Friday the 13th

Hey guys, happy Friday the 13th! Do you believe that this date is unlucky? We moved to New York on Friday the 13th, so I would have to say I believe it, haha. So far today, no major mishaps...knock on wood.

Wednesday night at yoga, I had an instructor who was very serene, soft-spoken, and encouraging. I love those instructors. (Most seem to fit that description, but I've encountered the occasional drill sergeant type, too!)  At one point, we were holding a pose for a long time, and she said, "Some of you are probably wondering right now, what am I doing? Am I doing this right? And the answer is...you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, and you're doing everything right."

Normally, I might chuckle to myself at such stereotypical yoga-spiritual-goddess-talk. But at that moment, it felt like I was meant to be in that class and hear those words. I even teared up a little. Because lately I seem to spend a lot of time worrying that I don't know what I'm doing, and maybe I am doing everything wrong. Not in yoga class, in life.

But of course, Thursday morning, my newly acquired yoga zen went out the window when I burned my arm while making tea. Next, it started storming. I had planned on taking the kids to an outdoor nursery to get some plants, but now we were stuck inside. I absent-mindedly left some windows open upstairs, and the floor and rugs got wet. Jackson got cabin fever and poured his milk in the toybox. Then he hit Olivia, and she wouldn't let me put her down for the rest of the morning. Fun.

For lunch, I made this salad.

It's Baby Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette, Sarah Kramer's May recipe from her 2011 calendar. After I made the dressing, I realized I didn't have enough baby spinach, so I had to throw in a bunch of browning, wilted iceberg lettuce that was lurking in the fridge. And that familiar feeling crept over me. You're not doing anything right, you can't even make a stupid salad. 

But my next thought was, "Well, you hate wasting food, and now you don't have to throw away that lettuce. So that's a plus." And you know, the salad still tasted pretty darn good, iceberg and all. 

And the rain eventually stopped, and in the afternoon I went and got my plants.

This is my little starter garden - cherry tomato, jalapeno pepper, hot cherry pepper, strawberry, basil, lavender, and rosemary. I tried to garden once before, a couple years ago, but I didn't get enough sunlight on my patio and my tomato plant died. So I'm nervous about subjecting these innocent plants to my maybe-not-so-green thumb. But the dude at the garden center guessed that the lack of sunlight was probably the problem last time, not me.

So maybe I don't suck at everything. It's possible. We'll see how our new plant friends do.

In the end, the day wasn't a total wash. Last night was free admission night at a bunch of museums and galleries downtown. We took the babies for a stroll and checked out a couple of places. First we hit the Austin Museum of Art. They had an exhibit featuring several upcoming local artists. Debra Broz's ceramic animals were my instant favorite. So cute, yet so creepy.

(image source)

Next we hit up the Mexic-Arte Museum. They put on a Dia de los Muertos parade every year that is super fun, but I had never been inside the actual museum. It was neat, too. And free! A fun, relaxing evening, and all we had to pay for was parking.

Today might be Friday the 13th, but it's going better than yesterday. I successfully got Jackson down for a nap (he's been skipping naps, which makes him super cranky and wild). The weather is nice, so later we can play outside and go for a walk and stave off the dreaded cabin fever. And there are other things that have been bothering me that I am trying to let go. Sorry, yoga teacher, I am never going to do everything right. But at least for now I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.

Hope you have a good weekend!

Super Nachos

We've spent lots of time outside the past couple days. The kids love the new water table I got them. They don't want to come inside...but sometimes they need to come in and take a shower! I took these photos when they first started playing, but don't be fooled by their relative cleanliness. Within minutes, they were stripped down to nothing (because their clothes were soaking wet) and covered in mud and grass! It's amazing how filthy kids can get while they are playing in water, haha.

For dinner last night I made super nachos with my chickpea refried "beans" and they were awesome. Besides the beans, I layered them with avocado, black olives, lettuce, tomato, cheezy sauce, and salsa. Next time, I am going to make them even more super by adding scallions and pickled jalapenos. What are your favorite nacho toppings?

I'm looking forward to my first yoga class in awhile tonight. Love my little guys, but I also need some baby-free time to decompress. Hope you have a good night!

Mother's Day in Oklahoma

Hi guys, how was your weekend? After Tony got off work Friday, we drove up to Shawnee, Oklahoma to surprise my mother-in-law for Mother's Day. Tony called her when we got to Ft. Worth to tell her we were on our way (we didn't want to just show up at midnight and scare the crap out of her) and she was so happy she started crying. She hadn't seen her grandbabies since Thanksgiving so she was really pleased to spend time with them. She and Jackson are great buddies.

