Nosferatofu

Immortal on Tour!

2009-12-22T16:53:00.000-08:00

Immortal has announced a North American tour in March 2010. The band comments, "After the fantastic experiences we had in New York and Los Angeles in 2007, we are returning next year, and this time we will make sure we visit our Canadian hordes on the East coast as well! We will see you during Easter 2010, which will be a dark and cold one!"

Immortal's "Blashyrkh In North America 2010" tour dates are as follows::

03.27.10: Toronto, ON - Opera House
03.28.10: Montreal, QC - Metropolis
03.30.10: Brooklyn, NY (18+) - Masonic Temple
04.02.10: Los Angeles, CA -The Avalon

I'm excited! I'll be seeing them in grim and frostbitten Los Angeles :)

Cold Morning Warm Tea

2009-12-21T15:35:00.000-08:00

As usual I forget to take photos of food when I'm going to eat. Its partially because I want to take nice, artsy photos but I don't have time or good lighting or a million other excuses ^_^

I did see a cool mini studio set up that I plan to get next month. That should make for some cool new photos.

So anyway, I've been a bit sick off and on, so this morning it was a bit chilly and I enjoyed a hot cup of tea to soothe my throat.

Wardruna

2009-12-11T13:55:00.001-08:00

If you like atmospheric tribal style music in a loosely similar style to Dead Can Dance, check out Wardruna.

This is a new project from black metalers Kvitrafn and Gaahl with other members.

Very ambient and atmospheric album, meant to be listened to beginning to end....I've been listening to this over and over for the past several days, usually with the lights off and only a small lamp on while I'm working.

Dream: meet reality

2009-12-02T07:53:00.000-08:00

a friend just informed me of RenCon in April.

why am I so excited?

Qntal and Estampie will be performing. 2 of my favorite medieval groups. i'm about ready to dance around like das technoviking.

i'm giddy. gonna book my room and flight tomorrow. i'd do it now but i just made a $400 car registration transaction, that's enough money spending for one day >_<

(and to try to keep this a bit on topic, here's what i cooked for thanksgiving)

Skinny Puppy on Devil's Night

2009-11-03T17:39:00.000-08:00

The night before Halloween I saw Skinny Puppy's opening show of their tour. The show was nothing short of amazing. Excellent theatrics, drenched in blood and ohGr wore no less than 3 different masks, which he progressively removed throughout the show.

They played a lot of older material and also Assimilate, which they rarely play.

Awesome night!

Heathenfest

2009-10-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Heathenfest! I dig both Belphegor and Kivimetsän Druidi. With all the emphasis on Norwegian/Swedish black metal, it'll be cool to see a black/death metal band from Austria, which is where my family comes from.

On a separate note:
I saw KMFDM this past Saturday. They sucked so I'm not going to bother with an entry. Too bad, their music is so good but they didn't say a single word to the audience except a quick thanks at the end. Its like they were pissed off to be performing.

My friend Kate whored me out for free KMFDM stickers though. If you have a KMFDM tattoo they were giving away free stickers. So I got a bunch and gave some out.

Satyricon

2009-10-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

From Music

Satyricon was sooooooo amazing. Its so refreshing to see a band that truly appreciates their fans.

Frost was of course, amazing on drums. One of the very best drummers out there.

There's nothing like the energy of a metal show. They played all the songs I was hoping to hear and capped it off with Mother North.

When they did Fuel for Hatred, Satyr said he wanted the pit to be more insane than when Immortal last played in LA, and it was. I got knocked over and landed on someone. People were helping us up pretty quick though so it was no big deal.

So anyway, it was the best way to start off the string of concerts for this month, although for me, none of the rest will compare.

From Music

True Norwegian Black Metal

2009-10-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to buy this book for some time now, but it came with a hefty price tag (well worth it, the book is HUGE). I found it recently used for only $20 so I snapped it up.

Glad I did! Interesting book and beautiful photography. A very intimate look at a very distinct subculture.

Tomorrow I have tickets to see Satyricon! Can't wait!

Portrait of Norway

2009-09-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

Could this be Norway's newest tourism marketing video??? It has a real family appeal, if you ask me :)

Song is by the excellent band, Kampfar and the song is called Norse.

I've been very busy with school - java programming is not much fun. But I did get a chance to make one of my favorites last night: Edgar Allan Po Boys

Summer Dying Fast

2009-09-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Went to Target to pick up some contact lens cleaner and I was ambushed by their aisles and aisles of Halloween and Autumn decorations.

Lets just say.......I spent waaaaaaaay more money than I had intended, but I got a ton of decorations for my apartment. My living room is just about finished, so I just need to give some attention to my room.

I even managed to find some medieval looking wall sconces to hang on either side of my tapestry. Score!

I kinda needed this though, my spirits have been dismal this week. I have not been a very happy person and I'm not sure why. But maybe things will get better now.

halloween color tea candles

From Drop Box

spooky placemats

From Drop Box

the wall across from my tapestry and tv

From Drop Box

my tapestry with candles (the scones look uneven but its the angle of the photo and the way the tapestry hangs)

From Drop Box

Attack of the Kittens

2009-09-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

I has a kitten. This little guy (or girl) moved in to my backyard about a week and a half ago with its mom. Mom was very protective and pretty much took over the back yard. But I haven't seen the mom in a few days and the baby was getting very vocal. She's got a set of pipes on her.

So I was worried that she'd starve to death. Again, I haven't seen the mom in a few days so I'm wondering if she was killed or just decided to abandon her little ball of fluff. I lured her out from behind the tree and gave her some special formula milk for cats, just in case she was hungry. I tried a syringe but she didn't like that, so then I tried dipping my finger in the milk but she started gnawing on my finger, so then I put the bowl in front of her and dove right in, lapped a bunch up.

Now she's exploring the cozy laundry basket I prepared for her and almost climbed out. I'm going to call a no-kill shelter I got the number for and have them take care of her.

Any advice on how to take care of a small kitten would be welcome.

I'm calling her Skadi for now, but I will NOT get attached.....even though she's really cute and makes the most endearing little squeaks :)

Haunted Hollywood

2009-08-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

So! I've been, as usual, busy with life. Much to my dismay, I haven't been cooking much lately. Or I should say, I haven't been cooking anything too fancy. And when I do.....I forget to photograph it.

So....what have I been up to? I took a fun "Haunted Hollywood" tour this past weekend with some friends. I took a peek at a bunch of LA/Hollywood vegan restaurants but my friends weren't brave enough to try them, so we went to California Pizza Kitchen. I got a delicious Japanese Eggplant veggie pizza, and it was very satisfying after a day of stomping around the city.

Some highlights (aside from the awesomely spooky theme music my friend put on a CD):
driveway to the Playboy mansion.....I had to get a shot of the sign....until the rock next to me told me to get off the driveway.

Duckula von Duck and Techno Frog posing in front of the Hollywood sign (about as close as you can get to it)

me at the altar near Bela Lugosi's grave....

