Butternut Squash and Pine Nut Risotto

The Beloved has been playing with adding more flavours to our risottos. This morning, he asked if he could add pine nuts. This is the recipe I came up with to meet his need of pine nuts in a risotto. After describing it, the response was, "I'll never remember this. Write it down." So, here it is written down.

Ingredients 

4Tsp olive oil

75g pine nuts

1 butternut squash 

1 onion

2tsp chopped garlic

400g arborio rice

1.5 litres vegetable stock

200g Stilton

handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

chive or spring onions, chopped.

Method

Put 2Tsp of  oil in a skillet, and toast the pine nuts. Then set the nuts to one side.

Cut the butternut squash cubes. Add the other 2Tsp of oil, and gently fry the butternut squash.

Cut the onion into a small dice, and add to the skillet. After 4 minutes add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute, and then add the rice. Stir, and add the hot stock into the skillet. 

Bring to a simmer, and cover. Cook for around 5 minutes, stir and add more stock if needed. Cover, cook, stir, repeat until all the stock has been incorporated, and the rice has been cooked. 

Stir in the crumbled Stilton. Stir in the pine nuts, and fresh parsley. Season to taste. Scatter chopped chives or spring onions on top. 

If you'd like, add shavings of Parmesan, but note that Parmesan isn't vegetarian.

Magnesium

Magnesium is important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA.

People who eat a gluten-free diet very often have a magnesium deficiency. Signs of deficiency include high blood pressure, migraines and muscle cramps. Tick, tick, tick.

For the last couple of years I have been taking supplements to help remedy this lack, and it is wonderful to have a huge reduction in migraines and muscle cramps. Next time I'm visiting the doctor I'll find out how my blood pressure is doing.

My preference is to reduce the supplements, and get more magnesium for food as nutrients from foods tend to be more readily absorbed than tablets. The Breakfast Banana Bar is a great way to consume more magnesium. The oats and bananas are fairly good sources. The Breakfast Bars will become a common feature in my diet.

However, 30g of pumpkin seeds has almost five times the amount as a medium banana, or a serving of porridge.  I can see a lot of pumpkin seed sprinkled on my salads in my future.

We're going on a hedgehog hunt!

Many years ago, when all of the children were small, we visited my parents in Scotland. My 5 year old nephew asked "Please Grandma, may I come for a sleepover with my cousins? I haven't seen then in such a lo-o-o-ong time." Soft-hearted Grandma gave her approval. That's when my brother asked if Grandma could take the baby too, "It will means we can have night out."

Instead of a nice quiet house of two adults, there were now four adults, and four children (ranging from nine years to twelve months). Bedtime was noisy, but fun. Breakfast was also noisy and fun. When the extended family heard we were in town they invited themselves over for 'a cup to tea, and a wee cake' in the afternoon, nine more adults, and five more children.

After lunch for eight, Grandma started getting a little flustered about the imminent 'descent of the hoards'. The baby was put down for a nap, and the three other grandchildren were tossed out of the house to 'go and play'. One asked, "But what shall we do? We don't have any toys here?" In exasperation, Grandma said, "Go find a hedgehog!" The children readily agreed, and raced off to the grassy park in front of the house.

Fifteen minutes later, they raced back. "We need the baby's car seat. It's dark blue with stars. Hedgehogs are nocturnal. If we hold the car seat over the hedgehog hole they will think it is night and come out!"

Another fifteen more minutes passed, and by this time the lunch dishes had been washed, dried and put away. The sitting room had been straightened, dusted and vacuumed. And then three cousins came into view, walking dejectedly back down the path to Grandma's house. "We couldn't find a hedgehog. We've looked everywhere, and we can't find one." That's when my eye fell to Grandma's boot scraper.

"Quickly, grab the boot scraper and put it into the bag. Now, you have to rush into the house, shouting, "Grandma, Grandma, we've found a hedgehog." Everyone has to try to  be the first to tell Grandma, and you have to be so very excited. Wiggle the bag to make it look like there's a real hedgehog in it."

The trio excitedly burst into the sitting room, voices raised, bag all a-wiggle. Grandma was shocked to think they had found a hedgehog, but when she looked into the bag and saw her old muddy boot scraper the laughter started. She laughed and laughed and laughed some more. She almost peed her knickers! The tension that had been building up in Grandma evaporated.

When the rest of the family arrived the hedgehog story was told, and it has been regularly retold over the years.

