I know I’ve been neglecting my blog somewhat, but I’ve been a busy little beaver in the kitchen.
I created the most amazing vegan-hamburger-steak-type thing which had just the perfect texture and a savoury and delicious flavour. And on the first try as well!
I also made some awesome vegan pepperoni sticks:
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Not to mention some very tasty butter bean burgers with a lovely crunchy crust (which all good bean burgers must have):
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AND, I also tried my hand at homemade crisps. It would be truly dangerous if I made these on a regular basis:
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Recipes will be in forthcoming posts!
But that’s not all…
I took a look in my freezer a month or so ago and realised there were still a couple of drawers full of fruit, waiting patiently to be made into wine. I’ve been making a gallon a week since then and so far have brewing: blackberry-raspberry; plum-blackerry; cherry-cranberry; elderberry-blackcurrant; and plum-blackcurrant-blackberry. YUM!
I also invested in a brand-spanking-new SoyQuick 930P, kind of the Rolls Royce of soya milk makers. Woohoo! I’ve made not just soya milk but also hemp milk, and will soon be experimenting with homemade tofu. Very exciting!
And I’ve bought a few exotic and somewhat hard-to-find ingredients: carrageenan, agar-agar and locust bean gum. These have been used to make a delicious garlic pâté (which was supposed to be cheese, but ended up with a consistency and flavour like pâté), as well as the aforementioned pepperoni.
Not only that, but we’ve been starting to prepare the allotments for the new growing season, and Mr Thrifty will be utilising his exceptional garden DIY skills to make raised beds for our second allotment. It’s a new and better design (hopefully) than the ones that are on our first allotment.
And if that weren’t enough, we’ve also joined a food co-op, and now can buy all kinds of delicious organic food at wholesale prices! Our first order has come in and we’ll be picking it up tomorrow. Yay!
Stay tuned, cyber-friends, details of these new ventures will be coming soon!
I’m looking forward to both those burger recipes!
All your wines sound so delicious – wine making is on my “to do” list just like getting a soy milk maker is on my “to buy” list.
I planted lots of seeds last week – the radishes have sprouted already. I soooooo can not wait for Spring to get here – this is the loooooooongest, coldest, wettest winter in Spain for 81 years!
Can I come to your house for dinner?!
Jeni — the weather was cold here this winter (as I’m sure you know), but I didn’t realise that it was crappy in Spain as well.
You SO gotta get into making wine, SO much fun.
Spring can’t come soon enough!
alexandra — anytime 🙂
I swear to the Gods of Vegan Blogs, YOURS IS THE FEW THAT’S WORTH READING! Fabulous food, useful cooking tips!!
I know I’ve raved about your burger pattie skills but that hamburger steak has my name alllll over it!
Can’t wait for the recipe. Every time I try your recipe, my tummy is always very happy.
I don’t know why I spell patty, pattie…it feels cuter:( hehe
Wow you make me hungry. Let me know how your soymilk maker endeavors turn out–I am very curious. Yum I want to eat everything in your pictures!
Yum!!
Wow, I’ve been totally out of your loop, and now that I’m reading your blog again I see what amazing stuff you are up to! I used to order from out local food buying club when we actually had a local warehouse (which my husband actually worked at, and so we got the stuff even cheaper). That place has gone out of business, and I sure miss it…. buying at the food coop store fronts or at Whole Foods gives one pause! On the other hand, the supermarkets are now carrying a lot of what the coop used to carry. A friend of mine has one of those soymilk makers, and I’m sure thinking about getting one as well. I loved drinking fresh soymilk in Hong Kong, which you could get in any noodle shop! And I’m super impressed with your wine making. Happy spring!
Oh, and I was trying to be more aware of plastic before, but now I think of you every time I buy something surrounded in plastic… and feel even guiltier… but check out my current favorite article from the (satirical) American newspaper, the Onion. I printed it out and posted it over my classroom recycling bin…
http://www.theonion.com/articles/how-bad-for-the-environment-can-throwing-away-one,2892/
That article in the Onion is great! Thanks 🙂
OH my gosh that burger looks wonderful.. DH wants burgers tonight wish you had the recipe up for these. Can’t wait until you do!!!
Wow! That’s some seriously good-lookng food.
Any chance you’d share the ketchupy, burgery looking recipe?
Doh! It’s this, isn’t it? http://thriftyliving.net/?p=943…the Vegan Hamburger Steaks posted on the 9th.
Alex — Yup, that’s it. I just slathered it in ketchup the first time round before scarfing it.