How to make Chocolate Nice Cream

Nice cream is a healthy way to eat dessert while adding to your daily intake of fruit and vegetables. It is so easy to make, simply blend frozen fruit with non dairy milk and any flavourings such as vanilla or cinnamon. I personally like using bananas, mango and pineapple but any fruit is good, you can simply use what you have available. To add the chocolate flavour you simple add 1-2 tbsp of cocoa powder or cacao powder if you want to make it even healthier. I like to top my nice cream with chia seeds as it adds a nice crunch. 

Also pictured is the accidentally vegan Ruffle Raspberry bar, in case you need more chocolate. It was nice to try this bar although the coconut taste was too overpowering for me so I'll stick with my healthier dessert in future. 

Lentils and Rice & Quinoa- Vegan protein meal

My go to food at the minute is lentils, I have them several times a week in many different dishes and could easily eat them all the time. They are so versatile and a great source of vegan protein. Many people don't think a vegan diet can be high on protein but lentils have 26 grams of protein per 100 grams which is really high making them a perfect addition to your meals, especially if you are into health and fitness and want to build muscle on a vegan diet. Lentils also have nutrients such as magnesium, fibre, potassium and iron meaning you get more health benefits than just protein which is something meat alternatives which are high in protein can't compete with. 

Lentils are also so simple to use. To cook they are washed and boiled in water for around 20 minutes. To make these curried lentils I simply added a stock cube and spices (cumin, turmeric and curry powder). This was serves with rice and quinoa. These are also great protein foods as quinoa has 14 grams of protein and rice has around 7 grams, depending on which brand you use. All in all this is a great, quick meal filled with vegan protein. It is perfect for after the gym when you don't feel like cooking a time consuming meal but still want something healthy and filling. And it is also a cheap dish which is perfect for vegans on a budget! 

Mini Burgers

I love making burgers, I use different ingredients every time I make them. Sometimes I use chickpeas or butter beans or even kidney beans to make up the burgers. They are so simple to make and I have recently found a new way to shape them. These mini burgers are made into round shapes by using a biscuit cutter, the type you would usually use to shape scones. It is so easy to do you simply place the burger mixture into the cutter on a lightly oiled tray and then take off the cutter leaving a perfectly round mini burger. I also cook my burgers in the oven now instead of how I used to cook them in oil. I am always looking for ways to make my food as healthy as possible and reducing the amount of oil you use is an easy way to do this as oil can contain trans fats. keep your food healthy and looking amazing! 

Quick, healthy meal idea Avocado and Chickpea spread on a Bagel with Couscous and Salad

I love quick and healthy foods it makes evening meals easier especially when you are in a rush. This meal idea combined lots of my favourite foods, I made it when I was home late so didn't want to spend a long time cooking but still wanted something healthy. 

I mashed together an avocado and a tin of chickpeas and added the juice of half a lemon and seasoned this with black pepper and added it to a toasted bagel. I then added chopped tomato and cucumber, fried onion and paired it with wholemeal couscous made with mushrooms and grated carrot. It took less than  30 minutes to prepare and was extremely filling and tasty, I also added tahini as a dressing. Eating healthy is easy and doesn't have to take long to prepare. Plus when you have a meal with many different foods you gain the nutrients from all the different ingredients as well as having array of flavour. I used the New York Co bagels for this meal which are vegan and high in protein making them a great part of a meal or a snack after working out. You also gain protein from the chickpeas and healthy fat from the avocado as well as nutrients from the rest of the vegetables. This meal shows that healthy food can be quick, simple and delicious.  