NIN|JA

2009-05-21T14:57:00.001-07:00

Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro (not my photo, click to go to OCregister.com to see all of their photos)

I had a kick ass time last night at the Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction concert. Street Sweeper Social Club opened, featuring Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine. I'm glad to see that he continues pursuing his social activism beyond the scope of what Rage Against the Machine did; he gave out information for how people could help the homeless and inspired the audience to work to make the world a better place.

Nine Inch Nails played an awesome "greatest hits" set, including a really well done cover of Metal by Gary Numan. After NIN finished, I had a hard time believing that Jane's Addiction could come even close to measuring up, but I was totally surprised. Perry Farrell is an excellent frontman, and Dave Navarro kicked ass on guitar. With the original band back together, a first since the early 90's, they had a great chemistry and really impressed the whole audience.

So what does this have to do with vegan food? Well.....not much, although I had a few margaritas, which are vegan :) But actually, my reason for mentioning my night of fun and frolick was because as we were leaving, the awesome people from Vegan Outreach were outside, handing out booklets about factory farming. I've been a diehard concert goer and alternative scene rocker for at least 15 years, and only in the past year or so have I really seen them out in force, so this is definitely a step in the right direction. It was great to see them in action!

Funker Vogt Show

2009-04-11T07:57:00.001-07:00

Funker Vogt was awesome! We waited outside in the cold for well over an hour, which sucked, but the show was well worth it.

They went on late, at around 12:30, and they played a whopping hour and a half set. How cool is that? They played some great stuff (Maschine Zeit!) and I had fun dancing/pinballing around the pit.

The singer was dressed like a surfer dude, which kinda threw me off. When he first walked up to the mic, I thought he was some roadie doing a sound check. But once he started singing I recognized his voice.

I had such a good time, I lost my voice! What can I say, I yell a lot at concerts. Gotta get my money's worth.

Breakfast Sammich

2009-04-05T14:19:00.001-07:00

Finally I've had a bit of time to make something new and actually photograph it! I have been so busy the past few months with writing my thesis, serving as webmaster for 2 different library associations, lots of work projects and trying to fit in some form of social life. My yoga has been slacking a bit lately as well, but I'm almost finished with my thesis, so I'll soon be back on track with regular blog updates as well as yoga.

I found myself earlier in the week having a weird craving for McDonald's breakfast sandwiches. I used to love them since I was a kid, and while I definitely don't miss them, thinking of eating one still gives me that warm fuzzy feeling. So, Bob Marley playing on my car stereo, I hit the grocery store and picked up supplies to make my own. (no idea what Bob Marley or reggae has to do with breakfast sammiches, but I thought I'd throw that in there....and no I wasn't suffering from a case of the munchies haha)

Ingredients

tofu (I used sprouted silken tofu because that's what I had on hand, but I'd recommend firm or extra firm)

veggie sausage patties

turmeric

black pepper

garlic powder

rosemary

sage (ground)

English muffins - I used Ezekiel sprouted English muffins and they were delicious

slice of dairy-free cheese

Directions

Cut the block of tofu in the center, height wise. Get out your round glass to make circular tofu patties. That part brought back good childhood memories of making Popeye Toast. Hmm.....maybe that's an idea for a future recipe? Fry up the round tofu patties as you would any other tofu, adding the seasonings to your taste.

Pretty easy! Because I like to have a hearty meal once a week, I added veggie gravy, avocado, hash browns and some tempeh bacon as sides. In the picture, the first tofu "egg" patty kinda almost looks like a grilled pineapple; I had a little accident when I was transferring it from the pan to the muffin...oops. Boy was it good......but I'll be doing some extra exercise this week to work it off!

Antarctica

2009-03-06T09:35:00.000-08:00

Somehow I got to reading about Antarctica this morning and I'd love to live/work there for a little while. I think it would be really cool! (no pun intended) Not sure if they'll ever need a librarian, but I do hope to go there on vacation one day, although I still have mixed feelings about that......Antarctic tourism creates pollution in the relatively pristine environment down there.

Of course, this lead me to listen to Immortal's tribute to the frostbitten southern wastes. I am always inspired at the part where he sings (growls) "shadow of Antarctica spreads, with its....masses...of.....PERMAFROST"

Upcoming Shows

2009-02-27T09:57:00.000-08:00

Funker Vogt is playing at Bunker in April. They are one of the few EBM/Industrial groups that I like. Actually I'm a big fan of their stuff; they are one of the few electronic groups that manages to capture the scrape-your-face brutality of metal. It'll be an awesome show!

Babyland is playing in May at one of the Bats Day pre-events. More awesomeness.

Convergence 15 in July. I still haven't bought my tickets but I need to. I was kinda waiting to see whether I'd still be in the area or already up in Seattle. Although it wouldn't be much of a problem to just fly down here for the weekend.

Last night for dinner I enjoyed a vegan knish with spinach dal and some sautee'd vegetables. It was a wide range of cultural foods but it was all so good, especially the knish.

The Rise of Frankenstein

2009-02-22T14:33:00.000-08:00

Last night I braved the madness of Hollywood to see Frankenstein perform.

Spending $20 to park, $12 per drink and $10 cover charge is not my idea of a good time.....we had to park a seriously long distance from the venue and walk, but by coincidence we parked next to a vegan restaurant. Lots of hassles.......but Frankenstein made up for it!

They played an awesome set and announced a new album. That's a big deal because they've only really released one album ever. Dave Grave, the singer pointed at Valerie and I about halfway through the set and shot us with a load of silly string.

It was a fun night of punk deathrock psychobilly mayhem, with a horror movie twist!

Having imbibed a drink or three....or four (I lost track), I woke up with a killing hunger, so this morning I made my favorite post-bash breakfast: the dreaded Mexican Country Tofu Scramble. It filled my belly and gave me the energy to focus on my thesis, which I've been procrastinating on!

I love......

2009-02-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

With V-day (thankfully) fading into memory, I can't help but think, this Monday morning, about one of the things I love the most.

My micro-fibre combat boots. I wear them every day and they look good no matter what I'm wearing. Especially on a day like today when the heavens have been torn asunder and rain has been falling in buckets, my waterproof combat boots are especially awesome.

Puddles and heavy rain be damned, with my trusty pair of boots, I'm ready to go anywhere at any time.

*this post brought to you by excessive boredom due to being cooped up inside because of the rain*

bitter winter moon

2009-02-13T08:48:00.001-08:00

cradle

The show was awesome. Cradle kicked ass but they had the shittiest sound mixer of all 3 bands that performed. The vocals weren't very clear and neither was the guitar. Even when they played 2 of my favorite songs, Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids and From the Cradle to Enslave, I almost didn't recognize them at first.

But still a good show, and their new female vocalist is great, but I got the feeling that they were just trying to get through their set.

The real highlight of the night was the second band, Satyricon.

At first I was kinda wondering how they ended up opening for Cradle, because they should be headlining in their own right, but it turns out they will be doing a headlining tour in the fall. They were awesome. They had the synchronized headbanging down perfectly, and they seriously worked the crowd with a finesse rarely seen.

Satyricon is one of those bands that I've always meant to buy their albums but never have, so this morning I picked up:

Those are older albums, but I like to start at the beginning and work my way up to more current. I liked their newer stuff as well, and when they played Black Crow on a Tombstone, the energy was palpable. Frost, their drummer is absolutely amazing.

