Thursday, December 24, 2009

Recipe testing / tofu and cabbage /Texas caviar



Where oh where has the week gone? Wherever it went, it went quickly. I can't even remember eating but I've got the photos to prove we did. I tested more recipes and threw together random meals, and I'll share those with you but as far as personal, creative cooking. Ha. Nothing. At the top of the page you see a butternut squash-pasta bake tester recipe.



Above you see a super-fast baked seitan tester. Too bad I can't share this!



Some of the seitan was used to make a seitan and kale stir-fry that was delicious. It was served alongside the baked pasta and squash.



This was a thrown together lunch of humble origins but wonderful taste. I stir-fried extra-firm fresh tofu cubes with a small amount of tamari. When the tofu was sizzling and brown, I added a prodigious amount of grated ginger and some finely sliced green cabbage. The cabbage was cooked to the crisp-tender stage and the the dish was further seasoned with a grind of pepper. You can really pull a lot of flavor out of simple ingredients when necessary.

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Texas Caviar: black-eyed pea salsa



Way back
back in 2007 when I first started blogging, I ran a recipe for a traditional black-eyed-pea dish that's supposed to bring good luck if you eat it on New Year's. You can find the original post here. I hope the two people who may have read that post will forgive me for posting it again. I love this dish and think everyone should make it!

Texas Caviar
2 cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
4 scallions, finely sliced
3 jalapenos, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1/4 cup olive oil,
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh gound peppercorns

Rinse and drain the beans and place in a bowl with the scallions, cilantro and peppers. Put the oil, vinegar, lime juice and salt in a one cup glass measuring cup and mix together. Add the liquid to the beans mixture and combine. Place in a shallow glass (or other non-reactive) dish. Cover and place in the refrigerator for a few hours or a few days. Mix occasionally to distribute the marinade evenly. Grind some peppercorns over the top just before serving.

notes: I thought the mix looked a little too green and beige so I went looking in the refrigerator for a few grape tomatoes to chop up. They were gone so I got a few slices of the tomatoes I dried last summer (and keep in a sealed freezer bag in the fridge). I chopped those up and added them for color and tang. I also used jalapenos from last summer's garden. I always freeze bags of whole, hot peppers from the garden to use in cooking during the rest of the year. This was the first time I tried to use them uncooked. Couldn't tell they weren't fresh.

Fresh squeezed lime juice makes a superior salad but I would understand if you kept a bottle of lime juice (like Santa Cruz organic) in your refrigerator for "emergencies." The beans will still taste great.

I like to rinse and drain canned beans in a wire wok skimmer that I got in an Asian market years ago because I liked the way it looked. It's easier to clean than my fine mesh strainers and holds about one can of beans at a time.




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Today we're heading south towards warmer and, hopefully, dryer weather. I won't be cooking much but I'll photograph our culinary adventures to share when we return. Until then have the happiest of holidays and remember to share your bounty with those who have less.

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Oh, and by the way, we watched the original version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and I wasn't scared witless. In fact, I slept very well after seeing it. Still, it's a cool, cult classic that you might want to watch.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Body snatchers and other testy things


Baked corn pudding, cauliflower in spicy vinaigrette, steamed brussels sprouts with carrots

More years ago than I care to admit, I attended an all-girls, all-academic, public magnet school in a large East Coast city. Standards were high and my fellow students, for the most part, were studious and well-behaved. We were such an easy-to-teach bunch of high-achievers I think the school became kind of a last-transfer station for teachers heading towards retirement. Most of the faculty was, from my point of view as a teenager, old. I mean really old. I couldn't believe the school district even let such old people teach. Don't misunderstand, many of the teachers were terrific and well-loved, but some were horribly boring, and even ... unbalanced. And most were, in my opinion, very, very old. (I don't think that now, but what did I know?)

My 10th grade English teacher was one of the oldest in the school. I knew she was intelligent and well-intentioned but her classes could put an insomniac to sleep in five minutes. She always wore a large pendant which she held onto and dragged back and forth along its chain, adding hypnosis to the already powerful narcotic effect of her droning voice. The only thing that could bring some relief to the class was if someone would raise a hand and ask a question about bombs. Then she'd begin to wave her arms, raise her voice, and rant about the dangers of war. What I didn't realize then was she was a nationally known figure in the Quaker anti-war movement of the 60s. Had I known that, I probably would have been far more respectful. All I knew at the time was she was a dreadful teacher making the exciting subject of literature almost unbearable.

On the surface I was quiet and cooperative, but sometimes I got bored, and sought diversions to enliven my own personal educational experience. These diversions were not always of the highest intellectual variety, and usually didn't advance my academic standing, but they did help my boredom. You understand. We had a book review assignment pending, and while pondering what book to read, I came across a "bargain book" display at the drugstore. I wasn't at the drugstore looking for books, but when my eye was captured by a paperback with giant letters screaming "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," I had a sudden inspiration. What if ...? I bought the book, snickering to myself. How could I resist?



