Gah, where have you guys been!?

Oh wait, this is *my* blog, I’m the one who’s supposed to show up regularly and share content, huh? My apologies, and can I just say, being a food blogger without a kitchen is the pits! The good news though is that I have like 80% of a kitchen. Enough to cook in!

I got my counter tops last week, which means all I’m waiting on now is the backsplash, and teeny tiny little details like cabinet and drawer hardware and toe kick. 

Introducing my gorgeous new granite….

And my ridiculously ugly back-splash… 

I haven’t decided what I’m going to replace it with, but I’m thinking it’ll be light gray tile. Mini subway tiles? Hexagonal tiles? Who knows? I still have to bust out the old tile then repair the walls and paint anyway, so I have time to decide. And yes, I am installing the back-splash myself! I will definitely keep you posted on that adventure, haha!

And! I actually cooked this weekend! I made an amazing Buffalo Tofu Quinoa Veggie thing that isn’t properly named yet, but I did take pictures and plan to blog it as soon as I get the pics edited. An unfortunate side effect of my recent breakup is that I lost my photographer and all his fancy equipment, so I’m kind of starting over in that department, so please don’t be too judgey. 

What else have I been up to? Mixing drinks, like this other recipe that’s coming soon:

Citrus, peach, and strawberry are the flavors. And vodka. Lots and lots of vodka. 

Speaking of vodka, I’ve also been up to this (that’s my favoritest niece Gaby in the background- we have our own little all-girl biker gang going):

She came out for a long weekend to help me get settled in and we had a blast, even when we weren’t drinking 🙂

See you soon with new recipes!

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So, one surprising and unintended byproduct of tracking my reading this way is that, each month, I’m saying to myself “Holy crap where did that last month go!?” It’s a little funny but also annoying. I don’t want to be reminded of how quickly time passes! 

Anyway, I’m much more settled into my new place now, and feel entitled to set aside more time for reading going forward. I read 4 books plus the Little House collection of 9 children’s books. So we can call it 5 I guess?

 Here’s what I read in March:

• The Little House Collection by Laura Ingalls Wilder … These books really are a comforting reminder of my childhood. And also of how much easier life is these days! When I decided to move across the country, I called some movers, I didn’t have to pack everything I owned into a covered wagon and fight off bandits and horse thieves and Native Americans along with the way. There are things about the books that, as an adult, I’m uncomfortable with. I’d say that Pa is controlling and bordering on some kind of personality disorder, and it’s almost abusive the way he’s constantly forcing his family to move against their will. And Ma is just racist, no two ways about it. I know, I know… “It was a different time!” It’s still awkward to read those passages. Overall though, these books still get 2 thumbs up. The Long Winter is my favorite one, hands down. 
• Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer …  I first read this book years and years ago. I can’t even remember when. Then in January I read Carine’s book The Wild Truth which documented the violent childhood she and Chris endured, which made me watch the movie and then re-read Into the Wild. Well. I still think it’s an amazing book and a great story, but it was SO FRUSTRATING reading the thoughts and opinions of his parents, who I now believe have zero right to have their views expressed. Bad, violent, abusive people. Granted, Carine was still attempting to repair her relationship with them at the time Krakauer was writing this book and it was at HER request that he represent their family in a positive light (I know this from reading her book), but knowing what I now know it all just rang so false and disappointing. It also makes me sad for Chris’ memory- that so many people don’t know the truth of his childhood and don’t understand the reason he (probably) did what he did, so they judge him and blame his death on stupidity and irresponsibility. Very frustrating. I’m still giving it 5 stars on Goodreads because it’s not the book (or Krakauer’s) fault that the whole story couldn’t be told at the time. I wish he could re-release the book with an updated story line…?
• Talk Talk by TC Boyle … Loved it! I really enjoy his writing, and have loved every book of his that I’ve read. The main character, a young deaf woman named Dana, has her identity stolen and her life nearly ruined. In an attempt to clear her name, she and her boyfriend take off across country tracking the thief. It’s written from her pov, as well as those of her boyfriend and the thief himself. My favorite parts were those written by the thief, you really get to know him. I wish the ending had been different, but overall it was great. It did, however, make me a bit paranoid about having my identity stolen!!
• The First Bad Man by Miranda July … I’m kind of at a loss, trying to describe this book. It’s insane. The main character is insane. But I sort of felt like I understood her, at least part of the time. The funny thing is though, I can’t think of a single person I would recommend this book to. It was so… odd. And kind of disturbing. I realize I’m not doing a very good job describing it, but I really don’t know what to say. If you’re curious, click through to goodreads and check out some of the reviews. Definitely the strangest book I’ve ever read. 
• The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel … Please don’t laugh at me for reading this. I loved (LOVED!) it when I was like 12. And the movie? Oh man. If I thought I would’ve made a good pioneer girl, well lets just say I would’ve been one badass Neanderthal 😉  Seriously though, great book. Simply written, but very touching. Now I want to look on Netflix for some documentaries about how neanderthals and cro magnon man interacted.

