Battle of the Bulge

So this is it, time for some serious consideration on losing some Kilos.  I've been trying to get rid of 7Kgs for years now, and it has not budged.  I have tried everything you can possibly imagine, pills, shakes, gym, Jillian Michael's, C25K, patches (now that was weird), Weight Watchers, Calorie King, low fat, no fat, low carb...you name it I've done it, and now I am over it.  I want this gone and I want it gone now!!!!! Ok so expecting it to be gone now is a bit of a stretch...but you get what I mean.

While I was investigating what I was going to do next, I came across this supposed wonder drug Reductil, you can only get it through a prescription and it is one of the few drugs that is not caffeine or speed based...or so I've read.  Off I went to the doctor's...well it was mainly for my allergies but it came just in time, and I asked him for a prescription.  Thinking I was going to have to argue my cause I was ready.  Surprisingly he informed me he was more than happy to prescribe it for me and he also said that it was one of the safer drugs on the market...woohoo!!!!

The drug is supposed to keep your metabolism consistent and it also helps curb hunger.  This morning was my first day on it, I was expecting it to take a little while to act but...hell no!!!!!! worked straight away I am so so surprised.  I usually have toast and coffee (which I have at work) for breakfast.  This morning all I had was the coffee, at 10 I realised that I had not eaten my toast, so I ate it even though I was not hungry.  It is now 12pm and I would have usually finished lunch....you guessed it...not even the slightest bit hungry.

If your wondering about side effects, to be honest all I have had is chilly hands, that's it.  I know I am going to have a bit of trouble sleeping tonight but lets see.  If you are wondering why the hell I am taking these things, don't judge me, if this is going to help me and in the process give me confidence then I will give it a go.  I have done my research and I have gone to the doctors, there is no way I will not give it a go.  I am still going to the gym and I am still eating healthy, but I am seeking an extra little push from this little pill.

I am going to publicise my weight, I want to record improvements (I'm being positive) I am 64Kgs as of 2 days ago, I am hoping to get down or as close to 58Kgs by the wedding (BIL's) which is in September. 

So wish me luck!!!!!!

MIA - But I've still been baking!!!!!!

Well its been 3 weeks since my last post but by god it has been the most trying time I have ever had.  So I am going to vent, spill and in short get over it...although I don't think this post is going to be very short.

Just as we thought we were finally settling down and getting used to life in Perth, we get a call from a company, offering Markus a FIFO position, we never applied, it was through recommendation because his brother worked there.  And that's where it all began.  We got excited, we knew it was pending his interview and medical, but we were pretty sure he would get it.  My nights were spent debating whether this was the right thing to do, especially since he had got into uni and was so keen on going.  Finally we decided that it was too good an opportunity to give up and we decided that 12 months was as long as he would do it for and then we would reassess.  After all the stress of this crazy upheaval, he failed his medical, his back, they said would not hold up to the strain of the work and because it was a remote area they were not willing to take a chance.

This was not all though, my job was a nightmare, I cried nearly every night for a long time and decided I was going to leave.  And I have, 2 weeks and I will be out of here, back in the city where I'm meant to be.

So that's me, that's where I've been, I am in a much better place now, I guess what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.  I am determined to make this work, I am determined to get my life back and I am determined to stop the pity party.  Right here and now I take control and right here and now I take charge.

Vegan Viloet Crumble *Drool*

I stole this recipe from another blog and I thought if I can pull this off I would be nothing less than awesome.  I did, I pulled it off and I made honeycomb from scratch...how truly awesome!!!!!!  This is the easiest thing ever and to be honest the most fun I have had in a long long time!!!!

I am singing the song *try it, you just might like it* in my head as I type this up...such a joyful recipe!!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup water
2 cups caster sugar
1 tbs liquid glucose
2 tsp bi-carb soda
Melted chocolate

Method:

In a saucepan (make sure it is large and deep) combine the water and the sugar

Stir on low heat till all the sugar is dissolved and you have a clear liquid

Turn up the heat slightly and allow the liquid to boil (do not stir at all)

When the liquid turns golden turn off the heat

add the bi-carb and stir vigorously till all is dissolved.
* Warning: the caramel will now rise quite a bit and bubble up, be very careful that you don't get burnt.

Once mixed in pour into a tray that has been lined with baking paper and allow to cool.

