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. 

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 (1/5)

Food for Friends

Last week we decided to treat ourselves to a weekend away from the big smoke, we wanted somewhere by the sea where we could relax but have fun and not have to worry about where to eat. Brighton seemed to fit the bill perfectly. We'd been before and visited a veggie restaurant called Terre a Terre which made us hungry for more! - (not literally we were stuffed to the brim). It turns out the rumours were true, Brighton really is like being in vegan heaven. All the food we had was to die for, I could not recommend it more for a completely indulgent mini break. There's plenty of healthy and raw vegan options too so there really is something for every mood.

We visited Food for Friends on our first evening in Brighton for dinner, as I'd done my research before our trip we knew it was a highly rated vegetarian restaurant with lots of vegan options so we were prepared to have an amazing meal. It didn't disappoint, the ambience was sophisticated and special enough for occasions but still felt homely and warm. The food was hearty and filling with a rustic feel and we got to sample all kinds of vegan options from around the world. I liked that everything was clearly marked on the menu as to whether it was vegan, gluten free or contained nuts, making us so called 'fussy-eaters' feel normal by not having to ask. The little bowl of complimentary vegetable crisps on the side were also a nice touch - though definitely not needed due to the vast portion sizes!

To start we ordered some bread which came in huge chunks (there's that rustic feel again) with a sesame breadstick and some balsamic and chilli dipping sauces. The cocktail to the left was a non-alcoholic strawberry and elderflower mixer and like everything else it was delicious so I savoured every sip!

If your one of those people that likes to try what's on everyone else's plate (hands up thats me - much to the annoyance of my bf) the best thing to do is to share a mezze platter. It's a real experience for the senses and that way you get to sample a variety of dishes the restaurant has to offer. Food for Friends even has a sweet platter made up of 4 different desserts complete with different sauces, cream and garnishes - it was out of this world! 

BRIGHTON BIRTHDAY

I wanted to get away from crazy city life for my Birthday this year (I must be getting old), so my boyfriend took me on a trip to Brighton for the day. The sun was shining and it couldn't have been a better day to have fun and enjoy the last of the Summer sun.

First we had a little stroll around the lanes then went for lunch at a vegetarian restaurant called Terre a Terre (sorry don't know how to do the accent on the a!). We opted for the sharing platter which comprised of mini versions of all the popular main dishes - we were blown away! There were mini nachos and guacamole, sesame tofu, wasabi cashews, aubergine zhuganoush and a teeny weeny glass of kale soup to name a few. 

All of this was followed by a chorus of Happy Birthday which was sung to me by the waiter (highly embarrassing but very sweet) and an amazing dark chocolate ganache and mixed berry birthday cake to take home - all vegan of course. 

The food was out of this world and we will definitely be visiting this restaurant in the near future (if not just to sample the churros). I'd recommend this place to everyone from veggie to meat eater as the quality of food is top notch, the service is excellent and presentation is incredible - what's not to like! All in all it was the perfect Birthday meal. 

DHAL

Another great source for vegan/vegetarian recipes is Ocado as you can filter the recipes by dietary requirement to find something suitable. That's were I found this beauty for Dhal curry, another one of my favourite winter warmers. Be prepared the recipe has a lot of ingredients and takes around one hour to make in total (prep and cooking time) but it's soo worth the effort! I would go as far as to say this is the best veggie curry I've ever made or tried and I've had a fair few.

I served mine with brown rice, I'm trying to swap all my white grains at the moment, 1. because it's healthier and 2. to see if it makes a difference to my weight and digestion (I always feel and look so bloated after white carbs!)

As you can see this dish is so vibrantly colourful and full of different veggies, lentils and spices, making this one nutritious dish.

