Today I’m going to push the rewind button and go back to the end of July. With the change of season and the temperature of the air… July seems so far away.
I came to Richmond bearing gifts and matching the Chinatown bus. On my visit I found a handy dandy travel case, and had a Barbie pool day… along with other adventures.
Let’s do the time warp!
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…
I paid the well-known Angelica Kitchen a little visit awhile ago. This vegan establishment has been up and running since 1976, and gets credit for being mindful in aspects going beyond conscious food. They recognize the environmental and economic impact we [can] make, and incorporate that into their overall approach.
“Baked rounds of mashed Yukon Gold potatoes and herbed seitan, with a parsley-almond pesto center; topped with dill-tofu sour cream & garnished with piquant marinated kale.”
This is called a “special appetizer” because:
Why hello there, friends! It’s been quite some time since my last post, hasn’t it? I’m starting to feel a little more settled now here in New York. Things have been a rollercoaster to say the least. The kind with plenty of climbs and drops–stomach in your mouth kind of drops. That’s about the best blanket statement I can come up with to keep from writing a short story. Maybe I’ll do that as a side project! Actually, aside from my full-time job I’ve got a few side projects up my sleeve. Since my last post a few exciting things have happened. The iPad magazine I write for finally launched! So all of you readers with iPads out there, I highly suggest you check out “JNSQ“! It’s the first independent, multimedia style magazine for iPad. I don’t have an iPad (yet) so I haven’t had the chance to see it in action. If you do download it, don’t forget to write a review! We’d love to know your feedback.
I’m also in the process of revamping a menu for a cafe! It’s a funny story how it happened, but it was in typical New York fashion. Let’s just say that I talk a lot, which has led me to some pretty awesome opportunities. Open attitude + friendly people… that combination can lead to many things!
Now let’s see what food combinations can lead to…
I thought of what I would put in my ideal sushi roll and just served it as a sushi bowl.
Things like the feeling of thirst, blind spots when driving, or finding the beat in a song when it changes. In my last post I asked you all if you pay attention to how certain things affect you. I also said that lately I’ve been approaching my meals at home with no forethought. Take breakfasts for example. I would always say that I’m more of a “sweet breakfasts” person, but lately I’ve been waking up many mornings wanting different things. Or sometimes I’ve been waking up with nothing in mind. If I’m hungry I’ll walk to the fridge, open it, and stare up and down for five minutes. So here are some of my recent varying breakfasts.
I made Ashley’s Chocolate Buckwheat Breakfast bake, but next time I don’t want to add so much cocoa powder.
I combined these two recipes: breakfast scramble and tofu taco, and then added some of my own dashes of flavor.
I bought jicama for another recipe and had some leftover, so I found this delicious recipe to try out. So refreshing!
Sauerkraut in the morning? I combined two recipes again: vegetarian reuben sandwich and tempeh reuben.
Another recipe from Ashley, a banana cornbread cake and if I remember correctly I just made the creature blob by simply mixing Greek yogurt, a bit of almond milk, and sunflower seed butter together to get this pudding like consistency.
Kita’s cornmeal pancake recipe was so delicious!
I finally stumbled upon Coconut Bliss’s “Ginger Cookie Caramel” at the store one day, mind you I’ve been keeping an eye out for it since the flavor released a few months ago. I’m glad I picked it up because a) it was the last one, and b) I have yet to see it again.
This was also very tasty, and I loved the bitter crunch from the cacao nibs.
La-Loo’s goat’s milk ice cream caught my eye, and I decided on vanilla. Whoa! This was so good that I don’t think I will ever buy another kind of vanilla ice cream. Ever. It was creamy, sweet ,and had an intense vanilla flavor like no other–no wonder it’s considered the “holy grail” of ice cream.
Any recipes in this post you’d like to try? What’s your favorite ice cream?
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!
Let’s see… how have I been enjoying the summer’s endless heat?
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.
You can tell how delicious these were just by looking at them.
I made this particular one with Greek yogurt, honey, almond milk, peaches, and cinnamon.
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 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.
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*
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.
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.
Recently, I’ve been letting a bag of green tea steep in a glass of cold water overnight.
Hello hello! Greetings with another post–a much anticipated one at that. I haven’t been on the computer much lately, but you know what means. I’m brimming with things to share!
I’ll explain what I mean later…
I steamed it with thyme, and ground all-spice. I didn’t know that you could steam herbs! I guess in reality, you can really steam anything, even nuts.
This may explain why my palms and the bottoms of my feet are rosy.
I was inspired by Averie’s sweet-and-sour honey lemon tofu. However, instead of baking the tofu I fried it, but I followed her cue and used mango chutney and lemon. I sprinkled on some sesame seeds and cilantro for the final touch.
A great idea!
I took Mel’s advice on spreading Nutella on the brötchen. Although this wasn’t Nutella per se, it was close enough as it was, after-all, chocolate hazelnut butter. This was so delicious and went perfectly together! I decided to simply spread a date on one of the halves.
Alongside came a bowl of Greek yogurt with chia seeds and a medley of fruits.
Getting ready to go out for Wednesday ladies' night!
The dress...
The shoes...
And a picture courtesy of my iPhone hehehe
I think I may be one of the few people who drinks a glass of wine and doesn’t get sleepy, but instead dances their butts off long enough to get some blisters. Anyone care to join me? I guess you don’t have to get blisters though!
A delicious breakfast to revive me sounded really nice at the time.
Actually, when does that not?
In the mix: overnight oats with dried cranberries and chia seeds, a diced pear, cinnamon, chocolate almond butter, and puffed millet
Another bar variation!
I can't believe that this bar tasted like a delicious, fruity wine!
I used a mix of oats, puffed millet, and puffed corn for the grains in this bar. I also added some grated chocolate, dried fruits, pecans, and more mixed nuts to the continuously evolving secret recipe.
And a pick-me up lunch!
I made a sun-dried tomato cauliflower mash, since my mom has never tried this vegetable in that form. Eating anything mashed is such a comfort food for me. Maybe because it’s like baby food… but tastes way better!
I highly recommend this recipe!
I recently received a newsletter from the Vegetarian Times and saw they had a recipe for smoke baby portobello sliders. The picture looked appetizing alone, and I happen to get some portobellos on sale at the market. This was sweet, smoky, juicy, savoury, and just wonderful to bite into. The herbes de Provence gave it a great sweet, flowery, and Italian flavor. I love how portobellos really suck up the flavors of the rubs and marinades because otherwise they would be too earthy for me on it’s own. I actually prefer my mushrooms cooked unless I’m dipping raw ones into hummus or my favorite BBQ sauce. I also suggest that if you try this recipe, use a bread that isn’t whole wheat. Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t imagine these flavors going well with a grainy bread.
I also thought that maybe a smoothie with some leftover pulp from juicing + the usual ingredients would make my lethargy go away.
Unfortunately, I was feeling under the weather pretty much the whole day, until I took an afternoon cat-nap.
Another portobello recipe!
I found a great recipe in the Veganomicon, Portobello Salad with a Spicy Mustard Dressing. This was delicious, and I don’t think I can ever get over how great the texture of this mushroom is.
So this is how my Friday started out...
A nice but very wavey day at the beach--perfect for the surfers!
The waves here are just good for simply riding… unless there’s a hurricane. That’s another story! A lot of people get arrested because they’re not suppose to be out there when the weather is that bad. Their dangerous, but their probably the best that Florida can get!
Then it was time to continue the dancing from the other night!
We went to go see a new talent signed to one my favorite DJ’s (Steve Aoki) label, Dim-Mak records. It was so much fun and so many things went our way that night.
While trying to find parking in South Beach and as soon as I said "someone please pull out just for me".. reverse lights came on and we had a spot!
That’s when I knew that things would go my way. We headed over to this place…
Got there, got through the ropes no problem
We payed, but then somehow one of the doormen knew we payed called us back and had the cashier give us our money back because “we were with Norman”. Whoever Norman is…(?) thanks! After dancing our feet off we headed back to the car and met a friendly stranger. Actually, at that late hour… almost everyone is friendly. I can’t tell you how many people I walked by that put their hands out for a high-five. I loved it! Anyway, friendly stranger encounter brings me to the next day.
First I had to get refreshed with this perfect summer breakfast.
Somehow I managed to wake up in time for my favorite yoga class.
Overnight oats topped with Cacao Bliss banana "soft-serve", macadamia nut butter, coconut shreds, and sprinkles of course.
I love the crunch those little sprinkles add!
After yoga class and lunch, I got ready and dressed!
It’s about time I made a debut with this blouse! Oh my goodness, this top is insanely vibrant and a new favorite. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten so many ooh’s and ahh’s from a single item of clothing. It was funny because at one point when we were heading up to the W Hotel, I saw these women looking at me, and making the motion around the shoulder and literally gasping with a smile. Which makes sense because guess what was going on this past week? Mercedes-Benz Swim Fashion Week! I headed to the W Hotel to catch some of the action.
Of course I brought one of my partners in crime!
A glorious hallway filled with beautiful swimwear.
A suite with a great view is the perfect environment to get work done, right?
As soon as we got there, they generously offered to make us some drinks.
I’m not the biggest fan of tequila, but one of the guys promised that it would be the best tequila I had ever tasted. He was actually right! No foul face was made, and I was happy with my slice of sweet orange dipped in cinnamon to have afterwards. Then a very handsome (that’s an understatement people) gentleman offered to make me another drink. Uh… you had me before hello!
The view from the balcony was so nice.
See you soon!
It was a really nice evening, and I got to meet a lot of new people! I think the best part was that it encouraged me even more to pursue my dreams. Whatever it is, whatever I want… I can make it happen! Oh gosh I’m biting my tongue right now because I still have lots to share! Until next post, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” Yes, I think Henry David Thoreau had the right idea!
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!!!
Where has the time gone? It’s seeming to escape me! Anyway let me get down to business. Where was I? Ah yes, recapping my spring break in Florida!
Lots of overnight oats were had, and my friend even tried it (and liked it!)
She also started putting nut butters in her oats! There’s no looking back now hehe.
I made my overnight oats with something new my parents had in their fridge.
At first when I tried the Wild Wood Soyogurt itself I didn’t really like it. But it started to grow on me, and it definitely didn’t taste funky in my overnight oats. So the oats were soaked in this yogurt with raisins, rose water, and cinnamon. Topped in the morning with coconut milk, pistachios, and a sliced banana.
Packed sandwiches, nuts, and some veggies for the beach.
It was so windy that my sandwich became a real “sand”wich! After the beach we headed to the local discount healthfood store.
I got some new things to try...
I also snagged a can of organic pumpkin puree since it’s rare to find one nowadays. I also finally got myself some of my favorite candies… Ginger People’s crystallized ginger m’mmm. I love letting these soak in my tea. I also spotted the Luna protein bar and I got the flavor that appealed to me the most (cookie dough). It was okay, but I don’t think I’m really into the texture of those kinds of bars. I’m more of a whole ingredient bar lady. All of the other goodies are new to me except for the coconut water.
I also stocked my freezer up. Can you tell I'm a college girl?
My favorite sandwich bread for PB&Js!
My friend couldn't decide which chocolate to get so I made it easy for her and exclaimed at this one! SOOO DELICIOUS!
I just had to marvel at the colors!
I had the leftover curried tofu my mom made, a sweet potato with cinnamon and coconut oil, and a salad with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette. Delicious thrown together meal.
More overnight oats + aloe vera on the side
Toppings: coconut milk, Kashi GoLean Crunch, sliced banana, pistachios, and a strawberry compote with honey
Holy yum! I loved the various textures in this breakfast and the fresh flavors. Strawberries and bananas are a fruit combination that never fail.
I made us a nice lunch before we headed out to go shopping!
This turned out to be so flavorful!
I wanted to fix the tofu so it’d be like orange chicken. I found a recipe that sounded good, then added some veggies and cooked some egg noodles. Then we were out!
I took her to Paul, a french bakery franchise.
Rainforest Cafe can get a little crazy... especially if I'm there!
Let’s just say I had a lot of fun going around the store with the hand puppets they sell. What can I say? My imagination is still going strong.
Tried on an amazing Alexander Wang dress.
We had a very successful shopping trip, and left the mall elated with the "shopper's high".
Check it out!!!
We got home and had dinner.
Mom made rotkohl (red cabbage) with apples, pan-heated parathas, avocado, and I quickly fried some tofu with a Key Lime Ginger sauce.
And while I was in Florida I enjoyed dates (organic on sale for $1!) with the cashew-macadamia butter I made for my mom.
I have to admit, that date looks inappropriate, but I’ll just leave it at that haha. Anyway, I’m still not done recapping my break down in Florida. So hold on to your seats because there’s more to come. I just hope my next post is sooner than later! Next thing you know it’s going to be April already.
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
another awesome Jessica
and last but in no way least, Holly
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 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!
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.
Then we got ready to go out!
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!
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.
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!
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!