Peanut Crunch Biscuits - Vegan - Gluten Free

I love peanuts!!  Peanut butter, even better! I slather it on everything, and although most people will be thinking, "fat! calories!" I have gained no weight with my peanut obsession whilst on my plant based diet. Peanuts have so much nutrition, more protein per weight than meat, and it is a plant food, so NO cholesterol.  In fact, I eat about one jar of peanut butter per week and my cholesterol had dropped by 2 points after 6 months of going fully plant based and giving up eggs, the last animal product I was consuming.
Enjoy nuts! I'm able to build up muscle and strength, consistently, that I was never able to build up on animal protein.

So, here is my peanut crunch biscuit recipe!  Very easy to make in the food processor, and eat....

Ingredients

1 cup ground cashews
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup coconut flour
6 tbsp maple syrup
2 heaped tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt (if using salted peanuts, omit this)
1/4 cup nut milk
2/3 cup peanuts (mixed through at the end so they are not too broken up by the mixer blades)

Let's get baking!

Place the cashews, almonds, and coconut flour in the food processor and grind to a fine flour for approximately 1 minute

Add everything else, except the whole peanuts.  Blend until it is combined and almost at dough stage.
Add the peanuts now and give the food processor another wiz for about 10, until the peanuts are broken up a little, and the dough starts to form.

Roll out spoonfuls of the dough between your hands, press down into a biscuit shape (they will not spread in the oven) and place on the prepared flat biscuit tray.

Bake in a preheated oven 160 Celsius for approximately 20 minutes depending on the size of your biscuits.  I made 12 largish biscuits.

Of course, they smell delicious baking in the oven...yum!  Enjoy!!!

x Sarah

Carrot Cake - Vegan - Gluten Free - Raw

Carrot cake is one of my families favourites!  It's so good to be able to make a healthy, vegan and gluten free version we can all enjoy.  It is also raw, so extremely easy to make, especially if you have a food processor. You won't believe how good this tastes and how similar it is to the real thing.

My Carrot Cake Recipe

I use my food processor for easy grating and mixing,

Ingredients...

For the cake

2 cups of grated carrot (about 4 medium carrots (I use the medium size grater attachment on my food processor)
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup soaked dates
1 cup walnuts - leave out until the end (I rinse these first to wash the bitter taste away)

Mix everything in the food processor until combined except the walnuts, the mix should still be a little chunky, then add the walnuts and give a quick, 10 second mix, so they aren't pulverised and unrecognisable in the cake. Spoon out into a lined 20 cm long, loaf pan.

For the Maple Cream - 

1 can coconut cream (scrape out the cream from the top and drain off the water)

2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
Juice and zest of half a lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Blend this together in the food processor and then spread on the top of the carrot cake.  Sprinkle with some extra cinnamon if you like.

Place this in the fridge for about 3 hours or freezer for 1 before lifting it out using the lining, slice it up and enjoy.

I found the flavours to be nicer on the second day, so if you are going to freeze this, make sure you store it in the fridge for at least 24 hours before you do. 

I hope you enjoy!

Sarah x

Chocolate Brownies - Gluten Free, Vegan

I started making black bean brownies from the recipe in the Deliciously Ella Everyday book (she has amazing plant based recipes, I highly recommend!) I have made them several times, and tweaked the recipe to suit my tastes. They are delicious, they smell delicious and taste delicious! I was sure I'd taste the beans in them, but no, they just give them an amazing texture that I've been looking to achieve in my Gluten Free Vegan cake recipes.

My Chocolate Brownie Recipe

I use my food processor for easy mixing,

Ingredients...

1 cup ground almonds (I grind them in the food processor to begin with before the mixing bowl gets sticky)
2 Tbsp ground chia seeds (I grind these in the coffee grinder)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
6 Tbsp raw cacao powder
1 cup soaked dates
1 medium ripe banana

I give all of this a mix in the food processor at this point before going on to add...

400 g black beans - canned (drained) or cooked from dried (I cook up a big batch and freeze individually in 400 g portions)
1 cup nut milk (I make my own cashew milk by placing one handful of cashews into the food processor with 800 ml of water and blending for 4 minutes)
6-8 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix in the food processor until nicely combined.  You can taste at this point too, yum!

Spoon the mixture into a 20 cm, lined, square brownie pan and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 45 minutes.

Take it out and let it cool for at least an hour in the pan.  Then slice it up and enjoy!

I usually freeze any portions I won't be eating within a few days.  I find it nice to bake a variety of sweet treats that I can freeze and snack on at any time.

Have fun baking and eating these healthy. gluten free, vegan treats!

x Sarah

Veganniversary!

It's my 1 year Vegan anniversary this month!!! A bit of art work to celebrate 😆🎨🌱 The only regret I have, as most Vegans do, is that I didn't go fully vegan sooner! I knew I wanted to live this way from an early age but chronic illness took me on a detour. I have 25 years of learning and experience to share and hopefully, help others make the switch. For the animals, planet and ourselves. Nothing beats feeling this good. Not only physical improvements, but there is a peace in my soul that I have never experienced before. I've found this feeling to have had a much bigger impact on the happiness and contentment of my life than anything else. 💟👼💟👼💟👼💟 I would never...could never go back. Peace, love, kindness, compassion and a non violent life and world starts with me and my choices. 🐶🌱🐰🌱🐑🌱🐥🌱🐄🌱🐴🌱🐷

x Sarah