I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the extent of my apathy towards agricultural industrialization. I mean, for the most part, the things that I purchase are in support of local and sustainable businesses and I really try to make an effort to consume conscientiously. But I wonder if it is enough.
This morning, I saw this short stop-motion video called “Breakfast” and it all but shocked me into Veganism. It isn’t at all abrasive, just really effective. The video was inspired by an experience the filmmaker had taking a child fishing. The child caught a fish, and after being told the fish was going to be cleaned and prepared for eating, the child freaked out and demanded that the fish be returned to the water. Later, at the supermarket, when told to choose anything to eat, the same child chose fish sticks.
How much thought really goes into what I am eating and where it is coming from? I’m not sure I always have the answer. And I should. Everyone should.
Let me tell you, chorizo is quite possibly my new favorite thing on the planet. I want to put it in everything! For lunch today, I made a very easy and very yummy chorizo and egg scramble and it was every bit as good as I had imagined it would be the instant I first tasted the chorizo sandwiches. Next, I’m going to make a kind of vegan Sloppy Joe. Maybe even tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow, if you haven’t already, head over to the Dishing For Dana Site and check out the live auction that kicked off yesterday to close out the final portion of FUNdraising. Dana’s surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning, which means she needs our help more than ever. Through the generous support of her readers, Dana has been able to raise over half of her $22,000 goal, with more than $1,100 already allocated to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association.
The Shepherd’s Pie that I cooked up in support of Dana was featured on the site a few days ago, and that recipe, along with scores of others, can be yours for a donation as little as one dollar. With outstanding recipes from the likes of quarrygirl and yours truly, it’s definitely a worthwhile investment for a very worthy cause.
Sending lots of love and light and healing from the Small Time Cook Kitchen to the Burrito Kingdom, where Madame LaRue so happily resides. Cheers to you, my friend.
I had never eaten chorizo before, let alone prepare it, and so choosing to buy the stuff was truly an adventurous decision. As if that wasn’t enough, sauerkraut also made its inaugural appearance in my grocery basket. I like to keep it interesting.
I really didn’t know what to expect with respect to either of these things, and was ever so grateful that the mister stepped in and made lunch. He fried the chorizo in a pan, caramelized some onions and peppers, and sauteed the sauerkraut in a little bit of butter. It was a fantastic explosion of fragrant aromas that tasted every bit as good as they smelled.
The spiciness of the soy chorizo was enhanced by the tang of the sauerkraut and the sweetness of the caramelized onions and peppers. Lusty Monk mustard balanced the flavors of the sandwich, serving as an excellent backdrop supporting the other ingredients. Served with a very light and simple butter leaf lettuce salad, it was an awesome and exciting afternoon meal.
While this was indeed delicious, the necessary ingredients have already been purchased in order to prepare an entirely different sort of chorizo experience.
This is what my mornings have looked like, every single day since Wednesday. Sprinkle that with a little Emet and Jade, and my bursting heart and admitted absent-mindedness begin to explain themselves.
It’s true. I’ve been wrapped up in every single thing related to my cats and my family. It’s not that I am not always that attentive to those things, it’s that perhaps I’m not always as reverent to those things.
My point is, I love life. I love my family, I’m grateful for how I’m able to spend my time, and I’m in the middle of a sleepover right now, so that’s really all I can share.
I promise to be back tomorrow with an all new recipe!
When Bilbo and Batman arrived on Wednesday morning, the lady from whom we adopted them was kind enough to send along a few cans of wet kitten food and a small container of dry kibble. I’ve had cats before, even kittens, and have always fed them a mixture of the two and never really minded that the food that they were eating was, for lack of a better word, gross.
Despite having been vegetarian for the majority of my life, over the past few years, I have grown into a very conscientious consumer. That is to say, not only do I think about what I am buying, I think about why I buy it and where it has come from, whatever it may be. And now, as an owner of kittens, I now have to think about where their food is coming from.
Thankfully, cat litter has come a long way. In commercialized grocery stores, things like 100% biodegradable, dehydrated corn-based litter can be purchased, in respectable packaging and at a reasonable price. I’m pretty sure I’ll be adding baking soda to the mix, because the odor controlling abilities leave something to be desired. Still, I’m comfortable with the purchase, and thankful for its convenience.
But, their food! Thoughtless and revolting come to mind, followed my the unmistakable urge to gag. Having to handle or, worse, smell the stuff makes me really uncomfortable. Granted, I’m well aware of the carnivorous nature of cats, and would never think to deprive my furry babies of nutrients vital to their health. However, I believe that a cat can have a compassionate diet.
After doing a bit of Googling, I came across many blogs that discuss the veganization of their pets. More often than not, it involves making seitan and then preparing it in some sort of soy-and-nutritional-yeast-based-sauce. There are also vegan cat foods available for purchase, though they are hard to find in stores and therefore involve shipping, which is kind of a pain. So, I think I’ll be experimenting with their diet over the next few weeks. First and foremost, I want to make sure that they are getting everything they need to thrive, and that it comes from the best possible sources.
They are the sweetest beings, so full of and ready to give love, and they deserve to have as much thought given to their diet as to the rest of us. They are, after all, part of our family.
We are so lucky!
Meet Batman and Bilbo Baggins, the newest members of our patchwork family. We think they are pretty rad. Less than twelve hours ago, these two fluffballs moved in, and our lives have already changed.
Take for example, itty bitty Batman, who decided to explore the complex inner workings of our ancient heating system in the middle of dinner. Or Bilbo, who landed face first in his water bowl not twenty minutes after arriving. Needless to say, I anticipate lots of future posts featuring these fuzzy faces.
Oh, the smooshness!
A few weeks ago, I tried my hand at making soup noodles. I, for one, thought that they were thick and perfect. The mister, on the other hand, was not impressed. But in light of the recent gnocchi situation, I am forced to wonder if there isn’t a wheat flour more suited to the task.
Are there any great noodle recipes out there? Care to send them my way?
We don’t have television. That’s not to say we don’t watch television. We do, thanks to Netflix and the network shows that stream through the internet subsequent to being aired. This year, for the first time, I’ve experienced the psychological drama that is Survivor. Yesterday was the finale, and like the people who sprang from their beds at odd hours to catch the Royal Wedding, I woke at midnight — as soon as the episode was available for streaming — and stayed up until nearly three a.m. watching all the coverage.
Understandably, I was a little out of it today, and even completely spaced on a date I’d really been looking forward to. (Sorry, Dana! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow….) Apparently, my being out of it involves cleaning our entire house, because that’s exactly what I did. Well, everything except my desk, but let’s not harp on specifics.
I was too busy making sure all three beds had clean sheets and that the tub and bathroom sink were all scoured and sparkly to notice that it was swiftly approaching dinnertime and nothing was on the stove. My mister swooped in, and prepared an elegant and ever so tasty meal of butternut squash ravioli and vodka sauce.
He even made a fabulous butter leaf lettuce salad featuring things like red onions and garbanzo beans. I was very impressed! Since he made the meal, I decided to photograph it, which is why these are both terrible pictures. They in no way reflect the phenomenal presentation or playful mix of flavors that I was treated to thanks to him.
Clearly, he’s a much better in the kitchen than I am with the camera.
Virtually any kitchen disaster learning experience can be rectified with shredded cheese and a broiler.
What was once sweet potato gnocchi has been transformed into a cheesy pie, and oh my goodness, I think it’s even better than what I had intended it to be. Twenty minutes at 350° and then then under the broiler (or until brown and bubbly).
I can’t wait to make this on purpose.
I had the best of intentions. I really did. And to be honest, I’m not exactly sure what went wrong.
I started by baking four potatoes (3 Yukon Golds, one Sweet) at 400° for about an hour. The skin peeled off easily and they mashed together just fine. So far, so good.
I made the dough mixture by boiling a little butter in some water, and then whisking in some flour until it came away from the pan. I also added in some salt, pepper, and nutmeg, semi-inspired by Julia Child.
I blended everything together in my Kitchen-Aid, resulting in what I can only describe mashed potatoes with added elasticity.
The rolled together nicely, forming that familiar pillow-like shape.
They even floated to the top after a few minutes in salted, simmering water, just like they’re supposed to.
But when I put them in the pan with the onions, they completely fell apart. I had a feeling something was amiss as soon as I pulled them out of the water with the slotted spoon; they didn’t seem quite right. I could never have anticipated the disaster that ensued.
Not all was lost! Indeed, I rescued this mess. And tomorrow, I’ll show you exactly how.