Thursday, December 31, 2009
Technical difficulties. Please stand by.
This post is to see if Technorati likes my blog or not. Please link to this blog if you like it too. That will help my standing with the technorati folks.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Learning Experience
This year has been a learning experience. I learned how to make bread, pizza dough, and sourdough starter from wild yeast. I learned how to make vegan fudge, seitan from gluten flour, the best soups ever, and how to write a novel in 30 days. So that's my profound statement for the end of the year. Learn something new.
Now on to your regularly scheduled update. Last week was Christmas so I tried my hand at making vegan fudge. The recipe came from Veg News and it worked pretty well. It would have been better if I had let it cool longer but I had a party to attend. I even added pomegranate pips to it.
Thursday night we had a simple dinner of buckwheat (kasha), red cabbage, broccoli, kale, carrots, and cannellini beans. If you've never used buckwheat before I highly recommend it. It's a fast cooking traditional grain from Eastern Europe. Kind of like quinoa it has a nutty flavor and cooks in about 15 minutes. The toasted kind is better than un-toasted and worth the extra ten cents to have it done for you.
I made seitan for our Christmas dinner. We had it with the leftover buckwheat and a side of baby carrots, kale, and chantrelle mushrooms.
By Saturday night we were in a crazy rental condo in Yosemite dealing with ovens and cookware not our own. We made roasted veggies (cauliflower, carrots, and brussel sprouts) and quinoa.
Sunday night we had broccoli, chard, and seitan strips with some chewy rice. I am very grateful to have our pressure cooker after that rice cooking experience. Note: there were also no measuring devices in this condo.
Monday night we had baked tofu with cauliflower, broccoli and chard, served with quinoa.
Tuesday night we managed to make it to Manzanita on our way home. Oh, how I wish I lived closer to this restaurant! The soup was a gingery- miso- squash- mung bean soup.
The grain was long grain brown rice with quinoa, an amazing combination. Served with pinto beans which were cooked with kabocha squash, kale with a delicious dressing, perfectly cooked beets, daikon, and carrots, and a green salad.
Tonight: Pizza version 2.0 was more successful than 1.0. I used our classic caramelized onions for the sauce. Simple cut onions in thin slices, cook in a cast iron pan (if possible) with a little bit of soy sauce for as long as you can stand it. They will shrink down and turn brown and caramel-y.
Now on to your regularly scheduled update. Last week was Christmas so I tried my hand at making vegan fudge. The recipe came from Veg News and it worked pretty well. It would have been better if I had let it cool longer but I had a party to attend. I even added pomegranate pips to it.
Thursday night we had a simple dinner of buckwheat (kasha), red cabbage, broccoli, kale, carrots, and cannellini beans. If you've never used buckwheat before I highly recommend it. It's a fast cooking traditional grain from Eastern Europe. Kind of like quinoa it has a nutty flavor and cooks in about 15 minutes. The toasted kind is better than un-toasted and worth the extra ten cents to have it done for you.
I made seitan for our Christmas dinner. We had it with the leftover buckwheat and a side of baby carrots, kale, and chantrelle mushrooms.
By Saturday night we were in a crazy rental condo in Yosemite dealing with ovens and cookware not our own. We made roasted veggies (cauliflower, carrots, and brussel sprouts) and quinoa.
Sunday night we had broccoli, chard, and seitan strips with some chewy rice. I am very grateful to have our pressure cooker after that rice cooking experience. Note: there were also no measuring devices in this condo.
Monday night we had baked tofu with cauliflower, broccoli and chard, served with quinoa.
Tuesday night we managed to make it to Manzanita on our way home. Oh, how I wish I lived closer to this restaurant! The soup was a gingery- miso- squash- mung bean soup.
The grain was long grain brown rice with quinoa, an amazing combination. Served with pinto beans which were cooked with kabocha squash, kale with a delicious dressing, perfectly cooked beets, daikon, and carrots, and a green salad.
Tonight: Pizza version 2.0 was more successful than 1.0. I used our classic caramelized onions for the sauce. Simple cut onions in thin slices, cook in a cast iron pan (if possible) with a little bit of soy sauce for as long as you can stand it. They will shrink down and turn brown and caramel-y.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Sweetest time of the year
I'm trying to avoid eating sugar which is particularly hard this time of year. Especially when I'm invited to baking parties, cookie exchanges, and brunches. To counteract all the sugar (and stress from trying to not eat the sugar) we've been eating some classic favorite dinners.
