tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97616842011-08-01T15:42:45.433-07:00Things I have read and Recipes I have 'discovered' either from books, the internet, or my own brainpower. Warning - recipes will be vegan, and sometimes raw :-)Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.comBlogger551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-60574536933034337662011-06-17T08:42:00.000-07:002011-06-17T09:04:59.175-07:00Hello people, long time no see!<br /><br />I'm working on bringing this blog back to life, making it prettier, archiving off the old and... There will be a newsletter! Lots and lots of plans (and lots of entries already written and ready to go, but not until the pretty comes!).<br /><br />But in the meantime, I'm having a play with the old budget and going back to some wonderful blogs I used to read for ideas. Which led me to <a href="http://www.theppk.com/2006/01/what-to-do-with-a-big-old-pot-o-beans/"> theppk pot'o' beans </a> because I'm also so much thinner than I used to be thanks to a book (more of which over on another new blog, because I have a challenge I'm putting the nearly 40 year old me through) and, well, Beans :-)<br /><br />But hey people. Please watch this space. There will be cookies...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-6057453693303433766?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-78988655742997203422009-09-20T14:15:00.000-07:002009-09-20T14:33:03.979-07:00Today I took part in a blogcast/podcast on Sidepodcast (see various earlier 'reading' entries, or just go to www.sidepodcast.com and find out what its all about :-) When I say 'took part' I actually prerecorded my bit (taking no chances on interuption here!).<br /><br />The quantities are smaller than usual here as I had a 30 minute limit on the broadcast :-) So this afternoons effort was baked as muffins, and works nice and swiftly like that. If you want a cutting cake use a 6" sandwich or 4" square tin - or you can double the recipe up and use a more 'conventional' size. This will lead to a more brownie like cake and take a lot longer to bake though :-)<br /><br /><strong>Angel Cake </strong><br /><br />You need:<br /><br />1/2 cup self raising flour<br />2 Tbsp cornflour<br />2Tbsp cocoa powder<br />3/4 tsp baking powder<br />1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda<br />3 Tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil<br />1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar<br />20g chocolate, roughly chopped or use chocolate chips<br /><br />Mix all of these well together. You'll get a pretty dry finish.<br /><br />Then you need:<br /><br />1/2 cup red bull<br /><br />Mix this into the other ingredients. It will start to bubble and fizz a bit. Transfer to your muffin tin or cake tin and bake it at 180 degrees Celcius for 12-15 mins for muffins/cupcakes and a little longer for the quantity baked together. Usual testing methods (skewer comes out clean etc) apply.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-7898865574299720342?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-26961841570580662762009-06-08T17:32:00.000-07:002009-06-08T17:40:07.511-07:00I have a large pile of books to read - courtesy of my birthday last week, and of today's trip to the library. Eek!<br /><br />DP gave me Terry Pratchett's Nation, which I have yet to broach the cover of (vrf) as I was reading the other book he gave me - Secrets, by Freya North. Just the same as ever there (predictable etc etc 'chick' lit, whilst actually being well written and featuring characters who actually talk to each other, know things and work hard :-) ). She has a website - www.freyanorth.co.uk - where the books each have a synopsis, and some have a 'what happened next' section as well.<br /><br />The other thing that has happened is that the bookshelves are up! well, on the half landing wall anyway. So several boxes of books have finally been unpacked, and I'm finding myself catching up and rereading a whole lot of stuff that I've not seen in a couple of years. As are the children :-) DP didn't entirely believe that I could have read all of them, and indeed I haven't as around 2 meters of shelf is taken up with his books many of which aren't to my taste... although I may *have* to read them now just to, um, make a liar of him. But 2ish metres out of over 20m unread by me isn't bad going really. <br /><br />Only the rest of the house to bookcase now and, oh, maybe another 10ish boxes of books to find homes for on those shelves.....<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-2696184157058066276?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-53009566421245337402009-01-12T03:40:00.000-08:002009-01-12T03:43:55.541-08:00Just to let you all know - that useful site now-formerly-known-as 'it's not easy being green' has moved to <a href="http://www.newhousefarm.tv/forum/">http://www.newhousefarm.tv/forum/</a><br /><br />Please go and have a read. There is loads of really useful and interesting stuff there :-)<br /><br />You could have a look at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/The">http://www.thebiggreenidea.org/</a> (the attached charity :-) ) at the same time if you felt like it :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-5300956642124533740?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-35446600800493378122008-11-25T14:18:00.000-08:002008-11-25T14:25:42.147-08:00Lots of reading - The Idler(<a href="http://www.idler.co.uk" >www.idler.co.uk </a>) being part of it, North American magazines another; and for websites please have a look at <a href="http://www.buynothingday.co.uk"> www.buynothingday.co.uk </a> with regard to the upcoming weekend :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-3544660080049337812?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-17664201637386698632008-11-10T01:25:00.000-08:002008-11-10T01:40:50.578-08:00Opps, I managed to go another month...<br /><br />Anyway - I've done a *lot* of reading. Apart from the annual 'read all the magazine articles about 'doing' christmas and picking the recipes etc to pieces to veganise those worth doing (suprisingly few, but I have come up with a couple of new ideas for cake and pudding that work better than the ideas of previous years, yay! - of which more will be revealed later :-) )' I've also worked my way through a large pile of 'green/climatechange' books (and not all are 'we're going to hell in a handcart' thankfully) and been reading some new websites (the content of some is, well, not very green at all, but darn good reading) and finding some lovely podcasts. So many that to talk about them all would mean I needed to do a name change - 'listening, reading and recipes' anyone? <br /><br />Anyway... I don't digress, but I'll get to the point. First book worth a mention is Sold Out! How I survived a year of not shopping, by Robert Llewellyn. If you don't know the name, then maybe you'll know him as Kryten, late of Naylor/Grant production 'Red Drawf'? Host of recycling show 'Scrap Heap Challenge' he spent a year writing about 'not buying' in a column for The Ecologist magazine, and this book is also a result (and *not* a direct lift of the columns, which is pretty unusual in this sort of book - yay to him for not taking the easy option :-). I even went out and bought it (and annoyingly found the following week, that if I hadn't been so keen I could have waited until this Wednesday coming and bought it *and* met the man himself! Waterstones in Milton Keynes if anyone out there wants to know about it).<br /><br />Second reading item of note, is the new issue of Craft: you can buy it in the UK for a scary price... or subscribe to the online version for lots and lots less (so if anyone wants to buy me a present ;-). This issue has lots about Weaving, plus the usual run of recycle-based projects. Months of things to do for all :-)<br /><br />Third reading item... well, this one is definately 'online'. www.sidepodcast.com is all about Formula one. It has various attached podcasts and things, but I got drawn in because DP found it one day when looking for how to 'catch up' on the races he missed due to working weekends. Anyway - they've started doing a 'gameshow' on live feed one evening a week; and that makes for anarchic listening/viewing 'live' or you can poddle along later and listen to the edited version.<br /><br />And that is it for today. I may or not be back with a recipe later....<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-1766420163738669863?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-45054354364360275552008-10-08T14:23:00.000-07:002008-10-08T14:32:24.670-07:00Yes, two posts in one day... trying to make up for the lack of writing over the last few....<br /><br />(so shoot me, I've been cooking!)<br /><br />This one definately makes the list of things I will eat again. A thrown together dish from the freezer and the fridge and seriously yummy (I could probably have eaten my serving and DPs, and the extra portion for him to take for lunch tomorrow; but that would make me a pig... so I didn't and left space for cake :-) )<br /><br /><strong>Chilli Linguine</strong><br /><br />this much makes 2 good portions and a lunch sized one spare.<br /><br />4 sundried tomatoes - soak for a good 30mins before using<br />4 Tbsp chopped cooked tomatoes<br />1 tsp chilli paste<br />one small onion, finely chopped<br />10 ish frozen artichoke heart quarters (these ones came from M&S)<br />2 cups frozen green beans<br />3 portions wholegrain linguine (for us this is c. 150g, but your mileage may vary)<br />2 Tbsp olive oil<br /><br />Fry off onion, then add tomatoes and chilli paste and cook through, stirring often until slightly reduced. Stand to one side.