Catch Up Time: holidays, lurgys, food carvings and James Rhodes appreciation

Hello there folks...I cannot believe its been so long. That said I thought I would update you about recent goings on at R&R HQ. So here goes....

Kessington Sands (shingle), Lowestoft. Photo courtesy of Ann

Our break away by the beach was a peaceful time. We stayed in accommodation 2 minutes walk from the beach although it was one I was unable to do so Ann took a few photos for me. Isn't this one great? But it was nice to be near the beach and we enjoyed a couple of days out exploring. Our friend Bev suggested nearby Southwolds and it was just lovely.  We ate at a fab little cafe who were vegan friendly and I devoured delicately ate...ahem...a plateful of mixed salads. Roasted fennel, artichoke, pepper & asparagus being my favourite of the offerings. ML & Ann also had great meals and although it was extremely busy in No 51 the atmosphere was very relaxing. I just wish we had found it earlier in the week...ah well. Should you be visiting Southwolds any time soon..check it out. 

I found an almost zenlike moment of peace sat in the gardens of Framlingham Castle whist ML and Ann took the tower walk. Warm sunshine on my skin, peaceful surroundings and that feeling you get when you are sat somewhere drenched in history.

The week away was nice and ML and Ann both got the space and healing time they needed. I struggled though..the pain was bad so I slept little and by midweek I was bouncing off the walls with sleep deprivation and pain overload. But I was happy to be there and enjoyed sitting by the window watching the sky as the weather was extremely changeable and intensely beautiful. On the final day I started to feel odd and by the next morning as ML and Ann were packing up the car I was in full on lurgy mode. 

Yep...I went on holiday and came home poorly! Go figure...lol

The drive home was long and hot and I was an incubator for the germs I'd picked up. I managed a quick visit with my sister and little ones (all gifts loved and approved..Auntie points 10/10 lol) and then I crawled into my bed...and never made it out for a whole week. The lurgy completely floored me and it was nasty. But made bearable because of ML's TLC. Who when not making nutritious homemade soups for me to eat was found on the bed next to me administering hugs and playings games to keep me rested. And luckily didn't catch the lurgy from me...bonus. I was determined to get through it without medications and I am proud to say I did. Took some time to feel even remotely human but I stuck it out and now my body doesn't have to recover from a serious dose of anti-bios. I'm still a little shaky but I'm lurgy free...wehoooo. 

Cucumber carvings...hush..they were my first attempt...I will keep practising lol

So what does a person on rest, do on holiday? Well take up the practise of Japanese food carvings of course. I picked up a bargain copy of The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carvings by Hiroshi Nagashima shortly before we left for our holiday. It is a great book with clear instructions and inspirational photos...I say inspirational because they make the art of food carving look easy. It isn't...believe me. 

And now for the radishes and carrot basics....gal needs practice...

Sorry about the quality of the photos...oh and the crude carvings...but I am committed to keeping up the practice. I found it to be challenging at times...but all consuming and it took my mind away from the pain and frustrations that come with it. It was fun...watch this space...

My little garden....

We recently made the decision the take our house off of the market and stay for a while. The reasons are many...but the outcome has brought us some peace of mind. We are happy with our decision and therefore making plans based around it. We are taking up some home maintenance jobs around the house that we will work on ourselves and I am very much up for that challenge even if I only manage 30 minutes a day. I love doing 'jobs' around the house and have missed doing them greatly so I can't wait to get started but obviously my body isn't keeping up with my heart/mind. But I am determined and so is ML so it's all good. One of the main things I wanted to get started was a reorganisation of the gardens. Our property has a substantial garden area. Thankfully divided up into sections...the majority of the garden which ML was responsible in the past (no longer due to major reactions to anything green and natural..) we are going to offer up for someone to make into a fully functioning allotment. But the large yard directly outside my kitchen window we have cleared and I have made a 'container' vegetable garden. I have no idea if it will work but I have researched everything I needed to and I'm very enthusiastic that it will. With the helpful advice from ML I am hoping to have an abundance of veggies in a short while. Planted as follows:

Spaghetti squash
F'Atena Yellow courgettes
Junona squash
Tumbling Tom cherry tomatoes
Orinoco Dwarf Beans
Bell Boy Bell Peppers
Californian Wonder Bell Peppers
Marconi Pointy Peppers
Carrots
Rainbow Beetroot
Chioggia Beetroot
Bright Lights Swiss Chard
Black Magic Kale
Fizz Kale 
Rhubarb Beet Leaf Beet
Dragon F1 Hybrid Radishes
Rainbow Mixed Radishes

Still to come shiso leave seeds. And an abundance of herbs...

