SIMPLE SALAD

The salads seem to have it these days. Here's another fresh, easy recipe. There are days when I crave simplicity in my food and this is just one example of what I'm likely to put together.

This was originally posted on my instagram page (www.instagram.com/vegannigerian) and got sufficient attention for me to turn it into a post. Feel free to add as much or as little of each ingredient as you want. I used one tomato and about a 1/4 cucumber for this particular dish. The more greens you can pack in, the better. Vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables) are generally very low in calories, so you don't need to be afraid of eating them to your heart's content. More mouthfuls... Each one packed with decent vitamins and minerals... Win. 

Ingredients

- shredded lettuce

- tomatoes (thinly sliced)

- cucumber (thinly sliced)

- whole almonds

- juice of 2 lemons

- dried mixed herbs

- cayenne pepper

- sea salt 

- capers (optional)

Place/arrange the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

To make the dressing, whisk the lemon juice, cayenne pepper and mixed herbs together in a small bowl. Pour over the salad. Sprinkle on a pinch of sea salt for extra taste, and a few capers (optional). 

It tastes even better when you leave it to rest for a couple of minutes before serving.

BEST VEGAN SALAD...

...I've made so far.

Perhaps it's the variety.

Or the lemon-scented dressing.

Or the inclusion of plantain.

Whatever it is, this salad hits all the right spots. It's crunchy, slightly tart, sweet, savoury, and incredibly filling.

I've peeled the carrots with my good ol' julienne peeler (remember this recipe?). You can get yours here too (in the 'kitchen' section).

Ingredients

(serves 1-2)

- 1 plantain

- 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce (thinly shredded)

- 1 large carrot (julienned/cut into strips)

- 1/4 small red onion (finely chopped)

- 1/4 cup chopped pineapple

- raisins/sultanas

- 1 tbsp chopped nuts

- fresh strawberries (optional)

For the dressing:

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- juice of half a lemon

- 1 tsp maggi seasoning

- 1 tsp olive oil

Toss all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, maggi seasoning, olive oil and dried thyme in a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Pour over the salad and mix well.

Peel and slice the plantain diagonally. You have two options on how to cook the plantain. For a leaner dish, grill the slices, turning them over to brown on both sides. Alternatively, you can make traditional fried plantain by frying the slices in a little sunflower oil, turning over to brown both sides. Remember to drain the excess oil on some kitchen paper.

Serve the salad with the plantain. Enjoy a filling, wholesome lunch or dinner.

NICE CREAM : 25 DELICIOUS, DAIRY-FREE RECIPES

I hope you're all enjoying the summer and keeping safe.

I am very pleased to share my new e-book featuring 25 scrumptious vegan ice cream recipes.

They're all healthy, guilt-free and totally delicious! So you can indulge as much as you want without worrying about your waistline. 

Would love it if you could download a copy and share with family, friends and anyone you think will find it useful! This is one way to brighten up your summer and treat yourself and your loved ones to something that treats you well in return.  

You can find it and download a copy here.

Thanks guys! :) x

A little teaser of the kind of recipes you'll find inside:

 Coconut Candy

Spicy Chocolate

Caramel Cone

FOUR LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE

Hello folks,

If you're not following the blog on Facebook yet, then what are you waiting for?! :) I'm going to be trying extra hard this month to post lots of useful/interesting links and articles, so do join in and get liking and sharing and all that good social mediary stuff. 

I recently posted up some pictures of this indulgent four-layer chocolate cake that I made for my brother's birthday. The response was great, so I hope you give it a go at home and enjoy the final results as much as my family did. Or make it for someone special and watch their eyes bug out mid-bite as you casually reveal that it is, indeed, entirely vegan! 

My brother was a massive fan. And before you say: 'Well, he has to say he likes it, you're family etc etc...', it is worth pointing out that no one tells it to me straight like he does. He has been the guinea-pig for many of my crazy kitchen experiments and he never fails to say exactly what's on his mind - whether good or bad or...outrageous. With his infamous sweet-tooth and life-long experience in tucking into more cakes than he'd probably like to admit, I was thrilled to receive his positive feedback on this one.

Also, I've never had this much fun baking a cake before. I'm not ashamed to admit that this one came with diagrams and to-do lists and revised shopping lists and... well, I got a liiitttlllee bit obsessed with the idea of what I wanted it to look and taste like. Took two days to construct: one day to bake all the layers and let them cool, another day to create the fillings and ice it up. It's technical, it's time-consuming, and there are many steps involved. Only start this if you have a free weekend or couple of days on your hands.

You'll need a 12" cake tin, cake spatula or palette knife, piping bags and nozzles. 

Enough chatter. Recipe time.

