Vegan Valentines Feast!

I just got to wake up Valentines Day and have a chocolate-cherry-creme cupcake! Why, you ask? Because I am waiting tables tonight, and therefore made a Valentines feast for my fam and some friends last night. (My bf, unfortunately, was unavailable.) Amazingly enough, this meal turned out truly great. Seriously. I very rarely concoct a dinner and have everything go off without a hitch, but this really was delicious... not one of the non-vegans had anything left on their plate.

For an appetizer I made little mini heart-shaped pizzas. I used the Joy of Cooking pizza dough recipe I love so much, but divided the dough into four balls, rolled them out, and shaped them vaguely into heart shapes before brushing with EVOO. While the dough had been rising, I roasted two heads of garlic in the oven at 350, and marinated some sliced heirloom tomatoes in EVOO and salt and pepper. When the garlic was all roasted, I squeezed each bit out of its crunchy shell and into a bowl, where it was mashed with a little more EVOO and set aside. Finally, I caramelized a few sliced shallots. (To be fair, I had some time on my hands while the dough was rising to get all this inspiration.) To put it all together, I rubbed the garlic paste onto the pizzas and topped it with the tomatoes, shallots, some sliced roasted peppers (from a jar), and some red pepper flakes. I then cooked it for about 15 minutes at 425. They turned out really flavorful and delicious. This may be my new go-to pizza recipe.

I also made a simple strawberry salad with some spinach, sliced strawberries, hazelnuts, and a homemade dressing recipe I got from Vegetarian Times. I can't find it online right now, so let me just tell you, you combine:
-1/2 c. sliced strawberries
-3 T. Sugar
-3 T. Balsamic Vinegar
-1/2 a shallot
-1 clove garlic
... in a food processor or blender, then slowly add in 1 c. EVOO. The dressing is really creamy and thick, and the balsamic complements the strawberries perfectly.

For the main course, I made an old standby: grilled portabello mushrooms over mashed potatoes with asparagus. The mushrooms were marinated in some steak seasoning, EVOO and soy sauce before grilling and the asparagus were similarly coated in some Earth balance and salt and pepper before going into the oven at 375 for about 10 minutes. To make things EXTRA decadent, i made a "port wine reduction" for the shrooms, which is just a fancy way of saying "boil 3 c. wine in a saucepan until it reduces to a syrup." It was sooooo good over the potatoes too. But be forewarned- it takes longer than you think, so get started way before any grilling occurs.

To finish off, I made my absolute favorite cupcakes from VCTOTW. Since I was in such a hurry to get everything else cooking, I didn't have time to make these as pretty as they were the last time I made them. But trust me, they were still decadent and delicious.

Mmm. Especially for breakfast.

Have a happy Valentines Day!

B.'s Eggplant and Chickpea Tagine

Ok, so I know I've been talking about cooking something 'merican lately to make up for all my international experiments. But Troopers, (as my trust and estates prof would say) I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Not when the stars aligned to let me make this awesome Tagine. You see, I've been begging my ex-roomate B. to send me some of her recipes ever since I moved out. Other than her proclivity to scoop cottage cheese or plain yogurt on everything, B. is an awesome cook and is particularly adept with two things: vegan chili over mashed potatoes (*drool*) and Eggplant and Chickpea Tagine. So I finally got her to send me the latter recipe, and coincidentally, this month'sBon Appetit had a set of Morroccan recipes as well!

So what is a Tagine? Its a North African dish that is slow cooked and often contains dried fruit, ginger, garlic, cumin, cinnamon and peppers. The word also refers to the awesome cooking vessel that rich people register for when they get married. :) Basically, the dish is cooked in such a way that the meat (or whatever) has a chance to braise in the spices and slow cook into a stew. Sounds good, right?

Well this recipe is a slight twist- I used the method from B.'s dish and the spices from the Bon Appetit recipe. I served the whole thing over 5-minute pine-nut couscous and with a side of mint tea- oh man was this a satisfying meal. And as usual, my reliably picky family gobbled it up.

This isn't really a labor intensive meal despite the large amount of ingredients- the only ish I had with the this recipe was that the potatoes weren't fully cooked when I finished. I'm not totally sure how to remedy this, I guess put them in earlier and cook them for longer before deglazing w/ the tomato sauce. Enjoy!

