The hexagon a day project is going well,sometimes on schedule,sometime two or three steps,forward or backwards but am very happy with the colours,they make me feel like spring is already here!!I'm really getting inspired to make some kind of hexagon jacket,but if I sit on my sofa I will merge into my hexagon blanket and never be seen again!!
I have been vegan for nearly a month now and am starting to get know a few things,I am getting used to reading labels,am compiling a list of vegan foods (and booze!!!) sometimes with the help of websites such as http://www.barnivore.com which causes me a lot of joy and pain depending on which of my favourite tiples is vegan!!! Guinness I am sad to say is not :( but Magners pear cider (yummy) is vegan,it's just a case of finding out and focusing on the positives,oh and keeping in mind the big picture,the fact that I don't want to be part of any harm done to any animal. I also find it much easier to eat at home and to cook mainly from scratch,it's a shame restaurants don't do good home vegan cooking,they would be so popular!!!
This is my mixed nut and chestnut loaf which I made for dinner
But as it is very moist it also doubles as a pate to use in sandwiches,what follows is a very rough recipe as I tend to taste and add things as I go and don't measure much:-
Nut and chestnut loaf
In a bowl put handful each ground almonds,cashews and walnuts(roughly ground in coffee grinder,1/2 packet bulgar wheat,quinoa and chickpeas,2 slices wholemeal bread made into breadcrumbs nutritional yeast to taste(about 2 tablespoons),tsp mixed herbs....in frying pan fry the following in olive oil til soft,1 large onion,handful mushrooms 1 finely chopped green pepper when cooked add tablespoon miso paste tsp marmite and vegetable tomato paste,mix everything together plus a tin of chestnut purée,mixture will be wet,1/2 hour 190 c or gas 5 cool slightly then slice and serve or cool to use as pate.
I served this with vegetables and cashew cheesy sauce( ground cashew nuts,nutritional yeast and water,simmer in a pan gently until thickens,I added mustard,pepper and turmeric but you could add parsley or whatever herb you fancy,this makes a cheesy,rich thick sauce and it's super yummy!!!!
Yum yum,I made way too much nut loaf so have frozen some in nice thick slices,I am using my freezer frequently to save soups and bakes so I can rustle something up quickly another time,like a present to my future self,homemade without the effort!! :)
My next project I am working on is a crocheted wreath which I am going to decorate with flowers and leaves,am thinking a spring theme with daisies and buttercups,bluebells maybe? At the moment have only got as far as the wreath itself which is a polystyrene one covered in a rectangle of single crochet material eased to fit and sewn into place at the back.
