Tropical Chia Pudding and Life

Just been soooo busy these last few weeks, didn't even have time to read all the blogs that I follow and I'm trying to catch up but some blogs are so interesting that it's taking awhile. We have been continuing to clean up around here and also we have finished the so called Pink room, which our daughter is shifting into, I might be able to get a picture when she is settled in, but it is such a lovely feeling to now have two rooms in the house finished. In the last month I have also joined the Melbourne Rawfood Meetup group and they had a get together here in Hepburn springs, now that was truly an eye opener, I have never seen such a delicious banquet of good for you food before, I am inspired. I don't think I'll go fully raw, but I think 60% to 70% might be a good compromise. I also attended World Vegan Day with my Daughter and my 2 Granddaughters which made it very difficult to see everything, I think next year I'll go with friends or even by my self as I'd like to go to some of the lectures. Life at the moment is good and I thank God for that. I was given this recipe by Helena and it is very good and also very easy.
TROPICAL CHIA PUDDING
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 ripe mangoes
3-4 ripe bananas
1 thai drinking coconut
1/2 cup of chia seeds

Directions:
1. Soak the chia seeds in 3 cups of water for 2 hours.
2. Open the coconut and pour the coconut water into a blender.
3. Scrape out the coconut flesh and add to the blender.
4. Add mangoes and bananas to blender and blend till smooth.
5. Pour contents of blender into a bowl and add chia seeds and mix well.

Perhaps some Cashew nut cream or coconut cream as an extra dollop on top. Delicious

The Pink Wall

We love what we have done so far with our second bedroom, and this is our wonderful pink mud brick wall. Doing lots of work so not much time to blog at the moment.

Warrens Place

We went to Greta South for the weekend again, to take some more things to Warren's place. And then we went to Tatong and the Pub there for Dinner. The meal wasn't anything to recommend, but the place it's self is just so lovely, a real old fashioned country pub. And naturally Warren's place is just so peaceful, I would like to, at the least, stay for a week, as there is so much to explore.

kblog: Lord of the Fries- Northland

kblog: Lord of the Fries- Northland
Wow!!!!! Next time I'm in Melbourne I'll go shopping to Northland, haven't been for ages. I never get to have junk food.

Hunza Pie

Hunza Pie. [Very easy.]

I made this pie for another great get together on the 24th of sept. and most of us know what that was all about, and those who missed it hopefully you won't next time.

Filo pastry or any short crust pasrty that you prefer.

Line your pie plate with the pastry.

You'll need some cooked brown rice, I used about 2 mugs full as I was making for a large group.

3 bunches of Silverbeet, and I only used the leaves not the stalks. Chop the leaves roughly.

2 chopped onions. [large]

500grms soft Tofu, Grated.

Some coriander to taste. Chopped.

A splash of Tamari, also to taste.

Garlic about 3 cloves crushed. You can add more or less depending on you taste.

Chopped Pine nuts, about a half a cup. [that's how many I had in my pantry and it seemed to be enough but you could add more if your budget allows].

S&P to taste

Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top.

3tbls oil or more if needed.

Saute your onions in a little oil [olive] then add garlic and your chopped silverbeet leaves. Saute till softened. Allow to cool alittle and add all the other ingredients except for the Sesame Seeds and Oil. Place some Filo pastry on top[ or your own choice pastry] brush with the oil and sprinkle with the Sesame seeds. Bake at 180c for about an hour and nicely golden on top. Serve. Lovely with a salad. ENJOY

Cleaning the back yard

This is our back yard, and we have to clean up before summer. Poor Hans he has to do all the hard work, but I help, by planting my Beautiful Birthday Presents from my family and by taking pictures, of Poor Hans Working, and my Beautiful Birthday Presents. The beautiful Purple Wanderer is a wild plant that has come out in flower every year that we have been here, so I thought that I would take a picture of it as it will have to go, as it's in an area that we are cleaning up. I'm hoping that if we try not to disturb the root system it might survive.

New Room

We are so pleased have nearly finished one of the bedrooms.

Very Easy Vegan Lasagna

I made this lasagna last night for Dinner more as an experiment for my meat eating family, who love my vegetarian lasagna, so its really a copy of my vegetarian lasagna but veganised.

INGREDIENTS

1 or 2 pkts instant lasagna sheets

3 pkts chopped frozen spinach

1pkt Bonsoy or whatever soy milk you use

1 tube tofutti cream cheese

2 jars organic pasta sauce, I used the Aldi brand, and they are pretty good for a cheap brand, don't forget this is a very easy dish and to use some convenience foods occasionally is ok

1 cup olives - sliced

1 small minced onion or chives or spring onions

2 tbls olive oil

1 tbls plain flour

3 tbls nutritional yeast 1 to 2 cups of water - you can cut down on the water and add more soy milk for a richer sauce

2 tbls tahini

2 tsps chicken flavored stock, I use massel

1 to 2 cups soy milk

s&p

parsley

Method

1. Gently saute the onions in the oil, for about 3 minutes, add the flour, mix well, add the yeast and slowly add the water, whisking to combine the ingredients into a smooth sauce. Stir in the tahini and stock.

