Vegan chocolate cookies

These are not fluffy, but they are delicious. There chia seeds add a texture you either love or hate. I love it. You can use eggs instead which will make them lighter in texture.

2 bananas mashed
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp chia seeds mixed in 1/4 cup water left foot a few minutes. (Or two eggs)
1/4 self-raising flour
2tbsp cocoa powder
Broken pieces of dark chocolate (optional/to taste)

Mix all ingredients well.

Spoon into muffin tray. Alternatively put spoonfuls on a baking sheet to make flat cookies. Bake in pre heated oven 180 C 15-20 mins.

Mini boxes fit for a bird

Holey cubes or bird nests

Used T-shirt yarn and no 10 hook

US terms:

Ch chain
Sl slip stitch
Sc single crochet
Hdc half double crochet
Dc double crochet
Tr treble cricket

Repeat between *..*

Rnd 1: Ch 3; make 2 dc in the 3rd ch from hook, tr in same ch. (Make 3 dc in same ch, tr in same ch) 3 times. Join in top of ch-3.

Rnd 2: Ch 2. *Sc in each dc until tr, (place 2 sc, dc place marker, 2 sc) in tr]* 4 times. Sc in each dc until ch-2. Join to top of ch-2.

Rnd 3: work round into/front loop unless the stitch has  a marker. In that case with back loop and move marker to that stitch. Ch 2 then dc until ch-2. Join to top of ch-2.

Rnd 4: work round into both loops unless the stitch has  a marker. In that case with back loop and move marker to that stitch. Ch 2 then dc until ch-2. Join to top of ch-2.

Rnds 5 and 6: as rnd 4.
Rnd 7: work into front loops only. Ch2 ss , *sc, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc* x3, sc, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, ss into second chain of ch-2.
Fasten off.

Almond chocolate cake

~80 g almond butter
~70 g coconut oil
100 g (caster) sugar
4 large eggs
125 g (4½oz) ground almonds
70 g (2½oz) flour
3 - 4 drops almond extract
60 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa) broken into ~1cm chucks.

Beat the almond butter, coconut oil, and sugar for a few minutes until a creamy paste.
Beat in the eggs one at a time and then fold in the ground almonds, flour and almond extract.
Spread the mixture in a 20cm deep round cake tin.
Stir in the mixture the chocolate pieces

(Sprinkle with flaked almonds and grated chocolate).

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C, 160°C fan oven for 45 mins to 1 hour or until the cake is cooked (a skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean).

Dust with icing sugar, or brush with warmed apricot jam, or leave as it is.

Honey blossom oat biscuits

1 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup self raising flour
1/8 sunflower oil
1 tbsp orange blossom water
1 to honey
~1 cup warm water
Honey seeds (I used munchy honey seeds) to taste
Mixed dried (sultanas and orange/citrus peel) fruit to taste.

Add oatmeal, flour, and some of the hot water in a bowl. Let it sit for a little bit then stir together to well mixed. If too dry add more water. Add honey and orange blossom water. Mix well to a thick paste consistency. Again assess if more water is needed.
Last add seeds and mixed fruit. Mix well.
Take large tbsp of the mixture and place on a baking tray in blobs.
Bake at 180°C (350F) until golden.

Life on the other side

Happy New Year!

Haven't managed write any notes since going back to work..  I just logged in and found this draft dated 28/9/14:

So almost a month on and boy ticket and I are surviving.
In some ways it is nice as I make sure I leave work on time and I try to spend quality time with ticket instead of lazing around with him.
I definitely miss my days as a full time mum.

Definitely true.  Four months on and I still miss those days on maternity leave.  Ticket is becoming more and more fun and I only get to spend two hours a day with him..  It is ridiculous how much I enjoy hanging out with him, despite him being a big pain in the back side at times.. I can't even explain why.  

So to make things harder on Monday I am starting a new job, that involves commuting, important meetins and the lot. Let's see how that goes.  I will try to keep up my note taking, although I feel that my focus might change slightly towards my makes.  I think yet another mum yupping on her little angel might be grinding after a while..

