Yesterday I made a really, really delicious mushroom soup from Sarah Kramer's fun La Dolce Vegan. I added some garlic chives from the Mt. P farmer's market, which were very tasty. The recipe calls for lots of tamari, paprika, and dill- which made for a great flavor combination. At the end I used my immersion blender to mix it all up with some soy milk, and it was a rich, creamy soup. I'm glad I doubled the recipe to make some for freezing!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
on golden pond (mushroom soup)
Yesterday I made a really, really delicious mushroom soup from Sarah Kramer's fun La Dolce Vegan. I added some garlic chives from the Mt. P farmer's market, which were very tasty. The recipe calls for lots of tamari, paprika, and dill- which made for a great flavor combination. At the end I used my immersion blender to mix it all up with some soy milk, and it was a rich, creamy soup. I'm glad I doubled the recipe to make some for freezing!
fresh juice (use what you got)
Friday's fresh 'use what you got' juice was a good combination of a carrot, a hunk of ginger, a pear and an apple. It was bright, invigorating, and straightforward. Just what I was looking for in an afternoon snack.
smoothie (use what you got)
Yesterday's 'use what you got smoothie' was comprised of a half of an avocado, a kiwi, some OJ, ice, a few chunks of frozen banana, vanilla protein powder, and some agave. It was surprisingly good!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
pho (liquified)
Hey, fellow Columbia Heights/Mt. P folks- I finally checked out the new pho place on Park Rd., Pho 14. Unfortunately, for you, I didn't have my camera with me, so I don't have a beautiful pho-to for you. Instead you get stuck with a photo of me looking mischevious taken with my friend's camera phone at the restaurant. Sorry abut that... 
Anyhow, the pho... It was great! And they have vegetarian pho, which isn't particularly easy to come by. When I asked our server if she could blend it up for me, she said 'sure, I'd be happy to do that for you.' But I guess she got overrode, because a little while later a dude came to the table and explained that because they used the blender for smoothies, they couldn't possibly blend my soup in it. (What? Don't they have soap and water?) But he wasn't going to change his mind, and I was seated with 3 friends, and really, really didn't just want to have the broth. I wanted the tofu, and veggies, and rice noodles... all of it. So I ran home (5 mins) and got my immersion blender, and broght it back, and let the kitchen borrow it to puree my soup. Maybe crazy, maybe a great idea, you decide (I blame it on being SO over the whole jaw wired thing). Anyhow, when they eventually brought the blended version, it was really tasty! I have to admit, the non-blended version looked better- with the big chunks of lightly fried tofu and steamed veggies floating around in it. But with a little hot sauce, the blended version was all that I needed it to be. And, as an added major bonus, they have really delicious avocado smoothies. On the down side: no wine, and you can't byob. Argh. Bu all in all, a nice addition to the nieghborhood. Just don't forget your immersion blender if you can only drink through a straw...
OK, I'm going to enjoy the sound of the thunderstorm now.
Anyhow, the pho... It was great! And they have vegetarian pho, which isn't particularly easy to come by. When I asked our server if she could blend it up for me, she said 'sure, I'd be happy to do that for you.' But I guess she got overrode, because a little while later a dude came to the table and explained that because they used the blender for smoothies, they couldn't possibly blend my soup in it. (What? Don't they have soap and water?) But he wasn't going to change his mind, and I was seated with 3 friends, and really, really didn't just want to have the broth. I wanted the tofu, and veggies, and rice noodles... all of it. So I ran home (5 mins) and got my immersion blender, and broght it back, and let the kitchen borrow it to puree my soup. Maybe crazy, maybe a great idea, you decide (I blame it on being SO over the whole jaw wired thing). Anyhow, when they eventually brought the blended version, it was really tasty! I have to admit, the non-blended version looked better- with the big chunks of lightly fried tofu and steamed veggies floating around in it. But with a little hot sauce, the blended version was all that I needed it to be. And, as an added major bonus, they have really delicious avocado smoothies. On the down side: no wine, and you can't byob. Argh. Bu all in all, a nice addition to the nieghborhood. Just don't forget your immersion blender if you can only drink through a straw...OK, I'm going to enjoy the sound of the thunderstorm now.
