What got me through finals!

A quick post before I graduate and move from San Francisco. I can't believe my entire college career is going to officially end tomorrow. I'm really struggling with having to leave this amazing city that I have come to call home. And I hate that I don't get any real closure- spending some time at my favorite places for the last time. I finished my finals on Tuesday and then I've been packing yesterday and today. Ok but enough blabbing!

Here is a picture of some damn good beans and rice- if I say so myself. Red rice, pink beans, veggies, the perfect blend of spices, all cooked in an awesome tomato-y sauce. Wow this was seriously Fantastic (although I was doing finals so my taste buds could have been off)! I just wish I had paid closer attention to what exactly I did to concoct this dish. If I remember correctly it was pretty simple and all cooked in a rice cooker. A rice cooker is a "girl with no time for anything other than finals" best friend. I'll try to make this again once I've moved back home and then I'll share with you all the simple recipe.

Oh yeah, and there's a chance that I might have been sipping this drink at the same time. No it's not actually a margarita, but it was a special drink. Let's just say this tropical beverage helped me get through my 20 page paper, but I swear I was not drunk or even tipsy. I really am a good student I promise!

Anyways I graduate tomorrow, pack up my life into our truck on Saturday, and then I make the trip home with the family Saturday evening. But not after we celebrate by going to MILLENIUM in San Fran on Saturday night for dinner. That's right, I've lived in SF for over 3 years and I still haven't been to this vegan mecca. Really if their prices weren't so high than I would have already gone. I figure that this way it is even that much more special. My carnivore parents and omni older brother are coming, so I hope that they like it! I can't wait- I just don't know what to order !! Does anyone else get overwhelmed when there is more than one or two vegan options. I mean a whole menu, plus deserts- all vegan!

I'll be back soon with the green festival post that I promised to do eons ago.

Coconut Anyone?

A few pictures to tide you over until school is over and I can start posting more frequently again. So I'm going to make this quick since I really shouldn't be posting in the first place. Oh well, I figure this form of procrastination is better than many other things I could do.

Anyways, here are two different meals that share one common ingredient: Light Coconut Milk. And both recipes come from EDBV. (Picture taken from website- I don't actually have all of those products).



This picture doesn't do this meal justice. It is the Coconut Lime Basmati Rice, but I used lemon since that was all I had. I made this once before and it was delicious both times. The recipe is meant to be a side, but I decided to make it one full meal so I added some vegetables, including my favorite- KALE! Dino Kale fresh from the farmer's market (well actually all my produce is from the Farmer's Market). The first time I made it a little simpler with just kale, letting the rice shine in that dish. So either way you make it, as a side or as more of a main dish, I promise that it will taste great and it is nice and easy to prepare with few ingredients. Oh and this was also my first time using brown basmati rice (well I've never used white, so it was my first basmati rice in general). 5 stars out of 5!

Coconut Dream pancakes from EDBV.
Coconut Dream pancakes with hemp butter and cinnamon on top. I'm loving it!
Don't worry I ate many more than just these two you see pictured!

It's funny because I also thought I hated anything coconut. As a kid I gave the almond joys to my dad and other "old" people. And whenever any drinks or deserts had coconut in them I could tell in the first bite and I did not like it. I guess my taste buds have changed, because I decided to give it another chance last year and now I just love coconut. It could also have been that I just wasn't trying real coconut, if you know what I mean. Although I've noticed that ever since I became a veg head I like a lot of things I hated as a kid. Now I use coconut shavings in my baking (thank you Dreena!) as well as coconut milk for cooking and smoothies. I have yet to try coconut oil, and to be honest I don't plan on it.

I should be back blogging after next Friday (the day I graduate!).

Appologies and Updates

I can't believe that I managed to post everyday of VEGANMOFO and then bam- no post since Thanksgiving. A whole week and a day has gone by and MOFO is over. I really enjoyed the daily posts and was sad that I had to stop. I'll let you know what was going on. After Thanksgiving I didn't have access to the internet until late Sunday night, so I couldn't do any posting those days. And then on Monday, well, I'll let the photo do the talking.

