Author: Sharon

Vegan Lemon Berry Crumble Bar

Lemon Berry Crumble Slice (Dairy-free / Egg-free / Vegan)

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In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for a delicious baked treat – Lemon Berry Crumble Slices. These slices consist of a fluffy lemon sponge, studded with juicy berries and topped with crumble. They use basic pantry ingredients and are simple to make, yet they’re bound to impress your family and friends!

Vegan Lemon Berry Crumble Bar

Vegan Lemon Berry Crumble Bar

The August edition of the Vegan Life magazine landed on my doorstep just before we set off on our family summer vacation, so I tucked it into my luggage and looked forward to reading it when we arrived in the Dordogne.

Vegan Life magazine

One of the first articles that caught my eye was an interview with Mellissa Morgan (aka Ms Cupcake). Canadian born, Mellissa now lives in London and runs the infamous Ms Cupcake bakery in Brixton. I love Mellissa’s kooky, fun style and vivacious character. Whenever I see photos of her (especially in those wacky cupcake hats!), they always bring a smile to my face.

Vegan Life Issue 29

Along with the interview, Mellissa also shares her Signature Dish… the Lemon Blackberry Square. It sounded delicious and, since I’d never tried a crumble-topped sponge before,  I was intrigued to find out how it would taste. I bookmarked the page and when we arrived back in England, I headed into the kitchen and got baking.

Vegan Life Ms Cupcake Signature Dish

This cake is baked in a large rectangular pan; what we would call a ‘Traybake’ here in the UK. (I’m not sure if they’re called the same elsewhere).  I love traybakes as they’re a convenient way to bake a large amount of cake in one go, so perfect for parties, buffets, cake sales, or when you want to stock the freezer with cake ready for friend and family visits.

Vegan Lemon Berry Crumble Bars

I’ve made this traybake twice already this month, and it’s been a huge hit with everyone that’s tried it. The sponge layer is light and fluffy, with a beautiful, zesty lemon flavour. I would never have thought of putting crumble on top of sponge, but it works really well, especially with that layer of juicy berries in-between. The first time I made the cake, I didn’t feel that there was quite enough berries so second time round, I increased the quantities. Also, on Mellissa’s suggestion, I doubled the quantity of crumble. Like her, I’m a crumble-lover, and this was definitely a good move! Below, I share Mellissa’s recipe with my light adaptations.

Vegan Lemon Berry Crumble Bar

Recipe Card

Lemon Berry Crumble Slice (Dairy-free / Egg-free / Vegan)

This recipe has been lightly adapted from Ms Cupcake’s Signature Dish published in Vegan Life magazine Issue 29. It’s a delicious treat, consisting of a zesty lemon sponge studded with juicy summer fruits (berries, cherries, blackcurrants) and topped with crumble. It yields a large quantity of cake, so perfect for parties, buffets, cake sales or when you want to stock your freezer with cake ready for friend and family visits.
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Hands on time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Afternoon Tea, Treat
Servings 20

Ingredients
 

Crumble mix

  • 200 g / 1½ cups plain (all-purpose) or self-raising flour
  • 100 g / ½ cup brown or demerara sugar
  • 100 g / ½ cup dairy-free spread / vegan butter

Cake mix

  • 450 g / 3¼ cups self-raising flour
  • 200 g / 1 cup unrefined sugar (I used golden caster sugar)
  • zest of 2 unwaxed/organic lemons
  • ⅓ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 300 ml / 1¼ cups soya milk
  • 200 ml / 1 cup sunflower oil or other flavourless oil
  • 80 ml / ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 145 g / 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries, blackcurrants and/or cherries. (I used Sainsbury’s Frozen Black Forest Fruits)

