Tag: vegetarian

Vegan Chestnut Bourguignonne Pie

Chestnut and Mushroom Bourguignon Pie (Vegan with Gluten Free Option)

Published on by Sharon9 Comments

Jump to Recipe

In today’s post I’m sharing a recipe for a delicious pie that’s just perfect for serving in the cold weather months. It’s an adaptation of a recipe published by the Vegetarian Society back in 1995. We first tried this pie last month and it was a big hit with the family. Since then, we’ve already eaten it a couple more times as special weekend dinners. While it looks pretty impressive, it’s really easy to make and requires less than 30 minutes hands on time.

The original recipe states that it serves 4-6 people but we must be greedy guzzlers as we devoured the whole pie between the three of us. When I made it again, I increased the filling quantities just to make sure there was enough for 4.

Vegan Chestnut Bourguignonne Pie

The base of the filling is a rich gravy, flavoured with red wine, stock, herbs, mustard and soy sauce. Since I don’t drink wine, I buy one of these cute 500ml bottles.

Red Wine

As you may already know, not all wines are vegan, or even vegetarian. When filtering wine (or beer) some companies use products such as isinglass (from fish bladders), gelatin, egg whites or sea shells as filtering agents. Companies can also add products such as dairy and honey into the final recipe. Fortunately there are plenty of vegan wines and beers available in our shops.

UK supermarkets are getting better at labelling their wines vegetarian or vegan. At the present time, the Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Ocado websites are the easiest to use, as they state if a wine is suitable for vegetarians and/or vegans in their lifestyle/dietary choice tabs. There is also Barnivore, an online directory which lists all vegan beers, wines and spirits.

Vegan Chestnut Bourguignonne Pie

The original VegSoc recipe calls for 250g chestnuts, however the most common brand of cooked chestnuts in the UK (Merchant Gourmet) comes in a 187g pack. Since chestnuts are quite expensive, rather than buying a second pack and only using a portion of it, I reduced the quantity of chestnuts and bumped up the volume of chestnut mushrooms instead. I also added some thinly sliced carrot for an extra dimension of texture and flavour.

If you’re gluten-free, Jus-Rol are now selling a GF Vegan puff pastry sheet. I spotted it for sale in Tesco and Ocado. I haven’t tried it myself yet but, if you have, I’d love to hear what you think of it.

Recipe Card

Vegan Chestnut Bourguignonne Pie

Chestnut and Mushroom Bourguignon Pie (Vegan with Gluten Free Option)

This pie is perfect for serving in the cold weather months. It makes a lovely special weekend dinner. It’s easy to make but sure to impress your dinner guests.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Hands-on time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dinner
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

  • 25 g / 1½ TBSP dairy-free spread/vegan butter
  • 3 small red onions (about 250g) thinly sliced
  • 250 g / 3 cups chestnut (or crimini) mushrooms quartered or halved (depending on size)
  • 180 g / 1 heaping cup pre-cooked chestnuts halved
  • 187 ml / ¾ cup vegan red wine
  • 300 ml vegetable stock (broth)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp dried parsley
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 TBSP tamari or reduced-salt soy sauce
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 puff pastry sheet (about 300g / 10½ oz) thawed if frozen (use GF puff pastry, if needed)
  • soya milk for glazing

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 220C (200C fan) / 425 F.
  • Melt the dairy-free spread/butter in a large frying pan (skillet) and cook the onions on low/medium heat until lightly browned.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 4 minutes.
  • Add the chestnuts, red wine, stock (broth), bay leaves, dried herbs, mustard and tamari/soy sauce.
  • Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced somewhat.
  • Remove the bay leaves. Add black pepper to taste.
  • Spoon the mixture into a large pie dish or four individual/mini pie dishes.
  • Place the pastry on top. Leave a good margin hanging over the sides as the pastry will shrink as it cooks. Use a fork to press the pastry onto the rim of the dish to seal it. Use any leftover pastry to cut out some leaf shapes and arrange on top of the pie. Brush the pastry with soya milk. Pierce a couple of holes in the pastry to allow the steam to escape.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.
  • If baked in a large pie dish, I recommend removing the pastry top, placing on a chopping board and slicing into four equal pieces. Spoon the filling onto plates and arrange the pastry on top. This way, you can cut the pastry neatly without it pushing down into the filling and becoming soggy.
  • Serve the pie with one or two veggie side dishes. We love to serve it with steamed baby carrots and steamed tenderstem broccoli tossed in a little soy sauce, or some sweet potato wedges. I also think potato mash or butter bean puree could work well with it.

