Moroccan-esque Quinoa with Chickpeas

This dish is adapted from a wonderful recipe that my sister-in-law made for Passover. She is a spectacular cook who posts detailed dinner menus each night on Facebook, which makes everyone wish that they were having dinner at her house. Especially my husband, who looks for any excuse to avoid doing the dishes. This is tasty and healthy and a pretty easy weeknight dinner.

You will need:
1 cup of quinoa (that's a grain, for those of you who don't live in California)
1 cup of cooked chickpeas (or one small can, rinsed well)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced in half lengthwise and then into rounds
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped and rehydrated
1/4 cup golden raisins, rehydrated
2 teaspoons of curry powder
3/4 tsp. of tumeric
3/4 tsp. of ground coriander
1/2 tsp. of cardamon
1 big bunch of chard (I like rainbow chard), remove the ribs and chop
salt to taste
juice of one lemon

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the quinoa and a little salt, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Leave the lid on and set aside until you are ready to add it.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, add the onions, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 10 minutes more, lowering the heat if the onions begin to brown. Add the spices and stir for one minute, add the raisins, the apricots and the chickpeas. Stir well. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the chopped chard. Once the chard is cooked (about 5 minutes), add the cooked quinoa and stir well until everything is nice and hot. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and salt to taste, and serve.
This also makes a nice room temperature picnic salad.
I've never been to Morocco, so I can't vouch for the authenticity of the dish, but it's a good way to get your greens, legumes, and grain in one bowl.

Reasons to Party: The Dalai Lama's 75th Birthday

"If you think that one is funny, you should hear the one about the Rabbi!"


Today marks His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 75th birthday. If you don't know who the Dalai Lama is, you need to get out more.

Happy birthday to one of the world's most compassionate people!

Dial M for Murder-Free Memorial Day

Like most Americans, I like a good Memorial Day BBQ. There's nothing quite like cracking open a cold one (for my husband, a diet caffeine free coke, because we know how to party) and chowing down on potato chips and burgers (veggie burgers, of course). I've never actually hosted one of these ritual gatherings; usually we are invited to someone's party, where we arrive armed with Gardenburgers and search for the most unused space on the grill.
But this year, I'd like to invite other sentient beings for a BBQ, and I have a sneaking suspicion that not everyone loves Tofurky sausage the way I do.
So, what can I make on the grill?
Veggie Kabobs and Grilled Polenta? Delicious, but it doesn't really say "Memorial Day" to me, unless you drive a Range Rover.
Grilled Poblano Chilies stuffed with beans and rice and cheese sounds yummy, but it's not Cinco de Mayo, people.
Of course I can make all the requisite carbohydrate salads (nothing with mayo though, which is possibly the most dreaded food in my household), but what about that main dish?
It's not Memorial Day if you don't fire up the old grill.
I'd love to hear from my devoted readers (yes, that's you, Dad) about what they like to grill that isn't made out of animal. Keep in mind that my darling husband's family will not eat mushrooms, so portobellos are out of the picture.
Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys Memorial Day and takes a moment to remember the importance of happiness and peace for ALL sentient beings, but especially our soldiers.

Middle Eastern Chickpeas and Couscous

Last night I was determined to make dinner from ingredients in my pantry. The goal was to create something vegan, healthy, and yummy in one pot. My sweet husband had seconds, and took the leftovers to work today.

In a 4 quart pot with a cover, heat
2 Tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat
add
1 onion, chopped finely, and several minced cloves of garlic (or one shallot)
stir until translucent.
Add:
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (seeds should pop and crackle)
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne powder

stir well, let cook for one or two minutes.
Add 1 can of chickpeas (rinsed well and drained)
and 3/4 cup of water.
Add 6-8 dried (unsulfured) apricots, finely chopped. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and then lower heat...simmering for at least 15 minutes, or as long as you'd like, just make sure the mixture doesn't dry out completely.

10 minutes before you are ready to eat, add 1 cup water, 1 cup couscous, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down very low (or off), and let couscous steam with the pot covered.

Sprinkle with fresh squeezed lemon juice before serving.

