I didn't really have anything planned for dinner tonight, but I whipped up some nummies from stuff I had around.
First I cooked some of the oriental style noodles I have.
Side note: The noodle isle in the Chinese grocery stores in China town are amazing. I dumbly bought white flour ones last time I went. I'll get soba noodles next time.
For flavour I put on some toasted sesame seed oil, tamari sauce, and a little garlic salt, plus sesame seeds and flax seeds. On top I put a little Vietnamese fake meat, some sliced avocado, and finally some seaweed strips.
Not bad, if I say so myself.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Hard times
Been going through some major stress lately. Possibly the first major rode block to be overcome in my life. Until now, everything has gone more or less according to plan. Now I must find a new path despite the anxiety and shame that comes when a previous gamble didn't pay off. Trying to be up to it. Luckily I got peoples who help me along.
But back to food.
I've been using cooking to help distract me, so I've made a few nice dinners.
Dinner 1: I made this rather fancy dinner from 'New Vegetarian Cooking' by Rose Elliot. It was stuffed avocado on this yellow lentil rice. Now the rice didn't turn out right because I forgot to adjust the amount of water when I substituted brown rice for white rice (stupid.) Also, for some reason the lentils I bought dont' cook like lentils but just turn into mush. But it was still edible and Aaron didn't really notice the difference.
The avocados are cool. You cut them in half, coat them in lemon juice and some salt and pepper, fill/mostly cover with this mixed mushroom concoction (with lemon juice and garlic, soooo good). Then you put the avocados on the rice, on a serving plate, and pop it in the oven at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Don't let the avocados cook 'cause they'll spoil, but they can get warm.
Aside from the funky rice (I'll get it better next time), this was quite good. I looooove mushrooms and the lemon and garlic in these tasted really good (probably gonna start making that my standard mushroom frying recipe). The avocados added nummy fat, and the coating really made them delicious.
Also, Aaron was like "Ooooooooh." when I pulled it out of the oven, so that was fun.
Dinner 2: Yesterday I was planning on making dinner and my bestest friend Maggie called, so I invited her over.
We had pea soup that my mom sent me, corn on the cob and portobello mushrooms, rice and lentil mush (this cooking confirmed their inability to cook like normal lentils), and fudgeeos for dessert.
I've got lots of ginger in the fridge that I'm not sure what to do with. Maybe I'll make cookies.
I've also got some veggie ground-round so maybe some pasta.
But back to food.
I've been using cooking to help distract me, so I've made a few nice dinners.
Dinner 1: I made this rather fancy dinner from 'New Vegetarian Cooking' by Rose Elliot. It was stuffed avocado on this yellow lentil rice. Now the rice didn't turn out right because I forgot to adjust the amount of water when I substituted brown rice for white rice (stupid.) Also, for some reason the lentils I bought dont' cook like lentils but just turn into mush. But it was still edible and Aaron didn't really notice the difference.
The avocados are cool. You cut them in half, coat them in lemon juice and some salt and pepper, fill/mostly cover with this mixed mushroom concoction (with lemon juice and garlic, soooo good). Then you put the avocados on the rice, on a serving plate, and pop it in the oven at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Don't let the avocados cook 'cause they'll spoil, but they can get warm.
Aside from the funky rice (I'll get it better next time), this was quite good. I looooove mushrooms and the lemon and garlic in these tasted really good (probably gonna start making that my standard mushroom frying recipe). The avocados added nummy fat, and the coating really made them delicious.
Also, Aaron was like "Ooooooooh." when I pulled it out of the oven, so that was fun.
Dinner 2: Yesterday I was planning on making dinner and my bestest friend Maggie called, so I invited her over.
We had pea soup that my mom sent me, corn on the cob and portobello mushrooms, rice and lentil mush (this cooking confirmed their inability to cook like normal lentils), and fudgeeos for dessert.
I've got lots of ginger in the fridge that I'm not sure what to do with. Maybe I'll make cookies.
