Chocolate Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 170g vegan butter
• 1½ cup (265g) brown sugar
•  2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed
• 6 tablespoons of water
•  1½ teaspoon bicarbonate of (baking) soda
•  1½ cup (375ml) soy milk
• 2¼ cups (335g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
•  3 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
•  ½ cup (50g) cocoa, sifted

Chocolate Buttercream

•  250g vegan butter
• 2 cups (320g) icing sugar mixture, sifted
• ½ cup (50g) cocoa, sifted
• ¼ cup (60ml) soy milk

Method

1.   Preheat oven to 160ºC (320ºF).
2. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and creamy.
3. Add the flaxseed and water, mix then let stand for 1 min.Gradually beat into the butter mixture.
4. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the milk and add to the butter mixture with the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Beat until combined.
5. Spoon into a lightly greased 22cm-square cake tin lined with baking paper. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool on a wire rack.
6. For the buttercream, beat the butter until pale and creamy.
7. Add the icing sugar, cocoa and milk and beat until fluffy. Spread over the cake.
8. Add raspberries or blueberries  to decorate 🙂

Brushetta Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 400g bavette pasta (or linguine)
• 4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup roughly torn fresh basil
• 2 tbs fresh oregano leaves

Method

1. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions.
2. Meanwhile, combine all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Allow to stand for 10 minutes to let the flavours infuse. Drain the pasta, then add to the other ingredients and toss to combine.

Brown Rice, Lentil and Herb Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Long Grain Brown Rice, cooked, then cooled
• 400 g can Lentils, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium Carrot, cut into fine julienne strips or coarsely grated
• 1/2 Fennel, shaved plus a few fronds for garnish
• 1/2 small Red Onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 cup chopped Coriander Leaves
• 1 cup chopped Mint Leaves
• 1/4 cup Chopped Dill
• 1/4 cup Currants
• 1/4 cup Flaked or Slivered Almonds, Pistachios or Walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds, toasted

Dressing

• 1/2 cup Pomegranate Juice (unsweetened)
• 1 1/2 tsp  Ground Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Lemon- juiced
• 1/2 tsp Maple Syrup or Honey if a beegan.
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

1. Combine all salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. For the dressing: Pour pomegranate juice into a small saucepan. Reduce  until you have 1 tablespoon of juice. Pour into a bowl. Add spices, lemon juice and maple syrup/honey. Whisk in oil until thick. Pour over salad and toss through well. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with more cumin and cinnamon if you would like even more flavour.

Tips

• Serves 4 but in smaller portions, double if their are lots of ravenously hungry mouths to feed
• Pomegranate juice can be found in the juice section of grocery stores with your apple/ orange juices etc ( I was thinking it was a condiment sauce like lemon juice)

Enjoy! Let me know if you love it as much as I do 🙂

Lentil and Tomato Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

• tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 cup red lentils
• 400 g can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups vegetable stock

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook over medium heat for a couple of mins, until soft. Stir in garlic, cumin and coriander. Cook, stirring, for 1 min.
2. Stir in lentils, tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, reduce heat slightly and cook for 10 mins, or until lentils are tender.

Enjoy 🙂 and let me know how you go!

Roast Vegetable Quinoa Salad

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 kg Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces
• 1/2 Medium Cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Ground Coriander
• Olive Oil Spray
• 1/3 cup Slivered Almonds
• 1 cup Quinoa
• 40 g Baby Rocket OR Baby Spinach (which ever suits your fancy!)
• 2 tsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp Italian White Wine Vinegar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan and line
2. large baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Spread out sweet potato on one tray and spray with oil. Spread out cauliflower in a single layer on the other tray. Sprinkle with ground spices, and spray with oil. Bake sweet potato for 45 mins, or until tender and lightly browned, and cauliflower for 20 mins, or until soft and lightly golden. Cool to room temperature.
3. Spread almonds on an oven tray and bake for 3-4 mins, or until lightly golden. Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add quinoa, return to the boil and cook for 10 mins, or until just tender. Drain in a mesh sieve and cool to room temperature, fluffing the grains occasionally with a fork.
5. Place roast vegetables, quinoa, rocket and rosemary in a large bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and drizzle with oil and vinegar. Use a large metal spoon to turn and combine. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve at room temperature.

Enjoy! And please let me know how you go!

