Success!

Well, Modified Style was a huge success. Pictures to come later. I'm exhausted and have a lot of cleaning to do! 30 designers, 27 models, and 6 hair and make-up artists spending 4 hours at your place getting ready will sure a make a mess.

The designers did simply an outstanding job--I was totally blown away. The models strutted their stuff like professional models-they did SO good!

And next year will be even better!

Sunday Recap (before I BROKE my camera!)

I was at the Boiler Room and The Tube the other night, and wasn't even drinking (much), and just dropped my camera onto the floor of the Tube... now the lens/shutter thing is stuck out. I need to take it in for a repair, but haven't had time, yet!

So, here's some pictures of Sunday before I dropped my trusty companion:

I biked up to John and Garrett's house at Killingsworth and 60th. John worked in the garden while Garrett and I moved racks and pans and baking ingredients back into the Back to Eden Bakery. I did a lot of dishes.

That's the bakery, with a shot of my mimosa in there. :) For those who are wondering, the bakery itself is a commercial-grade bakery, attached to their house, and the storefront, where all the goods are going to be sold, is located at Alberta and 22nd.

Back to Eden is on Facebook and Twitter, come find us!

I rode down to the park by Rob's house, where a group of us all played frisbee for awhile before all biking off to Hopworks Brewpub on Powell on 29th.

I got this beer sample to share with Craig. They do have pretty good vegan options there, like vegan pizza, sandwiches, veggies, and pita. I ate some veggies and hummus,which was alright. I really liked the IPA the best and Rob likes their Survival 7-grain stout. I think it's his absolute favorite of any beers. Listen to the description:

Beer of the Ancients! Barley (Egyptian), Wheat (Mesopotamian), Oats (Egyptian), Amaranth (Aztec), Quinoa (Incan), Spelt (Mesopotamian), and Kamut (Egyptian) sustain the soul with a nutrients cultivated through the millennia. Finished with 15 pounds of cold-pressed Stumptown Hairbender espresso. Unlock the mystery entombed in darkness.

5.3% ABV

15 Degrees Plato

35 IBU

Wow, huh?!

I went to the bathroom before we left, and guess what it says in there?

Cool, huh? It's nice to have a reaffirming statement written in mirror-code when you go out for a beer. :)

We all parted ways after that. I arrived home and promptly napped. I think I had biked about 15 or 16 miles by this time, at least.

After I made some tamale pie (I'm trying not to eat wheat this week--it's definitely making me think outside the box! I'm kind of enjoying the challenge.) I headed down to the Boiler Room. My friend Chester (her first name is Melissa, but we all just call her by her last name) was back in town for a week.

Isn't she adorable?!

We all sang and danced.


I think this was to Copacabana, which, I just found out, is a really sad song! I kind of wanted to cry.

Then a group of us headed to Tube, which has an amazing happy hour, but we had just missed it. I'm coming back for the vegan ham and cheese sandwiches! Soon!!!!!!!!

Here's Rob, taking the obligatory picture of himself:

Everytime we go out, or sometimes when we're just pallin' around, he whips out my camera and takes about a jillion pictures of himself, all from different angles, usually making silly-putty type faces.

He's quite funny. :)


Okay, well, I've made some yummy recipes the last few days for Tami's cookbook, but can't take pictures. Augh!

I made 3 pepper hummus, which is ultra-spicy, and ultra-delicious.
Hashbrowns for Rob and I yesterday morning. Mmmmmm. Potatoes for breakfast are a rare treat for me, and they were worth it!
And, finally, CRISPY BOTTOMED PEANUT BUTER PIE.

Oh my word. I think this may be the most decadent delicious dessert, ever. Seriously. You will have to buy her cookbook just for this one recipe.


I'm off to work, hopefully I'll get my camera fixed soon for some more picture!

Delivery!

I got a HUUUUUGE box delivered today. Wheeee!

I was getting ready for work a few minutes ago, wearing my birthday suit, when my roommate who had just left the house called and told me she saw FED EX pull up. As I was throwing on a coat I had draped over a chair, I heard the knocking. I felt kind of scandalous, in a lonely housewife/hello milkman kind of way, answering the door with just a coat on, but I'm sure he probably didn't even notice.

Anyway, Farm Sanctuary sent me a box filled with all sorts of goodies--lots of pamphlets and table literature and I hope bumper stickers. For those of you who don't know, I'm organizing a fashion show/benefit called Modified Style with my good friend Andrea Fretwell. It's coming up EXTREMELY soon, so I've been working like a busy little (non honey-producing for humans) bee. :)



All benefits are going toward The Farm Sanctuary, Sisters of the Road Cafe, and Junior Achievement. It's going to be amazing, and I'm so excited for this big box of goods. Thanks, Michelle Sass and Jasmin Singer for sending this to me.