Once cool and hard break into pieces, any size you like

Cover in Melted chocolate and allow to cool and then EAT EAT EAT!!!!!

When do you compromise?

So last weekend was a true test to my convictions as a vegan, I was kindly sent this article http://www.goveg.com/effectiveAdvocacy_personal.asp and this was pretty much my ethos when I first went vegan.  When I initially announced it to family, I got the usual, "what about your health" and "oh its too hard"etc.  But I think most of them kind of got that this time I was sticking to my guns and I was going to do it. 

On the weekend we drove down to beautiful Bunkers Bay, we stopped off for a coffee break and while I went out to get some gas my BIL bought me a coffee.  Only after did SIL remind him that I only had soy did he realise, and apologised profusely.  I had no qualms drinking it, I decided that I was not going to make a fuss and that it was a genuine mistake and there was no way I was going to demand another coffee from the very busy cafe. 

We then stopped off at a gorgeous winery that served German food, with Markus and BIL being of German background Markus set aside his vegetarianism for lunch.  Then we were left with me...what was I going to eat????  So after a squize at the menu I realised that I had to do some tweaking and eat the least offensive dish.  I chose the pumpkin gnocchi with out the feta which was part of the dish. 

While I did not feel guilty about having to make these exceptions, I got thinking about how lenient is too lenient and what kind of message am I sending if I will compromise so easily.  I would never have eaten meat if there was nothing else on the menu, how far is too far? How many times do I compromise before I become a plastic vegan.  On the other hand do I dig my heels in and stubbornly refuse to eat anything that has animal products in it no matter what the situation?  Is there a fine line you cross each time?

I would appreciate any comments and feedback on the situation.  I am a new vegan and I am still finding my way.

Chocolate Tart... the most delicious thing I have ever eaten!!!!!

 

On the weekend I made this chocolate tart, I was a bit suspicious, how can tofu be used in a dessert and taste good...but I wanted to try it anyway...I had BIL and SIL over for do it yourself Burgers and sweet potato chips, they were going to be my test subjects.

So here goes:

Ingredients:

3 packets of oreos

1/4 cup Nuttlex

500 g silken

500 g non dairy choc chips

2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Blend the Oreos until they are just crumbs.  Combine crumbs with melted butter and line a pie tin with the crumbs to form a pie crust. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and then remove and allow to cool completely.

2. Blend your tofu and vanilla until creamy.

3. Melt your chocolate chips. Add the melted chocolate to the tofu mixture and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the (cool) pie crust, spread evenly and put it in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.

I promise you this is the best thing you have ever put in your mouth...so delish!!!! A word of warning though...it is rich, I would suggest small pieces, even Markus could not finish a whole piece.  But if you want to make an impression...this is it!!!!!

Rick Stein's Sicilian Pasta

I just had to share this one, Markus is a big fan of Chef Rick Stein and we usually watch his show while we have dinner every evening.  The other day he made this beautiful pasta from Sicily and he was so excited about how good it was and how this was going to be his vegetarian dish at his cafe.  Truth be told the only thing that made it vegetarian was some Parmesan cheese he added on the top, this is a traditional, authentic Sicilian dish...and its vegan, no adaptation necessary.

Ingredients:

1/2 a large eggplant (or more if you want)
Vine Tomatoes
Dry Spaghetti

2 cloves garlic

Olive oil

Basil

Method:

Deseed the vine tomatoes and set aside
Chop your eggplant and fry, set aside
heat olive oil
Add garlic
add tomatoes and cook
Add your cooked spaghetti
Add your egg plant and mix well to get all the flavours going
Throw in chopped basil...done!!!!

I cannot tell you how delicious this meal is.  For a variation and non-eggplant lovers, swap the eggplant with capers.

Upside down Banana cake

This is a truly delicious yummy cake,  the recipe was adapted from Now Vegan's upside down pineapple cake, with reducing the amount of sugar used in the original recipe the cake was perfect!!!!!

So here goes,

Ingredients:

1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Bananas
1 cup Self raising Flour

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp vanilla Extract
2 measures No Egg
1/2 cup olive oil

hand full of almonds / walnuts and sultanas

Method

Grease your baking dish and sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar on the bottom. 
Then place sliced bananas to cover the bottom of the dish. Set aside.

To make the cake mix all the wet ingredients together
Add Sugar and No Egg and whisk

Slowly add the flour until all ingredients are combined.

