tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-565448790757850092024-02-19T03:19:28.357+00:00BentoventionMilokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-35420638598163399342013-07-02T13:16:00.000+01:002013-07-02T13:16:42.809+01:00Orange and Poppy Seed Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduJmZLHQW7_xxeA6Ei2Cr2My9AISdf24YhzDjrXoESjJ1c-mxbgP8L5vweCLbX11n4PaXtX0GD7EWOLRnTBdxbpK77TtwnnCrH-XnuvQ4F6zzjqF5_UzgWs4Zo7-Tx0dTiD0GLn51YA/s640/poppyseed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduJmZLHQW7_xxeA6Ei2Cr2My9AISdf24YhzDjrXoESjJ1c-mxbgP8L5vweCLbX11n4PaXtX0GD7EWOLRnTBdxbpK77TtwnnCrH-XnuvQ4F6zzjqF5_UzgWs4Zo7-Tx0dTiD0GLn51YA/s320/poppyseed.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hello all! Here's a tasty recipe for you. <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Orange and poppy seed bread. Gluten free and vegan. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 and 1/2 cups of gluten free flour</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup of poppy seeds</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp of olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsps of cinnamon</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup of orange juice</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 cup of rice/nut milk.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blend dry ingredients then mix in the wet ones. Don't over-mix, or it will be too chewy. Bake in the oven on 180 for approx 25 mis until crust is golden and risen well. To make this into a sweet version, just add half a cup of brown sugar.</span></span>Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-4833026346481761222013-06-25T22:58:00.000+01:002013-06-25T22:58:27.380+01:00No.109 Bento Big and Small It was a nice surprise for me recently when my almost fourteen year old daughter (Big T) told me she would like to start taking bento to school again. She hasn't wanted bento for secondary school for the past two years at all, so this is a big deal for me. So now I have two bento to make again, one for her and one for little t, and I love that! These are the bento I made for the children ready for tomorrow's lunch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcylbe9pFOcMWQlYSvuxxZzgkfUeiAISAgd0jk5xEUqoR_GpUpq-fKKO2N4Ez9x-8iRhkkP78mKiV9oxx946DcS8RcO_ef6yGpiQM-yyp02Pe5kUJ4dv0X-xjmsOmigeu94OQSy0pihw/s1600/photo+1-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcylbe9pFOcMWQlYSvuxxZzgkfUeiAISAgd0jk5xEUqoR_GpUpq-fKKO2N4Ez9x-8iRhkkP78mKiV9oxx946DcS8RcO_ef6yGpiQM-yyp02Pe5kUJ4dv0X-xjmsOmigeu94OQSy0pihw/s320/photo+1-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Big T's bento is in the strawberry shaped box and little t's bento is in his favourite green box. Vegan veggie burger, rocket, a ketchup pot, raspberries and blackberries for little t. I saved the little dancing girl fruit forks from some boxes of dates we had at Christmas. I think they probably look a little bit risqué for children's bento, but oh well. Big T has the same but with some extra burger, ciabatta bread and cucumber. Her fruit layer consists of strawberries and grapes since she likes neither raspberries nor blackberries. They will also take in some vegan banana and coconut bread that my mother in law baked (so good).<br />
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While I packed tonight's bento boxes I started to consider how my two children's tastes vary slightly, and how their appetites and nutritional requirements differ quite immensely. You can see that I've had to put more food in Big T's box, she's older so that makes sense of course. But some of that food is 'filler' food, with the ciabatta. I don't like using bread in bento to be honest. At least, more often than not I'd rather avoid it. Bread is empty calories (empty, delicious calories...). It also gets boring, and harks back to that school lunch trap of the daily sandwich.<br />
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I think I'm going to have to get more creative with filling Big T's appetite requirement now she's asking for bento again. Bread just won't do. More raw vegetables are in order, and probably some quinoa or cous cous.<br />
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Poor Big T has been poorly with a kidney infection this week, so I had her home with me yesterday. I made her a nice big plate full of healthful things for her lunch and she wolfed it down.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB743bJRP7RQZJulcLRBUqG5t6A6oryZ52qwBRwWOZQBN38lCubiLuoYvGbLc7OiD-jblm0Uk0BdSqF8qcPyNwHP6X4hIVHX5g-XPSLe5zuieVGbcufRVg1C7c8F28PyNuzQB0i2RVOQ/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB743bJRP7RQZJulcLRBUqG5t6A6oryZ52qwBRwWOZQBN38lCubiLuoYvGbLc7OiD-jblm0Uk0BdSqF8qcPyNwHP6X4hIVHX5g-XPSLe5zuieVGbcufRVg1C7c8F28PyNuzQB0i2RVOQ/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Not the best presentation of a mezze, I know, but it tasted good. She had cucumber and carrot sticks, peri-peri humous, half an avocado with lemon juice and black pepper, strawberries and some wholmeal crackers with vegan (Toffuti) garlic and chive cream 'cheese'. Yum. I had the same but with some leftover roasted veggies, too.<br />
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This past week my lovely neighbour told me to start helping myself to his herb garden (mine is a bit bare to say the least), so I ended up with the most gorgeously scented bunch of rosemary. Whenever I have rosemary and dill in the house at the same time, I go straight to this recipe: <a href="http://www.theppk.com/2011/11/dilly-stew-with-rosemary-dumplings/">Dilly Stew with Rosemary Dumplings</a> by Isa Chandra over at Post Punk Kitchen. I suppose it's not really a summer recipe, but who needs rules? This stew is one of the most satisfying meals I make on regular rotation. The payback you get in flavour and all round goodness is remarkable considering its simplicity in preparation. For about twenty minutes max of chopping veggies and mixing a few dry ingredients together I end up with a meal fit for vegan kings. Here it is served up with ciabatta spread with 'Pure' sunflower margarine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeqVa173eTDpjiRfNjrylmdet7XQIXKdOb95Agihmf47Z4Qd_iO5wJYs5nzOHX4OxvaqtRwgfPjXMEyhZbXleDU3Hbo2i9QirWEvJclsUj-LwOzYFbimnDiq3c9gnycwLbwF70CmHIQ/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeqVa173eTDpjiRfNjrylmdet7XQIXKdOb95Agihmf47Z4Qd_iO5wJYs5nzOHX4OxvaqtRwgfPjXMEyhZbXleDU3Hbo2i9QirWEvJclsUj-LwOzYFbimnDiq3c9gnycwLbwF70CmHIQ/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-80442001386855780912012-12-14T10:50:00.000+00:002012-12-14T10:50:01.787+00:00Part 1: Christmas at Bentovention<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello all! We're are getting truly into the Christmas spirit here at Bentovention House. Although a couple of trays of mince pies have been baked earlier in December, I have waited until now to start cooking in preparation for parties and the Christmas week. Although my Christmas pudding is always made well in advance (see my previous post for a picture), I leave the baking of the Christmas cake until the week before Christmas. That is because I really don't like a heavy fruit cake so I bake a light fruit cake similar to a simnel cake instead. With more cake and less fruit in its anatomy, it won't keep for as long as a dense fruit cake. I will be baking the simnel-Christmas cake next week and posting up a recipe and pictures on here to share. In the mean time, here are some other Christmas recipes I have veganised and put my own interpretation on. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Vegan Treacle Mincemeat</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoQ_x30pqG0G_OrWnksgt55or4pEnI3JYcHG3vJW0fUBiZSCvzk9jpjt-t4wKUjmcP0VqO9UF2zSNMv5-Lh1Mh3cEha2Vv7jw0yibjG5N1wXtU_i6f5ztIQ6eOxjNdPAkmUeZLlVi1g/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoQ_x30pqG0G_OrWnksgt55or4pEnI3JYcHG3vJW0fUBiZSCvzk9jpjt-t4wKUjmcP0VqO9UF2zSNMv5-Lh1Mh3cEha2Vv7jw0yibjG5N1wXtU_i6f5ztIQ6eOxjNdPAkmUeZLlVi1g/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I used to put vegetable suet in my mincemeat, but I don't any more. I didn't find the suet added flavour, but it certainly added calories and fat. If the mincemeat is cooked then certainly the suet would act as a preservative and also bind the mixture together, but there is so much sugar content in this recipe that I wouldn't bother worrying whether anything will start living in it! <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Recipe:</span><br />
