Tag Archives: dairy free

Vegan Chocolate Star Cookies

Cookies, Gluten-Free, Snacks, Vegan, , , , , , , ,

These festive vegan chocolate star cookies are fun to make over the Christmas period! They are delicious and chocolatey and perfect for an afternoon treat! These vegan chocolate star cookies are 100% cruelty- and gluten free! if you are feeling creative you can also try out my vegan raisin cookies or my vegan ginger cookies.

Vegan Chocolate Star Cookies Vegan Chocolate Star Cookies Vegan Chocolate Star Cookies

Makes 12 star cookies

Ingredients

225g Gluten free oats

1tsp Baking powder

3tbsp Cacao powder

1tbsp Ground flaxseed or gram flour

150ml Almond milk

100ml Rapeseed oil

2tbsp Agave nectar

50g Raisins

Instructions

Firstly preheat the fan oven to 180C.

Secondly weigh out the oats and pour them into a blender (I used the Vitamix) with the baking powder, cacao and flaxseed. Blend until you have a fine flour.

Now pour the flour into a bowl and add the raisins. Make a well in the middle of the flour. Measure out all the liquid ingredients into a jug. Now pour some of the liquid mixture into the well. Mix together until it forms a sticky cookie dough. Add the remaining liquid mixture to mix in any flour sticking to the sides of the bowl.

Next put a piece of baking paper on a baking tray. Place an 8.5cm star-shaped cookie cutter onto the baking paper. Next scoop out the dough using a dessert spoon and drop a portion into the star-shaped cookie cutter. Press down with a teaspoon until the dough fills the star shaped evenly. Now repeat again until you have 12 star cookies!

Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Finally remove from the cookies from the oven and leave to cool.

Enjoy your cookies! Store in an airtight container and eat within a week.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:38]

Vegan Ginger Cookies

Cookies, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan, , , , , , , ,

These tasty vegan ginger cookies are nice and spicy to warm you up on a cool winter’s day! They are gluten-free and vegan and quick to make. Ginger is anti-inflammatory and good for circulation and the added cinnamon is good for blood sugar control. I would recommend sourcing Ceylon cinnamon which is true cinnamon as the cinnamon in the supermarkets is cassia that can cause liver damage if eaten in large quantities.

Vegan Ginger Cookies Vegan Ginger Cookies Makes 13 cookies

Ingredients

225g Gluten free oats

1tsp Baking powder

1tbsp Ground ginger

1/2tbsp Ground cinnamon

1tbsp Ground flaxseed

150ml Almond milk

100ml Rapeseed oil

2tbsp Agave nectar

Instructions

Preheat the fan oven to 180C.

Weigh out the oats and pour them into a blender (I used the Vitamix) with the baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and flaxseed. Blend until you have a fine flour.

Now pour the flour into a bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour. Now pour in some of the almond milk, the rapeseed oil and agave nectar. Mix together until it forms a sticky cookie dough. Add the remaining almond milk to mix in any flour sticking to the sides of the bowl.

Now put a piece of baking paper on a baking tray. Next scoop out the dough using a dessert spoon and drop each portion onto the baking tray. Spread out evenly. Now press down on each cookie with the back of the spoon to flatten them slightly.

Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven a leave to cool.

Enjoy your cookies! Store in an airtight container and eat within a week.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:25]

Vegan Alternatives

Articles, Dairy Alternatives, Vegan, , , , ,

If you plan on going vegan it’s important that you have vegan alternatives to animal foods that you have been eating on a daily basis. Having tasty vegan alternatives helps to maintain the vegan diet in the long-term and reduces the temptation to go back to eating animal foods. I have compiled a list of my favourite vegan alternatives.P1000371

  • Meat – there are many high protein alternatives to meat. Mushrooms have a meaty texture, as well as tofu and beans. You can buy Linda Mccartney or Quorn burgers. Or you can make my tasty Quinoa and Lentil Burgers
  • Eggs – you can use flax eggs (1tbsp flaxseed mixed in 2tbsp cold water) as an egg replacement to bind cakes.
  • Mayonnaise – You can buy Plamil vegan soya mayonnaise or making your own Vegan Mayonnaise is quick and easy in a blender.P1020809
  • Milk – there are many dairy free milks available in the shops such as almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, hemp milk, coconut milk and soya milk. It is easy and rewarding to make your own homemade Almond Milk.
  • Cream – you make a simple Vegan Cashew Cream to serve with strawberries or spread on a sponge cake.
  • Butter – You can use soya spread to spread on your toast or you can use coconut oil, olive oil or rapeseed oil.
  • Cheese – cheese is often the hardest animal product for people who are going vegan to give up. Tasty cheese alternatives include VioLife dairy free cheese, Tofutti and Sheese.
  • Yoghurt – Co-yo have a delicious coconut yoghurt with live cultures or you can buy soya yoghurt.P1000143
  • Ice cream – my Banana & Cashew Ice cream recipe is easy to make with only two ingredients! Or you can buy ready made dairy free ice cream from Booja Booja, Co-yo, Tofutti or Swedish Glace.