Books for April 2015

• Loving Frank by Nancy Horan … I’m a huge fan of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work, and of his love story with Mamah Borthwick Cheney. There’s just something about star-crossed lovers that always gets me! This one is actually a re-read, and I’m looking forward to it a lot.
• Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer … Yes, another Krakauer book. For those of you who don’t remember, Pat Tillman was a highly paid NFL player who left the game to join the army following 9/11, and was later killed in Afghanistan. If it’s as well written as his others, I think I’m gonna love it. 
• Stuffocation by James Wallman … This book takes a look at the value of stuff (accumulating posessions) vs. actual experiences… and is very highly recommended. 
• The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World’s Favorite Board Game by Mary Pilon … Who knew there was so much drama behind the creation of my favorite childhood game??
• Gray Mountain by John Grisham … Stop judging me!! I’m allowed to read mindless fiction once in a while, aren’t I? 😉

 Want more? Check out what I read in January and February!

And tell me what YOU’RE reading! 

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Artichokes are one of those veggies that scream summer to me. As in “Put me on the grill and then dip me in some vegan aioli, please!” Of course, in that scenario they look more like this… 

But, it’s not summer yet. And it snowed yesterday (!) so I can barely even call it spring… although it’s supposed to hit 80 this weekend, so who really knows? In the meantime, in order to get a quick artichoke fix, let’s talk about Vegan Lemony Artichoke Pasta, made with the also-delicious artichoke hearts!

This recipe was inspired by a dish I ate a few times in Steamboat Springs at this little Italian restaurant where you had to descend the narrowest of staircases to reach it. This was years ago, when I was vegetarian so I’m not sure if the original was vegan (nor do I remember the name of the restaurant, although it was on their main street). All I remember is that it was delicious, and that the menu described it as being made with artichoke hearts, lemon, and white wine. So that’s what I did!  It’s really a very simple recipe and will be perfect for evenings when you maybe don’t feel like grilling or steaming your artichokes, haha! 

Lemony Artichoke Pasta

2015-03-25 15:40:46

Serves 4

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Ingredients

1. 3/4 lb dry campanelle pasta
2. 3 tablespoons olive oil
3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
4. 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 3/4 cup crisp white wine (I used a pinot grigio because yum!)
7. Zest and juice of one lemon
8. 12 oz jar of artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
9. 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
10. 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Instructions

1. Cook pasta per package instructions.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan, medium-high heat. Saute the garlic with the crushed red pepper and salt 4-5 minutes, then add the wine, lemon, milk, and artichoke hearts. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. When the pasta is done toss it with the sauce in the saute pan. Top with fresh basil before serving!

By Barb@ThatWasVegan

That Was Vegan? https://www.thatwasvegan.com/

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Located on the western edge of the San Luis Valley and on the Continental Divide Trail, the Peace of Art Cafe is a must stop for anyone traveling along CO 160. Traveling between the front range and Southwestern Colorado? Heading to Wolf Creek for some amazing powder, or to anywhere else in the area for the wondrous natural beauty? This is on your way!

I made my first visit on the way home from a weekend in Pagosa Springs, back in 2012(??), and then again this past fall after camping Saguache County (and then taking the scenic route through Lake City and Creede). Even if you’re not specifically looking for the place, it’s hard to miss…

 Especially if you’re thinking to yourself “Man I wish there was a vegan restaurant around here somewhere…” 

We were there just before lunchtime, and we knew this would be the last stop before the long push back to Denver (close to 4 hours), so we took this opportunity to pack our bellies with some healthy, delicious food!

