tippitappi in English

Screen printing

2010-04-30T01:27:00.000-07:00

It's not a strawberry jam :-) it's the oekotex colour I have used to print my little owl, or barn owl.

This is the screen for Recycle and Re-Use Tshirt.

Me at work.

you can buy my tshirt on www.tippitappi.com

Peta T-SHIRT giveaway !!!!

2010-04-08T01:28:00.001-07:00

view the contest

VeganWiz

2010-03-22T03:58:00.000-07:00

I am proud to announce that I am now the new chef editor of VeganWiz, a vegan community dedicated to vegan food. It's new, you are all invited to take a peep. Everybody can join and make comments plus, if you are a vegan cook, you can become a chef, create your profile and add your recipes. Unfortunately is wasn't my idea :) VeganWiz is the English version of VeganBlog, an italian community with over 250 italian chefs. There's also a french and spanish version.
See you there!!!
www.veganwiz.com

2010-03-03T00:49:00.000-08:00

Go check my italian blog, you can now traslate it into English and other languages with automatic Google translator.... More recipes!
http://tippitappi-it.blogspot.com

Delicious Pumpkin and Azuki Bean Soup

2010-03-03T00:40:00.000-08:00

Ingredients 3 / 4 servings:

1 kilo of pumpkin
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 teaspoon thyme (or rosemary)
sesame oil or sunflower
whole salt

1 cup azuki beans
1 liter and a half of water
whole salt

1 tablespoon shoyu (optional)

Boil azuki beans in a pressure cooker with water and salt.
In a frying pan with a lid put the shredded pumpkin, minced garlic, olive oil, salt and thyme over a low heat. Cook 20 minutes until everything is soft. Ok here we go. Blend together the contents of the two pots reserving a few pieces of pumpkin and a few spoonfuls of cooked azuki beans to be added later just before serving. Enjoy!

Azuki Bean

Seitan with olive oil and Tamari

2010-02-18T00:56:00.000-08:00

Free Postcards!

2010-02-17T00:52:00.000-08:00

Free postcards with any purchase at www.tippitappi.com!

More vegetarian t-shirts, please!!!

2010-02-08T04:57:00.000-08:00

ok ok ok, I've been neglecting my shop for too long, I know. There's always the same designs, but you forget that I had two children in between and that took a lot of energy and time from me.
You've asking for it so there we go!
Hunt the hunter - Let animals live in peace

This is how I want it, my design will be screenprinted on a green organic t-shirt.
More more more t-shirts to come!

Bancha Tea

2010-02-06T05:35:00.000-08:00

oooh so alkalizing!
In the winter I drink it instead of water with a few pieces of ginger.
Bancha tea is a cure for his particular alkalinizing effect on the blood. It also contains iron, calcium and vitamin A and helps in the digestion of fats. Apparently there are two types of bancha tea and the taste is very similar: Kukicha and Hojicha with a minimum content of caffein.
In the morning I prepare a liter and 1 / 2 of bancha tea, I put it in a special bottle to keep it warm and I drink it throughout the day, whether at home or when I'm out.
PS: the background, the tiger and the donkey that I drew on the wall to please my little devils, I copied Aurelia Fronty ... she designed the game cubes for DJECO.

Must see!

2010-02-02T05:26:00.000-08:00

you must see this, it's ironic, in Italian with english subtitles.

Castagnaccio

2010-01-27T04:12:00.000-08:00

Great for breakfast, I tasted a delicious castagnaccio at a birthday party last week. Thinner than usual and quite sweet, the flavor of olive oil was mixed perfectly with the sweet chestnuts and malt. I tried it at home and voila! Castagna is chestnust in italian and castagnaccio could be translated in "roughchestnutthing"... something like that. It is a very old cake, infact it is very simple to make.
The ingredients:
(you do the proportions, should not be thicker than an inch)
4 cups of chestnut flour
1 cup rice malt
1 / 2 cup of olive oil
Enough water to form a liquid paste.
Mix well to remove lumps and add two handfuls of raisins.
Leave in refrigerator overnight or at least a few hours.

Pour into a baking dish, sprinkle with pine nuts and bake at 170 degrees (not too hot) for three quarters of an hour or until it forms the typical creases on top. Also excellent with chocolate melted over (for those who do not particularly like the taste of chestnuts or for children). This is a great alternative to the usual wheat flour cakes.

Cooking with roots

2009-11-27T03:12:00.000-08:00

It's autumn, and in autumn the best part of the plant is the root. With Paola we collected some burdock roots, a long turnip pretty hard to dig up but it is absolutely worthwhile, it is one of the few plants that is able to thoroughly cleanse the body.

We washed it and brushed it and cut it into strips.
Then we stir-fried it with some carrots, which are roots, after all :)

Burdock and carrot sautéed .... great! Burdock has a bland flavor, it slightly reminds me of licorice and once cooked is slightly sweet.
The thin roots of dandelion are very bitter just like the leaves. We chopped them and stewed them in a pan with miso and sesame oil for an hour with a lid. We used this seasoning for the brown rice.

Brown rice with dandelion root. Tastes very much like red radicchio from Treviso.

Dried figs and walnut Bread

2009-11-04T01:21:00.000-08:00

Have you ever made bread and ended up with a brick of sawdust as hard as a rock rather than soft bread? It happened to me lots of times, especially because I always wanted to make real wholewheat bread. If you use a lid it will bake without getting too dry and it will maintain a good consistency. I use the pan for pasta 100% stainless steel obviously. Temperature of 180 ° C.
I can store it for 2 or 3 days in a plastic bag recycled from the packaging of bread sticks or biscuits or pasta, these are perfect. I'm crazy for breads with whole nuts. This combination is excellent but it is also good with hazelnuts and dark chocolate.
Also add a teaspoon of cinnamon in the dough, it will give a good smell. Apart from this I do not put anything else, just flour, nuts, dried chopped figs, water, yeast and cinnamon.
I eat it for breakfast instead of biscuits with jam on it or with my rice milk.

