Oh What a Bite

2010-07-16T15:01:00.001-07:00

What a better way to make up for my absence than with some salivary gland provoking comestibles. My raw food journey has been revived and resurged, galvanized and kindling as ever! A few weeks ago I even had the luxury of gorging on some gourmets at Rockin' Raw in Brooklyn. (really, that's the only way you'll ever get me back on the G train *shakes fist*) OH, the embodiment of the firmament. My envisioned Shangri-la. I had the best burger ever ever ever and still it resonates through out me, wishing I could transmute my very flesh into their deity of food. it was the physical manifestation of an orgasm, within my hands I held the amalgamation of love and lust. The whole meal was a zesty and piquant flavor dope, and I was swimming in ecstasy.(maybe it was because I was severely dehydrated?! ) It came with these kickin' Nawlin Rings that had a little fire and spice. Some greens were included as well, and they elicited my latent love of raw organosulfides. omg, they were marinated collards, one bite and I knew they must be recreated! It all came with tomatoes, unfortunately. I can have all of the food practices in the world, but when it comes to tomatoes, their restriction is not of my volition. I'm rather intolerant to those ambiguous vegetable-fruits. Sundried tomatoes are the shot of crack in most raw food dishes, they add that savory and zesty, pungent and rich flavor profile. But, there is an expanse of produce out there, why not discover and variegate the components? That trip to NYC was just the jolt I needed, and I've never been as passionate about raw foods as I am now! Here are some of my latest experiments :D

I've been crazyyyy about the local foods movement lately. I was hanging out alot with a mate who is such an adamant advocate of the practice. I've been berry picking galore! The best advice I can give to you is to bring someone along who doesn't like the berries that you are foraging for. You exponentially increase your product and there is no fear of lose ;-)

Avocados, local blueberries, local garlic, local collards, local cucumber, local onions, and some carrots from afar!

2010-07-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

Oh my darling! The ways I could grovel and beseech your forgiveness. Neglectful as ever, you continue to survive, like an abandoned neopet (your inner child recognizes this analogy). The estival festival is here to commence, and I know why the free bird sings regardless of the season present. Most beautiful, one cannot recognize the resplendence of nature until she observes it patiently with all the acknowledgement and receptiveness in the world. From the dendrites carving the sky, a stark contrast of wood and cloud, to the petals as soft and red as the lips tender from the kiss of a broken fig. Cascading leaves, gently falling as the zephyr undulates the verdant flora invisibly. Such vistas are all within one's peripheral vision, please observe and catch those scintillas, those sparks of life out of the corner of your eye! From the aurora to the gloam! Crepuscular twilight evening dripping in the floating bioluminescence of fireflies in the garden. What a whimsical land, wherever one may be. All you have to do is look. Just look and see.

Avocados

2010-05-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

Raw Foodism- the natural progression. Before I continue onward, I must lament about the state of my alligator pear. If I only had the ability to control ethylene gas, is there nothing more climactic than an unripened vegetable or fruit?! This specific desire pertains to avocados especially. They were on sale at the glorious edenic health food store that I patronize for 99 cents. Say what?! I have noticed that the avocados at the co-op are always on sale, which is interesting because I could have sworn I read that 2009 was a bad year for avocados to be born! I won't question it though, I am perfectly capable of reveling in ignorant bliss when it comes to the affordability of organic food. Not. Food Politics is burning its paper gaze into my soul, I must be inquisitive and will certainly dig a dug in order to appease my curiousity. But for now, there are avocados to be worshipped. Oh avocados, my opaque emeralds, plumpened knobby shells with interiors smothered in rich, velvety lipids. To scrape you with a knife would inflict such lethal damage, but the lure of the carvings shaved off your verdant cream is too enticing. I WILL YOU TO RIPEN, I WILL YOU.

2010-02-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

UGHHH. sickened thirst sickened thirst! I am continuing my raw-ish streak. will do well to pass by nuts from now on and glare at them with disdain.( those pricks aren't even raw, they're steamed to get out of the shell, I couldn't resist though, brazil nuts tickle my sternum) They make me queasy, but I might have had a MEGAsupercabra overload of fat in the previous episode of uncontrollable and ravenous hunger. I had such an intense craving for fat; I had only consumed the fruit portion today and I wanted nothing more than to sink my teeth into those creamy avocados. If only you were ripe, I would have avoided all of this. I will you to ripen, I WILL YOU. If only I had the power to manipulate ethelyne gas. I was on a high, feeling groovy except for the gnawing hunger. The nuts did not satiate :@ Would rather take the empty, bottomless stomach than this...napping off... had but 4 winks of sleep (1 wink = 1 hour) due to anatomy dedication (the class, not with a person :P) I much prefer the no nuts approach to raw foodism, why didn't I pick you hemp seeds, why weren't you organiccccc?!!!

2010-02-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

Today was extremely difficult for me. It loomed over me for the past days, this impending act of violating my ethics. Today was dissection day. Despite being archaic and degenerative, dissection of animals is no longer necessary with the amount of alternative learning opportunities available now. It was horrid.the scent of formaldehyde pierced and pervaded my clothing with that unmistakable reek of death. Why is everyone so desensitized to animal exploitation in this era? No one was able to parallel my repulsion and morbid sorrow, people were able to crack jokes and give out only the speciest pity that has been ingrained in them. "oh, poor cat" yeah, you think the cat willingly donated his body so that college students could mangle his wretched corpse and disturb his soul? There is no one to mourn for these cats, no one was as visibly upset as I, and I believe that nearly everyone will leave the lab and not think twice about their direct participation in this inhumanity. Oh I seek repentance and absolution from bearing witness to these crimes. And yet I am the one who feels guilty for leaving my lab partner alone to slice for herself. Why am I the only one who seems concerned about the treatment and usage of animals?! I also feel guilty about the fact that what am I even doing to prevent this from happening further? Shouldn't I protest, send out mass emails educating people on dissections, speak to the head of the school about alternatives? I am the lone ranger, so solo in my sentiments, perhaps it is that very fear that prevents me from obtaining justice and solace for my furry friends. I feel weak for crying, for unveiling my heart, just as the skin was ripped away from those limp, soggy cats. Why should I be the only one affected to this extent? I cannot swallow my emotions or my tears, in fact it shows that I at least maintain my compassion . My professor took pity at my welling eyes and blatant disapproval. She allowed me to escape, for now. And I meandered back to the dorm choking back my lubricated distress and entombed myself in the closet. The engulfing shadows consumed me with an almost lullabiotic tranquility. Lain raw against the floor, carpeted friction beneath my exposed flesh. I lamented about the cruelty of the world, one which has been destroyed by omnivores, and must be mitigated by vegans. The taste on my tongue is of disdain, the acidic contents of my stomach are slowing creeping up. I am overwhelmed and abused with the torment of suffering. I must crusade. People think that we don't understand animals, but how are their cries, pleas, and vocal displays of their emotions be misinterpreted as insignificant. We understand them, when they are in pain, upset, angry, happy, calm. Why do we ignore them and further separate ourselves, why do we try so hard to avoid any sort of primal comparison? They are sentient beings, and we have become megalomaniac speciests who are such blatant denial about our fellow animals. We don't even consider ourselves animals and yet that is what we are, we are no different from them? They are so intelligent, and yet we abuse them and exploit them out of fear. Fear that they are so similar to us that we feel threatened and must keep things in divided order. I am in weak spirits lately, if this school excels at one thing, it is the ability to violate my ethical code. I am numb, and wet, and the bending branch of the willow tree-weeping in sorrow and in mournment. I am the remnants of the ice blizzard, crystals disappearing and melting. I never allow anyone to see me cry, I always try to repress it, no matter how detrimental that is to my external and internal stability. so very raw, the human condition exposed. Why does everyone make an excuse for it? why does everyone accept it and not question it ? I noticed an astounding amount of indifference, nonchalance, complacency. where do the wild cats go when they have no home to graze? Lifted and uprooted from a possible saving grace? balanced in limbo and punished for no wrong, the others will forget you, but in my heart you will remain strong. I just want to be consoled, boldly go where no one goes, seek forgiveness and fill my empty heart with some love,

so flavorless, greasy lumps of vapid coal slid down my esophagus.
you don't need to be a veg*an to oppose dissection, just a regular person with basic emotions.

raw raw rawwwks

2010-02-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

Foiled by my internal clock. Today is a Saturday, not a Monday, not a Wednesday and not a godforsaken Thursday. On the weekend, it is an obligation(I`ve got a personal contract with Helios!) for the sun rays to cascade upon me and drag me into the depths of consciousness and reality; not an artificial alarm with some nagging, polyphonic beats that train me like one of Pavlov`s dogs. On such a day as this day, where I am permitted to continue my REM cycles completely uninterrupted, I always banzai attack with self sabotage and get a glimpse of the world, only the outer external membranes of my eyelids know. Of course, I am nearly certain about the beet root cause of this. Ces`t moi! It is actually a very natural form of self-awakening, your bladder being the operative alarm. Every night before I slip into my womb like pallet, I ingest nearly two cups of water. I`ve read about native american tribes using this to control their sleeping patterns; the excess water and unconscious body make a perfect alarm clock!nearly)Raw Food Diet Day ONE(officially, maybe).