Add nuts

Pour cake mixture over bananas and bake for 40 mins, but check, every oven is different.
Cool cake once done and over turn

So good you can actually eat it:

Vegans are cool!!!!!

I am excited, yes its been roughly 6 weeks now that I have gone vegan and I am absolutely loving it. I love that I now don’t have that nagging little voice telling me that I needed to do it, I love that it make me feel good and best of all, cutting out all crap…I have even managed to shed a couple of kilos.

Something that struck me when I turned vegan was that I was almost apologetic about it, like having to explain myself, like what I was doing needed to be justified in some ways. I was actually taken aback by the change, I’ve always been a very proud vegetarian, and defended, boasted and even flaunted my vegetarianism. To make this change and almost feel ashamed that I have made it had me wondering “why”. I put it down to the fact that I was being an inconvenience and thinking that people thought I was boring.

So, in celebration of my 6 weeks I will also celebrate my liberation, I will not be apologetic anymore, that's fine, I'll bring a dish to dinner.  I will not be ashamed, I am actually making a difference, and finally I will not laugh with embarrassment when I am asked "so what do you eat" or I get "the nuts were living till you ate them" jokes.
Vegans are as cool as they come!!!!

Chinese Takeway...at home

Yesterday was one of those days, went home starving and I needed to eat a good scrumptious meal. So I decided that we would have Asian and I would use some of the mock chicken I bought from the Lotus Supermarket.  I wouldn't call this meal healthy because of the mock meat, but substitute it for some tofu and you've got a good healthy Chinese takeaway meal...oh and very very simple.

"Chicken" Stirfry:

Ingredients:

1 packet mock chicken
2 cloves garlic
small piece of ginger finely sliced
1 fresh chilli (you can use less or more depending on your taste)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tsp sesame oil
2 TBS rice wine vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1tsp (or more) cornflour
veges: I used, 1 capsicum, chinese baby cabbage, spring onions, Broccoli

Method:

Fry Ginger, Garlic and chilli till fragrant
Add veges and stir fry
Add chicken (I baked the chicken before adding to veges so it was crispy)
To make sauce add soy, sesame oil, sugar, vinegar and conrflour and mix well
When veges are tender add sauce allow to cook and thicken.

Coconut Rice.

This is the easiest and yummiest thing ever.

1 Cup Basmati rice, soaked and rinsed till water ran clear
1 cup water
1 cups coconut milk
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp Tumeric (for the colour)
salt to taste.

Method:

Combine all ingredients into a microwave dish
Cover with cling wrap
Cook on high for 12 to 14 minutes checking to see if rice is cooked.
Timings will depend on your microwave.

Note:  This rice can be made extra special by frying some cashews and sultana in some oil and adding when rice is done.  You can also add 1 clove and 1 cardamom pod when cooking.

Onwards and Upwards!!!!!!

I've had an extremely good day, it probably has to do with the fact that I am training, I love training, I wish I could do it all day everyday.  I've also had 2 cups of very large coffees which might have something to do with it. 

With all the turmoil of whether we made the right decision moving here, whether I wanted to stay or go, whether I was in the right job, still being questioned, I've decided to let my brain decide rather than my emotions.  I cannot continue my up and down rollercoaster, it is not good for me or Markus.  So I've decided....Perth is where home is, I will stay put for the next 12 months and complete my postgraduation, and I am reviving my 33.5 yr plan. 

Something else that I intend doing is getting back to my fitness regime, I find I feel alot better when I exercise and I am also alot more confident and I generally perform better.  I intend writing a separate post on this because I need to be held accountable and this will do it and also...help me keep track.
This is a good plan, it is a sound plan, it is a plan that suits both Markus and myself.  I will resolve my mid life crisis buy rewarding myself with an iPad instead.

So there you go folks...onwards and upwards...

Lotus Restaurant - Review

Woohoo my first restaurant review!!!!! On Friday I dragged my very carnivorous brother in law and good friend to Lotus along with Markus.  I have been dying to try this restaurant since we got to Perth because it was vegan mock meat heaven.  Admittedly, I like mock meat, I used to eat it more often than I do now because I found that it just would not agree with me and I put on way too much weight eating it.  So now I leave it for special occasions...like this one.

