tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-337359632024-03-13T03:01:27.400-04:00The Flying VeganCooking from a lazy vegan.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-40099322781915894612008-02-10T22:11:00.001-05:002008-02-10T22:17:25.213-05:00The Flying Vegan...who's that?Someone just left a comment asking if I was alive and the answer is yes, I'm still here! I'm even updating my <a href="http://tornadotrajectory.blogspot.com/">personal blog</a> on a semi-regular basis! The main reason I don't update here is because I'm in a sort of loop food-wise. If I pack lunches they consist of some combination of a peanut butter sandwich, cheerios, fruit/veggies, pistachio nuts, and pretzels. The rest of the time I buy a crappy bagel and an apple from my school cafeteria. I don't usually eat breakfast and when I do it's just fruit, microwaved oatmeal, or pancakes. My dinners are almost always ramen, stir fry and rice, pasta, chile, couscous, frozen foods, rice and beans, or soup with random vegetables. <br /><br />The only baking or cooking I've particularly done is an embarrassing amount of chickpea cutlets (seriously, I make this recipe in a triple batch!) from Veganomicon, pancakes, and occasionally muffins. <br /><br />Even though I'm pretty uninspired, I'm still reading all your blogs, so keep posting!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-12971835486861783282007-12-25T19:07:00.000-05:002007-12-25T19:27:56.933-05:00Cookies and PastaSince today is Christmas, I thought it only fitting to make some sugar cookies. I veganized a recipe from my mom's old <span style="font-style: italic;">Better Homes and Gardens</span> cookbook and ended up with the following very unhealthy, but delicious, recipe:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sugar Cookies</span><br />2/3 cup vegetable shortening<br />3/4 cup sugar<br />1 t vanilla<br />2 T water<br />1 tsp orange juice (you can really use whatever kind of liquid you want in place of water and OJ, the original recipe had milk and eggs, but I didn't have any soymilk or applesauce for substitutes)<br />2 cups all-purpose flour<br />1 1/2 t baking powder<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />sprinkles, small candies, or icing for topping (optional)<br /><br /><br />Cream the shortening, sugar and vanilla. Add the water and orange juice and beat until combined. There may still be a little liquid that doesn't get absorbed, but this is fine. In a separate bowl, sift together the rest of the ingredients. Blend into the creamed mixture. Divide dough in half and refrigerate for at least an hour. The longer you chill the dough the easier it will be to work with.<br /><br />On a lightly floured surface roll half the dough to about 1/4" thickness. Leave the other half of the dough in the refrigerator to stay cool. Cut rolled dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters. If you are using sprinkles or other toppings put them on top of the cookies now. Bake at 375°F for 7-10 minutes. Remove cookies from trays to cool. Repeat with the other half of the dough. If you are icing the cookies make sure they are completely cool before icing them.<br /><br />Makes about 3 dozen cookies.<br /><br />I'm always taking shortcuts with recipes so my cookies only chilled for about twenty minutes. The dough ended up a little sticky but it was still manageable. I couldn't find any fun cookie cutters so I cut the cookies out with the top of a glass. I didn't feel like rolling out the second half of the dough because it was really sticky so I just shaped the cookies in my hands and they came out fine. The longer these bake the crunchier they will be. I like soft cookies so I only left them in for 7 minutes.<br /><br />the beauty of a plain sugar cookie (excuse the bad lighting in my kitchen):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPAbww_z_w-ZycOlIFTL6bY152x2ud8VBDvlc45-1IcnjdNLgeqJeTPmzIbCmHlOKU-rCb69e2WPG6LzGJGtkO4b-Nwiw9ivKpAQZDxbG384MijQtxB4itM0O3HkMAymwqheT/s1600-h/HPIM1248.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPAbww_z_w-ZycOlIFTL6bY152x2ud8VBDvlc45-1IcnjdNLgeqJeTPmzIbCmHlOKU-rCb69e2WPG6LzGJGtkO4b-Nwiw9ivKpAQZDxbG384MijQtxB4itM0O3HkMAymwqheT/s400/HPIM1248.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148070014315268242" border="0" /></a><br />Since I ate an embarrassing number of cookies today, I opted to go for a slightly healthier but just as easy dinner.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0PYsymAvFbBr6VbDJdKxEFbPYo29tR7pWH1kcjkK1xzSafHEfxUPy88Lzb00AYaqWiWyscJP9v5NhshI6QH4sIEkoF_bpq8cR1SqFUNZ9dmDL8iHnq52xLj1kRFyNzoTCbjG/s1600-h/HPIM1251.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0PYsymAvFbBr6VbDJdKxEFbPYo29tR7pWH1kcjkK1xzSafHEfxUPy88Lzb00AYaqWiWyscJP9v5NhshI6QH4sIEkoF_bpq8cR1SqFUNZ9dmDL8iHnq52xLj1kRFyNzoTCbjG/s400/HPIM1251.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148070692920101026" border="0" /></a>Pasta with organic kale (which we froze over the summer), bell peppers, diced Chinese eggplant, garlic, frozen peas, and crushed tomatoes. I threw the topping together in a frying pan while the pasta cooked and I was ready to eat in ten minutes.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-83358250705822237622007-12-24T19:29:00.000-05:002007-12-24T19:43:52.463-05:00Asian Food for Christmas EveWhile most people are gathering around the tree with their families and destressing from a crazy month of shopping, cooking, and baking, I'm sitting at home with a week of break and not too much to do. It's a really good feeling. This has given me a little more time for cooking. While most of the Jews I know go out for Chinese food on Christmas Eve, I opted to stay home today. My parents, however, stopped off at the Asian food center today and picked up the following:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgt6jwqTank90XFaoSkO2YGfT1hWfttyyoWlz6cfMKS0KMBZmuVCoW5gFHh3NUzxT7ok71obNosZlWG64huXw4ikPiRUfipBn8oqTL8xdsXX3N1jSnuMTZekGKmlmU7GaQuBX6/s1600-h/asian+food.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgt6jwqTank90XFaoSkO2YGfT1hWfttyyoWlz6cfMKS0KMBZmuVCoW5gFHh3NUzxT7ok71obNosZlWG64huXw4ikPiRUfipBn8oqTL8xdsXX3N1jSnuMTZekGKmlmU7GaQuBX6/s400/asian+food.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147702558388258946" border="0" /></a>(soy puffs, vermicelli, and wonton wrappers, if you can't tell)<br /><br />One package was mysteriously labeled, "Soy Puffs" and I decided to use it today. As far as I could tell it was some sort of deep fried tofu. Each puff was about 1-1/2" square. I cooked them in a non-stick pan without any additional oil and they browned a little and released a lot of oil. In the meantime I steamed broccoli and sliced carrots and made the sauce that goes with General Tao's Tofu from the ever-popular <a href="http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=8769.0">vegweb recipe</a>. The result was just as good as any dish I've ever ordered at a Chinese restaurant. The soy puffs were chewy and airy and the sauce was perfect, as it had been every time I've used this recipe.<br /><br />For dinner, my dad and I made the Scallion Flatbread from Veganomicon. It didn't vary much from other flatbreads I've made and basically tasted like a scallion paratha. I misread the recipe and only added 1/4 tsp of salt instead of 3/4 tsp (this is what I get for reading upside down) so it was a little bland. I didn't have the ingredients to make the dipping sauce, so we just had them plain, which was still pretty good. <br /><br />Merry Christmas!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-71459563872903996032007-12-21T18:11:00.000-05:002007-12-21T18:13:07.157-05:00A moment of self-promotionI've started up a new personal blog, which is located at http://tornadotrajectory.blogspot.com/. I'll hopefully still be posting over here when I start doing a little more cooking, but the new blog will be devoted to me just blogging about my actual life outside the kitchen. I'd love for some new readers, so if you have some time, add it on to your blog roll!