I've been doing Charleston with raw foods the past couple of weeks, only recently integrating massive quantities of foods in their raw form ( I really need to readjust my preference in favor of raw vegetables(I can devour cooked ones like it's my day job(but if gastronomy is your profession, does that statement not hold much weight?!) Okay, maybe only massive in comparison to my previous raw intakes. I'd say it will be about 85-90% raw,allowing room for about 200kcals to come from enzymatically destroyed products ;-) I have a difficult time getting enough calories, even with the inclusion of cooked meals, nevermind raw ones! I'd reckon my normal caloric intake is around 1350kcal a day(yes, I should know better!), but for the past few months I've really only been eating one cooked meal and everything else raw. I do take Vega Complete Whole Food Health Optimizer. ( supplementation is not evidence that the vegan diet is inferior to the Standard American diet, even omnivores are at risk for certain nutritive deficiencies) word? word. The Vega accounts for half of those nonraw calories (although the product is about 30% raw) and the other may come in the form of some toasted sesame oil I need to finish up ;D. Can we start salivating at the thought of zucchini linguine with carrots, daikons, bok choy, spinach, scallions, and kale all tossed in that oil along with some coconut aminos?!?!?! please, control me. Anyway, today was my lazy Sunday, I spent most of the morning frolicking and skip dancing around in my room to the Mars Volta while nibbling on some fruits and nuts, then consensually conceding to the kracken's loom and started studying for anatomy and doing Spanish homework.
Probably had about 3/4c of nuts today :$ Someone seriously needs to keep them away from me!
They were a mix of macadamias(omg, they're so rich, they are probably like one of Zeus's gallstones), Brazil nuts, and cashews. All raw!
Then I had a banana, apple, satsumas, navel orange, and soon to be kiwi and mango...

How to make yourself ill

2010-02-06T20:15:00.000-08:00

My schedule. subjective envy may not apply

Monday-
Chemical Metabolism Biochemistry 9-9.50
ServSafe food- 10-12.20
Anatomy lab- 2-4
Anatomy review 4-5
work 5-8
no time for gym D:

Tuesday
Anatomy and Physiology 8-9.20
Spanish 9.30-10.50
Food, Nutrition, and Culture-11-12.20
Food Science-12.30-1.50
Spanish recitation 4-4.50
gym 8.15~9.45

Wednesday-
Chemical Met.-9-9.50
work-11-3
gym 7.30~9

Thursday
A&P
Spanish
FNC
FS
Food Science lab 2-4
Anatomy review 4.30-5.30
gym 8.15~9.45

Friday
Chem. Met 9-9.50
CM review 10-11
work 1-3
gym-4.30~6

patience ebbing

2010-02-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

I am inclined to speak of what vexes me with every somatic muscle in my body. Just because you're a vegan doesn't mean that you have to be fond of ALL vegetable kind. I do have a sort of vegetable-philia and can easily down servings of vegetables as if they were the typical college student's shots. ( I don't imbibe anything but water, there is nothing more inane than partaking in deleterious activities). None of you jamokes better retort with " well, what do you think a raw food diet is" Hush. It's like I'm expected to worship the stalks, leaves, and seeds of every vegetable out there. Such a violation would be outright blasphemy of the sacred vegetable tenets that every vegan aspires to live by. God forbid you don't like to eat salads. Imagine a conversation such as: "hey, we're going out to *fill in the blank with the most carnivorous restaurant in town*, but I'm sure they have a salad you could eat." " wow, is that an invitation or an indication of your nonchalant complacency towards my diet" "oh come on, you eat salads don't you, don't you love them(says it in a manner as if someone were waving a doggie biscuit infront of a dog" "no you abject imbecile, salads are our last resort to eating when we are the guests of morons who show a complete lack of concern." " *ignoring the insult, wait... you don't...eat...salad?! what kind of veg*an are you?! * goes off to compare you to a tyrannical dictator who has murdered millions of people and was rumored to be vegetarian* kinda like " oh, well hitler was a vegetarian, i bet he didn't like salads either, and look at what he did..."

Actually, many omnivores show in regards to themselves; how many people think twice about suggesting a steakhouse when they have a veg*an company? How many of them want to tear their keratinaized hair follicles out and rip their sweat shop child labor produced clothes off at the thought of eating at a veg*an restaurant??! and yet they make the veg*ans feel compelled to agree to their choice out of guilt that veg*ans are so veg*an centric and demand a veg*an only place.(while going to a vegan restaurant with omnis may just be a pipe-dream, at least choose a veg*an friendly place!) This formula is the perfect equation for destruction when you are stuck with ignorant, non-progressive, narrow minded pillocks. I unfortunately used to socialize with the types of dolts I previously described. They certainly enjoyed tormenting me, especially when they invited me to a restaurant I couldn't eat at(never mind the fact that it was a disgusting chain that has ersatz food as its specialty) and then be perfectly content with the fact that I had to then watch them all eat and go hungry. The sadists. They would offer me their decaying, flaccid, microwaved vegetables on occasion. YAH Right. Thinking I would forage off of scrap display parsley and water ( and then "brilliantly" quipping " oh, is water vegan, like LOLZ I am so fucking funny.") Or masticating the grisly flesh and commenting on the flavor of animal abuse but then accuse you of burning your judgmental gaze into them. They must really fear those who live counterculture, iconoclastic lifestyles. The ones who defy and challenge conventional normalcy and have no apprehension about flirting with the atypical. Their reactions are merely guilt-induced by an opposing viewpoint that they realize is morally superior. (that sounds elitist, but I don't give a tofurkey, it is morally superior to regard animals as fellow inhabitants of the earth that we must coexist with and not exploit, torture, or murder. It is morally superior to transcend the predominant widespread misbeliefs and enlighten and rectify oneself into becoming conscious of the outer world's afflictions. It is morally superior to not eat our fellow sentient beings and to not wreak havoc and take advantage of the natural order. (of course I suppose this castigation is more geared towards the western world. it's easy to declare such a blatant sentiment when regarding the western world, for third world ideologies ethics are a bit more nebulous. The suffering of the people and animals is undeniably unequivocal.) But for those that relish and revel in the modern world, there is a duty to emancipate and unfetter those unfortunate enslaved brethren and sisteren. Are we a species that has evolved devoid of ethics, or has such commonplace convenience nurtured ignorance?! How any one can look in the eyes of a bleating cow and abstractly view her flesh as a lump of sanguine meat and accept it as dinner and not murder is beyond me??! The world has really desensitized itself to the inhumanity rapidly consuming us.

2010-02-06T19:05:00.003-08:00

I just returned from the farmer`s market, my adipose and muscle fibers nearly solidified into a saturated icicle of cold. I feel as if I have survived the same fate that many vegetables perish under, cryogenics! There is nothing that rivals the eagerness and desire I have to attend the harvest fest in the local city atrium every Saturday. (only maybe going to the co-op^.^) It fosters conscious consumers and interaction with the actual source(farmers). Not to mention it reduces the carbon footprint and enables one to purchase an item that has less *from garden to kitchen* time; the difference in freshness is remarkably detectable(especially considering the turgor). Many people are apprehensive about shopping at farmer`s markets, perhaps they are intimidated by the overwhelming selection and kiosks, perhaps the prices deter them, perhaps establishing relationships with the seller and knowing exactly where your food is coming from is too unfamiliar. I have heard that most associate farmers markets with affordability, while I have read about such sentiments in other articles, unfortunately the farmers market in my area is quite expensive. Subsequently, this makes the majority of the cafes and restaurants more costly(considering their tiny servings as well, your tiny servings wont defeat obesity damnit! *shakes fist*)
Pretty accurate representation of their doll sized portions ;-)

It all has to do with value and worth, organic and local food always warrants attention, and there are many associations to make with these magic words. What do they possibly imply? Concern for the environment and sustainability, supporting local farmers and enabling them to continue their actions with economic viability, awareness and education on the subject( why else would someone make the conscious effort to go organic without knowledge of it), healthy lifestyle(unless you are the type who goes for the organic potato chips, in that case you better put that down( every time I think of the word down, I think of the yeah yeah yeah's down boy ;-)!) Why should you go organic? do you want to protest the man`s conventional farming that is deleterious to the environment?! Nonorganics are brimming with pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and all other types of toxic shit(shit being included). These chemicals can be carcinogenic and provoke many negative reactions in the body. Organic is better for the environment; the soil is less eroded(and the nutrient content is richer), it doesn't pollute the land and water supply(thereby endangering both present and future generations, and it tastes better(don't be stubborn, you know it does)! The amount of times I've heard people complain about the vapid, flavorless quality of a tomato out of season; while I laugh maniacally stroking my organic roma and savoring its lycopenic phytochemicals.

It is never more an endearing sight than seeing a bunch of people carrying their reusable grocery bags and inquiring about certain matters with the farmers. Holy shit, the men there are hot and all sorts of rugged too! That isnt the main deciding factor for my attendance, I was there before it was swamped with aesthetically pleasing paradigms of masculinity and consciousness! It certainly doesn't hinder it either though ;-) The Farmer`s Market is by far one of thee best ways to network, especially for the local cafe and restaurant owners. Green is the new black damnit, and if you want to keep up with the times, you better make sure you flash "organic" and "local" all over the eco-friendly-recycled-paper-typed-in-soy-ink-menu! While there is a difference between a fad and a trend, (trends are more long term I believe), if this is a fad, it is at least an advantageous one.