Monday, May 4, 2009
portland, or (yes, through a straw...)
So my faithful blog followers (of which I'm sure there are at least one or two of you out there!?), you are wondering where I have been? Well, I've been in the beautiful and wonderful city of Portland, OR! Ok, ok... so I know that one of the central concepts of blogging is that it travels to where the action is, which for me and my straws was in Portland this past weekend. But something else happened to me as a result of my bike accident, and that was the increased desire to spend as much time as possible living completely in the present. So I decided to leave the internets behind for my quick trip to Portland. Now that I'm back, I bring you Portland's veg. straw food, and let me tell you, it was spectacular!
Shortly after my arrival at the wonderful Ace Hotel, I headed out for a stroll in the sun, on a mission for a delicious soup, particularly hungry after the long journey and utter lack of food I could consume along the way (besides a Naked smoothie at the airport.) My first soup was at the "Savor" food cart. For those of you who have not been, Portland has the most wonderful street food vendors of any (US) city I have ever been to. There is so, so much delicious fresh, cheap local food. I was blown away.
Savor didn't have any totally pureed soups on the menu that day, so they heated up some of the previous day's roasted red pepper soup, special for me. It, and the ecotainer it came in, was perfect.
That night I had dinner over at my friend Dan and Robin's house, and was treated to a wonderful homemade potato leek soup, made with fresh grass fed goat's milk. It was out of this world. (We even got to visit the goat's that afternoon, and I have to say they are the happiest, most adorable goats I've ever met!)
The next day, I started out my day with a nearly perfect soy latte from Stumptown Coffee Roasters, which is connected to the Ace. I know I'm gushing a lot in this post, but I can't help but gush, so here I go again... Stumptown's latte was sooooooooo good!
Lunch later that day, was soup from another street vendor, this time the "Spoon" cart. Spoon had delicious fresh tomato basil soup that, once again, was phenomenal. For real. Tasty bits of perfectly ripe tomatoes, and lots of fresh basil. This wasn't your mamma's tomato soup. (And while my mom makes the best grilled cheese in the world, I just was never into the Campbell's tomato soup she'd try to make me have with it.)
My last meal in Portland was soup and wine at the classy 23 Hoyt, where my friend Robin's sister works. The restaurant is beautiful, and is committed to local seasonal produce, and sustainability. I had two bowls of their spicy asparagus soup- it was so delectable, just one wouldn't do.
In sum, I <3 PORTLAND, and Portland through a straw is fabulous! And hey, the people aren't bad either. Especially all of those bikers... thanks for the inspiration.
Shortly after my arrival at the wonderful Ace Hotel, I headed out for a stroll in the sun, on a mission for a delicious soup, particularly hungry after the long journey and utter lack of food I could consume along the way (besides a Naked smoothie at the airport.) My first soup was at the "Savor" food cart. For those of you who have not been, Portland has the most wonderful street food vendors of any (US) city I have ever been to. There is so, so much delicious fresh, cheap local food. I was blown away.
Savor didn't have any totally pureed soups on the menu that day, so they heated up some of the previous day's roasted red pepper soup, special for me. It, and the ecotainer it came in, was perfect.
That night I had dinner over at my friend Dan and Robin's house, and was treated to a wonderful homemade potato leek soup, made with fresh grass fed goat's milk. It was out of this world. (We even got to visit the goat's that afternoon, and I have to say they are the happiest, most adorable goats I've ever met!)The next day, I started out my day with a nearly perfect soy latte from Stumptown Coffee Roasters, which is connected to the Ace. I know I'm gushing a lot in this post, but I can't help but gush, so here I go again... Stumptown's latte was sooooooooo good!
