tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55629152095354306442024-03-05T01:43:39.504-05:00ShenanVegansShenanigans+Vegan=Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-3023453572455228992010-07-04T14:51:00.002-04:002010-07-04T14:53:36.350-04:00The moment you all have been waiting for!A brand-spanking new blog! Check it out---<br /><br /><a href="http://monicamuses.wordpress.com/">http://monicamuses.wordpress.com/</a><br /><br />I'm still attempting to work out some of the kinks, but it'll do.Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-44965769296366135912010-04-17T01:41:00.002-04:002010-04-17T01:49:30.817-04:00ShamefulHonestly. I realize that my last post was in JANUARY.<br /><br />I know this is crazy talk, to all of my devoted readers (hi, mom!) who keep telling me to post more often. Well, truth is, I'm a senior year college student and have a serious disease that can only be cured upon graduation: senioritis. No, I'm not going to go start any <a href="http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-431337">riots </a>about it, but yah know, I do get lazy when I'm not scrambling to finish a paper. Hopefully once graduation comes, I'll have more motivation to keep up the ol' bloggy. Mom, if this means that you officially don't want to read this anymore, I certainly will not be offended. Well, maybe a little. Idk.Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-50755136096776118972010-01-31T19:02:00.004-05:002010-01-31T19:32:18.872-05:00Snowy weekend shenanigansA <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">massive </span>blizzard struck H-burg this weekend...not. We got a good 6 or so inches of snow, though. Apparently, that is enough to turn this city into a ghost town. Friday night I went out with some friends and all anybody could talk about was the impending storm...and honestly, I didn't leave my apartment once until today, when the overwhelming desire to go to the grocery store struck me right in the very soul. I was running out of spinach, almond milk, and flour (crisis!!)--so I ventured out to my snowy car and started to scrape it. After about 30 seconds I determined that the effort was futile thanks to a very large pile of snow behind my tires (thanks, snow plow) and being without a shovel, I kicked at the snow for a minute or two before giving up. It was too cold and I was too lazy. Ever notice how laziness breeds more laziness? Sheesh. I'm honestly a little horrified at myself. Fortunately, my brave roommate managed to wheel her car out of the lot and we went to the store, so the crisis was averted. It was a tense two hours, though. <span style="font-style: italic;">I mean, really.</span><br /><br />Seriously, though. I had an incredibly lazy weekend. Lots of reading, watching TV and not a whole lot else. I did develop some funky food concoctions, like a blood-orange/soy sauce stir fry which had the potential to be delicious, but wasn't. Actually, it was kind of gross and I had to dump a bunch of salsa on it in order to make the dish palatable. I also baked some tasty tasty banana bread with a couple of seriously sad-looking frozen bananas. I heavily modified the <a href="http://theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?RecipeID=121">PPK's recipe</a> because I wanted it to be healthier...Actually, that's a total lie. I heavily modified the recipe because I ran out of many key ingredients and duh, it was like totally a blizzard outside so I couldn't go to the store. Either way, despite the health/convenience issues, it still turned out really good! So, here's the recipe I used:<br /><span class="recipe"><br />1/2 cups white sugar (GASP REAL SUGAR? Yeah. Don't judge)<br />1/4 cup canola oil<br />1/4 cup applesauce<br />3 very ripe bananas, mashed well<br />1 cup flour<br />1 cup oatmeal<br />1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />1/4 cup whole-grain "milk", mixed with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar<br />1 teaspoon vanilla<br />A bunch of cinnamon, dumped in<br /><br />Mix everything together, pour into a cake pan because here we don't believe in bread pans. Bake for 350 for about 35 minutes and then devour.<br /><br />Tonight's dessert was a bowl of homemade applesauce, with a drizzle of PBU (ok, more than a drizzle), topped with a toasted piece of bananaer bread. It was de-lish! My family always judges me for eating peanut butter on my applesauce, but it is SO good. Go out and try it. I dare you.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S2YgQDLb6_I/AAAAAAAAAC0/OOLpJpkCzPY/s1600-h/applesauce+yum+004.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S2YgQDLb6_I/AAAAAAAAAC0/OOLpJpkCzPY/s320/applesauce+yum+004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433065460572351474" border="0" /></a><br />Um, yum.<br /><span class="recipe"><br /><br /></span>Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-51420315714585560302010-01-28T20:41:00.005-05:002010-01-28T21:23:17.743-05:00After all, tomorrow is another day!Yes well, this week has shaped up to be pretty much a crapfest. Too much information to post here, but suffice it to say, I was not a happy camper for a few days. Nevertheless, I'm taking a Scarlett O'Hara view of life and keeping my chin up!<br /><br />I consider myself to be something of a bad-day expert, and there are a few good ways to cure a bad day:<br /><ol><li>Go to University gym. Stare unashamedly at the good looking young fellas while they sweat.</li><li>Take a mental health day. Not that I advocate this on the reg, people. Only once or twice a semester! Use it wisely.</li><li>Take a nap.</li><li>Make the following 5 minute microwave soup (hey, its better for you than ramen!):</li></ol> 1 medium-sized redskin potato (baked in microwave for 4 minutes)<br /> 1 cup of spinach, washed and chopped into small pieces<br /> 1/4 cup of unsweetened milk of choice (I used TJ's Whole Grain Milk)<br /> 2 tsp. miso paste<br /> Garlic powder, onion powder<br /> Nutritional Yeast, to taste (I probably used a tablespoon)<br /> Enough sriacha chili sauce to make grown men cry<br /><br /> Mix it all together, mush the potatoes up, and then microwave it for a minute!<br /><br /> Sorry no pic, but you can imagine that it didn't look particularly exciting.<br /><br />So, by applying each of these steps, in no particular order, you may come to realize that your day isn't as bad as you think. Or maybe it will still suck, but at least you can fool yourself into thinking that its better for a little bit!<br /><br />This evening, after said workout, I was famished for some good eats (since it had been like 7 hours since lunch, sheesh! I never go that long without food!) and since I've been reading lots of praise about <a href="http://ohhmay.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/its-a-pizza-pie-part-2-la-galleria-de-pizza/">Mae's </a>pizza and cheese concoctions, I decided to create something using her ideas. Sort of.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S2JDe4egvdI/AAAAAAAAACk/HGX2l1gGLcM/s1600-h/pizza+pics+001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S2JDe4egvdI/AAAAAAAAACk/HGX2l1gGLcM/s320/pizza+pics+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431978298397736402" border="0" /></a><br />Please notice my Shakespeare anthology, which is roughly the size of a small child, and weighs about the same. I LOVE lugging that sucker around campus! So does my poor, achy back!