Simple and spicy vegan Valentine’s menu

Main: Creamy hidden-bean pasta sauce

Serves 6

2 tbsp olive oil​
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 x 400g tins chopped or plum tomatoes
400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
200ml soya milk alternative
450g penne
1 tsp crushed chillies (optional)
30g pack fresh basil, leaves picked and most finely chopped

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a low heat and fry the garlic for 5 mins until softened; be careful not to let it burn. Stir through the tomatoes, increase the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-25 mins, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by about half. Meanwhile, blitz the cannellini beans and soya milk-alternative with a handheld blender (or in a blender) on the highest speed until smooth.

2. Cook the pasta to pack instructions. Drain, reserving a mug of pasta water.

3. Stir the smooth bean mixture through the tomato sauce and reduce the heat to low. Warm through for 5 mins, stirring frequently – don’t let it boil or the sauce may split. Stir through the crushed chillies, if using, and the chopped basil; season to taste. For a completely smooth sauce, use a handheld blender to blitz the sauce inside the pan (off the heat).

4. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir well to coat. Add 1-2 tbsp pasta water if needed to loosen, then top with the remaining basil leaves to serve.

Make ahead: The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead; store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on the hob or in the microwave, without boiling, until piping hot.

Tip: To make this recipe serve 2, simply divide the ingredient quantities by 3.

Dessert: Vegan choc chip frying pan cookie

Serves 2

30g block dairy-free butter alternative
55g soft light brown sugar
35g self-raising flour
25g dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped
¼ tsp vanilla extract
dairy-free vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Beat together the spread and sugar until fluffy and light.

2. Stir in the flour, chopped chocolate and vanilla extract. Mix to form a soft dough, then shape into a fattened round about 10cm wide. Put the dough in the centre of a small (about 15cm), oven-safe nonstick pan.

3. Bake for 7-9 mins until the cookie has spread out to fill the pan and begun to dry a little at the edges. Set aside to cool in the pan for at least 5 mins.

4. Wrap a tea towel or oven glove around the handle of the frying pan as it will stay hot for a long time. Bring to the table with a scoop of ice cream in the centre, if you like. Cook's tip: For an even more chocolatey twist, replace the vanilla extract with 2 tsp cocoa powder and reduce the flour to 30g.

Tip: To make this recipe serve 4, simply double the ingredients and use an extra pan for the second cookie.