Saturday night we had barley and lentil soup with butternut squash, carrots and sauted greens. This is a easy and quick dish to make with a pressure cooker. Can't recommend them enough. I think this took about 20 minutes to cook the barely and the squash was perfectly tender but not falling apart.
We had leftovers on Sunday night because I had the baking party to go to. I ended up making vegan caramel corn for the party. Here's the recipe.
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Vegan Caramel Corn (aka Cracker Jack)
1/2 c to 1 cup of olive or canola oil
1 1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup molasses
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tblsp vanilla
6 qts popped popcorn (I have no idea how much this is. I just made two batches of popcorn, about 1 cup un-popped total.)
1 cup nuts (optional)
Set the oven to 250. (Note: if you cook it at a higher temp it might, or quite probably, will burn and that doesn't taste good.) Combine the oil, maple syrup, and molasses in a pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and gently boil for 5 min., continuing to stir. Remove from heat and stir in the salt, baking soda and vanilla. (This will cause a chemical reaction which makes the mixture change color and almost double in size.) You'll probably want to keep stirring too. Mix it together with the popcorn and the nuts (if using). Spread on two cookie sheets with parchment paper (or well greased. Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Cool and break apart before serving.
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Monday night we had a classic dinner of brown rice, roasted veggies (broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, and rutabaga), roasted sweet potato, and a side dish of white beans with garlic. The roasted veggies were all done on cookie sheets so that they browned more. I even did the sweet potatoes alone on a cookie sheet so that they could get crispy.
Tuesday night Dandelion the Bitter Green made a grain medley with steamed veggies (purple cauliflower!) and a miso covered tofu dish.
Wednesday night we had fried rice, my best attempt so far. Carrots, red cabbage, purple cauliflower and lots of garlic, ginger, and onions.
Saturday night we had barley and lentil soup with butternut squash, carrots and sauted greens. This is a easy and quick dish to make with a pressure cooker. Can't recommend them enough. I think this took about 20 minutes to cook the barely and the squash was perfectly tender but not falling apart.
We had leftovers on Sunday night because I had the baking party to go to. I ended up making vegan caramel corn for the party. Here's the recipe.
*************************
Vegan Caramel Corn (aka Cracker Jack)
1/2 c to 1 cup of olive or canola oil
1 1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup molasses
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tblsp vanilla
6 qts popped popcorn (I have no idea how much this is. I just made two batches of popcorn, about 1 cup un-popped total.)
1 cup nuts (optional)
Set the oven to 250. (Note: if you cook it at a higher temp it might, or quite probably, will burn and that doesn't taste good.) Combine the oil, maple syrup, and molasses in a pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and gently boil for 5 min., continuing to stir. Remove from heat and stir in the salt, baking soda and vanilla. (This will cause a chemical reaction which makes the mixture change color and almost double in size.) You'll probably want to keep stirring too. Mix it together with the popcorn and the nuts (if using). Spread on two cookie sheets with parchment paper (or well greased. Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Cool and break apart before serving.
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Monday night we had a classic dinner of brown rice, roasted veggies (broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, and rutabaga), roasted sweet potato, and a side dish of white beans with garlic. The roasted veggies were all done on cookie sheets so that they browned more. I even did the sweet potatoes alone on a cookie sheet so that they could get crispy.
Tuesday night Dandelion the Bitter Green made a grain medley with steamed veggies (purple cauliflower!) and a miso covered tofu dish.
Wednesday night we had fried rice, my best attempt so far. Carrots, red cabbage, purple cauliflower and lots of garlic, ginger, and onions.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Simply Eating
I have been reading more by the classic food writer MFK Fisher. Her An Alphabets for Gourmets starts with 'A is for Dining Alone'. Last night as I ate alone while reading this section I was thinking of a friend who had asked me recently if Dandelion the Bitter Green and I ate dinner together every night. My immediate answer was yes, with the caveat 'except when he's at rehearsal or a show or works late or I have yoga or a class...' It started to look like the time we ate together was more of the exception than the rule. The moral of this story, from my own experience as well as MFK Fisher's, is that dining alone is sometimes nicer than dining with someone, especially if that someone is not one as she says. The trick is to treat yourself right. Eat at the table. Use proper utensils. Eat from a plate or a bowl instead of the pot. Have a nice glass of wine or beer. Simply enjoy tasting your food.