<br /><br />Here's a close up of this bad boy for your viewing pleasure,<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S2JD1qF75oI/AAAAAAAAACs/_hEShLpGxnM/s1600-h/pizza+pics+009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S2JD1qF75oI/AAAAAAAAACs/_hEShLpGxnM/s320/pizza+pics+009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431978689673553538" border="0" /></a><br />I took 2 slices of Ezekiel bread, smothered 'em with crushed tomatoes, piled them high with spinach and green peppers, sprinkled them with black beans and then topped it off with some <a href="http://ohhmay.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/pizza-pizza/">humnut </a>cheese, which is steadily becoming one of my most favorite things. Then I stuck them in the oven and baked at 45o until the cheese was brown and the spinach was wilty. After removing them, I once again slathered the whole shebang in enough sriacha sauce to make a grown man cry. I love this stuff! I am addicted to it, for serious. Anyone else ever notice that I'm addicted to a lot of things? Sriacha sauce, nooch, miso paste, peanut butter (preferably all at once!)...without any of these things I would be a basket case. I realize that this probably sounds revolting to a lot of people, but it was SO GOOD! I mean, I devoured that thing. Trying to take a picture of it was so depressing because I knew that it was getting colder as I aimed for a decent shot. Which I never actually got because in the end, I was too hungry to care! And yes, I do regularly eat my meals on my bed. Don't get freaked out by that.<br /><br />Anyway, I just watched this fine looking young couple do their thaang on TV<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://c2.api.ning.com/files/PVASZx3tN*lbhaPlmkkfDl68BYKt2Kjnkcf9ARwSNedZUgr61APOxfjNejWwpJw**a4VIJJ9fb*-x*HzRkRDh4Dl24S3AUpx/bones.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 307px;" src="http://c2.api.ning.com/files/PVASZx3tN*lbhaPlmkkfDl68BYKt2Kjnkcf9ARwSNedZUgr61APOxfjNejWwpJw**a4VIJJ9fb*-x*HzRkRDh4Dl24S3AUpx/bones.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Oh how I love thee, Booth. You are beautiful.<br /><br />And now I'm going to go bake something and maybe snuggle up to my Shakespeare book. Not a bad ending to a bad day!<br /><br />--MonicaMonicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-53651979499261893162010-01-25T16:39:00.007-05:002010-01-25T17:46:46.654-05:00Over the rainbow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S14ZFw9BeHI/AAAAAAAAACE/fmc9wU0iw10/s1600-h/Christmas+09+694.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S14ZFw9BeHI/AAAAAAAAACE/fmc9wU0iw10/s320/Christmas+09+694.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430805787486287986" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S14Y2aMO_qI/AAAAAAAAAB8/AIJKO-SxWdk/s1600-h/Christmas+09+692.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S14Y2aMO_qI/AAAAAAAAAB8/AIJKO-SxWdk/s320/Christmas+09+692.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430805523678035618" border="0" /></a><br />So, I'm sitting in my living room with my roommate Erin and she all of a sudden shouts, "OH MY GOD A RAINBOW" and lo and behold, I adjust my position and take a gander at the biggest rainbow I've ever seen right outside. Seriously, we could see both ends of it--stretching all the way down to the street! And then another one showed up, and it was like a rainbow party over here. I like to think that this is a sign that Spring is finallly on its way. That and the fact that I saw 6 burgundy cars in a row just now--which is obviously a sign. Right? I'm pretty sick of cloudy and cold weather (like every other person on the planet), so I'll look for signs wherever I can. Where <span style="font-style: italic;">is </span>that freakin groundhog, anyway? He is facing some serious loathing from me if he doesn't see his shadow on Feb. 2!<br /><br />Anyway, that story is totally irrelevant to this post. I just thought that the rainbow was super awesome.<br /><br />So, I went home this weekend, under the guise of visiting my parents, but really I just wanted to go to Trader Joe's...kidding! That was just an added bonus ;) Right. So. I think that the only reason my parents tell me to come home all the time is because I cook for them. Actually, I don't <span style="font-style: italic;">think</span> that, I <span style="font-style: italic;">know </span>it because they tell me. Harsh, no? Geez. I didn't snap pictures of everything I made, but here are a few bits of photographic evidence in case you were concerned.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S14Z3cR-AcI/AAAAAAAAACM/vP9idIfmrcE/s1600-h/Christmas+09+659.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S14Z3cR-AcI/AAAAAAAAACM/vP9idIfmrcE/s320/Christmas+09+659.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430806640930456002" border="0" /></a><a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/10/13/make-these-now/">Fudge babies</a>! I turned these suckers into a dessert by adding a bit of almond extract, a generous spoonful of dark chocolate cocoa powder, coconut and rolling them in more cocoa powder...and drizzling some melty cocoa on top...so good. I love making them at home because my parents actually have a food processor, which means I don't have to dig out date goop from the evil clutches of my crappy blender's blade. That usually ends up with at lease one fudge baby stuck in the bottom, and me trying to fish it out with my fingers (I wouldn't advise this)--not a pretty sight.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S14b7HQo_sI/AAAAAAAAACU/GUpVX_RJyyQ/s1600-h/Christmas+09+687.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S14b7HQo_sI/AAAAAAAAACU/GUpVX_RJyyQ/s320/Christmas+09+687.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430808903030472386" border="0" /></a>Also, applesauce. FOR AN ARMY. That pot on the left is the size of your average, everyday stock pot. The behemoth on the right is roughly the size of a small house. The third one in the back is just a regular ol' pot...and all of them were filled to the brim with apples. I think we spent about $27 on apples, and they were $.69 a pound so you do the math. That is a LOT of apples to peel and core. But fortunately, once you do that, the work is practically done. All they require is some time and a bit of cinnamon and you have enough applesauce to feed my family for at least the next six months. We thought about canning it, but ultimately decided to bag it and freeze it, though I think next time we should opt for the canning because it lasts forever and there's no need to thaw.<br /><br />While home, I also exposed my parents to the awesomeness that is to be found in a big bowl of blended oatmeal for breakfast. I think they thought I was crazy (surprise, surprise) but it is seriously my favorite way to start the day. Don't you dare judge me!<br /><br />So now I'm back in my cozy apartment and procrastinating working out/reading Shakespeare and noshing on this yummy-licious delight...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S14eYNAC5AI/AAAAAAAAACc/mhSRGmTymuU/s1600-h/Christmas+09+696.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S14eYNAC5AI/AAAAAAAAACc/mhSRGmTymuU/s320/Christmas+09+696.