Lotus is located on James Street, a very modest little restaurant, it had plastic chairs and table covers.  On arriving we were quickly seated be the lady in charge, we were brought menus and served Chinese Tea and Water, we brought some wine with us. The menu was huge and consisted of every meat (mock) under the sun, every Chinese dish you could think of was on there from Mongolian Lamb to Chicken to even Offal. On the lady's suggestion we agreed on the banquet (even though it was a minimum of 6 and we were only 4).

The friend who came along with us looked at me a bit puzzled...asked me if I was ok eating the Satay Chicken...more than happy to play a joke I said yes.  He never realised that he was in a vegan restaurant.

Anyway the Entrees came and it was a platter of satay chicken sticks, spring rolls and deep fried wonton.  The satay sauce that accompanied the chicken was to die for and had everyone uuuuummmmming.  Following the entree was Mongolian Lamb, Prawn and Vege Stirfry, Fish Curry and Crispy fried Duck with Steamed rice.  The Mongolian lamb came out sizzling and the sauce was beautiful with little black beans and vegetables, the texture was a bit too real for me but I ate it.  The Prawn Stirfy...I have to admit I did not touch.  I am not a seafood person and from accounts at the table was a bit bland and too fishy.  Next came the fish curry, now this I was truly dubious about but I had some anyway.  I have to say that this was the best dish of the night, it was spicy, coconuty and just plain yummy.  The fish again was a bit too real, so I ate one piece and just ate the curry.  Just as we thought that we could not eat anymore out came the duck.  Now this I knew was going to be the real challenge, skin on and beautiful sauce on the top I told myself there was no way I was going to eat it.  But I tried it and to my surprise actually liked it, it was crispy the sauce was beautiful and the only thing that stopped me from devouring it was my tummy, I was so stuffed from all the food all I could eat was a couple of pieces.  Dessert was a fruit platter...which was a good thing.

All in all it was a good dinner, the meat eaters liked it and I will definitely go back.  The banquet costed us $19.95 with $1 corkage, I would suggest going on an empty stomach though, the food was very filling.  Attached to the restaurant was a supermarket and I purchased some fried chicken pieces, BBQ pork buns (very scrumptious), wontons (a bit too fishy, will not be buying this again) and some satay sticks. 

So would I recommend this restaurant...Yes, if your into your mock meat!!!!!!! and I give it 3.5 stars ;)

Mid Week Indian

After a particularly crappy day at work I decided I needed the only thing that would make me feel better...Indian...oh and some wine.  Admittedly, the one thing I fail at cooking is Indian, I've followed recipes to the T and they have never turned out right, they just taste the same and bland oh so bland.  It probably has to do with my parents being excellent cooks and nothing I do ever compares.

However, I managed to master this meal, it is healthy and easy and they are one pot wonders.  The rice is particularly healthy, with the help of Calorie King I managed to calculate that each serving is approximately 200 calories...that is excellent for the weight conscious!!!!

The meal consists of red lentils and brown rice with veg, an eggplant dish, and potato chips.  Last night I had my brother in law over for dinner so I added frozen chappatis to the meal...why frozen I hear you ask...because I cannot for the life of me make fresh chappatis, I have tried and failed many, many times, now I just resort to frozen.  They are pretty good, I got 30 chappatis for $4.50 from the local Indian Grocer.  Keep in mind though that each chappati is 115 calories and they are paper thin. 

Anyway, enough of all that calorie crap.  Here is a quick run down on the rice and the Eggplant:

Red Lentil and Brown Rice:

This is a one pot dhal and rice dish, its the best way I can describe it.

Ingredients:

2 TBS Olive Oil
1 Tsp Mustard Seeds (optional but yummy)

1 Onion

2 TBS Ginger Garlic Paste
2 tsp Cumin
2.5 Tsp Coriander
1 Tsp Chilli (or more if you like it spicy)
2 Tsp Tumeric
1 Tsp Garam Masala (I like to add it at the start as opposed to the end)
1 Cup Brown Rice
2 Cups Red Lentils

Veg that I throw in: 1 chopped carrot, 1/4 cauliflower, I frozen pack of spinach and frozen peas when dish is almost done.  You can use any veg you want.

Method:

Fry Mustard till it starts popping
Add onion and Ginger Garlic paste till translucent and almost browning
Add all the spices and slightly toast, if it starts to burn just add a bit more oil.

