With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about what’s going to feature on this year’s table! With more and more people having dietary requirements and preferences, cooking for Christmas can require a little more planning. These Vegan Mince Pies not only taste just like the real deal but they also happen to be gluten free, vegan, nut free and refined sugar free.
The pastry case for these vegan mince pies is made using a combination of buckwheat flour, ground sunflower seeds and desiccated coconut. If you and your family are not sensitive to nuts, the ground sunflower seeds can be replaced with almond meal. Similarly, coconut nectar can be replace with honey or maple syrup according to personal preference.
VEGAN MINCE PIES
7 serves
20 minutes
45 minutes
Medium
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Ingredients
- Pastry case
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup activated sunflower seeds, ground to a flour
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
3 tbsp coconut nectar
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup boiling water
- Mince
1 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
2 medjool dates, finely chopped
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup goji berries
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup filtered water (add more if the mixture starts to stick to the bottom)
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp vanilla bean powder
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
2 tsp coconut oil, melted
Directions
- Start by preparing the mince. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring every few minutes*.
*If the mixture starts to stick to the bottom add more water and/or orange juice. - Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160 degrees C.
- Combine all dry ‘pastry’ ingredients in a mixing bowl, then add honey, coconut oil and boiling water, mix well.
- Lightly grease 7 mini tart tins and press the pastry mixture into the base, reserving a small amount for the stars.
- Place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes.
- Press the remaining pastry flat and use a star cookie cutter to make 7 stars.
- Scoop a small amount of the mince into the pastry cases and place a star on top.
- Turn the oven up to 180 degrees C and return assembled mince pies to oven for a further 15-20 minutes or until slightly golden.
- Top with desiccated coconut, serve and enjoy.
Looking for more healthy takes on Christmas classics?
Try our delicious Gingerbread Cookies! If you feel like going all out with the gingerbread theme, try our gingerbread nice cream with these cookies as a topping. It’s the perfect breakfast for Christmas morning.
All staple ingredients can be found at The Source Bulkfoods or your local bulk food store. Shopping at bulk food stores is a fantastic way to reduce waste in terms of plastic / packaging and food waste as you can buy as much or as little as you need.
