tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91997190468959370132024-02-08T10:15:29.976-08:00veglicious!melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-38515470289560843032009-08-24T20:41:00.000-07:002009-08-24T20:54:44.666-07:00Calling all fans of brunchDo yourself a favor and pick up Isa's new <a href="http://www.theppk.com/vegan-brunch.html" target="top">brunch book</a> if you haven't already!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3489/3854211463_5b4be08185_o.jpg" /><br /><br />Delicious tomato rosemary scones. Collards and sausage that will pop your dome. And my personal favorite, soft and buttery coffee cake, just like the kind mom used to make, or buy. You know, the one in the blue and white box. I've made this recipe several times already and am still in love. Just in case you think you're going to get sick of it (you're not), Isa provides a bunch of variations for fruit, chocolate, and other flavors. The recipe is flexible enough, you can pretty much do whatever you want to it and it'll be amazing. That's how good it is. The other day, I added a layer of sweetened dairy-free cream cheese and fresh strawberries. It is strawberry season after all.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3855000910_b42cd02d11_o.jpg" /><br /><br />And the cinnamon rolls! Make the cinnamon rolls!melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-52518143801296368902009-08-19T00:08:00.000-07:002009-08-20T10:15:30.252-07:00T-shirt contestI'm not really a big fan (understatement) of PETA, what with their <a href="http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/02/10/peta-racism-goes-into-overload/" target="top">racism</a>, <a href="http://whatswrittenonmybody.blogspot.com/2009/08/this-week-has-been-full-of-fat-jokes.html" target="top">sizism</a>, and sexism (Do I even need to provide a link for that one? I wouldn't even know where to begin...), but if there's one thing that I hate more than PETA, it's vivisection.<br /><br />Head on over to PETA2 for a chance to win one of Danny's newest designs for <a href="http://shop.zuboutique.com/" target="top">Zu</a> that addresses the absurd cruelty of subjecting lovely critters to all sorts of chemicals and crap for the sake of human safety, and by safety, I mean stupid aesthetic standards.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2584/3836361104_029a1cbf9e.jpg" border="0"><br /><br /><a href="http://breakshearts.peta2.com/contest.aspx" target="top">Contest entry form!</a> You have until August 28th.<br /><br />And congratulations to Danny and Shaudi! Extra points for creative use of a <a href="http://www.babycakesnyc.com/2009/08/first-babycakes-proposal-that-we-know-of.html" target="top">red velvet cupcake</a>, though if it were me, I'd much rather just have the cupcake. I wish you both lots of happiness!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2638519178_15f0fc4c21_m.jpg" /><br /><i>Boca king and marshmallow queen.</i>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-34983345486553156422009-07-26T18:08:00.000-07:002009-07-26T18:25:15.663-07:00Cucumber melon coolersWarm sun means my CSA box has been overloaded with cucumbers and melons. Here's a refreshing way to use up the best summer flavors in one tasty drink.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2477/3760350030_cce13c7f14.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">Cucumber melon coolers <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">(4-6 servings)</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 medium cucumber, roughly chopped (about 2 c.)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 small melon, roughly chopped (about 3 c. - I used a sharlyn melon)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3 c. water</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1/4 - 1/2 c. unrefined cane sugar</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 handful of mint leaves</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">zest and juice of 1 lime</span><br /><br />Combine everything in a blender and puree until smooth. If you're not using organic cucumbers, peel it first, since most conventional cukes are coated in wax. Start with 1/4 c. sugar and adjust the amount depending on how sweet your melon was and how sweet you want your juice to be. Pour through a sieve (optional, if you don't have a high-powered blender), then chill for at least 1 hour. Serve over ice.<br /><br />Perfect for sipping by the pool, on a porch, or if you live somewhere awesome like the East Bay, at the beach!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/3760348704_eb5a21d2b7.jpg" /><br /><br />In more East Bay rocks news, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/souley-vegan-oakland-2?rpp=40&sort_by=date_desc" target="top">Souley Vegan's</a> new storefront near Jack London Square is finally open for business. You can't beat their Southern Fried Tofu! They also have great BBQ tofu and all the fixings like mac & cheese, potato salad, collard greens, black eyed peas, yams, and lots more. The strawberry ginger juice is also delicious and super refreshing. Plus, the family that runs Souley are some of the friendliest folks around. Please support them!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2544/3759553539_e71b1736b3.jpg?v=0" /><br /><br />Souley Vegan<br />301 Broadway (@ 3rd)<br />Oakland, CA 94607melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-41836680617117972592009-07-15T12:21:00.000-07:002009-07-15T13:47:32.804-07:00Buckwheat pancakes for 1I spent most of my life not really understanding pancakes. Who would choose flat blobs of dough over french toast or waffles? I also grew up on decidedly unamerican, paper thin crepes, dressed with syrups my mom would make from orange juice or jams (more on that later). It wasn't until very recently, that I discovered what pancakes really meant: fluffy, warm vehicles for fat and sugar, a carb-lover's dream. They are pan-fried <i>cakes</i> afterall, and that doesn't sound too shabby.<br /><br />While my partner does love pancakes, he often has more discipline than me and my cravings for breakfast at any hour of the day, and so I put together this recipe which cooks up 6 delicious mini-cakes for one. It's easy to remember and a few of the ingredients are ok to eyeball, which means it come together really quickly. I like minis because, well, mini things are always cuter, and they cook much faster, too.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2457/3718923087_c147a50a16_o.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">Buckwheat pancakes</span> (6 - 3" pancakes)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1/4 c. buckwheat flour</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1/4 c. all purpose flour</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 tsp. baking powder</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">~ 1 tsp. sugar </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">pinch of salt</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">fresh grated nutmeg (one or two passes on the microplane)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1/2 c. dairy-free milk</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">~ 1 tsp. oil or melted margarine </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">splash of vanilla extract (or use vanilla milk above)</span><br /><br />In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients to distribute everything evenly. In a measuring cup, measure out your milk first, then splash in the oil and vanilla and whisk together in the cup to combine.<br /><br />Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk slowly, just until everything is moistened.<br /><br />Now, an important step, not to be skipped: set the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to rest.<br /><br />When you batter is almost done resting, lightly oil and heat up your favorite pancake skillet (I like cast iron). For perfectly portioned pancakes (and cookies and cupcakes...) I highly recommend investing in a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001MSEPK/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=304485901&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00125P6R4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=08QYCQMM7XB0Z36VDXF1" target="top">disher</a> or several of various sizes. I use a size 30 (1 1/4 oz.) for this recipe for 6 pancakes, which is also about 2 heaping tablespoons. The batter will be fairly thick, so the disher makes for easy scooping, but you can just use a large spoon.<br /><br />Cook your pancakes over medium to medium-high heat for a couple minutes each side, until golden.<br /><br />In addition to growing up in a pancake-free home, we also rarely had maple syrup. Not always wanting my breakfast goods to taste like the fruit choice of the day, I got in the habit of just sprinkling sugar over my buttered crepes or french toast. I think this application is ideal for these little pancakes, as it allows the nutty flavor of the buckwheat to stand on its own (with a little help from the warm nutmeg). The crunchy crystals are also a nice contrast to the soft, fluffy cakes.melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-50516450676088335662009-07-13T10:06:00.000-07:002009-07-13T11:03:38.604-07:00Summer!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Summer doesn't quite have the significance it did when I was in school and it meant something entirely different than just being able to still see the sun on the commute home from work. It's still my favorite season though, with clear skies, being able to wear tank tops at night, frosty limeade, BBQs, and this tomboy's recently discovered affinity for the summer dress. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Being in California, our hot days come early, and I was lucky enough to spend my May birthday with great friends in one of my favorite places, Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, in West Oakland. </span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2018/3545403582_a3811c474d.jpg" width="350" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">In the shadows of the port cranes and the Bay Bridge, we feasted of tofu pups and Boca burgers, potato and green bean salad, chips, sodas, and a strawberry vanilla cake from Shaudi. All the makings of a great barbecue!</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2429/3545405370_1a4e537a6c_m.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Special thanks to </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5665781" target="top">Lisa</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> for bringing out some white chocolate chips from New York on her recent visit to the Bay Area. I was able to make some classic white chocolate macadamia nut cookies for the party. One of my all time favorite cookie combinations and it's been years since I've been able to eat them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Soon after, I took off with my family for China for a couple weeks of sightseeing.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3230/3714380135_80199e6f06.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Things got off to a bad start, when the airline didn't pack a vegan meal for the 12 hour flight.</span><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3446/3715186572_810d3c5c3c_m.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I managed to find a few vegetarian restaurants thanks to the </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.vegetarian-china.info/" target="top">Vegetarian China</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> website. However, I spent most of the trip downing massive amounts of white rice, bok choy, and watermelon. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">In Xi'an, we had some beautiful dumplings, though the fillings weren't impressive and the skins were tough.</span><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/3715262726_32f1d35f40.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">In Yangshuo, I finally got what I had really wanted for most of the trip: tofu and vegetables, and happily stuffed myself. I never thought it would be so difficult to get tofu in restaurants in China.</span><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3535/3715288882_28c28038d4.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Upon my return, I threw a bun party for some friends. </span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2576/3715286571_e958c58a11.jpg" width="350" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I used my recipe for </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://veglicious.blogspot.com/2007/05/caramelized-lemongrass-tofu-with.html">caramelized lemongrass tofu</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> and whipped up some tofu, carrot, jicama, and shiitake stuffed </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cha_gio" target="top">cha gio</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">. This is the perfect menu for summer parties, as it doesn't heat up your kitchen with too much cooking, and the dish is refreshing and light. Setting up the food buffet style also means less work for the host. I placed bunches of mint and cilantro in glasses of water to keep them fresh, and let people help themselves to all of the fixings: noodles, lettuce, peanuts, cucumbers, and nuoc cham sauce. Few things say summer quite as well as mint and cucumbers.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2558/3716096960_8725443099.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">We ended the meal with something uniquely summer: smores! </span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2641/3716030866_177b4c41c1.jpg?v=0" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I can't say that I've ever actually roasted marshmallows over a real summertime campfire (a gas grill perhaps, or a garbage can fire pit, and this time I made do with our broiler), but these sticky, sweet treats still allude to those quintessential scout camp memories that few people actually have. Thanks to the fine folks over at </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.dandiescandies.com/" target="top">Chicago Soydairy</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">, I had a big bag full of air-puffed marshmallows to share. The fluffy 'mallows roast up just like you'll remember conventional ones doing: toasty and crisp on the outside and soft and gooey in the middle. I'm also hoarding some for a cold night when I can top off a hot cocoa. Order some for yourself </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.dandiescandies.com/where_to_buy.php" target="top">today</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> and do summer right.</span></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-78230536910087360902009-05-20T19:24:00.000-07:002009-05-20T20:23:54.370-07:00If you seek tofu<span style="font-size:85%;">While walking down the street, proudly displaying my honest love for all things tofu, I remembered the recent <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_12093995" target="top">absurdity</a> in Denver regarding one vegan's failure to obtain a TOFU license plate. Especially given the syntax of <a href="http://www.herbivoreclothing.com/" target="top">Herbivore Clothing's</a> adorable design, I wondered if my shirt would be misinterpreted by anyone. But, I realized that if anyone were that stupid, then they deserve to be offended.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3373/3549811839_51b0bd6df8_o.jpg" /><br /><br />You can pick up your own "i <3 tofu" shirt <a href="http://www.herbivoreclothing.com/item/i-heart-tofu-womens-tee" target="top">here</a> and offend as many people as your tofu and FU lovin' heart desires.<br /><br />Congratulations are in order for Josh "Herbivore" Hooten, who recently raised almost $13,000 for <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/" target="top">Farm Sanctuary</a> while completing a 604 mile bicycle journey from Portland to Orland, CA, for their annual Hoe Down event that was held this past weekend. Ronnie would be proud! Check out his beautiful pictures from the ride: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/josh.herbivore/FarmSanctuaryRidePhotos#" target="top">gallery</a>.<br /><br />A little closer to home, I'd like to introduce you to a little joint that you should really become familiar with, if you haven't already. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/ricos-diner-oakland" target="top">Rico's</a> is a little, retro diner, located on the corner of 15th and Franklin in downtown Oakland.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3659/3549836795_a6c349647e_o.jpg" /><br /><br />They have a separate vegetarian/vegan menu with several sandwich and fried potato options available. Their claim the fame is the vegan pulled pork sandwich, made from mushroom stems, in a tasty without being overly messy sauce and organic greens on a soft, wheat bun. They also have a banh mi, which I have yet to try, and a chicken and sweet pepper cheesesteak sandwich (sans cheese for vegan) that got good reviews from my pals. You can get regular fries, garlic fries, curly fries, or piping hot tater tots! Self-serve cups and access to an ice dispenser and water cooler get a thumbs up as well.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3589/3549836747_2a5d2e5a5b_o.jpg" /><br /><br />The downside to Rico's is that they're downtown business lunch crowd hours friendly, so they're only open until 3 p.m. You can also stop in on Saturdays. And be sure to (gently) harass them to carry vegan milkshakes!<br /><br />If you're still hankering for some more t-shirts and are laughing in the recession's face, stop by <a href="http://shop.zuboutique.com/store/show_by_tags/Shirts" target="top">Zu</a> where Danny has a couple new vegan designs up.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3603/3550677258_a92bb67cf4.jpg" /><br /></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-74031766873928628652009-03-18T18:44:00.000-07:002009-03-18T20:06:01.073-07:00Strawberry-quinoa bars<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I'm a firm believer in not feeling guilty about the foods we put into our body (global politics and food resources aside -- I'm talking about the 3:00 p.m. voice in your head that says, "I want a donut.") Women especially, but everyone our culture as a whole, are under considerable pressure to fit into tiny pants, and the resulting oceans of self-hatred that flood our communities makes me want to punch ad execs in the face. Screw that. Guilt is a waste of perfectly good time. If you want to eat cookies for breakfast, eat damn cookies for breakfast, and love your beautiful body just the way it is. Granted, you probably shouldn't eat cookies for breakfast </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">everyday</i><span style="font-family:georgia;">, and you should also fill up the rest of your menu with kale and chard and sweet potatoes and tempeh and other good things.