Ingredients

400ml Coconut Milk 

1⁄2 bag Garden Peas 

1⁄2 bag Spinach

1⁄2 tsp Coriander

1 handful Flat Leaved Parsley, fresh

2 tbsp Blended Olive Oil

1 Large Onions

3 cloves Garlic

1 tbs Root Ginger

1 tsp Ground Cumin

400g Puy Lentils

1⁄2 tsp Mixed Spice

1⁄2 tsp Ground Turmeric

1 packet Fresh Coriander

6 large Tomatoes, cut in to 8 segments

6 whole Sundried Tomatoes, chopped

1 small Butternut Squash, diced in to approx 3 cm squared cubes

Instructions

1. Add the oil to a frying pan and cook the onion until it softens; for a minute or so. Then add the garlic, being careful not to brown, for a further minute.
2. Add the butternut squash, fresh and sundried tomatoes and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Then add the dried spices and mix well. Cook for a further 2 minutes before adding the coconut milk. Cover and cook for on a low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
4. Add the frozen peas and the lentils, stir and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and add the chopped spinach and fresh coriander. Stir through just until it wilts and serve immediately with a sprinkling of fresh parsley or even a swirl of natural yoghurt.

Perfect served with popadoms, chapattis or warm naan bread on the side with some mango chutney for dipping, if you want to be a little bit cheeky.

WHY VEGAN?

Over the past few months I've written about vegan recipes, make up and outfits, which is all fun and games but I realised I haven't actually talked about the many reasons for being a vegan. While they may sound obvious to those of you who already are, I'd like to let the readers who aren't vegan know why someone would choose this kind of lifestyle. 

The no.1 reason for me is that animals should not be used as commodities to fulfil our selfish, unnecessary desires (notice that I said desires and not needs). This is because meat is not an essential nutrient, humans can still live, breathe and actually attain better health without meat. The documentary Forks over Knives shows us the vegan diet is healthier, 'Their research led them to a startling conclusion: degenerative diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole-foods, plant-based diet."

Meat eaters often respond to vegans with 'clever' quips such as 'eating animals is all part of the food chain, animals kill each other so why shouldn't we eat them'. What they don't realise is that we should know better because we don't need to eat animals and we should be taking care of those more vulnerable than us, not abusing them. Another popular one is 'I would go veggie but I need my protein for the gym', again this is an unjustified observation. As a vegetarian or vegan you can make up the same amount of protein in meat by eating a combination of healthy veggies, grains and nuts (see here). For example Tempeh packs a protein punch of 19g per 100g while just two cups of kidney beans contain about 26g of protein (almost the same as a Big Mac, which has 25 grams!). 

Do you see through these programmed responses, how we have been manipulated by the media (through our ego self) to think that we need to eat meat to survive? They do this because it sustains the current infrastructure of making money out of your disease (dis-ease). They don't care about your health but you should! I see veganism as a choice to take back your rights to health, well-being and spirituality.

I believe we're here to get along with everyone and everything harmoniously, being the best we can be in this life by making conscious decisions about what's right and wrong, a moral value that often seems lost in the age of Miley Cyrus and Rihanna as role models. People seem to be living only for the now and ignoring the later consequences, while veganism is about choosing a more responsible and sustainable approach to life, not only for your own health but for the planet as well.

The trouble is people think they are so small in this vast universe that they can't make a difference to the world but they don't realise they are part of the universe and should be working in conjunction with it not against it! They say 'if the meat is already sitting nicely pre-packaged on the supermarket shelf why shouldn't I buy it?' To them I would say one person making a conscious decision to become a vegetarian saves 100 animals a year (source). One person changing their lifestyle inspires others to do the same and before you know it you've influenced a whole group, it's a knock on effect. I have already noticed people close to me eating less meat, whether its subconsciously or not, your actions do affect other people!

Vegan food is damn tasty too! I've had meat eaters try my meatless meals and dairy free desserts and not be able to tell the difference. There are vegan/vegetarian substitutes for almost every animal product you can think of and I believe the food tastes better because no pain or suffering went into the making of it. The one thing I would say that's potentially bad about a vegan diet is the high intake of soya, however look at the Asian populations who eat soya very regularly yet live longer, healthier lives than all of us! So the jury's still out on whether it's actually bad for you or not. For now I try to buy these products in moderation and eat as close to nature as possible i.e. more organic fruits and veggies with less processed, pre-packaged foods. If you are going to eat soya always try to go for the organic option. 

I've also recently noticed a lot of vegan foods have 'natural flavourings' listed as an ingredient. This is an umbrella term and is allowed to be derived from anything, including Castoreum (secretion from a beaver's anal glands - yup), GM and Aspartame (source), so I'm thinking this ingredient is also best avoided until there's more research/guidelines for this.

