Anniversary dinner / vegan mofo 2009

On Sunday we walked to the vegan bake sale (that I baked for last Friday) at Sidecar for Pigs Peace vegan store to buy a bunch of treats for dinner. Sunday was our Anniversary and two of our sons (the third had to work) were cooking us an Anniversary dinner. We wanted to support the sale, and bring dessert to the dinner. Above you can see some of the brownies, pumpkin cookies, blondies, peanut butter cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and more that we snagged at the sale. It was fun to have so much variety for dessert. (I really loved the pumpkin cookies so if you made them and are reading this, please share the recipe!)

If you read this blog you know that our sons and their partners are all great cooks, and we always eat well at their homes. Sunday was no exception. One son made an enormous pot of three-bean chili that was incredible, and the other made a great cornbread, and a fabulous vegetable stir-fry filled with leafy greens from his garden plus broccoli. It was the perfect meal for a chilly fall evening. I took bad photos so I can't post pictures of the yummy food, except for a not-so-great photo of the chili pot.

However, I got a cute shot of Erica, (from "dinner with Aaron and Erica"), and another of Erica and her most dedicated fan club member, goofing around. Behind Erica's back (photo below) you can see the unpredictable and not-always-nice, Lola, resentfully sharing her chair.

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Jonathan Safran Foer on eating meat

There's an essay in last Sunday's New York Times Magazine you might appreciate. Written by Jonathan Safran Foer, the essay, entitled "Against Meat," follows the author's struggles with the cultural and ethical concept of meat-eating from the age of 10 to the present. Well -written and heart-felt, many vegetarians and vegans will identify with and appreciate Foer's struggles and decisions. Jonathan Safran Foer is the author of "Everything is Illuminated" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." His new book of non-fiction, "Eating Animals" will be published in November.

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There are still three more days to enter the cookbook giveaway! Get your copy of "Love Soup" by Anna Thomas just in time for winter soup weather.

Soy Curls vs. TVP / vegan mofo 2009

Soy Curls after soaking, seasoning and sautéing.

I've gotten a couple of questions about the differences between Butler Soy Curls and TVP. As far as I can tell, the Soy Curls are made from whole soy beans, and TVP is made from de-fatted soy flour, a by product of soy oil production. There is no fat in plain TVP. The soy flour is cooked at high pressure, extruded and dried. Some manufacturers add oils, flavorings and assorted chemicals to achieve meat-like qualities, but TVP is also available plain.

According to the Butler Soy Curl Web site:

Select certified Non-GMO soybeans grown without chemical pesticides are soaked in spring water. Then the soybeans are cooked and delicately textured after which they are dried at low temperature thus ensuring the natural goodness of the whole soybean high in fiber and omega-3. Soy Curls™ are one of the most pure, healthful products on the market containing no chemicals, additives, or preservatives.

Both products are high in protein, low in salt and relatively high in fiber, and I'm not endorsing or denouncing either one. I've never been a big user of either of these soy products. In fact, when we cleaned out the kitchen before our recent move, I found a quantity of TVP that was probably at least 10 years old. I couldn't remember either buying or using it, and it went into the compost. Processed foods like this usually make me nervous, and I tend not to eat them very often, though I agree they taste good, and are satisfying and fun to eat.

Given the convenience, good taste and texture, and nutritional profile of TVP and Soy Curls, they are probably very popular food choices. Are they healthy? Are we getting too much soy in our diet? Too much protein? Should we eat "mock" foods? I don't know, but I'd love to hear your opinion. I think I'll use Soy Curls as an "occasional" food rather than as a regular part of my diet.

Fresh food from the Farmers Market.

This is part of the haul from our Saturday farmers market trip. We went to a different market this weekend, and were pleasantly surprised by the more reasonable prices and fantastic selection. It was in a parking lot, and lacking some of the quaint charm of the market we often go to, but the vegetables, nearly all organic, were gorgeous, and the prices were better. The University District Farmers Market is Seattle's oldest and largest "farmers-only" outdoor neighborhood market (more than 50 vendors) — in operation since 1993. We were delighted to learn that this market is in operation all year! Next week I'm taking the camera.

Here's what my son whipped up for lunch.

Dinner with Aaron and Erica / veganmofo 2009

We had dinner with our son Aaron and his girl friend, Erica. Whenever we eat at their apartment, we know the food will be great, and we weren't disappointed. Aaron & Erica had eaten at The Farm Cafe in Portland, OR, and wanted to re-create the meal they had there. Lucky for us the recipe for this fabulous dinner was online, and with the link to Everyday dish TV (plant-based cuisine), you, too, can enjoy this delicious meal of Herb-Crusted Tofu with Mushrooms Marsala, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Yesterday I said I prefer to post recipes after I personally try making them in my kitchen, but Aaron said he followed the directions, and the recipe worked really well. He recommends watching the video because he said it differs slightly from the written instructions, particularly for making the marsala sauce. Aaron said that following the video will give you a meal that tastes just like the one at the restaurant. Our meal was accompanied by brussels sprouts and was delicious. Try it.

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Soy Curls at last

I've had Soy Curl-envy for a long time now as I've read all the rave reviews of this product and seen the photos of delicious-looking soy curl dishes. I just couldn't find them locally in Wisconsin and never got around to ordering them. I must have forgotten we moved to Seattle a few weeks ago, and all things vegan are now within my grasp. So I went to the Soy Curl Web page to discover what I already suspected - Soy Curls are sold at the Sidecar vegan grocery. My husband and I were planning a walk around Green Lake but we walked to Sidecar instead, and got some Curls, some Daiya cheese, some vegetable soup base and a lot of exercise.

My husband made Soy curls with asparagus and quinoa from Vegan Yum Yum except he used broccoli, green beans and sweet red peppers instead of asparagus. The verdict? Very tasty with a nice texture for those moments when texture is on your mind, if you know what I mean. Soy Curls are made from whole soybeans and contain no weird additives, and they're very low in salt. I see great potential here. We didn't try the Daiya, yet, but we will, soon.

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Bake sale!!!
If you're in the Seattle area this weekend and craving baked goods, stop by Sidecar for a vegan bake sale to benefit Sidecar for Pigs Peace Sanctuary. I've set aside today as a baking day for brownies, blondies and crackers, but I can't wait to buy the stuff other people make.

Where: Sidecar For Pigs Peace
5270 B University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105

When: Saturday October 10
and Sunday October 11
1 PM to 4 PM

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Don't forget to enter the cookbook giveaway! Who wouldn't want a copy of "Love Soup" by Anna Thomas?