Instructions
 

  • Line a 33cm x 23cm (13” x 9”) baking pan with non-stick baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan) / 350F.
  • Make the crumble: In a bowl, mix together the flour and sugar. Rub in the dairy-free spread/vegan butter using your finger tips. Set to one side.
  • In a separate bowl, add the flour, sugar, lemon zest and bicarbonate of soda, and stir through to combine.
  • Add the vanilla extract, soya milk, oil and lemon juice to the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined (but do not over mix). Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin.
  • Slice any large berries into halves or quarters. Distribute the fruit evenly in the pan and lightly press them into the cake batter.
  • Sprinkle the crumble evenly on top.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted through the middle comes out clean.
  • Leave the cake in the tin until completely cool, then slice. I divide mine into 20 slices, measuring 7cm x 6cm.
  • Stored in the refrigerator, the cake will keep for up to 5 days. It also freezes well.
Keyword Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Vegan Baking, Vegan Cake
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Vegan Lemon Berry Crumble Bar

 Big thank you to Ms Cupcake and Vegan Life for sharing this lovely recipe 💜

Happy baking everyone!

With love,

Sharon xx

Yasai Cha Han

Wagamama-Inspired Yasai Cha Han Donburi (Brown Rice Bowl with Stir-Fried Veggies and Tofu)

Published on by Sharon4 Comments

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In early Summer, my family were eagerly anticipating a trip to Wagamamas. On the way there, we psyched each other up, talking about how much we were looking forward to tucking into our favourite Wagamama dish – the Yasai Cha Han Donburi. Upon arrival, the waiter showed us to our seats and handed us the menu. Our eyes immediately moved to the spot where the dish is usually listed, but it wasn’t there. We scanned both sides of the menu but it was nowhere to be seen. We called over the waiter and he explained that they had a new summer menu. Sadly, the Yasai Cha Han Donburi hadn’t made the cut.

Has that ever happened to you? Where you’re looking forward to tucking into your favourite dish at a restaurant, or you specifically go to that restaurant because you’re craving a dish… only to find that it’s been taken off the menu. It’s happened to my family a few times and it’s always such a bummer.

Stir Fry Veg

Well this time, I decided to look on the bright side. I’d been meaning to try my hand at making the Yasai Cha Han Donburi at home for a while, and now was the perfect opportunity. I could still remember what the bowl tasted like and its main components, so I set to work re-creating it.

One of my favourite parts of the bowl is the flavouring added to the rice, so I really wanted to nail this part. I chose to use two of my favourite pantry staples as the basis of the dressing – Clearspring Organic Tamari Sauce and Meridian Organic Toasted Sesame Oil. The tamari provides the ‘umami’ flavour, while the toasted sesame oil add a touch of smokiness. I then added a tablespoon each of maple syrup and rice vinegar for some ‘sweet ’n’ sour’ flavour, and finished it off with a sprinkling of garlic granules. I was extremely happy with the way the dressing turned out. For me, it’s the perfect compliment to a Japanese-inspired rice bowl.

For this dish, I prefer to use original tofu, which I press for 30 minutes then pan-fry. If you’ve not cooked tofu from scratch before, rest assured that it’s not difficult at all. I’ve given some tips in the recipe below of how I do it.

Pan Fried Tofu

I absolutely adore this rice bowl, and it’s been a huge hit with the rest of the family too. I’ve made it multiple times these past couple of months and we never tire of it. The flavour is as good (if not better, in my humble opinion hehe) than the Wagamama version. It’s far cheaper too!

Recipe Card

Yasai Cha Han

Wagamama-Inspired Yasai Cha Han Donburi (Brown Rice Bowl with Stir-Fried Veggies and Tofu)

This recipe was inspired by Wagamama’s Yasai Cha Han Donburi which, at the time of writing, has sadly been taken off their menu. No matter though, as this version is just as delicious and a fraction of the cost.
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Hands on time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 3

Ingredients
 

  • 1 block firm tofu (about 400g / 14 oz)
  • 300 g / 1½ cups brown rice rinsed and drained
  • 750 ml / 3 cups water
  • ½-1 TBSP toasted sesame oil
  • ¼ tsp garlic granules or garlic powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 175 g / 1 cup sweetcorn (I use canned)
  • 1 sweet romano pepper or red bell pepper
  • handful of sugar snap peas

