Coconut Flour & Coconut Blossom Syrup Fudge (vegan)

Last month I mentioned that I have a thing for fudge at the moment.  I have made vegetarian fudge, vegan fudge and even raw fudge.  Well here are some more that I have dubbed as Quadruple Coconut Fudge as its made with coconut flour, coconut blossom syrup, coconut oil and dessicated coconut. 

For a long while, I have been dilly dallying what to do with my stash of coconut flour...  By the way, Is coconut flour the same as coconut milk powder????? I cannot seem to get a definitive answer on this question on any of the website, or maybe I am just not cooking in the right places. Anyway, this recipe for Coconut Flour Fudge is much of an on-going experiment with coconut flour being treated a little like milk powder for Indian style Burfi's. 

This Coconut Flour and coconut Blossom Syrup Fudge is good for up to 3 weeks as long as its kept in the fridge. I preferred this a few days later when the texture changed.  It firmed up even further and became more fudge like. It also crumbled like sugary icing fudge too, but I must warn you this is not sugary sweet, it has a subtle sweetness. 

Banana and Coconut Bread (vegan)

I have so many bookmarked banana recipes, but when it comes to finding them - Can I find them, of course not, then I find myself making another Banana Bread.

This time with the addition of dessicated Coconut and Coconut Sugar and guess what it happens to be vegan too.  D thought the bread looked dry and suggested that he may want put some jam or sunflower spread on it,  but I had to disagree with him. I thought it was plenty moist and to prove my point even further, I took some into work for some colleagues to try and they sided with me, but he wasn't haven't any of it - we agreed to differ. 

I think the coconut sugar gave the banana bread a caramel colouring as it looks like it is made with wholemeal flour.  I assure you it is not, the coconut sugar also imparted a little caramel flavour, or maybe I was just imagining that. 

This Banana and Coconut Bread is adapted from a recipe by Jack Monroe's A Girl Called Jack.  You can find the original recipe here.   I made some little tweaks, but nothing that is going to  make me claim this recipe as mine as it is not, it has been adapted albeit a little.  I had two ripe bananas, I used coconut sugar and I stirred in some dessicated coconut, and omitted the cinnamon from the original recipe, that is it.

I am sharing a generous slice of this Banana and Coconut Bread with Healthy Vegan Fridays by Rock My Vegan Socks and V Nutrition; and also sharing this with #CookBlogShare hosted by Hijacked by Twins. 

Other Vegan Banana recipes you will find on my blog
Tiger (Marble) Cakes
Blueberry Banana Muffins
Chocolate Banana Bundt Cake
Darjeeling Tea Pecan Banana Loaf
Green Valley Elvis Smoothie
Raw Raspberry Ice-cream or Raspberry Mousse
The Best Elvis Presley Bagel

Avocado and Coconut 'Bacon' Bread Butty

I know this looks like smoked wood chippings, but I assure you this is coconut 'bacon', albeit a little dark from being in the oven a minute too long; or perhaps I was a little heavy handed with the tamari.

Vegan Mofo prompt today is Treat Yourself.   In the last year or so Avocado and Coconut 'Bacon' Bread Butty has become my go to treat.  Do some of you ever have crisp butty, a bread rolled filled with crisps or chips? Yes, No - Is it just me?! Yikes.  Well now you know of my guilty pleasure too.

So what is a bread butty?  A butty is a British term for a stuffed sandwich usually comprising of one slice of bread stuffed with either egg, bacon or sausage and then doused in sauce.  It can also be a bread roll.  The only difference between a English Bread Butty and a Welsh bread Butty is the pronunciation, of course we in Wales say butty buttie byti with a Welsh accent.  

In Wales, the word butty byti also takes on a different meaning, its a South Wales slang for a male friend or acquaintance and often used by men. Sometimes its shortened to 'Butt' yes - really. See the article link at the bottom or this blog post which highlights 29 words that have a totally different meaning when you live in Wales.  It will make you chuckle.  

Well my Welsh vegan Butty is made with smashed lush (another very welsh world) green naturally 'buttery' avocado spread on a crispy bread roll, then sprinkled generously with shards of smokey coconut 'bacon' and then finished off with the other half of the bread roll on top, now all you have to do is bite in.   