2010-02-06T07:45:00.000-08:00

What the goulash am I doing right now?! I could be

studying for anatomy--
studying for biochemistry--
not writing this blog
reading anatomy/biochemistry
skip dancing around my newly expanded room and allowing the king or al jefe to serenade me
speaking to myself instead of writing to myself
ejaculating with excitement over my purchases of the week!!!

Let's go with numero siete! I am all sorts of green goddess giddy about my shoppin and hoppin this weekend. I didn't write an official post, but I am really really reallllllly trying to transition to a raw foods diet! This will be prove to be complicated with budget and time constraints ( yerr it's raw= prep time being achievable, but all my classes are so back to back that I never have time to go to my dorm between them) I also feel mad awkward eating what looks like the stolen contents of senora chiquita banana's hat in front of anyone. Never mind a big salad ( while I enjoy enlightening others about the topic, keep in mind that the nutrition department here is not so open minded themselves) I really would prefer not to be embroiled by a professor with a carrot stick thick list of credentials questioning my alternative eating patterns and my sanity. Who gives a damn though right? The whole staff is hypocritical and epitomize the adage "do as I say, not as I do" If anyone knew any thing about nutrition, they would become a vegan. oh tangent, my B. Anyway, I've always been quite impulsive in my decisions when it comes to these desires. I don't plan things out, I don't spend months reading, reviewing, and making certain that I am prepared to do this. I jump into it immediately and learn as I explore. I just don't hesitate. The biggest hurdle I face is my father. After all, he does provide me with the greens (pun!!!), he accepted veganism ( only the tiniest bit of reluctance when it comes to eating out and my "paranoias") but me trying to explain raw foodism to him will be as difficult as trying to convince him to support me through college as a theater major! Not only that, but I do actually want to change my major, and obviously my college... I've never been interested in the destined fate of most nutrition students---nutritionists, you're pigeonholed there, so CONFINED. The thought of that is draining, vapid and all things gray! Sickened thirst sickened thirst!!! I've realized my interest lies in Nutritional Biochemistry! I find it so intensely fascinating from a biological-physiological-chemical level. I think studying in that field would be more beneficial and provide more opportunities to discover and heal than prescribing foods to people FOReverrRrr and ever and ever ever ever ever ever everrrrrr and have them not change and increase the obesity percentages. Hmm I'll elaborate more about the hypocritical paradox that is nutrition in this country. Back to my purchases: Oh what a lovely day it is...reverbing. If only I could upload a picture of my bounty, but alas*fawns phalanges over forehead* I left it at home! My descriptions should be enough:

Four mangos ( I already have two here, so that = six mangos( now how did we figure that total out all you non math majors?)
Six pears ( I'm not really fond of them, shhh don't tell them)
two pounds of satsumas!!!
a four lb bag of navels
five bananas (already had three home)
six apples
a pint of strawberries
a pint of blackberries
a bag of raspberries
a bag of blueberries (yarr I know the debates over the "enzymatic" quality of frozen foods)
kale
carrots- seven pounds in total ^.^ two lbs from the farmer's market and a bag of five pounds
two avocados (already had three at home)
four zucchinis
two daikons(and have another already)
spinach
mixed spring greens
raw macadamia nuts!!!
raw brazil nuts!!!
raw cashews!!!
dates
kiwis

what I have already:

spinach
mixed spring greens(will be eating massive quantities of the two so I needed to stock up!)
broccoli
rhubarb kale (omg tastes like sand dirt blergghh)
onions
scallions
beets

will most likely be including something cooked just until i deplete my supplies( quinoa is expensive as hell, there is no way I am wasting it or giving it away) so i may be about 70% raw until those are gone :S. I just feel so inclined to be raw, the energy it provides is unworldly. will finish post later, has overdosed on raw nuts :( Hope there is nothing toxic in them, I saw that house episode darnit!

Imagine a spherical cow

2010-02-06T06:39:00.000-08:00

raw Broccoli. arch nemesis. I deviate from the ordinary when I express my sentiments about broccoli. oh my sweet Brassica Oleracea, how I've loyally defended your cruciferous namesake, with your jutting sprouts and thick external membrane I've given you the love and appreciation that you rightly deserve. I've normally considered brocco-repulsion to be completely unwarranted, and to commit such treason, one should face the punishment of flagellation by dino kale. Alas, now that I've started to dance the enzymatic conscious jig, I've realized what distaste I have for this vegetable in its raw state. I've refused to consent to oral intercourse with broccoli as long as it tastes the way it tastes, but there is hardly a thing I can do to alter its flavor into something more palatable. I can't overlook its nutritive content and phtyochemical properties, for that alone keeps me returning back, is that so shallow of me, to use broccoli for its advantageous health benefits??? I always try to mute out my taste buds when I know of its inevitable involvement in my diet. Raw broccoli has a flavor that rivals...bleach. UGH, I swear it's grown in a vat of chlorine, or secretly harvested in the pools at every YMCA across the nation! To think of even eating it makes me want to expel my viscera and commit hari-kari with an organic celery stalk( despite celery's turgor, I don't believe that it is any match for my chisled, michaelangelo-like scultpured trunk).
Frakin amazing example of mother nature's talent- romanesco broccoli. Still wouldn't eat it raw, but that's because I would be too mesmerized by its fractals! And just because you're beautiful, it doesn't always mean you'll taste any better. :P

2010-02-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

Dishes I'd Love to Make

2010-01-14T19:09:00.000-08:00

Lo Bak Go- Chinese Turnip Cakes that are traditionally prepared with sea kittens( as dumbass PETA refers to them as.) ( shite, it's a taboo to mention that name, it has such negative and hypocritical connotations, it also tends to turn veg*ans into raging green monsters!) (typically, lo bak go uses shrimp and piggies :(. It's part of Dim Sum, which is popular in Southern China, and entails a whole lotta grub! Traditionally, small dishes that have about 3 items per container ( baus(buns), gaus(dumplings), cheong fans(rice noodles) compose Yum Cha-ing. It's sofa king fun! Everytime I visit my family in Chinatown, we go for a Yum Cha, nothing can rival the way food brings us together. But I've been reduced to fiddling with my chopsticks and watching them gorge on greasy treats since I went gluten free(everything is coated in soy sauce or has some seitan in it! :(. I no longer expand my transitional epithelium by downing cups of tea as if they were shots of mango juice since I don't consume caffeine either. I can really only eat steamed tofu and vegetables when I'm there :(. Everything that is enjoyable about Yum Cha-ing has diminshed to just the pleasure I derive from socializing with my family. Anyway, I would love to recreate vegan dim sum dishes and make them friendly to the gluten free palate! I dream of reuniting with lobakgo! I don't understand why many chinese restaurants don't include gluten free options, it's extremely easy to incorporate them. Wheat-Free tamari sauce differs slightly from soy sauce, but there is nothing complicated about substituting it for soy sauce, the flavour of the food is not ruined by its usage! I shall undertake chinese food and attempt to recreate some of my favorite dishes. Other dim sum dishes I'd love to make :

Congee (thick rice porridge that can be plain or seasoned with a variety of foods!)
Doufu Bau (a rice bun that is steamed and filled with vegetables or protein, in this case, I'm eager to experiment with some baked -spice tofu ;-)
Fu Pei Guen- Tofu skin rolls filled with vegetables
Jin Deui-SESAME BALLS. the kama sutra of fried foods. Fried balls coated in sesame and filled with red bean paste. Since I do not use sugar, I will have to figure out some other way to sweeten it, or make it savory!
Cheung Fan- Rice noodle rolls typically filled with protein or vegetables, but can be served plain with sauce to dip in!
Fried Doufu- I can never perfect it, but I do try to stay away from fried foods, but when the day comes for celebration, let the grease and oil flow from the heated cages!

Other dishes I'd love to make :

Stuffed Mushrooms
Raw Apple Pie
Cashew Cream
Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
Butternut Squash Soup
Date Nut Bars
Baba Ghanoush
Falafel
Injera
Chutney
Lentil Loaf
Cannelli-Bean Garlic Dip
Chickpea pot pie
Braised Tempeh
Making homemade tofu!

More later, until I get on summer vacation, I'm afraid these may just be pipe dreams! I shall attempt to make one dish off my list every week!

Quinoa qraze

2010-01-14T17:44:00.000-08:00

Satsuma baked tofu with baby bok choi, shimeji mushrooms, and quinoa~~~
Quinoa tempeh medley with peas, onions, carrots, paprika, pepper, salt, avocado, and tahini :! Tahini is my everything condiment that I slather over all organic matter :P
Butternut Stew with black beans, turnips, carrots, peas, onions, carrot, garlic, basil(FRESH yo), rosemary(double fresh!), and APPLES. say what?!?!great odin`s raven. This dish is like the kama sutra of tofu. the mere sight of its lustrous glaze is simply too arousing! Garlic peppercorn tamari tofu! *salivates*

2010-01-14T17:31:00.000-08:00

*grumble grumble grumble* The stomach really runs the show, in order to keep the boss happy and sated I present to you marvelous creations. Unfortunately, the stomach is bigger than the eyes, and there never seems to be enough servings :P. OH I'll shut up, enjoy the food porn instead ^.^
Before the roasting!

after the roasting, they magically transformed into asian eggplants! :p

This was the meal I made for my Veggie Versary!!! Baked Tofu with a mushroom-orange gravy, roasted carrots, potatoes, onions, greenbeans, and eggplant!

