Pineapple upside down banana cake

This is a just a twist on Zoe’s Banana Cake - one of our faves to bake!

Nads said: “I used pineapple pieces in juice not syrup and added about 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice in and a little less milk to account for that and I used grape seed oil as the oil. I sprinkled about 2 tables spoons off brown sugar at the bottom of a greased pan and a single layer of slightly spaced out but fairly close pineapple pieces.”

So the amended recipe ends up being:

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas , mashed

1 cup sugar

2 cups plain flour

4tsp baking powder

1tsp cinnamon 

1/2 cup water or vegan milk

1/2 cup tinned pineapple juice

1/2 - 1 cup tinned pineapple pieces

1/4 cup grapeseed or other vege oil
1tsp Apple cider vinegar 

Method

⁃ Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius 

⁃ Mash bananas

⁃ Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl

⁃ Combine all wet ingredients in another bowl (except bananas)

⁃ Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in wet ingredients and combine

⁃ Fold through the bananas

- sprinkle brown sugar on the bottom of the greased cake tin and add a layer of slightly spaced out but close together pineapple pieces - adjust amount according to cake tin. We used a round ring cake tin and find this cake (both the original banana and the pineapple upside down adaptation) bakes better in it. Then add cake mixture on top.

⁃ Bake for 45 minutes or until golden. Serve upside down!

Vegan roast!

This is our fave that we have often and always for Xmas!

Easy Vegan nut loaf:

https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/recipes/special-occasions/easy-nut-roast

• medium sized onion or 1 small leek, chopped
• 1 fl oz (30ml) vegetable oil
• 2 tsp (10ml) yeast extract in 1/4 pint hot water (optional)
• 8 oz (225g) chopped mixed nuts
• 2 tbsp ground almonds
• 4 oz (100g) wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp sage
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4
2. Saute the onion or leek in the oil until soft, not browned.
3. Combine all of the ingredients together; the mixture may be slightly slack. Turn into an oiled ovenproof dish and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

We just use cashews and left over bread blitzed in the thermomix instead of the chopped nuts and almond meal and bread crumbs. And the yeast is optional really as I forgot to include it and it was fine. I also added a sprinkle of dried rosemary. It’s often quite crumbly - the more you food process it the more it’s stays together like a roast.

We used to do a similar one that was more complicated and had layers but this is just as enjoyable and much less prep time. 

Vegan Gravy

2TBS vegan butter

1 small or half a large brown onion cut upfinely

Sauté until onions are golden brown

Turn off heat 

Add 2 or 3 TBS flour gradually, stirring it into a rue.

Gradually add 1 cup filtered water until mixed we’ll.

Add 1.5 -2 TBS sot sauce salt and pepper to taste

Stir until desired thickness and serve. 

And roast veggies

Favourite recipe links

Recipes We like and use - link dump FYI ✌️

RICE BUBBLE CHOC SLICE

https://thermobliss.com/thermomix-healthy-chocolate-rice-bubble-slice/

COLESLAW

https://www.brandnewvegan.com/recipes/creamy-vegan-coleslaw

COCONUT DATE COOKIES

https://www.recipecommunity.com.au/baking-sweet-recipes/coconut-and-date-cookies-no-added-sugar-healthy-kids-snack/rbnz4scl-b62eb-834169-cfcd2-ph6zi8w9 

VEGGIE SOUP

https://www.thehealthymaven.com/detox-vegetable-soup/

NUT ROAST

https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/recipes/special-occasions/easy-nut-roast?fbclid=IwAR3CVbeCc8IbCqd5QBVJSu6MNVzd9TqVEa0S1z7P3msgpyebxwMpONKwUzw

CARAMEL SLICE

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/caramel-slice-vegan/148566d0-bf7f-4f08-9844-7fe5d93e5ae7?fbclid=IwAR0VAzU_ZdvKAl1Sv1Y9cCL4PWfrMl3LLhHYUm2YtiDCaN67dTsx6eEleUI

ORANGE BANANA LOAF CAKE

This plus two ripe mashed bananas https://bakewithshivesh.com/vegan-orange-loaf-cake/

RHUBARB RELISH

https://www.recipecommunity.com.au/sauces-dips-spreads-recipes/rhubarb-relish/n40fa9pf-1a7f9-135097-cfcd2-sysgge1v

VEGAN BOLOGNESE SAUCE

https://tasty.co/recipe/vegetarian-meat-sauce

KID’S PASTA SAUCE

https://skinnymixers.com.au/skinnymixers-pizza-sauce-2/ 

LENTIL SOUP

https://www.shelikesfood.com/curried-sweet-potato-carrot-red-lentil-soup/

Raw choc slice - With berry adaptation option

This slice is a delish treat to have in the fridge or freezer for sweet fixes! Both the base on its own and the berry layer are great on their own, or you can do the full recipe that I’ve adapted this from, complete with melted chocolate on top, at www.becomingness.com/raw-chocolate-raspberry-slice 

Choc nut slice /Base

If you are doing this layer only, it’s necessary to double this so it is a single layer slice. (Or use a much smaller slice tin for a single batch)

• 12 medjool dates, pitted
• 1 cup raw nuts (either almonds, macadamias or cashews work well. You can use one type or a mixture)
• 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• Optional: add a tablespoon of chia seeds for an omega oil hit in this!

