Special Soup

Thank you all for your concern! I did eventually heal, it just took a little longer than I would’ve liked. Was it the flu? Who knows… Folk wisdom says that if there’s no fever, and your stomach is ok, then it’s just a cold. But, whatever you want to call it, it had me in its throes for about 2 weeks, which was flu enough for me.

I need to go back to the health food store and re-find the cough syrup I used to take years ago. This time around, the illness came so suddenly that I was just scrambling for whatever was around. So, I ended up trying just about anything and everything, depending on where I was and what was happening with my body. I *hate* cough syrup. So much. But, I drank it because I felt that lousy. There used to be a natural cough syrup out there that tasted good and worked. I have no idea what this mystery product was, or who made it, but I’m hoping I can recognize it by sight. Is this too much to ask years later? Possibly. But, I figure it’s worth trying.

When I thought I was well enough, I did (what was supposed to be) a little grocery shopping. Of course, I came back with what felt like half the store, and I completely over-exerted myself before I was ready. Yeah, that thing about medicine masking symptoms? True. Soup didn’t happen that day, needless to say. But, the next day, I just took my time and tried my memory, and made my special soup.

I am especially picky when it comes to soup, or rather, my stomach is extremely sensitive when it comes to soup. Commercial soups make me sick. I suspect it’s the preservatives, but it may also be the high sodium content. When I make soup for myself, it’s completely from scratch. Pre-packaged broth generally does not sit well. So, insofar as the general public goes, my soups are probably a little bland. But, for me, they’re perfect.

There’s no recipe for my special soup. I make it depending on what I am in the mood for, or what I have around. This time, there was a smidge of kale, a potato, some carrot shreds, some celery, some squash, some onion, some nutritional yeast, and probably a few other things that I’m forgetting. A perfect veggie counterpart to the traditional chicken soup.

Enjoy!

Love and Food

How do I know you love me?

You gave me food when things were horrible and you knew I was living on french fries and Cheerios.

You bought me rice milk the first time I came over, and continue to do so, even though you love your whole milk like someone in a commercial.

Peanut butter is one of your favorite foods, but you don’t eat it when I’m around because you don’t want me to get sick.

You went out of your way to make foods I liked, even though up until then everyone in my life said cooking for me was difficult. What’s even more meaningful is that you still do it.

You got me to try foods I thought I couldn’t eat, and feel safe enough to do so.

You support my blogging, even though your natural skill in the kitchen far surpasses my creative attempts.

Pasta in Progress

This recipe is not yet perfected, but that’s the fun of it. I wanted pasta. I did not want to shop. So, I made this.

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I used:

1/2 box of penne

1 bag of frozen steam in the microwave vegetables

nutritional yeast

rice milk

1/4 stick of cheese

ground pepper

pecorino romano

stovetop and pots, mixing bowl, and food processor

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I was trying to make a pseudo-alfredo with the nutritional yeast, cheese, and rice milk. I am lacto-ovo, but my stomach can’t take real alfredo (milk/cream issues), and I’m allergic to the most common vegetarian/vegan substitutes (soy/nut issues), so I was trying to make a version I can actually eat.

I steamed the veggies and then processed them, and added them to the sauce. No problem there. If the sauce had been cheesier, this would’ve been even better. So, it’s almost there, but not quite. Because of the veggies and high quantity of nutritional yeast, this felt like good fuel. Plus, I had enough for days, which is always nice.

This was a lot of fun for me- one of those puzzles that requires ingenuity.

I can’t wait to figure this one out!

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Celebration Roast

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I recently was lucky enough to catch this nifty product on sale. I’m sure my readers also know by now that my wee little blog does not receive sponsorship of any kind, and if this ever changes, I’ll be forthright about it. Funny thing about Field Roast, though, I’m not sure they actually *would* request my opinion on their own.

I recently read an interview where they claimed they’re not actually positioning their products for vegetarians, but rather, for those omnivores who just like to switch it up. (At least, that’s what I got from reading it). In this interview, they also said they’d never make faux bacon, which broke my little seitan-loving heart, since I’m allergic to the soy based crap, er, products, that Morningstar produces. The justification for the omnivorous approach is their correct assumption that most vegetarians are interested in the health aspects of what they eat. They state with a refreshing honesty that their products are not particularly healthy, but taste good.

