The Pub Grub Vegetarian Introduction.

Hello and welcome to The Pub Vegetarian blog.

I created the YouTube The Pub Grub Vegetarian channel in October of 2016 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY_wqopSKDs0fuXHuxcgddw  to introduce new vegetarians, and non-vegetarians to how tasty this type of home cooked food can be. Perhaps I should have called it The Pub Grub Vegetarian/Vegan as quite a large proportion of the meals are suitable for vegans too!

Many of the meals featured are suitable for students, and low budgets, as most of the ingredients in them occur time and time again so ideally nothing is wasted. They are low in salt and sugar too.

As my father was an excellent cook it gave me a good idea of how tasty meals could be. The right spice here and there, the right amount of black pepper - I don't usually use white, after being introduced to ground black pepper some time ago, by a kindly dinner lady.

Each new recipe can take a while to create, I usually end up with two to four final samples, and then have a taste test to see which is the best. With the Meat free Meat Pie my daughter Lia who was five years old then chose the best, and I did tend to agree with her!

Barring work commitments and school holidays the recipes will continue, and each time I create a new one I will feature it.

We will also be reviewing the recipes, showing how they can be adapted, and have been since, and what you can serve them with if you wish.

We are also in the process of hand imputing subtitles on all our YouTube videos for the benefit of both our viewers and readers  who are hearing impaired - and also for our global friends so that they can translate them into their own language if they wish!  This is a laborious process and does take time, so do bear with us, and we have started with the oldest and most popular videos first .

I am also producing a collection of The Pub Grub Vegetarian books featuring many of the recipes from the YouTube channel at 99p each to download. It saves me having scraps of paper with them written on lying about all over the house! Paige

How to make simple Crusty bread rolls.

 Having never made bread before I decided to try out a few recipes. Some recipes had olive oil in - that was a disaster! So I decided to just stick to the basics of white strong bread flour, water, yeast and salt. The water has to be lukewarm here, as too hot will kill the yeast, and too cold won't activate it.... I divided the dough up equally so that the rolls all cook evenly and then set them off in the oven. The secret to knowing when these are cooked is to tap them on the bottom of the roll and if they sound hollow it is cooked all the way through. If it doesn't sound hollow then put them back in for another 5 minutes or so and repeat!! You can then check one by tearing into it. These are really good - so good that my daughter, when she was setting off for school, went into the bag of them and took one out each morning and ate it on the way to school!! Simple recipe...

Here is the Recipe 

How to make Parsnip Soup (Vegan friendly)

 Parsnips on their own are quite a sweet flavoured vegetable when cooked. They aren't my favourite root vegetable but mum likes them! Here we added celery, carrot, potato, onion and Oxo vegetable stock to balance out the flavours. If you like parsnips this recipe is for you. If you have lots left over from Christmas dinner this is for you. Parsnips are packed with Vitamin C, and folic acid, which is a B vitamin and is mainly responsible for human growth and development, so its good for mums to be too. Parsnips are in season over winter so are at their best flavours and prices too. Serve with crusty bread as per!!

Here is the Recipe

How to make Oven Roast Vegetables with Basil, Garlic and Olive Oil (Vegan friendly)

 To make the best roast vegetables you need plenty of garlic to balance out the flavours, and a good addition of ground black pepper. Here we have used five good sized cloves of garlic crushed. Always use red onion for the sweeter taste, aubergine which is traditionally bitter to taste, roasts really well with the olive oil too and makes it taste delicious. Courgette tastes good this way, and so do all the coloured bell peppers. Topped with the torn Basil leaves at the end tastes just divine.  I would stick with this veg combination, don't use sweet potato or anything else here.  We usually serve this with either pasta or mash, chips, new potatoes, or even just on its own as a larger portion. There is never any left over!! Healthwise garlic is anti-bacterial, anti-septic, anti-viral, a blood thinner and good for skin complaints, phew. Coupled with the other vegetables makes for a really tasty and super healthy meal.

Here is the Recipe

   

How to make Lemony Lentil Soup (Vegan friendly)

 Here is a simple red lentil soup with lemon and this is a really tasty soup! Easy to make too - with just red lentils, celery, onion, oxo vegetable stock, carrots and half a lemon. This is another thick Winter soup perfect to serve in a cup too. Red lentils are high in protein and fibre to keep you regular! Carrots are  good for the eyes with it's Vitamin A, and Celery is anti-inflammatory for arthritic conditions, and also flushes out toxins, and is good for digestion. Thick soups like this keep you feeling fuller  for longer too. Grab the crusty rolls...

Here is the Recipe

How to make a One Pot Kale and Vegetable Broth (Vegan friendly)

 Broths - really great in Winter, warming comfort food. This one is made with Kale. Kale boasts three times as much Vitamin C than Spinach. It is also chock full of anti-oxidants. That teamed with the fresh thyme which is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and antiseptic should keep the winter colds away. Also containing celery, carrot, leek, swede and Oxo vegetable stock, this is a one pot powerhouse of nutrients. Serve it in a dish, serve it with mash, or fry up a portion with some mash and a little squirt of brown sauce - or ketchup depending on which you like best, for a day after meal. You can if you want, stick in some veg suet dumplings, the recipe for which is on the Vegetable Broth recipe further on this channel! 

Here is the Recipe

How to make a Butternut and Lentil Thick Soup/Broth (Vegan friendly)

 This is another quite simple recipe on how to make butternut squash edible as our cameraman says! Butternut squash does need a spice added to it, as on it's own it can be quite bland. Here we have added ground coriander, onion, lentils, celery, and oxo vegetable stock. This makes for a really thick winter soup as you can see on the image. Butternut squash comes into season late in the year. It's also packed with vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. The high beta carotene content, because of it's orange colour, makes it good for your eyes too. Because it is a very firm vegetable it is full of potassium which also makes it good for healthy hearts. This would be good served in a cup too in winter, with a chunk of crusty buttered bread to dip in. 

Here is the Recipe

 

How to make a Vegetarian Roast Christmas Dinner

 This is the sort of main Christmas meal we eat very year. We usually do our brussels sprouts and carrots in the pressure cooker - marvellous device which doesn't steam up your kitchen and cooks quickly. The roast potatoes we usually buy and cook in the oven. You have got to have sage and onion stuffing with it of course. For the gravy, we have used Bisto onion gravy in the glass jar, but we have also recently used red onion gravy granules in a clear jar from either Sainsburys or Asda. These are just as tasty and also come in a lot cheaper than Bisto's one! We have varied our slices of either, beef style, chicken style, turkey and stuffing style. The Quorn roast which comes in a block turned out to be very tasty too, and you can slice off as much as you want, and then if there is any left, use for sandwiches later. Quorn do both vegan and vegetarian slices now which both taste just as good. You don't need to wait until Christmas to eat this meal either as the slices are available all year round. Brussels sprouts contain more vitamin c than oranges by the way too - who would have thought it!

Here is the Recipe

How to make Leek Soup (Vegan friendly)

 This is such a simple soup to make with just leeks, water, Oxo vegetable stock, cornflour or plain flour, black pepper and butter or sunflower oil for vegan version. They both taste as good either way though. Leeks are not only full of vitamin A but of Zeaxanthin too which means they are good for your eyes and help prevent cataracts too. These guys are part of the onion family, so no need for onion here. Crusty rolls at the ready...

Here is the Recipe

 

How to Make Festive Savoury Nut Roast Balls with Cranberry Sauce-Vegan friendly use non-dairy butter

I had never made a nut roast before so thought I should and would try it. All the basic recipes I saw had brown rice or egg or cheese and soy sauce, breadcrumbs etc but I wanted to keep it simple and for vegans too so I just threw some things together and this was the result. I always make a small portion first and then if it's good make a bigger one. They are so good and the cranberry sauce just makes them - I didn't want them served with gravy as it takes away the taste. When you try the mixture in the pan you will see why we ate a lot of it before it went in the oven! The chestnut mushrooms worked beautifully and for not much ingredients these should be street food at Christmas! The cranberry sauce was only 55p from Asda as we had to nip out and find some mid-cook but that was good too. You can use this recipe as a starter or with a main meal, it's up to you.

A viewer asked could she do this in a bun tin to make a large one to slice? My reply was : "Not sure, as with the balls they were crispy slightly all round which is what I was after. With the balls guests can take as many as they want ( (and we didn't have a loaf tin ha). You could try it as all the ingredients are pretty much cooked anyway but once you have done the balls you won't look back they are so easy". If any of you guys do make a loaf of it do let me know how it goes!! Nuts also contain vitamin E which is a great anti-oxidant, and also a preservative - so if you want to preserve those youthful good looks, it won't do any harm adding a few nuts to your diet weekly!!

Here is the Recipe

How to make Butternut Squash Soup (Vegan friendly)

 Butternut squash on it's own doesn't have much taste, so pairing it with the carrot and celery and stock brought out its flavour. Nutritionally Butternut squash is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. The orange colour, beta carotene/ Vitamin A is good for eyesight. It's also classed as a superfood. This is also a tough vegetable to peel - so I use a potato peeler and then take out the seeds and inners. It is heavier than it looks too. Made like this gives it a rich, creamy taste. Any vegetable that is rigid like this is full of Potassium too so it's good for the heart! 

Here is the Recipe

How to make Red Lentil and Carrot Soup (Vegan friendly)

 Everybody needs a good thick Winter style soup and what better than this red lentil and carrot one. Surprisingly this is at the moment my most viewed soup! Made with just carrots, red lentils, oxo vegetable stock cubes, garlic, onion and sunflower oil, it is so easy to make too. It is a good soup to serve in a cup to warm your hands in winter as well. Just dip in the crusty rolls and off you go!  Carrots are full of vitamin A for your eyes, and lentils are a good iron source for the blood. So a good health tonic too. 

One of our viewers commented "just made half quantity because i live alone. i used red onion and it was just gorgeous :)" Thanks for that, so there is an idea too....

