For Thanksgiving, a coworker invited me over, as well as people from his lab. He made a turkey, which he made all by himself. It was first for him so he was very nervous about it turning out badly. I made homemade biscuits by Paula Deen and a French silk pie for Steven. They weren't vegan, so I just had a bite of each to taste them. I made the pie at a friend's house because I don't own a stand mixer powerful enough to mix the ingredients to the right consistency. Next time, I will make the whipped cream on the day of the consumption, instead of in advance. I made a a faux turkey that was decent. It is from Vegan Cooking Club. It was better than I expected, but it was a little stretchy (maybe not fully cooked) in certain middle parts. I dipped it in my potatoes to make it better. Steven and I had talked in advance about setting aside some of the veggies for me to make with Earth Balance instead of butter. So I got my own portion of potatoes to whip with soy milk and Earth Balance and my own portion of corn to add Earth Balance and pepper to. I steamed some green beans for everyone. I wanted to serve them with roasted pine nuts, but I burned the pine nuts. Boo. I also made glazed carrots using a recipe from Recipezaar (#40452) for everyone too, which I used Earth Balance in and no one noticed. This was my first vegan Thanksgiving. Last year, my mom got me a Quorn roast which has some egg protein in it and I had most of the sides. I really enjoyed the meal. I had thought about making baked cinnamon apples as my dessert but I didn't.
In other news, I have discovered my favorite bread contains vitamin D3. The Arnold Dutch Country Whole Wheat was once listed as "accidentally vegan" by PETA, I think. I noticed today that this is not the case. Vitamin D3 can only come from animals, unless the company is getting it made synthetically (doubtful). I am sad. I will have to find a new bread to avoid the D3. I think Arnold has another whole wheat bread that is vegan, which I really like so I'll have to check the label next time I'm at the store. Turns out my favorite Naan bread also contains buttermilk, so after I finish this pack no more! I need to find a vegan version somewhere. I don't want to cook every single thing from scratch. Curry is one of my "go to" dinners when I come home late. A can of organic diced tomatoes, a can of organic beans, add in some fresh garlic and onions, and voila! Serve with Naan or rice and dinner is served! Soooo yeah, we shall see how I can work around that.
In a random note, I found a vegan thin mint style cookie at Costco. They are so freakin' good. No wonder Steven claims to have gained ten pounds due to my love of sweets. Guess I'll be cutting back for both of us. He is going to start doing P90X again in the mornings. Maybe I should start hitting the free gym at work in the afternoons.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
LML (Love My Life)
Now, on to the food porn!
I used the marinade from vegandad's tequila chili lime tofu to soak my tofu briefly before grilling it. I topped it with a little salsa. The "refried" beans are made from scratch! I used a recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. The Mexican rice is from a box from the Publix Greenwise section.
Grilled some seitan. The recipe is based on fatfreevegan's recipe.
Romaine lettuce topped with organic chickpeas, sauteed onions, garlic, and bell peppers. A healthy salad that actually tastes like something!
I used the marinade from vegandad's tequila chili lime tofu to soak my tofu briefly before grilling it. I topped it with a little salsa. The "refried" beans are made from scratch! I used a recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. The Mexican rice is from a box from the Publix Greenwise section.
Grilled some seitan. The recipe is based on fatfreevegan's recipe.
Romaine lettuce topped with organic chickpeas, sauteed onions, garlic, and bell peppers. A healthy salad that actually tastes like something!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
My Life Is Amazing!
=
Since this is my hobbies blog... On my trip to Minnesota, I read several books: Barack Obama's Dreams from My Father, Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope, and Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. I started reading Thrive, but I haven't touched it since. Oh well. Steven and I have been cooking up a storm! I am really starting to come into my own and be confident in my cooking skills.
Sweet and Sour Malaysian Tofu from Vegan Dad:
Quick and Easy Fried Noodles from Vegan Dad:
Red Bean and Coconut Quinoa from Swell Vegan:
Sloppy Joes-style Lentils from food.com, formerly RecipeZaar:
Red Beans and Rice (a basic Google Search will turn up a decent recipe):
Purchased Italian Herb Tofu, served with potatoes cut using my Jacard mandolin:
Vegan Waffles and Hash Browns:
Asian dishes we made up during our date night:
Grilling Night:
Me:
Since this is my hobbies blog... On my trip to Minnesota, I read several books: Barack Obama's Dreams from My Father, Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope, and Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. I started reading Thrive, but I haven't touched it since. Oh well. Steven and I have been cooking up a storm! I am really starting to come into my own and be confident in my cooking skills.
