Lets take a look back at May

The merry month of May has all but gone. I was away for a week on holiday so with that in mind it did effect the output of the blog a little but that said i hope i still gave you some interesting reading.

Bill Ward 67

We started the month off celebrating the birthday of vegetarian rock star and Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward as he was 67on 5th May. Then on the 11th we made Quinoa stuffed peppers with Feta,

Quinoa stuffed peppers with feta

On the 18th we took a look at the humble but very tasty Celeriac, Who could forget the lovely celeriac soup. It was birthday time again four days later on the 22nd as Morrissey celebrated his 56th birthday. The 26th gave us a look at the fantastic little Devon town of Totnes, a town that spoils the vegetarian with a wonderful choice of veggie restaurants to dine in. Finally we ended things with the simple sandwich. Not just any sandwich tho, A vegetarian club sandwich. That was May in a nutshell. watch out June here we come.

Club sandwich

Morrissey 56

Celeriac soup

Totnes- Veggie heaven

Join the club

We al get peckish and sometimes we all get ravenous so a sandwich can be a quick filler or it can be a real treat. The choice is yours. For a quick filler I love tomato & cashew nut butter or maybe a plain old cheese & onion, both of these are tasty. When i need a real treat I love a Vegetarian Club sandwich. So to finish the month off I thought I would give you an easy Vegetarian club sandwich. Enjoy

Vegetarian club sandwich

Ingredients

·        3 slices granary bread

·        1 large handful watercress

·        1 carrot, peeled and coarsely grated

·        small squeeze lemon juice

·        1 tbsp olive oil

·        2 dessertspoons reduced-fat houmous

·        2 tomatoes, thickly sliced

Method
Toast the bread. meanwhile mix the watercress, carrot, lemon juice and olive oil together. In a small bowl spread the houmous over each slice of toast. Top 1 slice with the watercress and carrot salad, sandwich with another slice of toast and top with the tomato. Lay the final slice of bread, houmous side down, then press down and eat as is or cut the sandwich into quarters.

Totnes welcomes vegetarians

Charlotte and I have been visiting Totnes for some years now and have never been disappointed with what it has to offer us as vegetarians.  If you’re self-catering or eating out, you will find all you need and want in the town.

 

Willow Restaurant

For buying in, we like Greenlife next to the market square.  The range of veggie-friendly produce is outstanding.  However, if you walk a little further up the hill and turn into an arcade on the left, you will find the Happy Apple.  This is a small grocery store also offers a good range of chilled veggie food.  Venturing even further up the hill, you’ll find Sacks Wholefoods which is a smaller, more traditional, health food shop which has a friendly vibe and lots of nice things to buy. 

For eating out, the Willow restaurant opposite Sacks is great.  It’s totally vegetarian, and offers special curry and music nights.  I had some lovely falafels there, and Charlotte a delicious home-made quiche, both with lots of interesting salads.  Back down the hill, next to the Happy Apple is the legendary Red Wizard.  This is our favourite.  The welcome is warm the food tasty and great value.  The smoky and herby veggie burgers are fantastic, plus there always seems to be a veggie special.  I had a grilled halloumi and pesto sandwich on one visit; Charlotte cannot set her sights any further than the smoky burger.

Red Dragon smokey burger

Red Dragon

Fat Lemons

 We’ve spotted a number of other veggie cafes in Totnes, such as the Fat Lemons and of course you have Cranks Kitchen just outside Totnes in Dartington,  we’ve not had chance to get to them all yet (you try tearing Charlotte away from her burger…).  But, from what we’ve tried so far, we would really recommend going to Totnes.  Any vegetarian would feel like they have come home.

Ten Totnes pounds

Todays famous vegetarian birthday

Steven Patrick Morrissey (born 22 May 1959), commonly known by his last name, Morrissey, is a British singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the rock band The Smiths. The band were highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career, making the top ten of the UK Singles Chart on ten occasions. His first solo album, 1988's Viva Hate, entered the UK Albums Chart at number one.