Vegan Pasties

Gluten-Free, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , , ,

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that 2016 is the best year for you yet!

Why not treat yourself to these tasty vegan pasties for tea! The pastry is made using gluten free flour and coconut oil instead of butter so it is 100% vegan goodness!

Vegan Pasties

Makes 2 vegan pasties

Pastry Ingredients

200g Dove’s farm gluten free flour

100g Coconut oil

10tbsp Cold water

Filling Ingredients

1tsp Coconut oil

1/2 Red onion

3 Medium mushrooms

1 Carrot

3 Sprigs broccoli

1 1cm slice cabbage

1/4tsp Himalayan pink salt

1/4tsp Black pepper

1/2tsp Dried thyme

1/2tsp Dried parsley

1tbsp Rapeseed oil

Instructions

Preheat the fan oven to 200C.

Add 1tsp coconut oil to a small casserole dish. Chop up the onion and add to the casserole dish with the sliced mushrooms. Fry in the oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the pastry. Weigh out the flour and pour into a bowl. Add the coconut oil and mash together with a fork until you have a texture of bread crumbs. Now add the water and using your hands mix the dough into a ball. Set aside.

Now prepare the other vegetables. Chop up the carrot into 0.5cm pieces as well as the broccoli. Slice off 1cm of the cabbage and cut into 1cm square pieces.

Remove the casserole dish from the oven and add the chopped vegetables. Season with salt, pepper, thyme and parsley. Return to the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Now turn the fan oven down to 180C.

Roll out the pastry onto a floured surface until it is 0.5cm thick. Shaped into two circles. Add 3 tbsp of the vegetable filling into the middle of each circle. Pull the pastry over the filling to form a half moon shape. Press down the edges with you fingers.

Place the pasties onto the baking sheet on a baking tray. Brush each one with the rapeseed oil. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:23]

Vegan Lasagne

Gluten-Free, Italian, Main Meal, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , , , , , ,

This vegan lasagne reminds me of when I used to eat microwave ready meal lasagne as a student before I became ill. However this lasagne is much more delicious and more healthy for being gluten and dairy free! I used my vegan mozzarella recipe and tripled the amount to create the cheese sauce for the vegan lasagne. You can leave out the tofu mince if you want the lasagne to be soy free.

Vegan Lasagne Vegan Lasagne

Serves 4

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

1tsp        olive oil

1/2          onion

3 cloves  garlic

1 can      passata

1             carrot

250g       mushrooms

2tsp        dried basil

1/4tsp     sea salt

1/4tsp     black pepper

Vegan Cheese Sauce

90g         cashew nuts

3tbsp      tapioca starch

600ml     almond milk

1tsp        pink himalayan crystal salt

1/2          lemon squeezed

2tsp        nutritional yeast (optional)

Tofu Mince

1 block    tofu

Other Ingredients

1tbsp      olive oil

12           gluten-free lasagne sheets

1L           water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C or 180C for a fan oven.

To prepare the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Fry the chopped onion and mushroom until the mushrooms begin to brown. Then add the chopped garlic, salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes. Next add the chopped carrot. Now pour in the passata and stir in the dried basil. Simmer on a low heat while you prepare the other ingredients.

To make the vegan cheese sauce, add all the ingredients into a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Now pour the mixture into a large pan on a medium heat. The mixture will start to thicken and lumps will appear. Stir continuously. Once the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat.

Now make the tofu mince. First drain the tofu block. Then place it into a bowl and mash it up with a fork.

Grease the base of a casserole dish with olive oil.

Next bring a wide pan of water to the boil. Drop 3 lasagne sheets into the water and spread them out. Boil the sheets for 5 minutes each ensuring all the edges have softened. Place the first 3 lasagne sheets onto the base of the casserole dish, layering the sheets over one and other to fill in the gaps. Repeat with the remaining lasagne sheets.

Now spoon over a third of the tomato sauce and smooth over using the back of a spoon. Now add a quarter of the vegan cheese sauce on top and smooth over with a spoon. Finally add a third of the tofu mince on top.

Layer 3 more of the boiled lasagne sheets on top. Add another layer of tomato sauce, vegan cheese sauce and vegan mince..

Again layer 3 more of the boiled lasagne sheets on top. Add the final layer of tomato sauce. Add another quarter of the vegan cheese sauce. And add the final layer of vegan mince.

Now layer the final 4 lasagne sheets on top. Pour on the remaining vegan cheese sauce and spread out with a spoon.

Finally place the dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and slice into 4 portions. Indulge!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:14]

Vegan Mozzarella

Dairy Alternatives, Italian, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , ,

This easy recipe makes a vegan mozzarella with the same texture as real mozzarella! It is the perfect addition to vegan pizza! Simply add all the ingredients to the blender, mix then heat for a few minutes for the perfect creamy vegan mozzarella!

Vegan Mozzarella Vegan Mozzarella

Makes 3 pizzas

Ingredients

30g cashew nuts
200ml almond milk
1tbsp tapioca starch
1/4tsp salt
1tsp lemon juice
1tsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Instructions

Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend for 30 seconds.

