vegan mofo, day 8: eggplant thingy.

wednesday is always grocery day. my mom always takes me to sprouts early-ish in the morning. it's like whole foods, but better because the food is not ridiculously priced, and they have free coffee.

... FREE. and it's tasty.
i think it's actually there just to sample but i always go back for more, oops.

today's trip we got a ton of veggies, including two lovely perfectly purple eggplants. way exciting because a few weeks ago the eggplants were looking a little sad and abused. so for dinner i threw together a stew-type thing. i don't know what you'd call it. it's kind of like ratatouille i suppose but without zucchini and not as liquidy. it is also amazing over brown rice.



eggplant thingy
1 medium eggplant, cut into chunks
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large tomato, cut into chunks
about 1/2 medium chopped yellow onion
as much minced garlic as you can stand (i've developed an immunity)
black pepper
garlic salt
olive oil

heat oil in a large skillet on med-high.
after oil is hot enough toss in eggplant and asparagus. cook until eggplant is slightly golden. add the garlic, tomato, and onion, and cook until everything is tender and yummy looking. season with black pepper and garlic salt.

*edit to add this survey from food snobbery is my hobbery!

1. Name a song that involves food in some way.
lucy in the sky with diamonds. y'know, tangerine trees and marmalade skies.

2. What criteria do you use when choosing a new cookbook to buy?
easy and fast. doesn't require totally weird ingredients. stuff my family would eat.

3. What did you eat today?
umm alot! but the highlights have been roasted red pepper hummus and spinach wrap and the above mentioned main dish.

4. Name a vegan food that you know exists but you have never tried.
tempeh (i KNOW, right?)

5. The Food Network just called and needs you to start your new show tomorrow. What will the title of the show be?
nothing.. i would hate to be on tv haha

6. Favorite hot sauce or other spicy condiment?
cajun hot sauce

7. How old were you when you became vegetarian/vegan?
vegetarian 15 (i think) vegan 16

8. Favorite vegan cheeze?
galaxy

9. Cutest baby animal?
bunnies. hands down.

10. Favorite type of jam/jelly/marmalade/preserves?
red raspberry.

11. Do you take any vitamins/supplements?
i never remember to.

12. What food/dish most embodies the Fall season?
pumpkin pie.

13. What food would you have a hard time living without?
any kind of carb.

14. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
coffee!

15. It's 10PM and you're starving. What do you eat?
pb & j

16. If you have an animal companion, what is his/her favorite food?
wendy the golden retriever! she likes my popcorn that falls on the floor.

17. Worst injury you've gotten in the kitchen?
burned myself after dropping a pizza a la yeah that vegan shit

18. When you have a food-related question, who do you call?
mommy!

19. Summer is ending- What food will you miss most?
zucchini

20. What snacks do you keep in your purse/backpack/desk at work?
i don't work anymore, thank god.

21. Favorite soup to make on a rainy day?
tomato.

22. What's your favorite combination of fresh vegetable and/or fruit juices?
pineapple-orange-banana. but i don't like juice really.

23. Favorite brand of root beer?
eww

24. Make up your own question!
what is the first vegan thing you baked?
i think mine was banana muffins. and they weren't too shabby for my first try.

vegan mofo.

for those of you living under a rock, today is the first day of the vegan month of food. hooray!
i will of course be posting as much as my busy schedule allows, and am already plotting what recipes to make and share on here. so let the fun begin.




pictured here is a sloppy joe san'ich, recipe from the new farm vegetarian cookbook.
this received rave reviews. my omni dad liked it better than "normal" sloppy joes!



this was tonight's dinner. the recipe is from a better homes and gardens vegetarian booklet i randomly came upon while searching my cookbook cabinet for something to make. it originally called for bulgur, but i found out after i'd already set my heart on making the recipe that we're out. so, i subbed quinoa. it was my first time eating quinoa, and i loved it!

cinnamon-spiced quinoa stuffed peppers
1 3/4 c water
1/2 c chopped yellow onion
1/2 c shredded carrots
1/4 t salt
1 t vegetable bouillon granules
dash cinnamon
3/4 c quinoa
1/3 c dried cranberries
2 large sweet peppers
1/2 c water

in a large pot bring 1 3/4 c water, onion, carrots, salt, bouillon, and cinnamon to boiling. turn down heat, cover, simmer for five minutes.

stir in quinoa and cranberries and simmer for about 15 minutes, until water is absorbed. remove from heat and let stand about 10 minutes.

halve the peppers lengthwise, remove seeds and membranes. spoon quinoa mixture into pepper halves then place them into a skillet. add 1/2 c water and bring to boiling, then reduce the heat and simmer for a good 5 to 10 minutes til peppers are tender but still slightly firm.

cosmic goodness.

today i'm going with my mom to east texas to see my brother off to engineering school. i'll be staying at my grandparents' til sunday, which means living off boca burgers and salad and my grandma asking me stuff like "alaina would you like some of this salad? it's just chicken." i won't be able to update while i'm there because my grandpa still thinks i'm going to crash his computer by touching it but i'll post on sunday.

i wanted to try to use up some veggies we had before leaving, so for lunch i made a copy-cat dish from my favorite restaurant, the cosmic cafe. it's this great little place near downtown dallas (i think there also used to be an austin location) made out of a house and decorated east indian-style. the food is all vegetarian, some cheese, but they're very accomodating to vegans and there are always vegan desserts. there's also a meditation room upstairs!



pretty :)

recreation of i hate eggplant

1 medium eggplant, cut into chunks
3 small chopped white onions (probably about 1 medium)
1 medium yellow squash, cut into chunks
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
handful of soy mozzarella
4 whole wheat pitas
olive oil for sauteeing

heat oil in a large skillet. add eggplant, onions, squash, and garlic. sautee until onions begin to turn clear. add basil and thyme. remove from heat and serve over pitas with a sprinkle of soy mozzarella.



easy and tasty!

lazy hot days.

i woke up this morning with the amazing sensation that i have NOTHING TO DO TODAY. seriously. no work, no shopping, nothing. and since today is something like the 11th consecutive over-100 degree day, i decided to spend the day watching movies and surfing the net.
at lunch i threw together an easy stirfry for my lazy day.



lazy cajun bbq stirfry
adapted from vegweb

1/3 block firm tofu (i froze mine to get a better texture)
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 small bag frozen mixed vegetables
generous shake cajun garlic sauce
oil


heat oil in a medium skillet. cube tofu and add to the pan. fry for a few minutes until light golden brown, then add veggies. mix together bbq sauce, water, and soy sauce. turn down heat a bit and pour into pan, stirring to coat tofu and veggies. shake on cajun sauce and stir some more. serves one hungry teenage girl.

maybe later after my brain has turned into goo i'll try to finish a piece i've been working on . . .
probably not.