This recipe is easy to follow and doesn’t use anything you wouldn’t be able to find at your local supermarket, best of all the result is a moist, flavourful and bouncy sponge that you would never guess was a wheat/dairy free alternative!

After making these I spent the evening watching Hocus Pocus (enjoy my favourite scene by clicking here!), an old favourite of mine which I watch religiously every Halloween along with Casper and the Addams Family, nothing too scary for me! What’s your favourite spooky Halloween film?

These cupcakes are not only perfect for Halloween but for the winter season. The pumpkin mixed with the slight nutmeg and cinnamon taste give them a festive feel, making them perfect to snuggle up with warm drink and treat yourself to some seasonal flavour!

Recipe:

Makes 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the sponge

• 100grams of brown sugar
• 115grams of dairy free spread (I used Pure Sunflower Spread)
• 2 eggs
• 150grams of plain flour (I used Doves Farm, plain white)
• 2½ teaspoons of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1½ tablespoons of apple sauce
• 230grams of pureed pumpkin – You can used canned or I used a half a medium fresh pumpkin. To prepare this way: trim, deseed and cut in to rough chunks. On a baking tray cook in the oven at 220c for approximately 45 minutes until softened. Take out and allow to cool. Weigh out the amount you need then puree in a blender. It will them be ready to add to the cupcake mix

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220c. Trim, de-seed and cut the pumpkin roughly in to large cubes. Place on a baking tray and cook until soft for approximately 45 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl add the butter and sugar and beat until light and creamy.
3. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Add them a little at a time to the butter mixture, beating lightly with a wooding spoon.
4. In a separate bowl weight out the flour and baking powder and gently stir to combine. Sift the flour mix in to the wet mix a little at a time. Be extra careful at this stage to ensure you are folding the entire mix, trapping air as you blend in the flour.
5. Add the apple sauce, pureed pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon to the mixture and fold in carefully until combined.
   

   The trick to this entire recipe in ensuring you fold in all the ingredients you add, keeping the mix light and fluffy while you trap in air!

6. Spoon the cake mixture in to paper cases and bake in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown and firm.
7. Transfer on to cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before icing. To prepare the icing in a bowl add the dairy free spread, then sift in the icing sugar and coco powder to avoid lumps. Cream the mixture gently with a small spoon, don’t over mix as the dairy free spread can become runny it over worked.
   

   These sponges are so delicious, you HAVE to try one warm and plain out the oven

8. Ice and decorate your cupcakes. Enjoy and Happy Halloween!
   

   I bought these little decoration cocktail sticks but you could even try making your own. I went for a Halloween theme with my nails this week

 I enjoy the taste of butternut squash roasted without any seasoning but ever since trying it with this Bart -Ras El Hanout spice I can’t imagine wanting to cook it any other way!  I first had this spice with a delicious risotto and really enjoyed the warm Moroccan taste it carries through a dish.

I don’t get along very well with spicy food, the same as many people living with stomach problems but it doesn’t mean I don’t like a warming flavour in my meals. I use a lot of paprika in place of chilli, as it is a warming flavourful spice without being hot and leaving that spicy after taste.  What staple herbs and spices do you keep in your kitchen to add flavour without upsetting your stomach?

Recipe:

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 Butternut Squash
• Seaseme Oil
• Bart’s – Ral El Hanout Spice 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220c. Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds inside with a spoon. Peel the skin and then chop in to small bitesize pieces.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the butternut squash and the oil. Mix well until the oil has lightly coated the cubes.
3. Spread the cubes out evenly on a baking tray. Take the Ral El Hanout spice and carefully sprinkle over entire tray, give the tray a shake to spread the spice out more and coat the cubes.
   

   Once coated, give the tray a good shake and stir everything round to ensure all the cubes are covered with the tasty spice and oil!

4. Place in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes until golden orange and crispy!
   

   This honestly tastes so good I could eat an entire tray to myself.... and very nearly did! Enjoy

This website isn’t just for people with food intolerances, allergies, IBS and other health related problems but also for people who are simply looking to lead a healthier lifestyle. If you aren’t feeling great after eating food you buy, you should really considering making different and smarter choices when you shop and there is a massive range of food alternatives available.

Everyone has their own personal reason for wanting to change their diet and lifestyle; mine was the desire to want to learn more about food and the different, positive and negative, effects it was having on my body.  By doing this I have been able to change my diet to fit around my sensitive stomach and food intolerances. The more aware I have become, the more control I have gained throughout my entire life and have found I can enjoy everything I like without suffering afterwards and in a healthier way.

