Vegan

Vegan Pancakes with Blueberry Compote Recipe

February 16, 2015

Being Vegan doesn’t mean missing out, quite the opposite actually. It opens you up to new way’s of reinventing old recipes. I often get cravings for Pancakes and since the ever popular pancake day is tomorrow, here’s my Vegan pancake recipe for you all to try.

For the pancake mixture:

150g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

300ml water (you can also try adding a little soy or almond milk to this, just substitute the water.)

1 tablespoon oil

2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon mixed spice (optional)

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

For the blueberry compote:

1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup of water

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

In a small saucepan, add the blueberries, water and coconut sugar. Bring to a very gentle boil and simmer on low whilst you make the pancakes, stirring occasionally until the blueberries have caramelised. Be careful that the compote doesn’t start to burn, you can always add more water if you feel it’s getting too thick.

Mix your pancake ingredients together either in a food processor or a bowl. If you are using a bowl, you should sift the flour first (something I’m guilty of never doing!!!). Whisk until nice and smooth.

Heat a frying pan, spray lightly with oil and once warm, pour a few tablespoons of your batter in. Once formed, you can flip them over and cook the other side.

Serve with a dollop of your blueberry compote and a drizzle of golden syrup or Vegan chocolate sauce if you’re feeling really naughty! (We recommend choc shot).

Totally hellbent for having my (pan)cake and eating it

Pants

Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Vegan Pear Crumble

January 30, 2015

Whoever believes that Vegan’s eat nothing but “rabbit food” and lead strict healthy diets are wrong, as are those who believe we miss out on all the good stuff. One of my most favourite Winter-esque deserts is a crumble – primarily made with lot’s of sugar and margarine, but with one teeny tiny switch, you won’t even notice the difference and will have probably helped to save a cow somewhere along the line.

My vegan crumble recipe also features not one but two ingredients which I discovered through The Vegan Kind Lifestyle box and it’s a great way to get started if you want to open up your mind to other cruelty free products, stay on the Veganuary band wagon and continue into February, or just love snacking on amazing treats! This is definitely one of the easiest recipes to make and it serves two. You can easily double up the ingredients as required to make more though and if you remember that you use double the quantity of flour to your fat and sugar, then you’ll probably need never look for a crumble recipe ever again.

What you’ll need:

2 small oven proof dishes, I used 9 inch ramekins
1 pouch of Clearspring Pear Puree or the equivalent in fruit – tinned or fresh.
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
80g Plain Flour (you can also use Gluten/Wheat Free)
40g Vegan Margarine – I used Pure Soya Spread (which FYI is cheaper than most leading brands of margarine in Supermarkets and always on offer)
40g Coconom Coconut Sugar – You can use any other sugar if you don’t have Coconut Sugar

Method

Start by pre-heating your oven to roughly Gas Mark 5/6 or 190/200 degrees. If you are using a fruit puree, you can simply squeeze this between your two ramekins or oven proof dishe(s), add a teaspoon of Cinnamon to each and mix well. If you are using fresh fruit, I tend to boil this with a little water and a teaspoon of sugar until it’s soft and sticky. Once it’s softened, share it between your ramekins.

Add your flour, vegan margarine and sugar to a blender and turn it on. If you don’t have a food processor then all you need is a bowl and a little bit of elbow grease. (I made all my cakes and puddings by hand mixing prior to the arrival of my new food processor last Christmas).

Divide your crumble mix between your two ramekins and pop into the oven on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Serve with some yummy vegan custard, vegan cream or on their own. Delicious!

Are there any puddings you love to make and eat during Winter? I’d love to hear them in the comments below.

Totally hellbent for not missing out on anything ever

– Pants

Fragrance

Yves Rocher So Elixir Purple EDP

January 28, 2015

My very first Glossybox contained an adorable mini-sized bottle of Yves Rocher So Elixir Purple, and I’ve been lusting after a bottle ever since. Luckily Amie is amazing when it comes to picking me presents directly from my cosmetics wish list and she very kindly bought me a bottle for Christmas. As you can see I’ve already made a tiny dent in it, and honestly I’m such a fan of this fragrance I can’t see it lasting long at all!

So Elixir Purple is described as “an infusion of tuberose, essential oils of vetiver, bergamot, patchouli and benzoin extract“, conjuring thoughts of an incensey deep dark scent that fits very much with the feel of the packaging, however I think it’s a much lighter fragrance; fruity – and very heavy on grape/berry notes at first, and it takes a few hours to settle from the initial burst of sweetness.

