An easy vegan alternative to margarine.

I try to eat healthy. One thing that is essential, though, is vegan margarine on my bread. When I read all the numbers on the side of the package I get a little worried as to what all this is doing to my poor, little body. I know that margarines are often bleached to make them that yellow colour that we are so familiar with, so it's time for a change.

That's what makes this alternative so great. It only has one ingredient. It tastes great on a sandwich and even though it's obviously still a fat, it's not the kind of artery clogging fat that will eventually kill you.

Time: 5 seconds and then overnight to set.
Serves: Many.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil.

Method:

Pour the olive oil into a clean jar. Place the lid on the jar and then put it in the freezer. Freeze overnight. The next day, the oil will be solid. If your freezer is anything like mine, it will be too solid to spread. Transfer the margarine to the fridge and in a couple of hours, it should be entirely spreadable as in the pictures. Keep the spread in the fridge until you've used it all up. 

Apple Crumble- A healthier version for dessert or breakfast.

Today I am getting frugal. I have been meaning to have a grand savings plan for such a long time, but things like a 1974 Volkswagon Type 3 Square back, a new DSLR, overseas holidays and a fancy new fridge come along and demand my cash. Not to mention all the necessary social functions. I am looking at ways to get real. I think it's time to get financially responsible- only in order that I can buy a house. For no other reason. There is a little old church down by the beach that has been newly converted into a house. It's my dream home. It also happens to be the church that my fiancés grandparents were married in. It would be so easy, if only I had saved a deposit instead of having so much fun.

 I have been rummaging through my cupboards, remembering what it was like when I was a student. I always had the ability to make something out of nothing and I've been thinking of cheap alternatives that are just as much fun as extravagant outings. You may have read my previous post on how to live a budget conscious vegan lifestyle. I do follow those general rules and they allow me to have a very comfortable and fulfilled time whilst living my little life.

And so here I am, on this Friday night. We would normally be out, running around the markets and seeing bands. Instead, I am watching movies on the couch in the warmth of my lovely home which is just as lovely. I have made a firm effort to not buy anything this week and in doing so have made do with what is already here in my cupboards.

For dinner, I made Szechwan eggplant with an eggplant, rice and some random sauces and vinegars.
For dessert, I made this simple and tasty little number. I didn't take measurements so you will have to bear with me. I can give you approximations but really, you can throw it  all in. It's highly unlikely that it won't work out.

Time: 30 minutes.
Makes 1. 

Ingredients:

• One apple, peeled, cored and chopped.
• Half a cup of porridge mixture or muesli. I used the one that I featured previously. 
• A tablespoon of coconut oil, melted.
• A tablespoon of agave, maple syrup or another sweetener of your choice.

Method:

Heat the oven to about 180C/ 350F. Place the apple pieces into a small, oven proof bowl. 

In a separate bowl, add the muesli, coconut oil and half of the sweetener. Mix them together well. It will be a little sticky, but not overly. It won't clump together a whole bunch, but just enough. 

Place the rest of the sweetener on top of the apples. Now, top the apples with the oat mixture and then place aluminium over the bowl.

Place in the oven for about 30 minutes. 

This would also make a great breakfast. The apples could even be swapped with pears or bananas. 

I'm planning on having this for breakfast in the morning. I loved it. I hope this post makes sense. As always, just have a play, but it should be pretty straightforward.

I hope you are having a great weekend. :) x

Fulfilment and DIY Cinnamon Porridge.

How do you define success? I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I am working in a job that I feel completely blessed to have, but it's not where my heart lies. I find my passion lies in helping people to help themselves and although my job is wonderful, it just doesn't feel quite right. I miss seeing those "lightbulb moments" in people.

Many people don't have the luxury to think about their jobs this way. For many, a job is simply a means to an end. Why live your life doing something you don't enjoy? I've always found that when I want something in life, I figure out what I need to make that happen, and although it doesn't always happen straight away, it does happen eventually. I couldn't possibly comprehend spending the next 35 years working in a job that does nothing for me emotionally. Every day is a blessing and I want to put myself in a position where I can learn and give in way that makes my heart fill full instead of being stressed and dreading rolling out of bed. Moral of the story? Life is short. Do what you love.

The hard part is figuring out what it is I love the most.

 Before you go quitting your job, apply for those jobs you are interested in (and I stress, prior to quitting your current one) or take up studies as you work. It's a hard slog, but if you love it, it's worth it in the end.

I find myself pondering what "success" means. I mean, as long as there is food in my belly, clothes on my back, a roof over my head and the love of my friends and family, isn't that all I need? Money has never really meant much to me. I don't have a desire to have tonnes of it, so if I'm not chasing the dollar, what in turn can make me successful? Is it even a word that should be in our modern day vocabulary? I think perhaps "content" is a word better used in a day to day context.

What is it that makes us crave fulfilment?

And now something to create fulfilment in your belly. Porridge.

Do you remember that advert in the late 80's and through the 90's with the little scottish kid giving porridge a cute little mouthful? He was always telling people "That's not how you make porridge" until he finally got to a spoonful of microwaved, pre-paked oats. It was cute.

I was sent a packet of porridge from lovely Caroline over at Tea and Sympatico. As we are getting into the cooler months here in Australia, I was inspired by the nutty, simple deliciousness of it.
I grabbed some oats and make a mix to keep in my cupboard so I can grab it at anytime and have a healthy and delicious meal.

I've never been a big one for breakfast, but I am really making an effort. I've been making my own yogurt lately thanks to the help of a wonderful reader, Nina. More on that to come once I have perfected the coconut yogurt. So far, I have made soy and I currently have almond brewing at the moment. Autumn is looking wonderful.

Time: 10 minutes.
Makes: About 10 serves.

