Happy Halloween 2012 Folks...

Things are a little busy here at the Rocket & Roses HQ...we are going on holiday. I know..can't wait. We are travelling over to Manchester tomorrow so ML can enjoy a gig for that little known band...MUSE, is it? lol. You heard of them? Then we are travelling from there across to Wales. Not feeling that great right now but being away from the town we live in and our regular routine is going to be great. ML really needs this break more than I do so books have been purchased for those inevitable bad weather days. I know I will become a book widow for most of this holiday...but it is a recharging batteries type of holiday. So it's all good.

What are your plans for this Halloween? We celebrated at the weekend with the little one M for his birthday so tonight we shall be packing like maniacs on door duty during the evening for the local treat or treaters. I miss the days of the Halloween parties and when I'm well I look forward to enjoying them again.

I found these vegan Halloween items during an on line search and they available at www.bigcityvegan.com

Love it! lol

I would love this bag...so cool.

Great eh?

And this t-shirt was great and the design is also on a cap, a phone and a mug!...lol

And what posting of mine would it be without a little humour, eh? lol I think I may have posted one of them before but it's worth posting again...

Good old worthy humour..lol Love it..lol

And I am fairly certain I have posted this before....but it still makes me chuckle...so here it is...I wish you a safe and happy Halloween...

Thank you for stopping by and I will be back soon from the road trip...and Trustworthy is going be visiting soon...

~R~

NB: All images used were found online...so I take no credit for their creation but I send out thanks to whoever did.

Taste Sensation..Nak'd Rhubarb & Custard Bars..GF & Vegan...Yes vegan!

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Depeche Mode ~ Everything Counts
Nelly Futardo ~ Maneater
Depeche Mode ~ Precious
Stevie Ray Vaughan ~ Tin Pan Alley
Robert Downey Jr. ~ Details
UB40 ~ Groovin'
The Police ~ Can't Stand Losing You
Raitt & Adams ~ Rock Steady
The Turtles ~ She'd Rather Be With Me
JET ~ Skin & Bones
Halestorm ~ Rock Show
Sinatra, Martin & Davis Jr ~ Birth of the Blues
Seasick Steve ~ Just Like A King
Within Temptation ~ The Heart of Everything

I am constantly on a search for tasty and healthy snacks. It's too easy to slip and start snacking on the bad kind, right? lol. So I always like to have little snack size packs of unsalted nuts of all varieties to hand. I enjoy fresh fruit but can't eat too much...so that leaves me pretty limited. I haven't found a crisp/chip alternative that I like yet. I will one day try the Kale Chips...I think I have about 10 different recipes for them, sat waiting to be reviewed. lol. I also hope to try the courgette/zucchini chip recipes too. Until then I just have to steer clear of the crisp/chip snacks. (OK I am laughing as I type that...I do cave in sometimes..anyway..) I am human...

A couple of years ago my friend Dev (recent guest host) introduced me to the beautiful little bars that are made by the Natural Balance Food company. These lovely bars are called Nak'd Bars. When I first tried one...I was wow'd by the taste. Dev, ML and I divided up a Cashew Nut Bar and a Cocoa Delight Bar and enjoyed every single mouthful. lol. And from that day...I have been hopelessly addicted. The fact they are GF and Vegan just makes them almost perfect. lol. Here is a link to the their site and some blurb...

http://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/nakd/

Nākd bars and snacks are a great way to eat nutritious, healthy food without compromising on taste! Our snack bars are made from yummy natural ingredients such as fruits and nuts which are smooshed together for you into a handy bar. Wheat and dairy free, with no added sugars or hidden extras. Get Nākd today!

Now I have tried all of the varieties and my favourites are Cocoa Orange, Cocoa Delight and the Cashew Nut Bars. I like the others but love those three..lol

I find the cocoa ones really help at..erm..certain times of the month..when I would kill someone for some chocolate. Ahem! And I can eat one and not worry about hidden nasties. I try to have one in my bag when I am away from the house for emergency snacking lol. Such a moment happened yesterday...we were out taking the four legged fella to check out his new holiday digs...which was successful..a mutual love fest happened. lol. And we were also picking up little one M's birthday present...Lego Star Wars something geeky...*rolls eyes*...lol.

