Jewelry Joy: I Was Interviewed!

Some of Corrinne's creations.
 
The lovely Corrinne from Pin and Tack offered to interview me about my handmade jewellery making. She is actually hosting a grand Jewelry Joy week at her blog featuring different artists and their work. Corrinne is such a creative person herself and I am very fond of her handmade cards which remind me so much of the ones I used to make for the family and friends. She does a lot more than cards though!

If you would like to read more about me and how I got into making jewellery, head over to this post at Corrinne’s blog where she also featured my 'How To Make Paper Beads' tutorial. For this Jewelry Joy week, I am also offering a 20% discount on anything in my shop until the 30th May. 

Get the discount code from Corrinne’s post then use it at checkout in my shop.

There are also some other giveaways/discounts happening at her blog at the moment from other artists. So, have a look!

I hope you enjoy! 

123Smoothie Dessert

At the Lovlie Cocoon, we bake a vegan cake almost every week. Be it at tea time or dessert, cake always saves the day! But this week I really needed a break from cake but still wanted some kind of dessert. Something lighter than cake... And then it came to me while pondering over the big basket of fruits sitting on the top of our kitchen cupboad. Nature's generous bounty of fruits have made their way in my (almost) daily breakfast smoothies but it was time I called them in a smoothie dessert.

The good thing is that, as luscious as it looks, this dessert is really made in a whiz; all you need is a blender or hand blender (which I used). It doesn't leave you with a guilty conscience since it's all fresh fruits with no added fat or sugar but most important, it tastes great! If you've got friends coming over but don't have the time to spend making an explicit dessert, this one is sure to impress; it will look like you've spent quite some time and effort making it. You could also be whizzing this up while you are entertaining your guests.
This is one dessert that will be loved by adults and kids alike. I call it my 123Smoothie Dessert because there is only just 3 quick and easy steps.


Ingredients (2 servings)
Bottom Layer:
1 avocado
1/2 banana
1 tablespoon maple syrup or 1 pitted date (optional)

Top Layer:
200g fresh strawberries
1/2 banana
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)

Toppings:
Any fruit of your choice, cut into small pieces. I chose oranges. Melons are a great choice too!
Maple syrup to drizzle on (optional)

• Add the ingredients for the bottom layer in a blender (alternative use a hand blender). Process until smooth. Spoon the mixture equally into 2 cocktail glasses.
• Scrape the blender clean.
• Then add the ingredients for the top layer in the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour equally in the glasses.
• Arrange the fruit pieces on top. If you are not serving this immediately, you can leave this out and arrange just before serving. (The fruits will gradually sink to the bottom otherwise).
• Decorate with some fruits pieced through a toothpick. Make a slit in the bottom piece of fruit to secure it on the rim of the glass.

Voilà! Easy as 123Smoothie!

Break It!

I've been testing out some vegan chocolate in the Seed & Bean brand lately. So, I wanted to post a mini review.
I've found 4 flavours at my local Holland & Barrett store and these are:
Ginger
Mandarin and Ginger
Chilli
Lavender

My favourite is the Ginger one. It has tiny ginger nibs with the percentage of chocolate being just right for how I like it. And I love ginger chocolate in general. The Mandarin & Ginger is okay. The Chilli is not for the faint hearted. I ended up cooking it in a brownie mixed with some plain chocolate! Then the Lavender... hmmm! I was all excited about this one when I bought it but it turns out, I didn't like it at all. Maybe that's just me but I felt like I was eating a bar of soap.

So, the only one I'd purchase in this brand is the Ginger flavour.

And here's a funny quote that I quite like:

Strength is the ability to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of those pieces.
~ Judith Viorst

Isn't that just true?

Yummy. Tempeh. Sushi. Vegan!

At the Lovlie Cocoon we are big fans of sushi, vegan of course! Before we discovered how tasty tempeh sushi could be, I used to make it using pan fried tofu.
But tempeh sushi rocks so much more!

What is tempeh? If you are unfamiliar with it, tempeh is made from soy beans. I am not a great fans of soy products in general and we try to limit our consumption of soy. However, what makes tempeh a preferred soy product is the fermentation process that it goes through. This makes it much easier for the body to digest the soy beans.

Tempeh originates from Indonesia where it has been a staple source of protein for several hundred years already. Like I was saying before it is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybean particles into a cake form. The process involves cleaning, cracking, dehulling, cooking, then inoculating with a starter culture, and finally incubating. During incubation the important phase of fermentation occurs. Tempeh owes much of its flavour, texture and nutritional properties to the process of fermentation.

The starter culture (rhizopus oligosporus), a friendly culture, is a filamentous form fungi. As the culture spores germinate they bind the soybeans together into compact white cakes. The chunky cake of beans has a mild, nutty flavour with a firm yet tender, meaty or chewy texture.



Tempeh can be used in many recipes. I've used it in curries, stir fries, sandwiches but my favourite way of eating it is in sushi preparation.

Sushi is actually relatively easy to make. You may need a little practice with the rolling part but if you have a sushi mat, it is not that much of a challenge.

