Reviews – Page 6 – Bit of the Good Stuff

Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free Book Review & Raw Frosted Lemon Poppy Seed Squares Recipe

Published on November 1, 2013 by Sharon16 Comments

September saw the launch of Ricki Heller’s much anticipated Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free, featuring the most incredible array of scrumptious desserts that just so happen to be vegan and allergy-friendly!

Ricki’s blog was one of the first food blogs that I came across when I set up Bit of the Good Stuff back in 2011, and she has been a constant source of inspiration to me. Through her blog, ebooks and magazine articles, she’s demonstrated time and again how dietary restrictions, allergies, or the desire to eat healthily, doesn’t mean that we have to miss out on dessert, or settle for one that tastes second rate. Ricki’s desserts are visually beautiful, taste amazing, plus they’re packed with nutrients and healthy goodness! Ricki is certainly one of the most creative recipe developers I’ve ever come across.

In Naturally Sweet and Gluten Free, Ricki shares with us her vast knowledge of healthy ingredients and baking techniques, as well as tips on how to substitute ingredients. The book’s opening chapter is a great introduction to the world of gluten and allergy-free cooking, and provides lots of useful information including:

♥ Tips on working with gluten free flours
♥ Unrefined sweeteners and the subtle differences between them
♥ Natural egg substitutes
♥ Healthy fats and oils
♥ Non dairy milk alternatives

The following chapters feature one hundred fabulous recipes (most of which are accompanied by beautiful photographs, courtesy of Celine Saki), split into:

♥ Breakfast Bakes (and toppings for pancakes & waffles)
♥ Cookies, Squares & Bars
♥ Cakes, Cupcakes, Toppings & Frostings
♥ Cheesecakes, Pies, Tarts & Puddings
♥ Raw & No Bake Treats

All the recipes contain whole foods and are free of gluten, eggs, dairy and cane sugar. Many are also corn-free, soy-free and nut-free (or provide substitute options).

Recipe Testing!
This week, I’ve had the opportunity to try two of Ricki’s recipes, and both were amazing! First up, I made her Easiest Almond Cookies. This is the perfect title for these cookies as they couldn’t be easier to make!

My family absolutely loved the flavour and texture of these cookies, and since they’re almost entirely made of almonds, they were super filling too.These cookies proved to be the perfect snack to sustain us during our half-term holiday road trips. If you’d like to try them for yourselves, you’ll find the recipe in Angela Liddon’s review post here (along with some absolutely stunning photographs of Angela’s home baking!)

The second recipe I tried was Ricki’s Raw Frosted Lemon-Poppy Seed Squares. When I first opened Ricki’s book, this is the recipe that immediately jumped out of me. I adore raw desserts and lemony flavoured sweets, so this sounded like my ultimate treat! Raw desserts are so easy to make – it’s just a case of whizzing the ingredients in a food processor then chilling or freezing them. You don’t have to worry about oven temperatures and cooking times. With raw desserts, pretty much nothing can go wrong!

I absolutely adored these lemony treats, as did the rest of my family. I followed Ricki’s recipes pretty closely, making only a couple of minor substitutions – using coconut sugar in the base and frosting, instead of stevia (I really liked the flecks of caramel colour that the sugar left in the frosting!)

While I usually make my frostings with cashew cream, I was pleasantly surprised how well this coconut oil-based frosting turned out. Lil’ L commented on how much he loved it too! For those of you that are new to using coconut oil, or have read mixed reviews concerning its health benefits, check out Kathy Hester’s review of Naturally Sweet and Gluten-Free, in which Ricki shares her views on coconut oil, as well as her delicious Grain Free Autumn Fruit Crumble recipe.

I’ve stashed some of my Raw Frosted Lemon-Poppy Seed Squares in the freezer, so that we can dip into them as and when we fancy a treat. I’m sure it won’t be long though until they’re all gone and I’ll be making a second batch. I have no problems with my family tucking into these treats though as they’re packed with goodness 🙂

Here’s Ricki’s recipe, which I’ve reproduced with kind permission from Sellers Publishing.

