FACEBOOK + GIVEAWAY

'Tis the season to create a Facebook page and launch my first giveaway. If this one works out, I'll probably do a few more giveaways next year.

Nothing says Christmas like yet another chocolate gift to add to your growing pile of chocolate, and we all know that you can never have too much chocolate. So if you're up for getting your hands on some dairy-free, organic fare then read on. And if you're that one person who's sick of chocolate already, then read on anyway and pass it on to someone else as a Christmas present.

The rules are simple:

1. 'Like' the Facebook page (if you haven't already) - www.facebook.com/VeganNigerian 

2. Post a comment or send a message letting me know what vegan meal you plan to make this Christmas.

I'll pick a winner by the 20th, get in touch and send them the choc.

Good luck!

EATING OUT #5 - 222 VEGGIE VEGAN

With rave reviews like 'best vegan restaurant in London' and 'an absolute paradise for vegans', it should come as no surprise that I was bursting with excitement before my visit to this restaurant. Truth be told, I've had their web page bookmarked for as long as I can remember and always had it at the back of my mind to make my way over there.

Today marked my first meet-up with one of my blog readers and so I finally had the perfect excuse to venture over to 222 Veggie Vegan. We arrived in time for the lunch buffet (which is between 12:00 - 15:30 everyday) and we were not disappointed! Fresh food, friendly staff and a fantastic atmosphere made for a very enjoyable afternoon.

The buffet selection was varied and inviting, with personal favourites like plantain and avocado salad making an appearance. Of course, I had to try a little bit of everything and I can honestly say that each component was distinct and packed full of flavour - I was so impressed. As an unlimited buffet of high-quality food, it is also really good value for money.

Located in West London, the restaurant has been going for nine years (!) and was founded by Ghanaian-born vegan chef, Ben Asamani.

I am already looking forward to my next visit (I'm keen to try out the dinner à la carte menu) and cannot recommend them enough. If you're in the London area, go check them out!

VIDEO - BBC 'FOCUS ON AFRICA'

For those who missed it, here's the vid of my stint on BBC's 'Focus on Africa'. It was an amazing experience! Felt a little awestruck for the most part, especially considering how much I love the programme.

I can't thank Peter (the sports presenter) enough for stumbling across this blog in the first place, and also the rest of the presenters and producers on the show who were all so accommodating. 

A massive shout-out to my family and friends who are the most supportive and excitable bunch of people around ;)

Recognise any of the food on the table? :) 

GOODBYE ANONYMITY?

So, someone might be appearing on BBC World's 'Focus on Africa' tomorrow (Friday @ 17.30 GMT).
Could be anyone really.
Said person will be talking about this blog and other vegan-related things, so you'll probably want to check it out. (Eeeep!)
Thanks guys :)

CURRY AND THYME POPCORN

Curry and thyme. Two classic ingredients in Nigerian cooking - especially where jollof rice is concerned. I've simply used your regular store-bought dried thyme and powdered curry (the 'Lion' brand, which most Nigerians will be familiar with) to spice up one of my favourite go-to snacks. 

Making popcorn from scratch is not always a walk in the park. The first few times I tried it, I ended up with burnt bits and miserable looking kernels that seemed reluctant to pop. I've since discovered a few handy techniques for making the perfect batch every time.

Ingredients

- 1/4 cup popcorn kernels

- 3-4 tbsp sunflower oil

- 1 tsp curry powder

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- Salt to taste

Place a saucepan over a low heat and add the oil, thyme and curry. 

Before the oil starts to heat up, add the popcorn kernels. Place the saucepan lid on top, slightly ajar to allow some steam to escape, but not so much that the popped kernels can jump out of the pan. 

You'll need to hang around and keep an eye on things. As soon as the corn starts to pop, lift the saucepan off the heat slightly and give it a little shake to prevent any from burning or sticking to the bottom. Do this at intervals until the popping stops completely.

Serve with a little sea salt sprinkled over the top. Yum!

CHOCOLATE + PEANUT MUFFINS

My idea of quality late-night TV is watching one cooking show after another. Sad but true. Over the summer, I couldn't get enough of 'Cupcake Wars' on the Food Network. Some of the flavour combinations were craazzyy - they even put some of mine to shame. Who would ever think to add black pepper to a sweet cupcake? Or better (or worse) still, spinach and olive oil? Why? 

And yet and yet and yet, there was always that other 'crazy cook' side of me that nodded along and swore to give some of the recipes a try at some point. Just giving you a heads up.

These choc and peanut muffins are not so crazy.  In fact, they are arguably a big improvement on the chocolate cupcakes I made back in February (when I was still trying to find my feet with vegan baking). I dreamt these up when trying to figure out how to use up a bag of peanuts I'd tossed to the back of the cupboard. The addition of crushed peanuts certainly gives an extra depth of flavour and texture. I think you'll also agree that these look slightly more attractive.

