simple affair - port melbourne

I finally got a photo! I usually take off to Port for lunch with only my phone and wallet so I never have my camera on me. Pictured is my favourite lunch in Port, the tofu fritter with rocket pesto and on that day broccoli quinoa salad. Simple Affair make really healthy and delicious food. They have 3 salads on rotation daily (2 are usually vegan), the staff are super friendly and their coffee is excellent. It’s a massive space, similar to the Vegie Bar but the opposite, it’s chilled and quiet, lots of big tables to lounge around. Port is a bit barren after Bowl of Soul closed down, there isnt much vegan friendly anything so Simple Affair is a nice break.

Deets: 224b Bay Street, Port Melbourne web: Simple Affair
$$: tofu fritter and salad is about $12

the forest - west end - brisbane

The Forest is some what an institution in Brisbane. The all vegan café (organic milk is available for coffees – why I don’t know) is situated in the trendy West End area. I have to admit the last time I went to Brisbane I intended to go there but was put off the by the bain marie selection and the busy street but this time around I was determined to go there and just try it.

I went for the safe option of the tempeh burger with satay sauce and chips. This was a perfectly serviceable burger (could have done with more tempeh), with fresh salad, chutney and satay sauce served on a pillowy wholemeal bun. The chips were delicious, crisp and fat. A great place to try if you’re looking for a quick snack or cheap and cheerful.

deets: 124 Boundary Street, West End, Brisbane
SS: burger and fries is a very cheap $8!

other voices, other times:
where's the beef?
the vegan snorkler
the honeymoon testers

lamingtons

Lamingtons! The Aussie favourite, chocolatey, spongey, coconutty goodness. The recipe is pretty standard wherever you look around. Sponge cake with a chocolate icing and some coconut.

recipe
adapted from benno and lara's aussie lamingtons

ingredients
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 1/2 cups plain soymilk
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarb
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp rosewater/coconut or almond essence

icing mixture recipe
2 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp Nuttelex
2 tbsp soy milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
hot water
desiccated coconut


method
1. Preheat over to 180 degrees.

2. Create the buttermilk by combining the soy milk and vinegar in a cup and leaving to curdle.

3. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, sugar, bicarb, salt).

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well (vanilla, rosewater essence, buttermilk mixture and oil).

5. Bake lamingtons in small cupcake pans or friand pans, filling them 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

6. Freeze lamington cakes overnight.

7. Make icing mixture, combining the icing sugar, soy milk, vanilla and nuttelex in a large bowl (I used a lunch box). Add a tsp of hot water at a time until icing reaches desired consistency. The icing should be quite thin.

8. Fill another bowl with coconut for coating. Using 2 forks in each bowl dip the sponges in the icing, let it drip off then coat with the coconut. Settle in the fridge for half an hour.

notes: I wanted extra chocolatey lamingtons so I soaked them in the chocolate icing for quite some time. I think these would be great with some booze like kahlua or frangelico.

monday melbourne roundup - the sunny coast edition

Argh it's 343 on Tuesday and I'm finally managing to post. Things are relaxed but really hectic if that makes sense (as opposed to being FULLY HECTIC) I'm taking my sweet ass time just climbing that mountain of stuff to do.

This year has been all about ticking things off the list, big lists, lists on a scroll that rolls to the end of the world. I have to say I've gotten a lot achieved. It's exciting. This week I finally applied for my Maltese passport, this has been 3 years of bureaucracy of getting all the right papers in place. Hooray! But unfortunately I have another 3-6 months to wait until I get my actual passport but then EU citizenship is MINE FOREVAAAR (or until the EU collapses etc).

This week I hit Purple Peanuts (twice nom nom), the usuals Espresso Hub and Simple Affair. I returned to the Vegie Bar and documented the final raw dish for you guys (hard life) and went to Milkwood for breakfast to discuss some SECRET VEGO BUSINESS. Got a new tattoo (crossing off things), popped my cruiser in for a service and headed off to the airport to spend a long weekend on the Sunshine Coast. Ahh sunshine, beach, swimming in the sea (even with a new tattoo NAUGHTY), raw food, big things, GOMA it WAS AMAZING.

out.

