Vegan Chilli non Carne

I have been meaning to post up some recipes, but because I often don't write recipes down, this task is often tricky.

Tonight (with lots of help) I have made a Mexican inspired dish. I would have called it a 'chilli con carne' But - There's no meat, onions, or chilli in fact, in this meal, so I decided to call it the mild mexican, because it should suit at least some sensitive tummies, like me. 

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Makes about 8 meals - Freezable up to one month 

The staple ingredients for this recipe are:
1-2 tablespoons Odourless Coconut oil (it's cheaper than regular coconut oil)
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 tin ready cooked red kidney beans
1 cup of dried brown lentils
3 large cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (you could use half a tablespoon of carob powder instead or one square of very dark chocolate)
2 teaspoons smoked/unsmoked paprika
1-2 teaspoons cumin
half a teaspoon coriander
half a teaspoon turmeric - as it's anti inflammatory
1 teaspoon mild chilli powder (optional)
1 tablespoon of gluten free vegan bouillon or one gfv stock cube  (leave this out if you are super sensitive to onions)
1 bay leaf
salt
black pepper - more the merrier as it is anti inflammatory
1 green bell pepper

The veg to bulk it out - I used in tonight's recipe:
1 onion

1 medium Aubergine (you could use a punnet of mushrooms instead)
1 yellow bell pepper (as well as the green pepper)

I'm running low on veg today so just used what I had in the fridge.

You could add in a fresh onion if you're not sensitive to them.

Method:

Pre boil the brown lentils (takes about half an hour till the lentils are soft)
Chop/process your veg to the size you like them (I like them chunky) Then fry them in a large pot the coconut oil till they have reduced in size.
Add all of the staple ingredients to the large pot, stir, bring to the boil, turn the heat down to a very low heat and leave to simmer for up to an hour ( I often forget about it! So if you're like me, put a timer on so you don't forget) 




Don't forget to use organic produce where possible!

Happy eating!

 - I would love to hear from you if you have used this recipe, even if it's just for inspiration :-)

Microwave Chocolate Brownie Recipe Now Vegan!

I bought a recipe book for microwave mug cakes recently, and was very surprised with how good the results were!

So I decided to make up an inspired recipe myself.

It tastes so good, it has to be posted up right this second! So here goes..

It might be gluten free and slightly lower gi, but in no way is it healthy! And I would recommend sharing this with a lucky loved one, as I can't finish it!

It's pure heaven though!

2 tablespoons Dairy free marge or coconut oil
1 tablespoon vegan milk
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon Soft dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar free chocolate chips
half a tsp vanilla extract
3 and a half tablespoons gluten free self raising flour
a quarter teaspoon of xanthan gum  

Melt the marge/coconut oil in the microwave for 10-20 seconds until melted.
Add the sugar and cocoa powder and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla extract, xanthan gum  and the egg yolk and mix.
Now add the gf self raising flour and chocolate chips. Mix well. 

In a 800 watt microwave, cook for 1 and a half to 2 minutes

Leave to cool for about 5 minutes as this brownie in a mug will still be cooking.

It doesn't look much, But it tastes Amazing!




Dig in with a spoon when it's warm/cool enough to eat! 

My Favourite Cold Remedies

Winter is arriving, it's that time of year again. Heaters are on, throats are dry, the cold virus is spreading....

The best call of action is prevention. The best prevention? Keep your throat moist! The cold virus loves dry throats as they can stick themselves onto you. Have a moist throat and the virus will just slide off and be digested, as per usual. 

There's lots of remedies that are out there that claim to cure the common cold virus. But lets face it - They just make the journey that bit easier!

Here are my favourite cold remedies - tried and tested by me, and my partner!

For me personally, I feel as though I recover quicker not using commercial over the counter cold drugs, but hey that's just me, I'm a minority.
My partner likes to have his usual favourite shop medicines along with these remedies.

My first personal go to remedy is Miso soup with coconut oil. I personally have a minimum of 6 cups a day, at least 2 cups of which containing a tsp of coconut oil depending how unwell I feel.
I always feel better whilst drinking this. Miso is very good for digestion and coconut oil is antibacterial AND antiviral, so it's perfect to consume during times of illness!