Satyricon

Niyaz

2009-02-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

Saw a great world music/middle eastern group called Niyaz (check out their web page, it rocks) on Friday with my friend Irene and a few of her friends. It was an amazing performance; their music being based heavily on the 13th century Persian poet, Rumi. I bought both of their CD's that were on sale.

I was hoping we could go for some coffee after the show, but it was cold and raining so that wasn't much of an option. To kinda get myself in the middle eastern mood, I watched the first half of Kingdom of Heaven before the show, so after the show, I went home and watched the rest of it (actually I fell asleep before the end).

Video of them performing Allahi Allah:

Trobar de Morte

2009-02-05T08:38:00.001-08:00

I am the happiest person in neo-medieval.....um.....history right now.

Just found and bought Trobar de Morte's 2 latest albums, both of which are very limited pressings. I've been on an epic quest through chasm, cave and titan woods for a few years now, trying to find a copy of Reverie without any luck, but yesterday my luck changed. I found someone selling it, brand new(!).

Not only did I find Reverie, which was "sold out" before it ever even became officially available (the cd burner on their computer must have died after making only a few copies haha) but also Legends of Blood and Light, which is their newest album and also pretty difficult to find, limited to only 3000 copies. Maybe they finally got around to pressing some more?

Anyway, this is a triumphant day, I just got 2 albums from one of my most favorite medieval groups :)

Avocado Smoothie....of doom

2009-02-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to try this for some time, and I finally did. I was a bit apprehensive at first, because I usaully associate avocados with salty, Mexican style flavors, but I was very pleasantly surprised at how good this was.

Avocado really is a versatile food, and this is super quick to make. Even with my crappy blender, it only took maybe 10 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

1 avocado

1 cup ice (or more depending how thick you want it)

1/4 cup soy/rice/almond/hemp milk (I prefer hemp milk)

2 tablespoons agave nectar

2 tablespoons coconut milk (optional)

Preparation is simple. Pour in the milk, avocado, coconut milk, agave nectar and blend till smooth. Add the ice and continue blending till you get it to your desired consistency. Also, feel free to add agave or coconut milk to your desired taste.

My Favorite Cooking Show on DVD!

2009-01-15T10:16:00.000-08:00

I just discovered the full DVD collection from my favorite cooking show. So naturally, I bought all of the seasons!

Mexico, One Plate at a Time airs every Saturday (in southern California) on PBS. I love it, I always joke that its my favorite time of the week. And it really is! Sometimes I have a margarita while I watch that week's episode, to get in the proper fiesta mood.

While this show is omni, the show's host, Rick Bayless is a master chef and he shares many recipes that are vegetarian and vegan friendly. The guacamole he makes always looks so good. It is one of my goals to eat at his top-rated Mexican restaurant, Topolobampo the next time I'm in Chicago.

Frostbite Metalfest

2009-01-02T13:09:00.000-08:00

Wish I lived in Finland!

Funeral Fog w/Dead on Vocals

2008-12-27T12:38:00.000-08:00

This version, with Dead on vocals is so much better to the album version with Atilla singing. Atilla's vocals sound like how I would imagine someone would sound if they were trying to sing while severely constipated.

The Forest Whispers My Name

2008-12-23T16:07:00.000-08:00

Wandered around the woodsy area in southern Orange County a few weekends ago and I brought my camera.....for once. A few more if you click on one of the pictures and go to my flickr page.

Shade Empire - Pain & Pleasure

2008-12-23T12:18:00.000-08:00

This song rules.

Nibelungenlied

2008-12-17T08:12:00.000-08:00

Last night was Wikinger Kino Abend (viking movie night) at my house. My cousin Kurt came over and we did our part to keep the fires of Midgard burning bright.

After a hearty feast (veggie burgers), we watched Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King, which is an English version of a German movie called Die Nibelungen. It was a great movie and very entertaining.

My cousin has an older German movie version of this saga from the 1960's and it was interesting to compare the two.

After the movie, we got into a long philosophical conversation about the evils of monotheistic religions (aka the top three). Much fun was had.

A few links for more info on this Germanic/Norse saga:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagen_(legend)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nibelungenlied
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigurd
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nibelungs

1985 Newscast About Punk

2008-12-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

Awesome punk documentary clip.

I love the goth radio dj at the end. He had cool hair.

I really want to see a "where are they now" clip. Would probably be disappointing though.

Ghoulash

2008-12-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

Nothing reminds me of home like a good goulash. Its Hungarian, its hearty, and absolutely satisfying. It is the definitive comfort food for me. My Grandmother makes the best goulash, hands down. So, when I thought of making a vegan version, I went straight to the master. With a bit of help, this turned out every bit as delicious as the traditional version.

My cousin came over for a movie night, so we cracked a bottle of wine to celebrate the end of another semester, and enjoyed a bit of spooky ghoulash with salad.

The ingredient amounts are very informal. This is one of those recipes that you can just eyeball, mainly to your own taste, but below is a guideline.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
1-2 cups soy chik'n or other faux meat of your choice
2 cups water
1 tablespoon flour (thickens it up a bit)
1-2 tablespoons red paprika
1 onion, chopped
pinch of sea salt
noodles of your choice (traditionally egg noodles are used, but I used wheat)

Directions:

heat the faux meat - I prefer to use a skillet
heat the oil on medium, and sautee the onions until they are a nice browned color
add half the water (slowly), bring to a boil momentarily, then reduce the heat to about medium-low to simmer
add the chik'n, paprika, and sea salt
let that simmer for about 10 minutes and prepare the noodles in the meantime
when the noodles are finished, its time to dig in......enjoy!

Aphelion & Sirene

2008-12-08T20:32:00.001-08:00

Awesome picture collage set to probably my favorite Tristania song. Posting this mainly so I can have a quick link should I feel like rocking out to music of the frozen north.

And a really awesome Tristania instrumental with somewhat cheesier goff photos, but I gotta save this one as well...

Whoa Yeah!!!!!

2008-11-20T10:13:00.000-08:00

Last night, my friend Danielle and I drove out to Los Angeles to check out a book signing by Vinnie Paul, drummer of Pantera and brother of Dimebag, one the greatest guitarists EVAR! When Dime was killed, I was seriously crushed, depressed, etc. It happened on the opening night of Maschine, ironically.

So this was awesome to get to meet his brother, an awesome musician in his own right, and I also met their dad, who is a dirty old man.....he totally hit on Danielle!

Vinnie signing my book:

\m/

OC Veggie Meetup @ Veggie Grill

2008-11-17T09:22:00.000-08:00

Sunday afternoon we had our monthly Veggie meetup. It was once again at the Veggie Grill, and it was, once again, very delicious! I got the bayou chicken sammich. Their steamed kale salad looked really good, and I was almost wishing I had tried that.

As usual, I forgot to bring my camera, so I have no pictures of what I ate, but fortunately someone else brought their camera and got some group shots.

One of the cooks came out and thanked us for having our meetup there and saying lots of good things, and he gave us a couple complimentary carrot cakes for dessert. That was the highlight!