Eggplant and Chickpea Tagine

-1 Large Eggplant
-2 zucchinis (or one large one)
-3 shallots (or 1 yellow onion) diced
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 T. grated peeled ginger
-4-5 small boiling potatoes (or sweet potatoes) diced
-1/4 tsp. turmeric
-1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
-1/2 T. cumin
-1 can tomato sauce
-1 T. tomato paste
-2 T blood-orange preserves or bitter-orange marmalade
-1 1/2 cans chickpeas, drained
-1/2 c. dried apricots, chopped
-1 T. chili sauce or powder
-1 cinnamon stick
-1 thyme sprig

1. Slice up the eggplant and zucchinis and salt them liberally in a collander. Let them hang out there while you cut up the potatoes and onions.
2. Rinse off the eggplant and zucch and toss in some EVOO. Broil on a baking sheet, tossing once, for about 20 minutes or until browned.
3. In a large (I mean, huge) pot, heat 2 T EVOO over medium and add in the shallots (or onions), garlic and ginger. Cook until translucent, then add in the mushrooms. Cook for a few more minutes, then add in the potatoes. Now, add in the turmeric, paprika and cumin.
4. Once the potatoes are softened, add in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and 2/3 c. water. Bring to a boil and partially cover for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat back to medium. Add in the eggplant and zucch, chickpeas, and the rest of the ingredients.
5. Simmer for 15-20 more minutes, stirring. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4-6, w/ leftover. Serve w/ instant couscous and mint tea. Also excellent for leftovers with pita or tortilla chips.

Thanks B! Now, send me your chili recipe!

Spring Travel Extravaganza

Best news ever!

I am going on a magical mystery tour of Eastern and Central Europe in the spring. Starting off in Istanbul, I'm going to hit Budapest, Prague, Vienna, and hopefully Berlin. There is no reason for this trip other than the fact that I'm craving an escape from law school, DC, and... myself! And thanks to some extra waitressing money coming in, I can just about do it. (Although I really should be throwing it into bottomless pit of lawschool loans.) In my experience, if you put something off until there's a good time, you'll never do it.

I have been to some of Europe before. Right after college my bf and I traveled to England, France, and Spain via Eurorail and had a grand old time. The only dowside (other than the fact that my bf insisted on climbing every winding staircase in every church) was the food. Although these countries aren't naturally hostile to vegetarians, we weren't prepared in advance and it caused plenty of problems. After a day of trampling through museums and unknown parts of town, you're so hungry that you'll eat anywhere- even if the only available food is patatas bravas and beer. The other issue is that if you're not paying attention, you end up spending way too much money just to get some tofu. I'm hoping to avoid both these problems this time around. (Although, living on carbs and beer is not a fate worse than death.)

But this time I'm going to be uber-prepared. I'm going to have a list of every vegetarian establishment in all of Europe, and be aware of where grocery stores are. I'm hoping it will be relatively cheap as well. My friends think I stlll can't make it all vegan (cough, cough, M.E.!) but I'm going to do it.

In the meantime, if I come across good ideas for veggie-friendly travel between now and then, I'll definitely post it either here, or in the margins under the travel section. And if anyone reading this has recomendations, lay it on me! I'm ridiculously excited to embark.

Secret Ingredient: Artichoke

Ahh, lasagna. The ultimate comfort food. Everyone has their own version. My Mom's (vegan) version is simple, quick, and laced with artichokes. You don't even have to spend time cooking the noodles, cutting down the prep time significantly. I've had the kind with meat and cheese substitutes, and those have their charm, but why mess with imitation when just vegetables by themselves can be pretty perfect?

Lasagna alla Barbie
-1 package lasagna noodles
-1 large jar marinara sauce (or make your own)
-1 package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
-1 yellow or white onion, diced into large pieces
-1 zuchinni
-a few handfuls of spinach, washed
-1 jar artichokes, drained and sliced
-dried oregano

1. Coat a casserole dish with non-stick spray and preheat the oven to 350.
2. In a saute pan, cook the mushrooms and diced onions in EVOO until onions are translucent. Toss with some salt and pepper and transfer to a plate with a paper towel.
3. Slice the zucchini and saute in the same pan with a little more EVOO. When softened, sprinkle with oregano and transfer to another plate with paper towel.
4. Now come the fun part. Splash a little tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan and set down your first 3 noodles.
5. Start to layer the ingredients, beginning with the spinach. Reserve 1/2 of each other portion for the next layer.
6. Keep on layering till you run out of ingredients. In my house we layer cheese on half too for the non-vegans. :)
7. Layer a little more sauce on top and cover with tin foil. Place in the oven for 30-45 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for twenty or so more, or until sauce is bubbling.

