It seems like a year since my last post, and I don't want to start off being a flaky blogger. So here's a little recap of what I've been up to this week: I've got a breakfast and a dessert for you, both featuring special guest carob.
Oatmeal is definitely my favorite breakfast item. Sure, pancakes taste good, but nothing keeps me satiated all morning like a nice bowl of oatmeal. This was the first time I used carob chips in my oatmeal, and I quite liked the combination. I also threw some walnuts in (they're hiding in the photo, but you can see them if you look closely), and they really complemented the carob. To the right of my bowl of morning goodness, you'll see an orange. I have been very into oranges the past couple of weeks: I keep encountering huge ones, and seriously, no fruit has been more satisfying lately than a plump, juicy orange.
Let's take a closer look. What's this? Oh yes, sexay carob chip nut oatmeal.
If you read my last post, you might have seen that I had a disappointing go-round the last time I made cookies. This time, I made the same recipe, Dreena's Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies, but I substituted carob chips because I that's all I have in my dorm room. (A giant bag of chocolate chips is not safe in my room - it would quickly disappear before making its way into baked goods. Carob chips are safe, though, because they taste nasty when eaten cold.) Anyway, the Homestyle Carob Chip Cookies were not a bit mushy; in fact, they were deliciously just right. Of course, this time I made a 1/4 batch, just enough so that I don't have to share with anyone else! And of course, the time no one else is around to taste my cookies is when they turn out great.
Who can resist a luscious stack of cookies? Not me! That's why this picture is fuzzy. I was ready to eat the cookies at this point in the photo shoot, so I just wanted to get the photography over with and enjoy them!
I hope you enjoyed my adventures in carob-land this week. Stay tuned for a post in the very near future on Almond Quinoa Muffins from Veganomicon. I cannot wait to try my first recipe from this cookbook!
I may be joining in at the tail end of VeganMoFo, but in the spirit of things I've decided to post a survey from Food Snobbery is My Hobbery.
1. Favorite non-dairy milk?
Living Harvest Original Hempmilk for drinking cold with some cookies, Silk Vanilla Soymilk for making a latte, and Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk for making a mocha
2. What are the top 3 dishes/recipes you are planning to cook?
Dreena's Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies (in about 20 minutes), Chickpea Cutlets from Veganomicon, and Almond Quinoa Muffins from Veganomicon
3. Topping of choice for popcorn?
I like it plain and dry, but I've never tried it with Earth Balance yet -- I've heard that's yummy!
4. Most disastrous recipe/meal failure?
I was making Chicago Diner cornbread muffins, and I copied the recipe wrong and only used 1/4 cup of water instead of 3/4 cup! They were so dry and nasty!
5. Favorite pickled item?
Pickling grosses me out. Yuck.
6. How do you organize your recipes?
I have several Word documents saved on my computer: one for tofu, one for breakfast, for desserts, for entrees (non-tofu), for espresso drinks (I have an espresso machine), for muffins, for pancakes, for smoothies, and finally miscellaneous recipes.
7. Compost, trash, or garbage disposal?
Trash, and recycling when available
8. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 foods...what would they be (don't worry about how you'll cook them)?
Oatmeal, cashew butter, and brussels sprouts
9. Fondest food memory from your childhood?
Running away from my day care facility
10. Favorite vegan ice cream?
It's Soy Delicious Carob Peppermint...with Chocolate Oatscreme in a close second (but sadly, I can no longer buy Oatscreme where I live)
11. Most loved kitchen appliance?
The oven, because it produces COOKIES!
12. Spice/herb you would die without?
Pumpkin pie spice. I used to put it everything, but then I realized that makes everything I eat taste the same. So I am trying to refrain from spice-monotony by mixing things up.
13. Cookbook you have owned for the longest time?
Something by Rachael Ray, but I don't count that because I've never used it before. So I'd say Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann.
14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly?
I'm not a big jam/jelly girl. I have a bottle of apple butter in my fridge and I have no idea what to do with it!
15. Favorite vegan recipe to serve to an omni friend?
COOKIES! Everything I've tried by Dreena Burton is divine.
16. Seitan, tofu, or tempeh?
Tempeh.
17. Favorite meal to cook (or time of day to cook)?
I always cook my own breakfast, even though I'm on a college campus. Waking up is so much easier when I think about the breakfast I'm about to make. Other than morning meals, I like to cook at around 4 pm so that I can start chowing down for a 5 pm dinner!
18. What is sitting on top of your refrigerator?
I have a mini fridge in my dorm room, so on top of that is a blender and a Starbucks espresso machine.
19. Name 3 items in your freezer without looking.
My mini fridge doesn't have a freezer. Sad, I know.
20. What's on your grocery list?
Nothing. I'm not going to think about shopping until a little later in the week.
21. Favorite grocery store?
Whole Foods.
22. Name a recipe you'd love to veganize, but haven't yet.
Grilled cheese.
23. Food blog you read the most (besides Isa's because I know you check it everyday)? Or maybe the top 3?
1. Celine's
2. VeggieGirl's
3. Eat Like Me
24. Favorite vegan candy/chocolate?
Endangered Species Extreme Dark Chocolate -- it has an 88% cocoa content! Forget semi-sweet, I like my chocolate DARK!
25. Most extravagant food item purchased lately?
A piece of Chicago Diner cheesecake from Whole Foods (pumpkin chocolate cheesecake, to be exact). $4.99 for one slice! Expensive, but so worth it.
26. What is your favorite restaurant (not including all-vegan or all-vegetarian ones)?
P.F. Chang's China Bistro. They know how to cook their tofu. Not many non-veg restaurants can.
I'll be posting cookie pictures soon once I feed my camera with batteries!
I am sorry to disappoint you with my first sentence, but: I have no food photos to share yet. That should change very soon. I will assure you that I have a digital camera. But I have desperately wanted to create a vegan food blog, so here it is. Welcome.
