FLUFFY VEGAN PANCAKES

Pancakes are the perfect weekend breakfast/brunch treat, and even though vegans don't eat eggs, pancakes can still be made vegan - so I thought I would share in time for you to make these on Sunday morning if you fancy. These are just simple fluffy pancakes and you can customise them however you wish - for mine, I added a little cinnamon to the mix before cooking as well as topping with banana and strawberries (I will share my blueberry topping recipe at some point too).

The recipe is actually one that I just got from Tasty - their fluffy vegan pancakes recipe, and it is certainly the best I've tried and they taste no different to pancakes I had as a non-vegan. Other recipes I have tried haven't tasted as sweet or just don't quite satisfying my pancake craving so I always stick to this one now.

This recipe serves 4 (however if you're feeling particularly hungry and want to indulge, split it between 2), and is taken from the Tasty website which is linked here.

125 grams flour (I use gluten-free flour for mine, however literally any will work)
2 tablespoons organic sugar (organic ensures it is vegan-friendly)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
240 millilitres of vegan milk - I use oat milk and think they taste best with this, but again any will work just as well and using your favourite is the best idea!
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (allows you to create a buttermilk so they are fluffy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Any toppings you desire (and I also added 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the mix)

Recipe:

1.  Add the dry ingredients and combine by stirring
2. Combine the vegan milk, apple cider vinegar and vanilla and stir to combine - leave to rest for a few minutes so that it kind of 'separates' - this is necessary for the fluffiness, don't freak out over it!
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients - then leave the batter to sit for a few minutes again
4. Pour desired amount of batter into a pan (non-stick works best) and wait for it to bubble, then flip on the other side
5. Serve when still warm and top with whatever you desire!

This really is such a simple recipe and now it's got me craving pancakes again. I want to try a few more topping/filling ideas at some point so I'll definitely be back to report my findings of what works really well. Don't forget to tag me on Instagram if you try any of the recipes I post - @v.petitedecember

COMFORTING VEGAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

As the weather gets colder and more grey, I start craving more comforting winter meals such as shepherd's pie. This used to be one of my favourite meals before turning vegan, and with this recipe I threw together it remains one of my favourite recipes. The recipe here I have listed is for 1 serving (I made this for myself in a small serving dish as my family aren't vegan and so I am basing it on that, but just multiply the recipe to suit any needs and make it in a bigger dish and serve separately). The secret ingredient is baked beans - only a spoon or two - and before you squirm at the thought of it, it needs to be tested as it adds a lot of flavour and some extra protein.

Ingredients: (1 serving)

• 1 tbsp of oil (any kind)
• 1/2 a white onion
• 1 small carrot
• 1 handful of frozen peas
• 1/4 of a bag of vegan mince (I use Tesco own vegetarian mince which is vegan, but any will work)
• A few spoons of baked beans
• 1 baking potato
• 1 tsp of vegan butter
• Approx 100ml of gravy (red Bisto is vegan), or veggie stock depending on preference - I use gravy as it adds extra flavour

Recipe:

1. Chop onion and carrot into small pieces (like pictured above) and fry off gently in the oil until slightly soft
2. Add the vegan mince and fry until no longer frozen, adding the peas once this has happened
3. Reduce the heat, and add a few spoonfuls of baked beans to the mix and stir
4. Pour over the gravy and stir until thick but with some liquid still remaining (you may not need all the gravy, or you may want to add more - totally depends on preference) and remove from heat
5. Add this mixture to a dish and place in the oven for around 15 mins
6. Whilst this is cooking, chop and boil the potatoes until soft
7. Once potatoes are soft, mash until smooth and add vegan butter/milk as preferred so that it is creamy
8. Remove the dish from the oven and place the mash on top, creating some fork marks so that the top can go slightly browned and cripsy
9. Place back in the oven for around 15 minutes, or until it is as crispy as you desire
10. Serve immediately, with fresh cooked vegetables and extra gravy if you wish.

In reality this is a very simple meal to make, and you can throw in any veg you want - or even make the mash with sweet potato! Instead of vegan mince you could also try this with lentils, it really is a super versatile meal and brings a lot of comfort in the cold winter evenings.

THE EVERYDAY EYE

As I'm sure most of you fellow beauty bloggers know, when you have masses of eye products in so many shades getting ready in the morning can become quite a lengthy process, and my strict schedule before school just simply won't allow for me to be rummaging around the depths of my IKEA Alex for that long, so I've found a good little routine (which I picked up in America) that's keeping me going.

Since I started wearing eyeshadow I never really stopped. My eyes seem to look bare without it and so finding time to slap some on is always a must. I draw on a little of the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Yogurt and blend with a finger, then apply with a fluffy brush some of Milani Beach Sand on top. If I need a little matte crease, I simply take the same brush in my bronzer or contour colour and apply that.

Just as with eyeshadow, I can't miss a slick of liner and a little wing each day and I feel like I look as if I have no eyes whatsoever. This one is the Milani Eye Tech Perfection Pen which has taken a little while for me to get used to, but it seems to get the job done quickly with immense pigmentation so only one coat is needed.

For lashes, my new favourite mascara goes by the name of Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion Waterproof. Length, volume and a nice curl all in one is the only thing I need, and a coat or three of this leaves beautiful lashes without a clump in sight.

What is your go to look at the moment?

QUICK-FIXES FROM ANATOMICALS

Sometimes, you need a quick fix for your face. I for one am a sufferer of big under-eye bags and circles and occasionally some rather groggy looking pores (nice). When these sachets came in my letterbox, you can imagine I was pretty excited to give them a go.

One evening last week left me with a few less hours of sleep I would normally get which left me with dramatic puffy under-eyes and I seriously needed something to sort them out. I immediately cracked out the Puffy the Eye Bag Slayer* (love the play on words there), and slapped them on under my eyes. These are pretty strange to get used to; thick gel pads that stick on your under-eyes that are somehow cold and cooling even though they have been sitting in room temperature – as I said, strange. They definitely did wake me up and reduce some of the puffiness, but I will say the effect wasn’t as incredible as I was expecting, although I will use the rest of the pack.

The World Pore 3* pore strips came into use when I wanted to get a bit of a clarifying thing going on around the nose. These are different from pore strips I have used in the past, as they aren’t sticky so you have to put some water on your nose (I like to make it quite hot to open up the pores even more), then put the strip on as it adheres this way. After about 10-15 minutes, I peeled it off to be left with a rather interesting looking pore strip and a much smoother feeling nose (I’ll spare you the details).

If you want to try out these kinds of products, I definitely would recommend Anatomicals. They are pretty budget friendly, with good advertising and witty slogans, and is a brand that always leaves me wondering what else is in the range.