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-60018327970443763792007-12-16T00:25:00.000-05:002007-12-16T00:34:16.437-05:00Veggie Heaven celebrationI've offhandedly mentioned a few times before that I've been in the middle of the long and tedious college admissions process that plagues many high school seniors. Today at noon was the end of the process for me - I've been accepted to <a href="http://mit.edu/">MIT</a>! I'm really excited to go to such a great school and to live in the Boston area for the next four years.<br /><br />To celebrate, my parents and I went out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, <a href="http://www.veggieheavennj.com/">Veggie Heaven</a> in Parsippany, NJ. It's a bit of a drive from my house but it's worth it for some of the best American Chinese food I've ever had (and it's all vegan!). Between the three of us we ordered hot and sour soup, scallion pancakes, orange vege chicken, vege chicken with artichokes, and a combination of tofu, vege beef, and vegetables (can't remember what it was called). Everything was delicious, relatively affordable, and the service was great. Overall, it was a delicious end to an amazing day.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-33428657471201132882007-12-10T22:55:00.000-05:002007-12-10T23:07:48.607-05:00Lower fat banana bread, latkes, and chickpea cutletsThis container made me laugh; can you find the typo?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13DxJWlpVZAiNVH6h1WltHYaGQRA1lTnSY0rD85XySAxcB1opGt8Aly0ZvdNE3Fuu2065xQq2TW2vAEC_5N2LT0VB23JaU_VcDO4mM-1Kfyk5WjSP2yhLlrSdk7wmN5o_MFtP/s1600-h/HPIM1193.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13DxJWlpVZAiNVH6h1WltHYaGQRA1lTnSY0rD85XySAxcB1opGt8Aly0ZvdNE3Fuu2065xQq2TW2vAEC_5N2LT0VB23JaU_VcDO4mM-1Kfyk5WjSP2yhLlrSdk7wmN5o_MFtP/s400/HPIM1193.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142561608340986690" border="0" /></a><br />When I'm not eating lots of soy ice cream or crossing my fingers for snow, I've been busy making a few of the less photogenic recipes in Veganomicon. A theme for this entry could probably be brown foods that weren't even worth a photograph.<br /><br />My first recipe was the Lower Fat Banana Bread made into muffins. My mom and I both agreed that the muffins were a little dense, but I think it would have been a perfect consistency for banana bread, especially smothered in peanut butter.<br /><br />After that I made the chickpea cutlets. I can say in complete honesty that this recipe was everything I expected and more. I took the baking route and they were perfect in every way. The flavor and texture were both great. I had the chickpea cutlets plain for dinner and then cut one up and had it over salad today. It was better than the Boca chik'n patties that we normally buy, so I'm thinking about making a lot of chickpea cutlets and freezing them for the future.<br /><br />My dad made the potato latkes from Veganomicon, which were also delicious. So far I love Veganomicon; all of the recipes I've tried and looked at have been amazing.<br /><br />Happy Chanukkah!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuV6zbexzZGvTyfV7uiZLTJDeYnEvmFVejTPF6XvPPxI0mvGtmyETtr8NOQylhCeIqY6YwujcBLN5-L39e__pelwB8PU_dcrPH365xYJYhwKHMcXrgF9cRLefV72twu4rerJjz/s1600-h/HPIM1194.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuV6zbexzZGvTyfV7uiZLTJDeYnEvmFVejTPF6XvPPxI0mvGtmyETtr8NOQylhCeIqY6YwujcBLN5-L39e__pelwB8PU_dcrPH365xYJYhwKHMcXrgF9cRLefV72twu4rerJjz/s400/HPIM1194.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142561281923472178" border="0" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-85761178943667123502007-12-04T20:07:00.000-05:002007-12-04T20:11:29.684-05:00VeganomiconI promise there'll be a real post soon, but right now I'm a little overwhelmed. I'm probably the last person in the vegan cooking world, but I finally got a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Veganomicon-Ultimate-Isa-Chandra-Moskowitz/dp/156924264X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196817013&sr=8-1">Veganomicon</a> today and I'm stunned, it's beautiful. I have no idea where to even start. This is where you, the reader, come in: What recipes should I make first? Are there any recipes to stay away from?<br /><br />I'm already thinking of the chickpea cutlets and potato latkes sometime soon since I've heard some good reviews on the cutlets and it's Channukah starting tonight (happy holiday to those of you who are also celebrating). What else must I absolutely make?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-74395503117946040942007-11-26T17:18:00.000-05:002007-11-26T17:29:59.154-05:00Birthday CakeWhen I was little I loved cake mixes and premade icing. Every year on my birthday my mom would offer to bake me a cake from scratch but I would refuse. Every year I would get the confetti cake mix and vanilla icing with little chocolate pieces in it.<br /><br />Unfortunately for me, that's not quite vegan. For my 18th birthday this past Wednesday (yes, this post is late, but not too late) I opted for something a little more upscale. My mom baked me the golden cupcakes from <span style="font-style: italic;">Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World</span> as a cake and iced it with the vegan buttercream frosting, also from VCTOTW. I decorated the cake with sliced strawberries for the following masterpiece.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwRnRs17FXISTZdEawad4-LSAf4d-_yEah4yEPYOKsSb9l2cWk00eEmjnmnFZ8_L1MuAuya4xpauHlfJaZMRw1kj2gcjxrLrV7Fp9RbQSxjZMVKf0iNmxjZWKpq1YoDu8pGmb/s1600-h/HPIM1184.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwRnRs17FXISTZdEawad4-LSAf4d-_yEah4yEPYOKsSb9l2cWk00eEmjnmnFZ8_L1MuAuya4xpauHlfJaZMRw1kj2gcjxrLrV7Fp9RbQSxjZMVKf0iNmxjZWKpq1YoDu8pGmb/s320/HPIM1184.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137278792412680626" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDT9BYdgctD0UlX-902PHrbjt6iVp2Dkkkko7q92lHY9ZQ4doK3mjvGk0G2SWIAPHgjQ8cSfnxox05GEDQ9Q2DZW93TBhtlhuTM6L8BtYa84xASXar31fxX2pUrycRUoVSr7E/s1600-h/HPIM1183.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDT9BYdgctD0UlX-902PHrbjt6iVp2Dkkkko7q92lHY9ZQ4doK3mjvGk0G2SWIAPHgjQ8cSfnxox05GEDQ9Q2DZW93TBhtlhuTM6L8BtYa84xASXar31fxX2pUrycRUoVSr7E/s400/HPIM1183.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137278680743530914" border="0" /></a><br />For the meal I made vegan pizza with all sorts of amazing toppings (fresh tomatoes, eggplant, onions, Morningstar Farms veggie crumbles, spinach were the main toppings). I'm a real legal adult!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-17509014623082671492007-11-13T21:21:00.001-05:002007-11-13T21:30:00.790-05:00Ode to the Pomegranate<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXiPpghEHBzVT2CelkEx3JrE1Oxc6FDgfr4BEOXSfeqI2UAd70wEw9K6-tEdEwDFJ_YEK0mMtjYJ77Id2tfpujEVRe9eN66rePnvfYehy4hWiiClEvjLPydozDk8K3mxP-Ivr/s1600-h/veganmofo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXiPpghEHBzVT2CelkEx3JrE1Oxc6FDgfr4BEOXSfeqI2UAd70wEw9K6-tEdEwDFJ_YEK0mMtjYJ77Id2tfpujEVRe9eN66rePnvfYehy4hWiiClEvjLPydozDk8K3mxP-Ivr/s200/veganmofo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132515806416060962" border="0" /></a>Todays <a href="http://theppk.com/blog/2007/11/02/vegan-mofo/">Vegan MoFo</a> post brought to you by: pomegranates.<br /><br />The first time I saw a pomegranate I was skeptical. From the outside it looked relatively tame but once cut open it was a fierce red and seemed to be composed entirely of seeds. I wasn't even sure how to eat it. I've since learned the best way to cut open a pomegranate (try the no-mess method detailed <a href="http://pomegranates.org/nomess.html">here</a>) and the absolute joy of crunching on pomegranate seeds.<br /><br />When I was little my favorite food changed a lot, I liked my mom's lasagna, dill pickles, matar paneer, but I'd never had pomegranate.