win win


After hearing so many people yack it up at film festival this year I had it on my radar to give a whirl. That and I love Paul Giametti (who is getting monstrously fat - sad I DONT WANT YOU TO DIE BARNEY). This was a cute, family, predictable film but good for the genre. 2.5/5

sunshine coast
(food posts to come)








surrealism exhibition at GOMA
In it's final week I was pretty desperate to get to this exhibition but was pretty disappointed. I LOVE the idea of a surrealism exhibition WITHOUT Dali. But I felt the content just really lacked. The lay out and exhibition space was excellent. GOMA do such an awesome job, the Torres Strait Islander contemporary exhibition upstairs is really great, check it out if you go.

purple peanuts - melbourne

My food finally lasted long enough to get a snap shot of it. This is my FAVOURITE meal at the moment, vegie onigiri with teriyaki sauce, gome salad (beans, carrots and miso dressing) and rice salad (brown rice with all manner of delicious things). I'm going here AT LEAST 3 times a week at the moment, it's a great meal for me to grab on the run to school or volunteering.

Purple Peanuts is a tiny Japanese cafe at the bottom of Collins st. This cafe is super cute with stacks of succulents and bright colours. A tiny menu but the vegan options are about half and half (you can veganise most things there except the vegie burger - has egg in it). There are tables out the front and around the alley. I really love the atmosphere of this place. So do many others too, lunchtime is STACKED with the queue going out the door and down the street. They serve quickly, doing amazing turn over. GO THERE.

deets: 620 Collins Street Melbourne web: Google place page
$$: $7.90 (seriously)

other voices, other times:
miss pinkles
totally addicted to taste
gastrology

mock crab cakes

As part of the 2 year anniversary of Planet VegMel all the contributors have been remixing everyone's recipes. I'm of course late to the party but used the birthday picnic on Sunday to finally get a recipe done! Cindy and Michael's mock crab cakes last week really took my eye with lots of fresh herbs and spices I had to make them immediately.

Things I would do differently, add salt! But you know me I'd salt a salt lick. Also I would swap out one of the chickpeas cans for more potatoes. Otherwise these are delicious, I served with roasted garlic aioli (recipe currently in test for the book) and a sprinkle of spring onions. I think these would be out of this world with vegetarian fish sauce. YUM YUM.

ingredients
(Where's the Beef originally adapted from a recipe for real crab cakes in Sri Owen's Indonesian Food)

2 x 400g cans chickpeas
225g waxy potatoes, peeled and boiled until tender, then mashed
3 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemongrass, inner part only
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cornflour, made into a paste with 2 tablespoons water
vegetable oil for shallow frying

method
1. Peel and boil the potatoes for 15 minutes or until tender.

2. Whilst the potatoes are boiling prepared the rest of the mix. Drain, rinse and lightly mash the chickpeas.

3. Add all the fresh herbs and spices (minus the cornflour), combine well.

4. Lightly mash the potatoes and combine with the chickpea mixture adding the cornflour slurry. Form into patties and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (I did mine over night).

5. Shallow fry on high in a small amount of oil.

the vegie bar - fitzroy

You guessed it, more raw love from the Vegie Bar (surely I've eaten everything by now right?). This time the raw falafel wrap with coconut sour cream. I've had quite a few raw falafel wraps around the world and this is my favourite. The chickpea patties are spiced really well, the coconut sour cream deliciously creamy and the flat bread, made of what I cant tell you, is super delicious. It's been a few weeks since I've rawed out at the Vegie Bar, think I might go tonight!

Deets: 378 Brunswick St Fitzroy, 03 9417 6935 web: the vegie bar
$$: $10 for the falafel wrap

Other voices, other times:
me: one, two, three, four, five, six
vegan about town
healthy party girl
losing my love handles
melbourne vegetarian
melbourne food files
insatiably healthy
wheres the beef? 
in the mood for noodles

monday melbourne roundup

Man my liver is hating me right now. That's 4 nights this week Boozy McFalldown was out, terrorising the masses. I have *got* to cut down the amount of coffee and wine I drink, I'm just wired ALL the time. The sleep I get is deep but not very long. Yoga and mediation everyday this week for me.