There is something quite deep and mysterious about So Elixir Purple – oriental undertones and certainly some woody notes – yet on the surface it’s a very feminine and wearable scent.

The inner-geek in me lives in delight that the bottle looks a little bit like a magic potion, and is small and sturdy enough that I feel like I can put it in my handbag without worrying about it breaking. Not that I really have to though, because the scent is pretty long lasting in truth, and I could still pick up hints of it after a long day at the studio.

Yves Rocher were one of the forerunners in banning their cosmetics from animal testing, use no animal products in any of their ranges (with the exception of honey and bees wax) and go out of their way to try and keep their products as organic as possible, so I’m happy knowing I can indulge in their gorgeous fragrances without worrying my conscience.

So Elixir Purple is currently half price direct from the Yves Rocher website at only £16.75 for the 30ml bottle.

Totally hellbent for getting those gifts that you really really want!

Gem

Hauls, Lifestyle, Vegan, Vegetarian

West Midlands Vegan Festival

November 3, 2014

A week on Saturday we pried ourselves away from the internet and our home offices to go to Vegan Fest 2014 in Wolverhampton. We took our trusty carnivorous band mates Adam and Matt along so they could sample some delights. This event had been in our calendar for a few months since we couldn’t get down to London (next year maybe!) but having such an event almost on our door steps really couldn’t be missed. We met many lovely people including the brains and beauty behind The Vegan Kind Box and discovered many delicious treats and shinies to take home as treasured spoils.

Here are some of the delights we brought home:

Round Up Hand Crafted Gourmet Wagon Wheel Cake

I definitely miss marshmallows as a non meat eater. Unfortunately they are in a lot of nice foods – wagon wheels, rocky road cake, luxurious hot chocolates from the German Market. When we saw these, we’d almost convinced ourselves that we didn’t need them. Unfortunately second time round the stalls, we didn’t get away and ended up buying one each. Since I knew I was going for an hour long power walk that evening, I had mine immediately after taking a few snaps and it was absolutely divine! Much better than the “real thing” and something I’ll be on the look out for again.

£2.50 from Ananda Foods

Vege Bears – Slightly Sour

Another thing I miss is sour sweets – Haribo Tangfastic Cherry’s and fizzy cola bottles if I had to pinpoint them specifically. These were found on the way in and were the first purchase of the day. Surprisingly, they’ve lasted me all week and although they aren’t quite Haribo they come a close second.

£12.39 for 8 packs from Amazon

Harper’s Bizarres Soya Candle in Cinnamon Dreams

I’m a huge candle lover, so finding Vegan scented candles that are animal friendly was like a dream come true. If the array of deliciously scented candles wasn’t enough to fuel our need to buy things, the lady behind it all was an absolute pleasure to talk to and made the whole experience of sniffing candles a thousand times more exciting. This candle was an experimental one and I really hope they decide to make more because it is absolutely gorgeous. I’ve already got a list of the other candles I’m going to pick up from her online store next payday as well.

£5.00 from Harper’s Bizarres

Dairy-Free Bellissimo Parmesan

As a child we would always have grated Parmesan in the cupboard reserved strictly for “Spag Bol” nights, after discussing this at the Harper’s Bizarres stand, we were kindly pointed into the direction of Ananda foods where they had an ample supply of Vegan Parmesan. I’ve tried it since on a few pasta dishes and it’s absolutely perfect as well as reunited me with a few childhood memories.

£3.49 from Ananda Foods

Lush Snow Fairy

I wish they had pop up Lush stands everywhere! I can maybe manage to stand in a store for about 10 seconds before I’m hit in the face with a massive migraine, so being able to browse a few bits without this was amazing. Gem spotted the snow fairy first and after I’d given it a sniff I was hooked. I bought this and ended up with a free sample of beard wax and a badge too.

£3.75 from Lush

Banana Choc Drizzle Marshmallows

As I mentioned above, I miss marshmallows so much and recently thrived off having a taste of “Freedom Mallows” in a recent Vegan Kind box. When I saw these I just had to try them. I’m a bit of a sucker for Banana flavored things, so I was pretty excited about munching my way through these, even if my inner self was frowning at the potential calorie count. Despite my excitement though, they weren’t that nice which was a little disappointing. Having been spoiled with Freedom Mallows I think I ruined the future of Vegan mallows for myself. Still they won’t go to waste as my other half will be sinking his teeth into them.

