grub, green issues and gays
For the past month or so, I’ve got really into making bread from scratch. I know, I’m about a year behind the curve on this, everyone started making sourdough the minute they were on furlough – but I’ve been working solidly since lockdown began, and […]
So yesterday, I was feeling restless. That kind of feeling that says “you have to do SOMETHING constructive, don’t just sit on your arse and play games all day”. Looking at the spoils of our veg box (thanks, Bristol Veg Box!), I settled on something […]
Dhal, daal, dal – however you want to spell it, it’s one of my favourite veggie options when I order a takeaway. Creamy lentils, garlic, sweetness – it’s proper comfort food. I decided to whip one up to use up a butternut squash I’d had in the fridge for, er, 3 weeks – and it turned out surprisingly fantastic!
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
1 big white onion
2 cups red lentils
3 cups veggie stock (I used Marigold Swiss Bouillon Powder)
4 cloves garlic (or 2 teaspoons minced garlic)
Big piece of grated ginger (or 3 teaspoons minced ginger)
1 tablespoon medium curry powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspooons turmeric
1 tin coconut milk
3 small tomatoes
Big pinch of salt
Prep could not be easier – peel your butternut squash (alright, this part sucks, if you can get pre-chopped frozen squash it’d be just as good), chop your onion and tomatoes, then add literally everything to your slow cooker.
I cooked my dhal on high for 2 hours, then low for a further 5 hours. I also kept looking at it and smelling it, which you’re not meant to do, but it was making the flat smell delicious, so what’s a girl to do?
This recipe makes an absolute boatload of dhal, enough for at least 3 large takeaway containers. around 8-10 servings. I served mine as an accompaniment to an easy-peasy 5-ingredient tikka, using meat-free chicken pieces:
Ingredients:
1 packet Plant Pioneers Meat-Free Pieces
1 onion
3 heaped teaspoons tikka paste
2 teaspoons tomato paste
Big handful frozen peas
Chop onion into large pieces, fry in oil for 10 mins until soft. Add tikka paste, then add frozen pieces. Add peas and tomato paste, mix all together and put lid on, turn heat down to medium and cook until the pieces are cooked through – around 15 mins in total. Along with some wild rice, it was delicious!
Enjoy x
Veggie lasagne is one of those dishes I’ve struggled to get right. Which really bothered me, as it’s one of my favourite things to eat – the combination of tomatoey bolognese, white sauce, pasta and cheesy topping… I could eat it every day. My own […]
(Updated Oct 2021) Back in the mists of time (4 years ago?) when I decided to become veggie, people couldn’t stop telling me that I was mad, because I wouldn’t be able to eat bacon any more. Oh but what about bacon, they’d wail, as […]
Hello lovelies – it’s been a long old time since I last wrote on this little green blog. What with The Situation going on at the moment, I’m flip-flopping between being paralysed with fear about everything, and sitting in an idiotic state of Zen. Today, my zen state demanded I write something on here, so I wanted to tell everyone about the literal best thing I’ve discovered in my quest to be more environmentally-friendly: reusable period items.
“Oh no”, I hear you complain – “I tried that damn Mooncup, it didn’t work for me, I felt like I had an egg cup in my minge”. But AHA – SO DID I, friends, which is why I’m writing about the bestest ever alternative – washable sanitary pads.
When I first happened upon them, I was unsure. They looked bulky, I was worried they’d smell, and the thought of washing out blood from them was something I was not very keen on. However, after reading a few reviews, I settled on these Floating Lotus pads – they’re black, rather than the “children’s pyjama” colours a lot of reusable pads seem to come in, for starters. They’re made in the UK too, and the comments on Amazon (I know, I know) seemed really encouraging. They’re made in Warwickshire, came in brown card packaging (no plastic!), and are vegan too.
The proof is in the using, of course, and I have to say that I’m a complete convert now. They don’t smell, at all, they hold a LOT of blood (they come in different sizes, so you don’t always have to wear a huge one), and while they are bulkier than normal disposable pads, they’re much comfier. They don’t chafe at the sides of your pants, or get sweaty, or feel wet, really, at all. Both me and my partner have used them for six months now, and I wouldn’t ever switch back, unless I was somewhere that made washing them difficult (after wearing, you rinse out in the bath or in a sink, then wash as normal in the machine). I was worried about using them while out and about, but as long as you’re in a toilet with a sink, and remember your wet bag (which they come with), it’s no hassle at all. Not that we can go anywhere at the moment, but still, it’s nice to dream!
This isn’t a sponsored post, I’ve just been so happy with these that I felt I needed to share – and maybe break a bit of the stigma around finding Mooncups uncomfortable to use. I felt like I was failing at my “green credentials” a bit by not being happy using a Mooncup or similar, but these washable pads are a brilliant alternative. So if you find yourself wanting to reduce the amount of waste you throw away during that special (awful) time of the month, give these a go!
Char x
Lardons. There, I said it. One of the most difficult-to-replicate meat products is bacon, specifically meat in a chunky, smoked format. Quorn does a mediocre job with their frozen bacon strips (they look like insoles and taste like them too), and most supermarket own-brand offerings […]
Reducing the amount of plastic we use in our everyday lives has become a bit of a crusade for me. I’ve reduced most of our cosmetics (shampoo, soap etc) to bar form, went to the zero-waste shop, and I try to take a re-useable coffee […]
Hello friends! Today’s veggie breakfast was an unexpected treat – having originally planned to eat at Ironworks around the corner, we were disappointed when, after waiting an hour, we were told the kitchen had lost our order! We weren’t happy, so left in search of a less busy place for brunch on a Saturday afternoon. A quick google produced Buttermilk & Maple, a restaurant attached to the Mercure hotel on Welsh Back, right next to the river.
I’ve eaten in restaurants attached to hotels before, and to be honest, they’ve all been mostly-ok, but nothing exciting or memorable. At this point however, we were starving, so after seeing a veggie breakfast option on the menu, we took a seat. We were immediately welcomed by a lovely host and had our orders taken, cups of tea brought out (all within 5 minutes of arriving).
A few minutes later we were presented with a fantastic-looking pile of roasted vegetables, whole meal toast, poached eggs and baked beans. Our earlier dismissiveness turned to joy – everything was delicious! Grilled aubergine, red onion, tomato, courgette and a massive flat mushroom – not your typical breakfast! Everything was tasty, well-seasoned, and the eggs were cooked perfectly.
They also seem to have a policy of only employing beautiful people as staff – well done ?
It wasn’t the cheapest, at £8.90 each, plus drinks, but I’d definitely go back.
Buttermilk & Maple gets a hearty 4/5!
Things have been a bit quiet on the Bristol Veggie Breakfast Guide front recently (moving house again, illnesses and life getting in the way) but I’m happy to report we’re back on track! On a slightly hungover Saturday morning, we took a trip over to […]