Our New Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

New cookie recipe, how do I love thee? Or more accurately, why do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
Reason 1: These cookies aren't flat.
Reason 2: The texture of the cookies is perfect. A little crunchy, mostly chewy, not at all cakey.
Reason 3. The recipe made 22 cookies, which I thought was a very reasonable batch.
Reason 4: The cookies stay soft for days.
Reason 5: These cookies endear me to my father-in-law, who has a weak spot for anything chocolate.


I used my Kitchen Aid mixer for this, but a hand mixer will probably do.

Cream together
1 cold stick of butter (cut into small chunks)
with
1/2 cup sugar and 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
add two teaspoons of vanilla, mix, add one egg (best at room temp), and mix again.

Add in
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
by pulsing the mixer...mix as little as possible, just until the flour is mixed in.

Add a half bag of chocolate chips, mix by pulsing the mixer as little as possible.

Put the bowl of dough in the fridge for an hour.

Then preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and spoon the cold batter onto cookie sheets (a tablespoon or so per cookie, leaving about 2 inches between each blob of dough), bake cookies one batch at a time in the middle of the oven for 11-12 minutes.
Cool on a rack.
Beware of roving Labradors who counter-surf.

Pizza Night

Growing up, Friday night we always ate Chinese food. Religiously. One family favorite was the Golden Temple restaurant, leading to all kinds of bad jokes from my father about going to "Temple" on Friday night. Mmmm, bring on the pork fried rice. Thanks Dad. I think I may have inherited your sense of humor.

For my husband, Friday meant pizza. I've been making a lot of homemade pizza lately (inspired by my mother-in-law's acquisition of a pizza stone, or one of my mother-in-laws, I should say, as I'm blessed with no less than three! Keep your snarky comments to yourself, people. They read this blog on a semi-regular basis.)

Right...so, pizza! Everyone loves pizza. Homemade crust is easy as crust with my kitchen-aid mixer (thinking about my mixer makes me burst into song and dance around the kitchen), and then it's fun to experiment with toppings. Tonight's creation is a pesto pizza with artichoke hearts, garlicky sauteed spinach, Parmesan, mozzarella, a light sprinkle of feta, and of course, olive oil.

I'll take some pictures when it comes out of the oven. You know it's done when the smoke alarm goes off.

The Prodigal Blogger Returns

I know, I've been ignoring you. I've been outside because rainy season is finally over. Actually, I've been volunteering a lot too, with an adult literacy program and with TANC (the Tibetan Association of Northern California). I assure you that my husband is still being (well) fed. While I've been slacking on the blog, I've perfected spanikopita, cheese enchiladas, and vegan chocolate chip cookies. I finally made a pancake of restaurant quality, all thanks to my new ceramic titanium ScanPan. I also bought a large leafy basil plant and made my first pesto of spring. (It IS spring here in California, 70 and sunny and so green...apologies to my peeps in colder climates. I finally remember why I agreed to move out here in the first place.)

Here's what you can expect in the very near future. (Be excited.)
I'm currently working on the Go Veg For Passover Manifesto.
Let's face it: the holiday commemorates the suffering of our people. So to celebrate, we go ahead and inflict suffering on others? Is that the logic of a well-educated people? Gefilte Fish (I'm not sure what kind of fish this is, but I'm sure it is made from fish), Matzoh Ball Soup (made with chicken!), brisket (I think that comes from a cow?), chopped liver (don't even get me started); JUST SAY NO. Have you seen factory farms or slaughterhouses? They make Egypt look like a resort in the Catskills. The animals are still waiting for their Moses to come and lead them out of oppression. What will you do to celebrate freedom this year?
(Okay, sorry, I get excited and preachy about this, but I think it could really be the start of an important movement.)

Nice To Meet You, Vegan Cookie

When I go into my favorite bakery in Berkeley, Sweet Adeline, all the cookies wink at me. I flirt back, checking each one out. Hello, chocolate chip. Hi pecan praline. Oh, hello there crackly ginger cookie. You are looking mighty tasty, oatmeal chocolate chip.
I usually ignore the vegan cookie. After all, it has no butter. And it looks kind of healthy, which is a no no for any cookie that wants to be a treat. It resembles an energy food I might eat on the trail more than a real bona fide baked good. (Never mind that the last time I climbed a mountain I tore my meniscus. Thanks a lot, energy snack.)
As you may know, I'm contemplating a life without dairy, and when better to start than right now. So today, I chose the vegan cookie to accompany my soy chai. I'm proud to say that it was surprisingly personable. In fact, the vegan cookie is kind of like me.
Substantive, fruity, flakier than expected, ethical and compassionate, and of course, tasty.
With friends like this, who needs dairy?

