Hoooli-dooli does this pie work! I personally feel that strawberry and chocolate (on their own, and indeed when paired together) are fairly basic, safe, family friendly flavours. Of course sophistication can be bestowed upon them and taken to the next level - which in this instance the cinnamon and allspice most certain do. And incredibly well! This is one stellar dessert you didn't know was out there. Spiced chocolate custard encased in a volcanic Oreo crust and topped with fresh slithered strawbs, magic! Enjoy.

Makes 1 x 21cm (8 1/2 inch) pie
Serves 6-10

Ingredients

Crust

• 240g vegan & gluten-free Oreos (or OG Oreos for non GF)
• 50g vegan butter, melted
• salt
  Custard
• 90g vegan dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 x 270ml coconut milk
• 1 cup favourite plant milk (I used an almond & coconut milk by Nutty Bruce)
• 1 tsp ground coffee (or instant coffee)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup (75g) castor sugar
• 1 knob vegan butter
• 2 tbsp cocoa
• 1 1/2 tbsp (25g) cornflour/cornstarch
  Ganache
• 1/4 cup plant milk
• 90g vegan dark chocolate, chopped
  To Top
• 1 x punnet strawberries, tops removed & thinly sliced

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C. Blitz the Oreos in a food processor. Pour in the melted butter and add a pinch of salt. Blitz again to form a wet sand consistency.
2. Press the mixture into a greased 21cm (8 1/2 inch) pie dish, so that it forms one even layer across the bottom and up the sides. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make your custard by placing all the custard ingredients sans the cornflour into a large pot. Place over gentle heat and stir until the mixture has combined, the chocolate has melted and the sugar’s dissolved. Mix the cornflour with another splash of plant milk, and whisk to combine. Pour into the hot chocolate mixture and stir continuously until the mixture thickens into a thickened custard (it will still be pourable). Take off the heat and let cool for 15 minutes.
4. Once the base has cooled to the touch, pour in the cooled custard mixture. Smooth over the top and refrigerate.
5. Once your pie mixture is set on top, make your Ganache by heating the plant milk in a small saucepan until a few bubbles appear (it won't take long so keep an eye on it). Take off the heat, topple in the chocolate and whisk to combine.
6. Pour the ganache over the top of the pie and decorate with strawberries. Pop the pie back in the fridge to chill, so that it has at least 3 hours in total (preferably six) to set. It will cut a little messily, no matter how much time it's had in the fridge, but will taste incredible!

I honestly didn't think I could make a quiche or pie (whatever you want to call it) with a gluten-free crust that tastes this good! This is savoury, comfort heaven! Completely nostalgic, considering I ate a lot of pastry-enclosed numbers growing up. This hits all the notes, smokey, herby, cheesy, unami-ee deliciousness. The perfect lunch in my opinion hehe, served with a chutney and salad.

Serves 4-6
Makes 1 x 21cm (8 1/2 inch) pie - feel free to double this recipe

The crust in this recipe is inspired by The First Mess, who was first inspired by Moon and Spoon and Yum.

Ingredients

Pastry

• 1 cup chickpea flour (besan)
• 1/4 cup polenta (cornmeal)
• 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup cold vegan butter
• dribble cold water
  Filling
• 1 onion, diced small
• olive oil
• 100g smoked tofu
• 120g (or as much as desired) nut based vegan cheese, sliced/crumbled (I used Sprout & Kernal Tree Nut Cheese from Woolworths)
• 150g silken tofu, drained
• 1/4 cup plant milk
• 3 tbsp chickpea flour (besan)
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• pinch turmeric
• 1/2 tsp black salt
• pinch pepper

Method

1. Make your pastry first, by adding the chickpea flour, polenta, mixed herbs, nooch, salt & pepper to a food processor. Pulse to mix. Add the cold vegan butter (in chunks) and pulse to form a dough. Add a dribble of cold water (if needed) to bring it together. Wrap the dough up and chill while your oven pre-heats to 200C. Once pre-heated, take your pastry out of the fridge and grease a 21cm (8 1/2 inch) pie dish (or similar). Roll out into a circle slightly bigger than the dish, then transfer to the dish, pushing it down nice and snug, ensuring there's an even covering. Pierce the base a couple of times with a fork and bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. Set aside and turn the oven down to 180C.
2. Start your filling by caramelising the onion in a glug of olive oil over low heat. While that's doing it's thing, prepare your other fillings by dicing the tofu into bite-sized pieces and slicing/crumbling your vegan nut-based cheese.
3. Make the egg mixture by blending the silken tofu, plant milk, chickpea flour, rice flour, baking powder, garlic powder, turmeric, black salt & pepper together in a blender until smooth.
4. Construct your pie by laying/crumbling the cheese over the base then topping with the smoked tofu. Gently pour in the eggy mixture, then finish by sprinkling over the caramelised onions. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until set and golden brown. Tuck in.