A big part of changing your diet is changing the food products you get in to the habit of buying; this is where this part of the website aims to help. For whatever reason you are thinking of changing what you normally buy, it can be hard when faced with so many choices in the supermarket. In this section I will post clear, quick and honest reviews on products which I both recommend you to try and would suggest you avoid!

Hopefully it can be of help and I would love to hear your thoughts on any products you have tried and tested, both positive and negative.

Each review covers the following points:

• Taste
• Cost/value for money
• Use
• Nutrition
• Marks out of ten

I do try and include everything I think you’d want to know but if you have any questions on anything I review then leave them below and I’ll be sure to get back to you!

I usually avoid any wheat or gluten bread choices as they leave me very bloated but even though these Old El Paso corn wraps are not wheat free they have never flared up my intolerance so I enjoy them from time to time at lunch and dinner! As with most intolerances it’s the overeating of a food product which builds up the intolerance and its subsequent reactions so keeping this is mind I don’t over eat these. What really gave these wraps some flavour was my mixing the chopped lettuce in a bowl with my leftover peanut and orange sauce from my dinner last night, you can find the recipe to make this delicious sauce and some tasty spring rolls by clicking here.

A useful tip I learnt from this was to grating the Sheese was a perfect way to serve it, many vegan cheeses have strong flavour and slicing can not only be more difficult than with normal cheese but a slice can sometimes be too strong. By grating it, it made it easy to slightly melt on the tortilla when in the pan and would be a perfect way to serve the cheese in a salad to avoid lumps; these small grated pieces will carry the cheesy taste through many dishes.

This is a really healthy and flavourful lunch that you can prepare in under ten 15 minutes and it beats a sandwich and crisps! Let me know any of your favourite quick and healthy lunch ideas and share the recipes below!

Recipe

Ingredients:

• Chopped lettuce lightly tossed in my homemade peanut orange sauce
• Old El Paso corn tortilla
• Thin slices of cucumber and tomato
• Grated Sheese (or any vegan cheese)
• Handful of Quorn Chicken Style Pieces
• Humus

Method

1. Slice the tomato and cucumber in to thin slices which will bend easily when wrapping the tortilla later. In a bowl mix the lettuce with a light serving of peanut sauce (if you don’t have time to make the sauce just mix with humus) and sprinkle in a little pepper for seasoning. Leave both aside for later.
2. Grease a frying pan and lightly fry the Quorn pieces for ten minutes until golden brown. Take the corn wraps and lightly spread on humus and a sprinkling of grated sheese. When the chicken is done remove from frying pan and place in a bowl, using the same pan transfer the tortilla in to the pan and leave to warm for around 30 seconds slighting shaking the pan to avoid burning or sticking.
3. Remove from pan on to a plate and top with chicken, lettuce, and the sliced cucumber and tomato. Wrap and use a small tooth pick to hold in place is needed. Enjoy with a side salad for a light tasty lunch!
   

   Pile up all the tasty ingredients on the warm tortilla.....

   

   ...Wrap up and enjoy!

The sauce is probably my favourite part of this dish, it’s a perfect match with the spring rolls but I enjoy it so much that I often make some up just to use as a dipping sauce with some veg sticks as afternoon snack.

This tasty sauce takes two minutes to whip up and goes great with cucumber and carrot sticks as a healthy snack!

I used sesame oil in place of olive oil, there are so many different choices and alternatives to oils available and I take full advantage of the choices and enjoy trying them out. I recently bought this organic sesame oil at my local health food store for around £5 however I saw sesame oil in Tesco the other day down the Jamaican food aisle for less than £2. Sesame oil goes well with this dish in particular as it is often used as a flavour enhancer in Chinese cuisine and carries a lovely nutty flavour through the dish.

In moderation different oils carry many health benefits; sesame oil is a good source of vitamin E, which has anti-oxidant qualities. It has also been linked with lowering cholesterol and the high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids helps to control blood pressure. It also contains high levels of magnesium and calcium along with other vitamins. I have personally found too much oil tends to have negative side effects on me such as headaches, which is why I have resorted to using low calorie sunflower spray when frying and baking as a way to cut back on too much oil all together. However small amounts of oil in your diet are healthy, just be more conscious when using oil and think about swapping to alternatives like sunflower sprays when preparing some foods.

