bodhilicious deserts!
I've always had a sweet tooth and before I gave up dairy, you couldn't keep me away from fresh cream eclairs, victoria sponges and chocolate cakes! So if I could take the step towards gluten free, vegan, sugar free deserts then anyone can! This will be the page I hope you'll see the most action on as I continue to innovate and come up with new ways of veganising some of my old favourites and creating new ways to hit that easy treat spot!
Raw carrot cake bliss balls with creamy dipping sauce
These are delicious alone, but when combined with the creamy dipping sauce they are taken to the next level!
Quick and easy to make, these are a hit with the whole family. They are great as afternoon snacks with a cup of chai and even in your kids lunchbox. This recipe makes roughly 25 and they last for a good week in the fridge.
INGREDIENTS
2 carrots
1/2 cup of cashews
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
12 dates
1/2 cup of coconut flakes
2 tbsp of maca powder
3/4 cup of almond meal
2 tbsp of raisins
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of nutmeg
1 tsp of ginger powder
2 tbsps of tahini
1/4 cup of filtered water
good squeeze of lemon
METHOD
Firstly wash and grate the carrots and then set aside in a large bowl.
Next place the cashews, sunflower seeds, dates, coconut flakes and maca powder in to a blender and pulse until you have a powder.
Turn this powder out in to the bowl with your grated carrots and then add in the almond meal, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger powder and raisins and mix throughly. Next stir in the water and tahini, mixing well until you have a dough type consistency.
I usually prepare a large Tupperware box with baking paper and then with clean hands break off a bit of the mixture and roll in to a ball with my hands, repeating until all the mixture is used up. Store in the freezer to allow to set for half an hour before serving and then after that, they can be stored in the fridge.
CREAMY DIPPING SAUCE
1 cup of coconut yogurt (I use Coyo)
2 dates
1 tsp of vanilla
small squeeze of lemon
1/2 cup of cashew nuts
METHOD
Simply place all the ingredients in to a blender and mix throughly, then store in the fridge.
Quick and easy to make, these are a hit with the whole family. They are great as afternoon snacks with a cup of chai and even in your kids lunchbox. This recipe makes roughly 25 and they last for a good week in the fridge.
INGREDIENTS
2 carrots
1/2 cup of cashews
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
12 dates
1/2 cup of coconut flakes
2 tbsp of maca powder
3/4 cup of almond meal
2 tbsp of raisins
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of nutmeg
1 tsp of ginger powder
2 tbsps of tahini
1/4 cup of filtered water
good squeeze of lemon
METHOD
Firstly wash and grate the carrots and then set aside in a large bowl.
Next place the cashews, sunflower seeds, dates, coconut flakes and maca powder in to a blender and pulse until you have a powder.
Turn this powder out in to the bowl with your grated carrots and then add in the almond meal, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger powder and raisins and mix throughly. Next stir in the water and tahini, mixing well until you have a dough type consistency.
I usually prepare a large Tupperware box with baking paper and then with clean hands break off a bit of the mixture and roll in to a ball with my hands, repeating until all the mixture is used up. Store in the freezer to allow to set for half an hour before serving and then after that, they can be stored in the fridge.
CREAMY DIPPING SAUCE
1 cup of coconut yogurt (I use Coyo)
2 dates
1 tsp of vanilla
small squeeze of lemon
1/2 cup of cashew nuts
METHOD
Simply place all the ingredients in to a blender and mix throughly, then store in the fridge.
carob and peanut butter bliss balls
After a bliss ball frenzy some years ago, I took a break from these yummy balls of goodness, until this week, when I suddenly felt inspired to create some new recipes. These are delicious and the addition of dipping sauces, namely a creamy frosting sauce and homemade raspberry. chia seed jam, make them even more delectable. Perfect as an afternoon snack with a cup of chai. The only issue is they disappear fast as little hands go to steal them from the fridge!
Hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we do.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE BLISS BALLS
3/4 cup cashews
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
10 dates
3/4 cup coconut flakes
3/4 cup of almond meal
2 tbsp of maca powder
2 tbsp of carob powder
2 heaped tbsps of peanut butter (sugar free)
1/4 cup of filtered water
METHOD
Place the cashews, sunflower seeds, dates, coconut flakes, maca powder and carob powder in to a blender and pulse until it forms a powder.
Turn out in to a bowl, stir in the almond meal and then add the water and peanut butter and mix thoroughly.
I usually prepare a large Tupperware box with baking paper and then with clean hands break off a bit of mixture and roll in to a ball. Repeat until you have used all the mixture. It should make roughly 25 balls.
Place in the freezer for half an hour to set before serving. After that the remainder can be stored in the fridge.
FOR THE CREAMY DIPPING SAUCE
1 cup of coconut yogurt (I use Coyo)
2 dates
1 tsp of vanilla
small squeeze of lemon
1/2 cup of cashew nuts
METHOD
Simply place all the ingredients in to a blender and mix throughly, then store in the fridge.
FOR THE RASPBERRY CHIA JAM
2 and a half cups of raspberries. (I use frozen, organic).