Even better as leftovers, when "the flavors have gotten to know eachother" as my Mom says. Although leftovers rarely make it to the next day in my house.

Valentines Day!

What's a vegan and her omni boyfriend to do for dinner in DC? Obviously there has to be fabulous food, romantic atmosphere, and with any luck, money leftover for booze. Here's what I've been considering.


#1. Dream-date: Reservations for two at Restaurant Eve

I've been wanting to go to this fabulous restaurant for a while. Its definitely a special occasion spot for our budget, but the couple-run Old Town destination has been getting raves on their creative cuisine and excellent drinks. And the best part? Right there, on the website:
"While our menu does not reflect many vegetarian / vegan options, we happily accommodate and serve vegetarians / vegans regularly. All one needs to do is let us know ahead of time."
Sounds perfect! Meat for my bf, vegan delicacies for me, and the famous sommelier for both of us.

The downside? The whole V-day weekend is booked, and even if it weren't, I might feel guilty about blowing the entire budget on a Hallmark-manufactured holiday. *Sigh!* Maybe next year.

#2. Beat the Crowds: A non-Price-Fixed Smorgasbord at an Ethnic Restaurant

Usually the places that everyone herds to on V-day are French or Italian hotspots with outrageously overpriced fixed menus. Now, there is something to be said for a thematic dinner and a restaurant full of other couples, but French and Italian places tend not to be kind to vegans, expecially with a special menu just for v-day (each special containing meat, of course). Why not go to an awesome Indian or Chinese restaurant and have a ball without breaking the bank? We could spend more money than we usually do and still be way below the Valentines day standard of a $65-$85 special menu, not including drinks.

The downside? It sounded like a good idea... There are quite a few Indian and Chinese restaurants listed on Washingtonion, but oddly enough, plenty of the nice ones also have $75 priced V-day menus. The not-as-fancy ones tend to be in strip-malls in Vienna... but I'll keep looking.

#3. D.I.Y.: Fix an elaborate, romantic vegan meal at home

This is the cheapest option. Even if we set the grocery budget at $100 (which I highly doubt we could spend) we'd still be saving big bucks as expensive as the night usually is. I mean, we could even get truffle oil and organic strawberries and fancy wine, and I bet we still wouldn't break $70 for the whole shebag. Here's a couple ideas for dishes:

-Mini pizzas (shaped like hearts!) with roasted garlic, plum tomatoes and roasted red peppers
- Carmelized shallot salad from V'Con
-Portabello mushrooms w/ port wine reduction over mashed potatoes with garlicky broccoli rabe
-Fancy shmancy NSA wine & champagne
-chocolate dipped strawberries (or maybe cupcakes from Sticky Fingers!)


I think this would be both a do-able and romantic dinner- all though I'm betting my bf would want to sub a petite filet for the mushrooms. :P

The downside? Atmosphere! Pushing aside the issue of roomate and doggy presence, dining in a room adjacent to the kitchen means having to watch the dirty dishes piled up in the sink. Not to mention that cooking all day doesn't leave me much time to get dolled up or find a red tablecloth of any other of the valentine's day nonsense. And call me old fashioned, but part of me likes to be wined and dined on special occasions. *Sigh*
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So far, option three looks best, but I'm still searching out cheap-ish Indian restaurants. Restaurant Eve and its ilk will have to wait till next year (or when I'm makin big bucks as a public interest atty- ha!)

Jerk Tofu, Mashed Plantains, Garlicky Kale

Lately it seems to me that I exclusively make and eat food from other cultures. This bothers me since there is obviously such a rich culinary tradition in the U.S. and plenty of things I haven't tried (and God forbid I disavow my southern heritage!). But the fact of the matter is, almost every other country is more veggie-friendly than us. (With the exception of maybe cream-soaked France.) My daily diet rarely consists of what I would consider 'merican food- its more like hummus and pita, beans and rice, pad thai, ect. And I have a sneaking suspicion that if you cut me I would bleed curry sauce. With the variety of vegetarian delicacies available, I hardly ever get around to mac and cheese, or shephard's pie, no matter how many good vegan versions there are. But when you want people to get excited about vegan food, there shouldn't be the sense that you have to use exotic ingredients or spices at every meal.

