Without further ado....

I'm at stuck at home all day. My landlord has kept me company the majority of the day. Scrubbing and cleaning and playing with plywood and mess and a constant stream of mostly pleasant chatter.

I'm bored. There's only so much a girl can do all day in a situation like this, without resorting to sorting through the murky wet clothes and shoes and deciding what to throw out and what to keep. That is too depressing for me currently.

So. On to more fun, semi-productive things.

I found a hodgepodge of recipes I've been collecting over the past year that I have not yet tried. This blog entry will document them. I will lessen my clutter and resume blog posting. win/win.

** I did not, unfortunately, write down the source for some of these. Oops. I'll be better next time. Probably.

Peanut Butter Coconut Ice Cream
* 1 can light coconut milk (13.5 oz)
* 1/2 c maple syrup
* 1/2 c crunchy peanut butter
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 cup soy cream

Puree everything but the soy creamer in a blender until smooth. Pour into 2 ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Place 1/2 of ice cream cubes and 1/2 cup soy creamer in blender and process til smooth and creamy. Repeat with 2nd tray and remaining cream.

6 servers
305 calories/6 grams protein/18.5 grams fat/32 grams carbs/1 gram fiber/26 grams sugar


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Mimosa Biscuits
preheat oven to 350

2 1/2 c flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP finely grated orange zest
2 TBSP shortening (Earth Balance)
1/2 c champagne
1/2 c orange juice

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Work shortening into the flour mixture with the tips of your fingers, or cup using 2 knives. Add the champagne and orange juice gradually, mixing with a knife to form a soft dough ball. Roll dough until 1/2 inch thick. Cut rounds with 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Bake for 12/15 minutes. Serve with fruit compote.

Serves 12

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Grand Marnier (Vegan!) Souffle
preheat oven to 350

1 c chocolate chips
1 lb firm tofu
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4-1 c agave nectar
3-4 TBSP Grand Marnier or other liquor
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c soymilk
1/2 c unbleached white flour
1 tsp baking powder

Melt chocolate chips in a double broiler. Place remaining ingredients in a food processor, process until smooth and creamy. Add melted chocolate, process a few more moments. Pour into a lightly oiled 1 quart souffle mold or glass baking dish.
Bake until completely puffed up, about 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, serve immediately.

499 calories/16 g protein/ 16 g fat/68 g carbs/ 5 g fiber

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White or Red Sangria

1 bottle white wine, such as riesling
1/2 c grand marnier
1 lime
1 orange
1 peach
1 cup strawberries
sugar
sparkling water
~OR~
1 bottle red wine
2 TBSP Brandy
1/4 c orange juice
sugar
fruit
sparkling water

I would make a simple syrup out of vegan sugar rather than just mixing it in. Boil equal amounts sugar and water together until the sugar dissolves. Cool.
I've actually made both of these and they both turned out great.
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Okay, I'm done with this portion of recipes. I'm going to have a glass of wine and try to un-grumpify myself.

Mexico time, ya'll!

The time has finally come.
I'm done with my crazy busy work week and tomorrow I'm leaving on a jet plane!

My flight leaves at 5:30am. I have yet to figure out how to get there. The MAX line runs that early (I love public transportation in Portland!) but not from my house. I'm on a different line. So I think I'll have to take a cab to the Rose Quarter Transit Center, which will be about 3 bucks or something, and hop on the MAX from there.

I'm taking car parts with me, in my suitcase.

So, I will arrive in Veracruz at 5:50pm. That's 3:50pm Portland time. 10 hours. Not too bad. Abby and her dear deported hubby Isnardo (Nardo, for short) will pick me up, and then we will commence the 6 day 5 night festivities. They live in a tiny town called Luma de Guadalupe, which is close to Cordoba. Here is a map.


View Larger Map

I will take many pictures, and have quite an adventurous time finding vegan food to eat, and will go exploring and hiking and to ruins and to beaches and meet Abby's bird, Capitan and drink cervesas and meet her extended family and play and pretty much encapsulate the word "Vacation."
I'm not sure if that's the correct usage of encapsulate, but I like it like that.

Also, Nardo's 2 best friends John and Jeff are coming down 2 days after I do, so we'll have lots of adventures!

Abby tells me people keep asking, "Where's the gringa? When is the gringa arriving?" :)

I can't wait!

I'll be back Sunday night around 11:30 pm, so until then, bye bye to computers and phones and internets and all that jazz. Hello, Vacation!

Vegadilla

Check this out. The Ale House was running a Quesadilla special yesterday for lunch.

I veganized it.

What you see is:
--housemade salsa. slightly spicy, just the right consisitancy.
--chips.
--black beans, spinach, tomatoes, olives, green chilis, onions, jalepenos and lettuce in a tortilla and heated.
--spicy tofu-cashew cream sauce on top

This was such an amazing lunch. I sometimes have qualms with working at a place that serves meat, but I do love that we offer some amazing vegan options, even if I have to piece them together sometimes. Without the cheese, everyone asked how it would hold together. That's what they ask about pizza too. And I tell them, "It just works." I mean, yeah, it gets a little messy, but it's so freakin' good and I don't even miss the cheese! And this is coming from a girl who loves bean and cheese burritos so much she might pick 'em over her mom if given the choice... just kidding, mom! :)



Just looking at this picture make me wish I had another one right now. Yum.

Mint and Gravy

Going through my random pictures from November, I found these two I thought I'd share.

This one is a spicy and fruity martini made at Mint/820 Lounge on Russell Ave, one block from my house.The owner, Lucy Brennan, is probably the most famous mixologist in Portland. She's written at least one book, and is known all over town, primarily for her avocado daiquiri, which I still have never tried. She's also known for being a sugar nazi--the bartenders have to rim all the martini glasses *just so* and line them up evenly along the bar. If they fail to do it correctly, she makes them do it again.

Regardless, it's a fun place, and there are delicious yummy sweet potatoe fries on happy hour.

This one is my breakfast at Gravy a month or so ago--wasn't too hungry, so ordered a side of hashbrowns and a (housemade) soy sausage.

Oh my gosh. HUGE. I know, right? I don't know if you can quite tell how big these hashbrowns are. They're the size of my head. The soy sausage patty was delicious. The hashbrowns were delicious too, but way too much for me. When I came here, I asked for a vegan bloody mary, and they couldn't help out. I did have a mimosa though!
A Bloody Mary is not vegan (or even vegetarian) because worchester sauce is a common ingredient, in mixes and when made fresh. I always think that in Portland, bloody mary's would be made fresh and I could have one, anchovy-free. It rarely happens though.

Anyhoo, I had a delicious lunch today at work, and I'll post a picture of that soon.

A Vegan Thanksgiving

A Vegan (of course) Thanksgiving with the family:

Tofurky. (Mik/Turtle Island)

Stuffing (Ahi)


Cranberry Sauce (Mik)


Mashed Potatoes (Ahi), Gravy (Mik/Turtle Island), and Jalepeno Hush Puppies (Mik)


Braised Cajun Greens (Mik)


Almond-Ginger Pumpkin Pie (Me)
Sparkling Cider (Martinelli's)

Yum! It was delicious and filling and fun. Thanks to Craig Steele for reminding me to put these pictures up. Wish you could have been there! :)