2 tbsps of xylitol
juice of 1 small lemon
tsp of vanilla essence
3 tbsps of filtered water
3 tbsps of chia seeds
METHOD
Place the raspberries, xylitol, lemon juice, vanilla essence and water in to a saucepan and cook over a medium heat.
Leave for roughly 4 to 5 minutes, until the raspberries start to break down. Then add in the chia seeds and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve immediately or store in a jam jar in the fridge!
Hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we do.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE BLISS BALLS
3/4 cup cashews
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
10 dates
3/4 cup coconut flakes
3/4 cup of almond meal
2 tbsp of maca powder
2 tbsp of carob powder
2 heaped tbsps of peanut butter (sugar free)
1/4 cup of filtered water
METHOD
Place the cashews, sunflower seeds, dates, coconut flakes, maca powder and carob powder in to a blender and pulse until it forms a powder.
Turn out in to a bowl, stir in the almond meal and then add the water and peanut butter and mix thoroughly.
I usually prepare a large Tupperware box with baking paper and then with clean hands break off a bit of mixture and roll in to a ball. Repeat until you have used all the mixture. It should make roughly 25 balls.
Place in the freezer for half an hour to set before serving. After that the remainder can be stored in the fridge.
FOR THE CREAMY DIPPING SAUCE
1 cup of coconut yogurt (I use Coyo)
2 dates
1 tsp of vanilla
small squeeze of lemon
1/2 cup of cashew nuts
METHOD
Simply place all the ingredients in to a blender and mix throughly, then store in the fridge.
FOR THE RASPBERRY CHIA JAM
2 and a half cups of raspberries. (I use frozen, organic).
2 tbsps of xylitol
juice of 1 small lemon
tsp of vanilla essence
3 tbsps of filtered water
3 tbsps of chia seeds
METHOD
Place the raspberries, xylitol, lemon juice, vanilla essence and water in to a saucepan and cook over a medium heat.
Leave for roughly 4 to 5 minutes, until the raspberries start to break down. Then add in the chia seeds and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve immediately or store in a jam jar in the fridge!
Banana and hemp muffins
I make these for my kids lunch box. They're one of those foods that they love and think they're getting a real treat, but in actual fact they are getting a great boost of nutrients. The hemp seeds deliver a great dose of protein, good brain fats and vitamins, the bananas deliver a great boost of potassium, the flax is very nutritiously dense and the plant milk we use is fortified with calcium.
These are gluten and refined sugar free!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of buckwheat flour
1 cup of brown rice flour
2 large, ripe bananas,
3 tbsps of ground flax meal,
1/2 cup of hemp seeds
1 cup of coconut sugar,
1 tsp of bicarb of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder,
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of vanilla,
1/2 cup of coconut oil,
1 cup of plant milk (I used calcium enriched macadamia milk)
2 tbsps of cacao nibs.
Makes x 10 muffins.
METHOD
Place all of the ingredients apart from the cacao nibs in to the blender or food processor and mix thoroughly. Turn out in to a bowl and stir in the cacao nibs.
Spoon in to muffin cups and bake at 190C for 25 minutes.
Enjoy!
These are gluten and refined sugar free!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of buckwheat flour
1 cup of brown rice flour
2 large, ripe bananas,
3 tbsps of ground flax meal,
1/2 cup of hemp seeds
1 cup of coconut sugar,
1 tsp of bicarb of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder,
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of vanilla,
1/2 cup of coconut oil,
1 cup of plant milk (I used calcium enriched macadamia milk)
2 tbsps of cacao nibs.
Makes x 10 muffins.
METHOD
Place all of the ingredients apart from the cacao nibs in to the blender or food processor and mix thoroughly. Turn out in to a bowl and stir in the cacao nibs.
Spoon in to muffin cups and bake at 190C for 25 minutes.
Enjoy!
Berry crumble
This is my take on a gluten, refined sugar and oat free crumble!
It's full of goodness, rich in flavour and is simply bodhilicious served warm with vegan vanilla ice cream or thick coconut yogurt!
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUMBLE
1 cup of cashews
1 cup of walnuts
1 cup of almond meal
1/2 cup of desiccated coconut
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of chia seeds
3-4 tbsps of plant based butter ( I use funky fields)
3 tbsps of agave syrup
FOR THE BERRY MIX
1x 250 g bag of frozen mixed berries
1 tbsp of guar gum
2 tbsps of agave syrup
METHOD
Empty the berries in to a baking dish and stir in the guar gum powder and agave syrup.
Pulse the cashews and walnuts in the blender until they form a powder. Turn out in to a mixing bowl and stir in the almond meal, desiccated coconut and seeds. Mix in the agave syrup with a spoon and then mix in the vegan butter with your fingers, rubbing it in to the mixture, until it is well distributed and you have a crumble type mix.
Spoon every over the berry mix and bake at 180C for around 30 minutes or until you see the crumble is nice and golden and the berry mixture is starting to bubble up.
Serve with vegan vanilla ice abeam and a sprig of fresh mint.
Enjoy!
It's full of goodness, rich in flavour and is simply bodhilicious served warm with vegan vanilla ice cream or thick coconut yogurt!