I wasn't a science fiction buff at the time, and didn't really know much about the book I was about to read, but it was much better, and MUCH more frightening than I'd anticipated, and I couldn't put it down. This wasn't a problem because after I started reading, I was afraid to go to sleep. I think I stayed up all night reading that book. I was pretty sure there were pods growing in the basement but was too scared to go into the basement to look; that book completely freaked me out. By the time I wrote my review I was feeling very inspired, and wrote what I considered a fabulous report. To me it sounded professional and polished, and I couldn't wait to see if the teacher would like my writing or punish my book choice. I told a classmate about the book, and she wanted to borrow it, but I was uncomfortable lending it before the book reports were returned, in case I needed it for any reason. This was not the sort of book I usually chose for school reading, and I felt the need to have it nearby. But she begged and badgered me, and agreed to read it quickly and return it before we got the reports back (the teacher was notoriously slow at grading), so I gave her the book. She kept promising to return it but never did.

On the day the book reports were returned I was tense and excited. I just couldn't wait to see my grade. It was an "F." The comments said the writing was "too good" and sounded "too professional" for a student my age, therefore, I must have copied it from the book jacket, and she was failing me for plagiarism. Well, this was an angle I hadn't even considered. I was both thrilled and furiously indignant. I went to see her immediately to protest her accusation, and offered to bring in the book so she could see for herself that the writing was indeed mine. I begged my classmate to return the book but she said it was lost. I went back to the drugstore without luck. I tried the library. There were no computers, Internet, or Amazon to search. I was sunk. With painful effort I finally convinced the teacher to give me a passing grade but that was all I could manage under the circumstances. Even I could see my story sounded fishy. I never gave up hope of finding a copy of the book so I could redeem my reputation but strangely enough, I never found one. So much for being 15 and testing my teachers. I played it straight for the rest of the year — in that class, anyway.


Creamy polenta chili bake

I'm not testing teachers now but am up to a little testing of a different sort — testing recipes for Celine and Joni's newest cook book, and I thought I'd post about some of the things I've tried. At the top of the page, as a teaser, you see a lunch plate of leftovers. The corn pudding is a tester recipe and the cauliflower is from "The Vegan Table" by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

The photo immediately above is creamy polenta chili bake. This was so good. It reminded me of a dish I used to make from "Laurel's Kitchen" called Tennessee corn pone. I think we'll be "testing" this again, soon.



This photo is of another excellent corn-based dish called baked corn pudding. This was incredibly rich, delicious, very quiche-like and easy to prepare. We're making it again for family this weekend to see if they like it as much as we do.



The sweet treats above are sweet potato bars — chewy and full of coconut. I could go for one right now.



Above, you can see some French toast my husband tested and served with jam. He made it for me when my back was hurting. It was interesting.



Last but not least, we have creamy eggplant stew. While not much to look at, this was wonderful to eat. There were lots of leftovers and they got better and better each day, making some delectable lunches.
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Note: I'm pretty sure everyone by now is familiar with the book I mentioned in this post. It's a sci-fi classic. No fewer than four films have been based on it, and although it may seem slightly hokey now, the original film, which has achieved cult status, is still genuinely scary. You won't want to fall asleep after you see it. Here's a little more background information from Wikipedia:
"The Body Snatchers" is a 1955 science fiction novel by Jack Finney, originally serialized in Colliers Magazine in 1954, which describes a town in Marin County, California, being invaded by seeds that have drifted to Earth from space. The seeds replace sleeping people with perfect physical duplicates grown from plantlike pods, while their human victims turn to dust.

The duplicates live only five years, and they cannot sexually reproduce; consequently, if unstopped, they will quickly turn Earth into a dead planet and move on to the next world.

The novel has been adapted for the screen four times; the first film in 1956, the second in 1978, the third in 1993, and the most recent in 2007. Unlike two of the film adaptations, the novel contains an optimistic ending, with the aliens voluntarily vacating after deciding that they cannot tolerate the type of resistance they see in the main characters.
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I want to wish everyone a happy a holiday season, no matter which holiday you may be enjoying. I hope you all have a chance to celebrate special times with family and friends.

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For a wonderful holiday giveaway, visit Diet Dessert and Dogs and enter to win a great cookbook! You have until Dec. 24 to add a comment for a chance to win.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

JOHN ELEFANTE & MASTEDON 3 - REVOLUTION MIND / 2009 / DISCOGRAPHY / BIOGRAPHY / REVIEW
















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(11-TRACKS)
1-REVOLUTION OF MIND
2-SLAY YOUR DEMONS
3-NOWHERE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE
4-ONE DAY DOWN BY THE LAKE(See You Real Soon)
5-WATER INTO WINE(Fassa Rokka)
6-QUESTIONS(It's About Time)
7-YOU CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING
8-LYING
9-THE WESTERN WOROLD
10-THATS WHAT YOU DO
11-DUST IN THE WIND(Bonus Tracks)
MASTEDON - LOFCAUDIO / 1990















