She eventually found herself in Canberra, in the public service, but she wasn't happy, and after a period of extreme illness she took stock of her life.

"I knew a lot of it was due to living in a new city, away from loved ones. I needed to recover," she says.

She'd always believed in the connection of food and family, about being kind to yourself and those around you, and in 2015 she created a hobby Instagram account to connect with like-minded people.

Rainbow Nourishments was a way for her to share the food she was making at home, the "rainbow" of ways she was nourishing herself.

After taking a voluntary redundancy from the public service, Rainbow Nourishments took on a new life. Soon Cheng was making cakes for birthdays and weddings, supplying Canberra cafes and restaurants with her wares, her Instagram account quickly grew to 157,000 followers.

And here's the thing, don't tell anyone, it's all vegan.

Cheng is the first to admit there is a stigma around the vegan lifestyle.

"No one ever says avocado on toast is a vegan meal, but it is," she laughs.

She's been known not to mention her gorgeous cakes and desserts are vegan. People don't care because they're so delicious.

At 14, Cheng is now 31, she stopped consuming meat and anything with eggs or dairy in it. She disliked the taste and knew it was having an effect on her body as well as the environment. It took her about 10 years to fully transition to a plant-based diet, once she moved away from home it became much easier.

She concedes a plant-based diet isn't for everyone.

"But I think most people would benefit from a diet with more vegetables, fruit and wholefoods," she says.

"It's about making changes that are sustainable and can be maintained in the long term."

When it came to baking, Cheng was up for the challenge. She's always loved baking and was keen to learn more about vegan substitutes for such things as dairy products and eggs.

"I strongly believe that 'free-from' desserts and meals should taste as delicious as - or even better than - their conventional versions," she says.

As much as the visual aspect of her craft is important to her, for Cheng, it's all about flavour.

"I try to find the balance, I don't want cakes to look great but taste terrible."

Now she's published her first book, Incredible Plant-Based Desserts: Colourful vegan cakes, cookies, tarts, and other epic delights.

There are recipes for nourishing breakfasts, snacks, cafe-style treats, celebration cakes as well as practical advice on substitutes.

If she's forced to pick a favourite recipe, she names the customisable baked chocolate cake.

"It's the most requested cake, it's moist, rich and just melts in your mouth ... and you only need a few simple ingredients that you will probably already have in your pantry."

Incredible Plant-Based Desserts: Colourful vegan cakes, cookies, tarts and other epic delights, by Anthea Cheng. Quarto. $39.99.

Many vegan ice cream recipes ask that you defrost the ice cream before you eat it. However, when I want ice cream, I don't want to wait for it! To avoid this, I used a selective combination of ingredients in these popsicles to prevent the popsicles from freezing rock hard. Due to the high fiber and natural oils in dates and nut butter, they never completely freeze so you can eat them straight from the freezer.

Ingredients

Popsicles:

80g pitted dates, soaked in water for two hours

130g almond butter

120ml coconut cream

60ml plant-based milk, such as almond, soy, or coconut

15g cocoa or raw cacao powder

Coating:

125g store-bought vegan chocolate

50g chopped almonds or other nuts

Method

1. Drain the dates. Add them to a high-powered blender with all the popsicle ingredients. Blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible.

2. Spoon the mixture into your popsicle molds and place sticks in the popsicles. Freeze for at least four hours or until the popsicles are frozen solid.

3. Remove the popsicles from their molds and store them in an airtight container.

4. Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan or over a double boiler. Quickly spoon the chocolate over each popsicle and decorate as desired. The temperature of the popsicles will set the chocolate straight away. Enjoy the popsicles immediately or store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.

Makes 4 popsicles.

This is a tropical and fun recipe for when you're craving something comforting but refreshing! Interestingly, the viscous texture of the passionfruit puree acts as a binder instead of eggs. The bananas give the loaf extra moisture and sweetness. However, extra sugar is needed to balance out the tartness of the passionfruit. The high amount of fruit in this recipe makes a dense and moist loaf.

