Vegetable-Based Chocolate Cake

Looking at the photos of this cake, you may be surprised to learn that the main ingredient is sweet potato. It may also surprise you that it tasted exactly the same as a rich, chocolatey gateau typically found in the aisles of M&S or at a nice restaurant.

I made the cake for a celebration back in July and it was really well received. The best part of making it was how easy it was - you need a pot, a blender and an oven. And the rest is simple. The cake itself is made up of two cake recipes put together; the icing was meant to be a 'fudge' cake but it was so gooey that it wouldn't actually set in my fridge. So, after some trawling through Pinterest I found another recipe that would make up the actual cake bit of the cake, and I put the two together. The result was as you see below...

Please see the two links for the cakes below as well as my method.

Cake 1 (used for the icing and middle layer): Credit to Plant Powered Kitchen. Click here to view.

Cake 2 (the cake itself): Credit to One Green Planet. Click here to view.

Ingredients
As per the above two links
Additional ingredient: cacao nibs

Method
1. Make cake 1 first, doubling the recipe for a larger cake.
2. Make cake 2. I found that the ingredients as listed made only enough for one layer of the cake so would recommend doubling all of the quantities if you want to make a double layer cake like I did.
3. Once the layers of cake 2 are cooked and cooled, choose your bottom layer and smother it in cake 1 (aka the icing). I made this around 1cm thick. Once you have done this, carefully place the other layer of cake 2 on top and gently press it down so it is firmly stuck on the icing.
4. Use the remainder of cake 1 (aka the icing) to ice the top of the cake, ensuring it is equally spread out.
5. Top the cake with cacao nibs for an extra-chocolatey finish.
6. Enjoy with a steaming cup of peppermint tea

I cannot emphasise how easy and tasty the cake is, so f you have a birthday or other celebration coming up, or just fancy a sweet treat without the guilt, I definitely recommend it. The best thing about the cake is you know exactly what is going in it and it is free from sugar, gluten, dairy and preservatives, making it perfect for those with intolerances or those like myself who want to avoid those ingredients completely.

- Anna

Mushrooms On Toast (With a Twist)

This is something I came up with myself and is my favourite weekend snack. It takes only 10 minutes and is one of the most delicious things I have made. I'm sure that even for the most avid mushroom lovers out there, mushrooms on toast would not strike you as the most appealing snack. However, the mix of tahini, garlic, mushrooms, avocado and chilli is delicious and I encourage those of you who are skeptical to give it a try, at least once.

Ingredients
2 x slices of gluten free bread (or a bread of your choice!)
4 mushrooms, chopped into 1-2cm pieces
1 clove garlic, diced
1 tsp coconut oil
Tahini
Chilli flakes
Sea salt

Method
1. Prepare the mushrooms and garlic as per above
2. Put the bread in the toaster and whilst it is toasting, pan fry the mushrooms in the coconut oil until they turn brown
3. Once the toast is finished, spread a layer of tahini onto both slices like you would with butter or jam. The thickness is up to you - it depends how much of a tahini fan you are!
4. Spread the mushrooms across each slice of toast
5. Sprinkle the diced garlic on top of the mushrooms and season with a pinch of sea salt
6. Scatter some chilli flakes over both slices of toast. Again, how much you use is up to you!
7. Enjoy whilst warm

A note on the garlic; if you don't like it raw, feel free to throw it in the pan with the mushrooms. Otherwise, happy cooking!

- Anna

Wholesome Lunch Bowl

I made this lunch bowl after being inspired from Deliciously Ella's Snapchat. Ella posts the most delicious, plant-powered lunch bowls that look amazing and have a rainbow of vegetables so I wanted to give making one a go. The cooking time took around half an hour and the lunch kept me going for hours afterwards, not to mention being really delicious and jam-packed with nutrients.

Ingredients (serves 1)

One medium sized sweet potato

1/3 cup green beans

1/3 courgette

1/2 cup brown rice

1 shallot 

Large handful of kale

1 clove of garlic

Turmeric

Cumin

Peppers

1 tbsp tahini

1 tsbp tamari

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Chili flakes

Coconut oil (to fry with)

1/3 cup of sauerkraut. Tip - sauerkraut is a fermented food that has a whole host of health benefits such as promoting effective digestion. You can buy it from any supermarket/ health food store but ensure you check the ingredients for any preservatives or added nasties. It is a great source of probiotics for vegans as we can't eat eat probiotic yoghurt. Click here to learn more. 

