JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES

I love trying out new healthy cookie recipes, especially when they comprise of a few simple ingredients that I have lying around and know I can whip them up in under 30mins just in time for tea. Well this recipe fits that bill to a tee or should I say tea? - Yes it's true I'm British and I love tea, the stereotype is true.

By the way did you notice my cute little Moomin cup? I'm obsessed with all things Scandinavian and especially love Moomin memorabilia. This  mug came all the way from my trip to Sweden, so far I've collected 4 mugs, a spoon, a teddy and a pyjama set!



With this recipe I found another use for my beloved raw strawberry chia seed jam. You could also try using other flavours or any kind of 'sauce' you like. I also learnt about oat flour making this recipe, how amazing is it that you can just whizz up oats in a blender and they turn to flour! I'm planning on making some pancakes with it next.

Ingredients: 

- 2 cups oats (gluten free)
- 3 large bananas
- 3 tbsp flaxseed
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp water (if needed for mixing)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- A few grinds of pink Himalayan salt
- Raw strawberry jam



Method:

1.) Preheat fan assisted oven to 180c and line a large tray with baking paper.

2.) Place oats in a food processor and blend until they become oat flour.

3.) Mash the bananas in a large bowl then mix in all the other ingredients. 

4.) Round dough into cookie shapes (they don't have to be perfect) and press thumb into the middle. Make sure they're not too thick as the middle won't cook very well.

5.) Fill the thumbprint with raw jam.

6.) Bake for 22-25 mins, until slightly golden and the middle is cooked through.

I find these cookies are best served warm, straight out of the oven. You can of course leave them to cool and store them in the fridge/freezer for a later date. Due to the fresh banana and jam they will only keep for a few days in the fridge but not to worry I'm sure they'll be gone by then anyway!

Let me know in the comments below if you try out a different filling in these cookies as I'd love to know how they turn out!

PB AND JELLY NICE CREAM

Was there ever a more winning combination than peanut butter and jelly? (or jam to us Brit folk). Well I've only gone and found the one thing that's better than putting it in your sandwiches and that's putting it in your nice cream instead!

'Nice cream' is a healthy, dairy free alternative to traditional ice cream. It's easy to make at home, you just need frozen bananas and a blender. You can also make lot's of different flavours by adding ingredients to it and there's no flavourings or preservatives like you might find in store bought 'flavoured' ice creams - this is au natural banana goodness baby! My whole family loved this recipe - even those who've never heard of/or tried nice cream before.

You can make this nice cream alone or with my raw strawberry chia jam recipe like I have here, then swirl it in and freeze or drizzled it over the top.

Ingredients (4 servings):

Peanut butter ice cream:

- 4 frozen bananas
- Half can coconut milk
- 3 tbsp peanut butter 

Method:

1.) Blend all the chia jam ingredients in a blender for a few seconds then leave in the fridge to set to a thick gel while you make the ice cream. If you'd prefer a chunkier jam you can make it by hand or blend on a low setting.

2.) Add all the peanut butter ice cream ingredients into your blender and mix on high (use the frozen dessert setting for Vitamix). Once you can't see or feel any of the frozen banana chunks and the mixture is a smooth and thick consistency it's ready for serving.

3.) If you want to set your ice cream in the freezer for a later date, like I have in the pics above (this also makes the ice cream more solid) spoon it into a tub, swirl the chia jam through it and freeze overnight. Otherwise serve straight away with the jam mixed through.

4.) To serve, top with more of the jam, fresh strawberries and chopped nuts. If you freeze it instead, the mixture will be really solid so you might have to wait a little while for it to melt before scooping.

I had recently been having some doubts over consuming peanuts after reading the China Study, as I discovered peanuts naturally contain aflatoxin (a chemical linked to cancer). I had also heard some people in the health blogging community are avoiding them for that very same reason. I did some more research into this as I believe it's always good to look into things for yourself and make your own mind up. Believe it or not I found that this is one ingredient that's actually better to buy processed, rather than organic or fresh from whole food stores - as these often contain the most contaminated peanuts. So while I would normally recommend organic ingredients (especially for the dirty dozen) this is one thing I would say processed to!