I was spotted at The Union having a quiet Guiness, Simple Affair many times this week (new lunch spot), Purple Peanuts Japanese Cafe (my new favourite place EVARR), Espresso Hub (quick morning coffee whilst waiting for the bus), Lord of the Fries (ugh my liver), Walkers Doughnuts (vegan dogs AMAZING hangover cure), I also gave blood because they have reduced the waiting times on tattoos to 6 months (before I continue with my sleeves next week). I stocked up at IKEA (went there at 5pm on a Thursday afternoon HEAVEN there were 10 people there!), had an night out and hit horse bazaar, thousand pound bend, the bottom end (so wrong it's right) and kelvin bar (fuck they can pour a drink). Henrys beans at wide open road were mashed into my face on more than one occasion and after a few false starts and a fair bit of stress I finally made it to planet vegmels 2 year anniversary picnic in Edinburgh Gardens where (I shit you not) I ate caramel slice, finger buns, rice paper rolls, apricot slice, rum balls, "crab" cakes, lamingtons, peanut butter chocolate cookies, quiche and fruitcake! Man no wonder I feel tired and worse for wear today. I'm heading to the Sunshine Coast this week for so much needed time away from MYSELF.

out

italian film festival - welcome to the south - opening party

Welcome to the South
(I could'nt find an english subtitled trailer) is a super cute comedy. Screwball, super fast paced, just how I like it. It's a remake of a French film, I really enjoyed the north/south tensions put in such a light hearted way. The after party was CRAZY, just packed with people but we had fun. A great night out. 3/5

a quiet life - italian film festival
Again can't find an english subtitled trailer, this film was TAUGHT. A really steadily paced thriller in the vein of A History of Violence this film is really amazing. Although 2 hours long (yes I know!) I loved it and it kept me engaged every step of the way. The lead, Toni Servillo is incredible. 4/5

the frowning clouds at the buffalo club
Club du jour atm in Melbs the Buffalo Club is everything I loved about Melbs when I first came here in 1999. Dingy stairwells, re-appropriated space, terrible bar. The Frowning Clouds have to be one of the best bands in Melbourne. I freaking love those kids, it's so strange seeing them grow up. I first started following the band when they were about 16, they're 19 now and still gangly, still squeaky, all amazing. I need to buy their albums proper. Check em out if you ever can.

planet vegmel 2nd anniversary birthday picnic!

As I'm not on facebook anymore (and LOVING it) I'm a little behind on things (I get the invite eventually). So I didn't really know if I was able to attend the planet vegmel potluck until today. In any event I know a lot of you read vegmel so come along to the potluck birthday picnic tomorrow! Bring along a vegan dish to share, planet vegmel has grown to 44 contributors so there is going to be heaps of people there. Everyone welcome, bloggers, readers and friends!

Looking forward to meeting you! x Carla

deets: Sunday 18th of September 1pm - Edinburgh Gardens (near the bandstand)

gnocci with blue cheezly and broccolini

Last week I had a real craving for comfort food. Real comfort food - carb loaded, creamy, dreamy, sleepy comfort food. In the effort to clear out my cupboards I had a carton of Isola rice cooking cream that had been hanging about for 6 months so it was time it got used.

I consider mock meat junk food and barely eat it, I also try and avoid wheat and heavily process foods BUT blue cheezly is the best vegan version of a food I miss EVER. It tastes so much like blue cheese its FREAKY. The rice cream is also really good, I was surprised. This meal turned out to be the most decadent post vegan meal I've ever had.

ingredients
yields 4 medium meals
1 carton of Isola rice cooking cream
1/2 stick of blue cheezly, grated
gnocchi for 4 people*
1/2 bunch of broccolini, sliced thinly

method
1. Heat the rice cream on low and add the blue cheezly, it should be all melted and hot by the time the gnocchi has finished cooking.

2. Throw the gnocchi in salted boiling water, when it rises to the top its cooked.

3. Toss the gnocchi in the sauce and add the broccolini. The heat will be enough to cook the broccolini.

notes: Store bought dried gnocchi is vegan, I use 2 handfuls per person for a serving.
style points: For extra deliciousness add 1/4 block of smoked tofu, cubed small to the heated cream sauce.

coconut yoghurt

This was one of those experiments that rejuvenates my passion for cooking. This recipe took a lot of research, reading and pondering as to how I was going to try it. Essentially you heat up the coconut milk (to what temp is debatable, if it's fresh out of the can there shouldn't be any bacteria to kill off like dairy milk) but it needs to be 40ish degrees when you add the starter, then kept warm at the same temperature for anywhere between 12 and 24 hours. It has the same variables as making bread, in the winter it will take longer in the summer shorter. The starter grows the "good bacteria", it cools down then thickens and you refrigerate and it thickens some more.