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Raw Frosted Lemon-Poppy Seed Squares

Makes about 1 dozen

Ingredients

For the base:
2 heaping TBSP ground chia seeds (from about 1 TBSP whole seeds)
1 cup (165 g) natural raw skin-on almonds, preferably organic
¾ cup (115 g) natural raw cashews
Pinch fine sea salt
2 tsp grated lemon zest (about 1 large lemon), preferably organic, divided in half
Juice of 1 lemon, preferably organic, divided in half
2 TBSP agave nectar or yacon syrup
15 to 20 drops pure plain or vanilla stevia liquid, or to taste*
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Up to 1 TBSP water, if needed
2 TBSP poppy seeds

For the frosting:
Heaping ¼ cup (70 ml) ground chia seeds (from about 2 TBSP whole seeds)
1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut oil, at room temperature, preferably organic
1 TBSP raw smooth cashew or macadamia butter, at room temperature**
Reserved lemon zest (from making base, above)
Reserved lemon juice (from making base, above)
15 to 20 drops pure plain or vanilla stevia liquid, or to taste*

For the garnish (optional):
Extra grated lemon zest (from an additional lemon)
Extra poppy seeds

* I used a sprinkling of coconut sugar instead of stevia
** I used raw almond butter

Instructions

Make the base: Line a regular loaf pan*** with plastic wrap. Set aside.

Combine the chia, almonds, cashews, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture looks like a fairly fine meal (no pieces of almond should be visible).

In a small bowl, mix together half of the lemon zest, half of the lemon juice (about 2 TBSP), the agave nectar, stevia, and vanilla until everything is well combined. Pour the lemon-juice mixture over the dry ingredients in the processor and blend until it comes together in what looks like a sticky dough (if it’s too dry, add up to 1 TBSP water). Sprinkle with the poppy seeds and pulse just until they are incorporated.

Turn the base into the prepared loaf pan and, using wet hands or a silicone spatula, press it down firmly and evenly. Place the pan in the fridge while you prepare the frosting.

*** I used an 8” x 4” loaf pan and my squares weren’t as high as Ricki’s. Next time I’ll use a slightly smaller pan.

Make the frosting: In the bowl of a food processor or using a hand blender, blend the chia, coconut oil, nut butter, reserved lemon zest, reserved lemon juice (you should have about 2 TBSP), and stevia until perfectly smooth. The mixture may liquefy as the coconut oil melts; this is fine.

Frost and unmold: Pour the frosting over the base in the pan and swirl the top. If desired, sprinkle with additional lemon zest and poppy seeds to garnish. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. (Tip: If the frosting is too liquid to hold a shape when you first pour it over the base, refrigerate about 15 minutes until it firms up a bit, and then add any swirls that you like.) Once the top is firm, fold the plastic wrap over it to cover.

To unmold, peel back the plastic on top and invert onto a cutting board; turn right-side-up and cut into 12 or more pieces (they should be relatively small). Serve immediately; store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. May be frozen. Defrost in refrigerator.

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I’m on a mission to work my way through all 100 of Ricki’s recipes (it could take me a while!) Next up it’s going to be her Chocolate Pecan Pie. It looks so good!

If you’d like to try more of Ricki’s recipes, her book is now a vailable to purchase in the UK. The Book Depository is currently selling her book for £9.37, which is a great price for this very substantial, 224-page full colour book.

Baking Gluten and Sugar Free
If you already bake gluten-free, you’ll know that recipes often call for a mix of gluten-free flours and a binder. Many of these ingredients are now available in larger supermarkets and health food stores in the UK, though they’re often easier (and cheaper) to purchase online. My favourite online UK stockists for these products can be found below.

Ricki avoids the use of cane sugar and other high GI sweeteners in her recipes, so all her desserts are suitable for those following a low sugar or anticandida diet. One of her favourite natural sweeteners is pure stevia, which is available in powder form or as a liquid suspension. UK supermarkets sell ‘stevia sweeteners’, but these are combined with fillers such as maltodextrin and aren’t equivalent to pure stevia. Below, I’ve listed stockists of pure stevia that are available to UK residents.