Ways to Eat more Fruit

We all want to be healthy but sometimes you can neglect the foods which are good for you. Eating more fruit is one way to improve your health but many people struggle to hit the five a day target. So here are some tips to help you increase your fruit intake: 

• Make smoothies. You can have your five a day in one delicious drink. Simple. 
• Add chopped banana onto peanut butter on toast. This is the perfect healthy combination of protein and potassium, this is a great pre-workout meal. 
• Eat chopped up fruit alongside your lunch, it makes a meal more interesting and not to mention more colourful. 
• Start eating avocados, this fruit is mainly used in savoury dishes so you can increase your fruit intake whilst eating your evening meal. 
• At the start of the day make up a fruit salad and leave it in a big tub to eat throughout the day. If it is already prepared you are more likely to snack on fruit rather than anything else. 
• Make nice cream for dessert, turning frozen fruit into an ice cream alternative is one delicious way to eat healthier. Simply blend frozen fruit (bananas are commonly used for nice cream) with non dairy milk adding any flavouring you want such as cacao powder for a guilt free dessert. 
• Make jam. Turn your favourite fruit into a homemade jam. There are some simple recipes which can easily be made with blended fruit. This can then be added to toast. 

These are some easy ways to eat more fruit. It can be easy to eat your five a day or more by using more interesting ways of using fruit. 

Healthy Lunch

After trying and failing to do raw til 4 (What can I say I like cooked food) I am still determined to eat more raw food every day as it is full of nutrients and great for staying well and keeping healthy. I also love training at the gym and need good food to help my muscles recover. 

One way I have been eating more fruit is by eating it for lunch. It is easy to chop up different fruits, they are filling, full of natural flavour and make you feel good. This lunch I prepared was a banana, an apple an a pear eaten with some cashew nuts for a healthy source of fat and a home made ginger biscuit and a vanilla herbal tea. 

I love having a mix of flavours in a meal and fruit is naturally sweet making it a tasty lunch. Try swapping your daily sandwich for something more natural and try a raw lunch. 

Popcorn The healthy vegan snack

I recently dusted off my unused Christmas present and decided to start making my own popcorn as I often buy it in supermarkets so this will save me money. Popcorn is a very healthy snack, it is low in calories and if you make your own you can either have it plain or add a small amount of flavouring to keep it healthy. 

This popcorn maker is so easy to use, it only requires a small amount of popcorn kernels to make a large bowl of popcorn. It means the bag of popcorn kernels which only cost 0.99p will last for a while, making it more cost effective than buying ready made bags of popcorn which can be expensive. 

To flavour the popcorn you can either keep it plain and add spices such as cinnamon or ginger or melt some butter and add sugar and mix it together. The less you add to the popcorn the healthier it will be. A great idea is adding seasoning without butter and mixing it together as it will still flavour the popcorn or eat it plain. This is definitely my new healthy snack of choice. 

Platter Food

One way to make an interesting Vegan meal is to combine many different foods and flavours. For this meal I combined some of my favourite foods. The falafel is shop bought by Cauldron foods, these are ready to eat or can be heated up. I had the hot which tasted great. I combined this with scrambled tofu, hummus, grated carrot, home made bread and avocado. Apart from the bread which can be made earlier all this food is easy to prepare and creates a picnic style meal. The tofu takes five minutes to cook and can be combined with any ingredients you have to hand, I mixed red onion, mushrooms and spinach with the tofu to great a nice warm side dish which is healthy and low in calories. Having a range of options is one way to make meals more interesting and the bonus is you get a range of nutrients in the easy to prepare meal. 

Check out my easy brown bread recipe here: http://vegoutveganguide.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/homemade-brown-bread-recipe.html

Hummus and Mushrooms on toast

When travelling I like to find the quickest foods to cook. I love cooking exciting recipes but when you are away from home and your usual cooking equipment it can be hard to recreate your favourite meals. This simple recipe has become a firm favourite of mine and something I am planning to have again. I simply fried some mushrooms and added them to hummus on toast. It was absolutely delicious especially with seeded bread. It is the kind of fast food I like because it's still healthy but you can have a meal ready to eat in minutes. This was great in the countryside as it gave me more opportunities to get out walking in the beautiful surroundings. 

