An ending... and a new beginning

I'm sure you've noticed that it's been a long time since I last posted, which is why I'm writing.
It was pretty surprising to me that my last post was in July when I looked at my blog for a recipe a couple of weeks ago. It seems like it should have been at least October (yeah I know, still several months ago) and I realized... I just don't have time to blog my food like I did when I started this project. Unfortunately, I don't even really have the time/energy to cook during the week anymore. Lately my cooking has been limited to large batches of vegan soup that I refrigerate for lunches during the week, oatmeal for breakfast, and anything vegan that I can put in the toaster oven to heat while I walk Kaji. So I've decided that I'll probably not be posting to this blog with any regularity at this point...

However, I miss blogging. The picture taking aspect of it is my favorite part, and earlier this week when I was on Flickr! I found a group called Project 365. The idea is simple, yet intriguing to me, take and post a picture a day for a year. I like the idea and, compared to food blogging, I think it will be easier to fit into my schedule, and a great way to keep me busy taking pictures (and writing when I feel the inclination). I do plan to photograph my food within the next 365 days, and I look forward to becoming a better photographer–oh and learning the ins and outs of using my new digital camera! Friday I will be the proud, excited new owner of a Canon Rebel XT!

Oh, I forgot to mention the most important part (well, second to the fact that I'm getting a camera that I've been drooling over for almost two years) I have started my new blog and I'm on day three so far.. so if you're at all interested, feel free to drop by 365 Personal Images, or my page on Flickr! to see what I'm doing now.

Things I've been enjoying

During the last few months when I wasn't blogging, I was eating. Just not so much exciting food :( However one great thing did come of the months of no cooking or baking... I seem to have drastically reduced my craving for most things baked and sweet!
On Sunday afternoons I had to choose between baking and laundry since I didn't have a washer dryer in my old apartment (no hookups, however my new place has w/d hookups and the first thing I bought for my new place was a used set) and had to take things to a laundromat... not smelling funny at work won that battle quickly! While I miss baking, and haven't gotten nearly as much use out of my KitchenAid mixer as I would like, this did get me to reduce the amount of sweets I consume, and has somewhat changed my cravings for sweets.

My idea of sweets now? Fruit. Not ordinary apples and bananas though. Now it's things I used to kind of overlook at the store. Kumkwats, yum (though I did give myself an upset tummy after eating an entire pint of them myself in one day). Mangoes, perfect on their own for breakfast. And my top two favorite "sweets"?

#2. Frozen, semi thawed, dark sweet cherries from Trader Joes. I picked them up on a whim at TJs one day and was starving by the time I got home, noticed they were thawing out a little, and decided to try one. It's like a party in your mouth! If you like frozen grapes, you gotta try frozen cherries, they really remind me of sorbet and are much better (in my opinion) for your health!

#1. Medjool Dates. These are CANDY to me, especially since I've cut so far back on my sugar consumption. If you get the right kind, they're super thick, big, the skin is smooth, they are a dark tan/light brown (not black brown) color, and they are soft and sweet. My favorite place to get these is at my local international market where they sell them in bulk and are delicious! If you don't have an international market near you then I highly recommend getting these at TJs, but get the organic ones–I got the regular ones once and they tasted somehow "off" to me (good thing Tjs has a good return policy). Also, avoid those pitiful little bags of dates that you get in the dried fruit section of your local grocery store (I believe they're packaged by Dole?). Right after I moved I was craving dates, but couldn't find a place that carried medjool dates (I just fixed that today:), so I thought that these would be a reasonable substitute until I found a good supply here. Blech blech blech. Ew, bad! Not even close to good, now that I've eaten good medjool dates.

During my Hiatus I did find a couple of super easy, quick, really yummy meals that I did like. This is something I cooked frequently (three nights a week), and was one of those "put on stove-walk Kaji-come home-turn off stove-make salad/straighten up kitchen-and dinner is served" meals. It's so easy, I'm almost embarrassed to post it here... Almost.


Mushroom Rice

1 C water
1 8-10 oz package, fresh sliced mushrooms (my favorite is baby bella, though white works well too)
1/2 C short grain brown rice (I prefer Lundberg brand, I think it's organic)
1-2Tb dried diced onion (optional)
1 tsp walnut or sesame oil (optional)

-Bring water to a boil, add rice, mushrooms, and onion. Turn heat to medium low (a gentle simmer) and wrap a towel around lid of pot between lid and pot*. Cover and allow to cook for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, but leave pot on burner and allow to stand another 15 minutes before removing lid. Before serving stir in the oil and salt lightly. Makes one large meal, or 2-3 sidedishes.

*the goal here is to keep condensation from running back into your rice as it cooks, making it less fluffy when it's done. You can use a paper towel instead, but a towel works better and is more earth-friendly.

