Sunday, August 17, 2008

Don't Trifle With My Heart Trifle


London was a great day trip, and we are already planning our next trip across the channel (mostly because I didn't have time to get to the Natural History Museum, where they keep the dinosaurs).

I could bore you to death with tales of my shopping (I got a really cute shirt with an owl on it, and a fantastic bird pin; I picked up a silly array of treats for my kids to 'earn' from Paperchase; K and I went nuts buying C.D.s and movies; and I found some really nice pens)....but I won't! I will however tell you that I had some great food, at the much recommended Mildred's, which is located in the used-to-be-bohemian-and-is-now-overly commercialized-SOHO.


The restaurant is apparently a well known stop for tourists and local veggers alike, so we were seated before they fired up the oven (given the one hour time difference, and our 4:30 am breakfast, we were starving). The interior is quite open and fresh with bright orange walls and wood furtniture.

We had to go for the whole thing, and ordered Goyza dumplings to start off, which were ok - I wasn't so keen on the crispy bottom though. K ordered the sweet potato burger, which came with huge fries and some vegan homemade mayo. The taste was ok, but I thought a little lacking in spice and texture (a little too mushy for me). I went for something a little different and went for a puy lentil dish that included raw tofu, a bed of baby spinach and a couple of slices of grilled pepper. I really enjoyed this dish and was impressed by the flavouring of this 'salad's' dressing of anise and fennel seeds. I couldn't leave without indulging in a VEGAN desert (not when I live in Brussels) and asked for a ginger and rhubarb cheese cake that I split with K, who, agreed with me that the texture was much too rubbery - as though they had a jittery hand while adding the agar.

Overall a great meal, which didn't kill us in the pocket. We had a pretty pedestrian maki snack for our dinner - we had both walked for hours, and weren't craving anything too heavy. I had a pickle roll and avocado roll, while K went a little wild and ordered some friends of mine who used to swim in the ocean (bad, bad kevin!).

Today I had an amazing work out, and spent the afternoon relaxing, tripping around the house and having tea with my fish eating man. I set to work on dinner with plans to make beanie buddies, but decided to make a not-meaty-meat loaf instead. First try, and I was quite happy with it. I also made a lentil soup, and a desert that I would give away my car for! Ohhhh it was good, good and good some more.

Not Meaty Meat Loaf

1 sweet potato
1 tin of red kidney beans
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup of bulgar wheat (soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes)
1/4 cup of oats

I mushed the beans and the boiled potato together and then added the rest of the ingredients. I scooped it into a loaf pan and stuck it in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes. We had it with a little homemade garlic cream.....yum yum.

Don't Trifle with My Red Heart Trifle
I don't know if you would call this a trifle, as I didn't include any of the spongy cake I used to add to the trifles I remember making in grad school with my friend Melissa. But, K remarked on how much it looked like a trifle before I shoved it back in the freezer for its last chilling....

Base 12 almonds 1/2 cup of cashews 5 dates I soaked the whole lot for about 20 minutes in some boiling water and then ran the hand blender over them just enough to make it sticky and useful as a base, but not too gooey.

Yummy Inside
12 strawberries
25 fresh raspberries
I did a similar thing to the strawberries - blitzing them very quickly, but leaving some of the little goodies semi-while. I added the fresh, whole raspberries as my next layer of fruity goodness.

Topper
More of that decadant cashew cream that I just can't get enough of.



I put this desert in the frezzer while we ate our soup and loaf. It was just too good!

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think I shall give a go to your meatless meatloaf asap. I love me some bulgur!

Alicia said...

So you bought nice things in London, hehe. Good girl!

You should go more often, if the connection is really that good. I certainly would!

I believe you if you say the burger was mushy, but it looks actually quite good. It was for sure not as good as your homemade dessert, oh my!

BTW, my Asian store sells the edamame beans even more expensive!

Nicole said...

I was going to make cashew cream today..but I realized I ran out of cashews! Boooo! Your trifle sounds AMAZING!

Katie said...

Yum! I am not going 100% raw I am just experimenting.

Wow, a day trip to London sounds like fun. I have never been overseas, but I dream of travelling. (I live in the US.)

The Vegan Revolution said...

Your meatless meatloaf looks amazing and simple! Great pictures and wonderful post.

Theresa said...

Wow, that trifle sounds much nicer than the gelatin-laden version that I usually hear about around here.

And thanks for your comment on my blog, I'm in agreement with you, it's much more fun to have a man who is okay with a feminist and is happy to be a bit unique!

Brad and Ahnah said...

Definately will be picking up some bulger to try that incredible looking meatless meatloaf!!

VeganCowGirl said...

Alice - I totally plan on making more of the eurostar connection. So sorry to hear about the price of your edamame beans....

ahhhh sweet potato that is so sad...I am totally addicted to cashew cream.

Thanks everyone - the meat loaf was GREAT

Anonymous said...

Great Recipes... the meatless meatloaf looks great and that cashew cream sounds so good!

KP said...

Oh yum raspberries! I might have to try out making that dessert!

And talk about fun day trips! London sounds like a great one (although for me, I could not make it to London in a day :o )

alaina said...

i will definitely be making that bulgur loaf in the near future. yum!!

Unknown said...

wow, london! how exciting.. i would love to journey out there one day!
the food looks awesome, and your not meaty meat loaf definitely looks like something i should make sometime. :)

urban vegan said...

I love Mildred's. I so miss London--but with our $ so low, we'd be broke visiting Europe in no time flat.

Your recipes look mouth-wateringly good.

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

Your "meat"loaf looks so easy to make-- I think I must try it!

Anonymous said...

It's so hard to eat in London, everything costs mucho $$$. It's great that you found a meal that didn't shrink your pocketbook!

healthy ashley said...

Hi! I just found your blog and am in love. In love and hungry.

I love the sweet potato in the "meatloaf" recipe. I've got to try that!

Bianca said...

That sweet potato burger looks like a REAL BURGER!

And your Not Meat Loaf sounds so simple and delicious. I love things with just a few ingredients.

Anonymous said...

Hey, glad you enjoyed Mildred's, and London of course. Teenager recognised the dish immediately. She's still craving for it.
And the triffle looks so good!
Great idea for the meatless meatloaf.

Anonymous said...

I can't get my mouth to stop watering! I love meatless loafs, but I've never tried one like this!

Anonymous said...

Oh, wow, that trifle looks so good!

As does that no meat meat loaf! Thanks for the recipes!

Just found your blog and love it! Oh, and thanks for your get well wishes! :-)

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

Sounds like you had a good time. I so love paperchase, I could go wild in there, honestly!

Penny said...

non meaty loaf looks fantastic, especially the sweet potatoe/oat part!