fresh out of oven

This is a dish we’ve had a lot over the years but never written up. Original credit goes to Sarah Brown’s Vegetarian Kitchen (BBC cookery series). It’s a wonderfully filling and wholesome meal. Topped with mashed potatoes, the base is made of aduki beans (goodness direct link there, which links back to our aduki bean cottage pie recipe!), brown rice and vegetables in a gravy. The name comes from the beans which are referred to as ‘red dragons’ in the East; their nutrient content is said to give you the strength of the dragon

Here’s how we do it:

Soak beans overnight if using dried ones. For the mammoth pie above which did dinner and lunch next day for four, we used 250g of dried beans. Place in a  large pan, cover well with water, bring to the boil and let simmer for a long time… (should be instructions on the bag). Throw in the rice (200g) about half way through cooking. Add more water if needed. Once it’s all nearly cooked add the vegetables. In this pie there were four carrots and one head of celery, all chopped. Onion is good too.

As that cooks up a bit, add a teaspoon of mixed herbs, a good  squidge of tomato puree and a teaspoon of yeast extract. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir well. Top with mashed potatoes – especially easy if using cookware that does hob and oven like our favourite Le Creuset Cast Iron Round Casserole – and bake in a hot oven until nicely browned.

dished up

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to make a Christmas cake or plan your vegan Christmas dinner

to buy a vegan cookbook or kids book  – today, Monday 19th is the last day for free shipping with Amazon but there are various other delivery choices all week.

to get a t-shirt  from us, the deadline is 20th Dec with express shipping

order from hotel chocolat by 4pm Friday for Christmas Eve delivery.

Ethical Superstore‘s last order dates are Tuesday 20th 12pm for standard delivery and Thursday 22nd for express

The Book People have next day delivery available until the 22nd.

Or you can just say, ‘no, I am not buying anything else,’ and go for a nice walk instead… probably the better option

in the woods

 In case we don’t blog before it’s all over, have a happy festive time

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vanilla cake with cream and buttons

creamovita and chocolate buttons - recipe for sponge on this page 

colours from the garden – a smoothie to be (added avo, banana, and OJ)

moth

check out VegaNation, a new vegan online shop! 

boy by sea

Pennan

girlish toes in the sea

salad

cauldron

sequins

Books of the moment:

Ecstatic Beings - Shazzie and Kate Magic

The Brightest Star in the Sky - Marian Keyes

Balletboyz - Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt

Waldon and Other Writings - Henry David Thoreau

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oak leaf

icicle on the woodshed

Digging my way into the woodshed through a 4 foot pile of snow, thoughts of Cold Comfort Farm mingle with a need to watch The Shining

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We have a beautiful paperback copy of Lynne Rickard’s new book , I Do Not Eat the Colour Green to give away. A lovely title which encourages healthy eating for kids. See our review of it up here

To enter just comment on this post and tell us what your favourite green thing is. Interpret the word green in any way you like We only have one copy so Charlotte will pick the entry that appeals most to her this time – the names will be removed before she judges so feel free to enter if we know you personally or if you’ve never set eyes on this blog before – it won’t affect your chances

Competition now closed: Congratulations to Wendy

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one of my favourite books ever

An older book, now out of print, but I don’t think anything has come along to best it as a veggie festive title (do comment if you know otherwise!). I got the hardback out of the library something like 18/19 years ago and it impacted me. The gorgeousness of Christmas food, the hints on preparing and freezing taking the hard work away from the day itself, the photos all through it. In fact looking through the pristine copy I now own (thank you Amazon marketplace, used condition, 1 pence!) I see obvious influences there for some of the recipes on our Yule page

a puff pastry mushroom Christmas tree!

I waited for frost and sunshine to write this post, dismal downpours were not hitting the right mark for the photos.

that's the chestnut and red wine pate en croute that we all love

There are five complete Christmas dinner menus, sections on preparation, party food, puddings and cakes, lighter festive lunches and so many cute sides. There’s also a craft bit about making your own gifts.

little Santa pizzas, easily veganisable

As with all Rose Elliot books there are vegan adjustments added in where appropriate.

parsley potato stars

As mentioned both paperback and hardcover are out of print but it is available secondhand from both Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com though I think the 1 pence ones have all gone…

a search for Vegetarian Christmas on AbeBooks.co.uk turns up quite a few editions, very well priced, but remember the paperback does not have the photos!

As I was out there in the frost our daily visiting whooper swans flew over. I stared up at them as usual, the cogs of my brains slowly grasping the knowledge that I had a camera in my hand. They were almost out of sight by this point but a quick aim in the direction of the sky caught a glimpse of their wings through the trees.

most indistinct picture of swans ever

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I love it when I have a book that I’m enjoying so much I resent all other activities that take me away from it .  Things like housework, cooking, sleeping… ugh… website work, long walks and lovely trips out with friends are still good I did/do/will manipulate any conversation to a discussion about the books in question and the author though

Halfway through the second title in the Millennium trilogy with the aspergian character Lisbeth Salander. Long term readers of the blog will know that I do like writers who are saying stuff that needs to be said. Exposing the rot in the hope of helping clear it away. Here we have institutional abuse, sadistic bullying, violence against women and children and the compliance and ignorance of those around the situations against a very thrilling murder plot with corruption and political comment aplenty. Wonderfully recognised individuals. So exciting, I have to go…

Wiki on author Stieg Larsson

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The equinox occurs at 4.03am tomorrow morning. A time of balance and harvest. Here we have broccoli, kale, leeks, carrots, apples and even finally courgettes in great abundance. The peas and beans are still producing though more slowly and it’s time for brambles in the smoothies.

I love how the sunflower heads get bigger and bigger, filling up with seeds:

like a great dinner plate

intend doing a bit of hulling... fun or tedious? we shall see

Going to save some of them for planting next year, a habit were getting better at, broad beans drying nicely on a windowsill too

big autumn leaves

Reading in front of the log fire has replaced swimming as the favourite leisure pastime of the moment. Phil Rickman books are still being delved into. The Bones of Avalon is a new style for him, a historical novel and wonderful Glastonbury mystery set in the times of Elizabeth 1st, seen through the eyes of John Dee. He also writes for children and young people as Thom Madley – Marco’s Pendulum is gripping some here, apparently well diffused with humour throughout

The very old and crumbling plum tree has given us 2 beautifully ripe fruits today:

purple and sweet

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sheep

candle and bubbles

another soul searching Transformation Game was played… it really does embody that Findhorn-esque quality of sharing and discovering deep things openly with others, love it. Wonderful companion to the morning pages of The Artist’s Way.

40 - my life begins now then

sky gazing

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sunflower so tall I had to hold the camera up high and click!

setting the above as my desktop (click for bigger image – creative commons so anyone can download)

doing: 5 Tibetans

listening: Gregorian Chant (CD bought on our visit to Pluscarden Abbey a couple of years ago)

reading: The Abundance Book and The Wine of Angels

off to pick almost the last of the blackcurrants for a smoothie

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