So there's a series of pictures of my right knee, just in case you couldn't tell from my crappy pictures. Back in the beginning of October (the 2nd I think), I decided to tear my meniscus. I know stupid decision. Anyways, I've been hobbling around ever since on my swollen knee. I did the whole crutches thing for the first week, which was so miserable, and I've just kind of been limping around since. From this experience I've learned many things: Things in the medical world take forever! First you have to go here, then get a referral to go there, then wait for insurance to approve of this, then wait for your mri results.... Ay yay yay! The other thing I learned is that I am so incredibly blessed to be so physically healthy and able bodied. We don't realize how lucky we until we have to experience something ourself. I have utmost respect for anyone who is not able bodied or lives with permanent disabilities. You are all amazing!

Anyways, I finally had surgery this past Monday, and that is why I haven't been blogging. That and I had a final due on Tuesday, a 10+ page research paper due Thursday, work on Wednesday and Friday, plus I've gotten sick post-surgery (I think from the anesthesia), oh and I passed out Tuesday night and my roommate freaked out and called 911 (thank goodness I'm over 18 and could refuse transport to the hospital. I just had to sign some waiver). Yeah, let's just say it's been a whirlwind week. And I have not gotten very much sleep at all, so I'm exhausted and in a little bit of pain. I can't wait until I'm no longer hobbling and back to my energetic, active self. It's so weird to go from biking daily to not having biked in 2 whole months! But anyways, this is a food blog so enough of my ramblings about my knee!


Speaking of food- it was so hard to go all day without food before the surgery. I loaded up the night before eating up until 11:30pm, but even that wasn't enough. I swear it was torture the next day smelling food and watching others around me eat. I didn't end up getting food until after 7pm that day (my Aunt picked up Cha Ya for dinner, which is an awesome vegan Japanese place) , and I'm one of those eat breakfast every morning kind of people.


Here are some crappy old pictures of fun new produce I tried pre-surgery. I just love love love finding and trying new produce. There has been so much I've already discovered these past two years, especially since I grew up with the most basic of fruit and vegetables. Here we have a purple dragon carrot and a jerusalem artichoke.



This picture just fails to capture the amazing color of that carrot. It was a beautiful purple on the outside and a bright orange on the inside. Although I think it pretty much tasted like a regular orange carrot (but a good one at that). The jerusalem artichoke I ended up pureeing into soup. I just bought 2 more today at the Farmer's market. I did some googling on them since I had never heard of them and although most people seem to say they don't taste like artichokes, I kind of thought it had an artichoke flavor. I dunno, maybe I'm crazy.



Here's a picture of a meal I made the other night. It's basically been simple soups every night since the surgery. I decided to go ahead with Dreena's Mellow Sniffle Soup that I made before and loved. Again I added some veggies and black quinoa to make it more of a one pot meal. And on the side is steamed broccoli and a roasted baby eggplant with a drizzle of balsamic.

And here is a picture of today's lunch. Lemon Rosemary roasted potato with a black bean and veggie tofu scramble. I love my tofu scrambles with lots of colorful veggies. This was the first time I added beans, and I was happy with that choice. I also had a small side of simple cooked amaranth with a little tamari (not pictured). Toward the end I combined the amaranth and scramble which also turned out to be a good choice. Yum, what a filling lunch.

Believe it or not I've been able to keep cooking and baking this week. My health is important to me so I've made sure to stay energized with healthy food. Tomorrow I'll post my latest baked good that I made last night.

Sorry to disappear without notice, especially right smack in the middle of MOFO. I'm starting to feel better (just a little sleep deprived) so I plan on posting much more often!

Oh and one more thing. Wish me luck because I only have 2 more days of classes left in my whole college career. Then a week or so of finals and I graduate Friday the 14th. I'm SO EXCITED TO BE DONE!

