RSPCA Cupcake Day

I am taking part in the RSPCA Cupcake Day on Monday August 16th. You can donate to the RSPCA and place pre-orders for my yummy vegan cupcakes here. I'll be filling orders, exchanging cupcakes (and muffins and brownies and other goodies!) for gold coin donations and collecting any other donations at UQ on the day. So start ordering and donating!

MasterChef and Kylie Kwong do vegan Stir-Fried Eggplant

This recipe looks amazing. And I have an eggplant in the fridge. Time to cook!

I cannot express how in love I am with MasterChef.

Edit: I cooked it. What do you think? Next time I'll definitely chop up the eggplant smaller and buy smaller eggplants. Mine were large eggplants!

Which wine?

I've recently become obsessed with MasterChef. I think it is due to all the marking I have and the fact that I sit in front of the television to mark so that I don't feel like I'm alone on an island of vector spaces. The only show I've seen on commercial television that I like is MasterChef. Unfortunately it's on the same time as the 7.30 Report but I switch back and forth: a little cooking, a little of Kerry's 7.30 report land.

Anyhow, I came across this article on the MasterChef website that I thought was great. So often I see the back of a wine bottle describe what meat dish the wine would go with; never have I once seen "this wine complements marinated tofu"!

Talking about wines maybe I should ask our new PM what wine goes with slaughtered and fried K-Rudd.

Fruity Oatmeal Bars

Try this delicious and very simple recipe for great snacks with afternoon tea!

Fruity Oatmeal Bars

adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1/2 cup vegan butter

3/4 cup fruit jam (make sure it has been in the cupboard and not the fridge!)

Preheat over to 180C. Grease a 20cm square pan. Mix brown sugar, flour, bs, salt and rolled oats in a bowl. Add the butter and make a crumbly mixture with your fingers. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the pan (I lined the pan with baking paper to make it easier to get it out later). Spread the jam within 5mm of the edge. This is tricky. Make sure the jam is room temperature beforehand and don't get too stressed if it's lumpy in parts. Just try to make it even. Sprinkle the rest of the mixture on top and lightly press into the jam. Bake for 35-40 mins until it has lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into squares with a sharp, strong knife. Delicious and simple!

Chocolate Brownies

Chocolate Brownies

from The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets 

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tbsp water

2 tsp ground flaxseed

1/2 cup water

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cup flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips (or just chop a block)

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 20cm square baking tin with canola oil.

Stir together sugar, applesauce and 2 tbsp water in a bowl.

In a smaller bowl combine flaxseed and 1/2 cup water and add to applesauce mixture with vanilla.

In yet another bowl combine flour, cocoa, bp, salt, choc chips and nuts. Then add to applesauce mixture and stir until just combined.

Pour into pan and bake for 40 minutes. You want the brownies to be moist so the edges should start to come away from the pan as it's ready but it shouldn't be overcooked so that you get a cake-like brownie (unless you want it like that!) so the old clean knife in and out trick won't work. The knife should look like it's gone through moist cake but not doughy batter. Let it cool before cutting and cut with a sharp knife.

Easy like Sunday morning...

We ate breakfast at Sassafras in Paddington last week. I've been here once before. I like the good range of vegetarian (and vegan) options. Sometimes they even have yummy vegan cakes that look amazing. However, the service can be terrible (like standing at the counter for 10 minutes before one of the dozen people chatting and flitting around behind the counter cares to serve you) and the wait can be atrocious (when we went last week they told us the wait would be 45 minutes). However, if you have the time on a Sunday morning, like we did late weekend, it's nice to pop across the road and grab the paper (or Australian Vogue (I have a local fashion addiction, I can't help it!)) and read while you wait for your meal. And the meals are generous, although for the price you'd expect it. Breakfast for 2 will cost you nearly $40 but it's nice for a treat.

German Apple Cake

German Apple Cake
from The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets

Cake
3 apples, peeled and cut into slices
1/2 cup vegan butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup applesauce unsweetened
2 tbsp soy milk
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder

Topping
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 23cm spring form round pan.
Cook apples in a bit of water on the stove or in microwave until they are a little soft but not mushy. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar together. Add applesauce and milk. Add flour and baking powder and stir until just combined.
Add batter to cake pan and arrange apple slices in a circle on top of the cake.
Mix together topping ingredients in a bowl and sprinkle over the apples covering the top of the cake. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Let it cool for 15 minutes before unfolding cake from pan so that the apples don't fall off!