My Daddy went to the curb market last week & called me while he was there to see if I wanted anything. Twenty-eight minutes later (that's how long we were on the phone discussing the selection) he had me a basket full of goodies from the "clearance" area! I got eggplant, zucchini, red bell pepper, tomatoes, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, corn & bananas (the latter three were not from the clearance area). One night I made tempura tofu & veggies, very tasty! A couple of nights ago I decided to try my hand at ratatouille, being that I had all the vegetables here & they needed to be eaten. (We made ratatouille nightly in the restaurant that I did my internship, but it was a quick skillet version.) This was a labor of love & well worth every second! I used Julia Child's recipe which I found online (I just added more eggplant & zucchini than called for, I later read she had increased the amounts in another printing of the same recipe-- my measurements are listed below). I wanted to serve it as a main dish, so I also made polenta to go with it (I added Parmesan to mine, but left some plain for Sean). Next time, there will definitely be a next time, I will leave more juices; seeing as I was serving as a main course & over polenta--more juices would have been good soaked into the polenta.

Sean was working, so when he got home I was excited to see what he thought about it; he loved it, he ate 3 bowls full! I saved a little to try the next day, to see how the flavors melded overnight. I had an appointment yesterday morning & didn't get home until well after lunch & was starving. I went to the refrigerator & pulled out the polenta & started searching for the ratatouille. Frantic, I couldn't find it, I went to the sink & to my horror there was a small container with what appeared to be the remnants of my beloved ratatouille in it. I was on the phone; I told my Mother that I would have to call her back, she quickly hung-up, not wanting to hear my wrath. I called to Sean in his office, indeed, he had mindlessly eaten my precious leftover ratatouille while talking on the phone & not thinking of my request for him to leave it alone. What ensued is not printable! I had to go to him later & apologize for being so angry. It had taken me a couple of hours, or longer, to prepare this dish! He was sorry that he had eaten it & all was well...except I had not gotten to taste my day-old ratatouille...that he informed me in the middle of my screaming "was even better today"! Thank you very much!


















Ratatouille

1 lb. eggplant
1 lb. zucchini
1 t. salt
7 T. olive oil, divided
2 c. thinly sliced onion (I used yellow)
2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced into strips
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 lb. firm but ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded & cut into 1/4 in. strips
3 T. minced fresh parsley

Peel eggplant; cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then cut into 3-inch-long, 1-inch-wide strips. Cut zucchini into same size strips. Place vegetables in large bowl; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain; dry with paper towels.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add eggplant and zucchini to skillet; sauté until light golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plate; reserve.

Add 3 tablespoons oil to skillet; heat over medium heat. Add onion and peppers; sauté until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

Place tomato strips atop onion-pepper mixture in skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover skillet; cook over low heat until tomatoes begin to juice, about 5 minutes. Uncover; baste vegetables in skillet with juices. Boil until juices are almost evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer 1/3 of onion-pepper-tomato mixture to 2 1/2-quart pot; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley. Top with half of eggplant and half of zucchini, then remaining onion-pepper-tomato mixture; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley. Layer remaining eggplant and zucchini over; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley. Cover; simmer over low heat 10 minutes. Uncover; tilt pot and baste with accumulated juices. Increase heat to medium; simmer uncovered, basting several times with pan juices until only 2 to 3 tablespoons juices remain in pot, watching closely to avoid scorching, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cool slightly. Cover; chill. Serve at room temperature or rewarm over medium-low heat before serving

I have very much been enjoying corn lately; in different forms, though. A week or so ago I prepared food for a very casual lunch & had some Mexican cornbread muffins left over. A favorite lunch of mine last week was a fried egg, Mexican cornbread & a tomato; very nice combination of flavors & textures. Today, I reheated a piece of polenta & ate it with a fried egg & tomato--again, delicious! I think I may be onto something!

I realized a couple of days ago that this month is Vegan Month of Food or VeganMoFo; it's basically to bring awareness to veganism & vegan food bloggers commit to blogging about vegan food 5 days a week for the entire month of October. I love the concept & even considered making the commitment. However, I just don't have the time; the Airstream is rolling right along (pun intended!) & is requiring much of my time & energy. I am looking forward to reading so many vegan food posts by so many talented cooks & funny bloggers!

