GF Tim Tams, Hot Cross Buns and Haggis Pizza

Greeting on this Good Friday.  Although we call it "good" Friday, it doesn't seem appropriate to say happy Good Friday.  It is a day for quiet and reflection so it seems a day for a rambling post about the week.

GF Tim Tams

I made a batch of GF Tim Tams on the weekend for E's birthday lunch.  If you are not Australian, Tim Tams might not mean a lot to you but there they are a beloved chocolate biscuit (cookie to the Americans).  They are similar but not the same as Penguin biscuits in the UK.  In fact the Tim Tam was based on them.  The Tim Tam was named after a race horse and has given rise to the popularity of the strange tradition: the Tim Tam Slam.

A few months back, Lisa tried her hand at GF Tim Tams.  I was determined to try them out for my celiac sister and niece.  When we decided to have the family around for E's birthday, it seemed the right opportunity.  Now I don't actually eat a lot of Tim Tams, now that I can.  When I was young I yearned after them but my mum made her own bikkies.  It's a case of the grass being greener over the other side of the fence.  So I knew my sister, Susie, would love to eat one.  Grace, my niece, on the other hand has been celiac since she was about 2 years old and has no memories of food with gluten.

I regret to say that my GF Tim Tam experiment was not the success I'd hoped it might be.  I followed Lisa's directions and have written an approximate recipe below.  After reading the ingredients of the Tim Tam I modified the filling a bit, using chocolate, butter and a little golden syrup, rather than cream and chocolate spread.

All went well until I unwisely substituted butter for coconut oil and consequently my chocolate was too thick to dip properly.  After talking to my mum, I assume this was why the melted chocolate didn't thin as it should.  But doesn't chocolate always melt into a liquid rather than a thick sludge (albeit a tasty sludge)?  Even when I microwaved it more to make sure it was hot enough, it just got thicker - and it didn't help to add more butter either.  Ironically when I melted equal parts of chocolate and butter for the filling, it was far too liquid for my needs.

Nevertheless, Susie was delighted.  There is so much chocolate and butter in the recipe that it can't taste too bad.  I wondered if the gluten free tea biscuits were too crunchy.  They are great biscuits (excellent for grubs and hedgehog) but didn't yield when bitten so the filling would ooze out the sides.  I found one other Tim Tam recipe online which included a recipe for chocolate biscuits but not GF.  Makes me think that maybe if I was serious about the recipe I could make some biscuits.  The bought ones make it far easier though.  I feel I have made a good start and will let you know if I attempt them again.

Haggis Pizza

When I told Sylvia that I was making Pizza for dinner during the week, a big smile lit up her face.  It was on the actual day of E's birthday.  A few weeks back he had told me that his family in Scotland had eaten haggis pizza for dinner.  It sounded easy enough to make at home.  I told him I would make it for his birthday.  It was not difficult but it was time-consuming.  Fortunately I made it on a day I wasn't working. 

I am not giving a recipe here because it is merely a matter of bringing together recipes I have previously posted.  I made wholemeal mashed potato pizza bases, spread on some tomato sauce like this one (but with zucchini and carrot), sprinkled on some of this vegetarian haggis.  I had meant to mash some neeps (turnip in Scotland aka swede or rutabaga) to make it a haggis, neeps and tatties pizza.  But I was running out of time.  Instead I remembered I had forgotten to add mushrooms to the haggis, so I sprinkled some chopped mushroom and capsicum, and grated some mozzarella cheese on top.

This was a success!  We loved the haggis on the pizza.  It was tasty, full of texture and nutrients.  I even managed to make a nice green side salad.  Sylvia didn't have haggis on hers but she loved helping to sprinkle (or dump) the toppings on the pizzas. We now have some leftover haggis that I think might become nachos for when we watch Will and Kate's wedding.

Hot Cross Buns

I made a birthday cake for E on the weekend (to come soon) and an apple cake to take to a friend's so I didn't make an extra cake on his birthday.  Instead, we had a special birthday Hot Cross Bun (see pic at top of the post).  I am not a huge fan of all the substandard chocolate in easter eggs but I love hot cross buns (HCBs) and have been baking them every year for some time.

This year I added a bit of wholemeal flour to the HCBs which worked well.  My major crisis point was also my epiphany.  It came when I found I was out of the baking paper I usually use to make a disposable piping bag for the crosses.  In seeking alternatives, I found that filling a plastic bag with batter and snipping a hole in the corner is a lot easier way to pipe crosses.