Dressing

  • 3 TBSP tamari or reduced-salt soy sauce
  • 1 TBSP toasted sesame oil
  • 1 TBSP rice vinegar or substitute with another white vinegar
  • 1 TBSP maple syrup
  • ½ tsp garlic granules or powder
  • Slices of pickled radish for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Press the tofu for 30 minutes (See Note 1).
  • Cook the rice (see Note 2).
  • Prepare the dressing: Place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together with a fork.
  • Once pressed, slice the tofu into eight long rectangles. (I find it far easier and quicker to pan-fry and flip eight pieces of tofu rather than a panful of tofu cubes).
  • Heat ½ TBSP sesame oil in a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, place the tofu in the pan (be careful as the oil may spit). Flip the tofu over, so that both sides are coated in oil. Sprinkle the garlic granules and a pinch of salt over the tofu. Leave to cook until golden brown on the underside, then flip over and cook until browned on the second side. Transfer to a plate and slice into bite-size pieces. Place in a warm oven while you prepare the veggies.
  • Add a splash more oil to the pan, if needed. Add the onion and stir fry on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the sweetcorn and continue stir frying until it just starts to brown. Finally, add the sweet romano (or bell) pepper and sugar snap peas to the pan and stir fry until warmed through. Stir in 1 TBSP of the dressing and set aside.
  • Once the rice is ready, tip into a large bowl. Drizzle in the remaining dressing and stir through until thoroughly coated. Add the veggies and tofu and stir through. Divide between four bowls. Garnish with picked radish (if desired) and serve.
  • Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 24 hours. As with any rice dish, make sure the leftover rice is cooled quickly and refrigerated within an hour.

Notes

Note 1: Pressing tofu: Here’s my preferred way to do it (since I don’t have a tofu press): Slice the block of tofu through the middle into two equal halves. Place the tofu on a rimmed baking tray. Place a chopping board on top of the tofu, followed by a heavy object to weigh it down. The water collects in a pool round the tofu. After 30 minutes, drain off the liquid. Give the tofu a quick pat with kitchen paper to soak up any residual liquid, then it’s good to go.
Note 2: Cooking brown rice: My preferred way to do this is using the absorption method. Here’s how I do it: Place the rinsed rice in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan along with the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to very low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for a further 20 minutes. When air pockets have appeared in the rice, it’s ready. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes, covered with the lid.
Keyword Dairy-Free, Easy Vegan Meals, Rice, Tofu, Vegan Dinners
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Yasai Cha Han Donburi

Big thank you to Suma for supplying me with the gorgeous ingredients for this bowl. It’s hugely appreciated!

Much love,

Sharon xx

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Tignes

Vegan Man in a Van; Mountain Bike Road Trip to Tignes, France

Published on by Sharon5 Comments
Tignes Collage

I’ve been reading Sharon’s Bit of the Good Stuff blog for several years and always enjoyed the practical guidance and recipes that have helped me to follow a plant-based diet. Sharon’s blog is an inspiration, demonstrating that following a vegan diet isn’t difficult and this movement grows, it gets easier and easier to eat in this way. Once you’re in a routine, eating day-to-day is easy. We all have our tried and tested mealtime favourites. We know where we can go for vegan-friendly lunches and snacks.

I’ve found it more challenging when I step outside of this routine, perhaps working away from home or visiting new places. However, with a little extra thought and preparation, it’s not hard to overcome any potential difficulties and continue to eat healthy, plant-based food wherever you are.

Road Trip to Tignes

Last July, I took a road trip to France with a few (non-vegan) friends and below I share a few reflections on what was a fantastic trip. The tips I offer on going on a road trip are perhaps obvious enough but, hopefully, some of these words might show how it is to maintain your plant-based diet, even when you’re the only Vegan in the Van…

Vegan Man in a Van

Tignes
The plan was simple enough; four guys taking shifts to drive a van through the night to arrive in the early hours of Thursday morning and make the most of a long weekend in the mountains. Tignes is in the high alps, located at an altitude of around 2000 metres and nestled between higher peaks that scrape 4000 metres.

Tignes map

Tignes

Aside from the stunning Alpine scenery Tignes has the added attractions of miles and miles of mountain bike specific trails and the FREE use of the chair lifts and gondolas that take you high into the mountains.