<br /><br />Pomegranate rocked my world. It's juicy and sweet and tart and crunchy and all those things that make you feel like you could just eat it for the rest of your life and never grow tired of it. Yes, it's a little annoying to prepare and yes, it leaves beastly stains on your clothes if you're messy, and yes, it's ridiculously expensive (usually $1-2 each around here) but yes, it's all worth it for a single spoonful of pomegranate and a big juicy smile.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuR5V_xlOWtwvtZl6gPg1Lr3eI4ODwq_aZkX8j0rwevjjopSAouBgp09Qo_7X6WC2RPNNoGPbF-Db9nxiwzm_PBG450KJb-Ydii8P9fiH9gFZrX2nQX4krEwK5P7yrgRQdNbpB/s1600-h/pomegranate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuR5V_xlOWtwvtZl6gPg1Lr3eI4ODwq_aZkX8j0rwevjjopSAouBgp09Qo_7X6WC2RPNNoGPbF-Db9nxiwzm_PBG450KJb-Ydii8P9fiH9gFZrX2nQX4krEwK5P7yrgRQdNbpB/s320/pomegranate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132517580237554226" border="0" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-21124603666615183542007-11-12T21:14:00.001-05:002007-11-12T21:38:00.448-05:00Vegan MoFo and Roasted Vegetables with Ginger<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2126/1827955741_622702aa52.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 91px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2126/1827955741_622702aa52.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4nSze1apXe3jPbIM3qyvrr9h2KXm8W5OJh7CaQ23IdnT0ewV1SZxH-CBvjqQFbzBtl1QSitOV2TB8SQdpCLE-ZF7e1wmvi2ejBLylXtEb6XXtsrbZi51_S-YJjMa8Gn8vH4ZiQ/s1600-h/1827955741_622702aa52.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4nSze1apXe3jPbIM3qyvrr9h2KXm8W5OJh7CaQ23IdnT0ewV1SZxH-CBvjqQFbzBtl1QSitOV2TB8SQdpCLE-ZF7e1wmvi2ejBLylXtEb6XXtsrbZi51_S-YJjMa8Gn8vH4ZiQ/s1600-h/1827955741_622702aa52.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I'm joining in a little late, but I'm participating in <a href="http://theppk.com/blog/2007/11/02/vegan-mofo/">VeganMoFo</a>, the Vegan Month of Food because the name makes me laugh and I need a reason to get back on the blogging wagon.<br /><br />I've always liked roasted vegetables, especially in the winter. They're the perfect food to eat when it's snowy outside and freezing cold inside (Save energy, lower your thermostat! You may want to stay a little warmer than my house, which is at a constant yet balmy 58°F in the winter, although on really cold days sometimes the heat gets cranked up to 62°) and you're wearing three sweaters and looking at birds outside the window. It's not snowing here yet, but it's never too early to practice.<br /><br />This all started tonight when I was feeling lazy (notice a trend here?) and I decided I would microwave a sweet potato for dinner. As I was taking out the sweet potato I noticed that there was also a butternut squash in the cabinet. At that point I thought maybe it would be worth it to turn on the oven so that I could have some squash, too.<br /><br />Then my mom walked in the kitchen and reminded me that we still have a ton of beets and turnips from the CSA left, so I felt obligated to use a few. The result of all of this: ginger roasted root vegetables<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibH5KuywPuU5EHxGhyphenhyphenafN1jUGhwABB65t3WzQpaUUmAlRwCY5sSaddmXxkRFrAG2kgMWHhs5CWPjh0rtzvF47VdLOkdrhzADtxs9mrWzFzzmrg7qwnmoL6fmh7hGeLiPpR9pEw/s1600-h/HPIM1148.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibH5KuywPuU5EHxGhyphenhyphenafN1jUGhwABB65t3WzQpaUUmAlRwCY5sSaddmXxkRFrAG2kgMWHhs5CWPjh0rtzvF47VdLOkdrhzADtxs9mrWzFzzmrg7qwnmoL6fmh7hGeLiPpR9pEw/s400/HPIM1148.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132145941012398610" border="0" /></a><br />I originally made a recipe similar to this from Vegan with a Vengeance, but since it's just roasted vegetables, I've since decided that I don't need a recipe (I don't measure ingredients very often, even when I'm baking I usually don't bother with measuring cups/spoons). This pan of vegetables consisted of 1 sweet potato, 1/3 butternut squash, 3 small turnips, and 1 medium beet, all somewhat uniformly chopped into about 1/2 inch pieces. I diced about 1 inch of fresh ginger and one small garlic clove and added these along with some olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, ground pepper, and salt to the vegetables, mixed it all, and poured it into a 9x12 pan. After about 25 minutes at 450°F (I turned it all once in the middle) the vegetable were delicious and gooey, perfect.<br /><br />Now that I'm ready for winter, I just need to finish up my weather machine.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-56956672897366095492007-11-05T22:26:00.000-05:002007-11-05T22:35:44.466-05:00Salad, hummus, and Girl Scout cookies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_RzSSksy2z5TXRedlCUN_LrBUJfPyAvIgoetdIVfPprChyphenhyphenh3bZrAZYBzhp9xgOAy5hj4SS7FzqduEu1-S9yFvZBUdwZFcKfbD9CzBN8w5dmTY2R4cpqnmPpbfwALWs4CTPBU/s1600-h/HPIM1139.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_RzSSksy2z5TXRedlCUN_LrBUJfPyAvIgoetdIVfPprChyphenhyphenh3bZrAZYBzhp9xgOAy5hj4SS7FzqduEu1-S9yFvZBUdwZFcKfbD9CzBN8w5dmTY2R4cpqnmPpbfwALWs4CTPBU/s320/HPIM1139.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129563875916088930" border="0" /></a><br />Since I haven't posted a lunch in a while, here is tomorrow's, although it's fairly uninspiring. As the CSA season draws to a close (our last vegetable delivery is this weekend) the choice of vegetables in my house grows pretty slim. Right now we have about 6 or 7 different varieties of leafy salad greens and not much else. I made a quick salad with greens and raisins. Before I leave for school in the morning I'll squeeze a lemon over it for dressing. I also have some crackers and hummus. <br /><br />Finally, Sour Patch kids left over from Halloween and some cinna-spin Girl Scout cookies. I'm not particularly watchful for mysterious trace ingredients and hard-to-pronounce chemicals, but these cookies appear to be vegan. The "100-calorie pack" packaging is one of my pet peeves in life but I used to love Girl Scout cookies and I couldn't not buy vegan ones. I vaguely remember the Girl Scouts selling vegan oatmeal cookies last year, but I couldn't find them again this year. While these cinnamon cookies are pretty good, they don't quite measure up to my all time favorites, peanut butter patties and thin mints.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-8534853882206079242007-10-13T17:41:00.000-04:002007-10-13T21:28:59.577-04:00Life may change but chili is a constantI've obviously not been posting here much lately so the question remains: What have I been doing with myself? As hard as it is to believe, there's actually stuff going on in the world outside blog-land. Some things I've eaten and done since my last entry:<br />-Begun school<br />-Made a whole lot of pancakes<br />-Made even more chili (details below)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36qHNOvMpRCMSxPUpSl4xOPEvJKS8kJgTYEe-i7mVnDNLoRQ-4-P3rLorzoUW7bkvMrQOvNXCpmBfIKr3u9UkZP_V99U81UerP3oskt4sDBwfo5cOvCdE7l0fmMT71OcLiqWb/s1600-h/HPIM0915.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36qHNOvMpRCMSxPUpSl4xOPEvJKS8kJgTYEe-i7mVnDNLoRQ-4-P3rLorzoUW7bkvMrQOvNXCpmBfIKr3u9UkZP_V99U81UerP3oskt4sDBwfo5cOvCdE7l0fmMT71OcLiqWb/s320/HPIM0915.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5120940650318754018" border="0" /></a>-Ridden the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster<br />-Eaten rice and peanut butter sandwiches (not together) practically on a daily basis (you aren't missing out on too much exciting food)<br />-Survived on <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.chipotle.com">Chipotle</a> vegetarian burritos (ignore the silly facepaint)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoulLgxUtbxg-4NFp1CIE9ssrSc9tC8IoIfmE4m32z7_WBNJ1eUpkPgKFqfA5RS6nKRaG-yTpPPxKu8JmpBBQJGMgqMfFkP_wq1tr6NJmSKiZmAMQamMnv6L8Yk3KjfhPvMc2E/s1600-h/chipotle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoulLgxUtbxg-4NFp1CIE9ssrSc9tC8IoIfmE4m32z7_WBNJ1eUpkPgKFqfA5RS6nKRaG-yTpPPxKu8JmpBBQJGMgqMfFkP_wq1tr6NJmSKiZmAMQamMnv6L8Yk3KjfhPvMc2E/s320/chipotle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5120941290268881138" border="0" /></a><br />-Gotten my butt kicked by school work<br />-Made cookies instead of working<br />-Saw some rally cool praying mantises<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfoFXdThrwJ0_rGifxgqG-DTXDR1M6pUJ1ePbUCxfWHLzUWReIgCUkreC1yhvAU0f0UNzOh2CJfebnqApCwI8BvS_mMijeilN5Ss-KiLXybeiNp-kS28u96XsQdigJhFyeDGk/s1600-h/HPIM0895.