Next thursday I will be heading in a big 'ol van to Washington D.C. to take part in Powershift '09!! Powershift is a 3-day youth summit that will be calling our government to take immediate action against the climate change that is occuring. The first two days will be spent in workshops and lectures that will help the youth bring back the resources they've gained at Powershift to their schools and workplaces across the nation. So far 10,000 are signed up. There will be some pretty amazing people there, I am excited to say Nancy Pelosi (speaker of the house) will be our keynote addressee. The list continues with many other high ranking government officials and others. Some of the panels include: Climate, Creatures, and Ecosystems, False Solutions: Agrofuels, and Yes We Did: Empowering Youth, When Coolie became Cool: Cultural Appropriation, Grassroots Outreach, and many many many more! There will also be two big preformers, SANTOGOLD, and The Roots! And Monday, the last day of the conference, we will be marching to Congress to lobby. Very, very exciting.
I am so excited for Santogold, I'm so excited to see that she has taken part in such an event. I will most likely be missing The Roots as I will be dining with my Aunt and cousin, cousin-in-law, and the new baby boy that she is about to pop out. Little James is only days away from joining the world! And I have not seen my DC family members in two years, so it will be really nice to catch up properly.
The only downside is the fact that we are driving the 20hours. For 7 people though, it is cheaper to drive than to take a train/bus/plane. Only 3 of the 7 will be driving, as 4 of the students are at a local high school and the remainder are students at my university. So 6 hours of driving will not be fun. I will be making a mega mixtape or maybe I'll just go by a ipod tuner since I will know the car will have a lighter plug. We are going to be staying at a local church for free and the conference itself is only 40 dollars. I will be going to the grocery store and bringing all of my own food. Probably a few Indian Heat and Serve dishes, cous cous, granola, cereal, and tons of fresh fruit and veggies. We get back Tuesday morning, and at noon I have my first midterm...it probably won't fair well, but climate change and a chance to participate in this large scale of a movement is far too powerful to pass up.
2.19.2009
Lunchbox
I have to say I have an addiction to searching for products I want online. But I just look at descriptions, reviews, and pricing. Does not mean I commit, though when I am stressed I'll commit on the whim (note baby laptop, a brand new backpack (yam orange!) that came today, organic dry shampoo). But, normally I am good and don't buy it unless I know I really need it, and well so far I've used what I've bought frequently and they have been good solutions for me. So last summer when I was about to move into my first apartment, you can imagine I had a few late nights just searching and searching mindlessly for things I probably did not need but thought were cute... One of those things was a darn lunchbox. Now, when I was little I didn't have the cool Barbie hard case lunchbox, I had those insulated deals that if you spilt anything they would smell terrible, and by high school I was too cool for bringing a real lunchbox and sported wasteful paper bags with plastic bags on the inside. Definitely not cool. So the lunchbox search would always end on me dreaming about the Laptop Lunchbox system that our dear blogger has recommended so highly. The cost was unimaginable for my sad salary so it always went on hold.
Not anymore! This semester has proved to living on campus and eating pounds of Subway Veggie Delight's on Italian bread. They aren't too expensive, but they aren't cheap for what I get (lots of lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, lots of green peppers, a few red onions, salt n' pepper, oregano, and a little oil and vinegar). So I decided to get my Whimsical colored Laptop lunchbox. It finally arrived Monday morning and I have already used it 3 times. I've probably already saved a good 10 dollars on food by bringing my own lunch and I'm lowering my carbon footprint further by keeping with a durable plastic that I will not just toss after one use.
So as a special treat. I took pictures of my lunches. Maybe not a special treat for you, but I giggled all day long knowing the lunchbox was smoothly in my bag and I giggled all while I ate my lunch on campus. I'm definitely the coolest kid at uni.
salad with miso ginger dressing, fruit, and hummus and pretzels.
half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, carrots, fruit, craisins, and an Oreo.
My dinner was not pictured due to my being late to class. But it was cous cous, daal palak, carrots, and a pear.
And that is all. I just had a great night seeing Ben Kweller and The Watson Twins live...for FREE! I won an awesome contest by being a twitter-er. woot.
Back to series and parallel circuits and trying to forget about how cold and WINDY it is. Almost got blown over while walking to the theater. And I'm not exageratting.
Not anymore! This semester has proved to living on campus and eating pounds of Subway Veggie Delight's on Italian bread. They aren't too expensive, but they aren't cheap for what I get (lots of lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, lots of green peppers, a few red onions, salt n' pepper, oregano, and a little oil and vinegar). So I decided to get my Whimsical colored Laptop lunchbox. It finally arrived Monday morning and I have already used it 3 times. I've probably already saved a good 10 dollars on food by bringing my own lunch and I'm lowering my carbon footprint further by keeping with a durable plastic that I will not just toss after one use.
So as a special treat. I took pictures of my lunches. Maybe not a special treat for you, but I giggled all day long knowing the lunchbox was smoothly in my bag and I giggled all while I ate my lunch on campus. I'm definitely the coolest kid at uni.
salad with miso ginger dressing, fruit, and hummus and pretzels.
half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, carrots, fruit, craisins, and an Oreo.My dinner was not pictured due to my being late to class. But it was cous cous, daal palak, carrots, and a pear.
And that is all. I just had a great night seeing Ben Kweller and The Watson Twins live...for FREE! I won an awesome contest by being a twitter-er. woot.
Back to series and parallel circuits and trying to forget about how cold and WINDY it is. Almost got blown over while walking to the theater. And I'm not exageratting.
