Easy peasy pizza

This week I tried to buy flour. Luckily I have plain and self raising but wanted extra strong for pizza dough. There wasn't a bag to be seen on the shelves. I'm guessing, with more time to spare, people are baking, cooking, pasta, pizza and bread making.

We could have ordered a Dominos but decided it was time to think outside the box (haha)! When the children were younger we used to make naan-bread pizzas, letting them add their own toppings. I managed to buy some naans at the supermarket and had plenty of topping ingredients at home so this is what I created:-

A Picasso Pizza! This was just a tomato base of choice (mine was Seeds of Change Tomato and Basil) plus grated cheese (or veggie alternative) and caramelised onions. So tasty served with salad and coleslaw. The world is your oyster when it comes to toppings - seriously anything goes so let your imagination go wild.

Next week I may try doing Edvard Munch's The Scream.

Vegan veracity

A few years ago I attended Veganfest in Leeds, Yorkshire. At the time I was a committed vegetarian and only mildly curious about being vegan. The festival opened my eyes to what vegans are all about but at the time it seemed quite radical. This year I plan to visit again and learn a bit more.

During the intervening years I have picked up information along the way. Supermarkets have got better at selling products, ingredients and ready meals, restaurants are catering for vegans and there is more about Veganism in the media.

Some foods you may think are vegan are actually not. Honey is actually a bee by-product and many bees are mass pollinated using a method called migratory beekeeping. This then affects many fruit and vegetables.

Many wines, beers and ciders use isinglass (from fish bladders) in the clarifying process. Gelatin can be used in some sherries and ports as well as in desserts, sweets and medication. Cochineal and shellac can also be found in sweets.

Bone char is sometimes used in the sugar making process and don't forget what bone china is made from!

Vegan bread may still have various E-numbers derived from animals.

What I probably hadn't realised was how hard it is to avoid animal products in everyday life. They seem to be in everything including shampoos, conditioners (both hair and fabric) and medication. Also LCD screens on phones, televisions, tablets and computers use animal cholesterol. I have no idea where you can buy vegan versions.

If you're interested in finding out more you can go along to a vegan festival near you. Leeds has two dates this year - Saturday June 6th and Saturday 29th November.

Posh Pancakes

As a child I enjoyed all the desserts and cakes that were on offer. Except, that is, Crepes Suzette. That was a dessert just for the grown ups. We called them posh pancakes. It wasn't until I got older and received a Marks and Spencer French cookery book that I understood why. They're laced in alcohol! Take your pick; Cointreau, Curaçao or Grand Marnier. 

Armed with the knowledge concerning the alcohol and a bona fide recipe to boot, you would think I might have made this boozy dessert by now, mais non! 

I am now looking forward to Pancake Tuesday this week and will let you know the outcome. If you want to give it a try here's how -

Pancakes cooked the way you enjoy (Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free ...)
3tbsp caster sugar
250ml freshly squeezed orange juice
Zest of one orange
1tsp lemon juice
1tbsp your chosen alcohol (see above)
50g unsalted butter

- fold pancakes into quarters
- melt sugar in non stick pan over a low heat without stirring until caramelised
- take pan off heat + add orange juice, zest, lemon juice + alcohol
- let them combine
- add small pieces of butter bringing to the boil and simmering gently until glossy
- add pancakes back into the pan and warm through
- serve immediately 

The Vegetarian Valentine

What to do on Valentine's Day? Restaurants are fully booked unless you're organised and booked in good time, otherwise it's a 5pm or 10pm booking! Dinner for two at home? Many supermarkets offer dine-in deals and we did succumb to a Waitrose offer. I had what would have been the starter (a pea and spinach risotto) whilst my other half enjoyed the salmon. We shared one side of cauliflower cheese and I cooked him roast potatoes. Obviously we ate the dessert and drank the prosecco! The other side dish was roast veggies which I have had for tea tonight. The other salmon en croute is in the freezer. Good value at £20.00

I did make a bit of effort on Saturday night by cooking my heart shaped pasta from Italy. I made a puttanesca sauce to go with it - black olives, capers and tomatoes with plenty of garlic and a kick of chilli. Good job we both ate it! 

