• According to The Guardian, a record 500,000 people took the Veganuary pledge to only eat vegan food in January 2021, which is double the number of people from 2 years prior.
• Research by The Vegan Society claims that 1:4 Brits cut back on animal products during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The Sainsbury's Future of Food Report predicts that by 2025, vegans and vegetarians will make up to a quarter of the British population.

With all this in mind, Opies have created a range of vegan recipes that can be used for different meal occasions for Veganuary and beyond: breakfast, lunches, easy dinners and puddings.

 Opies vegan breakfast ideas that are great for on-the-go:

• Cherry & Stem Ginger Breakfast Bars

 For a lunch at home or eating al-desko!

• Buddha Bowl

 Family favourites for dinner

• Miso Stacked Burger
• Caponata

 Perfect puddings to satisfy sweet cravings

• Cherry & Chocolate Mousse
• Almond Rice Pudding with Black Cherries

All recipes have been tried and tested. Additional ideas and tips have also been suggested.

Recipe credit: opiesfoods.com Social links @opiesfoods

Samples available on request. Please get in touch.

Vegan Breakfast Ideas – make ahead to eat on-the-go

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Vegan Cherry and Stem Ginger Breakfast Bar

Makes 10 bars

Preparation time:          5 minutes

Cooking time:                25 minutes

Allergens:                      oats (gluten), sulphites, pecan nut, hazel nut

Ingredients:

• 180g Porridge Oats
• 10 tbsp Runny Honey
• 1 jar of Opies Cocktail Cherries, drained and roughly chopped
• 3 pieces of Opies Stem Ginger, finely chopped
• 2tbsp of Opies stem ginger syrup from the jar
• 80g Pecan Nuts, crushed
• 40g Hazel Nuts, crushed
• 150g Vegan Butter
• 3tbsp Olive Oil
• 30g Pumpkin Seeds
• 10g Sesame Seeds
• 40g Desiccated Coconut 

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180*c / gas 4
2. Line a 24cm baking tin or small oven tray with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang so you can lift out the bars.
3. Gently warm the honey, stem ginger syrup, olive oil and butter in a saucepan.
4. In a mixing bowl add the oats, nuts, pumpkin seeds, cocktail cherries, chopped stem ginger and desiccated coconut. Mix well.
5. Pour the warm honey mixture over making sure all the ingredients are coated in the sticky syrup.
6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, pressing down firmly.
   Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
7. Leave to cool in the tin. Once cooled lift out and portion into bars and store in an airtight container.

Hints and Tips: For a little more decadence try adding dark chocolate chips. Poppy seeds also make a great addition to the sesame seed topping.

 

Vegan Lunch Ideas to enjoy at home or eat al-desko

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Buddha Bowl

Serves 2

Preparation time:          10 minutes

Allergens:                     walnut, soya, soy, sesame, check soy sauce for traces of gluten

Ingredients:

• 120g Cooked Brown Rice
• 1 Tin of Chickpeas, drained
• 1tsp Harissa Spice
• 4 Opies Pickled Walnuts, sliced
• 1 Avocado, peeled and stoned
• 1 block of Tofu
• 2tsp Soy Sauce
• 1 medium Courgette, peeled into ribbons using a potato peeler
• Squeeze of Lemon Juice
• 50g Edamame Beans
• 10 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• Handful of fresh Spinach
• 1 Sweet Potato, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2tbsp Olive Oil
• Mustard Cress 

Dressing:

• 2tbsp Tahini
• ¼ tsp Chilli Flakes
• 1-2 tbsp Water
• 1 Garlic Clove, crushed

Method:

1. Brush the sweet potato with the olive oil and either cook on a griddle pan or under a hot grill.
2. In a frying pan dry fry, the chickpeas in the harissa spice, leave until needed.
3. For the tofu, marinade in the soy sauce, then cut into cubes and fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil until it crisps up a little.
4. For the courgette, toss with a little olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
5. For the dressing, quite simply mix the ingredients to form a pourable sauce. You may need to add a little more water.
6. So now you can assemble your Buddha bowl. Take a large, low sided bowl or plate.
7. Divide the rice on the base of each plate. Then in sections start adding the ingredients, the chickpeas, the tofu, sweet potato, edame beans, spinach, courgette, cherry tomatoes, pickled walnuts and finally the cress. Drizzle over the sauce and enjoy this super healthy bowl of goodness!

Hints and Tips: Any veg can be added to the dish, it's a great way to use up the spare items in your fridge.

Vegan Family Favourites for Dinner

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Caponata

Serves 2

Preparation time:       15 minutes

Cooking time:              30 minutes

Allergens:                     Sulphites, wheat (gluten), check bread for additional allergens such as dairy 

Ingredients:

• 2 Aubergines, cut into chunks
• 1 jar Opies Cocktail Onions, rinsed and drained
• 2 Red Peppers, de-seeded and sliced
• 4 large Ripe Tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. Dried Oregano
• Pine Nuts
• 1 tbsp. Sultanas
• 1 tsp. Sugar
• 20 pitted Green Olives
• 2 tbsp. Opies Capers
• 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Small handful of fresh Basil
• Crusty bread and fresh rocket to serve

Method

1. In a large casserole pot or pan add the olive oil and cook the aubergines and peppers over a medium heat until soft and starting to brown. About 15 – 20 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, cocktail onions, capers, pine nuts, chopped tomatoes, oregano, sultanas, olives and sugar, then bring to a simmer adding a little water if necessary to loosen.
3. Season with salt and milled pepper and slowly cook for about 30 minutes. Just before serving add the fresh basil. Delicious with some fresh rocket and crusty bread.

Hints and Tips: Whilst this is a standalone dish, it could be served as a side to slow cooked lamb or tossed through fresh pasta.

 

Miso Glazed Burger Stack with Gherkin Relish

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Allergens: Mustard, Gluten, Sesame, Soya

Ingredients

For the gherkin relish:

• 1 jar Opies Cornichons & Onions, brine and mustard seeds reserved
• 1 tbsp Caster Sugar
• 1 tbsp American style Mustard
• 2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon

For the miso burger stack:

• 4 tbsp Miso Paste
• 4 tbsp Mirin
• 4 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp Maple Syrup
• 2 tsp Sesame Oil
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 8 large Portobello / field mushrooms (ideally wider than the buns as they shrink once cooked)
• 4 Brioche Burger Buns, toasted
• Opies Cocktail Gherkins, to serve

 Method:

1. Prepare your gherkin relish by pulsing the cornichons and onions in a food processor for a few seconds until coarsely chopped.
2. Tip into a bowl then add the reserved mustard seeds, sugar, American style mustard, vinegar, turmeric and cinnamon, and stir until well combined. Add some of the reserved pickle brine to loosen the relish if it gets too thick. Season to taste then set aside.
3. In a separate bowl mix the miso, mirin, soy sauce, garlic, maple syrup and sesame oil until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
4. Pre-heat your barbecue until the coats turn white, or if using a griddle pan heat on the hob until hot.
5. Brush the grill with oil to prevent sticking, or if using a griddle fry the olive oil in the pan until hot, then add the mushrooms. Using a pastry brush coat the mushrooms well with the miso glaze on one side, then turn the mushrooms over after 2 minutes and coat the other side with the sauce. Keep turning every so often, basting the mushrooms as you do so, until they soften and become dark and juicy - about 10 minutes.
6. Plate up the burger buns and serve two mushrooms per person. Top with the gherkin relish and serve. 

Hints and Tips: You can get as creative as you like with the fillings – smashed avocado works brilliantly.

Perfect Vegan Puddings

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Cherry & Chocolate Mousse

Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: N/A

Ingredients:

• 100g dairy-free Dark Chocolate
• 1 jar Opies Black Cherries with Luxardo® Kirsch, syrup reserved (keep some cherries back too for decoration)
• 4 tbsp Maple Syrup
• 2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract
• 5 tbsp Almond Milk or Coconut Milk drink
• 2½ tbsp. Cocoa, sieved
• 2 large ripe Avocados, flesh scooped out 

To serve:

• Reserved cherries
• Dairy-free Dark Chocolate, grated

Method:

1. Set aside 25g of chocolate for decoration and break the rest into squares. Melt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (not boiling). Make sure the base doesn't touch the water.
2. Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, almond or coconut milk, ¼ tsp fine salt and the cocoa until smooth.
3. In a blender or food processor, whizz the chocolate mixture with the avocado flesh until silky smooth.
4. Dollop a tablespoon of mousse into the serving glasses / bowls then add some cherries and kirsch syrup, before layering on another spoonful of mousse and repeat until all of the mixture has been added.
5. Garnish with any remaining cherries and a sprinkling of grated dark chocolate then chill for at least 3 hours before serving.
6. To make the decoration, scrape the edge of the reserved chocolate using a vegetable peeler to make long shards. Scatter over the mousse just before serving.

Almond Rice Pudding with Black Cherries

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 – 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 100g Pudding Rice
• 1 litres Sweetened Almond Milk
• 1 Vanilla Pod or 1tsp of Vanilla Essence
• 12 Opies Black Cherries in Kirsch, drained and reserved syrup
• Grated Nutmeg to decorate 

Method

1. In a large heavy based pan, add the pudding rice and almond milk.
2. Split the vanilla pod in half, scrap out the vanilla seed and add to the pan as well as the pod.
3. Over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally cook for between 30 and 40 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pod.
4. Serve in individual glass jars, topped with Opies Black Cherries in Kirsch, drizzle over some syrup and a grating of nutmeg.

Hints and tips: Try using a bay leaf, cardamom pod, cinnamon or nutmeg to flavour the milk.  Chocolate almond milk is also delicious.  If you want to bake in the oven, place the mixture in an ovenproof dish and cover with some wet greaseproof paper to stop a skin forming.  Bake at 150°C for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Where to Buy: The Opies range is available from independent retail stores and online from stores such as www.souschef.co.uk

You can also find them in the following supermarkets:

Opies Stem Ginger in Syrup

Availability & Price: Tesco (350g - £2.60) and Asda (280g - £2.28)

Opies' Cocktail Cherries 225g

Availability: Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Ocado & Booths

Price from £1.50

Opies' Pickled Walnuts 390g

Availability: Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Ocado & Booths

Price from £2.75.

Opies Cocktail Onions 227g

Availability: Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Ocado & Booths

Price: from £0.90

Opies Capers 180g

Availability: Morrisons & Co-op

Price: £1.60

Opies Organic Capers

Availability: Waitrose, Ocado & Booths

Price: £2.39.

Opies Cornichons & Onions 350g

Availability: Tesco & Ocado

Price from £1.29

Opies Cocktail Gherkins 227g

Availability: Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Ocado & Booths

Price: from £0.90

Opies Black Cherries in Kirsch 390g

Availability: Tesco, Waitrose & Ocado

Price: from £4.00

High Res Imagery (branded and unbranded options): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qqpqvr8c7h5djk6/AADGEqoukXHGJnD4SZpf_SbBa?dl=0

Samples: Available on request – please get in touch.

PRESS CONTACT: Lesley Parr, Splat PR 07754 482139 / 01538 381884 lesley@splat-marketing.co.uk @SplatPR