In A Spaced Out Box

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Katharina

Good day ladies and gentlemen. I feel like it’s been awhile since I’ve posted although it’s only been a week. You know when you let more days pass by, and things keep adding up? That happens to me when I don’t update more often, because well… I cook everyday. So that means I have lots of things to share! That also means that I’m going to start condensing posts more often, sometimes highlighting one dish or a couple. We’ll see how it goes. But here’s a post that is not quite so compact, but fits quite nicely into the package.

: From the night before I left for my Florida vacation…

The vacation I keep thinking about, trying to tap into the feeling I had while floating in the calm, blue ocean; just listening to the sound of my breath.

: I decided to make a fondue spread for me and my roommates to enjoy

White chocolate (fortuitously scalding it a bit, giving it a caramelized flavor) with a giant diced and spiced fruit salad of bananas, pears, apples, and melon. Mustn’t forget the coconut muffin as well.

: I randomly decided to pick up beets at the store…

but I love beets so maybe it’s not so random. Let’s just say it wasn’t on the list though.

: Beet stains never get old to me.

: I picked up the beets after I picked up the jicama, and thought they would contrast wonderfully…

and I remembered the carrots that I already had at home.

: Sometimes I make things for the sake of color.

After I prepared the vegetables I had to leave to meet with someone, so I stored the vibrant vegetables in one container. However, before I left I took a bite, and thought: this needs some shredded coconut. Added some. Took another bite. Done.

: One fish: two ways

Continue reading →

What Is Toe Foo?: Giveaway!

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Katharina

Some of you have asked me in the past what I stock my kitchen with.

Whatchu keep in your house?

It’s hard to answer that question without making a very long list because, frankly, I have a lot of things. Whenever I move, it is guaranteed that the majority of boxes are things for the kitchen. But I thought that this time I would feature something that I have had an off and on relationship with–tofu. When I first became a vegetarian, tofu was the first thing I started to incorporate into my diet. And like so many, I totally sucked at preparing it. After awhile, my passion for vegetarian cooking took me to the realm beyond tofu, veggie burgers, and hummus. So tofu was not on my grocery list for awhile, partly because I had also heard and read about it being “bad” for you, and that it could cause men to start buying training bras.

Nowadays it is back on my weekly grocery list, and I eat it consistently but not for every meal. My taste buds belong to a Gemini for sure because repeating things in the same day is not interesting to them. One thing that I do stress though, through all what you hear and read out there about tofu: if you’re going to buy it, buy organic. If you read the ingredients to a lot of pre-made food like chocolate, frozen meals, and sauces–there are traces of soy in them. It’s a crop that the government subsidizes and growing it organically is not an investment for them.

Here are some ways I’ve been enjoying tofu recently…

Continue reading →

Traveling in the Kitchen

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Katharina

Oh gosh! There’s so much catching up to do! I’ve been back in Florida for a couple of weeks, but I have some things that I want to share with you from before I even left for Toronto. So get ready!

: And hold on tight

Let’s see… how have I been enjoying the summer’s endless heat?

: By making water a more refreshing beverage.

Slicing up lemons, limes, cucumbers, and a handful of mint leaves, and letting it all sit for a couple hours in a jug of water is all it takes.

: One of my mom’s friends gave us mangoes from her backyard!

You can tell how delicious these were just by looking at them.

: I’ve also been making smoothies.

I made this particular one with Greek yogurt, honey, almond milk, peaches, and cinnamon.

: Taste testing… not quite there yet.

: Passed the test.

: Yowza that was good!

: I’ve also been loving strawberries in the mix.

: Sadly, coconut butter is too shy to mix and mingle.

: Of course I’ve been keeping up with my weekly batch of raw vegan treats.

I’ve recently made Averie’s No-Bake Coconut and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites and Kelsey’s Cocoa Coconut Energy Balls. Both should be under your bookmarks if they aren’t already.

: I’m serious.

: This may not be a typical cool summer meal.