I picked up the rice paper wraps at a Chinese food store near me, an important tip when wrapping these is to ensure you fill them enough so you don’t end up with more wrap than you do filling and the wrap will then become quiet thick and glutinous so try to avoid piling the excess wrap all in one place as you will end up with on thin side to the roll and one thicker side.

I found this really short and helpful video on YouTube to show you how to wrap the rolls correctly to spread the paper evenly and avoid clumping, click here to watch now.

If you haven’t used rice paper wrappers before you will find straight out the packet they are hard and very easy to break, here is a video from the same channel as above on how to soak them in water to prepare the wrap to be used. Click here to watch the video.

This is what the wraps look like before you lightly soak them, I found an old shallow round dish to dip them in...

You can enjoy these raw however I did chose to cook mine as I find it dries the water from the wrap up making it slightly crispy and it takes away what can be a soggy rice texture if soaked in water for too long. These are perfect for entertaining as you can prepare them before guests arrive and then pop in the oven for 5 – 10 minutes just before serving!

Recipe:

Makes approximately four rolls, the measurements aren’t so important in the spring rolls, just use as much as you think you’ll eat!

Ingredients:

Peanut and Orange Sauce (Serves 2 – 3 people)

• 2½ Tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• ¼ Tbsp. sesame Oil
• 1 squeezed orange
• ½ Tsp. paprika
• 1 Tsp. ginger powder or raw root ginger to crush in

Chinese Chicken Spring Rolls

• ½ bag of Quorn chicken style pieces
• ½ a pepper
• ½ tin of chick peas
• 4 spring onions
• ½ tin water chestnuts
• Large handful of shitake mushrooms
• Spring roll, rice paper wrappers

• 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180c and line a baking tray and lightly grease. First prepare the peanut sauce by combining all the ingredients and mixing well with a spoon until all ingredients are combined.  Leave aside.
2. Next prepare your veg filling for the rolls, begin by chopping the pepper into short straight sticks and thinly slice the water chestnuts and mushrooms. Take two of the spring onions and chop in to small circles, then take the other two and cut them to form longer strands as shown in the picture. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
3. Lightly grease a frying pan and add the chicken style pieces, lightly fry for five minutes until turning golden brown and then add all the veg, leaving the longer strands of spring onion aside. Fry for a further five minutes until cooked through (make sure not to overcook, the rolls taste much nicer if the filling still has some crunch!)
4. 
5. Dip the rice paper under water for about ten seconds, shake and place on chopping board (be aware the wraps continue to soften once out the water so don’t over soak). Fill with peanut sauce, veg and chicken mix out the pan and the spring onion strands you left aside earlier. Optionally, sprinkle on a little pepper, ginger powder or other seasoning to give them an extra kick. Wrap as shown in video above, avoiding an uneven pile up of the wrap on one side. Place on baking tray and repeat. If you experience any breakage, you can always wrap them again for a sturdier roll or restart all together. I had one with a tiny hole in and you’ll find once you cook them the rips tend not to get any worse.
   

   I like to drizzle a good helping of the peanut sauce IN the roll before wrapping so drizzle some on top if you want extra peanut sauce, like me!

6. Place in oven for 5 – 10 minutes. Take out and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
   

   Have a spatula or knife handy when taking them off the tray, being made of rice these wraps can be sticky and tear when pulled away from the tray too quickly, so wiggle them off slowly!

   7.  Serve with Peanut sauce on the side for dipping! 

   

   Enjoy! Let me know what you think and how yours turn out!

An average egg contains approximately 72 calories, 55 of those calories come from the yolk and only 17 from the white. There is 4.5 grams of fat in the yolk compared to 0.1 grams in the white and on another seemingly positive side the white contains 5 grams of protein and the yolk has the other 2.7grams. Now if you were on a weight loss or high protein diet this would make excluding the yolk seems like a good option as its high protein and low fat.

Looking in to the vitamins and minerals from an egg, the egg white alone contains 80% of the magnesium and 75% of the potassium content which is good for the heart and blood. However, the yolk contains 90% of the calcium and 93% of the iron content from the whole egg, meaning you lose close to any calcium or iron content you would have gained from the egg when you exclude the yolk.

