ONE YEAR TODAY

2005

2011



Married one year today!

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. 

SHARED SPACE



My wonderful parents stayed with us in Ithaca for an evening. After a gorgeous swim downtown, we spent the night grilling and playing in the backyard. Not knowing that I decided to go vegetarian again - they sighed - they brought up 4 racks of ribs. I offered barbecued tofu, more vegan sausages, corn, bell peppers, and a caprese salad. Dad is on a self-prescribed healthy diet and willingly engaged in the vegetarian options; Mom, too. It doesn't matter what facts I spew about the meat industry, they like their meat.

If I had my way, I'd have a meat-free grill. I hate seeing my food next to charring body parts, but I didn't want to cause a stir or get into a conversation about my food philosophies/principles just then. How do you feel about mixing meat and veggies at a bbq?

KITCHEN REBOOT

It was time to paint the kitchen. There are, thankfully, no before pictures; imagine 7 years worth of peeling white paint. We picked a color on impulse, but I'm happy with the vibrant results. Decorating will be so much fun. I already the love way our mixer and jars of colorful beans and grains accent the new room. I'd love to see this on the wall shown in the mixer picture!

PICNIC BY THE SEA

I’m taking advantage of summer – lots of barbecues and swimming. We did both this past weekend at Myer’s Point. It’s the first time I can recall leaving a bbq without that gross stuffed from food feeling.

My contributions:

Fresh chick peas with a dressing of tahini, parsley, raw garlic, lemon, olive oil, water, and s+p
Pickled bell peppers, onions, garlic, and zucchini with ginger
Beet guacamole – roasted beats, avocado, apples, lemon, jalepeno pepper, s+p and a dressing of olive oil, lemon, red zinger tea, and pure cranberry juice
Vegan sausages – these were so delicious!

"EATING WAS HARD. BREATHING WAS HARD. LIVING WAS HARDEST."



reading while eating (makes every motion feel very sharp, you notice more each time you move to pick up the fork or open your mouth or chew, it's a strange feeling but it's so nice to look at a book while you eat

Ever since reading this on Sasha's blog, I can't help but think about it ever time I read while eating. Above: cold peanut noodles mixed with lettuce.

I have the urge to read YA lit during the summer months and just started Wintergirls - dark, angsty fiction revolving around teenage eating disorders. Not great for mealtime reading, but worth discussing -- more when I finish the book.

TASTES LIKE BUTTER

Even with temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, I decided to make soup. Again, this venture began with what I had in the fridge. I cut up carrots, onion, and celery and tossed them in pot with water – 2:1 water to veg ratio. Adding some fresh parsley, dill, and s+p, I let that simmer throughout the day. Meanwhile, I left a bowl of beautiful orange lentils to soak in a bowl of cool water. After a few hours, I had a delicious stock. I removed the vegetables and added the lentils. While those cooked, I took a hand blender to the vegetables and added them to the lentils. The result was a fresh and delicious soup which Gideon said “tasted like it was made with butter.” I love that I was able to achieve such a rich result with minimal effort and ingredients.

WATCH AND LEARN

I didn't make it to the gym today. Instead, I studied a new exercise routine to practice in the backyard. I also have to update my workout wardrobe stat!

I'M CHEAP & EASY

Cooking with little money and time, I like to get the most bang for my buck. Today's quick and inexpensive lunch is a spicy vegetable curry over rice.

The ingredients are up to you. I make my curry sauce by adding my spice mix (cumin, coriander, paprika, tumeric, dry mustard, cayenne, + more)  to onions and garlic as they saute. To this I add whatever tomato product I have on hand - fresh diced or canned puree - and a bit of veg stock. For my vegetables, today I added sliced cabbage, spinach, broccoli, and peppers. I let everything simmer for a few minutes and threw in leftover chopped cashews and roasted chickpeas (store-bought) at the end. I served it atop yesterday's rice.

A tip: Because I cook and eat a lot of vegetables, I sometimes do one or two mass cuttings a week. This saves on prep and clean-up time. I can reach in the fridge for a quick snack, too.

SO VERY QUICK VEGETABLE "FRIED" RICE

I cook with a "no-waste" philosophy. When I don't do recipe-specific shopping trips, I'll use up whatever I have in the fridge. Speaking of which, I still have yogurt, cheese, and eggs I don't want to waste even though I want to maintain my vegan diet. I'll use these items up but will not buy more. So, with a slew of fresh vegetables, basmati rice, eggs, and spices, I whipped up an extremely easy and delicious version of vegetarian fried rice.

