Vegan MoFo 2011!

So I'm a few days late to the party. Last year MoFo really inspired me to write every day and it was wonderful. This year I have severe limits on my time and technology access due a change in the day job circumstances.

I almost didn't sign up this year, but I have been wanting a reason to write more regularly (even though I shouldn't need a reason), so here I am.

Last year I fantasized about a 2011 MoFo with a creative theme, amazing pictures, thrilling give aways, and all the internet praise I could stomach. But then I didn't really think about how I wouldn't be wasting away in a soul-crushing job that afforded me little except for long days with little to do and internet access. Given the choice, I'm happy to blog a little (lot) less and be much happier 8-10 hours a day. Also, since I'm in an unpaid internship, there will be no improvements that require money.

So I didn't really set any posting goals, and this first week of October has already sped by with little input from me, and I'm out of town all weekend - maybe that'll give me some material though, since I'm going to be at a festival and camping.

I will probably also have a pretty stellar post at some point about the lavish dinner I make to celebrate the return of Arrested Development. Or I'll sit and rewatch seasons 1-3, eating blueberry muffins and making I blue myself jokes. I've gotten some serious non-AD mileage out of that line as recently as this summer.

SUFFERING RENDERED

If you're in the MD/DC/VA area, I recommend checking out Scotlund Haisley's exhibit, SUFFERING RENDERED at the Art Works Studio School gallery. The pieces are heavy representation of animal rescues - a look at individual animals' last moment before freedom.

I was able to attend the opening reception and speak with Haisley, who explained the mission of, successes won by, and setbacks encountered by his organization, Animal Rescue Corps.

I also got to speak with a lot of people who had never given much thought to the welfare of animals that are considered livestock. It was easy for people to express outrage and shock at the`idea of stray dogs being rounded up and shot to death, but coversations about pieces like the one depicting factory farmed pigs were puncuated by discomfort.

Maybe I've been in a bit of an angry vegan mood lately, but I felt no discomfort and was pretty blunt with everyone I talked to. The things you're seeing can end now with you. All you have to do is to live mindfully and with respect for all life in your heart. If you do that, your actions will effect change. Or you can continue to clutch your pearls at the sights depicted, and then continue to do things the way you always did. So let's see what kind of social change art inspires.

The exhibit will remain up through October, so do get in touch with the directors to stop in to see the works. In the meantime, check out this video tour.



For the record, I am affiliated with ArtWorks, and due to that fact, the opening reception featured vegan food exclusively. Future events will always include vegan options as well, but it's worth pointing out that the more vegans who drop a line to the school, the more likely and frequent vegan catering will be featured.

You should also know that I skipped the cocktail hour dress code and rocked my Arm The Animals T-shirt. I was assured by several fashion-minded people that this was totally OK, since the political message was apropros. It wasn't lost on Haisley or his wife.

Windmills Do Not Work That Way

"Windmills do not work that way! Good night!" has become the stock phrase in my house to indicate that someone is just not getting it.

I wanted to chant it last night at the Rise Against show at the Electric Factory. Of course, no one would have heard me over the loud chants of "USA! USA!"

It was baffling as Tim McIlrath changed guitars and in that silence people began their ridiculous chant. He addressed it saying that he had intended to speak about it after one more song, but he'd do it now. He said he gets that we can breathe a collective sigh of relief, but now we have to take all of that energy and emotion and channel it into bringing the troops home.

He was greeted with more "USA! USA!" Now maybe I was projecting a bit here, but when I saw him bring his palm to his forehead and wipe it down the front of his face, I could have sworn I saw disbelief.

Rise Against went on to play whatever it was that was on the set list before getting to play "Hero of War."



I don't listen to this song often. Say what you will, but it makes me tear up on a good day. It was satisfying to hear it live, though.

It was awful to hear the now-familiar chant, "USA! USA!" when it ended.

I don't have a problem with patriotism, but this isn't the goddamned Superbowl. To distill such a complex series of events to a stupid half-time chant is beyond ignorant and a Rise Against concert is really one of the most innappropriate places to break your arm patting yourself on the back for being a citizen of a country that got its revenge.

So is a vegan blog the appropriate place to complain about this? Of course it is.