2.08.2009
Cabbage Stir-Fry and Garlicky Ranch Potato Patties
Well the long week is over, thank you! But, apparently a new week is already arriving with even more work. Last week, I got all of my work done and think I did really well on my exam. I will try and work just as hard. I barely cooked...wait I didn't. I am really needing to get to the grocery store. So next weekend I am going to go. I just have to carefully plan out my meals this week. Most likely, lots of frozen veggies and quick pastas and soups. I only have celery and peppers left of my fresh food. But, what is amazing is I haven't done grocery shopping in 4 weeks and have been good.
One produce item that I absolutely love buying without any plan to use it in specific meals is cabbage. I have to say cabbage might be one of my favorites. I love it steamed, fried, saute-d, baked, cooked, and I do like it raw. One of the best things about cabbage for a poor-college student is that it lasts forever. I have had a half-head of cabbage in my fridge for over a month before and it tasted just as fresh as the first time I used it. Sometimes, I find it so hard to find use for a full vegetable in a meal and then don't feel like it for weeks. I had to throw out kale that I had forgotten about today... Cabbage never has that issue. I can add a little cabbage to soup or a salad and get all that extra Vitamin C and flavor. Back in November I made an impromptu cabbage stir-fry. I cut up the bit of tofu I had left, celery, red pepper, and onions. The sauce was pretty average, just a little soy sauce, hoison sauce, and sriracha. With a little rice and garnished with sesame seeds, this made a really delicious, easy meal. It wasn't the quickest, since cabbage does take some time to cook down, but there was really no work involved other than stirring every so often. When I finally get grocery shopping, I will definitely be buying a good 'ol head of cabbage.
Normally when I am at school I don't have many conventional American meals of a protein, vegetables, and then a mixed side. But, every so often I feel like having a meal that would be similiar to something I would have at home. At home, we normally have a protein, beans or salad, and vegetables. I decided to make Joni's, of Just the Food, Garlicky Ranch Potato Patties. They were very simple to make, just had to peal and shave a few potatoes and mash together herbs and spices, bread crumbs, and a little oil. Before I cooked them I decided to make roasted vegetables and cannellini beans with tomato and sage. I actually had to call my mom to remember exactly what the cannellini bean recipe was. She wasn't sure, so I just threw together a half an onion in tomato sauce and a little paste, added dried basil and sage. After, the mixture was boiling I added the beans and a little salt and pepper. A brilliantlly flavorful side that is quick and easy. When the veggies were close to being done I cooked my patties and was ready to eat. Man was the patty so amazing to just cut into, it was crisp on the outside, and the perfect 'tender' on the inside. And boy were the flavors delicious. I didnt pair it with any sauces, but I ate it with my cannellini mix. I really could not get enough. The recipe made 4, so I cut back to two. And I'm glad, because the one patty was filling enough for one meal. I used the second for leftover sandwich the next day and it was just as good cold as it was hot. Perfect patty for the perfect meal.
One produce item that I absolutely love buying without any plan to use it in specific meals is cabbage. I have to say cabbage might be one of my favorites. I love it steamed, fried, saute-d, baked, cooked, and I do like it raw. One of the best things about cabbage for a poor-college student is that it lasts forever. I have had a half-head of cabbage in my fridge for over a month before and it tasted just as fresh as the first time I used it. Sometimes, I find it so hard to find use for a full vegetable in a meal and then don't feel like it for weeks. I had to throw out kale that I had forgotten about today... Cabbage never has that issue. I can add a little cabbage to soup or a salad and get all that extra Vitamin C and flavor. Back in November I made an impromptu cabbage stir-fry. I cut up the bit of tofu I had left, celery, red pepper, and onions. The sauce was pretty average, just a little soy sauce, hoison sauce, and sriracha. With a little rice and garnished with sesame seeds, this made a really delicious, easy meal. It wasn't the quickest, since cabbage does take some time to cook down, but there was really no work involved other than stirring every so often. When I finally get grocery shopping, I will definitely be buying a good 'ol head of cabbage.
Normally when I am at school I don't have many conventional American meals of a protein, vegetables, and then a mixed side. But, every so often I feel like having a meal that would be similiar to something I would have at home. At home, we normally have a protein, beans or salad, and vegetables. I decided to make Joni's, of Just the Food, Garlicky Ranch Potato Patties. They were very simple to make, just had to peal and shave a few potatoes and mash together herbs and spices, bread crumbs, and a little oil. Before I cooked them I decided to make roasted vegetables and cannellini beans with tomato and sage. I actually had to call my mom to remember exactly what the cannellini bean recipe was. She wasn't sure, so I just threw together a half an onion in tomato sauce and a little paste, added dried basil and sage. After, the mixture was boiling I added the beans and a little salt and pepper. A brilliantlly flavorful side that is quick and easy. When the veggies were close to being done I cooked my patties and was ready to eat. Man was the patty so amazing to just cut into, it was crisp on the outside, and the perfect 'tender' on the inside. And boy were the flavors delicious. I didnt pair it with any sauces, but I ate it with my cannellini mix. I really could not get enough. The recipe made 4, so I cut back to two. And I'm glad, because the one patty was filling enough for one meal. I used the second for leftover sandwich the next day and it was just as good cold as it was hot. Perfect patty for the perfect meal.
2.02.2009
Apparently it is all the rage...
http://twitter.com/shadowsarah
I joined when I am completely, desperately in need of concentration. I wanted to be at the library tonight, but it was PACKED. I knew I'd get no studying done because I love to just watch people. And anytime anyone comes by me, I look up and look. Very, very distracting. I also am working highly from the computer, and its easier to just have my own, with my own settings. So here I am. I'm thinking Ill get to bed at 4 or 5...eek
On that note...
follow me?
oh dear.
