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

Vegan mocha muffins

Let my final baking challenge week begin! As promised, I am set to give you seven delicious recipes, one per day! For my first recipe I have chosen mocha muffins. I'm not the biggest fan of coffee but a close friend of mine from uni loves coffee and so I baked these for her.

Makes 12 small muffins
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4-6 tsp instant coffee, depending on your taste. I followed the original recipe and only used 2 tsp, and I couldn't taste it at all
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup soya milk
1/2 cup oil
2 tbsp soya yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional, I didn't use any)
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C and prepare 12 silicon cups. If you use larger muffin cups you will probably get about 10 muffins.
2. In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking powder and salt.
3. In another bowl whisk together the soya milk, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Pour this into the dry and combine until almost mixed, then fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Fill the muffin cups almost to the top and bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Original recipe: Mocha chip muffins

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