Vegetarian Thermomix recipes: Kid-friendly vegetable nuggets

If you're a Thermomixer who's following a vegetarian diet or you're looking to add a meat-free meal into your weekly routine, here are four recipes from the Vegetarian Kitchen cookbook.

Cauliflower and fennel nuggets with ajvar

Dip these kid-friendly vegetarian nuggets into smoky capsicum and eggplant puree.

INGREDIENTS

500g water

150g cauliflower florets

150g fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into slices

100g cheddar cheese, cut into 3cm-4cm cubes

3 spring onions (about 60g), trimmed and cut into quarters

2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, plus extra to serve (optional)

1 garlic clove

20g olive oil

100g breadcrumbs

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp savoury yeast flakes

40g pine nuts

1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve (optional)

Ajvar (capsicum and eggplant dip)

2 red capsicums (about 420g), cut in half and deseeded

1 eggplant (about 350g), cut in half lengthways

40g olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 garlic clove

1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded if preferred

6 pitted kalamata olives

4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only

2 pinches salt

2 pinches ground smoked paprika

20g lemon juice

METHOD

Ajvar

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Line a 30cm x 40cm baking tray with baking paper.

2. Place capsicum and eggplant, skin side up, onto baking tray. Drizzle with a little oil and bake for 30 minutes.

3. Transfer eggplant and capsicum into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam for 10 minutes. Peel off skins and discard.

4. Place garlic, chilli, olives and parsley into mixing bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.

5. Add oil, salt, paprika, lemon juice and reserved capsicum and eggplant, then chop for 5 seconds on speed 4.

6. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula and cook for 3 to 6 minutes / Varoma / reverse / on soft speed, placing the simmering basket instead of the measuring cup onto the mixing bowl lid, until mixture thickens.

7. Transfer into a sealable container, allow to cool to room temperature, then place into refrigerator until ready to serve. Clean and dry mixing bowl.

Cauliflower and fennel nuggets

1. Line a 30cm x 40 cm baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

2. Place water into mixing bowl, place Varoma into position and weigh cauliflower and fennel into it. Secure Varoma lid and steam for 10 minutes on Varoma setting, speed 2. Set Varoma aside and discard water. Dry the mixing bowl.

3. Place cooked cauliflower and fennel into mixing bowl and chop for 5seconds on speed 5. Transfer into a bowl and set aside.

4. Place cheese into mixing bowl and grate for 8 seconds on speed 7. Transfer into bowl with cauliflower and set aside.

5. Place spring onions/shallots, parsley, garlic and oil into mixing bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7.

6. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula, then sauté for 3 minutes at 100C on speed 1.

7. Add remaining ingredients, excluding lemon wedges, including reserved cauliflower and cheese, and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4.

8. Shape one tablespoon of the cauliflower mixture into a cylinder shape, then place onto prepared baking tray. Repeat with remaining mixture to make approximately 35 nuggets, washing your hands occasionally to prevent mixture from sticking to your hands.

9. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Serve nuggets warm with ajvar, lemon wedges (optional) and parsley (optional).

Makes: 35

Orange and mango chia pudding

You can replace the fresh mango with frozen, defrosted mango and fresh passionfruit pulp with canned or jarred passionfruit pulp in this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 orange, flesh only, deseeded and cut into quarters

6 fresh mint leaves

350g fresh mango cheeks, cut into 2cm-3 cm pieces

400g coconut milk

½ tsp ground cardamom

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

100g chia seeds

Topping

50g macadamia nuts

50g raw almonds

50g shredded coconut

¼ to ½ tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp coconut oil

120g to 150g fresh passionfruit pulp, to serve

100g to 150g Greek yoghurt,to serve

METHOD

1. To make the chia pudding place orange, mint and 150 grams of the mango into the mixing bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 7. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.

2. Add all the remaining pudding ingredients, except remaining mango, and combine for 3 seconds on speed 5.

3. Divide mixture between eight serving glasses or small sealable jars and place into refrigerator for five minutes to firm. Layer puddings with remaining 200 grams of mango pieces. Cover and place into refrigerator for a minimum of two hours (see tips below). Clean and dry mixing bowl.

