Summer fruit slaw with chia berry dressing

My julienne peeler has been getting a bit of action again! But this time it’s not only with the veggies.

After the success of this simple cucumber and pineapple salsa, I was keen to experiment more with mixing the refreshing subtle taste of cucumber with other fruits.

Here I used any fruits I could get my hands on to julienne. For your reference...no, you cannot julienne a banana. Believe me I tried. It would have been the perfect shape so I am very disappointed! (I even tried with a frozen banana as I was that determined but nope it just wasn’t happening!)

The first time I made this slaw I had a large mango in my fruit bowl and that worked a treat, the second time I didn’t have a mango, hence why the photos below are mango-less but I have still added it to the recipe. I also used rhubarb which gave a great tart flavour contrast, though raw rhubarb is a little tough and stringy so you may want to cook it ever so slightly after julienning it- I left it raw, but it’s just an idea for you to try.

Throw in lots of cucumber, you won’t taste it against the sweetness of the fruits and I also added a simple fruity yoghurt and chia dressing to give an extra touch of sweetness.

Breakfast? Dessert? You choose.

Recipe: Summer fruit slaw

Serves 1

Ingredients:

½ cup cucumber noodles

¼ cup rhubarb noodles (cook lightly if desired)

¼ cup mango noodles

----

1tbs sugar free berry jam

2 tbs non-dairy yoghurt

1 tsp chia seed

Extra fruit/berries to decorate as desired.

Method:

Mix the yoghurt with the sugar free jam and chia seeds and set aside to thicken slightly. 

Prepare the fruit and cucumber noodles and place in a swirl in a serving plate/bowl leaving a well in the centre. Spoon the jam mix into the centre of the slaw.

Decorate with berries  to serve as desired. You could also add a sprinkle of cinnamon, vanilla bean powder, cocoa, coconut, nuts.....

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

PB&J granola clusters

It was only a few weeks ago that I made these PB&J no bake bars, the sweetness of the berries and the rich roasted peanuts are such a  great combo I couldn't wait to try out another variation…what better than a new baked granola flavour!

You can make the granola as clusters (my favourite) or as a smaller flake. I like to serve the clusters with a good dollop of vegan yoghurt, this would also be great serve with fresh strawberries, cherries or raspberries too.

What is your favourite way to eat granola? (other than grabbing handfuls out of the bag)  Unfortunately my other favourite way is eating the ‘raw’ granola mix before it even makes it into the oven…it think it almost tastes better than cooked granola, it’s a close call!

Recipe: PB&J granola clusters

Makes one large bowlful

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup oats

2 tbs chia seeds

½ cup roasted peanuts- chopped

2tbs ground flax

2 tbs peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs coconut oil- melted

1 tbs maple syrup or agave

2 tbs sugar free raspberry or strawberry jam

¼ cup mix dried cherries or cranberries- optional

Method

Melt the coconut oil and peanut butter (unless it is already very runny) and add to the other liquid ingredients.

Add all dry ingredients to the wet mixture(except cherries/cranberries) and mix through.

Spoon onto 2 lightly greased baking sheets making sure to achieve a thin even layer with lots of clumpy bits.

Bake at 170C for 10-15 minutes until slightly golden. Add the dried cherries/cranberries to the mixture once cooled. Stores in cupboard for a few weeks.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

DAY NINETEEN: Coconut granola

A little twist on my favourite oaty snack…coconut butter style!

crisp baked oatmeal

This experiment was originally inspired by this recipe by Quirky Cooking.  Jo is a fellow Thermomixer and I love her blog for it’s quirky offerings with a mindset similar to my own.

Taking the coconut butter (homemade of course) and its superfood add-ins I simply wanted to go that bit further and add oats…voila, a no-bake granola.  I had hoped that this would break off in large chunks (just the way I like it best) in its raw state, however it was more of a traditional flaky granola style…that was until I baked it!

Ok, so baking it of course means the granola is no longer raw but I can live with that, it gave a lovely contrast to the raw version- 1 recipe 2 ways.  When it was first baked I wasn’t sure quite sure what I thought…hmmmm, it just didn’t quite have the pizazz.  But once cooled properly it really came into its own with an amazing crisp bite, courtesy of the coconut butter.