Raw dried pasta hearts

Cooked pasta hearts

The cross vegetarian 😡

Just a bit of a rant this week. How hard is it for a restaurant to give more than one vegetarian choice on the menu? More and more of us are turning vegetarian and vegan and yet some restaurants are still lagging behind in the variety stakes.

This week a local Italian restaurant had a lunch menu with only one veggie choice - mushroom gratin. Watery and tasteless was my verdict. Then on a celebratory weekend away our evening menu had only a mushroom starter and mushroom stroganoff main. Ridiculous!

I have nothing against the fun guys (sorry funghis) but am not a massive fan and certainly don't want two courses of the slippery little fellas. Come on restaurants. Most of us can do better in our own homes with the wide and varied choice of veggie ingredients and prepared meals. It's hardly giving us an incentive to dine out.

Maldivian Menu

Apologies for being AWOL. I was lucky enough to enjoy a ten day stint in the beautiful Maldives. Even luckier, I was on an all inclusive package in a beautiful resort with a fantastic chef and have returned a bigger person ... literally!

The food was AMAZING! There was so much choice with an abundance of colourful salads, fruits and vegetables. For the vegetarian the main food sources are:-

- Coconuts - grown on every island and declared the national tree. It is grated and shredded into dishes, eaten raw or turned into coconut milk to add creaminess to curries and beverages.

- Starches - yams, sweet potatoes, breadfruit and screw pine and, of course, rice.

- Curries - often containing the above ingredients as well as aubergines, pumpkins and bitter gourds as well as green bananas. The curries are served with rice and/or roshi, an unleavened flatbread.

               Snake gourd curry above and bitter gourd curry below served with rice and roshi

The influence of nearby India and Sri Lanka manifests itself in the food providing tasty, exotic flavours.

Visiting a nearby island where maldivians live, we saw banana trees, star fruit trees and local nuts left out in the sun to dry.

                                  Star fruits growing on a tree and nuts left out in the sun to dry

The main food source is fish, in particular tuna, so if you are pescatarian rather than vegetarian or vegan, the world is your oyster.

Christmas Candy

Candy is the North American word for sweets or confectionery. We tend to think that candy canes come from America with the first recorded Candy sticks dating from 1837. They were white to begin with and later the red stripes were added as well as peppermint flavouring and were referred to as candy canes in 1866.

In 1874 they were connected to Christmas and since then have been given different interpretations, ie the "J" shape stands for Jesus with the white representing his purity and the red his blood.

Another story connects the canes to Germany in 1670 when a choirmaster gave them to the children attending a nativity service. The shape was meant to symbolise the shepherds crooks.

Whatever the truth is, they make good Christmas decorations, stocking fillers and sweet treats. Whilst okay for vegetarians, they are not recommended by dentists!

Most chocolates are suitable for vegetarians but you need to check sweets as marshmallows and anything gummy contain gelatin.

Check these out. If you shop around there are plenty of non-gelatin sweets out there - just as tasty without being nasty.

Pumpkin patch work

If you have read this blog for any length of time you will know I am a real fan of pumpkin spice, favourites being a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte and a special edition pumpkin spice Baileys.

Pumpkin has also landed on top of my pizzas, appeared in flans, tarts and risottos and even made it to the breakfast table and dessert.

One of the nicest things I've done this week was to visit a pumpkin farm near Harrogate in Yorkshire. Grab yourself a wheelbarrow and head into a pumpkin patch to literally pick your own. Unlike strawberries or raspberries, it doesn't take long, although it's exciting trying to find the perfect specimen. Give it a wash, pay for it and, if you wish, take it to the carving barn.

After this autumnal exercise it was time for lunch - pumpkin soup naturally!