Sweet and Sour Malaysian Tofu from Vegan Dad:
Quick and Easy Fried Noodles from Vegan Dad:
Red Bean and Coconut Quinoa from Swell Vegan:
Sloppy Joes-style Lentils from food.com, formerly RecipeZaar:
Red Beans and Rice (a basic Google Search will turn up a decent recipe):
Purchased Italian Herb Tofu, served with potatoes cut using my Jacard mandolin:
Vegan Waffles and Hash Browns:
Asian dishes we made up during our date night:
Grilling Night:
Me:
Monday, July 13, 2009
VeganDad's recipe
I absolutely adore my new boyfriend, Steven! He loves to cook with me, even if he's not vegan. He's very accomodating. We cook one to two nights a week together. We made the Sesame Crusted Tofu with Udon Noodles from VeganDad. He had chicken because he's not a huge tofu fan. But he did admit that the super extra firm tofu I got is better than the other (less dense) forms. It is, I really like dense tofu. The squishy kind is icky.
We went to the Keys and found two vegetarian restaurants. I got BBQ tofu and fried tofu at the Cafe. I got a BBQ tofu sandwich at Sugar Apple, but I was so hungry I didn't even snap a photo of it like a dum-dum.
I am planning to make the Malaysian sweet and sour tofu and Thai-style sweet and tangy noodle dishes from VeganDad soon. His food looks amazing. Eventually, I will make his one of his mac and "cheese" dishes. I found a Leahey and a Road's End mac and "cheese" at the store.
We went to the Keys and found two vegetarian restaurants. I got BBQ tofu and fried tofu at the Cafe. I got a BBQ tofu sandwich at Sugar Apple, but I was so hungry I didn't even snap a photo of it like a dum-dum.
I am planning to make the Malaysian sweet and sour tofu and Thai-style sweet and tangy noodle dishes from VeganDad soon. His food looks amazing. Eventually, I will make his one of his mac and "cheese" dishes. I found a Leahey and a Road's End mac and "cheese" at the store.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Springtime
Been craving seitan. Health food store by my house was closed today, so hopefully they will have wheat gluten when I stop by tomorrow. Also, saw a sale on organic canned beans that I am going to hit up tomorrow. Sometimes I'm too lazy to soak and cook beans. (Dumb, I know.) I've been eating a lot of pre-made foods at home, veggie burgers mostly, and sandwiches so I need to quit being a bum and cook more often. I should plan my meals in advance more often.
Also, my work finally admitted they've been paying me too little. When they cut me a check for the difference, I'm hoping to do some shopping and take the kitties to the vet. After that, I'll either save it or do some work on my car maybe... With the increase on each check, I plan to be able to buy more organic foods and be more adventurous in my cooking. I'm no longer in debt to Visa from the move!! So woo-hoo!!
Monday, April 20, 2009
I'm still alive...
I haven't updated in forever.
Recently, I made some red beans and rice. Soooooooo effin' delicious. No photo because I scarfed it down in two sittings. An entire pound of red beans and one batch of rice. Yum yum. I soaked the beans overnight and cooked them the next day in the crock pot. When I came home from work, I cut up some onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic. I sauteed those in some olive oil. I transferred the beans to a big pot on the stove with the heat up high, because I wanted to reduce the amount of liquid. Once some of the liquid evaporated, I added the sauteed veggies and a ton of cajun seasoning. I was super happy to find Tony Cachere's at the store. {I like to add it on my fries, yum yum.}
Yesterday, I made tofu burritos. I pressed the tofu and marinaded it in a store-bought garlic and herb marinade. It was a little too strong for my taste, so I am glad I had rice and black beans to balance out the flavors. I will probably cook up the rest of the tofu tomorrow or the next day.
Tonight, I'm making some seitan. I split the recipe in half. I mixed taco seasonings into one half. Ashley used her homemade seitan crumbles to make crumbles for tacos. I decided to season the seitan itself so it would be easier to make tacos. Just heat and go. Lol. I know, I'm a bum sometimes. Hope it's tasty.