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">So, while you shouldn't hate yourself over what you put into your body, I do believe that you can really be happy about putting good things into your cookie hole. Strawberry-quinoa bars are my solution to wanting to eat cheesecake for breakfast everyday. Thanks to the genius of </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.vegsource.com/jo/books/ultimate.htm" target="top">Joanne Stepaniak</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> and her cashew and millet teascake (courtesy of </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://dgmgv.blogspot.com/2007/09/key-lime-teasecake.html" target="top">Don't Get Mad, Get Vegan</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">), now I can. I modified Joanne's recipe to combine the healthy fats in almonds with the complete protein of quinoa, while still giving you that satisfying, creamy tang. I used </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://millenniumrestaurant.com/restaurant/cookbook.html" target="top">Millennium Restaurant's</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> crust from their Chocolate Almond Midnight (only the best dessert ever), adding oats, again replacing cashews with almonds, and bumping the nutrition up even more with the omega-goodness of flax seeds. It won't fool you into thinking you're really eating a traditional, decadent cheesecake, but it's still remarkably delicious, and full of all sorts of nutritious things that will start your day off right.<br /><br />There are quite a few steps that require a bit of multitasking, and a few more pieces of kitchen equipment than I'd like, but it's worth it in the end. You will need a high-speed blender with plunger or an immersion blender. (Or, try it in a regular blender or food processor and let me know how it turns out!) Don't fret if your filling doesn't get perfectly smooth; you won't notice once the bars are fully constructed.</span></span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3364740976_da2cc60278.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 0, 51); font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Strawberry-quinoa bars, 9 servings</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Crust</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 c. rolled oats</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >2 tbs. whole flax seeds</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/3 c. whole raw almonds</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/4 tsp. cinnamon</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/4 tsp. salt</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >3 tbs. vegetable oil</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >2 tbs. maple syrup</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 tbs. water</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/2 tsp. vanilla extract</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Filling</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/2 c. quinoa</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 1/2 c. water</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/2 c. whole raw almonds </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/3 c. maple syrup</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >zest of 1 lemon</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/2 c. almond milk</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/3 c. fresh lemon juice</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >2 tsp. vanilla extract</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Topping</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/2 tsp. agar powder</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >2 tsp. water</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >2 1/2 c. frozen strawberries</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/4 c. maple syrup</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 tbs. fresh lemon juice</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Preheat your oven to 350F and line an 8x8 baking pan with foil (enough so it reaches up and over the sides, for easy removal). Combine the agar and 2 tsp. of water in a small bowl and set aside.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">In a blender, combine 1/2 c. of the rolled oats and flax seeds. Blend until the oats and most of the flax are well ground. It should resemble whole wheat flour. Pour into a food processor with the 1/3 c. of almonds, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse until the almonds have broken down into a coarse meal.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oil, syrup, water, and vanilla. Use a silicone spatula to stir in the remaining 1/2 c. of oats and the almond mixture. Stir until evenly moistened, then press into your prepared pan. The crust should just begin to come up the sides (about 1/4"). Bake for 18-20 minutes, just until the edges start to brown, then remove from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">In a sieve, rinse your quinoa well under running water. (Crucial step!) Transfer the quinoa to a small lidded pot, along with the 1 1/2 c. of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the quinoa is soft and the water has been absorbed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Meanwhile, grind the almonds and maple syrup in a blender until it is as smooth as possible. Once the quinoa has finished cooking, add it to the blender, along with the milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. (I prefer to use alcohol-free extract, since this part will not be cooked.) Pause your blending and scrape the sides down frequently. If your crust has completely cooled, pour your filling into the crust and spread evenly. If it's not ready yet, scrape the filling into a bowl and set aside. Once it starts to cool and set, it's not very fun to try to remove it from the blender! You can leave everything on the counter at room temp until you've finished the final step.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">In a small pot, combine the strawberries, maple syrup, and lemon juice. Simmer over medium heat just until some of the berries begin to soften (it's ok if some of the bigger ones are still a little frozen). Add the agar mixture and simmer for 5 more minutes. No agar granules should be visible. Use the back of a spoon to gently break down some of the bigger strawberries, if they haven't done it on their own already.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Let the strawberry mixture cool for 20-30 minutes, the pour it over your filled crust and spread evenly over the top of the bars. Let the bars cool completely before covering and refrigerating for at least 4-6 hours. Or leave them overnight and enjoy for breakfast the next day! </span></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-72656513803243839402009-03-15T18:01:00.001-07:002009-03-15T18:21:31.562-07:00Cilantro ice cream<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I was recently reminded of the phenomena that is people who hate cilantro. They blame it on genetics, but really, that is the coward's way out. I feel pity for these people who don't understand the magic of this fresh green herb that brings sunshine to so many dishes from around the world. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Coupled with the recent, yet brief, sunny weather we've been having, this inspired me to break in the ice cream machine my sister had given me for Christmas, and I quickly blended up a batch of refreshing cilantro ice cream. Cashews and coconut milk create ultimate creaminess, while a touch of lime compliments the bright flavor of cilantro.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3583/3358592320_9fcfef6ae7.jpg" height="400" /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 0, 51);font-family:georgia;" >Cilantro ice cream, about 1 quart</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >2 c. raw cashews, soaked for 1-2 hours, then rinsed and drained</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 - 13.5 oz can of coconut milk (full fat)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 c. water</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >3/4 - 1 c. unrefined cane sugar</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 vanilla bean</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 large bunch of cilantro (about 2 c.)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >zest of 1 lime</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Combine everything in a blender, then blend until smooth. Easy, right? You can adjust the level of sugar, depending on how sweet you like your ice cream. Remember, the frozen, final product won't taste as sweet as the blended mix. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Pour into a container, then cover and refrigerate until chilled (a couple hours at least, but overnight is great.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Process according to the instructions on your ice cream maker, then enjoy!