Foodie Friday: The Ultimate Lockdown Banana Bread Recipe - Vegan Chocolate & Caramelized Pecan Banana Bread #LoveFoodHateWaste

Adapted from one of my favourite vegan cookbooks, the original BOSH!, I've perfected the ultimate homemade Banana Bread recipe. It's rich, indulgent and is truly the best way to use up any leftover bananas that are going brown in your fruit bowl!

As it's been almost a whole year of on and off lockdowns since the pandemic began, it's safe to say that I have experimented with a LOT of banana bread recipes over that time. Banana bread is really easy to make which perhaps explains why it caused a baking sensation when the first lockdown happened last year, and to be honest, it's difficult to go wrong with any recipe that you try.

However, I am a bit of a perfectionist and after testing out over 40 different banana bread recipes, I've discovered 'the one' from BOSH! The original recipe is near damn perfect in my opinion, especially if you're looking for a vegan version, but part of the fun of cooking and baking for me is to adapt recipes, so here it is - my take on the famous BOSH! Banana Bread recipe with a seriously indulgent twist that amplifies it to the next level!

The key difference is that I've opted to use half the amount of sugar because I've added in more chocolate, and I've used caramelized pecans instead of just regular pecans for an extra sweet hit. My version also uses less non-dairy butter and a bit more non-dairy milk to make the bread softer and more cake-like, so the final product is the perfect afternoon (or let's face it, anytime) treat. 

Ingredients (makes 1 Banana Bread loaf)

• 250g Self-Raising Flour
• 75g Coconut or Light Brown Sugar
• 2 tbsp Cacao Powder
• Pinch of Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 50g non-dairy Butter
• 3 large & very ripe Bananas (the browner/blacker, the sweeter they will be)
• 75ml non-dairy Milk (I used Almond Milk)
• 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
• 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 100g vegan Dark Chocolate
• 50g Caramelized Pecans (or you can use regular pecans)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 170C / Gas Mark 3 and line a loaf tin with baking paper, set aside.
• Pour all the ingredients except the Dark Chocolate and Pecans into a food processor and blend into a thick mixture. You may need to take the blade out and scrape down the sides once or twice during this process to ensure everything is nicely mixed together.
• Break the Dark Chocolate and Pecans into small pieces and with a wooden spoon. Gently stir them into the mixture.
• Pour the mixture into the lined loaf tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Check that it's cooked in the middle by inserting a skewer into the middle of the loaf - it should come out clean. If not, bake for a further 5 minutes and try again. 
• Once baked, carefully remove the loaf from the tin and allow it to cool before slicing and serving. Try a slice with ice cream, custard, cream or simply with a cup of tea or hot chocolate. Enjoy!

What's your favourite banana bread recipe?

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Foodie Friday: Relaxing Treats - 5 Delicious CBD Edibles You Should Try #AD

If you haven’t been paying attention to the CBD health craze, you may have missed the wealth of delicious CBD edibles that have flooded the market in recent years. These treats offer the health benefits of CBD, all while being delicious and nutritious. One of the most popular CBD edibles is CBD Gummies. The best thing about it is you can buy CBD gummies for sleep online as well as offline as per your suitability. But are you aware of other CBD edibles like chocolate, jam, and many more? If you’re looking for some interesting treats to try, here are some of the most delicious CBD edibles in the market.

1 - CBD chocolate

There are two approaches when it comes to making CBD chocolate. The boring approach is to use CBD isolates, which leads to a final product that tastes just like regular chocolate. You see, CBD in isolation takes the form of a flavourless white powder, which can be added to any recipe without altering the food’s flavour. Which is good if you don’t like the distinct earthly flavour of hemp, but if you are looking for interesting culinary experiences, buying this type of product will be pointless.

Luckily, there are manufacturers that choose to make chocolate bars using full-spectrum CBD, which often carries hemp biomass. Some go the extra mile and add decarboxylated hemp to the mix, further accentuating the taste of the plant within the mixture. The result is a CBD chocolate bar that tastes nothing like anything you’ve tasted before, creating flavours that you might fall in love with.

2 - CBD ice cream

Ice cream and CBD makes for an interesting combination and a great treat for relaxing on a hot summer day. Remember: CBD remains active when ingested. Meaning that you’ll be able to enjoy all the usual benefits of CBD, which includes a reduction in your overall levels of both stress and anxiety.

