This delicious curry was intended as a soup but when I had finished cooking it, the chunky vegetables and the creamy coconut sauce made for a great tasting curry. It’s vegan, contains more than 7 different types of fruit and vegetable (a chilli is a fruit believe it or not) and can be served with flatbreads or rice. What’s not to love?
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. Coconut oil
1 Courgette (cubed)
1 Potato (cubed)
1 Leek (sliced)
1 Large spring onion (chopped)
1/2 Large white onion (chopped)
2 Cloves of garlic (diced)
1 Green chilli (sliced)
1 Can of coconut milk (400ml)
250ml Peanut butter stock
2 Large handfuls of baby spinach
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Mild curry powder
1 tsp. Turmeric
Salt and pepper
METHOD
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and add the chopped onions and garlic. Let them cook on a low heat for a couple of minutes whilst you cut the other vegetables (remember to stir them occasionally).
Add the spices to the pan and stir and cook for a further minute.
Add the leek, courgette and potato to the pan and season with the salt and pepper.
Place a lid on the pan and let the vegetables cook for 5 minutes, still on a low heat so they do not burn.
Make the stock by adding a tablespoon of peanut butter to 250ml of boiling water. Stir till the butter has dissolved.
Add the stock and the coconut milk to the pan. Bring to the boil, then leave on simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the washed spinach and mix well. Cook for a further 3 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
As stated above, this curry would also make a great soup! It can then be frozen for up to 2 months. If you want to eat in curry form, it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. I hope you enjoy this quick, tasty curry as much as I did.
I tried a turmeric scone at Filmore and Union and wanted to challenge myself to make my own! I wasn’t disappointed with the result. The benefits of turmeric are bountiful, for example it is an anti-inflammatory and it improves liver and thyroid function. Why wouldn’t you want to enhance your scones so that they are both tasty and good for you?
Golden, inside and out!
INGREDIENTS
330g Wholemeal plain flour
115g Coconut sugar
1tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Ginger
2tsb Turmeric (you can add more for a more noticeable taste)
1tsp Vanilla essence
125ml Coconut milk
1 Egg
1tsp Baking powder
115g Dairy free butter (olive oil spread)
This is a flavoursome alternative to regular butter and works just the same.
METHOD
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5 and line to baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and spices.
Cut the butter into the mixture and rub between your fingers till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla essence, and the coconut milk. Add this to the dry ingredients and stir together until the dough begins to come together. Add more coconut milk if the mixture does not form a stiff dough (it shouldn’t be sticky however).
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and using a cutter or an up-turned mug, cut out around 12 scones. If the mixture is too sticky, lightly flour your hands and take a golf ball sized amount of mixture and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly when placed on the baking tray.
Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
Bake the scones for about 20-25 minutes, or until they turn golden.
Yellowy goodness!
I hope you like this recipe and enjoy experimenting with spices that you wouldn’t ordinarily use in sweet treats. Like Filmore and Union, I paired these scones with greek yoghurt and honey but butter or peanut butter would work just as well!
This may sound odd but it is actually really delicious. I utilised the recipe from So Vegan (https://www.wearesovegan.com/fudgy-chocolate-avocado-loaf/) but adapted it so that it had no refined sugar. Equally, apple cider vinegar is hard to source, so I used lemon juice instead which worked out fine.
Smells, looks and tastes delicious!
INGREDIENTS
200g Vegan dark chocolate
1 Avocado
150g Self-raising flour
100g Coconut sugar
2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
110ml Plant-based milk (I used almond milk)
1 Tsp. Vanilla essence
1 Tsp. Baking powder
60ml Coffee
This is my favourite vegan chocolate (bought in Aldi!), because it tastes like normal chocolate but has way less sugar and fat!
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and line a loaf tin.
3. Pour the milk into a jug, up to the 110ml line. Add in the lemon juice and stir until it starts to curdle. Leave to one side.
4. Melt the chocolate over a pan of boiling water, stirring occasionally. Once melted, take off the heat and leave to one side.
