tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43603171204985427792024-02-07T19:35:18.737-05:00a stranger in the alpsthis is what happens.amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-22528018148799072872011-11-28T21:15:00.001-05:002011-11-28T21:24:47.100-05:00the 24 days of christmas...and beer.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
apparently, i need to go back through all of my posts and update my photos because blogger and google conspired to make returning to this blog a royal PITA. in the meantime...<br />
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even though NYC hit a record high of 70° today, i've decided it's time to embark on a monthlong adventure of christmas movies. to make it a real adventure, i'm throwing beer into the mix.<br />
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tonight it's bad santa...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6nRI6_Eg1jnkkCbm2HSa1DUCEr1TZ4b73R5Q-ozMXc8pWmShZJf0xme2SeW6lnqZqZKVQQGeGzUeNpq5UvB_RHW5gDhwSHLx9vE_kSw3k9hgUnDn3YK8Ssjel7Du6qTv0BynyAj8GkFz/s1600/01-Bad-Santa-Horiz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6nRI6_Eg1jnkkCbm2HSa1DUCEr1TZ4b73R5Q-ozMXc8pWmShZJf0xme2SeW6lnqZqZKVQQGeGzUeNpq5UvB_RHW5gDhwSHLx9vE_kSw3k9hgUnDn3YK8Ssjel7Du6qTv0BynyAj8GkFz/s320/01-Bad-Santa-Horiz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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...and green flash brewing's imperial IPA.</div>
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now that i think about it, this is really not that interesting to read OR write about.</div>
<br /></div>amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-64438434585365828862010-11-28T08:24:00.000-05:002011-11-28T21:10:14.061-05:00regretsgiving: don't call it a mofo.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
wow. i really failed at veganmofo...AGAIN. if i separately posted everything i cooked yesterday, i'd get myself up to 7 total entries. including this one, i'd be up to 8. i can think of a lot of excuses, but i'll blame my kitchen and schedule. i can live with that.<br />
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a few years ago, some friends and i decided to gather just after thanksgiving to celebrate together. the holiday was dubbed "regretsgiving." it was a time for us to acknowledge our regrets from the previous eyar at as we, at the same time, created new regrets. generally, our collective regrets have been of the "i can't believe i ate the whole thing" variety. this year was no different.<br />
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the spread, clockwise from 12 o'clock: <a href="http://forum.theppk.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=2044&hilit=thanksgiving+lasagna">thanksgiving lasagna</a> (!), quinoa tabbouleh, vegan butterflake biscuits, mashed spuds & mushroom gravy, cranberry sauce, and roasted brussels sprouts. served with a glass of blackcurrant apple juice and an enthusiastic endorsement from mumbles.<br />
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eppy's thanksgiving lasagna was recreated by him and paula and hugely successful. lasagna noodles layered with turkey seitan, sliced sweet potatoes, green beans, and mushroom gravy, all topped off with a truckload of stuffing. it sparked an after-dinner discussion of all the different holiday-themed lasagnas we could make. it was decided that the christmas lasagna should be a dessert-y one, so now i'm on the lookout for a chocolate noodle recipe.<br />
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the most regrettable thing about regretsgiving, typically, is that none of us regretted it at all, although we all ate more than was reasonable. too-full bellies were tempered by good company and a screening of the traditional regretsgiving film, <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086373/">strange brew</a></i>.</div>amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-8530315722926692262010-11-13T15:43:00.000-05:002010-11-13T15:43:57.332-05:00veganmofo #4: gravy for breakfast.isa's punk rock chickpea gravy is the move. i haven't had it in forever and i made a batch a couple of days ago. forethought really paid off for me this morning because i had a late friday night out and i needed some hearty food for breakfast. what's that you say, mashed potatoes and gravy are not typically breakfasty?<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TN74fnQ97PI/AAAAAAAAARo/imC0Y_Js6lI/s1600/PRCPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TN74fnQ97PI/AAAAAAAAARo/imC0Y_Js6lI/s320/PRCPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>no matter, because they are especially delicious and fortifying. i need more ways to incorporate gravy into my life.</div>amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-50218602842223503582010-11-11T11:58:00.002-05:002010-11-11T17:38:15.085-05:00veganmofo #3: when in doubt, hash it.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TNwgoymGINI/AAAAAAAAARk/P3Tl4qNfJo0/s1600/hash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TNwgoymGINI/AAAAAAAAARk/P3Tl4qNfJo0/s320/hash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
i'm enjoying a rare weekday off today, thanks to my father and countless other veterans, and i've earmarked a good portion of it for cooking and baking. and the requisite cleaning that comes along with it, not to mention a whole list of apartmental to-dos that fall to the wayside normally.<br />
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after a kind-of late rise and a little kitchen pre-cleaning, i found myself with a bunch of ingredients in front of me and not a lot of direction or inclination to do anything super ambitious. potatoes and mushrooms that were hinting to me that they were not long for this world were definitely to be included. i just started chopping and before i knew it, i was on the path to hash.<br />
