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Showing posts from November, 2013

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Thank Bananas it's Friday........

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Bananas about Bananas The Banana project: - To make as many recipes in one year using the humble banana.  No matter how weird or strange they appear.   I am especially Thankful this Friday, because it's pay day. Im even more thankful for the extra money I made from doing overtime.  All my Christmas presents are bought, along with the cards.  I'v also got pressies and cards for the Birthdays that fall in December.   This weeks recipe was inspired by my love of Nutella.......... I fell in love with Nutella when on a holiday in Paris, France.  Since becoming Lactose intolerant it's been off the menu for me.  So I got excited when I discovered Sun.Pat Chocolate Peanut butter, shopping in Asda. Im one of those people that can eat peanut butter straight from the Jar.  So I find the safest thing to do is use it too  bake, in case I overdose.   I used a Recipe I from my Vegan Cupcakes take over the world cookbook.  The below recipe is pretty m

Thank Bananas it's Friday.....

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Fruit and Nut ' War' Cake BANANAS ABOUT BANANAS I'm especially Thankful it is Friday this week.  I forgot to re-order my prescription for my medication, which I take for my IBS.  The one that stops me waking up at night as I feel my digestive system working.   I pick it up today so  I'll actually get a decent sleep tonight.  Tired and cranky may be cute in children, not especially in Adults.  Hence my friends and family will also be especially thankful this Friday as well.   The focus of my Banana project this week has been - Fruitcake.   It seemed appropriate considering my sleep deprivation.   For this recipe I took inspiration from a  Fruit and Nut war cake Recipe , that I found when searching the Internet.  So many dairy & egg free cakes were created due to rationing, Necessity being the mother of invention.   I halved the recipe quantities for testing and left out the alcohol, since it is one of my IBS triggers.  It wouldn't be a Th

Thank Bananas it's Friday

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Bananas about bananas It's Friday again at last, thankfully.  I've had a really busy week and really glad to be off work this weekend.  So am extra thankful this Friday.   I may have been busy but I still had time to fit in another Banana Project Experiment.   Sweet and sour Sauce with Banana I took inspiration from this  Meatballs in sweet and sour sauce Recipe  on the Good to Know Internet site.  I don't eat meat so used Chicken style vegetarian substitute instead. Don't ignore meat based recipes.  The sauce which is the best part of the recipe is usually vegetarian/vegan based, or easy to convert.   The notorious chinese sweet and sour sauce from local chinese takeaway, often turns to a solid mass once its cold.  Which to me seems pretty un-natural.  It also always contains chopped peppers and pineapple chunks.  So why not Banana....... Raw bananas would just turn to mush in the sauce, so I used dried banana chips instead.

Christmas Gift ideas - Dairy free

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www.webdesignhot.com Let me start by saying that I really do not like Christmas,  I find it stressful and depressing.  I know a lot of other people do too.  My main problems with Christmas is, that giving someone a present has become more important than the thought behind choosing the gift.   2 Main Christmas gift idea's Perfumed gifts: I am allergic to perfumed products everything from laundry detergent to show gel.   Food gifts: I have IBS and I'm lactose and yeast intolerant. I stick to a vegetarian diet to manage my IBS.   The good news is that there are a lot of great retail stores and Internet shopping sites where you can buy suitable gifts.   Check out the information below to get a little inspiration. Kids - Christmas Stocking treats Goody good stuff   - 8 Varieties of Gummies.  All Dairy free and Gelatin free Biona   Have a range of Vegan sweets and treats Freedom Mallows   - Dairy free and Gelatin Fr

Thank Bananas it's Friday.... Dairy free

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Bananas about bananas Had a great Friday this week, there was a celebration for the 10th Anniversary of my local reading group.  There was a lot of old friends and met some new ones.  We all have one thing in common, we love to read........... and are very opinionated.   Re-joining the reading group was one of my first steps on working towards managing my depression and anxiety.  They helped me gain the confidence to apply for jobs, go to interviews and finally returning to paid work.  So last nights celebration had extra special meaning for me. Banana project Experiment: Hindsight is a great thing, just a pity it never occurs to you till after the event.  I don't really know what possessed me to take a whoopie pie recipe and decided to bake cake pops instead.   Its a really strange paradox that someone like myself with an anxiety disorder has absolutely no fear in the kitchen.  When the thought "I wonder what would happen if I did that....." pops

Around the world with a tin of tomatoes - Dairy free

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www.the BittenWord.com Tinned or canned Tomatoes, whatever you want to call them, are one of my store cupboard staple foods.  As my IBS has got worse, Iv had to totally cut all dairy from my diet.  That includes checking packaging ingredient labels to check for hidden ingredients. Making your own food from scratch is a lot less stressful and a lot more easier than you would expect.  It's a way of life for me now, all you need is a store cupboard with basic ingredients that can be turned into a multitude of different meals. Iv recently noticed that a lot of those recipes started with a tin of tomatoes.   How to Can Tomatoes  The Bitten Word Blog give a  step by step instruction guide to preserving tomatoes.   Originally from Mexico Tomatoes have been grown in Britain since the  1590 's.  In the summer I buy them fresh for Salads, while in winter I rely on the tinned variety.  Tomato's that are imported or cultivated out of season just never taste the same

Thank Bananas it's Friday.....

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Bananas about Bananas Banoffee Oat Tray brake It's friday again and time for another recipe, as part of my Banana Project. Oat bars or traybakes, are a wonderful cross between  a scone and a cake.   Soaking the oats before hand makes the traybake   lovely and moist.   While the crumble topping brings a crunchy texture to contrast.   This is my healthier version of a banoffee cake, using homemade date syrup  instead of the toffee sauce.   One of my more successful baking  experiments.   Even better it contains  3 of my favourite foods  - Oats, Dates & Bananas. Perfect with a cup of herbal tea xxx Sharabelles Banoffee Traybake Pre-heat Oven to 180 Celsius  (160 Celsius Fan assisted) Grease and line an 8 inch Square Baking tin. Date Syrup 1 Cup Dates - chopped 1/2 Cup fresh boiled water - Pour hot water over dates and cover with a clean towel.  Leave overnight to soften, then blitz too a thick pur