Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients

• 15oz can black beans (drained & rinsed well)
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp strong coffee (or 1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water)
• 1 tsp baking powder (gluten free)
• 2 tbsp canola or olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

Method

• Preheat oven to 350*F. 
• Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray.
• Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender. 
• Add the beans last and make sure you blend VERY well. 
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing. 
• Brownies are approx. 2"x2" in size.

Number of Servings: 16

Orange Syrup Cake

Wheat free, gluten free, dairy free, soya free, and corn free

Makes one large cake in an 8" round tin, or a sandwich cake in 2 tins - approx 12 slices or kill two birds with one stone as I did, and make a 6" cake and 10 small cupcakes for the freezer!

Ingredients

175g (6oz) "Pure" Sunflower Margarine or equiv. alternative
225g (6oz) caster sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten
200g (7oz) rice flour
3 oz ground almonds (optional)
1 tsp Xantham Gum
1 tsp baking powder
grated zest and juice of one large orange

Beat together sugar and margarine. Add in beaten eggs and stir in dry ingredients.
The mixture should be a soft dropping consistency.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes at 180C (15-20 mins for cupcakes)

Ideas for serving:-

Heat 200mls orange juice and 5 oz caster sugar to create a syrup and pour over the top.

If you made 2 cakes for a sandwich then spread marmalade in between the layers.

Make butter icing (equal parts icing sugar to margarine) with a little orange juice (you might need more icing sugar) and either spread over the top of the large cake, or make butterfly cupcakes. to do this, cut a cone shape out of the top, fill with icing and cut the cone shape piece in half to form two "wings" which you place back on the top.

Chickpea Patties / Burgers

Dairy, soya, wheat, gluten, corn and egg free.

I halved this recipe using one can of chickpeas and made 6 small patties for my 5 year olds. They are really tasty and robust (don't fall apart) and you can substitute the onion for sun dried tomatoes if preferred.

Full Recipe makes 12 small patties (8cm across, 2cm deep)

2 x 400g cans (weight is undrained weight) chickpeas, drained
4 garlic cloves, crushed, or garlic paste
1tsp ground cumin
1 small red onion, chopped
20g fresh coriander
2 tbsp plain flour - if using gluten free Dove's Farm works best and add 1 tsp Xanthan gum

extra flour to dust, olive oil for frying

Method

Pat the chickpeas dry and put them in a food processor with the garlic, cumin, onion and coriander.
Blend until smooth, then stir in the flour

With floured hands, shape the mixture into 12 small round patties and chill in the fridge for 20 mins.

Heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry 2 mins each side or until golden and heated through.

Can be frozen.

Bran and Raisin Muffins

Makes 20 cup cake size mini muffins or approx 12 larger ones.

Free from Wheat (gluten free if using rice bran), Dairy, Soya and can be egg free if you use egg replacer or try omitting the egg which does work although not as well.

Ingredients

• 120 mls pineapple juice / orange juice / juice and smoothie mix (I did the latter)
• 60mls Molasses or treacle, or I used Golden Syrup and it worked just as well
• 150g Oat bran (or rice bran for gluten free)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 75g raisins
• 1 egg
• 120mls Oatly cream (or for gluten free use rice cream or soya cream if allowed)
• 60mls vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 115g rice flour/blended plain gluten free flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 shredded carrot or shredded apple (optional) or drained stewed apple (again, optional)

Method

• If you have an electric mixer you can mix all the ingredients at once in this recipe. Otherwise mix all the wet ingredients plus bran, cream/yoghurt, and raisins and leave for 10 mins 
• Combine with all the all the dry ingredients. 
• Combine and mix in the carrot last.
• Line a muffin/fairy cake tin and spoon out the mixture. 
• Bake at 200C for about 10 mins or until firm.

Moo Free!!

I've just discovered a fabulous company making Easter Eggs which are not only Dairy free but also Soya free (no mean feat) and everything else free too! Had to share!

Product Specifications

INGREDIENTS

Dairy free easter egg

Organic sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic rice powder, organic cocoa mass, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin) & natural flavouring. Contains cocoa solids 42% minimum.

Allergy Advice

Dairy free, lactose free, gluten free, wheat free, egg free, vegetarian, vegan

Certification/Registration

Organic Farmers & Growers, Vegan Society

Manufactured UK

Packaged UK

Savoury Buckwheat Biscuits

Serves - 8-10 biscuits 

Free from - Wheat, gluten*, milk, egg, soya*, nut, peanut *depending on which milk alternative is used 

Ingredients

• 100g (3½ oz) buckwheat flour 
• ⅛ tsp salt 
• 1 ½ tsp wheat-free baking powder 
• 30g (1oz) milk/soya free margarine (Pure sunflower)
• 60ml (2fl oz) milk alternative (rice or oat milk but not gluten free if oat milk is used)

Method

• Preheat oven to 190°C / 375 °F / Gas mark 5 
• Sift together flour, salt and baking powder at least twice 
• Rub in the margarine 
• Make a well in the centre and gradually pour in the milk, stirring to form a soft dough 
• Turn onto a floured board and roll out to 1 cm/ ½ in thick 
• Cut into rounds, arrange on a greased baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes 

Serving suggestions - With margarine & jam or small rounds with cucumber slices and half a cherry tomato. 

Gingerbread family

Serves - 12 

Free from- Milk/dairy, wheat, gluten, egg, soya, nut, peanut 

Ingredients

• 350g (12oz) Dove's Farm gluten free blended plain flour 
• 2 rounded teaspoons ground ginger 
• 1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 
• 1 level teaspoon baking powder (check ingredients)
• 100g (3½ oz) milk/soya free margarine 
• 175g (6 oz) soft light brown sugar 
• 60ml (2 fl oz) milk alternative (rice or oat milk)
• 4 tablespoons golden syrup 
• currants & glace cherries to decorate 

Method

• Preheat oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas mark 5 
• Sift the flour, ginger, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a bowl. 
• Dice the margarine and rub into the flour mixture. 
• Add the sugar. 
• Stir in the golden syrup and alternative milk, adding the latter a tablespoon at a 
• time. Mix until a dough ball is formed. The dough should be soft but not sticky. 
• Knead the dough to a smooth consistency on a floured surface, then roll out to a 
• thickness of ½ cm. 
• Use a cutter to cut a gingerbread family, or other shapes if you prefer. 
• Decorate with currants & glace cherries. 
• Grease and flour a baking tray, or use non-stick baking parchment. Place the 
• gingerbread people on the tray and bake in the middle of the oven for 10 
• minutes. 
• Once cooked remove from the oven and leave on the tray for 5 minutes before 
• transferring to a wire rack. Serve when cool. 

Cooks tip - For those who can tolerate eggs, omit the baking powder and add an egg alongside the syrup. 

Serving suggestions - Make other shapes such as hearts and stars and decorate them with icing sugar for Valentines, Christmas and other special occasions