£3.75 from Ananda Foods

Vegan Kind #TVK12 Box

Amie has been a subscriber to the amazing Vegan Kind box for nearly a year now, but I’ve never quite talked myself into it on the basis that I’m a really fussy eater (and anytime there is something I would enjoy inside Amie shares hers with me anyway!) but after meeting the lovely masterminds behind the box I just had to pick on up from their stand. You can see the full contents and read Amie’s thoughts on TVK12 here.

£7.00 (full price £10 + P&P) from The Vegan Kind

Harper’s Bizarres Soya Candle in Waffles

I really had to talk myself out of buying one of everything from the Harper’s Bizarres stand, but finally settled on “Waffles” a one-off experiment fragrance that completely satisfied all my sugary cravings! All the candles are handmade from vegan-friendly soy wax and are completely animal friendly, and with so many gorgeous scents on offer I’m sure to be placing another order online soon!

£5.00 from Harper’s Bizarres

Dairy-Free Bellissimo Parmesan

I am one of those terrible vegetarians who tries to go vegan every other week but ultimately fails because of cheese. This however might just be my savoir! It’s not too heavy on the calories and does have a lovely nutty cheesy flavour.

£3.49 from Ananda Foods

Round Up Hand Crafted Gourmet Wagon Wheel Cake

The thing I miss most from my omnivore days is probably a toss-up between jelly sweets and marshmallows, so seeing a whole stand full of fluffy white nommy-ness, I knew I had to have something. I settled for a vegan wagon wheel and oh my god – it’s the best thing ever! Way nicer than I remember it being even!

£2.50 from Ananda Foods

Lush Snow Fairy

I’ve always wanted to try Snow Fairy, but much like Amie I find that going into the Lush stores gives me a headache. Seeing it on the Lush stand meant I had to have a quick sniff and it was purchased mere moments later! The lovely Lush ladies also gave me a free beard wax that has been put aside for Roode, and a badge.

£3.75 from Lush

Miso On The Go Soup

I’m not actually a fan of miso soup as I find it far too fishy, but my other half adores all things that taste of the ocean so he will be receiving the many many free samples I picked up along the trip!

£0.90 from Clearspring

We had an amazing time and already can’t wait for our next Vegan adventures. It definitely makes us feel more comfortable knowing that we can still eat all the (naughty) nice things whilst keeping up our cruelty free lifestyle. Have you been to any Vegan/Veggie related events recently? If so, let us know which ones and what spoils you picked up!

Totally hellbent for not having to check labels when we shop

Gem & Pants

Most Wanted

April Most Wanted

April 14, 2014

1. Urban Decay Electric Palette – [Link]

I love my Naked palette but I’m a brights girl at heart, I’ve seen nothing but rave reviews for this and so it’s now on my OMGINEEDTHISINMYLIFE list. I think UD palettes are well worth the investment, and though I was considering another Naked I think I’ll be far more likely to pick this up instead!

2. Katy Perry Oh So Sheer – [Link]

Katy Perry Killer Queen is still my favourite fragrance, but I do quite fancy this lighter variant for less in-your-face-perfume moments. Plus the purple is ever so pretty!

3. Vegan New Rocks – [Link]

I feel the time is soon to indulge my life-long want for New Rocks without the need for killing any cows. Yes they’re pretty pricey (and more expensive than the leather versions…tsk!) but none-the-less they will get me through many a muddy festival ground and keep me from falling over when I windmill on stage.

4. Sleek Blush in Rose Gold – [Link]

I have issues with how much I want this blusher, yet I never seem to pick it up when I pop to Superdrug. This is the month. Now is the time. Rose gold…you will be mine.

5. Manowar Earings – [Link]

I love Manowar, I love jewellery. I kind of hoped they would be made of 100% PURE STEEL, but alas they are silver.

6. Sleek Garden Of Eden palette – [Link]

After I fell in love with my Sleek Au Naturel Palette (review and swatches here), I knew it wouldn’t be long till I was after my next fix of delicious and creamy (but easy on the pocket!) eyeshadows, this one has been doing the rounds on my favourite blogs and all the lovely swatches have convinced me that it should be my next choice!

A good mix of delicious desirables to do some serious purse damage this month! What are you lusting after after the moment?