One of the most common reasons people use egg whites alone is to reduce the amount of fat and calories they would get if eating the whole egg.  The egg yolk contains 4.5grams of fat but it is a GOOD fat, the body needs fats to survive and an egg is a healthy way to get the healthy fats in to your diet. The fat that an egg contains is a long chain Omega 3 fatty acid DHA, which is good for a healthy brain along with being known to promote healthy hair and skin.

Another negative myth surrounding egg yolks is they contribute to heart disease and other heart related problems due to the yolk containing 210mg of cholesterol and 0.0mg in just the egg white. However cholesterol itself does not cause heart disease and there is no evidence been found to prove that the yolk can contribute to heart disease.

After reading in to all the facts about egg yolks vs whites, I would have to say that I don’t agree with using just the egg white for a ‘healthier’ alternative. Yes, it is a lower calorie and lower fat alternative but while you’re saving yourself these calories and fat you are losing out on nutrition such as calcium, iron and essential fatty acids which are good for the brain and what better way to start your day than by knowing you’re feeding your brain with your breakfast. I think that using the egg white alone is a good alternative if you are trying to lose weight or you are on a short term high protein diet but from a health point of view in short, you lose the yolk and you’re losing the majority of the nutrition.

With all this in mind I thought I would create an egg white breakfast to try for myself what the taste was like, if any different!  I personally couldn’t taste much difference besides the slight lack of taste in my opinion compared to when I use the whole egg, it also didn’t cook as easily as the whole egg and I had to leave it in the pan for much longer than I normally do with scrambled egg so if you do begin to cook and it looks like it’s not going anywhere, persevere as it will eventually scramble. It made a nice breakfast and filled me up but I’m not convinced that egg whites are the way forward for me and I’ll be sticking to using the whole egg in future to get all that good nutrition!

Recipe:

serves 1

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 3 tbsp. of rice milk
• 1 ½ diced tomato
• 2 sliced mushrooms
• 2 Ryvita Original Crackerbreads
• A sprinkle of Lea and Perrins to top (optional)

Method:

1. In a bowl mix the whisk the egg whites with the rice milk and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste, leave aside.
2. Slice the mushrooms and dice the tomato. Grease a frying pan with low cal spray and add the mushroom and tomato, leave to cook for five minutes.
3. Pour the egg white mix over the veg in the frying pan and keep everything moving to avoid any egg sticking to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until golden brown.
4. Move on to a warm plate and season with Lea and Perrins. Enjoy with some lightly buttered Ryvita Crackerbread.

We all know oats are good for us but what exactly can this super food do for our health?

• Good for Digestion – Fibre is necessary for regular bowel movements and can play a large part in helping people with IBS. Obviously you could get fibre from other foods but the good thing about oats is they contain two types of fibre, one being insoluble fibre. This helps to make stools heavier and speed up their passage along the gut which relieves constipation. Many people who suffer with constipation often steer away from high fibre food such as oats, as they think it will make the problem worse but it actually has the opposite effect. I myself do find that too many oats, for example a bowl of porridge, is too heavy on my stomach and leaves me feeling very heavy and bloated but by eating smaller more regular servings of high fibre food such as oats (try these flapjacks for example as they are perfect little bites!) can help IBS by regulating bowel movements.

• Lowers Cholesterol and Blood Pressure – The other type of fibre which oats contain is soluble fibre, which has been proven to lower blood pressure when consuming a daily serving of oats. High blood pressure can lead to many complications and problems with the heart and kidneys. Oats contain beta-glucan which helps towards lowering blood LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol in our body). You, like me may not currently suffer from any problems with cholesterol or blood pressure but by consuming more oats you can help to reduce your risk of these types of problems in the future.

• Aids Weight Loss and Maintaining a Healthy Weight – With the high soluble fibre content of oats, it means our bodies pass and digest the oats through the body at a slower pace. This leaves you feeling satisfied for longer and avoids the need to snack to keep your energy up.  Oats are also much higher in protein than other breakfast cereal and this high intake of protein will leave you with more energy for working out and speed up your metabolism.

• Controlling Blood Sugar Levels - Oats are also good for stabilizing your blood sugar levels as with their high fibre content, the body passes the food slower meaning it doesn’t instantly create and release glucose and energy from the food all at once, instead it slowly produces and releases glucose giving you a more stable amount of energy for a longer time. With many breakfast choices I have had in the past I often had a rush of energy which not only doesn’t last long it also results in a crash effect where I then feel very tired. By eating oats regularly you can take more control of your blood sugar levels and avoid problems such hypo glycaemia and more developed problems such as diabetes.