As usual we had some great conversation. Next month will most likely be the last time I attend before I move to Washington, so I'm enjoying it while I can, but I've already joined the Seattle vegan meetup, so I'll be making new friends quickly :)

Omega Kale Salad

2008-11-05T20:10:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Veg*Triathlete's Omega Kale Salad, I made this for dinner tonight. The ingredients I used are a bit different, but that's the great thing about salad.....you use what's on hand and its pretty much impossible to mess it up.

Simple. Delicious. Completely satisfying.

Ingredients I used:
* 1 head of kale - boiled to soften it up
* spinach
* pine nuts
* sunflower seeds (raw)
* hemp seeds
* lemon juice
* Miso Mayo - spicy red pepper (http://www.misomayo.com/)
* balsamic vinaigrette
* dusting of milled flax (for that omega boost)

iVoted

2008-11-04T14:51:00.000-08:00

I love voting season. There always seems to be a "we're in this together" atmosphere at times like this, and its refreshing to get out of the house, mingle with your neighbors (if you voted in person, that is), and just enjoy the season and magnitude of the occasion.

I'd like to say "I hope you all voted!" but the fact is, there's a caveat to that statement. I think every citizen should vote, but I realize that not every citizen has the time to research and understand all the angles, and I'd rather someone not vote than vote incorrectly. Its a big decision, one that affects everyone, and if you aren't properly prepared, I see no shame in respectfully bowing out.

So while I am saying, "I hope you all voted!", I have to temper that statement with a bit of caution.

I always try to keep in mind that it is up to all of us, whether it be through votes, activism, or just setting a good example by living our values to be the changes that matter to us, every day of our lives.

With that said,

HAPPY VOTING!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

2008-10-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight will be a quiet night. Going to pop in either Ghostbusters or Hocus Pocus, drink a glass of (organic vegan) wine or three, and enjoy the evening. Tomorrow I am meeting up with some friends for Dia De Los Muertos (LA Day of the Dead) at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Should be fun!

Pig In a Blanket

2008-10-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

Rudimentary Peni's excellent song about animal cruelty; I don't have the stomach to watch the video but I thought I'd post it anyway....

Edgar Allan Po' Boys

2008-10-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

Its my favorite time of the year....autumn. And my favorite day of the year is just around the corner.....Halloween! So to celebrate, I cranked up some classic Bauhaus records and got down to the business of making some spooky Po' Boys.

This was my first time making po' boys, so I wasn't sure how they'd turn out. But......they turned out absolutely spectacular. Seriously delicious. This will definitely become a staple in my kitchen.

Everyone makes po' boys differently, and everyone has different preferences. The key to a po' boy is the French baguette. One that is crispy on the outside and airy on the inside. Crunchy is key. Everything else kinda comes down to preference. Here's how I made mine.....

Ingredients:

1 package of seitan - thinly sliced (that's enough for 2 or 3 people)

1/2 onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 or 3 peppers, finely chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use Bragg's Aminos - healthier soy sauce)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or whatever vinegar you like)

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon turmeric

Toppings:

kale (I boil mine in water with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes to soften it up)

miso mayo (or vegannaise will work)

hot sauce (being a hot sauce addict, I used Tapatio and Tabasco)

gravy

Directions:

1. Start the gravy. You can cook it up and let it simmer while you do the rest. My gravy recipe can be found on this page.

2. Sauté the seitan slices, onion and garlic in oil over medium heat (I used olive oil, you don't need too much, maybe 2 tablespoons)

3. After the onions soften a bit and the seitan starts to brown, add the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic powder and turmeric and sauté a little longer until the liquids cook off and the smell is so awesome you just can't wait any longer

4. As the seitan is nearing completion, toast your baguette

5. Once the baguette is nice and crispy warm, pile the seitan mixture on, add your toppings (miso mayo on the bread), slather it with gravy, find some suitably spooky music and enjoy your Edgar Allan Po' Boy!

Back Home!

2008-10-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I am back at home from my week in Washington. I've been sick all week, so that's put a damper on things, but I still had a wonderful time and I look forward to moving there with much anticipation. Pictured above is the town of Renton, where I'll be working and most likely living.

Everyone is so nice and welcoming at the library. I've known them "virtually" for the past 6 months, so it was nice to finally meet the person behind the voice on the phone!

This is where I'll be working (was there Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday for meetings)

The air is so clean up there, I felt so invigorated, and even when I hit the yoga mat, my breathing was much better, which led to a great set of asanas all around.

Upon arriving back in Orange County, I swung by Mother's Market (an awesome vegetarian grocery store) and picked up some essentials....a few ingredients for various dals, and a few bottles of kombucha. I got home, desperate for some rest, but I had to complete a test for my evil cataloging class, so I've been working on that for the past several hours, but thankfully I'm finished and now its time to rest and relax!

Listening to Inside My Mind (Blue Skies) by Groove Armada, and drinking a wonderful cup of tea. Such an improvement from the cheap 7-11 swill I've been drinking this past week!

On Friday morning, I woke up early and decided to take a walk in the morning chill before starting on yoga, and fortunately, I remembered my camera for once!

Seattle Vegan

2008-10-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

I've been in the Seattle area all week for work. The food options have been dismal for the most part, but today I took a short trip up to the University District in Seattle and had dinner at a completely awesome vegan Thai restaurant called Araya's. I had the avocado curry dish, which is pictured above.....sorry for the poor picture quality, but I took it with the camera on my phone, as I forgot my real camera at the hotel. It was one of the best things I've ever tasted. So good. On my way back, I was treated to a wonderful view of Mt. Rainier. Quite lovely!

I've been sick with a cold all week, so this dinner was a welcome experience. I really loved the University District. It was very lively, and lots of cool people were about. I'd write more, but I'm trying to get a nagging headache to go away, so I'll cut this short. But once again I'll say, Araya's was absolutely awesome!

Moving To Seattle!

2008-10-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

Yup, I'm moving up to Seattle. I am moving up there for my job as an access & interface librarian. I've been wanting to move up to Seattle for several years now, so I'm quite excited about this opportunity.

I'll be in Seattle all of next week for work, and while I'm there I'll be finding a place to live. I hear there are a ton of awesome veg*n restaurants in the area, and I'm excited to check them all out. And the hiking looks great.

I signed up to contribute to Vegan MoFo, but I've been so darn busy I haven't had a chance. I'm going to attempt to catch up this weekend, but with school work, getting ready for my trip, and various other responsibilities, I may not have time.

Supposed to attend a permaculture workshop on Sunday, but I may not even have time for that! I'm going to try to make it, because this'll be my last chance to do so, and the people who run Ars Terra are awesome. Fortunately they are in a fairly successful band and go on tour quite often, so I'll still be able to say hi when they are in Seattle.

An Evening with Robert Cheeke

2008-09-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was another veggie meetup, once again at the excellent restaurant, Au Lac. Vegan bodybuilder Robert Cheeke was there to give a presentation on following your dreams and doing what makes you happy. I was initially skeptical about having a presenter, but his passion for life was refreshing, and by the end of his presentation I was glad he had made a stop on his speaking tour to talk to us (for free, no less).