While I have much more to say on this topic I've gone on long enough for now! I hope I've given a fair point of view on veganism to allow you to make your own mind up, I could talk about this subject all day so if anyone has any questions regarding this post or would like some advice on turning vegan - get in touch! 

GOURMET BURGER KITCHEN

GBK Falafel Burger

GBK Covent Garden

Last weekend my boyfriend and I decided to take our traditional yearly trip to Covent Garden to soak in the Christmas atmosphere. This year I had a little panic wondering where I would eat out then I remembered the Gourmet Burger Kitchen has always had a good range of veggie burgers so hoped there would be something vegan on the menu. 

The staff were really accommodating to my requirements and allowed me to modify the falafel burger to come without the cucumber raita or garlic mayo. Apparently they also cook all the veggie burgers in a separate fryer to the meat which is really good to know. The falafels were fried and smooshy in the middle, my favourite kind! We also ordered a side of chunky fries and some onion rings to share, the whole thing was deelicious! I was super full afterwards which was perfect as it warmed me up and kept me going throughout our busy day, I still couldn't eat a bite come dinnertime (highly unlike me).

If your wondering about the monkey nuts in the pic, they're free and you can help yourself to snack on them before your meal but seeing as it's so filling I wouldn't advise it! I also took a few shots of the interior as it's the prettiest GBK I've seen.

If your planning to visit London in the next couple of months be sure to stop by Covent Garden for the market, live music, chestnuts roasting and those giant baubles! It's guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit. 

Topshop Hat (similar)// Scarf (Urban Outfitters vintage)

CAT & THE CREAM

On this dreary drizzly day, when all you want to do is tuck up at home with a cuppa tea, a good book and something naughty to nibble at I thought I'd share with you my favourite Vegan cake by a company called Cat & The Cream. My life became complete when a Wholefoods recently opened up nearby me, being a vegan it just makes food shopping a whole lot easier (and pricier!) but I've always thought it's important to spend your money where it matters i.e nutrition, health, wellbeing etc.

Ok so the cake isn't nutritious or healthy but it definitely makes me happy so that counts as wellbeing right?! So far I've tried the Banana, Cashew and Peanut Butter which was pretty amazing but my fav flavour has to be the Banana, Walnut & Choc Chip with Butterscotch Icing (drool). They are very rich and highly calorific at a whopping 509(!) cals per cake, so I often share one of these with my other half or save the rest for another time (literally having your cake and eating it too!), so while they retail at around £2.69 - which is quite pricey for a cupcake, you do get a big portion for your pennies. You can tell a lot of thought has gone into this product as they're so perfectly packaged, at halloween my cupcake even had a cute little dark chocolate ghost on top of it!

These cupcakes are: Vegan, Dairy Free, Wheat Free AND Soya Free, which must be quite a task to achieve. I really appreciate when food companies don't automatically use soya, as vegan products are often full of it!

Another great vegan cake company based at the Greenwich Market in London is Ruby Tuesdays, I bought my boyfriend a birthday cake from her stall this year and it tasted just like a real chocolate cake, my non-vegan/vegetarian relatives couldn't even taste the difference! They also offer a variety of completely vegan baked goods such as: banana bread, biscuits, brownies and even donuts(!). Their pretty little stall is worthy of a post in itself, which reminds me I must pay them a visit again soon...

MY VERSION: WAGAMAMAS CHILLI MEN

Wagamamas Yasai Chilli Men

When I first went vegan I was worried I wouldn't be able to eat out with my friends and family like I used to, for fear of every vegetarian option on the menu consisting of either cheese or egg (am I right?). I needn't have worried as most places, especially big chains (weirdly enough) are fairly accommodating to meet your dietary requirements and will often omit the dairy ingredient from any given dish.

One of my favourite places to eat out has always been Wagamamas (partly because I can convince myself it's Japanese and therefore healthy). Thankfully they are very accommodating to vegans and even have a dietary guide available on request to aid you in your decision making. Most of the veggie noodle/soup dishes can be made vegan by swapping the egg noodles to udon noodles. Or by simply asking them to leave out the egg in dishes such as the Yasai Cha Han and the Pad Thai. However I have heard the pickles that come with the Cha Han contain milk (I don't know why either) so stay away from those!

