Pages

Sunday, June 7, 2009

A Warming Sensation (POST 100!!)

Can you believe this is my 100th post?  That is something crazy.  Its been almost nine months, which also means I've been vegan for a little longer than that.  Its all so "milestone-y".    

Okay, well the first order of business is, husband says to use his name.  Husband = Nick.  I'm sure you would have caught on.  

Second order of business.  We moved!  I know, I mentioned this time and again, that I wanted to move, that we were going to move, that we were living in a hobbit's shoebox, that we were in the process of moving, etc.  Well its done.  Some of our stuff is still on its way from storage in Hawaii, but I thought I'd give you a tour of one room that looks like it is completely finished:  the kitchen!  

Now, the apartment is small, so the kitchen is small, and its not even an eat-in, but its pretty nice.  Here you are walking in:  


Nick wanted me to show you the fridge.  I don't think he's ever seen this many vegetables in one place before!  We went to the farmer's market yesterday and picked up local greens and strawberries, squash and eggplant.  Yum.  

I am a big fan of the Debbie Meyer's Green Bags (yes, they work!!!).

You will then turn and see my makeshift pantry on the left.  There is a ton of storage all over the apartment.  Our bedroom has three closets.  Yet, there is no pantry in the kitchen.  So, this is what we did.  It works.  


Oh wait.  What is that?  I told you, its my pantry.  No, no.  That big giant black box on the right.  Ohhh, that.  


That is my new dehydrator!!  I was so stressed around my birthday that I never told my parents what I wanted, or rather, exactly which dehydrator I wanted.  I finally got around to it (easy decision), and when I went home last week it was waiting for me!  I know, its gigantic, its the 9 tray Excaliber, and I am very excited about it.  

Okay moving on (don't worry, I'm getting back to the dehydrator in a minute), we have been eating food.  In fact, Nick even went and cooked by himself the day I was home last week, and I suspect he'll want to be sharing it with you at some point.  This weekend though, someone has been sick.  Someone is not me.  He spent way over 24 hours of this weekend in bed with a fever.  So, tonight we had soup.  Possibly, the most simple soup ever in the entire world because I was being super lazy.  


This is 1 coffee mug of Bob's Red Mill Vegi Soup Mix (we don't have measuring cups), 4 coffee mugs of water, 4 tsp low sodium vegetable broth powder, 4 tbsp tomato paste, liquid smoke, salt & pepper.  This belongs in the "stupid easy" category, but I enjoyed it so much!  It simmered in the broth for 30 minutes, then I added the liquid smoke, salt, pepper, and tomato paste, and gave it another 30 minutes.  I am really happy we have leftovers because I want more.  Does anyone else buy low-sodium broth and then end up adding salt because it tastes like nothing?  I wonder if it ends up being more or less sodium in the end.  

Anyway, on top are a few of Peanut Butter Boy's Roasted Chickpeas,which I also made today.  I was hoping for a stronger peanut butter flavor, but the do give a good crunch!  

I mentioned how excited I was to get Ani's Raw Food Dessert book a few weeks ago (and many times on other's blogs too).  I got it the week it came out, and until today, I hadn't made anything from it.  So sad.  Well, I finally had my dehydrator.  Although not many of the recipes in the book actually call for dehydration, I still wanted one of them to be the first thing I made.  So, at the farmer's market we got strawberries.  I picked up a few medjool dates at the store, and everything else was in my pantry to make Strawberry Macaroons!  


Her recipe says it makes 6.  She is making GIANT macaroons!!!  I got 15.  They dehydrated, nice and quietly, for 3 hours.  My husband and I split one when they were done.  His reaction was something like "....?!?!  These are amazing!!  Good thing we have a dehydrator now."  They really are awesome.  They're just firm enough on the outside that you can pick them up no problem, but they're still so soft and moist on the inside, and you can taste the fresh strawberries.  He was looking through Ani's Raw Food Kitchen later on, and he wanted to know what she was eating on the front cover, and then wanted to make it, so....I see her burgers in our future. 

Okay, well that it is it for the food portion of this post!  But...I do have more to say and show you.  When we were living in the hobbit house, I mentioned that Zoe was very unhappy.  Well, she is much much happier here.  

Her new favorite activity:  Watching cars 
(we live outside of the mall entrance, lots of action for her!)


