Quilty Conscience

I have to admit, I'm feeling pretty quilty. I haven't posted on this blog in ages, my life has been unbelievably crazy these past few months. 

I will probably get back into blogging here at some point, but in the meantime, I am generally pretty active on instagram and tumblr if you go that way. I have listed some lap quilts for sale in my shop, go have a peek! 

9/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week in 2014."

Casper: Gardening boy.

Joining in with Jodi.

Roquette Science: Vegan Sweet Potato Burritos with Cashew Cheese

Ingredients

CHILLI

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

2 small brown onions, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, diced

2-3 fresh chillies, to taste

1 sweet potato

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

a dash of cinnamon

a pinch of salt

1 teaspoon of vegetable stock powder

1 tin of tomatoes

1/2 cup of boiling water

1 tin of kidney beans

6 tortillas (I used store-bought but you can make your own very easily)

4 tablespoons of almond milk

CASHEW CHEESE

2 small cloves of garlic

1 cup of raw cashews

1 yellow capsicum, chopped

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 cup of nutritional yeast

a pinch of salt

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1/4 of a red onion, coriander, lemon juice and an avocado to serve

You will need one large pot, a food processor, a large baking pan and a pastry brush.

METHOD 

In a large pot, heat coconut oil and add onions and sauté on a medium heat until transparent, then add diced garlic, salt, cinnamon and chillies to taste. 

Cut the sweet potato into 2 inch cubes and add to the pot. Pour the boiling water over the vegetables and add your stock powder, stirring. 

Preheat oven at 150 degrees celsius.

Add the tinned tomatoes, strained kidney beans and tomato paste, stir and cover with lid. Let simmer for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until sweet potato is soft. 

While the chilli bubbles away, combine all of the ingredients for the cashew cheese in a food processor until smooth. Pour into a container and place it in the fridge to let the flavours infuse.

Fill tortillas with the chilli and leave open, placing them on the large baking tray. There should be room for about 6. Spoon the cashew cheese onto the chilli and spread it evenly over the top. Use your pastry brush to "seal" the burritos, folding one side over, brushing with almond milk, folding the other side and then brushing the top as well. This will help your tortillas to brown nicely in the oven. Put the snugly nestled parcels in the preheated oven for approximately 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. 

While they are cooking, make a simple guacamole with diced red onion, avocado, coriander and a squeeze of a lemon to serve.

Like most foods, these are best enjoyed drenched in hot sauce!

Golden Light

Roquette Science: Vegan Sunshine Chocolate Cake

About 6 months ago, Steve and I decided that we would take the plunge and go completely vegan. I have been vegetarian for 12 years and Steve 6, so it seemed like the natural thing to do. I did a lot of research, read a lot of recipes and found out what we would need to stock our pantry with and we just stopped eating eggs and dairy. 

I love baking and I have always thought vegan baking was pretty cool so that's one of the things that excited me about going vegan. I have decided to sporadically put some vegan recipes up on the blog whenever I get the time to photograph them and when it is an especially interesting version of something. I have also decided to call this section of my blog 'Roquette Science'. Keep an eye out for a new button on the sidebar sometime this week.

Vegan Sunshine Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup soy milk

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 cup flour

3/4 cup of dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon bicarb powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 heaped tablespoons of raw cacao

a dash of salt

1 cup of nut meal (any kind should be fine, I used hazlenut)

a dash of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

1/4 cup of coconut oil

100 grams of good quality dark chocolate

grated zest of a large orange 

1 1/2 cups of water

1 cup of caster sugar

I orange, sliced thinly into rounds

1 tablespoon each of raw cacao and coconut oil

You will need a 9" cake tin

Method:

Preheat oven to 150 degrees celsius, grease and line cake tin and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy milk and the vinegar. Set aside for ten minutes. 

In a larger bowl, sift together the flour, bicarb and baking powder, cacao, salt, cinnamon and then add the nut meal and combine. 

Melt the oil and chocolate together and whisk quickly into the bowl with the milk and vinegar. Then add vanilla essence and orange zest. 

Combine wet and dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Pour the cake batter into the tin and chuck in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour or until a skewer inserted comes out mostly clean (it's okay to leave it a bit fudgy in the middle).

While the cake bakes, bring the water and sugar mixture to a boil in a large pot. Place the orange slices in so they are evenly covered and simmer on a medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the rinds are translucent, turn them every 10 minutes or so. Cover the pot and let simmer on low for 15 - 20 minutes and then remove the slices and place them on some baking paper. Pour the remaining syrup into a bowl and set aside. 

