Energy Boosting Beauty Pancakes

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Sugar free, Vegan, Plant-based


I whipped these up twice on Sunday.

Once for breakkie and another time for lunch. They were soooo good.

I know they don’t look so great and Ingas to wrestle with Faye while making them, hence the lack of pretty Insta-worthy food pics. But it’s not all about looks, right?

These taste fabulous and are really super healthy. They are high in iron and plant protein and really great for your skin.

Breastfeeding Mums will also appreciate the oat content which boosts milk supply.

What are you waiting for?


You need:


2 cups unsweetened soy milk

(or plant milk of choice)

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 cups rolled oats

1-2 ripe bananas depending on size

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons mesquite powder

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fermented vegan vanilla protein powder (optional)

Toppings of choice! We used banana, maple syrup, walnuts, coconut shreds and cacao nibs.


How to:

Easy peasy you just make the whole batter in your blender.

First grind the oats into oat flour in a high-speed blender. I used the dry container of my Vitamix.

Then add all other ingredients into the normal „wet“ container of your blender and mix. The dough is pretty sticky and won’t pour. Add more milk if you want the pancakes to be thinner and prettier. I liked ours quite chunky and messy.

😊

Heat up a frying pan on medium heat.

If you use a non stick pan you won’t need oil. I used my cast iron skillet which needs a tiny amount of oil. You can use coconut or sesame or any neutral tasting oil.

Cook 1-2 min on each side

Layer with toppings and enjoy!

Stress Busting Feel Good Cookies

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The weather was so miserable today, we couldn’t set a foot in front of the door. 

After singing all songs and reading all books there were still a lot of hours to fill until bedtime. So we baked cookies. 

These are super duper healthy. Sugar free, vegan and packed with nutrients. They are also very quick to whip up.  

I made some for Faye (one year old) without the Chocolate and plenty for the adults with dark chocolate. I used the The Chocolate Yogi “Astral” raw vegan chocolate wig caramel crunch which was perfect!  

But they do taste nice without as well. You can add extra dates or maple syrup for sweetness if you skip the chocolate. But honestly, I highly recommend the chocolate version. Especially in Winter.  

Based on chickpeas these pack a punch on healthy plant protein and fibre. The peanut butter gives it the extra nutrients and stress-busting properties. They are so satisfying and very filling for such a healthy treat. 

Ingredients:  

1 can of organic chickpeas, washed and drained

1/2 cup of organic peanut butter (without sugar or salt added) 

1 tsp Baking Powder  

1 Handful of mejool dates

1 Bar of Astral Chocolate by the Chocolate Yogi

1/4 cup homemade cashew or hemp milk or any unsweetened store bought plant milk (rice and soy work well too) 

a little cinnamon  

a little real vanilla

How To:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius

Combine all ingredients (except dates and chocolate) in a highspeed blender until you have a smooth dough. The texture should be like hummus.  

Then add the dates. I chop them up a little beforehand. 

Line a baking tray with paper and place little dollops of dough on the tray, using a spoon or spatula. Chop up the chocolate as chunky as you want it and place on top of the cookies. 

 Bake for about 20min until golden brown. 

Enjoy straight out of the oven or let cool down and snack later!  

 

Trying Happy Skin - My skin on Cloud 9

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Happy Skin, sounds lovely, right? Isn't that what we are all after.

My skin is happy most of the time. A good diet and overall health & happiness contribute to that. But to keep my skin happy it's important to use toxin-free, natural skincare.

An Australian brand I have been keen on trying is Happy Skincare.

They just send me their Cloud 9 Deep Cleansing Balm & Raindrops On Roses Hydrating Toner.
Both products have a great, clean ingredient list. Both contain MSM which is a form of sulphur, naturally derived from Algae which has multiple benefits to the skin, including brightening and clearing acne.

The cool part is that the Cloud 9 Cleansing Balm is not a one trick pony.
You can also use the Cloud 9 Deep Cleansing Balm as a

  • Hair treatment to tame the frizz
  • Cuticle treatment for sexy nails and
  • Foot balm so your tootsies always look good in a pair of heels
  • Barrier cream when you're out battling the elements (perfect for snow season and winter cycling)

The cleansing balm is a great makeup remover and smells fresh.
You can use it with water as a cleansing milk or as classic balm cleanser by massaging the product onto dry skin and then removing it with a damp cloth.
The packaging is no fuss and great for travel. Nothing luxurious, no glass but practical.

