Vegetarian Recipes

Coconut Basboosa with Cinnamon and Rose

​A simple and beautiful cake, sweet and fragrant and keeps fresh for at least 5 days due to the syrup that keeps the cake moist. A little goes a long way ! 
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Chipotle and kale frittata

This is a one-pan wonder, topped with tomato and mint salsa 
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Griddled Pineapple with Mango and Lime

This lovely dessert is quick and easy to prepare and the perfect guilt-free treat. The deliciously healthy chargrilled pineapple pieces are beautifully juicy and for an added indulgence try serving with a low fat crème fraiche
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Roasted Aubergines with Fennel and Labneh

An incredible, healthy aubergine side dish from The Sunshine Diet cookbook. Plus enjoy making your own labneh with this easy recipe. Labneh is a wonderful Middle Eastern strained yoghurt that is really easy to make and is a healthier alternative to soured cream or cream cheese. It usually takes around 12 hours to make, so it’s best to prepare it the night before and leave it to drain in the fridge overnight. You will also need a piece of muslin.
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Yoghurt Pancakes with Blueberries

These pancakes are thick and delicious. They taste like pancakes but have the thickness of a crumpet. Perfect for a homemade brunch. These are amazing, I mean seriously amazing, so if you’ve never made pancakes with yoghurt before you have to try these. They are thick and delicious and taste like pancakes but have the thickness of, say, a crumpet. These pancakes are also simple to make and are very moreish and satisfying, so do try them for yourself.
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Aloo Paratha - Spicy Potato Bread

This is my Lighter Aloo Paratha recipe from my Sunshine Diet book is a nutritious treat. This traditional Indian-style bread is made without butter or ghee to keep it light. I remember when I was at university after a long night of partying, waking up to the smell of aloo paratha cooked by a friend’s mum – the smell was truly intoxicating, with the combination of spices, chilli and coriander and the freshly cooked Indian-style bread. The thought alone literally makes me salivate! Traditionally this is made with oodles of butter or ghee, but I’d like to share with you a recipe that does away with all that butter and guilt.
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Griddled Sweet Potatoes with Mint, Chilli and Smoked Garlic

The smoked garlic in this beautiful griddled sweet potatoes dish intensifies the flavour.Taken from The Sunshine Diet book, it is perfect hot, warm or cold as a salad. Smoked garlic (see Note below) has a milder flavour than raw garlic and therefore adds a beautiful BBQ-style taste to dishes. Here the sweet potatoes, which are rich in antioxidants and a good source of fibre, are griddled to concentrate their sweetness and to create a charred caramel flavour (equally you could do this on a BBQ). The smoked garlic in this dish intensifies the flavour. This is perfect hot, warm or cold and makes a change from traditional baked sweet potatoes.
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Sri Lankan Butternut Squash Curry

This lightand aromatic vegetable curry from The Sunshine Diet is the perfect dish for a midweek and weekend suppers. One evening my sister’s friend and her mum showed me how to cook some traditional Sri Lankan dishes, and this was one of the stand-out dishes of the night. I was most impressed that it didn’t require the spices to be tempered or even roasted, yet the end result was a heady, layered and aromatic vegetable curry. This recipe’s simplicity is what makes it so special. The curry is perfect as a midweek get-together meal, particularly if you’ve come home after work wanting something really easy but delicious to prepare.
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Korean Brown Rice and Brussels Sprouts

Make this super quick dish of Korean brown rice with brussels sprouts for a healthy midweek dinner. It’s brilliant for using up leftover rice, plus you make your own kimchi.
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Caribbean Allspice Salad with Pumpkin and Black Beans

An exciting Caribbean allspice salad laced with pumpkin, black beans, lime and rice. This healthy lunch recipe has a lively kick from the Scotch bonnet chilli. Whenever I use allspice it always reminds me of fragrant West Indian food such as pepper pot soup, curried goat or the classic jerk seasoning. In fact, allspice is sometimes described as Jamaica pepper. The wonderful thing about allspice/ pimento is that it has a flavour reminiscent of a number of other spices including juniper, black peppercorns, nutmeg and cinnamon, so by adding a touch of it to your food you end up adding lots of wonderful aromatic layers. This salad is packed with heaps of flavour and is high in fibre, antioxidants and vitamins, making it a good low-fat lunch that’s sure to keep hunger under control!
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Potato and Kidney Bean Daube

