7 Randoms Meme Time!

So here is the first, most neglected meme I was tagged for by Bethany over at Spotted Devil Cat and His Vegan Assistant...Because who doesn't love random!?

1. Link the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links.
4. Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I have lived in most regions of the U.S. - I was born in the South in Winston-Salem, NC. I moved to the NE to NH when I was 4 and lived in two towns there until I graduated high school. I moved to the NW for college in Oregon, lived in the SW for a summer in Tucson, AZ (who moves to AZ in the summer?!?), and then was banished to the Midwest for 4 years in MI. So, at least all four corners of the country and one spot in the middle.

2. I'm an only child. I share well with others and I'm not totally selfish. It can happen.

3. I had 5 wisdom teeth, they've all been removed. Yep, I had an excess of wisdom.

4. I'm really really good at replicating animal noises. I've had doves want to mate with me in the pet store because of my cooing (seriously) and I fully engage squirrels in conversation. One of our friends dubbed me a "mimic." Sounds like a Hero Superpower! I'll take it.

5. I'm a feminist who defaults to traditional gender roles accidentally. Take out the trash!?!? That's so not my job. Cooking? You bet, love it. What can I say.

6. I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm kind of a science fiction geek. I've even been to two conventions (both last year in MI). The first was SO FUN and the second was weak. It's actually very refreshing to be surrounded by mass amounts of nerd energy.

7. My husband and I are very seriously considering Unschooling our son. We were both straight-A students who loved school, but I think it taught us both some really bad habits that we'd like to avoid. Couple this with the fact that teachers are pretty much forced to teach to a standardized test nowadays AND the fact that my kid is a super kinesthetic learner and I just think this is a recipe for disaster. So unschooling, here we come!

I'm too lazy right now to tag people so I kind of fail this meme. So let me say this: everyone loves talking about themselves. Recognize this fact right now and react accordingly by posting some random stuff about yourselves. Just do it. You know you want to. :)

Butterfly Award and Yummy Asian Food!

So one of the memes that's been on my backlog has been accepting this Butterfly Award from the lovely Bethany of Spotted Devil Cat and His Vegan Assistant. Thank you, Bethany! I am so glad we have found each other (at least virtually) in this wonderland that is Seattle. We have to get together soon to plot our pantry stockings, discuss SF and break down the latest PCC Cooks Class. (BTW, I saw that the new catalog of classes comes out December 27!!! I can't WAIT!!!)

Anyway, Thank You Bethany!

(1) post about the award,
(2) link back to the person that nominated you
(3) place the award on your sidebar
(4) choose 10 blogs that you think are really cool, link to them, contact each person and talk about why you think their blogs are cool

Ok, since I'm kind of late in the game and my blogosphere tends to be a somewhat closed loop, I'm only going to nominate five bloggers. Without further ado:

Adventures in Vegetarianism - To my MDC buddy, Carrie. I think we started down the road to veganism around the same time and I loved seeing how your family transitioned to it! I love the kid-friendly recipes you provide and most especially your gorgeous CUPCAKES!!! :)

happyveganface - I think she's already been nominated, but I'm still saying Jessy is rad and hilarious and uber enthusiastic and ALWAYS puts me in a better mood! Thanks for the inspiration, Jessy!

One Green Generation - I don't often comment on this blog, but I am always learning amazing things from Melinda. She is also in Seattle, and she's compiled a wealth of information on eating locally here. Thanks so much for your words of wisdom, Melinda!

Vegan Food; More Than Tofu and Sprouts! - To Tofu Mom, another Seattle-ish (vegan!) blogger. I love reading about your delicious recipes and about your fabulous kids! Keep it coming! I'm so glad to have found your blog!

Vegetarian Adventure - Another fellow blogger that I found just as I (and I think she) was going vegan! I'm so happy to share your journey! Your food is always gorgeous and I can never thank you enough for that black bean quinoa salad! I miss your posts! But I completely understand the need to take a break.

That's all for this installation of meme-catch-up!!

