GLUTEN FREE GINGER COOKIES

ingredients

1,5 cup gluten free flour (or mix of rice flour, buckwheat flour and 1 tbsp soy flour)
1 tbsp minced flax seed
2 tbsp warm water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown sugar 
3 tbsp date molasses or maple sirup
1 tsp backing soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ginger powder, cloves, grated fresh ginger

directions

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
cover the flax seeds with cold water and leave for 5 minutes. in a mixing bowl combine oil, sugar, molasses and flax seeds. 
in a separate bowl mix the remaining dry ingredients - flour, backing soda, salt and spices. mix well. 
in a large mixing bowl combine the dry and wet ingredients and stir by hand until all the ingredients are blended into a moist ball of dough.
if needed add some extra oil or water.
form the cookies in hands or use a spoon to portion out regular cookie shapes. place them at least 2 cm apart from one another on backing sheet lined with backing paper. bake for about 15-20 minutes. allow the cookies to cool at least 15 minutes before serving. 

(cookies on the picture were topped with a mixed sweet candied orange peel - see my recipes!)

POLISH MAZUREK

ingredients

(dough)

1.5 cup wholemeal flour

1.5 cup oats

8 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp organic cane sugar

pinch of salt

cold water

(topping)

20 fresh dates 
100 g raisins
handful almonds
1/2-1 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
almond flakes

directions

in a large bowl combine oats, flour, oil, sugar and salt. gradually add water while mixing/kneading.
mix until the dough is elastic; form into a bowl and let it rest in the fridge for 20 min.
place washed and cut dates, raisins and cut almonds into a saucepan. add water and simmer over law heat until the dates are soft and water is reduced (10-20 min). add lemon juice and set aside to cool.
preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
place the dough in a backing pan (1 cm thick) and cover with the topping; sprinkle with almond flakes and put the backing pan in the oven for 40 min (or until the almond flakes start to brown).

happy easter!

PLÄTZCHEN 

(german christmas cookies)

ingredients

250 g whole wheat flour
100 g brown sugar
125 g vegan margarine
1/2 packet backing powder
2 tbsp soya flour
1-2 tbsp water
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

directions

in a large bowl mix together flour and backing powder. make a well in the centre and add sugar and water; rub in margarine using your fingertips. stir until the mixture comes together as a soft dough. turn it out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. form dough into a ball, wrap into a foil and let rest in the fridge for 1 h.
preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
dust some flour onto your workspace and roll the dough into 0.5 cm thickness. use the cookie cutters to create different shapes.
place cookies on a backing sheet and bake for 10-15 min (depending on the thickness).
let cool and decorate.

SAFFRON CAKE

ingredients

350 g flour
100 g vegan margarine
100 g sugar
1/2 cup corinthian raisins
150 ml warm water
1 tbsp backing powder with saffron

1 tsp nutmeg

pinch salt
powdered sugar

directions

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. grease backing pan with vegan margarine and dust with flour.

in a large bowl mix together flour, backing powder, raisins, salt and nutmeg until well combined. add the margarine and sugar and rub in using your fingertips. add water and stir until the mixture comes together as a soft dough (add more flour if needed). turn out the dugh onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. transfer the dough to the prepared backing pan and bake for 45 minutes or until the cake is golden brown.

COCONUT and CRANBERRY COOKIES

ingredients 

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut 

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

handful fresh cranberries

1/3 cup warm water

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp backing powder

1/2 tsp salt

directions

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. add oil and water. mix until well combined.

use a spoon to portion out regular cookie shapes. place them at least 2 cm apart from one another on backing sheet lined with backing paper. decorate each cookie with a whole cranberry.

bake for about 20 min. let the cookies rest on the backing sheet for another 10 min before transferring to cool completely. 

variation: instead of cranberries you can add 1/2 cup raisins to the mixture. 

BANANA CAKE

ingredients

4 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp backing powder
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tbsp sugar beet syrup
2 tsp vanilla sugar

pinch of salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp vegan margarine

directions

preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. grease a loaf pan with vegan margarine and dust with flour.
sift together the flour, backing powder, salt, vanilla sugar and cinnamon.
in a large mixing bowl whisk together water, syrup and oil, then add sugar and bananas and mix throughly.
add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir well until combined. pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

bake for around 50 min or until a fork comes out clean. switch off the oven and let it inside for another 5 min.

PUMPKIN CAKE

ingredients

1 cup shredded fresh pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp soy flour
1 tbsp vanilla sugar
1-2 tsp backing powder
1 tbsp cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger/ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
handful walnuts/raisins
water
vegan margarine

directions

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. grease backing pan with vegan margarine and dust with flour.
in a large bowl sift together the flour, backing powder, salt and spices.
separately mix soy flour and some water (enough to obtain a creamy texture), add sugar and whisk until sugar is dissolved. combine the mixture with dry ingredients. add oil, nuts and pumpkin.
spread the mixture in the pan and bake for around 50 minutes (or until the fork comes out clean).