Gourd Morning

Back on the pumpkin trail I have found a way of incorporating them with another seasonal beauty; the eating apple.

Roasted cubes of pumpkin or squash and apple, cooled and blended with coconut water and cinnamon make a delicious, sugar-free breakfast. Layer up this autumnal mousse with Greek yogurt and sprinkle on your choice of topping (nuts, muesli, granola, desiccated coconut, dried fruit, swirl of honey etc). If you're vegan, cook the squash and apple in coconut oil instead of butter and use a dairy-free coconut milk yogurt.

Try it for yourselves - it's really gourd!

Take three ingredients

Having always had a herb garden and dabbled with a veggie patch, this year I decided to do a little window sill gardening with tomatoes, chillis and basil. They are, after all, the basis for so many vegan and vegetarian dishes.

Using these three ingredients it is possible to make pasta dishes, gnocchi, risotto, soup, salad, sandwiches, pizza, bruschetta ... the list is endless.

At its simplest, a drop of oil heated in a pan with chopped chilli and some garlic (or you could use  chilli oil you've made previously) to which you add the chopped tomatoes. They will quickly absorb the flavours. Add torn basil to the tomatoes before stirring through cooked pasta. Serve in warmed bowls with a sprinkle of Parmesan substitute and a garnish of fresh basil. Simple perfection.

The three ingredients don't always need to be combined. They can be paired or used alone.
The tomatoes and chillis can be used together in Indian or Mexican cuisine or pair the tomatoes and basil in a Caprese salad.

Jack(fruit) of all trades

Jackfruit is becoming more widely used in the UK as a substitute for meat. Because of it's texture, it has been likened to pulled pork or chicken. Jackfruit has a fairly bland sweet-sour flavour and is often covered in barbecue sauce and served as burgers and chilli. When using ripened fruit it can be used in sweet dishes. Lots of recipes are available on the Internet and in vegan and vegetarian cook books.

The jackfruit is part of the same family as fig and mulberry. It is the national fruit of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and is commonly used in south Asian dishes.

Whilst sold in Asian markets, it is rare to see a whole jackfruit in supermarkets here in the UK but can be bought in canned form. This is far easier than trying to wrestle with these huge, tough fruits which contain a sticky latex layer under the spiky skin.

The fruit is a healthy option being free from cholesterol and saturated fat and is low in calories. Extra brownie points are that it is a sustainable and ethical meat replacement.

To date I have eaten it in veggie restaurants and from street food stalls, normally in a taco. Waitrose now do a vegan jackfruit pizza which is very tasty.

Just Chillin

Chillis come in many colours, shapes, sizes and strengths and can be used to create or enhance many dishes. Chilli con carne is probably the most famous or, in the veggie world, chilli NON carne!

The heat provided can vary enormously and is often down to personal taste. I enjoy the little bit of heat that comes from dressings such as chilli oil, sauce, jam and balsamic and sometimes scatter dried chilli flakes over food. Actual chopped chillis get added to chillis, curries, lasagne etc.

Chillis are fairly easy to grow and, when you have a glut, they can be frozen and grated into dishes. A good friend of mine makes delicious chilli jam and I intend to try doing the same. Here is her recipe:-

8 red peppers de seeded & roughly chopped
10 red chillis with seeds roughly chopped
Finger size piece of ginger peeled & roughly chopped
8 garlic cloves peeled
400g tin cherry tomatoes
750g golden caster sugar
250ml red wine vinegar

- Whiz together peppers, chillis, ginger and garlic in food processor
- Add to tomatoes, sugar and vinegar in heavy bottom pan & boil
- Skim off scum & simmer for 1 hour
- Once sticky cook for 15 mins more stirring frequently
- Do the saucer in freezer test for wrinkles in jam
- When it looks like thick bubbling lava, cool slightly & transfer to sterilised jars
- Leave to cool, top with wax paper & lid & add a label
- Keeps 3-4 months in a cool dark place

Go fish

Something fishy is going on.
One weekend & 2 signs spotted advertising vegan fish and chips.
Curiosity aroused & feeling suspicious.
How the hell can you have vegan fish and chips?
Time to find out!