Oh, I did want to mention that after picking up my parents from the Amtrak station we checked out this restaurant called Moonlight Cafe. I had read reviews of it (thank goodness - I never in a MILLION years would have tried it just by driving by) and it sounded awesome - separate vegan menu, but with a full meat-y menu for my crybaby dad! It couldn't have been more awesome. The food was delicious, the service was fast and the price was right. The sesame "beef" and vegan eggrolls were outrageous. I can't wait to go back and try a million other things! So local folks, take note: Try Moonlight Cafe!!!

Freezer Fun (VeganMoFo)

Yes, I was tagged by Bethany of Spotted Devil Cat and His Vegan Assistant to do the freezer meme! And how can I refuse?

So if it's not obvious, I have one of those "underneath" freezers that pulls out like a drawer. I kind of like it. It just makes more sense to utilize the above space for the fridge, since we open the fridge about 100x as often as the freezer.

ANYway. So on the bottom right in the plastic grocery bag is our ice cream maker thingy that I keep frozen and ready to churn at all times. To the left of that you have some TJ's frozen blueberries and peas, some frozen local tofu, and in the Kerr jars is homemade tomato sauce made from local organic tomatoes. Yeah, I should have canned it, but I made kind of small amounts every time and it was never worth it.

On the top shelf is ice (duh), and to the left we have yet 2 more jars of tomato sauce and a big ziploc full of free organic thyme and rosemary from my gardening class.

Some things you can't see are some Luna and Larry's Dark Chocolate Coconut Bliss (which is the best thing in the UNIVERSE) and some coconut sorbet (so good, too!). Some frozen home-cooked garbanzo beans, and some pinto beans. A vegan Amy's pizza, some frozen TJ's roasted corn, some edamame, some tomato paste (best trick ever: freeze tablespoons of tomato paste on a cookie sheet and then bag it). Some ginger and galangal. And some tortillas and flat bread.

Ta da! My freezer. It's like that.

Another Survey! VeganMoFo!

Sorry, I know I'm seriously falling off the wagon here. I've been uninspired as of late. I think it's because I need a new book to read. Or coffee. Or sleep.

Enjoy and fill out as you like! I got this from Get Sconed!

1. What was the most recent tea you drank?
Earl Grey

2. What vegan forms do you post/lurk on? If so, what is your username? Spill!
I'm on the PPK forums occasionally as chessakat, and more frequently on the Vegetarian & Vegan Living forum at mothering.com as Keeta.

3. You have to have tofu for dinner, and it has be an Italian dish. What comes to mind first?
Lasagna with tofu ricotta and pine nut cream sauce on top


4. How many vegan blogs do you read on an average day?
Probably 5-7 per day, via Google Reader.

5. Besides your own, what is the most recent one you’ve read?
I think Awesome. Vegan. Rad.

6. If you could hang out with a vegan blogger that you haven’t met, who would it be, and what would you do? I think Jessy of happyveganface, because her postive attitude is very addictive.

7. If you had to base your dinners for a week around one of the holy trilogy – tofu, seitan or tempeh, which would it be? Probably seitan, because once it's made, I think it's the fastest and most easily varied among
the three.

8. If you had to use one in a fight, which would it be?
Big tubs of soft tofu - smooshed in your face!

9. Name 3 meals you’d realistically make with that tough protein of choice!
Sheesh, should have read this question first. Um, a smoothie for breakfast, a pumpkin cheesecake, and miso soup? Kind of a stretch, there.

10. What’s a recipe in vegan blogland that you’ve been eyeing?
This pasta carbonara

11. Do you own any clothing with vegan messages/brands on them?
I don't personally, but we bought the toddler a Cowhugger t-shirt from Herbivore.

12. Have you made your pilgrimage to the 'vegan mecca' yet? (Portland, duh)
My parent's live in the vicinity, so yes, we go down about twice a month (from Seattle).
13. What age did you first go vegan? Did it stick?

18, for about a year and a half (dorm living with no access to kitchen makes veganism hard). Then again in 2005 for a while, but SE Detroit is *shocking!* not so vegan friendly. This time, we've been vegan since February of this year.

14. What is the worst vegan meal you’ve had? Who cooked it?
I tend to block bad food from my memory, so I'm not really sure...

