Gluten-free vegan brownies from our 'free-from' food blogger Sarah Martin

Introducing our newest food blogger Sarah Martin, who explains why she is passionate about finding and sharing delicious 'free from' recipes for people with allergies and health issues. 

I am a relative newbie to Winchester area having moved from London at the beginning of the year with my partner to start the next chapter of our lives together, along with our gorgeous boy Wilf who was born in April. Originally from Somerset it seemed a good half way home for us and we haven’t looked back since we moved. 

I’ve worked in the health / wellness industry for most of my adult life and have always been passionate about healthy eating and home cooked food. 10 years ago I was diagnosed with Coeliac disease and several other food intolerances (dairy, egg and soya) and had to make huge changes to my diet. This fuelled a life long passion for cooking and baking as I found that at that time the food available in supermarkets was very limited and full of added ingredients. The shop-bought products also didn’t cater for all of my intolerances so my mission began: to create healthy, delicious foods that you wouldn’t know were ‘free from’.  

Part of this journey led me to the world of chocolate as I found that finding good quality allergen friendly chocolate was quite hard to come by; so I began to make dark chocolate, chocolate truffles and chocolate tea all free-from and low in sugar but still every bit indulgent and luxurious as other chocolates on the market. 

Sarah Martin shares her 'free-from' recipes

My aim is to show that eating with food intolerances can be just as fun, delicious and most importantly healthy as eating without them. I will be sharing a range of recipes on Winchester Bloggers including heavenly baked goods, sumptuous savoury dishes to those laden with chocolate; perfect for a not so sweet treat. 

Take a look at my website, lockhartmartin.com to learn more about my mission and see some of the foods I offer.

LockhartMartins motto is creating from the heart for your heart. I hope you enjoy the recipes I share as much as I do.

Sarah x

Sarah's gluten-free vegan brownies
I thought for my first Winchester Bloggers post, I would share my brownie recipe as I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t like this treat once in a while.

Ingredients
1.5 tbsp ground chia seeds plus 3 tbsp water (mix and leave to set into a gel like substance)

1 level cup of oat flour (or brown rice flour mixed with oat flour)

1 cup of ground almonds

2 TSBP arrowroot powder

3/4 - 1 cup of cocoa powder or cacao powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup vegan spread

3/4 cup of unrefined sugar (can substitute with maple syrup)

1/4 - 1/2 cup of almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or walnuts

Method
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.

Line a 9-inch by 9-inch baking sheet with baking paper.

Combine all the dry ingredients together (sieving the flour /cocoa powder) except the nuts.

In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients with an electric whisk.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry. (The mixture should be quite wet to touch)

Add in the nuts.

Press the mixture into the prepared baking tray. (It should be quite sticky)

Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes or until springy to touch.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool fully before turning our and cutting into squares.