Back to the Future!

Where do I start……. Life is strange and always has a surprise in store for us!
next Sunday I will be visiting someone’s house whom I haven’t seen for 26 years! Lynette Curtis Southend Grass Roots
Its amazing how we have both been on our own journeys yet our paths will cross again after 26 years. I look forward to sharing with Lynette in the future.
I am going to share my journey over the last year. My Journey of becoming Vegan/Vulcan/Began
I am also going to step back to the future and reflect upon my journey since I last see Lynette some 26 years ago! I have had a long Journey with some interesting moments.
I will share my visions for 2014 and one of them is I am going to write a book this year! This has been a pipe dream of mine for many a year, this year I will begin to make that dream a reality. I believe nothing is impossible, our thoughts become our reality that I know for sure!
I love to help empower people to achieve their hopes and dreams! I am a tutor for the WEA teaching, health, confidence building, Tai Chi and Exercise. I Teach Tai Chi at the Therapy Life Centre in Prittlewell chase and run Raw/Vegan/Cacao workshops.

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Choccy Woccy Doo Dah!

Well where do I start………….
Mmmmmmm……………
I love chocolate always have always will!
What is not to love about it? Please feel free to comment below on your reasons for loving chocolate! Please do not bother replying with reasons for not loving chocolate as I am really not interested ๐Ÿ˜‰
since becoming vegan there was a slight draw back….. No snickers, mars bar, milk chocolate etc etc Yes these are junk! Yes they are rubbish! However on certain occasions, PMT, men troubles, children troubles, life! Etc only a snickers would hit the spot for me. I had to come up with an alternative for these chocolate emergencies. Never in a million years did I think I would stumble upon the best Chocolate in the World! That is healthy, nutritious and tastes scrummy, yummy!
This chocolate is my own handmade raw vegan chocolate ๐Ÿ™‚ Why is it the best in the world ? I can hear you thinking wow sort out the ego girly! It’s the best in the world because I can tailor it to my desires, tastes, needs and wants <3 If I fancy something dark ill make dark delicious Peruvian Choc with a shot of Balinese cacao added. If I fancy something light and creamy ill make some sweet and creamy caramac style Choc, if I'm feeling spicy ill make some chai Choc with added nutmeg, cinnamon, mixed spice and pepper. I think you are getting the idea. The first time I made some Choc I thought I'd gone to heaven after not eating Choc for a few months.
I have since found I have quite a creative flair for making Raw Chocolates and it certainly caused a stir with my friends. I started to share my chocolate making delivering workshops. My chocolate making has gone from strength to strength over the last year and a half. I have had the pleasure of learning new skills with Ooosha/Amy Levin and The Raw Chef/Russell James Amy’s course on chocolate making is amazing and has really inspired me to get creative. I have sold my chocolates internationally now ๐Ÿ™‚ It is so amazing to be able to share the amazing flavours of Cacao The Cacao Spirit has been working with me ever since my first taste of raw cacao! I will write a different blog about my experience with the cacao spirit.

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Vulcan Christmas cake! Dairy free, Egg free, Cruelty free!

Mmmmm…… Christmas cake!!
My second Christmas as a Vulcan I mean Vegan, Began or whatever the label on my head says today ๐Ÿ™‚
I eat honey so apparently I cannot label myself as a Vegan! Oh what a shame! Will I lose sleep over it ? No!
I eat a plant based diet with some organic raw honey on occasion.
This Crimbo I decided I wasn’t willing to miss out on the Christmas cake. I didn’t want to pay fortunes for a specifically labeled Vegan cake, even though maybe I cannot eat that as I’m not a vegan ๐Ÿ™‚
I decided to make my own one!
The result was amazing, well I think it is! It is moist, fruity, Big! tasty, decadent, gorgeous and well just pure Yum!
I have decided to share the recipe for other Vulcans or anyone wanting a dairy free, egg free Crimbo/fruit cake.
Ingredients:
340g plain flour or gluten free flour for a gluten free version
170g soft brown sugar
170g sultanas
300g raisins
55g glace cherries โ€“ chopped
25g mixed peel โ€“ chopped
1/2 pint / 280ml soya milk (or you can use oat milk, rice milk, or coconut milk)
2 1/2oz / 70g soya or sunflower dairy free spread
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp mixed spice
pinch of salt
6 tbsp / 90ml brandy or Jack Daniels
1 pack of ready roll white icing
1 pack ready roll marzipan
3 tbsp orange marmalade
Method:
Place all dry ingredients into a bowl then rub in the dairy free spread. Stir in the sugar, currants, sultanas, raisins, peel and cherries. Add the lemon rind and give it a good stir. Add all but 2tbsp of the soya milk and stir lightly. Heat the remaining soya milk in a pan so it is warm but not boiling, you should be able to touch it without burning your finger. Pour on to the bicarb and then stir it thoroughly into the mixture, without actually beating.
Put into a lined baking tin, smooth and slightly hollow out centre.
Bake at about gas mark 4 for an hour, then turn down to gas mark 3 for a further 45 minutes. Itโ€™s done when a normal skewer comes out clean.
Add alcohol once cake cooled slightly, I added more later on in the day and more the following day ๐Ÿ™‚
Wrap in baking paper to keep moist until you ice.
When you are ready to ice, spread marmalade onto cake so marzipan sticks,
roll out marzipan then place marzipan on cake, roll out icing then place on top of marzipan. I used left over icing to decorate.
Enjoy x

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