happy smells like toasted coconut and lime

Earlier today, before I started preparing dinner, I had a strange, out-of-the-blue hankering for cookies.  It was so unlike me that when I told Mister I wanted a cookie, he was truly surprised and had to repeat me: "You want a cookie?"  We then had a conversation about the pros and cons of going out to buy cookies versus me making cookies (all kinds of unnecessary, weird crap in the ingredients vs. big messy kitchen right before dinner).  When I started pulling together dinner ingredients, I noticed I did not have the coconut milk I thought I had until I had a memory flashback to the empty shelf at Superfresh.  So....since I had to stop by Essene for that crucial ingredient (otherwise the Coconut Rice would just be.....Rice, which is not terribly interesting), I picked up some organic, special, not-gonna-kill-ya cookies and felt that was a reasonable middle ground.

The problem starts here, though: before I went over to Essene, I made the marinade for tonight's Jerk Seitan from Vegan With A Vengeance so it could start its hour of marinating time while I went to the store. As I combined the dozen ingredients in a spouted measuring cup that I would use to pour the marinade evenly over the seitan (which was carefully placed in real Gladware this time around... it only takes once for me to learn my lesson), the amazing scent of the two fresh limes I juiced attached to my skin and smelled better than my Mediterranean Fig perfume.  Once everything was all mixed together, the most amazing scent filled my kitchen, thereby shoving out any real desire to eat cookies.  Or anything that was not Jerk Seitan on Coconut Rice for that matter.

The coconut rice has two layers to it, which I hope I've captured with this image - the first "layer" involves cooking Basmati or Jasmine rice in a water + coconut milk + cinnamon mixture which is divine all by itself.  The second layer, however, really cements this rice as more than just a side dish or meal base.  What you see unceremoniously dumped sprinkled gracefully on top is a 1/2 cup of toasted coconut flakes.  Do you know that almost nothing smells better than coconut toasting on your stovetop?

Well... ask me again in October/December and I may have a different answer, usually involving chocolate and my oven or ginger+molasses and my oven, but you know what I mean.  The best part is how the scent lingers in the air even now, even after a thorough searing of the peppers and seitan with leftover marinade.

That looks delicious.  However, I promise you, the picture does not do it justice.  For one thing, you will never understand how amazingly flavorful and tasty this dish is until you go out, buy VwaV and make it (just be sure you won't be sharing with more than one other person or you're going to have to double the recipe).  For another thing, although the marinated seitan and perfectly pan-seared green peppers are unbelievably tasty all by themselves, the level of flavor satisfaction you will reach when you eat these jerked bits over the sweet, fragrant Coconut Rice cannot be described.  I'm not even going to try.

Instead, I'm going to focus my energy on willing you to visit your nearest independent bookstore (or go online, if you must) and get yourself a copy of Vegan with a Vengeance, because if you don't, you will never find true happiness.

I don't want that for you.  I want you to be happy.  Go buy the book.

sunday, windy sunday

Aside from the near-cyclonic winds blowing down through the concrete jungle today (and by the way, Chestnut Street makes a mighty fine wind tunnel), it was a gorgeous sunny day.  It seems like ordinarily, I spend gorgeous sunny days in my cube farm, alternately wishing I was outside and wishing my office had no windows.  Today, though, I spent the whole day wandering around Philadelphia with my dear sister, delighting in one another, the sunshine, and a feeling of glamour that can only come from shopping (with a side of gossip).

You want Hollywood glamour?  Look no further than this incredible consignment store find - a black, sequined mini-dress, shrouded by a sheer black-and-white, leopard print (sometimes) overlay with a train.  We were daring each other to wear it to Brother's wedding next month in between giggles.  After all, the whole point of the trip was to find a fabulous dress for the wedding.

Bohemian Barbie

Backyard BBQ Barbie

1920s Glamour-puss Barbie

I am so blessed to have such a stunning sister - when I look at her, I think how serendipitous it was that her parents named her after a Greek goddess - this lady should be in magazines and on some billboard on Times Square.

This lady should not.  No, I did not leave with that hat - it stayed in the store where it belongs.  I did get a snazzy scarf (50% off!) that Mister said looks exactly like my other scarves; I explained that it was different - this one has tinsel woven in.

The most clever back-door-protection I've seen.
Arcadia Boutique on Rittenhouse Square

Eco-Chic Barbie

By the way - in case you were wondering - nothing looks bad on her.  She is simply breath-taking!  In addition to playing Runway Model, I also had fun walking down the streets of Philadelphia with her and watching all the guys checking her out.

