CATHY'S SPELT LOAF MIX

I love spelt flour to bake with so I was excited when I saw this Irish-made multiseed spelt bread mix in Planet Life in Athlone for €3.99. You just add soya milk or buttermilk and mix to a dough, so it couldn't be simpler.

I can't get the link to Cathy's Spelt for Health site to work but I have found the company on Facebook here. They have lots of great products which I hope to try soon.

Here's how the loaf turned out - it looks and smells yum. We're planning to have it with a lentil soup for dinner.

JUNO'S CHRISTENING 'CAKE' PICS

SWEET VEGAN BUNS

Good old Nigella - she can always be relied upon for simple, sweet cakes and so it was that I turned to her for a bun/fairycake recipe. I haven't made these since I was a kid but want to make & decorate them for my new baby's Christening, instead of a cake. (I'm not sure the kids in attendance would appreciate my healthy spelt ones...) So we had a practice run this morning - making a vegan version of Nigella's buns - and oh, yum yum!

I'm not sure how Nigella would feel about the veganising of her recipe - she is notoriously disapproving of vegetarians - but these buns are perfectly sweet little mouthfuls. I use Pure's new sunflower spread with Omega 3 & 6 where Nigey uses butter but I doubt if this alters the scrumminess of these buns.

I don't think I'll get to ice them today - my boys are grabbing them from the rack while they are still hot. I'll post the iced ones from Juno's Christening after the 2nd August.

125g caster sugar
125g self-raising flour
125g vegan merg, melted a little (softened)
½ tsp vanilla essence
2tsp NoEgg mixed with 2tblsps water (or 2 eggs for non vegans)
2 tblsps soya milk

Preheat oven to 200˚C
Line a 12-space bun tin
Throw all the ingredients into a bowl, except the milk; beat well with a wooden spoon
Add the milk slowly and beat in gently
Plop the (quite runny) mixture into the bun cases
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden on top
Cool on a wire rack

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY VEGAN BUNS!

Finn decorating the buns



Citrusy tricolour buns for Paddy's Day


Happy Saint Patrick's Day, everyone!!

And here are some festive buns to celebrate our national saint. At home we always called these buns, others called them fairy cakes or queen cakes, and nowadays they are called muffins or cupcakes. Whatever you choose to call them, they are a zesty treat and kids LOVE helping with the decorating, as you can see.

Makes 12 small buns.

Preheat oven to 180˚C

FOR THE BUNS
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 small orange, zested and juiced
250 gr (9oz) wholegrain spelt flour
50gr (2oz) light muscovado sugar
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
150ml soya milk (or ordinary milk for non-vegans)
1 tsp NoEgg mixed with 2tblsps water (non vegans can use one beaten egg)
2 tblsps vegetable oil
12 muffin or bun cases

FOR THE TRICOLOUR DECORATIONS
I used a mix-with-water Royal icing. Vegan versions available.
Greeen and orange jelly tots!! (Or any suitably festive sweeties...)

• Put cases into bun tray
• Zest the orange and lemon, then half them and squeeze them. Strain the juice and put to one side
• Mix the citrus zest, flour, spice, sugar and baking powder in a bowl
• Make up the NoEgg as per pack (or beat your egg)
• In a jug, mix together the soya milk, oil and NoEgg mixture
• Make a well in the flour and beat in the milky mixture
• Mix in the lemon and orange juice until combined
• Divide the mixture between the muffin cases
• Bake for 30 minutes
• Leave the buns to cool, then make up the icing (as per pack) and decorate. Leave to set for about half an hour (not in the fridge) and eat!