Method

1. Cook the brown rice. This can take around 30-40 minutes.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Whilst it is heating up, cut the sweet potato into wedges and place them on an oven tray lined with foil and coconut oil. Sprinkle turmeric, cumin and peppers onto the wedges.

3. Put the sweet potato in the oven for 30 mins, checking the wedges halfway through.

4. Whilst the rice and sweet potato is cooking, dice the shallots and chop the courgette into 2cm chunks, then fry them in 1 tsp of coconut oil. Put to the side once cooked.

5. Pan fry the kale in 1 tsp of coconut oil and ensure you stop frying it before it turns brown. You want the leaves to wilt and turn a dark green colour.

6. Once the rice is soft, drain it and mix in the tahini,  tamari, a drizzle of olive oil and 1 tsp of chili flakes (or more if you like spice!).

7. Take the sweet potato wedges out once cooked and place everything in a bowl. You can either throw everything in together so it is all mixed up or arrange it as per above.
8. Crush the garlic and sprinkle on top.

9. Enjoy!

- Anna

Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

This recipe was unplanned and completely thrown together. It was the end of the week and I had very little in my cupboard except some beans and pulses, chopped tomatoes, pasta and herbs, so the idea of a bolognese came to me. I had tried making a bolognese before but the taste of the chopped tomatoes was overpowering, rendering the dish quite tasteless, so this time I threw in a combination of herbs to see what happened. The result was incredibly tasty; a delicious bolognese made hearty with the chickpeas and lentils and with an incredible aroma and flavour, just like what you get when you go to an authentic Italian restaurant. I'm sure you know the kind of bolognese I'm talking about.

The best part about this recipe is how easy it is - you simply throw everything in a pan and let it simmer whilst the flavours develop. You can cook it for half an hour or, if you really want to draw out the flavours, let it simmer for a couple of hours. It's up to you!

A word of advice on the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and lentils; I always check the ingredients when I buy these at the supermarket as I recently came across chopped tomatoes that contained sugar and preservatives, as well as chickpeas and lentils that had sulphites and E numbers in them. Tesco and Asda are particularly bad for this so always check the label - it's best to avoid all added nasties! There should be a few brands to choose from so I recommend checking the label of a few. You simply want the product (ie chickpeas) in water. It's that simple.

Ingredients (serves 4)
Gluten-free spaghetti (I like this brown rice spaghetti from Doves Farm as it contains only one ingredient)
400g box of chopped tomatoes
300g tin of chickpeas
300g tin of green lentils
2 large garlic cloves
2 large handfuls of spinach
Sprinkling of sea salt
2-3 tbsp turmeric
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp tamari soy sauce (this is gluten free)
1 tsp coconut oil
1 large white onion
1 medium shallot

Method
1. Dice the white onion and shallot, then add a teaspoon of coconut oil to a saucepan and pan fry the onion and shallot on high heat until they start to brown.
2. Crush the garlic cloves and add them to the saucepan along with the chopped tomatoes. Make sure you bring the temperature right down to avoid the chopped tomatoes burning on the bottom of the pan.
3. Stir everything together until the chopped tomatoes start to gently boil. Once they do, add in the lentils, chickpeas, soy sauce and herbs.
4. Let everything simmer for at least 30 minutes or longer.
5. Once you have cooked the bolognese to your desired taste, boil the pasta, adding a tiny bit of coconut oil to stop it sticking together (I find that gluten free pasta tends to solidify into a lump otherwise)
6. Serve and enjoy!

This is a perfect dinner party recipe as it tastes great and is super easy to make. Alternatively you could make a big batch for your lunches and freeze it in portions.

Happy cooking!

- Anna

Hello, 2017!

Wishing you all a fantastic 2017! 

I am so grateful to have sealed off 2016... What a turbulent year! This year my focus is on looking forward and practising gratitude every day as well as experiencing new things and challenging myself. Spending quality time with friends and family will also be key!

I hope you all have some really exciting plans and that you are moving forward with positivity, love and light. Sending warm wishes to you all.

- Anna

Festive Feasting: Plant-Based Style

This Christmas is going to be a very different one for me. No longer will I tuck into my mum's turkey with plentiful pigs-in-blankets on the side. As I started on the plant-based diet back in March, this Christmas will involve more of a nut-roast centered meal, which I cannot complain about. Being on a plant-based diet, many people assume that I am deprived of wonderful flavours and tasty treats, however what I have found is that I am even more excited about the food I eat now for two reasons, the first being that I know what I am putting into my body is so good for my health, and the second being that I get to play around with some seriously tasty recipes (have you heard of tahini gravy?!).