As far as desserts go I'm pretty sure there's no choice but to opt for their real fruit ice lollies. If you try the cherry one you won't even care, it's amazing!

As a vegan my new favourite dish on their menu is the Yasai Chilli Men with udon noodles, the meal is very filling and quite spicy with loads of flavour. The tofu and vegetables come in huge chunks of deliciousness and this is one of those dishes that actually tastes better with the Udon noodles! This rainy weekend I ended up walking along the river thames at night, it was getting very chilly and dark so I couldn't wait to huddle into Wagamamas and be presented with a hot plate of spicy chilli men, the perfect antidote to a cold a winter's evening.

If you don't have a Wagamamas restaurant nearby, or you would prefer to cook your own it's a very easy dish to replicate. You can even buy a jar of Wagamamas own brand spicy chilli men sauce from the supermarket and simply stir fry it in a big wok with these ingredients:

- 1 block of firm tofu, I recommend Dragonfly organic tofu (also available from Wholefoods and Holland and Barratt).
- Approx 2tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 courgettes
- 1 red onion
- 1/2 packet of mangetout
- 1/2 pack of white button mushrooms
- 1/2 a green pepper
- 1/2 a red pepper
- Pinch of salt
- Soy sauce/hot sauce to taste (optional)
- 2 parcels of Udon noodles boiled separately (I recommend the Clearspring organic ones).

This meal serves two (simply double the ingredients if you want to feed four). Sorry for the not very accurate measurements as this is my own made up recipe!

My version of Yasai Chilli Men 

Let me know if you make this at home, I'd love to hear your results. Do you have a favourite vegan dish when dining out?

FAUX FIX: DESIGNER PICKS

L:R: Falabella Bag // Faux Fur Coat // Vinyl Pencil Skirt // Cotton Shirt // Leopard Slippers // Lip Print Sweater

When I tell some people that I'm a vegan I think they are a bit taken aback, as though it's not a normal thing to be. So I want to show the world that us vegans are 'normal' too and can enjoy everything that meat eaters do! In fact I'm more convinced than ever that the vegan diet should be what's considered normal, having recently watched the documentary Forks over Knives, which examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods.

While my ideals of what's ethical may have changed, my love for fashion has always remained, I've just made a few adjustments to my wardrobe (as well as my diet) along the way (see post). I've been interested in fashion since my early childhood, I would spend hours playing with my fashion wheel game (we didn't have iPads back then) and even went on to pursue my dream of becoming a fashion designer at College and University. 

Most of the time designers like to use real leather, fur and silk, after all that's where your money is going (or so they would like you to believe) so when you pay a designer price tag you would expect it to be the 'real' deal. Therefore it's often harder to pick out higher end items that are vegan friendly. Stella McCartney is probably the most well known for being an ethical designer, as a lifelong vegetarian her collections contain no leather or fur. However some garments are made from silk and wool so not all items are vegan, but for vegan shoes and bags Stella McCartney would be my first designer of choice - if only I could afford it! 

I've taken the liberty of painstakingly (yeah right) searching through Net-A-Porter to find the most on trend (vegan) designer picks of the moment. It's just annoying that there's no 'one' designer company that does all vegan items with a sustainable ethos to match. At the minute the best we can do is pick and choose our peices but hopefully with more people buying these items and shunning the skins we are persuading them to make more and forgo the unnecessary cruelty...

The pic above is what I like to call the 'tough yet cuddly' look, that you could wear during the day, to work or even dress up in the evening with a different top and some heels. You can also get the Falabella bag in a fold up version that works as a clutch too, so that would be a worthy investment if ever I saw one ;). Personally I'd would wear all of these items together as I love the contrasting prints and textures of the faux fur and the shiny vinyl. The sweater over a pencil skirt look was seen at Jonathan Saunders and seems so perfect this winter. On colder days I'd wear the shirt underneath the jumper so the crisp white collar is poking out (my favourite look at the minute). Overall a versatile and layered Winter look that's cruelty free! Now who wants to sponsor me to wear it?... anyone??

Can you recommend any other ethical/vegan designers?