It has also been pleasing this year to see that my recipe worked well for vegan bloggers, Mel and Danni.  But I am surprised they don't make them with crosses.  I make my crosses thick and chewy because I love them. So I thought I would find out a bit more about why we have crosses on our buns.  The obvious answer is that they represent Jesus Christ dying on the cross.  Yet there is often more to a Christian ritual.  In this case, the crosses are believed to have be marked on buns by Saxons in honour of the goddess Eostre, and that the crosses represent the four quarters of the moon.  You can find out more about the history of Hot Cross Buns at Historical Foods or read Oliver Thring Consider the Hot Cross Bun History.

I have enjoyed some hot cross bun posts this year:

• Ed's rundown of hot cross buns in Melbourne
• Chele's Raspberry and White Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
• Vicki's Marmalade-Glazed Hot Cross Buns
• CityHippyFarmGirl's Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
• And if you don't eat yeast, you could check out Haalo's Hot Cross Muffins

Other Food

We have had other food this week.  Bangers & mash,  stir fry, dumplings, fruit balls.  I tried a fig and raspberry smoothie that didn't quite work.  I added spinach but it needed banana for the right texture.  It didn't help that my hand held blender needs to be replaced.  I might have done so this week if the shops weren't so horribly busy.  Instead I used my food processor which just wasn't the same.

E opened an easter egg this afternoon but there hasn't been too much chocolate after the GF tim tams.  We did buy one trashy treat that delighted E because it was just the sort of thing that his mum would buy for him: Cadbury's mini eggs chocolate nest cakes.  Soft chocolate cake with butter cream and easter eggs on top.  No nutritional value but lots of comfort and seasonal cheer.  If you like this sort of thing you might enjoy this ode to Cadbury creme eggs.

Lastly, I thought I would share a few Easter recipes that I have seen on blogs lately.  So many good ideas for alternatives to Easter eggs.

• Spring Chick Cupcakes: Oh She Glows
• Mocha Hot Cross Bunnies: Not Quite Nigella
• Chocolate cheesecake easter eggs - Diet Dessert and Dogs
• Figolli (Maltese easter cookies) - Sweet Artichoke
• Simnel Cake - Rachel's Ramblings

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Cookbooks update and easy roast dinner
This time two years ago: WTSIM ... Retro Parkin
This time three years ago: HoTM French Toast with Fruit

GF Homemade Tim Tams (Work in Progress)
adapted from Bike Bake and Blog
makes about 14

100g milk chocolate
100g butter
1 tsp golden syrup
1 packet of Freelicious gluten free tea biscuits
400g milk chocolate, for dipping
1 tsp coconut oil

Place chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave (or on the stovetop if you prefer).  Sit in the fridge until sludgy rather than liquid - I think I left it there about 30 minutes but more would be better.  Beat with electric beaters to fluff it up a little.

Lay half the biscuits on a lined tray.  Divide up dollops of the mixture evenly between the biscuits.  Place the remaining biscuits on top of each dollop and press down gently.  Place in the fridge for 1-2 hours to firm up.

Once biscuits are cool, melt dipping chocolate and coconut oil until smooth and runny (see notes about about my troubles with this).  Use a couple of forks to dip in each biscuit sandwich.  Return to lined tray and sit in fridge to firm up.

On the Stereo:
The Collection: ELO

Roasted Cauliflower and Pumpkin Salad

Saturday was crazy.  My hand held blender died while making a smoothie.  I went to the supermarket three times.  We fought our way past children watching the easter bunny in the mall.  I came home without donuts which were sold out and without falafels because the wait was too long.  Sylvia wouldn't sleep.  She told me she had to do a few things and proceeded to throw things out of the kitchen drawer.

I drove to another shopping centre and circled endlessly in search of a parking spot.  I was so frazzled I took the escalator to the wrong level of the department store.  A fortuitous mistake.  There was the fruit bowl I had coveted.  On sale!  Something had to go right.  Then I forgot things at the supermarket and had to stop at another on the way home.

We had a few people over for E's birthday on Sunday.  Saturday was full of preparations.  My mum took Sylvia to her house for a sleepover.  I was able to do so much more without her about but it was odd.  No little face tilting to the side with the question "are 'ou ok, mummy".  No little hands tipping jigsaw puzzles over the rug.  No little arm being curled around Zinc's neck in a cuggle.  No little gruff voice making us laugh.  No little belly needing filling at the end of the day.  No little eyes being rubbed as sleep beckoned.  Very odd.