Is it okay to eat penguins?

I've long been opposed to Valentine's Day, a holiday that makes some of us feel bad about ourselves and the rest of us feel obligated to spend money. Throughout the long, almost unmitigated dry spells of high school and college, I made a point of wearing all black on February 14.
When you're single, people understand this attitude. They may secretly pity you or find you a little pathetic, but they understand. It becomes more complicated when you're in a relationship, however. If you still oppose Valentine's Day, is it because your relationship -- or at this point, for me, marriage -- is "on the rocks"? Or are you just a pessimist of Oscar-the-Grouch like proportions? It's practically viewed as un-American to dislike this schlocky Hallmarky holiday. (Don't, DON'T get me started on Sweetest Day.)

However, I have to confess that this year I sold out a bit. (Or bought in?) More specifically, I caved to commercialism after Ms. Cush alerted me to the fact that the best chocolate shop in my college town of Cambridge, L.A. Burdick's, was selling chocolate penguins. My husband is an Antarctic geographer, and he feels a special kinship to these awkward little birds. I ordered them for him, and they were well-received.

So, Ms. Cush, it's okay to eat these animals, right?

Mushaboom Mushaboom

I love Feist because:
Her first name is the same as mine, but she goes by her last name (because she's awesome). I also prefer to use my last name (infer that I am also awesome). She's Canadian. She's a rad dancer. Her duet with Jeff Tweedy of Wilco is incredible. She is a rockstar indie princess without being precious. She donated her guitar to raise money for Farm Sanctuary. She appeared on Sesame Street with chickens just back from the shore. Run, do not walk, to watch this.
In honor of my love for Feist, I created the following delicious recipe, inspired by Deborah Madison of Greens fame.

Mushaboom Mushroom Pasta for Two
(song for penne with mushrooms: Feist's "I Feel it All")
You will need:
1/2 pound penne (for 2 hungry people)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped finely
2 small portobella mushrooms (washed well and sliced about 1/2 inch thick and cut into chunks)
about 10-12 medium size white button or cremini mushrooms (washed well cut into half or quarters if they are on the big side)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (I like the kind in the tube)
1/2 cup dry red or white wine, whichever is open
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
you will also need to rock out in the kitchen. blue sequined bodysuit optional.

Put a big pot of water on to cook the pasta. While the pot of water is coming to a boil, prepare the ingredients for the mushroom sauce. Heat olive oil in a large (non-stick) skillet over medium heat. Add onions, cook about 5-8 minutes, or until golden but not brown. Add mushrooms and 1/2 of the garlic, turning the heat up slightly and cooking for another 5-8 minutes. Add the wine and the tomato paste, stir well, turning heat down slightly. Continue to cook. Some time about now, the pot of water should be at a rolling boil, so add a good amount of salt (1 tablespoon-ish) and cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. About 1 minute before the pasta is done cooking, add the parsley and rosemary and the rest of the garlic. Turn off the heat on the mushroom sauce. Add the cream and cheese. Drain pasta, add pasta to the skillet with mushroom sauce, stir until the pasta is coated. Serve and enjoy.
This would be a great recipe to make for Valentine's Day, because it feels a little fancy (even though it's super easy) and it's also fattening. And Mushaboom is all about being in love and dreaming of a happy life together, which you can do while eating Mushaboom Mushroom Pasta.

African Curried Chickpea Soup (or, could we please have a snow day tomorrow?)

Unlike Ms. Cush, I'm not in sunny Cali; I'm in snowy Cleveland. We're in the midst of a moderate snowstorm tonight, and it seemed like good weather for soup. Actually, the way I make this recipe, it's more of a stew.

Song for Chickpea Soup: Sarah MacLachlan, "Song for a Winter's Night" (cliche, you say? no. classic.)

This recipe is from Epicurious, my online culinary bible, and they got it from The Tropical Vegan Kitchen. My comments, additions etc. are in pink.

