Packing a Summer Picnic (Vegan & Healthy)

04:32 Soph 1 Comments


One of my favourite things about summer is spending time with the people closest to me, in a beautiful location whilst laughing and eating amazing vegan food. Picnics are the type of activity traditionally exclusive to summer however you don't have to just limit yourself to the warm weather, picnics indoors are just as fun if you have great company and good food! For me, vegan lunch and picnic-esque options were the most difficult to think of as snack foods are often filled with unnecessary dairy products, however I have created a compilation of foods that are idea for these types of situations and would also be great for school / work lunches (though I have a full post on that coming shortly!).

HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL PICNIC (VEGAN & HEALTHY) 

1. Location - For me personally, location is key when having a picnic as it just completes the whole ambience of the day. My favourite picnic spots are fully immersed in nature, such as forests, riverside locations, the beach and on the moors being some of the best. Make sure that there is an area suitable for setting out your picnic blanket and check the regulations of the area to ensure you are allowed to picnic there. It would also be a good idea to pick a day with suitable weather as you are going to be outside for a lengthy amount of time and you don't want to be spontaneously rained on! (Although I did see a post on Pinterest about a couple who had their anniversary picnic in the rain and they hung umbrellas on the trees which was incredibly cute! You can view that here if you would like.)


2. Picnic Essentials - The most essential step for a successful picnic is ensuring that you have everything you need, as there is nothing worse than getting to your beautiful, secluded location to discover you left the picnic blanket at home! I would recommend the following items as picnic essentials : 

- Picnic Basket : I use an authentic wicker picnic basket that is quite large and fits in all the food that we usually bring, however you could use a cool bag / rucksack or even a carrier bag for this. 

- Picnic Blanket : Unless you are one of those people who enjoys sitting at picnic tables, a picnic blanket is essential! Make sure yours is big enough to sit on and lay out the food, and most importantly make sure it is comfortable! If you feel like you could be sitting on hard ground, cushions are also a great thing to bring to a picnic!

- Warm Clothing - Even if it is a brilliantly warm day, you never know when the sun will go behind the clouds or when the wind will pick up (especially in England) therefore I would always recommend bringing extra layers just in case!

- Napkins / Wet Wipes - We had a bit of a disaster with salsa getting everywhere during our picnic but luckily we brought plenty of napkins as a precaution. When packing food for any occasion, you never know when something might spill out everywhere so having emergency napkins or wet wipes is a must!


3. Picnic Food - arguably the most important part of the picnic, it's good to decide what type of picnic you are aiming for before you good food shopping (otherwise you'll end up throwing everything in sight in your trolley). We were having this picnic around 4 / 5pm so it was a mix between lunch and dinner meaning that we wanted substantial foods that were mainly snack orientated, as well as some sweet treats. The foods we brought were 100% vegan, mostly healthy and included: 

- Hummus & Carrot Sticks 

- Salsa & Tortilla Chips 

- Tomato & Basil Couscous 

- Avocado, Hummus, Pesto & Salad Sandwiches in Sundried Tomato Ciabatta Rolls 

- Strawberries, Blueberries, Grapes & Mango Chunks

- Mini Donuts 

- Strawberry Lemonade 

Preparing your picnic food at home as opposed to packing your basket straight from your shopping eliminates any unessecary rubbish or plastic wrapping when you are on your picnic. We decanted the tortilla chips, carrot sticks and mini donuts into large airtight jars so that they would remain fresh and to maximise space within the basket. We decanted the hummus, salsa and couscous into glass ramekins with lids so that we could just take the amount that we were going to eat and no food would be wasted. For the fruit, we just kept it in its original packaging, and the sandwiches we prepared at home. For the Strawberry Lemonade we decanted it into a large glass, sealed top bottle and we brought with us some jars (with handles) to drink it out of. 


The sandwiches were my favourite dish as the flavours went so incredibly well together! To make them we just sliced a sundried tomato ciabatta roll in half and spread pesto on one half, hummus on the other. Then we sliced up an avocado and placed it inside along with some mixed baby salad leaves, and it was complete! 


If you would like to see any more of my pictures from our picnic I shall leave some below and also there will be some posted on my instagram (@positivesoph). I hope you have enjoyed this post and it has inspired you to have a picnic this summer! If you do happen to have one then I would love to know about it and see your pictures! You can tag me on instagram, tweet me at @positivesoph or email me at positivesoph@gmail.com ! Have a beautiful summer !!