</span><br /></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-15900148613046126892009-03-13T21:28:00.000-07:002009-03-13T21:52:56.261-07:00Bike Ride for Animals<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">All around awesome dude Josh Hooten, who along with his wife Michelle owns Portland's </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://herbivoreclothing.com/" target="top">Herbivore Clothing Company</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">, is hopping on his bike for a 600 mile trek down to Orland, California, for </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://farmsanctuary.org/" target="top">Farm Sanctuary's</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> annual </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/farm/calendar/ca_hoedown/index.html" target="top">Hoe Down</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> in May.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3614/3352325391_f5ca1b6e76_o.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I'm hoping his ride creates minimum chafing, while still reaching maximum outreach for all of the good that Farm Sanctuary does to help animals who have been abused, neglected, rejected, and otherwise spat upon by our messed up food system. Josh has set an amibitious goal of raising $10,000 dollars for the farm. You can lend your support here: </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.firstgiving.com/joshhooten" target="top">I want to give Josh money!</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">My birthday just happens to be during the Hoe Down, so in lieu of all of those gifts I know you were planning to get me, please give your money to Farm Sanctuary instead!</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3032/3054140546_7a9df1b987.jpg" height="400" /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">You can follow along with Josh's training and preparation on his </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://joshivore.blogspot.com/" target="top">blog</a>.</span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-42027384788750914612009-02-18T20:39:00.000-08:002009-02-18T22:18:20.735-08:00The Great Banh Chung Experiment of 2009<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I could pretend to be a high-falutin' expert like some folks, but it's easier if I just direct you to universal blogging source Wikipedia for a crash course in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1nh_ch%C6%B0ng" target="top">banh chung</a>. Now that that's over with, let's move on to my experience.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">It's been several years since I've had one of these rice cakes since they are most certainly not vegan, and somehow I got it into my head one day at work that I would make my own. Over several days and two markets, I collected glutinous rice, hulled mung beans, canned green jackfruit, and frozen banana leaves. After several more days (or weeks, really...I don't often have 8 hour blocks of time to hover near the stove), I finally settled in to making my banh chung. You might have noticed in the link above that they are generally filled with pork, wrapped in neat squares, and bound with kitchen twine. None of that applies to mine.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3661/3289057059_05001461bb.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I wish I had a real, fool-proof recipe to offer you, but unfortunately, as this was my first and extremely experimental attempt, I can only offer guidelines. <a href="http://vietworldkitchen.typepad.com/blog/2008/02/tet-sticky-rice.html" target="top">This website</a> and <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/01/banh-chung-recipe-lunar-new-years-rice-cakes-vietnamese.html" target="top">this one</a> were extremely helpful, and I loosely based my own process off of their information.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I started by soaking the rice and mung beans overnight, and preparing my jackfruit marinade, which I can give a recipe for!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 0, 51);font-family:georgia;" >Jackfruit filling</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 c. coarsely chopped green jackfruit</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >2 tbs. soy sauce</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 tbs. rice wine vinegar</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 tbs. brown sugar</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1/4 tsp. salt</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and pepper in a bowl and stir. Mix in the chopped jackfruit, then cover and refrigerate overnight.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The next day, I drained the rice and set it aside. I heated 2 tsp. of cooking oil in a skillet over medium high heat. I added the jackfruit and sauteed for 4-5 minutes until the fruit softened and began to caramelize. Using a fork, I mashed and broke up the fruit into a shredded consistency.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Next, I drained and rinsed the mung beans, then placed them in a steamer basket for about 10 minutes until tender. I mashed the beans with a fork and set them aside to cool. Meanwhile, I soaked the banana leaves in warm water to defrost, then gently (I can't stress this enough) unfolded them on my kitchen table that I had covered with a layer of towels. I pat them dry, then cut them into several strips. Four that were approximately 5 x 18" and 4 that were about 12 x 18". I was planning to make 2 cakes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I referenced <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usb7OgFg8XU" target="top">this video</a> to attempt to make my cakes without a mold. I placed two of the larger leaf rectangles so that they overlapped by about 5" lengthwise. Then I placed one of the narrower strips perpendicular over the first two, and the final narrow leaf, perpendicular over that one. (See video @ 15 seconds) </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I scooped some rice into the center of the leaves, followed by a handful of mung beans that I had flattened into a disk. Next came a few spoonfuls of jackfruit, then another mung bean disk. At this point, I realized that I had failed to acquire kitchen twine. Not wanting to bury the beautiful leaves under layers of foil, I raided my sewing kit for some thread that I hoped would withstand several hours in simmering water. I followed the video as closely as I could, but that guy has some serious skills. When my packets were wrapped and bound, they were sad, square pillows at best and barely reminiscent of the tight geometry of tradition. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I placed my two cakes into a large stock pot, covered them with water, and brought it to a boil. I then reduced the heat to a simmer and got ready for a long night. Now, for some reason, every recipe that Google provided me with insisted on cooking these suckers uncovered. Not wanting to tempt fate, I did just that and kept a second pot on low heat, so I could top off the water as needed. But this just seems ludicrous to me. Seven hours of cooking and I'm not allowed to use a lid to reduce evaporation? I can't possibly think of a reason why that would be neccessary when cooking something that needs to be constantly submerged under water. It's not like flavors are getting concentrated since new water is being added. If someone can convince me of a good reason why I shouldn't use a lid or even a slow cooker, please let me know.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I dilligently topped off my pot and rotated my cakes every hour or so. At about 1 a.m., I figured they had had enough and removed the cakes to a colander. I placed a folded tea towel on a large plate, stacked the cakes, and covered them with another towel. I placed another plate on top, a large can of tomatoes on top of that, and left them on the counter to drain while I got some sleep.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The next morning, I cut the string and carefully unfolded to leaves to what I hoped would not be disaster. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3289057287_01e2a5771c.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The long, steamy bath renders the already sticky rice into a homogenous, chewy cake, stained green with the smokey, tea-like aroma of banana leaves. You can enjoy it a room temperature, or lightly heated in a steamer or microwave. The nutty mung beans and salty jackfruit, while tasty, add only a hint for flavor to this subtle cake. So how do you fix this? By frying of course! This was my favorite preparation as a child, and I would eat it drowned in mysterious Maggi sauce.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3558/3289057407_f3b5596023.jpg" width="325" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Cut your cake into slices about 3/4" thick and heat a couple teaspoons of oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. (No one said this would be healthy.) Place a couple slices in the skillet and let them sizzle for several minutes until they begin to turn golden. Flip each slice, then using a large spoon, press the slices outwards toward each other. Continue flipping and pressing until you have one, crispy pancake, about 1/2" in thickness. It's easiest to press the side that was just browned, because the hardened rice will prevent your spoon from getting glued to the cake. Eat immediately with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and a dash of soy sauce.