I'll have a true update sometime after Thursday. I'll be working on getting at least 10 entries in this month. I will do it, don't worry. I am a proud owner of an ASUS Eee 901, which means I have a computer that is 9 inches wide! It is amazing, fits in my purse and barely weighs a few pounds. Perfect for my long days of 9am-6pm of classes. woot!
Have a good week!
http://twitter.com/shadowsarah
I joined when I am completely, desperately in need of concentration. I wanted to be at the library tonight, but it was PACKED. I knew I'd get no studying done because I love to just watch people. And anytime anyone comes by me, I look up and look. Very, very distracting. I also am working highly from the computer, and its easier to just have my own, with my own settings. So here I am. I'm thinking Ill get to bed at 4 or 5...eek
On that note...
follow me?
oh dear.
I'll have a true update sometime after Thursday. I'll be working on getting at least 10 entries in this month. I will do it, don't worry. I am a proud owner of an ASUS Eee 901, which means I have a computer that is 9 inches wide! It is amazing, fits in my purse and barely weighs a few pounds. Perfect for my long days of 9am-6pm of classes. woot!
Have a good week!
1.28.2009
Tegan & Sara / City & Colour / Visit to the Chicago Diner
Wow... I know I am far behind on posts, but I didnt realize this far. I have to inform everyone about the Tegan & Sara / City & Colour concert I attended on October 9th, 2008. I had planned on going to the show, staying at my sister's condo, and heading back to school. Well my luck I got a massive fever. When I mean massive, I had a fever of 104-5 earlier in the week. I kept nursing it at home and hoping that it would die down without a doctor's visit. I was so close to not making it, but I would never miss a chance to see one of my favorite band's perform (City and Colour). It was Dallas Green's (get it, city...colour, BAM!) first time in Chicago for his solo project. I have seen him before with Alexisonfire, where he plays guitar and sings. I am completely infatuated by his voice in all aspects. It just gives me chills. So you can imagine no fever was gonna put me down. I decided to leave school Thursday after my morning classes and stay home that weekend to get to the doctor and just be in my own bed.
Well, I didn't just go in to see the show, I also got to see some of my friends that I have made through another favorite singer of mine...SIA! Sia who is a brilliant singer herself has a very active online community through her website. Well, we all get together for shows and it's really great being with a group of people that enjoy her music so much. Especially since we always are waiting in line for hours so we can be at the front of shows ;) Anyways, the 'Chicago Posse' as we have dubbed ourselves tries to get together when there are no Sia tours in the area. This was a great opportunity to get together. As two of the members are vegan and one is semi-vegetarian, we all decided to go to the Chicago Diner.
I will always jump a chance to dine there, it is just such a good experience every time and the staff and environment are all so welcoming. So what did I have? Like I said in my last post about the Chicago Diner, I was looovin the Reuben. I have never really been a fan of saukraut, but for some reason I absolutely adore theirs, but who wouldn't love home-made saurkraut. You could just tell it wasn't from some store bought jar concotion. It still had a bit of a crunch and a flavor that was not overwhelmed by the pickling. The seitan meat was again perfection. Sliced so thinly and looking just like a true corned beef. Their thousand island dressing should be bottled, it is sweet and sour and creamy and pretty much a perfect dressing for anyone. Even our omni friends loved the dressing. Now, you all know my dilemma with mac and cheese. I have tried three or four recipes now and still have had no luck finding one that will satisfy that processed cheese deliciousness that I had grown accostum to in my vegetarian days. Well, after having such good experiences the last time I was at the Diner...I decided to trust them. I ordered their vegan mac and cheese. And HOLEY (get it, holes...cheese, it's okay to groan!) MOLEY I was so glad I did. I couldn't believe how good it was, it was creamy with a very soft texture and that delicious cheese taste that I have been waiting to taste. I got so excited, I wish I could figure out what their recipe is. This is what I was waiting for. Oh my, I can still taste it...yes, 4 months later. Anyone who is planning to go to the Diner, try their mac and cheese! You will not be disappointed.
Now our bellies were all quite filled with vegetarian and vegan goodness. Two of us got the reuben with mac and cheese, another of us got grilled cheese, and another got potato skins, if I can remember correctly. But, who could resist their desert menu. We were too full to get a cake or a pie, but we opted on a shake. Our waiter said that he could split the shake into four servings, so we went ahead and got a Peanut Butter Chocolate Shake. This picture does not do this shake justice. Even the presentation is gorgeous, drizzled chocolate and peanut butter all over the glass and on top with crushed peanuts and cocoa powder. This was to die for! It was so rich and full of creamy peanut butter. I couldn't even imagine having gotten a full serving, the fourth of the serving was enough for me. We all savored the moment and enjoyed our company. And when the shake was all gone, we knew it was time to hit the venue and get ready for a fun night.
When we got the venue, there was already a lot of people there. But, we were fine with our back half of the main floor views. Plus, we all were fed with delicious, compassionate food. The first act was an all girl band named A Girl In Coma. Now, if anyone is a fan of them, Im sorry for saying this, but I really wanted to rip my ears off. They were pretty much just screaming bloody murder the entire time, and Im actually a fan of screamo and hardcore, but not their brand. I did enjoy their facial expressions, they ranged from eyes bulging out of their face to almost eating the mic. We all got a laugh from that. But, still power to them. A lot of kids were dancing and having a good time. I might have just been so anxiously awaiting City and Colour that I could not enjoy them. While and like promised, City and Colour came out on stage. I pretty much just lost it. I coooould not believe he was on stage and in Chicago. The only sad bit is that the crowd was AWFUL. They talked the entire time, they pushed and squished, and were just so rude to him. He did an entire acostic set, so the fact that there was chatter echoing in the hall probably was not welcoming. But, I still found the set absolutely brilliant, he tried to not let it get to him, and he played some pretty amazing songs. I did get a few small recordings of the show. Which are located here and here. His set was extremely short, but I was still glad I didnt wimp out and go home. No illness would stop me from seeing Dallas.
