These are next-level Honeybunches! I know I've done brownies a lot, but bloomin' heck these are something else. They've got that wonderful sugary cracked top, chewy edges and a fudgy interior. Feel free to swap out the peanut butter for raspberries, chocolate-hazelnut spread or crushed nuts. All would be phenomenal - as the brownie base is genuinely as good as it gets! Feel free to double the recipe too, just be sure to cook them for longer. This recipe is adapted from a recipe for Raspberry Ripple Brownies in my new postcard series on my Etsy shop - The HBOT Shop. See more about that at the end of this post, but for now, it's brownie time.

Ingredients

• 80g vegan dark chocolate
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup aquafaba (the water in a can of chickpeas, lentils or beans)
• 1 tbsp black coffee
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup plain flour (GF or not)
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup peanut butter

Method

1. In a heat-proof bowl, add the dark chocolate (broken up into pieces) as well as the coconut oil, and place in an oven heating up to 180C (350F). After 3-5 minutes, remove and stir to finish melting the mixture. Be careful not to burn the chocolate in the oven.
2. Add the melted chocolate mixture to a large bowl along with the brown sugar, maple syrup, aquafaba, black coffee and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
3. Add the plain flour, desiccated coconut, brown rice flour and salt to the bowl, whisking gradually from the center outwards until smooth and fully incorporated.
4. Pour the mixture in a greased and lined 18cm/7-inch square pan (or similar) and dollop over the peanut butter. Run a knife through the peanut butter and brownie mixture, creating a marbling effect. Sprinkle with a little salt to finish. Bake for 30 minutes in the moderate oven (for preference on the slow setting - not fan-forced).
5. Let cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan before removing and serving.

I've just released a Postcard set on my Etsy shop. There are 6 different postcards with recipes on the backs of each and space to write a lovely message to loved ones near and far. Find out more about them HERE.

Gluten-free and vegan cakes can be a real pain in the bum, as they can easily turn into super-dry-crumbly-sandy realities, and that doesn't make anyone happy - even those GF peeps who are grateful for the effort. Nuh uh. So I have a wonderful GF cake recipe in my First Cookbook and I though it was about time to make another. This lemon & passionfruit cake is a beautiful seasonal cake that looks glorious and has a lovely combination of elements. The inner lemon cashew layer and the whipped coconut yogurt on top both compliment the cake wonderfully and also help this cake to be a lil' bit of a show stopper. Hope you enjoy it x

Serves 8-12

Ingredients

• 1 cup polenta
• 1 1/2 cups almond meal
• 1 cup chickpea (besan) flour
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• zest of 3 lemons, finely chopped
• sprinkle of salt
• 1/2 cup passionfruit pulp
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1/3 cup plain/vanilla plant-based yogurt (e.g. coconut, almond, soy etc.)
• 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup almond milk
  Lemon Cashew Filling
• 1 cup cashews, soaked in hot water for 1 hour minimum, then drained
• zest & juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• pinch of salt
  Yoghurt Topping
• 1 cup COYO natural yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 passionfruit to top (optional)

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C on a slow setting if your oven has the option, otherwise on fan-forced. Also get your cashews soaking.
2. In a large bowl, combine the polenta, almond meal, chickpea flour, coconut sugar, bicarb, zest and salt together with a whisk to combine. Press out any lumps with the back of a spoon, then whisk again.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine the remaining cake ingredients (down to and including the almond milk), with the same whisk until smooth. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until incorporated.
4. Grab two 20cm cake pans, grease and line the bottoms. Evenly divide the batter between the two, smooth over the top and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until firm to touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
5. To make your middle layer, combine the drained cashews along with the remaining "Lemon Cashew Filling" ingredients in a high powered blender, scraping down the sides as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Set aside in the fridge until needed.
6. Put your COYO and vanilla in a clean bowl and beat with electric beaters until thickened and it hold its form. Scrape the cream in a container and chill until needed.
7. Once your cake is cooled, assemble it, by starting with one cake, topping with the cashew filling (don't spread it all the way to the edges), top with the other cake, and spread the whipped coconut cream on top. Decorate with the pulp of one passionfruit if desired. Serve & enjoy!

Hey Honeybunches, so I know-I know - salads are salads are salads. However, since moving away from the "leafy green-based salads" and exploring all the utterly phenomenal heartier salads out there, which generally have a roasted-something-or-other in them, I have become extremely enthusiastic about them. So yes, this does have some leafy greens in it, but it strikes a wonderful balance of being substantial enough that you appreciate it as a dish on its own (and not merely some tokenistic strokes of fiber on the edge of your plate), while happily enjoying your greens in a seriously delicious format. This salad embraces and celebrates autumnal veg, and I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I did!