For the sushi rice:
Ingredients (for 4 nori rolls)
250 g sushi rice
40 ml mirin (or rice vinegar)
1 1/2 tablespoon demerara sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
1 courgette
1 avocado
250g tempeh block
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for pan frying

Prepare the rice:

• Wash rice until water runs clear (or almost).
• Place in a deep pan and add water. Place your finger in the water so that it is only touching the rice, the water level should be at the first knuckle. (This is the correct amount of water to use) Boil the sushi rice until cooked but not mushy. (All water should be absorbed).
• While rice is boiling you can prepare the seasoning. Add sugar and salt to the miring and warm on a gentle heat until sugar completely dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Spread rice on a large plate, pour on the mirin while mixing with a spatula. As you are mixing the (still hot) rice with the mirin, fan it to cool it down. Fan and fold in the mirin. Keep doing this process until all is well mixed and rice has completely cooled.

Prepare the filling ingredients: (you can do this while the rice is boiling).

• Cut the tempeh in long strips (defrost tempeh beforehand if using frozen). Marinade in the soy sauce and lightly pan fry with 1 - 2 tablespoons oil. They will be done relative quickly, once they get a golden coating.
• Cut the courgette in julienne.
• Cut avocado in half, remove the stone, then peel them. Cut into long strips. (Avocados should be more on the creamy texture than firm, so use ripe ones preferably).

Make the rolls:

• Lay the sushi mat on a chopping board. Place a sheet of nori.
• Cover with a layer of rice.
• Lay the courgette, avocado and tempeh strips in a line on the side closer to you.
• Roll using the mat, make sure you tuck in the ingredients properly with the first turn.
• Dab the other end of the nori with a little water (so that it will stick and close well), then roll completely.
• Unroll the mat, cut through the nori roll with a sharp knife. (It helps to get a cleaner cut if you wash the knife after cutting each roll).

Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

Succulents!

Oh how I love these succulents! On my wishlist...
From Succulents Galore on Etsy.

Popeye, We Love You!

I call this my Popeye Flu Buster Smoothie! Whenever I feel a little flu coming, this smoothie seems to keep it at bay. If you've tried green smoothies already, you know the amazing health benefits that comes out of every glass.
Well here's my own flu buster concoction.

Ingredients
2 cups baby spinach leaves
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons maple syrup (adjust to taste)
1 apple (I usually peel)
Water as required if too thick

Place all ingredients in a blender (alternatively use a hand blender) and blend until smooth.
It's best consumed immediately.

And just a little analysis on the ingredients:
Spinach for its great amounts of antioxidants, chlorophyll, vitamin C and iron. We all know that antioxidants are essential for optimum health. Chlorophyll, because they enable the body to be more receptive to sunlight, enhances the immune system, purifies the blood and rejuvenates the body (according to some experts). Iron helps boost the immune system. A deficiency in iron results in anaemia and weakens the body's immunity which makes it more prone to catching infections.

Lemon juice for vitamin C that also helps in the absorption of iron.

Maple Syrup for magnesium which also supports a healthy immune system and regulate blood sugar levels.

Apple for added vitamins and taste :).

Green smoothies are great for all the vitamins and minerals they bring to the body but most importantly they are alkalinising foods. Viruses cannot thrive in an alkaline environment and keeping a proper alkaline balance in the body makes it difficult for viruses to survive. You can do your own research on alkaline diet and foods. While there is no convincing scientific or medical evidence of the benefits of an alkaline diet, a lot of people have and are benefiting from such a diet which has in some cases proved to cure cancer and many other diseases. So, this one is up to you to research.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or naturopathist / herbalist, this is not a prescription for flu but only my own experience as an avid embracer of kitchen table medicine and natural remedies. So, always consult your doctor if you have a particular condition before consuming anything you are not sure of.

How To Make Paper Beads

It's been a while since I posted some crafty things on here. Ever since I got my first batch of paper beads from Paper to Pearls™, I have been fascinated by them; they look so gorgeous that you wouldn't think they are made of paper. The batch I got have a nice selection of beads from which I've made a lot of nice jewellery, earrings being my favourite.



However, I kind of wanted to make some of my own. Not that I will stop buying from Paper to Pearls and support them, but I have a lot of paper, junk mail leaflets, old magazines, left-over gift wrap paper etc around the house that could benefit from a little upcycling and turned into great looking and eco-friendly jewellery.

So, here's how I make them myself - a little project that might keep you busy if you are after some crafty thing to do.


How to make Paper Beads

You will need:

• Colourful pages from old magazines, calendars, gift wrap paper or any colourful paper. You will lose the designs on the paper as you roll them into beads, so just try out different papers to see the effects you get. But remember the thicker the paper the fatter the bead!
• Scissors
• Pencil or pen
• Ruler (preferably a long one)
• Toothpick (or needle)
• Liquid glue (paper or all-purpose craft glue will do)
• Resin or Clear varnish - most clear varnishes from local store will do or nail varnish.
• Any other jewellery items like wires, threads to make the beads into jewellery.

First lay your paper flat. Measure 1cm intervals on one side. On the other side start with 0.5cm then 1cm intervals from it. Score the paper. Depending on the size you want your bead to be you can increase / decrease the width.