500g of fat, juicy raisins<br />
300g of chopped glace' cherries<br />
200g of mixed candied peel<br />
200g of black treacle<br />
200g of golden syrup<br />
1 jar of orange marmalade with shreds.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Instructions:</span><br />
Throw it all into a bowl and mix it until you have a dark, sticky, delicious mess. Jar it up in a sterilised jar (I do mine in the oven for twenty minutes on a medium heat), then use when required.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Vegan Devil's Food Cake</span></div>
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For anyone like me that isn't overly fond of fruit cakes, the white iced chocolate cake is a nice festive alternative. I came up with this veganised recipe for Devil's Food Cake yesterday so that my daughter will have a yummy dessert to share with her friends at the Christmas party she is having tonight.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Recipe:</span><br />
4 tablespoons of cocoa powder<br />
175g of boiling water<br />
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda<br />
100g of dark chocolate<br />
125g of dairy free spread (I use 'Pure')<br />
350g of caster sugar<br />
4 tablespoons of oil (I use walnut oil, any type is fine)<br />
300g of plain flour<br />
200ml of rice or soy milk<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">For the frosting:</span><br />
250g of dairy free spread<br />
500g of icing sugar<br />
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract<br />
(blend into a paste, adding more spread/icing sugar than the recipe suggests if you don't get the thick creamy consistency you expect. There are no hard and fast rules on how much to use.)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Decoration:</span><br />
I used some chopped dairy free white chocolate buttons for the top. I think some grated dark chocolate would do just as nicely.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Instructions:</span><br />
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Put the cocoa into a heat proof bowl and mix into a paste with the boiling water. Add a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and blend well. Set aside to cool.<br />
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Break up the chocolate into another heat proof bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth and set aside.<br />
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Put the soft spread into a mixing bowl and beat until very soft, then beat in the sugar until completely blended. Fold in the flour in three batches, along with the oil. Mix well.<br />
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Add the cocoa liquid into the melted chocolate and mix together. Fold in the chocolate mixture into the cake batter thoroughly until there are no streaks.<br />
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Divide the mixture between two cake pans and bake for about thirty minutes until risen and firm.<br />
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Decorate when completely cooled.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_aZizVMw2wJCGPCrGHMPgG4ctBHuv7Bzb396qkSyRLF4CMAnw_imbsIff6-vob57lv8pzBPtwErYyVm-slQNmKEJrr_ElZ7iIJqnofxcG7GfX10G_uaLrx8-HXnJ7gq9ePNlJ9vSjCA/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_aZizVMw2wJCGPCrGHMPgG4ctBHuv7Bzb396qkSyRLF4CMAnw_imbsIff6-vob57lv8pzBPtwErYyVm-slQNmKEJrr_ElZ7iIJqnofxcG7GfX10G_uaLrx8-HXnJ7gq9ePNlJ9vSjCA/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And finally, just a little update about the sloe gin I mentioned in my last post. I have now decanted it back into the original gin bottle ready for Christmas. I couldn't help having a little sample to make sure it was okay. It is unbelievably delicious. Shop bought slow gin usually tastes like pure sugar syrup and is thick and sickly. This home made batch has a sweetness to it, but retains a slightly tart aftertaste. It is absolutely perfect. Making sloe gin has been an all 'round success, from the wonderful afternoon I spent hunting sloes with my dear friend and my children, to the anticipation of it while it quietly did its thing in the cool, dark of my cupboard, and now this delicious prize at the end of it all. I am pleased as punch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-uf2kLo7HVVAVyKwMprd_bInOMgPuNp1ZCEMCZ6DvUr2ggj8kNKEFLQHlJom51-DvZRkhNzTF8ZlLqCFuEMk4GVOkmBqJSKvfQdAXy6wy_ou2ecD087BBFJar1L8XNr3W5J4M_JJlA/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-uf2kLo7HVVAVyKwMprd_bInOMgPuNp1ZCEMCZ6DvUr2ggj8kNKEFLQHlJom51-DvZRkhNzTF8ZlLqCFuEMk4GVOkmBqJSKvfQdAXy6wy_ou2ecD087BBFJar1L8XNr3W5J4M_JJlA/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Keep a look out next week for the second instalment of Christmas at Bentovention when I will show you my take on a Christmas cake and fill you in on any other treats I've made in the mean time.Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-85011766188720400802012-11-22T16:44:00.000+00:002012-11-22T16:44:44.225+00:00Coming soon: Christmas at Bentovention<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello all! Here at 'Fort Bentovention' (I have lovingly dubbed my home a fort since this past summer when we had some absolutely beautiful wooden decking and fencing build in our back garden), I am winding down my research work as a PhD student in preparation for a long break over December. While I work, I am listening to Christmas carols, which was initially just as a cheery background to my typing, but has now become a gentle reminder that I must work hard to finish in time for the break I want to take. </div>
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My mind is frequently distracted during the day, as I ponder new vegan recipes I'd like to try in December. Last Christmas I made this cranberry, walnut and chestnut wellington, which was absolutely delicious. It was a recipe I copied from a friend's cookery book. I believe the name of the book was "How to have the best Christmas ever" or something similar. I took the non-vegan recipe and veganised it with some clever substitutions.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0dl3gpT7J2z7BPldtzBPh3alCAPfbvnWW0oXkzN0hVlfzaPG_Z_6ksUG2-i57x0_e7cYI1p9ToeGAS-SUTgSZbh4SEAdSup0geye5i4bU4o8wnrkH-lru7IwS2kFIxZfdXqiP_yXuw/s1600/2011Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0dl3gpT7J2z7BPldtzBPh3alCAPfbvnWW0oXkzN0hVlfzaPG_Z_6ksUG2-i57x0_e7cYI1p9ToeGAS-SUTgSZbh4SEAdSup0geye5i4bU4o8wnrkH-lru7IwS2kFIxZfdXqiP_yXuw/s320/2011Christmas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This year, I'm leaning more towards the idea of a seitan roast. Whilst looking for a tasty recipe online, I found this creation that is described step by step by <a href="http://jezebel.com/5962423/how-to-make-your-very-own-delicious-thanksgiving-unturkey">Jezebel</a> (follow the link to see for yourself). It's based on a recipe first shown here on <a href="http://unturkey.org/2006/12/20/the-unturkey-recipe/">Unturkey.org</a>. I've never made my own seitan before, but I'm excited to try it. It also appears to be a sizeable creation, so it will offer me the vegan equivalent of 'cold-cuts' for sandwiches the following week, as well as a tasty addition to noodle soup.<br />
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Through December I will be sure to post pictures of the cookery and crafting creations that my children and I will work on together. I will be making a large batch of my own recipe vegan mincemeat, sampling the sloe gin I jarred up in early November, coming up with a Christmas party menu for friends and family and crafting some home made tree decorations. Check back in December for pictures and recipes that I will post up for you as I go along. For now, back to work for me, but here's a sneaky peak of how the sloe gin is looking. Check out that amazing, rich colour.<br />
