I'm a terrible MOFO'er: Late night student eats

As the end of term draws near and dealines loom my time in the kitchen becomes non-existant... as do my meals. In efforts to rectify that I made time to make diner, which is a shame because it was so easy to throw together I should make time to do it everyday.


Bonus for when times are tight and limited cook a bit extra, or make 3-4 things. You can save a little bit of everything to throw into a lunch container for the next day which is what i did.
First I made a simple stir fry with frozen mixed veggies, soysauce, squirt of plum sauce, lemon juice, chili oil, sesame oil and seeds. Very tasty, super easy way to make sure you get at least a bit of green.

frozen stir fry mix (broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, yellow carrot coins)
-sesame seeds, chili oil, toasted sesame oil, garlic, plum sauce, red chilis, all spice, mustard seeds, lemon juice, soysauce.
fry together, string often

The rest of the meal was less green with some roasted red potatoes and vegan chicken strips from super store. Again, it doesn't have to be fancy as long as your eating something during the long days.

Roasted potatoes:
diced red potatoes
canjun spice mix, texan spice mix, veggie grill spice mix, paprika, pepper, olive oil.
Bake at 400 shake/stir every 15 you can bake these with the strips to save time. After the 1st 15 minutes push potatoes to one side to add mock-chicken. Continue baking until done.
Salt AFTER they are finished, otherwise potatoes tend to absorb salt.

I topped the strips with some thai sweet chili heat sauce and tucked a small portion of each into my amazing Green-go containers! <3 they are fantastic.
Be sure to let your leftovers cool before placing the lid, otherwise these suckers will steam up and lose their texture. Place in the fridge and grab on your way out the door to study!

Heartwood love

Peanutbutter Cheesecake MMMM

More love for Heartwood. Photo essay


Portabello sandwich and daily soup

Daily special, quesadilla tofu, beans, roast veggies.

nachos

Veganmofo: the pyschological dance of the midnight snack

It's midnight... you are home alone... watching some horrible exploitation film or horror movie which should never be watched by a single person alone at night when the neighbours are away.

Pressure rises, blood pumps a bit faster then usual. Every little noise makes you second guess if the doors were locked just right. And if your anything like me, when the AM rolls around so does the craving for food. Snacks. Edibles. and not just any, but the greasy, junkfoodie kind. The type of food you should likely limit your intake of and certainly not consume just before bed.

So here I sit, scared a bit witless craving french fries. Pause movie. Dash to Kitchen. Dice Potatoes. Fire up Toaster Oven. Jump at street Noises. Toss in Oil. Potatoes. Spicemixes. WTF WAS THAT CREAKING SOUND. Grab Knife. Insert fries. Return to movie chair.

It's midnight snack cravings that make simple things like spice mixes crucial. It's one less thing you have to worry about as everything your parents and dieting ever told you about eating after 8pm flashes through your mind. Well I say, fuck your parents and dieting and pass me some midnight munchies.

Midnight snacks can take on many a forums but my favourite late night group is carbs. Specifically potatoes, which are easy and versatile to whip up with little effort.

Your toaster oven is your best friend.

Late night nosh fries:

• 3-4 small red skin potatoes
• 4tbsp olive oil
• veggie grill spice mix, tex-mex spice mix and canjun mix
  
• check out yellow rose recipes for some awesome spice mix recipes!

1. turn on toaster oven 350
2. dice potatoes. toss oil into baking sheet. toss in potatoes and dump on your spices
3. cook for 10-20 mins, flip em, cook for another 10-20 until tender/crisp

Salt to taste. enjoy while hiding in a blanket fort.

Veganmofo: The Magic of Fortune Cookies

Ok, so this isn't the most foodie post. But I'm a big fan of the psychological component of food. How food makes us feel, gets us through hard times, triggers memories and generally plays into our lives in a variety of hooky ways. Food Psychology, would be something I'd like to study.

But I digress. A few months ago we went to Kings Palace for some vegan dishes and on the way out I scored a fortune cookie. Which I then placed into my jacket pocket and promptly forgot about, was occasionally prodded by etc. But it sat there.. waiting.

Today, many many months later, this battered and broken shell of a cookie brushed my hand again. I removed it from my pocket to examine it. Broken, shattered, mostly powder with the little paper fortune half poking out. I tilted the plastic back and forth trying to maneuver the cookie pieces away from the blue printed words. Despite its terribly mistreatment and state, these few pieces held their ground.

I slide open the crinkly plastic and slowly turn the contents upside allowing the powdered cookie and pieces to fall into the grass and gingerly remove the paper slip. Returning the now empty plastic packet to my pocket, I unfold the fortune and it reads.

"You tend to be practical and analytical"

..... In Bed or not.

I might have just been standing at the bus stop, alone, on a cold Autumn day, laughing and smiling to myself as my eyes welled with tears.

