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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

A Midweek Quickie

Welcome to Wednesday!! I'm more pumped than usual for it to be the weekend because my best friend is having a baby today. Right now, actually.

Anyway, its going to be a busy day for me. I have a "webinar" for my online classes this morning, and we have a jam-packed day at work. Plus, we are bringing home a kitten tonight! We've introduced kittens before, but this is my first time doing it just JUST my baby (Zoe - see sidebar!) and a new kitten. If anyone has advice on introducing kittens, I'm open to whatever I can get!

The point is, most days, I am too busy to cook when I get home. Leftover of my Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portobellos was perfect last night when I got home. So today is just a little catch up of things that don't necessarily require their own special post.

First, we went to California Pizza Kitchen this past weekend. Vegan? Uh, no not really. But really, plenty of vegan options. They also changed their menu recently, all their soups are vegetarian, and they have a bunch of new salads on the menu that only need a minor adjustment to become not only vegan, but very delicious.

I had the Miso Salad. I honestly don't think I have ever enjoyed a salad quite this much. With edamame, avocado, daikon, little rice straws, and a wonderful miso dressing, this was so yummy.

I'm still thinking about it, it was that good. Its given me a new love for salads. I ordered it, of course, without the seafood, but also without the wontons strips, just because I don't like big crunchy bits on my salads (I don't like croutons either).

Second, anyone else digging the Clif seasonal flavors? I bought each of the three that were at my store.
This one, the Iced Gingerbread, was alright. Nothing spectacular. And I actually didn't like the Iced Pumpkin Pie at all. However, the Cranberry Orange Nut is completely amazing. By far my favorite Clif bar, ever.

I also had what can only be described as a kitchen fail this weekend ::hangs head in shame::. I tried making the Iraqi Beet Stew with Meatballs I saw posted here. It did not work. I should have just quit when I saw that my store only had teeny little beets.

The meatballs themselves were okay, and I have been eating the leftovers for lunch (hate to waste that seitan), and the beets are yummy, but the 'stew' part, the sauce, didn't work out and the rice, while pretty, was way too heavily spiced for me.

I've been mixing the rice with half plain brown rice to cut back on the spiciness. A disappointment.

Well, that's it for me today!! It'll be another day full of leftovers for me. Time for me to check into my webinar before getting ready for work.

12 comments:

  1. Congrats to your friend! I introduced a kitty to our house a while back and my Alpha Cat accepted him pretty well. It was actually quite cute. Just let them sort it out with you nearby. Pet Zoe a lot in the days to come. Sorry the Iraqi stew wasn't good. I'm sure your next kitchen adventure will be a success.

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  2. Yea for the new kitty!!!! I bet Zoe will adjust quickly. I have six cats and each time I bring a new one home, they all get weirded out for a week or so and they hiss a lot. But once the temper tantrums are over, they always adjust just fine...though I still have a few that will never be friends.

    Thanks for the tip on California Pizza Kitchen. My boyfriend and I almost ate there in Nashville once, and I was afraid they wouldn't have anything for me to eat...

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  3. Congrats on becoming a "friend-aunt" and on the kitty!
    BTW- leftovers pretty much rock my socks!

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  4. Yay for the new kitty! And congratulations to your friend AND for your blogiversary! Thanks for mentioning the miso salad. I've found a few things at Pizza Kitchen that are pretty good.

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  5. Miso salad sounds seriously amazing... I may just need to try making something similar myself!

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  6. thanks for the update on CPK! that miso salad sounds friggin' awesomely delish!

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  7. Thank you :)
    Chanterelles do in fact have a meatier texture. Less so than Portobellos, but they are excellent in "cream" sauces.
    Yummmm city.

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  8. Hi! Wondering if you've ever made your own vegan protein bars? I need a good recipe with high protein and sugar free... any ideas? I wonder how to make with with Clif's ingredients....
    Thanks!

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  9. Leftovers are so much fun. I think all mine right now are more of ingredients though. Ill typically use a half can of beans or just cook up a load of brown rice and use a little here and a little there.

    I miss CPK like whoa. I feel the need to go back since they changed the menu. Howevsies... i dont know if i can part with my fave Veggie Pie at the moment

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  10. Congrats to your best friend and YAY for a kitty-buddy for Zoe! I have no tips on introducing kitties, but good luck to you! :-)

    Aww, don't hang your head in shame! I've had so many kitchen-fails lately, it's not even funny!

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  11. What a disaster, I am so sorry that you didn't like the beet stew :(

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  12. That was so cute! This is a great post..I can see that you put a lot of hard work on your every post that’s why I think I’d come here more often.

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