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And here's a picture of this year's (vegan) Christmas pudding, which was made in 2011. It's a cherry and grenadine pudding, so I'm looking forward to trying out that experimental combination of flavours. I have high hopes for it.<br />
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Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-21680914448719356712012-10-25T22:51:00.001+01:002012-10-25T22:55:26.193+01:00Halloween Treat: Vegan shortbread werewolf claws<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I happened to have a hand shaped sandwich cutter which came in handy (excuse the pun) for these, but the shape wouldn't be all that difficult to cut out.<br />
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I used my usual vegan shortbread recipe, which is very simple. Three ingredients in a bowl and less than five minutes to blend.<br />
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1 part sugar<br />
1 part vegan spread<br />
1.5 - 2.0 parts flour<br />
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Mix with your fingers, beginning with the 1.5 parts flour to 1 parts each of sugar and spread. If it ends up too sloppy (more towards a cake mix) add the rest of your flour and rub into the rest. The consistency should be less like pastry and more like a thick cookie batter. You should be able to lift it out of the bowl in one big ball, but it should still feel a little greasy and loose.<br />
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It doesn't need colouring, since it will turn slightly golden in the oven, but you could add some vegetable based food colouring the way I have, to get more of a flesh tone. The fingernails are whole almond halves tucked into the hand before cooking.<br />
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Cut out shapes and place on a lined baking tray. Initially cook for 15 minutes at 170 degrees. The shapes should only have the merest hint of golden baked colour on the edges before they are removed form the oven. Leave them an extra 5 to 10 minutes if they are not right. Allow to cool before using a spatula to remove them from the tray. They will further solidify during cooling.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-1091021540934319542012-10-22T22:25:00.000+01:002012-10-22T22:25:17.178+01:00Halloween at Bentovention - Mummy sausages and spooky mash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Halloween! I have been enjoying finding lots of Halloween foodie inspiration on the many wonderful vegan blogs that are out there. I discovered the idea for tonight's dinner (Mummy sausages and spooky mash) at <a href="http://wingitvegan.blogspot.co.uk/2008/10/halloweegan-mummy-dogs-and-mashed.html">Wing It Vegan</a> but the original recipe is from <a href="http://www.365halloween.com/mummy-dogs">365 Halloween</a>. Follow the links to see some great pictures of this meal created by other vegan bloggers. I didn't shape the mash with an icing piper, which is how I think they are usually done. I just made little piles of potato and then shaped them quickly with a spoon. I wanted the meal to be put together quickly so that it would still be nice and hot. After the photo was taken I surrounded the spooks and the pastry wrapped sausage in a gravy-yard. The children and I thought the whole thing was extra delicious because of its cuteness value.Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-30690888586445162772012-09-04T21:45:00.000+01:002012-09-04T21:45:08.751+01:00No.108 'Butternut squash and garlic stars' bento<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is Wednesday's bento for little t. I have given him a little more of our leftover pesto pasta, some slices of fried butternut squash and some homemade (vegan) garlic bread stars. For his dessert he has a satsuma and a little pack of caramel flavoured biscuits. My husband brought lots of these home from a recent hotel visit since he doesn't eat biscuits at all. They are one of those wonderful 'accidentally vegan' discoveries! In fact, I just had a couple with my evening cup of tea.<br />
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<br />Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-46284179388212174452012-09-04T10:49:00.000+01:002012-09-04T10:49:04.803+01:00No.107 'Maths' bento for back to school!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It appears I've cast a shadow over the bento when I took this photograph. That's a shame, but the colours are still quite vibrant looking. Big T and little t are back to school today and now that I have my morning chores out of the way I am embarking on an afternoon of quiet, PhD related work and tea drinking. Big T took the same food as little t today but hers was in a large lunch box and not arranged like a bento. She prefers things plainer now she's in big school. The second year of big school! In this bento, little t has some breaded tofu, pesto pasta, mini carrot sticks and pea pods as filler and some hand cut carrot numbers to make it a maths bento. In the dessert layer he has a home made vegan shortbread boy and some sliced plum. 'A little plum for my little plum' as I always say.<br />
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I hope they enjoy their first day back at school. They were both super excited to be going back. I can't wait to hear how their day has been.Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-64307454246794069392012-06-01T00:09:00.000+01:002012-06-01T00:09:20.198+01:00No.106 Tofu Wiener Octopus and Spirulina Rice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For tomorrow's bento for little t I have made some super-healthy rice! One cup of rice cooked in my rice cooker with just a quarter of a teaspoon of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirulina_(dietary_supplement)">Spirulina</a> and a half teaspoon of white pepper for seasoning made this gorgeously green coloured rice. I have used the green rice to create an ocean scene, with a hand carved carrot crab, rocket leaf seaweed and tofu wiener octopuses. In the dessert layer he has nectarine and pitted cherries. </div>
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To create the tofu wiener octopuses chop the wieners in half and slice through one half of each piece, four times, creating the tentacles. Boil the pieces for a couple of minutes to fluff out the tentacles. The eyes are drawn using a toothpick and some vegemite and the little mouths are thin strips of carrot.<br />
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<br />Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-20863129932758331602012-05-22T22:53:00.000+01:002012-05-22T22:53:16.268+01:00No.105 'Sack Boy' BentoRecently my children have been playing the 'Little Big Planet' game for Playstation. I have to admit, although it's not the sort of game I enjoy playing, I have developed a fondness for it. The game's graphics, music and playability are not only wonderful but it also presents quite a gentle virtual environment. The character 'Sack Boy' that a player takes on is very endearing! My children particularly enjoy customising his looks as they go along.<br />
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As a surprise for little t's bento tomorrow I have created a little Sack Boy for him. A spicy couscous bed and a cauliflower pakora Sack Boy with tomato, cucumber and carrot embellishments and Vegemite eyes. In the second layer is a three fruit salad of mango, kiwi and strawberry. He's going to love it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_8SARmxpneirb9r-MQxyaOmFkOkujgHlB2pQS5w5vApWkPV0rpJ6pZToC_fMipz5xRF-Mj-8yh1iaHyf7qp46rMxGnXP2C0P11aFC1nEsMr8fHizyBB5TY0AUhP-59yyhrcLIqR17g/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_8SARmxpneirb9r-MQxyaOmFkOkujgHlB2pQS5w5vApWkPV0rpJ6pZToC_fMipz5xRF-Mj-8yh1iaHyf7qp46rMxGnXP2C0P11aFC1nEsMr8fHizyBB5TY0AUhP-59yyhrcLIqR17g/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-39344083549529958582012-04-29T13:27:00.000+01:002012-04-29T13:27:01.893+01:00No.104 A Jubilee Bento<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At the beginning of June there will be events throughout the UK to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Like with the recent royal wedding, there will be street parties and parades and in the case of myself and a few friends, a jubilee themed picnic! With the Diamond Jubilee just around the corner, royal emblems and British flag themed colour schemes and designs are popping up everywhere in shop windows, merchandise and even clothing ranges. Most of the associated merchandise and paraphernalia is not in my taste, but I am well known for having crown shapes in my jewellery. I even have what I refer to as my 'birthday tiara' which is a sparkly little item I pop on my head to wear only on my birthday. So, since crowns are somehting I'm very fond of, I was pleased to re-discover this purple crown food pick in my collection and use it to create a bit Jubilee-ness in little t's bento for tomorrow!<br />