<br /><br />Cook pasta according to instructions. When 3/4 done put frozen green beans and artichoke quarters in the pan too. <br /><br />Once cooked drain, add olive oil and stir well. Then add sauce and stir to coat. Serve :-)<br /><br />Can add cheezly or whatever grated over the top. Or a couple of tsp hemp or sesame seeds. A sprinkle of nori flakes is yummy (and if you are going to do that, then add 1tsp good miso to the sauce post cooking, but before you stir it into the pasta and vegetables).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-4505435436436027555?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-49384184015454217782008-10-08T12:52:00.000-07:002008-10-08T13:06:04.390-07:00Quick and dirty this one...<br /><br /><strong>Bread</strong>... lovely lovely bread.<br /><br />Small loaf - bake into your favourite shape and enjoy :-)<br /><br />500g Malthouse flour (for those in the UK, I like the Doves farm one)<br />2Tbsp shelled hemp seeds<br />2Tbsp Ex. Virgin Olive Oil<br />2 tsp yeast - active dried for ease.<br />Fat to grease tin if using, plus extra flour for dusting/tin. <br />Water to mix. usually around 400ml, but sometimes more sometimes less.<br /><br />Flour, yeast and hemp seeds into a bowl and mix together. Add oil and mix well. Then add water 200ml at first, then the rest gradually until dough is firm, springy and *slightly* damp/sticky and forms a neat ball. Knead, knead and knead again. Finally will be slightly more sticky (you may need to dust occasionally with a little flour).<br /><br />Then turn over dough and leave to rise - at least an hour, but we leave it for around 2 or 3.<br /><br />If using, grease tin, and then dust over flour.<br /><br />Knock dough back and gently knead again. Shape and place in tin... alternatively split into 8 balls and shape as rolls. Let rise again, 30mins is enough, but longer is fine. <br /><br />Turn on oven to 200 Celcius. Put in loaf and cook for 10 mins, then turn temperature down to 180C (you'll keep the higher temp long enough) and continue to bake the rolls for a further 15m (but check the hollow sound) and the loaf for between another 15 and 30 (it depends on all sorts of factors, sorry).<br /><br />Let loaf cool in tin for c. 30 mins then turn out so you avoid condensation.<br /><br />Let it cool longer if you can... yeah right... eat warm with slatherings of your favourite spread... chilli sauce is lovely :-)<br /><br />Alternatives for the loaf - knead through 3Tbsp of tomato puree or sundried tomato paste between the risings, until you get a ribbon effect :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-4938418401545421778?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-21822086710345923262008-10-06T14:16:00.000-07:002009-09-20T14:34:24.859-07:00Currently working my way through Vegan a Go Go by Susan Kramer.<br /><br />Bought it at last months London Vegan Fair. So far we've had the tofu loaf, banana loaf cake, chop chip cake bars and the faux egg salad... oh, and I'm having a great time with the various spice mixes :-)<br /><br />I'm not sure where its being sold in the UK, but I bought my copy from the Secret Society of Vegans (who don't, of course, exist ;-) ) but your source may vary<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-2182208671034592326?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-45599456723334641852008-09-30T13:14:00.001-07:002008-09-30T13:21:13.443-07:00Each year, or so the plan goes, those lovely people at theppk plan a vegan month of food. To be known as VeganMoFO<br /><br />And so I'm planning on taking part. Maybe, just maybe, it will kick me into sorting photos out on this blog... but then again, I quite like the thought that those who may attempt to follow my haphazzard instructions get to find out how things look for themselves :-)<br /><br />theppk and info (and a list of the blogs taking part) can be found at <a href="http://theppk.com/blog/2008/09/16/veganmofo-is-upon-us/">veganmofo</a> and its worth having a good look at it, and the blog generally :-)<br /><br /><br />Now I need to go collar the geek in the household and find out how to add the graphic to this blog as well....<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-4559945672333464185?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-57137079455614782742008-09-15T12:41:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:51:52.823-07:00<strong>Aubergine'n'onions</strong><br /><br />Had this for tea tonight over baked potatoes, but it would work just as well as the filling in pasties, or in a shepherdess pie.<br /><br />1 Aubergine, finely shredded<br />3 onions, chopped<br />1/2 cup bread crumbs<br />3Tbsp shoyu or similar<br />1/2 teaspoon mushroom powder (ground porcini) - optional, but very nice :-)<br />2 loose packed cups chopped kale (off the stem)<br />1/3 cup sunflower oil<br />hot water <br /><br />Put the shredded aubergine in a bowl and pour over the shoyu. Stir to mix and then put the bread crumbs over the top. Leave to stand for 15mins.<br /><br />Fry off the onions in the oil. Once soft, stir the breadcrumbs into the aubergine and then add all to the pan. Stir and stir and stir until aubergine is cooked through, and use hot water from time to time to moisten and loosen anything stuck to the bottom (let it stick and then deglaze as you will get crispy bits :-) ). Sprinkle over the porcini powder if using and stir through.<br /><br />Turn up the heat a little and put the kale over the top. Pour on a little more hot water so that you get a rush of steam up through the kale. Stir the kale into the mixture and turn the heat right down so *just* simmering. (you should still have a moist but stiff and slightly sticking consistency, not lots of water to cook off. No puddles allowed!) Cook until the kale is as you like it, but without burning the rest of the mixture.<br /><br />This quantity should do 4 portions over potatoes. To extend it you could use more breadcrumbs, or porridge oats or add in peas/carrots/parsnips if making into a pie or pasties.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-5713707945561478274?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-26258296587570766732008-09-14T14:21:00.000-07:002008-09-14T14:32:04.273-07:00Spending far too much time online today (I have a headache and short temper so better that my children don't suffer me!!).<br /><br />Anyway - it gives me another suggestion for reading material :-)<br /><br />Subject matter is a young mans pathway to being vegan. I found it through posts on the veganfittness forum (yes I know, not the best fit for me, the overweight vegan, but its suprising what motivation you can find from being around those who are! Its certainly getting me out on the bike, off on the redways to run, and back walking places again and so, hopefully, breaking the car habit in the children and myself once again (see posts about our time in Royston and how often we walked when there :-) You might have to hunt accross my blogs for that one! ).<br /><br />Anyway - the link I want you to follow (and return to!) is <a href="http://veganboi.blogspot.com">http://veganboi.blogspot.com </a><br /><br />It is looking promising so far :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-2625829658757076673?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-86635515350891272092008-09-14T05:15:00.000-07:002008-09-14T14:35:04.722-07:00With the 50th Anniversary of the Paddington books, by Michael Bond, we've been working our way through them again. I'm having to go out and buy them though, so its a slow and steady process.<br /><br />Series starts with 'A Bear Called Paddington' and so far we're onto 'Paddington A Work' :-)<br /><br />Its also worth having a look at the Paddington website on <br /><a href="http://www.paddington50th.com">www.paddington50th.com</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-8663551535089127209?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-33419803522540620072008-09-14T05:03:00.000-07:002008-09-14T05:13:02.977-07:00I've realised that I keep talking about Chai spices in things, without giving much indication as to what they are.<br /><br />Basically you would expect to see:<br /><br />Cinnamon<br />Cloves<br />Peppercorns (I use black, but different people do different things)<br />Cardamom<br />Ginger<br /><br />I also use fennel seeds<br /><br />All ground together in a coffee mill. <br /><br /><br />In terms of quantity, again everyones preferences are different. But I'm going to share my basic recipe....<br /><br />4 pieces of cinnamon, each about 3 inches long<br />8 cloves<br />4 black peppercorns<br />1 heaped tsp fennel seeds<br />8-10 cardamon pods - take out and use just the seeds<br />1 scant tsp ground ginger <br /><br />You can grind just as the above, or you can roast the cinnamon (leaved) cloves, peppercorns, fennel and cardamom in a dry pan for c. 30sec (just until you can smell them :-) and then cool and grind them.<br /><br />I find this makes about 1/2 a jam jar, and keeps well in a cool place for up to a month (it might last longer, but in this house that is gone by then).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-3341980352254062007?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-66641147680218693352008-09-10T14:19:00.001-07:002009-09-20T14:41:09.244-07:00Tried writing this up earlier on a forum. But decided that it needs to go here really.<br /><br />Onion flatbread... in many ways similar to the recipe in Rawvolution, in others not... Read it, its a great book!<br /><br />Anyway...this is a recipe entry not a reading one!<br /><br /><strong>Onion flatbread</strong>.<br /><br />Warning - this is raw and needs a dehydrator. Tried doing it in an oven on low, but it doesn't work quite as well as it get too dry (in my opinion! You may love it that way :-)<br /><br />3-4 good sized onions, pref. red.