I have chosen many veggies for the simple reason that I can't buy them in my area of England. So I am very happy to be starting this project. Once there is something to see I shall post some photos but I promise not to turn into a garden bore. Hopefully...

...so I have a new addiction. Although I am and will always be an espresso gal. I have to admit that caffeine doesn't suit my body anymore. I have my adored machine waiting for the days when I allow myself the espresso hit. I have unsuccessfully been trying to find a good decaf coffee for years. I have tried many...some worse than others but always a let down. Its frustrating because sometimes I just need a black coffee instead of my beloved green teas and the like. 

A really good Fair Trade decaf instant coffee

I don't know what dragged me down the coffee aisle of the supermarket whilst away on our holiday. But before I knew it was scanning the instant coffee offerings. I am by no means a purest when it comes to regular coffee. Espresso...oh yes but regular cuppa joe...oh no. Yes I prefer the filtered kind...but if I can find an instant than I am happy. Percol have never even blipped on my radar until that day. Something drew me in and I had stashed a jar of this decaf coffee in my trolley. And I couldn't be happier about it. ML made me a cup when we got back from the shopping trip and from the moment the jar was opened I knew it was going to be a good one. The aroma assaulted my senses and brought me back to all my most loved coffee drinking memories. I almost didn't want to take a sip and face the disappointment but the swirling blackness worked its magic and I took my first taste. Smooth, strong and a great depth of flavour...aside from the jolt you get with regular coffee..you just wouldn't know it was a decaf coffee. I now look forward to my afternoon coffee moment...and its Fair Trade too! Thank you Percol! If you have to have decaf or just simply choose to drink decaf...try this coffee I beg you. After all there are worse addictions to be had, eh? 

And lastly...and by no means least...Mr James Rhodes. I confess I had never heard of the chap until very recently. I was checking in with the Hay Festival via iPlayer and happened upon an interview between Stephen Fry and James. From the first answer to Fry's question I was taken. James Rhodes life story is at times brutal but not in a 'misery for money' way. He is honest which above all else I respect. And found myself ordering his autobiography for my Kindle a few days later. The impression he made stayed with me. 

The autobiography that almost never happened....

You only need to Google his name to read about the battle he has been through to get to publish his book. It was long, tortuous battle but despite this he remains loyal to his truth. Where lesser people would have given up and limped away..he with the support of his wife, family and good friends kept going. And I for one am so happy that he did because I have been so emotionally touched by this book...his life...his words and the way he looks at the world. I hate that the man who hurt him as a child got away with it and it would eat me alive but he has managed to move on. It still has an effect on him but he deals with it. I have a huge amount of respect for this man and should I ever have the chance to meet him I would tell him so although he would probably light a cigarette and tell me to hush. This book isn't doom and gloom and woe is me. This book is an honest account about one mans childhood and adult life so far. And filled with far more positivity and honesty than anything I've read in a long time. To quote an old cliche...I am forever changed by reading this.

I enjoyed the play list that comes with each new chapter and I added the Instrumental suggested play list by James onto our Spotify account. Each chapter starts with a suggested piece of music and a short paragraph about the composer. Did I forget to mention that James Rhodes is a fantastic piano player and tours the world doing so. I've listened to some of his CD offerings and being the classical music fan I think I am..I am ashamed that his work has slipped by me. That is now rectified. I recently watched his documentary on Channel 4...Notes From The Inside: James Rhodes. Having had some time in a locked ward himself..he takes a Steinway piano into a hospital and personally selects 4 pieces of music for four patients to try and make a connection with them as music has been a safe haven for him. It is a good documentary and at times raw. But to have the chance to listen to him play and see the emotion he pours into every note and know all of the hidden struggles he faces as he sits there playing...I was humbled. 

