July menu

Another month is on us already! I'm positive each month goes by more quickly.

This months menu is full of summer flavours and hopefully my garden produce! My courgettes are all in flower and baby courgettes are starting to grow, I'm run over with broad beans (yum) and my spinach has gone berserk!

Once again July is full of weird and wonderful celebrations and most of the recipes I post will have a healthy angle as I've started my get fit regime. Don't get me wrong I'm not unfit as I have Marco a very energetic border collie who I love to pieces, and he loves his walks. He also loves football and as soon as I get home from work he's ready for a quick game. He would make an excellent goalie.

After a quick kick about I've been changing into my running gear and off we go running, which he loves. There's a knack to running with a dog and at first he was always getting under my feet but he's learning to run next to me rather than in front of me now! I've not been going far (slowly slowly catchy monkey) nor every day as I want to keep it up. I try and go out every other day and build up the distance slowly, so as not to be put off. It's working so far, OK it's only been a week but I seem to be enjoying it, which seems weird should I be? Even better Marco is loving it and he's actually getting tired and wanting to go to bed earlier, which is so cute. Last night he kept nudging me as he wanted to go to bed!

I hope you have a fun packed July, full of laughter and good times...............

July Vegan Swap Box - What I Received

I suppose this post is better late than never! If you're a regular reader you will know that I have taken a rest from blogging over the last few weeks, read why, here.

Unfortunately that meant that I never got round to blogging about my June Vegan Swap box from Heather in Manchester, which is a dire shame as it was fabulous. It really was like having a birthday present as Heather had included balloons. These came in handy for Marco's first birthday party! Yes I know a birthday party for a dog - so what?

In Heather's swap box were loads of yummy goodies and included:

• Dried chillis from the Cool Chilli Company
• Walkers Sweet Chilli Peanuts
• The Delicatessen Sweet Chilli Jelly from Tesco
• Hoisin Stirfry Sauce from the Co-op
• Unicorn Gravy Mix
• Unicorn Sesame Sticks
• Unicorn Garlic Sticks
• Nakd Cherry Raisins
• Nakd Strawberry Crunch
• Nakd Cocoa Orange
• Happy Kitchen Pecan Brownie
• Pukka Tea Bag - Peppermint and Liquorice
• Pukka Tea Bag - Relax
• Oralet Tea Bag - Traditional
• Oralet Tea Bag - Earl Grey
• Kiwi spoon

What a box! I've heard lots about the Cool Chilli Company and I can't  wait to see them at the London vegfest, which I'm so hoping to go to this year. Especially since I missed out on the Brighton and Bristol vegfests!

The Walkers Sweet Chilli Peanuts were the first to be devoured, and that was just after I'd taken the photographs. I'm ashamed to say it but later that night I started the sesame sticks too. I did hold off eating them all in one go though although they didn't last the week! The garlic sticks were also yummy and these were devoured on a camping trip in Dorset whilst playing cards - Cribbage. 

I absolutely love the Strawberry Crunch Nakd bar it is without doubt my favourite one, closely followed by the cocoa orange flavour which was my favourite until the Strawberry Crunch came out! Both of these along with the Nakd cherry raisins were eaten as work snacks but not in the same day of course. That would be a bit piggy! 

I used the sweet chilli jam in a stir fry believe it or not, hubby actually said it was the best stir fry I had cooked him, he's not a great lover of stir fry's full stop! It's just a shame that I didn't write down what I did or what I used! It was a make up as you go along tea which a lot of my cooking is. Sometimes they turn out well and other times the bin (or compost heap) gets the food! On this occasion we were both so hungry that I didn't even have pen and paper at the ready let alone write down what I was doing! Oh well, it's a recipe that I shall have to try and recreate one day and post here.

I've yet to try the gravy browning, pecan brownie and the peppermint and liquorice tea, but give me time and they will all be tried.

You can read about what I sent my swap box partner, Miss Chaela-Boo on her blog, she has given me an awesome write up. Thanks Miss Chaela-Boo!

You really must check out her blog, her paintings are fabulous. 

Vegan Mofo is only around the corner and a quick update on the bean front. I have harvested yet more beans from my garden this morning, they keep on coming . . .