Multigrain Southwest Salad

So here's a recipe using my quinoa...I'm gonna try out my breakfast quinoa tomorrow finally.

What you need:
2 cups cooked couscous
1 cup cooked quinoa (I mixed regular and red quinoa)
1 cup cooked wild rice blend
1 can black beans (I used Trader Joe's cuban blac beans)
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/2-3/4 cups frozen corn (I used TJ's fire-roasted corn...it's my FAVE!)
1/2 cup frozen tri-colored pepper strips (I used Whole Foods' 365 stoplight mix)

....Feel free too use fresh veggies, I was feeling lazy.

Dressing:
1 tbs Agave nectar
2 tbs lime juice
2 tbs olive oil



Mix everything together in a big bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients and then mix it into the salad. Refridgerate, enjoy.

a new TVP "chicken" salad

So I decided to try a spin on my ever-popular (no, seriously, even my carnivorous friends LOVE IT) curry "chicken" salad today. I love Thai food and figured I could make a Thai version...so here's what you need:

1-2 cups of TVP (again I used half big chunks and half regular TVP)
1 can (14oz) of lite coconut milk
lime juice
green curry paste
veganaise
fresh cilantro
green onion
Trader Joe's Thai lime and chili cashews (or regular cashews)
cole slaw mix (carrots, cabbage, etc)




Boil coconut milk and 2-4oz of lime juice (depending on your taste) and throw in a teaspoon or so of green curry paste, mix well. Once boiling, add the TVP and let it absorb all the liquid. In the mean time, chop up about 1/3 cup each of fresh cilantro, green onion, and cashews (vary according to preference). Once the TVP has absorbed everything and is tender, let it cool for a while. Once it's pretty cool, mix in the veganaise...I start with 2 tablespoons and add accordingly. Now mix in your cashew/cilantro/onions and stir well, then mix in the cole slaw mix. As with the curry "chicken" salad, I like to let it sit for an hour or so to let the flavors really absorb. Eat it plain, put it in a tortilla, or wrap it in rice paper with some extra cilantro leaves....YUM!!!

BSP - my new favorite sandwich.

The BLT, one of America's favorite sandwiches. Maybe it's me but between the bacon and the mayonnaise, I'm pretty sure this is no favorite of vegans. So what's a girl to do? Make a vegan version, obviously. ....But with a twist!

Ingredients:
everything bagel
baby spinach
sweet peppers (I get the mini ones from Trader Joe's)
veganaise
fakin' bacon tempeh strips (at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or most other places that sell tempeh)

The bacon is the most important part, IMO. Sure, the morningstar farms bacon strips look like real bacon but they just taste salty. The tempeh strips have real hickory flavor and added with the nutty flavor of tempeh...well, let's just say I could eat this stuff every day it's so good! Not to mention it has a much more tender consistancy than that crispy-ness of other bacon substitutes.

I love this because it's SO EASY and awesome. Turn the oven on to 350 and put some olive oil in a frying pan...just enough to coat the bottom...and turn that to medium to heat up. Cut up your peppers into strips and cut the bagel in half.

Stick the bagel in the oven (I like this better than the toaster because it gets warm and just barely crispy on the outside but not too much). Throw the peppers into the pan and saute for about a minute getting all the strips coated in the oil. Now, put the tempeh in the pan...I usually use 3 strips cut in half. After about a minute, turn the tempeh, it should be pretty brown but not burnt...although I think it still tastes good even if its a little burnt, so don't worry.

Turn off the oven and take out your bagel and slap some veganaise on each side. Pile up some baby spinach on the bottom half (MAKE SURE YOU WASH IT FIRST!) and top that with the sauteed peppers then put the fakin' bacon on top of that. Put the bagel top on and....YUM! Fast, easy, and DELICIOUS (and totally vegan) BSP sandwich!





In other news....my BSP is going to be my last meal before starting The Master Cleanse! My E-squared partner-in-crime just ended the 10 day cleanse yesterday (she does it every year around this time) and I have to say she was looking great! She just looked like she was glowing, not to mention that she was 15 lbs lighter. Now that it's warming up I really want to hit the pavement again and get back into my running/workout routine. I figure I'll detox now then start this year's Self Challenge in addition to my Nike training I'm doing with Marissa. Not only will I feel a shitload better and better about myself, but I'll (hopefully) be in beach bod shape for Kari's June wedding in Myrtle Beach. I'm the maid of honor so I've gotta look good. I'll be blogging about my cleanse experience daily (hopefully) to keep me motivated.

Blogging Recovery....I knew it wouldn't last!

So, as predicted, I did really well with the blogging for about a week! After that I guess I just got too distracted with life to really pay attention. Plus it's a lot easier for me to constantly update my facebook status from my iPhone than to blog from it. Here is a brief run down of what December and January brought:

The boys all moved. First Kris, then Gabriel, then Shane...all with in a week of each other. It was a pretty huge bummer but just allowed me more time to spend with my bitches. Right after Christmas break I was relieved of my position as Professional Cheesecake Bitch and Ass-Kisser. January was spent searching for jobs, doing some freelance writing (another reason I had NO desire to write in this thing) and, of course, hanging with my bitches.