As someone who was formerly teased for being the most unhealthy vegetarian on the planet, I can say while that while many vegetarians go for the healthy approach, not all do, and not all the time. Some vegetarians have trouble figuring out the ins and outs of the diet at first. In my opinion, better to offer them seitan than have them eating cheese fries every night.

This time of year, I don’t always have the time to linger in the kitchen, or even to prep food ahead of time like I usually do. Having a little seitan around keeps me from reverting to the frozen pizza option, and actually offers some protein my body can use. I discovered Field Roast right before my camping trip this summer, and so we ended up taking the faux hot dogs, the faux Italian sausage, and the faux lunchmeat slices (the reddish ones, I forget the flavor). All three were the perfect compliment to my partner’s meat-based selections, and we were easily able to share the rest of the sandwich components like bread, lettuce, and the like. It was also fantastic to have this protein in my system for a very active vacation. I was kayaking, walking, swimming, and I even tried a short zipline! Knowing that I get easily tuckered out without a proper diet, we consciously made an effort to ensure I had enough protein in my system to enjoy myself. When I returned home, I tried the mushroom slices, and then, the Celebration Roast pictured above. Everything I’ve tried, I’ve liked so far.

I first microwaved the Celebration Roast. It’s fine microwaved, because, as they state, it’s already cooked, you are essentially reheating it. Once I got mid-loaf (about midweek), I tried frying it, and obviously, I enjoyed that even more. It’s also fine right out of the fridge. The closer it got to Xmas, the more I needed quick but good, and this fit the bill. And now that the Celebration Roast is finished, it’s time to celebrate!

Happy Holidays!

Thursday Thoughts: PMS

Otherwise titled, “I’m about to throw this rice whip across the room. How are you?”.

I can be super-enlightened om-tastic girl the rest of the month, but immediately before and during this special time, it’s best to tread lightly. I *usually* know this, and *usually* will try to wall myself off as best I can. I should also say that in reality, I forget this a lot. Until after the fact. Sorry, honey!

On balance, I do things that I know will bring joy. Today, I went to the store. I hadn’t been to the cute little health food store in months. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve pretty much avoided the whole bulk section in the past because I’m allergic to everything. (Ok, I’m not allergic to everything, but a lot of things.) This time I read the labels on the bins, and it turns out, there’s only one aisle I need to veer away from. Unfortunately, that aisle is across from the cookies, but I’m sure they have their reasons. Actually, I can figure that out right now: nuts are snacks. So are cookies. Boy, am I smart.

Learning that I had a whole new world of bulk foods to enjoy was nice. I didn’t see what I really needed/wanted, which was crap what is it called you make seitan with it? See below for answer. Thanks, Frenchie! But, I did see some things that have a lot of potential. Like barley. I used to eat barley years ago, and just stopped. I don’t think there was ever a reason.

What I did get is pictured above. A couple of the purchases were inspired by bloggers. The rice whip came from a conversation over at The Cruelty Free Review. She got the soy whip. I’m allergic to soy, but she was nice enough to research the rice version. She didn’t have any trouble with the nozzle that I know of, so maybe the problem is specific to the rice version. Either way, it tasted great, and I was thrilled to find it, but now I need to get it out of the container. My can is now torn with little teeth marks from desperately trying to open the darn thing with a can opener because the nozzle stopped working right. Apparently, it’s the propellant that’s the problem, as in, there’s none left after that initial burst. Apparently, it is also good that my can opener couldn’t do this because of trapped aerosol that would be inside. *The More You Know*.

The Field Roast… um, roast (They call it a Celebration Roast) was inspired by a blogger, too, but I forget which one. Someone got it as a gift and liked it. They had it for Thanksgiving. I wish I could remember. Mystery blogger, who are you?… Oh! It was Turning Veganese! It was on sale, so I figured I’d try it. (I’ve enjoyed all of the Field Roast products I’ve tried, and though I’m not receiving any compensation for saying so, if they ever want to send some my way, I will not complain.) Speaking of which, I’d tried the Italian faux sausages while camping this summer, and loved them. They are best grilled, but I liked them fried, too.

I’ve had the chips before. I think. I know I’ve had sweet potato chips shaped like that in a spicyish flavor, so I figure they were probably the same ones. This was the first thing I opened… (Ahem.) I bought the rice cream to go with the rice whip why won’t you work right. This was the first nondairy faux ice cream I ever tried, and I still like the brand. I hadn’t yet tried this flavor, but what’s not to like? It was goooood. At least I got to put some of the whip on it before the can stopped working right. Propellant. Blargh.

The Quorn nuggets are a treat. I’ve had them before and have written about them. The chili is a first time try that was on sale. I’ve had their crumbles, so I figure crumbles with chili should be good.

Does anyone else get fuzzy-headed around that time of the month? It’s hard writing a post when you can’t remember half of the things you wanted to say. Writing this was also an experience because I started out all passion and fervor, and then in the process of writing went through each one of the stages of grief. Over rice whip. PMS, go figure…

Enjoy the rest of your week!

I haven’t actually cooked in a while…

Which is why I haven’t posted any recipes recently! If you have been reading my little sporadic posts here and there, you know I’ve been busy coordinating a somewhat surprise party. I am pleased to report that it was a success!

What I really should have done was take a picture of each glorious dish. But, I didn’t. Bad blogger! In my defense, for someone with little planning experience, it was enough to just get things done, never mind thinking to record anything for posterity! But we all had fun, and that’s the point of these things, isn’t it?

I did not cook at all for this event. As fun as it is for me to play around in the kitchen, it’s more creative expression than anything else, and I didn’t want to put that kind of pressure on myself. Nor did I make the cake, but I did help design it. I love cake, but haven’t actually made one in forever, and my decorating skills can’t hold a candle to what I see in my head. So, I kept the pressure off and let the professionals do their thing.

…Ok, well, there was still pressure, because anytime you step outside of your comfort zone, you feel it, so, to have those areas under control helped a lot. The area I stressed the most over was people rsvping. It didn’t matter much to me what the rsvp was, just that people replied. This was a relatively small affair, for reasons of budget and personal sanity, so I wanted to come as close as I could to the intended guest list. Friends, please, don’t be that guest who needs to be chased down for a reply! Replies are needed to have enough food for everyone… to say nothing of my thoughts on just clicking a yes/no/maybe button.

In my inner circle of friends, everyone is reachable via email, and if you are invited, you reply promptly. But, for this event, I was inviting people further from my center. Apparently there are still people out there who don’t check email, who expect phone calls, to be chased down, or don’t feel the need to respond at all. I can (sort of) see flaking out on events at someone’s home, but for something offsite, where a head count is being provided for your benefit, it’s hard for me to see this as anything other than rude. But, that being said, once I wrangled the stray guests, and we all sat down, it was a very pleasant affair.

The surprise components stayed surprises!!! The location was originally a surprise, but I figured that would need to be revealed about a week in advance, and that was about when it happened. A surprise guest remained a surprise- an old friend from far away who actually was able to take a flight just to be there, and the gift, surprisingly and wonderfully, also remained a surprise.

The food was delightful. After emailing and calling several businesses, and receiving only a couple of replies, I decided to go with our favorite Italian restaurant. This turned out to be one of the best ideas I’d ever had. The chef and I agreed on multiple courses and finalized certain details, but there were still some terrific culinary surprises in store! Surprises are not always a good idea for people with food allergies, but everything presented was allergen-free. I could never possibly explain how freeing it felt to be able to eat everything in front of me!

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The menu:

Vegetarian antipasta: this was comprised of all sorts of delightful treats. There was something eggplant, something fennel, some great cheeses, including gouda, some beets, some olives, and some other things I’m surely forgetting.

Omnivores’ antipasta: Meat things wrapping cheese, meat things sliced, all Italian and probably great if you like that sort of thing. I don’t, but the guests loved it.

Appetizer: Cauliflower fritters and squash tortes. Oh hells yes!

Salad: Ceasar.

Pasta: Papadello with lentils. I have no idea how they made this magic, but this was heaven!

Omnivores’ Main: Chicken Picatta. They liked this, too. Not many leftovers.