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-HOLIEST ONE
2-LIFE ON THE LINE
3-RUN TO THE WATER
4-WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN
5-TAKE DOWN BELOW
6-STAMPEDE
7-LIVING FOR YOU
8-THIEF IN THE NIGHT
9-PEOPLE OF THIS TIME
10-IT'S DONE
MASTEDON - IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE /1989/2009















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(12-TRACKS)
1-IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE
2-GLORY BOUND(This Is The Day)
3-LOVE INHALATION
4-ISLANDS IN THE SKY
5-GET UP
6-LOVE THAT WILL SURVIVE
7-INNOCENT GILR
8-SHINE ON
9-RIGHT HAND
10-WASN'T IT LOVE
11-ISLANDS IN THE SKY(Bonus Track)
12-RIGHT HAND(Bonus Track)








BIOGRAPHY/REVIEW:
The first time I ever saw the name "John Elefante" was as producer on the Petra album "Back to the Street" in 1986, the one that also introduced John Schlitt as vocalist. That album was a return to a more organic rock sound for the band, after the very electronic "Beat the System." Soon after, I started seeing production credits for Elefante on Barren Cross albums, which was about as different from Petra as I could imagine. But I started equating the "produced by John & Dino Elefante" tag with quality, regardless of genre. Then the first Mastedon album came out, and I was floored hearing his Vocals. Who was this guy? He could produce, he could sing, play Keys, Bass, and Drums. What could he not do? Then, the 90's hit, and Barren Cross and Mastedon went on hiatus, and I quit listening to Petra (I was on an alternative/metal high horse). The next time I listened to an Elefante production was "Scarecrow Messiah" by Bride in 1994. He (and Dino) still had it. The following year ('95), I was in a used record store and saw "Drastic Measures" by Kansas, which had "Fight Fire with Fire." I remembered loving this song on the radio when it came out in 1983 (along with "Incident on a Bridge"), and thought, "Cool! I'll buy it!" (It was only $1.) Lo, and behold, was I in for a shock when I read the credits and saw that "Fight Fire with Fire" (and most of the rest of the album, except for three songs) was written by John & Dino Elefante, and that he had been the lead singer. How weird was that!? Around this time, John released his first proper solo album. But, being on the high horse I mentioned earlier, I didn't care for it. Too soft, too poppy, too non-alternative. Jump forward a full decade, and I find a "single" on eMusic of John.

covering "Dust in the Wind." Next thing I know, I'm in a Kansas revival of sorts, and I've got all of the Kansas albums, all of Kerry Livgren's non-Kansas albums, and all of John Elefante's solo albums. And you know what? I liked them. A lot. So much so, that I created a "John Elefante" playlist to include all songs he's had a writing credit on. I still listen to it several times a week. The only problem was -- where was a new album? Finally, on Kerry Livgren's site a few months ago, I saw a news note that he had played Guitar on John's new solo album, which would be coming out soon. I crossed my fingers, hoping it would really happen. So, finally, after 10 years, here it is. And it's very, very good. It's not as hard as earlier Mastedon and it's not as mellow as his previous solo stuff. It falls somewhere in between. In fact, it reminds me a lot of good ol' classic rock -- and I mean that in the best possible way. It's not trendy, but timeless, and will hold up well. It's great cruising music. I've been listening to it pretty much constantly the last few days since it was released. The production is solid (as I would expect) and John's Voice is in fine form. I'm amazed how he has maintained it. Bottom line: you're probably not checking this album out in the first place if you're not already a fan of his in some way. So, will you like it? If you like his solo stuff, but not his Mastedon stuff, maybe not. It's got a bit more of a rock edge and is definitely more Guitar-Driven. If, however, you liked his work with Kansas, Mastedon, or any of the heavier bands he's produced, then I think you will. It's a solid AOR album, and I've enjoyed playing it on my commute to and from work with the windows down. Why four and a half stars and not five? Mainly because I would have liked it to be a bit more aggressive overall. The songs do have a nice driving beat, but I would have loved a song or two along the lines of "It's a Jungle Out There" or "Fight Fire with Fire," to take it into true "hard rock" category. Still, this is just a personal preference, not a knock against the solid rock album he actually made, and I hope he doesn't wait another 10 years to release his next one. Way to go, John. Thanks for 26 years of great music, even though I didn't know it was you waaaay back in 1983! )