E wanted to order pizza.  I was tempted.  Then I remembered I had eaten enough toast and hot cross buns that day.  I needed vegetables.  A cauliflower and a wedge of pumpkin the fridge called to me.  I chopped them and roasted them, using a marinade for the pumpkin.  I added some vegetables, a squeeze of lemon juice and a generous dollop of yoghurt.  E would have preferred pizza but the salad was what I needed.

The dressing was quite intense, dark and thick.  It worked better with the warm vegetables than in the cold leftovers the next day.  I made more than is in the recipe.  There is still a little in the fridge.  I used a spoonful of leftover dressing in a stirfry today to add some depth of flavour and it made a nice contribution.  I might try it with other spice mixes in future.  A nice piece of experimentation.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Curried Paneer and Birthday Cheer
This time two years ago: Tempting prune cake
This time three years ago: NCR Moody Mushroom Stew

Roasted Cauliflower and Pumpkin Salad
serves 2-3 as a main meal

Marinade:

• 1 tbsp bush spice mix (or a little less)
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp seeded mustard
• 1/2 tsp chilli paste
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Salad:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 head cauliflower
• 800g pumpkin
• 60g (handful) baby spinach, chopped
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup cooked white beans
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 dessertspoons of yoghurt

Make marinade by lightly whisking all ingredients in a small bowl with a fork.

Chop cauliflower into largish florets and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt in a large roasting dish.  Trim, peel and dice the pumpkin.  Place in another roasting tin and toss in the marinade.  Roast cauliflower and pumpkin for about 1 hour at 200-220 C (I can't quite be exact with temperature as I changed it a few times).

While the vegies are roasting, place the spinach, tomatoes, spring onion and beans into a large salad bowl.  When cauliflower and pumpkin are cooked through (prick them with a fork to check - a bit of char is fine), tip into salad bowl.  Squeeze lemon juice over vegetables.  Spoon yoghurt over the top.  Stir until salad is evenly coated with yoghurt.  Serve warm.

On the stereo:
The best of: Bob Dylan

Autumn Apple Cake

Last weekend (unlike this one) was a lazy weekend.  I had it in my head to make apple cake.  There were a few contenders.  The oats and spices of Lucy's Spicy Autumn Apple Cake won me over in the end.  Sylvia now jumps on a chair to help whenever I am cooking.  She loved making the apple cake with lots of interesting ingredients, lots of stirring and lots of pouring.

Cooking with children is a joy though it brings its own problems.  Little hands are quick to shove apple and uncooked oats in the mouth.  I might get distracted and tip a bit of coconut into the cake mixture before remembering it is destined for the streusel topping, or confuse half cup with third cup measures as we made the streusel topping.  A fork was plunged into the unbaked cake as we were spreading the streusel mixture on the cake, and handfuls of mixture were thrown onto the cake rather than evenly scattered.  All worthwhile when the little voice says "I like apple cake". 

This is a cake with dried fruit that becomes plump when infused with hot tea.  There is no eggs or butter or oil in the cake.  The only butter or oil is in the streusel.  Lucy used butter but suggested oil as an alternative.  I used the latter.  It was a lazy weekend.  Not a day for the hassle of melting butter.  The streusel was crumbly and fell off the cake easily.  The cake was dense with the dried fruit being more prominent than the apple.  Not the cake I had expected.  Great comfort food, nevertheless.  Maybe next time I will try it as muffins or even make this apple cake that also tempted me.

Sylvia's favourite bit was the crumble.  In fact, she loved to reduce a whole piece of cake to crumble.  E was looking after her on Monday.  While he turned his back to do the dishes, little hands dug into the crumble.  Behind the cake below you can see Sylvia's new Bagpuss annual that arrived in the mail the same day.  Unfortunately the pages fell out upon inspection.  Not as much fun as making cake!

I am sending this cake to Anh of A Food Lover's Journey for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging #279, the event coordinated by Haalo and founded by Kalyn.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Fruits of Autumn: figs, rhubarb and walnuts
This time two years ago: Curried Cauli, Spinach and Peanut Soup
This time three years ago: Family Favourite: Chocolate Pudding

Apple fruit cake
slightly adapted from The Kitchen Maid

• 1 1/2 cups hot tea
• 1 1/2 cups dried fruit (I used about 1/2 cup raisins, 1 cup chopped prunes)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp golden syrup (or use maple, or date syrup)
• 1 cup peeled, diced apple (about 2 medium apples)
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• 1 cup white flour
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (preferably a good grinding of a whole nutmeg)
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder

Crumble topping:

• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/2 cup each rolled oats
• 1/3 cup coconut
• 1/4 cup wholemeal flour
• 1/3 cup walnuts, crushed with a fork
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Put the raisins, rolled oats, golden syrup and brown sugar in a large bowl and cover with hot tea.  Stir and cool to room temperature.  Or not quite cooled if you are impatient like me.  Add in apple and lemon zest.