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Little t has noodles cooked in a home made broth of vegetable stock and chili, some raw pepper 'frills' and some black pepper fried crispy tofu. In his dessert layer he has a piece of vegan ginger cake I baked yesterday, some satsuma pieces and some juicy blueberries. There in his ginger cake is the crown tooth pick, as placed by the little hands of little t himself.<br />
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Below is a picture of another recent bento that was particularly tasty. It has roasted vegetable couscous, grilled vegan burger slices, and a cherry tomato. In the fruit layer there was some pieces of 'Welsh cake' which is like a flat, fried scone, some kiwi and satsuma. Delicious.<br />
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If you have any Jubilee celebration plans of your own, leave me a comment and let me know. I'd love to hear what's going on.Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-8534924173480557102012-04-29T11:33:00.003+01:002012-04-29T11:36:04.602+01:00My bento article in the WTKF online newsletter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In April I wrote an article to highlight my bento creations, and the making of bento in Western society, to be entered in <a href="http://www.shomen.info/Download/may2012.pdf">"Shomen" The Welsh Traditional Karate Federation newsletter. </a> I've attached a link on the previous text. Take a look. I think it turned out quite well!Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-73103613587369528522012-04-08T12:04:00.000+01:002012-04-08T12:04:02.890+01:00Vegan Simnel Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXicRPdpSDmSMDf9gq9y14B1hMeEugWl7tz5JNTcR2y-xW0Q2yFHKf6QY_wz85kvlDc9iRpAe_SHoukbpXm68oKbSgxZWkzb2W1bMNpiakKEFYEwDOq0tNrounhFVecx9iT0m7g2FgRg/s1600/Simnel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXicRPdpSDmSMDf9gq9y14B1hMeEugWl7tz5JNTcR2y-xW0Q2yFHKf6QY_wz85kvlDc9iRpAe_SHoukbpXm68oKbSgxZWkzb2W1bMNpiakKEFYEwDOq0tNrounhFVecx9iT0m7g2FgRg/s320/Simnel.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Easter! I'd like to share my vegan friendly Simnel cake recipe with you. It makes a deliciously moist, light fruit cake with a lemon and cinnamon flavour.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To make a round, two layered cake and have enough mixture left over for approximately 9-12 Simnel muffins, use the following quantities:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">550g of self raising flour </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">300 g of caster sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">300g of dairy free spread (I use Pure spread)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">300g of raisins</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">300g of chopped glace' cherries</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tbsp of cinnamon</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5 generous tbsp of lemon juice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tbsp of mixed spice.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rice milk or water to soften.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Allow the raisins to soak in the lemon juice overnight. Mix the dried ingredients first, along with the spices then blend into a thick paste with the spread. You'll need to add a little rice milk or water as you mix it up to loosen the paste, but don't make it as sloppy as you would for a cake that includes a raising agent such as baking powder. This cake won't do very much rising since it is meant to be a denser, fruitier cake, more like a loaf. Separate into two tins with enough mixture to just about fill to the brim. Any excess mixture can then be baked at the same time in cupcake cases.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It will take approximately 25 minutes to cook in an oven set at 160 degrees. Check often and take the cupcakes out as soon as the tops have started to brown slightly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before the two sponge halves of the cake have properly cooled, place a layer of marzipan between them. It will melt slightly into the cake and form a nice filling. Once cooled completely decorate the top with a further layer of marzipan and add the traditional marzipan balls if you like. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Enjoy! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdRgoDR81rZ2ePJaht3odOWs9nojdTAU2i20KmCowcnAzyEEco3Q1GSbfbPVnffTJixhGg5DHKWANTimDdxl0t0jhHKGxq2kQVKbEBV5l19kv-4Vbet8ynvBXG9Wd5O_Q4fu21DObAA/s1600/photo-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdRgoDR81rZ2ePJaht3odOWs9nojdTAU2i20KmCowcnAzyEEco3Q1GSbfbPVnffTJixhGg5DHKWANTimDdxl0t0jhHKGxq2kQVKbEBV5l19kv-4Vbet8ynvBXG9Wd5O_Q4fu21DObAA/s320/photo-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-18390752846440763262012-03-23T11:41:00.000+00:002012-03-23T11:41:48.288+00:00No.103 'Rabbits in the flower bed' bento<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsdI6_QSoU1kXePEnPHKNUwX9euXmuWgB4DVkeTTC5aHjIXtWbKzjeXrnE3WvnPKkE60VMafT8uLbILNI_HcUoFihW0Xuy7npdg-MA7xX-EOtaFFtHknLSCSX3zcHNXNiSzxq1hLQtA/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsdI6_QSoU1kXePEnPHKNUwX9euXmuWgB4DVkeTTC5aHjIXtWbKzjeXrnE3WvnPKkE60VMafT8uLbILNI_HcUoFihW0Xuy7npdg-MA7xX-EOtaFFtHknLSCSX3zcHNXNiSzxq1hLQtA/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Hello all! Spring is upon us. I always think that Winter is my favourite season but I can't help getting a bit excited by the beauty of Spring blossoms, the return of all things green and new life springing up all over the place. The view from the back of our house looks over the gardens all up the street, now wonderfully in bloom. There are tiny, leaping rabbits running through the flower beds every day. Even though I am quite poorly and out of action at the moment because I've had my second wisdom tooth out, I can't help but smile at the cheeky baby rabbits somersaulting crazily back and forth.<br />
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Today's bento has rabbits in the flower beds, too. A bed of mediterranean spiced tomato cous cous with juicy tomato flowers, spinach leaves and carrot rabbits. The second layer has pickled gherkins and three tiny tomato puff pastry rolls. This bento is going to be on show today at little t's school because he is giving a talk about bento as an assessment. He has practised a wonderful talk about the origins of bento making and how our family enjoy our bento creations. He will present his own meal as part of the talk and he has a large colourful board with pictures of our bento all over it along with some bento facts. I am so proud of him.Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-71605055235088982692012-02-14T19:04:00.000+00:002012-02-14T19:04:32.314+00:00A Very Vegan Valentine's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A very happy Valentine's day to you from Bentovention! Mr. Bentovention was away today so it has just been Big T, little t and I at home enjoying heart themed baking, puzzles, games and crafts. This morning we made vegan chocolate muffins and cherry heart shaped shortbread. Over lunch we solved a few Valentine's Day cryptograms, mazes and sudoko downloaded from Activity Village, a great free resource online for children's craft ideas. This afternoon we sat down together and got our sewing projects out. Big T continued work on her embroidered 'self portrait' that she's creating and little t continued work on his cross stitched little picture of his toy penguin. I like to encourage 'free style' sewing rather than working often from pre-packaged designs. We just pick up whatever bits and bobs we have in the sewing box, thread a needle and improvise. With a child's imagination added to the mix, we get some beautiful, unique results. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While the children worked on their ongoing projects I put together something that I'd planned to make especially for Valentine's Day. A pixellated shaped heart in red felt with an embroidered chemical compound for chili. I have a spot to hang it in the kitchen that will be just right. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While we are renovating the house in bigger ways than usual and I am engrossed in writing my PhD thesis, my bento creations are going largely undocumented. That will change as soon as my kitchen is finished and things have settled down. Best wishes to you all!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVJqMgTA1fP5xbFEx9mvCR9IcUogv0xq3RqYPfXfRkgQABO5pMRumay_FcCdQWzawgDZmN2s9oYde6dE8uF-hHa6FRdsoufFvIMvPDYLt1lgZS_IQedVxLydW4hjTriz-lYfgMi8nhA/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVJqMgTA1fP5xbFEx9mvCR9IcUogv0xq3RqYPfXfRkgQABO5pMRumay_FcCdQWzawgDZmN2s9oYde6dE8uF-hHa6FRdsoufFvIMvPDYLt1lgZS_IQedVxLydW4hjTriz-lYfgMi8nhA/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Vegan chocolate muffins: 200g of self raising flour, 100g of caster sugar, 100g of cocoa powder, 200g of dairy free spread, 1tsp of baking powder and a dash of rice milk to soften the mixture. Bake for 25 minutes at 170 degrees in the middle of the oven. For the topping blend dairy free spread, cocoa powder, icing sugar and rice milk in small quantities until you achieve the consistency you like. Add a cherry or an icing heart.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoDb8E28clM9lmHK1elRnQQyxv8xmOnnRAh60Y_1c9KGorLLStriU9bwiG8qE-jS3X5PY5ZosnNlrzP5F38supaSQJ9gDXurhwfwQNLWNeyoL5Y-xy7SVQ2yg0fnEbvgLJLGJ2TNJ8Q/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoDb8E28clM9lmHK1elRnQQyxv8xmOnnRAh60Y_1c9KGorLLStriU9bwiG8qE-jS3X5PY5ZosnNlrzP5F38supaSQJ9gDXurhwfwQNLWNeyoL5Y-xy7SVQ2yg0fnEbvgLJLGJ2TNJ8Q/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Vegan cherry shortbread: 200g of dairy free spread, 350g plain flour, 200g of caster sugar, a dash of red food colouring, strawberry flavouring and chopped glace' cherries. Blend into a loose paste and leave to cool in the fridge for 20 minutes. Roll out and cut with a cookie cutter before baking at 160 degrees for approx. 15 minutes. The biscuits will further harden as they cool so beware of over cooking them. Enjoy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjI4P0AtEBiTCN4ghn2H_bYWNNGUToKBpLFdknMkXbAkZSVLgCCI2_eEHoIz2qKdHRyYXgXeJLjClWXmpMcrsBCwz2ZUWiIbpzgEEAeY1JjDCacwNi2vcqdMspF_wqZCGX7Yo1neZ1Q/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjI4P0AtEBiTCN4ghn2H_bYWNNGUToKBpLFdknMkXbAkZSVLgCCI2_eEHoIz2qKdHRyYXgXeJLjClWXmpMcrsBCwz2ZUWiIbpzgEEAeY1JjDCacwNi2vcqdMspF_wqZCGX7Yo1neZ1Q/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
And finally, here is a picture of my sewing project for the day.Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-90878868519069704552012-01-04T13:30:00.000+00:002012-01-04T13:30:13.457+00:00No.102 Christmas at Bentovention<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ET5MaYfOtULTDGzFiwRnE1ndh8M4WuEHezn0BGWuLRUSJCkMccjtX2oYo8oex2GZWoQ39pQPuTBjPxrUPuqr7dFdfkMcLI5T8CKUrLoZjtgDTeHMMzBT7ztqJeOGN5MQXZrCeTVKQg/s1600/photo-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ET5MaYfOtULTDGzFiwRnE1ndh8M4WuEHezn0BGWuLRUSJCkMccjtX2oYo8oex2GZWoQ39pQPuTBjPxrUPuqr7dFdfkMcLI5T8CKUrLoZjtgDTeHMMzBT7ztqJeOGN5MQXZrCeTVKQg/s320/photo-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Hello all! Big T and little t returned to school after their Christmas break yesterday. We had a nice time together over the festive period and cooked and baked to our hearts' content. Most of our baking went un-photographed, since our priority was relaxing and enjoying one another's company rather than documenting our activities. Sadly, that also meant that we took very few photographs of our Christmas time at all! Just a few on the 25th.<br />
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I'd like to share a few of the Christmas things I did photograph. Above is one of the school lunches little t had before the holidays. It contains vegan sausage and stuffing panini sandwiches, a home made treacle-mincemeat mince pie, soy-cheese and crackers, a satsuma and purple plum, a box of raisins and a candy cane. I usually put tinsel and an ornament on the cooler bags the children have for bento at Christmas time but this year I came up with the idea of gift wrapping the actual lunch.<br />
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Below are the two centrepieces the children made for our living room and dining room. The gold platter was Big T's design and the red platter was little t's. I gave them glass dishes, candles, ribbon, scented dried flowers, slices of orange I baked in the oven with cinnamon and holly snippets, then I let them make their own arrangements. I was REALLY pleased with the outcome.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzz_9N9Ui-H4in_qKxl33uXea0OjkU2vtW0l3RNoOjUt2OaDLlHIMjaQF9n9Gv2oNqRawaIkIFh7w9mFo79xkqQqhcFK8o93rB9hivIvKejWr5tNpNA80yDSr3ti3USBKiSOg1sKzEyg/s1600/Toby%2527s.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzz_9N9Ui-H4in_qKxl33uXea0OjkU2vtW0l3RNoOjUt2OaDLlHIMjaQF9n9Gv2oNqRawaIkIFh7w9mFo79xkqQqhcFK8o93rB9hivIvKejWr5tNpNA80yDSr3ti3USBKiSOg1sKzEyg/s320/Toby%2527s.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Next up are some pictures of the main dish I made for Christmas day, which was a nut and cranberry wellington. The filling consisted of pureed chestnut, chopped walnuts, garlic, wholemeal breadcrumbs, steamed cranberries and fried, diced white onion. The pastry was also my own vegan creation, which I did make a little thick in places. It held it all together though. The children thought it was delicious and my husband thought it was double delicious (he had a double portion!).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZj_KcQVfUfwCQ8P3TxzBYNob-HvroCW-v8iSxK6ILFO9Ews-ev335mHsbPFFkEZgn5bfGdx0uqv8KYGxoPW-lnGL7XVfeJ2urOuVya50YPn-nHZV2GUzntqFjab3AZFpUmCvpYWu8eQ/s1600/w1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZj_KcQVfUfwCQ8P3TxzBYNob-HvroCW-v8iSxK6ILFO9Ews-ev335mHsbPFFkEZgn5bfGdx0uqv8KYGxoPW-lnGL7XVfeJ2urOuVya50YPn-nHZV2GUzntqFjab3AZFpUmCvpYWu8eQ/s320/w1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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For all of you that enjoy a peak into my cooking and my home life here on Bentovention I'd like to wish you a happy new year to come! little t and Big T have started to take soup and tea in their new flasks to school each day while the weather is so bitterly cold. Normal bento making will be resumed again soon!Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-73754360769183063962011-10-16T22:21:00.000+01:002011-10-16T22:21:44.726+01:00No.101 'Happy Olives' bento<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGJZN0MuJZ3q14AxJ7_wS18MEv6Mcz3lTPTmdYYYgvYR3MrtrXHBa6CZqSltVLEay6WeOBWbQuXRfMv8ZK_iSh1XjnWCvQCqCwOoKkfCIBGyE2-JXkkF6PWDv1x1QcgKLJpP0JnW-bw/s1600/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGJZN0MuJZ3q14AxJ7_wS18MEv6Mcz3lTPTmdYYYgvYR3MrtrXHBa6CZqSltVLEay6WeOBWbQuXRfMv8ZK_iSh1XjnWCvQCqCwOoKkfCIBGyE2-JXkkF6PWDv1x1QcgKLJpP0JnW-bw/s320/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbdq7nU_DxGODJmifhSYmdQYavCFfPcxP2aSFptbd08y62mongEDM-vhLsTZuO_Ar1kpGXy59uTP_QTFPOdBwUo11He_yNxSdun8JLs-0USgPJW9ZV77G_vaS1kawb3N7DE1OTFXu8Q/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbdq7nU_DxGODJmifhSYmdQYavCFfPcxP2aSFptbd08y62mongEDM-vhLsTZuO_Ar1kpGXy59uTP_QTFPOdBwUo11He_yNxSdun8JLs-0USgPJW9ZV77G_vaS1kawb3N7DE1OTFXu8Q/s320/photo-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Hello all! Here is the bento I have just made for little t for tomorrow. It's wholewheat spaghetti with some delicious, saucy vegan bolognese. In the second layer is some home made (also vegan) garlic ciabatta and a little collection of happy olives! I have drawn the olive faces on with a toothpick and I'm quite pleased with the cute little smiles.<br />