• Calming Effects – Oats are rich in B vitamins such as thiamin and riboflavin which allow the body to produce energy, help to maintain a healthy nervous system and reduce stress. Oats also act as a natural anti-depressant and are often used to depression and anxiety with their calming properties.

I could go on and on about oats! I have found out so much myself through doing this research and have inspired myself to get even more oats in my diet! Below you’ll find a simple recipe for my Power Packed Flapjack, they are full of good ingredients making them great for breakfast, a snack after a workout or enjoying with friends at tea time. After reading all the natural benefits oats can give you they are a quick and tasty way to start getting more in to your diet today!

Recipe:

Makes approximately 20 bars

Ingredients:

• 300grams of rolled oats
• 80grams of agave nectar
• 2 tbsp. of honey
• 8 tbsp. of warm water
• 30grams of sunflower spread
• 30grams of smooth peanut butter
• One mashed up banana
• 100grams of dried fruit, berries or chocolate chips (I used a mix of chocolate raisins, sultanas and cranberries)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200c. Grease a baking tray (I used a 7×12 inch) with low cal spray. In a bowl mix the oats, agave nectar, honey and warm water until combined.
2. Using a wooden spoon smooth in the sunflower spread, peanut butter and banana, this may take a few minutes and some effort as the mix can be quiet thick. Finally add the dried fruit and choc chip and mix through.
   

   This mixture can be very thick to stir but for perfect results persist until well combined! Add a teaspoons of water to help blend if needed....

3. Pour all the mix in to the baking tray and spread out evenly. Take a normal tablespoon and pat down until the mix is spread evenly and firm.
   

   I used a silver desert spoon to pat down evenly for a smoother result.

4. Place in the oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly golden brown around the edge. Slice in to small squares and transfer to a plate to cool. To store, keep in an airtight container in a cool dry place. You can also enjoy these raw, just follow the first three steps and place in fridge for half an hour to harden up then store as you would the cooked flapjack!
   

   Not only tasty but packed with energy and all the goodness from the oats!

The tempeh out of the packet sliced in to thick strips ready to fry.

With my wheat and dairy intolerances, I stay away from any noodles except for rice noodles. If you haven’t tried them before they are a much lighter taste and very thin compared to thick egg noodles. The sauce I made to top the dish uses a simple base of tomato pasata, making it very easy to prepare fresh. By mixing the pineapple with the tomato base it resembled a sweet and sour type sauce and also has a strong kick from the ginger. Using the fresh root ginger in the sauce also has many health benefits,  ginger has been proven to have anti-inflammatory effects and is good for those suffering with gas, bloating and stomach cramps.

After trying the dish I will definitely by having Tempeh again, not only was it full of flavour it’s also very nutritious including being a great source of protein (100 grams contains around 200kcal and 18grams of protein, which is more then found in tofu!). I personally found it had more of a nutty, than chicken like taste which I had read many places but either way it was delicious and I’m very pleased to have found something new to add to a meal!  Try some for yourself and let me know what you think of it, try your local health food store or failing that have a browse online to order.

Recipe:

Serves Two

Ingredients:

• 125grams of Tempeh
• Half a lemon
• Paprika
• Rice Noodles (I used a handful per person, like serving spaghetti)

For the sauce:

• 250grams of tomato passata (half the carton)
• 125 grams of chopped mushrooms
• A quarter of an onion
• 250grams of sweetcorn (a large tin)
• 4 slices of tinned pineapple
• 1 large finely chopped root ginger

Method:

1. Finely chop the onion, grease pan with low calorie spray and fry onion alone first until burnt. Add the mushrooms, pineapple, ginger and sweetcorn and leave to fry on a medium heat.
2. Put a pan of water on the boil for the noodles. Chop the tempeh in to thick slices like shown in the picture above, cover in lemon juice and sprinkle on paprika.
3. Put the rice noodles in the pan and leave to boil for 10 – 15 minutes. While they are boiling, pour the tomato passata, chilli flakes and lea and perrins over the veg and leave to simmer on a low heat to keep hot until ready to serve.
4. Grease a frying pan and fry the tempeh for a few minutes either side until golden brown and crispy then take off heat and put aside to avoid burning. Once noodles are cooked drain them and then rinse under cold water, this will stop them becoming sticky, I also then fry them in a pan for a few minutes to crisp them up. Once noodles are drained and fried, plate up the noodles and top with the vege sauce. Fry the tempeh for 30 seconds each side before placing on top to ensure it’s hot. Enjoy!
   

