Yule 2020

Happy winter solstice! I know most of my blog friends are in the USA or other parts of the northern hemisphere, so will have just passed the summer solstice. But here in Australia, it is winter. And last week, we just celebrated the winter solstice, and our shortest day of the year.

Yule aka Winter Solstice (21st of June, 2020)

Yule fell over a weekend, and while I was working on the Saturday I had the Sunday off. For a few years, I used to mark Yule by making a huge feast. But the last couple of years time and energy have been against me, so I celebrated by making an easier but delicious wintery meal.

Deep, Dark Stew a La Sicilia from World Vegan Feast by Bryanna Clark Grogan: I knew I wanted to make this for Yule as soon as I saw it in the book earlier this year. This delicious stew uses TVP chunks (reconstituted in stock before you start the recipe), which are one of my favourite things. You can use cubed seitan instead, but TVP chunks are so much better. There is also carrot, mushrooms, and celery (I only had sticks, no leaves) in the stew, and I added some frozen peas as well because why not. The stew is made with an intriguing mix of ingredients such as sherry (though I used white wine), mushroom stock (I used the tip in the book of mixing porcini powder with vegetable stock for ease), cocoa powder, bacon bits, and yeast extract (Vegemite in my case), as well as a few other things and a blend of herbs. I got six servings, and I served it over mashed potatoes. The TVP chunks are coated in flour, sauteed, and set aside at the start of the recipe. I couldn't see where to add them back, so I did it about halfway through cooking time.
Rating: :)



Cranberry Apple Crumble from Vegan Casseroles by Julie Hasson: This is a lovely sweet and tart crumble. It uses granny smith apples and cranberries. While it called for fresh cranberries, that is not a thing here, so I used some of my very precious frozen cranberry stash, partially thawed. I also added a touch more cornstarch to the filling mix to make up for the extra liquid of using frozen cranberries. The topping is a nice cinnamon-laced mix of oats and flour, and I used melted Nuttelex as the fat. I would next time increase the amount of that from 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup, as the topping was a bit dry still, it didn't brown that well until I stuck it under the grill for a moment. I served this lovely winter treat with some So Delicious Snickerdoodle Ice Cream.
Rating: :)





Cute Kitty Photo of the Post



Speaking of winter and warmth, Gizmo was a master of finding snuggly places for napping. As she got older and had some arthritis in her lower spine and hips, we would wrap her up and give her a little heat pack for her joints during the colder days, which she really appreciated.

Recipe Round-Up: Vegan Casseroles

Several years ago, I tested for Vegan Casseroles a casserole inspired cookbook by Julie Hasson. Even though I made a heap of recipes during the testing process, I realised I haven't actually done a round up post for it yet! In fact, I have only shared a review of one recipe here as part of a MoFo prompt. To rectify, here is my first round up post for it! The book is divided into different types of casseroles: appetiser casseroles, dutch-oven and skillet (aka stove top) casseroles, old favourites, pasta casseroles, vegetable casseroles, dessert casseroles, and a chapter for sauces, toppings, and basics. Please enjoy some of the things I have made!

Aloo Gobi: This is a stove top casserole, and very easy to make. Cauliflower, potato, and onion are simmered with spices and tomatoes (the recipe says to use one cup of tinned tomatoes, I just used a whole tin and it was all good). I left out the jalapenos from this, and served over brown rice and spinach with some chutney.
Rating: :)



Moroccan Vegetable Stew: Another one made on the stove, this was delicious with a lot of fabulous flavours. Carrot, sweet potato, turnip, tomatoes, zucchini, chickpeas, quinoa, and raisins make this a full meal. And a big one, I got six serves out of this. This was Dad approved! I also added some frozen peas to the mix, because why not?
Rating: :D



Baby Greens with Cashew Cream Sauce: Creamed greens are not something I grew up with, but are something I have come to enjoy thanks to my cookbooks. I made this one Christmas, and it was a nice addition to the table. This falls under a stove top casserole, though is one of the least casserole like things, but it is still tasty! The sauce is rich and lovely. I used kale for my greens, but I couldn't find baby kale, it just needed a bit longer to cook down but was lovely.
Rating: :)



