pre-half marathon carb load ::
improvised aglio e olio recipe 

Sunday, May 30, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 6:51 AM
Carb fest, waiting to be consumed

Yesterday, I completed my first-ever half marathon. It was tons of fun, and I finished with a respectable time, even though I didn't really train [shame on me, I know]. Now, I'm motivated to train properly for some upcoming races. I think that carb-loading the week before the race definitely helped my performance.


My improvised pasta aglio e olio included grape tomatoes, mushrooms and a drained box of frozen spinach 

It's so easy to improvise pasta, especially with summer-friendly aglio e olio- (garlic and oil, pronounced "all-oh-lee-oh") based sauces. I mean, what vegetable doesn't taste good with garlic and olive oil? All you need to do slowly infuse about 6-8 T best-quality olive oil with tons of garlic slices; I use at least 7 or 8 cloves. "Slowly" is the operative word; you don't want to burn the garlic but you don't want to undercook it, either. Be patient: give the garlic enough time to really get to know the oil. [Hint: if it's cooking too quickly, remove from the heat and quickly sprinkle on some salt to draw out the water.] If you want to add hot pepper flakes, do it now. Then, simply add your veggies and cook until you have a sauce. Keep stirring over medium heat, and if it seems dry, add a tiny bit of water from the pasta water. When the sauce tastes right and the veggies are cooked, it's done. Add fresh herbs at the very end,just before serving.

Below, I've list aglio e olio friendly spring and summer veggies. Be sure to mix and match; it's a great way to use up all the veggies from your  CSA share:

  • Tomatoes [including grape and cherry]
  • Spinach [Fresh or drained, frozen]
  • Broccoli, broccoli rabe and cauliflower [Pre-cook first; frozen also works]
  • Kale
  • Zucchini/yellow squash
  • Fava beans
  • Leeks/onions
  • Artichoke hearts
  • Mushrooms
  • Asparagus
  • Red peppers [I am not crazy about green peppers in pasta, but try them, if they float your boat]

Let me know how it turns out!

13 vegabytes

Labels:

my, what big tostones you have 

Sunday, May 23, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 8:39 PM
Tostones with a little dab of hot sauce

I must have been Puerto Rican in another life. I can't get enough salsa music and I could dance to it all night long; it sings to my soul. And I adore Puerto Rican cuisine [as long as it's veganized, which is pretty easy to do]. The other day, I had a hankering for tostones. So I bought some green plantains -- 2 jumbo plantains for $1! -- and got to work.


I find it easiest to slice the plantains and then peel them.

Most of you have undoubtedly tried sweet plantains, which are delicious in their own right. But green plantains are a unique starch. You can use them in essentially the same ways you would use potatoes.  First, I sliced them in rounds about 1/2 inch thick and then peeled them. People always tell me to peel them first, but I find it easier to do it this way.


One of my most treasured possessions: my tostonera

Then, I pulled out the trusty tostone press that Lisa gave me. You don't really need one to make tostones; you can do the "smashing" with a flat spatula. But tostone presses are small, only cost about $5, and are super cool.


First frying

There must be 50 ways to make tostones [apologies to Paul Simon]. Every cook has his or her own recipe, so embellish as you will. But this is Lisa's recipe, via Aristedes, via Aristedes' mom, and via Wanda, so I do as I'm told. First, fry the plantains in canola oil. [I know, I know. I never fry anything. But tostones are the single exception I make!]. Then, drain on a paper towel and blot away any excess oil.


We're almost to the good part.

Place a slice in the tostone press chamber...and now comes the fun part....


The ultimate stress reliever.

Whack!


If at first you don't succeed, fry, fry again.

Then, fry the squished, flattened rounds again. [I know, I know. Let me repeat my mantra: "Moderation in all things, including moderation."] Drain on paper towels and sop up as much excess oil as you can. Eat as is, with a dab of hot sauce,  topped with refried beans, or anything else that would go well with a starch – which is just about anything.

18 vegabytes

Labels:

book review :: easy, green living 

Friday, May 21, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 7:43 AM




Ever use a store-bought cleaning product, wrinkle your nose,  and wonder what the hell it is that you're inhaling? I stopped using toxic cleaning products with impossible-to-pronounce ingredients years ago in favor of all-natural, environmentally friendly products. Although I knew I could save a bundle of cash by making my own products, I lacked the motivation -- and a recipe book.

Then I discovered Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home by Renée Loux. Although it's already 2 years old, it's still my go-to source for non-toxic cleaning, personal care and beauty information, reviews and recipes.

Renée reviews natural products covering a variety of areas including cleaning supplies, beauty and personal products (including make up, shampoos, deodorants, toothpastes, etc), linens, and ecological home furnishings and materials. She patiently defines each and every synthetic and natural ingredient and also reviews product lines from a variety of companies. Since I do some work as a science writer,  I tend to be skeptical about authors making claims with absolutely no information to back them up. So I was pleasantly surprised to see how well referenced this book is. Renée doesn't just make assertions; she cites facts and includes 30+ pages of solid references.

I rely on this book mainly for cleaning and beauty recipes. This morning, I just whipped up a batch of her "All Purpose Citrus Spray" cleaner.  Not only is making your own cleaning products frugal, but you can also customize the scents to your own liking. I scented my cleaning spray with lavender and cedar oils – a lovely combination. [Sure beats that industrial strength orange smell!] I've also made Clean and Clear Glass Spray, Homemade Veggie Wash, Homemade Rose Water and Peppermint Sea Salt Foot Scrub [It's sandal season!

Some of you may know Renée Loux as a cookbook author. Indeed, she is a talented and creative chef. Check out Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods (Avery Health Guides) and The Balanced Plate: The Essential Elements of Whole Foods and Good Health.

6 vegabytes

Labels:

veggie pride parade: nyc 

Monday, May 17, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 11:03 AM
Penelo P Pod and Chris P Carrot

On Sunday, I walked in the Veggie Pride Parade in New York. Here's how the day unfolded...



First things first--and that means fueling up for the walk. VKO, Leinana and I had breakfast at S'Nice in the West Village. I ordered a larger-than-life bagel with tofu cream cheese and tomato [and yes, I ate the whole thing].


VKO opted for the tofu scramble wrap...


And Leinana feasted on the sesame "chicken" sandwich [VKO is simultaneously shooting the sandwich with her iPhone camera on the right. Get a bunch of food bloggers together and this is what we do!]



The crowd assembled. Our posse marched for Farm Sanctuary. From left to right, me, Andrea of Brazil Nut, VKO, Leinana, Robbie who is holding Stella, zee French Bulldog, and Dani. Stella was abandoned [Who could leave that smooshie face?!] and Dani and Robbie adopted her.


And we're off. Marchers included a guy who rocked his hula-hoop the entire length of the parade, a girl with a killer bod who wore a bikini made of cabbage leaves, and a whole slew of folks dressed as fruits and veggies.

The only discernable hater was one older man who kept screaming at people in the street to "stop eating animals." Okay, I agree with him. But when was the last time you did something because you were yelled at or coerced, as opposed to deciding of your own free will? I'm sure his heart was in the right place, but his mouth certainly was not. People hear that venomous tone and that's their main takeway: that all vegans are angry and irrational.



Back to positive people. I finally got to meet Melisser, of the Urban Housewife. Isn't she adorable? She is writing a book called The Vegan Girls' Guide to Life, sure to be a smash hit.


9 vegabytes

puerto rican rice and beans 

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 3:24 PM
Lisa's Puerto Rican Rice and Beans

Rice and beans. I think of it as a vegetarian cliche [along with hummus], which is why I hesitated to print a recipe in my cookbook. But in the end, I included my Cuban rice and black beans recipe, because it's so easy, tasty and nutritious. That's the inherent beauty and simplicity of rice and beans, and that's why it's stood the test of time. So many cultures have their own versions, and even within cultures, every cook adds a little bit of this or a pinch of that to further customize the recipe.


Assembling some of the ingredients

My best friend, Lisa, makes kick-ass Puerto Rican-style rice and beans. Her Puerto Rican ex-mother-in-law showed her the recipe, and she in turn, gave me the recipe the old-fashioned way... over the phone, peppered with girl-talk, and without any hard-and-fast rules or measurements.


Annatto seeds coloring and flavoring the oil: after 1 minute

I poured myself a glass of wine and pulled out my trusty Le Creuset casserole [everything tastes better when you cook it in your favorite vessel]. Then I put on some tunes and got to work. First, I added the annatto seeds to the oil. The seeds come from the achiote tree, which is why this flavoring is sometimes called achiote.


Annatto seeds coloring the oil: after 8 minutes.

Look at that gorgeous crimson color! The annatto seeds not only infuse the dish with a slightly earthy tang, they also tint the rice a gorgeous saffron hue. Next time, I'll infuse the oil for a good 15 minutes.


Lisa's instructions: "Stir, stir, stir."

The finished product was delicious, even though I used basmati rice, the only white rice I had in my pantry. I ended up eating this for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the last 2 days – by choice! And today, I'm sad that it's all gone. So I stand corrected. If rice and beans, is, in fact, a vegetarian cliche, I'll have another helping, please.

20 vegabytes

asparagus-chickpea salad with
smoky avocado dressing 

Tuesday, May 04, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 8:06 PM
Imagine the acerbic attitude of fresh lemon juice and minced onion contrasted against the sultry smoke of toasted sesame seeds and smoked Spanish paprika-- swimming in a creamy sea of best quality extra-virgin olive oil and unctuous avocado. I created this recipe as a side dish, but I must confess I ate an entree-sized portion for dinner tonight.


Had to post this uber-adorable shot of Bossa Nova showing off her muppet-like tummy...Sometimes she looks so cute that I just have to stop working to squeeze her.


Been on a sewing binge as of late. Threw together this funky potholder last night using fabric scraps...which makes me think, isn't it about time for another contest? Stay tuned. I'll be posting one soon.

12 vegabytes