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i could bore you with a very wiki breakdown of what hash is, but it's probably what everyone assumes - potatoes and other junk (usually meat, but not always!) chopped up and cooked together. one can get all creative with it, but i was working with motivation today, not inspiration. i wanted to cook some food and be eating it relatively quickly, without a lot of thought or preciseness in the process. gold and red potatoes, cremini and shiitake mushrooms, onion, broccoli, and some oven-roasted grape tomatoes came together in a nice hash that truly fit the bill.<br />
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part of my motivation was to get myself out of the no-cooking funk that a minor sickness and stressful week have put me in and to get my mofo back. mission: accomplished.amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-49267284177600541302010-11-03T00:14:00.000-04:002010-11-03T00:14:01.299-04:00veganmofo #2: mushroom & artichoke risotto!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TNDgn_MXDPI/AAAAAAAAARg/8_PRGdA4A0w/s1600/mushroom+risotto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TNDgn_MXDPI/AAAAAAAAARg/8_PRGdA4A0w/s400/mushroom+risotto.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>i pretty much guilted myself into making some food tonight so i could do a <a href="http://veganmofo.wordpress.com/">veganmofo</a> post. despite the fact that i have lesson plans to write, quizzes to grade, grad school to study for, and sleep to get, i decided on time- and energy-consuming risotto.<br />
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a few months back, i had a lovely french couchsurfer named johann stay with me. he cooked me artichoke risotto, which apparently is the only thing he really knows how to cook, and it was amazing. it took a little coaxing and reassuring to convince him that it would be just fine if he made it vegan - and without wine, which he acted like was a sacrilege - but he admitted that the end result was the best risotto he'd ever made. i'm head-over-heels for mushrooms and i just picked up a few varieties this weekend, so i thought i'd make use of them in my inappropriately late dinner tonight.<br />
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i used a tyler florence <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/mushroom-risotto-recipe/index.html">recipe</a> mainly for fundamental amounts, since i've never made risotto before, veganizing and de-wining (only because i never have wine in my house, as i'm not a fan) it, and made do with what i had in the kitchen. so, green onions, creminis, shiitakes, added artichokes, etc.<br />
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i planned a lesson while the risotto was cooking and i ended up with a whole whack of food, which is fantastic because my meals have veered toward the sad side lately. i think my risotto is a little mushy (i guess i cooked it on heat that was too low?) but it's lovely and creamy and comforting. just the kind of thing i need after the day i've had.<br />
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now i'm settling in to eat and get a little work done and furiously refresh <a href="http://news.google.com/news/section?cf=all&topic=el&ned=us&ict=gsp">election 2010</a> results. i have my fingers crossed for you, harry reid.<br />
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(p.s. suck it, <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CCoQtwIwBA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DqYUvDjLPcwY&ei=mODQTPzMK4WKlwfa86iHDQ&usg=AFQjCNHMaZQH8kNYfDgLYB02tnTpaAO2TA">christine o'donnell</a>.)amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-90674659109753858532010-11-02T16:30:00.000-04:002010-11-02T16:30:38.240-04:00veganmofo #1: what a goddamn failure.i had grand plans, i think, floating around in my head.<br />
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and then i got super tired and had a crummy yoga class and came home and was FAMISHED, so i threw some whole wheat bowties in a pot of boiling water and set to mixing up a bunch of junk to toss it with. having just recently made a fairway trip, i had a one-pound container of some artichokes (and garlic), sundried tomatoes (and garlic), and spicy olives (without garlic). i pulsed it a little bit and left it kind of chunky, then tossed the pasta with it.<br />
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i might have been bitter from my shitty workday ending, but it tasted like <i>crap</i>. i feel like i need to make up for it tonight, but first i've got to sleep on it.amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-43948539664849427792010-08-19T11:56:00.013-04:002010-08-20T18:32:24.494-04:00denver: i went. i ate. i left, albeit begrudgingly.denver is such an awesome city. i truly fell in love with it when i visited. and i feel like there is a real sense of historic pride in lots of denver merchants, which i found really endearing. lots of pictures and postcards of old denver and even (at <a href="http://www.watercoursefoods.com/">watercourse</a>) murals depicting colorado folk tales acted out by animals. i can't wait to go back.<br /><br />the first restaurant i visited was <a href="http://www.watercoursefoods.com/">watercourse foods</a>, where i shared a meal with lots of lovely friends, new and old. isa, john & i shared the blackened tofu caesar salad:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1VLl8lqLI/AAAAAAAAAPs/G6v07CcOa-M/s1600/denver63.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1VLl8lqLI/AAAAAAAAAPs/G6v07CcOa-M/s320/denver63.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507151576997144754" /></a><br /><br />and then i tucked into the fried artichoke hearts po'boy, with sides of steamed greens and onion rings that were otherworldly good:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1VkhXQLSI/AAAAAAAAAP0/ePXTrQiyMSk/s1600/denver70.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1VkhXQLSI/AAAAAAAAAP0/ePXTrQiyMSk/s320/denver70.