Where I’m veganlly at

The Winter has been so long, for lots of people in a lot of places hasn’t it?! Time’s flown by in a slightly crazed flurry…
It’s a good job that I didn’t change the title here to declare my complete veganism..I haven’t stayed 100% vegan as I aspired to I’m afraid…am probably about 99%. My weaknesses can be whittled down to two areas- chocolate (when I buy it, there are times- probably hormonally related- that I crave milk chocolate- but I am getting into dark chocolate so I buy it about half the time when I need chocolate!) On that note have found Starbucks do a very nice dark chocolate bar with vanilla in, it’s very nice and not at all bitter…
Occasionally too- cake.

For baking at home, it’s always vegan. Completely. If we are out, and there is no vegan option I have had cake which will almost definitely contain eggs… (The pictured chocolate muffins turned out very velvety and pretty rich. Actually, very rich, because the boys could only manage a nibble before giving up, which says a lot!)

Recipe was from the booklet 'mmm......yummy cakes.. Vegan Cake Book'-
350g self-raising flour
1 table spoon baking powder
120g caster sugar
100g drinking chocolate powder
200g chocolate drops (I used dairy free white chocolate buttons too)
375ml water
135mo sunflower oil

Method:
Preheat the oven to gas mark 5, 190 degrees C, 375 degrees fahrenheit. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with deep muffin cases.
sieve the flour, baking powder, caster sugar and drinking choolate powder ainto a bowl and stir.
Measure the waterinto a jug, add the oil and stir.
Add teh liquid to the dry ingredients a bit at a time and stir thoroughly, making sure the liquid is fully mixed in before adding more. Beat until smooth.
Fold int he chocolate drops.
Spoon into the muffin cases and put into the oven immediately.
Bake for 30 minutes, until well risen and springy to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.


So- phew, I’ve admitted it. There’s no point in berating myself too much though, it’s an onward journey, and I just have to do my best.
The children are at a slightly different place. They eat vegetarian and vegan. They will happily eat vegan macaroni cheese, and also the dairy version. Pizza with vegan cheese or dairy. Lots of beans, vegetables, lentils, wholegrains, smoothies, soy and oat milk (no dairy milk).
I’ve booked a few days holiday in August at a Swanage Vegetarian Vegan B&B  Beyond that, unbelievably primary school is on the horizon. So at some point we’ll have the packed lunches versus school dinner debate…
I’ve done two school talks in the last few months (one of them kept getting cancelled because of the snow!)- fabulous experiences, will write up in a separate post.
Aside from that I’ve spent the some Winter nights getting familiar with the sewing machine that had been awaiting use since my Summer birthday. Using the manual and books (which are VERY good ones, I must say, because I have very little nonse about machines…)


so I got going with some little imperfect projects before I made some roman blinds. Two down, one to go.
The first one- good (ish) but a little wonky. The second one, good (ish) but a little gathered.Hmmm. Next stop, the boys’ room, and it’s going to be perfect. Hmmm….

Quince Jelly What I learned about making quince jelly- a) you need a decent number of them! Around 20 quinces, many of them quite small, made enough to amount to one jar! The fruit is very tough, much like cutting into butternut squash, and there was a small white case area around the pips which was tough and took up a lot of the fruit.. and b) it's so true that you don't have to add pectin. I couldn't resist adding the tiniest bit of powder thinking it would increase the chance of success, but actually the result is verging on solid! Here is the end result: two jars of jelly (spattered into the jars... always in a hurry, when I was jam making I was supposed to be on my way to the other side of London!- and two of marmalade). The scent of the fruit, as it neared the end of cooking time was heaven, such a luxurious, unique perfume! I have to say, sentimental as it is, that it took me straight back to my Grandmother's kitchen, nudging thirty years ago. Only on scent scores though, as that jelly was clear, and just set.The scent also confirmed for me that they really were quinces (I'd had my doubts, as they were more appley in appearance, and not the yellow-gold pear shaped types). On the plus side, it yielded two jars of marmalade. Lovely mixed into plain soya yogurt. The recipe I used was from here . Found the original recipe and the blog with pictures really helpful. I used the butter muslin cloths and seive method. So... no presents for neighbours and family as hoped! But, lots of lessons learned. And I WILL try again next year! Bread Have made more since attempt one, and found the right balance... half strong white bread flour, half wholewheat spelt, with a handful of sesame seeds and a handful of linseed mixed in, plus poppy seeds to coat...


