January is usually the month for resolutions, but experience has taught me that these rarely stick and starting your resolutions in December makes it a lot easier.
I’m a vegetarian – you’ll probably have noticed from the blog title. Recently I have fallen back in love with being vegetarian: the creativity required to make interesting and tasty food and growing varieties of vegetables that can’t easily be found in the supermarket. Part of the source of this re-born love of vegetarianism? Of all things it was River Cottage Veg! Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall! I am not a huge fan of celebrity chefs but I do like cooking shows. Sadly I am not chef material as I’m not very good at creating new exciting dishes. However I am very good at following instructions, so re-creating some of the dishes from River cottage veg holds no fear for me. (apart from blind baking… I’m lousy at it! Still if I keep practising maybe I’ll figure out where I go wrong.)
I suppose you’re wondering what this has to do with New Year’s resolutions. Last year I did not spend much time in the garden, despite the fact I enjoy growing things. This year I want to spend at least part of every day doing things in the garden. To try and stick to this resolution I shall start now – which hopefully means the habit will have formed before January making the resolution easier to stick to. Although I shall probably pass on that if the garden is knee deep in snow… I hate snow.
I have other commitments that I have been neglecting – my photography is demanding my attention, so another resolution – do some photography every day. And this is where the gardening will help. A weekly blog post with picture of things achieved in the garden! Possibly I am being too ambitious but I can try!
Recipe review: Raw chocolate ganache tart
My attempt at the raw Chocolate ganache tart!
I saw this on River Cottage veg and had to try it. There were two things about it that instantly appealed to me, one was the ‘no-cook’ aspect. The ingredients for the base are put into a food processor and whizzed until dough-like, then you press it into a tin and bung it in the freezer. The second thing was the avocado. For the chocolate moose-like topping you use whizzed up avocado and once you’ve added the cacao powder it tastes very chocolatey and not remotely of avocado. I can really recommend this recipe it tastes delicious and is very filling.
One or two things I must add for those trying it out, but at the risk of incurring the wroth of the recipe’s creator Laura Coexeter.
Firstly I didn’t soak and dry the pecans, I’m not convinced that this process makes much difference to their digestive properties. Also I think you can get away with using any type of dates provided they are sticky ones. I tried using dried dates but they don’t blend too well. Himalayan salt… hmm… I hate to say it but salt is salt really.
As for the filling: I used vanilla essence instead of vanilla seed pods. Cacao powder – just go to the hot chocolate aisle in the supermarket and look at the ingredients on the packets. You want to look for the ones that you need to add milk to, and the ingredients should say something like 100% cacao powder.
I bought the coconut oil and agave nectar online. But I think you could probably use runny honey instead of the agave nectar – but you would probably have to adjust the quantities for sweetness. The next time I make this…and I will it’s great, I’ll try out using honey.
As for the coconut oil… well I haven’t figured out what easier-to-get ingredient you could use instead of this yet. Suggestions on a postcard!
