Have you ever considered going Vegan?
I’ve always wondered what the heck vegans eat – I assumed it was just fruit, vegetables, nuts and oil for some real calories! But since I’ve been more interested in healthy food, I’ve discovered – purely by chance – so much Vegan food which is amazing! Nakd bars for one….
Then today I was just browsing about blogs, looking at the bloggie’s favourite posts, that kind of thing (really just wasting time when I should’ve been working :p), and I kept coming across references to Oh She Glows’ blog. So I went to it (and remembered I have actually been there before lol), and properly looked at it.
OH WOW! Does she have a lot of recipes! Most blogs do yes, but she’s vegan, which is why it was so interesting! Some of my personal highlights were banana dounuts and baked breakfast cake and peanut butter banana bomb muffins! How awesome does all that stuff sound!? Peanut butter swirl pancakes too…they sounded good…it was like she opened up a whole new world! I can’t wait to start trying some of her recipes 
I tell you, it really makes me think about becoming Vegan..seeing just how many food options are out there was amazing. Plus I’ve heard people write about some incredible benefits from turning Vegan (that girl from…that film…ohmygosh what’s it called!? She’s called Alicia Silverstone, that’s it! She wrote a book about it [veganism], apparently it’s really good) and obviously, the ethical benefits from not eating animal products would be pretty big….the only downside is the exspense! Tofu isn’t cheap :p It really made me wonder…maybe I should start doing Vegan Mondays or something!?
So on the subject of veganism – I baked today. Well, bake is the wrong term – no heat involved!!
I did a slightly modified version of Evan’s (http://foodmakesfunfuel.com/) Vegan Raw Chocolate Brownies!
Oooohh they were good..like homemade Cocoa Nakd bars, but with frosting!
The recipe was simple, but as I didn’t have flax seed, I subbed in hazelnuts. I also found whilst blending it all (I’ll say the method in a sec), it was a little dry (maybe the hazelnuts’ fault?) so I added in 1/2tbsp milk which promptly sorted the problem out!
Recipe:
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4cup hazelnuts (about 30g)
120g dried dates
6tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp agave nectar
1/2tbsp milk
- Grind the nuts in a food processor til they’re kinda dusty
- Add the dates and process til it’s a but dough like
- Add the agave and the cocoa powder and the milk and keep on blending
- Tip it out and press it into a dish or container, so you can cut it into slices/chunks, like so:
Don’t you love the glowy effect ha!? How about a nice close up of the good stuff….
The frosting was really simple too:
- Mash with a fork about 30g of ripe avocado
- Mix in 2tbsp cocoa powder and 1 tbsp agave, til it’s really smooth
- Spread!
Simples!!
I had one of these bad boys for my afternoon snack (& a hot chocolate), and let me tell you – it was GOOD! Rich and devilish tasting 
Even my mum loved them, and she was highly skeptical when I said ‘I’m baking raw vegan brownies today’ HA! She actually had two :p
Dinner was pretty darn fabulous if I may say so myself. I got a lump o’ chicken and seasoned it with s & p, as well as rubbing on some agave (yeah can’t get enough of it…), cinnamon and THYME! Love me a bit of thyme
I baked it, along with squash and parsnip and garlic, seasoned with the same stuff, minus the agave.
I also had some sweet potaaatah! I feel like I haven’t had that orange lump of joy in a few lifetimes I cut it into discs, and cooked it a bit differently today – on top of the aga under one of the hotplates, held in by this wire thing:
Kinda like how you’d toast a sandwich!
I served it all with a load of HP sauce … SO GOOD!
For once, I managed to cook the chicken to perfection – it was sooo soft and juicy – chicken is something I’d miss if I were vegan….
Sweet potato – one of my five-a-day, AND delicious:
Veggies…fabulous:
My stomach did a few cartwheels out of sheer joy after that meal The flavours all go SO well together, it’s like a party in your mouth!
Afterward, I don’t think I’ll even both to type what I ate, cos I bet y’all can guess 
There’s also no prizes for guessing how I’m going to enterain myself now either…
(if you though Desperate Housewives and work, you were right )
Then, off to bed for me! I need to build up my strength for tomorrow…I’m cooking chocolate chicken….
