BITE-SIZED RECIPES
A monster sambo, flavour-packed salad and easy veggie tacos — add these to your recipe rotation, stat.
In a world full of options, whipping up a great feed has never been so simple. Particularly if you’re looking to cut back on meat. In addition to the well-documented health and environmental benefits, switching to — or sustaining — a more veg-heavy diet opens up a whole world of delicious dishes.
Cutting back on the meat, even for a couple of nights a week, is made easy thanks to Yumi’s and its range of delicious Veggie Bites. They’re gluten- and dairy-free and packed with natural ingredients, so you won’t be compromising on taste.
Need some inspo? We’ve enlisted Anthony McFarlane (AKA Macca), co-owner of Darlinghurst sandwich shop Mrs Palmer and taqueria La Farmacia, to create three tasty and easy-as dishes that will leave even the pickiest of eaters satisfied.
Brooke Zotti
Mrs Palmer's Veggie Sambo
This two-hander is piled high with fresh veggies, with extra depth provided by zingy pickles and the mild and sweet cascabella chillies. The star of the show? Yumi’s Pumpkin and Spinach Veggie Bites, made up of mildly spicy curried pumpkin with onions, chickpeas and spinach.
INGREDIENTS:
2 slices of large soft brown bread
1 tbsp Yumi’s Garlic Dip
1 tbsp fresh avocado and jalapeño salsa
2 large leaves of fresh frisée lettuce
Large handful of purple cabbage, julienned
6 pieces of sliced dill pickles
Small handful of roasted eggplant
4 Yumi’s Pumpkin and Spinach Veggie Bites
1 fresh cascabella chilli, finely chopped
Fresh coriander, to taste
1 tbsp tahini
METHOD:
1. Slice eggplant into rounds. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast or grill until eggplant is cooked through — you’ll be able to tell by prodding the eggplant. If there is resistance, it needs to be cooked more. Once cooked, allow to cool.
2. In a separate bowl, combine half an avocado with jalapeño, salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Spread one slice of bread with Yumi’s Garlic Dip, and the other with one tablespoon of avocado salsa.
4. Build the sandwich — begin with the lettuce, then add cabbage, pickles, eggplant, Yumi’s Pumpkin and Spinach Veggie Bites (halved), chilli, coriander, and drizzle with tahini.
Scroll down to watch Anthony McFarlane showing you how to build this beast of a sandwich.
Mrs Palmer's Veggie Bite Salad
This monster salad is packed with flavour. Yumi’s hearty Zucchini and Lentil Veggie Bites — accented with hot chilli and fresh parsley — interplay with the earthy flavours of rocket, green tea soba noodles and edamame, and given a lift with tangy nam jim dressing.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of fresh rocket
1 cup of green tea soba noodles
Half a cup of purple cabbage, julienned
Quarter of a cup of eggplant, cubed and roasted
Handful of edamame beans
Handful of beansprouts
Handful of fresh carrot, finely chopped
4 Yumi’s Zucchini & Lentil Veggie Bites, chopped into halves
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp fresh shallots, chopped
Nam jim dressing, to taste
Fried lotus chip
METHOD:
1. Boil noodles according to package instructions. Set aside to cool.
2. Slice eggplant into rounds. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast or grill until eggplant is cooked through — you’ll be able to tell by prodding the eggplant. If there is resistance, it needs to be cooked more. Once cooked, allow to cool.
3. In a large bowl, assemble all ingredients and finish with nam jim dressing. Finish with lotus chip (optional).
Scroll down to watch Anthony McFarlane showing you how to assemble this spectacular salad.
La Farmacia Veggie Tacos
It’s taco time. These veggie tacos are loaded with all the usual suspects, which pair perfectly with Yumi’s aromatic sweet potato-packed veggie bites. Finished with a generous serve of La Farmacia’s legendary homemade red salsa, this might be your new go-to for taco night.
INGREDIENTS:
2 fried corn tortilla
2 Yumi’s Sweet Potato and Herbs Veggie Bites, flash fried (one per taco)
Handful of fresh white onion, diced
Small handful of fresh coriander
La Farmacia red salsa
Slice of fresh avocado
Fresh lime juice, to taste
Light olive oil or corn oil, for frying
Serves 2
METHOD:
1. Heat a skillet or frying pan over a medium-high heat.
2. Add a drizzle of light olive oil or corn oil. Once the oil is hot, place in the tortillas, cooking for anywhere between 10–30 seconds on each side, depending on how crispy you want it to be.
3. Once cooked, set aside on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil and allow to cool.
4. In deep frying pan, add enough oil to cover Veggie Bites. Heat over a high heat.
5. Once the oil is boiling, gently place the veggie bites in with a spatula or slotted spoon. Let it cook for 20–30 seconds, then remove and set aside to cool on paper to remove excess oil.
6. Building the taco: start with the veggie bite (split this in half to cover the tortilla), then add the onion, salsa, coriander and avocado. Finish with fresh lime juice.
LA FARMACIA RED SALSA
INGREDIENTS:
6 tomatoes
1 medium-sized white onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1 can of chipotle chilli
Half a cup of lemon juice
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp olive oil
Quarter of a cup of finely chopped coriander
Salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD:
1. Char the tomatoes on a coal or gas flame until blackened so the skins are nicely burnt. 2. Combine the tomatoes in a hot pan with oil, garlic and onion. Stir until the mixture is nice and soft.
3. In a blender, blitz the heated mixture with chipotle, lemon juice, lime juice. Blend until combined (but be sure that the mixture isn’t too fine — you don’t want to make soup, so make sure it’s still a little chunky).
4. When desired consistency is reached, mix in the freshly chopped coriander. We heat our salsa up so that it doesn’t cool down the tacos, but it’s just as nice at room temperature.
Scroll down to watch Anthony McFarlane showing you how to assemble these delicious tacos.
Images: Brooke Zotti