CBD ice cream can be bought from different stores, but it is also relatively easy to do yourself. And while homemade CBD chocolate isn’t always that flavorful, homemade CBD ice cream can be excellent.

3 - CBD jam

One of the advantages of infused jam is the wide variety of recipes you can use it with. CBD jam can be used as part of a sandwich, eaten with crackers, or even be used as an ice cream topping. The possibilities are endless.

4 - CBD cakes and brownies

Cake mixes containing CBD can be bought from different stores, or you can add your own CBD to a given mix. Just choose a mix that takes vegetable oil as part of the recipe, and when it comes time to use the oil, also add Cibdol’s CBD oil to the mix. The result will be an infused cake that can also taste quite unique, depending on how much CBD you use.

5 - CBD beverages

CBD drinks and beverages are often sold alongside edibles, since they both share the same consumption method. And a good relaxing CBD drink is definitely a treat you should give yourself from time to time. CBD can be found in everything from soft drinks to tea and coffee. You can even find sparkly CBD water for sale, which makes for a great way to stay calm and hydrated during long hikes or runs.

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Foodie Friday: Sponge Vegan Carrot Cake review #CakeDelivery

Something a little different for this week's Foodie Friday feature, as I haven't wanted to switch my oven on thanks to the blistering hot weather, I've decided to review a cake instead! Meet the latest addition to Sponge.co.uk's tasty range of homemade cakes - the Vegan Carrot Cake!

Special occasions call for cake, but if you can't personally make it to the event for whatever reason, there's always the fuss-free and stress-free option of letting someone else do all the hard work and make a cake for you. Better still, why not have a cake delivered straight to the recipient?

Sponge offers a wide variety of delicious cakes which are all handmade at their bakery in Holt, Norfolk, and they can send a cake to any address in the UK with next-day delivery as standard. The cakes are made using high-quality local ingredients and they have something for everyone, with classic favourites such as Victoria Sponge, Bakewell, and Coffee cakes, alongside contemporary flavours like Gin and Tonic and Rocky Road. You can even make your own personalised cake, order a gluten-free cake, or try a cake with lots of different flavours - yum!

So when Sponge got in touch to ask if I'd like to review one of their cakes, I had to say yes of course (I mean, who would say no, really?) and after some umming and ahhing, I decided to try their new Vegan Carrot Cake. 

The cake arrived on time and was delivered via a DHL courier in sturdy packaging that protected the cake perfectly during transit. There was only one piece of plastic film which covered the cake itself to keep it fresh, and the rest of the packaging materials were recyclable cardboard. 

Opening up the box, I quickly realised that the cake was a lot bigger than I had initially expected - it was huge and had a hefty weight to it! The Vegan Carrot Cake serves 8 people but the portion sizes are definitely on the generous side as I was able to cut some pretty big slices so it could certainly serve more.

But I know what you want to know - how did it taste? AMAZING.

Sponge's Vegan Carrot Cake is perfectly soft and moist, with lots of Walnuts and Sultanas throughout adding some extra flavour and texture. The blend of spices was spot on with Nutmeg coming through the strongest and I could taste subtle hints of Vanilla too. I really enjoyed the tangy Lemony frosting, and perhaps my only criticism is that I wished there was a layering of frosting in the middle of the cake to break up the sheer density of the sponge (and also to ensure that vegans don't miss out as the regular Carrot Cake from Sponge includes this).

Overall, the cake received many compliments from family and friends who enjoyed helping me to taste it and everyone said that they couldn't tell the difference with it being vegan and dairy-free, so I look forward to seeing additional flavours added to Sponge's vegan cake range in the near future!

Sponge Vegan Carrot Cake* (for 8 people, £14.75, link)

[N.B: All of Sponge's cakes are made in the same bakery and whilst they do everything that they can to minimise the risk of cross-contamination, this cannot be 100% guaranteed]

Have you ever ordered a cake online?

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Foodie Friday: Strawberry Shortcake (Vegetarian recipe)

What's the first ingredient that you think of when someone says 'Birthday cake'? Chocolate? Vanilla? Salted Caramel? Nope, this year I decided to celebrate with something completely different; a Strawberry Shortcake. 

It might seem like an odd choice but the main ingredient that I wanted to include was fresh Strawberries, and bizarrely, I didn't fancy making a chocolate cake (although I assure you, I'll be eating some chocolate in its classic bar form later this evening!). Instead, I opted for something seasonal, fresh, with all the indulgence of an English Afternoon Tea, and thus this delicious Strawberry Shortcake was made from scratch in my kitchen earlier today.

