Chewy Chocolate Banana Cookies | Vegan | With Plantain Flour

I made these gooey chewy chocolate banana cookies for breakfast, but these are also great for when you want to reach for a healthy snack. The cookies are free from gluten, refined sugar and oil, making it suitable for several dietary requirements. 

For more recipe inspiration be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook. I would love to see your recipe creations too, so do tag me and let's connect :)

  

Ingredients 

Makes 12 

- 3 heap tablespoons plantain flour (or other gluten-free flour) 
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds 
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 
- 2 large ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat your oven to 200C.

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine. Leave to stand for 5 minutes so that the plantain flour can become more hydrated.

Spoon the cookies onto a lined baking tray, using the back of a spoon to smooth out the top. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Leave to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the tray. Enjoy with a cup of tea!

My Go-To Lentil Soup | Easy Vegan Recipe

During these winter months, cosy soups are the name of the game. Whenever I fancy something quick and nutritious, I always seem to turn to this recipe or some variation of it. It's budget-friendly, easy to make and packed full of flavour.

At the moment I'm trying to reduce the level of sodium in my food, so you'll notice that I left out salt in the ingredient list below. My taste buds have certainly developed over the last few years to the point where I don't like super salty meals. I also find that the spices in this really provide a decent flavour kick. Having said that, feel free to add a dash of salt to yours. 

You'll also see that I do the cheat thing of using frozen mixed vegetables but if you've got some spare veg lying around that needs using up, go ahead and chop them up and add to this dish. Soup is very forgiving. You can play around with it, customise to your heart's content, so don't hold back.

Ingredients

Serves 2

- 1 cup split red lentils

- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

- generous handful shredded cabbage

- 1 tablespoon hot curry powder

- 1 tsp crushed chilli flakes

- 1 teaspoon ground cumin

- 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs

- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

- approx 4 measuring cups hot water

Method

Place all the ingredients in a pot/saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes until the lentils are soft. Serve hot with an extra dash of chilli flakes over the top.

Nigerian 'Meat' Pie - Vegan, Meat-Free

Hands up if meat pie was the snack of your childhood in Nigeria. I know it certainly was for me!

After going vegan, it was imperative to develop a plant-based version that I and my family could still enjoy. No holding back on taste and texture. 

I'm excited to share this recipe with you, which I created for Upfield. I do hope you give it a try! Be sure to share your creations with me over on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter!

Ingredients (Makes 10-12)

For the pastry:

500g or 4 cups plain flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp curry powder

300g or 1 1/3 cup cold vegan margarine, cubed

60ml or 1/4 cup cold water

56g or 1/4 cup vegan margarine, melted (for brushing)

 

For the filling:

28g or 2 tbsp vegan margarine, for the pan

1 large onion, finely chopped

350g or 3/4 pound vegan mince meat

1 potato, peeled and diced into small cubes

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp dried thyme

16g or 2 tbsp corn flour

240ml or 1 cup vegetable stock

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C / 350F.
2. Make the pastry by mixing the flour, salt, baking powder and curry powder in a large bowl.
3. Add the cold cubed margarine and use your fingers to rub it into the flour until you get a crumbly texture.
4. Slowly add the cold water and mix until a firm dough is formed. Do not over-mix. Wrap the dough in cling film (plastic wrap) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Make the filling by heating 2 tablespoons of vegan margarine in a large pan. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add the vegan mince “meat”, diced potato and carrot. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
6. Dissolve the corn flour into the vegetable stock and pour into the pan. Simmer on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Set aside to cool completely.
7. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and divide into 10-12 equal-sized balls. Take one piece and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a perfect 15cm or 6” circle. Brush a little water around the edge of the circle and place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the centre. Fold in half and crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers to seal. Pierce the top with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place on an aluminium foil or wax paper-lined baking tray. Repeat this process for the rest of the dough and filling. Brush the top of each pie with melted Flora plant margarine.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Best served hot or warm with a side salad.