John Elefante was injected into my musical experience in August of 1982. As the new lead singer of Kansas, he had just recently replaced Steve Walsh - the legendary frontman from one of the most popular and successful bands of all time. In fact, in 1981, Kansas was the largest grossing live act in the world. John more than held his own though, with his incredible Vocal, Keyboard, and songwriting abilities. There has been a long-standing argument as to who is the better Vocalist. I don't go down this route as each musician brings his/her own signature - it's impossible to compare gifts. John's effect on Kansas was immediate. His songwriting brought Kansas more into the mainstream with many songs he authored for their album `Vinyl Confessions' and later release `Drastic Measures'. This is where many Kansas fans dropped off, and I understand that. Kansas' evolution followed in step with what was happening in music as a whole . The MTV age was just being born - in fact, I can still remember `Play The Game Tonight' being a featured video in MTV's regular rotation. Yes, John's songs were shorter, and yes his voice was more pop than rock and no...Masque, Leftoverture and Point of Know Return will never be outdone; but, like it or not, it was a different time and John added a couple of more years to a great band's career. Kansas disbanded at the end of '83. [Yes, they regrouped in '85 but in my opinion have never been the same. Why? One reason and one reason only - Kerry Livgren. Who and what is Kansas without Kerry Livgren?] Kerry went on to form `AD', a contemporary Christian rock band (which featured Dave Hope, Kansas' former bass player); John, along with brother Dino, moved into producing (Petra, Guardian, Sweet Comfort Band, etc.). In fact, their influence on Christian music at the time cannot be understated. You could hear their signature sound on everything they touched, and the quality of the music as a whole, from a production perspective, was head and shoulders above everything else in Christian music at the time. John resurfaced in my pathway again in the summer of 1991, at the Cornerstone Festival, as a member of recently formed Christian rock band, Mastedon. This performance was the highlight of the festival. I'll never forget John's piercing voice, strong as ever, in the sweltering July heat, belting out `Islands In The Sky' - a Mastedon cult classic. Mastedon though, for me, never fully met expectations. Instead of the typical band approach, their releases featured a mixture of several different lead singers. As a fan of John's, this was always disappointing to me, because none of them held a candle to his ability. I always remember thinking `how great this song would have been if John had sung it!" After Mastedon, John's career transitioned into mainstream Contemporary Christian Music both as a producer and solo artist. Even though his material was always at the top of this genre and of the highest quality, those of us who knew John, knew not only was this not his style, but it was nowhere near what he was capable of. There were flashes of his greatness at times that could be heard on songs such as `Don't Leave The Band' off the `Defying Gravity' release, but for the most part it was adult contemporary pop. Flash forward to 2009. Ever have a favorite artist, after a long hiatus, reappear with the former energy and artistic edge that caused you to fall in love with them in the first place? That is `Revolution of Mind' for me. This is John Elefante at 100%. Not only are these songs edgy and well-written, but they have a blatant disregard for modern day musical rules - one example is `One Day Down By The Lake' which is almost 11 minutes long and will make Kansas fans proud! But, best of all - John sings lead vocals on every track! Also, Kerry joined up with John for the first time since their Kansas days and provided his obvious lead guitar talent. I won't go through each song, but I will tell you `it's all here' - great vocals, incredible transitions, fabulous guitar work, deep and thoughtful lyrics - this is 60 minutes of music that will surprise you. It was great the first time I heard it and it's getting better. Another thing, and you hear this alot usually turning out to not be the case - this is the best John has ever sounded - better than anything he's ever done. Not just sonically, but his control and range have improved as well. If you were a fan of Kansas (pre or post Steve Walsh or pre or post 1985), Mastedon, John's solo work, or if you just simply enjoy music that is well done - get `Revolution of Mind' - you will not be disappointed. I must add one thing that has my heart heavy - if you have not heard yet - Kerry Livgren suffered a serious stroke in early September. Updates can be found at [...]. Rock On!

John has collaborated with some very great musicians to make this CD even better. I agree with the other reviews to this point, but also wanted to add a few things. I know that my wife really enjoyed his pop sounds in the solo projects, and the somewhat prog sound has needed to grow on her. I would say that this makes it a little harder for a non AOR fan to really get the full benefits from this project on a first listen. I must add that this Mastedon release has really grown on me upon each listen. I still sorta wonder why track 5 was thrown into the mix, as it just has one of those generic rock filler sounds, but nice lyrics. Slay your demons has certainly grown well for my personal listening, as well as the first track. They give you a bit of a rock edge. Songs 3 and 4 are certainly ones that can bring chills to a person. Just knowing that song 4 was done with Kerry Livgren, and all the other guys, makes this complex song really sound and come across great. It is sorta a 2 song in one lengthy story, but it won't lose you. Perhaps the irish sounds will lose ya for a second or two, but some really amazing transitions take place; love the piano/ballad part in the middle. And cudos to John for dedicating this song to his earthly Father, who passed in 04'. Song 3 just really speaks to me personally, and not just on a lyrics basis. I don't even typically get too wrapped up in lyrics, but this one has found me capturing them all. A few songs, such as "Western world" are just pretty good, as it has a bit of a keyboard simplicity to it overall. Still it is unique. The "Dust in the wind" remake has been done with a touch of a jazz to it, and still I feel it is better than the original. Overall, I found that the contribution of D'amato made this a very good guitar driven cd, as well as the certain helps by brother Dino. Even found a few times when I heard some good old Whiteheart music influences, and was pleased to note that the bassist was formerly in Whiteheart. You'll have to give it a good listen to find those parts, but they are there. This disc has served me very well over the last month. It has spiritually awakened me in ways that I can not describe. So glad that John is not shy to speak about the Truth of Jesus, and His love for us. If you are a secular listener, you will note the biblical lyrics at many times, but not thrown in your face excessively. I still find it very comforting, even when listening to the song that speaks about our "lying". So good to get the whole perspective. Musically I would rate this a 9.5 at many times, and dip slightly below that on a couple songs. Lyrically I would rate this very highly, even if it does get a few secular listeners pondering about every person will confess, that He is Lord. It is what John Elefante is about, and no apologies are needed. I love the way that this disc just finds it's way back into my car player. I may be in the middle of a crazy Winger listening, or Skillet; but back I go to this one. A wonderful gem, and I hope that some prog listeners, particularly those that do enjoy the Kansas sound will give this a thorough listen. Great stuff!!.(http://www.holymetalrob.com/)

