Vegan Energy Balls!

Last night I attempted making vegan energy bars sort of like nakd bars, they turned out great and they’re vegan!

After trying nakd bars ages ago I always wanted to make my own version. They’re great as an on the go snack or a treat with your tea 🙂

 

Here is the recipe! (Makes 10)

14 dates (Soaked)

1 tbsp of chia seeds

Half a cup of walnuts

¼ cup of organic oats

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp cocoa powder (Optional)

1 tbsp desiccated coconut (Optional)

*Soak your dates and walnuts in separate bowls for approx. 1hr

In a food processor ground up your oats and chia seeds and put in a separate bowl. Next, in your food processor, mix walnuts until finely chopped and their oils begin to release. Put in a bowl to the side.

Drain dates and mix in your food processor until they have formed a smooth paste. Add two tablespoons of maple syrup.

Add your oat mixture and your walnuts to your dates and mix until incorporated.

Roll into 1 inch balls and place of parchment paper.

I had cocoa powder  on a piece of parchment paper which I rolled 3 of the energy balls in and 3 more in desiccated coconut and then I had left 4 plain but feel free to try other toppings!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe let me know what you think! 🙂

TheLittleChia

Bounty Bites (Vegan)

These are a ‘healthy’ version of Bounty Bars made from just a few raw ingredients – delicious and perfect for a little sweet treat after dinner. I’ve tweaked the original recipe which i learned at the vegetarian course I had attended and wrote about in a previous blog post here 🙂

for the coconut base

Line a small loaf tin with baking parchment or cling film, leaving some hanging over the sides so that you can pull the finished recipe out easily after refrigerating.

100g desiccated coconut
50g flaked almonds
2 tbsp maple syrup

Mix the coconut and almonds in your food processor until finely ground and the oils have been released, add the maple syrup and mix again till the mixture clumps together.
Press into the tin and put in the fridge until you make the chocolate layer.

For the chocolate layer

25g coconut oil
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp maple syrup

Melt the coconut oil and maple syrup in a small pan on a low heat, whisk in the cacao powder until smooth.
Pour over the coconut base and refrigerate.

Remove from the tin after about an hour. Remove the parchment or cling film and cut into small bite sized pieces or fingers which can then be easily stored in the refrigerator.

I hope you enjoy the recipe and if you try it let me know what you think!

TheLittleChia

Chili (vegan)

A bowl of chili is hearty but not heavy, packed with protein and highly adaptable I got this recipe from a great vegetarian cookbook I have called meatless by Martha Stewart and I love it!

I adapted this recipe yesterday to my preference, I also didn’t have a couple of ingredients and it turned out great so I thought I would post the recipe below. I hope you enjoy it!

You will need…

1-2 Tablespoons of coconut oil

1 Large onion

4 Cloves of garlic

1.5 Tablespoon of chili powder

Half a teaspoon of chili flakes (Optional)

2 teaspoons of ground cumin

500g Passata

1 Can kidney beans

1 teaspoon sugar

And veggies of your choice I added carrot, courgette and peppers

Recipe

1. In a large pot heat the coconut oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic. Cook stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in chili powder, ground cumin and chili flakes; cook, stirring frequently, until spices are fragrant and have darkened about 2 minutes.
3. Add passata, beans and 2 cups of water; bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and then add vegetables and cook until chili has thickened, 20-30 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat. Season with sugar and salt.

I served this recipe with rice on the bottom of the bowl but you could serve it on its own with avocado, coriander, toasted tortilla wraps even diced tomato.

Let me know if you give this recipe a try and what you think of it! 🙂

TheLittleChia

Hiking!

A couple of years ago I found out my school had a mountaineering club. I had never been hiking before but I decided to give it a go anyway. Since then I have hiked in various places such as the Wicklow Mountains, Achill Island, Diamond hill Connemara, Ben Nevis Scotland and Croagh Patrick in Co.Mayo several times. I think it’s safe to say it’s something I really enjoy doing!

Last Christmas me, my dad, sister and brother climbed Croagh Patrick on Christmas Eve it was freezing but we loved it! It felt great to break away from the usual Christmas traditions and do something worthwhile.

Croagh Patrick, nicknamed the reek is based in county mayo overlooking clew bay. It is a 764 meter mountain a place of pilgrimage for many and definitely a great hike! You can read more about it here if you are interested 🙂

I also went to diamond hill with my boyfriend on Valentine’s Day. Even just the drive to Diamond hill is worthwhile (If you have ever been to Connemara you would know how beautiful it is) at 445 meters, it is a little easier than Croagh Patrick however; I still recommend the hike especially for the view at the top! 🙂

The thing I love about hiking is not only is it a great work out but it’s great to challenge yourself, experience the view at the top and being proud of yourself for doing it!