Dried Soya Steaks with Artichokes and Potatoes

2009-10-29T03:52:00.000-07:00

This dish is really tasty, ideal for first cool evenings and when the first artichokes appear in organic shops :) These soy steaks are an healthy and versatile alternative to meat!
Soya steaks with Potatoes and Artichokes
For three or four people:
150 gr. steak soy
4 potatoes
2 artichokes
1 onion
1 clove garlic
rosemary
extra virgin olive oil or other
salt
a dash of soy sauce
Saute the onion with the garlic in a little oil. Wash, peel and chop potatoes. Prepare the artichokes by removing the first leaves (the hardest), shorten the stem, leaving 10 cm. and cut the tip of the artichoke. Cut into 4, the stem can be sliced and added. When the garlic is well golden add the potatoes, artichokes, rosemary and a dash of water. Cover with lid.
Soya steaks are meanwhile rehydrated in warm water for about 20 minutes or until they are soft, then wring them one by one with your hands and pass into the pan. They may have a slightly spongy texture but this effect disappears after cooking. They are not full like seitan but tend to absorb the sauce in which they are immersed, and are more flavorful. You can then add the potatoes and artichokes, or you can switch to a better effect in a pan with a little oil and brown them lightly (as I did) and add them later.
Cook until the potatoes and artichokes are tender. Then add a little more oil, soy sauce and salt.
This tastes a lot better if prepared in advance. Buon Appetito!

Pumpkin Italian Soup

2009-10-29T03:40:00.000-07:00

This soup is delightful because it is creamy, I love it.
Prepare the soffrittino with a chopped onion, a clove of minced garlic, rosemary and a pinch of salt. Start by cutting small pieces of half a pumpkin (700 gr.) Taking care to keep the seeds aside for the blue tit who are out in the cold! Do the same with two carrots and add everything to the mixture. Put a lid and cook over a low heat for half an hour. If necessary add a drop of water but not too much. When the carrot and the pumpkin can be mashed under the spoon you can turn off the heat and whisk with a blender. Serve hot garnished with some black sesame seeds.

They copied my tshirt!

2009-04-29T03:06:00.000-07:00

I cannot be angry with these people...
Little bastards!
:)

"Do you need a bag?" "No, thank you!"

2009-04-17T01:12:00.000-07:00

Ludovico is home

2009-02-24T05:07:00.000-08:00

I love you little devil

My neighbour's courgettes...

2008-07-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

My neighbour Maria is from Sicily and she often rings the bell with some delicious Sicilian Food to try.
These are grilled courgette (directly from her little veggie garden) with olive oil, white vinegar, garlic, salt and wild mint leaves.... the more you leave them marinating the better it is.

Happy summer to all of you, I'm leaving for the seaside right now, then I'm coming back in Septemper ready to give birth at home!!! :) The baby's due on sept. 3rd... wish me good luck ...

Brown Gnocchetti with Cherry Tomatoes and Tofu Cream

2008-05-29T02:19:00.000-07:00

This is another quick recipe and wants to look and taste like the italian ricotta and pomodorini pasta. Once it's on your plate you won't tell the difference.
Ingredients:
wholemeal small pasta, I used orecchiette or gnocchetti
cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
Basil
For the white ricotta sauce I used a herby spreadable tofu but you can make your own if you wish.
Process the tofu with herbs, water, oil and a few capers if you like them.
Add more salt or capers according to taste.
This is so much like a typical southern italian dish.... enjoy!

Spaghetti with Sunflower Seeds

2008-05-22T04:39:00.000-07:00

Super quick recipe to improve my calcium intake during pregnancy, and quite tasty too.
- Toast the seeds until slightly brown, set aside for a few minutes.
- Process the seeds with soy sauce, water and a little olive oil if you like. Taste it. It should look like a liquid creamy sauce, but not too liquid. It should not be thick otherwise it won't combine with the spaghetti. In that case add more water.
Always serve with bright coloured vegetables... enjoy :)
THIS IS MUCH NICER IF YOU ADD SOME FRESH CHOPPED ROSEMARY AND A TABLESPOON OF TOASTED SESAME SEEDS BEFORE GRINDING.

Raw cabbage with Gomasio and seaweed

2008-05-21T00:34:00.000-07:00

I must admit the name of this recipe is not very tempting but I can assure it is a crowd pleaser :)
It's fresh, crunchy and very tasty, not to mention the magic effects that cabbage and sesame and seaweed have in our bodies :)
Shred the cabbage as thin as possible (not as I did today) and dress with the following:
Soy Sauce
Olive Oil
Gomasio (toasted and roughly minced sesame seeds)
Toasted seaweed, crumbled with your hands
This dressing is also good in green crunchy salads and plain pasta... enjoy :)

Marinated Italian Tofu

2008-05-20T01:38:00.000-07:00

hi! I'm back again - finally. I called this Italian because it has the common combination of garlic, rosemary and olive oil. And it's simple as most of italian food is.
Method:
Slice the Tofu and place on a wide serving plate for one hour with all these ingredients:
Enough Soy Sauce to cover the slices evenly (not exactly italian but, nevermind)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Finely chopped fresh garlic.
Finely chopped fresh or dried rosemary.
Wait half an hour add more soy sauce if necessary, turn and reapeat on the other side.

Cook in a frying pan with a little more oil (if necessary) until golden brown and nice and crispy.
Simple but very tasty :) try it!

holidays

2008-03-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

hi again, sorry for neglecting my blog, I found out I am expecting another baby and haven't been too well at all.
We will be away for a few weeks and all Tippitappi's orders will be processed by my sister Jessica, I think she'll manage ok.
Sorry if I can't answer all emails, I will get back to you as soon as I get home.
ciao and much love to everyone who reads my blog :)

eco-friendly fashion

2008-01-14T00:49:00.000-08:00

A nice article on eco-friendly Tippitappi was published on "D di Repubblica" about a month ago.
I'm so flattered, and hopefully there's more to come! :)

The Story of Stuff

2007-12-14T04:59:00.000-08:00

Get the message about out-of-control consumerism with the Story of Stuff!
See the 20 min. video here:
www.storyofstuff.com
Each of us can promote sustainability and justice at multiple levels: as an individual, as a teacher or parent, a community member, a national citizen, and as a global citizen. As Annie says in the film, “the good thing about such an all pervasive problem is that there are so many points of intervention.” That means that there are lots and lots of places to plug in, to get involved, and to make a difference. There is no single simple thing to do, because the set of problems we’re addressing just isn’t simple. But everyone can make a difference, but the bigger your action the bigger the difference you’ll make. Here are some ideas:

