Food Colouring

I found some great vegan food colouring from Wilton & The Natural Candy Store. The Natural Candy Store range is made from natural colours so the colour comes out very subtle and pastel and great for butter icing. The Wilton range was full on colour and was excellent for dying fondant.

A Vegan Hello Kitty Party

We had a Hello Kitty party for my step-daughter's 5th birthday. I got some party packs online I decided to do everything else myself.

Bunting

This personalised bunting was done on Paint (which almost every computer will have some form of) and then printed out on a colour printer. Personalised bunting online starts at around $20.

In Paint I created two triangles, opposite so I could fit two on each page. You can use the rotate tool to change the position of the triangle or the page. Then I used the paint tool to colour the whole thing in pink, then used the text tool to create the letter in white. Sometimes it can take some time to get the first one right but once it's right you can use it as a template for the rest.

I used a hole punch on each corner and fed curling ribbon through it. You can tape it at the back so the letters don't move position.

Food

I served veges with hummus and guacamole, chips, fruit, Rocky Road Fudge Slice, cupcakes, mini sausage rolls and Gardein Faux Chicken strips.

Face Painting

Using face paint from Vegan Faces and Elegant Minerals.

Pin the Bow on Hello Kitty

In fairness you can buy this game for around $5 but I was printing stuff anyway so I figured why not. I remember my Mum making a "Pin the Beret on Prince" (that was Barbie's poodle in the 80's) and i thought it was the coolest thing over so sometimes the handmade stuff makes an impression. It did on me anyway ;)

I just printed a Hello Kitty picture that had no colour bow onto a white piece of paper and some bows onto red paper then glued them to red cardboard and then cut out the bows and used double sided tape on the back of each bow.

Pass the Parcel

Apparently this isn't a well known game in the States but it's basically Musical Chairs except with a parcel.

You wrap a prize up and then wrap more and more layers around it with a lolly in each layer.

You pass the parcel around in a circle  to music and when the music stops whoever has it gets to unwrap one layer. If you find candy it's yours, if not bad luck. Anyone holding on the parcel is cheating and out!!! I got all my candy from The Natural Candy Store - vegan section.

I printed off some Hello Kitty patterns to wrap the parcels in.

Chocolate Coin Hunt

I hid a bunch of chocolate coins in gold paper money bags in the backyard and gave the kids all a plastic cup to go and find them and they went wild!

Cake

I made a Hello Kitty Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Filling and used fondant to decorate.

Goodie Bags

I made guest goodie bags using the candy I bought from The Natural Candy Store.

Rocky Road Fudge Slice

This bar recipe is based on a Nigella Lawson recipe. It's easy, delicious and great for when you need to take sweets to a party or picnic and don't want anything messy. Plus you can use a foil tray so you don't even need to worry about remembering your platter :)

Rocky Road Fudge Slice

Ingredients

1 stick (8 Tbls) plus 1 tablespoon soft unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance)
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces (I used Enjoy Life Chocolate Mini Chips)
3 tablespoons golden syrup or 1/4 cup corn syrup (I used corn syrup)
8 ounces plain hard and crunchy cookies (I used my Chocolate Brownie Cookies)
2 cups mini marshmallows (I used Suzanne's Ricemellow Creme)
2 teaspoons powdered sugar (I used Woodstock Organic Powdered Sugar)


Method

Melt the butter, chocolate and syrup in a heavy based saucepan.
Scoop out about 1/2 cup of this melted mixture and put aside.
Put the biscuits/cookies into a freezer bag and then bash them with a rolling pin. You are looking for both crumbs and pieces of cookies.
Fold the cookie pieces and crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture, and then add the marshmallows.
Pour into a 9-inch square foil tray; flatten as best you can with a spatula. Pour over the reserved 1/2 half cup of melted chocolate mixture and smooth the top.
Refrigerate for about 2 hours or overnight.
Cut into 24 fingers and dust with powdered sugar by pushing it gently through a tea strainer or small sieve.

Hello Kitty Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

The strawberry cake recipe came from All Recipes. Cream cheese icing recipe from Food.com.

Hello Kitty Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

Strawberry Cake


Ingredients

2 cups vegan white/caster sugar
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored vegan jelly crystals
1 cup vegan butter, softened
4 egg replacers (as per packet instructions)
2 3/4 cups sifted plain flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup non-dairy milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries


Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in their pans over a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, before tapping out to cool completely.

Hello Kitty Decoration

Ingredients

1 packet white fondant (I used Wilton)
Black, pink/red and yellow food colouring (I used vegan colouring - Wilton & Natural Candy Store)
Licorice sticks (I got mine from the Natural Candy Store)


Method

I cut out a Hello Kitty shape using wax paper.

