Ruby's Re-creations: My favourite salad.

So, upon heading home from uni for the summer this year, I hit a big challenge: one of my favourite cafés, The Green Rocket, wasn’t going to be near me for four months, which meant I couldn’t get my Caesar salad fix — which is my absolute favourite thing to order from them!

So, I decided I would try to recreate it at home! I compiled lots of different recipes that I found online to create all the key components of this dish.

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All the different times I've had their salad plus my at home recreation!

It’s made up of lots of different elements, so let’s break it down so you can stay with me…

The Base

First, let’s get into the base ingredients that act as a vessel for all the additional flavours and toppings we’re going to add. Like any traditional Caesar salad, this one starts with chopped lettuce in chunky strips. Mixed into the lettuce is also a handful of finely chopped spinach to add a different texture to our base.

Okay, if you’re with me so far (and if you’re not, I fear you need to stop now because we only go up from here), we’re going to add some cubes of crispy smoked tempeh to provide a crispy, chunky protein and act as our chicken replacement for a traditional Caesar salad.

Okay, now let’s add some unique toppings to make this a little more exciting…

The Toppings

Imitating all the elements of a traditional Caesar salad, but making them vegan, gluten-free and full of flavour!

The Bacon…

Now, like chicken, one of the things synonymous with a Caesar salad — and one of the things I love most about the original version of this salad from The Green Rocket — is its introduction of coconut bacon to me instead of using shop-bought vegan bacon, which I’m not a fan of.

This was surprisingly easy to make at home too! I just bought some coconut chips and mixed 40g of these with 1 tbsp of neutral oil, 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce, 1 tsp paprika, and salt and pepper. I spread this evenly out on a baking tray and baked it at 180°C fan for 8–12 minutes until crispy. You want to sprinkle a hefty amount of this into your salad.

The Parmesan…

One of the major flavour providers in a classic Caesar salad, this is a must-have component. Making it vegan did not mean The Green Rocket skipped out on it — they added a good sprinkling of a parmesan made out of Brazil nuts.

It is surprisingly easy to do and a great addition for both flavour and texture, with the roasted nuts providing some crunch to the finished dish. The Brazil nuts are roasted at 170°C for five minutes and left to cool before being added to a blender along with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt. This is then blended until it creates a chunky, crumb-like texture and sprinkled over the top of the salad!

The Sauce…

Now, the key to unlocking any good salad is using a good sauce, and this salad is no different. It perfectly imitates the creamy, smooth sauce from a traditional Caesar salad while packing in lots of flavour.

I used a really simple blend to recreate it at home:

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1 tsp garlic puree

• 2 tsp capers

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/4 tsp distilled white vinegar

  
  

I blended that all together and poured it over the finished salad!

The Finishing Touches…

There were a few final additions to complete this salad, alongside all the other components. I love adding a sprinkling of extra capers and chunks of avocado. The original salad also uses homemade croutons, which you could make by toasting some nice gluten-free bread in the oven.

Or, I love having mine with crispy chips or a nice piece of focaccia (my go-to is the gluten-free White Rabbit garlic focaccia).

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I hope this gave you some inspiration to try recreating some of your favourite dishes at home, or to give this one a go! If you want to see what other recreations I’m getting up to, or want to stay up to date with me, check out my Instagram @rubysgfkitchen.

Happy Cooking,

Ruby x

Triple Layer Peanut Butter Caramel Slice

A few months ago, I tried a layered bar at one of my favourite cafes, The Green Rocket in Bath, and instantly fell in love. The flavours, textures, and indulgent layers were unforgettable. I knew I had to recreate it at home. After a bit of experimentation, tweaking a few of my favourite recipes, I finally nailed it.

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These bars are made up of three dreamy layers: a soft, nutty (or seed-based) cookie base, a naturally sweet caramel centre, and a rich chocolate fudge topping. They’re simple to make, full of wholesome ingredients, and perfect for keeping in the freezer for a sweet treat whenever you need one.

Here’s how I recreated each layer:

Cookie Base

I wanted a soft, fudgey cookie base with a crisp exterior and a subtle peanut butter flavour. Using a simple peanut butter cookie recipe as my starting point, I made a few changes:

• Date syrup for a natural caramel-like sweetness

• Oat flour for a softer texture

• Reduced baking time to keep the base fudgy

Caramel Centre

The centre is thick and creamy with crunchy peanut pieces throughout. To recreate it, I simply soaked dates to soften them, then blended them with crunchy peanut butter to make a naturally sweet, indulgent caramel layer.

Chocolate Fudge Top

The final layer is smooth, rich, and chocolatey. After a few trials, I perfected the quantities to create a silky, thick chocolate fudge topping that finishes the bar beautifully.

Ingredients

Cookie Base:

• 60g coconut oil, melted

• 2 tbsp date syrup

• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter

• 100g gluten-free oat flour (blend certified gluten-free oats until fine)

• 50g ground almonds

  
  

Caramel Centre:

• 130g dates

• 50g crunchy peanut butter

  
  

Chocolate Fudge Top:

• 50g cocoa powder

• 100g date syrup

• 40g smooth peanut butter

• 70g coconut oil, melted

• 100g milk

  
  

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan) and line a loaf tin with baking parchment.

2. Place the dates for the caramel layer in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak while you prepare the base—this helps them blend into a smooth, sticky caramel later.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine all the cookie base ingredients and stir until a soft dough forms.