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507152005263535394" /></a><br /><br />after lunch, <a href="http://www.sweetactionicecream.com">SWEET ACTION</a>! the creamiest, best vegan ice cream i've ever had. they always have a couple of vegan flavors and i tried both - colorado peach and chocolate:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1Wr_yLfWI/AAAAAAAAAQE/1aq9xQN71MQ/s1600/denver76.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1Wr_yLfWI/AAAAAAAAAQE/1aq9xQN71MQ/s320/denver76.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507153233200250210" /></a><br /><br />i attended a superfun wedding with tons of great vegan food and the next day went to watercourse's southwest counterpart, <a href="http://www.cityocitydenver.com/">city, o' city</a>. i had a few seitan wings:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1WLWuh2tI/AAAAAAAAAP8/F3bKNh6Wm0Y/s1600/seitan+wingz-3.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1WLWuh2tI/AAAAAAAAAP8/F3bKNh6Wm0Y/s320/seitan+wingz-3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507152672423271122" /></a><br />and the sherman, a great sandwich made with dry-rubbed bbq tofu, cole slaw, and pickle relish. also, perfectly salty and kind of greasy fries.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1ZbqJ1uSI/AAAAAAAAAQs/PNgcLmj1sDM/s1600/the+sherman+%26+fries.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1ZbqJ1uSI/AAAAAAAAAQs/PNgcLmj1sDM/s320/the+sherman+%26+fries.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507156251050883362" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://wolfesbbq.samsbiz.com/">wolfe's barbeque</a> is something of a denver institution, i gather, and although it's mostly meaty bbq, wolfe (who singlehandedly runs the place) also serves bbq tofu and vegetarian bbq beans. so i tried both:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1Xb3OfGlI/AAAAAAAAAQM/MiOc9uvldNI/s1600/denver146.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1Xb3OfGlI/AAAAAAAAAQM/MiOc9uvldNI/s320/denver146.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507154055536777810" /></a><br /><br />i went back to watercourse for dinner. country-fried seitan, mashed potatoes, and mixed veg make for the perfect comfort food. i only wish the seitan had been fried in a pan, not a fryer. but who am i to complain?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1X11TzA1I/AAAAAAAAAQU/Fqh2iZFFt_I/s1600/denver166.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1X11TzA1I/AAAAAAAAAQU/Fqh2iZFFt_I/s320/denver166.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507154501698782034" /></a><br /><br />finally, my last and most favorite food in all of denver (thus far) - the vegan bánh mì from the <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-steamin-demon-denver">steamin' demon</a>, watercourse/city, o' city's food cart. tempeh bacon, chipotle aioli, jalapeño, cucumber, sprouts, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro = a recipe for satisfaction. i ate this right before driving out to the rockies, where my love for colorado was cemented.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1Ym5jTV-I/AAAAAAAAAQc/1tErDZrs3uM/s1600/denver4.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1Ym5jTV-I/AAAAAAAAAQc/1tErDZrs3uM/s320/denver4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507155344651147234" /></a><br /><br />i'll be back, colorado. you can bank on it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1ZDPTRUpI/AAAAAAAAAQk/B5ldkMcNCIQ/s1600/denver11.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/TG1ZDPTRUpI/AAAAAAAAAQk/B5ldkMcNCIQ/s320/denver11.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507155831525823122" /></a>amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-43459598770964839702010-01-06T20:54:00.003-05:002010-01-06T21:00:55.504-05:00uglyfood.i am convinced that the uglier food is the better it tastes.<br /><br />case in point: this quickly-throw-together mix of marinated artichokes, kalamata olives, shiitake & maitake mushrooms, lemon, garlic & red chili flakes over spaghetti. it was salty and slightly spicy and mouthwatery, plus a little tart and bright from the lemon, and it was just what i needed after a less-than-wonderful day at work. (turns out when i don't get enough sleep, i'm super cranky - and neither i nor my students really have a good time with that.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/S0VACiglrUI/AAAAAAAAAN4/5oNxyL--AyI/s1600-h/uglyfood.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/S0VACiglrUI/AAAAAAAAAN4/5oNxyL--AyI/s320/uglyfood.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423811738605038914" /></a><br /><br />i love pasta dishes where the prep time is no more than the time needed for the noodles to cook, like this one.<br />and it still strikes me as really funny that i love to eat this kind of stuff, since i used to be so olive- and mushroom-phobic. i'm actually more likely to order EXTRA mushrooms when i'm eating out now instead of asking for them to be withheld. i sometimes think about the time i wasted not eating those briny and earthy treats, respectively, but i probably wouldn't have the appreciation for them i do now had i always been a fan.<br /><br />at least i came around, right?amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-90260277086444166922010-01-02T14:58:00.003-05:002010-01-02T15:10:01.204-05:00post-new year's day prosperity inductionso, i know you're supposed to eat beans & greens on new year's day, but i was feeling all kinds of self-loathy and lame yesterday and could only muster up the energy to eat my leftover new year's eve burrito. (i rang in the new year at <a href="http://harrysburritos.com/">harry's burritos</a> after walking around central park in the snow and sleet, lamenting that i'd never been to <a href="http://tavernonthegreen.com/">tavern on the green</a>, which is now closed.)