Lemon Raspberry Tofu Cheesecake

This vegan and wheat free tofu cheesecake is just amazing, this recipe is adapted from the green cuisine cookbook by Andy Cunningham, defiantly worth buying if you are in Victoria and have a chance to visit Green Cuisine in market square.     http://www.greencuisine.com/      Using a really good quality blender makes the filling light, fluffy and creamy. 

Cake crust:
2 cups gluten free graham style cookies crumbs
(Kinnikinnick Foods makes a very tasty one)
¼ cup melted coconut oil
2tbs coconut sugar

Mix together in a bowl, and press in to a greased 9 inch
spring form pan. Refrigerate for an hour before filling.

Filling:
Combine in a blender-
2/3 cups sugar
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup cashew butter
½ tsp salt
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2tsp lemon zest

Combine in a small pot and bring to a boil-
2 cups medium tofu crumbled
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1 tsp Agar powder

Pour the tofu mixture in to the blender and blend until very smooth

Pour over crust and shake to settle bubbles, then refrigerate until partially set
Topping: 
Place whole raspberries in a decorative pattern on top of filling.

Pour glaze over raspberries and allow to set for another 3-4 hours.

Glaze:
2/3 cup water
1/3 tsp agar powder
1tbs lemon juice.

Bring above ingreadteds to a boil. drizzle or brush over top of cake

Summer time crafts

This afternoon I got to sit on the beach with fresh fruit salad and make jewelry

it was pretty much heaven

Making necklaces like these are super easy using both recycled jewelry and craft store bought pieces.

you will need:
A pair of jewelry pliers
Chains of your favorite length
Jewelry findings and pendants
Rings and clasps

Get creative, have fun and enjoy the Complements on your custom jewelry!



Bird pendant with leaf detail on 24 inch chain , the bird pendant came off a pair of old earrings i lost the mate for.

Bronze key, with chain tassels, birds nest with crystal details on 24 inch chain
the crystal gem I plucked off a necklace from the sally ann.

Metal leaf pendant with pewter birds nest on a 24 inch chain



24 inch Pewter chain, metal leaf, blue woman camieo with small gem detail, the cameio women came off a old bracelete, and the gem off a thrift store necklace.

Adjustable Suade necklaces
to make this braided suade necklace you will need:
suade cord
feathers
beads 
charms

-mesure the suade about 6 inches longer then you want the necklace
-tie one end
- braid all the way down, leaving 3-4 inch tassels at both ends

-thread one end though the braid of the other side to make an adjustable loop, you can make these any length you like.

-attach feathers, beads and charms to tassels.

Suede cord with oyster shell, wood leaf and bead

I am getting some stock together for a craft fair coming up in June, these are some of the necklaces (and non feathered items) that will be there. Come and visit me at the buccaneer days June 8/9

Sea Shell earrings

She makes sea shell earrings from the sea shore!
A very cute way to turn your beachcombing treasures in to wearable art. Try finding diffrent and unique shells.
The clear nail polish shine the shell up quickly with out have to buff them.

You will need:
Shells
Findings
A Dremel or drill with very small drill bit
Pliers
Clear nail polish

1. Coat the shell with a few layers of clear nail polish

2. Drill a holes at the top of the shell (very carefully)
3. Affix findings and enjoy!

Caramelized Pecan, Pear and Feta Greens

A perfect side salad to complement any main dish, add chicken or tofu and you have an amazing dinner salad. This recipe was “borrowed” from my mom

In large salad bowl, small individual bowls, filled with mixed greens or spinach, Sprinkle on top:

Cranberries
Crumbled feta
Sliced ripe pears
Caramelized Pecans

Drizzle with maple balsamic dressing and serve immediately.

Maple Balsamic Dressing

3tbs balsamic vinegar
2tbs olive oil
2tbs maple syrup

Caramelized pecans

¼ cup sugar
3 Tbsp water
1 cup pecans
½ tsp salt

Combine the sugar, water, in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Melt the sugar, bring to a boil and then add the pecans. Stir constantly to coat, cook until the sugar begins to caramelize and brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool on parchment or wax paper

Hanging Bird Cage Lamp

I found this amazing bird cage at a flea market, painted it white and hung a light bulb in it, and voila! I have a bird cage lamp! This is such a Quick and easy project, the hardest part is finding the cage! I bought my light in china town, they are meant to go in the paper lanterns, but you can also get them at ikea.

You will need
Wire bird cage
Light bulb on a wire and Light bulb

Screw in hooks for hanging

Zap straps

Chain for hanging

1. Feed your wire though the top of the cage, and zap strap it to the wire.

2. attach the chain, screw your hanging hook in to the ceiling and hang cage
3. turn on and enjoy!




