I've been a VERY naughty blogger! =/

Well I've not posted on here for SO long - I actually completely forgot about it until just! HA. So I take it that i've lost what very little reading audience I actually had now! Oh well!

What do I have to tell you? Well, quite alot, but most of it I can't remember - I've been on holiday, or Alcudia, which is in Majorca, which is in Spain...... and it was surprisingly good, apart from the fact we went self catering and EVERYTHING there costs at least £2 more than you'd pay here, so we pretty much starved all week, apart from beans on toast.

In other news, I've turned my regular laptop into a Mac, oh yes. I wondered if it could be done, and it turns out that indeed it can! woohoo! It's awesome - it runs so much better than shitty Vista!

I also met all the Chris Moyles Show team the other night, which was pretty cool. I got us on the guest list for Rockaoke with the Chris Moyles show ... and.. yeah..

I've just realised that I'm really not in a typing mood and none of this is really reading that well, so, I'll leave it - and come back and do it again ... hopefully a little sooner than 2 months! Pah.

Ideas for vegan buffet food?

Does anyone have any ideas for vegan buffet food? I'm thinking of starting a catering company but I'm actually really struggling to think of different kinds of vegan food that you could use on a buffet.

It will have to be cold because we don't have the facilities to do hot dishes.

Any ideas and suggestions would be gurrate =D

Pic form my new phone/experiment

Well i have a new phone which lets me upload pics to this blog so i thought i'd give it a go. Woooo! This is a picture i took of a random figure thing in my living room.......Exciting, isn't it.

Tikka Masala-ish recipe if anyone wants a try?!

As promised I said I would post the recipe for anyone who wanted to try it out.
Here it is..
Everything used is available from Tesco (Extra) apart from the 'chicken', although they sell their own 'Chicken Style' fillets which are made with Gardein and are REALLY good.

1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
4-5 teaspoons of Tikka Masla powder
2 teaspoons of regular curry power
2 teaspoons of cumin
2 teaspoons of garam masala
Half 400g tin of Chickpeas
Handful of Spinach
Tablespoon or so of Sunflower spread or Olive oil
2x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
Small bunch of spring (salad) onions.
3 teaspoons of Mayola
1/4 cup of Coconut milk
4 teaspoons chili power
4 tablespoons of Tomato Puree
1- 2 handfuls of Realeat 'Chicken' style pieces.

1. Chop onions, garlic, sping onions and fry them in the sunflower spread/oil for a few minutes. Add the Tika Masla curry power and the regular curry power and fry for another couple of minutes. (If it sticks and starts to burn (like it did with me!) add a bit more sunflower spread)
2. Pour the coconut milk over and stir in, fry for a while and then add the chopped tomatoes.
3. Add the rest of the spices, simmer for a few minutes, stir in about half a mug of water.
4. Add the 'chicken' style pieces.
5. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes.
6. Add Chick Peas Spinach and Tomato Puree, simmer for another 10 minutes.
7. Stir in Mayola and serve.

Give it a go.. and if you do, let me know how it comes out!
All the amounts are guesstimates because I just litereally go from what I think, so try and do the same... but it'll do as a guide!
Also, if you like Garlic, as I do you can add a good squeeze of garlic puree. YUM. =]

Best vegan curry ever!

Woop! I made a tikka masala type curry today and it was REALLY nice, I used Realeat 'chicken' and put in some chick peas too... and Spinach... and spring onions... that was just because they were reduced in Tesco, 3p for a bunch! BARGAIN!
I'll post the recipe tomorrow if anyone wants to try it for themselves, served it with the only naan breads I could find it Tesco which were actually vegan; which turned out to be the heatlhy low fat things and Hoummus, I just did the Hummus thing because I bought it and I'm not really sure what to 'do' with it......
BUT it was nice, dip naan into that and then in to curry and t'was really yummy! =]]

For dessert, I had Tofutti Mango and Passion Fruit ice cream topped with dried Cranberries and 'breakfast topping'... which is basically nuts and berries and shit. Again. Nice.