Here is the recipe

How to make Spicy Lentil Broth (Vegan friendly)

 I got this idea from a recipe in a book and just changed some of the quantities of the ingredients for a better taste. Although there looks to be a lot in this there isn't really and it will last for a few meals. You don't need to serve it with rice, you can do it in a side dish with a salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and red onion, a little grated fresh ginger and pitted olives. This way it tastes delicious too. It also smells amazing as it cooks. Lentils are low in calories and high in fibre for digestion. They are high in protein and a good source of iron too. Iron helps with tiredness by improving the oxygen in the blood. So if you are planning on running any marathons in the near future this is for you!

Here is the Recipe 

 

How to make Red onion, tomato, chilli, mint and lime juice Salsa (Vegan friendly)

 You have to use the red onion in this simple salsa - it doesn't work with brown. The lime juice gives it a good tart flavour and don't overdo the chilli or you will regret it! You can serve this on the side of a jacket potato, or with any salad and it makes for a really refreshing addition. It's also a staple in Mexican cuisine, and when you taste it you will see why! Even on it's own in summer it is good, and so simple. there is never any leftover when I make it. It's also all fresh natural ingredients too - how healthy is that! Always wash your hands after handling chilli as it stays on your skin and if you happen to rub your eye, nose or mouth after it will sting. You have been warned! 

Here is the Recipe

How to make Stuffed Aubergine with or without cheese topping!

 This recipe is very easy to make as a vegan option without the cheese, or as a vegetarian option by grating the cheddar cheese over it before cooking as featured! I do prefer the vegetarian option but they are both good. You can't beat vegetables roasted with an olive oil coating - it seems to bring out such rich flavours when they are cooked. Another benefit of the olive oil is that it stops food sticking to the roasting tray or Pyrex dish for an easy clean afterwards. Aubergine is high in fibre but low in calorie, and technically a fruit as they grow from a flowering plant and contain seeds. They are reputed to have many health benefits too. Aubergines also go by the name Eggplant because the earlier varieties where white and resembled hen's eggs. Aubergines are part of the Nightshade family of plants - fortunately not the deadly variety though! Cooked with olive oil this is my personal favourite vegetable/fruit. 

Here is the Recipe 

How to make a Vegetarian mince and onion Meat free Pie (Vegan friendly)

 I was asked to do this by a viewer, and four or five samples later I let my daughter who was six at the time choose the final version ad this was the result, and I must say I agreed with her. Everything is made in small samples so as to keep costs down but also to get the best taste. I think that Morrisons discontinued their mince but we found Asda plant based mince to be a good replacement. (Quorn does not work here by the way!) Instead of using the Bisto onion gravy granules that can be a bit pricey now, we have also used the red onion gravy granules in jars from Sainsburys etc, and this gives a slightly different, not as beefy like taste? - but every bit as good!! so you can use these products too in this recipe if you want. 

Here is the Recipe

How to make Spicy (Curried) Red Lentil Soup (Vegan friendly)

 This is a simple soup. Good in Winter and with the medium curry powder, very warming. The Oxo Vegetable stock gives everything an amazing taste and is definitely the best stock by far, don't waste your time on the others! With just red lentils, carrot, celery, onion, oxo veg stock and medium curry powder this is a very easy soup to make too. Dip in the crusty rolls and it is like a meal in a cup. Lentils are also high in fibre and packed with protein, so with this you should be both regular and able to lift a car ha ha - only joking but you get the idea..... It tastes good anyway!

Here is the recipe

How to make a Celery and Carrot Soup (Vegan friendly)

 This celery and carrot soup only came about on account of my late brother calling in one night around 9pm as he was passing. He hadn't had chance to get his tea, and when I looked in the fridge all we had was about three sticks of celery and a few carrots. The shopping was due to be delivered the next morning! So I just threw together a potato, an onion, the celery and the carrot, some oxo vegetable stock, plus some cornflour and ground black pepper and hoped for the best. When he tried it he said this is really good and finished up eating the whole panful. Not before I got a chance to have a quick taste though! And for an accidental soup it really does taste delicious, possibly one of the best. Ask your guests to see if they can guess what is in it - I bet you they can't and neither could he!  

Here is the Recipe

How to make Fresh Vegetable Soup (Vegan friendly)

 This is a very simple fresh vegetable soup, no cornflour involved and still the taste is good. Just courgette, onion, red pepper, celery and carrot, oxo vegetable stock, and black pepper of course.. This is more of a summer soup as it is very light and the carrot gives it the sweetness. I wouldn't change the vegetables for this as the sweet (carrot) salt (celery) bitter (red pepper) bitter (courgette) sweet (cooked onion) all balance out. The crusty bread mops up all the juices. 

Here is the Recipe

How to make Extra Special Fruit Starter With Ginger Relish (Vegan friendly)

 Everybody needs a show stopper fruit starter and this is it! For ours we used the three melons, watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew, with strawberries, orange segments and pineapple, but don't be restricted with this. You could throw in different coloured grapes, kiwi, cherries - any combo. Always finish it off with a mint sprig for effect though. Mint is easy to grow at home too, plant one and off it goes... The tulip glasses that we serve this starter in make it look extra special too. The ginger relish is supermarkets own usually in the home baking department. 

Here is the Recipe.