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

I'm the winner ... I feel so random / winter fruit salad with pomegranate



"We are happy to let you know that your blog was randomly selected as the winner for this week's Foodie Blogroll "POM Wonderful Comment to Win Giveaway" giveaway!
You will receive a receive a package containing: 1 bottle of each flavor of POM Juice (100%, Blueberry, Mango, Cherry, Kiwi, Nectarine) 1 POMx Tea, 1 POMx Iced Coffee, a POM branded journal, a POM pen and a POM branded tote bag made from recycled goods!"

The Foodie Blog Roll Contests: Winner!

This is the email I recently received with the good news that I won a gift package from Pom Wonderful. I've been feeling kind of unlucky lately with my back and all, and this certainly cheered me up. The package came, and I'm excited to be sampling all the Pom flavors. (The iced coffee and the bars contain dairy so I won't be sampling them. And there wasn't a tote bag.)

First I tried the blueberry-pomegranate juice and it was delicious, though I thought the blueberry flavor was overpowered by the pomegranate. My son thought the opposite so I guess you'll have to taste that one for yourself. The cherry flavor, on the other hand, came through loud and strong. Mostly I just drink the juice rather than use it for cooking, but I did use some of the cherry-pomegranate juice for a fruit salad I was concocting for dessert.



Winter fruit salad with pomegranate
For the salad I used one large org. honey crisp apple, one large org. red bartlett pear, one large org. navel orange, two small org. bananas and one pomegranate. The apple and pear were cut into small cubes, the orange was peeled and each segment cut into thirds, the bananas were sliced. The pomegranate seeds were mixed into the salad except for about 1/3 cup which was held back and placed on top.

Before peeling the orange I zested about a teaspoon of the peel to use in the dressing. First, as the fruit was added to the bowl, it was mixed with the juice of half a small lemon to keep it from browning. When all the fruit was cut and mixed together, I made a simple sauce of about 1/4 cup of cherry POM juice with a small splash of vanilla, and the orange zest. This was mixed with the salad before it was topped with the extra seeds. The juice gave the fruit a mellow, rosy glow and a gentle, undertone of mysterious flavor. Along with small baked goods, it was a very pleasant way to end a casual company dinner.

Now I'm off to sample another POM flavor!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Bake sale this weekend



I'm still not "back" to normal so this post will be short. Even though my back is still hurting, I was able to bake all afternoon for a bake sale, test recipes for Celine and Joni's new cookbook, and bake tomorrow night's dessert. Here's some of the results.



I tested Oreo Cookie Cookies (top photo) for the cookbook, and just like the title implies, they have actual pieces of Oreos (well, Newman O's). Some of these will go to the bake sale because they're much too dangerous to have around the house!

I also made Cinn-ful Sweet Potato Cookies from Go Dairy Free. I made them with pumpkin purée, and they're great. I added raisins and dried cranberries. (Thanks, Alicia, for making the recipe available.)

And even though I recently said I would try other recipes from Sweet Freedom, I compulsively made butterscotch blondies, yet again. Sheesh.

If you're in the Seattle area this weekend, stop by Sidecar For Pig's Peace and buy some vegan baked goods. You'll be helping to support the Pigs Peace Animal Sanctuary.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Say what?


Taking it easy ...

(I've done something stupid and thrown out my back so no cooking for me for a while. And I can't work at my computer. I'm typing this on my husband's laptop while lying in bed, and it sucks. I just happened to have this "filler post" sitting around in case I ever needed it, and this seems like a pretty good time to cash it in. Hope to be blogging again soon. Until then, I'll keep reading your blogs though I may not be doing much commenting.)

I first heard the expression "say what?" when I moved to the Midwest. Now that I'm in the Pacific Northwest, not so much. I guess it's better than, "huh?" It means, "what did you say?" Anyway, here's what I say to a poll I found during vegan mofo. It's shorter than a similar poll that was also going around, and thus more appropriate to my short attention span. I never used it during vegan mofo, so here it is now.

1. What single thing most inspired you to take the leap from being an omnivore/vegetarian to being a vegan?

I recently posted about this - it was a health thing that triggered the conversion, but it was built on the triumvirate of ethical, planetary and health issues.

2. Are you 100% vegan (food wise at least) or do you sometimes eat non-vegan food, and if do so, under what circumstances does it usually happen?