Another huge disconnect occurred when McIlrath dedicated "Ready to Fall" to those who speak for "the voiceless" - for the animals. The crowd was mostly silent and some even booed when he said it, but not a single person held still when he started the song. It was like a moonbounce up in there with people jumping around, and no one held back from shouting "Now I'm standing on the rooftop" each time.

(I went with Vevo to get the video, even though this one is censored. If you want to have a terrible day, watch the more graphic version here. I've already done it, so you won't be alone.)

All in all, it was a good show and I'm glad I went. And I do hope that all those kids who memorized every lyric eventually start to think about those lyrics and make changes in how they engage with the world around them. I'm grateful that there are bands who use their music to promote social justice and to bring awareness to the sad state of so many things. I just hope that people start listening.

PPK Cookbook Challenge Week 5: Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan

Look what I found lurking in the drafts! I wrote this, but never finished it. Well here it is now.

Week 5, Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan.

I may be a bit spoiled, because this is one of two books that I bought for the challenge, though it's been on my list for ages. (The other book I ordered was 500 Vegan Recipes).

On my first flip-through, I was feeling uninspired, but then I realized that a lot of the recipes are super easy, and I need more of that in my life. After actually preparing a few dishes, I'm in love. Everything is great so far. It's too early to say, but this book may join the ranks of desert island cookbooks.

Accordingly, the Teriyaki Quinoa came together super fast while I made a cake and cookies. Most of the time is downtime, and had I been on top of things, I would have made a lovely salad with mandarin oranges and ginger-lime dressing, but I wasn't. Luckily, it's filling and complete with steamed broccoli and I didn't feel the need to make extra sauce to cover the veggies.

It doesn't make as much food as most of the recipes I'm used to do, but I would say this is 3 main dishes (with a side) or 4 side dishes for two hungry adults.



The 5-Spice Cookies are likewise easy, but are definitely a grown-up cookie. I was skeptical about the use of barley flour, b/c I'd never baked with it, and I was afriad it would make the cookies too faux-health-food, but they turned out really well. (Note that this fear is not rooted in experience).

They have a slight licorice taste to them, and I really like that, but I know not everyone is a fan. This is also one of the few times I'll approve of nuts in cookies. Usually, nuts interrupt the texture of baked goods when baked in, but these work. I'll definitely make these when I hang out wih my tea-snob pals - they like unconventional desserts.



Admittedly, I didn't actually cook the next dish myself, so my report on the process is second hand, but I did eat quite a lot, so I can assure you authenticity there.

Apparently, the Lemony Cashew Pesto over linguine is a matter of boiling pasta and blending some stuff, then combing the results of each process. I guess all pasta is essentially that, but this was really easy! The lemon flavor is really mellow and adds sunniness without overbearing tartness to the dish. I love it. This is going to be my go-to when the CSA dumps loads of basil into my box this summer.

No Title, No Pictures, but It's Short!

You know grad school has really done a number on my willingness to write here. I kept up with the whole PPK Cookbook Challenge, even though I stopped taking pictures and posting.

Since then, I've been going simple. The semester is coming to a close, so deadlines are tight and I've made several bowls from Appetite for Reduction, and this week I've been on a Vegan Italiano kick. Donna Klein deserves more love from me because everything I've made from her book has been easy and super delicious.

The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen was the first gift I got for my sister when she went vegan, but I haven't gotten any reviews on that one. I would get my own copy, but I'm on a semi-self-imposed cookbook buying ban. Maybe my sister will give up hers, since she's into macro eating these days.

Speaking of which, she has raved about a book I gave her this year called The Saucy Vegetarian. Since she structures her meals a certain way, she can make sauces to add variety, especially when eating leftovers. I'm pretty sure my sister said that despite the name, the recipes are all vegan.

In other niche diet news, the weather is getting nice here, the farmer's market will be opening soon, and my mom got me two new raw food books for my birthday, so I'm ready to once again implement Raw Wednesdays ... except they'll probably be on Tuesdays or Sundays. I haven't decided yet.

Time to dust off some of my favorite raw blog links too and start planning.

PPK Cookbook Challenge Week 4: Vegan with a Vengeance

Week 4, Vegan with a Vengeance.

I have to admit, my non-vegan (at the time) mother turned me onto this book. When my sister and I went vegan, our mom did what she does best and got really into it. She bought a bunch of vegan cookbooks and during one of my visits home, she made the Raspberry-Chocolate Chip Blondie Bars. They never stood a chance, and I ordered the book right away.