I waiting for the cakes to be completely cooled them cut them out separately.

Next I added the layer of cream cheese filling and placed the other cake on top by placing it on a chopping board and then sliding in on top.

Next I rolled out the fondant icing and placed over the top of the cake, molding around the sides, cutting off the extra and tucking under the sides. Then I pressed in the licorice whiskers.

I made the eyes and nose from fondant mixed with food colouring. I found the black dye made the eyes very sticky so I had to wait till the dried a bit and go back and touch up the sides. If the fondant is sticking to your fingers you can wet your fingers a bit. For the bow I used two long pieces of fondant that I dyed pink and rolled them out. I folded them over a pen and put them on the cake and added a round piece in the middle and spread it out. Once the fondant has cooled and hardened you can take out the pens.

Cream Cheese Icing


Ingredients

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine ( softened)
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened ( Tofutti)
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Method

Cream together margarine and cream cheese until just combined. Use a handheld mixer to whip while adding the confectioners' sugar in 1/2 cup batches. Mix until smooth and creamy, then mix in the vanilla. Keep tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

Elegant Minerals

Got these mineral eye shadow samples from Elegant Minerals which can be used dry or wet so work well for eye shadow, eyeliner or face paint.

Rainbow Juice

My favourite juice forever has been just orange, apple and carrot and if that's all you have then it's an amazing juice. I've recently added some things to it to make a bit more special :)

Rainbow Juice

Ingredients

6 carrots
2 applcs (any colour)
2 oranges
2 handfuls of spinach (I use as much as will fit down the juicing shoot)
1 beetroot
2 inch chunk of ginger


Method

Juice and enjoy :)

Magenta Juice

We've been juicing a lot lately and I've taken to just winging it. This one was so nice and healthy :)

Magenta Juice
Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup strawberries
1 romaine lettuce heart
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup kale leaves
1 beetroot
2 oranges
4 large carrots


Method

Chop ingredients and juice!

Kiss My Face

Just discovered Kiss My Face which has a great range of vegan care for body, bath, face, sun, teeth, and kids. Was very excited to receive my package in the mail :)

The following are the only NON-vegan products;

• Olive & Honey Soap (contains honey) 
• Honey & Calendula Moisturizer (contains honey) 
• Hot Spots (contains beeswax) 
• Organic Lip Balms (contains beeswax)
• Shine and Shimmer Lip products (contain beeswax)

Seasoned Vegan Skewers with Teriyaki Broccoli Helmets

My husband made these delicious vegan skewers for a cookout we went to. Obviously you can just use whatever vegetables you like. I also think coating the tofu in Teriyaki sauce first would taste great.
We got 24 skewers out of this amount, my husband ate three, I had one and none were left :)

Marinated Vegan Skewers with Teriyaki Broccoli Helmets

Ingredients

1x 14oz/400g block extra firm tofu, cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 pineapple, cut into 1 inch squares
2 tomatoes, chopped into 1 inch chunks
12 mini peppers/capsicums (preference of colour) cut in half and seeded
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 onion sliced into quarters
12 mushrooms, halved
2 x long yellow squash, sliced thickly into rounds them halved
Teriyaki sauce
Poultry Magic by Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Seasoning Blends (you could use Moroccan seasoning as a substitute)
Wooden skewers (wet them and then leave them in a tall glass of water to prevent burning)

For marinade coating;
1 stick vegan butter (we used Earth Balance)
1 Tbls garlic, crushed
2 Tbls chopped dates
1 tsp agave


Method

Make Teriyaki sauce, this can stay on a low simmer for a while to thicken.
On a low heat melt butter in a small pan.
Once melted add other marinade ingredients.
Coat tofu in Teriyaki sauce.

Once you have both your sauces start a production line fitting one of each vegetable onto the skewers, finishing with a piece of broccoli on the spike.
Once finished brush both sides of the skewer with the marinade then sprinkle some of the seasoning over the top.
Brush the broccoli head with Teriyaki sauce.
BBQ skewers and enjoy!

Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Seafood

I was so excited to discover Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Seafood, especially cause most of it gluten free as well!

The product list is amazing too including crabs cakes, breaded scallops, fish fillets, calamari, shrimp, jumbo shrimp, fishless sticks, coconut shrimp & smoked salmon (vegan smoked salmon??? Heck yes!)!

I'm keen to try them all, unfortunately my local supplier only had the crab cakes and scallops  The crab cakes were delicious, the scallops were nice but probably better in a dish than alone. I baked them both, they might taste different if you shallow fry them.

Roast Potato Salad

I think this potato salad tastes better warm because once roast potato gets cold it kind of has that old fries flavour.