UK Stockists for Ricki’s Gluten-Free and Sugar-Free Recipes

– Healthy Supplies has a great range of gluten-free flours, coconut palm sugar, coconut nectar syrup and virgin coconut oils

– The Glastonbury-based Earthfare Natural & Organic Store has an online delivery service that’s great for bulk buying items such as chia seeds, psyllium husks and pure stevia leaf powder.

– I buy Essential Virgin Coconut Oil from Harvest in Bath, but it’s also available from Amazon UK and other online stores.

– Xanthan Gum and agave nectar are available from Asda, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Ocado

– NuNaturals Pure Stevia liquid is available to purchase from Amazon UK, but it’s a bit pricey (£13). I’ve ordered mine from the US store IHerb, where it costs $9.91 (£6.61). If you’re a first time customer to IHerb, you can get $5 off your first order with the code RTM144. To avoid paying customs charges, make sure that your order comes to less than £15, weighs less than 4lbs and you choose Global Priority Mail by DHL. The average delivery time is 10 days (mine arrived within 14 days). I’ve combined 2 bottles in the same order, which should last me a very long time!

To connect with the lovely Ricki Heller, you can visit her website and follow her on Twitter or Facebook ♥

Kathy Hester’s Pumpkin Coconut Caramel Sauce & Vegan Slow Cooking Book Giveaway!

Published on October 15, 2013 by Sharon77 Comments

Say hello to the latest addition to my household…

yes, it’s yet another gadget for my ever growing collection of kitchen appliances!

I wasn’t intending to buy a slow cooker, but I was recently sent a copy of newly published Vegan Slow Cooking For Two – Or – Just For You by Kathy Hester (best selling author of The Vegan Slow Cooker and the Healthy Slow Cooking blog). I did warn the publishers that I didn’t own a slow cooker, but they sent me a copy anyway. Maybe they knew what would happen 😉

Before reading Kathy’s book, I always thought slow cookers were for cooking stews and casseroles. However, Kathy has totally blown my preconceived ideas out the water. She seems to cook everything in her slow cookers – porridge, fondues, dips, tapenades, pasta, baked potatoes. She even has a recipe for a full Thanksgiving dinner that’s cooked in just one slow cooker pot!

Kathy describes these as ‘Breakfast Burritos’ but I’d happily eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Kathy’s latest book is specifically designed for single and couple households, and includes over 100 recipes for the smaller 1.5 litre slow cookers. The majority of the recipes take 7-9 hours, so you can quickly prep the ingredients in the morning, then come back from work to find your dinner ready and waiting for you. The breakfasts also take 7-9 hours, so you can switch the slow cooker on before bed, then wake up to a warm bowl of ready-made porridge.

Kathy’s recipes are simple to follow and she provides soy-free, gluten-free and oil-free options for each meal. Most of the ingredients she uses are easy to purchase in the UK. There are a few recipes that call for ingredients such as vital wheat gluten flour or liquid smoke, but these are available from online stores, including Amazon.

After reading Kathy’s book, I couldn’t resist ordering a slow cooker so that I could try out her recipes for myself. The idea of slow cooking on days when we have after-school activities especially appeals to me. When we get back home, rather than having to start cooking (and invariably eating late into the evening), dinner will be ready and waiting for us. We won’t even need to warm it up!

On my study class night, I’m usually rushing around at the last moment, trying to get dinner cooked for the boys and grabbing a quick bite for myself before running out the door, but not this week! I spent 10 minutes in the morning prepping the ingredients for a curry based on Kathy’s Navratan Korma recipe and threw the ingredients in the slow cooker. Dinner was sorted! It was delicious too!

Last Friday, I made another of Kathy’s recipes and, this time, I chose something from the ‘Sweet Treats’ section… Pumpkin Coconut Caramel Sauce. As soon as I read the ingredient list I knew that I was going to love this sauce. It includes some of my all-time favourite spices – cinnamon and cardamom – and with the addition of pureed pumpkin, it has got to be the perfect sauce for this season.

Kathy recommends that the sauce be cooked on low for 7-9 hours but I just couldn’t wait that long to try it, so I cooked it on medium/high for 3 hours instead.

And the verdict? This sauce is scrumptious! After testing it, Lil’ L declared it to be “very Autumny!”

