Vegan Mofo VI- Day 21: So Where's the Lebanese Delight?*

With yet another change in weather and my current state of yuckiness, I just knew I would have to make soup this week. I already had my grocery list written up but I decided to take a quick flip through one of my recipe binders for a soup recipe that didn't require me to buy too many new items. I passed over one of my favorite lentil soup recipes because I like to only make new recipes during mofo. You never know when you might meet a new favorite, right? I chose another recipe that sounded good and added those ingredients to my list. After the first grocery trip I hadn't found anything I needed for that recipe and I was having second thoughts about it. What if I didn't like it? I would be wasting so much food. Before we hit the next store I grabbed Appetite for Reduction off my shelf and looked at those soup recipes. I was pretty sure I'd only made two of them so the rest were fair game. I quickly decided upon "Arabian Lentil & Rice Soup" since it was what I wanted and it slightly resembled the soupI would have made if not for my "rules" about repeats.

Even though there were some similar ingredients between the two recipes, I vote this one to be my new favorite forever. The other recipe is still awesome, but this one is just a teensy bit awesomer. Maybe it's the carrots, or the rice, the combo lemon zest and lemon juice. I cannot get enough of it. I had a small serving to take a photo before I walked the dog and I had some more when I came home. I would go back for thirds but I want to save some for tomorrow and the rest of the week. I really want to tell my sister how good it came out and share with her, but I am tempted to keep it to myself so I can have more awesome soup. What a dilemma!

*In the recipe intro, Isa mentions how there are so many great Lebanese restaurants in PDX, which makes me think of Mary and Mustafa in the movie Party Girl. I need a huge push to at least apply to a grad program!

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 20: Freezer Fiend

I only had to work from 11-5 today so I thought I would come home, make waffles and blog about them. But even though I slept in late the last two days and even a bit this morning, I am feeling yuckier than ever. I don't feel like getting everything out, putting it all back and doing all the dishes. Plus I am still kind of in a bad mood and I do not like to cook when I am in a bad mood. I am really looking forward to trying out this waffle recipe and I want to make it when I can truly enjoy it, which is definitely not tonight.

I had no idea what to eat for dinner since I only have beans and rice in the fridge right now. I ate that for dinner last night and for lunch today, but even I do not love beans that much. I quickly realized it wasn't too hot outside and I could probably get away with using the oven for about 20 minutes. I had a Tofurky cheese pizza hiding in the freezer so I knew I could eat that. The only problem is that left to my own devices I would probably eat the whole thing in a sitting. They aren't very big, but I still don't need to eat it all for one meal. Then I remembered my sister dropped off some TJ's Crispy Chickenless Tenders last week. They're pretty much the knock off version of Gardein and are way cheaper, yay! So now I have pizza and "chicken" instead of just stuffing my face with pizza. I probably should have made a salad to go with this, oh well.

Vegan Mofo VI-Day 19: Arroz By Any Other Name...

I can't believe this is the first time I've cooked all week. The previous two weeks I was cooking at least once a day, sometimes twice. I am working on my comeback so I can finish on a strong note, but I am glad I haven't missed a day yet.

I had to change my cooking plans for this week due to weather (too hot to use the oven!), but one thing I could still make was the "Cilantro-Lime Rice" from Viva Vegan, yay! There were good prices on cilantro, green onions and limes at the market so that made me even happier that I chose this dish for this week.

I've never had cilantro-lime rice before. They offer it at Chipotle, but I have this issue that whenever I order anything which has beans and rice, I always get way more rice than beans and I feel cheated. So I usually pass on the rice and just ask for a ton of beans instead. Now that I have my own huge pot of beans and my own lil' pot of rice, I can balance it out and enjoy two great things together without wishing I had one more scoop of beans. Also, it's probably much cheaper this way. Now I just have to make my own guac, salsa and grill some veggies for my cheap-otle experience to be complete. I'm actually planning to do this exact thing if I can get my sister's boyfriend to hook up the guac and salsa. Burrito party!

This recipe was really quick and it's quite delicious. I debated doubling it so that I would have almost as much rice as I have beans (cooked another pot today!), but since it's so fast I know I could just make more in a few days when I run out. I only used two of the eight limes I bought so I definitely have enough for next time. I'm going to see how many I need to make the "Coconut Lime Cupcakes" from VCTOTW. It's supposed to cool down significantly next week and might even rain so that's perfect baking weather.