MTB Tignes

Tignes

But this post isn’t about mountain bikes! Sharon’s asked me to share my experiences and any tips I have for travelling as a vegan to France. Here goes…

Take Food With You…
OK, obvious enough this one but, if you’re going to be driving for 10 hours, you’re going to need a good supply of snacks to keep you feeling good (and alert if it’s your turn to drive). A little preparation pays dividends here. I made myself some avocado sandwiches; lovely. I recommend sandwich fillings that stick together nicely, don’t spill out down your shirt (or onto the upholstery of your car) and don’t mind getting a little warm if it’s a long journey. Nuts and dried fruit make an ideal snack; easy to pack and they don’t melt when the sun comes out!

Trail Mix

I have found that good vegan energy bars aren’t as easy to get abroad as they are here; those available in supermarkets tended to be very sugary cereal bars. I took Nakd and Trek Bars with me; great for the journey and for stuffing in my backpack on a long ride!

Once you get to your destination, I found it useful to have a few tins of vegan soups and stews as a handy back-up (I took a few from the Amy’s Kitchen range). If you don’t take any provisions with you, it’s not hard to find pasta, tomato sauce and fresh veggies in the local supermarket to make a simple meal. Non-dairy milks are easy to get hold of too, as are oats for breakfast.

And Drinks Too!
More ambitiously (!?) I also took a flask of green smoothie. Throw ice-cubes in the blender to make it nice and cool and keep it fresh for the journey. Talking of drinks, take loads of water. The air-conditioning in cars and planes dries you out pretty quick so keep on drinking. Being properly hydrated also helps to keep you alert. Sometimes it’s not another espresso that you need to revive you, it’s a bottle of water!

Green smoothie

Service Stations
I find motorway service stations something of a nutritional desert, irrespective of whether or not you’re plant-based. Stuffed with high-calorie low-nutritional value food, don’t rely on them as part of your eating plan. For me, service stations are strictly for van fuel, toilets and (in France) excellent for coffee. Even the vending machines do you a proper coffee! Just be sure you’ve got a pocket full of Euro loose change that you can feed the machines with at 3am!

Arrival

It’s 0800hrs, Thursday morning, and our van rolls into Tigne. The side door slides open and we’re greeted by an icy blast of mountain air; it’s around zero degrees and there’s snow in the air. To be honest, this wasn’t quite what we’d imagined for the middle of July! We closed the door and headed off to find our accommodation; a self-catering apartment in the middle of town.

Tignes

Breakfast
Breakfasts were easy; I took oats, nuts, dried fruit and long-life soya milk with me to ensure a reasonable start to the day. Riding bikes in the mountains is hard work, even when you’re headed downhill for most of the day so it’s important to get some decent food in you at the start of the day. By day two of the trip the other guys had ditched the croissants, cheese and ham and were sharing my oat-fuelled breakfasts. They were genuinely interested in what I was eating, and why.

I don’t make porridge as such; I pour soya/almond/rice/whatever plant-based milk onto my oats, let them soak and that’s it. A bit like Sharon’s ‘Overnight Oats’, without the overnight bit… If you’re in a hotel that provides breakfast, you might want to think about bringing your own cereal and soya milk. French hotel breakfast can be a bit cheese, ham and pastry orientated but there’s usually a good trough of fruit that you can get stuck into. And the coffee is good. Be sure to pocket a banana or two for later!

Tignes in the snow

Snowy Tignes

The bike trails in Tignes are fantastic. We arrived at the start of the summer season, before the schools have broken up; as a result, queues for the chair lifts are very short and you can maximise your riding time. The downside of arriving early in the season is the weather; during the first afternoon the lift took us up into a blizzard and the highest trails were closed due to snow fall! 

Thankfully the weather can change very fast and day two was bright and sunny.

Tignes trails

Lunch
By early afternoon we were hungry and thirsty as we rolled back into town after a morning hammering the trails in the mountains like the pro-riders that we all dream we are… My original plan was to dip into a local grocery store, get some bread, fruit, nuts and knock up a quick lunch. In reality, the group invariably gravitated toward a bar where the prospect of a cold beer beneath a sun shade was overwhelmingly attractive.

