Ice-Cream and Giggles

During a recent trip to Melbourne for a conference, I managed to find time to visit Matcha Mylkbar: a 100% plant-based cafe whose specialty is...you guessed it, matcha (and vegan poached eggs). To me, though they looked like "eggs", they tasted of coconut and cheese. Which I think is good, as I was never the biggest fan of eggs to begin with.

Naturally, when I returned to Sydney I was determined to have a go at making them myself. With nothing to go off except that I knew the "white" was made of almond milk and coconut, and the "yolk" center sweet potato, coconut, and flax seeds, I made up a recipe with my taste buds as a guide. Though these don't taste as amazing as the original (which took the cafe months to perfect), I think they come close! Plus, they are much cheaper to make than flights to Melbourne every time I want one!

Note, you will need some sort of semi-circle mould. I got mine for $5 off eBay, which had six semi-circles.

Prep: 15 minutes, Setting: 40 minutes. Total time: 45 minutes.

Serves 6.

You will need:

For the egg white:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
scant 1 tbsp agar agar

For the egg yolk:

75g sweet potato, steamed and mashed
1 tbsp coconut milk
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp vegan margarine
1.5 tbsp water

Method:

1. In a saucepan, combine the almond milk, coconut milk and agar agar. Bring to boil, stirring constantly, until it is bubbling rapidly. Leave for 1 minute, then divide between your moulds, filling up 3/4. Place in fridge to set, and leave the excess aside (it will be reused).
2. Combine all ingredients for the yolk in a food processor. Set aside.
3. Once the white has set, using a spoon scoop out the center of each white. Put these leftovers back in a saucepan on low heat with the other excess whites, and slowly bring to boil again. Meanwhile, spoon in the "yolk" mixture into these cavities.
4. Top the egg with more white once ready. Let set in the fridge again.
5. When serving, heat the egg in the microwave for 30 or so seconds.

In the midst of data collection, database creation, writing a literature review and a 7,000w candidature essay, dense and nutritious food is what my brain needs. Oh, and coffee! These caramel slices really hit the spot. The nutty base, sweet caramel, and chocolate ganache are perfect together. Though I am a bit biased, not only does my sister love these treats, but my boyfriend's omnivore sister liked them! She liked them so much she actually asked for the recipe! So if that isn't an incentive to make you create these ASAP, I really don't know what is. ;)

Prep: 25 minutes. Cooling: 1 hour. Total Time: 1 h 25 minutes.

Makes 12-18 slices.

You will need:

For the base:

1 cup gluten free rolled oats
1 cup raw almonds
4 tbsp maple syrup

For the caramel:

3/4 cup almond butter
3/4 cup maple syrup
100g coconut butter (or coconut oil, but it won't be oil free)
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

For the ganache:

150g vegan sugar-free dark chocolate
170g lite coconut cream or milk

Method:

1. Blitz the oats and almonds in a high-speed blender or food processor until a flour is formed. Add maple syrup. If it is still too dry, add a dash of water. Press down firmly into a lined baking tin of the desired size.
2. For the caramel, in a saucepan over low heat combine the almond butter, maple syrup, and coconut butter until smooth. Add vanilla and salt, then pour on top of the base. Place in the freezer.
3. For the ganache, melt the chocolate and cream together in a saucepan over low heat until a smooth ganache is formed. Pour over the caramel layer then place back in the freezer and let it set for an hour or so.

Notes:

- This slice doesn't travel well, as the ganache layer wants to melt off the delicious caramel layer. I recommend bringing the slice in the tin if you wish to take it to a party, replacing it in the freezer to let it cool, then cutting it when you want to serve it.
- Try cutting the slice up then wrapping each square individually and placing them back in the freezer for easy to grab snacks.

Last week, my mum came back from a fruit market with a punnet of feijoas. I had never heard of them before, but apparently they are from Brazil and they smell so fragrant! Naturally, I wanted to make something magical with them, but as I had never tasted them before I altered a recipe for the flavour combinations, and I came up with this vegan muffin with coconut, feijoa and nutmeg.

For those wondering, feijoa's, in my mind, kind of taste like a tart apple, and according to wikipedia, are supposed to taste like a combination of pineapple, apple and mint. But seriously guys, you have to smell feijoas. They actually smell like perfume, in a good way.

Now, to the muffin itself. It features an aquafaba egg (chickpea brine), maple syrup, vegan margarine, plus coconut and nutmeg and of course, brown rice flour. If you have never tried an aquafaba egg, usually around 60g of aquafaba equals a large egg, and is great because if you are making a normal recipe with eggs vegan it will ensure the recipe's liquid ratios are maintained, whilst also making your baked goods fluffy.

These turned out so perfect, and don't even taste gluten free or vegan. I really think the secret is the aquafaba egg! My mum (who is kind of skeptical about vegan food) even approved of them, and said they taste like flowers, in a good way.

Makes 6 cupcake sized muffins.

Recipe altered from Food to Love.

Prep: 10 minutes, baking: 20-25 minutes. Total time: 30-35 minutes.

You will need:

60 g vegan margarine
1/4 cup maple syrup
60 g aquafaba (chickpea brine, or the liquid from a tin of aquafaba)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup almond milk mixed with 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup dessicated coconut, plus more for topping
3/4 cup sifted brown rice flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
4 feijoas, peeled and diced finely

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Beat the margarine with the maple syrup and vanilla, add aquafaba and sifted flour. Beat. Add milk, nutmeg and baking powder.
2. Hand mix in the rest of the ingredients.
3. Divide mix between a greased cupcake tin, it should make 6. Top with extra coconut.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool before eating.

These lil' babies are a current obsession of mine. Great for snacks for work, uni, school, you name it! Though they rarely last 2 days in a row at my house (between my sister and I), they are really easy to make if you have time constraints and good if you're one for prepping meals.

Cookie Dough Protein Balls (recipe altered from One Green Planet)

Prep: 10 minutes.

Makes 15-18.

You will need:

1 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp ground flax meal
1 cup almonds
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla essence
15g vegan vanilla protein powder (like a pea and rice protein)
4 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp water
1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

Method:

1. Blitz oats, almonds and flax meal until a fine meal is achieved in a food processor. Add rest of the ingredients minus choc chips until a dough is formed.
2. Using a spoon, mix in the chocolate chips. Roll into balls as desired.