Vegetarian Foods Archive

I don't do road trips, not that I don't want to but I get travel sickness.   The closest to a road trip would be journeys to and fro Scotland to Wales; or to the other side of London, England when visiting family.  A journey that sometimes took over 8 hours depending on traffic  We always take with us bottled water, nibbles like crisps or a trail mix, but also a  flask of black coffee, vegetable wraps or pasta salad and for sweet, because there is always room for something sweet: flapjacks .    But for the prompt today I thought I would share a cake, you may find it hard to say no to this cake, its Violet and Chocolate Cake in the shape of a heart.   And remember cakes are made for sharing.  Enjoy. 

A few good years ago when I began this blog, a fellow blogger commented that they loved that I made the most of an ingredient often using it for both sweet and savoury recipes.  I am guilty of it this time too.  After making this Sweet Parsnip Pie I made a Parsnip and Oat Porridge, I  usually eat porridge with freshly grated apple stirred into the mix but decided on trying it with parsnips and it was remarkable and naturally sweet, though I did throw in a handful of golden raisins.  I also made a Parsnip Crumble with some frozen berries and wait for it - Vanilla and Parsnip Creme Brulee .   I've not always liked parsnips.  I have often found this root vegetable too sweet for my taste so one-day - a long time ago - I had decided it would be reserved mostly for sweet cakes and bakes, the way carrots are used in carrot cake (or if your South Asian like me,  gajjar ka halwa  aka Carrot  halwa) , though I must admit parsnips still makes an appe...

Today I thought I would share some of my Naked Violet Coconut Bars too - Is it a fudge, is it a 'Bounty' bar, is it a cake....it indeed is a sweet treat.  These are just a variation of my  Coconut  Ladoos  aka Bliss Balls  from last month generously coated in edible violet crystals.     As Dr Oetker have confirmed that the violet crystals are suitable for vegans. I also want to share something amazing whilst we were gardening today.  A swarm of bees elegantly, yet loudly buzzed over us on their way somewhere, it was a little thrilling, exciting and a little magical.  It is with this reason, that I am sharing this picture once again on my blog.  D my husband took a while back.  It a fuzzy bee bumbling and buzzing in our garden around a purple  allium .   Naked Violet Coconut Bars You will need some silicon moulds Makes Lots  Ingredients 4 tablespoons violet crystals 180grams dessicated coconut 125...

Ah its the start to the weekend and in contrast to the past couple of days that called for bowl food, this late afternoon the sun has come out all shining with an invitation to go out, doss and sit in the garden sipping something to welcome that chillax (chill and relax) Friday Feeling. Today for the crazy kids we have non-alcoholic cocktails aka mocktails and coolers .  This is no ordinary cooler, it is made from edible flowers and chia seeds.  This is a refreshing and lovely tasting still drink with a fantastic colour and a gentle sweetness.  I  had half expected the chia seeds to be suspended in the air, but they sunk to the bottom.  I am sharing this with     Sunday Fitness and Food Fitness  hosted by  Marathons and Motivation  and  Ilka's blog ;   and Munchies and Munchkins for  Eating Al Fresco  as I drunk one of these bottles of Summer Chia Hibiscus Cooler in the garden whilst weeding and picking some...

I wanted pancakes as a change from our normal weekend Veggie fry up for breakfast, but it was just a thought, nothing concrete.  Then I saw  Johanna who blogs over at Green Gourmet Giraffe had made some sweet Nutella pancakes a couple of weeks back and it was decided.   Pancakes it was, but not sweet -  I ended up making savoury fluffy pancakes enhanced with ground turmeric and lily pad shaped nasturtium leaves.  Whoever said 'Nasturtium flowers have bite', were spot on.   I did not sow any nasturtium , they self seeded from last year.  I don't mind I like them and it brings in the bumbling bees, though I have not seen many of them.   But I don't let them self-seed for altruistic reasons, I actually like growing and eating them, especially the more colourful variety, though I seem to have no fiery red ones this year.  I also like the mustard like peppery tang of the edible flower and often just use the to garnish salads.  For those of ...

The nasturtium blossom flowers are still blooming in my garden plot. I watch with delight when I find a bumbling bee snuggled up in there, but the flowers they will not last with the weather turning autumnal and the flowers turning to seed pods.    A  few week back I harvested some fresh green nasturtium seeds  for pickling.  I promised some of you that i would share the  jars, here they are - the nasturtium seeds are not quite packed in the jar and bobbing around, but I am not overly fussed as this was something I have been wanting to try out for a long while.  If they are any good, next time I will pack the jars to the brim. Now I have to wait.  I am looking forward to see how they compare the pickled capers we find here in jars.    Pickled Nasturtium Seed Pods Makes 2 x 190ml jars Ingredients 160grams nasturtium pods, washed well and drained 50grams salt 1 pint water Method Soak the nasturtium pods for two days in the...

I am quite partial to violet - I think its my way of harping back to my childhood days when I adored Parma violets whereas my school friends loved the love hearts if you were a girl or fizzers if they were a boy.  It was a time of gender stereotypes.  I am so pleased that times are changing and people are more accepting, if not more tolerant.   So much is my fondness for violet that I got D to make me Violet Gin last Christmas!. This  Vegan Violet Chocolate Layer Cake with Violet 'Buttercream' C ake had intended to be a super duper three layer cake, but I managed to drop one of the sponges when it came out of the tin. I usually just go with the flow when I mess up, but this particular day I actually got stroppy and was quite miffed with myself.  I was really looking forward to having a go at making a three layer cake and had set myself a goal to achieve it, but it was not to be.  I picked up the bashed chocolate crumbly pieces from the kitchen...