Recipe: Spinache

A simple mushroom spinach quiche I just whipped this up this afternoon. 

   1 tub extra-firm tofu (preferably Trader Joe's)
   1/3 cup cornstarch
   Seasoning to taste (eg. Bill's Best chiknish)
   Salt to taste
   1 cup unsweetened soymilk

   3/4 large onion, diced
   4 cloves garlic, chopped
   9 fresh mushrooms, sliced

   1 bag of fresh spinach, washed

Blend the first five ingredients till smooth. Fry the next three ingredients till soft in a pan large enough to add the tofu mixture and the spinach. Add the tofu mixture and mix in, then stir in the spinach. Keep stirring constantly with heat on high until the spinach wilts. Pour into two wholewheat pre-made frozen pie crusts, pop into a pre-heated oven at 350, and bake for 35 minutes. Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes.

Recipe: Vegan Indhai Curry

The name of this recipe is a play on words, taking influences from both Indian and Thai cuisine, to create a delicious vegan curry that tastes great for a Sabbath lunch with rice, a tomato salad, and grape juice.

   1 large onion, diced or chopped
   3 cloves fresh garlic, diced
   Extra-virgin olive oil
   1 block extra firm tofu, cubed
   Curry powder
   Cinnamon
   Ginger
   Turmeric

   1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
   1 zucchini, thinly sliced
   1/2 head cauliflower
   Extra-virgin olive oil
   Salt to taste

   1 tin coconut milk (Thai Kitchen, regular)
   Fresh cilantro, chopped


Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil for a couple of minutes, add the tofu and the spices and fry for several more minutes. Place in a bowl and put to the side. Fry the vegetables in olive oil until the cabbage is beginning to wilt and the zucchini is soft. Salt to taste and add the tofu mixture back in. Pour in the coconut milk, stir well, and simmer for a few more minutes until the cauliflower is beginning to soften. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top. Serve with steamed white basmati rice, a simple tomato salad made with chopped tomatoes and olive oil and diced onions and salt to taste, and pasteurized Concord grape juice from Trader Joe's. Ummmmmmm!


 

Back in Elementary School

Um, my 30-day No Sweets Fast lasted for 3 days. I have a good excuse though! Dutch treats :) My mom came back from her yearly vacation with speculaas, appelstroop, and hagelslag. Well, needless to say, I couldn't say, "I'll have those in 27 days from now," because with my family around, there wouldn't be a crumb left a week from now, let alone 27 days!

A couple of days ago, I was wandering around in Wal-mart at 11 at night, blearily peering through sleep-o my deprived eyes at things I did not need, while trying to remember what I did need. In the middle of the office supplies aisle, I found a neat black mesh pencil holder, then picked up some smiley stickers that I will use as part of my incentive weight-loss program. The plan is to put a number of small stones, each representing a single pound, in the pencil holder. Then each time I lose a pound, a stone is taken out. Each time I gain a pound, a stone goes back in. Each time I exercise a mile, I'll put a smiley sticker on my exercise chart that I'm going to make.

I know, it sounds kind of elementary, but I'm finding that I have to keep on trying different things until I find something that works, and stick with that. I am a visual person and I like rewards :)