Pour the mixture into a small pan on a medium heat. The mixture will start to thicken and lumps will appear. Stir regularly. Once the mozzarella is to the right consistency, turn off the heat.

Now using a teaspoon add small dollops of the mozzarella onto the pizza. Store any leftovers in a container in the fridge. Eat within 3 days.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:7]

Gluten-free, Vegan Fruit Bread

Bread, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan, , , , , , , , , ,

This delicious, sweet, fruit bread is so easy to make and has the health benefits of being gluten and dairy free. It is tasty sliced and served with strawberry jam. It did not last long in our house!

P1020091

Ingredients

350g      Rice flour
150g      Buckwheat flour
1 tsp      Dried yeast
1 tsp      Himalayan pink crystal salt
1 tsp      Cinnamon
1 tsp      Ginger
150g      Raisins
350ml    Filtered water
1tsp       Coconut oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Add the dry ingredients and the raisins into a large bowl. Wash your hands. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the water. Mix the ingredients together using your hands.

Now leave the dough to rise for an hour an a half until it has doubled in size.

Next grease a bread tray using the coconut oil. Place the dough into the bread tray and bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

Leave the bread to cool for 5 minutes then place on a wire rack. Once cool slice the bread.

Store in a cool, dry place and eat within 3-4 days.

Vegan Cashew Cream

Dairy Alternatives, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , ,

This vegan cashew cream is so simple to make and it is the perfect alternative if you are intolerant to dairy. It is delicious served with strawberries or spread in a Victoria sponge cake!

Vegan Cashew Cream

Ingredients

100g    Cashew nuts

1          Ripe banana

Instructions

Soak the cashew nuts overnight.

The next day drain them and add them to a blender along with the chopped banana. Blend until it forms a smooth cream. Transfer the cream into a container.

Store in the fridge and eat within 3-4 days.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:13]

Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake

Cakes, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan, , , , , , , ,

Treat yourself to this delicious vegan victoria sponge cake that is 100% vegan and gluten-free! It makes a tasty afternoon snack! It has taken me 2 days and 2 ovens but I have finally done it! Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Vegan Victoria Sponge

Vegan Victoria Sponge Recipe

Sponge Cake Ingredients

100g Buckwheat flour

300g White rice flour

200g Golden caster sugar

4tsp Baking powder

2tbsp Coconut oil + extra for greasing

3tbsp Ground flaxseed + 600ml water (3 flax eggs)

Strawberry Jam Ingredients

100ml Water

100g Strawberries

50g Golden caster sugar

Vegan Cream Ingredients

100g Cashew nuts

1 Ripe banana

Instructions

Soak the cashew nuts in water overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Grease two 20cm springform cake tins with coconut oil.

Sieve the dry ingredients, including the buckwheat flour, rice flour, caster sugar and baking powder, into a large bowl.

With a spoon push the flour to the sides of the bowl to make a hole in the middle. Add the coconut oil. Now mix the flaxseed and water together in a glass to make the flax eggs. Pour half the flax egg mixture into the gap and begin to mix in the flour using a wooden spoon. Pour in the rest of the flax eggs. Mix it together very quickly as the baking powder will start working and you want to get it in the oven as soon as possible. You can use an electric whisk for a smoother mixture.

Now pour half the mixture into each of the cake tins and put in the preheated oven immediately. Bake for 20-30 minutes. You can put a skewer in the cake and if it comes out dry you know the cake is cooked.

While the cake is cooking, prepare the strawberry jam. Add the water and the strawberries to a pan on a medium heat. Mush up the strawberries using a wooden spoon. Heat until the strawberries begin to soften. Now add in the sugar. Heat until the sugar has dissolved. Now bring the mixture to the boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes stirring regularly. Finally pour the mixture into a jam jar and leave to set.

While the cake is cooking, prepare the vegan cream. Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a blender with the chopped banana. Blend on full power until you have a smooth, creamy mixture. You may need to push down the sides of the mixture and blend again.

Remove the cakes and leave to cool. Next spread on a layer of the strawberry jam onto the top surface of one of the cakes. Now spread a layer of the vegan cream on top of the jam. Finally you can carefully place the second cake on top of the vegan cream and voila!

Store in an airtight container and eat within 3-4 days.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:6]

Butter Bean Spread

Dips & Spreads, Recipes, Vegan, , , , , , , ,

This delicious spread is inspired by a classmate who was looking for an alternative to nut butters or hummus to spread on oatcakes for a snack. It is so tasty and only takes a few minutes to make! Also it is a great source of vegan protein.

phpypEU8VAM

Equipment
  • Blender
  • Glass container
Ingredients
  • 1 400g can of butter beans
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 4 tbsp olive oil

Rinse the butter beans and add to the blender. Now chop up the garlic and add in. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the mixture. Season with thyme, rosemary, sea salt and black pepper. Pour in the olive oil.

Now blend on the lowest speed for 30 seconds. You may need to push down the mixture and blend again until all the beans are blended and you have a smooth spread.

Spoon the mixture into a glass container.

Store in the fridge and eat within 3-4 days.

Can be served as a dip with carrot and celery sticks, spread on oatcakes or added as a filling to a baked sweet potato!