I guess this is the part of where it could get difficult as the vegan guy in the group. I don’t want to go and sit under a tree by myself eating an avocado… but I don’t want my eating choices to get in the way of everyone else. As it turned out, even the least promising looking menus offered something with some minor adaptions. There’s always a leafy salad and chips.  Adapt a panini by asking for no cheese. My French is very limited but ‘sans fromage’ (without cheese) is a useful place to start. And it’s probably worth remembering that you’re not the first vegan in France; everyone I spoke to was really helpful. You might not end up with the most healthy plant-based lunch but you’re not going to starve; and I think that’s OK for a few days.

Stella in Tignes

Dinner
Evening meals were easy; we cooked up big bowls of pasta and rice that we’d brought with us and added heaps of stir-fried vegetables from the market down the road. Actually, that didn’t happen but it was the original plan! Instead, after the reality of a day in the mountains followed by an early evening beer, cleaning and repairing bikes, rinsing out kit and taking a shower, no one really fancied cooking; even if cooking was essentially just boiling up some water. So once again we went out to get something to eat. And once again it was easy enough to find something to eat; even vegan burgers! Pizza and pasta restaurants are a good bet; it’s easy enough to get a pizza without cheese on if you ask for it.

MTB Tignes

Conclusions
The mountain biking was superb and left us high on adrenaline and endorphins at the end of every day. The scenery is spectacular; I love the mountain environment. Tignes, as a resort, is a great place for a mountain bike trip; there are plenty of trails, the lifts are open (and free!) and there’s lots of really good value accommodation available.

Maintaining a plant-based diet isn’t hard if you do a little preparation. It was great to have some food packed for the journey and to bring a couple of tins as a fall-back option. Eating-out is harder, in the sense that you’re not necessarily going to have many choices available. Be prepared to ask for some simple modifications to a dish; just removing cheese opens up your options.

I should acknowledge the support of my friends too, all of whom have subsequently bought a copy of Sharon’s excellent book, and have hopefully seen first hand that eating plants is a healthy way to live.

MTB Tignes

Enjoy the summer, wherever you may be travelling,

Mark

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Cup (Vegan)

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Cups (Vegan / Dairy-Free)

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I love making chocolate banana ice cream! (aka ‘Nicecream’)  It’s so simple and cheap to make (costing literally a few pence per serving), yet it feels like a real treat. It also happens to be packed full of healthy ingredients, including an array of minerals and antioxidant goodness.

I’ve been making banana ice cream for a few years now, and have learnt a few tricks along the way to make the process even quicker and easier. For example, I used to slice the bananas into discs and arrange them in single layers in freezer bags prior to freezing, however I’ve since discovered that whole bananas can easily be sliced from frozen using a sharp knife! These days, I simply pop whole bananas in the freezer stacked in plastic containers with a layer of parchment paper in between to stop them sticking together.

For ice cream desserts, I’ve also learnt to reduce the amount of milk that I add to the bananas so that it can be served instantly as soft-serve. When I’m in the mood for banana ice cream, the last thing I want to do is wait two hours for it to freeze.

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream (Vegan)

For a more ‘grown up’ banana ice cream dessert, I love the idea of adding some strong coffee into the blend to create a mocha flavour. You could even serve it in an Espresso Cup to make it look extra fancy. If serving to children, however, it’s probably best to forego the coffee otherwise they may be up all night buzzing from the caffeine!

One of my personal favourite (kid-friendly) additions to banana ice cream is nut butters. Almond, hazelnut and peanut butters all add a gorgeous flavour as well as lending some extra creaminess to the blend.

Recipe Card

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Cup (Vegan)

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Cups

These chocolate banana ice cream cups are simple and cheap to make, yet they look and taste decadent. They contain lots of healthy goodness, including an array of minerals and antioxidants. Both kid- and adult-approved, these cups make a great dessert.
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Hands-on time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Dessert, Healthy Snacking, Treat
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 3-4 very ripe frozen bananas
  • 60 ml / ¼ cup non-dairy milk
  • 26 g / 4 TBSP cacao or cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 TBSP maple syrup
  • 2-3 TBSP almond, hazelnut or peanut butter optional

Suggested toppings:

  • dark chocolate sliced into thin shards

Instructions
 

  • Slice the frozen bananas into coins.
  • Whiz the bananas in a food processor to break them up. Add the remaining ingredients and blend for a couple of minutes until smooth. Stop now and then to scrape down the sides. For a while it may look like it’s not going to blend smooth but be patient, it will! Taste test and add a touch more sweetener, if desired.
  • Divide between four ramekins. Decorate with dark chocolate. Serve immediately as soft serve, or place in the freezer to firm up. If left for two hours or more, the ice cream will freeze solid so leave at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to allow it time to soften.
Keyword Dairy-Free, Easy Vegan Desserts, Gluten-Free
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Chocolate Banana Ice Cream (Vegan)

As well as banana ice cream for dessert, I love eating it for breakfast too! You’ll find one of my all-time favourite ice cream breakfast bowls  – banana, mango, cinnamon and chia – on page 33 of the Bit of the Good Stuff cookbook. I’ve made this bowl so many times already this summer! I find it’s the perfect cool-down breakfast after a hot morning run.

Another favourite is this Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Bowl

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Smoothie Bowl (Vegan / Dairy-Free)

Do you make banana ice cream? If so, I’d love to hear about your favourite add-ins and flavours!

With love,

Sharon xx

Vegan Pear and Yogurt Cake (Dairy-Free / Egg-Free)

Published on by Sharon19 Comments

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In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for a delicious Pear and Yogurt Cake. While simple to make, this cake looks pretty impressive with its glistening pear and cinnamon-speckled top. The cake itself has a beautifully moist, light and fluffy texture and is flavoured with hints of vanilla and almonds.

I know some people with gluten sensitivities are able to tolerate spelt flour and this cake works just perfectly with white spelt flour. Otherwise regular plain (all-purpose) flour or even a combination of half white/plain flour and half wholemeal or chapatti flour works great.

Vegan Pear and Yoghurt Cake

The inspiration for this cake was a visit during May half-term break to one of my favourite cafes in Bristol – Roll for the Soul. This community-run cafe also houses a cycle workshop and event space. It has a great atmosphere and lovely food and coffee, so I highly recommend a visit if you’re in the area [UPDATE: Sadly Roll for the Soul closed down in September 2017 ]

Roll for the Soul is in one of my favourite districts of Bristol. We often head over there to check out the street art. One of my favourite street artists is Silent Hobo and I actually bumped into him a few weeks ago at Montpelier Railway station where he was putting the finishing touches to this mural. Isn’t it beautiful?

Silet Hobo Mural Montpelier Bristol

Last week, at Roll for the Soul, I had my first-ever slice of Pear Cake and it was so delicious that I couldn’t wait to try re-creating it at home. Back in Bath, I headed to the fruit & veg market stall in Kingsmead Square where I spotted these beauties which would be just perfect for topping a cake.

Pears

I’m pretty sure the Pear Cake I had at Roll for the Soul had a hint of almonds, so I decided to use my Orange & Almond Cake recipe (a reader favourite!) as the basis for creating my Pear Cake. I switched the milk for yogurt, reduced the amount of ground almonds to give it a more ‘spongy’ texture and tweaked the wet/dry ingredient ratio. The resulting cake turned out beautifully!

It slices well too. It can be picked up but, for me, this is the kind of cake that’s best eaten with a fork. Far more elegant that way!

Vegan Pear and Yoghurt Cake

Just in case it was a fluke or ‘beginner’s luck’, I made two more cakes to check the recipe. Again, both cakes came out perfect so I’m now happy to release the recipe into the world. I hope you have as much success with it as I have.

Recipe Card

Pear and Yogurt Cake (Dairy-Free / Egg-Free / Vegan)

This cake is simple to make, but looks pretty impressive with its glistening pear and cinnamon-speckled top. I’m sure it will wow your friends and family! It would be a great cake to take along to a dinner party or for afternoon tea.
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Hands-on time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Afternoon Tea, Treat
Servings 10

Ingredients
 

Wet ingredients

  • 250 ml / 1 cup natural/plain soya yogurt (I use Alpro)
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 100 g / ½ cup golden caster (unrefined cane) sugar
  • 80 ml / ¼ cup maple syrup or maple blend. (I often use Clarks Original).
  • 100 ml / ½ cup organic rapeseed, canola oil or other neutral-tasting oil
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry ingredients