I'm so pleased with how it turned out as I ended up tweaking the recipe from a couple that I found on Pinterest to suit what I had in my cupboards. This cake is like a giant scone that's both dense and fluffy inside, topped with an overly generous amount of whipped organic Ricotta. To finish it off, I've added fresh Strawberries that have been lightly cooked in a zingy Orange syrup to bring out all of their juicy flavours. 

Heaven in every mouthful!

Ingredients (makes 1 large cake)

For the cake:-

• 250g Plain Flour
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 organic, free-range Egg
• 2 tbsp Coconut Sugar
• 50g organic Butter (cold & cubed)
• 80ml Almond or Soy Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Salt

For the topping:-

• 250g organic Ricotta
• 250g fresh Strawberries
• Juice of 1 Orange
• 1 tbsp Coconut Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1 Star Anise

Method

• Preheat the oven to 220C / Gas Mark 7 and line a 20cm cake tin with greaseproof paper.
• In a large bowl, add the Flour, Baking Powder, Sugar and Salt and mix well. Add the Butter and mix into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until it resembles something that looks like fine sand and then make a well in the centre.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the Egg, Milk and Vanilla Extract.
• Pour this into the well and gently stir everything together. Once you are near a dough like consistency, use your hands to give the mixture a light knead so that everything is fully combined.
• Place into the lined cake tin and gently press the mixture down. Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes until the top is a light golden brown and a skewer in the middle comes out clean.

• Whilst the cake is baking make fruit topping by adding the chopped fresh Strawberries to a small saucepan with all the other ingredients, except the Ricotta. Simmer for 3-4 minutes to allow the Strawberries to soften slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• When the cake is done, take it out of the oven and allow to cool fully before adding the topping otherwise everything will run off!
• First, place the Ricotta in a bowl and with a fork, lightly whisk it to a whipped consistency. Spread over the cake and finish with the Strawberries and a generous drizzle of the Orange syrup from the saucepan. 
• Cut into slices and enjoy!

Storage tip: Enjoy this cake ASAP and store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

P.S: Thank you everyone for the Birthday wishes on social! :)

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Foodie Friday: Courgette & Lemon Cake (Vegetarian recipe)

I know what you're thinking, courgettes in a cake? Say what?! It sounds bizarre at first, but they actually work really well at ensuring that you end up with a soft and moist cake. This is a lighter, slightly healthier take on the traditional Lemon Drizzle Cake with less sugar and fat, yet still packed full of flavour.

When I was at high school, there used to be a little Tuck Shop on site that sold all manner of sweet and savoury treats, most of which were handmade by either the dinner ladies or the parents/grandparents of students. Fridays were known as 'Cake Days', and I always looked forward to seeing what was available as the menu changed every week. One of my favourites was Lemon Drizzle Cake and to this day, I still love the soft, sweet flavour with its tangy and often sickly glaze. 

I've been attempting to make a 'healthier' Lemon Drizzle Cake for a while now, but truthfully, the recipes that I tried just didn't hit the spot. Sometimes the only option is to just use less fat and sugar, rather than trying to omit them altogether, and after some tweaking here and there, I'm finally happy with the end result!

Oh, and for those who are wondering, you can't actually taste the courgettes in this cake - they simply add extra moisture and bulk (plus a little soluble fibre), which means that you don't need to use so much butter - win-win!

Ingredients: (makes 1 cake)

• 280g Self-Raising Flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 3 free-range & organic Eggs
• 100g organic Butter
• 75g Coconut Sugar
• 250g Courgettes
• Zest of 2 unwaxed Lemons
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Salt

For the Glaze (optional):

• 30g Coconut Sugar
• Juice of 2 Lemons 

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4 and lightly grease a loaf tin with a little oil, butter or use baking parchment paper.
• On a clean work surface, lay out a towel and finely grate the Courgettes onto it. Once done, carefully wrap up the towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible over the sink to avoid a soggy cake. 
• Melt the Butter in a saucepan and then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the Coconut Sugar, grated Courgettes, Lemon Zest, Vanilla Extract and Eggs and mix together until thoroughly combined. 
• Next, gently fold in the sifted Self-Raising Flour, Baking Powder and a pinch of Salt, making sure that you don't overmix it as this can lead to a heavier/denser cake so use a light hand.
• Transfer the mixture to the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool before adding the glaze if using.
• To make the glaze, simply mix the Coconut Sugar with the Lemon Juice in a small bowl and then carefully pour it over the cake. Wait at least 10 minutes to allow the glaze to 'infuse' the cake, then cut into slices and serve. Enjoy!

