The Veggie Tree

The Veggie Tree The Veggie Tree is your one stop shop for inspiring, nutritionally balanced plant based food.

04/09/2026

SMOKY SUBSTITUTES
PLANT-BASED BASICS SERIES
One of my favourite flavour profiles is smoky, for so many people who go plant-based the food they miss is bacon so I like to have a few alternatives in my back pocket for satisfying this craving, and seriously guys these are so moreish you are going to want to make a double batch, once you pop you can't stop! If you haven't discovered the delights of tempeh this is the perfect introduction. You will find this and many more delicious and nutritious recipes in Abundance, available on theveggietree.com
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SMOKY SUBSTITUTES RECIPE
Vegan | Gluten-free
2-3 tablespoons light soy sauce, Tamari or coconut aminos
2-3 tablespoons oil, extra virgin olive or h**p seed oil
1 tablespoon liquid smoke

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp of Himalayan or flaked salt
1x300g block firm tofu, sliced into 12x5mm slices width-ways
or
1x300g block tempeh, sliced into 18x5mm slices thin slices width-ways
or
300g mushrooms, into 5mm slices (amount varies depending on mushroom
2 tablespoons coconut oil, virgin or refined, melted
Gather your ingredients and add the soy sauce, oil, liquid smoke, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic and salt to a flat container or bowl. Stir together then add the tofu, tempeh or mushrooms and mix carefully to coat all the pieces. Leave to marinate if time allows, flipping once during this time. Preheat the oven to 150°C and line a tray with baking paper. Place each slice onto the paper with as much marinade stuck to it as possible with 1cm space between each and bake for 25 minutes, remove from the oven. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, flip over, brush any remaining marinade over the top of each slice, drizzle with the other tablespoon of coconut oil and return to the oven for 25 minutes. I like to leave the tofu in for another 10-15 minutes or leave in there as the oven cools as it gives a chewier texture. Remove from the oven. Keep in a covered container in the fridge. Use plenty of oil and a low heat to warm if needed
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25/08/2026

SALTED LEMONS & LIMES
Do you have an abundance of citrus at the moment? I always get a bunch of lemons and limes salted up in jars at this time of the year for when they aren’t so abundant. It intensifies the flavour and preserves them for over a year. Yes it looks like a ridiculous amount of salt, but it doesn't need to go to waste once you've used the citrus, as you can use it to flavour and season dishes and drinks similarly to using the salted citrus. As the salt intensifys the natural flavours of the citrus, you don't need to use much in a dish to give it a flavour hit! The salt is essential for preserving the citrus, they also ferment a little
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SALTED LEMON & LIME RECIPE
This is a loose recipe so you can utilise what you have on hand. Use any size jars you have, wider mouthed jars are easiest to get the citrus in and out of but it is not essential. My method is to cut each fruit in half and pack them cut side out into large clean sterilised jars, filling the spaces with natural sea salt until you reach half to three quarters of the way up the jar. Then top up the jar with freshly squeezed juice to start to ‘melt’ the salt. Make sure all the citrus are under the salty liquid, leave a couple of centimeters of space between the mix and the top of the jar as they will ferment a bit in the beginning which will push the liquid up and out of the jar. Cover with a lid and leave in a warm spot for a good month, shake the jar every couple of days for the first week or so. Liquid may come out when you do this. Remove the lid and clean the salt off especially if your lids are metal as the salt will react with it and create rust
Salted lemons and limes can be used as follows:
🍋 In a Moroccan style Tagine dish
🍋 Added to hummus or couscous
🍋 Into a stew or soup for a tasty citrus note
🍋 Made into a East Asian style curry paste
🍋 I add them to my hot sauce condiments
🍋 You can even use the salty, lemony liquid to add flavour to drinks or as a substitute to adding salt & lemon to dishes
🍋Please feel free to share what you use preserved lemons and limes for in the comments below 👇🏼