Totally hellbent for wanting ALL OF THE THINGS RIGHT NOW

– Gem

Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Vegan Banana Flapjack Recipe

April 14, 2014

I came back from my week away to Scotland to a fruit bowl full of blackened squidgy bananas – the only way to resolve this, was to use them in some baking! This is a Vegan recipe, great for using up old bananas, or if you aren’t a banana fan, you can leave them out completely and add a few more oats or dried fruit. This recipe also features my newly acquired Coconom Coconut Sugar from The Vegan Kind box number 6! Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 cups of porridge oats (approximately 180 grams) (I used just over 1 cup – If you want gooey flapjacks, use less Oats, but remember if you add more oats, this will bump up the nutritional values)
1/2 cup of Soya Spread (approximately 125 grams)
1 tablespoon honey ( swap this for golden syrup or equivalnt for Vegan flapjacks)
4 tablespoons golden syrup ( alternatively you can just use honey)
1 over ripened, squidgy banana you would like to save (mashed)
2 tablespoons Coconom Coconut Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Nutritional Information: If like me you like to know the calories and other info for everything, here is a rough estimation of the
Nutritional Values:
Calories: 113
Fat: 9.4g
Saturated: 2.2g
Sodium 52.8mg
Carbs: 6.7g
Sugars: 3.5g
Proten: 0.6g
Iron: 1.1%

Method:

Preheat the oven to approximately 180 degrees or Gas Mark 4/5. In a saucepan, add the Soya Spread, Syrup, Honey, Sugar, Vanilla Essence and Cinammon. Heat gently until the Soya Spread and Sugar has melted. Turn off the head and add your mashed banana and oats to the pan. Mix the banana and oats thoroughly into your saucepan. Spread the mixture onto a lined baking tray and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Once browned, remove from the Oven and cut into slices – I’ve sliced mine up into 15 mini gooey chunks, which is what the Nutritional guidance is based on. Allow to cool or eat them whilst warm! This is a great easy recipe that can be adapted to include lots of different fruit, perfect for nibbling on and great as a basic mix to make some naughtier breakfast flapjacks. I hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe and if you’ve tried it yourself I’d love to see some pictures and see your comments below!

Totally hellbent for using up all my soggy bananas

-Pants

Lifestyle, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind April Box

April 11, 2014

After my week away to Scotland last week with an almost full on Internet ban, this was a great box to come home to to ease me back into blogging after catching up with all my e-mails!

This is my third Vegan Kind box – for those that haven’t seen this, it’s a box that contains around 5-8 products that are all cruelty free and Vegan – they also donate 10p of each box to the chosen Charity for the month. It’s a great way to discover new things that fit in with a cruelty free lifestyle. This months charity is The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary for Guinea Pigs in East Hunsbury, Northampton – go take a peek, the pictures are guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

Onto the contents:

The first thing to excite me about this box is that I finally received my recipe binder. This months recipe is a Salted Chocolate Tart – this looks very yummy and I may have a bash at this when my waist line has recovered from my week away! That aside, my previous recipe cards now live in this folder and it remains on my recipe stand in the kitchen amongst my others. If you do sign up to this box, you’ll receive the binder in your third box but you receive your recipe cards each month regardless.

Rebel Kitchen Choco Mylk 200ml (RRP £1)

I’m definitely excited about giving this a try. I’m a fan of milkshakes, although these days they are a rarity – I currently only drink Soya milk, although have tried Almond milk in the past. The bitterness of the Soya milk isn’t overly idea for full on milkshakes, so the addition of coconut milk and spring water sounds very appealing. It’s completely dairy free with no additives or preservatives and also comes in other flavours. With 102 calories per drink, and 2.8g of fat it’s definitely a good snack alternative to a bar of chocolate or a shop bought shake. The price is also fairly reasonable at £14.73 (not including postage and packaging) for a pack of 12 from their website which works out at roughly £1.20 per carton. You can take a look at their other flavours and purchase a taster pack from their website here.

Coconom Coconut Sugar 250g (RRP £3.25)

Wow – what a beast of a bag this is! I adore baking and always try to experiment with lower fat and sugar alternatives as well as trying to keep my recipes Vegan. Each teaspoon contains 15 calories, no fat, 9mg sodium and 4g of Carbohyrdrate (Sugars) compared to Granulated Sugar which is roughly 15 calories and 14.2g of Carbohydrate. Another interesting thing about the sugar is that allegedly due to the minimal processing of the product, it retains its nutritious components which include a verity of macro and micro nutrients. Having said that, I’m probably not going to start having sugar in my tea any time soon but I am very eager to start baking with this!