<br />1 cup ground flax<br />1 cup ground sunflower seeds<br />1/4 cup shoyu or tamari<br />1/4 cup water<br />1/3 cup sunflower oil<br /><br />Put sunflower seeds and flax in a large bowl and stir to mix. Make a well in the middle and pour in oil, then shoyu and then water. Mix well together until a lovely paste :-)<br /><br />Finely slice onions - I do it on the fine slice blade on a mandolin, and keep it as rings where possible, but do what you like.... if doing by hand you may find it takes longer to dry if not fine.<br /><br />Put onions into bowl with paste, and mix well together with your hands. You need to squeeze the onions as you go and make sure that everything is very well combined. This will take a good 5 minutes and probably 10 minutes until you get used to doing it. Mound up together in the bowl and leave for at least an hour, preferably 2 to 3.<br /><br />Divide into 4 and spread each quarter onto a teflex sheet, about the thickness of the slices of onion. Using a spatula or palette knife makes this easier, and means you end up with a smoother surface.<br /><br />Dehydrate for 20mins at 115F and then reduce to 105F for *up to* 24 hours <strong>total</strong>. (for me it usually gets 10 hours ish, then 8 off overnight and a further 6-8 hours the next day :-) Half way though turn over and place straight onto the dehydrator tray to dry the other side fully.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-6664114768021869335?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-64882456338283748402008-09-01T13:52:00.001-07:002008-09-14T05:14:49.006-07:00Busy day today :-) Been working on this one for a while<br /><br /><strong>Chai Berry Sponge</strong><br /><br />200g self raising flour (could be white, wholemeal or a mixture)<br />100g margerine<br />100g sugar <br />50g currants<br />1 heaped tsp baking powder<br />1 heaped tsp Chai spices<br />120 - 180 ml water (1/2 to 3/4 cups)<br /><br />Mix flour,baking powder and chai spices and mix well.Rub in fat until breadcrumbs and then stir through the sugar. <br />When well mixed stir in the currants and then continue to stir as you add the water 60ml at a time until you reach a batter consistency (you will need more or less water depending on the type of flour you choose, and the room temperature. I usually find that around 150ml is perfect :-) ).<br /><br />Bake in a 180 degree Celcius oven for around 25-30 minutes.<br /><br />Good amount for a single layer of 24cm diameter or a brownie tin. If you want two layers simply double the recipe. For 3 layers times the recipe by 2.5 and bake slightly smaller tins as it will hold together better :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-6488245633828374840?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-31469681708124107442008-09-01T05:48:00.000-07:002009-09-20T14:40:43.715-07:00And that left us with a half box of filo pastry left over.<br /><br />A quick rummage in the fridge found the leftover portion of noodle salad from last week.<br /><br /><strong>Samosas</strong><br /><br />3 sheets thick of filo, halved lengthways. on the end of each half place a 1/4 cup of leftovers and then fold over and over to make the triangles (a right angled one). A touch of oil to seal up the last end.<br /><br />Bake with the second baking of the 'quiche'. so about 10-15 mins at 150 degrees Celcius.<br /><br />We didn't eat them last night - had them for lunch today (i.e. just now :-) ) and they were very very nice.<br /><br />Going to have to order fresh filo now though - oopps<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-3146968170812410744?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-49213823292180760672008-09-01T05:42:00.000-07:002008-09-01T05:48:51.304-07:00DP found a reduced quiche in M&S, and the children declared that they wanted one too...<br /><br />Found some filo pastry in the back of the freezer and some 'egg replacer' in another box. Would work just as well with the same quantity of cornflour though, I'm just using up 'old' things :-)<br /><br />3 sheets filo layed as crust<br />2 Cups soya mylk<br />1/4 cup egg replacer<br /><br />Heat soya mylk up and stir in egg replacer. Beat well with a whisk as it thickens, and keep whisking until all is smooth. Beat/whisk some more, and some more, and some more..... <br /><br />When *just* still runny, pour into the tin over the filo.<br /><br />We then added<br /><br />1 cup frozen sweetcorn<br />1/2 cup sliced onions<br /><br />and baked at 180 degrees Celcius for about 10 mins. Then removed and grated over<br /><br />1/2 block Cheezly (hey, I didn't say this was a healthy recipe!)<br /><br />And returned to the oven for another 15 mins with the temp. reduced to 150 degrees Celcius.<br /><br />Was very runny whilst still warm. But ok to eat, with potatoes, carrots and cabbage :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-4921382329218076067?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-5728198212705210832008-08-21T16:44:00.000-07:002008-08-21T16:48:55.282-07:00Marked, Betrayed and Chosen<br /><br />All by P.C. Cast and Kristan Cast<br /><br />Yes, more vampire books. Yes, aimed at teenagers. Yes, far too easy to read fast and hence worse value (initially anyway) than a magazine as I can be through one and out the other side in under a reading day (which is usually about 4 hours here, if that, rofl).<br /><br />But do read them. Probably the whatever you would call chick-lit when it isn't actually chick-lit, but worth it... actually, probably could be called 'goth-lit' if such a thing existed. But we don't exactly have a 'type' of book we all read (like we don't all dress the same, or listen to the same music, or even have much in common with each other other than the whole 'goth' thing.....).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-572819821270521083?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-89885198136801023872008-07-28T15:50:00.000-07:002009-09-20T14:39:56.743-07:00From a friend. Don't need to be too careful with the amounts as long as the proportions stay roughly the same, so doubles and tripples really well :-)<br /><br /><strong>Farinata</strong> – Chickpea flour pancake<br /><br />150g chickpea flour (gram flour)<br />400ml lukewarm water<br />½ tsp salt<br />Needles of a fresh rosemary spring about 25cm long.<br />4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />Pepper<br /><br />Beat water into flour bit by bit. Season and beat 1 minute more. Stand for 4-6 hours.<br /><br />Skim any froth from the surface of the mixture. Whisk again briefly and add rosemary. Pour the oil into a 30cm shallow tin or a 22/32cm oven sheet. Stir mixture and pour into the tin.<br /><br />Heat oven to 240C. Place the tin in the oven, and turn heat down to 220C. Bake for 20mins until the mixture has all set. Grind a *lot* (or not as things go :-) ) of pepper over the top and stand/rest for 10mins before serving. Also good at room temperature.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-8988519813680102387?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-35372163930194095012008-07-26T00:49:00.002-07:002008-07-26T00:52:44.671-07:00Not Buying it - My year without shopping by Judith Levine<br /><br />Well worth a read, she makes some interesting points about how companies use us to justify being crap to people :-(<br /><br />Oh - and I borrowed it from the Libary, so I didn't buy it either!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-3537216393019409501?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-60971664819993662852008-07-10T04:26:00.000-07:002009-09-20T14:35:31.246-07:00Made this for DD1s birthday cake. Currently I am, apparently, the best parent in the world. But then she has just become a teen, and is starting to realise that chocolate may well become a big part of her world....<br /><br /><strong>Cherry Brownie<br /></strong><br /><br />Doesn’t *have* to be cherries – especially as they aren’t that obvious in the finished brownie….. Although if you want a stiffer brownie you can put them in whole with the chocolate chips at the end of the recipe (warning – they *will* sink  )<br /><br />½ cup soy yogurt<br />1 cup soya mylk (again, plamil preferred)<br />1 cup cherries, from a jar of ‘cherries in syrup or juice’ (we used some from Lidl)<br />1 ½ cup granulated sugar<br />1 cup sunflower oil<br />2 Tbsp bourbon (or any whiskey, but bourbon works best)<br />2 ¼ cup self raising flour<br />½ cup cocoa powder<br />2 tsp baking powder<br />1 tsp bicarbonate of soda<br />1 1/3 cup chocolate chips (plamil are the preferred choice, but M&amp;S dark chips work well too)<br /><br />Mix yogurt, cherries, soya mylk, sugar, oil and bourbon in a large bowl. Beat well.<br />Gradually add in (pref. sifted to get rid of any lumps) flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarb. Mix a lot so that you end up with a smooth batter.<br />Mix through chocolate chips.<br /><br />Pour into a bottom lined 8x8 or 9x9 tin. Set oven to 180 degrees Celcius and bake for 25 mins, reduce temp to 150 degrees Celcius and bake for a further 20 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean (you may need to check in a couple of places to be sure that it isn’t just melted chocolate….). If you can turn off the oven and leave brownies to cool in there (but will still cool just fine in its tin on a rack as well)<br /><br /><br />Serve - well, we just ate it... there were plans to 'black forest' it, but they didn't happen....<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-6097166481999366285?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-20064049421272433492008-06-09T14:43:00.000-07:002008-06-09T14:44:32.965-07:00Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.