I had the Vegan Breakfast Burrito, full of tofu scramble and smothered in green chile. It was served with fresh avocado and strawberries on the side. 

He had a veggie and hummus sandwich (not sure what it was called, but it was vegan!) and it came with chips and a really good quinoa salad, lots of flavor!

Not pictured? 2 glasses of wine and a vegan cookie. They have a pretty good wine, beer and booze selection, as well as lots of baked goods. They also have a fun shop (the Organic Peddler) which is great fun to browse through, and they sell everything from packaged foods to clothes. Know what else they have? A dog friendly walking area, and even a hostel and inn if you decide you want to stay a few days!

If you’re planning a trip down that way, please check them out. If the weather is nice they have a great little outdoor seating area, and plenty of food to choose from (even for those crazy non-vegan folks, haha!)

Want more Denver-area restaurant reviews? Check out my Mile High Vegan Eats page!

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How’s my kitchen, you ask? Getting there! In fact, the cabinets are (almost all) in, and the counter top has been ordered and I’m planning to actually cook this weekend, so get ready for lots of great new recipes. In the meantime I have another redo for your eyes – My Really Quite Popular & Delicious Vegan Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup! So thick and creamy and yummmm!

Go check out the original post and recipe here, then get your butt in the kitchen (assuming that you, unlike me, have a fully functioning one of those) and make this damn soup!

Or, if you find yourself craving something a bit more handheld, you could also whip up some of my Broccoli Cheese Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwiches! 

I honestly feel like you’ll be happy either way! 

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Delicious Beans, Grains, and One-Pot Meals in Minutes? Yes please! 

I ❤ JL (as do most people – I’m just lucky enough to be friendsies with her IRL) and was so excited when she first announced her cookbook deal. How excited? Well I ran right out and bought a pressure cooker just so I could be on her recipe testing team! 

I was a bit nervous, I’ll admit. I had never used a PC before and had only heard the horror stories circa 1970’s. Today’s pressure cookers are much better and totally safe of course… but I was also nervous because this was a totally new way of cooking for me. What do you mean I can cook beans from scratch in minutes? And everything in one pot? And I don’t need to leave it running all day like the crock pot? I was suspicious but it turns out that it was all true! I made so many quick and delicious meals, it was amazing. If you’re a fan of cooking from scratch or of bulk cooking, this is the tool for you!

And this gorgeous cookbook! So many delicious recipes. I’m sharing the recipe for Chik’n Lentil Noodle Soup (pictured above), and of course giving away a copy of the book itself. You can also pick up a copy here, in case you aren’t the lucky winner. Soups, chilis, casseroles, even a recipe for seitan… there’s something for everyone!

 The Giveaway

One lucky reader will win a copy of Vegan Pressure Cooking: Delicious Beans, Grains, and One-Pot Meals in Minutes by JL Fields! To enter, leave a comment below sharing what you think about bulk cooking at the beginning of the week. Do you love it? What’s your favorite thing to make? You can also score extra entry points with some fun Twitter options. Contest ends March 15th at midnight (mountain time). One winner will be chosen at random and announced the following day. Be sure and log your comment into the Rafflecopter to make it count! Open to residents of US and Canada only, good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Beautiful, sticky, delicious, spicy, vegan Korean BBQ Seitan! And knowing that I was going to pair it with the sweet sugar peas and coconut rice gave me all the confidence I needed to make the bbq sauce extra spicy!

So. SO.

I’m in the new condo. Parts of it are great and look like this:

Aaaaand parts of it basically still look like this:

The rest is somewhere in between. I’m just waiting on that magical email from Home Depot to appear in my inbox. The one that reads “Your cabinet will arrive tomorrow!”.

Yes, you read that right. Cabinet. Singular. As in, I have everything I need except for one, stinkin’ cabinet. That’s all that’s holding up my new kitchen being installed. Well, the cabinets at least. THEN I have to have the counter guys come and measure and then I’ll wait for that final piece. I haven’t even decided what material or color I’m going for with my counter top. I’m thinking something with a hint of green, and definitely a solid surface, but I’m still hung up on concrete vs. something manufactured like Corian and the like. Then, after that there’s the backsplash to be chosen and the floor to be installed, oh and I’ll need to paint and choose window treatments and I think maybe some new lighting fixtures and did I mention that I might remodel the pantry as well?