In the mornings, we’ve been stirring a couple of tablespoons of the sauce into our porridge/oatmeal. It’s warming, sweet and, for me, it’s the most perfect porridge flavouring for this season.

We’ve also been enjoying the sauce in our apple & yoghurt compotes for dessert.

The recipe quantity yields 3 cups of sauce. Kathy tells me that the sauce will keep about a week in the fridge, so I’ve frozen half of it in ice cube trays. That way we can be enjoying the sauce for the next couple of months (and it will stop me from devouring the whole lot in one go 😉 )

Here’s Kathy’s recipe, reproduced with permission from Fair Winds Press:

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Pumpkin Coconut Caramel Sauce (Soy-free / Gluten-free / Oil-free)

Kathy says:”This rich, gooey sauce embodies fall. It’s lightly spiced and perfect in a cup of coffee. But don’t limit yourself – try it on vegan ice cream, dip cookies into it, or stir a bit into your morning oatmeal.”

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 7 to 9 hours
Yield: 3 cups (700 ml)

Ingredients
1 can (13.5 oz / 400ml) full-fat coconut milk
1 cup (225 g) packed brown sugar (I used coconut sugar)
1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom*
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice (I used mixed spice instead)
pinch cloves (omitted, as I used mixed spice)

*Ground cardamom isn’t readily available in UK supermarkets. I’ve heard that freshly ground cardamom is the best anyhow, so I grind my own. I simply remove the cardamom seeds from the pods, lightly toast them for 2-3 minutes until they are fragrant, then pulse them in a grinder into a fine powder. 1 tablespoon of cardamom pods makes about 1.5 teaspoons of ground spice. I store the spice in a glass jar in the fridge.

Method

Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. Store in the fridge and use a few teaspoons (15-20 ml) in your hot or iced coffee.

Per 2-tablespoon (28ml) serving: 42.9 calories; 0.5g total fat; 0.4g saturated fat; 0.2g protein; 13.1g carbohydrate; 0.4g dietary fiber; 0mg cholesterol

Products I used
– Chaokoh Coconut Milk, from the World Food aisle at Tesco. I like this brand as it doesn’t contain any strange preservatives, thickeners or E numbers.
– Coconut sugar, available from online stores, including Elements for Life and Amazon
– Libby’s 100% Pumpkin Purée, purchased from Waitrose

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GIVEAWAY TIME!

Are you already a fan of slow cooking? Or, like me, are you a newbie that’s intrigued to try it out? Either way, Kathy’s latest book is bound to give you lots of inspiration. Would you like to check it out for yourself? If so, I’m very pleased to tell you that the publishers have kindly offered me a second copy to give away 🙂

The main way to enter the giveaway is to leave me a comment below, answering the question featured in the Rafflecopter. Do make sure you tick the box in the Rafflecopter to register that you have done so!

If you’re new to Rafflecopter, it’s pretty easy! You simply ‘log in’ by clicking the ‘Use Your Email’ button and entering a name and email address (which won’t be published anywhere) or you can log in via the Facebook button. A quick demo of how to use Rafflecopter can be accessed via this link.

There are a number of additional ways you can enter in order to increase your chances of winning. You will find these listed in the Rafflecopter. All entries will be verified prior to the winner being selected.

The giveaway is open to residents (aged 18 and over) living in the UK, USA & Canada

The closing date is Thursday, 31^st October 2013 at midnight GMT.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck everyone!

Please note: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links – if you click on the link and purchase something I will receive a small percentage from Amazon which will goes towards the development of Bit of the Good Stuff. Thanks in advance!

World Food Cafe Review & Giveaway plus a Japanese Vegetable Curry Recipe

Published on September 27, 2013 by Sharon31 Comments

Recently, I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of the new World Food Cafe book, which launched this month.

This cook book is a compilation of vegetarian recipes that Chris and Carolyn Caldicott collected during their latest travel adventures to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Chile, Cuba, Japan, Laos, Helsinki & Lapland, Namibia, Syria and Vietnam!

Whether it’s crispy rice cakes from Laos, vegetable stew with an avocado and red onion salsa from Cuba or an iced rooibos sundowner from Namibia, every recipe has been carefully conceived to be quick and easy to make at home.