My husband doesn't mind coconut 'bacon' as a nibble, but not overly keen on it in bread roll - more for me.    If you want to read more about Why butty rarely leaves Wales  And below are two recipes for Coconut Facon.
Three Seed Coconut Facon Nibbles
Coconut Facon Bacon

And as promised this is the link to 29 words that have a totally different meaning when you live in Wales.  It will make you chuckle.  

Violet Coconut Bars

Today I thought I would share some of my Naked Violet Coconut Bars too - Is it a fudge, is it a 'Bounty' bar, is it a cake....it indeed is a sweet treat. 

These are just a variation of my Coconut Ladoos aka Bliss Balls from last month generously coated in edible violet crystals.    As Dr Oetker have confirmed that the violet crystals are suitable for vegans.

I also want to share something amazing whilst we were gardening today.  A swarm of bees elegantly, yet loudly buzzed over us on their way somewhere, it was a little thrilling, exciting and a little magical. 

It is with this reason, that I am sharing this picture once again on my blog.  D my husband took a while back.  It a fuzzy bee bumbling and buzzing in our garden around a purple allium.  

Naked Violet Coconut Bars
You will need some silicon moulds
Makes Lots 
Ingredients
4 tablespoons violet crystals
180g dessicated coconut
125g coconut flour
2 teaspoons Violet Syrup or vanilla
4 tablespoons maple syrup or agave syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
170g coconut oil 
Method
Scatter the violet crystals at the bottom of each silicon mould.
Then blitz all the remaining ingredients in a blender.
Then transfer the filling evenly between the mould, presing with a back of a spoon until all of the mixture is used.
Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Carefully unmould to reveal a pretty purple topped coconut bar.  

White Coconut Vegan Ladoos

South Asian people traditionally don't really do cakes, they celebrate those special occasions like parties, weddings, birth of a child (grandchild, great grandchild....) and significant events like Diwali, Eid and Vaisaki and so forth with a colourful boxes of Mithai - which loosely translates as Sweets.

Laddu or Ladoo are probably the most well known Indian Sweet, followed by Barfi and Jalebi.  

I often describe Laddu's as the original bliss ball!.  Laddu's are golden balls of crumbly deliciousness, 

If you have ever watched the outstanding movie Monsoon Wedding, you will have noted throughout the film various scenes leading to the wedding day (and the wedding day) where various characters are having their mouths stuffed with a whole laddu.  I could never eat a whole one in one go - honest.  Little mouse bites for me. Yes, I am a lady  - sometimes. 

Smoked Paprika Mushroom Loaf with Coconut 'Bacon'

The weather in Wales is so strange at the moment.  For the past two days its been heavily foggy, only to clear and then smack us in the face with a mini heatwave.  It does make a change from the rain though, so I better not complain.  

I made this Golden Mushroom Loaf a couple of weeks back at the weekend when D brought home a lot of mushrooms.  It is golden partly from being baked, but also from the addition of smoked paprika.  I garnished the mushroom loaf with homemade smoky coconut flakes aka 'coconut 'bacon'.  

We enjoyed this Mushroom Loaf as a Nut Roast with one meal, the others with a side of salad.

It was tasty.  It was firm and crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside, but not a claggy soft. It made a nice change from the occasional mock 'meat' sausages we pick up for  during the working week for easy meals.  

Green Spirulina Coconut Macaroons

Have you noted my absence?!  I haven't had Internet since Friday thanks to BT, until this evening when I got in from work.  

I made these vegan coconut macaroons at the weekend.  With St Patricks day nearing us, I decided to add a teaspoon of spirulina to half of the mixture.

Avocado Toast with Coconut 'Bacon'

I have already mentioned my absolutely favourite vegan sandwich for Vegan Mofo by pure accident in my Rise and Shine breakfast post.  I also wrote about this very vegan BLT made with 'facon bacon, many years ago on my blog, so I will not be posting about that again.

Instead I share with you something else that I have come to enjoy recenty - coconut 'facon' bacon.

I have made Coconut 'facon' bacon a few times now and my favourite way of eating it perhaps on a piece of toasted wholemeal bread spread with mashed avocado slices and then topped with this marvellous smokey stuff, so its not a recipe really - its a way of eating.

As many have before me, I am planning on having coconut lettuce and tomato (clt) sandwich soon, but for snacking on later this evening it will be Avocado Toast with Coconut 'Bacon', especially as I have avocados at home left over from the Avocado Lime Cheesecake. 

And now you may be wondering where is the picture of the Avocado Toast with Coconut 'Bacon'.  Sorry I ate it!    

