Dear Jesus Claus

I would like this light fixture for Christmas. (I'd also like a kick ass house surrounding that light fixture)Thanks bunches!

It's this week's favorite- A VeganMoFo review

I've been going back to The Candle Cafe Cookbook again and again over the last month. I've made the savory vegetable pot pie:
Phyllo Triangles:


and for Thanksgiving I made Yellow Basmati Rice pilaf and Channa Masala (mise en place photo above).
I have yet to find a recipe that wasn't awesome.

Who you callin' Pollyanna?

Today could have been a bad day, but, it wasn't.
I woke up to the sounds of sleet outside my window (also known as hateful balls of slush.)
The gym had an issue with their pipes which meant that instead of a warm toasty shower in the locker room, I got to drive home all sweaty and gross. Then Caleb woke up with a sore throat ("My neck hurts!")and the grumpy little monkey had to stay home from school. And, I had to schlep out in the cold weather to take Katie to a dentist appointment.
But, I have better water pressure in my shower at home. (and, I don't have to wear flip flops) By mid-day, Caleb declared himself "100% better!". Katie was in and out of her appointment in thirty minutes (no cavities!) and while I was waiting, I came deliciously close to finishing a scarf that I've been knitting for two years now. And, I just got an e-mail from my yoga studio letting me know that they'll be having an early morning Ashtanga class starting in January!

VeganMoFo

I'm a bit of a NaBloPoMo slacker, aren't I?

So, Jessica Seinfeld was on Oprah and I and five billion other Mommies went out and bought her cookbook. Here, for your perusal, are photos of the purees and brownies made with the purees. I also veganized them. (at this point, I'm pretty sure I could veganize steak.) They were good. I may have used a bit too much pureed tofu in place of eggs. The resulting brownies were very fudgy. I think I'll try Ener-G Egg Replacer next time.

VeganMoFo Pumpkin Waffles

I had really good waffle iron juju this morning.

I love it so

can you blame me ?

Happy Sunday!

?

They make extra small and they make extra large-why don't they make extra medium?

Tofurkey Day Menu

I've been scanning my cookbooks for appropriate dishes to take on Thursday. I thought it'd be nice to make something universally appealing but, have found a huge gap between items that your average meat and potato-er would like and those that I want to eat. (especially since the food I bring will be all I can eat-with the exception of the crudités)I do hope people try and enjoy what I bring. If not, well, they can suck it.

Recipe

Peanut Butter Soup*

4 ounces tempeh, cubed**
1/4 cup tamari, divided
2 tablespoons molasses, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, divided
3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
2 cups chopped onion
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
9 cups light vegetable stock
1 dried ancho chili, softened in hot water
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoons chili pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoons turmeric
3 tablespoons raisins
1/3 cup sushi rice, uncooked ***
1/3 cup smooth organic peanut butter

1 Place the tempeh in a small mixing bowl and marinate it in 2 tablespoons tamari, 1 tablespoon molasses, and one teaspoon minced garlic. Set aside for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan, and saute onion for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers, ginger, remaining garlic, and stock. Cook about ten minutes, or until the onion is very soft.
3. Drain the ancho pepper. Tear off and discard stem end, then slice pepper open. Scrape out and discard seeds, chop pepper and add it to the soup. Stir in cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, turmeric, raisins, and rice. Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer until rice is tender, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Add the remaining oil to a saute pan and cook tempeh, tossing frequently, until lightly browned. Place tempeh on a cutting board and chop into small pieces before adding to the soup.
5. In a small bowl combine peanut butter with the remaining tamari and molasses. Wisk in enough warm broth to thin to a smooth paste. Stir into the soup and serve.

* From the Jan/Feb 2006 issue of Yoga Journal.
** I used extra firm tofu in place of the tempeh. I also didn't marinate it. I cut it into batons and sauteed it with sate seasoning Towards the end of cooking I drizzled a small amount of the molasses, tamari, and garlic mixture into the pan to glaze.

*** I didn't have sushi rice on hand. I replaced it with arborio.

Peanut Butter Soup

Photo only -recipe soonish. (if you like soba noodles in peanut sauce, you'd like this)

VeganMoFo

Katie's (awesome) teacher has been combining her love of cooking with the classes Social Studies curriculum. Last week she brought in scones, which reminded me that I had a recipe for the Top Secret copycat of Starbuck's Pumpkin scones. (You can find the recipe here.) I've never had the Starbuck's scone, and I veganized it-I replaced the egg with pureed 'fu and I used soy milk in place of cream. I also replaced some of the white flour with whole wheat. T'was yummy.

NaBloPoMo just got a little better.

I was drooling over Veganomicon at the Post Punk Kitchen, when I found out about the VeganMoFo group at Flickr.

This should be fun.

Chaos

We made pies!

"We" being Caleb and myself. I cut carrots, celery, potatoes, and tofu into batons and he diced them. He also chiffonade'd (totally a word) basil. He's eight. When I was eight, I could on occasion, make toast without burning it. He's quite the rock star.

BTW, when we were making pot pies, Katie was on the computer making a PowerPoint presentation. She's ten. I'd be extra nice to her if I were you. She'll be taking over the world soon.

low light

I had a post planned for yesterday. A real post. With text. Our power went out at around 4:30 and didn't come back on until around eight-ish. It was no big deal, at first. Katie and I we're just on the couch doing division flash cards. (I'm trying to convince her that multiplication flash cards with help with this, too. She doesn't believe me.)

What do you do when the sun goes down and you have no power?
You light all the candles in your house, set them on the kitchen table, and take pictures of a honey bear.

Natch.
You can play "Hey, Man!" *

Also, shoot your cuter than words monkeys.




Then, the candles.


*this is an Eggcorn

I should really get these out of the way in the a.m.

more NaBloPoMo somesuch

just under the wire

a turtle- get it? 'cause I was so slow to post today's entry? Yeah, clever and whatnot.
See ya tomorrow.

One of the least-blurry Halloween pictures.

Enjoy!
(BTW, Katie was Violet Baudelaire and Caleb was a ninja

Damn you, George Michael

So I'm driving in the car and I've stopped listening to Jesca Hoop's CD just in time to hear a local radio station's "Back in the Day Cafe". They played "I want your sex" by George Michael. Now, normally, the songs of my youth bring back happy or at least bemused memories. Not this one. I was raised Nazarene, and we weren't supposed to listen to secular music. It was a struggle to get my Mom to agree to change the station. I lived in fear of this song, as well as "The search is Over" by Survivor and "Freedom" by Wham!.
Now, If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go add an 80's chanel to my pandora.