Preheat oven to 170 C and grease and line a 24cm springform cake tin.  (I only have a 22cm tin so I used that and a little ramekin).

Make the streusel topping by mixing all ingredients together.

Add remaining ingredients to apple mixture. Stir gently until all is combined.  Tip into prepared tin.  Evenly scatter streusel mixture over the top.

Bake for about 40 minutes until a skewer comes out cleanly (I think it took me longer).  Cool in the tin at least 10 minutes before releasing the springform sides.  Ours lasted about 4 days and was better when completely cooled to room temperature.

On the stereo:
The BBC Sessions: Belle and Sebastian

NCR Tricken Rice Soup with Celeriac

Tonight's soup brings up many mysteries such as chicken soup, stock, celeriac, children's diets, translating meat dishes into vegetarian versions.  I don't know what to tell you first.  That chicken soup has such a great reputation for being comforting and restorative that it even appeals to vegetarians.  That Sylvia wanted to go shopping for tofu this morning but cried when she tasted a piece of tofu from the soup.  That celeriac and fried tofu gave this dish some of the richness that a vegetarian seeks without the need to turn to meat.

The best seller Chicken Soup for the Soul gives an indication of how important chicken soup is considered in some cultures.  It is not just about the chicken.  It is about a full-bodied yet undemanding nourishing broth.  It often seems to be about nostalgia for a nurturing relationship and a cure for all manner of ailments.  For me, it is the sort of soup that I want to eat in these cooler Autumn evenings.

For vegetarians, there is the challenge of making a soup which is centred around a carcass.  I am not the only vegetarian to be fascinated by chicken soup. Many others have trodden this path before me.  Susan, PPK, Erin, Mollie and Lindsay are just a few to share their versions.  They use matzo dumplings, noodles, chickpeas and special seasonings.  I have started to buy fried tofu puffs occasionally and thought they would do the trick.

Despite the vegetarian recipes out there, it was Katie's Chicken Rice Soup that inspired me.  I had to wait until the weather cooled to try it, but it has been niggling at me ever since I saw the recipe at the start of the January.  Once I tackled it, I changed the recipe beyond recognition. I increased the vegies as well as using fried tofu.  I was particularly pleased with the addition of celeriac.  Often I don't know what to do with this strange knobbly vegetable but it seemed just right in the soup.  I forgot about Katie's addition of mustard and cornflour.  Maybe next time.

Katie's recipe directed me to make stock first and then the soup.  Most chicken soup recipes call for the simmering of a carcass to make stock and then the adding of a shredded chicken.  However vegetables do not seem to need to simmer as long as meat.  So it is a mystery to me as to whether vegos need to make a separate stock for such soups.

When I make a soup that is full of flavoursome vegetables, I feel that some salt and a bouquet garni of herbs from the garden is all the extra seasoning that is needed.  Though I did wonder if some stock would have given depth of flavour.  I have a bag of vegie scraps in the freezer to make into stock when I have some time.  They include the scraps of purple carrots which I didn't think would give the soup the right look.

I need not have worried about the stock.  E and I were very impressed with it.  The combination of  a bit of chewy tofu, nubbly rice and soft vegetables was just right.  The broth was full of sweet vegetable flavour that needed seasoning to turn it into a savoury meal.  The soup was satisfying without being heavy.  Sylvia wouldn't eat it despite loving rice and tofu.  She will share some of our meals but draws the line at soups and stews, not even convinced by the Soup Dragon in her favourite tv program the Clangers.

While eating the soup, I asked E if his mum had made chicken soup for him as a boy.  I can't remember my mum doing so, though I do remember her horror when I mistook a pot of stock for dishwater and threw it down the sink.  E remembers what he calls his mum's "famous broth" that she made with chicken bones and the family loved.

It was an evening full of nostalgia.  Not only did we reminisce over dinner but we followed it by watching Turn Back Time: the High Street.  We only got hooked towards the end of the series, unfortunately.  It was fascinating the way it looked at the British high street in six different decades and how it has changed.  This week was the 1970s.  E loved seeing some of the food he had used to eat (Vesta, Angel Delight, etc).  The shops made him remember Easy Rider (his favourite record store in Forrest Road, Edinburgh) and the Pakistani convenience store opening up near his Granny's house.  Ah, memories!

