Caramel Slice – Vegan, Healthy, Refined Sugar Free & Gluten Free

A different, healthy take on the classic caramel slice that doesn’t take away any of deliciousness  but only the animal products and adds a kick of health!

Base Layer:

1 cup Oats (used GF oats for Gluten Free)
1 cup Dates (soaked prior)
1 cup almonds

Blend, adding splashes of water when necessary till the mixture holds well.

Press mixture well into a cling wrap lined baking tin and pop in the fridge while preparing your caramel layer.

Caramel Layer:

1 cup dates (soaked prior)
4-5 tbsp tahini
crack of salt

Blend well, add splashes of water when necessary to combine mixture.

Add to the baking tin and spread evenly onto the prepared slice base and pop it back into the fridge.

Chocolate Layer:

Melted chocolate. I used a chocolate making kit from Meraki & Co. but you could also melt down your favourite vegan chocolate and use that!

Pour on top of the caramel layer in the tin, making sure it covers well.

Store in the fridge until the top layer has hardened.

To serve, use a hot knife to cut the slices otherwise you’ll end up with a beautiful mess like I did… not that that’s a bad thing 😛

Recipe inspired by laurasmess.me

 

 

Tropeaka Vegan Superfood & Protein Powders – Review

Recently Tropeaka sent me some of their products to trial. I received some Superfood blends & protein powders. I was delighted to find out that they were a fully vegan company and I was happy to support them as I love supporting people, companies and brands whose views match mine. Creating a world where vegan options are widely available is definitely something I’d love to see spread world-wide. I can already see the vegan message and lifestyle spreading and becoming more popular and it’s amazing to see!

Tropeaka offers, as I mentioned earlier, a bunch of vegan friendly superfood powders and pea protein powders. I do not think these products are essential to a vegans diet or lifestyle as we can get all our nutrients and protein from plant basd sources, but I think they are great to jazz up smoothies and oatmeal and I personally do enjoy them!

My two favorites would be the Immunity blend that I add to my berry oatmeal and the Boost blend that I like to add to my chocolate oatmeal & smoothies.

Some of my favourite super foods are Maca Powder, which I use daily. Cacao Powder, which is superfood chocolate – so what more do I need to say, really? and Acai – a super delicious & nourishing berry powder to add to smoothies.

 

 

 

The Best Vegan Chocolate “Milks”

As a kid I was a huge milk beverage fan! Milk shakes, thick shakes, Milo, store bought carton flavoured milks! They all made me feel incredibly ill, as dairy does and now being vegan I am so happy to have found some amazing, dairy free & mostly healthy chocolate beverages to satisfy my cravings!

ps. These are all available in Australia, not sure about other countries.

#1 Cocobella Choc Almond Smoothie.

It’s main ingredient is coconut water – which makes it relatively low in fat, and yet it so creamy! Approved by vegans & non-vegans alike! You MUST try it out! I’ve only seen this available in Woolworths in the juice section. Super chocolate-y & creamy. You’ll struggle not to finish the entire litre in one sitting!

#2 Natural Raw C Chocolate Protein Coconut Water

Another Coconut water based chocolate beverage that tastes like chocolate milk! This one took me straight back to my days of having “Classic” Chocolate milks, except The Natural RawC one is so, so much healthier and lower in fat! Available at Coles & Woolworths in the water/coconut water section!

#3 Almond Breeze – Chocolate Flavour

This is super light & perfect to add to smoothies or on top of cereal (or to skull out the carton, no judging right!) Super great chocolate taste! I’ve also only seen these available at Woolworths but in the long life milk section. I’m pretty sure they have this brand in the US as well.

 

Veggie Velo – Review

Veggie Velo is a food truck, well actually, it’s a bike that travels around and sets up in different spots in the city of Adelaide. They offer vegetarian and vegan burgers and may I just say, the BEST burgers I’ve had so far on my vegan food journey.

Large, refreshing, plant based burgers with SO much flavour! I’ve tried their chickpea burger which is amazing. It has vegan mayo on it, which is the best damn sauce I’ve had in my life. This pictured tempeh & pumpkin burger which is, you guessed it, also amazing. The tempeh has such a meaty texture it would please anyone!

Sometimes a nacho burger is offered on the menu that I am yet to try but I certainly have the intentions to!

The only improvement I would like to see is gluten free burger buns! They offer the burger in salad form if you are sensitive to gluten or have coeliac disease, but I think those people would appreciate an awesome gluten free bun to make their Veggie Velo experience epic!

The stall can get super busy but the staff cope with the work considerably well considering they’re running a culinary business out of a small shelter with a bike attached – kudos to them! I remember at the Adelaide vegan festival in 2015, they were crazy busy, the line was so long & it was hot but it looked as if they were keeping their cool. The quality never lacks either when they get busy either!

You can follow Veggie Velo on their Instagram &  Facebook pages to keep up with their locations but you can find them most weekends on Sunday’s at The Market Shed.

Argo On the Parade, Adelaide – Review

Ask any health-conscious foodie from Adelaide some good places to dine out for breakfast or lunch and there is a 9/10 chance they’ll suggest Argo’s in Norwood.

Their menu is extensive with options for everyone – vegan, vegetarian, healthy, gluten free, ect. They offer burgers, salads, smoothie bowls, smoothies, juices, wraps, waffles, chips.. everything!

