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8 forms of capital active hope agroecology agroforestry alder buckthorn Amazon anxiety apples arthritis autumn Autumn equinox back yard beans Bec Hellouin beech tree bees beneficial berries biochar biodigester biodiversity blackberries blackthorn book review brain brassica cage budget build building campesino capital card deck Celtic festivals change changes chemical-free chickens christmas circular clay pot cleansers cleansing milks climate change climate chaos climate emergency climate grief climate solutions climbers climbing cob comfrey community Community Nature Network community projects compost compost teas connection consciousness conservation container cooking coppice coppicing cordial cosmology courgettes crafts crisis crop protection Cross Quarter Festival cultural emergence culture cut flowers cycles degraded design diary diversity DIY do it yourself dryland earth care earth's cycles Earth's energy ecoculture economics ecopoetry ecosystem ecosystem restoration camps ecosystems edges edible edible flowers education efficiency elder elderflowers elements elixir energy equinox ethics face mask fair shares Fairtrade farming feedback feminine ferns figs film firewood floristry flower essence flower garden flowers food food forest food garden footbath forage foraging forest garden forest gardening forests fruit fruit leather fruit trees funding fungi future future care gardening gardens garlic gift economy gin Give Nature a voice Glennie Kindred global poverty glut grapes green space greenhouse grief groundcover grow grow food grow your own growing guilds habitat habits handcream harvest harvests hawthorn hazel hazelnut healing shrubs healing trees health healthy soil heart health hedgerow hedging herbal herbal remedies herbal teas herbalist herbs holistic holistic planned grazing home homeless homemade wine homestead hope Hugelkultur humanure hummus hungry gap IBC tanks Imbolc incense increase yields Indigenous inexpensive influence inspiration International Womens Day jam keyline kingfisher kitchen garden lacto-fermentation Lammas land landscape landscapes life lifestyle limeflowers livelihood livestock living labs logs Looby Macnamara lotion low cost low-impact Lush Spring Prize macerations Manda Scott Mangwende Orphan Care Trust market garden market gardening marmalade marshmallow mass heater meadowsweet medicinal microbes microfarm Midwest Permaculture mimic mindset mitigation money Morag Gamble moringa Mother Earth movement mulch multifunctional mushrooms native plants natural natural building natural fertiliser natural skincare natural swimming pool nature nature connection nitrogen no dig no waste no-dig north-facing novel November nutrition nuts observe oca October off-grid oil cleansing orchard orchards organic organic flowers organic gardening outdoor shower oven oxymel oyster pallets pasture-fed patterns people people care peoplecare perennials permaculture permaculture design permaculture magazine award permaculture projects permaculutre permayouth pesto pests philippines pine tree pips pizza oven plant profile plants pollinators pollution polyculture polycultures positive change preserving principles propagating protection pruning prunings psycho-spiritual awareness psychospiritual transformation rainforest rainwater raspberries recipe recipes reduce reed beds regeneration regenerative regenerative agriculture relative location relative matter remedy renewable renewable energy resilient resources restoration reuse revolution rhythms rootstock rootstocks roundhouse roundwood runner beans sage salad salads salve Samhain schools Scotland scotts pine seasonal seasons seeds selfcare Sepp Holzer september septic tanks sewage treatment shade shamanism sheet mulching shrubs skincare sloes slugs small solutions small-scale smallholding social justice soil health solar solutions sowing spiritual spring squash stacking functions stock-free straw straw bale summer support sustainable Sweet Bay syntropic systems temperate terraces thistles thrutopia timber timber framing tincture tonic toolkit tools transformation trees upcycle urban urban gardening veg garden vegan veganic vermicomposting vinegar visionaries walnuts waste water water cleansing watering weeds wellbeing wetland wild edges wild food wild garlic wildflower wildlife wine recipes wings winter winter greens winter salads wood stove woodburner woodland woodland management woodlands world is possible worms yarrow year round year-round food yield young people youth zai pits zone 00 zoning

