Myth busted: Vegans don’t get enough protein. Viral nutritionist, Naturally Nina says that as long as you’re eating a variety of plant-protein rich foods throughout the day, you’ll be full and satisfied.

Falafel

Serves 6 | Prep 25 mins | Cooking 5 mins

• 2 cups (400g) dried chickpeas, soaked in water with a squeeze of lemon juice overnight
• 200g red onion, cut into chunks
• 2 handfuls parsley stalks and leaves
• 1 handful coriander (cilantro) stalks, leaves, and roots, roots washed
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp chickpea flour or teff flour
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups (375ml) extra virgin olive oil, for deep-frying

Preheat the oven to 100°C. Drain the soaked, uncooked chickpeas, place in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds to break them down a little. Add all the remaining ingredients except the baking powder, pulse for 5 seconds then stop, scrape down the sides of the processor and pulse again.

Repeat until you have a green chickpea dough that will just hold together. It will be a bit fragile, but if it’s crumbly or completely falling apart, add a splash of water. If it’s too wet, add another tablespoon of flour. Add the baking powder and pulse for a few seconds to combine, then set aside to rest.

Roll heaped tablespoonfuls of the mixture into falafel about 3cm wide and 1.5 cm thick and lay them gently on a clean board. Continue until all the mixture is used up. (It’s much less stressful to form all the falafel before frying than to cook them as you go.)

Heat the olive oil in a deep, wide, flat-based saucepan (a crumb of the mixture dropped in should sizzle immediately).

Using a wide flat spatula, pick up a few falafels and carefully place them in the hot oil, cooking ten at a time for 2 minutes each side, or until deep golden brown. Remove to a baking tray and keep warm in the oven. Repeat until all the falafels are cooked. Once the oil is cool, strain it and store in a jar in the fridge to use a second time. Serve your falafels!

Sweet potato, beetroot & lemon purée

Serves 6

• 250g sweet potato, roughly chopped into chunks
• 250g beetroot, peeled and cut into quarters
• 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 pinches of salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground sumac

Place the sweet potato and beetroot in a medium–large saucepan, cover well with cold water and bring to the boil over medium heat. Boil for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.

Drain the vegies (retaining and cooling the water for plants) and pop them in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until they form a smooth purée. Transfer to a serving dish and you’re done

Oven-roasted eggplant

Serves 6

• 2 large eggplants. cut into 6mm slices
• 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lay the eggplant slices in a shallow roasting tin (or two tins if necessary). Salt them generously on both sides to extract water and bitterness, right there on the tray. Set aside for 5–10 minutes.

Using a clean tea towel, wipe the salt and moisture off the eggplant slices, then pour the olive oil over them, coating them all well. Roast for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Chopped herb, tomato & cucumber salad

Serves 6

• 300g vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped into small cubes
• 200g cucumber, roughly chopped into small cubes
• 1 2/3 cups (50g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup local leafy greens (I used rocket and baby red sorrel)

Toss all the ingredients together and dress lightly with some garlicky tahini dressing or vinaigrette.

Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Daily Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.