African Curried Chickpea Soup

* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1 medium onion (about 6 ounces), chopped
* 1 medium red bell pepper (about 6 ounces), chopped
* 1 jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped
* 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped (or just a little bit more. But then, I like garlic.)
* 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
* 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (low sodium for me -- not to sound too self-righteous)
* 1 cup chopped tomatoes, seeded and peeled, fresh or canned
* 1 teaspoon tablespoon mild curry powder (otherwise it's too bland)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
* Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
* 3/4 cup cooked white or brown rice (brown is much better here; white falls apart)
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (honestly, who would choose parsley? cilantro makes all the difference in this one.)
In a medium stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and chili; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, curry powder, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Perfection. It's great for lunch as leftovers, too -- or in warm weather it can be really delicious cold. On a night like tonight, though, it's spicy and warm and filling. Yum.

Book Review; or, What Are You Up to, Jonathan Safran Foer?

Dear Jonathan Safran Foer,

I just finished watching your appearance on the Colbert Report, and I'm feeling disillusioned. You see, about 9 months ago I started down the road toward vegetarianism. I'm eating a pescetarian diet these days; I don't claim that it's perfect, or perfectly morally consistent, but it feels like a step in the right direction.

Then I stumbled across an excerpt from your new book, Eating Animals, on the NPR website, and I fell in love with you, your hipster glasses, and of course your lovable, sentient dog George. I even went out and bought the book in hardcover and read it on the plane over winter break, thoroughly engrossed, reading occasional passages aloud to my thoughtful-omnivore-trending-vegetarian husband. I felt intellectually compelled; I felt morally challenged.

And then today I opened up hulu to watch Colbert (a weekday ritual for me as I make dinner) and saw that you were his guest!





Much to my chagrin, you said almost immediately that you didn't think he needed to become vegetarian, but just to eat less meat. I understand that you reject a radical, unconditional vegetarianism (as you write on page 32,"It's a way of thinking that we would never apply to other ethical realms. (Imagine always or never lying.)") I do too, obviously, but as you also write, being a selective omnivore takes a lot more explaining and tends to make one much more challenging to feed than simply identifying as vegetarian (55-56).


I guess you and I both live in gray area, and you just happen to do so on national television. Still, there was no chance you could challenge Colbert a little more? Really? It would have been fun to watch.

Love,
Julia

Is It My Birthday?

Unfortunately, the answer is no.
But Julia, can we still make this cake when you come visit? And eat it too?

Will My Kid Be a Self-Righteous Little F*cker? You bet!

No mom, I'm not pregnant. For God's sake, we've only been married for like 5 months.

But when that day comes, as some day it might, here's a nice present you might think about for Junior.

"That's Why We Don't Eat Animals" by Ruby Roth, an awesome vegan who scares the pants off all the kids she meets.
My mommy says that people who eat meat are murderers. Rock on, Junior.

Things I Love

Witness something whimsical and wonderful: the paintings and prints of Ryan Fowler, quasi-Vermont artist.

Wouldn't you love to live in my house, adorable paintings?
Mr. Fowler sells his artwork on Etsy.

Vegan Pumpkin Barley Risotto a la Julia

When I drove cross country, my dear friend Julia made this for dinner when I was in Cleveland. Julia taught me that risotto IS a weeknight food, and mere mortals like me can make it, with a bit of patience and some bouillon cubes. Here is a slight variation, because we didn't have any Parmesan cheese in the house. My husband secretly thinks I'm trying to push a vegan agenda here, but when he tasted it, all suspicions stopped.
Barley is way healthier than risotto, and its earthy taste is actually better with the pumpkin. Apparently, according to my Ayurvedic constitution, I should eat more barley. Who knew? Making this dish also counts as exercise because it requires standing and stirring for at least a half hour.