Speaking of the Airstream, we received some very positive news last week regarding the location we are trying to get approved to open our all-natural, slow food, organic, mostly vegetarian cafe. As a result, we are working towards obtaining a building permit & finishing out the inside of the 'Stream as quickly as possible. We have set some goals & a timeline & are very excited about all that is happening! It will give me an outlet to cook the food that I am passionate about, healthy food, & also, a kitchen to prep for my personal chef jobs in. Speaking of which, I better head to the kitchen & get busy with some prepping that I need to get done for another job!

Labels: airstream trailer, Julia Child, personal chef, polenta, Ratatouille, vegan blog, vegan food, Vegan Month of Food, VeganMoFo

I am sure that most of you vegan foodies have all tried the chocolate silk tofu pie by now. I have made it countless times for vegans & non-vegans alike & it is loved by all. (Except my Mother, who would have loved it had we not all been staring at her anticipating her reaction! She is one of the pickiest people I know & if she even thinks it has something she deems as "weird" in it, she turns her nose up.) I typically make a chocolate peanut butter version, which is yummalicious. Back in the spring I was doing a cooking demonstration for Walton County Earth Day & was asked to use local ingredients. Well, Earth Day is in April & not much is growing in Northwest Florida in April, except for strawberries. So, I attempted a strawberry version of this pie; I made the crust from coconut cookies & was planning on filling it with a mixture of silken tofu, fresh strawberries, & coconut milk (note: planning). Let me assure you, it was a complete disaster, so much so that I had to pour the tofu mixture down the garbage disposal. Strawberries are not a strong enough flavor to mask the gluey flavor of the silken tofu. Don't get me wrong, I love tofu, I eat it straight out of the package before even cooking it, but that is firm tofu; silken tofu tends to lend itself to a glue-like flavor, in my opinion. I added an entire jar of strawberry fruit spread, no use. I ended up cooking a vegan green bean casserole for my demonstration instead of strawberry pie--not necessarily in season in April, but they do grow abundantly in this area.

However, I still had a coconut pie crust prepared; when handed a coconut pie crust, make coconut chocolate pie--which I did. Here's my recipe:

Coconut Chocolate Pie

2 or so cups finely crushed coconut flavored cookies
1/4 cup Earth Balance, melted
2 cups Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or coconut would be awesome, I just don't keep it on hand)
1 package silken tofu
1 tablespoon honey (or agave nectar or whatever sweetener you choose to use--I know honey is not considered vegan, but we eat it.)
1 cup toasted, shredded coconut
toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans
toasted, shredded coconut

In a blender or food processor blend the cookies until finely crushed. Mix cookies & butter together. Spread the cookie mixture into the bottom & part way up the sides of a well greased springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Melt chocolate & coconut milk in double boiler over simmering water. When the chocolate has melted, stir in the vanilla extract.

In a blender or food processer puree the tofu, honey/sweetener, 1 cup coconut, and chocolate mixture until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides. Pour this into cooled pie crust; smooth the top. Sprinkle the nuts around the edges of the pie & then add the remaining toasted coconut to the center. Or, just mix the nuts & coconut & sprinkle over the entire pie.

Chill for at least 2 hours. Enjoy!





















This turned out wonderfully! My sister, her husband & son, who are all vegetarians, were visiting from France & my brother, his wife, their three boys, me & Sean were all having dinner at my parents' house & I brought this pie--everyone loved it (yeah, yeah, everyone but my Mother!), there were no leftovers that night! I served this again this weekend to some friends who are definitely not vegans & they loved it, too. I would love to hear other variations that you may have tried with this recipe.

Labels: chocolate coconut pie, silken tofu, strawberries, vegan food, vegan pie recipe, Walton County Earth Day

My Daddy loves to cook. He shows his love through cooking. We are not a lovey-dovey family with lots of hugs & kisses & "I love you"'s. He cooks, we eat & all is well. He is what I call a "feeder". He truly enjoys to see people eating. (Mind you, this is no longer simple since Sean & I have alternative diets. My Daddy is a southern cook who likes to use bacon grease--really, I should say, my Mother likes for him to cook with bacon grease. As usual, I digress.) I have discovered over the years that I have inherited this trait.

