Special Occasion Cake (DF, GF, EF, V)

It's been a little while between posts, sorry! I thought I'd share the cake I made with you on the weekend.  

I'm often asked how I've made something when there's "So much you don't use!"  Here's a good example ... 

This beast of a cake served 82 people! Each layer (2) took 7 x the recipe and there's 2kg of icing sugar in the frosting 😲😲😲 

Asides from that,  it's gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, vegan and very flavourful! Top layer was a vanilla cake and the bottom a rich chocolate cake. The creme frosting was white chocolate flavour (the cream coloured frosting) and the ombre pink was raspberry. Yummy!  

Don't be daunted by adapting recipes to suit the way you eat.  Find some alternatives you can keep in your pantry (such as vegetable oil, egg replacer or ground flax seed, dairy-free spread, rice milk ...) and give it a go!

Crepes, Beans and Rice (DF, GF, V)

Steam rice, rinsed and drain red kidney beans, a couple of slices of tofu cooked on the griddle and stirred through rice mix.  Wrap in crepe.

To make crepes:

• Gluten-free flour
• Water

Method

1. Mix in cup to a runny consistency.
2. Heat oil on griddle.
3. Pour mixture onto hot griddle and cook until golden on each side. 

These crepes are soft (similar to a tortilla) so don't expect them to crisp up.  Nice eaten cold as a lunch option too.

Flatbread and Hummus (DF, GF, V)

I'm participating in the Oxfam Ration Challenge..  I have a limited range of foods I can eat this week so having to be creative with what I make!  No coffee and no vegetables for a week - arrggghhhh!

I made flatbread which was surprisingly tasty and hummus...

Flatbread Ingredients

• Gluten-free flour
• Water
• Vegetable oil

Method

1. In a cup, mix flour and water to a dough consistency.   
2. Turn out and sandwich between baking paper and roll flat.  
3. Heat griddle with oil and then cook flatbread until golden and firm on each side. 
4. Serve warm with hummus.  

Hummus Ingredients (recipe from Oxfam)

• Chick peas (85g) 
• Water (1/2 cup) 
• Oil (to drizzle) 
• Tumeric (earnt reward for fundraising effort)

Method

1. Soak chick peas overnight.  Drain.
2. Add to food processor (or hand processor) with tumeric and pour water in whilst you chop chick peas.
3. Check for texture.  When you have desired texture, turn out and drizzle with a little oil.

Vegan Burritos (DF, V)

Ingredients

·       1 packet of vegan sausages minced  (our favourite at the moment is Linda McCartney
        Vegetarian Sausages which are certified vegan)

·       1 red onion finely chopped

·       Handful of chopped white button mushrooms

·       1/2 zucchini finely chopped

·       A couple of florets of brocolli finely chopped

·       Burrito Spice Mix (Farrah's brand)
   ·       Vegetable oil

·       White rice steamed

·       1 can black bean

·       4 tomatoes, diced

·       1 small red onion, chopped

·       1 small bunch of coriander, chopped

·       Lettuce

·       Ranchslaw (shredded cabbage, carrot, onion)

·       Burrito Sauce (Farrah's brand)

·       Tortillas

Method

1. Steam rice, adding to water 1 tbsp of Burrito Spice Mix and a 1 chopped tomato.  Stir to combine
2. In frypan, add minced sausages, 1st red onion (chopped), mushrooms, zucchini, brocolli and toss in a dash of vegetable oil.
3. Stir through remainder of packet of Spice Mix (or a little less if you're not into spicy food) and add a dash of water so mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. While mince mixture is cooking, combine remainder of chopped tomatoes, 2nd chopped red onion and coriander and stir to combine to make a salsa-type mix.
5. Wash and drain black beans, heat in microwave.
6. Set up bench top like an assembly line ... have your fillings lined up in bowls to make assembly easier: rice, beans, mince mixture, slaw, salad, sauce.
7. Heat griddle and heat tortillas for approx 10 seconds either side (they get a bit crispy and puffy if you do it for much longer).  I would recommend using the bigger size as you get more 'folding' ability when the tortilla is stuffed full!  Wrap in foil to keep warm until you're ready to assemble.
8. In centre of tortilla, add ingredients in order as in #6 above.
9. Fold in sides to cover mixture and then over and over (think of a packet of tightly wrapped fish & chips!).
10. Place seam down on the griddle again to 'seal'
11. Serve immediately.  
12. Enjoy!