Organic coconut oil and miso paste is best.

You will need 
1 large mug
1 measured tbsp of miso paste (more or less depending on your taste)
half a tablespoon of coconut oil

Add boiled water to the paste and stir till it has dissolved. leave to cool for at least 15 minutes and add the oil  - Stir and be careful not to burn your lips! (that warning is from my own experience...)


Hot milk with coconut oil
This hot drink is great for soothing dry/sore/tickly throats - It's also a healthy yummy winter treat!
I use unsweetened almond milk as I'm allergic to dairy, but you will find that unsweetened almond milk is pretty low calorie too.

1 mug of hot milk (microwave at 80% power for about 1-2 minutes
half a tbsp of coconut oil
1 tsp Coconut sugar 
Leave to cool down before adding the oil to drink. 

Smoothies
A great way to get nutrients and perfect for if you have a sore throat.
Much healthier than ice cream and your body will thank you for the much needed nutrition!
Any smoothie you like will do, but here's an example.

1 chopped frozen banana/mango
half cup seedless berries (blueberries, cranberries, blackcurrants)
half an avocado/apple/pineapple
tablespoon maple or natural syrup (not refined sugar)
Milk of choice - half a pint
tbsp maca powder (optional)




Ice lollies
Great for sore throats and helps ease tickly throats - however can contain a lot of sugar. Why not make your own with real fruit juice, or coconut milk?
for example;
1 tin full fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons Maple syrup/agave
1 cup blueberries or pineapple, or your favourite fruits

Blitz the ingredients together, pour into a lolly pop mould and freeeeeeeeze!

Banana 'Nice'Cream
A great alternative to ice cream is frozen blitzed banana (if you can actually eat banana, unlike me) My partner loves this just as a regular treat and is so easy to make.
soothing for sore throats.
Pre freeze banana chunks so you can make this whenever you feel the need for ice cream!
Just blend one frozen banana with some milk. Add the milk slowly to be sure you don't end up with a smoothie! add a heaped tablespoon of smooth peanut butter to make a protein packed treat!

Mash potato, cabbage and gravy
This mixture makes a very comforting meal and is perfect for sensitive tummies, providing the cabbage is well cooked, and the gravy is gluten, dairy and yeast free. If you can't handle cabbage itself, make a cabbage broth gravy instead as cabbage is very good for the digestive system. 

CurryNot recommended for sensitive tums.
For head colds, the spicier you can handle the better!
Sweat out that cold!
For sore throats, a very mild curry using coconut cream and lots of turmeric will do.
For chesty colds, a mild but very flavorful curry with lots of onions if you can tolerate them
Curry recipe
Rogan Josh Curry

Echinacea 
A traditional herb that is known to help recovery from colds.

Olive leaf extract
Antifungal, Antibacterial, Antimicrobial - This natural supplement could help prevent a cold turning into an infection

If you really need Something to unblock your nose, Nothing works better than good ol' olbas oil in the shower/bath.
You can also buy menthol sweets which my partner swears buy.
When I treat my own coughs I try to only have buttercup cough syrup if I'm desperate, but since discovering miso and coconut oil, I've not needed to head for the medicine cabinet just yet!

Got a favourite natural cold remedy you can't live without? Tried and liked my suggestions?

Leave a comment below! :-) x

Vanilla Seeds

                 

These vanilla seeds are so tasty, and they only take minutes to make! 
Use as a tasty yummy treat, snack, or topping.

Ingredients: USA cups

half a cup sunflower seeds

3 quarters of a cup of pumpkin seeds 

2 tablespoons coconut sugar 

1 tablespoon coconut oil 

half a teaspoon of vanilla extract

In a frying pan, heat the oil on high - add the seeds and stir until all the seeds are coated in the coconut oil.
Turn the heat right down to low. Add the coconut sugar and continue to stir.
You may hear the seeds popping.
  The seeds will burn if you stop stirring them!
Once the coconut sugar has coated most of the seeds, remove from the heat and transfer
the seeds into a glass bowl.
Immediately add the vanilla extract - the seeds should sizzle. Stir with a metal spoon making sure the seeds don't touch you as they will be very hot.

I like mine on Dairy free yoghurt and sweet curries!