VeganMofo: Simple Diner for a busy week day

Listening to Violent Blue rant about porn and sex censorship, furries, tribbles, steve jobs, masterbation and 4chan raids.

Thinking about sex positive teaching and chowing down on the leftover potato salad mash from Iron Chef and my heartwood Cheezesteak special from the Vegan Anniversary Celebration.

Glorious saucy shot:


Foodporn because that's all you mofo'ers really care about.


Potato close up with the lovely homemade pickles <3

Sandwich on kamut bread:

Veganmofo: Vegan Iron Chef: Mashed Potatoes: Jyagatama

This weeks Vegan Iron Chef Challenge (posted on fridays by the lovely Katie @Don't Eat off the Sidewalk will keep the posts and possible round ups (?) going.

This weeks challenge was :drumroll: Mashed Potatoes!

I cannot express how much I am looking forward to the results. I had a few different ideas, potato pancakes, cupcakes, burgers, mashed potato frosting for 'neat' loaves. So many possibilities with one of my favourite foods, even the Veganmofo round up of Sweet potato Gnocchi.

Then I remembered one of my Bento cookbooks and a recipe I'd been eyeing for a while for the adorable Jyagatamas. Which are basically like a potato salad dough ball. Cute, small, fast, adroable, simple and used everything I already had on hand!

Another tip, for a more traditional feel a potato ricer or food processor will give a smoother mash and lead to nicer balls. Mine are a tad 'rustic' due to the fork based mashing.
Plus they would make an adorable addition to lunches for the week.

Here's the basic recipe:

Edit: mine were a bit to moist and almost hummusy in parts. Traditionally they are fairly dry and starchy. The flour edition kinda helped but next time I would cut the veganaise down to 1/4 cup to test the waters.

4 cups mashed potatoes (or a pot full of potatoes choppped and boiled)
3 carrots matchsticked, these only need to blanch for 2 minutes, I added them to the potatoes just before they were done
1/2 cup veganaise**
2 tps stone ground spicy or dijon mustard
4 pickle slices chopped, extra picked onions all diced (I had some great homemade stuff form my dad's girlfriend)
dash of lemon juice
celery seed
pepper
chopped parsely
minced garlic

One the potatoes and carrots are cooking, dice your pickles and combine with everything else in a bowl. Whip together and wait until potatoes/carrots cool. Once cool mashed the potatoes with the dressing in the bowl the toss in carrots and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.

chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow flavours to combine. One the mixture is cool roll into little balls and serve immediately or chill for future use!

Traditionally they tend to contain peas and other cooked veggies but I only had carrots on hand. These were also a little wet so I experimented with adding a bit of WW flour to some.

Veganmofo: The Vegan Nacho

Heartwood vegan nachos with seasonal beet salsa!
Originally uploaded by B_A_Dxxx88

Maybe I'm just a bit of a nacho fiend, but down to the simplist corn chips and dip, to the white-trashy toffuties cheese slice, green onions and bacon bits, to the fancy restaurant styled cheese sauce, sauted veggies and freshly made salsa. I cannot get enough of these things.

One of the worst and most common cravings I get are for nachos. My Flicker account has seen it's fair share.. So let's explore some of the resent styles.

Heartwood vegan nachos with seasonal beet salsa!
The high class organic restaurant nacho: Uses seasonal ingredients, homemade vegan sour cream, fresh cheeze sauce (white and herbed), chunks of veggies baked together so the cheese sauce hardens giving it the combined velvet texture of smooth, creamy sauce and baked chew of cheeze products. The salsas and condiment (tofu based) are freshly made to order with local ingredients and fresh cilantro, but not to much avoiding the soapy taste. Perfection. These my friends are high class nachos.
With the surprising addition of beets and fresh grated carrot. No beans and we didn't get guac yet somehow the magic persists. The mound of tofu creme wit fresh dill was fantastic and flavoury.


The White-Trash:Cheap commercial cheese melted in the microwave with stimulated bacon bits and jarred salsa. Affordable, greasy and best consumed with horror movies and pepsi.

The Homemade-Effort or Dinner Nacho:
unlike it's trashy counter part, this made at home duo is hearty and meal like. Suited for superbowl parties or weeknight dinners. This is a simply veggie ground, cooked with veggies, cumin, onions, black beans and salsa until heated and done. Topped with more salsa and toss of nooch or vegan cheese. Served in a bowl and scooped with chips.
This could only be improved with a tofu cream sauce or dollop of lovely guac.

The Retro Night Nacho:
Oven Baked, raw onions, mashed beans-a-la-50's-can. These are pipping hot, filling, greasy and arguably your getting the best of various worlds here. You have some nutrition, no greens, and the salty-greasy-gotta-have-nacho feeling.

