Easy Vegan Cupcakes/Fairy Cakes

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I found Orgran No Egg on special offer recently, so I bought some to test it out and review it; One box of No Egg costs around £2.50 and replaces the equivalent of 66 eggs, so it's good value for money. It contains the following ingredients:Potato starch, tapioca flour, calcium carbonate, citric acid, vegetable gum (stabiliser): methylcellulose and is also gluten free.

Following the success of my vegan Victoria sandwich cake, I thought I'd try adapting my usual (non-vegan) sponge cake recipe by using the egg-replacer instead of eggs. I made some cupcakes to see how the two recipes compared. The results were very pleasing, and I actually preferred the resulting texture and flavour of these cakes compared to my vegan sponge cake. The cakes were very light and crumbly, and kept fresh for a few days in an airtight container.

Makes 12

• 150g/6oz dairy free spread/margarine
• 150g/6oz sugar
• 150g/6oz SR flour
• 3 heaped tsp Orgran No Egg mixed with 6 tbsp water (or use a similar egg-substitute)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream the spread and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined.
Spoon the mixture between 12 paper cake cakes in a bun tin, filling quite generously.

Bake at 180C/170C Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4 for around 20 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch.
Cool on a wire rack.

When cold, top with vanilla butter cream/frosting...

Vegan butter icing

• 50g/2oz dairy free spread/margarine
• 125g/5oz icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1-2 tsp boiled water

Soften the spread.
Mix in the vanilla.
Beat in the icing sugar gradually, adding a little boiled water as needed to make a soft, spreadable mixture.

Top tip: Warning - do not open the oven to check until at least 15 minutes have passed (unless you can smell them burning!), as the egg-replacer takes longer to set than eggs would. I found this out whilst cooking my first batch and they sunk in the middle!

Alternatives: Divide between two greased and lined sandwich cake tines and bake for 30-35 minutes. I haven't tried this yet, so please do let me know if it works!

Swap the vanilla for lemon zest to make a lemon cake, 1 tsp coffee granules mixed with 2 tsp boiling water for a coffee cake, or swap 25g/1oz of the flour for unsweetened cocoa powder to make a chocolate cake. Add the same flavourings to the butter cream icing.

Integrity Statement
I have not received any payment or free products in return for this review and the views expressed are genuinely those of myself and my family. 

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How to cook an Indian meal in 30 minutes

You may remember my previous review about Bipin's Masala curry pastes. Well, I was so impressed with my free sample, that I ordered some more to try out. I decided on a pack of 3 different pastes: Surti Masala, Jeera Masala, and Garam Masala and I was pleasantly surprised to find an extra complimentary pot of Bipin's new Royal Korma paste in my package (which arrived within 3 days of ordering).

I popped all 4 pots into the freezer as directed, until I was ready to use them. This week I tried out the Jeera Masala and the Royal Korma pastes in two different curries:

In one pan, I added the following chopped fresh vegetables: 1 onion, 2 carrots, 1 green pepper, some butternut squash and half a pack of paneer cheese. I gently fried these with 1 tbsp of Royal Korma paste and a drop of extra oil. I then added half a carton of passata and 100ml of water and allowed to simmer for about 30 minutes. Before serving, I stirred through 25g of creamed coconut.

In the other pan, I heated 1 tbsp sunflower oil and added  a chopped aubergine. I cooked this until soft and then added a chopped onion, a drained tin of chickpeas, 100g of mushrooms, 1 tbsp of Jeera Masala paste, and about 50ml of water. I allowed this to simmer for around 20 minutes.
I made up some naan dough in the bread maker, and cooked them under the grill while the curries were cooking.

Both curries were completely different in taste. The Royal Korma, despite being mild, was packed full of aromatic flavours and went down really well with my children. The Jerra Masala complemented the aubergine and mushroom well, and had a distinct taste of cumin with a good chilli kick.

The pastes were really quick and easy to use, and allowed me to produce a restaurant quality meal in 30 minutes - not bad, eh?

Bipin's Masala can only be bought online at a cost of £10 for 3 pastes (plus p&p). Each curry paste pot serves 4+ people and is suitable for freezing.

Integrity Statement
I bought 3 pots of Bipin's Masala and received 1 free sample of  Bipin's Royal Korma to review. I did not receive payment, and the views expressed are genuinely those of myself and my family.

Image 2 courtesy of Bipin's Masala © Pin It

Vegetarian sandwiches and packed lunch ideas

I take a packed lunch to work most days and my kids take a packed lunch to school. Quite frankly, we're all getting a bit bored with our sandwich fillings!

Of course if you're veggie, you'd better like cheese, as the most common sandwich option in your average cafe or pub will be a Cheddar cheese sandwich with tomato, onion, pickle or coleslaw. If they use a good tasty or mature cheese you might be onto a winner, but a sandwich made with sliced white bread and mild Cheddar cheese is about as boring and bland as you can get.

I think you need to use a good bread to make a great sandwich, so either make your own, buy a good rustic loaf or even opt for a decent wholemeal sliced loaf (I like Hovis wholemeal granary). If you're a fan of 'real' bread, you might be interested in joining the Real Bread Campaign.

I've compiled the following ideas for vegetarian and vegan sandwiches, paninis and wraps, in the hope that this inspires me to make some of them for myself and my girls.

Cold Sandwiches
Here are some filling ideas for the humble cold sandwich...use thicker, rustic breads for the wetter fillings, especially if they will be sitting around for a while before lunchtime:

• Ploughman's - mature Cheddar, salad and Branston-type pickle.
• Wensleydale/Brie/Goat's cheese and cranberry sauce.
• Cheese and colesalw
• Quorn/meat-free slices, sliced pickles and salad.
• Cold, sliced veggie sausage with tomato chutney.
• Cold veggie BLT.
• Hummus and cucumber.
• Cold nut roast or veggie pate.
• Cold roasted vegetables with olive paste.
• Marmite with or without cheese. 
• Egg mayo/egg salad.
• Peanut butter - plain or with sliced banana/chocolate hazelnut spread/jam
• Thick cut heirloom tomatoes topped with mango-pomegranate guacamole, roasted garlic aioli, radish sprouts and thinly sliced dill pickle.
• Greek salad - cream some feta cheese with a drop of plain/Greek yogurt, sprinkle with oregano. Spread onto bread. Top with a salad made from diced tomato, cucumber and olives and pepper.
• Vegetarian coronation 'chicken'
• Sweet options - jam, chocolate hazelnut spread, marmalade.

Hot Sandwiches
Here are some ideas for the slightly more sophisticated toasted sandwich, panini, pitta or wrap...

• Goats cheese, rocket and onion chutney or cranberry sauce.
• Mozzarella, veggie pesto and rocket/sliced tomato.
• Cheese/vegan cheese, tomato, onion and basil.
• Roasted vegetables (home made or use anti-pasti) with sliced olives and a balsamic dressing.
• Sun-dried tomato paste and feta cheese.
• Falafel and salad drizzled with tzatziki.
• Hot veggie BLT.
• Veggie bacon, mushroom and cheese/vegan cheese.
• Veggie sausage/burger, salad/fried onions/sliced mushrooms and ketchup.
• Grilled flat mushroom with peri peri marinade and a slice of halloumi cheese (a la Nando's).
• Garlic mushrooms.
• Veggie pizza filling - tomato purée/sun dried tomato paste mixed with diced and roasted onion, pepper, sweetcorn, mushroom, courgette/zucchini (grated cheese - optional) .
• Cheese/vegan cheese and baked beans
• Refried beans, salsa and grated cheddar. 
• Hawaiian - veggie bacon, pineapple and cheese/vegan cheese.
• Chocolate hazelnut spread and sliced banana/strawberries

Any more ideas? Comment below with your favourite veggie/vegan sandwich filling and I'll add them to my list.

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An utterly authentic curry

My whole family love curry. Not one of those poor excuses for a curry that you can get out of a jar, but a real, spicy, aromatic curry, made with fresh ginger, garlic and spices.

I've tried to cut corners before and have tried all sorts of curry powders and pastes, but none have come close to the dishes I can cook at home using individual spices, or that I can eat in the Indian restaurants in my neighbourhood.

I was intrigued when I first heard about a new range of fresh curry pastes called Bipin's Masala. They come in various Gujarati blends: Surti Masala, Jeera Masala, Methi Masala, Machi Masala, Garam Masala and a milder Royal Korma range.

"Bipin’s Masala fresh curry paste is natural, pure, fresh and contains no additives, no flavouring, no colourings and no preservatives... All natural, all fresh, 100% vegetarian, gluten free, diary free."

I was lucky enough to be sent a sample of the Surti Masala paste and couldn't wait to try it out and see if it lived up to the claim that it would enable me to cook "...the best authentic curry you've ever tasted." Well, it certainly smelt pretty good when I opened the package. It looked good too, but what would it taste like? I couldn't wait to get cooking.

I improvised a bit with my curry, as I had various vegetables which needed using up, but if you're stuck for ideas, Bipin's website has a dedicated vegetarian section with some delicious-sounding recipes.

I added a chopped onion, a diced bell pepper, some mushrooms, 2 tbsp tomato puree, half a packet of paneer and a tin of chickpeas to a pan, and stirred in the curry paste (no need for extra oil or to pre-cook any of the vegetables). I let this simmer for 20 minutes and then stirred in 100g of chopped spinach and about 100ml of coconut milk. I simmered this for a further 5 minutes and then served with fresh naan bread. While it was cooking, Miss Kahonie commented that it smelt really good "Like a take away."

So to the taste test. My whole family had positive comments about the curry, and mentioned that it tasted better than my normal home cooked curries! The kids thought it was a bit too spicy, but they polished off every morsel on their plates. Both myself and Mr O, thought it was delicious, and agreed that it was up to restaurant standard. The only criticism we had, was that it was a little on the hot side for the average British palate. However, Bipin has created a milder Royal Korma range, which would cater for those who don't like their curries too hot. 

I will definitely be recommending Bipin's Masala pastes to my friends and family, and to anyone who wants to create an authentic curry at home. They are so quick and easy to use, that you could make a meal at home in the time it would take to get to the take away and back!

At the moment, Bipin's Masala can only be bought online at a cost of £10 for 3 pastes (plus p&p). Each curry paste pot serves 4+ people and is suitable for freezing.

Integrity Statement
I received 1 sample of  Bipin's Surti Masala to review. I did not receive payment, and the views expressed are genuinely those of myself and my family.

Images courtesy of Bipin's Masala © Pin It

Vegan candles from Nyan Nyan - Delicious!

I've always wanted to have a go at making my own candles, but it's one of those things that I've never quite got round to doing. Once I started researching and realised I needed the wax, the essential oils, the molds, the wicks etc,etc, it seemed like just a bit too much effort to make a few candles.

Lucy, from the intriguingly-named Nyan Nyan was more determined than me! She makes and sells beautiful (looking and smelling) vegan candles, made from eco-soya wax and fragranced with essential oils. If you didn't realise that not all candles are vegan (or necessarily even vegetarian) you just need to look at a few candle ingredient lists to spot the added beeswax, tallow and animal-derived/tested colours, scents and additives. Of course, most mass manufactured 'cheapo' candles are made from paraffin wax these days, but burning a candle made from processed crude-oil isn't everyone's cup of tea either...

...Oh, talking of cups of tea, Nyan Nyan also sell candles made in delicate vintage china tea cups, which can be washed out and reused, or displayed, long after the candle has burned out. These would make a lovely (and unique) present for a mum (Mother's Day?) or friend, and will certainly last longer and cost less than your average bouquet of flowers. They also sell candles with personalised labels, which would be great for wedding favours or gifts.

I received a Lemon Sherbet candle from Lucy, as she's recently relaunched her online shop and wanted some willing volunteers to test out her luxury candles. Before I even finished opening the parcel, I could smell the delicious, zesty aroma of lemon wafting towards me! The candle (infused with may chang, grapefruit & lemon essential oils) was beautifully presented and wrapped in coloured tissue paper. It gives out a lovely aroma once lit, which fills the whole room and smells a million times nicer than those horrible chemical air fresheners which seem all the rage at the moment; I know which scent I'd rather breathe in!

For more information, or to order, visit Nyan Nyan or email Lucy: mail@nyan-nyan.co.uk

Integrity Statement
I received 1 Lemon Sherbert candle from Nyan Nyan to review. I did not receive payment, and the views expressed are genuinely those of myself.

Images courtesy of Nyan Nyan ©

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Tasty Tofu - part 4, The finale!

Image © Onykahonie

If you've been following my  tasty tofu quest you'll know that I had a complete tofu disaster followed by a moderate success with Thai Tofu Cakes, but I still hadn't managed to cook the kind of tofu that I like to eat in restaurants.

I concluded that I needed to try a different brand of tofu, so despite the lack of Chinese supermarkets in my area, I managed to track down some rather unappetisingly named Clear Spot (yes, really!) Organic Tofu in a local health food store.

On opening the packet, I was slightly scared...the tofu looked and felt softer than Cauldron's. I drained the tofu and and blotted it well on kitchen roll to remove as much moisture as possible, and then cut it into pieces. From my in depth tofutastic research, I had deduced that I first needed to marinate it and then fry it, so I made up a marinade of dark soya sauce, grated fresh ginger and crushed garlic. I also made up a basic batter with plain flour, egg and water.

