Raw Vegan Chocolate Strawberries

Mmmmmm....Just because I'm eating raw doesn't mean a lack of delicious treats. These beauties were dipped in a mixture of raw coconut oil, and cacao, and then put in the freezer for 15 minutes to set. Because it was so warm today I didn't need to sit the coconut oil in warm water to liquify - it took me a minute to mix 1/4 cup oil with a couple of spoonfuls of cacao powder and beat until smooth. If you like it sweet, you could add some agave, but I like bitter chocolate and it went well with the juicy strawberries. Think of all those antioxidants humming around my body!

Go Ahead, Bake My Day: Vegan Strawberry Scones Forever

I dehydrated a batch of strawberries, but it wasn't quite what I was after. So rather than wasting them, I put them into a scone. Have these with a dollop of sweetened vegan cream cheese. Listening to "Strawberry Fields Forever" doesn't make them taste any better, but having a scone is certainly British enough to warrant having a splendid afternoon tea in a nice frock. Maybe make a cucumber sandwich or two to go with them?

Ingredients

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

100gr dairy free margarine

2 tablespoons golden syrup

50 gr dried strawberries

approx 1/2 cup soymilk, water, or ricemilk

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Sift together flour and baking powder.

Rub in margarine, to the consistency of coarse breadcrumbs.

Add chopped dried strawberries, and mix through.

Add soymilk, just enough to draw the mixture together to a soft dough, you don't want it runny, and form the scones quickly, not handling the dough more than necessary. I get 10 smaller scones from this.

Put in a greased tin with sides, not on a tray, just touching.

Bake for approx  20 minutes.

Strawberries for Summer

Strawberry runner planted in June from older plant

Who doesn't love fresh strawberries? Home grown organic strawberries are a taste sensation, so I'm making the effort to grow them properly this year, not just pop them under the apple tree and hope for the best (ie hope the chooks don't eat them before I do). Strawberries are best planted in June and July, so that they establish and fruit earlier. They need a rich well drained soil so this year I'm putting them into a bed inside the veg patch so Miss Scarlett and company don't get a feast! Although strawberries are reputed to grow well in hanging baskets or pots I personally have not had much luck with the method. My strawberries seem to grow best where they are left to themselves under the apple, or the wild strawberries, tiny and sweet which ramble throughout the garden. I think this is becasue strawberries like cool roots, and these parts of the garden are cooler in summer - which is why pots don't work for me, the roots get too hot.

Wild Strawberries

In June I transplanted several runners from older plants. At this time of year they come as runners in bags packed into damp sawdust or peat moss. These will establish far more effectively than those bought in pots and planted in spring. I planted a second batch this weekend, which should fruit in January. My previous planting should fruit in December. Strawberry plants, although perennial, need to be replaced every couple of years. I leave one or two older ones to go to runners, thereby getting some new plants for free, and then pull up the old plant when the runners have established. The plant that begins to send out long shoots that put down roots (the runner) will do so at the expense of fruit, so only allow a couple of older plants to do this. If I had the room I would probably have three strawberry beds to rotate, but since I don't I'll have to make do with one.

Bare root runners

The strawberries, as they begin to fruit, will need to be protected from birds with netting or wire ( I remember my Dad making making hinged cages with lids to grow the strawberries under when I was little). Keep that in mind when choosing a position to plant in, as well as thinking about how easy it will be to slip extra straw or mulch underneath to prevent the fruit sitting on the ground and rotting as they ripen.

Scarlett, the Strawberry Bandit

So what are you waiting for? Plant those strawberries!