Fern Tor Vegetarian & Vegan Guest House Review

Jamie and I decided to go away for a few days over the new year for our 6 year anniversary. As we live in Cornwall, we usually go to the next best place - Devon! We wanted to go to a veggie B&B, and eventually decided on Fern Tor, which is situated near the town of South Molton in North Devon. Fern Tor is an award winning guest house set in 12 acres of land and is run by a lovely couple called Cliff and Jane (who is a Cordon Vert trained cook!). All the food they provide is vegan with the exception of cow's milk and eggs from their rescue hens for vegetarians. The house is very eco-friendly; there are no feathers or down in the bedding, and the toiletries and cleaning products are all vegan/non animal tested.  

 Solar panels help to heat water and generate electricity, low energy light bulbs are used, and the loo rolls are recycled. The food portion sizes you are given are huge, and on more than one occasion we had to give up trying to consume everything on our plates! We were worried about leaving so much food, but Jane reassured us that nothing at Fern Tor gets wasted as they have lots of rescued animals to help with leftovers! At Fern Tor there are goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, geese, rabbits and 2 gorgeous greyhounds. Jane and Cliff have kindly taken in all these animals who have often been neglected and abused, and they now have a happy, healthy life in the countryside. I loved having a cuddle with the goats, who cheekily tried to eat my hair and the buttons on my coat! We spotted lots of wildlife around the grounds, including mice, squirrels, pheasants, and various little birds. 

 

 

 

 Fern Tor is dog-friendly, so Jack came too of course! We had a ground floor room, which has its own private garden entrance, an en-suite bathroom (with a lovely deep bath) and a private sitting room with a log fire. It was very hard to get up for breakfast in the mornings as the bed was extremely comfy!  

 When we arrived at Fern Tor we were offered tea, coffee, and freshly made vegan fruit scones with jam which were really delicious.  

  After we got settled in we explored the grounds and met the rescue animals, then relaxed before our first meal. We opted for a main and a dessert.Our first dinner was aduki bean pie topped with vegan cheese and served with mushroom gravy, leeks and cauliflower, and a side salad. It was really tasty but very filling, although we just about managed to finish it all!  

 For dessert we had a choice of lemon mousse or gooey chocolate pudding; as we are both chocolate lovers, we naturally opted for the latter, which was served with ice cream. 

 The next morning we eagerly awaited our first breakfast. There were many cereals to choose from (including vegan cornflakes - yum!), plus fruit and toast made from delicious homemade bread. We both opted for a fried breakfast, and I had the full works (except tomato which I am not too keen on): fried bread, tofu 'bacon', vegan sausages, baked beans, mushrooms, potatoes, and scrambled tofu. It was my first time trying scrambled tofu and I loved it! 

 We then embarked on a 3 hour walk in the countryside, which was mainly uphill! Luckily it was a dry day in between all the storms but we got stuck in the mud quite a few times - admittedly it was rather fun! In the evening we drove to South Molton to pick up some food from an Indian takeaway that Cliff and Jane had kindly recommended. 

 

 

 

 Time for our second breakfast and I chose the vegan pancakes with maple syrup, fried potatoes and scrambled tofu (Jamie had a fry up everyday). The pancakes were amazing! Definitely my favourite breakfast. 

 We were going to drive up to Exmoor on New Year's Day but as the weather was so bad we didn't want to risk it. Instead we drove to a nearby village called Witheridge where we had some chips and a drink in a very cosy pub called the Mitre Inn. Back at Fern Tor we snuggled up and spent the afternoon watching films - we were all still tired from our trek the day before! 

 For our last dinner we were served crusted cassoulet - vegetables and beans in tomato sauce topped with garlic bread and cheese. It was served with new potatoes, broccoli and salad. We both thoroughly enjoyed it, and I definitely want to have a go at making it myself.  

 Although we struggled to finish our meal we couldn't turn down dessert, which was Jane's famous Fernbocker Glory - layer upon layer of ice cream, chocolate cake, raspberries and chocolate cream. It was absolutely amazing!  

 I could barely move afterwards as I was so full; in fact, I couldn't face breakfast the following morning as I was still full up! Which was a real shame though as there were still 2 breakfasts I hadn't tried - bagel with cream cheese and scrambled tofu, or a breakfast Fernbocker glory (fruits, yogurt and granola).  We had such a good time at Fern Tor, and would love to go back again. Cliff and Jane were very friendly and helpful, the room was relaxing and comfortable, and the food was amazing. If you are looking for somewhere veggie/vegan friendly to stay then I highly recommend Fern Tor. 

Blog Update - Where Have I Been?

