Vegamofo: Inspiration from all over

 

Let's just take a moment to give it up for all the amazing stuff going on across the internet right now for mofo. I know I've been starring things left-right-and-centre. Most of which I will likely only get around to after mofo is over, but I love reading about what everyone else is doing.

I love seeing everyone's unique and inspiring creations for mofo and perhaps even more-so, I love seeing everyone's ordinary food lives. The tried and true stuff people are making each and every day. New ideas are lovlie and inspiring, but something just draws my attention to the everyday moments in other people's kitchen. It's like being part of someone's family. Food is just so important, even when it's not important, you know?

So speaking about ordinary food and voyeuristic-food thrills, after lurking mofo-feeds for a few hours, I made some dinner and roasted squash I bought for risotto last week. I still had some beans leftover and an open tab to a sweet bean side dish so that got thrown in there too.

One of the things I made was a Mexican-themed rice inspired by this post on Run Crissie Run about tacos (MMM tacos). Crissie whipped up some tasty tacos and easy Mexican rice in her rice cooker. Now readers, here's the thing... rice and I have a mixed relationship. I have a rice cooker, I've tried the stove top, but rice is one of those things that never goes quite my way. Or leaves me uninspired.


To the point that I've stocked up on boxed rice/grain mixes and pilaf kits, because to make tasty rice was something I never got quite right. So I decided to take the rice recipe mentioned above and jump with it.

Mexican-Themed Rice Pilaf

• 1 cup brown rice (I rinsed it, because the internet told me to)
• 2 cups water (tap)
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/4 can of chopped tomatoes I had lurking in the fridge
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 onion diced
• equal parts (1tbs?) Cumin, Chilli Powder, Oregano
• A lot of Parika 2 tbs
• Small amount of red chili flakes 1tsp or more (I plan to serve this with hot sauce)

So I dumped all this into my rice cooker and let it do it's thing. Alternatively, use stove top directions for rice and saute the onion/garlic for a bit in the oil, then toast the rice/spices before adding the liquid.

A few other dishes made their mark on my pallet and just so happened to fit what I had laying around. Like the sweet bean side dish from Alien's Day Out  with the Halifax rain's howling outside and wind making things chilly. I grabbed the remaining cooked kidney beans, browned an onion and garlic in some oil before dumping in the beans, cooking liquid, extra water, 2 Tbs brown sugar, 1 Tbs braggs, 1 Tbs soy sauce, salt pepper and a hint of cumin to tie into the rice.

I also tossed two sweet potatoes (on sale for 0.99$!) into a pot to boil, when they were almost done I tossed them in oil then into the oven with the squash. Ate them with Earth Balance, side beans and mexican rice. I debated whipping up tortillas to roll em up together with salsa and hot sauce.