Monday 29 February 2016

Super Simple: GF, Oil Free Granola

Ingredients: 

2 cups Rolled Oats
1 tbsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup Sun Flower seeds
1 cup almonds - chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup pure maple syrup

The seeds, nuts and dried fruit are 100% customisable and can be changed depending on your personal preferences or just what you've got in your cupboards!

Some really good alternatives are: Coconut Flakes, Chia seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Hemp hearts, sea salt, Cranberries, pecans walnuts, sesame seeds, ground ginger, orange zest, flax seeds and dates.

Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius or 330 Fahrenheit.  Combine all your dry ingredients, except any dried fruit and the Cinnamon, in a bowl and set aside.

2. In a pan heat your water, vanilla extract, cinnamon and maple syrup for around 2 minutes.
Pour your wet mix into your dry and stir until all the dry ingredients are fully coated.

3. Now evenly spread your granola on dish prepared with a sheet of greaseproof paper and pop it in your preheated oven for 20 minutes; making sure to flip your granola over and break it up into smaller chunks after about 10 minuets.

4. Once the granolas been in for 20 minuets add any chopped fruit and put it back in for a further 5-10 minuets.

5. When the granola is cooked take it out the oven and leave too cool for around 1 hour. When it comes out the oven it might seem a little soft still but that's completely normal, it'll crisp up and form clusters as it cools.

Store in an air-tight container and it'll keep for up to 4 weeks.


Let me know if you try this and what your favourite granola ingredients are

- Lola -

Thursday 25 February 2016

Super Simple: UPDATED Banana Pancakes


A while ago I posted a recipe for my easy, three ingredient banana pancakes. Sadly, that recipe included eggs as one of the few vital ingredients and seeing as I'm now a proud tree-hugging vegan... That particular ingredient isn't really in my good books!

I've been scouring the internet for another easy, effective and tasty recipe to replace my last and with a few tweaks I think I've successfully filled the large banana pancake shaped hole that was left in my Sunday morning routine.

Ingredients:
For one person
Rolled oats - 3/4 cup (105g)
Ripe banana (the spottier and browner the better) - 1 medium/large
Almond milk - 1/4 cup (56 ml)
Cinnamon - 2 tbs

Optional mixture additions:
Blueberries
Coco powder
Coconut or Brown sugar (depending on ripeness of bananas)


1. Put your oats in a blender and blitz to make a fine oat flour.
2. Tear your bananas into small pieces and put in to the blender
3. Add a little milk at a time and blend frequently. Your mixture should be the consistency of slightly runny porridge (oatmeal) or a very thick smoothie.

Tip: Make sure your mix isn't too liquidy as it will be much harder to flip. If you do add too much liquid just add some extra oats.

Toppings:
- Jam
- Maple syrup
- Nut Butters
- Berries
- Dairy free yoghurt (coconut works really well)
- Chocolate spread  or  make your own by mixing one tablespoon maple syrup to one teaspoon cocoa powder.

Enjoy!

- Lola - 

Saturday 6 February 2016

DIY Valentines' Day Gifts


Zara, the lovely lady behind "The Conscious Stylist" one of the UK's first sustainable fashion and lifestyle blogs, has just uploaded a post showing a range of really simple and thoughtful gift ideas suitable for the season of love... or the day of self indulgence and crappy telly if you're a fellow single Pringle like myself.

There are some really lovely and simple ideas; one of which is my very own Last Minute DIY Chocolate Gift post!

Even if you don't have a particular Valentine in mind, it might be handy to have a look incase your ever stuck for Birthday or even Christmas gift ideas, if your already planning this years festivities...

Definitely check out and follow "The Conscious Stylist" for amazing, easy to read content about all things ethical!

~ Lola ~