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430811601810940930" border="0" /></a>A green apple (from the international foods store at home where they are dirt cheap, so I stocked up) mixed with some PBU made from my favorite Trader Joe's peanut butter (creamy, unsalted) and some chocolate Almond Breeze. Did I mention that Trader Joe's is the happiest place on earth? Because it is. I got loads of peanut butter, a jar of their raw almond butter, whole grain milk (never heard of this before, so I'm hoping it will be awesome) and tons of other awesome things.<br /><br />Now that I've spent waaay too long doing this, I should probably go do something productive now. Like make dinner.Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-19367316298384225022010-01-18T12:56:00.003-05:002010-01-18T14:02:31.947-05:00Wannabe<span><span style="font-style: italic;">So tell me whatchu want, whatchu really really want...</span><br /><br /><br />What I really really want is to magically wake up one day and</span><span> be a "runner"--if only that were possible. My list of excuses grows with each and every day, but I'm going to ignore the little voice in my head that says "you can't do this" from now on. I'm trying to get on a more regular running schedule, and now that the weather is finally </span><span>starting to warm up, I'm more likely to head outside in the mornings instead of attempting to motivate my ass to get to the gym. A lot of times I feel pretty dumb when I'm passed by all the marathoners and svelte young college students as I slowly trod along the side of the road, half walking and half jogging. But, once I get past that pathetic feeling, I actually start to feel good about myself. Of course, having a killer soundtrack is another significant part of the battle...today's playlist was the GLEE soundtrack, and if you judge me I'll hurt you. I friggin love running to " Keep Holding On"--so cheesey, but I love it. Also on rotation is a little Lady Gaga...Crap, is this turning into an embarrassing music-appreciation post? Let's just say that I have fairly decent taste in music, but that I retain a fond love of cheesey pop music. So shut your yapper, you know you like some trashy music too!<br /><br />Naturally, a post-run snacky snack is always essential, so after this mornings 3.5 mile run/walk I decided on something that would satisfy my cravings for chocolate and almond butter but that would also give me a boost for the rest of the day...and BEHOLD some epic Brownie Batter Protein Pancakes!<br /><br />The recipe I used was based off of the <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/faq/veganism/ccv-in-a-box/test/door-1/up-a-tree/henry/you-again/brownie-batter-for-breakfast/">Brownie Batter Pancakes</a> that Miss CCV introduced to the world...but as per usual, I modified mine. It is pretty much guaranteed that I'm going to be missing an essential ingredient whenever I use a recipe, so I just accept it and attempt a substitution. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Today, it did! Yay!<br /><br />Here's my version:<br /><br />.25 cup white flour (had no whole wheat? wtf?)<br />.25 cup oats<br />1 scoop Vanilla Hemp Protein Powder (Katie calls for AmazinGrass powder but I don't own any, and I wanted some protein after my run!)<br />1 heaping tablespoon Dark Chocolate cocoa powder<br />A splash of Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Dream<br />A dash of vanilla<br />A generous squeeze of Agave<br />A BIG tablespoon of <a href="http://shenanvegans.blogspot.com/2010/01/resolutions-shmezolutions.html">ABU</a><br />A pinch of salt<br />A dash of baking powder (also all out of baking soda. Sheesh. I need to get to the grocery store, stat.)<br />Enough water to make the batter...batter-y<br /><br />Makes about 6 smallish pancakes, if you can stop licking the spoon for the batter. I ate 3 liberally slathered with more ABU. Obviously. I can't get enough of the stuff. I literally made this the minute I got home from my run, so please excuse the icky picture (taken with my handy webcam, since I left my camera at home, naturally.)<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S1StFnPSc2I/AAAAAAAAAB0/ZR4MFD9uhxA/s1600-h/Snapshot_20100118.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S1StFnPSc2I/AAAAAAAAAB0/ZR4MFD9uhxA/s320/Snapshot_20100118.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428153762832348002" border="0" /></a><br /><span><br />Anyway, I've been gleaning a lot of inspiration from <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/">Katie</a>, for her chocolate-covered and seriously fun attitude for all things running AND vegan! In fact, while I was at home during Xmas break, I had so much fun making her Fudge Babies. I brought some to work every day for a tasty little snack, but many a person gave me funny looks for eating them--apparently they don't look too appetizing when they've been squashed inside my lunch bag...they don't know what they're missing, yo. Anyway, she's a fab blogger--so fab, that she's holding a giveaway for a <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/01/16/vitameata-vita-mix-giveaway/">VITA MIX!</a><br /><br />I've been lusting after these kitchen gadgets for practically ever, but their $500 price tag really got me down. Now I'll have a chance to win one, and thus be as cool as all the bloggers who have one :)<br /><br />Have a lovely MLK Day, friends.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;" id="profile_status">"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality." </span><span id="profile_status"><br />---Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr</span>.Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-26799668931621336552010-01-16T16:36:00.006-05:002010-01-16T17:36:24.875-05:00Resolutions, Shmezolutions.I got a lot of flack during Christmas break about my cessation of blogging...Apparently my family members enjoy reading Shenanvegans, which makes me pretty happy because I like the attention. So, to recap (for my 4 readers out there), here is a list of the Very Important Events of 2009 (after August, because I can't remember anything before that!)<br /><br />1) Baby Hudson<br />2) Baby Anabelle<br /> --I'm an AUNT x2?! Crazy talk. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm the least maternal person ever. Which is why some friends were shocked to see this picture on facebook...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S1Iy83O-LxI/AAAAAAAAABU/YObGRyX9tLU/s1600-h/babies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 164px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S1Iy83O-LxI/AAAAAAAAABU/YObGRyX9tLU/s200/babies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427456522135154450" border="0" /></a> No, seriously. I never hold children, thanks to a margarine-fingers tendency I have to drop things, but I made an exception for these cute little nuggets :)<br /><br /> ps: like the Christmas sweater? Ultra rad.<br /><br />3) Bernadette's wedding! The highlight of last semester was definitely getting the chance to hang out with my whole family while noshing on some glorious Indian food at my dear sister's wedding in November. To the sadness of all, my eldest sis Elizabeth couldn't attend...because she had to like give birth or something...but we'll forgive her that minor indiscretion just this once.