Cocoa Lime Energy Balls

* This recipe was originally posted in March 2015. The page was updated in October 2019.

Have you ever tried making your own energy balls? It’s so easy! You simply throw all the ingredients in a food processor, whizz for a few seconds then shape the mixture into balls. It couldn’t easier! 

What I especially love about these balls is that they taste decadent, yet they’re packed full of nutrient-rich ingredients that are not only going to increase our energy levels, but also boost our health in general. Each ball is filled with protein, heart-healthy fats, complex carbs, fibre, plus a whole host of minerals and antioxidant compounds. It’s amazing just how much goodness you can fit into one little ball!

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Chickpea Nuggets with Home-Made Chunky Tomato Sauce

In today’s post, I’m sharing a recipe that caught my eye in this month’s Vegan Life magazine. These ‘Chickpea Nuggets’ have been a big hit with the family and we’ve made them multiple times in the past couple of weeks. They’re simple to prepare, packed full of nutritional goodness and budget-friendly too!

I had my first experience of vegan nuggets a couple of weeks ago at a fast food establishment in Valencia, Spain (yes, Valencia has vegan fast food joints! How cool is that?) The fast-food nuggets were okay, but the home-made variety win my vote. They just taste more like ‘real food’ to me. Plus they definitely make me feel better on the inside.

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Book Review: Hummus Where the Heart Is by Dunja Gulin and Recipe for Pea & Basil Hummus

In today’s post, I’m delighted to share with you a new book that’s dedicated to one of my favourite foods of all time… HUMMUS! This stylish book, humorously title ‘Hummus Where The Heart Is is the latest publication by cooking teacher and cookbook author, Dunja Gulin. It features over 50 vegan-friendly recipes, each one accompanied by a stunning photograph taken by London-based food & lifestyle photographer, Mowie Kay.

If you thought hummus was a bit dull and bland-looking, this book will completely change your perception. The pages are filled with a riot of colours, from the vibrant oranges of spicy lentil hummus, fresh greens of pea and basil hummus, through to the rich browns of cacao and rum hummus… yes there is even chocolate hummus in this book!

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Maple-Glazed Chickpeas with Oregano

In today’s post, I’m sharing the recipe for one of my favourite sweet ‘n’ savoury snacks… Maple-Glazed Chickpeas with Oregano ❤️ I’d been hoping to include this recipe in my cookbook, but sadly run out of space, so I’m delighted to be able to share it with you today. These pan-fried chickpeas not only make a great snack, but they are also perfect for topping soups and pasta dishes. They’re really simple to make and ready in less than ten minutes!

I absolutely love chickpeas and eat them most days in some shape of form. The fact that they’re packed full of nutritional goodness makes me love them even more. They’re a great source of protein, dietary fibre, B vitamins and a whole array of minerals. Just one cup of cooked chickpeas provides 84% of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of manganese and 26% of the iron RDA! [Source] Chickpeas also contain an abundance of antioxidant phytonutrients, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, which boost the immune system.

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Good Full Stop Snack Bar Review & Reader Offer

When you enter a giveaway and actually win, it’s such a buzz isn’t it?

This is something I rarely get to experience myself, so you can imagine my delight when a notification popped up on my phone to say that I’d been selected as the lucky winner of a #FreebieFriday giveaway on Twitter. The prize was an assortment of Good Full Stop snack bars 😋

[Image credit: Good Full Stop]

I was really chuffed as I’d been wanting to try these bars for ages. They’re produced by a company based in Devon, South West England (so not far from me) and I’d read lots of good things about them. On the website, the bars are described as being made with ‘natural, wholesome ingredients’ with ‘a hint of naughtiness’. Now that does sound enticing, doesn’t it?

There are currently nine flavour combinations in the range, all of which are vegan and gluten-freeContinue reading “Good Full Stop Snack Bar Review & Reader Offer”

Easy Vegan Choc Chip Cookies

Choc Chip Cookies

For over five years now, my Wednesday Workshop children have requested these cookies as their end of term treat. Who would have thought that a vegan wholemeal cookie would be such a hit!

I must admit, the children were a little surprised when I first admitted that they were vegan, but it didn’t deter them. To be honest, I got more cautious looks when I told them they were wholemeal, but even this wasn’t enough to put them off. They enthusiastically tucked into them, then proceeded to give me lots of lovely compliments. Some even told me they were the ‘Best Choc Chip Cookies Ever!’ Now that’s an impressive accolade for a humble home-made cookie! Continue reading “Easy Vegan Choc Chip Cookies”