I am sending this to Jacqueline for this month's No Croutons Required (an event run with Lisa).  She has chosen a fun birthday theme (check it out) to celebrate her own birthday. My soup fits with the nourishing soup and rice themes.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Honest soup inspired by a Farmers Market
This time two years ago: Easter Nut Roast and Feasting
This time three years ago: The Nut Roast in History

Tricken Rice Soup with Celeriac
inspired by Thyme for Cooking
serves 5-6

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 large carrots
• 4 medium parsnips
• 1 celeriac
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 8-10 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• bouquet garni - I used bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, parsley (and would have used sage if I had it)
• 180g fried tofu puffs, chopped
• 3/4 cup rice (uncooked)
• seasoning, as required
• chopped parsley, to serve

Heat oil in large stockpot.  Trim, peel and dice vegetables and add them to pot as you chop them, stirring occasionally to prevent them sticking to the bottom of the pot.  I prepared them in the order that I have listed them.  Stir garlic into vegetables for a minute or two.

Add 8 cups of water, salt and bouquet garni.  Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until vegies are soft.  Throw in tofu.  At this point I left it overnight, but that is optional.  Add rice and simmer for about 15-minutes until it is cooked.  Add more water if needed.  Remove and discard bouquet garni. 

Check seasoning.  Mine benefited from some more salt and black pepper.  Ladle hot soup into bowls.  Serve with a sprinkling of finely chopped parsley.  Soup keeps well for 2-3 days but the rice will absorb a lot of the water.

On the stereo:
The Bells Shall Sound Forever: a tribute to Current 93: Various Artists

Vegan Christmas Nut Roast and Salad

I know.  I know.  It is not Christmas!  But I am holding a Neb at Nut Roast II event.  I am holding the event to encourage others to make nut roasts because I love them.  But I am also holding it as an excuse to try out nut roasts.  On the weekend, I finally got around to experimenting with a favourite nut roast.  I make this nut roast every Christmas, hence the title of this post, but have wondered about making it vegan for some time.

The idea came from Cindy of Where's the Beef?  I am not a huge fan of faux meat like Cindy, but I will unreservedly claim that she has the best ever Vegetarian Sausage Rolls.   She is also a whizz at converting at making her recipes vegan and gluten free.  So it was no surprise to see Cindy veganise her sausage rolls.  What surprised me was how simple she made it.  Her Vegan Sausage Rolls merely have silken tofu instead of eggs and cottage cheese.  Since my Christmas nut roast uses cottage cheese and eggs, I thought I could give it the same treatment.

My Christmas Nut Roast goes by the name of Cheese and Walnut Nutloaf.  It is a deliberately simple recipe that will not compete with the wonderful festive side dishes.  It has so little in the way of seasoning, that I was concerned that maybe the eggs and cottage cheese gave some of the flavour.  I added a little nutritional yeast flakes but I am not sure that it was needed.  The tofu worked well.  If there was any room for improvement in this version, it was quite soft and I wondered if I should have used a little less tofu.

I often love roast veg with a nut roast but on the weekend I had also decided I wanted to make the Energising Protein Power Salad that I saw Ange make on Oh She Glows recently.  It was a serendipitous choice.  In fact, the green and red of the vegetables would make a great festive accompaniment.

It's the first time I have ever used buckwheat groats in a salad and I am in love.  They were so soft and full of flavour but didn't dry out the way that rice does.  It was such a good salad that I went back for a third helping.  Admittedly the two extra helpings were quite small but the salad was so moreish.  It was packed with interesting flavours and textures.  Crunchy, soft, sharp, sweet.

I made a few changes from Ange's (which was adapted from a quinoa salad on Have Cake Will Travel).  I didn't have wheat berries so I used rice.  I used less lemon juice, more cider vinegar and still had to add a little maple syrup because it needed a little sweetening.  The biggest change I made came from not reading the recipe.  I have a bad habit of reading ingredients lists more than I read methods.  So I turned my nose up at the onion because I didn't have one and I hate raw onion in salads, except spring onion.  Later I read that it was to be fried and most of the salad was cooked on the frypan.  Oops! 

Lastly I had some beetroot and orange chutney on the nut roast.  It was a wonderful meal.  Perfect for Christmas.  Great at any time of year.  You still have until 5 May to send me a nut roast.  For more information about the event read the announcement and the rules.

