Chocolate Beet Cake

Ingredients
(for the cake)
280g Plain flour
340g Caster sugar
70g Cocoa powder
1 Teaspoon baking powder
Half teaspoon salt
170g Butter,cut into pieces
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoons vanilla extract
2 Small beetroots, finely grated
225ml Boiling water
(for the icing)
110g Butter
225g Caster sugar
70g Cocoa powder
170ml Whipping cream
1 Teaspoons vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and grease two 20cm sandwich tins.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and, with an electric whisk, mix on a low setting until the butter has been worked into the flour (it will be dry and crumbly).
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix in slightly, then mix in the beets. Gradually add the hot water while still mixing on a low speed, then increase the speed to a medium speed and continue to mix for 3-4 minutes, until the batter is thick and fluffy.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared tins and then make a dip in the middle of the cake so it does not become domed.
5. Bake the cake for 35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the iddle of the cake comes clean. Cool the cakes in the tin until you can touch the bottom of the tin and not get burnt. Then turn out onto a cooling rack.
6. For the icing, melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then whisk in the sugar and cocoa powder.
7. Continue to whisk this over a medium heat until it begins to bubble, then whisk in the cream. Continue  to whisk for about a minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
8. Cool the mixture in the pan for about 15 minutes then decanter into a small bowl and continue to cool, whisking occasionally. This will set it to a pouring consistancy.
9. To assemble, place one of the cakes on a plate (not the serving plate). Spread an even layer of icing on the top of the cake and place the second layer on top. Pour all of the icing over the top of the cake, then spread it so it is even. Ensure that the icing is spread over the sides.
10. When the icing has stopped dripping off the edge, transfer to a clean plate or cake stand. Chill the cake to harden the icing.

Adapted from: Bake with Anna Olson

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Serves 4
Ingredients
4 Large potatoes suitable for mashing, diced
2 Tablespoons vegan margarine
150ml Almond milk
110g Soya mince
300ml Vegan stock
300ml Vegan gravy
175g Carrot, diced (similar size as the peas)
175g Peas
1 Teaspoon garlic paste or powder
1 Teaspoon paprika

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Mix the soya mince with the stock to rehydrate the soya mince.
3. Boil the potatoes for about 20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with the margarine and almond milk. If you wish you can add some black pepper.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the soya mince. gravy, peas, carrots, garlic paste/powder and paprika. Pour into a casserole dish but ensure that it is all evenly distributed. Top with the potatoes spreading them to the edges of the dish.
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes have lightly browned.

Butternut Squash with Autumnal Vegetables

Serves 2-4
Ingredients
1 Butternut squash, halved and seeded
120g Broccoli, broken into small florets
120g Sweet pepper in multiple colours, diced
220g Carrot, diced
100g Courgette, diced
120g Broad beans, frozen
140g Peas, frozen
140g Sweetcorn, frozen
1 Tin of chickpeas
200g Wholegrain rice
2 Dessertspoons cumin seeds
3 Dessertspoons vegan margarine
Vegetable oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade. Place the squash halves skinside down on a roasting tray. Place a dessertspoon of vegan margerine in each seed hollow. Pour at least 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over the butternut squash.
2. Put the butternut squash into the oven and cook for about 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, boil enough water in a large saucepan to cover the rice at least three times. Pour in the rice, return the rice to the boil and then simmer for 2 minutes, or for how long it says on the pack. Drain and rinse the rice.
4. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Mix the broccoli, pepper, carrot, courgette, broad beans, peas, sweetcorn and chickpeas in a large bowl.
5. In the same pan as you cooked the rice in, heat a drizzle of oil, pour in the cumin seeds and fry for one minute.
6. Pour in the vegetables and the remainder of the vegan margarine. Cook for about three minutes-until the margarine has melted.
7. Mix the rice into the vegetables. Then drain the fat from the butternut squash and stir into the rice and vegetables.
8. Turn down the temperature of the oven to 100 degrees ad continue to cook for 20 minutes. Continue to cook the rice and veg for the same amount of time, stirring regularly.
9. Serve the rice on top of the squash and eat immediately.