I was feeling a little grim around lunchtime so skipped the meal entirely but then found myself feeling flaky after leaving the toy store. I sat in the car and tried to work out where I could grab a quick snack...when in front of my eyes appeared a Pink Nak'd bar. I looked at ML intrigued and then read the label to see Rhubarb and Custard...so I handed it back...and said Nah not vegan...custard eh? I was given the bar back and had it pointed out that the bar was indeed vegan. I think it took me two seconds to rip into that wrapper...lol. Rhubarb and Custard is one of my all time favourite taste combinations. Was I giddy or what???? lol.

Look!!! Isn't she beautiful??? Not the pink...but everything else...lol

The smell as you open the wrapper is glorious. Rich vanilla custard and the tart rhubarb lifted my senses and made me smile like the child that used to enjoy my Nans rhubarb and custard (Oh and banana custard) puddings. I bit into the bar and almost shivered with happiness as it tasted completely divine. The bar was the perfect size as it's intense and richly flavoured. To be honest there just aren't adequate words to describe the experience. This one jumps to the top of my favourite list. I strongly urge you to try this bar soon....

Thank you for stopping by and I hope your Monday is a great one....

~R~

Haunted House Birthday Cake..

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

LeAnn Rimes ~ Can't Fight The Moonlight
Suzi Quatro ~ If You Can't Give Me Love
Thunder ~ She's Like Ice
Nickelback ~ Never Gonna Be Alone
Sammy Davis Jr ~ Love Me or Leave Me
Fleetwood Mac ~ Don't Stop
Halestorm ~ Time Man
Melissa Etheridge ~ You Can Sleep While I Drive
Shelly Campbell ~ Drivin' You
Gina Sicilia ~ Members Only
Crowded House ~ Distant Sun
Robert Palmer ~ Addicted to Love
Squeeze ~ Labelled With Love
James Morrison ~ The Letter

Yesterday was little one M's 6th Birthday party. The theme was a little ones Halloween and my sisters house was transformed into a Haunted House...largely due to the help of our kid brother G..who is a Halloweenaholic. lol. As normal it was our pleasure to make the little one's birthday cake but due to illness this time round it was all down to the hard work and talent of ML. Who I think did a fantastic job..and so did everyone at the party...so here are a few snaps of the creation...that was Haunted House on the Hill..lol.



M's 6th Birthday Cake ~ Haunted House on the Hill

Now my sister and brother-in-law are both chocoholics and somehow always manage to get the little ones to request our chocolate cakes..lol. So that's exactly what this cake is..three square chocolate cakes. ML found the design online and liked that it was supposed to be a rickety ramshackle of a house. lol.



The roof top grave yard was a nice touch..lol

The roof top grave yard was a great detail. Complete with two graves stones and a zombie hand breaking through the ground to prowl the night. Oh and a birthday candle...lol

Front door...yucky cobwebs...*shudder*

The spooky front door complete with witches broomstick and cauldron with bubbling blood and a foot sinking into the mix..gross! lol

Woooooooooooo! lol

Now yes I know ghosts usually haunt inside the houses..but this one obviously wanted to take the evening air...but so cute. lol

Pumpkins...too freaking cute scary! Ahem! lol

Now..what Halloween would be complete without pumpkins? Especially cute little ones like this..lol.

Aerial view of the Haunted House...lol

So everyone loved the cake and thought the design was excellent. As for the chocolate cake..the words moist, intense and super chocolately were mentioned...a lot!..lol I think it's safe to say...with the exception of one person who refuses to eat Vegan muck..(Idiot!)...the cake was a huge success! And ML did a fantastic job.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Sunday is a great one...

~R~

Spooky Saturday...and an awesome Skull

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Thunder ~ Gimme Some Lovin'
Evanescence ~ Good Enough
Seasick Steve ~ One True
Bree Sharp ~ Fallen
Suede ~ Saturday Night
Tina Dico ~ We're All Experts
The Eagles ~ Desperado
The Stranglers ~ Something Better Change
Gina Sicilia ~ One of Many
Shelby Lynne ~ You & Me
Beth Hart ~ Easy
Van Morrison ~ Someone Like You
Suzi Quatro ~ 48 Crash
Tina Dico ~ The City

This Saturday at the Rocket & Roses HQ it's all about the little one M, who is turning the grand age of 6 on Monday. We cannot believe he's been around that long..the lovely and often cheeky little fella. lol. So today is his celebration day and this year he is having a Halloween themed birthday party. My sisters house has been transformed into a Haunted House suitable for little ones. And I'm sure she has a few grey hairs due to the stress of it all. lol. ML has been busy for the last few days making an awesome Haunted House birthday cake...photos and blog about the cake will be coming tomorrow. It really does rock.