Discovered yesterday that Waitrose's individual blackberry and apple pies are vegan. I think the large versions are too : )

So a yummy Autumny pudding was had. R only wanted the smooth custard though, but three out of four aint bad.

Treats, treats, treats (London Vegan Festival)

Doing a wholly inadequate quick overview of my trip to London Vegan Festival today...(I was lucky enough to go thanks to one wonderful friend who looked this up and suggested I go and she'd have the boys..)

Did some chocolate tasting- tried the rose petal one, as remember trying the chilli last year.... their own description says it all; the outer shell's texture will contrast beautifully with the smooth texture of the inner truffle'. This is dream chocolate, and a velvety delicious dream! It is also gift type chocolate though, so didn't buy any but will, however, make sure I keep the website at hand!

Tasted a couple of wines too- and bought a bottle of sauvignon blanc for afore-mentioned friend.

It was great to see the company who make Sheese. They do a blue cheese version of the hard vegan cheese now, which is really nice. I remember liking blue cheese in pasta sauces when I ate dairy, so I'll definitely be getting this sometime. I got a list of stockists from the lovely people running the stall, but it can also be bought at 'Goodness Direct'.
They were also offering samples of the cream cheese- dolloped on a biscuit (digestive or rich tea) with some jam- yum- instant 'cheese'cake!

As ever, there was a great atmosphere; I stopped long enough for a zingy chick pea salad for lunch and got to chat with some lovely people from Manchester who own this cafe.
Apparantly, it's vegetarian with many vegan options, they serve up bangers and mash and all-day breakfasts. Hmm, haven't yet been to Manchester- it must be time to go!

Picked up some fab Winter boots (I walk everywhere so comfort and warmth for the winter ahead were on my mind!). However, I managed to come home with two right foot boots! Ooops! I've emailed Vegan Store, I'm sure we'll be able to sort it!

First day back at preschool tomorrow for the boys. I am not looking forward to it as I don't have work to distract me, I start back next Monday. I have some fruit and nut bars baking in the oven from 'Vegan Lunchbox'. Having a go at making cereal bars. R doesn't like raisins or sultanas and it seems 99% of shop-bought ones have those in! Will report back if they go down well...

Completely vegan

VIVA's school speaker training day was a friendly day, bursting with information and meeting others doing the course who were veggie/vegan. I hadn't realised it would be led by Juliet Gellatley, VIVA's founder; am in total admiration of her and all she has done and is doing!
The day was split really into four main areas from which to talk around- Health and Nutrition, Animal Welfare, Environment, and Feeding the world. It also included an example of a cooking demo to include in the talk, showing a video (which we would play when giving the talk) and a very gorgeous buffet lunch with amazingly creative sandwich fillings!

It was a real pleasure to feel in the majority in terms of diet!

I came away from the jam packed day of information with a folder full of information and literature to match it which I'm currently devouring...

So I think by the time I've assimilated that, plus with some strong preparation.. I think I could give a school talk a really good bash. Isn't it always easier give talks on areas that ignite real passion? So, the main objective of the course is complete... the way it works is that sometime in the next weeks or months I should receive a phone call from VIVA giving me details of a teacher, leading to giving a talk to GCSE or possibly A-level students as part of Food Technology lessons or something similar.

On a personal level... from that day I am a proper fully fledged Vegan! That did it for me- got all the reasoning, I think the motivation for that last push had been lying dormant. I bought a small bar of DIVINE dark chocolate on the way home to celebrate! Seriously though, it feels GREAT!

Haven't got any pictures today. Think M must've taken the camera to Argentina. Never mind, the pea souflettes I made were lovely, but tasted much more gorgeous than they looked!

Greens are great! Today at least.

Isn't it amazing when toddlers embrace a food unexpectedly! I shouldn't even be writing this, it'll probably jinx it but they have just devoured spinach within tofu basil ricotta with wholemeal pasta spirals. It's like taking a mild anxiolytic (I imagine!!), the effect it has on me, when they are going through a good eating moment, or phase!



