No-new groceries check-in

I’m still three days away from pay day and I have bought zero new groceries, true to my goal.

Gotta say, I’m quite impressed with my own pantry-stocking skills. And the beginning of CSA season was admittedly a great help.

I cheated financially and went to dinner with a friend and got drinks with more friends last Friday night, but those were plans made before I knew I’d be strapped for cash. But because I’m using some creativity in the kitchen, I’ve still been spending very little.

Here are some highlights:

The no-new-grocery challenge

Budget- and mental health-wise, I hope the days are behind me of eating chips and leftover s’mores ingredients from an old camping trip for dinner.

But I’m still a writer trying to make rent in Seattle, where the cost of living and taxes are high (I love you so much Seattle, but you hurt me sometimes).

I got paid on Friday, but after going over my budget, I realized that I’d still have near-nothing left by the time my checks for rent, my CSA and a health insurance thing clear.

Not wanting to swim in more credit card debt (which is where I put my car repairs and birthday presents to loved ones), I challenged myself to not buy any more groceries until I get paid again June 13.

What are you doing not buying this book?

In the past year or so, I’ve had a beautiful culinary experience.

I mean, I love cooking just about all of the time, but I got to do something really special.

I recipe tested for Vegan Richa, a vegan recipe author you need to follow right now if you don’t already. She assembled her first cookbook full of Indian delights, pushing out recipes to the testers, copy editing, taking our feedback and committing the most beautiful acts of food photography.

And, now that her book is out, I can tell you about it!

All of the drool.

It was excruciatingly hard to keep it a secret on this blog. I was blowing my own mind with the dishes I was able to churn out in my tiny Seattle kitchen with Richa’s guidance. I never thought I would be able to make authentic homemade Indian food, but now I can! I wanted to post my crappy cell phone pictures up here every time I cranked out a Richa dish.

But now you’re going to make them, because you’re going to buy this book.

Admittedly, you’ll probably have to acquire some Indian staples over time, like fenugreek leaves, mustard and cumin seeds and mung dal if you don’t have those on hand already. But once you pick them up, you’ll be able to create Richa goodness forever. (Who knew I’d ever keep nigella seeds in my spice cabinet?)

What I ate today

Boom.

OK so this photo is really crappy – I’m pretty sure my phone’s camera lens is totally scratched up and jacked, but whatever.

But: Happy Herbivore Light and Lean Thai tacos with Vegan With a Vengeance garlic kale topped with tahini dressing. Made almost entirely from leftovers.

I even ate it at my kitchen table instead of on my couch.

A very vegan Christmas party

I hosted a party on Saturday.

My bestest friend who lives in D.C. was visiting Seattle and I needed to show her how many awesome people are in Seattle so she can move back here. Also I hadn’t thrown a boy-girl party in awhile.

Said bestest friend, Johanna, helped me calm down by reducing my planned menu in half. I tend to get carried away.

This was a great help, but even then I didn’t have as much time as I wanted to clean and I cut my pinky on a can of artichokes, causing a great gushing forth of blood, so there was enough stress.

Regardless! I threw together awesome food with the help of my friends and everyone loved it and none of my omnivore friends made a big deal about how everything was vegan.

This particular bash was a Happy Herbivore affair. Her recipes are sans bullshit and delicious.

Because of my gushing finger that delayed the food-making process, I didn’t have time to take any photos, but I can show you evidence of the demolishing of the food:

What used to be spinach and artichoke dip.

What used to be white bean dill dip and veggies.

My menu:

From the new Happy Herbivore Holidays and Gatherings –

Spinach and artichoke dip (with home baked tortilla chips)

White bean dill dip (with veggies)

Mac and cheese bites (which got rave reviews from the guest of honor)

From Happy Herbivore Abroad –

Decadent brownies

Hot chocolate (with vanilla vodka on hand for spiking)

Then from Nigella, the mulled cider I make every fall and winter.

One friend brought pesto. Others brought chocolate-covered almonds, salt and vinegar chips (DROOL) and other snacky items that went great. More friends brought pastries and Rice Krispies treats that probably weren’t vegan, but I was happy that my friends cleaned those up, too.

Cooking is one way I show love, so I’m glad my friends enjoyed everything and had a great time. Just more proof that you, too, can fool your friends with wonderful plant-based goodies.

Thanksgiving!

Doesn’t matter that I no longer eat turkey. Thanksgiving is still a fantastic holiday, perhaps even more so because my approach to it is so new and wonderful and I have more ownership and pride in my feast than ever before.

This was my second plant-based Thanksgiving, so a few things remained the same as last year as I dined with my omnivorous family in Olympia. Mom set aside some potatoes and stuffing for me to load with veggie broth instead of chicken broth and cream. I also brought my own pie, made my own gravy and threw together an appetizer and salad to share.

However, I tried a few new things. Whereas I drew most of my inspiration from Isa last year, this year I turned to the newest Happy Herbivore book, Holidays and Gatherings.

I had been paging through my H&G book for a few weeks now, but this was my first time using it. It is so great! It collects a lot of recipes from books past, so there aren’t tons of surprises for someone like me who has all of Lindsay’s recipe books. However, it organizes the recipes into the perfect holidays and occasions to cook them (even though I took from other chapters to work into my Thanksgiving) and also brings in some new delights.

