Baby Animals, Yay!

Hey guys, how is your day going? Today I took Jackson and Olivia to see some baby animals at the book store. First the "zookeeper" read the kids some stories about animals. Then we were led to an enclosed area containing several large, covered baskets. One by one, she took the lids off and revealed the animals. There were bunnies, ducklings, turtles, a lizard, a hedgehog, and two chinchillas -- "the softest animal in the word!" the zookeeper kept saying. It's true. Once you pet a chinchilla you do not want to stop.

Olivia was totally into it, petting whatever animals she could get her little hands on. The chinchilla was her favorite. Its long whiskers tickled her and made her laugh.

Jackson was not so sure. He thought the animals were "pretty" but "I no wanna touch them." After watching several braver kids take their turn, he did get into the little enclosed area to inspect the animals more closely. He still wanted nothing to do with the bunnies and chinchillas, but he held one of the ducklings.

Afterwards, we went for lunch at Bouldin Creek, a coffee house that has lots of vegan options. I had the veggie burger with chipotle-pecan pesto. It has a sweet, smoky flavor, and it's served on a nice crusty ciabatta roll, just the way I like it.

I am having fun playing with my new camera. I like it so far. It's small and cute, and the view screen is gigantic compared to my old one. I need to order a case so it doesn't get banged up or scratched.  Something I never had to worry about with my last camera -- it was a hulk! Once I get the case, I will feel better about carrying it around everywhere with me. I've missed taking pictures the last few days, but I'll make up for that soon enough!

Weekend Fun

So I'm going to attempt to do a post even though my camera is deceased and my replacement hasn't arrived yet. Because I had such a great weekend and I feel the need to document it. If you came wanting food pics, I apologize, please check back in a few days!

Friday night we got some awesome thunderstorms. I had to run outside and move my plants to shelter because all of a sudden it was pouring. I love a good storm, and we definitely need the rain.

On Saturday, I hung my new bedroom curtains. I love the print so much.

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Then we ran some errands, and stopped for lunch at Hyde Park Bar and Grill.  I had a big salad with ginger tamari dressing and a bowl of lentil soup. Tony was telling me that he eats lentil soup almost every day for lunch at his work cafeteria (aww, look at him eating vegan when I'm not there) and it sounded good. Olivia happily helped me finish it. I guess it's a favorite of the whole family. Here is my recipe for the lentil soup I make at home.

Saturday night, Tony and I left Jackson and Olivia in the babysitter's capable hands and went out on a date. First we went to a neighborhood bar and had some beers. It was nice to be able to enjoy each other's company without having to entertain the kids. Then we walked over and saw Bridesmaids, which was the funniest movie I've seen in years. It's not a chick movie, either. Tony thought it was hilarious. What's the best movie you've seen lately?

We saw it at a theater that serves beer and food. Great idea, right? But I had already snacked on guacamole and chips at home, and Tony ate a big lunch, so we were not that hungry. We had some red pepper hummus and pita. I can always work up an appetite for hummus.

The kids did great with the babysitter, so we plan to make these date nights a regular event from now on. Yay!

Sunday, I made sure to have some girl time with my sweetie Olivia. Just like last weekend. First we went to a very cool craft fair. There were some extremely talented artists and crafters showing their work. I could have spent a lot of money. But I managed to restrain myself. I did buy a couple of prints.

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Doesn't he look stylish? There were dozens of different sharp-dressed animals. It was hard to choose only one to take home. But of course I had to go with my beloved sloth.

I guess I felt inspired by all the DIY handmade goodness at the craft fair, because our next stop was Joann, where I bought some fabric to make curtains for the front entry and the master bathroom. It is not much harder to make curtains than it is to hem store-bought curtains, even if you don't have a sewing machine (which I don't) so hopefully I will be able to get 'em done this week. 

When we got home, Tony and Jackson were working in the yard. I've never seen someone who loves yard work as much as Tony. When he bought his new weed trimmer, he was practically giddy. It's pretty cute. As they finished up, Olivia and I made Pad Thai from Vegan with a Vengeance. I love this recipe, it comes together in no time and it's full of my favorite flavors -- lime, sriracha, ginger, peanut, cilantro. I think 2011 is going to be the Summer of Cilantro. I seem to sprinkle it on everything lately. Hmm, I wonder how a cilantro mojito would taste??

Here's a photo from another time I made Pad Thai. This time, I used fatter rice noodles. With the thin (3mm) rice noodles below, you can just soak them in hot water to soften them. If using fat noodles (10mm), you'll want to actually boil the water first before pouring it over the noodles. Hot tap water won't do it. This is what I learned today.

Let me know how your weekend was, if you feel like sharing. Hope you have a good week!

Mmm Sauce and Weekend Plans

Last night I roasted some veggies, chickpeas and tofu at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. I marinated the tofu first in a simple soy sauce/olive oil/garlic powder marinade.

Then the finishing touch...Mama Pea's Mmm Sauce.