Topics

8 forms of capital active hope agroecology agroforestry alder buckthorn Amazon anxiety apples arthritis autumn Autumn equinox back yard beans Bec Hellouin beech tree bees beneficial berries biochar biodigester biodiversity blackberries blackthorn book review brain brassica cage budget build building campesino capital card deck Celtic festivals change changes chemical-free chickens christmas circular clay pot cleansers cleansing milks climate change climate chaos climate emergency climate grief climate solutions climbers climbing cob comfrey community Community Nature Network community projects compost compost teas connection consciousness conservation container cooking coppice coppicing cordial cosmology courgettes crafts crisis crop protection Cross Quarter Festival cultural emergence culture cut flowers cycles degraded design diary diversity DIY do it yourself dryland earth care earth's cycles Earth's energy ecoculture economics ecopoetry ecosystem ecosystem restoration camps ecosystems edges edible edible flowers education efficiency elder elderflowers elements elixir energy equinox ethics face mask fair shares Fairtrade farming feedback feminine ferns figs film firewood floristry flower essence flower garden flowers food food forest food garden footbath forage foraging forest garden forest gardening forests fruit fruit leather fruit trees funding fungi future future care gardening gardens garlic gift economy gin Give Nature a voice Glennie Kindred global poverty glut grapes green space greenhouse grief groundcover grow grow food grow your own growing guilds habitat habits handcream harvest harvests hawthorn hazel hazelnut healing shrubs healing trees health healthy soil heart health hedgerow hedging herbal herbal remedies herbal teas herbalist herbs holistic holistic planned grazing home homeless homemade wine homestead hope Hugelkultur humanure hummus hungry gap IBC tanks Imbolc incense increase yields Indigenous inexpensive influence inspiration International Womens Day jam keyline kingfisher kitchen garden lacto-fermentation Lammas land landscape landscapes life lifestyle limeflowers livelihood livestock living labs logs Looby Macnamara lotion low cost low-impact Lush Spring Prize macerations Manda Scott Mangwende Orphan Care Trust market garden market gardening marmalade marshmallow mass heater meadowsweet medicinal microbes microfarm Midwest Permaculture mimic mindset mitigation money Morag Gamble moringa Mother Earth movement mulch multifunctional mushrooms native plants natural natural building natural fertiliser natural skincare natural swimming pool nature nature connection nitrogen no dig no waste no-dig north-facing novel November nutrition nuts observe oca October off-grid oil cleansing orchard orchards organic organic flowers organic gardening outdoor shower oven oxymel oyster pallets pasture-fed patterns people people care peoplecare perennials permaculture permaculture design permaculture magazine award permaculture projects permaculutre permayouth pesto pests philippines pine tree pips pizza oven plant profile plants pollinators pollution polyculture polycultures positive change preserving principles propagating protection pruning prunings psycho-spiritual awareness psychospiritual transformation rainforest rainwater raspberries recipe recipes reduce reed beds regeneration regenerative regenerative agriculture relative location relative matter remedy renewable renewable energy resilient resources restoration reuse revolution rhythms rootstock rootstocks roundhouse roundwood runner beans sage salad salads salve Samhain schools Scotland scotts pine seasonal seasons seeds selfcare Sepp Holzer september septic tanks sewage treatment shade shamanism sheet mulching shrubs skincare sloes slugs small solutions small-scale smallholding social justice soil health solar solutions sowing spiritual spring squash stacking functions stock-free straw straw bale summer support sustainable Sweet Bay syntropic systems temperate terraces thistles thrutopia timber timber framing tincture tonic toolkit tools transformation trees upcycle urban urban gardening veg garden vegan veganic vermicomposting vinegar visionaries walnuts waste water water cleansing watering weeds wellbeing wetland wild edges wild food wild garlic wildflower wildlife wine recipes wings winter winter greens winter salads wood stove woodburner woodland woodland management woodlands world is possible worms yarrow year round year-round food yield young people youth zai pits zone 00 zoning

Three Recipes from the Vegan Garden

Piers Warren and Ella Glending share three tasty recipes they make from their organic and vegan garden produce: carrot cake with cashew frosting, broccoli gratin and a warming veggie pie.

