Vegan cornbread

I began my A&E firm today, and it's really going to be a tough three weeks. 8 hour shift every day, one weekend and one night, and revision on top. Goodbye sleep!

Leonardo Da Vinci once said 'simplicity is the ultimate sophistication'. Who needs to bake something elaborate for a delicious result? This very simple basic vegan cornbread is so easy to bake but is filling, healthy, and has a slight sweet taste that is just perfect. It literally take less than 10 minutes to prepare - which is of course perfect for tough days like the day I had today.

Makes 12-16 slices
Ingredients
2 cups soya milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 cups coarse cornflour/ polenta flour/ cornmeal
1 cup plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil
2 tbsp honey/ maple syrup/ agave
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line a 9x13 inch baking tin with grease proof paper. 
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the soya milk and vinegar and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the coarse corn flour, flour, baking powder and salt. Add the oil and honey to the soya milk mixture and whisk with a wire whisk or fork until it is foamy and bubbly.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix together until combine. Pour into the prepared baking tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Original recipe: Vegan cornbread

Week 25 Dish 2: Vegan savoury courgette muffins

3rd last recipe!!

Ahhh today I revised well in the morning but for the past hour or so I have been very distracted by elective plans. I am going to China for my elective and I'm so excited!! The placement is in Beijing and I plan to travel in China and Japan after. I really can't wait, there are so many amazing things to see! Too bad I have to get through finals first....

Continuing my savoury theme, I decided to make courgette muffins. I baked sweet Courgette date muffins way back in week 2, which turned out yummy so I thought why not savoury ones this time :D These taste yummy as always and in my opinion the flavour come through much more strongly when cold, but of course delicious when hot too.

Makes 12 small muffins or 8-9 large muffins
Ingredients
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup wholemeal flour
7/8 cup plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200 ml soya milk
2 tsp cider vinegar
100 ml oil
1 3/4 cups grated courgettes - about 1 large courgette
2 tsp dried basil
2 tbsp water, or as needed
Method

1. Heat the oven to 190 degrees C and prepare 12 silicon muffin cups on a baking tray.
2. Combine the pepper, salk, wholemeal flour, plain flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl.
3. Combine the soya milk, vinegar and oil in a small bowl and add to the dry ingredients. Mix until almost combined then add the courgette and basil, and fold in until evenly distributed. Add the water while mixing if it seems dry.
4. Spoon into the prepared cups and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack. These taste delicious hot but the flavour comes through much better when cool. Enjoy!

Original recipe: Savoury zucchini muffins

Next week is the last week of my vegan baking challenge, I almost can't believe it! The time has just gone so fast, with many scrumptious treats to help me along the way. If you enjoy my blog and recipes, don't worry, I do plan to continue baking but I won't stick to two recipes per week. To celebrate my accomplishment I have decided to bake ONE DISH EVERY DAY, starting tomorrow (9th Feb) through to next Saturday (15th Feb). That mean I will have SEVEN recipes for you next week. Two of these recipe will be special vegan Valentine's treats which you can bake for the people you love, be it a significant other, friends and family, or even yourself (I love me very much :p). I hope you're all excited!!

Week 25 Dish 1: Vegan broccoli and onion muffins

4th last recipe!!

Healthy but yummy, what more can you ask for? Don't worry if you're craving something sweet, I have two yummy valentine's treats planned for next week. Be excited :D

Makes 12
Ingredients
1 3/4 cup plain flour
1 cup oats
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 soya milk
1/4 cup oil
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 cloves crushed garlic
chili powder to taste (optional)
1 1/4 cups finely chopped broccoli
3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C and line a muffin tray with muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, oats, baking powder, sugar and salt.
3. In another bowl, mix the milk, oil, mustard and garlic until well blended. Stir in the broccoli and onions.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold until just combined. Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tray for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Original recipe: Vegan broccoli muffins

Week 24 Dish 2: Vegan Mushroom muffins

Let the last 5 recipe countdown begin - 5!!!

That's right, this is my 5th last recipe for my vegan baking challenge - I can't believe its already so close to the end! I'm pretty sure I will continue baking after the challenge is complete but I am very proud of myself for keeping up with my 2 dishes per week. I have even managed to make and share a few extra recipes. I hope you have all enjoyed the recipes so far!

Today I have another savoury bake for you all, this time muffins with mushrooms. I am a big mushroom fan as are my family so these went down a treat. Definitely worth baking :D

Makes 12 small muffins
Ingredients
2 tsp oil
200 g finely chopped mushrooms
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
chili powder to taste (optional)
300 g self-raising flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
80 g oil or melted vegan margarine
1 tbsp ground linseed with 3 tbsp water
1 cup soya milk
1 tsp soy sauce
Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 decrees C and prepare 12 silicon muffin cups on a tray.
2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the mushrooms, garlic, basil, salt and pepper for 5-10 minutes until all the liquid released by the mushrooms has evaporated.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Combine the oil/margarine, linseed mixture, milk and soy sauce in a separate bowl before adding to the dry ingredients.
4. Fold gently until almost combine before adding the mushroom mixture. Continue to combine until just mixed. Divide between the prepared cups and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Original recipe: Mushroom, thyme and hazelnut (vegan) muffins

Week 24 Dish 1: Vegan red pepper muffins

Revision is now in full swing with finals in only 6 1/2 weeks. I'm definitely feeling the stress! I've been baking a lot to help me relax in the evenings before bed otherwise I feel too tense to sleep. This means that I am going to have many yummy recipes to share with you all! I've continues with the savoury theme for now but I have a few sweet bakes planned too.