Happy New Year! It's been a while since I've posted so I thought I'd let you all know what I've been up to. I had loads of blog posts planned but I just haven't had time to blog! I've been really busy with my business and I've also taken on a few writing jobs. I've always loved writing and I recently decided to pursue it as a sideline to my business. First of all I signed up to be the aromatherapy writer for Becoming Psychic Magazine. Aromatherapy is one of my specialist fields and I love the power of essential oils. Over the course of the last year I also developed an interest in spiritual things such as crystals and meditation so this magazine is perfect for me! The magazine is published at the beginning of each month so take a look if you'd like to find out how to use essential oils (and don't forget to browse the other articles while you're there!) http://becomingpsychicmagazine.co.uk/Aromatherapy.htmlSoon after that I got invited to become a blogger for The Animals Post, a website that has all the latest animal related news, petitions, and advice on going vegan. It is a brilliant site, please check it out and help it to grow even bigger! http://theanimalspost.com/category/blogs/Finally, the lovely Sascha of Coffee and Heels recently realised her dream of starting the world's first online vegan fashion and beauty magazine! I was so excited when she invited me to join her team as a beauty writer. I am so proud to be part of Vilda Magazine, all the other girls seem so lovely and I love reading everyone's articles. Go have a read and please share! http://www.vildamagazine.comI had a lovely relaxing Christmas, and have just got back from a much needed break to an amazing veggie/vegan B&B in Devon (blog post coming soon!) and I feel ready to blog again, so watch this space :)

Chocolate Tofu Pie Recipe

After discovering the versatile wonders of tofu, I have been on the lookout for some new recipes. I am better at baking than cooking, so I decided to make a dessert! I had seen a few recipes for a chocolate tofu pie/torte and I really liked the look of it. I decided to take elements from a couple of different recipes and put together my own. I've never really made up a recipe before, but I was really impressed with how it turned out so I thought I would share it. 

 This dessert is so rich and decadent, and is kind of like a cheesecake. Unless you told someone it was vegan they would never guess! It was a huge hit with my non-vegan family. 

  Ingredients   ♥ 250g vegan digestive biscuits (such as Co-Op own brand)♥ 100g vegan margarine♥ 2 packs silken tofu, pressed  ♥ 200g good quality dark chocolate, melted  ♥ 2 tablespoons golden syrup (agave nectar or maple syrup would probably work well too)♥ 1 tablespoon cocoa♥ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Method1. Crush the digestive biscuits into crumbs. Melt the margarine and stir in the biscuit crumbs until combined. Press into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 inch springform tin and bake for about 7-8 minutes at 180C. Leave to cool in the tin. 2. Blend the tofu until really smooth. Add the melted chocolate, cocoa, golden syrup and vanilla extract and blend until smooth and combined. 3. Pour the tofu mixture over the biscuit base and smooth out the top. Leave to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. 4. Decorate with chocolate curls or fruit and serve with raspberry coulis, ice cream, or whatever you fancy!

The pie should keep for 2-3 days if stored in the fridge (if there's any left that is!). Let me know if you try out my recipe!

Collective Mini-Haul: My Recent Purchases

I haven't been on a big shopping trip lately; instead I have gathered a few bits and pieces that I have seen around the shops.  I saw this chunky knit cardigan a few weeks ago in the Original Factory Shop, but didn't buy it until the other day. I think if you can't get a certain item of clothing out of your head, then it's a sign you should go back and buy it! That was definitely the case with this cardigan, and there was only one left in my size when I went back for it. It was £18 and is so thick and snuggly, but I haven't had a proper chance to wear it yet as the weather has still been quite warm. It is 100% acrylic and it has soft suede-effect patches on the elbows. 

  

 I also couldn't stop thinking about these desert style boots which I had seen in the same shop. Originally £25, they were reduced to £15, and as there weren't many pairs left I thought I should buy them. They are faux-suede and have a chunky heel. I am looking forward to wearing them with tights, dresses and cardigans when it gets a little colder. 

 Also from the Factory Shop are these black faux-leather dolly shoes. I had been needing a new pair of plain black shoes for work, but kept putting it off. Then one day as I was walking to work I noticed a flapping sound coming from one of my shoes - I looked and half of the sole had come off! I took that as the sign to buy some new ones right away, so I popped into the shop and got these ones, which were £6. They have a cushioned lining which is comfy, however the backs are a bit hard and have cut my heels a few times! 

 I needed some new patterned scarves as I only really have plain ones. I spotted this leopard print one in Peacocks (I love leopard print!) which was £7, and decided to buy it along with this blue butterfly print one, which was £6. 

 I am really into big earrings at the minute, and I found both these pairs in the sale in Peacocks. I can't remember exactly how much they were but I think they were each £2 or under. 

 I saw these cute socks in Tesco and bought four pairs as I needed some new ones. How could I leave animal print socks behind? 

 

Mimilicious Devonshire Klotted Kream Review

A little while ago, I was looking for a recipe for a vegan 'clotted cream'. I had no success and attempted to make up my own recipe, but it didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped. Imagine my delight when a new vegan business started up and made the cream I had dreamed of tasting! Mimilicious make Devonshire Klotted Kream, an oat-based alternative to dairy clotted cream. The ingredients are: water, pure oats, coconut oil, sunflower spread (sunflower oil, vegetable oils, salt, emulsifier - mono and diglycerides - vitamins E & A, colour - natural carotenes - vitamins D2 & B12) rapeseed lethicin, xanthan gum, vanilla extract, sea salt. A small pot (110g) of cream costs £1.99 and a large pot (200g) costs £3.75, which I think is really good value for the quality of the product. A percentage of all sales go to a different animal charity every month!  