Last week I made soup as I was typing this up. Here's a picture of the results. Barley, cauliflower, carrots, and adzuki beans. Simple but good.
Thursday and Friday we ate leftover soup and then takeout burritos due to schedule issues. Saturday I ended up making another soup served with amazing Arizmendi sage and apple bread. The soup was squash, adzuki beans, sauted greens, with green onions as a garnish.
Sunday night we made brown rice, steamed veggies, and broiled tofu. Also simple but really satisfying.
Monday was roasted brussel sprouts with a red lentil-almond butter dish, served with more brown rice. The lentil dish was super easy to make and very delicious if you don't have issues with lentils (like my boss).
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Red lentil-almond butter dip
Boil 2 cups of water in a pot.
Add 1 cup of red lentils when it's boiling.
Turn the heat down and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes.
When it seems like most of the water has been soaked up, add four spoonfuls of almond butter to the pot. Stir well to dissolve. (Note: If you want to be fancy you can dissolve the almond butter first in a little bit- less than 1/4 cup- of hot water and then pour it into the pot.)
If the lentils are sticking to the sides of the pot add more water bit by bit.
Add a few dashes of soy sauce or tamari.
Cook until the mixture has a consistency you like: dip-like, paste-like, or even thick sauce-like if you like-like.
Wait slightly for it to cool enough to eat with rice or grain or bread.
*************
Tuesday night I ate leftover soup. Soup rocks!
Wednesday night we made brown rice and lentils (french lentils this time, which if you haven't tried are amazing-- small and speckled they hold their shape well in a longer cooking time). We also roasted a big tray of veggies, cauliflower, carrots, shallots, broccoli, and butternut squash.
Last week I made soup as I was typing this up. Here's a picture of the results. Barley, cauliflower, carrots, and adzuki beans. Simple but good.
Thursday and Friday we ate leftover soup and then takeout burritos due to schedule issues. Saturday I ended up making another soup served with amazing Arizmendi sage and apple bread. The soup was squash, adzuki beans, sauted greens, with green onions as a garnish.
Sunday night we made brown rice, steamed veggies, and broiled tofu. Also simple but really satisfying.
Monday was roasted brussel sprouts with a red lentil-almond butter dish, served with more brown rice. The lentil dish was super easy to make and very delicious if you don't have issues with lentils (like my boss).
************
Red lentil-almond butter dip
Boil 2 cups of water in a pot.
Add 1 cup of red lentils when it's boiling.
Turn the heat down and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes.
When it seems like most of the water has been soaked up, add four spoonfuls of almond butter to the pot. Stir well to dissolve. (Note: If you want to be fancy you can dissolve the almond butter first in a little bit- less than 1/4 cup- of hot water and then pour it into the pot.)
If the lentils are sticking to the sides of the pot add more water bit by bit.
Add a few dashes of soy sauce or tamari.
Cook until the mixture has a consistency you like: dip-like, paste-like, or even thick sauce-like if you like-like.
Wait slightly for it to cool enough to eat with rice or grain or bread.
*************
Tuesday night I ate leftover soup. Soup rocks!
Wednesday night we made brown rice and lentils (french lentils this time, which if you haven't tried are amazing-- small and speckled they hold their shape well in a longer cooking time). We also roasted a big tray of veggies, cauliflower, carrots, shallots, broccoli, and butternut squash.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Roasting for heat
I've been using the oven a lot lately in an effort to warm up the apt. It usually works quite well even though my oven is erratic. I have an oven thermometer and highly recommend one. I had no idea my oven was so off all the time! It's at least 50 degrees cooler than advertised most days but then again sometimes it's hotter than it claims. There's no rhyme or reason so the thermometer makes all the difference. You'll notice when it finally warms up here. I promise to not roast any more vegetables if that happens.
On Friday last week I made my favorite dinner, which if you can't tell is beans and rice in a corn tortilla. I've found these amazing sprouted corn tortillas and I am totally in love. I even ate the tortillas plain the next day; they are that good. We ate more of these as leftovers the next night and I did not mind.
Sunday I made biscuits (after making an awesome --and not pictured-- tofu scramble for brunch). The sourdough butter"milk" biscuits were served with roasted vegetables (cauliflower, brussel sprouts, red cabbage, and carrots) and more leftover pinto beans and rice (from the faux-Mexican meals earlier).
