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: Vegan French Toast recipe #LoveFoodHateWaste

French Toast is one of the tastiest ways to use up any leftover bread that's starting to go stale and it's a surprisingly easy recipe to make a vegan version of as well! 

The French call it pain perdu which translates as the 'lost bread' and I've always enjoyed the challenge of using up a food item so that nothing goes to waste. Food waste is a massive problem here in the UK so as part of the ongoing Love Food Hate Waste awareness campaign, I wanted to share this quick and easy recipe for how you can make some delicious Vegan French Toast.

For this recipe, you'll need some stale thick bread (fresh bread is too soft and just falls apart, so the older it is, the better!) and a couple of vegan-friendly storecupboard ingredients. I've tried to focus on the kind of ingredients that I know most of my vegan and plant-based friends usually have at home, though I understand it may be difficult to source them at the supermarket at the moment, so feel free to save this page for another day in the future if that's the case.

I really love this vegan version of French Toast and highly recommend it to anyone to try, vegan or not, I'm sure you'll love it!

Ingredients (serves 2)

• Two slices of thick-cut, old Bread (Sourdough is the best IMO)
• 200ml Almond or Soy Milk
• 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• 1/2 tsp Cornflour
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
• Pinch of Sea Salt
• Coconut Oil, for frying
• Fresh Berries, for serving (optional)

Method 

• In a medium-sized bowl, mix all the ingredients together, except for the Bread and Coconut Oil, and let it stand for a few minutes to thicken slightly.
• Dunk the Bread into the wet mixture and allow to soak for 2-3 minutes, turning it over to ensure every inch gets a good coating.
• Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add a little Coconut Oil. Carefully add the soaked Bread to the pan and fry for a few minutes on each side, until you get a nice golden brown colour overall.
• Transfer the French Toast to plates and top with your favourite Fresh Berries. Add an extra drizzle of Maple Syrup if you want some more sweetness - enjoy!

Have you tried making Vegan French Toast before?

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Foodie Friday: Crispy Tofu & Mixed Veg Rice Bowl (Vegan recipe)

One meal that I've been cooking a lot of lately is this delicious Crispy Tofu & Mixed Veg Rice Bowl. Packed full of nutritious veggies, plant-based protein and wholegrain carbs, this healthy meal fills me up but doesn't make me feel bloated or sleepy afterwards.

When I'm short on time or don't have the energy to spend an hour cooking, I love nothing more than just grabbing a bunch of fresh ingredients from the fridge, chopping everything up and popping it all into a wok for 10 minutes. You can't beat a good stir fry and this Crispy Tofu & Mixed Veg Rice Bowl is a fast and easy dish with only a little bit of prepping to do.

It's also a great way to use up any leftover veggies at the end of the week which is what I did for this particular post. Feel free to grab whatever you have in the fridge and make this tasty bowl your own!

 Ingredients (serves 1)

• 60g Brown Basmati Rice
• 150g firm, drained & pressed Tofu
• Pinches of mixed Spices (e.g Paprika, Cayenne, Turmeric, Cumin etc)
• 1 tsp of Cornflour
• 2 tsp of Toasted Sesame Oil
• Large handful of leftover mixed Veg (I used Broccoli, Kale, Runner Beans, Chestnut Mushrooms, Chillies and Yellow Pepper)
• Sprinkle of chopped Peanuts (to serve, optional)
• Salt & Pepper or Soy Sauce (to serve, optional)

Method

• Cut the Tofu into bite-sized cubes and add them to a bowl with the mixed Spices, Cornflour and 1 tsp of Toasted Sesame Oil. Mix well and leave to marinade whilst the rice is cooking or if using microwaveable rice, leave for at least 20 minutes. 
• Cook the Brown Basmati Rice according to the pack instructions.
• Add 1 tsp of Toasted Sesame Oil to a wok over a medium heat and add all of the chopped leftover Veg and the marinaded Tofu. Stir fry everything together for around 8-10 minutes, until the Tofu becomes crispy.
• Plate up the bowl with the Rice first, then add the Tofu and Veg on top. Sprinkle over the Peanuts if using, and add your seasoning of choice. Enjoy!

P.S: You can try this dish with my recipe for Crispy Madras Tofu Bites.

What are you cooking this weekend?

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