I've tried to make a "healthy" Nutella before and truth be told it's turned out exceptionally bitter and rather underwhelming. I was th-rilled when I stumbled across this method of making it, as I could see how it would produce a very Nutella-like result. And it does. The texture is a little different and the flavours hit you in a different order (chocolate first, hazelnut last - which plays with your brain), but in my opinion it's just as wonderful as the OG – when it comes to being an A-grade toast-topper, or banana-lather-upper-er.

Makes approx. 500ml (2 cups)
Or two small-medium jars

Ingredients

• 1 heaped cup (175g) skinned hazelnuts
• 1 cup/tin (320g) vegan sweetened condensed milk (check the baking and/or ethnic aisle)
• 1 block (90g) vegan dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• pinch salt

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C. Topple the hazelnuts onto a baking tray and roast in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden and smelling sensational.
2. Transfer the toasted hazelnuts into a food processor and blend for 5 minutes or so, until creamy. This might take a few goes, scraping down every minute, but it should come together into a creamy nut-butter consistency soon enough.
3. Meanwhile, heat the sweetened condensed milk in a small saucepan until the first little bubble appears. Take off the heat and add the chocolate. Stir to melt the chocolate and form an ultra smooth ganache.
4. Pour the ganache into the food processor, add the pinch of salt and blend again until fully combined. Transfer the Nutella to jars to store or gift away. Enjoy.

Stews can demand a lot of your time and pre-planning abilities. Simmering for hours, transforming themselves. Well, while I think they have their place (obviously - there's my Bourguignon to show for it), it's nice to a quicker recipe that carries the same effect. A cozy, nourishing bowl of wholesomeness. This one definitely ticks those boxes Honeybunches. Serve as is over some mashed potatoes, or as part of a broader spread - with a simple pasta, antipasto vegetables and salad.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced/diced
• 2 carrots, chopped into chunks
• 2 sticks celery, chopped small
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 2 x 400g tins brown lentils, drained & rinsed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 3 cups hot water
• 1 vegetable/"chicken" stock cube
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp tamari (or soy sauce for non-GF)
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• salt & pepper
• handful parsley, chopped
  To Serve: mashed potatoes, pasta, antipasto vegetables and green salad.

Method

1. Heat a glug of olive oil in a large non-stick pot (or a deep fry-pan would also work), then add the onion and garlic. Over low heat, sauté until nearly soft and fragrant. Add the carrots and celery, stirring occasionally until they start to soften.
2. Add the potato chunks, bay leaves, tomato puree, water, stock cube, thyme, tamari and nutritional yeast. Stir to combine. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the broth reduced.
3. Add the tamari and season to taste. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and serve however you like.

After watching my brother make complicated custard-based ice creams growing up, I had in my head that they were a rather complicated science to master. Well this recipe banishes that misconception right out of the park Honeybunches! It couldn't be easier, provided you have at least a blender of some sorts. It just a matter of dumping five ingredients into various appliances and pressing the ‘on’ button.

The best part of this recipe however, has got to be - that it tastes exactly like the legendary Australian ice cream – the Chocolate Paddle pop. Cross my heart - so good!

Allow for freezing time ~ 3 hours-overnight

Makes 6 cups approx.
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 3 cups favourite plant milk (I used the coconut & almond Nutty Bruce)
• 3/4 cups castor sugar
• 1/2 cup light flavoured oil (e.g. sunflower, grape seed, rice bran)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup cocoa

Method

1. Put the milk and sugar into a high powdered blender (or food processor) and blend until the sugar dissolves. Depending on the appliance, 1-2 minutes’ maximum should well and truly do it.
2. Dribble in the oil as the motors running, to fully incorporate and emulsify. Should take approx. 1 minute.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
4. Pour into an ice cream machine and churn for approx. 50 minutes until icy, creamy and thick. Alternatively freeze as is or in an ice-cube tray. Once the churning is complete, transfer to the freezer for 3 hours or overnight.
5. Once ready to serve, either take your churned ice-cream out of the freezer for 10 minutes before serving, or blend up the frozen ice cream in a blender to return to a creamy-icy consistency. Glorious!