Finally the headliners, Tegan and Sara, made their way to the stage. They played an entirely energetic set with a HUGE mix of old and new songs. They always seem to have the funniest stories to tell you and as sister's their chemistry on stage is hiliarous. Apparently Tegan was moody that day and Sara made sure to tell the world. It was a very, very clausterphobic show. I felt like if I moved an inch 20 bodies would be plastered up to mine. Even the girls asked the crowd to step back a bit as the front row was looking like they were having a hard time even breathing. So, the crowd was extremely hostile. It's sad, especially since we are representing our great city. I have had a few bad experiences at that venue, so it could just be the location, but man was the crowd crazy. I did have a wonderful time and am so glad I got to see my Sia posse. We even took pictures with all of us and the hats that were made to represent our 'crew.'
Sia Represent!
Well, I didn't just go in to see the show, I also got to see some of my friends that I have made through another favorite singer of mine...SIA! Sia who is a brilliant singer herself has a very active online community through her website. Well, we all get together for shows and it's really great being with a group of people that enjoy her music so much. Especially since we always are waiting in line for hours so we can be at the front of shows ;) Anyways, the 'Chicago Posse' as we have dubbed ourselves tries to get together when there are no Sia tours in the area. This was a great opportunity to get together. As two of the members are vegan and one is semi-vegetarian, we all decided to go to the Chicago Diner.
I will always jump a chance to dine there, it is just such a good experience every time and the staff and environment are all so welcoming. So what did I have? Like I said in my last post about the Chicago Diner, I was looovin the Reuben. I have never really been a fan of saukraut, but for some reason I absolutely adore theirs, but who wouldn't love home-made saurkraut. You could just tell it wasn't from some store bought jar concotion. It still had a bit of a crunch and a flavor that was not overwhelmed by the pickling. The seitan meat was again perfection. Sliced so thinly and looking just like a true corned beef. Their thousand island dressing should be bottled, it is sweet and sour and creamy and pretty much a perfect dressing for anyone. Even our omni friends loved the dressing. Now, you all know my dilemma with mac and cheese. I have tried three or four recipes now and still have had no luck finding one that will satisfy that processed cheese deliciousness that I had grown accostum to in my vegetarian days. Well, after having such good experiences the last time I was at the Diner...I decided to trust them. I ordered their vegan mac and cheese. And HOLEY (get it, holes...cheese, it's okay to groan!) MOLEY I was so glad I did. I couldn't believe how good it was, it was creamy with a very soft texture and that delicious cheese taste that I have been waiting to taste. I got so excited, I wish I could figure out what their recipe is. This is what I was waiting for. Oh my, I can still taste it...yes, 4 months later. Anyone who is planning to go to the Diner, try their mac and cheese! You will not be disappointed.
Now our bellies were all quite filled with vegetarian and vegan goodness. Two of us got the reuben with mac and cheese, another of us got grilled cheese, and another got potato skins, if I can remember correctly. But, who could resist their desert menu. We were too full to get a cake or a pie, but we opted on a shake. Our waiter said that he could split the shake into four servings, so we went ahead and got a Peanut Butter Chocolate Shake. This picture does not do this shake justice. Even the presentation is gorgeous, drizzled chocolate and peanut butter all over the glass and on top with crushed peanuts and cocoa powder. This was to die for! It was so rich and full of creamy peanut butter. I couldn't even imagine having gotten a full serving, the fourth of the serving was enough for me. We all savored the moment and enjoyed our company. And when the shake was all gone, we knew it was time to hit the venue and get ready for a fun night.
When we got the venue, there was already a lot of people there. But, we were fine with our back half of the main floor views. Plus, we all were fed with delicious, compassionate food. The first act was an all girl band named A Girl In Coma. Now, if anyone is a fan of them, Im sorry for saying this, but I really wanted to rip my ears off. They were pretty much just screaming bloody murder the entire time, and Im actually a fan of screamo and hardcore, but not their brand. I did enjoy their facial expressions, they ranged from eyes bulging out of their face to almost eating the mic. We all got a laugh from that. But, still power to them. A lot of kids were dancing and having a good time. I might have just been so anxiously awaiting City and Colour that I could not enjoy them. While and like promised, City and Colour came out on stage. I pretty much just lost it. I coooould not believe he was on stage and in Chicago. The only sad bit is that the crowd was AWFUL. They talked the entire time, they pushed and squished, and were just so rude to him. He did an entire acostic set, so the fact that there was chatter echoing in the hall probably was not welcoming. But, I still found the set absolutely brilliant, he tried to not let it get to him, and he played some pretty amazing songs. I did get a few small recordings of the show. Which are located here and here. His set was extremely short, but I was still glad I didnt wimp out and go home. No illness would stop me from seeing Dallas.
Finally the headliners, Tegan and Sara, made their way to the stage. They played an entirely energetic set with a HUGE mix of old and new songs. They always seem to have the funniest stories to tell you and as sister's their chemistry on stage is hiliarous. Apparently Tegan was moody that day and Sara made sure to tell the world. It was a very, very clausterphobic show. I felt like if I moved an inch 20 bodies would be plastered up to mine. Even the girls asked the crowd to step back a bit as the front row was looking like they were having a hard time even breathing. So, the crowd was extremely hostile. It's sad, especially since we are representing our great city. I have had a few bad experiences at that venue, so it could just be the location, but man was the crowd crazy. I did have a wonderful time and am so glad I got to see my Sia posse. We even took pictures with all of us and the hats that were made to represent our 'crew.'