Lunch later that day, was soup from another street vendor, this time the "Spoon" cart. Spoon had delicious fresh tomato basil soup that, once again, was phenomenal. For real. Tasty bits of perfectly ripe tomatoes, and lots of fresh basil. This wasn't your mamma's tomato soup. (And while my mom makes the best grilled cheese in the world, I just was never into the Campbell's tomato soup she'd try to make me have with it.)
My last meal in Portland was soup and wine at the classy 23 Hoyt, where my friend Robin's sister works. The restaurant is beautiful, and is committed to local seasonal produce, and sustainability. I had two bowls of their spicy asparagus soup- it was so delectable, just one wouldn't do.
In sum, I <3 PORTLAND, and Portland through a straw is fabulous! And hey, the people aren't bad either. Especially all of those bikers... thanks for the inspiration.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
soup (extravaganza!)
Oh, man. So tonight I got really crazy with the soups. I decided I wanted to make one with the beautiful, seasonal organic leeks I had, but then I also really wanted to make one with Ventura's Thai curry pesto that was calling out to me from my fridge. And the two just couldn't come together in my mind... So I decided that since I was going to trash my kitchen making one soup, I might as well simultaneously make another one as well.
First soup was leek and mushroom.
I used reconstituted dried shitakes that I can get for pretty darn cheap at my local supermarket. (And then I used the mushroom soaking liquid as the broth- always delicious!) There was also some thyme, some Braggs, some white wine, and verious other good stuff. I drizzled a little truffle oil on top, and also put some minced parsely on Katie's. It turned out really earthy and filling. Missing a hint of something, but I'm not sure what...
Next was my Thai inspired soup!
I satueed some of Ventura's thai curry pesto, then added (in no particular order) coconut milk, cooked sweet potato, cooked peas, cooked rice noodles, jalepeno, some broth... (and, naturally pureed it all at the end...) All of this made for a really, really tasty and dynamic soup. It seriously lit up parts of my mouth I had all but forgotten about. Cheers to that.
First soup was leek and mushroom.
I used reconstituted dried shitakes that I can get for pretty darn cheap at my local supermarket. (And then I used the mushroom soaking liquid as the broth- always delicious!) There was also some thyme, some Braggs, some white wine, and verious other good stuff. I drizzled a little truffle oil on top, and also put some minced parsely on Katie's. It turned out really earthy and filling. Missing a hint of something, but I'm not sure what...
Next was my Thai inspired soup!
I satueed some of Ventura's thai curry pesto, then added (in no particular order) coconut milk, cooked sweet potato, cooked peas, cooked rice noodles, jalepeno, some broth... (and, naturally pureed it all at the end...) All of this made for a really, really tasty and dynamic soup. It seriously lit up parts of my mouth I had all but forgotten about. Cheers to that.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
charlie brown (through a straw)
Growing up, one of our local ice cream places made a flavor of ice cream called "charlie brown." It was my sister Jen's favorite. It was chocolate based, and had thick swirls of peanut butter running through it. Tonight, I made a "peanut butter chocolate smoothie." Oddly enough, the recipe was in an ad in one of the Shape magazines my good friend Jacqui Stafford, Shape's wonderful style director, sent me while I was recovering. It was ABSOLUTELY delicious! Really, really, really! Here is my version: into a blender put about a cup of chocolate soy milk, 4-5 ice cubes, 2 T of creamy natural peanut putter, and 1/2 sliced frozen banana (whenever I have bananas that are about to get too ripe i slice 'em up and put them in a container in the freezer). I also added a scoop of chocolate protein powder and a scoop of fiber powder, but these are non-essential. The end result was like a chocolate peanut butter sundae through a straw.
And the best part was that the peanut butter didn't totally blend, so I'd occasionally slurp up a smooth ribbon of peanut butter encased in chocolate. Yes, folks- this one is a keeper!
And the best part was that the peanut butter didn't totally blend, so I'd occasionally slurp up a smooth ribbon of peanut butter encased in chocolate. Yes, folks- this one is a keeper!
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