Pass It On

Thank you for all the well wishes everyone! Taking it easy this weekend was a good idea, so I can feel and look well-rested for RVA Fashion Week’s casting today. They’ll be figuring out which models will work for each show. I’ve also got a photo shoot to go to later this day for my fashion photography class. Anyway, the other day I noticed that I haven’t posted any breakfasts lately, but that’s not to say that I haven’t been eating it. Afterall, it is my favorite meal of the day! Since I have class in the mornings Monday through Thursday, I usually just make OIAJ or something else convenient (i.e. bagels!) the night before and bring that to class with me.

However, it is nice that I get a few days in the week where I don’t have to have breakfast on the go.

Oatmeal topped with banana slices, my favorite pumpkin butter, and toasted & salted hemp seeds. Toasted hemp seeds can go with anything! I’ve been trying to use up my jars of fruit butters and jams by using them as a sweetener for my oatmeal.

Caramelized anything is fine by me!

I thought of Erica this particular morning, and was inspired to top my usual bowl of oatmeal with something special. Rather than simply slicing some apples and leaving it at that, I caramelized them. First I heated some coconut oil on a pan and then sautéed the apple slices, dates, and cinnamon sticks. After cooking them for a bit I added a splash of apple juice.

This bit of deliciousness was topped with pistachios and honey to boot!

Now on to lunch, dinner, and some lovely side dishes.

Honey Glazed Carrots

This was a recipe from “The Flexitarian Cookbook” that I finally got around to making. Rather than cooking them in regular butter though, I used ghee. This changed the flavor a bit, and in combination with the honey… I just wanted more.

Parmesan-roasted Parsnips

I haven’t made a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks in awhile! Maybe some of you can guess which book it is, but for those of you who can’t it’s Simon Rimmer’s “The Accidental Vegetarian“. I wanted to marry him because the recipes in this book are so good. He still hasn’t proposed to me, and I’m not the kind of girl who sits around waiting. But that won’t stop me from cooking up his incredible recipes!

Addictive!

Almost a mish-mosh, but not quite.

I had lots of scallions leftover and the first thing that came to mind was Thai food. Then I started thinking of recipes involving noodles since I have a lot to use up. I ended up making a spicy Thai peanut sauce to go with some random veggies I had on hand, fried tofu, and a combination of rice and soba noodles. I’d bring this with me to class, and by now whenever I pull out my meals my mates ask me what I brought this time. They also remark on how everything I bring smells so good. Well, I can assure you that not only do my meals smell good, but they taste good too.

Soup for the season

This past week I made a batch of Angharad’s curried squash and carrot soup. This sounded like one of those soups I see in stores that I don’t buy because I’d rather make them on my own. I usually don’t end up making them, and I’m just left with a reminder whenever I stumble upon one of those convenient soups. This kind of soup was new to me though. I had never made a soup with summer squash, and I was wondering how well the flavors would hold up. The curry added just enough spice, but didn’t stand alone. I find that curry picks up other flavors, and goes well with so many things. Take tabasco sauce (not a big fan), for instance, it just cuts right through everything–so acidic!

A cup of Colombian hot chocolate aka the best hot chocolate.

Why is this the best? Well, first off it’s made using a chocolate tablet vs. cocoa powder. That automatically makes it tastier. I’m going to tell you how my grandma makes it. First she pours milk (almond for me, please) into a chocolatera (and aluminum pitcher), and brings it to a boil on the stove. She’ll let me skim off the yummy layer that forms on top, which is called nata in Spanish. There is a cake that is tediously made entirely of those delicious layers called postre de natas. After the milk is boiling she puts in the tablet of Colombian chocolate and takes a molinillo (a wooden whisker) to froth the melted chocolate. Then it’s lovingly poured into a cup for whomever is dear to you, that includes yourself! In Colombia it’s typical to let a chunk of queso blanco melt in the cup of rich, frothy hot chocolate.

I think you should try it.