Sadly I haven't had the chance to try them but I am informed the fish (or vish) consist of banana blossom which is fairly bland and fleshy being marinated for flavour, battered and deep fried. Served with chips and mushy peas it seems like a good alternative.

It isn't the only take on fish. I've also seen recipes for Chuna Mayo which is definitely vegan and consists of flaked chickpeas, lemon juice and zest, capers, sweet corn and vegan mayonnaise.

It would seem there are PLENTY MORE (substitutes for) FISH (to stay) IN THE SEA!

Maca and Matcha

Yes it's the middle of Wimbledon fortnight and John (Maca) McKenroe, ex-tennis star and superbrat is now commentating on this year's matches. I, however, am writing about a different Maca and Matcha!

Maca powder is derived from the root of a vegetable which is cleaned, dehydrated and milled. It originates in the Andes and has been used for centuries as a medicinal and nutritional food source. It contains fibre and thiamin and is thought to combat stress and fatigue. It has a comforting, malty taste and can be added to smoothies, porridge and yogurts. 

I like to have it in porridge.

Matcha originates in Eastern Asia and is a finely ground powder of green tea leaves. It is believed to have cancer fighting qualities as well as a preventing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It is also thought to have calming, yet energising properties. It is added to boiling water to make tea or used as a flavouring.

I have only tried it in a mixture with spirulina and wheatgrass so I'm not sure which was the overriding taste. I mixed it in to my porridge and it looked like a bowl of pesto. I then practically had to hold my nose and eat it. Not pleasant. 

Maybe I just need to up my GAME and SET the table AND enjoy my MATCHA. After all, it may just be ACE!

And it was all yellow

Today is the last day of World Meat Free Week but hopefully a new start for many people and a step towards helping to save animals and ultimately save the planet. There's no point me preaching to the choir but, if you are a meat-eater, give it a try. It doesn't matter that you missed the designated week - you can start tomorrow!

Something we may all have in common is ... The love of Gin! I have just bottled my first attempt at Elderflower Gin and, let me tell you, it is golden nectar. Not only does it taste delicious, it was sooo easy to make.

You will need:-

1 litre of gin (or vodka)
6 tbsp white sugar
25 elderflower heads (shake out the bugs - this is a vegetarian version)
Peel from 2 lemons

Pour the gin and sugar into a large sterilised jar and swish around
Submerge the flower heads under the liquid
Top with lemon peelings to weigh down the elderflowers
Keep in a cool, dark place and give it a swirl each day
After 1-2 weeks strain the liquid through a mesh or muslin cloth *
Pour into sterilised bottles

*Add more sugar at this stage if you want a liqueur
It can be drunk alone, with tonic water, ice and lemon slices or added to fizz for a cocktail

One glass in and I'm feeling rather mellow.

Minted

The health benefits of mint have been celebrated throughout history. It is known to improve digestion and prevent nausea, acts as an anti-inflammatory, aids recovery of colds, reduces fever, treats bad breath and improves mental awareness and reduces stress. Mint!

Mint is easy to grow and will spread through your garden so is best grown in a pot and can be submerged in your garden bed. This helps prevent the roots spreading.

There are many kinds of mint and whilst the overriding taste will be mint, some smell of lemon, grapefruit, banana and even chocolate and can be used in many ways.

The summer meal below consists of courgette, pea and mint fritters served with a watermelon, feta and mint salad and minted new potatoes.

A refreshing drink is mint tea where mint leaves are infused in hot water. This can be done from fresh or dried mint as well as purchased peppermint tea bags.

Other drinks include a mint julep consisting of bourbon, crushed ice, sugar and fresh mint. My own favourite is mojito where white rum is substituted for bourbon. Maybe this one should only be consumed after eight!

