but did they EAT it?

Goodbye and Hello.

2008-04-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

Remember how I introduced you to The Year of the Vegan back at the beginning of the year? Well, I've decided to make that my primary blog and do away with this one. Mainly because the premise I based this one on - that is if my children would eat what I made them - isn't really relevant, because they don't and never have, however, I remain forever hopeful!!

I really enjoy being creative with food, love eating new things and get such a buzz when something I have created from scratch works the way I had envisaged so I'm giving nothing up. H also really likes to try all the things I make, (even the not so successful ones that need more work) so I'm not stopping blogging, and to be honest not really changing the content of the blog posts that much, just changing where I do them. Confusing?

So all you, dear readers, need to do is click on the link to The Year of the Vegan, until such time as you remember to update your blogroll on your own blogs. Tell all your friends and family! and if you haven't got me on your blogroll yet - then take this a a chance to get me on it!!

Works in Progress...

2008-04-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

A whole bunch of them. I said I'd been creative!

Strawberry Scones -

Buckwheat Mini Loaves -

Seeded Monkey Bread -

South American Sushi -

Scotch "Eggs" -

Custard Kisses -

Dipping Sauces - Pomegranate Balsamic / Hot and Sour

All mine. I'm happy with some and not with others. I plan to remake the scones for Breakfast this weekend and will post the recipe then if I am satisfied.

Ethiopian Fusion Cusine!

2008-04-03T15:27:00.000-07:00

Rice never had it so tasty!!

Served with baked asparagus and red pepper, and a warm Broccoli Salad. Both super yum.

Following on from the Ethiopian theme I made this for dinner last night, a bunch of sides for dinner - happens fairly often for me. I must say I'm really pleased with how this turned out.

Ethiopian Spiced Rice Fusion

recipe removed

See Pakupaku for the Niter Kebbeh recipe I used as the base for this.

Please excuse the spacing. I don't know what blogger is doing but I can't fix it! I've been super busy today being creative and will post pictures tomorrow.

A trip to Ethiopia

2008-04-02T22:58:00.000-07:00

Non traditional, Ethiopian flavour inspired bread, Kale sauteed in Niter Kebbeh and Yemiser We't from PakuPaku. The bread was awesome, if I do say so myself, and even with making a milder version of the Berbere mix, and using less of it than instructed, the We't was far too spicy! H had to order himself a pizza. Must say I love the Niter Kebbeh, and am using it as inspiration for part of dinner tonight! (see tomorrow for details!) Recipe time!

Ethiopian Spiced Onion Bread

recipe removed

A duo of Breakfasts from this weekend

2008-04-01T22:43:00.000-07:00

I like to bake on the weekends for breakfast. I have time, and we can have leftovers for lunch (or afternoon tea) too. Both these recipes are very much amended from recipe books from NZ.
Saturday -
Lemongrass Sweetcorn Scones
recipe removed

Sunday -
'Time to wake-up' Muffins
recipe removed
Now you know what to make for breakfast next weekend!!

A Guest for Dinner - part 2, Dessert

2008-03-31T22:57:00.000-07:00

This one is entirely out of my head, and I'm pleased to say its really good!! I was thinking, as one does, about pineapple upside down cake, and how super tacky it looks what with the rings and cherries and all, but how good it tastes. Then I got to thinking maybe you could make a something else upside down cake, and the mango / mint combo hit me. Then as I was writing stuff down I thought about putting some ground almonds in the cake batter, and then made a left turn into coconut too. Oh, boy, the thought patterns that brought you this one....

I served it with Vanilla Soy ice cream, and it was really good. I did store leftovers in the fridge as I was worried about the mango going icky, but I shouldn't have worried as it didn't last very long!

Coconut and Mint Mango Upside Down Cake

recipe removed * I used a square pan as all my circular pans are springform and I wasn't sure if the marg / sugar / mango combo would leak or not so I went with the square.

** I used 2 and could have done with more, and would use 3 next time if they weren't too expensive, but that's just me.

*** Found this in a wee Indian Spice Store, so try something like that first.

Guest for dinner - a 3 courser (part 1!)

2008-03-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

Course 1 - White Bean Hummus with baked Tortilla Bread
The recipe -
White Bean Hummus

recipe removed

Course 2 - Pad Thai from VwaV

No pictures sorry, you'll have to take my word for it that it was delicious as always.

and dessert to follow. Its only fair you wait. We took a break between mains and dessert too!! (It's worth waiting for!!)

"Loaffin" around.

2008-03-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

Isa of the PPK coined the term "loaffin" when she made some muffin "meatloaf" thingies quite a while back. She lost the recipe and I can't find her blog post, or I would link to it. I emailed her and asked if she'd mind if I used the term to describe what I made for dinner last night, as it sounds so much better than muffin "meatloaf" thingies. I've had no response so am just doing it anyhow. (please don't revoke my tester status!!)
Another one of those, use what you have in the cupboards to make dinner type inventions, in handy portion sized bits. H liked them, I liked them, we have leftovers for tonight. What more do you need! I served them with some spice roasted potatoes / asparagus / broccoli and gravy loosely based on the Marvellous Miso Gravy in La Dolce Vegan.

Quinoa "Loaffins"
recipe removed

Corn Muffins, too corny.

2008-03-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

Another completely revamped recipe from a cookbook from NZ. These were nicely moist and savoury, though H thought they were a little oily, he then preceded to eat all of his so I don't think they were that bad! We had them with dinner (leftover Chickpea Burgers, roasted Asparagus, salad and Tahini sauced Kale) and they were yum.
Chili and Cilantro Corn Muffins
recipe removed

R wanted t bake some cookies while M was at school - so we made a variation on the "pinkalicious" ones from the other day - Strawberry Pinkalicious Cookies with Chocolate Chunks. She did most of the mixing herself (with help of course) and had lots of fun.

Tofu and Rice Cakes

2008-03-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

Of sorts. The marinade / crust for the tofu was originally for fish, but I changed it up quite a bit and used it on my tofu for dinner last night. It was really nice, and not too spicy - though you could spice it up a bit if you like a little extra.

I also had some baby Chinese cabbage to serve it with so decided to extend the Asian theme by making crispy sushi rice cakes, and these were really good. Nice how an idea works every now and then isn't it.

Thai-ish crusted Tofu.

recipe removed

How easy was that? The veggies were just stirfried with a little soy sauce and white wine so they were easy too. The most involved part of the whole dinner was the rice, and that wasn't too bad.

Poppyseed Sushi Fritters

recipe removed

A little bit sour, a little bit sweet, this was really nice, sushi but not.