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfoFXdThrwJ0_rGifxgqG-DTXDR1M6pUJ1ePbUCxfWHLzUWReIgCUkreC1yhvAU0f0UNzOh2CJfebnqApCwI8BvS_mMijeilN5Ss-KiLXybeiNp-kS28u96XsQdigJhFyeDGk/s320/HPIM0895.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5120950507268698386" border="0" /></a>-Kicked some of my school work in the rear<br />-Begun college applications (let's pray that MIT loves me as much as I love it)<br />-Updated my blog roll at the side of this page. I deleted all of the blogs that are no longer active, added some new ones, and discovered that one of my links went to a porn site (oops!). If you have a vegan food blog and would like to be added just leave me a comment.<br />-Helped build a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkah">sukkah</a> for the Jewish holiday of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot">Sukkot</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4McYb4nc5g0opk80gHf5Nk184mIhcIN4LcN-rAtDH_jlnYeSBacuAWO9JVAcAq5zmWZqQapWSKuR7QZRlE4Gyy-RkQ2V84nmdHBsX_8hG1MhUliser4HVjHiH2scYCVRR6ZPn/s1600-h/HPIM0906.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4McYb4nc5g0opk80gHf5Nk184mIhcIN4LcN-rAtDH_jlnYeSBacuAWO9JVAcAq5zmWZqQapWSKuR7QZRlE4Gyy-RkQ2V84nmdHBsX_8hG1MhUliser4HVjHiH2scYCVRR6ZPn/s320/HPIM0906.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5120950013347459330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The chili pictured above is my standard meal for days when I'm feeling lazy, in need of comfort food, uncreative, or just plain hungry. The recipe varies from day to day (yes, I have gone entire weeks eating just chili), but it follows some general guidelines.<br /><br />I start with whole cumin seeds in hot olive oil all in a large frying pan. Once the seeds get a little toasted I add diced garlic and onion and cook for a little while. Next is when the recipe starts to change. I take out whatever vegetables are sitting in the back of the fridge and need to be used up. This varies but usually includes some combination of the following: carrots, mushrooms, kale, spinach, bell pepper and hot peppers. If I have some other veggies that need to be used up I throw those in. I dice up these vegetables, add them to the pan and cook some more until everything is a little soft. Then I add cayenne pepper, oregano, and black pepper. If it's just me eating the chili I usually add cocoa powder and cinnamon but my dad doesn't like cinnamon and my mom avoids chocolate, so I often don't use these. Finally, I add in a rinsed can of dark red kidney beans and diced tomatoes (canned or fresh depending on which I have). A couple minutes before eating I stir in Morningstar Farms frozen veggie crumbles.<br /><br />I like my chili with rice and I've worked out the whole chili-making process so that I can put up the frying pan for chili and the pot for rice at the same time and have them finish cooking simultaneously. In other words, making chili only takes about 20 minutes, the same amount of time as cooking basmati rice.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-90851977869099082832007-08-31T23:16:00.000-04:002007-08-31T23:20:25.047-04:00School is restarting soon...but frequent posts here may not be. I had a great time last year sharing my lunches with all of you, but I think I'm a little burnt out for now on the blogging front. I'm also not sure if I'll be taking lunches this year since I think I'm going to end up taking organic chemistry instead of lunch (if you didn't already notice, I'm a huge nerd) and just eating little bits in between classes. I'll try and post every once in a while since I am still cooking and eating and maybe I'll eventually get back to lunches. <br /><br />Here's to a fabulous senior year of high school! Hoping you all the best.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-31856733816819051962007-08-15T21:46:00.001-04:002007-08-15T21:55:11.362-04:00Community Supported AgricultureAs an experiment this summer, my family joined community supported agriculture (CSA). Every week we get local organic produce delivered to a nearby pickup location. Although we do sometimes get vegetables that nobody in my family likes too much (beets and bok choy anyone?), it's a lot of fun and a great way to try things I might have otherwise never bought. Additionally, we can go to the farm and pick a number of other crops and flowers for no extra charge. Most of the produce we get is in very good condition, and of course, very fresh. Even though I think CSA is a great experience and a really good cause, we probably won't be signing up again next year. The delivered shares only come in one size and for three people it's too much food. We've looked around a bit, but we haven't found anyone interested in splitting a box. Not to mention, next fall I'll be moving away and going off to college (woah, !<br /><br />Right now we're getting some great varieties of heirloom tomatoes including the monsters pictured below:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiyqr3zqZLSKCIyCe5GNkTO2uWU-AaZzOlRVIYis1vV3O3icjZhvWKbJynMpmtDHSQohu6ml82lJYrAbmmU1BKaVuyaSvgky2BsehMFub5NacfL8tWZzaNrFJus2VOqYg7n6N/s1600-h/HPIM0848.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiyqr3zqZLSKCIyCe5GNkTO2uWU-AaZzOlRVIYis1vV3O3icjZhvWKbJynMpmtDHSQohu6ml82lJYrAbmmU1BKaVuyaSvgky2BsehMFub5NacfL8tWZzaNrFJus2VOqYg7n6N/s320/HPIM0848.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099109601185528786" border="0" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-57268041199844699572007-07-30T20:38:00.000-04:002007-08-11T00:05:59.078-04:00Best Month Ever25 Reasons Why I Had the Best July Ever (aka why I never updated this blog)<br /><br /><ol><li>The NJ Gov School on the Environment is an all-expense paid month long residential program that 72 amazing and extremely lucky rising high school seniors got the chance to participate in this July. I was one of those students.</li><li>Being completely myself and being completely comfortable.</li><li>Three days spent on a small island, learning about the ecosystem, kayaking, birdwatching, cooking, snorkeling, not showering, composting, using minimal electricity.</li><li>Midnight trip to a marsh to look for frogs and toads. Involved wading in knee deep mud and blazing through the Pine Barrens.</li><li>Working with other kids who are brilliant, creative, and highly motivated.</li><li>Amazing lecturers.</li><li>Even better teachers.</li><li>Rooming with some of the most interesting and crazy people that I've ever met and opening myself up to all of their quirks and interests.<br /></li><li>Eating in a dining hall with multiple clearly-marked vegan options every day.</li><li>Inspiring others to go vegetarian.</li><li>Trips to the shore for class and just for fun.</li><li>Long walks on the beach and hot days in the sand.<br /></li><li>Late nights working.</li><li>Late nights laughing, playing frisbee, playing volleyball, watching the stars.<br /></li><li>No shoes + dirty feet.</li><li>Helping to catch a black widow spider<br /></li><li>Not being afraid to do anything.</li><li>Saving the world.</li><li>Waking up to watch the sunrise and staying out to watch the sunset.</li><li>The New Jersey Pine Barrens.</li><li>Carnivorous plants.<br /></li><li>Being proud of my background and my unique qualities.<br /></li><li>Realizing that friendships can last a lifetime.</li><li>Knowing that life is getting better from here out.<br /></li><li>Living, learning, loving, and knowing that I can initiate change.</li></ol><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMO6aljhFHa-eYuNCFnn7hqIsxaHxX67Y844UTtMIpOy2zGJlbayL0iS2ZKaQ9PU1KZPcF8pJhvHVnBFGvUCvChO9RAXieoqF8E7NhVC5jYJoPVc91HXMu_oTMUSXckAK6pB1/s1600-h/P1050754.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMO6aljhFHa-eYuNCFnn7hqIsxaHxX67Y844UTtMIpOy2zGJlbayL0iS2ZKaQ9PU1KZPcF8pJhvHVnBFGvUCvChO9RAXieoqF8E7NhVC5jYJoPVc91HXMu_oTMUSXckAK6pB1/s320/P1050754.