Hot Cross Buns (v)

 

Easter is just around the corner and what better reason do you need to stuff your face with hot cross buns?

Delicious and warm from the oven, stuffed with spices and fruits and coated in a sticky glaze... ohhh yeahhh! 

But what about those of us who want to skimp on the eggs, milk and butter? Are we not worthy of these festive fancies? Must we be deprived of their toasty awesomeness?

They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom!

Or something like that... 

  

I came across this recipe from veganlifemag.com for a vegan version of Hot Cross Buns and I am ever so glad I did. 

These buns are light and fluffy and choc full of those familiar flavours you know and love!  I mixed things up a little in terms of the glaze and cross mixture but stuck to the original bread recipe because why improve on perfection?

Best of all, they are also animal free!

Enjoy my vegan friends and keep an eye out for any rabbits who come creeping across your lawn... they are probably after your leftover buns!

Hot Cross Buns (Vegan!)

350g strong bread flour
1 ½ tsp ground mixed spice
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 sachet (2 tsp) easy–blend yeast
25g caster sugar
100g currants
50g mixed peel
75g vegan margarine, melted
175ml non-dairy milk, warmed, plus a little extra to glaze

 For the Crosses
 1/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup water 

To Glaze
 Jam of your choice (I used my Nana's homemade fig jam but apricot works well too!) 



Mix the yeast and sugar together in a small bowl and then gradually add the warm soy/nut milk. Leave for approximately 5 minutes.

Sift the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture into the well and stir until combined. Then add the currants, mixed peel and margarine and mix together well until a dough forms.

Take the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes.
Place the dough back into the large bowl and cover with a tea towel or some cling film. Place this in a warm place for approximately 2 – 2½ hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

Take the dough back out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead again for approximately 5 minutes.

Split the dough into 12 equal pieces in the required shape, place onto a baking sheet and cover with a tea towel or cling film again. Put in a warm place for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

To make the crosses, whisk together the flour and water until you have a smooth paste. Pour into a piping bag and pipe crosses on top of each bun 

Once the buns have risen, heat the oven to 180°C and lightly brush the surface of each bun with some extra soy/nut milk (try and go around the crosses so as not to smear them). Bake for 20 minutes.

Brush the buns with your jam while they are still warm and serve.
 

Raw Chocolate and Orange Jaffa Cheesecake

 

In this new age of Instagram obsession, #foodporn and an increasing fascination with healthy eating its hard to believe there are still people out there who haven't drooled over a picture of some sort of raw or vegan food, even if they didn't know it was raw/vegan/healthy. 

Yet there are still those who turn their noses up at the suggestion of a chia pudding or a raw vegan cheesecake ("Its not even a cheesecake if it doesn't have cheese in it!") - well to them I say sit your butts down and cram some of this Choc Orange Cheesecake in your facehole! See how pessimistic and gastronomically naive you are when your mind is being blown by the creamy textures and rich flavours of this mother chucker. 

Still complaining about the lack of 'real cheese' over there are you Gary? Didn't think so... (and if you are then there is no helping you and I pity you).

In all seriousness this cheesecake is the bee's knees. The cat's pyjamas. Some other nonsensical saying which translated to 'The Bomb!'. 

It's creamy, decadent, raw, vegan, gluten and dairy free and basically all the good things you want in a healthy dessert. Give it a go and show that poor, clueless Gary in your life what he's missing!   

Lemon and Ginger Raw Cheesecake Slice

This cheesecake is a bit of an homage to my lovely mother (aka. 'Love Chunks', aka 'Mother Bean' etc.). Lemon and ginger are two of her favourite flavours and being the conniving little scamp that I am I decided to use this to my advantage in my life quest to 'hippify' her.

Throw a bunch of ginger and lemon into a sweet and creamy filling, spoon it onto a crispy but also chewy base (also dusted with ginger) and let the magic happen... mwahahaha how could she resist?!

I am actually also a huge fan of lemon and ginger, especially in the summer where the flavours and a bit lighter and more refreshing than something like chocolate. This slice is very rich given the high nut/fat content but it is also sweet, tart and refreshing - the perfect snack for a summer afternoon! 