After an hour bathing in the marinade (the tofu, not me!) I dipped the bean curd chunks into the batter and fried them for a few minutes in hot vegetable oil. They sizzled gently and turned a beautiful golden brown. I scooped them out and drained them well, before tentatively biting into a piece. The kids were slightly wary, but after some gentle persuasion and the promise of another mention on my blog, they tried it. Mr O showed no such trepidation and ate a whole piece in one mouthful.

And the result...whoo-hoo...everyone liked it!!! TASTY TOFU - crisp and tanned on the outside, pale and soft in the middle, and packed full of flavour! My tasty tofu quest is over (for now).

The recipe

Take a small block of firm tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into chunks. Marinade for 1 hour in: 

• 2-3 tbsp dark soya sauce
• 1 small clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Then dip into a batter made with:

• Heaped ½ cup plain flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ cup cold water

Fry in hot vegetable oil until golden brown, then drain on paper towel.
Serve with rice/noodles, stir-fried vegetables and a sweet chilli dipping sauce.

Alternative: Veganise the batter by omitting the egg.

Image © Onykahonie Pin It

On the quest for tasty tofu!

I've made up an extra New Year's Resolution: To learn how to cook tasty tofu!

Now, I reckon I'm a pretty good cook. I can turn my hand to Indian, Greek, Italian and even English food...but Chinese and Thai dishes are not my forte! I first experimented with tofu, many years ago in my student days, long before the invention of Quorn and the many other meat subs now on the market. My efforts were somewhat bland and uninspiring though, which put me off.

I've recently been tempted back to the bean curd since eating a couple of fab spicy and crispy tofu dishes at Chinese and Thai restaurants. I want to have a go at recreating those textures and flavours at home, so this week I'm going to try for a Thai tofu dish. I'm not a big fan of convenience foods and cook-in sauces, but I've bought a jar of Asda's vegetarian Thai green curry paste (look out for fishy ingredients in other brands) for my first attempt.

Find out how the quest ended here. Pin It

Cloned milk and meat is safe?

So, it's official, the meat and milk from cloned animals is safe! Yipee, the world will be a better place and famine will be a thing of the past...or maybe not!

What actually are the benefits of cloning animals, apart from giving bored scientists something to do? They're initially cheaper to produce, I guess, but surely genetically identical animals will be far more prone to being wiped out by diseases like foot & mouth and BSE, which would have a huge economic impact on farmers. I also wonder what other long term costs to nature and the environment may be seen in the future.

It's up to consumers (and non-consumers!) to make sure that the demand for cheap meat does not lead to the mass production of cloned animals. This might well be a case of shutting the proverbial stable door after the horse cow has bolted though, as apparently cloned meat has already been sold in the UK (by 'accident'). Nice to know that the stringent standards of novel food regulation are in place then!

For more information see the Food Standards Agency website. Pin It

Brussels sprouts...love them or hate them?

Evil sprouts!

Being a vegetarian, I have to by default, eat a lot of vegetables. Try as I might though, there are a few vegetables I just can not bring myself to like, no matter how many times I try them. One of those is the Brussels sprout. To me, the sprout is a true abombination of the vegetable kingdom!

To look at, the humble sprout is really quite cute. A tiny baby cabbage, round and perfectly formed with crisp, green layers of tightly packed leaves. But once cooked, it transforms into an evil, foul-tasting nugget of repugnance! Sorry sprout-lovers, but I obviously have superior phenylthiocarbamide receptors to you!

Here's the science bit: Sprouts and other brassicas contain a chemical similar to phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) which only some people can taste. This chemical is also present in some poisonous plants, so it makes sense to be able to taste it and not eat potentially poisonous foliage...that's my excuse anyway!

Want the proof? Here it is: Scientists discover that Neanderthals hated Brussel sprouts. Pin It

I've made a food discovery...

Frozen butternut squash!
This might not be a revelation to some, but I didn't know it existed until I discovered it lurking in the frozen foods section of Waitrose this week. At £1 for 500g, it's a great price too.

I love butternut squash (which is a fruit, not a vegetable!) but unfortunately, the rest of the family aren't so keen, so I don't buy it that often. Now I have a bag of the stuff in the freezer and can pull out a few chunks anytime I want to. I have some roasting in the oven as I type! Pin It

Quote of the day...from a pack of butter!

I opened up a new pack of spreadable Lurpak this morning, in readiness to smother my breakfast toast in buttery and Marmitey goodness. I was stopped in my tracks by the profound quote on the inner paper lid-type thing!


"Pride - Something you don't find in a ready meal" it proclaimed. How true, I thought as I munched on my toast. Pin It