Notes

The pie filling can easily be made in advance. Half an hour before you plan to serve, simply warm through, add the pastry topping and bake for 20 minutes.
The pie can also be re-heated. I’ve found the quickest way to do this is to remove the pastry lid and bake this on a tray in the oven for 15-20 minutes (that way it crisps up again). Meanwhile, gently heat through the filling in a saucepan covered with a lid.
The pie will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator.
Recipe adapted from this Vegetarian Society recipe 
Keyword Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free Option, Vegan Dinners, Vegan Pie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you make this Vegan Chestnut and Mushroom Bourguignon Pie, 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

Vegan Pecan Pie

Vegan Pecan Pie

Published on by Sharon8 Comments

Jump to Recipe

In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe for an easy vegan pecan pie. This dish will be perfect for serving in the upcoming festive season. It looks impressive and slices beautifully.

Pecan pie hails from the southern US states. After a google search, I discovered that it’s traditionally made with eggs, butter, refined sugar and corn syrup. I decided to ditch all of these and use some of my favourite plant-based ingredients instead.

Vegan Pecan Pie

For the crust, I use my ‘go to’ sweet pastry recipe. I’ve never had a fail with this pastry and I love how crisp it turns out. Unlike many pastry recipes, it’s also palm-oil free as it uses coconut butter (the aroma-free/culinary kind) instead of dairy-free spread/vegan butter.

Vegan Pecan Pie

For the binder I replaced the chicken eggs with a couple of ‘flax eggs’ (a mix of ground linseed and warm water) and a couple of tablespoons of corn flour.

The butter was replaced with coconut cooking butter in the pastry and extra virgin coconut oil in the filling.

Vegan Pecan Pie

For the sweetener, I used a mix of maple syrup and coconut sugar. This gave the pie a delicious, caramel-like sweetness rather than the ‘sugary’ sweetness which you get from cane sugar. It also gave the pie a gloriously rich, dark brown hue.

Most of the traditional pecan pie recipes I’ve come across contain two cups of sugar in the filling. I used half this amount and still found it to be plenty sweet enough.

Vegan Pecan Pie

The pie is incredibly easy to make! In fact, I think it’s one of the simplest baked desserts that I’ve ever made… yet it looks like it took a lot of work. (It’ll be a great one for impressing your guests!) If you wanted to make it even easier, you could buy ready-made short-crust pastry (Jus-Rol does a vegan one) but, I promise you, it’s really easy to make pastry from scratch.

Vegan Pecan Pie

I’m sharing this recipe with the Suma Bloggers Network. Big shout out to my favourite wholefood wholesalers Suma, for supplying me with top quality ingredients. Suma products are stocked in independent healthfood shops and online.

Recipe Card

Vegan Pecan Pie

Vegan Pecan Pie

This is my plant-based version of the traditional southern US pecan pie. It’s perfect for serving in the festive season. It’s easy to make, but sure to impress your guests. You can use shop-bought pastry if you wish, but I promise you that it’s easy to make from scratch.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Hands-on time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
 

Pastry

  • 90 g / ⅔ cup white spelt flour or plain (all purpose) flour
  • 90 g / ⅔ cup fine wholemeal (whole wheat pastry) flour or chapatti flour
  • 75 g / scant ½ cup aroma-free coconut cooking butter* (or substitute with dairy-free spread/vegan butter)
  • 2 TBSP golden caster (unrefined cane) sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2½ – 4 TBSP orange juice

Filling

  • 15 g / 2 TBSP ground linseed (flaxseed)
  • 90 ml / 6 TBSP warm water
  • 160 g / 1½ cups pecans divided
  • 100 g / ½ cup extra virgin coconut oil
  • 75 ml / ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 125 g / ¾ cup coconut sugar or golden caster (unrefined cane) sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 60 ml / 4 TBSP non-dairy milk
  • 15 g / 2 TBSP fine wholemeal (whole wheat pastry) flour or chapatti flour
  • 15 g / 2 TBSP corn flour (corn starch)