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUMBLE
1 cup of cashews
1 cup of walnuts
1 cup of almond meal
1/2 cup of desiccated coconut
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of chia seeds
3-4 tbsps of plant based butter ( I use funky fields)
3 tbsps of agave syrup
FOR THE BERRY MIX
1x 250 g bag of frozen mixed berries
1 tbsp of guar gum
2 tbsps of agave syrup
METHOD
Empty the berries in to a baking dish and stir in the guar gum powder and agave syrup.
Pulse the cashews and walnuts in the blender until they form a powder. Turn out in to a mixing bowl and stir in the almond meal, desiccated coconut and seeds. Mix in the agave syrup with a spoon and then mix in the vegan butter with your fingers, rubbing it in to the mixture, until it is well distributed and you have a crumble type mix.
Spoon every over the berry mix and bake at 180C for around 30 minutes or until you see the crumble is nice and golden and the berry mixture is starting to bubble up.
Serve with vegan vanilla ice abeam and a sprig of fresh mint.
Enjoy!
Raw cookies
I was craving Oreo cookies, but whist they're vegan they can't exactly be called healthy and they also contain palm oil which is an absolute no go for me. So I started to get creative and think of ways of making healthy raw cookies and voila!
I ended up putting peanut butter and jam in these, so they are rich, but with the addition of the creamy filling they also have a touch of freshness about them. Anyway, I wish I'd made more as they disappeared fast at a lunch I hosted which stood testament to their yumminess!
Kids loved them too, so we shall definitely be recreating these soon.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH
1 and a half cups of cashew nuts
3/4 cup of vegan butter
1/2 cup of cacao powder
1 tbsp of agave syrup
Makes x 12 cookies
FOR THE FILLING
4 tbsps of coconut cream (place a can of coconut cream in the fridge for a few hours so it's easy to scoop off the thick cream on top. You can then store the rest of the water in the fridge to use in smoothies or curries).
2 tbsps of thick coconut yogurt (I used coyo)
1/2 tbsp of coconut oil.
1 tsp of agave syrup.
Peanut butter
Strawberry jam (I use organic sugar free)
METHOD
Pulse the cashews in the blender until you have a fine powder. Turn out in to a bowl and sift in the cacao powder and melt the vegan butter to add in with the agave syrup. Mix until you get a nice thick dough and then place in the fridge for an hour.
Once chilled, turn out on to some baking paper and roll with a rolling pin. Use a small cookie cutter to cut out circles and lay flat.
Put a layer of peanut butter and then strawberry jam on to half of the bases.
Then place the ingredients for the creamy filling in to a bowl and whisk until it becomes thick and stiff. Add a layer of this cream to the bases and then add the tops.
Place the cookies in the fridge for at least an hour before eating.
NB I ate one after an hour and the rest 24 hours later and food they were yummier after 24 hours as they'd had time to set properly.
Enjoy!
I ended up putting peanut butter and jam in these, so they are rich, but with the addition of the creamy filling they also have a touch of freshness about them. Anyway, I wish I'd made more as they disappeared fast at a lunch I hosted which stood testament to their yumminess!
Kids loved them too, so we shall definitely be recreating these soon.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH
1 and a half cups of cashew nuts
3/4 cup of vegan butter
1/2 cup of cacao powder
1 tbsp of agave syrup
Makes x 12 cookies
FOR THE FILLING
4 tbsps of coconut cream (place a can of coconut cream in the fridge for a few hours so it's easy to scoop off the thick cream on top. You can then store the rest of the water in the fridge to use in smoothies or curries).
2 tbsps of thick coconut yogurt (I used coyo)
1/2 tbsp of coconut oil.
1 tsp of agave syrup.
Peanut butter
Strawberry jam (I use organic sugar free)
METHOD
Pulse the cashews in the blender until you have a fine powder. Turn out in to a bowl and sift in the cacao powder and melt the vegan butter to add in with the agave syrup. Mix until you get a nice thick dough and then place in the fridge for an hour.
Once chilled, turn out on to some baking paper and roll with a rolling pin. Use a small cookie cutter to cut out circles and lay flat.
Put a layer of peanut butter and then strawberry jam on to half of the bases.
Then place the ingredients for the creamy filling in to a bowl and whisk until it becomes thick and stiff. Add a layer of this cream to the bases and then add the tops.
Place the cookies in the fridge for at least an hour before eating.
NB I ate one after an hour and the rest 24 hours later and food they were yummier after 24 hours as they'd had time to set properly.
Enjoy!
Raw carrot cake
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKE
2 large carrots
2 cups of pitted dates
2 cups of walnuts
1/2 cup of coconut flour
1/4 cup of raisins
juice of half a lemon
2 tsp of vanilla extract
3 tsps of cinnamon
half a tsp of ground ginger
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt
FOR THE FROSTING
1 can of coconut milk
1/4 cup of thick coconut yogurt (I love Coyo)
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
inch of salt
3 tbsps of agave syrup
METHOD
Grate the carrots and set aside. Then add the dates to a food processor and blend until they are broken down.
Pulse the walnuts in the food processor until they are a mix of powder and chunkier bits and tun out in to a large bowl and stir in the vanilla, spices and salt. Then stir in the carrots and dates. Once you have a dough type texture start to fold in the coconut flour and raisins, finally stirring in the lemon juice.