                                    My new lamp hanging in my bedroom!

Homemade bath salts

I’ve made these for my mom for mothers day, she loves taking baths in her amazing bath tub. These salts are uplifting and refreshing, a blend of pink grapefruit, ylang ylang and Neroli blossom essential oils with rose hips and hibiscus petals to add color to the water.

The salts and oils are available at your local health food or herb store. Making your own bath salts are so easy, a great project for kids to make for mom.

You will need
Bath salts, I use a blend of dead sea salts and Epsom salts
Essential oils (your favorite!)
Baking soda
Rose hips (or petals)
Hibiscus petals
Large bowl
spoon
Glass jar

1. Mix salts and baking soda
 2. Add essential oil, a few drops at a time, mixing in between to get your desired sent.
3. Crush rose hips and petals with a mortar and pestle until fine
4. Add rose and petals to salts, mix and pour in to a glass jar with tight fitting lid.

Simple Button earrings

Turning found objects in to wearable art. Button earring are really simple and very cute. Look for vintage or unique buttons to really draw the eye.

Experiment with different sizes and shapes, small and sweet to large and daring!

You will need

Buttons

Gel super glue or hot glue gun

 Stud earring backs (can be found at craft stores)

Making these earring is as simple as gluing the earring back to the back of the button, letting dry and wearing!

Gluten free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Walnut cookies

 Stuffed with walnuts and chocolate chips, they are perfect with a glass of milk.
These cookies are so good, you would never know that they are gluten free!

Preheat oven to 350

Wisk together
1 3/4 cup gluten free flour blend
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthium gum

Cream together
1 cup coconut oil
¾ cup coconut sugar (or cane)
2 eggs (at room temp)
2tsp vanilla

Stir the flour mixture in to wet, add
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped walnuts
3 ½ cups gluten free oats

Shape dough in to 1-2 inch balls and flatten to ½ inch. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.

Gluten free Pesto Veggie pizza

This amazing pizza is quick and easy, and adding herbs and cheese to the crust makes it extra delicious. The orange yams, green pesto and purple kale makes it a feast for the eyes.

A drizzle of balsamic reduction adds a little sweetness. Its very easy to make vegan, just make sure your pesto is dairy free (make your own!)

　
Pizza toppings
Pesto
Sun dried tomatoes
Purple kale
red onion
Yams (finely diced, about ¼ cup)
Red pepper
Garlic
Cheese (lactose free or soy if vegan)
Diced fresh herbs
balsamic reduction

1. Sauté yams and onion in a little oil until soft.

　
Crust

1tbs yeast
2 ½ tsp sugar
2/3 cup warm soy milk
1 ¼ cup gluten free flour blend *
2tsp xanthan gum
¾ tsp salt
1tbs olive oil
                                                       2tsp cider vinegar

Or you can use a Premade mix such as Bobs Red Mill to save time.

Pre heat oven to 425

1.disove yeast and sugar in milk, let foam for 5 minutes
2. blend yeast mixture with all the other ingredients with a hand mixer , dough will be very soft.
3. Oil a no stick pan, or line with parchment paper, dust hands and surface and press dough in to pan, shape to desiredthickness and shape, form a ridge for a crust if you like.
4. Bake crust for 10 minutes before topping

5. Add toppings, drizzle with balsamic reduction

Makes one large thick crust pizza or 2 small thin crust.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes Recipe


Some times you just have to be bad, and indulge in something naughty, so these mini cheesecakes are ideal as they are creamy, delicious and just plain amazing and they are really easy. They are the perfect size for a party or bring to a potlatch. Swich out the chopped up oreos for other cookies or berries, and match the “crust” cookie to match.

I am making them for administrative professions day tomorrow, in honor of our wonderful receptionist!

Ingredients:
42 cream-filled sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt


1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.

2. With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.

3. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.

4. Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

Cranberry Almond Quinoa Salad

This super simple salad is crunchy and tangy and packed with protein, a great summer side dish.

2 cups cooked quinoa
4tbs fresh orange juice
1tso orange zest
3tbs olive oil
1clove garlic
1tsp chili flakes
1tsp fresh thyme
1tsp maple syrup Salt
Pepper
¼ cup cranberries
¼ cup toasted chopped almonds

Cook Quinoa as directed cool and fluff with a fork,
Wisk dressing ingredients together, adjust to taste, mix in cranberries and almonds

Serves 4

SMALL SPACE PATIO GARDENING!

Since it is Earth Day, it thought I would celebrate it by spending it in my garden!

