Warm Aubergine, Spinach and Avocado Salad

One of my favourite things to do for lunch at the moment is grab lots of fresh vegetables and other wonderful ingredients and throw them in a pan, cooking them with different things every day.
Today I made my favourite one yet, an aubergine and spinach warm salad with a hint of fresh pesto. So delicious!
Along with being super yummy and filling this warm salad is so nutritious; it's high in iron, fibre, vitamins and also healthy fats.

Ingredients

• Half an aubergine
• Red cabbage
• A handful of spinach
• 2 - 3 mushrooms
• Half an avocado 
• A sprinkling of pumpkin seeds
• Pine nuts
• Fresh pesto (I got mine from the co-op)
• Nigella seeds
• Mixed herbs
• Lemon juice
• Coconut oil

(Serves 1 person)

1. First start by putting a teaspoon of coconut oil into a pan. Let that melt and heat up before adding your ingredients. 
2. Chop up half your aubergine into cubed pieces and place them into the pan.
3. While the aubergine is cooking slice your red cabbage…this is one of my favourite ingredients! After the aubergine has cooked for a few minutes add in the cabbage.
4. Sprinkle some mixed herbs and nigella seeds into the cabbage and aubergine for more flavour, you could also add chilli flakes for more of kick.
5. Slice the mushrooms, I used 3 small chestnut mushrooms. Making sure you wash them first, as with all the other vegetables! And add them to your pan when the cabbage has cooked a bit.
6. Grab a large handful of spinach and add that to the pan as well, letting it wilt.
7. When all your ingredients look almost done add in your pine nuts and pumpkin seeds. These give the salad a delicious crunch.
8. Slice an avocado in half, scoop it out of the skin and cut into cubes while the other ingredients are cooking for a further few minutes and then remove the pan from the hob to add the avocado.
9. Stir in a teaspoon of pesto.
10. Add some lemon juice.
11. Enjoy!

Quick & Healthy No-Bake Oat Bars!

I adore the granola bars and oat bars you can buy from shops, but the majority of them are full of sugar and other nasty ingredients that aren't good for you. So recently I've been making my own! They don't contain any gluten or wheat, no added sugar, no flour, nothing artificial!
They're extremely quick and easy to make, don't require baking and they leave hardly any washing up - bonus!

They don't require baking in the oven as they contain coconut oil. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, but a liquid when heated up. It's a lot better for you than other cooking oils too. We also have honey in this recipe, which isn't the best thing in the world but I only use a bit and it's a hell of a lot better for you than sugar. These bars are so yummy, extremely moreish, gorgeously chewy and you don't have to feel guilty after eating them!

Firstly you need to mix 1 cup of a nut butter of your choice, I chose almond with a little bit of peanut butter too (I ran out of almond butter..oops), just under 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of coconut oil in a saucepan over a low heat until the mixture has melted and there no lumps left.

Then take the mixture off the heat and add 2 and 1/2 cups of rolled oats and any extras that you want!
I added seeds, shredded coconut, flaked almonds and cranberries to my bars! Dark chocolate chips, raisins or different nuts are some options.

Pour the mixture into a container, make sure you've lined it with greaseproof paper first!

Pop it in the fridge and leave it to set for a few hours.

Take out of the fridge, cut into pieces, share with family and friends, and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS -
1 cup almond butter (or any other nut or seed butter you'd like)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 1/2 rolled oats
1 cup of cranberries, seeds, flaked almonds and shredded coconut combined. 

1. In a saucepan on medium heat mix the almond butter, honey and coconut oil together until melted and free of lumps.
2. Take the saucepan off the heat and mix in the cranberries, seeds, flaked almonds and shredded coconut. 
3. Pour mixture into a greaseproof paper lined container, make sure it's all flat! Place it in the free for a few hours until fully set and solid.
4. Cut into pieces and ENJOY!

Have a wonderful Easter!

x

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The Christmas Tag! 2013

December is here! That means we can officially start getting properly excited for Christmas (Although, I've been excited since about August)! To get in the festive spirit I thought I would do the Christmas tag questions!

1. Do you prefer real or synthetic trees?
Definitely real. I've always had real Christmas trees, going to choose one, getting it cut to fit the stand, having the needles fall onto the ground, and the smell all gets me in the Christmas spirit and I love it.

2. You're in a coffee shop in December, what do you pick?
I know everyone's obsessed with pumpkin spice latte but I've never tried it, and don't fancy it at all. So, I'd probably choose a mocha with a shot of peppermint, yummy!

3. What's your favourite colour scheme when decorating the Christmas tree?
I actually don't like it when people stick to one or two colours for the whole tree, I think it looks boring and not very fun. My family still use the decorations me and my sister made in primary school, and other proper decorations. It's all multicoloured, Christmassy and lovely.

4. Giving or receiving?
I of course love receiving presents, having new things to try out and enjoy and I'm always so grateful for them, but I personally prefer giving. I love finding something I know someone will love and seeing the excitement on their face when they open it.

5. To mince pie or not to mince pie?
Ohhh I love a good mince pie, warmed up of course! With some nuts on the side and a little bit of cream.

6. What's your traditional Christmas lunch?
I'm a vegetarian, so no turkey or other meat for me! It changes from year to year, but normally a product from Quorn - maybe their roast. Then roast potatoes (my mum makes the best ones, with garlic, crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle), lots of vegetables, a yorkshire pudding and my favourite part, stuffing! With gravy all over. We all sit around our table, Christmassy table cloth on, candles light, serviettes and crackers for everyone!

7. Christmas Day fashion
Sometimes I just wear some cosy Christmassy pyjamas, but I do like to feel dressed up. Last year I wore a nice dress, chunky cardigan and thick tights.

8. What's your favourite Christmas song?
I actually don't like Christmas songs that much, I find them annoying in shops and things. Hmm, but lets go for Santa Clause Is Coming To Town by The Jackson 5 because it's a good one to sing along too, or I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizzard.

9. What's your favourite Christmas film?
Home Alone! The original is by far the best. I also love watching Elf, and The Holiday as well.

10. Open presents before or after lunch?
After! I think I'm the only one. But it's so much more enjoyable. We normally open a couple before lunch and then the rest afterwards. Also my dad doesn't actually get in from work until about 1pm anyway, so it's nice to have lunch first. It's nice to spread it out a bit and make it something to look forward to.

What's your favourite thing about 

Christmas?