.:: Recipes & Alternatives ::.

There are cruelty-free alternatives to everything you'll need this Easter, from chocolate eggs and hot cross buns to delicious cakes and cookies.

The following easter eggs are suitable for vegans:

• Green & Blacks

Organic Dark Egg (110g)

Organic Fairtrade Maya Gold Egg (110g)

Organic Dark Easter Egg with Two 150g Bars 440g.

Widely stocked at Sainsburys, Tesco, Asda and other supermarkets.

• Viva!

Organica Big Fairtrade Chocolate Bars, Plain £1.69, Hazelnut £1.79.

Viva! Handmade Chocolates (as seen in photo)
200g - £6.95
300g - £9.95

A wide variety of chocolate is available at the online shop, and can be seen by clicking here.

• Animal Aid - visit the online shop here

Cocoa Tree's Organic Easter Eggs, 280g, £12.00

Booja Booja's Kashmir Easter Eggs, 150g, £16.95

Chocolate Eggs (organic and fairtrade), £1.10 each

Triple Truffle Selection, 100g, £4.25

Many more products available than otherwise listed here.

• Bang on the Door

Bang on the Door Dairy Free Egg, £1.99.

Available from Woolworths, Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsburys.

.:: CRUELTY-FREE RECIPES ::.

Cruelty-free recipes are below:

.:: Carrot and Sultana Sponge Cake ::.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups self raising flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vannilla essence
• 1 banana
• 3/4 cup sunflower/vegetable oil
• 1 grated carrot
• 1 tin pineapple
• 1 cup sultanas

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to gas mark 6 (200°c).
2. In a large bowl, sift the flour and add the baking powder and cinnamon.
3. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, bannana (mashed), sunflower / vegetable oil and vannilla essence into a paste.
4. Peel and grate the carrot into a separate bowl, and drain the tin of pineapple, crushing the chunks with a potato masher. Add them into the small bowl.
5. Pour the contents of the smaller bowl into the larger bowl and mix well. If the mixture is too doughy, add some pineapple juice or soya milk until smooth.
6. Pour mixture into two 7" cake tins, lined first with greaseproof paper. Place in oven for 40 - 50 mins.

Cake filling (optional)

If you would like to layer the two portions of cake, a jam and cream filling can be made as follows:

• When cooled, spread strawberry or raspberry jam onto one underside of the cake.
• Whisk some vegan cream (Alpro Soya Dream Cream, or Soyatoo Soya Topping Cream for example) until fluffy. Spread on underside of other cake.
• Put two cakes together and eat!

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.:: Chocolate Sponge Cake ::.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups flour (any type)
• 3 heaped tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (sifted to remove any lumps)
• 3/4 cup demerara sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/4 cup Soya milk, and 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 medium banana, mashed
• Orange and / or Vanilla essence (optional)

Cooking instructions

1. Pre heat oven to gas mark 5.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix well, preferably leaving the baking power until last. If mixture is too dough-like, add more soya milk or orange juice until it is fairly smooth.
3. Pour mixture into a 7" round tin and bake for 40 - 45 mins, having first lined the tin with foil or greaseproof paper.
4. Turn out onto rack and leave to cool.

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.:: Sultana Cookies ::.

Ingredients

• 1½ cup raw cane sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 Tablespoons whole flax seed
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 cup sultanas

Cooking Instructions

1. In dry blender or food processor, grind flax seed to fine meal consistency. While still processing, add water and allow to mix to a gelatinous consistency.
2. Mix dry ingredients.
3. Combine wet ingredients to dry. Incorporate well. (By hand is a good method -- dispense with the spoon.)
4. Shape into balls and press down to about ½ inch thickness. Bake at 350° oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Remove immediately from baking tray and turn out onto cooling rack, to avoid cookies getting stuck.

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.:: Pancakes ::.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon vegan sugar
• 2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups vegan soymilk or water
• dash of cinnamon (optional)
• dash of sultanas (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Lightly mix all ingredients in a fairly large bowl and leave 5-10 minutes to rise. Mixing the batter too much will make the pancakes much too tough, so only mix lightly - do not worry about lumps or bumps!
2. Gently fold down and leave again for 5 minutes if you have the time.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a pan. When adequately hot, pour mixture in gently. Turn with spatula after a minute or two (check the underside is golden brown) and fry the other side.
4. Serve immediately. Goes well with apple, dairy-free custard and melted chocolate!

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.:: Quiche ::.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet of ready made pie crust. Pre cook for 12 minutes
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 - 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 lb. (your choice) broccoli or spinach, cooked to just done
• 1 lb firm tofu, drained
• 1/2 cup vegan soymilk
• 2 tablespoon vegan soy parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon vegan Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• Chopped parsley (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook your vegetables of choice until just soft.
2. Fry your onions and garlic until golden. Add your vegetables and heat through.
3. In blender, puree tofu, soymilk, mustard, salt, nutmeg, pepper, parsley, and soy cheese until smooth. Pour into large bowl and add the onion and veggie mixture. Combine well.
4. Pour the mixture into a pre-cooked pie shell, and bake at 400 degrees for 35- 40 minutes or until quiche is set. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before cutting.

Serves 6.

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.:: Scrambled 'eggs' ::.

Ingredients

• 1 pack plain tofu, drained
• Sprinkling of turmeric (more or less according to taste)
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms chopped (optional)
• 1 tomato, chopped (optional)
• 1 pepper, finely chopped (optional)
• Sliced bread (optional)
• Ground black pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Place tofu in hot frying pan, breaking up with fork or spatula into chunks.
2. Add the remaining ingredients into the pan. Cook until well mixed and liquid is gone.
3. Eat over toast if desired.

Serves 4 - 6.

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