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvpadMLgu1REHZkmKYJGPoO9Hs91HcDfWtvGN5cxYjzNR9yLk5d4RY4oobJ2Cf-OlfO4vxy65Wy2TJvj3RuZ2hPLDbcbseBKVn7ZHZHH9Y6eC-8YxJzgJDGrMrkVeHY10W-ntmJ7oXbd7/s1600-h/wedding.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvpadMLgu1REHZkmKYJGPoO9Hs91HcDfWtvGN5cxYjzNR9yLk5d4RY4oobJ2Cf-OlfO4vxy65Wy2TJvj3RuZ2hPLDbcbseBKVn7ZHZHH9Y6eC-8YxJzgJDGrMrkVeHY10W-ntmJ7oXbd7/s200/wedding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427458369157108226" border="0" /></a>It was still very fun doing bridesmaid duties with my two other sisters, Victoria and Erin.<br /><br />What else did I do with my 2009? I took a bunch of English classes, and whoever said that being an English major was easy has clearly been deluding themselves, because it was one of the most intense semesters of my college career. In the last two weeks of classes, I had some brilliant technological failures, which left me sobbing in my professor's office begging for term-paper extensions since I lost all of my work. Fortunately, it all worked out and I now sit at a brand-spanking new laptop that I bought with some cashola brought to me by Mommy Claus :)<br /><br />I rang in the New Year with my bbfls by watching a few choice episodes of Criminal Minds, because that's just how we roll.<br /><br />Whats up for Miss Shenanvegan in the new decade? (whats that you say? I should stop referring to myself in the third person? NEVER.)<br /><br />Welp, for starters, I'm trying to kick my nasty Jif habit. Apparently, the stuff is full of these newfangled things like <span style="font-style: italic;">trans fat</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">hydrogenated oil</span> which aren't too good for keeping the Shenanvegan's girlish figure. So, I've been heavily munching on some MaraNatha Almond Butter from Costco of all places, especially in the form of <a href="http://heathereatsalmondbutter.com/recipes/abu-aka-almond-butter-sauce/">ABU</a>--which I learned about while stalking some old posts of Heather's from <span style="font-style: italic;">Heather Eats Almond Butter</span>. BEST IDEA EVAR. I feel like this calls for an old Xzibit macro (ever seen Pimp My Ride? If not, you will not get this at all.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S1I77ePlsrI/AAAAAAAAABs/1fBLnsTjxuM/s1600-h/yo+dawg+almonds.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 186px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Vsr4Fl_hlog/S1I77ePlsrI/AAAAAAAAABs/1fBLnsTjxuM/s320/yo+dawg+almonds.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427466393851638450" border="0" /></a><br />AND I'm trying to stop eating refined sugar, and trying to focus on naturally sweetening things with dates, agave and stevia. This has generally been working out quite well, except for the totally awesome cookies my roommates got for me today (its my half birthday and we love any excuse to celebrate!) from my favorite place in the world, <a href="http://littlegrillcollective.com/">The Little Grill</a>. Their vegan cookies are so awesomely glorious that I gave up my sugar-sabbatical temporarily just so I could nosh on one.<br /><br />I'm also taking an Environmental Literature class this semester...with an entire section on animal ethics. And we're doing an entire segment on animal ethics in a philosophy class as well! I don't think many people get excited about that, but I do :)<br /><br />Continue reading, dear friends, as I hope to update a bit more frequently in 2010.Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-10932116508448301652009-08-10T22:41:00.002-04:002009-08-11T00:59:48.698-04:00in the daylight anywhere feels like homeI know, I know....I am quite audacious to show up on a long-abandoned food blog after months away, announcing my return and hardly offering any sort of excuse for my extended absence. The nerve.<br /><br />No, really. I don’t have any excuse. But summer is oppressive, and as I’m writing this the sun has set, my fan is going full blast, and I’m chugging ice water like a freshman boy chugs Natty at his first frat party—and I’m still sweating bullets. Is anyone else ready for August to be over yet? Actually, I can think of one person who probably isn’t ready for this month to be over, my older sister Erin, who is due to have a little munchkin boy this Friday! That’s right, by the end of this week (or maybe next week, depending on how things move along...) I’ll have a new title, Aunt Monica! Does that make me sound old? I feel old. And then in November I’ll be Aunt Monica x2 when my eldest sister Elizabeth haves a cute lil baby girl...and I’ll be a bridesmaid in my other sister Bernadette’s wedding....and at the end of this month I’m helping my younger sister Victoria move into her college apartment...<br /><br />I’m exhausted just thinking about it. But enough with the family newsletter, we’ll save that for Christmastime, ok?<br /><br />Anyway, almost exactly one month ago, I received the stamp in my passport stating that I had successfully re-entered the country after a 24-day stint in the land that I wish my ancestors were from (they’re not. Those darn Irish and Italians had to spoil all my fun), Scotland. I swear I could write posts every day for the next year detailing all of the adventures and mis-adventures I had while on the isle, but I’ll spare you the details and get to what we’re really here for...the food.<br /><br />I’m not going to lie, there were several days when a main meal consisted of a Clif bar and a piece of fruit, or a side salad and french fries, or a beer. Totally kidding about that last one! What kind of lush do you take me for?! But, there were also several memorable meals, and many restaurants and pubs were overwhelmingly helpful in putting together a vegan meal for me. My group had infinite patience for me, or at least they didn’t complain too much (to my face) about my eating habits.<br /><br />One of my most memorable meals was the very first one I had in St. Andrew’s. I don’t even remember the name of the pub, but they had an amazing selection of sandwiches and lunch-food, so I was challenged to make a decision. I decided on a roasted vegetable and hummus sandwich with a big bowl of fries (ahem, chips). It was darn good, feel free to envy me and my delicious food.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0809august090045.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0809august090045.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hands down, though, the best meal experience I had in Scotland was at David Bann’s in Edinburgh. It was almost an accident when a few of us stumbled across this vegetarian restaurant, just off the Royal Mile, after a long day of sight-seeing and exploring. I had read about it in my trusty Lonely Planet guide and when my travel-buddies and I found it was ecstatic. Dinner wasn't very pretty, but it sure was delicious...<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0809august090182.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0809august090182.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br />“Mushroom, runner bean and cashew curry.<br />With jasmine rice, potato and fenugreek patties. Button mushroom, runner beans and toasted cashews cooked in an aromatic coconut, cashew, fresh tomato and coriander sauce. Served with sweet pineapple chutney and mint salad.”