Instructions
 

  • Lightly grease an 20cm / 8 inch pie dish (or quiche tin) with oil. (I use a loose-bottomed tin for easy removal).
  • Prepare the pastry: Place the flour, coconut cooking butter (or dairy-free spread), sugar and salt in a food processor. Whiz until combined. While the machine is running, add orange juice a little at a time until the mixture starts to come together (I find I need about 3½-4 TBSP when using coconut butter and 2½ TBSP when using dairy-free spread). Scoop the mixture into a ball. Wrap in cling film (plastic wrap) and chill for 15-20 minutes.
  • Once the pastry has rested, place it on a lightly floured pastry mat and lay the cling film (plastic wrap) on top. Roll out the pastry into a circle large enough to fill the tin and the sides. Place the pastry in the tin and press it into the edges and up the sides. Slice off any excess pastry. If you have any holes in the pastry, you can patch it up using the scraps.
  • While the pastry is resting, prepare the filling. First, make the flax ‘egg’. Place the ground linseed in a small bowl with 90ml / 6 TBSP warm water. Whisk together with a fork then set aside for 10 minutes to gel up.
  • Set aside half of the pecan halves for decorating the top of the pie. Roughly chop the remaining pecans.
  • Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan) / 375F.
  • Place the coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract and pinch of salt in a small saucepan over very low heat. As the oil melts, whisk to combine. When fully melted, remove from the heat.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, flour and corn flour until smooth. Pour it into the pan. Add the flax ‘egg’ and whisk until fully combined. Stir in the chopped pecans. Pour the mixture onto the pie crust (it will be very runny, but this is normal). Arrange the pecan halves on top.
  • Carefully place the pie on a baking sheet in the centre of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes at 190C (170C fan) / 375F. Reduce the heat to 130C (130C fan also) / 275F and bake for a further 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. (It will firm up as it cools).

Notes

* I used Tiana Organic Pure Coconut Cooking Butter
Storage Instructions: Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the pie will keep for five days. I’m pretty confident this pie will freeze well but I haven’t tried it yet. As soon as I do, I’ll report back.
Keyword Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Vegan Baking, Vegan Pecan Pie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below or tag your social media posts #BitoftheGoodStuff.  You’ll find me on Facebook and Pinterest and, as of this week… Instagram! I’m very late joining the Instagram party so if you’re already an Instagrammer, do pop by and say hi. I’d love to connect with you!

With love,

Sharon xx

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

Vietnamese Summer Rolls (Vegan Style!) with Peanut Dipping Sauce + Step-by-Step Guide on How to Roll Rice Papers

Published on by Sharon13 Comments

Jump to Recipe

I absolutely love this time of year, with the trees full of blossom and the wisteria out in flower. Not only does it look stunning, but it smells glorious too! Here in Bath, the weather is finally starting to warm up and we’ve actually managed a few meals in the garden this past week. Our dinners have definitely shifted to lighter dishes, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of our favourites over the coming weeks.

The rolls are a vegan twist on the classic Vietnamese summer roll. Instead of meat or prawns, the rolls are filled with a rainbow of fresh veggies, making them both visually beautiful and delicious.

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

My family loves Vietnamese summer rolls! We typically eat them as a light evening meal, enjoyed out in the garden, but they’re also great for buffets and picnics. We like to add strips of smoked or marinated tofu into the rolls for protein. When accompanied with a peanut dipping sauce, they’re surprisingly filling!

Have you ever tried making rice paper rolls before? I find that they fall into the category of ‘easy when you know how’. The first time I tried to make them, I got myself in a real tangle with the rice paper. I soaked it for too long then it folded in on itself and was beyond saving.

I was determined not to be defeated by a rice paper though, so I did some research and discovered that with a couple of easy steps, rolling is a cinch. I found this 37 second YouTube tutorial especially helpful.

I’ve rolled countless rolls now, and my only failure was that initial one. My rolls aren’t very neat (neatness isn’t a forte of mine!) but the rolls work. They taste good. And most importantly, Lil’ L loves them. I’ll keep working on the neatness.

Learning from my past mistakes, I thought I’d put together a step-by-step guide on how to successfully roll rice papers. Even if it helps one person out, I’ll be more than delighted.

So firstly, we need some rice papers…

Rice Papers

You’ll find them widely available in oriental supermarkets. I buy Vietnamese Banh Trang from Hai Na Oriental Supermarket in Union Street in Bath. You get about 45 papers (22cm / 8½ inches in diameter) in a pack for £1.89, which is great value. Waitrose and Ocado also sell Blue Dragon Spring Roll Wrappers.