Vegan Mofo VI-Day 18- An Apple A Day

 This week has been crazy. I have had to let a few things go to the wayside. I really need to get some rest, but there was just too much that needed to be done. I foolishly tried to do it all and now here I am, super tired and feeling like absolute crêpe. I usually end up doing this to myself about once a year, but this one came early. I have been drinking lots of tea and gargling with an apple cider/water solution. I slept in until about 11 a.m. this morning. I should be feeling much better in a few days. Now that some of my stressors have been knocked out I should be able to get back on track tomorrow. Yay!

If I didn't already mention it, I work in a library. We have a weekly storytime which is a lot of fun, at least when I observe from the desk. We recently did an apple theme, which was one of my favorites since I love apples. We take turns choosing topics, books, crafts/activities. My boss chose the topic so I helped pick the craft and the books. I don't remember the books because we do our planning so far in advance, but the craft was super cute. We cut a frame out of construction paper, lay it down on a piece of contact paper and let the children stick colored tissue paper on top to fill it in. We always do a test to make sure it's not too difficult and to have an example to show the kids. Since I'm a big kid and I'm the one who found the craft, I got to make the sample. Isn't it adorable?

My other co-worker bought several different types of apples so the kids could have a variety to choose from. She dropped them off at my house and asked me to make labels for them. More fun for me! The best part was that after the shift was over, she had way too many apples to take home so she let me have a few. She knows I am crazy about honeycrisps so those are the ones she gave me. The only thing better than honeycrisps are FREE HONEYCRISPS, right?

I don't know how true it is that an apple a day will keep the doctor away, but it sure couldn't hurt to try. I think I'm going to have one for my snack during "Scandal" and work toward catching up on my 5 a day. Peace!

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 17: Those Are Nacho Kale Chips!

These are the best things ever! I love kale and have been saying I am going to make kale chips for at least a year. Now that TJ's has them, I have a bigger excuse for putting it off. The package is kind of small, so if you love kale chips or hate sharing, I would grab more than one.

I think it was around 3-4 bucks for the package. I've seen same sized bags priced at twice that so I decided to go for it. I broke a chunk off a huge piece and it was good. So I kept picking at the huge pieces, thinking about whether or not I liked them. Then I saw the bag was already halfway gone. I think that's a "hell yeah", right?

I took the rest to my work yesterday and teased one of our fave patrons about trying them but she did and she loved them. Then we pressured my co-worker into trying them. She wasn't as into it, but I am glad she gave them a chance. By this point all I had were little crumbles, but I didn't want to throw them out. When I got home I had some leftover mac and cheese, so I sprinkled them on top of the mac and stirred it up. That was the jam! I can't wait to go back to TJ' sand get more of these. I also have some of the cinnamon rolls I need to bake but not in this heat!

p.s.
I had my job interview yesterday and I think I crushed it. I should know in 3 weeks what the folks who interviewed me thought. There's a lot going on this week and I'm starting to feel run down so that's why I don't have a "real" entry today. I'm trying to rest today so I can get back on task tomorrow!

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 16: Spice In Ya Life Is What You Need*

Wow! I can't believe we are halfway through mofo. It's going by much too quickly. I really need to step it up so I can end on a strong note, but honestly I am glad that I have been able to keep up and even happier that I've managed to be at least one day ahead most of the time. Maybe next year I will really have it on lock with themes and everything. We'll see!<br><br>I thought this was going to be my first entry on tofu, but I forgot I had fast food the other day. However, it is the first time I have cooked tofu this month. I love tofu and I know a lot of people think it is all we eat, but I really do not use it all that often anymore. I still love it, but it's a pain to get to the store that has the good prices and I refuse to pay what it costs at the closest supermarket. I think it's $1.79- no way, no day! I did a quick run to Sprouts the other day and only bought what I absolutely needed, otherwise it could get out of control. I had to pay $1.29 instead of $0.99 because they were all out of extra firm, but it was still cheaper than the other store. I also got some eb buttery sticks for upcoming baking. I have tons of shortening but not as much butter. I guess I have to make a lot of pies when the weather cools down.