Monday Dandelion the Bitter Green made the red lentil-cauliflower curry from Veganomicon. I think it was the first time he'd followed a recipe in a while so he followed it to the letter. I noticed that I tend to fudge it now that I've made it several times. The critical ingredient that I always forget: squeeze of lemon juice at the end. Keeps everything not too heavy.
Tuesday night was cornbread with the hottest jalapenos ever, made in the cast iron skillet. Spicy but delicious. Served with black beans and more roasted vegetables (brussel sprouts, carrots, red cabbage, and a few shitake mushrooms).
Here's my latest roasting recipe.
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Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Yes, really make it that hot. It will sear the veggies giving them that awesome brown crunchy look.
Cut up bite sized pieces of any veggies you like (hard ones like carrots, broccoli or cauliflower work best but onions, leeks, cabbage, bok choy are also good. Avoid anything too leafy as the delicate leaves will burn.)
Put them on a cookie sheet. Spread generously with olive oil and herbs (rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil, etc.-- fresh or dried. If fresh leafy herbs add at the end of cooking.)
Put them in the oven for 20 minutes stirring when you think of it.
Turn the temp up! (to 500 baby-- hot, hot, hot!)
Cook for another 10 minutes at the new temp and try not to burn off any eyebrows when you stir.
Eat and delicious.
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Tonight I'm making a rye and black bean soup. Plus cauliflower, carrots, and dried porcini mushrooms. Will report back later with results.
On Friday last week I made my favorite dinner, which if you can't tell is beans and rice in a corn tortilla. I've found these amazing sprouted corn tortillas and I am totally in love. I even ate the tortillas plain the next day; they are that good. We ate more of these as leftovers the next night and I did not mind.
Sunday I made biscuits (after making an awesome --and not pictured-- tofu scramble for brunch). The sourdough butter"milk" biscuits were served with roasted vegetables (cauliflower, brussel sprouts, red cabbage, and carrots) and more leftover pinto beans and rice (from the faux-Mexican meals earlier).
Monday Dandelion the Bitter Green made the red lentil-cauliflower curry from Veganomicon. I think it was the first time he'd followed a recipe in a while so he followed it to the letter. I noticed that I tend to fudge it now that I've made it several times. The critical ingredient that I always forget: squeeze of lemon juice at the end. Keeps everything not too heavy.
Tuesday night was cornbread with the hottest jalapenos ever, made in the cast iron skillet. Spicy but delicious. Served with black beans and more roasted vegetables (brussel sprouts, carrots, red cabbage, and a few shitake mushrooms).
Here's my latest roasting recipe.
************************
Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Yes, really make it that hot. It will sear the veggies giving them that awesome brown crunchy look.
Cut up bite sized pieces of any veggies you like (hard ones like carrots, broccoli or cauliflower work best but onions, leeks, cabbage, bok choy are also good. Avoid anything too leafy as the delicate leaves will burn.)
Put them on a cookie sheet. Spread generously with olive oil and herbs (rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil, etc.-- fresh or dried. If fresh leafy herbs add at the end of cooking.)
Put them in the oven for 20 minutes stirring when you think of it.
Turn the temp up! (to 500 baby-- hot, hot, hot!)
Cook for another 10 minutes at the new temp and try not to burn off any eyebrows when you stir.
Eat and delicious.
**************************
Tonight I'm making a rye and black bean soup. Plus cauliflower, carrots, and dried porcini mushrooms. Will report back later with results.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
T-Day and Beyond
Thanksgiving was thank-er-licious with a giant potluck provided by the 13 people who showed up at the Magic House in Montara. Before Thanksgiving though we did have to make dinner on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday night we made roasted sweet potato slices with braised brussel sprouts and rice and lentils. And Wednesday night we eat leftovers, hummus, and sauted kale, a light dinner since we knew we'd be eating a lot the next day.
T-Day: I made the most delicious vegan pecan pie and a wild rice salad with mandarin oranges and walnuts. The pecan pie turned out the best of all the years I have made it. Not sure why that was because I know I always follow the recipe exactly.
I made curry with cauliflower and potatoes on Friday. I also made roti, because I was feeling rather ambitious and had more time off than usual. On Saturday we ate more curry this time with soy yogurt and a light kale saute.
Sunday night we ate pizza.