Mr James Rhodes: Brief clip from the Hay Festival talking about Chopin then performing

I have respect for this man. Not in the seedy groupie way..for goodness sake. But respect for his words, notes and the way he has survived the ordeals of his life. His love for his wife, son and his family and friends. But mainly his honesty...the fact that he admits he can to quote "...be such an asshole..." but then can wax lyrical about real love. He is flawed but then who isn't. He is honest...not that many people are so for me it was a refreshing change. And he is close mates with Ben Cumberbatch...whats not to love about that. I look forward to many hours listening to James music and hopefully a book or two alongside. Thank you Mr Rhodes for leaving an impression...

Anything else...well our much loved 'road tripping' car finally died. It was a very sad day in R & R HQ but we have many fantastic memories of travels in Carmen to enjoy.

Right that is us all caught up. I am feeling stronger each day so hope to be back in the kitchen very soon. But in the meantime don't forget the extensive archive of recipes on offer. Just please forgive the photos if you go..way back. I was an absolute beginner back then but the recipes are good. 

I hope you are surrounded by sunshine and happiness folks...and thank you for stopping by. 

~Red~ 

Food Product Review: King Soba Edamame Miso Ramen Noodles (adapted)

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Portishead ~ Pedestal 
Fairground Attraction ~ Clare
Martina McBride ~ This One's For The Girls
Within Temptation ~ The Howling 
Foo Fighters ~ Low 
Pearl Jam ~ Getaway 
Little Big Town ~ Somewhere Far Away 
Tracy Chapman ~ Fast Car
Extreme ~ More Than Words
Stereophonics ~ Revolution
The Kinky Boys ~ Sexy Boy
Shakira ~ Underneath Your Clothes 
Buble ~ Hold On 
Beth Rowley ~ So Sublime 

Way back in 2012 I went on holiday to Wales and whilst there visited Aberystwuth and feel under the enchantment of the veggie cafe The Treehouse. They also had a fantastic health food shop on the bottom floor and I picked up quite a few items I can't buy where I live. One of those items was a packet of King Soba Edamame Miso Ramen Noodles. They are vegan and Gluten and Wheat Free. However, they were selected as an emergency meal item and so came back home with me and went into the stocks. 

One day when I committed myself to a full day catching up on paperwork and work...i.e strapping myself to the dining table (makeshift desk until the move! Urgh!) and working at the laptop until all caught up...no exceptions...well except for refreshment breaks. lol. I'm not that hard on myself. It was suddenly 3pm and when the keyboard started to look fuzzy I decided it was probably time to eat. 

I got to my kitchen and stood there with a blank expression and had to shake myself to the present and think about what I could eat. I didn't have the time to really cook and I also knew if I started that, I wouldn't leave the kitchen again..lol. I had some baby sweetcorn, spring onions, a half courgette and some radishes in the fridge and thought how good a steaming hot bowl of soup would be. I went to one of my stocks cupboards to look for dry ingredients to go with the veggies when the green packet of these noodles caught my eye. OK so I laughed at first because I felt sure they wouldn't still be in date. I climbed up to the shelf and retrieved them. And who knew...they still had another 2 months left on them. (I wasn't sure how I felt about that fact but anyway...lol) So it was decided...today was the emergency meal day. 

Even back in the day before I ate consciously I never understood nor felt the need for the instant noodles craze and remember recoiling in horror when invited to dinner and got offered a Pot Noodle. Yuck! No, thank you. And then recently I read an article on the nasties that they coat the cheap instant noodles with and that pretty much left me breathing a sigh of relief that I never consumed them. 

Now King Soba are quite clear on their ingredients and although I still felt a little weird cutting open a packet of 'flavouring' and adding it to the cooking broth and noodles, I still felt ok with their product. One of those instinct moments. However I did adapt it slightly by adding 1 chopped radish, 1 chopped spring onion, 1/2 chopped courgette, 4 chopped green beans at the initial boiling water and add noodles stage. I needed something fresh in my bowl of noodles. And the 4 minutes total cooking time left my veggies beautifully tender-crisp. So what was the taste like....