But of course it should come as no surprise that when I got to choose dinner for last night I stuck again to another culture and chose Jerk Tofu with various other carribean accoutrements. The set-up got me thinking about how I might make a dinner of a main item and 3 sides that my parents would adore, that was totally familiar and U.S. American. I may even tackle the V'Con chickpea cutlets everyone is so enamored of...

Anyways, for the Jerk tofu recipe I used Nava Atlas' recipe, subbing tofu for seitan because I was having a hard time tracking down seitan yesterday. (Alas- most big supermarkets around here are just getting Earth Balance so seitan is a real long-shot.) The recipe was easy, produced enough for 5 people with multiple servings, and was generally tasty.(As evinced by my meat-devotee boyfriend finishing all his tofu.) My only quibble was that for a sauce so sweet, a little more heat would have enhanced it. I'm not sure if I want to start subjecting my family to scotch bonnet peppers, but maybe adding 1 roasted anaheim pepper into the mix would have enhanced things. But, overall, this recipe was pretty amazing.

As for the sides, rice and beans is a no-brainer. The plantains and kale were only slightly more time consuming, and went great with the Jerk Tofu. For the Mashed Plaintains just slice 4 or 5 ripe (ie, not green) plaintains lengthwise, and fry them until soft and brown in a few knobs of Earth Balance and brown sugar (use some olive oil if you need to). I usually use a cast-iron skillet for this. Then, take them into a bowl and mash them (or use a ricer if you have one) with some soymilk, a pinch of salt, and more EB. Return them to the skillet and fry as a flat sort of pancake for about five more minutes, flip over, and put back in the bowl. The result is a sticky, starchy side that compliments the kale well.

For the Garlicky Kale, first rinse and cut or tear into pieces a good amount of kale, or half a bag of the pre-rinsed stuff. Dice 2-3 large cloves of garlic and let sit for a few minutes to make it extra healthy. Then, in a spaghetti pot or other large covered pot, heat 2 T olive oil on medium low-medium heat and add in your garlic. When its sizzling and fragrant, add in your kale, and using tongs quickly toss to coat with the oil and garlic. Next, sprinkle in some H2O (like 1/4 c.) and put the cover on. Let sit for about 5 minutes and serve.

*Extra Extra* The Times has an article about the environmental and economic cost of meat production by non-vegetarian Mark Bittman. Check it out here.

Pomegranate Quinoa and Veggie Tortillas

Pomegranates are one of those things that I pick up and put down several times during a grocery store trip. On the one hand, they're tart and delicious. On the other hand, they're expensive and I don't have many ideas with what to do with them- other than dig at it with a spoon while watching General Hospital. Luckily, my friend Sarah had an awesome idea which was: combine the seeds with quinoa! What a brilliant idea!

Now, when she did it there was some creative spicing involved. I was picturing a super simple side-dish with just a little pop, so I kept it really simple. I merely cooked the quinoa (with a little onion, salt, and pepper) then added in a pomegranate worth of seeds when it was cooked. Oh so good with black beans- it may just replace rice in my house for a while.

In the meantime I sauteed some veggies- zucchini, mushrooms, onions, and peppers, and whipped up a sweet little sauce with a bit of leftover tofu, roasted garlic, and roasted peppers. (With hot sauce and s&p to spare, of course.) The sauce was a little too sweet I thought, but I'm going to keep experimenting. Man do I love roasted garlic though. I wrapped it all up in some wheat tortillas and it was truly perfect. And provided plenty of leftover for lunch I might add.

The best part is that despite the fact that I had bought the materials for chicken and cheese quesadillas for the fam, they decided they wanted my vegan dinner instead. I just love that.

*Oooh also, Bazu from Where's the Revolution posted a review of a few DC restaurants, including Java Green a local fave. Check it out!

Sticks and Sauces

Lately the list of food I want to cook is long outgrowing the list of food I'm actually cooking. Between a nasty flu and the start-up of a new semester (complete with heart palpitations over grades, summer jobs, ect.) my diet has been largely dependant on take-out thai and chinese. So when this 3 day weekend approached, I was more than happy to try out a couple of the recipes that have been on my mind.