Tomato Tempeh with organic greens :D
Tomato Tofu paired with a Chickpea Kale-cake!

dreams before the spring

2010-01-14T16:22:00.000-08:00

Ah,what has the fortune of winter entailed, surely some discontent if I have found the time to mistreat my blog with ignorance! What a whirlwind of snow and ice it has been! I've nearly fused to the love seat with the company of my dear furry four legged swirl of pumpkin and coconut cream. I've done little more than swath myself in layers of varying synthetic textiles; keeping warm by the fragile words of Oscar Wilde that splash across my visual field and cause me to glow in fond amusement. The return to college town is looming over, the days dwindle down and the life of languid listlessness shall cease to exist in time! I've waited nearly a month to cure my ennui, perhaps what school encompasses shall be my remedy! Eager to visit my chummies, the prospect of having a bed is extremely exciting! Yes, until you've lived your days out on the couch, sacrificing your privacy and your REM cycles, you'd never regard the pseudo beds of plastic and springs with such open backs and bellies. Of course, you must make compromises, in trade for a bed, I must give up my precious gas stove. Without the flicker of the flame, the taste of the food is purely up to me, how can I owe flavor to that cruel electric stove. It makes my tofu stick and char, a committable offense in many respectable and sensible countries too! Alas, I shall have no leisure time for merry makings and experimenting. With 18.5 credits that include 2 science labs( but 3 science classes) and 2 Spanish conversation hours I will surely have to choose between sleeping, studying, and working. Perhaps now I will finally commit to a raw foods diet :P I'm actually considering finally starting up a club! ^.^ Originally I wanted to start a vegan club, of course I'm sure the school would prefer that I don't make it so exclusive and broaden it up to a vegetarian club. The dilemma for me is that while it would be in no way exclusive and open up to vegans, vegetarians, omnivores, and cannibals alike :P, that not consuming dairy products, eggs, and honey is not implicit by merely using "vegetarian." I don't want to sound like the vegan police tyrant now, but it is unacceptable for people to be using these items that are manufactured through outrageous, inhumane cruelty and exploitation. And stealing is bad, only steal from "the man" haha; but you wouldn't steal from a baby would you, and if you have, you immoral bastard! I'm not implying that vegetarians are not doing enough, and I'm certain that many of them are willing to flirt with veganism, the main vice holding them back is that dastardly cheese. We might need to do a cheese rehab for those casomorphin addicts. Now I'm all for opiate like effects, but only when it comes to endorphins ;-) Before I digress too much, I just would prefer to promote veganism, vegetarianism is a great start for transitioning, but you got to grow up sometime to become a vegan :P. Oh, before you get too offended, my sentiments are only in the jocular sense! There is tension between vegans and vegetarians, we are constantly concerned about offending the other with our moral convictions; we want to be compassionate and alleviate the suffering that our fellow-not so genetically different from us brethren and sistren must endure. At the same time, we never think we are doing enough! Vegetarians do deserve commendation, but will constantly be questioned about their dedication to the plight of the animals. ( I speak in that sense of those who were motivated by ethical reasons (then again, if you're one for health reasons, you've been ill informed if you continue to consume dairy products and eggs. and blah blah blah no one try to give out the moderation spiel, every one's lost their sense of moderation! and if you're one for environmental reasons, still, eschewing dairy, eggs, and honey will have an impact! )) In fact, be it ethical, environmental, or health, I just don't see the point of staying vegetarian unless it's in a transition stage, it is purely selfish reasoning to remain one. Oh goodness, I've lost the plot! I love all herbivores alike, I support anyone in their cruelty free endeavors, and will do whatever it takes to convert people ;-). Whatever. It. Takes. But really, I realize that it is important that we set our differences aside and unite in the cause, a vegetarian group would not sound so exclusive nor restrictive; it would be great for those who are looking for a fellow veg community and for those who have a desire for such a lifestyle but need some support. I want to offer that, after all, veg*anism is growing in popularity today, perhaps it may be a trend, and even if it's for superficial reasons, I can't say that it's a disadvantageous one. Hope that no one thinks of me as the token vegan prick after an entry like this haha. Oh yes, so I decided that my club would encompass a variety of lifestyles. I'm not fettered to the name, something along the lines of "alternative living". I want something fun, catchy, yet professional so that I don't feel embarrassed vocally saying a name like "The sunflowers". In it the ideas of healthy, holistic, whole-grain, organic healthy eating is emphasized, eco-friendliness and community responsibility(including volunteering making some sweet ass recycled goods!), all natural lifestyles, nutrition, etc and so many other ideologies! (Excited about trips to the farmer's market, health food store, animal shelter, homeless shelter, maybe a possible plot in the community gardens is misted all over my mind!) I must discuss it with my BFF, the dean*nervous chuckle*, in order to bring my dreams to fruition. It's just what this school needs, I've been developing it in my mind for the past year! :D

Pakora Pancakes: Deconstructed

2009-12-19T23:40:00.000-08:00

My new lover, lavash you better watch out! (although you'll always have a place in my thumping aortas!) ^.^ ChickPea Pancakes filled with zucchini, mushrooms, onions, scallions, paprika, sea salt, black pepper, indian spice( am saturated with sleep, will change to proper name in the mornin")

A wave of vegetables, a sea of eats!

2009-12-19T23:20:00.000-08:00

Simple, Crunchy, Fresh. Lately, I've had an inclination towards minimally seasoned foods. I just savor the natural flavors (not the mysterious and ambiguous kinds you read about :P!). I stir-fried some zucchini, green beans, portabellas, baby buttons, edamame, onions, and garlic together. That's it! That's it?! I also couldn't resist the ever enticing Hummus :$, I'd smother it all over my body if I could. You know what, I technically can, it's a matter of want. Anyone want to persuade me, wrap me up in a big pita pocket while we're at it ;-) ohoho, i'd better just let the food do the talking from now on! :D

Here is a Kale Stir-fry (yes, I've been cheating on my bok choy with this darker, leafier green ;-) Don't think about blackmailing me, the mushrooms already know! Excuse the photo quality. I used my other camera that may or may not have been reduced to one setting after a mysterious incident involving a hoof and aloofness... Also starring: Toasted Sesame seeds powdered atop a raw pickled carrot salad!

Winter Revival!

2009-12-19T21:22:00.000-08:00

Let the sitzkrieg begin! Please forgive me for neglecting you my virtual mistress, I had no intention to let you collect dead skin cells and bits of fluff. I must keep you in pristine condition, my precious, you are a reflection of me, a piece of my beating and bloody heart! I have been unfettered from the shackles of school work and now begin a month of much needed relaxation. (how long will it take for my epidermis to fuse to the couch fibers, anyone want to start a pool? (always bet on me ;-)) How shall we commence the winter vacation but with a revival?! Okay, so since September I have been officially Gluten-Free and since October I've been Sugar-free! ( no processed sugar nor natural sweeteners like agave, etc. )The only sugar I consume is from the actual source, like fruits!( this practice baffles so many people, it's about achieving a state of purity though!) I've been naughty :(; yesterday I gorged myself on some vegan pizza. It fit my qualifications, except I thought I had completely eschewed processed foods(yes, I used the infamous vegan cheese D:). Alas, my overwhelming urges to submit to my desires brought me down like a rotting vine on a molding brick house. Weak in the knees, my eyes glazed over at the sight of a gluten free crust lifelessly perched on a self conveniently placed at my hands level; I vacillated for a good while, grasping it in my dry, cracked hands and running my fingers over the plastic. So delicate I was with it, like a naive lover, reluctant to reveal his want for touch. This crust had no home for a moment in time, like divorced parents battling over their child, my baby was in the cart or on the shelf. I couldn't abandon it, the orphaned crust was begging for a permanent residence. Well, digesting isn't so permanent, but I did offer it a luxury stay with a 5 star rated stomach, and a tongue massage! ;-) I concluded that during the school term I had been too self-restricting, that if I wanted to feel some sort of warmth and happiness, it would only be achieved through acting on my desires. I was tangoing with this streetcar for a while, seduced by the possible fantasies, I eagerly and ravenously grabbed the crust and laid it in my cart as if it were a Faberge egg made of dessicated mango strips. Then, I headed to the soy cheese aisle, for me it is the biggest challenge to consume a processed item, a rock in my lentils, certainly! The thoughts of it impurifying the body, oh, but these visions were fleeting, and I knocked them off the curb as images of bubbly toppings and seared crusts floated around in edible bubbles. It was my reward, and for the first time in months, did I succumb to gluttony with no apparent guilt or shame! It shall only happen bi-annually though, perhaps this will motivate me to take summer classes in order to fit in one more round! But this has certainly affirmed my beliefs, I won't be craving this sassy soy thang again until AH, enough of this right. Let's get to the pornography! :
The crust is gluten-free Millet and Flax from Sami's Bakery ( the ones who make my beloved lavash!!!) The sauce was homemade, a blend of fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, and some tomato puree! All with onions, garlic, basil oil, garlic oil, and herbs herbs herbs!

