Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Healthier vegan sticky date pudding in a mug

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Do you like sticky date pudding? I think of it as a quintessential British winter dessert, and while it isn't my personal favourite, it is much adored by my mother and grandfather. It is also a favourite dessert of one of my close friends. Recently, she asked if I could make a healthier version and I was delighted to take on the challenge.

Healthier sticky date pudding, made in a mug

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Raw apple-vanilla or banana-cinnamon buckwheat porridge

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As I've mentioned, I never really got into the overnight oats craze. Raw buckwheat porridge, though? That trend has won me over.


Apple-vanilla buckwheat porridge, with raspberries

You have probably seen or heard about buckwheat porridge already. It seems to be popping up everywhere at the moment. Given that I am often slow with food trends, you may already be enjoying it yourself. If you haven't yet tried it, I hope that this post can inspire you to give it a go. It is really, really lovely!

Friday, April 25, 2014

Lightly cooked zucchini noodles with a tomato basil sauce

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In my zucchini noodle experiments to date, I have used the noodles fresh and raw. To be honest, it never occurred to me to eat them in any other way. Recently, though, I saw a reference to zucchini noodles being lightly cooked. Last week, I decided to give that approach a go, and added noodles to a hot pan for just under 2 minutes. The result? Slightly softened, nicely warmed noodles that were a lovely change from the standard raw variety.


Complementing the noodles were tomatoes, basil, sherry vinegar and nutritional yeast. The flavours were wonderful. Broccoli and tofu featured too, as did a smattering of other herbs. If you had sun dried tomatoes to hand, I think they would be an excellent addition (or replacement for fresh tomatoes) as well.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Apple-gingerbread cake and a flavour-packed carrot slaw (and Taste of Perth give away winner)

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On Easter Sunday, we had my family over for a combined Easter / birthday celebration. Yes, Mr Bite's birthday has been quite prolonged! Two weeks of celebrations seems like a good run.

Apple ginger cake

I made a variety of dishes, including baked tofu parcels and chicken parcels, roast potatoes, carrot slaw, and a tomato rice and beans dish. My Mum brought a huge, packed green salad and there was also hummus made in the traditional manner.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Raw carrot cake - finally

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Raw carrot cake has intrigued me for a while now. In addition to the link I shared in my Easter recipe round-up, I have six other raw (or nearly raw) carrot cake recipes in my bookmarks folder. That's quite a lot of carrot inspiration.

This weekend, I finally progressed from admiring others' creations to making my own.


The result? If I was intrigued before, I am besotted now.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Spiced ginger latte

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This spiced ginger latte is so simple that it barely deserves its own post. However, I am a little bit in love with it, so it is getting a post anyway. It might be one of my favourite drinks ever!


It is unusual for me to rave about a milk-based hot drink. I don't drink hot chocolate (or iced chocolate for that matter) and I find most commercial lattes too milky and too sweet. This drink isn't overly sweet, but it is milky. (I am using 'milky' to refer to non-dairy milks here.)

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Chickpea pancakes with a lentil-vegetable filling

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I'm sure I'm not the only one to live with a person who does't love legumes. Mr Bite will tolerate them, most of the time at least, but they are definitely seen as something that I like and he does not.

Burritos and quesadillas are one way that I can dish up legumes (usually black beans in those examples) and be met with delight, rather than mild despair. I am pleased to say that this dish is another.

Chickpea pancakes with a lentil-vegetable filling

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Vegan Easter recipes - and a double pass give away to Taste of Perth from Rekorderlig Cider

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My last (and first!) Easter recipe round-up post was in 2012, so I think it is time for another one this year. Before doing so, though, I am delighted to host a give away from Rekorderlig Cider for a double pass to the upcoming Taste of Perth.



Rekorderlig Cider is the premium cider sponsor for this first ever Taste of Perth, on from the 2nd to 4th May at Langley Park. Providing a liquid alternative to the food and restaurant displays, Rekorderlig Cider will have a "Rekorderlig Star" bar decked out in a Swedish winter theme. On the menu will be drinks like orange-ginger cider and 'winter' cider with apples, vanilla and cinnamon. 

The Rekorderlig Star bar

Rekorderlig Cider are kindly giving away a double pass to Taste of Perth along with two complimentary Rekorderlig Cider vouchers. If you would like to enter, please leave a comment on this post telling me your favourite cider flavour or experience (if you have one) or why you'd like to go to Taste of Perth this year. The give away is open to anyone, but obviously you will need to be able to attend the event in Perth at the start of May. The competition closes on the 23rd April 2014.




Now, on to Easter recipes. I'd happily eat my way through any and all of the ideas below, and I hope you will enjoy the suggestions too. If you already have your Easter menu planned, I'd also love to hear what you're making!

Breakfast

Caramel apple French toast from PETA - An amazing way to start your day.

Meyer lemon cranberry poppyseed muffins from Eats Well With Others - Many gorgeous flavours packed into one muffin.

Plum muffins with streusel topping from Bite-Sized Thoughts - A plum-filled breakfast alternative to my recent plum and almond cake.

Sprouted wheat, date and walnut essene bread from the Orgasmic Chef - It will take a bit of advance planning, but this bread sounds worth the effort.

Plum muffins with streusel topping

Main

Citrus roasted tofu from VegKitchen- A great way to make tofu special.