Monday night I made soup with butternut squash and adzuki beans and rice, plus a dash of sauted kale for garnish.
Tuesday I made my favorite roasted sweet potato and broccoli dish with the orange and soy sauce dressing. So good! The recipe is from Veg Times and you can read it here. We also made a carrot and hijiki (seaweed) salad and an amazing side of old west frontier inspired beans with garlic and almond butter. (Yes, I know they did not have almond butter in the old west. It was the cooking style-- in a cast iron skillet rather than a sauce pan-- that inspired it.)
Wednesday night is pasta night, with a classic Alison-stir fry made up of cauliflower, carrots, and kale.
Tonight was another good night for roasting vegetables. As the temperature drops (into the low 50s here in California) we have to make seasonal warming dishes like roasted veggies. This was a medley: broccoli, carrots, burdock, red cabbage, onion, tempeh, and brussel sprouts. The secret this time was tossing the cooked veggies with the juice of half a lemon and some more olive oil. This keeps the dish light and refreshing instead of heavy.
T-Day: I made the most delicious vegan pecan pie and a wild rice salad with mandarin oranges and walnuts. The pecan pie turned out the best of all the years I have made it. Not sure why that was because I know I always follow the recipe exactly.
I made curry with cauliflower and potatoes on Friday. I also made roti, because I was feeling rather ambitious and had more time off than usual. On Saturday we ate more curry this time with soy yogurt and a light kale saute.
Sunday night we ate pizza.
Monday night I made soup with butternut squash and adzuki beans and rice, plus a dash of sauted kale for garnish.
Tuesday I made my favorite roasted sweet potato and broccoli dish with the orange and soy sauce dressing. So good! The recipe is from Veg Times and you can read it here. We also made a carrot and hijiki (seaweed) salad and an amazing side of old west frontier inspired beans with garlic and almond butter. (Yes, I know they did not have almond butter in the old west. It was the cooking style-- in a cast iron skillet rather than a sauce pan-- that inspired it.)
Wednesday night is pasta night, with a classic Alison-stir fry made up of cauliflower, carrots, and kale.
Tonight was another good night for roasting vegetables. As the temperature drops (into the low 50s here in California) we have to make seasonal warming dishes like roasted veggies. This was a medley: broccoli, carrots, burdock, red cabbage, onion, tempeh, and brussel sprouts. The secret this time was tossing the cooked veggies with the juice of half a lemon and some more olive oil. This keeps the dish light and refreshing instead of heavy.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Quick and dirty
Yes, it's time for another hurried post as I scramble to finish my NaNoWriMo novel. I'm past the 35k mark but there are only 7 and a quarter days left to reach 50k. Yikes! So here's the quick and dirty low down on what I've been eating while franticly novel-ing.
Thursday was a rice and lentils day with carrots, cauliflower, and bok choy. Served with my favorite quick and dirty dish: broiled tofu! (Thanks Veganomicon!)
Friday I went to LA for a yoga event, so I ate a sandwich in the car on the way down. Yum.
Saturday in LA I ate at the M Cafe. Highly recommend it. I had a seitan cutlet served over rice and veggies. I was so hungry and excited for the excellent food that I forgot to take a picture. The one negative comment I have for them: the chocolate cupcake was delicious but the frosting sucked. Since half the point of a cupcake is the frosting it was very disappointing.
Sunday morning we had brunch at Real Food Daily. I had a gluten-free waffle with soy-whipped cream and strawberries. It was served with tempeh bacon and hashbrowns. The one negative comment for them: the tempeh bacon was so salty that it really tasted like bacon but I couldn't eat more than one piece. That's too bad because it was delicious in some ways and I had three pieces on my plate. And I appreciated that it was homemade tempeh bacon, not from some pre-flavored package a la Herbivore. Still, I should be able to finish my bacon.
Monday night we had squash soup with a secret ingredient of black-eyed peas. Served with rice this was a delicious soup made by Dandelion the Bitter Green.
Tuesday last week we made buckwheat and a red lentil pate. This was served with a burdock, carrot, and broccoli kimpira.
Wednesday: more soup leftovers with rice and baby bok choy.
Thursday was quinoa served over salad greens tossed with kale, carrots, and broccoli. Special ingredient: fresh walnuts from the farmer's market!
Friday night we ate snacks for dinner. Yep, we really did.
