Mixed Mezes… Vegan and Free From
Another very busy week with lots going on before half term starts (hooray 🙂 a week without early mornings!) 🙂 Something a little different today because people are getting ready for Halloween parties! Whilst not your traditional meringue ghosts and ghouls, witches fingers and pumpkin biscuits, these mezes are sure to go down a treat! 😛
Last weekend we made a three course meal and these mezes along with some fresh breads and a couple of extra vegetarian (cheese) dishes disappeared very quickly! 🙂 The meat eaters didn’t even notice there was no meat! 😀
So what do we have?
We have chickpea bites, herbed olives, baked butter beans, red pepper houmous, chunky guacamole and vegetable spring rolls (see photo at bottom). A delicious selection of nibbles or starters suitable for dairy free, egg free, gluten free and vegan diets! 😀 Something for everyone! Plenty to share at Deborah’s plant based potluck #67 and at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #91… yumyumyum!
Okay, so what recipe will I share today? TWO! Yes! TWO! The chunky guacamole is so very easy and the spring rolls… have you ever used spring roll wrappers!? Be warned! They’re a bit scary if you’re shallow frying (Life Diet Health generally bakes but shallow fries if necessary)! as they blow up into giant bubbles and cause the rolls to ‘roll’ around quite dramatically! By saying giant bubbles I mean about three times the size of the roll itself! So take care with the hot oil when making these!
Chunky guacamole:
Avocado, tomato, cucumber, red onion, salt, pepper, paprika/chilli, lemon/lime juice.
– Use the quantities as you see fit with the avocado being the star! Use less onion if they’re potent, paprika if you prefer it mild, more tomato if you added too much chilli by accident, 😛 more cucumber to make it more child friendly etc.
- Chop everything into bite size chinks, add the seasonings, liberally squeeze with fresh juice. Mix. Taste. Adjust seasoning. Stand to let the flavours develop.
- Scoop, spoon, eat! Enjoy! 🙂
Chunky guacamole ready for scooping onto tortilla chips 🙂
Spring rolls:
Celery, carrot, onion, coconut oil, sweetcorn, tamari soya sauce, sesame seeds, spring roll wrappers (mine were 100% rice), boiling water.
– Use quantities as you see fit! Use equal quantities of vegetables.
- Peel, wash and string the vegetables as appropriate, then chop into equal sized matchsticks.
- Melt the oil and add the chopped vegetables all at once, cook until the onion is just starting to turn translucent, stir through the sweetcorn, then add a teaspoon of tamari and cook for 30 seconds, taste test. Add more tamari until you have the perfect taste (I used 2 teaspoons to 1 medium carrot).
- Sprinkle over sesame seeds (I used 1 teaspoon), stir through then turn off the heat.
Almost ready for wrapping… let it cool down a bit first! - Wrapping! Follow the instructions on the spring roll wrappers – usually soak in hot water to soften but check just in case!
- Make one roll at a time by putting a tablespoonful of vegetables on one end of the prepared wrapper. Fold the end over to cover, then wrap the two sides over to make an envelope. Ensure the filling is tight, then carefully roll it up and press the ends to seal. Make the rest of the spring rolls.
- Shallow fry to colour on all sides (mind the bubbles) then bake in the oven on Gas 3 (325f / 160c) for ten minutes.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Serve & Store
- All of the mezes can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Please note the onion in the guacamole will become overpowering the longer it is left and the colour of the guacamole may change.
- The spring rolls are tricky to reheat and are best eaten cold (they’re still yummy).
- The olives are best stored in their oil / dressing.
- Cover the houmous to prevent it drying out.
- Chickpea bites and baked butter beans can easily be reheated or eaten cold.
- Serve as a grand starter or a luscious lunch with breads, crackers or salads.
What a tasty looking plate of food!
Delicious looking spring roll.
A lot of yummy food for a lot of yummy people!
