COOK A NOURISHING AUTUMN FEAST WITH NATURAL HARRY
We don’t know about you, but with all of the #isobaking and #quarantinis we’ve been enjoying lately, things are starting to feel a little “squidgy” around the edges for us 🥴. To combat this, we’ve been looking towards recipes that are just that little bit healthier but still warm and comforting. Our first port of call for inspiration in this department was Harriet Birrell of Natural Harry.
Harriet is the author of two beautiful cookbooks, filled with wholesome and delicious plant-based recipes (she also has a third out later this year!). Her website also sells a range of eco-friendly products that encourage us to live with less waste and tread more lightly on the earth.
Harriet has shared a class that takes you through the steps to create a delicious sweet potato, eggplant and ricotta lasagne, followed by some peanut butter and raspberry brownies for dessert (now that’s a squidgy we can get behind!).
A huge thank you to Harriet for taking the time to put this class together for us, you can find a list of ingredients and the full recipes below the video, happy cooking!
the RECIPES
CASHEW ‘PARMESAN’
I have not missed the traditional version since discovering this scrumptious plant-based version of parmesan cheese. It takes next to no time to whip up and is so yummy on pizza, pasta, salads and in wraps. I like to store mine in a glass jar in the fridge to keep it fresh and ready to add to my meals. It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Freeze to store for longer periods.
Makes 1 cup
Prep time: 2 minutes
Difficulty: Very easy
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup (140g) raw cashews
⅓ cup (35g) nutritional yeast*
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
METHOD:
Add all ingredients to your food processor. Pulse until you get a texture like almond meal. Enjoy.
SWEET POTATO, EGGPLANT & ‘RICOTTA’ LASAGNE
I have been working on perfecting this recipe for years. The challenge? How to make a perfect lasagne that doesn’t take hours to make from scratch yet is just as hearty, warming and, most of all, tasty. The secret to this dish, as with so many others, is the quality of the ingredients. I always like to make sure the tofu I buy is organic, which is so readily available these days. When it comes to the veggies, in season will always have more flavour. You could try finely sliced zucchini, pumpkin, squash or mushrooms.
Serves 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1.5 hours
INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ cups (400g) canned diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
300g firm tofu, mashed
2 tablespoons miso
⅓ cup (20g) nutritional yeast
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup (30g) basil, finely chopped
1 small eggplant, finely sliced
1 small sweet potato, finely sliced
¼ cup cashew ‘parmesan’
METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 180°C/356°F fan forced. Combine tomatoes and garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the tofu, miso, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, black pepper and basil. Mix well. Spread half of your tomato mixture over the base of a casserole dish. Add a layer of sliced eggplant followed by a layer of the tofu mixture, followed by a layer of sliced sweet potato. Repeat this process making the final layer a generous sprinkling of cashew ‘parmesan’. Cover with foil and place in the oven to bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and return to the oven for a further 30 - 40 minutes. Enjoy!
PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOOD PEANUT BUTTER AND RASPBERRY BROWNIES
This recipe is a slight variation of my delicious choc chip caramel fudge brownie recipe from WHOLE. They are choc-a-block with plant-based whole food ingredients such as steamed sweet potato, oats and nutrient dense black-beans. I have added crunchy, fresh peanut butter to give them even more of a protein and fibre punch! Aside from the fact that these brownies are absolutely bursting with fibre and plant based protein, the sweet potato provides a whole whack of vitamin C and potassium and the black beans provide plant based iron, magnesium and folate. They help to fill me up and give me sustained energy so I have to be honest, I do sometimes have a few for brekkie! Super handy when you have a batch on hand! They also make a great snack to take to work for that afternoon pick-me-up that will not let you down! (haha. That sounded like an advertisement in my head). Makes: 8-12
Serves: many!
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
2 ½ cups (400g) sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 cup (100g) organic rolled oats*
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons cacao powder*
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla powder*
1 ½ cups (250g) cooked or canned black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup (125ml) maple syrup*
4 tablespoons peanut butter, crunchy, fresh ground
½ cup frozen berries (I used raspberries)
METHOD:
Pre-heat oven to 180°C/356°F fan forced. Line a brownie tin with biodegradable baking paper. Steam sweet potato until soft. Process the oats, baking powder, cacao powder, salt and vanilla in a food processor until a flour is formed. Add the steamed sweet potato, black beans, maple syrup and peanut butter and blend until smooth. Line a baking tin with baking paper and spread the mixture into the tin. Sprinkle your frozen berries over the top and lightly press them in. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing and sprinkling with your choice of decorations. Berries, rose petals and your favourite nuts also work a treat as a garnish for this one.
