During this lockdown, it seems that everyone is rolling up their sleeves and baking up a storm. Whether it's getting in on the sourdough bread craze, or making a batch of brownies to comfort eat our way through these uncertain times.
Still, there are some who are struggling to find any flour at their local supermarkets (ongoing panic buying?) and therefore deprived of the therapeutic joys of whisking up a cake batter.
Over the last few weeks, I've shared recipes for orange cake and coffee walnut cake. For every comment or message from someone saying how much they've enjoyed the recipe, there's been a comment to lament the lack of flour in the store cupboard.
I've compiled a list of savoury and sweet snack ideas that do not require any flour whatsoever. Flourless delights, if you will. I hope it gives you some ideas and satisfies those quarantine cravings.
Cauliflower wings, cauliflower bites, crispy cauliflower... whatever you want to call it, they're amazing and worth making.
The spices used can be customised to suit your taste - whether you want something mild (mixed herbs, cumin etc) or fiery (cayenne pepper, paprika, etc) - so feel free to play around with different combinations until you discover your signature flavour. I've gone for a combination that's heavy on the garlic and heavy on the heat.
I am yet to make these in an air fryer, but I imagine you'll get solid results. If you decide to bake them, spray with a little oil before baking and make sure the florets are spread out evenly on the baking tray.
As always, share your wonderful cooking trials with me over on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter (tag @VeganNigerian) so that I can repost and share the food love.
Have a fabulous weekend,
Tomi x
Ingredients
(serves 2-4)
- 16 cauliflower florets
- 1/2 cup plain flour
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2-3 cloves garlic (finely chopped or grated)
- sunflower/vegetable oil for frying
Place the florets in a pot of cold water (enough to cover the cauliflower) and boil for 10 minutes until slightly softened. Drain and place in a large bowl.
Add the flour and spices. Toss gently to coat the florets evenly.
Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the florets in small batches, allowing them turn golden brown and crispy on all sides (you may need to turn the heat down to medium-high to prevent burning).
Serve on its own or with a dipping sauce as a snack. Or serve as a side dish to your main meal. Enjoy!
Pop a few next to your jollof rice... utter deliciousness!
Remember when kale chips were all the rage? I have visions of the mounds of kale chips we used to make daily at the vegan restaurant I worked in back in 2016. We'd use it to garnish meals; we'd serve it in small bowls to put on the restaurant tables as a snack. I massaged and seasoned my way through more mounds of kale than I care to admit.
Kale chips haven't gone out of style for me. And on days when I need to use up yellowing bunches of kale, this is my go-to for a quick, healthy, moorish snack.
The chips need to be baked at a low temperature (think the temperature of a dehydrator) but if I'm impatient, I give them a 10-15 minute blast in the oven at 160 degrees celsius. At 110-120 degrees celsius, you'd be looking at 25-30 minutes.
The very easy process is as follows:
1) Wash the kale under cold water.
2) Pick the leaves off the stalk.
3) Add a bit of oil, seasoning and salt. Mix to coat the leaves.
4) Spread the kale leaves out on a baking sheet and bake for 15-30 minutes, checking periodically to remove any that crisp up faster than others.
Some of the seasoning I like to use (in various combinations):
- salt
- black pepper
- lemon/lime juice
- nutritional yeast
- chilli flakes
- hot sauce
- curry powder
- ginger powder
- garlic powder
If I make a large batch, I like to store my kale chips in an airtight container for up to 2 days. (I usually eat it all in one sitting though!)
A few weeks ago, I saw a post on Twitter that joked about pulling out a can of sliced pineapples from under the bed to surprise someone on their birthday during the coronavirus crisis. Rather post-apocalyptic. I had a little chuckle because I thought it was so over the top. If I'm being honest, the severity of the crisis hadn't hit hard yet. Fast forward to now, living through a lockdown, and this scenario doesn't seem so far-fetched.
It was my mum's birthday this past week and because your girl's got mad skills, there was not a tin of fruit in sight. Instead, I made this beaut of a cake: two layers of orange flavoured sponge cake with orange buttercream frosting.
The ingredient quantities make up enough for a two-layer, 8-inch round sandwich cake. Feel free to halve the quantity for a one-layer cake. The buttercream is just enough to spread in the middle and on the top. For a rustic 'naked cake' effect, you can smear small amounts around the outside.