Morrissey has been vegetarian since the age of 11. He has explained his vegetarianism by saying "If you love animals, obviously it doesn't make sense to hurt them." Morrissey is an advocate for animal rights and a supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). In recognition of his support, PETA honoured him with the Linda McCartney Memorial Award at their 25th Anniversary Gala on 10 September 2005. In 2012, he appeared in a PETA ad campaign, encouraging people to have their dogs and cats neutered to help reduce the number of homeless pets.

Morrissey is known to hold strong views on many things such as political leaders, the British monarchy and animal rights Morrissey is a cousin of Robbie Keane, an Irish footballer who plays as a striker and is captain of the Republic of Ireland national football team. Morrissey has said of Keane: "to watch him on the pitch – pacing like a lion, as weightless as an astronaut, is pure therapy"

Morrissey is routinely referred to as an influential artist, both in his solo career and with The Smiths. The BBC has referred to him as "one of the most influential figures in the history of British pop", and the NME named The Smiths the "most influential artist ever" in a 2002 poll, even topping the Beatles. Rolling Stone, naming him one of the greatest singers of all time in a recent poll, noted that his "rejection of convention" in his vocal style and lyrics is the reason "why he redefined the sound of British rock for the past quarter-century". Morrissey's enduring influence has been ascribed to his wit, the "infinite capacity for interpretation" in his lyrics, and his appeal to the "constant navel gazing, reflection, solipsism" of generations of "disenfranchised youth", offering unusually intimate "companionship" to broad demographics

Morrissey, a long time resident of Los Angeles during the latter part of his solo career, he now has a number of homes in Los Angeles, Rome, Switzerland and the UK.

Steven Patrick Morrissey. (aka Morrissey) Happy birthday. 56 today

The underated and tasty Celeriac

When it comes to cooking the celeriac tends to get overlooked. I once read that the celeriac is the unsung hero of the vegetable world, it has to be said that the celeriac is not the most beautiful of veg, but what it misses in looks it sure makes up for in taste.  It is knobbly and odd-shaped but the celeriac has a subtle, celery-like flavour, with nutty overtones. It is absolutely delicious.

Originating  in the Mediterranean basin it is now grown in many countries around the world including Northern Europe, as well as in North Africa, Siberia, Southwest Asia, and North America. Celeriac is harvested when it is 10–14 cm in diameter. It is edible raw or cooked. Celeriac can be roasted, stewed, blanched, or mashed. Sliced celeriac occurs as an ingredient in soups, casseroles, and other savory dishes.

The shelf life of celeriac is approximately six to eight months if stored between 0°C (32°F) and 5°C (41°F), and not allowed to dry out.

Try it as celeriac mash, or in big-flavoured, slow-cook dishes, or in its classic form, and as they do in France, as a remoulade.

Looking through my recipes I found this simple but tasty soup from the guys at River Cottage. 

Celeriac Soup

Serves 6                Prep 5mins                     Cook time 30mins approx

 Ingredients 

 

• 50g Butter
• 1 Celeriac, peeled and cubed
• 1 Potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 Leek, trimmed, washed and roughly sliced
• 1 Onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 Garlic clove, sliced
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• Parsley & walnut pesto to serve

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based pot over a medium-low heat. Add the celeriac, leek, potato, garlic and onion, season generously, and gently sweat the vegetables until they're all starting to soften (this will take about 10 minutes).

2. Add the stock, bring the soup up to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the celeriac is completely tender.

3. Liquidise until smooth, return to the pan and reheat over a medium flame. Just before serving, check the soup for seasoning and serve with a drizzle of pesto or if you prefer maybe a little single cream

Get stuffed

Here we are, another week has gone by and it’s Meat free Monday again. You may have a favourite you like to make, or a favourite ingredient that you like to use. For me it always seems to be mushrooms or something mushroom based, so I am delving into my cook book to find you something that is not mushroom based. Hmmm I thought now what can I give them, something not to hard as nobody wants to get in from work and do loads of kitchen stuff, defiantly something tasty, and most of all something nutritious. Eureka! Quinoa stuffed peppers with Feta.

I found this recipe on the net some time ago on the Hemsley & Hemsley website, it ticks all the boxes for me and guess what? No mushrooms either. The ball is with you now. Go ahead and enjoy Quinoa stuffed peppers with Feta.

