Wedding Anniversary

Went to Apollo Bay for our 40th Wedding Anniversary at the weekend, one of our Daughters gave us the weekend as a present, we had a delightful time. The area around Apollo Bay is beautiful, we could very easily live there, the only problem from my point of view is that these small resort towns don't cater for Vegetarian too well, and if you where a committed Vegan then bring your own, would help you not to go too hungry. There needs to be a push to be more environmentally focused in these sort of places, I'm sure even on Holidays one would not loose ones ideals and, with the growing trend of environmental vegetarians surely restaurants could start catering for them more, with not just one choice and expensive as well. Enough with the complaining, as our weekend was very nice and the wine was great. Long walks and just very relaxing, after all the problems with owner building etc it was great to have a whole weekend with nothing to do except enjoy.

Patio

Finely the patio paving is done and I love it. Naturally there is still alot to be done, but this is a start. Now we have to start designing the garden, I think that's when the fun begins?

Apple and Cinnamon Muffins

These muffins are the easiest to whip up when unexpected visitors drop in.
Makes 10-12
220grms self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
1 1/2tsp ground cinnamon
120grms vegan margarine
1/2cup maple syrup or other sweetner [apple or pear syrup is good]
1 1/2tsp vanilla extract
1cup unsweetened apple sauce or stewed apples [ I usually have some frozen, but you also can use tinned or jar variety]

1] Pre-heat the oven to 180c and prepare a muffin tin [ I use muffin papers]
2] Place all dry ingredients into a bowl, mix well.
3] In a larger bowl, cream margarine and add all the wet ingredients, mix well.
4] Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring gently by hand.
5] Spoon into muffin tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when tested.
6] Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. ENJOY

Chocolate Berry Muffins

I have been so busy, not much time to blog. Lots of work going on at our place, the only problem is that the workers don't take as much care as when one does things oneself, my beautiful two year old grape vines are gone, but thank God, my wisteria remains, lets hope there are no more mishaps. I have promised friends that I would put more recipes on the blog so here is one of my favourites.
CHOCOLATE BERRY MUFFINS
Makes 12 - 14
2 cups self-raising flour
1 tbsp. soy flour
1/2 cup cocoa
tsp. baking powder
1 cup raw sugar ( I use 1 cup maple syrup or other sweetener)
160mls. vege oil ( I used olive or other nice oil)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
160mls. rice or soy milk( can use almond milk or other)
160mls. apple juice
1 cup mixed frozen berries ( I have actually used between 1-2 cups we like more berries)

1) Pre-heat oven to 180 c and prepare muffin tin.
2) In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, Sifting the flours and cocoa.
3) In another bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together.
4)Slowly stir the combined wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then stir in the frozen berries. (the berries are best kept frozen as they keep their shape better when mixing)
5) Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when tested.
6) Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

I usually use muffin papers in my muffin tins, so much easier and less mess. ENJOY

old home

I went back to my old home town of Wodonga at the weekend, and revisited lots of my old haunts. The most interesting, was the Bonegilla Migrant Heritage Park. Both my parents came through there before their new lives began in Australia. It was a very difficult time for a lot of people and then not so difficult for others, my Mother was very young and romantic, she met my Father on the ship coming to Australia , for her there was a lot of fun and not too much to worry about. When I took her there for the 50th annivesary cellabrations, her memories where happy ones. There is a wall where plaques can be placed in memory of the people who came through there, and I will have one placed there for my Mother.

garden

I don't have much of a garden , I am waiting for my dam to be built, that should be done in the next week or two, but I do have a couple of plants and my favourite is my wisteria given to me by my children. It has flowered for the first time and I think it's beautiful.

house

I have worked hard all afternoon to try and put a photo of our house on my blog , let hope I have succeeded, it's very difficult when one doesn't understand what one is doing. To talk about our Owner Building Adventure I need to post some pictures, so here is the first one.

fear

We all have our own fears and fear them in different degrees. My fears are always about my family and as long as they are all ok then so am I. Naturally this World Credit Crisis is a fear but only as far as money matters so one learns a little more and as far as I'm concerned money doesn't make us happy, it helps pay the bills but in the cold light of day that's all. We can do without lots of things but we can never do without the love of our Families and that money can never buy. So lets not worry too much OK, [even though our supper has gone down and we might need whats left soon]. I had a beautiful day with my whole family yesterday, in Melbourne, the weather was great, they were great, the food was great what more can I ask for.

workcover

As I've said before my husband is home at the moment on stress leave, from his work, which is where the stress comes from. Today we had a workcover investigator come to our home to take Hans statement, which led to a lot of stress over the weekend, naturally, well it just goes to show, we shouldn't have worried so much as he was a very nice man. So now it's been all recorded, and for once the small worker is taking a stand for his rights, it still mightn't work out in our favour but at least we tried, so now it's a waiting game till we find out the results at the end of october, which in it's self is also stressful. Once we have closure that will be the time when hopefully the stress will be all gone. Our son came to see us over the weekend and took us out to dinner and generally we had a lovely time catching up with him, as he's been out of the country, our daughters have also been very supportive. I think my family are just great. I made that Tofu Cheesecake for the weekend and it is very good, our son is not vegan or vegetarian, but he thought it was great, so do give it a go.