Testing # 3 Summer Waffles

These Summer Waffles were delicious. It was a yeast batter, so it had to rise overnight. Took about 10 minutes to throw together before I went to bed, then 15 to cook 'em up in the morning. This was a few days ago now, and I haven't tested anything since, but I'll make 'em again soon.

Recipe Test # 2. And FAJITAS

Last night I was super hungry and wanted something delicious. I got home around 9:30 after work, and though I was tired, I also wanted to try another recipe out for Tami over at Vegan Appetite, so I picked a super simple one: cheezy sauce.

I whipped this recipe up in just a few minutes, while boiling water for pasta. I used old-fashioned bowtie pasta (not wheat or quinoa or anything fancy), and threw in some of my homemade seitan, some broccoli, and some peas into the water as the pasta was cooking.

When done, I drained the pasta mix, threw it into the cheezy sauce pan to coat everything, and POW! It was done. It took maybe all of 30 minutes. Super delicious. Homemade mac and cheese, vegan style.



Tonight, I wanted to use my bell peppers--I had organic yellow, green, and red left in the fridge, as well as some other tasty veggies. I whipped up some fajitas:



Janessa's Fajitas

Fajita Mix (you can buy, or make your own.)
* 1/2 veggie bouillion cube, crushed (I used CelifibR Vegan Chicken kind. I like them because there's not salt added. You can find them at Food Fight Vegan Grocery.)
* 1 tsp chili powder
* 1/2 tsp paprika
* 1/4 tsp onion powder
* 1/4 tsp garlic powder
* 1/4 tsp cumin (I use more because I love the stuff)
* 1/4 tsp cornstarch
* salt, to taste

Mix all ingredients together.

Fajitas
(serves 4)

* Olive Oil
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 red onion, sliced
* 3/4 cup veggie broth, separated
* 2 cups peppers, sliced (use whatever kind you have on hand. I had organic green, yellow, and red, and I used all of them)
* 1/2 cup cremini mushrooms
* 1/2 cup seitan (make your own or purchase from store.)
* 2 cups spinach, separated
* 4 tortillas
* 1 can black beans (You can use homemade--I was out, or pinto beans if you'd rather)
* 1/4 avocado
* 1/4 cup salsa

Heat olive oil in pan. Mince garlic and slice onions. Throw em in the pan, cooking for only about 3-5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup veggie broth. While that's happily cooking away on the stove, start your beans. If from a can, rinse them in a strainer before cooking (this gets rid of all that added salt). Put into pot, adding 1/4 cup veggie broth and seasonings. I used just a bit more cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and a touch of basil.
While the beans are cooking (stir often!), add chopped peppers, mushrooms, and seitan to garlic and onion mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes. A Check beans. Add fajita mix to your veggie mixture, followed by remaining 1/4 cup veggie broth. It should be a bit liquidy at this point, but don't worry, it'll cook down. Add 1/2 the spinach (1 cup)

Throw your tortillas into the oven at 300 degrees. This takes only about 5 minutes to heat up.

Everything should be coming to a head on your rangetop right about now. Take out your tortilla, add a scoop or two of beans, a big ladleful of fajita veggies and seitan, , and top with salsa and remaining spinach.

I also made a quick tofu ricotta to top this bad boy, but that's totally optional. I just had some tofu in the fridge that I wanted to be used up.



Tofu Ricotta
* 1/4 cup tofu, pressed and crumbled
* 1/8 cup nutritional yeast
* 1 tsp lemon juice
* salt, basil to taste
________________________
This took about 45 minutes to make (not counting cleanup time, and dishes, though annoying, take about 10 minutes). I used this ratio, and just threw 1 tortilla in the oven. I have leftovers for probably 3 more meals, easy.


Dinner tonight was AMAZING (probably helped that I made another batch of margarita tonight. Threw in the limes, rind on this time--thanks for the suggestion, Shelley!-- 1/2 grapefruit, some raspberries, ice, tequila, triple sec, and agave. Num Num Num. Makes about 2 8 oz margaritas, but I only put in enough liquor for 1 margarita, so it's not too strong). It didn't take too long, it was a great way to use up a lot of stuff I had in the fridge, and it's easily adaptable. Throw in some frozen corn. Use water instead of veggie broth. Use way more onion and no mushrooms.... super customizable for whatever your tastes. And now I have leftovers for work tomorrow.

Sweet.