Monthly Archives: February 2011

Pass It On

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Thank you for all the well wishes everyone! Taking it easy this weekend was a good idea, so I can feel and look well-rested for RVA Fashion Week’s casting today. They’ll be figuring out which models will work for each show. I’ve also got a photo shoot to go to later this day for my fashion photography class. Anyway, the other day I noticed that I haven’t posted any breakfasts lately, but that’s not to say that I haven’t been eating it. Afterall, it is my favorite meal of the day! Since I have class in the mornings Monday through Thursday, I usually just make OIAJ or something else convenient (i.e. bagels!) the night before and bring that to class with me.

However, it is nice that I get a few days in the week where I don’t have to have breakfast on the go.

Oatmeal topped with banana slices, my favorite pumpkin butter, and toasted & salted hemp seeds. Toasted hemp seeds can go with anything! I’ve been trying to use up my jars of fruit butters and jams by using them as a sweetener for my oatmeal.

Caramelized anything is fine by me!

I thought of Erica this particular morning, and was inspired to top my usual bowl of oatmeal with something special. Rather than simply slicing some apples and leaving it at that, I caramelized them. First I heated some coconut oil on a pan and then sautéed the apple slices, dates, and cinnamon sticks. After cooking them for a bit I added a splash of apple juice.

This bit of deliciousness was topped with pistachios and honey to boot!

Now on to lunch, dinner, and some lovely side dishes.

Honey Glazed Carrots

This was a recipe from “The Flexitarian Cookbook” that I finally got around to making. Rather than cooking them in regular butter though, I used ghee. This changed the flavor a bit, and in combination with the honey… I just wanted more.

Parmesan-roasted Parsnips

I haven’t made a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks in awhile! Maybe some of you can guess which book it is, but for those of you who can’t it’s Simon Rimmer’s “The Accidental Vegetarian“. I wanted to marry him because the recipes in this book are so good. He still hasn’t proposed to me, and I’m not the kind of girl who sits around waiting. But that won’t stop me from cooking up his incredible recipes!

Addictive!
Almost a mish-mosh, but not quite.

I had lots of scallions leftover and the first thing that came to mind was Thai food. Then I started thinking of recipes involving noodles since I have a lot to use up. I ended up making a spicy Thai peanut sauce to go with some random veggies I had on hand, fried tofu, and a combination of rice and soba noodles. I’d bring this with me to class, and by now whenever I pull out my meals my mates ask me what I brought this time. They also remark on how everything I bring smells so good. Well, I can assure you that not only do my meals smell good, but they taste good too.

Soup for the season

This past week I made a batch of Angharad’s curried squash and carrot soup. This sounded like one of those soups I see in stores that I don’t buy because I’d rather make them on my own. I usually don’t end up making them, and I’m just left with a reminder whenever I stumble upon one of those convenient soups. This kind of soup was new to me though. I had never made a soup with summer squash, and I was wondering how well the flavors would hold up. The curry added just enough spice, but didn’t stand alone. I find that curry picks up other flavors, and goes well with so many things. Take tabasco sauce (not a big fan), for instance, it just cuts right through everything–so acidic!

A cup of Colombian hot chocolate aka the best hot chocolate.

Why is this the best? Well, first off it’s made using a chocolate tablet vs. cocoa powder. That automatically makes it tastier. I’m going to tell you how my grandma makes it. First she pours milk (almond for me, please) into a chocolatera (and aluminum pitcher), and brings it to a boil on the stove. She’ll let me skim off the yummy layer that forms on top, which is called nata in Spanish. There is a cake that is tediously made entirely of those delicious layers called postre de natas. After the milk is boiling she puts in the tablet of Colombian chocolate and takes a molinillo (a wooden whisker) to froth the melted chocolate. Then it’s lovingly poured into a cup for whomever is dear to you, that includes yourself! In Colombia it’s typical to let a chunk of queso blanco melt in the cup of rich, frothy hot chocolate.

I think you should try it.
The other day I brought in a non-conventional battery to my class.

This was a for a mini-project for my time-based sculpture class to help us think outside of the box. Food can be fuel, and I remembered reading a recipe in Brendan Brazier’s “Thrive:…” that offered fast energy. I didn’t bother explaining the science behind the dates and coconut oil to my class. Instead I just let them enjoy, which they did! Speaking of energy I have a little challenge for you…

 

Drum Roll Please

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My oh my! Things have been pretty busy for me lately, and all I want to do is take a nap. Just one, please. I actually fell asleep in class the other day while we were sitting at the conference table. Oops! Atleast I had my head up, right? Anyway, I’ve been meaning to do this for quite some time now, and I finally got around to making one… a review page! You can check it out at the top of my blog or just click here. I have a couple of exciting new ones I’ll be sharing with you all soon!