Wooop.... considering I just made it up and threw it together from random things I bought it went amazingly well. Haha.... and I have loads left over, so woot.

Jade Goody has died! =(

Well it's just been confirmed by Max Clifford that Jade has now died, I don't know when but I assume it would have been some time during the night, pretty odd that I randomly woke up at 4am this morning!

What a bad day to go aswell, on mother's day. =( Always a reminder to her mum and her sons.

But anyway, RIP Jade!

6 look-a-likes for everyone on the planet????

After finding this Facebook group it got me wondering, are there really 6 look-a-likes for every person on earth?

According to the 'experts' human beings can have around 1 billion phsyical variations and as we know, there's around 6 billion people on earth, so technically that would mean that there should be 6 people who look exactly or pretty closely alike? Do you think it works out?

It's a possibility. I've never seen anyone who looks like me, although it would be pretty fun to do so, but people have told me several times that they 'saw me' in a place where... I wasn't.
I've seen 2 people that are pretty identical to one of my friends (at least from certain angels, and if they lost/gained weight etc) and that's just in the city we live in alone, and one even in the same village (no, they're not brothers! ;-)).

Thinking along those lines, it could actually work out, but then what about celebs? Surely we'd have people popping up all over the place that look ALOT like celebs, not like these crappy look-a-likes that you can buy to come to your parties and all that shiz. I mean, the most famous one is probably David Beckham's look-a-like, and he's not really that similer?

Something else to consider is cosmetic sugery? What happens then? Can they only change it within the 'billion' variations, or are we able to 'create' our own new variations? The only person I've seen with a similar nose to Michael Jackson's nose is Jodie Marsh and I don't think either of those were quite how 'god' intended.

I'd like to think it's true, can you imagine how funny it would be sitting in a room with another 5 of you?

So if you look like this:

Let me know! We have some serious fun to be getting on with!

Cats are the best!

I think that this is THE single best AND funniest thing I've ever seen, I want to buy this cat..... and that printer. I'd actually swap for every form of telecommunication I own!

A change or two...

Okay well I thought it was time that we had a bit of a spring clean, since it nearly 'is' spring after-all and I've now been vegan for a goood few months, it's getting pretty dull being limited to only writing about 'becoming vegan', clearly didn't think that through when I started the blog! ha.

So I guess i'm going to use it as a general personal blog as well as vegan things, well, to be frank it's probably going to consist of mostly vegan things anyway, but it just gives the extra room to talk about crap and no one care, which is all good! Well, it is for me anyway!

I've charged the design a little bit, I will, in time design one of my own that fits 'me', but I'm currently stuck with a Windows laptop, and Windows being Windows it's unable to run photoshop, so I'll have to wait until I get a few hours with a mac! YaY!

Gardein!

Gardein. This stuff is AMAZING. It's like Quorn but vegan, and about 400x more tastey!
I found it a couple of weeks ago, well, I tried the Chicken 'style' things in tomato and herb sauce, and they were 'okay' the sauce wasn't exactly delicious as it tastes on the box but meh, I found some of Tesco's own 'Chicken Style Fillets' and it said 'made using Gardein so I got very excited and got some, and it's really, really good - it's tastey and kind of looks like chicken, and the texture is pretty close.... actually, no it's nicer than chicken, not only because it's cruetly free but it doesn't have that fatty slime stuff all over it.

They also do a beef apparently which I'll have to try some time, although I don't recall seing it anywhere.

Tweet Tweet Tweet!

So, Twitter. I must admit that I'm pretty addicted, I couldn't honestly tell you why, I guess it's just good to see what's going on with people/companies/groups.

I have several other vegans which I'm following and it's quite interesting to what some of their updates, although it also makes me jelous that I don't live in the US and don't have HBO over here.

Luckily the american friends are always hot on the case to post links and such like.

