It’s kinda hard to find a savoury vegan tart when you’re out and about. Pies yes, tarts not so much.

There’s something seriously comforting about a small, hot savoury tartlet bursting with flavour, paired up with a sweet chutney, a rainy day and a good book.

Luckily they’re not difficult to make or adapt to your old favourite quiche combos (spinach-tomato, pear-walnut, leek-mushroom).

If you’re as old as me and once stomped around Cuba street in Wellington then you may have eaten at the Amrita restaurant – a vegetarian refuge.

Their cookbook (now long gone) gifted me this supremely easy way to make a quick pie crust that I use to this day.

You will need:

CRUST

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup water

Mix the drys together. Mix the wets together. Mix both together. Press into tarts pans or lined muffin trays and pop in the fridge.

FILLING

2 leeks, white part only, sliced thinly

2 Tbl olive oil

20g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked 20 minutes

1 tsp salt

1 Tbl fresh thyme, chopped

1 block tofu

1/2 cup plant milk

3 Tbl nutritional yeast

Preheat the oven to 375.

In a heavy skillet, sauté leeks in olive oil, until tender. Drain mushrooms. Add to the sauté and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt, sauté until tender about 5 minutes. Mix in the thyme and cool.

Combine the tofu, plant milk, nutritional yeast and remaining salt and process or blend. Pour the tofu mixture into the mushrooms and mix together, then spoon into prepared cases.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the filling is set and browning on top. Let the tarts stand for ten minutes before removing from the pans.

You might also like this stuffed frittata made with chickpea flour.

Apart from wrestling the skin off the pumpkin this is a very quick and easy recipe that is rich + delicious!

Be sure to squeeze some fresh lime juice over it and cover it in fresh coriander (cilantro).

You will need:

4 cups chopped pumpkin
1 red onion
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 Tbl peanut butter
2 Tbl tamari
2 Tbl root ginger, minced
½ tsp tumeric
Chilli flakes (optional)
½ salt

Bring 2 cups of water to boil with the onion and tomatoes. Add tumeric, salt, pumpkin & peanut butter. Simmer for 10 minutes. When the pumpkin is cooked add ginger, chilli and tamari.

I let it sit a while before adjusting the seasonings, reheating and serving.

Serve with fresh coriander, lime and brown rice.

If you have leftover pumpkin try this fragrant Thai pumpkin soup or creamy five-spiced version

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For fast winter food that’s sustaining, easy and oh-so-delicious I can’t go past lentils in some form or other. From red, yellow, fancy French to plain brown, lentils are versatile, cheap and fit perfectly into my take-to-work thermos.

This quick curry is oil free. Why? Because it works just fine without the added oil and reduces your intake of heated oils.

Dry toasting the spices is another way of releasing their aromas and makes life exciting, if not a bit dangerous!

As with many dishes the clincher is how you serve them. This curry goes beautifully with a spicy kasundi (chutney) and loads of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves.

Or take it to the next level with a dollop of coconut yoghurt or cilantro cashew cream.

1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbl fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
6 cups water/stock
2 cups yellow lentils
1 potato, halved & sliced
½ cauliflower, chopped
Tamari
Fresh coriander/cilantro

• In a heavy bottomed pot, dry toast curry powder and cumin, coriander and mustard seeds for a minute or until they release their aroma. Keep stirring and stay close!
• Stir in garlic & ginger adding a splash of water to deglaze the pan. 
• Add onion and a little more water to form a paste. Simmer gently adding the rest of stock/water after several minutes. Bring to the boil.
• Rinse lentils under running water until the water comes clean.
• Add lentils and simmer for 20 minutes. Add more water as needed.
• Add potatoes & cauliflower and simmer for 15 minutes until potatoes are cooked.
• Season with salt, pepper and/or a splash of tamari.
• Serve with fresh coriander and coriander cream.

You may also like:

Protein-rich lentil stew