Sunday, 27 May 2012

Summer Asparagus Salad and Apple Juice and Lemon Balm Cooler






It has been a very busy week here at Deerly Beloved Bakery HQ and I haven't had 5 minutes to enjoy the sunshine, only complain about how hot it is in the kitchen! So I thought I would have a picnic in the garden with Kyle and get some vitamin D!
It is also asparagus season! It will be at it's best and lowest price now so go grab some, and if you can get good old Norfolk asparagus even better! (We like local huh!)
So here are a couple of supper quick and supper yummy recipes that won't keep you in the kitchen long!

Apple and Lemon Balm Cooler

I am going to do this recipe first as it is soooo delicious! Lemon balm is such an under used herb, it has a wonderful mild lemon flavour that works so well with the apple! This drink is also alcohol free, so can be enjoyed by all! And my super tip of the day is not to use ice cubes ever again, but to freeze sliced fruit or berries and add them to your drink. You will be eating more fruit (as will any kiddywinks that drink it) and it will add flavour to your drink, rather than with ice cubes that water a drink down !

Ingredients:

Organic Apple Juice
4 Mint leaves per glass
4 Lemon Balm leaves per glass
Frozen Apple slices

First of all wash your mint and lemon balm thoroughly in cold water and pop 4 leaves of each herb into your glasses. Then pour in your apple juice leaving an inch or two at the top for your apple slices. Take your frozen apple slices out of the freezer and pop 3-4 in each glass. Serve immediately!


Summer Asparagus Salad with Yoghurt Dressing.

This is such an easy salad to put together and is a great side dish for a vegan BBQ!

Ingredients:

15 Asparagus
4 cups of Baby New Potatoes
1/3 of a cut of black olives
Glug of Olive Oil
Salt
Juice of half a lemon
1 Cup of Natural Soya Yoghurt

Bring a pan of water to the boil and drop in your potatoes, cook for 20 mins until tender, then drain and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. In a bowl mix the soya yoghurt with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt, set aside. In a pan using a glug of olive oil, gently fry the asparagus for 5 mins turning every few seconds to evenly cook them, then take off the heat (you don't want to over cook them and lose their wonderful mild flavour). Place your potatoes on a serving platter and lay the hot asparagus on top and scatter the olives on too. Drizzle over the yoghurt dressing and serve immediately with crusty bread and a green salad. Yum!



Friday, 25 May 2012

My beautiful sisters birthday




Yesterday was my beautiful sisters birthday! We celebrated in her garden in the boiling sunshine we are currently having with cake, cake and more cake! I think she knows it, but she is my bestest friend in the universe and the world is a better place for having her in it. We have been through alot together from the sudden loss of our dad when we were little girls, to me being one of her home birthing partners when she had her little boy nearly three years ago (one of the most amazing and emotional experiences I have been through), and if I am mentioning her little boy I should mention her little girl Vada, (my other best friend even if she is a grump sometimes), to her being my big sis and standing up for me when people have taken me for a ride. I love you so much Welly XXX

Sunday, 20 May 2012

Victoria Bath's Fanzine Convention 2012

What a great time we had at the Fanzine Convention this year! We met up with some old friendly faces, and some new ones! We were extremely busy and even though the fair didn't end till 5pm, we only had one muffin left at 4 o'clock!
I also got to meet Miss Tea and Sympatico! It's so nice to finally meet a fellow blogger who's blog you love and follow! I did feel bad that I didn't have any thing other than a lemon and blueberry muffin to give her!
We also got to see Kyle's friends and family while we were up in Manchester, including Kyle's favourite 'person' his dog Maisie! (He loves his Maisie and misses her so much as I think the photos show!)
I would also like to say how proud I was of Kyle's comic stall. (he had a stall next to me) His comic series Silent V is so good and has taken him so long to draw. You can find out more about Kyle's comics at http://gulagcomics.livejournal.com/
Thanks to everyone who came to see us, Natalie for creating and organising this amazing event, all the other wonderful stall holders who were so friendly and interested in the bakery and vegan food, and of course Kyle for driving me all the way there and back and for Kyle's mum for feeding us lovely food after a very busy baking weekend!





































Saturday, 19 May 2012

The Vegan Woman

So a few weeks ago I was asked if I would like to contribute some recipes to The VeganWoman website !
I was so exited to be part of this amazing website I jumped at the chance! So here is my recipe for Gnocchi With Kale, Parsley and Walnut Pesto! Enjoy! http://www.theveganwoman.com/theres-a-new-pesto-in-town-gnocchi-with-kale-parsley-and-walnut-pesto/



Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Deerly Beloved Bakery Recipe Zine

♥ Exciting News ♥ To celebrate the bakery being open a year (I started the blog months earlier incase you are thinking 'hey up I thought DBB already had a birthday?'!) I have made a mini recipe zine featuring our most popular recipes from the blog! It will be 'launched' at the Victoria Bath's Fanzine Convention in Manchester this Saturday! You can also order a copy from me for £2.50 plus £1 p&p at  deerlybelovedbakeryvegan@gmail.com  (if you live outside the UK please ask me about postage costs and I will do my best to find out!)     





Wednesday, 9 May 2012

First Deerly Beloved Vegan Get Together!

Photo Rachel Stimpson
Looking nervous, Will anyone show up?
It's quite hard to spot another vegan. Coz guess what! They look like everyone else! (contrary  to popular belief!)
Yay people came! And it was lovely! 
Chat, chat, chat!
Last night was such a success! It was so lovely to meet everyone, who up to that point I had only known through Facebook! Yay to real people! It was great to chat about vegan food, recipes and future get togethers! Here's to friendship, chat and great vegan food! X