Apple Oak cake

I tend to do most of my cooking on a weekend as I work long hours during the week and don't have to much time. I tend to do my Yoga during the week when I get home rather than having to start cooking so cooking has to be pretty quick such as stir frys and pasta.

This weekend I have made Butternut squash soup for work. Also made some vegan meatballs which will be quick to add to spagetti one night when I come in. Have made a spicy sausage casserole for tea and a 5 bean chili which will do for a couple of nights mid week.

At weekend I like to try something new as during the week I tend to just have a yogurt or fresh fruit after my meal but I like something a bit naughtier at weekend.As a new Vegan I am keen to try out new dessert menus as I am new to the whole concept of baking without using eggs, I have to say everthing I have made has turned out well so far. This weekend I made an apple oat cake which turned out very well it is an oatlike cake but the layer of apple in the middle really makes it tasty. Last night we had this with cream and tonight theres enough left to have it with custard, there was even enough to send a couple of slices to my mum.

The Sunday Cookathon

I love Sundays when I can spend time in my kitchen and cook.My life is quite hectic during the week so when weekend comes around I love to cook and try out new recipes. I like to get myself prepared for the week ahead and feel if I cook proper meals to freeze at the weekend I won't be as tempted to eat rubbish, being organised is the secret of healthy eating for me.

I usually look to see what I have a lot of in my cupboards and fridge and try to use up rather than throw them away so seeing as I have an abundance of carrots I decided to make up some soup for the weeks lunches as it still is quite cold and soup is always warming with some nice bread. I have made up two batches for me and for my mum, I tend to cook a lot for my mum as she is elderly now and has the tendancey not to eat properly if I don't keep an eye on her.

The first batch of soup I made was Carrot and Corriander a simple classic soup which I never tire of. I also made a batch of carrot and ginger for mum as ginger is quite good for some of the ailments she suffers from. I made a nice Mediterranean Olive bread to go with my soup, so thats lunches sorted out for most of the week.

I made two batches of muffins the first was mincemeat muffins, I had a jar of mincemeat which I had made for Christmas and not got round to eating so this was a good way to use it up, followed by my favourite spiced apple muffins.

For main meals I try to cook from scratch when I get home from work but sometimes it is handy to have something prepared so for tomorrow evening I have made some mexican enchiladas it will be a quick meal when I get home I just have to add a salad with it.The remainder of the Chilli I have froze and on another night I will simply cook some rice to go with it.

With the remainder of veg I found in the fridge I will make a vegetable pie consisting of celery,leeks,carrots,potatoes,peas and sweetcorn,with a mashed potato topping.
These are all quick and simple Vegan meals anyone can prepare in advance the secret of cooking i have found is be organised and use up what you have in store.I hate throwing food away I think its a sin when there is hundreds of starving people in the world it only takes a little imagination and you can turn your left overs into tasty meals.

Since turning Vegan last year I have simply eaten so much more heallthier and now my muffins are also so much healthier as I now replace the eggs in them with flaxseed and a few spoons of water and they come out perfect.

Now to enjoy the rest of Sunday afternoon with my book.

I'm off to Zurich

Just getting packed for my trip to Zurich. I am looking forward to a few days relaxing and sightseeing. We are actually going to see my favourite singer Tarja (who used to be the lead singer in the band Nightwish) I am a huge Tarja fan.

Looking forward to seeing the sights of Switzerland, I have never been here before so all is new. Also hoping to visit Lucerne and judging by the pics I've seen it looks stunning.

I am a bit nervous about the food, this will be my first time travelling abroad as a Vegan so it will be a bit of a challenge, I've travelled many times before as a Vegetarian but never as a Vegan so it will be good to review it from another perspective. I think the best plan of action is stick to the Vegetarian/Vegan restraunts. I have googled Vegans in Zurich and have come up with a few eating places.

Just thought I'd share this video of Tarja with you all she's definetly worth a listen. 

Vegetarian Food for Thought Podcast

Vegetarian Food for Thought Podcast

Every now and again someone or something comes along to really inspire you. For me that person was Collen Patrick-Goudrau who runs the website Compassionate Cooks.

I have been a Vegetarian since I was 12 years old, basically I saw a film at school about food production and where our animals end to get on our table, that did it for me I went home and announced I was never eating meat again and since that day I haven't and I'm 48 years old now.

My mum rather than talking me out of it decided to help me for which I am forever grateful as in those days there wasn't the variety or choice of vegetarian food in the supermarkets. My mum is a great cook and I think she viewed it as a challenge I used to come home from school and she would have made me amazing meals like stuffed peppers, Vegetable casseroles with dumplings,Soups,Pasta,Curries, Chili's etc in fact you name it my mum would conjure it up.

Being Vegetarian has always been very easy for me as a keen cook I love experimenting with new recipes and trying things out, but for some reason turning completely Vegan never really entered my head, I don't know why I guess I never had the relevant information on hand, I thought if I bought free range eggs and Organic milk and vegetarian cheeses etc I was doing my bit, but I stumbled upon a podcast by Collen Patrick-Goudrau and her compassion and info blew me away. I immediatly started going back listening to all her old Podcasts and the wealth of nutritional and moral info was the best I have ever heard.

I always presumed Vegan Cooking would be impossible but through Collens web site and books i have learnt it isn't I may need to tweek a few of my favourite recipes a bit but so far it hasn't been a problem in fact if anything it has been so easy for me I am now wondering why I didn't do it sooner.

Please if anyone is actually reading this post don't think I am trying to lecture you, I know being Vegan or Vegetarian is a very personal issue just as being a meat eater is I wouldn't dream of trying to lecture anyone, I believein personal choice for everyone. I guess what I am saying to anyone out there who was considering becoming Vegan or Vegetarian give Coleen a listen on her Podcast or visit her website you might be suprised at the wealth of infoon it.

My big love in life is baking so whwn I realised I could still bake everything as a Vegan I was thrilled, I can substitute all my recipes with Dairy Free Butter, Milk can be substituted with Soya Milk or one of the many Milk alternatives out there and I can even replace my eggs with an egg replacer all news to me.The first Vegan book I bought is by Coleen Patrick _Goudraucalled 'The Joy of Vegan Baking' and it is a fabulous book for the Vegan cook to start on, there is loads of great recipes in it such as Apple pecan muffins,Chocolate chip cookies,Cinammon coffee cake to name a few I can't wait to try some out this weekend.

If you buy one Vegan book on baking I suggest this one. I'm going to start blogging on how I get on with them and how they compare to the original.