Hannah's Veggie Lifestyle

Over the years, I've made meat, vegetarian, and vegan versions of sloppy joes and I have to say I've enjoyed them all. The vegan version uses green lentils instead of mince, and I love the fact that they still give a meaty texture, but without using real mince or a processed plant-based mince. Using tinned green lentils takes out all the fuss of having to soak and boil the lentils, so if you have the option, I'd use these! The arrival of delicious vegan mayonnaises and cheeses on the market means that it's easy to top the mince with some tasty toppings, but you can also use dairy versions if you prefer.  I like to make the coleslaw from scratch because it's not difficult to make, but I don't normally bother making the rolls from scratch. If you do want to, I'd recommend putting a tray of boiling water in the bottom of the oven to keep the crusts soft. If I fancy a different filling, I like to swap out the sloppy joe mix with pulled barbeque jackfruit too (pi...

Completely vegan chocolate cake - who would know? We are all aware that reducing our meat and dairy intake is a great way to reduce our individual impact on the environment, as well as holding large companies accountable for the damage they do too, of course. So, I've decided to share some of my favourite meat/ dairy replacements for when you want a taste of the original, with a much smaller environmental impact! I'd love to say I'm a vegan, but if I can't find a good enough alternative for some dairy items, I do still eat the original (although in much smaller quantities than I used to). As veganism continues to grow, so does the incredible alternatives available, which means it's getting easier and easier to swap out meat and dairy products in our diets. It's still important to incorporate lots of unprocessed foods like fruit and veggies into your diet, so I do try and only eat these when I truly want an alternative. But, if it's helping us eat less dairy ...

If I could, I would happily spend all day every day eating pizza and chocolate cake. But  as heavenly as that sounds, I'm well aware that if this actually was my reality, my body would not thank me very much in the long run.  So, if there's any ways I can eat my favourite foods as much as I like without feeling like I've eaten far too much every time, I am so there for it. Sometimes there's nothing quite eating the original, and of course, sometimes I will. Also, there are a lot of claims out there for 'healthier' versions of food that are either: a) actually not that much healthier, or b) so different that there's simply no point- you might as well just enjoy the original (and maybe go on a walk afterwards). But this isn't always the case. When I'm craving any of these five foods but I fancy a lighter version, these are my go to swaps that are still satisfying for both my cravings and hunger. 1. Tortilla pizza I've seen this been made hundreds o...

As lockdown measures start to ease and we begin to return to some form of 'normal' life, it felt right to bring the Lockdown Baking Series to a close. But I wanted to end it on a (sugar) high, and what better way to do that than with cinnamon rolls? For years I've been using the excuse that recipes that use enriched dough (a classic bread dough with ingredients such as butter added) can't be made vegan and be just as good, because they wouldn't have the same richness that dairy and eggs bring. However, when I discovered these cinnamon rolls, I was proven wrong.    I first discovered this recipe when I had a craving for cinnamon rolls during Veganuary, and I haven't looked back since. They're just as soft and light, and even with plant-based margarine, they still taste surprisingly buttery. Now I know that a lot of people think the only suitably topping for cinnamon rolls is cream cheese frosting, which of course makes them more difficult to make vegan. Howev...

I know I promised granola this week (I'll put it up soon!) but I made these earlier on in the week when my mum was cleaning out the oven, so I had  to find something no-bake to make. I'm trying to bake (slightly) healthier things at the moment, which is definitely a mixed result so far. These are mainly rice krispies, and they are refined sugar and dairy free, which is good enough for me. Instead of using shop bought ran peanut butter (which often has lots of added ingredients like palm oil and sugar) I blended up my own peanuts. This worked well because I could make it more chunky, so the bars had an extra crunch. This meant the peanut butter was 100% nuts too, which is definitely the best type.  The recipe I based these on didn't have any desiccated coconut in, but I wanted something to decorate the top with and it complemented the coconut oil well too. If you're not a fan, then you can leave it out. You can also add in some other variations if you like, such as dried...

