Eat the rainbow! Vegan pho and salad bowls

Bali-based nutritionist Ellie Bullen shares two colourful bowls of plant-based goodness from her cookbook Elsa's Wholesome Life.

Salad bowl with tzatziki dressing

This is one of those salads that you just can't stop eating. The olives and sultanas give little bursts of saltiness and sweetness that keep you coming back for more. Plus, my homemade vegan tzatziki dressing is super tasty! Cashews give it a creamy texture without the need for dairy.

1 cup brown rice

1 x 400g can brown lentils, drained and rinsed

1 small cucumber, cut into matchsticks

1 red capsicum, halved, deseeded and finely sliced

1 tsp ground cumin

¼ cup sultanas

½ cup green Sicilian olives

handful of mint leaves

Tzatziki dressing

½ cup cashews, soaked overnight

juice of 1 lemon

½ tsp salt

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp sesame seeds

¼ cup finely sliced mint leaves

1 small cucumber, cut into matchsticks

1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

METHOD

1. Cook the rice according to the packet instructions, or use a rice cooker.

2. Transfer the cooked rice to a large mixing bowl and set aside for 20 minutes to cool.

3. When cool, add the lentils, cucumber, capsicum, cumin, sultanas and olives and toss until well combined. Sprinkle over the mint leaves.

4. To make the tzatziki dressing, place the cashews, lemon juice, salt, garlic, oil, vinegar and sesame seeds in a blender with half a cup of water. Blend until smooth then transfer to a bowl. Stir in the chopped mint and cucumber and sprinkle with chilli flakes, if desired. Serve the salad topped with a drizzle of tzatziki dressing.

Serves 4

Tip: This salad keeps well for lunch the next day. Leftover dressing can be kept in the fridge for up to four days. Try drizzling it over roasted vegetables or falafel, or serve it as a dipping sauce for sweet potato chips.

Rainbow vegie pho

Pho is a Vietnamese soup that is usually made from boiled bones and spices, but this vegan version is un-pho-gettable! This is the perfect soup for replacing electrolytes after a big workout, but if you are watching your sodium intake then halve the amount of miso paste and tamari.

INGREDIENTS

250g flat rice noodles

1 tbsp sesame oil

300g firm tofu, cubed

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 150g), leave a couple whole if desired

1 carrot, grated

1 cup shredded cabbage

2 bunches of bok choy (about 800g), roughly chopped

handful of snowpeas (about 100g), halved

½ red capsicum, sliced

2 cups bean sprouts (about 150g)

1 spring onion, sliced

2 cups soft herbs (mint, basil and/or coriander)

juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Stock

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 onion, diced

4 star anise

8 cloves

½ tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp ground coriander

2 cinnamon sticks

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 long red chilli, sliced

3cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated

⅓ cup tamari

2 tbsp white miso paste

1 tbsp coconut sugar

3 shiitake mushrooms

METHOD

1. To make the stock, heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan or stockpot over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the spices, garlic, chilli and ginger and fry for a further 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Add 2½ litres of water along with the tamari, miso, coconut sugar and mushrooms. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow to gently simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles as per the packet instructions. Drain and divide among large serving bowls. Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the tofu and mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden all over. Divide equally among the serving bowls.

4. Arrange the remaining vegetables in the bowls and top with the fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime juice. Pour the hot stock through a strainer over the bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot.

Serves 3-4

Tip: Make up a double batch of the stock to freeze for another meal. You may like to keep the strained spices in a jar in the fridge for your next batch of pho.

This is an edited extract from Elsa's Wholesome Life by Ellie Bullen, published by Plum, RRP $34.99, photography by Ellie Bullen.