Time for tea

Because this week is Afternoon Tea Week (12–18 August 2019), we decided to show care home staff and residents just how easy and tasty vegan afternoon tea can be!

With just a few small changes, our roving chef, Maggie, was able to create a delicious, traditional afternoon tea menu without using eggs or dairy.

Menu for the day

Finger sandwiches – cucumber, curried chickpea, and vegan cheese and pickle

Crustless stuffing quiche

Chocolate tray bake

Victoria sponge cake

Scones with vegan cream and jam

The residents and staff at Laurel Court thoroughly enjoyed the day, and we had some great feedback.

Roland, 61, said: “I’ve been vegetarian for 30 years and if I had known I could have eaten the foods we have eaten today, especially the cake, I would have gone vegan a long time ago. I didn’t think you could make cakes with vegan cream but these are lovely. The cake was my favourite, and to think I could have been eating this for the past 30 years – that’s a lot of cake!”

Activities co-ordinator, Patricia, said: “I’ve recently gone vegetarian so this is such a great way to show what can be made. It’s been a really good afternoon and the residents have really enjoyed themselves, as well as the staff. It’s great for the residents to all socialise. I think it has changed the perception of vegan food.”

If you’d like a visit from our roving chef team to help improve your vegetarian and vegan menus, please get in touch with our training co-ordinator, Ellie: ellie@vegetarianforlife.org.uk or on 0161 257 0887.

Crustless Stuffing Quiche

Serves: 4–6
Time to prepare: 20 mins
Time to cook: 35 mins
Dietary requirements: Dairy-free, Egg-free, Vegan, Halal, Kosher

Ingredients

• Oil for frying
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes, drained
• 75g stuffing mixture
• 100g vegan cheese
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 1 large red pepper, diced
• 120g gram (chickpea) flour
• 600ml vegetable stock, hot
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp basil

Instructions

1. ​Preheat oven to gas mark 5/190°C/375°F. Line and grease a shallow roasting dish.
2. Mix drained tomatoes with the stuffing, then add half the cheese and keep to one side. Keep the tomato juice to add to the gram flour mixture later.
3. Fry the onions and peppers until tender, then add to the stuffing mixture.
4. In a bowl, add the gram flour, one of the cups of stock and the tomato juice. Whisk this together well and cook on a medium heat. When the mixture begins to thicken, add the remaining stock. Then add the nutritional yeast and herbs.
5. Once all the mixture has been combined, lower the heat and stir continuously for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes quite thick and glossy. Then add to the stuffing mixture.
6. Pour into the prepared pastry case, levelling with a spatula, and top with remaining cheese. Bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes.
7. Allow to cool fully before serving. If dish is chilled for at least 2–4 hours before serving it will become denser.