The first recipe I want to share with you all this week is vegan red pepper muffins. They have a very different flavour because of the polenta flour in them, which I used for the first time in my bakes. They turned out really yummy and filling, perfect for a revision snack. Enjoy!

Makes 12 small muffins
Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup polenta flour (aka cornmeal)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp bouillion powder (I replaced this with part of a veg stock cube)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 sweet red pepper
1/2 red onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup oil plus 1 tbsp for frying
3/4 cup soya milk
1 tsp cider vinegar
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C and line a muffin tray with muffin cups - I used silicon cups as they are a little smaller.
2. Finely chop the red pepper and onion. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper. Cook for several minutes before adding the  red pepper, and a few minutes later the garlic. Let the garlic infuse for several minutes before taking off the heat and setting aside.
3. Sift the flour, polenta, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, bouillion powder, salt and pepper into a large bowl and mix. 
4. Combine the oil, milk and vinegar in a separate bowl, then add to the dry ingredients. Fold until almost combined then add the red pepper mix and continue folding until evenly distributed.
5. Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Original recipe: Gnarly vegan red pepper savoury muffins

Week 23 Dish 2: Vegan curry cupcakes (muffins really...)

To continue with the savoury baking, I have tried vegan curry cupcakes (which are actually muffins, but the alliteration sounds too good lol). Sounds like an odd thing to make, doesn't it? But trust me, if you're a fan of curry then this is one recipe not to miss! I've already made two batches and my family devours them in a couple of days. Better make more....

Makes 9-12 muffins
Ingredients
1 2/3 cups almond flour (which you can either buy or make yourself by grinding some almonds)
1 cup chickpea flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmuric
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder (optional, double if you like it really spicy like meee)
1 large red onion
2 large garlic cloves
2 heaped cups spinach
1 tsp oil
4/5 cup water
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C and line a muffin tray with muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flours, spices, salt, pepper, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
3. In a food processor pulse the onion, garlic and spinach until everything is roughly chopped.
4. Add the processed mixture to the flours, then stir in water and oil to combine.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cup and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Original recipe: Cupcakes gone curry

Week 23 Dish 1: Vegan chickpea pie

Revision stress is finally getting to me, it's so hard to believe that finals are only 2 months away!! Scary stuff! Thank god I still have baking to calm me down, it's the perfect remedy.

There were many recipes that I found to potentially make as the centrepiece for my Christmas feast; it was really difficult to choose just one and eventually I chose a vegan festive roast, but there were some yummy recipes that I still wanted to try. This is one of them, a vegan chickpea tart - perfect for a festive dinner but a yummy main meal at any time of the year!

Serves 4-5
Ingredients
For the crust
Crust ingredients
For the filling
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
4 minced garlic cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups chickpeas, reserve 1/3 cup
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground basil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup oats
300 g frozen spinach, thawed an squeezed to remove excess water (about 1 cup after squeezing)
1/4 cup dried cranberries (I just used sultanas)
1 tsp soya sauce/ 1/2 tbsp oil mixture
Method

1. Prepare the crust: Crust preparation
2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion, celery, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for 9-10 minutes on a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until softened and golden.
4. In a food processor, partially puree the chickpeas (except reserved 1/3 cup), lemon juice, soya sauce, basil, salt, chili powder and sauteed mixture. Add the walnuts and oats and pulse briefly.
5. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the spinach, cranberries and reserved chickpeas. Spoon the filling into the pie crust and smooth the top, brushing with the soya sauce/oil mixture.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden on edges and top. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving!

Original recipe: Festive chickpea tart, pie crust

Week 22 Dish 2: Vegan mushroom courgette quiche

I'm quite bored of making sweet bakes these days, so I've been looking up some savoury ones. I have found so many that I want to try!! This one look especially good so I went for it first, and it was definitely a good choice. It tastes amazing, my whole family loved it so much that I making it again next week :D

Serves 4-5
Ingredients

For the crust
220 g plain flour
75 g soya margarine
80 ml cold water
2 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
For the filling
1 cup sliced courgette (about one medium courgette)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (about 8-10)
1 finely chopped red onion
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
200 g firm tofu crumbled
240 ml soya milk
60 ml veg stock
2 tbsp lemon juice
60 g lightly toasted sunflower seeds
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1/2 tsp ground cumon
1 tsp ground basil
1 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric
3/4 tsp salt
Method