<br /><br />I have no idea what runner beans are, and I think the jasmine rice was nonexistent, but it's still pretty difficult to get a bad dish of mushrooms and curry. I dug in before remembering to snap a picture, so there’s not a whole lot of food left on the plate. Dessert was a casual affair, three scoops of vegan ice cream on top of crisp cookies with raspberry sauce on the side, and it was especially glorious to my overheated self (of course, I would be in the UK the one time it gets a heat wave of epic proportions).<br /><br />This was the trip of a lifetime, but I feel like I hardly touched the tip of the iceberg. I can’t wait to go back again, just as soon as I get the money to travel again...I’ll be taking donations for the “Monica has Wanderlust” Fund. All donations are tax deductible.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=6240_694564839409_7824651_41206295_.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/6240_694564839409_7824651_41206295_.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Nessie sighting?Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-32731417355041491862009-06-14T08:24:00.002-04:002009-06-14T08:37:40.771-04:00'bout that timeTomorrow I will be hopping the pond in search of grey skies, ancient castles, ruins, bustling metropolises, and someone who is willing to teach me how to play the bagpipes.<br /><br />That's right, after months of anticipation, the time for my study abroad trip to Scotland is <span style="font-style: italic;">finally </span>here! The challenges of having a chronic illness are creeping up on me just before I depart, but I remain hopeful that everything will be in check by the time I step onto my airplane tomorrow. I'm so nervous that I could just throw up, but my friends and family have been so reassuring as I get crazier and crazier, so I'm starting to feel a little bit better.<br /><br />I have a whole list of things to do today, including packing, getting last minute supplies, finishing up a paper...which I am supposed to be doing right now. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Whoopsie</span>.<br /><br />This blog will temporarily transform from a food blog to a travel log, a place for me to record and reflect upon my journeys into Far Far Away. I hope you will enjoy it!<br /><br />If anyone wishes to stay in contact with me while I'm overseas, please email me at mtdimuzio@gmail.com. I love to hear from old friends and new friends--but no creepers, please.<br /><br />Wish me luck on my travels!Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-78928072475473152082009-05-31T10:33:00.002-04:002009-05-31T11:05:05.911-04:00Confession Time...because who doesn't love a good revealing discussion of personal things on a blog? I know I'm a big fan of reading about more than just food in other people's lives! Veganism is only one facet of my existence, and I want this blog to reflect my life rather than just my food, so I'm going to start talking a bit more about my quest for a healthy lifestyle, rather than just my experiments in the kitchen (believe me, there will be plenty of that too!).<br /><br />Before I get into all that shenaniganifery, let me apologize to my 1 loyal reader (hey, roommate Amber!) who chastised me for my lack of updates since returning home for the summer. Sorry. It's not that I don't cook anymore, but as soon as I get home from interning (an hour and a half commute<span style="font-style: italic;"> each way</span>, don't get me started on Northern Virginia traffic) I'm exhausted and either forget entirely to photograph my latest culinary adventure or just simply don't have the patience to set up a decent shot. I just want to eat and go to bed! I've become horrifyingly lazy in these last three weeks which leads me into my newest adventure...getting healtheir!<br /><br />If that seems like a fairly broad statement, well it is. Not that I'm totally unhealthy now, but believe me, I need to do a good amount of work before I'm in decent shape. See, I was never an athletic girl--I was a choir-singing, dance-team member, drama kid. And while all of those things allowed me to have a great amount of physical activity, as soon as I graduated high school a problem set in. I never learned how to "work out"...I just didn't have the discipline that someone who ran track or played soccer had to do a daily workout and frankly, I just didn't care all that much. After I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, I fell over the fine line between sickness and health and basically let myself go, until I made the transition to vegan (almost exactly a year ago!), when I started caring about what foods I put into my body. Now I try to eat healthy (most of the time) and work out sporadically (a few times a week), but I'm not pushing myself very hard. <span style="font-style: italic;"></span>I'm not trying to work out more to lose weight, actually, I'm perfectly happy with my current weight, even though my BMI tells me I'm techincally underweight, but I don't trust a chart, I trust my doctor who tells me I normal for my height and build.<br /><br />What good is an online calculator, anyway? All they do is make people obsess more about their weight and focus less on achieving what's healthy for <span style="font-style: italic;">them</span> (sorry for the rant.) Now, my next step in this quest for self improvement is to get on a regular workout schedule...despite my hectic work schedule. I'm not starting off super-ambitious because I don't want to get burned out, but I definetly need my ass-kicked a little bit.<br /><br />Who better to do that ass-kicking than miss Jillian Michaels herself? I just did the first workout of her 30-day shred, and I was <span style="font-style: italic;">definetly </span>sweating. I am going to do the 20-minute workout each day and either a 20 minute jog or 40 minute walk, depending on how ambitious I'm feeling.<br /><br />Sorry for that super long blog :) I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weekend weather.<br /><br />PS: T-minus 15 days until I hop the pond for my study abroad trip in SCOTLAND!<br /><br />~MonicaMonicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-86228017966643195582009-05-08T13:58:00.002-04:002009-05-08T14:50:27.678-04:00Post Finals Week Diet...begins right after this post.<br /><br />Congratulations to me and every other college kid, we made it out alive! Sure, we may have blown off our last few exams and those concluding paragraphs on our term papers, but the important thing is that we <span style="font-style: italic;">finished</span>. Who needs good grades when you can have summer vacation?!<br /><br />So, due to the fact that I have to clear out my entire apartment so I can bring everything back to the Parent's Casa (PC), I'm pretty behind on picture taking. So I'm presenting you all with a few more of my finals-week foods/procrastination techniques. Also: be prepared for some epic baking posts in the coming months as I experiment with different styles of cooking to suit my family's many different food allergies/requirements. My mom's gluten-free, my sister's severely allergic to soy, rice, peanuts, tomatoes, and all orchard fruits, but my daddy'll eat anything I make :)<br /><br />Annd now onto some peectures. First off, Terry's Favorite Almond Cookies from <span style="font-style: italic;">Veganomicon</span>, which is basically one of my favorite cookbooks of all time. I slightly modified the recipe because I never have everything on hand at the same time and was too cheap/lazy to run to the grocery store for a few random ingredients. I also added in a tablespoon or so of peanut butter because, well, that's just how I roll.