A Simple way to Eat Healthier

Eating healthy can seem hard sometimes. If you don't know where to start simply adding a salad to each main meal will increase your health. It doesn't have to cost a lot, lettuce and cucumber make a budget friendly healthy salad that can simply be added to your main meal. It is filling, tasty and adds many nutrients to what otherwise would be a plain meal. Give it a go to get healthier. 

The Vegan Challenge Tips

Trying the vegan lifestyle is something many people want to do whether it's for health reasons or to see if they can survive as veganism is seen as difficult. Many people think they could never change their diet and think going vegan is beyond them even if they would like to do it for ethical reasons. One way to see if veganism is for you is to try the vegan challenge. Going vegan for a month is one way to see if this lifestyle is for you (and I definitely think it is great for everyone) so here are some tips for anyone transitioning to veganism or trying the vegan challenge. 

1) Replace everything: Sometimes people going vegan focus on what they now can't eat and simply cut a large portion of their diet out. One simple way to go vegan is to simply REPLACE everything you eat now with the vegan version. I always say there is a vegan version for everything, milk, cheese and even bacon have a vegan alternative so if you have milk on cereal for breakfast buy some non-dairy milks and there are many options to choose from. If you love cheese try the vegan kind and there are even alternatives to eggs. Vegan egg from follow your heart is a new product which allows you to make scrambled eggs and you can even bake with them. Plus with so many fake meats there is a vegan alternative to everything. 

Here are a few alternatives: 



Check out http://followyourheart.com/veganegg/ for an egg alternative and see http://www.vbitesfoods.com/ for all your meat alternatives. 

2) Try new foods: Veganism is a plant based diet and there are over 20,000 species of edible plants in the world. Your favourite food might be something you have never tried. Use your new vegan diet as an excuse to try new, exotic and different foods, eve things you don't like the sound of as your taste buds do change when you cut out animal products so you might discover something delicious. 

3) Use the internet: With so many resources online it is easy to find help and support for your vegan lifestyle. If you use social media follow vegans and vegan blogs for inspiration and follow some vegan groups on facebook to find out where to get bargain vegan products. Also Veganuary is the official site which helps people try the vegan challenge in January but guess what you can use their site full of recipes, information and help any time of year. It's jam packed full of advice so make sure you check it out: http://www.veganuary.com/

4) Eat more: Vegan foods tend to be lower in fat and calories and digest really quickly, this is why the vegan lifestyle is so good for maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight for those who want to. However if you are already at your ideal weight you need to make sure you eat more food to get enough calories each day. Not eating enough will make you feel weak and ill and then you won't see the true benefits of a vegan diet. When trying the vegan challenge using an app like My Fitness Pal to track your calories is a good way to ensure you eat enough food, the amount you need will vary depending on how active you are but a basic guide is 2000 calories a day for women and 2500 calories a day for men. 

5) Ignore negative people: A lot of people will probably think you are crazy and won't understand why you are becoming a vegan. Veganism is becoming more popular but it is still a minority lifestyle. Don't let other people's judgements and negativity stop you from giving this lifestyle a go, the truth is most people just don't understand what you eat as a vegan or why you would want to do it. They see it as taking away a large part of your food intake and don't realise that everything can be replaced and this is a healthier way to live for maintaining a healthy weight and reducing your risk of diseases. Try to educate others and don't give in to anyone who thinks this lifestyle is extreme. As far as I'm concerned eating the dead flesh of animals who have been murdered, consuming animal products which cause illnesses and wearing animal byproducts as fashion is extreme, avoiding cruelty and being healthy is not. 

6) Watch You Tube videos: There are so many vegan youtubers and my favourite vlogs are the 'what I eat in a day' videos, these have given me so much inspiration on different meal ideas. This will make sure you know what to eat as a vegan and can help you meal plan. They are also brilliant ways to find new foods as when you are new to the vegan lifestyle the hardest part can be getting used to what to eat. 

