DAY THIRTY ONE: Halloweeeeeen

It's Halloween!  Also the last day of Vegan Mofo….alas I don’t have any oaty goodnesss to share…my Halloween inspired treats were simply not of the oaty variety today.  I do think I’ve done pretty well this month with so many oaty concoctions! It's been a fun challenge.

So, back to Halloween, how have you been celebrating?....fancy food, fancy dress, trick-or-treating, bonfires (ok that last one is not till next week!)

This year I haven't been to any parties, and I don't generally get many visits from 'trick-or-treaters' but I have made food...of the pumpkin inspired variety!

We had a Halloween lunch at work, well it was more of a team lunch that happened to fall on Halloween so I decided to get into the holiday spirit a little. Pumpkin risotto and another spin off of these Halloween Graveyard cakes...this time a pumpkin muffin with a gingerbread cookie! Lots of fun to makes two cakes in one.

I will admit the gingerbread ended up being a little puffier than I would have liked- note to self: use less baking powder! The risotto had a great flavour but I think the texture needed a little more work before I can share it with you.

I also made a soy-free cheezy stuffed crust pizza... this is a new super-food chia crust with a cheesy (soy-free) stuffed crust edge...but i'm a tease and you'll have to wait a little longer for the stuffed recipe as I feel it still it needs a few more tweaks and trials before its ready to share! I’ll be sharing the regular chia crust with you very soon.

All in all it went down well, me being a perfectionist felt it could have been that little bit better (although I was in a mega rush last night to get it all cooked!), but I know I will always be my own worst critic!! I had lots of positive pizza comments with a lot of love for the substantial and filling chia crust.

In other news, this was another little experiment a week or so ago at around the same time as the Graveyard Cakes... I think he looks so cute!

(Hint: you can make these monsters using these smoosh bars to form a head, arms and legs, then fix to an orange with toothpicks and add some sunflower seeds for the face!)

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 THIRTY: Banana bread 'secret ingredient' baked oatmeal

We're now coming up to the end of Vegan Mofo...its gone so fast! Scarily fast how fast a month flies by.

I've really enjoyed a whole month of oaty indulgence!

Last weekend I figured a few more breakfast experiments were in order... a late weekend brekky is the perfect time for a little experimentation.  I really enjoyed my recent carrot cake baked oatmeal so thought I would create a banana bread variation.

Banana bread baked oatmeal is a pretty simple idea....it's been done hundreds of times before.  Oh, but not this way it hasn't!  I'd be surprised if anyone has put this spin on things (feel free to prove me wrong!)

Banana and cauliflower...yep you heard me.  No, no, no, don't look away i'm serious...this actually works.  Grated cauli mixed through with the oats give the perfect texture once baked, just be careful to get the balance right so that the taste of cauliflower doesn't come through and you are on to a winner! I would suggest that real cauliflower 'haters' may pick up a slight earthy taste, but for me, when mixed with a ripe banana and a generous dose of cinnamon I would't know it was there.  I admit it doesn't taste quite as bananary as regular banana bread (that's to be expected) but if i didn't know better I would never have guessed cauliflower was the reason.

The recipe above was my first trial, I then had another go with double the amount of cauliflower (to see how much I could push it!) and also a small carrot grated too...I still really enjoyed it but I do admit the banana taste was more masked using these veggie proportions and it did have more of a 'healthy' taste.

choc chip topping (these mini chips are so cute!)

banana raisin nut topping...check out that amazing texture!

Recipe: Banana bread baked oatmeal

Serves 1-2 (1 smallish oven dish)

Ingredients

1 large ripe banana (divided into ¾ and 1/4)

1 tbs ground chia/flax

1 cup soy milk (or other)

½ heaped tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg (or to taste)

¼ cup cauliflower grated

½ cup oats

2 tbs chopped walnuts

2 tbs raisins (optional)

1 tbs coconut sugar/rapadura

Topping: 1 tbs choc chunks or nuts, remaining banana slices, sprinkle of sugar)

Method

Divide the banana and mash the largest portion in a  medium bowl along with all other wet ingredients. Add remaining ingredients (other than topping) and mix through well.

Spoon into a greased oven dish min. 20x10cm.

Slice the last part of the banana and lay on the top of the mix along with choc chunks and nuts (if using) and a little extra unrefined sugar.

Bake at 180C for approx. 20 mins until the topping is golden. Serve immediately.  This also tastes good cold the next day!

