Rhubarb and Strawberry Muffins

Makes 12

2 Cups SR Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Egg Re Placer
Pinch Salt
1 Tbs Vanilla Essence
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Apple Sauce
1/4 Cup Water
1 Cup Stewed Rhubarb
1 Cup Hulled 1/4 Strawberries

Strawberry Jam (optional)

Preheat oven 180 or 160  Fan Forced 

Mix dry ingredients together and in separate bowl mix wet ingredients together except fruit then combine well.

Once combined gently stir fruit then evenly spoon mixture into lined muffin tray, and spoon a small blob of jam on each muffin top.

Bake for 25 mins or until skewer comes out clean.

Roast Vegetable Tofu Stack

Serves  4

300g Firm Tofu
1 Zucchini
1 Red Pepper
1 Sweet Potato
2 Roma Tomatoes
Garlic Salt
Mixed Herbs
1/2 Cup Passata (tomato puree)
4 Cubes Pesto (see one of my pesto recipes)

Preheat Oven 180 or 160 fan forced

Peel sweet potato and chop into matchbox size cubes, red pepper into quarters, tomatoes and zucchini length ways into four even slices, place all veg on a tray lined with baking paper and sprinkle mixed herbs and garlic salt to taste. Place in oven and roast for 20-25 Min's or until sweet pots are soft.

Place tofu in a steamer and steam for 5-8 Min's.

Heat Passata up in microwave or saucepan.

Once tofu and veg are ready slice block of tofu into two then slice both halves into 4 slices. Peel skin off red pepper and slice.  Lay one piece of tofu on a plate then spread pesto and a little passata, lay potato down then tomato and so on until you have one little neat stack you may need to slice the veg to make it neat depends on the size of your veg. Then do the same for the other three stacks.

Try and keep veg that your not using in the turned off oven because it tends to cool quickly also the tofu keep what not using in the in the steamer until needed, Serve on a bed of cous cous or brown rice

Satyananda Yoga

Last night was my second time at Satyananda Yoga, I have never done Yoga before but was really excited to go for my second lesson. Satyananda Yoga originated from India 5000 years ago, like most sorts of Yoga it's an ancient philosophy and science of the mind and body, Wow I have never been good at meditating and being able to switch off but Jill my teacher has the most calming, relaxing voice, I'm still not great at it but I'll get there as I'm told you have to learn the art of meditating. The Physical side of it was actually quite strenuous even though I'm quite fit and exercise 5 times a week it also showed me I'm really not flexible either so will definitely sort me out in that department. I got home at about 9pm last night from the class, normally I'm a terrible sleeper but last night I slept so sound, all I can say is I can't wait for my lesson next week and would recommend it to anyone, roll on Monday x

Broccoli and Corriander Pesto

I love Pesto and I was reading one of my favorite vegan blogs www.fatfreevegan.com and was inspired to find ideas for pesto's that have no oil in them and I remembered an Italian friend of my mums uses alot of broccoli in his pasta, obviously he has parmasan and EVOO in it but I thought I'd give it a go making a fat and dairy free pesto and to be honest it turned out really yum and kept it's lovely green colour without adding lemon to it. I mixed mine in with wholemeal pasta and king prawns it was fab, It made about 2 Cups so as I always do I put the rest into ice cube trays and froze it for easy meals when I can't be bothered to cook.

1 Medium Head of Broccoli
2 Loose Packed Cups of Corriander
1/2 Cup Pine Nuts
2 Cloves of Garlic (crushed)

Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. How easy and healthy is that.

Muesli Biscuits

These Biscuits are great to make with the kids my 3 year old J loves helping me cook and espeically loved getting his hands dirty rolling these into balls.
They are really sweet so cut back on the sugar if you aren't much of a sweet tooth and make sure you let them cool completely before eating, they taste much nicer once cooled.

*1/2 Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
*1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
*1/2 Cup Honey
*1/2 Cup Rolled Oats
*1/2 Cup Pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
*11/4 Cup Rice Bubbles
*1/2 Cup Sultanas
*1 Cup S R Flour

Place pepitas,oats,rice bubbles,sultanas and flour into mixing bowl.

Place apple sauce, honey and brown sugar in a saucepan and gently heat until runny.

Pour honey mixture into dry mixture and stir until well combined.

Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place about 5cm apart on tray lined with baking paper.

Cook in a moderate oven (180) for about 15mins, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on baking tray.

These biscuits are a great alternative to muesli bars and are perfect foe lunch boxes or as an afternoon snack.
Any dried fruit can be used - try dried apricots, sweetened dried cranberries or dried mixed fruit.

Weekly Skinny Jeans Tip

Hi Everyone, so I was having a word to a good friend of mine who is a marketing guru about how to get more people interested in my blog and the first thing she suggested was getting a bit of structure into my Blog, So I thought as it's a Monday and most people including myself tend to overindulge on the weekend and the fact my skinny jeans are feeling rather snug right now that as of today every Monday I'm going to post a skinny tip of the week and hopefully it will keep us all motivated for the week.

Skinny Jeans Tip of the week - Drink Two liters of water everyday, not only does it help flush the toxins out of the body it's great for the skin and helps us to not pick at food, a lot of the time we aren't hungry we are actually thirsty so have some water first wait 10 Min's and if your still hungry then eat a piece of fruit.

I will also be posting some recipes today. Have a great week, keep focused and drink your two liters everyday you'll feel better for it.  

Flat Mushrooms Stuffed with Pesto Mash

*4 Large Flat Mushrooms
*1/2 Red Onion Diced
*6 Medium Potatoes Peeled
*1 Tbs Soy Milk
*1 Tbs Water
*4 Cubes of Pesto (see walnut pesto recipe)
*1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs

First take 4 pesto cubes out of the freezer, and leave to defrost.

Boil 6 potatoes until soft, chop the stems of the mushrooms and dice, in a fry pan use the water to fry  the red onion and mushroom stems until soft.

In another bowl mash potatoes, then mix in soy milk, pesto, cooked onion and mushroom stems.

Evenly spoon the mash mixture into each mushroom cup then cover with bread crumbs.

Bake on a oven tray lined with baking paper at 180 or 160 fan forced for 20- 25 minutes or until mushrooms are soft.

Serve with your favorite veg or salad.

Walnut Pesto

Pesto is great to keep in the freezer for a quick meal with pasta. I always make a batch then put it into a ice cube tray so I can just pop a couple of cubes out if I can't be bothered to cook and there is so many different types of pesto you can make.

1 Cup Firmly Packed Basil Leaves
1/3 Cup Toasted Walnuts
1 Garlic Clove, Crushed
2 Tbs Lemon Juice
2 Tsp EVOO
1 Tbs Boiling Water

Place Basil Leaves, Walnuts and Garlic in food processor and blend, then while processing slowly add Oil, Water and Lemon Juice until Smooth.

Place in a Ice Cube tray and freeze use when needed.

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Lasagna

Red Sauce
*400g Sweet Potato, Peeled and Chopped
*1/2 Red Capsicum
*1  Brown Onion
*2 Cloves Garlic
*1 Tbsp Water
*1 1/2 Cups Red Lentils, Rinsed and Drained
*2 x 400g Tins Crushed Tomato
*2 Cups Vegetable Stock
*1 Handful Fresh Torn Basil

White Sauce
* 1 Whole Cauliflower
* 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
* 1/4 Cup Light Soy Milk

*1 Box of Dried Wholemeal Lasagna Sheets

Preheat oven to 200 or 180 fan forced. Place sweet potato on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 15-20 min or until tender

Meanwhile chop Cauliflower into pieces and steam.

In another saucepan place chopped onion, chopped capsicum and garlic with the Tbsp of water and fry for around 5 mins until onion is clear. Add Lentils and cook for 30 secs. Add tomatoes and stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 mins or until lentils are tender. Add sweet potato to lentil mixture.

Once cauliflower is soft puree with hand held blender or food processor then add soy milk and nutmeg puree again until it resembles a cheese sauce.

Reduce oven to 180 or 160 fan forced. Spray large oven proof dish with a little EVOO spray and lay lasagna sheets down then red sauce then white sauce then another lasagna layer and keep going until you have reached the top. Sprinkle with ground black pepper and cook for 40-45 mins. Serve with nice crusty bread and salad.

Chickpea Burger with Zucchini Fries

Chickpea Burger

*410g Can Chickpeas, Drained and Rinsed

*410g Can Red Kidney Beans, Drained and Rinsed

*1 Carrot, Trimmed, Peeled and Grated

*1 Small Onion

*50g Pepitas or Sunflower Seeds

*2 Tbsp Tahini, Drained of any oil before measuring

*1 Garlic Clove, Peeled and Chopped

*1 Handful of Chopped Coriander

*1 Tbsp Vegetable Stock

Preheat oven to 180 or 160 fan forced and line tray with baking paper.

Place all ingredients in a food processor or with a hand-held blender and blend until all ingredients are well blended together.

Wet your hands and roll into burger size balls then place on tray and press down slightly with the back of a spoon to flatten.

Bake for 15-18 mins or until golden, take out of oven and alow to rest.

Use Wholemeal or Multi-Grain burger bun adding, lettuce,beetroot,avocado,grated carrot,red onion, tomato, or any salads you want.

Zucchini Fries

Slice zucchini into chip like strips,  coat with 1 egg replacer and then roll in bread crumbs.

Place them on a tray lined with baking paper and bake at 180 for 20-25 mins until they are soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside.

They are really nice with sweet chilli sauce.

ENJOY  

chickpea patties are based on Dr Jillian Mc Keiths recipe.

Nori Crisps

These are really easy and yum if you are a sushi lover.