Yah. Welcome to my panic attack. All so I can cook up more pretty little dishes to share with you, my fabulous interweb friends 🙂 

Okay I feel better now. Thank you for letting me get that off my chest, haha! And speaking of feelings… I’m sure you all know Angie of Angie Eats Peace. She did a guest blogger spot for me last year when I was traveling, and she’s just an amazing person. Well she started a second blog called Spiritual Bahana which is all about spirituality. She does a piece called Spiritual Sidebar where she interviews other peeps about their spirituality, and this week it was my turn! So please go check it out and let us know what you think! Share your thoughts on spirituality!

Back to cooking. I really, really can’t wait to have a functioning kitchen again. I miss cooking! I miss everything that goes into recipe creation, even the failures. I miss filling myself up with sauvignon blanc and taking strange, flavorful chances that sometimes end in flashes of culinary genius luck! 

And I miss Korean food. There are plenty of Korean restaurants in Denver, but not any (that I know of) serving up the seitan. 

Interested in more Korean recipes, veganized? How about some Creamy Kimchi Pasta with Bacon, or Korean BBQ Chickpea Tacos? How about a Korean BBQ and Kimchi Pizza?

Korean BBQ Seitan with Sugar Snap Peas

2015-03-04 09:25:31

Serves 4

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

10 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

1. 2 loaves of homemade seitan sliced into thin strips
2. 1-2 tablespoons Korean hot pepper paste (Gochujang)
3. 3 tablespoons soy sauce
4. 1 tablespoon sesame oil
5. 3 tablespoons brown sugar
6. 2 tablespoons water
7. 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
8. 1 teaspoon minced garlic
9. 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
10. Additional sesame or hot chili oil for frying
11. 3 cups frozen sugar snap peas
12. 1 batch Coconut Jasmine Rice (recipe below)

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the pepper paste, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, brown sugar, water, vinegar, garlic and onion. Add the seitan and stir until coated. If you have time, let this marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes (although it's not necessary).
2. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium. When hot add the seitan strips, cooking 3-4 minutes on each side. You want them to get crispy and for the sauce to sort of caramelize, but don't let them burn. I like to spoon a bit of the remaining sauce into the pan as well- makes it extra sticky and flavorful! Pour the snap peas in for the last couple minutes, making sure to add some sauce to stir over them as well.
3. When everything is done, serve hot with the coconut jasmine rice.

By Barb@ThatWasVegan

That Was Vegan? https://www.thatwasvegan.com/

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Another month of reading flew by! Well, and also I was so busy getting the condo ready to move into, so I didn’t get to read as much as I had hoped. Oh well, such is life! 

Here’s what I read in February:

•  West of Sunset by Stewart O’Nan … I’m still madly in (book) love with O’Nan, I can’t lie. I really enjoyed this book although it wasn’t my favorite of his. Not even top five, but it was really good. And I learned a lot about F. Scott Fitzgerald (and have vowed to add The Great Gatsby to my reading list!). West of Sunset focused on the last three years of his life. Deeply in debt, no longer recognized for the literary genius he was, and with a wife in a mental institution, Scott pushed on and even managed to find love again. The ending was sad (even though I knew he would die), and it made me want to learn even more about his life. I think that’s what a good book does – teaches you something and leaves you wanting more!
• How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran … This was highly recommended to me, and I can see why. I loved it! It was funny and sad and inspiring and uncomfortable-making. All those things, rolled into one. It was about a teenage girl, growing up in poverty outside London in the 90’s, who completely reinvents herself. She gives herself a new name and persona, drops out of school and gets a career. She “builds a girl”, hence the name. But the girl she built is flawed, and not quite who she wants to be. It’s full of foul language and sex so if you’re offended by that sort of thing, this isn’t the book for you. I personally love foul language and sex tho, haha, so I really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to reading more by Caitlin Moran!
• The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters … Judging from what I’ve read via reviews, this is the least popular of Waters’ books, and a lot of people were unhappy with it, especially the pace. They seemed to feel it took too long to get to the actual action of the story, but I LOVED it! I’m a patient reader, and I appreciate being given the time to get to know a character. Frances Wray and her genteel mother have been forced to take in lodgers, in post WW1 London to pay the bills. I don’t want to give away too many details, but there’s romance, sex, murder… and a surprising ending. I really thought it was going to end differently! I thought this book was great, and now I’m really excited to read more by her!
• Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America by Linda Tirado … I was a little disappointed in this book. It was okay, and about an important topic, but I felt like she just kept saying the same thing over and over again. I had loved the excerpt I read on Slate, but now I think that was simply the best part of the book. Bummer.
• 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam … I may have MORE time, but I still didn’t have ENOUGH time to read this book. Oh well!  

