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 -

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 - 

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 ~

2015 Favourites and Discoveries

I'll save you any of the cliched rambling about how scarily fast the year has gone and get straight to the good stuff!

From snacks and shoes to people and beauty products, here's my roundup of the best bits and pieces that have seen my through a very eventful year!

Starting with Food, of course...

Rice Noodles (Vermicelli) - Amazing for stir fries (obviously) or for super speedy lunches as they cook in under 5 minutes! Annoyingly, because of a gluten intolerance I can't eat normal pasta with out preparing for painful side effects *cue sad violin music * but luckily Vermicelli can be used like a spaghetti substitute so all is not lost!

The Food Doctor Fig and Cranberry Granola - Oh Granola, one of the main loves of my life. Sometimes I manage to eat you as a part of all three meals. No shame.

Due to the aforementioned obsession I try and buy sugar free Granola as many of the packed cereals are rammed with refined sugars and my favourite one so far has been The Food Doctor Fig and Cranberry, only bad thing is that it's a pain in the backside to get hold of! 

Clothes

Vegan DMs - After wearing my previous DM's to death and back again, I finally got a new pair but of course I opted for the Vegan range and they're even comfier than the leather ones! Plus there was no painful "wearing in" stage causing blisters the size of planets... Gross but true.

Black roll neck jumper - I found my Black Lacoste Roll Neck in a French Charity shop and it was a complete steal at a tenth of the original £150 price tag! Yes that's right, I bought it for just 2 euros, equivalent to £1.47! Seriously, you're missing out if you don't check out your local second hand shops!

Beauty

Tarte "Exposed" Blush - Pretty much the only blush I've worn since I bought it in the summer. Its the most versatile and long lasting powder product I own and definitely worth the investment!

Soap and Glory Solar Powder Bronzer and Brow Archery in "Brownie Points" - Soap and Glory is hands down my favourite affordable, cruelty free make up brand. They don't have any funky shades when it comes to brow products and they know how to make a good bronzer for all my fellow vampire pale skinned girls...

Zoeva Brushes - Best brushes ever: so soft, so pretty, such good value for money.

YouTube / TV 

Lauren Toyota - All round cool cool lady. She's funny, down to earth and has a really amazing vegan cooking channel called "hot for food" which is physically impossible to watch with out any snacks on hand. You've been warned..

Rhian HY- A beautiful Brit now living in Michigan and talking about all things beauty and cruelty free! 

Luther - Although the first series came out in 2010 they have recently brought out series 4, which might just be the scariest one yet and of course Idris Elba is as gorgeous and rugged as ever.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a very sparkly New Years!

- Lola -