Bonus points for 50's inspired pyrex baking dishes and thawing out the salsa you made and froze last summer. Pickled jalapeño slices and you'll be in heaven.

Veganmofo: Happy Veganiverasy to me!

Hey all! Today I'll be out and about chowing down on the town to celebrate 9-10 years of veganism. Oh so many years ago, a much news broad cast turned me into the green-haired-punk-hippy-freak- I am today!

So enjoy the mofo, I'll be reading your blogs, taking photos and re-caping on my eating adventures soon!

Yay veganism!

:celebrating all day/night long:

VeganMofo: Daiya the experiment in Vegan Mac-N-Cheeze

Silky smooth
Originally uploaded by B_A_Dxxx88

So a few days ago I discovered Planet Organic carried Daiya, the vegan cheeze craze of the internet. I bought some a decided in honour of Mofo I'd do up some experiments.

Let me just say. WOW. This was possibly the smoothiest, silkiest, creamiest experience of my life. I had 3 bowls and have hidden the rest away in the mini fridge downstairs to ensure my roommates don't steal any.



I used the recipe more or less as is from Daiya's website. Kids.. believe the hype.

Bonus photos.

Veganmofo-IV:Busy Student Lunches

Busy Student Lunch
Originally uploaded by B_A_Dxxx88

You know the drill, you have 4 proposals due, 2 research essays a book report, board meeting followed by some volunteer events and D&D group.

So I get it, we don't always have time to cook, eat right and sometimes even eat period. And we've all been there, the prospect of taking the 4 minutes to make yourself a PB sandwich.. knowing damn well how much you don't want to eat it and somehow manage to talk yourself out of it.

So in honour of eating better and making the time I've vowed to bring at least 1 snack/meal with me to school/work for my busy days. To help facilitate the beauty sleep and tight schedule I grabbed a pack of 12 vegan yogurt cups. It's not super classy, filling or economical but when it prevents a trip to the cafeteria or other lame-expensive-7$-dry falafel scenario all the better.

This might not work for everyone but for now it's working for me. Take some small steps and don't sweat buying pre-made foods. If it keeps you full and stops you from eating out all the better!

My lunches for the busier days will be some golden flax meal, tossed with pumpkin seed granola, dried coconut shards and vegan yogurt. Tossed together and eaten on the go!

Speaking off enjoy yourselfs Mofoers! I'm off to D&D!

VeganMofo: Day 2: HeartWood Bakery and Vegan Cafe

PICT0093
Originally uploaded by B_A_Dxxx88

Heart wood is one of the many fabulous local buisness in Halifax that cater to vegetarians, vegans and those with dietary constraints. Don't let the dessert case fool you, heartwood means seriously filling, healthy, and organic eating.

The majority of their menu items rely on fresh local produce and changes slightly to accommodate regional flavours and what they have on stock. Lately it's been beets. In everything, included our beet salsa and freshly grated redness over everything.

Whenever I'm feeling under the weather or as if my non-green days have been too many, I hit up heartwood. On cold rainy halifax days, their soups call to me. Different batches each day full of vegetable goodness they never disappoint.

Another daily go to is their special board. The daily special changes daily (duh) so try and get it while it lasts. Unlike most daily specials this isn't a reduced price main, but rather a unique creation made by the kitchen staff based on sheer whim and fairy dust. I've only rarely seen specials repeat, so it's always a good bet to try it out while it's there, because who knows when you'll get the change again.
The special is usually 10.99 and includes a main, side, condiments and other assortments based on the dish. This time it was a vegan Quesadia stuffed with black bean, vegetables, tofu all sauted in spices with some fresh herbs, peppers, onions and shredded carrot. There was a spicy mole sauce on the side, the ww crispy tortilla was topped with their vegan cream sauce. Kinda like cheesy sour scream but with more flavour.

The side was steam greens a heartwood favourite. We also ordered vegan nachos to start. And I couldn't resist dessert, which was much better than I remembered.

The lovely mole sauce


All their desserts are gluten free and often chocolate free as well so i've had issues with the texture (i'm a gluten snob). But the cheese cake today was great!

The lovely chocolate PB, so creamy smooth. Despite their lack of sweeterners it was pleasantly rich and tasty.

VEGANMOFO-FILLER:Veganism Survey: Via Kittee on the mofo forum, via some student looking for mofo-info

1. There are many definitions of veganism out there. What is your definition of veganism? Moreover, what is the difference between being a vegetarian and being a vegan?
Veganism may have started out as a simple dietary change and movement away from something I was no longer comfortable supporting. But since then it's become a lot more, Veganism is now one of my defining characteristics, my lifestyle, a movement, and most of all it's a community. I've met a lot of people whom I consider family, and in reality our only ties are veganism, cooking and a little spot of Internet. Veganism for me is compassion and making simple life choices to make your world a better place.

The difference between vegetarian and vegan can be a lot of things, for various people but strictly speaking it's an abstinence from all harm (dairy eggs honey etc).
2. What are the benefits to being a vegan? Is it a lifestyle choice, or is it restricted solely to what one eats?
Lifestyle choice all the way. The immediate benefits for me personally was a vast improvement of health. It cleared up my skin, brought me down to a healthy weight, helped me overcome issues I had with food and provided me the ground work for overcoming my eating issues. Since going vegan, everything has gotten a little brighter. I went from being a sickly kid, missing weeks of school/work due to common illness to rarely ever getting sick. Taking charge in the kitchen and having something to be passionate about and work towards. It helped me focus and brought back my love of food, cooking and baking.
3. What are some common misconceptions about vegans or veganism?
Mainly that vegan food is simple, boring or bland. That vegans don't eat and are unhealthy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Also that there are no vegan guys, they exist (they just have to spend some time in hiding to avoid being mauled by ladies/boys)
4. University students don't usually have the time or financial means to cook proper, nutritious meals everyday. What would you recommend to students in this situation?
Cooking tasty and healthy doesn't have to break the bank! Some of the cheapest and healthiest things are vegan. The Cheap Vegan is a zine that changed my life, it's amazing rational guide for eating well and living thrifty. The best thing I did in university was a) move out of the dorms and get a real kitchen b) buy a crock pot/slow cooker or pressure cooker and get to it! There are all kinds of cheap living and cooking advice out there. The best thing is to know what you like and shop accordingly. Buy bulk grains, legumes and beans. Shop on discount days and get an easy simplistic cookbook full of recipes you like. If you enjoy your food, you'll enjoy eating and making it too. Plus crock pots are great for cooking beans during school etc and coming home to chili, soup or other amazing dishes.

Don't give up! Plan ahead! and find some recipes/favourites to love!

5. The University of Victoria is currently ranked in second place by PETA2's Most Vegetarian-Friendly University Campus Ranking in Canada. How can students promote more awareness about vegetarianism and, more specifically, veganism?
One thing that worked well for us was hosting monthly vegan potlucks on campus, try talking to your women/gender centre to see about a partnership and being able to use their space. Advertise in local free papers or through posters. We also did monthly cooking classes which introduced students to cheap, easy meals they could make that tasted great and were vegan! cupcakes 101, fancy eatings on cheap livings and basic intro to cooking courses had great success.

We also did some postering, leafleting on campus and hosted film screenings. They are pretty easy and quick to get going.
6. This is the fourth year for the Vegan Month of Food. What are some of the biggest changes you've noticed since the event began?
Publicity! Each year Mofo is getting bigger and badder! This year the blog list alone is outstanding and press is really starting to notice our little endeavour. I've witnessed a lot of blogs and bloggers growing in both their design, writing, photo and recipe skills. Each year people are getting better, learning to cook better and improving in some way. It's amazing to watch people learn as we go along. Some of the ideas and creativity is just unbelievable.
7. Lastly, what are the main goals of Vegan Month of Food?
To raise awareness about veganism and the love of food. Showing people through good food and food geekery what veganism looks, taste and smells like. Feeding people and food are one of the greatest forms of activism we have. Once people see how awesome veganism and vegan food can be, it makes the politics and their implications just a little bit less scary. And shines some warm fuzzies on veganism.

VeganMofo: Day 1!

Ok, so a less than impressive start. Despite my lack of cooking, photo taking and general free time, I've decided to post anyway!

Today my food related activities are limited to grocery shopping at Planet Organic the local organic market. But, I bring you halagonians fantastic news. THEY NOW HAVE DAIYA!!!!

I know, I'm soo excited... It's lurking in my fridge now, so stay tuned for some reviews and trials.

What's more as my dad was in town I also splurged on a few new cool vegan items like tofurkey breakfast links and soy yogurts.

I will try to keep up to date with the Mofoing. Mostly a run down of what I manage to eat in a day with my busy schedule and maybe some suggestions for things to make or grab on the go for the busy among us. Specifically, I splurged at the market and bought a lot of processed/ready made foods I normally wouldn't go near for budget reasons.

However, lately my commitment to not buying pre-made has turned into a commitment to not eating because I'm too lazy/busy/tired etc to make food. Which is bad, so sometimes the extra $ on things like mini soy yogurts or other grab and go foods are justifiable if it means eating something when you would otherwise have nothing, go without or eat out (which is not budget friendly!).

I've also been in the bad habit of eating out, a habit I may continue for mofo and do some HRM Vegan Review series of where to eat and what to order!

Happy Mofo everyone!

And because posts are incomplete without photos I bring you Cell Phone shot of the coconut banana creme pie from the HeartWood bakery/cafe. Please excuse the bite marks.