  • 280 g / 2 cups white spelt flour (or substitute with plain (all-purpose) flour or half plain flour and half wholemeal (wholewheat) flour)
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 50 g / ½ cup ground almonds (almond meal)

Topping

  • 1-2 ripe pears
  • generous pinch of ground cinnamon

Glaze

  • 2 TBSP unrefined sugar
  • 4 TBSP water
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cornflour (corn starch)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan) / 350F. Grease a 23cm / 9 inch cake tin and line the bottom with non-stick baking paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients. Taste test and add a touch more almond extract, if desired.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients except the ground almonds.
  • Slice the pears ready for the topping. To do this, I slice the pears into halves, then quarters. Using a sharp knife, scoop out the core. Place the pears cut side down on a chopping board, and slice into even-sized thin slices.
  • Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient bowl and stir through to combine (but do not overmix). Add the ground almonds and stir through.
  • Tip the batter into the prepared tin and use a silicone spatula to distribute it evenly. Arrange the pear slices on top, then add a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
  • Place on the centre rack in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted through the middle comes out clean.
  • While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, mix 1 TBSP water with the cornflour until dissolved. Add the remaining water, sugar and vanilla extract to a small pan over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, whisk in the cornflour paste. Gently bring to the boil, whisking continuously. When the mixture has thickened slightly remove from the heat.
  • Use a silicone pastry brush to lightly coat the top in the glaze (you won’t need to use all the glaze). Leave the cake in the tin until it has completely cooled (it will firm up as it cools), then transfer to an airtight container. The cake will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator. It also freezes well.
Keyword Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Vegan Baking, Vegan Cake
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Vegan Pear and Yogurt Cake

I’m sharing this recipe with the Suma Blogger’s Network. Big thank you to the lovely people at Suma for supporting Bit of the Good Stuff and for supplying ingredients for my kitchen experiments.

If you bake this Pear and Yogurt cake, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations. Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media – I always love to see your creations! You can also connect with me on my social media channels here:  Instagram,  Facebook,  Pinterest.   

With love,

Sharon xx

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A Vegan Vacation in the Black Forest, Germany

Published on by Sharon6 Comments

Last Summer, my family spent a glorious three weeks in the Black Forest, Germany. At the time, I was busy editing my cookbook so I never got the chance to write about the trip, so it’s been wonderful to spend time this weekend looking through photos and reminiscing.

In this post, I thought I’d share some of our favourite activities from the vacation as well as our experiences of eating vegan in the Black Forest; an area of Germany that isn’t particularly known for its ‘vegan-friendliness’.

Freudenstadt Apartment

For the majority of our vacation, we stayed in a holiday apartment on the outskirts of Freudenstadt. Just a two minute walk from the apartment and we were in the Black Forest. It’s one of the most beautiful, peaceful places I’ve ever been.

Black Forest

We spent many hours in the forest, hiking and running.

We also took picnics with us and enjoyed them in the log cabins that are dotted through the forest.

Cabin in the Black Forest

The forest smelt incredible too… a mixture of pine and earthy, mossy scents.

Black Forest Germany

On our trips, we also stumbled across waterfalls and lakes. Lots of special places to pause and soak in the beauty of nature.

Hiking in the Black Forest

We were able to explore further afield, thanks to our kind hosts, Edeltraud and Gunther, who provided us with complimentary Schwarzald Plus cards. With these cards, we were able to use the trains, buses and chair lifts in the region for free, as well as free entry into 80 attractions (including the local swimming pool) throughout our entire stay! What an amazing card! It literally saved us hundreds of pounds.

Schwarzwald Card

We made full use of the free transport to explore the region’s cities and towns (Baden Baden was a favourite of ours) as well as the chair lift in neighbouring Baiersbronn. There’s a lovely cafe at the top of the chair lift, where I spent time chilling out and reading, while the boys whizzed down the hill in go-karts (another attraction that’s free with the Schwarzwald Plus card!)

Baiersbronn Chair Lift

The card also gave us free entry to the incredible Baumwipfelpfad in Bayern! It’s like a huge, modern helter skelter.

