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?

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.

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.