I sautéed some yellow squash, crumbled tofu, and diced sweet potato with Bragg’s flavorful Organic Seasoning. Drizzle some coconut butter, and I sealed the deal. By the way that sprinkle has 24 herbs and spices that add lots of flavor. Even if I don’t know what to cook I just use some of this and I instantly have a tasty dish. Thanks to my old roommate introducing me to this it’s now one of my secret weapons.

: Taken out by the poolside while the weather was hopefully cooling down (not by much).

: With a nice cold glass of refreshing water.

: Ahh yes… the morning is another part of the day I can enjoy outside without melting into a puddle of sweat…

: And drool.

: I’ve also made up a recipe recently.

Can you guess what it is? Himalayan Zucchini Bread! This is an eclectic loaf of zucchini bread inspired by the Eastern world and 101 Cookbook’s Special Zucchini Bread. Check it.

Himalayan Zucchini Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

3/4 cup almonds, chopped

2 1/2 tbl poppy seeds or even chia seeds

2 tsp lemon zest

4 peanut ginger chews, finely chopped

1/4 cup goji berries

3 tbl shredded coconut, unsweetened

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar

1 large egg, or egg replacer

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 zucchinis, grated

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour mix

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tbl curry powder

*Don’t be daunted by the long ingredient list*

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan, and dust it with a bit of flour then set aside.
2. In a bowl combine the almonds, poppy seeds, lemon zest, shredded coconut, goji berries, and ginger. Set aside.

3. In another bowl mix the coconut oil with the honey, and then add the coconut sugar. Add the egg and mix well. Stir in the vanilla and then the zucchini.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and curry powder.

5. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

6. Fold in the almonds, poppy seed, lemon zest, goji berries, shredded coconut, and crystalized ginger mixture by hand. Set a bit aside so you can sprinkle on the the zucchini loaf before baking to add a little crunch. Avoid over mixing the batter, it should be thick and moist.

7. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Don’t over bake it though to keep it moist. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for about ten minutes. Then let it finish cooling on wire rack. It’ll get moist and sweaty if you leave them in the pan.

: Each ingredient is special in this recipe

: That’s not all.

: Wolfberries, also known as goji berries.

: And somehow by the time this loaf was done baking I had flown to Asia and back.

So now that I’ve shared this recipe with you, here are some tips to go along with it. I soaked the almonds beforehand to add to the bread’s dense bite. I also thought of the recipes I’ve made where zucchini and almonds held hands in the most delicious way. I love coming up with kitchen experiments, being inspired by places I want to travel to and let my mind go.

: Check it out!

Now take a bite into a slice of this and you’ve got a spiced and moist bread, with some crunch and the most unique flavor.

: Enjoy it for breakfast with coconut butter.

Recently, I’ve been letting a bag of green tea steep in a glass of cold water overnight.

: And beautiful fresh mission figs, medjool dates, bee pollen, and honey over some Greek yogurt.

: I hope you all have a relaxing weekend…

Or one packed with adventures!

Magic in the Kitchen

Posted on July 8, 2010 by Katharina

Hello everybody! Yesterday was a pretty upsetting day for the German team and everyone rooting for them. I was sulking around for awhile, but I decided to bake and my friend came over–Sex and the City marathon! I don’t know what it is about the World Cup, but my heart goes into it. I’m going to be sad once the games are over. Every four years this tournament becomes a big part of my life, and I find that my conversations are about the games or somehow find their way to that topic. Moreover, I loved reading all of your answers on my last post about style. And thank you so much for the compliments! I can tell that one of those shirts is “my new favorite thing”. I also saw that many of you commented on how nice the pictures look. Well, one thing I’ve been taking more into consideration is lighting and composition. The third eye never closes! It’s funny though how these little changes are noticeable. Anyway, here’s some candy for your eyes!

Vanilla Macaroon Granola... you are so good to me!

When I was at the bulk bins the other day I went over the granola selection to see if I spied anything new and interesting. Then I saw the words “vanilla macaroon” and I nibbled on a bit to see if I approved. Yes, very much so! Oh! And those little raspberries came from our garden. It was so exciting to see that our plant was finally producing fruit.

Sleeping baby got a new bed.

This is something I definitely have to make again!

This was a spicy curried sweet potato and tofu dish. I sautéed some onions, then fried the baked sweet potato and tofu in coconut oil with some freshly ground spices and curry leaves. Next, I added the spicy coconut milk mixture I made and let everything absorb it. Towards the end was when I added the spinach till it wilted, salted to my liking, and sprinkled some toasted coconut shreds on top. Voila!

Something else orange in my life, recently!

When I was at the market the other day I spotted a kabocha! I haven’t seen one or had one in months. Maybe even since last year? Anyway, I was so excited that I practically hugged it in my arms instead of simply putting it in the my basket.

I wanted to make something special.

I was inspired by Amanda’s Pumpkin Chili Mexican Scramble recipe. I grinded up some spices often used to make garam masala (as far as flavor goes, grinding spices yourself is the best). I fried the spices first, then I sautéed the onions and garlic. After that I threw in the kabocha with some water and let that cook. Once I could stick a fork in the cubes and the water was absorbed, I threw in diced red and yellow bell peppers.

What could this be?

On the side I mixed together a “scramble” concoction with: tofu, garlic powder, onion powder, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, turmeric, and black beans. That mix went into the pan as well with some coconut oil. I had almost forgotten the two ingredients I definitely wanted to use for this dish–hickory smoke and vegan worcestershire sauce. The deal was pretty much sealed by then and I knew I was going to be serving a delicious Friday night dinner to my family.

Bon appetit!

For the finishing touches I threw in a diced tomato, cilantro, crumbled corn chips, avocado, and cottage cheese (you could use sour cream, but I didn’t have any on hand). Magic in the kitchen! And now for some more magic…

I used the banana bread recipe from the "Veganomicon" to make muffins instead.

I changed the recipe a bit by using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and using half rye flour and half whole wheat. I love the flavor coconut oil lends, and I wanted to see how baking muffins with it would turn out. Scrumptious, delicious, and it reminded me a bit of Lebkuchen because of the rye. I have some more recipes in mind using rye. They taste so yummy plain, with coconut oil, peanut butter, ghee, and…

Crumbled over my breakfast.

I’ve been putting chia seeds in my breakfasts every morning now, and I also got a new protein powder: Jay Robb’s vanilla rice protein. I just wish it weren’t so pricey! I tried a few to see which one I liked the most. I’ve come to realize that there’s no escaping the slight texture change that a lot of plant-based protein powders give. Also, notice the different colors? When you can’t choose, just choose them all! I went ahead with pumpkin seed butter, peanut butter, and Cacao Bliss to top the melting banana soft-serve.

I cant tell that these muffins will be frequenting my breakfasts.

Another batch of bars!

This time I used a variety of nuts: pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds. For the dried fruits I used banana chips, dates, and dried cranberries. Of course the usual coconut shreds went in the mix. I also added some honey. Other than that I kept the recipe the same pretty much since I liked how my second batch turned out. I plan on going to the store and getting some chocolate chips and who knows what else!

Oops these got a bit burned, but they taste good anyway.

Perfect for snacking on-the-go

My mom has been loving the weekly batches I’ve been baking.

The other day when me and my dad went shopping we stopped by the Lindt store.

It’s great because it’s basically like a buffet of chocolates. You can choose from all of their Lindor truffles and European specialities, then just pay by the weight. Not to mention they were having a sale going on–10 bars for $15! I chose their Tiramisu petits desserts, and the dark chocolate Mozartkugel. On the topic of sweetness, how about I leave you off with this one… tomorrow is Friday!!!

Deconstructed

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Katharina

To make my bowls of oatmeal interesting I like to deconstruct dessert recipes.

And the way I remember that dessert is spelled with two s’s is because I’d like two scoops of ice cream. What flavor? Cherry amaretto ice cream, please. I whipped up some banana soft-serve, pitted a handful of cherries, drizzled it with amaretto syrup, and topped it off with Cacao Bliss. The amaretto syrup gave this bowl of oats a zing.

Hello delicious wake up call!

Remember how I mentioned that I realized that I didn’t have a birthday cake this year? Well look what I found! Chocolate cherry amaretto ice cream cake. And it just so happens that it won a raw ice cream cake contest.

On the topic of ice cream... what else is there to talk about?

I stumbled upon my soul sister and her dad’s favorite ice cream! This little lady’s recommendations never disappoint, so of course I put the pint of Mocha Almond Fudge coconut milk ice cream in my basket. Verdict? Oh my gosh. There are just enough almonds, each bite has that yummy fluffy mocha ice cream, and the swirls of fudge seal the deal. Pint start with a ‘p’ so I can make alliterations like… personal pint.

Something else deconstructed?

I was browsing the Veganomicon cookbook when my eyes wandered on to these words “samosa stuffed baked potato.” You all know how much I love Indian food! I’m so use to making deconstructed recipes for breakfast that I don’t usually think of making them for lunch… or dinner for that matter.

I took away the potato's vegan status and spread on some ghee.

Oh and I can’t leave out my mom’s dish! The night before she made a curried coconut milk vegetable dish that had me eating spoonfuls from the pan she had just cooked it in. I decided to mix in some cooked lentils the next day.

I don't go to the movies often so this was a nice change.

My mom’s friend had special tickets to watch a movie before it would be released in this theatre and she asked if we wanted to go. We gladly accepted her invitation and watched ‘The Solitary Man’. It was a pretty good movie, but I didn’t like the ending. The theatre I went to is one of my favorites because of the interior and comfy seats. If you don’t feel like finding your own parking spot you can always opt for the valet parking. What can I say? This is the state where people go to retire!

Inside the movie theatre--check out the ceiling!

On another night me and my mom went to support some friends that were dancing in a show.

She never ceases to amaze.

And neither does he!

Complete with samba dancing as well.

Making dinner milk rolls from one of my favorite cookbooks.

I love making bread! My favorite part is kneading it, and after that I love the smell that wafts through the house when it’s baking. Then of course there’s the satisfaction of biting into the fresh bread you made.

They remind me of the Brötchen we would pick up daily from the bakery in Germany.

My mom said they tasted even better! She’s such a mom hehehe.

Yum! This is just asking for some butter.

Speaking of Germany…

Yours truly got ready for a day that would be filled with many German things.

Note: I straightened my hair for the first time in years!

What did that day behold?

We went to a German restaurant to see their first game in the World Cup 2010!

Deutschland is my motherland and where my heart belongs, so when they beat the Aussies 4-0 I felt very proud!

I'm not a big beer person but I tried their heferweisen and I liked it!

Another goal? More beers on the house!

They still make the best potato pancakes I've ever had--three or four rounds of these were ordered!

Ever since I was little, it just has always gone without saying that I get the most potato pancakes or latkes.

I'm not typically a cake person, but I do think they're beautiful and there are the exceptions of tiramisu and carrot cake.

However, this berry black forest cake was amazingly incredible! Our table ordered this cake to go, and about five more slices to have at the table, plus a chocolate mousse cake for the super chocolate lover (my mom’s friend’s husband). Victory was ours and we ate like champions as well!

In honor of the World Cup 2010 being held in Africa I decided to make use of a box I found in my parent’s pantry. So what does a box have to do with the World Cup?

This box!

Fufu flour! It’s a fun word to say and it’s even more fun to eat. What is fufu exactly? “Fufu is a staple food of West and Central Africa. It is a thick paste usually made by boiling starchy root vegetables in water and pounding with a mortar and pestle until the desired consistency is reached.”

It's traditionally served with a soup... or rather in a soup.

It came out lumpy--oops! But still safe to eat.

I made a peanut soup to go with it, and mark my words when I say… TRY THIS! Here’s the recipe for the peanut soup, but I made some changes. Instead of a green bell pepper I used a red. Also make sure to use real peanut butter to get the most flavor. I used my favorite kind and the crunchy peanut bits actually added a smokiness to it.

Did I mention that you eat this with your hands?

Are any of you keeping up with the games? Favorite teams?

Also, what are some of your favorite deconstructed recipes?

Warmer Days

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Katharina

Greetings earthlings!

Thank you Erin for passing this award on to me awhile ago. It’s about time I get around to passing it on to a few other creative writers, wouldn’t you say?

Here are the rules:
1. Thank the person who gave this to you.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you.
4. Tell up to six outrageous lies about yourself, and at least one outrageous truth.
5. Nominate seven “Creative Writers” who might have fun coming up with outrageous lies.
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.

1. One time I started a fight in the girl’s bathroom in high school.
2. I have never worn green socks.
3. I always drool uncontrollably at the sight of a handsome guy.
4. I made out with one of the band members of my favorite bands.
5. I use to be a big “witch”.
6. I’ve eaten cow intestines.
7. I hate avocados.

Which one’s the truth?
I’m passing this on to these ladies:
Karina

Jess

another awesome Jessica

Lauren

Jenny

Katie

and last but in no way least, Holly

: I asked my friend, Kelley, if she wanted me to make her oats in the morning.

I cooked her oats in almond milk and cinnamon. Then I swirled in some coconut oil and topped it off with banana slices and mango. I also spooned on a bit of Naturally More peanut butter. I’ve never tried this kind and it was very yummy! It wasn’t completely creamy and not super crunchy either.

: I opted for something more refreshing.

I opted for granola, Greek yogurt, and Ezekiel toast. My parents didn’t have butter in the house (what?!) except for ghee aka clarified butter. It has a different taste than butter, but I liked it!

: Ghee is considered sacred in India.

: Mom made lunch again!

She wanted to try a new grain she bought at the store–amaranth. She made curry chicken for everyone and a tofu version for me. The amaranth itself was plain, but mixed with the tofu curry was much better and gave an interesting texture.

: In Florida, avocado is a must with every meal.

Then we got ready to go out!

: I think Matilda felt left out.

: We went out to go dancing.

There was an artist painting a large mural that night in one of the dance rooms. They also had dancers that were painted from head-to-toe, a drag queen performance, people dressed up as squires, and many more theatrics. It was so much fun. We ended up meeting the artist’s agent and the club owner, then danced around in VIP till we decided to head home–daylight savings time hit us!

: They took a couple pictures of us.

: Lunch was a team effort.

I stir-fried some kale, mushrooms, and zucchini in a garlic & ginger paste + Soyvay sauce. My mom made her specialty curried fava beans in coconut milk. I also had some toast with peanut butter and a slice of Cabot’s cheddar.

: Then we headed to Calle Ocho

Calle Ocho is basically a huge annual block party in the middle of Little Havana down in Miami. There’s lots of music, dancing, food, and people!

: The crowd

: Getting one of my favorite things–arepas de choclo (sweet corn cakes filled with mozzarella)

: Gettin’ down

: We also got sweet plantains.

: My mom found some $$ on the ground–finders, keepers!

: Then we were headed to south beach.

: Driving down Ocean Dr. on a Sunday night.

: 24-Hour Diner

: With a HUGE menu…

: And a little market inside as well.

: My adorable soul sista!

We ended up leaving because it was getting late and my mom was getting super antsy. Oi! But it was a nice little discovery, and I’m hoping to go back there one day. I hope all of you are having a wonderful week. Guess what? Tomorrow is Friday! Woo hoo!

Change of Pace

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Katharina

I’m going to rewind on my eats a bit because I’ve been skipping around. Remember that pumpkin & lentil curry me and my friend made?

: This is what I did with my leftovers.

Since it was pretty thick it made a good filler for a wrap. The curry was just re-heated with some coconut oil and I also grilled an apple with cinnamon, then spread on some Crofter’s superfruit spread (pomegranates and black currants blended with red grapes and morello cherries).

: Cran-Lemon Twister

Well, this was the last ProBar out of my sampler package. I have to say, I was not disappointed with these bars. The first bite I took out of this one I literally made the “mmm” noise. It definitely has a zing and gave my tastebuds a little twist they’re not use to. Some of the ingredients in this bar are cranberries, lemon, papaya, and pineapple. There are so many other ProBar flavors I didn’t get to try, and I really want to. I guess I will be starting a new collection?

: Dun dun dun… the mandolin slicer.

I bought a butternut squash not too long ago, and I knew exactly what things I wanted to make with it!

: Butternut squash fries!

I seasoned them with salt and some Old Bay. On the side I followed Happy Herbivore‘s spicy chickpea spread recipe. You must try this! It is incredibly easy to make, requires no cookibng, and is great as a sandwich filler, dip, or even alone. In the very back is the famous potato salad from Mrs. Marshall’s Carytown Cafe.

: I mixed in some vegan mayo and ketchup to make it more like a “fries” dip.

: Butternut squash mash

I was reading Lauren‘s blog one day and saw that she made butternut squash mash, and it just sounded so good! I mixed in some coconut oil, vanilla, sugar, and I topped it off with coconut shreds. I had to wait for it to cool down – this was steaming hot!

: More butternut squash fries!

I baked these with freshly grated parmesan then I grated some more on afterwards. I served it with my last ooey-gooey arepa con choclo (sweet corn cake with farmer’s cheese). But I plan on re-stocking while I’m in Florida. There’s a Colombian cafe that makes delicious arepas. But my dad said they changed the cook so they’re a bit different now. We’ll see.

: Pumpkin penne with homemade pumpkin puree

I have no idea how I stumbled upon this recipe, but I’m glad I did. I didn’t have sour cream so I used cream cheese instead. Logical substitute, right?I got to try out another Tofurky product – the Italian sausages. I really like the seasonings they used for these sausages! I’m also glad there is a vegetarian version of these out there because I feel like this recipe would be incomplete without that ingredient. Delicious and easy!

Just like Mitri, I will continue to eat my orange foods to maintain my olive complexion! I have another fall colored dish for you. I’m so use to seeing green in my vegetable portions!

: Root vegetables and chickpeas

I followed a recipe sent to me through the Kardea newsletter. This is just something I made a big batch out of convenience. I plan on serving it with rosemary infused white rice. For a more rustic dish you could serve it with wild rice, or any other grain your prefer. I bet even roasting some potatoes and almonds in this would be delicious as well.

: Matilda also got a special somethin’ somethin’ from Trader Joe’s!

I almost forgot! Here’s the food porn I promised!

: Mmm so creamy

Hmm… what to do with my strawberry Chobani?

: Breakfast the other day was like a banana split!

I heated up a Vitalicious brownie, sliced a banana, sprinkled on some cashews and sprinkles of course! Topped it off with a scoop of fro-yo. On the side I had some cranberry cinnamon swirl toast with cream cheese and 1/2 with Crofter’s superfruit spread and the other 1/2 with Creme of Almond & Dates.

: Up close and personal

: Explosion!

Holly, look it’s a yog-mess!

Today I fly to Florida! Actually, the other night when I double-checked my itenerary I realized that there was a very big mistake. My dad had booked my flight as if I were departing from Florida tomorrow and flying back there on Sunday. Oops dad! You mixed them up. He was able to work it out I guess. Anywho, I’m so excited!

: Some of you may be experiencing the harsh weather already, so don’t forget to bundle up!

: Matilda says so!

p.s. Does anyone have any penne and pesto recipes they’d like to share? Thanks a bunch!

p.s.s. Keep the questions coming! I hope to have a video up by tomorrow. Special post for Friday!

Katharina's Food Adventures

Tag Archives: curry