September In My Kitchen: VeganMofo Edition

Other than the well know High Street health food shop, there is not much near where I live so I often find myself travelling into Cardiff or Bristol city to pick up some specialist or vegan ingredients. As I am participating in Vegan Mofo edition, I thought I would share some vegan sweet and savoury eats in my kitchen.

Last month, I made some Raw Chocolate Muesli with Cacao Nibs and Cocoa Powder, I cannot express how much I am enjoying it.  In fact, my jar is nearly empty so I will soon be making some more. 

I am looking forward to cooking with Artisan Grains Tricolour Couscous, it will be a interesting change from the traditional couscous.  I don't eat much in the way of faux vegetarian or vegan mock meat, but that has not been the case lately when I got some Vegetarian Sausage Mix which is suitable for vegan.  Instead of making sausages with them, I made some a Za'atar Spiked vegan meatballs; and more recently a Green Curry Pasta Meatball dish (see below)

Vital Wheat Gluten is an ingredient familiar to readers living in Australia, America, Canada and New Zealand, but it has always been hard to come by in the U.K, and when you were lucky to find it, it was often very expensive. So I have not cooked with it much, but when I have I have been very impressed.  The two recipes that I have tried have been Terry Hope Romero's vegan Chorizo Sausages and Ken Charney's Faux Roast.  I was only able to make these two recipes at home, because a lovely blogger friend kindly bestowed some vital wheat gluten upon me, but its readily available now. My husband, D is by no means a vegetarian or vegan, but even he has enjoyed these seitan recipes, so he has been quite excited to see what I come up with next. 

One of the recipes I have made with it is this vegan Pastrami (recipe still to be shared on my blog)

A couple of weeks back, D and myself went into Bristol and we stopped at an Oriental Cash and Carry, I picked up a number of  things, but the one that I would like to share are these two: JoyTofu Hot and Spicy Vegetarian Meat which come in small sachets.  I really liked these and hope to get some more the next time I return to Bristol.  I have yet to try the skewered spicy bean curd, but it looks good to me.

These Nothing But Mangetout and Red Pepper Snack is very different from my savoury nibbles.  These are freeze dried vegetables to eat on the go.   These nibbles are really intense in flavour. 

A lovely friend sent me over some Raw Chocolate Company chocolate and Ombar Chocolate.  I have hid them from D, as these are my treats when I need a little sweet boost. 

Its been a very very long time since I have had marshmallows at home, so I was pleased to finally get some Freedom Mallows, especially with Autumn literally just around the corner, I am looking forward to enjoying them with Hot Chocolate.  

But a little part of me just couldn't resist trying them, so a few days back I made some vegan Hot Chocolate and Marshmallow Brownies (recipes to come).  Funny how this blog post began with Chocolate and ends with chocolate, and I am not even that made about chocolate. I am sharing this post with Celia at Fig and Jam for August edition of In My Kitchen Series. Please go by and check out the other IMK posts.