On Saturday, she and my sister-in-law Janet were nice enough to watch the babies so Tony could take me on a Mother's Day date, just the two of us. We never get to do this, so it was pretty awesome. I love my kiddos, but I also love a few hours without potty assists and diaper changes! Tony took me down to Norman, where I went to college. We walked around for awhile, seeing how things have changed and also stayed the same. It's been a couple years since I last visited. Then we ate at my favorite restaurant, Pepe Delgado's. I left my camera at the house, but if I had a picture of the experience, it would show me grinning like a lunatic as I devoured the Plato Vegetariano (veggie fajitas.) For all of Austin's Mexican restaurants, I don't think there are any that compare to Pepe's.

On Sunday, I awoke to this Mother's Day surprise from Tony.

A gift card for yoga! This is the studio I used to go and I really liked it, so I'm super excited to start going back this week. Tony did good.

The rest of the day was spent playing outside with the kids and cooking out. They got so filthy that I had to hose them down before bringing them back into the house! But they had the best time.

I've never seen Olivia so worn out! She fell asleep sitting up on my lap.

I went grocery shopping before we left town, so when we got back I was able to make this Tamarind BBQ Tempeh and Sweet Potatoes from Appetite for Reduction.

A note of warning if you haven't used tamarind paste before -- I don't know if all brands are like this, but mine (made by Seasoned Pioneers) had hard seeds in it, the size of peanuts. I tried to pick them all out before serving, but I still ended up crunching down on one. Ouch! Also, my sweet potatoes didn't get very tender. I put in another tray of sweet potatoes alongside the BBQ, just to have roasted sweet potatoes to snack on, and they cooked up fine. But the ones that I cooked with the tempeh were still on the hard side. So you may need to bake longer than the recipe states.

The tempeh turned out really nice, however. I liked the sweet, gingery flavor of this BBQ sauce. I picked out the tempeh pieces and ate them on a ciabatta roll with pickle, and I microwaved the sweet potatoes until they were more tender, and ate them on the side.

Today I am going to assemble the water table we bought for the kids. They are both total water babies, they love to splash and play in the bath, so I think they will like it. Hope you're having a good day!

Chickpea Piccata and Happy Mother's Day!

Last night we had the Chickpea Piccata with Caulipots from Appetite for Reduction. Piccata, if you don't know, is a caper-lemon-garlic sauce. I'd made a seitan piccata dish in the past and didn't care for the flavor, but I decided to give it another try. Glad I did! This is a pretty impressive-looking dish that I was proud to serve my little family, and it tasted awesome.

The recipe calls for serving the chickpeas and caulipots on a bed of arugula. My salad-loving husband finished off the arugula before I made this recipe, so I substituted spring mix. I think the idea is just to have some greens involved for a textural contrast with the creamy mashed potatoes and cauliflower. The spring mix worked great.

I also didn't have any white wine, so I just used an extra half cup of vegetable broth. If, like me, you're not a big wine drinker, another thing you can do is buy a bottle of dry vermouth. Unlike wine, it keeps indefinitely, so you can always have it on hand for cooking. I've found it to be pretty much interchangeable with white wine in recipes.

Mother's Day is this Sunday...what are your plans? I won't see my own mom until summer, but we will talk on the phone and I'll be thinking of her. I know she wishes she could spend the day with her grandbabies, but my dad is a school teacher and they can't travel until the term is over. I wish I got to see her more often. In a couple years my dad will retire and they will visit more. They even talk about moving to Texas. That would be great.

 

I'll also be remembering my Granny, who passed away a few years ago at age 92. She was a sharp, fun lady who ran a beauty parlor for many years. I never saw her without her hair done and fresh nail polish and lipstick. My brother and I spent a lot of weekends at her house and she doted on us. So many of my memories of her revolve around the kitchen. When I was very small, she showed me how to pick fresh tomatoes from her garden, make perfect creamy mashed potatoes, crimp the edges on a pie crust so it looks nice, and a million other little things that I will soon be teaching my kids. I just hope I can summon up some of her endless patience!

Today we are driving up to Oklahoma to spend the holiday with my mother-in-law. It is a surprise visit (don't worry, she doesn't know about my blog!) She hasn't seen the kids since Thanksgiving. Now that we are settled in our new place, she is getting really anxious to spend time with them. I really lucked out, as far as in-laws go. She is awesome.

See you when I get home. Happy Mother's Day!

Check out a couple of giveaways before they end! Midwest Vegan is giving away a copy of Tal Ronnen's The Conscious Cook (ends May 11) and Small Steps on Our Journey is giving away a huge jar of Tropical Traditions coconut oil (also ends May 11.)