If you have never been hiking before and would like to try it here are just a couple of tips on what to bring!

• A good backpack, you’re going to need somewhere to put your belongings!
• Water, obvious but it’s important to stay hydrated.
• A snack and a bit of lunch such as soup, sandwiches and something warm to drink.

• A good pair of hiking boots! Mine are a Peter Storm pair and I always wear a thick pair of socks and a thin pair to keep my feet warm and prevent blisters.
• Wear a couple of thin layers rather than one or two think layers of clothing and wear a good but light rain jacket too.
• Comfortable pants such as leggings or a tracksuit
• Hat and gloves it gets really cold up there!
• A flashlight, compass and any other safety items you can think of you can never be too careful!
• A spare pair of clothes and a towel

Before going hiking always let someone know when you are starting you’re hike and when you expect to return and always stay in contact with them!

I hope to go hiking a couple more times this year and when I do I will post about it here!

Have you ever tried hiking before? How did you find the experience and do you have recommendations? 🙂

TheLittleChia

Busy week!

Every once in a while I find everything can seem to get on top of us! It was a crazy week as I had a lot going on including a trip to Dublin on my own, getting assignments done and handed up before their deadline, going to an orientation about a summer abroad, working and going to college all with very little sleep and that’s just to name a few!

Even though it had been extremely busy and a little bit stressful I had a lovely weekend, we went to a gorgeous Italian restaurant where I got a delicious bruschetta as a starter and a spinach and ricotta ravioli pasta as a main in a lovely restaurant called Il Folletto in Galway city has anyone else been there or heard of it?

Of course, the week had taken its toll on my energy levels and being so busy I hadn’t the time I usually have to take care of my health so this week I’m getting back to reality by spending the week studying, eating healthily and going to bed early and hopefully posting a few blog posts too! 🙂

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend,

TheLittleChia

Grapefruit Juice

If you like grapefruit this combination is so delicious and simple! The lime takes a bit of the bitterness away from the grapefruit making it easier to drink 🙂

Simply juice approx. 4 Grapefruits and one lime together and enjoy!

Grapefruit is an all-round kind of fruit with incredible benefits. It’s great for lowering cholesterol, promoting digestion and preventing colds and flu. It’s packed full of vitamin C and helps prevent water retention. It’s excellent for dispelling fatigue and tiredness, but is also great for alleviating insomnia and helping you sleep.

TheLittleChia

Sundried Tomato & Basil Hummus

What type of vegetarian/vegan blog would this be without a recipe for hummus.The first time I had ever tried hummus was one I had made. Everyone who has tried it loves it so I guess that’s a good sign of course I love it too! 🙂

 

Super simple Recipe (Adjust the recipe to your preference)

4-6 Sundried Tomatoes

1 clove of Garlic

6-8 leaves of Fresh Basil

1 can of Chickpeas

Approx. 4 tbsp. of Olive oil (add more if needed)

A pinch of Salt & Pepper

Half a tsp of paprika

Simply blend all the ingredients in a food processor or hand blender and enjoy!

TheLittleChia

Weekend fun

Happy Sunday! 

On Saturday I went to a vegetarian cookery class by the lovely Liz Nolan of MyGoodness. I definitely recommend checking out her website and all her delicious recipes!

There was a group of 7 other girls that I know including my sister, nanny and aunt. We had a great time! It was so much fun to learn and try so many delicious recipes 🙂

I cant wait to try them out at home! I will definitely be posting about it here!

Have you ever been to a cookery course? what was it like? 🙂

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!

TheLittleChia

My Morning Smoothie

Happy Friday everyone!

Here is a beautiful smoothie I love that will leave you feeling satisfied and energized for hours!

Recipe

Coconut milk (or any nut milk of your choice)

1-2 (or more) ripe bananas and/or half an avocado

1 Lemon (Skin removed)

Approx. 1 handful of mixed frozen berries

1 large handful of Spinach or kale

2 tbsp of flax seeds

2 tbsp of chia seeds

2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds

(All ingredients can be adjusted to your preference)

Simply place all ingredients into a blender, pour as much milk as you wish and blend! 🙂

I recommend blending the bananas last- I feel like the taste changes if they’re blended for too long (maybe it’s just me!)

Let me know if you try it out!

Natalie 

Hi there!

Let me begin by introducing myself, I’m Natalie, an Irish girl attempting to blog about  food, business and my lifestyle.

Blogging is something I have wanted to do for sometime and now I have finally decided to start!

My aim is to have a space where I can post about topics that I found interesting or food that I enjoyed so I think think this blog will contain a whole variety of topics. If you would like to see a blog post on anything or would like to leave any tips or questions feel free to leave a comment below!

I hope you have a lovely day,

Natalie