Vegan Flapjack Recipe

You only need four ingredients for these delicious vegan flapjacks. They are delicious, filling and a great snack. 

You will need: 

• 3oz of dairy free butter (I used Pure olive spread)
• 3oz of brown sugar 
• 2tbsp of Agave nectar
• 6oz oats 

1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 6
2. Melt the butter in a pan on a low heat 
3. Add the sugar and stir until mixed with the melted butter 
4. Add the agave nectar and stir in
5. Add in the oats with the pan still on a low heat, mix in until all the oats are covered 
6. Add the mixture to a lined baking tray (I used a loaf tin which fitted the mixture) 
7. Cook on the middle shelf of the preheated over for 15-20 minutes until the flapjacks are turning lightly golden brown

These flapjacks are lovely hot but will be soft when they are eaten straight from the oven, left to cool the flapjacks harden and will be nice later on or the following day. 

This recipe is so quick and simple. It can also be used as a base for adding other ingredients. Add fruit such as chopped dates, dried apricot or berries for added flavour and a healthier bar or add dark chocolate chips for a dessert recipe. The agave nectar gives the flapjacks a sweet taste and these are perfect to take on a picnic or as a snack to bring to work, they are much cheaper than shop bought flapjacks and take no time at all to prepare. 

Raw inspiration

It's been hard sticking to a raw food diet and also finding recipes and inspiration so I was happy to find a youtuber who lives a fully raw lifestyle. Fully Raw Kristina has a youtube channel and website, she eats delicious raw meals and looks really healthy. I don't think I could ever live on a fully raw diet but I do think it would be a healthy way to live, if done right. However I love having this source of inspiration, it is a good idea to gain inspiration from people who are passionate about their lifestyle and look healthy. Her website is full of recipes, beautiful photographs and inspiration it is perfect for anyone wanting to learn more about a raw lifestyle. 

http://www.fullyraw.com/ 

Scrambled tofu, sweet potato and spiralized courgette salad

Vegan Meal Idea- Scrambled tofu, sweet potato and spiralized courgette salad. This healthy, quick meal is a perfect combination for a tasty evening meal. I love scrambled tofu and believe it is not just a breakfast choice, it is high in protein and contains magnesium and calcium. Try adding red onion and avocado to it for flavour and season with your favourite spices. Sweet potato is a great addition to any meal, it has a naturally sweet flavour meaning it can simply be boiled for around 20 minutes and added to the dish. I have posted a recipe for my raw courgette salad, this makes a great raw lunch and any left overs can be used along side your evening meal. I like meals that are quick to prepare and healthy and it is possible to do both. Try adding different items to any meal to make it healthier and full of nutrients and most importantly filling. Vegans definitely don't just eat rabbit food. 

Vegan Candles

Veganism is definitely a lifestyle, it is not only about what you eat but what you buy. If you avoid animal products in food you should avoid them in any other item. Candles were not something I considered until I went to a vegan festival and found these amazing Soya wax candles. I will now not buy beeswax candles especially when the alternative is so amazing. These candles look and smell beautiful, this love and peace candle is scented with essential oils that will make you feel relaxed and happy. You know you are a real vegan when even your candles aren't made with animal products! 

The problem with a Raw diet

The problem with a raw diet is definitely the amount of food you have to eat. This might not seem like a problem to some people but to get enough calories from raw food you have to eat so much food. This is one of the issues I've found eating Raw till 4. It can make you feel a bit sick trying to keep eating even when you feel full. I have added dates and figs into what I am eating as these are high in calories and I am not trying to lose weight but simply see the benefits of eating more raw food. Because I want to make sure I eat enough I am also going to add more whole-foods into my breakfast and lunches, things like rice cakes and 100% peanut butter. These aren't classed as raw foods but they only contain whole ingredients. I was unsure whether to stop my April challenge or change it a little, I don't like to fail at anything and wish I could have kept it up properly for the whole month but I think it's important to make sure you listen to your body, stay health and eat enough. So my April challenge is now eating only raw and whole foods until 4pm and cooked foods after. Despite the problems I've found with the diet I am definitely happy at adding more fruit and vegetables into my meals and trying a new way of living. 