Keep your soul happy - Sophie :)

1 comments:

Cruelty Free (Vegan) Skincare Products

15:35 Soph 1 Comments







One of the hardest things I found about transitioning to the vegan lifestyle was finding cruelty free / vegan skincare and beauty products, considering the majority of major brands out there are pretty involved in the whole animal testing scene, which is not something I want to support or contribute to. Therefore I wanted to share with you some of the products that I have tried out over the past year that have been the most beneficial for my skin and that have had the best results.

I'm going to be including two different companies in this post, one being Lush and the other being the superdrug own brand 'simply pure', so that I can provide a price range to be inclusive of everyones budgets and preferences. I want to put a disclaimer out there that I personally have dry / combination skin that is also very sensitive (to the point where I would get rashes if I wore a heavy skincare product) but no previous history of skin conditions such as acne, therefore the products that work for me may not work for you! If you want more information on any of the products mentioned you can check out www.lush.co.uk and www.superdrug.com. 

{ DISCLAIMER I am not sponsored by any of the brands mentioned in this post (as much as I would like to be !!) and therefore all and any opinions stated on the products are mine and mine only }

Simply Pure (as pictured above) 

1. Foaming Cleanser - this product is perfect for everyday use as its not too heavy on the skin meaning it can be used both morning and night. I love to use this product in the shower in the morning as it helps to wake me up whilst acting as a purifying cleanser to rejuvenate my skin after a nights sleep. I also use this product every evening after removing my makeup, but before I apply moisturiser as it insures that my skin is oil and dirt free after wearing makeup all day. Even if you don't wear makeup regularly this would be great to remove any excess dirt buildup that may accumulate on your skin during the day. This cleanser is around the £2.50 mark and lasts for a few months depending on how often you use it. To use, just apply one pump of cleanser to damp skin, gently rub in and then rinse with water. 

2. Micellar Water - this is the ideal product to use as a toner after removing your makeup, or even to just remove excess oil and dirt from your face if you're having a no makeup day. It such a light product that you can hardly feel it on your skin, just take some on a cotton pad and sweep it across your face after removing your makeup. If you are using this product with the foaming cleanser mentioned above I would recommend using this afterwards (I'm not sure if this is the correct way but I've found it works best for me). This product is around £2.50 also. 

3. Light Moisturiser - I tend to switch up between this moisturiser and my Lush moisturiser (mentioned below) on a day to day basis. I find this moisturiser better for use in the morning as it is a lot lighter on the skin, hence the name, and therefore works well under makeup as it sinks into the skin a lot easier. My skincare routing in the morning will consist of, foaming cleanser, Lush toning water (mentioned below) and then this Light Moisturiser and I find that because all the products are so light on the skin it works really well under any makeup that you may be wearing. This moisturiser is also around the £2.50 mark. 



Lush Cosmetics (as pictured above)

1. Eau Roma Water - this toner water is my absolute favourite product from Lush as it hydrates and moisturises without being too harsh on the skin. Rose water helps to reduce redness and calm the skin, whilst Lavender water softens the skin whilst acting as an aromatherapy oil. I find this product has the best results if used in the evening as it leaves your skin feeling soft and supple, with the Lavender scent helping you to relax also. Because the eau roma water contains a majority of natural ingredients its perfect for sensitive skin and daily use. Just spritz this toner all over your face in a sweeping motion after cleansing your face for a light, refreshing feeling. This product is pricier than the Simply Pure range, at around £8 but its definitely worth it, and lasts a good few months. 

2. 9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion - perfect for removing waterproof mascara and stubborn eyeliner, this cleansing lotion is soothing and moisturising and excellent at removing all makeup, oil and dirt from the skin. Almond oil is packed with vitamin E making it moisturising and hydrating for the skin, whilst Dove Orchid helps to clear breakouts and gently rejuvenate the skin to its optimum condition. This cleanser has a beautiful smell, with the help of floral oils such as Ylang Ylang Oil which actually is proven to help combat symptoms of stress and depression! Retailing at just over £5 for 95g this cleanser is a perfect middle ground in terms of budget, and considering its completely vegan and cruelty free (as are all of the products mentioned in this post) and suitable for daily use its extremely reasonably priced. 