Sia Represent!
1.11.2009
French Toast & Szechuan Tofu
I exist! A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Hopefully your new year is full a joy and love and all the good stuff. So far, I have yet to make my resolution. I just want to continue to be healthy and happy.
I'm sorry I didnt really update, if anyone missed me. At home, I really don't go on the computer. Either I am with friends or spending time with the family...oh and don't forget dumb 'ol work. I feel like I spent my winter holiday in a clothing store. I really wonder how many pieces of clothes I rang up. Im not doubting 2,000 or more.
I did have a great Christmas. It was the first year EVER that we stayed at home with just my parents and sister. It was really nice and relaxing. I hope we do it more often. I got a lot of great gifts, including the cookbook Sinful Vegan. Yum! Everything looks so good. My sister also donated a BedKit in my name. It is an organization by the name of "Sleeping Children Around the World" (scaw) which goes to countries in need, buys the supplies for the kits in that nation, and give them to children who are in need of common necessities. Each kit is a 35 dollar donation, which constists of: a mat or mattress, pillow, sheet, blanket, mosquito net (if applicable), clothes outfit, towel and school supplies. All of the money reaches the kids, as the volunteers pay for their own travel expenses. My entire family was really excited about it. We are now planning on holding back on gifts and donating to a cause in each of our names. My big gift of the year was a good chunk of change. I ended up buying a Wii and games with the money. Now all I can say is my search was HORRIBLE. It took 2 weeks of me calling 20-30 stores each morning after their shipments. By the end of the journey, I knew some of the employees just by their voice, some knew me, and I had all the shipments down by heart. I freaked out when one store finally said "We have one left." I rushed out the door and was giggling the entire way to the store. I absolutely love it. I have wanted one for awhile. I got 4 games (Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon, Super Mario Galaxy, and Cooking Mama) and so far I love them all.
I also had a great New Years Eve. I spent it with some friends downtown at a comedy show. It was a bunch of comedians and also a comedy sketch group. It was great fun, though some of the comedians were a bit too rounchy for my taste. The sketch group was really great. They are called Big Dog Eat Child. If you are ever in the Chicagoland area, you should check these guys out. At midnight they had a complementary champagne toast. And what was even greater was public transportation was free all night.
So here I am, back at school. Hoping that all of my books arrive in time. I ordered only a week ago, so Im guessing they will be a bit late. I start school on Monday. Genetics and lab, Physics and lab, Criminology, and Forensic Science. Im quite excited about the last two. I hate Physics. And am nervous about the workload of genetics. It's going to be tough, but atleast I am doing what I am passionate about.
Long update, I mean I was gone for a full month! So on to the goods.
First up is mouth-watering french toast. This was a really late dinner. I think I started cooking around 11pm? I used Vegan for the People's recipe. I looked at Isa's, but it was just too many ingredients and a few I didnt have. So this one was quite simple with spices, flour, nooch, and soy milk. I used an older loaf of french bread that needed to be eaten quickly. I got a bit impatient with the soaking process, so a few of the pieces didnt get the 'full drench' effect. It was amazingly delicious and the whole apartment was full of the aroma. My roommate came in wondering what smelled so good, she always gets so surprised when vegan food tastes good. I was really excited to pair this feast with tons and tons of fruit that I just bought the day before. I had bought fresh strawberries, kiwi, plums, raspberries, AND nectarine. Yeah I went crazy. So I cut up most of the other fruits. I got to the strawberries...they were all horribly moldy. I bought them the day before. I was so frustrated, but it is such a hassel to go to the market that I wasn't about to turn around and return them. So I haven't bought any berries since. But Im always stocked with kiwi, pears, and apples. yum!
And what do we have here, Szechuan Tofu, and why yes? Another Vegan Dad recipe. Added to his recipe, I added celery, onion, and bean sprouts. It was sooo damn delicious. I roasted the peanuts first, so the flavor from the peanuts were so fulfilling. Im also glad I added the celery as the crunch from the nut and celery was the perfect combination with the softness of the pepper and tofu. The szechuan sauce I bought was absolutely hot! I really wasn't expecting it so I piled on my normal amount of asian chili sauce. Word of advice to myself, only a tbsp next time...please? I ate every bite and more, but I also had to nurse my mouth every few bites. I paired it with some cous cous. This was definitely a great dish that I will be making sometime in the future. Yum.
Enjoy your week. I will be back, much sooner than the last.
I'm sorry I didnt really update, if anyone missed me. At home, I really don't go on the computer. Either I am with friends or spending time with the family...oh and don't forget dumb 'ol work. I feel like I spent my winter holiday in a clothing store. I really wonder how many pieces of clothes I rang up. Im not doubting 2,000 or more.
I did have a great Christmas. It was the first year EVER that we stayed at home with just my parents and sister. It was really nice and relaxing. I hope we do it more often. I got a lot of great gifts, including the cookbook Sinful Vegan. Yum! Everything looks so good. My sister also donated a BedKit in my name. It is an organization by the name of "Sleeping Children Around the World" (scaw) which goes to countries in need, buys the supplies for the kits in that nation, and give them to children who are in need of common necessities. Each kit is a 35 dollar donation, which constists of: a mat or mattress, pillow, sheet, blanket, mosquito net (if applicable), clothes outfit, towel and school supplies. All of the money reaches the kids, as the volunteers pay for their own travel expenses. My entire family was really excited about it. We are now planning on holding back on gifts and donating to a cause in each of our names. My big gift of the year was a good chunk of change. I ended up buying a Wii and games with the money. Now all I can say is my search was HORRIBLE. It took 2 weeks of me calling 20-30 stores each morning after their shipments. By the end of the journey, I knew some of the employees just by their voice, some knew me, and I had all the shipments down by heart. I freaked out when one store finally said "We have one left." I rushed out the door and was giggling the entire way to the store. I absolutely love it. I have wanted one for awhile. I got 4 games (Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon, Super Mario Galaxy, and Cooking Mama) and so far I love them all.