6-8 sheets of Nori Paper
Cut into what ever size you like, place on tray lined with baking paper and bake at 160 for about 10 mins at or until the crisps are crunchy, just watch you don't burn them.

Soy Toasted Seeds

These are a great snack or can be used on top of salads to give them some crunch.

2tbs Soy Sauce
1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds
1/4 Cup Pepitas

Dry fry the seeds in a sauce pan until slightly golden, add soy sauce and stir once the soy has soaked up they are done.

Any seeds you fancy can be used. They keep for along time in a airtight container, store in your pantry

Warm Chocolate Sponge with a Hazelnut and Chocolate Sauce

Even though there is no added fat, there is sugar and nuts so don't indulge to much this is a once and a while treat.

Chocolate Sponge

5 Egg Replacer (i use no egg)
Pinch Salt
1 Cup Caster Sugar
3/4 Cup S R Flour
1/2 Cup Cornflour
1/4 Cup Cocoa

Preheat Oven to 180 or 160 fan forced. Line Cake tin with Baking paper.

Using electric beaters, Beat egg replacer at high speed with pinch of salt, gradually adding sugar over a couple of minutes . Continue beating for about 10 minutes. Gently fold in the combined sifted flours and cocoa with a large metal spoon being careful not to knock the air out of the egg replacer mixture.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer comes out clean.


Hazelnut and Chocolate Sauce


1/2 Cup (130g) Natural Hazelnut Butter *
1/3 Cup (40g) Cocoa
1/2 Cup (120ml) Soy Milk
2 1/2 (250g) Icing Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt


Cream together the hazelnut butter and cocoa. Add the milk, and beat until well mixed. Add the sifted sugar and salt. If you find the sauce not runny enough add more milk and stir.

Serve with a scoop of soy vanilla ice cream.

* I used Melrose Hazelnut Butter from a health food shop or you could use any kind of natural nut butter.

Mushroom Barley Risotto

Serves 4

*4 tbs Water (for frying)
*1 Large Red Onion
*2 Cloves of Garlic
*150 g of Barley Rinsed and Drained
*3 tsp or 3 cubes of Vegetable Stock
*200 g of Mushrooms (what ever type you like)
*2 tbs Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley


Heat pan with two tablespoon of water. Add the onion and garlic and cook over a low heat until soft but not coloured.

Stir in barley, add 1.5 litres of cold water and the stock.Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and allow to simmer until the barley is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.

Heat the remaining water in a small pan and cook the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes. Stir into the risotto with the freshly chopped parsley and serve.

Chocolate Pudding

1 Box Silken (firm) Tofu
1/4 Cup Coco
1/4 Sugar
Pinch Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Essence


Put all ingredients into a food processor and mix well, then place in fridge to set.
Garnish with your choice of berries.

Applesauce Muffins

1 Cup Wholemeal Flour

1 Cup Unbleached White Flour

1 tbs Baking Powder

Pinch Salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2/3 Cup Sugar

1 Egg Replacer

3/4 Cup Soy Milk (pref low fat)

1 Cup Apple Sauce

1/2 Raisins (optional)

Preheat Oven to 180 or 160 fan forced.

Mix the the dry ingredients together and then add all the wet ones mixing well, if using raisins fold them in and then pour mixture evenly into lined muffin tray.

Bake for around 2o mins or until muffins spring back. Makes a dozen.

- this recipe was from fatfree vegan.

Date and Walnut Cake

1 1/2 Cups SR Flour

3/4 tsp Baking Powder

3/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 Egg Replacer

1/2 Cup Sugar

Pinch Salt

1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts

1 1/2 Cups Soaked Dates

1 Cup Black Coffee

Firstly soak dates in water over night.

Preheat oven at 180 or 160 fan forced

Mix all dry ingredients together, then stir in walnuts, cooled down coffee and dates.

Pour into a loaf tin lined with baking paper and bake for around about 50-55 mins or until skewer comes out clean.

This is a really moist, yummy cake.

Sponge Cake

I have to say this sponge is so easy and yum.

Egg Replacer equivlant to 5 eggs *

Pinch Salt

1 Cup Caster Sugar

3/4 Cup Self Raising Flour

1/2 Cup Corn Flour

1/2 cup Strawberry Jam

Preheat oven to 180 or 160 fan forced. Line two 221/2 cm cake tines with baking paper.

Using electric beaters, beat egg replacer at high speed with pinch of salt, gradually adding sugar over a few minutes. Continue beating for about 10 mins, until mixture is fluffy and has increased in volume. Gently fold in the combined flours with a large metal spoon, being very careful not to knock the air out of the egg replacer mixture.

Pour in to prepared tins. Place both tins in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until they have risen, and turned golden.

Cool completely on a cooling rack and then spread the Jam on one of the cakes and then stack.

* I use Organs No Egg, egg replacer found in the health food section of most super markets .