As Northern Europe enters the last stages of winter (or the last storms before the heat kicks in, in our case here in Malta), it seemed fitting to make another comforting dish for the weekend.  In fact, this is my mouthwateringly vegan variation of the good old English favourite, the shepherd’s pie.  But for the protein and bulk, this version is using Linda Mac sausages, and borlotti beans – fast becoming my favourite legume.  Serve [...]

A traditional Maltese dish – extra filling, and very non-vegan, as it’s usually made with a variety of different meats – chicken livers, pork & beef mince, eggs, cheese, you name it – probably one of the most cruel dishes to eat.  But here is a 100% Cruelty-Free version – also Cholesterol-Free & packed with flavour galore. A No.1 comfort food, full of carbs, and men love it ! Delicious, lighter than the non-vegan version, [...]

My father ran his own restaurant for decades – if you were to survive in London’s West End, competing with fierce outlets that were fighting for the ‘same piece of bacon’, so to speak, then you had to prove your own ‘bacon’ (pardon the terminology, no pun intended). I saw those early morning breakfasts being dished out, and my father sweating over the high temperature cookers – but he made a mean bean breakfast – [...]

This ‘meat’ loaf is gorgeous, mainly because it’s a quick recipe to prepare, and also because it yields a delicious flavour & texture.  It can be made any day of the week, and served with your favourite potatoes, mashes – roasted or fried – with steamed vegetables of your choice, or even your favourite salad.  It’s an impressive piece of work that just won’t disappoint !  This also slices wonderfully the following day – cut [...]

I wanted to make a pasta-free lasagne – so I decided to create a sweet potato one.  It melted in our mouths, and it was one of the most mouthwatering baked dishes ever.  An epic dish to serve to friends and family.  It’s so decorative, and combines the idea of roast potatoes with a wonderful sauce, red Bolognese and a cheese sauce that really is very cheezy !  Serve with garlic bread and a crunchy [...]

This is a delightful chilli. I served mine with a mixture of short grain brown rice and pearl barley mixed – I boiled the two together.  Then I dolloped on a couple of spoons of vegan yoghurt, and some plain tortillas. INGREDIENTS olive oil 1 400g tin crushed tomatoes 1 large onion, finely chopped 5 cloves garlic, chopped 2 cups veggie mince (I use Linda McCartney myself) 1 400g tin borlotti beans 1 cup cooked [...]

The traditional steak sandwich is a fairly simple affair – a slab of good quality grilled or fried beefsteak served on bread or in a roll with a choice of toppings.  Fried onions are a must in my book – in fact, I have caramelized mine, and also added a simple but tasty mushroom topping.  You can accompany this with a simple salad garnishing – and you have yourself a great VEGAN MANFOOD pick-me-up ! [...]

The traditional English pork pie is said to have originated from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire.  This wonderful vegan version offers all the flavour of the original, without the cruelty or the cholesterol ! INGREDIENTS 1 large white onion, very finely chopped and set aside 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 cups vegan mince (I used Linda MacCartney’s mince) 6 vegan sausages (if frozen, pre-thaw for 40 minutes or so) – I use Linda McCartney’s 2 [...]

This is a Middle Eastern (possibly Armenian), Greek Cypriot dish that resembles a mini pizza with minced meat (usually lamb) and spices, which is popular in many Middle Eastern countries.  I was so inspired by it that I created my very own vegan version, with my own interpretation and touch.  I do hope you will drool over it as much as we did – seriously, this is an impressive dish, which exudes the most exotic [...]

The season of goodwill to all men (or should I reword that to say “all sentient beings that includes some people . . .”) is around the corner, and we haven’t been sleeping in the MWV kitchen.  Far from it – we’ve been working like beavers round the clock to produce a magnificent menu in readiness for the menu-planning panic that everyone suffers around this time ! So, here’s a sumptuous feast – a HUGE [...]