Lazy Recipe; Moist & Healthy Vegan Blueberry Muffins

August 11, 2014 A lazy Girl Goes green 3 Comments

Ok, so blueberry muffins are traditionally not too hard to create. And if you’re looking for inspiration, you should look no further than Vegan Muffin Woman, who’s stunning muffin recipes will make even the biggest vegan sceptic want to throw away their butter and munch on her sweet delights!

But….I like this muffin recipe lots and lots because not only are they quick, easy and very tasty; they are actually pretty healthy too! That’s because I let the berries do all the work when it comes to sweetness and moisture; so they don’t need much added sugar or fat. It also works well with raspberries. Continue reading Lazy Recipe; Moist & Healthy Vegan Blueberry Muffins →

Facts and Stats, Green food, Green health, Nature, Sustainability, What to buy

Is Soy really the greener option?

August 9, 2014 A lazy Girl Goes green 3 Comments

Soy is fast becoming a healthier, greener option for meat and dairy; not just for vegetarians, vegans, and the dairy intolerant, but for the environmentally, ethically and health conscious too. As most coffee shops now offer soy milk, and soy based products – such as tofu and tempeh – become a standard option in many restaurants and cafes; it’s provided the world with a widely available alternative, in which to get your protein, calcium and B vitamins.

Over the last few months I have certainly become a bit of a soy fiend; and find I rarely go a day without some kind of soy based product. The convenience of tofu burgers, soy milkshakes and tempeh “bacon” rashers have largely made my transition to veganism almost seamless; in a world where I can lazily keep my eating habits if I want, simply by switching to this magic bean ingredient!

But this has got me thinking. Making these switches has been fantastic for avoiding animal products; but as the industry continues to grow, how green can soy really be? So I did a bit of digging, and opened a whole can of worms… Continue reading Is Soy really the greener option? →

Events, Green ideas, Green Living, Green news, Green travel, War on waste

4 Green Events to Inspire You this Summer

August 6, 2014 A lazy Girl Goes green 3 Comments

Whether you’re rushed off your feet with school holidays, or stuck in a stuffy office dreaming of relaxing on a secluded beach; sometimes it can be hard to stay motivated and energised at the height of summer.

Here are 4 upcoming green events which seek to relax, educate, cultivate and inspire you to live more sustainably:

Continue reading 4 Green Events to Inspire You this Summer →

Recipes, Vegan

Lazy Vegan Recipe: “cheesy” Scrambled Tofu with Garlic Mushrooms & Kale

August 4, 2014 A lazy Girl Goes green 2 Comments

As you might suspect, I love a good lie in. In fact, I love them so much I will often choose an extra 5 or 10 minutes in bed over allowing myself time for the basic things like brushing my hair or applying make-up. These things can easily be done on the run; as I pour my coffee or walk to work. Enjoying my relaxed dream state and snuggling under the warm covers for a few more minutes, on the other hand, cannot.

Breakfast is no exception to this shift of priorities, and often my first meal of the day is consumed in the bedroom getting dressed, breathlessly on my walk to work or worse still, not at all. Once in a blue moon I may have been super organised and made a healthy vegetable juice in preparation the night before; but even this is gulped down 2 seconds before I brushing my teeth and running out of the door!

But weekends – especially those with no particular plans or deadlines – I can really go to town and cook myself up a fuel friendly feast, to start my day off with a bang! So this week I wanted to share a favourite vegan breakfast recipe of mine; which takes about 10 minutes to cook and is jam packed with yumminess to slow you down, so you can enjoy every last bite! Continue reading Lazy Vegan Recipe: “cheesy” Scrambled Tofu with Garlic Mushrooms & Kale →

Green ideas, Upcycling, War on waste

The Lazy Way to Save a Burnt Pan

July 30, 2014 A lazy Girl Goes green Leave a comment

About a month ago, I found myself getting very engrossed in a very animated and fun #makedoandmendhour on Twitter. Hosted by My Make Do and Mend Year’s Jen Gale, the hour is an opportunity for frugally thrifty upcyclers and crafty creators to share what they have been making; or ask advice and inspiration from others. As a complete notice to anything that involves a needle and thread or glue gun, I tend to be more of an observer than a contributor; but get engrossed in the conversations nevertheless!

However, this particular evening I got so distracted with the conversation, that I forgot the pan of rhubarb I was cooking in the kitchen; to make a seasonal fruit compote. That was until the smoke of the burning pan wafted across the house and alerted me to the obliterated pan! Continue reading The Lazy Way to Save a Burnt Pan →

Recipes, Vegan

Lazy Vegan Recipe: Crispy Almond Polenta Balls

July 28, 2014 A lazy Girl Goes green 2 Comments

Yay! It’s Meat Free Monday again, and I have a bit of a naughty treat for you!

I made these Crispy Almond Polenta Bites this weekend when I was craving some yummy fried goodness, which you often don’t have as a Vegan. Generally my diet consists of tofu, beans, lentils and a whole load of fresh vegetables; but sometimes you just need a little naughtiness!

Whilst I admit this recipe isn’t that lazy (they do take a while to prepare) it does make 20 or so balls; so you can freeze them for another time when you don’t fancy cooking. They are a perfect alternative to meatballs with spaghetti, as party nibbles or cold with hummus on a salad. Continue reading Lazy Vegan Recipe: Crispy Almond Polenta Balls →

Green news, Sustainability, What to buy

10 Ethical Brands Owned by Big Corporations

July 25, 2014 A lazy Girl Goes green 7 Comments

When going green, an obvious first step for many is trying to buy more ethical products; from organic veg and natural soap, to shampoos and cleaning products which haven’t been tested on animals. That’s why one of the first blogs I wrote, when trying to live more sustainably, was all about Understanding Ethical Labels and how you can work out what’s green or not.

But more and more, small ethical brands, which use these labels, are being bought by big corporations who, – through other brands and products – may often be considered the antithesis of ethical. Primarily focused on profit and expansion; these large corporations often use unsustainable practices, produce genetically modified products, test on animals and generally seek to compete with smaller, family run companies. It seems that as big brands become less desirable than the natural, organic or ethical companies; they are investing in them to reap the benefits of the booming green industry. Big corporations are really beginning to have a monopoly on everything we buy… Continue reading 10 Ethical Brands Owned by Big Corporations →

Recipes, Vegan

Lazy Recipe: Easy Vegan Pesto

July 21, 2014 A lazy Girl Goes green 1 Comment

Happy Meat Free Monday lazy green people!

This has to be my laziest recipe yet; as all in all it took less than 10 minutes to prepare and make! But after a long day at work in a hot stuffy office, I was looking for something quick and easy that didn’t involve a warm oven. And despite my history of unintentionally killing off almost every plant I have ever tried to grow, my basil is growing so fast my conservatory is beginning to resemble the rainforest biome at the eden project!

This recipe uses key ingredients that everyone will have in their kitchen; apart from the nutritional yeast, which is more commonly a vegan essential ingredient. But it can be found in most supermarkets or health food shops. You can also easily pimp up your pesto with whatever you have to hand. It works particularly well with sun dried tomatoes, chilli oil or swapping the pine nuts for another nut (I used almonds). The best thing is, it’s completely raw and dairy free! Continue reading Lazy Recipe: Easy Vegan Pesto →