Storage tip: Keep the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days, though it's best eaten within 48 hours.

 What are you making this weekend?

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Foodie Friday: Bananacado Bread (Gluten-Free / Vegetarian / Supercharge Your Gut recipe)

What do you get when you mix overripe bananas with an avocado? Bananacado Bread! I've baked many different kinds of Banana Breads over the years, and this is one of the best recipes that I've come across for a perfectly moist and utterly delicious result every time.

If you follow me on social media, you'll no doubt have seen that I've been reading up on Gut Health quite a lot lately and have been taking steps to improve my digestion as part of my overall health and wellbeing journey. I have struggled with bouts of IBS for a few years now, but since I've started to eat a much healthier and varied diet, my symptoms have become a lot more manageable on a day-to-day basis. 

There are lots of nutritionists out there whose specialism is based on Gut Health and Lee Holmes is one such person whose books I've been enjoying reading. I checked out her latest book, Supercharge Your Gut, from my local library, which is where this particular recipe comes from. Free from dairy, wheat, refined sugar and gluten, her Bananacado Bread is a brilliant way to use up any overripe bananas and avocados that you may have lying around in your fruit bowl.

Ingredients (makes 1 loaf)

• 3 large overripe Bananas
• 1/2 a large or 3/4 a small ripe Avocado
• 3 organic & free-range Eggs
• 2 tbsp of Agave Syrup
• 200g Ground Almonds
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

Method: 

• Preheat the oven to 160C and line a standard loaf tin with baking/greaseproof paper.
• Peel and roughly chop up the Bananas and Avocado, and then place in a food processor. Whiz until smooth.
• Add the Eggs and Agave Syrup and whiz again to blend everything together.
• In a separate bowl, combine the Ground Almonds, Baking Powder and Bicarbonate of Soda and gently stir through the banana mixture until combined.
• Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. Leave to cool before turning out of the tin.
• Cut into slices and enjoy on its own with a cup of tea or coffee, or add your favourite nut butter for an even more indulgent treat.

Storage tip: This Bananacado Bread will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or you can freeze it for up to 2 weeks.

Are you a fan of Banana Bread?

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Foodie Friday: Summer Chocolate Ganache Cake with Strawberries & Rose (Vegan/Dairy-Free recipe)

Since I've been on a bit of a fitness kick lately, I've had the most insane cravings for chocolate, so earlier this week there was only one thing that I could do - make a chocolate cake of course! This one's vegan-friendly, dairy and refined sugar-free, but this is no low-fat version as it's still seriously rich and utterly decadent. 

Out of all of the cookbooks that I own (and I own quite a lot), the Deliciously Ella books are the ones that I keep going back to again and again. Not only are they packed full of healthy, plant-based recipes, but there are some seriously indulgent ones in there as well, so it made sense to have a browse when I was looking for something to satisfy my chocolate craving.

I stumbled upon the following Chocolate Ganache Cake recipe from the Deliciously Ella Every Day book and I just knew that I had to make it! Luckily, I already had most of the ingredients at home as this cake is made from seven ingredients that I use on a regular basis, so it was mostly a case of simply blending everything together and popping it into the oven - super easy!

This cake is incredibly rich and satisfying. It's wonderfully chocolatey and fudgey, and one small slice with a cup of tea is more than enough to put a smile back on my face after a long and busy week. As it's Summer, I decided to add some fresh Strawberries and a sprinkling of edible Rose Petals over the top to finish it off (these work so well with the chocolate flavour too), so this would be a really beautiful cake to share with friends and family over the weekend.

Ingredients: (makes 1 cake)

• 3 ripe Avocados
• 7 tbsp of Almond Butter
• 8 tbsp of raw Cacao Powder
• 11 tbsp of Maple Syrup
• 140g Ground Almonds
• 3 tbsp Chia Seeds

(For the frosting)

• 4 tbsp Coconut Oil
• 4 tbsp Cacao Powder
• 4 tbsp Maple Syrup
• Fresh Strawberries & edible Rose Petals (optional)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
• Scoop out the Avocado flesh and discard the stones and skins.
• Add the Avocados to a food processor with all the other cake ingredients and blend until smooth. Gently scoop out the batter into the cake tin and smooth out the surface.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife pressed into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool and bind together for at least 20 minutes before turning it out of the tin.
• To make the frosting, warm the Coconut Oil in a saucepan over a low heat until it melts, and then stir in the rest of the frosting ingredients (minus the Strawberries & Rose Petals if using).
• Apply a generous layer of frosting all over the top of the cold cake and leave to set. Add some chopped fresh Strawberries and sprinkle over a handful of edible Rose Petals to finish. 