Thanksgiving

Some quotes from my Thanksgiving (which I did not celebrate in my traditional fashion since I didn't go home.) Sorry, I only have time to share a few!

My Uncle wathching me cut brussel sprouts: "So those are.....?"
My Aunt: "They're brussel sprouts honey"

My aunt trying her first brussel sprout (which were roasted with garlic in olive oil and some balsamic): "They taste like marijuana." Wow, by far the wierdest response I've ever heard to someone trying brussel sprouts.

Why do so many people not know or like brussel sprouts. I just don't understand why they get all the hating.

My aunt taking her pumpkin bread out of the oven: "If I tell you there's no eggnog, eggs, or milk in this, will you eat it?" (She was actually just joking with me, but I think she always wished I could eat her baked goods.)

Later I looked at the carton of egg nog and 4 of the first five ingredients weren't vegan (eggs, cream...), and the other ingredient was sugar. Wow, I didn't realize how ridicuously unhealthy that stuff is! I'm so glad I never liked it as a kid.

I don't mean to make it sound like a bad event, becuase to me Thanksgiving isn't about the food but the company you are with. I was very appreciate of the people who hosted us and I really enjoyed myself even though I wasn't at home celebrating my traditional Thanksgiving. I'm just thankful that I was surrounded by great people and that we were able to prepare a table full of food. Truly I am blessed.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

The Magical Grain... QUINOA

I have limited internet access for the next 3-4 days but I'm going to try my darndest to keep getting a daily post, since it is VEGANMOFO. The bad news is that I don't have access to any of my pictures since they are on a different computer, so that means more creativity on my part. And my creativity has been lacking lately- school is frying my brain!

So for this post tonight I thought that I would share my favorite dish to bring to pot lucks or any event involving omni's. I know I've mentioned it before but QUINOA is the most amazing thing that has happened to my life (ok maybe not the most amazing, but I can't imagine my life without it).

I usually bring some sort of quinoa dish that is inspired from Vive Le Vegan's Quinoa Spring Salad. It's never the same, and is very versatile, which makes it so easy and fun. I do however, recommend using the dressing that Dreena suggests. But even that you can create on your own. My favorite part is getting all the questions about this "strange looking" grain.

I personally think quinoa is amazing for a variety of reasons. One it is very healthy- a whole grain and high in calcium, amino acids, and protein (what all we vegans inherently lack, right?- I do hope you sense the sarcasm). It's a quick cooking grain which seems to appeal to omni's- I think they have some sense that being vegan means sacraficing all their time with "crazy cooking." It has a slightly nutty taste and a gentle texture that makes you feel full, but not heavy (if that makes sense). It's super fun to say and it just looks neat. It's good hot or cold, and can be used in more sweet or savory dishes. It's Peruvian, originating with the Incas (now that's cool). Ok must I keep going with all the reasons why quinoa is the best?

So for the "big day" tomorrow I'm going to be with a few family members and some people that I don't know. I'm a little worried becuase I'm bringing a dish I've never before made: the Chickpea Confetti Casserole from EDBV. But can it really go wrong- I mean it's quinoa and chickpeas! Plus VeggieGirl just posted about her success with the recipe, and I know I can trust her! I'm excited to share this with everyone tomorrow!

Before I sign off, I'm going to share a few links of some quinoa recipes that are on other people's blogs. Check them out to get some new ideas on how to incorporate more quinoa into your diet. (By the way my favorite way to eat it, is with red lentils.)