I never knowingly eat non-vegan food.* I also buy vegan toiletries and household products. I buy vegan shoes and accessories. I don't buy wool or down. But, although I've donated most of my leather shoes, I still have some old leather shoes that I intend to wear out. *I don't buy honey and prefer not to eat it but I can't say I never do. I buy vegan vitamins but medication is a gray area. And my dog isn't vegan. :o(

3. Where do you stand on the whole B12 thing? Do you take supplements, eat fortified foods, do you even care? (not to preach but you really should!)

I take supplements.

4. Which rocks – Tofu, seitan, or that other stuff, what do you call it, Tempeh?

I love tempeh - it's my favorite. But I also love tofu and seitan.

5. What are your top 5 vegan meals?

This is hard. Baked polenta with braised greens and tofu, spicy winter squash soup, chickpea salad, pasta with artichoke hearts and olives, anything with kale

6. Are you vegan and proud, get used to it! Or do you sometimes keep it quiet? You know what I mean!

I'm kind of a live and let live vegan. I'm happy to oblige if asked about veganism, and can be quite persuasive (obnoxious, if you will), but I don't like to force my opinions about food choices on others.

7. What is your all-time favorite vegan cookbook?

I'm very bad at picking favorites. It's probably because I'm a Libra and can't make decisions. I have so many cookbooks, I don't know the answer to this question. Lorna Sass' books are very reliable. Crescent Dragonwagon uses big flavors. Madhur Jaffrey's world Vegetarian is cool.

8. What is your favorite vegan food blog?

Favorite. Favorite. I have lots of favorites - I read so many - but I can't pick just one. See answer number 7.

9. What is the most annoying thing about being vegan? Come on, you can have a good rant if you want, you’re amongst friends!

1. Going to restaurants and having to verify which things are vegan. (As in, "what about the soup stock? So, the vegetable soup is made with chicken broth? Can I get the potatoes without milk and butter?") 2. Having salad be the only vegan choice when it doesn't even include such simple add-ins as chickpeas, sunflower seeds or nuts. 3. Enduring the smug attitudes of so-called "foodies" who think they are somehow more sophisticated than vegans because they eat octopus and foie gras.

10. What food do you really hate (vegan food that is)?

I really HATE the flavor of anise. I HATE it in black licorice - ugh - and in fennel. Strangely enough, when fresh fennel is baked, it tastes good! I dislike slimy okra. I don't like nuts in baked goods or ice cream but will eat them in salads.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Thanksgiving has come and gone


My plate from bottom left: stuffed, roasted seitan with mushroom gravy, salad, potato kugel, roasted veggies and figs, herbed orange-cranberry relish

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and most people have moved on, but I'm still dragging my feet about my Thanksgiving post. Please indulge me while I do a little blurb about our feast so I can move on, too. We had the whole family at our home this year which was a unique treat for us since we've not lived in the same city with all our kids in a long time. The guests brought contributions to the meal so the work was spread around a little. I got so caught up in the celebrating that I forgot to photograph some parts of the feast, like the delicious potato kugel brought by our oldest son and daughter-in-law. This is an old family recipe that came to the U.S. with my Russian great-grandmother, and appears at nearly every family holiday event. It just wouldn't be a holiday without it. I forgot to photograph the Thai coconut corn soup based on a recipe in "Vegan Express" by Nava Atlas. I love this soup, and have served it to a LOT of people. (My adapted recipe appears at the end of this post.) And I didn't photograph the mushroom gravy.



The main dish for Thanksgiving at our house is always stuffed seitan. Here you see it (uncooked) in the baking dish with the stuffing. My husband's fingers are keeping the very elastic seitan from shrinking down into the pan while I do a photo shoot. The stuffing is brown rice, wild rice, home-made-bread cubes, mushrooms, celery, shredded carrots, onions, dried cranberries, herbs and spices, and maybe other things, too.



The seitan is first rolled out and then transferred to the dish, where it's filled, and the top folded over and sealed. It's always a stressful and comical process to roll out the stretchy seitan and get it into the dish before it shrinks up, but this year I made a brilliant discovery. I rolled the seitan onto a large sheet of parchment paper, and it seemed to stick in place. My husband and I then lifted the whole thing up and placed it, paper and all, into the dish, to be stuffed. (I also added chickpea flour to the seitan mix which may have made it more pliable.)



After the stuffed seitan was baked, we lifted it out of the baking dish and onto the serving platter using the paper. It was so much easier then trying to un-stick it from the pan! I raised the seitan up a little with a spatula and slid the paper out.



In the photo above you see the vegetables — Brussels sprouts, turnips, carrots and potatoes — before they went into the oven to roast. When they were nearly done, dried figs were mixed in. I forgot to photograph the veggies after they were roasted to perfection with olive oil and herbs.



For starters, we had various raw veggies, olives, pickles, crackers, hummus and Tings. (Yes, that's right, Tings.) We also had bowls of Thai coconut corn soup. This soup takes only minutes to make but tastes like it took hours.



