Wholemeal Sugar Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Sugar Free Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Cupcakes
Ingredients

• 2½ cups of plain wholemeal flour
• 1 cup of Stevia
• 1 cup of warm water
• 1 cup of strong, brewed coffee
• ⅔ cup of cacao powder
• ⅔ cup of vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of salt 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C
2. Line a muffin pan with cupcake wrappers
3. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix until well incorporated
4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until a smooth batter is formed
5. Fill the cupcake wrappers with batter until ¾ full
6. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean
7. Let the cupcakes cool completely before icing 

Icing
Ingredients

• 1 packet of Natvia Icing Mixture
• 1 cup of Nuttelex
• ⅓ cup of cacao powder
• ¼ cup of strong, brewed coffee, cooled
• ¼ teaspoon of salt

Method

1. Place the Nuttelex in a deep bowl and beat with an immersion blender or cake mixer on high speed until smooth and pale
2. Add the Natvia Icing Mixture ½ cup at a time, making sure to beat the mixture well before each new addition
3. Add the cacao powder and salt, beat until smooth
4. Slowly add the coffee while beating the mixture, checking to make sure it isn’t thinning out the icing too much
5. Leave the bowl in the fridge until the cupcakes are completely cooled
6. Ice the cupcakes using your favourite method 

Peanut Butter, Oat, Coconut, Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup of plain flour
• ¾ cup of brown or coconut sugar
• ½ cup of shredded coconut
• ½ cup of rolled oats
• 1 block of vegan chocolate (I used Whitakkers 60%), smashed with a rolling pin
• ⅓ cup of crunchy peanut butter
• ⅓ cup of non dairy milk
• 2 tablespoons of rice bran oil
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon of salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C
2. Mix all the wet ingredients together in a large bowl with the sugar
3. In a separate, smaller bowl sift the flour, baking soda and salt and mix thoroughly
4. Stir the flour mixture in with the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly
5. Add the oats, coconut and chocolate and stir
6. Line two baking trays with baking paper and place dessert spoonfuls of cookie dough onto the trays
7. Bake for 10 minutes

Knock your Socks off Vegan Chocolate Irish Cream ‘Baileys’

Ingredients

• 1 can of full cream coconut cream
• 1 can of light coconut cream
• 1 cup of Irish whiskey
• 1 cup of strong coffee (I bought a large triple shot long black from my local café)
• ½ cup of brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 2 rows of vegan chocolate (I used Whittakers 60%)
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Pour the cans of coconut cream in a pot and whisk in the sugar
2. Bring the cream to a low boil and then simmer for 10 minutes until it thickens, whisking frequently
3. Add the chocolate and whisk until it melts completely
4. Take the cream off the heat and add the coffee, vanilla, salt and whiskey
5. Whisk the mixture and taste
6. Add more coffee or whiskey if desired
7. ENJOY - this is SUPER delicious, trust me it won't last long in your fridge!

Makes just over 1L of ‘Baileys’

Easy and Nutritious Lentil and Quinoa Soup

Ingredients

• 9 cups of boiling water 
• 1½ cups of lentils
• 1 cup of quinoa
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 vegan stock cube
• 4 cardamom pods
• 4 bay leaves
• A sprig of thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon each of: garam masala, turmeric, ground cumin seeds, ground coriander seeds, mustard seeds

Method

1. Fry the onion and garlic in a pot with a little oil
2. Add all the spices except the stock cube, bay leaves and cardamom pods and fry until a fragrant paste develops
3. Add all the remaining ingredients
4. Simmer on medium to low heat with the lid on until the lentils and quinoa are cooked – approximately 50 minutes

Serves three

Raw Pad Thai

Sauce:
Ingredients

• 5cm ginger, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic 
• Juice of 1 lime 
• 2 tablespoons of Tamari 
• 1 tablespoon of agave nectar 
• ¼ cup of peanut butter 
• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder 
• ¼ cup water

Method

1. Blend all the ingredients together in a food processor until smooth

Pad Thai:
Ingredients

• ½ zucchini, spiralled 
• ½ carrot, spiralled 
• Handful of fresh basil, chopped 
• Handful of sprouts 
• 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds 
• Garlic flowers (optional)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients including the sauce (leaving out the garlic flowers) in a bowl and stir well
2. Serve the mixture on a plate
3. Top with garlic flowers, extra spouts, sesame seeds, and a basil leaf
4. ENJOY!!

Serves one

Homemade Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 can of tinned five-bean mix
• 2 cans of tinned tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• Flavouring: cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, mixed herbs

Method

1. Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a pot until soft
2. Add all remaining ingredients except the beans and simmer until the liquid reduces to a thick saucy consistency
3. Add the beans and leave on the stove until they are heated through
4. Serve on their own, with toast or accompanying other meals

Serves two

Scrambled ‘Eggs’ with Homemade Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 1 recipe of Homemade Baked Beans
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 teaspoons of olive oil
• 250g firm tofu, crumbled until it resembles scrambled eggs
• 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk
• Flavouring: turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, mixed herbs
• 4 slices of wholegrain toast
• 4 Sicilian olives
• Handful of parsley, chopped

Method

1. Fry the onion and garlic in 4 teaspoons of olive oil in a pan until soft
2. Add the crumbled tofu, milk and flavouring and stir until heated through. Let the milk slightly evaporate so it's not too soggy. Be sure to add enough turmeric to turn the tofu yellow
3. Pour the remaining oil over the toast and top with the tofu mixture
4. Place the baked beans on the side and garnish the plate with olives and parsley

Serves two