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093160016925095826" border="0" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-22282228584353439742007-06-05T17:03:00.000-04:002007-06-05T17:12:08.553-04:00Salad, chik'n sandwich, and CSA veggiesWhat better to do with only a week of school and an unstarted 20-page paper due Monday than to update my blog? Nothing of course!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7NLhknCaKFPIw5GI1PdBDbeg5pxfykcJ7sq0jd9vgkg-h23lklYporJpyNaqYuXvE0LVAS6feb83rzbWkCKHTQRbK6cVfpWyZ2w73ZnSLpIrQNl-f2Wa5MhGDNkv1yhmE7gD/s1600-h/HPIM0493.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7NLhknCaKFPIw5GI1PdBDbeg5pxfykcJ7sq0jd9vgkg-h23lklYporJpyNaqYuXvE0LVAS6feb83rzbWkCKHTQRbK6cVfpWyZ2w73ZnSLpIrQNl-f2Wa5MhGDNkv1yhmE7gD/s400/HPIM0493.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072689676007211714" border="0" /></a>This Sunday was the first pickup for my community supported agriculture (CSA) group, which my family joined this year. As a shareholder in a local farm, my family gets a delivery of local organic vegetables each week. Luckily for us, the pickup location is less than a mile from our house and very convenient. This week we got 6 heads of lettuce (of varying varieties), sugar snap peas, bok choy, and strawberries. We still aren't quite sure how to use all the lettuce, but I'm thinking some lettuce wraps and taco salads are in our future. Any other ideas are appreciated.<br /><br />I took some of the peas, lettuce, and strawberries for lunch yesterday. With the lettuce and strawberries is also an apricot, grapes, and Craisins. I also brought along some baby carrots, applesauce, and a Boca chick'n patty on some bread from a local bakery.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-29617169763276635892007-06-02T12:35:00.000-04:002007-06-02T12:50:17.487-04:00Tempura VegetablesI admit it, I've been a delinquent blogger. Contrary to what the state of my blog looks like, I'm still in school and packing lunches most days. I've sort of burned out on the lunch-making front, though, so I've stopped taking pictures since I'm sure nobody wants to see me eat fruit, carrots, and a bagel every day.<br /><br />I've been pretty busy with end of the year projects and essays, but I've done a little cooking. My most successful experience being tempura vegetables. Despite my aversion to deep frying at home, I had to try these. The recipe was really easy and I'm one of those people who will eat anything deep fried. When I was an omni I would even eat deep-fried candy bars at fairs if I got a chance. If I could get a vegan variety I'd still eat them.<br /><br />I saw the recipe on the <a href="http://eventhevegans.blogspot.com/">vegan hedonism blog</a>, which is awesome, you should all check it out.<br /><br /><a href="http://eventhevegans.blogspot.com/2007/03/deep-fried-liaison.html">Tempura Vegetables</a><br /><br />for the tempura batter, mix the following:<br /><br />1 c. unbleached white flour<br />3 tsp. mustard powder<br />1 tsp. salt<br />1 tsp. black pepper<br />1 1/2 tsp. baking powder<br />and about 3/4 c. <u>ice</u> water<br /><br />note: prepare this batter only immediately before frying the vegetables. the temperature of the batter is crucial to both how it holds to the vegetables, and also to how it cooks once submerged in the hot oil. the consistency should be smooth and just thick enough to stick to the vegetables. (i used canola oil over a high flame. about 2-3 minutes per piece should render them crispy and golden-brown at first, only 1 minute when the oil really gets going. any deep saucepan will work -- just remember to have a pair of tongs at hand!)<br /><br /><br />Before (this recipe made enough batter for all of the veggies save for a little bit of the broccoli):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCq6QGdF4gBugLu2WmwGFmlc8R2saPHjv4kP7YwaorRRNAqpexPm_WSnkMdRHcrbdtRRqecwPdUCTeNqwkHtqUv394-CM5ashqqHHhWbXmcODkuYb_zx8H4g6SuaAhioCQ0k8/s1600-h/HPIM0475.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCq6QGdF4gBugLu2WmwGFmlc8R2saPHjv4kP7YwaorRRNAqpexPm_WSnkMdRHcrbdtRRqecwPdUCTeNqwkHtqUv394-CM5ashqqHHhWbXmcODkuYb_zx8H4g6SuaAhioCQ0k8/s400/HPIM0475.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071509024057817442" border="0" /></a><br />After:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgptEHzhmueM63hgRmblY3hUvGYlIGop2p4sedk4l3hPatY9aFeEyWV3bM4Fp5aY6YDZ5jmj1EVJymNi5lnQwMt1pes78fU8II9uCN4Al6rtSVMDBQG1UJymvYl6fTMkEVH6u/s1600-h/HPIM0478.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgptEHzhmueM63hgRmblY3hUvGYlIGop2p4sedk4l3hPatY9aFeEyWV3bM4Fp5aY6YDZ5jmj1EVJymNi5lnQwMt1pes78fU8II9uCN4Al6rtSVMDBQG1UJymvYl6fTMkEVH6u/s400/HPIM0478.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071509157201803634" border="0" /></a><br />In the future, I'd either leave the carrots in the oil longer or not make them at all because they came out pretty crunchy. I also had to make sure to leave the potatoes in a little longer so that they would cook all the way through. Overall, the broccoli and asparagus came out the best. As a dipping sauce I mixed roughly equal parts of soy sauce and white wine vinegar with a few spoonfuls of sugar, but I'm sure you could buy a much better premade sauce or find a better recipe for sauce online.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCq6QGdF4gBugLu2WmwGFmlc8R2saPHjv4kP7YwaorRRNAqpexPm_WSnkMdRHcrbdtRRqecwPdUCTeNqwkHtqUv394-CM5ashqqHHhWbXmcODkuYb_zx8H4g6SuaAhioCQ0k8/s1600-h/HPIM0475.jpg"><br /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-28645166253752905052007-05-02T16:53:00.000-04:002007-05-02T17:01:18.835-04:00Baked Tofu FriesDespite criticism by most omnis, I really do like tofu. Since I became vegetarian at a fairly young age, I can't quite remember what the texture of meat is like, which probably allows me to appreciate tofu even more. When I'm feeling lazy I like to bake some tofu fries, they take less than ten minutes of active prep time and taste great. <br /><br />All you need to do is cut the tofu into pieces that are about the length of your pinkie finger and twice as wide. Then toss each piece in a mixture that is about half bread crumbs (use premade or make your own by putting toast in the food processor) and half nutritional yeast. Add in some garlic powder, salt, and any other seasonings you like, toss the tofu on a pan, and stick it in the oven on broil. Broil the tofu until is is brown (varies depending on the size of your pieces, but probably about 10 minutes per side). Make sure to check the tofu every few minutes so it doesn't burn. When it is lightly browned flip it over and cook about ten more minutes. Serve plain or with ketchup. To make it even easier, I don't press the tofu or prep it in any way, I just use it straight from the package, the moisture helps it hold the breading.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidF7zxAoVjq-xHXa2sL5fyIMf7qrRv3E_vKdwBS8K7_xyhbgsg9uqxe69_Brzwf01E2dQSJ61khgTd7OctuTkhbCrpSzFsTXfCml6Xe6mL-vsDgdJ9J3pi9iGrdS5kxdi9buT6/s1600-h/HPIM0389.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidF7zxAoVjq-xHXa2sL5fyIMf7qrRv3E_vKdwBS8K7_xyhbgsg9uqxe69_Brzwf01E2dQSJ61khgTd7OctuTkhbCrpSzFsTXfCml6Xe6mL-vsDgdJ9J3pi9iGrdS5kxdi9buT6/s320/HPIM0389.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060069605506064322" border="0" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-92149936281972632752007-04-16T14:04:00.000-04:002007-04-16T22:53:13.846-04:00Rainy day eatsDue to a statewide flood alert and high wind warnings, I managed to get the day off from school today. We aren't suffering any ill-effects from the storm other than a little water in the crawl space, so I'm taking advantage of some much-needed time to just chill.<br /><br />This morning I took the time off and made some pancakes. They aren't always my favorite morning food, but they make me think back to when I was in elementary school and I would be allowed 7 or 8 friends to sleep over for my birthday. After a long night of truth or dare [can you believe that Susie likes Jimmy!] and terrible kid movies, we would all crash to sleep in sleeping bags on the floor. Ahh, those were the days, but I digress, this was supposed to be about pancakes. When we woke up, my mom would make pancakes for me and all my sleep deprived friends.