ZWETSCHGENKUCHEN 

(GERMAN PLUM CAKE)

ingredients

300-500 g plums
400 g flour
200 g sugar
200 g vegan margarine
1 tbsp soy flour
water
1 tbsp backing powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

directions

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. grease backing pan with vegan margarine and dust with semolina. 
in a large bowl sift together flour, backing powder, salt and cinnamon. cream the vegan margarine with sugar and combine with the flour mixture. 
separately mix soy flour and some water (enough to obtain a creamy texture) and add to the bowl. 

spread dough over the backing pan and cover with pitted, cut plums (with cut side up).
bake for 40 min. 

DATE CAKE

ingredients

[dough]
1 1/3 cup oats

1 1/3 cup wholemeal flour
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup vegan margarine
pinch of salt

[filling]
2 cups pitted chopped dates (deglet nour)
1/2 cups water
2 tbsp lemon juice

directions

place dates and water in a saucepan. simmer over law heat until dates are soft and water is reduced (around 20 min). add lemon juice and set aside.
preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
in a large bowl combine flour, oats, sugar and salt. cut in margarine. rub mixture between fingers. place the 3/4 of dough in a backing pan and cover with the date paste. sprinkle with the rest of the dough over the filling and put the backing pan in the oven for 30-40 min (until the topping starts to brown)

RHUBARB CAKE

ingredients

300-400 g rhubarb
200 g flour
120 g sugar
150 g vegan margarine
1 tbsp backing powder
3 tbsp soy flour
150 ml coconut milk
water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp coconut

directions

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. grease backing pan with vegan margarine and dust with semolina.
sift together flour, backing powder, sugar, coconut and salt in a big bowl.
separately combine soy flour and some water (enough to obtain a creamy texture).
put a vegan margarine into a pot and simmer until it's completely melted.
pour the margarine, coconut milk and soy flour into the bowl with dry ingredients and mix together until it's blended and smooth.
spoon the mixture into the backing pan spreading evenly.
cut rhubarb stalks into 5 cm pieces and cut them along; place them on the top of the mixture.
bake for around 40 min - 1h (or until it starts brown).



Enjoy!

SEMOLINA APPLE CAKE

ingredients

1 kg apples (peeled, cored and cut into small pieces)
150 g semolina
350 g flour (200g plain, 100 g corn, 25 g soy, 25 g whole wheat)
200 g (or less) sugar
2 tsp backing powder
1 tbsp vanilla sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tbsp vegan margarine

directions

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
grease backing pan with a vegan margarine and dust with some semolina.
place the apple chunks into a bowl and mix with 50 g of sugar and cinnamon.
mix the flour, semolina, rest of sugar, backing powder, salt and vanilla and divide into two equal parts.
pour one part into the backing pan and sprinkle with some oil. spread the apple chunks evenly.
mix other part of the dry ingredients with the rest of oil (into crumble) and sprinkle over the apples.
put the pan in the oven and bake for 1 h or until the topping start brown.



buona domenica! (happy sunday)

CARROT CAKE

ingredients

1/2 kg shredded carrots
1/2 kg flour (at least 250 g whole wheat)
0,75 cup of unrefined sugar
2 tbsp soy flour
1/2 cup of canola oil
50g raisins
3 tsp backing powder
1/2 cup of rice milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp shredded coconut
1 tbsp of vegan margarine

directions

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
mix the flour, backing powder, raisins, spices and salt in a bowl.
separately mix carrots, sugar, oil and rice milk and combine with the dry ingredients.

grease pan with a vegan margarine and dust with flour. spread the mixture in the pan and bake for 1 h or until the fork comes out clean.

EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE ingredients 1 1/4 cups flour 3/4 cup sugar  1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tsp backing powder  1/2 tsp salt 1 cup warm water 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp vanilla sugar  1 tsp cinnamon handful raisins/nuts/coco  directions preheat the oven to 175 degrees C  mix together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, backing powder, salt, raisins and cinnamon. add water and oil and mix so that it's blended together.  spread the mixture in the oiled backing pan and bake for about 40 min (until a fork comes out clean).

RHUBARB APPLE CRUMBLE

ingredients

(filling)

6 cups chopped rhubarb

1 cored and chopped apple

1/4 cup water

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

3 tbsp maple syrup 

1 handful raisins

1-2 tbsp candied orange peel (optional)

1/4 cup oats

(topping)

2 cups oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp unrefined sugar

1/2 cup boiling water

directions

put the rhubarb apple and raisins into a pot, add water and simmer for about 20 min (untill the fruit in soft). add the orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg and syrup, stir to combine and leave it on the heat for another 5 min.

spoon the filling into a baking dish and mix it with oats. turn the oven on to 180 C.

put the oats for the topping into a bowl, stir in the cinnamon and sugar and add the water (just enough to moisten them). stir it till the oats become soft.

sprinkle the topping over the fruit and put the dish 

in the oven for around 30 min (until the oats are starting to brown).

Enjoy!