<br /><br />so today, in addition to getting some errands run, i managed to cram in some spicy and garlicky kale and black-eyed peas. continuing the self-loathing bent, i unthinkingly skipped breakfast and then ended up eating this stuff so late that i missed the yoga class i was going to attend.<br /><br />so, self-loathing: 2, self-loving: 0.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/Sz-ni9_KcSI/AAAAAAAAANw/77sVpm66Vug/s1600-h/beansandgreens.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/Sz-ni9_KcSI/AAAAAAAAANw/77sVpm66Vug/s320/beansandgreens.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422236695574245666" /></a>amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-66720267073376841312009-09-08T21:48:00.003-04:002009-09-08T22:04:51.904-04:00things i love this summer #4CORN!<br />corn is one of my favorite foodstuffs and i'll eat it prepared just about every way i can think of. lately, i've just been typewritering it off the cob, raw. when it's sweet corn, it's a super-delicious treat on a hot day.<br /><br />today was my first day back at work after a long, lovely summer off and i thought it'd be a good idea to make up a batch of soup to take for lunches. so i resorted to my favorite standby: isa's corn chowder from <span style="font-style:italic;">vegan with a vengeance</span>. unfortunately, i only had purple carrots to use, so i wound up with this kind of maroonish dark mess. fortunately, this chowder is THE BOMB, so it doesn't matter what it looks like.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3505/3902567554_de0ce366b5.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3505/3902567554_de0ce366b5.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />choosing to make corn chowder ranks as one of my better decisions today, right up there with taking a load of dirty underwear to the laundromat. and, you know, actually laundering it. now i can greet my kiddos for their first day of 10th grade nourished and not-too-skanky. i have work to do before bed still, so i might be a little cranky when i initially greet the kids, but i'm sure they're going to appreciate the fact that their teacher isn't rustling up dust clouds like pigpen.amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-21384932336261927592009-08-30T22:26:00.004-04:002009-09-08T22:04:36.520-04:00things i love this summer #3TESTING FOR ISA'S WEIGHT LOSSY COOKBOOK.<br /><br />i ate and ate all kinds of junk this summer, so now that i'm back in NYC, it's time to start practicing some moderation. and what better way than by testing some of isa's delicious low-fat, low-calorie meals? hopefully the book will keep its testing title, <span style="font-style:italic;">appetite for reduction</span>, because that kickass name, coupled with the awesome stuff to be found between the covers, is sure to make it a classic.<br /><br />most recently: cauliflower pesto soup<br />comes together in two shakes of a sanctuary lamb's tail and tastes like OMG.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2513/3872433049_5c53899214.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2513/3872433049_5c53899214.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />before that: vietnamese rice noodle salad with grilled tofu<br />the #26 lan bowl comes home, on the skinny.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2661/3840909824_1ed9ce0898.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2661/3840909824_1ed9ce0898.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />this book is going to be so great. thanks, eesie!amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-53382177802327168532009-07-30T07:54:00.006-04:002009-07-30T08:14:27.238-04:00things i love this summer #2mostly-cold meals!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/3772048274_523412291f.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 374px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/3772048274_523412291f.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>i'm feeling a general move toward less cooked food, even if this meal is not really evidence of that. and i know i'm not the only person averse to cooking in the hot summer months, so i'm not suggesting that this is some great revelation in eating. but i am SO into having meals that include cold foods. salads are the easiest way to achieve that goal, of course, and they have the added bonus of being super-convenient!<br /><br />this was my go-to meal for a few days. there was a box of ditalini that was nagging me to cook it and i finally gave in, turning it into some brooklyn deli macaroni salad. i'm not complaining that making the whole recipe meant that i ate the salad for lunch and dinner more than once in a week, but i realize it's probably not the best idea to be eating so much pasta. i feel like i get a pass, though, because i usually had it with one of <a href="http://joannavaught.com/2008/03/everyone-loves-a-fat-sausage.html">joanna's beer brats</a>, cooked in my recently-pilfered-from-my-mother convection steamer! oh, cuisinart, it is SO ON.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2484/3766780118_1fe60e1b37_m.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2484/3766780118_1fe60e1b37_m.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />this is the perfect appliance for summer, for sure, because it saves me having to sweat over the stove. i hope it's a bit of a workhorse because i fully intend to crack the culinary whip year-round, using it to steam sausages, rice and grains, dried beans, and veggies! i found it two days ago and have used it twice already. it just might be single-handedly responsible for getting me back in the kitchen!amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-83204599516138752452009-07-28T15:43:00.003-04:002009-07-28T15:54:47.657-04:00things i love this summer #1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3570/3766007735_06a0373644.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 375px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3570/3766007735_06a0373644.