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0508food0001-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0508food0001-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br />Yum. Obviously there's a reason why these cookies are "Terry's Favorite"--but they'd <span style="font-style: italic;">also </span>be "Monica's Favorite" if there were chocolate chips in them...just sayin'.<br /><br />Now, while shopping at <a href="http://www.katesnaturalproducts.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=TCNX5VJ00JVJ8HNKMT1EQPX0MMJ87XP9">Kate's Natural Products </a>for some vitamins, I saw, shining like a beacon across the counter, <a href="http://www.vegetariantimes.com/">Vegetarian Times</a> on sale for only $1.99! Yes, it was the March issue, and it is now May, but that's besides the point. I don't usually get to buy them because I can't justify spending $4.99 for a magazine, so I was pretty darn excited. I flipped through it (procrastination~) and decided to make the <a href="http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/10935?section=">Banana and Black Bean Empanadas</a>...because that was the only recipe in the whole magazine for which I already had all the ingredients on-hand. And they sounded intriguing. Banana's and black beans? Weiiird flavor combo, which I'm all about.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0508food0004.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0508food0004.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br />They see me rollin', they hatin'<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0508food0005.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0508food0005.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br />Fork you!<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0508food0007.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0508food0007.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br />Golden pillows of peace and justice.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0508food0008.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0508food0008.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br />With all said and done, they were quite delicious. The little trepidation I felt about the banana-black bean combination was eased as soon as I took a bite of the crumbly golden crust...but my roommate who also tried one didn't dig it so much. So, I'd only make these for the fairly flavor adventurous on your list.<br /><br />ALSO:<br />What are these little cruchy critters crawling upon the pages of my textbook?<br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0508food0011.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0508food0011.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0508food0013.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0508food0013.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.stauffers.net/products/allnatural?pro_id=51e687ce-40fa-4d8c-9002-1f51ff3be802">Animal Crackers!</a> Ahhh, the bulk foods section at my grocery store never ceases to amaze me. Life is good.Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-67896329229459048972009-04-29T11:36:00.003-04:002009-04-29T12:07:07.601-04:00Zombie Sightings!Look around at your local college campus this week and you'll see zombies. Loads of them. Here at JMU there are approximately 18,000, and their numbers are multiplying faster than you can say "skim triple venti caramel machiatto, no whip, extra caramel" at Starbucks. Students are running around doped up on their Adderal and caffiene, holed up in the library for 24 hours straight and they look like they might pass out at any second.<br /><br />Ah, yes. The Dreaded Finals Week. Well, technically it's not even finals week <span style="font-style: italic;">yet. </span>Its still the week before finals week, also known as Hell Week in which you have 10-20 page papers, case studies, research projects and presentations due and then the next week you have 5 (or more) final exams for which you really need to study but don't have the time because you're too busy working on other things for other classes.<br /><br />Well, I have a secret to beating that Hell Week. <span style="font-style: italic;">Food.</span><br /><br />Brain Food. Delicious meals that will tide you over well into your late-night study session. Sweet treats that bring a smile to your face when all you can think about is how many hours you've spent in the Stacks. For me, the act of cooking itself is such a destressor, I can't imagine trying to get through finals week without a steady supply of super-food muffins, delicious and not-so-healthy sugary cupcakes, cookies, and healthy snacks. <br /><br />This week, I've been on a baking spree. Not many pictures, though, because I was huungry and trying to get work done. I don't know how all of these college food bloggers do it, to be totally honest. I guess I just gotta learn how to be more effective at time management.<br /><br />So, without further ado, allow me to present my favorite survival foods for finals week.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0421food0002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0421food0002.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br />Lemon Gem Cupcakes from Veganomicon, which were good...but I thought they needed more lemon flavoring. I think next time I'll add more lemon zest, and maybe purchase a bottle of lemon extract to really kick the flavor up a notch. I made my own lemon-y icing which was surprisingly delicious.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0421food0007.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0421food0007.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br />Almost Healthy pancakes! Made entirely with whole wheat flour, flax seeds, bananas, and lowfat rice milk. Pretty much the only unhealthy thing about them was the chocolate chips, because they were absolutely necessary. Delissshhh.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0421food0011.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0421food0011.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br />Quinoa stir-fry aaand...Facebook? Ugh. I'm such a procrastinator.<br /><br />But seriously, let's get a closeup of that beautiful veggie dish packed with superfood goodness<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0421food0014.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0421food0014.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br />Ohhh how delicious does that look? It's just quinoa, lots of veggies, some jalapeño (leftover from last year's harvest--I just stick 'em in the freezer until I'm ready to use them!) some canned diced tomatoes and tons of spices (I think I used curry, cumin, tumeric, garlic, onion, and maybe some bay leaf) and then tossed in a few generous squirts of Sirachi sauce.<br /><br />Anyway, that's all for now. I've gotta go to the library.Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-56643610381757493082009-04-23T19:40:00.002-04:002009-04-23T19:42:50.729-04:00HEY EVERYBODYCome see how good I look!