First up was Coconut Tofu sticks from the blog What the Hell Does a Vegan Eat, Anyway?. I was so psyched to try this because I still secretly salivate over coconut shrimp, my fantasy non-vegan food. In fact, when I was reading their blog (which I often do) I actually shouted out "DUDE!" when I got to the post. It simply did not occur to me that you could veganize coconut shrimp! Its so crunchy, sweet, salty... exotic yet still greasy. Its the world's most perfect junk food. And guess what? The tofu version is pretty damn awesome as well.

The three-step battering technique did an excellent job of holding the coconut on to the tofu- I was fairly skeptical since I've had some disastrous battering attempts with tofu in the past. But the process really did the trick. No one at my table could keep their hands off the battered sticks. The recipe can be found here. I used some pre-made sweet chili sauce as a dip, but the dip they have created looks awesome as well. What a perfect appetizer or light supper. Fantasy fulfilled.

For my next project, I was in the mood for some pasta. I was reading this Times article recently, and the writer (Mark Bittman) was basically proclaiming that there is a new zeitgeist afoot for pasta sauces- that the new style is to have far more sauce than pasta. I definitely feel this way. To me, pasta sauce is usually just a vehicle for whatever veggies I'm hording (onions, zucchini, peppers) and the pasta is just incidental. After reading it though, it reminded me of a dish I've had a few times that is all about the sauce: Pasta alla Norma I'm sure one of my cookbooks has a recipe for this basil and eggplant laced dish, but I decided to wing it from the Epicurious recipe since it looked simple enough. (Its from Jamie Oliver, who is often fast and loose with the ingredients.) The recipe says it serves 4, but we definitely had way more than that.


The basic idea is that you fry quarters of eggplant in batches then set them aside. Then, you fry up some garlic and basil stems in the same oil, and after a minute put the eggplant back in, then add in some diced tomatoes and just let it get all saucy and delicious. The resulting super-chunky sauce is really vibrant and flavorful. I served it over whole wheat pasta, which holds up well against the strong sauce. (And obvs, I ommitted the cheese in favor of garlic bread to soak up the extras. Yum.)

Pasta Alla Norma
2 large, firm eggplants
EVOO
1 T dried oregano
optional: 1 dried red chili, crumbled
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 large bunch of fresh basil, stems finely chopped, leaves reserved
1 T white wine vinegar
2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 lb spaghetti

"First of all, get your nice firm eggplants and cut them into quarters lengthwise. If they've got seedy, fluffy centers, remove them and chuck them away. Then cut the eggplants across the length, into finger-sized pieces. Get a large nonstick pan nice and hot and add a little oil. Fry the eggplants in two batches, adding a little extra oil if you need to. Give the eggplants a toss so the oil coats every single piece and then sprinkle with some of the dried oregano—this will make them taste fantastic. Using a pair of tongs, turn the pieces of eggplant until golden on all sides. Remove to a plate and do the same with the second batch.

When the eggplants are all cooked, add the first batch back to the pan—at this point I sometimes add a sneaky dried red chili. Turn the heat down to medium and add a little oil, the garlic, and the basil stems. Stir so everything gets evenly cooked, then add a swig of herb vinegar and the cans of tomatoes, which you can chop or whiz up. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, then taste and correct the seasoning. Tear up half the basil leaves, add to the sauce, and toss around.

Get your spaghetti into a pan of salted boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. When it's al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving a little of the cooking water, and put it back into the pan. Add the Norma sauce and a little of the reserved cooking water and toss together back on the heat. Taste, and adjust the seasoning, then divide between your plates by twizzling the pasta into a ladle for each portion. Any sauce left in the pan can be spooned over the top."
Adapted from Jamie Oliver.

Experiments and composting problems

After trying the Lentil, Butternut Squash, Kale and ginger soup at Little Havana I was determined to make my own version at home. Seeing as its pretty straightforward in taste, I figured I wouldn't have much trouble faking it. However, its back to test kitchen on this one.

