Good morning all, I managed to get up early enough to cook some breaskfast for L and I. Well, I didn’t cook anything, but ate the leftovers from last night’s dinner party:
GF couscous salad, GF vegan lasagne and pita bread (well I didn’t eat the pita bread, but L did).
I love dinner parties where everyone is talking about things, and even L got into it š I tried my hardest to get him to sleep before everyone arrived, but alas, it was not successful. So he had a late night while dining on all the food people brought over.
I cooked the lasagne using the cashew tofu ricotta recipe out of the Veganomicon (I doubled the recipe), used GF lasagne sheets, and a bottle of store-brought pasta sauce, and a whole lotta baby spinach, grated carrot and grated courgette. I didn’t make the cheesey sauce I normally make with it, and even though everyone loved it, it definitely needed that cheesey sauce.
My friend Keri, who is currently training to be a chef, brought over the GF couscous salad and a some lovely chocolate banana soy vegan ice cream. We enjoyed that with strawberries (the season has just started in NZ). Another friend brought over some sushi and edamame, whilst another brought over some hummus, sauerkraut, and the following:
I love kombucha, and you can buy NZ made stuff, but this friend thought I would love the taste of this one from the States. He also got me 2 cans of pureed pumpkin so I can make this awesome GF pumpkin pie from the Gluten-Free Goddess blog. In NZ, supermarkets here do not sell canned pumpkin, because we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here. When I saw that recipe, I knew that I had to make it. I’ve only had pumpkin pie once, which I made (and that took forever due to cutting a pumpkin up, cooking it, then pureeing it in batches), and I loved it. I was going to go to a store that sells popular foods items from the States, but this friend found some organic canned pumpkin. So they will be sitting in my pantry for another couple of weeks until I get the rest of the ingredients together.
I would also like to thank Heather from Heather Eats Almond Butter for the shout out on her blog š
I was going to write about why humans are natural herbivores, but considering it is a Sunday, the weather report says it will be sunny and warm, I am gonna hit the shower and go for a 15km walk. Most people are shocked that I walk 10 to 15km, 4 to 5 times a week, but I love the exercise š So that particular blog post will be posted in the next day or two (I’ve been working on it, as it is sitting in my drafts folder).
Have a good Sunday everyone š
Kumara Mash 
Just found your blog through Heather Eats Almond Butter – love it! I’m a Kiwi living in Australia these days – how was the canned pumpkin? I’ve never tried (you can’t get it in Oz either). Yay, so happy to have found a groovy Kiwi gal blogger š
Thanks for your comment š
I love it when other kiwis read my blog, and I just looked at the recipe for your kumara mayonnaise, which I will have to make in the next couple of days.
I think you will find my son is the ‘groovy’ one, as he loves to dance to a good DnB track š
Nice blog D. Enjoy the walk.
Please save some pumpkin pie for me – it was my favourite Thanksgiving/Christmas dish but I don’t get much in New Zealand!
Minimalist? What are you doing having kids?
Was that Keri from the Te Henga picnic?
Yes š
I just read through your archives; thank you for reminding me of Louise L. Hay. I forgot how clear and powerful her affirmations are.
I’m glad HEAB linked to you!
I visited NZ for two months in 1999. Every single day was fantastic. NZ is like the best parts of British Columbia, Canada (where I live) with friendlier people and exuberant arts, culture and sports. I heart your homeland!
Cheers.
Thanks for reading my blog š
I was very surprised she linked to me, and also thankful, as it has really helped get my blog out there!
You should come back to NZ for another holiday, the country has changed since 1999, and since we have now won the Rugby World Cup, you will probably find we are even friendlier and happier š
I’ve always wanted to go to Canada, and it is on my list of things-to-do in the next 5 years.
It has been so long since I had Kombucha! I used to make it.. but had to throw away my mother mushroom when I moved from Nelson back to Chch. I will see if I can get back to it – you’ve influenced me to get more veges (etc… mushrooms are fungi, I know it..) in my life. Exciting game! I overdid the organic wine for sure and my 6-year old niece overseas came on Skype having written AB’s all over herself with vivid marker (her mum was still in bed..).
Buddha bowls are a great way of getting more veges into your diet š I also make a point of eating a big salad each day made from a mixture of cavolo nero and/or kale, baby spinach, avocado, carrot, cucumber, tomato, sprouted lentils and chia seeds.
I didn’t watch the game last night, but since I live close to Eden Park, I could hear the fireworks and helicopters. I only knew the ABs won when I saw a flurry of status updates on FB.