10-Minute Tortilla Chips and Guacamole

Sometimes, an evening calls for warm, crispy tortilla chips and chunky, creamy guacamole. Once you try these incredibly easy homemade tortilla chips, you'll never buy the packet ones again! This is a true guilt-free snack (perfect for a TV night). 

Guacamole is one of the easiest dips to make, it doesn't even require a blender. Due to the creamy texture of avocados, this dip is naturally vegan, without the use of any non-dairy alternatives. Simply add more or less chilli to taste. Go crazy with lime juice and coriander to balance the creamy flavour with a fresh tang. 

Serves 2 

Ingredients 

For the tortilla chips: 

3 large tortilla wraps (the type you use to wrap fajitas), cut roughly into small triangles  

1 tbsp sunflower oil 

Pinch sea salt 

For the chunky guacamole: 

2 ripe avocados, peeled and stone removed 

1 spring onion, chopped finely 

1/2 red chilli, seeds removed and chopped finely 

10g fresh coriander, chopped 

3 ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped 

Juice of 1/2 unwaxed lime 

Generous pinch of sea salt 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/ Gas mark 4 

2. Place the tortilla wrap triangles on a baking tray and use a pastry brush to coat both sides of the triangles with a little sunflower oil. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until just crisp and brown (watch them carefully towards the end of baking, they go from ready to burnt quickly!). 

3. Whilst the tortilla chips are baking, make the guacamole. Mash the avocados roughly in a medium bowl, leaving some chunks remaining. Stir through the chilli, tomatoes and coriander. Squeeze in the lime juice, sprinkle with sea salt and stir to combine. 

4. Remove the tortilla chips from the oven and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately with a generous portion of guacamole. 

Enjoy!

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Ombre Vanilla Dream Cake with strawberry balsamic jam

I've spent years trying to bake the perfect vegan vanilla sponge cake. A classic cake that is light and airy, with a delicate sweet flavour. You'll find all of the ingredients in your store cupboard- not an egg-replacer in sight! This is my go-to recipe that never fails.... and looks fantastic with some special decoration.

     

The delicate flavour of the sponge allows for the showcase of a beautiful jam layer. This 'cheats' homemade jam is simple to make. The exciting combination of strawberry and balsamic vinegar is a flavour match made in heaven. Balsamic vinegar makes the flavour of strawberries pop; if you've never tried it you're in for a wonderful surprise. 

When you've baked the perfect vanilla sponge and sandwiched it with lashings of strawberry balsamic jam, the only thing left is to turn it into a showstopper. This delicate ombre rose buttercream icing looks difficult, but it is a really simple technique that will have people believing that you're a pro! 

Pour yourself a cup of tea and cut a slice of this cake. Then sit back and smile as you hear the phrase  'I can't believe it's vegan'. Everyone needs a sweet treat now and again. 

Makes 1 medium cake 

Ingredients 

For the vanilla sponge cake: 

400g self-raising flour 

2 tsp baking powder 

200g granulated sugar 

400ml non-dairy milk (I used soya milk) 

110ml sunflower oil 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

For the strawberry balsamic jam: 

200g strawberry jam

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

4 large ripe strawberries, chopped 

For the ombre rose buttercream: 

4 tbsp non-dairy margarine (I used Vitalite) 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 tsp non-dairy milk 

250g icing sugar 

1/4 tsp pink gel food colouring (I used Sugarflair- all vegan food colours) or if you avoid artificial food colours, use blended sieved strawberries for a more subtle colour. 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/ Gas Mark 4.

2. To make the sponge cake, sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and  stir through the sugar. Pour in the soya milk, sunflower oil and vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix as this will affect the finished texture. Pour into greased 6 inch baking tins and bake in the oven for 22-24 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool fully before removing from the tins.

3. For the strawberry balsamic jam, heat the jam, balsamic vinegar and chopped strawberries in a pan, bring to the boil over a medium heat, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes until slightly thickened. Set aside and allow to cool. 

4. To prepare the buttercream, mix the Vitalite, vanilla extract and soya milk in a bowl. Gradually add the icing sugar until a thick mixture is formed. Using a mixer, whisk the buttercream for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Save the pink colouring for when you are about to decorate. 

To decorate the cake: 

1. Smother one half of the sponge cake with the strawberry balsamic jam and place the other half of the sponge cake on top. 

2. Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of the buttercream all over the cake. 

3. -Add a 'closed star' shape icing tip (I used Wilton 2D) to a piping bag. 

-Add a third of the buttercream to the bag. 

-Practice the rose shape on a chopping board: starting in the middle make a tight swirl in a clockwise direction. Then make the swirl slightly larger and work outwards until you have the desired shape. Apply the same pressure on the piping bag to ensure perfect rose shapes.