Pumpkin Barley "Risotto"
(song for barley risotto: Bebel Gilberto's "So Nice")

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 good sized yellow onion, chopped finely
1 1/2 cups barley (I don't use the pearled, I use the super nutritious fibrous one at the natural food store in the bulk aisle, but if you want more refinement, and less chewing, you can use pearled barley)
3/4 cup white wine (2 buck chuck sauvignon blanc from Trader Joe's is great for this)
about 6 cups of boiling water with 2 veggie bouillon cubes (I used unsalted)- keep this simmering on the stove
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/8 tsp. of cayenne, plus a little more for garnish
1 tsp kosher salt (more to taste, if you are a salty dog)
fresh juice of 1/2 lemon

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, cook until translucent (maybe 5 minutes). Add the barley, saute for 2-3 minutes. Turn heat up slightly (medium high) and add the wine, stirring until all the wine is absorbed.
Warning: the next step is slightly tedious. I recommend having NPR in the kitchen. Or happy music.
Pour 1/2 cup of hot broth into the barley, stir until absorbed. Repeat until you've used all your broth or until the barley is toothsome but tender (about 30 minutes, less time if you used pearled barley). If you run out of broth, use hot water.
Add the pumpkin and ginger with your last ladle of broth, stir well. Turn off the heat. Add cayenne pepper. Stir again.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle very lightly cayenne pepper and a good squirt of lemon juice.
Serves 2 hungry people with enough leftovers for 1 lunch. This would probably serve 4 people who eat more bird-like than we do.

Warning to the Delicate: This Post is about Gas (or, Brussels Sprouts Fight Back)

Why, Brussels Sprouts, why must you torment us in this way? We give you nothing but good press. We advocate for you against the haters. We proudly buy pounds of you at a time and look smug at the grocery check out. We love you for your adorability (yes, I made up that word) and your deliciousness. And yet, 14 hours later, I am still jet propelled around my house. Even my dogs look horrified (and they like bad smells).
It is true that vegetarians have more gas than omnivores (all those veggies and beans, yum!), and we learned this empirically when we switched our dogs to vegetarian food.
Lesson learned: compassion certainly has more gravitas than gas, but gas smells a lot worse.

Brownies We Like in an 8x8 Pan

My husband has a big sweet tooth, especially for anything
chocolate. It's actually a genetic condition, I recently learned.
I'm more of a ginger/carrot/butter vanilla/caramel person than a chocolate person,
but as we learned earlier, marriage IS about compromise.






Brownies We Like
(song for brownies: Digable Planets' "Where I'm From" because great hip hop uses references to Marx and Camus)

Butter and dust lightly with flour an 8x8 baking pan. I use a ceramic one, so I refuse to accept any responsibility if you use Pyrex and it comes out weird. I'm naturally suspicious of Pyrex and census workers. Preheat oven to 350.
1 stick unsalted butter
2 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate (I use a half a Ghirardelli 4oz baking bar)
1 cup sugar (I use the slightly golden looking natural kind that you get in bulk, or at Trader Joe's)
2 eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour (unbleached...I like King Arthur's)

Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler or over very low heat. Let the mixture cool.
Beat sugar and eggs together with a whisk until foamy. Add vanilla. Stir well. Fold in chocolate mixture. Add flour gently and stir until JUST mixed.
Pour into your pan, bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife poked into the brownies comes out clean.

Cool for a few minutes, then cut. Yummy with ice cream (coffee or mint chocolate chip are our personal favorites). But then again, what ISN'T yummy with ice cream?
Sometimes, if I'm feeling affectionate, I make my beloved husband these brownies and cut out little hearts with a cookie cutter for him to take to work. (No wonder he eats by himself.)

Monsoon Season in the East Bay

While I'm waiting for my new pink rain boots to arrive via post, I'm trying to keep my spirits up despite the gray rainy weather. Hello cheerful pink boots. Please come to me soon.


When the weather is like this, my favorite food is soup.

Last night I made an Asian inspired noodle soup, which for me is the vegetarian equivalent of good chicken soup: simple, comforting and delicious.