Spooky Saturday Greetings to one and all...lol
Image is not mine and I take no credit for it's creation.
But thanks to whoever did!

Now at first all the adults were told they had to dress up too...but that is looking more and more unlikely so I am a little relieved that I have a hat to dress up in..lol Well..calling it a hat is maybe an exaggeration...its really a fascinator.lol...dressed up with a red eyed skull and fake red feathers and black webbing. It's all black and red and vampy/piratey. lol. You want a photo of it? You do huh? lol OK...right..hang on....

My little friend the skull...lol

I don't know if you are aware it's surprisingly hard to take photos of a fascinator..but these were the two best ones..lol.

The back view..the lovely Top hat and fake feathers...lol

I loved the Top Hat so I shall be channelling Slash for the few hours I'll be wearing this..lol. Red lipstick to match the feathers...and my new rock/biker chick wellies. lol. Should be fun.

So tomorrow I shall be back with a blog filled with photos of the Haunted House birthday cake.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope your Saturday is a good one...

~R~

Art a la Mum: Hydrangea 2012

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Doris Day ~ Fly Me To The Moon
The Eagles ~ Guilty Of The Crime
Don Williams ~ Crying In The Rain
Missy Higgins ~ Set Me On Fire
Shelby Lynne ~ I Only Want To Be With You
Dean Martin ~ Hold Me
Joe Nichols ~ Brokenheartsville
Deacon Blue ~ Fergus Sings The Blues
Janet Jackson ~ Together Again
Maria McKee ~ Show Me Heaven
Rob Thomas ~ Falling To Pieces
Heart ~ Back To Avalon
Tim McGraw ~ Where The Green Grass Grows
All Saints ~ Bootie Call

Regular readers will know that I love art and often share with you art that has had some effect on me. One of my favourite artists is my Mum...some of my first memories are filled with watching her sat with her large pad..busily sketching away...whilst I was supposed to be falling asleep on the bed next to her. lol. We shared a room at the time so my bedroom walls were covered in her drawings. Oh and my Fonz poster...lol. Back then she stayed with pencil drawings and pottery. Its only since her retirement that she has experimented with all the mediums that she always wanted to try.

This piece came about because the Hydrangea bush in her garden was far and beyond the most beautiful bloom in her garden this year. And she wanted to record it's vibrant colour.



Hydrangea 2012 by J.C.Lawtey 2012 ©

Safe to say that Mum loves the colour pink so it wasn't a huge shock when her favourite bloom was this intense shade of pink..lol. I think the colours all pop and work well together. Her art tutor loved it...and for once my Mum believed what we were all saying about her work..and she quite proud of this one..lol. About time..eh? I hope you enjoy it too...

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Thursday is a good one...

~R~

Temporary Glitch...

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Garbage ~ So Like A Rose
Thunder ~ Love Walked In
Anna Nalick ~ Wreck of the Day
50 Cent ~ In Da Club
Luke Morley ~ This World
Fun Lovin' Criminals ~ Fun Lovin' Criminals
Court Yard Hounds ~ Skyline
Faith Hill ~ The Way You Love Me
Shakira ~ Octavo Dia
Jamie Cullum ~ Nothing I Do
Bonnie Raitt ~ Nick Of Time
Slade ~ Bangin' Man
Adele ~ Make You Feel My Love
Halestorm ~ No Clue

This week so far has been...a bitch..challenging. New medicine routine means new nasty side effects and I am feeling a little like the picture below. Most of the night..and throughout the day.

A fair representation of how I am feeling right now..lol
Image is not mine and I take no credit for its creation.
Found online.

So I am just stopping by to say..I'm alive...just..lol..and will be posting again as soon as I can.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your week is being easy on you...

~R~

Almost Silent Sunday: Octavio Ocampo Artwork

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

LOTR Fellowship of the Ring OST ~ via the movie

It's an extreme resting day here at Rocket & Roses HQ...and I must be feeling grim as I've agreed to a Lord of the Rings movie marathon. lol. Which means ML is lost somewhere with the Elves, Hobbits and Wizards...and I am working..lol. During this 'work' I found an artist I had never heard of before...Octavio Ocampo.

