Friday, 7 July 2017

Booja-Booja Summer Ice Cream Party


Ice cream is by far one of my favourite desserts, and I'm assuming it's the same for most other people. and hockey betting lines. Pretty much everyone I know loves delving into a tub of Ben & Jerry's and it's a necessity for when you're going through any sort of bad situation (break ups in films always seem to involve ice cream, right?). However, what happens when you want a more nutritious and dairy-free option? Luckily, Booja-Booja are around to save the day! Their luxurious frozen desserts are made with cashew nuts and are sweetened with either agave syrup or coconut nectar so they're perfect for those who are avoiding dairy and who want a dessert free from refined sugars. They're organic, full of healthy fats (great for your skin, yay!) and are pretty much indistinguishable from their dairy counterparts when it comes to taste and texture. I've been a fan of their vegan ice cream for years so when they invited me to take part in their Summer Ice Cream Party I jumped at the chance!

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Monday, 19 June 2017

Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream Milkshake


I don't often crave non-vegan food anymore but I have to admit that recently, with the arrival of warmer weather, I've wanted nothing more than to treat myself to an ice cold vanilla milkshake. Luckily, they can be quite easily made at home (and veganised!), with just a couple of ingredients - dairy-free ice cream, dairy-free milk and any other extras you want! I served mine with date syrup, vegan marshmallows and some strawberries because #health amirite? 


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Wednesday, 14 June 2017

Vegan Chocolate Pancake Recipe (New & Improved!)


In the four or so years since I first went vegan, I can count the number of weeks I've gone without eating a stack of pancakes on one hand. I really wish I was joking when I say this, but I'm not! The pancake life has well and truly ensnared me.

When I first went vegan I admit that I was still in the thralls of an eating disorder, but instead of restricting food in general (i.e. anorexia) I was now restricting my diet to only eating what I deemed to be 'healthy' or 'clean' foods (i.e. orthorexia). Refined sugar was a no-go, flour wasn't on the table unless it was gluten-free and fit into my idea of what was 'nutritious', and cocoa powder was the evil adversary of my beloved cacao powder. Luckily, I've now fully recovered from that disordered way of eating and I happily eat processed food and refined sugar pretty much every day, as well as takeaways a couple of times a month. No one's died, I haven't gained any weight (and who cares if I have, I'm cute either way) and I'm honestly happier than I've ever been. There is a point to all this rambling, I promise.

So, I was looking back through all my old recipes and wondering when I ever had the time/energy to come up with so many (being an adult is hard, guys), and noticed that a lot of my old pancake recipes are full of expensive, hard to find and also slightly pointless ingredients. I've been making my pancakes a bit differently in recent months, and to be honest they're so much better now.

I've learned a few things in my quest to create the perfect vegan pancake:

  • 'real' (refined etc etc, blah blah) flour is way easier to use and cook with than buckwheat or rice flour, and it has a much better texture
  • cocoa powder is tastier than cacao powder, sorry babes
  • please use sugar, don't deprive your gorgeous lil' body of the good stuff

Hope you enjoy the recipes, my lovelies! Do let me know what you think of it and if you have any opinions on the whole orthorexia deal. It sucks to have an obsession with food dictate every part of your life, but it's good to get people talking about it so we can all try and help each other!


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Saturday, 27 May 2017

5 Super Simple Vegan Breakfasts


I don't know about you, but I totally agree with the notion that breakfast is the most important meal; having a delicious breakfast accompanied by a big mug of coffee is by far my favourite part of the day, and I definitely notice a drop in energy later on if I don't eat a large enough meal or if I skip it entirely. It does get kind of boring eating the same thing every day though, especially if you're vegan and can't eat a number of the more popular breakfast choices anyway, so I thought I'd put together a list of super tasty (and really easy to make!) ideas for you all so you don't get stuck. Of course there are plenty of other options but this is a good starting point for beginners or people who don't have a lot of time on their hands in the morning!

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Monday, 22 May 2017

Pretty & Affordable Cruelty-Free Accessories for Spring/Summer


Hello lovelies, today I want to talk about one of my favourite things - fashion (cruelty-free and vegan, obvs)! As the days get warmer, my wardrobe's colour palette is less grey and burgundy, and more pink and white. Okay, so I admit that grey may still feature in there. No shame. 

As my clothes transition into lighter colours, so do my accessories. Gone are my black ankle boots and dark coloured handbags (until autumn, at least) and in come the sandals and everything pink. Not even joking, I have three pale pink bags right now (two of which feature in this post!) and I have no idea why.

When I first went vegan I had to get rid of some of my favourite shoes and accessories, and I found it so difficult to find good quality replacements that didn't cost too much money. Whilst I do have some bags and shoes that are slightly more expensive (Matt & Nat handbags, for example), the majority of my collection are from high street brands such as ASOS, Topshop and Zara. I'm also lucky enough to work somewhere that stocks one of my favourite accessory companies, Katie Loxton, so I can easily pick up cruelty-free bags and purses at reasonable prices!

I've put together a few things that I've purchased in the last few months, so you can see where I shop for vegan and cruelty-free accessories; I apologise in advance for the amount of pink items, I just can't help myself.

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Thursday, 18 May 2017

Introducing Food Love Stories by Tesco & a Vegan BBQ 'Shroom Buns Recipe


When I first went vegan almost four years ago, it wasn't a particularly easy feat to try and find exciting and delicious food that was readily available. I wasn't the best of cooks so tended to shy away from complicated looking recipes, and stuck to the same old meals time and time again. 

However, in the years I've been vegan, I've noticed that companies (especially supermarkets) have been recognising and catering for free-from diets more and more. One such company is Tesco, who not only have a wonderful free-from range of ready made food, but also support vegan customers by providing tasty and simple plant-based recipes to try at home. They've recently started their 'Food Love Stories, brought to you by Tesco' campaign which features an amazing recipe for vegan BBQ 'Shroom Buns by chef Derek Sarno; I tried this recipe out myself and let me tell you guys, it is insanely good! My boyfriend and I devoured the buns in an embarrassingly short amount of time, not gonna lie. Not only do they taste great but they're also nutritious and filling, so are the perfect dinner if you can't be bothered with a long and arduous cooking session! 


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