Tag: vegan

Green Lady Blended Juice

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This blended juice was my husband’s improvised creation. Anyone who knows our family understands that this can be a tricky situation. He has always maintained a love-hate relationship with cooking: he loves to eat but doesn’t like the process of getting it to his plate!  He has generally lived by the mantra cook high, cook fast, done when smoke alarm sounds! He tries but must be supervised at all times especially if you are the one he’s cooking for: an ambulance once made an appearance when he added 2 heaped teaspoons of ground black pepper to pasta sauce instead of basil and I collapsed on the first mouthful.

He does, however, make our juices every morning, but strictly according to Jason Vale’s recipes, and, apart from the occasional beetroot explosion, these turn out well. Improvisation is not encouraged and I approached this morning’s juice with some trepidation.

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We generally use cheaper organic Gala apples for juicing and save the larger, tarter apples for eating on their own or as desserts. Today we had run out of Galas and so HB used one of my favourite large Pink Lady apples. Sacrilege in my book, so he didn’t ask first. It did, however, make quite a difference to the flavour of the juice.

I loved it. He is very proud of himself.

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All ingredients are organic, if the lemon is not organic, pare thinly to leave as much pith as possible. Pears are best used for juicing before they ripen.

Ingredients

1 Large Pink Lady Apple

1 Pear

A Thick Slice of Unwaxed Lemon

1 Celery Stalk, chopped

4″ Cucumber

1 Small Carrot

1 Kiwi Fruit, peeled

2″ Broccoli Stem

Handful of Spinach

Third of a Ripe Avocado

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Juice all fruit and veg except avocado, then blend with chopped avocado for about 30-45 seconds in a high speed blender until creamy smooth.

Add ice if liked.

P.S. HB vetted this before it was published!

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Copyright: Chris McGowan

Banana & Sweet Apricot Kernel Smoothie

imageThis gorgeously light and delicate smoothie was created on a beautiful Spring morning and I couldn’t resist adding a photo of these striking red tulips in amongst the forget-me-nots – the smoothie looks a bit peely-wally by comparison (Scots: look it up! One for you Scribbleartie 😉)

Have you ever had bananas and peanut butter? If so, you’ll love this. It has home-made Sweet Apricot Kernel butter in it, but you can substitute it if you wish. I’d just read a Raw Chocolate Company tweet about their special offer on Sweet Apricot Kernels and I remembered we still had a bag in the cupboard, so we put them together et voilà!

                                     image                   Sweet Apricot Kernels are like small delicate almonds and can be used in the same way. You can make Sweet Apricot Kernel Butter and milk as you would with almonds.

 B vitamins, healthy fats, protein and electrolytes in a glass. Sweet and simple, so what are you waiting for?

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All ingredients are organic, vegan and gluten-free. 

Ingredients

1 Small Ripe Banana

Handful of Sweet Apricot Kernels*

1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds*

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds*

1 Tbsp Raw Unsweetened Sweet Apricot Kernel Butter or Peanut Butter

1 Heaped Tbsp Gluten-Free Oats

1 Glass Unsweetened Coconut Water

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Blend and relax.

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This recipe is for Bernadette over at https://haddonmusings.com/ she hadn’t heard of sweet apricot kernels until she read my recipe for Oh-So-Choolatey Hemp Seed Coins – there are some more recipes which have them among their ingredients here.

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Oh-So-Chocolatey Hemp Seed Coins

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Chocolatey Hemp Coins with Spicy Raw Hot Chocolate and The Raw Chocolate Company Chocolate Mulberries*

This recipe is for all of you chocolate fiends who don’t have a particularly sweet tooth but crave a chocolatey something mid-afternoon. They do have a small amount of raw coconut palm sugar in them but as it is low GI and unrefined it doesn’t produce the same sugar rush or have that tooth-rotting sweetness of refined white sugar. They are easy to make, involve no cooking and are full of raw energy, but be warned, less is definitely more! I can only manage 2!

These are a good protein pick-me-up containing hemp seeds and sweet apricot kernels (like mini almonds).

The only possible track to jig along to while making these is Choco Choco Latte, so you can sing your heart out and expend some of that Raw Chocolate energy!

Here goes:

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Shelled Hemp Seeds*

1/4 Cup Sweet Apricot Kernels*

1/4 Cup Cacao Powder*

1/4 Cup Raisins

3 Tsps Coconut Palm Sugar*

1/4 Tsp Cinnamon

Approx 2 Tbsps Apple Juice

Raw Chocolate Mulberries Snack Pack*

Method

Put the Hemp Seeds and Sweet Apricot Kernels in the food processor and grind them finely.

Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix well, adding a little apple juice at a time until the mixture is just moist enough to come together but not too wet.

Take small amounts of the mixture and form into little balls then flatten out into coins on some greaseproof paper.

Press a Raw Chocolate Mulberry into the centre of each coin and place in the fridge for a short time to firm up.

What you do with the leftover Raw Chocolate Mulberries is entirely up to you – but I won’t tell if you don’t.

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Happy Star Wars Day! Yoda’s Youthful Green Smoothie

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 This Green Smoothie was created in honour of The Wise One’s special day!

It’s not guaranteed to bestow long life  – I think 900 years is pushing it a bit – and a wealth of wisdom, but a host of healthy anti-inflammatory nutrients including healthy fats, protein, B vitamins, electrolytes and Vitamin C, will nourish and hydrate your skin and body, while it’s omega oils will also feed the brain.

Due to it’s vegetable content, it’s perhaps more a lunchtime smoothie than a breakfast one.

All ingredients are organic except the live yogurt, but it has no sugar or additives.

Ingredients

Half a ripe Avocado, chopped

2″ of Cucumber, chopped

1 Apple, chopped

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds*

1 Tbsp CoYo Plain Yogurt

2 Medjool Dates, pitted and chopped

1 Glass Unsweetened Coconut Water

Blend and serve.

May the Fourth Be With You!

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Blended Breakfast Beetroot Juice

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Blended Breakfast Beetroot Juice in Grip and Go Bottle*

When I first began juicing, I would never have believed some of the combinations I now use every day or how many vegetables I would try with trepidation but end up loving and adding to the juicing repertoire (parsnips being the exception, of course!).

Beetroot is one of them.

I am so hardcore, I even leave the skins on!

Beetroot is known as the blood builder and is especially recommended for anyone with raised blood pressure or poor circulation.

All ingredients are organic and washed and so keep their skins, except the pineapple, if using non-organic then scrub and peel.

The juice is blended with avocado to add protein, fibre and healthy fats and because it makes you feel fuller longer.

Ingredients

2 Apples

1 large Carrot

1 Thick Slice of Unwaxed Lemon

1/2 Medium Beetroot, ends removed and scrubbed well

4″ Cucumber

2″ Broccoli stalk

Half inch slice of Pineapple

1/2 stick of Celery

1/2 small Avocado

(you can freeze the rest if you remove the skin and stone, chop up the flesh and use in smoothies or guacamole)

Juice all the ingredients except the avocado, blend the juice with the avocado.

Add ice if you like your juice chilled.

Ps If you’d like a chance to win some of these Grip and Go Bottles and Travel Mugs see Earth Day Competition but hurry, it ends midnight on Friday, 29th April, 2016!

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Khaki Kiwi Coconut Smoothie!

This smoothie turned out a bit differently from how I’d envisaged, on one of those mornings when things don’t quite go to plan – read more about it in One of Those Days …

The bananas were still very green, despite having been on the windowsill for three days, so I decided to use avocado, kiwi fruit and some cocount milk left over from the previous night’s curry.  Some romaine lettuce and a little wheatgrass powder, would, I thought produce a vivid green smoothie vibrant with health and nutrition, begging to awaken my sleep-starved body. What could go wrong?

This happened:

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I got a little carried away, adding blueberries and açaì powder. It came out khaki and looked less than appetising! And so thick I could probably use a knife and fork to eat it!

It tasted much better than it looked, however – the ugly duckling turned out to be more like a swan, so smooth as it glided down my throat – so let’s start again and pretend I knew what I was doing!

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This brunch in a glass is brimming with antioxidants, minerals, protein and healthy fats. It came out very thick, so you may want to add more liquid.

Ingredients

Half a ripe Avocado

(you can freeze the other half if you remove the skin and stone and chop it up, useful for smoothies or guacamole). 

1 Kiwi fruit, peeled

2 large Romaine leaves, washed and chopped

1 Tbsp chopped Sweet Apricot Kernels* (you can use almonds)

2 Tbsps Shelled Hemp Seeds*

2 Tbsps Coconut Milk

1  or 2 pitted Medjool Dates

Handful of Blueberries

1 Tbsp Açaì Powder *

1 Tsp Wheatgrass Powder

Glass of fresh Apple Juice + a little filtered water

Blend and eat with a spoon – or a knife and fork!

The only video that could possibly illustrate this recipe is the great Danny Kaye’s The Ugly Duckling, however it’s been removed from YouTube due to copyright issues 😕

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com/

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Earth Day: Microbeads – What Are They Good For…? (Includes Products That Dont Use Them).

…Absolutely Nothing!

(For Earth Day, I am republishing this post from last year, the Prime Minister may have left, but the issue remains.)

More than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition organised by Greenpeace, The Environmental Investigation Agency, the Marine Conservation Society and Fauna and Flora International calling on UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, to introduce a ban on the use of microbeads.

Barack Obama has banned them in the US, they are banned in Canada and many other countries are discussing a ban.

What are Microbeads?

Microbeads are tiny beads of plastic used in the manufacture of many toiletries and cosmetics. They act as exfoliants in products like toothpaste, facial cleansers, soaps and body scrubs, cleaning products.

Why should they be banned?

Tiny plastic microbeads can’t be filtered out by our sewage system and they end up in our rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. They are a massively polluting substance. Because they are so tiny, they become ingested by all kinds of sea life: birds, whales, turtles, fish, plankton, bivalves and so on. Most birds studied have been found to have microbeads in their stomachs.

Not only do they harm the species that swallow them but they can harm us too, for example when we use toothpaste and eat fish. Some end up in our soil via fertilisers.

8 Billion tonnes of plastic are disposed of in the oceans every year, do we really need plastic microbeads adding to the problem?

There are many more ethical and natural alternatives for example, seeds, cellulose, nut kernels, sugar, oatmeal and salt.

Many organisations and companies are calling for microbeads to be banned, some have agreed to phase them out, others have stopped using them. According to Greenpeace, Asda, Boots, Avon, L’Oreal, Clarins and Bodyshop have all pledged not to use microbeads in their own products. Other companies have made statements announcing the phasing out of microbeads from their products: Proctor and Gamble, Unilever.

The Co-Operative doesn’t use them at all.

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My personal favourite, Dead Sea Magik products don’t contain microbeads or other nasties, are vegan, moisturising, gently exfoliating and you only need a tiny amount so they last a long time too.

1F6AFEA3-1A9C-4422-973E-2492968884EFGreen People organic products have won over 100 awards and are free from microbeads. Most of their products are vegan. Again, a tiny amount is needed, so although they may seem expensive, they last for ages.

They also use recyled and recyclable packaging.

Weleda use natural ingredients, working in harmony with nature, with no petrochemical derivatives, and many of their products are vegan.

We can all help by signing the Greenpeace Petition and by buying our toiletries and cosmetics from companies that don’t use microbeads – or make our own! There are many sites that have recipes for DIY cleansers, exfoliators and moisturisers using coconut oil, avocado and so on.

 Sources:

Greenpeace

Beat the Microbead

Plastic Free Seas

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Improvised Thai Vegetable Green Curry with Chickpeas

This recipe is Vegan and Gluten-Free.

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This came about when we had nothing planned for dinner – nothing new there then! – and found just over half a tin of chickpeas in the fridge that needed using, along with about a quarter of a cauliflower and the same of broccoli.

I don’t often have curry. My husband likes them quite strong and puts tomatoes in which I don’t eat, but this time my tastes prevailed and so was born a mild, creamy curry made with my favourite veg.

Chickpeas – also known as garbanzo beans and gram – are a good source of protein, calcium, iron and fibre.

Most of the ingredients were organic, but not the Green Curry Paste – however, it was free from additives, refined sugar and gluten and was suitable for vegans, so passed muster for this curry.

All measurements are very approximate and timings, well, basically I’m guessing!

The curry was all cooked in a large frying pan, with the vegetables being stir-fried first. Everything was done within 40 minutes or so.

Serves 3 – on the basis that there were 2 of us and enough left over for a third if we didn’t have seconds.

We had it with brown Basmati rice – I know, clash of cultures, but that’s what we like and that’s all we had in.

Get everything prepared beforehand: rice measured, soaked for an hour and rinsed, water boiled for the rice, all veg washed and chopped into small pieces, cans opened.

Ingredients

Coconut oil for frying

1 large Onion, chopped

2 cloves of Garlic, crushed

large handful each of Cauliflower & Broccoli already chopped into small pieces

3/4 Cup Sweetcorn

3-4 Mushrooms, Sliced

1/2 to 2/3 can of Chickpeas

2/3 can Coconut Milk

1-2 Tbsps Gang Keow Wan Green Curry Paste

A Splash or two of Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)

1 Dsp Coconut Palm Sugar*

Squeeze of Lime

Handful of fresh chopped Coriander

Optional: 1 chopped tomato added near the end, we also thought plain, unsalted peanuts or cashews would go well if liked, but we didn’t have any.

 Method

(Have the rice going when the onion has been stir-frying for a couple of minutes, have a hot dish ready to put it in in case it’s ready first).

Melt the oil until hot enough for the onion to sizzle but not smoking.

Stir-fry onion for a few minutes until shiny, add cauliflower, broccoli and crushed garlic, stir-fry for another few minutes, then add mushrooms and continue to cook until it all begins to give a little.

Add some of the coconut milk, the green curry paste and the tamari and stir, cooking until the paste is dissolved and well mixed.

Add the rest of the milk, chickpeas, sweetcorn, sugar and continue cooking for a few minutes on a low heat with a lid on, until the cauliflower and broccoli are cooked but with a little bite.

Add the nuts if used.

Before serving, add a squeeze of lime juice and some fresh chopped coriander, with more coriander for garnish (I forgot it for the photos!).

Serve on hot plates.

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Hope I didn’t miss anything out!

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Magnesium-Rich Hippy Hippy Shake

(It has hemp seeds in it – Hippy? Get it? 😉)

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This shake is like a medicine chest in a glass: rich in magnesium as well as calcium, potassium, omega oils, protein, vitamins and healthy bacteria. It tastes good too! 

Many people are very deficient in Magnesium, which can have serious effects on our bodies from insomnia to chronic fatigue, muscle cramps to migraines, palpitations to chronic inflammatory diseases. For more information on Magnesium Deficiency and Magnesium-rich Plant-based Foods, see my post Magnesium: Are You Getting Enough?

Coconut can help the body absorb Magnesium, Calcium and other Vitamins, thereby maintaining healthy teeth, as well as supporting thyroid function and speeding up the metabolism.

The cultured bacteria in live yogurts help balance the gut and intestinal micro-organisms to aid digestion and support the immune system.

All ingredients are Organic and Gluten-Free.

Ingredients

1 Small Ripe Banana

Handful of Blueberries

Handful of Cashews

1 Heaped Tbsp Gluten-Free Oats

Small to Medium Glass of Cashew Nut Milk (home-made if possible), depending how thick or thin you like it

1 Tbsp Coyo Coconut Yogurt

1 Tbsp Cashew Nut Butter 

1 Tbsp Sunflower Seeds

2 Tbsps Raw Organic Shelled Hemp Seeds*

Optional: 2 Probiotic Capsules* (I open them up and sprinkle them in)

Blend and add a few blueberries on top.

*http://www.therawchocolatecompany.com

*http://www.juicemaster.com

These 1960’s Hippies seem to like it and are still going great guns! Have fun!

Copyright: Chris McGowan

Post 5lbs in 5 Days Juice Challenge: Peace, Paris-Roubaix & Pesto!

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I was thoroughly spoiled yesterday with beautiful flowers from both my mum and my grand-daughter.

It’s Sunday evening and what a contrast to yesterday! After a busy Saturday with family, today I was on my own. The sun was streaming through the windows, I’d lost another 1lb to add to the 5 yesterday and there would be 6 hours of cycling on the telly! I was in seventh heaven.

Our resident blackbird woke me with a virtuoso performance and I began the day as usual with an invigorating ginger shot. This was followed by a tiger nut milk, banana, blueberry and chia smoothie, with a green juice for lunch invented by my husband so I can’t tell you the recipe, he likes to keep me guessing! 

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Then came an afternoon of peace and quiet and Paris-Roubaix, one of, if not *the*, most exciting cycle races on the calendar.

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Team Sky bossing it on the cobbles!

My son and I were texting throughout as he kept losing pictures and I lagged behind due to phone interruptions – imagine, don’t they know!

Despite feeling the effects of a day with a two year old and a few days with an 85 year old, I feel really well from the juicing. Even Mum, who worries about me losing too much weight, said I looked good. It was an extra bonus to have a relaxing day doing what I enjoy and sharing it with my bike-mad son. At one stage I may have been guilty of  commentator’s curse when the Sky guys started going down like skittles after I posted that picture!

Dinner was a huge salad with home-made basil and walnut pesto, thrown together to use up the basil from the juicing.

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I feel full and satisfied and calm. I have a juice in the fridge for later if I need it.

Today was just perfect.

Copyright: Chris McGowan