Three Seed Coconut Facon Bacon Nibbles

I know the non-vegetarian and non-vegan readers of my blog may be a bit flummoxed by this entry, but please stick with it, as the flavour combinations may just tempt you to make these light nibbles at home, but for some of the veggies amongst us these light nibbles mimic the flavour of smoky bacon (not replace it).

I have been happily making vegan 'facon 'bacon at home for years now and make it almost every month, but I've been wanting to try coconut bacon for a while.  I can't remember the first time I had heard about it, but I was constantly reminded of it by Johanna at Green Gourmet Giraffe as she was more proactive in trying new recipes at home, whereas I would just bookmark them and forget them.  Well, this recipe has been bookmarked long enough that I actually got motivated to making it this weekend, but having seen Johanna's variation with nuts, I was further inspired and thought I would chuck in some seeds instead that have been in my kitchen cupboards for a year (still in date by the way).  

Oh my, they are very moreish.  In fact D loves these toasted sweet smoky seedy munchies and has been taking a small container into work filled to the brim.  I think he has nearly finished the jar and its not even halfway through the week yet.  You know what this means, I will be making them again for sure.  I was thinking about making Sweet and Salty Coconut Bacon for my Friday Nights, just a matter of time.

A fellow blogger suggested scattering them over salads as well for crunch, makes sense have you heard of 'bacon flavour bits' which by the way also happens to be vegan.  Who'duh funk it.  

Raw Beetroot Coconut Halwa Heart Fudge

Bye Bye VeganMofo2014. 

Ultimately I signed up to VeganMofo for myself.  I really enjoyed it, though it was hard on days to come home from work and blog pretty much every single day in the month of September, but I think I just about managed it.  

I've stumbled upon some lovely new vegan blogs (thanks especially to VeganMofo Randomizer) and re-acquainted with some old fellow bloggers.  Its been nice; and most of all I have been inspired and have bookmarked a number of wonderful, innovative and delicious vegan recipes (many that I really cannot wait to make). 

To show my appreciation to the good people who organise VeganMofo every year, and all those bloggers that came along, especially those that that took time to leave a comment on my humble little blog, well I offer this Raw Beetroot - Coconut Halwa Hearts.  Thank you. Thank you so so much for welcoming this Welsh vegetarian into your warm VeganMofo arms. 

This is pretty much the same recipe as the Betroot 'Bounty' Bars, but here they are completely naked and raw Grrrrrr  served simply on a plate.  This is not a dessert to eat with your fingers, unless you want beet red fingers. Just enjoy every bite - its awesome!

Raw Beetroot and Coconut Halwa Hearts Fudge
Makes depends on the size of your moulds from 8 - 12
Ingredients
185g medium raw beetroot, peeled and roughly chopped
150g soft dates
50g dessicated unsweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Method
Put all the ingredients into a food processor (I used my Optimum 9400 Blender) and blitz, not to a puree though, more liked grated coconut until it comes together like a dough.  Scrape out into a bowl, and press into your chosen moulds.  Put in the fridge and allow to firm up in the fridge, preferably overnight.  
Remove from the moulds the following day and enjoy.
Keep refrigerated.  Consume with the week. 

Red Velvet Raw Vegan Beetroot 'Bounty' Heart Bars

I am absolutely in love with these 'Red Velvet Raw Vegan Beetroot 'Bounty' Bars', as much as one could be 'in love' with a raw dessert.  I don't do OMG, but this time the inner minx in me just could not resist yelping OMG especially on my first taste.  Every time I took a small bite , you know that feeling when your eyes dance in your head with delight - swoon - well I was not that far from that feeling.  These were pretty awesome in my opinion, and the flavour just got better as the days passed.  

The raw beetroot dyes and sweetens the white coconut and vice versa.  I was personally happy to eat these by hand like a bar of chocolate (rather than a spoon), but because of the natural beetroot juice colouring, BEWARE that your fingers will get a little stained; and for goodness sake do not wear white, in case some red coconut bits fall off and land on you - you have been warned.  