3. Celestial Moisturiser (pictured below) - this is my luxury skincare product as it is pretty pricey (£12.50 for 45g) by boy is it luxurious! Not only does this moisturiser smell like cupcake mix, with hints of almond and vanilla, it is such a beautiful product to apply to the skin. I personally only use this moisturiser at night time rather than in the morning as it is that little bit thicker meaning its perfect for hydrating the skin overnight however not so great to layer under makeup. Almonds and Dove Orchid once again help to hydrate and sooth the skin, and vanilla water not only adds an amazing scent but also has antioxidant qualities meaning it stimulates the skin and helps to combat breakouts. This moisturiser is perfect for dry skin and sensitive skin, but if its not in your budget then the Simply Pure moisturiser mentioned above is also a great product for daily use. 


My Skincare Routine ( & top tips )
MORNING 

1. Drink minimum 1L of water as soon as you wake up - your skin becomes extremely dehydrated overnight so it is crucial to rehydrate in the morning, meaning your skin won't be as dry and breakouts are prevented 

2. Cleanse with the Simply Pure Foaming Cleaner - apply to damp skin ( I do this in the shower ) and rinse off your face with cold water, as it will help to close your pores, preventing build up of oil, dirt or makeup products during the day 

3. Spritz your skin with the Eau Roma Toner Water to hydrate your skin and wake yourself up a little more, make sure you let this product completely absorb into your skin before applying any other products 

4. Moisturise using the Simply Pure Light Moisturiser, make sure you leave this moisturiser to sink into your skin for at least 10 minutes before applying makeup or any other products to your face 

EVENING 

1. Remove makeup with the 9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion and a cotton pad, gently sweep over your face to remove as much makeup, oil and dirt as you can 

2. Cleanse with the Simpy Pure Foaming Cleanser - apply to damp skin ( if you have night showers then this would be the perfect time to do this, or alternatively just apply to your face before splashing your skin with cold water and patting your face dry with a towel )

3. Use either the Eau Roma Toner Water or the Simply Pure Micellar Water to tone your face, either spritz onto your skin or sweep across your skin with a cotton pad to remove any excess oil or dirt that has built up

4. Moisturise using the Celestial Moisturiser, making sure you do not use too much of this product as it is fairly thick and heavy on the skin, allow this to sink into your skin before getting into bed to avoid getting any product on your bedding 

5. Drink minimum of 1L of water during the evening before you go to bed to make sure your skin is hydrated before going to sleep 


Thank you SO much for reading this post and I hope that this slightly different topic here on my blog is useful to some of you! I will have a cruelty free / vegan beauty products post up very soon as that is a very highly requested post and also something I am very passionate about! As always if you have any extra questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment or message me at positivesoph@gmail.co.uk or at my social media outlets (links in the top bar of my layout - @positivesoph on all). 

Keep your soul happy - Sophie :)

1 comments:

Vegan Marbled Chocolate Banana Muffins

14:12 Soph 2 Comments


My favourite ever activity when staying with friends is to bake, in fact as I'm writing this we are watching the Great British Bake Off whilst devouring these delicious vegan marbled chocolate banana muffins. Every year when I stay with my best friend for a week in summer we bake together, and this year I took the opportunity to use our baking adventure to give you guys a recipe! The best way to enjoy these muffins is warm, with a cup of tea (with almond milk of course) whilst having a catch up with a good friend. 

VEGAN MARBLED CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS 

These muffins are a perfect afternoon snack, breakfast on-the-go option, or an after dinner dessert. As always my recipes are adaptable and suitable for substitutions for example you could use any other type of non-dairy milk in this recipe such as soya, oat, rice however be cautious that these may cause crying results. You could also substitute plain flour with almond meal, spelt flour, wholemeal flour or gluten free flour however as I did not experiment with these then the results will vary. Alike most of my recipes this can be used as a base to develop to suit your own personal preferences, but please let me know how you get on if you choose to substitute any of the ingredients via my email or instagram (@positivesoph). 


Yields 9 muffins 
Ingredients
3 medium sized ripe bananas
170g golden caster sugar 
1tsp vanilla extract 
2tbsp sunflower oil
170g plain flour 
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda 
pinch of salt 
3tbsp cocoa powder 
3tbsp boiling water 
(alternatively to marbling the cocoa powder, you could just add chunks of chocolate)
80ml unsweetened almond milk 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius 
2. Mash the banana in a large mixing bowl before mixing in the caster sugar, sunflower oil, almond milk and vanilla extract 
3. Once mixed together, add in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the pinch of salt and mix once more until just combined, being careful not to over mix 
4. Separate one large spoonful of mixture into a separate bowl to form the chocolate marble layer


5. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder with boiling water until the chocolate is thoroughly dissolved
6. Add the chocolate mixture to the separated cake mixture and combine until fully incorporated 
7. Using a silicon muffin tray, spoon in the unmodified mixture until the cases are around 3/4 full, then spoon in one tbsp worth of the chocolate mixture into each case
8. Using a knife or cocktail stick, swirl the chocolate mixture into the unmodified mixture to create a marbled effect 


9. Place the muffins into the oven and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and springy to touch 
10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the silicon tray
11. ENJOY !!

