I had a jar of almond butter and the perfect
recipe. It was easy, chocolate, gluten free, vegan and delicious. Only I sort of forgot to make it while at my parents' for my brother Dave's birthday. I finally made it after we had pavlova but before we had the birthday cake. Despite working with my mum's kitchen and not quite having the right amount of ingredients I loved these. They were great nibbly snacks to eat mid-afternoon.
We didn't get to my parents' place as early as I had planned because Sylvia and I got caught up in our latest craft project. It started out as Mr Maker's truck because we have been watching Mr Maker comes to Town where he drives around in a funny truck based on a craft truck he makes. Our didn't look like his but it was fun. We stuck together some old boxes, with a shoe box (with a lid that hasn't been used yet) and glued on lots of green tissue paper scraps like papier mache (I did most of this). Once it dried we painted stripes, stuck on windows with faces, did head lights, made wheels out of foil covered bottle tops and decorated with stickers. You can see that new dolly quite enjoyed it.
We stayed the night at my parents so that they could babysit while we went to the movies. We saw Woody Allen's
To Rome with Love. Occasionally quite silly, it was lots of fun with a great ensemble cast and spectacular photography of Rome. And above is the view I woke up to in the morning.
Sylvia meanwhile had a lovely time with her cousin Dash who is staying at my folks' house too. What's not to love about playing with a gorgeous little boy her age and helping her grandmother make cupcakes! We had a lovely Chinese lunch for Dave's birthday. I am usually suspicious of Chinese takeaway but I had some great vegies in black bean sauce and my sister Susie made a lovely fried rice.
Now for some esoteric random notes:
- I found a new blog this week called type:melbourne. It is photographs and reflections on historic signage in Melbourne's inner North. I highly recommend a visit if you love seeing faded old painted advertisements on the sides of terrace houses.
- One of my favourite place names in Edinburgh was a tartan tat gift shop called Thistle Do Nicely. I was sad this week to discover it has closed.
- I have had a couple of nice Japanese lunches recently but haven't taken my camera along. However I must return to cibi and Bento King who both provided well for vegetarians.
- Ignoring the inbox - a new morning mantra - this is what I should do but I always like to look at emails first thing!
Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago:
PPN hurry up pumpkin alfredo with pea and lentil salad
Two years ago:
Butterfly birthday cake
Three years ago:
Polenta Pizza People
Four years ago:
A cool week of casseroles
Five years ago:
Swinging Pancakes
Chocolate almond and coconut balls
Adapted from
Bite Sized Thoughts
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used half maple syrup, half golden syrup)
1 cup dessicated coconut (I only had 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup cocoa
Mix and roll into walnut sized balls. Eat!
On the Stereo:
Astor Piazzolla Boxset
Those truffles look amazing and utterly addictive! I'm so glad you found the time to make them in the end. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Joanne - I was glad I found the time to make them too - they were addictive but far more satisfying than regular chocolate
DeleteYum, I love truffles. I do like the truck.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cakelaw - I love a wee truffle to finish a meal
DeleteI'm so glad you liked the truffle balls! They are so wonderfully easy, and it seems they cope well with adaptations to what is on hand (as recipes should).
ReplyDeleteI love dolly's new truck too and it sounds like you had a great weekend all up. Thank goodness for family members so you can have a night to yourself sometimes (fun as craft is, I suspect movie breaks are highly desirable when you're a parent!).
Thanks Kari - it is a great recipe. Love a movie night even more now they are rare - one of the worst aspects are seeing the shorts for other movies due out and knowing that we will struggle to get out and see them.
DeleteThose truffles sound tasty. Love the idea of using almond butter for extra flavour
ReplyDeleteThanks Katie - I love the almond butter because so many recipes use peanut butter which is off limits for sylvia so I don't tend to bake with it
Deletehehe what a prize of a truck! And these balls look very tasty! I thought of you when I was visiting an organic vegan place this afternoon! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Lorraine - lucky you to be at an organic vegan place - I don't get to go to enough of those sort of places
DeleteThe balls look really good! I really need to try some other nut butters, I've gone through my entire life disliking peanut butter so that's put me off trying other varieties.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely weekend. Good job on the truck, Dolly looks like she is having a great time! :)
Thanks Mel - I think Sylvia is a bit shy of nut butters because she isn't spending her life thinking peanut butter is an easy and delicious spread for bread (as I do) - she refused these at first and then warmed up to them - I think peanuts are very distinctive so would be interested to see how you find other nut butters
DeleteAlmond butter makes everything delicious. I could easily eat it straight from a jar, (no wait I DO that already.)
ReplyDeleteThanks Brydie - amen to that - I rarely eat almond butter from the jar which is just as well because the stuff is very addictive (but very good for you, right?)
DeleteYum, yum, yum, yum, yum. Have I covered it? no, one more then? YUM!
ReplyDeleteThanks Claire - I think that was yum for each ingredient and a yum or two for deliciousness :-)
DeleteYou are clever - both with the truck and the truffles. Sylvia is very lucky in her mother. The truffles sound scrumptious and what a treat to get to the cinema. Haven't seen this one yet, but will probably watch it on DVD at some point.
ReplyDeleteThanks Choclette - very kind - I think To Rome with Love is the sort of film that would work well on DVD.
DeleteYou have been a busy bee. Lovely truffles and i am glad your Brother enjoyed his birthday. Great looking truck too ;0)
ReplyDeleteThanks Chele - life is terribly busy right now - so much to do and so little time!
DeleteI think you've forgotten the chocolate component?
ReplyDeleteThanks Jean - have fixed the typo - wrote coconut twice and omitted the cocoa
DeleteMade these today, used honey and golden syrup instead of the maple syrup. Half the mixture went into the balls...the other half well we don't talk about that! Lovely and simple recipe to make with a young child. Made the apricot and cheese balls as well but am leaving them to set overnight, they look like lovely little snowballs.
ReplyDelete