Jam Tarts

Ingredients
250g Flour
100g Butter or vegan cooking butter
Jam (For a home made look use seedy jams or for a professional style use smooth jams)
60ml Water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Grease a 12-bun tin with butter/vegan margerine.
2. Chop up the butter into small pieces. In a large mixing bowl pour in the flour and butter and rub together, with your fingers, until it reaches the consitancy of breadcrumbs. Be careful not to overwork it because if the butter melts, the pastry will have a chewy texture.
3. Pour in the water and mix quickly to make a dough. If the pastry does not come together you may need to add more water.
4. Roll the dough into a ball and wrap with clingfilm. Chill in the fridge for an hour or two.
5. Roll out the dough until it is just less than 5 millimeters, only roll out the pastry in the same direction otherwise it will become overworked. Use a scone cutter that is slightly larger than the hole in the bun tin. Cut the circles as close as possible together.
6. When you have cut out all twelve circles you should cut out little shapes to put on the top to decorate the tarts
7. Place each circle into every hole in the bun tin and press it down into the edges of the hole. place a teaspoon of jam into each tart. Finally, place a shape on the top of each tart.
8. Cook for 20 minutes-until golden brown. Leave to cool and eat whilst still warm.

Tuoni E Lampo (Chickpeas with Pasta)

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 Can of chickpeas
400g Penne pasta
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Clove of garlic, crushed
1 Teaspoon sea salt
1 Teaspoon cracked black pepper

Method

1. Cook the pasta in boiling water with half of the pepper and salt until al dente, then drain and rinse it.
2. Drain the chick peas, then rinse them under hot water.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the garlic, chick peas, pasta and the remaining salt and pepper. Then toss them together until everything is glossy with oil.
4. Serve immediately with plenty of cheese. This dish goes very well with carrot and coriander soup.

Adapted from 'The Bean Book by Rose Elliot'

Bean Salad

Serves 1-2
Ingredients
400g Can of red kidney beans
200g Small can of sweetcorn
4 Spring onions
1 Fresh chilli pepper
3 Fresh plum tomatoes
1 Avocado
1 Handful fresh coriander leaves
1 Handful fresh basil leves
1 Lime
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Half teaspoon granulated sugar
Half teaspoon sea salt
Half teaspoon crached black pepper

Method

1. Trim the spring onion and finely chop it, do the same with the chilli pepper as you do not want a large mouthful of spiciness! Slice the tomatoes in half, then scoop out all of the seeds and discard them. Finely chop the tomatoes. Stone the avocado, remove the skin, and then chop the avocado flesh into small peices. Pour all of this into a medium mixing bowl.
2. Drain and rinse the kidney beans and sweetcorn in the same sieve. Pour it into the mixing bowls.
3. Rip up the coriander and basil and throw them into the bowl. Chop the lime in half and squeeze the juice out onto your hand (ovet the bowl) to catch the seeds.
4. Add the olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper into the bowl. Toss the salad with your hands and place in your serving bowl.Place some coriander on top to serve.

Sizzling 'Chicken' Fajitas

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 Dried ancho chilli (preferable)/ other chilli
2 Spring onions
1 Ripe plum tomato
Half a bunch fresh coriander
1 Fresh red chilli
2 Limes
2 Teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Red pepper
1 Red onion
4 Quorn/soya 'chicken' fillets (frozen)
1 Dessertspoon paprika
1 Tin of mixed beans
Half teaspoon cumin seeds
300g Cooked short-grain brown rice
1 Lemon
4 Wholemeal tortillas
20g Feta cheese (optional)

Method

1. Tear the dried chilli into a liquidiser and just cover with boiling water to rehydrate. Trim and rip up the spring onions before adding them. Chop the tomato in half, add to the blender along with the coriander stalks and half of the leaves, half of the fresh chilli , juice of one lime, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Pop on the lid and place to one side.
2. Chop the top off the red pepper and scoop out the seeds, tear up and place on a skillet/griddle pan at medium heat. Top and tail the onion, then remove the skin and first layer of onion. Quarter the onion and rip the layers apart and place on the pan with the red pepper, leave them to char nicely.
3. Run the 'chicken' under the hot tap for 20 seconds. On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the 'chicken' in the paprika. Fold over the paper, then bash the 'chicken' until the paprika has stuck to it.
4. Put the 'chicken' into a medium frying pan with 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil, turning every three to four minutes, until it is golden and cooked through.
5. Drain and rinse the beans. Put them in a large frying pan with 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, cumin seeds and the rest of the chilli (chopped finely). Toss regularly for a few minutes until they are crispy skinned.
6. Blitz the contents of the liquidiser until smooth then place into a mini serving bowl (this is the salsa).
7. Stir the rice and the juice of the lemon into the beans to warm through.
8. Transfer the charred veg onto a wooden board and warm the tortillas on the pan they were in. Pour the rice into a ceramic pan. Place this near the edge of the board, place the salsa (still in the bowl) in the middle of this pan. Fold the tortillas in half and place on the board. Crumble over the feta (optional) and coriander leaves. Slice the 'chicken' and sprinkle over the board.

I will try and upload a photo of the ideal presentation next time I make it.