For more of their products and also some great recipes, check out the Coconom website here.

Freya Luna Lip and Body balm 10g (RRP £3.50)

This little treasure was almost overlooked, hiding in the deepest darkest depths of the box. Seeing the word Lavender instantly excited me though. I’m massive fan of most things Lavender-esque, not only does it smell beautiful but as a natural ingredient it’s also great for skin, whether this be for dry skin or sunburn. The thing I like most about this pot is that it can be used seemingly anywhere including lips and face, which is an added bonus. I have a feeling this is going to fit right into my handbag when I need some on the go moisture. On opening the tin, it smells absolutely beautiful and feels a little oily to the touch, but not in an overly greasy way. It glides onto the skin and seems easily absorbed. I reckon a touch of this either on your lips or your chest before bed will also help relax you ready for sleeping! Very impressed with this small but mighty tin of 100% natural balm.

To look at some of their other products, check out the Freya Luna website here.

Landgarten Organic Dark Chocolate Soya Snack 55g (RRP £1.99)

Since transforming my eating habits, Dark Chocolate has long been one of my staples when I just -have- to have something sweet. I find that one square of Dark Chocolate, gives me as much satisfaction as a whole chocolate bar, plus the added bonus of most Dark Chocolate being Vegan. This tasty looking snack is gluten free and rich in Magnesium, Calcium and Iron – although last time I tried Roasted Soyabeans I wasn’t overly keen, I’m willing to embrace this snack and give the beans another chance!

Landgarten have a fabulous range of Organic, Gluten Free and Vegan snacks that are well worth taking a peek at over at their website here and with 10% off for Vegan Kind customers, I may stock up on a few other nibbles!

Creative Nature Sublime Seed Bar 38g (RRP £1)

Whenever I try most healthy snack bars, they are usually crammed full of dates and raisins – and although I don’t mind the taste of dates, the texture really makes me screw up my face. This seed bar however contains roasted peanut, seed and hemp and is packed full of protein. Although not something I’m going to reach for as a lazy Sunday snack, definitely something I’m looking forward to trying after a hard session in the gym when I need a quick snack to pick me up. It does contain dates and sultanas but I’m crossing my fingers that I can’t actually taste or feel the texture of these so I can enjoy some healthy protein.

They have a few other interesting selections on their website here but nothing that jumps out at me.

Clearspring Miso soup on the go 8g sachet (RRP £1.29 )

I keep hearing about Miso soup and I actually had a packet in my cupboard from another box that I still hadn’t used. This was actually a replacement product as I should have received “Clearspring Sushi Nori” which unfortunately for me, looked quite interesting – a mix of Dried Sea Vegetables, probably right down my street. Alas, I received the Miso Soup and on the very same day my box arrived had decided to experiment and try the packet from my cupboard mixed with some noodles and vegetables. I made the wise decision of pouring the paste version into a jug first and adding water so I could taste it first – since I didn’t want to ruin perfectly good vegetables by throwing everything into a pan. Thankfully my wise decision paid off, since it tasted absolutely disgusting. Now I’m sure there are many people out there who really love Miso soup of all varieties, but it really isn’t for me. This little packet will be going to Gem’s partner Roode since I’ve heard he’s a bit of a fan!

If you fancy trying this out for yourself, simply visit the Clearspring website.

I’m actually really happy with this month’s box, its’ definitely opened me up to a few new brands which I’ll be going back to in the future. This is the main reason I decided to sign up to The Vegan Kind, in the hope I would have my eyes opened to some of the well hidden Vegan gems out there and I have to say, it’s doing exceptionally well so far. I’m already looking forward to my next box and definitely intrigued as to what recipes they will throw in. For some of our Vegetarian recipe posts take a look here.

If you want to try The Vegan Kind box, you can do so for just £10 per month and £2.95 p&p, simple visit their website.