Give it a go and let me know what you think!

Lemon and Ginger Cheesecake Slice

Makes between 12-16 serves

For the Base:

1 1/4 cup oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup pitted dates
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 buckwheat grouts
1 tbsp coconut oil

For the Filling:

4 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight in water (don't discard the water!)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
1/2 tsp mixed spice (optional)


To make the base simply throw all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until becomes combined and dough-like. Press into the base of a square 20cm tin lined with non-stick paper and refrigerate while you make the filling.

For the filling, wipe out your food processor and blend all the filling ingredients. If you think the mixture is to thick add a some of the cashew soaking water (or normal water if you forgot to save it...) until you get the right consistency. It should be thick and stick to you spoon but also loose enough to be spreadable. 

Pour over the top of the chilled base, smooth the top and refrigerate until set. 

Eat as it is or decorate with lemon rind, glace ginger, raw nuts or whatever else tickles your fancy! 

Potatoes: Is there anything they can't do?

Seriously, I am a girl who loves her vegetables in all their shapes and sizes, from artichokes and asparagus to zucchini and ... zucchini flowers. But the humble spud may just be my king in the kitchen. You can have them mashed, roasted, steamed, pureed in a soup, made into vegetable patties and even wrapped in foil and baked over a campfire! 

One of my go to snacks (and sometimes dinner when just can't be bothered 'adulting') is a quick and easy batch of baked potato wedges. Sometimes I get fancy and throw a sweet potato in there too but only when I'm feeling super pretentious and watching home reno shows while agreeing with the neutral colour palette of that wealthy couples new open plan lounge. But I digress.

So, I am sharing with you all today my favourite quick and easy recipe for oven baked potato wedges which you can be shovelling into your face holes in less than 1/2 an hour! Flavoured with simple salt and pepper and sprigs of fresh rosemary, the crispy potato goodness gets to shine through with just enough flavour to give it a delightful kick! Obviously you could douse your cut wedges in whatever spice and herb blends you want but generally I like the stick with the old 'less is more' principle.  

You're welcome fellow potato-fiends! You're welcome. 

Baked Potato and Rosemary Wedges

~5 medium/large potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
4 sprigs fresh rosemary



Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Cut your potatoes into wedges as thick or thin as you like (if you're hungry and want them to cook faster then go the thin option!) and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper then toss your rosemary sprigs into the mix and toss to make sure each wedge is covered in the spiced oil.

Bake for ~20 to 30 minutes (depending on your oven and how thick or thin your wedges are), turning and tossing occasionally until the potato is cooked all the way through and the outside has browned and crisped up.

Enjoy!

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Ok, let's be real for a second here. This 'Mac and Cheese' contains some mac but no cheese. 

 BUT, it will give you the same fuzzy, warm feeling the folks at Kraft have always promised minus the bloating, bubbling layer of grease and the gnawing sense of regret that will follow you to the gym for the entire week as you try to 'exorcise' (*BADDUM TCH!*) those cheesy demons! 

Or maybe that's just little old self-loathing me... I should really work on that... 

Either way though, this dish is legitimately the bomb dot com! Its not only VEGAN but also GLUTEN-FREE and pretty low in fat, especially when compared with its traditional counterpart. Rather than a cheesy, floury sauce it uses fresh pumpkin roasted with garlic and spices, almond milk and nutritional yeast for that familiar cheddar' flavour. Plus I served it in an edible pumpkin bowl so you know... its got that cute yet practical factor going on.

Peanut Butter and Oreo Cheesecake Slice

 

So its been a while since I've posted anything not vegan, raw, gluten free etc. etc. 

You know, that healthy hipster stuff that makes me feel like the best thing to hit Instagram since Valencia. 

However I was asked to make a traditional sweet slice of some sort for someone who will remain nameless (just kidding. It was my Mum...) and thought it was the perfect chance to do a little creative comparison. I decided on making this decadent Peanut Butter and Oreo Cheesecake Slice and then create a healthier, more me-friendly version which I will be posting shortly (and hopefully with a funky little YouTube video to accompany if I can get my video-editing butt into gear). 