Parsnip rice sushi from The Taste Space - A sweeter alternative to cauliflower rice.

Pumpkin scones with hemp seeds, nutritional yeast and herbs from Bite-Sized Thoughts - A perfect main meal accompaniment (even if I do say so myself!).

Vegetable tagine with chickpeas and raisins from BBC Good Food - A gorgeous mix of colours and vegetables.

Pumpkin scones with hemp seeds, nutritional yeast and herbs

Dessert

Mango coconut cardamom cheesecake from Sweetly Raw - While fresh mango would undoubtedly be best, I imagine you could get away with the tinned variety in this recipe.

Raw carrot cake with cashew cream cheese frosting from This Rawsome Vegan Life - Raw carrot cake is on my 'to make' list and this recipe is a strong contender for my first try.

'Spring Chick Cupcakes' from Oh She Glows - Super cute and guaranteed to appeal to adults and children alike.

Vegan flan from Hotly Spiced - Also gluten free, this is a simple but beautiful dessert.

Chocolate

Chocolates with a healthy mint filling from Green Gourmet Giraffe - I love mint-filled chocolates and this recipe sounds like a refreshing alternative to commercial Easter chocolate.

Peanut butter and caramel filled chocolate eggs from The Veggie Nook - One of my favourite Easter recipes from last year, I think it deserves highlighting again this year!

Raw chocolate hazelnut strawberry jam thumbprints from Coconut and Berries - A recent, beautiful recipe from Emma.

Tahini-filled chocolate eggs - My Easter creation from last year.

Tahini-filled chocolate eggs

What are your plans for Easter? 

And, if you're interested in the double pass to Taste of Perth, don't forget to enter below!

Sunday, April 13, 2014

A chocolate-filled birthday

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As it is wont to do at this time of year, Mr Bite's birthday rolled around last week.


This year, it was a round number birthday. After finally catching up to the same age decade last December, my mature, wise, young-for-his-age husband has leapt ahead of me yet again. It is uncanny to me that he is the age that he is. He does not look it and (I say with praise) most of the time he does not act it!


Friday, April 11, 2014

Plum, apple and almond cake (vegan)

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I am rather in love with this cake. To me, it sings of autumn and Easter and lazy weekends. It is the sort of cake to eat with a cup of tea and a good book - or without the book, but the company of friends and family. It is a cake to relax with.


It is, in short, very good.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Tandem cycling and Peninsula Tea Gardens at Tranby House

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Some of you noticed in my March photos post that I had photographed a tandem bicycle.


The bike in question was one that Mr Bite and I hired a few weekends ago. Mr B has long wanted to try a tandem, and for Christmas I gave him a voucher to hire one. I hold the view that cycling is better with scones, so the voucher also incorporated afternoon tea at the Peninsula Tea Gardens of Tranby House.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Vegan carrot cake pikelets, for Australia's Biggest Morning Tea

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I have 6 other pikelet recipes on Bite-Sized Thoughts, but after making this carrot cake variety I may never go back to them again. I feel like I have reached the pinnacle of pikelets. It is a delectable place to be.


For those of you who aren't familiar with Australian pikelets, they are small, fluffy pancakes that generally include a raising agent and some form of sweetener within the batter. They are delicious hot and cold, and also store well over several days. I have chosen this carrot cake batch to showcase Australia's Biggest Morning Tea, which is coming up in May but had an opening launch in Perth last week.

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea launch, with Anna Gare, Herb Faust and Sam Longley
(photo courtesy of the Cancer Council)

Sunday, April 6, 2014

365 project: March photos

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With April upon us (and upon us for nearly a week now!), it's time for another photo recap, this time for my March photo-a-day snapshots.

March was the first month when daily photography became challenging, which I think is a combination of time passing (months 1 and 2 were always going to be easier than the rest of the year!) and time seeming in short supply in March. I expected that going away would help, and it did, but it also meant that home and work were correspondingly busier around the trip.

Given the above, my March photos were not all taken on the day I have allocated them to. Some days I took several photos I liked, and I have taken the flexible approach of spreading them out over consecutive days if needed.

Here are the 31 resulting images...

1st: Lazy days / 2nd: Edible summer / 3rd: Peek a boo / 4th: Convent by night / 5th: Bird (#1)

Friday, April 4, 2014

Italian roast vegetables and beans

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I hadn't originally planned to post this recipe. It was something I made up last Sunday, inspired by a large volume of vegetables in the fridge and cooler weather outside. It is such a novelty to use my oven without risking heat stroke in the kitchen! Thankfully, I scribbled the recipe down and snapped a few photos just in case the dish turned out.


I'm glad I did, because we both loved this meal. It is the sort of dish that is hearty and rich and satisfying, while still delivering a decent serve of your daily vegetable requirements. It's definitely suited to cool weather, and will make your house smell lovely at the same time as warming your kitchen (and subsequently, your stomach!).

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

In my kitchen - April 2014

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I am linking this post in to Celia's monthly In My Kitchen event at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

In my kitchen, there is So Good's new almond and coconut milk. I try to test new non-dairy milk products in order to update my non-dairy milk review table, and this one was a delightful discovery. I actually enjoy it plain, which is very unusual for me with milk. While it is sweetened, it is also lower in sugar than So Good's regular almond milk. 


The downside? It does contain carrageenan. It's getting harder and harder to avoid that ingredient in commercial milk alternatives.