Totally hellbent for soup that isn’t Miso and charities that help Guinea Pigs

– Pants

Lifestyle, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind March Box

March 8, 2014

The Vegan Kind is a new monthly Vegan lifestyle box. It promises to deliver between 5-8 products each month that are all cruelty free and Vegan – they also donate 10p of each box to the chosen Charity for the month. This is my second Vegan Kind box and I’d almost forgotten about it’s arrival until it turned up yesterday morning. The first thing I did when I eventually got into the box, was read the info sheet that came with it. This month 10p will be donated to www.catcuddles.org.uk which I am over the moon with! One thing I like about this box, is the simplicity. Cutting back on unnecessary packaging and leaflets (as much as I love both my Birchbox and Glossybox mags) I really don’t feel guilty for indulging in this simply pleasure and discovery new, ethical products.

Inside the box: Flavour Magic Harrisa Powder (RRP £3.00) Another favourite about this box, is the recipe card you receive, pre hole punched and after a few boxes, The Vegan Kind will send you a little ring binder to store them in. The first product out of the box was this packet of Harissa blend. Packed with lots of spices – cumin, chill, coriander, garlic, mint, caraway, cayenne pepper and salt – this is sure to fit in right at home amongst my kitchen spices. This months recipe is a Lentil Burger and Sweet Potato Fries which also features the Harissa powder, which I think is a really nice touch and gives me something to try this out with. A generous 70g packet will also go a long way! Onthepulse Hot Chick – Spicy Roasted Chickpeas (RRP £1.00) This cute little packet is crammed full of chickpeas spiced in Jamaican Jerk. With 213 calories and 10.7grams of fat it ranks pretty highly on the foods I wouldn’t normally go for, but the 45 gram serving is quite large, and I reckon for the purpose of snacking, a handful here and there couldn’t hurt, especially since it’s high in fibre and 100% natural with no nasty ingredients in. I do enjoy chickpeas so I’m definitely intrigued and can’t wait to crack these open for some snacking of the natural kind! Greenfrog Natural Washing Up Liquid (RRP £1.69) This is an enormous 500ml bottle – and though I have to admit I’m a bit of a Fairy Washing Up Liquid snob, I’m really excited to try out a plant based, bio-degradable and eco-friendly alternative. Infused with essential oils such as Lemon, which contains a natural anti-bacterial – I’m also guessing that this is going to be much kinder to my skin. I also really like the smell – not too lemony but just enough to smell fresh. Perhaps now I won’t let the dishes pile up as much! Pulsin Raw Choc Brownie (RRP £1.91) Allegedly the most chocolate-y brownie using 100% natural ingredients. Wha’ts not to like about this? And actually, looking at the ingredients, I can’t really see anything that would argue this. 50 grams contains 195 calories, 8.7 grams of fat and 27.1 grams of carbohydrates. Not too bad considering the ingredients which include: Dates, Raisins, Cashew Butter, Almonds, Raw Cacao, Brown Rice Powder, Brown Rice Malt, Cacao Butter, Sea Salt and Green Tea Extract are definitely a far cry from the usual sugary contents that most snacks contain. Oh did I also mention it’s dairy free, no added sugar, gluten free and no trans fats? Another -almost- guilt free pleasure. SAF Express Raw Coconut Cookies (RRP £4.29)

I know for some people, it’s a bit of a love it or hate it thing, but I definitely -love- coconut. Seeing these, made my face light up and I have no idea how I’ve resisted the urge to nibble on them. Four fairly decent sized cookies – mint, mixed berry and plain. No nutritional details on this packet, but the ingredients look fab – Coconut flakes, Agave, Almond nibbed, Raspberry, Blackberry, Grated Lemon, Himalaya salt, Water, Mint oil and Spirulina. I do enjoy trying new things, especially if they are natural and not processed so this is yet another snack to enjoy without feeling too bad.

Overall, I’m really happy with this month’s box. Although it’s quite snack heavy, I really don’t mind. I’m always on the look out for healthier alternatives to boost me through the day and I can’t wait to start cooking with the Harissa spice mix. I was still quite undecided at the last box and I think a lot of this is due to my masses of beauty boxes I receive, so it was a little different to that and I really had to remind myself of this. But I’m definitely enjoying having my eyes opened to all the Vegan products available out there!

To get your hands on The Vegan Kind action for just £10 per month and £2.95 p&p, visit their site here.

Totally hellbent for cruelty free living and guilt free snacking

-Pants

Recipes, Vegetarian

Vegetarian Chicken & Mushroom Pie

February 18, 2014

The only time I ever struggle to eat as a Vegetarian is when I go out. Whether it be something as simple as restaurants presuming that fish is eaten by Veggies, going to Subway and getting that irritated look when you ask the server to change their gloves, only to find they have been using the green handled knife to cut tuna mayo sandwiches or deciding to stop off for a quick snack on the way to a gig and you’re offered a pitiful selection of soggy cheese sandwiches on thick white bread. My point here is that anything Meat can do, Veggie food can do too and yes I may be biased but for the most part Veggie food does it better! I know lots of you really enjoyed my last recipe, so I thought I would share another quick one with you all.