<br /><br />Go enjoy :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-2006404942127243349?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-80374628361333406782008-01-02T11:31:00.000-08:002008-01-02T11:35:27.250-08:00Oops long time no post :-) Life and all that is my only excuse. Oh and all the reading I've been doing...<br /><br />Anyway, todays reading has revealed http://unclutterer.com/2007/12/26/uncluttering-your-refrigerators-crisper/. You'll need to convert to Celcius if you are here in the UK (try using http://www.onlineconversion.com/temperature.htm its generally pretty good) but its an appropriate post if, like me, you lose good food to the grey, blue or green slime far too often<br /><br />Until later.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-8037462836133340678?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-17330977601024193372007-08-04T16:14:00.001-07:002007-08-04T16:21:02.183-07:00In common with much of the world I've read the final harry potter book. Actually I allowed myself to be dragged to a midnight collection (lol) and then proceeded to finish the book off by saturday evening. Allowing for a few hours sleep and a visit to a friends housewarming, I think it took me five hours in all.<br /><br />I've also spent too much money on other books in the last few weeks - How to live off grid, by nick rosen is proving interesting; although as I've come accross a few of those he writes about on various forum 'sites I don't recognise some of the people he portrays them as, sigh!<br /><br />I've also re-read a whole slew of Jilly Coopers, a couple of the Janny Wurts, and am just coming to the end of my second reading of 'Voice of the Gods' by Trudi Canavan. This book concludes the 'Age of the Five' trilogy. I'm hoping that there will be some more new things from her soon :-)<br /><br />Visit today to GB Shaws house at Ayot st Peter, interesting in a way, and very similar to Down house, just rather smaller. Turns out that they don't have a copy of the vegetarian cookbook authored by the Shaws housekeeper, but I'm not volunteering my copy....<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-1733097760102419337?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-3376611533396127992007-05-27T04:27:00.000-07:002009-09-20T14:39:28.385-07:00Made this the other day - worked out a little dry and sticky so there will be some variations worked on to sort this, lol.<br /><br /><strong>Cinnamon Buns<br /></strong><br />2 cups soya mylk, heated and mixed with<br />1/4 cup oil<br />1/4 cup sugar<br /><br />Once all mixed and disolved leave it to cool.<br /><br />2 Tbsp yeast with 1 tsp sugar and about a 1/4 cup luke warm water in a *big* bowl. Let the yeast develop for about 20 mins (it will be *huge*) and then mix in the cooled mylk mixture and around 2 cups bread flour, mixing until smooth (using the mixer is great for this bit, aching arms otherwise :-) )<br /><br />Leave the sponge to develop - this week this only took about 15 minutes, but in colder weather I'd probably leave it for around an hour, covered, or somewhere warm.<br /><br />Once the sponge has risen/developed, mix/knead about 4 more cups of the flour until you get a nice, kneadable dough. (if you just want a bread roll or similar make these now and then leave to rise for 30mins/doubled in size)<br /><br />Split it in two and roll each half out into a long rectangle.<br /><br />Take 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 to 2 tsp ground cinnamon (depending on your taste) and mix together. Spread this evenly, ish, over one rectangle of the dough and sprinkle about 1 cup of raisins on top. Place the second rectangle over the top, press edges to seal and then gently roll up into a swiss-roll like cylinder. Slice into 2-3 cm pieces and place onto a baking tray, leave for 30mins or so to rise. (they will be a little squished together after that time, but leave cos that's lovely :-) )<br /><br />Bake at 200 degrees C for about 10-15 mins. Eat whilst warm, and then have the rest later.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-337661153339612799?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1158710799925445062006-09-19T17:00:00.000-07:002006-09-19T17:06:39.936-07:00This mornings breakfast smoothie :-)<br /><br /><strong>Green Hempana</strong><br /><br />2 small bananas<br />100ml ish Hemp mylk<br />handfull (about 20-25 leaves) young spinach<br />1 heaped tsp Suma<br /><br />4 drops lime juice<br /><br />Blitz all except lime juice together in the faithful blender. Pour into glass. Add lime juice and stir through. Drink.<br /><br />Was really really yummy.<br /><br />Was expecting to feel hungry by 11h00 but was still going happily at 14h00 (not that that stopped me eating lunch, hmmmm, but had a small one. Must model decent eating behaviour to children after all :-) )<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-115871079992544506?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1156924941322616032006-08-30T00:57:00.000-07:002006-09-18T09:34:41.096-07:00Finally worked out why my refried beans have been going wrong all these years. I've been using the wrong sort of beans!!<br /><br />Anyway - made this for tea last night.<br /><br /><strong>Refried beans </strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>1 tin pinto beans (in water sort)</strong><br /><strong>2 small white onions</strong><br /><strong>pinch cayenne</strong><br /><strong>1/2 tsp pimento</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Finely slice onion in half rounds, fry until softened. Add in cayenne and pimento and stir through.<br />Open can and add to pan water and all. Stir through the onion mixture and then start to smoosh down with a fork. You'll end up with a nice mash with some beans left whole and part whole. Let some of the fine smoosh catch slightly to the pan and then scrape it back off so you get some really fried bits it it. Let it stand a few moments before serving.<br /><br />We ate this with some spinach stirred through the beans to just soften it, and over rice and peas. But you could also eat it with tortillas, avocado etc. if you wanted to :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-115692494132261603?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1156924613182022432006-08-30T00:52:00.000-07:002006-08-30T00:56:53.183-07:00Just finished Last of the Wilds by Trudi Canavan.<br /><br />Follow up to Auraya of the White.<br /><br />Slow start but by the middle of the book I was getting through it at a right pace :-) Now just got to wait for the third part :-) which is due to be published next year. Don't worry I'll have read this one a couple of times again by then.<br /><br />DP was telling me today about a podcast by the Magician Jon Lenehan. Used to know him many, many years ago - and these podcasts are his fantasy-based story.... Will go and find a link and post it here. Yes I *know* that it isn't reading, but DP tells me that these are *really* good stories so they deserve to be out there a bit more :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-115692461318202243?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1156924333650902762006-08-30T00:40:00.000-07:002006-08-30T01:06:55.326-07:00Made this the other day, very yummy. Worked out that it provided 8 servings of fruit/veg if eaten whole. On this occasion all ingredients were organicically certified. Mixed in a Kitchen Aid.<br /><br /><strong>Carrot and Blueberry cake<br /><br />300g shredded carrot (used a mandoline)<br />60g raisins<br />260g blueberries (the usable portion of a 300g tub)<br />500g wholemeal flour<br />1 cup sunflower oil<br />250g cane sugar<br />2 Tbs baking powder<br /></strong><br />Flour, baking powder in a bowl, mix through. Add in oil and mix to breadcrumb consistency. Add sugar, carrots, blueberries and raisins. Mix through and keep mixing. Mixture went a wonderful purple colour :-)<br /><br />Baked in an 8 by 8 inch ish square tin at 150 ish degrees C for around 50 mins until a knife came out of the middle *just* clean, stand in oven for another 10 mins and then out *in tin* on side to cool.<br /><br />Unfortunately the lovely purple colour gradually dispeared during cooking (went green first and then normal cake coloured).<br /><br />Very very yummy. About 20 portions if sensible or a small child. Rather less if you are a hungry adult :~)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-115692433365090276?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1156338377375794312006-08-23T05:58:00.000-07:002006-08-23T06:06:17.376-07:00And whilst I'm at it, this 'updating' lark, here is what was cooked for lunch today<br /><br /><strong>2 small onions<br />1 medium potato<br />2 carrots<br />1/3 head savoy cabbage<br />1 handful oats<br />1 tin chickpeas in water<br />50ml - ish soya milk<br />3 tomatoes, diced</strong><br /><br />Chop onion small, dice potato, slice carrots and cabbage.<br /><br />fry off onions in pan, then add in potato. Add the soya milk and stir then the oats. simmer for a little while. Then add in chickpeas inc. water (hence why *not* using salted can!!). Cover and cook out for a bit, stirring to make sure that oats don't stick. Then add in carrots, cook for 5 mins more, and then cabbage. Stir together well and add another bit of water if ness., but shouldn't be if all done over a fairly low heat. Turn off stove and stir in the tomatoes. Leave to stand for a bit (as is fairly heat retaining due to oats and soya).<br /><br />Enough for a bowl each, and another half portion for me and the DDs. Cabbage barely cooked and the tomato still nice and raw :-)<br /><br />For pudding we are going to have canned pineapple - in a real using things from the storecupboard mood today - and maybe a swirl of cashew creme for me.