Vegan Cheesecake

This would have to be the best Vegan Cheesecake I've ever tasted, and not difficult to make either.

VEGAN CHEESECAKE
Base
250grms Cornflakes
1oogrms sugar
100grms nutalex [vegan margarine]
3tblsps rice syrup

Blend the lot in a food processor. Cover the base of a cake tin, press the crumbs down into the base and bake 10 minutes.

Topping
1 cup castor sugar
1tblsp vanilla essence
4tblsps oil [I used olive]
4tblsps lemon juice
the rind from a lemon
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1500grms silken tofu
Mix all together in a food processor, making sure it's all well combined, the pour over base, and sprinkle with bluberries or mixed berries.
Bake at 160 to 180c for 1 hour check to make sure oven is not too hot and also check that middle is set at the end of the hour. Take from oven cool and enjoy.

I found that this amount is a little big for just the 2 of us so I halved the ingredient, but baked it for the same amount of time and it was perfect. ENJOY

Birthday party

We were invited to a friend's 40th birthday party yesterday, and a lovely day it was, good company lots of kids and great food. Now being what I'd call as a bit of a foodie, I have never seen such an array of vegan and vegetarian food on a table, it really was a vego's heaven and mostly it came about because we all brought a plate, not that we had to. All I can say is that I wish all parties where like that, any hostess would be so much more relaxed and able to enjoy her party with gusto. As an added bonus not one child had a temper tanturm from too much sugar or overly rich food, they where a delight. Happy Birthday Michelle and may you have many more.

Chocolate Berry Muffins

Thought I'd post the easiest muffin recipe ever, I've even changed it around when I haven't got say enough berries and added more apples or no sugar, instead maple syrup, and they always work.
Makes about 12

CHOCOLATE BERRY MUFFINS
2 cups self-raising flour
1 tblsp soy flour [i've left this out sometimes]
1/2 cup cocoa [or more is also good, so to taste]
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup raw sugar[less is good or substitute with other sweetners]
160mls vege oil [i've used olive]
1 tsp vanilla extract
160mls soy or rice milk
160mls apple juice [i've used stewed apples]
1 cup mixed frozen berries or more according to taste

1] Pre heat oven to 180/c and prepare muffin tray, I use muffin papers
2] In a large mixing bowl, sift flours and cocoa, then add baking powder and sugar.
3] In separate, smaller bowl, whisk the oil, vanilla, milk and apple juice.
4] Slowly stir the combined wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then stir in the berries.
5] Spoon into the muffin tray and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when tested.
6] Leave to cool in the tray for 5 to 10 minutes before placing onto a wire cooling rack.

So easy. I'm sorry I don't have a picture to show as yet.

stress

Having a few problems with my husband H. he's on sick leave at the moment, and you all know what it's like with a husband underfoot, very hard to do what you want when you want, not that I'm really complaining as I actually like having him around. But needless to say I don't have the time for all the things I like to do. He's very stressed at the moment, so the building is not progressing very fast.

House building

About 4 years ago my husband Hans and I started building our 35sq pole frame mudbrick home. It's been a long journey and we are not yet finished, but are getting there. The house is double story so once the roof was on and most of the walls up, we shifted in, living in the bottom half with our teenage daughter[she's a good sport and never complained]. We put a shower in our unfinished B&B unit, which is attached but we have to access via the back doors which in winter wasn't that much fun. It's amazing what a person can put up with. Living on site is a lot easier, especialy during daylight saving time.

books

I just heard about a great book that I would like to read, Milk, the deadly poison anybody have a spare copy or know where I can buy one here in Aussie. Also The China Study is another book I'm after.

restaurant

My husband and I went to melbourne on saturday, first to grays auctions, as we are building our own mudbrick house and we love to shop at grays. We brought a split system air conditioner, a sink and mixer for the little selfcontained unit we are also building. After that we went to Ikea, as we are using their base units in our Kitchen, to buy a shelf for one of the units, got that and then it was of to the Home Show, a lot of walking and also a little boring. By this stage it was around six in the evening and it was time to go somewhere for dinner. Enlightened Cuisine Chinese Vegetarian Restaurant is where I suggested we go, what a lovely little place and the service was excellent as was the food. Naturally lots of Mock everything, but oh so tasty. We will definitly be going back. So next time your in Melbourne near Queensbridge st do try this great Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant.