Rice Pudding

Vegan 
Rescue Mission: on-its-way-out banana and (cooked) purple rice mix

Ok, I know, I know, gruel, right?  So delicious!

Heated unsweetened soy milk, added the (cooked) rice mix with a dash of cinnamon and followed Kath Eats Real Food's method of whipping in the banana. Pleasantly sweet enough for me! Yum yum!

Brown Rice Congee and Veg

Vegan
Rescue Mission: various veg that have been idling in the fridge for nearly a week

Ok, nothing glamorous here... Let's face it, it's gruel... But it's pretty tasty!

High water to rice ration (up to 8:1)
Cooking time: 1 hour or more on low heat, just stir occasionally

Flavors: started with fresh ginger, added ground cumin, soy sauce, sesame oil
(+ salt & lemon juice to serve)

Veg: carrots, eggplant, red pepper, bok choy

Stewed Fruit

Vegan
Rescue Mission: using up past-its-prime fruit or fruit that was disappointing in taste (eg. bland)

Any fruit, fresh and dried is a good combo. Add water, spices and stew away... viola! Topping for oatmeal and pancakes, can serve as a jam-like spread, etc

The before and after. Suggested serving below!

Overnight Oats

Vegan (or not)

Unbeknownst to me, even as I searched hi and lo for easy nutritious breakfast ideas, Overnight Oats have apparently been taking the world of food blogs by storm.

The promise of a sunny day and a happy re-discovery of soy yogurt while grocery shopping means, tonight's the night!

Masala Chai #1

Lacto-veg Recipe from Rainy Pixels

Peppy, though the black bean soy milk and possibly the black tea I used bunked it up a bit

Spiced Basmati-Almond Muffins

Ovo-Lacto Veg

This is a recipe from Sunlight Café by Molly Katzen, creator of the Moosewood Restaurant phenomenon.

Overall, not bad, could be more moist (sub applesauce for oil next time and my rice was quite dry AND not basmati but a regular brown). The main issue was collecting all the ingredients... By the time I chopped nuts, zested the orange, ground the spices, squeezed the lemon juice and measured everything... oh boy...

However, I brought a few out of a freezer on a day hike and they really hit the spot, being all chewy and hearty and giving us sustained energy to keep trucking on.

Savory Sweet Potato Bread

Ovo-veg

Everyone likes this stuff (me included!)

*Note: I prefer either cutting down on or entirely skipping the 1/2 cup sugar in the original recipe, otherwise you get a strange mix of too-sweet with rosemary. I've also baked it in a loaf pan, just takes a bit longer.

• 1 ½ C uncooked shredded sweet potato
• 1/3 C oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 C white flour
• ½ C whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbl sesame seeds

• ---

• Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom only of 9” round pan or 8” square pan
• Mix sweet potato, (sugar), oil and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except sesame seeds
• Spread in pan. Sprinkle with sesame
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

• Recipe suggests serving warm with orange butter

Warm Ginger Papaya Smoothie

Vegan

Wanted something soothing and light to start the day after doing this Motivation-Activation Flow Practice video from Yoga Journal.

Inspired by the food-replacing liquid fast combo of guava-papaya-apple, I left out the apple this time and used warm ginger tea for the liquid.

I scoop out the guava seeds for smoothies, but then eat that bit with great relish, since I think the creamy flesh around the seeds is the best thing guava's got going.












Smoothies with a watery liquid (eg herbal tea) are kind of a nice lighter alternative to the creamy soy milk etc - based ones I often make. And you taste the actual fruit more. Witness this intensely colored blueberry-banana number from yesterday (left), compared to a creamy one (right):

A little Buddhist perspective...

on the whole food thing...

From a book by Patrul Rinpoche, one of the most famous of Tibet's wandering yogis

"... be satisfied with whatever food and clothes might come your way..."

in which he also quotes Padampa Sangye:

"Even delicious meals turn into excrement; don't give great importance to food.
...
The most precious jewel is within you; do not long for food and wealth.
...
Mind has its own natural ability; don't just follow the dictates of your stomach."

Stewed Veggie Rice

Chinese New Year Day - Year of the Little Dragon! (Snake)

Vegan
Rescue Mission: brown rice and veggies-on-the-verge:
- soaked dried-out mushrooms (stems still a little too wood-y, just huck 'em next time)
- cut off bits of tomatoes

METHOD

1. sautéed onion with shredded carrot in EVO - mmm, Dad's pilaf smells came from this!

2. added remembered ginger, then chopped mushrooms and carrots

3. debated serving on top of rice, but tossed right in it warmed up and soaked up the liquid

4. S+P

Blueberry Smoothie

Chinese NY Eve
Inspired by the Ultra Simple Diet breakfast shake with alternatives 
Vegan