-When you are confident, decorate the outer, upper layer of the cake with white roses. Return to the bowl of buttercream and add a drop of food colouring and stir to combine fully. Fill the piping bag with the light pink buttercream and repeat the roses on the upper inner layer and outer side of the cake. Return to the buttercream and add another drop of pink colouring to darken the colour, fill the piping bag and repeat the roses in the centre of the upper cake and lower outer side of the cake. 

This cake is a special entry for the PETA's Great Vegan Bake Off. Why not enter your favourite vegan bake and share yummy recipes! 

Enjoy! 

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Pea and Courgette Fritters with Smokey Tomato Chutney

It's that time of the week again; I look inside my fridge and there's very little left! So I rustled up some store cupboard ingredients and grated a lonely looking courgette to create these scrummy pea and courgette fritters. 

Within ten minutes, you can also create a smokey, fiery pan-chutney with juicy ripe tomatoes, flavoursome harissa, Worcester sauce and fresh parsley. 

The perfect little mid-week recipe that all the family will love. 

Serves 4 

Ingredients

For the fritters:

6 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying 

120g plain flour 

2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp dried mixed herbs 

1/2 tsp salt 

1 small courgette, grated 

4 tbsp frozen peas, defrosted (leave to stand or soak in boiling water) 

100ml cold water 

For the smokey tomato chutney: 

8 medium sized ripe tomatoes, chopped into quarters 

1 tsp harissa 

4-5 drops Worcester sauce (ensure vegan, some contain anchovies, I used Biona) 

Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely 

Method

1. Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat 

2. In a bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, herbs and salt. Stir in the grated courgette and peas until coated in the flour mixture. Pour in the water and stir to create a smooth paste. 

3. Add tablespoon sized amounts of the mixture into the pan for each fritter. Cook on each size for 2-3 minutes until golden and drain on kitchen paper.  

4. To make the chutney, add the tomatoes, harissa and Worcester sauce to a pan and simmer over a low-medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. Stir through the parsley and serve with the fritters. 

Enjoy! 

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Roasted Butternut Soup with Parsley Pesto

I love butternut squash; in risotto, pasta and especially soup. It roasts beautifully and blends like a dream to create a silken soup that is perfect for the summer-to-autumn transitional season. 

This dish is so easy to make, you don't even have to peel and chop the butternut squash- simply bake it whole in it's skin and your knife will sail through it ready for blending. Combine with thyme-roasted sweet potatoes, garlic and onion and top with a fresh parsley, lemon and tomato pesto. 

A deliciously indulgent and nourishing soup, best served with chunky bread.

 Serves 6 generous bowls 

Ingredients 
For the soup: 
1 medium butternut squash, scrubbed clean 
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped 
1 onion, quartered 
1 celery stick, chopped 
3 cloves of garlic 
1 tsp dried chopped thyme 
1 tbsp olive oil
1 litre hot vegetable stock 
Generous pinch of salt and black pepper 

For the parsley pesto: 
30g fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped finely  
2 ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped finely 
Juice of 1/2 lemon 
Pinch sea salt 

Method 
For the soup: 
1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C/ Gas mark 5
2. Pierce the butternut squash and cook whole in the oven for 40 minutes until softened. Arrange the sweet potatoes, onion, celery, garlic, thyme and olive oil on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until softened and slightly browned. 
3. Remove the roast vegetables and butternut squash from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Slice the softened butternut squash (no need to remove the skin) and add the chunks and the roasted vegetables into a high powered blender. Pour in the vegetable stock and blend on high until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

For the parsley pesto: 
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir. Drizzle over the soup.   

Enjoy! 

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Sweet Potato and Red Bean Hash with smokey peppers and red onions

It's grey, windy and cold. Hello British Summertime! All I want to do is snuggle up with some serious comfort food; this dish certainly delivers and give flavours of the summer were longing for. 

Soft sweet potatoes and tasty red kidney beans are baked with lime juice, topped with a caramalised and crisp layer of red onions and mixed peppers, flavoured with a gentle hint of chilli and smoked paprika for a taste of late summer. Do try and use smoked paprika as it gives a wonderful woody depth to the hash.

Best served in bowls with avocado slices and dreams of sunshine. 

Serves 4 

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 red onion, sliced into rings 

1 red pepper, chopped 

1 green pepper, chopped 

1 yellow pepper, chopped 

1 rounded tsp chilli powder 

1 tsp smoked paprika 

5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into even cubes 

4 tbsp canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 

Juice of 1 lime 

Method 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C/ Gas Mark 5 

2. In a frying pan, heat the oil, red onion and peppers until softened for 3-4 minutes Sprinkle over the chilli powder and smoked paprika and brown for a further 3-4 minutes stirring often. 

3. Arrange the sweet potatoes and kidney beans in an oven-proof dish. Squeeze half of the lime over the sweet potatoes and reserve the other half for later. Spoon over the browned onion and pepper mix and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes. 

4. Remove from the oven and squeeze over the remaining lime juice. 

Enjoy! 

