Gumbo

I made a couple of sausage recipes from Quick and Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food one afternoon: the chorizo and the andouille.

I froze the chorizo, and used the andouille to make the QELCVCF gumbo recipe. It was good and filling, with a thick, rich roux. Definitely didn't feel like a low-calorie meal.

Jackson and Olivia posing for their next album cover or something.

Weekend

We kicked off the weekend with a birthday party for one of Olivia's kindergarten friends. As she proudly tells me, her class is nicknamed the Amigos, because they are all such good friends. I teach gardening with the class once a week and can confirm, they are all total sweethearts. I am swarmed with hugs each time I enter the classroom. So grateful for her fantastic teacher who places such an emphasis on kindness and friendship.

Rides, games, we love Mt. Playmore!

Jackson and Olivia had never tried out one of these dollar massage chairs. I admit I was also curious. Would the 3-minute massage be worth the dollar? Only one way to find out.

It was worth it. I want one of these things in my living room please.

The rest of the weekend, we kicked it around the house, finally taking down our Christmas decorations and doing a little spring cleaning. (Since winter seems to be cancelled here in Austin.) I made the Fettucine Alfredo from Plant-Powered Families, one of the few recipes that both of my kids love.

Sunday morning I made some chickpea flour omelets from Quick and Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food. The cookbook title is a mouthful and so was my omelet. I may have overdid it on the fillings: cashew cheeze, avocado, baby spinach, black olives, and scallions.

From the same book, I made granola for Tony to take for breakfasts during the week. He has a long commute so he likes to have something he can munch in the car.

And today I am having a big bowl o'veggies for lunch with a dollop of leftover cashew cheeze.

An up-to-date post, wow! It is a Monday miracle my friends. Hope you had a nice weekend.

Trying a New Cookbook

Most of the time when I buy a new cookbook, I'm too impatient to just try one recipe from it.  Instead, I'll pick out a bunch of recipes that seem like they could go together, and cook up a little feast. That's what I did with my latest purchase, Quick and Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food.  I've gotten a lot of use out of Alicia C. Simpson's other two cookbooks, so I had this one on my wishlist for awhile. It hasn't disappointed!

The Spicy Kale Slaw is a wonderful way to enjoy kale in its raw state. The creamy soy yogurt dressing softens the kale somewhat. I really enjoyed the texture, as well as the flavor. It is quite spicy, as the name suggests, but there are also bursts of sweetness from the golden raisins scattered throughout.

The Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad is simple and delicious. The dressing, made from flax oil, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard, is light enough to allow the potatoes' own flavor to be the real star.

I wasn't sure about the Corn Pudding recipe. I've never seen a corn pudding that didn't have cornmeal in it, to make it substantial. As I poured this pudding into the baking dish, I thought, "This is way too gooey!" In fact, I had to bake it for twice as long as the recipe stated. But after I let it cool, it did firm up nicely. Wonderful flavor -- tastes rich, even though it isn't.

Can't wait to try more from this cookbook. I'm especially looking forward to the Lavender Pancakes!