Tofu Coconut Curry (GF, DF, V)

Ingredients:

1 packet of firm tofu (rinse off and then pat dry with a paper towel before cutting into cubes)
2 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp crushed ginger
2 tsp curry powder
1 finely chopped onion
1 carrot cut into very fine julienne strips
1 handful frozen peas
2 cubes frozen spinach
1 handful frozen beans
1 vegetable stock cube (I use Massell brand)
3/4 cups water
1 tin of coconut cream (shaken) - for a lighter alternative use coconut milk but you may need to thicken
1 tin of diced tomatoes
Rice bran oil

Method:

1. In a frypan, add a dash of oil and heat.  Add tofu cubes and cook until just golden, being careful as you handle not to break them.
2. Remove tofu and set aside.
3. In same pan add onion and cook until transparent.
4. Add curry, garlic and ginger and cook through.
5. Add water, stock and vegetables and cook until thawed.
6. Add coconut cream and tomatoes and continue to cook until thickened and carrots are tender.
7. Carefully fold through tofu.
8. Serve on top of steamed jasmine or basmati rice, garnished with sliced almond and a sprig of fresh coriander.

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

Best Ever Chocolate Cake (DF, V)

This recipe is really versatile...

You can pour the batter into cupcake wrappers and make single serves, or fill a 20cm round springform pan for a high, rounded cake.  Grossify it for Halloween ... ice with vegan-friendly fondant, rolling into 'worms' and twisting them all over the rounded cake surface  Depress the back edge of a knife down the middle to create the two hempispheres of a brain and glaze with 'melted' raspberry jam!

Sometimes I share the recipe between two sponge tins and sandwich together with chocolate cream icing.

If you're wanting a yummy brownie recipe, use gluten free flour and fold in a handful of dark chocolate buttons.  Dribble raspberry coulis on top and serve warmed as a dessert, with a trickle of soy cream as a garnish.

You might've cottoned on that I pretty much just substitute butter for Olivite/Olivani, dairy milk for almond milk and egg for No Egg and voila!  Being vegan is easy.  Don't be put off from trying to 'convert' a recipe, it is incredibly easy.

Anyway, here is my chocolate cake recipe after a number of experimental efforts!

Ingredients:

100gm Olivite or Olivani (dairy-free spread) melted with small handful of dark 
chocolate (Whittaker's 50% dark cocoa or Pam's dark cooking chocolate buttons)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tsp (+ 4 tbsp water) of No Egg (egg replacer by Orgran)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 3/4 cups plain white flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups almond milk

Icing:

3 tbsp Olivite or Olivani spread
2 tbsp coca powder
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. Melt dairy-free spread and chocolate together. 
2. In mixer combine chocolate mixture, No Egg and vanilla essence.
3. Add sifted dry ingredients.
4. Add almond milk and mix until smooth.
5. Mixture is quite runny. Pour into lined baking tin.
6. Bake at 180 degrees until cake is starting to shrink from edges and is firm, but springy to the touch.
7. When cool, ice with chocolate cream icing.

Icing:
Mix spread, cocoa, vanilla essence and icing sugar until creamy.  If need be, add a teaspoon or so of water (or a dash of soy cream) to make a butter cream consistency.

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

Apple and Carrot Cake with Passionfruit Cream Icing (DF, V)

Ingredients:

225 gm Olivite or Olivani (dairy free spread)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
8 tsp (+ 2 tbsp water) No Egg (egg replacer by Orgran) 
Grated rind of one orange
1 tbsp lime juice (or lemon)
1 1/2 cup sifted plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup (ground/crushed) mixed sunflower seeds, almonds, dried apricot, walnuts, chia seeds
4 cups grated carrot
1 grated apple
8 tsp (+ 4 tbsp water) No Egg

Icing:

3 tbsp Olivite or Olivani spread
Passionfruit pulp
1 cup icing sugar

Method:

1. In food processor, combine mixed seeds and nuts and process until ground/crushed.  Set aside.
2. Using grater attachment, grate carrots and apple.  Combine and set aside.
3. In bowl, cream spread and sugars until pale and creamy.  
4. Add first measure of No Egg, rind and juice and mix again.
5. Add flour, baking powder, seed/nut mixture, carrot and apple and mix to combine.  Set aside.
6. Mix 2nd measure of No Egg until stiff (not peaked, but well mixed).  Fold through the cake mixture until combined.
7. Pour batter into greased and floured ring cake tin.  Bake at 180 degrees until firm (but springy) to touch, shrinking away from edges of the tin and golden in colour.
8. Turn out onto cooling rack.  When cool, ice.

Icing:
Mix spread, passionfruit pulp and icing sugar until creamy.  If need be, add a teaspoon or so of water (or a dash of soy cream) to make a butter cream consistency.