After we had exhausted ourselves and most of the clothing stores we were interested in, we stopped into a few other places - the Borders closing sale, the Kimmel Center so she could see the Eiffel Tower, and Anthropologie, where I haven't been in forever.  We had fun poking through the clothes and oddities, and then came upon a table full of houseware treasures.  We examined a set of [presumably] hand-painted measuring "cups" and after a discussion on how I still need beautiful things to be functional, dear Sister scooped up the cups I had been admiring and headed for check-out.  Over my protests, she explained that she had to buy me a housewarming gift since she didn't get to help me clean when we first moved in.

Have I mentioned I love this girl?

After Anthropologie, we stopped into Starbucks for the first iced coffee beverages of the year, which we sipped through funny green straws as we walked home through sunshine and flower petals.

Lots of petals.  I wish they would stop raining, actually.  But it was still a lovely scene, and a cat hung out with us a few minutes, too, so that's always fun.

Once I had bored Mister half to death with my new measuring cups and scarf, I went out to be a responsible adult.  In other words, I went food shopping....for this menu:

1. 2nd Avenue Vegetable Korma from Appetite for Reduction, since I failed to make this last week.  Mainly, because Mister failed to be awake for dinner.

2. Jerk Seitan on Coconut Rice, both from Vegan With A Vengeance; same story as above. 

3. Garlicky Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil.  Aside from the pretty recipe box I was given at my bridal shower 4 years ago, I have no idea where this recipe came from.  I'm not too sad about that  because it's just barely a recipe.  It sure makes for a tasty (and simple) pasta dish, though.

4. Mediterranean Chickpeas and Vegetables from an old issue of Cooking Light magazine.

5. Mediterranean Pasta with Artichokes, Olives, and Tomatoes, from an old issue of Body + Soul magazine.  This is one of the first pasta dishes I made that did not involve a heavy red sauce, so it has a special place in my heart.  Oh, and it's also hella delicious.

6. Spicy Black Bean Burritos, adapted from the original red-and-white-checkered Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, lovingly given to me by my mother before I had figured out how to cook.  I've made the recipe straight before, but Mister and I agree that it tastes far better when wrapped up in a soft, salty tortilla.

So, tonight, I has happy to be able to employ the help of two of my new measuring dishes:

flaked coconut never looked so pretty

I love jasmine rice anyway, but it's far prettier now

After oohing and aahing over my pretty dishes, I got to work on Jerk Seitan on Coconut Rice, which is hardly a one-pot meal.  It's actually more like a three-pot meal, if you must know.  It smelled so delicious and so tropical, between the coconut, cinnamon, and lime scents filling the air.  To tell the truth, my hands still smell like the three limes I juiced (two for the marinade and one for the rice).

The Coconut Rice recipe yields a huge amount, so although there were no leftovers of the peppers and seitan, there is leftover rice.  I'm contemplating turning it into an easy-to-reheat breakfast cereal, although it could come in handy as a base for the Korma.  I guess you'll just have to check back and see what happens!

Bon Soir, mes amis!

(sorry.  too much PIFA)

comfort food a la Isa

What comes to mind when you think of "comfort food?"  Ask an omnivore and they may say, "Mom's meatloaf," or "this crazy cheddar-chicken-macaroni casserole."  Ask a vegetarian, you'll probably hear about mac 'n' cheese or pizza, possibly even ice cream.  Ask a vegan?  Well, that gets a little more complicated, doesn't it?  After all, cheese actually has a natural chemical in it that produces feelings of pleasure and calm - the purpose of dairy (be it cow, goat, or human) is to nurture and nourish the little baby.

When I think of comfort foods, they are almost always warm and the product of slow cooking of some sort.  I may indulge in non-dairy "ice cream" as an occasional treat, but I don't drown myself in it like your classic Lifetime drama might show.  When I need a "taste of home," something to sooth me and keep me in this moment and content, it usually involves dinner.  I'll admit, I find a steamy bowl of oatmeal an immensely satisfying way to start the day - all the more since I've started reserving it for weekend breakfasts since it is a slow-cooking breakfast and I don't always have that time in the mornings before work.  Through the packing process, I've discovered how I can crave a nice crunchy, warm piece of toast with a pool of melted Earth Balance on top of it.  I can wax poet about Chickpea Stew with Fried Polenta, but tonight I reminded Mister and myself of an extraordinarily comforting dish.