Any-who, before you condemn peanut butter for life it's worth knowing aflatoxin can also found in many different foods such as: pecans, pistachios and walnuts, as well as milk, grains, soybeans and spices. Peanuts also provide more protein than any other nut so this is excellent news for vegans. I am  however definitely not consuming as much peanut butter as I used to as I believe moderation is key.

If you really want to avoid it altogether you could always substitute peanut butter for another nut butter such as almond or cashew, I think they would work equally well - let me know if you try out a different variation of the recipe in the comments below.

RAW STRAWBERRY JAM

This is one of those recipes that is an absolute gem of a find and sure to become a long-term favourite of mine, it's so incredibly easy to make with only 3 ingredients needed and such a genius idea to use chia seeds as a thickener. I came across this concept as I needed to create a healthy jelly to add to my ice cream (recipe coming soon) and so I googled raw jam to see if it came up, it was actually a 'thing' already! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this recipe to use as my base, which I then simplified even further.

The beauty of raw chia jam is that it's super duper healthy, there's no preservatives/flavourings/additives or refined sugar added in aand you get the satisfaction of knowing you made it yourself.

Chia seeds really do pack a nutritional punch, some of their many benefits include:

- Low in calories
- Rich in Omega-3 and fatty acids
- Loaded with antioxidents
- Packed full of fibre
- High in protein
- Excellent source of calcium

Ingredients:

- 8 strawberries
- 1 tsp agave syrup
- 2 tbsp chia seeds

Method:

Pop everything into a blender at once and blend to achieve the consistency you require. Blend on low for a short amount of time if you'd like a chunky strawberry jam or blend on high for a longer amount to achieve a smooth consistency - this works well as a drizzling sauce for ice cream. Leave to set, forming a thick gel-like consistency for 10 mins before serving.

No blender method:

Mash up the strawberries with the back of a fork then add the chia seeds and agave. Again leave to set for 10 mins before serving.

The great thing about this recipe is you can substitute strawberries for any other kind of fruit you like, I can't wait to start experimenting with different flavours especially now lot's of different fruits will be coming into season. I think from now on I'll be called the crazy jam lady and that's fine by me.

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CRISPY SQUARES

This little number is the healthy version of my favourite childhood treat - chocolate rice crispy squares! They remind me of school cooking classes and Easter holidays so have a lot of good memories attached to them. Of course back then they would have lot's of milk chocolate and marshmallows thrown in so I thought I'd revive this retro treat and give it my own healthy veganised spin.

They're gluten-free, dairy-free and oh so simple to make, literally like 5 mins to throw everything together, then just pop them in the fridge or freezer and you'll have a delicious treat in no time. This is a great one to make with the kids and they'll love the chocolatey taste (ok now I sound like an advert).

I added flaxseed as it's a good source of fibre and omega-3, it promotes weight loss and I also find the fibre is great for my IBS (so far).

Ingredients:
(makes 8-12 squares or half a baking tray)

- 4 cups gluten free crispy rice cereal
- 2 tbsp flaxseed meal
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 2/3 cup cashew butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cacao
- 4 tbsp coconut oil



Instructions:

1.) Mix rice cereal and flaxseed together in a bowl.

2.) Put the coconut oil, nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract and cacao in a pan. Heat on high till it bubbles then simmer on the lowest heat continually stirring till you reach a smooth, thick consistency.

3.) Remove chocolate mixture from the heat and pour rice cereal mix into the pan, mix till cereal is coated in the chocolate.

4.) Spoon mixture into a lined baking tray (a deep pan one will work best) and press the mixture down firmly and evenly.

5.) Place in the freezer for 1hr or the fridge to set overnight.

6.) Remove and cut into squares.



A perfect afternoon treat with a cup of tea or crumbled over coconut yoghurt, banana ice cream and smoothies.

STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE

This is one of my favourite smoothies as it's so quick and simple to make. It works as a sweet snack or a light breakfast and as I generally have bananas and strawberries in stock it's something I make on a regular basis.