Now what has this busy lady been up to in the kitchen?

Chickpea burger served in a pita bread.

To go with the chickpea burger I stuffed the pita bread with baby spinach, avocado, cherry tomatoes, onion jam, and BBQ sauce.

Nom nom nom!

I like to make batches of things that are easy to take with me, and that are tasty as well! Whether it’s vegetarian burgers, noodle dishes, or pasta bakes. CHOW is a great site to find recipes. I know some of you have asked some of my favorite places to get recipes, and that is one of them. Epicurious, The Post Punk Kitchen, VegWeb, and of course fellow bloggers have great recipes up their sleeves as well. Most of the time I’ll look up a single ingredient and I’ll stumble upon great recipes that way. Anyone have any favorite recipes for when you’re on-the-go you’d like to share?

Oh and that onion jam I mentioned above?

I finally got around to making some! Not quite as “jammy”, but it sure adds lots of a flavor! Onion jam is a must-have condiment if you like sandwiches. It makes things extra-special.

Banana-Cashew Balls

I saw this recipe on Susan’s blog, and I must say that these were mighty tasty!

I liked how these tasted different from the usual “ball” recipes out there.

The banana pulp gave so much flavor, and the oats made it this taste so comforting. I felt like I was eating yummy baby food. Just give me a blankie and a bottle, and I’d be good to go… take a nap.

Vegan Fudge Love

When Katie shared her tasty recipe for chocolate fudge I knew I had to make it! Each ingredient is something I would eat on its own, or mixed with something else (cocoa powder and cinnamon alone… no thank you). Since I didn’t have coconut butter on hand I just made some. All of the flavors were able to shine through, so if you like the ingredients then go ahead and try to make it. Just the thought of making my own fudge made me happy. The flavor possibilities are endless, and Katie knows that too!

Speaking of love… on Valentine’s Day I woke up to this sweet gift my roommate left for me.

Later that day we planned to have a Valentine’s Day dinner date.

I thought that would be a nice time to try out Buitoni’s Pasta Riserva.

As part of the Tastemaker’s Program I was given the chance, through Foodbuzz and Buitoni, to try out Buitoni’s Riserva line. The wild mushroom agnolotti ravioli sounded like something I’d really enjoy. Stuffed pastas are my favorite!

Dinner is served!

To go with the ravioli I made Giada’s balsamic brown butter sauce, and served it with sautéed peas, lacinto kale, toasted walnuts, and grated blend of three cheeses.

My lovely date.
Why hello there!
Emily’s father has a vineyard and started bottling his own wine–cheers to scuppernongs!
Mmm ravioli!

The raviolis were huge, and actually quite flavorful. I wanted to keep the accompanying sauce simple so I could really get a taste of what I was eating. It was simple, but I think it complimented the pasta very well. It was earthy, but didn’t taste like dirt! Something my teeth could sink into, and that I could chew on forever. Emily agreed! Verdict? Delicious! Now how’s that for fast, convenient, and tasty ?

During the few days of warm weather I had tacos!

I filled them with black beans cooked with spices and onions, goat cheese, Trader Joe’s tomato-less salsa, avocado slices, lettuce, and lime juice. Warm weather… please stay! I love soups and all, but lately I’ve been craving lots of fresh foods like salads, juicy peaches, and cold sandwiches.

A flavor of Kombucha I hadn’t tried before.

Notice the 99-cent price tag. My parents live near a discount health-food store, and they brought up a bottle for me when they came to visit. If only there were more discount health-food stores in the world… Sometimes it annoys me how organic or all-natural things can be overpriced. It’s funny because these things are just reverting to the good old-fashioned way of doing things.

Another refreshing meal enjoyed on an unusually warm day.

I’ve forgotten how wonderful pasta salads are. I used the rest of my box of mini farfalle to make Kristin’s farfalle with broccoli and feta. I threw in some cherry tomatoes for a burst of more flavor. Serving this with extra olive oil drizzled on top really does something wonderful to this dish. When does an extra drizzling not do that?

So now is the time to announce a couple of winners!

First up, the winner of the Farm Rich & Gardein vouchers + a special surprise giveaway is the very thoughtful Lindsay! And now the winner of the Three Sisters Cereal giveaway is… the lovely Eloise! Congratulations to the both of you! Just e-mail me your addresses and your prizes await you.

Much love to everyone!