Vegetarians’ Main: Eggplant Parm. I love this, that’s why I chose it.

and then, the Cake!: I had the advantage of having sampled some when I ordered it, but the cake itself was fresh and even more delightful! It was chocolate with mocha icing, with fondant and sugar decorations. This was a huge hit! I wish there was more, but this was the first thing I finished off from the leftovers!

There were tons of leftovers, which we divvied up, but even so, I was eating party food for an entire week after, even with the guests’ full bellies! You can’t ask for more than that!

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Have a great week!

Processing

Plenty of good food was eaten on vacation, and among these yummy foods were new selections that fall under the heading, “processed”. Prior to this, I’d been limiting my processed food intake. With summer comes the quick and easy availability of all sorts of yummy veggies. So, rocking the fresh food was pretty simple.

For vacation, though, I really wanted to have that stereotypical camping experience, and that experience included grilled veggiedogs. Just a few years ago, this would have been impossible, since I’m allergic to soy dogs. I discovered the seitan ones a couple of weeks prior, and I just knew I wanted to try them. They were good for that purpose, and I was happy. I also ended up trying the seitan Italian style sausage and seitan slices. Yes! We did all kinds of outdoorsy activities on vacation: hiking, zipline, paddling, and swimming, so keeping my protein levels up was especially important. But, once I got home, I couldn’t get off the processed seitan wagon.

Was the overconsumption of processed food responsible for the weirdness last week? I really don’t know. I bought some OTC stuff, guessing in the dark, but so far, it’s worked. I do think, however, that the diet change has affected my available energy. And so, yes, a little coffee now and then has kept me perky enough to interact with the world. I know overconsumption of coffee gives me problems, so I try really hard not to have it every day, even though sometimes I’d like to.

But, this is not a woe-is-me post. Instead, I offer last night’s transitory dinner: a mixture of fresh mater with canned asparagus & whole wheat pasta. Not perfect, but a nice way to get back into the rhythm. Evoo, garlic, some crushed pepper, and Italian herbs rounded it out. Pretty tasty!

What I Ate {Last} Wednesday

Last Wednesday was all about the comfort food- I regret nothing.  

I’ve been very good about maintaining a comfortable level of physical activity, and with that change has come eating more meals, but smaller ones. Usually my meals are more health-conscious, but I was cataloguing for truth and the experience of it, not really judging myself on what I chose to eat that day.

I still don’t know what I’m going to do about migrating the blog. It’s a ton of work, and I just don’t have the time right now. Just for clarity’s sake, I’m fine with bloggers promoting their other ventures, or partnering, as long as it’s transparent. What I was complaining about were the WordPress ads. But, at the end of the summer, this is the last thing I want to think about.

So, for now, on with the show!

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What I Ate {Last} Wednesday:

1. Blueberry pancake/muffin: If I knew how to make this, I would definitely share. These were amazing and absolutely scrumptious and filling, and I was very grateful for them.

2. At some point, I had a yogurt. Let’s just say I had it here. I didn’t even know that I could eat Greek yogurt. It turns out I can, but frozen yogurt (Greek or otherwise) still gives me allergy troubles. I’m sure there’s a reason for this, but I don’t know it. I really like this particular kind, and so now I’m eating yogurt to help build muscle. And, it’s working. More on that later.

3. I had leftover broccoli and potatoes for my lunch, and it was yummy.

4. Hummus: Some hummus gives me allergy troubles. This kind does not. I also love their black bean flavor. The chips were on sale. Both were getting old and I wanted to use them up.

5. Mac n Cheese: I made the Crockpot Mac and Cheese again, this time following directions and measuring things. It turns out that little note I’d made about improvising the quantities was pretty important, so this batch wasn’t nearly as eyecatching. Last time, I’d gone much lighter on the spices than I realized, so this was a bit on the tangy side. If either happened to you, I’m sorry. Remember, I’m not a professional, just doing the best I can here.

Finally, thanks to Peas and Crayons for hosting WIAW! Check out her blog to join in on the fun!

Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal

After some consideration, I decided to not to pursue further nutrition appointments. While I was grateful for the meeting, too many things just weren’t sitting right. For starters: “I’m a vegetarian, why are you telling me to consider eating meat?”  

