Category: Vegetarian/Vegan

Sometimes I cry when I chop onions. It’s the only time I “cry”. But today I didn’t “cry” while chopping onions.

Earlier this afternoon, I was craving Indian food, so I made my own version of dry chana masala, but I didn’t use garbanzo beans.

My daughter hasn’t had this dish in several years, but she thoroughly enjoyed it, and before I knew it, it all disappeared into her stomach.

When I first heard the song I Cry, I instantly thought about Piano in the Dark by Brenda Russell (scroll all the way down to hear that song). It’s always nice to hear my old favorites get brought back to life with a new twist. I’d like to think ,that regardless of my age I’ll still have an appreciation for all types of music.

 

 

Flo Rida: I Cry
I know
Caught up in the middle
I cry, just a little
When I think of letting go
Oh no
Gave up on the riddle
I cry, just a little
When I think of letting go

[Flo Rida]
I know you wanna get behind the wheel Only 1 Rida
Eyes shut still got me swimming like a diver
Can’t let go I got fans in Okinawa
My heart to japan quake losers and surviours
Norway no you didn’t get my flowers
No way to sound better but the killer was a Coward
Face just showers, the minute in a hour
Heard about the news all day went sour
Lil mama got me feeling like a limit here
Put you in the box just the presidents cigarettes
Give em my regards or regardless I get arrested
Ain’t worried about the killers just the young & restless
Get mad coz the quarter million on my necklace
DUI never said I was driving reckless
You & I or jealously was not oppressive
Oh no I can’t stop I was Destined

I know
Caught up in the middle
I cry, just a little
When I think of letting go
Oh no
Gave up on the riddle
I cry, just a little
When I think of letting go

[Flo Rida]
Champagne buckets still got two tears in it
And I put that on my tattoo of Jimi Hendrix
Get depressed coz the outfit all in it
Coz the press tell it all get a meal ticket
Clean next get a call just a lil visit
Sacrifice just to make a hit still vivid
Rihanna kiss you on ya neck just kill critics
Buggatti never when I’m rich, just god fearing
Look at me steering, got the bossing staring
Mr mike caren, tell his Billie Jeans
Im on another planet
Thank E-Class, Big Chuck or Lee Prince Perries
Buy my momma chandeliers on my tears dammit
Thirty years you had thought these emotions vanish
Tryna live tryna figure how my sister vanish
No cheers I know you wouldn’t panic

I know
Caught up in the middle
I cry, just a little
When I think of letting go
Oh no
Gave up on the riddle
I cry, just a little
When I think of letting go

When I need a healing, I just look up the the ceiling
I see the sun coming down I know its all better now

When I need a healing, I just look up the the ceiling
I see the sun coming down I know its all better now

When I need a healing, I just look up the the ceiling
I see the sun coming down I know its all better now

When I need a healing, I just look up the the ceiling
I see the sun coming down I know its all better now

I know, I know, I know, I i i, I think of letting go

I know
Caught up in the middle
I cry, just a little
When I think of letting go
Oh no
Gave up on the riddle
I cry, just a little
When I think of letting go

Ramen noodles…

Cheap, filling, and ready in minutes. During college, ramen noodles, were a welcome addition, when I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on food.

My parents sent me care package throughout the years, and noodles were something they thoughtfully included.

Getting creative with Ramen noodles

Even as a college kid, I was interested in delicious, healthy, and filling meals, and so a variety of vegetables were added to my noodles. If I had the money to make it healthier, if not the plain noodles would suffice, it just wasn’t as tasty.

These days, I don’t eat a lot of ramen noodles or your traditional pasta…

The majority of the pasta I make is made from vegetables; I use a vegetable pasta maker. Its much healthier than the traditional noodles, and during harvest time I have more than enough vegetables to satisfy my noodle craving.

Vegetable pasta maker

I first learned about vegetable pasta when I became interested in raw foods, I’d eaten raw foods throughout my life, and was fascinated that some ate this exclusively. Naturally, I was even more intrigued, when I saw vegetables  like made from vegetables! I’ve tried a few vegetable pasta noodle machines, but my favorite is the plastic spiral vegetable slicer. I’ve had mine for five years.

 

The above photo was taken last evening, the main ingredient is ramen noodles, to which I added broccoli, tomato, egg, and garlic. My daughter helped prepare this dish, and thought it was delicious.

Pardon the blur on this picture. Yesterday, I snapped a few pizza shots, before putting it on the table. Perhaps I should have tweaked it in Aperture 3.

Yesterday, was the day to satisfy my craving, and so homemade pizza(s) were on the menu.I made two; cheese and veggie with no cheese. Years ago, I stumbled upon a truly delightful cheese-less pizza. The vegetables included introduced a mild sweetness which worked wonderfully with the tangy pizza sauce. I fell in love with cheese-less pizzas, and immediately wanted to run home and try to duplicate it in my own kitchen.