So, for those unburdened by gluten and dairy intolerances and unafraid to indulge their taste buds a little, I present to you this ammmazingly creamy and delicious (come on Mum, back me up here!) Oreo and Peanut Butter Cheesecake Slice!

 

Oreo and Peanut Butter Cheesecake Slice

Serves ~12

 

For the Crust 

50g butter, melted
270g traditional Oreos (plus extra for decoration)

 

For the Cheesecake Filling

 3 teaspoons powdered gelatin
3 tbsp boiling water
500g cream cheese, softened 
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 heaped tbsp (~3/4 cup) smooth peanut butter
300ml whipped cream, whipped to soft peaks



Blend the oreos in a food processor until you are left with fine crumbs then slowly add in the melted butter, adding enough that the mixture starts binding together with the consistency of wet sand. Press the crumb mix into the base of a baking tin lined with baking paper and refrigerate or freeze  while you make the filling.

To make the filling start by stirring the gelatin in the boiling water until fully dissolved and then allow to cool.

Using an electric beater or mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the peanut butter and cooled gelatin and continue beating until fully combined.  Fold in the whipped cream using a spatula.

Spoon the cheesecake filling on top of the Oreo base and smooth with an offset spatula. Refrigerate overnight or until fully set.

Remove the slice from the tin and slice into individual-sized squares. Top with some crushed extra oreos and serve.  

 

 P.S. Keep an eye out in the next few days when I will be uploading my 'healthier' version!

Sugar Free Lemon Drizzle Cake

Celebrating a birthday or simple want a sweet afternoon treat that won't spike your blood sugar? Please keep reading. 

This Lemon Drizzle Cake is sugar free so its the perfect option for diabetics, though this doesn't necessarily mean it's low in calories (it's crazy how many people seem to just make this assumption!). All things in moderation people!

I was hunting around for birthday cake recipe ideas for my Grandad (type 2 diabetes represent yo!) and came across this one on the BBC Good Foods site. It follows the basic formula for most cakes but replaces sugar with the sweetener Xylitol.

For those who don't know, xylitol is a sugar alcohol which is extracted from a range of plants including corn and birch bark. It has about 40% less calories that sugar (when compared teaspoon v teaspoon) but more importantly for the diabetic community it won't raise your blood sugar levels like the usual sweet stuff. If you don't particularly like this type of sweetener you could probably swap it for Natvia or whatever other type you prefer, just check the quantity conversion so you don't overload with sweetness!

I decided to swap the vegetable oil in the original recipe for grape seed oil and topped it with some cream cheese whipped with lemon juice and a little extra xylitol for sweetness. I then topped it all with some chopped pistachios and walnuts, lemon zest and some freeze-dried pomegranate seeds.

Let me know what you think!

 

  

Oh, did I say Vegan Brownies?

I meant to say Vegan, gluten free, dairy free, no added sugar, vegetable packed, super delicious, healthy Brownies. Rolls right off the tongue.

Now a quick disclaimer before we go any further: Yes, I would describe these brownies as 'healthy'. No, you cannot eat these and only these all day, every day and still expect to waltz into the Victoria Secret line-up. Ahhhh, a girl can dream!

These brownies are calorie dense, no way around it. However, unlike the usual baked treats, these calories come from largely natural ingredients, a vegetable base and unrefined sugars and fats. When it comes down to making good dietary choices these are the sort of calories I want to be indulging in!

So, back to the recipe.

I actually based this recipe on one from Chocolate Covered Katie (an entire website dedicated to creating low calorie desserts!) which I have made numerous times... and quite frankly I couldn't believe I had never blogged about it before. In my version I changed some of the quantities and swapped the coconut flour for a gluten-free flour mix which I really like the texture of. Either way both recipes are delicious... I just wanted to experiment a little.    