This vegetarian Mauritian daube is a cross between a stew and a curry. Quick to make and very healthy, it makes for a great, easy midweek meal option. I love every kind of daube (the Mauritian version of stew). Traditionally from the Daube region of France, these stews have become a staple in every Mauritian household. My version with potatoes and kidney beans is a very simple dish using only a handful of ingredients. I love eating this with steamed basmati rice and Fresh Carrot Salad, but you could probably eat this on its own and not feel underfed.
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Spicy chickpea burgers with mango salsa

A simple veggie burger with a nice kick of spice. Serve with a zesty mango salsa for a snack that’s full of flavour.
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La Mousse Mauricien 50th Anniversary Special Recipe

​In honour of our beautiful island celebrating its 50th year of Indepence I made these pretty la mousse in the colours of our flag.  
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Smoky Kidney Bean Chilli with black cardamon

​A rich and delicious vegan chilli with smoky flavours from the black cardamon a one pot wonder perfect if your in the house and you can let the stove do all the work. 
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Gato Carre Rouge (Gato Francis)

​This is seen across pastry vendors across the country - a bring red cube covered in coconut and topped with a dollop of whipped cream. It must be seen as the Mauritian Lamington as it is so similar to the Australian version which is usually coated in chocolate. It has a distinct texture which is created once the cake has been soaked and covered in coconut. Mauritians love their afternoon tea and I’ve made this recipe as simple as possible to achieve. 
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Poudine Vermicelle

​This used to be my after school snack that mum used to make for us before being sent to our rooms to do our homework! In Mauritius this is eaten for breakfast or as an afternoon treat with a hot cup of vanilla tea. I’ve made this recipe dairy free by taking out the butter and milk traditionally used and added more flavours and nuts that I think make this taste even more special. 
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Sticky Apple & Ginger Pudding

​This sticky apple and ginger pudding is the perfect alternative to the classic sticky toffee pudding with sharp apple tones with molasses running through it with a perfect combination of warm spicy ginger. It must be served with cream or custard no short cuts here ! 
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Coconut & Lime Tart

​A simple tart to make with a shortcut of pre bought pastry making it super quick with a wow factor.  Beautiful crisp lime against mellow coconut make this the perfect flavour pairing, great for afternoon tea or dinner party dessert. 
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Mauritian Coconut Flan

​A creamy and decadent flan filed with the tropical scent of coconut topped with a molasses caramel.  This flan is a traditional dessert in Mauritius usually served after a meal but the coconut twist adds an extra dimension to a delicious dessert option. 
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Pineapple & Cinnamon Upside Down Cake

​A sticky and moist upside down cake with a deep molasses flavour from the unrefined sugar, spice from the warmth of cinnamon and the beautiful tropical flavour of pineapple. Don’t worry about a container for this, as soon as it gets cut I guarantee they’ll be no cake left! 
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Coconut Snow Cake

​This “snow” cake is the perfect alternative winters cake packed full of the tropical flavours of Mauritius with coconut and vanilla. Covered with fresh coconut and cream this cake is a real showstopper. 
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Shelina’s Simple Mango Tarts

​These beauties can be knocked up in record timing using a handful of ingredients. They deliver the wow factor as they glisten in all their mango glory. The perfect afternoon tea snack or dinner party dessert.  
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Gateaux Patate

​Usually prepared at special occasions and prayers in Mauritius.  Made with sweet potato, coconut and lots of sugar! A little taste of paradise! 
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Napolitaine (Extract from Sunshine on a Plate)

​These are the quintessential mauritian biscuit a mark left from our colonial history. The most buttery and short shortbread sandwiched together with perfect strawberry jam covered entirely with pink icing.  Perfect for afternoon tea. 
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Banana, Walnut & Cardamon Muffins

​The perfect make ahead muffin that you can eat on the go. Make on Sunday to keep you going throughout the week & perfect way to use up those old fruit bowl bananas! 
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Yoghurt, Lemon & Poppyseed Muffins

These summery little morsels are perfect if you don’t have much time but want to make an impression. An all in one batter cooked in 20minutes! Makes 14
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Baked Tofu, Quinoa & Black Bean

Baked tofu has a firmer texture and holds its shape better when tossed through a salad. This is deceiving as it is packed with loads of flavour, be liberal with the chilli and lemon as it really lifts this super fragrant dish. 
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Chilli Stuffed Sardines

