The Ordinary Vegan - Mr Kipling Pies and Tarts

This week on TOV, I am looking at shop-bought bakery. It is so hard to find vegan items in the bakery aisle at supermarkets as this is traditionally where most of the products contain some kind of dairy or eggs. I mainly bake my own but if you are out and about or need something in for unexpected guests, Mr Kipling comes to the rescue as two of the main line of products are vegan-friendly.

The first is the Apple & Blackcurrant Pies. Strangely, the Apple Pies contain dairy, but the Apple & Blackcurrant do not! There are often other seasonal pies, mainly around Christmas, which sometimes are vegan too, last year they had a winter fruit pie selection which was vegan-friendly.

In addition to the pies, the Mr Kipling Jam Tart selection is also vegan-friendly and quite often both packets are on offer for 2 for £2 in the supermarkets. The regular price is around £1.49.

They don't taste as nice as home-made but they are tasty and they are good to have in the cupboard for times when you don't have time to bake.

If you prefer to make your own vegan food, come back tomorrow for the Vegan Recipe of the Week.

What are you vegan-friendly supermarket bakery finds? Let me know in the comments below.

Big Vegan Love,

VVx

Vegan Vox Reviews...Christmas Vegan Treats - Cheese and Tree Decorations!

Welcome to a special VVR. This week I am showcasing two very special small independent businesses who are both producing something to make Christmas extra special this year.

The first is Good Carma Vegan Cheese. Good Carma is owned and ran by Charlotte Bates, she is vegan herself and handmakes her artisan cheese in Wales. Charlotte very kindly sent me a sample of both of her cheeses to try a few weeks ago and they were lovely. The first was called G-Veez and is a vegan alternative to goat's cheese. It was strong and tangy and spread well on crackers. The second was P-Veez a vegan alternative to Parmesan. This was nutty and crumbly with a good bite and worked really well on pasta. Both lasted well in the refrigerator too. You can purchase both cheeses direct from Charlotte's website for £3.50 for a large tub.

Here is the P-Veez on a delicious bowl of pasta:

And the G-Veez on a cracker:

The second company I am showcasing today is Heart Felt Hand Stitch shop on Etsy. This small handmade felt decorations company is owned and ran by Mel from her home in the Midlands. Whilst not vegan herself, she believes in making her products accessible to all so she only uses cruelty-free non-animal materials. Her felt is acrylic, she using animal-free glues and cottons rather than silks. She hand-makes, to order, bespoke animal decorations. You can order any animal you like and she will make you cute little Christmas tree decorations for just £3.50 each. She has made companion animal dogs and cats so far but will happily make other companion animals, sea creatures or wild animals for your home or Christmas tree. These make perfect gifts for animal lovers too.

She kindly sent me a cute version of one of Vegan Vox's rescue cats - as a gorgeous decoration for our tree this year:

So please check out these two independent business and invite a little vegan-friendly love into your home this Christmas.

Big Vegan Love,

VVx

Vegan Recipe of the Week - Festive Mince Pies

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without mince pies! And being vegan does not mean you have to miss out on the festive fun. Whether you want to opt for the super easy - assemble them yourself option or choose your fruits, soak them and bask in the homemade aromas filling your kitchen, I've got you covered.

This recipe is really easy to make and all of the family can share these festive pies. If you don’t want to make your own mincemeat, Sainsbury’s sell a jar which makes around 24 small pies for around £1, which is vegan! Even easier  VVx

Ingredients:

Jus-Rol ready rolled shortcrust pastry – All Jus-Rol pastry products are vegan and labelled so.

450g Sainsbury's Mincemeat in a jar or:

56g Vegan suet

56g Bramley apples, peeled and chopped

30g Candied peel

56g sultanas

56g Raisins

56g Currants

42g Demerara sugar

20ml Brandy – or Apple Juice for a non-alcoholic version

Frylight 

Soy milk for brushing pastry

Icing sugar for dusting

Method:

Mix all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and put into a sterilised jar overnight. 

The next morning, take the pastry out of the fridge and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Unroll the pastry and use a cutter slightly larger than the circumference of the pastry tart tin holes to cut the bases. 

Spray the pastry tart tin with Frylight and place the bases into the holes pushing into the edges.

Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out a smaller round top for each pie using a cutter.

Spoon a heaped teaspoon of mincemeat into each tart case and cover with a pastry lid. Pinch the lids around the edge to seal the pies and pierce the top with a sharp knife to create an air hole.

Brush the pies with a little soy milk and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan.

Take the pies out of the fridge and bake on the middle shelf for 18-20 minutes until lightly browned on top.

Place the pies on a cooling rack for 20 minutes to cool and then dust lightly with icing sugar.

Don't be afraid to be creative, add stars or lattice tops. Serve warm or cold on their own or with dairy-free custard.

Eat and Enjoy!

Big Vegan Love,

VVx

For more delicious easy vegan recipes click here.

Vegan Vox Reviews...Essential Vegan Cookbook by Vanessa Almeida

This week on VVR I am reviewing Essential Vegan Cookbook by Vanessa Almeida. On Tuesday, Vanessa shared her Chocolate Cheesecake recipe with us here at Vegan Vox Blog and this book is full of more delicious recipes which are just as simple and tasty.

Vanessa Almeida is an accomplished Brazilian vegan chef based in London. Having moved to England with her husband Neni in 2007, Vanessa spent the last few years responding to the diverse range of cuisine peppered across the UK capital by crafting a sumptuous collection of plant-based dishes. With a background in nutrition studies (specialising in veganism), Vanessa thrills in educating her blog readers on how they can incorporate healthy and hassle-free food into their everyday lives. Her Essential Vegan site is a popular destination for vegan recipes and preparation tips.

Essential Vegan Cookbook is a visually stunning collection of over 60 tasty and delicious recipes inspired by the author’s colourful life experiences. Satisfying her desire to educate and inspire others in the kitchen, Vanessa likes nothing more than combining healthy ingredients to create delicious recipes, proving that vegan food needn’t ever compromise on flavour. A unique component of Essential Vegan is the inclusion of health tips listed by ingredient, featured throughout the book in easy to find, miniature chopping board graphics.

With dishes ranging from vegan versions of Brazilian staples to luscious dairy-free cheesecakes, Essential Vegan Cookbook is the perfect companion for both seasoned vegan eaters and those looking to include more plant-based eating in their lives. This world-class collection of easy-to-prepare, healthy meal ideas is sure to be a hit in any kitchen. 

There are some lovely recipes in the book which Vanessa has shared with me including Marinated Aubergines, Chocolate Cheesecake and Tofu Minced Meat. I have tried a couple of these recipes so far and they are easy to follow and taste fab! This would make a great Christmas gift for the vegan in your life. 

Essential Vegan Cookbook is available to buy online at essentialvegan.co.uk. Images used with permission from essentialvegan.co.uk/Vanessa Almeida.

Big Vegan Love,

VVx