When all was done, I was so pleased with the results. Check out the highlights:

Happy Herbivore spinach and artichoke dip. My omni family loved this and so did I! It tasted so rich, but contains so many healthy goodies, bound together by mashed white beans. Nobody commeted on the lack of cheese.

I can’t totally quit Isa. I made the kale and roasted butternut squash salad from Isa Does It, coated in a dijon-maple dressing. But instead of lentils (my mom doesn’t like them), I added oven-roasted cashews and dried cranberries.

For my centerpiece protein I made the Happy Herbivore Thanksgiving Loaf, which was a new recipe to me. Basically it’s carrots, celery, onions and white beans (pictured here as day-after leftovers). It came out a bit mushy because it shared limited real estate with other dishes in the oven. But it was still delicious. Next time I’ll reduce the herbs by perhaps a teaspoon.

More Thanksgiving loaf, reheated on the stovetop covered in Happy Herbivore brown gravy. The amount of veggie broth was reduced in the gravy and made up for with red wine and water because my mom accidentally stole my veggie broth! Still good.

What’s left of my Happy Herbivore pumpkin cheesecake! Last year I made Isa’s pumpkin cheesecake, and dare I say this one’s tastier and easier!

I was tickled to help decorate my family Christmas tree for the first time in about 10 years. College and faraway jobs did not stop me this time!

What were some of your Thanksgiving revelations/highlights this year?

Making it work

Traveling/being on the go/dining out with friends must be navigated more conscientiously as a veghead.

But I’ve come across some nice options and accommodations during my recent hectic few weeks.

First: Safeway is actually pretty all right.

I don’t often shop at Safeway anymore except for its gas station. I feel I find more options that fit my needs at local chain markets. But maybe I haven’t looked in the right places.

Portland: still awesome

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I both had separate work things going on in Portland, so we got an extra field trip there.

Seattle’s my city, but Portland is pretty fabulous. It contains elements of my two favorite towns – Seattle and Olympia – in one. Some of the sleekness, bigger-city advantages and pop culture influence of Seattle, with more of the hominess and hippie-ness of Oly.

I continued to find fabulous plant-based food there. Probably my favorite thing about Portland. We herbies are truly at home there.

Take a look at some highlights:

My first lunch took place at Proper Eats in the St. Johns neighborhood. Market and eat-in cafe in one!

So adorable. Reminded me of Olympia.

Look at all the fresh noms!

I love an expansive menu where I can have EVERYTHING. And affordably!

Stone fruit lemonade that day. Nectar of the gods, let me tell you. So fresh and tart.

I have a really hard time turning down a burrito.

It was good.

Mike and I went to Verde Cocina in the Pearl District for dinner that night. So many vegan options! I wanted one of everything.

Margarita with blueberry-inflused tequila. Sooooo delicious.

I had the tofu mole with fresh corn tortillas. Bomb.com.

Lunch the next day was at Sizzle Pie in Burnside. They sell by the slice for omnis, vegetarians and vegans.

They have BRUNCH SLICES (as seen on the left). That’s a Drugs Benedict with white bean and shallot spread, hash browns, tofu scramble and baco bits. At right is the Spiral Tap with caramelized onion spread, marinara and nooch. Washed down with a glass of local Laurelhurst brew.

Breakfast next day was at Vita Cafe in the Alberta hood. Somewhat long wait to get a seat, but so worth it! Here’s a vegan huevos rancheros piled with tofu.

Such friendly service. I also took home a slice of key lime pie, but it was smashed and not-so-pretty when I got home. But wonderfully creamy and delicious!

Not pictured is the wonderful beer I had at Burnside Brewing Company. Plant-based grub AND excellent beer make Portland heaven.

Dispatch from the CSA rabbit hole

Well hello there. I hope you’ve had a lovely summer. I’ve continued to cook away in a constant struggle to keep up with all the beautiful goods coming through my kitchen via CSA.

Let’s review what I’ve come up with in the past several weeks.

First: Pickling!

I’m a pickle whore, no joke. My whole life. So it’s been fun to work up some quick pickles with the pickling cucumbers that I’ve received and especially the radishes when I don’t have time or ideas for anything special for them. The radishes are perfect to have on hand for salad fixins.

Quick pickles!

Pickled radishes. Amazing in salads.

Next: Pastas!

Brunch in my belly

Brunch is probably the best thing ever invented. A few times a month, Mike and I try to make it out to The Dish or Five-Point Cafe for brunch, or I like to meet a girlfriend somewhere.

As I’ve said before, weekday breakfast is a challenge for this sleepyhead. I can’t muster effort to do anything in the morning. Often I give up on trying to do my hair.

But on weekends or days off when I’m not out brunching or running around, I’ve taken to my own eat-in brunch. It’s nice. I’m cleaning out my fridge, I’m brewing up some coffee and there is no rush. And then there are leftovers, meaning I have a treat to take with me to work and get a good start to my day. (Boom.)

Everyday Happy Herbivore cheesy cauliflower hash and a tofu scramble. Top with hot sauce.