Apple Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Apple, cinnamon and chocolate make a delicious combination that I always find impossible to resist. The cake is moist, not overly sweet, has a good bite (not crumbly) and a comforting aroma. This has been one of my favourite treats for almost ten years, ever since a friend introduced me to it. Veganizing it was easy and here I'm sharing the two versions I've made.

Butternut Squash Hummus

Butternut squash hummus is such a wonderful addition to my collection of chickpea recipes. Roasted squash livens up this Middle Eastern dish with its vibrant colour and sweetness. The added spices perfectly match this combination - besides the familiar flavours of cumin, tahini, lemon and garlic, there is the warmth of cinnamon and the hot kick of black pepper and cayenne. The flavours unravel in layers: the sweetness is quickly followed by the gentle heat that prolongs the taste.

Pineapple Pomegranate Juice

This is a variation on the previous Pineapple Mint Juice recipe. I wanted something more on the sweet side, a juice that could curb my craving for something sweet. Perfectly ripe, sweet fruit is the key to making this juice. The subtle tang, mostly from pomegranate, adds a refreshing note.

Comforting and satisfying, this antioxidant-rich juice is equally nourishing, providing a high dose of vitamin C, B vitamins (especially folate), vitamin K, potassium, manganese and some calcium and iron. Using the second method of preparation, you also get the benefits of cholesterol-lowering, digestion-improving fiber. This sounds pretty awesome for a day-start juice. To increase its cleansing and detoxifying potential, simply add a little ginger and/or lemon.

Mango Cupcakes

Sweet tropical magic, these mango cupcakes are sensational!!! Light, fluffy and moist, these gorgeous little cakes bring sunshine in the kitchen with their golden colour and bright flavour.

In my early days as a vegan, cupcakes were among the most common vegan recipes online. That's how I found Vaishali's blog Holy Cow!, one of the most trusted and diverse food blogs I know and one of my top favourite. The mouthwatering pictures of her mango cupcakes instantly convinced me to give the recipe a try. Its success was soon followed by the Mango Bread which I posted earlier.

Pineapple Mint Juice

I love juices that combine sweetness and acidity in a most delicious and refreshing way. Pineapple and minneolas have topped my list of favourite fruit this year. Being sweet and only mildly acidic, they work so well together in this juice. With extra zing from lemon and the cooling taste of mint, the juice is instantly comforting and energizing.

When it comes to fruit, I prefer blender juices - they save time and are more satisfying, as they retain fiber. This recipe is blissfully simple: just put everything in the blender and whiz until smooth.