I've started writing some music. Most of my songs are my jaded view on dating and relationships a la early Liz Phair. My favorite so far is a song called "Numbers Game" ...named as such because within a week FOUR of my friends told me the dating thing was "just a numbers game" like it's freakin' power ball. Of course, to this I simply replied that I must just have dick repelant in my deoderant. That was definitely THE joke for a couple weeks. Maybe I'll try my hand at stand-up next.

In other news, I am trying out for the roller derby next month and I have boot camp this upcoming Sunday...I haven't been so excited for something in a VERY long time. I've dyed my hair pink upon starting a new job working on behalf of non-profit organizations as well as rekindled my love of fake eyelashes.

To stick with the general theme of my blog, as everyone knows the Steelers are now six time world champions which was insanely exciting. I had a great time watching them win, the city was INSANE, and I....well, I was drunk as I have been fairly often lately. I've never been a drinker and my mom did always encourage me to try new things so I've decided I'm going to go through a drinking phase. Hey, I'm in Pittsburgh, that's what we do here. As many stupid decisions as I made in college, I missed out on a lot of integral college experiences for which I am determined to make up. Let's face it, I'm 25. I need to get this out of my system before I'm 30 and have to really try to be a grown up. But I digress...Christine and I made a deal that if the Steelers won the AFC Championship I could shave their emblem into her head. Have a look:



Now for my Single Vegan recipe of the day:

It is well known to most dietitians that the most mentally satiating meals are those which contain all five taste sensations: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Vegan meals are pretty much always already full of fiber which is another great way to keep you full and satiated longer but how often do we really pay attention to the taste combination in our meals? Anyway, being that I have almost nothing in my fridge at present I had to get really creative but managed to come up with an excellent dinner that is also easily fudged based on what you have and is great for meat eaters, too!

KITCHEN SINK ASIAN NOODLES

The Ingredients:

*toasted sesame oil
*plum vinegar
*lemon or lime juice
*ground boca (or broken up veggie burgers/meatballs, or even real beef)
*asian noodles (I used some carrot and spinach noodles I got at an asian market because I like colorful food)
*frozen (or fresh) veggies (I used tri-color peppers, sweet corn, and peas)

now here's where it gets tricky. I used Urban Accents' Mongolian Ginger BBQ seasoning which I imagine pretty much no one has lying around (although it's available at Whole Foods and really yummy) so try this:
*orange peel (orange juice will work, too)
*ground mustard powder (or dijon mustard if that's all you've got)
*ground ginger


Really, this is not exact...use what you have and don't be afraid to experiment...that's when the chore of cooking for one becomes fun!


Okay, you've got your ingredients and we're ready to start! Heat up about a tablespoon of sesame oil in your pan on medium, once its warm add your veggies. If you are using frozen veggies like I did, you can add your ground boca at the same time, otherwise, let your veggies get a little tender before you add it. Once this mixture has warmed up, throw in your spices. Now is a good time to start the hot water boiling for your noodles, too. Add them when it starts to boil and throw in just a pinch or two of salt to keep them from sticking together.

Orange peel is preferable to OJ because it adds the bitter element, use just a dash of plum vinegar if you dont have orange peel as that is also bitter(and sour). Your citrus juice will give a good sour note while the mustard provides a little umami in your life. I tend not to measure things but start out small...no more than a tablespoon of citrus juice and 1/4 teaspoon of ground mustard and 1/2 teaspoon of ginger. You don't want the mixture to have too much liquid but if it does, just let it simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Since you're not using real meat, you don't have to worry about it drying out.

Keep in mind that everyone's taste buds are different, this is why I say start small with the flavoring. Take a LITTLE taste after you've added everything and see what you think...not sweet enough, some OJ will do the trick and keep with the citrus theme. Not sour enough? Add a dash of lemon or lime juice. Not savory? Add a bit more sesame oil or mustard. Essentially the citrus and the ginger should be the main flavors you taste, though.

When your noodles are done, drain them. Unlike it's italian counter part, most asian noodles are prepared by rinsing the noodle in cold water after draining to keep them firm and wash away any extra starch, however, this is not necessary. Toss them in the slightest bit of sesame oil and throw a splash of soy sauce in there if you really like salty food. Top it off with your ground boca mixture and chow down.

Prep time: however long it takes to get stuff out of the fridge/freezer
Cook time: about 10 minutes.

Note: I think this tastes just as good cold as it does hot which makes for really easy leftovers for us lazy single vegans!

Look at these colors! Not my most attractive dish but quite tasty for just throwing some stuff in a pan!

Light Up Night!!!