</span></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-54761958493387806422009-02-12T22:16:00.000-08:002009-02-12T23:15:17.978-08:00Toasted coconut ribbons<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Anyone who knows me knows that I love coconut, so it's no surprise that one of my favorite Lunar New Year treats are candied coconut ribbons called mut dua. Now, if you're actually familiar with this confection, you're probably looking at my blog and thinking, "Dude, you totally burned your mut dua." And you're be correct. I was too distracted watching a fascinating documentary that analyzed the stresses placed on women by our overbearing consumer culture and stifling heteronormativity (::cough::rockoflovebus::cough::) to stir my coconut as frequently as I should have.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">These strips of coconut are usually pure, powdery white, or sometimes dyed pink and green. But they're also cloyingly sweet and lacking in any real flavor other than the in-your-face-and-piss-your-dentist-off scream of sugar. My accident was actually a great mistake that tuned up the coconut's creamy flavor, while the caramelization and hint of vanilla softened the blow of the sweetness. Handling mature coconuts is a bit of an endeavor, but it's totally worth it. Bland, store-bought mut dua no more! </span></span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/3256890721_f3febb94f0.jpg" width="300" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 0, 51);font-family:georgia;" >Toasted coconut ribbons</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 mature coconut (the brown, hairy ones)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >3/4 c. vanilla sugar </span><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Preheat oven to 375F. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Using a hammer and large nail (or power drill, if you want to get fancy), poke holes in 2 of your coconut's 3 eyes and drain out the water. Strain the liquid to remove any hair or shell bits that might have fallen in, then set aside. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Bake your coconut on the center rack of you oven for about 20 minutes. The shell should be cracked in several places. Remove the coconut and set it on a solid counter top on folded dishtowel to help secure it in place. Get out some aggression and firmly beat your coconut with the hammer several times until the shell splits open. You'll notice that the coconut is covered with two layers of bark: a hard, hairy outer shell and a thin, snug inner skin. A combination of hammer-abuse and gentle prying with a paring knife will separate the hard shell from the meat. Use the knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the inner skin. Try to keep your coconut in as large of pieces as possible so you'll have bigger ribbons. (You might notice that I wasn't too successful at this final note myself, but this was my first attempt at opening a mature coconut, so deal with it!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Once you have peeled off the inner skin, rinse your coconut chunks under running water to remove any hairs or skin bits that still remain. Pat the coconut dry, then using a sharp knife, slice your coconut into slices about 1/8" thick. Place the ribbons in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer the coconut for about 3-5 minutes to remove some of the oil. Drain the coconut in a colander and rinse out your pot. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Over medium heat, combine the vanilla sugar and 1/4 c. of the coconut water, and stir until dissolved. If you don't have vanilla sugar on hand, use regular sugar plus 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract. Add the coconut ribbons and stir to cover them all in syrup. Reduce heat to medium-low, stirring frequently. The ribbons will turn translucent as they cook.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">After about 30 minutes, the pot should be almost dry and the sugar will begin to crystallize. At this point, you can break tradition and stop stirring for a couple minutes. As the sugar at the bottom of the pot begins to caramelize, stir the mixture to get fresh coconut and sugar at the bottom. If the pot starts to get too dry add a tablespoon or two of coconut water to promote caramelization and prevent burning. Continue this process for another 20-25 minutes until your ribbons are nicely toasted and all the water has evaporated.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Spread the coconut ribbons on a baking sheet and allow them to cool completely. They will keep for a couple weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.</span><br /></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-21011436746455608212009-02-07T20:25:00.000-08:002009-02-07T20:37:29.897-08:00ACAB bakesale<span style="font-size:85%;"><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3414/3261576979_eb28b1fc26_o.jpg"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">On New Year's Day, </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=61&entry_id=35227" target="top">BART</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> cop Johannes Mehserle murdered </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.indybay.org/search/search_results.php?search=oscar+grant" target="top">Oscar Grant</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> while Grant was face down on the platform of the Fruitvale station. His four year old daughter is now without a father.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Please support this benefit event at 924 Gilman on Sunday, February 8th, starting at 3:00 p.m. There are going to be some stellar bands, as well as a bakesale hosted by </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://bikezandbabez.blogspot.com/" target="top">Allison</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">, Kristen, Toni, and myself. All of our proceeds will go to Oscar's family.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3393/3262406728_e621214d9d_o.jpg" /></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-79956330530108367902009-02-05T19:56:00.000-08:002009-02-05T20:37:58.344-08:00Slacker Roundup: What have I been up to?<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I'm still here! The holiday season was busy, I've been sick, work has been stressful, my cat ate my homework.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Despite my dislike for shopping and even stronger dislike for Jesus, I appreciate the gatherings and food that go hand in hand with the winter holidays, and the opportunity to hang out with family and friends. Friends that do it up big.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The Spread</span><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/3124344996_db07c8a669.jpg" width="400" /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Danny harnessed his inner Martha for the centerpiece.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The entirely homemade array of goodies included chocolate chip-walnut cookies, Mexican wedding cakes, mini mocha bundt cakes, sherry cake, chips & salsa, chocolate-drizzled pretzels and popcorn, seitan-in-a-blanket, stuffed mushrooms, mo-f-ing samoas, spinach hummus, pita chips, chocolates, truffles, gingerfolk, sugar cookies, and pure black metal.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/3124345828_8f2db65c11.jpg" height="350" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Mini-bundts (thanks to shane's folks for the kick ass pan!) also made an appearance at the annual white elephant at Shalon and RJ's, this time in chocolate-cream-filled form.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3256571313_eda8aca5b2.jpg" width="350" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Coworkers received Mexican wedding cakes and cookie cutters.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3257401486_f11bf1a2f6.jpg" width="350" /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Recipe from </span><a style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic;" href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/Mexican%20Wedding%20Cakes.html" target="top">Joy of Baking</a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >, modded with Earth Balance, a full 1 c. of nuts, and only 2 tbs. of sugar in the dough.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Hiboux received some organic wheatgrass from the <a href="http://www.urbanvillageonline.com/markets/temescal.php" target="top">Temescal Farmer's Market</a>.<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" ><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3412/3256571089_8212859389_m.jpg" /><br /></span><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >The pièce de résistance, however, was the bûche de Noël that I made for my family. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3212/3140325660_3b0125c4a1.jpg" width="400" /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dressed with pecans, cranberries, and quickly dissolving snow.</span><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >I used caramel cake from <a href="http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/how-i-roll" target="top">Hannah</a>, knowing that it would stand up to a rolling. The roll was filled with a <a href="http://veglicious.blogspot.com/2007/04/ive-been-searching-for-frosting-that.html">cooked buttercream</a> flavored with espresso powder and hazelnut extract, then sprinkled with toasted pecans. Finally, a decadent layer of <a href="http://theppk.com/veganwithavengeance.html" target="top">Isa's</a> ganache went over the top for that tooth-aching, bark-like finish.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> It probably weighed in at about 5 pounds and I ate the leftovers for breakfast for 2 days. Yum! (shane: <span style="font-style: italic;">You should call this a log blog</span>.)