Vegan Banana & Date Loaf

Sunday morning and three bananas going slowly brown in the fruit bowl, perfect time for a little baking.  I found a recipe on BBC Good Food and adapted it by swapping the sugar for maple syrup and plain flour for spelt. The end result was quite dense but super tasty and I could feel the goodness in it : )

Ingredients
3 large ripe bananas
75g coconut oil
65ml maple syrup
225g spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla essence
50g chopped dates

Method 
Mash the bananas in a big bowl and add all the wet ingredients. Give it a good stir. Then add the dry ingredients and stir until everything is combined. Cook for approximately 40 minutes at 180 fan / 200 degrees. Cover with foil if you feel the top is browning too much. 

Allow to cool on a wire rack and then enjoy with a coffee and a pile of good books. 

An Easy Veggie Curry

This recipe is for when you really can't be bothered to cook but want something cosy and wholesome. Everything goes in one saucepan and simmers away while you put your feet up. It makes enough for 3 - 4 meals and tastes even better the day after you cook it.

Ingredients
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon of garam masala
1 teaspoon of ground tumeric
1 medium aubergine, chopped into cubes
A couple of handfuls of chopped broccoli and cauliflower or any veggies you fancy (if I'm feeling really lazy I buy the pre-chopped packs)
1 tin of chickpeas
1 tin of coconut milk
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Method
Saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until the onion softens. Add the spices and stir for about 30 seconds. Add all of the other ingredients to the saucepan and stir well. Grind in a little salt and pepper. Leave to simmer for 40 minutes. Serve with either brown or white rice, whichever you prefer. Curl up and enjoy!

Nutrition - Pick Up Limes

As a vegetarian I'm always on the lookout for fresh ideas for what to cook and snack on. As time goes by, I am more and more interested in eating whole foods that really nourish my body but I also believe that a little something sweet isn't the worst thing in the world. I am also leaning more and more towards a vegan way of eating which is why I really like the YouTube channel Pick Up Limes. The creator, Sadia, has such a nice easy style which is warm and light and not at all preachy. Her ideas videos make me feel really excited about food that is kind to my body and really tasty at the same time. A real treat.