Other than that... The cats are doing great, my research is finally focused on my own project (not a group project), and my classes are boring. Anyways, I'm going to go clean the house and write in my personal blog.
Recently, I made some red beans and rice. Soooooooo effin' delicious. No photo because I scarfed it down in two sittings. An entire pound of red beans and one batch of rice. Yum yum. I soaked the beans overnight and cooked them the next day in the crock pot. When I came home from work, I cut up some onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic. I sauteed those in some olive oil. I transferred the beans to a big pot on the stove with the heat up high, because I wanted to reduce the amount of liquid. Once some of the liquid evaporated, I added the sauteed veggies and a ton of cajun seasoning. I was super happy to find Tony Cachere's at the store. {I like to add it on my fries, yum yum.}
Yesterday, I made tofu burritos. I pressed the tofu and marinaded it in a store-bought garlic and herb marinade. It was a little too strong for my taste, so I am glad I had rice and black beans to balance out the flavors. I will probably cook up the rest of the tofu tomorrow or the next day.
Tonight, I'm making some seitan. I split the recipe in half. I mixed taco seasonings into one half. Ashley used her homemade seitan crumbles to make crumbles for tacos. I decided to season the seitan itself so it would be easier to make tacos. Just heat and go. Lol. I know, I'm a bum sometimes. Hope it's tasty.
Other than that... The cats are doing great, my research is finally focused on my own project (not a group project), and my classes are boring. Anyways, I'm going to go clean the house and write in my personal blog.
Monday, March 9, 2009
It's Been A Minute . . . .
I've been pretty busy. Between work and socializing, I've been cooking easy foods. Chili, soup, salads, tacos, etc.
I made some bread in my bread machine. I turned it on and left it, instead of waiting for the machine to mix it and then let it rise so I can bake it on my own. I made it because I was craving a grilled tofutti "cheese" sandwich and I didn't have any white bread. I ended up cutting the slices too thick for the tofutti grilled cheese. It was good to nibble on for a few days.
I also made stuffed shells using the recipe from Vegan with a Vengenance. Sooooo freakin' delicious. Super easy and tasty. The first serving I was able to taste the nutritional yeast and I thought it was a little weird. But when I ate the leftovers, it wasn't as strong. I'd definitely make it again! When I get paid on Friday, I will get some more tofu.
Stuffed:
Cooked:
In other news, I've started reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. It's written by Khaled Hosseini, best known for writing The Kite Runner. I'm not done with it yet. But it is getting interesting... Also, the Twilight movie comes out in like 2 weeks. I can't freakin' wait to finally see the movie!
I made some bread in my bread machine. I turned it on and left it, instead of waiting for the machine to mix it and then let it rise so I can bake it on my own. I made it because I was craving a grilled tofutti "cheese" sandwich and I didn't have any white bread. I ended up cutting the slices too thick for the tofutti grilled cheese. It was good to nibble on for a few days.
I also made stuffed shells using the recipe from Vegan with a Vengenance. Sooooo freakin' delicious. Super easy and tasty. The first serving I was able to taste the nutritional yeast and I thought it was a little weird. But when I ate the leftovers, it wasn't as strong. I'd definitely make it again! When I get paid on Friday, I will get some more tofu.
Stuffed:
Cooked:
In other news, I've started reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. It's written by Khaled Hosseini, best known for writing The Kite Runner. I'm not done with it yet. But it is getting interesting... Also, the Twilight movie comes out in like 2 weeks. I can't freakin' wait to finally see the movie!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Cha-ching!
I made a bomb curry! It was still not as spicy as my old roomie's recipe, but I really enjoyed it. I am learning to improvise with ingredients. I did some more spices for the curries and other dishes, so I hope to branch out in my seasonings.
I also made a King Cake! Holla!! I'm so freakin' proud of my VEGAN king cake! I got the recipe from kitteekake ... I used a tablespoon of cinnamon apple sauce instead of ener-g egg replacer. I remember using that to make brownies my first year of college and they were nasty. That stuff tastes like chalk, so I remember reading on the post-punk kitchen forums about using applesauce. So let me just say, it is delicious. I could add more cinnamon in the future. I couldn't find sprinkles so I colored the frosting. I also used a bean for the baby, because I wasn't comfortable with baking a plastic baby inside of the cake.What I've got right now is awesome, but I could stand a little more sweetness. Without any further delay, here it is:
Also, I found a store that sells Tofutti near my new house. I bought the pizza and it was delicious. I think you should check it out if you're craving cheese pizza and don't want to eat dairy or cook. Lol.
