Vegan Mango and Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 can mangoes (or 1 cup ripe mango)
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 teabag
• 1/2 banana (preferably frozen)
• 3 Tablespoons coconut cream
• 2 small handfuls frozen strawberries
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup soy milk
•  Favourite museli 

1. Add the teabag to the boiling water, then place in freezer to cool while preparing rest of the smoothie.
2. If using fresh mango, peel and pit.
3. Add the banana, coconut cream, mango, and green tea to blender and blend until smooth.
4. Half fill your chosen glass with mango smoothie.
5. Rinse out blender and place in frozen strawberries, banana, and soy milk.
6. Blend until smooth.
7. Layer some granola on top of the mango smoothie layer, then pour the strawberry smoothie on top. Top with a sprinkle of granola.

* serve immediately *

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Vegan Quinoa and Black Bean Burgers

If there is one thing I have learned as a recently turned vegan, it's that Quinoa is a must have in your cupboard! 
Don't let the lack of meat put you off this delicious recipe. These burgers are smokey and full of flavour.

**Just a little note, freshly cooked quinoa doesn't make for the most stable burger. It's best to cook it the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight. I have made them with freshly cooked quinoa myself and they still taste delicious, just proves a challenge to eat. **

I have served mine in a burger bun with lettuce, humus, beetroot chutney and avocado, but you can use whatever fillings tickle your fancy.


-makes 4 burgers-
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup vegetable stock (or water)
• 1 can of black beans, rinsed, drained and patted dry.
• 1/2 a bell pepper (I use orange), roughly chopped
• 1/2 an onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic 
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin 
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp sweet chilli sauce

1. Preheat oven to 200℃
2. In a small pot cook quinoa in stock or water. I use stock because I think it adds more flavour but water works just as well.
3. In a medium bowl mash beans with a fork, to create a thick, pasty texture. Make sure there are no whole beans left or they will go hard when baked.
4. Put the peppers, onion, and garlic into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Stir into beans, add in the chilli powder, cumin, paprika, sweet chilli, and quinoa. Stir until well combined.
5. Divide and shape into 4 patties, and bake for 15 minutes on each side. I bake mine on a cooking tray lined with parchment paper.

I'll Be Your Clown?

Halloween, one of my favourite seasons, purely because I love dressing up! 
I spend ages thinking up elaborate ideas for amazing costumes, but on the day end up coming up with last minute ideas. Non the less it always comes out looking good - perhaps my talented mother has a lot to do with that? Haha

I'm lucky enough to be able to dress up twice, for trick or treating and then a halloween party the next day!

For the first night I went as Medusa - not my best outfit I admit, but I tried. 
The second night was a much bigger success. My scary clown costume was a big hit and scared my clown-phobic friend to pieces!


What have you gone for on Halloween? Let me know in the comments.