Anyhow, I really love this recipe for Spicy Tofu from i eat food. I made a half-assed version of this before, just coating the tofu in cornstarch and improvising the sauce since I didn't have sweet chili sauce I used hoisin. I didn't have scallions the first time either, so I'm saying it didn't really count and this is a do-over, a delicious one at that. I double checked to make sure I had everything and got to work. This is going to be in heavy rotation forever. I didn't add any red pepper because I wasn't sure how spicy the chili sauce would be and I always add the tiniest bit of chili garlic sauce, so that ended up to be just right for me. I'm building my spice tolerance, slowly but surely. I sauteed some broccoli and mixed it in with the tofu. If you're smart you'll steam your rice while you cook everything else. Or if you are really sick of dishes and in a hurry to walk your dog, you'll make the tofu and veg, mix 'em together and worry about the rice another day.

*Huge points if you get this reference.

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 15- I Love L.A.!

Woo hoo! What a great turn out for AIDS Walk Los Angeles yesterday. We got there early enough to make our way super close to the starting line which has never happened since we are usually running late. I was so excited. Then my sister pointed out a staff member who was looking for people to carry signs. I had to do it! You could drop them off at any of the checkpoints along the route but I ended up dumping mine at the first one because I was also weighed down by my purse. After I ate/drank some of the things that were my bag, I was able to pick up a sign again at another checkpoint and carry it the rest of the way, yay! It was a gorgeous day and we raised a bunch of money.

After our walk, we stopped for lunch at Veggie Grill at the Farmer's Market. I didn't know what to order since I'd only been there one other time. I knew I loved the Mac-n-Cheese, Buffalo Wings and Steamin' Kale. The "Crab" Cake was good too, but I wasn't in the mood for that. I thought about getting the Buffalo Bomber (sammich) and upgrading my side to kale, but I would still want mac and that is too much food, even for me. So in the end, I decided to just order two sides and a starter. If they would just make this into a bowl it would be easier for me to order and less dishes for their staff. I forgot to write it up for the suggestion box, maybe next time.

Since it was just across the street, we stopped at Whole Foods, which is usually a treat for me since we do not have one nearby, but I didn't know we were going there so I didn't even know what I wanted from there. I had maybe 15 left from my "lunch" budget but I didn't really find anything to blow it on since I didn't bring my insulated bag with me and we had at least an hour on the road on a hot day. I ended up just getting some water, which my sister bought since she is nice like that. I almost bought some cookies from their bakery but I couldn't justify it since I have everything I need to bake some at home and the ones I make are better. Good thing I saved my money because we went to see Argo later that night and it was amazing.

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 13: Use Your Noodle

When planning recipes I've been looking at what I have and making sure I only need to buy one or two items to make it. I also do not want to buy anything I won't use more than once. This is something I probably should have done from the beginning but now that my budget is a lot smaller I am definitely finding new ways to make it work. The really funny thing is that I am eating much better than I did when I had more funds available.

Anyhow, I always have flour, nooch, butter and more seasonings than anyone else in the house will ever use. I already had opened a soymilk to make fritters and I wanted to use it before the 7-10 day window closed. The "Best Ever Baked Macaroni and Cheese" recipe from Chloe's Kitchen calls for 3 cups of soymilk, perfect! I only had to buy macaroni and breadcrumbs. I probably could have gotten by with plain breadcrumbs I had in the pantry but since I was able to find seasoned ones, I "splurged." I know I'll use them again for something else.

Macaroni and cheese is easily one of my top five favorite foods. I'm still searching for my favorite veganized version, though I've yet to find a replacement for the heart attack on a plate I used to eat 10 years ago. I want to say it involved a stick of butter, sour cream, and three or four different cheeses and the pan probably weighed ten pounds. Good thing I don't eat like that anymore, right?

Chloe's mac is pretty damn good, but I'm not sure it's the best I'll ever have, it's too early to make that call. I am always trying out new mac recipes so who knows when I will find "the one." However, this is definitely a runner-up after making a few small changes. I loved how creamy it turned out but I think it needed a bit more seasoning. I sneaked in some paprika and more garlic powder before adding the lemon juice and agave, but it still needed something more. Also my breadcrumbs did not get toasty so I had to throw it under the broiler for a bit. Maybe I need to spray the top before putting it in the oven? Doomie's Home Cookin' serves their mac with "bacon" bits on top so I tried that with the second serving I had after work. That might be just what it needs.

p.s. Tomorrow I am participating in AIDS Walk Los Angeles for my 6th year in a row. I'm late to the party but I plan on showing up as long as I can, even when I have to AIDS Roll. If you're a big spender and want to sponsor me, you can do so here. Otherwise send me a message about pledging another amount. Thanks!

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 12: Super Sammich

Even though I love cooking, I am always happy when someone else makes food for me. It's great to just show up, sit down and eat. Of course, it's even better when someone brings the food to you, then you just have to sit and eat. Score!

My sister stopped by in between appointments today to check on her daughter and offered to make us sammiches. You know I said "yes" right away. I've never had Hickory Smoked Tofurky so I was excited to try it. I love the black pepper slices, but my sister said these are also good so I was ready to gobble them up.

I thought it was just going to be tofurky, vegenaise, tofutti single and some lettuce, but she hooked it up! There's alfalfa sprouts, tomato,and my all time fave, avocado on toasted sourdough bread. Yum! I love sammiches but almost never make them because they don't seem worth the trouble. But whenever anyone else makes them, I quickly realize, they are indeed worth it. I'm glad we only had about half a loaded sammich each because we needed to save some room for what was baking in the oven. Tune in tomorrow for more good eats!

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 11- I'm On A Roll!

Yesterday I was so excited about how rad my beans turned out that I decided to keep on going with another recipe from Viva Vegan. I made the "Whole Wheat FlourTortillas with Chia" and they are so delicious. If can eat wheat, I highly suggest you get down and make these.

They turned out so much better than the torts I made last week. I love how simple the recipe is and also that you do not have to wait very long for the dough to rest before you can move on with the process. I'm not a very patient person, so the less "inactive" time a recipe has, the better. Luckily, I had some dishes to keep me busy while I waited.

I usually shy away from buying wheat torts at the market because they are either too thin or too stiff, but these were not like that at all. They are super soft and have a lot of elasticity to them, so don't be afraid to give them a try. I love the addition of the chia seeds as well. I will definitely make these again and possibly double the recipe next time since 8 is never enough, especially when we're talking tortillas.

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 10: They're Basically The Bomb!

I love beans and I could eat them every day. Now that I have found a way to make them without forking them up, there is a darn good chance that is what is going to happen. The beans I cooked last week turned out okay, but the ones I cooked today were bomb!

I followed Terry Hope Romero's instructions for "Basic Beans From Scratch" from Viva Vegan. I was nervous about adding salt at the beginning of the cooking process, but apparently that is a myth. I trust anything Isa and Terry tell me to do in the kitchen. They've been my best teachers so far.

I soaked my beans overnight. After I walked the dog, I came home and got started. I rinsed the beans, and threw them back into the pot with fresh water, kombu, bay leaves and salt. After they got to a boil I lowered the flame and set the timer for two hours. I did my "Just Dance" workout, some dishes, flipped through cookbooks and watched La Bamba on cable while I waited. When the timer went off, my beans were done. I couldn't believe it!

In the past when I have checked my beans at the 2 hour mark, they were not done. Sometimes I would have to cook them for an additional hour and they still didn't turn out all that great. I always knew that cooking beans should be easy but I never got it right until today. You have no idea how happy I am.

After the beans were cooked I followed more of Terry's suggestions and made Onion-Flavored beans. I put a bit too much liquid so I just simmered them a bit longer. So good! I am going to have to make these again really soon. I might cook a pot of pintos for my niece tomorrow because she wasn't feelin' the bay leaves in the black beans. Anyhow, my shortening should be at room temp now so I can start another of Terry's recipes, "Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas With Chia." ¡Hasta Mañana!

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 9: Frittering My Time Away

I love apples and am thrilled that Honeycrisps are back in season. They have been hard to find in our area so I was super excited when I had my first one last week. We did a storytime about apples at work and my co-worker brought in a variety of apples to show the children. When we were getting ready to go home she wanted to divide the apples up amongst us. I told her I'd take whatever she wanted to give me but she knew which ones I wanted most so she gave me 3 of the Honeycrisps. Yay!

I think they taste perfect on their own but sometimes I will dip them in peanut butter. Since I had extras I thought I would try using them in a recipe. I didn't have enough for a pie and didn't have time to make donuts, so I decided on fritters. I printed the recipe and planned to make them on Friday or Saturday but I didn't get around to making them until today.