I bought some Tofutti sliced "cheddar" so I can make grilled cheese at some point. I bought the Amy's mac and soy cheese, it was tasty but apparently it has a milk protein in it. Why?!
Ok... Now this week, I'm going to eat that scrumptious king cake, make red beans and rice, and enjoy some seitan (it's been a couple weeks since I last made it)...
Oh yeah, I watched the Oscars last night. I wanted to see Robert Pattinson. I missed his red carpet walk because my friend called me. I missed him presenting because my sister called me. Ugh. Thank God for YouTube, I watched all his red carpet interviews and his presenting today. What a hottie! Plus, he's a great musician. I rock out to his music when I'm stuck working at the lab bench for a long time.
I also made a King Cake! Holla!! I'm so freakin' proud of my VEGAN king cake! I got the recipe from kitteekake ... I used a tablespoon of cinnamon apple sauce instead of ener-g egg replacer. I remember using that to make brownies my first year of college and they were nasty. That stuff tastes like chalk, so I remember reading on the post-punk kitchen forums about using applesauce. So let me just say, it is delicious. I could add more cinnamon in the future. I couldn't find sprinkles so I colored the frosting. I also used a bean for the baby, because I wasn't comfortable with baking a plastic baby inside of the cake.What I've got right now is awesome, but I could stand a little more sweetness. Without any further delay, here it is:
Also, I found a store that sells Tofutti near my new house. I bought the pizza and it was delicious. I think you should check it out if you're craving cheese pizza and don't want to eat dairy or cook. Lol.
I bought some Tofutti sliced "cheddar" so I can make grilled cheese at some point. I bought the Amy's mac and soy cheese, it was tasty but apparently it has a milk protein in it. Why?!
Ok... Now this week, I'm going to eat that scrumptious king cake, make red beans and rice, and enjoy some seitan (it's been a couple weeks since I last made it)...
Oh yeah, I watched the Oscars last night. I wanted to see Robert Pattinson. I missed his red carpet walk because my friend called me. I missed him presenting because my sister called me. Ugh. Thank God for YouTube, I watched all his red carpet interviews and his presenting today. What a hottie! Plus, he's a great musician. I rock out to his music when I'm stuck working at the lab bench for a long time.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
I'm Finally 23!
Woot!
I got an iPhone stereo dock, 2 new iPhone cases, a Twilight pajamas set, a Twilight hoodie, and $200 worth of groceries from my mom. My best friend got me a cookie cake and a framed picture of Barack. We had lunch at Cheesecake Factory on Friday. I paid the price for eating dairy, I had an upset tummy for the day. We also went to the fair, where the new weird food was bacon with chocolate dipping sauce. I almost threw up. Literally. I was so grossed out.
I made that white bean and roasted garlic soup. It was yummy. I froze some because the recipe is huge! I will make some homemade bread to go with it next time. I put cayenne pepper powder and jalapenos in it for some kick, plus added in some rice.
My mom bought me some flour and other baking supplies. I got stuff to make oatmeal raisin cookies, which I can't wait to make. But I think this weekend I am going to try making a small king cake, since I won't be in Louisiana for Mardi Gras.
I also made some home fries. Cleaned and sliced up some fresh potatoes, then fried them in a skillet of canola oil. Yum! Jenn's mom made us some for our little BBQ on Saturday. Jenn and her parents had Korean style ribs and steaks, but I just had a vegan burger. The fries were awesome because her mom seasoned them when they were still hot. I don't eat fried food that often, so it was a nice treat.
Let's see... Other than that, I've been tinkering online designing shoes today. I wanted a pair of awesome 80s-esque DC's but my mom wouldn't buy them for me. She said they were ugly. She is not a fan of neon multicolored shoes apparently. But when I looked them up online, they were made of leather. :( I found another neon pair that just says durable upper, instead of leather upper. So I can check that out in a store. But I went on the Nike ID site and the Converse site to start designing some shoes of my own. That way I can use non-leather materials. Gotta save up some money for that, but when I have extra money that would be sweet!