Here's the herbed cranberry-orange relish I blogged about recently. This time I remembered to decorate it.



This is the fabulous salad brought by our middle son and his girlfriend. It was delicious.



We had two desserts. We had almond twiles filled with pumpkin mousse. (Our mini-guest was particularly taken by the mousse and wanted more, more, more...)



And we had a pumpkin chocolate spice cake from this recipe, minus the anise (I HATE anise. Ugh.) and with only 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. (note: The ganache from the recipe didn't work for me — there was way too much liquid and it turned into chocolate milk. Luckily I had extra chocolate on hand and made my own version of ganache using only 1/4 cup of non-dairy milk, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of Earth Balance.)

Because I've made several alterations to the coconut corn soup recipe, and because the original appears in several places on the Web, I'm going to share my version, here. This is the perfect soup to make when you want something that doesn't take much time or effort but tastes great.

Thai coconut corn soup (adapted from a recipe by Nava Atlas)

  • 1 tablespoon light olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 to 5 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips
  • One 15-ounce can light coconut milk
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1½ cups rice milk
  • One 16-ounce bag frozen corn
  • 2 teaspoons good quality curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Thai red curry paste, more or less to taste
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • juice from 1/2 small lime or lemon
  • ½ cup minced fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
  1. Heat the oil in a small soup pot. Add the garlic, the white parts of the scallions, and the bell pepper. Sauté over medium-low heat until softened and golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Add the coconut milk, rice milk, broth, corn, curry powder, the green parts of the scallions. If using the curry paste, dissolve it in a small amount of hot soup before adding to the pot.
  3. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season with salt and citrus juice, and remove from the heat.
  4. Serve, with cilantro or parsley and fresh ground black pepper.

Yield: 6 servings of spicy soup.

You can substitute two cups of rice milk for the vegetable broth if desired. I've done it both ways and I like the broth version best, but both are good.

Monday, November 23, 2009

DISENCUMBRANCE - DISENCUMBRANCE / FETAL DECAY SPLIT / 2002 / DISCOGRAPHY / BIOGRAPHY / REVIEW
















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-BORN TO SUCK
2-INNER ULCERATION
3-PATHOLOGICAL PHILOSOPHY OF FLESH
4-WILDLY SCREAMING PUS

5-THE LAS MARTYRITY
6-FOETAL MUTILATION
7-IMCOMPLETE(The Tale OF The Kidney Thieves)
8-VICTIM(Dimensions of reality)
9-UNHOLY MANIFESTATIONS
10-SUICIDE/THE END
DISENCUMBRANCE - DESENCUMBRANCE /1994/1999















THIS DEMO CONTAIN(2-TRACKS)
1-MARK OF DEATH
2-THE DEAD IS AMONG US
(DETRIMENTAL DEMO - 1999)
1-IMCOMPLETE(The Tale Of The Kidney Thieves)
2-INTRO(DISENCUMBRANCE)
3-DIMENSIONS OF REALITY
4-UNHOLY MINIFESTATIONS
5-SIUCIDE
DISENCUMBRANCE - THE BETRAYAL / 1995















THIS DEMO CONTAIN(3-TRACKS)
1-DIMENSIONS OF REALITY
2-UNHOLY MANIFESTATION
3-SUICIDE















CREDITS:
Joe Espinoza - Vocals, Guitar
Karel Fiferna - Drums
Clayton Humphrey (1992 -1994 )
Rich Bruce - Guitar,Vocals (1992 -1995)











BIOGRAPHY/REVIEW:
(Disencumbrance on myspace)
Formed in 1992 when Joe Espinoza and Karel Fiferna Formerly of Anguish teamed up with Richard Bruce and Clayton Humphrey formerly of True Repentance. Much toil ensued, and after roughly a year a diabolical force was unleashed upon the leopard-skin-tight wearing denizens of On The Rocks. More shows followed and in early 1994 the intrepid foursome recorded a 2 Song Demo featuring "Mark of Death" and "The Dead Are Among Us". Later that year Mr. Humphrey departed the band. Around Thanksgiving of 1994 the remaining members entered Sound Logic Studios to record a 3 song demo featuring " Unholy Manifestations" , "Dimensions of Reality", and "Suicide". Released in 1995 this recording is by far their best known work, still garnering positive reviews a decade later. Differing opinions in band direction led to Mr. Bruce departing the band in late 1995. Joe and Karel went on to form the fantastically "Brutal Detrimental" in mid-1996. In 1998 the 3-Song Demo was featured in full on the Christian Grind/Thrash Compilation "Chords of the Grave"(http://www.holymetalrob.com/)

SOTERION - CULT OF LIES / 2005 / DISCOGRAPHY / BIOGRAPHY / REVIEW















THIS DEMO CONTAIN(5-TRACKS)
1-INTRO(TOD IN DEN EWIGEN TIEFEN
2-WAR OF RISING DARKNESS
3-CULT OF LIES
4-HYPOCRISY(INNER GOD)
5-TO REIGN IMMORTAL
CREDITS:
Nicolas - Vocals And Keyboard
Moises - Drums
Linus - Guitar
Samuel Gatica - Guitar
Sergio - Guitar
Bruce - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard
Carl - Drums
Christian - Session Sass
(Official Website)From Chile