I really ought to make Chickpea Broccoli Casserole from Vegan with a Vengeance more frequently.  It is just so good.  I've made it enough times that I've attached a couple of post-it notes to the page including variations I have made or things I'd like to try, because the recipe (and its intro) invites creativity.

Although the recipe instructs a person to grate the carrots, one of the tweaks I've made is to quarter and slice the carrots - I like the added texture.  The broccoli gets perfectly squishy in a way that is only appropriate or appetizing at all because it is surrounded by creamy, soft chickpea puree spiked with bread crumbs for stability.  Another tweak I've made is the addition of garlic.  This time around, I added 5 cloves, which would have been overwhelming if a person didn't like garlic.  Fortunately, Mister and I are Garlic Monsters, so it's all good.

Seriously, if you don't have VwaV yet, you should start hinting to Someone about what a great Valentine's Day gift it would be....

keep on creepin' on

I'm so glad it's Thursday.  I can't wait until tomorrow (evening) when I can begin my weekend.  I have high hopes for my productivity level, so hopefully I'll get at least half of what I want to do done.  Some of it is fun stuff, like visiting our new home (we have keys!) and mapping it out with measuring tape and photos so I can start arranging things in my brain (and on graph paper).  Maybe we'll even visit IKEA...  Perhaps with that inspiration backing me, I'll regain my motivation to put things in boxes.  I plan to spend a large part of Sunday walking up and down my steps, delivering oodles of unwanteds to the thrift store and burning off my wine and chocolate calories.

Oh yes, there will be wine and chocolate.

Tonight, I got a head-start on my Montepulciano and shortly, I will nibble at my dark chocolate Bug Bite, but for now, let's talk about dinner.

Call it poor planning or call it delusional optimism (I'm partial to the latter), but I really should have incorporated more quick cooking foods into this menu.  I don't expect to create a full menu tomorrow night, but there will still be a couple of days next week I can still cook, and I fully intend to hold off on anything that might possibly take longer than 30 minutes to prepare.  I have lost my oomph.  I'm tired and a little frustrated by work (does that ever change?) and due to factors beyond my control (namely, SEPTA's difficulty running their trains and buses on schedule), I've been getting home around 9pm the past few days.  Getting home at 9pm really does not inspire me to cook no matter how much I enjoy it.  It's hard to believe there was a time (for over a year, too!) that I would get home from work shortly before 1am and make "dinner," to be eaten around 2:30ish.  We were a little nocturnal in those days...

Sometimes, I kind of miss those days.  Like when I feel like I'm too young to feel this damn old.

Anyway, before this goes downhill, look how decadent our dinner was!

The only dinner in recent memory that can compete with Orecchiette with Cherry Tomatoes and Kalamata Tapenade from Vegan with a Vengeance is Dynise's Vegan Carbonara Sauce of DOOM, which I'm pretty sure will have a long and prosperous reign as the fattiest sauce I've ever made.

This time I used shells in the absence of orecchiette.  They cupped the sauce far better than the farfalle I used last time, resulting in a far richer dish than I was expecting.  Fortunately, this kept Mister and I at reasonably normal portions.

On another note, my brain has been running all over the nooks and crannies of the most recent incarnation of the GMO controversy, so unless I get way overzealous with my packing (AKA, resign myself to being a responsible adult so we actually can move next weekend), I'm planning to explore my own opinions on the matter.  Feel free to provide any pre-feedback or suggested reading in the comments. 

For now, though, I leave you with the image of an adorably worn-out sleeping kitty.  I love how he's holding his feet.

curry, burritos, and cookies, oh my!

Happy Friday!  I cannot believe it is already the end of the third week of January.  Next weekend is the last weekend of January, which blows my mind for two reasons: first, I can't believe I blinked this month away already.  Second, something for which I have been preparing since May is finally culminating...or at least, beginning to culminate: my dear student has her first college music audition.  Tomorrow is our last lesson before the audition, our last chance to iron out any last kinks.

Between that and a few other things that are irrelevant to a food blog, I've been a little distracted lately...pondering the meaning of life (why did I marry a philosopher?), what I am doing with mine (why am I so introspective?), and ultimately, how to be happy.  I do want to share some fun food stories, so here's a random selection from the last couple of days.