Saturday I tossed all the leftovers into one pot and made something with broccoli, carrots, buckwheat, and quinoa. We served it with a fresh batch of broiled tofu to liven it up.
Sunday night we had burritos. Tonight we're having falafel. Yes, that's what happens sometimes when it's quick and dirty month.
Thursday was a rice and lentils day with carrots, cauliflower, and bok choy. Served with my favorite quick and dirty dish: broiled tofu! (Thanks Veganomicon!)
Friday I went to LA for a yoga event, so I ate a sandwich in the car on the way down. Yum.
Saturday in LA I ate at the M Cafe. Highly recommend it. I had a seitan cutlet served over rice and veggies. I was so hungry and excited for the excellent food that I forgot to take a picture. The one negative comment I have for them: the chocolate cupcake was delicious but the frosting sucked. Since half the point of a cupcake is the frosting it was very disappointing.
Sunday morning we had brunch at Real Food Daily. I had a gluten-free waffle with soy-whipped cream and strawberries. It was served with tempeh bacon and hashbrowns. The one negative comment for them: the tempeh bacon was so salty that it really tasted like bacon but I couldn't eat more than one piece. That's too bad because it was delicious in some ways and I had three pieces on my plate. And I appreciated that it was homemade tempeh bacon, not from some pre-flavored package a la Herbivore. Still, I should be able to finish my bacon.
Monday night we had squash soup with a secret ingredient of black-eyed peas. Served with rice this was a delicious soup made by Dandelion the Bitter Green.
Tuesday last week we made buckwheat and a red lentil pate. This was served with a burdock, carrot, and broccoli kimpira.
Wednesday: more soup leftovers with rice and baby bok choy.
Thursday was quinoa served over salad greens tossed with kale, carrots, and broccoli. Special ingredient: fresh walnuts from the farmer's market!
Friday night we ate snacks for dinner. Yep, we really did.
Saturday I tossed all the leftovers into one pot and made something with broccoli, carrots, buckwheat, and quinoa. We served it with a fresh batch of broiled tofu to liven it up.
Sunday night we had burritos. Tonight we're having falafel. Yes, that's what happens sometimes when it's quick and dirty month.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Halfway point
I'm over halfway! I've hit the 25,000 word mark on the NaNoWriMo novel so that surely means I have time to write a blog post.
Last weekend when Dandelion the Bitter Green was out of town I think I ate nothing but Mexican food, or my version thereof.
Friday night was roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes served in a tortilla with leftover rice and kale and carrots dish and avocado.
Saturday night was pinto beans flavored with miso and broiled carrots and zucchini, served in a sprouted corn tortilla with more avocado.
Sunday was more pinto beans cooked with chard, kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) slices roasted in the oven, the leftover carrots and zucchini and some more tortillas.
Monday night Dandelion the Bitter Green made the entire meal. I think all I did was boil water. And everything he made was delicious.
We had rice and lentils with a salad of steamed broccoli and carrots, fried tempeh bacon, arame (a seaweed), and sunflower seeds.
Tuesday night we had pizza from our local pizza place.
Wednesday night is pasta night. Tonight it's served with fresh walnuts (from the almond lady at the farmer's market!), fried tofu, and brussel sprouts and carrots with garlic.
Last weekend when Dandelion the Bitter Green was out of town I think I ate nothing but Mexican food, or my version thereof.
Friday night was roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes served in a tortilla with leftover rice and kale and carrots dish and avocado.
Saturday night was pinto beans flavored with miso and broiled carrots and zucchini, served in a sprouted corn tortilla with more avocado.
Sunday was more pinto beans cooked with chard, kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) slices roasted in the oven, the leftover carrots and zucchini and some more tortillas.
Monday night Dandelion the Bitter Green made the entire meal. I think all I did was boil water. And everything he made was delicious.
We had rice and lentils with a salad of steamed broccoli and carrots, fried tempeh bacon, arame (a seaweed), and sunflower seeds.
Tuesday night we had pizza from our local pizza place.
Wednesday night is pasta night. Tonight it's served with fresh walnuts (from the almond lady at the farmer's market!), fried tofu, and brussel sprouts and carrots with garlic.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Try, Try Again
Apologies in advance for the month of November. I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month where we crazy fools try to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. I'm on track so far but if anything falls behind it will probably be the blog. So look through the archives and pick your favorite thing that I've forgotten I ever made and ask me to write about that. In December.