When the syrup has cooled a little, stir in a tablespoon each of oil and cacao and let it cool further.

After the cake has cooled and been taken out of the tin, place it on a plate and pour the syrup over it. Then arrange the candied orange slices on top and Voila! You have a beautiful cruelty free cake that looks impressive too!

Overalls

This morning was one of the first cold mornings of the year. I felt excited as I sipped my coffee, thinking about the year ahead- the last year of my degree, Casper's first year of Kindergarten. One thing that I have been thinking about all Summer is making Casper some bigger clothes before I get bogged down by assignments and grant applications. I am not a big fan of buying clothes new, I never have been. I also have a stack of fabric and a sewing machine that beckons. 

So this morning before the sun started warming us up, I started cutting and measuring. Before I knew it, I had re-threaded the overlocker and I was making some powder blue corduroy overalls. My favourite thing about sewing is the combination of careful planning and spontaneous decision making that leaves me without any idea of how things will eventuate. Casper sat on the floor sorting bakelite buttons and crawling around my feet to find long lost toy cars under the cutting table.

They turned out perfectly, if not a bit Pippi Longstockings. There is a bit of room to grow (next time I'll make the legs a bit longer) and they are a good conversation starter on the playground. Maybe I'll make another pair tomorrow.

8/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week in 2014."

Casper: Dreamin'.

Joining in with Jodi.

7/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week in 2014."

Casper: Bath time doubles as a car wash.

Joining in with Jodi.

Lately...

Recent Paintings

Today I updated my shop with eight more watercolours. I sold a piece just after the shop opened and am heading down to the post office this afternoon to send it off! How exciting! I should have some more paintings up by next week. We are heading to the beach for a few days so I may be very quiet until the weekend. Until then, take care!

Shop

After giving it a lot of thought and prompted by lots of people asking me when I was going to sell some of my artwork online, I have opened a tiny shop! I am sure it will become more realised over time, but as it stands I have five paintings and will update with more tomorrow. You can click on the link on the right sidebar that says 'shop' and it will take you there, or click right here!

I am looking forward to having a shop again, it's been a while. Now if you'll excuse me I have some knuckles to crack!

6/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week in 2014."

Casper: Standing on a mountaintop at the Maroondah Reservoir Park wearing another pair of mumma made overalls and a new haircut!

Linking up with Jodi for the 52 project.

New Year, New Look!

I decided to change my blog design today when I realised that this thing is turning 7 in a week or so! I have been painting pink gumnuts a lot lately, they have become a bit of an obsession so why not decorate my banner with them too? 

I have a few plans for a giveaway which I will announce in the next few days. So keep your eyes peeled!

5/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week in 2014."

Casper: Looking grubby in mummy made overalls with your book collection, toy pram and dollhouse.

Linking up with Jodi.

4/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week in 2014."

Casper: At Sam's farewell party in your Canadian Tuxedo and Cooper's hat, Suzie the dog by your side.

3/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week in 2014."

Casper: Your hair is knotty and wild, this is the expression you make when you're about to do something cheeky.

Joining in with beautiful Jodi.

2/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week in 2014."

Casper: Light of my life.

Linking up with the wonderful Jodi.

Painters Painting

Not much can make me happier than painting on a clean kitchen table, except maybe painting side by side with my son, he painting mangoes and me painting pink gumnuts in water. He gives me a new liberty with my own gesture and use of colour. It's a humbling feeling, to paint next to someone with such innate ability that is one day to be unlearned.

Introducing... Wendy!

So we got another puppy! Her name is Wendy and she is a border collie cross. She is very licky and jumpy and cheeky, just what we wanted! The painting is of Mika our other hairy kid, because I haven't really done any paintings of Wendy yet. 

1/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week in 2014."

Casper: Running free in your birthday suit.

Linking up with the lovely Jodi for another year of 52!

Just a word about last year's project- I am not going to pretend that for several weeks I did not post a portrait of Casper. I'm not sure that I understood what a huge undertaking this project would be for me in 2013- thus the lack of portraits between weeks 40 and 51. That said, I did actually post more than 52 pictures of Casper last year on this blog and I'm too proud and stubborn a person to admit defeat so I am continuing on with the portraits for this year as well! I decided to make it easier for myself and do a combination of photography and painting/drawing which I hope will be an excercise in moderation for me (I tend to overdo things and push myself very hard for no good reason). I am looking forward to a wonderful and productive year of blogging!

New Year

I have been pretty quiet on the old blog lately, so here are some recent paintings to ring in the new year. Happy 2014 and you can expect some changes around here soon!