<br /><br />This morning I edited Isa's recipe from <span style="font-style: italic;">Vegan with a Vengeance</span> for Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Pancakes to make some Blueberry Chocolate Chip Pancakes. The only problem I've found with Isa's recipes as a whole is that the yields never quite work out for me. According to the book this should have made me about 10 pancakes, it ended up making closer to 20. Maybe I was making them smaller than I thought. On the bright side, pancakes freeze pretty well can are yummy reheated in the toaster oven.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0xv2WPealD6RG645m3ojfhjCXzG29NuW6QmDH1e9wa7bgIIjLopF5cjxXipknvrQn_nc26mpJM0LA7x8pIzE_kwbA_r1k5n3SuDv2UFy4z_vbRzKlIIjajvFOybYwuthGH1x/s1600-h/Pictures+008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0xv2WPealD6RG645m3ojfhjCXzG29NuW6QmDH1e9wa7bgIIjLopF5cjxXipknvrQn_nc26mpJM0LA7x8pIzE_kwbA_r1k5n3SuDv2UFy4z_vbRzKlIIjajvFOybYwuthGH1x/s320/Pictures+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054100172131104978" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blueberry Chocolate Chip Pancakes</span><br />1 cup + 5 TBS all-purpose flour<br />2 tsp baking powder<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />1 tsp sugar<br />1/4 cup water<br />1 cup soymilk<br />2 TBS canola oil<br />3 TBS brown rice syrup or maple syrup<br />1 tsp vanilla extract<br />1/3 cup chocolate chips<br />1/3 cup fresh or frozen blueberries<br />canola oil or cooking spray for pan<br /><br />In a large mixing bowl sift together dry ingredients. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't overmix.<br /><br />Oil and preheat a nonstick pan or skillet. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the hot pan and cook until small bubbles appear on the surface, flip and cook a minute more or until pancakes are browned on both sides. Repeat until all batter is used. Serve plain or with maple syrup. Makes about 20 pancakes)<br /><br /><br />For lunch I didn't feel much like cooking so I opened up a package of Trader Joe's Punjabi Eggplant and made some basmati rice. We don't have a Trader Joe's close to where I live, but my dad was passing one by on his way home the other day and he picked this up because he saw that it was vegan. For a product that looked like canned cat food coming out of the box (I'll spare you an actual photograph here), it was surprisingly good. Not restaurant quality but something I would buy again if I got the chance. The spices were well balanced and it wasn't too oily.<br /><br />As a last plug, I would highly recommend checking out the new and improved <a href="http://www.veggieboards.com/blog/">VeggieBoards blog</a>. With about 20 bloggers participating, the site is updated almost every day (sometimes more than once per day) and covers a wide variety of veg*n related topics. Bloggers include myself, Michael (the awesome creator of VeggieBoards), and the lovely Marti of the <a href="http://tofu-n-sproutz.blogspot.com/">Fairly Odd Tofu Mom</a> blog.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-9664294613352285192007-04-04T19:23:00.000-04:002007-04-04T20:02:01.841-04:00Passover MadnessPassover is one of those holidays that I view with both anticipation and dread. It's of those times when my family gets to shine as the absolutely stereotypically Jewish family. Most years we trek to Queens or Long Island, stopping only in traffic to look at the Chasidic Jews with their long coats, beards, hats, and boxes of handmade shmura matzah walking home to prepare for the seder, the traditional ritual meal. <br /><br />When we finally arrive at our destination sometime in the middle of the afternoon we're greeted by my sleep-deprived aunt who has been cooking straight for almost a week. She bustles around the kitchen, anxiously asking if we remembered the wine. Of course, the wine. It comes out of the trunk of our car by the case, two, three, maybe four cases full of wine. I lay the table, if I have a spare hour or so I make the salad. It takes a long time to make salad for this many people. The dinner tables stretch from the kitchen to the living room. There were once more than fifty people at a single family seder. <br /><br />There is panic: nobody bought gefilte fish (of course, that doesn't bother me), we're out of matzah meal, where are the lemons? Of course, nothing is really the matter. The fish is in a jar in the back of the Passover closet, the matzah meal is just where it was left on the counter and the lemons are probably already out. <br /><br />Guests slowly arrive throughout the afternoon, some are more useful than others. The younger kids run around throwing a ball until they are exiled to the short driveway to play. Some other guests wander into the kitchen to lend a hand, others sit on the couch and read a paper. My uncle Robert, who has Down's syndrome, wanders around the house asking when he will get a key chain (he collects them, he must have more than a thousand) and alternately telling us all that he hates and loves us. Then of course, there are the ever-present grumbles of, "When do we eat?"<br /><br />And to be honest, that's the question that concerns everyone, "When do we eat?" [There was an absolutely horrendous Passover movie by this same title release a year or two ago, but I wouldn't recommend watching it unless you really want brainless entertainment that isn't that entertaining.] The answer to this question is unknown. We can't start until services are over and the people at services walk home. Then there are last minute concerns that take a good hour or so. If we're lucky we might get started by 8:30. If we aren't so lucky, maybe 9:30.<br /><br />Starting the seder doesn't mean dinner, though. It means a long-winded Passover story, told in a mix of English and Hebrew (and it's never possible for everyone to be in the same place at the same time, someone always wants to rush ahead, lag behind, or just switch languages), two cups of wine, beating all the other guests with scallions or leeks (yes, it hurts sometimes, but it's great fun so it's worth it. put on some long sleeves and brave it like a champ, think of your ancestors who were beaten by their taskmasters in Egypt), celery, parsley, salt water, vinegar, matzah, charoset (see the recipe below), horribly out of tune singing, and a couple Talmudic and political debates. Eventually we reach shulchan orech, the festive meal. Hopefully it's before 10:15. Pouring soup and <a href="http://theflyingvegan.blogspot.com/2006/12/matzo-balls-cookies-seitan.html#links">matzah balls</a> for this many people takes quite some time. <br /><br />We chow down, pass every dish around the table, and an hour or two later, we're ready to search for the afikoman, a piece of matzah hidden someplace in the house. Sometimes it's hidden really well. It might take another half an hour until someone finds it and trades it in for a prize. Finally we all have a bite of afikoman, sing the grace after meals, drink the last two cups of wine, sing some more, open the door for a prophet that doesn't exist to come in and drink a cup of wine off the dinner table, and finish the seder, if we're awake that is. It's a long proceeding, all of which will be repeated the next night.<br /><br />Passover. Simultaneously my most and least favorite holiday of the year. With a few great recipes, though, you can pretend that you survived my whole family ordeal. Nobody would have noticed if you dropped in, anyway. <br /><br />A great seder can only be judged by it's charoset, the sweet spread we eat to commemorate the mortar that our ancestors used to make bricks in Egypt. This recipe comes from my grandmother, and probably from some religious Jew before her, so you know it's good. Feel free to multiply it to serve as many as you need.