Along side keeping up with vegan stuff, however, it's also a good way to keep in touch with, well, anything - there's so many different people on there, with so many different interests who post about technology, current affairs, the mindless world of celebrity, oh, and speaking of celebs, there's a good few of them on their themselves!

If you're on there - Twitter me up.

Can we blame America for the nations obesity crisis?

Ok, this isn't strickly Vegan related, but it was something I was thinking about and thought I'd share. Not the most well written post, but yeah..

Can we blame America for the nations obesity crisis?
Have we been influenced by America so much that they're to blame? With the introduction of KFC, McDonalds, Burger King etc. Everything that we see on TV, where people are binging on fast food and pizza. Doesn't it all just make eating crap food seem 'the norm'?

I know we've always had Chip Shops in Britain, with Fish and Chips being our most popular national dish - if you can call it a dish - but in all fairness, it's really not that unhealthy when compared to the likes of a Big Mac or Whopper Meal.

What happened to the days when you woke up, had breakfast at home, did whatever you do in the day, lunch during that and then sit down for a family meal in the evening? I'm not dening that alot of the time the home-made pies and cakes weren't full of saturated fat and sugar, but a pie would generally be served along side a load of veg and cakes and other treats were classed and used as TREATS... not a daily 'cravings' buster.

How often do you hear 'oh I'd kill for a Maccy D's now!!!' or 'Oooh, I could murder a KFC!'? Well if they'd never have been introduced then people wouldn't be killing or murdering for them in the UK (in both senses, ironically) instead sitting down and eating set meals, people are just nipping for a take-away and binging on saturated fat.

Or if America isn't making us all fat, it's causing malnutrition from their glossy magazines pointing out Britney Spears' slight little tiny bump of fat on her stomach a week after having 14 thousand kids, or that is so wonderfully beautiful with her size minus 12 dress size and cheekbones that stick out further than her breasts....... it's just causing girls (and lads!) to skip breakfast, lunch..dinner and then they'll be starving, lacking sugar, and probably cave and have a Maccy D's anyway.

I know the likes of Closer, Heat and all the other trashy UK mags do the same thing, but again it's all influenced from America, what we 'want' or 'like' is infulenced by America.

Why can't we go back to what we were - when you can enjoy food that's heatlhy and when sexy is when you're looking healthy, not when you're bones are sticking out all over the place.

Okay, maybe it's not just America, but I think it's a large hand. We've got to be willing to acccept the change, and we have, but I think we'd be better off without their companies, ethics, trends and morals.


N.B This isn't American people, it's American corporations and their need to take over the world.

I GOT MY TATTOO!

Okay, I know I said I was waiting a year before having it done - but erm, I couldn't wait. haha.
Well my friend went for a tattoo, so I said I'd go with him to see what it's like etc.... anyway, one the way it really started me thinking, and I decided that if he asked me to get mine too I would... and he did, so I'm now formally branded Vegan!


My wrist looks really thin/my hand looks massive.. but yeah, that's my tat. WOOO! Still a little tender ha, I'll upload another one in a couple of days when it's fixed. =)

I think it's the only thing that I feel strongly enough about to actually have tattooed on me, I never intend on being un-vegan, and the tattoo generally 'means' something to me, rather than just walking into the tattoo place and picking something you think looks cool and then 'making up' a reason why it means something to you, like other people I know.

I've actually had really mixed reactions, my mum really likes it, my cousin hates it and doesn't understand why I've had that (although she has Sister in Chinese on her lower back, classy!) a mate found it 'comical', another one said it was AWESOME, another said it looked hot. haha.

But I'm really pleased with it, so that's all the counts really - never thought I'd get a tat, but I have and I like it, so woohoo!

A title which sums up this blog; erm. Dinner parties, more Kelly Clarkson, lack of Vegan months, Texican.

Okay, why have I only been Vegan for 6 months? It seems like way longer than that to be honest. It seems like ALOT longer than that, and to think I was eating cow puss and chicken period a mere 6 months ago actually makes me feel sick.

