Vegan Ice Cream

I read this recipe for one-ingredient vegan ice cream and of course I had to try it, although I did adapt it.

Basically, you freeze some bananas, then blend them with any other ingredients you want for a creamy, dairy-free ice cream. Next, I want to try this recipe for avocado dairy-free ice cream.

Ingredients:
2 bananas
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Slice the bananas and freeze them in a Tupperware container for a few hours.
2. Blend the slices with the other ingredients until creamy.
3. Put the mixture back into the Tupperware container and freeze again, until you want to serve it.

Chinese Aubergine

I was looking for a healthier way to make aubergine, since it soaks up oil when you fry it or stir-fry it, and I came up with this idea. It’s perfect over rice. It tastes like one of my favourite Chinese dishes.

 

Ingredients:

1-2 tsp ginger

4-5 garlic cloves

1 vegetable stock cube

water

2 aubergines

lemon juice

sesame oil

spring onions

 

Instructions:

1. Chop the ginger and peel and chop the garlic. Dry fry them lightly with the vegetable stock cube.

2. Add about 1 cup of water.

3. Wash and slice the aubergines and add them to the pot, along with more water, so they are just covered.

4. Cover the pot and steam the aubergine in the flavourful brother until tender. Remove the lid, increase the heat, and boil away most of the liquid.

5. Season with lemon juice, sesame oil, and sliced spring onions.

Plum Clafoutis

You can use many other fruits instead of the plums.

 

Ingredients:

350 ml milk (I used rice milk; you could also use cream, for an even richer dessert)

1 vanilla pod

6-8 plums

3-4 tbsp sugar, depending on how tart the plums are

2 tbsp flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp lemon juice (or use lemon zest if you prefer)

3 eggs

 

Instructions:

1. Gently warm the milk. Halve the vanilla pod, scrape out the beans, and add the beans and the pod to the milk. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes.

2. Wash, halve, and stone the plums. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp sugar on the bottom of an oven-safe dish, then place the plum halves on top.

3. Bake the plums for 5 minutes at 175 C.

4. Let the milk cool. Mix in the rest of the sugar, the flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and eggs.

5. Pour the vanilla custard over the plums and bake for 30-45 minutes.

Soft White Rolls

Ingredients:

500 g strong white bread flour (or use a combination of white and wholemeal if you prefer)

7 g fast action yeast

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp sunflower oil (or rapeseed oil)

300 ml warm water

 

Instructions:

1. Blend all the ingredients together and knead or mix in a food processor for about 10 minutes.

2. Leave to rise for an hour.

3. Knead and shape into rolls. Leave to rise another 30-60 minutes.

4. Cut a cross into the rolls if you want. Bake at 200 C for 15-25 minutes.

Chocolate Cherry Bread

A tasty treat that’s perfect with coffee or tea.

 

Ingredients:

2 tsp active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (about 200 ml)

3 cups strong white bread flour (about 400 g)

½ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1-2 tsp cinnamon, optional

1-2 tbsp oil

¼ cup rice milk (or regular milk)

¼-½ cup chocolate pieces

½ cup cherries

 

Instructions:

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water and set aside for about 15 minutes until frothy.

2. Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the yeast and the wet ingredients. Knead well for 5-10 minutes.

3. Add the chocolate pieces. Wash and de-stone the cherries and fold them in.

4. Leave to rise for an hour.

5. Shape into a loaf or small rolls and leave to rise another 30-60 minutes.

6. Bake at 180 C for 20-40 minutes, or until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.

 

Gooey Vegan Brownies

When I was on leave from work, enjoying a “staycation”, I had a craving for gooey brownies. So this is what I came up with.

 

If you bake this recipe in a fairly small tin, it will puff up like a soufflé. If you bake it in a wider, shallower tin, you’ll end up with brownies.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

¾ cup sugar (more if you like it sweet)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup rice milk (or water or coffee)

½ cup oil (I used rapeseed for a slightly nutty flavour)

¼-½ cup chocolate chips, optional

¼-½ cup nuts, optional

 

Instructions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together.

2. Mix the wet ingredients together and add to the dry mixture. Blend thoroughly.

3. Add the chocolate chips and/or nuts, if using.

4. Bake at 175 C for 15-25 minutes, depending on whether you prefer them more on the gooey side or more on the cakey side.