Sunday Brunch

It's Sunday and to me, that means one thing, brunch! 

My flatmates and I decided to have a homemade brunch today before we all go back home for the Easter Break. We did the classic cooked breakfast with bacon, beans and sausages as well as toast with spreads and some yummy fruit! Being vegan I didn't have any of the meat but I had toast with peanut butter and banana followed by some fruit. I am writing this post having just eaten and I am very full so for any vegans out there, don't worry, brunch is still the best. Of course we also had juice, coffee and tea. We even had fresh coffee! 

I am sure you all know how to cook brunch and have your own preferences regarding what you make with it, so, this is going to be it for this post except for some photos of our delicious brunch!

Happy Sunday and enjoy!

Banana and Oat Granola

I have been on a vegan diet for about three weeks now and so far I am really loving it! I have been eating a lot of fresh food and getting a bit experimental with meals and snacks. One of my experiments, as you may have guessed from the title, was making some banana and oaty granola. The result was pretty yummy and it was really easy to make. This is a great idea for breakfast on the go or to make in bulk and put in a biscuit tin for snacks!


Ingredients:
- 1x ripe banana
- 1 porridge oats
-  Agave nectar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 30-40g raisins and cranberries (optional)

Extras:
- Medium mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Baking tray


Now, here's what to do...

• Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.
• Put the banana in the mixing bowl and mash thoroughly using a fork.
• Add a generous helping of oats to the mixing bowl and mix with the banana.
• Squeeze in the agave nectar, add the cinnamon and mix it all together.
• Add the raisins and cranberries if you are using them and give it all a final mix together.
• Using the wooden spoon put the mixture on the tray in small 'blobs'.
• Bake for between 10 and 15 minutes or until the outside is browning.
• Serve with a bit of jam if you like them extra sweet!

If, unlike me, you leave yourself enough time in the mornings then this is definitely something you could make fresh on the morning before leaving. Just mix everything up and leave it to bake while you get dressed. If not, it keeps very well and so can be made in advance! I think it's also a great snack between meals if you are feeling peckish. For a slightly more indulgent version try adding some chocolate chips or fudge pieces. 

Enjoy!

Cous Cous Stuffed Pepper

I'm sure this won't be a new meal idea for anyone but it's so simple and delicious I couldn't resist making my own version. This is also great option for vegans as you get a good balance of nutrients as well as a filling meal! It doesn't require a lot of ingredients and is a great lunch and dinner option.

Ingredients:
- 1 x pepper (colour is down to your preference, I used red)
- About 100g cous cous 
- Mixed herbs
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Salad (optional) 

Extras:
- Roasting tray


Now, here's what to do...

• Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
• Cut the top off the pepper, remove the centre and the seeds but do not throw the top away!
• Put the pepper in the oven, leaving the top out, and cook for about 20 minutes or until the pepper is soft.
• While the pepper is cooking, boil a half full kettle and pour the water into a heat proof bowl.
• Add the cous cous to the boil, cover the top and leave to stand for about 10 minutes.
• When the cous cous has softened up and all the water has been absorbed add the herbs, a drizzle of lemon juice and mix together.
• After about 16 minutes take the pepper out of the oven and stuff with the cous cous. Put the top of the pepper on the tray too, drizzle it all with a bit of olive oil and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. 
• Serve with a side salad and some dressing if desired.

So far this is one of my favourite meals, both to make and to eat! It is very simple and take a lot of time. You can change it up a bit by using rice instead of cous cous, or adding further ingredients like sun dried tomatoes or even some cheese. It's also a great idea for dinner parties or catering for larger numbers as you just make one pepper per person.

Enjoy!

Eat Green

Here is another delicious smoothie idea that makes an ideal breakfast drink or a snack between meals. This is a really quick recipe that is tasty, healthy and it's also a great way to use up fruit and veg that is going out of date! 

Ingredients:
- A handful of kale
- A handful of spinach
- 2 pears
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 stick of celery
- Lemon juice
- 1 cup of water
- Agave nectar to taste.

Extras:
- A blender


Now, here's what to do...

• Break the celery up into chunks and add it to the blender.
• Add the kale, spinach, water and lemon juice to the blender and blend together.
• Cut the avocado into cubes and add to the blended mixture.
• Peel the pears, cut them into cubes and add them to the mixture too. 
• Blend it all together.
• Finally, add the banana and blend the mixture together for a minute or so.
• Serve immediately, with a squeeze of agave nectar to taste, or leave in the fridge to chill.

This recipe will make enough to serve four large glasses. You can add extra ingredients like apples or even take some of the ingredients out for something a little bit more simple.

Enjoy!

Pancake Day!

I made these pancakes again today and they turned out better than the first time! 

I hope you all got the chance to make some pancakes today.

Enjoy!

All American Pancakes

Since Pancake Day is right around the corner... (March 4th) I thought it would be a good idea to do a pancake recipe post! This recipe will have a slight twist however as I have just started a vegan diet so there won't be any dairy in this mixture. 

I have adapted this recipe from the BBC's online recipe so I will link that here if you would prefer to stick to the original! 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/fluffyamericanpancak_74828

Ingredients:
- 140g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 and a half tbsp caster sugar
- 130 ml milk (I use Koko Milk but any dairy free alternative will work)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Blueberries

Extras:
- A large mixing bowl
- A medium mixing bowl
- A frying pan


Now, here's what to do...

• Sift the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl.
• In the medium bowl mix the oil and milk together.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together until there are no lumps.
• Turn the hob on and add some vegetable oil to the pan and allow to heat up.
• Once the pan is nice and hot add a big dollop of mixture.
• If you are using blueberries, sprinkle a few blueberries over the pancake and wait for one side to cook.
• Flip the pancake over and allow the other side to cook.
• Repeat this process until all your batter has been used.
• Serve with a generous pouring of maple syrup and eat while still warm.

If, like me, you prefer to have a bit of a mix with your pancakes then try adding blueberries to a couple of pancakes and leaving a couple plain. Or if you have more of a sweet tooth then add some chocolate chips (provided you are not on a vegan diet OR you can source some vegan friendly chocolate chips!). Another option for those of you who are not vegan is to fry some thin strips of bacon and serve with plain pancakes and maple syrup. There are many more additions you can make to this recipe to have a delicious serving of pancakes for Pancake Day, or any day really, so why not get experimental!

Enjoy!