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Showing posts with label vegan on the cheap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegan on the cheap. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Geek Love


Its almost Valentine's Day right?  One of my students asked me yesterday if I am excited for it.  I am not.  But, I figured its still worth showing someone some love right?  

Well, I am choosing to show some serious love for the Geek Squad, who came and fixed our wireless today!  I wasn't here while he did it, and I hear he gave me some flak for having a Mac, but...well he's a geek.  

I have a short post for today, and it is the last recipe that I tested for Robin Robertson's upcoming book, Vegan on the Cheap.  This is Chutney on the Cheap, and it came out pretty yummy.  

This is going to sound silly but...what do you eat chutney with?  I had it on some roasted portabella mushrooms, but I've actually never had chutney before so I wasn't totally sure.  That being said, I know exactly what I am using the rest of it for, but methinks that deserves another post.


Serves 8 (2 tbsp per serving)
Nutrition Information:  91.3 Calories;  1.9g Total Fat;  0.1g Saturated Fat;  0.0mg Cholesterol;  19.9g Carbohydrates;  1.0g Fiber;  0.7g Protein.  

This was not something I would have normally made, but it was really good, and had the perfect spicy kick to it.

Randomness for the day.  When I went on my mentor teacher's computer this afternoon, he had a window from the New York Times open entitled: Really? - The Claim:  Never Blow Your Nose When You Have a Cold.  It wasn't an extremely compelling arguement for me, but with everyone (but me!) in my house sick, and kids being absent left and right, I thought it was interesting.  Any opinions?  Anyone a non-nose-blower?

Okay, I have a bunch of other stuff I *could* talk about, but I am determined to actually make this post short (I'm not sure why, I just am).

With all that being said, I hope that none of YOU are sick, and that you are having a fabulous week!          

Monday, January 12, 2009

The Perfect Day

Welcome to a walk through my perfect day...which is exactly what today was.  

First, you'll wake up to the radio, like always, but Jack Johnson will be playing and it will instantly put you in an excellent mood.  

Second, even though you should really get up and have breakfast, you are going to lay in bed for an hour and finish Eclipse.  

You'll finally get up and have whatever your favorite current breakfast is.  For me is was the Apple Pie Quinoa and Tempeh Bacon Hash (with spinach, for greenery), that I posted about a few days ago.  I wasn't kidding about eating the same thing for weeks!  

All the equipment you need at the gym will be free when you need it.  A girl you went to high school with who you now look better than will be chugging away on the treadmill, then lift some girly weights, and you will smugly smile to yourself (hey, I'm not perfect, its just my perfect day).  

Then, you will set off to discover heaven.  Well, at least if your idea of heaven is fantastic natural bulk food/grocery store.  A few weeks ago, my mom pulled a flyer for this place out of the paper, and I finally got myself there.  It was a bit of a drive, but worth it, completely.  Oh and on your way to this mecca, your iPod will gleefully pump out all the Jack Johnson songs you have, even though its batteries should be running out any second.  

While you are visiting heaven (also known as Nature's Pantry), your husband, who you haven't talked to in a week, will call, and...well honestly, he'll kind of distract you from reading nutrition labels and whatnot, but you're really happy he called.  

Lots of fun stuff will be acquired at Nature's Pantry:  

From the bulk food section, low-sugar pineapple rings, carob covered raisins, and wheat free fig bars!  (Not pictured is also nutritional yeast and oat groats)

With another giveaway in mind (because they're fun!), you'll pick up two bags of Soyfree, a coffee substitution made from soy, in Chai and Almond Amaretto.  Don't forget to sign for my current giveaway in the meantime!:

Other pantry foods will be picked up, some single serving packets of almond butter, wakame flakes, miso ramen noodles, Corn Thins, a Bumble Bar (which are vegan, even though they have a bee on them.  I never would have even picked them up, except I saw them on Erica's blog yesterday), and a chocolate orange Jocolat bar:

You've been looking for vegan hair gel or mousse on the internet for a week or so.  You've been using up all the leftovers in the house, waiting until you find something, because ordering hair gel online seems like a hassle.  You find Giovanni hair gel here!  It comes with a shampoo sample too!  Because it is the perfect day, you'll also pick up some bubble bath, because you've been using shower gel in the bathtub for the past month:  

While you are at the store, you might start to think that maybe this isn't the perfect day after all...because this store ALSO doesn't sell vegan carob chips.  Huh??  However, when you get home, you will chide yourself for thinking this was not the perfect day.  That is because you will immediately see a package on the table, and you will know what it is instantly!  

Orange County NY, you may want to keep vegan carob chips away from me, but the lovely Heather (of Heather eats Almond Butter) has thwarted you!!  I mentioned on her blog last week that they were no where to be found, and she had some in the mail the next day.  She also surprised me with this chocolately Raw Organic Food Bar!!  It looks awesome, full of good stuff.  When I try it, I will post my review.  Honestly, I also ripped into it immediately, but I was able to practice some self control (because one doesn't overeat to the point where they feel sick on the perfect day). 

After you relax for a little, you'll get started on dinner.  Its another day for recipe testing!!  Today I made the Vegetable Crisp.  It had eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, etc.  
  

Serves 6
Nutrition Information:  217.7g Calories;  6.7g Total Fat;  1.2g Saturated Fat;  0.0mg Cholesterol;  34.0g Carbohydrates;  6.1g Fiber;  8.2g Protein.

This was yummy!  To go with it, you'll try something else from V'con, like the Tomato-Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans.  

Serves 5 (made a half-recipe)
Nutrition Information:  174.2 Calories;  2.4g Total Fat;  0.3g Saturated Fat;  0.0mg Cholesterol;  34.4g Carbohydrates;  6.6g Fiber;  6.6g Protein

While you are cooking, you will make a gigantic mess (something about dropping a baking sheet with food on it...oops), but you totally won't get upset because the Jack Johnson emanating from your laptop keeps you chill.  

Sadly, your perfect day is coming to a close.  After dinner, you'll start on your blog while you watch 'How I Met Your Mother'.  Then, your mentor teacher will call and set up you coming in later this week (which you are equally terrified and excited for).

Lastly, I mean, the perfect day couldn't end dessert-less!  Come on, seriously, you guys must know me a little better than that.  
  
Yes, that's right, Carob Peppermint ice cream.  Fruit sweetened too, so that makes it..kind of...sort of...good for you, right?   

Edited to add:  Then your mom will give you a coupon for Puffins!  

So, perfect day, no?  Relaxed, good food, awesome gym session, packages from blogger friend, food store discovery.  Yes, definitely my idea of perfect.   

If you haven't noticed, Jack Johnson is most definitely my go-to relaxing music.  What kind of music chills you out?  

So, today's Cooking Song of the Day is one of my favorites:  "Losing Keys" - Jack Johnson.  Relax :)


I hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend and had a great start to their week!  

Friday, January 9, 2009

Recipe Tester Hero

Ready for my shortest post ever?  

My brother and I just split Guitar Hero:  World Tour for his Xbox 360, and so...we clearly have to play that for the rest of the night.  

I will come back and edit the nutrition info tomorrow (edit, I updated it!!  I told you!), but I didn't want to get too behind.

First, I did go out for lunch with my mom's friends, and my friend (who was one of my bridesmaids, and I almost ran over with my car when I dropped her off, but that's a story I don't have time for right now...oh, wait I do.  I hit the gas HARD instead of the brakes.  Oops.).  

I had pizza with a whole wheat crust, pizza sauce, artichokes, broccoli, spinach, and sun dried tomatoes.  I brought these leftovers home, but by the time I went to the grocery store, almost ran over my friend, and got home, I was hungry again, so it is all finished :)  It was really really good.  And I was glad to be able to order some awesome looking vegan food instead of a salad.    

It was funny too, I totally recognized our waiter from somewhere, and figured I had just seen him there before.  But after coming over to our table a few times he goes "Are you my gym friend?"  Haha, I have been saying hi to this guy at the gym for 2 years, and didn't know his name (he didn't know mine either).  In my defense, he wasn't wearing the a hat, like he usually does.  In fact, I actually even saw him there this morning.  Speaking of the gym this morning...I was totally there for two hours, ugh.  I had to make up for the day I missed from the snow on Wednesday.  It was a lot of lifting, chest and leg day right after one another (with a banana in between), but I'm glad I did it and didn't have another weird behind week.  I like being on schedule.  

So much for being short, right?  I can't help myself!  

I am currently recipe testing for Robin Robertson's new book Vegan on the Cheap.  I am so excited about it!  Tonight we had one of the recipes I was given along with the Chile Cornmeal Crusted Tofu from Veganomicon.  


I actually think this is the first thing I have made from V'con?  I really liked them!  I don't have kids either, but it seemed like they would be pretty kid friendly.  Kind of like chicken fingers...but with tofu. 

Serves 4 (4 triangles per person)
Nutrition Information:  142.3 Calories; 5.7g Total Fat;  0.7g Saturated Fat;  0.0mg Cholesterol;  11.3g Carbohydrates;  2.6g Fiber;  11.0g Protein.  

If you're wondering how I figured this out, because you dredge the tofu and have a lot of cornmeal mixture left over, I actually measured everything before and after.  Yep...I'm a nut like that.    

This is a separate shot of the Orange-Chipotle Dressed Salad with Black Bean Salsa  

Serves 4
Nutrition Information:  189.1 Calories;  7.4g Total Fat;  1.0g Saturated Fat;  0.0mg Cholesterol;  27.3g Carbohydrates;  7.9g Fiber;  6.4g Protein.  

This was SPICY.  I was really surprised that my mom ate it, actually.  She has zero tolerance for anything spicy.  But she was good as long as she had the orange every couple of bites.  Everyone liked it, and, seriously, it was really cheap!  I had intentions of calculating the price, but I lost my receipt.  

I know I only got 5 recipes to test, but from getting a peek at the whole list, I personally can't wait to get the book.  

Okay, so I'm being yelled at by my bandmates.  I'll be back tomorrow to update this crappy post at the very least!

Don't forget to sign up for the Juicer Giveaway!!