Whilst I was making these, I thought of my mother.  When I was a nipper, I remember my mother often treating herself to a bar of Bounty, because she loved the coconut content.  I know in my heart she would have loved these, but the greedy girl in me ate them all, not in one sitting but over the week.  I barely left the house that week meaning  there were no trips to my mother, hence the reason she did not get to try them.  I am a bit disappointed in myself for not jumping into the car and driving over with some of them, as I would liked to have known of her response to them, especially the raw aspect of the bars.  Although, my mother is quite adventurous compared to my sister-in-laws, going raw (unless its chutney, relish or a dip) may be a bit out there for her, but she may have surprised me and loved them as much as I did.

Anyway, when I plated these up ready for their photo-shoot, D muttered that they were not very neat and not fit for photographing.  I sort of agree with him and responded  'I just wanted to see if the recipe and combination worked', next time and there will be a next time I will make them look a little more neater than they are here, but truthfully I don't know when that is going to be so I have decided to share the ones that I have photographed with you now for VeganMofo 2014. 

Cacao Nibs and Avocado Mousse aka Raw Sludge Pie

I know, I know another vegan, gluten free Raw Food Tart filled with raspberries.  The truth is that I am trying to make the most of my garden raspberries while they are still coming from my garden.  

Also I want to tease some of you as this Sweet Pie is not all that it seems.  The mousse that is mimicking the appearance of dark chocolate is actually not chocolate.  For a start, it is not even chocolate, it is cacao nibs.  Secondly, what gives this pie filling a mousse like texture? There is a mystery ingredient well hidden in it - Avocado - a raw vegan nifty culinary trick I picked up from raw food bloggers when I first started blogging in 2009. Its absolutely amazing how avocado can form the base for one of the most luscious raw puddings around.  In fact Avocado Chocolate Pudding is probably one of the most popular raw food desserts around; and experienced raw fooders have probably had more raw chocolate pudding than they care to remember and don't quite understand what the fuss is, but for some us especially those living in the U.K, outside of the raw food scene its a very new way of preparing food and is getting big Wows! 

Anyway, this is my second recipe in the week with cacao nibs.  The first was Cacao Nibs, Raw Chocolate and Cocoa Muesli.  A little while back, I made some raw chocolate from scratch and have since acquired a taste for raw cacao.  Cacao nibs  can be ground and added to cakes and puddings.  I have to admit it is not to everyones taste, but give it a try, you just never know.  

Raw Coconut and Date Tartlets with Raspberry Mousse

I made my first ever Raw Tart  recipe last year, and it was truly delightful.  I've been wanting to find an excuse to make a variation of it again, and the red fruit flowing from my garden, mostly raspberries provided the perfect reason.

Raspberries don't last long in the fridge either, going mouldy here and there.  I will probably take to freezing some, but I want to make the most of them while the season lasts. I've already made Raspberry Bakewell Bars; Raspberry Coconut Balls; and Raspberry Pavlova, but this time it was time for another delicious Raw Pie.

The raw vegan Raspberry Mousse filling recipe featured on my blog only last month (see here), there is no cream in it, its not even substituted with vegan cream either, but made with frozen bananas and raspberries.  Its lovely on its own, but as much as I enjoyed the mousse-like texture, I wanted more texture and bite this time, and decided to make cases  to hold the raspberry filling. The tartlet cases are made with dessicated coconut, nuts and soft fruit. Of course you don't have to have raspberries as the filling, you can make this with strawberries too. Now whatever you decide, you will need a fork and spoon to tuck in.  Enjoy.  I am sharing this with Emily at A Mummy Too for #RecipeoftheWeek 4 - 8 August 2014. 

Raw Raspberry Coconut Balls

I made these tasty little flavour bombs a fortnight back when the raspberries from my garden starting coming on thick and fast; and the World Cup football mania was still on peoples minds.  

I decided to take inspiration for these from my No Bake Carrot Granola Bites that I made last year; and blitz three simple ingredients in my Optimuum 9400 blender: Cashew nuts, raspberries and dates.  It worked fine, but visually mushed together these ingredients came out a little chocolate red from the dates and a tad sticky, so I went a step further and rolled them in dessicated coconut, hence the name Coconut Balls part and then refrigerated them to eat later. 

I had a feeling that D would not like these, don't ask why? Sometimes (wrongly I must admit) I just assume these things, but whilst he was sitting slumped on the sofa watching the footie, he shouted out at me 'These are quite nice'.
'Oh good' I said rather surprised.
The recipe below makes quite a lot and there is no way between the two of us, that we can eat them all, so I have frozen the others, and will bring out some when we need a burst of fruit injection in the mouth. 