Ingredients:

For the pie:

2 Quorn fillets/Vegan equivalent (tofu perhaps?)
Approx 100grams mushrooms (any kind and the weight really is negotiable)
Half an onion
1 clove of garlic
100ml Vegetable Stock (make sure this is Vegan/Veggie as some stock brands are a little sneaky)
150ml Soya Milk
50ml Soya Cream (if you are watching your weight, you can use more water, less milk and skip out on the cream)
Roughly 6oz shortcrust OR Puff Pastry (Depending on how big your pie dish is, mine is roughly 8 inches)
1 tablespoon Soya Spread
1 tablespoon of Plain Flour (You can also use Gluten Free Flour)
1/2 teaspoon of Fresh or Dried Parsley

If you want to make Shortcrust Pastry:

3oz Soya Spread
6oz Plain Flour
5-10mls Water (Add water slowly until you have a stiff dough)
Pinch of salt (Add a little sugar too if you want sweet pastry)

If you want to make a quick Shortcrust pastry, simply rub the spread into the butter, add the pinch of salt and slowly add the water until it forms a dough. You don’t want it too soft and sticky, I usually leave mine in the fridge for a little while after I’ve made it. I’m using Puff Pastry today because it needed using and had already defrosted, but you’ll see in the photo above there are two round bags near the front. One is diced frozen onion and the other some is Shortcrust Pastry that I threw in the freezer, you don’t need both for the recipe, it’s just to show you an example of the size I would use.

The first thing I usually do, whether I use Short or Puff pastry is line my pie dish and bake it in the oven for about 5-10 minutes. Be conscious that Puff Pastry … well … Puffs. That’s Okay, just pop a hole in the top and it should settle down by the time you come to fill the pie, I find it just stops the bottom of the pie from becoming a soggy mess. I’ve also left a little over the edges, just so it doesn’t shrink into the pan.

Whilst the pie base is cooling, I fry some onions, add my garlic clove (I buy frozen garlic which is much easier and once you have finished it up, you can fill it back up with crushes garlic cloves yourself and chuck it back into the freezer). Once the onions are soft, add the Quorn, or your replacement and mushrooms.

Scoop the mixture out onto a plate and turn the heat down low. If you haven’t made up your stock already, do it now and have it ready to go. I’m just using a Vegan stock cube in some boiling water.

Now we can make the roux, this is why you should ensure your pastry base is already out of the oven so you don’t get distracted and a) burn your pastry or b) ruin your roux. Add the Soya Spread and flour into the same pan you fried your mixture until it forms a smooth paste.

Very slowly begin to add your milk, it’s best to do this with a whisk, but I don’t have one so a spoon it is! Once this reaches a smooth consistency that is more liquid than paste, you can add your cream, parsley and stock. Bring to the boil slowly! Don’t just “give it a quick blast” as Brain’s likes to do.

Once it’s boiled, you should notice it has formed a thick sauce like consistency. Turn off the heat and add your mixture from the plate, mixing thoroughly.

Pour into your pie dish. I like to use a little bit of Soya Spread rather than egg just around the edge of the pie.

Top with the rest of your pastry (I didn’t measure my pastry here and ended up glueing two bits together, which is complete karma for using pre-rolled) and make a slit in the top. If you want to be adventurous you can make some little leaves for the top, but I was saving my scraps for later.

Place in the oven at approximately 180 degrees or Gas Mark 4. You can brush it with egg or milk if you so desire, but whenever I do that I end up with burnt pie, I think that’s mostly to do with the fact that I’m un-blessed with an electric oven which tries it’s hardest to ruin things for me. Cook until Pastry has risen and is a nice golden brown. Usually between 15-30 minutes depending on the temperament of your oven.

Take it out and serve – if you are only cooking for yourself then make these in some foil pie dishes and freeze them before putting them in the Oven, we only have a quarter each and save the rest for lunch the next day.

