Cosset

Cosset is a vegan café paradise. All the food is vegan, nothing on the menu is out of bounds. There is a good selection of healthy meals and sinful treats to choose from. I particularly like how there is a choice between small snack sized meals and larger meals.

On a recent visit I ordered a small mushroom filo for only a few dollars. It arrived with a mini salad and separate sauce, and tasted delicious. The soup with multi grained bread I can also personally recommend. My young daughter loves the treats: melting moments and various tempting fancy biscuits. We found the pancakes with maple syrup big enough to fill us both. And of course there are cakes. Beverages include smoothies and coffees. The water is free.

Whenever I’ve visited Cosset at lunchtime it’s been full but I managed to finds a seat. The staff are always pleasant, including to children. There’s not a lot of pram room, but enough for one or two. The atmosphere is cosy and relaxed. I love the ladylike mismatched china and the effort put into the presentation of the food and the décor.

Cosset support local artists, displaying their work. The café alone is a visual feast. Recently they held a poetry evening. Some vegans are critical of Cosset for having cows milk on the premises for those who prefer it in their coffee. Cosset is at 1087 New North Road and is open every day except Tuesday. From the 1st of November the are open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 7am – 5pm and Sunday 8am – 6pm. The food is fresh and the staff are friendly so do go and check them out!

Revel Cafe on K'Rd

One Saturday Immy and I arrived at Queens Wharf an hour or so before opening time, so decided to catch the free City Link bus up to Revel on K Rd. Revel is a friendly place, we felt comfortable and welcome there. It markets itself as an environmentally conscious café, and has lots of vegetarian and vegan options. As a vegan, it’s always easier to visit an all vegan café, but given that most cafes are non-vegan, a café with so many options like Revel is a positive thing.

Since my visit, I’ve read lots of glowing reports of Revels vegan cooked breakfasts. I wasn’t after a big meal, so ordered a pasta and roasts vegetable salad which was cold but ok. There was a vegan cupcake option and most things were well labeled. I see there is wine available too, so this may be an option for dinner one time.

As a vegan, eating in a café which also sells meat and dairy is a trickier thing than eating in a vegan café. I suppose I mainly visit vegan or vegetarian cafes these days, and certainly they are the most comfortable places for me as a vegan parent to go. Revel is more part of the hip city scene than the vegan one, but that in itself I enjoy, it’s just been a long time. I would like to visit again, perhaps at different times of the day, and try some different options.

146 Karangahape Road
Mon – Tues 7-6
Wed - Fri 7-10
Sat 8 – 10
Sun 8 – 4.30

Hectors at the Heritage Auckland for World Vegetarian Day

I took my omnivore husband to Hectors for their 3 course World Vegetarian Day menu and was hoping to impress him. I know much of my food preparation is unlikely to convert anyone! It took me two decades to convert from Vegetarian to Vegan, and that was two years ago. The promise of three exquisite courses served in a top Auckland hotel seemed a meal made in heaven to me.

Dining at the Heritage in the city on World Vegetarian Day during the Rugby World Cup was quite an event. City streets were closed and busy with flag bearing rugby supporters. Not nearly the crowds as were present for the opening ceremony though. As we arrived at the Heritage we noticed sirens and police motorcycles closing the roads. This was explained by a bus containing the English rugby team leaving the building, they were due to play at Eden Park at 8.30.

The entrée was a plate of tasty bits, the eggplant quenelle on focaccia being particularly delicious, as were the selection of fresh herbs it arrived with. We both selected the mushroom and beancurd wrap instead of the polenta for our main course. It was fantastic, although my partner thought it was a bit on the heavy side. This is probably due to the extra two helpings of freshly baked bread he availed himself of at the time!

It was dessert I’d been waiting for and I wasn’t disappointed. Chocolate mousse, mandarin sorbet, berry coulis heaven. So I put it to him: is he tempted to convert? The response: well this is very good, but it can’t always be five star dining can it? Very true.

All in all it was a very pleasant albeit expensive evening, enjoyed by both of us. Most tables were full, including three sizeable groups and at least one celebrity face. Staff were friendly and attentive, plentiful yet a bit rushed off their feet. All diners heads were turned to the TV as Tonga beat France! The next match, England vs Scotland, was well underway by the time we left. Town was vibrant on the walk to the car, plenty of ecstatic Tongan fans and quite a few English flags flying too.

my smoothie recipe

Today I enjoyed the relative freedom of a visit to the supermarket without kids. This is because once a fortnight they usually both go with their dad to visit granny for the day. I also went to the photo shop and had the 400+ photos on my digital camera put onto DVD. Of these I only printed out 5 particularly good ones of my daughter, for her.

I needed rice milk for the smoothies the kids and I enjoy, particularly at breakfast, but any time of day is good for a smoothie. I use:

mainly rice milk
a splash of juice
handful frozen berries
1 banana
1 T spirilina powder
and 1 T flax seed oil
in the blender

This new rice milk has had its protein increased 5x by the addition of chickpeas. However it's only 3.7 grams of protein in a quarter litre serving. It does taste great in the smoothie though.

I think banana is the most important flavour enhancer in a smoothie. I add spirilina for iron: 1 tsp has 2.8 mg of iron which is 23% of the RDI. The flaxseed oil is for Omega 3.

New Product Review: Spring Rolls

Immy and I love spring rolls. My husband surprised me by bringing these home from New World at Eastridge. I've found it difficult to find vegan spring rolls but for once, no-one decided to add fish paste or milk powder in a misguided attempt to enhance the products desirableness.

This is another one of those foods coming under the `only very occasionally' list. I went for a 9km jog this morning, and have registered to run 10.5km or a quarter marathon next week. Next year Immy will be seven and I'll register her for the kids marathon. So maybe I'll treat my daughter and myself to a serving of these tonight. I've not tried them yet, but I've never had a bad spring roll, have you?

New Product Review: Cheesey Sauce

This Cheesey Sauce is very easy to make and it tastes great too. It's different from the white sauces I've tried previously in that it's quite runny, not thick. That doesn't matter, I think it captures the essence of what we all love in a cheese sauce very well.

I added it to my brown rice and steamed cauliflower. Unfortunately I'm out of sauvignon blanc as that would've made a delicious accompaniment. It made enough for 3 - 4 people so I'm freezing half of the meal for later.

I didn't offer any to the kids as Friday night is their Hell pizza night. They're not too keen on new health products anyway and I'm happy to keep this all for myself.

fudge

2 cups raw or white sugar
half cup rice or soy milk
25g olivani or similar
1 heaped T cocoa

mix in saucepan
boil 4 - 5 mins medium heat, stir often
remove from heat, add 1t vanilla essence, place saucepan in sink with cold water and beat with wooden spoon until begins to thicken
pour into greased tin

should begin to set within a few minutes, if not may require a reboil

almost pure sugar so just an occasional treat for parties or get together's

xxx
b