That CAN'T be vegan!

There are lots of vegan cookbooks about, all stuffed with mouth watering recipies that would make most meat eaters forget that they feel the need to eat flesh.
They all have one thing in common though.

None of them seem to cater for kids.

Lets face it, I like a spicy stir fry as much as the next person, I love a hearty vegan casserole packed with beans and dumplings, love a vegan chili and any of the million ways you can eat pasta without meat...but what do you do with the kids?

Ollie, my eldest, will eat pretty much anything (except risotto)but the two younger boys...well I wouldn't call them picky but they have average kid tastes.

Ask my middle boy, Owen, what he wants to eat and the answer is usually Chips or Veggie sausage, preferably both. And that's it.
Oh sure he will nibble at what I serve him for dinner and bread is a great bargaining tool for one more carrot, but at the end of the day he likes his food simple.

So I thought I would share some kid friendly animal free food.
These two recipes are vegan versions of animal based meals and so are great for wither the transitional period or when none vegan kids (or their parents!) are visiting.

Faux tuna mayo

Easy as can be and great for sandwich/ baked potato filling.
We use Marigold marinated tofu, mayola mayonnaise and tinned sweetcorn.



Mix and serve! Simple as that.



The marinated tofu does NOT taste like tuna, although the tin says you can add some cooked nori to it to get that "fish" flavour. The tofu has a slight sweetness to it so the first bite will leave you thinking its odd, because you expect tuna but I'm telling the truth when I say it is very yummy!

Why bother?

Eliminating tuna from your diet helps keep you safe from all those nasty heavy metals that are found in large fish.

You also do your bit for the delicate Eco system of the ocean bed and save the lives of countless other sea animals that find themselves caught in devastating trawler nets.

Maca-no-cheese

Macaroni seems to me to be a kid pleasing staple. Here in Scotland we also have a knock off Italian version which involves stuffing a small pie with macaroni, which I have to admit I LOVE! (But don't tell my bathroom scales!)

For the sauce you will need :




* 3 tablespoons plain flour (Gluten free is fine)

*3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes.

* 2 tablespoons of parmezano (cheese replace)

* 1 teaspoon garlic powder.

* 1 teaspoon vegan bullion stock.

* Pinch of mild/medium curry powder.

* Salt and pepper to taste.

* 1 large table spoon vegan spread.

* None dairy milk (rice or soya, unsweetened)

Melt the spread in a large sauce pan.

In a bowl mix the flour and all the other dry ingredients.

Whisk into the melted spread until absorbed then quietly add the milk, whisking well until smooth and the desired consistency.

Add to cooked pasta.

Serve straight away or transfer to oven dish, sprinkle top with breadcrumbs mixed with olive oil and bake until golden brown.

If you want that macaroni and ham dish, add cubes of smoked tofu for the same taste.

It may seem like a lot of ingredients but once you tweak it to find a taste you love you'll find yourself able to make it in your sleep!

Why bother?

Apart from saving the lives of dairy cows by forfeiting cheese, you are also saving your own! Cheese (and the milk you would use in the sauce) is chock full of fat which sticks to your arteries as well as your thighs.

I hope you enjoy these two recipes, and if you do let me know! I'll try and take pics and write up about every kid friendly and meat eater friendly meal I come across!