Wow, this sauce good. It's like a creamy curry sauce. When you have to stop and remind yourself that food processor blades are sharp and you shouldn't lick them clean, you know it's good stuff.

Again sorry for the wonky pics. I'm hoping my new camera arrives soon. The memory card arrived yesterday but the camera was shipped separately. I hope it comes today because I would like to take pictures this weekend. I have some neat things planned.

On Saturday, Tony and I are going on a date. Amazing. It's been about a year since we went on a real, actual date, at night. We're going to see Bridesmaids at a movie theater that serves food and beer. Have you seen Bridesmaids? I keep hearing how funny it is, and it seems like my kind of humor.  I hope the theater has some good vegan options. Although, as I've said before, I'm not a strict vegan when dining out or at other people's homes (my own cooking is 100% vegan.) That doesn't mean I will go to a restaurant and order cheese enchiladas covered in queso (gross) but I don't ask about every ingredient, either. Some do, and that's cool!  

On Sunday, Olivia and I are having girl time. We are going to check out a craft fair. I love our new weekend tradition of spending one-on-one time with my little lady.

What fun things are you doing this weekend? Have a good one!

Out to Lunch

Today, I had a really good morning with Jackson and Olivia. First we went to storytime at a book store. Sometimes I take them to library storytime and Jackson gets a little wild. He pays attention to everything but the story. Not so this time. The story reader at the bookstore was loud and animated, which helped a lot. Before we left, Jackson got a new fire truck book. He loves fire trucks. Here he is being silly with the book. He is giving it a kiss.

Next week, they are going to have a special animal storytime with real live chinchillas, bunnies, and guinea pigs for the kids to pet. We will be there for sure. I don't know who will be more excited, me or the kids. I mean, chinchillas! Who doesn't want to pet a chinchilla?

After storytime, we went out to lunch! Why is that a big deal? It was the first time that I took both kids to a restaurant by myself, without Tony or another family member to help out. And it wasn't bad! Now it feels like a whole new world has opened up. We can go out to breakfast or lunch during the week sometimes! If you have little ones, you know how important it is to get them out of the house and avoid cabin fever, so this is a great development.

We went to Tino's, a Greek cafe. They have a veggie plate where you get to pick five things. We had salad, tabouli, baba ganoush, hummus, and dolmadas. We also got extra stuff - falafel and spanakopita. Jackson liked the falafel, and Olivia was partial to the baba ganoush. I was feeding it to her on pieces of pita bread, and she would open her mouth and crane her neck like a baby bird. But instead of regurgitated worm, she got delicious smoky eggplant! (Olivia 1, Baby Birds 0.)

I didn't take any pictures because, you know, I was busy feeding two kids by myself! But it was yummy and I'm sure we will go back.

For dinner, I made Mushroom Kale Potato Pizza with Garlic Sauce. I revised my recipe a little (the edited recipe appears in the linked post). To save time, I sauteed the mushrooms and kale together, rather than steaming the kale separately. That way, I did not have to wash out a steamer basket. Yay for fewer dishes! I also threw some sauteed vegan Italian sausage on top this time.

I'm sorry about the terrible photo. My camera is on its last legs and the settings buttons get stuck. It's OK, I've had it for almost ten years, so I think I got my money's worth. I ordered a new camera, can't wait til it gets here. Isn't it cute? It's not fancy, but it will work for my needs. There are some vegan bloggers who ought to be professional photographers. I would love to take photos as gorgeous as theirs, but the truth is that right now I don't have time in my day to pursue learning those skills. I've taken photography classes in the past and maybe some day I will again. For now cooking and yoga (and, 

oh yeah, blogging!) are my hobbies and I can't seem to wedge in another one.

Anyway, I'm just excited to get a camera that doesn't run on AA batteries and uses a 16GB memory card rather than 64MB. Can you say old school? Haha.

Finally, I have to share my belated Mother's Day present from Jackson and Olivia. Belated only because it has been drying in the garage for the past week and a half, unknown to me! Tony didn't want to bring it into the House of Chaos until it was completely set. The kids decorated it with the beads. They might have had some help from their daddy. J's little handprint and Livi's littler handprint next to it are killing me -- my heart melts every time I look at it. Can they stay this small forever?

Another Hummus Recipe

Monster had a fine birthday yesterday.

Jackson helped me make some gingerbread cookie dog treats. We got the recipe from Vegan Flower.

Monster loved them.

Jackson, well, he loved them too. The kid still tries to eat out of Monster's kibble bowl from time to time, so I guess that does not surprise me.

We also prepared something for us humans to munch on. Should I rename this blog Busy Hummus Mama? I can't help it -- my kids love the stuff and so do I. This would probably also be delicious on a pizza, topped with some lovely fresh veggies.

Tomato Basil Hummus

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not the oil-packed kind)

1/4 cup fresh basil

2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup water (or more as needed)

Blend chickpeas through salt in food processor. Stream in 1/3 cup water until hummus reaches desired consistency. Add more if needed.

