Sunday 1 June 2014

Vegan buttermilk dressing, stewed rhubarb and random photos

I'm back.  After taking a breather over May to deal with busy times, I have lots of foodie posts for you.  I really appreciated your feedback on the street art photos I posted while taking my break.  Street art is such an interesting part of Melbourne.  It can tell important stories or just add beauty to the day.  It is a great way to see the city and go off the beaten track.  I have a few random photos to share today and a couple of simple recipes at the end of the post.

Life has been busy.  I have eaten well.  In fact I have some posts on eating out to come.  Above is our Mothers Day lunch at my mum and dad's place.  Salad, roast vegies and canneloni.  With cake and pav for afters.  I have spent an inordinate amount of time down shopping and eating out around Barkly Square lately due to purchasing two new bikes down that way.  You can see my new bike at the top of the post.  I like it but I miss my old bike that just wore out after 10 years and was sold online for a pittance.

I had thought when Sylvia started school this year that I would have more time.  The opposite is true/  Lately there have been birthday parties, play dates, loom bands, piles of autumn leaves and painting blackboard paint on the back of her dolls house.  It has been made easier to get out and about with the unseasonally warm weather.  We have had 13 days running of temperatures above 20 C.  (My favourite article title was "Winter heatwaves are nice … as extreme weather events go")

Which doesn't mean I am not spending time in the kitchen.  I love having tried and true recipes on my blog when I need to take food to a gathering.  I have also been baking sourdough bread, making treats for school lunches and cooking lots of dinners.  I have enjoyed not feeling the need to take photos and notes.  But old habits die hard.  Sometimes I just can't help myself.

Life has taken my by some interesting shops recently too.  The zip of my favourite old purse has died so I bought a new green purse from Matt and Nat at The Cruelty Free Shop.  I have been to quite a few farmers markets and the new Aunt Maggie's in Brunswick (see below photo and more info in a post by Michael).

I will confess I have missed blogging my meals.  But I have loved finding a bit more time in my life.  I decided I would post street art photos two days a week during my break.  That worked well for me.  So much so that I have decided to post three days a week on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Life is busy so I need a get-out clause.

If I am busy I will just post a quick picture and label them Speedy Sundays, Timepoor Tuesdays and Throwback Thursdays.  After all my street art posts reminded me that I have lots of random photos in my files to share.  I am sure there will be other days I just need to post - anniversaries and other significant days.  But I hope some structure will make blogging a bit more manageable.

Meanwhile I have some easy recipes to share.  We had pizza on Friday night and I managed to make a salad to go alongside it.  I had spinach leaves, carrot sticks, roasted red capsicum and avocado to use.  A good salad dressing will make any vegetables appealing.  I decided to try Ricki's creamy buttermilk dressing.  It was lovely, even if quick thick and it threatened to end the life of my poor old overworked hand held blender (with the little blender attachment).  I also enjoyed it as a dip for some carrot sticks the next day.  I have changed around the recipe and really liked it so I have written what I have done below.

The other simple recipe I made this weekend was some stewed rhubarb.  It was quite tart but I am always looking for a stewed rhubarb recipe.  I usually make it up but look to my blog for a bit of guidance.  I don't use a lot of sugar.  You can always add sugar.  (I found this recipe which advised to use 1/4 of the weight of rhubarb in sugar which I think is much more than I used.)  Below are my notes for future reference.  The rhubarb tastes wonderful with a vanilla yoghurt or custard.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: Vegan tempeh and pumpkin lasagna
Two years ago: Lentil Quinoa Stew
Three years ago: Shoots, Eats and Blogs (Top 10 List)
Four years ago: Mock Tuna (Chickpea) Salad
Five years ago: Apricot Crumble: a moveable feast
Six years ago: Bagels, Boiling and Baking
Seven years ago: WHB: Reconciliation damper, snags and dead horse

Vegan buttermilk dressing
Adapted from Ricki Heller
Serves 4-6

4 tbsp of cashew nuts
3 tbsp hemp seeds
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp basil infused olive oil
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1/4 to 1/2 tsp agave nectar
pinch of salt, or to taste

Blend in blender or little food processor.  It might take a few minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.  Use to drizzle over salad or as a dipping sauce.

