Kim-Julie says: “The only thing that’s better than jalapeño poppers or a grilled cheese is a jalapeño popper grilled cheese. The combo of vegan cream cheese and melted cheese simply brings it all to the next level, which is probably also why this easy recipe was one of the recipe testers’ absolute favourites. If you don’t love spicy food, simply swap out the jalapeños for chopped green peppers.”

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

• 120ml vegan cream cheese, nut-free if desired
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 or 2 jalapeños, very finely chopped or sliced (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 1 pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 100g grated vegan cheese, such as cheddar and mozzarella style, nut-free if desired
• 4 slices sourdough bread, gluten-free if desired (if your slices are very big, use 2 and cut them in half)

Method

Mix the cream cheese, chives, jalapeño, garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper in a small bowl using a fork or spoon. Set aside.

Place about half the vegan butter in a large non-stick pan set over a medium-high heat.

Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot, add the vegan cheese to the pan in two piles (about 50g each) in the shape of the bread slices.

While the cheese is melting, spread the cream cheese mixture onto each of the 4 bread slices (about 2 tablespoons per slice).

Once the cheese is melted, top each pile with a bread slice, cream cheese side facing down, and gently press down.

Using a turner, carefully flip the bread and cheese, add a little more butter to the pan, and then place the remaining two slices on top (cream cheese side facing down). Gently press down again and cook for 1 minute, then flip the whole sandwiches and cook for 30 to 60 more seconds on the other side (you want the bread to be toasted and the cheese melted, but the cream cheese shouldn’t be too melty).

Note

Use just 1 jalapeño (and scrape out the seeds) for less heat. You can also cut up a green pepper wedge instead of jalapeño to make the sandwiches less spicy/more kid-friendly.

Kim-Julie says: “This is a twist on spaghetti bolognese, my favourite childhood recipe. The robust flavours and hearty ingredients make for a very filling and satisfying meal that is great for dinner parties or a romantic date night in. Or how about dinner for one paired with a glass of wine and a movie? You can then either freeze the leftovers or enjoy them for lunch the next day.”

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 170g pasta of your choice, gluten-free if desired (see Notes)
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 200 to 225g tempeh (see Notes)
• 35g roughly chopped pecans or walnuts
• 10 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, ideally unsalted, roughly chopped
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1 pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (see Notes), or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, or more to taste
• 60ml red wine (or more vegetable stock)
• 60ml vegetable stock
• 480ml tomato-basil sauce (see Notes)
• 2 teaspoons coconut sugar or maple syrup
• 50g grated vegan mozzarella, or as much as your heart desires (optional)

To serve:

• Fresh basil (whole leaves or chopped)
• Vegan parmesan (optional)
• Cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

Method

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions (usually for 7 to 10 minutes). Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

Crumble the tempeh using a fork or your hands, then add it to the pan along with the pecans, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Reduce the heat to medium, mix well, and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add the red wine first, then the vegetable stock, tomato sauce and coconut sugar. Mix again, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 more minutes. Mix in the vegan mozzarella during the last 2 to 3 minutes, until it’s melted into the sauce.

Top the pasta with the sauce, fresh basil and vegan parmesan, if using.

Notes

• To make this recipe gluten-free, use lentil or chickpea pasta.
• Tempeh is a protein-rich food made from fermented soybeans. Its taste can take some people a while to get used to, but this is actually the perfect recipe to get accustomed to it because the other ingredients even out its flavour, making it a lot milder.
• You can use 2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning in place of the basil and oregano.
• If there’s no tomato-basil sauce in your cupboard, you can use a can of tomato passata mixed with 1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning and sea salt to taste.

Kim-Julie says: “Tamal de Olla is a Panamanian speciality similar to tamales, but cooked in a pan (olla means “pan”) and omitting the banana leaves. My friend Nina, a chef and previously a restaurant owner, whom I met in New York several years ago, tells me that when she was little, she and her family would drive for several hours to visit their extended family in the countryside, far from Panamá City. The traditional recipe for Tamal de Olla includes shredded chicken, which often came from the local farms or family members’ backyard chicken coops. ‘I didn’t make the connection at the time,’ says Nina, ‘but now that I’m vegan, I’m glad I’m able to enjoy a chicken-less version of this dish.’ Marinated soy curls, creamy polenta and a tomato-vegetable base with fried capers give this recipe its depth of flavour and creamy texture.”

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

For the soy curls:

• 150g large soy curls/textured vegetable protein (not the small granules, but those sometimes labelled “chicken style”; I use the Butler Brand)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1½ teaspoons sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1 litre boiling water

For the creamy corn:

• 720ml water
• 210g cornmeal/polenta (also called maize flour or corn maize, it is yellow in colour and is not the same as cornflour used for thickening)
• 240 to 480ml vegetable stock
• 57g vegan butter
• Sea salt to taste