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />i am all about cold drinks, even when it's not a million degrees in the shade.<br />during the summertime in south florida, however, it IS a million degrees in the shade, so i am even more emphatically about them.<br /><br />the only place i'd found near my mom's place in delray beach that even stocks soymilk is starbucks. and they've always used vanilla soymilk, which i have NEVER understood, but at least they used to use silk. now they've switched over to some new, i think proprietary brand, which is reason number 3847532 why starbucks is not the move.<br /><br />one day, i wandered into the <a href="http://www.mycoffeedistrict.com/">coffee district</a> on NE 2nd avenue and found what i'd been missing. the folks that work there are super nice and when i ordered my soy iced mocha, the barista asked if i wanted vanilla or plain soymilk. i'm not going to lie, i might have shed a tear of gratitude into my coffee.<br /><br />my one complaint is that they give you a cup wrapper for cold drinks. wtf?amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-33921779333914467032009-03-02T07:49:00.003-05:002009-03-02T07:51:24.784-05:00THANKS BE TO THE NYCDOE!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://artisticpoint.net/cutenews/data/upimages/SnowDay.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 800px; height: 600px;" src="http://artisticpoint.net/cutenews/data/upimages/SnowDay.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />(image <a href="http://artisticpoint.net/">borrowed</a> without consent)amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-8166913504137715692009-03-01T14:44:00.005-05:002009-03-01T23:34:31.816-05:00snow? so, soup!i was wandering around the whole foods on houston last weekend with <a href="http://semicircularvegan.wordpress.com/">paula</a> when i ran across some chickpea miso. i've heard of but never had it and i picked up a jar, mainly due to the promise of a soup recipe printed on the label. i got around to making it today, hoping to stave off dreadful sunday feelings and eager to keep things moving in the right direction around here. snowy weather is trying to trap me in a wintry mood, but i'm fighting it tooth and nail. it's march 1st and spring is around the corner, i tell you!<br /><br />mother nature can stick her snow where the sun don't shine.<br /><br />it cannot be overstated how simple this soup is to prepare. it takes all of 15 minutes, prep time included, and the end product so lovely it would easily be worth twice the effort. i just had a small bowl, eaten with a hunk of fresh baguette. warmmm.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/SarplNsStUI/AAAAAAAAAJE/o1y7V7k4tcs/s1600-h/chickpea+leek+soup.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1PA1bN5RToI/SarplNsStUI/AAAAAAAAAJE/o1y7V7k4tcs/s320/chickpea+leek+soup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308311936349418818" /></a><br /><br />i used <a href="http://www.southrivermiso.com/store/p/4-Chickpea-Miso.html">south river chickpea miso</a> and here's the recipe from their website, altered just a little. (the jar recipe doesn't suggest wakame, but i bet it would be a great addition! also, i used two leeks and three carrots because vegetable overload is how i roll...)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chickpea Leek Soup</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Serves 4</span><br /><br /> 1 medium leek sliced<br /> 2 carrots sliced<br /> 1 cup cooked chickpeas<br /> 1 three-inch piece wakame (optional)<br /> 4 cups water<br /> 1-2 tablespoons Chick Pea Miso<br /> Chopped parsley for garnish<br /><br />Wash and cut vegetables. (Leeks need special attention when washing; slice lengthwise and rinse under cold running water.) With kitchen shears cut wakame and add to 4 cups water in 2-quart saucepan. Add carrots and bring to boil. After 10 minutes add leeks and chickpeas continue to boil for 3-4 minutes. In small bowl blend miso with small amount of liquid from pot. Reduce flame to low and add diluted miso; simmer 3-4 minutes. Garnish and serve.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.southrivermiso.com/store/i/is.aspx?path=/images/CP.jpg&lr=t&bw=230&w=230&bh=230&h=230"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 168px; height: 230px;" src="http://www.southrivermiso.com/store/i/is.aspx?path=/images/CP.jpg&lr=t&bw=230&w=230&bh=230&h=230" border="0" alt="" /></a>amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-78557830557216375642008-11-12T20:46:00.002-05:002008-11-12T21:03:34.900-05:00beer: it's what's for dinner.i'm so in love with the beer brats i made yesterday, i worry all my meals might be centered around them. it's not unlikely, but i figure one day is too short a time for the honeymoon to be over, so i built a beerific dinner around them tonight. while drinking a beer (stone ruination IPA), i combined...<br /><br />1 medium onion, sautéed in some canola oil,<br />3 beer brats, sliced thick and lightly browned with the onions,<br />1 mess of potatoes, cubed, and<br />half a small head of red cabbage, roughly chopped...<br /><br />...with a cup or so of water and a cup or more of beer, to get the steaming going. chucked a lid on the pan and tried to distract myself so i wasn't watching the clock.<br /><br />some time later, i got up and found everything was cooked just so. i chucked in a few caraway seeds for good measure and let things sit off the heat while i opened another beer. (credit where credit is due: i loosely based this on the kielbasa/potato/cabbage combination my mom used to make, though she forewent the beer and caraway.)<br /><br />i served it with a little bit of beer mustard for the brats and a beer for drinking. i thought briefly it might have been a six-pack kind of dinner, with 6 beer appearances, but now i'm only finding five. i can't be bothered to do the maths on a dinner like this.