7) Read the Science: There are so many scientific studies showing meat causes cancer, dairy causes acne and eggs are believed to increase the risk of cancer, diabetes and raise cholesterol. These studies don't always make it to the mainstream media because the meat, dairy and egg industries are big businesses and guess what businesses don't care about your health you need to care enough to research what you are eating and what your 'food' is doing to your body. Check out some articles here: 

http://www.pcrm.org/health/cancer-resources/ask/ask-the-expert-eggs

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/news/world-health-organization-says-processed-meat-causes-cancer

http://www.acnemilk.com/the_no_milk_acne_diet

8) Eat Out: One of the reasons many people give for not going vegan is because it's too hard to stick to and there are not enough options. While I agree the vegan menus in some places need improving there are still so many places which do great vegan options. Eating out and trying new vegan meals will make you see it is easier than you think. A lot of places will offer a vegan alternative and mainstream eateries like Las Iguanas, The Cosy Club, Zizzi, JD Weatherspoons, Loungers, Pizza Express, The Handmade Burger Company, Pret A Manger and Giraffe all have vegan options. Eating out in places which aren't traditional vegan cafes will show you how easy veganism can fit into your life. You won't have to avoid your friends or stop eating with your family it isn't as hard as you first think. 

9) Your taste will change: Another barrier people have when going vegan is the love they have for one product. Whether it's eggs, cheese or meat that you 'can't live without' the reality is you can live without these things you just don't want to. This is why doing the vegan challenge is a great idea as it forces you to give up those foods that you love, many of these products you will eat out of habit and over time your taste changes meaning you no longer crave these foods and will find new ones you love. This is great as meat, dairy and eggs are unhealthy for you and bad for the animals and the planet. You will learn that you can not only live without them but your life and health is better without them. 

10) Research the ethical side: You may try veganism for health reasons or as a challenge. It might be a bit of fun and something new to try. This is great and you may want to stick with it simply because you feel happier and healthier although looking into the ethical reasons to go vegan will make it a lifelong change. I was a lifelong vegetarian until I read an article on the cruelty within the dairy and egg industries. I couldn't continue to support the animal cruelty which is unnecessary as you don't need any animal products in your diet to survive. I am now very interested in animal rights and know a lot about the cruel processes within these industries. When you avoid certain foods for ethical reasons it is so much easier to do as you are not giving up your favourite food or meal, you are giving up animal cruelty and refusing to support inhumane practices. It is a choice and rather than being something difficult it is easy to do the right thing. I don't have to make excuses as to why I support killing and cruelty, this isn't part of my life and that is the best part of this lifestyle. 


Hopefully these tips will help anyone trying the vegan challenge. Who knows a one month challenge may become a new lifestyle. The main thing is to do it right, eat enough, research and try new foods as you will only get the benefits from being a vegan if you do it properly and there are so many benefits to being a vegan, if you want to be healthier, happier and live cruelty free this is the life for you! 

A Meal with only 2 Ingredients

When staying away from home I like to keep my cooking simple. I don't have the usual herbs and spices I have at home so making easy and simple meals is important. 

This was one of my favourite countryside dinners as vegetables are so easily available when you are surrounded by farms and it also makes a healthy meal. 

Broccoli is a source of vitamin E and iron and is low in calories and sweet potatoes make tasty chips without the need for loads of additional flavouring. Also using only vegetables for a meal keeps food costs down while still providing a healthy filling meal. 

This is one vegan meal for anyone who doesn't like cooking but still wants nutritious food. It is simple to do, the broccoli only needs boiling and I peeled and chopped the sweet potato then roasted in the oven with a little oil and seasoned with paprika (although seasoning is optional). 

This is definitely one simple recipe. Only two ingredients but loads of vitamins and minerals. 

Avocado Benefits

There are many benefits to adding Avocado to your meals. It is a unique fruit as it is high in healthy fats and is made up mainly of carbohydrates, it also has many health benefits: 

• It contains more potassium than bananas, this is something most people are deficient in so adding Avocado to your meals can boost your health and keep your blood pressure levels at a healthy level
• Eating avocados lowers cholesterol 
• They are full of nutrients from B vitamins to vitamin E and Folate
• Avocados are a high fat food but they contain healthy fatty acid. The human body needs certain fats and the ones you get from avocado are known to improve heart health. 
• They are full of fibre which helps with weight loss and reducing blood sugar 
• Avocados are also full of anti-oxidants making them great for helping the body prevent diseases.   