For now, a quick list of what I've been eating. It's likely to be frozen pizzas and take out once the real novel writing starts because time spent cooking is time I should be writing. Hence the chance the procrastinate and write a blog, cook a meal, or, gasp, eat dinner at an actual table.
Friday night: Steamed veggies (carrots, bok choy, and purple kale) tossed with vinegar and oil, served with rice and lentils.
Saturday night was Halloween so we ate burritos from Papalote's after wandering a small section of the city in our fancy costumes. This is the best burrito place in town, especially if you are a vegetarian. Tofu mole, actual vegetables, soy chorizo-- these guys have everything a vegan could want and more.
Sunday: pancakes for brunch and a red lentil cauliflower curry for dinner. With a side of purple kale over brown rice.
Monday: Brussel Sprouts! If you are not a fan of the b. sprouts you really should be. When cooked well they are some of the most delicious vegetables ever. I seriously can't get enough. This recipe was simple and from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. (Buy it! Support my company!) We ate it with a shitake and rice dish which totally reminded me of Japan. I have no idea how Dandelion the Bitter Green did it so I can only say it was delicious and a fabulous combination.
******
Brussel Sprouts with Garlic
1 lb sprouts, ends cut off and cut in half
about 5 cloves of garlic
some olive oil
Heat the oil in an oven proof pan (cast iron works great for this), add the brussel sprouts in one layer cut side down. (If you can get them all in one layer you must have a really big pan! Mine did not fit so I had to do more stirring than he recommends but it still worked.) Let them cook until brown on the cut side. Then add the garlic, stir and toss in the oven (which you very intelligently pre-heated to 400 degrees.) Stir every ten minutes and cook for a total of 20-30 minutes. The brussel sprouts come out soft, sweet, and tasty. I had to stop myself from eating them all that one night.
******
Tuesday was more leftovers because that cauliflower curry makes a lot of food.
Wednesday was an attempt to use leftover rice in some more interesting way. For once, as sometimes happens, I didn't like what I made. It was rice with carrots, kale, and almonds. But it was boring and had no flavor. I also made roasted sweet potatoes and red potatoes with thyme. That dish was good but didn't make up for the other one which of course made a huge amount and I will be eating it all weekend.
Thursday: I tried to fix the dish from last night (since I have so much of it I can't let it go to waste) and it worked much better. I heated up a skillet with a little water. Added the rice dish and some soy sauce and then added two spoonfuls of almond butter and a touch more water. Stirred it up until it was all coated and was very happy with the results. Day 2 = Success!
For now, a quick list of what I've been eating. It's likely to be frozen pizzas and take out once the real novel writing starts because time spent cooking is time I should be writing. Hence the chance the procrastinate and write a blog, cook a meal, or, gasp, eat dinner at an actual table.
Friday night: Steamed veggies (carrots, bok choy, and purple kale) tossed with vinegar and oil, served with rice and lentils.
Saturday night was Halloween so we ate burritos from Papalote's after wandering a small section of the city in our fancy costumes. This is the best burrito place in town, especially if you are a vegetarian. Tofu mole, actual vegetables, soy chorizo-- these guys have everything a vegan could want and more.
Sunday: pancakes for brunch and a red lentil cauliflower curry for dinner. With a side of purple kale over brown rice.
Monday: Brussel Sprouts! If you are not a fan of the b. sprouts you really should be. When cooked well they are some of the most delicious vegetables ever. I seriously can't get enough. This recipe was simple and from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. (Buy it! Support my company!) We ate it with a shitake and rice dish which totally reminded me of Japan. I have no idea how Dandelion the Bitter Green did it so I can only say it was delicious and a fabulous combination.
******
Brussel Sprouts with Garlic
1 lb sprouts, ends cut off and cut in half
about 5 cloves of garlic
some olive oil
Heat the oil in an oven proof pan (cast iron works great for this), add the brussel sprouts in one layer cut side down. (If you can get them all in one layer you must have a really big pan! Mine did not fit so I had to do more stirring than he recommends but it still worked.) Let them cook until brown on the cut side. Then add the garlic, stir and toss in the oven (which you very intelligently pre-heated to 400 degrees.) Stir every ten minutes and cook for a total of 20-30 minutes. The brussel sprouts come out soft, sweet, and tasty. I had to stop myself from eating them all that one night.