I’d say this was a successful month of reading. I was reacquainted I loved three of the four books I managed to actually read, and given the move and all the work I had to do, the fact that I read that much is a minor miracle!

You can see what I read in January, and check out my total progress on goodreads… Friend me if you’re on there!

Books for March 2015

• The Little House Collection by Laura Ingalls Wilder … Yes, this is 9 books but it’ll take me like a week. I re-read this series every winter from the same falling-apart set my grandparents gave me when I was a little girl. I’ve done it every year for as long as I can remember, usually in February or March. I’m SUCH a creature of habit, but there’s something so simple and innocent about these books, and of course they remind me of my own childhood. I think I would’ve made a pretty badass pioneer! Anyway, I have this rule that I need to read it while it’s still cold and (hopefully!) snowy out, so it’s now or never! Plus it’ll be nice to bring this old tradition to my new place right away!
• The First Bad Man by Miranda July … I discovered this book on Pinterest. I’d never heard of Miranda July before but apparently she’s quite famous. This book is described as “…dazzling, disorienting, and unforgettable.” It’s about a tightly wound woman who might be a little crazy… haha, that could be me, no? 
• Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer … I’ve already read this book but after reading his sister’s story of their violently abusive childhoods back in January, I want to re-read it. 
• Talk Talk by TC Boyle … My love for TC Boyle was reignited in January when I read The Tortilla Curtain (read my thoughts on that book here), and I added a few more of his titles to my wait list with the library, and this was the first one that came available! It’s about a woman on trial for a list of crimes she absolutely didn’t commit- in fact, her identity had been stolen. Goodreads describes it as “… a thrilling road trip across America and a moving story about language, love, and identity…”. The woman is deaf, and she and her boyfriend set out on their own to find the criminal and clear her name. I love the way Boyle writes, so I expect to really enjoy this book.

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If all has gone well, by the time you’re reading this I officially live in my new place 🙂 I’m also without a kitchen… which means another installment of What I Eat When I’m Not Blogging… which you guys seemed to enjoy the first round of. 

Because of the impending move, I spent much of the last month trying to clean out my pantry and freezer, so prepare for some randomness!

I ate lots of salads… some times with a an english muffin on the side, simply to use them up!

 Salad… EB Mac n’ Cheese… and a Tofurky sausage! 

I had some vegan bacon to use up so I made a round of my Amazing Raspberry, Pear and Bacon Grilled Cheese! 

 I skipped the pantry and went to Native Foods for their Thai Meatball Bowl!

 And one I even grilled some veggies when it was nice out!

 I found some vegan chik’n taquitos in the back of my freezer, that was a nice surprise!

And some Beyond Meat crumbles too! These made amazing soft tacos, along with some rice and a salad…

There was some leftover Cajun Meatloaf from Happy Herbivore with a baked potato, roasted beets and a side salad: 

 I used up a box of rotini with sliced tofurky sausage, frozen spinach, and Daiya! (talk about cleaning out the pantry and freezer, amirite!?)

A “Tortilla Burger” made with a frozen Amy’s patty, along with a few Alexia onion rings (vegan and delicious!) and steamed broccoli:

Who says grilled cheese is just for lunch? I made a Breakfast Grilled Cheese by adding bacon and a squirt of maple syrup:

And last but not least… BBQ Chick’n Seitan, steamed kale, a side salad with Follow Your Heart vegan ranch, and more of that yummy Earth Balance MNC!

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