I've really been getting into flaxseed at the moment and have been adding it to all my cereals and smoothies. Adding flaxseed gives you an extra intake of; fibre, omega-3 and supposedly even promotes weight loss. 

Ingredients (Serves 2):

- 2 frozen bananas

- 1/2 punnet of frozen strawberries

- 5 cups of almond milk

- 2 tbsp of flaxseed meal

- Squirt of agave syrup

Instructions:

Blend on high till the frozen fruit becomes a liquid consistency. I like my smoothies ice-cold but you can always use fresh fruit instead, or simply add in ice if you don't have any pre-frozen fruit to hand.

The perfect healthy ice cold Summery treat.

WARM QUINOA SALAD BOWL

I'm not sure why I call this a salad - it's warm and doesn't have any salad in it! I think maybe it's due the mixture of different elements, along with the french dressing and the fact that you can eat it cold too.

I'm a big fan of year-round versatile meals (see my lasagne) and this one fits that bill perfectly. The flavours are light and Spring-like while the quinoa makes it's substantial enough to see you through cold Winter nights too. I personally love making huge batches of this so I can eat it with various meals throughout the week. As you can eat it cold, it's also a great one to pack up for work or a picnic down by the river.

Ingredients (Serves 4-6):

- 1 small cup quinoa for each person
- 2 blocks of firm tofu (I use Dragonfly)
- 1 can chickpeas
- 3 small apples
- 1 head of broccoli
- 1 tbsp agave syrup

Try to use all organic ingredients wherever possible.

To serve:

- I used the vegan friendly lemon and mustard seed dressing by Righteous. Alternatively any kind of french dressing would work or try tamari soy sauce for a different take on the dish.

Instructions:

1.) Wash and drain the quinoa then cook in an extra large pan, following the 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water rule.

2.) While the quinoa cooks, chop up the tofu into chunks. Fry the tofu for about 6 mins till golden brown.

3.) Slice the apples and fry with some oil in a separate pan. Add the agave syrup to create a light caramelisation.

4.) Chop the broccoli into small florets and boil in a separate pan.

6.) Once everything is done, drain the brocolli and stir all the ingredients together in the quinoa pan.

7.) Drain the can of chickpeas then add in with the rest of the ingredients.

8.) Warm everything through and serve once the chickpeas are soft.

VEGETABLE LASAGNE

I used to love making vegetable lasagne back when I was a vegetarian and recently remembered how good it was, lasagne is my ultimate comfort food. It was then I decided it immediately needed to be revived as a vegan dish! It's perfect for family occasions, as it's not so complicated that you'll be slaving away all day, but there's also something so warm and homely about tucking into a huge casserole dish with your loved ones.

You could even make it in advance and stick it in your fridge/freezer for when you need it. It's one of those really versatile meals that you can eat all year round; in Spring/Summer with some fresh salad on the side or in the Winter with some hearty veg and potatoes. 

To veganise my lasagne I just changed my usual cheesy béchamel sauce to this amazing recipe. It's just as creamy and you won't even notice the difference. I previously also used to layer slices of cheese on top, which this version doesn't even need, so it just goes to show how flavoursome (and how much healthier) this vegan version really is!

Ingredients (Serves 4-6):

- 6 pasta sheets (I used Biona spelt) 

Filling:

- 5 carrots
- 3 courgettes
- 290g pack of white button mushrooms
- 2 large onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 cans of organic chopped tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Dried oregano
- Pink salt
- Black pepper 

(All veg organic if possible)

Topping:

- Béchamel sauce (link above)
- Fresh torn basil leaves

Instructions:

1.) First fry the onion and garlic in a small pan. In a large separate pan heat some oil then add the carrots, courgettes and mushrooms. 

2.) Fry the veggies for 5 mins then add the chopped tomatoes, purée and seasonings. Add the onion and garlic into the big pan, stir then set a timer to simmer the whole thing for 10mins. 

3.) While the filling is on simmer you can make the creamy béchamel sauce to pour on top of your lasagne. 

4.) Once the timer is done, start to line a large square casserole dish with your filling first.

5.) Next add a layer of the pasta sheets overlapping each one as you go. Add another layer of filling and one more layer of pasta. 

6.) Top your lasagne off with the béchamel sauce and pop in the oven for 35mins at 180c until the top becomes golden brown. Top with the fresh basil leaves.

HEALTHY COOKIES

The words cookie and healthy are not usually synonymous with each other but this little number is about to change all that. These cookies taste so sweet and full of flavour you'll never guess they're flour free, oil free, dairy free, gluten free aand refined sugar free! 

They're the easiest, quickest things to bake and can be made with ingredients your bound to have in stock, they don't even require any baking powder. So what's in these magic cookies I hear you ask?

Ingredients (Makes 12):

- 2 cups gluten free oats

- 2 ripe bananas 

- 2 tbsp almond butter

- 2 tbsp shredded coconut 

- 1/2 cup of cacao nibs 

- 1 tbsp agave syrup

Instructions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 170c. 

2.) Mash the bananas then mix in the other ingredients. 

3.) Line a baking tray with parchment, scoop out the mixture a bit at a time and round off into cookie shapes with your hands, spread the mixture evenly between 12 cookies. 

4.) Bake for 15-20mins or until golden brown.

Here I've served mine with some homemade almond milk, made using my Omega juicer. They also make a delicious dessert served with banana nice cream. 

EASY ENERGY PORRIDGE

This has been my basic go-to porridge recipe for quite some time now and I can't believe I haven't shared it with you guys sooner. It's just one of those staple things you make all the time that you never really think about being 'special' - oh but it is! This porridge is easy to make and full of goodness. 

Oats are high in complex carbohydrates and soluble fibre, meaning they release energy slowly so you’ll stay full until lunchtime. It also contains flaxseed (rich in fibre and Omega-3), along with super nutrient packed chia seeds. What a way to start the day! I always feel fantastic after a helping of this, it literally sets me up for the day.

Ingredients (Serves 1):

- 40g gluten free oats

- 1 tbsp flaxseed meal

- 2 tbsp chia seeds

- 200ml almond milk

Optional topping:

Fruit and nut butter of choice. My favourite combo has to be coconut sugar, raspberries and almond butter.

Instructions:

1.) Place the oats in a saucepan and pour in the almond milk. Next add the chia seeds and flaxseed meal to the pan.

2.) Stir then warm through on a high then medium heat for around 5mins, or until chia seeds have softened. 

VEGAN HEAVEN (5/5)

42 Juice

By our last day in Brighton we were feeling a bit bloated and sluggish, after all the amazing food we'd stuffed ourselves silly with (see previous posts 1-4) - which you know is nice from time to time but it really does make you appreciate healthy food and how great it makes you feel afterwards. That's where 42 Juice stepped in, we were headed for our train home and decided to do our bodies a favour (and start as we meant to go on) by grabbing a 'Skinny Green' juice. 

I've never seen a more beautiful concept for a store, this juice bar looks like it just landed straight out of Scandinavia with it's fresh, white, minimal interior. All juice is cold-pressed, raw, organic and vegan and the choice, oh my! There was something to suit every mood or ailment - everything from your standard green juice to a 'hungover' smoothie and even a charcoal almond mylk! Some of the colours I'd never seen as a beverage in my life (they actually looked more like delicious bottles of paint) which shows how ahead of it's game this juice bar really is - or how far behind I am?!

Having been so impressed with the whole concept of the store (can you tell by how many pics I took?), I decided to find out more. It turns out the story of how the co-founders created 42 juice is just as impressive as their menu. If you have a spare minute go have a read and get ready to feel seriously awe-inspired (note: juicer purchase may ensue). They also create handy juice cleanse bundles which are available to buy through their website.

VEGAN HEAVEN (4/5)

Wai kika moo kau

By now I'm probably boring you with all these Brighton posts but there really is a lot to say on the matter! It has without doubt been the easiest place I've found to holiday and eat 'normally' without having to worrying about a thing, which is exactly what you want from a relaxing trip away - alas if only vegan was the norm worldwide, but for now we have Brighton!

