Vegan – Page 2 – The Food Wife

Ginger and White Chocolate Flapjacks

25th May 2025
by thefoodwife

Makes 16

I love a flap jack. A real crowd pleaser plus itâ€™s an easy bake with kids. Very portable (hello lunchbox ideas!) and adaptable. Need it gluten-free, simple. Need it dairy-free or vegan, an easy swap and youâ€™ve got the perfect bake.

The combination of ginger and white chocolate here is a winner. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

165g butter/vegan butter

125g soft light brown sugar

60g golden syrup

Pinch of salt (leave out if butter is salted)

250g porridge oats (gluten-free if required)

100g chopped glacÃ© ginger

50g white chocolate, melted (dairy free if required)

Step 1: Line a 9×9 inch tin with baking parchment. Preheat your oven to 180c (fan).

Step 2: Measure the butter, sugar, syrup and salt into a small saucepan. Place on a medium-low heat and stir occasionally until the butter has melted and everything is combined when stirred. Stir through the glacÃ© ginger.

Step 3: Measure the oats into a large bowl and carefully add the molten mixture (avoid getting this on your skin as it will burn). Stir everything together.

Step 4: Pour into your lined tin, use the back of the spoon to delicately spread the mix into all the corners and level out the mix. Donâ€™t press too hard.

Step 5: Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cool, cut into 16 squares. Then drizzle (you can use a piping bag if if you like) the white chocolate over the top and allow to set. Break into the 16 cut pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Snicker-dates

18th February 2025
by thefoodwife

Makes 16

These arenâ€™t new, weâ€™ve probably all seen some version of them, but they are delicious. Chewy dates, crunchy peanut and salty dark chocolate. A winning combo, especially for anyone who loves a sweet treat but wants to cut down on refined sugars.

Plus theyâ€™re so rich youâ€™ll probably only want one or twoâ€¦

Ingredients:

16 Stoned dates

Crunchy peanut butter (ideally one made with only peanuts)

100g dark chocolate (I used 74% cocoa), melted

Flaky sea salt

Step 1: Line a tray or tin with grease proof paper, and ensure you have space in the freezer for it to fit.

Step 2: Fill each date with about 1/2 a teaspoon of crunchy peanut butter, bringing the ends of the date back together as best you can (sometimes they wonâ€™t meet but make it as neat as possible).

Step 3: Carefully submerge each filed date into the molten chocolate, using a spoon to turn and coat it. Then transfer each coated date, with a spoon, to the lined tray. Sprinkle a little of the flaky salt on top.

Step 4: Repeat with the remaining dates. Try to make sure they arenâ€™t touching each other on the tray (you can always break them apart after theyâ€™ve set if they do touch but their edges will be messier).

Step 5: Transfer the tray carefully to the freezer until the chocolate has set (10 minutes should do it) and then move them carefully to a tub or freezer bag and keep them in the freezer until you eat them to keep them extra chewy!

Savoury Leek and Squash Crumble

12th January 202526th January 2025
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

These little pots of a savoury crumble are great as the centre part of a vegetarian (or vegan) meal. I made these gluten free too so theyâ€™re good for a variety of dietary requirements.

You can serve these in individual 250ml ramekins or in a baking dish to share.

Ingredients:

Oil

1 leek, trimmed, washed and sliced

1/2 a squash, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes

1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

200ml cream (dairy or non-dairy. I used oat single-style cream)

50g cheese, grated (I used a goat cheddar) (optional) if making this vegan you could replace this with a spoonful of nutritional yeast to taste

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper

2 tbsp Breadcrumbs (gluten-free if required)

1 tbsp roasted, chopped hazelnuts

25g grated cheese (optional)

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley (or 1 tsp dried parsley)

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 180c (fan). Prepare a baking tray. Toss the squash, garlic and a little oil together and spread on the baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes. Check the pieces are soft and cook for a few more minutes if needed. Remove from the oven.

Step 2: In the meantime, heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add a little oil and the leeks. Sweat down until soft. Add the cream, the Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste and the cheese of using. Reduce the heat and stir occasionally.

Step 3: Add the cooked squash and taste to check the seasoning. Transfer into the serving dishes.

Step 4: Mix together the breadcrumbs, nuts, parsley and cheese (if using). Sprinkle over the crumble filling and put in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes and serve, with vegetables and potatoes of your liking.

Festive Drinks

14th November 2024
by thefoodwife

As Christmas approaches, festive parties might well be on the calendar and so here are a few cocktail recipes to have up your sleeve for when itâ€™s your turn to do the entertaining.

Iâ€™ve chosen two classic alcohol-based cocktails and then a non-alcohol festive twist on a Moscow Mule to get everyone in the party spirit.

A French 75 makes the perfect welcome drink whilst the Godfather Sour is my go-to as an evening progresses. The Cranberry Mule will save any non-drinkers from missing out!

All recipes make one drink.

Big thanks to Grant Walker for being a most excellent bar man at our cocktail evening and to Anna Place for being on camera duty.

French 75

Ingredients:

30ml/1 shot gin

15ml/1/2 shot fresh lemon juice

15ml/ 1/2 shot simple sugar syrup

90ml/3 shots sparking wine

Garnish: lemon twist

Put the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup in a shaker with ice, and shake until chilled.

Pour in to a flute/coupe glass and top with the sparkling wine.

Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Godfather Sour

Ingredients:

1 shot/30ml whisky

1 shot/30ml Amaretto

1 shot/30ml fresh lemon juice

1/4 shot/7.5ml sugar syrup (2:1 sugar:water ratio)

1/2 shot/15ml egg white

Garnish: orange twist

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.

Close and shake for 30 seconds, then strain into a short glass, with ice.

Garnish with an orange twist.

Cranberry Mule Mocktail

Ingredients:

45ml/ 1 1/2 shot of cranberry juice

15ml/ 1/2 shot fresh lime juice

180ml / 6 shots ginger ale

Garnish: lime slice

Fill a high ball glass half full with ice.

Add the ingredients in the order of cranberry, lime and finally ginger ale.

Garnish with a slice of lime.

Fruit and Coconut Flapjacks

9th October 2024
by thefoodwife

Makes 16 small pieces or 8 regular sized

I decided to do some baking ready for the afterschool demand for snacks. These turned out excellently. Just the right amount of chew, that hint of spice that youâ€™d notice if it wasnâ€™t there but canâ€™t quite put your finger on and then sticky sweetness from the dried fruit. The coconut adds an extra yum. I did a half and half mix of vegan butter and coconut oil, to complement the desiccated coconut.

Great for hungry kids (and adults!)

Ingredients:

165g butter/vegan butter/coconut oil (or combination of the following to make up 165g)

125g granulated sugar

60g golden syrup

Pinch of salt (leave out if butter is salted)

75g (mixed if you like) dried fruit

250g porridge oats (gluten-free if required)

50g unsweetened desiccated coconut

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

Step 1: Line an 8×8 inch tin with baking parchment. Preheat your oven to 180c (fan).

Step 2: Measure the fat, sugar, syrup and salt into a small saucepan. Place on a medium-low heat and stir occasionally until the butter has melted and everything is combined when stirred. Add the dried fruit and cook on low for a few minutes until they have plumped up a little.

Step 3: Measure the oats, coconut and spices into a large bowl and carefully add the molten mixture (avoid getting this on your skin as it will burn). Stir everything together.

Step 4: Pour into your lined tin, use the back of the spoon to delicately spread the mix into all the corners and level out the mix. Donâ€™t press too hard.

Step 5: Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool completely before cutting with a sharp knife into pieces.

Store in an airtight container.