I chose to follow this website as it seemed to be the most knowledgeable. I was out all night but constantly fretting about it and texting my flatmate (bless her) to take temperature measurements of the water bath. In the end I let it go but DID wake up at 4am out of anxiety to check on it (yeah yeah I'm special) anyway here is what I did (I strongly suggest you do a lot of reading on the subject, personally I think I fluked it, I wont know until I try again). The results by the way? Well look at the picture, you stuck a spoon in and it was thick like pot set Greek yoghurt. Unbelievable.

ingredients
3 cans coconut cream
1/8 tsp dairy free probiotic* (I used Inner Health Plus dairy free)
1 tbs maple syrup
2 tsp agar powder

method
1. Steralise your yoghurt jars, bowls and anything that will touch the yoghurt with boiling water (I leave them submerged in the boiling water till it cools).

2. Heat coconut milk in a saucepan to 80 degrees (you will need a sugar thermometer) then add maple syrup and agar.

3. Let your coconut cream cool to 40-45 degrees, remove 1/4 cup of the coconut cream and mix in your probiotic, then combine back into the coconut cream in the pot.

4. Pour the coconut cream into your jars and cover with a lid (they say to not use metal lids) and let the coconut cream ferment at 40-45 degrees between 8 and 24 hours. How I kept mine warm was in a water bath in my crock pot. I used the initial heat from the coconut cream and some warm water to keep it warm/desired temperature. However I turned the crock pot on low at 4am as it had become almost cold and woke back up at 8am and turned it off but was convinced it had kept the milk too hot (the water was almost 60 degrees) so I thought I had destroyed the batch. The milk had separated into milk and water and was as thin when I started, I mixed it all back together but was pretty devastated. I went back and hour later to throw it away and it had set fully (like jelly) while it was cooling. I was blown away.

So maybe this was a fluke? Maybe using agar is the big difference from others experiments? *It wasn't as sour as I would have liked it to be so next time I'm going to bump up the probiotic - Ive seen as much as 1tsp per can of coconut milk. If you attempt this do let me know, I'd be keen to hear your variables and results.

monday melbourne roundup

I was my usual busy this week but It felt relaxed and nicely paced. I had two nights at home (OH MY GOD) because a couple of things got cancelled so no wonder I'm feeling all relaxed. I'm all caught up on telle actually so any suggestions let me know, I just watched Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and I'm watching QI from the beginning (Alan Davies swoon). I just downloaded all of Futurama to watch again but am hoping to watch something else I havent seen before that. Community s3 starts next week, just in time because True Blood finishes and Breaking Bad is almost over for the year (but Dexter s5 and Peep Show s7 are about to begin in a month). #telleupdate.

I hit my usuals this week, Miss Marmalade, Vegie Bar, Von Haus, Journal, Simple Affair and made an appearance at Balderdash (new kid on the block in Port - been there a couple of times), Espresso Hub, Wide Open Road and Lord of the Fries. It was the first time I've had fried food in about 3 months (I did a liver cleanse to get over my addiction to fried food) and it tasted like nothing to me, it was really weird, I have no cravings for it now. I guess I just have to move on!

out.

alan ball - the wheeler centre talks
well squee face ole me. We managed to score wonderful seats right near the man himself and he is as beautiful and self effacing as you would imagine him to be. He relaxed towards the end, Alan Brough is a wonderful interviewer, I really wish he had interviewed Joss Whedon last year. Anyway it was wonderful to see the man himself talk about his loves, his characters, how he writes specifically for boxed sets these days because whats more wonderful than being hooked on a tv show and watching a whole season in 12 hours straight. Yes YES YES.

look right through me - the malthouse
review on theatre alive coming soon

my son my son, what have ye done?


I really loved this. I loved the film treatment (grainy 70s washed out colour), the mixture of film mediums, the sets, the costumes, the overall direction and production. Total class act, really lovely. It wont appeal to many but the ones who it will will love it. 3.5/5

the vegie bar - fitzroy

More raw Vegie Bar love. This time the "pizza slice" - flax bread topped with avocado, spinach, salsa, beet puree and coconut sour cream. Uh-mazing. Washed down with the raw cacao, almond milk and agave shake, accompanied with the fennel, pear and rocket salad. Unforts the main raw menu is only available before 3pm but so SO worth it (limited raw menu after 3pm).