They turned out great! My sister stopped by on lunch break to try them and loved them too. I think next time I will use a cookie scoop to drop them into the pan so they come out more uniform, but as long as they are evenly cooked through I don't think anyone will complain. I was tempted to make another batch before putting everything away, but I realized that wouldn't be a good idea. I'd rather make them again when there are a few more mouths around to enjoy them. I definitely plan to make them again, but will probably just dust them with powdered sugar rather than trying to glaze them.

I'm glad these were a success because they were the last recipe to be mixed in my favorite bowl. It was on the very top of the dish rack and I somehow managed to knock it off. I didn't even think to try and catch it because it's hard plastic. I thought it would just fall and then I'd pick it up and re-wash it. I quickly learned I was wrong when I felt a chunk of plastic hit my leg. It cracked in half and a few small pieces went flying. It's silly but I am sad to not have my favorite bowl anymore. It was a good size and we made tons of delicious treats together. I hope I find another bowl I like almost as much. I need to start looking because I have tons of baking on my to-do list.

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 8: Tray Time

Last night we went to go see the house my sister and her boyfriend are buying. It's an adorable home in a great neighborhood. They're going to have to put in some work to make it their own, but that's part of the fun, right?! I can't wait to see it when it's all finished, and of course I will help them out however I can with cleaning and such.

A happy coincidence is that they do not live too far from one of our favorite Chinese takeout places. We don't go there too often since it's not too close to where we live now. I took advantage of our being in the neighborhood and I pushed for us to make a stop. It was already past dinner time and their prices are good, so I didn't meet too much resistance.

This is spicy tofu with vegetables and way too much chow mein. Unlike the previous night's cake feast, I was able to show some restraint. I ate about half of it at the restaurant and brought the other half home for lunch today. I don't go out for fast food often, so when I do, it is a treat. I'm glad it was the night I decided to start jogging home with the dog at night instead of walking. It's getting darker earlier but my work hours are the same so I've been wondering how I am going to continue taking her out when I get home without cutting our route/time short. I don't like to be out after dark, even if I have a very intimidating sidekick with me. I'll feel better getting home quicker and I'll also meet my health goals a little sooner.

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 7: Cake...It's What's For Dinner

Last night we celebrated my friend E's 4th birthday. It was right after work so I did not have time to eat dinner before I got there. I was super hungry so it wasn't really a good idea for me to be surrounded by cupcakes my sister made. There was also a cake in the fridge that her boyfriend made. It came out fine but he wasn't satisfied with the decorating job so it was hiding in the fridge. I said I would try it since looks are not a factor for me when it comes to food. So many things taste much better than they look, right?

To start, I had my first cupcake and a scoop of So Delicious Neopolitan ice cream. They were both so scumptious, I had to have more. I was going to get a second cupcake but then I remembered, fridge cake! I took it out and cut into it. It was denser and firmer than the cupcakes because it had been in the fridge, I knew I was in trouble! It also had more frosting than the cupcakes, uh-oh. I quickly announced to everyone how bomb fridge cake was, so then they wanted to try it too. I knew I couldn't get away with hogging fridge cake after they knew it was so good. So, I helped myself to another cupcake and the rest of my mom's ice cream she didn't finish.

I jokingly told my sister I would take home any extras. I didn't really need to since I had thirds, but she did send me home with a cupcake and a 4" x 4" slab of fridge cake. I couldn't believe she gave me so much after I already ate so much, but 2 of the 3 kids would be gone the rest of the week and she probably didn't want all that cake at her place. See what I good sister I am to have around sometimes!

If it's possible to overdose on cake, that is exactly what I did last night. I had a terrible tummy ache, but I still stand by my story that it can be blamed on lady time more than the cake. Anyway, I had to get a picture of my leftovers today so I trimmed down my fridge cake into a nice slice, eating the not as neat parts as I went along of course. I tried to unsmoosh the cupcake while leaving it in the wrapper but that didn't work out so well. So it's a little crumby, but it's also very sweet.





Vegan Mofo VI - Day 6: Bowled Over

Let's recap this week's cooking: Monday - beans, Tuesday- Rice, Wednesday-Pancakes, Thursday- Taco Mix, Friday- Torts. What am I going to bring to work for lunch on Saturday? Take everything, except the pancakes, throw it together and make a Taco Bowl! From bottom to top: salad mix, rice, beans, taco mix, guacamole and salsa. Yummy!

