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Plant-Powered Families: Review & Double Chocolate Orange Banana Muffins

If you’ve been reading Coconut and Berries for any length of time you’ll know that I’m a Dreena devotee! I’ve been enjoying her recipes for a long while and actually reviewed her last book, “Let Them Eat Vegan” when I was just getting started blogging (nearly 2 years ago!). I’ve also had the privilege of photographing some of the recipes for her blog. Naturally, I was more than a little excited when I heard she was writing a 5th cookbook!

Plant-Powered Families focuses on healthy, easy, family-friendly recipes using whole foods. All recipes are vegan and there are plenty of nut-, soy-, and gluten-free options (As far as I can tell all the recipes are also oil-free).

As a busy Mum of 3, Dreena clearly understands the need for meals you can get on the table fast! And, more importantly, food that’s both healthy and that everyone is going to enjoy. In other words, this is a book you’ll actually cook from!

Tofu Feta (& Greek Salad)

I love the whole look and feel of it, especially the fact that ALL the recipes have accompanying photos! Nicole Axworthy’s photography is particularly gorgeous and really brings the wonderful recipes to life.

It’s a really well rounded book too - with breakfast, lunch, dinner and sweet treats all covered fairly evenly. It’s divided into four parts: Introduction, Recipes, “Plant-Powered Challenges & Solutions”, which includes how to deal with picky eaters and school/lunchbox solutions (useful even for adult lunches!) and “Plant-Powered Support”, where you’ll find cooking guides, sample meal plans, a very complete FAQ and nutrient charts.

I’ve already made a fair few of the recipes. Pictured are just some of those I’ve made so far.

I was really surprised at how flavourful the Tofu Feta (above) was as I’ve attempted tofu feta before and it was rather lacking. I used it in a classic Greek Salad but there are lots of other serving suggestions listed. Also in the “Lunch Fixes” section, the Chickpea Nibbles are a must try! I’ve been making batch after batch to throw into lunches or just for “nibbling”.

Double Chocolate Orange Banana Muffins

I tend to be a little sceptical about oil-free baking as I’ve had some chewy, tasteless oil-free muffins and cookies in my time…but these chocolate-y little gems were moist and perfectly flavourful (See bottom of this post for the recipe!). The “Best Banana Bread” (made as muffins) was also a hit.

Saucy BBQ Chickpeas & Green Beans

I’ve hardly scratched the surface of the “Dinnertime” section. The Saucy BBQ Chickpeas & Green Beans is deceptively simple but the easy homemade BBQ sauce really makes it special. I loved it stuffed into a sprouted wheat wrap with a few chunks of avocado. The Hummus Tortilla Wraps and Ultimate Teriyaki Stir-Fry are also real game-changers for me for busy weeknights. Both super quick and delicious.

Lentil Pumpkin Seed Pie with Lemon Tahini Sauce

Most recently I tried the Lentil Pumpkin Seed Pie. This has a lovely chewy, nutty texture and makes a really satisfying meal served with Lemon-Tahini Sauce, Sweet Potato Fries (I’ll have to try Dreena’s Balsamic-Glazed Seasoned Yam Fries next time…) and broccoli or another green veg.

I’ve been remarkably restrained with delving into the Sweet Treats section. Not that all the puddings, cookies, bars, ice cream and cakes aren’t incredibly enticing! I did love the Peanut Butter Pudding with Berrylicious Swirl and the leftover berry sauce was lovely stirred into non-dairy yogurt too.

The book’s publishers, Ben Bella Vegan, have kindly allowed me to share the recipe for the Double Chocolate Orange Banana Muffins. Hope you enjoy them as much as me!

Double Chocolate Orange Banana Muffins

Yield: 11-12 Muffins

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups whole-grain spelt flour
1/2 cup almond flour (see note for nut-free option)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1-1/2–2 teaspoons orange zest (from 1 large or 2 small oranges)
1/4 rounded teaspoon sea salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pureed overripe banana (see note)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 large or 2 small oranges)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup nondairy mini or regular chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 11–12 cups of a muffin pan with large cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, mix the flours, cocoa powder, orange zest, and sea salt, then sift in the baking powder and baking soda.
In a medium bowl, combine the pureed banana, orange juice, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
Add the wet mixture to the dry, then add the chocolate chips and stir through until just well combined (don’t overmix).
Ladle the batter into the cupcake liners and bake for 17–19 minutes, until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

Banana Note: If you have an immersion blender, puree about 2 large overripe bananas in a deep, large cup, then measure to get your 1 cup. If you are a little shy with the measure, use applesauce to make up the difference!