10 Little and Big Things WE Can Do

Power down! A great deal of the resources we use and the waste we create is in the energy we consume. Look for opportunities in your life to significantly reduce energy use: drive less, fly less, turn off lights, buy local seasonal food (food takes energy to grow, package, store and transport), wear a sweater instead of turning up the heat, use a clothesline instead of a dryer, vacation closer to home, buy used or borrow things before buying new, recycle. All these things save energy and save you money. And, if you can switch to alternative energy by supporting a company that sells green energy to the grid or by installing solar panels on your home, bravo!
Waste less. Per capita waste production in the U.S. just keeps growing. There are hundreds of opportunities each day to nurture a Zero Waste culture in your home, school, workplace, church, community. This takes developing new habits which soon become second nature. Use both sides of the paper, carry your own mugs and shopping bags, get printer cartridges refilled instead of replaced, compost food scraps, avoid bottled water and other over packaged products, upgrade computers rather than buying new ones, repair and mend rather than replace….the list is endless! The more we visibly engage in re-use over wasting, the more we cultivate a new cultural norm, or actually, reclaim an old one!
Talk to everyone about these issues. At school, your neighbors, in line at the supermarket, on the bus…A student once asked Cesar Chavez how he organized. He said, “First, I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” “No,” said the student, “how do you organize?” Chavez answered, “First I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” You get the point. Talking about these issues raises awareness, builds community and can inspire others to action.
Make Your Voice Heard. Write letters to the editor and submit articles to local press. In the last two years, and especially with Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the media has been forced to write about Climate Change. As individuals, we can influence the media to better represent other important issues as well. Letters to the editor are a great way to help newspaper readers make connections they might not make without your help. Also local papers are often willing to print book and film reviews, interviews and articles by community members. Let’s get the issues we care about in the news.
DeTox your body, DeTox your home, and DeTox the Economy. Many of today’s consumer products – from children’s pajamas to lipstick – contain toxic chemical additives that simply aren’t necessary. Research online (for example, http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/) before you buy to be sure you’re not inadvertently introducing toxics into your home and body. Then tell your friends about toxics in consumer products. Together, ask the businesses why they’re using toxic chemicals without any warning labels. And ask your elected officials why they are permitting this practice. The European Union has adopted strong policies that require toxics to be removed from many products. So, while our electronic gadgets and cosmetics have toxics in them, people in Europe can buy the same things toxics-free. Let’s demand the same thing here. Getting the toxics out of production at the source is the best way to ensure they don’t get into any home and body.
Unplug (the TV and internet) and Plug In (the community). The average person in the U.S. watches T.V. over 4 hours a day. Four hours per day filled with messages about stuff we should buy. That is four hours a day that could be spent with family, friends and in our community. On-line activism is a good start, but spending time in face-to-face civic or community activities strengthens the community and many studies show that a stronger community is a source of social and logistical support, greater security and happiness. A strong community is also critical to having a strong, active democracy.
Park your car and walk…and when necessary MARCH! Car-centric land use policies and life styles lead to more greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel extraction, conversion of agricultural and wildlands to roads and parking lots. Driving less and walking more is good for the climate, the planet, your health, and your wallet. But sometimes we don’t have an option to leave the car home because of inadequate bike lanes or public transportation options. Then, we may need to march, to join with others to demand sustainable transportation options. Throughout U.S. history, peaceful non-violent marches have played a powerful role in raising awareness about issues, mobilizing people, and sending messages to decision makers.
Change your lightbulbs…and then, change your paradigm. Changing lightbulbs is quick and easy. Energy efficient lightbulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than conventional ones. That’s a no-brainer. But changing lightbulbs is just tinkering at the margins of a fundamentally flawed system unless we also change our paradigm. A paradigm is a collection of assumptions, concepts, believes and values that together make up a community’s way of viewing reality. Our current paradigm dictates that more stuff is better, that infinite economic growth is desirable and possible, and that pollution is the price of progress. To really turn things around, we need to nurture a different paradigm based on the values of sustainability, justice, health, and community.
Recycle your trash…and, recycle your elected officials. Recycling saves energy and reduces both waste and the pressure to harvest and mine new stuff. Unfortunately, many cities still don’t have adequate recycling systems in place. In that case you can usually find some recycling options in the phone book to start recycling while you’re pressuring your local government to support recycling city-wide. Also, many products – for example, most electronics - are designed not to be recycled or contain toxics so recycling is hazardous. In these cases, we need to lobby government to prohibit toxics in consumer products and to enact Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, as is happening in Europe. EPR is a policy which holds producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, so that electronics company who use toxics in their products, have to take them back. That is a great incentive for them to get the toxics out!
Buy Green, Buy Fair, Buy Local, Buy Used, and most importantly, Buy Less. Shopping is not the solution to the environmental problems we currently face because the real changes we need just aren’t for sale in even the greenest shop. But, when we do shop, we should ensure our dollars support businesses that protect the environment and worker rights. Look beyond vague claims on packages like “all natural” to find hard facts. Is it organic? Is it free of super-toxic PVC plastic? When you can, buy local products from local stores, which keeps more of our hard earned money in the community. Buying used items keeps them out of the trash and avoids the upstream waste created during extraction and production. But, buying less may be the best option of all. Less pollution. Less Waste. Less time working to pay for the stuff. Sometimes, less really is more.

Pomegranates and Kiwi Cake

2007-12-07T05:36:00.000-08:00

I have posted the recipe of this nice cake before but I never made it with pomegranates before, it's a winter version of the fresh fruit cake and i thought it would have been nice to share it with you. I made it for my sister's birthday party and I believe it was a success! :)

I love the colour of pomegranates!

are humans omnivores or vegetarians?

2007-12-07T05:32:00.000-08:00

Fried Tofu with Pumpkin seeds

2007-11-21T02:11:00.000-08:00

I use one or two packages of firm tofu. Cut in two triangles and then slice each triangle in 4 thin slices. Then I marinate the tofu in soy sauce for an hour at least, otherwise it doesn't go brown inside. I make a light batter using white flour and half water mixed with half beer. A pinch of salt. I dip the thin triangles in the batter then coat evenly with breadcrumbs and pumpkin seeds. I fry in sesame oil until golden. Add more salt as they cool and dry on a clean cloth (I never use kitchen paper, it's trees!).... Enjoy! This Tofu is very crispy and you could use other seeds as well - sesame seeds, sunflower seeds...)

Another Sticker for vegan t-shirts!

2007-11-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

My shower and animal testing...

2007-11-02T03:00:00.000-07:00

Animal tests are not necessary to save the lives of humans, would I die if I chose Weleda shampoo instead of a Procter and Gamble Shampoo? Some companies still test on animals, some don't. So all we have to do is watch out for these, read the full list at www.caringconsumer.com
In the photo you can see Weleda, Lavera, Argital, and Aleppo soap.
Stay away from:
Colgate-Palmolive Co.
Johnson & Johnson
Unilever
L'Oreal
Procter & Gamble (hidden under the names: Max Factor, Noxell, Cover Girl, Pantene, Crest, Gillette, Iams...)
Reckitt Benckiser (hidden under the names: Easy Off, Lysol, Mop & Glo, Old English, Resolve, Veet, Woolite...)
Please note that Revlon and Avon Cosmetics no longer test on animals after the release of investigations.