I got an iPhone stereo dock, 2 new iPhone cases, a Twilight pajamas set, a Twilight hoodie, and $200 worth of groceries from my mom. My best friend got me a cookie cake and a framed picture of Barack. We had lunch at Cheesecake Factory on Friday. I paid the price for eating dairy, I had an upset tummy for the day. We also went to the fair, where the new weird food was bacon with chocolate dipping sauce. I almost threw up. Literally. I was so grossed out.
I made that white bean and roasted garlic soup. It was yummy. I froze some because the recipe is huge! I will make some homemade bread to go with it next time. I put cayenne pepper powder and jalapenos in it for some kick, plus added in some rice.
My mom bought me some flour and other baking supplies. I got stuff to make oatmeal raisin cookies, which I can't wait to make. But I think this weekend I am going to try making a small king cake, since I won't be in Louisiana for Mardi Gras.
I also made some home fries. Cleaned and sliced up some fresh potatoes, then fried them in a skillet of canola oil. Yum! Jenn's mom made us some for our little BBQ on Saturday. Jenn and her parents had Korean style ribs and steaks, but I just had a vegan burger. The fries were awesome because her mom seasoned them when they were still hot. I don't eat fried food that often, so it was a nice treat.
Let's see... Other than that, I've been tinkering online designing shoes today. I wanted a pair of awesome 80s-esque DC's but my mom wouldn't buy them for me. She said they were ugly. She is not a fan of neon multicolored shoes apparently. But when I looked them up online, they were made of leather. :( I found another neon pair that just says durable upper, instead of leather upper. So I can check that out in a store. But I went on the Nike ID site and the Converse site to start designing some shoes of my own. That way I can use non-leather materials. Gotta save up some money for that, but when I have extra money that would be sweet!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
My Birthday Is Almost Here!
In my last entry, I made chili. It wasn't thick enough. So I remade it with more tomato sauce and more spices. It was so good! It was perfect since it was chilly outside again. I scarfed it down before I could even snap a photo. I was hungry and it was tasty. Sorry! I didn't make bread because I'm out of flour. When I was in the store for some tomato sauce, I forgot to get flour. That's what happens when I don't have caffeine.
I have been making simple dishes lately, like pastas and salads. I made a taco style salad, but left out cheese since I'm trying to avoid it. I just don't buy it anymore. I put in a sliced up and seeded jalapeno for some flavor. I also made lentils and used them in sloppy joes (instead of fake meats). It was pretty good, gotta step up the spices next time.
But I saw a recipe for white bean and garlic soup online. Turns out there is a recipe in Vegan with a Vengenance too. So I'm making that tomorrow! I set the beans out to soak tonight, so I can't wait. I looked up Tofutti online since Spencer recommended their sliced "cheese" for grilled cheese sandwiches. I was craving some with the chili but I didn't realize that a store near me sells Tofutti. Whole Foods didn't have it, so I had to get online to find a place. So I will stop there when I get back into town after my birthday, because grilled cheeses are awesome. Good comfort food after a long day.
For my birthday, I am going to lunch with my mom, my best friend, and her older sister. I think her nephew will probably end up coming too. It is going to be fun, I hope I can resist the tempting foods. Jenn and I are going to do some cooking together over the weekend, I want to make vegan chocolate chip cookies from VwaV also. If I can get my mom to buy me a mini donut pan, I want to make the mini donuts from vegan yum yum. I saw a pan with mini bundt moulds a few weeks ago, I would settle for that. Why someone would want to make mini bundt cakes I don't know, but whatever.
So my mom wants to take me to get groceries as a bday gift. I know it sounds lame, but it's sweet. I told her I want gifts that are things I can use, things that I need. So that was what she suggested, but she did say she got me a real present. I'm curious about what it is. I need to get something for Jenn, since her bday was a few weeks ago. I think I'm just going to get her a gift card to Borders or something. I want to order the Twilight DVD for myself. I loved the books and I've seen a million interviews with the stars, so I'm ready to see the movie. I also discovered the amazing music of Robert Pattinson (he plays Edward in the movie and Cedric Diggory in the 4th HP movie).
I have been making simple dishes lately, like pastas and salads. I made a taco style salad, but left out cheese since I'm trying to avoid it. I just don't buy it anymore. I put in a sliced up and seeded jalapeno for some flavor. I also made lentils and used them in sloppy joes (instead of fake meats). It was pretty good, gotta step up the spices next time.