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-115633837737579431?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1156337708735502472006-08-23T05:53:00.000-07:002006-08-23T05:55:08.736-07:00A post that hits both parts. I think this is a first :-)<br /><br />Anyway - following a link elsewhere I found this the other day. Wondering if the menus might help with the household somewhat, but many of the recipes are going to get tried here (veganising those that aren't and such like as I go of course).<br /><br />http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com<br /><br />Enjoy! :-D<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-115633770873550247?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1156337567459746062006-08-23T05:50:00.000-07:002006-08-23T05:52:47.466-07:00Spent money yesterday on books - Last Of The Wilds, by Trudi Canavan; and The Dangerous Book for Boys by Gonn and Hal Iggulden. Both money off (phew). Will report more when they are read, save to say that DD1 has practised knots from the latter on her sister already (much to her sisters disgust).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-115633756745974606?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1145915564063357502006-04-24T14:33:00.000-07:002006-04-24T14:52:44.083-07:00Found this list on several blogs I've read today. Thought it seemed appropriate for here :-)<br /><br />Just BOLD those you’ve read, ITALICIZE the ones you’ve been meaning to read and ??? the ones you have never heard of.<br /><br /><strong>Alcott, Louisa May – Little Women<br />Allende, Isabel – The House of Spirits<br />Angelou, Maya – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings<br />Atwood, Margaret – Cat’s Eye<br />Austen, Jane – Emma<br /></strong>Bambara, Toni Cade – Salt Eaters???<br />Barnes, Djuna – Nightwood???<br /><strong>de Beauvoir, Simone – The Second Sex<br />Blume, Judy – Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret<br />Burnett, Frances – The Secret Garden<br />Bronte, Charlotte – Jane Eyre<br />Bronte, Emily – Wuthering Heights<br />Buck, Pearl S. – The Good Earth<br />Byatt, A.S. – Possession</strong><br />Cather, Willa – My Antonia???<br /><strong>Christie, Agatha – Murder on the Orient Express</strong><br />Cisneros, Sandra – The House on Mango Street ???<br /><em>Clinton, Hillary Rodham – Living History</em><br />Cooper, Anna Julia – A Voice From the South ???<br /><em>Danticat, Edwidge – Breath, Eyes, Memory <br /></em><strong>Davis, Angela – Women, Culture, and Politics<br />Desai, Anita – Clear Light of Day<br />Dickinson, Emily – Collected Poems</strong><br /><em>Duncan, Lois – I Know What You Did Last Summer</em><br /><strong>DuMaurier, Daphne – Rebecca<br />Eliot, George – Middlemarch</strong><br />Emecheta, Buchi – Second Class Citizen ???<br />Erdrich, Louise – Tracks ???<br /><strong>Esquivel, Laura – Like Water for Chocolate<br />Flagg, Fannie – Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe<br />Friedan, Betty – The Feminine Mystique<br />Frank, Anne – Diary of a Young Girl</strong><br />Gilman, Charlotte Perkins – The Yellow Wallpaper ???<br />Gordimer, Nadine – July’s People ???<br />Grafton, Sue – S is for Silence???<br />Hamilton, Edith – Mythology ???<br /><strong>Highsmith, Patricia – The Talented Mr. Ripley </strong><br />Hooks, Bell – Bone Black ???<br />Hurston, Zora Neale – Dust Tracks on the Road ???<br /><em>Jacobs, Harriet – Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl<br />Jackson, Helen Hunt – Ramona<br />Jackson, Shirley – The Haunting of Hill House</em><br /><strong>Jong, Erica – Fear of Flying<br />Keene, Carolyn – The Nancy Drew Mysteries (any of them)</strong><br />Kidd, Sue Monk – The Secret Life of Bees ???<br />Kincaid, Jamaica – Lucy ???<br /><strong>Kingsolver, Barbara – The Poisonwood Bible</strong><br />Kingston, Maxine Hong – The Woman Warrior ???<br />Larsen, Nella – Passing???<br />L’Engle, Madeleine – A Wrinkle in Time ???<br /><strong>Le Guin, Ursula K. – The Left Hand of Darkness<br />Lee, Harper – To Kill a Mockingbird<br />Lessing, Doris – The Golden Notebook ???<br />Lively, Penelope – Moon Tiger</strong><br />Lorde, Audre – The Cancer Journals ???<br /><strong>Martin, Ann M. – The Babysitters Club Series</strong><br />McCullers, Carson – The Member of the Wedding ???<br /><strong>McMillan, Terry – Disappearing Acts </strong><br />Markandaya, Kamala – Nectar in a Sieve ???<br />Marshall, Paule – Brown Girl, Brownstones ???<br /><strong>Mitchell, Margaret – Gone with the Wind<br />Montgomery, Lucy – Anne of Green Gables<br />Morgan, Joan – When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost<br />Morrison, Toni – Song of Solomon<br />Murasaki, Lady Shikibu – The Tale of Genji<br />Munro, Alice – Lives of Girls and Women <br />Murdoch, Iris – Severed Head <br /></strong>Naylor, Gloria – Mama Day ???<br />Niffenegger, Audrey – The Time Traveller’s Wife???<br />Oates, Joyce Carol – We Were the Mulvaneys ???<br />O’Connor, Flannery – A Good Man is Hard to Find???<br /><em>Piercy, Marge – Woman on the Edge of Time<br />Picoult, Jodi – My Sister’s Keeper</em><br /><strong>Plath, Sylvia – The Bell Jar<br />Porter, Katharine Anne – Ship of Fools<br />Proulx, E. Annie – The Shipping News</strong><br />Rand, Ayn – The Fountainhead ???<br />Ray, Rachel – 365: No Repeats ???<br /><em>Rhys, Jean – Wide Sargasso Sea</em><br /><strong>Robinson, Marilynne – Housekeeping </strong><br />Rocha, Sharon – For Laci ???<br /><strong>Sebold, Alice – The Lovely Bones<br />Shelley, Mary – Frankenstein<br />Smith, Betty – A Tree Grows in Brooklyn<br />Smith, Zadie – White Teeth <br />Spark, Muriel – The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie<br />Spyri, Johanna – Heidi<br />Strout, Elizabeth – Amy and Isabelle</strong><br />Steel, Danielle – The House???<br /><strong>Tan, Amy – The Joy Luck Club<br />Tannen, Deborah – You’re Wearing That</strong><br /><strong>Ulrich, Laurel – A Midwife’s Tale</strong><br />Urquhart, Jane – Away ???<br /><strong>Walker, Alice – The Temple of My Familiar</strong><br /><em>Welty, Eudora – One Writer’s Beginnings </em><br /><strong>Wharton, Edith – Age of Innocence<br />Wilder, Laura Ingalls – Little House in the Big Woods<br />Wollstonecraft, Mary – A Vindication of the Rights of Women<br />Woolf, Virginia – A Room of One’s Own</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><br />Hmmmm - I've got rather a lot highlighted compared to many of the blogs this list is on. Worst thing is that I own a sizable number of those higlighted as well - in boxes somewhere ... I'm beinging to see where I spent my earnings over the last few years !!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-114591556406335750?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1137398982052699732006-01-16T00:01:00.000-08:002006-01-16T00:09:42.063-08:00Well what a long time since I've been here.<br /><br />Been managing without much of my cooking equipment for the last few months - two abortive house sales yet and we are still here and lots of my stuff is in storage!<br /><br />Anyway = there are some basics that have seen us through. The basic <strong>White Cake</strong> recipe has been doing us proud. I've been adding in different fruits as available, which accross Christmas and New Year meant a lot of <strong>Cranberry Cake</strong> has been eaten. A small loaf tin made on Christmas morning and eaten very fresh from the oven for breakfast :-)<br /><br />We've also been eating lots of <strong>No-knead Bread</strong> made with the mix from The Watermill at Little Salkeld, near Penrith in Cumbria (will find link and edit it in later :-) )which was just down the road from where The Mother camp was held back in August.<br /><br />And today - well I need to do something with a couple of pineapples that have been sat on the side for a couple of weeks and are now extremely ripe - yum! So maybe another cake a bit later and then the rest as lovely fruit through the day. But who knows.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-113739898205269973?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1119739727240179382005-06-25T23:51:00.000-07:002005-06-25T15:48:47.246-07:00Eek- lots of reading to catch you all up on.<br /><br />Well - I've rediscovered www.goddessmums.com Very cool 'site, although not all the 'associated' 'sites are for the faint hearted.<br /><br />I've been spending some time in the run up to the 15th of July re-reading the Harry Potter books. As I type I've just finished reading Goblet of Fire and, having found it under the bed (must clear that more often!!), will be beginning Order of the Phoenix tomorrow.<br /><br />I've also been doing some more Anthroposophical thinking - Homemaking as a Social Art by Veronkika van Duin, for starters. I'm finding it a little hard going, it would be a little easier if I didn't actually have a home and business and other work and children to attend to (not in that order though!!). Eek - forgot to mention DP in that line up so had better mention him in case he reads this......hee hee. <br /><br />I've also been reading The Ecologist. There's often something interesting in it.<br /><br />Oh - and the most recent copy of The Mother has arived since I last listed anything here. <br /><br />Back to the reading it is then :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111973972724017938?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1116337514773618422005-05-17T14:41:00.000-07:002005-05-17T06:45:14.776-07:00Todays lunch was a using up of fruit from the fridge.