The food was, of course excellent. I got a raw appetizer, the curry guacamole, which was unbelievable, and also the curry soy "chicken" dish. I also bought a DVD for my mom, who is really into bodybuilding (she's a bodybuilder herself....at age 56!).

The attendance was excellent, with about 40 people showing up. All in all, it was a really fun night!

Veggie Meetup

2008-09-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

I've been enjoying my 2 weeks of vacation between the summer semester and fall semester. Last week, school started again, which was a bit of a bummer, but I have only this one class left, and then I'm finished.

I've been cooking lots, but nothing too adventurous. I've been busy with many projects. I do have a few items that I've been planning to make and share with you all. And I promise, its gonna be good!

So until I have anything more substantial to share, I thought I'd post a few pictures from last week's Veggie Meetup at the Fullerton Arboretum. It was very beautiful. I didn't take any pictures of the group, as I was a bit too shy, so I took lots of pictures of trees and birds and stuff.

Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fond

2008-08-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

Last summer when I was at a music festival in Portland, Oregon, I had the pleasure of trying some absinthe (well....it was quite the raging party, so I guess I had my fair share). The theme of the music festival was "A Dark Victorian Dream", so naturally I bought an absinthe glass and spoon while I was there.

I've been meaning to buy some absinthe so I could actually be able to use my glass and spoon, but being that I'm not much of a drinker, I just never got around to buying any until today. I had gift cards, which was probably the only way I could justify spending $60 on a bottle of alcohol. So I bought a bottle of Le Tourment Vert, which I'm excited to try it, although I'm not sure when that will be....the bottle is so beautiful I'd hate to ruin it by opening it. It is hand glazed and numbered.

They say Van Gogh was intoxicated with absinthe when he cut his ear off....lets hope I don't get to that point :)

Mexican Country Tofu Scramble

2008-08-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

Ay Caramba! This is currently my favorite breakfast item. Its fairly quick to make (about 20 minutes) and will definitely satisfy you if you're hungry. It is surprisingly light, however. This is a variation on my normal tofu scramble, but the difference is enough to warrant its own entry.

This time I used silken tofu instead of extra firm (thought I had some in the fridge but I was wrong). I was apprehensive but it actually turned out great. The key to making this recipe awesome is.....the gravy! My grandmother is a gravy master, and she was nice enough to teach me a while back. Its pretty easy, you just have to be careful when mixing the flour and the hot bouillon water, or else you'll end up making dumplings instead of gravy (I know from experience).

The Scramble

1/3 block silken tofu (full block if you are cooking for more people, or if you have a REALLY big appetite)

1/4 onion, diced (again, 1/2 onion for more than one person)

1/2 tsp turmeric (this is what gives it the yellow color)

1 tablespoon soy sauce, or I use Bragg's Liquid Aminos

curry powder, seasoned to taste

garlic powder, seasoned to taste

1 soy breakfast sausage link

Soyrizo (soy chorizo)

Added to this affair is a Tofurky chipotle breakfast link, chopped up and mixed with the scramble, and because I love spicy, I add a few shakes of Tapatio hot sauce and Tabasco. Also, can't go without the smoky tempeh bacon!

The Gravy

1/2 or 1 cube of vegetable bouillon

2 cups water

3-5 tablespoons flour

Directions

Start off with 1 cup of water and the bouillon in a pot, and bring to a boil so that the bouillon dissolves; once dissolved, bring the heat down to medium

Pour 1/2 cup water into a measure cup and add about 2 tablespoons of flour

Whisk the flour and water until its evenly mixed, and slowly pour into the hot bouillon water, stirring as you do this

I usually add another tablespoon or two of flour mixed with another 1/2 cup of water at this point, and this is the part where you can decide how thick you want your gravy to be

Let it simmer while you cook your scramble and you are ready for one seriously hearty meal....yee haw!

Yogi Bhajan's Onion Soup

2008-07-31T17:36:00.000-07:00

I am a soup junkie. I've never met a soup I didn't love. So the other night I had a favorite...my beloved German Potato Soup, and still craving soup, last night I made this new onion soup recipe, which I found on the Yogi Tea web site.

If there is one other soup that gives the German Potato Soup a run for its money, its a good onion soup.....and this one delivers!

Ingredients

1/2 cup oil

3 onions, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons minced gingerroot

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1 pinch of crushed red chilies

3 quarts water

1 tablespoon kelp powder

tamari

Directions

Heat the oil in a 4-quart pot over a medium-high flame

Add onions, garlic and ginger, allowing this mixture to soften and lightly brown

Add the balance of the spices: garlic, pepper, turmeric, caraway seeds and red chilies

Cook until well done

Add water and bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes

Add kelp and tamari to taste

**to this recipe, I added some komis bread (sourdough-rye) from the local German bakery, and some vegan melting cheez (I didn't heat it enough though, it didnt' melt haha)

Family Dinner

2008-07-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

Summer classes have been keeping me busy. Cooking has been limited to tasty but functional meals. Thankfully the summer semester is just about over, and then its a whole month off. I can't wait!

This past weekend was lots of fun! We had our monthly veggie meetup, this time at the beach. Sounds like fun, but it was really cold and overcast and windy. I LOVE weather like that, but not when I'm wearing shorts and a tank top and looking forward to splashing around in the water! It was a good time though. On my way home, I stopped by 118 degrees for one of their awesome raw chocolate smoothie shakes - chocolate supreme. It didn't disappoint!

Went over to my aunt and uncle's house on Sunday for a family dinner. My aunt cooked an AWESOME vegan meal. My aunt, uncle and cousin are omnis, so I was really surprised and touched that they went out of their way to have a really good vegan dinner for the evening. We had wheat pasta tossed with toasted pine nuts, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, broccoli, oil and a few other ingredients. For appetizers we had 2 types of hummus - an olive hummus and an asparagus hummus, as well as an artichoke tepenade. I was really blown away with how good everything was, and to top it off, my aunt made a Spanish raspberry iced tea with tea that they got on their recent vacation in Europe.

While we were waiting for dinner to be ready, I played some Mario Cart with my cousin, on his Wii. That's a fun game, but its so strange to get my butt kicked by a 9 year old!

Our absolutely delicious dinner! I forgot my camera, so I used my uncle's, and he ended up taking the photos to a developer, so I had to scan the prints back onto a computer, hence the slightly lower quality of the picture!

On Tea

2008-07-11T19:47:00.000-07:00

I just had a delicious cup of Masala Chai Tea. I'm not used to high-caffeine drinks, so when I have even a bit, I'm bouncing off the walls. I can barely sit still at work this morning. Thankfully, I'm sitting on my yoga ball, so I'm putting my energy to good use.

Ingredients to make the best Chai tea EVAR:

Chai tea (of course)

Silk vanilla soymilk creamer

Generous helping of raw agave nectar

Something to munch on....I've got almonds (this is optional!)

My most favorite tea in the whole world:

Jasmine Pearl Green Tea

I drink this pretty much every night. Just the smell of it puts me in a coma, its that good. I put a dab of raw agave in it to enhance the flavor, and that's all it needs. My family calls me Mr. Tea whenever I make a pot. I pity the foo who's never tasted this tea!