Sean & I went to help a friend, Bala Boyd, film a video for his production company, Gypsy House Productions, & we had to be there at the crack of dawn (actually at 8:00am, but dressed, ready & out the door that early is the crack of dawn for us!). I decided I would bring some homemade monkey bread using a great new whole wheat bread recipe that Bala's wife, Joni, had shared with me. I also made a salad to go with lunch. As I was loading all my yummalicious goodies in the car, I thought "I come bringing love.". I have really been pondering this ever since. When I cook for people it is out of love & the food is love. Whether it is for family & friends that come over for dinner, for clients, or just for me & Sean, it is done out of love.

Speaking of clients, I have been cooking like crazy! I recently cooked in a home in Destiny by the Sea that has been under construction for years (literally); the group that I cooked for were the first people to stay there & the last, from what they had heard, because a member of John Mayer's band bought the house. Pretty cool! It was enourmous & had a great kitchen! You would be amazed at some of the not-so-great kitchens I have cooked in; the smallest one so far was several weeks ago at Sandestin--great family, tiny kitchen. I normally cook for omnivores, but I had the pleasure of cooking for a group at Alys Beach, three of which were vegetarians; that was a lot of fun! Currently I have some clients in town that own a second home at WaterSound, I have been cooking for them for over a year, when they are in town; it is so nice to go into the home & "know the kitchen" & the family. All of this cooking is a form of love...not necessarily love for the client, because I usually don't know them; but love of the food & of the experience.

So as an end note, I am leaving you with a photo of a chocolate peanut butter pie that I make & my clients love.

Labels: Alys Beach, Bala Boyd, chocolate peanut butter pie, Destiny by the Sea, Gypsy House Productions, John Mayer, Joni Boyd, personal chef, Sandestin, vegan food, vegetarian, WaterSound

I love bacon...the crispness, the saltiness, the smokiness, the wonderfulness! However, I choose not to eat meat any longer & that means bacon, too. In the summertime one of my favorite things to eat is BLT sandwiches--I mean, I eat them year-round, but they are especially tasty in the hot summer months--Sunday afternoons with a BLT & fresh corn-on-the-cob, it doesn't get much better than that! I used to purchase a meatless bacon & cook it in the microwave & add to my sandwiches. But that is expensive & is processed. But then I discovered homemade bacon bits at justthefood.com; thank you, thank you, thank you, Joni Marie! Here is the recipe. I don't add the optional food coloring & instead of cooking in a skillet I bake them in the oven at 375-400 degrees on a well oiled cookie sheet & stir them every 15 minutes until desired crispness. I should add, they tend to get quite dark in order to get them really crunchy.

First I made some bacon bits to add to the BLT burger recipe on her site; they were great. Then I started getting all sorts of ideas on how to use them; aside from the obvious idea to add them to every single sandwich I ever make. I cooked brunch for my husband's family one day & made bacon cheese (nutritional yeast) grits as part of the menu. My sister-in-law's new husband, who isn't used to eating our vegan fares, loved the grits so much he wanted the recipe! (This photo is not the best of the grits, but it's all I've got.)





















Next, it occurred to me that I could go back to making this potato salad that I used to make many years ago that was unbelievable, but also unbelievably unhealthy. It was layers of new potatoes (you may know these as red potatoes), chopped green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, homemade ranch (I use the term "homemade" loosely in this reference, what I actually mean is mayo & sour cream mixed with the envelope of ranch seasoning), and of course, BACON! Yummalicious! So, I veganized this by making my own vegan ranch (for the record, I do not like the type of vegan mayo I can purchase in the area where I live, but once I jazzed it up into a ranch, I could actually eat it), I left out the cheese & added tons of my new love--fakin' bacon bits! It was to die for! Sometimes, when I think dishes are great, but then wonder if it's just because I am so used to eating healthy, I invite over Bala, my friend's husband who will eat anything & give me his honest opinion about it. This is just what I did with the potato salad--he asked for seconds & if I remember correctly, thirds, too! It was definitely a hit!





















Then I got to thinking about a dish that some people, particularly women, love--broccoli salad. I have never been a huge fan, but I wondered how it would turn out veganized. My version consisted of broccoli, dried cranberries, finely diced red onion, sunflower seeds, vegan mayo & the star of the show--fakin' bacon bits! We ate this, but again, we are not lovers of this salad. However, it was good, especially for the broccoli salad crowd.





















One night I made stuffed poblano peppers & at the last minute decided to sprinkle them with...you guessed it, fakin' bacon bits! I love these things!

For anyone who loved bacon in their past life, this recipe is so easy & yummalicious--you must try it! I make a double batch & keep them in an air-tight container on my counter--easy access at all times! If you try Joni Marie's recipe for these bacon bits & come up with more exciting ways to use them, please let me know so I can try them, too!

Labels: bacon, bacon cheese grits, BLT, broccoli salad, fakin' bacon, grits, Joni Marie, justthefood.com, potato salad, vegan broccoli salad, vegan food, vegan grits, vegan potato salad, vegan recipes

I have a huge file saved in my "favorites" of recipes I want to try & another named "tried & true" of ones that are keepers. Night before last I was starving, which is a bad thing to be that hungry & have nothing cooked. I have been wanting to make something like the tofu lettuce wraps from PF Changs, but I didn't have any lettuce. But that thought process made me hungry for Asian food. I was looking through my "to try" file & came across a recipe for General Tso's Tofu on VegWeb.com. (They call it General Tao's Tofu.) I read some of the reviews & decided to give it a shot...with modifications.

First off, I started a pot of brown rice. I decided not to fry the tofu, too messy & I just wanted it to be a little healthier. So I cut extra firm tofu into thin strips & baked them in the oven sprinkled with some garlic powder & white pepper at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, flipped them & cooked an additional 10 minutes. Next I blanched my broccoli. Sean & I have tried so many times to make stir-fry & it never comes out as good as when you order it from a Chinese or Thai restaurant. We have discovered that the secret is to blanch your vegetables & then throw them into the stir-fry just to warm & coat them. I know this is not the method they use in the restaurants, but it works at the Dietrich house! So I brought a pot of water to a boil, threw my broccoli in for about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, drained it & immediately put it into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Next I sauteed an onion that I had chopped into a large dice; in the same skillet with the onion I made a double batch of the sauce. The changes I made were: I used lite soy sauce; I reduced the sugar by half & the sugar I did use was turbinado, plus I used Stevia to sweeten it to my liking; I didn't have any sherry, so I didn't add it; and I used arrowroot to thicken instead of cornstarch, but I didn't double that, just added a little extra than called for (when you make this substitution you need to use more arrowroot--3 t. arrowroot for every 2 t. cornstarch).

I added the broccoli & tofu & stirred to coat really well & served over brown rice. It was delcious! Sean doesn't love ginger, so he thought it was a bit too ginger-y, (and I don't even think I used the full amount, I was just eyeballing it). But I thought it was fabulous & will be making in often! The addition of cabbage or mushrooms or whatever vegetables you like in your stir-fry would be good, too. However, do note, the only things I added to a DOUBLE recipe of the sauce was a package of tofu, an onion & a head of broccoli, if you add even more vegetables, you will definitely need to triple or quadrouple the sauce. It was a bit spicy, my nose was running, (but I am a whimp when it comes to spicy foods), but you can adjust the crushed red pepper to your taste. Enjoy!























Addendum: I made this again tonight with cabbage & carrots. I didn't have any more fresh ginger, so I used dried & less of it (to make Sean happy) & it turned out great! I ate it over brown rice & loved it...I actually have another little plate in the kitchen right now waiting for me.

I have one question, though...does anyone else find that if you cook more than the smallest serving of brown rice (I think it says it serves 5, it's 1 cup of raw rice), do you find that it gets sticky? If I ever use the chart & make a double batch, the consistency isn't nearly as good as just a single batch. Just wondering if it's just me or if other have the same problem.

Labels: broccoli, brown rice, cabbage, General Tso's, tofu, vegan food, vegan recipe, VegWeb.com

I have been out of the blogging world for a while, but I find myself back today. I make no promises. I can't just type a little "blip" & post it & go; it's just not my personality, I am a perfectionist...which is a curse & a blessing.

I typically mill around other vegan blogs & get inspiration or ideas or recipes. A while back I saw a recipe for tofu fish sticks & thought it sounds great. I love fish & still eat it; remember, my husband is the vegan, not me. But I also love to play around with making faux meat & all things vegan, it is a complete challenge to me & I love it. It took me a while to remember to pick up some kelp granules at the health food store; but I was there a couple of weeks ago, saw some & purchased them. So, the night before last, I decided to try the tofish sticks. I sort of combined the recipes found on Tofu Mom's blog & the Shmooed Food blog. I didn't have any almonds, so I used cashews. I also steamed some cauliflower & served it smothered in homemade cashew cheeze. I don't normally care for cauliflower unless it is smothered in something & this something really was delicious!





