Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins

These hearty muffins are full of juicy apples and warm cinnamon spices!

These muffins took me a few tries to get them right, each time I just wasn't satisfied - they were either too small, too ugly (for the photos you know) or just didn't taste right, they needed something more. I'm finally happy with these delightful muffins, just the right amount of cinnamon and lovely chunks of apples. I say these are for breakfast, purely because I made them just so I could eat cake for breakfast you know but as always, you eat them when you want, you'll love them.

If you love apples and muffins...

Check out my other muffin recipes for more inspiration!

Carrot Cake Muffins

Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins

Caramel Apple Pecan Loaf

Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 20-25 minutes

Serves: 10 muffins

NOTE: every ingredient I use is vegan so make sure you check your ingredients if you're following a Vegan lifestyle

Ingredients

140g Oat flour

100g Plain flour

150g Light Brown Sugar

2 tbsp Ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water

130ml Soya milk + 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar

60g Applesauce

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 Apple chopped into small pieces

Method

✿Preheat the oven to 180degrees and line a muffin tray with cases. 

✿Mix together the soya milk and ACV and leave to the side for 5 minutes to create a 'buttermilk'. In a small bowl combine the flaxseed with water and leave to form a gel for 5-10 minutes this will be your 'flax egg'. 

✿In a large bowl, combine both flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

✿Make a well in the centre and then pour in the soya milk, applesauce, flax egg and whisk together until combined but do not over mix. 

✿Fold in 3/4 of the chopped apple and then evenly spoon into the cases. Top with the remaining chopped apple pieces then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes - this is dependant on how hot your oven is, my muffins were done at 20 minutes and still nice and moist, but bake for longer if you prefer a slightly drier texture.

✿Leave to cool before removing from the muffin tray. Best kept at room temperature in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Christina 

xx

Bourbon Biscuit Chocolate Cheesecake - No Bake

If you love Bourbon biscuits and chocolate, then you'll love this delicious no bake cheesecake!

After three attempts at perfecting this recipe, I've finally mastered it and when that happens you know it's going to be a good recipe. I am so excited for you all to try this one. A vegan cheesecake to me is so important to get right and I love how this turned out. when you cut a slice, it has straight smooth clean-cut edges and has set beautifully. The base is made with lots of Bourbon biscuits, filled with a chocolate cheesecake filling and topped with whipped cream and more biscuits, yum! A bourbon biscuit is a classic here in the UK, and if yo haven't found yourself nibbling on a few, get yourself to Tesco! I get mine from Tesco as they are super cheap and they say 'suitable for vegans'. if you follow the steps to this cheesecake exactly as I've written it, you too will have a wonderful dessert to share :)

If you love chocolate and cheesecakes....

Check out my other recipes for more inspiration!

• Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake 
• Millionaires Shortbread Tart
• Bourbon Brownies

Recipe

Prep: 20 minutes + 8 hours or more in the fridge to set

Cook: no bake

Serves: 10-12

Notes:

• I really recommend using Oatly's whipping cream and cream cheese. Both are on the thicker side which makes the cheesecake filling more stable. Other vegan brands I find can be too watery and make the filling more loose. 

Ingredients

Base

• 380g Bourbon biscuits
• 100g Vegan butter, melted

Filling

• 220g Vegan milk chocolate, melted
• 250ml Oatly Whipping cream 
• 400g Vegan cream cheese - I liked Oatly, but Sainsburys is also a good one
• 130g Icing sugar
• 1 tsp Caster sugar

Toppings

• Bourbon biscuits 
• Oatly Whipping Cream

Method

1. Grease or line a 21cm springform cake tin. Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin either in a zip-lock bag or a bowl or if you have a food processor you can blitz them to a crumb consistency. 
2. Pour the melted butter on top of the biscuits and mix together well.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and press down evenly to create a base. Place in the fridge whilst you make the filling. 
4. Prepare two medium to large bowls. melt the chocolate in the microwave then leave to cool slightly. 
5. Use an electric hand-whisk to mix together the cream cheese and sugars until combined. Then add the chocolate and mix in, but do not over mix.
6. In the other bowl, whisk the whipping cream until it has stiff peaks, this takes about 5 minutes. 
7. Spoon the cream cheese into the whipping cream and fold together with a spatula until everything is combined. Try not to deflate the whipping cream at this stage. 
8. Spoon the cheesecake filling on top of the biscuit base and spread evenly - I like to use an offset spatula for this to create a smooth and flat finish on top. 
9. Place in the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours or preferably overnight. 
10. Once set, you can pipe more whipping cream on top and decorate with more Bourbon biscuits for an extra chocolatey crunch!
11. Use a small knife to go around the edge of the cheesecake before releasing the cake tin as this helps it not get stuck sometimes. Best kept in the fridge when not serving for up to 5 days. Enjoy!

Christina 

xx

Strawberry & Banana Baked Oats

Get ahead with your morning breakfast by making these delicious baked oats, served hot or cold!

I have been loving making these ahead of the week for my work breakfasts. They are perfect for meal prepping and and an easy grab-and-go breakfast option if you struggle for time in the mornings. Plus they take less than an hour to make so really no time at all. I've used some Alpro strawberry banana flavoured yoghurts to top these oats as I find yoghurt just the best accompaniment, sort of like having some custard with your cake :) you can use any yoghurt you like  but I definitely recommend these ones. Honestly, I've probably said it before and I'll say it again, baked oats are honestly like having a oats-like-cake for breakfast, and I can't think of anything better than cake for breakfast!

If you love baked oats....

Check out my other breakfast recipes for more inspiration!

Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats

Cherry Baked Oats

Banana, Chocolate and Walnut Porridge

Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

NOTE: every ingredient I use is vegan so make sure you check your ingredients if you're following a Vegan lifestyle.

Ingredients

180g Oats

1tsp Baking powder

2 Bananas, overripe

250ml Soya milk

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 tbsp Ground flaxseed

200g Strawberries, quartered

x2 Alpro Strawberry Banana flavoured yoghurts

Method

✿Preheat the oven to 180℃ and grease an oven-proof baking dish. 

✿In a large bowl, mash the bananas well, then add the soya milk, vanilla and flaxseed. Leave the mixture to sit for 5 minutes.

✿Then mix in the oats and baking powder until combined. Fold through the strawberries.

✿Spoon the batter into the dish and spread out evenly. Optional to add more strawberries or banana slices on top once in the dish.

✿Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown or a knife inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into 6 pieces. Top with the Alpro yoghurt and more fruit. 

✿These oats will last up to 3 days at their best, stored in the fridge. Enjoy!

Christina 

xx