Each chapter focuses on a particular country and includes stunning photography and anecdotes from their travels, alongside descriptions of the countries’ cuisine and a selection of the authors’ favourite recipes. It’s a truly beautiful read!

I’m a huge fan of world cuisine and have already tried (and loved!) two recipes from the book, and bookmarked plenty more for the weeks to come. I need to tweak the recipes a little to suit my family’s tastes (as I do with most recipes!) but this won’t be a problem at all.

One of the first recipes that caught my eye was the Okayama Vegetable Curry in the chapter on Japan. While I often make curries at home, I’d never tried Japanese curry before. I was intrigued to find out what it tasted like.

There was one key ingredient in this curry that I knew would make its flavour distinct to other curries and that was Star Anise. This pretty star-shaped spice has a very striking flavour, similar to aniseed. In the UK, you’ll find it on the herbs and spice aisle of major supermarkets.

The authors explain that Japanese curry sauces are like a Roux, made with butter and flour. I opted to go down a slightly less authentic route and thicken my sauce with cornstarch in order to make it low fat and 100% plant-based. I also cut down on the amount of curry powder and garam masala to make it a suitable level of heat for Lil’ L.

I wasn’t sure what Lil’ L would make of this curry as it tastes so different to any curry he’s had before. I’m pleased to report that it received a thumbs up from him. He absolutely loved it! 🙂

We’ll definitely be making this curry again. Next time round, I’ll make a big batch of the curry sauce in advance and freeze it. That way, whenever we feel like a Japanese curry, it’ll just be a case of cooking the rice and steaming the veggies. Easy!

Here’s how I made it:

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Japanese Okayama Vegetable Curry (Dairy-free / Gluten-free / Vegan)

(adapted from World Food Café)

If you try this curry sauce and like it, I highly recommend making a big batch next time round and freezing it in portions. That way, whenever you fancy a curry, all you’ll need to do is prepare some rice, steam some veggies, heat up the sauce and you’re good to go!

I’ve made this curry mild enough for children, but feel free to crank up the heat!

Serves 4
Hands-on time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes Ready in: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Curry Sauce:
½ TBSP olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2.5cm / 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 large eating apple, finely grated
2 tsp curry powder (use mild for children)
½ – 1 tsp garama masala (use lesser amount for children)
1 TBSP tomato purée
2 TBSP tamari sauce (or shoyu/soy sauce)
1 tsp sugar
1 litre / 1¾ pints vegetable stock
3 bay leaves
2 star anise
2 TBSP cornflour (cornstarch)
½ cup soya milk (or other non dairy milk), optional

Rice:
1½ cups easy cook brown rice

Vegetables & beans:
500g / 17½ oz mixed vegetables (to save on prep time, I use a mix of frozen veg – cauliflower, broccoli, sweetcorn, peas, carrot sticks, edamame beans, plus a fresh red bell pepper and handful of sugarsnap peas).
160g / 5½ oz marinated tofu pieces (e.g. Cauldron) (or substitute with ½ cup cashews)

Method

Prepare the sauce:
Brush the bottom of a pan with oil and cook the onion until it starts to soften. Add the garlic, ginger, apple, curry powder and garam masala, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée, tamari sauce, sugar and stock. Add the bay leaves and star anise. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and star anise, and allow to cool slightly. Blend smooth using an immersion (stick) blender.

Return the pan to the hob. Mix the cornflour with a little water to form a paste, then stir it into the sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring regularly until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick gravy. Taste test and add more sweetener, if needed. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

For a hotter curry sauce, first remove any childrens’ portions then add a touch of cayenne pepper or more garam masala, to taste.

To make a creamy sauce, stir in ½ cup of non dairy milk.

This sauce will keep up to five days in the refrigerator or for weeks in the freezer.

Prepare the rice:
While the sauce is simmering, prepare the rice. Place the rice in a sieve and rinse under cold running water. In a large saucepan, combine the rice with 3 cups of boiling water. Boil rapidly, uncovered for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to very low, cover with a tight fitting lid, and gently simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

Prepare the vegetables:
When the sauce is nearly ready, steam the vegetables and tofu until heated through.

Assemble and serve:
Use a small bowl to shape the rice into single servings. Pour some curry sauce around the rice and spoon the steamed vegetables and tofu on top.