20/08/2026

PICKLED MAGNOLIA PETALS
Have you tried my pickled Magnolia Petals recipe before? This is your sign you need to!
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All hail Queen Magnolia the spring time beauty! You can eat the flower petals straight from the tree and they are lovely but not outstanding, pickle them however and you get a lovely rose tasting pretty pink coloured liquid and the petals have a similar taste to pickled ginger with floral notes that also I'm parts its flavour into the pickling liquid. The pink varieties work best and the bees love these flowers also and seem to get stuck right into them, so give them a little shake if you are picking whole flowers from the tree, you can also foraging the fallen petals from underneath larger trees. Great as an alternative to pickled ginger for sushi or as a condiment for burgers, stirred through Greek yoghurt as a dip, in sandwiches, as a garnish or in a salad. The blanching helps retain the colour in the petals
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PICKLED MAGNOLIA PETALS
Vegan | Gluten-free
Makes 1x300ml jar
Sterilise jar/s in the oven at 150°C, leave it in the oven to keep warm while you make the recipe. Gather:
3-4 cups magnolia petals (lightly packed, careful not to bruise them)
Bring a large pot of water to the boil add:
1 tsp salt
Add the petals to the pot and blanche for 30 seconds. Drain through a colander and cool quickly under a cold running tap. Gently squeeze out the excess water.
Add the following ingredients into a pot:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup unrefined cane sugar
1 tsp salt
2cm piece fresh ginger, sliced thinly (optional)
Bring to the boil then simmer until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Place the leaves into the warm jar and top with the hot pickling liquid and seal with the lid. Sealed this pickle will last for a long time, once opened store in the fridge
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12/08/2026

GOLDEN GLOW SMOOTHIE
This deliciously medicinal smoothie is immune boosting, rich in antioxidants and anti inflammatory properties, as well as being packed with vitamins A and C. This powerhouse smoothie supports weight loss, promotes heart health, and helps manage blood sugar
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GOLDEN GLOW SMOOTHIE RECIPE
Vegan | Gluten-Free
500ml (4-6) grapefruit juice
2 bananas, peeled
1 cup yoghurt, plant-based or dairy
2 tablespoons fresh turmeric, finely grated
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated
1/2 cup mango (optional)
1-2 tablespoons manuka honey or alternative sweetener
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 sprigs mint
Combine ingredients in a blender, or in a jug with stick blender and process till smooth.
Follow me for more!
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WILD EDIBLESSuch a delicious spread at our intimate little class on Sunday with mother nature providing the lions share ...
29/07/2026

WILD EDIBLES
Such a delicious spread at our intimate little class on Sunday with mother nature providing the lions share of the ingredients
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Together we foraged 22 different wild edibles and made velvety Wild W**dy Soup, W**dolata, W**dy Pancakes and Wild W**d Spread. All absolutely delicious and nutritious with minimum extra ingredients
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Winter is prime time for wild edible greens and even if you can't find all of the ones we'll be covering in the upcoming ONLINE Backyard Forage and Feast Workshop | Sunday 23rd August 2-5pm. You will be able to see and learn from me and others some of the basic unmistakable wild plants out there available throughout the whole country and even abroad. We will then head inside to the kitchen and make our foraged finds into a couple of different recipes that can be made with a mix and match of wild plants book in on theveggietree.com
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KIDS CHEF SKILLSHow cool are these kids! Nailed the soufflés like pros, I was so impressed👩🏼‍🍳We made roux, learnt to fo...
23/07/2026

KIDS CHEF SKILLS
How cool are these kids! Nailed the soufflés like pros, I was so impressed
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We made roux, learnt to fold, whip to perfection and made flatbreads from scratch and cooked them in the ooni, so satisfying to see them puff up in front of your eyes. Used our knife skills to make one of the OG Veggie Tree recipes White Soup from Autumn Winter, all somehow with the kitten distraction lol that's where the boys are in the pictures
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Whether you are a kid or an adult it's never to late to learn new skills and eat yum food. So book into a class today and have some fun in The Veggie Tree kitchen with me
👩🏼‍🍳



29/06/2026

CANDIED CITRUS SWEETS
Its citrus season and we are lucky enough to have friends with an epic pomelo tree which they gift to me and I gift them back with these delicious candied citrus sweets
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Turning these giant pomelos, or any citrus fruits into sweets is a really great way to preserve the harvest and satisfy your sweet cravings (almost guilt free) as these chewy candied citrus sweets are actually full of health benefits, and you get a lovely cordial as a bonus! Head over to theveggietree.com for more info on what the heck is a pomelo, the health benefits of sweets?! and the rest of the recipe
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CANDIED CITRUS SWEETS RECIPE
Vegan | Gluten-free
2kg Pomelo lemon, or alternative citrus fruit, rind and pith removed and diced into 2cm cubes (reserve the juicy part to add to the cordial)
Water to cover approximately 3L
Every 100ml water = 100g sugar
Extra sugar for coating 2-3 cups
Gather your ingredients. Top and tail the citrus to give yourself a flat base to work from and remove the pith with the rind in as big a pieces as you can, then cut each piece into cubes or thick slices. Place them into a large pot and just cover with water and a lid. Bring to the boil, remove the lid and simmer for 10 minutes, drain through a colander and put back into the pot, cover with water again and repeat. You may need to repeat this step a couple of times, depending on the citrus you use, the peel should be tender and translucent before you do the final cook with sugar.
On the last cook reserve the water and measure, every 100ml water = 100g sugar.
Place the soft peels, water and sugar back into the pot and bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, remove from the heat and cool in the syrup. Drain well and reserve the liquid.
Preheat the oven to 80°C. Put 1 cup of sugar into a bowl and dredge each piece of peel through the sugar and place the citrus pieces on a lined tray with gaps between each piece to ensure even drying. Cook for approximately 1 hour, the candies should be slightly chewy and no longer sticky. If in doubt cook for a further 10 minutes and leave to cool in the oven
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INSIDE THE VEGGIE TREE KITCHENwith Chef Anna Valentine🌻From a childhood decision to stop eating animals to becoming a tr...
18/06/2026