Palm Oil

There was a time when all I had to worry about was whether there was a vegetarian option on a menu or at a party. No meat, no fish and, preferably, no Quorn for me thank you very much. How things have changed. Now I need to know if the vegetables are organic, how many miles they've travelled to get to my plate and, what they're cooked in.

My (non-veggie) husband loves fish and chips. Yesterday on the way back from the west coast we stopped at an F+C restaurant. Deciding on a portion of chips with mozzarella sticks I asked the waitress what the chips were cooked in, meaning beef dripping or vegetable oil. I was amazed to hear her say Palm oil. My conscience pricked and I struggled with my demons before giving in to hunger and eating them.

Palm oil is, in fact, in many of the foods we eat, the packaging it comes in and the toiletries and cleaning products we use. It is, indeed, hard to avoid. The reason it is so widely used is that it is far more economical to grow than soybean or coconut trees, using up to ten times less land so I don't imagine it will be banned altogether and many people's livelihood depends on the industry. What we do need to establish is whether it is from a sustainable source or not.

Oil palm trees grow in tropical conditions. Deforestation causes the release of greenhouse gases which then ruin the natural habitat of orangutans and other species. The only sustainable way to grow these trees is to plant them on land which has already been cleared. It's a bit like the green belt vs brown belt land for building. There is a body (RSPO) which has tightened the rules on using only sustainable Palm oil and in 2012 the Government pledged the UK would only use oil from sustainable sources. By 2016 we achieved 75% but there's still a way to go both in the UK and globally.

Tomorrow I shall be emailing the manager of the restaurant to ascertain whether the oil is from a sustainable source. Hopefully so as those chips are laying heavy in my stomach and, on my conscience.

When Life Gives You Lemons

When life gives you lemons ... Make Limoncello!

During a recent visit to Naples, Italy, I visited a small, family run business making the vibrant yellow liquor. We were welcomed and given sample tasters of both the traditional and the milky Limoncella Crema. 

The process was then explained (and can easily be replicated on a smaller version at home).

lemon skins + alcohol + sugar + boiling water (or milk for the cream version)
leave for a while (7 days or so)
strain, bottle and serve
Voila!

This delicious digestif served at the end of a meal is a bright end to the night

Planet Potential

This week marks the 93rd birthday of global treasure, broadcaster and natural historian, David Attenborough. He has brought wildlife and plant life to our screens for many decades and his most recent Netflix series, Our Planet, is both fascinating and frightening. When Sir stands in front of us and declares that we have only a matter of years left to protect and save our world, we had better pay attention.

Series producer Keith Scholey tells us that the next 20 years are critical and that it's not just about saving our wildlife, it's about saving ourselves.

At the same time Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg has told MPs that her future has been "stolen" and has rallied other students to protest about climate change. 

So, the elderly and the young seem to understand the need to act, and fast, but what about the middle ground? Extinction Rebellion, the climate change activists, have also increased public awareness with their peaceful protests in London.

So we have just had local elections in the UK and the results are a real shake-up for the two main parties, the Lib Dems being the biggest winners and the Green Party making progress. Brexit is probably the main culprit and the public honestly don't know which way to vote.

For those of us wanting to save the planet, we need clear leadership. We need someone at the helm to make recycling compulsory and consistent, someone to ban the production of non-recyclables, someone to give us clear rules to follow. If we are all singing from the same (bird)song sheet we can reduce our carbon footprint.

If you want to vote this week, try this, from Michael Pollan, author, journalist and activist;

"The wonderful thing about food is you get three votes a day.
Each one has the potential to change the world."

Ice Ice Baby

Borage, also known as Starflower, is in full bloom in my garden at the moment. I have both the original bright blue as well as a white flower cultivar. This old fashioned herb, thought to bring cheerfulness, comfort of the heart and merriment, is completely edible and can be used in salads, drinks and as cake decorations. It has a cucumber-like flavour and is therefore a good addition to Pimms and G&Ts.

Today I have picked the flowers and placed them in ice cube trays. They will make a fabulous addition to summer drinks.