All Over the Map. Kind of.

This is the stew I made yesterday in the crockpot. I'm having it with a sandwich for lunch today. Mmm, leftovers!

I made it because I planned on going to the 7pm Mixed Levels Yoga class at my gym, so dinner had to be something that didn't require a lot of time in the evening. We had mounds of stuff left over from the funeral reception*, including about a ton of sliced onions, baby carrots and celery. Sound like a plan?

I tossed a bunch of the onions in, sliced, just as they came. I chopped the carrots and celery into smaller pieces and chopped up a few potatoes. I added a can of diced tomatoes and some "vegetarian chicken broth" powder that I picked up at a local natural foods store. Covered with vegetable broth and a drizzle of EVOO and left it on low all day.

Of course it turned out very good. I probably could have used less onion. Or chopped them more. But I like onion, so it was fine by me.

Tonight I'm making veggie burgers, and I think Thursday the crockpot will get another workout with something splitpea-like.

I don't know why I'm talking so much about food. Obsessed? Maybe.

I had such a great day yesterday and I am so proud of myself! I walked just over 5K on lunch and went to yoga in the evening. Plus I primarily ate produce all day. In fact, I can tell you the non-produce I had: coffee, oatmeal, mozzarella, balsamic vinaigrette, half a luna bar and one slice of sourdough bread. OK, fine, and Powerade Zero.

See? What an awesome day. Especially compared to how it's been going lately.

I don't even know why I'm talking about all of this except to keep y'all informed. I haven't mentioned it yet here (because there hasn't been much to mention), but I started a separate blog for my workouts and food rantings. Because I'm trying to make a point to blog about that stuff every day that I have a workout to record and I'm sure y'all don't need to be constantly reading about that stuff here. I'm also hoping to actually blog about different types of workout and fitness related things. Because, really, are there enough fitness blogs? Written by fat girls? Right.

Oh, shut it.

So I totally, well, can't do any of those three things right now, but that doesn't stop me from having been totally enamored of this race since I was wee. It's two years older than I am! Sounds like a goal to me. What about you?

Right now I'm really not interested in blogging about funeral stuff, and I feel well and truly derailed from the things I planned to blog about before grandmother passed. I'm hoping to get back on track soon. But I'm totally not above taking subject suggestions.

*We had the funeral reception catered. Because we're not stupid. OK and because we have connections. If you're local and need totally awesome catering, let me know and I'll hook you up.

Recipe - Sunday Morning

1 Mom
1 Monkey (or 2, for the very brave)
20 ounces espresso and steamed soy milk
1 bagel with cream cheese
12 ounces of whipped cream
1 breakfast sandwich
1 deck of playing cards
A liberal supply of napkins

Mix well. Simmer til scalding. Sit back, buckle in and enjoy!

Recipe - Pomegranate Cocktail

Coarse colored or regular sugar
1 cup ice cubes
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup vodka

Dip rims of three martini glasses in water and then sugar. Place ice cubes, pomegranate juice and vodka into a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake well. Strain into martini glasses.

Tip: I was told once to shake until the cocktail shaker gets frosty. I'm not sure if this is actually better, but it's the only way I do it.

Recipe - Hearty "Beef" Stew

I doubled this one, too, and ended up with half of it leftover. This is a really filling meal and so yummy!

1 medium onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced
1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil
12 oz. faux beef strips (try Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Steak Strips)
4 cups water
1 14-oz. can whole tomatoes, including liquid
1 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce (available from VeganStore.com)
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. sugar
6 carrots, peeled and diced
3 potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-size chunks
10 oz. frozen peas
2 Tbsp. cornstarch, dissolved in a small amount of water

• In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for several minutes.
• Add the faux beef strips, water, tomatoes and liquid, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, salt, pepper, allspice, bouillon cube, basil, and sugar.
• Simmer, uncovered, for one hour, stirring occasionally.
• Add the carrots, potatoes, and peas and cook for another 30 minutes. When it is simmering again, add the cornstarch and water mixture to thicken. Serve hot.


Makes 4 servings

Recipe - "Chicken" Noodle Soup

SweetPea described this as the best thing I've ever made. Even better than the biscuits and soysage-gravy. I used some fake chicken broth powder from the local organic/hippie store and doubled the recipe. This soup is seriously good.

2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 bay leaves
6 cups boiling water mixed with faux-chicken bouillon powder, according to package directions (look for Osem and Telma brands, available in the Kosher section of your supermarket)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb. faux chicken, torn into bite-size chunks (try Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chick'n Strips)
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1/2 lb. eggless flat noodles (try Mueller’s “dumpling” noodles)

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, parsnip, onion, and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add the bay leaves, faux-chicken broth, salt, and pepper to the pot, raise the heat, and bring to a boil. Add the faux-chicken chunks, parsley, and noodles, return the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
• Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe - Savory "Chicken" Pot Pie

I got this recipe from PETA Eats (their Recipe of the Week email, specifically). Yes, I know, PETA is the devil. Can we move on?

When I made it, we didn't have the fake chicken strips, so I made it with fake beef strips. We liked it a lot, so you can either-or.

I made this one year and took it to my dad's for... I don't know, Christmas or something. My dad, who is an avid meat eater, ate damn near half a pie by himself. So this meal definitely gets the Carnivore Seal of Approval.

A thick and creamy sauce complements a hearty vegetable filling for a complete cold-weather meal.

4 Tbsp. vegetable bouillon or faux chicken broth powder (try Osem or Telma brands, available in the kosher section of supermarkets)
2 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes (available at health food stores)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 15.5-oz. can white potatoes, drained and cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups frozen or canned/drained mixed corn kernels, peas, and diced carrots
1/2 lb. faux chicken, cut into tiny cubes (try Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chick'n Strips)
1 box puff pastry sheets

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the vegetable bouillon or faux chicken broth powder with the hot water to make a stock. Set aside.

Combine the nutritional yeast and flour in a large pot and stir constantly over low heat until lightly toasted. Add the oil, stirring to make a roux. Slowly whisk in the stock, garlic salt, and pepper. Add the vegetables and faux chicken. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through.

Roll out one sheet of puff pastry and place it in a 9-inch pie dish, trimming to fit. Place the pastry in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until it starts to puff. Remove the pastry from the oven, pour the filling into it, and place the other sheet of puff pastry on top, cutting and crimping the edges and making several 1-inch slices on top to allow the steam to escape. Continue baking for approximately 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and puffed.

Makes 6 servings