CAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE AND CUSTARD

I've came up with this recipe very spontaneously, basically using ingredients that I could currently find at home. I wasn't expecting anything too spectacular, but based on my family's opinion and my own (obviously) it turned out way better than expected. I've made this cake a couple of times in this month already, so I guess it says a lot. 

INGREDIENTS:

(if you use small springform pan, you may want to halve the amount)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp corn flour
• 3/4 cup cane sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 3/4 cup applesauce 
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil 

Combine wet and dry ingredients separately, then mix them together. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 180 C for approximately 30 mins. After it's done, let it cool down for at least an hour. 

TO MAKE 'CARAMEL' SAUCE:

• 200 g dried dates (soak them for 30 mins beforehand) 
• 200 g nuts (I used peanuts, but I think cashews would work better) 
• 4-5 tbsp powdered sugar
• pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients together, you can also add a bit of coconut milk to make blending easier and add creaminess. Pour the sauce on the crust. 

TO MAKE CUSTARD: 

• 2 1/2 cups soy milk 
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cane sugar
• vanilla extract

Pour 2 cups of soy milk to the pan, add coconut oil, vanilla extract and bring to the boiling. In the meantime mix 1/2 cup of soy milk with flour and sugar until thoroughly combined. Then slowly add to the boiling milk and simmer for a couple more minutes, mixing the whole time. After it's done, let it cool down for at least an hour. Pour the custard on the cake and decorate with fruits (I find that sour fruits work the best, as the rest of the cake is very sweet). 

Enjoy!

ITALIAN PASTA

I love pasta so much! I could eat it every day and not get bored, seriously! You can make so many different dishes with it or even desserts if you are creative. Since it's summer I crave light, easy to make dishes, which don't require spending few hours on cooking.

Ingredients:
Pasta of your choice (make sure it doesn't contain eggs)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup dry red lentils
120 g corn
Spices and herbs (I use: sweet paprika, salt, pepper, basil, spicy paprika and cane sugar)



Combine diced tomatoes with dry lentils, spices and herbs in the pot and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until lentils absorb liquid and become soft (add some water or tomato juice if it's start sticking to a pot or it's too thick), then add corn (you can add beans as well) and simmer for another couple of minutes. In the meantime prepare pasta and place it on the plate, add sauce and top with fresh agurola and sundried tomatoes.

Enjoy!

Why do I eat oatmeal every day?

Why do I eat oats every single morning? Because they are filling and give me so much energy to start off my day right and to be in a good mood. They are also the source of many vitamins, minerals and most importantly fiber. Did you know that majority of people don't meet their daily requirments for fiber? That's because they prefer bacon and eggs to oats and berries and that is a huge mistake. Not only bacon and eggs contain cholesterol and saturated fats, which are demaging to your health, but also don't provide you with sufficient amount of energy nor any fiber. Why? Because they consists of fats and proteins, not carbohydrates, which is a BAD THING. If you still believe that carbs make you fat, you should educate yourself more and stop believing those lies. Carbohydrates are preferable source of energy, just choose whole plant-based products over refined ones for optimal health results. 

But how to make oatmeal that actually taste good? It's really simple, there are so many different ways to make oatmeal, find which one works the best for you! You can microve oats with some water, boil them, pour boiling water over oats, eat them raw with some plant-based yogurt or make overnight oats. Personally, I prefer to cook my oatmeal on the stove, I find it the easiest to digest and it's so creamy!

 Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

2 tbsp flaxseeds

1 cup water

1 cup soy milk (or any other plant milk)

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1 handful of berries

1 banana 

Put oats, flaxseeds and water into the pot, bring to the boiling, let it absorb all the water, then add soy milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and simmer for a couple of minutes. Place in a bowl, decorate with banana coins and berries. And there you have a nutritious, delicious breakfast that will keep you going for hours and improve your health!

Enjoy!

IS VEGANISM A NEW FAD DIET?

Clearly veganism and plant-based diets became really popular recently. Although many may think that going vegan is just a phase or following new trends, for majority of vegans this lifestyle is a significant part of our identity and life. It obviously depends on one's reasons to go vegan, some may transition because of health benefits of plant-based diet, others due to environmental impact that animal agriculture has on our planet or to save animals' lives. 

I feel like those, who are driven only by health benefits and don't educate themselves on other aspects, may eventually get back to eating animal products and in this case, veganism or plant-based lifestyle may be just a temporary fix or a phase. The thing is that veganism is not only about us, it's about shifting our focus from ourselves to other beings, who need more attention than we do. It's about reducing suffering of animals, about choosing products, which don't contribute to global warming and don't require usage of enormous amount of water to be produced. It's about compassion and love towards all beings. 

Don't get me wrong, I am more than happy when someone decides to try plant-based diet even without being aware of other, more important, issues. Because ultimately it reduces demand for those products, which is what we strive for!  It's important to remember that we tend to prioritize ourselves, our health, our well-being, our appearance. That's why it is crucial to make this lifestyle appealing, to convince people to try going plant-based, because after all health benefits are incredible! You can easily prevent many chronic diseases, increase energy level and become more positive, happy and vibrant. 

The reason why some people go back to eating animal products is lack of education. Once you switch your diet to plant-based, you should learn more, gather informations, know why you are choosing to eliminate these products. Probably majority of people from your surrounding are not vegan, therefore it's easy to justify consuming meat, since everyone does that. That's why watching documentaries, reading books, articles, expanding your knowledge is so important. To understand, know your facts and reasons.

Veganism is not a diet, it's a lifestyle. The fact that it's became so popular and some treat it as a way to lose weight may bring confusion. However, I believe that it's a good thing as it rises awareness and reduces demand for animal products. Even if not everyone will stick to this lifestyle forever or not truly understand it. We should share our knowledge and lead by example.

Personally, I went vegan for health reasons. Then, I understood that animals are actually suffering (and that diary products are not cruelty free!) and how animal agriculture destroys our planet. If not for those reasons, I would probably got back to eating cheesecake and milk chocolate. Because of that I feel like education is the key, when it comes to staying on this lifestyle long term. 

If you want to learn more, you can watch:

Forks over knives

Earthlings

Cowspiracy

BIRTHDAY CAKE

DISCLAIMER: Recipe includes oil, sugar and other not so healthy products, if you don't feel discouraged then keep on reading! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups regular flour
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cup soy milk 

Combine all ingredients, mix thoroughly using mixer and pour into baking pan. 

Bake at 180 C for about 40-50 min. Let it cool down for a few hours and cut the cake in half.

TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER CREAM:

• 300 g peanut butter 
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup soy milk
• 60 g vegan chocolate chips 

Mix peanut butter with powdered sugar and soy milk using mixer until well combined, then add chocolate chips and combine. 

TO MAKE WHIPPED CREAM:

• 2 cans coconut milk (it's important to store them in the fridge for at least 24 hours before to separate coconut milk from coconut water, for this recipe you will only need milk)
• 2-3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt

Mix coconut milk for about 3 mins, then add sugar and salt and mix for another 1-2 mins (until you get desired consistency of whipped cream)

TO DECORATE THE CAKE: 

• fruit jam 
• 200 g vegan chocolate
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

Place one half of the cake on a plate and spread jam on it, then 3/4 peanut butter cream and 3/4 whipped cream. Cover with another half, spread the rest of peanut butter cream and whipped cream. Put the cake into the fridge for a couple for hours. 

Melt chocolate with coconut oil in the microwave, let it cool down for a few minutes and pour it over the cake. You can also top the cake with some fruits. Put to the fridge for another couple of hours. 

Enjoy!