Apple Scrolls (V, DF, EG, NF)

Ingredients:

• 3 sheets of Vegan puff pastry
• 3 apples 
• 3/4 c dark chocolate buttons
• Cinnamon
• Brown Sugar
• Icing sugar 

Method:

• Wash apples and grate (I like the skin on, but you might prefer to peel them first).
• Sprinkle grated apple across the first third of a sheet of vegan pastry.
• Sprinkle 1/4 c of chocolate buttons across the top.
• Sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar over the top.

• Gently and tightly roll the pastry with the apple filling.
• Slice into scrolls approximately an inch wide.
• Bake at 180 degrees until golden (approx 8-10 mins).
• Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve warm.

Roast Vege & Spicy 'Chicken' (not-chicken) with Lemon Aioli dressing (DF, EF, V)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup couscous
• 1 tbsp Olivani
• Crushed garlic glove
• Vegetable stock
• Water
• Diced carrot, beetroot, potato (or pumpkin)
• Sliced red onion, spring onion
• Lemon
• Baby spinach leaves
• Vegan garlic aioli

Method:

1. In a saucepan, melt butter.  Add garlic and sautē until golden.  Add vegetable stock and 1.5 cups water.  Put lid on and bring to boil.
2. Turn element off, add couscous and stir.  Put lid back on and leave until remainder of dish is ready.  The couscous will absorb the water.
3. Dice potato (or pumpkin), beetroot, carrot.  Sprinkle with olive oil, salt & pepper and cook in air fryer for approx 20 minutes.  Alternatively, back in 180c oven for approx 30 minutes, until golden brown.  
4. Whilst vegetables are cooking ... In a frypan, add a dash of olive oil and cook red onion.  
5. While onion is cooking, chop spring onion, zest lemon and rip baby spinach leaves and combine in a bowl. Add red onion.
6. In a bowl, combine protein (e.g. diced firm tofu, meat alternative), a dash of olive oil, a sprinkle of mixed spice, paprika, salt & pepper.  Stir to coat. 
7. Wipe pan clean and cook protein.  I used Fry's Chicken Strips.  
8. In a glass, mixed a large spoon of vegan garlic aioli and a generous squirt of lemon juice.  Stir to combine.
9. Combine couscous, greens, onion and roast veges in a bowl.
10. Serve couscous salad, top with protein and dress with lemon aioli dressing.  Serve warm.

Ginger and Passionfruit Crunch (DF, EG, V)

Base Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 250gm Olivete or similar dairy-free spread
• 3 cups plain flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tsp ground ginger

Method:

1. Cream dairy-free spread and sugar in a mixer.  
2. Add sifted flour, baking powder and ginger.
3. Combine until mixture resembles crumbs.
4. If shortcake appears too crumbly, add a tablespoon of cold water.
5. Turn out and press into lined and greased sponge roll tin.
6. Bake at 180 degrees for approximately 20 mins until just starting to go a golden colour.
7. Ice while hot.

Topping Ingredients:

• 300gm dairy-free spread, melted
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• 6 tsp ground ginger
• large dollop of passionfruit pulp
• 4 cups icing sugar

Method:

1. stir all ingredients into melted butter and mix till smooth.
2. Pour on top of shortcake mixture.
3. Refrigerate until set.
4. Cut into squares and serve. 

Lemon and Passionfruit No-Bake Cheesecake (V, DF, EF)

So here we are in the middle of 'lockdown', and looking at ingredients we have in the cupboard and having the opportunity of a little more try to give things a go.  I had a 3/4 tub of Angel Food Cream Cheese and a stack of fresh lemons from a friend's abundant tree, and my daughter loves cheesecake, so I thought - why not!?

Base Ingredients:

• 3/4 packet of RSA Anzac cookies (tehy're vegan friendly!)
• 1/2 cup of cereal
• 2 tablespoons melted Olivete

Method

1. Put all base ingredients into a mixer and combine until mixture resembles course breadcrumbs
2. Lightly spray a springform baking tin with cooking oil (for ease of removal later).
3. Press mixture into container, and use the back of a wet spoon to compress firmly.  
4. Put base into freezer while you make cheesecake topping.