Summer Roll filling

It’s important to prep all the ingredients before you start rolling (known as ‘mise-en-place’ if you happen to be French… or a chef!) I typically use a large carrot, small courgette (zucchini), sweet pointed romano pepper, some red cabbage and a romaine lettuce. For a protein kick, I add in strips of organic smoked or marinated tofu.

Summer Rolls Mise en Place

Once everything is ready, prepare a bowl of warm water. It doesn’t matter what kind of container you use, as long as it’s big enough to fit your rice paper.

Want to know something funny? To take the shot below I ended up pressing the shutter with my nose!! How ridiculous is that? You only dip for a second so no time to set up the timer!

Making Summer Rolls

Anyway, back to the guide… Take a rice paper in both hands and dip half of it in the water. Quickly keep turning the paper in the water (like you’re turning a steering wheel) until the whole paper is wet. Shake off the excess water and lay the paper on a plastic chopping board or smooth work top (not wood as it sticks!) The paper is still quite firm when I remove it from the water but it continues to soften up as it absorbs the moisture. (I find that if you dip it for too long, it goes gloopy and impossible to control).

Making Summer Rolls

Arrange your veggies on one half of the rice paper, leaving a border either side. You want to make sure that there are no sharp edges poking out as the rice papers are delicate and easily tear.

Making Summer Rolls

Squash the filling together then start rolling. Gently pull the rice paper up and over the vegetables, tuck in the edges as you roll. Try to keep it as tight as you can (like you’re rolling a burrito). Here comes another nose shutter shot!

Making Summer Rolls

One thing that surprised me when I first made Vietnamese rolls is that they are sticky! I never saw this mentioned in recipes, so I googled it and, yes, they are meant to be sticky. Some people recommend wrapping each roll in cling film (plastic wrap) to stop them sticking together but I didn’t like the idea of the plastic waste (plus Mark was worried that he’d accidentally eat the cling film) so I found a way to get round the stickiness… roll them in toasted sesame seeds!

Making Summer Rolls

Not only do the rolls feel much nicer to hold when they’re covered in seeds, but the sesame coating actually boosts their nutritional profile too. Sesame seeds are nutritional powerhouses.

Once rolled and seeded, place the roll on a plate and repeat the process. I make eight rolls for four people, but if your rice papers are smaller than mine, you may want to roll more.

Just before serving, I cut the rolls in half. I give everyone their own little dipping bowl for the peanut sauce (so they can double dip to their heart’s content), then it’s time to tuck in!

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

Recipe Card

Vietnamese Summer Rolls (Vegan Style!) with Peanut Dipping Sauce

These Vietnamese summer rolls make a delicious light meal. Below I’ve listed the veggies that I normally use for the filling, but feel free to switch them up. The rolls are best eaten within 4 hours of being made so that they stay fresh. Any longer and the papers may start to dry out and crack.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Hands on time 35 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8 rolls

Ingredients
 

  • 1 large carrot finely sliced
  • 1 sweet pointed romano pepper or bell pepper deseeded and finely sliced
  • 1 small courgette zucchini, finely sliced
  • 120 g / 1½ cups red cabbage finely sliced
  • 1 romaine lettuce sliced into ribbons
  • 200 g / 7 oz smoked or marinated tofu thinly sliced
  • 8 rice papers spring roll wrappers or more, depending on their size
  • 75 g / ½ cup toasted sesame seeds

