Four-Faced Liar

Yet another lesbian film that was obvious from the beginning. One character has a boyfriend and has clearly never thought about her sexuality. Then she meets another young woman who is a raging dyke (sleeps with different women every night; oh, and she wears men’s boxers and vests and waistcoats, and sits with her legs spread – stereotypical much?). Guess what happens?

Vegan Red Pesto

Ingredients:

½ bunch basil (about1/3 cup)

2-3 garlic cloves

50 ml olive oil

2 roasted red peppers (jarred is fine)

6-8 sun-dried tomatoes (ideally in oil)

40 g pine nuts

35 g nutritional yeast

black pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

1. Wash the basil. Peel the garlic.

2. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

Apple Cake

This is based on a recipe from Cook’s Illustrated. I love the scientific nature of the magazine – I even enjoy reading the meat recipes just to get information on the science of cooking, even though I obviously do not cook or eat meat.

 

The premise of this recipe is that there are multiple layers to the cake. The bottom, biggest layer is a mix of fruit and custard. On top of that is a more cakey layer. You then sprinkle that with sugar for some crunch.

 

I adapted this recipe to simplify it, and to include spices, plus I added more fruit, because I like a cake with a lot of fruit. This is great with Oatly cream.

 

Ingredients:

750 kg apples (about 6-7 apples)

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp apple juice (or, you can do as they suggested in the magazine and use Calvados or brandy)

1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour

1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1-2 tsp mixed spice

2-3 tsp cinnamon

1 egg plus 2 yolks

1 cup vegetable oil, plus a little extra for the tin

1 cup milk (I used rice milk)

 

Instructions:

1. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Then leave them to soak in the lemon and apple juices while you prepare the rest.

2. Mix 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, the vanilla, and all the other dry ingredients.

3. Mix 1 egg, the oil, and the milk together, then whisk into the dry ingredients until well combined.

4. Remove 1 cup of this mixture and mix with the other 2 tbsp of flour. Set aside.

5. Whisk in the other two yolks into the main mixture, then add the apples and stir well.

6. Oil and line the tin.

7. Pour the apple mixture in and spread well.

8. Top with the flour mixture (i.e. the cakey layer) and spread well.

9. Sprinkle evenly with the extra 2 tbsp of sugar.

10. Bake at 170 C for 60-80 minutes.

Pesto Risotto

I used the pesto recipe I posted last and stirred it into risotto along with peas, broad (fava) beans, and corn. It was fantastic.

Vegan Green Pesto

The nutritional yeast replaces the cheese here and helps make a delicious pesto. Spread it on tofu, eat it as a dip, or, of course, have it on pasta.

 

We freeze it in ice-cube trays and then take out one or two cubes when we need it.

 

Ingredients:

1 bunch basil (about ¾ cup)

3-4 garlic cloves

100 ml olive oil

40 g pine nuts

35 g nutritional yeast

1 tbsp lemon juice

black pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

1. Wash the basil. Peel the garlic.

2. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

Simple White Bread

Because M can handle white flour but not whole-wheat, I’ve been making a lot of white breads lately.

 

Ingredients:

12-14 g yeast (2 packages if using them)

300 ml warm water

1 tsp sugar

500 g strong white bread flour, plus a little extra

2 tsp salt

40 g margarine or oil

 

Instructions:

1. Mix the yeast, water, and sugar together and set aside to get frothy.

2. Mix the flour, salt, and margarine together. Then add the yeast mixture and knead well.

3. Leave to rise for an hour in an oiled mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap.

4. Knead again and shape into a loaf.

5. Sprinkle with a little flour, cut a pattern if you want, and leave to rise for another 45-60 minutes.

6. Bake at 220 C for 20-30 minutes.

Vegan Avocado Ice Cream

Avocado is one of those glorious fruits that can be sweet or savoury. I was used to it in salads until I went to an ice cream place run by Filipinos and fell in love with their avocado ice cream. I’ve also used avocado in mousses.

 

This is my vegan version.

 

Ingredients:

3 avocados

¼ cup icing sugar

½ cup rice milk (or more, as needed)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

 

Instructions:

1. Halve the avocados and scoop out the flesh.

2. Blend the avocados with the other ingredients until smooth.

3. Pour into a freezer-safe container (Tupperware is great) and freeze for at least a few hours, then serve.