4th of July

2008-07-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July, and a safe one! I drove out to my friend's house in Riverside to enjoy the holiday. We were treated to 2 different fireworks shows, all from the comfort of his backyard! Great conversations, great company and great food.....didn't leave their house till 2 in the morning.....late night for me, I'm usually in bed by 10 pm!

What does this statue have to do with 4th of July? Absolutely nothing, but I love it and had to share it =)

While my friend and his wife are omni, they were very considerate in providing vegan options for me and also for my friend Matt, and so I had a vegan boca chik'n burger (which Matt brought) with hummus, avocado, onions, and corn. Sooooo good! It was getting toward night time, so the pictures of the patties on the grill didn't turn out very well but I got some good shots of the condiments....and fireworks!

Festive Casserole

2008-06-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

Festive Casserole......great for festive occasions! Today is indeed a festive occasion: I finally got a food processor! Yes, I've entered the 21st century. I made this recipe once before, about a month ago and let me tell you, grating/shredding the beets was HORRIBLE without my handy dandy food processor. It took about an hour to shred everything. With my food processor, it took about 10 minutes. Food processors really are cruise control for AWESOME.

So.....on to the dish. I found this recipe on the Yogi Tea web site. It is a fairly ayurvedic-friendly recipe (garlic is a no-no in the ayurvedic diet), but I veganized a few of the ingredients. The vegan cheez is what makes this dish so great. I pretty much use the Follow Your Heart brand exclusively. The key to making this cheez taste really good is to melt it till its bubbly.

Ingredients:

4 beets of assorted colors (I did 2 red beets and 2 white beets)

1.5 lbs carrots

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

3 onions (I chopped one onion normally and food processed the other 2 until they were minced)

3 cloves of garlic (I like mine fairly large, but you can mince the garlic if you want)

black pepper to taste

Braggs Aminos, sprinkled to taste (this is a healthy and low-sodium soy sauce)

1/4 cup olive or canola oil (for use when you sautée)

2 packages of vegan jack cheez

Directions:

Scrub beets and carrots, but don't cut off stems or roots.

Steam whole beets for about 15 minutes, then add whole carrots and steam until tender/firm

Rinse in cold water and remove the skins (I use one of those hand skinner tools)

Separately grate the beets and carrots (in your handy food processor!)

Marvel at how bloody your hands look from the red beets

Place in casserole dish, mixing lightly so the colors are distinct.

Sautée onions and garlic in oil until golden brown

Gently mix the onions and garlic with beets and carrots, layering cheez in as well

Sprinkle with pepper and Braggs Aminos (or soy sauce if you want to go the less healthy route)

Cover entirely with the grated cheez

Cook in the oven at about 400 degrees for around 5 minutes, then broil until the cheez is bubbly

Enjoy!

OC Veggie Meetup

2008-06-14T19:48:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the June OC Veggie meetup. My friend and co-organizer, Alia, is in Guatemala right now, so I wanted to keep this meet low-key. Haha, nice try! Ended up having about 30 people attend. Great crowd and everyone was friendly and having a good time.

This meetup was held at Au Lac, a very popular vegan/raw restaurant in Orange County. Their raw menu is incredible, and the presentation is very artistic. I had the curry "chicken". I'm addicted to curry; I couldn't help but order it...again. Good times and good company! Next month, Alia will be back and we are going to have a potluck. That'll be a great opportunity for everyone to mingle a bit more.

Raspberry Chocolove

2008-06-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

My latest routine has been to have 3 squares of chocolate after dinner. I'm not much of a dessert person, but this chocolate has me hooked. Its gotta be the best chocolate I've ever had. I especially like the Raspberries In Dark Chocolate. All organic, vegan, and fair-trade. And I love the added touches they include in the wrapping. It not only looks visually appealing, but on the inside is an excerpt from Don Juan, by Lord Byron. How cool is that? Being an English Lit major, I find it to be one of the coolest things I've seen on packaging in a long time.

So if you see this in the store and are wondering if you should try this brand, I have to highly recommend it!

Rustic Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Tempeh "Bacon"

2008-06-08T17:24:00.000-07:00

I've been really busy with the beginning of the summer semester that I haven't had much time to cook. Well, I've been cooking plenty, but I haven't had very much time to actually take quality photographs of the stuff I've been cooking. But anyway......

These pancakes were really good! Rustic chocolate chip pancakes. The "rustic" means that they don't look too pretty, but they are very good, and they'll really stick to your ribs! I'm not sure where that expression came from originally, but I saw it on a Disney cartoon a long time ago and I always say that when I make pancakes. So anyway, they have chocolate chips in them, chopped hazelnuts and some grated and chopped almonds.

Ingredients:

1 cup pancake mix (I used Arrowhead Mills)

1.5 tsp. egg replacer (mix with 2 tbsp. water)

1 tbsp. canola oil (organic....the non-organic kind is very very bad, most likely genetically modified)

1 tbsp. agave nectar (the raw version is my favorite, as I've mentioned before)

2/3 cup soy milk (this is more like a minimum, I ended up using about a cup of soy milk, both the normal and vanilla variety for extra flavor)

1/4 tsp. sea salt (if desired)

hazelnuts, almonds, dark chocolate or carob chips (add as much or as little as you like; I tend to be fairly heavy-handed)

Directions:

Stir all ingredients until lumps disappear

Let batter sit for one minute

Cook on preheated lightly oiled griddle or pan, turning when bubbles form on surface and edges begin to dry.

To ensure they cook all the way through, I usually use my spatula to poke a sliver in the center of the pancake, so that heat can move through a little better.

Enjoy!

Favorite Cereal

2008-05-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! I've been lazy these past few weeks! At least as far as posting any recipes. I've been cooking plenty, and experimenting with new recipes, but I guess I've just been a little too busy living life to stop and take a few pictures. Between juggling a job that I love, yoga, and cooking, I've been a very busy (vegan) bee. But I have been trying new recipes and I wanted to perfect them before photographing and sharing them. So, I haven't been entirely lazy! Upcoming recipes I'll be sharing are: Yogi Bhajan's Onion Soup recipe, Vegetable Beet Casserole, and some more German/Yugoslavian/Croatian traditional dishes that I've veganized. Can't wait to share!

My stereo was on, and somewhere between listening to The Cure and Depeche Mode, the idea of making a blog entry about my favorite cereal combination popped into my head. I love to mix Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus with their Organic Hemp Plus Granola cereals. So delicious! And the soy milk adds that extra zing that makes this my preferred breakfast item.

I hope everyone's Memorial Day weekend is going great!

OC Veggie Meetup @ The Veggie Grill

2008-05-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 17 was the first Orange County Veggie meetup that Alia and I have organized. This group was previously the OC Vegan meetup, but the meetings were lackluster and in the past month since the last meetup, 4 organizers came and went.

Alia and I jumped at the opportunity to take the lead and make sure things are done right. There was a lot of confusion about when and where the meetup would be taking place, but mostly due to Alia's work on this, everything was straightened out and I must say, yesterday's meetup was a HUGE success.