Peanut Dipping Sauce

  • 115 g / ½ cup natural smooth peanut butter
  • 2 TBSP tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 TBSP white vinegar
  • 1 TBSP maple syrup
  • 60 ml / ¼ cup warm water
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger finely grated (or substitute with ½ tsp ground ginger)
  • Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Chop the veggies and tofu into thin slices.
  • Tip the sesame seeds onto a large plate.
  • Fill a wide bowl with warm water.
  • Working with one rice paper at a time, take the paper in both hands and dip half of it in the warm water. Quickly rotate the paper for a few seconds (like turning a steering wheel) until the whole paper has been submerged in the water. Shake off the excess water, then lay the rice paper on a plastic chopping board or worktop (don’t use a wooden board as it will stick). The paper will continue to soften up as it absorbs moisture.
  • Arrange your veggies on one half of the rice paper, leaving a border either side. I use a few ribbons of lettuce, a few strands of red cabbage, then 2-4 strips each of tofu, carrot, pepper and courgette. Make sure that there are no sharp edges poking out as the rice papers are delicate and easily tear. Squash the filling together then start rolling.
  • Gently pull the rice paper over the filling. Tuck in the edges as you roll. Try to keep it as tight as you can (like you’re rolling a burrito).
  • Roll the summer roll in sesame seeds. Shake off the excess seeds and set the roll to one side. Repeat the process. I make eight rolls for four people, but if your rice papers are smaller than mine, you may want to roll more. Just before serving, cut the rolls into two.
  • To make the dipping sauce: place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together with a fork. Add a splash more water, if needed, to reach desired consistency. Taste test and adjust the vinegar, sweetness, ginger levels if desired. I give everyone their own little dipping bowl so they can double dip to their heart’s content! Just before serving, sprinkle on some sesame seeds for garnish.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you make these Vietnamese Summer Rolls, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations. Leave a comment below or 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

Vegan Chocolate Cupcake

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes (Dairy Free | Egg Free)

Published on by Sharon5 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Today I’m sharing my “go-to” recipe for chocolate cupcakes. This recipe has never left me down. My oven can be really temperamental when it comes to cake baking, but these cupcakes always turn out perfectly. They’re light, fluffy and deliciously moist.

I’ve made them numerous times for fundraisers and they always sell in a flash. None of the children at our local school are vegan, but they choose these cupcakes simply because they love them. It also makes me happy to know that the children with dairy allergies are able to join in.  I often spot their mums making a beeline for me as I step through the school gate with my cake tin.

Macmillan Coffee Morning 2015

Next Friday is the annual Macmillan coffee morning here in the UK, which has now gained the status of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. Last year, the event raised a wopping £25 million for people affected by cancer.

s many of you already know, this is a charity very close to my heart and I’m always delighted to join in the coffee mornings and help raise money for the Macmillan nurses (or ‘Angels’ as I like to call them). Some years I’ve baked literally hundreds of cakes, like at this event in Dorset, which was organised by my sister.

Macmillan Coffee Morning 2015

Other years, I’ve joined in coffee mornings with friends or in my local community. It’s a great event to be involved in so, UK friends, do check out what’s happening in your local area.

And why not take along a batch of these tasty chocolate cupcakes? Most people don’t realise that cakes can be made free from animal products, so it’s always fun to see the look of shock on their faces when I tell them these cupcakes are 100% dairy and egg free.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

So what do they contain? Well, there are no fancy or weird substitute ingredients; just simple ingredients that you’re likely to have as pantry staples, like oil, vinegar, sugar and cocoa powder. The recipe I use is lightly adapted from the Basic Chocolate Cupcake recipe in Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero’s fab little cupcake book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I then add a simple dairy-free chocolate frosting and sprinkles.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcake

To be honest, these cakes don’t really need frosting as they taste amazing just as they are. If you add orange extract to the mix it takes them to a whole new level of deliciousness. Chocolate Orange has got to be one of the best flavour combos ever.

However, for fundraisers, these babies would look a little naked so we need to dress them up. I don’t go overboard with frosting as I find that piles of frosting is not only sickly, but also detracts from the delicious flavour of the cupcake itself. I tend to just smear some on with a palette knife and add a few sprinkles to finish it off.

If you’re vegan, you need to watch out for animal ingredients in sprinkles, including beeswax, shellac, gelatine and the red food colouring cochineal (aka E120, carmine) which is made from crushed beetles. In the UK, some of the supermarket branded sprinkles are vegan-friendly (usually the star sprinkles or other non-shiny ones). Vegan-friendly sprinkles can be also be ordered from online stores.