Quinoa stuffed peppers with Feta

Time 35 mins                               Serves 2

Ingredients 

• 2 large Romano red peppers (or 4 small ones) or the darker more rustic bell peppers 
• 100g quinoa - soaked overnight or for 8 hours in double the volume of water with a pinch of salt. Drain and rinse thoroughly before cooking. (If you can't soak it, thoroughly wash and rinse the quinoa and follow packet instructions)
• 100ml good-quality vegetable stock - if you can't make your own buy organic, gluten-free stock
• 1 handful of green olives, pitted and diced 
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 large pinch of dried thyme or 1 tsp of fresh thyme leaves
• 2 large handfuls of parsley, finely chopped, or you could use a mix of herbs like parsley, mint, dill or coriander
• Juice of ½ lemon
• A little fresh red chilli, sliced
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 small handful of quality feta, crumbled or roughly chopped.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Lay the peppers flat-side-down and slice in half lengthways – this makes a less wobbly base and makes them easier to fill.
3. Roast cut-side-up on a baking tray for 12 minutes.
4. Place the soaked and drained quinoa in a pan, cover with the stock and bring up to the boil. Simmer on a low heat for 12 minutes until the quinoa is tender.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the remainder of the ingredients. Combine them with the cooked quinoa and taste for seasoning – remember the feta will be salty.
6. Preheat the grill.
7. Stuff the pepper with the quinoa mix, top with crumbled feta and grill for 3-5 minutes until golden and bubbling. 

Today's vegetarian birthday

Today’s vegetarian or in this case Vegan birthday is none other than rock drummer Bill Ward.

William Thomas "Bill" Ward

born 5 May 1948 in Aston, Birmingham England.

Bill started to play drums as a child, listening to the big bands of the 1940s and his major influences were Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson. In the mid-1960s Ward sang and played drums in a band called The Rest.Bill Ward and guitarist Tony Iommi played together in a band called Mythology, and on that band's break up he joined vocalist Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler, who had played together in a band called Rare Breed. The new band called them selves Earth, soon to be renamed Black Sabbath.

Bill was Drummer with Black Sabbath from the bands outset until 1983 although he did return in briefly in the mid 80s, Ward and the original Sabbath had re-united twice for short sets, first for Live Aid in 1985 and then at a Costa Mesa, California Ozzy Osbourne show on 15 November 1992.

Ward made a brief return to the band for a South American tour in 1994, before finally rejoining the band for the two shows at the Birmingham NEC, England on 4 and 5 December 1997, which made up the Reunion album. Ward then had to skip all but the last two band appearances in 1998 while he recovered from a heart attack suffered during the tour rehearsals that May. although this time it was always intended to be a temporary absence for Ward, health allowing. He was well enough to return for good in 1999 and had remained with Sabbath until 2012.  

In an interview for the Rock n Roll cook blog Bill said ” The doctor asked me if I was on a special diet afterwards when I was in intensive care and I told him I didn't eat meat or fish. He said that my diet may have helped save my life and got me through my heart attacks as my cholesterol levels were so good. He told me to stick with this lifestyle.

Happy birthday Bill ward 67 today

Looking back (but not in anger)

April traditionally is the month of showers. Well despite the better than average weather this month that was the case as here Cotswold Vegetarian we showered you with some great recipes. Lets take a little look back over the month of April then.

Carrot & sweet potato soup

We started with our first post back on the 9^th April. The carrot & sweet potato soup that was a joy to make. We followed that up five days later on the 14^th with the baby kale & roasted aubergine bruschetta with tahini. For those who don't know its a tasty Moroccan-style snack with spices. Very very nice

 

Baby kale & abergine bruschetta

On the 20^th we looked at a recipe for smoked chedder & lentil burgers. 

We went Mexican on the 24^th as we did quesadillas. Finally we ended up the month on the 30^th when I gave you a simple recipe to make homemade tomato ketchup.

Smoked chedder & lentil burger

Tasty and wholesome meals as always from Cotswold Vegetarian. Watch out for more recipes and veggie friendly places to eat right here on the blog. Don't forget you can follow us on facebook & twitter too.