<br /><br />1 Mango<br />1 large Avocado<br />1 banana<br /><br />Whip all up together in a blender and eat. Mousse-like texture, sweet taste (don't taste the avo at all) and an interesting green colour. Would serve 3 or 4 as a pudding, but ate it all up myself, garnished with a few chewy banana chips.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111633751477361842?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1114798987972883152005-04-29T19:18:00.000-07:002005-04-29T11:23:07.973-07:00<strong>Vegetable Dahl</strong><br /><br />This was lunch today.<br /><br />2 cups of red lentils<br />water to cover<br /><br />Started that simmering. Then added:<br /><br />1 large Sweetpotato, cut into 1cm cubes and 1 finely chopped onion<br /><br />Made sure that it was well stirred, covered and left to cook for 10 mins - which was about as long as the lentils took to cook.<br /><br />Cut in to it the stalks of a dozen spears of asparugus. Fresh from a local farm yesterday evening :-). Turned off heat and left to stand. This ends up like a slightly damp pilaff.<br /><br />Cooked <strong>Spiced onions and carrots</strong> whilst that was standing<br /><br />8 small onions (these are the last of the bag) shreded lengthwise.<br />1/2 cup oil<br /><br />Put onions and oil together and set over a low heat. Saute'd for 5 mins and added 1 tsp dried ground cumin, and 1tsp mixed spice. <br /><br />Sliced about 150g carrots in thin rounds. Added to the pan with the onions. Covered and cooked for about 5 mins.<br /><br />Added 200ml soya milk and water 50/50. Stirred through and covered. <br /><br />Served the dahl with the onions over. Very yummy and the children had seconds so would serve 4 easily, with some over for the fridge.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111479898797288315?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1114457791481307852005-04-25T20:35:00.000-07:002005-04-25T12:36:31.483-07:00This formed the basis of tea this evening. Mainly because I had things to use up, and a buttery soft avocado that would have gone too far if it hadn't been eaten today :-)<br /><br /><strong>Green salad</strong><br /><br />1/2 cup Alfalfa and Brocolli Sprouts<br />1 large Avocado<br />1/4 Cucumber<br /><br />Basil leaves, as many as you like.<br /><br />Finely shread the cucumber (do this by cutting rounds and then fine slice them so that each piece has a double end of skin and holds its shape), and peel and slice the avocado. Put into a bowl with the sprouts. Use hands to smoosh all three ingredients together until some of the avocado is pulped but there are still some lumps.<br /><br />Put a layer of whole basil leaves into the bottom of serving bowl, put serving of salad on top. Add a tiny drizzle of hemp oil and/or Balsamic vinegar if you wish :-)<br /><br />This salad serves one as a main, or two to four as an accompaniment.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111445779148130785?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1112824227548562252005-04-06T22:50:00.000-07:002005-09-19T10:59:41.603-07:00Don't estate agents websites make great fiction :-) Well, they are based in fact like all the best stories. And we can build our own stories around them. The gardens, the space, what we would do to that ghastly wallpaper.<br /><br />What is it about wallpaper? Can anyone explain why whatever is in our price bracket has the sort of wallpaper that would be impossible to live with or even just paint over?<br /><br />So to counteract the depression of receiving .pdf files from agents, rather than nice hard copies that are easier to look at (well, for starters they are in my hand, can't print anything as my printers having an off week!); I've been re-reading <strong>The Magicians Guild</strong> by Trudi Canavan. A bit of a romp through fantasy land, but a good read. Very much in the same style as Raymond Fiest or Janny Wurts. Definitely a recommendation :-)<br /><br />Other reading: <a href="http://www.livingfoods.com">www.livingfoods.com</a> along with Detox Your World, by Shazzie (and her Detox Delights book as well). More info on that one (as well as other required reading on the Raw factor) at her website <a href="http://www.shazzie.com">www.shazzie.com</a><br /><br />I'm aware that this blog is taking a slightly chattier turn than just reading or recipes. But normal service will be resumed asap. I'm starting to draft a 6 week vegan/veggie meal plan so some of that will be ending up here. But I'm off to peruse the online book stores and find some nice new reading matter :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111282422754856225?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1112820050364072382005-04-06T21:31:00.000-07:002005-04-06T13:51:17.783-07:00Posted this yesterday but blogger ate it!! Well - it was rather tasty, lol :-)<br /><br /><strong>Sprout Salad</strong><br /><br />1 cup Mung bean sprouts<br />1 cup mixed Broccoli and Alfalfa sprouts<br />1/2 Avocado, mushed<br />3 Carrots, grated (I used a course Microplane)<br />1 small Cox Apple, grated<br /><br />Combine all ingredients in a bowl and leave for 30 minutes. You can eat it straight away if you want to - but the 30 minute wait does make a difference :-)<br /><br />To serve:- 1 head Chicory per person, 1 handful Rocket per person.<br /><br />Put Rocket in a bowl, put serving of sprout salad on top. Use chicory leaves as spoons.<br /><br />I also had a good half cupful of raw hummous (see below)<br /><br />Salad served two adults and 3 children, and I had the leftovers with a couple of sheets of Seitan (the Wheaty brand) as a late night snack.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111282005036407238?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1112637439806609322005-04-03T10:50:00.000-07:002005-04-04T10:57:19.806-07:00Using up some veg from the bottom of the cupboard today to make a <b>Soup</b>.<br /><br />3 large carrots, sliced<br />4 small onions, chopped<br /><br />Place in a pan with 500ml water plus soya milk. I did 50/50 but according to preferance really. Bring to boil and simmer until tender.<br /><br />Finely chop a dozen (or so) mushrooms and add to pan. Cover and turn off heat. Leave for circa 10mins when they will be cooked.<br /><br />We had this as it was with some homemade wholemeal bread and raw hummus that I bought from a stall at Spittlefields market on Friday. <br /><br />It fed me plus 3 children (of varying sizes) well with half left over, waiting in the fridge to become pasta sauce :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111263743980660932?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1112312039726561462005-04-01T00:28:00.000-08:002005-03-31T15:33:59.726-08:00Got the most recent copy of Grand Designs magazine yesterday... I like drooling over other peoples houses, and at least with that particular magazine there is some hope of living somewhere like it one day. Sigh.<br /><br />I've been plodling around the Muddlepuddle blogring as well :-) <a href="http://www.muddlepuddle.co.uk">www.muddlepuddle.co.uk</a> and follow the links from there.<br /><br />Another blog that I've come to love is <a href="http://www.sometimesitspeaceful.blogspot.com">www.sometimesitspeaceful.blogspot.com</a> Its great in itself, but the bloggers premise is to include a blog of the day. This often leads me off to interesting waters :-)<br /><br />Got to go - need to make the toddler sleep...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111231203972656146?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1111338362727430722005-03-20T17:00:00.000-08:002005-03-20T09:06:02.730-08:00Glut of pears in the supermarket today, so on Managers Special at 49p a kilo :-) And Kent grown to boot so not travelled very far either.<br /><br />Anyway - was inspired to do some baking.<br /><br /><strong>Orchard Muffins</strong><br /><br />2 Pears (juicy, medium sized dessert. I used Williams Green)<br />1 Apple (small, juicy. I used Cox Orange Pippin)<br />c. 50g margerine (about 2 heaped dessertspoons).<br />1 cup self raising flour<br />15g (or 1 Tablespoon) soya flour<br />1 tsp mixed spice<br /><br />Peel and grate the Apple and Pears with a fine toothed grater (I used a fine microplane). Place in a bowl with the marg and 'cream' together (you'll end up with most of the margerine mixed in with small lumps of fat). Sift in flour, soya flour and mixed spice. Mix well together.<br /><br />Spoon into paper cases set in a tin. Will fill 12 cup cake cases, or 9 muffin cases. Bake at 170 degrees Celcius for 20 mins and leave to stand in tin (out of oven) for 5 mins before removing to cool.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111133836272743072?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1111157894507630762005-03-18T14:54:00.000-08:002009-09-20T14:37:25.840-07:00This was yesterdays pair of culinary offerings. I used the leftovers from both meals, plus a handfull of soya mince to form lunch today as well. Both these recipes will serve 4 with a left over portion or two, which will freeze or refridgerate well.<br /><br /><strong>Winter Soup</strong><br /><br />1/2 swede<br />4 smallish onions<br />1 carrot<br />1 400g ish can chick peas, rinsed<br />1 400g ish can butter beans,rinsed<br />about 500ml water, but add to desired consistency.<br /><br />Slice and fry onions for 5 mins then add chopped carrot. Cut swede into 1cm ish pieces and fry through. Pour in around 500ml water and cover, leave to simmer until swede cooked. Add beans and chick peas, and any more water if ness to prevent sticking. Heat through.<br /><br />I served this with rosemary bread, which we had bought this past weekend at the Mansion Market (see <a href="http://www.michaelhall.co.uk/">www.michaelhall.co.uk</a> for details).<br /><br /><br />'Old' mushroom stew.