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This recipe has been submitted to Ricki Heller’s #WellnessWeekend

Products used in this recipe:
Clearspring Organic Tamari Sauce, purchased from the world food section of Waitrose (this is a gluten-free soy sauce)
Waitrose Organic Frozen Vegetable Mix
Cauldron Organic Marinated Tofu pieces, purchased from the chilled aisle in Waitrose

World Food Cafe Quick and Easy: Recipes from a Vegetarian Journey is by Chris and Carolyn Caldicott and published by Frances Lincoln.

International readers, please note that the ingredients in this cookbook are measured in grams/ounces and not in cups.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Would you like to check out the new World Food Cafe book for yourselves? Well, I’m delighted to tell you that the publishers have kindly offered a copy to give away to you, my lovely readers ♥

The main way to enter the giveaway is to leave me a comment below, answering the question featured in the Rafflecopter below. Make sure you tick the box in the Rafflecopter to register that you have done so!

If you’re new to Rafflecopter, you can access a quick demo via this link. It’s pretty easy… you simply ‘log in’ by entering a name and email address (which won’t be published anywhere) or via Facebook, then you follow the instructions.

This giveaway is open to UK residents (sorry international readers!)

The closing date is Sunday 20th October 2013 at midnight GMT.

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please note: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links – if you click on the link and purchase something I will receive a small percentage from Amazon which will goes towards the development of Bit of the Good Stuff. Thanks in advance!

Vegan MoFo and Vegan Comfort Food Book Giveaway!

Published on September 16, 2013 by Sharon62 Comments

It’s September!

And this month we’re celebrating Vegan MoFo 😀

For those of you that are new to this shindig, Vegan MoFo is a month-long event where bloggers are challenged to write as much as they possibly can about vegan food. The signed-up bloggers aim to blog at least 20 times during the month. That’s a serious amount of cooking and writing to squeeze into the working day! Just read a few of their posts though, and you’ll soon feel their enthusiasm and passion for vegan cooking. It’s contagious I can tell you!

There are literally hundreds of bloggers taking part in this event, and I was really pleased to see that some of my favourites have signed up, including Emma from Coconut & Berries. She’s only been blogging for a couple of months but the array of foods she’s created so far is astounding!

These days, I’m lucky if I manage to blog 10 times a month, so I clearly wasn’t going to be a contender for this year’s Vegan MoFo. However, I do want to champion this great event in my own small way. As well as blogging some of my favourite recipes this month, I also be reviewing new cookbooks and running giveaways.

Last month, I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of Home-Cooked Vegan Comfort Food by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman. With the summer drawing to a close and the evenings starting to get dark and chilly, I’m already starting to think about cooking more warming, comfort meals, so this cookbook has definitely come along at the right time!

In this cookbook, the authors have a specific mission in mind – they want to help you to win over your meat-loving family members and friends by sharing their “secret weapon” recipes 😉 In the main meal section, dishes include ‘Barbecue Ribs’, ‘Sweet and Sour Meatballs’, ‘Slow Cooker Russian Chicken’ and ‘Beefy-Cheesy Mac’. The authors have managed to ‘veganize’ dishes that I never dreamt possible!

While the cookbook is American, the measurements have been given in grams as well as cups, which is helpful. However, a number of the recipes do call for ingredients that aren’t readily available in our UK supermarkets, such as tempeh, seitan, vital wheat gluten flour and liquid smoke. Local health food stores may stock these products, otherwise they can easily be purchased online, including from Amazon.

So who would this book appeal to? In my opinion, it’s best suited to vegans that already know their way round products like tempeh and seitan, and enjoy eating vegan meat substitutes. It could also come in very handy when your meat-loving friends and family are popping over for dinner. Or maybe your partner is one of those ‘die hard’ meat eaters and you want to start sharing meals with them rather than eating separately all the time. There are literally hundreds of recipes in the book to inspire you!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Are you intrigued by the sound of this book? Would you like to check it out for yourself? Well, the publishers have kindly given me a second copy to give away on my blog 😀

I’m running this giveaway using Rafflecopter as it makes the administration so much easier, plus it gives you plenty more chances of winning! If you’re new to Rafflecopter, you can access a quick demo via this link. It’s pretty easy… you simply ‘log in’ by entering a name and email address (which won’t be published anywhere) or via Facebook, then you follow the instructions.