Prepare a cake tin with some baking paper, greased with a little extra coconut oil and press the mixture in to the tin then put in the fridge.
For the cream frosting you will need to refrigerate the can of coconut milk over night or freeze for a couple of hours so the cream separates from the water. When you remove, open the can and carefully scoop off the thick cream from the top and leave the water behind (which you can use for curry sauces or smoothies). The use an electric whisk to beat until its thickened up.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients and then spread over the cake.
Leave the cake in the fridge until you're ready to serve. Ideally it'll be in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving to make sure the frosting has hardened up nicely.
Enjoy washed down with a delicious cup of chai!
FOR THE CAKE
2 large carrots
2 cups of pitted dates
2 cups of walnuts
1/2 cup of coconut flour
1/4 cup of raisins
juice of half a lemon
2 tsp of vanilla extract
3 tsps of cinnamon
half a tsp of ground ginger
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt
FOR THE FROSTING
1 can of coconut milk
1/4 cup of thick coconut yogurt (I love Coyo)
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
inch of salt
3 tbsps of agave syrup
METHOD
Grate the carrots and set aside. Then add the dates to a food processor and blend until they are broken down.
Pulse the walnuts in the food processor until they are a mix of powder and chunkier bits and tun out in to a large bowl and stir in the vanilla, spices and salt. Then stir in the carrots and dates. Once you have a dough type texture start to fold in the coconut flour and raisins, finally stirring in the lemon juice.
Prepare a cake tin with some baking paper, greased with a little extra coconut oil and press the mixture in to the tin then put in the fridge.
For the cream frosting you will need to refrigerate the can of coconut milk over night or freeze for a couple of hours so the cream separates from the water. When you remove, open the can and carefully scoop off the thick cream from the top and leave the water behind (which you can use for curry sauces or smoothies). The use an electric whisk to beat until its thickened up.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients and then spread over the cake.
Leave the cake in the fridge until you're ready to serve. Ideally it'll be in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving to make sure the frosting has hardened up nicely.
Enjoy washed down with a delicious cup of chai!
lemon and coconut cupcakes
So I wanted to try and create a vegan and healthy version of a lemon drizzle cake. I bought green banana flour from the health food store to create these, as it was touted as being uber healthy. I quite enjoyed it but it did create a fairly strong flavour, so if you prefer a milder taste you can substitute the banana flour for rice flour.
The cake turned out to be super yummy, but I used xylitol icing sugar for the drizzle, which is way healthier than normal sugar and whilst it created the desired taste, it didn't turn white when it dried over the cake as I'd hoped.
But all in all these cakes turned out to be delicious and nutritious and we're very much enjoyed, washed down with a cup of chai!
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKE
2 lemons
1 cup of vegan butter
half a cup of agave syrup
3 tbsps of chia seeds
3/4 of a cup of desiccated coconut
3/4 of a cup of green banana flour (or can substitute with 1 cup of rice flour)
1 cup of buckwheat flour
1/4 cup of coconut milk.
FOR THE DRIZZLE
1 lemon
2 tbsp of water
1 cup of xylitol icing sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla essence
METHOD
Grate the rind of the two lemons and beat with the butter and agave syrup until creamy.
Mix the chia seeds with 10 tbsps of water and leave to stand for 5 minutes until you have a gooey, egg like consistency. Then gradually stir this in to the butter mix, bit by bit.
Stir in the desiccated coconut , followed by the flours., folding in to the mix.
Stir in the juice of the two lemons, followed by the coconut milk.
Mix together throughly and then turn out in to your cupcake holders and bake at 180C for 50 minutes.
Once they are ready, remove and leave to cool.
Prepare the drizzle by mixing all the ingredients together and once the cakes have cooled but are still slightly warm, pour the drizzle over them.
Enjoy!
The cake turned out to be super yummy, but I used xylitol icing sugar for the drizzle, which is way healthier than normal sugar and whilst it created the desired taste, it didn't turn white when it dried over the cake as I'd hoped.
But all in all these cakes turned out to be delicious and nutritious and we're very much enjoyed, washed down with a cup of chai!
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKE
2 lemons
1 cup of vegan butter
half a cup of agave syrup
3 tbsps of chia seeds
3/4 of a cup of desiccated coconut
3/4 of a cup of green banana flour (or can substitute with 1 cup of rice flour)
1 cup of buckwheat flour
1/4 cup of coconut milk.
FOR THE DRIZZLE
1 lemon
2 tbsp of water
1 cup of xylitol icing sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla essence
METHOD
Grate the rind of the two lemons and beat with the butter and agave syrup until creamy.
Mix the chia seeds with 10 tbsps of water and leave to stand for 5 minutes until you have a gooey, egg like consistency. Then gradually stir this in to the butter mix, bit by bit.
Stir in the desiccated coconut , followed by the flours., folding in to the mix.
Stir in the juice of the two lemons, followed by the coconut milk.
Mix together throughly and then turn out in to your cupcake holders and bake at 180C for 50 minutes.
Once they are ready, remove and leave to cool.