Chickpea "Refried Beans"

Happy Cinco de Mayo! How are you celebrating Mexico's victory over the French? This evening we might take the kids to a festival happening downtown, we'll see. Tony is still getting up to speed at his new job, so sometimes he has to stay late.

It appears to be turning into Recipe Week here at Busy Vegan Mama. First we had pho and cinnamon blondies, and today I have another recipe to share. But first, a little background.

Do you like bean burritos? Nachos with refried beans? Who doesn't? Me, until now. I'm allergic to beans. Taking a bite of the luscious, creamy frijoles refritos that are always served alongside veggie enchiladas would mean hours of regret. My throat closes up and I feel like I can't swallow, and my nose runs and my eyes water like crazy. Fun times.

Fortunately my body tolerates other types of legumes...like the wondrous chickpea. What can't chickpeas do? They can make a killer refried bean substitute, for one thing.  

Chickpea "Refried Beans"

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. salt

up to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional, if not serving to kids)

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until creamy and smooth. Microwave for 40 seconds, just to warm it up a little. Serve as a dip, as a side with Mexican food, atop nachos, rolled up in burritos, or any other way you typically eat refried beans!

I adapted this from the delicious Almost-Instant Chickpea-Tomato Soup in Vegan on the Cheap, because every time I make it, I think, "This kinda tastes like refried beans!" If you have no problem with beans, you still might like my chickpea version. Just think of it as Cinco de Mayo hummus. Also, it's nearly fat-free, unlike traditional refritos. After my first bite, I was kicking myself for not thinking of it sooner. Hope you enjoy!

Cinnamon Blondies

Tony ate lunch at work today, so the kids and I had a "snacky lunch" -- seedless watermelon, roasted green beans, pita chips and hummus.

For dessert, I made some cinnamon blondies.

They made the house smell wonderful. I veganized this recipe. I'm not much of a baker, but veganizing baked goods is easy if you have a box of Ener-g Egg Replacer on hand.

Cinnamon Blondies

1/2 cup vegan margarine

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

2 "eggs" (1 Tbsp. Ener-g egg replacer + 1/4 cup water)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

First, melt the margarine and brown sugar together in a saucepan over medium-low heat. When it starts to bubble around the edges, remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.

While the sugar mixture cools, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 8x8" baking pan with parchment and grease the parchment. Combine the flour, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Stir the eggs and vanilla into sugar mixture. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. Pour into pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert onto a cooling rack, peeling off the parchment paper. Let cool and slice into squares.

Have a great afternoon! The weather is perfect today and we are spending most of the day in the backyard. Can you spot the Jackson in this photo?

Rainy Day Pho

We're having some unseasonably cold weather here in Austin. It even rained yesterday, which is pretty unusual. To combat the chill, I decided to make the hot, spicy Vietnamese soup known as pho.

When Tony and I were first married, Tony worked near the Little Saigon neighborhood in Oklahoma City. At lunch, he would frequent the various pho cafes. Pho became one of his favorite foods. But because traditional pho is made with beef broth and contains chunks of beef, or sometimes tripe, I could never partake with him. He encouraged me to create a vegetarian version so that I could enjoy it, too.  This is the recipe I've been making for years; he says it's pretty close to the real deal.

Rainy Day Pho (serves 4)

First, make the broth.

6 cups vegetable stock

4 cups water

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

8 garlic cloves, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1-inch piece of ginger, chopped

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

1/8 tsp. anise seed

In a soup pot, bring broth ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially uncovered, for 20 minutes. Strain out the solids and return broth to soup pot.

While the broth is simmering, prepare the fixins. Keep each in a separate small bowl.

7 oz. rice noodles, uncooked

4 oz. firm tofu, cut in 1/4" cubes

4 heads of baby bok choy, chopped*

1 large carrot, grated

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped 

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

1/4 cup peanuts, crushed

2 limes, cut in wedges

2 jalapenos, minced

*Prepare baby bok choy as you would a bunch of celery: chop off the base and discard, then slice the stems and leaves.

Now bring it all together. Add the baby bok choy to the broth and cook for 5 minutes, covered, at a gentle simmer.  Meanwhile, portion the rice noodles and tofu into four large soup bowls. Pour the baby bok choy and hot broth over the noodles and tofu and allow to sit for 5 minutes, in order to cook the noodles and heat the tofu. Top with carrot, basil, cilantro, scallions, peanuts, and jalapeno. Squirt fresh lime juice on top and serve.

Note -- I actually ladled more broth into my pho after taking this picture. It may seem like there is a lot of broth, but that's as it should be. Slurp the broth as you are eating the noodles. It's not rude -- you're supposed to slurp it!