(Gluten-Free, Vegan | Paleo-Friendly) Summer is BBQ time…AKA the best time! I absolutely love the combination of being outside and eating delicious food, which is probably why two of my favourite things are picnics and BBQs. Many of my vegetarian friends, however, tend to get a bit forgotten in the BBQ meat fest and end up eating basic veggie burgers. With this recipe, though, you’ll be able to wow your veggie and meat-eating friends alike with vegan meatballs that include another one of my fav things…buffalo sauce! Continue reading
Top 5 Tips to Thrive in Mersea Island
I explored this part of England on a whim and left feeling pleasantly refreshed. The quaint little English seaside town is the perfect weekend getaway for anyone who needs to get some fresh sea air and slow down. Interested? Here’s all you need to know!
How to get there? Frequent trains travel to Colchester from London Liverpool Street and take about 45 minutes. You can then get a 35-minute local bus to Mersea Island.
What to do? According to research, five things can help us feel happier, more positive and able to get the most out of life. As it turns out, Mersea Island is a great place to explore these Ways to Wellbeing and thrive.
So, here are my top tips for letting this little town re-fuel your soul according to the 5 Ways to Wellbeing:
- Connect | Meet some locals and enjoy the delicious, local oysters (or any seafood) at the West Mersea Island Oyster Bar.
- Be Active | Take a stroll on the beach or enjoy a mix of nature and seaside at the delightful Cudmore Grove Country Park.
- Be Mindful | Cruise around the island with Lady Grace Boat Trips and capture only one photo of the trip so that you can spend the rest of your time taking the scenery in and enjoying that moment.
- Keep Learning | If you’re up for a little adventure, try paddle boarding! Lessons are available for beginners. Or, if you’re an old pro on the SUP, rental paddleboards are also available.
- Give to Others | Support the local economy by enjoying a delicious coffee (or outdoor cinema night!) at The Gilt Rooms and/or sipping some local wine at the Mersea Island Vineyard.
Where to stay? I’d highly recommend finding a sweet little beach cottage on Airbnb; ours felt like a mini oasis! You can even get £30 off your booking if you open a new Airbnb account and use my link here! Make sure to follow the link and then open a new account to get the discount. If you already have an account, just make a new one with a different email address!
With these tips, you can leave Mersea Island feeling a boost of wellbeing that will hopefully bring you back into your daily routine with a refreshed perspective and skip in your step!
P.S. What things do you do in a new place to thrive?
Wishing you wellness,
Julia
xx
Raw Vegan Cheesecake
(Gluten Free, Vegan | Paleo-Friendly) I arrived to Wisconsin last week for a visit to celebrate the weddings and birthdays of family and friends. My sister is currently avoiding any sugar so making her a birthday cake was a little tricky. Luckily, I had made this awesome raw cheesecake in the past so I had a trusted recipe up my sleeve. My sister LOVED the cake and described it as ‘delicious and fabulous,’ which was a massive win! Basically, this dessert is a rich, decadent treat that will surprise all your guests with how healthy it is -so enjoy!
One note: the only difficult part about this treat is that you really do need a high-speed blender. I’ve tried making it in the past with a wimpy blender, and it was a massive headache so I wouldnt recommend.
Crust Ingredients
- 20g (1/4 cup) dried, unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 200g (1 1/2 cups) of macadamia nuts (or a macadamia nut and/or walnut mix)
- 75g (1/2 cup) dates
- A pinch of sea salt
‘Cheesecake’ Filling Ingredients
- 400g (3 cups) unsalted cashews
- 175 ml (3/4 cup) lemon juice
- 113g (1/3 cup) honey -or maple syrup/agave, if vegan (The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup (254g) of honey, but I reduced because my sister isn’t eating much honey/maple syrup. It still tasted great!)
- 160g (3/4 cup) coconut oil
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) water, if necessary to get filling mixed (use as little as possible)
Fruit Topping Ingredients
- 300g (2 cups) frozen strawberries
- 75g (1/2 cup) dates
Directions
- Sprinkle the coconut evenly on the bottom of a cheesecake (spring form) pan as the first layer of crust. You can also use a glass dish.
- Throw the macadamia nuts/walnuts, dates and salt into a food processor or high speed blender. Press the date and nut mixture down into the pan on top of the coconut to form the crust.
- Throw all filling ingredients into your high speed blender and blend until smooth (add as much water as needed). Pour mixture on top of crust.
- Put crust and filling in freezer for about an hour until it’s firm.
- Throw strawberries and dates into blender and mix until smooth. Pour this mixture on top of the firm crust and filling. Put the finished cheesecake in freezer until it reaches the desired consistency (5 hours is recommended, but my cheesecake only had about 2 hours in the freezer).
- Defrost the frozen cheesecake for around 30 minutes before eating -depending on how long you’ve had in the freezer.
Happy birthday to my beautiful sister! xxx
Source | The Rawtarian
Peanut Butter & Bicycles 