The other day I brought in a non-conventional battery to my class.

This was a for a mini-project for my time-based sculpture class to help us think outside of the box. Food can be fuel, and I remembered reading a recipe in Brendan Brazier’s “Thrive:…” that offered fast energy. I didn’t bother explaining the science behind the dates and coconut oil to my class. Instead I just let them enjoy, which they did! Speaking of energy I have a little challenge for you…

 

A Flexible Outlook Opens Up the Possibilities

I loved reading your responses to my last post. Some of you brought up many interesting points, and your own points of view. Kelsey mentioned “when there is a fear of food, one must challenge it or risk facing a life in which they will learn to hide or shy away from things that make them uncomfortable…instead of truly embracing their own appetites (not just for food, but for life!)” A lot of you mentioned the notion of the individual choice. I think it’s important to stay true to ourselves, and respect that. Understanding self-respect can make it easier to respect others as well–not judging their sincere choices. In the end confidence in my own decisions helps leave me at peace, whether it’s the outfit I decide to wear, the joke I want to share, or the oatmeal I bring in a jar. Kind of how children approach life with no need to convince themselves of something, instead just doing it. That sounds a lot like instinct, doesn’t it?

On another note, the other day while browsing the CHOW website for recipes I came across one that I thought many of you would love: peanut butter pumpkin soup. Okay now that I’m saying it out loud maybe it sounds a little strange, but I have a feeling that it would hit the spot. It’s like when you throw something together that may seem like an odd combination of things, but you think it’ll taste good!

I had mentioned “The Flexitarian Cookbook” a few times, and now it’s time to dedicate a post to more delicious recipes I’ve made from it so far.

Cumin Chickpeas with Spicy Rice Noodles

This was a unique, spicy, and flavorful dish.

Not to mention it was just beautiful to look at. The white of the rice noodles contrasted with all of the other colorful foods, and seeds.

Up next…

Chickpea Kabocha Stew

The heart-warming and rustic recipe recommends serving it with vegan mayonnaise, avocado, and toasted hemp seeds. The toppings really bring the dish together, and leave you wanting seconds!

Apple-cider Braised “Kabocha” with Golden Raisins and Onion

I haven’t been able to find  kabocha squash at the grocery store this winter, so I used butternut squash instead. Letting the squash, raisins, and onions soak up the cider made this an aromatic and sweet dish! It was comforting with a slight kick from the red chili flakes, which are optional.

Remember this chickpea dish?

This was a pan-fried chickpea, sweet yellow onion and pomegranate salad (with optional duck confit). Tangy, salty, spiced, and with a bite of sweetness!

There's also this tasty dish that I made for a special Thanksgiving dinner--Meatless Argentinian Carbonada in a Pumpkin

I couldn’t put it in a pumpkin, so I just put the pumpkin in the soup! The ingredients in this recipe surprised me, like the peaches, pecorino, and oregano. All of the flavors from each ingredient complemented each thing in the most delicious way. I can’t really explain, but this was one of the tastiest things I’ve ever eaten.

It was enjoyed very much by the both of us!

This cookbook is wonderful not just for its recipes, but also its variety. You’ll find that some recipes have optional ingredients depending on what your dietary choices are… or simply whatever mood you may be in. Most of the recipes don’t require obscure ingredients, and if you can’t find something you can easily come up with a substitution. The wonderful thing about options is that they can make cooking a more curious and fun experience! Perhaps, it may inspire you to venture out in your own recipes by adding something new. Moreover, there’s a tremendous energy behind “The Flexitarian Cookbook” project. If you check out the site you can read about the contributors, and the excitement that went on at their launch parties. From the colorful and unique layout, to the thoughtful recipes, to the different dynamics throughout the whole cookbook; there’s just something refreshing and uplifting about the effort put into making it possible. Out of the recipes I’ve tried so far I must tell you this: you’re either very thankful for leftovers, or you love the dish so much that before you know it’s all gone! I see this as a win win situation.