I hadn't eaten, save an apple, for the entire day. I was ravenous, which also has to do with my impulse buying sometimes... haha. Plus, I had just moved out of my dorm. I live on the 3rd floor, and the stairs are like climbing Mt.Everest. Think Bear Grylls would want to hike it? Oh, he'd certainly have a reward at the top, with better accommodations than a hollowed out camel that he pissed a circle around, or a poor murdered sheep that he stuffed himself in D:. ERrr, moving away from my personal conflictions with old Bear... I felt like I had reached my exhaustion threshold after several trips, homegirl's got a lot of shit(had to take home all my food after all!), I'm now ripped like a marble statue! I thought I would collapse on the stairwell though, the feeling was like being constipated(never happens with the gargantuan amount of fiber I consume!), putting all this effort, coating your body in an eager sweat, but all your straining and lifting seems futile! I'm not sure where I was going with that comparison, and I'm certain it's a bad idea to say the C word in a food blog! :P .... Before I digressed....

Since this was going to be my only meal, I felt it was dire that I included some sort of vegetables, so ahoy, delicately arranged on top are Mushrooms, Broccoli, and even more Garlic?!

I promise to lavish you in delicious food posts from here to eden, my sweet pea.

No 'Fu?

2009-12-14T15:40:00.001-08:00

Oh my sweet precious musings, how I have neglected ye, so very unintentional though. Please forgive me, I shall make it up to you with a delicious cornucopia of vegan goodies that would satisfy the Greek gods(and you know what a tough crowd that is to impress, the consequences for failing are quite fatal and cruel as well)! what I have at tofu stake! Golly, how long it's been since I've united my fingertips with the smooth lettered tiles(with accumulating sticky remnants of fruit too juicy to stay on my skin ;-)) of the keyboard to write about things other than collagen diseases and foodservice topics. Ugh, I lost you at collagen diseases right? The winter vacation is nearing and I shall bid a fond farewell to my fall semester by this Friday. I have found my exhaustion threshold and with the toilsome work I've finally completed with a knock out punch, am left but a scaffold of bones and a bag of skin! I will lavish you in food, bloggy, you will be adorned with orgasmic and tantalizing edible delights. You will trigger tastebuds and glaze eyes, you shall be my trophy wife! This week I've set up a challenge: No Tofu. Often times, I am too dependent on the old block of beancurd. It really is my preferred choice of protein. But this week, after discussing those lascivious lentils with a fellow V-gal, have decided to embrace them in my warm belly. I've never been quite fond of lentils, but then I've never had a dish tasty enough to convince me that I would be an empty corn husk without them in my life. There has never been a dish to persuade me, even their red, yellow, and green tints could not seduce me. (confess it, some of you just eat things based on their colors! :p) Let us see what this week has in store!

2009-08-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

The foods mate, the foods, what about the foods! I have not supplied anyone these days with salacious and nutritious items. Here we have a go. This past weekend I traveled far and wide to an obscure land referred to as New York City! haha. well Flushing to be exact. and if only if it were true to it's name. it did smell like a toilet mid flush, but did not provide the refreshment of its aftermath, alas! There I discovered what I had always longed to prove. Excess quantity of one's favorite things are capable of destroying her tastebuds and spirit for months to come! yargh, there I nomed and gorged on vegan chinese food for far too long. I was in ill recovery after that. and cannot peer upon a rice noodle the same way these days. So let's revel in the beauty of other cuisines! :

potato-rama! nothing like a lovely tofu fried tattie!

I love to blend swirl mash my tofu into a nice ricotta. paired with GF noodles and a homemade red sauce with garlic sauteed portobella strips! girll it's time to get divine!

Sadly I've been making repeat dishes lately, because they are so damn good! I must widen my repertoire, suggestions? I'm finally willing to take back and forgive zucchini after overdosing on it. Say what, what do you want to eat?!

hitting the snoozeberries

2009-08-13T21:47:00.000-07:00

2009-08-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

I've had a passionate affair with barbecue sauce, it certainly has not disappointed either party. This was no discreet exchange of intimate oral love, and here I am to reveal the intense flavors and creations it has pleasured me with to no end ;-) As well as other delights that have flung themselves across the universe of my insatiable appetite. And oh my precious tofu, how I do adore you, smother you with any thing I'll gladly be your tasty fling ;-)

sultry baked tofu, the scarlet of the oven world!

Asian Eggplant Medley!

Tempeh Spinach Salad *cringe* I really shouldn't adorn it with such a bland name, but this is the closest I will get to a salad! Slathered with some succulent portobella strips!

New comfort meal. Who knew the finer things in life consisted of smashed rose gold potatoes and tender tofu! Those green beans were snappy like a whip ;-) and I've got quite the assortment :P

Tofu Two way, because I like to tango and tangle with two sometimes ;-)

*drools* mmm homemade red vidalia sauce with pan friend greenies and shrooms!

Gorgeous! I could slather myself in this, a beautiful japanese eggplant and carrot bok choi stir fry with a mushroom tofu blend!

coopshop

2009-08-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

So I'm quite excited about the amount of goodies I purchased with my near budget today(meaning I still went over budget but in an acceptable +5$ way). That goes to show what my town can offer, if i look forward most to shopping for my edible essentials. But then again I've got this sort of stalker relationship with food, I'm always looming around the veggies, my eyes burning their gaze into the bok choy as if it were a stir fry :P I thought it was astounding what I racked up, I decided to showcase the yummies, so that I can make you all salivate with such tantalizing greens ;-) Perhaps you will be inspired to munch on those delicious produce items after viewing the pleasure they grant me ;-) I spent a total of 54.41$ Pretty reasonable since I always try to buy organic and local!

*drum roll* Presenting :
~Baby Button Mushrooms @ 2.29$/lb (conventional but local they don't sell organic bulk mushrooms) I got 6.32$ worth, these are the shrooms for me! Everyone comments on how large my package is ;-) But I can go through them before we hit thursday *pace thyself*
~Portobella Mushrooms x 2 @ 3.99$/lb= 2$
~Tofu, organic, local, bridge bulk kosher x 2 @ 2.29$/lb=4.65$
~Sami's Millet& Flax Spanish Lavash @ 4.99$ (this is quite my treat, treat for what, who knows since I do nothing all day haha, but it's gluten free and makes me want to wrap myself in one, kinky!)
~Organic Avocado x 1 @ 1.99$ ( i adore them but usually only get them with the lavash ^.^ since they are quite expensive and they are amazing when paired with lavash and I like to just get them on top of it instead of mixing it and polluting it with other ingredients!)
~ Organic Baby Bok Choy @ 2.99$ = 3.17$ (it was like adopt a baby week there, so many cute and tiny produce items .^.^ (which would be irresistible to Hareema's glowing stare)
~Organic Rose Gold Potatoes @ 1.99$/lb=2.93$ ( I just wanted to feed them to a tiny bunny, that's how small some of them were!)(do bunnies eat potatoes? There are some around my house but I'd never hold them captive~)
~Organic Green Beans @ 2.99$/lb=1.30$ (they are prepackaged but so snappy and crunchy!)
~Japanese Eggplant (conventional &local) @ 1.40$/lb( what a steal steal steal and they were adorable too(no i didn't buy my food based on immature aesthetics, well...!) =1.92$
~Organic Kale x 1 @ 2.49$ (I promised myself I would actually eat them this time haha they are like bananas, I get them but just never want to eat them, regardless of knowing their great nutritional value(they are rather intimidating, kale!)
~Organic GrannySmith Apples @ 1.99$/lb =3.94$ (nice and tart, just like me ;-))
~Bionature Organic Whole Peeled Tomatoes x 2 @ 1.99$/can
~Bionature Organic Tomato Paste x 1 @ 1.49$/jar :D :D :D I've really been craving this lush stuff, I eat it out of the jar, it's one of my favorite snacks , rack up that lycopene ;-)
~ Organic Yellow Corn grits @ 1.69$ (one of these days I'll get around to making polenta! )
~Annie's Organics BBQ Sauce in Sweet and Spicy. @ 2.79$/ bottle. YES Just after I've overdosed on this sauce they start selling it on sale. Hallelujah!!! I can finally lather my self up in it and take a bath!
~ PetPromise Canned Cat food for my purrball! @ .99$/can = on sale, he shall eat well tonight and every night after that~
well, what do you think ? I feel pretty triumphant that I was able to get cat food, a treat, bbq sauce!!!!! and some canned tomatoes while on target! if I hadn't splurged for the Lavash I would have been on budget, but who likes perfection? :P plus I eyed this gorgeous Mango sorbet that I decided to reshelf, next time you will not slip away from me! Who wants to be treated to fine dining tonight? won't you join me? After every food trip I always allow myself to not be modest when I prepare that night's dinner. Somehow I am incapable of making only one serving, but my stomach is bigger than my eyes! :P Plus I am thinking of taking photos of my pantry once a week and asking you lot what I should whip up from what I have stocked! Get your thinking berets on ;-)

2009-08-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

mm fried nuggets of sin. Portobellos lightly coated in corn starch and fried up. With a sassy succulent BarBeQue tofu to boot. Ambrosia!

tTangled Webs

2009-08-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

Today should have been gorgeous out. The fair weather and sunshine, warm happiness to melt a solid heart. I attempted to take part in what I thought was a day off from debbie downer controlling the sky. First off I had a pretty good time. Even though I went over budget (but only around 7$) I was able to procure my much sought after organic barbeque sauce. Oo child, this was a trip to flavor country! I managed to knock back around half a bottle. I wanted to smother it on everything! I knew I had gone too far when my hand had to be swat away from the rice cakes bag. But you really never know unless you try, mom! It's staring at me now, with a burning gaze, weakening my barricade and softening me up as if I were a jar of coconut oil. If I resist too long, I might end up guzzling it in a fit of passionate rage and lack of will power! I fried up some tofu, and oddly enough paired it with dry stir fried baby bok choy and mushrooms. Then I tried it with fried sweet potatoes. I pretty much could care less what it was on, I could practically bath in it's ethereal scent.