I love to order these when I am out but almost never make them at home. Now I have taco bowls for days. I might bring extra tomorrow and see if my co-worker wants to share lunch with me. She likes most of what I have brought in to work, especially the vegan sweets! She usually brings a sammich for lunch. I would much rather eat this than a sammich, wouldn't you? Popcorn Tofu Po' Boys and Tempeh Reubens are huge exceptions!

I didn't plan it this way but I enjoyed making one component of a dish per day and building on that throughout the week. In the past I would cook a dish each day and end up with way too much food. Going forward I might continue with breaking the dishes down or I'll scale down recipes so I don't
overcook/eat. Even though it's almost been a year since my sister and my niece moved out, I haven't adjusted to cooking for one. Sometimes they stop by and help me out with my food surplus, but that's usually only for known favorites. So if I make a huge batch of something and I'm the only one who likes it, I had better love it because I am the only one who will eat it. I could start freezing things too, so long as I don't overcrowd the freezer or forget all the treasures that are hiding inside.

I'll figure it out eventually. I have to start planning for next week. It's going to be a tight month so I have to make the most of what I have and spend as little as possible. Good thing I love a challenge!

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 5: There's No Taste Like Home

 I had my heart set on making tortillas this week, but didn't think I could do it after all. Then I remembered how sucky it is to get caught up in limited thinking. Instead of taking a nap or lazing around in between my weekly volunteer hours and my work shift, I got in the kitchen and got down to work.

My maternal grandmother used to make fresh torts every day when all her kids were at home. I don't know how she did it, but I have fun memories of playing with a little ball of masa while she was making torts for us. Before I moved back east for five minutes in the early 2000s, I asked her to teach me how to cook beans and make torts, fearing that nothing in Boston could compare to what I had grown up with. Of course, nothing I made would be as good as hers, but at least it would be closer somehow.

I should have the notes I took that day, but today I could not find them. I was too embarrassed to call and ask for them again so I used a recipe off the internet. Do not tell Abuelita! They turned out pretty good, but not good enough for me to forget about finding my notes from grandma. Nothing is ever that good, right? My mom gave me an  A+ for effort, but we agreed I'll have to try again soon. I only made a dozen small torts because I was short on time, but the good thing is they fit perfectly in my tortilla oven. If you don't have one, I highly recommend you get one ASAP. I'm kind of bummed they don't have any more like mine but the Texas and L.A. ones are pretty rad too.

I wanted to try the Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas with Chia from Viva la Vegan, but I didn't have any wwf or time to wait for shortening to get to room temp. I plan to make them soon with pot of black beans. I can't believe I haven't made anything from that book yet. Please don't smack me with your chanclas!

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 4: You Taco'n To Me?

 After a brief breakfast interrruption, I decided to keep going with my improvised theme. Also because I talked to my sister and she told me today is National Taco Day. I had no idea and will have to add it to the calendar for next year so I can have a taco party. It wasn't quite "Taco Tuesday on a Thursday", but if I couldn't make tacos, I could at least make taco mix.

I've never made my own taco mix before. I usually just season a block of tofu with a packet from the store.  I knew I had some tvp hiding in the pantry so I searched the internet to find a recipe that sounded good. Luckily I found one, and it's from a fellow Mofo, even better! I used The Snarky Chickpea's recipe with a few small changes. Instead of vegetable broth I used BTB No Beef Base (also hiding in the pantry), brown onion, and some frozen bell pepper strips my brother left behind when he moved last month. I also added about 6 cloves minced garlic. I used this recipe for taco seasoning, but ended up adding 2 T instead of 1 1/2 T.

I hadn't planned on cooking this at all, so I think I made the best of what I had on hand and it turned out great. I packed a bowl with beans, rice and taco mix for my work dinner, yum! I will probably do this more often and just experiment with different seasonings until I find my dream taco blend. It didn't take that much longer than using tofu, especially since I didn't have to wait to press and cube anything! Plus I was able to get this all done while my tortilla masa was resting. Yay! I was super proud of my time management until I realized I still had a lot of dishes to do before changing clothes for work. It's only the first week, maybe I'll have it down by the end of the month. Here's hoping!

Vegan Mofo VI- Day 3: Brought to You By Bisquick

No torts yet! My mom has been home from work this week with allergies, and I absolutely cannot turn the kitchen into a floury mess on her watch. You want me to live to see the end of Mofo, right?! I was really hoping to continue my homemade Mexican food streak, but I'll have to come back to it another day. Maybe I'll make some tvp taco meat instead. I was hoping to make an element each day and then throw them all together at the end of the week, oh well.