Prepare the drizzle by mixing all the ingredients together and once the cakes have cooled but are still slightly warm, pour the drizzle over them.
Enjoy!
raw berry cheesecake
This raw cake is fresh, delicious and nutritious. A winning combo! It's also very easy to make and got a very good response at our recent farm sanctuary open day, where we served it with yummy chai.
Give it a go and feel free to let us know what you think!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of macadamia nuts
2 cups of cashew nuts
Around 7 pitted dates
3 tbsps of coconut oil (plus extra for greasing)
Half a lemon
1 tsp of vanilla essence
Half a cup of agave syrup
2 cups of frozen mixed berries (preferably organic)
METHOD
Place one cup of macadamias and one cup of cashews in your blender or food processor and pulse until you get a fine powder type consistency. Then add one date in at a time and pulse until they are thoroughly mixed in to the nut mixture.
Line a round cake tin with a removable base and grease with a little coconut oil. Then press the mixture in to the tin until you have a nice base and place in the fridge.
After this place the 1 cup f cashew nuts, coconut oil, juice of half a lemon, vanilla essence and agave syrup in to the blender and mix until you have a smooth paste. Then add in the 2 cups of berries and again mix until you have a thick and creamy consistency.
Pour over the base and leave in the fridge to set for at least an hour before serving. You can also freeze before serving for an extra firm cake!
Enjoy!
Give it a go and feel free to let us know what you think!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of macadamia nuts
2 cups of cashew nuts
Around 7 pitted dates
3 tbsps of coconut oil (plus extra for greasing)
Half a lemon
1 tsp of vanilla essence
Half a cup of agave syrup
2 cups of frozen mixed berries (preferably organic)
METHOD
Place one cup of macadamias and one cup of cashews in your blender or food processor and pulse until you get a fine powder type consistency. Then add one date in at a time and pulse until they are thoroughly mixed in to the nut mixture.
Line a round cake tin with a removable base and grease with a little coconut oil. Then press the mixture in to the tin until you have a nice base and place in the fridge.
After this place the 1 cup f cashew nuts, coconut oil, juice of half a lemon, vanilla essence and agave syrup in to the blender and mix until you have a smooth paste. Then add in the 2 cups of berries and again mix until you have a thick and creamy consistency.
Pour over the base and leave in the fridge to set for at least an hour before serving. You can also freeze before serving for an extra firm cake!
Enjoy!
Vanilla vegan cupcakes!
These have become a firm family favourite. Vegan , gluten free and refined sugar free they are a guilt free treat for the whole family to enjoy!
I have recently come up with my own homemade egg replacer which really works well in achieving a nice fluffy texture for these cakes.
You'll find it useful to have a selection of gluten free flours in your healthy, plant based kitchen, which then makes recipes like this one easy.
Read on for the how to and enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of brown rice flour
1/2 cup of coconut flour
1/2 cup of buckwheat flour
1 level tbsp of tapioca
1 level tbsp of potato starch
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of psyllium husk
10 tbsps of filtered water
3/4 vegan butter
1 cup of plant based milk (I use macadamia or coconut milk)
1 cup of stevia (healthy natural sugar replacement)
cup cake holders
FOR THE ICING
3 tbsps of vegan butter
2 tbsps of plant based milk (macadamia or coconut)
1/2 tsp of beetroot powder
3/4 cup of stevia.
MAKES 12
METHOD
Mix the tapioca, potato starch, psyllium husk and bicarb of soda in to a large mixing bowl. Add in the water and stir well. It will start to gradually thicken and you are looking for a raw egg type consistency. If you feel it's too thick, add a little extra water.
Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend well with an electronic mixer or firm hand!
Place the cupcake holders in a muffin tray and then spoon in the mixture. Bake at 180C for 20 minutes.
Remove form the oven and turn out of the baking tray to cool.
In the meantime blend together all of the ingredients for the icing and mix it all well.
Once the cupcakes are cool enough spread the icing on top of each cake and use fresh strawberries to decorate!
Enjoy!!!
I have recently come up with my own homemade egg replacer which really works well in achieving a nice fluffy texture for these cakes.
You'll find it useful to have a selection of gluten free flours in your healthy, plant based kitchen, which then makes recipes like this one easy.
Read on for the how to and enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of brown rice flour
1/2 cup of coconut flour
1/2 cup of buckwheat flour
1 level tbsp of tapioca
1 level tbsp of potato starch
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of psyllium husk
10 tbsps of filtered water
3/4 vegan butter
1 cup of plant based milk (I use macadamia or coconut milk)
1 cup of stevia (healthy natural sugar replacement)
cup cake holders
FOR THE ICING
3 tbsps of vegan butter
2 tbsps of plant based milk (macadamia or coconut)
1/2 tsp of beetroot powder
3/4 cup of stevia.
MAKES 12
METHOD
Mix the tapioca, potato starch, psyllium husk and bicarb of soda in to a large mixing bowl. Add in the water and stir well. It will start to gradually thicken and you are looking for a raw egg type consistency. If you feel it's too thick, add a little extra water.
Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend well with an electronic mixer or firm hand!
Place the cupcake holders in a muffin tray and then spoon in the mixture. Bake at 180C for 20 minutes.
