♥ Vegan scones

Jun27

I don’t understand why so many vegan cake recipes especially need to be so complicated? It’s so easy to replace marg and milk for vegan spread and soya milk. And since scones don’t require eggs, they are super-easy to veganise!

Vegan Currant Scones

Recipe:

45g vegan spread
225g self-raising flour
35g sugar
1 x pinch of salt
100g currants / sultanas / raisins or I used frozen blueberries
110ml soya milk (or almond / hazelnut / oat / rice / whatever!)

Method:

In a large bowl, rub the spread into the flour to make light breadcrumbs. Try to rub from a height to try and introduce a little air. Stir in the sugar and salt using a knife and then add the currents.
Slowly add the milk whilst stirring. Once all the milk has been absorbed, use your hands to knead the mixture into a dough. Remember that not all flour has the same absorbency, so you may need a little less or little more liquid in order to produce a slightly sticky but not-at-all-dry dough.
Most recipes will recommend that you roll out the dough on a floured surface. However if you get the consistency of the dough just right, it shouldn’t stick to your work top. And not using extra flour reduces the risk of the dough becoming too dry. (But if you’re worried, it should be fine to sprinkle a bit of flour around.)
Using your hands, gently squash out the dough until it is about ¼ of an inch thick. Then using a sharp cutter, stamp out 8 scones and gently plop onto a well-greased baking tray. I can’t remember if it was good old Delia Smith or Gary Rhodes who warned me not to twist the cutter as you stamp out the scones, but they were right – don’t do this or else the scones won’t rise properly.
Bake the scones at 220^oC for 10 mins.
Cool on a wire rack before cutting open.
Best served with vegan butter or generous helping of dairy-free cream and jam. Lovely!

Flash-Gordonette… X

♥ Fryangles!

Jun25

I should be ashamed to admit how much the title amused me. My Daddy would be proud. The rest of the world, not so much. But who cares? I thought it was punny! 😉

Anyway, me and the hubby usually either go out on a Friday night or order takeaway. But since I’d been out the night before I figured I’d best cook and use up the sweet potatoes I’ve been hoarding for weeks. But I wanted something dirty and hence Fryangles were born!

Smooth on the inside, crunchy on the outside, these little fried triangles are much tastier than armadillos and a lot less cruel too 😉

Ingredients (Makes ~ 40):

Filling :

2 x sweet potatoes
1 x tsp chilli flakes (more if you like it spicy!)
1 x tsp garlic powder
½ x tsp ground ginger
½ x tsp ground cumin
½ x tsp ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste

Dough:

2 x cups flour
¾ x cup boiling water
Pinch of salt

Method:

Filling

Prick the sweet potatoes all over and bake in the oven at 180^oC until soft all the way through inside (will take 30 – 45 mins).
Take out of the oven and leave until cool enough to handle.
Peel and pop the flesh into a bowl.
Add the other ingredients to the potato and mash until smooth.

Method:

Dough

The dough is super easy. Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and mix with a metal spoon. Once combined knead with your hands until a smooth elastic dough is formed.
Roll out as thinly as possible (use a small sprinkling of flour if things get sticky) and use a square pastry cutter to stamp out as many squares as possible.

Method:

Fryangles

Add a teaspoon sized dollop of the sweet potato mix to the centre of each square.
To make the triangle, pick up the square so you’re holding the centre (like how I’d imagine you’d begin to roll a cigarette?!) and fold diagonally. Press the sides together to seal them.
Deep fry the Fryangles at 190^oC until they are golden brown and floating.
Drain and serve.

I served mine with a sfv chip-shop curry sauce. They were deeeelicous and even omni husband was in his element – he went back for seconds!

And if you’re more health conscious than me, you can always fold your Fryangles into a tortellini shape and boil them instead. This creates a kind of pasta – dumping hybrid. Stodgy but satisfying!

Flash-Gordonette…x

♥ Pecan and chocolate chunk brownies

Jun25

Years ago, before I turned vegan, I made some very yummy brownies for work, which had they not have contained dairy milk chocolate, would have been SFV. I was reminded of my recipe when I was flicking through a free copy of LABL magazine. Inspired by this article, I routed out my recipe and simply swapped the chocolate for a dairy free version.

The best part of this recipe is that brownies are super easy to make!

Pecan and chocolate chunk brownies

Ingredients:

125g x plain flour
175g x caster sugar
35g x cocoa powder
125 ml x sunflower oil
125 ml x water
35g x Dairy free “milk” chocolate (broken into chunks)
5g x chopped pecans
1 tsp x baking powder
1 tsp x vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180^oC.
Then, simply mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and cocoa powder together, before adding the oil, water and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until a smooth glossy batter is formed. Then fold in the nuts and chocolate chunks.
Pour the mix into a lightly greased 7 x 7” baking tin and bake for 20 mins. I turned the tin around after 10 mins to ensure an even bake.

