Classic Waffles

Most people seemed pretty surprised when I got a waffle maker for my birthday back in January, but it turns out there's plenty of ways to make waffles without using any animal products. I ran out of sugar when i made these, so ended up using agave syrup instead and it ended up making them a lot fluffier than usual. 

This is the recipe I use to make classic waffles, but you can easily add coconut or frozen blueberries to the mixture to make it a bit different.

Ingredients
1 cup organic flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1  tbsp egg replacer
1 cup coconut milk
2  tbsp agave syrup
3 tbsp melted vegan margarine
A pinch of salt
3 tbsp vegan cream cheese
2 tbsp icing sugar

1. Preheat the waffle maker

2. Mix the vegan soft cheese and icing sugar together until smooth.

3 In a bowl mix the flour, agave syrup, salt, egg replacer and baking powder together.

4. Whisk in the coconut milk.

5. Melt the butter in a pan and whisk into the mixture.

6. Pour the mixture into the waffle maker for two minutes.

7. Remove and add toppings! I personally think cream cheese is the best with some frozen blueberries, fresh berries and chia seeds.

Enjoy! 

A Weekend of Adventures

I seem to have got into the habit of going away at the weekend, but also not posting about it when i get back. I spent this weekend up north visiting my best friend Cara in Arbroath. We walked along the beach, visited Pleasureland, drank frozen cocktails, watched The Little Mermaid and caught up on everything that's been happening. I also got over my fear of dodgems. I think in itself that's a big achievement for someone who has been scared to go on them since she was 8 years old.

The weekend before last i went down to London to visit an old friend. It was a really impulsive Friday night decision, but one that was worth it even if a round of two drinks cost me over £10. We spent Saturday afternoon getting drunk in Camden, and drinking passion and mango caipiroska in my favourite Brazilian bar. We spent the night watching the football at an apartment with an amazing rooftop terrace, and I also discovered i'm actually pretty great at pool. On Sunday morning i managed to sneak in a visit to my favourite vegan bakery before the long journey home.

I guess now i just need to decide where to go on my next adventure! 

National Blood Week: Why We Should All Be Donating Now

I was 25 years old when I stepped into the Glasgow Blood Donor centre to give blood for the first time. It had always been something I had thought about doing, but like most of the population I'd just never really got round to it. In Scotland, only 5% of us are active donors meaning National Blood Week is more important than ever.

I should probably point out that not everyone who wants to donate is a suitable donor. That's why it's vital that if you are eligible, then you do give blood on a regular basis. I have friends who have lived abroad or take certain medications that prevent them from being able to donate. I have other friends who are gay or who frequently get tattoos, and this means they also fall into categories that don't allow them to do it. If you're one of the unlucky ones (or I guess lucky if you're scared of needles) who can't give blood, then you'll probably be able to talk a family member or work colleague who can. After all, you do have 95% of the Scottish population to choose from.

Growing up as a fan of a certain Dr Ross in ER, I saw my fair share of patients being given blood on TV. But it wasn't until I was 21 that I actually saw first-hand how vital blood donations are for the people who need them. I had just graduated from university and thought my world was pretty invincible when my brother was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He didn't just need one transfusion, he had regular blood and platelet transfusions during his 12 month stay in hospital. Like most cancer patients, it's a normal part of their treatment and they wouldn't be able to undergo chemotherapy without it.

Both my siblings have spent time in hospital with serious illnesses, but somehow I manage to pull a lucky card because I've never really been sick. I endured the playground fun of wearing glasses and braces at the same time, but I've never spent any time in hospital. I haven't had to rely on other people giving blood in order to live to like my brother did when he was just 11 years old. Other members of my family need to take medication every day which makes them unable to donate. It means I've somehow ended up flying the solo flag for blood donations in the Moyes household, and I'm determined to convince others to join me.

If you're someone who has given blood before, then maybe it's time to take the next step and think about giving platelets. The small cells are what help our blood to clot, and they're vital for people undergoing cancer treatment. And with a shelf-life of just a few days, it's essential that donations are continually coming in. Due to my weight, I've not yet be able to donate platelets. My brother seems to think a good sister would gain 21 pounds so she could do it, but instead I've tried to convince the nurse at my local centre that I'd be a suitable donor. Unfortunately after several attempts, I've still had no luck.

The truth of the matter is that at one point or another, either you or someone close to you is going to need a blood transfusion. It might not be today, and it might not happen for another 10 years. But how would you feel if the doctors turned around and told you that supplies were too low? It might seem like an extreme scenario right now, but it might just happen if more of us don't understand how important it is to start donating blood.

The Fringe List: Comedy Edition

For the first time in three years I won't be working during the Fringe in Edinburgh. This means i have weekends off, only have to work eight hours a day, and I can see as many shows as I can blag/afford to go to. Sure there's a few shows at The Playhouse, but there's only five different shows all month and not the usual 40 shows a day i was used to at The Stand.

So this morning I made some vegan waffles and sat down with the Fringe brochure. I went straight to the comedy section and highlighted all the shows below. There's people I've seen before, people i know from The Stand, and others like B.J Novak that I've never seen.

I still have to work my way through the other sections of the brochure, but after some of the listings for the Traverse and Summerhall i'm pretty sure i'll be adding lots to it.

Alfie Brown: Divorced from Reality (and My Wife)
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society
The Axis of Awesome: Viva La Vida Loca Las Vegas
Aye Right? How No? The Comedy Countdown to the Referendum with Vladimir McTavish & Keir McAllister
Barbara Nice: Squirrel Proof
B.J NOVAK: ONE MORE TIME (clearly this is the show i'm most excited about)
Bridget Christie: An Ungrateful Woman
Cardinal Burns
Damian Clark: Go Ahead, Make My Damo
David Kay
David O'Doherty Has Checked Everything
Eleanor Morton: Lollipop
Fred MacAulay: The Frederendum
Frisky and Mannish: Just Too Much
Gary Little: The Thing Is
Henning Wehn: Eins, Zwei, DIY
Jack Dee's Help Desk
Joel Dommett: Finding Emo
Josie Long: Cara Josephine
Katie Mulgrew: Happily Ever After
Kerry Godliman: Face Time
Kraken
Lloyd Langford: Old Fashioned
Lost Voice Guy: Laughter Is The Worst Medicine
Robert Newman's New Theory of Evolution
Seymour Mace presents Questionable Time
Tony Jameson: The Rules of Engagement
Simon Amstell: Tour Previews
Stewart Lee: A Room With a Stew (Work In Progress)
Tony Law: Enter the Tonezone
Zoe Lyons: Mustard Cutter