Curse you agar agar!!!

What We Had For Dinner Last Night

Well, I got a cookbook this weekend at this art gallery (cookbooks!, pottery! yarn! whee!). I got Vive le Vegan! by Dreena Burton. I've heard good things about this book, mainly that the recipes are pretty quick and easy and that appeals to me!

So I tried the Broccoli-Mushroom-Walnut Phyllo Pie! And it was quick and good!
I didn't have any onion (boo) so I used garlic, D. hates mushrooms, so I skipped that step, oh, I made the pasta version, no vinegar and I guess that's about it! D. said he usually likes his broccoli just by itself, not pureed into a sauce, so maybe next time I might try this as a sauce over the pasta and broccoli.

Notes;
Next time, boil the pasta water, and just before it's done, toss in the broccoli to cook!
Toast the walnuts in the bottom of the pot before sauteing the onion!

On to the weekend! Whee! It was apple picking weekend, a weekend each fall when a group of us get together and go up to Port Wing, WI to pick apples (wild apples! just there on the tree!) on our friends C. and D.s land!! Man, Port Wing is like a hidden treasure, I tell you! Right on Lake Superior and so much beauty! We stayed at the Stone Haus again this year and really enjoyed it!

Check out that view!!
And here are the apples. I spent a significant amount of time yesterday (read: hours) coring, peeling and cutting up all the apples into slices to go into my crockpot to make apple butter.
I'm trying out this recipe, using only 3 C sugar (we'll see). I plan on freezing most of it so we can enjoy the fruits (ha!) of our labor this winter. I kinda wish I could come up with some more awesome way to use these, but I'm always a procrastinator when it comes to apples and it just never seems to get done, so it was good to just plow through them all yesterday and git 'er done! I feel very happy that none will go to waste!

And I also have to share what I got here!

It's done by Melis Pottery and I think it's just perfect!

Oh, and for Veganmofo, I want to say that I now have the ability to recognize spices by sight. Unlabeled.

Vegans use lots of spices (vast generalization).

So anyway- I buy my spices at my coop, and they come in little clear bags (man, that bulk section used to intimidate me!) and I have all these little bags crammed into a big Ziploc. So today when I loaded up my crockpot, I grabbed for a brown bag of spice and !bingo! it was cinnamon! Woo!

Of course, there's always the agar agar. Curse you agar agar! How you mock me!! I shove you down to the bottom of the bag and there you malinger, waiting for me to grab you when I'm trying to find the onion powder...

Stuff Stuffed Delicata Squash

What We Had For Dinner Last Night

Well, this one was a bit of an adventure, but one that turned out well, I think...

First off, I was going to use our acorn squash we got from our CSA, and so I looked up a few recipes, but then I couldn't cut the squash open!!! Can you believe it?!? Oh, man, I felt like such a dork (my husband will smile slightly in a vindicated way because he's always saying how we need to have our knives sharpened). But anyway, then I remembered the delicata squash we had and decided to use those instead.

And then I decided that my just-having-worked-out husband might need just a leeeetle bit more substance in his stuffing (no offense meant, apples), so I thought and thought what else I could add and here's what I came up with!

I haven't really stuffed many squash, but it was really easy and a great way to make a meal!

Stuff Stuffed Delicata Squash

3 small delicata squash*
1/2 C adzuki beans
1/4 C TVP
1/4 C golden raisins
1/2 apple, sliced thin and chopped
1 T almond butter
3 T maple syrup
2 T oil
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt

Boil 1/2 C water, pour in the TVP and let sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and oil a baking sheet.
Slice your delicata lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
Place delicata cut side down onto the sheet and bake 20m.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the almond butter, maple syrup, oil, cinnamon and salt. Gently stir in adzuki beans, raisins and apples. Pour in TVP, do not drain, and mix well.
When squash are ready, flip them up, and place 1-2 T of stuffing in each. Return to oven and bake until bubbling and tender (approx 15m).

*did you know you can eat the skin? Coooool.

And I have to say, you can't really see it in the picture above, but we got some kickin' spinach yesterday from our CSA! I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be so excited about spinach, but here we are. Soooo goood! I must have an iron deficiency or something...

Sorry no pics of the CSA veg, I just sort of lost steam on that somehow. But we still have a few weeks left! Yesterday we got some beets I can't wait to use! And of course a whole mess of other stuff as well...

No reading lately, have to run to the library today, I'm OUT OF BOOKS, not to mention, getting new books for E. 'cause we going up to Port Wing for Apple Picking Weekend!! So we need books to look at in the van.