I also want to send the nut roast to a couple of events.  This fortnight the Cookbook Challenge theme is  Celebration.  I had thought of a few ideas but struggled to find time for any and am now behind.  You can see what others have made on the Cookbook Challenge community page.

I am also interested in Claire of Chez Cayenne's event called House Favourites: Vegan.  The event encourages bloggers to post vegan recipes we have made at least three times, the premise being to encourage posting old favourites.  I have had this blog long enough to have posted many of my favourite recipes, though not all.  So I wanted to take this opportunity to send this vegan nut roast Claire's way.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Butterscotch Bounty from Ricki
This time two years ago: Tupperware, Arran and Tomato Soup
This time three years ago: Posh chocolate orange biscuits

Vegan 'Cheese' and Walnut Nutloaf
adapted from Sarah Brown’s Vegetarian Cookery
Serves 4

• 200-250g silken tofu (I used 250g but might use a bit less next time)
• 50g (2 oz) walnuts, ground
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 cup (125g or 4 oz) dry breadcrumbs (I used 4 slices of wholemeal chia bread)
• 8 black peppercorns, crushed
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spoon into prepared loaf tin (I use 13 x 22cm loaf tin and line bottom with paper except if using silicone pan.) Smooth the top down with the back of a spoon. Bake in moderate oven for approximately 50-60 or more minutes until golden brown and springy to touch. Serve slices hot or cold.

Energising buckwheat salad
adapted from Oh She Glows
serves 4-6

• 1 cup uncooked buckwheat groats (or grain like quinoa)
• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
• 400g tin of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 large red capsicum, finely chopped
• 100g green beans, chopped
• 1 large stalk of celery, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries (I used 1/2 cup but a few more would be good)

Dressing:

• 75ml fresh lemon juice
• 50ml apple cider vinegar (optional)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• few shakes of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Cook rice and buckwheat in separate saucepans using your normal method, the instructions on the packet or as I did.  I cooked the rice in boiling water for 30 minutes and drained it.  I rinsed the buckwheat and cooked it in 2 cups of water until all the water was absorbed.

Chop vegetables.  Cook the green beans for 3 minutes in boiling water and then refresh in cold water.  Mix vegetables in a large bowl with beans and cooked grains.

Mix all the ingredients either by shaking in a jar or lightly whisking in a large jug.  Pour into the bowl of grains etc.  Serve at room temperature or lightly warmed.  Lasted for a few days in my fridge.

On the stereo:
(Where the power is):  Magazine

PPN Carrot Pesto Pasta Bake

Maybe it is because Sylvia slept almost 12 hours without a break last night for the first time in about a month.  Yesterday I had lots of things to complain about.  Today life seems full of good things.  It is autumn and I love wrapping ourselves in warm clothes and dark nights.  Having the table in the middle of the kitchen makes our time there so much more fun.  Sylvia is always a joy but this weekend has amused us with giggling fits, searched for the moon in the dusk sky, and she is saying "yes" a lot.

It seems odd that "yes" should sneak into her vocabulary so late in the peace.  Why would you need to say things like "ukelele" and "dragon" and "Christmas tree" before "yes"?  After hearing "no" so often I love to hear "yes" and the firm little nod that often goes with it.  Maybe she had to wait until life was a bit easier, before she could say "yes".

 

I made this Carrot Pesto Pasta Bake last week and it fed us well.  I hadn't been grocery shopping so I had to make do with what was in the house.  There were too many carrots.  I couldn't think what to do with them.  I went to my bookmarks and found the recipe on Veggie Num Num.  By the time I had made the changes, it looked quite different.  I used different nuts and burnt them ever so slightly, despite warnings from Trudy.  I added smoked cheese which dominated but took depth of flavour from the pesto.

E says it was one of my strangest dishes.  The finely chopped carrot wasn't quite cooked in the final pasta bake.  The nuts could have been ground more finely if I had put them in the food processor before the other pesto ingredients.  The garlic was so strong in the unbaked pesto that I was glad I had halved Trudy's recipe and didn't have leftovers to use for dip.  This is not a complaint.  Merely the facts.

We both loved this pasta bake.  Pasta can be too heavy for me.  I am always on the look out for interesting dishes that manage to serve pasta with lots of vegetables.  This was one of them.  It was unlike other pasta dishes I have made.  Full of nutty texture and smoky sharp flavours.  Full of vegetables.  Soft and pleasing, without being creamy.  I even loved the crunchy bits of pasta on top.

I used the vegetables in the fridge but any would do.  The cheese wasn't absolutely necessary but if you don't have smoked cheese I would recommend adding some smoked paprika.  Then again, I am quite smitten with smoky flavours these days.  It's all a matter of taste.