I will say that is not a low calorie granola with it lashings of coconut butter, but it is full of good-for-you foods and healthy fats so it still ticks the boxes in my book and would be great as a crisp topping, a little goes a long way. Of course you can also vary the add-ins as much as you like to meet your own personal taste.

no-bake soft oatmeal clusters

Recipe: Coconut granola

Makes one baking sheet full

Ingredients

150g coconut butter (not coconut oil)

20g cacao nibs

100g oats

¼ tsp stevia

3 tbs agave

20g each flaked almonds/chia seeds/dried cranberries/dried blueberries/sun flower seeds (or other combinations)

Method

Melt the coconut butter gently until runny. Mix through all remaining ingredients until fully coated in coconut butter.

Press into a large shallow baking pan to form a layer approx1cm thick. Allow to set in the fridgeand use as a raw granola crumble or bake for approx. 10-15 mins until slightly golden. Allow to cool fully before breaking into chunks.

This raw granola actually tasted so good with some soy milk and a dusting of cinnamon

baked is my favourite!

What Vegan MOFO means to me.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

DAY ELEVEN: Cookie bowl mousse

We're now eleven days in to Vegan MOFO...wohoo !

Following the inspired success of the berry oat cups, I came across a folder on my computer labelled ‘cookie bowl  mousse’ that simple contained a series of unedited photos from a quick foodie experiment over the summer.  I’m not sure why these photos had been forgotten about, sitting there forlorn and waiting to be picked for a post…well now their time has come.

The super simple oatmeal cookie base strikes again, this time in the form of an edible bowl accompanied by a creamy, fruity mousse filling. You can definitely tell it was summer at the time!

So, this is another crazy simple winner for breakfast or dessert. Totally versatile…strawberry, mango, banana anyone? (Mmmm, banana and PB instead of the cashew butter!) You could also make smaller versions more reminiscent of the berry oat cups.

I can’t wait for the weekend now…I’m itching to get in the kitchen and experiment. I haven’t been able to do so for well over a week now as I've not had a chance since I've been back from my holidays. Expect a few new oaty ideas to be coming your way next week.

Oooo, I meant to say, if anyone has an oat themed ideas then feel free to suggest them in the

comments and I’ll see what I can come up with.

Recipe: Berry oat cups

Serves 1

Ingredients- oatmeal cookie bowl

¼ cup oats

2 tbs buckwheat flour (other flours would probably be fine too)

1 tbs ground flax

Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to taste (approx. ¼ tsp each)

1 tbs agave

2-3 tbs vegan yoghurt

Ingredients- mousse

¼ cup silken tofu

¼ cup fruit (mango/banana/strawberries)

1 tbs cashew butter (optional for extra creamyness) or just coconut oil to help thicken

1tbs agave

½ tsp vanilla extract

1tbs tapioca flour (or alternative thickener)

Method

Mix and mash all the cookie bowl ingredients together well to form a thick sticky ball of dough. Using your fingers press the dough evenly around the inside of a lightly greased smooth bowl or silicone egg poach as I used.

Cook the cookie bowl in the microwave on full power for 90 seconds.

Meanwhile mix all the mousse ingredients together in a blender (ideally with whisk attachment) until smooth. Pour into serving bowls and chill for min. 30 mins prior to serving if you prefer a thicker consistency and a nice contrast to a warm cookie bowl. Alternatively serve directly into the cookie bowl straight away.

Top with fruit, chocolate, nuts, coconut flakes as desired.

What Vegan MOFO means to me.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

DAY THREE: Berry oat cups

Full on oaty goodness! These cups are a spin off from my breakfast cookie…just as quick to make but with a new look to change things up a little.

I have made these ‘cups’ a few times as a mid-morning snack, and I’ve used different fruits each time. Work with the seasons and maybe go with a ginger pear combo with a marmalade filling for an autumn inspired treat. The ones photographed blow were actually a summer berry variation.

A few other ideas:

How about…

Sliced baked apple with a cinnamon infused yoghurt filling, or an apricot and peanut butter and yoghurt topped filling, for total indulgence you could press a little marzipan into the bottom of the oat cup and add some almond extract to the cup mix, then top with some raspberries for Bakewell tart variety. Oooo how about adding cocoa to the oat cup mix and then filling with sliced banana and yoghurt.

Temptation…I wan’t to make all these combos right now!

Recipe: Berry oat cups

Serves 1 (makes 2-3 oat cups)

Ingredients- Cookies:

1/3 cup oats

3 tbs buckwheat flour (other flours would probably be fine too)

1 tbs ground flax

Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to taste (approx. ½ tsp each)

1 tbs agave

3-4 tbs vegan yoghurt

Ingredients - Filling:

3 tsp sugar free jam

3 tbs vegan yoghurt

Handful fresh fruit

Method

Mix and mash all the cookie ingredients together well to form a thick sticky ball of dough. Divide into two or three equal pieces (depending on size of muffin tin) and press into the tin to fully line each pan.