<br /><br />also, the picture is crappy and purple-y from nighttime and red cabbage and a geometry book. whatever.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/3026534514_1e5049b016.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/3026534514_1e5049b016.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-32524221424086797442008-11-11T20:56:00.006-05:002008-11-11T21:06:57.485-05:00eat your veggies, brats!i tested <a href="http://yellowroserecipes.com/">joanna's</a> beer brats tonight and they changed my life.<br />steamed seitan sausages, pioneered by julie hasson, is so incredible. combine the great texture with joanna's knack for flavoring (and a palate that sees eye-to-eye with mine - never mind the nonsensical nature of that metaphor) and you wind up with logs of straight genius. i tried one tonight, grilled for a few minutes on the stovetop and slathered with brown mustard, and it was phenomenal. rumor has it they're even better when cooled and reheated. i can't imagine.<br /><br />i was hanging out with handsome <a href="http://astrangerinthealps.blogspot.com/2008/05/william-rocks-hanbok.html">william</a> a couple weeks ago and he was eating some mixed veg for dinner. i have to admit i snuck a few bites (taking veggies from babies?!) and realized i haven't been including enough produce in my diet. so i sliced and steamed some carrots and quick-cooked some peas + corn to serve with my seitan and dare i say they rivaled the star of the plate. i will never understand people who claim to not like vegetables.<br /><br />the final great thing about this dinner is that it will make my, indeed would make any, mother proud!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/3023929058_81fb7057b4.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 299px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/3023929058_81fb7057b4.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-66047007762801212782008-10-21T01:33:00.008-04:002008-10-21T01:48:38.650-04:00veganmofo #5: girlcrush.i know keep saying it, but i feel like isa is not getting sufficiently jealous, so i must AGAIN point out that it seems terry hope romero taps right in to what fuels me, foodwise. okay, yeah, i know food is my fuel but i'm not talking strictly of nutritional sustenance here.<br /><br />the onset of fall has made me long for hearty stews and soups. ever on the lookout for a reason to cook with beer, i decided to make a batch of the gumbo terry created for <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Veganomicon-Ultimate-Isa-Chandra-Moskowitz/dp/156924264X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224567807&sr=8-1">veganomicon</a></span> tonight. never mind that i was in the late stages of a migraine and i have (yes, have...not done yet) a class's worth of tests to grade and 2 tests to make for tomorrow, on top of about eleventy billion other nuisance tasks. oh, wait, those aren't nuisance tasks. those are my job duties. i think i'm going to pursue national board certification, so i guess it might be a good idea to tend to them. but i need energy to do these things! and food = energy! what the hell do you think a calorie is, anyway? ugh, someone needs to go back and review their notes from high school health class.<br /><br />anyway, terry's gumbo is no frigging joke. it's smoky and packed with veggies and has a stick-to-your-ribbedness that can't be beat. temperatures here in NYC are hovering around the 50s & 60s, so it's the perfect time for a meal like this. i'm sure i'll be repeating it time and again between now and april. ugh, so far away.<br /><br />speaking of repeating, i cooked so late that it was way too dark to take a picture, so i'm just going to repost the gumbo shot i posted last year. (i feel kind of bad that i took 2 weeks off only to come back and rehash old dishes, but these are tried-and-true won't-let-you-downers. some things bear repeating!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2134/2164177809_5c452e0226.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2134/2164177809_5c452e0226.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-59844203342958648142008-10-20T17:49:00.005-04:002008-10-21T01:49:41.224-04:00veganmofo #4: blugh.i have been so uninspired to even cook anything for a couple weeks, likely due to a low-level cold or flu that i've been more or less successfully fighting off for the past two weeks. i'm tired as all get-out, but at least the only symptoms i've succumbed to thus far are a wee cough around bedtime, some minor stuffiness, and a couple of headaches. it's the being freaking EXHAUSTED that has been most prevalent, though.<br /><br />however, yesterday i had a rare day of productivity. not only did i get up and do laundry and clean my kitchen before 11am, i also managed to go food shopping for critical ingredients to three of my favorite dishes from <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Veganomicon-Ultimate-Isa-Chandra-Moskowitz/dp/156924264X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224567807&sr=8-1">veganomicon</a></span>. as it turned out, i only had energy to make two of them yesterday, but the third is on deck for sometime in the next couple of days.<br /><br />terry's caesar salad is my most favorite way to eat raw greens EVER. the dressing is so simple it practically makes itself and when combined with some romaine lettuce and croutons, it makes for a salad that i not only want to eat but find myself craving. who'd have thunk it?!<br /><br />and since autumn decided to make itself known this weekend, i figured it was time for one of my favorite fall dishes - pumpkin ziti with caramelized onions and sage breadcrumbs. (i don't know if that's the correct name, but i'm barely keeping my eyes open at this point, so it'll have to do.)<br /><br />since i've been so lax about updating my mofo, i wanted to make sure to record my recent productivity. i'm not such a deadbeat flight-of-fancier, after all!