She likes to cuddle with smelly boots.


Blurry, but too cute not to post it!

We got her this scratching "thing" on Saturday.  I heard her scratching *something* she wasn't supposed to be scratching in the middle of the night.  I'm pretty sure it is our chair seats, and this thing has a really cool texture, which is just what she seems to like.  

The idea is that they "sit" in the seat part, and then scratch the woven part.  So, she's doing it wrong, haha.  Nick calls it her "couch", and she does snuggle with it.  Here she is "with" him.

So far she loves it.  I'm really hoping it'll keep her attention away from our chairs.  

Thank you to everyone who has been reading and commenting on my last 100 posts.  It has been so wonderful getting to know so many of you, and I appreciate everyone who has stuck with me even though I haven't been able to post as frequently.  I hope that I will get know even more blog friends (whether or not you have a blog, feel free to comment or email!) over the next 100 posts!  

Now its on to a busy summer of blogging...and it WILL be busy...an announcement and a request tomorrow!

19 comments:

  1. Happy 100th Post!!!

    I've got to get that "cook" book, those macaroons sound to-die-for!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy 100! Your kitty is so cute. Hope Nick gets well soon :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. HAPPY 100!!!!!!!!! I am coveting your Dehydrator! Thanks for the post and check out my blog for my HAPPY 100 GIVEAWAY! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. happy 100!!!
    oooo i want an excaliber so bad!! i'm tempted to steal my moms lol.
    those strawberry macaroons look great!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mom says....

    kitchen looks really nice & I'm glad Zoe is happier at the new place. Guess we should have bought the "couch" for her to scratch on when she was living here since she took such a liking to our chair(lol)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Congrats on getting to 100 posts! That really exciting!

    P.S. Seeing your cat makes me want one even more than I already do!

    ReplyDelete
  7. that kitchen doesn't look too small to me! but maybe that's just because mine is miniscule. glad you finally moved so you can get settled.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I see someone has been very very busy!

    Goodness - 100th post...the move...new toys to play with...return of the hubbers....hehehe

    Looks like Zoe over there is adapting quite well!

    I have never bought low sodium broth cause I don't really cook with it. Sorry, can't help you there.

    Anyway I am so glad Nick is cooking vegan food and Happy Nine (a lil' more than 9) Monthivesary to you, Gina Gina!

    ReplyDelete
  9. And having just read your updated profile .....YES YOU ARE FRIENDLY - LOVES IT!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congratulaions on your 100th! I love reading your posts. Your apartment is really lovely and you've made the kitchen especially nice. So cool you got that fancy dehydrator for your birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congratulations on your 100th post!

    Sorry I've sucked at being around lately. I haven't posted in my blog since I've been back and well, probably won't. I'm bad and I've missed you.

    You fridge looks like mine - veggies, fruit, and water!

    Your place looks great! I'm glad Zoe is happy now!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Mm, raw macaroons... I can just imagine how tasty those must be!

    Congrats on post number 100! Here's wishing you another 100 joyful posts, and then some. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks everyone :) I'll try and do some fancy dehydrating that'll do my fancy dehydrator justice!

    ReplyDelete
  14. YAY Gina!! Had fun here today as always!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Congratulations on your 100th post!!

    Yay for your new place! I love your new kitchen!! Hooray for being able to cook food :)

    Awww Zoe is too adorable! I'm so glad she's happy in her new home!!

    And I buy salt reduced stock and then add salt to it but the salted one's are usually so salty they ruin the dish. I do feel a bit silly when I'm putting salt in it though :P

    ReplyDelete
  16. lucky girl! that dehydrator is sooo nice! good luck with the non-pantry kitchen... i'm requesting a walk-in pantry for my next one. :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Congrats on the 100th post!

    I had a good laugh when I saw the green bags. My grandma sent me a bunch, and I thought to myself "these things are 'as seen on tv crap'". Then I stored some Basil in one, and it lasted for about two weeks.

    I should know better than not to listen to a Jewish Grandma.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am sooooo jealous of your dehydrator! I want one so bad!!! I also like your new kitchen, very much so. It's too cute.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Happy 100th! Wow I want to try those macaroons! They sound so good! I don't have a dehydrator though. I must probably consider it as I am going more and more raw these days...

    ReplyDelete