Vegan date fig barfi

My second vegan Indian sweet recipe is a sugarless vegan date fig barfi - delicious and not overly sweet like most Indian sweets are! Definitely an easy one to make, so go for it :D

Makes 12-16 squares (depending on how big you cut them)
Ingredients
1 cup dates
1 cup dried figs
1 cup water
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup cashews
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Method

1. Soak the dates and figs in hot water for an hour. Line an 8x4 inch (or similar size) deep tray with grease proof paper.
2. Coarsely grind the dry almonds and cashew and keep aside.
3. Blend the dates and figs using some of the water used for soaking until coarsely chopped (the less water you use the easier the next step will be). 
4. In a pan, heat the oil at a low heat and add the date fig mixture. Cook at low heat stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Add in the almonds, cashews and cardamom powder and keep cooking until the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan. 
5. Spread the mixture into the pan. Let cool and refrigerate for an hour before slicing. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week!

Original recipe: Date fig barfi

Week 2 Dish 2: Vegan courgette date muffins

I recently discovered Church Street market near Edgware Road thanks to a fellow medical student. It sells really cheap fruit and veg (amongst other things) - perfect for my vegan baking experiments. I went to the market today and managed to buy so much, including mangoes, courgettes, melons, mushrooms, capsicums, pineapples, kiwis, doughnut peaches, the list goes on. I think that my arms almost fell off on the way home, but worth it for £1 for a big bowlful of each!! So I thought this would be the perfect recipe for the courgettes that I got (6 for £1), and just in time for The Great British Bake Off muffin challenge (though mine are not english muffins)!

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients
2 cups wholemeal flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup coconut or olive oil (you can buy coconut oil from VB, it's really expensive in health food shops)
1/4 cup soya milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup grated courgette
2/3 cup chopped dates, tossed in a little flour so that they don't clump together
Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and get the muffin tray ready.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients (except sugar) in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together the applesauce, oil, milk, and sugar, and pour them into the dry ingredients.
4. Fold ingredients together until just mixed, and then fold in the courgette and dates.
5. Spoon batter into the muffin tray and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Original recipe: Vegan zucchini date muffins

Just a note - these are not overly sweet, making them perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Let me know what you think!