I love the glazed sugar-cinnamon finish to the banana with the soft creamy oatmeal mix below!

These last two pictures are of the 'double cauliflower and carrot' version- still looked and tasted good with that much veg, but maybe not for those who want a full on indulgent tasting breakfast!

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 TWENTY NINE: Mantra for Monday no. 44

It’s only a matter of time before the tide changes. That said I think change has already begun, a rolling wave slowly but surely gathering momentum as people wake up and realise that the solution we seek has been here all along.

Food….both our enemy and our saviour.

In my day to day life so many people are coming to face the fact that their lifestyle needs to change. So many people I know have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol or wheat intolerance. All these issues can be understood and overcome with a change in diet, it requires  simply thinking about what you consume and stripping things back to centre around wholefoods, real foods, plant based foods (I appreciate a wheat intolerance is different to the latter two).

Even those you have not had such a wake-up call and a forced change in direction should appreciate the incredible benefits to health and wellness simply through food. Before becoming plant based I would have been the first to tell you that I was ‘healthy’ and had a ‘healthy diet’, and in the eyes of society and the norm I was indeed pretty ‘healthy’. I simply had no idea how much more my sense of health and wellbeing could be improved, and with nothing to compare it to how was I to know, what reason would I have to change?

My question to others who are contemplating a plant based lifestyle, those who now know of the potential benefits, would be how could you not just give it a try? For the animals, the environment and most of all yourself. The word is getting out there, more and more people are becoming aware of the ‘talk’ and all it takes is action to simply try.

What is a Mantra for Monday?

DAY TWENTY EIGHT: 'Summary Sunday'...what's going down?

The final countdown…only 3 more days of Vegan Mofo…ending with a Halloween party! Or maybe it’s simply that it happens to be Halloween. :-)

                                                                                                                                          

Today I’m feeling nice and refreshed, due to the clocks changing we got an extra hour in bed this morning, not that I’m a particularly ‘stay in bed’ type of girl but I have definitely felt a sense of pushing myself a little too hard recently…so much to do in life and so little time. Or maybe more accurately I simply need to get my priorities in order!

Enough of all that, lets get back to YOU! What have you been up to this last week  or so that has particular inspired me. I’ve worked my way through the final third of the blogroll, so all the links this week are taken from blogs Q-Z  (wow…there are a crazy number of 'T' and ‘V’ blogs!) Lots of pumpkin variations and perhaps surprisingly for me there are more savoury choices!

All artwork below is fully credited to the bloggers who inspired this post.

Enjoy!

Sundried tomato and sunflower seed dip  by Recipe Renovator 
(I always love a good dip!)

Mini apple and pear galettes by The Vegan Crew
(pastry is a weakness I rarely indulge in)

Raw brownie bottomed cheesecake by Spabettie
(loving the raw!)

Spiced pumpkin cupcakes by Sexy Vegan Mama
(this won me over on swirly looks alone!)

Flageolet bean salad with tomato and leeks by Taste Space
(always trying to get beans into my lunches and this is a simple way)

Spinach and artichoke dip by Wing It Vegan
(mental note made to experiment more with artichokes!)

Pumpkin rice crispy treats by Tahinitoo
(marshmallow crispies were a childhood favourite of mine!)

Buffalo chicken seitan by Shins vegan Loving
(this just looked like a restaurant meal....mmmm!)

Double chocolate chip ice cream by the Vegan Chickpea
(Ice cream in winter?...oh yeah, especially if its chocolate!)

Citrus pumpkin oatmeal with cranberries by Vegan Yak Attack
(my weakness for oatmeal totally got the better of me...plus its seasonal!!)

What Vegan MOFO means to me.

DAY TWENTY SEVEN: 'Surprise me Saturday' Chocolate pillow cakes

We are nearly at the end of Vegan Mofo now…the month has flow by! I’ve enjoyed my oaty experiments and also following other vegan bloggers along the way. One last round-up of inspring recipes tomorrow but for now I give you chocolate!!

Just other day I was contemplating something chocolately, I was also contemplating whoopie pies…something I have not yet attempted to create.

The result of my kitchen experiment were these light as a cloud chocolate pillows, not a whoopie pie as such as they don’t have a frosting (no reason you couldn't whip up a batch of healthy banana frosting or this jam and cashew cream to sandwich between them) and anyway I wasn't really attempting a full on whoopie pie quite yet. I love the way they rose and cracked the surface as they baked.