15. What made you decide to blog?
I wanted a place to remind myself of what food we like to eat. To document good and bad recipes, to develop my own, and to communicate with other people with LOVE food like me!

16. What are three of your favorite meals to make?

1. Um, anyone who reads my blog should know I seriously need a support group to deal with my biscuits and gravy addiction. Preferably with some smoky collard greens on the side.
2. I am also verrrry fond of the piccatta recipe in Vcon. I've made it with tempeh and seitan, and they're both good.
3. Agave baked lentils, something green (broccoli, kale, etc) and baked winter squash. Preferably when everything is locally sourced.

17. What dish would you bring to a vegan Thanksgiving-themed potluck?
Depends on what was needed - a pumpkin cheesecake or cornbread stuffing probably.

18. Where is your favorite vegan meal at a restaurant? How many times have you ordered it?
Since I've started cooking a lot more, I have to say that I kind of prefer eating at home. But probably the Herb Crusted Tofu with Mushroom Masala at The Farm in Portland. I also had a very fab experience at Nutshell before it went unvegan (so disappointed it's not vegan anymore!)

19. What do you think the best chain to dine as a vegan is?
P.F. Chang’s or Chipotle.

20. My kitchen needs a………
Funnel (I need to transfer stuff to mason jars for storage). Then, a soymilk maker. Oh and mini-muffin tins. And rimmed baking sheet. Can you tell I have a list in my head?

21. This vegetable is not allowed in my kitchen…..!
Hmmm...celery. Although I do buy it very rarely if it seems like a recipe can't survive without it.

22. What's for dinner tonight?
Beer Battered Seitan with a red cabbage coleslaw (with carrots, leeks, garlic aioli and cilantro)

23. (Make your own question question!) What vegan product do you desperately want to try?
Dr. Cow's Aged Cashew Cheese

VeganMoFo: Meme Time

You know I don't do a lot of memes around here, but I don't have a ton of time this weekend (wedding to go to, etc). So here's a fun little vegan meme that I got from Jessy at happyveganface, who got it from Liz at Food Snobbery is My Hobbery.

1. name a song that involves food in some way.
I like to eat, eat, eat Apples and Bananas! (can you tell I have a 2 year old!?)

2. what criteria do you use when choosing a new cookbook to buy?
It has to have some goddamn photos. I’ve let perfectly good cookbooks fester because of bad layout, bad quality paper or no photos (Vegan Mediterranean Kitchen comes to mind – checked it out of the library and never used it because I couldn’t get beyond this issue).

I’ve been more interested in buying really great, test of time cookbooks to veganize lately (just checked out The Gift of Southern Cooking). If it’s a vegan cookbook, then there better be some major innovation or something specific I want to learn – like specific cuisines, etc.

3. what did you eat today?
Homemade biscuits and jam for breakfast, then Burgerville for lunch – this is what happens when we are with the In-Laws. We're going to scare up some good vegan yummies for dinner in portland before the wedding - probably at Proper Eats.

4. name a vegan food that you know exists but you have never tried.
I have soy curls in my cupboard that I’ve never used. I’ve also never tried cheezly or sheese.

5. the Food Network just called and needs you to start your new show tomorrow. what will the title of the show be?
Vegan Comforts – veganizing everything your grandma used to make! Yum.

6. favorite hot sauce or other spicy condiment?
I like anything with chipotle flavor, so Chipotle Tabasco or some kind of homemade chipotle mayo (YUM!)

7. how old were you when you became vegetarian/vegan?
I went vegetarian for the first time around age 13 or 14, then vegan for a while at age 17-19 (dorm living made vegan reallllly hard for me and no vegan friends made it harder). Back to veg for ages 19-27, fell off the veg wagon during pregnancy around month 4, back to veg 5 months post-partum, vegan again at 29, or February of 2008. I’ve been all over really. I am almost certain that were I to get pregnant again I could remain vegan. I just wasn’t finding the information I needed and my providers, though not unsupportive, were not particularly helpful either.

8. favorite vegan cheeze?
I’m still waiting to find a great commercial vegan cheese, they all just creep me out a little. Right now I’m in love with the VegNews cheesy sauce for their veganized mac and cheese.

9. cutest baby animal?
sea otters!