Vegan Chocolate Brownies

 

1 medium zucchini
1/2 cup applesauce 
1 cup water
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp flaxmeal
1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
3/4 cup raw cacao powder
Pinch sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
80g tapioca starch
85g brown rice flour
20g arrowroot powder
1 cup xylitol or sugar substitute of choice (you can use more if you have a super sweet tooth, just taste the mix before you bake it and add more as you need)



Start by grating or shredding the zucchini in a food processor. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor with the usual blade attachment and blitz until totally chopped. You can have it completely smooth or leave it with a bit of texture (but if your testing it out on friends not familiar with vege-based desserts smooth may be the way to go).   

Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and process on a low speed until full mixed and you have a smooth batter. 

Pour the mixture into a 20cm square baking tin lined with non-stick paper and bake at 160 degrees C for 30-35 minutes or until the centre no longer wobbles when you jiggle the tin. Allow the brownies to cool in the tin and then refrigerate overnight to allow them to fully set. 

That's it! Slice them up and eat as they are or serve topped with a raw cacao ganache (cacao, coconut oil and maple syrup - BOOM!) chopped fruit, nuts or whatever else you chocolate-loving heart desires.  

Halloween Cupcakes

Let's be real for a minute. A cupcake by itself is a perfectly good thing, but when you slap a witches hat, pumpkin or itty-bitty ghost on top you know you're in for a good time!

As most of the population would be aware another Halloween has just passed on by and this year I was requested to make some special cupcakes for when the neighbourhood kids came by. Being the obliging person that I am I said yes and so I thought I would share with you a few very basic ways you can decorate your cupcakes, be it for the next Halloween or simply because you have free will and can do what ever you very well please, official calendar dates be damned!  

1. Terrifying Tombstones

 

Super easy and quick! Just crush up some chocolate biscuits in a food processor and dip in an iced cupcake. Grab some grey fondant or gumpaste (or I used black and then painted it with grey lustre dust) and shape it into a flat tombstone then use a toothpick or something similar to carve out an 'RIP'. Stick it into the crumbed icing and you're done! 

If you're feeling fancy you could also go a step further and make a fondant hand coming out of the ground...  Just a thought for the gruesome minded...

2. Ghoulish Ghosts

 

As adorable as they are, these little ghosties are actually really simple! Simply take one iced cupcake, stick an Eskimo Snowball on top (if you don't know what they are check them out here - basically they are a chocolate and coconut covered marshmallow which give the ghosts their shape!). Roll out some plain white fondant/gumpaste and cut a circle out for each cupcake. Drape it over top of the snowball and paint on some little eyes and a mouth with some black food colouring. Bada-bing bada-boom! Boo!

3. Party Time Pumpkins 

 

 

 Got some fondant or gumpaste and food colouring? Then your set! 

Simply roll your fondant into small balls and use the back of a knife, a toothpick or whatever other tools you can find to press some grooves around the sides of the balls and press gently into the top of the ball to make them less spherical and more 'pumpkin-like'. Let them dry and harden a little (if you have the time, I didn't and they still worked out fine!) and then use some orange food colouring diluted with a drop of water (I didn't have orange so mixed some yellow and red) to paint them the perfect shade of Halloween spirit! Take a small amount of brown fondant, roll it into a short snake with your fingers and stick it in the top to make a stem. That's it! Now just pop them on top of your iced cupcakes!

 

 

 

 

4. Boo! and also a bit of Ahhh! 

 

Want to express your terror in painted message form? Simply grab some white fondant/gumpaste, roll it flat and cut out a small circle for each cupcake. Pinch a 'corner' of the circle (yes I am aware circles don't have corners, don't get sassy with me!) to make it into more of a speechbubble shape and let it dry out. Then go in with some plain black food colouring and a paintbrush and write whatever scary message your heart desires! No message is to generic!  

 

5. Jack Skull-etons

 

 

See what I did there? Yeah you do!

I love Tim Burton films and 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' is a classic! Thus we have the cupcake dedicated to Jack Skeleton, King of Halloween. 

Like a number of the others really, grab some white fondant or gumpaste, roll it flat and cut out circles bit enough to mostly cover the top of your iced cupcake. Let it dry out hard (otherwise it will sag when sitting on the moist icing! Be warned!) and then paint on a your Jack faces in a variety of expressions using black food colouring. Stick it on top of your iced cupcakes and there you have it, a hoard of adorable Jack Skull-etons! 

 

6. Wicked Witch's Hats 

Is there anything more 'Halloween-y' than a witch? Possibly, but this is neither the time nor place for such a debate. Instead just be satisfied adorning your cupcakes with their cliche head wear!

Take a small piece of black fondant and roll it into a short sausage, tapering one end so that it is much thinner than the other. Use your fingers to pinch the fat end to create a flat brim of the hat and then slightly bend the thin end to give the hat a little more shape. Roll a tiny piece of yellow (or other colour) fondant into a very thin snake and form it into a square buckle to stick on the front of your witch's hat. Stick that baby on top to perfectly accessorise your cupcake! 

And there you have it! 

Hopefully you find these tips useful the next time Halloween rolls around and have fun freaking out and/or delighting your friends, family or neighbourhood juveniles! 

 

 

To all those reading this recipe and thinking "oh, that sounds like a nice, healthy snack/meal" BE WARNED! 

Oh yes, this granola may be a mix of nutritious oats, nuts, oils, seeds and full of healthy fats, carbs and proteins but don't be fooled! It will create in you the most unhealthy of obsessions! 

Think you can have one spoon and walk away? Think again!

Surely one bowl will be enough? Wrong!

Well surely after eating the whole batch I will be so satisfied I won't want to touch the stuff again for at least a few hours? Oh you poor, simple fool!

Seriously, I am not exaggerating when I say only chopping my hands of Jamie Lannister style will stop me devouring buckets of this stuff... and even then I may just dive in head first.

As of late I have been taking the vegan/clean/natural lifestyle for a test drive, to admittedly amazing results! I feel full of energy, I eat when I want without any feelings of guilt and just feel generally happier and healthier! This weekend alone I played two full games of football (AFL, not that other rubbish) without any breaks, hit the gym for a pretty intense cardio session and still felt amazing and ready to keep running! Any who, as part of my new eating plans I have been scouring the web for inspiration when I stumbled across this recipe from My New Roots. I actually had a bag of buckwheat seeds that I was wanting to make into a breakfast granola, so you can imagine my delight at adding chocolate into the equation!

I did stick the recipe in a general, using-what-I-have-on-hand sort of way and what eventuated was a deliciously sweet (but also kind of savoury...) mixture of rainbows and puppy dog smiles!Really you can just throw in whatever ingredients you have on hand and add more and less of those things you love or just like.

If you do manage to resist eating the whole thing hot from the oven (I applaud you and your restraint!) there are 101 ways you can enjoy this granola! Serve it as a breakfast cereal with the dairy/nut/soy/whatever milk of your choice. Layer it with frozen banana 'nice cream' (see my earlier recipe here). Sprinkle it on freshly sliced fruit... 

Excuse me. I have to go... not make another batch... right now!

Chocolate Buckwheat Granola

You will Need

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cups raw buckwheat, soaked in water for an hour and then drained
1 ½ cups / 65g coconut flakes
2 cups raw nuts, roughly chopped (I used a mix of walnuts, cashews and brazil nuts)
3/4 cup chia seeds
½ tsp fine grain sea salt
¼ cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup cacao powder

 

Preheat your oven to  175°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

In a large bowl combine the oats, drained buckwheat, coconut, chia seeds, sugar and chopped nuts.

Mmmmmm... soaked buckwheat!

In a small saucepan combine the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and salt and heat over a low flame until the coconut oil is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cacao powder.

Trying not to eat this chocolate pool of magic as it is, pour it into your bowl with the oat mixture and stir well to make sure every nut, oat and coconut flake gets some chocolate loving. 

 

 

Dump the whole mixture onto your lined baking tray and stick in the over for about 15-20 minutes. When the time is up, grab a spatula and flip the mixture over to expose the bottom and stick it back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so, stirring and mixing around frequently to make sure the entire mix gets nice and toasted. You should be able to smell when it's ready, the nuts will be giving off a delicious toasty smell so if you see some drool pouring down your chin... its probably done! 

 

And that's about it! If you have the strength, let your granola cool in the tray before hoeing in... or just go for it. I promise not to judge.