Craft actually

Autumn Soups

Its a bit cooler today so I decided to make a couple of soups. We've been trying to eat a bit healthier lately and the more veggies the better. Both recipes are from Wholefood for the Family. I have two cookbooks by Jude Blereau and both are great. All the recipes are labelled if they are vegan, gluten free or dairy free which is handy. Most but not all the recipes are vegetarian.

I made the Warmly Spiced Pumpkin and Adzuki Bean Soup using tinned beans as I hadn't soaked dry ones overnight. This recipe has kombu which is dried Japanese seaweed and gives it some salty flavour. Its the first time I've used both adzuki beans and kombu so its practically bursting with healthiness. Very tasty.

The other soup I made is Creamy Corn Chowder. Its turned out well too although it could have done with more corn. Both recipies are based on vegie stock and are dairy free if you don't have the creme fraiche it suggests to serve with it. So v. low in fat....good for the diet.

I'm very conscious of our beach holiday next week. We're going to Singapore for a wedding and then having a week on an island in Indonesia nearby. Oh why didn't it occur to me that I might want to wear swimmers a bit earlier! Yeah like I would have done anything about it anyway. I'm hoping a little fake tan will go a long way.

Its Friday

And we know what that means......

CAKE!

This one is relatively heathy. Its Banana Bread from Sophie Dahl's "Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights". I haven't made it before but judging by the delicious aroma I think its going to be good.

Smithy bought this recipe book for me for my birthday....because the author's name is Sophie. How sweet its that?! And also I think because Miss Dahl on the cover is quite cute. Hmmmm. 

I've been busy this week getting some products back in my etsy store as some faithful readers have noticed from the Etsy feed in the sidebar. I whipped up a few project pouches and most exciting for me I have created a pattern! Its a bit of an experiment. I'd like to do some more designing as it really stretches me creatively. Even though its a pretty simple pattern I really enjoyed going through the process. 

I'm now working on a little knitting pattern which takes a lot longer as I'm not a very fast knitter and it requires quite a bit of swatching and ripping back. But I think its going to be cute!

Have a good weekend everyone. 

Long weekend and a Reminder

Firstly I wanted to do a bit of a hard sell and remind you about the race for life giveaway. The run/walk/stroll/knit is next Wednesday. Where did April goooooo?! The team is going great (someone called "Princess" seems to be doing particularly well with her fundraising). I'm not doing so great....I think Smithy might be the only donor and he would much rather have the giveaway yarn OUT of the house than more yarn coming IN! Plus its a great chance - you could mention me and Gail and be in the draw for TWO prizes - its a deal! Just a few quid would be awesome for this great cause here is the fundraising page. I must contact my workmates...I seem to be constantly sponsoring them for stuff...payback time ha!

Phew now thats out of the way....some random stuff.

Looks like we're going to have a sunny long weekend yay! Have lots of socialising planned, BBQs, visitors from the North and lunches. 

Since I've been on maternity leave I decided to take my cooking to a new level (one step above the bottom one that is). I have been a good housewife and cooking dinner *most* nights (although I have to admit Smithy mostly does weekends) and decided to try a new recipe every time. This has been going for about three months now and I'd say I've done new recipies about 75% of the time and have done the old favourites when we really fancy them.

I thought I would really struggle for inspiration but I've been going through old and new magazines and the cookbooks that have barely been used and have built up a stack of ideas I want to try.

I've also become completely addicted to Market Kitchen (on UK TV Food) as it coincides with the evening feed time quite nicely. This week Aussie chef Bill Granger was on talking about his new book Feed Me Now. I got my hands on it and its fabulous. Although so far I've only cooked one thing so I can't really say much about the results but the book and photography are absolutely beautiful and I want to make so many of the recipies. There are all sorts, breakfast, lunch, fancy dinners, fast dinners and pud. 

I've only tried one of his recipies before - a very yummy chocolate and banana cake but I have high hopes.

I also picked up this Gordon one (damn you Amazon suggestions) which looks good but more hearty wintery so it will come out again later.

I definitely want to try this Miso fish recipe...was going to do it Friday night but didn't quite get there after swimming and Friday afternoon tea. (Fabulous Marscapone and Passionfruit Sponge thankyou Robyn). Oh yes and getting the car clamped in between. *sigh*.

I'm going to do a couple of his salads for the BBQ on Sunday - a simple tomato one and a cucumber one. 

By the way if you've emailed me lately I'm really sorry if I haven't replied! I've been pretty busy. Mostly busy enjoying the lovely weather while we can... Its essential to get out in the sun as much as possible in case it disappears again for another year. But everyone is saying "I've got a good feeling about summer this year!". We are all so desperate after the last two years rainy summers. I hope they're right.

Oh yes, here is another reason I've been distracted....

Giggles
Originally uploaded by Hells Bells