Add rice and lentils and coat with spices, cook for a minute

Add veg that needs cooking like carrots and cauliflower, if using frozen spinach I just add the block now.
Add Water till it reaches a centimetre above the rice and lentils. 
Season to taste

Note:  The only tricky thing about this dish is that once it come to a boil and starts cook you need to stir it every 3 minutes so its doesn't catch at the bottom.  Keep tasting the rice and cook till the rice is soft and edible.  The finished product is gooey and delish.  You might think that you've added way too much water but that is the consistency and it is also because of the lentils.  If you leave it overnight, it solidifies.

Eggplant Dish:

1 Large Eggplant diced, salted for 15 minutes and washed

1 Onion
1 tbs Ginger garlic paste
1 tbs Cumin
1 Tbs Coriander
1 Tbs Curry Powder
2 Tbs Tomato paste

Method:

Fry Onion and Ginger Garlic Paste in Oil
Add spices and toast
Add tomato paste and fry for a further 2 minutes
Add Eggplant and coat well with spice mix
Add 1 1/2 cups of water
Cook till the eggplant is tender and all the water evaporates and turns into a thick sauce.

Serve the dishes with yummy potato chips, just thinly sliced potatoes oven baked and seasoned.  Papadaams are also a favourite at our place!!!!

Enjoy a taste of ...South India!!!!

Biscuits for all!!!!!

I made the most delicious little cookies to take on my trip to the Pinnacles on Sunday, everyone loved them even swaping (normal) chocolate chicp cookies with Markus for my vegan jam drops.  They were so easy and quick and you only need one lot of cookie dough to make both cookies. 

Things to remember when making these little gems, the cinnamon in the recipe is optional...but when used it takes the cookies to a whole other level of deliciousness.  In the chocolate chip cookies I used a mixture of lindt 70% and Sweet Williams, I then did another batch with just the Sweet Williams...use both, the bitterness of the dark chocolate and the sweetness of the dough makes for awesome cookies.  Lastly, when baking think about your oven, keep checking and the softer they are the better. 

So here it is, I just doubled the quantities, divided and added the chocolate chips to one part.  For the Jam drops make into little balls, indent them with the back of your wooden sppon to make little holes and fill with the best jam you can find, I used strawberry jam. 

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp.salt
cinnamon to taste (optional)
vegan chocolate chips
1 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil (I used olive oil and it was fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.  
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon (if you choose). Add chips. Make a well in the center and set aside.
In a medium size bowl mix vegan sugar and oil. Mix it well.
Add the vanilla and then add the water.
Add the wet to the well in the dry.
Mix it well but be careful not to overwork it.
Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Put them in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes and then flip and rotate the sheets.(top to bottom,and 180 degree rotation) Bake another 4 minutes and check them.

TADDDDAAAAAA:

I also made these wraps for lunch, just some mock chicken, fried with onions and Garlic, with your favourite Italian sauce, I added some baby cos, tomatoes that I oven roasted with Balsamic and olive oil and Jalepenos for me, not for Markus.  Was superb, had it with some roast veg couscous.

Pity Post

Well its not been a very nice 3 days, hence why the 3 blog posts a day ceased for a little while.  For a start I was told that I was moving departments...I don't want to, I love my manager.  I am losing my office...I don't want to, I love being on my own.  AND to add to all of this, I had a run in with the PR department...JOY!!!!! All this in the last week. 

I also think I am experiencing mid life crisis.  I know, I know, many would say that I am only 30, but since I have turned 30 more than 2 months ago I have been living in panic mode.  I have heard stories of women who had their biological clock start ticking at 30, they wanted kids, to settle down, to "build a nest".  I have gone in the opposite direction.  I have started having vivid dreams of leaving everything behind, and jetting off to New York on my own.  I've investigated teaching English in Germany and moving there.  I've had the urge to follow our initial dream of living and working in Dubai.  I have even toyed with the idea of moving back to India.

Now you might say this is natural and with no kids should be easy enough.  The reality is it is not...not for us.  We spent a fortune moving from Melbourne to Perth, we have 4 pets who are our babies, we would not be able to go unless we rehomed them.  I hate feeling helpless, of not having a plan, of not being able to  move forward.  My heart is breaking, I cannot be here, I feel like I am slowly but surely suffocating.  I just cannot be here. 

Died and gone to heaven...chocolate heaven!!!!!

