Update

Hey everyone,
I am so sorry, I have been so slack posting lately even though I promised to make it more of a regular thing! Recently with all the opportunities I have been presented and all the things I have learnt I wanted to start updating my blog with not only recipes but a few of my thoughts as well. I think I have a little bit more to offer other than just food so I would love to get a bit more creative in that respect.

Firstly, a little about myself.
I am an only child that lives on the coast of South Australia in a small little town that has beautiful beaches, a bit of lush country and a forest that is just a twenty minute drive away - in short, it has it all. Although most people that live here complain that there is nothing to do or spend there time wishing for the moment that they can finally escape the confines of this desolate, boring, isolated, good for nothing town; I wouldn't change it for the world. Some of the most amazing views I have witnessed have been right here in this small country town, and I am so grateful to live here.

At the moment, I am studying at a small college and I am part way through my second year of year twelve. The reason I chose to split my final year over two was originally so I could keep doing what I love doing without it impacting my final results too heavily. During the first year I studied both English Studies and Mathematical Studies, which were fairly engaging subjects. As much as I loved everything about English, Maths was a different matter which I somewhat struggled my way through. This year I am studying Biology and Physical Education and loving every minute of it.

As previously mentioned, I split my year twelve so I could continue to keep up with the things I loved. This was mainly centered around gymnastics which has been a massive part of my life. However with a change in club, and an increased travel load (one hour and a half each way), my thirteen year passion has begun to dwindle. Although I am still doing gymnastics, this year a large portion of my focus has been upon my schooling, food/photography/Instagram, running, and spending time with people that I care about.

Currently I am on the verge of adulthood. In a few days (June 22nd) I am turning eighteen. Already this year has brought me so many opportunities - particularly through the world of Instagram - and I am so grateful for all of them. I never dreamed of anything ever eventuating out of this which makes it all the more exciting. Although the addition of an extra year doesn't actually change much, the start of the next year will. I finally have to find a place to live, find a job there, choose a career path and do a substantial amount of growing up. Next year I am hoping to focus my education around nutrition as it has been a passion of mine since the creation of my Instagram account.

So whats to come?
In a couple of weeks time I am heading to Melbourne and with a bit of luck I will be able to document some of my time there, the places where I eat, the things that I do and the pictures that I take. On top of this as well as continuing to provide you recipes, I'll share my thoughts with you every so often. So stay tuned!

Raw Caramel and Nut Slice

Second (?) times the charm; today I had another attempt at perfecting the recipe of my raw caramel and nut slice. This little slice resembles the traditional Snickers bar with a caramel centre and a nutty chocolate top. For this recipe I used hazelnuts and almonds, however almost any type of nut of your choice could be substituted into the slice!

These bars didn't last long in our household, so I really hope that every thing goes to plan and that you thoroughly enjoy them! If you do happen to try these I would love to see your creations! So be sure to hash-tag #miso_healthy and even tag my account in your photo if you get the chance to share them on Instagram - it honestly brightens up my day to know that I have inspired at least one of you, and that people are getting involved with the blog by trying the recipes!

So without further adieu; my raw, vegan, caramel and nut slice.

Base 
2/3 cup fresh medjool dates (approx. 10)

1 cup of an assortment of hazelnuts and almonds

Filling

1 cup of fresh and juicy medjool dates (approx. 14)
2 tbsp of natural and organic peanut butter without nasty additives

Top
1/3 cup melted coconut oil (cold pressed, virgin oil is best)
2 1/2 tbsp cacao
2 - 3 tsp sweetener of your choice (to taste)


Assembly
1/2 cup of an assortment of both hazelnuts and almonds

MethodFirstly in a food processor, blend the ingredients for the base (dates and nuts) until the mixture is crumbly and sticks together well when compressed.
When the desired texture is reached, firmly press the base into a small lined baking tin (mine was 18cm x 18cm) and then place in the freezer.
For the filling add the dates and peanut butter in to a processor and blend until the mixture is fully combined (mixture should naturally form a large ball in the machine when ready). Next press/spread the caramel over the base with clean hands - if mixture begins to stick, for best results, wet your hands slightly.
After the caramel is neatly and evenly spread over the base, sprinkle the assembly nuts evenly over the caramel and firmly press them down, cementing them in the filling. Next set the slice aside so it remains at room temperature.
Lastly combine the ingredients for the chocolate and stir until combined, when mixture is smooth, poor the chocolate over the two layers and gently move the tin side to side, evenly distributing the chocolate and coating the nuts.
To set, store in the freezer for 30 mins - 1 hour.

Notes
As mentioned earlier, any variety of nut can be used, however I recommend almonds and hazelnuts! The same can also be said for the peanut butter where any sort of smooth nut butter can serve as a substitute.

Creamy Cacao and Acai Smoothie

After recently receiving my assortment of teas that SkinnyMe Tea very generously sent me; I did my best to come up with ways I could incorporate them into into daily life. Aside from my usual cup during the day my first idea was a chocolaty acai smoothie. Made with frozen banana, this chocolaty treat can also be served as an "nice-cream" by adding a little less liquid!

Ingredients:

3 frozen bananas

1 cup chilled and strongly brewed

Acai SkinnyMe tea

1 tbsp cacao powder

Method:

Add the bananas to a blender and to assist the blending process; gradually add the acai tea.

When the desired consistency is reached, (depending on whether you want ice-cream or a smoothie) set the remaining tea aside and either fold or blend in the cacao.