Last night I made pitas, like at 9pm, ending at 11pm. And hummus, and I prepped my red lentil curry. I think we should have enough food. We will be staying at this cute little house up there you can rent, we loved it last year, and this year it's so nice to have again because our friend M. is bringing up her 6 week old baby!!! Saturday night will be our big supper together up there, plus we will go to the local cafe for awesome pancakes, go and see the Big Lake and pick wild apples! Not to mention climbing the big maple and maybe visiting a few pottery/jewelry shops. I can't wait.

For veganmofo I got nothin'- see this post for some awesome motivation!

In A Fresh Way

What We Had For Dinner Last Night

Pesto!! I didn't look up measurements, so I used 1/4 C for everything!! 1/4 C olive oil, 1/4 C nutritional yeast, 1/4 C walnuts...

Veganmofo, what can I say for you today? I would like to speak about my perception that the vegan movement today is not rigid and sanctimonious. Everyone does their best and no one is 100% perfect. That is a very risky statement, because it almost seems to invite less than a full adherence to the vegan lifestyle. But, it's a great statement- many, many religions and branches of religions have failed, failed, failed at this (not that I'm saying veganism is a religion, I'm just talking from personal experience about trying to live a perfect lifestlye). The feeling I get from vegans is that of encouragement!!! And I can't say how glad that makes me. Instead of coming down on a person (no one likes to feel like a failure), vegans encourage each other to do their best. They share resources and information. That is great. The end.

Whoah, Terry Pratchett fans! Gee, I checked my analytics and the day after I posted about reading "The Wee Free Men" my numbers spiked!! I think it was 'cause of this site.

I did kind of mis-speak and say that I couldn't get into the Discworld series, but the books I read are actually part of Discworld- a parralell storyline, I believe.

Gosh, I feel like I should say something of more importance... like, um, the main character is a witch, and there's this one spot where they talk about why it's important to take care of the less fortunate and I liked the themes about doing what's right and being a good person. I really liked the cool female protagonist and I can't wait until my girls are old enough to read these. That's high praise. I do love me a fairy tale and it's nice to see someone doing them in a fresh way.

I read these in a little cabin on the shores of Lake Superior, mostly by candlelight, an ideal setting. I think there's another one in this series coming out. Can't wait.

Being Vegan Is the Best

What We Had For Dinner Last Night

Adzuki Bean Stew

1 C uncooked adzuki beans, approximately 2.5 C cooked
1 C TVP rehydrated in 2 C boiling water
1 onion, chopped
1 shallot, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 red peppers, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, quartered and sliced thinly
2 T hot paprika sauce
1 T dill
3 T olive oil
1 t salt
pepper to taste

Boil your water (I nuked my 2 C in a 2 C Pyrex measuring cup for 5m in the microwave) and dump in the TVP. Let this sit while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
Chop your veggies. Drain and squeeze out your TVP (I used a mesh strainer).
Saute the onions, then garlic. Add the TVP, peppers, carrots and paprika paste. Mix well and saute a few minutes. Add your adzuki beans, potatoes, pepper, salt and dill and cover with 4 C water.
Simmer for 30m or until potatoes are done.

This was really good, but I think I used too much dill, or else to our American taste buds dill=pickles. Next time I'll just use a little.
The adzuki beans were quick to cook and the stew turned out great, I was really pleased with how tasty it was without using vegetable broth!

This month is Veganmofo which is Vegan Month of Food. I suppose there are themes and such that I should be doing each day, but I thought I'd just take a moment here to talk about why I think being a vegan is so great!

I know some people might consider veganism limiting, and I can definately understand that, but for me, being vegan works as a nice way to create some parameters within which I can roam freely. Really, when you think about how much food there is out there and the myriad ways to prepare it, it's overwhelming. Being vegan creates boundaries (ethical ones, to boot) within which I can experiement and combine to my hearts content. I think cooks naturally do this (limit themselves) and I can rest more easily as a cook knowing that nothing I eat comes from animals and most of what I eat is truly healthy and good for me!

Of course, part of the creativity of being a cook is to try new things (note the combination of paprika and dill above which I would have never tried before, let alone adzuki beans) and, again, veganism wins, because there are always new things to try even within this so called limiting diet. In fact, I would argue that I try more radical things than I would have otherwise because I am vegan.

Frankly, without being vegan, I would never have tried all the different kinds of lentils, beans, spices and so forth (yes, I'm looking at you, nutritional yeast) that I have. Oh, and vegetables, let's not forget all the veggies! And I would have never tried baking my own bread or cakes, either. I would still be eating Hamburger Helper with Boca crumbles, that's what.

So in conclusion, veganism, I love you!

And this lamp.

What We Had For Dinner Last Night

This was a mix of the CSA broccoli we got, some pasta shells, some garlic and Dragonfly's Bulk Dry Uncheese, oh yeah, and some TVP. Ta da!

