until smooth.
  • Add juice of lemon at the end and adjust seasoning to your liking.
  • Drain pasta (keep some of the water) add sauce and mix. If you need to loosen the sauce, use a splash of the pasta sauce.

Notes

Makes 6 medium lunch pots or 4 larger portions for dinner. Calories listed are for the lunch pots. 
Perfect served with a fresh salad and topped with crispy chickpeas! Please see my recipe for crispy chickpea topping. 
Keyword butternut squash, macaroni, tofu,, vegan, Vegetarian
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Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos

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High Protein Butternut Squash Tacos

Smoky, spicy, cheesy butternut squash tacos with aubergine and black beans.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 558 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Chopping board
  • 3 Medium baking trays
  • Oven Heated to 200 degrees celcius

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp Olive oil
  • 2 Small Brown or red onions Sliced finely
  • 2 Sweet pepper Sliced into strips
  • 1 Medium Butternut squash Chopped into 1 inch chunks
  • 1 Medium Aubergine Chopped into 1 inch chunks
  • 400g Black beans drained
  • 8 Small Tortilla wraps or tacos
  • 4 Medium White potatoes Sliced into wedges
  • Grated cheddar cheese or crumbled feta cheese
  • Soured cream
  • Salsa and Guacamole
  • Chopped fresh chillis Optional
  • Crispy chickpeas Optional (see my recipe for crispy chickpeas)

Spice Mix

  • 3 Tsp Chipotle chilli paste
  • 2 Tsp Garlic granules
  • 2 Tsp Onion granules
  • 1 Tsp Cayenne pepper Omit if you don’t like it spicy
  • 2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tsp Paprika
  • 1 Tsp Salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius. Then peel, de-seed and chop the butternut squash into 1 inch chunks. Also cut the aubergine into similar size chunks. In a bowl, add 1 tbsp olive oil and spice mix and stir until coated. Place vegetables onto a baking tray and cook for 30-35 minutes.
  • Cut potatoes into wedges, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add to a baking tray and cook for approximately 30 minutes until golden brown. Turn them half way through cooking.
  • I like having the onion and pepper added into the tacos raw as it adds crunch and freshness. However you could add them to the butternut squash/aubergine mix half way through to soften them if you prefer.
  • Crumble your feta or grate your cheese ready for garnishing.
  • 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, drain your tin of black beans and add them to the aubergine/butternut sqaush mix and stir through.
  • At the same time, if using mini tortilla wraps, you can add them to the oven to warm up.
  • Fill your tacos with vegetable mixture, top with soured cream, salsa and guacamole. Top with chosen cheese. I like to top with my crispy chickpeas for added protein and crunch. See my recipe in the note for crispy chickpeas!

Notes

Chickpeas recipe
Calories are per serving, without toppings. 
Keyword butternut squash, chipotle chilli, taco
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No Meat Ragu

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No Meat Rich Red Wine Ragu

Tasty red wine ragu. Perfect for topping spaghetti or putting on top of anything else you fancy!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hr
Cook Time 1 hr
Course Main Course
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 240 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large frying pan
  • 1 Food processor
  • 1 Vegetable chopper Optional

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Medium white onions Finely chopped
  • 3 Large carrots Finely chopped
  • 4 Celery sticks Finely chopped
  • 4 Garlic cloves Finely chopped or crushed
  • 6 Sundried tomatoes Finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Oil from sundried tomatoes
  • 2 Sprigs Rosemary Finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Italian herbs
  • 1 Tsp Sugar
  • 1 Tsp Black pepper
  • 1 Tsp Yeast extract
  • 1 Tsp Miso paste
  • 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Puree
  • 750 Gram Passata
  • 250 Ml Red wine
  • 700 Grams Mushrooms of choice Finely chopped or minced with a food processor
  • 500 Gram Ready to eat Puy lentils I use Merchant gourmet pouches

Instructions
 

  • Finely chop celery and carrot and fry on a medium heat with the oil from the sundried tomatoes.
  • Add in finely chopped onions, garlic, sundried tomatoes and rosemary and continue to fry until vegetables have softened.
  • Using a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until they are small pieces and resemble mince. Or you could very finely chop them. Add the mushroom “mince” to the pan and continue to fry until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated.
  • Add in the tomato purée, italian herbs, miso and yeast extract and stir.
  • Add in the red wine and balsamic vinegar and simmer until it reduces by a third.
  • Add passata and the sugar. Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken and then add the pre-cooked lentils. Continue to simmer for around 20 minutes, taste and add salt and pepper to taste. It shouldn’t need much salt as the yeast and miso paste are rather salty!

Notes

I served this in the traditional way with spaghetti and a nice sprinkling of vegetarian Parmesan on top. On the side, I had a side salad and I made smashed peas on toast. Please see my recipe for the smashed peas: 
You can however, serve this ragu on top of anything you like! Rice, chips, baked potato etc. You can also alter this recipe slightly and then it makes the perfect shepherd pie filling too. 
Keyword pasta, ragu, Vegetarian