<br /><br />Remains of a large punnet of mushrooms (was around 400g)<br />4 smallish onions<br />1 large sweet potato<br />1 400g can red kidney beans (buy the budget ones without salt unless you are cooking your own, in which case reserve around 100ml cooking water)<br /><br />Finely chop the onions, fry off. Then finely cut the sweetpotato. (I used a peeler to get thin slices then chopped them accross. It really helps to get this veg fine as it then melts down somewhat in the cooking process). Add to the pan and stir through and add water to cover. Cook for around 15 mins, then add the red kidney beans (inc. the water in the can, assuming no salt used, or the reserved cooking water). Cover and leave to simmer as you chop up the mushrooms. Add these as you go along say, 4/5 mushrooms worth at a time. Once al the mushrooms are in stir well and cover, cook for a further 10 mins (or until you are happy with the consistency) then *leaving the lid on* turn off the heat and leave to stand for around 30min, or until you are ready to eat.<br /><br />We served this over long grain brown rice. Allow around a handful per person and a little more and just cook it. In a pan this will take about 30 mins, I do it in a rice cooker and it takes a little less.<br /><br /><br />:-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111115789450763076?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1111156994662383302005-03-18T14:45:00.000-08:002005-03-18T06:43:14.670-08:00Hello.<br /><br />Busy week so keeping it brief (remind me of this when the post exceeds a thousand words, lol).<br /><br />New issue of The Vegan arrived. If you don't know what it is - its the membership magazine of the <a href="http://www.vegansociety.co.uk">Vegan Society</a> . Food for thought, anyway.<br /><br />Also spent a happy half hour this afternoon on <a href="http://www.parsleysoup.co.uk">www.parsleysoup.co.uk</a> I went searching (via google) for a vegan bread and butter recipe to use up a half loaf of nice bread that no one seems to be eating. Well, we do seem to be on a rice kick this last 10 days so... (more of that under recipes).<br /><br />There are some fantastic recipes there and it has themes built in and all sorts. Think that some use may be made of it by us over Easter.<br /><br />Anyway - off to do a recipe entry now :-) (hey, I managed to be brief!!!)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111115699466238330?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1110065164990904062005-03-05T23:15:00.000-08:002005-03-05T15:30:32.126-08:00New Waldorf books arrived by GPS. Came nearly a week ago, but have only had the most cursory of inspections.<br /><br />Feel a bit ashamed admitting that...<br /><br />Other reading - well I found a lovely new blog to look at <br /><br /><a href="http://rekal.zibibboisgood.com"> ReKal</a><br /><br />Has inspired me to take DD1 to the charity shops in search of wool for her projects. We bought 4 big jumpers for a pound each in Oxfam yesterday. That should keep her in knitting wool for a while, lol.<br /><br />Reading though - one of my favourite 'sites is Knitty (<a href="http://www.knitty.com">www.knitty.com</a>). One day I may even get around to making one or two of the things on there. Need to practise more with the knitting first.<br /><br />Books - well I've reread Wives of Bath again. Formulaic 'chick lit' but Ok for getting your head down with.<br /><br />Spent a large chunk of Thursday am at the local childrens library - came out with several interesting books including lots of farm stories to feed into DD1's next main lesson theme. Also bought a copy of The Widows Broom by Chris Van Allsburg from the ex-catalogue shelf. The illustrations are wonderful and a heartwarming story to boot.<br /><br />Off until tomorrow - or there abouts.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-111006516499090406?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1109607830152320142005-02-28T16:20:00.000-08:002005-02-28T08:23:50.160-08:00Please to report that the 'stockpile' in the cupboard is shrinking nicely.<br /><br />Admittedly I've given up on a couple of the oldest items and thrown them away. <br /><br />We've finished the various bags of Spilt peas, burgermix and polenta. Made some shortbread and cakes for Melrose with flour, semolina etc. Oh - and finished up the last bits of various bread flours and a tin of yeast making bread this am. Not that it worked particularly well as the yeast was a little old, but think that any not eaten can be made into bread and butter pudding (which will use up some of the mountains of dried fruit that are in the stockpile, and some of the 'egg replacer' in the jar at the back of the other food cupboard).<br /><br />Anyway - todays recipe. This is the cake that I made to take to Melrose for DD2's birthday.<br /><br /><strong>Chocolate/Vanilla Marble cake</strong><br /><br />(This is a basic single cake quantity recipe, for the camp I made a double quantity which made it easy to separate out enough for the pink swirl portion of the recipe)<br /><br />1/2 cup margerine creamed with 1 1/3 cups sugar.<br /><br />Sift together 3 cups flour and 3tsp. baking powder.<br /><br />Milk dry and creamed ingredients together, along with 2 cups soymilk (you could use water, rice milk or whatever takes your fancy or budget here). Beat together for a few minutes (gives the baking powder a chance to react).<br /><br />Pour 2/3's of the batter into a 20cm square tin or equivalent.<br /><br />Melt 4Tbsp margerine and 4 squares of *really* dark chocolate together. Stir in 2Tbsp good cocoa powder or Green and Blacks Drinking Chocolate, and 1/3 cup sugar (or use more of the the drinking chocolate and no sugar :-). Add to the remaining 1/3 of the batter and beat through. Pour over the mixture in the tin and (using a wooden skewer in a non-stick tin) wave around to desired marble level (you can usually do a bit more than you think as the choc. mixture is slightly thinner and the other resists quite well. Part of the beauty of this though is that you can never quite predict what you will end up with).<br /><br />Cook for around 30 minutes in a 190 degree Celcius oven (this cake will cook well up to temps of 240 degrees celcius, although you'll need to watch it like a hawk!).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-110960783015232014?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1109606471753244892005-02-28T16:00:00.000-08:002005-02-28T08:01:11.756-08:00Lots of reading to report.<br /><br />Finally made my way through the Christopherus Homeschool Resources Curriculum overview - with the help of a week at Melrose with the Muddlepuddle list. I've been reading the blogs on the associated blogring - very easy to have that take up a lot of time, but I've been good and just dropped in and out. Anyway <a href="http://www.muddlepuddle.co.uk">www.muddlepuddle.co.uk</a> is the main website, and it has useful stuff on HE for tinies and links to other things including a yahoo list and the blogring, if you care to look.<br /><br />King of Foxes, by Raymond E. Fiest has been my most recent fiction purchase. A follow up to Talon of the Silver Hawk, It seems like I've been waiting ages for it to appear in paperback, given that book 3 (Exiles Return) came out in hardback before Christmas. Brilliant story, as usual. If you have a British Bookshop/Sussex Stationers near you then get it from there as it is a fiver, rather than the six quid that amazon want for it this time.<br /><br />Apart from that, I've done a lot of newspaper reading (face it, when do I ever *not* read a paper or two a day?) and other things (see HE blog for that). Not really felt like much of an Autonomous Educator given all the Steiner stuff that has been going on here, but the children now do circle and daily for themselves if I don't, only dropping it if something like half term (the local schools in this case) intervene when extracting them from the TV becomes an interesting activity. Roll on the Easter weekend and lots of lovely National Trust places being open again.<br /><br />The National Trust Guide for Visitors being the last Reading I'll be writing about in this entry - several nice new places this year :-) - the layout has changed slightly, and the point size of the print is an improvement on previous years. There are some useful maps as well - I see a purchase of several OS maps coming on though (topography anyone?) as we are planning a major roadtrip this summer with the Children using NT and EH properties as the reference points (well its a good way to know where we will find nice loos and a place for tea and cake :-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-110960647175324489?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1106850345568873702005-01-27T18:24:00.000-08:002005-01-27T10:25:45.570-08:00Getting down the stockpile. <br /> <br />Using up the cupboard, lol. <br /> <br />Yellow Split peas tonight. <br /> <br />What was left of the packet (about 300g) in water and got underway. Fine cube of two potatoes (about 150g) and two small onions (again, around 150g). And add to water plus yellow split peas. <br /> <br />Cooked for about 30 minutes, until most of the water was absorbed. Was a little bland so stirred through 2 tsp stock powder. <br /> <br />Served with lettuce and cucumber salad (tear up lettuce, cube 1/2 cucumber, stir together with 1tbsp each olive oil and vinegar (used red wine as had that in cupboard). Black pepper on top. <br /> <br /> <br />The soup wilted the salad rather nicely. Children still eating and will update with what they thought later. <br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-110685034556887370?