This is peak nostalgia! The simplicity of this dessert is captured in this version - with the ever-satisfying method of assembly (sandwiching biscuits together with fluffy cream) working just as well. This recipe is a joy. One of my new favourite puddings, no question <3

*Start preparations at least 4 hours in advance.

**This recipe showcases The Vegan Dairy's Dutch Chocolate Crème - however similar thick chocolate crème products would also work.

Serves 4-8 (depending on desired serving size)

Ingredients

• 160g vegan chocolate biscuits (e.g. Chocolate Ripple for vegan, Woolworths Free From Double Choc Chip Biscuitsfor vegan & gluten-free).
• 1 cup Natural COYO coconut yoghurt*
• 1 x jar ‘The Vegan Dairy’ Dutch Chocolate Crème**
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (or any liquid sweetener)
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup strong black coffee
• 1 tbsp Kalúa liquor (optional)

To Decorate: chopped/shaved vegan dark chocolate

Method

1. In a large bowl, beat the COYO with electric beaters/whisk until thick. Add the Dutch Chocolate Crème and beat again to thoroughly incorporate. Add the cocoa powder, maple syrup and salt, beating once again to combine.
2. Comprehensively line a loaf tin (or any oblong vessel) with plastic wrap (baking paper would also work), so that there is plenty of overhang.
3. In a small bowl, mix the black coffee with the Kalúa.
4. To start building your log take one of the biscuits, briefly submerge it in the coffee/liquor mixture, then dollop a heaped tablespoon of chocolate cream onto one side of the biscuit. Stand it on it’s side against the short side of your tin/container, then repeat with the remaining biscuits. Refer to the photographs for reference. Refrigerate the leftover chocolate cream – you will need it later to coat the log.
5. Gather up the overhanging sides of the plastic wrap (including the short ends) and peg together to secure the shape of the log (refer to the photographs). Refrigerate your log for a minimum of 4 hours (ideally 6, or overnight).
6. At least 30 minutes before serving, gently unwrap your log and transfer to a serving plate. Spread the remaining chocolate cream over the log & sprinkle with chopped/shaved dark chocolate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (minimum) to ‘set’ before slicing & serving. Slice on the diagonal for that ripple cake ‘look’.

*You must use Natural COYO for this recipe to work. Other coconut yoghurts do not thicken when whipped.

This recipe was adapted from Ottolenghi's recipe on Epicurious.

Baked rice is a flippin' revelation! As someone who’s gone without a rice cooker for most of their life, any set-and-forget rice cooking method, embarrassingly, makes me quite content. This method feels far more decadent however than a rice cooker. You can infuse the rice with fat and flavours that gently release their oils, while enjoying an ever so slightly charred nuttiness at completion. This rice has had ample TLC, yet simultaneously oozes simplicity. It is a tray-bake after all.

*This recipe showcases Hello Friend's Haloumi - however any quality vegan halloumi (or regular halloumi) can be used in it's place.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

Relish

• 1 large handful raw walnuts
• 1/2 a pomegranate, arils only
• 1 jar (230g) mixed olives, drained & finely chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• drizzle maple syrup
• small handful parsley, chopped
• small handful mint, chopped
• drizzle garlic oil (or 1 garlic clove, crushed/chopped)
• salt & pepper

Rice

• 2 cups uncooked basmati rice
• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• pinch of salt
• 3 1/2 cups water
• a few sprigs of mint

Other

• Vegan halloumi (I used one pack of Hello Friend's Haloumi, although another high quality vegan halloumi (or regular halloumi) can also be used)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180C (360F).
2. Pop your walnuts into a small oven-safe dish and toast in the preheated oven for 5 minutes (or until golden). Set aside to cool. Mix all of the Relish ingredients together in a small bowl and add the walnuts when they're not scorching hot. Set aside or refrigerate (your call) until needed.
3. Add the basmati to a large baking dish. Cut the vegan butter into small chunks and disperse throughout the rice. Add a generous pinch of salt and pour in the water. Add the mint sprigs to the dish, cover with a lid or tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
4. Chop the vegan halloumi into wedges. Take the lid/foil off of the rice and turn the oven over to a 'grill x fan' setting (if applicable). Arrange the cheese on top of the rice and return to the oven for 15 minutes to golden.
5. Spoon the Relish over the dish before serving.

So (apparently) this recipe is all the rage on TikTok. Or was, I'm sure most have moved onto the next new thing. But knowing soft vegan cashew-based cheeses are on the market, I was eager to give a modified version of this a go. And hold the phone - because this turned out to be so delicious! The charm is in the simplicity of it (I will admit) but that just makes you appreciate the two ingredients all the more. Make this HBs !!