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We are all excited about Halloween dress up and activities at the moment. We have quite a nice collection of Halloween decorations that we've made over the past few years so it'll be great to get those out and to make some new ones too. Not to mention the decisions about how to carve our pumpkins this year!Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-32317661147058003392011-10-14T22:42:00.001+01:002011-10-14T22:42:56.840+01:00No.100 Vegan Hot Dog Bento and Green Tea Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUtQ7nrQulO0fHrCX0hL0mNoGuo4kQ9Tv7bicnlWZxJXBaOf_Sm0zX-syVoaBnu-0xjLu2Vvm1K4nf6aaoLY0XyYPPxFfvJZV9lm8oTOh78yeC46aJAfcYvA5HR6GmdY4cAoFzf_q0A/s1600/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUtQ7nrQulO0fHrCX0hL0mNoGuo4kQ9Tv7bicnlWZxJXBaOf_Sm0zX-syVoaBnu-0xjLu2Vvm1K4nf6aaoLY0XyYPPxFfvJZV9lm8oTOh78yeC46aJAfcYvA5HR6GmdY4cAoFzf_q0A/s320/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-pIlU2202nv-s2z2XtxOBfWwJlCMhF1rdaUN32eE7NpXdhC4EtJaXFikaLgFhEMc2OG6LA75BK077QTGRIZPBhViHJ7VyZXzgvxDtKXSk6Pl797sauH0tje6L7NchRUi9dZZPCU6qg/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-pIlU2202nv-s2z2XtxOBfWwJlCMhF1rdaUN32eE7NpXdhC4EtJaXFikaLgFhEMc2OG6LA75BK077QTGRIZPBhViHJ7VyZXzgvxDtKXSk6Pl797sauH0tje6L7NchRUi9dZZPCU6qg/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Hello all! I hope that your week has been a good one. Here is one of my son's bento meals from this week. This one reminded me of bonfire night, since we always have tofu wieners and baked potatoes before we go to enjoy fireworks and a bonfire. In the main section little t has a tofu wiener in a hot dog roll with fried onions, ketchup and American mustard. In the other section he has some baked potato wedges, satsuma and juicy jumbo raisins.<br />
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As an added extra, here is a picture of the decorated green tea cake I made last Sunday afternoon for our dessert. It is green tea sponge decorated with lemon frosting and marzipan. Delicious.<br />
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And these are the vegan crepes I made for one of our breakfasts this past week. They are drizzled with maple syrup.<br />
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A Bentovintage post follows after the bunting...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDVi_V1F9cyxnFEzBs54jdxnxnt8iHaYGbIru4WMEsMx8BAL1w7Gu8ck23pgkoLEzPApgoPmiH_EkRGANO5vUeStXZyPYKL629F8CGdzEmx4zRDjIYnilEmb5r3Dy5xn7fJh01O4t5w/s1600/Bentovintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDVi_V1F9cyxnFEzBs54jdxnxnt8iHaYGbIru4WMEsMx8BAL1w7Gu8ck23pgkoLEzPApgoPmiH_EkRGANO5vUeStXZyPYKL629F8CGdzEmx4zRDjIYnilEmb5r3Dy5xn7fJh01O4t5w/s320/Bentovintage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This week I have been admiring, amongst other things, the beautiful acrylic jewellery made by <a href="http://calloohandcallay.blogspot.com/">Callooh and Callay</a>. My absolute favourite item in their current collection is <a href="http://calloohandcallay.storenvy.com/products/141549-snappy-s-sausage-necklace">Snappy's Sausage Necklace</a>. I'd love to wear it to the seaside with a garish red and white striped Victorian bathing suit. Perhaps even take in the local Punch and Judy show whilst showing it off to jealous fans in the audience!<br />
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This may not seem like a 'vintage' post to you, but recently I've been turning my interest in vintage fashion and makeup into something more personal to me. I have quite a few acrylic jewellery pieces that I had put aside when wearing an outfit strongly centered on a vintage look, but my style ideas are changing. I have always admired Amanda Palmer's style and remember quite frequently how she describes herself as a 'theatrical tour de force'. Wouldn't it be great to be a theatrical tour de force? I think so.<br />
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As a small homage to quirky-ness and theatre, I have begun to wear my bold acrylic pieces with a very 1930s or 1940s outfit. I'm also hankering after an endless supply of <a href="http://les-queues-de-sardines.com/">Le Queues de Sardines tights</a>... they are possibly the best hosiery available to mankind.Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-50344124719497453672011-10-09T21:26:00.000+01:002011-10-09T21:26:21.133+01:00No.99 Samosa and Bhaji Bento with Cherry Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9t69MDt-yfgn9morX4KJ8WPVBonkSWHu2XeZEW9hNkfn7SXk6QXa6OAfpEe7QSVBT2ydpXDGO3wUS-H9ufCx7IFLQW3cdKuPedROMXgO54X4F8aEBGsM2HhNWmsOeuqK9cwqz1f3pg/s1600/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9t69MDt-yfgn9morX4KJ8WPVBonkSWHu2XeZEW9hNkfn7SXk6QXa6OAfpEe7QSVBT2ydpXDGO3wUS-H9ufCx7IFLQW3cdKuPedROMXgO54X4F8aEBGsM2HhNWmsOeuqK9cwqz1f3pg/s320/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJ8HPJBYVAto7i4P2JwzDhUccTWUSsIaLuUt-MfyqBtt4Mt3oE7ywIjrqtbtAiKF8TQ8DosSMq-xLdSmB7aoD2E-3Frc6VpOVTvt9IzSDfAq40zr8DEo_nTOisQNOir70F1mdykvYmQ/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJ8HPJBYVAto7i4P2JwzDhUccTWUSsIaLuUt-MfyqBtt4Mt3oE7ywIjrqtbtAiKF8TQ8DosSMq-xLdSmB7aoD2E-3Frc6VpOVTvt9IzSDfAq40zr8DEo_nTOisQNOir70F1mdykvYmQ/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hello all! Here is a tasty little Indian food bento that little t had for lunch the day after his birthday. He asked for an Indian banquet as his birthday dinner and we had plenty of leftovers. He has a vegetable samosa, a cauliflower bhaji and an onion bhaji along with some mango dipping sauce. In the fruit layer he has peach slices and fresh mango. As a family we rank Indian food pretty highly on our favourites list so little t's choice of dinner was met with enthusiastic agreement. He was quite pleased to find that the leftovers made their way into his tummy, too. A lot of Indian cuisine uses ghee in the cooking process so as a vegan I choose my meals carefully and enquire about the ingredients. I have discovered that a vegetable bhuna is a safe option from our favourite restaurant and I can have their chapati but not the naan. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This next picture is of a vegan cherry pie I made for dessert during the last week. I make my pastry with soya spread. The filling is stewed cherries with added sugar. Here you can see it hasn't yet been baked. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibipkXOnEl74LV1WFPDqbmxpcxKGRdYhx3poSmCvjmEELukWnBe2nV4Cw2fzXKMUAOqO0f3YNNRbMzTS1X_Kqyu0rB8odXA5dXv_tp8ogrwgHJLjHrvtiSs_lyxgxecfek0LIUjOte1w/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibipkXOnEl74LV1WFPDqbmxpcxKGRdYhx3poSmCvjmEELukWnBe2nV4Cw2fzXKMUAOqO0f3YNNRbMzTS1X_Kqyu0rB8odXA5dXv_tp8ogrwgHJLjHrvtiSs_lyxgxecfek0LIUjOte1w/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And here it is baked and partly devoured! Yummy. We had soya custard with it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXwTWFsaRNx1GNhdsYTmKjVWNvAfaETix197om55GMf9nKmBS-EHXTd6mImLNFcWgF-BrDJNfCBag7oJhXIVd5_bBSqRrQflqP44RM1L3GJklbw2aQUWaqeCcJfNlAdlKE3tQJoNceQ/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXwTWFsaRNx1GNhdsYTmKjVWNvAfaETix197om55GMf9nKmBS-EHXTd6mImLNFcWgF-BrDJNfCBag7oJhXIVd5_bBSqRrQflqP44RM1L3GJklbw2aQUWaqeCcJfNlAdlKE3tQJoNceQ/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-27097302816949985832011-10-08T22:42:00.000+01:002011-10-08T22:42:48.093+01:00No.98 'Dolphins in the veggies' bento<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJj6HN1xsVPdurkgJgiKzbxG-GiNB5fUPZ1BmqWVBx1nNAlmv78plDNwW6zh8YZm528kT-CWCgJr8xPQsz0p8j4SpwoPVtrf6JU0q1y16PT5UEkUsRpdP0H4jB5b4uwH0aTb4RuL1uw/s1600/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJj6HN1xsVPdurkgJgiKzbxG-GiNB5fUPZ1BmqWVBx1nNAlmv78plDNwW6zh8YZm528kT-CWCgJr8xPQsz0p8j4SpwoPVtrf6JU0q1y16PT5UEkUsRpdP0H4jB5b4uwH0aTb4RuL1uw/s320/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxcp50wmibMy-nz2oo6EAOTh7XdbS8-Igi0oKH4bYz-21foAasFyQT42DyzNxmqGrNBfscQLzlr7s885t_gY079fkqSbl-lsPnuEIA54H4zzonFjfO7HLX2sZi-KAKPsPDAnC70-j4Q/s1600/dolphins+in+the+veggies+bento.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxcp50wmibMy-nz2oo6EAOTh7XdbS8-Igi0oKH4bYz-21foAasFyQT42DyzNxmqGrNBfscQLzlr7s885t_gY079fkqSbl-lsPnuEIA54H4zzonFjfO7HLX2sZi-KAKPsPDAnC70-j4Q/s320/dolphins+in+the+veggies+bento.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Hello all! Today I'm showing you what little t had for lunch on Friday. Dolphin shaped Vegemite sandwiches, carrot angel fish, peas in their pod and thin strips of yellow pepper. In the fruit layer there are seedless green grapes and wedges of peach. Peach happens to be little t's favourite fruit since he read Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach.<br />