Cook on full powder in the microwave for 1 min or bake at 180C in the oven for approx. 10 minutes until just cooked. Allow to cool slightly before adding a dollop of sugar free jam (to compliment flavour of fruit) topped with a dollop of yoghurt. Add fresh berries or seasonal fruit to serve.

Whilst the cookies are cooking, chop the fruit into 1-2 cm sized chunks.  Place the apple is a microwaveable bowl and cook in the microwave for 1 min Add the remaining ingredients and cook for a further 1 minutes. Mix to coat evenly.

Lay one cookie as a base and pile on the filing, adding the other cookie as a top. Dust with cinnamon if desired. Serve immediately.

gooey jam at the bottom!

What Vegan MOFO means to me.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Quinoa berry cookie-pie

You know how much I love breakfast! You know how much I love my oats and breakfast cookies!

Well, this ‘monster’ of a single serve cookie-pie is a spin off based on my apple version but instead of using oats I have gone full out GF for those with oat sensitivities and use quinoa flakes for a subtle tasty variation.

I love this version just as much as the original oat version (although I feel like a traitor for even saying that!)  The chia seeds mixed through the simply berry filling really help provide the thickness to the sauce (and another helping of super nutrients) but ground flax seed would probably also do the job here.

This was my breakfast last Saturday morning and in the light of the morning sun I was really pleased with the way these photos turned out (particularly the 3rd photo).  I’m really working hard with my photography in recent months….I enjoy it so much and know that if I could get to grips with the technical side of things a bit more (and not rely on Photoshop so often to correct my white balance etc) I could do so much more.

All in good time…I must not expect to be able to run before I can walk!

Recipe: Quinoa berry cookie-pie

Serves 1 (fairly large portion- you could propbably share if you were so inclined!)

Ingredients- cookies:

1/4 cup quinoa flakes

3 tbs buckwheat flour (other flours would probably be fine too)

3tbs dessicated coconut

¼ tsp baking powder

1 tbs ground chia

½ tsp almond extract (or vanilla)

1 tbs agave

3-4 tbs vegan yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non vegan)

Sprinkle of sliced almonds to decorate- optional

Ingredients- filling:

½ cup to ¾ cup berry filling (I used cherries, strawberries and raspberries)

1 tbs ground chia

1-2 tsp agave (if necessary)

Method

Mix and mash all the cookie ingredients together well to form a thick sticky ball of dough. Divide into two and flatten the ball with wet palms and place both on a lighly greased microwaveable plate. 

Cook on full powder in the microwave for 1 min 20s. Press with your finger and if there are no visibly sticky bits you’re done.

Whilst the cookies are cooking, prepare and chop the fruit into 1-2 cm sized chunks.  Either on the hob or in the microwave cook the berries and agave down for a just few minutes until softened. Remove from the heat and stir through the ground chia to thicken.

Lay one cookie as a base and pile on the filling, adding the other cookie as a top. Dust with almond slivers or berry slices if desired. Serve immediately.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Quinoa flake breakfast bake

I have never really baked with quinoa flakes before, mainly because I struggle to get hold of them around here. But a few a weeks ago when I visited Wholefoods on Kensington High Street in London for the very first time (much, much excitement) I picked up a bag.

So on Sunday morning when I was debating breakfast, I figured a little experimentation with my new purchase was in order! As it turned out, this little experiment became a rather yummy breakfast experience. This single serve breakfast bake will see you right through to lunch…and it’s so pretty too, the perfect start to your day. This could easily be served as dessert as well, maybe add a little more sweetness if serving as dessert as I was going for more of a ‘breakfast level’ sweetness with this bake and let the banana provide all the sweetness, other than a light drizzle of brown rice syrup on the top. You can use any summer berries you wish, I happened to have a few stranwberries to hand at the time. You could mix berries through the batter, but I would be careful not to make the batter too wet.

I mixed in a few oats with my quinoa flakes, but feel free to use all quinoa if you like (it may work with all oats as well but I haven’t tested this yet). The quinoa provides a lovely light texture in an otherwise moist and dense and bananary bread. Be sure to use a dish that allows the batter to be no more than 15mm thick as you may find it does not cook all the way through if much thicker.

I used a mini fluted ceramic pie dish (a recent new purchase that I was desperate to use for something!) and the bake was quite difficult to remove neatly. You can either it eat straight from the dish or make sure you use a greased/lined tin with a removable base which should make things much easier.

