Spinach & Sauces

I struggled a bit this weekend with the whole Vegan world – four weeks in.  I actually dreamt about goat cheese and marmalade one night!   I just am finding some of the food I’m eating a little ‘samey’ and also a bit bland.  However I know what this is about.  My taste buds have been used to colouring, additivies, fattened up dairy products and salty cheeses.  I’m not going to lie and say it’s easy making the transition from vegetarian to vegan, I don’t think it is at all.  However I am loving it. I’m loving trying new recipes too and they certainly are not dull.

Today I’ve attempted to make Aine Carlins spinach lasagne, though as usual I have to tweak it a bit because I never have all the ingredients (does anyone?). I put some mushrooms in and I topped it with a bit of vegan cheese (I’ve found Violife the best so far).  The rosemary suggested gives it an absolutely delicious tang but I was annoyed as I messed up the bechamel sauce and ended up not having enough.  I’ll know next time!!  I’ve also made her peanut butter bites.  They’re chilling in my fridge now, they literally took about 5 minutes and I stole a taste before I rolled them all into balls, I think they will be making a regular appearance in my vegan cooking!

I’m finding that I’m using much less substitutions already and that my stomach is thanking me for it although it still hurts on occasion! I’ve googled this and apparently it’s quite normal.  It just makes me realise how unhealthy I was before for my body to struggle so much with natural food!!

How’s your vegan week going?  I’m always looking for any tips, particularly in the North Wales/Chester area – I really want to go out to a Vegan restaurant soon but still haven’t found anywhere!  Also tofu and I got off to a bad start so if you can help me with that I’d be interested!

🙂

 

 

 

 

Opal Fruits??

I think I may have had a glass or two of Pinot while doing the online Tesco shop this week.  When it arrived I was quite excited at my vegan bits – cashews, pine nuts, peanut butter (yep lots of nuts), tasty new granola, arboria rice,  vegan parmesan, flat mushrooms, courgettes, broccoli, cauliflower, tofu, almond milk…. the list goes on!! Anyway as I unpacked my bags I pull out a bright yellow square bag – of Opal Fruits!! You can tell I was born in the 70s huh – Starburst as they’re known now.  I do remember reading that they were ‘accidentally vegan’ so they ended up in my cyber trolley.

You might guess by now that my vegan blog isn’t about fine dining or unusual dishes. Don’t get me wrong, I love to cook and I’m excited about cooking vegan, it’s invigorated a new passion actually for cooking but I’m also knackered a lot of the time and sometimes I just like to have a peanut butter sandwich!

Tonight’s dinner was a quick tomato sauce – I fried some garlic, onion and added some roughly chopped tomatoes and also a tin of tomatoes with some stock, green olives, black olives and some mushrooms.  I simmered it for 40 minutes (while I put the washing out, did some ironing, made sandwiches for the next day, fed the dog – you know the drill!)… and added some basil at the end.   I served it up with some wholewheat pasta and a sprinkling of vegetarian parmesan and a bunch of rocket.  It was really good.  Although I still miss cheese.  In fact I really really miss cheese.  I loved all cheese, cheddar, blue, brie, goats, halloumi – it’s the hardest part for me so far in making the change from Veggi to Vegan.  I’m almost four weeks in though so high fives!!

My main aim is to try and find some North Wales veggi places that I can actually go out and eat so if you know of anywhere please let me know!! Otherwise I may just have to start up my own place?!

Thanks for reading.  May the moo be with you!

X