I hope you like this recipe – but the best part is still to come! The most exciting part about making pastry based dishes is the left over pastry. I made some little Strawberry and Cherry tarts, by slicing some fruit, throwing it into the left over corner strips of pastry, giving them a little sprinkling of brown sugar and putting in the Oven whilst I ate pie for 15-20 minutes at the same temperature. The best thing being that they are still warm after you’ve finished dinner, just in time for desert.

If you’ve made something similar recently I’d love to hear about it. Also, if you have any Vegan suggestions on the Chicken replacement then comment below!

Totally hellbent for “2 for 1” meals

-Pants

Lifestyle, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind February Box

February 9, 2014

I knew this box was going to launch some month’s ago, but had forgotten all about it until normal posting resumed on twitter and last month and I was informed by a fellow beauty blogger. Alas I instantly hopped over to their website to see what all the fuss was about and ended up having a sneaky try at their monthly box. *Edit – This actually arrived on Friday (I promise I’d already written this post!) but due to many distractions with it being my birthday I didn’t get around to uploading my photos until today due to our Dakesis gig yesterday evening. *

First out the box was inSpiral Kale Chips – 30g – RRP £2.19.

These look interest and I haven’t tried them yet since I have already been such a piggy today, but being organic, vegan, gluten free, soya free, cholesterol free, trans fat free and no added cane sugar, if I like them – I’m guessing I’m going to be hooked! I’m always looking for healthy yet Vegetarian/Vegan snacks to munch on and Kale holds a special place in my heart since it reminds me of Gemma so I’m looking forward to trying Kale in crisp form.

Organic Surge Sugared Almond Shower Gel – 250ml – RRP £4.35

This shower gel is massive! Opening the top, it smell’s absolutely gorgeous too, an organic 90.8% natural shower gel – and although when I opened my box I thought “shower gel? but I don’t need anymore!” I have to remind myself that this is not a beauty box and is merely opening me up to new products that are natural and Vegan – thus helping me in my quest to make better lifestyle choices. I’m hoping with this being so natural that my Skin isn’t going to shout at me as soon as I apply it.

Choc Shot – 320g – RRP £3.59

I was actually pretty pleased about this, Brains and I often partake in a cheeky hot chocolate/cocoa before bed (mine is Soy, his full fat milk!) and we’ve just used up the last of it, so a lovely liquid squeezy hot chocolate that only contains 14 calories per teaspoon – yes please. You can also use it in many other things such as baking and in cereal – so psyched to give this a go!

1066 Cake Stand’s Cinder Toffee – 50g – £1.50

I do like Cinder Toffee, unfortunately, since it’s been my birthday today I have already over indulged in too many things that are bad for me, so looking at this is creating a “diabetic wave” beneath the surface of my skin. I just know if I nibble on this albeit Vegan sugary snack, I will end up with type 2 Diabetes. Something for the cupboard though and when I’m feeling peckish I know I’m eating Cinder Toffee from a Vegan Bakery. (See how I justified it there?) *Edit: and by “it’s been my birthday today” I actually mean Friday!*

Braw Bar – 35g – RRP £0.99

This is probably my least favourite out of the box, although under 120 calories and gluten free, reading the ingredients of fruits, dates, oats and flax seed didn’t tickle my fancy right away (especially with the Cinder Toffee) however I am partial to trying new snacks and will certainly give this a try – despite today’s *Edit: again, Friday – but actually I havent stopped pigging out all weekend!* gluttony over handmade chocolates, chocolate eclairs and my very own homemade chocolate caramel birthday cookies, I’m not usually one with a sweet tooth and rarely snack on sugary goods unless I’m out with others.

With each box, you also get a Vegan recipe card and after you have subscribed to a few boxes, you are sent a cute little ring binder to store them in. I love cooking and I love discovering new recipes and although I wouldn’t usually “pay” for recipes or books these days, it’s going to look adorable on my recipe stand when it arrives.

All in all, the total amount of the products in the box came to £12.62, but this isn’t a beauty box (have to keep telling myself this) it’s not about the packaging – it’s about discovering things that fit in with my Vegetarian/part Vegan lifestyle, so I’m going to enjoy the fact that I can’t moan about “never being able to eat anything” allow the box to open me up to new avenues (products) and see what the next few boxes hold.

To get your hands on The Vegan Kind action for just £10 per month and £2.95 p&p, visit their site here.

Have you tried their boxes yet? If so, I’d love to know your thoughts?

Totally hellbent for all the animal – even spiders – and guilt free snacking!

-Pants