King Soba Edamame Miso Ramen Noodles with R&R additions

...well..the only miso soup I eat is my homemade kind. However it did take me a couple of mouthfuls of broth to decide that I actually liked it. Intensely savoury which for me is great and not salty which I hear some kind of processed miso dishes can be. I enjoy King Soba noodles and eat them regularly but as an, and i hate to use the term, instant noodle I found mine to be just too soft. Still enjoyable and I went with the whole slurping experience..lol. Maybe next time only cook for 3 minutes? I liked this bowl of soup. I wouldn't eat them as regularly as my own freshly made noodle soups but I would happily buy them for such moments as I found myself in that day. I will look out for them at our local health food store and try the other flavours. For a packet meal...not too shabby! lol 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Saturday has been splendid...

~Red~ 

Food Product Review: Rude Health MultiGrain Crackers (Vegan & GF)

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

VAST ~ Ecstasy
Willie Nelson ~ Whiskey River (Live)
Thunder ~ Dirty Dream
Stevie Nicks ~ Rooms On Fire
The Union ~ Holy Roller
Elkie Brooks ~ Don't Cry Out Loud
Stevie Ray Vaughan ~ Leave My Little Girl Alone (Live)
JET ~ Get What You Need
Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa ~ Nut Bush City Limits
Thirty Odd Foot Of Grunts ~ Things Have Got To Change
Jewel ~ Do You
Train ~ Sing Together
Neil Young ~ Harvest Moon
Dave Gahan ~ Endless

I sometimes despair at the gluten free offerings although I do admit it is better than was when I first tried to give up gluten. I shudder with nausea at the memory of the sponge bread and how awful every mouthful was. It was seriously that bad...cutting up a shower sponge and spreading jam on it would've been preferable. Yuck! OK so it's come a long way since then...lol. 

Although I am by no means fully GF I do make a conscious choice to have a gluten free option where possible. We recently invested in a bread machine and we have been experimenting with a few different vegan/GF bread mixes and recipes. Throughout all this I have discovered that I can eat, enjoy and digest Spelt. So last night the bread machine was fired up and a vegan Spelt loaf was made. I will report back on that on Saturday. Today is about GF crackers...

In my archive I have a smashing GF cracker recipe which comes from the Oh She Glows kitchen. I really enjoy them but I have to be well enough to make those. So I have been picking up the offerings from our health food shop and maybe that is what made me despair because the only ones I could get were Buckwheat or Amaranth 'air' shards. The Buckwheat variety are so crunchy that I often end up fearing for my gums...then I tried the Amaranth version and they were slightly softer but still...not enjoyable. Recently during one of our stop offs at the health food shop we found a new cracker sat next to the others.

Crikey indeed! lol

Rude Health's Multigrain Crackers at first look are reminiscent of the old style rice cakes. Well they are round..lol But they are thinner which I prefer and the taste is a good rounded flavour instead of the blandness of rice cakes. They aren't salty and they hold their shape when topped. All plus points for me...they are also slightly more filling than a rice cake which is also a good thing as with rice cakes it is sometimes like eating air. (Unless they have peanut butter and chocolate spread schmeared on them. Thanks go out to Trustworthy for introducing that concoction to me! Grrr. lol) Ahem...anyway...when I tried these I felt like pitching the boxes of the alternative crackers straight into my kitchen bin..or at least break them up and leave them out for the birds. I didn't but that is how much nicer and more satisfying these crackers are. 

Two of the many toppings I've tried so far...

My favourite toppings to date are Smooth Cashew Nut Butter with Sliced Banana and my recent find Edamame Avocado Spread with Sprouted Lentils & Beans. Delicious. lol. 

There are three other varieties in this range and they also sell a number of gluten free and vegan cereals although not all of their products are vegan! But they don't claim to be a vegan specific company. Check out Rude Healths website. Even when I am up and about full time I know I will still be buying these crackers and trying to find new and inventive ways to top them...Oh! And they are also great dipped into homemade soups...lol 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Friday is a great one...I am escaping R & R HQ for a few hours and visiting historic York whilst ML is at a meeting. Cannot wait.