I am sending this to Sweet Artichoke for Presto Pasta Nights #209, the inspiring blog event run by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Sappho Bookstore Cafe - for the literati who lunch...
This time two years ago: Wholemeal Chocolate Cake
This time three years ago: A Long-winded Nut Roast Post

Carrot Pesto Pasta Bake with Smoked Cheese
adapted from Veggie Num Num
serves 4-6

Carrot Pesto:

• 300g grated carrot (approx 4 medium carrots)
• 55g almonds, toasted
• 25g pine nuts, toasted
• 1 dessertspoon of tahini
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• juice of ½ medium
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes 
• dash of chilli powder
• handful of parsley

For the Pasta Bake:

• 225g dried pasta - I used vegeroni
• 400g pumpkin, peeled and chopped
• 70g smoked cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 red capsicum, finely chopped
• 2 mushrooms, finely chopped

To make the carrot pesto: lightly toast the nuts and grind in the food processor.  Add remaining ingredients and blend until you have a paste - I had to scrape down the sides a few times to get it to a paste.

To make the pasta bake: first cook the pasta according to the packet (usually approximately 10 minutes).  Add the pumpkin to the pasta about halfway through so it is mostly cooked when your pasta is done.  When the pasta is cooked, drain and tip into a large mixing bowl or back into the saucepan you cooked it in.  Mix in pesto and remaining ingredients.  Tip into a lightly greased casserole dish.  Bake at 200 C (or 180 C fan forced) for about 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown on top.  Ours kept for 3-4 days and was great for dinner and lunch.

On the stereo:
Shamal: Gong

Memes are due. Thanks are due.

I've been tagged. I've been awarded. I've been a winner. Thanks are due. Memes are due. I've been blogging long enough that I feel I have shared so much in these pages. I thought of writing 7 randoms facts about the drive home last night but decided I really have more to say than that. I also have taken the opportunity to include a few random recent photos.

A while back I was tagged for a 10 questions meme by Katie at Apples and Spice.  Katie has always been a baker extraordinaire, but recently she has been diagnosed a celiac and it is fascinating to see the wonderful GF recipes she is now creating.  I will not pass on this meme to anyone specifically but please pick up the baton if you are interested in it.

Q. Why did you create the blog?
A. I wanted to share and organise my recipes.  Read more here.

Q. What kind of blogs do you follow?
A. Mostly food blogs and a few photo blogs.  I started off reading vegetarian blogs with recipes and still look for these but I have found that if the writing strikes a chord with me, then I am happy with any sort of content.  See my blogroll for an incomplete list of blogs I follow.  I find it hard to keep updates so check out the list at the bottom of the post too.

Q. Favourite makeup brand?
A. Huh?  Last time I bought eye liner I found it had been about 15 years since I last bought any.  I don't remember the brand.

Q. Favourite clothing brand?
A. I have bought so few new clothes lately that I don't have a favourite brand.  Instead I will tell you one of my favourite clothing stores: Retro Star Vintage Clothing on Swanston Street.  It is such a fun place to visit, but it is harder to get to with a pram because it is up a flight of stairs.

Q. Your indispensable makeup product?
A. If all the make up in the world disappeared tomorrow, I really couldn't care less!

Q. Your favourite colour?
A. When I was young my older sister loved pink and I loved purple.  Then as a student I discovered green was the colour of hope so I dyed my hair green.  And of course purple and green are the colours of feminism.  Check out my posts on Purple and Green. 

Q. Your perfume?
A. Elizabeth Arden Green Tea.  I love the scent of green tea but don't use copious amounts.  In fact I just noticed an unopened bottle of this perfume in my bathroom cupboard this morning.

Q. Your favourite film?
A. So many good films.  I had to look to my profile page to where I have written a list of favourite films.  Today I think I might say that my favourite might just be Wonderland (directed by Michael Winterbottom).  The scenery, the music, the characters, the bittersweet plot are all sublime.  London, Pulp, Michael Nyman, Gina McKee, John Simm, kitchen sink drama.  What more could you want!

Q. What country would you like to visit and why?
A. There are many countries I would love to visit (see here) but if I had the choice of any country, I would go to Scotland with E and Sylvia so we could visit E's family.  Why?  Everyone need family.  Phone, mail and internet are great but not the same as sitting down together to share a meal or a moment.  E would love to spend time with his family and I would love Sylvia to know them more.