INSIDE THE VEGGIE TREE KITCHEN
with Chef Anna Valentine
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From a childhood decision to stop eating animals to becoming a trained chef and passionate plant-based advocate, Anna Valentine’s purpose-driven journey now inspires others through The Veggie Tree, her Northland-based cooking school and online platform. The Veggie Tree is where Anna shares her passion for plant-based cooking through hands-on classes. We caught up with Anna to talk about her approach to food, her love of foraging, and how she continues to share her knowledge with a wider community
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Can you share a little about your journey into plant-
based cooking... What first inspired you to become a plant-based chef, and what continues to motivate you today?
Committing to a vegetarian diet from the age of twelve, I decided I liked animals alive more than I enjoyed eating them, so embarked on this journey with childhood stubbornness and naivety to which I have never felt any regret. I did the classical French chef training and have used these skills to develop recipes that don’t scrimp on flavour or texture. Now I empower and inspire others to eat more plants, holding cooking schools and workshops from my home in Kaeo. I thrive in sharing the
knowledge I’ve picked up along the way, and the positive feedback I get from cook schoolers and folks that have my cookbooks encourages and motivates me to carry on doing and sharing what I love
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There's still time to win a copy of my Abundance Cookbook and the Winter issue of Vegetarian Living NZ, just head over to NZ Vegetarian Society and follow the steps
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16/06/2026

COELIAC AWARENESS WEEK
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I've been making and creating gluten-free recipes for about 25 years after struggling with gluten in my early 20s in the UK. Starting with baking, and now I have a whole cookbook, Abundance, filled with delicious and nutritious gluten-free plant-based recipes, which ticks all the boxes for those living a gluten-free life, including breads, pasta and pastry
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So many folks have trouble digesting gluten and go through their lives having to take medications because of stomach upset after eating, along with a bunch of other issues which are not ideal. Many don't even know it, and I've had heaps of folks and retreats approach me afterwards and share (after eating gluten-free all week because it was easily available, due to my catering style) that they feel great and haven't had to take their meds all week. And/or resisting going gluten-free because they don't want to miss out even though they suffer for it daily. It breaks my heart so want to reach out far and wide and share my tried and true recipes through my cooking classes either Online or here HQ
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GLUTEN-FREE BREAD, PASTA & PASTRY WORKSHOP | SUNDAY 21st JUNE 2-5pm
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ONLINE GLUTEN FREE BREAD & PASTRY WORKSHOP | SUNDAY 28th JUNE 2-5pm
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Whether you are Coeliac or gluten-free, these made from scratch gluten-free staples are life changing and will bring so much joy back in to meal times. The bread is soft and great for sandwiches, even after a couple of days. The pasta is tasty and so satisfying and the pastry means you can make sweet and savoury pies to your hearts content, and all without a sore tummy to be felt!
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Bookings on theveggietree.com
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EXPERIMENTSI'm excited about this one, can you guess what it is?🌶️I just love a good top down food photo, I've got liter...
11/06/2026

EXPERIMENTS
I'm excited about this one, can you guess what it is?
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I just love a good top down food photo, I've got literally hundreds and miss sharing them! So here you go, I know the algorithm won't share it far and wide but at this point I don't really care. I'm in my happy place in my kitchen experimenting with delicious food and glorious accompaniments, there's always something brewing away here
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Figuring out what's hot right now and how to grow my audience is exhausting and not particularly satisfying, all I want is for folks to nourish their bodies and souls so they work at an optimum level and feel great in their skin. I'm not here to promote this or that diet or shame folks about their food choices. I want to empower people to eat more plants because they are amazing, nutritious and delicious. My gift is turning plants and oftentimes free food (everything is this jar was gifted to me) and alot of the recipes I share are foraged and free also, into kai that can be enjoyed by many
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So, help me to help you turn free food into delicious, nutritious food for you and your loved ones, by booking into one of my workshops today, either online or here at The Veggie Tree HQ




Address

32 Leigh Street
Kaeo
0478

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

0211817050

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