Nacho Tots Casserole: Everything about this recipe title sounds great, right? And it is! Thawed potato gems/tater tots are mixed with a Nacho Cheesy Sauce (another one from the sauces chapter) plus some other stuff, then baked and loaded with whatever your heart desires. I topped mine with a bit of cheese as well before baking, and then loaded them up with avocado, tomato, and bacon bits for serving.
Rating: :)



Creamy Rice and Dill Casserole: This requires a couple of pre-made recipes from the sauces and extras chapters: The white wine variation of a cashew-based Almost Alfredo Sauce, and some Chicken-Style Soy Curls. Thanks to my US stash of soy curls, I could do this without subs. Cooked rice is mixed with the above, as well as with spinach, lemon, and dill. I added extra dill, as is my desire. Served with some steamed broccoli.
Rating: :)



Bean and Rice Casserole with Salsa Fresca: Another batch of the Nacho Cheesy Sauce, mixed with some cooked rice, and tinned pinto beans. This recipe was so quick and easy to make. It is topped with some crushed tortilla chips, but would also make a great nacho topping in reverse! It is topped with some homemade Salsa Fresca, which uses tinned tomatoes (fire roasted if you have them) mixed with coriander, lime juice, and smoked paprika. I left out the jalapeno, and also just used a very small amount of onion in it as well. It was a great fresh addition to the casserole. I also added some avocado on top as well.
Rating: Casserole :), Salsa Fresca: :)



Cute Kitty Photo of the Post



Remember Jed? Well, get ready for some fashion shoot material. How suave does he look in this little bandana?

VeganMoFo 2017 #17: Boozy Suzy

17th: Let’s get boozy! – Food involving booze, like beer brats, Welsh rarebit or a boozy dessert. Feel free to make a non-alcoholic version if you prefer.

I don't drink, but am happy to use alcohol in cooking (where it will be cooked out). Sometimes I might use an extract instead of the alcohol itself (like in rum dishes), but I almost always have some wine or beer on hand for cooking, as well as the occasional spirit.

Here are some things I have cooked involved beer, wine, and spirits!

Welsh Rarebit Casserole from Vegan Casseroles by Julie Hasson: This is a super easy casserole, that can be served as an appetizer for 4 or you can bulk it up with some sides for a main for two people. The booze here is beer, with Julie's Pub-Style Cream Sauce the crucial creamy part of the recipe. The cashew-based sauce is amazing! It uses a pale ale, and is is cheezy from nutritional yeast. This is poured over cubes of crusty bread (I toasted mine a little first to avoid it going too smooshy), and dusted with paprika and pepper.
Rating: Rarebit :), Sauce on its own :D





Roasted Cauliflower Piccata from Veganize It by Robin Robertson: When I think of wine, I think of piccata. I love this lemony, capery, white wine sauce! Robin puts a vegetable twist by using a slab of roasted cauliflower as the 'meat', and adding sliced mushrooms. It is served over a mound of her Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, and I also roasted some green beans to go alongside. So delicious!
Rating: Piccata :D, Potatoes :)



Rigatoni with Vodka Tomato Sauce from Everyday Vegan Eats by Zsu Dever: Ever since I fell in love with the vodka sauce recipe in Vcon, I am always keen to make different versions. This recipe calls for almonds to be blended and strained, but I am lazy and my blender is powerful so I didn't bother with the straining. It was maybe a bit thicker, but it was good! The sauce also has finely grated carrot sauteed along with the garlic. The recipe called for 1/2 cup of vodka, but I only had 1/3 cup left and that seemed fine. Everything is then blended up with an immersion blender before being poured of the pasta. I also added some peas to my pasta, and served it over baby spinach and with some vegan sausages on the side. It wasn't as good as the one of Vcon fame, but it was very tasty indeed.
Rating: :)



Cute Kitty Photo of the Post - Month of Sahara



We have a cat enclosure for the girls, and Sahara loved using this wheelbarrow as a bed. We put in some pillows and towels for her to make it extra comfortable.