******
Tuesday was more leftovers because that cauliflower curry makes a lot of food.
Wednesday was an attempt to use leftover rice in some more interesting way. For once, as sometimes happens, I didn't like what I made. It was rice with carrots, kale, and almonds. But it was boring and had no flavor. I also made roasted sweet potatoes and red potatoes with thyme. That dish was good but didn't make up for the other one which of course made a huge amount and I will be eating it all weekend.
Thursday: I tried to fix the dish from last night (since I have so much of it I can't let it go to waste) and it worked much better. I heated up a skillet with a little water. Added the rice dish and some soy sauce and then added two spoonfuls of almond butter and a touch more water. Stirred it up until it was all coated and was very happy with the results. Day 2 = Success!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Quinoa and everything else
This post is for Julia because I finally made quinoa and have included instructions below. Quinoa is one of my favorite dishes because it's fast and easy. Before that though I made a delicious polenta and steamed veggies dish with a side of black eyed peas seasoned with miso. (Ok, technically Dandelion the Bitter Green made the polenta because he is better at polenta than I am. I have a quick cook method that does not pass muster with the Dandelion.)
The next night we ate leftovers. The day after that we made soup. Here is the pre-soup ingredients: mushrooms, carrots, burdock, and parsley. Plus some heirloom Anasazi beans.
And the excessive vegan cupcakes made by the Cheerful Baker from recipes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.
A simple dinner of brown rice with broccoli. Served with leftover soup.
And finally the quinoa dinner. Served with Anasazi beans and roasted kabocha slices. The quinoa also had carrots and bok choy tossed in while cooking.
*****
Quinoa:
The trick to quinoa is that you either have to wash it really, really well (and drain with a fine mesh strainer) or you can use my method which is easier. This is because quinoa has a natural coating which is kind of bitter and soapy tasting. Therefore you want to wash it well so that it tastes good instead. Or you can roast it in a pan before adding the water as described below.
Take one cup of quinoa, heat up some oil in a skillet pan (or a frying pan with deep sides). If you want you can cut up some garlic or onions and add them now. Let them get nice and brown.
Then add the quinoa. Let it roast in the pan (stirring frequently) until it starts to pop and smells toasted (1-2 min). Once it reaches that magic toasted point you can put in the water (or stock), usually 2 cups. Stir it up, cover the pan and let simmer, checking occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Towards the middle of that cooking time you can add veggies or beans to the quinoa to make an awesome one-pot meal. I like this method because then there are fewer pots to clean. This makes enough for about 3-4 people, depending on what else you are serving with it.
*****
Pasta night, made entirely by Dandelion the Bitter Green because I had a bike accident that evening and didn't feel up to cooking.
Tonight: Roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes with brown rice and lentils.
The next night we ate leftovers. The day after that we made soup. Here is the pre-soup ingredients: mushrooms, carrots, burdock, and parsley. Plus some heirloom Anasazi beans.
And the excessive vegan cupcakes made by the Cheerful Baker from recipes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.
A simple dinner of brown rice with broccoli. Served with leftover soup.
And finally the quinoa dinner. Served with Anasazi beans and roasted kabocha slices. The quinoa also had carrots and bok choy tossed in while cooking.
*****
Quinoa:
The trick to quinoa is that you either have to wash it really, really well (and drain with a fine mesh strainer) or you can use my method which is easier. This is because quinoa has a natural coating which is kind of bitter and soapy tasting. Therefore you want to wash it well so that it tastes good instead. Or you can roast it in a pan before adding the water as described below.
Take one cup of quinoa, heat up some oil in a skillet pan (or a frying pan with deep sides). If you want you can cut up some garlic or onions and add them now. Let them get nice and brown.
Then add the quinoa. Let it roast in the pan (stirring frequently) until it starts to pop and smells toasted (1-2 min). Once it reaches that magic toasted point you can put in the water (or stock), usually 2 cups. Stir it up, cover the pan and let simmer, checking occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Towards the middle of that cooking time you can add veggies or beans to the quinoa to make an awesome one-pot meal. I like this method because then there are fewer pots to clean. This makes enough for about 3-4 people, depending on what else you are serving with it.
*****
Pasta night, made entirely by Dandelion the Bitter Green because I had a bike accident that evening and didn't feel up to cooking.
Tonight: Roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes with brown rice and lentils.
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