Ingredients

Dry ingredients:

240g white rice flour or 188g all-purpose flour

168g almond meal

96g coconut sugar

14g baking powder

Wet ingredients:

2 ripe bananas (about 240g)

3 passionfruit, puree only (about 110g)

285ml plant-based milk, such as almond, soy, or coconut

45ml sunflower or olive oil

Decorations:

170g plant-based yogurt, such as coconut, soy, or almond

extra passionfruit puree, as desired

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C. Line a 23 10 cm loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl or food processor. Mix until there are no lumps and everything is combined.

3. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and mix with the passionfruit, breaking up any long strands of puree. Add the fruit and the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.

4. Pour the mixture into a loaf pan and bake for one hour or until a skewer can be inserted into the middle and there is no raw batter on it. The loaf will be slightly moist from the high amount of fruit. Let the loaf cool in the pan.

5. When the loaf is completely cool, spread with yogurt and passionfruit puree. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. The loaf can be kept at room temperature for a few days or in the freezer for up to one month without the yogurt frosting.

Substitutions: If you cannot eat almonds, you may substitute the almond meal with 125g of all-purpose flour. However, this will result in a slightly chewy loaf due to the high amount of passionfruit.

Makes one loaf.

This creamy tart is perfect for gatherings in the warmer months! The first version of this tart is better for those who prefer more traditional desserts as it is baked and has a classic, crumbly base. The second version is better for those who are health-conscious as it is packed with nutritious nuts. Feel free to mix and match the bases and fillings!

Ingredients

Option 1: Tart base

188g all-purpose flour

80ml light-tasting vegetable oil, such as sunflower

27g coconut sugar

28-60ml water

Option 1: Filling

140g cashews, soaked in water for at least two hours

188g silken firm tofu

60ml plant-based milk, such as almond, soy, or coconut

80-100g rice malt or maple syrup, or any other plant-based liquid sweetener to taste

85g unsweetened plant-based yogurt (optional)

15ml vanilla extract

zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

pinch of salt

Option 2: Tart base

218g almonds, or any other nut or seed

53g pitted dates, soaked in water for at least four hours

pinch of salt

Option 2: Filling

140g cashews, soaked in water for at least four hours

235ml coconut cream

80-100g rice malt or maple syrup, or any other plant-based liquid sweetener to taste

42g cacao butter or coconut oil, melted

Decorations:

Mangoes, nectarines, passionfruit, or any other fruit in season!

Method

Option 1

1. Preheat the oven to 160C. Line the bottom of an 2 c) loose bottom tart pan.

2. To make the tart base: Combine all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl. If the mixture is crumbly, add extra water and mix until it becomes a pliable dough. Firmly press the mixture into the baking pan and smooth the surface. Set aside.

3. To make the filling: Add all the ingredients to a high-powered blender, blend until smooth, and then pour the mixture into the tart pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the middle of the tart is not wobbly. Leave the tart in the oven with the door ajar. When the tart is cool, set it aside in the fridge to set further.

4. Slice the fruit and decorate the tart as desired. Serve immediately or set aside in the fridge in a large airtight container until ready to serve! Store in the fridge for up to five days.

Option 2

1. Line the bottom of an 20cm loose bottom tart pan.

2. To make the tart base: Add the almonds to a food processor and process until it forms coarse crumbs. Drain the dates and add them to the food processor with the salt. Process until it is combined and stays together when it is pinched. Press the mixture into the tart pan.

3. To make the filling: Drain the cashews and add all the ingredients to a high-powered blender. Blend until it is as smooth as possible. Pour the mixture into the tart base. Set aside in the fridge to set for around four hours or until the cream is not wobbly in the middle.

4. Slice the fruit and decorate the tart as desired. Serve immediately or set aside in the fridge in a large airtight container until ready to serve! Store in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to one month.

Makes 8-10 servings.