You can experiment with different shapes of paper cutting; this will result in beads of different shapes.



Cut along the lines.




For the next steps:

1. Take your toothpick and starting at the thickest end of the strip.
2. Start rolling it tightly around the toothpick. Using your nails to catch it in at first.
3. Ensure to keep the paper central.
4. Apply a dab of glue at the end.
5. Roll the last bit and press down on it for a few seconds to hold the bead in place.
6. The finished bead.

The finished beads.



If you are making a small batch, you can leave them on a toothpick each (this is what I tend to do). Some people thread the beads on plastic wire or fishing string. Whichever you choose, make sure the string is thick enough for a snug fit and the varnish cannot seep in to block the holes.

If using resin, prepare according to package instructions. I use a 2 part epoxy resin.



Start varnishing. I use a brush and give them at least 2 coats of resin / varnish. Leave to dry for 2-3 days, and your beads are ready to use!



You can use some firm foam or anything you can hold the toothpicks on. The only thing I had on hand was a potato!



Make into jewellery: earrings, pendants, necklaces... You can add other beads and charms, hooks and wires; I leave it to you imagination. I hope you've liked this tutorial.



But then again, if you already have enough to do and would rather just buy some, you may want to have a look at some paper bead jewellery in my shop.







For more handmade jewellery visit the Bijouxlovlie store.

Da Vinci on Veganism

The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.
~ Leonardo da Vinci

Coriander Chutney with Savoury Crêpes

Coriander chutney is a popular raw condiment in Mauritius, usually eaten as part of a main meal or with snacks to enhance flavour. It is a nice sauce to go with many savoury cakes and in this case savoury crêpes.
I like to use leftover chutney as a salad dressing too.

The recipe is very quick and easy to make; it is also raw and a great way to eat raw coriander. Originally it is made with onions and garlic but since I don't eat those, I have substituted with ginger. Feel free to add these in if you like, 1/2 small onion and 1 garlic clove should be enough.


Easy Coriander Chutney
Ingredients
3 - 4 salad tomatoes
1 bunch coriander (about 25g)
2 - 3 green chilies (or to taste)
1 teaspoon ginger, minced (or use an-inch cube size piece, cut into fine pieces)
1/2 teaspoon salt

• Place all ingredients in a blender (or use a hand blend) and blend until a puree consistency is obtained.

And here's an easy peasy vegan crêpe recipe:

Savoury Vegan Crêpes
Ingredients (about 16 - 20 crêpes)
1 cup plain white flour
1 cup strong white flour (substitute with plain white if you don't have this)
550 ml  water
100 ml oat milk (I found oat milk to give the best results among other non-dairy milk)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon curcuma or turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 - 3 stems scallions or coriander, finely chopped

• Mix flours with baking powder, curcuma and salt. Add water, stirring with a hand whisk to avoid lumps. Add oat milk and scallions.
• The crêpe batter should be smooth.
• Heat a crêpe pan on medium heat.
• Laddle the batter and spread around into a nice circle shape.
• Cook for about a minute until the bottom side is no longer sticky.

• Then flip over onto the other side and cook for another minute or two. You can flip again if required.
• Remove and stack on a plate. Stacking them will keep them softer and warm.

Spread with coriander chutney, roll and serve while still warm. This makes a delicious brunch or snack anytime.

Vegan Bake Sale 2012

As promised (if you have been following me on Facebook or Twitter), here are a few photos I took for the Vegan Bake Sale we had here in Dublin last Saturday (28th April 2012).
I donated a Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Coconut. I took a few shots while I was making it. But I haven't had the chance to write down the recipe yet. So, just some photos for now.

I like to use fresh pineapple instead of canned ones because the taste is so much nicer! I corked out the centre with a small knife.



Then, I greased the bottom of the pans and laid the pineapple rings. I sprinkled with a little soft dark brown sugar.



Poured in the batter.



All baked! Out of the oven!



I used fresh coconut that I grated and lightly toasted in the oven.



I iced the cake with vegan buttercream frosting and the toasted coconut.



At this stage I was dying to have a slice for myself!




I packed it in a box with the lid at the bottom...

Now some photos of the bake sale. (Sorry about the poor quality of these ones, it was a cloudy day and not much light was entering the hall. I thought they would be better shared despite this.) It was a great day! The cakes went away quickly and it seems everyone had a good time.





Here are some baked goods from others who donated:













I got myself a few yummy treats:



And I got a shot of the inside of the Pineapple Upside Down cake:



So, that is all for now.

Drum Beats for the Giveaway Winner, "I ♥ Trees" Pendant!

Drum beats as I announce the winner who was picked by the random number generator:



Number 6 is Jenn!

Congratulations Jenn! You'll be receiving an email shortly so I can get your details.

Thank you everyone for participating. Those who didn't win this time, stay tuned, I have plans for other giveaways soon.

Coming up soon are the photos I took from the Vegan Bake Sale. If you are following me on Facebook or Twitter, you'd know I've been busy baking. I made Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Coconut. It was a hit and the cake disappeared in no time! There were loads of other goodies too brought in by other fellow vegan bakers.