Recipe Card

Vegan Chocolate Cupcake

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

This is my go-to recipe for chocolate cupcakes. They’re light, fluffy, and deliciously moist — everything a chocolate cupcake should be! The quantities below make 10–12 cupcakes, and the frosting recipe provides plenty for spreading with a palette knife. If you’d like to pipe the frosting, I recommend doubling the batch to make sure you have enough to work with.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Hands on time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Afternoon Tea, Treat
Servings 10

Ingredients
 

  • 240 ml / 1 cup soya milk
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 160 g / ¾ cup golden caster (unrefined) sugar
  • 70 ml / ⅓ cup organic rapeseed (canola) oil or other neutral-flavoured oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or use 1 tsp orange extract for chocolate orange cupcakes
  • 70 g / ½ cup plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 70 g / ½ cup fine wholemeal (whole wheat) or chapatti flour or substitute with more plain (all purpose) flour
  • 37 g / ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting

  • 150 g / 1 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  • 4 TBSP cocoa powder
  • 50 g / 4 TBSP dairy-free spread or vegan butter
  • 2 TBSP plant milk (I use soya)

Vegan-friendly sprinkles

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan) / 350F. Line a muffin tray with paper liners.
  • Using a hand (balloon) whisk, whisk together the milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt.
  • Add the sugar, oil and vanilla extract to the wet ingredient bowl and whisk until fully incorporated and the sugar has dissolved. Sift in half the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients.
  • Fill the liners three quarters full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted through the middle comes out clean. (I bake mine for 20 minutes in a fan oven at 160C. My oven has a tendency to bake cakes unevenly so after 15 minutes I turn the trays round 180 degrees and bake for a further 5 minutes).
  • When ready, leave to cool for a couple of minutes then transfer to a wire rack and leave until completely cooled before frosting.

Prepare the Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting:

  • Sieve the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the dairy-free spread and milk. Gently stir with a silicone spatula until incorporated (this will stop the sugar and cocoa flying round the kitchen as you beat it). Beat either by hand or, for a light and fluffy frosting, beat with an electric whisk. If the frosting looks a little dry, add another 1 tsp of milk.
  • Frost the cakes and decorate with sprinkles just before serving.

Notes

Recipe lightly adapted from Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero’s Basic Chocolate Cupcake in ‘Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World’
Keyword Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Vegan Cake, Vegan Treats
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 Are you planning to join in the Macmillan Coffee Morning? If you’re baking, I’d love to hear what you’ve got planned!

With love,

Sharon xx

SaveSave

SaveSave

Vegan Raspberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

Vegan Raspberry Muffins with Streusel Topping ( Dairy Free | Egg Free)

Published on by Sharon3 Comments

Jump to Recipe

I love this time of year when the British hedgerows and allotments are laden with berries. Whenever I’m out on a run along the river and canal paths, I can never resist pausing to grab a handful of blackberries. If you see someone running round Bath with purple stained hands, that’ll be me!

In today’ post, I’m sharing a recipe that showcases another glorious summer fruit – the raspberry ♥

Raspberries
Continue reading “Vegan Raspberry Muffins with Streusel Topping ( Dairy Free | Egg Free)” →
Vegan No Bake Strawberry Tarts

No Bake Strawberry Tarts (Dairy-Free | Egg-Free | Vegan)

Published on by Sharon17 Comments

Jump to Recipe

These No Bake Strawberry Tarts are a deliciously healthy treat – light, fresh, and bursting with summer berry flavour. Featuring a quick homemade chia jam and a nutrient-rich oat and nut crust, they make the perfect no-fuss snack or dessert on warmer days.

But before we dive into the recipe, there’s a special moment I’d love to share — one I’d been quietly dreaming about for years…

Strawberry Picking

Until fairly recently, neither for love nor money could Lil’ L be encouraged to eat strawberries. Sadly, along with all other berries, as well as oranges, plums and grapes, strawberries fell in his ‘too squishy’ camp. On the odd occasion that he did actually attempt to eat one, he’d end up gagging with tears streaming down his face. It was so torturous to watch. He did like the flavour of berries though and would happily drink them in smoothies. So as long as he was consuming berries in some shape or form, I didn’t really mind.

Still, I quietly held onto the dream of one day going berry picking with my son… though, over time, I’d started to pretty much give up on the idea.

Strawberry Picking

THEN, everything changed this Easter, during our trip to Spain. The supermarkets were overflowing with crates of the most beautiful strawberries — big, deeply red, and incredibly fragrant. We couldn’t resist picking up a crate (just €3!) and, to my surprise, Lil’ L offered to carry it. I could see him eyeing up the strawberries. They were that inviting.

He took a tentative bite… and lo and behold — no gagging! He then proceeded to eat another five. You can imagine my joy. Finally, at the age of 11, he’d moved on from loathing to loving strawberries.