I guess one of the things I thought I would miss going vegan was the chocolate.  Oh how I love chocolate, put it in anything and I will eat it.  Nothing else matters on the dessert menu if there was one chocolate item on it, it is my addiction, an addiciton that my poor husband swears he will never understand...nor does he want to. 

So when I went vegan, I faced the fact that I will never be able to tuck into a bar of chocolate the same way again.  I didn't mind the Lindt Excellence, a bit bitter for me but it was ok.  Sweet Williams I could only have when I've baked with it, eating it plain was out of the question and I've never really come across anything else...which was not exorbitantly expensive...until....KINNERTON!!!!!!  Never heard of it before??? Join the club. 

Strolling along in Big W looking for a breadmaker, I decided to pick up some Lindt, while browsing the chocolate aisle, I came across this little block of chocolate which boldly stated it was dairy free and egg free.  A bit dubious I picked it up anyway, it was only $3.48...my oh my...it is truly delicious.  It is smooth and velvety, and tastes like a little bit of heaven.  I can guarantee you that if you put a little piece of kinnerton infront of someone and didn't tell them it was dairy free, they would never know the difference. 

I am so excited by my little vegan discoveries, what a little bit of shopping around can do. 

Here it is...my little chocolate secret...try it!!!!!

Cooking with Lynda Stoner

Well I have Jo to thank for this, almost a week now of a completely vegan diet and I was starting to get really upset.  The only recipes I found were from American cookbooks and the vegan websites I was looking at were not appealing at all.  After a few failed dinners, esp this stirfry, I was re-thinking the whole thing:

Until...Jo came to my rescue...she introduced me to Lynda Stoner's, Now Vegan.  If you have ever read Alicia Silverstone, The Kind Diet, well, this is the Australian version with a couple of differences.  The most important one, Alicia uses alot more processed mock meats than I like in my diet.  Her ingredients were also hard to come by here in Oz.   Lynda on the other hand, uses fresh ingredients, beautiful meals and the book is sectioned off into Starters, mains and desserts.  So I can cook a glorious 3 course meal using this book as opposed to going from book to website to...literally going mad.

Now the reason I was looking for something in the first place was because I am off on a road trip on Sunday to the Pinnacles and for the life of me could not work out what I would take for the picnic lunch.  The last time we went on a picnic I took mini chocolate and zucchini muffins, egg sandwiches and cucumber sandwiches.  It was delicious, this time I had no idea...until now. 

So if you are looking for an Australian book, where you don't have to decipher ingredients, fresh food and vegan versions of traditional food, I highly, highly recommend Lynda Stoner. It currently reatils at Dymocks for $35, but if you are not in a hurry for it, try the Book Depository, free postage from the UK at $23. 

Happy cooking!!!!!!!!!

Itchy feet

Urrgghhhh I've had such itchy feet the last couple of months, reminds me of my days in Chennai when all I wanted was green lawns, colder weather and inexpensive Internet.  Four months in Perth and I have gone back to craving all of the above (for the exception of the internet!!!), but moving back to Melbourne, as appealing as it may sound at the moment, is not what I want.

I have never travelled, never...in the 7 something years Markus and I have been together, the only "travelling" we have done is to Perth and back.  My claim to fame is my short stint in Dubai after I finishing Uni, in saying that travelling is not what I want to do.  I don't want to go to a city/country visit and have to come back to the same grind I left behind.  I feel the need to be somewhere new, to live somewhere new, to be away from here, just Markus and myself.  Even writing this makes me choke up with emotion.  I feel the need for adventure, to figure out which bus is going to take us to the city, to live in an apartment again in a bustling centre.

Anywhere in Europe will do me.  I mean...anywhere!!!!! Give me a one bedroom apartment in the city with a waitressing job and I think I will be in heaven.  I want to hang out with unpretentious people and talk politics in a smokey pub drinking cheap beer.  I want to drive by the countryside and see nothing but green fields for miles and miles.  Stimulation....that's it....I need stimulation....

When I was younger I read the book Heidi by Johanna Spyri over and over again.  I was so envious of little Heidi who got to sleep on hay and had all of the Alps to herself, I didn't mind the gouchy, old grandfather.  She had wide open spaces, flowers, snow and even a goat. 

Siggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One day some day soon.......