Deets: 378 Brunswick St Fitzroy, 03 9417 6935 web: the vegie bar
$$: $8 for pizza slice and $6 for salad, raw shake $6

Other voices, other times:
me: one, two, three, four
vegan about town
healthy party girl
losing my love handles
melbourne vegetarian
melbourne food files
insatiably healthy
wheres the beef? 
in the mood for noodles

dhal

I assure you this dhal tastes far better than it looks. It's one of those things that's just impossible to photograph nicely (thrown DOWN DONNA HAY). With the impending arrival some months ago of my flatmate and my kitchen having been quartered in the new house I had to get rid of my enormous stock pile of ingredients. So, I went on a dhal binge (my colon thanked me repeatedly). Red lentils, yellow lentils and split peas were all mashed into this yummy recipe. I find myself going to taste.com.au a lot. They have such great basic recipes and the user ratings really help. Ok so I lied, taste.com.au have a pretty nice photo of dhal. Just waiting to get a DSLR (cmmoooon December) and then I will be cooking with gas.... or taking photos with a DSLR are it were.

I want to experiment with this recipe so so much, like make it a little thicker and mould into patties, crumb, fry and shove into a burger with mango chutney, use as a ravioli filling or thin out and use as a dip with some vegan raita. I just need some time to recover.

recipe from taste.com.au

ingredients
1 cup (300g) red lentils, rinsed well
3cm fresh ginger, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
3 cups of water
2 tbs of vegan margarine
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garam marsala
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbs lemon juice
1/2-1 tsp salt
1 tbs chopped coriander leaves
rice or quinoa to serve
Naan bread or pappadums, to serve

method
1. Bring the lentils, ginger, bay leaves, cinnamon and water to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Give it a little stir often to prevent it sticking to the bottom. Bin the ginger, bay leaves and cinnamon.

2. In a large fry pan saute the onions in the nuttelex until they go translucent (medium high heat). Stir in the garlic, turmeric, cumin, garam marsala and chilli flakes and cook for a further minute or until fragrant. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt.

3. Mix the lentils in with the spice mixture. Cook on high, stirring constantly to reduce any water left. Stir in coriander and serve hot with naan bread or pappadums.

vegan bakesale - september

our lovely little table heaving with goodies

cornbread with beans by emma, wheat free pineapple cupcakes (me), lamingtons (me)

walnut and date truffles (I've forgotten your name!! Evie?), anzac biscuits (clare)

a close up of my amazing lamingtons!

mint choc and double choc cupcakes brought by Opal (I hope that's how you spell it!)

gluten free pumpkin pies (sandra)

You can't really see but in the main shot of the table there are super delicious chop chip brownie bars by Vicki. Please excuse my terrible phone pictures but in all the madness I left my camera at home. It was a pretty windy day so I was relieved for the glad wrap and boxes the wonderful donors brought their goods in. We are apparently becoming the hit of Fitzroy Market as we are asked after A LOT! Hooray. Hopefully this means in the future more bakers and more goodies for sale.

It was a quiet kick start to the market season (this was the first one after winter break) but it was super fun and so lovely to chat to so many of you. Thanks for coming down, saying hi, sharing goodies and WARMTH. Sometimes it can get hard with the amount of negative and painful comments/email I get but meeting so many of you face to face just makes it all better :)

And drumroll! We raised $206 for Animal Liberation Victoria. Such a great cause. Thanks to Lefki for bring all the flyer and posters down, loads of people took the recipe books and were very impressed. Till next bakesale!

Finally - this is what my kitchen looked like post sale hahaha.

hoboken - melbourne

I took MIFF off work this year and gloriously spent my days rolling around from Von Haus to Journal to Lord of the Fries to the MIFF Festival Lounge to Movida Next Door and the new darling on the block, Hoboken.

Ordinarily I avoid the new kids on the block hipster darlings like the plague but seeing Von Haus is my favourite bar and Misty is their sister (Hoboken is housed in what was the second room of Misty) I thought I would give it a go - I wasn't disappointed. I don't know where these guys get (all) their staff from but they are G O L D. Warm, friendly, amazing, gracious - it's what Hugh Thorn does so I'm glad they are attracting and keeping like kind.

