Win Vegan Cupcakes-dairy free & egg free with gluten free & wheat free option

Here is a chance to win some amazing vegan cupcakes. In our April/May competition we are giving away 6 large vegan cupcakes in a choice of three flavours-we have decadent vegan triple chocolate cupcakes, zingy lemony vanilla cupcakes as well as fruity raspberry almond cupcakes. These cupcakes are dairy free and egg free, we also have gluten free and wheat free cupcake options too. All you have to do is visit the competition page on our website and answer a simple question.
www.BlueLotusProducts.co.uk/competition.php

Viva!s Incredible Veggie Show 2009 - A huge success!

Europe's largest vegetarian event was an overwhelming success. The event (on Saturday, April 18) drew crowds from all across the UK. The Show featured over 100 stalls, cookery demos, talks, free food samples, nutritional advice, a kids’ play area and a café. It was a celebration of veggie living, but also reflected how times are changing for the better - with over half of the visitors meat-eaters looking to make the change to a healthier, more compassionate lifestyle.


Heather Mills sampling cakes at the Blue Lotus
stall.

Dairy free Double Orange Choc Chip cupcakes
decorated with stars.


Vegan Date and walnut cupcakes decorated
with blue stars.

Dairy free Lemon drizzle cupcakes decorated with lilak
daises and butterfly, finished with edible glitter

Vegan Chocolate cupcakes decorated with red and
white pointy daises and hearts.


Dairy free Raisin scones and heart shaped cherry
almond scones. Vegan Millionares shortbread.

It was our first time at the show which was held at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London. It was a lovely sunny day, the atmosphere was wonderfully calm and relaxed. The brilliant people at Viva did a great job at organising a very professionally put together event. It was lovely to see so many of you who came over to the Blue Lotus stall to have a taste of the samples and to buy the wide range of cakes and decorated cupcakes we had on offer. The day was very busy but as there were three of us we were able to go and see some of the cookery demos-Rose Elliot making plantain bhajis and Paula Young from the Green Valley Organic Restaurant (at Lancrigg Vegetarian Country House Hotel) making vegan fish and chips. The kids also came with us and they had a great time painting masks in the kids zone. We also managed to pick up some tasty redwoods fishless fingers before we came home.

Vegan Birthday Cakes for Fleur and Zane

Here is a lovely message and photos sent by Angela Taylor of Surry.
"We wanted to send you photos of fleurs fantastic cake which was the prettiest cake we ever saw, and was delicious! we were all blown away especially as she has had 13 yrs of my rubbish attempts at cake making!!also a photo of her brother zanes cake which got scoffed in record time....we love you blue lotus..mwah!!!" angie, fleur, zane and sonny taylor

Savoury Pancake Recipe - gluten free, dairy free, eggless, soya free, vegan, vegetarian

For further information or to place orders please visit:
www.BlueLotusProducts.co.uk T: 0116 2998122

These moorish savoury pancakes are dairy, egg, wheat, gluten and soya. Delicious as a snack to enjoy with a cup of tea, as a starter with cucumber raita or for lunch with perhaps a leafy green salad.

Ingrdients:
150g Chickpea Flour
150ml Cold Water
1 Medium Onion (about 150g)-finely chopped
2 medium Potatoes (about 150g)-grated with water squeezed out
100g Spinach-finely chopped
2 green chillies-finely chopped (optional)
2 tbs fresh corriander-finely chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp corriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp salt
Sunflower Oil

Method:
Stir the water gradually into the chickpea flour to form a thick creamy batter (you may not need all the water). Leave to rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the vegetables. Add the remaining ingredients (except the oil) to the batter and stir. Heat 2tbs of oil in a non stick frying pan on high heat. Spoon 2tbs of the mixture in to the frying pan and flatten slightly, repeat until you have about 3 pancakes.Turn the heat down to medium and cook each side for about 2 minutes or until glden brown. Remove on to kichen paper. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Makes about 9 pancakes in total. Enjoy!

Variation:
This is a very versatile recipe to which you can add your favourite vegetables, herbs and spices. Try leaks or spring onions (instead of the onion) and chives (instead of the fresh corriander) as well as 50g of grated dairy free cheese, pepper to taste (instead of the cumin/corriander powder) and a pinch of nutmeg.

Tips:
Chickpea flour is also known as gram flour or besan. It can be found in indian grocery stores as well as in the indian section of most supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury. Doves Farm Gram flour is available in wholefood shops too. There are several brands of dairy free cheese on the market, Redwoods Cheezly and Bute Island Foods Scheese can be found in wholefood and health food shops. Alpro plain soya yogurt is great for making the dairy free raita.

Valentine Gift Cupcakes - dairy free, egg free, vegan, vegetarian gift ideas

For further information or to place orders please visit:
www.BlueLotusProducts.co.uk T: 0116 2998122

Valentines was as expected a very busy time at Blue Lotus. The photo above shows a new addition to the website. Four gorgeous dairy free vegan cupcakes available in either decadent chocolate or vivacious vanilla topped with a complimentory frosting. Beutifully decorated with sugar paste hearts and daises in reds, pinks or purples. Elegantly gift wrapped and accompanied by a hand written gift card and voila! - you have the perfect valentine gift to show your admiration for the love of your life. All this for just £16.98 including delivery to any destination in the UK.

Rave Review from Karen Abbott
"These four chocolate cupcakes with regal icing (white background, purple hearts) arrived to great delight. They were moist, rich, flavourful, and not overly sweet, beautifully decorated, and just the right size. We have parcelled them out to make them last... in theory. Add to this that the accompanying card was very pretty and actually hand-written, and that the cakes cleverly packaged to ensure that they arrived in perfect condition, and you have the perfect gift."

Chocolate and Dark Cherry Gateaux Cake - lactose free, casein free, eggless (gluten and wheat free option)

For further information or to place orders please visit:
www.BlueLotusProducts.co.uk T: 0116 2998122

Dive into FEBRUARYS' CAKE OF THE MONTH, the delectable Chocolate and Dark Cherry Gateaux. Chocolate sponge layered and topped with a luscious vegan vanilla cream and juicy dark cherries, finished on top with grated chocolate. Wonderful as a unique vegan gift, to serve as a spectacular dairy free dessert at a dinner party or as the centre piece for a birthday celebration.

Vegan Cakes Competition Winners for Sept/Oct and Nov/Dec

For further information or to place orders please visit:
www.BlueLotusProducts.co.uk T: 0116 2998122
Well done to our Sept/Oct 2008 competition winner from Milton Keynes! who chose a vegan Cranberry and Almond cake, "Basically, I have been a vegan for about 18 years, and a veggie for about 22 years. I usually make my sons vegan birthday cake, which always turns out wrong, and results in more vegan butter cream splattered around the kitchen than in the actual cake! Furthermore, it is always lop-sided, and no matter what I do, I can never get it to rise! It is a bit of a standing joke, really, in our family! However, I am at the stage now where I can not be bothered anymore, so opted for a Google search and hey presto, there you were! I will definitely be placing orders for Christmases and birthdays in the future. Thanks for brightening my day."

Congratulations to Mr Mrs Ashfield from Kent who won our Nov/Dec 2008 Competition! and selected a vegan Victoria sponge cake, "We have found it so hard finding our little boy a cake which is dairy free and feel so sorry for him as he has had a bad time through his illness. Now we have found this wonderful website that we have passed onto friends and family, we now know where we can come to buy his beautiful birthday cake. Thank you ever so much"