Have any of you heard of this cookbook?

p.s. I’ve been nominated for Best Blog for the RVA Internet Awards. If you’d like you can click here to check out the nominees and vote! Even if you’re not from Richmond, it’s still interesting to see what people somewhere else are up to.

Warm Days Ahead

There is so much to catch up on, but I think I know where I want to start for this post. Hmm… let’s see what part shall I rewind back to next? Aha!

In December I ended up going to Florida at the last minute!

My lovely mother really spoiled me this time. I think I barely cooked while I was there, which is unusual!

 

Have any of you tried cranberry beans?

It was my first time trying them, and I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the the shells were.

 

My mom's special recipe for the cranberry beans and eggplant, and I roasted some kabocha with brown sugar, spices, and coconut oil.

I’m going to share her recipe with you. First she sautés some chopped onions and garlic. Then add diced tomatoes and sauté for a bit. Add some bay leaves, the beans, sea salt, and pepper. Then cook it all in almond milk until the beans are thoroughly cooked. Lastly, garnish with cilantro!

We also spoiled ourselves with various chocolates!

I also finished up a jar of almond butter while I was down there.

And finishing up a jar translates to OIAJ.

I like to make the oatmeal in a pot and spoon it into the jar little by little while stirring so the nut butter is distributed evenly throughout–not just at the bottom.

And I finished another jar--this one being the cashew-macadamia nut butter I made for my mom last Christmas.

She obviously doesn’t use nut butters as much as I do! I don’t think it would take me a year to finish a jar.

Oh, look! And I found some of the royal crown jewels!

This cous cous dish was a team effort between me and my mom.

The cous cous was cooked in vegetable broth and ghee giving it so much more flavor. Seriously, ghee is a staple in my kitchen. When that was done cooking we threw in some chopped red onions, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, and other random veggies. Stir in some lemon juice, olive oil, spices (curry, cumin, and paprika), and salt to taste. Before you’re all done you can add some diced avocado and cilantro for that last touch of flavor. Cous cous is such a versatile grain to work with. You can make it sweet or savory. Cook it in juices, milks, or broths. Mix in whatever you’d like and voilà! A tasty dish.

While I was in Florida I was in the mood for colorful salads.

In Virginia I’m usually in the mood for soups. I know that’s usually weather related though. Anyhow, this salad was incredibly tasty! I tossed sweet potatoes, apples, brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, and onions in a mix of coconut oil, honey, and cinnamon. Then I roasted them till they were done, and tossed them over a bed of Tuscan kale, letting the kale wilt from the warmth of the other veggies and fruits. To seal the deal I topped it off with pomegranate arils, and the beans my mother had made bandeja paisa style (cooked with plantains) and vegetarian friendly!

I also made a few dishes with fava beans--roasting them was my favorite!

Egyptian style!

I made Ful Medames, a traditional breakfast in Egypt. Actually, fava beans are eaten at all times of the day over there, and it’s said that even the pharaohs enjoyed these beans.

I was also in the mood for spiced mashed sweet potatoes with coconut milk while I was down there.

Christmas entailed high raw vegan goodies!

My step-dad loves peanut butter and raw vegan treats, so this seemed like a great gift for him!

I took Ani Phyo’s oatmeal raisin cookie recipe to another level by adding peanut butter. The idea for adding the nut butter came from Laury’s adapted recipe for no-bake oatmeal cookies. Here’s the recipe for the cookies I made for my step-dad!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Cookes (High Raw Vegan)

1 cup raw or old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates

1/2 cup raisins

2 Tbl Creamy  peanut butter (creamy is better for binding)

1. Process the oats and cinnamon in a food processor into small pieces.

2. Add dates and process till it’s mixed well. Throw in the raisins and pulse.

3. Place in a bowl and mix the peanut butter in with the batter.

4. Now roll them into balls and enjoy!

Easy, right?

 

We were invited to dinner on Christmas Eve!

They had us over for Christmas dinner last year too.