 I couldn't wait to try the cream out, and what better way for a Cornish girl to have clotted cream than in a cream tea! I made a batch of scones using this recipe, which can be veganised by using vegan margarine and soya or rice milk. I have made this scone recipe loads of times and they turn out really well.  When having a cream tea you must put the jam on first (Devonians will tell you differently but don't listen to them!) and then the cream on top. 

 I shared my cream tea with my mum (who isn't vegan) and we both absolutely loved the cream. I was never a fan of dairy cream, but this vegan version is really nice - light and tasty. Mum said that it does taste quite similar to dairy clotted cream, and she really enjoyed it (even more so as it doesn't contain any cholesterol!).  

 I will definitely be purchasing a pot of this again and I highly recommend it. Mimilicious also make an Almost Raw Pumpkin Peanut Butter Silk Pie and a Raw Triple Chocolate Truffle Cake, both of which look amazing so perhaps I will try those next time I buy some cream! 

 

What I Got for My Birthday/Birthday Haul

  I love reading these kind of posts so I thought I would do one to show you what I got for my birthday last month. I was also given some money and I have got my eye on a few things that I would like to buy with it (maybe I will do a wishlist!). First up was this lovely jumper that my mum got me. It is 100% acrylic and is really warm. I haven't worn it much yet as the weather hasn't been cold enough...hurry up winter! 

 My brother and his girlfriend got me several things, firstly was a set of pink suitcases. I didn't actually have any suitcases of my own and was always borrowing my brother's whenever I went to visit Jamie, so I am really pleased to finally have my own, and in my favourite colour too! 

 They also got me a new waterproof coat and a water bottle for when I go on long, rainy walks with Jack :) 

 Finally they got me something that I have been needing for ages - a blender! I tried it out this weekend when I made a chocolate tofu pie with raspberry coulis; recipe coming soon! 

 My friend Chloe got me these really pretty pink crystal earrings - she always knows the kind of jewellery I love :)

 Jamie's sister, niece and nephew were on holiday in Spain whilst it was my birthday, so I got my present from them when they arrived home. They got me this gorgeous beaded necklace and earring set which is from Spain.  

  Jamie's mum, dad and nan got me some Dr. Bronner's tea tree soap and some Seed & Bean chilli and lime chocolate, which I haven't tried yet but it looks very tasty. 

 Jamie also got me some chocolate; a big hamper full! Lots of amazing chocolates were inside, including my favourite Booja Booja hazelnut crunch truffles. 

 So far I have tried the Grenada Chocolate Company bar, and oh my goodness it is the most amazing chocolate I have ever tasted! I cannot explain how delicious it is; it is so creamy and full of strong, rich flavour. This is proper chocolate! 

 Jamie also got me a beautiful bunch of sunflowers and gladioli that looked striking against my bright pink wall :) 

 He also got me the Harry Potter boxset, which I really wanted as I am a massive fan having grown up with the stories. Now I have got all the films to go with all the books!

 Let me know if you've had a birthday recently, I'd love to see what you got! 

My 23rd Birthday

At the beginning of the month I turned 23. I wasn't sure how I wanted to celebrate so everything was done last minute! I decided I would like a continental style breakfast to start the day, including toast with jam, blueberry muffins, and pain au chocolat. I was going to do croissants and other pastries too, but I just didn't have time to do it all. I used this recipe for the blueberry muffins, and they turned out really well. I would probably do a few less next time so the muffins are a little bigger, but they were nice and not too sweet. 

 Most of Jus-Rol's pastry products are suitable for vegans, and I have been wanting to try their pain au chocolat kit ever since I heard about it.  

 They were such fun to make; first you unwrap a cardboard tube which opens itself with a pop! 

 The pastry is rolled up and is perforated so that you tear it into six strips. 

 You then place a dark chocolate stick at each end of the pastry and roll the ends in to the middle. 

 Glaze with a little non-dairy milk and bake! They were delicious straight out of the oven.

After breakfast I went to a hotel spa with my brother's girlfriend where we enjoyed the swimming pool, sauna and outdoor hot tub (I didn't even think about taking any photos - sorry!). When we arrived my friend who works in the spa informed me that there was one space left that afternoon for a back massage. I decided to treat myself, and I'm so glad I did - I don't always have time to have a massage and it's great being the client for a change! In the evening my family and I went down to the local pub for a meal; I had a nut roast and all the trimmings, plus a few cheeky ciders. My mum did make me a gorgeous chocolate cake using this Lindy Smith recipe, which she smothered in chocolate buttercream and decorated with sugarpaste flowers and butterflies. However, when I got home I was rather merry and cut the cake before realising I hadn't taken a photo of it!  I had a lovely day, and got some amazing presents which I will be writing a post about soon.