Not a fox... or a husky

I hate to admit this, but I'm a tad ~ahem~ sarcastic. I also have little patience for people who ask obviously stupid questions.

This is Kaji:



He's cute, small (20lbs), and currently moulting (ie, his undercoat is shedding in ginormous clumps), in case you're new to the blog and haven't seen pictures. When I walk him, most people ask me "Is that a fox?" if they aren't familiar with shiba inu's. It's not a new question, it happens at least once a week, and it's a question that annoys me to no end when I'm in a cranky mood, because if you think about it–Is it really legal to have a fox as a pet? I could be wrong, but the answer is likely a no. But ya know, I have to agree, that for some this could be a reasonable question, because if you have a good imagination, he does indeed, very slightly, resemble a fox:



However I got a completely new question the other day when I was out walking him:

"Hey, is that a husky?"

This is a husky:




Um, am I missing something here? Yes, both dogs are northern breeds, have thick fur and have pricked ears.... however theres a definite size difference and a complete color difference in the two breeds.

Am I completely off base thinking that this guy is either:

a) not too bright

b) in need of a better pick up line when he sees girls out walking a dog

c) color blind, in addition to having some other form of visual impairement

Given that the guy was playing tennis with a friend and I hadn't noticed him getting nailed by the ball when I walked by before he asked me this question... I'm going with a and/or b.

He caught me so off guard with that that I couldn't even respond with a straight face. I snickered and said "No, not a husky" and kept on walking, waiting till I got inside my apartment to guffaw. At least he made me laugh, but from his expression when I walked off, I'm pretty sure that wasn't his intention... I think that he really did think Kaji is a husky.

Urid Dal Sidedish

So one of the great things about my new place is that I now get to go home for lunch. However, these days I've been so busy getting settled in (I hate painting and hanging curtains–this weekends projects... but it all looks so nice when its done!) that I've not been in the mood to make a big batch of something on the weekends. That means that dinners need to be doubled to have leftovers for lunch. It's nice, a change from how I usually cook dinner for one. This and some reheated frozen veggies (I'm not quite back to cooking 100% just yet) is what I had I had on the side of the green quinoa last night/for lunch today, and again is inspired by M. The dish turned out nice and sort of pilaf-y last night, but I will say that I think it was better last night than it was today at lunch when I reheated it.

There are many many types of dal in existence, the dal I used here is called Urid Dal, which is a white dal that doesn't break down when cooking on the stove (it does in the pressure cooker I'm told) and has a slightly unusual flavor in this recipe, however you could easily substitute another small dal to make this (red lentils could work, but it will be mushy and not pilaf-y). The spice measurements aren't exact, unfortunately, so just remember that asofoetida (aka hing powder) is very potent and a very little goes a long way!

Urid Dal Sidedish

1tsp oil
pinch asofoetida (hing powder)
2 pinches turmeric
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2c urid dal
1-1 1/4c water (depending on how soft you want the dal to end up)*

-In a lidded saucepan heat oil over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add mustard seeds, asofoetida, and turmeric. Cover, and listen for the seeds to pop. Once they start to pop, add the water and bring to a boil. Add the dal and replace lid, not tightly. Cook over low heat until the dal is softened.

*I started with one cup of water and added more over time to make sure it didn't dry out or burn.

An Indian Inspired Meal

Two posts in two weeks, I'm doing pretty well, considering :)

One of my coworker friends at my new job is an Indian woman from central India, M (I can't for the life of me remember exactly where, but it's central enough that her family cooks using northern and southern Indian methods *updated* She's from Pune). M and I have been talking about Indian cooking and she's been giving me many tips and recipes that she cooks for her family, many of which I've been using now that I actually have time to cook!

Tonights dinner wasn't a recipe that she gave me, but instead I took some of her tips and created this meal. It's tasty, low in fat, and full of healthy grains and vegetables. That said, I'd like to make this my submission for tonights ARF 5 a Day hosted Tuesdays on Sweetnicks blog. Check it out!

Green Quinoa

~1 tsp oil (I used grapeseed)
1tsp dried cumin seeds
1 small garlic clove, pressed
~1c chopped fresh broccoli
1 10oz package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water (I reserved the water and used it in the recipe)
1c dry quinoa
2c water

-In a medium pot that has a lid, heat the oil for about 1 minute. Add the cumin seeds and garlic and stir together, allowing the garlic to lightly brown.

-Add the water and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa, spinach, and broccoli, cover and reduce heat to a simmer.

-Simmer on low for 15 minutes, then turn off heat and allow to sit on the burner for another 10 minutes. Fluff and serve 2 as main dishes, or 4 as side dishes.

Long Hiatus Over!

I have been gone way way too long! I'm so so sorry about the hiatus, things the last six months (omg, it's really been SIX months!) have changed a lot.