Now Bring Me Some Figgy Socks

Yarn: King Cole Footsie

Composition: 93% Acrylic, 7% BPT

Colour: Fig

Pattern: my generic sock pattern

Size: my foot (64sts at start)

Needles: 2.5mm

Amount used: 100g

Started: 26th April 2023

Finished: 22nd May 2023

It feels rather strange knitting with socks again. It also feels strange using such small needles. However these socks are starting to grow, and I'm loving both the texture, and the colours. They will be a fine addition to my me-made wardrobe.

Breakfast Banana Bars Review

It is always sensible not to deviate from a recipe the first time. I wish I could remember to do that. But sadly it was not to be, once again.

So, what were my deviations? The cinnamon was doubled, and there was an inclusion of 1 cup of Holland and Barrett's seed mix (pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds). 

It was cooked at 200C for 20 minutes. This produced a firm but tender bar. It had a sweetness from the ripe bananas, but it wasn't a sweet creation. 

The bars are out of the oven, cut and cooling. I'm very interested in texture tomorrow morning.

Breakfast Banana Bars

This recipe is from Healthy Living James.

Ingredients

6 ripe bananas

400 g gluten free oats

1 tsp cinnamon

2 Tsp water

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 200C.

To a large mixing bowl add the peeled bananas and mash with a fork

Now add in the oats, cinnamon and water and mix together.

Line a baking tin and pour in the mix. Press down firmly with the back of a fork to compact it into the tin.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 200C.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into bars.

Notes

Store in a sealed container at room temperature for a few days. These bars can also be frozen.  Additional fruit, or nuts could be added. 

Twiddle Muffs

Our local hospital has asked for Twiddle Muffs. These are used for patients with dementia. There's lots of tactile little things, inside and out, and it keeps restless hands busy. 

This is my first Twiddle Muff, although I have made two Fidget Mitts before. The muff is two layers of chunky yarn, knitted on my Addi Express knitting machine. The knitting took about 30 minutes, the grafting 5, and too much time to add the buttons etc.

In this project, I've learned how to make a crocheted twisted fringe, and how to crochet onto knitted fabric.  Another muff is waiting to be decorated, and it's definitely going to have far more crochet on it. Buttons take so much time!

Homo Sapien Superior

"How to Stop Time" is still not capturing my full attention. I'm still of the opinion that the concept is better than the execution.

The first rule of the "Albatross Society" is 'never fall in love with another human'. It's fine to love fine wine, music, poetry, but never another human. (Albatrosses were believed to be the longest lived animals, and the name was taken up by the long lived humans. They refer to others as 'Mayflies'.)

The members are granted the life they want for 8 years, and then they must go on a mission. This might be to recruit other potential Albies to the Society. If they won't join then they are killed! Once the mission has been fulfilled they have another 8 years of the life they choose. And it's all sounding like a cult run by the highly manipulative Hendrich. 

In his youth, Tom falls in love with Rose, and they have a daughter, Marion. Tom's perpetual youth is being noted, and he leaves his family for their safety, and his. It's only years later he learns Marion also has an extended lifespan. I now want to know if this is an inherited trait! Is it a genetic mutation that occurs naturally, and can then be inherited? And why does this particular mutation happen so frequently?

Does  Hendrich ban Albies to fall in love so he can exercise greater control? What would happen is two Albies met, fell in love, and started making babies? Would there be a new race, Homo Sapien Superior?

If two Albies could reliably produce another Albie, how long would it take for HSS to become the dominant  form of humans? With their improved immune system, and hugely long fertile period, Albies could make so many more Albies. They could survive and thrive in areas not suitable for ordinary humans.

Hold on... female Mayflies are able to reproduce from puberty until menopause, let's say 30 years. With Albies, this might equate to 450 years. If there was a society of Albies, there would be a very real need to keep strict notes on bloodlines. How many generations of separation would be required before Albies could safety reproduce with their offspring. (That's a really disturbing thought for someone who grandparents were dead, or approaching the end of their life when my children were born.)

The Next 100 Days

A week into the 100 Days Challenge, and I'm already planning my next one.  This is going to be a very easy one to accomplish on a day to day basis, but it will take planning.

The next 100 Days Challenge is to wear at least one item of clothing I have made myself. 

It may start on the 1st of August. That month will be relatively simple as I've made wraps skirts. They are ready to be used. September will require, may require, warmer clothing, and by the time October comes around we'll definitely be in scarves and shawls weather. 