Last night, since the Spinach Drought finally ended, I finally made Chickpea and Spinach Curry from Vegan With a Vengeance.

I was going to write last night, but I got distracted by the pure incompetence of someone from whom I've been waiting to hear news for at least a week.  I was too pissed off to focus on the relatively calm post I had in my brain - I thought a fun title would be Calming Colors: Chickpea Beige.

I love the color combination of this flavorful curry: bright red tomatoes, emerald green spinach, and golden-beige chickpeas.  Although I appreciate the bold colors of crimson and hunter, it is the subtle, creamy taupe of the garbanzos that pull everything together and make this dish a thing of beauty.  This is no testament to my still-developing photography skills, but if I saw the picture above in a cookbook, I would want to make that dish purely because it is attractive (and appears to be made of food I like).

Even though the Great Spinach Famine of 2011 is coming to an end, we're not back in business quite yet, so I was only able to get half of what I needed.  As a result of forgetting that while mixing the curry spices, the result was a little more intense than it usually is, but it was still very tasty, even if it took Mister three breads to get through his servings.

Tonight, I made Barbecued Black Bean and Tofu Burritos, also from Vegan on the Cheap, which I've made once before.  Although I went back and read that post, in which I commented on wanting to marinate the tofu, here's what I did instead:

I sliced it as thin as I could without tearing it, then laid it on some towels to drain a bit.  After spraying and heating my skillet, I arranged the slices and let them cook a few minutes while I seasoned the "up side" with sea salt and chili powder, then sprayed them with olive oil.  Once the tofu was popping enough to nearly flip itself over, I turned each piece and seasoned the half-cooked sides.  One more flip and I turned off the burner while the tofu finished cooking on the cooling-down skillet.

I will always do it that way - it came out so well.  Also, as the black beans were simmering in my home-made barbecue sauce, it seemed like there was too much liquid, so I looked in the fridge and found what I was looking for: leftover cooked rice.  I tossed that in, stirred it up and let it heat through, then lined each tortilla with 3-4 tofu slices and dumped a healthy bit of beans-n-rice on the tofu and rolled it all up.

Sooo tasty...  Speaking of tasty things, do you know what time of year it is?

That's right, kids - it's Girl Scout Cookie time.  One of my most recently hired and trained employees brought some in to sell for her daughter, but she just straight up gave me these: Shout Outs are brand new to the line up.  Round wafer cookies, embossed with one inspiring word (3 of the 4 I've already eaten said "Lead" and I wonder if I should be taking that as a message), and aside from an undefined "Sugar" in the ingredients, these sweet treats appear to be vegan - no milk, eggs, or other recognizable animal bits to be found in the nutritional label.  Also, I'm a pretty big fan of serving sizes like this: 4 cookies = 130 calories.

renaming recipes

I like a well-named recipe.  When I'm flipping through my cookbooks, it is the name of the recipe that catches my eye, luring me to the ingredients list and finally to the preparation methods.  The first step, though, is always the recipe - if it has a boring name or lists an ingredient (as a main) that Mister and/or I won't eat, it doesn't get a second glance.

Because of the importance I place on the title of a recipe, it is often difficult for me to come up with my own recipe names: I want them to jump out and say "pick me!"  Every once in a while, though, I come across someone else's recipe that I really feel compelled to give a new name.

Tonight's dinner was appropriately named Corn Chowder.  I think I have at least half a dozen recipes for a chunky, hearty corn and potato-based "chowder," and they're all named similarly.  I'm not in the habit of marking up my cookbooks (I really need to get over that), so sometimes it's difficult to remember which one is which and how I felt about each of them.  More importantly, considering his aversion to soup dinners, I want to remember how Mister felt about each of them.

Tonight's Corn Chowder came to us from Vegan With A Vengeance and I couldn't tell you the last time I made this.  That is a certifiable pity because this chowder is freaking amazing.  Hearty and thick and full of various flavors, it is by far the winner of the multiple other Corn Chowders for which I have recipes.  If I'm ever babbling about corn chowder in the future, would someone please leave me a comment reminding me that this one is the amazing one?

I would like to rename this Corn Chowder: Nothing Left Chowder.  I put it on the table, Mister and I sped through our first bowls as quickly as the heat would allow, still taking the time to savor and appreciate the flavor profile created by combining mainly corn and potatoes with a diced red pepper and a few diced carrots.  I think the thing that really sets this one apart from the others, I think, is that it simmers for nearly an hour with a big, fat Turkish Bay Leaf.  Regardless, Mister had gone back for seconds before I finished my first bowl and then we rose simultaneously to refill (my second helping, his third).  Yes, that's right - Mister had three servings of soup dinner.  Win!