<br /><br /><p><strong>Charoset</strong><br />Serves 4 as a side dish</p> <p>1/4 cup almonds<br />1/3 cup walnuts<br />3/4 apple, peeled<br />2 dates<br />10 black grapes<br />1/3 cup raisins<br />1/4 pomegranate (optional)<br />1/4 tsp cinnamon<br />dash of black pepper<br />1/4-1/2 cup sweet red wine</p> <p>Add all ingredients except the wine into a food processor and process until chopped into coarse pieces. Pour into a bowl and slowly add the wine while mixing. Add wine until the mixture is uniformly moist and can almost be rolled into balls. The ingredients should not be swimming in wine. Serve at room temperature on matzah with romaine lettuce or just eat with a spoon. If you aren't observing Passover, it'd probably be good on some crackers.<br /></p><br />I tried out this recipe for tzimmes from <a href="http://heebnvegan.blogspot.com/">heeb'n vegan</a> and it was delicious. Another crowd pleaser, just be sure to stir it every ten minutes or so after removing the cover or you will burn the nuts like I did. I subbed walnuts for pecans, which worked out well.<br /><br /><strong>Sweet Potato Pear Tzimmes with Pecans and Raisins</strong><br />Serves 6<br /><br />2 pounds yams, peed and cut into 3/4 inch chunks<br />3 firm bartlett pears, cut into 3/4 inch chunks (without the seeds of course)<br />1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus spray on a little more if it needs it<br />2 tablespoons mirin (or any sweet cooking wine)<br />1 tablespoon maple syrup<br />1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />1/4 teaspoon salt<br />3/4 cup pecan halves<br />3/4 cup golden raisins<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350.<br /><br />Place yams and pears on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with the oil and mirin and mix it all up to make sure everything is coated. I just use my hands for this. I use my hands for everything, actually. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and pecans and toss to coat.<br /><br />Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil and add the raisins. Carefully toss to combine using a thin flexible spatula and being careful not to break up the sweet potatoes. But tzimmes is a forgiving dish, so if some get mushed up that's perfectly acceptable.<br /><br />Return to the oven uncovered and bake for a 1/2 hour more, tossing every now and again. Serve warm or at room temperature.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-66018931332574016802007-03-20T15:22:00.000-04:002007-03-20T15:30:21.874-04:00Apple Pie-Crumb Cake MuffinsThe recipe I promised:<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Apple Pie-Crumb Cake Muffins</span><br />adapted from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's <span style="font-style: italic;">Vegan with a Vengeance</span><br /><br />For muffins:<br />1 1/2 cups flour<br />1/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar<br />1 tsp baking powder<br />1 tsp baking powder<br />1 tsp cinnamon<br />1/2 tsp allspice<br />1/8 tsp cloves<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />3/4 cup apple cider (if you don't have cider, you can use water instead and increase the <span style="font-style: italic;">total</span> amount of sugar to 1/2 cup)<br />1/4 cup canola oil<br />1 tsp vanilla extract<br />1/2 cup grated apple<br />1/2 cup chopped apple (1/4-inch pieces)<br />1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts or almonds<br /><br />For Topping:<br />1/4 cup all purpose flour<br />1/4 cup brown sugar<br />1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />1/4 tsp allspice<br />1 tbsp canola oil<br />1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts<br /><br />In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients, drizzling on the oil and mixing with your fingers until crumbs form. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease twelve-muffin tin.<br /><br />In a large bowl, sift all the dry muffin ingredients. Stir in the wet ingredients. Fold in the grated and chopped apple and nuts.<br /><br />Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full and sprinkle the topping over each muffin. Bake for 22 minutes.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-54923758580322271102007-03-19T22:34:00.000-04:002007-03-19T22:45:08.829-04:00Falafel, samosa, veggies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEn6ItRdW6ctxOdVSEpoS_V0PGjAs7idcGiMB9uSIWY1bHnOGvz1ll3pOpDWqsJAmS_tRDoRUWsUR9Sb8ty-i5WPHwp3iyhF6Q8LB8OKSicAhVWZrDblNOerCF5m0slPL8qpm/s1600-h/HPIM0284.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEn6ItRdW6ctxOdVSEpoS_V0PGjAs7idcGiMB9uSIWY1bHnOGvz1ll3pOpDWqsJAmS_tRDoRUWsUR9Sb8ty-i5WPHwp3iyhF6Q8LB8OKSicAhVWZrDblNOerCF5m0slPL8qpm/s400/HPIM0284.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043830315144382098" border="0" /></a>Today's lunch was rather monochromatic, but still pretty yummy. Premade falafel (from the freezer section) in whole wheat mini pitas, green bell pepper, giant pretzels, a banana, and a homemade apple crumb cake muffin. The muffin is an edited (and dare I say, improved?) version of Isa's recipe from <span style="font-style: italic;">Vegan with a Vengeance</span>, which I will hopefully get around to posting in the next few days. If I forget and you're just on the edge of your seat waiting (which I'm sure you all will be) feel free to post a gentle reminder for me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzhX_FuMmMmfkqV4cp2jbVz3Ck5TABzSHlfYufdUSQs3Y_jZx2If-g15EfG3IdFNix2U0nTXMrFj_0d1JIC9HKLEdG53BBXaBd5apqYSBsTgzZ4NOsX8SPAwRH-4p_ZY9QVXq/s1600-h/HPIM0288.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzhX_FuMmMmfkqV4cp2jbVz3Ck5TABzSHlfYufdUSQs3Y_jZx2If-g15EfG3IdFNix2U0nTXMrFj_0d1JIC9HKLEdG53BBXaBd5apqYSBsTgzZ4NOsX8SPAwRH-4p_ZY9QVXq/s400/HPIM0288.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043830491238041250" border="0" /></a><br />As Passover draws nearer in my household, though, the food choices continue to get narrower. We basically clear out the entire fridge and as much of the freezer as possible for Passover, so right now we're trying to finish things up. I, of course, am not a big fan of lack of selection, so I went out and picked up a couple samosas and some Indian food for dinner. For those who don't know, a samosa (shown above) is a savory Indian pastry filled with spiced potatoes and peas, wrapped in dough, and usually deep fried. I've made baked ones at home, but they aren't nearly as good as the terrible-for-you fried version. To make up for the unhealthiness of the samosa, I water-sauteed some asparagus and baby carrots with sesame seeds and packed some Cheerios on the side.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-35424386425815897572007-03-16T16:47:00.000-04:002007-03-16T17:10:04.517-04:00Plantains and pretzelsI got off from school today because of the crazy weather so I spent some time cooking. For lunch I made fried plantains, which were just plantains sliced and fried in a little olive oil in a non-stick pan with a little brown sugar.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtACt9SfGSeRy9-eCqVAAMHuBqg2PsGx718z4IZKxeKKkcTLrt6hXgwt5T2zJ4fMKjzuNrkqLhxy65-FjyfDn3eLQmltWg9Q08Bn0eI_oK0_jvvfivVjITZM_6oitC5DuRR2b/s1600-h/HPIM0269.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtACt9SfGSeRy9-eCqVAAMHuBqg2PsGx718z4IZKxeKKkcTLrt6hXgwt5T2zJ4fMKjzuNrkqLhxy65-FjyfDn3eLQmltWg9Q08Bn0eI_oK0_jvvfivVjITZM_6oitC5DuRR2b/s400/HPIM0269.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042631243449033666" border="0" /></a><br />Later, to make up for my lack of math homework, I made some math oriented pretzels (yea, yea, I'm a big ol' dork) from another easy bread machine recipe. The shapes didn't hold up so well during the whole rising/boiling/baking process, but it was fun anyway.<br /><br />We've had this recipe for a while. It was photo-copied out of a library book, but I'm not sure which one.<br /><br />Pretzels<br />Makes about 8-10 pretzels<br /><br />2/3 cup water<br />1 1/4 tablespoons oil<br />2 teaspoons sugar<br />1/3 teaspoon salt<br />2 cups all purpose flour<br />1-1 1/2 teaspoons yeast<br /><br />Additionally you will need:<br />5 cups water<br />5 teaspoons baking soda<br />kosher salt or other topping<br /><br />Add all ingredients from the first ingredient list in order into the bread machine and let it knead and rise in the machine. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Then divide and shape your pretzels. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.<br /><br />In a <span style="font-style: italic;">non-aluminum</span> pan bring 5 cups of water and 5 teaspoons of baking soda almost to a boil. Gently place the pretzels into the water and allow to cook for about 30 seconds on each side. Try not to let the water come to a full boil. Remove the pretzels with a slotted spoon and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt or other desired toppings. Bake at 475°F for 10-12 minutes or until brown.<br /><br />Preboiling and baking (note the shapes, from left to right, top to bottom: pi, random circle, delta x, infinity, sigma, integral sign, and another infinity):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9fD8zEQZn0rAiSJwLk-m_fZn9JXcUZbjg8blhF37BVJ2U3pHEOdaGUTFjzzvXV10JXb2ON7CMQUelqJjchOdbeUY7-CtL8OPlmoY64AcTR2NT6I9Y9DDuvJHajT4soaRvWZt/s1600-h/HPIM0271.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9fD8zEQZn0rAiSJwLk-m_fZn9JXcUZbjg8blhF37BVJ2U3pHEOdaGUTFjzzvXV10JXb2ON7CMQUelqJjchOdbeUY7-CtL8OPlmoY64AcTR2NT6I9Y9DDuvJHajT4soaRvWZt/s400/HPIM0271.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042631136074851250" border="0" /></a><br />After baking:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQM9gXZi3Ydtj5NaAs45KPlMMbVXi6aCFkFYDK_KQGmhkeW5sbXs0m_sBHk3Ex8z1G48vczRNJHmsT_jGLCyWRxPX_kap96OASEPDd4uoS0MI7m1bmle81VQ2SbmkUt0K0E_AY/s1600-h/HPIM0280.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQM9gXZi3Ydtj5NaAs45KPlMMbVXi6aCFkFYDK_KQGmhkeW5sbXs0m_sBHk3Ex8z1G48vczRNJHmsT_jGLCyWRxPX_kap96OASEPDd4uoS0MI7m1bmle81VQ2SbmkUt0K0E_AY/s400/HPIM0280.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042631346528248786" border="0" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-15723510406712253622007-03-13T15:08:00.000-04:002007-03-13T15:21:09.364-04:00Lasagna and couscousA backlog of lunches: that means double post for all you lucky readers.<br /><br />Unlike most of the horror stories I hear about, most of my family is very accepting of my veganism. On Sunday I attended a family party where there was a ton of food that even I could eat. There were Asian noodles, veggie lasagna, rice, salad, fruit salad, sorbet, and all sorts of snacks (chips, cut vegetables, salsa, etc.). In fact, the only non-vegan parts of the meal were ice cream and a cheese lasagna (which wasn't nearly as popular as the vegan lasagna). I brought home some leftovers and had a ready-made lunch of rice, salad, and lasagna for Monday. The lasagna has tomato sauce, broiled eggplant, and tomatoes in layers in between the noodles. I put the bread on top of the rice before I closed my lunch and it all fit perfectly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6F2szfPi-oxU99GVz1auUHknAeXnPHLYPtRu-qUayo9ky0oFct4agNBvm3-BadwCrNnImK71wa3-9DflSJ3uXyA26gcI9rWgKiOoZSD1F0elAhTfQL83ag6dEu0nSMS1r8fDm/s1600-h/HPIM0247.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6F2szfPi-oxU99GVz1auUHknAeXnPHLYPtRu-qUayo9ky0oFct4agNBvm3-BadwCrNnImK71wa3-9DflSJ3uXyA26gcI9rWgKiOoZSD1F0elAhTfQL83ag6dEu0nSMS1r8fDm/s400/HPIM0247.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041489911724696450" border="0" /></a>For today's lunch I have some couscous with peas and basil. Couscous is great it cooks in just a few minutes and is good cold. Although I pack my lunches at night, I still don't want to spend a ton of time. Couscous is the perfect way to have some real food without laboring for hours. There's also a little more bread, some red bell pepper, two Twizzlers, and some peanuts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsacXgS_IHE9bIRFE5-Ww772VKCCgwPLgd7OBC8XN48z0YUjTomAQZzXaX8eT8_S-9ChK08BptQmvdJUYf1gZEUKRY9_o5G19KPnZeWH_fDsb7mguG81zUJE_ut_aKuus8CKaq/s1600-h/HPIM0248.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsacXgS_IHE9bIRFE5-Ww772VKCCgwPLgd7OBC8XN48z0YUjTomAQZzXaX8eT8_S-9ChK08BptQmvdJUYf1gZEUKRY9_o5G19KPnZeWH_fDsb7mguG81zUJE_ut_aKuus8CKaq/s400/HPIM0248.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041490040573715346" border="0" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33735963.post-50170049663867686132007-03-09T16:41:00.000-05:002007-03-09T17:05:09.027-05:00Pasta salad, French bread<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdGIx6AbBWrI2MpP80bRPGiH-q7OMXww94u3C11xAA5N7PGDc_Tho18dGav0z5CJN5bv6o0KJLL-siev6VHUsvnu6Ev_NPBbSmng05pMUf7NUDCKojbdlAO6Bg0M77n5B_F0N/s1600-h/HPIM0233.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdGIx6AbBWrI2MpP80bRPGiH-q7OMXww94u3C11xAA5N7PGDc_Tho18dGav0z5CJN5bv6o0KJLL-siev6VHUsvnu6Ev_NPBbSmng05pMUf7NUDCKojbdlAO6Bg0M77n5B_F0N/s400/HPIM0233.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040043315199796034" border="0" /></a><br />Today was a salad day for sure. I cooked up some ziti, then drained it, and mixed it with diced bell pepper and carrots. Seasoned with basil, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, pepper, and a little salt. I also have some organic mixed greens with sprouts and fruit, as usual.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2yd1szsDHlJADZ_iy7Cg0vbTtcz2kj6ERaRhiXrsDjeVYsMA7rCR-_kZj42IAttR1_6raG1DyTFNhyVa_gYaVgwzXk89u_jXEerYKGDjwqTDQnbuR0dlRJEiphBisw6Gdocl/s1600-h/HPIM0240.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2yd1szsDHlJADZ_iy7Cg0vbTtcz2kj6ERaRhiXrsDjeVYsMA7rCR-_kZj42IAttR1_6raG1DyTFNhyVa_gYaVgwzXk89u_jXEerYKGDjwqTDQnbuR0dlRJEiphBisw6Gdocl/s400/HPIM0240.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040043456933716818" border="0" /></a>The credit for this bread does not go to me, but to my mom. You can take my word, however, that it is delicious. <br /><br />From the cookbook <span style="font-style: italic;">Bread Machine Magic</span>:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Authentic French Bread</span><br />Makes one 1 1/2 lb loaf (measurements to make a 1 lb loaf in parentheses)<br /><br />1 (3/4) cup water<br />1 1/2 (1) tsp salt <br />3 (2) cups bread flour<br />2 1/2 (2 1/2) tsp yeast<br />cornmeal<br /><br />Add all ingredients except the cornmeal to the bread machine in order. Select dough setting and start machine. When the dough is done rising in the machine, turn it out onto a floured surface.<br /><br />For a 1 1/2 lb loaf, shape the dough into either one 12-inch oblong loaf, 1 large round loaf, 2 thin 18-inch thin baguettes, or 8 rolls<br /><br />For a 1 lb loaf, shape the dough into either one 10-inch oblong loaf, one large loaf, one thing 24-inch baguette, or 6 rolls.<br /><br />Dust the top(s) with a little flour and rub it in. Place on a cookie sheet dusted with cornmeal. With a sharp knife or razor, slash the tops about 1/2 inch deep down the center. On an oblong loaf make 3 slashes, on a round loaf make an "X" or "#". Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for until doubled (around 30-45 minutes).<br /><br />Place a pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven (this will make the bread have a crispier crust). Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bake the round or oblong loaf about 20 minutes, the baguettes about 15 minutes, and the rolls 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm or cool on a rack.<br /><br />This bread does go stale quickly so it's best made within a few hours of eating. <br /><br /><br /><br />If you don't have a bread machine I imagine you could add the warm water into a bowl and then proof the yeast for about 5 minutes. Then add the salt and flour and knead for 10 minutes. Allow to rise until doubled and then follow the above directions.<br /><br />I've never tried this without a bread machine, but I'm relatively certain that it would workMichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987445617329876110noreply@blogger.com5