Remove form the oven and turn out of the baking tray to cool.
In the meantime blend together all of the ingredients for the icing and mix it all well.
Once the cupcakes are cool enough spread the icing on top of each cake and use fresh strawberries to decorate!
Enjoy!!!
chocolate zucchini muffins
Thankfully, vegan desserts have come a long way in recent years. Gone are the days where the best you could expect was a fruit salad!
But I do find a lot of vegan desserts tend to be centred around raw vegan cakes, which ordinarily have a nut and date base and creamy topping. I do love these, and am discovering new ways to innovate and make them even yummier and more creative all the time, but some days I just want a good old fashioned cake! I am British after all and yearn after a gooey chocolate cake and Victoria sponge.
Which has led to me spending time in the kitchen, experimenting and creating plant based, gluten free, refined sugar free versions of some of my old favourites.
The results can be changeable, but when you get it right, it is so worth the effort!
Anyway, I'm going to save you hours of experimenting and note some of the winners here, starting with these delicious chocolate, zucchini muffins. I even caught my fussy dog stealing the spoons off the side to lick clean! So if they pass his taste test then they must be good!
Read on and feel free to let me know how you get on with the recipe!
MAKES 12 MUFFINS.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of buckwheat flour,
1 cup of plain cocoa powder,
3 heaped tbsp of ground flax seed,
1 tsp of bicarb of soda,
1/2 tsp of baking powder,
1 grated zucchini,
1 tsp of salt,
1 cup of organic coconut sugar,
1 tsp of vanilla flavouring (I use natural, organic, vanilla powder, but you can you essence),
1/2 cup of coconut oil,
1 cup of coconut milk,
50 g of vegan chocolate (I used green and blacks dark chocolate. But you should find most 70% cocoa chocolates are vegan)
paper muffin cups.
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Fill a cup half full with water and add in the flax seed. Stir and set aside to thicken.
Place the chocolate bar in a bag and bash with a rolling pin to create small little chunks.
Put all of the ingredients together in a bowl and mix with a mixer.
Turn out the mixture into the paper muffin cups in a muffin or cupcake baking tray and bake for 35 minutes.
To serve you can eat plain or with a yummy Vegan ice-cream (I like over the moo), slice the muffin through the middle and put a nice dollop of ice-cream in and serve with chocolate sauce drizzled over for an extra decadent treat!
See below for the chocolate sauce recipe.
INGREDIENTS
quarter of a cup of coconut milk,
50 g of at least 70% dark chocolate (make sure it's dairy free),
quarter of a cup of raw, unsweetened cocoa powder,
1tbsp of coconut sugar,
2 tbsp coconut oil,
sea salt
METHOD
To make the sauce place the milk in to a saucepan and put on a medium heat. Add the chocolate and continuously stir until the chocolate melts in to the milk. Add in the sifted cocoa powder a little at a time stirring continuously. If the sauce seems too thick add more milk, if it seems to liquidly add more cocoa powder. You want it to be a thick pouring sauce. Once the desired consistency is achieved add the agave syrup, touch of sea salt and coconut oil and stir in.
But I do find a lot of vegan desserts tend to be centred around raw vegan cakes, which ordinarily have a nut and date base and creamy topping. I do love these, and am discovering new ways to innovate and make them even yummier and more creative all the time, but some days I just want a good old fashioned cake! I am British after all and yearn after a gooey chocolate cake and Victoria sponge.
Which has led to me spending time in the kitchen, experimenting and creating plant based, gluten free, refined sugar free versions of some of my old favourites.
The results can be changeable, but when you get it right, it is so worth the effort!
Anyway, I'm going to save you hours of experimenting and note some of the winners here, starting with these delicious chocolate, zucchini muffins. I even caught my fussy dog stealing the spoons off the side to lick clean! So if they pass his taste test then they must be good!
Read on and feel free to let me know how you get on with the recipe!
MAKES 12 MUFFINS.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of buckwheat flour,
1 cup of plain cocoa powder,
3 heaped tbsp of ground flax seed,
1 tsp of bicarb of soda,
1/2 tsp of baking powder,
1 grated zucchini,
1 tsp of salt,
1 cup of organic coconut sugar,
1 tsp of vanilla flavouring (I use natural, organic, vanilla powder, but you can you essence),
1/2 cup of coconut oil,
1 cup of coconut milk,
50 g of vegan chocolate (I used green and blacks dark chocolate. But you should find most 70% cocoa chocolates are vegan)
paper muffin cups.
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Fill a cup half full with water and add in the flax seed. Stir and set aside to thicken.
Place the chocolate bar in a bag and bash with a rolling pin to create small little chunks.
Put all of the ingredients together in a bowl and mix with a mixer.
Turn out the mixture into the paper muffin cups in a muffin or cupcake baking tray and bake for 35 minutes.
To serve you can eat plain or with a yummy Vegan ice-cream (I like over the moo), slice the muffin through the middle and put a nice dollop of ice-cream in and serve with chocolate sauce drizzled over for an extra decadent treat!
See below for the chocolate sauce recipe.
INGREDIENTS
quarter of a cup of coconut milk,
50 g of at least 70% dark chocolate (make sure it's dairy free),
quarter of a cup of raw, unsweetened cocoa powder,
1tbsp of coconut sugar,
2 tbsp coconut oil,
sea salt
METHOD
To make the sauce place the milk in to a saucepan and put on a medium heat. Add the chocolate and continuously stir until the chocolate melts in to the milk. Add in the sifted cocoa powder a little at a time stirring continuously. If the sauce seems too thick add more milk, if it seems to liquidly add more cocoa powder. You want it to be a thick pouring sauce. Once the desired consistency is achieved add the agave syrup, touch of sea salt and coconut oil and stir in.
bannoffee pie
Whilst I can't take credit for this incredible recipe (it was made by my sister over at Mamas Choices) I can stake credit for making the yummy delights numerous times recently.
They're so simple and so delicious!
Creamy sweet deliciousness in a jar! This indulgent dish is loved by both adults and children in our family...
1st Layer -Nut base
Blitz half a cup of cashew nuts and half a cup of almonds in the vitamix/food processor until fine and powdery. Transfer to a bowl and thoroughly combine with 1 tablespoon of agave syrup and 1/4 cup of virgin coconut oil.
2nd Layer -‘Toffee’
Thoroughly blend the following ingredients in a vitamix/food processor: 1 cup de-pitted dates, 1/4 cup warm water, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/8 cup of raw cashews (preferably soaked for 4 hours previously), 1 tbsp tahini paste, 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil.
3rd Layer -Sliced Bananas
Slice half a banana into each bowl/jar.
4th Layer: -Cream
Place 3 cans of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Remove the solid part and whip with 1 tbsp of agave syrup (or less, depending on desired sweetness).
Top with sifted cocoa powder and enjoy!
Makes enough for 4.
They're so simple and so delicious!
Creamy sweet deliciousness in a jar! This indulgent dish is loved by both adults and children in our family...
1st Layer -Nut base
Blitz half a cup of cashew nuts and half a cup of almonds in the vitamix/food processor until fine and powdery. Transfer to a bowl and thoroughly combine with 1 tablespoon of agave syrup and 1/4 cup of virgin coconut oil.
2nd Layer -‘Toffee’
Thoroughly blend the following ingredients in a vitamix/food processor: 1 cup de-pitted dates, 1/4 cup warm water, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/8 cup of raw cashews (preferably soaked for 4 hours previously), 1 tbsp tahini paste, 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil.
3rd Layer -Sliced Bananas
Slice half a banana into each bowl/jar.
4th Layer: -Cream
Place 3 cans of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Remove the solid part and whip with 1 tbsp of agave syrup (or less, depending on desired sweetness).
Top with sifted cocoa powder and enjoy!
Makes enough for 4.
Chocolate brownies
It is no secret that I have a seriously sweet tooth.
Back in the UK about 10 kilos ago, when I could eat whatever I liked without gaining weight (the glory days). I would buy a selection box of cream cakes from Marks & Spencers and demolish the whole lot in one sitting without a second thought.
Fast forward some years, my metabolism has slowed down, I have turned fully vegan as opposed to vegetarian and have come to realise the perils of a diet high in sugar and the ethical implications of dairy.
I used to think sugar was a thing to avoid purely because it rotted your teeth, and as my Mum pointed out I didn't want to end up with teeth like a pirate. But as my teeth seemed to be fairing well I didn't give it much more thought.
Now I know better and I shudder when I scan the ingredient lists in supermarkets and find sugar in, well, pretty much everything. From 'healthy' breakfast cereals and 'diet, low calorie' foods, sugar has insidiously creeped in to almost every food source.
As I learnt some years ago, sugar used to be a status symbol. A representation of wealth from those who could afford this exotic produce.
Fast forward a couple of centuries and it's hard to believe we used to live without what has now become to be known as 'white death'.
Not only does sugar rot your teeth and make you fat, it also has far more serious consequences. It is a leading contributor to the incredible rise in diabetes, it causes liver disease and high cholesterol and perhaps most seriously it literally feeds cancer cells.
It's simply not natural to consume so much sugar and it overwhelms our systems and defences.
So what is a sweet toothed girl like me to do?
Get creative that's what!
As people are catching on to the dire health consequences associated to sugar there is a rise in sugar free baking.
I'll be honest, these brownies were a case of trial and error. At first my results were simply not satisfying enough until I created a hybrid of a few different recipes which hit the nail right on the spot.
At a little tea party I hosted the other day almost everyone contested the ingredients. 'They can't be sugar free'. 'They can't be healthy'. 'Why?' 'Because they are far too delicious!'
I have to agree, they do taste far too delicious to be almost everything free and they are seriously moreish.
They have even fooled my kids, who think they are getting a delicious treat every time they eat them.
Have a go yourself and let me know what you think below!
INGREDIENTS
Brownies
1 cup of walnuts
1 cup of cashew nuts
1 cup of pistachio nuts
3 cups of dates (I used medjool dates)
1 cup of raw, unsweetened cocoa powder
a dash of sea salt
Topping
quarter of a cup of rice milk
50 g of at least 70% dark chocolate (make sure it's dairy free)
quarter of a cup of raw, unsweetened cocoa powder
1tbsp of agave syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil
sea salt
METHOD
Place all of the nuts, apart from a few walnuts in to the blender and pulse until a powder is formed.
