Roasted garlic and butternut squash soup with kale in the saucepans

Hearty roasted garlic and squash soup with kale

Gavin Wren Main Dishes, Recipes, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

Winter = Soup. Summer = Salad. If there were ever two dishes that were clearly defined by the seasons, then these must be the top contenders. And in case anyone starts shouting “what about winter salads and ‘slaws”, I’m a fan of winter salads (Check out my roasted kale and goat’s cheese salad if you’ve not seen it already!), BUT, nothing beats super fresh, flavoursome summer salads that have gone from plant to plate in …

How to make vegetable stock

How to make vegetable stock

Gavin Wren Basic Ingredients, Food Techniques, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Writing

Vegetables boiled in water. Yep, that’s all it is, easy peasy. Making your own vegetable stock at home is one of the fundamental kitchen processes that you just have to do now and again. It’s so easy, it doesn’t use up much time and it’s basically impossible to overcook. And if you have left over vegetables, peering over the edge of the compost, it’s a super efficient use of them before they go. Now, although …

Smokey Vegetarian Tofu Chilli

Super Smokey Veggie Chilli

Gavin Wren Main Dishes, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Good morning campers! I hope you’re having a lovely Sunday morning. It’s a clear, crisp, late winter morning here, with daffodils dancing in the breeze outside my window, so why am I sitting at a computer posting recipes for you all… good question! The reason is because today’s recipe is an utterly delicious vegetarian chilli with a smokey twist, giving it an extra dimension of flavour, and I’ve just got to share it with you. …

Hot smoked tofu BBQ on Weber Go Anywhere

Smoking Tofu: A beginners guide to smoking

Gavin Wren Basic Ingredients, Food Techniques, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Writing

So, first take a pack of King-size Rizlas. Ooops, wrong kind of smoking! Ignore that. Let’s start again. Underage Smokers When I was growing up, smoked food meant a couple of things to me. Firstly, it meant smoked salmon, those luscious pink slithers of rich flavour, associations of good times and parties; Christmas, family birthdays and the like. Also kippers, those stinky, smoked breakfast fish that my Dad ate and I also grew to love. …

Chorizo, spinach and egg one-pot two-pot

Chorizo, spinach and egg two-pot one-pot.

Gavin Wren Main Dishes, Recipes

The title of this one really got me. I spent ages labouring over a name, unsure what genre it falls into despite the Shakshuka style and the Spanish influence. I was very close to just calling it a one-pot, but I can’t hide the fact that I actually used two pots to make it. However, spiritually, this dish absolutely feels like a one-pot, as it’s a hearty, strong flavoured, low maintenance recipe that’s eaten straight …

Goat's cheese and raspberry tart cooked

Goat’s cheese and raspberry tarts

Gavin Wren Baking, Main Dishes, Recipes, Spelt & ancient grains, Vegetarian

Just a few days ago I was telling you how great making a simple rough puff pastry is, using spelt flour, and how it’s one of the most simple and rewarding things you can do. And the real treat comes when you cook it, as you can watch the pastry puff it’s cheeks and take on the rich, warm, golden tones that pastry develops in the oven. And it’s extremely versatile. Once you have the …