The main way to enter the giveaway is to leave me a comment below, answering the question featured in the Rafflecopter. Make sure you tick the box in the Rafflecopter to register that you have done so!

The giveaway is open to residents in the UK, USA and Canada

The closing date is Monday 30th September 2013 at midnight GMT.

Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please note: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links – if you click on the link and purchase something I will receive a small percentage from Amazon which will goes towards the development of Bit of the Good Stuff. Thanks in advance!

Gromit Spotting, Street Art & Lunch at Roll for the Soul in Bristol

Published on September 6, 2013 by Sharon17 Comments

Hi everyone! I’ve finally made it back to blogging world!

I hope you’ve all had a fantastic summer ♥

After a refreshing break, I’m very happy to be back ‘plugged’ in. I’m really looking forward to catching up with you! I’ve got lots to share this month, including some exciting giveaways and yummy recipes, but I thought I’d kick start my return to blogging by sharing some pics of one of my favourite family days out this summer.

I’m not sure whether my international friends will have heard about Wallace and Gromit, but they are the most endearing couple that feature in a series of stop-motion comedy films, created by Nick Park at the Aardman Animations Studios in Bristol.

Gromit Spotting 8 — ‘Isambark Kingdog Brunel’ by Tim Miness

This summer, 80 Gromits were ‘unleashed‘ on the streets of Bristol and surrounding area. The 5ft tall Gromits were individually designed and named by famous artists and celebrities.

Gromit Spotting 6 — ‘Where’s Wallace?’ by Martin Handford

While the trail finishes this Sunday (8th September), from the 18th to 22nd September, all 80 Gromits will be on display at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) in Clifton, Bristol. They will then be auctioned in October to raise money for the Bristol Children’s Hospital ♥

Gromit Spotting 5 — ‘TutanGromit’ by Dale Evans

The trail has been hugely popular with people of all ages. And what a fantastic way to encourage kids to go walking! I reckon we must have spent over 4 hours walking round the streets of Bristol, but Lil’ L was far too busy Gromit spotting to notice. Every time he spotted one, he photographed it, checked it off on his trail map, then he was straight onto the next one!

Gromit Spotting 4 — ‘Lancelot’ by Paul Smith

We ended up spotting about 25 Gromits, so there are still plenty more to discover. If we don’t make it over to Bristol this weekend, we’ll definitely have to go and see the display at the RWA at the end of the month.

Gromit Spotting 7 — ‘Poetry in Motion’ by Joanna Lumley OBE

In addition to the Gromits, we also enjoyed spotting all the amazing street art in Bristol. I just love wandering round the streets taking it all in. Every time we visit, we seem to stumble upon new pieces.

This visit, we also stumbled across this fantastic vegetarian community cafe called ‘Roll for the Soul‘, which promotes cycling (it even has a bike workshop upstairs).

I don’t think there could have been a more fitting place for us to have lunch! It was awesome! A large proportion of the food served at the cafe is vegan too 🙂

This time, all three of us chose the falafel wraps. They were HUGE, perfect for hungry cyclists (and Gromit spotters) and very tasty indeed. I can’t wait to go back again to try their soul burgers and vegan cakes. Maybe if I cycle across to Bristol I’ll have a big enough appetite to fit it all in 😉

All in all, it was a fantastic family day out. One that I’ll treasure forever ♥

Do you have any community or not-for-profit veggie cafes where you live? If so, I’d love to hear about them.

p.s. Thank you Lil’ L for allowing me to share your Gromit and street art pics. They’re awesome!

New Stuff I’m Loving – August 2013

Published on August 8, 2013 by Sharon11 Comments

I love trying out new products, especially if they fall into the ‘healthy lifestyle’ category. Today, I thought I’d share six new-to-me products that I’m currently loving ♥

1. Tropicana Essentials Calcium
This 100% squeezed smooth orange juice has been fortified with calcium, with a 200ml glass providing 31% of the calcium RDA. This is such an easy way to boost our calcium intake! I give a glass to Lil’ L every morning with his breakfast, sometimes mixed in with the Tropicana Magnesium (a five fruit blend which we’re also loving!) In the UK, these juices are available in Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. I just can’t believe it took me this long to discover them!