I've also got some veggie ground-round so maybe some pasta.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Vegan Picnic
Aaron's friend Alex had been wanting to have a vegan picnic for a long time, so yesterday evening we finally did it, despite threats of thunder showers.
I made wraps, some hummus some soy cheese, with tomatoes, cucumber and onions. I bought an avocado too but it was still too hard to use. I also made strawberry chocolate chip blondie bars, which didn't turn out all that great 'cause the recipe was wrong about how much dough to save for the top. They're still pretty tasty though. We also brought honey dew, cherries, pistachio nuts, and a bottle of coke.
Alex and his girlfriend brought a veggie plate with homemade hummus (really tasty), deep fried faux-squid balls, a vegan lemon meringue pie, and a bottle of wine.
Good times were had by all.
Now check this out, bitches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiPR6kA4_iU
It's the official trailer for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.
I made wraps, some hummus some soy cheese, with tomatoes, cucumber and onions. I bought an avocado too but it was still too hard to use. I also made strawberry chocolate chip blondie bars, which didn't turn out all that great 'cause the recipe was wrong about how much dough to save for the top. They're still pretty tasty though. We also brought honey dew, cherries, pistachio nuts, and a bottle of coke.
Alex and his girlfriend brought a veggie plate with homemade hummus (really tasty), deep fried faux-squid balls, a vegan lemon meringue pie, and a bottle of wine.
Good times were had by all.
Now check this out, bitches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiPR6kA4_iU
It's the official trailer for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Esmerelda the Octopus.
Breakfast: Pear
Lunch: I went to the Green Room for lunch with my friend Brandon today. I got their hummus sandwhich. They put like an entire cup of homemade hummus on it, and the bread is all toasty and delicious.
Dinner: I currently have some tofu marinading. Apparently you're supposed to wrap it in paper towels (slice it up first to go faster) and then press it under a book for a while to get the water out before you do this. I didn't know so this is my first time doing it. The marinade recipe came from 'Vegan with a Vengeance'. It's just boiling water, olive oil, and a bunch of spices. You let it soak for like an hour and then bake it. It takes a while to make but it's worth it.
I'm also going to make some hashbrowns from the same recipe book. They've got mushrooms and green pepper in them. ^_^
Gonna polish off the carrot bisque for a first course and I got me a classy meal.
Lunch: I went to the Green Room for lunch with my friend Brandon today. I got their hummus sandwhich. They put like an entire cup of homemade hummus on it, and the bread is all toasty and delicious.
Dinner: I currently have some tofu marinading. Apparently you're supposed to wrap it in paper towels (slice it up first to go faster) and then press it under a book for a while to get the water out before you do this. I didn't know so this is my first time doing it. The marinade recipe came from 'Vegan with a Vengeance'. It's just boiling water, olive oil, and a bunch of spices. You let it soak for like an hour and then bake it. It takes a while to make but it's worth it.
I'm also going to make some hashbrowns from the same recipe book. They've got mushrooms and green pepper in them. ^_^
Gonna polish off the carrot bisque for a first course and I got me a classy meal.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Fresh
I went to Fresh yesterday with my friend Peter, who has decided to go vegetarian. Yay for Peter!
Fresh is freaking awesome. It's more on the health food side of things. Lots of fresh veggies and the like. I had the Buddha Bowl, with has tofu and vegetables in a curry sauce with crumbled peanuts on brown rice.
Their veggie burgers are to die for. They're not one of those burgers that try to be meat, it's more of its own thing. Seriously, try their burgers.
Now I'm very full of delicious falafel. Think i need to enter a hibernation state to digest.
Fresh is freaking awesome. It's more on the health food side of things. Lots of fresh veggies and the like. I had the Buddha Bowl, with has tofu and vegetables in a curry sauce with crumbled peanuts on brown rice.
Their veggie burgers are to die for. They're not one of those burgers that try to be meat, it's more of its own thing. Seriously, try their burgers.
Now I'm very full of delicious falafel. Think i need to enter a hibernation state to digest.