What a Breath of Fresh Air

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Hello everyone! Let me tell you… last week was anything but ordinary! My mom came to visit me for a whole week, and my step-dad was in town on business as well. I know I’ve mentioned my stresses about being financially dependent on my parents on my blog before. Recently, I’ve been having to make conscious effort to stay away from bleak utilitarian ways. Whenever I’m around my mom I’m reminded that it’s nice to treat ourselves just because, so her visit couldn’t come at a better time.

My parents enjoyed the delicate candies I made.

Moms are wonderful at French braiding!

A loaf of freshly baked bread...

And this is what happens on the way home.

Chocolate!

And...

More chocolate!

What surprises are in here?

Mmm truffles.

Tiramisu, cookies and cream, blueberry cheesecake, dark chocolate sea salt caramel, and black forest cake.

A blast from the past.

And one of the best ideas I've come across: honeycomb covered in milk chocolate.

My mom got some filled chocolates to try too.

I love that she enjoys so many things about life.

And she has a taste for colorful food as well!

She's the queen of salmon.

More colors!

I made Aggie’s Last Minute Sesame Noodles for me and my parents to enjoy during the week. I loved the sesame oil in this dish! It felt special when I packed this for me and my mom in my little lunchbox, since she went to my classes with me while she visited. I also packed some for my step-dad to take with him to work. He was also in town on business that week. It’s quite a rarity that my parents are in Richmond at the same time, so I wanted to treat them as much as I could!

Since my mom was in town, she whisked me away to Trader Joe's.

I usually make my own hummus, but since my mom was in town I wanted her to try the Triple Layer Hummus. There are no Trader Joe’s stores in Florida so this was a little special something something.

And she brought something special up from Florida... papaya from our tree!

Simple, delicious, and convenient "mush"

This is Joy’s recipe for gluten-free chickpea and apple slaw. I accidentally processed it in the food processor for too long, but it still tasted delicious! Tangy and sweet, like what the recipe says, with dried cranberries and a Granny smith apple in the mix.

On a slice of "Seeduction" bread.

Oh my goodness this is the kind of bread that is so good that you could finish the whole loaf without putting anything on it.

 

My version of a bento box--Rotkohl (German recipe for red cabbage), leftover red lentil burger tipped with vegan mayo, avocado slices, and coconut milk basmati.

Random, yes. Delicious, yes. YES!

While my mom visited she also made her classic recipe and one of my favorite desserts: tiramisu.

Proud of her creation!

As she should be.

We were looking forward to having the girls over that night!

Beautiful ladies all around!

Dainty dishware was appropriate.

The best tiramisu my mom has made to date!

And a night isn't complete without dancing, or salsa in this case!

But wait, was there more fun to be had?

Précisement, mes ami!

We went out to dinner at one of my favorite hang out spots, Balliceaux.

It has the neatest decor.

To start off we ordered tandoori fried cauliflower with a chickpea salad and pickled cucumbers.

I want to learn how to make cauliflower taste this good! The chickpea salad and cucumbers added a refreshing touch to the crispy battered cauliflower.

 

I also ordered a cup of roasted pumpkin-mushroom and barley soup.

This tasted so much like a soup my grandma use to make when I was little!

I couldn't put my finger on which recipe I'll have to ask my grandma for.

Aromatic steamed salmon with black bean paste, scallion-celery stir fry with house made bacon, and fragrant jasmine rice for the sir.

I’ve never heard of cooking celery. Curious, eh?

 

Southern fried Twin Oaks tofu with red beans and collard greens for the queen.

Twin Oaks makes the best tofu EVER! And the way that they prepared it here was reminiscent of a typical southern dish with fried fish. I thought it was adorable that my mom, queen of salmon, decided to get this vegetarian dish. I may have done some influencing though because I also wanted to try this, but I had something else in mind for myself…

A hearts of romaine salad with a creamy hazelnut dressins and crunchy ZUCCHINI BREAD CROUTONS!

As soon as I saw the words “zucchini bread croutons” I knew that would be my choice. Oh my goodness. If salads could be desserts this would be it. I kept gushing about how wonderful of an idea it was to do this! It was so delicious that I sat there thinking of all of the wonderful breads I could make into croutons. The waitress exclaimed, “you can make them out of any bread!” And right she is. Next time you have a sweet bread in your home, I advise you make them into croutons. Actually, I urge you!

After dinner we met up with some wonderful people.

My mom got a taste of Ipanema's homemade soy ice cream and their vegan apricot almond blondie.

We had a feeling that the dessert made us extra hyper.