4. Allow to cool before cutting into 8 triangles.

Enjoy with a nice cuppa 🙂

Flash-Gordonette….X

♥ Anzac Biscuits

Aug21

Mmm, I love these syrupy, coconutty, biscuitty discs of delightfulness <3

The hubby does too – I’ve had to make these 3 times this week!

My original inspiration for this recipe was off the BBC Good Food recipe. But they were pretty easy to veganise.
And if you can live without harming others, why wouldn’t you?

Anzac Biscuits:

Ingredients

85g porridge oats
85g desiccated coconut
100g plain flour
100g sugar
110g vegan marge (plus a little extra for greasing your baking trays)
1 tbsp. golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180oC.
In a large bowl, mix the oats, coconut, flour, sugar and bicarbonate of soda.
In a small pan, melt the marge before stirring in the syrup until completely mixed. Stir in the apple cider vinegar.
Create a well in the dry ingredients and slowly pour in the marge mixture whilst stirring. Keep on stirring until all of the marge has been absorbed.
The mixture will seem a little dry but that’s ok. You should be able to roll heaped-teaspoon amounts into balls.
Place each ball onto a greased baking tray and squish down into a thick disc shape (around ¼ inch high). The key is to squash as flat as you can without causing the edges to over crack – you want to maintain a round shape.
Remember to leave room in between each biscuit to allow for spreading.
Put into the oven for 12 minutes.
Halfway through cooking, squish each biscuit with the back of a spatula to flatten them down.
Keep an eye on the biscuits in case they cook faster than the 12 minutes. You can tell when they are done because they will be a beautiful golden brown and won’t squash any flatter when you press them with the spatula.

They got the Liz seal of approval! 😀

Flash-Gordonette…x

♥ Smoked Paprika Sausage

Aug14

I was in two minds whether to blog about these or not. It was very hard to get a photo that didn’t look like…. Well…. Use your imagination.

Tastes more appetising than it looks….

However, these sausages taste a lot better than they look! And the skin makes them extra fun to make.

And, they contain both tempeh and seitan! That makes them vegan level 8 – right?!

Spanish Style Sausage recipe

Ingredients:

Dry-

2 x tsp onion granules
2 x tsp garlic granules
1 x tsp sage
1 x tsp thyme
3 x tsp smoked paprika
1 x tsp salt
1 x tsp cumin
1 x cup wheat gluten

Wet-

½ x tbsp. soya lecithin (optional but improves the texture)
½ x tbsp. olive oil
3 x tbsp. port
1 x jar tempeh (230 g)

Skin –

2 x rice paper sheets
1 ½ x tbsp. liquid aminos (or soya sauce)
1 x tsp smoked paprika
½ x tbsp. olive oil
2 x tbsp. boiling water

Method:

Put the dry ingredients in a food processor and give them a good mix.
Add the wet ingredients and whizz until a dough starts to form.
Take the dough out of the food processor and give it a good knead for 8 mins.
Roll out into 2 x sausage shaped and wrap up each one in Clingfilm.
Pop into a steamer and cook on a medium heat for 45 mins.
Take out of the steamer and allow to cool before removing the Clingfilm.
Make a marinade for the skin by mixing all of the ingredients apart from the rice paper.
One at a time, soak the rice paper sheets in the marinade until beginning to soften.
Roll up each sausage in one rice paper sheet.
Heat up a frying pan with a little oil and add the sausages. Fry on each side until browned.

I sliced up each sausage and added to a spicy tomato sauce to make a tasty Patatas Bravas <3

Topped off with homemade vegan cheese <3

Flash-Gordonette…X

♥ Popcorn Tofu

Jun5

Tofu is an excellent source of amino acids, calcium, iron and loads of other good stuff. But who gives a crap, sometimes you just want something deep fried and delicious. Popcorn tofu – all of the taste, none of the campylobacter!

There are various tofu popcorn recipes knocking around, but I didn’t peek! This recipe is all my own – although I guess the concept is pretty basic 🙂

This recipe comes as three parts: the tofu, the “egg” wash and the coating. It looks like a lot of ingredients but its well worth it. The result is lovely, slightly tongue tingling pieces of tofu which are soft in the middle but wonderfully crunchy on the outside.

Ingredients:

250g Tofu – firm, not the silken variety.