I also had a great New Years Eve. I spent it with some friends downtown at a comedy show. It was a bunch of comedians and also a comedy sketch group. It was great fun, though some of the comedians were a bit too rounchy for my taste. The sketch group was really great. They are called Big Dog Eat Child. If you are ever in the Chicagoland area, you should check these guys out. At midnight they had a complementary champagne toast. And what was even greater was public transportation was free all night.
So here I am, back at school. Hoping that all of my books arrive in time. I ordered only a week ago, so Im guessing they will be a bit late. I start school on Monday. Genetics and lab, Physics and lab, Criminology, and Forensic Science. Im quite excited about the last two. I hate Physics. And am nervous about the workload of genetics. It's going to be tough, but atleast I am doing what I am passionate about.
Long update, I mean I was gone for a full month! So on to the goods.
First up is mouth-watering french toast. This was a really late dinner. I think I started cooking around 11pm? I used Vegan for the People's recipe. I looked at Isa's, but it was just too many ingredients and a few I didnt have. So this one was quite simple with spices, flour, nooch, and soy milk. I used an older loaf of french bread that needed to be eaten quickly. I got a bit impatient with the soaking process, so a few of the pieces didnt get the 'full drench' effect. It was amazingly delicious and the whole apartment was full of the aroma. My roommate came in wondering what smelled so good, she always gets so surprised when vegan food tastes good. I was really excited to pair this feast with tons and tons of fruit that I just bought the day before. I had bought fresh strawberries, kiwi, plums, raspberries, AND nectarine. Yeah I went crazy. So I cut up most of the other fruits. I got to the strawberries...they were all horribly moldy. I bought them the day before. I was so frustrated, but it is such a hassel to go to the market that I wasn't about to turn around and return them. So I haven't bought any berries since. But Im always stocked with kiwi, pears, and apples. yum!
And what do we have here, Szechuan Tofu, and why yes? Another Vegan Dad recipe. Added to his recipe, I added celery, onion, and bean sprouts. It was sooo damn delicious. I roasted the peanuts first, so the flavor from the peanuts were so fulfilling. Im also glad I added the celery as the crunch from the nut and celery was the perfect combination with the softness of the pepper and tofu. The szechuan sauce I bought was absolutely hot! I really wasn't expecting it so I piled on my normal amount of asian chili sauce. Word of advice to myself, only a tbsp next time...please? I ate every bite and more, but I also had to nurse my mouth every few bites. I paired it with some cous cous. This was definitely a great dish that I will be making sometime in the future. Yum.Enjoy your week. I will be back, much sooner than the last.
12.05.2008
Spicy White Bean Soup
The soup I talked about a few days ago was so good I couldn't just let it sit in my 'blogging' notepad. Again Vegan Dad's recipe called Spicy White Bean Soup. Can you tell I love his recipes? I think I say this once or twice a month. Anyways, it looked like the perfect soup to have when sick. I'm still not sure if I am really sick or just a cold. Hopefully only a cold, but I am prepared to fight this baby. No illness will get in the way of my studies this week. I have three finals and still in the works of finishing a 30 page laboratory report for physics. But, the end is in site and I am thinking about packing.
The soup is 'spicy' because it uses his recipe for seitan pepperoni. I thought this would be the perfect time to use the leftovers from my Thanksgiving seitan log, but that did not go as planned as it already was soggy and just did not taste right. I made the recipe the same and added basil, bay leaves, paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, tomato paste, and olive oil. I let it simmer for 40 mins and the smell was just radiating through my house. I got so excited when the potatoes were perfectly cooked that I never added the peas or corn, but I am fine with that. I had two bowls of this lovely soup for dinner, with another two bowls of leftovers. This soup took less than 10 mins to prepare and 40 to cook. I will be adding this to my normal line-up of meals. So simple, but so perfect.
The soup is 'spicy' because it uses his recipe for seitan pepperoni. I thought this would be the perfect time to use the leftovers from my Thanksgiving seitan log, but that did not go as planned as it already was soggy and just did not taste right. I made the recipe the same and added basil, bay leaves, paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, tomato paste, and olive oil. I let it simmer for 40 mins and the smell was just radiating through my house. I got so excited when the potatoes were perfectly cooked that I never added the peas or corn, but I am fine with that. I had two bowls of this lovely soup for dinner, with another two bowls of leftovers. This soup took less than 10 mins to prepare and 40 to cook. I will be adding this to my normal line-up of meals. So simple, but so perfect.
12.03.2008
Thanksgiving
I have to say Thanksgiving has never been my favorite family-oriented holiday. My family in America is very small and during the winter months my nuclear family is the only family in a 1000mile radius. So we normally spend the holiday with family friends. Last year, it was really nice as we hosted the whole event at our own home. It felt much more casual and relaxed. Plus, after we stuffed our faces we were able to quickly get to bed.
This year was at my godmother's beautiful home. It was nice seeing everyone, but the time I spent creating the meal the day before was not really worth seeing two 25lb turkey's being cooked and sliced and fought over. I did though have a very extensive menu. I was the only one that would be eating my dishes, so everything I made was single or double servings.
THE MENU!!!
Bryanna's Seitan Turkey
Green Bean Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Bryanna's Rich Brown Yeast Gravy
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Sweet Yellow and White Corn
Cranberry Sauce and Applesauce
Apple Crisp
It was fun cooking all night, I just hated not being able to reward my cooking with eats right away. Though I did cheat and tried some of the Green Bean Casserole. oops...