Have you baked any cakes recently?

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Foodie Friday: Pistachio, Lemon & Rose Drizzle Cake (Waitrose recipe / Vegetarian)

As much as I love a lot of traditional Christmassy things, I have to put my hand up and say that I'm not much of a fan of Christmas Pudding. If you're the same, why not try this interesting twist on the classic Lemon Drizzle Cake instead?

Baking during the Christmas holidays is one of life's little pleasures, and it's a great time to try out some new recipes for your family and friends to enjoy. I stumbled across this recipe from Waitrose during a recent clearout of some old newspapers, and I knew that I had to give it a try because it looked so beautiful! 

I adore Lemon Drizzle Cake anyway (who doesn't?), so this version which features Rose and Pistachios, gives the much-loved classic recipe a bit of a Middle Eastern twist, for something different to share on the table this festive season. The combination of flavours works incredibly well, with the Pistachios giving the cake a little distinctive nutty crunch, and the Rose adding some delicate floral hints, as well as that gorgeous decoration.

My main tip to ensure that a cake like this turns out lovely and soft in the middle, is to make sure that your butter has been softened. It can be all too easy to try and skip that step, but if you attempt to cream and blend butter that's still too hard, you'll simply end up with a disappointing cake that's thick and stodgy inside. 

Instead, I suggest following Mary Berry's advice and soften the butter by cutting it into large cubes and placing them in a lukewarm bowl of water for around 10 minutes. All you need to do after that is drain off the water and you're good to go with perfectly softened butter that will give you a great base for a delicious cake.

Ingredients:

(for the Cake)

• 175g Butter, softened
• 175g Caster Sugar
• Zest and Juice of 2 unwaxed Lemons
• 3 Large Free-Range Eggs
• 200g Self-Raising Flour
• 50g Pistachio Nuts, chopped
• 2tsp edible Rose Petals

(for the Lemon Drizzle & Garnish)

• Juice and Zest of 1 unwaxed Lemon
• 2tbsp Caster Sugar
• 1tsp edible Rose Petals, plus extra to garnish
• 1/2 tsp Rose Water
• 1tbsp Pistachio Nuts, chopped

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4. Grease and base line a 900g Loaf Tin.
• In a large bowl, cream together the Butter, Sugar and Lemon Zest until pale and fluffy. Whisk in the Eggs, one a time.
• Next, lightly stir in the Flour, Rose Petals and Pistachios. Add the Lemon Juice and gently mix to combine everything together.
• Spoon this mixture into the prepared Loaf Tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until it's golden on the outside and a skewer comes out clean when pressed into the centre.
• While the cake is baking, make the Drizzle by gently heating the Lemon Juice, Sugar, Rose Petals, Rose Water and Pistachios in a saucepan, until the sugar has dissolved, Allow to cool slightly.
• When the cake is done, allow it to cool, then pour over the Drizzle and Garnish with a sprinkle of Rose Petals - enjoy!

[The original Waitrose recipe can be found online here, where you can make an additional Rose Cream to serve, for a spot of extra indulgence.]

What cakes are you baking this Christmas?

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Foodie Friday: The Vegan Kind Lifestyle Box - July 2016 review #TVK33

Happy Friday! Hope everyone's got a good weekend planned? This month's The Vegan Kind box turned up bright and early yesterday morning, so if you're curious to find out more about what's inside, keep on reading!

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Christmas Gift Guide 2015: Gift Ideas for People Who Love Cake from Sponge

When a cake company gets in touch and asks you if you'd like to try out some its wares, you don't hesitate to say yes. And so, this is how I was introduced to the online wonders of Sponge who deliver delicious cakes straight to your door.

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Foodie Friday: Baker Days Personalised Letterbox Gift Cake review + UK Giveaway to win your own cake!

To make today that little bit sweeter, I'm happy to announce a special giveaway with Baker Days, where you can win your very own personalised letterbox gift cake!

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