The past week was a memorable one indeed. It was so much fun having my mom go to my classes, and she got to see what her daughter does in art school. I’m sure a lot of parents would like to have that experience. She got a better understanding of what my life is like for most of the year. Looking back on her visit I see that she’s become a more flexible person, or maybe she just really likes being around me? I think it’s both!

p.s. I’ll be announcing the winners to my last two giveaways very soon, so keep an eye out for that! My apologies for keeping you all waiting.

Simplicity in Nature

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I noticed that a lot of new people have been leaving comments, so I just wanted to say hello and thank you for stopping by! You know one of the  things that I really enjoy about blogging? Is that we each get to read about all of the things we appreciate, and how beautiful it is to see how others views the world.

Don’t forget to vote for the RVA Internet Awards. I was actually nominated for the Best Blog category, so exciting! Check out some of the comment threads while you’re over there.

What could this be?

Earlier this week I made Root Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie. When I first stumbled upon this recipe I marveled at all of the wonderful rustic ingredients, and how comforting this sounded. This is a vegetarian version, and the “crust” is made out of a sweet and russet potato mash. However, instead of using flour for the vegetable mix I used cornmeal. I thought it would give the recipe a more “down-home” taste.

I love recipes with delicious hidden surprises!

Stuffed pastas, pies, dumplings, you name it.

So flavorful that it had me scooping up every last bit.
Breakfast… on-the-go

Awhile back I bookmarked some recipes from Martha Stewart’s quick and easy breakfast ideas. The banana-oat smoothie is basically like a bowl of oats, but in smoothie form. I also added almond butter and chia seeds to the mix.

Sliced almonds for the final touch.
My breakfast sometimes likes to smile back at me.

This was also another recipe I bookmarked from the quick and easy breakfast ideas: whole-grain toast bagel with yogurt and pistachios.

My lovely roommate read my mind and gave me a jar of honey from the area where she’s from!
While I was having this dainty breakfast, lavender honey crossed my mind.

Lavender honey on toast with pistachios would’ve been a breakfast fit for the Greek gods.

Aren’t pistachios beautiful?

They have the same vibrant green of a perfect avocado, then some painter must’ve dabbed pinks on their skins.

Delicate candies
Pistachios were still on my mind.
And so was lavender.

Awhile back I was browsing through recipes, wondering how I could use my package of coconut cream. I found a recipe for Vanilla Coconut Cream Candy on Tropical Traditions‘ abundant recipe site. You can make it vegan by using agave or maple syrup instead of honey. Actually, when I make this again I want to use pecans and maple syrup. Perhaps, I’ll add a splash of bourbon as well. This recipe was quite simple. The only ingredients I used were coconut cream, pistachios, honey, vanilla extract, and lavender. I added the lavender as an aromatic and delightful touch. Now I have lavender and honey in one beautiful candy. Perhaps these could’ve been enjoyed by Aphrodite herself.

Not as sophisticated as a Greek goddess, but something that can make anyone smile nonetheless–marshmallows!

I remember when I was younger I’d sleep over at a friend’s house and we had a wide selection of cereals to have at breakfast.

These are Marshmallow Oaties!

I was recently sent Three Sisters Cereal, which some of you may have heard of, to try and review. Did you know that their cereal is made using renewable wind energy? That’s pretty awesome if you ask me! Their motto is: natural, sensible, and sustainable cereals. They don’t include unnecessary additives in their cereals to get colors or taste. There are some ingredients in some packaged foods that are questionable, and I know they don’t need to be on the ingredient list so I like how Three Sisters Cereal doesn’t do that. A company with a conscience… I like that. Anyway, their flavors remind me of cereals that any kid, or big kid for that matter, would love! Flavors like Honey Oaties, Cinnamon Sweets, and Graham Crackerz. I got to try the Marshmallow Oaties, Sweet Wheats, and Honey Oaties. These were all so tasty and I felt like a little kid again.

Honey Oaties: These reminded me so much of Honey Nut Cheerios, but had a more wholesome aftertaste . Honey covered O’s are a classic. Crunch, crunch, munch. In fact, I brought a jar of Honey Oaties with me to munch on as I went about town. Whose baby am I? My mom will answer that for us.

Marshmallow Oaties: I went after Lucky’s charms! “Hearts, Stars, and Horseshoes, Clovers, and Blue Moons, Pots of Gold, and Rainbows, and me Red Balloons.” Well, this wasn’t a bowl of Lucky Charms, but it brought me back to when I’d eat bowls filled with colorful marshmallows. It’s got these neat shapes, and those little marshmallows we all love.

Sweet Wheat: Letting them soak in a bowl of milk is what I like to do with shredded wheat cereals. The frosting for the Sweet Wheats wasn’t as thick and sugary as other similar cereals I’ve tried. I enjoyed this since too much sugar, especially in the morning, can give me a headache. If you like denser and grainier tasting cereals then this is a good bet.