But I saw a recipe for white bean and garlic soup online. Turns out there is a recipe in Vegan with a Vengenance too. So I'm making that tomorrow! I set the beans out to soak tonight, so I can't wait. I looked up Tofutti online since Spencer recommended their sliced "cheese" for grilled cheese sandwiches. I was craving some with the chili but I didn't realize that a store near me sells Tofutti. Whole Foods didn't have it, so I had to get online to find a place. So I will stop there when I get back into town after my birthday, because grilled cheeses are awesome. Good comfort food after a long day.
For my birthday, I am going to lunch with my mom, my best friend, and her older sister. I think her nephew will probably end up coming too. It is going to be fun, I hope I can resist the tempting foods. Jenn and I are going to do some cooking together over the weekend, I want to make vegan chocolate chip cookies from VwaV also. If I can get my mom to buy me a mini donut pan, I want to make the mini donuts from vegan yum yum. I saw a pan with mini bundt moulds a few weeks ago, I would settle for that. Why someone would want to make mini bundt cakes I don't know, but whatever.
So my mom wants to take me to get groceries as a bday gift. I know it sounds lame, but it's sweet. I told her I want gifts that are things I can use, things that I need. So that was what she suggested, but she did say she got me a real present. I'm curious about what it is. I need to get something for Jenn, since her bday was a few weeks ago. I think I'm just going to get her a gift card to Borders or something. I want to order the Twilight DVD for myself. I loved the books and I've seen a million interviews with the stars, so I'm ready to see the movie. I also discovered the amazing music of Robert Pattinson (he plays Edward in the movie and Cedric Diggory in the 4th HP movie).
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Something New Saturdays
I've decided to spend my Saturdays doing something new. I went to the farmers' market to get some veggies and I got some organic flours at the grocery store. I made homemade wheat bread! I used the bread machine to mix it and knead it. I should have let it rise more but I was hungry.... It still came out pretty good, but my camera batteries are dead. :( No photo to record this event, but maybe later I can get some batteries.
I also tried to make vegan goldfish crackers from the schmooed food blog, but some of them burnt and those that weren't burnt I thought were icky tasting. I thought it would be a good way to test out nutritional yeast, but I think I'll go without goldfish than eat those again. :/
It's Girl Scout cookie season! Yum! Not vegan, but delicious. My favorite cookies taste different this year for whatever reason.
I got a great deal on dried beans, so I soaked them overnight last night. Today, I am making homemade chili. It has some tomato sauce, black beans, red beans, kidney beans, and white beans. Plus I added in some chili seasoning. Should be good with some rice tonight. Can't wait to see what it tastes like!
I also tried to make vegan goldfish crackers from the schmooed food blog, but some of them burnt and those that weren't burnt I thought were icky tasting. I thought it would be a good way to test out nutritional yeast, but I think I'll go without goldfish than eat those again. :/
It's Girl Scout cookie season! Yum! Not vegan, but delicious. My favorite cookies taste different this year for whatever reason.
I got a great deal on dried beans, so I soaked them overnight last night. Today, I am making homemade chili. It has some tomato sauce, black beans, red beans, kidney beans, and white beans. Plus I added in some chili seasoning. Should be good with some rice tonight. Can't wait to see what it tastes like!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Book Review
I finally finished the Feminine Mystique about two weeks ago. It was a brutal read, because it's so analytical. Not something where I could sit and read for hours. It was worth it though. If you're interested in the foundations of feminism, read it. :)
I also read all of the Twilight saga recently. I will probably read them again, especially when Midnight Sun is released. Midnight Sun is the Twilight book re-written from Edward's perspective. I read the first part of it on the author's website.
So this weekend, I plan on using the bread machine I got from Ashley and Spencer. I want to make some wheat bread. I also want to make vegan goldfish. Maybe even some cookies. Depends on how happy I am. I am definitely craving goldfish, so I can't wait to make the veganized version from schmooed food.
I bought Follow Your Heart vegan cheese to try. I got cheddar assuming it's a safe choice for the first try. It's oily. It has a weird taste. Next time, I'll try tofutti cheese...
Also, I'm now officially single. I feel bad for Scott, but this is the best thing for us.