​I was brought up eating quite a bit of tinned fish, mainly because fresh fish was so expensive when I was a child. Because of this, I’m partial to tinned sardines and pilchards. I know it sounds a bit retro but you get an intense flavour from tinned sardines, which works perfectly with the piquancy of the chilli. You could make a vegetarian version of this dish using a mix of beans instead of the sardines.  Extracted from ‘Sunshine on a Plate’
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Banana Lattice

​This is a great way to use up those bananas that are turning black in the fruit bowl. It’s an easy dessert that uses ready made pastry to turn ageing fruit into something very delicious. Recipe extracted from my first book ‘Sunshine on a Plate’
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Vegetable Harira

​This fragrant and spicy soup is the perfect dish to beat the winter blues. Make ahead and you can pack this for your lunch, the flavours taste even better the next day! 
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Egg Rougaille

Rougaille is a classic Creole sauce which gives its name to many Mauritian dishes; it looks like a simple tomato sauce but is so much more. It has a huge depth of flavour thanks to the European herbs parsley and thyme, the heat provided by the chilli and the Indian flavourings of ginger, coriander and garlic. 
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Banana, Walnut & Ginger Cake

At the end of the week I always end up with a umber of nearly off bananas! I decided to add some spice and turn it into something really delicious.
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Gorgonzola, red onion & cumin tartlet

This rustic red onion and gorgonzola tart is packed full of flavour and great for taking on a picnic
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Poached pears with spiced cream

A stylish treat for a delicious dessert option
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Feta and Sweetcorn Fritters

I made up this dish from some leftover feta and sweetcorn I had in the fridge - my girls were coming over in the evening and it was a quick starter which they loved.
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Spiced Slaw

This is perfect to serve on hot balmy nights alongside a simple roast chicken or pan seared pork chops
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Chickpea and Coriander Burger

These burgers can be made in less than 15 minutes and are packed full of flavour.
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5 Star Butterbean Tagine

A vegetarian butter bean feast full of Moroccan-influenced flavours and will go down a storm with all the family.
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Lychee Panna Cotta with Passion Fruit Jelly

The sweetness of the lychees mixed with the tropical tartness of the pomegranate makes you dream of tropical islands…
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Lime Posset

This recipe is very refreshing and zesty, it’s so easy to make and perfect for a dinner party as you can make it the day before.
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Chai Tiramisu with Vanilla & Pistachio

This dessert is perfect for celebrations and for special occasions. 
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White Chocolate & Cardamom Cookies

This is a Mauritian inspired recipe. These cookies are deliciously sweet as they use Billington’s sugar.
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Mango & Chilli Chutney

​Perfect for alfresco dining as part of a cheeseboard or tapas selection.
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Son-in-law Eggs

A simple but impressive egg dish which you can serve as a starter or with rice as part of a main
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Pepper Pot Soup

This dish is usually made using offcuts of beef, usually beef shin, and other meats can be used, but I think at this time of the year, we can’t get enough flavour from the wonderful root vegetables in season, so I tend not to use meat in this recipe.
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Almond & Cinnamon Cake

This deliciously moist cake is gluten and lactose free!​
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Saffron and Cumin Rice

This a lovely accompaniment to the ‘King Prawn Rougaille’. A subtly spiced and warming rice dish.
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Sticky Rice with Mango, Papaya and Lime

These sweet amuse-bouche are perfect in-between courses, or at the of end a Thai meal. This was completely inspired by my wonderful trip to Thailand.
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Jerk Seasoning (Fish & Meat)

This is such a versatile seasoning and can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
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Mauritian Red Lentil Soup

This is the ultimate comfort food! Perfect for rainy days…You can cook up big batches of these and keep in the fridge so you can pick on it during the week.
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Chilli Cakes

These deliciously spicy gateau piment are best served hot and are perfect with a crisp beer like Pheonix. If you can’t get hold of this beer then it would work equally well with something like Asahi. Bon Appetit!
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Spicy Aubergine Fritters

I love aubergines, particularly the finger aubergines which tend to be sweeter in flavour - you can find these in specialist Asian supermarkets 
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Cinnamon Doughnuts

These take a bit of time but making your own doughnuts at home is do satisfying, serve warm with some ice cream on the side 
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