1. Prepare the crust: combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the margarine, vinegar and half the water and form a ball. Knead well, adding water as needed. Set aside for 30-60 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. Grease a 9x9 inch pie dish.
3. Press and spread the dough evenly on the bottom and sides of the pie dish. Poke the bottom several times with a fork and bake empty for 7-10 minutes.
4. Blend the tofu with soya milk and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the stock, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, chickpea flour, cumin, basil, chili powder, turmeric and salt. Stir until well mixed.
6. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and pepper  and fry for 2-3 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and courgette and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly. Turn off the heat.
7. Spoon the vegetables evenly into the baked pie crust and pour on the tofu filling mix slowly to cover. I had a bit left over - used it as a sauce/dip, it's too yummy to waste!
8. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to coon for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Original recipe: Vegan quiche

Week 19 Dish 1: Vegan festive roast with gravy

Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope everyone had a brilliant day, I definitely did; full of family time, TV and good food and alcohol - what more could you want? And of course today was filled with SALE shopping!! Ahh so many bargains, so many new things....pweeettyyyy...I'm not materialistic at all, honest! (But still, just have a look at my haul :p)

I have baked a lot of sweet dishes, which thankfully have mostly been very successful. But, it's Christmas and the Christmas meal is not just about the desserts (though they are definitely very important) - it's about a full meal including a yummy roast. So, I found and made a delicious vegan roast, which even my dad loved (and he didn't like my nut roast last year). I definitely can't take all the credit for this, my mum, sister and I all pitched in and made our Christmas feast together - so much fun! It's full of veggies but very filling and of course tastes amazing. I know it's a bit late for Christmas this year but give it a go when you get the chance!! :D

Serves 6-8
Ingredients
For the roast
230 g chopped mixed nuts
110 g red lentils
1 large carrot
2 celery sticks
1 large onion
1/2 large courgette
1 aubergine
125 g mushrooms
4 tbsp vegan margarine
2 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce
4 tbsp chopped parsley
10 g chopped dried apricots
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
2 tbsp corn flour
1/4 pint water
Vegan pesto
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
For the gravy
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onions
5 crushed garlic cloves
1-2 tbsp plain flour (depending on how thick you like it)
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Method

1. Gently boil the lentils for 20 minutes. About halfway through the lentils' cooking timre, pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees C and grease a large bread tin or line with grease proof paper.
2. Chop the aubergine and courgette into small chunks. 
3. Roughly chop the carrot, celery, onion and mushrooms into small chunks and use a food processor to process until finely chopped.
4. Melt the margarine in a wok/ large pan and fry the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring in the curry powder.
5. In a large bowl mix the mixed nuts, cooked lentils, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, parsley, apricots, corn flour and water, and mix well. 
6. Add the fried vegetables and combine. Press 4 heaped tbsps of the mixture into the tin and spread a layer of pesto on top to taste. Spoon in the rest of the mixture and smooth over.
7. Bake for about an hour or until just firm, covering with top with foil if it starts to darken too much.
8. Carefully turn the roast out into a serving plate. Allow to cool and to finish, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve with gravy.
9. For the gravy, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent.
10. Add the flour and soy sauce and mix to make a thick paste, then slowly add the stock while stirring with a whisk to avoid clumps.
11. Season with  basil, salt and pepper, then bring to the boil and simmer while whisking continuously for 8-10 minutes. It is then ready to serve with the festive roast!

Original recipe: Luxury festive roast

Vegan crispy courgette crostini

I think it's about time for another non-baked, savoury dish to break up all the sugary dishes! This simple dish is perfect for a quick snack, especially if you're entertaining and want to try something new!

Serves 6
Ingredients
1 courgette (~200 g), grated
1 tsp salt
1/2 apple, peeled and grated
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
2 spring onions, finely chopped
6 slices of vegan french bread
1 garlic clove, crushed
pepper
Method

1. Coarsely grate the courgette and spread over a clean, dry tea towel. Sprinkle with the salt and set aside for 5 minutes. Wrap the tea towel around the courgette and squeeze to remove as much juice as possible.
2. Transfer the courgette to a mixing bowl and stir in the apple, mint, spring onions and garlic
3. Toast the bread lightly on both sides and top with the courgette mixture. Grind pepper over them before serving.

I never really would have thought that apple and courgette go well together but it tasted surprisingly good! Definitely one I will try again.

Baked tomato, courgette and aubergine (vegan)

I think it's about time I make a bakes dish that isn't sweet. I'm not including this as one of my two a week because its just too easy, albeit a dish that requires a long baking time. It's extremely healthy and I used it as a main dish for dinner, but you may want to use it as a side dish.

Ingredients
1/2 cup oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
5 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 small aubergine, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C
2. Pour some of the oil to cover the bottom of a 9/13 inch rectangular baking dish.
3. Layer in half of the onion slices and one third of the tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and half of the garlic. Add a layer of aubergine and sprinkle more salt and pepper. Add another layer of tomatoes, the courgette, the remaining garlic and the rest of the onion. Top with the remaining tomatoes.
4. Press down on the mixture with your hand. Pour over the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. The veggies will be piled really high but don't worry, it will collapse as it bakes.
5. Bake uncovered for 1.5 hours. After 45 minutes, press the mixture down firmly with a spatula and return to the oven. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes, then cut and serve.

Original recipe: Char-baked tomato, zucchini and eggplant

Simple and healthy :)