<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/3140325790_cb7647f4b2.jpg" height="350" /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />shane also celebrated a birthday recently, which called for a 4-layer vanilla latte cake, in honor of one of this favorite beverages.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3520/3257400850_5d3ba13339_m.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3518/3256570983_c2f68a146f_m.jpg"><br /><br />4 layers of vanilla cake, brushed with fresh coffee, and filled with espresso-flavored cooked buttercream.melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-45309932644590359012008-12-09T23:16:00.000-08:002008-12-10T00:32:44.824-08:00Vegan Power II!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Another friend, gym-mate, and fellow vegan, Matt, will be fighting this weekend in San Francisco. Despite my jealousy from watching him eat platefuls of chips and guacamole, pizza, and a generous slice of <a href="http://www.maggiemudd.com/" target="top">Maggie Mudd</a> ice cream cake less than a week before weigh-in, I wish him luck. Hurray for ass-kicking vegans!</span><br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3232/3096779189_004db65b9d.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Admittedly, I'm not the most disciplined eater. There's a half-box of candy cane Joe-Joe's in the kitchen calling my name. It's a little daunting when my coach just told me yesterday that he'd like to see me fight at a weight I haven't seen since high school. I like food and I like to eat! It's not too surprising that I managed to turn the freshman 15 into the sophomore 50. After several years and falling in love with the gym, I feel much healthier and happier than I used to. I still feel pretty good about cake, too, but I try to keep on track nowadays by starting each morning off with my go-to shake.</span><br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3163/3097690784_9efe3b7b4a_o.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Breakfast of champions</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The idea of green shakes always repulsed me until I tried one, but I've learned that they don't really taste like blended salad with the right combination of ingredients. I combine soy, almond, or rice milk with a couple tablespoons of hemp protein, 2-4 leaves of kale or collard greens, about 3/4 - 1 cup of frozen strawberries, 2 - 3 pitted Medjool dates, 1 teaspoon of flax seeds, and about a teaspoon of cocoa powder, and then hit it with the immersion blender. If I have it on hand, I'll throw in a handful of spinach, lettuce, or cilantro. Maybe some frozen pineapple, if I'm feeling really crazy.<br /><br />To be honest, it doesn't sound too palatable when I see the ingredients listed out, but I promise that you can't really taste the greens (OK, you can taste cilantro...) They just add a fresh, bright flavor to what really just tastes like a chocolate-strawberry shake. It's a nice dose of protein and carbs, and full of vitaminy, fibery, Omega goodness, all wrapped up in tasty drink.<br /></span></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-82259935602622283052008-12-02T23:28:00.000-08:002008-12-03T00:07:35.774-08:00Thanksgiving<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3048/3053309603_d1efd267d0.jpg" width="350" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">shane and I have made it a tradition to visit <a href="http://farmsanctuary.org/" target="top">Farm Sanctuary</a> in Orland for their Celebration for the Turkeys event. He was out of state visiting family this year, so I went up with friends Shalon and RJ instead. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3194/3054142308_120acfb3e1.jpg" height="350" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">It was a beautiful, sunny day, and as always, it was so nice to see these lucky animals living out their days on a picturesque farm, a wonderfully drastic change from the <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/issues/factoryfarming/" target="top">nightmares</a> they had come from. I love seeing people interact with enormous steers and talkative pigs for the first time, and I appreciate that staff and volunteers take care to allow the less gregarious animals watch from a distance. It was also great to see <a href="http://joshivore.blogspot.com/" target="top">Josh</a>, Michelle, and the lovely Ruby, proprietors of <a href="http://www.herbivoreclothing.com/" target="top">Herbivore</a> in Portland. Josh gave an excellent talk about everyday advocacy, and how to be eloquent with stupid people, even when all you really want to do is punch them in the face.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/3054137166_3b9dd2d26f.jpg" height="350" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">For the actual <a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/cohen11272003.html" target="top">holiday</a>, shane and I went over to Shaudi and Danny's home for a feast, where we enjoyed cornbread-stuffed seitan, tamales, biscuits, cornbread, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts, and green beans.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3029/3078474893_206e65e749.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3004/3078474777_e188484977.jpg" width="350" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Violet outdid herself with a kick ass pumpkin cheesecake. There was also apple, pecan, and pumpkin pies, and chocolate cookies.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3029/3078474373_3f5221bbf5.jpg" height="350" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">My contribution for the night was <a href="http://veglicious.blogspot.com/2007/11/stuffing.html">stuffing</a> and glazed sweet potatoes. As much as I like the traditional candied yams, they are never quite as candied as I would like. Most recipes call for boiling first, which doesn't let the potatoes live up to their full sugary potential, and they're usually so soft, they might as well be mashed.<br /><br />Instead, I slowly roasted cubed sweet potatoes (nutritious skins on!), starting in a cold oven, to give the starches time to convert to sugar (thank you checkout stand America's Test Kitchen) until they were toasty brown. Meanwhile, I made a glaze from water, sugar, molasses, freshly grated ginger, cardamom, and a touch of cayenne pepper, that I boiled to a syrup. Once the potatoes were roasted, I sprinkled them with a bit of salt and tossed them in the caramel-like glaze. Finally, I topped them off with a bit of Shaudi's marshmallow cream and popped them in the broiler. Sweet, but not too sweet, crispy outsides with creamy centers, and just a little hint of spice.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/3078474515_5f19c0fa70.jpg" height="350" /></span><br /></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-6106506509037947592008-11-24T12:26:00.000-08:002008-11-24T13:10:15.682-08:00Cheddar and nacho teese<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I was very excited to come home to a box of teese's new <a href="http://www.teesecheese.com/about.php" target="top">cheddar and nacho</a> vegan cheeses. I thought I would take a day or two to decide how best to use them, but the moment shane saw that nacho log, it was decided that we would have nachos for dinner.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3201/3042182193_75c52ccb95_o.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">We went to the store to get some chips and salsa. I sauteed minced garlic in olive oil, then added a can of black beans, cumin, lime juice, 1/2 a chipotle pepper in adobo, and a pinch of salt. Cilantro and sliced green onions finished things off.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">For the teese, I recommend whisking it in a small saucepan over medium heat until smooth and melty. This worked better than some quick nachos I made a few days later in the microwave, where the oil separated from the solids, much like I remember conventional cheese doing. Whisking and stove heat is the way to go!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">shane went down to visit family in Arizona for a couple days, so I decided to wait until he returned to make a meal out of the cheddar. I did sample some in a grilled cheese sandwich in the meantime, which was delicious. I even tried a bit of teese straight off the log; it tasted exactly like those individually wrapped cheese slices of my youth. Not quite my thing, but if you like cold cheese, the resemblance is uncanny!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">The afternoon of shane's return, I tried to think of the best way to use the cheddar teese. The great melting quality of teese made pizza seem like a good solution, but tomato sauce and cheddar didn't quite sit right. I saw the last of a bag of <a href="http://www.butlerfoods.com/" target="top">soy curls</a> on the counter and it struck me. BBQ pizza!<br /><br />My laziness turned into much more work than I had originally planned, following a bike ride to Trader Joe's for premade dough and BBQ sauce, where I discovered I had left my wallet at home. Not wanting to ride home and back again, I figured I should just make my own. I used the pizza dough recipe from <a href="http://www.theppk.com/veganwithavengeance.html" target="top">Vegan with a Vengeance</a> with whole wheat pastry flour, and made sauce from tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, sriracha, water, and liquid smoke. After soaking, I precooked the soy curls in canola oil, with a bit of soy sauce and pepper. Sliced red onions were added before the pizza went into the oven, and cilantro and green onions topped it off when it came out. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/3055477172_d4b39b3b33_o.jpg" height="400" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">It was one of the best pizzas I've had in a long time!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">If you want to pick up some teese of your own, check out locations on their <a href="http://www.teesecheese.com/where_to_buy.php" target="top">website</a>. Rainbow Grocery also carries teese, for those of you in the Bay Area.</span><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-84165250892508507692008-11-09T16:42:00.000-08:002008-11-09T21:20:01.210-08:00Butterscotch pecan cookies<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I was never a big chocolate fan growing up; these were my go-to cookies instead of classic chocolate chips, but it's probably been almost ten years since I've made them. I had been on an ongoing search for accidentally vegan butterscotch chips for a long time when I learned there are a few locations on the east coast that sell these dairy-free morsels (Price Chopper and Food Lion). Some gracious folks were willing to mail some over. It's probably for the best that I don't have regular access to butterscotch chips. They're filled with partially hydrogenated fats, artificial flavorings, and all sorts of things I would generally avoid, but as a rare treat, I don't mind indulging in these soft, chewy cookies.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">This recipe is just the basic Toll House cookie with a couple modifications: soy yogurt for eggs and doubled-up brown sugar for an extra molasses chew that matches well with the butterscotch chips. Buttery pecans finish things off with a smooth crunch.</span></span><br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/3017712634_0a09818a6e.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">Butterscotch pecan cookies</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 teaspoon baking soda</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 cup margarine, softened</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3 tbs. plain soy yogurt</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" id="ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_MainContent_MainContent_MainContent_MainContent_lblIngredients" ><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >1 1/2 c. butterscotch chips</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >3/4 c. chopped pecans</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Preheat oven to 375F. Line cookie sheets with parchment.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Cream the margarine and sugar together until slightly fluffy, then add the yogurt and vanilla and beat until combined. Slowly stir in the flour mixture, then once combined, stir in the chips and nuts.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Drop rounded tablespoons onto your prepared cookie sheets and use a dampened finger to flatten slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes until just barely turning golden. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the sheet for about 2 minutes, then slide the entire parchment sheet to a wire rack to cool completely. </span></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-64262253196548278952008-10-27T11:05:00.000-07:002008-10-27T14:23:09.049-07:00Happy Birthday, Shaudi!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Shaudi turns a whopping 25 today! Yay, Shaudi!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3004/2979004584_8647d03ba3.jpg" height="400" /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" ></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Burning calories.<br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/2979004592_3d58f786d0.jpg" width="400" /></span><br /><br />Consuming calories.<br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3210/2978155255_4792dbb2db.jpg" height="400" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Violet's adorable cupcakes</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/2978156009_29d460bac9.jpg" height="400" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3193/2978156215_e66d4dbf5c.jpg" height="400" /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Chocolate chip cake with chocolate mousse and vanilla buttercream.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">She'll kick your bazzaz!</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3067/2978156485_9ff4a081cf.jpg" height="400" /></span><br /><br /></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-86695615028191418082008-10-11T17:14:00.000-07:002008-10-11T17:22:34.164-07:00Vegan power!<span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" >My friends, gym-mates, and fellow vegans Shalon and Violet will represent <a href="http://pacificringsports.com/index.php" target="top">Pacific Ring Sports</a> on the undercard for an <a href="http://www.worldcsc.net/events/event.php?id=27" target="top">all-woman, Muay Thai competition</a> on October 25 in Daly City.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3203/2933119582_6d919806c4.jpg?v=0" border="0" /><br /><br />I'm looking forward to watching them kick ass in their amateur debuts. Wish them luck! (And good luck to Diane, too!)</span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-71697903442658565472008-10-08T10:50:00.000-07:002008-10-08T11:24:15.942-07:00Sugar Beat Sweets<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Last week, I helped </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://theurbanhousewife.blogspot.com/" target="top">Melisser</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> prepare for a busy weekend at San Francisco's </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.sfvs.org/wvd/" target="top">World Veg Festival</a> with <a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.sugarbeatsweets.com/" target="top">Sugar Beat Sweets</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">. She had spent the previous day in the kitchen with the talented Carmen, baking hundreds of cupcakes and mixing up giant bowls of frosting. I came in on Friday for 11 hours of more cupcake making and non-stop frosting-piping. As much as I love baking, it was a long day!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">On Saturday, Sugar Beat Sweets set up a booth at Veg Fest next to the friendly folks at <a href="http://www.saveabunny.com/" target="top">Save A Bunny</a> and their adorable, and amazingly calm, Mr. Pinkerton.<br /><br /></span><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3213/2917343417_9b2dde7560.jpg" height="350" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Cinnamon buns, brownies, and candy corn went quickly and were gone by the early afternoon.<br /><br /></span><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3171/2918188088_827be31cf1.jpg" width="350" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">We had 8 flavors of cupcakes: Chocolate, Vanilla, PB&J, Orange Dreamsicle, Snickerdoodle, Peppermint Patty, Peanut Butter Cup, and Chocolate Snowball.<br /><br /></span><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3156/2917343135_29e7b5a3d5.jpg" width="350" /><br /><br />It was another long day, but lots of fun! It was great seeing young children get excited at the opportunity to indulge in treats that they probably have watch sadly as their peers devour the conventional versions at school and parties. The crowd loved Melisser's recipes, with several repeat customers coming back again and again, claiming they were the best cupcakes they had ever tasted.<br /><br />The kind Antonio of <a href="http://www.flacos.com/" target="top">Flacos</a> traded cupcakes for his crew, for a delicious lunch of tamales, taquitos, and pozole. Our friend, personal chef <a href="http://www.chefjesseminer.com/" target="top">Jesse Miner</a> gave a presentation about cooking and preparing heirloom beans and shared the leftover garlicky bruschetta with us. There were also samples galore from the various food and services vendors throughout the hall.<br /><br />If you missed out on cupcakes and are in the Bay Area, make sure to stop by any of these locations that carry Sugar Beat Sweets:<br /><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.rainbowgrocery.org/" target="top">Rainbow Grocery</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> - 1745 Folsom @ 14th Street</span><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://otheravenues.coop/" target="top">Other Avenues</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> - 3930 Judah Street @ 44th Avenue</span><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.realfoodco.com/ret_store_locator.asp?storeID=85CF1454F27047F58B04F3FC719A8669" target="top">Real Food Co.</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> - 2140 Polk @ Broadway</span><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.myspace.com/ikesplacesf" target="top">Ike's Place</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> - 3506 16th St @ Sanchez</span><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.myspace.com/underdogorganic" target="top">Underdog</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> - 1634 Irving St @ 17th Avenue</span><br /><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.harvesturban.com/" target="top">Harvest Urban Market</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> - 191 8th St @ Howard</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Melisser also takes special orders through her </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://sugarbeatsweets.com/" target="top"> website</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">.