10. favorite type of jam/jelly/marmalade/preserves?
apricot

11. do you take any vitamins/supplements?
yeah, at the direction of my naturopath and some pretty detailed blood work I take 10,000 units of vitamin D a day (for 3 months, then down to 2-5,000/day), evening primrose oil (protects against breast cancer - my mom's had it twice), iron+B12 supplement, vegan DHA, and a vegan multiple.

12. what food/dish most embodies the Fall season?
Hot apple cider and vegan pumpkin donuts!

13. what food would you have a hard time living without?
I guess it would realllly suck to have nut allergies – I would hate to live without almond milk, peanut butter, cashew cheese, pine nut cream sauce, etc.

14. coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
Ohgoodlord, give me coffee.

15. it's 10PM and you're starving. what do you eat?
Probably some organic but still not good for me commercial cookies like newman ginger-os or trader joe’s joe joes. Or there’s always the chocolate coconut ice cream calling my name…

16. if you have an animal companion, what is his/her favorite food?
no more kitty. But she loved the tuna. And human earwax. Go figure.

17. worst injury you've gotten in the kitchen?
probably a burn, but nothing really ever very serious.

18. when you have a food-related question, who do you call?
Depends on the question. If it’s vegan related, I usually go to the internets, either MDC Vegetarian and Vegan Living Forum or The PPK forums. I’m trained as a librarian, so I’m also all about doing the research myself.

19. summer is ending- what food will you miss most?
Raspberries! Tomatoes! God, it felt like here in the PNW we never really had that glut of tomatoes that I usually associate with summer. Blueberries, too.

20. what snacks do you keep in your purse/backpack/desk at work?
Larabars, fruit leather, Tofurkey Jerky, granola bars (these also double as Silas Snacks)

21. favorite soup to make on a rainy day?
I’m a big fan of mushroom barley, UnChicken Noodle, or Split Pea.

22. what's your favorite combination of fresh vegetable and/or fruit juices?
Carrot Ginger is always zingy!

23. favorite brand of root beer?
Hmmm, Thomas Kemper? I also love when brew pubs brew their own!

24. make you your own question: What’s your favorite vegan breakfast, whether you make it or not?
I LOOOOVE biscuits and gravy. I think I could eat vegan sausage gravy every dang day!

So, go on! MEME IT UP!

Tagged?!?

Ack! I've been tagged.

First, sorry for the no-posts. I got a yucky icky virus, then Silas the toddler got a yucky icky virus so we've been cleaning ourselves up and resting around here.

Second, Carrie over at Adventures in Vegetarianism has tagged me, that wily lass! So basically, I get to share with you 5 things you probably don't know about me. Then I'm supposed to tag 5 people to do the same, but seriously folks, I don't think I "know" 5 bloggers well enough to do it. But I'll do what I can! ;)

Rules:
Link to your tagger and post these rules.
Share 5 facts about yourself.
Tag 5 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

1. I sing and play guitar. Sometimes in front of people. Performing at open mics have been known to happen. I started playing when I was 15 and somehow never forgot, even though months can go by where "there's dust on my guitar."

2. I'm a REALLY GOOD burper. Seriously. I can't burp the alphabet or anything, but I've got scary deep, loud burps that would knock your socks off. In fact, I won a burping contest in high school, and I have video footage to prove it.

3. I loooooove science fiction. I'm a total SF geek. I've even been to a science fiction/fantasy conference!!! It's true. It wasn't a trekkie thing, just a celebration of all things geeky and science fiction-y. It was SO FUN. I'm planning on going to another one in April.

4. I was salutatorian of my high school class.

5. I'm naturally very flexible.

Ok, so I tag McMama, even though I think she's recently done a similar meme...and Veganf even though she has no idea who I am...

Seriously, I'm a NOTORIOUS lurker. The blogs I read are either high traffic or I'm lame and never comment, so the authors would be all "WTF? Who is this person?"

So my new year's resolution is to now start commenting on more people's blogs. ;)

Ok, I promise to update soon with food...I have a few new pics to post and I have been cooking despite illness. But right now my services are being requested in toddler form - "Mama! Book! Nigh-nights!" So, nigh-night for now.