Because it's Sunday and I had plenty of time to start dinner early, I had plenty of time for baking projects after dinner.  Despite Angst's reticence to help, we had us a little bake-a-thon.

here he is, crammed onto Mister's expensive messenger bag,
being grumpy because he knows he has to move when Mister comes in for dinner.

Our first baking project was Banana Coconut Cookies - I was directed to this recipe via a VegNews e-newsletter.  I had been saving two nearly rotten bananas for this and when I removed them from the banana hanger on the fridge to make way for the new bananas I picked up this afternoon, I realized that they were not going to wait another day to be turned into something.  

Not a bad thing to turn into, wouldn't you say?  They are soft and chewy with a little bit of structure provided by the oats.  I made them a little big, so they didn't make the 18 the recipe said they would, but if that means I get to eat share bigger cookies, then that's good enough for me.

Currently, baking project number two is in the oven, smelling up my home something [delightfully] fierce.  While I wait for the Seed Cake I'm testing for the new Urban Vegan cookbook to gestate, let me share the new menu:

1. Chickpea and Spinach Curry from VwaV - I still haven't made this because there still isn't spinach.  Does anyone know something I don't know?  Regarding the Spinach Famine, that is.

2. Chickpea Piccata served on Caulipots, both from Appetite for Reduction.  You thought I was kidding, didn't you?  I had asked Mister, when I first got the cookbook and wanted to make this, if he liked capers.  He didn't remember because he couldn't remember what capers were.  When we were at Horizons, I separated one from my appetizer to show him.  He promptly remembered that he does like them, so this was pretty much fated to be on the menu.

3. Quinoa Bulghur, White Bean, and Kale Stew also from Appetite for Reduction.  Mister doesn't like quinoa, so I'll be substituting bulghur because it cooks nearly as quickly and Mister is ambivalent to it.

4. Salsa Rice and Red Beans from Vegan on the Cheap.

5. Barbecued Black Bean and Tofu Burritos, also from Vegan on the Cheap.  I made this before, but I want to try something different with the tofu.  Besides, it was pretty good the first time around.

6. Farfalle with White Beans and Cabbage, also from Vegan on the Cheap.  I'm really into cabbage right now...if you didn't notice.

Fresh out of the oven, here is Seed Cake from the forthcoming UV2.  As you can imagine, it got its name from the tiny little caraway seeds speckled throughout the inside.  It's a light spice cake and mine has quite a crunch to it.  I could very well have messed up, or maybe I just need to rethink my idea of cake.  This was possibly a little more like a coffee cake, especially with its optional dusting of powdered sugar, which makes a bit of sense since Dynise recommends eating yours with tea.

I think it needs just a little tweaking, but I am fully confident that by the time this new cookbook hits the shelves, this will be one of the recipes people are stumbling over each other to make for a Sunday brunch, elbowing each other in the spice aisles, trying to get the last bottle of caraway seeds.

jerk seitan and the perils of wannabe gladware

 
You know that song that the Whos sing to welcome Christmas in How the Grinch Stole Christmas?  I want to sing it about the weekend.  I'm halfway through it, but I have a fun and action-packed day tomorrow, so hopefully I'll spring just the right balance between relaxation and productivity.  Besides, I have a shortened week coming up and then a long, glorious break from the insanity.  I might even refrain from my usual Sunday night whining to Mister about how "I don't WANT to go to work tomorrow..."

Besides, since he is actually conscious today, Mister has taken over whining privileges:
"I don't wanna be sleepy"
"I don't wanna be sick"
"I sweated through 4 shirts last night"
"My pillow is a soggy mess"
"I'm dizzy"
And much sticking out of the lower lip.  Awww....poor baby.  He's adorable, even as he creeps closer to sporting a full-grown beard (amazing what a few days without shaving does to a Greek).

As all his little white blood cells run around trying to heal him, much the way I have been running around the past few weeks trying to do two peoples' jobs, he actually became hungry enough to eat not one but two helpings of Jerk Seitan on Coconut Rice, both from Vegan With A Vengeance.  Way to rock the solid food!

 Every time I make this, I am amazed anew at not only how tasty it is, but how attractive it is.  I could eat that picture...if I wasn't already full from my two servings.  I guess we can add this to the No Leftovers category.