Monday, July 20, 2009
I'm sick :-(
Ugh, this sucks. I got the sniffles and the sneezes and occasionally a fever.
So I'm making carrot bisque soup (from Vegan with a Vengeance.) It has coconut milk in it! Gonna eat it with stoned milled whole grain crackers.
Side note about whole grain: I just don't like white flour anymore. It's boring! Bread stuff is supposed to have texture to it.
My bike got stolen again the other day. This sucks tremendously. Partly because I don't have the money to buy another one right now, and partly 'cause it just makes my life way less convenient. Looks like I'll be walking and taking the TTC for a while.
One reason I don't have money is because Don and I are moving shops. The owner of the shop we were at was seriously a bad man. So we're moving to another shop owned by his friends, but it isn't open yet. It's further away (Coxwell and Danforth), but there's less competition over there. Hopefully we'll be back on track and tattooing before too long.
So I'm making carrot bisque soup (from Vegan with a Vengeance.) It has coconut milk in it! Gonna eat it with stoned milled whole grain crackers.
Side note about whole grain: I just don't like white flour anymore. It's boring! Bread stuff is supposed to have texture to it.
My bike got stolen again the other day. This sucks tremendously. Partly because I don't have the money to buy another one right now, and partly 'cause it just makes my life way less convenient. Looks like I'll be walking and taking the TTC for a while.
One reason I don't have money is because Don and I are moving shops. The owner of the shop we were at was seriously a bad man. So we're moving to another shop owned by his friends, but it isn't open yet. It's further away (Coxwell and Danforth), but there's less competition over there. Hopefully we'll be back on track and tattooing before too long.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Cheap, quick food
I've been at the shop a lot lately, so I haven't had much time to cook.
Today for lunch I went to Subway and got their veggie patty sub. Those things are freaking tasty. Also got a bag of Baked Lays, to which I am addicted.
The perfect three dollar dinner: veggie hotdog. I haven't had a regular hot dog in forever, so i don't really remember what they taste like, but I do remember a nasty feeling in the gut that you get after eating some really heavy, greasy meat. It also accompanied eating McDonalds. Anyways, veggie dogs don't give you that.
Today for lunch I went to Subway and got their veggie patty sub. Those things are freaking tasty. Also got a bag of Baked Lays, to which I am addicted.
The perfect three dollar dinner: veggie hotdog. I haven't had a regular hot dog in forever, so i don't really remember what they taste like, but I do remember a nasty feeling in the gut that you get after eating some really heavy, greasy meat. It also accompanied eating McDonalds. Anyways, veggie dogs don't give you that.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Stir-fry time!
I've been working late a lot so I haven't had had a lot of opportunities to get home before Aaron and make dinner. Today he's working late so I can feed him. ^_^
...when did I become a wife?
Anyways, stirfrying garlic, red onions, carrots, celery and asparagus (all left overs from the fridge, stir fry is great like that) and some Yves veggie cuisine brand fake chicken in some toasted sesame seed oil, soy sauce (be careful you don't buy the kind with lactic acid in it. Lactic acid is a stomach acid. It's a slaughter house run off. It is gross by any standards.), and hoisin sauce (supposedly a fish sauce, but apparently most of them don't actually have fish in them.) I also through some parsley on there.
It's sizzlin' away right now. Should be tasty.
...when did I become a wife?
Anyways, stirfrying garlic, red onions, carrots, celery and asparagus (all left overs from the fridge, stir fry is great like that) and some Yves veggie cuisine brand fake chicken in some toasted sesame seed oil, soy sauce (be careful you don't buy the kind with lactic acid in it. Lactic acid is a stomach acid. It's a slaughter house run off. It is gross by any standards.), and hoisin sauce (supposedly a fish sauce, but apparently most of them don't actually have fish in them.) I also through some parsley on there.
It's sizzlin' away right now. Should be tasty.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Lots of chocolate chips.