If you'd like to have some virtual company and bake along with me, you can prep all your ingredients and check out my YouTube video. Let's bake together!
And if you do make this cake, share a picture of it online and tag me @vegannigerian so that I can repost :)
Ingredients for the cakes
- 5 cups self-raising flour
- 2 and 1/2 cups caster sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups vegan milk (I used Alpro coconut)
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 cup sunflower or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- zest from 4 medium oranges
- juice from 1/2 medium orange (for syrup)
for the orange buttercream
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1/2 cup vegan margarine
- zest from 1 medium orange
for garnish
- 3 semi-dehydrated orange slices
- fresh mint
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
To make the cakes, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a very large bowl. Set aside.
In another bowl or large jug, combine the vegan milk, orange juice, oil, vanilla extract and vinegar. Whisk to combine.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Add the orange zest and fold again to distribute. Be careful not to over mix.
Prepare 2 round 8-inch round cake tins, coating the insides with a dab of vegan margarine and dusting with a little flour to prevent sticking. Use a round of baking paper at the bottom of the tins if you have any to spare.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the two cake tins. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and cooked all the way through (a toothpick stuck in the centre of the cake should come out clean).
Once the cakes are out of the oven, leave to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle the extra orange juice onto both cakes. This will soak into the cake and act as a syrup to keep them moist and enhance the orange flavour.
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the buttercream and garnish. To make the buttercream, combine the icing sugar, vegan margarine and orange zest in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy (I used an electric hand whisk to seed up the process).
Prepare the garnish orange slices by baking them at 120 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes until they are semi-dehydrated. The idea is to draw out most of the moisture so that it doesn't make a mess of the buttercream.
Assemble the cake by spreading half of the buttercream between the cakes and the other half over the top. Decorate with orange slices and a sprig of fresh mint.
How's everyone coping with the lockdown? Hope you're thriving and resting and enjoying delicious home-made grub. Here's another recipe to add to your list of things to try: aubergine 'nuggets'.
A snack idea that's simple to make, melt-in-the-mouth and totally delectable. They're dairy-free and egg-free (of course) and can be adapted to suit a gluten-free diet.
I made a batch of these nuggets for my family recently and they loved it, so do give it a try and share your attempts on social media, tagging @VeganNigerian so I can repost.
As you'll see in the ingredient list below, I used spices that may seem unusual and uncommon. That's simply because I happen to have them in my kitchen cupboard and felt like experimenting. Feel free to use whatever you have available at home.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 large aubergine
- 500ml water
- 1/2 cup plain flour or wholegrain flour or gluten-free flour
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek
- 1/2 tsp mace
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- salt
- sunflower oil
Peel and cut the aubergine into large nugget pieces. Submerge them in a simple brine mixture of water and salt (to taste).
In a large bowl, mix the flour with the seasonings/spices of your choice.
Heat some sunflower oil in a large frying pan - enough for shallow frying.
Shake off the excess water from each nugget and dip each piece in the flour mixture to coat completely. Place in the hot oil and fry on both sides on medium-high heat until golden brown. Depending on the size of your pan, you can fry multiple pieces at the same time. Drain on kitchen paper to remove any excess oil. Serve warm with a sauce of your choice.
In this era of self-isolation and social distancing during the coronavirus crisis, a lot more of us will be cooking and baking. I recommend this as a way to stay busy, learn a new skill, manage anxiety and/or expand your recipe repertoire.
As much as we should be choosing healthy, immune-boosting meals where possible, there will no doubt be moments where we want a cheeky treat. I had such a craving this weekend and this vegan coffee and walnut cake absolutely hit the spot. It's easy to make, perfectly sweet, moist and balanced in flavour. It's the ideal sharing snack if you're in quarantine with family or housemates. If you're isolating solo, even more for you to enjoy over the course of a week or two.
If you do try this cake, be sure to take a pic and tag me on social media @VeganNigerian.
In a large bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar. Set aside.
Heat up about 50ml of the dairy-free milk and dissolve the instant coffee granules in it. Combine with the rest of the milk in a large jug/bowl and whisk in the vanilla extract and sunflower oil.
