Recipes

Vegetarian Slimming & Vegetarian Health

Sauce It Up

Sometimes you just want something simple and quick, like steamed veggies on noodles or rice – but a good sauce will transform such ingredients into something special. These are low in fat, sugar and salt also, making them perfect for your super-healthy regime!

Blender Hot Sauce
Makes 3 cups

As spicy or mellow as you want to make it!

• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped red or yellow peppers
• 1-2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and chopped or, if you aren’t a hot food fan, simply replace chillies with ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 cups chopped fresh or 3 cups chopped tinned tomatoes with their juice (approx 2 tins)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• salt to taste

1. In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients except for salt and purée until smooth.
2. Transfer sauce to a pot and simmer on low heat, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened and flavours mellowed.
3. Stir often as it cooks and use a heat diffuser if necessary, to prevent sticking.
4. Add salt to taste.
5. This sauce will keep in a screw top jar in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Mushroom Sauce
Makes 3 cups

Rich tasting but very low fat!

• 2 cups boiling water
• ½ oz porcini mushrooms
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 340g/12oz/4 cups fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp mixed dried herbs
• ½ cup dry sherry
• ½ tsp salt or to taste

1. Pour boiling water over dried mushrooms and set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes.
2. Remove mushrooms from soaking liquid.
3. Cut off and discard any tough stems, then slice or chop remainder of soaked mushrooms.
4. Strain liquid through kitchen paper or a paper coffee filter.
5. Reserve mushrooms and liquid separately.
6. In a saucepan, combine onions and oil.
7. Cover and sauté onions on a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
8. Add fresh mushrooms, raise heat and stir until mushrooms begin to release their juices – about 3 minutes.
9. Add bay leaf, herbs, sherry, salt and the reserved dried mushrooms and their soaking liquid.
10. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until mushrooms tender.
11. Stir sauce occasionally and add a little more stock/water if needed.
12. If at end of simmering sauce hasn’t reduced enough, uncover and simmer for a few more minutes.
13. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Makes 1 cup

Simple, quick and extraordinarily good! Lovely on pasta, baked potatoes, stuffed veggies, savoury pancakes, grain dishes etc. This also keeps for up to a week in a refrigerated screw-top jar.

• ²/3 cup drained roasted red peppers (available in jars or tins)
• ¹/3 cup plain soya yoghurt
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Pour ingredients into a blender or food processor until smooth.
2. If you want it a little warm, heat very gently – and don’t let it get too hot.

Barbecue Sauce
Makes about 1½ cups

• A smoky, tangy recipe that’s great with burgers or simple bean dishes – good on rice, too!
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ¼ cup soya sauce
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup tomato ketchup or tomato purée
• ½ cup fresh apple or orange juice
• 1-2 tbsp mustard (or less, depending on how hot you like it! Add gradually until you match it up with your taste buds)
• 1-2 tbsp black molasses (black treacle)
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp ground black pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth.
2. Simmer in a saucepan, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.
3. Tightly sealed and refrigerated, it will keep for at least 2 weeks.