Lemon ‘Butter’ Pasta with charred leeks (Short Girl, Tall Order) is made in a plant milk sauce with peas, vegan butter and cheesy-tasting nutritional yeast (high in vitamin B12). The leeks are baked beforehand (tossed with oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and chilli flakes). You can now buy pastas in plastic-free packaging. Serve with plant-based Parmesan (conventional Parmesan is not even vegetarian, as it contains calf rennet).
Keep this recipe away from pets due to citrus, salt, garlic and onion. Read more on keeping people & pets safe in the kitchen. Bin citrus and leek (and all allium) scraps, as acid can harm worms in compost bins.
Lemons are not local, but popular in recipes & drinks (roll between your hands before cutting, to release more juice). You can grind leftover lemon rind down waste disposal units to stop smells (don’t use lemons to clean kitchens if pets are nearby, as all citrus fruits are toxic to them).
how to buy, store & prepare lemons
Keep fresh lemons in a bowl in pet-free kitchens, or keep in the fridge for up to a week. Keep cut lemons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a few days. You can add a couple of drops of lemon juice to water, to stop fresh produce from going brown.
a recipe for (vegan) creamy lemon bars
These vegan creamy lemon bars (The First Mess) are made with wholesome ingredients, and make a nice tasty snack. The base is made with oats and walnuts, and they are naturally sweetened with dates.
6-ingredient vegan lemon cheesecake recipe
6-ingredient vegan lemon cheesecake (Ela Vegan) uses silken tofu for the filling, sweetened with maple syrup and flavoured with tangy lemon juice and grated zest.
homemade (vegan) lemon meringue pie
Lemon meringue pie (Addicted to Dates) is not a seasonal dish (though you could sub the lemon for apricots, raspberries or blueberries). But it’s a popular one, so why not learn to make your own? This recipe by an Irish classically-trained baker uses way more lemon juice and zest than store-bought, a nice acidity against the sweet pie crust. Make your own pastry to avoid palm oil.
If you are wondering how on earth a vegan recipe contains meringue, meet aquafaba! Latin for ‘bean water’, this was an accidental discovery by boffins. They found that when you whizz up leftover brine water from chickpeas (and combine with a little sugar) it creates meringue. So it’s a using-up-food-waste recipe too!
This recipe is from Freya’s lovely plant-based baking book (she was the first vegan to go on the Great British Bake-Off, with viewers charmed by this Yorkshire lass and her innovative recipes.