5. Slice the avocado in half and pull out the pit. Peel off the skin and chop the flesh into small pieces (this makes it easier to whisk later). Place the flesh into a large bowl.
6. Place one heaped teaspoon of coffee into a jug and pour in boiling water, up to the 60ml line.
7. Add the melted chocolate, sugar, flour, milk, coffee, maple syrup, vanilla essence and baking powder into the bowl. Using an electric whisk, whisk on high until the ingredients are incorporated.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and cook in the centre of the oven for around 50-60 minutes (or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the cake).
9. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for around 30 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
You can slice the cake into individual pieces which are suitable for freezing. They will last for up to 3 months in the freezer. Alternatively, keep the cake in an air-tight container where it will keep for up to one week.
Okay, I know the title of this recipe does not sound that appealing, but it sure does taste great! It was an experiment that turned out better than expected. I made a juice and had the pulp left-over which is where all the nutrients are. Due to this, I didn’t want to throw it away so I created a healthy cake instead!
Sprinkle cinnamon on top before baking to get this effect.
I used my banana bread recipe as the base but I substituted mashed bananas for the pulp. It resulted in a very moist, tasty cake that is ideal for a snack at home or at work. The measurements are slightly different to my banana bread so I have written out the ingredients below.
INGREDIENTS
35g Coconut oil
4 Tbsp. Maple syrup
1 Egg
Fruit pulp (I used 1 apple and 6 plums)
1 Tsp. Baking powder
105g Self-raising flour
2 Tsp. Vanilla essence
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp. Ginger
METHOD
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4.
Grease and line a loaf tin.
Melt the oil in a microwaveable bowl. In a large bowl, mix the melted oil and honey together.
Add the egg and mix well, then stir in the fruit pulp.
Mix in the baking powder, vanilla essence and the spices. Then add the flour and mix until smooth.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the load tin for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack till completely cooled. The mixture will be very moist and is best left out at room temperature (covered by a piece of kitchen roll) over night to harden up slightly.
It will keep up to 2 days when left out in the open. It lasts around a week if kept in the fridge and it can be frozen in individual pieces for around 3 months.
I hope you like this accidental recipe as much as I do!
As September comes to a close and Autumn truly sets in, soups are the perfect go-to for a cosy meal in. I have recently been working full-time which is the reason for my lack of recipes; however, since starting my job, I have made homemade soups every week for my lunch. I have experimented with different vegetables, spices and herbs!
This cauliflower soup is my own creation and includes one of my new-found favourite spices: turmeric! Although it dyes pretty anything it touches, it gives any dish a little kick of flavour. Equally, you can change the herbs and spices to suit your own tastes, as long as you stick to the staple ingredients.
Not only is this soup creamy, it is nutritional and full of vitamins which is necessary due to flu season quickly approaching. It is dairy free and gluten free so it can be enjoyed by all!
Even this soup will match the mustard cable knit jumper you’ll be wearing this Autumn!
INGREDIENTS
1 Onion (diced)
2 Cloves of garlic (crushed)
75g Cashews
1 Small cauliflower (chopped)
200g Butternut squash (from frozen or fresh and cubed)
1 Tbsp. Smooth peanut butter and 500ml boiling water
1 Tsp. Paprika
1 Tsp. Turmeric
1 Tsp. Cumin
1 Tsp. Ginger
1/2 Tsp. Chilli powder
METHOD
Firstly, sauté the onions and garlic for around 5 minutes.
Mix in the cashews and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Whilst the kettle is boiling, place the tablespoon of peanut butter into a heat resistant jug. Add 500ml of boiling water and mix until the butter has dissolved.
Add the cauliflower, butternut squash, stock alternative and spices/herbs to the pan and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer for around 15 minutes.
Once the soup has cooled down, blend with an immersion blender or use a stand alone blender.
This soup lasts around 4 days in the fridge and can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.
I love banana bread and when I was travelling around South America, banana bread was available almost everywhere. However, I haven’t tried a banana bread that is this moreish or tasty. Nor have I found one that is naturally sweet without any additional sugar. Therefore, it is healthy too!
I adapted the recipe from Cookie and Kate (https://cookieandkate.com/healthy-banana-bread-recipe/#tasty-recipes-23985) to make it smaller and more flavoursome. It is definitely a treat that you won’t want to share with anyone else. I have frozen mine for a weekend treat and also to stop me from eating the whole loaf!
INGREDIENTS
35g Coconut oil (melted)
6 Tbsp. Honey
1 Egg
2 Bananas (mashed)
60ml Almond milk
1 Tsp. Baking powder
105g Self-raising wholemeal flour
1 Tsp. Vanilla essence
1 Tsp. Nutmeg
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
50g Dark chocolate chips
50g Pecans (chopped)
(Save some chocolate chips and pecans for sprinkling on top)
How it looks before baking (delicious!)
METHOD
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 3.
Grease a non-stick loaf tin and line with baking paper.
Melt the oil in a microwaveable bowl in intervals of 30 seconds (it usually takes 3 attempts if the oil is a large clump).
In a large bowl, mix the melted oil and honey together.
Add the egg and mix well, then stir in the mashed bananas and almond milk.
Mix in the baking powder, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Then add the flour and mix until smooth.
Chop up the pecans into small pieces and fold these, and the chocolate chips, into the mixture.
Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Scatter the remaining chocolate chips and pecans on the top.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
How it looks after baking (even more delicious!)
Banana bread keeps up to 2 days when left out in the open. It lasts around a week if kept in the fridge and it lasts around 3 months when frozen. You can freeze it as a whole loaf, wrapped in clingfilm in a Tupperware container or you can freeze it in slices, also wrapped in clingfilm in a Tupperware container. To defrost the cake, take it out of the freezer and leave at room temperature for around 4 hours.
I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do (thanks Cookie and Kate) and please let me know if you have added any additional ingredients!
This is a tasty and nutritional alternative to beef burgers, and with only a few ingredients, they are quick and easy to make too. They can be baked in the oven for around 20 minutes or they can be shallow fried in coconut oil for around 5 minutes either side. I decided to bake them for a healthier eat.
This recipe makes around 6 burgers. I paired it with lettuce and beef tomatoes and two thick sweet potato slices per burger instead of a bread bun.
They are very filling so it makes a great dinner idea if you have worked up an appetite!
INGREDIENTS
600g of black-eyed beans
83g of sweetcorn
2 Large sweet potatoes (thickly sliced)
4 Spring onions (sliced)
1 Red chilli (diced)
2 Egg whites
88g breadcrumbs (plus more for coating the burgers)
Lettuce (washed and peeled)
2 Beef tomatoes (sliced)
Salt and pepper to taste
The egg whites help the mixture stick together without changing the flavour.
METHOD
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4.
Peel the sweet potatoes and slice them. Place the slices on a baking tray and spray with oil. Season lightly. Place in the oven for 15 minutes, turning them over half way through. Take them out of the oven once cooked and place on the side.
Mash the black-eyed beans and sweetcorn in a bowl until mushy.
Add in the spring onions, chilli, egg whites and seasoning. Mix well.
Add the breadcrumbs and mix till combined.
Mould into patties and place on a baking tray covered in tin foil.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Take out of the oven and assemble using the cooled sweet potatoes, lettuce and tomato.
Happy birthday to me! And Happy Independence Day to the USA.
I tried really hard to resist making a cake but when it’s your birthday, you can’t not have cake! I researched ways to naturally flavour cakes and buttercream to reduce using fake colourings from the supermarket. I also wanted to make a cake that incorporated fruit, specifically berries as it is berry season!
As the coconut sugar is brown, the puree did not change the colour of the sponge, but this technique could be used when making a typical Victoria sponge cake. The colour would be noticeably more vibrant.
What’s more summery than a fruit flower??
INGREDIENTS
CAKE
8 Eggs
110g Whole-meal self-raising flour
120g Organic coconut sugar
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
100g Strawberries
100g Blackberries
100g Blueberries
Coconut sugar is not cheap (this cost £5) but it is weighted the same as refined sugar so is a great sugar substitute!
BUTTERCREAM
100g Soft butter
200g Icing sugar
50g Blueberries
50g Blackberries
METHOD
CAKE
Take out the eggs from the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature.
Pour the blueberries and strawberries into a pan and pour the blackberries into a separate pan.
Heat on low for around 4 minutes until they are bubbling and there is noticeable juice extracted.
One by one, pour the juice mixture into a sieve and strain the juice into a bowl. You should have two bowls of juice. Let these cool.
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4.
Grease and line a large cake tin or two separate cake pans (this is what I used) with butter and greaseproof paper. Make sure they are well greased otherwise the cake will stick.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites one by one into two large bowls. Make sure there is absolutely no egg yolk in the whites as they won’t whip up.
Beat the egg yolks with a fork and then add the sugar. Mix until combined.
Add the flour and mix well (it will be quite a thick consistency). Put to one side.
Whip the egg whites with a hand-held mixer until they form stiff peaks (it took me around 4 minutes).
Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture a spoonful at a time. This takes a few minutes, but you will remove all of the air out of the egg whites if you beat the two mixtures together.
Pour half of the mixture into the blueberry/strawberry puree and the other half into the blackberry puree. Give the separate mixtures a mix till the batter has turned a different colour.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 35 minutes until the sponge is springy when touched but is not sticky. Remove from the oven and let it cool down.
BUTTERCREAM
Puree the blueberries and blackberries as you did for the cake. Let it cool down. Cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge (do this overnight if possible, otherwise the buttercream may curdle and separate).
Place the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and gently mix by hand.
Add the cooled-down puree and whisk using a hand-held mixture on high till combined.
Spread the buttercream thinly on one cake to sandwich the two together. Then use the rest to spread on the top.
Decorate with berries and enjoy! (The wetness of the sliced strawberries may curdle with the buttercream but it doesn’t change the great taste).
I hope you enjoy this slightly naughty recipe. It contains a lot less sugar and fat then a normal cake would and despite the buttercream, it is all natural ingredients. You don’t even have to add buttercream if you don’t want to. Perhaps drizzle it with honey instead for a naturally sweet topping.
Am I allowed a couple slices seeing as it’s my birthday?
These pancakes have zero refined sugar, with the sweetness coming from the banana and vanilla extract. They are also flavoured with green tea matcha powder for a boost of natural caffeine! They are filling, moreish and full of fibre. What better way to start your day?
My recipe has been slightly adapted from Just So Tasty’s recipe online. It makes around 6 medium sized pancakes. Double the ingredients if you want to make a surprise breakfast for your loved ones!
Garnish with strawberries and a drizzle of honey and you’re good to go!
INGREDIENTS
1 Large banana (chopped)
2/3 Cup oats (check the packet to see if they are non-contaminated oats, otherwise they may not be gluten free)
2 Medium Eggs
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tbsp. Almond milk
Coconut oil for frying (or a non-stick pan works also)
METHOD
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 1 (this will be used to keep the pancakes warm whilst you cook the batter).
Place the oats into a blender and blend until they are fine.
Add the eggs, chopped banana, baking powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon. Whizz on high till ingredients are combined.
Add the almond milk and whizz it once more.
Melt 1/4 of a teaspoon of coconut oil. Use a medium sized ladle to scoop the mixture out of the blender and pour it into the middle of the pan (I like my pancakes relatively small but you can make them as big as you want. It just means they will take longer to cook!)
Cook the pancake for 1 1/2 minutes each side until nice and brown.
Assemble on a plate with sliced strawberries and drizzled honey. Then eat!
What a way to start your day. Good morning indeed!
I just enjoyed these this morning and I hope you enjoy them if you give them a try.
Tinsley's Tidbits 