Wai kika moo kau (or Why kick a moo cow) is a strictly veggie/vegan cafe situated in the laines. It was our breakfast place of choice for the last morning of our stay, we chose pancakes as I'd been craving them for quite some time! They came nicely presented in a fluffy stack of 4, with cinnamon and sugar dusted all around the plate and a large pot of maple syrup for pouring - they were light, fluffy and absolutely divine. We decided to go all out, seeing as it was our last morning and ordered a creamy banana mylkshake to go with, the whole breakfast could have been straight out of an American diner.

I like that it took a while for them to arrive as this is usually a good sign (i.e no microwaves). The menu was also surprisingly cheap for the quality and quantity received. The place itself was light and airy with a fun cow print adorning the counter and walls. It also had a good energy about it, which I usually find with most strictly veggie/vegan places, I believe like-minded people coming together in this kind of environment in a great inducer of mindful conversation and feel good vibes. I would be interested to know if this is something other people have experienced while visiting all veggie restaurants and cafes, let me know in the comments below!

VEGAN HEAVEN (3/5)

Terre a Terre

Terre a Terre has a really special place in my heart as it opened my eyes to the wonderous possibilities of vegan food and made me confirm in my mind that I'd made the right decision by turning vegan. It's also the very reason we came back to Brighton in the first place, it's THAT good, albeit an indulgent treat. I've never had such beautifully presented plates that taste better with every bite, you won't want to waste a morsel! It deserves 10/5 for everything; food, presentation and service - no exaggeration.

This is a predominantly vegetarian restaurant but the menu is clearly labelled with what dishes are vegan or have a vegan choice and the same goes for gluten free. We were so excited to eat we actually forgot to say that we wanted the vegan option and had to hurriedly change our order!

While we don't normally drink wine this was organic and vegan so we decided to give it a try. We had it with our meal last year in celebration of my birthday and enjoyed it so much we had to order it again. You can even buy their wine, condiments and sweets to take home which I thought was a clever idea, especially for those that live out of town. Fyi these products are also available through their website if you can't make it all the way to Brighton. 

We skipped starters and went straight for the main. I fully recommend you go for the Terre a Tapas Plate to share as you get two of every mini dish (one on on either side), again much like the Food for Friends mezze it gives you a chance to sample a variety of different dishes the restaurant has to offer. The creamy possibly(?) cashew cheese dip in the middle was to die for and the grapefruit tucked into a Japanese style bun initially looked like salmon so that was a fun detail. To top our meal off nicely, for dessert we chose churros that came with 3 incredible dipping sauces: salty caramel, vodka cherries and dark chocolate, mm mm!

VEGAN HEAVEN (2/5)

Rock-Ola

After having a large dinner at Food for Friends the evening before, coffee bar Rock-ola was our port of call for a late all-day vegan breakfast. While it's not a strictly vegetarian/vegan place, what first attracted us to visit Rock-Ola over all other breakfast joints was the fun 50 and 60s diner theme, which made it so much more than your typical greasy spoon.

The attention to detail given to the theme can be seen throughout the diner, from the wall hangings and shelves of memorabilia, right down to the retro salt and pepper shakers. The cafe even joins on to a record shop, which was a nice continuation of the music theme, there's also a free jukebox complete with songs from the time for you to peruse and play records while you dine.

The breakfasts were naughty but super tasty, we'd never tried fake bacon before (or fakon if you will) so that was a nice change, it really just tasted like the smokey bacon flavour found in crisps, so it wasn't as scarily meaty as it first seemed. While I wouldn't normally eat this much 'bad food' or buy fakon myself, I feel it's fine to splash out on holiday and try something different once in a while (providing it's vegan!), to me life is about balance.

We had the option of chips or hash browns and beans or tomatoes, being the opposite couple we are we had to choose differently but then try each others - which were equally delish in different ways. We had it with a cup of soya milk tea and the breakfast came with a huge plate of (vegan) buttered toast - bonus! If I lived in Brighton I'm sure this would be a regular haunt of mine.