Ingredients:

• 4 Cups of oats. I used biodynamic oats. They have not been heat treated and so, when heated, they don't get as gluggy as porridge often does. Please feel free to use whatever you can find or afford. 
• 1 Tablespoon of ground cinnamon.
• 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
• 1 teaspoon of ground cloves.  
• 1 Cup of almonds or other nuts.
• 1 Cup of dried fruit (I used muscatels, but apple, raisins, apricot, dates or even goji berries would work. Use whatever fruit and nut or seed combination you like).
• Half a Cup of coconut.
• Half a teaspoon of sea salt. 

Method:

Chop the almonds. Place them in a frypan over low heat. Stir for a few minutes until they are lightly browned and you can smell that beautiful smell in the air.

Pop them in a bowl with the other ingredients and mix together. Store in an airtight container in the cupboard. 

When making your individual serves, take half a cup of the mixture and place in a bowl. Top with about three quarters of a cup to one cup of water and place in the microwave for three minutes. You may want to add more or less water depending on how you like your porridge. You may also choose to use a nut milk instead of water, but hey oats and water create a milky result so I never worry about that. 

You can also do this on the stovetop. Mix together in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until cooked. 

Below, I served my porridge with some apple, soy yogurt and maple syrup. It was so warm and filling. I can't wait for breakfast tomorrow.

I hope you are having a truly inspiring day! 

Kung Pao Faux Chicken and a whole lotta love. x

I've been thinking a lot lately about the beautiful ladies I have in my life. We have all been having some very honest conversations about our directions in life and our lack of confidence.

It's amazing just how many strong, independent women I know who, when all walls are down, are actually very shy and insecure, although they exude this beauty and style that is incomparable when in polite society.

It's funny. The people that have come to know me the best over the years are often shocked at just how shy I can be. I come across as fiercely independent, apparently. This is only because I feel the need to get things done and have varied experiences in my life. I bury my insecurities deep down and focus on the task at hand. I refuse to let my shyness win.

Having said that, I can often become very quiet around people that I feel slightly in awe of. I over think my next sentence and don't end up saying much at all.

In all other aspects of my life, I can play the part of nurse, friend and all round good girl, although I never feel 100% correct in my choices. My shyness is incredibly frustrating.

We don't often get a lot of positive feedback in life. I think my shyness relates to not being sure if what I'm doing is good or likeable. I get very shy about my work, but lately I've been loving what I've been creating and that in itself is giving me inner-power.

Last week when I was deejaying, I was saying to my lover that I wasn't sure if people were liking the music I was playing. He said "Haven't you ever heard, no news is good news?" Even though I didn't get any positive or negative feedback during the set, after I was then asked to stay on for another hour and told how much people love having me there. I'm taking this phrase on board and it's helping to make me feel less worried about what kind of impact I am making on this world.

So perhaps, remember that no news is indeed good news, and give someone a compliment. It's a small gesture but it can really make a difference in someones life.

I guess in essence, love what you do. Love yourself and let others know how much you appreciate them. They may just return the favour.

Kung Po Faux Chicken

This recipe is delicious and inspired by all of the asian take out we so often purchase. The faux chicken melted in my mouth and the mushrooms were delectable. I hope you like it, too.

Time: 30 Minutes.
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• One Tablespoon of minced ginger.
• Three cloves of minced garlic.
• Half a red onion, sliced.
• One and a half cups of vegetable stock.
• Quarter of a cup of soy sauce. 
• Quarter of a cup of rice wine vinegar.
• Thee cups of quartered mushrooms.
• One red capsicum, sliced.
• One cup of sliced bamboo shoots.
• Half a cup of cashews. (Traditionally, peanuts are used)
• A light spray of oil. 
• Chilli to taste.
• One packet of faux chicken, or perhaps try some tofu chunks.
• Wedges of lime, to serve

Method:

In a fry pan over medium heat, add the oil, onion, garlic and ginger and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil.

Put the lid on and leave to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. It shouldn't take long to cook.

If yours is still a little watery, mix one tablespoon of corn flour with two tablespoons of water to make a smooth paste. Add this to the mix and simmer for a further three to five minutes. I didn't need to do this, but it's a handy hint just in case. 

I served mine with some delicious quinoa and lime. 

I hope you are having an amazing day. x

Make some big jumps...

Gluten Free Apple and Cannellini Bean Burgers and a little bit of sunshine. x

I often wonder if I ask "why" too much. I remember in high school reading a poem that contained the sentence, "Let be be finale of seem.", meaning in essence, it just is. I recall arguing with such despair with my English teacher that there will always be a reason to ask why. The moment I understood the sentence- it was like a light bulb went off in my head. My teenage mouth fell silent as my mind wandered over the possibility that maybe there is no "why". Sometimes we need to remember to just be. Just let the air breath in and our of our perfect bodies like a giant sigh of relief. We often make ourselves fight such seemingly large battles in order to obtain the answers we so seek.

There aren't always answers for everything and that's ok.

The Emperor of Ice-Cream

by Wallace Stevens.

Call the roller of big cigars,
The muscular one, and bid him whip
In kitchen cups concupiscent curds.
Let the wenches dawdle in such dress
As they are used to wear, and let the boys
Bring flowers in last month's newspapers.
Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Take from the dresser of deal,
Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet
On which she embroidered fantails once
And spread it so as to cover her face.
If her horny feet protrude, they come
To show how cold she is, and dumb.
Let the lamp affix its beam.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Time: 30 minutes.

Serves: 8 large serves. 

Ingredients:

• One red onion, chopped.
• One stick of celery chopped. 
• One apple chopped. 
• Two Tablespoons of fresh rosemary.
• Two Tablespoons of fresh sage.
• One tablespoon or less of pumpkin seed oil. (Or you can use the oil of your choice. Pumpkin seed gives a particularly nutty flavour.)
• Three and a half cups of cooked cannellini beans. 
• Half a cup of cooked quinoa. (Most likely optional, but quinoa is yummy and good for you)
• Quarter of a cup of pepitas. 
• One vegan stock cube.
• One tablespoon of liquid smoke (You could substitute this with smoked paprika).
• Two cups of rice flour.
• Salt and pepper to taste. 
• Oil to fry with.
• Apple sauce to serve.

Method: 

In a skillet, fry the onion, celery, apple and herbs in a little of the pumpkin seed oil on low heat for about five minutes. 

Add the beans to a food processor along with all of the other ingredients. Blend until well combined. 

Add more flour if needed.

Take the mixture and form into 8 balls.

Fry each one in a fry pan until brown on both sides. I didn't need to use too much oil and fried them over a low heat.

Serve on bread or with a salad with apple sauce. 

My new favourite smoothie or Riot... Don't diet!

I haven't been posting many recipes lately. Essentially, I have been trying to kick some weight that I have put on over the years and have been focusing on salads, green smoothies and clean foods.

About 6 years ago, I quit my physical job of being a school photographer where we were constantly running around lifting heavy objects. I swapped this job for a desk job thinking I would have more stability.

I certainly had more stability. I also had less opportunities to move. At this time in my life, sadly I was in a relationship with someone who's personality clashed a lot with my own and neither of us were very happy at all.

I put on 20 kilos that year.

It was then that I ended the relationship. I changed jobs and became a carer and started uni and was on my way to becoming a nurse. Throughout my life, I had always had employment where I gave back to the community and having a desk job for a corporate company did nothing whatsoever to warm the cockles of my little heart.

Instead of staying in a job which I did not find fulfilling, I changed my career path. On a side note, I have met so many people who are unhappy in life and when probed further, it seems the basis of this unhappiness is their job. Ultimately, we are only here for a short while and we must follow our hearts and dreams. If you spend the majority of your time in a place that makes you unhappy, you will be unhappy.

If you are like me and seem to lack any particular direction, choose one. I do enjoy nursing and it gives me a good outlet for my art. It's a job where I can travel, make enough cash to be comfortable and also one where I can help people. It's not the most glamourous job and it can be quite draining and lead to many an existential crisis, but ultimately, it's for the greater good and I don't feel the soul destroying crush that big business can cause. Also, the hours allow me to have many a side project. I take drum lessons, DJ and paint portraits. Those are my true passions but admittedly, when I worked as a photographer I felt like it wasn't "enough" if you know what I mean. I love helping those who are somewhat neglected by society. Having said that, my skin has also become thick from dealing with those who rudely take more than they should. Oh, the ups and downs of nursing... But that is a different story.

When I changed jobs, I slowly lost 10 kilos. I was getting more exercise and not eating for the sake of eating. I learned more about nutrition and instead of living only on bread, I began to try new nutrient dense foods and quite enjoying them.

Having grown up with a family that focused on dieting but still had a mentality about food as if it was the Great Depression, my idea of food was somewhat skewed. We were often expected to have seconds and thirds at family gatherings whilst the conversation swirled around ideas of "being fat and needing to loose weight".

"You must eat all of the food on your plate. Think of the children starving in Africa."
I'm sure we've all heard this before. This saying has never made sense to me. As a smart arse child, I would offer that we take what was left on my plate and help feed those starving children. Those children will still go hungry regardless of what I eat.

We are not living in the Great Depression anymore, as my grandparents did. Our food is not rationed. In fact, we are privileged in that we can buy food in abundance.  This does not mean that we should gorge ourselves for the sake of not wasting food. We no longer need to think as if we may not have food on our plates tomorrow.

What does it mean to "waste food"? Is gluttony not wasting food? The only real way to not waste food in this day and age is to not buy too much, not cook too much and if you do have left overs, save it for your next meal.

My beloved often teases me for the fact that I often take leftovers home from restaurants. He calls me a "Nana". But do you know what? That is my lunch for the next day. It's not wasted and I don't have to spend any more money or use any more resources in buying more food. I am also loosing weight. Plus, I don't see being called a Nana offensive at all.

Here in Australia we make and receive massive portions of food. None of us want to "waste it". This is why we are having an obesity epidemic. We have been taught to think about food by those who grew up during the Great Depression when sources of food were scarce and little treats were rare and special.
We no longer need to worry about starvation and yet we still have a mentality that if we do not eat everything on our plate, we are wasting it. In what way are we wasting it? If we were to eat more than our bodies wish to receive we become fat and unhealthy. That in itself is a waste of a beautiful, energetic life.  Is it not a waste to eat something that you do not need? It doesn't make any sense to me. Up until recently, I have had rescued pet chickens and rabbits that we fed our leftovers to. We also compost. This is not a waste.

The people who taught us not to waste food are the same people grew up and went through all of the diet phases of the 80's and beyond. Talk about conflict. The idea of the diet actually started in the 1920's when for some reason, society went from thinking that a robust figure was sexy to idealising a more straight up and down figure. This idea of the diet strangely coincides with the beginning of cinema and popular culture.

I have heard every diet hint and tip spewed forth from the mouth of my grandmother who has been a member of weight watchers since before I was born. She has been overweight since I can remember and this weight has an adverse affect on her health. Being that she has this conflicted idea of food consumption, she doesn't seem to understand how food effects the body and has many emotional connections with it.

This can be generalised to many of us that grew up with these ideas being thrown at us.We all seems to think that being thin will in someway make us happy. I suppose given that food is essential for survival and somehow the human condition is all mixed up in survival mode and the emotional state, this is somewhat understandable. Perhaps focusing on eating is a way to not deal with deeper emotions that may be plaguing us. Therefore, over eating or under eating can be seen as an emotional focus when we can't figure out answers to the bigger questions.

Lately, I have been focusing on avoiding mindless snacking. I have not been drinking alcohol. I have been buying only what I need regardless of what is on special and I have been eating until I am full and no more. I have been recognising that if I just need something to do, eating is not the answer. Filling my life with things that I have always wanted to do and often put off, like study and make art.

Eating is not the answer. Unless of course, your body tells you it's hungry.

Having said that, I have lost 4 kilos in the last week without really doing much. My nails have gotten stronger, my existential crisis is resolving and I have more energy.

I feel good.

Above is my recipe for this weeks favourite smoothie which I have been eating for breakfast or lunch. x

Raw Banana Ice Cream. A Real Revelation.

I love ice-cream. There are some great brands out there that make delicious, cruelty free ice-cream for our taste buds to devour but there is something amazing in taking it right back to basics and making it yourself. Seriously, this recipe could not be easier, cheaper or healthier for you. I always end up in childlike awe and wonder when I make a banana ice-cream. It's just like the real thing. I can't fault it. You can add so many different flavours to it to make the ice-cream of your dreams. Have a play.

Time: Freeze overnight and then five minutes prep.
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• Six bananas.
• Whatever you wish to flavour it with, like half a teaspoon of vanilla, or one tablespoon of lemon juice or one tablespoon of cacao nibs or one tablespoon of peanut butter. I used cashews in the photo.

Method: 

Chop the bananas and place them on a tray. Put them in the freezer overnight.

The next day, place them in your blender/ food processor with the other ingredients for a few minutes on high until it looks like ice-cream. You can place it in a container and keep it in the freezer.
The banana ice cream keeps for quite a while.
I recommend letting the mixture sit on the bench for a few minutes before serving if you are taking it directly from the freezer as it can be rock solid.

Devour, completely guilt free. 

A little late, but Easy, Vegan Fruitcake.

You are  a fruitcake.

Just joking! How was your Christmas? Good, I hope.
Me? I finished nightshift at the hospital at 7:30 am had a nap and then awoke to some amazing presents (not that that's what it's all about) from my favourite person in the world. We then scuttled off to Gordy's mum's house for lunch and then my mum's house for dinner. They both went to so much trouble to make me a wonderful meal. So beautiful.
Last week, we went to a Christmas lunch put on by a friend. As I had been working nightshift, I hadn't prepared any food to bring with me. The savoury food was easy when it came to finding something vegan. I had mushrooms and a bean salad. When it came to dessert, I thought I would only be eating the fruit, until my lovely friend told me of the ingredients in the fruitcake that she had made. The cake was tangy and delicious and sounded simple to make.
I went home and googled  the recipe. I looked at quite a few different ones and read all the comments to come up with a recipe that took all of their trials and tribulations into account. It was so delicious. I fed it to my family for dessert on Christmas night and not one person made a comment about it being vegan, as they usually do. They all quite enjoyed their cake. This recipe is probably a little late in timing but it's a good one to remember, none the less. It makes a relatively healthy snack, even if you bake one and cut it up into pieces to freeze for work and school lunches.

Time: Overnight to soak, ten minutes to prepare, 1.5 to 2 hours to cook.
Serves: Many. About 16. 

Ingredients:

• One kilo (2. 2pounds) of dried fruit.
•  2 Cups of orange juice. I've seen that some people find this too tangy. If you're not a fan of the tang, maybe try half OJ, half water or half apple juice.
• 2 Cups of self raising flour.
• Half a teaspoon of cinnamon.
• Half a teaspoon of cloves.
• Half a teaspoon of nutmeg.
• One Tablespoon of rum (pirate talk, optional).

Method:

Soak the dried fruit in a bowl with the orange juice overnight.
The next day, add the other ingredients to the bowl and give it all a good stir.
Now, you can either make one cake or two. I made two medium sized loaves and took one to work and one to the family dinner. Make sure whatever pan you put them in is either non-stick, well greased or lined with baking paper so the cake doesn't stick.
Place in the oven at 160C/ 320F for an hour. At this time, check that the cake is cooked  by sticking a skewer in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's ready. If not, place back in the oven and cook for a further 30 mins. Repeat the skewer action. It should be ready if you have made the loaves, but one whole cake may take another 30 minutes.
All ovens are created different. You know your oven better than I do so have a play and see what works for you. The cakes shouldn't need longer than 2 hours.

Serve with custard and enjoy any time of the year. x

Rice Balls in Rich Tomato Sauce.

I have had a fantastic day. I have spent the day relaxing with one of my favourite activities- cooking. It's been a massive week. I've been working quite a lot, at both my day job and in my creative pursuits- deejaying and curating. It's lovely just to have a day to potter. Admittedly, I feel a little bit scattered today. I'm finding it very hard to concentrate on just the one thing. I think this is because my job insists that I put my mind in many different places at the one time. I find it hard just to stop. So I've made a whole bunch of food and am working on some projects, one of which I'll let you know about soon

On Sunday, we went to the Torrens Island markets. Tomatoes are currently $2 a box. Bargain! I've just made a large pot of Italian style tomato sauce. It's rich, thick and delicious with surprisingly only a few ingredients.
For dinner we had rice balls that I filled with mushroom pate, but you can fill them with whatever you like. It seems like it's all a little complicated, but when it gets down to it, you don't have to spend much time actually cooking. Most of the time is spent watching the ingredients cook and letting the beautiful aromas fill your gorgeous house.

The Sauce
Time: 10 minutes prep for the sauce, 45 minutes cooking.
Makes: About a litre and a half (6 cups).

Ingredients:

• One Tablespoon of oil.
• One onion, chopped.
• About 12 tomatoes, chopped.
• One teaspoon of salt.
• Half a teaspoon of sugar or stevia. 
• 6 leaves of basil.
• 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste.
• One bay leaf.
• One clove of garlic, minced. 

Method:

Place the oil in a saucepan and heat over medium to high heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry for a few minutes. Add the other ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer with the lid on for about 45 minutes. Let cool and remove the bay leaf. Pour the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. I do this to avoid having to remove the tomato skin beforehand. 

The Rice Balls

Time: 15 minutes to cook the rice. Five minutes to roll.

Makes: 6-8.

Ingredients:

• One cup of brown rice.
• Two cups of water.
• One teaspoon of vegetable seasoning.
• Filling of your choice. I used mushroom pate, but you could use a nut cheese or well... anything. 
• Half a cup of flour. 

Method:

You know how to cook rice, right? Do it. Place the rice in a saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Drain. Allow to cool. 

Place the rice in a bowl and stir in the vegetable seasoning and flour. Take a small scoop of rice and place it in the palm of your hand to make a semi-circle. Press your thumb into the middle. Add about a teaspoon of the filling of your choice. Place another semi-circle of rice on the other side and shape into a ball. Repeat until there is no rice left. 

The Rice Balls in Rich Tomato Sauce

Preheat the oven to 200C or 400F. Take a casserole dish and half fill with tomato sauce. Any left over tomato sauce can be frozen until your next pasta dish. Gently place the balls in the sauce and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place in the oven and cook for about 25-30 minutes. The outside will be crispy when they are ready. 

Enjoy with a gorgeous side salad. 

Marinated Mushrooms for the win!

I'm always on the lookout for delicious salad ideas, especially now that we are hitting the hot South Aussie Summer. I wanted something a little different and a very delicious. I have had sushi with these mushrooms in their guts and I must say I love that sushi more than I love the tempura pumpkin sushi. That is saying something. I've had to stop myself from eating these out of the container.

So, what have you been up to? I feel like every time I answer that question the only answer I have is "Oh, you know. Working." I've been up to so much more than that though. I've been organising exhibitions, deejaying and having super happy fun times with my mates. We have a group exhibition opening tomorrow at Suzie Wong's Room at six if you're in town.

Makes: About a cup of sliced 'shrooms.
Time: Five minutes prep and at least half an hour to marinate.

Ingredients:

• 8 Button Mushrooms, sliced.
• 2 Tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce or bragg's.
• The juice of 1 lemon.
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced.

Method:

Slice the mushrooms. Place the other ingredients in a container and mix together. Add the mushrooms and place in the fridge for at least an hour to marinate.

Use these babies on top of delicious salads, in sandwiches, wraps or sushi.

Delicious Gado Gado... x

Adelaide is really coming along in terms of pop-up food stalls and interesting and creative cafes. There seems to be a new one each week. This week, I went to The House of Donkey on Sturt Street in the City. I really like that area of town. It's more relaxed with old cottage houses and interesting little hidden gems.

The House of Donkey is super cute. The theme is obviously the donkey, with a large painting on the wall and lots of small ceramic donkeys adorning the windowsill filled with gorgeous little succulents. 

House of Donkey serves simple and delicious vegetarian and vegan food. The prices are rather reasonable. In the middle room of this house turned cafe is a floristry set up. Out back are reclaimed pallets that have been made into vertical plant boxes. They also have fresh vegetables growing in the garden. So cute.

For lunch, I had the Gado Gado, the chocolate raspberry pie and an iced green tea with mint, cucumber and fresh lemon. I was delicious. I was highly inspired to make my own gado gado.

Apparently, some of the veggies should be traditionally blanched but as I'm not too into being fussy, I'm just going to chop my clean, fresh veggies and add the delicious satay sauce. Also, carrots are not a traditional ingredient. This is evolution, baby.

Time: 20 Minutes.

Serves: About 4. 

Ingredients:

• Three potatoes, peeled, chopped into large but bite sized pieces. Boil in some water until just tender. Not too tender. You want them to stay in one piece. Drain the water and let cool.
• A quarter of a red cabbage, sliced.
• About two cups of bean sprouts.
• One carrot, grated. Actually, I spiralled mine into ribbons. Do that if you can, or just grate it.
• About 10 green beans, halved.
• One spring onion, chopped.
• A small handful of coriander, torn into little bits.
• A small handful of mint, torn. If you tear it, it stops the edges going brown like they do when you cut it with a knife. 
• Four Tablespoons of natural peanut butter.
• The juice of one lime.
• A few shakes of pepper.
• Three Tablespoons of water. 

Method:

Place the potatoes, cabbage, bean sprouts, carrot, green beans, spring onion, coriander and mint into a bowl and gently toss together with your hands. 

In a separate bowl, Place the peanut butter, lime juice, pepper and water and mix together with a fork. Depending on how you like your dressing, you can add more water for a thinner dressing or less for a thicker dressing. I sometimes like mine thicker so I can use it as more of a dip.

I'm actually having this for lunch tomorrow. Can't wait. It's super hot here, at the moment but the night sky is full of thunder. So beautiful.

A short and sweet recipe for Mustard Pickles.

It is  a glorious day here in Adelaide. Today, I plan on doing some painting and getting my art on before I host a drawing group tonight at Suzie Wong's Room.
Yesterday, I had a mad cooking day in case you didn't see all of my Facebook status updates. Myself and my lover had moseyed on over to the Torrens Island markets where we bought a ridiculous amount of food including a box of mushrooms, 14 punnets of strawberries and so much of a whole bunch of stuff for a lowly $30.
Yesterday I made mushroom stroganoff, mushroom pate, mushroom soup, mixed vegetable curry, a saag paneer for my lover, strawberry and vanilla bean jam, strawberry gin, apple chips, dehydrated strawberries and what will hopefully be rum and raisin chocolate fudge. I'm still working on the fudge recipe. I think I added too much milk initially. It's a work in progress at this stage but I swear I will get you the recipe as soon as it works.
I also made these Mustard Pickles. I love them because they remind me of picnics on sunny days with cute little sandwiches and bike rides along the river.
They are super easy to make.

Time: 15 Minutes prep. A night for the cucumbers to get all soft. A day to sit and get all pickle like.
Makes: 3.5 standard pasta sauce type jars full. 

Ingredients:

• 5 Cucumbers, sliced.
• 2 Red onions, halved and then sliced.
• 1 Tbs Salt.
• 1 Cup of raw caster sugar. 
• 2 and a half cups of apple cider vinegar.
• 1 Tbs of mustard seeds.
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric. 
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander.

Method:

Place the cucumbers, onion and salt into a container with a lid and leave in the fridge overnight. The next day, wash the salt off in a colander and then dry with paper towel.

In a saucepan, add the vinegar, sugar and spices over medium heat. Heat through until the sugar dissolves. This should take about 5 minutes. Add the cucumber and wait for little bubbles to start appearing in the liquid. Take off the heat and place in sterilised jars. Place the lid on and set aside for one day for all the ingredients to get to know each other. Keep in the fridge once opened. 

Serve on sandwiches, toast, in a salad or with your favourite nut cheese.  

Vanilla Cupcakes with Marmalade and Almond Topping.

Last week I was on night shift at work and I made these delightful little cakes to share with my coworkers. They were light and fluffy and went so quickly that I made some more the next night for all those that missed out on the first batch.

Work was fun. I worked with some lovely people and during a quiet moment we went ghost hunting around the spooky corridors of the hospital. We freaked ourselves out. It was hilarious.

Time: Ten minutes prep and 30 minutes to cook.
Serves: 18.

Ingredients:

• 1.25 cups of vegan butter, like nuttelex.
• 1.25 cups of raw caster sugar.
• 1.25 cups of self-raising flour.
• 2 level teaspoons of baking powder.
• 4 teaspoons of egg replacer. I used No Egg. Follow the instructions on the box to make it. You may have to mix it with 4 Tablespoons of water.
• 1 tsp of vanilla.
• Half a cup of chopped almonds.
• Half a cup of marmalade. 

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 175C/ 350F. 

Place all of the ingredients except the marmalade and almonds in a bowl and blend with a  hand blender.

Place 18 patty pans in a muffin tray. Scoop a heaped tablespoon into each one. 

Place the trays in the oven and cook for half an hour or until golden brown. You should be able to stick a skewer in them and have it come out clean. Place the cupcakes on a wire cooling rack. 

Place the marmalade and almonds in a saucepan and bring to the boil. 

Take off the heat and place a little on each cake. Allow to cool. 

Gobble these babies up. 

Some Like It Hot! Harissa. Kitten Style.

I fell in love with harissa on a trip to Sydney. I found it in a little supermarket in Oxford Street and foolishly thought it was a dip. As my mouth burned, I fell in love with the smokey, spiced flavour.
I haven't been able to find one like it since.
When I can't find something that tastes like a memory, I eventually make it myself.
In our back garden, we have an abundant chilli plant that just keeps fruiting. Chilli plants are so easy to grow. They are really no fuss and fruit regularly.
So today was the day. Also, I awoke with a cold. I was feeling pretty crap at work yesterday and lo and behold I am now sneezing like sneezy smurf. Sneezing is fun. Snot is not.
Hopefully this paste will burn the shit out of my sinuses. Literally and figuratively.

You can use harissa to add a little heat and flavour to sandwiches, soups, casseroles and curries. It works amazingly as a marinade too. I'm having a bunch of people over for a soup night tomorrow and I'm bringing my Moroccan Chickpea Soup to the table. This harissa will work wonderfully in it.

TIme: About 20 minutes. 
Makes: About a cup. 

Ingredients:

• 3 teaspoons of cumin seeds. 
• 3 teaspoons of coriander seeds. Use ground spices if you don't have a spice mill or mortar and pestle.
• 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika.
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped.
• 2 cups of red chillies, stems removed.
• 5 Tablespoons of olive oil.
• Generous shakes of salt and pepper. 

Method:

Place the spices in a saucepan and place over medium to high heat on a stove. Stir for a few minutes until they are nicely roasted. 

Take them off the heat and allow to cool. Once cooled, grind them until they are fine. 

In the saucepan, sauté the garlic in a tablespoon of oil for a couple of minutes. 

Place the garlic, chillies and all of the other ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until it becomes a paste. It may take about five minutes and you will have to scrape the sides with a spatula every now and again.

Store in a sterilised jar or plastic container in the fridge.

It should be fine for a couple of months.

Almond Butter and a tug on your heart strings.

Almonds will always hold a special place in my heart. As a child, I climbed the branches of the almond tree in the backyard of our old family home. This tree had seen three generations of our family, starting from the time my grandparents packed up and bought their children to sunny South Australia in the 1960's from England to live.
I climbed the weary branches and picked the nuts, eating the delicious insides. They have been one of my favourite nuts ever since and continue to conjure emotions that only the ideals and innocence of childhood can.

These days, apparently, I beat the shit out of these almonds. It's all for an amazing cause. Almond Butter! This makes about 2-3 cups. It's a lot cheaper than the shop bought stuff. I really didn't measure this recipe out exactly, so these are my guess-tamates. As the main ingredient is almonds, you can pretty much do this with what you have. This recipe cost me about $3 to make at home. To buy it in the shop costs about $6- $10.

Time: 15 minutes to 30 minutes.
Makes: 2-3 Cups.  

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of almonds. 
• Half a cup of oil that doesn't have a strong flavour. I used flax for the health properties but you may wish to use sunflower or canola oil. 
• A pinch of salt.

Method:

In a blender or food processor, add the almonds and grind them down until they resemble crumbs. This may take about three minutes. 

Scrape the sides of the blender with a spatula. You want to now continue to blend for three minutes and stop to scrape down the sides of the blender another two times. After this point, the mix should be quite fine. 

With the blender on, slowly add the oil through the hole in the lid until the mix reaches your desired consistency. You may wish to use more or less oil.

Add the salt and blend some more. If you like it more salty, add more salt.

If you are not getting an out come like that in the photo, continue to slowly add more oil and continue blending until the mixture is smooth.

Store in jars and keep in the fridge. 

Use as you would peanut butter. On toast, in biscuits or just on a spoon and straight into your mouth.  

Melting Moments to Melt Your Vegan Heart.

My posts have been few and far between and for that I apologise. Just when you thought I didn't have enough hobbies, what with working, my blogs, curating, the Cake Liberation Front, running life drawing groups, drumming lessons, trying to get in some art and craft time and deejaying, I have gone and picked myself up two more hobbies. Bikram Yoga & Meditation.

The idea behind these two is to help me calm myself and focus, I suppose, as well as get the wonderful health benefits. I often wonder (and have been asked) if I have adult onset ADHD. I just can't seem to sit still. Essentially, I think the reason I am so active is that I know how short and precious life is and I don't want to waste a moment of it.

My high school art teacher had a great influence on me. When I couldn't figure out what I was doing with my life she gave me some essential advice. She said "You don't want to be on your death bed and look back on your life and regret the things you haven't done." I have obviously taken this advice on board to the hilt.

So that there is my excuse for not making many posts. I've got a bunch of photos. I've just gotta get to the write ups.

Here is a special treat for you, though. They are very regular, as in there are no special ingredients and a lot of it is your regular vegan substitution foods. They are Melting Moments.

I took these to the last Cake Liberation Front meeting on Sunday and they were all gobbled up. Very delicious. Just make sure that your sugar and glacé cherries are vegan. Some white sugars use bone char to filter it and the cherries sometimes use bugs called shellac to make them shiny. Avoid the preservative number E20 and there'll be smooth sailing.

Time: 10 Minutes prep. 15 minutes to bake.
Makes 20 or so.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 Nuttelex or other vegan margarine substitute. 
• 1/3 Cup of powdered or icing sugar. You can make powdered sugar by placing it in a blender or coffee grinder and blitzing it for a minute or two. I use raw sugar for this. 
• 1/3 Cup of cornflour.
• 1 Cup of plain flour.
• About 10 glace cherries, chopped in half. 

Method:

Place the sugar and butter in a bowl and beat well. Add the cornflour, the flour and vanilla and stir very well. I like to just chuck it all in my food processor and mix in with  a spatula but whatever floats your boat.
Now line your tray with baking paper.
For the next part, you can either place the ingredients in a piping bag to make cute, little patterned biscuits or just use a teaspoon. They do look cute if piped but hey, they still taste the same. Amazing!
Place half a glacé cherry atop each one, so that it is placed in the middle of the biscuit.
Place them in the oven at 180C or 360F for 15 minutes or until they are golden.
Take them out of the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.

This photo was taken by the wonderful Lauren Smeaton. She is an amazing photographer currently based in Sydney. You can see her other works here. 

This was at the Cake Liberation Front meet. They got a bit bruised and bashed on the way there but they were still delightful. 

Hope you're all fantastic! Welcome to Spring, Southern Hemisphere. 

Raw Strawberry "Cheesecake" and The Cake Liberation Front meeting.

I've popped this recipe up for Kate. Have fun making it! :)

I caved. I bought a Thermomix. It's secondhand and refurbished so it was a bit of a bargain. I am so excited to have a high powered blender. It makes the creamiest cashew cream I have ever made. There seems to be a big rivalry between the Vitamix and the Thermomix. They're blenders. I really don't have time for all of the passion and energy that goes into choosing a side. Seriously, I have read some really personal attacks on forums between the two teams. So fucking crazy. Some people really like their high horses.
The first thing I made in my fancy pants new blender was this raw cheesecake for the Cake Liberation Front meet up yesterday. I was so happy to have new people along. For the last few months, it's been me, my mum and a guy named Don. Hopefully now that the weather is heating up more people will come along. I honestly don't have any close friends that are vegan. I have plenty of friends that are vegetarian and open to vegan food, but none that are full crazy vegan so it's nice to go to play dates like this and chat with other people that are passionate about the same issues and plainly just "get it". Oh, and swap recipes. That's the important bit.
You can make this recipe in a regular food processor too. The cashew cream may be a little grainy but still super delicious. I had many lovely comments about how good this tastes. It's rich, too, so you don't need to eat a tonne of it to feel satisfied.

Time: 10 minutes to prepare, overnight to set, so make it the day before. 
Serves: 8 to 10.

Ingredients:
Base:

• One and a half cups of macadamias.
• One cup of dates.
• Half a cup of coconut.

Filling:

• 3 Cups of Cashew which have been soaked in water and drained. 
• Flesh of 2 lemons.
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence.
• Half a cup of sweetener like agave nectar, rice syrup or maple syrup.
• Half a cup of coconut oil.
• A pinch of salt.
• One punnet of strawberries, tops removed.
• Quarter of a cup of water.

Topping:

• One punnet of strawberries. 
• Quarter of a cup of rice syrup. 

Method:

For the Base:

Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until its crumbly.

Pour into a pie tin and press until it resembles a pie crust.

Place in the fridge whilst you make the filling.

The filling:

Place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Leave about a half a cup of the filling separate if you want to use it to do fancy piping around the edge. Place in the fridge overnight. Get out your cake decorating gear and pipe the filling around the edges. Fill the inside with the following topping. 

The topping:

Place the strawberries and rice syrup in the blender/ food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. A few chunks is still ok. Pour on the top of the cake once the cake is set. 

Then eat and watch everyone get excited. This really is a good cake. There really aren't that many different ways to make a raw cheesecake. You can use this basic recipe and simply change the flavours. Maybe add some chai spices or cocoa instead of strawberries, or perhaps some mango or lime. Have fun and play. :) xx

Back from adventures and Minestrone Soup.

Well, I have been back in the land of Oz for a wonderful week and a half. Jet lag was a killer and my stomach had a few bumps handling some of the food. In certain parts of Europe, much of the food was incredibly rich and intense. My diet here is usually full of fresh foods. Hence, my stomach hated me for quite a while towards the end of the trip. Seriously, just the thought of tinned asparagus makes me want to barf... but anyway.

I had an amazing time. We drank a lot of beautiful cider (which, I'm sure my stomach also now hates me for) and met up with so many friends. We saw their hometowns and went to weddings. I felt so blessed to be surrounded by such love and have the opportunity to explore everyday.

I hardly slept on the way home, save for half an hour at Singapore airport. On both flights, I had one of those seats in the middle of the plane where you are super crammed in. I was honestly thinking that maybe it is worth the extra few thousand dollars and buying a business class ticket just to save my sanity and my sore body. I think I am still getting over the jet lag. I am still so exhausted.

So... how to fix that?
A big, kick arse bowl of vegetables and warm broth. Yum!

This recipe can be modified to cook in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. Have a play and see what you come up with.

Serves: 6
Time: Ten minutes prep and forty or so to cook.

Ingredients:

• One Tablespoon of olive oil.
• Two sticks  of celery, diced.
• One carrot, diced.
• One onion, diced.
• A handful of kale or other leafy green, stalks removed and leaves shredded. 
• One zucchini, diced.
• One potato, diced.
• Three tablespoons of tomato paste.
• Eight cups (Two litres) of vegetable stock.
• Half a cup of pasta (whatever you have in the cupboard is fine. Make sure it's egg free.)
• Quarter of a cup of dried yellow split peas.
• One teaspoon of dried basil.
• One teaspoon of dried oregano.
• One bay leaf.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• It seems I forgot to add any garlic. If I were you, I'd add as much as you can handle. :)

Method:

Place the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the vegetables and stir to coat the veggies with the oil. 

Add the stock, the paste, the pasta, the peas and the herbs.

Mix well to combine. 

Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to simmer for about forty minutes or until the peas are cooked. 

Serve with toasted soldiers and eat with a blanket on your lap. 

Vegan Cannellini and Basil Winter Soup... xx

Three recipes in three days! It appears the drought of posts maybe over? Unfortunately, this little adventure in blogging in no way aids my finances, which may explain the haphazard nature in which my blog posts arrive.
I have been anything but frivolous of late. I'm feeling like I have been on a financial diet for the longest time, using all my will power to stop me from spending all my hard earned dollars on random things. The last week I seem to have been bingeing on whatever takes my fancy. I am trying to get myself back in check and so instead of going out and buying lavish ingredients for an exciting recipe, I decided to bite the humble bullet and raid the refrigerator to make something that won't leave me with a blank expression when it appears on my dinner plate.

I have many jars full of wonderful things that sit in my cupboard waiting for the day I remember that they are there.

Serves: 10.
Time: 10 Minutes prep. 1 hour to cook.


Ingredients:

• One sliced leek (Feel free to use onion).
• Two cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped.
• Two Tablespoons of olive oil.
• One third of a cup of packed and roughly chopped basil leaves.
• Three potatoes, skinned and cubed.
• One can of tomatoes.
• One star anise. 
• Two tablespoons of tomato paste.
• One cup of previously soaked cannellini beans. You could use any kind or bean. I think chick peas would work really well here. 
• One Tablespoon of soy sauce.
• One Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. 
• Four cups of veggie stock.
• A few shakes of pepper. 

Method:

Place all of these ingredients into a large pot and bring to the boil. Simmer for an hour or until the beans and potatoes are soft. Remove the star anise.

Serve on its own or with some hot, crusty bread for a perfect winter treat. 

Vegan Potato Bake with Tofu Ricotta and a Cheesy Sauce xx

Each time I go to a BBQ, the omnivores always rave about how amazing the potato bake is. Honestly, with all that fat and cheese drowning those poor little potatoes, they often look like a heart attack waiting to happen. I challenged myself to create a potato bake that was delicious and not so terribly bad for my thighs. This is what I came up with...

Time: Half an hour prep, an hour to cook.
Serves: 6-8.


Ingredients:

• Ten potatoes, washed and thinly sliced.
• Two tablespoons of olive oil

For the Tofu Ricotta:

• One block of silken firm tofu.
• Half a teaspoon of dried basil.
• Two teaspoons of olive oil.
• Two cloves of garlic.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

For the Cheesy Sauce:

• Two Tablespoons of olive oil.
• Half a cup of plain flour.
• Four cups of veggie milk (I used rice milk).
• A pinch of paprika.
• A teaspoon of mustard.
• Feel free to add a teaspoon of nutritional yeast to the mix at the end of the recipe. I don't like the stuff so I don't use it. 
• Half a teaspoon of veggie salt and a few shakes of pepper.

Method:

Let's make the tofu ricotta first:

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until the mixture is a nice, creamy consistency.

You may need to scrape the sides with a spatula occasionally. Set aside.

Now, for the cheesy sauce:

Grab a saucepan. Place it on your stove top over medium to high heat. Add the olive oil and heat through. Mix in the flour. Very slowly, add the veggie milk and stir  the mixture as you do this. You should initially have a paste which will thicken up and become a custard. Add the paprika, mustard, nootch, and salt and pepper. Take off the heat and mix well.

Take a large oven proof pan and add one tablespoon of the oil to the bottom. Rub the oil over the whole pan. Add half of the potatoes and spread half of the ricotta mixture over them. Next, add half of the cheese sauce. Repeat the process so that you end up with the cheese sauce on top. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with some paprika.

Place some aluminium foil over the top of the pan and bake in the oven at 180C or 360F for one hour. Towards the end of that hour, remove the al-foil so that the top gets nice and brown. 

And that's it. Take out of the oven and enjoy! xx