From Susan at fatfreevegan: QuinoaVegetable Paella, International Quinoa Salad, and Farmer's Market Quinoa, Quinoa and Red Lentil Croquettes

Vanesscipes: Quinoa Balls with Putanesca Sauce

EatAir: Quinoa Jambalaya

BunnyFoot: Quinoa, Corn, and Spinach Chowder

Spice Island Vegan: Quinoa Sushi

Something In Season: Quinoa Porridge

This is just a tiny sampling of the recipes out there. There is so much more you can do with it. Plus not only does the grain have three varieities- black, red, and white, but also there are quinoa flakes and there's quinoa flour. Also, many products use quinoa in them- cereals, crackers... I haven' t yet experiemented with quinoa flour, but I'm thinking it's about time. Once I do I will definitely report back.

Ok I'm almost done jabbering, I swear! So I'm most likely going to Peru in February for about 5 months. I'm stoked because that is where quinoa originates and I know they eat lots of it there. I' m hoping to learn some traditional recipes, and veganize them if they aren't already. Woo Hoo- I won't starve there as my family is sure of.

I'll leave you with one picture to end my ODE TO QUINOA.

Black Quinoa added to EDBV's Mellow Lentil Sniffle Soup. (Adding quinoa to soup is a great way to make a hearty meal.)

Do You Veggie Wash?

This post of VEGANMOFO brought to you by Veggie Wash. I never knew that products were actually out that specifically to wash your produce. That is until I received a sample of veggie wash last year. My roommate and I got so used to it that we just about *died* without it. Oh so I'm exaggerating a lot. The point is that we got used to and then felt like we needed it. Ya know- like we couldn't go without it.


I mean doesn't water work just the same? And what if I buy all organic anyways, then it's not like I'm trying to clean off any chemicals, but just some dirt maybe. Besides can't I make my own veggie wash by mixing some citrus and some water? Is this just another marketing scheme? I just feel like buying it makes me some sort of terrible consumer. Although I haven't yet bought it, and I've only used it when I've gotten free samples. So to be honest I don't even know if it's expensive.

So I'm asking you, what's your opinion on veggie wash? Is it really necessary, or is it just some trick that I've fallen for (not that I've really fallen for it since I'm not convinced yet). Has anyone bought and used this and noticed some sort of difference. Because really, if we buy things, don't we want it to be different had we not bought it? Isn't that the point?

HHHMmmmmmm.....

Hempanola and Blueberry Grunt

I had every intention of posting about the Green Festival tonight, but then there was this strange event, and well I've been put in a weird mood now. I don't want to post about that when I'm down, because it is an awesome event that deserves my full attention when posting. I won't go into the details, and instead I 'll just share with you my recent baking experiences.

This past weekend my parents were visiting, and I decided that we should have a fun and decadent breakfast. So what did I turn to? Eat Drink and Be Vegan, of course? I went for the Blueberry Grunt. I've never heard of grunt before this, and I'm excited to say that I've now had a traditional Canadian desert. I didn't get a picture of it before we dug in, but Dreena has a great picture on her website. Well I'm happy to report that this was a great choice (we did just blueberries and apples)! I loved it of course, but I can't think of anything of Dreena's that I haven't liked. My parents (the carnivores, haha) both loved it. I even caught my mom to browse through the cookbook (score!). Unfortunately the little brother wouldn't even touch it. Apparently he doesn't like blueberries (although I'm convinced it's all mental). Oh well, you can't please them all- plus I bet he would have liked it if he tried it.



This morning I made another batch of hempanola! This stuff is great! I just wish I knew that making granola was so simple and quick, before last month. Quick prep, minimal clean up, and a great smell in the kitchen. It was funny because my roommate is having friend over this week and this morning I heard the friend say "make me pancakes." They then opened her door and proceeded toward the kitchen when I heard my roommate say, "It smells like someone already made pancakes." I love it! I mean come on how can you not be tempted to make granola that smells like pancakes?

Dreena has a better picture on her website and in the book, but here is one I snapped tonight under the artificial light. I stored it in a couple of empty jars like the one you see above and then I enjoy it in a variety of ways, mixed with fruit and yogurt, with some almond milk, or just plain as is.


If you pick just one recipe to make from the book, choose the Hempanola. Cheap, delicious, and nutritious.

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!