The best thing about the these little flat sponge cakes are so versatile, much more so than a cupcake. They also have a healthy dose of fruit (you could also add some beetroot!) and are fat free. Healthy fats are an important part of any diet, but its sometimes nice to create a cake on the lighter side- plus you then have the option to dress these up with a slather of peanut butter…oh yeah!

I've used wholemeal spelt flour for these cakes as I've found it typically gives a lighter crumb than GF flours, particularly when baking fat free, but there is no reason at all why you shouldn't try substituting your favourite gluten free mix- you could add a little oil if you wished to ensure a good texture.

One of my variations for an afternoon snack was a light covering of sugar free raspberry jam with a handful of fresh garden raspberries on the side…yummy!

What variations will you be coming up with?

Recipe: chocolate pillow cakes

Makes approx. 12-16 pillow cookies (depending on size)

Ingredients

1 cup wholemeal spelt flour

½ cup cocoa powder

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

Pinch salt

½ tsp chocolate extract (optional for a more intense flavour)

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup agave and a pinch (1/6^th tsp) stevia

½ cup apple puree

1/3 cup vegan yoghurt

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

Up to 1/3 cup soy milk (or other vegan milk) to achieve required consistency

Method

Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and add to the dry and mix through evenly.

Add just enough soy milk to achieve a smooth batter, not to runny so that it flattens right out when spooned onto the baking sheet, but not so thick that the surface does not have a smooth appearance.

Bake at 180C for 10 mins or until just beginning to brown and the sponge springs back when pressed with fingertips.

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 TWENTY SIX: Pumpkin granola

whoop whoop granola time.  Oh the excitement…! (time for a few explanation marks too, I just can’t help myself!!)

I had lots of pumpkin puree left after blending up this soup ‘bowl’ and I’ve been having fun using it up.  I froze it in silicone cupcake  trays and then popped them out once frozen for easy storage (and to save on using lots of freezer bags).

My go to granola recipe is usually this gingerbread granola or the fruity nutty variety, but you know what, I think I quite the autumnal spices going on here!  I baked the dried cranberries in with the mixture, which is ok but they do have a tendency to get a little burnt before the granola has crisped up since I like chunky granola clusters so it takes that bit longer to cook. You’d be fine if you went for a less chunky granola, otherwise maybe add them in afterwards.  There is not oil in this recipe which makes for a lovely chewy granola, feel free to add a couple of tablespoons of melted coconut oil if you fancy a little more bite.

My favourite way to serve this granola was as a breakfast bowl with soy yoghurt and fresh pear chunks. Sprinkle a little extra cinnamon or ginger over the top and you are good to go!

Recipe: pumpkin granola

Makes one large bowlful

Ingredients

½ cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbs maple syrup and 1/6^th tsp stevia

1 ½ cup oats

½ cup pumpkin seeds

4 tbs flax or ground chia

¼ cup walnut pieces

¼ cups dates or dried cranberries –chopped

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp mixed spice

¼ tsp salt

Method:

Mix the pumpkin puree, vanilla, maple syrup and stevia together in a small bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl and then add the wet mixing until everything is well coated. Spoon onto 2 lightly greased baking sheets making sure a thin even layer with some clumpy bits if preferred. Bake at 170C for 10-15 minutes until slightly golden. Allow to cool fully before storage. Stores in cupboard for a few weeks.

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 TWENTY FIVE: Oat bake with tomato and caramelised onions

On a whim I made this little oat bake for my lunch last weekend in the midst of going crazy with 'sweet treat' experiments. I craved something savoury and this is what happened...

For something so experimental I hadn't expected this to be quite so good! I'm not sure what made it quite so yummy, maybe the oat bake, maybe the topping, maybe both...combined with a savoury craving that this really needed satisfying. This sure did the job.

The oat bake was lovely light and moist, that in itself surprised me since I was expecting it to be more of a dense flat bake. Considering it has very little fat and hardly any flour, I was surprised at the delicacy. It also rose nicely with a rustic crust.  I baked it in a small cake ring as a circular guide so for the measurements below I got one serving approx. 2cm deep and 12cm wide. You could always use metal egg poaching rings or even small pie trays?