Ingredients:

1/4 red bell pepper

1/4 green bell pepper

1/4 yellow bell pepper

1/2 zucchini

1 bunch scallion

2 carrots

1 sm. head broccoli

3 tbsp. butternut squash oil

white basmati rice

3 eggs

tamari

garlic powder

onion powder

s+p

cayenne pepper

handful of cashews

Gideon makes the rice in this house because I am always impressed with the perfection of each individual grain. My rice is too often mushy. I think his secret is the immense amount of time he spends rinsing it. Once you get the rice going, whether you use the stove top or rice cooker, work on the veggies.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan or wok. Chop your vegetables however you'd like and add them to your pan. Add cayenne pepper, s+p, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. I go light on the cayenne and s+p and heavier on the others. Continue to toss your vegetables. (I do not cook my vegetables for very long. I prefer them hot and crunchy.)  Add tamari. I do this by sight. I want all the vegetables covered without too much excess in the pan. You can always add more upon service. Next, I add a few cups of the cooked rice to my pan and proceed to crack the eggs over top. Mix the rice, veggies, and eggs together until the latter is cooked. Serve and top with chopped cashews.

I love that this dish will always be a little different everytime I make it. Sesame oil is always a good alternative, and fresh ginger, cilantro, and lemon make great additions. You can scrap the eggs or use a vegan egg substitute to make this a vegan dish.

EDIBLE ENDORSEMENTS AND ARTICLES

I don't have any recipes or food pictures up yet because our big fancy computer has been in the shop. You'll get some soon; I promise. While Gideon and I are working to reduce our packaging consumption and processed food intake, we totally feasted on a store-bought pizza last night. Sometimes, I don't have the time or energy to do anything but turn on the oven. In moderation, this might be alright. We shared a soy cheese pizza from Amy's. That and a salad of romaine lettuce, broccoli, carrots, and olives with basil vinaigrette made dinner.

*     *     *     *     *     *

I decided to cancel my cable television today and unplug the set altogether. Drawn in by "adventures, not television," I happened upon this article moments after my call.

I'm a little behind. I just saw a graph tracking a Century of Meat Consumption in the U.S. via The NY Times.

And is anyone else disturbed by The Marriage Vow? I like this observation via AlterNet.

COULD YOU? WOULD YOU?

Besides the occasional, okay frequent, need for pizza, I’ve been focused on eating well -- eating right. For me, this means giving my body what it needs, not what it wants. One of my greatest obstacles has been changing patterns and habits associated with food.

I just happened upon Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead via Netflix. I think the synopsis from the film ‘s website is fair:

100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope and the end of his hope. In the mirror he saw a 310lb man whose gut was bigger than a beach ball and a path laid out before him that wouldn't end well— with one foot already in the grave, the other wasn't far behind. FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD is an inspiring film that chronicles Joe's personal mission to regain his health.

With doctors and conventional medicines unable to help long- term, Joe turns to the only option left, the body's ability to heal itself. He trades in the junk food and hits the road with juicer and generator in tow, vowing only to drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the next 60 days. Across 3,000 miles Joe has one goal in mind: To get off his pills and achieve a balanced lifestyle.

While talking to more than 500 Americans about food, health and longevity, it's at a truck stop in Arizona where Joe meets a truck driver who suffers from the same rare condition. Phil Staples is morbidly obese weighing in at 429 lbs; a cheeseburger away from a heart-attack. As Joe is recovering his health, Phil begins his own epic journey to get well.

What emerges is nothing short of amazing – an inspiring tale of healing and human connection. Part road trip, part self-help manifesto, FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD defies the traditional documentary format to present an unconventional and uplifting story of two men from different worlds who each realize that the only person who can save them is themselves.

Mainstream opinions and actions toward food consumption presented in this doc are disconcerting. A depressing number of people interviewed were resigned to "die fat and happy" rather than make changes to eat for their health. While this sentiment lingers with me even now, there was a happy ending.

Interesting. Inspiring. I recommend it.

I want to start a juice fast ASAP. 
I'll start with 10 days and work my way to 60. 
I need to save up for a good juicer!  

xoks

HELLO FRIENDS!

I’m writing to let you know that kat.tales will return later this month!

It’s been quite a hiatus, but I’m ready to return to the world of blogging. A handful of life experiences over this past spring and summer have prepped me to return with a fresh perspective and rejuvenated spirit.

And one more thing…I’m coming back as a vegan. This is not my first time consuming a solely plant-based diet, but this time, I’m ready for it to stick. More on that later!

I’m looking forward to sharing new recipes, experiences, and love in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out; posts will be popping up soon!

xoks