Octavio Ocampo ~ the artist himself
at work

His work is often described as Hidden Image art and that was the reason his work caught my eye. So here are a few of my favourites...I hope you enjoy them...



Mouth of Flower ~ Octavio Ocampo

This was the one that caught my attention...so serenely beautiful.

Skull ~ Octavio Ocampo

From serene to bizarre...lol. But I really enjoyed this piece as much as the first. Loved it.

Unknown name ~ Artist Octavio Ocampo

At first I just saw the lovely face...and then I saw the lovely little critters that are the real stars..lol.

Unknown name ~ Artist Octavio Ocampo

Yes...it was the mermaid that I saw first...and then the King followed by the other figures. So clever.

Unknown name ~ Artist Octavio Ocampo

Once again that beautiful face....but this time a much different hidden image. Wonderful.

Heart of Stone ~ Octavio Ocampo

I love the darkness that haunts this piece...and the beauty...although I can't help but think of Cher as I look into her face. He has a prolific catalogue of work..all of which I would happily talk about all day. I am smitten. If you have enjoyed these I urge you to check out some more...

OK so I wasn't all that silent...but I could've said a lot more. lol. Thank you for stopping by and I hope that your Sunday is a peaceful and relaxing one...

~R~

NB:   IMAGES ARE NOT MINE..AND I TAKE NO CREDIT FOR THE WORK OF MR OCTAVIO OCAMPO. ALL IMAGES FOUND ONLINE VIA PINTEREST OR GOOGLE SEARCH.              THANK YOU ~Red~

Flowers: Halloween Flowers...but what is it?...

Rocket & Roses Car Play List:

Sting ~ Dream of the Blue Turtles Album

I escaped the house yesterday for a few hours...much needed hours. I was suffering a real case of cabin fever and bitch stir craziness. I needed out of this house...so bad. In fact I really can't put adequately into words,  just how much I needed out...lol.

So when ML came home from work...drove me nuts..put oil in the car and finished answering work emails..we got in the car and headed out. Now I really didn't care where we went as long as it was out of the house. As it was Friday night and everywhere was going to be busy we kept it simple and just did the simple things like...grocery shopping. lol. Yep..exciting eh? But to me it was heaven..lol

I took my time in the fresh fruits and veggies aisles and spent ages in the World food aisles checking out all the potential ingredients. I even salivated over the new styles of boots in the winter collections...although I would never buy any of them because they are so not vegan but the heeled boots call out to me every time...demon siren boots. lol.

However, it was this little beauty that caught my eye...walking through the plant and salad aisle (I know..lol) I was drawn to this stand of Halloween plants.

,

Halloween Plant..helpful, eh? lol. Any ideas???

I was captivated by the deep orange colour and the unusual petals...but when we looked for a plant name..it was being sold as Halloween Plant. O...K! Thanks for helping. So..I ask..do any of your know what this little beauty is called any other time of the year...lol. It really was a thing of beauty.

Oh...ok..ok..I give in...but please remember these aren't vegan..and I only admired them from afar. But as you have been asking so nicely...lol..here is a sneaky photo of the demon heeled boots...

Beware: Demon Siren Boots!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Saturday is a splendid one...

~R~

Focus: Things I Am Loving In This Moment...

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Zac Brown Band ft Aslyn ~ Trying To Drive
Harry Connick Jr ~ All The Way
Thunder ~ Gimme Some Lovin' Live
Natalie Clein ~ Tavener: The Protecting Veil
TOFOG's ~ Memorial Day
Nat King Cole ~ Ain't Misbehaving
B.E.P ~ Let's Get It Started
Court Yard Hounds ~ Fairytale
Bon Jovi ~ Living On A Prayer
Audioslave ~ Light My Way
Depeche Mode ~ Enjoy The Silence
Tina Dico ~ Friend In A Bar
Placebo ~ Every Me Every You
Blondie ~ Picture This

Today's post is all about taking a moment in the midst of chaos and looking at what is going on around you...taking the things/people/thoughts that make you smile and celebrating them. Focusing on the positives...although I have to say, that particular phrase said to me on a bad day can make me want to throttle the person who says it...hard!!! lol.

So in this moment....these are the things that are making the chaos bearable...lol

A Thought...

A mantra now...

I've said recently that this thought is vital to me. I could easily get bogged down with thoughts of the past or the bleak future. So I choose to think of my life...In this moment...and in this moment I am OK.