Baumwipfelpfad bayern

At the top you’re greeted with the most breath-taking views of the forest – trees for as far as the eye can see. To return back to the bottom, you can either walk or  grab a cushion and whiz you way down the helter skelter. How fun is that?

bumwip

After spending our days exploring, we’d return to the beautiful apartment, cook some delicious dinner then curl up on the huge comfy sofas to watch movies. We’d bought 20 second-hand dvds with us (purchased from Amazon for a penny each!) and they were just perfect for family evening entertainment.

Each day, we stocked up on groceries in Freudenstadt, which was a 20 minute walk from the apartment, commencing along this beautiful path.

Freudentstadt

The town has two supermarkets – Aldi and Norma – as well as an organic health-food shop, and all were well stocked with vegan-friendly food (much to our delight!)

We were especially appreciative of the clear labelling. We don’t speak German, but luckily we didn’t have to try and read the ingredients as there were big vegan labels on the packaging!

German Vegan Labelling

In the main supermarkets, we were able to buy a whole array of vegan products including pesto, pates, dips, mayonnaise, hummus, milks, crackers and cookies.

Vegan Mayonnaise

German vegan food

Vegan Crackers

German Vegan Food

German Vegan Milks

In the health food shop, we were able to buy more specialist items, such as flavoured tofus (my favourite Taifun brand!) and chocolates including the gorgeous Vivani.

Vivani Bars

For lunch, we would buy fresh-baked seeded rolls from Aldi, fill them with hummus or pate, tofu, and salad. Pack them in containers that we’d brought from England and stash them in our backpacks. For snacks we had trail mix and chocolate.

For evening meals, we loved these bags of organic frozen vegetables. They were so handy (and I really wish we could get them in England!) We mixed them with jars of marinara, sweet ’n’ sour or curry sauces and serve them with pasta, rice or noodles, and nuts/seeds/tofu for a protein boost. It literally took 15 minutes to make dinner (and no chopping involved!)

German Frozen Veg

German Vegan Food

The supermarkets also sold vegan-friendly meals. We tried this green curry one night, which was lovely (but these kinds of meals tend to work out a lot more expensive than making your own).

German Thai Curry

We saw a couple of vegan-friendly restaurants during our excursions to the Black Forest towns, but we were happy to eat at the apartment every night. Not only were the meals tasty and nourishing, but they were cheap to make too.

Vegan Restaurant Germany

During our vacation in Germany, we also got to stay in Stuttgart for a couple of nights. We stayed with the lovely Katja (an architect) in her stunning, modern house. I’d emailed ahead and mentioned to Katja that we were vegan and she kindly offered to make us a vegan breakfast. We happened to be her first ever vegan guests, but you would never have known. In the morning, we were greeted with a table laden with vegan-friendly goodies, including plant-based milks, yogurts, muesli as well as breads and home-made jam.

Mercedes Museum

We had one whole day in Stuttgart so we went to the most famous attraction – the Mercedes-Benz Museum. It’s a great day out and highly recommended. Lil’ L and M were lucky enough to return to Stuttgart another day with our Freudenstadt host, Gunther, who took them on a tour of the Mercedes-Benz factory (he took an afternoon off work to accompany them – how kind is that?)

Mercedes Museum

It happened to be our 14th wedding anniversary while we were in Stuttgart and we celebrated in style, sitting on bar stools and munching falafel platters at Vegi. Not very classy I know, but we loved it! While we were there, more and more people arrived to order their takeaway dinners, and the queue ended up going right out the door. It made me smile to see veggie food so popular here in Stuttgart!

Vegan Dinner

We also found a lovely cafe in Stuttgart called Cafe DA where we tucked into yummy chocolate cake. The staff are really friendly here so be sure to go say hi to them if you ever find yourself in Stuttgart.

Vegan Cake

Even though I was working on my book during our time in the Black Forest, I couldn’t have been in a more beautiful, relaxing place to put the final touches to it. I will always look back at this summer with great fondness. Thank you Gunther, Edeltraud and Katja for making our stay so comfortable. We’ll be back, for sure!

Sharon xx