Today we have the opposite of "from scratch,": Bisquick Blueberry Pancakes. I was really in a rush since I did not get up on time. Luckily, I always have Bisquick (do I sound like a commercial?). I bought frozen blueberries last week and had some soy milk I wanted to use before it was time to chuck it out so this is what happened. I read the directions wrong and made two flax "eggs" instead of putting 2 T of egg replacement, so I had to add more Bisquick to thicken the batter up. After that I was back in business and finished with just enough time to do the dishes and get changed for work. Speaking of work, I got a phone call this morning to schedule my interview for the Library Assistant position I applied for during the summer. It's a long process but well worth it. I really hope I get it. I'm glad I already had a haircut planned for this week. First impressions count, though I suspect I may be interviewed by some familiar faces. It's a step up and a bit more money I could really use, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

Vegan Mofo IV - Day 2: Rice Rice Baby!

Even though frijoles will always be my favorite food, rice is pretty high on the list too. I like mine with lots of veggies in it to balance out all of the starchiness, or at least try to. This is another dish that should be really easy to make but that I will find a way to mess up.

Cooking teaches you a lot of things and one of the hugest lessons I am still struggling with is patience. One mistake I used to make was lifting the lid or stirring the pot. No, no, and no. Put the lid on and leave it alone. Today I did that and everything turned out great, plus I got to watch a bit of one of my favorite films, Volver. I know it's Spanish and not Mexican, but who cares?!

I remember my great grandma's rice would have huge slivers of onion in it, which as a kid, grossed me out since I had not yet acquired a taste for onions. Now, I love them and always put a whole one when the recipe calls for half. Same for garlic, two cloves? Let's put seven, no eight! Some people put veggies and and some do not. Most like to use chicken broth. I grew up eating rice this way and I loved it, having no idea how it all came together. Now I know, but still wanted to find a way to enjoy it, vegan style.

I know I can't ask anyone for a real recipe so checked the internet, and finally found one I liked at forkfingerschopsticks. I printed it out and got super excited about trying it. I used Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base for the "broth" and 2- 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce instead of one. I added 2 cups thawed frozen mixed vegetables, a whole onion quartered and sliced, and I think 8 cloves minced garlic. I love this recipe. I can't wait for my sister to stop by and try my rice later!

p.s. If you haven't read Michele Serros' Chicana Falsa there is a really great piece in there called "Attention Shoppers" that you will never not think about when shopping for frozen vegetables.

Vegan Mofo VI Day 1: Beans Beans, They're Good For Your ♥

I love Mexican food and since I am Mexican-American, you'd think I would be great at preparing it, right? I hate to break it to you, but I am not. My family has been in the states for quite some time now so there isn't too much that is done fresh and from scratch. Most of us do not have the time or the patience for that these days. Also, it's not like anyone will give you an honest to goodness recipe you can follow. "Oh I put the water to about here, then I just keep an eye on them". Where is "here" on my pot? I don't have the same one as you. I'm not an old school cooking genius, I need guidelines, measurements, time tables. I'm still learning to cook and I haven't got it down to where I just "know" something is ready. Although I am getting a lot better at eyeballing my measurements.

Since I do have quite a bit of time on my hands so I decided to give it another try. I say another, because I have had some bean bummers like you wouldn't believe. I think one time the beans were just too old and dry and another time I didn't have the flame high enough. Let's also factor in the hour or so it used to take me to sort them out!

This time I did a much better job, though not as perfecto as I would like. It takes practice, and most importantly patience. I sorted my beans a lot quicker than last time, yay! I did such a good job that I sorted through another two lbs. just in case I messed up and had to start over. I know that's not the best attitude to have, but given my past, it seemed like a good idea. I think I should have had the flame a bit higher, so I noted that for next time. They ended up taking about an hour longer than I would have liked but at least I didn't have to throw them out. I put a bunch of whole garlic gloves and some kombu since I heard both help to eliminate the musical element that most people associate with beans.

Today I refried them and added some salsa for un desayuno muy delicioso! I usually sauté some soyrizo to the pan before adding the beans, but that wasn't in this week's budget. Maybe next time!

I didn't make my own salsa, but I still think my grandma would be proud. Next up is Mexican Rice and maybe some torts if I get up early enough mañana.