Asian Noodle Soup for Rainy Days
(song for noodle soup: Cat Stevens' "The Wind")

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 large shallots (chopped finely)
6 cloves of garlic
several slices of fresh ginger (4-6 slices, 1/4 inch thick)
1-2 stalks of lemongrass, outer layers peeled, cut into 2 inch pieces and bruised a little (I use a rolling pin)
6-8 cups of water (more or less depending on the number of people you are serving)
1 tsp. chili-garlic sauce
a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach
2 bundles soba noodles
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt to taste
cilantro (for garnish)

Warm oil over medium heat in a 4 quart pot. Add shallots, garlic (I pressed the garlic into the pot with my garlic press), lemongrass and ginger. Saute until shallots begin to brown. Add water and bring to a boil. Add garlic-chili sauce. Cover the pot, lower heat to a simmer, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Before you are ready to serve the soup, turn the heat back up so the soup boils, add the soba noodles, cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add spinach and soy sauce. Stir until spinach is wilted. Ladle the soup into bowls, and garnish with cilantro. If you are afraid of ginger slices in your bowl or pieces of lemongrass in your mouth, you can strain the soup before you add the noodles.

Note: Sometimes I add tamarind, brown sugar, and lime juice to turn this into a tangy hot and sour soup.

Mexican Night

I am from New England. Translation: I am hardy and I think everything should be made out of wool.
My husband is from California. Translation: He is freckled and thinks everything should be made out of burritos.

I decided to brush up on my basic Mexican fare for several reasons:
1. We went to a neighborhood Mexican restaurant. I asked the waiter if the beans and rice served with my cheese enchiladas were vegetarian. He looked at my quizzically.
"Are they made with lard, or chicken stock?" I asked, trying to be helpful.
"Yes."
"What about the black beans?"
"They definitely have less lard than the refried. It's a better option for you," he told me, smiling.
Hmmmm.

2. When I mentioned using brown rice, my husband said gently, "Maybe we could have spaghetti and meatless meatballs instead."

3. I have a completely irrational fear that my husband may begin having an affair with the lovely abuela who takes his order at our favorite taqueria. I also have an irrational fear of giant squid. Let us never speak of them again.
On a happier note, here is a clip of us at one of our favorite spots on the island (yes, we really do live on an island), Calafia Taqueria, on a rare day when Jeff was in Alameda for lunch.

So, in an attempt to preserve our marriage and become affiliated with the local customs, I decided to create my own veggie friendly Mexican rice and refried beans.

Mexican Rice
(song for rice: Sara Bareilles' "Many the Miles")

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 decent sized onion (chopped)
4 cloves of garlic (chopped finely, or as they say in cookbooks, minced)
1 cup of long grain white rice (I used basmati, because that's what I had in the house)
2 cups fake chicken broth (see note)
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder (and I mean ancho chili powder, not that mixed stuff with the garlic salt. I get this in bulk at my favorite health food store.)
1 tsp. coarse salt
chopped cilantro (optional)

What do we want? Rice. When do we want it? In 30 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a pot with a lid over medium heat (I used a 4 quart pot because my 2 quart pot is MIA after our cross country move)
Add onions and garlic and saute until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add butter and rice, cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add fake chicken broth, salt, and chili powder, give it a stir and bring it to a boil. Cover and turn stove to lowest heat, and let rice steam for 20-25 minutes or so. Turn off heat and keep covered until serving.
If you'd like, stir in some chopped cilantro and a spritz of fresh lime juice before serving.

Musings on fake chicken broth:
There are a number of ways to prepare this. I sometimes use bouillon cubes, I sometimes use the powder that come in bulk at our favorite health food store, helpfully titled "Vegetarian Chicken Broth Powder," I sometimes use the "No Chicken Chicken Broth" in a box, and sometimes I use plain old vegetable broth, either canned or homemade.

Refried Beans recipe coming soon (with some helpful advice on eating beans)...I know. I'm excited too.

What to Eat in Winter (or, It's 55 Degrees in California and We're Wearing Parkas)

Do you fear vampires? Or teenagers who love vampires? Or are you just a little under the weather?
Did I mention my husband has an unnatural love of garlic?

Easy Garlic Soup
(song for garlic soup: Alexi Murdoch's "Orange Sky")

I don't like peeling garlic. My husband bought me this garlic peeling device, and I was disappointed because I thought I was getting a pony. So, I make this soup when I can find peeled garlic in copious amounts.

The amounts here are variable, depending on how much soup you want in your freezer, or how many people you'd like to feed. This soup has been tested on my in-laws.