[Cosmetic testing on animals is used to gain inaccurate results to legally market potentially dangerous products, as animals re-act completely differently from chemicals than we do, faulty results can be achieved - this is why some companies prefer to use them, despite the fact they are more expensive, but they're inaccurate so when they hurt someone because they sold a dangerous product that they didn't test accurately, they don't get their ass' sued off and they can blame their research. But cosmetic animal tests have been replaced by cheaper, safer and more accurate tests that won't gain faulty results.]
UPDATED:
Urban Vegan suggests:
http://www.vegan.org/campaigns/certification/company_list
http://www.peta.org/living

Italian Pumpkin Soup

2007-10-19T01:22:00.000-07:00

I love soups in the winter and I'm a pumpkin maniac. In Italy pumpkin is considered a vegetable so we don't eat it in cakes and sweet things, only with savoury stuff.
This is one those soups I make up when i have nothing planned and very few ingredients. Infact I had a little brown rice that my baby did't eat, and some cooked canellini which are small white beans, very tasty. Half of a nice pumpkin in the fridge. So i thought: soup! I put all ingredients together and added water, a very little salt (i like to add soy sauce at the end, because I never use stock), a quarter of a pumpkin cut into chunks and a lot of dried rosemary. I cooked it a few minutes in a pressure cooker and stirred it to melt the pumpkin, there is no need to use a blender. This soup is delicious, but I like to make new ones depending on what I got left!
I think I could be a friend of these people from New York called Freegans... LOL I found their website this morning and I must admit I'm fascinated! LOL
See their website and you'll know what I mean:
www.freegan.info

The Green Apple now sells Tippitappi!

2007-10-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

The Green Apple online Store now sells some of my design Tshirts! Take a look!
The Green Apple sells lovely organic and ethical stuff, from clothing to bathroom, kitchen, office, gifts, toys, games, lounge... almost everything!
PS: the owner is vegetarian! :)

Tomato Focaccia

2007-10-10T00:59:00.000-07:00

These are the last tomatoes from Sara's garden, my neighbour. Autumn is here and Tomatoes are all going yellow... I usually make a wish in the spring with every fruit I eat for the first time each year, perhaps I should make one also when I know It's the last? Anyway, these are my last fresh tomatoes for this year, I don't like buying off season stuff, coming from Spain or Argentina, I think it's ridiculous. So here's my wholemeal focaccia with slices os tomatoes, oregano, salt and some good olive oil, I think some olives would be nice here too, but then it will become more of a pizza, focaccia should be more like a bread, which is what it actually is, a flat bread.
I am getting lazy with this blog, but I also have been quite unlucky, I made a cake yesterday following an american recipe called blondie something and it was with chocolate and peanut butter, uuuhh I felt like it so much, but it came out like ... I don't know, I couldn't even slice it, it is too crumbly, but the taste is nice. Because I don't like to throw away anything, I had a cool idea I think! :) This mixture could be a fabulous topping for a soya icecream or vanilla icecream, so what I'm doing today is buy some icrecream and try the combination. Simone is away all week for work and of course he's got the camera with him, so I'll have to use the little one, hope it works! I'll have to enjoy it on my own. I hate to be on my own!
vegan

Fair of the ancient fruits at Paderna Castle

2007-10-08T13:31:00.000-07:00

This is where we went on saturday, it was a nice day and we enjoyed it so much.
I was astonished by the beauty of the castle, it's near Piacenza in the north of Italy, It's dated ninth century and it's an organic farm today, somehow...
Look at the pics, click to enlarge.

The flowers that I bought, amazing colours!

Spelt salad with capers and olives .... VEGAN! Incredibile.

Date and Macadamia nut Tart

2007-10-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

Even if these dates and nuts were bought from a Fair Trade Shop, it's not the perfect organic stuff I could have bought locally, but Simone loves brazil nuts so I thought it would have been nice to give him a treat. This cake is 100% vegan, of course!
Ingredients
flour 250 gr.
margarine 100 gr.
sugar 100 gr.
a small glass of milk (rice, soja...)
pinch of salt
grated zest of two lemons

three cups of dates (one package)
one or two cups of brazil nuts

Method:
Lets make the pastry. Put all ingredients except the milk in a large bowl and combine with both hands. Add enough milk to form a nice ball, keep it in the fridge or cool place while you prepare the rest. If you accidentally add too much milk, add a bit of flour to balance the dough.
Soak in a little hot water the deseeded and chopped dates. Wait until they go soft and blend into a cream using a blender. It will become like a date jam, but with no sugar added!
Place the pastry in the tin and spread the date mixture. Place the chopped nuts on top. Bake in a fairly hot oven for 40 minutes or until golden. When it's cold brush with honey or maple syrup to give it a nice shiny effect. Enjoy! :)

Stickers for my vegan tees...

2007-09-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

This was one of my designs that i made for my stickers... Unluckily it was dumped, but it's cute, isn't it?!
vegan

My Vegan Tshirts

2007-09-26T00:27:00.000-07:00

Hi again, my vegan online store Tippitappi.com has been open for two months now and is not going too bad. I sold mainly in Italy, Us and Australia. My tshirts will also be soon sold at thegreenapple.co.uk an online store based in the Uk that sells organic and it's so exciting!
I also donated several tshirts to animal rights associations like AgireOra (italian), VivereVegan (italian), and PETA.

My thirts cost 30 euros but I offer a free worldwide shipping. It is high quality 100% organic cotton and not thin; it sometimens happen when you buy online, that you end up with a very thin tshirt. It's not my case, my tshirts are made of thick natural cotton.
I never had a complaint so far, so that's good! :)))
Ok, enough now, back to the kitchen!
vegan

A snack for my vegan baby

2007-09-18T13:12:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of vegan mums that read my italian blog, so I was asked to post a recipe for our little angels too! I posted this quick sweet cream because it's made of nuts and dry fruits. They are very important for vegan kids and I think that this type of food is sometimes neglected. I soak the dry fruits in water overnight and then I blend it into a cream with a food processor.

This time I have used dry apricots, almonds and sesame seeds.

It is up to you to mix the fruit and make different combinations. You could use only one type of fruit (apricots, plums, figs, dates) or add some hazelnuts, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds...) Presoak and blend thoroughly. It's a rich source of vitamins, minerals, fat, protein, sugars. Vegan kids need it to grow!

Bubu is 14 month old and wants to eat on his own, but he's no good! :)

Meme!

2007-09-17T02:39:00.000-07:00

Amey from Vegan Eats and Treats tagged me for a meme, this is my first meme, I don't want to let you down with this, but I'm not too clever, sorry!

Too many words in tippitappi, although my real name is Jenni Shortt (I have an english name because my father is English, my mum is Italian :)
I'm not not good at this, I told you!
P is for... no I won't say it
P again???
I love vegan food and all vegan people! (Although I once met a vegan girl at VegFestival in Torino called Monica, she was absolutely horrible, unkind and rude to me, I hate her.)
T like Tippitappi.com, my new job!
A lot of imagination... I'm gifted, I know
Pumpkin
Potato
I love you all!

thank you Amey for my first meme! :)
Ps: on the photo you can see my sweet friend Gazelle, the nicest and calmest horse I've ever met. She lives with my boyfriend's cousin in the mountains, in France. In a beautiful place, he sleeps in a caravan with no electricity, no phone, no heating... ahh it's incredible! I want to go again, it's so wild! :)

Homemade Herbal Teas

2007-09-16T00:53:00.000-07:00

I found a nice recipe for homemade fruit and herbal teas, that is, natural with no artificial flavourings but with the real taste and goodness of real herbs and fruits. I actually copied the recipe from a nice italian brand of organic teas in bottles called Achillea (see here). The secret is to mix nice herbs like Rosa Canina, it's the red fruit of the wild rose or hybiscus flowers, or any herb you like with other herbs like Raspberry flowers or other healing herbs, make an infusion and use concentrated apple juice as a sweetener. Raspberry leaves are very good for children, they are very rich in minerals and vitamins and also they help to reduce fever. Rosa Canina is a bomb of vitamin C. In Italy we have Erboristeria, which is a shop that sells loose herbs and a trained person that will tell you what herbs are best for you. That's where I go. Adding the apple juice is a good way to make it taste nice, because some teas are sometimes too herby! :)
These teas are excellent cold in the summer.
Ps: A lot of herbs can be picked in the wild and dried at home, like mint, thyme, lemongrass, vervain... It's free and so exciting!

Zucca alla menta - Pumpkin with mint

2007-09-14T02:23:00.000-07:00

I used to hate pumpkin and I used to hate mint with savoury foods, now I absolutely adore it.
It was my friend Francesca Davoli that once cooked it for me and I've always made it ever since especially at this time of the year. Oh by the way Francesca is a home stylist, you can see her work here

This is what it looks like before going into the oven

And this is what it's like just out of the oven, quite crispy this time, notice how much the pieces have shrunk!
This is a simple but rather nice recipe, trust me!

Conchiglioni

2007-09-09T06:50:00.000-07:00

Pasta again! I know... but I love pasta, I eat it almost everyday and I'm Italian so I can't help it! This is a special kind of pasta, it's conchiglioni which means big shells, and they are usually filled with a rich sauce and then baked to make a nice crust on top. My rich sauce was made today with a nice tomato sauce and tofu, ok nothing spectacular but if you think I have used lots of onion and herbs like thyme and rosemary and the tofu was smoked with almonds and sesame seeds from Taifun make, then I can assure you it was quite tasty.
Ingredients:
200 gr. or 1 1/2 cup of Tofu (flavoured one, like this one it's better)
One big onion
Olive oil
One can of tomato sauce (I used Passata di Pomodoro, which is usually homemade: fresh red tomatoes cooked for a long time with basil and olive oil, much tastier and darker than tomato puree. I don't know if you can find it in the shops)
thyme and rosemary, fresh or dry
salt

Chop the onion finely and fry in a little olive oil and salt for 10/15 minutes or until nicely brown. If you don't want it to burn, put a lid on and use a low flame.
Add the tomato puree and let it cook for as long as you can (even half an hour) always with the lid on and low flame. Add the herbs, finely chopped and the shredded tofu (use your hands to make it crumbly) and cook another 3 minutes. The sauce shouldn't be too dry like I did this time, it is better if it is juicy enough not to let the conchiglioni dry out. Although some people like crispy pasta.
Cook the pasta "al dente" which means a little bit under-cooked, drain and add a little olive oil to prevent the conchiglioni from sticking. When they have cooled down fill them with the sauce. Place on a baking plate or any container you may like and bake at medium high until they are nicely brown on top.
Hope you like it!
Ps: I also put some chopped parsley after baking to give a bit of colour!

Global warming and Vegetarianism

2007-09-01T05:51:00.000-07:00

Coming back from our trip in the mountains...

2007-08-28T07:15:00.001-07:00

What a summer! I have been away in the mountains with my family and here are some photos...

Picking rasperries...

Raspberry and Soy Yogurt cake! mmmm!

Gnocco fritto! This is typical of my area, they are squares of white pastry fried in oil, really simple but really nice, and vegan too!

This is Simone trying to put Bubu's shoes on!
I had a nice and quite relaxing time in the mountains, we slept in a rented caravan and explored the place from every angle. We couldn't do much trekking because we didn't have a proper baby carrier, but we managed to see lakes, flowers, berries, sleep under trees and just relax, that is what we wanted.
Tippitappi.com is going strong: I sold many tshirts especially in Italy, Spain, US and Canada. Thank you so much for your support!

Eat organic! The mouth Revolution

2007-08-03T01:59:00.000-07:00

They talk about me...

2007-07-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

hey check out this interesting Vegan Blog from Grand Rapids, he wrote 2 great articles about me and Tippitappi. He explained better that I did! Fantastic!
www.g-rad.org/vegan
www.keetsa.com
and this from the Uk:
www.newconsumer.com
www.alternativeconsumer.com
and from Spain:
www.visteadecuadamente.com
If you wonder who is the nice guy with me in the pic, that's a donkey I met in France.. :) I was passing by and couldn't resist, I love donkeys, I had to meet him, he was so funny!

Verdure Ripiene

2007-07-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

These are Stuffed Zucchini and Onions.. I think this is the exact translation. It's a typical italian dish and the vegetable are usually filled with a mixture of Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmisan Cheese), breadcrumbs, garlic and parsley.
But we don't like cheese (read why I hate cheese) so I used Tofu, yeast flakes and a drop of soy sauce. What I do is cut a big zucchini in half legthwise and scoop the inside with a small knife so that it looks more or less like a boat. Onions are good too for this: use big onions, cut in half and try to scoop the inside of the onion, make it look like a cup.
Put tofu, breadcrumbs, yeast flakes, chopped parsley, a finely chopped clove of garlic, pinch of salt in a food processor and blend to form a thick cream. Add some olive oil if necessary. Spread this on top and inside the vegetables and cook in the oven until quite cooked. You could eat it like this or you could continue cooking in a pan with some chopped onions and tomatoes, olive oil and water. This makes a nice sauce to put on top of the vegetables. To make it even easier you could cook them in a pan altogether covered with a lid. Enjoy
Ps: Red, yellow and green peppers are great for this aswell, but try to find small ones otherwise you'll get bigger portions.

why am I vegetarian?

2007-07-25T02:53:00.000-07:00

This is for all non vegetarian people that come to see my blog...
Why am I a vegetarian? There is more than one reason:
1- Because it isn't fair
2- Because we don't need meat to be healthy and strong
3- Because I care about the environment
4- Because there are still millions of people starving to death
READ MORE

Backwards Hamburger!

2007-07-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

Blog is growing + Almond Crostata

2007-07-13T02:55:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, thanks to Google Analytics I can see that my blog is seen by more people than I ever expected, I am flattered! I have two languages so everything is doubled for me, but I like to interact both with Italians and with foregneirs abroad. Thanks to Celine from Have cake, Will Travel more people came to know me, (thanks Celine!), I am happy, my blog is slowly growing.
I thought I would be ready by now to invite you to my online eco-vegan shop, but I can't. I won't tell about the boring problems we've had, but, :( We're not ready yet. I can't wait anymore, I want to see "the fruit" of what I have been planting, it's an italian saying and you'll probably know what it means.
Ok, I made this cake to cheer me up a bit.. It's a french recipe, a crostata with an almond/sugar/rice cream filling, not extraordinary, my boyfriend suggested to add a thin layer of jam in the middle, I need to try it again before posting the recipe. Love, Jenni

Plastic Bags? NO, Thanks!

2007-07-11T00:54:00.000-07:00

"Every time we use a new plastic bag they go and get more petroleum from the Middle East and bring it over in tankers," said Stephanie Barger, executive director of Earth Resource Foundation in Costa Mesa, California. "We are extracting and destroying the Earth to use a plastic bag for 10 minutes."
Some 13 billion plastic bags a year are given away in Britain, of which eight billion end up in landfill. Others get blown away and end up in the sea.
Once let loose into the environment, plastic bags can suffocate or slowly kill wildlife mistaking the bag for food.
HAPPY NEWS: We don't need plastic bags! Reuse the ones you have at home, if you forget, simply keep one or two in your bag or in your car. Buy or make one yourself with fabrics from old clothes. These girls show you how to make one: www.morsbags.com

Buy cool cotton bags here:
www.earthtotebags.com.au
and this is BBC breakfast talking about Morsbags!

Francesca and Elvis

2007-07-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting any new recipe but I am really busy with this Tshirt business and it is almost ready, about a week, I promise!
This is Francesca and her pony, Elvis, she volunteered to be a model for my eco-vegan Tshirts... She is vegan and lives in Monte Pastore, Bologna. We weren't very lucky because my boyfriend's camera had a slight problem, it's a CANON EOS1, and a straight white line appeared on every photo. The camera is in Milano now to be repaired. Nevermind, Francesca and his friends prepared rolled seitan and mashed potatoes for us, lovely!

This Tshirt is about global warming and says "Plant more Trees".
Over 80% of the world's original forest are gone. Trees are crucial to life on our planet. They generate oxygen, play host to a spectacular variety of wildlife, and provide us with raw materials and shelter.
Planting a tree can have tremendous influences on our lives. Trees reduce sound, produce oxygen, store carbon, clean the air, give shade and cool.
So, Take Action! :)

Re-Usable Baby Wipes

2007-06-29T03:08:00.000-07:00

Where are all our eco-friendly old handkerchiefs?
I was determined not to use disposable baby wipes for my baby, or anyway to use them sparingly (only when I was out for example) For two reasons:
I don't like the idea of washing my baby's bottom with chemical detergents and leaving them on with no rinsing.
I don't like disposables. I am trying to recycle everything and babywipes go in the "mix bin" because they can't be recycled.
So I made myself about 30 cotton baby wipes ( 30 x 20 cm. ) cut in rectangular shapes. I find them very handy: I keep them near, i take one and I rinse it in warm water, clean my baby and throw it in the basket. I don't use soap more than once a day and my baby has never had nappy rash. I use these cloths also when the baby is messing about with food, water, milk...(if you're a mum you'll know what I mean) So I don't need to buy kitchen Paper. I use them once and then I wash them at 90° C. hottest temperature if necessary. I really cannot count how many kitchen paper rolls and baby wipes I have spared. And these are Trees!

Pasta with Green Pesto

2007-06-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting anything new recently but I have been really busy with my Tshirt business, We took the photos on sunday and monday and must say I am quite happy with them, I found vegan models and that was great because they were so enthusiastic about the whole thing that it was a pleasure to work with them... thank you guys, you were great!
Coming back to our recipes I want to post this really simple pesto for pasta that originally comes from Liguria, same italian region where Farinata comes from. By the way, my parents just bought a small apartment in Rapallo, Liguria, and that's where I am going for a little break next week... I will post some photos of the place if you wish.
Ok this pesto doesn't need any cooking, you just need to mash and mince finely all the ingredients, preferably with a pestle and mortar...
30 basil leaves
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoon of pine nuts (or walnuts)
1 small glass of olive oil
salt to taste

I love to cook one or two little potatoes and some french beans (cut into little pieces) together with the pasta. Remember that potatoes and french beans go in first, boil 5 minutes before adding the pasta, then continue to boil all together for the time suggested on the package of the pasta. When it is cooked, drain and add the pesto, enjoy!

Vegan Barbecue!!!

2007-06-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

We cannot survive summer without a barbecue, here's some ideas...
Red Polpettine

Zucchini, Red Pepperoni and Onions

Bread with rocket salad and cherry tomatoes

I made the Red Polpettine with minced seitan, concentrated tomato puree, salt, garlic and enough breadcrumbs to combine. Remember to brush them with olive oil before serving otherwise they get too dry, use a rosemary twig if you don't have a brush like me.

I love cooking outside!

Piadina Party!

2007-06-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

I think this is a great idea for a Veg Party because there is very little to do, it fills everyone's tummy very well and you can prepare in advance so you can enjoy yourself rather than messing about in the kitchen while your friends are relaxing and enjoying themselves in the other room.
Basically there are plenty of Piadinas, or pita bread (flat white bread), and every guest can fill it with all sorts of nice things, for example:
Crusty Seitan and toasted almonds
Heat the pan with a very little oil and soy sauce, cook the seitan until it becomes dry. Toast the almond flakes on their own before adding them to the seitan.

Tofu with sesame seeds
Just plain tofu chunks, same as seitan but with the sesame seeds.

Cucumber, red cabbage and carrots

Tzatziki Sauce with soy yogurt, mint and plenty of garlic
Yogurt, salt, chopped mint leaves and one/two cloves of garlic finely chopped. Keep it in the fridge, serve it cool, it's nice with cucumber.

Spring Onion Sauce
This is my recipe, I love spring onions!
2/3 soy yogurt and 1/3 mayonese (no eggs!), I use Plamil 's,
salt

I missed Falafel, i ate them before taking the pictures, sorry!
Keep the piadina, seitan, the tofu and the falafel in a warm oven until guests arrive. Keep the sauces and the veggies in the fridge, good luck

Macedonia with Lavender Flowers

2007-06-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

In Italian Macedonia means fruit salad with a sweet juice and it eaten in small glasses with a spoon. You can choose several different fruits or just 2 like I did this time: Peaches and Strawberries. The juice is always made with lemon juice and sugar, some people add a dash of white wine. We leave the Macedonia in the fridge for a few hours before serving to let the juices and flavours out. The juice will become pink or red, depending on the fruit. I added some fresh lavender flowers from my garden, and I absolutely like these colours together. Lavender is not poisonous and you can also use other edible flowers! Experiment!

My Tshirts are almost ready!

2007-06-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

I shouldn't say this as I wanted it to be a surprise but I can't keep this secret anymore. As I am an eco-vegan graphic designer I have been dreaming about designing Tshirts with vegan graphics and slogans for too long so I did it! I have been working on it for a year now and the website is almost ready. There are about 10 different Tshirts in different colours. I can't wait to see my tshirts online and I can't wait for your comments!! I put my mind, my soul and my heart into this.

UPDATED: the website is now up and fully working!
www.tippitappi.com

vegan

Mini greenhouse at home

2007-06-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

I bought this mini greenhouse from BioSnacky last week in a shop NaturaSì, I have seen it at my friends home for the first time and I thought I should have one too. I just place the seeds in a layer, water them and close the lid, I don't keep them in a dark place. The are usually ready in 3/4 days. Ideal temperature: 18/22°C.

Sprouts are rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes. I mix them in salads or put them in sandwiches. Washed and drained they keep well for up to 2 weeks. I prefere AlfaAlfa (Erba Medica), Lentils, Mungo bean, Clover because they have a mild flavour. Cress and mustard are too strong for me, I don't like them.
These in the picture are Alfa Alfa sprouts, the richest and more nutritious sprouts. They contain a complete range of vitamins and minerals, all the essential aminoacids and eight enzymes essential for digestion.

Emergency: Empty Fridge!

2007-06-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

I panic-ed the other day when my boyfriend was crying out for food and my fridge was almost empty. He threatened to go to a pizzeria and get a fatty horrible margherita pizza, I had to cook something at once! All I had was a little carrot and one onion. I never run out of pasta so I made this simple recipe:
I chopped the onion and the carrot and fryed them in olive oil. Low flame. I boiled the pasta. When the onion was slightly brown I mixed it in the pan with the pasta, soy sauce and yeast flakes. I added some chopped chives from my garden at the last minute to give a little colour.
Result: my boyfriend was delighted, it really is a nice simple pasta!
When I have few ingredients, I come out with new recipes, ...but they are not good all the time :)

Tortino di Pomodorini

2007-06-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

This is a savoury tart made with tofu and cherry tomatoes, delicious and very easy to make.
I wanted to go for a walk with my boyfriend and baby this afternoon but the weather wasn't too good so we stayed home and I made this nice Tortino.
Ingredients:
Pastry... ehm... I bought it this time but I promise to post the recipe next time!
30 Cherry Tomatoes
1 package of Tofu
Breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic
Parsley
pinch of salt
Put all ingrediedients (except the pastry and the cherry tomatoes) in a food processor and blend. This is like a white pesto, taste it and add more salt if necessary. Spread the pesto on top of the pastry evenly, it shouldn't be more than 1/2 inch thick. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and take out the water and the seeds with your fingers, this will make them more tasteful and less watery. Place the halves on the pesto like in the picture. Fold the edges and bake for 1/2 hour until golden. Enjoy....

THE MEATRIX

2007-06-02T15:07:00.000-07:00

Take the red pill and watch the critically-acclaimed, award-winning first episode of The Meatrix Trilogy.
http://www.themeatrix1.com

"Chew on this" video

2007-05-29T00:35:00.000-07:00

Watch more videos at PETA.org
Vegetarianism not only spares billions of animals from horrific suffering, but also spares your waistline. Simply put, meat and dairy products can make you fat, cause Heart disease, put a major damper on your sex life, and destroy the environment.
Need more?
(only 3 minutes 40 seconds)

Farinata with Nettles

2007-05-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

Farinata is a typical vegan italian dish from the Ligurian region, North-east of Italy. It is made from chick-pea flour, water and olive oil and it is usually baked. I cook it in a pan because it is quicker and it's just as nice.
This time I also added some nettles that I picked myself in Montalto, on the hills near Reggio Emilia. They taste very much like spinach. I picked them using rubber gloves.

There are two common types of nettles in Europe: Urtica Urens and Urtica Dioica, you can eat both. It is better to pick them before June, when the leaves are tender. You have to pick the top leaves like in the above picture, once you are at home you should keep the leaves and discard the stems. Wash, drain and cook in very little water for a few minutes.

Now let's prepare the Farinata, a wonderful egg substitute but without cholesterol, saturated fats and cruelty (like useless male chicks minced alive, I will write about this very soon).
For a basic Farinata, you can only add a little salt and dried rosemary, but if you feel like it, you can add spinach, rocket salad or french beans...; always shredded and stir fried before you add them to the chick-pea mixture....

Ingredients for 3/4 people:
Chick-pea flour 10 oz
Water
Salt
Olive Oil
Nettles (o other vegetables)
1 Onion (optional)

Mix the flour with a little water at a time and be careful not to make lumps. You should have a liquid pastry. Set aside.
Chop an onion and fry it in a little oil and add to the flour mixture.
Cook the nettles in very little water for a few minutes, drain, chop and add to the flour mixture.
You can keep this pastry in the fridge for 2 or 3 days, so you can make an instant Farinata when you come home in the evenings.
Now it is time to cook this nice Farinata:
Place a pan on a medium heat and wait 2 or 3 minutes until it's really hot.
Add a drop of olive oil (it will make bubbles) and a ladle of liquid pastry, turning the pan trying to spread it well.
Wait until you can turn the "pancake" with a wooden spatula, cook on te other side. Do the same with another ladle of mixture.
Useful Tips::
- The first "pancake" tends to break up, nevermind, the others will be better, I think this is because the pan is not heated properly.
- The pan should never give off fumes, so try and keep a lower temperature.
- Make little pancakes so it is easier to turn them in the pan.
Enjoy!