I found some vegan chocolate chips (annoyingly hard to find, considering that the milk products are completely superfluous. I guarantee they taste exactly the same.) So I made chocolate chip pancakes! Once again, the recipe can be found in 'Vegan with a Vengeance' by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.
I also had a late-night falafel, an excellent vegan staple.
This morning I had Jordan brand granola cereal with vanilla Silk. I mixed together the strawberry and chocolate chip kind.
I also had a late-night falafel, an excellent vegan staple.
This morning I had Jordan brand granola cereal with vanilla Silk. I mixed together the strawberry and chocolate chip kind.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Oh man, yesterday I went into an ice cream store for sorbet and they had dark chocolate covered oreos. I kind of wish I had ten more.
Two nights ago I went to a vegan Greek dinner to raise money for the Durham vegetarian food festival. They served us salad, then the main course was this dish that was zucchini over eggplant over potatoes over tomatoes, served with chickpeas and couscous. Dessert was a fruit cake with chocolate sauce. Definitely worth the trip out.
I got a chance to make dinner last night for the first time in while. I made this asparagus recipe: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=11519.0 with a diced carrot added. This recipe had both sesame seeds and toasted macadamia nuts in it. There should be more nuts and seeds in food. They are deelishious. I also made some fried tofu which is my own little invention. You just cut it into cubes, then fry it in some oil (I used sesame seed oil this time to go with the dish), lemon juice, onion powder, and garlic powder. You can add any other seasoning you feel like, also.
Then I served the veggies and tofu over some Asian-style noodles.
When we got back from our bike trip I also made this recipe: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=10056.msg281968#msg281968
I substituted a butternut squash for some of the potatoes, since I had one, and threw in some tofu for protein.
Two nights ago I went to a vegan Greek dinner to raise money for the Durham vegetarian food festival. They served us salad, then the main course was this dish that was zucchini over eggplant over potatoes over tomatoes, served with chickpeas and couscous. Dessert was a fruit cake with chocolate sauce. Definitely worth the trip out.
I got a chance to make dinner last night for the first time in while. I made this asparagus recipe: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=11519.0 with a diced carrot added. This recipe had both sesame seeds and toasted macadamia nuts in it. There should be more nuts and seeds in food. They are deelishious. I also made some fried tofu which is my own little invention. You just cut it into cubes, then fry it in some oil (I used sesame seed oil this time to go with the dish), lemon juice, onion powder, and garlic powder. You can add any other seasoning you feel like, also.
Then I served the veggies and tofu over some Asian-style noodles.
When we got back from our bike trip I also made this recipe: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=10056.msg281968#msg281968
I substituted a butternut squash for some of the potatoes, since I had one, and threw in some tofu for protein.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Bike trippin'
Aaron and I just rode our new tandem bicycle out to a bed and breakfast in Port Perry. It took us about 6 hours either way. Sometimes it was boring, but other times it was pretty. It sounds dorky but it makes way more sense than me trying to keep up with Aaron and always having to chase him up hills and being miserable. The B&B was amazing. It's called the Rooster's Inn.
Here's all the stuff we ate on our trip:
- We brought with us Nature Valley bars, Cliff bars, a dark chocolate bar, trail mix, and some V8.
- On the road we bought fresh strawberries and tomatoes.
- For dinner we went to a Mexican restaurant in town. We got veggie enchilads, re-fried beans (there was a big pepper hidden in them which apparently I wasn't supposed to actually put in my mouth. It burned), rice, and nachos with salsa and guacamole. Aaron got Mexican beer.
- The inn served us an amazing vegan breakfast of pan-fried potatoes, cornmeal patties (they have a name but I forget it) with tomato sauce, and fried mushrooms, onions, and red-pepper on top, fruit salad, toast with jam, orange juice and coffee. I actually had some eggs because they have rescued pet chickens in their backyard that are very happy, and I'm not against well-cared for pet chickens. Chickens make awesome pets! I could barely eat them though because I was so full already from the other stuff. They also gave us a bottle of wine in our room.
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