Chilli Coconut Bulgur Wheat Salad

I made way too much Bulgur wheat a week or so back to accompany my Groundnut Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry.   Instead of ditching it, I thought what else could i do with it.  I decided to make a salad with it that could be enjoyed over two days, one day as a main meal, the second day to take into work for lunch.   I decided to roast some vegetables that I had in the house courtesy of a complimentary vegetable box from new acquaintances.  These included a Romano Red pepper, carrots and my own home-grown broad beans.  But even then I thought the roasted vegetable Bulgur wheat salad  would have been too plain for my taste buds, so I decided to make a Chilli Coconut Relish to go with it.  The Chilli Coconut Relish was originally just going to be put on the side, but I decided to stir it into the Bulgur wheat.  It was terrific.  

The chilli coconut flavour relish is based on a Red Pol Sambol recipe.  Sambol or Sambal  is a Sri Lankan condiment often found ready made to be sprinkled on a curry or rice dish, or anything that requires a flavour boost or enhanced further.  Its really is simple. I was introduced to it by a Sri Lankan acquaintance a little while back, but never really had reason to make it before.  I don't think they will approve completely of my version, but let us not tell ay and keep it between us. 

Green Tomato and Coconut Curry

My father grew some tomatoes, not grown in a greenhouse but straight in the ground in the garden under the South Wales skies that this year proved to be much kinder than the last.  Well he gave me the last of them, about a handful of green tomatoes,  advising me to put them in the window sill to ripen, but I think he's was having a laugh when he said ripen in the window by the sunshine.  As the sun has not shone since he bestowed these jade jewels upon me.  So I decided to make a South Asian Green Tomato Curry inspired by one I had seen in Celia Brooks cookbook New Urban Farm: From Plot to Plate.

I made a Green Tomato and Coconut Curry last night.  It was different to my usual spiced up curry dishes in that this one was toned down by the coconut milk.  It was not overly spicy, subtle in fact and the green tomatoes imparted a zingy zang flavour.  All in all it made a nice change.  I served the curry with Basmati rice.

Coconut Date Bars

I’ve been doing a pretty good job of using up what we have in our store cupboards, including tinned and dried goods, but with the good comes a little not so good.  I am also out of honey, maple syrup and golden syrup - so this means that no flapjacks were made this weekend. 

Instead I made use of some other ingredients to go with my oats: dessicated coconut and dates. 

The dessicated coconut seems quite perfect for this time of the year, looking like snow flakes, thankfully the subtle-sweet edible kind.  The chocolate coloured Kimia dates are imported from Iran. They were neatly packed in the box like dominoes. On the side of the box there was lots of interesting information, including the health property benefits of consuming dates such as Vitamin A - good for the skin, Vitamin B1 - regulating the digestive system, and Vitamin B2 to help the absorption of food (metabolism). Well regardless of the health benefits, I found them quite tasty, fleshy and juicy. Unlike other dates that can be a bit on the dry side plus you have to chew them to extract the flavour, these are soft and almost melt in your mouth like date syrup.

These 'Coconut Date Bars' are a little crumbly on top and not overly sweet.  The sweetness comes namely from the date-coconut filling.  I actually think they make a lovely change from the flapjacks.  Do try them if you get the chance.

I am sharing some of these 'Coconut Date Bars' with Raksha at Raksha's Kitchen who is hosting Cook Eat Delicious - Desserts this month.  The theme for December is Coconuts.  This food series was founded by Raven at  Cook Eat Delicious. 

Coconut Date Bars

Makes 6 - 9

Ingredients

275g pitted and chopped dates

75g vegan margarine or butter
60g brown sugar
180g plain flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
90g rolled oats
50g dessicated coconut
Method
Combine the dates and 200ml water in a small saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the dates are soft.
While the dates cook, melt the margarine or butter with the sugar, then pour into a mixing bowl.  Sift the flour, cinnamon and baking powder into the bowl, add the oat and mix until blended.  The dough will be crumbly.  Firmly pat about two thirds of the dough into a baking pan measuring 8 inch square. 
Preheat oven to gas mark 6.
Stir the coconut into the cooked dates.  Spread the date mixture evenly over the crust.  Then scatter the remaining dough over the date layers as a topping.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until the topping is golden and dark brown around the edges.  Cool for 30 minutes before cutting into 6 to 9 squares.  In a sealed contained, they will keep for up to 2 weeks.  Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates.