Blueberry Mint Pancakes

Ingredients

1.5 cups vanilla soy or other plant based milk (sweetened) 

2 Tbs chopped mint (could probably be omitted)

1 mashed banana

1 cup blueberries either frozen or fresh

About 2 cups whole wheat flour (could also used other flour)

Up to 1/2 cup earth balance

Optional: strawberry for garnish

Place soy milk in a bowl.   Then add mint, banana, and blueberries.   After that add the flour.   You want it to be thick but not thick enough to make a solid ball.  Note: When making vegan pancake batter you generally need the batter to be much thicker than with non-vegan batter.   

Place a pan with earth balance over medium heat and wait a few minutes for the earth balance to heat.    There is a lot of flexibility in how big you want to make the pancakes but I did about 2-3 inch circles.   Place the batter on the hot pan in circles.   Cook on each side for about 3-5 minutes.

Cinnamon Apple Bread

Easy WFPB Pumpkin Cookies
Lime Flavored Rice

Paprika Hummus

Tomato stew with carrot tops
Veggie Crumbles Lettuce Wraps

                                      

Jazzy Lily Heath Interview

This is the first interview of what I hope will be many I will do. Today, we feature Jazzy Heath a vegan musician.


Jazzy Heath is a pop singer, song writer, musician, producer and sound engineer. Jazzy's music is "raw and authentic" and "inspired by Owl City, Fickle Friends, and Betty Who". You can learn more about Jazzy Heath on Facebook and on Instagram. You can buy the new song below.

Question 1: When did you decide to go vegan and what made you decide to go vegan?


I was born & raised vegan excluding a few years in childhood where I went veggie due to social pressures. Being veggie back then was weird so being a vegan was basically the equivalent of being an alien. When I was 15, I came across Gary Yourofsky's famous speech on Youtube, & then Earthlings. Overnight I was vegan again & I've never looked back since.


Question 2: What advice would you give to parents who are raising vegan children?


That's a really good question aha!! I'd say that education is very important. Not in a way that means showing your child horrid videos at the age of 5 but making sure that a child knows the reasons for being vegan. For example, when I grew up, I was simply vegan because 'I loved animals'. I knew that the jelly my friends would eat was made of animal 'bones & blubber' (that's what I knew it as when i was younger), I knew from growing up with animals that they had unique personalities & I knew that they wanted to live as much as I do. It's in a childs' nature to love animals, It's only as they get older & realise their parent's have been feeding them dead animals that they put the blinkers on to the industry. If your child is really into sport, educate them on the health benefits of veganism & all of the Olympic athletes who are now choosing a plant based lifestyle. If they love animals, teach them why all animals are the same, not just the ones we consider 'pets'.


Question 3: In your video about the vegan festival in Japan I noticed you used public transit. Do you generally use public transit?


I usually travel on public transport or by bike. Having a car seems a bit pointless right now while other means are more convenient. Plus, it's much better for the earth


Question 4: Sounds like you live somewhere with great transit. Where do you live? What can other cities learn from where you live about creating cities where people choose public transit and cycling?


I live in Tokyo right now. I'm originally from England. It's a place that is famous for it's extremely well ran train systems. & there are many, many bike riders.If everywhere had a system like Tokyo, I'm sure everyone would ditch cars & go for public transport. After typhoon Hagibis, the trains were up & running within 12 hours. It really puts English public transport to shame haha!


Question 5: You were part of the backing choir for Fat Boy Slim. How was that experience and what was it like working with Fat Boy Slim?


That was an extraordinary experience! I became a huge fan of Fat Boy Slim a few years after I did the gig with him. His music was my jam throughout my entire 3 years at uni(university)! I played with him as part of his backing choir for his song 'Praise You' on the Main Stage at Bestival when I was 15 as part of a choir group I was in at the time called 'Resonate'. We actually won a television contest on CBBC which is how Fat Boy Slim/Norman found us I'm assuming! I'm attaching the song we won with for you to check out. I'm on the right holding hands with the tall guy at the start of the song. My hair was soo much longer then!


Question 6: If you make it super big what will you do with the money and publicity that come with making it in the music industry?


Honestly, I would buy a ton of land, rescue as many animals as possible & plant a forest! That's always been one of my biggest dreams since I was a little girl. I'm a minimalist so the animals & trees can have most of the land! I'll just have a little eco-tiny house/ bungalow in the corner!


Question 7: Would you by land in Japan or somewhere else? you buy land in Japan or somewhere else?


England is my home & it's the place I want to go back to to settle but Japan will always be important to me now. I guess I'd have the sanctuary in England in that case, but I would love to have a base in Japan so I could come back whenever I wanted! If it were possible, I'd have sanctuaries in both countries though... I feel that Japan definitely needs more places like that. If & when it happens, I will see what is most appropriate & just let the chips fall where they may!


Question 8: Is the vegan food better in England (UK) or Japan?


Food in both countries are so different so it's hard to say! I really miss the accessibility of vegan food in England, though the quality of the vegan food in Japan is just next level! It's really hard to say which is better since they're both so different. Though, I'm pretty jealous from seeing all of the new vegan foods that have come out in England since I've been in Japan! I'm very excited to go back & try it all!


Question 9: What is the most challenging thing about being a musician?


I think being a musician has a lot more challenges than non-musicians would see. Other than the obvious stuff like having to promote myself, getting gigs & all that jazz, my personal struggle as a musician is possibly just being too hard on myself... When I get writers block, it sucks so much but I've had to learn to accept that it's just part of being a creative person. Not every day is going to be my best writing day. I also struggle with that after-gig feeling, after I've performed, got off stage, socialized & go home to a quiet house with just myself & my piano. It's a very strange feeling. I get such a buzz from being on stage & the whole atmosphere after, being around other creatives & just hanging out. So going home to a completely quiet & peaceful atmosphere, I don't know why it affects me, but I've always felt strange about it, even when I first started properly gigging at about the age of 12. Being a musician is a roller coaster in that respect, but I don't necessarily see it as a bad thing, it's just a thing.

Question 10: Do you do other work in addition to being a musician?


I do online session singing/ piano / music making & run the blog & Youtube channel at helloveganbee.com (I'm also just about to start a Christmas & New Year series at Hello Vegan Bee all about how to have an eco friendly & vegan Christmas & then how to have a vegan, happy & healthy 2020)! I am also a Music & English teacher just outside of Tokyo


Hope you enjoyed this interview. If you think you are a good candidate for an interview please contact me via DM on Facebook or contact me on Twitter.

Simple lime flavored rice (vegan, WFPB)

Similar to many of my other recipes you can decrease or increase the portions of this recipe.   My preferred method for making this recipe is in a rice cooker, but feel free to try other methods such as the stove or even a microwave.   

Ingredients 

1 cup brown rice

2.25  cups water
Juice from 1 to 2 limes (depending on how strong you want the flavor)

1/2 cup green onions (or scallions) chopped

1/2 cup fresh mint finely chopped
Optional: 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker (or pot). Cook on brown rice setting or follow the instruction on your rice cooker.   On stove boil briefly then simmer.   

Cinnamon Apple Bread

Easy WFPB Pumpkin Cookies

Paprika Hummus

Tomato stew with carrot tops
Veggie Crumbles Lettuce Wraps

                                      

Easy WFPB Pumpkin Cookies (vegan, no added sugar)

These cookies are actually really easy!   This recipe can be made in larger quantities by doubling, tripling, etc.   The original quantity makes about 6-8 cookies. 

1 banana mashed

1/2 cup fresh pumpkin either parts that are naturally loose and look shredded, shred yourself, or pureed (canned might work too)

1/2 to 1 cup flour

1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

Parchment paper if you want WFPB or oil/earth balance if you just want vegan 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Combine all ingredients adding the flour last.  Choice an amount of flour that makes the mixture hard to a consistency that it can almost be made into a ball.   Prepare a baking tray either with parchment paper, oil, or earth balance.   Break the mixture into balls and place on the tray.  Bake for about 40 minutes, but check about 30 minutes.   

Cinnamon Apple Bread

Paprika Hummus

Tomato stew with carrot tops
Veggie Crumbles Lettuce Wraps