Roast Potato Salad

Ingredients

10 potatoes of your choice, peeled and chopped into chunks
1/4 cup McCormicks Bacon Bits
1 cup Follow Your Heart Veganaise
2 Tbls Follow Your Heart Horseradish Sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp white vinegar
olive oil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt (more if as desired)


Method

Preheat oven to 350F/180C and prepare a baking dish (you might need two) by covering the base with olive oil, around 3 Tbls.
Add chopped potato and sprinkle the crushed garlic on top.
Drizzle potatoes with some more olive oil and bake for 40-60 mins or until potato is cooked and browned, occasionally flipping.
In a small bowl place the bacon bits and add 2 tsp boiling water to soften them.
In a bowl mix the bacon bits with the remaining ingredients.
Once the potatoes are cooked add them to the bowl with the sauce and mix well.
Transfer to serving bowl or tray.

Jeannie - Vegan Jello

I really only needed strawberry jello/jelly for a recipe I was making and I found Jeannie Health Foods on Amazon. For $16 (incl postage) I got 14 packets of vegan jello including the flavours strawberry, apple, white grape, orange, peach and blueberry. I actually only paid for 12 so they sent me two extra for free :). They also have other flavours for all your dessert needs including tropical fruits, mixed fruits and delightful rose.

Peach Jelly :)

Creo Care

Thanks Vegan Beauty Review for introducing me to Creo Care, all-natural vegan hair & skin care.
Was very excited to receive my package this morning - can't wait to have veganlicious hair!

10 Day Juice Fast

My husband and I detoxed over the past ten days with a juice fast from Joe Cross's website Reboot with Joe. If you haven't seen his documentary "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" it's a must see, very inspirational and shows clearly the power of juicing. It's on Netflix...go watch it now!!
It's great for detoxing, weight loss and giving your system a chance to clear up ailments.

On Day 3 now which isn't so bad. Still want solid food but no where near as cranky as we were the first two days. I feel like we're getting over that hurdle now :)

You can choose from different plans depending on how long you want to go for and it's not all juicing, a lot of the plans incorporate soups, salads and smoothies so you can go at your own pace.

Here are some of the recipes we used (juices and smoothies serve 2, soups serve 3-4)....


Reboot Daily Guide

Wake up: Drink 2 glasses of hot water

(we suggest adding lemon and/or ginger)

Breakfast : Orange or Red

Mid-Morning: Drink 16 oz. unflavored coconut water

Lunch: Green

Afternoon snack: Green or Red

Dinner: Green

Dessert: Purple or Orange

Bedtime: Drink herbal tea

(with pure stevia for sweetness if desired)

Throughout the day: Drink lots of water

Island Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 mango, peeled, chopped, and pit

removed (or about 1 c. frozen mango

and skip the ice)

2 banana, peeled

1 avocado, peeled and pit removed

(you can save the other 1/2 for your

salad this afternoon)

2 handful spinach

1 c. (4 oz; 125 ml) Coconut water

Shamrock Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 banana

1 cucumber

12 romaine leaves

1 avocado

2 cups coconut water

Ice cubes, optional

Great Green Fruit Blend Smoothie

Ingredients:

4 c.beet greens, red swiss chard,

kale, spinach or a combination, roughly

chopped and packed

2 banana

2 red apple, cored

1pear, cored

20 strawberries, green tops cut off

2 c. coconut water

Carrot Apple Ginger Juice

Ingredients:

6 carrots

4 apples

Piece of gingerroot, 2 in./5 cm.

Carrot Apple Lemon Juice

Ingredients:

4 apples

4 carrots

2 lemons, peeled

Celery Pear Cucumber Green Juice

Ingredients:

2 medium cucumbers

6 celery stalks

2 small to medium pears

6 handfuls kale

Green Lemonade Juice

Ingredients:

6-8 kale leaves (Australian Tuscan

Cabbage)

3 handfuls spinach

1 green apple

1 cucumber

2 celery stalks

1 lemon

Joe’s Mean Green Juice

Ingredients:

6 kale leaves (Australian Tuscan Kale)

2 cucumbers

2 celery stalks

1 green apple

1/2 lemon

Small piece of gingerroot, 1in./2.5cm.

Morning Green Glory Juice

Ingredients:

8-10 large kale leaves (Australian

Tuscan Cabbage)

2 large handfuls spinach

6 romaine leaves

2 cucumbers

6 celery stalks

2 green apples

2 lemons, peeled

Sporty Spice

Ingredients:

4 beets

2 carrots

6 stalks celery

1 lemon (peeled)

2 oranges (peeled)

2 handfuls basil leaves

Sunrise Juice

Ingredients:

8 carrots

4 oranges

2 beets

Un-Beet-able

Ingredients:

2 apples

2 beets

6 carrots

2”/5 cm. piece ginger

3 handfuls leafy greens (kale, spinach,

Swiss chard etc.)