Enjoy, and have a lovely Wednesday. I was gonna take the kids to a splash pad, but it doesn't open until this weekend. We'll find something else to do outside. Olivia has decided she does not like wearing her sun hat, so here she is yesterday with sunscreen rubbed onto her little scalp. Punk rock baby!

Happy Birthday, Monster!

Today is Monster's birthday. He is five years old. In dog years, he is 35. He is older than me now! I asked him if he has any words of wisdom, anything he has learned in all his dog-time on earth. He responded by licking Olivia's face.

Then I asked the kids to make him some drawings for his birthday. They tried to eat the crayons. Monster was proud. He has taught them well.

Later we are going to bake him some special treats. Monster really is our "oldest child" and we always like to spoil him on his special day.

Monster, your tongue makes everyone laugh.

You are a goofy dog. Sometimes, I wonder if you get into the Scotch while we are not home.

A lot has changed since you joined our little family. Mama learned that bangs do not flatter her, for one thing.

You've rolled with the changes.

Lots of changes.

We love you, buddy!

Last night, I tried out my new grill pan. I made the Chimichurri Grilled Vegetables and the Grilled Tofu with Tamarind Glaze, both from 1000 Vegan Recipes.

The first thing I learned about a grill pan is...have a chair ready so you can stand on it and disable your smoke alarm! It never occurred to me that indoor grilling might produce a lot of smoke. Especially if you have your burners turned up too high, ahem. I had to open all the windows and send Jackson outside to play while the smoke cleared. Yikes.

After I adjusted my burners and got some ventilation going, things were much better.

The chimichurri sauce -- a blend of garlic, parsley, and basil -- was super flavorful on its own, but its herbaceous punch diminished once it was brushed onto the veggies and grilled. I had some sauce left over, so I dabbed it onto the finished veggies to give them some extra flavor. Not that grilled veggies need to be dressed up much. They are pretty tasty on their own.

The tofu was a big hit. The tamarind sauce was sort of like a BBQ sauce -- sweet and spicy. It had just the right amount of heat for me. I pressed the tofu steaks in my Tofu Xpress and they were nice and firm. I marinated them overnight in the sauce, so they soaked up a ton of flavor.

I served everything on a bed of quinoa. The tamarind sauce soaked into the quinoa and it all tasted delicious. I loved the rainbow of colors on the plate. Not bad for my first grilling attempt.

Grilling takes patience. My grill pan is large, covering two burners, but I still had to divide the veggies into two batches, and then grill the tofu. Halfway through, I realized I should be drinking beer to pass the time.

I doubt I'll be using the grill pan much in the coming months -- might as well use the outdoor grill when the weather allows it. That way my house doesn't get all warm and smoky. But it was fun to try it out. What foods do you like to grill?

Bizzy Bizzy

How was your weekend? I had a great one. Tony and I have decided to try something new. For at least part of the day on Saturday or Sunday, we will split up and do our own thing for awhile, each taking one kiddo along. This will give us some quality bonding time with Jackson and Olivia individually.

Saturday morning, Olivia and I headed for the downtown farmer's market. It was really fun. The market has grown a lot in the past couple years. We walked around taking in everything. I was excited to see that several stalls had vegan offerings, and there was even an all-vegan baked goods tent. We shared a vegan oatmeal pie for a snack.

Next we went to a little bookstore/art gallery to check out a show. The subject was the art of secret societies, such as the Masons. I don't know anything about Masons, but there was some creepy symbolism going on, for sure. You can see some of it here.  Olivia isn't too interested in art yet, but she was happy to be out and about. And I think she enjoyed not having to vie for attention with her brother.

After that, we were going to get lunch, but Olivia fell asleep in the car, so we just went home and ate leftovers when she woke up. Then she "helped" me work on my new little garden. OK, mostly she just played in the dirt.

I don't have any pics from our girls' outing because Tony took the camera, to take pictures of Jackson at the firehouse open house they attended. Jackson is OBSESSED with fire trucks. He loved it.

It was awesome to spend time with my little lady getting to know her better, and I am glad Jackson got to bond with his daddy and see some big fire trucks, too.

That night, we took a walk in our old neighborhood. Not much has changed. I always loved the eccentric ways people decorate their yards.

Yep, that is somebody's front yard with a goat in it. I took Jackson for walks past this goat every day when he was a baby. I'm glad it's still around, chillin and munching on hay.

On Sunday, we took the kids to the playground at Whole Foods. They love the slide.

For dinner I made Singapore Noodles, from 1000 Vegan Recipes. Really light and delicious.

Today I'm running some errands with the kids, and then I'm attending a yoga nidra class tonight. I usually do hatha yoga, but yoga nidra is something I like to do once in awhile for relaxation and stress relief. You just lie there and the instructor takes you through a guided meditation. I swear, it's like a massage for your brain.

Have a great week!