Then dun dun dun. I decided to step outside. You know, like someone who pretends to enjoy nature. I don't know if it was the sauce or what, but those mosquito had a feast on me! Why is my flesh so tender and inviting?! You think the paleness would make them turn away from me in search of a nice tanned body Perhaps they can at least taste that i don't have an iron deficiency? haha. I am faint from getting the blood sucked out of me. I'd over estimate and exaggerate a pint! At least 10 bites, I don't know if she kept coming back for more since I was sooo delicious or if she brought the whole family with her!(because we all know that only females are the ones who suck blood, thata girl ;-) I really wish I had captured one while you could see the blood in her stomach. I even considered to be the bait, but none would take the bite in a region visible to me! ouch. Next I was letting Lexington roam around the domain. All of a sudden he has disappeared into a bush (thank goodness for his vivid locks of swirled fire and smoke!) Only as I was getting him, I was snagged on a bush of burrs. yeah who knew they existed around my house. AT that very location. So I ended up getting tangled in it. My camera strap, my hair. I had to rip the plant out of its roots to free myself! Lesson learnt, these midnight locks are to be kept out of the shrubbery!

2009-07-31T15:37:00.001-07:00

It don't matter if it's black or white!

2009-07-31T15:23:00.001-07:00

Actually, I'd prefer both. So it was raining again today. What is this, am I actually just reliving the same day over and over again? I decided to once again try to capture the beauty within the eye of the storm. Now you might be sick of droplets on leaves, it is probably pretty banal now. in fact, I am almost so bored I want to rebel in a fit of destruction and knock every ounce of water clinging to these leaves into the ground. But I feel compelled. To shoot them at every angle, color, and go mad scientist by abusing supermacro all the time. I might need intervention. This is only a desperate plea for the sun to last longer than a day (and I miss most of that because I sleep in ). (if anyone is need of participants in a study of taking too many black and white photos, I won't be ashamed if you ask me to volunteer:P)

2009-07-31T14:48:00.000-07:00

Food! I haven't showcased many of these delectable delights lately, don't look on an empty stomach ;-) I have totally lost my appetite for the past two weeks. It bites, but not literally because I am either not hungry or don't crave anything I have at the house. Have I over done the stir fries and noodle dishes?! Alas, in dedication to you, foods :

p.s. Someone tell me why I don't have an actual file for all things food related? They are scattered about in my million other folders D:

Mmm everyone has an infamous tofu scramble, mine has a bit of a twist with some tumeric included, topped over caramlized sweet potatoes. MMM!

Baked Tofu! My darling how I swim the ocean to get to you, safely in my mouth ;-)

I.am.addicted.to.toasted.sesame.seeds!

Soup a doup! A lovely Mushroom soup, though you cannot see any of them :P

Mmm chocolate pudding, topped in an attempted whip fluff of coconut milk!

Hummus! I added paprika and chili pepper. Ohh child! And about 5 cloves of garlic, I was perspiring it for days!

A lovely potato lasagne!

When I went through my spring roll phase!

ahh my comfort meal before I went gluten free. That lovely chickpea patty, I'm salivating! I also have to find a new comfort dish, any suggestions?

Willa knows what these will do to a person. they'll make someone a mere mortal after a bite of these orgasmic coconut concotions!

The next two are a memory of my italian baked pasta addiction. I used some vegan cheese on it. I try to stay away from the processed muck, but my mom bought me some, so I forced myself to use it some way ;-) I made the tomato sauce myself, very arduous process, especially when you have to wait an hour for it to bake!

Another stir fry, tried a new sauce this time with Tamari, Toasted Sesame Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Chili Pepper, Brown Sugar, and Scallions!

2009-07-31T14:06:00.001-07:00

2009-07-31T10:14:00.001-07:00

In a spot of rare dry weather I was able to observe life amongst my own habitat! Here are some of the species I was able to capture :P

Looks like a swan or crane about to sip the water out of the rain drop!

I was able to meet one of the beetles! okay if this isn't a beetle the joke's infrastructure has just collapsed :(

This beautiful creation! collecting the droplets as if they were suspended particles! Would be the most breathtaking garment if someone could spin it into thread!

this little gal's masterpiece! she must be superfecund because their were a ton of them on the bush when I took her picture, then I slowly and quietly sprinted away :P

summer lovin'(what I've somehow managed to occupy myself with this vacation!)

2009-07-29T22:14:00.000-07:00

It's 1 am. again. I am all too acquainted with this time period and we are always wide awake when rendevous. Sadly after dancing and pretending I belong in the Red Square with my attempts at "what i would be like at ballet if I had not quit it in the 2nd grade" I have only been more energized and slightly more damp with sweat around the epidermal unit. I take lots of photos, I ambush innocent wild life and demand their souls by capturing only a fraction of their beauty. So here is my photos post. I should have more of these come to think of it.
sometimes you just want people to appreciate art without having to explain it! as the buckmeister said it best!

It's in your heart
It's in your art, your beauty
Even in this world of lies
There's purity

Dande-whatsits! I was a major offender of spreading these seeds around like a communicable! Dandelions are also edible, but how many of us have been brave enough to make a dish out of the ones on our front yard!Might not look familar unless you are a badass like willa and me. Because this was a taken from the rooftops, say what?! Yeah we totally picked the lock, it's amazing what willa can do with a bobby pin ;-) well willa can do a lot of things, but this door needed no finagling, we just walked right on it(luckily we walked right out too :p)!

Here's my baby. Who wouldn't want to see this dashing puss? Only a dick would deny themselves of this breathtaking boy wonder. he was caught mid lick. I wish cats weren't already covered in hair, because I think he would look awesome with a cat beard, maybe a fu manchu? ;-)

here is another one because like me you cannot get enough. In fact before I go overload I will give him a seperate post. In the meantime, here he is, meancing! HE doesn't normally look that scary, only when he threatens me and verbally assaults me when I don't feed him fast enough.

and to be fair, here's buddy! Or peanut buddy as I do like to refer to him as ^.^ Though I think it's clear where my favoritism lies in ;-) he's not chained up or anything, he's got quite the fierce reputation in the neighborhood so i must keep him close! Here he is playing the opposite of :fetch:

Wow I am entranced by this one, sure it's blurry, at least I admitted it. But it's still captivating. All the sunlight, and the fact that you can pretty much see the lenses because of the sunlight reflection upon it makes it look as if I pictured it through a glass pane!

I picked this one day on a nice walk with Buddy. The colours changed as it dried and it is mesmerizing!
I got these for the holidays. They are from India! They are little puppets that somehow do not resemble any sort of puppetry I am capable of ? At least they are together!

I went to grafton lake for the first time evah. and then some! Not that I am addicted to beaches? Dirty water and ruining my pristine paleness, where is the win? Anyway the boats at the dock were not used by us, but they were so darn photogenic I think they only emphasize the beauty of it!

]I think I might try to compose this in a more sensical manner. Perhaps I will time line my adventures! to be continued!~

rain rain rain( or another post showing the ways I abuse the supemacro setting and am shamelessly plugging my photos)

2009-07-29T21:44:00.000-07:00

I don't mean to ask you to stop, but can you not take a brief respite for more than 3 days at a time? Your thoughts of rain drops backfire, splitter splatter like grease flinging up in the air, burning and stinging. Your wet drops do nothing to impair me, but you give me inspiration!
Enjoy the gems! Rest in peace my favorite bush *snickers because I AM immature* You left me so suddenly at the hands of my own flesh and blood. Please thrive into the tangled webs of delicate beauty that I hopelessly aspire to capture in angst! Oh yeah, and the last one is this wicked cool puddle reflection because I have such a sweet spot for them in my ventricles. I have TONS more but I can't even choose what else besides this :P even though differ in ways I cannot even detect (well that is exaggerating a bit too much, after all we can easily recognize people because we are able to differentiate all the spatial differences between the facial cues)

Cookie

2009-07-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

Look familiar? Probably not because you didn't get a chance to nibble even a mouse's serving before it was devoured. Well there are many factors to explain. My friend and I made this cookie for my sistah's birthday. And we pretty much ate it as soon as we gave it to her ( there was all the willpower in the world not to surprise her with a cookie missing a slice) This is the only picture of it, I'm surprised such a thing could be captured, but only a fragment of its glimmering beauty.
It's a giant cookie, 'nuff said. bigger than my head, which is BIG. I have a head so big that no piece of paper was ever large enough to capture it D:. Alas, I used an oatmeal flour. just grind oats up like your skanky arse would on the dance floor. Just kidding I know you are all classy gals. Just use any vegan cookie recipe. and make it big. Also takes less time to cook which means less time until cookie reaches the mouth which means going big is hitting the home run! Dump in some of those sweet ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips because those precious things are actually Vegan! And apparently dogs enjoy them too, or at least ask the thief who munched them all. Buddy.

gettin' baked

2009-07-22T15:50:00.001-07:00

Every now and then I get a little bit hungry, turn it brown, drizzle that nice tofu with a glaze of tamari soak it up and you won't be sorry! Turn it brooowwwn. Alright, sung, hummed or delusionally composed in the tune of Total Eclipse of the Heart. So some people realize my affinity for all things dessicated. Mangoes especially being the lamb to my slaughter, errmm Bell Pepper to my slaughter. Much better and a more deserving item of such fate! I like my tofu as I like my men, oh scratch that, there is nothing comparable between the two because I don't like my tofu aged or lanky, but I sure like it saucier than a tureen of mushroom gravy ;-).

