Contest - Win a T-shirt from Fibers.com!
This week (October 24 - 31) is the 5th annual "World Go Vegan Week"! Although all my meals planned this week aren't vegan, I have been slowly increasing the vegan dishes in our diet.
So, in celebration of Vegan Week,
fibers.com has generously offered to sponsor a contest. The winner will receive a $35 voucher to purchase a t-shirt.
Fibers.com is a great website where you can create your own
custom shirt (how cool is that!) or purchase a shirt from the
many designs available. Plus you can put that design on everything from a t-shirt to a hoodie to even a bib for your baby! They have lots of color choices, too.
Just as an example, here's a product I would love:
Please read the following rules carefully to enter!
(1) US and Canada addresses only.
(2) To enter,
first visit one of these links
(3)
Then, leave a comment below
describing a vegan/vegetarian design that you like.
(4) Be sure that either your blogger account includes an email link, or leave your email address in your comment. If I can't contact you, I'll have to select a new winner!
(5) One entry per person, 18 years old + (If younger than 18, please ask a parent or guardian to enter for you.)
(6) Entries will be accepted through 11/25/2010 at midnight. I will send an email to the winner, who will have one week to reply. Once you verify your email, I will forward it to the company so they can email you the $35 voucher.
Good luck!
Also, just leave one comment! I moderate comments, so it may take some time for your comment to appear on the blog. Thanks.
What We Ate Last Week #3
Monday: Spring Mix Greens Salad with Tropical Fruits (uses mango, papaya, avocado, and jicama in a lime dressing) plus baguette slices spread with a light Laughing Cow cheese wedge.
Tuesday: Pitas stuffed with hummus, lemon pepper flavored tofu strips, and lettuce plus what was supposed to be a spinach soup, but was more of a "creamed spinach".
Wednesday:
Three Bean Chili and cornbread
Thursday: Nachos made with leftover chili
Friday: Waffles, Morningstar Farms sausage, kiwi and strawberry fruit salad topped with Greek yogurt
Saturday: after eating lunch out, we decided to have a "fake it" dinner, which this week was PBB&J sandwiches with baby carrots
Sunday:
Mushroom Pasta served over wild mushroom fettuccine (rather than penne) plus garlic bread
See Previous Week Menu
Recipe: Shake and Bake Tofu
My favorite method of cooking tofu is to bake it, mostly because it is less messy than pan frying, but also because it creates a nice texture. It really helps to cook on parchment paper (or with a reusable non-stick liner) to prevent sticking and make clean up easy. This recipe is slightly adapted from the cookbook, The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet.
1 package extra firm tofu, pressed, then cut into cutlets, sticks, strips, or cubes
1/4 cup wheat germ (or use unseasoned bread crumbs, panko crumbs, crushed all-bran or Fiber One cereal, etc.)
1/2 - 1 tsp salt-free seasoning (you can use any flavor that complements your dish)
Put wheat germ and seasoning in a plastic bag. Adding small amounts at a time, shake to coat each tofu piece. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (or lightly oiled).
Bake at 425 degrees for 12 - 14 minutes.
Some suggestions for use:
- Mix cubes in with a stir-fry or chill and toss with a salad.
- Serve sticks with a dipping sauce.
- Cutlets make a nice main dish, in a sandwich, or served on top of a salad or pasta dish.
- Strips are delicious in a wrap (especially good with lemon pepper seasoning).
What We Ate Last Week #2
We had company for part of last week, so I forgot (or was too busy) to take photos. I also remade curry, since this is a dish we thought would be popular with our guests.
Monday: Baked sweet potatoes topped with canned vegetarian chili and sauteed spinach
Tuesday: Quinoa salad with autumn fruits over spring mix greens
Wednesday: Tofurky kielbasa with sauerkraut and potato salad made with Greek yogurt
Thursday: hummus sandwiches at Which Wich (love that place!)
Friday:
Arugula Pasta and garlic bread
Saturday: after eating a large lunch out, we decided to have a "fake it" dinner, so a combo of leftovers and sandwiches
Sunday:
Thai Green Curry with brown rice
See Previous Week Menu
Making Soup
One of my goals this fall/winter is to make my own soup every week or two. You may be thinking, "how could that be
lazy?" But, to tell the truth, it's much easier than you may think. I do use some convenience foods - like Imagine brand low sodium vegetable stock (now a staple in my house) and some canned or frozen vegetables. I also look for recipes that use just a few ingredients.
For example, I recently made this
asparagus soup. I made a half recipe, which was just right for dinner with a sandwich. That's my "Parisian sub" recipe, with arugula added.
I do want to get (1) a medium size stock pot without a non-stick surface and (2) an immersion blender - mostly to cut down on cleanup time, and because my regular blender is the one we got as a wedding gift 24 years ago (and, well, the motor smells like it's burning and the base leaks a little).
So, expect some soup recipes over the next few months.
Quick update from my last post: I am back on my feet, and my seat, with only moderate lingering pain, so I think my tailbone was
not broken, just bruised.
Just To Keep You Updated ...
So, last week -
My husband started the week working the 2 AM - 11 AM shift (and sleeping through dinnertime)
then -
We had a vacation day, went to a baseball game, and, due to traffic, stopped at Soup 'n Salad for dinner
then -
I fell in my bathroom and (probably) broke my tailbone. (My not-so-great Dr's office felt there was no reason to x-ray since there is nothing they can do for a broken tailbone, except wait for it to heal.)
So, we have been eating frozen dinners, sandwiches, takeout, etc. And I am typing this kneeling on the floor in front of my computer, because I still can't sit!
I will return to the "what we ate last week" as soon as I can do something besides lie on my side.
Recipe: Flexible Thai Green Curry
Adapted from a recipe in "The 30-Minute Vegan" cookbook.
As written, recipe makes 4 servings.
1 package extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
1/2 - 1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp canola oil + 1 Tbsp sesame oil (or 2 Tbsp canola)
1 cup sliced carrots (or halved baby carrots)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups chopped bok choy or Chinese (napa) cabbage
1 cup basil leaves (larger ones halved)
Optional additional vegetables: 1 eggplant, cubed; 1 bunch asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces; mushrooms, whole or quartered; sweet potatoes, cubed.
2 - 3 Tbsp green curry paste
1 can coconut milk (I always use a lite, unsweetened one)
red pepper flakes, to taste (I use about 1 tsp)
Heat oil in wok or large skillet (med-hi) and pan-fry tofu cubes until brown. Remove and set aside. (Alternately, you can toss tofu cubes in oil and bake in a 350 degree oven or toaster oven for 30 min.)
Heat remaining oil (med). Add vegetables and cook until they are done (if you are using eggplant or sweet potatoes, cook these first before adding the rest of vegetables). Add the reserved tofu cubes, coconut milk, green curry paste, and red pepper flakes. Cook 5 - 10 more minutes. Serve over rice (preferably brown).
To make 2 servings: use half the tofu and oil, reduce vegetables as desired, and use between 1/2 and 1 can coconut milk. I sometimes have used part of the can for a soup recipe, and plan this as a second meal that week.