BIOGRAPHY/REVIEW:
Just came across this and all I can say is 'wow'! Some excellent atmospheric black with great vocals, I have been told that this was never actually 'released' which is shame as for a demo I have no complaints,interesting demo, but the band split up after this about all this is a decent demo (http://www.holymetalrob.com/)

SOTERION - EXCIDIUM SATANAS / 2005 / DISCOGRAPHY / BIOGRAPHY / REVIEW
















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-JAVEH'S TRIUMPH OVER HIS ENEMIES
2-JESUS SUNTRIBUH SATAN
3-APOCALIPTIC SEVEN PLAGUES
4-THE DAY OF TOTAL DESTROCTION
5-HOLY BATTLE LEGIONS
(AGAINST DEATH)
6-O TENEBROSO FIM DE LUCIFER E SEUS ANJOS
7-ABISMO
8-IMPERIAL
9-BATALHA
10-RITUAL DE SANGRE
CREDITS:
Lord Abaron - Bass/Vocals (Previous Guitar)
Lady Corbhan - Guitar (Previous Bass)
Zafenate - Drums
Malquias - Drums
Tyatira - Guitars
Sacrifice - Vocals
Apocalyptic - Bass
Cabzeel - Guitars
(Soterion@MySpace)









BIOGRAPHY:REVIEW:
I will admit I have been ignoring the Brazilian metalscene for a long time. Brazilian bands often deliver badly produced mediocre albums, with really no information at all, making it impossible to track down bands and get to know them better. Or atleast, that was my image of the Brazilian metalscene. Soterion and Against Death bring on this split each respectively Black metal and Death/Black metal. Both in the Old School kind of style: little to no variation and no melody as in soft interludes. The production is decent though, I can pretty clearly hear each instrument, there is no fuss, no noise and I don't get a headache while listening, I have heard much worse with American and European Old School Black metal (or Unblack metal as some tend to call it). The information however is also on this information impossible. I guessed the year and way of release, it isn't available anywhere. The names of the musicians on this album are written with a font in the booklet that's quite hard to read, I had to track that information down on the internet. The songtitles I'm pretty sure of. These fonts look good, but especially capitols are impossible to read when you don't know the words.Anyway, the music. Excidium Satanas begins with an atmospheric and dark sounding introduction, with a really deep (it's altered by effects) voice talking. This intro clock 2:10 minutes, which is pretty long, two minutes of talking. The end has some sounds of fighting, I think they might be taken from Braveheart. After this the Black metal comes in. Soterion bring some fast Black metal, with some decent variation in speedchanges actually. Many mid-speed tempo parts. The vocals are really shrieky and fit the music. The band does list a drummer, but my ears tell me this is a drumcomputer. I'd say this is probably one of the better Old School Black metal bands I've heard from the Christian metalscene as of lately. Not completely my style, but not really bad either.Against Death also try to do their best in creating a dark atmosphere with the intro. You hear the music of the Lord of the Rings movie, or at least I think that's what it is, with a lot of screaming on top of it. The music is not that far from Old School Black metal, but with here and there a hint of Death metal. The vocals are also shrieky, like with Soterion, but also some grunting mixed in. The drumming here sounds like a real drummer to me. The production again really isn't that bad. Also here decent variation in speed changes, with mid-speed and fast parts, but focussing on the faster parts.So overall this is decent, I'm not a big fan of what some call Unblack metal, but I guess this could actually be interesting for those who do love that. I'll try to get more South American stuff, this split has atleast showed me there is decent music to be found, perhaps even great(http://www.holymetalrob.com/)

DERACINATION - TIMES OF ATROCITY / 1992 / DISCOGRAPHY / BIOGRAPHY / REVIEW

















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-NEVER COMING HOME
2-PERVERTED DREAMS
3-MANSKIND SEARCH FOR GOD
4-DEATH BY FIRE
5-DECAPITATION
6-BLOOD SACRIFICE
7-DEMONIC DESTRUCTION
8-OR YOU'LL DIE
9-POSSESSIONS OF THE WORLD
10-TORMENTED BY DARKNESS
DERACINATION - DERACINATION / 1993















THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(7-TRACKS)
1-CHRONIC DISORDER
2-TIME
3-CIRCUS OF LIFE
4-BEYOND THE GRAVE
5-PERNICIOUS SLAUGHTER
6-FOURTH DIMENSION
7-SACRIFICIAL DEATH










CREDITS:
Andrew Brown - Vocals, Guitar
Scott Waller - Guitar
Ken Rowan - Bass
Gary O'Connell - Drums, Vocals









BIOGRAPHY/REVIEW:
This is pretty good. It would be great if they got back together and re-recorded it,Deracination Never Coming Home Times of Atrocity 1992 Death Metal Australia(http://www.holymetalrob.com/)