Vegan Food Pyramid

Satay Sauce

This is quick and divine! Seriously food for the Gods…

The recipe comes from one of my favourite books, Vegetarian Supercook.

Served with;

• steamed broccoli,
• tofu marinated in soy sauce and coated in sesame seeds, cooked in a frying pan under the grill
• pitta strips fried in a  little salt and pepper.

Ingredients;

• 4 tsp peanut butter
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp grated root ginger
• 1 tsp chilli flakes – less if you like it less hot!
• 2 tsp brown sugar

1. Heat peanut butter in saucepan, adding milk a small amount at a time.

2. Once combined and smooth add the garlic, ginger and chilli.

3. Add sugar, stir until all combined.

4. Set aside serve hot when it will be runny, or cold when it will thicken.

Cold this makes a stunning sandwich filler or toast topping!

 

 

World Naked Bike Ride *Images with NUDITY don’t freak out!

I am sure you know I like to cycle. Even when I don’t like it so much I do it a lot. 

Because it is my main mode of transport. To work, to socialise, the lot.

So safety for cyclists is a big issue for me, I cycle in the countryside, through lanes, on cycle paths and in cities. Cities is the big scary one. 

World Naked Bike Ride is a ride done world-wide to promote awareness of safety of cyclists. To councils to show the want and need for cycle paths, to drivers to show them we are flesh and blood humans who don’t want to be hit or clipped by a car.

But it also does so much more;

• It encourages those who don’t regularly ride  a bike to give it a try.

-In fact the first time I rode a bike as an ‘adult’ was at a WNBR, before that I was convinced I would just fall off…

• It highlights many of the green issues of cycling rather than driving.

– many riders are very vocal about this and promote it well during the day.

• It shows a confidence and acceptance of our bodies which is rare in this time of Photoshop and covering-up.
• It is a chance to show that being naked is natural, comfortable and not always sexual or predatory.

I’m sure that other riders will have many other points to make. 

Basically there is no reason not to go on a WNBR near you. 

My local ride is a brilliant one growing every year. So far always in sunshine with a great, friendly, happy, festival air about it.

Cardiff World Naked Bike Ride. 

The 2013 World Naked Bike Ride in Cardiff. 

Join in the festival atmosphere of this great day – nudity not compulsory – as bare as you dare is the usual theme. The concept of the WNBR is to raise awareness about the vulnerability of cyclists in our cities and to campaign for better facilities for bikes. It is also a celebration of our bodies.

Ride starts at 3.00. People will be there from around 2.00pm onward for body painting and bike decoration.

There were 150 riders last year. Can we beat that? Come join the party! 🙂 BBQ and free soft drinks available at the end of the ride 🙂

Possible indoor swim in Cwmbran to follow in the evening – details to follow if confirmed.

Don’t forget to invite your friends!

RAW Tomato Spaghetti Salad

This was a bit of an invention, I decided I want to eat more raw food, but have never really been exposed to any recipe’s or ideas for it outside of raw cake and salads.

So I thought I would have a go of making a raw version of tomato spaghetti, that’s not quite how it turned out but it was yummy anyway so I will call it  a success!

This recipe makes rather a lot…

To make the ‘spaghetti strips’ or salad;

• 2 carrots
• 1/2 cucumber – halved lengthways
• 3 asparagus
• 2 radish
• 1/2 red pepper

Sauce;

• 2 large tomatoes
• handful baby plum tomatoes
• handful basil leaves
• 1/4 onion
• mixed chopped nuts
• salt/ pepper
• crushed mixed nuts to top

1. Using a potato peeler peel lengthways along the carrots and cucumber.

2. Chop the ends off the asparagus then peel lengthways, peel the radish and around the chopped edge of the pepper.

3. Throw it all in a bowl and mix.

4. Blend the tomatoes, basil and onion.

5. Garnish with nuts, salt, pepper.

To placate my partner I also gave him some salted fried bread soldiers….

If your not totally raw a great use of the leftover sauce is heated up mixed with some more veg for a pasta. 

All you ever need to know about vegans…

http://vegankit.com/

This site is a great help to a new vegan or old looking for inspiration, new information, where to go for what, helpfull tips and advice. It’s also filled with great quotes, short video clips and pics to keep you strong. =)

I’ve got the lovely blogger Don’t Switch Off the Light to thank for finding this.

Not So Dirty Filled Pita

We’re all very much used to seeing pitas filled with greasy kebabs, well here’s a much more appetising version for your drunken friends, cravings on a cold day or quick dinner.

• Fill with TOFU, vegan SAUSAGE or FALAFELS.
• pita bread – check for milk products
• 1/2 carrot
• handful soft lettuce leaves/ spinach
• 1/2 celery stick
• 1 spring onion
• 1/2 tomato
• tomato sauce – ketchup or even better home-made relish!
• mustard

1. Heat the pita under the grill.

2. Slice the tofu/ sausage then fry in a small amount of oil with salt/ pepper.

3. Grate the carrot.

4. Slice the celery, spring onion and chop the tomato.

5. Half the pita, fill with the leaves, then the vegetables, top with the tofu/sausage/falafel.

6. Finnish with sauce, salt and pepper.

Quick Dinner, Mustard Mash, Gravy

Just a quick easy dinner easy to cook for a mixed family of carnivores and vegetarians.

BUT to make our special vegan dinners even more extra special we made a few quick alterations…

Mustard Mash;

So we separate the vegans potatoes from the non-vegans.

To the vegan mash we add two big teaspoons of mustard, a big blob of vegan butter and a splash of nut milk. Mmm mustard mash…

The gravy was just as special;

We made some noodle soup yesterday. We blended the last few vegetables in the bottom of the pan, this meant we got all of their goodness and the lovely spices. We added the gravy granules to this and voila extra-special gravy.

Yoga!

I loooove yoga. Try it and love it too. =)

Tripple Chocolate Vegan Butterfly Cakes

We were desperate for some pudding and the small local co-op had nothing we could eat… so we got home and got baking.

These are light and delicious.

The Cake;

• 100g vegan butter
• 100g sugar
• 2 “eggs” – I used egg replacement powder, 2 tsp + 4 tbsp water.*
• 100g self raising flour
• 1 tbsp nut milk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• *If you don’t have any Try just using a tsp bicarbonate of soda mixed with about a tbsp oil** per egg. I’ve found this sometimes leaves a funny taste.
• ** Add the oil a drop at a time to the mix after adding the flour until you reach a consistency you’re happy with.

The fillings;

• 50g vegan butter
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tbsp coco powder (check there is no milk in it)
• 10g vegan chocolate
• 2 tbsp vegan cream

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

2. Add the egg replacement, mix well.

3. Add the flour, the vanilla and the milk. Mix well.

4. Spoon into fairy cake cases.

5. Place in a pre-heated oven at 180c for about 15 minutes until golden on top and firm to touch.

6. When cool slice off the top.

7. Grate small shavings of chocolate from the bar, set aside. Heat the cream and the rest of the chocolate together in a pan.

8. Cream the butter, icing and coco together.

9. Add a spoon of cream filling to each cake.

10. Half the tops of the cake, arrange on the filling to make ‘butterfly wings’ the chopped side up.

11. Pour a little of the cooled melted chocolate over the top. This should set slightly over time.

12. Add the chocolate shavings and a sprinkle of icing sugar.

Get the Perfect Body…