The delicious feast made completely out of scratch!

The chef!

I brought over this dish: pan-fried chickpea, sweet yellow onion, and pomegranate salad.

Remember “The Flexitarian Cookbook” I mentioned in a previous post? Well, this was another delicious recipe from that cookbook! Everyone at the dinner loved it, and the lovely host even asked me to share the recipe. Now that says something, doesn’t it?

Natural beauty

I’ll be dedicating a full post to “The Flexitarian Cookbook” featuring more recipes, and a review!

On Christmas morning my mom was greeted by some flowers that are just as refreshing as she is.

My step-dad was greeted by something he could thoroughly enjoy (and hopefully share, please)!

And I was greeted with a special sweater!

It makes me think of a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.

My step-dad had the same idea!

He made me raw vegan treats with figs, dates, walnuts, and gingerbread spices–very yummy!

Matilda guarded the tree.

My mom had picked this up at the health food store... interesting!

When I saw this it seemed familiar, and that’s because Katie once featured their pasta made out of black beans.

Makes one look forward to dinner.

I served the mung bean fettucine with a semi-homemade tomato sauce and parmesan.

This was actually yummy and had an interesting texture! I was very much pleasantly surprised.

And I ended my Florida "tour" with a bang!

We love you, World!

Don’t forget to participate in my giveaway, in case you haven’t already or you missed it! Click here to check it out. You have until Tuesday to participate, so my fingers are crossed for you!

A Friend is One of the Best Things You Can Be

Pardon my belated wishes, but I hope everyone had wonderful holidays! Usually the holiday season means a time for more reflection, and being surrounded by people that I love. Take family for instance. Sometimes they get on your last nerve, but at the end of the day you love them so much that you could just burst! In my last post I talked about how meaningful friends are. Well I thought it would be nice to dedicate a post to just that!

Back in mid-November I had a very special friend stay with me for the weekend.

Many of you may recognize this special friend of mine as the lovely face behind The Collegiate Gourmande. Awhile ago she recounted her visit in this really sweet post right over here. Anyway, her and I have “known” each other for awhile now, and we got to meet up for the first time over the summer in Miami. Now she was staying at my place in Richmond for the weekend. It wasn’t just any weekend though! We were running the SunTrust half-marathon. When she arrived a stranger beat me to a proper greeting with a kiss on the cheek haha!

The first night here, we cooked up a storm!

Voila! A homemade naan pizza topped with spinach sauce, okra, and chickpeas with a side of yellow curry spiced lentil soup

The idea for the spicy spinach sauce came from Emily, and Maya already had it bookmarked! Actually, she had a list of things we could possibly whip up in the kitchen. I love this girl and her enthusiastic spirit! The naan bread was actually from a batch I made earlier that week.

Naan bread is so easy to make at home--next time I want to make it with a hint of cilantro and garlic--topped with ghee and you're ready to bite in!

To go with an appetizing bowl of Thai-style lentil and coconut soup

Coconut milk? Check.

Scallions? Check.

Now back to Maya’s visit!

We ended the meal with a special treat...

the ever-popular Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls! These were so so SO so good! We went to bed “early” since the race was bright and early in the morning. Since I was fighting a cold at the time I had been taking care of myself the week prior to the race–Mucinex works wonders! We ended up running to the race to make sure we got there in time… you know just warming-up.

Maya had a picture taken of us with her phone after the race!

Look what I found! Tissue in hand to blow my runny nose.

It was my first race and it was such an incredible feeling. There was this force inside me that made me feel like I was on top of the world. It really made me feel positive of my capabilities despite the struggles that were very present in my life at that time. Plus, it was awesome to celebrate with a dear friend! We made our way home with those silly shiny “capes” that resemble foil a bit. After the race we took it easy for a bit, and made our way to a charming part of town in Richmond called ‘Carytown’.

That night we made a dinner fit for champions!