Everyone met at The Veggie Grill in Irvine, and the food and atmosphere, as well as the service was awesome! We had been hoping for 5-10 people to show up, but instead, 30 people attended! It seems there is a lot of latent veggie energy in Orange County. We met at 5:30 and everyone had such a wonderful time socializing, talking, hanging out, and eating that we didn't leave till 10:30 at night! And we would have been there longer if the restaurant hadn't closed. It was really a fun time, and I'm really excited for future meetups.

I was so hungry that I started eating my food, completely forgetting to take a picture! I remembered halfway through, so I got a shot of at least one half of my chick'n sammich. Once again, the food was absolutely phenomenal.

Celebration Roast

2008-05-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

Another semester draws to a close. The rush of final projects is finished, for two blessed weeks until summer classes start. Haven't had much time to cook anything decent, much less post anything, but now that I'm on a bit of a break, I'll be cooking and posting plenty!

To celebrate the toils of the semester ending, I made a Tofurky roast, with mushroom "giblet" gravy, broccoli, cauliflower, and mashed potatoes. This is a favorite of mine, and so it is a fitting meal to celebrate with.

The recipe for cooking the roast can be found here.

Haitian Beans and Rice

2008-05-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

This is a most awesome recipe that my buddy makes, and keeps me with a steady supply. It is really tasty and hearty, yet not too filling. It'll definitely hit the spot when you're hungry, though. Ask me what my favorite part about this dish is? The beans! The garlic! The rice! The cloves? Yes, even the cloves! Its all just so wonderfully delicious. This may very well be the one and only recipe that I post to this blog that I haven't cooked myself. The great thing about this dish is that a batch will last several meals, so its great to take to work for lunch, or nights when you don't feel like cooking. Obviously, this is a fairly simple recipe and I could cook it myself, but I had to give credit where credit is due. Thanks Matt!

Ingredients:

1pound dried kidney beans

3tablespoons vegetable oil

2cloves garlic, chopped or pressed(I love garlic so more is always better!)

2cups white rice

several whole cloves

Directions:

Soak the beans for about 8 hours before cooking them.

Drain the beans and set the reserved cooking water aside.

Add the oil to the pot & fry the beans with the garlic for a few minutes. Try not to stir too much or the beans will get mushy. (Add more oil if needed).

Return water to pot of beans & garlic and bring to a boil. If necessary add more water to make 4 cups.

Add rice & cloves, and stir. Cover and simmer until rice is cooked(about 25 to 30 min).

**I add about a teaspoon of curry powder and Mrs. Dash seasoning when I'm about to eat it, but that's just how I like it, try your own favorite seasonings to get the perfect flavor, this dish is very customizable!**
Prep time:1/2 hour
Cooking time: 2- 2 1/2 hours
Soaking time: 8 hours

Ginger-Lemongrass Curried Asparagus Stir-Fry

2008-05-03T23:42:00.000-07:00

I finally found the time to make this delicious dish! I can't remember who's blog I found the initial recipe on, so if it rings a bell, please let me know so I can give proper credit! I took many liberties with the original recipe, as its easy to do with stir fries. This turned out quite delicious!

Ingredients:

1 block extra firm tofu, cubed

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbs. rhubarb, diced

1/2 onion, chopped (as much or as little as you like)

6 or 7 stalks of aparagus

4 carrots, sliced

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1-2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dill (fresh or dry)

1 jar Ginger Lemongrass Curry

Directions:

Heat oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped garlic and diced rhubarb, cook for two minutes.

Add in tofu, cayenne pepper, oregano, and dill; cooking until the cubes start to brown (8-10 minutes).

Toss in carrots and onions, cook for about 2 minutes.

Add asparagus and cook for another 10-15 minutes. The asparagus can go in sooner if you like it softer, I prefer mine crunchy so I add it last.

At this point I added the curry. You can add it a bit sooner if you like, and some curries (especially the simmering curry) should be added much sooner so it can "simmer".

Enjoy!

Kill Your Lawn! Ars Terra Permaculture Workshop

2008-05-01T21:43:00.000-07:00

Ars Terra hosted their second permaculture workshop on April 20, and I was excited to attend, despite the 2 hour drive to get there! This time my friend Alia came along to join in the fun!

This was a fun and informal workshop: we started the day with a screening of "Gimme Green," a film on the water-wasting/ecologically harmful nature of the American Domestic Lawn. As the credits rolled, we were all charged up with purpose and ready to go.....

Alia and I rolling up a strip of grass while Geoff looks on:

We wrapped things up with a delicious Thai dinner and some good camaraderie.....and a lot of lovin' from the resident dogs of Ars Terra! Alia and I said goodbye and stopped at Animal Acres on our way home to visit all the rescued animals. They were lovable and adorable as ever, and this time I got to pet some Emus, a first for me. All the animals are just wonderful, but the turkeys will always be my favorite....they are SO happy to have some attention and a good scratch under their wings. I always have to fight back a tear when I see their clipped beaks and toes. All in all, it was another unforgettable permaculture experience!

The coos at Animal Acres enjoying the sod we tore up from the Ars Terra homestead.....cute overload!

Moo-less Chocolate Pie

2008-04-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

This is from a very simple recipe from the Food Network, and it was soooo easy to make and really really good. I've already taste-tested this and it was a hit with vegans, vegetarians, and even omni's.

The ingredients are really simple and easy, and it was fun to make too. It only took 20 minutes, from the start of setting up, to finishing. So this is quick as well.

The recipe:
2 cups chocolate chips (dark chocolate is the best in my opinion, and almost a requirement if you are vegan)
1/3 cup coffee liqueur
1 block silken tofu
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon agave nectar (I prefer raw agave nectar,which is a delicious honey substitute)
1 prepared chocolate wafer crust

Preparation:
Place a small metal bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. Melt the chocolate and coffee liqueur in the bowl. Stir in vanilla.

Combine the tofu, chocolate mixture, and honey (agave nectar) in the blender jar. Liquefy until smooth. If you find it is a bit too thick or rich, add a few splashes of plain soy milk to loosen it up.

Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the filling is set. Enjoy!

Roasted Stuffed Peppers with Kale & Quinoa

2008-04-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

This is a favorite dish, and always a hit at family gatherings and other social events featuring food. It is fairly simple to make, and very rewarding when you are enjoying the fruits of your labor!

It takes me roughly 2 hours to make this, but that's because I'm not the quickest at chopping the ingredients, although I'm getting better! With more practice, it should only take around an hour and a half or slightly less.

Nutritional Information

1 serving: Calories 171; Carbohydrates 15g; Cholesterol 0mg; Dietary Fiber 3g; Fat 11g (Monounsaturated Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 2g); Potassium 285mg; Sodium 304mg

Ingredients

Peppers:

3 medium red, green, or yellow bell peppers (I prefer a mix!)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground sea salt & pepper, to taste

Filling:

8 ounces kale, (6 cups lightly packed), trimmed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup cooked short-grain brown rice, or my preference, quinoa (see Tip)

1/2 cup freshly grated vegan Mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, divided (see Tip)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

To prepare peppers: Preheat oven to 400°F. Halve peppers lengthwise through the stems, leaving them attached. Remove the seeds. Lightly brush the peppers outside and inside with oil; sprinkle the insides with salt and pepper. Place, cut-side down, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake until peppers are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly. Turn cut-side up.