Lentils are one of the foods I've been trying to incorporate into my diet more since I've always been afraid of them. (Are they beans? Are they mush? Whats the deal?) But that means I'm not quite up to fluff on preparing them correctly. My experiment was as follows:

-Sautee some cubed butternut squash in garlic and EVOO until coated and slightly softened.
-Add a package of instant lentils and 2 c. of water
-Bring to a boil, then throw in a few handfuls of shredded kale and 2 T. of fresh sliced ginger.
-At the end, season well with salt and pepper and toss in 1 T. of brown sugar.

In the end, this was certainly a decent lunch. But it wasn't *magic* *sparkling* *transcendent* like the soup I had at Little Havana. I think this has something to do with my own lack of prowess with lentil cooking, in addition to a missing flavor. So, I must get back on the saddle and try again. I think next time I will try a traditional lentil soup recipe, then add in the extras. We shall see.

Meanwhile, despite my best efforts, the dogs got into the compost! I think this had more to do with the novelty of sitting in a little box then it has to do with their interest in onion peels, moldy squash and coffee grounds, but all the same. (Although it was pretty cute to find our fat beagle sitting there trying to figure out how to get out.) My first improvement is to put a thicker layer of dirt over each addition. Second, I have to make sure the dogs are both inside when I add something in so they dont get super excited and curious. Failing that, I guess i could put some rocks around it or something... who knows? Any ideas?

Oooh, also my Dad brought me back a bunch of un-labeled mystery spices from Pakistan. Maybe one of these is the missing spice for my food? Or maybe I should just start randomly adding them to things to see if they taste good? More on that story as it develops... ;)

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Update:
Like a manna from heaven, 101 cookbooks just posted a recipe for Lentil soup. Just the thing!

New Years Resolutions

I am one of those people who has an ongoing list of self-improvements, house improvements, world-improvements- essentially I am always noting the many ways in which I could make things better, if I ever get around to it. New Years rather cruelly plays on this particular weakness of mine, giving me a deadline by which to start all resolutions simutaneously (start doing yoga everyday! keep nails neat and manicured! drink more green tea! be kinder to siblings! GO!). When it comes to food I usually have a list as well, but these goals are often more attainable then, say, a stringent new exercise routine.

One resolution is to bake more. In college I made a lot of muffins and breads for mornings that were too hectic to for anything else. These days I am more absorbed with stovetop cooking, so I don't have nice things to wake up to. No more! I have obtained The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick Goudreau, and already tried my first recipe, the cinnamon coffee cake. It was very easy and delicious, definitely the perfect accompanyment to coffee.
The book in general is incredibly thorough and useful, with plenty of conversions and tips. And you know, it is just nice to not have to constantly be conjuring up the best sub when veganizing a recipe. (Bananas or Ener-G? Or just extra baking soda?) Instead, you can just brainlessly throw a recipe together without over-analyzing. Its also sort of an inspirational cookbook, with lots of inserts about factory farming and the dairy industry to keep you sticking to your vegan guns.

My other resolution is to get back to composting. Ever since moving to a new house, I've gotten lazy about it. And honestly, there is no excuse for any vegan or vegetarian not to compost, since a majority of their trash will always be compostable. A problem I've run into at my new house, however, is that living with two dogs makes composting slightly more complicated. They are always eager to get at whatever I'm throwing out. Even rotting carrot peelings are a lure (apparently.) So my little brother and I came up with this design to keep the dogs out and the compost in. So far, its working pretty well. And I'm back on a roll with my resolutions! Now I just need to get to the other 200 things on my list. And oh yeah... law school...

Extra composting tips, for those so inclined.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS from Fat Albert

...And a happy new year!

A Very V'Con Holiday, part 2

Ah, the second night of Christmas treats was as good as the first. I followed the Veganomicon recipe for Almost All-American Seitan Potpie, except for a few variations. I added leeks, because I pretty much add them to everything. (And it usually turns out well!) Also, I was at lack for seitan so I used baked tofu. Still wonderful.

I made them in these tiny caphalon pots that my parents had on hand, and me and my little brother munched away while my parents dined on steak topped with crab in cheese sauce or some nonsense.

*Phew!* After all this rich holiday food I'm ready for super-crunchy scary health food- like steamed tofu, kashi and kale. But on the other hand, I'm stocked with all these brand new fancy cookbooks, so I'm being pulled in two directions... we'll see what I come up with.

Also... anyone else see this? Yay Natalie Portman!