Day 4

Yesterday didnt go to plan, as was taken out for lunch and then involved in kids being dropped off and picked up all over the place. Sooooo I made the kids falafels, potato wedges and mixed fresh mushrooms for tea, and I made me and the husband pasta with a chilli, leek, courgette, mushroom and tomato sauce with garlic bread. It was very nice!

This morning I made a falafel and humous bap with rocket, tomato and black pepper. Yummy. Baby loved it too. Made a right mess!!

Read something in the paper yesterday about how male chicks due to egg production, get killed, often gassed but also often just macerated in a mincer...alive. Horrific.

Occasionally I have bought free range eggs feeling that I am at least making the least worst choice in eggs...but forgetting how many chicks must have died to make my eggs, just because they were male and not female...horrible.

Day 2 and Day 3

Day 2 - lets forget day 2!

Day 3 - well marmite and toast for breakfast, not very original but had 3 kids to get ready, one horse to muck out, one schoolf nriend turn up in tears to deal with, and one dog to walk.
Lunch will be falafel salad
Dinner nut roast with roast potatos, parsnips, leeks, courgettes and corn. Mmmmmmmm

Day 1

Today is day 1 of 30 re-focussing me on proper vegan cooking and a kick up the bum for being a lazy chef of late. My 5 and a half month old is heading towards starting solid foods and I want him to taste everything and be as good an eater as my other two kids.

So, tonight I will be mking an old favourite that I made on my vegan chef training a few years ago...its dead easy and quick, as I wont have much time with Adam at piano lessons and Rohan at Cubs!...

Sicillian Risotto

Serves 2 so will double it up

300g risotto rice
399ml soya milk
15g vegan margarine
120g parmesan - can omit or use vegan parmesan - I will omit
120g sundried tomato paste
1 onion chopped fine
1tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1.5 tsp mixed italian herbs
200g chestnut mushrooms
400ml hot water

• heat up the pan
• add marg and cook onions until transparent
• add sundried tomato paste, pepper, herbs, chilli flakes, milk and water, and bring to boil
• add rice, mix well, bring back to boil
• simmer for 20 mins or until rice absorbed liquid
• add mushrooms and chese and mix well. May need to add water if too dry, simmer for further 5 mins
• I pre-cooked mushrooms, dry fried them to stop them going mushy and giving a firmer bite. 

Hoping the kids will like this too as they used to. Will post photo and comments later. :-)

Halloween ---- yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Today I amde red and green pasta as I woke up feeling like utter crap, needed some decent food...reciepe follows:-

Cook a heap of wholemeal pasta

In meantime, fry up some veg in olive oil...I used a courgette finely chopped, a leek, also finely chopped, and some mushrooms. I added black pepper in abundance...its good for colds and immune system. Also add in flaked almonds for fun, crunch, flavour, protein etc...or I guess pine nuts migfht be good.

I then drained pasta, swirled in some red vegan pesto (from asda noless), and stirred in the veggies.

It was FAB.....and quick...20 mins tops.

Breakfast at the Ward/Calvert House...

Diet Coke - thats vegan right????

Followed by toast and marmite, well not very exciting but B vitamins and wholegrains so healthy. :-)

Pumpkin Pasties - fully veganised and ready to rock

I made these and they are freakin yummy:-

 

Pumpkin pasties

• Pumpkin pasties

T

Ingredients

• 225 g peeled pumpkin, cut into 1cm cubes I used butternut squash
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed- i used a jar of ready mashed  - not the whole jar mind!!
• 50 g strong cheddar cheese, grated- I used nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds, lightly toasted- i doubled this amount
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted - I trebled this - I like crunch
• 2 tsp chopped sage   fresh from me garden no less!
• 1½ tbsp crème fraîche - I ommitted this
• 225 g ready-made shortcrust pastry - 2 packs - it made 8 not 4, they lied!!
• 1 large egg, beaten- not needed - use soya milk to glaze 
• green salad, to serve (optional)- salad?????...CHIPS!!! :-)

Method

1. Put the pumpkin in a steamer basket set over a pan of boiling water. Steam for 3-5 minutes until tender but not disintegrating. Set aside on a plate to cool.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment.

3. In a bowl, mix together the onion, garlic and grated cheese. Stir in the seeds, sage and crème fraîche, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Roll out the pastry and cut it into 4 x 20cm circles, using a plate as a template.

5. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of each circle. Brush the edges with beaten egg. Fold the pastry over to make a semi-circle and seal the edges well. Crimp with a fork or your fingers. Brush the outside of the pasties with beaten egg.

6. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Serve warm, with a green salad if liked.

VEGAN MOFO

Ok, this is my blog for Novembers Vegan MOFO event...blogging about all things vegan for a whole month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!