Make up the last question - I gave this task to Sylvia:
Q. "Are 'ou ok, mummy?"
A. Yes

A couple of months back, I was pleased to be sent the Stylish Blogger Award by both Cakelaw of Laws of the Kitchen and Rivkia of Healthy Eating for Ordinary People.  Cakelaw has such a prodigious output of wonderful baked goods that I am beginning to wish I worked alongside her as she is very generous with sharing baking at work.  Rivki has many great simple recipes if you are after easy tasty ways to enjoy vegetables, and I love reading her cookbook reviews.

The way the award works is that the recipient (me in this case) posts about the award, links back to those sending the award, writes 7 random things, passes the award on to other bloggers, and lets them know. It is a nice way to create some blogger community. So here goes:

7 random facts:

1. I love swimming but I can't dive.  When young, my local swimming pool was unheated and closed every winter.  I once mastered the art of diving as a child and then forgot it one winter.

2. When I was a kid, the magic of Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street was that he was real to kids but not to adults.  It is a sign of the times that these days he is as real to all the adults as the kids.

3. I was once bitten by a possum in my backyard many years ago.  I was hanging out the washing and the bold little creature sauntered out, took a casual nip at my toe and then sauntered back.  I got a housemate to bang saucepans to keep him away while I hung out the rest of the washing.

4. The most amazing tattoo I ever saw was while doing a conceptual life drawing course.  It was a huge bird that was drawn to follow the curves of the life model's chest.

5. One place I would love to see is the Rock of Cashel in Ireland.  I was on my way there once but got hospitalised in Cork with an allergic reaction to an insect bite.  Maybe another day!

6. I have become very adept at passing a sippy cup to and from Sylvia in the backseat as I drive.  Honestly I keep my eyes on the road.  It is harder to comfort her when she cries in the car but I found the promise of pizza for dinner did wonders last night.

7. I get motion-sick.  I am usually ok in cars and buses if I don't read, and ok on planes if I have pills.  In fact I once spent my time in transit at a Japanese airport walking around the terminal with an interpreter to help me find air sickness tablets.

Now here is my list of seven bloggers to whom I wish to pass this Stylish Blogger award.  As with previous awards, I will not include those I have already awarded, so that I can include some new faces here:

1.The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl -great diet blog by Aussie girl Shauna, who lives in Scotland, lost a shedload of weight and wrote a book about it.  Frank, honest and insightful.  Shauna also has the best quick links to posts that I must read.  Though I still need to read her book, so you can see I am a bit behind.

2. cityhippiefarmgirl - A Sydneysider writing about living life in the slow lane in the big smoke.  Gorgeous photos, great lifestyle reflections, yummy recipes - I must try that Armenian nutmeg cake - and so much wonderful bread.

3. The Kitchen Maid - Lucy's lovely photos and writing are a pleasure to read.  I was comforted to see a photo of Lucy's kitchen and feel I am not the only one surrounded by chaos.  I also love her Sweet Sweet Friday recipes.

4. Months of Edible Celebration - If you want to know about celebrations of any food, Louise probably has a post on it.  From Applesauce to Zucchini Bread, she can give information on when and how it is celebrated.  Her posts often have great little anecdotes, snippets from historic cookbooks and the occasional recipe.

5. Oh She Glows - This is the blog for anyone needs to be convinced that vegan food can be delicious and nutritious.  Ange produces amazing inspiring recipes that are packed with energy and taste.  She has also recently started a series of Vegan Recipe Link Love that features lots of great recipes on other blogs.

6. Sweet Artichoke - Vanessa's blog has lots of inspiring recipes and delectable photos.  I always admire her innovative cupcakes and cookies but am particularly in awe of her recent artichoke and hazelnut sandwich cookies.

7. Veganise This - I love reading how Mel takes a well-known recipe and makes it vegan.  Take for example her tofu ricotta and spinach filled agnolotti which sounds far better than a dairy version to me.  She also writes up useful notes reflecting on the meal.  A great learning experience and lots of delicious recipes I must try.

Lastly a couple of thanks.  I was in the Treadmill Reviews list of healthy eating blogs.  I was also lucky enough to win a cookbook in the Pasta Presto Nights 4th Birthday Bash.  The momentum behind the event, Ruth of Once Upon a Feast, kindly sent me a copy of Pasta: 40 Recipes for Fine Dining at Home By Elaine Elliot, published by Formac Lorimer Publishing. I am looking forward to cooking some of the delicious recipes in it.

Ok that was fun.  I hope you enjoy checking out some new blogs and I will be back soon with more recipes.