Raspberry Layer (optional)

• 2 cups fresh raspberries (I did half strawberries, half raspberries)
• 2/3 cup raw cashews or macadamias
• 4 tablespoons shredded/ desiccated organic coconut
• 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup or rice malt syrup
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

1. To make the base: add the base ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blend until it sticks together when pressed - longer for more fudge-like consistency, or less for more nutty crumbly version. Spoon mixture into a lined slice tin and press down. Place it in the freezer. You can cut it up and serve as is (having done the double recipe) if you just want a chocolate slice. 
2. To make the raspberry layer as well, blend all raspberry layer ingredients except the coconut oil in a high speed blender/ food processor until smooth. Add coconut oil and blend until well combined. Add to the base and smooth over with a spatula or back of a spoon and place into the freezer for at least 1 hour to set.

Or for a “nut free choc bliss ball”/slice alternative I’ve seen on @my_kids_lick_the_bowl ‘s website

1cup sunflower seeds
1cup dates
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup cacao
1TBS coconut oil

Old-fashioned chocolate chips cookies made vegan two ways

Old-fashioned chocolate chips cookies made vegan two ways other than the non-vegan original we found in a cookbook in the farm house we stayed in in Toodyay in 2017.

Vegan Almond Old-fashioned choc-chip cookies

We love almonds and my mum is allergic to most nuts except almonds and cashews so this vegan, almondy adaptation of the recipe is our family fave.

Ingredients

150g plain flour
125g nuttalex buttery
75g caster sugar
75g light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence/ extract
3 TBS aqua faba
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp hot water
125g almond pieces (or half walnut, half almond)
175g vegan dark chocolate chips - use coarsely chopped dessert chocolate.

Method for Thermomix

1. Heat oven to 190 degrees C. Line two baking trays.
2. Start by blitzing the nuts on sped 8 for 4 secs. Pour out nuts into a bowl. Break and bash the chocolate up inside its pack using a rolling pin.
3. Cream the butter on speed 4 for 5 secs, add both sugars and beat until soft and light - speed 5 for 5 secs, scrape sides and repeat.
4. Beat in the vanilla speed 4 for 5 secs, add the aqua faba and beat for 1 minute on speed 5.
5. Mix the bicarb with the water until dissolved and stir it into the mixture.
6. Mix in the flour in two halves for 10 secs on speed 5 each.
7. Stir in almond and chocolate on reverse speed 4 for 5 or so secs.
8. Using two teaspoons, drop small mounds of mixture onto the baking trays and flatten.
9. Bake for 10-15mins. Cool and serve.

Vegan Oat Old-fashioned Choc-chip cookies

For school lunch boxes the nuts won't float so replacing them with oats is not only practical but arguably an improvement!

Ingredients

150g plain or wholemeal flour
125g nuttalex buttery
75g caster sugar
75g light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence/ extract
3 TBS aqua faba
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp hot water
125g rolled oats
175g vegan dark chocolate chips - use coarsely chopped dessert chocolate.

Method for Thermomix as above

The chunks of chocolate are delish!

Vegan Orange and Banana loaf cake

I adapted this recipe by adding two mashed ripe bananas at the end of this

https://bakewithshivesh.com/vegan-orange-loaf-cake/

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• zest of one orange
• a pinch of salt
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup organic white sugar
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup hot water
• ADD two ripe mashed bananas

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C and prepare a loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest.
3. In a large bowl combine, both the the sugars, orange juice,vegetable oil and water.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and ADD mashed bananas. Fold to combine. Do not over mix.
5. Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake at 180C for 30-40 minutes

Maybe go easy on the white/caster sugar; a quarter cup will be enough, and I cooked 30mins at 180 degrees Celsius then 10mins at 160C.

Vegan Carrot cake - thermomix recipe

Here is my best effort at a carrot cake that is vegan and one thermomix  bowl away from deliciousness!

I based my recipe mostly on Quirky Cooking's One Bowl Carrot Cake (gluten free and dairy free)  and recommend trying their icing recipe options too (although it really doesn't need any!)
With some inspiration from a Love and Lemons Vegan Carrot Cake recipe and this Venturesome Vegan Cooking recipe book (pictured)

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients
300g (/1 x410g drained tin) of fresh/tinned pineapple or peaches
400g/ 3 or 4 large carrots (quartered)
0.5cups of apple sauce
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
80g (/ 8 tablespoons?) coconut oil / grape seed oil/ macadamia oil
1tsp vanilla extract
Quarter of a cup of molasses
Quarter of a cup of raw local honey
Quarter of a cup of maple syrup
Dry Ingredients
150g dessicated coconut/ walnuts/ macadamias
380g gluten free flour or all purpose flour
1tsp cinnamon
2tspn bicarbonate soda / baking soda
2tspn baking powder
Three-quarters of a tsp salt (optional)
Optional Ingredient
Half cup/80g sultanas/ raisins

Method

1. Soak half cup/80g sultanas/ raisins in warm water (for about 20mins) - this is an optional ingredient and an optional step when including the ingredient.

2. Preheat the oven to 165 degrees Celsius - this low temperature is important for baking when raw honey is an ingredient.  Grease and flour one circular ring cake tin and one muffin baking tins.

3. Combine wet ingredients on Speed 5 for 15 seconds.
NB: If you don't have a thermomix, I'm sure that a food processor would do the job for this stage of the recipe and hand mixing for the later steps is sufficient.

4. Combine dry with wet ingredients on speed 5 for 10 seconds.
NB: this may require some hand mixing with a spoon, or longer time mixing if you have an older (and therefore smaller bowl sized) model of thermomix like me. The recipe I based this off was for the newer, larger bowled thermomix. Hand mixing for this step would be fine.

5. Add soaked sultanas/ raisins (optional). Speed 4 for 5secs

6. Bake 30-40mins for muffins, 90 mins for ring cake - use skewer to determine when ready