Tag: veganuary

Coconut yogi overnight oats

I love the new coconut yoghurts but find some of the brands too thick to eat very much of in one go! (Oh and the calories count is quite high).  So for this recipe I thinned out the yoghurt with some plant based milk to make some overnight oats.  This makes a lovely creamy and surprisingly filling (as it’s a small portion) brekkie.

Coconut Yogi overnight oats

  • 2 tablespoons thick coconut yoghurt (i.e. Coyo)
  • 4 tablespoons plant based milk (oat, almond, soya…)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons oats
  • 1 teaspoon peanut butter (a nice runny one such as Pip and Nut is good)

Mix everything together and put in the fridge overnight.  I leave the peanut butter out at this stage and add it in just before eating.  This keeps the peanut butter on the runny side as it hasn’t been absorbed, so it adds a bit of extra moisture and softness.

Lovely with bananas or berries and some extra cinnamon sprinkled on top to make it look pretty.

coconut yogi overnight oats

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Cherry Nut Tofu

So the end of Veganuary and I’m sure some of you will have been introduced to the wonder that is Tofu.  I love tofu it’s so versatile and I love the creamy silken tofu that helps to create some wonderful sweet things. This breakfast tofu bowl is delicious and to be honest is probably better suited to a summers morning than a dreary winters one, but I forgot for a moment it was cold outside as I tucked into this creamy cold delight.

Cherry Nut Tofu (makes two portions)

cherry-nut-tofu

  • 300g silken tofu
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 80g frozen cherries
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 25g shelled pistachios (crushed)
  • 25g almonds (crushed)
  • 50g dried cranberries

Blend the tofu and the banana. Once blended add the cherries and vanilla essence and blend again.  Put the mixture into a bowl and add the cranberries and nuts. Save a few nuts to sprinkle on top.

Just as delish the following day straight from the fridge.

 

Freekeh Orange Spice

I haven’t eaten Freekeh for a while and had forgotten how good it is for breakfast – a great source of protein to start the day.  I’ve been trying to eat more oranges too – with all the winter colds around I feel the urge for lots of vitamin C.

I made this the night before because I like the chia seeds to soak up the juice and flavours – but if you wanted to eat it immediately then it will just be a little wetter in texture.  You can eat this hot or cold, I do prefer it hot so I give it a quick blast in the microwave.  It also tastes great with cashew cream (see the maple apples for the recipe) and with some extra orange slices.

Freekeh Orange Spice (makes two portions)

freekeh-orange-spice

  • 50g Freekeh (dry weight)
  • 2 oranges – plus the zest of one of them (plus another orange each to serve if you wanted more orange!)
  • 7 dates (small ones – if you used the medjool dates then use 3-4)
  • 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Method

  • Cook the Freekeh – (rinse well and bring to the boil, simmer for 15 – 20 mins until tender, then drain)
  • Peel and chop one of the oranges, and put into a blender with the brown rice syrup and 5 dates. Blend well.
  • Put the Freekeh in a bowl and add the blended mixture.
  • Then add the orange zest, the other orange (peeled and cut into small cubes), 2 dates (chopped) the spices and the chia seeds.
  • Either leave overnight and reheat – or eat immediately.

 

 

Maple Apples with Cashew cream

This definitely brightened up a dull Monday and was really filling too.  It’s based on an original recipe from Dishing up the Dirt (who do some fantastic stuff – worth checking them out on Facebook).  I love hot apples in winter – I like using normal dessert apples rather than cooking apples for this dish, as I find the dessert ones hold their shape rather than going to mush (although I do like mush too!).

You can make the cashew cream in advance and then just fry up the apples in the morning.

Maple Apples with Cashew cream

maple-apple-and-cashew

Cashew Cream (enough for 2-3 portions)

  • Soak 100g cashews in water for at least 30mins ( I soaked mine overnight)
  • 50ml almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Drain the cashews and blend with the other ingredients to form a thick cream. Keep in the fridge.  This makes enough for 2 – 3 portions.

Maple Apple (serves one)

  • 1 dessert apple – keep the skin on and cut into chunks
  • 1 teaspoon walnut oil (or coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 20g walnuts – broken up
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds
  • sprinkle of cinnamon
  • Small grating of nutmeg

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the apple.  Cook for 5 minutes – the apple will be tender.

Add the walnuts, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg – toss well and cook for a further 2 minutes.  Keep tossing the pan to get everything nicely coated.

Serve warm with the cashew cream

 

 

Fig & Cacao Granola with Banana & Coconut cream

I think these two complement each other really well – the creaminess of the banana and the hint of cacao in the granola match perfectly.  Of course I’ve also been eating the granola on it’s own straight from the jar and I may have sprinkled it on coconut ice cream last night.

Fig & Cacao Granola

fig-granola

  • 100g dried figs (cut into quarters – nice big chunks)
  • 50g Macadamia nuts – cut in half
  • 100g oats
  • 1 tablespoon raw cacao nibs
  • 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cacao powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 30g goji berries

Method

  • Put the figs, oats, nuts, sugar, cacao nibs, powder and cardamom in a bowl. Mix the rapeseed oil with the maple syrup and pour onto the dry ingredients and mix well.
  • Lay the mixture on a baking sheet and cook for 12 minutes – 400f/200c/Gas 6.
  • After 12 minutes – add the goji berries and cook for a further 3 minutes.
  • Take out of the oven to cool and clump.

Banana and coconut cream

  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 fresh banana
  • 2 tablespoons coconut yoghurt
  • 2 tablespoons almond milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Blend all the above together.  Lovely served with the granola.

granola-with-banana-cream

Cherry Oat Bake

In support of Veganuary all the brekkie recipes this month will be vegan.  To kick start here is a lovely baked oats recipe ideal for this frosty cold weather.  This is quick to make – you can mix it up the day before and cook it in the morning, or even cook it the day before and re-heat it.

I always have a bag of frozen cherries in the freezer, I love them. They defrost quickly and take on a softer texture that works really well in this recipe.  You can also microwave (or heat in a pan) a few extra to drizzle over the top before eating.

If you don’t have mini cake tins then just use any oven proof bowls and eat it straight from the bowl!

Cherry Oat Bake (makes two)

  • 120g oats
  • 130g frozen cherries (defrosted) – keep the juice, no need to drain
  • 150ml coconut milk
  • 25g melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons coconut palm sugar
  • A few flaked almonds for the topping

To serve – lovely with some warmed cherries and maple syrup. cherry-oat-bake

  • Grease a couple of mini cake tins (11cm/4.5″) with a little bit of coconut oil.
  • Warm the oven to 200c/400f/Gas 6
  • Mix all the ingredients together (apart from the flaked almonds).  Pour into the cake tins. Top with the flaked almonds.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Leave to cool for 5 minutes before taking them out of the tins.
  • Drizzle with maple syrup and extra cherries to serve.