There are so many health benefits to Avocados and they are also delicious and easy to add to any meal. They can simply be chopped up and added to a salad or main meal, no need to cook them. They also make a great substitute for butter in baking meaning it is really easy to add them to your diet. 

Smoothie bowl toppings

Here's just a few ideas to make your smoothie bowls delicious, filling and looking good on your pictures because if you eat healthy and don't share a picture of it does it really count?

Some delicious toppings include: 

• Grapes- add some sweetness and colour to your smoothie bowl
• Banana- a classic topping, it's filling and will give you an energy boost
• Apple- sweet, healthy and easily chopped up
• Melon- with it's high water content it will help fill you up 
• Oats- these are filling and give you prolonged energy, perfect if a smoothie bowl is your breakfast

These are just a few ideas to help make your meal even more amazing. Always add a selection of toppings as it will make the meal tasty and give you a range of vitamins and minerals. Enjoy! 

The benefits of lemon water

Some people swear by lemon water and believe it has many health benefits. While many of us will only reach for a lemon when we are ill and in need of a boost to our immune system there are many reasons why drinking lemon water should be part of your daily routine: 

1. It gives out immune system a boost. Why wait until you are ill, drink a glass each day and fight off those pesky coughs and colds. 
2. It cleanses your body. Drinking lemon water can actually help flush toxins out of your body.
3. It is also great for digestion. 
4. Lemon water is believed to help people lose weight. So this is a top tip for those looking to shed some pounds. 
5. It is a great breath freshener. No need for expensive mouthwashes, this drink can do the work for you. 
6. It can make your skin clear. Who needs make-up when you have lemons! 
7. Another great reason to drink lemon water is because it is an excellent source of potassium and vitamin c. 

There are so many health benefits to lemons. Adding lemon water to your diet either daily or weekly can help you stay fit and healthy, what better reason to add a few to your fruit bowl. 

Why I am slowly changing to an organic lifestlye

Every time I shop I'm looking for organic options and if I can afford them I buy them. I would love everything I buy to be organic but at the moment it is a slow process. 

The main reason I want to go organic is for my health, in my opinion organic food is healthier and better for your body, how can it not be when it doesn't contain pesticides and is GMO free. Organic food is often fresher as well and the way it is farmed is better for the environment. 

One of the great things about organic food is that it is traceable to the farm where it was grown, you know exactly where your food has come from and what has gone into making it. The farming practises of organic food also follow legal rules meaning you can trust in the process. 

Organic food is also scientifically proven to be better for you. Organic crops contain 68% more antioxidants than non organic and organic fruit and vegetables contain less pesticides and less toxic metals. 

To find out more about the benefits of organic food check out: https://www.soilassociation.org/organic-living/why-organic/

The problem with organic food is the cost, it is more expensive than none organic food. This is usually the case, when something is healthier it tends to be more expensive. However I believe that good food and your health is something worth investing in and hopefully an organic lifestyle will become cheaper as stores like Aldi are introducing more organic food into the stores. Having budget stores like this sell organic food at prices similar to standard fruit and vegetables at other shops finally means a fully organic lifestyle is manageable. 

I personally find that the organic food I have tried is tastier and fresher. It also feels good knowing that you are not filling your body with toxins. I am slowly learning where to buy organic products from and trying new foods all the time. It is also a good idea to look out for reduced organic food in supermarkets, because the products are more expensive they often don't get sold quickly so products nearing their sell buy date are frequently marked down. This is one way to shop organic on a budget and try these foods to see if you can taste the difference. 

To find out more about Aldi's organic products click here: https://corporate.aldi.co.uk/en/responsibility/resources-for-our-products/organic/

I will also be reviewing more organic food in the future so stay tuned and try organic! 

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.