I've had a really authentic Pittsburgh week it seems! Last night Marissa, Christine, Gabe and I went down to the Strip to meet Joan for Light Up Night. What is Light Up Night, you ask? It's the kickoff to the holiday season in Pittsburgh. There are all kinds of holiday events downtown and in Station Square. The 65 ft tree in PPG place is lit up, the ice rink opens, there are carriage rides, face painting, booths set up all over Market Square, a gingerbread house contest, carolers, other performances, etc. Of course it had to be snowing and like 15 degrees...but who needs finger tips, right?

We kicked off the evening by meeting Joan in station square at some sports bar (which, btw, I hated) and Gabe happened upon Kris who then tagged along with us for the festivities.

My bitches at the bar:

Then we took the painfully cold walk down Penn Ave to Market Square...brrrrr!!! We got to check out the gingerbread houses, the big tree, and most of the festivities.

Unfortunately the line for the carriage rides was REALLY long and apparently it only took you around the block so we decided to nix that idea. However, we are going to make our own gingerbread house after tday when we are all back in town and it will far surpass the other houses in awesome-ness. For sure! Ya know what I was thinkinging...there should be a gingerbread beer. Im sure somewhere there's one. They have pumpkin beer...and its pretty tasty. Why not gingerbread? I think my brother should get on that, no?

Well I've gotta go work on some lunch before work...recipe to follow perhaps.

Here's a gratuitous snow picture for my mama:

A Day of Fun

So I had a total blast today! Gabe, Shane and I went on a trip to the Strip District, swiped up Kris and headed over to the noodle truck for some yummy $2 pad thai!! It was a perfect Pittsburgh day...flurries, Steelers gear, and street vendors! Gabe, Shane and I also went to The Mattress Factory which is, in fact, a museum in the North Side. It's all contemporary installation art! Man, there was some really neat stuff there! Check out the web site! I took a lot of pictures today. I'll post some tomorrow but some of them I just have to share today!! If you haven't lived in Pittsburgh you will never fully grasp Steeler-mania. While we were in the Strip, half the street vendors were Steelers gear! Look!





Here's the noodle truck! That guy, Bob, makes some way yummy pad thai. Admitedly, there is some egg so it's not really vegan but its vegetarian and WAY too good to pass up!




Here are some pictures of one of the awesome art installations! Shane was getting really into it!! It was room that was floor to ceiling mirrors AND mirrors on the ceiling. Also, huge orange dots AND mannequins covered in orange dots.





I'll probably post some more pictures tomorrow! I have to go catch up on the Steelers game and the Pens game n'at before practice

Boy, do I love Pittsburgh! One of my favorite things about Pittsburgh is the abundance of artist/hippy types here! And, of course, with that comes AWESOME public radio AND great natural food stores! Unfortunately the co-op was lacking some essential ingredients for my meal today so I had to improvise! But...on the good side....WYEP is doing an all-day thing on the white album Nov. 25 in celebration of its 40th "birthday". How awesome is THAT? Also awesome: I managed to snag a Steelers jersey for FIVE BUCKS at the thrift store! Crazy! I'll be turning it into a mini dress soon. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow....

So onto the recipes!

For my side dish I had Roasted Cauliflower in Indian BBQ Sauce from epicurious.com

Unfortunately, they were out of fresh ginger at the co-op and I came home to find my garlic cloves had molded *yuk* and to top it off, I didn't have cumin! So I had to improvise. I used powdered ginger and garlic and threw in a dash of cloves and chili powder for good measure. I have to say this is one of my favorite recipes ever. I usually roast the cauliflower a little extra to get it crispier! Also...if you try this one, I recommend putting the sauce on it right before you serve it because if you put it on and then have left overs they get soggy. Also reheat them in the oven and they taste better.

Now for my own personal recipe: cruelty-free curry chicken salad

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups TVP (i did 1 cup tvp, 1/2 cup big tvp chunks)
1 1/4 cups veggie broth
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2-1 cup veganaise (I use like 1/2 cup but I dont like my salad too saucy)
2 tablespoons curry powder (or more to taste)
one whole apple, diced
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

optional: dried cranberries, raisins, pears, scallions or red onion, spinach

non-vegan option: if you're not vegan, try doing half veganaise and half plain yoghurt! The tangy flavor of the yoghurt is really nice.

Put TVP in a pot and top it with the veggie broth and apple juice and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed. if you're using tvp AND the big tvp chunks, add the chunks first and let them go for a minute or two before adding the other tvp.

Dice the apple and half the grapes (the co-op was out of grapes so I used craisins...yum!), chop your parsley, onions, pears, or whatever else you've added and throw it into a bowl and mix it up. Once the tvp has cooled down, add that into the mix and mix it all up! Now add your veganaise...start small and add more to taste. I really don't think you need a ton of it for this salad because it has so many flavors already happening!

Once everything is coated in veganaise, add the curry powder and salt and pepper to taste. Try adding a dash of cumin or chili powder, or a little bit of apple juice. This makes enough for 4-6 servings. Eat it on a bed of spinach or on pita or naan! Let it sit for a few hours before you serve it and it'll taste better, too.