Over the years, I’ve tested quite a few veggies on my cheese-less pizzas. My favorite ways to prepare them are with oven roasted vegetable; Sweet onions, oven roasted garlic, Red bell pepper, shitake mushrooms… Those vegetables work so well together, and make a pizza that’s bursting with flavor.

Pizza is normally made once per month in our household. Because I make a variety, my daughter gets to sample a lot of different pizzas, but I think her favorite is the cheese pizza. She still scarfs down the cheese-less pizzas too.

Bonding at mealtime

I’d put the pizzas in the oven about an hour before it was time to get my daughter,  so they were still hot when we arrived home from her school. Pizza smells greeted us, upon opening the house door. “Pizza!” was my daughters happy cry. She put her schoolbooks away, and quickly returned so we could eat our meal.

The kitchen is one of my places to get creative; mealtimes are a time for both of us to unplug.  She gets a break from the demands of school, and she has my full attention. She quickly filled me in on the days events at school, while she quickly demolished several pieces of both pizzas (cheese and veggie). That girl can eat! I guess she’s a lot like myself, her metabolism is high — so she can eat anything.

Colorful pizza crusts

We both like flavorful crusts, and I’ll add a variety of things (usually seasonings) to the crust. Nothing overpowering, more like a nice complement to the toppings on the pizza.

Occasionally, my daughter asks me to color the pizza crust. I’ll ‘dye’ the crusts with the appropriate colored vegetable juice. One time my daughter wanted an orange crust. I added a bit if carrot juice to the dough. Then she wanted a cranberry colored crust. I added beet juice. Green was another request, juiced greens were added. You get the picture… Although some of the ingredients might sound weird, and not too appealing at all (if you aren’t big on those vegetables) but the crusts are delicious. The flavor doesn’t overpower the pizza crust. Also, the seasonings added (to the crust) complement the pizza. )

These days, I rarely order a pizza, because my daughter is used to the freshness of our homemade pizzas, and it can be hard to find a restaurant that duplicates that.

Ok, so now my pizza craving has been satisfied but now I’m craving hummus with Creamy Dhal or a Dry Chana Masala.;)

Question: What are some foods you enjoy making?

We all experience cravings, right? The past few days my daughter has been craving dark leafy greens. Raw or cooked?  It doesn’t matter; my eight-year old daughter loves eating dark leafy greens.

I’m an early riser (usually awake by 4:00 am — today I was awake at 2:30 am). After a few hours of work, I decided to make her some homemade hash browns. What began as hash browns turned into a completely different dish. By the time, I was through I had prepared a lightly sauteed vegetable dish. It was delicious, nutritious, and simple to make.

What’s in this dish? Kale, carrots, onion, tomato, carrots, ginger, curry, and a sprinkle of sea salt all make an appearance in this dish. The kale was especially tender since I’d picked them from our garden this morning. I’m happy that dark leafy greens can be planted/harvested during the cooler months. It means that my daughter and I eat fresh greens for most of the year.

It’s interesting to see how my daughters taste buds have developed (as she’s gotten older). If I’d have prepared this a few years ago, the added ginger and curry would have been too spicy for her, but now she quite enjoys the extra kick.

Because the kale leaves were huge,  I used only about two leaves in the above dish. The rest has been set aside to include into a smoothie.

My daughters cravings for greens had been satisfied, and she went off to school happy that I’d remembered her request. I’ll eat greens anytime, but recently I’ve been craving a homemade pizza. I’m thinking about making one later today.

Question: Recently, have you had any food cravings? If so share in the comment section.

I tend to eat a lot of fiber in my daily intake. I love dark leafy greens, and prepare them in a variety of ways. For those who’re not used to dark greens, there are other ways you can incorporate them into ones daily intake.

Adding greens to raw juices or smoothies is an excellent way to increase your fiber, along with many other nutrients that the greens provide. Because you’re adding the greens to a fruit smoothie, it will mask the taste of the greens.

I love dark leafy greens, and often eat them raw. I tend to add a bit more greens than what I’ve suggested below.

Green Energy Drink

• 4 cups unsweetened apple juice
• 1 cup cubed pineapple
• 2 cups collards (or other greens like lettuce, kale, or collards)
• 1″ ginger root

*If you want a thinner smoothie, add more apple juice. Directions

1. In a blender add all ingredients
2. Blend until smooth
3. Drink and enjoy

This post was written in advance, since I’m away for the Thanksgiving holidays. I won’t be checking my personal mail. My holidays are spent taking a break from everything technology related. I’ll be back soon, and will respond to comments, and visit your virtual homes.

Blessings, Opal