Before dinner I spent most of my time re-heating and preparing my food. It is too bad they had to sit a night as the green beans were not as crisp and the mashed potatoes were not as fluffy. Such is life and it was all still perfectly amazing and delicious.
I took one picture of my plate, my family already thinks I'm strange for taking pictures of my food, I was not about to take 30 pictures and let my food get cold. Let's start with the green bean casserole. Holy hell, I absolutely looooved it. It was better than any green bean casserole I have ever tried. If I ever have to go to a dinner or am feeling like a good 'ol American dinner I will be having this! The Seitan Turkey was also amazing, very very flavorful and the texture was perfect chewy and soft. I normally am not the biggest fan of true meat replacers, when they are very similiar to meat's texture and taste I get really weirded out. But for the occassion they worked and were delish. I made my mashed potatoes with Earth Balance, soy milk, and a little Tofutti Sour Cream to fluff them up, they tasted amazing with the dark gravy (which even my parents liked). My mom made the cranberry sauce and applesauce which were to die for, both recipes had fresh orange zest which really made them pop.
Sadly, the apple crisp never actually got to be a part of the dinner party. I made a full recipe of the crisp, but we ended up leaving the dinner early, so we took it back with us as there was already two full tables of deserts to be shared. My family and I enjoyed it the next few days. This recipe is amazing. The combination of allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon made the apples even more brilliant. The topping was also perfect. I wouldnt change a thing about the recipe and I will be making it again and again.
That night I went to bed as early as I possibly could force myself. I woke up at 3.50AM and was at work at 5AM! I worked a 10 hour shift on the lovely American 'holiday' Black Friday. Shoppers galore attacking you, getting mad at you for them not reading discount signs, getting mad at the long lines, and screaming children being lost while their parents are bargain hunting. This year it was not as horrible as the year before. Less people are out due to the economy, but still enough to make it a perfect work day...
My thanksgiving break was not all cooking and eating and work. I got to spend a lot of time with my good friends and some friends I hadn't seen in awhile. I also got to know my new puppy, Mona, a bit better. She is now much calmer around me and likes to cuddle up against me and sleep. 7 more days and I will be back home able to see my family, friends, and of course, my puppies again :)
This year was at my godmother's beautiful home. It was nice seeing everyone, but the time I spent creating the meal the day before was not really worth seeing two 25lb turkey's being cooked and sliced and fought over. I did though have a very extensive menu. I was the only one that would be eating my dishes, so everything I made was single or double servings.
THE MENU!!!
Bryanna's Seitan Turkey
Green Bean Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Bryanna's Rich Brown Yeast Gravy
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Sweet Yellow and White Corn
Cranberry Sauce and Applesauce
Apple Crisp
It was fun cooking all night, I just hated not being able to reward my cooking with eats right away. Though I did cheat and tried some of the Green Bean Casserole. oops...
Before dinner I spent most of my time re-heating and preparing my food. It is too bad they had to sit a night as the green beans were not as crisp and the mashed potatoes were not as fluffy. Such is life and it was all still perfectly amazing and delicious.
I took one picture of my plate, my family already thinks I'm strange for taking pictures of my food, I was not about to take 30 pictures and let my food get cold. Let's start with the green bean casserole. Holy hell, I absolutely looooved it. It was better than any green bean casserole I have ever tried. If I ever have to go to a dinner or am feeling like a good 'ol American dinner I will be having this! The Seitan Turkey was also amazing, very very flavorful and the texture was perfect chewy and soft. I normally am not the biggest fan of true meat replacers, when they are very similiar to meat's texture and taste I get really weirded out. But for the occassion they worked and were delish. I made my mashed potatoes with Earth Balance, soy milk, and a little Tofutti Sour Cream to fluff them up, they tasted amazing with the dark gravy (which even my parents liked). My mom made the cranberry sauce and applesauce which were to die for, both recipes had fresh orange zest which really made them pop.Sadly, the apple crisp never actually got to be a part of the dinner party. I made a full recipe of the crisp, but we ended up leaving the dinner early, so we took it back with us as there was already two full tables of deserts to be shared. My family and I enjoyed it the next few days. This recipe is amazing. The combination of allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon made the apples even more brilliant. The topping was also perfect. I wouldnt change a thing about the recipe and I will be making it again and again.
That night I went to bed as early as I possibly could force myself. I woke up at 3.50AM and was at work at 5AM! I worked a 10 hour shift on the lovely American 'holiday' Black Friday. Shoppers galore attacking you, getting mad at you for them not reading discount signs, getting mad at the long lines, and screaming children being lost while their parents are bargain hunting. This year it was not as horrible as the year before. Less people are out due to the economy, but still enough to make it a perfect work day...
My thanksgiving break was not all cooking and eating and work. I got to spend a lot of time with my good friends and some friends I hadn't seen in awhile. I also got to know my new puppy, Mona, a bit better. She is now much calmer around me and likes to cuddle up against me and sleep. 7 more days and I will be back home able to see my family, friends, and of course, my puppies again :)
12.02.2008
TuNori Melt and Cannelloni
A week of school is left and 3 days of finals. Oh my, how did the time go!? Apparently sleeping and school and studies. Right now I'm making a lovely soup from Vegan Dad, the smells are making their way to my room. But right now, I really have to get caught up.