4. Press the mixture evenly into the lined loaf tin, smoothing it down with the back of a spoon or a spatula.

5. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

6. Drain the soaked dates, then blend them with the crunchy peanut butter until smooth and thick.

7. Once the base has cooled, spread the caramel layer evenly over the top, smoothing it out with a spatula.

8. To make the chocolate fudge topping, blend all the topping ingredients until silky and fully combined.

9. Pour and spread the chocolate layer over the caramel, ensuring an even finish.

10. Place in the fridge for a few hours, or until fully set.

11. Slice into bars and enjoy!

Allergies & Dietary Info

These bars cater to several dietary needs:

• Gluten-free: Made with gluten-free oat flour.

• Dairy-free: Just make sure to use a dairy free milk!

• Refined sugar-free: Sweetened naturally with dates and date syrup.

• Vegan: Use a dairy free milk and make sure sweetners are vegan!

Nut-free alternative: Swap peanuts/almonds with sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and use seed butter instead of peanut butter.

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If you try these, I hope you love them as much as I do! To stay up to date with my latest recipes, tips, and experiments, follow me on Instagram: @rubysgfkitchen.

Happy Baking,

Ruby x

Cranberry and pecan millionaire shortbread

My millionaire shortbread has always been one of my favourite bakes. I love the mix of textures and flavours you get from the three distinct layers- with sweetness from the shortbread and caramel encased in a rich dark chocolate shell. So when I was in the mood to bake something new, creating a variation of this classic was a must-do!

These cranberry, pecan and maple millionaire shortbreads were inspired by my mum’s love of adding cranberries and pecans to her breakfasts. Adding maple rounded out the cosy flavours to create something with warmth and indulgence. The result is a bake perfect for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up with a cup of tea or as an easy dessert at the end of the day.

The base is a golden shortbread packed with crunchy pecans and bursts of chewy dried cranberries, all enriched with a deep, almost caramel-like maple flavour. On top sits a smooth and silky date caramel that adds natural sweetness and a fudgy texture. Everything is finished with a rich dark chocolate layer, scattered with extra cranberries. Each bite has a balance of crunch, chew and melt-in-the-mouth softness.

They also store beautifully in the fridge or freezer, which makes them perfect for batch baking. I love having a stash ready to grab whenever I need something sweet without having to start from scratch.

Even better, this recipe is completely gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free, so it’s ideal when you’re baking for different dietary needs. It’s one of those bakes that feels indulgent but is made with simple, plant-based ingredients — no one would guess it ticks so many boxes.

One of my favourite things about this recipe is how adaptable it is. Once you have the base idea, you can easily make it your own:

• I use almond butter, but any nut or seed butter works just as well, depending on what you have in the cupboard.

• The cranberries and pecans can be swapped for other dried fruits, nuts or seeds.

• If you don’t have dates for the caramel, raisins make a great alternative and create a slightly lighter flavour.

• I like making my own chocolate topping so I can control the sweetness and thickness, but simply melting your favourite chocolate works perfectly too.

• I love the addition of almond extract in this one, but you could use a different flavour or remove the extract altogether

• Maple syrup gives a rich, distinctive flavour, but date syrup or agave would also work well.

This is the kind of recipe that feels a little bit special but is surprisingly simple to make — layered, flavourful and perfect for sharing.

The Recipe...

Shortbread Layer

6 tbsp Coconut oil, melted

6 tbsp Maple syrup

170g Plain gluten-free flour

4 tbsp Nut butter (I use almond)

1/2 tsp Zanthem gum

A crack of salt

80g Dried cranberries

100g Pecans, chopped

Caramel Layer

190g Dates

3 tbsp Coconut oil, melted

115 g Nut butter (I use almond)

100 ml Maple syrup

1/2 tsp Almond extract

A pinch of salt

Chocolate Layer

70g Coconut oil, melted

50g Cacao powder

60ml Maple syrup

A sprinkle of Dried cranberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C fan and line a square tin with parchment paper (I use a brownie pan).

2. Prepare the dates by soaking in hot water while you prepare the shortbread.

3. For the shortbread layer: whisk the maple syrup and coconut oil together in a large bowl, and then add the flour, nut butter, xanthan gum and salt and whisk to combine.

4. Stir in the dried cranberries and chopped pecans.

5. Press the mixture into your tin until even (I do this with my hands and then level it out by pressing lightly with a fork) and place into the oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown on top, and leave to cool for 10 minutes.

6. Place the shortbread in the fridge whilst you make the caramel: blend all the ingredients in your food processor or blender until smooth. Spread the caramel over the cooled shortbread and place it back in the freezer for at least an hour until the caramel has set.

7. In a bowl, mix your chocolate topping ingredients and add this to the top of the caramel, sprinkling on the remaining dried cranberries and place this back in the freezer until the chocolate is set.

8. Slice into squares and enjoy (Store in a sealed container in the freezer)

Whether you’re baking for a special occasion, prepping snacks for the week ahead, or simply craving something sweet and satisfying, these cranberry, pecan and maple millionaire shortbreads are a beautiful twist on a classic. They’re rich, layered and full of flavour, yet made with simple ingredients that come together effortlessly. I hope you love them as much as I do. If you want to keep up with my new recipes or get an insight into what I have been baking recently, check out my Instagram @rubysgfkitchen.

Happy Baking,

Ruby x