Boycotting the Bigwigs

Last night I had a moment of weakness, lying there on the couch watching "Come Dine With Me" my favourite show, I thought, what's a few eggs here and there and a cup of coffee going to do.  I was considering becoming a Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian again, not to the same extent, but just making exceptions. 
That was until I was sent this, this morning:

http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/dairy/

I cannot plead ignorance because I was already aware, but it came as a timely reminder.  While I signed off the letter I couldn't help but think, I was a National Foods employee not long ago, I loved all the free flavoured Milk, the free cheese, the little custards.  I used to give them away to family and friends, there were so many bottles of milk in the fridge we took them home.  I never gave any thought to what went into it, I imagined happy cows grazing away in the sunshine on green grasslands.  But that could not be further from the truth.

Each year in Australia one million bobby calves are sent off to slaughter as "waste-products" of the dairy industry

So today...I boycott the bigwigs, I will make an effort to choose my products carefully, I will give my money to organisations trying to make a difference, I will make an effort to go to my local farmers market instead of just making to with the crap Woolworths and Coles call vegies. No more Vitasoy, no more coffee from McDonalds, I will spend a few extra dollars to ensure I buy a quality, ethical product. 

I will extend this to my my personal items as well, all of my cleaning products are Earth, Make up after alot of trial and error I have settled on MAC, other products I use are Radox, Palmers Cocobutter (they now have a whole range of skin care which is excellent).  My biggest challenge is Shampoo, my silly hair will only ever agree with Garneir Herbal Essences, and I am yet to find a replacement...but I am doing my research and I am trying.  I am also researching perfume.  But in the meanwhile I believe that every little bit counts.

I will in one word...Make an Effort!!!

Dinner for Two...and some lunch!!!

I have to admit I am still getting a hang of this whole vegan thing.  Not that its my first attempt, I had a very successful 3 weeks in December last year, but that was in Melbourne, where food was readily available and I was not made to feel like I was a fussy princess...but that's a whole new post!!!!

Anyway, after a very hungry day...obviously not planned properly, I went home thinking I was going to cook a sumptuous meal: Alicia Silverstone's Rustic Pasta and a borrowed recipe from "Come Dine with Me" Indonesian Tempeh.  Sounds odd that I would combine the two doesn't it, but the pasta actually had Asian flavours from the Soy so it went quite well.  Apart from the fact that I had forgotten the garlic, an important ingredient for both dishes, it went quite well. 

Tempeh, I have never had it before and I was dying to try it...not a big fan, firstly needed to be shallow fried, and most recipes called for this.  With my battle of the bulge eating this all the time would be disastrous to say the least.  I don't like the texture of it either, I am not even sure how I would describe it and I am not sure that it had anything to do with the way I cooked it, which was with chilli and Ketcup Manis.  But...verdict from both Vegan Wife and Vego Husband...boo to Tempeh.

All in all it was a good dinner, I was going to serve it with a green salad but I couldn't be bothered and dessert was a 5 minute chocolate chip bowl cake...adapted from the Mug cake recipe!!!

Just look at that gooey, yummy thing!!!!! MMMmmmmm...must get myself on the treadmill!!!!!!

Botched Brownies

Had a bit of a disaster night Friday, we had BIL and SIL over for some dinner and wine to watch the Eurovision Semis.  My first vegan dinner, so I decided to go the safe option and did a couscous and chickpea tagine and for dessert my much anticipated vegan brownies. 

All I can say is both were a bit of a disaster, first I forgot I had run out of Cumin and Coriander...sent the husband off to the shops.  In the meanwhile got started on my brownies, the batter looked pretty delicious and tasted fine too:

A few things went wrong, firstly I had my oven on too high, but this I will be honest with you is the crappiest oven I have ever had to bake with.  Then I decided I was too smart to follow the recipe, swapped the maple syrup with brown sugar and then left out the 1/4 cup of sucrat...I dont even know what that is!!!!  I also left the brownies in the oven too long.

Anyway, the result was crumbly, dry brownies.  I was so disappointed, while my guests ate it and even asked for seconds, I decided that playing around with recipes will result in...exactly this!!!! There was a positive though...Sweet William Chocolate chips are just delicious for baking...not so much eating plain. 

Soooooooo, Im not giving up....I am doing up a second batch, I will be converting Barefoot Contessa's Chocolate Brownies!!! I've got a whole tub of Nuttlex to substitute the butter and "No Egg" for the eggs...should turn out jjjuuuusssssttttttt fine....I think!!!!!!

Breakfast Superfoods!!!!

Breakfast will have to be my favourite meal of the day, I look forward to it crave it and cannot understand people who skip it.  I used to traditionally be an eggs on toast with a side of baked beans girl.  I loved it, high in protien and would keep you full for hours, Oh and not forgetting a beautiful, freshly brewed coffee...aahhhhh. 

However...I think I might have stumbled on a Breakfast Superfood, well I like to call it that anyway.  I have tested it on a few people and I have always, always been asked for the recipe.  It is my Blueberry Muesli.  I can assure you it is delicious, high in antioxidants, high in fibre and no artifical sugars, this is as healthy as you can get.

So here it is, try it and tell me what you think, also adjust your quantities as you please, there is no going wrong with this one:

Ingredients:


2 Cups rolled oats (not the quick oats)
1 Cup unsweetened, natual Apple Juice
Frozen Blueberries (I find frozen is much better than the "fresh")
1 granny smith apple (shreded)
Pepitas and Sunflower Mix
flaked Almonds
Soy Milk or Soy Yogurt
 
Method:
 
Put all of the above ingredients into a bowl (except the Soy Milk/yogurt), and refridgerate over night.
 
Serve with the milk/ yogurt and to sweeten, which I definately like to do, Maple Syrup.  A bit of warning with Maple Syrup, you have to find the actual Maple Syrup, which is a bit on the expensive side and not the Maple "flavoured" syrups.  These are full of sugar and artifical sweeteners.
 
You can do variations, swap with other fruit, berries, nuts, add sultanas etc
 

Munching on Chickpeas

To be perfectly honest I was never a really big meat eater, even when I was very young I remember mum trying to hide bits of meat in my food, I always managed to find it.  I hated fish and I can probably count the number of times I ate fish in my entire life.  Chicken I could tolerate and I absolutely loved eggs, I would eat so many of them that everyone thought I would have very high Cholestrol, needless to say, I am perfectly fine.

I grew up in South India and like every other developing, crowded nation there was no escaping the fact that caring for animals was unusual.  I grew up watching stray dogs being hit by cars, chickens hung by their feet on the handle bars of bicycles and Oxen carrying loads so heavy that the only way they would helplessly move on is by being beaten mercilessly.

The change was for me, inevitable and I became vegetarian very very young.  Migrating to Melbourne in 2002 was like moving to another world, I got comfortable, still being vegetarian I  moved in with my now husband who was an omnivore.  Soon after so was I.  I ate meat 3 times a day and loved it, what the eyes dont see the heart doesn't feel I guess. 

I then started doing my research in to Western methods of farming...and oh was I horrified.  I was never aware of the terms, Factory Farming or knew what Cage Eggs meant.  Now I did.  I eventually went back to being vegetarian and as hard as it was to go back, I stuck to my guns.  The more research I did and the more people I associated with I realised the cruelty out there.  Guilt enveloped me, and knowing challenged me.  If Markus, born and raised in a meat and 3 veg family, was giving it a go, why could I not take the next step?

I am now on my way to becoming a vegan, slowly but steadily I know I will get there.

Cruelty Free Food is what I call it :)

My very first Blog!!!!!

Well I've been writing for a while using the Notes section on my Facebook Page and decided that it was finally time to get myself my very own blog.  So here it is, still tweaking my background and colours...oh how I love technology!!!!

Alittle about myself. I am a recent resident of Western Australia after moving from beautiful Melbourne with my husband and pets.  Perth is a beautiful city but I am still very homesick for Melbourne, the coffee, the weather, the endless resturants...ahhhhhhh.

I like nothing better than a hot cup of coffee in the morning or a sitting at a table with good friends eating scrumptious food and drinking good wine...which I have to say is boundless in WA.  I am a bake-a-holic and after several failed attempts at cakes and biscuits I think I have picked up a few skills that I am very proud of.  In saying that I am useless at pastry...I buy them...no frustrations.

I am a vegetarian on my journey to becoming a vegan.  This blog will contain alot of my trials and tribulations in my journey to convert to veganism.  The blog will contain successful and failed recipes, my weight loss trials, and my animals.

So if you have read so far and you have liked what you have read...then...FOLLOW ME!!!!