I want to catch up. It's been a long time since I posted anything. It's not because I haven't cooked or wanted to. I haven't been super-experimental in the kitchen but am still cooking a lot.
Cooking is necessary for me. it's like exercise. If I'm not doing those things, I am very unhappy. They ground me and remind me of the basics in life.
Here are a couple ideas for you from probably 6 weeks ago, back when there was snow on the ground and Fett swore to me that we'd have a big snow in late April. I was right! We didn't!
Kale salad discoveries:
I recently read a brief interview with some snotbag chef in Vegetarian Times who was saying how passe and uncool kale is. She rolls her eyes and thinks anyone who uses kale now is totally unhip. Fuck her. I love it.
-I put celery greens/tops in a few weeks ago and it was fantastic. It's like parsley but bitier and a bit more interesting. Maybe some celery seed would be nice with it? Fennel? Anise?
-I am finding that using a bit of veganaise is really helpful to get the dressing to stick and for the salad to feel like it has body and heft. It only takes 1/3 c or so for an entire 16 oz of kale.
-chopped prunes are awesome, better than raisins.
-pepitas are totally my favorite nut in there and they are lowest in calories and high in iron and other nutrients vegans need
-It is gross and nasty with balsamic vinegar and and makes it wilt too fast.
-Parsley is great, the more the better. I think I chopped up at least 2-3 cups of curly parsley in the last batch.
Asparagus season
-Is NOW!!! Get on it! yes, it makes your pee smell weird. But isn't it kind of satisfying knowing you ate something so healthy and delicious and you are reminded of it at an unexpected time?! You really "know" your body used it...although I guess the smell means that the body can't process some part of it....whatever. Let's move on from urine.
-Roast your asparagus. I haven't yet this year but will tonight. My mom made some last night and I don't know what was on it (What was it, momma?) but it was great. I often just use italian seasoning or salt and olive oil.
-Asparagus vinaigrette is TO DIE FOR.
-Make the most of its ubiquitousness now. It is a wonderful vegetable
Booze
-This has often been Fett's department. He's clever with this.
-A few weeks ago he made a drink with Mirin (a sort of sweet thing derived from Sake) and pickled ginger and vodka and seltzer. It was really good.
-When making mojitos!!!! Fett does the following: he sort of spanks the leaves of mint. I know that sounds hilarious and crazy but he does. He puts it flat on his palm and smacks it with the other. It bruises it and gets it ready to muddle. He uses high quality turbinado sugar and REALLY good rum called Zaya. I recommend that you follow that because these were fantastic. Be sure to really muddle up that lime too. There are millions of recipes on the web for mojitos. I'm at work and don't have time to look right now and don't need to be fantasizing about alcohol for the next hour.
-If you are gluten-free, a fantastic beer is Omission. I highly recommend it.
My child has been driving me nuts about food. He is suddenly pretending he doesn't like things he once did (curry, peanut butter, bread, asparagus, grapes, applesauce). I have decided that he has to eat what I make and that I'm not harassing him about it. But it makes my head explode when I make him a tasty grilled cheese and he whines that it's not exactly what he wanted actually. And I can't eat a tasty grilled cheese so it makes me rage that he CAN and WON'T. I know..I could if I really wanted to. You don't want to see the fall-out from that though or maybe I should say blow-out.