(picture of the plain oat bake taken with my phone)

For the topping, I wanted to go 'bruschetta' style as this never fails to please, so here we have caramelised onions, vine tomatoes a few shredded basil leaves..... and some beetroot chutney that happened to be sitting in the cupboard (a gift to my dad but he doesn't like beetroot) I thought it could make a great combo. You could use any chutney here to give a flavoursome kick, or leave it out altogether.  The flavours in the oat bake itself could also be adapted to your own taste, I kept it fairly low key as I knew the topping would be the star in the flavour stakes, and the oat bake was to become the texture king. 

I will definitely be making this again...next time I will quadruple the recipe and get my whole family in on the act!

Makes 1 oat bake (approx. 12cm diameter 1 inch thick)

Recipe: Oat bake with tomato and caramelised onions

Ingredients- oat bake

½ cup oats

¼ cup buckwheat flower

½ tsp heaped baking powder

1 tbs ground flax/chia

1 tbs nutritional yeast (optional)

½ tsp stock paste or stock cube to taste

¼ tsp salt (or to taste)

1 tsp soy sauce/liquid aminos

1 tsp olive oil

¼ cup soy yoghurt

Approx. 3 tbs soy milk as needed

Ingredients- topping

1 small red onion- sliced

Handful baby vine tomatoes- halved

Few leaves fresh basil- shredded

2 tbs chutney of choice

Method

Mix the dry ingredients together and then add the wet ingredients and mix well well to form a thick but easily spoonable batter.

Spoon/pour into a baking rind/mini pie tin/muffin tins. Smooth the top and bake at 180C for approx. 10 mins until risen and just turning golden on top.

Whilst the oat bake is cooking, prepare the onion and fry  for approx. 5 mins until soft and golden, adding the tomato after a couple of minutes. Just before removing from the heat add the chutney  to heat through.

Serve the topping mix over the oat bake and top with shredded basil leaves.

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 TWENTY FOUR: Dark chocolate oatmeal thins

You got a sneak preview of these in yesterday's Halloween post!  

The original intention wasn't as halloween crosses (surprise surprise!) but as my own copy-cat version of Nairns Dark Chocolate Oat Biscuits.



I came across a packet of these biscuits for the first time a few weeks ago and they tasted so good...a cross between a biscuit and a crackers, thin and crisp like a biscuit but much more substantially filling and also a semi-sweetness which I really loved, perfect for when you want a slightly indulgent but not sugar-coma inducing snack. 

It took me a couple of attempts before I succeeded with the flavour, these are subtly sweet and spiced biscuits so I wanted to get the right balance. I used a little rapadura along with cacoa nibs for an intense and slightly bitter chocolate hit and just a tad of cocoa powder. I also included a little salt, cinnamon and a pinch of chilli to give some subtle undertones. You could use dark chocolate chips for a slightly sweeter taste but I can't vouch for how they will alter the overall flavour. I would also advise using a granulated sweetener such as rapadura or coconut sugar, others such as fruit sugars may work but won’t have the slight caramelly depth of flavour.

The biscuit base is so easy to make up in a food processor and I really encourage you to taste test as you go so that you can add a little extra sugar, salt or spice as you need it to make sure the flavours work for you, it is down to personal taste after all. I still think these could do with a little extra work to get a really crisp bite...but the recipe as it stands still tasted good to me so I thought I would share it with you.  Feel free to let me know any changes you made to the recipe!

Similar to this recipe are these bitter chocolate thins posted way back at the beginning of this blog! 

Recipe: Dark choc oatmeal thins

Makes approx. 10 round biscuits (or Halloween crosses)

Ingredients

1 cup oats- coarsely ground

3 tbs buckwheat flour (or other mild GF flour)

1 tbs ground chia/flax

3 tbs rapadura

¼ heaped tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch chilli powder

2tsp cocoa powder

¼ heaped tsp baking powder

2 tbs softened coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Up to ¼ cup soy milk to mix

3 tbs cacoa nibs

Method

Process the oats (or just use coarse oatmeal) and add all ingredients other than the soy milk. Process/pulse to combine and achieve a crumbly mixture. Add the soy milk a little at a time to reach a slightly sticky dough that holds together well.

Roll thinly (approx. 3mm thick) on a silicone or parchment lined and floured baking sheet and use a cookie cutter to make circles.  Or slice and overlay to form crosses before baking to use for the ‘Halloween graveyard’.

Bake at 180C for approx. 10-12 mins until just beginning to turn golden at the outside edges.

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.