We roasted some green beans, and had mashed sweet potatoes with coconut milk topped with cajun chickpea cakes from Eats Well With Others. And that salad you see on the side there is Maya’s wonderful creation! A spinach salad with dried cranberries, honey crisp apples, pomegranate seeds. She even made the dressing: almond butter balsamic dressing! Oh my goodness this meal had so many flavors, and it was all divine! Just what we needed after a race.

How we do!

Aha! I found you!

We spent the rest of the night laughing and talking into the morning. She had to leave early the next morning, but she left me so many beautiful reminders. I mentioned her post earlier, but I really have to say it again. It truly touched my heart. I guess that’s just her way! A true friend you can count on? A friend that is understanding and doesn’t mind one bit? A friend that lets you know that it’s alright. That’s Maya for you, and she’s so much more.

She also left me this tasty reminder!

Which I have been enjoying on just about everything! Thank you, Maya!

I also went on a trip to NYC with my class (the bus actually belongs to one of my classmates).

The captain of the ship!

I saw NYC in a different light on the High Line.

Beautiful, isn't it?

Since this was a class with art students, naturally we scoped out some galleries and museums.

Even a gallery for the homeless to submit their art.

The sleek New Museum.

On one of the nights we all got together at our professor's friends' giant shared studio and...

Played music...

and had a delicious homemade feast!

Man, his friends sure can cook and bake! There was roasted ham, stew, pasta, vegetable dishes, best banana bread ever, pies, cakes, garlic bread, hummus… gosh so many things! The trip was a lot of fun. It was nice to see some friends up there, and also getting to know some of my fellow classmates a little better. By the way, in Williamsburg there’s a place called The Alligator Lounge that has a great deal: buy a beer and you get a free pizza! Not just any pizza, but a personal pan! So if you’re in the Brooklyn area, make sure to hit that up!

I had another special visitor for Thanksgiving!

On Thanksgiving we headed to the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains.

I packed us a bag of yummy things to take with us!

For me: a sandwich with smoked gouda, sauteed spinach and onions, apple slices, and honey.

For my mom: spinach, egg, honey, apple slices, and goat cheese.

Do you think she liked it?

It's such a big world.

It felt so nice to be breathing fresh air.

Coming through!

As we headed back the sun decided to come out. Doesn't this look like the cover of Big Fish?

Matilda let out a roar that the whole world could hear!

I wanted my mom to taste how special honeycrisp apples are.

Pooped and heading back home to make a low-key Thanksgiving dinner.

I made a special recipe that night from an e-cookbook that was sent to me to review.

The e-cookbook is titled “The Flexitarian Cookbook” and features many recipes from various contributors that can be adjusted to fit your dietary needs or mood whether you vegan, vegetarian, or an omnivore. The recipes sound so appetizing and the pictures that are featured are so beautiful and drool-worthy. I’ll be featuring more recipes I’ve tried from this e-cookbook, and a more detailed review.

The recipe that stood out the most for me, with ingredients like pumpkin, peaches, and pecorino.

Not even finished and it smelled delicious.

And Thanksgiving dinner was served!

Sauteed collard greens, onions, and garlic, with fruit & nut chutney.

Interesting

Our tastebuds and bellies were in for the best thing we had eaten in awhile.

Almost forgot the pecorino!

Oh my goodness. My mother and I kept exclaiming how incredible this dish was. It’s suppose to be served in a small pumpkin, but I made do with what I had (butternut squash) and it still turned out to be a phenomenal dish. The mix of ingredients (the peach being the most surprising) was spot on!

Lebkuchen filled with as much love as a cookie can handle!

This is probably the most nostalgic food and smell from Germany for me. Lebkuchen is a traditional German treat that’s similar to gingerbread. At the Christmas Market you will see tons of heart-shaped cookies hanging up, ready to be given to someone’s beloved one.

Photo taken from here

Stay tuned for the next post since it’s a continuation on the topic of friendship and also catching up! I hope you all had a wonderful week, and a great start to a new year. Until next time, much love!