Its still early in the year, but I got the garden started up about 3 weeks ago, and it is already looking awesome! I still have a few more things I want to plant, once the weather is warmer, like my peas and more delicate lettuces. My dream is to have a large sunny back yard garden plot, with veggies, berries and fruit trees, (pretty much exactly what my grandma has) and a compost bin. Alas I live in a one bedroom, third flour apartment and I have to make use of the space I have available. What I DO have is a a south east facing balcony that’s about 80 square feet, I am really lucky to have narrow wire railings with lots of space for the sun to get though, other wise all I could grow is mushrooms (to my boyfriends delight) the only downside other then the space is the high wind we can get, so I have to be very careful to stake plants and secure hanging baskets really well. I have tried to focus on just growing food this year, other the one pot of primulas, everything else can (and will) be eaten.


 BERRIES
For berries I am growing two varieties of dwarf blueberries, having the two different kind help to pollinated each other and produce more berries. Blueberries are an awesome patio plant, the are rewarding and some varieties leaves urn a reddish gold in the fall. Blueberries require soil that drains very well, but that keeps moisture consistently. Any soil mix that is acidic and contains a lot of organic material like peat moss Is best.
Blueberries are naturally hardy, but you should protect delicate roots during the winter by wrapping the container in blankets or bubble wrap. As long as the roots are protected, they should live through the winter just fine. ( I DIDN’T do this last winter and they were fine..) I tried growing raspberries last summer, but failed  miserably, I think I got one berry.

Last year I had 5 strawberry plants that kept us in almost constant berries, this year I have 13. My plan is to be eating them every day (unless someone gets there first!)

8 of my plants this year are new, they other five I completely neglected after last summer and didn’t winterize them at all, in December I tore off al the dead leaves, and in February I started watering them, and they have miraculously come back to life! I don’t know what variety they are as I bought them at a garage sale


 HERBS
Having fresh herbs right out side of your kitchen is one of my favorites things, so my herb garden is mostly hardy perennial cooking herbs. The great thing about them is that they don’t need to much care, and if you forget about them during our BC winter, they don’t get to upset. The essential oils, that give herbs their flavor and aroma, and are produced in the largest quantity when they receive plenty of light, most herb varieties require at least 6 hours of sun per day.

Since rosemary likes it on the dry side, it wont die the moment you forget to water it. I just bought a huge pot of rosemary at the western speedway swap meet for $15 and it s just beautiful.

Oregano is a staple for a herb garden. I usually end up killing or using it all up by the end of the summer, so I got a new one this year and potted it with some fresh new potting soil.

Sage is an amazing herb for cooking poultry or fish, its is hardy and easy to grown although very slow growing and you will need to harvest lightly in the first year and it will be June the following year before you can start to fully harvest.
Thyme is delicious and easy to grow, I have a lemon variety, but there are so many kind to choose from.

Fresh parsley and cilantro are ideal if you want to make fresh salsa. Parsley is a great patio plant as it can take light frosts and remain healthy. Parsley is not overly particular about the soil it is grown in, nor does it need a lot of care. It will grow practically anywhere as long as the soil is not extremely wet. In fact, it will grow in full sun or partial shade, so as long as your spot isn't full shade, your parsley is likely to thrive. Just make sure not to over water.

VEGGIES

Sorrel is grown for its tangy, slightly-sour tasting arrow-shaped leaves. It is amazing in salads. This my first time growing it, and I just have one plant, so I let you know how it turns out!

Rainbow chard is similar to spinach but hardier and can last over several seasons with the proper care. The plant itself can grow 1 to 2 feet tall and likes a sunny spot.
Kale is great, as it grows well in not great conditions, I planed mine in march, then we had a rain, wind and hail storm two days after I planted them and now they are doing beautifully.

This year I am trying one cauliflower plant and one zucchini plant in the same container, I don’t know how much they will like being pot buddys, but I hope they get along.









Garden Markers!

Now that you have planted your garden, dont forget your plant markers! These are made from driftwood, then painted! Feel free to use stenciles or templates, or just go free form with pictures instead of words.

you will need:
Small peices of Driftwood
paint
stenciles or templates

MY WISH LIST!
I really really really want to do this….but I am not quite sure how to attach it to the outside wall of my apartment building. My other thought was to do it on the outside my railings, but I don’t think that my down stairs neighbor would like them draining on to her deck. I am going to mull it over and post something if I decide to do it!

I found these pictures on these sites.
http://greenupgrader.com/7556/diy-vertical-garden-with-reclaimed-gutters/
http://www.treehugger.com/slideshows/green-food/container-gardening-options-for-growing-in-small-spaces/