Cheesecake Ingredients:

• 3/4 tub of Angel Food Cream Cheese
• The thick part of a tin of Coconut Cream
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• The rind of 2 lemons
• The juice of 2 lemons (about 5 teaspoons in total)
• Passionfruit pulp

Method

1. In mixer, use whipping blade and whip coconut cream until peaks form.
2. Add caster sugar, cream cheese (spoonfuls rather than a big lump), lemon juice and rind.
3. Mix until smooth (but take care not to over mix as it'll get very runny)
4. Pour over the top of the base and smooth surface.  
5. Put into refrigerator to set.
6. You can freeze, but take care not to leave too long in the freezer as the coconut milk will freeze into shards and change the texture.
7. Service with a dollop of passionfruit pulp drizzled on top.

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

'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.

Twisty Treats (GF, DF, V)

Ingredients

• Gluten-free, vegan pastry (I used Pavillion pastry available from Countdown and Pak'n'Save)
• Savoury fillings - such as Seasons Gourmet Chunky Vegan Dips (Basil and Cashew), Barker's Roast Vegetable Chutney and Angelfood Dairy-free Parmesan Alternative
• Sweet fillings - vegan dark chocolate, thinly sliced and cut strawberries.
• Plant-based milk (almond, rice, soy etc)
• Icing sugar to dust
• Dairy-free parmesan to sprinkle

Method

These were for a Christmas function, but have made a number of times for different occasions - just not cutting into the shape of a Christmas tree...

1. Turn oven on to bake 180 degrees
2. Roll out pastry till it's a couple of millimetres thick and 'evenly' rolled out.  Cut into 4 equal shapes.
3. On first piece of pastry, spread savoury fillings and layer pastry on top.
4. On third piece of pastry, spread sweet fillings and layer pastry on top.
5. With a sharp knife, make cuts down either side of the sandwiched pastry sheets. Carefully lift and twist each strip, leaving the centre intact.
6. Brush with milk.
7. Sprinkle savoury with parmesan alternative.
8. Bake on lined baking trays until golden.
9. Cool on wire rack.
10. Sprinkle sweet treats with icing sugar.
11. Serve savoury treats with hummus and chutney or relish.

Simply twist off strips and dip to enjoy!

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

Vanilla Cupcakes with Custard Buttercream Icing (DF, V)

A little bit of decadence for the kids lunch boxes this week ...

Makes approx 10 cupcakes

Ingredients:

125 gm dairy-free spread (Olivite or Olivani)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 c caster sugar4 tsp (+ 4 tbsp water) of No Egg (egg replacer by Orgran)
1 c plain white baking flour

2 tspn baking powder

1/2 c almond milk (or rice milk)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. In a mixer cream dairy-free spread, vanilla and icing sugar until light and fluffy.  Add No Egg and mix again.
3. Sift flour and baking powder into the creamed mixture.  Combine.
4. Add almond/rice milk and mix till smooth (take care not to overmix).
5. Using a wet spoon, share mixture into cupcake wrappers.
6. Bake for approximately 15 minute until golden and they spring back to the touch.
7. Cool on a wire rack and then ice.

Custard Buttercream:

50 gm dairy-free spread (Olivite or Olivani)

2 tbsp of Orgran Custard Powder

1 c icing sugar 

Sprinkles or shaved dark chocolate to decorate

Method:

1. Cream dairy-free spread, custard powder and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Spread onto cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles/chocolate.

Recipe by Alina @ LittleByLittle

Bliss Balls (GF, DF, V)

I've seen similar recipes online and they are commonly called Bliss Balls!  For want of a better title, I've called these the same thing, but the recipe will vary every time I make them.

Such a quick and easy thing to make, and a treat and protein boost that will last for several days.

Ingredients:
2 scoops Nu-Zest Clean Lean Protein (Chocolate flavour)
1 scoop Lifefoods Primal Awakening 
Handful of prunes

Handful dried apricots

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Handful of mixed cashew and almond nuts

2 tbsp coconut oil
Small handful dried cranberries

Sprinkling dried goji berries

Desiccated coconut

Method:

1. Put all ingredients (except coconut) into food processor and combine until fine and dough-like.
2. Roll into small balls, then roll in coconut.
3. Store in refrigerator until eaten.