Grilled Open Sandwich (V, DF)

Yummy! Sourdough topped with tomato relish, vegan aioli, grilled tofu, zucchini, red pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes and kumara mash with a smear of tahini.... lunch of kings!

Ration Challenge (definitely GF, DF & V)

I'm taking this year's Oxfam Ration Challenge to raise much needed funds to provide food, medicine and education for refugees.  

My Ration Box arrives and it contains my food for a week (+ water and some tofu) ... just a small amount of rice, flour, lentils, chick peas, beans and oil.  You can earn condiments, vegetables and coffee etc the more you fundraise ... similar to how refugees would earn additional supplies by working for it. 

My Ration Box (without the sardines)

If you'd like to sponsor me you can do so by following this link
https://my.rationchallenge.org.nz/alina-pescini 

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be coming up with some recipes for the small range of ingredients I have available and will share them on here (if they are share-worthy, lol).  Watch this space!

Cauliflower Buffalo Bites (GF, DF, V)

This one's a bit haphazard ... I adapted a recipe and used what I had in the cupboard.  It was a matter of adding ingredients and checking for taste and texture rather than measuring things into specific quantities.  Give it a go ... such a delicious treat! 

• One head of cauliflower – break off leaves and discard, pull florets into small chunks.
• In a bowl mix a generous dash of paprika, some crushed garlic, salt & pepper to taste, white flour (or GF alternative) and beer – use whisk and mix till smooth.  Coat cauliflower and shallow fry in vegetable oil until golden.  Drain.
• In a bowl mix about ¼ cup hot chilli sauce (I use Habanero), a squirt of golden syrup (in lieu of honey), dash of vegetable oil and whisk to combine.
• Brush over cauliflower and bake at 180 for about 10 mins, turn over and baste other side and cook until golden and crunchy.
• Serve with an aioli (Ceres Organics makes a gorgeous vegan one).  

Enjoy!

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

Curried Chickpea & Brocolli Slaw (GF, DF, V)

Ingredients

For the salad:

·       1 head of broccoli, very finely chopped

·       1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

·       1 1/2 c shredded carrot, beetroot, brocolli stems, red cabbage

·       1/2 cup sliced almonds

·       1/4 cup dried cranberries

·       1/2 c fresh coriander chopped finely

·       1/4 c fresh parsley chopped finely

For the dressing:

·       1/4 cup tahini (stir so it is more pourable)

·       Juice of 1/2 a lemon

·       3-5 tablespoons warm water, to thin dressing

·       1 clove garlic, finely minced

·       1-2 teaspoons maple syrup, to sweeten

·       1 teaspoon yellow curry powder

·       1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

·       1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

·       1/2 teaspoon salt

·       Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Combine all salad ingredients;
2. Whisk dressing ingredients together and toss through salad. 

Feijoa Cake (DF, V)

For the shortest season, we are blessed with an abundance of feijoa fruit from our friends and neighbours.  Here's a recipe that is turning out to be 'never-fail' and is enough to make at least a cake and a dozen muffins, or a couple of cakes.  I've not experimented with Gluten-Free flour yet, but I'm sure this recipe would adapt well to a Rice flour or similar alternative.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 250gm Olivite (or similar dairy-free spread)
• 1 1/2 c white sugar
• 4 tsp Orgran Egg Replacer mixed with 4 Tbsp water
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 4 Tbsp Almond milk (heated)
• 4 c plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

For the icing:

• 1 1/2 c icing sugar
• 50gm Olivite
• Generous squeeze of lemon juice (without pips)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 4 Tbsp hot water

Method

Remove feijoa fruit from inside skins using a teaspoon.  Discard skins.  Put fruit into mixer and tun onto high and beat until pulpy.  Add sugar, Olivite and egg replacer, mix to combine.  Add flour and baking powder.  In a cup, mix hot milk and baking soda with a fork.  Mixture will expand and foam up.  Scrape into mixing bowl and combine with other ingredients.