Ingredients

- 2 cups self-raising flour

- 1/4 cup crushed peanuts

- 1/4 cup cocoa powder

- 1 cup organic cane sugar

- 1 cup almond milk

- 1/4 cup coconut oil

- 1 tbsp vinegar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Place the flour, cocoa powder and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Place the crushed peanuts, almond milk, vanilla essence and coconut oil in a blender and whiz for a minute or two until the ingredients are well combined (this goes a long way in ensuring a more even texture).

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together. Be careful not to over mix the cake batter.  

Divide the mixture into individual muffin cases.

Bake in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 5, for 20-25 minutes until well risen and cooked all the way through (you can check by using a small toothpick. If it comes out clean, then you're good to go).

Leave to cool on a wire rack and dust with some extra cocoa powder and any other arty garnishes you feel like using.

PASTA ÀWÖ EWÉKO

I would be the first to admit that some of my creations do turn out looking particularly monstrous. Take this idea for a pasta dish that looks like something out of a sci-fi movie - loaded with green 'stuff' and suspicious specks of red (rest assured that it's just spinach and red pepper respectively...). 

Despite these dodgy attributes, it actually tastes pretty divine. It's homely, delicious and packed full of nutritious bits and pieces. I've even added an extra special ingredient to make the green 'stuff' creamy and luscious. I've named it "pasta àwö ewéko" just because. (Àwö ewéko means green in Yoruba, which seems fitting)

Give it a go...if you dare.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

- 1 cup brown pasta

- 1 medium potato (quartered)

- 1 red bell pepper (chopped)

- 2 handfuls fresh spinach

- 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)

- 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper

- 2 tsp chinese five-spice

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- 1 tbsp soy sauce

- chopped nuts (optional)

- Sunflower oil

- Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the pasta and potato in some water until soft.

Place the fresh spinach, scotch bonnet pepper, cooked potatoes and a little water in a blender and whiz to form a thick, smooth paste.

Fry the red onion and red peppers in a little oil for a couple of minutes before adding the green blended mix.

Add the seasoning - five-spice, stock cube, soy sauce, salt and pepper - and cook on a high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until the pasta is evenly coated. 

Serve hot immediately with some chopped nuts sprinkled over the top.

SPICED CARROT PUDDING WITH DARK CHOCOLATE FROSTING

You know you're obsessed with all things food when you wake up in the middle of the night to sketch out new recipes. And I don't just mean writing out an ingredient list... I mean full-blown diagrams with labels indicating what goes where and how the finished dish is going to look. 

Such has been my lot over the past couple of nights. I'm not complaining though - there are just tons and tons of strange and exciting things that I'd love to try out. If my hands could keep up with the long list of recipes I plan to share, you'd be bombarded with a lot more than I've been dishing out lately. Thankfully, there's no real hurry, is there?

This particular recipe isn't all that strange (well, depending on what you're used to eating). It's a wonderfully gooey treat that's bound to satisfy any sweet tooth. It's bursting with freshly grated carrots, plump raisins and a heady mix of warm spices. As if that wasn't enough, the puddings are also topped with a silky dark chocolate frosting. 

Ingredients

(serves 4)

- 2 large carrots (grated)

- 1.5 cups plain flour

- 1/4 cup ground almonds

- 2 tbsp raisins

- 1/2 cup brown sugar

- 1 cup soy milk

- 1/4 cup sunflower oil

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

- 2 tsp ground ginger

- 1 tbsp chopped pickled ginger

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tsp nutmeg

- pinch of salt

- 8 dark chocolate squares

- 2 tbsp soy milk

To make the puddings, place the grated carrots, flour, sugar, ground almonds and raisins in a large mixing bowl.

In another small bowl, whisk the soy milk and oil with a fork and add to the first bowl containing the other ingredients. Mix to form a thick batter.

Add the rest of the ingredients - vanilla extract, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt - and mix until evenly distributed.

Oil four pudding tins and dust the inside with some ground almonds. Fill each tin (almost to the top) with the pudding batter and place in a baking tray. Fill the baking tray about a quarter of the way up with some warm water.

Bake the puddings in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 5 for about 40-45 mins. Use a toothpick to test if it is cooked all the way through (it should come out clean).

Take the puddings out of the oven and leave to cool upside down for a few minutes. They should slide out easily after a couple of minutes.

To make the chocolate frosting, place 6-8 large squares of dark chocolate with 2 tablespoons of soy milk in a small microwavable dish. Microwave for about 20 seconds and then stir continuously with a spoon until all the chocolate had completely melted to form a thick sauce. If it's too thick, add an extra dash of soy milk to loosen the mixture. 

Plate up the puddings on individual saucers and spoon the chocolate frosting over the top. Yum!