Gooey chocolate brownies!

At last!  A recipe for vegan chocolate brownies that actually works!  And proper sticky rich gooey ones too.  This recipe has been 2 years in the finding and along the way there have been a lot of charred chocolate casualties.  But this one is a keeper and totally idiot proof so get your chocolatey chops around this…

From The Vegan Society website:

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 oz / 75g margarine
• 1 1/2 oz / 45g / 5 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 floz / 75ml soya milk
• 7 oz / 200g caster sugar
• 6 oz / 160g plain white flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 oz / 20g / 2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 4 oz / 115g caster sugar
• 6 fl oz / 170 ml soya milk
• 1 1/2 fl oz / 45ml vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C, Gas Mark 4.
2. Combine first four ingredients in a saucepan and gently bring to the boil. Simmer for 1 minute, stirring well. Put saucepan into a bowl of cold water and beat sauce until it cools and thickens. Set aside.
3. Sieve flour, baking powder, cocoa and sugar into a bowl. Mix soya milk, vegetable oil and vanilla essence together. Stir flours, soya milk mixture and sauce together – do not overmix.
4. Place in a greased and lined tin roughly 10″ x 8″ and bake for 30 minutes.

I ate mine warm from the oven with Booja Booja’s vanilla ice cream.  Heaven!

Yay! Small steps…

According to this article by the BBC, up and down the United Kingdom this month, events will celebrate World Vegan Month.

Full article here

Vegan silver lining…

So I’ve just had my wallet stolen straight out of my bag which was hanging on the back of a cubicle door at the local swimming pool whilst I tool the girls for a quick pee before their swimming class.  Aggghhhh!  But rather than dwell on feeling furious that the chances of the next person to walk into that cubicle being the type of person who would nab a wallet and run rather than hand it into reception (I reckon about 1 in 50) I am choosing to believe that they are someone who is having a bad streak and in desperate need of some extra cash and they will spend it wisely and appreciatively.  hmmm…

But apart from the £50 cash I’d gotten out that day to pay the plumber (!) what I’m most annoyed about losing is my beautiful Matt & Nat wallet which I only bought earlier this year.  But every cloud and all that – now I get to choose another one and ask Santa for it this Christmas…

Matt & Nat are by far the most stylish vegan bag and accessories design label I’ve come across. Matt (standing for material) and Nat (for Nature) have a great motto which is ‘live beautifully’ and they design understated, beautiful pieces that are ethically made and sustainably sourced.  They’re not cheap but they’re reasonably priced for what they are.

Check them out… http://mattandnat.com/

Now.. which wallet do I go for…?

I’ve found Ed’s birthday present at last…! Hoorah!

So I’ve been looking for a stylish, well made, ethical, animal free and affordable pair of shoes for Ed’s birthday for ages and have finally found them! 

They are by shoe label Will’s and cost £69. 

 

Will’s seems like exactly the kind of brand we should all be supporting,  Here’s the blurb from Will himself:

I started Wills with a passion to provide animal and human friendly shoes with high-street styles and prices.

My dream is to bridge the gap between everyday people and ethically produced vegan shoes. Wills is about getting the latest fashions out there at fair prices, while not hurting animals or people in the process. No matter who you are or where you’re going in life, Wills are there for when you want to make a positive choice.

The entire range is free of animal products while workers are paid in accordance with European guidelines. Wills really is an animal and human friendly company.

My contemporary designs echo the high street trends, packed into four seasons giving you a year round alternative. Wills are designed with quality in mind. The range is created with microfibers that look, wear, breathe and resist water just like leather. I believe buying something well made saves money, provides something to cherish and is better for our environment. Best of all my shoes match the high street prices dropping the barriers to living an ethical life.

Speak soon,

Will Green

 

And he looks rather delicious which is always an added bonus…..