Garlic & Herb Hasselback Potatoes

I spent yesterday with my mum in London; we wandered around Chelsea for a good part of the day before heading to explore Harrods and then for a bite to eat at Tibits for dinner (which was super delish!). Much to my delight, a food market was on in Chelsea and with a fair few vegan options - we tried an iced tea with agave, lime and cloves, a slice of the most incredible chocolate mojito cake and plenty of olives, we also picked up these gorgeous purple potatoes and something slightly unusual that caught my eye...elephant garlic.

Had I known that the elephant garlic would be rather pungent and even after putting it inside another bag that we'd still be able to smell the garlicky aroma whilst wandering through Harrods, perhaps I would've thought twice about purchasing it. But it made for an amusing time and I will definitely remember the day I was armed to ward off a whole family of vampires whilst wandering around London, for years to come.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

I spent last weekend at my Parent's house for Easter and when it came to dinner time, I was thinking about how to spruce up my mum's plan for a stir fry dinner. Don't get me wrong, stir-fries can be great, but it was the beginning of a bank holiday weekend and I really fancied something a little more indulgent. We'd already picked up some vegan wontons and enoki mushrooms in town for the planned stir fry and when it came to cooking, I thought I'd have a go at making another dish, turning it into a little Friday night Chinese fake-away.

You can thank the pineapple sitting on my parent's window sill for inspiring this dish...crispy tofu meets tender broccoli, with juicy chunks of pineapple and toasted cashews & sesame seeds, all coated in the easiest, most incredible tasting sweet and sour sauce! 

8 Eggstravagant Vegan Easter Treats

Easter treats are so much fun, for kids and grownups alike, but it can be a bit tricky to find exciting vegan options, loaded with eggstravagant fillings. Whether it's chocolate treats you crave or the fruity, zesty flavours of a hot cross bun, I've got you covered with a whole range of sweet treats perfect for Easter! So get making and enjoy these treats with your friends and family this Easter weekend! 

Easter Pull-Apart Bread

Ideal for good Friday...this hot cross bun-inspired pull-apart bread is loaded with dried fruit, plenty of spices and candied peel...its crunchy around the edges, fluffy in the middle, it's the perfect way to kick of the Easter weekend! 

Easter Chocolate Cups 

Struggling to find a drool-worthy mini chocolate treat at a decent price? Why not make your own? Set the chocolate cups in paper casings and make your own fillings out of whole food ingredients. Pictured above is the salted caramel flavour, there's also 'cream egg' and 'hot cross bun' flavours! If you have egg-shaped moulds you can use these too...wrap the finished treats up in foil and have your very own Easter egg hunt!  

Pumpkin Pesto Pearl Barley

The flowers are starting to bloom, the sun is out and it almost feels like it could be spring...and then it starts to snow again. This next recipe is filled with fresh flavours, that are still comforting enough to warm you up from the cold. Herby lemon parsley pesto made with pumpkin seeds and pumpkin oil, for a unique flavour that is simply incredible and smells absolutely amazing! Swirled into tender pearl barley, with fresh kale and heirloom tomatoes, for that touch of sweetness.

I first heard about pumpkin seed oil in Slovenia - it makes a beautiful dressing for this Green Goddess Salad, it has a unique nutty flavour that almost can't be described - you have to try it! This dish can be eaten hot, like a pearl barley risotto, or cold, as a salad - it's delicious either way and super healthy too! 

Immune-Boosting, Cold-Fighting, Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Tea

This next recipe is a miracle for when you're feeling under the weather, but can't afford to take time off work, a little cup of this immune-boosting tea that will make you forget you're even ill! A co-worker made something similar for me during my time at uni when I had a horrid cold, but I still had to show up to work - I drank a few of these on shift and I almost forgot I was even ill! I've ramped it up a bit, with a couple of extra ingredients, to make it extra good for you! 

This anti-inflammatory tea is steeped with lemon, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, coconut oil and a squeeze of date syrup for a touch of sweetness. Packed with cold-fighting goodness and it tastes delicious too! Many people rely on the classic combo of honey and lemon...until they go vegan of course and this soothing tea is my go-to for any time I'm feeling under the weather. I thought it was about time you all felt the magic, too! 

Ginger and lemon are a classic combo, lemon is rich in vitamin C, has anti-bacterial, anti-microbial properties and anti-inflammatory properties and quickly soothes a scratchy throat, ginger is also a fantastic anti-inflammatory, whilst also providing some relief to any nausea brought on by the illness.