Have been stocking up on portable snacks (dried crisp bread, peanut butter, nut and seed bars, divine dark chocolate and soya milk) for M who's off to Argentina for a week on Sunday- someone described Argentina to me today in an email as 'land of steaks', sounds like it could be similar to Spain...

Before he jets off, I'm in London tomorrow to do VIVA's course on being a school speaker. Something I booked when the end of August seemed ages away; looking forward to it, hope I can cut it!

catching up

Been meaning to blog; the boys go to sleep late into the eve these days which means its close to midnight quite often by the time I hit the sack after clearing up from the day. After tonight, the plan is to go to sleep soon after the boys, then start the days early...I love the early mornings though, waking up slowly, the peace.. and coffee..

Baking
I made bread from afore- mentioned superb bread book! It was an all-round baking day yesterday which entailed baking on a spectrum of quality! First, the boys had excitedly picked out one of those cake boxes you get in the supermarket- where it all comes in bags- and you are meant to add egg, mix everything, bake and ice. I couldn't say no and they excitedly made these 'Thomas the tank engine' cakes. Unfortunately it wasn't possible to veganise them completely; the mix already contained milk powder. However I did get the opportunity to use egg replacer (appropriately named 'no egg' by Organ) which I've had in the cupboard for a while. It worked very well. The boys made these cakes before at their friends house, and they looked identical. They clearly tasted as good too judging by the speed they were enjoyed! However, the sugar paper and sprinkly bits that came with them for topping kept them awake for even longer than usual.....

Making the bread took a few hours in all, not too much preparation time but lots of leaving, rising and proving. For some reason I harboured a misguided notion that the result would be a superb crusty loaf of the appearance you see in little bakery windows.....er... no. It is nice bread, very wholesome tasting, very filling. I took a picture of it this morning when M was cutting it to make a sandwich- into very thin slices because that is the only way to eat it! I slipped in some ground walnuts and golden linseed for the omegas, and coated it in sesame seeds. I really recommend the aforementioned book- it really lays the instructions clear, giving you the confidence that you can do it, and encourages you to customise it to your taste.


I did make some vanilla cupcakes on Saturday for a special gathering in Beckenham, topped with chocolate buttercream frosting, from VCTOTW. First time I experimented with piping- it was delicious frosting, and held it's shape.


Vegan holidaying
Its been a lovely Summer so far, with more wedding celebrations- my cousin J's wedding up in North Yorkshire- a gorgeous celebration in all ways- and then down to Seaford, my hometown, where we went to an evening wedding celebration of a lovely friend from school. In Seaford, we spent one night in a B&B- The Silverdale- which has a vegan breakfast menu. Very nice vegan cooked breakfast, as well as a variety of nuts and seeds on a counter, cereals, soya milk, and R was delighted to spot his favourite vanilla soya yogurt. Very friendly and relaxed place where we had all had the best night's sleep in an age, with the boys falling asleep to children's videos we found in the room. We were lucky that Summer was around during our visit, and we went along to Eastbourne, Cuckmere Haven, and Seaford beach where the boys never tire of the space, collecting stones and shells in buckets and throwing stones into the sea.

Potty about herbs

Now a few ailments and fevers are behind us...(partly swine flu? Don't know, would be good to think the boys might have it behind them though!) R and L's appetites are larger again this week so far.. which feels great!
Today was a simple dinner- blanched about 7 tomatoes and made a fresh sauce with them, adding the mixture to sauted garlic, a tin of butter beans and a couple of tablespoons of tomato puree. Other veggies could also have easily been blended in of course but we are doing quite well on the fruit and veggie front so far this week so didn't add more but put in a tablesoon of ground golden linseed. And fresh coriander from the window sill... a birthday present from a friend was 3 herb plants.. lovely and thoughtful as they were, yet also potted in these gorgeous green, spotty tubs! Lemon thyme, coriander and parsley. Perfect antidote to slugs eating the coriander we attempted to grow! And I'm so lucky to have the above view from the sink now.

Also, hollyhocks are out in the garden; love them. Have inherited this wonderful garden, and with it the original owner's great taste!