Spiralized Courgette and Carrot raw salad with avocado dressing

For this raw salad you will need: 

Ingredients for the salad: 

• 1 Courgette (spiralized)
• 2 Carrots (spiralized) 
• 1/2 small Cucumber (spiralized)
• 1/2 Red onion 
• Lettuce chopped (Handful) 
• 2 Celery stalks finely chopped 

Ingredients for the dressing: 

• 1/2 Avocado 
• 2 tsp Organic Cider vinegar
• 100ml water 
• A mixture of spices (Try chilli, basil, paprika, mixed herbs and pepper) 

1. Spiralize the courgette, carrots and cucumber 
2. Chop the celery, red onion and lettuce 
3. Mix all the vegetables in a mixing bowl 
4. Blend the avocado in cider vinegar and water until a smooth paste
5. Add your choice of spices and herbs to the dressing and blend again (Any can be used) 
6. Add the dressing to the vegetables and mix the serve

This is a simple raw salad perfect for lunch on a raw diet or when you are trying to eat healthier. This also makes a great side salad for an evening meal. 

Cheap Fruit in the Frozen isle

A top tip for getting more fruit in your diet for cheap is to buy it frozen. Mixed bags, frozen berries or different fruits are often cheaper to buy frozen. They are great for adding to smoothies or defrosting and adding to fruit salads. 

Eating healthy can be expensive so finding cheaper ways to eat well for less are essential. Next time you are stocking up on fruit head to the frozen section and see if you can save money. 

Smoothie bowl for breakfast

As part of my raw April challenge I have been trying to think of new and different breakfast ideas. I like smoothie bowls and to make it more filling I added oats. Cinnamon was added as it has many good health benefits, it is believed to lower blood sugar and can fight infections plus it added taste to the smoothie. 

For this smoothie bowl I blended Honeydew melon, frozen mixed berries and frozen rhubarb with water, placed it in a bowl and added oats stirring them into the mixture. It is like a healthy cereal alternative. 

One benefit of this breakfast is that it is sweet so you feel like you are eating a dessert in the morning. The frozen fruit makes it cold and the berries add flavour without needing to use a non dairy milk. It is a healthy way to start the day and is making my raw challenge a lot easier. 

How to eat healthy for less

A lot of people say healthy food is too expensive or being vegan is hard because the food is dear. I disagree that a vegan lifestyle is too expensive but some foods are probably dearer than fast food. Fast foods can be cheap but this is because they are mass produced and not nutritious. 

If you want to add more healthy foods into your diet it is possible to do it cheaply. As I am eating more raw foods this month I have been searching for good deals on fruit and vegetables.

One way of eating well for less is to simply shop around, don't buy all your food in one shop but look at what offers are on in different places. All supermarkets and stores will have some foods that are marked down in price, only get items that are on special offer or on sale as you will get more for your money. 

Also don't plan your meals then shop but make something out of the food which is on offer that day or week, this means you will need to be more creative but you will save money and maybe find new foods which you love. 

Shopping more often is another way to save, fruit and vegetables are perishable and if they need to be used on the same day or the following day supermarkets will sell them off, often at rock bottom prices. If you are able to shop late in the day you can find amazing deals. Buying food more frequently will also mean you don't have waste, if you do a big weekly shop you can often forget what you have in the fridge, food can go off before you've had a chance to use it and you end up losing money. Buying the right amount is more cost effective. 

You could also join a group that can tell you the deals. There are many vegan groups on facebook where people spot special offers in different places, it takes the hard work out of finding cheap food. 

These are just some ways to eat healthy for less, it's also good to remember that you can't put a price on your health and it is worth spending a little extra or finding ways to get bargain prices on good food. Also think about why junk food is so cheap- maybe because you get what you pay for?