 

Recipe: Quinoa flake breakfast bake

serves 1

Ingredients

1 large ripe banana- very well mashed

Agave to taste if necessary (I didn’t use any extra)

½ cup quinoa flakes

¼ cup oats (or more quinoa flakes)

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp cinnamon (optional)

¼ cup chopped nuts of choice

Soy yoghurt to mix (I used approx. 3 tbs)

Handful of berries to decorate

Brown rice syrup/agave/maple syrup to drizzle

Method

Mix all ingredients (other than berries and drizzle) together in a small bowl adding the soy yoghurt last to achieve a thick smooth consistency. Spoon the mixture into a greased/lined mini pie dish  and decorate the top with the berries. Make sure the mixture is no more than roughly 1.5cm thick as it may not cook through properly.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 for approx. 15 minutes until the top is lightly golden.

Whilst still warm drizzle with a little syrup and serve immediately.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Celebrations all round……easiest ever fat-free vanilla sponge!

Today it is the official day of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Street parties and bunting have dominated the country this (cold and rainy) weekend. All the packaging in the shops has also gone mad for the jubilee…take this for example:

image source

Well, it made me smile!

Myself, well I have another small reason to celebrate, well two in fact!

On Saturday I won a prize with a photo I’d submitted to a competition for nature photography, the image I submitted was this one. It meant a lot to me as I’m hoping to push my photography to the next level over the coming months and not just in the area of food photography, so this small element of recognition inspired my confidence!

Secondly, drum roll please…..

…..This post is my 200^th post on this blog! Wow, that seems crazy to me and to think less than nine months ago none of this existed.   

To celebrate all of these things I wanted to make a jubilee inspired cake. For this occasion I have created my easiest ever fat free GF vanilla sponge.  It takes the form of a mug cake in its simplicity but here I have dolloped the sponge in the same way I did with this birthday cake to create a pretty stack! 

You could use other GF or spelt flours in place of the buckwheat as I have used.  Then let your imagination run wild with layering combinations…. Berries and cashew cream (or yoghurt for a lighter version) make the perfect summer pudding centrepiece with minimal effort!

 

If you have no celebration coming up…simply celebrate being alive, that in itself it pretty amazing after all!

Recipe: fat free vanilla sponge

Serves one as 3 dollops or 1 mug cake

Ingredients

3tbs buckwheat flour (or other mild flavoured GF flour)

1 tbs ground almonds

1 tsp agave

½ tsp vanilla extract

Scant ½ tsp baking powder

3tbs plain soy yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non-vegan)

Method

Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl and then add wet ingredients and mix together well.

Either spoon into a microwavable bowl/mug for a mug cake or spoon in little round dollops on a microwavable plate to serve as flat sponges that can be layered up with fruit and cream in between.

Cook in the microwave  on full powder for 1 minute for flat dollops or slightly longer for a mug cake. Alternatively cook in the oven for approx.. 10-15 mins depending on size until ever so lightly golden.

Add-ins: substitute 1tbs flour for cocoa powder. Add a tablespoon of nuts/dried fruits /fresh fruit/choc chunks…..

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Valentine's coconut ice

Valentines is such a commercial holiday…but then again, any cause for celebration is good enough for me!

I’m not really the type to celebrate Valentines in a big way, I much prefer showing a little love at any other time of the year and not when I’m ‘told’ I should. But since I have no Valentine of my own it’s a little bit pointless debating my options (or maybe I’m just a tad jealous)!

A thoughtful gesture always means so much more than anything money can buy. A little homemade gift is sure to raise a smile... and a tasty yummy treat all the more!

I have a few simple Valentine’s ideas to post over the next few days.  These would be perfect any time of year….another little way to remind someone how much they mean to you.

No Valentine? Then treat yourself, you best friend or your mum. Plus since these treats are super healthy you will all be smiling all day long.

First up, pretty pink coconut ice. 

You can use any dried red berries here- I used cranberries. The result is a lovely speckled pink cube of delight with a light crumbly coconutty texture and hints of delicate sweet berries. You could use any shaped moulds you fancy, just make sure to firmly press in the mixture whilst still soft and warm.

Recipe: Valentine's coconut ice

Makes approx. 12 cubes (1 ice cube tray)

Ingredients

1 cup coconut butter (make your own)

2tbs cashew or almond butter

½ cup dried cranberries or cherries

2 tbs agave nectar plus tiny pinch stevia

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Melt the coconut butter then combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a thick smooth paste is formed.  There should be ‘flecks’ of the red berries in the mixture as opposed to a solid colour. Whilst still warm, spoon the soft mixture into an ice cube tray or other candy moulds and press down firmly into each mould. Freeze briefly to set and then store in the fridge.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.