BRIGHTON VEGFEST 2016 [VIDEO]

I had a great day out at the Brighton VegFest this year, where I volunteered with the lovely peeps at the Vegan Lifestyle Association stall, discovered a ton of products and ate a lot of yummy vegan food. Check out my vlog below and don't forget to subscribe! :)

THE SECRET TO PERFECT VEGAN AFTERNOON TEA

I work as a chef at a vegan restaurant in London and if there is one thing they are well known for, it's the painfully stylish vegan afternoon tea served every day from 12 pm. After nine months of being here, I have easily made and plated hundreds (yes, hundreds) of these gorgeous spreads. I'm talking trays of scones, buckets of coconut cream, and enough sweet desserts to make your dentist shudder.

Figuring that it would be fun to cross elements of my work with this blog, I have decided to break down the components required to create the perfect vegan afternoon tea. An insider's perspective, if you will. I use the word 'perfect' very loosely here of course because perfection simply doesn't exist. But I'd like to think that we come pretty close. 

I won't be giving away any specific recipes, although in some places I might link you to some of my previous recipes for inspiration (especially the dessert part of the course!) and I shall happily feed your senses with a few stunning photographs. 

Okay, let's get on with exploring the anatomy of perfect vegan afternoon tea ;)

1. Sandwiches
We kick things off on a savoury note with a selection of finger sandwiches. What makes these sandwiches particularly irresistible is that they are packed with unique and flavourful VEGAN fillings - from mushroom paté to scrambled tofu with mustard cress, to avocado chilli mousse with rocket. The sandwiches look effortlessly chic when you cut the crusts off and divide into three parts (one part per portion). Using a mix of brown and white bread provides contrast on the plate, and then to top the whole thing off, the sandwiches are garnished with delicate edible greens. Try not to eat the screen...

2. Scones and Coconut Cream
The heart of afternoon tea has got to be the scones and cream - coconut cream, to be exact! Fresh strawberries and a generous dusting of icing sugar seal the deal. Here's a cool vegan hack: in order to achieve wonderfully creamy coconut cream, refrigerate a tin of coconut milk overnight and then scoop out the solid cream from the top. It's really as easy as that. Sweeten it with some sugar or syrup to make it extra irresistible. 

3. Desserts
Now comes the fun part. In the pics below, I show you perhaps the most popular combination of desserts we currently serve. From left to right: raw carrot cake with lemon frosting, chilli chocolate fudge cake with a chocolate-caramel sauce, and a moist lemon sponge with lemon curd. We serve raw banoffee pie occasionally too - one of my favourites. On other days, you might also get a lemon tart, sticky toffee pudding or a mini apple pie. If you're feeling inspired and want to have a go at making your own desserts at home, you can start with this vanilla sponge recipe or chocolate fudge cake. 

4. Tea
For obvious reasons, you can't have an afternoon tea without actual tea! Coffee and hot chocolate are also acceptable, but the point is to sip copious amounts of a hot beverage as you eat your way through the course. If your beverage requires milk then you're spoilt for choice - there's almond milk, soya milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, rice milk, oat milk... Don't settle for regular black tea either. Why not try: Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Jasmine, and my personal favourite: Hibiscus!

Photo credit: Tomi Makanjuola, 2016

3 YEARS OF BLOGGING + GIVEAWAY!

My blog turned 3 on the 15th February. Below is a video with some of my favourite highlights from the last few years. At the end, I announce a giveaway! Give it a watch for a chance to enter! ;)

Thank youuu and catch you soon!

WHAT I EAT IN A DAY [VIDEO]

Step into my world for a day and peep the sort of food I eat as a vegan.
Anyone who thinks that vegan food is a synonym for deprivation needs a reality check! ;)

Hope you enjoy the video. Don't forget to subscribe to my channel for more content! :)

PANCAKE DAY [VEGAN]

Today is pancake day and to help you get your pancake on, here is a countdown of all the pancake recipes I've accumulated on this blog so far. Pick your favourite and get cooking! ;)

Click on the titles to access the full recipe.

1. Malted Plantain Pancakes

2. Sweet Potato Pancakes

3. Banana, Raisin and Oat Pancakes

4. Plain Vegan Pancakes

 5. Hemp Crepes

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES FOR VALENTINE'S DAY [VIDEO]

For all the lovebirds out there, here's a simple chocolate truffle recipe for you! It's quick, easy, AND healthy too so you can spoil your significant other without, well, spoiling them. These truffles make a really cute DIY present for any occasion too, so feel free to gift them to someone 'just because' :)

Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I'm trying this thing where I'm all consistent with my videos, ya know? So show some love and I will continue to keep you posted! :)

Scroll down for the video!

Ingredients
- 1 cup dates
- 3 heap tbsps cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp dessicated coconut
- 1 tbsp coconut flour

Blend all the ingredients until the mixture comes together.
Form into round truffle shapes.
Done!

NATIVE UNEARTHED NATURAL CRYSTAL DEODORANT

There's almost something magical about the way this deodorant works.

Unlike traditional deodorants, this particular one by Native Unearthed is unique in that it is made from volcanic crystal minerals, which means that it is all natural, leaves no marks or sticky residue, and prevents odour by leaving an invincible layer of minerals on the underarms to prevent the build up of bacteria. 

The directions for use simply indicate: 'moisten the tip and apply or alternatively apply to wet underarms'. It was this simplicity that initially made me sceptical. After applying it for the first time and letting it dry (this only takes seconds), the feeling was as though I hadn't used any deodorant at all. It was fragrance-free and it left absolutely zero residue. Unused to this, I wondered if it was wise to step out of the house in that state. Still, I was determined to give it a fair trial and so off I went about with my day's business. 

Over a week later of using this deodorant, I can confidently say that it works like a charm and that I am going to have a hard time going back to regular roll-on deodorants. If you don't know already, I work as a chef and that sort of working environment can get hectic at times. Now, if this deodorant by Native Unearthed can see me through a typical working day and provide round the clock freshness, then I'd say there's definitely something magical about it.

Out of their four deodorant products, I was sent the aloe vera infused version, which has a soothing and hydrating quality on top of the effectiveness of the natural deodorant. They have a sale on at the moment, so if you want to take advantage of that, visit their website here. Equally worth checking out are the other types in the range: Crystal Deodorant with Mangosteen, Crystal Deodorant with Raw Curcuma Longa Root, and the plain version: Natural Crystal Deodorant. 

For anyone who's moving towards a more natural, vegan and eco-friendly lifestyle, not only in terms of food, but also in terms of beauty and healthcare, this would be a worthy staple to include. I cannot rave about this product enough - I am just so impressed - and I would urge you to give it a try for yourself! 

Polite note: Thanks to the VEGAN lifestyle ASSOCIATION for making this review possible. It has not been paid for and the products were sent free of charge. This is my genuine and unbiased review of the product. Native Unearthed is listed with the VLA and offers Associates a 10% discount and you can take advantage of this here. 

BITTER LEAF SOUP [VIDEO]

Hello wonderful people, it's a brand new week, a brand new month, and I hope you've had a great start. With January behind us, it's all too easy to give up on whatever goals/resolutions we set for ourselves this year. Here's a friendly reminder to KEEP GOING! :)

February is a pretty special month for me. My blog turns 3 on the 15th; I get a year older at the end of the month. It's also the month where I plan to launch another 7 day vegan challenge. Remember the one from last year? That was a lot of fun, and a whole bunch of people took part and saw just how easy and beneficial it is to adopt a plant-based diet. More info on this year's challenge coming soon!

My latest YouTube video (Wait! Have you subscribed to my channel yet? No? Go! Now!) is a simple recipe for bitter leaf soup. Enjoy :)