Dun Run vegan flapjacks

These powered me through 90 miles of overnight cycling on the Dunwich Dynamo and are a force to be reckoned with. Golden Syrup is the major player here. I didn't bother with sugar, instead going straight into the real stuff.

Makes enough for about eight-ten people 

Ingredients
Vegetable oil or vegan margarine to line baking tins
250g porridge oats
1 pinch of salt
150g Pure soya margarine (or another vegan spread)
4 tbsp Golden Syrup
Handful of chopped cherries, cranberries or nuts like macadamia

Preheat the oven to 180C. 

Line one or two baking tins with greaseproof paper and/or vegan margarine or oil. I prefer my flapjacks to be crazy dense so usually squash them all into one tray.

In a large bowl, pour in the oats and salt. In a pan, melt down the margarine over a low heat and then add this to the bowl. Stir in with the oats and salt, before adding in the syrup and finally the chopped fruit or nuts.

Pour into the lined baking tray and bake for around 25-35 minutes.

If you like your flapjacks soft like I do, then take them out of the oven as soon as the mixture starts to go golden at the edges. If you like them a littler harder, wait another ten minutes until the tops are brown all over.

Take out of the oven and while still in the baking tray, divide into pieces with a knife. Leave in the tray to cool completely before beginning the demolition process!

Vegan Tiffin

Ali is my favourite London neighbour of all time. We met when the roof between our flats caved in, and have lived on the top floor of our dilapidated building ever since. I made up a tray of tiffin for Ali to say thank you for looking after my rabbit while I was away- and in the process also managed to work out a vegan recipe for it so I could save a bit back in the mixing bowl!

Tiffin, or fridge cake, is just about the easiest thing to make- it's not even baking as it never touches the oven. The name comes from British India, as another word for a snack or small meal. As it's still December I think it would be perfectly acceptable to eat this for breakfast.

You could add sour cherries, cocoa powder or even macadamia nuts to this recipe, but I prefer to keep to the recipe my Mum has used for as long as I can remember. I replaced the milk chocolate with dark, which as well as being vegan gave it an even richer, intense flavour that's perfect cut in to tiny chunks with a coffee.

Ingredients
Two packs of digestive or rich tea biscuits- Sainsbury's have quite a few options- you can click here to read their full list of vegan-suitable products. I used their freefrom Rich Tea biscuits for this recipe.
160g vegan magarine
2 handfuls of raisins or sultanas
2 tablespoons of golden syrup
300g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

Grab a carrier bag and place all the biscuits inside, tie a knot and bash with a rolling pin until the biscuits are roughly broken up, but not too fine, as it's nice to have some crunch in the texture of the tiffin. Pour into a large mixing bowl.

In a pan, melt down the margarine and then stir into the biscuits. Then add in the raisins and golden syrup. On a very gentle heat, slowly melt the chocolate pieces making sure to take off the heat the second it has turned to liquid and velvety in appearance. Add to the mixture and stir well.

Now pour into an oven tray, spreading so the tiffin mixture is around 2-3cm thick. Cool in the fridge overnight or for about five hours, then get the kettle on and your neighbours round for a slice!