Week 20 Dish 2: Vegan healthy blueberry muffins

My Christmas holidays are over :( and they went so fast! Back to uni from Monday, starting with two weeks of lectures. It will be nice really, because the whole year will be together again for the third last time ever! It's so hard to believe that it's 2014 - I've always known that I would graduate in 2014 and it just seemed so far away whenever I thought about it. Now it's the present! Time flies (yes, a very cliche phrase, but cliche for a reason).

So as you all know, I begun this blog to challenge myself to bake two vegan dishes per week for 6 months. This dish signifies the end of week 20, meaning that I only have six weeks left! That's 12 more glorious recipes in 2014. To start off 2014, keeping in mind the need to eat healthier after all the indulgences during Christmas, I have baked healthy blueberry muffins! It's one of the classic muffins available in cafes, and I finally managed to buy some blueberries - forget buying them, definitely have a go making them yourself!

Yes they are in the shape of Christmas trees...a bit late but I got the silicon tray on sale earlier in the week and I just had to use it!

Makes 12
Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar (plus 2 tbsp sugar if you want it a bit sweeter)
1 cup soya milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups fresh blueberries (about 165g)
Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and line a muffin tray with muffin cups.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, vanilla and oil. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the blueberries and stir gently until evenly distributed without over-mixing and smooshing the berries.
4. Spoon the batter into the muffin tray and bake for 19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to sit in tin for 10 minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely.

Original recipe: Healthy blueberry muffins

Week 20 Dish 1: Vegan yule log

Happy New Year everyone (for tomorrow)!! It's New Year's eve, and I'm sure everyone is getting ready to go out and party!! Or, as I'm doing, have a house party. Frankly in this weather, I feel that a house party is the way to go. It should be a brilliant night - with good friends, good food, and lots of alcohol!

Of course as is the norm these days at my house, when I have people over I plan a yummy dessert. Today is no exception as I have made a completely vegan yule log!! I may be a bit late for Christmas, but it's the perfect way to end the year before everyone begins their new year healthy eating resolutions :D Let's see how fast it gets eaten :p.....

Ingredients
For the cake
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soya milk
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp cider vinegar
Icing sugar for dusting
For the filling
225g extra firm tofu, patted dry
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup non-dairy dark chocolate chips
2-3 TBSP warm soya milk
For the ganache topping
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup soya margarine, softened
1/4 cup soya milk
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line a baking tray (with raised edges) with grease proof paper.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl.
3. In another bowl combine the oil, milk, orange juice and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredients and combine.
4. Stir in the vinegar, pour into the tray and put into the oven as fast as possible. Bake for 25 minutes.
5. Place a piece of grease proof paper bigger than the tray on the work surface and dust generously with icing sugar. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, carefully invert onto the prepared paper and remove the bottom lining paper.
6. Roll up the cake with the paper inside (all while still hot) and then allow to cool completely. Don't worry about any cracks.
7. For the filling, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pot with simmering water.
8. Add the tofu and vanilla extract to a food processor and puree till smooth. Add as little warm milk as necessary to help the food processor if it's having trouble. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until well combined. Put into a container and cool in the fridge but don't let it solidify!
9. Next, prepare the topping. In a large bowl, use an electric beater to cream the sugar and margarine until thick but well combined. Add the milk, cocoa powder and vanilla and continue to mix until smooth.
10. Once the cake has cooled completely, unroll carefully. Cover with the filling and then roll up once more, this time without the paper. Place onto the serving plate.
11. Finally, cover with the chocolate topping and use a fork/ toothpick/ chopstick to create the bark-like pattern. Decorate with powdered sugar and anything else you feel like using. YUM!!!

Original recipe: Yule log cake, chocolate ganache topping, tofu chocolate frosting filling (I used different bits from different recipes because those are the ones I found easiest)