Spray cake tins/muffin trays with oil and dust with flour.

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

Special Occasion Cake and Coconut Ice (DF, V)

A friend recently turned 40 and I made a special cake to celebrate.  This little number uses a double batch of my chocolate cake recipe and icing.  I used raspberry essence and lemon juice to flavour two batches of icing, and coloured one pink and the other purple, and spread with an ombre effect. I decorated the cake with everlasting flowers, vegan bon-bons and fruit sticks, and coconut ice.

Coconut Ice Recipe

Ingredients:

• 160ml sweetened condensed coconut milk (if you're in Wellington, I get mine from Davis Trading in Petone)

• 2 cups icing sugar

• 2 cups desiccated coconut

• 2-4 drops red/pink food colouring

Method:

1. Sieve the icing sugar and add the coconut and condensed coconut milk. Mix until well combined.
2. Divide the mixture in half and to the one half add the food colouring and mix well.
3. Press the white mixture into the base of a pan or container (spray lightly with non stick oil).
4. Spread and press the pink mixture over the white mixture and place in the fridge to harden.
5. Once it has set, cut into small squares. 

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

Kumara and Chickpea Curry (GF, DF, V)

This fragrant winter warmer is so easy and smells so good.  It makes a generous amount so you can enjoy left overs for lunches all week!  I use this recipe as a 'base' and add other vegetables and fresh herbs if I have them available.  A little less kumara with some diced pumpkin and a potato make a nice twist on this recipe. If I want a 'saucier' curry then I will add an extra can of tomatoes.  Serve with crusty bread or rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp canola or olive oil 
• 1 lge onion, diced 
• 2 lge cloves garlic, crushed 
• 1 tbsp ginger, crushed 
• 2-4 tsp curry powder 
• 2-3 tsp cumin 
• 1 really lge kumara, peeled & diced 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 2 cans of chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
• 400g canned tomatoes
• 2 tsp garam marsala 
• 1/2-1 tsp salt 
• Spinach leaves

Method:

1. In frypan, mix oil, onion, garlic, curry and cumin together and cook until onion is clear.  Enjoy the aroma!
2. Spray inside of stock-pot/slow-cooker bowl and turn on to High setting.
3. Put onion mixture into the bowl.
4. Add kumara, chickpeas, bay leaves and tomatoes and stir through.
5. Cook on High for 4 hours.
6. Add garam marsala and salt to taste.
7. Turn to Medium and cook for another 2 hours or until desired texture and density of vegetables.
8. Stir through a few generous handfuls of fresh baby spinach leaves about 5 mins before serving.  If you don't have fresh spinach, add frozen spinach when you put the tomatoes in earlier on.

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

'Sausage' Scrolls (GF, DF, V)

Ingredients

• Gluten-free, vegan puff pastry rolled out thinly
• 2 packets of firm tofu, crumbed
• 1/2 cup of GF breadcrumbs
• Big dollop of vegetable chutney
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 finely chopped small onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• Salt & pepper to season
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Small bunch of finely chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp plant-based milk & a little for basting
• Optional: 1/2 cup of finely chopped unsalted cashews, 1/2 small zucchini finely chopped, 1 mushroom finely chopped.

Method

1. Turn oven on to bake 180 degrees
2. Combine ingredients in mixer
3. Spread out onto pasty sheets and roll (think sushi)
4. Slice into 2cm slices and arrange on lined baking trays
5. Baste with milk
6. Bake until golden
7. Serve hot with relish or chutney.