I asked Sean to make himself some tarter sauce using his vegan mayo; I have not been able to make that switch yet...so I was planning on making my own tarter sauce using Duke's real mayo. But, I did tell myself I would try Sean's version before making my own. However, as I watched him add ingredients that I did not deem necessary nor at all appropriate for tarter sauce--I am from Alabama & my Daddy did used to raise catfish, both of which make me an expert on the ways of tarter sauce--I had resigned myself that Sean's version was going to taste like something other than tarter sauce. Lo & behold, when I tasted it, it actually tasted like tarter sauce & I wasn't even bothered by the "wang" of the vegan mayo! Sean is absolutely brilliant at recreating flavors & mixing things together to make a wonderful flavored anything! I will have to post about his popcorn sometime...it is to die for!





So, my critique of my tofish sticks is that they tasted great, but really just tasted like fried tofu; the tarter sauce was the only indication of "fish". Next time I will use more of the kelp granules; I am assuming that some are stronger than others & maybe I just got a weak batch. It was a great meal, very filling (i.e. very fattening--but I never worry much about that sort of stuff, however, we don't normally eat fried foods & when we do, they sit heavy on the stomach). I was planning on having a "fish" sandwich with the leftovers, but Sean ate most of those before I had a chance to make a sandwich. Have I ever mentioned the fact that no matter how much of something I make, Sean usually eats it all before he goes to bed? He is very thin & you would never guess that about him. Sometimes when I wake up in the mornings there is a sink full of dishes from where he has had another full meal after I went to bed! I don't know where he puts it all!

Until next time...

Labels: cashew cheese, cauliflower, cheeze, faux meat, fish, tarter sauce, tofish, vegan food

What good is a blog when you don't blog? Good question. I don't suppose I am one of those people who can do something day after day after day. Take journaling for instance; I think it's a great concept & very therapeutic & can be healing & helpful & insightful. But who has the time for sitting down to write every single day? And what would it say? "Dear Journal, Well, today I woke up & was hungry earlier than usual. Sean didn't seem like he was going to make a move to cook us anything, so I made us some bbq veggie sandwiches. Then I watched TV, since I had appointed today as my veg-out day. Sean & I went to the "ethical" thrift store, where I bought a nice Pampered Chef rubber spatula for a dime (can you believe that deal?!), a pair of pj bottoms & a cute pair of light blue pants. Sean bought more books, of course. Then home we came. I took a 2-hour nap & then woke hungry. I convinced Sean to make me a pita pizza, it was delicious! I ate all of mine & a quarter of his. Then we watched some more TV. Sean went to work, I went for a bike ride & now I am back home & hungry all over again. All in all it was a good day. Good night, Journal." Would that really serve me a purpose later? Oh, I am sure there would be some interesting entries, where I vent & rage on. And I am sure that I really would benefit from it, but I just don't have time.

Exercise, that is another thing. Sean loves to run. He had 2 herniated discs & couldn't run for about 4 or 5 months, but he had surgery in April & is back to running & is actually training for another marathon. Me on the other hand, I hate to exercise. Let me rephrase that, I hate to exercise alone. Before I got married & again when we lived in my parents' rental house, my friend, Donna, lived just down the street & we would walk together in the mornings. That was nice, we talked & caught up on what was going on with each other & the time flew by. However, we only did this the 2 mornings I actually got up early to go to work; the rest of the week, I just found that there was no time. The truth is, I get bored. "Take your iPod", people tell me, "What iPod?", I say. (I actually just had to look up 'iPod' to see how the weird capitalization went...if that tells you anything!). As odd as it sounds, being that I am married to a musician, I am not really into music. Okay, there, I said it! It's not like music would make me any less bored during exercise. I need human interaction. I have attempted to listen to books on cassette while I walk or bike, but I am easily distracted (aka: A.D.D.) & I find myself constantly having to rewind to see what was just said & that slows me down when I am walking & is virtually impossible while riding a bike. I am trying to to start exercising now, though. I can't think of it as a weight-loss tool, I have to think of it as a mental-health tool. It is good for my mind & stress & longevity. But that is just another thing that is hard for me to do every single day.

I only go to my preschool job 2 days a week; I think if I had to go every day, I would get very bored. That is why I love being a personal chef. I don't have a set schedule, I meet different people each time, I am at different houses, I cook different meals. It's great, no monotony.