“Egg” wash:

1/3 x cup non-dairy milk (40ml)
1/3 x cup Aqua faba (40ml)
1 x tbsp. cornstarch

Coating:

1 x cup plain white flour (125g)
2 x tsp ground black pepper
1 x tsp ground coriander
½ x tsp ground ginger
1 x tsp salt
½ x tsp smoked paprika
½ x tsp ground cumin
½ x tsp garlic powder
¼ x tsp tumeric
¼ x tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 x tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you’re a hot head!)
1 x tsp dried sage
1 x tsp dried parsley
2 x cloves (ground)

Method:

1. Drain and press the tofu in advance. Once prepared, cut into 1inch cubes. (Tip: For an even more authentic texture, freeze and defrost first. Shaking a few drops of liquid smoke over the cubes adds even more taste.)
Whisk up the aqua faba, dairy-free milk and cornstarch until white and fluffy. Pour into a bowl along with the tofu cubes and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, create the coating by mixing together the flour, herbs and spices.
Roll each cube of tofu in the flour mixture until coated and set aside for a few minutes. You will see the coating turn a yellowish colour as the turmeric soaks up the moisture.
Add all of the coated tofu cubes into the remaining flour mixture and give them a gentle toss to make sure that they are fully coated. The coating might look a little lumpy but this is good as it gives a nice authentic texture when fried.
Deep fry at 190oC for 3 – 4 minutes. The tofu will float when cooked and should be a nice golden colour.
Drain on some kitchen roll before enjoying!

Tip: It is best not to overcrowd the fryer. So unless you have a very large fryer I would recommend cooking in two batches. You can keep the first batch hot and crispy by spreading out across a baking try and putting in a warm oven.

Flash-Gordonette…x

♥ Baked Cheezecake

May1

Smooth creamy fluffy baked cheezecake. This dairy-free version is protein-packed and lactose free. And if you’re careful with your biscuits, nut free too!
I tried this out on several people, including the husband and the Besties. They said it was lovely but I have to be honest – I can’t remember what traditional cheesecake tastes like! But this one definitely looks like the real McCoy and is undeniably scrummy.

Ingredients:

150g ginger nut biscuit
60g vegan margarine
375g firm tofu (not silken)
350g firm silken tofu
245g non-dairy yoghurt (1 x cup)
200g sugar (1 x cup)
3tsp fresh lemon juice
3tsp vanilla essence
¼ tsp salt
100g plain white flour (2/3 x heaped cups)
2 tsp agar agar powder

Method:

Line the bottom of an 8-inch* spring loaded tin with grease proof paper and grease the sides.
*I wouldn’t advise using a larger tin, but a smaller one should be ok, but you may need to alter the baking time slightly.
Whizz up the ginger nut biscuits and marg in a food processor to make crumbs which will mould together when pressed. Press into the bottom of the tin and put into the fridge to chill.
In the meantime, pre-heat the oven to 165oC.
Prepare the cheezecake filling by whizzing together the tofu, yoghurt, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt until smooth and creamy (at least 5 minutes).
Add the flour to the mixture and whizz up again until thoroughly combined.
Pour the filling onto the biscuit base and use a spatula to smooth down the top.
Put the tin onto a baking try and put into the oven for 1 ½ hours. You’ll know when the cake is cooked as it will have browned slightly on the top and will be pulling away from the edges of the tin.
Leave to cool and set before attempting to remove from the tin.
Serve!

If you’re feeling fancy, you could serve with a nice fruity coulis!

Flash-Gordonette…X

♥ Creme Cheeze

Apr9

Creamy smooth, mildly cheezy with a slightly acidic twang – Creme Cheeze is super versatile! Spread it on a bagel, stir it into hot pasta or pipe it into a cherry pepper. Just make sure you make it in advance as it will need to firm up in the fridge overnight.

Ingredients:

75 g of vegetable shortening
½ x block firm silken tofu (drained and cut into smaller pieces)
2 x tbsp. non-dairy yoghurt
1 x tsp apple cider vinegar
1 x tsp salt
1 x tbsp. nutritional yeast

Method:

On a low heat, completely melt the vegetable shortening in a small saucepan (but don’t allow to get too hot).
Take the pan off the hob and carefully add the tofu and mash into the shortening with a fork. It will sizzle but this is fine – the heat will help to take away some of the beany taste.
Add the other ingredients and stir together.
Whizz together using a hand blender until smooth.
Pour into a container, cover and chill overnight.

Flash-Gordonette…x

♥ “Bacon” crumbles

Mar22

This isn’t the most healthy recipe that I’ve ever come up with, but at least none of the ingredients have been classified as carcinogenic like real bacon!