   Don't wait until you have Tempeh in the kitchen, even without it the dish is delicious and the sauce is bursting with warming flavors.

For many of us on day trips, it’s so easy to slip out of a healthy routine or even see it as a ‘day off’ but my outlook is you should see your diet as a way of life and shouldn’t even consider a ‘day off’. Many diet plans and blogs I’ve read suggest taking along some nuts, dried fruit to snack on and staying completely on plan at all time, not taking different scenarios in to consideration. I feel this is unrealistic and people should be able to go out with family and friends and enjoy all aspects of the day, including good tasty food.  With IBS I feel it’s all about planning ahead, I don’t suggest throwing aside all my known intolerances and snacking on a burger and ice cream to enjoy the day (if anything this would spoil my day and I’d end up struggling round with stomach cramps looking for the nearest toilet). Living with IBS I think nothing of planning now and by changing my lifestyle it minimises any risk of having a flare up by making wrong choices. I spent 15 minutes the night before packing a lunch and a few snacks. By doing this we all enjoyed a lunchtime picnic in St James Park together and didn’t have to struggle round hungry looking for somewhere or something I ‘could’ eat when lunchtime came around.

This takes me on to my review of vegetarian café Beatroot in Soho, London. On Sunday I did a quick search online for vegan food in London, this place looked laidback, full of selection and not only was most of the food vegan it also had many wheat free options.

Located on Berwick street, only a five minute walk from the Piccadilly Circus tube station or Tottenham Court Road, it was very easy to find. They have a selection of ten hot dishes and eight salads, you choose the size of box you want and then mix any combination of the hot and cold dished. I got the large box to sample more and was pleasantly surprised in the generous portion sizes, you’ll see from my pictures I had no chance of shutting the box! So with this in mind you could easily fill up off the medium box for a main meal.

As you can see there was no skimping on portion size, I managed to fit in a little of everything I want to try it all out!

Hot Dishes:  The shepherd’s pie, roasted vegetables and stir fry were my favourites. You could tell everything had been made from scratch and the different tastes were delicious and full of flavour.  They also had these sausage rolls which from asking in store and reading on other blogs are a firm favourite with customers.  The pastry wasn’t wheat free but I tried one anyway and enjoyed it so much it has inspired me to make my own with a wheat free pastry.

Obviously I choose all vegan choices but my sister, a strict vegetarian, had the lasagne (the pasta bake that day) and said it was one the nicest meals out she has had in a while.

Cold Dishes:  The salad selection was varied and bursting with different colours. I tried the dilled coleslaw, sesame beetroot and quinoa taboullah. I really enjoyed the coleslaw, it was very rustic with thickly chopped cabbage and carrots and unlike many types of coleslaw it wasn’t drenched in mayonnaise or dressing, it was the perfect amount. I enjoyed the beetroot salad but I enjoy my own homemade recipe much more and found the quinoa salad a little dull and tasteless.

Cakes and Sweet Treats: All cakes are vegan but I choose the two which are also wheat free to try, the flapjack and chocolate cluster.  Ever since I’ve made my own flapjacks I often find bought ones very dry and crumbly however this one was very moist and not overly heavy, the raspberry and coconut gave it a nice twist to just plain oat. It was also very large so great value for just £1.50. The cluster was very cholately and the different kinds of cereal and fruit in it gave it varied textures throughout.

Delicious coconut flapjack with a gooey and moist raspberry center, I enjoyed at home that evening

Drinks:  They also offer fresh juices and smoothies made to order, all at very reasonable prices and a variety of flavors including using coconut, acai berries, dates and pear. You can also sit back and warm up with one the many hot drinks on offer including a variety of healthy and refreshing Teapigs  (fine, whole leaf, organic teas. Find out more…. http://www.teapigs.co.uk/about_tea/) flavours which I often enjoy at home.

Drinks and handy packaging to take your order away with you if you're popping in for something on the go.

Whether it’s to grab a laidback bite for lunch, some dinner on your way home or to take a small rest with a fresh vegan cake and drink, I would definitely recommend coming to Beatroot. The staffs are low-key and friendly, which gives the place a relaxed feel and they’re very helpful in picking your food around any allergies or dislikes.

To find out more about Beatroot Cafe and to see their full menu of food and drink, visit their website: http://beatroot.org.uk/home.html