Where to start? Good news, I found a new job as a graphic designer with an ad agency in March. The bad news? It's about an hour from my apartment... or at least it was until Saturday! I've moved to a new apartment thats only 9 minutes from my office! Thank goodness too, I have really missed cooking. After a 1hour drive in rush hour traffic I was not up for much in the way of cooking, so I was eating alot of salads, rice, and potatoes for dinner. Basically if I could fix it quick, or out it on the stove while I walked Kaji, I was having it for dinner.

Ugh. I think if I have another spinach salad with a baked potato on the side again, it'll be too soon. The downside with this new job is that the kitchen is located right off the front door of the office, so I couldn't even bring frozen meals for lunch. So lunch (until today) was spinach salad, and COLD potatoes. Double ugh.

Thanks to everyone who continued visiting my blog while I was away, and for the comments. I have been (jealously:)) reading everyone else's blogs to see what everyone else is cooking, and I see I have many many things to try out!

In the meantime I'll leave you with a picture of my dinner tonight, and a list of ingredients for anyone interested in making it.


a pinch hing powder (asofoetida)
pinch and a half turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1-2 tsp mustard seeds
oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 28oz can tomatoes
eggplant, cubed
2 zucchini, quartered and sliced


The method is pretty simple and just as exact as the measurements: fry the spices in the oil until the mustard seeds start to pop, add the onion and coat in the spices. Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil, turn down a little, add the eggplant and cover for 10-12 minutes. Add the zucchini, stir well, and cover. Cook until the zucchini is done. Serve over some really yummy brown rice!

Weekend Dog Blogging!

I am a very bad blogger, the last two weeks since I started my new job I've been too busy to post, not that my dinners have been that interesting. I love the new job, I'm actually busy using my design skills all day and I like it. However, I think I know why the convenience foods industry is booming! I've been pooped out by the time I get home from work, so my dinners have mainly consisted of roasted squash or brussels sprouts. Something easy that I don't have to think about too much, that I can toss in the oven while I walk Kaji. Well this weekend I decided to do a little cooking ahead to give myself variety so I don't burn myself out on squash. I also peeled and chopped a squash and cleaned some brussels sprouts so that when I do have those this week I can save even more time.

Right now I have 2 types of soup in my freezer, I'll likely blog about those this week, but I'm interested in other recipes I can freeze and reheat later. Anyone have any good casseroles that I can bake and reheat later? Or even some that I can assemble and freeze to cook later?

So I don't have any pictures of what I made and froze yet, but I do have a great picture of Kaji at the park today after the first (and hopefully only) snowfall of the year. He had a great time playing with his friends (getting him to hold still for a picture was not an option as you can see!), and I'm sore from hiking through the snow so in all it was a good day.

If you want to check out what other pups have been doing this weekend, check out for the Weekend Dog Blogging Roundup!

Pinto Squash Soup

Being back at work means that I need to get back into the swing of making a big pot of soup on sunday afternoons to take for lunch. I came up with this soup after seeing a great recipe for pinto bean minestrone in my copy of "The Complete Vegan Cookbook," and after having a great soup with squash and tomatoes when my mom and I went to lunch while I was visiting her. The result is great; I don't know why putting winter squash and tomatoes together in a soup hadn't occured to me before now, but you can bet that I'll be making this one again! Despite the small amount of salt used in it (each of the no salt added bouillon cubes has only has 200 mg sodium), I didn't feel the need to salt the soup when I served it, which is unusual for me. I served this up with a piece of TJ's brand of sprouted rye bread (which was so good that it has replaced Ezekial bread on my grocery list), and a side of broccoli.

Since this soup is chock full of nutrients and fresh veggies I'll be submitting it to Sweetnick's weekly ARF roundup, taking place tonight on her page. Check out the roundup for more tasty recipes!

Pinto Squash Soup

2C onion
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2C butternut squash
3C sliced mushrooms
2C cooked pinto beans (I used from dried)
1 28oz can no salt added tomatoes
1Tb sage
1/2Tb marjoram
1/4tsp thyme
1/4tsp nutmeg
2 no salt added vegan bouillon cubes
4-6 cups water

-In a large soup pot heat 1/3C of the water over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and squash to the pot. Cover and allow to cook until the onions begin to get translucent.

-Add the remaining ingredients, making sure the bouillon cubs are dissolved. Cook until mushrooms are soft. Serve hot, tastes best reheated after sitting in the fridge overnight.

Eggplant Stuffed Peppers

Well, I must be back into the swing of things, I actually cooked dinner tonight intead of snacking my way through the day. This recipe was inspired by a recipe I found in one of my McDougall cookbooks. As this was written originally I was supposed to fill fresh cored tomatoes with the eggplant mixture and bake them. But as it's January, I decided not to risk bland tasting tomatoes. So I adapted the recipe a bit and used green peppers in place of the tomatoes. This made a great dinner for me tonight, but I think it would also make a great side dish as well.

