Recipes

Spanakopita

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 300g cashew nuts
  • 250g ready rolled filo pastry
  • 250g spinach
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • A handful of dill
  • A handful of parsley
  • A squeeze of lemon juice
  • A drizzle of olive oil
  • A pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Method:

  • Begin by preparing the filling. Add the cashew nuts to a bowl. Cover the cashew nuts with boiling water then set to one side
  • Add the spinach to a large pan along with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Saute on a low heat for around 5 minutes
  • Finely chop or grate the garlic. Add the garlic to the pan. Stir to combine then saute for a further 5 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted
  • While the spinach cools, drain the cashew nuts. Lay the cashew nuts on top of a piece of kitchen paper. Lightly press with another piece of kitchen paper to remove the excess water
  • Once cooled, lay the spinach on top of a clean tea towel. Gather together the edges of the tea towel and squeeze to remove the excess water
  • Transfer to the spinach to a food processor along with the cashew nuts, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, dill, parsley and lemon juice. Process until a smooth mixture is formed
  • Season to taste then set to one side
  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6). Grease a 20 x 20 cake tin with a little olive oil
  • Line the cake tin with a sheet of filo pastry. Allow any excess pastry to hang over the edge of the cake tin
  • Brush the base of the pastry with a little olive oil. Lay another sheet of pastry on top. Again, allow any excess pastry to hang over the edge of the cake tin
  • Repeat the process until you have created 5 layers of pastry
  • Spread the filling evenly across the base of the pastry
  • Lay a sheet of pastry on top of the filling
  • Brush the base of the pastry with a little olive oil. Lay another sheet of pastry on top
  • Repeat the process until you have created 5 more layers of pastry
  • Fold any excess pastry hanging over the edge of the cake tin towards the centre
  • Decoratively arrange the remaining pastry on top of the spanakopita
  • Brush the top of the spanakopita with a little olive oil
  • Put the spanakopita in the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown

This recipe serves 8.

Recipes

Manchester Tart

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 600ml coconut milk
  • 400ml coconut cream
  • 300g shortcrust pastry
  • 6 tbsp cherry jam
  • 2 tbsp custard powder
  • 2 tbsp of desiccated coconut
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • A drizzle of sunflower oil
  • A handful of glace cherries

Method:

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
  • Grease a 25 x 25cm flan tin with a little sunflower oil and set to one side
  • Using a rolling pin, roll out the shortcrust pastry to create a square slightly larger than the flan tin
  • Line the flan tin with the pastry
  • Using a fork, prick the base of the pastry in several places. Remove any excess pastry
  • Lay a sheet of baking paper on top of the pastry and weigh it down with ceramic baking beans or rice
  • Put the flan tin in the pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until crispy
  • Remove the flan tin from the oven and set to one side. While the pastry cools, prepare the custard
  • Add the coconut milk, coconut cream and vanilla extract to a large pan. Stir to combine then simmer on a medium heat for 5 minutes
  • Add the custard powder to a small dish along with a splash of water. Beat until a smooth mixture is formed
  • Add the mixture to the custard. Stir continuously until the custard has thickened
  • Spread the cherry jam evenly across the base of the pastry then pour the custard on top
  • Put the tart in the fridge and allow to set. This will take around 2 hours
  • Decorate with the desiccated coconut and glace cherries for a final flourish

This recipe serves 8.

Most custard powders aren’t suitable for vegans. There is a well known, widely available brand whose recipe is traditionally free from milk and eggs.

Recipes

Miso Glazed Brussel Sprouts & Chestnuts

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 400g brussel sprouts
  • 200g cooked whole chestnuts
  • 4 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp brown miso paste
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • A drizzle of rapeseed oil
  • A pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Method:

  • Begin by pre-heating the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
  • Line a large tray with baking paper and set to one side
  • Add the brussel sprouts and chestnuts to a bowl along with a little rapeseed oil, a pinch of sea salt and a pinch of black pepper. Toss together
  • Place the brussel sprouts and chestnuts on the lined baking tray. Put the tray in the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown
  • While the brussel sprouts and chestnuts are baking, prepare the miso glaze. Add the maple syrup, miso paste, wholegrain mustard and garlic powder to a bowl along with a splash of water. Stir to combine
  • Remove the brussel sprouts and chestnuts from the oven and transfer to the bowl containing the miso glaze
  • Stir to combine then serve

This recipe serves 4.

Recipes

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make them…

For the cupcake mixture:

  • 300g self-raising flour
  • 200g light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground clove
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 300ml unsweetened soya milk
  • 300ml sunflower oil
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract

For the frosting:

  • 300g icing sugar
  • 150g vegetable fat
  • 150g dairy free butter
  • 25g sprinkles
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Method:

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
  • Line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cases and set to one side
  • Add all of the dry cupcake mixture ingredients to a bowl
  • Add all of the wet cupcake mixture ingredients to a measuring jug
  • Pour the wet cupcake mixture ingredients in to the dry cupcake mixture ingredients and stir to combine
  • Using a tablespoon, evenly divide the batter between the 12 paper cases
  • Put the cupcake tin in the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer can be inserted in the centre of each cupcake and removed cleanly
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and set to one side
  • While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting. Add all of the frosting ingredients, apart from the sprinkles, to a bowl and stir to combine. Loosen the mixture with a little soya milk to reach your desired consistency
  • Once cooled, remove the cupcakes from the tin. Add the frosting to the top of each cupcake using a pallet knife or a piping bag
  • Decorate with the sprinkles for a final flourish

This recipe serves 12.

Most sprinkles aren’t suitable for vegans as they contain additives dervied from beeswax, gelatin and shellac. There are lots of stores online which sell vegan sprinkles.

Recipes

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Lauren Carter2 Comments

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 400g sliced pineapple
  • 250g self-raising flour
  • 150g light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 200ml unsweetened soya milk
  • 100ml sunflower oil
  • 2 tbsp pineapple juice
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • A handful of glace cherries

Method:

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
  • Add a little light brown sugar to a 20 x 20cm cake tin. Spread out the sugar to create a thin, even layer on the base of the cake tin
  • Lay the sliced pineapple on a piece of kitchen paper. Lightly press with another piece of kitchen paper to remove the excess juice
  • Decoratively arrange the sliced pineapple on top of the layer of sugar
  • Use the glace cherries to fill any gaps then set one side
  • Add all of the dry ingredients to a bowl
  • Add all of the wet ingredients to a measuring jug
  • Pour the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients and stir to combine
  • Gently pour the mixture on top of the sugar, pineapple and glace cherries
  • Put the cake tin in the pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown
  • Remove the cake tin from the oven and cover the top with a layer of kitchen foil
  • Return the cake tin to the oven and bake for a further 25-30 minutes
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and set to one side. Allow to cool before turning upside down on to a serving plate

This recipe serves 8.