A Photo...

The very awesome and under appreciated
Mr Luke Morley
Songwriter and Guitarist

I confess this photo is taken from The Union Facebook page. The Union are one of my favourite bands. I have been a fan of Mr Morley's work for over 20 years. In his relatively new band he is getting so much attention and rightly so..they are awesome. If you love blues/rock I urge you to check them out. This photo...to me sums up Mr Morley. A true muso, fantastic talent and still rocking it when others maybe couldn't. And I hope he never stops...

A Piece of Art...

Artist: Malcolm Liepke

I admit it. I had never heard of this artist until this painting turned up on my Pinterest feed. It was amongst many other paintings by other artists but I couldn't even tell you what they were because the moment I saw this...I was captivated. In fact the more I look at it..the more I fall hopelessly in love with it.

An Important Thing...

Especially medical...

There are times when I wished with all my heart I was one of those people that could live in ignorant bliss. And in some aspects of my life I have to be but it's not how I want it. But being in ignorance when it comes to your health..well..it's just stupid. Understandable...but stupid. This week I was back at the hospital to get the latest tests done and find out the new plan of attack. Now I really was dreading it...hated the thought of it...couldn't function at some points leading up to it as my very inner circle would agree..but having had a couple of days since the appointment I am calmer. I know for the next four months I've got a battle coming...but now I know what I am facing...I also have a plan. Knowing the facts is so much better than not. (Preachy bit over now!! lol)

An International Thing...

My close friend and guest host Trustworthy lives in Oz and we are in touch everyday via Skype.  We cook (well OK he cooks and I watch lol), talk and laugh a lot and even disagree sometimes..lol. But one of the other things we like to do is have International Mate Movie Dates..lol. Yep we select a movie and both watch it with our laptops on and headsets in, watching the movies together. We try and take it in turns in selecting the movies...last week was T's choice which was...

....which I really enjoyed. Even the eating brains part...lol And this week my selection is the very funny and touching Crazy Stupid Love. Really looking forward to watching it with him.

Don't be fooled, T loves a good rom/com..lol...and I am sure he'll love this one.

A Drink...

Yep it does say Decaf...lol

I am a self confessed addict of the demon bean and back in the day when my body had coffee and Jack flowing through my veins I couldn't get enough. I am one of those strange people that love the hot coffee beverage but can't stand it cold in any form..or in food. Yuck! lol. But these days my body doesn't respond well to caffeine at all and I had managed to wean myself off of it and been a confirmed herbal tea drinker for the last 4-5 years, enjoying the very occasional coffee when out, until very recently...I could make a whole list of excuses but the only one that would have any merit would be...stress and low mood boost. And I have been abusing the bean once more...often..hourly...so I am now trying to wean myself off of it once again. And then I found this decaf coffee...it is so good. I get all the flavour of regular coffee without the side effects...and I am loving it. Steaming black mug of this..and I am a happy gal.

A Tune or Two...

Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts ~ B******d Life or Clarity Album
Sail Those Same Oceans Enjoy!

I like Russell Crowe. I think he is an amazing actor...and I like his edge. I respect that he's not bowed down to the Hollywood way of life..simpering and smiling. I like that if he's in a bad mood..he just is. No excuses. And I have always been curious about his band Thirty Odd Foot Of Grunts or TOFOG's in short. Then the Clarity album came up on my 1p bargains list last week. It was a sign..lol..no really it was. lol. No? Oh OK. It arrived yesterday and I have to say I have only just put Pebble (iPod) back on shuffle play...I have played the album about 10 times through and have loved every song. The music is rather Springsteeneqsue. Russell's voice is good and growly. I am now officially a huge fan of his music too. I hope there is more to come.

A Wouldn't Want to Live Without Thing...

Friendship

There are no words really needed here...except for these...'Friends that are family'..spending anytime with any one of you is always a pleasure...even in the bad times. We are very different but that's what makes us strong. I am a very lucky woman...

A Book Thing...

A werewolf or two can never be
a bad thing...lol

At this point in my life my reading choices are all about pure escapism. Usually it's an even spread of cookbooks, fiction and knowledge. So you will most likely find me running in the worlds where Were folks live...or chasing serial killers. This is the book I am reading today...

A Body Art Thing...

An artform..no arguments folks but I do respect your
rights to disagree.