Green Bean Salad with Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

Serves 8

Ingredients

Salad:

• 450 g Green Beans, stem ends trimmed
• 600 g Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup Basil, roughly chopped

Vinaigrette

• 200 g Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Lemon, zest
• 2 tbsp Shallots, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 210°C.
2. To make the vinaigrette, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool completely.
3. Once cool, roughly chop the tomatoes into a paste and place in a medium mixing bowl with any leftover juice. Add the lemon zest, shallot, vinegar and olive oil, whisk well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and reserve.
4. Blanch the green beans in a pan of boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes or until tender but still crisp. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool completely. Strain and pat dry.
5. Cut green beans into 4cm pieces on an angle and place in a large mixing bowl with the raw halved tomatoes.
6. Gently toss the green beans, tomatoes and fresh basil with the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Spoon the salad onto a large platter and serve.

Enjoy! Feel free to let me know how you went 🙂

Banana Smoothie

confession: I HATE soy milk so personally this recipe is like drinking medicine for me. BUT I’ve made it for my brothers and they reallyyy enjoyed it.  Despite being yummy, this smoothie features my favourite vegan ingredient of all time .. flaxseed ❤ which means this smoothie gives a little added health kick! here are some fun facts:  Flaxseed is 36% protein, is an outstanding source of omega – 3 and is very high in fibre and lignans 🙂 I’ll drink to that!

Ingredients

• 400ml soy milk
• 1 banana
• 1/2 tablespoon of flaxseed meal (found in the healthfood isle of your grocery store or at any healthfood store / organic market)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup OR honey if your a “beegan”

Method

1. Super Easy! combine in a blender and DA DA a very healthy start to the morning! 

 

Enjoy! Let me know how it goes 🙂

Vanilla Cupcakes

This cupcake recipe is just delightful. These cupcakes are fluffier and lighter and tastier than your typical vegan cupcakes made from apple cider vinegar, oil, etc.  The frosting is superb too 🙂

Makes 12

Ingredients

• 200g vegan butter
• 1 3/4 cups (370g) caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 4 tablespoons of flaxseed meal
• 3/4 cup of water
• 2 3/4 cup (405g) self-raising flour
• 1 cup (250ml) soy milk

Butter frosting

• 200g vegan butter
• 6 cups (900g) icing sugar mixture
• 1/2 cup (125ml) soy milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Line 24 1/3 cup (80ml) muffin pans with patty cases.
2. Cream the butter, sugar  with an electric mixer.
3. In a separate bowl, combine water and flaxseed and let stand for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the flaxseed mixture to the butter and sugar, a little at a time, and beat until just combined.
5. Add the flour and milk and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined
6. Spoon mixture evenly among the patty cases. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until cooked through.
7. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. For the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the butter until very pale.  Very important that the butter is beaten thoroughly for at least 5 minutes so that the icing will not “separate.”
9. Gradually add the icing sugar while beating. Add the milk and beat until well combined.
10. Divide frosting into small bowls and colour with desired food colourings. Use a small palette knife or round-bladed knife to spread the icing.

Enjoy! and please let me know if you enjoy them as much as I do 🙂

Blueberry Muffins

Welcome to my first blog post! 🙂 I’m so excited to share my recipes with you.  And its thanks to these blueberry muffins and my vanilla cupcakes that inspired me to start this blog.  I recently had to bake vegan goods for a bakesale at my university for my Animal Welfare Society and these blueberry muffins were my first foray into the world of vegan cooking.  Luckily, they turned out wonderfully!  So now I have to share my secret 🙂  The authenticity of these muffins are exceptional.  Just like normal muffins, but cruelty free and yummier! These dear muffins are delightful so please give my recipe a go and let me know what you think!

 Ingredients:

• 2½ cups (375g) self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
• ½ cup (125ml) vegetable oil
•  1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 3 tablespoons of water
• ½ cup (125ml) soy milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 300g fresh or frozen blueberries
• Granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150°C.
2. Place the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl.
3. Mix flaxseed and water in a separate bowl and let stand for a minute or so, then add the oil, milk and vanilla to combine.
4. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
5. Add the blueberries and mix to combine.
6. Spoon mixture into a 12-hole ½-cup capacity (125ml) muffin tin lined with paper patty cases.
7. Sprinkle the tops with sugar and bake for 35 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
8. Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!