Quick Pear Tarts

I recently did an interview for Plant Plate about being a parent who follows a plant based diet.  
My daughter whilst enjoying eating plant foods, often makes it known to me that she wishes for some "vegan junk food", as she mentioned in the interview!
So with one last sheet of pastry left in the freezer & it nearly reaching it's best before date these tarts were made! 
Yes, pastry falls into the "junk food" category for me! And now that it's all gone I won't be replacing it, instead I am enjoying experimenting more with home-made pastry options.

This is a really quick & easy treat to whiz up when visitors are due, or for a special occasion dessert!
But most importantly of all..... my daughter LOVED them and felt like she was having real 'junk food'! 

QUICK PEAR TARTS

Remove a sheet of dairy-free puff pastry from the freezer & allow to soften.
Cut the sheet of puff pastry into quarters. 
Along each cut, add another cut 1cm to either side. 
Also cut 1cm around the edges of the sheet of pastry.
Spread the inner 4 quarters with fig jam but not going all the way to the edge (or other flavoured jam of choice). 

Remove the 1cm sections of pastry from the lining sheet & press them gently into the edges of the tarts as shown.

Slice pears into thin pieces and spread them over the jam.

Sprinkle some frozen whole raspberries and broken pieces over the pears.

Bake in a preheated 220C oven for 15-20 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.

Serve with chocolate coconut cream for added eating pleasure!

Don't forget to check out my friends blog at Plant Plate.com
It's full of wonderfully handy hints and is an amazing resource of information and advice for following a plant-based diet!

Meatless Monday - Jelly

Today's Meatless Monday food is Jelly.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm, Jelly! Or as we call it in Australia - Jam!

There is only one brand of jam that I will buy and its St Dalfour.

I love their jam and the range of flavours.

My favourite flavour is Four Fruits.... 

So that is what you'll find in today's recipe!

Chewy Walnut Jam Cookies

You'll need:

1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour

1/3 cup raw sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup walnuts

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup soymilk (or other plant milk of choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons ground flax seeds mixed with 2 Tablespoons water

1/2 cup jam (flavour of choice - I used four fruits)

Mix the flaxseeds with the water and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix well.

Crush the walnuts and add them to the dry mixture.

Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the applesauce, soymilk, vanilla and flax seed mixture.

Gently stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Scoop large tablespoons full of the mixture and place onto a lined baking tray. Use the back of the spoon to make a well in the centre of each cookies.

Pour 1/2 teaspoon of jam into the centre of each cookie.

Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes.

Allow to cool before eating as the jam will be bubbling hot.

Makes 14 large cookies

Question of the day:

Do you have a favourite flavour jam?