*This recipe showcases The Vegan Dairy's 'Chilli Chives' Cheese - however any similar quality cashew-based vegan cheese would work

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500g (two punnets) cherry tomatoes
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 x block ‘The Vegan Dairy’ Chilli Chives Cheese
• 350g pasta (GF, if desired)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200C (400F).
2. Topple the cherry tomatoes into a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Toss to coat. Place the Chilli Chives block in the middle of the tray, tossing to coast in the oil/seasoning a couple of times. Transfer the tray to the oven to bake for 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are starting to split & the cheese it golden.
3. Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to packet instructions. Save a smidge of the cooking water before draining.
4. To finish, mash the cheese (in the tray) with a fork before toppling in the pasta and reserved cooking water. Mix everything together thoroughly, before serving.

It's no secret I love having a sweet little something for those morning/afternoon/dessert moments when you want a delicious exclamation-mark to go with your cuppa or evening meal. These were originally made one evening when my mind was wrestless and the kitchen was a dark, cosy, safe cocoon for my racing mind. Somehow amidst the cacophany of anxious-thoughts these turned out stella-first go. Which besides being a small ego boost, is actually quite irritating. I should be at my A-recipe-developing-game when I'm highly focused - not totally out of it?! Exhale, but what can you do. Making these was a reminder that cooking has the most impressive transformative abilities.

a note on the recipe: these are excepionally good! Like a traditional caramel slice, except less sweet, because of the grounding peanutty note. Not as overwhelmingly peanuty as a Snickers bar, but along that wavelength. Bliss.

Makes 16 bite-sized pieces. (1 x 15cm/6inch square pans worth)

Ingredients

Base

• 1 1/4 cup almond meal/flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp refined coconut oil, melted
• 2 tsp maple syrup/brown rice syrup/golden syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla

Caramel

• 1/2 cup almond butter (or smooth unsalted peanut butter if not using powdered peanut butter)
• 1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (or brown rice syrup, melted)
• 2 tbsp powdered peanut butter (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch salt
• optional add-ins: maca powder, medicinal mushroom powder, ashwagandha powder.

Top

• 120g dark chocolate (you can use as little as 80g, although coverage will be on the light side), melted
• 1 tsp refined coconut oil, melted (optional - it will assist in neat, frustration-free slicing, though not crutial)

Method

1. Line a 15cm/6inch square tin with a loose sheet of baking paper. Set aside.
2. Mix all your Base ingredients together in a bowl with a spoon, then switch to your hands to work the oil into the almonds. The mixture should hold together when pressed - if it doesn't, add a little more coconut oil. Press into the base of the tin, and smooth over with a spoon to level. Set aside in the fridge.
3. Whisk your first three Caramel ingredients together until smooth. Add the vanilla, salt, powdered peanut butter & optional add-ins (if using), before whisking again to combine. Pour over the refrigerated base, giggle to level, then refridgerate to set.
4. After 20 minutes (minimum), whisk the melted chocolate with the coconut oil (if using) until fully incorporated, then gently drizzle over the caramel and smooth out into all corners using a spatula. Return to the fridge for an hour (minimum) before slicing & tucking in. When not enjoying these, simply store in the fridge. These will last a couple of weeks (technically speaking).

This is a veganized version of a Hetty McKinnon recipe found in the breakfast section of her latest book To Asia, With Love, and it's absolutely wonderful. Think flurry, savoury, crisp UFOs, filled with creamy potato segments and strips of bitey chives. These are delicious on their own, over rice, as part of a bigger breakfast/lunch spread or meal prepped to take on the go. The addition of rice flour in the batter produces wonderfully crisp edges that are so welcome on a slow stodgy morning.

Makes 8 small omelettes (you can half the recipe, if desired)

Ingredients

• 2 small potatoes, peeled
• small handful chives
  Batter
• 250g firm tofu, drained
• 2 heaped tbsp chickpea flour (besan)
• 2 heaped tbsp rice flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp light flavoured vegetable oil
• pinch turmeric
• 2 tsp tamari (or soy sauce for non GF)
• 1 tsp black salt
• grind of pepper
• 1-1 1/2 cups unsweetened plant milk (I used almond)
  For Frying: light flavoured vegetable oil

Method

1. Boil your potatoes until tender. Drain and set aside. Once cool enough to handle (or before if feeling brave), cut into strips (or slices - up to you) and set aside. Chop your chives into inch long strips and set aside.
2. Make your batter by adding all of the Batter ingredients into a high-powered blender (or food processor) and blitzing until smooth. If needed, add a little more plant milk to bring it together into a smooth, thick, but pourable consistency.
3. Heat a generous drizzle of vegetable oil in a large non-stick fry-pan. Once hot gently pour in an oval pancake-sized amount (or as many that fit). Adorn each omelette with some potato pieces and chive strips, then spoon over another 1-2 tablespoons of the batter to "seal in".
4. Let the omelette get golden brown & crispy on medium heat, before you even consider flipping. Once you flip, cover the fry-pan with a lid/tray. Cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes, until crispy and the egg mixture has had time to cook through. Transfer the omelettes to a plate lined with paper towel (or a tea towel) and repeat until all the batter has been used up.
5. Tuck in, in anyway you please (ideas found in the blurb above). To keep, let the omelettes comes to room temperature before refrigerating in an air-tight container, or freezing in a single layer.