But now is the time to plan - clothing takes time to make.

Aging Gracefully?

 

This story is not keeping my attention. It's a bit boring, and my mind keeps whirling off into all sorts of  other directions.

• Imagine going through puberty, but it lasts 15 times as long as anyone else
• What happens with mensuration? Do you get a period every month, or every 15 months? Once every 15 months would be fantastic!  
• What would I do with all of this time?

That's a really good question, what would I do with all of this time? My first priority would be making sure I had money - it doesn't buy happiness, but it definitely buys a great deal of security.

I'm imaging I'm living now, I've reached puberty, and over the next couple of years realise I don't appear to be aging. I'm also imaging I am not prepared to seek medical advice. My three goals are to earn money, educate myself, and to learn how to forge identities. 

When I reach the apparent age of 19-ish, I'd forge an identity for myself that would get me into medical school, and I'd learn the doctoring. If I can't go to a doctor, then I'm going to make sure I can still receive medical attention. 

Another task would be buying a house to let. I'd become one of the tenants, along with others. University towns would be a good place to do this. Fresh waves of young people coming in each year. People needing accommodation for a year or two. I'd be hidden in amongst the students. When it was time to move on, I'd buy another house in a different location using a new identity. Then at some point, I'd establish a property company, sell my house to that company, and start employing people to manage the properties. 

The idea would be to create the equivalent of  'generational wealth'.  There would be a steady, passive income source, chuntering around in the background. I could then buy a house, in cash, every 8-10 years, live there, and add it to the portfolio. Every 30 years or so, I could move back into the area, and pretend to my own daughter, niece or granddaughter. 

Writer's Block

Whilst talking with the Beloved, I said, "I still have my writing to do before I go to sleep. Yesterday's migraine has gone, but I'm rather tired and woozley. What shall I write about?" The Beloved pondered, "I wonder if writers experiencing writer's block should try writing about writer's block."

As soon as he said this, my brain lept to a different kind of block, one with an axe nearby. 

Would this be an effective way to remove writer's block, or just an effective way to remove writers with writer's block? Answers on the back of an axe please.

'How to Stop Time' and Time Related Thoughs

My current audiobook listen is "How to Stop Time" by Matt Haig. It was recommended to me by a friend at 'Shut Up and Write'.

The premise is there a few people who do not age at the same rate as the general population. This is very true in our world - those who grow up, and live in poverty age at a different rate from those who never have to do physical labour, and who don't have to worry about feeding themselves or their children. It is the 15:1 rate mentioned in the book, but poverty causes people to age faster.

I'm just a few short chapters into the book, so this is what I know so far... Tom Hazard, and his like, were born into ordinary families. When they reached puberty, their aging process deviated from the rest of humanity, and they aged at around 1 year for every 12-15 they lived. A person reaching puberty at 12 would look that age for 15 years, then 13 for the next 15, etc.

For a male to go through this would have been tough. Initially, they would have to move every few years to avoid their secret being detected. This would slow down to every 3-5 years from the apparent age of 18 to 21. It could be stretched to 5-8 years after that. 

Tom was born around 1600, and there would have been numerous occupations for an apparent teenage lad to engage in. But what about a woman?  Women essentially needed a man - a master, a father, a husband, a brother... If a woman did not have a man, then she would have been treated as a prostitute, or worse. There would not have been the same opportunities for a 'young' single woman to move around to escape detection. 

I'm now having memories of Polgara the Sorceress (from the Belgariad series by David and Leigh Eddings). She was an un-aging sorceress tasked with keeping the ancient line of kings safe, and hidden. She moved the family every generation. With each move she would take on the mantle of a young woman in her 20s, and as time went on she would retreat from public life to disguise the fact she was not growing older.

----

I have a migraine, and after working all day, I simple don't want to leave the house. Zero metres have been added to my total.

Today's walk: 0  
Accumulated total: 5.87km

Cauliflower Chicken Alfredo

 

(based on a  recipe from Diet Doctor)

Ingredients

140g bacon, diced

90og chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

200g baby spinach

200g cream cheese

35g shredded Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

560g cauliflower, cut into small florets

Method

Add the oil to a skillet, and heat. Fry the bacon until crispy and cooked through. Drain, and set aside.

Sauté the chicken. When it has almost done, add the garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Set aside.

Boil water for the cauliflower, and cook it for 5-7 minutes. 

Sauté the spinach until it shrinks, but no more. Set aside.

Add the cream cheese to the skillet. Add the parmesan cheese and mix well. Then add the drained cauliflower. 

Check the consistency of the sauce. If it is too thick, add some of the water the cauliflower was cooked in. Then add the bacon, chicken and spinach. If the sauce is too thin, simmer the dish until it is the right coating consistency.

Check seasoning, and serve.

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Today's walk: 950km
Accumulated total: 5.87km

Harcombe Planning

What a difference a day makes!  The sun is shining, and it's altogether glorious.

And, I'm struggling to think of anything to write about. ...

I have a plan, and it's about time I started thinking about bringing it to fruition. There's a load of extra me that I don't want, and don't need. It's time to declutter.

The plan is to return to the Harcombe Diet at the start of next month. At it's simplest, cook from scratch, steer clear of processed foods, and keep carbs and fats separate. 

What ever we are going to be eating needs to be planned. I'm far more likely to make good, healthy food then the thinking and food prep are separated.

----

Today's walk: 800m
Accumulated total: 4.92km

Crafty Days

A selection of the dishcloths I have made recently. They are 100% cotton, and 20cm squares of dish washing fury. Well, perhaps not fury, but they are pretty good in the sink and in the general vicinity.

Some have been made for my house, and some for Cat's. Unfortunately, one of Cat's cat has decided to claim the ones in the picture. They are rather lovely for sitting on.

Whilst using a non-Cat/cat version, I realised they are great for washing dishes, mopping up spills etc, they are not so good for scrubbing kitchen cupboards. This is very handy as I was getting bored making the dishcloths, and I now have a totally new design in mind. My mental image is of a cotton scrubbie the general size of a kitchen sponge. It's also stuffed with the netting used to contain onions, oranges and lemons. I'm toying with the idea that on one side there will be bits of netting crocheted into the cotton.

----

Today's walk was in the clouds (that's what fog is, ground-level clouds). The moisture was condensing on to our clothing, hair, glasses, everything.

Today's walk: 680m

Accumulated total: 4.12km

100 Days Project

A few years ago, I came across the 100 Days Project. It started as an art project, and it expanded into a global creative endevour. 

The Beloved and I have decided to join the fun, even through it's not an official "100 Days" period. The Beloved has decided to have 100 Days of Walking, and I've decided to have 100 Days of Blogging/Writing.

This afternoon we took a walk along the Peel seafront, from the museum car park to the end of the prom. It was a glorious day to be out walking, and we covered 2.5km. I also had a 1km walk in town this morning, so I'm doing well in the Beloved's challenge. 

And this little tale has generated the first of my 100 blog posts.

Baked Vegan Cheesecake

https://biancazapatka.com/en/new-york-cheesecake-recipe-vegan/

I've been looking for a Baked Vegan Cheesecake to try, and this looks like it could be successful.

The buttery biscuit base will be made with gluten-free Hobnobs, Stork margarine, and chopped, roasted hazelnuts.

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

This recipe has been lightly adapted from the one on Grape Tree.

Ingredients

6 large egg yolks

90g butter

200g brown sugar

230g double cream

230g oat milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g pecans

15g butter

Method

    1. For the custard, whisk the egg yolks in a medium sized heat-proof bowl and set aside.

    2. Pour cream into a second bowl and place it into a larger bowl part-filled with ice. Place a sieve on top and set aside.

    3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, stirring constantly until it browns. Add in the sugar and salt and stir until the sugar melts completely.

    4. Slowly add the milk, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved. Do not let it boil.

    5. Now slowly pour half of the milk and sugar mix into the eggs, whisking thoroughly before returning back into the saucepan with the remaining warm milk.

    6. Stir this constantly over a medium heat until it thickens enough to coat a spatula. This should take around five to seven minutes.

    7. Pour the warm custard into the cream through the sieve and stir before adding the vanilla. Stir over the ice bath until cool. Place in fridge to thoroughly chill.

    8. While it chills, heat oven to 350F/180C/Gas 4. Melt a tablespoon of butter and stir in the pecans with a pinch of salt. Spread onto a tray and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes.

    9. Cool the pecans before chopping and setting aside.

    10. Once your ice cream mixture is thoroughly chilled, churn it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

    11. Fold in your chopped pecans. The mixture will still be quite soft.

    12. Finally put your ice cream in an airtight container and freeze for at least an hour.