Stewed Rhubarb
An approximate guide

1 bunch rhubarb, trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces*
juice of 1 lime or half a lemon
4-6 tbsp sweetener*

Heat over low heat in medium saucepan until sugar is melted and some juices released.  Cover, Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes until rhubarb is soft.  (After 10 minutes it was more stringy than chunky.)  Check taste and if not sweet enough add some additional sweetener.

* I am not quite sure how big my bunch was but I guess they are usually 7 to 10 stalks or about 600-700g.  I will check next time I buy a bunch.

** I used 2 tbsp raw sugar, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp maple syrup and it wasn't overly sweet.  You can always add some sweetener at the end if not sweet enough.

On the Stereo:
Across the Tracks: The Best of American Roots Music: Various artists

30 comments:

  1. great to have you back :) I've been on a bit of a break too and must admit I am finding it difficult to get back in to blogging. I have lots of photos to go through and pictures of meals I've completely forgotten about so I have no idea what they are. Loom bands have taken over my house too, they seem to multiply!

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    1. Thanks Veganopoulous - going through the photos is hard - I try and keep up with labelling them but it is so much easier when they are fresh in my mind. Loom bands get everywhere!

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  2. Welcome back and Hip Hip hooray for good proper holidays, still you kept us coming back for your blog anyway with all that fab street art. I smile at your get out clause and your Speedy Sundays, Timepoor Tuesdays and Throwback Thursdays - Re blogging I feel the same, but my reasons are very different. The colour of your stewed rhubarb is lovely. PS liking the spoon in the buttermilk dressing, smiley :) I so need to get a bike, i live near a forest and it would be good to get back into cycling.

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    1. Thanks Shaheen - glad you enjoyed the street art - it was a fun side project while not blogging my usual stuff - so I think there might be more street art - rhubarb is such a lovely cheering warm cosy colour. A bike is a wonderful thing - I really miss riding mine so regularly but it is great that I can now ride alongside sylvia on her way to school.

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  3. Nice to have you back Johanna! Sounds like you've had a good break, even if you've missed blogging a little ;) I'm looking to get a Matt & Nat purse too as my scratty old thing is just getting scrattier and scrattier!
    My favourite Stewed Rhubarb recipe is with orange- it's the one we've been making in my family for years. http://www.coconutandberries.com/2013/06/12/stewed-rhubarb-with-orange/

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    1. Thanks Emma - I did miss blogging but I enjoyed a bit more time for other projects. I like my Matt and Nat purse but it is a bit smaller than my old one and not quite as pretty - it is a lovely shade of green though. It's really nice you have a family stewed rhubarb recipe - I love orange with rhubarb so must remember it if I find some more rhubarb

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  4. I love the buttermilk dressing! X

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  5. Welcome back Johanna - I have missed you but am glad the break was welcome and gave some needed rest (in a blogging sense if not a life sense!). I love your new purse and bike but am sorry about the old one - bikes are like friends really. I'll look forward to whatever you share over coming weeks and am intrigued by the buttermilk dressing here.

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    1. Thanks Kari - bikes are like friends - I had my old one for almost 10 years and did so much riding on it that I was really sad when it went but glad it went to someone who needed a cheap bike because it still had a little bit of oomph left in it but was not long for the road.

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  6. Welcome back Johanna and I think it's great to do whatever suits you :) We'll always be here reading whatever you do!

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    1. Thanks Lorraine - those are encouraging words - and it is nice not to have pressure to have to be blogging - so much easier than some other demands on our time :-)

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  7. I do find that the further my children progress in life, the less time I have. They all just seem to be involved in so many things. I know what you mean by those loom bands. I hate to think how many elastics I have vacuumed! xx

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    1. Thanks Charlie - oh you means it gets even busier!!!! And yep I am sure my vacuum cleaner has swallowed a few loom bands - and another mother from Sylvia's school swears the loom bands have broken her vacuum cleaner altogether!

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  8. Your new bike is cute. As is your new purse! I love it =)
    The dressing & rhubarb dish both sound great!

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    1. Thanks Kimmy - the bike is nice and shiny and it is great to have mudguards - a little luxury with this bike - and I bought the purse because it was so lovely and green

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  9. VEGAN BUTTERMILK???? Blowing my mind. Love your work. We have a cruelty free shop in Sydney too. I have only ordered online but I'm really looking forward to it. Glad you are back!

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    1. Thanks Cass - I didn't know there is a cruelty free shop in sydney - am sure it would be fun to browse - I really love browsing the on in Melbourne - so many things there I have never thought of before

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  10. Welcome back! I haven't had rhubarb in ages but I remember adoring this medley. The apples helped to mellow out the rhubarb: http://tastespace.wordpress.com/2010/06/03/baked-rhubarb-and-apples-with-earl-grey-tea-cardamom-and-orange-zest/

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    1. Thanks Janet - what an interesting sounding stewed rhubarb - I love it with apples in a crumble - will have to try it when I am just stewing fruit

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  11. Welcome back! I have missed your food posts a lot.
    The dressing looks lovely - wish I could get my hands on some hemp seeds!

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    1. Thanks Kate - there are quite a lot of shops around here that sell them now but they are pricey so I don't buy them often - and technically they are only sold as non-edible so maybe check the skincare areas of shops

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  12. And she's baaaaack! Hooray! That buttermilk dressing looks fantastic, and I can see I'm going to have to make it to drizzle over one of my bowls very soon. Sadly we've pretty much devoured our entire rhubarb plant by now, so I might have to buy some!

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    1. Thanks Linda - the buttermilk dressing would be fab drizzled over a bowl - I was inspired to make one after your post - and you must have enjoyed your rhubarb from the garden

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  13. ...and is that the same as my purse? http://lentilinstitution.wordpress.com/2014/02/27/cruelty-free-shop-vegie-bar-takeaway/ (I think there are quite a few of us walking around with these purses. Only we will recognise them as a sign - a bit like the Freemason's handshake.)

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    1. oh we share the same good taste in purses - I had hoped for one with the flap over it but chose colour over style - that's the way I roll - will look out for sister purses :-)

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  14. Good to have you back! I love stewed rhubarb - when it's in season, I used it as a topping for my porridge. I'll have to try the dressing. Whenever I see hemp seeds I'm always tempted to buy them, but never not sure what to cook with them. This could be my answer!

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    1. Thanks Joey - I really love rhubarb on porridge - sylvia has decided she will make rhubarb cakes with some porridge and heaps of rhubarb on top to cover it with like a frosting - I wouldn't mind if she ate it all up. And I do really like the creaminess of recipes with blended hemp seeds but they are also good in a loaf or burger - they are quite pricey so I don't use them as much as I would like

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  15. Mmmm rhubarb!! And can it really be this long since I've commented on your blog? I had no idea you tried the dressing--glad you liked it (and sorry, hand-held blender). ;) And also glad you enjoyed a break. I love the look of that purse--is it what we call a wallet here? Or really a purse?

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  16. welcome back! if it makes you feel any better.... sometimes us time poor people don't even have enough time to properly read long blogs posts anyway so just having some pictures to scroll through can be so pleasant!!!
    I always reckon many parents 'lie' about how good it will be when kids start school - it really just means our whole life then becomes bound by 9-3!!!! lol - personally I'd go back to pre-school days anytime!
    Enjoy your new bike :-)

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