Please send me photos if you recreate this recipe at my email (positivesoph@gmail.co.uk) or tag me on instagram (@positivesoph) and let me know any feedback you have! 

Keep yourself grounded, be mindful, as always keep your soul happy !!

- Sophie :)

2 comments:

Eating Vegan at The Port Eliot Festival

11:01 Soph 0 Comments
A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to attend the Port Eliot Festival for a long weekend, a bohemian style literary festival situated in a beautiful country estate in St Germans, East Cornwall. The festival is described as "an annual celebration of words, music, imagination, ideas, nature, food, fashion, flowers, laughter, exploration and fun" which is why it is such a refreshing atmosphere, encompassing beautiful music, inspiring literature, good food (the majority being vegetarian / vegan) and a community of likeminded souls. 

One of the highlights of the festival for me was the incredible vegan food, and the abundance of it! I was a bit hesitant as to whether there would be a variety of vegan options to sustain me for 4 days at the festival (as much as I enjoy noodles I wasn't sure I could stomach them for 3 meals a day, 4 days in a row). However when I arrived and saw the sheer variety of plant based food available I was both relieved and delighted. I thought I would share a few of my favourites incase any of you were thinking of visiting the festival next year, wanted to explore more vegan food companies (as they were all based in other locations permanently) or were just interested in the vegan options I tried! 


1. Luardos Mexican Street Food 

Luardos Mexican Street Food was my absolute favourite of the food options at the festival as it consisted of such delicious and authentic food at a reasonable price. They sold both Burritos and Nachos which consisted of tortilla / tortilla chips with rice, black beans, salsa, guacamole, lettuce and fresh corriander (also cheese, sour cream and the option of meat if not vegan). You could tell that all the components (such as salsa and guacamole) were homemade onsite with fresh, good quality ingredients as both the nachos and the burrito were delicious! Luardos Mexican Street Food is located in Kings Cross Market, Brockley Market and at a variety of festivals at events around the country (find out more at www.luardos.co.uk). 


2. Dog Town London 

Hot dogs and chips were my festival food expectations however never did I think I would find a tofu hot dog that tasted so good! Even my family who are extremely wary of just the word 'tofu' tried this hot dog and agreed that it tasted no different to a frankfurter sausage. As well as having the best hot dog I have ever tasted, the chips from this food stand were AMAZING and I am quite the passionate chip lover so this is a big statement to make! Whilst not the healthiest plant based meal, this was certainly one of convenience and made the perfect on-the-go festival lunch! They are permanently located in Central London, near Regent Street, at a venue called 'The Social' (find out more at www.dogtown-london.co.uk)


3. Pea Souk 

If you're looking for variety, Pea Souk is the option for you! With over 10 different lunch / dinner options from a festival food stand this was the perfect place for vegetarians and vegans. My favourite dish was the soybean burger with vegan cheese, beetroot salad and tomato chutney as the flavours blended perfectly, and it was a eclectic (and much healthier) twist on the classic cheeseburger. The other dishes available included falafel pittas, vegan sausage rolls, a mezze plate and an amazing selection of desserts. Unfortunately I tripped and dropped my piece of vegan cheesecake before I could take a picture but just trust me that it tasted incredible. Luckily for me Pea Souk is permanently located in Cornwall, as the cafe is situated in Falmouth, and therefore I can continue to try out the abundance of wholesome, healthy dishes but whether you live in the South West or not I would definitely recommend it! (find out more at www.peasouk.co.uk)


Aside from the food however, the music, setting and general atmosphere of the Port Eliot Festival was so inspiring that I would definitely recommend you attend if you are looking for a literary festival next summer. It runs annually, at the end of July / beginning of August and there is camping onsite meaning you are fully immersed in the community of festival goers looking for a memorable weekend spent in one of the most beautiful areas of England. To find out more information about the festival you can visit www.porteliotfestival.com or as always you can message me at @positivesoph on instagram or positivesoph@gmail.com. 

Keep your soul happy - Sophie :)

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