Pancakes with maple syrup and blueberries - vegan

Versiunea in limba romana: Clatite cu sirop de artar si afine - vegane/de post

I started searching for the perfect vegan pancakes. The first try had really tasty pancakes as a result, but not really photo stuff, a little too sticky and difficult to keep their shape. The second recipe I tried recommended to use a lot of bubbly water, but the taste was not what I expected and they were to sticky to even try a second bite. The third try is the one in the picture. A success with the kids, a beautiful shape, easy to prepare and tasty. We loved to serve it with maple syrup and blueberries, but I'm sure some vegan chocolate cream would also be perfect. This is a recipe I found on vegan yum yum and I adapted it just a little.

The search for the perfect vegan pancake continues. I'll keep you posted. Have a beautiful winter day!

400 - 440 ml soy milk
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp oil
160 g all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
finely grated zest of one orange

Mix well all ingredients, including any solids that might get stack on the bottom of the bowl. Use the batter right away or refrigerate it to use it in the morning. If over night it becomes too sticky, mix it with a little water until you obtain the consistency you like. Heat a non stick pan, then pour one tablespoon of batter for each pancake. Once you see bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake, turn it; once it becomes golden, remove it from the pan. Stack the pancakes high, like a castle, in oder to keep it warm. Serve immediately with mapple syrup and blueberries. 

Enjoy!

Warm pumpkin, poppy seeds & pomegranate salad

Versiunea in limba romana:  Dovleac in crusta de mac, cu rucola & rodie 

This autumn was quite warm, dry and sunny so far in Bucharest, but for the last couple of days it's getting quite dark and cold. Leafs went from green to yellow in no time and now all my beautiful trees lust their crowns. It's autumn, all right. My kids already started to write their Santa letters. New versions every day, of course... 

When I discovered this salad on one of my favorites blogs, My new roots, I was in heaven. This happy colorful salad was exactly what I needed in a cloudy cold day. Warm pumpkin, poppy seeds, rocket salad and pomegranate. Happy autumn! 

250 g pumpkin, without seeds and skin, cut in 1 cm pieces
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp poppy seeds
fleur de sel
rocket salad (for 2 portions)
1 small onion, cut in rounds
juice of 1/2 lemon
a  splash of olive oil
salt, freshly ground
pomegranate

Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Put the pumpkin, garlic, olive oil and poppy seeds in a heat resistant ceramic dish, mix well and bake for around 30 minutes.

 

Pumpkin must be soft, but not mashed. Let it cool for 15 minutes. 

Wash and dry the rocket salad. Open the pomegranate and put the seeds in a bowl, without crushing them. Mix rocket, onion,  olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix a little. Put baked pumpkin and pomegranate on top and serve right away.

Aprox 2 portions. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from here.

Fig tart with orange cream and chocolate crust - raw vegan

Versiunea in limba romana: Tarta cu smochine, crema de portocale si blat de ciocolata

Happy vegan friday! I played  a little with almonds, cashews, oranges, vanilla, cocoa, vanilla honey (Kzarinne) and fresh figs and the result was delicious. What a beautiful tart! My kids loved it! I like raw desserts, as they are really easy to prepare, just a bit of waiting time, but it does not bother me.  This raw tart is healthy, easy to make and quite  filling, a little piece is all I could handle at a time. I can hardly imagine anyone fighting with an entire tart. Little healthy portions, perfect for satisfying sweet tooth cravings.  

A delicious tart with fresh figs, orange cream and chocolate crust. Simple, healthy, fast!  Happy Vegan Friday!

P.S. Status: 26 weeks, another 98 days to go, quite a round belly, resting a lot (forced relaxation, but doctors order, it's true). No extra weight except baby, so far. Have a great day!   xoxo

Crust
325 g raw almonds
30 g cocoa raw
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp salt

Cream
280 g raw cashews, kept in cold water for 2 hours
3 tsp vanilla honey
finely grated zest and juice of one orange
1 tsp lecithin granules

fresh figs 
maple syrup

Blitz almonds in a blender, untill  you obtain a course almond flour. Mix it with cocoa, maple syrup, coconut oil (very slightly warmed), vanilla and salt. It should look like fine crumbs. Put this crumbs in the tart tray, press it tightly and refrigerate for a while. 

To prepare the cream: drain cashews, then blitz it in the blender together with the orange juice and zest, vanilla honey and lecithin. Put the cream over the crust and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Just before serving,  cut the figs in thin slices.

Arrange it nicely over the tart and brush it with maple syrup. I chose maple syrup as it is easier to brush, but we can use also honey or agave nectar.

 

I prepared 3 tarts, using 12  cm diameter tart trays. 

Enjoy!