I learned a valuable lesson, though, while I was preparing it tonight.  I've noticed that ordinarily, when you have something sitting in a marinade, say tofu or seitan, the instructions direct you to stir or toss now and again to ensure equal soaking/coating.  It occurred to me a while back that the easiest way to do this was to put the ThingToBeMarinated in a shallow Gladware container and then pour the marinade over it, shove the top on and shake it every 5-10 minutes.

Not too long ago, I came into possession of NoName Gladware Wannabe containers.  When you look at them, they don't look all too different from my "real" Gladware containers, so I didn't think twice about depositing my sliced seitan into one of the impostors and coating it with sticky, sweet-sour marinade.  After the third haphazard shake, I felt something wet on my fingers.  I looked down and was reminded of the old Glad Ziplock baggie commercials - does anyone know what I'm talking about?  Anyway, in the messiest way possible, I learned that the magical, vacuum-like powers of Gladware are not inherent in their mimics.  I wiped up the mess and resorted to carefully jiggling the container without picking it up off the counter for the rest of the marinating time.

Tomorrow morning, I'll be joining a dear, long-time friend for brunch at Mi-Lah Vegetarian, then I am going to try my darnedest to get as much of my Christmas shopping done as possible.  At some point, I will also shop for the following menu:


1. Farfalle with Shallots and Chard

2. Pan-Seared Tofu with Basil-Balsamic Glaze with Lemon-Champagne-Braised Baby Bok Choy, I hope... It seems like every time I specifically want to prepare baby bok choy, there are none to be found.  I almost didn't write it down, even though I intend to make it, in a desperate attempt to fly under Murphy's radar.

3. Chamomile Couscous with Savory Spinach - I haven't made this for a very long time (a year, to be exact) and since the "grain" is couscous, it comes together very quickly.  When I was selecting my menu, I thought about doing a few more labor-intensive ones, but then my brain kicked me and said, "Hey, Einstein - why don't you save those for the week you're off from work and have nothing better to do with your day than spend hours prepping and cooking?"

4. Easy Tuscan Linguini because I've really been in a mood for salty-garlicky Italian food lately AND because it also comes together pretty quickly.

I also have not yet made the Warm Chickpea Ragout from last week's menu, so that will happen soon...or the chard will rise up in revolt.

blue and sunny in Philadelphia

Last night I made Orecchiette with Cherry Tomatoes and Kalamata Tapenade from VwaV, primarily because I knew it was useless to try hide the Kalamatas from Mister for very long.  I bought the oil-cured black olives to distract him, but I'm pretty sure it was only a temporary fix.  Imagine my surprise, then, when he came to visit me in the kitchen and when his eyes widened and his mouth formed an O, he reached past the olives and stole a cherry tomato.  Granted, I had already hidden all of the olives that I needed under a layer of parsley and garlic in the food processor...

In completely unrelated news, I've recently rediscovered how nicely those colors (deep green and dark purple) complement one another and bring out the blue in my eyes when worn as eye shadow.

Anyway, dinner was absolutely delicious, and there was just enough left for a work-lunch.  I was conservative in my helping, though, because I really wanted to leave a little room for these sweeties:

Sunny Blueberry-Corn Muffins, also from VwaV and sparked into the front of my mind by Dynise's recent attempts to use up her own surplus of perfectly plump, ripe blueberries.

I think these are the most attractive muffins I have ever made.  They are little and tart and a little crunchy from the cornmeal.  I think I'm blueberry-muffined out, but I still have my bookmark in Isa's recipe for Blueberry Coffee Cake (New York-style, baby!) and they're only getting better (and closer!).

I had only two recipes left on my menu from which to choose tonight.  This actually resulted in a lot more thought than you would think necessary, but I have a bag of beluga lentils burning a hole in my cupboard, a few stalks of asparagus that desperately need to be used or thrown away in the next 24 hours...and I have mentioned before my reticence to waste food.  My mind started putting some pieces together when I saw the asparagus and then my eyes settled on the salsa also begging to be put to use before drifting back to my treasured lentils.  I thought of making tonight my improv night, but two things stopped me:

First, I wasn't quite ready to expend the mental energy necessary to put together an edible and fascinating recipe.  Tomorrow, most likely, so stay tuned!

Second, I want a date.  I want to try to convince Mister to take me out to dinner later this week.  It's as simple as that.

So I made Cajun Red Beans and Rice from The Accidental Vegan.  It's so tasty and very easy.  I supplemented the wimpy green pepper I had with a beautiful but beginning-to-shrivel yellow pepper, saving some to slice and add to our salads.

I used up more than half of what remained of the "spicy" mixed greens from the FarMar, topping them with sliced yellow bell pepper and quartered (and pitted) cherries.  I can't believe how wonderful those little cherries are and you can bet your bottom dollar Saturday morning will find me back in the Italian Market buying more.  I turned my fingertips a charming shade of crimson (my favorite color) while pitting and slicing them.

Coincidentally, my hair color (well, the part that isn't black) is called "Cherry Bomb."

Happy July! Let's bake!

It's safe to say that most people in the Northern Hemisphere anticipate sweating to be involved in welcoming July.  The only sweating in my house was the condensation on the water glass I left beside the oven while I baked last night.

Despite at least one week of 90+ degree days wishing June a fond farewell, July swept in quietly on the gentle breeze of a 60ish degree Midnight.  It was approximately then that Mister and I greeted the new month with Blueberry Ginger Spelt Muffins from Vegan Brunch.

If you live in Philadelphia, you may have recently observed that blueberries are taking over the world.  I might have mentioned in passing that I got a great deal on some blueberries last week when I was shopping: 2 lbs for $5.  That is a serious bargain when you consider that only one short month ago, you could pay $5 for a pint.  Blueberries are serious business when you live this close to New Jersey (so are tomatoes and corn, but those are more successful...a month from now).  I was so excited about the bargain I was getting, as well as enthralled by how perfectly ripe, sweet, and huge the berries are right now, it didn't even occur to me how much I would have to increase my blueberry consumption in order to eat my bounty before it spoiled.

Enter Baking With Blueberries.

I'm not the only one doing it, either - even though she must know, in her heart of hearts, that baking in July makes very little sense, Dynise was also bewildered by the blueberry monster and whipped up a batch of muffins from VwaV.  I had just about flipped a coin to decide which recipe to make, so I'll be following her lead as soon as I get my hands on a lemon and some more vanilla soygurt.

Philly's a little seedy sometimes

There's some kind of zen going on in this picture...maybe it's the accidental placement of the bay leaves so that they vaguely resemble

In any case, when I was mixing up my seeds and spices for Braised Cauliflower with Three-Seed Sauce from VwaV, I was struck by how pretty they were, so I snapped a picture [or five].  This was my first time cooking with fennel seeds and I can't say I wasn't a little leery.  I have not had much experience with licorice outside of these beauties:

The idea of integrating the taste of a popular childhood candy into my dinner made me both cautious and curious about the outcome, but one whiff of the newly opened spice had my head spinning with ways to integrate it into at least one recipe of my next round of creativity.  It came out really well and what was really fun was discovering the flavor of each bite - sometimes it was fennel-heavy, then just when you weren't expecting it at all, a smack of cumin would take over and recolor the whole experience.

I served it over bulghur because I had forgotten Jasmine rice cooks as long as brown rice (okay, maybe not for forever but at least for 40 minutes) and I didn't start it early enough.  It neither complimented nor distracted from the dish - the cauliflower and tomatoes definitely shone.  I used Fire Roasted diced tomatoes because I like the flavor they lend to Indian-style dishes.  It was a very pleasant inaugural dinner after our vacation, including a flavor-packed mixed greens salad, topped with carrots, strawberries, and kalamata olives.  I dare you to imagine that flavor combination - it was unique, but definitely worked.

Here's the thing that blows my mind, though: I found this recipe in the Side Dishes section of VwaV.  Granted, Isa does say you could serve it over a grain and turn it into an entree, but seriously - what feast would this be a side dish for??

Yes, that is my full to the brim 3-quart saute pan.  I did add a 15 oz can of beans, but I really don't think that made a huge difference since I was already regretting my use of the saute pan rather than the higher-sided 6-quart stock pot by the time I added the cauliflower to the seeds.

Isa as Pie

Okay, wow, that was horrible, but I couldn't help myself.  I feel only slightly better knowing she pokes fun at herself when naming her rhyming "Isa Pizza," but I will make every attempt to avoid being that punny again.

Completely by accident, I ended up making my two Isa-authored meals back to back.  I guess her recipes are just that irresistible! Last night, I made Jerk Seitan on Coconut Rice and it was fabulous, just as I remembered it.  I really do love the flavor combo of the tangy, yet savory and very intense jerk spices with the subtly sweet coconut rice.