Strawberry Picking

Back home, with strawberry season in full swing, we headed off to a local pick-your-own farm. Watching Lil’ L search for ‘the perfect strawberry’ with such delight was pure joy. He’s since mentioned more than once how much he loved that outing — proof that some things really are worth the wait.

The strawberries were so sweet and juicy that we ate them by the handful. To avoid waste, I also froze a bunch for ice creams and smoothies, and made a few batches of my favourite chia jam.

Strawberry Picking

If you’ve never tried chia jam before, you’re in for a treat. It’s so simple to make and tastes incredibly fresh — nothing like the overly sweet store-bought jams. I first came across the idea on Angela Liddon’s Oh She Glows blog back in 2010 and have been hooked ever since.

This strawberry chia jam takes just a few minutes to prepare, keeps for up to a week in the fridge, and is delicious spread on toast or scones, swirled into yogurt, or used as a tart filling…

Strawberry Pan

Strawberry Pan

Introducing… No Bake Strawberry Tarts

These little tarts are one of our favourite ways to enjoy the jam. With last week’s mini heatwave, I was in no mood to turn on the oven, so these no bake tarts were just the ticket. They’re cool, light, and packed with feel-good ingredients.

Vegan No Bake Strawberry Tarts

Lil’ L and M have been enjoying them as post-school/work snacks, while I’ve found them to be the perfect post-dinner ‘treat’ — indulgent enough to satisfy cravings, yet healthy enough to feel good about.

The oat, nut, and date base is inspired by my Pina Colada ‘Cheese’ Cake crust. It’s naturally sweet, packed with fibre and healthy fats, and gently spiced with vanilla and coconut. While it’s softer than a traditional pastry, it holds together beautifully and pairs perfectly with the jam.

Ready to make them? Let’s go!

Recipe Card

Vegan No Bake Strawberry Tarts

No Bake Strawberry Tarts (Dairy-Free | Egg-Free | Vegan)

These No Bake Strawberry Tarts are a deliciously healthy treat – light, fresh, and bursting with summer berry flavour. Featuring a quick homemade chia jam and a nutrient-rich nut and oat crust, they’re the perfect no-fuss snack or dessert for warm days.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Hands on time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Healthy Snacking, Treat
Servings 12

Ingredients
 

Strawberry Chia Jam

  • 200 g / 1½ cups fresh or frozen strawberries chopped
  • 1½ TBSP maple syrup or sweetener of choice
  • ½ TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 TBSP chia seeds
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

No Bake Tart Shells

  • 50 g / ½ cup rolled oats use certified gluten free, if needed
  • 40 g / ¼ cup raw cashews
  • 30 g / ¼ cup walnuts or pecans
  • 100 g / ½ cup soft sticky pitted dates (e.g. Medjool)
  • 1 tsp maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 22 g / ¼ cup desiccated coconut

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the jam: Gently cook the strawberries, syrup and lemon juice until the berries start to break down. Stir in the chia seeds. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the jam has started to thicken. Give it a stir now and then with a wooden spoon and mash the berries to break them down. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer to a glass jar, leave to cool then add a lid and place in the fridge. The jam will thicken up as it chills.
  • While the jam is simmering, prepare the tart shells. Loosely line a shallow tart/mince pie tray with cling film (plastic wrap).* Place the oats and nuts in a food processor and blitz into crumbs. Add the dates, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt and continue processing until the mixture starts to come together. Add the desiccated coconut and whizz for a few more seconds. The mixture should easily stay together when you press it. If it’s still crumbly, keep processing until it sticks together.
  • Press the crumbs together to form a dough ball. Place between two pieces of baking paper (or use a large silicone pastry mat folded over) and roll out to a thickness of ½ cm / ⅕ inch. Press out using a 6 cm / 2½ inch pastry cutter and place in the lined tart tray. Repeat until all the dough is used up, re-rolling as needed. Chill in the fridge until the jam is ready. When the jam is completely chilled, spoon it into the tart shells and serve.
  • These tarts will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

*If you don’t have a shallow tart tray, you can shape the tart shells by hand or by moulding them round one end of a rolling pin.
Keyword Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free Option, No Bake Tart, Strawberry, Vegan Treats
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you make these No Bake Strawberry Tarts, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations. Leave a comment below or 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