So what do we have? We have chickpea bites, herbed olives, baked butter beans, red pepper houmous, chunky guacamole and vegetable spring rolls. A delicious selection of nibbles or starters suitable for dairy free, egg free, gluten free and vegan diets! 😀 Something for everyone! Chunky guacamole: Avocado, tomato, cucumber, red onion, salt, pepper, paprika/chilli, lemon/lime juice. – Use the quantities as you see fit with the avocado being the star! Use less onion if they’re potent, paprika if you prefer it mild, more tomato if you added too much chilli by accident, 😛 more cucumber to make it more child friendly etc. Spring rolls: Celery, carrot, onion, coconut oil, sweetcorn, tamari soya sauce, sesame seeds, spring roll wrappers (mine were 100% rice), boiling water. – Use quantities as you see fit! Use equal quantities of vegetables. Serve & StoreMixed Mezes... Vegan and Free From
These dishes looks delicious, and are perfect for my food allergies! I could eat the spring rolls all day long.I wish you had a little bit of time to relax before half term starts, but at least you don’t need to wake up early! Happy FF, and have a fabulous weekend! 😀
Awww Kaila thank you 😀 I hope you had a great weekend too 🙂 Which of your allergies do you find the most difficult to find free-from food for?
I don’t find it too difficult eating at home because I know which brands to buy. Eating out is the challenge because of cross-contact at most restaurants. But, it definitely depends on the dish, most dairy free cheeses contain tapioca starch, so that’s definitely one area I haven’t delved into yet.
Sometimes I find it hard to believe that people can eat anything without even knowing what is in it or where it came from… it certainly opens your eyes when having to check for allergies don’t you think? The amount of times I’ve actually been given a label to read in a restaurant!!! I’ve found Mexican to be the easiest to eat out at as they tend to use loads of fresh produce and are happy to cook it to order. I haven’t yet found a dairy free cheese which I like… so I made one of my own! A lovely sliceable cashew cheese yum yum… oh and my tofeta tastes just like feta cheese. Delicious! 🙂
Lovely collection of healthy tasty mezze 🙂
Thank you Elaine 🙂
What a tasty looking group of dishes. Never put cucumbers in my guacamole, but why not. Spring rolls – I love to make and eat them but I never seem to make them often. These would be my two favorites and like you said there is something for everyone. Thanks for sharing with Fiesta Friday 🙂
Thank you 🙂 and tasty they were too! Cucumbers go perfectly in guacamole and mix up the texture a bit. I should probably make more spring rolls too… do you have a favourite filling for them?
Very cool! Some nights I want as much variety as possible and don’t want a heavy meal. I dream of a platter just like this one. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this at FF and inspiring me for the week!
Hello Indira 🙂 Ooo, glad I make food for your dreams! I hope you’ve had a chance to try it by now (sorry not to reply earlier for some reason wordpress thought you were spam)! Thanks for visiting Life Diet Health 🙂
Oh wow, what a feast! 🙂 May I have a bit of everything, please? 😛
You certainly may Milica! 🙂 If only you lived next door… or in the next town… or even the next country! 😛 lol 😀 x x x
Hahahaha, yeah… If only 🙂
😛 🙂 x
What a wonderful selection of mezes to nibble on! I am so glad you shared these healthy and delectable chickpea bites, herbed olives, baked butter beans, red pepper houmous, chunky guacamole and vegetable spring rolls with us at the Plant-Based Potluck Party Link Up. I’m pinning and sharing.
Thanks Deborah 🙂
Perfect potluck party food! 🙂 Hope you get around to making some! 🙂 x
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A tasty versatile collection of yummy mezzos! MMMMMMM!
Thank you 🙂 What would be on your ideal meze plate Sophie… ?
I don’t know, many marinated veggies, a home-made spiced hummus dip, home-made vegan flatbreads, some real spiced chorizo slices, etc!
Ooo yes marinated veggies 🙂 delicious and adding spice to houmous – you know I’ve never done that! 😛 sundried tomatoes or olives yes, lots of black pepper, but not spice! Hmmm… got me thinking now what to start with…
great! Good luck! x
Thank you Sophie 🙂 x
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