I’ve been here multiple times myself & it’s definitely on my favorites list when I’m looking to go out for lunch & meet with friends. Their “namaste” vegan burger with a chickpea patty and generous salads is a  favorite of mine and all the smoothies I’ve tried so far are epic!

Recently Argos started offering Cocowhip to their menu which is EPIC. It’s a healthy dairy free (vegan) ice cream made from coconut water… what-what!?! I know right. Addictive.

I wish to try their vegan waffles on my next trip there! They look amazing.

The cafe has a modern theme decor and, this is going to sound weird but, their toilets are super funky! So make sure you make a trip to the bathroom while you’re there.

The only downfall about this place being so popular is that it’s almost always packed to the brim with customers and sometimes you have to wait for a table.

Despite being so busy, the wait for food isn’t often long at all & the staff are usually pretty friendly!

I definitely recommend visiting Argo’s on the Parade in Norwood when you are in Adelaide. Maybe aim for a week day rather than a weekend as they are extra packed on weekends.

Vegan, Oil Free, Low Fat & Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies

Inspired by Veggieful‘s recipe, I wanted to make a healthier & lower fat version!

2+1/4 Cups teff flour (or gluten free flour of choice, but teff or buckwheat is best!)

1 tbsp ground ginger

1tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 tsp bicarb soda

3/4 cup apple sauce

1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup

 

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees, fanforced.
• Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and combine.
• Add in all the wet ingredients and combine together with your hands to form a ball.
• Sprinkle some flour onto your workspace/bench and put the dough ball in the middle.
• Roll out your dough with a rolling pin & cut out shapes with a cookie cutter of your choice.
• Place the cookies onto a baking try lined with baking paper and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
• Allow to cool on a baking rack before icing if you wish. I enjoyed mine plain & they were delicious!

CLICK FOR THE RECIPE VIDEO ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL

makes 23 cookies, but of course this depends on your cookie cutter 🙂

Apple Pie Smoothie (Vegan, Healthy)

– 1/2 carton of Natural RawC coconut water (or just sub for dairy free milk/water)
– 1/2tsp cinnamon
– 2 tsp coconut sugar
– 1/2tsp mesquite or maca powder
– 1 apple, peeled & chopped
– 2 frozen bananas
– vanilla
– dairy free milk to blend
● Blend it all in a blender & serve!

Crunchy Caramel Cluster Cookies (Gluten Free, Low Fat, Vegan & Healthy)

WET INGREDIENTS:
1 banana, mashed
1 flax egg (1tbsp flaxmeal + 3 tbsp water, sit for 15 minutes)
3 tbsp almond milk
DRY INGREDIENTS:
(purchased from The Source Bulk Foods)
1 cup teff or buckwheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 – 3 tbsp caramelised buckinis
3 tbsp rapadura or coconut sugar

– Preheat oven to 180° fan forced & line a baking tray with baking paper
– Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
– Make a well in the dry ingredients & add in the wet.
– Combine well, you’ll need to end up using your hands.
– Roll into balls and place them onto the baking tray, evenly spread.
– Press a fork onto each ball to squish the cookie down.
– Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
– Allow to cool on a rack & store in an airtight container for a few days but they are best fresh.

Chocolate Oatmeal

1/2 cup oats, soaked in 1/2 cup water for an hour minumum.
1 small zucchini, grated
1 banana
1 tsp chiaseeds
2-3 tsp coconut sugar
2 tsp cacao powder
dash of cinnamon
● add 1/2 cup or so of water to a small pot & add everything else, cook on medium heat adding dairy free milk to keep a good consistency.
● once it’s cooked stir through 2 tsp of cacao powder, check for sweetness & add more coconut sugar if necessary.
● OPTIONAL: add 1 tsp maca powder
● serve!

Apple Pie Oatmeal

So warming.. so autumn-y.. even though it’s spring here in Australia, but at least for some people in the world this oatmeal recipe is perfectly season themed!

– 1 cup rolled oats
– 1/2 grated zucchini or 1 small zucchini, grated
– 3 tsp cinammon (or less if your not a fan)
– 2 tsp chia seeds
– 2 or 3 tsp coconut sugar

– 1 small banana
– 1 large apple, peeled
OR
– 1 large banana
– 1 small apple, peeled
it really just depends on the size of your fruit.
note: i use pink lady apples… the best!

– i like to soak my oats as it assists with digestion & they also cook faster. i normally keep some in my fridge with my grated zucchini ready for the next day or two (organisational skills on fleeeeek!) but overnight is fine, but this is also optional.
– add 1 cup of water to a pot & then add the oats, grated zucchini, chia seeds, coconut sugar, cinnamon & banana & cook on medium or medium-high adding some dairy-free milk of choice when necessary to achieve desired consistency & creaminess.
– while the oats are cooking, add just under 1 cup of water to another small pot with the chopped apple, sprinkle some cinnamon on top, you can add some coconut sugar if you wish, but it’s pretty sweet by itself. bring it to the boil and cook until soft and the liquid is gone. if you run out of liquid, you can add more water so the apples don’t stick or burn.
– serve oatmeal, i add some maca powder to my oatmeal as it’s a natural energy booster & hormone balancer, but this is optional. top with the cooked apples & some raw buckwheat or walnuts are a great addition for some crunch!

Serves one high carb vegan, but probably would serve two people otherwise 😉