To prepare filling:

1. Bring 2 cups salted water to a boil in a large wide pan. Stir in kale, cover and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water; squeeze dry. Finely chop.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and chopped bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until onion is golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the kale. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Stir in rice (quinoa), vegan cheez, 2 tablespoons pine nuts and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the filling among the pepper halves. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons pine nuts.
3. Add 2 tablespoons water to the baking dish. Cover the peppers with foil and bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes more. Serve hot.

Tip: To toast pine nuts: Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. (Or spread in a small baking pan and bake at 400°F for about 5 minutes.) Tip: To cook brown rice: Place 1 cup brown rice, 2 1/2 cups water and a pinch of salt, if desired, in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cover; cook over low heat until rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Makes 3 cups.

**Please note this is an update from an older post, which I had originally posted on my other food blog that is no longer around.

Veggie Power Pizza

2008-04-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

Veggie pizza......the very definition of great taste. Simple and satisfying, and you'll feel like a million bucks when you're done.

I've made different variations of this pizza before, and they keep getting better every time I make this dish. It is very easy and quick....30 minutes and you are ready to dig in.

For this one, I added fresh organic...

brocolli

cauliflower

garlic

onions

and for the pièce de résistance.........asparagus and sun dried tomatos.

Keeping with the ease of this dish, put as much or as little of the various ingredients as suits your taste. I didn't add any mushrooms because I'm not a big fan of those, but I'm developing a taste for them, slowly but surely. I usually go with 4 or 5 spears of asparagus; that will drape the pie quite nicely. Depending on the crust, I usually recommend baking it for about 10 minutes to thicken it up a bit, and once you've placed all the ingredients, pop it in the oven for another 15 minutes or so, and its done. Don't forget to steam the veggies a bit too!

Sprouting

2008-04-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

So aside from my new favorite burger recipe, I've found a new hobby: growing my own sprouts. Its quite fun and easy, and incredibly nutritious. You truly are eating living food. Just imagine taking in all the vigor and power of life (prana, as the yogis say) in those little sprouts, the ability to (literally) break through a wall to grow and live. Its a great food, and tastes great too.

How did I grow my sprouts? Very easily, in about 5 days.

I ordered a sprouting jar, screen, and starter seeds from sproutpeople.com, and included in the kit are the instructions for growing the sprouts.

Basically, it goes like this:

Soak the seeds in water for 8-12 hours.

When they've had their soak, wash them off and put them in the sprout jar and give them a good rinse again, ideally on the "spray" or "shower" setting of the faucet.

Keep the jar out of direct sunlight, at an angle (as seen in the picture at left), and rinse them every 8 or so hours. The rinsing is important, as it oxygenates them, and that's what helps them to grow healthy and delicious.

That's it!

German Potato Soup

2008-04-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

This wonderful and hearty soup is a variation on my Oma's (German for Grandmother) Old World potato soup recipe. Passed on through many generations, I'm very happy to put my own spin on this traditional meal. Paired with some good German rye bread, and this is some hearty eatin'!

Ingredients:

1/2 Onion

1 clove Garlic

2 tablespoons Flour

5 medium-size Potatoes

2 cubes Vegetable Bullion or Vegetable Broth

2 Celery stalks, small

2 Carrots

1 Bay Leaf

Salt & Pepper according to taste

Pinch of paprika

1 Vegan Italian Sausage

Directions:

Sautee the onion in olive oil till glossy.

Add the flower and garlic, and a bit of paprika.

Add 1 cup water to the sautee, and stir so it doesn't clump up.

Add the potatoes, chopped into squares, 4 or 5 cups of water, and the celery and carrots.

Add salt and pepper and a bit more paprika, along with the bay leaf.

Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes.

Finally for the last 15 minutes (for a total of 45 minutes), add the chopped vegan sausage.

Guten Appetit! (Good Appetite!)

Native Foods Meetup

2008-04-12T18:10:00.000-07:00

I went this afternoon to the monthly vegan meetup at Native Foods in Costa Mesa. It was slightly awkward, as nobody was really intermingling with people outside of the clique, but we ended up having a great time after all.

I brought my buddy Matt for his first vegan restaurant experience, and we met up with my other friend Alia (who introduced me to the wonderful world of veggies). Another latecomer joined us at our table, and we sat there for over 2 hours talking! It ended up being a great time. I got a new dish this time, the Gyro Wrap (pictured above), which was seitan "gyro meat", quinoa, cucumbers, and carrots in a hummus/mayo sauce. It was really tasty!

After that, I swung by a local camera shop to look at cameras and it looks like I found a good camera in my price range. So I'll be having better quality pictures soon, hopefully! After the camera store, we went to the gigantic Whole Foods in Tustin, and.......bumped into Alia there. Nice coincidence!

Sprouted Chickpea Burger

2008-04-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

I've been getting into sprouts and sprouting lately, and I came across this recipe in Yoga Journal so I had to try it.

The chickpea burgers turned out so well, and so delicious, I can't wait to make them again. The recipe makes about 10-12 burgers, so I ended up giving many away to friends and family, all to rave reviews.

The recipe:

2 1/2 cups sprouted garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

4 tablespoons soy or bean flour (I used egg replacer)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 onion, diced

Zest of 1 large lemon (the skin)

1 cup broccoli or alfalfa sprouts, chopped

1 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Steam the garbanzo beans until tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Combine the beans, flour, and salt in a food processor. Purée and add water as needed until the mixture is a very thick, slightly chunky hummus.

3. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the cilantro, onion, zest, and sprouts. Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. You can always add more bread crumbs or water to firm up or moisten the dough if need be.

4. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Form dough into 1/2-inch-thick patties. Add four at a time to the oil, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes until the bottoms
begin to brown. Flip the patties and cook the second side for 7 minutes, or until golden. Cool the patties on a wire rack until ready to serve.

118 degrees

2008-02-13T19:59:00.000-08:00

Tonight I finally had dinner at 118 degrees. I've been very excited about this all week, and I have to say flat out, it was better than I was expecting.

Since she has become vegetarian, my mom has been pretty adventurous with food, and so I met up with her after work. I think she liked it even more than I did, if that's possible.

I had the trio of enchiladas with a lemon apple ginger drink. My mom had the golden tostada. It wasn't just dinner, it would be better described as an interactive social event. Everyone in the restaurant was looking with admiration at what other people at other tables had ordered, and everyone was talking to each other to find out what they had ordered. I ended up talking to the family to my left, and the son, who was about my age, ended up ordering the enchiladas as well as the same drink as me because it looked so good. His parents ordered a similar dish to what my mom had.

We talked to the group on our right as well. Best of all, almost all of their ingredients are locally produced and organic.

It was probably the most unique dining experience I have ever had, and OH MY GOD it was so delicious! Yay raw food!

Before dinner I stopped by Humanitaire to buy some high top shoes, and I ended up buying not only those (they were only $25...and sweatshop free!) but also a new pair of 8 hole docs......the non-leather variety. My docs that I am retiring are about 13 or 14 years old, so I figure this is a justified investment.