“Donation of $1.00 for every cereal package sold in April will support emergency relief work by Minneapolis-based American Refugee Committee; Whole Foods Market to support with in-store effort.” to support relief efforts in Haiti.

Would you like a chance to be a big kid too?

You can win a month-supply of Three Sister’s Cereal in the form of four freebie coupons! Please note that you can only find their cereals at Whole Foods Markets. Here’s what you can do to enter:

1. Visit the Three Sisters Cereal website and let me know the name of a product you’d like to try.

2. Link back to this giveaway on your next post, and please make sure to comment letting me know you did so.

The giveaway ends Friday February 11, 2011 at midnight EST.

A Flexible Outlook Opens Up the Possibilities

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I loved reading your responses to my last post. Some of you brought up many interesting points, and your own points of view. Kelsey mentioned “when there is a fear of food, one must challenge it or risk facing a life in which they will learn to hide or shy away from things that make them uncomfortable…instead of truly embracing their own appetites (not just for food, but for life!)” A lot of you mentioned the notion of the individual choice. I think it’s important to stay true to ourselves, and respect that. Understanding self-respect can make it easier to respect others as well–not judging their sincere choices. In the end confidence in my own decisions helps leave me at peace, whether it’s the outfit I decide to wear, the joke I want to share, or the oatmeal I bring in a jar. Kind of how children approach life with no need to convince themselves of something, instead just doing it. That sounds a lot like instinct, doesn’t it?

On another note, the other day while browsing the CHOW website for recipes I came across one that I thought many of you would love: peanut butter pumpkin soup. Okay now that I’m saying it out loud maybe it sounds a little strange, but I have a feeling that it would hit the spot. It’s like when you throw something together that may seem like an odd combination of things, but you think it’ll taste good!

I had mentioned “The Flexitarian Cookbook” a few times, and now it’s time to dedicate a post to more delicious recipes I’ve made from it so far.

Cumin Chickpeas with Spicy Rice Noodles
This was a unique, spicy, and flavorful dish.

Not to mention it was just beautiful to look at. The white of the rice noodles contrasted with all of the other colorful foods, and seeds.

Up next…
Chickpea Kabocha Stew

The heart-warming and rustic recipe recommends serving it with vegan mayonnaise, avocado, and toasted hemp seeds. The toppings really bring the dish together, and leave you wanting seconds!

Apple-cider Braised “Kabocha” with Golden Raisins and Onion

I haven’t been able to find  kabocha squash at the grocery store this winter, so I used butternut squash instead. Letting the squash, raisins, and onions soak up the cider made this an aromatic and sweet dish! It was comforting with a slight kick from the red chili flakes, which are optional.

Remember this chickpea dish?

This was a pan-fried chickpea, sweet yellow onion and pomegranate salad (with optional duck confit). Tangy, salty, spiced, and with a bite of sweetness!

There's also this tasty dish that I made for a special Thanksgiving dinner--Meatless Argentinian Carbonada in a Pumpkin

I couldn’t put it in a pumpkin, so I just put the pumpkin in the soup! The ingredients in this recipe surprised me, like the peaches, pecorino, and oregano. All of the flavors from each ingredient complemented each thing in the most delicious way. I can’t really explain, but this was one of the tastiest things I’ve ever eaten.

It was enjoyed very much by the both of us!

This cookbook is wonderful not just for its recipes, but also its variety. You’ll find that some recipes have optional ingredients depending on what your dietary choices are… or simply whatever mood you may be in. Most of the recipes don’t require obscure ingredients, and if you can’t find something you can easily come up with a substitution. The wonderful thing about options is that they can make cooking a more curious and fun experience! Perhaps, it may inspire you to venture out in your own recipes by adding something new. Moreover, there’s a tremendous energy behind “The Flexitarian Cookbook” project. If you check out the site you can read about the contributors, and the excitement that went on at their launch parties. From the colorful and unique layout, to the thoughtful recipes, to the different dynamics throughout the whole cookbook; there’s just something refreshing and uplifting about the effort put into making it possible. Out of the recipes I’ve tried so far I must tell you this: you’re either very thankful for leftovers, or you love the dish so much that before you know it’s all gone! I see this as a win win situation.

Have any of you heard of this cookbook?

p.s. I’ve been nominated for Best Blog for the RVA Internet Awards. If you’d like you can click here to check out the nominees and vote! Even if you’re not from Richmond, it’s still interesting to see what people somewhere else are up to.