2. Carley’s Organic Raw White Almond Butter
I discovered the Carley’s of Cornwall range of organic nut and seed butters and chocolate spreads in our local Harvest health food store in Bath. Lil’ L’s current favourite is the Organic Raw White Almond Butter. He loves it slathered on wholegrain toast or bagels, especially when he’s fuelling up before his Kung Fu lessons! I haven’t had direct contact with Carley’s yet, but it sounds like an interesting company. They’re currently converting buildings at a disused ochre and tin mine in Cornwall into an eco-friendly, zero-carbon, zero-waste factory. Sounds like a very interesting project! A list of Carley’s stockists can be found on their website.

3. Clarks ‘Fruit Sweet’
I’m already a huge fan of the Clarks range of maple syrups, so I was delighted when they sent me a bottle of their new carob fruit syrup to try. This sweetener is derived from the sugars of the Mediterranean carob fruit. It has a low glycemic index and 25% less calories than sugar. It’s great for anyone who wants to control their sugar intake, and is suitable for diabetics.
I love this syrup’s subtle fruity flavour, which I find perfect for sweetening our smoothies, stewed fruits and fruit crumbles. It’s also delicious drizzled over berry-topped porridge and overnight oats. This syrup is currently only available wholesale from Cotswold Fayre. As soon as it’s available in the shops, I’ll let you know.

4. Beyond Dark ‘Moments of Pleasure’ Chocolate Drops
I was lucky to win a box of these chocolate drops in a giveaway hosted by the lovely food blogger Nikki. They are the most superior choc chips I’ve ever tasted. They are far too good to throw into cookie dough mixture (which I did with the first packet before I’d actually tasted them!) They make a yummy treat all on their own. Since they’re 70% cocoa, I find that you only need to eat a few before you feel satiated. I’ve been enjoying them with my afternoon coffee, or while movie watching. I’ve just discovered that Beyond Dark also sell raspberry and orange flavoured chocolate drops. These are two of my favourite chocolate flavours so I can’t wait to give them a try! A list of stockists is available here.

5. Grip & Go Glass Drinking Bottles
For me, nothing beats drinking water out of a glass. I really dislike plastic water bottles and I’m not very keen on aluminum either. I find that both affect the taste of water. I recently read about the Grip and Go glass water bottles and was very keen to try one. Imagine my surprise when, a few days after reading about them, Grip and Go actually contacted me and asked if they could send me one of their bottles to review. Obviously I jumped at the chance! Their 500ml bottles have a slender middle (to make them easy to hold) and come with a funky coloured silicone grip (mine’s orange). They also have a leak-proof aluminum lid. I absolutely love my bottle! Yes, it’s a little heavier than a plastic or aluminum bottle, but it’s worth carrying the extra weight to have fresh tasting water 🙂

Grip & Go have kindly given me a code which entitles my readers to a £1 discount off their water bottles. Just enter the voucher code BOTGSAUG at the checkout. This code works on both the Grip & Go website and Amazon (there is free supersaver delivery available from Amazon).

6. Nike Pegasus Air Running Shoes
And finally, off the subject of food (for a change!) I finally got round to replacing my very loved, very old Nike Pegasus Air running shoes with a brand new pair. Check out how bright they are! If you live round Bath, you’ll definitely spot me coming! My old Nike’s were fantastic and since I hadn’t experienced any aches or pains whilst running in them, I wasn’t in a rush to change them. However, after 9 years(!), friends and family kept telling me that I really should replace them. I finally got round to it and I’m so glad I did. I can’t believe how much lighter and bouncy the new shoes are. I feel like Tigger when I run now!

So that’s some of the new stuff that I’m loving right now. How about you? Have you tried anything new recently that you’re loving? If so, I’d love to hear about it!

Please note: This post contains an Amazon Affiliate link – if you click on the link and purchase something I will receive a small percentage from Amazon which will goes towards the development of Bit of the Good Stuff. Thank you!