2. Whisking continuously, cook over a medium heat until the sauce thickens, add salt and pepper.

3. Oil your Lasagna tray, spread with a little pasta sauce and I added a couple of spoons of water to just make it a little more spreadable.

4. Put your lasagna sheet on top to fit - I assume most know how to assemble a lasagna.

5. In a bowl, mix together your spinach and tofutti and spread this onto the lasagna.

6. Add another sheet lasagna.

7. Spread the pasta sauce over and add the olives and as well if you like some sliced zucchini or mushrooms etc- whatever you have on hand.

8. Another sheet of lasagna.

9. Now pour over the prepared Cheese sauce sprinkle with the parsley or decorate with other herbs or as you desire.

10. Bake in a 180 degree oven for approximately for an hour or more depending on your oven or how well you like your lasagna done. ENJOY

I usually change thing to what I might have on hand, but this is the basic recipe to start with. We all really liked this.

The Face On Your Plate

I have just finished reading this book, and I would recommend it to all. It's not a hard book to read, very easy to understand, sometimes these books are a bit heavy going. For anyone interested in animals please read this book. I like PETA'S saying - You can't be an environmentalist if you eat meat- Once you read this book you will realise that in so many ways we are doing harm to ourselves and the planet by using animals as we do. They want to live as much as we do in peace and harmony.

Occupancy Certificate

We finely have our occupancy certificate, which in legal terms means we are now allowed to live in our house. So to receive this certificate we had to finish 3 main parts to a reasonable standard, and they where the balcony, the internal staircase and a wet area. The bathrooms are 3 and we have finished one to a reasonable standard, but we don't think it's finished to our standard yet and so we are still working on it and the other two, and hopefully all finished in the not too distant further. The stair case was nearly finished, except for the balastrading and that is more for the safety of ourselves and our two beautiful granddaughters, who for some reason love going up and down them whenever they come to visit. But our grand balcony is more or less finished just the ceiling and a paint job. What a pleasure to stand out there and watch the kangaroos and bird life or just to contemplate life its self. We are so blessed to have such a beautiful place to live.

Carrot and Cashew Nut Roast

Went to a winter solstice dinner a couple of weeks ago, and had a very nice time, but the idea was that everyone brought a plate to share, it was a wonderful foodie dinner, so my contribution was the Carrot and Cashew Nut Roast needless to say I was asked by a few of the group for the recipe, so here it is, I only wish I had taken a photo of the night as well as the food.

1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
450g carrots, cooked and mashed
225g cashew nuts, ground
100g breadcrumbs
1 tbsp tahini
1 1/2tsps caraway seeds
1 tsp yeast extract
juice of 1/2 a lemon
65ml stock
salt & pepper

1. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until soft.
2. Mix together with all the other ingredients and season to taste.
3. Place the mixture in a greased loaf tin, I used a square dish and that presented very nicely.
4. Cover with foil and bake at 180 c or 350 f] for about an hour.
5. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes. Leave to stand in loaf tin for 10 minutes before turning out. I left mine in the dish for carrying and presentation.
ENJOY

Old Friends

Went to a friends 60th birthday party on Sunday, caught up with alot of old friends that I haven't seen for a good ten years, some have changed alot and then some, who haven't changed much. What I found interesting was how much I had changed, not in looks, I'm not concerned about that, but the path one takes in life. Fifteen years ago I became a vegetarian so my interests have evolved along that path into animal rights, veganism, etc. It's ten years since I left the suburbs to live here in this beautiful country town of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, and the 7 acres we live on and, in our wonderful nearly finished mud brick home that we have slowly built over the last 5 years. Sunday was for me, an eye opener, we could still be suburbanites if we hadn't taken a chance and changed our outlook on life. My vegetarianism was the beginning or should I say Peter Singer's book on Animal Liberation was my awakening. Not one of my old friends has travelled with me on this path, which makes me rather sad, even Global Warming isn't part of their concerns. Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not really complaining, I'm just amazed that in the suburbs things don't change too much, so how are the issues of Global Warming or Peak Oil going to be tackled when issues of keeping up with the Joneses are still important. How do we get the messages across to these people, when even being a vegetarian is still unusual.

new computer

My old computer died around last december, we now finally have a new one, only problem is so much new stuff to learn. So I will be updating my blog soon.