Having been ill for a while...I am left with scars. And yes..I own it...they are part of my story but I've owned it for long enough now..lol. I need a change and I am constantly looking for the right thing to cover them. Recently I saw a tattoo design that was laid over a woman's shoulder and it was of a large flower with falling petals that drifted down and across her body. And I knew then I had found the concept I was looking for...now I just needed to find the design. As there are a few...I have decided upon a large cherry blossom branching with full blooms and many falling petals. The design above isn't exactly what I want but it's pretty similar to the image I have in my head. Why blossom? Sorry folks..I do have my reasons and they are private but when it's happening I shall post photos.

A Tasty Thing...

Kao Pun Temple Waterfalls, Kanchanaburi Thailand

A waterfall...tasty? I can hear you asking lol. Well..no. But I couldn't find an image to go with the food but I did find this beautiful waterfall in Thailand and now have another waterfall to add to my list. lol. I cannot wait to visit this one...awesome..don't you think?

Anyway to the food...Thai Mixed Veggie Tempura with Sweet Chilli Sauce to be specific. I cannot get enough of this dish. I am not usually one for anything that is fried...but this is my one exception. And where we buy it they do a really nice light and crispy batter..covering carrot sticks, onions rings, green beans, green pepper, red pepper, mushroom and broccoli. Now I always ask for no mushroom and always secretly hope they will put in extra broccoli..alas they never do. These simply cooked veggies dipped in the sweet chilli sauce is a little plate of food heaven for me. I get really bad cravings for just a bowl of broccoli tempura drizzled with the addictive chilli sauce. Bad cravings...very bad cravings...lol. Oh no..now it's back again..lol.

A Not So Bling Thing...

Prayer Bead Bracelets

Regular readers will know for sure that I am in no way religious..but very respectful of others' beliefs as long as it isn't harming anyone. Anyway....I have always loved rosaries and prayer beads as necklaces or jewellery. I think the design is often beautiful....and when I saw these this morning I knew it was something I would happily wear. However I wouldn't pay $75 for them. But I can admire them from afar and enjoy them that way. I love bracelets...

Well that is a few of the things I am loving right now...this moment..lol. I hope it entertained and thank you for stopping by and I hope your week is being very good to you..and you have great things planned for the weekend..be it boisterous or peaceful.

~R~

Remembering to Breathe..

Rocket & Roses Sanity Play List:

Beth Hart ~ iPod play list (all 89 songs..)

Although I would proudly have this tattoo..alas..it isn't mine.
So therefore take no credit for it and want to thank the
lucky who has it. And the person who did it! ~R~

Well the six months are up..and this week I am back at the hospital to see what happens now. So I may be away for a few days depending on the outcome. Hopefully I will be back Wednesday with good news to share around. How lovely that would be eh? And once again thank you to all the loyal readers who come back everyday to read my ramblings. It is very much appreciated...always. With all of that in my mind..this tattoo summed up my mind this afternoon...I need to believe this is going to get better. My most used mantra is the one above and I shall be repeating it over and over...and over again until this week is over. And it's just a beautifully designed tattoo I thought...



The most awesome rock chick has been one of my sanity play lists so far...Beth Hart
And this performance of Whole Lotta Love is superb..enjoy..x

Thanks for stopping by and staying loyal...I hope your Monday has been an easy one and your week ahead an adventure.

~R~

Sunday Brunch: Lettuce, Tomato & Sunflower Seed Smoked Tofu Sandwiches

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Tina Dico ~ Extended Play List on iPod

I love our trips to the city to see our friends..and that always means a chance to visit the wholefood shop Grain. Now for you folks in the States...please rid your mind of the image of the chain Wholefoods you are lucky enough to have there...no..Grain is tiny...more than 4 customers in the shop at once..and you are bumping elbows the entire time. lol. But we love it and I love the fact that they try and stock as many options as they can. Tofu being one of these items..now in the town I currently live in...if I am lucky I can pick up plain firm tofu. Yep..that's it. Wehoo, eh? Now I can do a lot of things with this very basic of tofu options but sometimes it's nice to..not have to do something with it. Don't you think? lol.

So back in...oh...erm..May during a trip around their shelves and fridges I found a little packet of heaven from Taifun. Smoked Tofu with sunflower seeds...and good to go the moment you opened the packet. In my fridge I usually have something like this...for mornings like this...when I want something different to my usual muesli or oat based breakfasts.