4. To make the topping place macadamias and almonds into the mixing bowl and chop for 1 second on speed 6, or until roughly chopped.

5. Add coconut, cinnamon and coconut oil and cook for 5 minutes at 50C on speed 1. Allow to cool completely, then transfer into a sealable container until ready to use.

6. Remove puddings from refrigerator, spoon one to two teaspoons passionfruit pulp over each pudding, top with one to two tablespoons Greek yoghurt and sprinkle with nut topping to serve.

Serves: 8

Tips

These puddings are a great on-the-go breakfast option. You can make the pudding the night before and store in sealable jars or containers in the refrigerator overnight. Simply add the toppings in the morning before you leave the house.

The chia seeds and nuts provide zinc, and the yoghurt and almonds are sources of calcium.

Raw strawberry cheesecake

A dairy-, egg- and gluten-free cake.

INGREDIENTS

Base

130g macadamia nuts

140g pitted medjool dates

70g desiccated coconut

¼ tsp salt

Filling

400g raw cashew nuts, soaked for one hour and drained

100g lemons, flesh only

50g pure maple syrup

120g coconut oil

1 tsp natural vanilla extract

1 pinch sea salt

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

120g water

250g fresh strawberries

40g fresh blueberries, for garnishing

1 tbsp goji berries, for garnishing

1 tbsp flaked almonds, for garnishing (optional)

1 tbsp shredded coconut, for garnishing

METHOD

1. To make the base place all the base ingredients into the mixing bowl and blend for 20 seconds on speed 9, until the mixture is well combined and forms a moist dough. Press mixture into a 22cm spring form cake tin and place into the freezer while you make the filling. Clean and dry mixing bowl.

2. To make the filling place cashews, lemon flesh, syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, salt, vinegar, water and strawberries into the mixing bowl and blend for 1 minute on speed 9, or until smooth and creamy.

3. Pour filling over base and decorate with berries, almonds (optional) and shredded coconut. Place into the freezer to set for a minimum of six hours or overnight.

4. Place cake into refrigerator to soften for 30 minutes, then remove from tin and transfer onto a serving platter to serve.

Serves: 12

Spiced fennel and silverbeet with fried eggs

To make this supper suitable for a vegan diet, simply omit the eggs.

INGREDIENTS

200g fresh silverbeet (about 1 bunch), stalks removed, leaves cut into 2cm-3 cm strips

200g fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into thin slices (1mm-2mm)

4 spring onions/shallots (about 70g), trimmed and cut into quarters

2 garlic cloves

1½ tsp sumac

2 star anise

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp avocado oil

500g water

250g fresh truss cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, to serve (optional)

1 tbsp sunflower seeds, to serve (optional)

4 eggs, fried

ground black pepper, to season

METHOD

1. Line Varoma dish with a piece of wet, well-wrung baking paper. Place Varoma into position, then weigh silverbeet and fennel into it. Set Varoma aside.

2. Place spring onions/shallots and garlic into mixing bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.

3. Add sumac, star anise, soy sauce and oil, and cook for 2 minutes at 100C on speed 1.Carefully pour hot mixture over silverbeet and fennel.

4. Without cleaning mixing bowl, place water into mixing bowl. Place Varoma into position, secure Varoma lid and steam for 8 minutes on Varoma setting, speed 1.

5. Stir silverbeet and fennel, place Varoma tray into position and place truss tomatoes onto Varoma tray. Steam for 2 to 3 minutes on Varoma setting, speed 1, or until tomatoes are cooked to your liking. Set Varoma aside and remove baking paper to allow excess liquid to drain. Remove and discard star anise.

6. Divide silverbeet mixture between four plates, top with pumpkin and sunflowers seeds (optional), fried eggs and season with pepper. Serve with tomatoes on the side.

Serves: 4

Tips

You can replace avocado oil with grapeseed oil, or other lightly flavoured oils in this recipe.

The silverbeet provides both iron and calcium, while the eggs add both protein and vitamin B12 to your meal.

This is an edited extract from Vegetarian Kitchen, $50.00, Thermomix Australia, thermomix.com.au