I know that just because something is vegan doesn't make it healthy, but the lack of icing means I can (almost) convince myself that these are, which is a good enough reason for  them to become a regular bake in our house. This is the first vegan banana muffin recipe I've found that are just as good as banana muffins with eggs and butter- they're fluffy, moist and very moreish. If you want to make them healthier, then swap the chocolate chips for chopped nuts, or leave them out completely. I found this recipe on a Vegan Baking page on Facebook, but adjusted it slightly. I swapped some of the peanut butter for coconut oil for added moistness, and took out the vanilla extract because I found it didn't add much. You can add in a tsp of good quality vanilla extract and take out the cinnamon if you prefer- or use both.   Makes 12 muffins, but the recipe is easy to scale up or down as needed.  Ingredients- 1 1/2 cups self raising flour 1 tsp baking powder pinch salt 1 tsp...

My friend has a YouTube channel ( CaitlingGodfrey ) and she said in a recent video that she and the rest of her family are trying to bake as much as they can so they've got lots of treats during lockdown, which tickled me because in my family, we're trying to  stop  baking as much. Moving back home has meant I've got access to all my baking equipment again -plus my beloved Kitchenaid-, and having extra time too means it's all I want to do! I thought I'd start a series sharing my favourite recipes I've found during lockdown, and first up we've got a recipe for homemade doughnuts. This was my first time making doughnuts, and I can definitely recommend giving it a go. They're very naughty so I'll only be making them as a treat, and they're best on the day you make them so make sure you've got lots of people to share them with. If you're on your own at the moment or have the will-power to only eat one a day, then 1. please can you give me som...

This isn't exactly going to come as a surprise, but all of the cookbooks are vegetarian. But if you're a meat eater, don't stop reading! You don't have to commit to a 100% vegetarian or vegan lifestyle to enjoy these recipes (although I can promise you, you won't regret it if you do). 1. MOB Veggie- Ben Lebus The more I learn about MOB, the more I love them. It started off with one guy wanting to help young people cook delicious dishes cheaply, and it's grown so much since then. This book has helped me to experiment with new flavours at university without blowing all my weekly food budget on expensive ingredients. I love the fact that every recipe has a song associated with it too- it shows how much thought has gone into every single dish.  Favourite recipe- Veggie Nasi Goreng This is in the brunch section of the book, but I always make it for dinner and it's become a firm family favourite. Make sure you undercook the rice slightly when you boil it so it doe...

My brother bought me my bullet journal for Christmas 2 1/2 years ago, and I've been hooked ever since! I'm very picky as to the designs I'll put in mine, which means I'm still only halfway through my first journal. Most of my inspiration comes from Pinterest. So, if you don't know where to start for ideas then create a Pinterest account RIGHT NOW. Ideas for pages there are endless, and if you've got a specific idea in mind but don't know how to put it onto a page, simply search : '(insert idea) bullet journal' for plenty to pick from. I don't have a particular theme to my journal -other than lot's of colour- because I would never be able to stick to it, but feel free to make everything match if that's your style.  Regardless, no bullet journal is complete without these pages: 1. Sunshine tracker This is one of my favourite pages, because I love how bright it is. I know it's a bit cheesy but it does make me feel all warm and fuzzy when...

Happy Easter! Okay, serious question: is it REALLY Easter Sunday if you haven't made yourself feel slightly sick by the amount of chocolate you've scoffed before 9am (but will carry on eating it throughout the rest of the day regardless)? I for one definitely think not. But I find that even after eating my bodyweight in chocolate eggs, there'll still be a huge mountain left. And for those that know me well, it doesn't take long before i start dreaming up new creations to make with whatever I've got on hand. So, I thought I'd share some of my favourite things to bake with Easter chocolate. I hope you enjoy! 1. Ultimate chocolate cake @Cadbury sponsor me please This recipe  claims it's the 'best chocolate cake ever', and I can confirm this is very true (but make sure you don't use loose-bottom cake tins like I did the first time I made it- it's very, very, sad). It's everything you want from a chocolate cake, and paired with Easter ch...