Before I lose the plot, and continue to digress in areas that I should not elaborate in I will dazzle you with my latest creations. They take longer than it does my brother to get baked. ohoho, I popped these vessels of scrumdiddlyuptiousness in the oven for near 45 minutes, taking them out every ten and flipping them over and saucing them with my wand(which were apple cider vinegar, tamari sauce, water, chili powder, and toasted sesame oil). Mid way I started the bubbling and brewing of the cauldron, err pot with one handle, and put those delightful gluten-free rotelles to cook. I started to wok and roll by stir frying one of the gazillion zucchinis I am in possession of and then added some 'shrooms, baby bok choy (I'm not a veggie pedo!), and fresh garlic. Zing, I could have eaten five bowlfuls, oh wait, I did! ( but yo, that bowl is about the size of a GMO potato)

Zucchini bikini

2009-07-19T22:00:00.001-07:00

Ladies and Gents I got much ado about somethings! This summer has been superfantastich and positively experimental ;-) I'm jolted off my rocker that I went to farm today to pick my own, an inspiration to maybe start growing my own too. I would never return to the farm in question. It was 30 minutes away. The staff was a bit unsocial and less helpful than a wall, and the place was as confusing and aggravating as a bell pepper in a chocolate bar(talk about crisis!) Hmph. There were many pick-your-own selections. I did grab some blueberries while I was furiously stomping around in search for something, they were pretty much the only things that were bountiful and easy to find. Maybe we got there too late in the season. The raspberry bushes were covered with beetles and filled with milkweed! (and they were supposed to be the stars of our show but were practically nonexistent!) There were no markers to label ANYTHING. We just got a map that was as helpful as a box of rabbit pellets on a deserted island! We found things by walking around aimlessly, and I am horrible at directions so imagine not even having directions! I am excited that for the first time in my life I got to try Fresh Garlic though! Woo wee child baby, I could make love to that all night underneath the moonlight! It was so crisp and mild, compared to the cured alternatives! I got two bulbs, but they were 2$ a head! Blimey, right a hefty sum, but nothing too outrageous for my precious tastebuds! We got about 6lbs of zucchini, and three onions, fresh from the stalks. The cherries were so high up in their trees, I am no gorilla and hardly mustered any effort to scale up the tree. We failed to obtain anything worth devouring!
The Zucchinis are coming out all over the place(luckily not out of my mouth though)! The first thing I did was fry them, how naughty. But you can't enjoy a vegetable unless you've done the most sinfully delicious thing to it! I mixed some cornstarch(which I am almost out of because like a toddler or perhaps a supergenius, I am amused for hours by it when it is mixed with water) some paprika, pepper, portughese salt, and dried basil (yeah that did nothing *smacks head as to why I added it* experimenting remember!)
MMM. Splish Splash I was taking a batter bath. I dipped those bad boys in water and batter three times in a row. OOO They had such a nice crunchy outer layer and then a soft gooey center. It was like a grilled soycheese sandwhich! Then I mixed some tamari, apple cider vinegar, and added that sassy fresh garlic as a dip and was in salivating heaven! I almost needed my own room with them ;-) I've got about 10 zuchs left, any recommendations of what to do with them, except the obvious, willa? ;-)

The teardrops of the clouds

2009-07-19T20:25:00.001-07:00

All this rain! One gets sick of frolicking, because after a while you run out of dry shirts to put on(plus my lack of laundry duty this summer) ! Though I know most of you readers wouldn't pass the opportunity to go shirtless when the situation calls for it...or not ;-) But while being cooped up indoors and working on the striking paleness I achieve with ease, there is the insuperable beauty that comes with the rain!
My favorite hobby is photographing the droplets! In the shimmering light they appear to be clear gems. They are entrancing and the epitome of nature's gifts! I wish I could preserve them, but such things are not meant to be held in captivity! :P They are just so striking! I could get lost in them and for a moment in time believe I could be as glimmering as them.

So fragile and delicate, many times have I been unfortunate enough to disturb their carefully kissed leaves and caused the droplets to run. My clumsy shovel paws wrecked havoc on several innocent bushes. *snickers*
So next time you're sulking about the doom and gloom rain, look for these beacons of beauty and smile at the wonders of life! Appreciate every darn minute of the cycles of earth!

And to add an extra lovely shot! my favorite little guy to roam around with whilst searching for these treasures! The cutest kitty munching the freshly watered grass!
I've got way more pictures but I don't want to exploit the raindrops :P If you want to see more ask! they are the bigger versions;-)

Go-go-go Gluten Free!

2009-06-03T12:08:00.001-07:00

And the crowd cheers! Huzzah, My first attempt at a gluten free pizza, in fact somewhat humorous that I have created a pizza that leaves out what seems to be the very essential parts that make one. No cheese, no wheat, the only thing I'm hanging on to is the sauce, otherwise I might as well call it a foccacia! :P So now that I've reclaimed my wheat free status( I know there's a difference between wheat and gluten free and I tend to usually be gluten free. I consider that I have a very mild allergy to it, feeling sluggishly slow and absolutely bogged down, not to mention itchy! Without it in my diet, I feel like I'm practicially levitating with all the energy I've seemed to reclaim! Anyway in celebrating my changes, I lusted after pizza and here he is. I devoured him in an appreciable time ;-)

2009-05-28T08:06:00.001-07:00

Stop. Mehndi-Tiiii-iii-iiii--meeee. There ain't nothing like a good ole fashioned henna, and lately I've been on a spree. I've been doing my hands deep in eucalyptus leaves henna-ing everyone and their mother. And as it turns out my own mother yesterday! I think the skin is such a beautiful canvas to unleash such creativity on, a natural form of art with the usage of leaves to dye the skin, my kind of style! It is not permanent so I will hardly have a regret, although will sulk and lament if the design doesn't turn out well while I
only free hand it to my content. Plus I can always have a new design, unique as I will never be able to copy any of the free hand I do, and I love it that way! I have a sort of an addiction though. It's like seeing others yawn and mimicking it. Because every time I henna someone, I feel compelled to add a piece on myself! AGH so now I have the terrible burden of the fading and the nubile on my arm because I was too impatient and couldn't wait several days until it all disappeared. I tried convincing myself it is some wicked cool shadowing technique, but that is just full of fail! And normally I am so good at the powers of persuasion, alas!

Fire Alarm Fry

2009-05-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

I'm on a roll, baby! Why not continue the uncontrollable flow of text from my hands by providing something delicious for your viewing pleasures! After being unable to go to the market all weekend, nor Monday due to inability/inconvenience I was finally able to whip up something pleasant to my palate instead of scrounging up what ever was around. Sure I love being creative, but when you have naught vegetables left, you start to go on a meltdown or is that just me who freaks when she doesn't see any fresh greens?! After reuniting with my favorite veggie friends I could hardly know what to do with them except worship them in the sunlight. Okay I know a thing or two to do with food, I decided to whip up old reliable that everyone of us must have a special recipe for -the stir fry!

This stir fry has an even more special significance because of Monday night's events when it was first attempted. By that I mean I got as far as the onions before I set off the fire-alarm. Normally this would cause no reason for panic. Please now, don't worry, the onions were not burnt! Oh yeah, and we were all safe too... which ever one was your first priority :P The real problem was that the fire-alarm was so sensitive that it went off with just a slight bit of smoke(hey the pot was hot!), mind you an old school one that they only way for it to be turned off was for the fire department to come! All show and dance for naught, as I slunk into a slightly embarrassed demeanor, the perfect welcoming song that showed I had arrived and made way for my presence! College wouldn't be the same without my endearing mishaps! Onward, the recipe must be continued!
Weapon of choice: Wok me like a sugarcane!
An essential part of one's kitchen, food just ain't as fun if it's not been taken for a ride on this metal rollercoaster

1. Look at this beauty, beckoning you for its ripe slicing. I loooove the vidalias in a way that is only expressed by the glazed over eyes and salivating tongue I am affected by when it becomes within sight. The sweetness they add is subtle and yet contribute to the dish the way a regular yellow onion just can't satisfy.

2.CHOPCHOPSLICESLICE more slicing, less chopping!

3. Into the wok ye go for yer next journey! Sizzlin'! Let them soften up a bit until they get to the succulent consistency and appearance of these sexy thangs:
Then we add these fine 'fus, all diced up and ready to take a dip and flip!

The next victim: a solo zucchini waiting to be chopped!