I had two County style Wholemeal rolls left from the week and a perfectly ripe tomato and a fresh lettuce..and the very simple Vegan TLT came to mind..yep..Tofu, Lettuce & Tomato. lol. Now I know I couldn't achieve this with the standard unmarinated tofu...I like tofu but eating it in it's white, cold form is not a place I ever think I'll visit. lol. But this smoked tofu was soon opened and sliced length ways and placed into a heated skillet until it browned. The tomato was so perfectly ripe it oozed juice and was the deepest red in colour. (And just in case you are a regular reader..yes..I did this. I managed about 10 minutes in the kitchen...wehoo!) The lettuce was perfectly crisp and lush.

Vegan TLT...Lettuce, tomato and Almond & Sesame Seed Smoked Tofu Sandwich

Lettuce, Tomato & Almond & Sesame Seed Smoked Tofu
Sandwiches Serve 2

2 bread rolls of your choice
2 slices of iceberg lettuce
6 slices of tomato
2 slices of Smoked Tofu
1 tsp sunflower oil

In a skillet heat the oil and then place the tofu slices. Cut open the bread rolls and place the lettuce on the bottom half. Top with two slices of the tomato and then wait patiently for the tofu to cook. Approx 4-5 minutes on each side. Then place the tofu slices on top of the lettuce and tomato and top with the final slices of tomato and the top half the the bread roll.
And enjoy...

Obviously you can use whatever tofu you like but I found the smokiness of this particular one brought something else to the sandwich.

And here is the little beauty...so tasty.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you are having a very relaxed Sunday with all the things that make you smile....

~R~

Guest Host: Dev's Crazy Green Cakes (vegan & gluten free)

These two-a-day gluten-free snack bars are high in protein and other nutritional goodies, and are inspired by the tasty but expensive spirulina balls that I used to buy at the local whole food store. They are sweet yet salt all at once, so there's an Eastern taste to them. No oriental delicacy here though; these have all the finesse of a green-black house brick!

 

Stack on the left is Dev's Crazy Green Cakes
V & GF Health Bars

This recipe is also motivated by my desire to eat a whole host of specific foods every day for a healthy vegan lifestyle, including seaweed for iodine, ground linseed for Omega 3 and cranberries to ward off cystitis. It took so long to add everything to my breakfast cereal or dinner that I started skipping items, so an all-in-one bar is a real time-saver on busy days. Originally I would mould circular cakes from this firm dough by pressing balls of it into a small cookie cutter, then I'd coat them in a crumb of blended nuts and seeds that I'd held back from the first grinding stage and I'd place each in a cupcake case. Now I'm too lazy – I just blend up the dough then press it into small snack bars, wrapping them totally in the cupcake case. Now that they're fully wrapped they withstand the rough and tumble of a work lunch box too.

For 16 Green Cakes:

Separate 16 small paper cupcake cases and have ready to fill.

In a sturdy food processor, grind up;

45g almonds

65g pumpkin seeds

20g shelled hemp seeds

50g ground linseed/flaxseed

Add and blend in until there are no big bits of fruit

25g seaweed flakes – I've used 'nori sprinkle' or atlantic kelp flakes

20g spirulina powder

15g dried cranberries

170g dried apricots

Now blend in the wet ingredients to form a stiff dough

50g blackstrap molasses

50g light tahini

approx 50ml water, adding a bit at a time - adjust the water quantity as necessary to amalgamate the dough without any sogginess.

To form the bars place a 35g spoonful of dough into each cupcake case, then press the dough into a small rectangle. I do this by pressing through the paper case as I fold over the sides, which stops my fingers getting covered in the swamp-creature dough.

Now you have enough bars to last a week. Keep them refrigerated.

© Dev Preston, 11 Oct 2012

Thank you to Dev for a great posting and I hope the first of many. I shall be testing a bar later and updating this post with a review. Will Twitter the moment I do. Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Friday is an excellent one. ~R~

Update: I am sat with my coffee watching the Sock Stealer and E Dev's dog having a staring competition..lol. I am also trying out my sample of Dev's Crazy Green Cakes. And the texture is very like the Nak'd Bars you can by in the stores. But the flavour is something else...very salty/sweet..and I like it. And knowing it's choc full of goodness you feel quite saintly eating it..lol. In all seriousness...I've enjoyed it. A really good recipe Dev..thank you. ~R~