However, on the flip side of this coin, I am a homebody & don't mind going days (usually over the weekend) without actually leaving the house. That probably seems monotonous. And it is. But I am busy while at home, thus not having time to blog or journal or exercise!

Actually, I have been quite busy with my personal chef business. Plus, I have been working on new recipes for that, too. Not vegan recipes, but yummy recipes, nonetheless. I am sorry I have been absent for over a week. I solemnly promise that I will try to do better.

Labels: bike ride, exercise, Pampered Chef, personal chef, pita pizza, preschool, running, thrift store, vegan blog, vegan food, walking

I love projects! Is it just me? Does it have something to do with one’s personality or birth order or is it genetics? My parents are always working on some sort of project, many of which I think are complete wastes of time…but who am I to judge? My husband, Sean, thinks I am busy, just like my parents. He likes for me to just chill out & hang out with him when I am off from work & he is home. But I feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day after I have completed a project.

Last week, when I was thinking of what I was going to do with my 6 days off from work, I had decided that one day I would clean out the garage. I wanted to do it yesterday, but Sean wouldn’t have it; yesterday was “our” day, so we hung out. But I clarified to him that Monday would be garage day. I woke up this morning ready to go. However, I got a call about some personal chef work & I had to work up a quote, etc & then got into paying bills & the necessary things that have to be done to keep a household running. I didn’t actually get into the garage until about 2pm. It was an absolute mess! We are such pack rats; I must admit, I am more of a hoarder than Sean. Nevertheless, there was much to be done. After I had been out there for about an hour, here comes Sean with his swim trunks on & no shirt. I assumed he was coming out to help me with the mess & was dressed light to combat the sweltering Florida heat. But, that was not the case, I had come to ride the stationary bike that sits in the midst of the wreck of a garage….while I cleaned! (I suppose he didn’t have any running shorts clean, thus the swim trunks.) As he was riding & I was working, it occurred to me how good I felt cleaning out this awful mess. And I told him as much, trying to make him understand this about me, why it is I love projects. He just looked at me & said “That’s good.”. No epiphany there!

My parents got a new couch & are giving us their old couch, that is why I needed to clean out the garage, that & the fact that you couldn’t even walk through it without having to catapult yourself over bags & boxes. Why you might wonder am I putting the new couch in the garage. Well, it isn’t exactly a new couch. They have had it since I can remember, since the 70’s. Are you starting to get the picture? My mother calls the fabric “FLAME”, if that isn’t the 70’s I don’t know what is. It is a flex-steel couch & has a lifetime warranty--I have heard my mother say this countless times over the years at the prospect of getting a new couch. Just because it has a lifetime warranty doesn’t mean you HAVE to keep it your entire life! Anyhow, we are inheriting this couch. Our couch & 2 matching chairs came from a condo that was being remodeled after Hurricane Ivan did so much damage in Destin. They certainly aren’t the prettiest pieces of furniture, but they aren’t “FLAME”. However, the Boys, actually just one, Boone, has some separation anxiety issues & has chewed holes in every cushion on the couch & both chairs. He is alright as long as he is on his Prozac. (Speaking of drugs, the other one, Hurley, had to be on Xanax for a while! Crazy dogs!) So, our furniture is pretty gross. So the “FLAME” couch is going in the garage until we can find a fabric we like for Sean’s mother to make us slip-covers. All of this to say, I love projects! Is it just me? Or are there others who feel the same as me? I am sad that my 6 day break is over (I only work 2 days a week most of the time, I don’t know what I am complaining about!), because I had more projects planned that I didn’t get to, like bathing the Boys, fertilizing the yard, working on my garden & cleaning out the guest room closet. Oh well, I am sure I will get to those soon….

Since Sean wasn’t exactly helping me clean out the garage, he cooked dinner. He made tofu & refried bean burritos with homemade enchilada sauce & brown rice. They were delicious! I was ravished from working all afternoon & scarfed my food like a wild animal! Plus, there was enough left over for my lunch tomorrow at school.