</span></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-24304812951220935512008-10-03T23:43:00.000-07:002008-10-03T23:51:11.383-07:00World Veg Festival Weekend - San Francisco<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">October 4th and 5th brings the </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.sfvs.org/wvd/" target="top">World Veg Festival</a><span style="font-family: georgia;"> to San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. There will be speakers, cooking demos, tasty food, and other good things.</span><br /><br /><b style="font-family: georgia;">Saturday & Sunday, October 4 & 5, 2008</b><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">$6 suggested donation</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Free for Kids, Students, & Seniors</span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park, entrance 9th Ave & Lincoln Way</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.sugarbeatsweets.com/" target="top">Sugar Beat Sweets</a><span style="font-family: georgia;"> will have a booth with cupcakes and other goodies for sale. I'll be helping </span><a href="http://www.theurbanhousewife.com/" target="top">Melisser</a> out on Saturday, so stop by to say hi!<br /><br />Don't let these burnt cupcakes die in vain!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3097/2911671628_8eb6ee4506.jpg" height="375" />melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-78950019524231157392008-08-26T10:29:00.001-07:002008-08-26T10:42:27.868-07:00Picnic season<span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" >Thanks to <a href="http://oaklandliving.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/middle-harbor-park-awesome/" target="top">Living in the O</a> for the tip, and for those of you in the East Bay who don't already know, <a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/middle_harbor" target="top">Middle Harbor Shoreline Park</a> in West Oakland is just about the coolest park ever.<br /><br />It's about 1 1/2 miles from West Oakland BART (or 3 miles from downtown, or a nice 6 mile cruise from my place in the North). Since it's in the Port, access can be a little sketchy during the week with all the semis and such, but the roads are like a ghost town on the weekends and very flat, with the exception of a slight grade at the underpass, making biking a breeze.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/2795001304_60b9984094_o.jpg" height="350" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2794999614_15eca11709_o.jpg" width="350" /><br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3161/2795000274_c80bfd50e1_o.jpg" width="350" /><br /><br />Gorgeous views of San Francisco, the bridge, and the bay; grassy fields and a little, sandy beach in the shadow of the cranes; plus trails and an observation tower.<br /></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-43408172754825657042008-08-24T18:11:00.000-07:002008-08-24T23:33:00.504-07:00Arsenal v. Fulham: Pie and Mash Party<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Ever since he heard Becks mention it, shane has been fascinated with the idea of </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pie_and_mash" target="top">Pie, Mash, and Liquor</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">. With the Premier League season now underway and his two favorite teams playing each other this past weekend, we decided it was due time for a pie mash party. I modified </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.hub-uk.com/foodpages36/1796.htm">this recipe</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> for minced beef pie, subbing seitan for beef; using extra mushrooms and carrots, plus some thyme, for additional flavor; and threw in a few new potatoes I had lying around.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3265/2794034969_955cfe22f1.jpg?v=0" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">We sauteed the onions and mushrooms first, to remove most of the water, then added the rest of the vegetables and seitan and let them cook for a few more minutes before tossing in the garlic and thyme until fragrant. Next came some tomato paste and mustard. Once mixed, I added a couple spoons of flour and stirred it in well and let the starch cook for a moment. Finally, I added some water to form a gravy. The whole mix was simmered for about 15 minutes until the potatoes were tender.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/2794034451_5db3be83c2.jpg?v=0" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I made a basic pie crust </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://veglicious.blogspot.com/2007/04/strawberry-pie-with-oat-streusel.html">recipe</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> and rolled it out to line the individual pie tins. Each tin received a couple ladels of filling before getting a top crust put on.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3038/2794882522_5384fd9fe4.jpg?v=0" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">They were baked at 350F for about 25 minutes until golden and served with mashed potatoes and <a href="http://www.hub-uk.com/foodpages36/1797.htm" target="top">parsley liquor</a>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2794882612_b832c492b0.jpg?v=0" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Along with some root beers (thanks, Neel!), we had the perfect game meal. </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Arsenal had a sorry showing and lost to almost-relegated Fulham, 1-0.</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3287/2794882780_1ea8b88e83.jpg?v=0" /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">To complete our fine meal, Pranjal brought a trifle of sponge cake, strawberry custard and jelly, strawberries, bananas, and whipped cream. It was like 5 delicious desserts rolled into one!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/2794882318_78357c56f8.jpg?v=0" /><br /><br />There's rumors of fry ups or fish and chips for next time. We need to put Neel's deep fryer to work!</span></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-41266289932206792502008-08-18T10:57:00.000-07:002008-08-18T11:20:34.958-07:00Sorry!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I've been a bad blogger! I apologize for the lack of posts recently. I hope to have some new recipes up soon. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Meet Hiboux: </span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/2746999255_9b8f7a8420_m.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">She's our new tortie from the </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://eastbayspca.org/" target="top">East Bay SPCA</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> They're currently having a deal on cat adoption fees, so please check them out if you're looking for a new, furry friend. She's been keeping us very busy!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Also, </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.theurbanhousewife.com/" target="top">Melisser's</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> bakery is up and running. Please contact </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://sugarbeatsweets.com/" target="top">Sugar Beat Sweets</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> if you're in need of some tasty treats in the Bay Area for your special event.</span><br /><br /><img style="font-family: georgia;" src="http://www.sweetstyles.com/sugarbeatsweets/images/vanillalemoncarrier.jpg" width="150" /></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br />And happy birthday to our comrades <a href="http://www.cell68.com/" target="top">Sergio</a> and <a href="http://idipmytoeinthiscoldcoldlife.blogspot.com/" target="top">Lizzi</a>. We had the pleasure of enjoying some awesome vegan food at Sergio and Jo's lovely home this weekend, courtesy of Sergio's mom, and Josh and Emily and their vegan grill. I made a 4-layer, basil-lemongrass cake with tapioca filling and coconut frosting, but unfortunately didn't get any shots of it. I hope everyone enjoyed it!</span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199719046895937013.post-18706780804623791122008-08-18T10:08:00.000-07:002008-08-18T10:43:17.676-07:00Hot dogs are murder.<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >So you don't own a turntable, or care for sneakers, but really want to stand in line for hours for some limited edition gear? Actually, there's no line-standing involved, just some button-pushing.<br /><br /><img src="http://shop.zuboutique.com/system/0000/0201/murder4.jpg" /><br /><br />Buy a t-shirt from </span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://shop.zuboutique.com/store/show/003">Zu Boutique</a></span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" > and help my friend Danny support his life of leisure.<br /><br />If you make a purchase, be sure to include a note demanding that Danny use this money to adopt a sweet dog in need of a loving home.<br /></span>melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05919289217380907357noreply@blogger.com1