Halloween Pumpkin Choc Chip Cake

Halloween is creeping up on us and I wanted to make something with my tin of Pumpkin Purée. I decided to use it as an egg replacer in the Delicious Alchemy Vanilla Cake Mix. I found out recently that the mix works amazingly with a small banana instead of egg so I thought I'd give pumpkin purée a try.

 (Mix does state not suitable for egg allergy sufferers).

Here's what I used for the cake: 

1 Packet of Delicious Alchemy Vanilla Cake Mix

180g Vitalite / Dairy Free Spread

20ml Water

170g Pumpkin Purée

80g Dairy Free Chocolate Chips

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon 

Heat the oven as per the packet instructions. 

Start by blending the soft dairy free spread with the pumpkin purée then stir in the dry cake mix. Mix in the cinnamon and water. Lastly stir through the chocolate chips.

Divide the mix between two 8" round cake tins which have been greased all round and lined on the bottom.

Bake as per the packet instructions for 25 minutes. Leave to cool on a wire rack. 

You could use a filling of your choice but I made a chocolate truffle filling which set quite firm but melted in the mouth.

For this I melted 150g Chocolate Chips and stirred in 70g of Vitalite. I then blended in 60g of Icing Sugar. 

This made enough for a nice layer through the middle and a thin layer on top which I dusted with cacao powder.

I topped it off with a marshmallow pumpkin.

The cake didn't last the weekend and everyone commented on how nice it was. Needless to say I will be making it again very soon. 

Happy Halloween!

Delicious Alchemy have some great products. Check out their website and my last blog post here. 

Banana & Cacao Pancakes

This morning I fancied pancakes but didn't feel like mixing egg replacer and weighing out ingredients so I made these pancakes in a little bowl. It made 3 pancakes which is a perfect size for one.

Ingredients

1 Medium Ripe Banana

2 Heaped Tablespoons Doves Farm Plain Flour

1 Teaspoon Raw Cacao Powder

3 Tablespoons Rice Milk

Oil of choice for frying. I used Cocoa Butter.

Mash the banana in a bowl until reasonable smooth but with a few lumps. 

Add the flour & Cacao and mix.

Add the Rice milk until a batter consistency is created.

Melt a small amount of oil in a frying pan and spoon the mixture into the pan spreading into rounds with the back of your spoon.

Fry both sides until golden.

I dusted mine with more raw cacao powder and a drizzle of maple syrup. They have just the right amount of sweetness to allow some sweet toppings ;)

Happy Saturday Freefromers!

Chocolate Hazelnut Tart

Quiet Sundays give me a chance to play in the kitchen. I'd got a few ingredients in my cupboards that I'd been wanting to use so I decided to create a dessert which combined some of my favourite things, Hazelnut Chocolate & Cookies. 

If you'd like to have a go here's what you will need:

1 349g Carton Firm Silken Tofu (I used Mori-Nu)

150g Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (I used Natures Path)

2 Heaped teaspoons Cocoa Powder

6 "Oreo" style cookies (I used Love More O'Choco)

2-3 Teaspoons Maple Syrup

Drain the tofu and blend in a bowl until smooth. Add the chocolate spread and cocoa and blend again. When all the ingredients are mixed and smooth put to one side.

Blitz the cookies into fine crumbs and add the maple syrup bit by bit until the crumbs start to cling together. They shouldn't be wet.

Press the crumb mixture into a loose base tart tin. I used four small individual tins. It should be approx 3-4mm thick. Then spoon on the chocolate mixture until filled. I used left over crumbs to sprinkle on top. 

Place in the freezer until set. Remove 10mins before eating so it is easier to remove from the tin.

Enjoy!

Cherry Bakewell Bites

An easy peasy recipe for a sweet natural treat :)

100g Soft Dates

70g   Cashew Nuts

20g   Deseeded Raisins

15g   Dried Cherries

1/4    Teaspoon Almond Essence     

Place all ingredients into a blender (I use a mini blender) and blitz until crumb like. All fruit and nuts should be mixed together. 

Take small amounts in your hand and press together. Then roll into walnut sized balls.

This recipe makes 12-13 nice bite sized balls.

Enjoy! 

Chorizo & Spinach Pasta

If I'm not following one of my favourite recipe books I'm throwing stuff in to a pan and whipping up my own creations. I'm no professional but I never hear my husband complain about my food so that's all that matters.

I wanted to try out my new pasta that I got from the Allergy Show. It is by a new company called Feel Free. They have four different pastas; Penne, Spaghetti, Fusilli and Alphabet Shapes. They are made of 100% corn giving them a lovely golden colour and a nice firm texture. 

Here's the recipe I created:

Ingredients:

225g Chorizo (lots contain milk so be careful)

1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes

1 Small Courgette

1 Teaspoon light brown sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

2 Handfuls Spinach

200g Pasta
Pepper

Remove the skin from the chorizo and chop into half moons. Fry off in a dry frying pan. Once most of the oil has come out of the chorizo drain it from the pan. 

Next grate the courgette and add to the chorizo. Fry off for a few minutes. 

Add the tin of chopped tomatoes and half a tin of water. Stir in the light brown sugar and the smoked paprika. Simmer for approx 20 mins. If the sauce starts to dry out add small amounts of water to loosen.

Whilst the sauce is cooking boil a large pan of water and add the pasta. 

When the pasta is cooked drain well and add to the pan with the sauce. At this point fold in the spinach until wilted. Add pepper to taste.

Serve with some crusty white bread (I used Luce's bread mix) to mop up the juices. 

Cauliflower Korma - With Chicken

This recipe is based around a whole cauliflower head which creates a lovely "korma" style sauce. I love making this curry for my non vegetable eating nephew as he has no idea that it contains veg *wink wink*

Feel free to swap spices and add extras as you see fit but this is my basic recipe.

1 Medium Cauliflower 

1 Small/Medium Red Onion

2 Teaspoons Mild/Medium Curry Powder

1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder

1 Teaspoon Turmeric

1 Teaspoon Mango Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Ltr Chicken Stock (or Vegetable)

300 ml Rice Milk 

60g Cashew Nuts

3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Salt & Pepper (optional)

2 Chicken Breasts

You will need a big pan and a hand blender.

Method

Remove all the leaves and break up the cauliflower into floret's.

Add the oil and cauliflower pieces to the pan and saute until browned (more colour gives more taste).

Thinly slice the onion and add to the pan. Fry until softened.

Once the cauliflower has browned and the onions have softened add the curry powder, cumin, turmeric, mango powder and cinnamon. Fry off for a minute or two.

Add the chicken stock (I use two knorr stock pots with 1ltr boiling water), rice milk and cashews and bring to the boil. Simmer until the cauliflower has completely cooked and you can easily put a knife into it.

Remove the pan from the heat and use a hand blender to blend until smooth and a "korma" consistency.

Thinly slice the chicken breasts and add to the curry mixture. Put a lid on the pan (it does start to spit otherwise) and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. If the mixture gets too thick add a bit of rice milk to loosen.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

I serve it with Brown Basmati Rice. 

I hope you enjoy this as much as me and my family does.