I have decided to join a CAL (Crochet Along) to try and maintain the domestic bliss in my home... I will try to keep you posted..

Recap

My ticket expired and I am back at work, full time. Sad times. I miss spending my days leisurely with Ticket.  He has been a good sport, taking it on the chin, that he gets to spend less time with mummy.  When I come home, he falls into my arms and gives me loads of kisses.  How I miss my little boy.. Now I need to be a good sport too, and stop sulking.

My first step is to keep the notes going.  The parallel world the door is left crack open and I can still peek through at times.

It has been a while since my last post, so I will go for a summary recap. Ticket and I went away over the summer and Ticket met the sea for the first time.  He loved it of course, although not too impressed with the salty water.  Clorine seems so much more natural to him.

He now is an independent little boy with opinions about how he would like to spend his time.  He crowls, he climbs and pulls down everything he can reach. It is that stage...

The cutest thing ever about my little ticket , is that he has taken on singing and dancing. I am not sure where he picked the dancing from but every time he hears a tune he bops away with the rythym..  Ticket also has favourite singing spots, mainly the swings and the car.

Over the summer I spent my crochet time making Ticket two hats and a pair of shorts.  The two hats, one is the colourful bucket shown below that I made up as I went along, and the blue and white fedora following using this pattern.  Let me know if you need a hand.

I used a pattern for the shorts, and they are lovely, but by the time I finished them summer was over..

Crochet pouf ottoman

Slightly in danger of turning this into a crochet blog, but it is taking over.  Maybe more than Ticket has.  

Here is my project before last, a crochet pouf:

I used the pattern from LVLY, which was simple, easy to follow and well written.  Check the blog out it is great.  

The pattern can also be found below altered slightly with my notes, for next time:

I used a no 10 hook and about 2kg of t-shirt yarn.

The pouf is crochet in a spiral, so you have to make sure you mark the beginning of each row, you know where the row ends and starts. It will be hard to tell otherwise.

The same stitch is used for the entire project. In US terms a double, in UK/AU a treble.   That is you will yarn over then put your hook through. Figures 95-98  For ease it will be referred to as st (stitch) in the pattern

LVLY suggest you can make a narrower puff by skipping row 6-7-8 and row 13-14-15.  I will be trying that next time.

-         make a magic ring and chain 3 to count as first st. (My favourite magic ring tutorial)

-         row 1, crochet 11 st. in the circle

-         row 2, crochet 2 st. in every st. repeat 12x (=24)

-         row 3, crochet 2 st. in every second st repeat 12x(=36)

-         row 4, crochet2 st. in every third st. repeat 12x (=48)

-         row 5, crochet 2 st. in every fourth st. repeat 12x(=60)

-         row 6, crochet 2 st. in every fifth st. repeat 12x(=72)

-         row 7, crochet 2 st. in every sixth st. repeat 12x(=84)

-         row 8, crochet 2 st. in every seventh st. repeat 12x(=96)

-         row 9, 10, 11, 12 crochet 1 st. in every st (you can continue to desired height.  Bear in mind that as you are making it it will look flatter than the final pouf).

-         row 13, crochet every 7th and 8th st.together repeat 12x(=84)

-         row 14, crochet every 6th and 7th st.together repeat 12x(=72)

-         row 15, crochet every 5th and 6th st.together repeat 12x=60)

-         row 16, crochet every 4th and 5th st. together repeat 12x(=48). 

Cast off

Use some tights to fill the the pouf with filler beads or like I did use the insides for some (three largish) old cusions.  If you are using old cushions don't put them inside tights as it will be hard for them to take the shape you want.

The bottom

-         make a magic ring and chain 3 to count as first st. 

-         row 1, crochet 11 st. in the circle

-         row 2, crochet 2 st. in every st. (=24)

-         row 3, crochet 2 st. in every 2nd st.(=36)

-         row 4, crochet 2 st. in every 3th st. (=48)

Sew with an overhand stitch the bottom to the pouf.  The bottom might look too small but trust me it will work..

Must dash as Ticket is complaining.  Here he is enjoying the fruits of my labour: