Green Smoothie Bowl | Frill Frozen Dessert

I'm all about the dairy-free ice cream alternatives right now so when Frill asked me if I'd like to try some of their Frozen Smoothies there was no way I could turn them down! I absolutely love the idea behind Frill Frozen Smoothies as they are 100% natural, there's no added sugar or artificial flavours and their products are completely vegan (as well as gluten-free for any coeliacs out there). There's a lot of fruit, vegetables, and fibre packed into Frill tubs so they really are a guilt-free treat.

I love green smoothies so I knew I'd like Refreshing Green but I actually thought it would be my least favourite out of Frill's current three flavours- who can resist the sound of Bursting Berries and Intense Chocolate? I'll be talking about these two in another post soon - but I'm so glad that this was the one I picked to try first. It tastes seriously amazing and I've found myself waking up craving a bowl of it, which is unusual for something so healthy! It contains basically everything you might put in a green smoothie if you were making one at home - spinach, avocado, pineapple, celery, apple, basil and just general goodness. It tastes really energising so it's the perfect base for a healthy breakfast (like below) but the subtle sweetness means it works well for an afternoon snack or after-dinner treat too.

This smoothie bowl is an amazing breakfast to leave you feeling refreshed, nourished, and ready for the day! It's super quick and easy - you can have it ready by the time the kettle's boiled! I found this worked best when Frill had softened a bit so I just made sure to take the tub out of the freezer as soon as I woke up in the morning, and then it's the perfect consistency after you're out of the shower. Alternatively, if you're pushed for time in the mornings, you could leave it in the fridge overnight and that would work fine too. All you need to do is scoop some Frill Refreshing Green out into a bowl and mix it around a bit to soften it up further. It stays quite thick and firm which I loved as it means it's much more filling than a normal smoothie - especially because I usually have to add quite a lot of liquid to my blender to get it to work. Then just add whatever you fancy on top! Here I went for:

Frill Refreshing Green Frozen Smoothie

Blueberries

Raspberries

Homemade granola

Chia seeds

and a drizzle of Agave syrup

Recently I've seen Frill Frozen Smoothies in my local Waitrose, and you can also pick them up at Whole Foods if you live locally to one. I absolutely loved Refreshing Green and will definitely be picking it up again for a healthy but super tasty breakfast option. Let me know if you've tried Frill and whether you like the look of this Smoothie Bowl, I'd love to know what you think!

One Simple Switch for a Healthier Latte

I stopped buying cow's milk as a step towards a more plant-based diet almost a year ago now, but soya was never really high up on my grocery list. Coconut, oat, hazelnut and of course, heart-eyed emoji deserving almond were always on the menu, but soy was something I only really had if there was no other alternative (I'm looking at you, Starbucks..). Don't get me wrong I love a good soy latte to-go, but I always felt that soya milk made the drink a bit sweeter than I would have liked and sometimes drowned out the taste of the coffee. Well not any more, thanks to Alpro Soya Simply Mild*. Simply Mild does exactly what it says on the carton and gives you all the goodness of normal soy milk with a more subtle and less sweet flavour. It's also non-GM if that is something that has put you off soya milk in the past!

Lets get the serious stuff out of the way first, and I'll try not to bang on too long about this, but it's so important for this beautiful planet we live on that we all try and reduce the amount of animal products we consume. The environmental impacts of the cattle and dairy industry in particular are huge. Cutting down on cow's milk not only helps combat climate change, but it's good for your health too! Luckily Alpro make it super easy to do this with their range of dairy alternatives that taste amazing - definitely better than the real thing!

Alpro kindly sent me a carton of their new Soya Simply Mild to try, along with an adorable Keep Cup and a milk frother so I could make my own lattes. I found Soya Simply Mild to be the perfect alternative to milk in a latte, it makes it taste creamy with just the right amount of sweetness but it doesn't leave you with that overly full, bloated feeling you (tell me it's not just me?) get from drinking lots of cow's milk in a warm coffee. Alpro's plant-based alternatives are a lot healthier than dairy so I didn't feel bad indulging in a bowl of creamy porridge made with Soya Simply Mild along with my latte, and for tea-lovers it's definitely the best plant-based milk I've found to perfectly complement your English Breakfast habit - mine's slowly creeping up to about 6 a day...

Six Cookbooks That Will Inspire You To Eat Home-Made & Healthy

I've always liked cooking but since I've been trying to eat a more plant-based diet I've definitely got more adventurous in the kitchen - mainly thanks to all the amazing food bloggers I discovered whose websites were full of inspiring and healthy recipes. Many of them now have cookery books out and while I still love reading their blogs, there's something to be said for following a recipe out of a nice hardback book with glossy pages and beautiful photography. Today I'm sharing five of my favourites that inspire me to cook from scratch and make healthier choices (not just for me, but for the environment too). 

1. My New Roots - Sarah's book has some of the most beautiful food photography I've ever seen, and I love how it's divided into seasons (five!) to help you make the most out of seasonal produce. Her Quinoa Risotto with Grilled Scapes and Rocket is already a firm favourite of mine and there's also loads of useful information like how to grow your own sprouts (from seeds, not the Brussel variety!), make nut milk and butter, and how to cook pretty much every grain and legume you can think of. You can have a read of her blog here - I promise you won't be left disappointed, just hungry!

2. A Modern Way To Eat - Anna was trained by Jamie Oliver and it really shows in this book. The food styling and photography is especially on point and I love how honest her writing style is. Simple recipes that look amazing and taste even better; I'm particularly a fan of her Lentils and Roasted Beetroot with Salsa Verde, and I'll definitely be cooking her Turkish Fried Eggs for my boyfriend as a birthday breakfast. She lives in Hackney too, so I'm hoping I'll bump into her on Broadway Market one Saturday morning!

3. Deliciously Ella - I'm sure you've all heard of Ella! Ella's recipes are incredibly easy and as the name suggests, completely delicious. Plus, every one is vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. Chapters each cover a food type such as grains/pulses/fruit, and again there's lots of interesting information at the start of each one. The Brazil Nut (almonds for me as I'm allergic!) and Rocket Pesto Pasta is perfect for those days when you want something really quick but nourishing and comforting, and of course there's her famous Sweet Potato Brownies!

4. The Vibrant Table - I don't own Anya's book (yet!) but I've poured over it enough in my local bookshop that I feel like I do! I'm desperate to try and replicate her Peach and Avocado Summer Rolls and Squash Blossom Quiche. The photography in here is so colourful and enticing, and all the photos are taken by Anya's daughter which I think makes it extra special.

5. Oh She Glows - The cover alone was enough for me to want Angela's book (I always always judge actual books by their covers!), but the inclusion of Broccoli and Quinoa Burritos (chuck some avocado in there and you've got what sounds like my perfect meal) sealed the deal and Oh She Glows is currently winging it's way through the post to me.

6. Kenko Kitchen - Kate's blog is full to the brim with whole foods and sugar-free, gluten-free delights, and her book is no exception to the rule. Buckwheat Bircher with Berries and Bee Pollen is an inspired antidote for a dreary morning and her vegan cheese alternatives (cashew 'goat's cheese' and macadamia 'ricotta') are next on my must-try list!

Do you have any favourite cookery books that you think I should try?