Add the wet ingredients to the flour and sugar. Fold and combine gently to form a smooth batter.
Pour the batter into a lightly greased or lined baking tray (12" x 9") and sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the top. Bake for 25 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. Leave to cool before slicing into squares.
If there's one thing that's emerging from this coronavirus crisis, it's the way we're being forced to think and work in more creative ways. On Sunday, I hosted an online cook-along, streaming live to an audience on YouTube. There were hiccups and connectivity issues, but ultimately it was a lot of fun and an extremely rewarding experience.
With most of my in-person events cancelled for the foreseeable future, I definitely see myself exploring and harnessing this form of engagement going forward.
Based on my experience so far, below are a few tips for any chefs and bloggers who are interested in hosting a live cooking tutorial:
You’ll need the following equipment:
- Mobile phone or camera - Tripod or sturdy surface to lean phone/camera
Before Filming
Promote your event - decide what you will be cooking/teaching and communicate this to your audience via social media or your mailing list. Get them to sign up in advance.
Choose your platform - I used YouTube Live but you can also try Facebook Live, Instagram Live or Zoom.
Test the video and audio quality - fix any issues before you start filming
Check your WiFi connection - make sure that it is strong and reliable
Find the right shooting angle - figure out where to place your camera for optimum exposure. A tripod will make this easier but if you don’t have one, try resting your phone/camera on a shelf or get creative by making a tripod out of a stack of books etc. You should be visible and central within the frame, and include the work surface and stove top you will be using to prep the food
Prepare your space - tidy up any areas that will be visible on camera. Ensure that the space is well lit with natural lighting. Beautify with props or plants if possible
Prepare your ingredients - have your ingredients washed, ready and portioned out before the session begins
Prepare a rough script and place it somewhere off camera but visible to you (see below for example)
During Filming
Speak clearly and loudly, at a moderate pace
Look directly at the camera when speaking to the audience
Try to follow a roughly timed script, for example:
- Introduce yourself - 2 minutes - Introduce the recipe, the ingredients and the story behind it - 5 minutes - Showcase how to cook the recipe - 20-30 minutes - While the food is cooking, interact and answer audience questions - Plate up and present the final dish to the audience - Thank the audience for watching, and encourage them to follow your work online.
First and foremost, I hope you are all keeping well and staying safe. As each day gets stranger with Covid-19 (coronavirus), it goes without saying that this is the time to really look out for each other.
It is my hope that The Vegan Nigerian platform will be a safe haven for everyone - a place you can come to when you need a break from the unrelenting and downright soul-sapping news. You can still expect recipes (I'm hoping to develop some immune-friendly dishes so that we can all stay healthy during self-isolation) and I've got a few ideas for other online content down the line so that we can beat the boredom!
As you may have already seen, all my planned events have been cancelled for the time being. Vegan Life Live is hoping to postpone to a later date and they will keep all exhibitors and ticket holders in the loop.
Many small businesses, groups and individuals are going to be negatively affected over the coming months. In light of this, I'll be hosting an online cook-along fundraiserthis Sunday (Mother's Day) at 4.30pm.
The YouTube Live cook-along will be free for anyone to watch, but I am kindly requesting donations, all of which will be donated to Migrateful. Migrateful is a charity that empowers refugee and migrant chefs to teach their cuisines to the general public. Due to the coronavirus crisis, they have had to suspend their upcoming cooking classes. Many of the chefs rely on the classes as a source of income and/or donations. Asylum seeker chefs in particular, who are unable to work at all, will be hard hit.
In this cook-along, I will teach you how to make the perfect jollof rice, providing tips and lessons learned from my own mum (no pressure!)
Here is how it works.
RSVP and/or donate on Eventbrite. There, you will find all the details of the cook-along, including which ingredients you’ll need if you want to cook along (you can also just watch as a cookery demo and take notes if you want!)
On Saturday evening, I will email everyone who has RSVP’d with a reminder link to the cook-along.
On Sunday at 4.30pm, we’ll cook together, chat and hang out live on YouTube!
Whether you’re self-isolating together or apart from loved ones, you can all participate virtually and bring some cooking joy into your day.
I’ve never done a live show like this before so bear with me as I try to streamline the process.
Hope to see you live on Sunday. Until then, wishing you all good health.