Leek, Mushroom and Potato Pie 

Serves 4

A hearty and comforting dish that’s good for the soul. The filling is hugely adaptable – try adding vegan mince or sun-dried tomatoes and cashew cheese for a Mediterranean twist! The pie can be served with a salad or vegetables. 

For the shortcrust pastry
225g plain flour
Pinch of salt
100g vegan margarine (in chunks)
2½ tbsp cold water

For the filling
1 large potato or several small ones
1 tbsp light olive or sunflower oil
2 leeks
200g mushrooms
Homemade or jarred vegan pesto (see the recipe, page 166 in The Vegan Cook and Gardener)
Salt and pepper

To make the shortcrust pastry
1. Add the flour, salt and margarine to a food processor and blend.
2. Gradually add the water until a ball of dough has formed.
3. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge until required.

To make the filling and assemble the pie
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
2. Cut the potato into small chunks and steam for 10 minutes.
3. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry using a rolling pin until flat and even.
4. Carefully form the pie case by pressing the pastry around the edges and base of a pie tin. Place in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. Chop the leeks and mushrooms and fry in a pan over a medium heat with the oil for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the cooked potatoes to the pan and combine.
7. Spread a generous amount of pesto over the pastry base before pouring in the filling. Dot more pesto on top of the mixture. Roll the remaining pastry into a circle shape to form the lid, and place carefully over the top, pressing the edges down. Make a slit in the lid to let steam escape and decorate with shapes of leftover pastry if you wish.
8. Place the pie back in the oven for a further 30 minutes.

Carrot Cake with Macadamia and Cashew Icing 

An absolute favourite and classic – the perfect afternoon treat to nourish your soul. This version uses a healthy nut-based icing; alternatively you could make a classic ‘butter’ icing by combining 200g icing sugar with 50g vegan margarine and a little lemon juice.

For the cake
140g self-raising white flour
140g self-raising wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
170g coconut sugar or sweetener of your choice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
Pinch of salt
225g carrots
170g sultanas
200ml flavourless oil
200ml water
½ tsp cider vinegar
½ tsp vanilla essence

For the icing
60g raw macadamia nuts 
60g raw cashews 
60ml non-dairy milk
60ml agave nectar or sweetener of your choice
2 tbsp coconut oil (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt
Handful of sunflower seeds, to decorate

To make the cake
1. Peel and grate the carrots and set aside. Grease a cake tin (approx. 24cm square).
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking -powder, sugar, spices and salt.
3. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and add the remaining ingredients, combining well.
4. Spoon the cake batter into the cake tin and bake in the oven at 180°C (356°F) for 40 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 150°C (302°F) and cook for a further 30 minutes. Check to see if it’s cooked in the middle by inserting a skewer or knife – if it comes out clean it’s ready.
5. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin.

To make the icing
1. Soak the cashews and macadamia nuts in water for a few hours.
2. Drain the nuts then combine all the icing ingredients in a food processor and blend on high speed until completely smooth (around 2-3 minutes – you may have to scrape down the sides occasionally).
3. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before spreading over the cake, then sprinkle over the sunflower seeds to decorate.

Sprouting Broccoli Gratin with Homemade Vegan Parmesan 

Serves 2

A super healthy version of vegetable gratin, and just as scrumptious! Serve as a light lunch on its own, or alongside something protein-rich like a chickpea salad. The homemade ‘parmesan’ is also perfect to sprinkle over pasta dishes.

1½ tbsp light olive oil
1 onion
Salt and pepper
Small bunch of sprouting broccoli or a handful of florets
1 medium courgette
200ml vegan parmesan

For the vegan parmesan
120g raw cashews 
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
½ tsp salt
½ tsp garlic granules

To make the gratin
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Fry the onions over a medium heat in a dash of olive oil and the salt and pepper until lightly browned. Set aside.
3. Chop the broccoli and courgette and arrange on a large baking tray in a nice pattern.
4. Drizzle on the remaining olive oil and sprinkle the vegan parmesan over the top.
5. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, allowing it to rest for a moment once out of the oven before dishing up.

To make the vegan parmesan
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend to a grain-like consistency.

These recipes are from Piers Warren and Ella Glendining’s book, The Vegan Cook and Gardener