Nut-Free Option: If you’d like to make these nut-free for school lunches or other allergy concerns, substitute 1/2 cup oat flour for the almond flour. They won’t be quite as moist, but will still have lovely flavor and texture!

Reprinted from Plant-Powered Families by Dreena Burton, with permission of BenBella Vegan.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2015/06/29/plant-powered-families-review-double-chocolate-orange-banana-muffins/

Hopefully I’ve convinced you that if you don’t have the book yet, to get yourself a copy asap! Although it’s written with families in mind, you definitely don’t have to be cooking for children to get a lot out of it. Every time I pick it up I seem to find a new little nugget of information, a fun serving suggestion or useful tip.

I honestly want to make ALL the recipes but next on my list to try are: Thick ‘n’ Hearty Tomato Sauce, Tofu in Cashew Ginger Sauce, Red Lentil Hummus, Apple Pie Chia Pudding, Vanilla Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake.

N.B. All photos in this post are my own. See the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon for sample images from the book

Have you got your copy yet? What recipes have you been enjoying so far? Or, if you haven’t got the book yet, which recipe most tickles your fancy?

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Freekeh with Butternut Squash, Orange & Shallots

Hello and welcome to the December ’14 Virtual Vegan Potluck! I loved taking part last year so when the event rolled around again I signed up straight away. I brought Vegan Crepes with Date & Orange Compote and Cinnamon Ice Cream to the last party but this year I’m sharing a side dish. I’m also using the event’s “featured ingredient — citrus!

Have you heard of freekeh yet? The chances are you have if you’re a food blogger as it’s made a big comeback in recent years. It’s an ancient grain ( a form of wheat that’s harvested when young and green) so it’s actually been around for years, and is especially popular in the Middle East.

If you’re an old Coconut and Berries reader you’ll know that I have a bit of a thing for Middle Eastern food so I was bound to discover freekeh sooner or later. But there’s lots to love about the stuff. It has a firm, chewy texture and a distinct flavor that’s earthy, nutty and slightly smoky. It also has some great nutritional benefits: serving for serving it’s higher in protein and fibre than comparable grains like brown rice.

It’s really versatile too. Use it anywhere you’d usually use other grains, in sweet or savoury preparations — go wild!

Today’s recipe is a little nod to the grain’s origins with a slightly Middle Eastern feel. This hearty side dish is full of fun textures and I think the smokiness of the freekeh works wonderfully with the sweet butternut, orange and shallots.

I had intended this recipe to be a side dish but it’s very filling so makes a lovely main course too, served simply with some steamed green vegetables and a dollop of non-dairy yogurt.

Freekeh with Butternut Squash, Orange & Shallots

Yield: 4 servings as a main, 6+ as a side

Freekeh with Butternut Squash, Orange & Shallots

Ingredients

1 C Freekeh
2 Tbsp Coconut OR Olive oil
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
1 Stalk of celery, diced
1 Clove of garlic, minced
3/4 tsp Ground cumin
3/4 C Cooked chickpeas
1 heaping C Diced butternut squash (cubes approx 1cm)
Zest of 1 orange
2 C Vegetable broth
6 Shallots, peeled & halved*
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
1/4 C Chopped parsley
Non-dairy yogurt, to serve

Instructions

Rinse the freekeh well then cover with cold water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain well.
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion, celery and garlic and sauté for approx 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the garlic, cumin, chickpeas and butternut and continue to cook for another couple of minutes.
Add the drained freekeh, orange zest, vegetable broth, shallots and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for approx 30 minutes. After 30 minutes most of the liquid should have been absorbed. If not, continue to cook for a few minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and leave to sit, covered, for a couple of minutes.
Serve, topped with fresh parsley and a dollop of non-dairy yogurt.

Notes

*Shallots can be a pain to peel. I've found the best way to deal with them is to cover them in boiling water, leave for 2-3 minutes then plunge into cold water. Slice off the tops and the skins should come off fairly easily.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/12/13/freekeh-butternut-squash-orange-shallots/

Please do check out the other contributions to the potluck. Simply click on the buttons below to go backwards, forwards or right back to the beginning.

Orange Pepita Granola and Yum Universe Book Giveaway

I’m talking about a wonderful new book today, Yum Universe, sharing a recipe AND giving one of you the chance to win a copy!

I’ve been reading and introducing others to the Yum Universe website for a long time now and it’s one of the first sites/blogs I started using and cooking from when I went vegan nearly 5 years ago. Everything I love about the site and a whole lot more has been put into this stunning new book of the same name by Yum Universe founder, Heather Crosby.

Almond Pulp Chocolate Pudding-

A great way to use up that leftover pulp when making your own nut milks at home

This is so much more than a recipe book. Heather starts with why you might consider a “plant-inspired diet”, addressing common concerns and bringing some clarity to the huge confusion that exists in the world of diet and health. Though I’m already very committed to this lifestyle, I still found this section fascinating and it definitely reinvigorated my commitment to healthy living.

The “how” section is hugely comprehensive and an amazing resource for everyone, from those who’ve never cooked vegetables to long-time vegans. I’ve picked up so many useful tips I can’t even begin to list them. But what I can say is that the book is helping me cultivate habits which are, in turn, making eating healthily on a day-to-day basis that bit easier. There are complete guides to recommended kitchen equipment and ingredients, storage advice, plan-ahead suggestions and a whole lot more.

Chickpea Flatbread with Blackberries, Balsamic & Thyme-

Heather shares a basic chickpea flatbread recipe and a whole string of variations, all of which sound scrumptious.

I’m looking forward to working my way through them all.

And then there are the recipes! All recipes are vegan (except the very occasional honey which can easily be swapped out), gluten-free and soy-free. I’ve only had my copy of the book for a few weeks but I’ve already made a lot. My pictures in this post only show half of what I’ve tried and everything I’ve made has been fantastic. Even more than the recipes themselves, I love that there are so many variations listed and ideas for making the recipes your own.

Sweet Potato, Kale & Lentil Stew-

This sounds humble and is so easy to put together but produces a seriously tasty meal that I’d happily eat over and over.

Buckwheat Noodle Pad Thai-

This is going to be a regular. It’s one of those dishes that tastes far too delicious to be as easy as it is. Perfect for weeknights.

Heather and BenBella Books have generously allowed me to share a recipe from the book as well as hold a WORLDWIDE giveaway for one of you to win a copy of new book! (See bottom of post)

This Orange Pepita Granola is so good, I know you’re all going to love it. If you haven’t made your own granola yet, this one will have you converted. There are just a few ingredients, a short baking time and, best of all, it’s crispy and delicious.

Orange Pepita Granola (Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free)

Yield: 10 + Servings

Orange Pepita Granola (Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free)

Ingredients

Wet

3/4 C Maple syrup
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Dry

3 C Rolled oats
1 C Shredded coconut
1 C Pumpkin seeds
1 C Almonds, roughly chopped
Zest from 2 navel oranges
1 tsp Sea salt
Pinch ground cardamom

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300/150C.
In a small bowl, stir together the wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, toss together dry ingredients
Add wet ingredients to dry and fold well.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or just one- you can split the batch, baking one half at a time)
Bake the granola for 20-25 minutes. Granola should look slightly browned and toasted.
Remove from oven and repeat if you are splitting the batch. Granola will harden as it cools.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/10/31/orange-pepita-granola-yum-universe-book-giveaway/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Yum Universe is available to order now from Amazon and various other retailers. Check out this page to hear what the author herself has to say about the book and for more information.

Goji-Orange-Turmeric Smoothie (“The Immunity Booster”)

I’m trying not to get too distracted from work right now (still going on the dissertation but I’m definitely on the home stretch!) but I thought I’d stop by and share this recipe as, if you folks are anything like me, you could do with a little mid-week pick me up.

This Goji-Orange-Turmeric Smoothie is exactly that!

I’m usually not one for fresh and fruity smoothies and prefer the creamy, often chocolat-ey kind! But this one here is a little different and contains some seriously powerful ingredients in the nutrition stakes, as well as being exceptionally tasty.

Goji berries: Touted as a “superfood”. Gram for gram, goji berries contain more vitamin C than oranges and more beta-carotene than carrots. Beta-carotene is important for healthy skin and eyes.

Turmeric: High in curcumin, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Ginger: Boosts immunity, eases digestion, improves circulation and also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Oranges: Very high in vitamin C, vital for a healthy immune system.

I managed to pick up a cold some time last week but am feeling better already. I can’t say it was just this smoothie which did it but I’m sure looking after myself with nourishing food helped!

Ill or not, I’ll be making this smoothie regularly. The flavours are hard to describe…tangy, soothing and sweet…they all sound conflicting but I promise all those elements are there. Give it a go and let me know what you think.

Goji-Orange-Turmeric Smoothie (“The Immunity Booster”)

Yield: 1 large serving or 2-3 small

Ingredients

2 Medium oranges, peeled and any excess pith removed
1/2 C Coconut water OR almond milk OR water
1/2 tsp Turmeric
3 Tbsp Goji berries
1/2 " pc Peeled ginger
1 Tbsp Coconut nectar OR Maple syrup
3/4 C Ice

Instructions

Blend everything together in a high-power blender, until completely smooth (My Froothie Optimum 9400 pulverizes the goji berries pretty quickly but it might take a few minutes in a less powerful blender).
Add the ice and blend again.
Serve immediately.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/09/03/goji-orange-turmeric-smoothie-immunity-booster/

Maple-Orange Roasted Chickpeas & Carrots ( & Brown Rice Bowl)

I haven’t had much chance to cook with home-grown vegetables this summer since I haven’t been at my family home to enjoy the garden. Last year I loved spending lots of time outside helping my Mum out with the gardening, and cooking and eating everything too of course. I shared some pictures of the garden/ our harvest here.

Though I haven’t been home lately, my Mum was in London over the weekend and brought me a ton of veg! I have a feeling she’s struggling to stay on top of eating everything without me there! A few of my next recipes will be featuring the home-grown produce.

First up- these Chantenay carrots!

These fresh-from-the-earth, imperfect specimens are so much more appealing than the luminous orange, uniform carrots you find in the supermarkets, aren’t they?

I gave them the roasting treatment to get them nice and tender and brought out their natural sweetness even more with a maple-orange glaze.

I added chickpeas to the mix too. If you haven’t had roasted chickpeas yet, you definitely need to try them. If you cook them a bit longer than I did here they get really crunchy and make a great snack. I cooked them alongside the carrots here which was just long enough for them to be crisp on the outside but still creamy inside.

The Maple-Orange Roasted Chickpeas & Carrots are a nice side-dish, or you could roast some potatoes at the same time and turn it into a one-pan meal, or do what I did and use them in a “bowl meal”. My other components were tamari-seasoned brown rice and steamed spinach.

Maple-Orange Roasted Chickpeas & Carrots

Yield: 2-4 Servings

Maple-Orange Roasted Chickpeas & Carrots

Ingredients

1-1/2 C Cooked chickpeas (1 Can, drained and rinsed)
175g/6oz Chantenay carrots, halved or quartered if large (you can also use regular carrots chopped into small chunks)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
A few sprigs fresh thyme
1-1/2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
Zest and juice of half an orange
Sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200C/400F
In a roasting dish, toss the chickpeas and carrots with the olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt (the salt balances the sweetness) and the leaves removed from the sprigs of thyme.
Cook for approx 20 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time. Add the maple syrup, orange juice and zest to the pan and toss well.
Cook for a further 5 minutes, or until carrots are tender and beginning to brown at edges and the chickpeas are crisp.
*UPDATE*Some readers are finding their carrots take longer than stated to cook through. If using regular carrots, not chantenay, I recommend blanching them before roasting to start the cooking process and prevent everything drying out from having to roast for longer.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/08/31/maple-orange-roasted-chickpeas-carrots-brown-rice-bowl/

Have you been growing your own vegetables this year? If so, what’s been the most successful?

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