~Red~

Food Product Review: Nak'd Banana Crunch Bars

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Jessie Ware ~ Wildest Moments
Them Crooked Vultures ~ Elephants
Soundgarden ~ Soundwave
The Cranberries ~ Fire & Soul
Tom Jones ~ Lust For Life
Brandi Carlile ~ Sixty Years On
Thunder ~ Love Sucks!
Beth Hart ~ Am I The One
Deap Valley ~ End Of The World
T-Rex ~ Telegram Sam
Glenn Frey ~ The Heat Is On
A Perfect Circle ~ Rose
Kaiser Chiefs ~ Born To Be A Dancer
Patti Smith ~ Because The Night

We are fans of the Nak'd Bar range in this HQ...and was fascinated by the new offerings. Now to me it was a little funny that they have created a 'crunchy' range because I find that I get that crunch from them anyway. But I decided to take one for the team and try one...lol Life's hard isn't it? 

I am the first one to admit that I only like fresh banana food products and one of my pet peeves is fake banana anything. So it seemed only right that the Banana Crunch would be the one for me to 'test'. 

First thing I do is always check the ingredients...even if they state they are vegan etc. And to be honest this is just me being a pain in the ass..because Nak'd bars are always clearly marked but old habits eh? And yes this bar was vegan and gluten free..woo! Twofer! And I also wrongly assumed that the crunch would be provided by dried banana chips. No..apparently it's a soy mix that gives it a crunchy texture. Interesting...

So the first thing that always hits you when eating a Nak'd Bar is the smell as you open its wrapping and the pungent smell of banana is almost sickly...to me! (see above...) but after a few seconds it dissipates and you are holding the familiar, ever so slightly sticky dried fruits bar. I took a smallish bite and waited for the uncomfortable (OMG my teeth!!!!) crunch. But that isn't what happened at all...firstly the banana flavour is good..not processed at all...and the crunch is more, smushed rice crispiesesque and not chunk of nut style. It's a very enjoyable bar...

Now will they be a common snack for me..probably not..but no less so then the rest of the range. I like them in my stocks to take out and about for snacks and I enjoy the cocoa ones at a certain time of the month..ahem!..(sorry chaps..lol) but I will have them in the mix. It is a nice creation and I look forward to trying the other three 'crunchy' versions...Apple, Strawberry and Cocoa.

Keep up the creating Nak'd Bar folks...your snacks rock.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your day is going well?

~Red~

Product Review: Redwood Cheezly Soy Free Cheeze

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Bruce Springsteen ~ Atlantic City
Shania Twain ~ Waiter! Bring Me Water!
Thunder ~ Shooting At The Sun
Chely Wright ~ Like Me
Halestorm ~ Don't Know How To Stop
The Black Keys ~ Nova Baby
Pearl Jam ~ Once
Meredith Brooks ~ Careful What You Wish For
Joan Jett ~ Second Skin
Lydia Loveless ~ Crazy
Beth Hart ~ Ringing
Tina Dico ~ In The Red
Alison Moyet ~ La Chanson Des Vieux Amants
Thunder ~ It Could Be Tonight

Now my taste for cheese left me a long time ago..so I haven't missed the whole cheese based culture. And although I do use the soy based cheezes if a recipe calls for it..I have never been able to make the leap to eating the soy based cheezes as a stand alone product. So there has been no pineapple and cubes of cheese on a stick for me for years. lol. However I have been curious about the sudden influx of 'Artisan Vegan Cheeze' recipes that have been showing up everywhere but I'm not a in a position to actually get in the kitchen and start experiementing with them myself.

On a recent trip to our favourite wholefood shop Grain, I spotted at the back of the soy cheese shelf of their coolers...a sneaky little packet of cheese by Redwoods. Now I use their range for the very little cheeze cooking I do, so curiosity got the better of me and I pulled it out to have a quick look at the ingredients etc.

To be honest it looks like a block of Red Leicester and it boasts that it's Palm Oil Free, Gluten Free and Vegan. But something wasn't really settling with me that day so I shrugged it off and thought "Hmmmm maybe next time..." So I stocked up on my usual White Cheddar Cheeze and Pepperjack Style Cheezes and moved on.