<br /><br />That was an Anchorman moment, and if you don't get it than we aren't friends.<br /><br />Yes, I'm alive. But just barely. The weeks before finals are always the most ridiculous. So I'm hiding away in the library until I finish my papers and whatnots and then I'll make an epic post of epic proportions, so sit tight.<br /><br />To all you college kids out there: good luck with finals! It's alllmost summer!Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-63539664236526856332009-04-14T17:27:00.002-04:002009-04-14T17:53:35.852-04:00So many sweet thingsAnd now, on to delicious sugary goods that are delicious and...delicious.<br /><br />You may or may not realize this yet, but I have a huge sweet tooth. Honestly, I could eat dessert for every meal of every day and be the happiest clam on earth. People that don't like dessert confuse me. Also, people that don't like chocolate confuse me, and most importantly--people that don't like peanut butter make me utterly bewildered. I can spoon the stuff down my throat while casually surfing the internet and then look up a half hour later to realize I've eaten half a jar. It's happened. Not that I recommend this, because I always end up with a massive stomach ache later, although I never seem to learn to <span style="font-style: italic;">put away the jar</span>.<br /><br />I also love me some peanut butter pancakes. They might be one of my favorite foods to eat on a Friday night when I'm all alone in my apartment, taking a break from exam-cramming, as I did this past Friday.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0414food0001-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0414food0001-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br />I did <span style="font-style: italic;">try</span> to keep it healthy with a large plate of steamed veggies as well...and please ignore the crispy edges of the pancakes, I wasn't paying attention to the skillet.<br /><br />Not being satisfied merely with pancakes, I went on to go on a mini cooking baking spree. I made a quarter batch of Buttery Lemon Cookies from VWaV which turned out scrumptiously light and fluffy--despite all the margarine in them. I added some flax seeds in a pathetic attempt to make them a bit healthier. I then made up my own recipe for peanut butter crunch cookies, the crunch being supplemented by some crushed up rice cakes. They were pretty darn good, and I'm quite proud of myself for coming up with the recipe all by myself!<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0414food0005-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0414food0005-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br />Whenever I'm stressed out about school, I make my way over to the grocery store (or farmer's market depending on the time of day) and browse the aisles, hoping to find the meaning of life in boxed goods. This time, I <span style="font-style: italic;">did. </span>Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you <a href="http://ilovepeanutbutter.com">Dark Chocolate Dreams</a>--also known as Happiness in a Jar.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0414food0014-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0414food0014-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br />I have read about this stuff for quite some time, and finally found some in the grocery store. It's from the Peanut Butter Co. and is vegan (duh.), gluten free, trans-fat free, and some other stuff-free. Holllyyyyyy Cannooolliii is this stuff good. So good, in fact that <span style="font-style: italic;">this </span>is what my jar looks like right now<br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0414food0018.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0414food0018.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br />yes, the jar is half empty...or half-full, I suppose. But when it's glorious peanut butter and it's disappearing before your very eyes, the jar is only half-full, trust me.<br /><br />I might have a full-blown addiction, and you know what? I'm totally okay with it. I ate this on some bread I baked while visiting the 'rents for Easter (they have a bread machine!) and the combo was magically delicious. I generally just eat peanut butter straight from the jar using a knife (don't ask why) but I felt this was a special occasion that required some sort of vehicle for the peanut butter.Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-9774435862358127102009-04-06T14:58:00.002-04:002009-04-06T15:17:51.140-04:00Avocado Adventure...well, <span style="font-style: italic;">I </span>thought it was clever...sort of.<br /><br />Okay, moving on from my cheesy title, today's adventure was using up a half an avocado left over from last night's enchiladas (don't ask me how <span style="font-style: italic;">that </span>happens, avocados are one of my favorite foods and I never seem to have enough--let alone left overs). While browsing vegweb.com, one of my favorite pastimes/ ways to kill time/ habits, I saw the recipe for Avocado Fudge. At first imagining some sort of sickly green quivering concoction, I was a little hesitant to continue reading the recipe; but I soon realized that this was a real, legitimate <span style="font-style: italic;">chocolate</span> fudge recipe. Ahhh chocolate--the magic word.<br /><br />Don't let the word "avocado" fool you--this recipe is anything but healthy. There's still enough sugar and margarine in it to clog your arteries right up.<br /><br />After using my terrible, terrible blender to squish up avocado and margarine (which looked like some sort of horrific Dr. Frankenstein-type of experiment), I went to mix in powdered sugar when I realized that I was all out. So, being a great improvisor, I went back to the not-so-trusty blender and whizzed some regular sugar, hoping to come out with a fine, powdery substance perfect for fudge making. This did not happen, and instead I gave up and used some sort of half-powdered, half-regular sugar combination, giving my fudge the consistency of a gooey sand.<br /><br />Not one to be detered by sand-textured fudge, I pressed the batter into a plastic container, swirled some peanut butter on top and stuck it in the fridge to chill for a few hours.<br /><br />Ahhh, sweet delicious, creamy fudge. It is positvely sinful. Still a little grainy, but it is firm and <span style="font-style: italic;">very</span> fudgey. Next time I'll use powdered sugar and will hopefully have better results, but this was still quite good.<br /><br />And by "quite good" I mean that I've eaten half of it already.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0406food0051-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0406food0051-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a>Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-54512292013501883942009-04-02T20:43:00.004-04:002009-04-02T21:06:55.528-04:00Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 'n Cream Ice Cream of Glory and DeliciousnessLast night I had the most insane craving for ice cream, but was too lazy/poor to go to the store to buy some. After stumbling across some glorious-looking recipes at Vegan Ice Cream, I made the command decision to make my own. How hard could it be?