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For the photo I have placed the dolphins as if they were leaping out of the box, but to assemble the bento I stacked them one on top of the other at the top of the box and arranged the veggies at the bottom. It still looked like a pretty arrangement.<br />
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Friday turned out to be a particularly busy day for me and with unexpected (but lovely) visitors in the evening we ate dinner very late and I entered a comatose sleeping state as soon as everyone had gone (before everyone had gone if I'm completely honest!). One lovely memory from Friday was when we were caught in a refreshing shower of rain walking home from school and we managed to find a quick shelter under a tree. Little t took a large leaf he had been carrying around with him and attached it to a stick as an umbrella. He was a little Totoro! I have a picture of him with the leaf umbrella and it's such a sweet image.Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-52427419380380104392011-10-06T23:28:00.000+01:002011-10-06T23:28:51.987+01:00Vegan MoFo 2 - Power Star Cake, Recipe, Vegan Makeup Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVsgGsdb7zfYqq5hXEmIXeWBUWoMGl4pnRWZEI6VHMeR4ARgHEI4tMlHqXuATSSETTGoPyOSLYfzc4CPqlacgGO4RuExhAJbCYs1vl5gvJA_yX25Ghf9Y7OjjbZ73lnE5b3GiwyR9VA/s1600/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVsgGsdb7zfYqq5hXEmIXeWBUWoMGl4pnRWZEI6VHMeR4ARgHEI4tMlHqXuATSSETTGoPyOSLYfzc4CPqlacgGO4RuExhAJbCYs1vl5gvJA_yX25Ghf9Y7OjjbZ73lnE5b3GiwyR9VA/s320/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_doSow8PUeJebW2QjERGIkBhU_DIYl_AqePlykL4MprChK5sT_nlSfCKY4BCe4K2uNrMwD5LUJr-p5oGiJSo4k0qRQmdQnIN_8JdxQqiT9MkKeioynGVMMHSSMBUa7wCulfsFYfhYA/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_doSow8PUeJebW2QjERGIkBhU_DIYl_AqePlykL4MprChK5sT_nlSfCKY4BCe4K2uNrMwD5LUJr-p5oGiJSo4k0qRQmdQnIN_8JdxQqiT9MkKeioynGVMMHSSMBUa7wCulfsFYfhYA/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Hello all! Here, as promised, is a picture of my daughter's 12th birthday cake. It's a vegan lemon sponge cake with lemon marmalade filling and lemon flavoured icing. It was really moist and tasty. The shape is a Super Mario Power Star, which was nice and easy to make (unlike Triceratops cakes). I made one rectangular sponge and after cutting out roughly, a smallish circular section from one half of the cake, the other leftover parts easily made the points.<br />
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The lemon sponge is easily my second favourite cake flavour, with a strong strawberry flavoured cake ranking first place (also my son's favourite). I was a little lax with my last post about the Triceratops cake by not posting a nice, simple vegan cake recipe for you. So here goes. The following ingredients make up a single large square sponge that can be cut into 'brownies' or made into a decorated cake. Alternatively, the same amount of mixture will make two smaller round layers for a rich, moist tea time cake with a bit of frosting on the top.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Miloko's Vegan Cake Recipe</span></div><br />
1kg of self raising flour of your choice (gluten free flour may require extra fluid to mix)<br />
500g of sugar (I actually use any type I fancy, sometimes brown sugar is good for chocolate or coffee cake).<br />
500g of vegan spread (such as Pure spread)<br />
2 teaspoons of baking powder<br />
Rice/soya/oat milk in enough quantity to make the mix as sloppy as soft peanut butter.<br />
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Mix it all very well, until your peanut butter consistency is achieved, then flavour it with anything you like. I suggest:<br />
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Strawberry oil/essence and pink vegetable based colouring<br />
Lemon oil/essence<br />
orange blossom oil<br />
cocoa powder<br />
coffee<br />
almond oil<br />
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Bake it at 170 degrees for between 15-25 minutes, until a knife inserted into it comes out clean. Try to catch it just as the centre is baked, to retain as much moisture as possible.<br />
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And that's all there is to it. This cake recipe is one I've come up with myself after realising that all of those hard to come by or often untasty vegan substitutes for eggs just aren't necessary for a delicious cake. The texture will be very much like a moist brownie or muffin, which is how I like my cake, but isn't to everyone's liking. I hope that this ultra simple recipe reaches a few people that love it as much as I do.<br />
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Below the Bentovintage banner is a Vegan makeup review for you as an added extra to the appreciation of food. So you can have your cake and look fabulous eating it. Enjoy!<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">I don't own a lot of makeup because I prefer quite simple makeup routines for daily wear and I find that a few classic colours and makeup items can be mixed and matched to good effect for any occasion. I do however absolutely LOVE a particular makeup blog called <a href="http://lillianfunnyface.blogspot.com/">Funny Face's Place</a>. I love Lillian's vibrant sense of style and find her to be one of the prettiest makeup bloggers I've encountered, with an absolutely adorable personality that shines through in her posts and video tutorials. Take a look at her blog and find out for yourself.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">As part of my love of all things vintage 1920-1940 I've been wearing a bright red lipstick every day for the past few months. It's a great, classic lip colour, and it fits in nicely with the bright hair flowers and generally 1940s air I've been cultivating through the Summer months. Now that Autumn has hit though, I've been falling in love with the more muted shades of autumnal leaves and the high street fashion colours that go hand in hand with them. With that in mind I needed to find myself a new lip shade that would fit well with my few new Autumn wardrobe items in plum, pumpkin, navy, cream, rusts and browns. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here it is. My new vegan friendly lip duo of Barry M's lip liner in No.6 and New York Color's lipstick in Plum Rum. </div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's a look at how it works. My routine is to line the lip in my preferred shape for the day (this is a natural lip but I love a heart shape or a full cupid's bow, too), then fill in the whole lip with the liner. Next I apply a first coat of lipstick and dab it gently. Then a second coat of lipstick and another gentle dab. I put the lipstick on in this way at 6am this morning and it lasted with only a slight wear to the colour, through breakfast, lunch and a cup of coffee, only needing to be touched up by about 2pm. A very good quality product!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am particularly pleased to discover as a vegan makeup shopper, that the vegan brands I can find on my high street (NYC and Barry M in particular) are super-affordable in comparison to non-vegan makeup brands, and as proven by this week's thorough field test, fantastic quality for that low price, too. Good stuff. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqpZKH6nXdsLtRHOhpAh_F3VaTFwkQglMIYUQRFO0WBHB1DU54BKOG9Hwn8M75kobXsArRynytaqDBouXh0Gbj6uKZ3ejxnObYAnItrtDaWW9jX5Daua0dvdj7QfargMqnfm-m9KPmQ/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqpZKH6nXdsLtRHOhpAh_F3VaTFwkQglMIYUQRFO0WBHB1DU54BKOG9Hwn8M75kobXsArRynytaqDBouXh0Gbj6uKZ3ejxnObYAnItrtDaWW9jX5Daua0dvdj7QfargMqnfm-m9KPmQ/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This particular colour is making me feel like an early 1930's starlet.Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-2789108943154777082011-10-05T14:24:00.000+01:002011-10-05T14:24:19.592+01:00Vegan MoFo 1 - 'Terry' the Triceratops Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHNmn4tisT2HX9FkNaUFm7YPQYh5tVKkQ4WkxVa318merOHHsSP6yn-7Pj2gzop0XDA03ghUG1bYVFv_OtZUWDGt7sxeOBw9A74-QspukJTJaLXI-N5eTiLX6xNxd3yK5SQmwRliHQA/s1600/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHNmn4tisT2HX9FkNaUFm7YPQYh5tVKkQ4WkxVa318merOHHsSP6yn-7Pj2gzop0XDA03ghUG1bYVFv_OtZUWDGt7sxeOBw9A74-QspukJTJaLXI-N5eTiLX6xNxd3yK5SQmwRliHQA/s320/VeganMoFoBanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OXK9T2kjGnqEatoqp5oFlA_nL977Jo7ahPRSj1DpX4P0r8_vNVFv9aw6INK528ZvM1Abgk6On8xf2vWZcXo88fVJrAQqU_kotXyKdCbKPrGuK6cHJLtKNckXtUNLUTGsqciawjHo8w/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OXK9T2kjGnqEatoqp5oFlA_nL977Jo7ahPRSj1DpX4P0r8_vNVFv9aw6INK528ZvM1Abgk6On8xf2vWZcXo88fVJrAQqU_kotXyKdCbKPrGuK6cHJLtKNckXtUNLUTGsqciawjHo8w/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Hello all! My first post for the Vegan Month of Food is to show you Terry the Triceratops cake. He was made recently for my son's 9th birthday and based on a cuddly toy he loves.<br />
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The cake is a rich vegan chocolate sponge with strawberry jam filling and he has been decorated with icing coloured with vegetable based food colourings. There's a whole lot of cake going on here, he's almost as heavy as a real Triceratops!<br />
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Coming up later in the week will be the vegan cake I baked for my daughter's 12th birthday and some posts about the yummy vegan lunches my friend makes for me every time I visit her.Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-20480917112432829522011-09-13T22:26:00.000+01:002011-09-13T22:26:41.150+01:00No.97 Caterpillar Bento<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuq3a-9_YuAGtUxpyNFYQjbU5U2HhHvFgGaMEcoDVc4HL0xSENhxYjuKhMMkQPMbxeNmkEHIlt7tsyxHVx8u45aq5YGUv9rWtT0SgYJ4lv2toYTZ6oZAzEshjsieo1qIRx73b0_whMjQ/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuq3a-9_YuAGtUxpyNFYQjbU5U2HhHvFgGaMEcoDVc4HL0xSENhxYjuKhMMkQPMbxeNmkEHIlt7tsyxHVx8u45aq5YGUv9rWtT0SgYJ4lv2toYTZ6oZAzEshjsieo1qIRx73b0_whMjQ/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Here are Monday's bento and Tuesday's bento together. The caterpillar is made from mini doughnuts, a large strawberry and some fondant icing. In the savoury layer is some leftover spicy vegetable goulash and little squares of seeded bread stacked together. The caterpillar is inspired by a little creature of the same type that we encountered on our walk home from school today.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKdsR_3ev9pRyRSp8qlTB1VkPwAzzdXCWhuFJaeMvJ7LJUylOSnXkLNUDyA_DKzBal6l-ITq_T4zQzxd0t_LswiwZQF4mxZ6poLzHrpDO2ixX0dNNTXtups99TmmSJfS6vzmnKfUpOQ/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKdsR_3ev9pRyRSp8qlTB1VkPwAzzdXCWhuFJaeMvJ7LJUylOSnXkLNUDyA_DKzBal6l-ITq_T4zQzxd0t_LswiwZQF4mxZ6poLzHrpDO2ixX0dNNTXtups99TmmSJfS6vzmnKfUpOQ/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Below is the 'rose garden' bento I made for Monday. It has squares of banana bread with soya spread, decorated with fondant icing in the form of red and white rose vines. When I was decorating them I explained to little t that its the Red Queen's rose garden. There are also some par-boiled carrot wedges and celery sticks, some banana chips and custard cream biscuits.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4o-uWvJgdgYBmc253lZdJAs4-x5NsOugY2ti5C4R41l7Yi-sonSiY_iqx-_25wJEaGer9gytypXiBc-KYcCsXcit0YzbTAdHXmRokFy89_n41PG8eGiWFe5KvzqBU0r5St7Ip_DsGg/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4o-uWvJgdgYBmc253lZdJAs4-x5NsOugY2ti5C4R41l7Yi-sonSiY_iqx-_25wJEaGer9gytypXiBc-KYcCsXcit0YzbTAdHXmRokFy89_n41PG8eGiWFe5KvzqBU0r5St7Ip_DsGg/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_BDbHyIMhXn4StbOmFfj_XE2FkACMjsRtVJukr1XL957nTQE88nusujsN6CZkaitvwG31hG_7-ksDlqoLd5VP_9xs9y1sMoZX6Q3r5d128M4y2yI9yWLGoLQWKbwULFWUItd1gVHyA/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_BDbHyIMhXn4StbOmFfj_XE2FkACMjsRtVJukr1XL957nTQE88nusujsN6CZkaitvwG31hG_7-ksDlqoLd5VP_9xs9y1sMoZX6Q3r5d128M4y2yI9yWLGoLQWKbwULFWUItd1gVHyA/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-47373880543438043062011-09-09T18:42:00.000+01:002011-09-09T18:42:40.791+01:00No.96 'Little Pink Rabbit' bento<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogpDWTVdSDAZqAcL07Fhi4xUEGZQ0IrRsDdmUA7SYIpLz3tOrYbuQhbeMt1Y6J23DEujN7tYIzn81QcHTpjzwgyeTQ_jgaZdynAruenfkoW9XwbLX3PsVdHsP1emBWDnLIVLYleM5gQ/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogpDWTVdSDAZqAcL07Fhi4xUEGZQ0IrRsDdmUA7SYIpLz3tOrYbuQhbeMt1Y6J23DEujN7tYIzn81QcHTpjzwgyeTQ_jgaZdynAruenfkoW9XwbLX3PsVdHsP1emBWDnLIVLYleM5gQ/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Ooo, this is a good lunch. I'd be delighted to have this one myself. For today, little t had garlic and herb crackers smothered in vegan olive pate, dried figs and cherries, carrot sticks and humous. On top of the crackers I put a little rabbit cut from the food I am now raving about: Fry's vegan polony! Haha! It's going to be in a lot of food I make at the moment. Yum.<br />
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So there we are, the first week back at school is over now and my tired children are ready for a longer sleep tonight. Me too!<br />
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One of the highlights of the week has been the morning we found large frogs hopping in the road and we rescued them to be put safely into the damp grass of a garden. We have also found and carefully moved to safe places, many escargot, some of which had very interesting colours and patterns. The conkers are falling again! Each morning after Big T has gone on her way to senior school, little t and I have been collecting the best of them in our pockets on the walk to junior school.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4wl1vNJA4BbTxWFXWsf0f2Y5LXUa8F6EKxD51mu3e1_3upDVnYFf2KGxosl6MduegsloRYbQ7Zjqx4TyqP-rI5evWz0GkjjSObqpTtggkUeWZCvYQXialh7GgfgvA3-f4uJ8SH50NYg/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4wl1vNJA4BbTxWFXWsf0f2Y5LXUa8F6EKxD51mu3e1_3upDVnYFf2KGxosl6MduegsloRYbQ7Zjqx4TyqP-rI5evWz0GkjjSObqpTtggkUeWZCvYQXialh7GgfgvA3-f4uJ8SH50NYg/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56544879075785009.post-75312048513927504992011-09-07T22:52:00.000+01:002011-09-07T22:52:16.806+01:00No.95 Happy Face Salad bento<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIzKRGGPdinWcc7ABW3uz06Cc9EImYwwHMcntlfI8RM5p0-I84ZYzjf-WAwu_4h2V4n0gyESYyE0qFYkAFCQw7qyDfWNjb14BJCsvyMy6ybWlbgQdt9qqcqpNYaDdHApJTE48rdbl3A/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIzKRGGPdinWcc7ABW3uz06Cc9EImYwwHMcntlfI8RM5p0-I84ZYzjf-WAwu_4h2V4n0gyESYyE0qFYkAFCQw7qyDfWNjb14BJCsvyMy6ybWlbgQdt9qqcqpNYaDdHApJTE48rdbl3A/s320/photo-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Tomorrow's salad bento for little t has baby spinach, grated carrot, lettuce, tomato and celery. The happy little round face is made from a slice of fried Fry's vegan polony! Yes, that sentence was exciting enough to deserve an exclamation mark. Or at least it was to me. The eyes are pumpkin seeds, the smile tomato skin and the hair is celery.<br />
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Fry's vegetarian polony is such an exciting discovery for me for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it's one of a very few 'meat substitutes' that I find appetising. It tastes like a mild, sausage/bacon alternative but far more delicious than other things I have tried in the past (keeping in mind that I never liked the taste of meat in my childhood meat eating days, either). The second exciting thing about it is that I realised it has the texture and colour of tinned Spam! (Another well deserved exclamation). Spam has been my main barrier to creating a few forties wartime recipes I discovered. Now I have a genuinely tasty Spam alternative I can vegan-ize those recipes and give them a go. Happy times!Milokohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12878842625141112887noreply@blogger.com2