Green Detox Soup

This recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp./30 ml. olive oil

1 leek

2 cloves garlic

1 small head of broccoli

6 kale leaves

1-2 zucchini

2 celery stalks

1 quart/1 liter of vegetable stock**

handful of parsley

sea salt and pepper

Directions:

1.) Wash and chop all veggies.

2.) Lightly heat the oil on low heat. Add leeks

and garlic and slowly cook.

3.) Add the vegetable stock and vegetables

(zucchini, kale, broccoli, celery), and slowly

bring to a boil and cook until the zucchini is

soft.

4.) The less you cook the vegetables the better.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

5.) Use a stick/immersion blender, or transfer to

a blender, and process the soup. Blend to

desired consistency, from smooth to chunky.

Add the parsley and serve.

Raw Carrot Ginger Soup

This recipe makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

3 c./750 ml carrot juice (this may

require about 20 carrots)

1 ripe avocado

2 Tbsp./30 ml. honey

1 Tbsp./30 g. minced fresh ginger

Pinch ground cayenne pepper or

more to taste

1/4 tsp./1.25 g. sea salt or more to taste

1/2 c./118 ml. raw fresh coconut meat

(optional)

2 Tbsp./30 ml. cold pressed avocado or

olive oil (for garnish)

2 Tbsp./30 g. chopped fresh cilantro

(optional, for garnish)

Directions:

1.) Puree the carrot juice, avocado, optional

coconut meat, honey, ginger, cayenne

pepper, and salt in your blender until

completely smooth.

2.) Taste and adjust the seasonings if

necessary. Garnish the soup with a

drizzle of oil and the chopped cilantro.

Squash & Apple Soup

This recipe makes 4 servings. You will use 3 servings total on this menu plan, so freeze one

portion for after your Reboot, or save as an extra snack if needed.

Ingredients:

1 acorn or butternut squash (Australia:

baby pumpkin)

2 apples – peeled and sliced

1 small onion, diced

2 carrots washed, peeled and diced

1 Tbsp./15 ml. olive oil

Ground black pepper to taste

2 quarts/ 2 L. organic vegetable broth

(or make your own)

Directions:

1.) Roast squash (cut in half, remove seeds)

place flesh side down in baking dish with

1-2 c.s water.

2.) Cook at 450°F/230°C degrees for 40-50

minutes until flesh is bright orange and soft.

3.) Sauté onion and carrot in olive oil for 5

minutes, until onion is clear.

4.) Add broth and apple; simmer 10 minutes

until apple is soft.

5.) Add squash (remove from skin).

6.) Puree in blender or use hand blender.

7.) Add pepper to taste.

Directions:

Add all ingredients in blender and blend

until smooth.

Green Vegetable Soup

This recipe makes 3 servings.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 leeks, white and light green parts,

thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 head broccoli, trimmed to small florets

2 medium zucchini, cut into half-moons

1 head spinach, roughly chopped

4 leaves basil

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp./2.5 g. fresh ground pepper

6 c./1.4 L water

3 Tbsp./45 g. fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

1.) In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the

olive oil over medium high heat.

2.) Add the leeks and garlic and sauté for

3 minutes.

3.) Add the broccoli, zucchini, spinach, basil,

salt and pepper.

4.) Stir and cook for 5 minutes.

5.) Add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the

heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

6.) Remove from the heat and stir in the

chopped basil.

Sweet Potato and Bok Choy Soup

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp./45 ml. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 leeks, white part only, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch red pepper flakes

2 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch/.5

cm. thick rounds

2 celery stalks, diced

1 large sweet potato, peeled and roughly

chopped

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs parsley

1 tsp./5 grams salt

4 c./1 liter water

1 large bok choy or 3 baby bok choy,

cleaned and torn in pieces

1/2 tsp./2.5 g. fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1.) Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2.) Add the onion, leeks, garlic and red pep

per flakes and sauté until the vegetables

soften, about 3 minutes.

3.) Add the carrots, celery, sweet potato, thyme,

parsley and salt and sauté 3 minutes.

4.) Add the water and increase the heat to high.

5.) Bring the mixture to a boil, then return to a

simmer and cook until the vegetables soften

about 30 minutes.

6.) Stir in the bok choy and cook for another

5 minutes.

7.) Stir in the pepper and any additional salt

if necessary.

8.) Remove the thyme and parsley sprigs and

serve.