Ingredients

For first cake mixture:

- 3 cups plain flour

- 1.5 cups soft brown sugar

- 6 tbsp cocoa powder

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 2/3 cup sunflower oil

- 1 tsp vanilla essence

- 2 tbsp vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

- 2 cups water

For second cake mixture:

- 3 cups plain flour

- 1.5 cups soft brown flour

- 6 tbsp dried/shredded coconut

- 6 tbsp cocoa powder

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 2/3 cup sunflower oil

- 1 cup coconut milk

- 1 cup water

For the filling:

- 3 cans coconut milk (refrigerated overnight)

- 3 tbsp cocoa powder

- 6 pitted dates (or 1 cup raisins/sultanas)

- 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries (or other fruit of your choice)

For the frosting:

- 6 ripe avocados

- juice of 1/2 lemon

- 8 pitted dates (or 1 cup raisins/sultanas)

- 4-6 tbsp cocoa powder

For the decoration:

Go wild. Do what you want. But I used...

- dried fruits (cranberries, cherries, etc.)

- dessicated coconut

- dark chocolate squares

To make the two separate cake mixtures, always start by mixing the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder etc.) in a large bowl.  Then mix the wet ingredients (oil, water, vinegar, coconut milk, etc.) in another bowl and whisk lightly with a fork before adding it to the dry ingredients. It is important that you combine this way in order to get the right cake texture.

When you've made the first cake mixture, divide it into two equal parts and bake each part individually in a lightly greased 12" cake tin for 30 minutes in the oven, gas mark 5. Allow to cool slightly before taking out of the tin, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Repeat this process for the second cake mixture.

If possible, allow all 4 cake layers to cool down completely overnight before attempting the filling and frosting.

To make the filling, take the refrigerated cans of coconut milk and scoop out the coconut fat that separates to the top. Avoid adding the excess liquid that has sunk to the bottom. Blend the coconut cream, dates (or raisins/sultanas) and cocoa powder in a food processor until smooth and creamy. 

Start to assemble the cake (on a cake board or tray) by spreading the cream filling between each cake layer. Arrange the chopped fresh strawberries (or other fruit) in one of the layers along with the coconut cream. I did this to have a burst of fruit freshness in each slice. Plus it adds a nice vibrant colour.

Place the stacked cake in the fridge while you make the frosting.

To make the frosting, blend the avocados, dates (or raisins/sultanas) and cocoa powder in a food processor until smooth and creamy.

Take the cake out of the fridge and frost the cake with about 3/4 of the frosting mixture using a palette knife or cake spatula to get a smooth covering. Don't worry about getting it perfectly smooth. It's a messy job so be prepared to wipe around the base of the cake board afterwards.

Use the other 1/4 of the frosting mixture to pipe along the base or anywhere else you wish. I used the little that was left to pipe the number '24' on the top.

Decorate with a mixture of dried fruits like bright red cranberries; sprinkle on some dessicated coconut; top with chocolate squares/chunks/chips etc... 

Refrigerate for an hour or two before serving so that the frosting hardens up a little. Store in the fridge and consume within 3-4 days.

Get creative with your decorations and send me a picture of the final product. If I get responses, I will feature them on the blog at some point... 

RICE WITH CARROTS + E-BOOK REVIEW

My super talented blogger friend, Ada, released an e-book today! When I first got into blogging, she was one of the first to welcome me and leave all kinds of lovely, encouraging comments on my posts. Before I get on to a review of her handy guide-book, I have a quick and easy recipe to share.

Don't let the simplicity of this dish fool you. There's something about this combination that I can't quite put my finger on and I found myself wanting to eat large amounts of it. Perfect as a side or even as a main meal.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

- 1 cup basmati rice

- 2 carrots (sliced)

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)

- 1/2 tsp dried thyme

- 1 tbsp curry powder

- 1/2 tsp chilli powder

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- water

- salt to taste

Heat the oil in a cooking pot and sauté the chopped garlic for a few seconds. Add the rice and cover with enough water (approx. 3-4 cups). Add the curry powder, thyme, chili powder, stock cube, and season with salt. Stir, cover with a lid and turn the heat all the way down. When the water has nearly dried out and the rice is almost ready, stir in the chopped carrots and cook for a few more minutes to allow the carrots to soften. Serve hot or warm.

--

E-BOOK REVIEW: GET U.G.L.Y.

Low self-esteem. Body image insecurities. These are issues we all face at one point or another in our lives. In her no-nonsense guide, replete with personal anecdotes, Ada gets to the heart of the matter and offers her reader 10 fool-proof tips on how to achieve that sometimes elusive thing called self-acceptance.                                                 

By adopting the acronym U.G.L.Y. (Unconditionally Grateful Looking like You), she deconstructs the superficial label of 'pretty' and emphasises the importance of searching deeper and recognising the innate value we all possess, regardless of our outward physical appearance.                         

The tips range from the very practical (think posture and the power of smiling!) to the more abstract and perhaps more challenging ("stop trying to be pretty, work on being attractive" - a seeming paradox that she goes on to clarify with much nuance). 

The book will take you hardly any time at all to read and it must be said that the beautiful layout also makes the reading experience that bit more enjoyable. 

Why do I think it is worth checking out? Because although some of the tips may appear obvious at first sight, they are timely truths that we need to be reminded of as often as possible. So grab a refreshing drink of your choice, take a few minutes out of your busy day, and get stuck in.                                                            

Click here to subscribe to Ada's blog and get your free copy of the e-book!

SUMMER DRINK #4 - NIGERIAN CHAPMAN

Anyone else sweltering in the heat today? Summer is my favourite time of the year. I really can't get enough of it, because then I get to make tasty, refreshing drinks like this one.

Chapman is a popular cocktail drink in Nigeria which you'll find served at restaurants, bars and most big events. Next to the club sandwich, it exists in my memory as one of those fascinating things grown-ups had at fancy restaurants or sipped by the pool at places like Ikoyi Club. 

It's usually made using Angostura bitters, lemonade, fanta and some sort of blackcurrant cordial. If you run a quick google search, you'll find that there's no shortage of detailed recipes online. What I'm offering here is a healthier version of the drink. I've chucked out the soda and made a few swaps: 

fanta -> freshly squeezed orange juice

lemonade -> fresh lemon juice and sparkling water

Ingredients

- 6 cups blackcurrant juice or diluted ribena

- 6 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

- 2 cups sparkling water

- juice of 2 lemons

- lemon, lime, orange and cucumber slices (to garnish)

- ice cubes

I mixed mine in a large punch bowl and threw in a generous helping of sliced lemons, lime, oranges and cucumber. Throw in some ice cubes for some extra chill. 

                                      

                                      

VARO JOLLOF RICE GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

Thank you to everyone who entered the jollof rice giveaway. I've never had this many entries for a giveaway before, which only encourages me to do more like this. I wish I could give a box to everyone who entered but, alas, only 3 winners can be selected.

CONGRATULATIONS:

- Claire Efua Barber
- Akibo Tommie
- Nafisa Shehu

Please shoot me an e-mail at vegannigerian@gmail.com with your contact details.

Thanks again for the continued support. Stay tuned for more EPIC giveaways on the blog! :)

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE POTS

Credit to Anemistyle for this beautiful creation, which has quite easily changed my culinary life :) I was spoilt rotten when I had lunch at hers this past week. You can check out pictures of the vegan dishes she rustled up on my Facebook page. One of the desserts she made was the very delectable 'bounty in a cup' which was assembled with creamy, home-made, vegan chocolate mousse and a soft coconut layer in the middle. The chocolate bar 'Bounty' used to be one of my favourites in my pre-vegan days and so I didn't even need to taste the dessert to fall head over heels in love with it. I was blown away by the texture of the mousse, and was unable to guess the secret ingredient to getting it so smooth and creamy. You probably won't be able to guess either, but you will be delighted with the results - trust me! The ingredients are easy to find and are all indigenous to Nigeria, so I hope to hear some feedback from a lot of you who try it at home!

A dose of spontaneity is always good for the soul so when lunch was over, we ventured to the nearby grocery store to pick up some ingredients to experiment a bit more with the chocolate mousse. The experiment involved flavouring some of the mousse with a touch of chilli, and topping with a range of fruits to see what worked and what didn't. Three tropical fruits were selected for the task - mango, banana, and orange. I will be reviewing the mango and banana.

Dried mango - this was probably my favourite combination. The mousse for this pot didn't have any chilli added, which I think was for the best as it would have overwhelmed the flavour of the mango. The mango added some extra sweetness and a chewiness to every bite - a welcome contrast to the creamy mousse and slightly crunchy coconut. It would be worth experimenting with some fresh mango to see if that works as well. If any of you do use fresh mango, let me know what you think.

Banana - the mousse used for this pot was flavoured with chilli. I overdid the chilli in this one, and have adjusted the recipe below. It was wayyy too hot, even for a spice enthusiast like myself. Chilli-chocolate is a wonderful combination when the balance is right, so go easy if you decide to add some. As for using fresh banana as a topping, you can't go wrong with that. I plan to re-make this soon using the amended recipe.

Ingredients

(makes 4)
- 2 ripe avocados
- 2-3 heap tsp cocoa powder
- 4-5 tsp brown sugar (or any sugar replacement of your choice)
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder (optional)
- 6 tsp grated/dessicated coconut
- 1 tsp water
- 1 tsp brown sugar (or sugar replacement of your choice)
- Fruit slices (mango, banana, orange...whatever you have available)

To make the chocolate mousse, blend the avocados in a food processor or mash it by hand with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, 4-5 tsp sugar, pinch of salt, vanilla essence and optional chilli powder. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.

To make the coconut layer, place the grated/dessicated coconut in a bowl, add the water and 1 tsp sugar. Combine to form a soft coconut paste.

To assemble the dessert, start by layering some mousse at the bottom of a small glass cup or ramekin, making sure to smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Next, add a generous layer of the coconut mixture. Finish off with another layer of chocolate mousse, smooth it out, and top with some slices of fresh fruit. Sprinkle on any leftover coconut to garnish.

Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or until you are ready to serve them. It should keep for up to two days.

We also scooped some into tiny cupcake cases and topped them with different things: banana, coconut and mango, cashew nuts. Bite-size portions that can be frozen for a melt-in-the-mouth treat.