I also read all of the Twilight saga recently. I will probably read them again, especially when Midnight Sun is released. Midnight Sun is the Twilight book re-written from Edward's perspective. I read the first part of it on the author's website.
So this weekend, I plan on using the bread machine I got from Ashley and Spencer. I want to make some wheat bread. I also want to make vegan goldfish. Maybe even some cookies. Depends on how happy I am. I am definitely craving goldfish, so I can't wait to make the veganized version from schmooed food.
I bought Follow Your Heart vegan cheese to try. I got cheddar assuming it's a safe choice for the first try. It's oily. It has a weird taste. Next time, I'll try tofutti cheese...
Also, I'm now officially single. I feel bad for Scott, but this is the best thing for us.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Curry
I got a bread machine from my friends Ashley & Spencer recently. I haven't gotten ingredients yet to make bread though. It's on the agenda for next weekend, since I get paid on Friday. Plus, I have to look up directions for the bread machine. (I would have done that this week, but I read all the Twilight books instead.)
But I have been craving curry, so I used a recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. It wasn't spicy enough, plus I had to heat it for awhile to reduce the liquid. I wanted a fairly thick curry to put over my basmati rice. I would definitely make it again, reducing the amount of tomatoes (due to their juice) and adding more spices.
I've been enjoying the seitan recipe, I've just been making it by boiling. I want to try steaming soon. I think it would be good baked perhaps. I like having BBQ sauce and potatoes with it.
I haven't been eating much dairy in 2009. I haven't drank milk for years, but I used to use it to cook sometimes when I lived in BR. I haven't been buying milk at all, I don't cook anything that needs it. I have reduced my intake of yogurt and cheese, only had a few bites of each this year. So that's an improvement! I feel much less bloated, it's weird. I wasn't expecting that. Could be the increased intake of veggies though, making me full so I don't crave junk food. I really have been craving cheez-its/goldfish crakers. I found a recipe online from schmooed food on how to make a vegan goldfish. I am so doing that next weekend! I need to get baking sheets first. Can you believe the furnished place didn't include baking sheets? The other necessary dishes are here, but no baking sheets...
But I have been craving curry, so I used a recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. It wasn't spicy enough, plus I had to heat it for awhile to reduce the liquid. I wanted a fairly thick curry to put over my basmati rice. I would definitely make it again, reducing the amount of tomatoes (due to their juice) and adding more spices.
I've been enjoying the seitan recipe, I've just been making it by boiling. I want to try steaming soon. I think it would be good baked perhaps. I like having BBQ sauce and potatoes with it.
I haven't been eating much dairy in 2009. I haven't drank milk for years, but I used to use it to cook sometimes when I lived in BR. I haven't been buying milk at all, I don't cook anything that needs it. I have reduced my intake of yogurt and cheese, only had a few bites of each this year. So that's an improvement! I feel much less bloated, it's weird. I wasn't expecting that. Could be the increased intake of veggies though, making me full so I don't crave junk food. I really have been craving cheez-its/goldfish crakers. I found a recipe online from schmooed food on how to make a vegan goldfish. I am so doing that next weekend! I need to get baking sheets first. Can you believe the furnished place didn't include baking sheets? The other necessary dishes are here, but no baking sheets...
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Vegetable Soup & Seitan
Today, I used that broth I made yesterday to make a soup. I used a couple stalks of celery, a potato, half of a large carrot, and some green beans. I used the rest of the broth to simmer the seitan in. I think I am going to pan-fry the seitan and have a salad with it for dinner.
Soup: Would definitely make again, but in a larger quantity...
Seitan: This afternoon, I made it and sliced it for later. I used the recipe in How to cook everything vegetarian by Mark Bittman. I decided to pan fry in olive oil tonight for dinner. I served it with some instant mashed potatoes (I had a headache so I didn't want to make some from scratch) and a salad. The salad has organic romaine lettuce, organic rainbow chard, some cucumber, and some carrot. Everything but the romaine came from the farmers' market. :)
Soup: Would definitely make again, but in a larger quantity...