I was going to make it with some tomato sauce from all the heirloom tomatoes we got from the CSA, and I blanched the tomatoes and then deseeded them and depulped them and then I had so much liquid I decided to save it. Anyhow, we got some bee-yuu-ti-ful oregano so perhaps I'll make some actual sauce with it ?and freeze it? for the winter...

Reading "The Sunrise Lands" by Stirling, you know, that series that I've started and stopped and started and stopped? I gave up on "The Protector's War" but this one is great so far- he catches you up with what happened with that one, and so I get all the bonuses of having read it, but without having to slog through all the war stuff. So, there's that. I'm enjoying it so far. We're getting closer to figuring out what happened to cause the end of the world. I'm sure it will be some kind of huge Wicca fest at the end.

Sick, bleh.

I want one of these.

Apples Yah Der Hey

What We Had For Dinner Last Night

Crockpot Cabbage and Kielbasa

2 savoy cabbage, shredded
2 apples, chopped
6 small Viking purple potatoes
1 t caraway seeds
2 T vegetable broth
1 package Tofurky kielbasa sausage, cut into 1" rounds
1 onion, chopped
2 T brown sugar
1 t apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 C water

Chop your cabbage, apples, potatoes, onion and Tofurky. Put it all into your large crockpot, sprinkle with caraway seeds, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and veggie broth powder, pour in water and cover.
Cook on low for 4 hours, high for the last 2, stirring occasionally.

This was very good! It had a nice spicy sweet tart thing going on...
And, it was not mushy- when I started making this it was to the tippy top of the cooker and I was all like, no way will 1 1/2 C water do it. But I was patient and as the cabbage cooked down and released it's juices it was fine. Even though the potatoes themselves were not covered with water, I think they cooked by being steamed.

I found the idea for apples in a recipe called Milwaukee Kielbasa Supper- how could I resist?!? (I used to live in Milwaukee). The one thing that would have made this better would have been the addition of wine. Mmmm, wine.

I served this up with some of that Easy Vegan Wheat Bread- I halved the recipe due to lack of ww flour existence in my home and it was good! Whee!

Finished "Maps and Legends", first essays were the best. Reading "The Pilot's Wife", another Oprah book club book, oh no! what can I say, I grabbed a title that sounded like I'd heard it before. Anyway, I'm almost done, it's pretty fluffy, like, her description of what it feels like after someone you love has died was pretty ?heavy handed? heavy with the brush? how do I say it? She was obviously REALLY trying to make sure you knew the person was grief stricken. But it's gripping, and it's what I have to read right now. The end.

No Title Is Forthcoming

What We Had For Dinner Last Night

Dry Fried Tofu with Caramel Sauce and Sweet Peppers
based off of this recipe but also using Vegan YumYum's dry fried tofu technique

1/2 block extra firm tofu, sliced long ways into thirds and then diagonally across these three rectangles to make 6 triangles total
2 shallots, sliced thinly 'across the grain'
1 sweet red pepper, deseeded and sliced thinly into long strips
1/4 C sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t Trader Joe's ginger paste
1 T soy sauce
1 t apple cider vinegar
1/2 C water
1 T cornstarch dissolved in 1 T water

Slice up your tofu, then place it between two tea towels and press it with your cast iron pan.
Start your rice.
Chop up your shallots, mince your garlic, slice your sweet peppers.
Get out your soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, corn starch, sugar amd ginger.
Mix the cornstarch with water, set aside.
Now, on med high heat, in a medium saucepan, dump in the sugar and let it sit. When it starts to melt, start stirring, and don't stop until it's all melted and golden.
Remove from heat, add shallots and return to heat. Cook for one minute. Then add garlic and ginger and sweet peppers and cook for another few minutes.
Add water, soy sauce and vinegar and mix well, scraping down sides as needed.
Simmer for a few minutes, then add the corn starch, mix well, cover and turn to low.
Get your cast iron pan off of the tofu, get it on the stove and get it hot (med high).
Place your tofu on the skillet and lower the heat a little. Cook until golden, about 5m, pressing down with your spatula to get out all the water you can.
Flip and cook the other side for approximately 5m.
Serve your tofu over rice with the peppers and sauce over the top.

This was very good! I halved the recipe and used less vinegar and more sugar. The dry fried tofu was pretty dry- I would marinate this some after frying it, or just go ahead and use a tablespoon or two of oil and actually fry it.

Well, we had a great time up at Lake Superior, always makes me want to live up there!

Read "The Wee Free Men" and "Hat Full of Sky" by Terry Pratchett - very good!! I tried reading the Discworld series at one point, and just could. not. get. into. it... so I was surprised that I liked these so much!!! Whee! I'm a sucker for a good fairy tale.

Also reading "Maps and Legends" by Michael Chabon which is really fun non-fiction, a book about books and writing. I'll have to get ahold of his "Adventures of Kavalier and Clay", I think.