<br /><br />Pretty freakin difficult, considering all it consists of is sugar, creamer, rice milk and vanilla. Actually, the recipe itself was glorious, but my lack of an ice cream maker presented some issues. First I tried the old bag-within-a-bag method favored by 7th grade science teachers everywhere.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0402food0006.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0402food0006.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br />For a while it seemed like all was well with my kneading method, until I no longer felt my hands because HEY! Bags of ice are COLD! My ice then proceeded to leak all over my sofa in the middle of watching Horton Hears a Who with my roommates so I transferred it to a bowl and stuck it in the freezer, hoping to speed up the ice-creamification process. After waiting a good oh, 15 minutes or so I went back to the freezer to check on the status of my ice cream aaaand it was pure liquid.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0402food0011.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0402food0011.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br />I suddenly came to the realization that I'd have to wait an entire day to eat delicious, creamy, sugary goodness and I really hate waiting. During all of my classes today I couldn't stop thinking about the glory that was awaiting me in my freezer and the first thing I did when I arrived home was to pop that sucker in the microwave for a few seconds and shovel it into my mouth.<br /><br /><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0402food0025.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0402food0025.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br />I paused the heifering for a hot second to take a picture of it, but it melted super fast so the picture doesn't really do it justice. <br /><br />Verdict? AMAZING! I can't believe I've never tried making my own ice cream before. There's no way I'm shelling out $4 a pint (or $6 depending on which kind I buy). The waiting sucks, to be sure, but the outcome's totally worth it.<br /><br />My only suggestion would be to quarter the recipe instead of merely cutting it in half because lord knows I can't control myself.Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562915209535430644.post-61790725521347300712009-03-31T19:21:00.002-04:002009-03-31T20:30:26.269-04:00Very Vegan Virgin PostFirst of all, I'd like to make a welcoming speech to all those out in the blogosphere who are both a) crazy enough and b) bored enough to browse through my little blog. I've always wanted to start a food/lifestyle blog and this morning I felt the sudden urge to skip my Irish Literature class and just do it. That probably wasn't the best idea, because thanks to the fact that I have the same professor for another class and my sorely misdiagnosed case of Word Vomit, I told her that I decided to "screw going to class" today. I don't think that earned me any brownie points.<br /><br />Which brings me to my point. Brownies.<br /><br />Okay, actually not--but the night is young. Who knows what I'll do given adequate amounts of cocoa powder and flour at 10 PM?<br /><br />So, anywho...since you're here, you may as well hear a little bit about my life up until now. So sit back, relax, maybe pop open a bottle of bubbly, and hear the tale about how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air.<br /><br />[disclaimer: this is not going to be all-inclusive because my life is far too exciting to write every aspect of it out in one post. Have no fear, you'll be getting tantalizing tidbits with each and every post.]<br /><br />I was born into a Navy family and travelled all around the world for the first 7 years of my childhood, after which we packed up 5 girls, 2 parents and 20,000 pounds of luggage (this may or may not be an exaggeration on my mother's part.), and moved to the Bluegrass State of Kentucky. Not ones to stay settled for long, my family then moved once more to Northern Virginia where they've set up their homestead in the wilderness of Suburbia. Three years ago I got the crazy notion that I needed some sort of college-education fancy-schmancypants thing, so I picked up my books and headed down south to a small (but not too small) university which I happen to adore. Deciding what I was going to do once I got there was a little more challenging.<br /><br />One day I was Undecided, the next a music major (while toying with the idea of Dietetics), became an International Affairs major, decided that was too much economics, became a Political Science major and an English major on the same day, and then dropped the Political Science two semesters later. Which leaves me with an English degree and nothing to show for all the semesters I did as various other majors. What the hell do you do with an English major anyway?<br /><br />While all of this scholastic turmoil was occuring, something a bit more sinister was brewing in my intestines (ewww gross. first post? what is this girl thinking?!). Yep, first semester of my sophomore year I became bedridden with all sorts of funky stuff and eventually got a diagnosis: Ulcerative Colitis. This led to a few months of agonizing pain while I tried to figure out what foods worked and what foods didn't. I'd been told to avoid "fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains" and a whole slew of other things, so I lived off a steady diet of french fries and milkshakes...not the wisest choice I've ever made.<br /><br />As a longtime vegetarian, I knew that I would never eat meat to get nutrients into my system but I had to do something to gain back the 20 pounds I lost while in the hospital. I looked into various diets but nothing sat well with me and the vegan lifestyle began to appeal to me more and more. So, yes, I decided to eat a vegan diet to gain weight. At first I thought it would just be a temporary thing until I got healthier, but the more research I did the more I realized that this was the best possible lifestyle for me AND for the planet! And the animals! It's a win-win-win situation.<br /><br />So now I experiement in the kitchen all the friggy-diggy time, always taking pictures of my latest creations and writing about them in my journals...so it is high time I starting publishing my ramblings/food-ings on the interwebss.<br /><br />And, without further ado, my first post dinner:<br /><br />BUBBLE AND SQUEAK<br /><br />I've never made this before, but I saw someone posting about it on a vegan forum I frequent and decided to test it out because I had all of the ingredients on hand. (Did I mention that I'm a poor college student? Because I am. So I don't get to use all those fancy-schmancy ingredients that people with an income get to play with.)<br /><br />It is also not nearly as healthy as I normally eat. Fried foods? Margarine? These are things I hardly ever use, so don't get too comfy.<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/?action=view&current=2009_0331food0012-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/SweetMon2006/2009_0331food0012-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span><br /><br />Crap, I've really got to take better pictures. They just smelt so damn good that I couldn't wait to try them and therefore took rather less-than-stellar pictures. Apparently I've got a LOT to learn about food blogging...including patientce. Ugh.Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277901445255630656noreply@blogger.com2