Raw Asian Salad & Tamarind Dressing

Taking in a bucket load of raw veggies is an important key in optimising nutritional intake in any lifestyle. So today I had a raw salad consisting of beetroot, carrot, cucumber, zucchini, and spring onion with a tamarind, tamari, maple and coconut water dressing. However in an effort not to waste the leftover ingredients I also enjoyed a both a cold pressed beet & apple and a spinach & pineapple juice; I highly recommend juicing any leftover bits of fresh vegetables you may have from any meal! - This salad is best enjoyed listening to some of your favourite mellow music, ( I recommend both Ben Howard and Langhorne Slim and The Law) and appreciating the smaller things in life (like even having access to all these amazing vegetables!).

Ingredients:
1 carrot
1 beetroot
1 cucumber
1 zucchini
1 capsicum
1 spring onion
and any other vegetables that
you might like (such as cabbage etc.)
Dressing
1 tsp of tamarind paste
1 tsp of tamari
1 tsp of maple
1 tbsp of coconut water
Assembly
1 handful of coriander + sprinkle of sesame seeds




Method:
With a julienne peeler, grate/peel the carrot, beetroot, cucumber and zucchini  into your salad bowl.
Next finely slice the capsicum and the spring onion into thin strips and add to the grated ingredients.
Finally combine the dressing ingredients, mixing thoroughly and then add your desired amount of dressing to the existing salad (tasting as you go).
Garnish with the coriander and sesame seeds.

Increasing Awareness

When I first became vegan my main reasoning behind the switch was the wide range of health benefits that a plant-based diet has to offer, however as I carried out more research my awareness grew. I began to learn about the blatant mistreatment of animals worldwide due to factors such as factory farming and the fur industry. Suddenly my reasons such as merely searching for a healthy diet seemed self-centered and mild in comparison to the ever-growing list of ethical advantages the vegan lifestyle presents.

As a seventeen year old student that is on the brink of finishing schooling and moving on to university, ultimately I would  love to aid in making a difference and help protect the lives of the vulnerable. However because I am not able to reach out and create an instant solution - I don't think anyone is - I am starting on a smaller scale and urging you become more aware or to just do something minor in the community to help increase awareness.

In the hope of even influencing one person to participate in a plant-based lifestyle, I want to suggest the two documentaries that most influenced my own decision. I know most people are uncomfortable watching evidence of animal cruelty, however I believe that simply watching a documentary is a perfect way to truly understand the mistreatment that occurs. It can often be all to easy to become caught up in the "drama" of our own lives and these films help serve as a reminder of the repercussions that can be inflicted by our daily choices.

Farm To Fridge

The first documentary that opened up my eyes was the short film Farm To Fridge. The footage only spans for a little over ten minutes however it helps to highlight the outrageous injustice that occurs in the farming industry. The images recorded on a hand held camera identify the conditions of animals in areas such as poultry, dairy and beef that occur in farms across America.

Earthlings

In a similar style to Farm To Fridge, Earthlings portrays an inside look into the animal torture that occurs on a daily basis around the world. However instead of focusing solely on the farming industry, the slightly longer film also targets areas such as entertainment and clothing. The documentary initially also provides viewpoints in relation to the act of speciesism that alone prove a interesting watch.

"In the behaviour towards creatures,

all men [are] Nazis.

The smugness in which man could

do with other species as he pleased

exemplify the most extreme racist theories"

Raw Avocado & Cacao Mousse

Today, for the first time in a long time our fruit bowl was uncharacteristically filled with ripe avocados that needed to be eaten. So in order not to waste this opportunity and the flesh of this precious (and expensive) fruit, I decided to whip up some avocado and cacao mousse. Originally this recipe is Belle Gibson's and can be found in The Whole Pantry App, however today I made some adjustments based on what was available that ultimately resulted in my own adaption. 

Avocado is a perfect addition to vegan desserts due to its mild taste and creamy texture, and it can be used in tarts, smoothies, mousse and - as suggested by a lovely fellow instagramer today - cake icing! Although it may seem a strange addition, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to give this recipe a try.

Avocado & Cacao Mousse

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
2 ripe bananas
2 1/2 tbsp cacao
1 tbsp coconut milk
1/2 tbsp of maple

Method:
starting with the avocado and the banana, blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Notes:
As a serving suggestion, avocado mousse works well with fresh banana and can even act as a tart filling, also be sure to top it with ingredients such as raw buckwheat and cacao nibs to add texture to the dish!
Additional flavours can also be added to the mousse, for example my all time favourite combination is orange and chocolate, so if you are wanting to give that a try, additional orange rind zest would work nicely thoroughly blended into the mixture.

Cold Pressed Juice & Juicing

Recently after watching Joe Cross' "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead"; a documentary which is dedicated to spreading the word about the advantages of juice cleansing. I decided to put more effort into creating fresh, cold pressed juices each day. In order to add more nutrients in my own diet I have been experimenting with both different flavours and combinations, and I have already started experiencing the benefits! Juicing is a perfect way re-hydrate and re-energize by adding extra nutrients into your diet that might otherwise often prove difficult to incorporate.

In the hope of carrying out my own juice cleanse in the near future I have come up with recipes that aim to increase the concentration of nutrients without jeopardising the flavour. Although they are not completely vegetable based, these juices are a tasty starting point for someone (like me) whose taste buds have not yet fully adapted to the vegetable world.




Pineapple and Lime
3 large handfuls of spinach
1/2 pineapple cut into chunks
1 cup of coconut water
juice of half a lime

Juice the ingredients in the order above and then add the coconut water and lime juice - best served chilled!

Carrot and Ginger
5 carrots
1cm cube of ginger
1 apple
1 orange

Juice in the listed order.

Spinach, Cucumber and Apple3 - 4 large handfuls of spinach
1 large cucumber
1 apple
1/2 an orange

Juice in the listed order.

Apple, Pear and Lime
3 apples
1 pear
juice of half a lime
1/2 - 1 cup of coconut water

Juice the ingredients in the order above and then add the coconut water and lime juice!