Eggplant Stuffed Peppers

2 green pepper, tops and insides removed
~1/4C water
1Tb braggs
1/3C onion,diced
1 clove garlic, pressed
1C diced eggplant
1 small zucchini, diced
1/4C canned tomato
1Tb dried basil
1tsp oregano

-Preheat oven to 350.

-Set up your steamer rack over a large pot of water, without the water touching the bottom of the steamer rack. Arrange the green peppers cut side down in the steamer. Bring water to a boil and cook the peppers until slightly softened. Set peppers aside.

-Heat water and braggs in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the water has heated add the onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and eggplant and cook for another 5 minutes, or until zucchini is just softened (you may need more water if pan seems dry).

-Add the tomatoes and spices to the eggplant mixture, stir well. Fill the peppers with the eggplant mixture, arrange in a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes uncovered until tops are lightly browned. I served this with ketchup stirred into the veggies into the veggies and loved it, it reminded me of the (non vegan) stuffed peppers that my mom used to make when I was a kid.

Zucchini with Kale and Green Beans

Wow! It has been forever since I last posted! A lot has happened this last week, Christmas, job interviews, helping a friend move, New Years Eve. Oh wait, did I mention that I got a job? And that it's here in Ohio? Yup, I had an interview last week with an IT group here in town looking for a graphic designer with web design experience. They called me back for a second interview, which took place yesterday, and within hours I was offered the position. So I'm happy to announce that I am no longer unemployed! With that said, I'm hoping that I'll be getting back into the blogging thing more regularly now that I'm employed and will have a regular schedule once again. This last month and a half of being unemployed really messed up my cooking and blogging schedule, and I've missed it!

This was lunch yesterday, something I came up with last week when I was trying to use up some random things in my fridge. The first time I made it I only used kale, green beans and mushrooms and it was awesome. This time I added the zucchini, and honestly I think I like it better without. Either way, this is a really quick easy meal to make, and it would also make a great side dish.

Zucchini with Kale and Green Beans

2C fresh green beans, cut into 2in pieces
2C zucchini, sliced into 1/4in pieces
3C sliced mushrooms
1Tb dried tomato flakes
4C kale, washed and torn into pieces
2Tb nutritional yeast
~1/4C water

Heat water in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Once it bubbles add the green beans and cover for about 2 minutes. When the beans have turned bright green add the zucchini
and cover for another 2 minutes. When the zucchini has begun to soften, add the mushrooms and the tomato flakes. Cover and add allow to cook until the mushrooms are softened. Once the mushrooms have softened, add the kale and cook until it has wilted to your taste. Before serving, stir in the nutritional yeast and salt to taste.

All Day AppleButter, Pumpin Butter too

Wow! It has been over a week since I last posted. I've been busy with packing, and simultaneously job searching. I am excited to say that a friend of mine is trying to help me stay here by putting me in touch with someone at a large company in Cinci who surprisingly is looking for a graphic designer. Cross your fingers that they call me in for an interview before I move! Cross your toes that I get the job period, working with this company would look great on my resume, and give me a lot of learning experiences.

Between all of this and holiday things, I've not been cooking much interesting fare. Mostly I've been eating alot of roasted veggies and random mixed veggies, oh and of course theres the required sampling of cookies as they come out of the oven. So much for trying to lose a few pounds before new years :( Oh well, I think after today if I see another cookie/candy/cupcake/pie it'll be too soon, even though I do so love baking. Below are two recipes for the last two items in my christmas gift baskets, Apple Butter and Pumpkin Butter. Sorry for the lack of pictures, but I forgot to take pics before giving them out. I promise, the result looks tasty and tastes delicious!

All Day Apple Butter

~8lbs apples (enough to fill a crock 3/4 full), cored and sliced (or shredded in a food processor)
2C white sugar
1C brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium crockpot, stir well and turn pot onto high heat, cover and cook for two hours.

Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown. At this point the mixture may not look like apple butter, and if you're wanting applesauce, you can stop here. However if you want apple butter and you're impatient like I am, carefully spoon the mixture into your blender and puree until very very smooth and put the mixture back into the crockpot.

Uncover and continue cooking on high 1 hour. You'll know it's thickened correctly when you can put a spoonful of the apples on a plate and after it has allowed to cool there is no ring of liquid around the edge of the spoonful.

Once finished and desired thickness is reached you can spoon the mixture into sterile containers for canning*, cover and refrigerate, or freeze.

*I got eight 1/2 pint jars out if this.

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Pumpkin Butter

1 (29 ounce) can canned pumpkin puree
3/4C apple juice
1C white sugar
~1/2c brown sugar
2tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp ground nutmeg

Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently.

Spoon hot pumpkin mixture into hot jars, filling to within 1/4 inch from top. Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands.

Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes five 1/2pint jars.