In short, I just felt like I wasn’t being listened to. Though my opinion may change, I felt it was best to go with my gut. Still, the mandate to eat more protein falls within my personal goals, so I’m going to continue on that path, in my own time and with my own stride.

Oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfasts, but I rarely eat it because it requires effort in the morning. I tried instant, and it’s good, if you don’t mind flakes in hot water. First thing in the morning, I don’t have the presence of mind to let it set. Which, is sad, I know, but know thyself…

I’ve done eggs on weekends or prepped them, but how many eggs can one woman eat? Boxed cereal tastes fine to me, but isn’t really protein-rich, nor particularly healthy. Oatmeal. The perfect solution. So, I looked it up. I have no connection to this writer, nor am I a regular reader there.

This is quite possibly the easiest recipe ever. Just remember to buy STEEL-CUT OATS and you’re good to go. I have a 3 quart crock and it worked fine. I didn’t add the fruit- just oatmeal and a dash of salt, follow directions, and wake up to warm fuzzies. Though, I did add a few fresh blueberries after the fact, and that was pretty yummy. I did not eat the crusty parts on the side & would not recommend them. This picture was taken after an 8 hour cook time. With the 7 hour, you end up with a creamier version and more usable food. After the first batch, I refrigerated it and microwaved each 1 cup serving for a minute. That worked perfectly.

(Note: the picture was taken after it had cooled down, because I don’t have the presence of mind to take a picture in the morning, either!;)

Enjoy!

Mini Product Reviews: Coconut Yogurt, Workout Powders, and Antihistamine

Here are some short but sweet product reviews. I did not receive any compensation, not even free samples, for doing this. These aren’t “real” reviews in the sense that I wrote these up out of a need to share/commiserate/express my opinion more than anything else. Sample-fed reviews, should they ever appear, will contain more details and will be clearly marked.

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1. First up, So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt/Chocolate:

Why? I learned of this on another blogger’s site & just had to try it.

Thoughts: It was good. Delicious, even. But, because it’s coconut-based, there is minimal protein (duh). This makes it a good dessert/snack, more than anything else. Probably great if you were already big on yogurt. I was not.

In summary: Liked it, won’t be making any special trips to get more.

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2. Next, Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer:

Why? Recommended by a vegan guru at a health-food store. I’ve never tried this sort of thing before my workouts, but figured why not.

Thoughts: Pretty good, wish it came in different flavors. I tend to avoid lemon-lime drinks, because I’m not crazy about them in general, but this was ok. Strange color. I was happier about the fact that I felt pretty energetic after drinking only half the glass.

In summary: Liked it, might get more if in the store for something else.

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3. Next, Vega Sport Performance Protein:

Why? Also recommended. I tend to feel hungry and exhausted after workouts, plus, this has protein, which I’ve been actively trying to incorporate into my diet.

Thoughts: Tasted great, smelled great. I’m allergic to it. I read and re-read the label, enjoyed the shake, but then started having a reaction. Such a bummer… I really wanted to like this.  I won’t know if it did anything because I had to take an antihistamine afterwards. Now, I’m all sleepy. This leaves me wondering if there are some unlisted allergens, or if it’s me.

In summary: Food allergies suck. This is probably a good product, too, but I’ll never know.

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4. Finally, Benadryl Allergy Strips:

Why? When I have a reaction, it sucks, but has thankfully been OTC-treatable. I saw these in the store one day and thought it was an excellent idea. The sooner I can get medication in my body when I’m having a reaction, the better off I am. Easy-dissolving strips seemed perfect. No glass of water needed.

Thoughts: This would be a great idea, if you could actually get the darn things to open. Supposedly, you can tear these open. Not my box. I cut and tore and origami-ed the packet until it finally opened. Totally defeats the purpose.

In summary: I think I’m going to stick with the regular kind. Either that, or perforate them ahead of time. Also, really, Benadryl, please work on a non-drowsy formula. Love that your products work, hate that they put me to sleep.

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Want to learn more about Vega Products? Check out The Cruelty-Free Review for a comprehensive review of their nutritional shakes and The Veggie Nook for her thoughts on the Workout Recovery Accelerator.