For Week 4, I chose five recipes and made four of them on the same day.

Mocha Chip Muffins
I really like these, but they're more of a chocolate-chocolate chip muffin. The coffee flavor isn't terribly strong, but I think the chocolate flavors are enhanced by the coffee. I do like them a lot though, and they're a wonderful afternoon treat. In the future I'll reduce the number of muffins I make to get bigger muffins.


Curried Split Pea Soup
This soup is great. It's super easy to make, with most of the cooking time being down time. The flavor is lovely, and mellow. It's wonderful comfort food for a cold day and pairs well with toast.

Spicy Indian Rice with Toasted Almonds
This rice is worth the bit of extra effort (and it is such a very little bit it's hardly worth saying). It's flavorful without stealing the show, which makes it perfect as an accompaniment. Next time, I'll make it to go with Aloo Gobi. I will also double the amount of almonds in the future because I really like almonds.

Mushroom and Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto
This is so good that I ate way too much of it the first night, became too full, and didn't want anymore. I tried it with the truffle oil, and hated that. It literally tastes like dirt, which I guess is what Moskowitz meant when she called it "earthy." I can see how some people might like it, and I'll try it again one day, but my dishes will be truffle oil-less and my palate unrefined for now.'

Out of the four dishes I made on that one day, this was the most time-consuming, but it comes together easily. The biggest deal is all the stirring, but since I was multitasking and stuck in the kitchen anyway, it didn't seem like a big deal. It won't be on the emergency dinner list, but it's great if you want something filling and fancy without a huge investment of time an effort. I also think it would be nice during a fall or winter holiday meal.



Orange-Rum Tea Cake
This cake is fabulous. It's so orangey and sweet. My sensitive teeth don't like the cornmeal, but it's actually great. It adds a lot to the very fluffy cake. The almonds on top also add a lot to the texture. Perfect with tea or coffee, I'll be sure to make this when entertaining guests.

PPK Cookbook Challenge Week 3: Urban Vegan

Week 3, The Urban Vegan

The Pumpkin Daal Soup is definitely one of the best dishes I've made from this book. It tastes great and was crazy easy. It's pretty sweet, so next time I'll half the sugar, but it was great served over brown basmati rice. I also found the flavor mellowed by the next day and it was even better.

The Tuscan Braised Beans are great served as Balcavage suggests, with a drizzle of olive oil and some nutritional yeast, alongside a green salad and crusty bread. I found the lemon to be a bit jarring, and I'll reduce that next time, but the nutritional yeast really mutes the tartness, so it worked. This dish is wicked easy and will be in the regular rotation in the future.



I made the Microwave Satay Sauce to use in the Spicy Udon Noodles. The sauce was super easy and tastes good. I ended up eating it over steamed broccoli because I only needed a tablespoon for the noodles.



The Spicy Udon Noodles weren't spicy at all. They were super delicious, but you're going to need to add some extra curry paste and/or chili pepper if you want any heat. The dish came together really fast and is perfect for when you're short on time, and that takes making the satay into account. I subbed peas for the edamame, and they were great. Having the extra sauce on hand was nice since by the next day, the noodles needed a little extra.




The Portobello Burritos are easy to make and really excellent. They're filling and the stuffing is fairly flavorful. I used pineapple salsa and that proved to be wise. It provided a wonderful sweet contrast to the savory burritos, but next time I'll use two jars. I'll also marinate the portobellos, and add corn to the filling. Balcavage suggests vegan cheese as a filling option, and I didn't do that, but with the leftovers, I cut them in half and added a bit of Daiya before microwaving, and it's worth adding in the future.



Finally, I made the English Muffins. They took three days due to the rising times and my own schedule, but that was no obstacle with a little forethought. I had trouble getting them to cook through without burning them and had to play with the heat quite a bit. They ended up looking more like pancakes on the outside and were pretty flat, but the insides did look like the English muffins you might buy at the store. They were good with a bit of jam, but I don't think I'll repeat this recipe. It was a lot of work compared to the payoff.



















In the past, I've made the Raspberry Pound Cake and the Def Jam Bars, and I strongly recommend those if you're looking to try a dessert. Both of them were super sweet, and I have a sweet tooth that disgusts my family and friends, so you may want to reduce the sugar a bit in each.