BFFS:

Spinach! How else do I maintain my physique? ;-)

My lovers:
spot of oil, splash of tamari

le piece de resistance!:

*claps*
word of sorrow, for some reason the quality of these photos were absolutely horrendous whence uploaded on here due to the large size of their nature, I was most excited about revealing my food photo shoots and now they reflect badly on my sharp shootin' skills! (but that does not fix my indolence and I don't particularly feel like resizing everything D:)

the "I'm all out of chocolate what am I going to dooooo" fix

2009-05-27T09:38:00.001-07:00

I made the most divine dessert the other day. I had an overwhelming craving for chocolate and was positively irked that my dog had greedily snarfed them all up the previous evening. Well Buddy(that's his name and not just the colloquial expression) karma's that stitch in time, and he violently expelled it from his system due to the fact that they are allergic to chocolate (isn't that a horrible allergy?!) Anyway before I went on a tangent, he consumed all my precious nuggets of cocoa and that led me to be my usual creative detective and I whipped up this succulent cloud of flavor! 1 can of organic coconut milk, 1 box of organic coconut pudding mix, 2 Tbsp of Fair Trade Cocoa and a splash and dash of vanilla and sugar led me to a desirable dish! Bring the coconut milk to a boil, add the pudding, let that bubble bubble until it's nice and thick, then bringith the cocoa! Normally I don't like "semi-homemade"cooking, sandra lee, pshaw! But this was a time that involved drastic measures because I might have resorted to some act of vegetable violence had I not had my hands on this stuff stat! Yes I realize it is also quite caloric-ally dense, perfect for those hikes, forget the trailmix! :P But after a few bites, as delicious as it is, you won't want much more because it is that satiating! And coconut milk is a diuretic... so let's say this is amazing for a body flush! I would post a picture, but chocolate coconut pudding actually looks like a vat of excrement, especially with the little coconut shreds splashing about in it!

Baby Come Back-Wacky Willie Wednesday

2009-05-27T09:05:00.001-07:00

Oh golly, how I've let myself down by neglecting this wonderful world of weburaly workings. I got the jump start hint that I should be ashamed of such behavior and immediately rectify it or else face punishment by the swat of an abnormally large zucchini! By popular demand (easy when you only have one follower who is actually your friend, so that I can exclaim said popularity due to the statistics) I hath returned, and brought a bounty of spectacular ideas with it. Willa, since you're the only one reading, do you ever get the feeling that when I write, it is how I would speak to you? You are like the ~Kitty~ to my Anne Frank Diary! That says enough about my own lingual labyrinths, let's tango with the text some more, shall we? So now I realize it might be an extreme net faux pas to have TWO wwW in a row, it only reveals and exposes my shameful disregard to my precious e-child. But it must go on, and if fate has paired two wW with one another, then I have no control whatsoever on the matter. :P

This topic is inspired by my favorite fruit jerkies, that overpowered me and forced me to consume them all within a very short time period after purchasing. Even I did not know that they would not stand against time and defy every scientific law known to mankind. They hypnotized me into being a voracious fruit beast, where I without a strain of prejudice, shred every piece of dessicated mango within my site, with no proper eulogy nor burial. The very things that make me weak, and my stomach gnaw uncontrollably, the magical dried fruit. How I love thee with every fiber of my heart's desire. So lovely as it flails around, flexing to my every want, seducing me until even I claim that I am a mere mortal to its celestial taut body. It satiates my sweet tooth and leaves me longing for more, until I've decimated all that I had and all there ever was in my possession. An ode to you my sweet and sassy nourishment and the promise to reserve time for you, always above any other food(unless it is Chinese food, I know I can compromise between you two, but if there is Buddha Bodai in my midst, sorry sweetheart but you're taking the back seat) :} Here is my precious, please do not objectify him so salaciously, unless it is with the good intention of hunger! I did not mean to substitute a picture from the web, but alas, the mango was no longer in the flesh after I ravaged it! Now Willie, it's your turn to tell us (me) why you so appreciate this darling substance!

Wacky Willie Wednesday

2009-05-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

Every Wednesday, Willie will inquire something of me, and I shall respond to the best of my ability. It is just another interesting edition to my posts that I would like to include to shake things up a bit from their already abnormal routines! I guess she just wants me to hop on Gilbert(my laptop!) the first thing I do when I wake up, can you blame the technologically aware?

Her first ever suggestion is: What is the first thing I think of when I wake up: Hitting the snoozeberries until I can answer that! Sleep:acquired, perhaps more than I would have liked, but I suppose it is to pay off my hefty sleep debt that I built up in college(but I was getting used to 5 hours of sleep, now I'm at a gluttonous 10 which is positively unhealthy!). Why exactly do I want to wake up earlier then One post meridian is beyond me, but it seems more professional not to snooze in, I also feel as if I lose more time to do completely nothing and I prefer to get a head start on that! :P.

Arriba, The first thing I thought was ~Merlin's Beard~ it's one pm! Except it was a little more of the latin derived vulgarity that I would hate to slander across my precious food blog. Then I explored my previous dreamscape that I was somewhat of a prisoner of! I was taking some kind of wickedly long test and only after I chased a school bus for my backpack did I wake up. Also I do remember one shinning quote from yours truly "How can they expect us to run when there is peanut butter (gushing between my teeth), it sloooooowwwss you down" And then I proceded to sloooowwwmoooo. you see mother, this is what you get when you play mad scientist with my REM cycle! (don't let Kleitman and Aserinsky find out or they'll study me! :P) It is a result, dear children, of me being thrusted from my comfortable zone at 7 am in the morning to transport myself to another location for further eyelids combat.

So willa, I'm not exactly sure what I thought about, besides dangnabbit, did I have to turn off all three of my alarms? At seven am I am more of a "philosophical sleeper" all these intricate thoughts rushed into me and kept me awake for minutes and I had missed my inbetween dose-off point, alas it was inevitable that they are beyond my neurons now! Tell me about your inane musings of the morning!

The return of the 'Fu

2009-05-05T12:31:00.000-07:00

Now that you have all seen just how aesthetically appealing my own cat is, I'm sure there is curiosity to the kinds of food I prepare! Warning: do not read before you have eaten! Your stomach will revolt against you.
I have stored up many steamy sessions of the photoshoots I have with my dishes, so I am unfortunately indecisive about what to present! Let's go with a tasty little number we all must have a rendition of : The Tofu Scramble! *mmmhhh what ya sayyy, you tasted so swellll* It's my favorite stereotypical breakfast item that I never eat for breakfast(I have an intense adoration for eating breakfast for dinner!):

This was actually the one time I decided to forgo my morning nap between lethal 8am Organic Chem. and 10 am Spanish. Arriba! Most of my dishes are pretty quick because during the school year I am a busy little aye aye and hardly have time to spend creating a 7-course meal! but I can assure you flavor patrol that none of the flavor is missing. ;-) I use a succulent tofu purchased from the Honest Weight Food Co-op available in those large watery vessels. I absolutely abhor those ascetic packaged boxes of the 'Fu. They are a travesty to soybean kind! Something I was forced to comply with in the beginning of the year and am a strong opposor of. Trust me, we're food friends, don't go to the dark side of plastic boxes and square tofu *tears*.
I caramelized some red onions first, and then crumbled this white sponge in it until it browned a bit. Add Some 'shrooms, not the kind bought off of your local cow patties though! Then I added several herbs and spices to take it to a higher level. I also used organic sweet potatoes, or yams, or whatever the difference between the two is?! ( tried researching the two but they are still rather confuddling) Whatever the nomer, the starch family is welcomed in my palate. I parboiled them and then fried them up until they got irresistibly sweet and had a nice crispy outside. I added several cloves of garlic about one minute before turning it off, for my favorite zing! The thing about me is that I do not measure things, so I can only offer the ingredients and preparation methods involved! I believe that only you know what you truly enjoy, so let your tongue, hands, and nose do all the work! Let yourself feel the flavors, dahling, even those with bad sense of direction will be able to figure this out!
So here is what I used:
Tofu, Sweet Potatoes(or possibly yams), Mushrooms, Red Onions, Garlic, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil, Oregano, Sea Salt,White Pepper, and Turmeric!
Don't be intimidated by the amount of herbs, they all contribute and enhance the dish, and weren't just in there because I knocked over my spice rack... :}
Transform away!

2009-05-05T12:19:00.000-07:00

Let us start out with the quintessential testing period. Oh no, I won't lure you with food, but of my sassy feline with a sharp swagger and a story to tell. I present to you denizens of the third planet: Sir Lexington!
: Voracious for a new post and an important moral contributor.(sadly he does not enjoy taste testing my food, what a picky eater!)

All Right

2009-04-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

All right, let us get this bad boy underway. Now that the college year has sent me on a almost four month sabbatical (*tear tear*), we shall develop ye into a beauteous creation that even my inexcusable indolence will be shocked at the amount of productivity contributed. No more faffing around or tom foolery(although that is perfectly acceptable and should perhaps add some pizazz to my musings). My precious, let us unleash you on the interwebular realms and hold complete responsibility for the delicious damage you may inflict.
I should establish the general contents of this: FOOD. Not just any food! Cruelty free(to the best of my ability) cuisine! That's right folks, a new vegan blog has been birthed. (would have gotten started a lot more quickly if it wasn't for my odd fear of writing first posts (true story!) That is all I know so far, only my spirits can take control now! It is not solely food, as deceiving as the name might be (anyone know what little tune that is a pun from? ;-)) Life is incomplete without nourishment. Let's do a little bit of eating to live, and a bit more of living to eat. (the latter is terrifyingly easier to accomplish when away from school!) But most importantly, let us do some living as well! *drum rolls* let the feasting and featuring begin!