And as promised, I am attaching a photo of the tofu burgers I made for the 4th. I found the recipe at http://www.johnrussell.name/recipes/burgers.htm It's the one that was the "Judge's Choice". I have made the 3 times now, this last time they turned out the best. I was sure to squeeze lots of the juice from the tofu. Also, I processed the potato & onion for a bit before adding the tofu so it didn’t get too smooth. Don’t make the same mistake I did the first time I made them; I added all the other ingredients & processed. These must be added & mixed by hand. I also cook them longer than the recipe says to, I like for them to be a firmer consistency. I took these to the cookout at my parents’ house & my daddy reheated them on the grill. I didn’t have one, but Sean & his mother both enjoyed them. By-the-way, that is a homegrown tomato in the picture, thus the spots. I can’t complain, I love homegrown tomatoes! Sorry I still haven’t figured out how to do that “thing”, highlight a word & make it link to the website that I want it to go to; Sean is on the phone & won‘t show me now, but promises he will soon.

Well, I am nasty from fighting the dust, dirt, grime, spiders & silverfish all afternoon. I will shower & get a good nights rest for work tomorrow.

Labels: tofu burger, tomatoes, vegan, vegan blog, vegan food, veggie burger

We celebrated the 4th of July on the 5th at my parents' home; they live just a few miles from us. They decided to grill hamburgers & called me to consult on what we would eat. I had spent much of Friday in the kitchen cooking, one of the things I made was a veggie burger of sorts. So I was put in charge of bringing our veggie burgers, whole wheat buns & baked beans. I am sure my mother was not excited at the prospect of me bringing the beans...no bacon in them. She is quite picky & the last time I brought homemade baked beans, her serving went uneaten. This time I was determined to make some beans that tasted like what she was used to. (I must admit, my other recipe is a little different, they are white beans & the sauce isn't very dark. Remember we are from the south & are used to sweet, thick, dark baked beans.)

I found a recipe that claimed to be "The Best Baked Bean Recipe Ever". It sounded promising, so I gave it a shot. I only made a few minor changes (what's new!)...I added a green bell pepper, substituted pinto beans for the kidney beans, 2 T. prepared yellow mustard for the 2 t. dried mustard, used sugar in the raw instead of brown sugar & used mostly BBQ sauce with a little ketchup instead of all ketchup. Okay, maybe that was more than just a few changes, but they were all minor! I must say these beans were delicious! The addition of veggie crumbles really made them feel like real southern "meaty" beans. I am attaching the link below of where I found this recipe. (I haven't quite figured out to make a word highlighted & be able to click on it & it take you straight to a different website & Sean is not here to help me--he is definitely the computer-go-to-guy, along with being the eye behind my photos--thanks so much, Bay!)

http://viewfromthemountain.typepad.com/david_sobotta_weblog/2005/12/the_best_baked_.html

My parents live on the Choctawhatchee Bay, so our cookout took place on the pier yesterday. My brother, his wife & my 2 nephews (5 & 2) were there, along with my mother-in-law & my aunt. They all had regular burgers, Sean & his mother had my veggie burgers, I just had a bun with melted cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickle & onion. My parents had made potato salad, we my beans & my aunt brought a relish tray for the burgers with some delicious homegrown tomatoes.

Sean had to work last night; he is a jazz pianist/vocalist & plays at local restaurants. Some friends of ours from Pensacola, Florida (about an hour & a half away) stayed with us last night. They are both musicians & had a late gig & didn't want to drive back home. They were telling us about a vegan restaurant in Pensacola that they had just discovered call End of the Line (it is by the railroad tracks). They called us today to say there were eating brunch there & how fabulous it is. They have a regular menu with sandwiches & such, but for Sunday brunch & on Thursday nights they have a set menu. The invited us to drive over Thursday to try it out--we are really excited! We don't have any vegan restaurants here in the Santa Rosa Beach/Destin area.

I think Sean did take some pictures of those veggie burgers, I will post them soon. Oh, I made another batch of the banana muffins. This time I had several bananas on the counter about to go completely bad, they were very soft, so I threw them in. The muffins are so moist & delicious! They taste like banana bread! Some nuts would have been delicious. Speaking of which, I think I will go heat one up right now!