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1106511091541623272005-01-23T20:10:00.000-08:002005-01-23T12:11:31.540-08:00Had a whole load of Broccolli to use up - so made soup. <br /> <br /><strong>Brocolli Soup</strong> <br /> <br />2 Onions - finely dice and saute in <br />2 tbsp Olive Oil. <br /> <br />Crush 2 cloves Garlic and add to onion. <br /> <br />1 medium potato - dice and stir into onion/garlic mix. <br /> <br />Cut the stalks of 3 heads of Broccolli and add to pot. <br /> <br />Cook for a few more minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. <br /> <br />500ml boiling water, plus 2 tsp Vecon stock powder. <br /> <br />Add to pan, bring back to the boil. <br /> <br />Take the rest of the Broccolli, cut into small-ish florets, and add to pan. Stir well. Add a little more boiling water if necessary. Cover and cook until all veg tender but *do not* overcook the broccolli :-) <br /> <br /> <br />Serve as desired - we ate it with a couple of tsps of home grown sprouts (sunflower and chickpea, since you wonder :-) on the top. <br /> <br />Very, very scrummy and between the five of us averaged 6 portions of veg each. No problems getting to the 10 portions yesterday. <br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-110651109154162327?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1105573269075908162005-01-12T23:36:00.000-08:002005-01-12T15:41:09.076-08:00Last few days - Mothering (a US magazine), re-reading Juno (UK alt. mag, OK and getting better but a little lightweight by comparison to The Mother) and Living Etc. (UK based homes and interiors magazine). Also the usual papers (Independent, Guardian occasionally... got a bit too mouthpiece recently, Mail or Express if there's one lying around in a cafe when we're out and about). And far too much time spent on the various yahoogroups I subscribe to, and on <a href="http://www.hunnybeez.co.uk">www.hunnybeez.co.uk</a> which is a lovely community and so easy to spend time on. <br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-110557326907590816?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1104192533237948492004-12-28T00:00:00.001-08:002004-12-27T16:08:53.236-08:00Storecupboard food today. <br /> <br />Did a burgermix 'loaf' for lunch today. <br /> <br />1 packet Burger mix <br />1/2 pint cold water <br />2 shreaded carrots <br />3 leaves red cabbage, shreaded <br />1 tsp veganaise <br /> <br />Make up mix with water (as per on pack instructions) and leave to stand. Shread the carrot and cabbage and mix up with the veganaise. Leave to stand. (for nicest results do both these far enough ahead to let both stand for around an hour or so. Or for the cabbage/carrot just use left over coleslaw from the previous day (which is what I did in reality :-) <br /> <br />Anyhow - mix altogether, put in a greased loaf tin and Cover with foil. Bake for around 30 mins at 180 degrees celcius, taking the foil off for the last 5 minutes. <br /> <br />Serve with veg of choice in sufficient quantities to feed all. <br /> <br />(I did sprouts and green beans, both in need of eating, lol. And pepperonata: <br /> <br />3 peppers (i used a yellow and two red) <br />2 Onions (more if small) <br />2tbsp olive oil <br /> <br />slice both finely. Fry off the onions - around 10 mins - in oil. Then add peppers and stir through. Cover and leave on a low flame/temp. to gently cook for around 20 mins. Leave to stand for around 10 more minutes to let flavours develop.) <br /> <br />This pepper mix makes a good topping for toast, pizza, potatoes, etc. as well. <br /> <br /> <br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-110419253323794849?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1104191636553346282004-12-28T00:00:00.000-08:002004-12-27T15:53:56.553-08:00Lots of reading done in the last couple of days, although mostly on the web. <br /> <br />I've been doing some further 'work' on the Steiner Education side of things and beginning to spend some serious time looking into Antrosopophy. I'm finding it quite hard going, mainly because there is a lot of pholosophical language in use and I don't have much background in that. Anyway I've found <a href="http://www.waldorfanswers.com">www.waldorfanswers.com</a> a good place to begin unknitting stuff, and the links are good. Its by no means comprehensive though. <br /> <br />I've also spent a fair amount of time with the magazine pile. I'm now up to date with Prima, Country Living, The Vegan and Real Simple. I've re read a pile of Mothering magazines as well. <br /> <br />I've also read (cover to cover, none of this picking in and out stuff) the newest copy of The Mother Magazine. It came through the door on Christmas Eve and made me very happy - been waiting ages for it as the publishers had a problem with the printers and apparently a number of issues had problems with half pages, things being upside down etc. So very happy to see it. Probably the best value-for-money of everything I subscribe to as well (more details at <a href="http://www.themothermagazine.co.uk">www.themothermagazine.co.uk</a>) <br /> <br />I've given up on G.P. Taylor for the moment. I'm finding Shadowmancer just too derivative of so many other fantasy fiction books. My personal take on this is that Mr Taylor is relying on a lot of his readers coming to his brand of Christian fiction without the background reading of 2 and a half decades of reading this sort of thing. Every plot twist seems to belong somewhere else, although the whole is reasonably new. But it doesn't seem to manage to stay within one fantasy genre or writing style and his editor could have done more work on it. Pity, because as a person he's quite interesting (I sat in on a press conference with him at Greenbelt this year). Anyway - if you want to read Christian-orientated/inspired fantasy fiction I'd suggest C.S. Lewis' Narnia series to begin with. <br /> <br />Lots of books given to the children for christmas - variations on a fairy theme for DD1, Mr Bounce for DD2 and DS got the latest Wibbly Pig (complete with a Wibbly Pig soft toy, which he adores). I bought DP the latest Pratchett paperback (Monstorous Regiment) although I'll admit that that was one of those 'I want to read it for myself' presents, lol. I've got a wish-list running at Amazon atm, which has a lot of Permaculture books on it, which will be my next personal reading project once I've got my feet under the Steiner thing :-) <br /> <br />Off to do some more reading now - probably a re-read of Knit One (a new US knitting magazine - I'm one of those who read a lot of craft/handcraft magazines, but the amount of handcrafts actually done shrinks as the number of books/magazines increases). and I need to remember to talk to the bank tomorrow about how much a money transfer to the US will be because I'd like to buy a couple of curriculum books that I can't get here and the company in question doesn't take paypal!! Ho hum...... <br /> <br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-110419163655334628?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9761684.post-1103849779850577322004-12-23T16:40:00.000-08:002004-12-23T16:56:19.850-08:00Reading and Recipes - the 'specialist' blog. <br /> <br />Mainly to list the reading I do (and whether I'm enjoying it or not) and the recipes I end up cooking, inventing, eating - sometimes with the help of a DD or two. Mainly a second string to my blogging career to keep a track on all those lovely things that we create in the kitchen, and to remind myself of all the books I own so that I don't end up with duplicates of things that cost a tenner apiece (ouch!). <br /> <br />Recipes on here will be vegan, although there will be substitutions and suggestions made for those of you that wish to add in other stuff :-) Beginning with the basics and all that. <br /> <br />First recipe - one that gets made a lot in this house when a quick meal is called for. <br /> <br /> <br />Veg. basket soup. <br /> <br />For 5 servings (2 adults, 2 children and a baby) <br /> <br />1tsp olive oil (optional) <br />Two onions <br />Two potatoes (normal size, if diddy then you'll need more) <br />Three Carrots <br /> <br />(We don't usually peel our veg, just give it a rinse to remove any mud/bugs. But we also buy organic where we can, and would suggest that you peel any non-organic veg. to make sure you intake as few chemicals as you can.) <br /> <br />1tsp of organic veg stock powder, (optional - we like the vecon stock, but marmite works well too) <br /> <br />Peel and slice onions into half rings, saute in the oil. Whilst this is happening chop the carrots in to rounds and then add them. Stir well. Then leave whilst chopping the potatoes into cubes roughly 2cm. Add them to the pan and continue to saute, stirring frequently, for around 2 mins. <br /> <br />Sprinkle over stock powder (or add other stock concentrate to the pan) and stir through. Add enough water to cover up to 3/4 the depth of vegetables and stir to incoporate the stock powder/concentrate. <br /> <br />Leave to cook - simmering, but stir every so often to ensure it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan. <br /> <br />Serve when the potato is cooked through. <br /> <br />This is nice with a couple of slices of good bread, or you could stir through a little tomato puree or fresh, diced, tomatoes if you have them. In early spring this is particulary nice with the addition of parsley or alongside a mixed herb/lettuce salad. <br /> <br />We usually follow this with an apple or pear at this time of year, and we aim to gain at least 3 servings of veg/fruit from each meal in the day. <br /> <br /> <br />And there endeth the first entry :-) <br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9761684-110384977985057732?l=readingandrecipes.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Helenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09202872560172218285noreply@blogger.com0