I tried another two recipes of Vegan Dad's earlier this year. The first was TuNori Sandwiches. One food that I absolutely adored when I was a meat-eater was tuna fish sandwiches and melts. They were probably one of my favorite lunches, aside from crescent dogs, and cucumber sandwiches. My mom would wrap them in foil and put them in the oven for a good 20 minutes. The bread would come out crispy, the cheese perfectly melted, and the spread melted in your mouth. Well it has been too long since that childhood memory, so I set out to recreate it. His recipe was quite simple, using chickpeas, vegenaise, and nori. I have not enjoyed nori in the past, but I really wanted to try the recipe, so I halved the nori in hopes that would be too little to develop that distinct after-taste. It smelled good and looked like a tuna salad. I popped these babies in the oven for 20 minutes on 200 to try and 'melt' the vegan cheese slices I have. They came out nicely, though I apparently no longer have the photo. Oh well. It turns out that I was still able to taste the Nori perfectly. It wasn't that it was horrible or the recipe, it was my damn sensitive taste. Next time I will try the same recipe, but add celery salt and other spices to get that same level of pow from the original.
The next recipe as I said was too from Vegan Dad. I made his Cannelloni. He made his own marinara sauce to cover the cannelloni, but I felt confident my glass jar marinara would work just the same. So all I had to make was the 'ricotta' filling. The main ingredients was the crumbled tofu, nooch, parsley, and soy creamer. It was so simple to make and it even smelled delicious. I filled my cannelloni with quite some difficulty until I finally gave in and got my hands dirty. Popped them in the oven for 40 mins. What was strange was they were so dry, even after they were covered in marinara and baked for 40 mins, I couldn't figure it out. I called my mom about it and she asked if I pre-boiled my cannelloni as some are all ready for baking and others you have to boil. Well shucks, got me. I definitely am an idiot and did not pre-boil pasta. Wow, hah. I didn't miss the step, but it sure did feel strange filling raw noodle with filling. They were still pretty good, the filling is absolutely mouth-watering. A few days later I saved the last of the bunch by completely DRENCHING them in marinara sauce and re-baking them. They came out nice and plump and again delicious. I will definitely be making these again and remember to pre-boil the cannelloni.
This post sounds like a failure in ways, but it really wasn't. I think that every time you mess up, you only become a better cook. I am doubting myself less and less. When I started to cook all my meals this summer, I would check and re-check and go back a third time to make sure I had the right measurements and was following the steps correctly, but I definitely have no need to do that anymore. I am able to do more and more intricate recipes and hope to do an amazing gourmet presentation for my family for part of their christmas gift (Food is so much better than gift cards!).
Well, I must check on my soup. I am hoping it will be done soon as I am getting hungry. I do believe I am getting sick. I am all congested in my head, sneezy, and a sour throat I only get when I am sick...ugh
8 days til I am home and done with this semester!
I tried another two recipes of Vegan Dad's earlier this year. The first was TuNori Sandwiches. One food that I absolutely adored when I was a meat-eater was tuna fish sandwiches and melts. They were probably one of my favorite lunches, aside from crescent dogs, and cucumber sandwiches. My mom would wrap them in foil and put them in the oven for a good 20 minutes. The bread would come out crispy, the cheese perfectly melted, and the spread melted in your mouth. Well it has been too long since that childhood memory, so I set out to recreate it. His recipe was quite simple, using chickpeas, vegenaise, and nori. I have not enjoyed nori in the past, but I really wanted to try the recipe, so I halved the nori in hopes that would be too little to develop that distinct after-taste. It smelled good and looked like a tuna salad. I popped these babies in the oven for 20 minutes on 200 to try and 'melt' the vegan cheese slices I have. They came out nicely, though I apparently no longer have the photo. Oh well. It turns out that I was still able to taste the Nori perfectly. It wasn't that it was horrible or the recipe, it was my damn sensitive taste. Next time I will try the same recipe, but add celery salt and other spices to get that same level of pow from the original.
The next recipe as I said was too from Vegan Dad. I made his Cannelloni. He made his own marinara sauce to cover the cannelloni, but I felt confident my glass jar marinara would work just the same. So all I had to make was the 'ricotta' filling. The main ingredients was the crumbled tofu, nooch, parsley, and soy creamer. It was so simple to make and it even smelled delicious. I filled my cannelloni with quite some difficulty until I finally gave in and got my hands dirty. Popped them in the oven for 40 mins. What was strange was they were so dry, even after they were covered in marinara and baked for 40 mins, I couldn't figure it out. I called my mom about it and she asked if I pre-boiled my cannelloni as some are all ready for baking and others you have to boil. Well shucks, got me. I definitely am an idiot and did not pre-boil pasta. Wow, hah. I didn't miss the step, but it sure did feel strange filling raw noodle with filling. They were still pretty good, the filling is absolutely mouth-watering. A few days later I saved the last of the bunch by completely DRENCHING them in marinara sauce and re-baking them. They came out nice and plump and again delicious. I will definitely be making these again and remember to pre-boil the cannelloni.This post sounds like a failure in ways, but it really wasn't. I think that every time you mess up, you only become a better cook. I am doubting myself less and less. When I started to cook all my meals this summer, I would check and re-check and go back a third time to make sure I had the right measurements and was following the steps correctly, but I definitely have no need to do that anymore. I am able to do more and more intricate recipes and hope to do an amazing gourmet presentation for my family for part of their christmas gift (Food is so much better than gift cards!).
Well, I must check on my soup. I am hoping it will be done soon as I am getting hungry. I do believe I am getting sick. I am all congested in my head, sneezy, and a sour throat I only get when I am sick...ugh
8 days til I am home and done with this semester!
11.09.2008
i know, i know
I have been horrible, don't worry I know. I haven't forgotten about posting or any of you. I will be back in two weeks, hopefully before then, but these next two weeks are 3 exams, last assignments in all classes, and a physics fair. Already I am really behind. But Im keeping optimistic that I will be able to catch back up this week.
Take care! And I'll write in a bit.
Take care! And I'll write in a bit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