Seitan: This afternoon, I made it and sliced it for later. I used the recipe in How to cook everything vegetarian by Mark Bittman. I decided to pan fry in olive oil tonight for dinner. I served it with some instant mashed potatoes (I had a headache so I didn't want to make some from scratch) and a salad. The salad has organic romaine lettuce, organic rainbow chard, some cucumber, and some carrot. Everything but the romaine came from the farmers' market. :)
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Farmers' Market Season
So I resisted the pizza, but caved to chocolate chip cookies. Oh well, it's a start. I am a sucker for cheese, so that was shocking that I was able to resist. The Scripps people are super nice, we went to a little bar nearby after the pizza mixer. I laughed and had a lot of fun. There's another FSU alum in the group!
Today, the community started its farmers' market for the season. It is every Saturday through May. I am so excited about it. I set my alarm to wake up early to be able to go. It was so worth it! So much food, only $30!!
Homemade multigrain bread
Rainbow Chard - Organic
Adie checking out the green beans, green bell pepper, cucumbers, carrots, celery.
Yukon gold potatoes (organic), onion, garlic, ginger.
Parsley (store bought, not in season in FL), dill.
Homemade soaps! I want to use the bar soap, but the little ones are for decoration when I bring up the little white sherbet dish.
So I am no longer craving pizza so I am not going to hunt down the Follow Your Heart cheese today. Instead, I decided to make some homemade veggie broth so I can make some soups. That's why I got all the veggies. I was able to find store-brand organic extra virgin olive oil at Winn-Dixie, as well as Seventh Generation products! Those are soooo expensive in some stores, but since I use Scott's card info I can save 5% there. (His sister works at a Winn Dixie.) I needed fabric softener, so I bought some Seventh Generation fabric softener. Gotta take baby steps towards sustainability. :)
Today, the community started its farmers' market for the season. It is every Saturday through May. I am so excited about it. I set my alarm to wake up early to be able to go. It was so worth it! So much food, only $30!!
Homemade multigrain bread
Rainbow Chard - Organic
Adie checking out the green beans, green bell pepper, cucumbers, carrots, celery.
Yukon gold potatoes (organic), onion, garlic, ginger.
Parsley (store bought, not in season in FL), dill.
Homemade soaps! I want to use the bar soap, but the little ones are for decoration when I bring up the little white sherbet dish.
So I am no longer craving pizza so I am not going to hunt down the Follow Your Heart cheese today. Instead, I decided to make some homemade veggie broth so I can make some soups. That's why I got all the veggies. I was able to find store-brand organic extra virgin olive oil at Winn-Dixie, as well as Seventh Generation products! Those are soooo expensive in some stores, but since I use Scott's card info I can save 5% there. (His sister works at a Winn Dixie.) I needed fabric softener, so I bought some Seventh Generation fabric softener. Gotta take baby steps towards sustainability. :)
Thursday, January 8, 2009
I Love Google Maps
I've located and mapped all the nearest thrift stores. :) Plus, I've found Whole Foods and local smaller businesses that are into health foods. I am craving pizza, so I'm hoping to find some Follow Your Heart vegan cheese this weekend. Their website says there are a ton of stores near here that sell it. I am cutting cheese out of my diet, since all it does is make me fat and addicted. I figure giving up cheese and booze will jump start my weight loss efforts. (Gotta lose that Louisiana weight and get back to my "normal" size!) ... And just eating less. Lol. Since I have limited funds right now, I bought fruits and veggies because I know I'll eat it since it's all I've got. I've been packing a salad with my sandwich for lunch, it's doing a good job of keeping me full. Much better than 100 calorie pack of snack food.
Work has a gym on-site!! I'm going to check it out tomorrow, I just found out which building it is in. I have some free weights at my mom's place that I want to bring down in a few weeks. I think if I get some of my things reorganized in my room, I can fit the treadmill. Or an elliptical, if I find a good deal on one.
I met other grad students today! Hooray! I'm not alone. The chem people are hosting a pizza and beer gathering tomorrow night. I'm going to go to meet people but try to resist the temptation of cow cheese. I can do this.
Work has a gym on-site!! I'm going to check it out tomorrow, I just found out which building it is in. I have some free weights at my mom's place that I want to bring down in a few weeks. I think if I get some of my things reorganized in my room, I can fit the treadmill. Or an elliptical, if I find a good deal on one.
I met other grad students today! Hooray! I'm not alone. The chem people are hosting a pizza and beer gathering tomorrow night. I'm going to go to meet people but try to resist the temptation of cow cheese. I can do this.
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