<br /><br />then i realized that i made both of these dishes during last year's mofo.<br />what can i say, like leek & bean cassoulet and gumbo, <a href="http://astrangerinthealps.blogspot.com/2007/11/veganmofo-7-redemption.html">these</a> <a href="http://astrangerinthealps.blogspot.com/2007/11/veganmofo-2-farmers-market-bounty.html">two</a> dishes make me think of jumping in fluffy piles of <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">red</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">orange</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 0);">yellow</span> leaves and wrapping a scarf 'round my head to run out to get a beer.<br /><br />it's gonna have to do.amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-84472195658447100152008-10-03T22:44:00.003-04:002008-10-03T23:00:30.041-04:00veganmofo #3: veganmofaokay, so far not so good.<br /><br />i started out the month on a high note, with that ice cream. but i've been really tired and uninspired the last couple of days, so not much cooking is going on. so i'm dedicating this veganmofo post to two awesome non-food items i've recently acquired. this is my Vegan Month of Fashion post. (ignore that only half of it's fashion-related.)<br /><br />1. down alternative comforter<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3272/2911329184_9003ea3f18.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3272/2911329184_9003ea3f18.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />i've wanted to get one of these for a few years - at least since i moved back to the northeast. i finally broke down and snagged one from <a href="http://www.overstock.com/">overstock.com</a> and, MAN, am i happy i did. (note: dog also thrilled.) it's giving me all the weight and warmth of a down comforter with none of the bad karma hauntings that come with snuggling under a coat of feathers that were never intended for me. i'm stupid for having waited so long to get one. (for other reasons, surely, but this one is at my mind's forefront.)<br /><br />2. faux leather jacket<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3213/2910482825_ccc0698dbf_o.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3213/2910482825_ccc0698dbf_o.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />again, been wanting this forevers. i keep my dad's old leather bomber jacket, but it's both beat up and sad, so i don't wear it very often. but i really love the look of a plain leather-like jacket. i found this one at <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/index.jsp">urban outfitters online</a> (go ahead, judge me) and took a chance. it really could have gone either way: totally sucky or freaking awesome. lucky for me, it was the latter. this jacket makes me feel hot. and not because i'm wearing it while snuggled under my new comforter, either.amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-7753054326211788632008-10-02T19:21:00.002-04:002008-10-02T19:31:00.792-04:00veganmofo #2: my vegan achilles heel.i'm sure i've gone years without eating a single marshmallow.<br />now that sweet & sara's are readily available, though, i'm helpless against my cravings for sweet little puffy pillows. so hooked am i that it seems perfectly reasonable that i had a marshmallow for breakfast today, then finished off what was left of the tiny $7 package of vanillas i bought only 24 hours ago.<br />washed down with a beer.<br />for...dinner?<br /><br />had i the energy or inclination, i might strive to supplement the day's meals with foods that fall outside the realm of dessert ingredients.<br />had i another package of marshmallows, however, i'd be fast on my way to a killer stomachache.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://store.nexternal.com/vegane/images/SweetsSaraMarshmallowFinalX.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="https://store.nexternal.com/vegane/images/SweetsSaraMarshmallowFinalX.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />is it just because regular marshmallows aren't vegan that these things have become so prized?amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-75045030762881957172008-10-01T12:01:00.009-04:002008-10-01T21:48:07.707-04:00veganmofo #1: chocomint cookie ice cream.i don't know that there's anything i can or need to say about this ice cream, but...<br /><br />i'd like to first thank <a href="http://www.postpunkkitchen.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=45503">pandacookie</a>, whose suggestion of using vitasoy peppermint chocolate soymilk to make ice cream during warm weather months has haunted me since january. i never got around to making it during the summer, but it hit the spot on this beautifully sunny first of october.<br /><br /><a href="http://semicircularvegan.wordpress.com/">paula</a> provided not only inspiration (it was one or both of us who decided that the addition of candy cane joe-joes was essential) but also constant reminding that this simply HAD to happen.<br /><br />also, i don't know agnes but it was a recipe from her <a href="http://veganicecream.blogspot.com/">vegan ice cream paradise</a> that i used to whip this up today.<br /><br />making ice cream without an electric ice cream maker was simple as can be, required very little kitchen time, and resulted one of the tastiest vegan ice creams i've ever had. it was a little crystal-y, only because i had to leave to meet friends for dinner instead of staying home, dutifully blending.<br /><br />i've been a little on the fence about winter's impending arrival, but this little enterprise helped me turn a corner today and i'm now looking forward to all the season brings. i love cooking in the colder months and really want to up my culinary ante. i hope that this month's challenge will get me geared up and inspired to be more creative and daring in the kitchen, even as i continue to learn about cooking's fundamentals.<br />i can't wait to see what other veganmofos have in store!