SKINCARE: BOOTS BOTANICS

With the air getting colder and my skin becoming increasingly dryer, I've been on the lookout for some natural, or as close to natural skincare products as I can get. Online is probably your best bet when trying to scour something truly pure and vegan, alas I was down to my last make-up wipe and needed a replacement quick so I headed down to my local Boots.

Doubtful I would find anything I was happy with on the high street I had a look anyway and was pleasantly surprised to see the Boots Botanics range has had a makeover and offering skincare that's between 80 and 100% organic.

Hand Cream // Cleanser // Day Cream

The products were all great to use, I put them on before I went to bed last night. The initial application of the moisturiser made my skin feel slightly tightened but I awoke to find my skin soft and clear this morning. I believe they must have changed the formula, that or the organic one is the only one that agrees with my skin, as I tried the normal botanics moisturiser last year and broke out in a nasty rash! 

The cleanser removed my makeup really well, quickly and easily - which is exactly what I was looking for, being a self confessed lazy makeup wipe abuser. I'm glad I made the change to cleanser as my current brand of make up wipes were actually beginning to sting my eyes. I won't name names but they're a VERY well known brand that claims to be natural (in a round about way) with 'no chemicals, no alcohol, perfume or colour', so I was surprised to find the ingredients listed as Methyparaban and Propylparaben, you can read more about these controversial ingredients here. 

As I was weighing up which products to get in the store (I frequently spend hours in stores doing this!) I googled Boots products and their statement to someone who enquired was:

"Thanks for your enquiry regarding our Botanics range.

I am pleased to confirm that all of this range will be suitable for vegetarians, as it does not contain any animal ingredients.

None of the Boots branded products are tested on animals."

Which led me to believe they were ok for vegans too, however I did notice when I got home that the Botanics day moisturiser does contain beeswax which is considered by some to not be a vegan ingredient. Being a transitioning vegetarian, I am still on the fence about this one, I definately don't eat honey anymore as I'm aware of the damage this causes to the bees (read: here) however the beeswax extraction seems like a non-harmful process. While it is still an animal by-product, the bees don't need the wax and the collection of it doesn't harm them in the process (that I'm aware of). Please correct me if I'm wrong as I am still forming opinions about this...

What natural skincare products do you use?

TERRIFIC TURMERIC TOFU

I have been adding turmeric to my favourite tofu scramble for a while now, mainly as it gives it that yellow 'egg' look and also because I love the warm taste and fragrance it gives to an otherwise (let's face it) pretty bland dish, but it wasn't until this week that I discovered the long list of fantastic health benefits it has too, such as:

1.) Combating depression

2.) Anti-inflammatory properties

3.) Preventative cancer blocking

4.) Radiation reduction (from daily usage of mobile/cell/cordless phones etc.)

5.) Boots the immune system 

And too many more to mention here! You can read more about the fantastic benefits of turmeric here.

Above: Linda McCartney vegetarian sausages (vegan friendly), tofu, spinach, onions and tomatoes.

I love this dish as you can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner! It's so easy to make and you can get lots of veggies in one go if you chuck 'em all in to the mix. Be sure to use organic tofu though as 89 percent of soy beans grown are genetically modified. 

Here's how I make my scramble:

1.) Take a block of tofu and drain any liquid, if you prefer the scramble to be dry then pat with a kitchen towel. (It doesn't have to be firmed first as your going to scramble it). 

2.) Heat some oil in a frying pan then add the tofu and begin to break it up in the pan.

2.) Fry the onions separately till lightly brown, then add the tomatoes and fry for a couple of minutes.

3.) Boil some spinach, do this towards the end as this only takes around 4 mins.

4.) When the tofu is cooked after around 6-8 mins, add the fried onions and tomatoes. Stir in (approximately) a teaspoon of turmeric then add some salt and black pepper.

5.) Serve with veggie sausages or vegan 'meat' substitute. Also equally nice on toast or a bagel. 

I also recommend adding generous amounts of turmeric to rice and curry dishes. Another easy way to make sure you get a large dose of turmeric into your daily diet is by taking capsules. I have been taking Viridian capsules as in my opinion these are the best brand (and vegan too), you can get them from Revital stores or online here.

Do you have any great turmeric recipes to share?