I never liked real bacon anyway, the amount of fat that comes off it is grotesque. If you don’t pour bacon fat down the sink for fear of the drains getting blocked, I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t be adding it to your body. After all, your arteries are much thinner than the kitchen plumbing!

These delightful little crumbles make a great topping for soups and salads, or can be added to a dairy-free carbonara sauce to add a salty, crunchy hit.

Ingredients (Makes 1 ½ cups):

1 x heaped cup wheat gluten (equal to 160g)
1 x tsp garlic powder
3 x tsp smoked paprika (split into 2 & 1 tsps)
2 ½ x tsp salt (split into 2 & ½ x tsp)
3 x tbsp. vegetable oil (split into 2 & 1 tbsp.)
½ x tbsp. soy sauce
1 x tbsp. Maple syrup
¹/₃ x cups water (equal to 175 ml)

Method:

Add the wheat gluten, garlic powder, 2 tsp paprika and 2 tsp salt to a food processor and whiz until blended.
Add 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, soy sauce, maple syrup and water and blend until “crumbles” form. If the crumbles look too floury then add another tablespoon of water. However you don’t want big chunks as these won’t crisp up as well.
Add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil to a non-stick frying pan and heat over a medium flame.
Add the raw crumbles and fry until browned and slightly blackened in places. Be sure to continually stir to prevent the crumbles from burning. This will take 15 – 20 mins.
During the last few minutes, add the remaining 1 tsp paprika and ½ tsp salt and stir well to make sure the crumbles are evenly coated.
They will firm up and become more crunchy once cooled. If adding to a sauce, add last to make sure they don’t go too soft.

Flash-Gordonette…X

♥ Flash’s soft white baps!

Mar7

Buns, baps or barms?

If you want to cause an argument in the UK, ask a group of people what they would call this particular bread product. Is it a roll, bun, cob, stottie, batch or a barm? In this case I’ve chosen to call it a bap, purely for the innuendo.

Sooo super soft!

This is such a great easy recipe, the hardest part if having the time to let the dough prove. But its well worth making space in your busy schedule for these as they are delicious and don’t contain any of the nasty preservatives found in shop bought bread.

Ingredients (makes 8):

1 x 7g sachet of active dry yeast
150 ml warm water
150 ml room temperature soya milk (or any dairy alternative)
1 x tbsp sugar
1 x tsp salt (plus extra for the glaze)
2 x tbsp. olive oil
300 g strong white bread flour
200 g plain white flour
a little oil for greasing the baking tray and glazing the buns (I like to use a low cal spray)

Method:

In a jug, mix the water, soya milk, salt and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and put in a warm place for 10 minutes or until the yeast blooms.
In a large mixing bowl, add the bread flour and plain flour and mix to combine. Create a well in the centre.
Gently stir the olive oil into the yeast mixture before pouring into the well of the flour. Using a wooden spoon, mix until all the liquid is absorbed.
Using your hand, knead the mixture until a dough is formed.
Transfer onto a clean work surface and knead for 5 minutes. You shouldn’t need to add any extra flour.
Roll the dough into a ball and put back into the mixing bowl. Cover with cling-film and leave in a warm place for at least 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Pre-heat the oven to 180^oC.
Deflate the dough and knead for another 5 minutes. Roll into a log shape and divide into 8 equal pieces.
Knead and shape each piece into a ball before flattening into a disc of about 1inch high.
Grease a baking tray and lay out the baps on top. Don’t place too close together as they are going to roughly double again in size.
Glaze the top of each bap with a little oil and a sprinkle of salt.
Move to a warm place for at least 30 minutes or until the baps have doubled in size.
Place into the oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. They should only just be turning a light golden brown but will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Whilst the buns are baking, line a plate or a tray with some kitchen roll.
When ready, remove the baps from the oven and immediately place on the kitchen roll before wrapping in Cling-Film. It is normal for the Cling-Film to steam up – this will make sure that the baps are soft whilst the kitchen roll will prevent them from becoming soggy.
The Cling-Film ensures that the baps stay soft once cooled.
Allow to cool and then eat! They are especially good served with soup.

Best used up within 1 -2 days of baking.

Flash-Gordonette…X

♥ Flash-Gordonette ♥

– you name it, I'll veganize it!

Archives

♥ Vegan scones

♥ Fryangles!

♥ Pecan and chocolate chunk brownies

♥ Anzac Biscuits

♥ Smoked Paprika Sausage

♥ Popcorn Tofu

♥ Baked Cheezecake

♥ Creme Cheeze

♥ “Bacon” crumbles

♥ Flash’s soft white baps!