How are you all doing? Weekly schedule, craft goals, weather update, lunch.

Dear users, dear authors,
How are you? What are you up to? Did you have a nice weekend?
What’s for lunch?
How are your weekly plans and crafting goals coming along?
What’s the weather like?
Tell me all about it.

Hi,

I’m doing well. I’m still at work right now.
The weekend was nice.
For lunch, I had a salad and a pretzel.

My crafting goal for this week is to finish my soul warmer
after I’ve already unraveled it completely once
before.

It’s wonderfully warm here and the sun is shining.

Best, Heike

I just had pan-fried potatoes with homemade seitan.

As for my craft project, I’m continuing to work on a knitted poncho/cape.
Let’s see if I have enough yarn for it.
Otherwise, it’ll be a little shawl for my shoulders in case it gets chilly in bed.

As for the weather, I’ve got sunshine to offer.

How do you make seitan?

Hi,

I’m doing great!!
I’m lying on the beach in Crete and enjoying the sound of the waves!

Best regards

Birgit

@Birgit, have a great rest of your vacation—enjoy it :-)

My weekend was relaxed and quiet—all in all, nice :-)

I’m doing well, and summer is making a comeback with warm temperatures, so we’ll be having another barbecue this week. Today we’re having pasta with a cheese and cream sauce, along with tomato salad.

My poncho is coming along—slowly, but every night when everyone’s asleep, I manage about 2–3 rows.

This week, I have a long-overdue hair appointment on the schedule, and I’m also heading to the vet again—luckily, just for vaccinations and deworming. Then Junior will finally be able to go outside.

The weather here is gorgeous!
For lunch, I had a vegan “herring” salad.
I’m currently working on my second fall-themed tea light holder.
I don’t have any craft goals—the journey is the goal ;-D.

Thanks @Petra

Much to my husband’s chagrin, half the suitcase was full of knitting supplies lol 

My parents came to visit today. It was a really relaxing day. Tonight we’re having onion soup. At 24 degrees, it might not be quite perfect. But I was in the mood for it, and my husband will just have to go along with it. 

Inna, vegan herring salad sounds delicious. Do you have more info on that? Feel free to send me a PM with a link. ;-)

We’re in Meersburg on Lake Constance until tomorrow, enjoying the amazing summer weather. Until Saturday, we were visiting our son and granddaughter. I really enjoyed cuddling with her again. :-)

Tomorrow we’ll spend one more day in the Allgäu, and on Wednesday we’re heading back home. After a week away, I’m really looking forward to it. Better internet again, the garden, raspberries… oh yes. And, of course, all my knitting and crocheting supplies in abundance, ready to go.

Right now, I’m in the middle of crocheting the Winter Bear from Ottertaler Häkelmaus. I’ve had this pattern lying around for well over a year, and now I finally want to finish it. Since the bouclé yarn is so nice and cozy, I decided to use it—in dark brown, of course. Now I’m learning how to “crochet blind.” ;-)

I either use what’s called “Seitan-Fix” (pre-made gluten flour) or make it myself from flour by washing it until only a tough lump remains.

Today I used the Seitan-Fix.
I add salt, spices to taste, a little oil, tomato paste, liquid smoke, and just enough water to create a smooth mixture.

You can either boil it in a pot of water—be careful, it swells up—fry it in a pan with a little oil, or bake it in the oven wrapped in aluminum foil with a little liquid.
I prefer the pan version

There are recipes for this online.

@Monika,

the “herring” is actually an eggplant (chopped) that’s simmered with a little water, vinegar, salt, and seaweed (or nori sheets). After it cools, I add oil and chopped onion and let the whole thing sit for 1–2 hours. After that, you can use it just like herring—either with jacket potatoes or in a salad.
I don’t have a specific recipe for this; it’s always a spontaneous creation. But there are plenty of recipes online, both for the “herring” and for salads featuring it—it’s best to try a few out :-).

Best, Inna

I love the vegan “creamed herring” version — I make it by feel too.

Ever since she came back from Ameland, our daughter has been a vegetarian. I wouldn’t think that was such a big deal—if it weren’t for the fact that she doesn’t like vegetables at all! These days, she’ll occasionally eat spinach, carrots, tomatoes (cooked), and endive salad (mixed with mashed potatoes)—but only very small amounts. I’m sure everyone can imagine what her diet looks like... 

I’d still take it pretty easy, dear Nadeleule.

I tend to eat vegetables in phases rather than regularly.
When my favorite varieties are in season, they end up on my plate more often.
Right now, for example, that would be leeks.

I’m pretty laid-back about it, too. She’s 12, so there’s nothing I can say anyway (except when it comes to her eating habits, of course). I used to drive myself crazy over this—or rather, “let myself be driven crazy.” But she’s healthy and doesn’t have any nutritional deficiencies, so she can do as she pleases.
Everyone else in our family eats meat and vegetables—each according to their own preferences.

Thanks CreatOwl for the seitan info.

Mel, I’d take that pretty lightly, too. I’m often amazed at how little kids can get by on. My son grew up vegetarian and didn’t eat a lot of things back then either. That changed when he was around 14 or 15—his taste suddenly changed, and he started trying at least a few different things.

Inna, that “herring salad” made with eggplant sounds absolutely delicious, especially since I love that vegetable. I’ll look into it and give it a try. Thanks for the tip and the ingredients. :-)

We’re in the Allgäu now and decided on the spur of the moment to extend our stay by a day. Tomorrow we’ll really take a vacation—lazing around and… of course, knitting and crocheting. I’m really looking forward to it, because I’m slowly starting to get withdrawal symptoms. Even my husband has noticed that I’m missing my yarn and needles.

@Monika,

Only the “herring” is made from eggplant; all the other ingredients are the same as usual or replaced with vegan alternatives :-). Today I found the basic recipe I (roughly) follow when making my “herring”:

Cut 250 g of eggplant into pieces.
Mix 150 ml water with
2 tsp salt and
4 tbsp vinegar; add
1 sheet of nori (cut into small pieces so it breaks down faster) and the eggplant, bring to a boil, and let simmer very briefly (1–2 minutes). Let it cool with the lid on, then
add 1 tbsp oil and
1 finely chopped onion, and let it marinate for 1–2 hours.

Many recipes recommend peeling the eggplant, but I think that’s a waste and see no reason to do so—the skin cooks just as quickly as the eggplant itself.

Good luck :-)

If you want to skip the step of chopping up the nori seaweed, you can also use wakame.
I add it to my “fishy” dishes.

The wakame swells up in liquid, and you only need a “pinch” of it.

I buy it at the Asian grocery store.

@CreatOwl,

I’ve actually started doing that too, mainly because of the price, but I think nori tasted more intensely of fish. But I could be wrong — I’ll have to try it again and compare :-).
By the way, wakame is also available in Alnatura stores, just like nori sheets.

Thanks for the great tips on vegan “fish,” you two. I hadn’t heard of this spice before and will definitely give it a try. It should be available at the health food store or from a vegan online retailer.

Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables, and I always use it with the skin on. I especially like it grilled. Deliciously seasoned with garlic... hmmm. And it’s also lovely as antipasti.

This new variation is a real asset in my kitchen. It’s great what I’m learning here. :-)

Wishing you a wonderful sunny day. I’m making a point of enjoying it today out in front of the motorhome, and I’m going to get out my crochet and knitting now.

Best, Monika

@Monika,

Wakame isn’t a spice — it’s brown seaweed. Nori are thin sheets of seaweed that are usually used for sushi.

And while we’re on the subject — if you ever miss the taste of eggs in a dish, you can use kala namak salt for that — it has a very intense sulphur-like taste, and you really only need a pinch.

Best, Inna

@Inna,

great, thanks for the tips. Yeah, of course—I’d read that too, that they’re seaweed. At the same time, they also add flavor and give it that fishy note. I’m really curious to see how it tastes.

Speaking of egg flavor, I recently made vegan scrambled eggs using chickpea flour. They tasted absolutely delicious.

Here’s a photo from tonight with our cool RV.
Tomorrow we’re heading home—with mixed feelings (Wollberge—yay!).

@Monika,

I haven’t made scrambled eggs with chickpea flour yet—I’ll have to try that. I actually have the flour on hand—thanks for the tip :-).

Your camper looks really cool :-).

Monika, I hope you have a safe trip home! Your yarn is already waiting :D

Good morning. I went to my first BodyFit class yesterday. Oh man, I’m so sore. :-(

Today is Anton’s first birthday. Where has the time gone? I’m sure it’ll be a great day. I haven’t had much time to crochet all week.
  Tuesday was my husband’s birthday,
Wednesday was the first anniversary of my father-in-law’s passing, so I spent the whole day out with my mother-in-law. Yesterday I baked blueberry muffins—made with spelt flour and just a little sugar. Anton will get some to celebrate the day.
He’s still asleep; I’m going to get up soon :-)

Happy Birthday, little Anton :0)

It’s Anton’s birthday // It’s Arni’s son’s birthday

@Arni,
would you like me to add Anton to the birthday calendar, now that he has his own thread for 2018, see the link just above? Does he have enough enthusiasm for crafts?

Josefa: Thank you so much, that was really sweet of you! You’re very welcome to add it. I was so happy when I saw it. Thank you. 

I’m not sure about enthusiasm for crafting yet. But unraveling is definitely fun.

@Arni,
I’ve added him to the birthday calendar.
It’s great that you’re having so much fun with the forum and Anton’s birthday thread.