It also saddens me that I have to wait a further 6 months before I can get tattooed 'Vegan'. Oh well.

Anyway, I went to an Indian vegan night at my cousin, Kate's the other night. It was pretty good, I made .. er... Mark Masala, it was supposed to be Tikka Masla, but I forgot how to make it to be honest, so I just made it up - to be fair, I hadn't made it since I used to eat death things - but, it wasn't bad at all!

I also attempted to make Bombay Potatoes - although this turned into Bombay mash - I told you, I 'can't' follow recipes! Needless to say, it didn't go down too well. Kate mate a chickpea curry, with spinach and things - and although I'm not a big fan of chickpeas it was really nice. She also made Bhajis and attempted to do Samosas, but they said no.

It was a pretty good night though, apart from me being hungover - but meh.

The next vegan night is going to be Mexican (which this one was supposed to be, but Kate got a new fryer and wanted to make Bhajis,). I'm hosting this time, and I'm actually pathetically excited. I'm going to invite more people though, because at Kate's there was just four of us, and we wanted lots of food, and there was too much for just us.. ha.. so yes, more people, wider variety of food.

I actually want to go all out and have Mexican decorations and all, although I probably shouldn't, my bank might shout. =(. BUT, I do have the menu sorted, and I think i'm going to do it buffet style where you just help yourself to bits and bobs rather than a set menu.

We're be having: (clears throat, sounds excited and slightly proud): Chili SIN Carne, Tex-Mex beans, Gaucamole (home made ofc), plenty of different salsas, Wedges (not traditional, but hey), chili sin (yet kinnnd of con) Questo, Baked Potatoes (again, not Mexican, but will go well anyway), Pico De Gallo, Nachos, Borracho and Cinnamon Torilla Crisps for dessert. =P I'll probably end up adding other random things too...

AND, drink-wise - Sangria (vegan, ofc) Aguas Frescas (amazing drink which I trailed earlier), Magarita, Corona and a bit of Coke for the less adventurous sort.
Of course, the Corona comes with lime, and the Magarita glass comes salted. =P

So food is Tex-mex, or as I've taken to calling it, Texican or as a place Texico.... by mistake, and because I'm a bit of a spaz who gets confused, but let's ignore that, it works. Also gives me a great excuse to have a bit of Kelly Clarkson, the wonderful vegetarian, Texan singer as backing music. =P As well as, of course, the old Mexican HHAAA YAA CHA CHA YA YA HAAAAAA music, or whatever Mexican music is like? Yeah. Google.

Wanna come? DO! It'd be super - you have to pledge to wear funny hats and mustaches though... and bring maracas and cacti.... or just some salsa or something.

Anyway, I'm going to go and research Texan/Mexican/Texican music now.

Goodhike.

Kelly Clarkson is VEGETARIAN!

Ok, first of all I need to explain how much I LOVE Kelly Clarkson, she's probably my all time favorite singer, to be fair, she's just plain awesome.

HOWEVER.

I was listening to an interview with her on Trent FM, when she announced that she's vegetarian. Yeah, she 'could' be Vegan, but hey, it's a bloody good start and it's just sent her even higher in my estimations of her.

The dick head interviewer even gave her some grief about it, but she stuck to her guns. Go Kelly <3

If you want to check it out - it's on youtube, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7mNfiYvJ5k

Okay, I can't follow recipes!

....even my own!

Yeah, as I'm cooking for this Vegan night, I thought I'd 'perfect' my recipe, so I started by writing down what I normally do (of course, missing out most ingredients because I'm stupid, and having to add them in as i remember) and then basically following it, then as I taste and change add it to it, thus having the perfect recipe on paper. But it's not that easy is it? Oh no!

I followed it to a T, and I seem to have red wine mince in a choking sauce. However, I've added a couple of cups of water and it's starting to reduce down a little bit. But I've come to the conclusion that I really can't follow (or write) recipes. I just hope no-one asks me for the recipe for something I cook.

However, I think I know where I went wrong, so i'll tweak it a little bit and then post it on here so feel free to have a go of following my instructions and see how yours comes out. *shifty eyes*.

In other news, I went shopping with my new vegan recruit yesterday, in Chester of all places. She got Bacon, several cheeses, a pasty thing and rice milk. I got rice milk too, and it was actually 'really' nice - I hadn't tried it since like, the first week I became vegan, and thought it tasted of Play-Doh so haven't bothered since, but they had it in little cartons with straws, like the milk you get in school, and they were only 65p so I got one. I couldn't believe how nice it is, so I think I shall be buying it more often!

I also got a cheese sauce mix, which is... 'okay'. I havn't made it properly yet, as I kind of ignored the instructions the first time, and it came out like... plastic. I'll try again when I make Lasagna. I hear Sheese (or whatever it's called) cream cheese is good for making cheese sauce though. Will have to try that also.

That is all.
Goodbike.

New vegan recruit!

Woo! I have recruited a new vegan! How excellent am I. I didn't really intend to, I just referred to puss, death and chicken period as.... puss, death and chikcen piroid and I think it kind of put her off a little bit. Hmmm. But wooo, she's trying it. I need to offer me help and support and wonderful wisdom of my ..... however many months of veganism I now have. haha. Well yeah, I've written an essential shoping list for her..... and I'm also going to write a few meal plans because prior to this she ate every couple of days and that'd probably be some greasy animal nastiness from some Kebab house or something..... although she doesn't like beans.. or tomatoes, so it's quite a challenge, considering most of my diet is based around beans.....and tomatoes. haha.

But happiness for recruiting a new vegan! =D

Oh, and .....

Yeah, I forgot to mention - Turkish Delight is vegan... ROCK ON! Well, the stuff I have is, I was pretty impressed - it even says that it is! Yay.

Chao.

Naughty Vegan Blogger!

Okay, I'm back!! No, the Christmas dinner 'didn't' kill me, I've just been abit lazy, and when not being lazy - just trying to keep up with my new years resolutions! Infact, I could add actually keep this blog up to date as another resolution!!

I actually don't really have anything to report, believe it or not - apart from the fact I've kind of 'forgot' i'm vegan - I just don't eat death, puss or chicken period.... I'm not constantly aware that I 'can't' eat this, or that and just 'do' it, so weyhey.

I 'was' un-vegan the other night though, I had a tablet which was in a capsuel thing and the SECCOND I took it I was like "OH CRAP!!" Oh well, I'll just pretend it didn't happen, and make sure I actually pay attention to what tablets I'm taking in the future!!!

I have my first Vegan Food Night coming up in Feb, which should be pretty cool. With my vegan cousin Kate. Woo. She's making some of her favorite things, and I'm making the mains - my chilli con(out) carne! It's the best Chilli you'll ever eat, even approved by death-eaters! I may post the recipe at some point. =D

Speaking of cooking, yes, Christmas dinner was AWESOME! The 'turkey' was good, slightly dry and generic texture like most of Redwoods food, but along side mash, veg and gravy there really wasn't much of a difference from real Turkey, if anything it was alot nicer. Pigs in blankets were also really good and the gravy was one of the best I've ever had, well, for instant gravy anyway. Just didn't make enough for my liking, I love LOADS of gravy - I suppose for the normal human being it was more than enough!

I've also decided that I'm not really a big fan of the bean/lentil based curries and such like - I think I over-dosed slightly when I first became vegan and now i'm pretty bored of it all. I am, however LOVING the Realeat mince, it's amazing - and my favorite dishes are mince based onces so pretty perfect - Chilli con(out) Carne, Spag Bol, Lasagne etc ..... actually, I havn't made vegan lasagne yet, I think I should try it out sometime pretty soon, I imagine it wouldn't be the easiest of things to cook, but I'm always up for a challenge. Woohoo.

Anyway, that's all for now.

Goodbike.