Serves 4-8 (depending on size of serve)

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped pumpkin (Butternut or Kent etc.), into bit sized chunks
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 bunch broccolini
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 large handful green beans
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 3 large handfuls lettuce mix/spinach leaves
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/3 cup. cashew cheese, cubed (if you can't find a block of this where you live - pomegranate arils would be a great alternative 'wow' ingredient)
• balsamic vinaigrette (store bought or homemade)

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200C fan-forced. Tip the pumpkin chunks onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt & pepper. Use your hands to coat the pumpkin in the oil and then ensure they are spread out evenly on the tray, before baking in the pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until soft and beginning to caramelize.
2. Meanwhile, take your broccolini and asparagus and chop off the woody ends of both. Run your knife vertically down the veg, so that the width is reduced and they are more bite-sized. Top and tail your green beans and add them along with the broccolini and asparagus to another baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt & pepper and sprinkle over the garlic powder and nutritional yeast. Use your hands again to massage the seasoning into the veg and toss everything to combine. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes (overlapping with the pumpkin for time and energy efficiency).
3. While all the veg is cooking, wash your salad leaves, prepare your avocado and cashew cheese/pomegranate. Take a large platter and add the leaves, dressing them in some vinaigrette before adding the roasted veg, avocado and cashew cheese to finish. Drizzle with more vinaigrette before serving.

Oooh wow, this a keeper Honeybunches! I stumbled across the combo while using up leftovers a few weeks back, and having refined it a smidge since, it's safe to say I'm feeling rather confident about it. If you're a fan of pesto pasta, or specifically this recipe which draws in positive reviews from those who try it, then I bet you this will be totally up your street as well. Salsa verde is just heavenly, and full of flavour in the most wonderful way. Yes, the measurements are a little loose, but I've made it multiple times following them (or close enough) a number of times now and bloomin' heck all you need is love HB's. No seriously, you can't go wrong. And beans in pasta - sounds basic and super "starchy" but the butter beans are almost creamy, it's wonderful. So don't knock it until you try it! Hope you enjoy this one Honeybunches!!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 350g GF (or not) penne pasta
• 1 leek, rinsed, top and tailed and cut into half moons
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 x 400g tin butter beans, drained (can use other beans, like cannellini etc. but butter beans do hold their shape extraordinarily well in this, and have a welcome flavour/texture)
  Salsa Verde
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 handfuls parsley leaves
• 1 handful dill fronds
• 12 chives
• small handful basil leaves
• small handful mint leaves
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp capers
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• salt & pepper

Method

1. Start by making your salsa verde by blending all the ingredients listed under the Salsa Verde section of the ingredients together in a food processor or blender. The texture you see in the photo is from a food processor so if you'd like a smoother consistency, use a blender. Scrape down the sides so everything is processed/blended well and set aside until needed.
2. Pop your pasta onto boil according to the packet instructions. When al dente, drain & set aside until needed.
3. Sauté your onion and garlic in a little olive oil until the leek is soft (watch it as it can burn easily) and a touch golden, yet still a little lively in colour. Add the drained beans, stir to remove any moisture on them and to warm through.
4. Add all the salsa verde, and stir to coat the leeks and beans. Tip in the drained pasta and stir everything to combine. Might look like the pasta: verde ratio is out, but keep mixing and you'll see there is enough if you used the 350g of pasta mentioned. Serve & enjoy!

This is seriously good! Sweet & twangy from the sauce, which sits laced over crunchy delectable cauliflower & tender noodz. Yum-o! I've adapted a recipe from Hetty McKinnon's cookbook "Family", so that it's less 'hands on' and has a sure-fire way to ensure the cauliflower is cooked all the way through. Hope you give this a go and can par-take in the saucy-noodly hit I was very much grateful for :)

A fab variation on this would be to do it with some battered tofu as well, delish!

Adapted from - Hetty McKinnon's cookbook Family
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium-large cauliflower, broken into bite sized florets
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup chickpea (besan) flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp water
• 1 cup GF breadcrumbs (or non GF breadcrumbs)
• olive oil
• 3 tbsp brown rice syrup
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce for non GF)
• 3 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp water
• 280g GF ramen-style noodles (or regular ramen noodles, or rice noodles etc.)
• drizzle sesame oil
• to serve: chopped spring onions, sesame seeds

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 220C.
2. In a large bowl, add the brown rice flour, chickpea flour, garlic powder and salt & pepper, and whisk until combined. Make a well in the centre and add the plant milk and water (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp amount), whisking from the centre outwards until smooth.
3. In another bowl, tip in the breadcrumbs and while your at it, grab a baking tray.
4. Take a cauli floret, and coat thoroughly in the batter, tapping to remove the excess, toss in the crumbs and place on the tray. Repeat to use up all the cauliflower. Drizzle a little olive oil over the cauliflower and bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Flip & drizzle a little more oil on the floret, then bake for 10 minutes more in the oven.
5. Meanwhile, make your sauce by adding the brown rice syrup, vinegar, tamari, tomato sauce and garlic to a small sauce pan. Whisk to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk the cornflour and 2 tbsp of water together in a small bowl and when the sauce is bubbling, add it to the saucepan and whisk, until the sauce thickens. It will only take a minute or two. Turn off the heat & set aside until ready to serve.
6. Cook your noodles according to packet instructions as well, then when done, drain and to prevent them from sticking together, drizzle a little sesame oil over them & toss with a fork.
7. Serve the noodles, with the crunchy cauliflower and the sweet & sour sauce. Top with sesame seeds and spring onions if you desire :)