Remove and place in to a bowl and sift in the cocoa powder and salt and mix well.
In the meantime place the dates in to the blender and pulse until they are broken down in to little pieces (nb ensure you remove the seed).
Remove the dates and set aside and then place the nut and cocoa powder mixture back in to the blender. Add the dates a little bit at a time whilst pulsing until a nice dough is formed. Remove and set aside and break the remaining walnuts in to small pieces and add in to the mixture.
Line a baking dish with baking paper and grease with a little bit of coconut oil.
Scoop the dough in to the baking dish and flatten in to the shape of the dish.
To make the sauce place the milk in to a saucepan and put on a medium heat. Add the chocolate and continuously stir until the chocolate melts in to the milk. Add in the sifted cocoa powder a little at a time stirring continuously. If the sauce seems too thick add more milk, if it seems to liquidly add more cocoa powder. You want it to be a thick pouring sauce. Once the desired consistency is achieved add the agave syrup, touch of sea salt and coconut oil and stir in.
Remove and pour the topping sauce over the brownie mixture.
Place in the freezer. After one hour remove from the freezer and cut in to squares.
You can eat immediately or store in the fridge.
Warning, these are seriously good!!!
Back in the UK about 10 kilos ago, when I could eat whatever I liked without gaining weight (the glory days). I would buy a selection box of cream cakes from Marks & Spencers and demolish the whole lot in one sitting without a second thought.
Fast forward some years, my metabolism has slowed down, I have turned fully vegan as opposed to vegetarian and have come to realise the perils of a diet high in sugar and the ethical implications of dairy.
I used to think sugar was a thing to avoid purely because it rotted your teeth, and as my Mum pointed out I didn't want to end up with teeth like a pirate. But as my teeth seemed to be fairing well I didn't give it much more thought.
Now I know better and I shudder when I scan the ingredient lists in supermarkets and find sugar in, well, pretty much everything. From 'healthy' breakfast cereals and 'diet, low calorie' foods, sugar has insidiously creeped in to almost every food source.
As I learnt some years ago, sugar used to be a status symbol. A representation of wealth from those who could afford this exotic produce.
Fast forward a couple of centuries and it's hard to believe we used to live without what has now become to be known as 'white death'.
Not only does sugar rot your teeth and make you fat, it also has far more serious consequences. It is a leading contributor to the incredible rise in diabetes, it causes liver disease and high cholesterol and perhaps most seriously it literally feeds cancer cells.
It's simply not natural to consume so much sugar and it overwhelms our systems and defences.
So what is a sweet toothed girl like me to do?
Get creative that's what!
As people are catching on to the dire health consequences associated to sugar there is a rise in sugar free baking.
I'll be honest, these brownies were a case of trial and error. At first my results were simply not satisfying enough until I created a hybrid of a few different recipes which hit the nail right on the spot.
At a little tea party I hosted the other day almost everyone contested the ingredients. 'They can't be sugar free'. 'They can't be healthy'. 'Why?' 'Because they are far too delicious!'
I have to agree, they do taste far too delicious to be almost everything free and they are seriously moreish.
They have even fooled my kids, who think they are getting a delicious treat every time they eat them.
Have a go yourself and let me know what you think below!
INGREDIENTS
Brownies
1 cup of walnuts
1 cup of cashew nuts
1 cup of pistachio nuts
3 cups of dates (I used medjool dates)
1 cup of raw, unsweetened cocoa powder
a dash of sea salt
Topping
quarter of a cup of rice milk
50 g of at least 70% dark chocolate (make sure it's dairy free)
quarter of a cup of raw, unsweetened cocoa powder
1tbsp of agave syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil
sea salt
METHOD
Place all of the nuts, apart from a few walnuts in to the blender and pulse until a powder is formed.
Remove and place in to a bowl and sift in the cocoa powder and salt and mix well.
In the meantime place the dates in to the blender and pulse until they are broken down in to little pieces (nb ensure you remove the seed).
Remove the dates and set aside and then place the nut and cocoa powder mixture back in to the blender. Add the dates a little bit at a time whilst pulsing until a nice dough is formed. Remove and set aside and break the remaining walnuts in to small pieces and add in to the mixture.
Line a baking dish with baking paper and grease with a little bit of coconut oil.
Scoop the dough in to the baking dish and flatten in to the shape of the dish.
To make the sauce place the milk in to a saucepan and put on a medium heat. Add the chocolate and continuously stir until the chocolate melts in to the milk. Add in the sifted cocoa powder a little at a time stirring continuously. If the sauce seems too thick add more milk, if it seems to liquidly add more cocoa powder. You want it to be a thick pouring sauce. Once the desired consistency is achieved add the agave syrup, touch of sea salt and coconut oil and stir in.
Remove and pour the topping sauce over the brownie mixture.
Place in the freezer. After one hour remove from the freezer and cut in to squares.
You can eat immediately or store in the fridge.
Warning, these are seriously good!!!