On a more recent visit I found myself cruising the yoghurt section and noticed that they had a huge stash of this new cheeze on the next shelf. So grabbed one and stashed it in my basket and thought "What the hell...why not?"

The first occasion we had to use it was when ML was about to make some basic cheeze sauce to go with pasta and broccoli and then went to the fridge to find it was the only cheeze there. So the packet got ripped open and ML got to work. And I have to say it melted very easily and formed into a sauce very easily. The taste is mild but then usually we use the Pepperjack for this purpose and it is spicy. lol. But it went well in the pasta dish. The next use was with a veggie burger in a bun and I was wowed by how good it was. And have even enjoyed it as a stand alone ingredient in a sandwich..something I haven't had in years. 

It's like a mild cheddar taste...melts very well and fits in with all cheeze needed recipes. Aside from the Pepperjack soy cheeze I have pretty much stopped using all others and use this one now. And yes it even works well cubed with pineapple! lol. Well I had to try, no? lol

If you get the chance to try some...I couldn't recommend it more. It's great.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your week is going well?

~Red~

Righteous Salad Dressings (vegan and gluten free)

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Melissa Etheridge ~ Yes I Am
Ram Jam ~ Black Betty
Evanescence ~ My Immortal
Auf De Maur ~ Head Unbound
Soundgarden ~ Kickstand
Extreme ~ More Than Words
UB40 ~ Cherry Oh Baby
Jacqueline Du Pre ~ Elgar; Lento Allegro Molto
Shakira ~ Estoy Aqui
Billy Joel ~ It's Still Rock and Roll
Chely Wright ~ Wish Me Away
Nicola Benedetti ~ Spiegel Im Spiegel
Otis Redding ~ My Girl
The Cranberries ~ I Will Always

I never...never!..buy pre-made salad dressings. I struggle with the preservatives they add to them or they are too oily or laden with hidden sugars. So I tend to make my own or add a spoonful of hummus to my daily salads I have every lunch time. Ooh or Red Lentil pate..now that's always pleasing. lol.

Quite by chance as I cruised a supermarket aisle I saw a range of salad dressings all claiming (well apart from the Blue Cheese one!) to be vegan. In this country that is rare. So ML and I started to pull the various bottles off of the shelf to do the usual...suspicious ingredients scan. And sure enough they were indeed vegan and one was even an oil free variety. Now as with anything boasting the vegan title...they weren't cheap! And as much as I would've liked to purchase all four of the vegan dressings. I chose two and stashed them in my trolley.

Righteous Salad Dressings

The first dressing I tested out was the Ginger and Toasted Sesame. And although it had some oil in it I found I really liked it. The ginger wasn't as intense as some ginger based dressings I have made in the past and the sesame was a pleasant supporting flavour. But the combination together made for an almost smokey flavour and livened up my salad greatly.

Tested score: 9/10

The second dressing tested out was the Lemon and Mustard Seed option. To be honest I had no idea what to expect from this dressing. I hoped it wasn't too acidic as some lemon dressings can be. And I was intrigued by the mustard seeds and what effect they would have on the taste. Again this one had oil in it but neither of the dressings I tried were 'oily'. The first couple of mouthfuls of salad I wasn't sure at all. Then by the third...I was in dressing love. lol. The hint of lemon combined with the slight heat from the mustard seeds make for one very enjoyable dressing. Again not overpowering so you can still enjoy the contents of your salad. Both dressings were more of a subtle lift to the natural beauty of the veggies. Everything a good salad dressing should be.



Tested Score: 9/10

And the bonus to this testing was that I didn't react to the preservatives or extenders in the dressings....because they weren't any!! So I will endeavour to have these dressings in my fridge door awaiting the days when I haven't got something to go on my salads. ,,or the days when I just want them instead! lol.

Now the two that I didn't try....Raspberry and Sweet Basil which if I'm honest I wasn't sure about being more of a savoury gal. But I will try it because it would seem rude not too! lol.

Untested as yet.

I do admit the dressing looks a beautiful colour and would be a visual treat on a salad or as an accompanying sauce to a starter. (Ooh just started off a recipe tumble in my head...wheres my notebook! lol) So I think it's likely it will be going in the trolley in this months stock shop. lol.

The final dressing was the Oil Free option.....Oil Free Caper and Hot Peppercorn. Now this one isn't so visually appealing. But I suspect what it lacks in appearance it will more than make up for in flavour. I am looking forward to trying this one a lot and if my budget had stretched to buying three bottles  this time I would most definitely have bought this one to test also. Next time...

Untested as yet.

My inner child picked up this bottle and thought....Yum swamp water in a bottle. lol. But despite that...I want to try this one soon.

They also have a Pro-Heart Oil in their range and I hope to try that out too. And although the fifth dressing is a vegetarian one they have used cheese that doesn't have animal rennet in it. So for our vegetarian brothers and sisters they have a fifth option to try.

OK folks..thanks for stopping by and I hope if you find these dressings available where you are that you give them a try. You won't be sorry.

I hope your weekend is filled with love and light....

~Red~

Brunch Lite: Innocent Kiwi, Apple & Lime Smoothie..

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Suzi Quatro ~ Make Me Smile
Halestorm ~ Don't Know How To Stop
Mr Bowie ~ Let's Dance
Halestorm ~ It's Not You
JET ~ Holiday
Rob Thomas ~ I Am An Illusion
Little Angels ~ Young Gods
Alanis Morrisette ~ All I Really Want
Halestorm ~ Dirty Work
The Zutons ~ Valerie
Jack Johnson ~ Cocoon
Madonna ~ Forbidden Love
The Cranberries ~ Do You Know?
The Fratellis ~ Mistress Mabel



No other words...well..except...Yummmmmmm!..lol

Well...yes. I know this technically isn't a brunch posting. OK..so yes..I've cheated. But extreme viral nasties are to blame. R&R HQ is wiped out by the pesky little critters. And I am craving Vit C like anything and I'm not the biggest fan of freshly squeezed orange or the shop bought kind. I drink it rarely...and usually only use it in dressings or sauces when cooking. Just my personal preference eh?

Now a smoothie? Those I do like but once again I am picky. I don't enjoy the plant based milk, yoghurt or ice cream laden ones. And my biggest problem with smoothies is the banana factor. I hate that funny after taste thanks to the mashed banana. Yuck.

So my taste has always been for the green smoothies and enjoyed a green smoothie bender I went on a couple of years ago..see Green Smoothie Revolution label. I like the green leafies mixed with fruits and salad ingredients. I enjoy the lightness of these smoothies over their 'milky' cousins.

When this latest viral nasty hit me....my body went into Vit C craving overtime...and my preferred Vit C boost of choice, is the rather lovely Kiwi. I was eating them with every meal and as a snack in between meals. Couldn't get enough of them.

Then I was talking this through with ML and I was saying..."Oh how lovely it would be to just be able to drink my kiwis...." (Dramatic sob of a viral ridden person here!! lol Seriously...) ML suggested having a look at what the local supermarket had to offer in premade smoothies and as I don't react well to most of them..and they almost always have that nasty banana factor..I shrugged the suggestion off but said good luck.

Thirty minutes later I was brought up a glass of green goo...and I eyed it suspiciously. But it smelt divine...and so I raised my eyebrow in question..hmmm what's the catch? ML then informed me that Innocent Smoothies had just brought out a new banana free smoothie. Kiwi, Apple & Lime...and it was vegan etc. Answer to my smoothie in a rush prayers????

Well it passed the smell test as the freshness of the apples, lime and other ingredients (if you click on the photo above it takes you direct to their site and the recipe for this smoothie) hit you as you take in your first sniff. Appearance? It's a glass of green smush...but not an unpleasant one. Taste? Now this is the deal breaker, eh? Oh wow...it is delicious with a fresh and clean flavour. It hasn't got that shop premade twang in its flavour that most of them have...it really does taste like it's just been poured from your blender.

Will I buy it again? Yes...most definitely. And I am enjoying a glass of its lovely greenness twice a day right now to help fight the lurgy. Great product...and a great addition to any Brunch....see I got there in the end...lol

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Sunday is being very good to you...

~Red~

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~

A Glorious Soup: Skinny Soup F is for Fragrant Thai Carrot

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Kid Rock & Guest ~ Picture (Live)
Alison Moyet ~ La Chanson Des Vieux Amants
Joe Nichols ~ It Ain't No Crime
Jack Johnson ~ Sexy Plexi
All Saints ~ Black Coffee
Luke Morley & Andy Taylor ~ Quiet Life
Crosby & Sinatra ~ Well Did You Evah?
Jack Johnson ~ Traffic In The Sky
Nurai Lita ~ Kazfez
Bon Jovi ~ Lie To Me
Brad Paisley ~ I'm Gonna Miss Her
Beth Hart ~ Happiness...Any Day Now
Aerosmith ~ Living On The Edge
Blondie ~ Atomic

First things first....a huge thank you to Trustworthy for his guest blog. It was very popular and I am extremely grateful for his help. And I will most definitely be trying out the pepezini's on my next pizza. Thank you pal.

So, if you are a regular follower of this blog you will know that I am addicted to home made soups. I have hundreds of recipes and love them all..you can never have too many, right? My view of soup was coloured by the awful tinned soups I'd had inflicted on me for the first 26 years of my life. My lovely Mum used to make me 'veggie stews' as a child and teen; being a life long veggie I was extremely grateful I didn't have to eat the meat version, and now when I look back I can see that basically it was just a veggie soup...which I loved! lol.

When I met ML way back...crikey..then! lol...I made my first attempt at a homemade soup and loved it. It was the humble Red Lentil & Carrot Soup which I still make now..in fact it was my lunchtime soup just last week. From there sprang a soup obsession and I get an almost witchy moment (OK some would say a complete witch'd out cauldron stirring) moment when I am creating new soups for the Rocket & Roses kitchen cookbook. A little of this, a smidge of that (yes I do have a smidge measurement spoon! See Product reviews..lol) and often a whole heap of that! lol.

For me to buy in a soup is a very strange moment indeed because I have an intolerance to the preservatives they put in processed foods. But when shopping at the weekend a 'fresh' soup stand caught my eye. And one soup on that stand in particular...

I confess I had never heard of this company before because I pay such little attention to store bought soups but the key words....glorious..fragrant...Thai and carrot got me! (Warning...gross thought coming up!!!) Now part of the reason I can't bear bought soups is a visual thing...they always seem to resemble vomit! Am I the only one who thinks this way? Surely I can't be? lol.

Anyway ML and I stood scanning the labels for hidden non-vegan nastiness...and of all of the soups on the display, the one that caught my eye was the only vegan one. So we took this as a sign that we should buy it.

I had my first tasting on Saturday lunch time and whilst the soup was heating up..oh my..did the HQ smell good. All of the beautiful Thai aromas flirted with our senses...it was exactly what it said on the label..fragrant..*tick*. The soup itself was smooth carrot orange with little flecks of green and looked delish..*tick*. And the taste....oh wow! It was divine. The sweetness of the carrot was perfectly complimented by the Thai lime leaves...backed up by the coconut milk...did I mention it was divine...oh shoot..I did..lol. *huge tick*. I enjoyed it so much that ML went back and bought a few more tubs for my lunches. Anything to save kitchen duties whilst I'm on rest, eh? lol.

I am the type of person that can admit when they are wrong...so here goes. I have found a store bought soup that I love and have enjoyed greatly. I will happily buy this from now on when I need a soup in the fridge for those days I can't make it into the kitchen. But I am still not a tinned soup person...and never will be..lol. If you find this in your store..and you like Thai food...treat yourself and buy some. You won't be sorry.

A friend of mine sent me this little picture as part of an email and I loved it. So wanted to share with you folks. Cute huh?

And I just need to take a moment to thank all of you for your constant support via email or twitter DM. It is never taken for granted and always gratefully received. And I promise to start trying to make inroads into replying to you all as soon as possible.

So thanks for stopping by and I hope your Wednesday is being very good to you...

~R~

NB: Images are not my own and I take no credit for them whatsoever. They were found online and thanks goes out to the talented people who did create them. ~R~