Vegan Guacamole

I am yet to meet a person who doesn't like gauc! Like seriously who cannot love this stuff. And homemade is even better, so fresh and tasty and oh so simple to make. 

Ingredients 

2 large ripe avocados 

half a red onion (diced)

1 clove of garlic 

4 cherry tomatos 

1 lime (juiced) 

pinch of salt and pepper

dash of olive oil 

half red chilli (deseeded and chopped)

Method

This is really the easiest thing you could ever make and though it may be simple, it will still impress your friends! Simply take all of the ingredients above and put them in a food processor, blend them up and there you go. Guacamole is made. Be careful not to over blend though, it should still have some bite to it. 

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola

I find breakfast the hardest time to be vegan, I don't know if it is because my family all eat fry ups and bacon sandwiches. Egg on toast is a staple in our house or if it just seems like breakfast is boring. Toast and Jam can get a little old after a while as can porridge. If like me you struggle to find an exciting breakfast you can quickly eat on the go, this granola is perfect for you. Simply make a batch ahead of time and grab a load whenever you need it.

Ingredients

3/4 of cup of sugar (I used caster but any sugar will do)

1/2 cup of cocoa powder 

1/2 cup of soya milk (any non-dairy milk is fine)

1/2 cup of water 

2 or 3 tablespoons of peanut butter (smooth or crunchy will work)

8 tablespoons of oil (vegetable or olive)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 

5 cups of oats

3 tablespoons of flax seeds

1/4 cup of pecans

1/4 cup of dried cranberries 

1/4 cup of flaked coconut 

50g of chopped dark chocolate 

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150c (fan)
2. Mix together in a large bowl sugar, cocoa, milk, water, peanut butter, oil, salt and vanilla. 
3. Add oats, flax seeds, pecans, cranberries and flaked coconut
4. Spread the mixture evenly onto two lined baking trays. The mixture will take approximately 45 minutes to cook and become dry. Check the mixture every 20 minutes and give it a stir and a mix up to create little granola nuggets. 
5. Allow to cool on baking trays for approximately 30 minutes. When cool, mix in chopped chocolate and store in air tight container

The granola will keep for approximately a month and makes between 10 to 15 servings. 

This is a perfect grab and go breakfast. I just pick up a tub full and mix with soya milk when I get to work. Simple and easy. 

Vegan Breakfast

Breakfast for me is one the of best things about the weekend. During the week I am far too lazy to be worrying about a fancy breakfast, grabbing toast is about as fancy as it gets. But the weekends are a different thing completely. Pancakes, french toast, omelettes, bacon, eggs, toast, porridge. I could go on forever but you get the picture.

I thought going vegan was going to be the end of that but I was wrong. Avocado on toast with tomatoes is amazing! It is so fresh and light yet filling. It is also so simple to throw together. Crush an avocado in a bowl and then spread it on toast, place tomatoes on top and there you go.

Vegan Cheese

Cheese for me has got to be one of the hardest things to give up. When I was veggie, I totally relied on cheese to get me through and now I am vegan, there is no more halloumi to keep me going.

After doing some research, I discovered that Tesco sells a vegan cheese - violate which comes in a block, slices or a cream cheese. I am yet to try the slices or cream cheese but the block of violate isn't half bad. It really does smell like cheddar cheese! Result. And the taste isn't too bad either.

It is quite a rubber cheese, it reminds me a little of a cheese string but never the less for vegan cheese, it seems like a winner. It tastes good enough to eat on its own or melted. As it is a rubbery, it is a little bit of a chore to grate but you can grate it.

Next on my list to try is the cream cheese! Watch out for the review shortly.