Eco-friendly Washable Nappies

2007-05-23T03:10:00.000-07:00

Why should I use washable nappies for my baby?

The environment
We throw away eight million disposable nappies every day in the UK alone and in their production they use the wood pulp from four and a half trees per baby. A cupful of crude oil is used to produce the plastic for just one disposable nappy!
These nappies can take up to 500 years to bio-degrade and are filling up landfill sites all over the country.
Save money
You can save between £700 and £800 by using washable nappies - more if you have more than one child.
Healthier for your baby
Paediatricians suggest that new born babies should be changed 10-12 times per day, and older babies about six times. Infrequent changes are a causal factor of nappy rash with any nappy type.
Doctors and midwives also say it’s better for the baby to use real nappies as they are bigger and bulkier and they ensure good hip bone development.
Easy to use
Modern cloth nappies are shaped, fitted and self-fastening (with Velcro or popper fastenings). They come in a variety of styles, patterns and sizes and can be a fun part of your baby's wardrobe.
Home washing is simple
No need to soak or boil - this wastes water and energy
Nappies can be washed at 60 degrees centigrade
Biodegradable nappy liners can be used inside a cloth nappy - simply lift the liner out and flush it down the loo.

I think the best option is Kushies All-in-one, They come in two sizes: from 0 to 10 Kg. and from 10 Kg. onwards. I bought 10 nappies of each size and I manage washing any other day. If you want to wash less frequently just buy more nappies.
See me while I change my baby Tommaso, 10 months old, with Kushies All-in-one (big size, 10 Kg. onwards).

Also read this and this.

Yellow Basmati Rice

2007-05-23T01:59:00.000-07:00

This is a warm vegan rice salad and very tasty. The yellow is given by turmeric powder, the seitan and the green tofu make it really yummy! Who said that vegan dishes are tasteless?!?

Ingredients:
10 oz Basmati Rice
1 carrot
1 courgette
10 oz seitan
10 oz green tofu (with herbs)
oregano
rosemary
1 clove of garlic
turmeric powder
soy sauce
olive oil
salt

The trick is to cook the ingredients one at a time in the same pan.
> Begin by boiling the rice as usual with a pinch of salt.
> Chop the courgette and slowly cook it in a pan with olive oil, salt and oregano, cover with a lid. When it is done set aside in a nice wide bowl where the rice will be served.
> Chop the carrot and cook it slowly with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder. Be careful, turmeric is a very strong colour, it could stain your clothes forever!!! Cover with a lid and when it's done, set aside in the bowl.
> Now it's the seitan turn, chop it in tiny pieces and gently fry it for 2 minutes in the pan with olive oil, rosemary and the thinly sliced garlic. A few seconds before it is done add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to colour the seitan evenly and put it in the bowl together with the vegetables.
> Now chop the tofu, that doesn't need any cooking. Mix all the ingredients together with the rice and enjoy.
Remeber that basmati rice goes really stiff in the fridge, so it shouldn't be eaten straight out of the fridge.

My first homemade Seitan

2007-05-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

Seitan is a low fat, high protein, firm-textured meat substitute. It has been eaten in China, Japan, Korea, Russia and the Middle East for thousands of years.
And it is eaten by vegans and green people today!

It is really really easy to make, believe me.

I used:
1 Kg. white flour
1 tablespoon salt
water
Make a dough like as if you were making bread and keep it in the fridge for an hour.

Prepare two bowls of water, one with cold water and the other with warm water. Take the dough out of the fridge and start kneading in the cold water, then in the warm water and then in the cold one again.

This will take you about 5 to 8 minutes, or anyway until the dough is about one third of the original size.

Ok, your Seitan is ready to be cooked in a vegetable stock of your choice. I used water, soy sauce, rosemary and bay leaves. 40 minutes or 20 minutes in a pressure cooker.

I forgot to take a picture of what it looks like when it is cooked, sorry. Be patient and wait until it has cooled down and slice it.

I chopped a leek and fried it in olive oil. I then added the Seitan with a little of its stock, and some soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. If you don't live near Modena like I do and can't find balsamic vinegar just use a few drops of red vinegar (or omit the vinegar altogether) Enjoy!

intro

2007-05-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

My name is Jenni, I am a happy mum, I live in Italy and I am vegan.
I love cooking vegan, playing with my baby Tommaso, and my work! I have been designing Vegan Tshirts for the last 8/9 months... A separate website will be ready soon!

Fresh Fruit Cake

2007-04-30T06:18:00.000-07:00

This is a fresh fruit cake we eat in the spring, and this vegan version with absolutely no eggs or dairy tastes just as good.

Pastry
flour 250 gr.
margarine 100 gr.
sugar 100 gr.
a small glass of milk (rice, soja...)
pinch of salt
grated zest of two lemons
pich of bicarbonate (or rising agent, but it not essential)

Custard
a glass of cous cous
4 spoons sugar
grated zest of two lemons
water

Fruit, kanten (or agar agar) for the jelly that goes on top to keep the fruit in place
apple juice or water

> Lets make the pastry. Put all ingredients except the milk in a large bowl and combine with both hands. Add enough milk to form a nice ball, keep it in the fridge or cool place while you prepare the rest. If you accidentally add too much milk, add a bit of flour to balance the dough.
> Lets make the custard: Boil the cous cous and the lemon zest in a lot of water. The idea is to 'overcook' the cous cous, add the sugar and blend it with a food processor to make a cream. Set aside to cool.
> Tiriamo fuori dal frigo la nostra pallotta e con questa foderiamo il fondo e il bordo di un bello stampo da torta. La pasta dovrebbe essere alta più o meno 1 cm. e mezzo, a seconda dei gusti. Inforniamo a 180° C fino a quando non avrà un bel colore dorato in superficie, più o meno per 20 minuti.
> When the pastry has cooled down add a thick layer of custard and place the fruit on top as you like (strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, bananas, grapes...)
> Lets make the jelly: melt a spoon of kanten powder in 250 gr. of water, boil slowly for 15 minutes. The jelly will appear liquid, don't worry, it will become a jelly when it cools down.
If you want to be sure just put one or two drops on the table, let it cool and watch, if it's jelly, you can add it evenly on top of the fruit cake.
> Keep it in the fridge al least for half an hour before serving .... mmmmmm!!!
THIS CAKE IS 100% CRUELTY FREE!