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Coconut and Lime Truffles

I am delighted to be a part of the Suma Blogger's Network, creating a monthly recipe from a selection of their wide range of products. Suma is the UK's largest independent wholefood retailer, priding themselves upon their co-operative business approach and ethical buying. 

I've been trying to create a selection of home made truffles for a while now, but creating that melt-in-the-mouth ganache has proved difficult- until I had the idea of using coconut oil in place of the traditional dairy cream. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature and melts at a gentle heat. For this recipe I used Biona coconut oil. 

The flavours of chocolate and lime remind me of the boiled sweeties from my childhood- teamed with a gentle background of coconut and grown up cocoa and you have the perfect truffle. 

No one will ever guess these are vegan...

Makes approximately 12 truffles 

Ingredients
For the truffle ganache: 
100g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces  
1 rounded tbsp coconut oil 
2 tbsp soya milk 
Zest of 1 unwaxed lime 

For the dustings: 
1 tbsp desiccated coconut 
1 tbsp cocoa 

Method
1. In a pan, heat the chocolate and coconut oil over a low heat until melted; stirring often. Stir in the soya milk and lime zest until combined. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or over night. 
2. Remove from the fridge and leave the bowl at room temperature for 30 minutes. In the meantime, place the desiccated coconut and cocoa into separate bowls. Use a teaspoon to scoop out equal portions of the ganache and use your hands to shape into balls. Warm slightly in your hands and roll into either coconut or cocoa. 
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before enjoying! 

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Chocolate Blackcurrant Pots

If you love silky smooth, chocolaty desserts- you'll love this. It's perfect for dinner parties, as a 'I can't believe that's vegan' end to the meal. 

I bought some plump British blackcurrants this week so decided to use them in this recipe. The tart flavour of the fruit works perfectly alongside the creamy, set chocolate, with delicious bursts of juicy seasonal blackcurrants. 

Impress your guests (and yourself) with this simple five ingredient dessert.

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

100g gelatine-free marshmallows (I used Freedom Mallows from Holland and Barrett), halved 

100g blackcurrants 

100g dark chocolate 

200ml soya milk 

4 tsp soya plain soya yoghurt 

Method 

1. In a pan, over a low heat, melt the marshmallows, blackcurrants and chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and use a small beater to break up the heated marshmallows (this may take a couple of minutes). Pour in the soya milk and whisk until fully combined. 

2. Pour into ramekins or small cups and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. 

3. Top with a touch soya yoghurt and a blackcurrant to garnish, just before serving 

Enjoy! 

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Mushroom and Thyme Cannelloni

As I've mentioned before, at the beginning of each month I like to have a supermarket delivery to save me carrying heavy items up to the apartment. I noticed a couple of Morrisons' home delivery vans driving around the area; which is a new service, so I thought I'd order from Morrisons online.  

There's lots of fresh produce to choose from and probably one of the best organic selections I've seen during an online supermarket shop. It is also great value too. 

During my 'big shop' at the beginning of each month, I stock up on items like pasta, wine and soya milk, which inspired tonight's dinner of Mushroom and Thyme Cannelloni.  It's lovely to receive these items to my door, by a friendly driver's face and I can save my energy for creating some new recipes! And I'm delighted to say that everything I ordered was delicious and inspiring...

This dish combines plump and earthy mushrooms with onions, garlic and spinach in a creamy white wine and thyme sauce, baked in cannelloni pasta before being topped with chopped, mixed seasonal tomatoes. Serve with a peppery rocket and walnut salad. 

Serves 4 

Ingredients 
1 tbsp olive oil 
1 onion, chopped finely 
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
300g mixed mushrooms (I used button and chestnut), chopped finely 
2 handfuls spinach leaves 
20g fresh thyme, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried chopped thyme) 
Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped 
1 tbsp soy sauce 
50ml dry white white (ensure vegan-friendly) 
200ml unsweetened soya milk 
Generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper 
3-4 mixed tomatoes (red, yellow, green if available), chopped and seeds discarded 

12-16 dried cannelloni tubes (or enough to fill a dish), egg-free 

Method 
1. Pre- heat the oven to 160C/ Gas mark 3 
2. In a pan, heat the olive oil and onion until softened but not browned. Stir through the garlic and mushrooms and sautee for 3-4 minutes, 
3. Add the spinach leaves, thyme, soy sauce and white wine and cook down for 2-3 minutes until the spinach has just willted. Pour in the soya milk and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Season with salt and pepper. 
3. Use a teaspoon to fill the cannelloni tubes and arrange into an oven proof dish (you may wish to allow the mixture to cool a little first), reserving some of the creamy liquid. When the pasta tubes are arranged, spoon over the liquid on top of the pasta. 
4. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the pasta is softened. Sprinkle over the mixed tomatoes just before serving. 

Enjoy! 

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