Sweet Potato Pancakes | Vegan Breakfast Recipe

These pancakes are fantastic if you're trying to reduce your sugar intake. A wholesome way to start the day. The touch of cinnamon also creates a warm Christmassy aroma that fills the entire house.

I've made these pancakes several times over and they never fail to hit the spot. If you do try it, I'd love to see your final dish. Take a pic, share and tag me over on Instagram :)

Ingredients

(serves 2-3)
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 cup self-raising wholegrain flour
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- sunflower oil
- lemon juice (optional)

You'll need to bake the sweet potato first and there are two ways you can do this:
1. Microwave: poke the sweet potato all over with a fork, wrap in a damp sheet of kitchen paper and microwave for 4-5 minutes. Turn over and microwave for another 4-5 minutes. You should be left with a soft and squishy potato afterwards.
2. Oven: poke all over with a fork and place the sweet potato on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, gas mark 6, then turn it over and bake for another 20-30 minutes.

To make the pancakes, cut the baked sweet potato length-wise and scrape out the soft flesh into a large mixing bowl.

Add the flour, milk and cinnamon, and give it a good mix.

Lightly oil the bottom of a frying pan and drop the pancake mix in one tablespoon at a time, using the back of the spoon to spread and flatten the pancake. Cook the pancake for about 5 mins on low-medium heat until brown on one side. Flip over and brown the other side.

Serve warm with a little lemon juice drizzled over the top.

BEANS AND PLANTAIN CANAPES

If you're planning to host a big Christmas party this year, these quick and easy canapés are the way to go. A fancy-looking addition to your spread with minimum effort required. And if you've got some leftover cooked beans in your fridge or freezer then these will take half the time. This recipe makes about 18-20 canapés, but if you've got more guests then go ahead and double the quantities.

Lay them out on pretty trays with festive napkins to give them that special edge.

Ingredients
(makes about 20)
- 2 plantains
- 1/2 cup brown beans or green lentils
- salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- tomato (diced, to garnish)

If you're using leftover beans, then skip this step. Otherwise, boil the beans/lentils in salted water until it turns soft and mushy. Season with a touch of cinnamon.

Peel and slice the plantains into thick rounds. You should be able to get 18-20 rounds from each plantain. Shallow fry the plantain in a little sunflower oil, browning on both sides. Drain on some kitchen paper.

Using the tip of a teaspoon, spread some of the beans on one slice and place a second slice on top. Hold in place with a cocktail stick and garnish each canapé with a little cube of tomato.

CLUB SANDWICH

Club sandwiches exist in various forms around the world, but the essential features remain the same - lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise. Nigerians have also managed to put their own spin on the sandwich, adding things like hard boiled eggs, sardines and grated carrots to the mix. Although there isn't a massive sandwich culture in Nigeria (you won't find sandwich shops scattered around Lagos city, for example), club sandwiches are eaten a lot, usually served up at exclusive hotels, clubs and restaurants - no doubt with tourists and cosmopolitan high-flyers in mind.

In this vegan version, I use hummus in place of the usual mayonnaise and I replace the meat with avocado and roasted yellow pepper. I've also used brown bread instead of white to up the nutritional value.

Be warned: with its multiple layers, this sandwich is enormous and you'll probably need to share it with someone. Enjoy!

Ingredients
- 3 slices of wholegrain bread
- 2-3 tbsp hummus
- 1 yellow pepper (cut into thick slabs)
- 1/2 ripe avocado (cut into strips)
- medium tomato (cut into thick round slices)
- lettuce leaves
- seasoning of your choice
You'll also need 4 cocktail sticks to hold the sandwich together.

Start by placing the slabs of yellow pepper on a baking tray. Season with spices of your choice and black pepper. Bake in a hot oven for 8-10 minutes.

Toast the bread slices and spread some hummus on the face of all three slices.

To assemble the club sandwich, start with a layer of lettuce and tomato on the bottom. Place the next slice of toast on top, spreading another layer of hummus on the underside.

Next, add the layer of roasted yellow pepper and avocado and cover with the last slice of toast.

Hold the sandwich down on all four corners with cocktail sticks and cut into four triangles.

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!