17 February,2014 09:18 AM IST | | Kartiki Nitin Lawate
If you are a vegan and crave for sweet goodies, options might be tough to find. With this in mind, we invited two vegans, Anuradha Sawhney and Anushree Sahai to share their favourite recipes
Oat Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup pureed red pumpkin (with skin)
2/3 cup oat meal
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 vanilla pod
4 tbsp maple or golden syrup (sweetener)
2 tbsp vegan butter flavouring (optional)
5 tbsp apple sauce
3 tbsp pureed prunes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts and dates
Hot water
Method
Sift together the flour, oat meal, cinnamon powder, salt, baking soda and cocoa. Now add the sweetener, apple sauce, pureed prunes, pureed pumpkin and butter flavouring. Cut the vanilla pod and add to the mix. Use a hand blender to mix the batter well. If it's too dry, you can add a few tablespoons of hot water. Once mixed, add the chopped walnuts and dates. Mix once again but with a wooden spatula and let it stand for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, heat the oven to 180 degrees and grease the muffin tray. After 20 minutes, place the batter in the muffin tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or till the tops crack.
Let it cool down. Your fat-free muffins are ready to eat. Serve them with melted vegan dark chocolate.
Note: If you don't have red pumpkin, substitute with any other vegetable of the same family, like bottle gourd. Keep the skin intact; it adds to the fibre content of the muffins.
- Recipe courtesy Anuradha Sawhney, author of The Vegan Kitchen: Bollywood Style! and proprietor of the vegan food service, Back to the Basics
Dark Walnut Heaven
Ingredients
500g dark chocolate (without hydrogenated fats)
300g shelled walnuts
Method
In a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate till it's all done. Now temper it, stirring all the while so the chocolate does not burn, for about 10 to 15 minutes. Take it off the flame and let it cool slightly (do not let it set).
Meanwhile, keep a tray ready, with butter paper. Add the walnuts in a bowl. Once the chocolate is slightly cooled, pour it over the walnuts and mix till the nuts are fully covered. Place the chocolate covered nuts on the butter paper in unwieldy heaps and refrigerate till set.
- Recipe courtesy Anushree Sahai
Fat-free Carrot Cake
Ingredients
2/3 cup grated carrots
7 seedless dates
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp each cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger powder
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oat meal
1 tsp baking powder
2 to 3 tbsp black raisins and walnuts (chopped)
Method
Soak the dates in warm water for 10 minutes and then puree them with the carrots. Boil this mixture on low heat, then add the maple syrup and the spice mix (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger powders). Cook while stirring till the mixture thickens, slightly. Keep aside to cool.
In a bowl mix the flour and baking powder. Add the puree and mix till just combined. Add the vinegar and stir lightly once. Add the raisins and chopped walnuts and bake at 180 degrees Centigrade for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick from the centre comes out clean.
- Recipe courtesy Anuradha Sawhney