EXCITING TIMES!! Have a good evening
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Sweet! I’ll give you a shouters later. Couldn’t you just eat the frosting with a spoon straight? Sooo good.
And the seeds/nuts really can be any kind. Sunflower and flax just fit my flavor preference, but of course hazelnut and chocolate is always a good call.
You should have a look at http://www.thekindlife.com/ which is Alicia Silverstone’s website to accompany the book (The Kind Diet). I have the book and it is amazing. She doesn’t focus on a way of eating as being vegan in particular, but it just so happens that she thinks it is the most healthy and kind way of living (I agree!). The book includes a bit of info about animals, meat, dairy, processed foods and what they do to the environment, our bodies etc. She includes loads of yummy recipes (including peanut butter cups!) as well as a few tips about living in a more kind way in general (buying cosmetics, exercise etc.). She takes the view that even if you change your habits just a little you are making a huge impact in general – search for “meat free mondays” too!
Can you tell I am obsessed with her?! I think she is amazing! I have been a vegetarian all my life so I had it a bit easier I guess, but I was suprised how easy it was to make the transition. I’m probably 90% vegan atm. I never realised how simple eating can be and how I don’t “need” half the things I thought I did.
yummy sweet potato, I had it for tea too!
I just had a quick look at her website – I’m definetly going to look at it in more detail tonight, thanks for suggesting it!
I like the idea of Meat Free Mondays – I think I might start doing that
90% vegan, wow! I have SO many questions I want to ask vegan eaters….where do they get their protein/iron/calcium/omega 6 (I think it’s that one..whichever one comes from oily fish!!).
I might have to quiz you soon!!
Ps Sorry for the essay! I’m clearly putting off doing work!! Enjoy housewives!
I am pretty much vegan, like idk i think i eat about 95% vegan and it has been great for me and much easier than i thought. It’s workied for me well because my reasons for it were because i was having some pretty bad digestive issues and it has honestly helped SO much!
and also snap with the sweet taters for dinner, love me some sweet Ps!
the brownies sound grand and good luck with the chocolate chicken…sounds very interesting!
Do you find it’s more expsensive than eating ‘regular?’ Like I’ve found tofu is very exspensive for example…and with a student budget, could be hard!! :s
tbh i’m not exactly price concious as i’m not at that student age yet so my parents buy my food but i think it probably is a tad more expensive just because some vegan things are harder to come across etc. however, i think if you really tried to stick to a budget while eating vegan it would be relatively easy to do
also i think it depends where you shop, like i tend to buy alot of stuff from holland and barrett and other places like that which obviously is going to be more expensive than your average supermarket (but at least they have buy on item get another 1/2 price atm 
) but if you have a quite decent sized supermarket near you, you should be able to find loads of different stuff without having to go to health food shops or wherever.
[...] On the other side of life, there are happy, tame points that make you smile. I could ask myself every night before going to bed if I lived life that day the way I wanted to and the answer would almost always be “yes”. I love my family and friends and couldn’t be happier with my readership. It’s no secret I like to network with all of you through this blog, both influencing and being influenced. I’m happy to have influenced Freya who made my raw vegan brownies with chocolate frosting here. [...]
Those brownies sound and look fab!
I am not a vegan or vegetarian, but I like to experiment. It definitely sounds like a good idea to start with a weekly vegetarian or vegan day, so you can evaluate how it makes you feel, how much you enjoy it, etc! Good luck!
I don’t think I could go vegan due to my dairy obsession. All the power to you though!!! Those ‘brownies’ remind me of the version I made awhile ago but never posted about
Oh I would miss cheese….especially goat’s cheese and sheep’s milk cheese….maybe 80% vegan lol!?
Those look delicious-I made need to try them…….I eat about 80% vegan and 90% vegetarian. I just finished reading “The Chins Study” and think i may go 100% now but we shall see……Great post!
Oohh is that a book? I’d love to read it! I re-read some of Skinny Bitch yesterday and it reaaally made me want to switch haha!