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3087/2906383044_03fc0fe18f.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3087/2906383044_03fc0fe18f.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><blockquote>(recipe heavily adapted from <a href="http://veganicecream.blogspot.com/2006/08/cookies-and-cream.html">here</a>!)<br />3 c vitasoy chocolate peppermint soymilk<br />2 T arrowroot powder<br />1 c crushed candy cane joe-joes<br /><br />set soymilk to boil, reserving a bit to mix with the arrowroot. (agnes says 1/4 cup. i didn't bother measuring...)<br />thoroughly mix the reserved soymilk and arrowroot.<br />when the soymilk comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and add the arrowroot slurry. it should start to thicken a little, noticeable by the way it coats a spoon. (it won't get thick, though. just thicker.)<br /><br />since i don't have an ice cream maker, here's the freezing method i used:<br />after your soymilk & arrowroot are mixed, pour the mixture into an 8x8 pyrex dish. (i'd put mine in the freezer a little earlier, so it was already frosty.) place the dish in the freezer.<br />every half hour or so, remove the mixture and mix it up to prevent it from freezing solid. i used a fork and an immersion blender, but i guess you can also run it through a food processor or just fork it.<br />when the ice cream is starting to set sufficiently, after a couple of hours, mix in the crushed cookies.</blockquote><br />enjoy!amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-62800664585333675632008-09-22T22:35:00.007-04:002008-09-22T22:41:39.517-04:00lipstick-wearers for mccain/palin?i know this is kind of beside the point of this blog, but...<br /><br />i promised the masters of <a href="http://alchemistsapprentice.com/">this website</a> i would pass on info about their ridiculous and infuriating policy of donating $1 to the mccain/palin campaign for every one of <a href="http://www.alchemistsapprentice.com/Glossy-Lipstick-Power-Pink-16-grams-Alchemy-of-Colour-Nouriche-Lipstick-P27442C3930.aspx">these hideous lipsticks</a> sold, so here is my passing on of said info.<br /><br />i know it's small potatoes, but these people present themselves as environmentalists, yet intend to make donations to that campaign based on sales of "power pink" lipstick, which is apparently perfect for sarah palin while it also "celebrates the many faces of women as girlfriends, wives, mothers, entrepreneurs, corporate executives and even vice presidents."<br /><br />if you should feel so inclined (as i did), please <a href="http://www.alchemistsapprentice.com/contact.aspx">contact them</a> and let them know how paradoxical it is that they purport to be concerned environmentalists yet are supporting candidates who are anything but.<br /><br />for reference, the league of conservation voters' most recent <a href="http://capwiz.com/lcv_stage/bio/keyvotes/?id=192&congress=1102&lvl=C">scorecard</a> gives john mccain a ZERO percent on environmental voting. couple that with palin's views that global warming is not the result of human activity, polar bears should be removed from the endangered species list, and her gung-ho attitude towards drilling in ANWR and there's pretty clear evidence that these two do not "offer a very balanced policy on the safety of our environment, both for now and for the changes that need to be made in the future," which harry maddox (i'm assuming the husband of pamela cronan-maddox, who runs the alchemist's apprentice website) said they had concluded after doing "a great deal of research."<br /><br />sorry to go on. it just really pisses me off.<br />thanks for reading...and for writing to them, should you so choose.amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-55743365638018813882008-09-09T20:57:00.008-04:002008-10-01T13:24:07.680-04:00about using cookbooks.a reason to read the recipe fully and carefully before you start making food:<br />if you don't, you will finish prepping everything before you realize it takes 75 minutes to cook.<br /><br />a reason not to read the recipe fully and carefully before you start making food:<br />you will not realize it takes 75 minutes to cook and therefore not be swayed away from making maple-mustard-glazed potatoes and string beans (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Vengeance-Delicious-Animal-Free-Recipes/dp/1569243581/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221009078&sr=8-1">VwaV</a>). holy tuesday, batman!<br /><br />crappy picture, but that's what happens when your dinner has to cook until ~9PM.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/2844736474_53115d14e9.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/2844736474_53115d14e9.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4360317120498542779.post-74338080093901477392008-08-19T11:30:00.007-04:002008-08-19T12:11:59.651-04:00using cookbooks.<a href="http://donteatoffthesidewalk.com/">katie</a> said <a href="http://www.postpunkkitchen.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=67845">we need to use our cookbooks more</a> and i think that's a right-on idea. i've really only made select dishes from any of my cookbooks and i know there are some gems within that remain hidden to me. time to start digging.<br /><br />recipes to try in the next couple weeks, all from <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Vengeance-Delicious-Animal-Free-Recipes/dp/1569243581/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219159056&sr=8-1">vegan with a vengeance</a></span>:<br /><blockquote>1. baking powder biscuits and white bean gravy.<br />2. potato-asparagus soup<br />3. mango summer rolls<br />4. tempeh-mango salad sammiches<br />5. brooklyn pad thai<br />6. strawberry-rhubarb-peach pie</blockquote><br />i'll do a few here, during my last week of vacation in florida, and a couple when i get back to NYC.amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656619496710862154noreply@blogger.com3