The Hydrating Mist is a lovely rose water-based product. Great for refreshing makeup or skin during the day but also as part of your skincare regime. Ahhhhh! So refreshing.

I really love their Dilo Oil too, which I have featured previously. It's a super healer!

Happy Skin creates lovely no-fuss products with clean ingredients.

All certified vegan, cruelty-free and with mostly organic ingredients.
My verdict: Definitely worth a try!

 


 

 

Quinoa Water Foundation - Revolution in Natural Makeup

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Ere Perez just keeps launching new great products.

I am a fan of Quinoa as food, you know those delicious little grains packed with nutrients?
Faye loves them too and they are a staple in our kitchen. Until now I haven't thought about it as a skincare or beauty ingredient, but this new foundation has changed that.

As the name suggests, the Quinoa Water Foundation is as light as water.
It comes in a glass bottle with a dropper, which reminds me of serum foundations.
It's great for all skin-types and I find it very suitable even for warm and humid weather given its featherlight texture. I am trialling & testing it in the windy, cold Winter weather here right now and am still very impressed.  It certainly helps to lock in moisture and it's perfect for everyone that doesn't like the feel of makeup on their skin. You can not feel this product, it's so light and really blends into the skin

The finish is smooth and natural. It's not dewy or glossy nor mat. Just like healthy skin.
The coverage is light and buildable. You can layer it for more coverage. I would describe it as light coverage though. Perfect for your everyday wear. Really good for sensitive skin or skin prone to breakouts.

The application is easy peasy.
It's recommended to use the multipurpose brush, but fingers do also work well. Yay!

Thank you Ere, for bringing out another vegan, cruelty-free, toxin-free product that works!

Gentle Toxin-Free Baby Products

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You already know how much I loved the Edible Bubba Range.

Sadly it has been discontinued for the moment. The kept the best selling Bottom Creme, through which you can now get under the Edible Beauty range here.
(Use Code Liv20 at checkout for 20% off)

I am really happy to have found other great, gentle and toxin-free products for Faye.
She loves playing in the mud these days and just water doesn't cut it anymore at bathtime.
Oh, you should see her little feet and toenails...
Generally, though, I am a firm believer in less is more and it's best to not use too many cosmetics on little ones. So: Always try water first and with young babies water & a natural oil like Coconut is enough in the bath. Read Faye's first bath and newborn bath setup here.

The Weleda Calendula Range is ace, especially the cream bath ist extra gentle and hydrating, so soap bubbles here, which means no drying, yay! This is our daily (or twice daily) bath go-to product. I also adore the smell. It's very aromatic but mild. Faye seems to really like it for her night time bath and the Calendula helps to heal all her little scratches from exploring.
It's hydrating enough, so I don't use a lotion afterwards.

Ever so often I give her head and feet a wash with the Shampoo & Wash, but she does not need this often. She is a toddler now though and walking and eating has allowed for a whole new level of messiness. Some days her breakfast ends up in her ears and hair and requires a bit of shampoo...but that's another story.

Faye does take 2 showers and 1 bath every day. There is no way around it.
They are rather short and we only use a small tub, so it's not a huge affair or use of water.
I am so grateful that it's warm here in Sydney and that she loves water, so I am not worried about keeping her warm afterwards. (Update: Now that it's Winter time and Faye has turned 1, she only takes daily night time baths. The occasional morning shower and only sponge baths/wipes in between. Her eating skills have advanced)

We also tested the Envirocare Bubble Bath Products. They are great fun, as they do make a few bubbles, but they are still don't have any harsh detergents. Perfect for bath time fun and also when Faye really needs a scrub down. We tried the regular and sensitive one. They are pretty much the same with the small difference of having essential Chamomile Oil in the regular one for a little calming aromatherapy benefit. Both don't have a strong smell and are perfect for the most sensitive noses. If you don't want your products to smell of anything, these are for you. The packaging is very practical and super cute with the kangaroos. The 500ml are also very generous and will last a long time. No drying, no sensitivities. A really great, clean and Australian brand!