Labels: baked beans, End of the Line Cafe, Fourth of July, vegan blog, vegan food, veggie burger

Labels: bran muffins, chocolate chips, cruise, vegan food

Today is July 4th & while most people are cooking out with family & friends I have been in the kitchen all morning baking & cooking. My family has decided to cookout tomorrow instead of today. So I decided to take advantage of the time & bake up some of our favorite treats to have on hand. I made bran muffins first & then I moved on to whole wheat waffles. My husband named these waffles this morning--funny name--but an accurate description! I quadruple this recipe, too, just like the muffins. However, it used to take me forever to make that many waffles with my waffle iron that makes 2 waffles at a time. Finally I got the bright idea to borrow my mother's waffle iron, so that I could cook 4 waffles at once. That worked much better & really sped things along. Then a couple of weeks ago I was in New Orleans helping my sister & her family pack up to move to France & she offered me her Cuisinart waffle iron that make 4 beautiful, perfect waffles at a time. Now, I can knock out 8 waffles at once! I can cook 40 waffles in about half an hour!

You are probably wondering who am I feeding with all those waffles. It's just me & Sean, we don't have kids. But I put about half of them in containers & put in the refrigerator & layer the other half with wax paper, wrap in aluminum foil, stick in a freezer bag & freeze them. Then when we want one or two or three, we pop them in the toaster oven & have yummy waffles for breakfast. It's great for the mornings that I have to be at work & Sean eats them throughout the day. I love waffles & pancakes, but I can cook waffles so much quicker than I can pancakes, that I cook them much more often.

Once I finished with the waffles I made veggie burgers so that we will have something to eat at the cookout tomorrow. But I will blog about them later. For now, I think I will go relax in front of the TV & read other blogs about what all the rest of you vegan foodies are doing on the the 4th of July. Enjoy!


Vegan Whole Wheat Waffles

1 1/3 c. whole-wheat flour
1 c. soymilk
2 T. milled flax seed
¼ c. + 2 T. water
¼ c. canola oil
2 T. honey
1 t. vanilla
2 t. baking powder
¾ t. salt

Mix together the milled flax seed & water. Add the soymilk, canola oil, honey & vanilla.

Combine the flour & salt.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients & mix well. Sift the baking powder lightly over the mixture & quickly fold in.

Bake according to your waffle maker.

Labels: bran muffins, Cuisinart, vegan blog, vegan food, waffles, whole wheat

My name is Jamie Martin Dietrich & I love food! I live in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, just a few miles east of Destin, in the "Florida Panhandle". However, I was born & raised in Alabama & am a southern girl through & through. I married a fella from Kansas named Sean. We have a cat named Rascal Lovebug Sassy Martin Dietrich (or Rascal for short) & 2 dogs, Boone & Hurley, who we refer to as "the boys". Sean is a jazz pianist & vocalist. I am a personal chef & preschool teacher.

As I said before, I love food! I love to cook food, talk about food, eat food & read about food...which brings me to where I am now. Let me explain...

When I graduated from high school, many years ago, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I wasted a lot of time & a lot of money trying to figure it all out. I knew I loved food & always had; so I finally decided to go to culinary school. After graduating with my degree in culinary arts, I went on to get my bachelor's degree in business management. Then I met my wonderful husband, Sean. He had been into body-building for many years & ate a low-fat diet. This would not do! I love food, we could not live on canned tuna! So he started eating junky with me. When we first got married we lived within a very short walking distance of Chick-fil-A, Shakes, Wendy's, Waffle House & Pizza Hut! Boy, did we gain some weight our first year of marriage!

Then Sean decided it was time to quit eating junky & get fit; so we did, sort of. Then we watched "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins & Sean decided then & there that he was going to be a vegan! Me, Jamie, who loves food so much, married to a VEGAN?! Needless to say, I did not get on board. I agreed that in theory it was a good idea, but giving up my precious meat was harder than it sounded. That was almost 2 years ago & I now eat what I call a 95% vegan diet. Am I a vegan? No, but I cook only vegan food for me & Sean at home.

Sean's decision to be a vegan has greatly challenged my culinary skills. I can remember one of my first attempts at vegan cookies...they were supposed to be pumpkin cookies, they came out more like pumpkin puffs; but Sean ate them & liked them! I had never really liked baking much before, but now I really enjoy baking for him & changing recipes to be healthier & vegan.

As a result of wanting to cook some new dishes & be more adventurous, several months ago I began reading vegan blogs (before that, I don't think I had ever even read a blog!). As a result of my obsession with vegan food blogs, my husband has encouraged me to start blogging myself...so here I am! I am excited to share my experiences & thoughts & recipes & adventures with you. I'm Jamie; it's nice to meet you. Enjoy!

Labels: A Diet for a New America, John Robbins, vegan food