It smelled so good when it was just sizzling away in my saute pan and I love that the seitan browned and became crisp around the edges, though you can't really see that in the picture.  I used a new kind of seitan from White Wave and it was okay, but a little gummy - it felt as though I had overcooked it.

Tonight, I made Orecchiette with Cherry Tomatoes and Kalamata Tapenade from VwaV for the first time ever.  I have passed over this recipe countless times because the tapenade just seemed like too much work.  I have learned, though, from similar mistakes in the past, so I decided to give it a go.  Just like my last experience, I could kick myself for not making the effort sooner - it was not difficult at all (thus the wretchedly punny title for tonight's post) and smelled magnificent.  The flavor combination of the winey but salty kalamatas and the sweetness of newly ripe grape tomatoes, sauteed in just a bit of olive oil and garlic was nothing short of outstanding and resulted in unashamed second helpings for Mister and I.

The more observant of you might notice that I managed to find the most unique looking orecchiette on the market.  Or, you could be snickering behind your hand and saying, "Doesn't she know that's farfalle?" 

Actually, while I am still surprised that Superfresh even stocks orecchiette, I am not at all surprised that they hid it on the second to top shelf, just far enough behind the farfalle to exceed my reach.  Because the staff is about as helpful as they are skilled at stocking shelves, I decided it would be easier and less aggravating to just choose a different pasta.  So there you go - farfalle-shaped orecchiette.

I put the D in Delirious

Before I begin, let me make one thing perfectly clear: If you are expecting this post to be coherent, you are being completely unrealistic.

Since December 26th, I have clocked 131 hours at work. In case you weren't counting, it has been only two and a half weeks since that date. My brain hurts, my shoulders grow new knots the minute immediately after Mister stops kneading them, and my left eye has been twitching at random points throughout the day. To say I'm stressed out and running on adrenaline might begin to cover it, but we've been through this before.

The point is, I'm exhausted and I don't expect to make much sense, but I really want to share about dinner tonight. I think I would like to share about last night's dinner, too, but I can't remember what it was.

Tonight I made Chili sin Carne al Mole from VwaV. I am very proud of myself for remembering to get tortilla chips on my way home so I wasn't halfway through the simmering process before Mister had a mild heart attack and explained to me for the umpteenth time the crucial role these chips play in chili consumption before bundling up and running through the Philly cold snap to get said chips. Didn't happen - I got them first.
There were several things of note about this chili:

1. Whole Foods did not have my now-beloved Ray's Seitan, so I got Michael's Savory Seitan instead. Once again, locally produced and terrifying looking in its little tub. Remembering how well Ray's worked out, though, I ignored how gross it looked. It was okay, but not as flavorful as Ray's or White Wave.

2. Cocoa powder does not dissolve completely, leaving a slightly gritty texture to the mole sauce. That was actually profoundly disappointing, because I had imagined it melding with the other ingredients to create a luscious, thick, velvety sauce that just hinted at a chocolate flavor. That is not what happened. It was thick and had notes of cocoa and cinnamon, but it was definitely a little chalky.

3. Chili is a slow-cooked meal for a reason. Don't taste the mole sauce until it's had at least 15 minutes of quality simmering time. So gross. I seriously didn't know if I was going to be able to eat dinner. It definitely improved over the next 25ish minutes, but I would not have been able to eat it without the aid of those helpful little multi-grain Tostitos.

Speaking of which, how devious is it that Tostitos is really trying to convince people that tortilla chips can be healthy? Popcorn is also a whole grain, but that doesn't matter when you slather it with carcinogenic "butter flavor" made of God only knows what. So, somehow I think the excessive amount of salt and what is probably an inevitable frying process probably strip these multi-grain tortilla chips of any nutritional value. It did make me feel better about buying them, though...I'm such a sucker.

And that leads to another tangent (did you read the title and disclaimer??): once again, I fell prey to the strategically placed items at the checkout of Whole Foods and added a travel size hand lotion to my purchases the other day.

I haven't used it yet, but I got to thinking the other day about whether or not vegan hand lotion existed and if it was any good. This is vegan as far as I can tell, so the next part is to use it and let you know how that works out - I have some seriously dry hands and work in a seriously dry office.

I think I'm going to call it a night. My eyes are starting to cross.