Hoboken has a small menu of which the beans and rice are vegan and spectacular. Get with a side of collard greens and a pinch of salt and you have have some hearty food that hits the pit of your stomach and makes you go ahhhh. Couple it all with great coffee, super convenient (not to mention PRETTY) location and in my eyes it's a winner. Not open on weekends yet but will be soon apparently.

deets: 3 Hosier Lane, Melbourne
$$: $11 for beans and rice with greens (I think)

other voices, other times:
milkbar mag

monday melbourne roundup

Medium busy week, lots of drinking which is actually killing me a little bit. Ever since I started getting acupuncture I can drink like a fish which is novel for me because usually if I have more than 2 drinks in a night I'm wired on adrenaline for days unable to sleep or hold anything in my belly. Obviously my acupuncturist has been working on my adrenal gland trying to calm me down and it's WORKING - I'm the calmest I've been in years and consequently looking to party. It also coincides with opening season - lots of free booze, canapes and me lolling around with melting makeup doing my best Dorothy Parker impression, sleazing onto waiters and training them to top me up on a 5 minute basis.

This week I was spotted at: The Mess Hall sans camera, we had the breakfast beans minus fetta. The wait staff were super friendly and helpful in identifying what can be made vegan on the menu. Nothing earth shattering but where the sun is this time of year it's nice to be able to sit that side of Bourke St. Miss Marmalade (my local), Wide Open Road (skinny Scottish guy - I'm warming up to you), Coffea (Italian Barton Fink... Ima love you) and the lunch crew have finally started switching it up from Melbourne Bakehouse and gone back to Simple Affair as we finally realised the coffee at Bakehouse is terrible.

Out.

You'll Be Sorry When I'm Dead - Marieke Hardy - Book Launch

Firstly, holy shit the Book Grocer on Collins St is magnificent! One of those amazing stores that get lost in the wash. Secondly, the dear, amazing, stunning, my number one fan (the feeling's mutual) Marieke Hardy was launching her much anticipated book. Lally Katz (squee) got up and said some lovely words, we ate some dip, I got to catch up and meet a few people I'd been dying to meet. All in all a sweet launch for a lovely lady. The book is hilarious too GO GET IT. I left mine on the tram on Friday, I hope someone is reading it!

September Bakesale - Fitzroy Market

The bakesale was a HOOG success. Thanks to everyone who brought goodies, came down, said hi, hung out and smiled at us. We had a ball. Can't wait till next one. I will be counting the mountain of change over the next couple of days and doing a post on it probably on Wednesday, stay tuned!

vegan bakesale - september - raising funds for animal liberation victoria

HELLO AGAIN!!! After a winter off we are back with BAKESALE. This months charity of choice is Animal Liberation Victoria. It's looking to be a beautiful day hanging out in the sunshine selling some baked goods. Fitzroy Market is really cool, it's proper flea market style. A great place to buy some cupcakes and walk around HINT HINT.

What do I need from you?

Wear your eating pants, come on down and buy some delicious vegan baked goods! I also need people to donate vegan baked goods. Ideally things that are easily eaten in a single serve ie: brownie slices, cupcakes, lemon bars that kind of thing. Also if you can bring your item with a cover on it that would be most helpful, but we have quite a few so no matter if you can't. If you are bringing something to sell can you please do so before midday.

For tips on what to bake and other things please looky here.

I will be making mini pavlovas, iced vovos (seriously) and gluten free vanilla cupcakes. If someone could bring something raw that would be awesome!

Love to see you there xx Carla

when: Saturday September 3rd, 10am to 2pm
where: Fitzroy Public School, corner Napier & Chapel Streets Fitzroy
web: Fitzroy Market website

other bakesales, other times:
bakesale may

mac n cheese

Ahh mac n cheese, the much fetishised vegan dish - there's even a whole blog dedicated to it. It's more of an American thing than an Australian thing, I do remember having a few KDs (Kraft Dinners as they're known) as a kid but it was by no means part of our regular meals. Sometimes you just want some comfort food, something creamy, something cheesy, something so full of carbs you feel like you're being hugged by God. This is the best BEST and most perfect mac recipe I've made, I'm not going to experiment anymore. I DIE.

ingredients
1/2 cup of raw alfredo sauce
1 1/2 cup of short noodle pasta, cooked and drained (should yield 2-3 cups cooked)
handful of frozen peas, beans, spinach, broadbeans - some kind of green so we can pretend its not completely devoid of nutritional value
1/2 cup of grated cheezly mozz
healthy lashing of salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2. Toss the cooked noodles in the alfredo sauce then add the token greens. Combine and put into a casserole dish sprinkling the cheezly on top.

3. Bake until golden brown, start checking on it at the 20 minute mark.