On Christmas day,  part of our tradition is to have the roasted Christmas meal around lunchtime and a festive feast in the evening, which is usually an array of cold buffet foods. These range from coleslaw to pork pies to stuffing and turkey sandwiches. As I won't be able to indulge in those this year, I'll be bringing some vegan dishes to the table so that I and whoever else wants to join in can enjoy those too.

Below you will see the dishes I am making as well as some additional suggestions for plant-based snacks so that you don't feel like you're missing out on any of the fun this Christmas (and you'll still be looking after your body, too).

Dish 1:  Pea guacamole

Ingredients and method from the revolutionary Forks Over Knives. Click here to view.

Dish 2:  Sweet potato, buckwheat and kale salad

Ingredients (makes approx. 12 burgers)
2-3 large sweet potatoes
1 cup buckwheat groats
Bag of kale
3 tbsp tahini
Juice of 1 lime
Turmeric
Pepper
Coconut oil
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method
1. Cut the sweet potatoes into 2cm chunks and place on a coconut-oiled baking tray in a pre-heated oven at 180c for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle the potatoes with turmeric and pepper before placing them in the oven.
2. Whilst the potatoes are cooking, place the buckwheat into a pan and cover with hot water. Boil them for 20 minutes, or until tender. Make sure to not over-cook them as they can go very mushy
3. Wash the kale thoroughly.
4. Prepare the dressing in a mug: add the tahini, lime juice and olive oil and mix together. If the mixture becomes too thick, I would recommend adding some water to make it thinner and so it will go further
4. Once the sweet potatoes and buckwheat are cooked, place them in a bowl along with the kale and stir everything together
5. Add the dressing and mix it so it evenly covers the sweet potatoes, buckwheat and kale. I tend to massage the dressing into the kale leaves so they wilt and really take up the flavour of the dressing
6. Put in the fridge to cool, or serve straight away and enjoy.

Dish 3:  Chickpea and parsley burgers

Ingredients and method from Pure Ella. Click here to view.

Bear in mind with this recipe that it is okay to sub the chickpea flour with another gluten-free flour if you don't have it (I used brown rice flour) and the oil too (I used extra virgin olive oil). The burgers turned out delicious and just as pictured.

Additional suggestions

• Gluten-free tortilla chips (with only three ingredients and no added nasties): available at Sainsbury's
• Homemade hummus: I love this avocado hummus recipe from Naturally Sassy
• Kale crisps: simply drizzle some kale in olive oil and stick in the oven on a baking tray for 12 minutes at 180c for some delicious crispy kale crisps
• Tahini gravy: to drizzle on your nut roast or whatever you decide to have on the day. I like this one from Vegelicious Kitchen
• Nak'd posh bits (for when the After Eights come out)
• Nuts: make up your own nut snack dish from walnuts, cashews and almonds or buy a large pack of one from any grocery store
• Chocolate (because it's Christmas after all): I love this festive flavour from Doisy and Dam with very simple, friendly ingredients including 74% organic dark chocolate

I hope you find the above helpful and have a wonderful plant-based Christmas!

- Anna

Festive Saviour: Green Smoothie

With the best will in the world, the festive season can often present challenges to the way we eat, especially if you normally try to follow a gluten-free, sugar-free, plant-based diet. Whilst significantly more restaurants are starting to accommodate gluten-free, vegan dietary requirements, many have a lot of room for growth, therefore it is not always possible to avoid the ingredients that make our stomachs sensitive (shout-out to gluten here).

I myself have indulged a little and whilst I thankfully didn't have any problems the next day, the gluten I consumed left me craving a nutritious boost. With that in mind, I wanted to share my recipe for this green smoothie which I made with the idea of putting all the good stuff back in. Don't be put off by its garish appearance; this smoothie is so wonderfully fresh and tasty that it'll leave you glowing inside and out. 

Ingredients

250ml almond milk (I use this one from Rude Health for it's amazing taste and simple ingredients list)

1 large handful of spinach

1/2 an avocado

1 large stick of celery

1/3 of a large cucumber

Small handful of parsley

Small handful of mint

1 tbsp wheatgrass powder

1 tbsp baobab powder

1 tbsp dessicated coconut

1 tbsp flaxseed

1 tbsp of turmeric 

1 tsp coconut oil

Method

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth (ensuring the parsley and mint leaves are fully broken up)

2. Enjoy

Let's call it your saviour for the festive season; let the smoothie do all of the hard work if you find you've over-indulged or eaten something you would normally avoid. I'll be posting some festive dish suggestions shortly, so watch this space. Until then, enjoy the celebrations in the run up to Christmas!

- Anna