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup Olivite or Olivani (dairy free spread)
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 tsp (+ 4 tbsp water) of No Egg (egg replacer by Orgran)
2 tsp vanilla essence
2-4 tbsp water (enough to make dough damp but not soggy)
4 cups sifted white flour
1 tsp salt (brings out the chocolate flavour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 -2 cups of dark chocolate (Whittaker's 50% dark cocoa or Pam's dark cooking chocolate buttons)

Method:

1. In mixer, combine spread and sugars and cream till light and smooth.  
2. Add No Egg, vanilla essence and extra water, and mix well.  
3. Add flour, salt and baking soda and combine until just mixed (don't over mix or the mixture might go bit hard).
4. Fold chocolate chips through dough.
5. Roll mixture into small balls and place onto a baking paper lined cookie tray.
6. Bake at 180 degrees until just golden.  If you take them out at this point they will be nice and chewy, leave them for a minute or two longer for crispy cookies.

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

Homemade Bread

There's nothing quite like the aroma of fresh baked break wafting through the house!  We are lucky to have a Panasonic Breadmaker that makes the process so easy, but I have had to experiment a little with veganising a recipe that the whole family likes.  Mission accomplished!

While we were on holiday I stumbled across powdered coconut milk in the supermarket, and this has made all the difference to the recipe.  I am working on a gluten-free version at the moment ...  have so far come up with a loaf that tastes good but is dense and crumbly, so not ideal as sandwich bread. Will post a recipe on here once I've hit the jackpot!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups luke warm water
2 tbsp Olivite or Olivani (dairy free spread)
2 tspn salt
4 cups high grade flour
2 tbsp coconut milk powder
2 tspn white sugar (but other sugars will also work)
4 tspn of Surebake yeast (breadmaker)

Method:

1. Put ingredients into the breadmaker mixing bowl in the order listed.  When you add the flour, make sure all the water is covered, so when you add the yeast it is sitting on dry flour.
2. Select normal or dark option.  

Variation:

To make fruit bread, add 1 tspn mixed spice when you add the flour etc.  When your breadmaker beeps at approx 17mins into the cycle, add 2 small packets (or 1 large packet) of dried raisins.

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

Scones

"But what do vegans eat?" Hot, dreamy smelling scones, that's what!  A big thanks to my friend Penny for sharing her basic scone recipe.  

Ingredients:

4 cups self-raising flour

2 1/2 cups coconut milk

Pinch salt 

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Spoon onto tray lined with baking paper.
3. Bake at 220 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until golden (scones are best cooked in a hot oven towards the top).

Variations:

Finely chop some red capsicum, cut some Angel Food dairy-free mozzarella alternative into small cubes, add a pinch of mustard and fold through mixture for some very tasty savoury scones.

Add some all-spice, a pinch of cinnamon, a sprinkle of brown sugar and some raisins for some spicy fruit muffins (a nice alternative to hot cross buns).

Recipe by Penny

Roast With All the Trimmings

So I stumbled across Nadia Lim's Vegan Christmas Roast last year and seriously love it.  Each of the dishes are amazing and well-liked by everyone.  Click here for the link.  I love the combination of the cranberry and pistachio nuts and after a cooking lesson from my friend Marrisa (an amazing vegan cook), have used this as a stuffing for my own roast dish.

There's a great Asian grocer in Petone called Davis Trading, where I get some of my 'vegan supplies' from.  One of which is a Veg-Chicken (not really, of course) roll.  The 500gm roll is about $9.80 and the 1kg roll is about $20.  The small roll is enough to feed a family of four and leave a little bit left over for the next day (nice cold to pick on, or add to sandwiches, or toss in the pan and serve with hash browns and spaghetti for a cooked brekkie).

Ingredients:

500gm Veg-Chicken Flavoured roll

Crushed garlic

Small handful of dried cranberries

Small handful of roasted pistachio nuts

1 large portobello (or breakfast) mushroom

Olive oil

Method:

1. Slice the roll in thin slices, almost through but not quite!  Your roll will open up like a concertina.
2. Using a processor, combine garlic, cranberries, pistachios and mushroom with a dash of olive oil and mix until you get a pesto-like mixture.
3. Stuff each of the slices of the roll with the mixture.
4. Carefully place onto foil and dribble olive oil on top.
5. Wrap and bake at 180degrees for approx 40 minutes, or until golden brown.  
6. Using a sharp knife, slice roughly into small pieces.

Delicious served with a selection of roast vegies, fresh peas and gravy.  Yum!

Top middle, this recipe.  Served with Nadia Lim's Vegan Christmas Roast vegetables,
mushrooms and stuffing balls, with a tomato gravy and baked cauliflower.  What a feast!

Recipe by Alina Pescini

** Update Jan 2020.  Since publishing this recipe, the roll featured in this recipe has slightly changed and the manufacturers have now included whey in the ingredients, making it vegetarian, rather than vegan.  Use this recipe with other meat alternatives to make a delicious roast.