Vegan Vox Reviews...Vive Soy

A couple of weeks ago the lovely people at Vive Soy sent me a mixed crate to sample and review. The range of soy milks is great with Vanilla, Unsweetened, Chocolate, Light, Sweetened and Cappuccino flavours available. The milks are fortified with calcium and vitamins A & D and are suitable for vegans.

I decided to experiment with the different milks so I could recommend the perfect partner for the milk.

Here are my findings:

Vanilla

The Vanilla flavour is a perfect partner to coffee, cereal, smoothies and for baking cupcakes, Victoria sponge and rock cakes. I also used to make custard.

Unsweetened

The unsweetened is great for savoury dishes, such as creamy soups, curries, cheese-style sauces, pie fillings and for brushing on pastry before baking.

Chocolate

The chocolate is delicious straight from the carton in a tall glass with ice, but is also nice with cookies, for baking chocolate cakes and biscuits and in a hot chocolate.

Light

The light is great in tea and coffee, in smoothies and on cereal. Also good in soups and sauces.

Sweetened 

This is perfect in tea and coffee, milkshakes, smoothies and baking any desserts. Also tastes delicious on cereal.

Cappuccino

This is milky iced coffee in a carton. Just pour over ice and drink or add to coffee and walnut cake batter.

If you haven't tried any of the Vive Soy range, then give them a whirl. Hopefully I have given you some inspiration for different ways to use soy milk in your kitchen.

Vive Soy is available in most major supermarkets and health food stores and retails for around £1.25.

What is your favourite soy milk brand and you most inventive way of adding it into your cooking and meals?

Big Vegan Love,

VVx

Vegan Vox Reviews...Black's Family Maple Twists

These are amazing! Maple flavoured puff pastry twists made by Black's Family. These are sold in a huge 624g tub from Costco for £5.99 and are certified vegan by the American Vegetarian Association.

They contain no cholesterol, no transfats, no yeast, no dairy, no butter and no eggs. They are crispy pastry twists covered in maple flavoured sugar. They are not healthy at all but make a great treat for parties and barbecues. They are very moreish. You have been warned! :) I like them served with a bowl of vegan ice-cream, Mr Vox likes them with a cup of tea. You could even use them with a dark chocolate fondue or fountain.

What are your surprising bakery treats that you have found out are vegan? Share in the comments below.

Big Vegan Love,

VVx

Vegan Recipe of the Week - Strawberry Tart

This stunning dessert is really easy to make and tastes divine. Serves 8.

Here is what you will need:

Shortcrust pastry (click here for recipe) or 1 pack of Jus-rol Shortcrust

1 punnet of strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered

1 tub of Tofutti Cream Cheese Original

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp strawberry coulis

1/4 jar of redcurrant jelly

100g icing sugar

Method:

Roll out your chilled pastry and line a large tart dish. Prick the base with a fork and line with parchment paper. Fill the base with baking beans and blind bake for around 15-20 minutes at 160C until golden brown.

Remove the beans and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, place the cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar and beat together until creamy and soft. Spread the mixture all over the base of your cooled tart case.

Drizzle the strawberry coulis over the cream mixture and swirl with a fork.

Add the strawberries on to the filling.

In a small saucepan, place the redcurrant jelly and a tablespoon of water and heat gently until melted. Brush the redcurrant glaze over the strawberries and leave to set in the fridge.

Eat and Enjoy! If you enjoyed this recipe, please click here to see more.

VVx

The Ordinary Vegan - Apple Crumble/Apple Strudel

This week on TOV, is the turn of shop-bought desserts. I have found that most of the supermarkets basic ranges of Apple Crumble and Apple Strudels are vegan-friendly. These are found in the the frozen desserts aisle of the supermarket and cost around £1 each. You just bake them from frozen and serve with vegan ice-cream, cream or custard. Delicious! These are great to keep in the freezer for last minute guests or late night munchies!

If home-cooked food is more your thing, I have my own crumble recipes here and here.

Come back tomorrow for another vegan recipe of the week. If you missed my exciting announcement on Saturday click here to read it!

Big Vegan Love,

VVx

Vegan Recipe of the Week - Apple and Peach Cinnamon Crumble

                                  

There is nothing like a warm fruity crumble with custard or ice cream to make everything seem better. This one combines the tartness of apples with the sweetness of peaches for the perfect combo!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Topping:
225g Plain Flour
90g Caster Sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
115g Vegan Butter (I use hard Stork)
2 Tbsp Demerara Sugar

Filling:
3 Red Apples
2 Peaches or Nectarines
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Vanilla Paste
100g Soft Brown Sugar
100ml Water
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

To Serve:

Vegan custard or ice-cream

Method:

Peel, core and chop the red apples into small chunks.

Peel the peaches and cut off the flesh into small pieces.

Put the rest of the filling ingredients without the fruit into a saucepan on a medium heat and stir until combined and the sugar has dissolved. Then add the fruit and very gently simmer for around 5 minutes until the apples are soft.

Put a lid on the saucepan and remove from the heat. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan. Meanwhile make the topping.

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, then add the caster sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir to combine.

Cut the cold vegan butter into chunks and rub them into the dry mixture until you have a breadcrumb consistency.

Spoon your fruit filling into an oven dish and then sprinkle liberally with the crumble topping. Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top on and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve hot with vegan custard or ice cream.

Eat and Enjoy!

What are your favourite pie and crumble fillings? Let me know in the comments below.

Big Vegan Love,

VVx

Vegan Vox Reviews...Cook & Survive! by The Vegan Zombie

I have been a fan of The Vegan Zombie's YouTube Channel for ages and was so excited when they announced the general release of their fan-funded cookbook/graphic novel - Cook &  Survive!

I ordered my copy from Amazon on the day of release and waited patiently for it to be shipped over from the US. When it finally arrived, I was not disappointed.

It features a graphic novel with Chris, Jon and Indy the dog fighting their way through a zombie apocalypse which is brilliantly illustrated by Rob Kramer and then a full cookbook featuring over 85 recipes.

There are The Vegan Zombie classics such as their legendary Mac'n'Cheese, Corn Dogs and Pizza. There are healthy recipes, salads, soups, pies, raw recipes, desserts, breakfast, side dishes, nut milks, sauces and even vegan dog food!

It is an American book, so a few ingredients are harder to find here in the UK, but mainly they use standard ingredients and obviously the measurements are in cups but they also put weight in brackets so no conversions needed.

So if you love home-cooked vegan variety, American favourites and want to treat your companion animal to some great vegan treats too, this is the vegan cookbook for you!

What is your favourite vegan cookbook and why? Share in comments below.

Big Vegan Love,

VVx