Steak, Flapjacks and Flights

Another super fast week here!  We've been having so much fun just being with each other, and I've found I'm getting more done without scheduling (thinking about) it, and just DOING (being) it.

In 1 whole day I repotted some plants, played with the boys, did the usual dressing, feeding, pre-school runs, bathing, and designed and made 2 items in fabric.  1 was a dress I wanted to wear on holiday, and another was a sleeping bag type thing for the double buggy.  I'm away on Wednesday visiting my family in Cyprus and want to go out in the evening and maybe do an open mic on the guitar.  While I do that obviously the boys need to be with me but Finley no longer fits in the double buggy as there is no leg support, the legs just go down to the footrest.  There are flaps that unzip to give you access to the storage compartment beneath and so this fabric cover lifts those up and creates a leg and foot space in the buggy so they can both sleep comfortably.

We also made this week a superhero cake for Finley to eat at a birthday party.  I didn't want him to miss out and a cake was already being made.  People don't often check about diet..now I'm vegan I am more aware about gluten free, egg, dairy and nut free children but I didn't think so much about it before.  


I've also made carrot and orange flapjacks, a tomato and aubergine curry, and today made a meat recipe which is my best ever! I'm so pleased with it.  All of these I am sharing with you today!
The aubergine curry was simply stewing tomatoes, and grilling slices of aubergine then adding to the stewed toms.  Adding ground cumin, coriander and turmeric to some oil in a pan, then onions.  Once brown add to the aubergine and tomatoes!  That's it! garlic if you wish and some salt.  I used some cauliflower as rice, I just put it in my ricer attachment to the blender.

My cake recipe is from Super Golden Bakes.  I haven't tried their avo frosting yet I normally mix cocoa with coconut oil and icing sugar to make that, but this time I just iced it, painted it and made some decorations.

https://www.supergoldenbakes.com/2016/02/super-fudgy-vegan-chocolate-cake-wi.html

I learned in painting it that the food colouring is clear when mixed with water (like a dye) and is unstable and separates (the green went yellow and blue)  To make it opaque you need to mix it with icing sugar and water to a thick paste, and spread the paste on thinly to keep it flat.


The flapjacks I made because I wanted to try and make a veggie juice like a snack that the kids can have.

3 large carrots or equivalent (I used 6 small organic ones) grated finely (I use the ricer in my blender)
1/2 cup of veggie spread
3 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 3/4 cups of rolled/porridge oats
3/4 cups of medjool dates, de-stoned and chopped very finely
2 tablespoons of mixed seeds

Basically mix it all up, speed it into a square dish and bake at 180º for 15-20 minutes (the thinner you have spread this the quicker it takes).

Today's meat recipe is my favourite though as it's SO versatile.  It takes a little bit like turkey I suppose, a bit denser than chicken but not as beefy as beef.  You can change the seasoning to suit the meat you want.  Next time I'll add sage and riced apple and smoked paprika to see if it tastes like sausages!   You can also try chicken seasoning instead and use it as chicken nuggets!

100g Sun Dried Tomatoes finely chopped
200g Walnuts finely chopped
250g (1 punnet) Chestnut Mushrooms  finely chopped
1/4 cauliflower riced (very finely grated)
1 175g tub of breadcrumbs or equivalent of rice flour for gluten free option
1 packet of quinoa and wholegrain rice mix https://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=276760869
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon of onion powder or a small onion again put through the ricer (everything needs to be in tiny pieces basically)
2 tablespoons of garlic puree if making steak
Steak, Chicken or pork seasoning.

Put everything apart from the breadcrumbs/rice flour, once chopped or riced,  in a large bowl and mix.  The mixture will be wet.  When making meatballs, roll balls in the breadcrumbs/rice and fry in shallow oil on a low heat.  When making steak, mix the breadcrumbs into the the mixture to make it hold together well and shape some into a steak.

The great thing about vegan food is that you don't have to worry about it all being cooked through - you just need to warm it up! So if you are making larger meat portions, large meatballs for example, you need to cook them for longer to ensure they are warm in the middle and crisp on the outside.

The steak really held together well for flipping - you just need to use 2 wide and flexible utensils and very carefully flip.

I then did the other sides and my steaks even held together when I shook them from the pan directly onto the plate!

Even my husband loved these (he's not vegan) and we had a glass of red wine with them.
I also made some peppercorn sauce using patly single cream, a dash of my home made elderflower wine (you can use sherry) and whole and grinder peppercorns (a LOT) and whisked in some rice flour until it was the consistency of a good single cream.

I might not be posting next week as I will be having fun in Cyprus but I hope you enjoy these recipes and I'll post in 2 weeks!

Alison x