Layered vegetable ramekin.

A new recipe came to me as the sunlight hit the curtains I decided that i needed to use the ramekin dishes! I chopped aubergine into circles, mushroom, courgette and potato layered them and filled the ramekin with vecon (A kind of stock) but you could use whatever you like, cover it in foil and bake in the oven for around 30 mins. I let it cool (but you dont have to) layered on a piece of bread which i had cut into a heart shape using a cookie cutter and put on vegan cheese and a slice of tomato. Cooked it at 200 for around 20 mins. Hey presto done and it is so tasty. You can always make these a day in advance of a dinner party and reheat them on the day (the bread will absorb the stock so i think its best to put it on before cooking). Hope you enjoy, its mighty tasty!

Its curry night x

I decided to make a lovely lentil curry today and had little time, the slowcooker is an easy option when time is limited. I decided to add a few green lentils to the red to make a different flavour and add to the texture. I added 2 small red onions chopped, tin of tomatoes, 1 cup of green lentils, 3 cups of red lentils, 3 tbsp balti curry paste, 4 small carrots chopped, 1 tin of chickpeas, 10 small garlic cloves (about four or five large ones) chopped or crushed as prefered and 3/4 pint of water. Throw it all in and switch the slow cooker onto low and leave on for around 6 hours. Curry so easy and so delicious x

vegan cooking books on the cheap

I received a copy of Leah Lenenmans 'vegan cooking for everyone' for 99pence only, what a wonderful and joyful find. Ebay is great for finding great vegan bargains for little money, it all helps in these times of frugal living. I think everyone to some degree has to be frugal to survive the economy, I am sharing a couple of recipes to help everyone in the frugal lifestyle for which we are forced into...hee hee x

Vegan Scottish Steamed pudding ( like haggis ) 1 cup of medium oatmeal 1/2 cp soya flour 1 cup wholewhaet breadcrumbs 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs 1 small onion 1/3 cup hard vegetable fat or shredded veg suet water as reqired sea salt as required freshly ground black pepper 1. Combine the oatmeal, soy flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder and herbs in a large bowl. 2. Chop the onion finely and add it to the bowl. 3. Mix in the fat ( grated block vegetable fat) or vegetable suet. Add enough liquid to make a thick pouring consistency and turn the mixture ot into an oiled pudding basin. Steam for 2 hours or microwave for 12 mins, covered with wax paper. Leave for 2 mins or more before turning out. Can be served with potatoes, parsnips and vegetables with some lovely onion gravy x

Cashew stuffed eggplant ( aubergine ). 2 large or 4 small eggplants 1 pound/455g onions 12/3 cup/225g cashews 2 tsp yeast extract 1. Cut the tops off the eggplant and simmer them in boiling water for 30 mins. Set them aside to drain and cool. 2. Chop the onions finely and cook them in enough water to cover, along with the yeast extract, until tender. Drain the excess liquid. 3. Grind the cashews and mix them with the cooked onions. 4. Slice the eggplants in half, scoop out the flesh from the centers, finely chop and add to the onion-cashew mixture. 5. Pile the mixture into the eggplant halves and bake at 200c/400f/gas mark 6 for about 20 mins. I would personally put some grated vegan cheese on top with a dash of vegan worcester sauce. Hope you have a try at these recipes as i am def going to try cooking these two. I will post the success or failure of these. Enjoy!

Pasta bake with butterbean, pepper and red onion.

Today the rain is splashing down so i decided that the best course of action was to make a vegan pasta bake that could slowly cook in the oven. I had previously seen the most wonderful vegan cauli ( pasta ) and brocolli bake made by a lovely vegan friend on facebook. Thank goodness for people posting food pics as vegans, it gives you so many ideas and is inspirational. I decided to create my own with a basic white sauce made from Pure and plain flour with soya milk. I did add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes with added B12. I used a red cheddar vegan cheese to go in and on my sauce as i thought this would add a lovely flavour to it. I chopped a couple of small red onions, 2 small peppers and threw in a tin of btter beans, sprinkle or vegan cheese. Poured the sauce all over with a thin layer of vegan cheese on top! I will add brocolli next time in a tipping of the hat to my lovely vegan friend who gave me that yummy idea.

skulls skulls skulls!

Oh i do love a skull , not in the human head but printed on things, ceramic renditions, glass etching, models, skull laces and ribbons. I just cant get enough of that skully stuff. Im my uber goth days i would always sport a skull of some description, a badge or a customised jacket with yep you guessed it skulls! I am really keen to make myself some sugar skulls and a crafted shrunken head... thats dark crafting at its best.

Infact i have some skull beads which i really must use, ever since i did the move from art landing to the studio space i am finding lots of wonderful bits and pieces which have remained hidden......yippee. Oh and i would like a pair of these i think they are super cute just as long as they are vegan. I love skulls!

mucha love for mucha

In our home there are several Mucha postcards and pictures placed around, women shown in strength and beauty is a real favourite thing of mine. I love portraits and beautiful old photographs showing the elegence of a bygone era. Mucha has always been of interest to me, his work seemed to sing to me in the way that only really great art can. The flow and majesty of flowers and leaves, the ethereal look and his ability to make everything look ornate just enthralls me. I once owned a Mucha mirror which i treasured, i purchased it when i was around 19 and it moved with me until one day it smashed, a small piece of my heart was shattered like those shards of glass. I absolutely adored that mirror, I have looked for another but sadly it isn't to be. Maybe i am never meant to recreate that moment in time but when i owned it it was magical.

May hay while the sun shines pasta dish.

So today while the sun streamed through the kitchen window I decided the only thing i felt like eating was a roasted vegetable wholemeal pasta dish. In the fridge sat a lonley aubergine, some courgettes, a few mushrooms and lovely red onion. I commenced chopping with gusto and threw the offending vegetables into the oven firstly covering their little selves in basalmic vinegar and garlic oil, boiled some wholemeal penne which i felt would add a healthier bent on the carb fest. I drained some capers ( which i love ) and some green olives to add in when the dish is bought together. I was toying with the idea of adding beans but decided against it today just want to keep it light. When everything had cooled i threw it all into a bowl to cool, adding a little extra garlic oil to keep everything moving. When i serve it i will drizzle some vegan garlic mayo over the top, cant wait to tuck into pasta salad. Two days of sun in a row is like winning the sunshine lottery, after the horrendous rain. If your fancying something light make this yummy dish you certainly wont be disappointed. Im off out to bask in the sunshine! well after lunch ofcourse.