Healthy Chocolate Chip Pikelets (Mini Pancakes)

It's a half an hour before we need to leave for a play-date and I want to make something to take and share. None of us are dressed. I know I don't have time to bake anything (oh no!). Then the brainwave of chocolate chip pikelets comes to me! 

They were gobbled up by adults and kids alike and can even be made one-handed whilst holding a one-and-a-half year old - need I sell them more?

Healthy Chocolate Chip Pikelets (Mini Pancakes) (slightly adapted from the Flaxjacks in Raising Vegetarian Children)

1/2 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 cup plain flour
2 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder 
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 tbsp oil, plus more for frying
a handful of vegan dark chocolate chips and a handful of vegan white chocolate chips (the combination is really good but of course just use whatever you have)

Combine all the dry ingredients. Add the milk and oil, stir until just mixed and leave to sit for 5 minutes. 

Heat a frying pan with a dash of oil in it to medium heat. Give the mixture another little stir (a few little lumps are fine). Put in small dollops of the mixture (I do about 4 at a time) and turn over once a few bubble start to appear. Cook until nicely browned. Put a bit of oil in the frying pan before cooking each batch. 

These are nice warm or cold!

Rawsome Vegan Baking

I think I could live on raw desserts. If money was no object and I had better kitchen equipment, that is! 

I really wanted to buy this book, Rawsome Vegan Baking, because I like Emily's blog This Rawsome Vegan Life. She has a very bubbly and fun way of talking about her recipes, and her love for raw desserts is contagious. 

Cashew Coffee Vanilla Crème Cake with Cinnamon Chocolate Crust

Another thing I like about Emily's recipes is that they are achievable with fairly basic blenders and food processors and (mostly) do not contain obscure ingredients such as Irish moss paste (I don't even know what that is but it sounds hard to find and expensive!).

Jungle Pie with Chocolate Crust, Banana Slices & Chunky Coconut Topping

The book is gorgeous and Emily's playful personality really shines through.  

I've only managed to make a few recipes so far, but there are so many I can't wait to make. 

Ultimate Caramel Chocolate Squares

Other vegan cookbooks I've recently blogged about: The Oh She Glows Cookbook

Crunchy Chocolate Buckwheat Cereal

Peter calls this cereal "gravel cereal". Yes, it is quite crunchy and does kind of resemble gravel, but it is totally delicious!

This is my favourite make-in-advance breakfast at the moment. It's inspired by the Loving Earth Chocolate Buckinis I sometimes buy. 

I've been making a version of this cereal, from the fantastic book The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook, for years. The plain version, with just peanut butter and maple syrup, is lovely too. But it becomes something really special when combined with the cocoa, coconut and goji berries. I'm not a big fan of goji berries on their own, but I love them in this!

Crunchy Chocolate Buckwheat Cereal (makes about 4 servings) (adapted from The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook and inspired by Loving Earth Chocolate Buckinis)

2 cups raw buckwheat groats
3 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp cocoa
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup goji berries

Preheat oven to 150C. Spread buckwheat on a large baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes, stir around and bake for a further 20-25 minutes until golden. While buckwheat is still in the oven, mix together the peanut butter, maple syrup and cocoa in a large bowl. When the buckwheat has finished roasting, immediately mix with the peanut butter mixture until buckwheat is coated. Add the shredded coconut and goji berries. I eat this with soy or oat milk - yum!

The Oh She Glows Cookbook

I've tried to slow down on my cookbook purchasing lately, but I got fully swept up in the Oh She Glows craze and had to have this one!

I've tried quite a few recipes from Angela's blog, including her quiche, pumpkin alfredo, taco salad, raw almond butter cups and muffins, and been really impressed by them all.

I love finding recipes on the internet, but I think there's something special about having a cookbook to leaf through and spatter with food. And I like to support people dedicating their time to create such worthwhile (delicious) vegan resources.

You can tell that a lot of care was taken with the recipes and photography in this book and that it was a labour of love. Angela's warm and approachable tone really inspires you to try her recipes.

Here are some recipes I've made from the book:

Mighty Chia Pudding Parfait

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Easy Mushroom Gravy

Healing Rooibos Tea

Effortless Vegan Overnight Oats

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Portobello "Steak" Fajitas

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites

Protein Power Goddess Bowl

Pan-Seared Garlic Tofu

The cauliflower mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, portobello fajitas, chia pudding and the cookie dough bites are stand-out delicious. 

I look forward to cooking my way through the whole book!

Other vegan cookbooks I've blogged about: Betty Goes Vegan, Whole Grain Vegan Baking