1 cup garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, chopped, if you happen to have one in the house
4-6 cups of vegetable broth (or water with one or two veggie bouillon cubes)
1 spring fresh rosemary (if you've got it)
1-2 cans of white beans (cannellini beans) rinsed well and drained
1-2 bunches of chard (or another green if you desire), washed well, stems removed, and chopped
salt and ground pepper to taste
shaved Parmesan cheese

In a medium stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic (and shallots) and saute for several minutes until golden, add broth or water, rosemary and beans, and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.

Take out the rosemary spring, if you used it. If you have an immersion blender, now is your big moment. Blend that soup until it is smooth.

Add the chard and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add some kosher salt (you might need more than you think) and some freshly ground pepper. Ladle into bowls.

Sprinkle each bowl with a little bit of Parmesan. If you want to put some croutons in there, that would be delicious too.

This should cure what ails you. This and years of therapy.

Vegetarian Pot Pie (marriage is about compromise)

I love my husband. And my husband loves pot pie. Pot pie is delicious, and although it's not the healthiest food in the world, it's probably not the worst dinner to have on occasion.

Here's what I did. I had a pie crust I made last week in the fridge. You can make your own with your own favorite recipe (I use the one from the Moosewood dessert cookbook), or if you are short on time, you could buy a ready-made crust. More on the challenges of making pie crust later...

Vegetarian Pot Pie
(song for pot pie: Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice It's All Right")

Ingredients:
1 pie crust for the top of the pie

For the filling:
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour
vegetarian bouillon cube
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3-4 cups of your favorite veggies (like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, potatoes) cubed into small chunks

This is how we do it (baby):

In a pot (I used a four quart stockpot with a heavy bottom), melt 3 tablespoons of butter on medium heat. Add one medium chopped onion and veggie bouillon cube (I use Rapunzel brand). Cook until translucent. Add 3 tablespoon flour, and stir well. Add about 1 cup milk (I used 2%), stir and let bubble a little and thicken. Turn down the heat if the bubbling gets too vigorous. Add your favorite veggies, cut up in small chunks.
Last night, I used:
1 large russet potato (unpeeled)
about 1 cup broccoli
about 1 cup cauliflower
about 2/3 of a cup of green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

Stir the veggies in the mixture for a few minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste, and one tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese.

Pour the vegetable mixture into a pie pan and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top. Cover with your pie crust, add some slits in the crust for ventilation, place on a cookie sheet covered with tin foil (to make life easier for the person cleaning up) and bake at 425 for 30 minutes or so...until your crust is golden brown. If it starts to get TOO brown before 30 minutes, you can cover it with some tin foil.
Let cool for a few minutes before you dive in.

Makes 4-6 servings. That means there are leftovers for my husband to take for lunch, which is the perfect antidote against the In-n-Out Burger dangerously close to his work. Warning: this dish IS heavy and rich. My husband thought it was the perfect food. I like my veggies a bit more crisp and a lot less saucy, but then again, marriage is about compromise.

So He Married a Vegetarian

If you are of a certain vintage, perhaps you remember the amazing comedy "So I Married an Axe Murderer" with Mike Meyers. My husband and I love this movie, from its glamorous portrayal of the Bay Area (where we met in 2006), to the catchy La's song "There She Goes" and of course, the unforgettable Rob Stewart tunes on the bagpipes.



Thank you for indulging me.

Anyway. More to the point. When I met my husband, he ate meat. He ate food out of boxes and bags. He didn't cook food, he heated food, and occasionally ordered food. And then I came along, in a flurry of vegetarian fervor, promising that there was life beyond frozen BBQ chicken pizza. Several years later, he married me. Or, as my feminist conscience reminds me (Julia, I hear your voice in my head...should I worry?), we married each other.

And now, several years later, he is a mostly-vegetarian. (No meat allowed in the house.) He eats tofu. And...gasp...all kinds of vegetables. (He actually uttered the words last night, "This cauliflower melts in my mouth.") He helps out in the kitchen. He brags about my cooking. Most of all, he is supportive of my quest to experiment in the kitchen and has learned the mantra, "Wow, you didn't make THAT big of a mess this time." And he cleans up with a smile. Seriously, what more could anyone want in a partner?

I hope this blog will be a place where I can share vegetarian recipes and reviews of veg friendly restaurants, contemplate the leap into veganhood, address the all important question of deciding what to make for dinner, and celebrate vegetarianism, local food, and marital bliss.