Spicy Thai Eggplant

(Sorry for the over exposure.)

So, here I am to post again.  I realized that today is my 11 month living in Korea.  I would have liked to commemorate this with a lovely Korean dish, but with this news just dawning on me I present instead Spicy Thai Eggplant.  I found the recipe here.  And hey, the eggplant is straight from a Korean garden and the basil was Korean born right here in my apartment.  Maybe I should change the name to Spicy Korean Eggplant (*zing snap*).

Somethin to Warm Yar Belleh!

This is my version of what I like to call Chili Cholent.  I am not going to post the recipe because it is the cholent from v-con with a few slight changes. 

 

Slight Changes

Tarragon ~  Dried basil, oregano and rosemary

Caraway seeds ~ Cumin seeds

Lentils ~ White beans

Potatoes ~ Sweet potatoes

Lima beans ~ Corn

Toss in about three pickled hot peppers and you're set.

This was delicious and warmed me up.  The perfect fall food and is great for the sniffles.  I recommend eating it whilst wrapped in a blanket and reading a book.

Super Simple Tomato Salad

So, since I am sickly I figured simple would work best.

Super Simple Tomato Salad

2 c. Chopped cherry tomatoes

1/2 Finely chopped onion

1 Minced clove of garlic

4 tbsp. Chopped fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and let the flavors mingle for awhile before serving.  Feel free to add a bit of extra virgin olive oil and red wine or balsamic vinegar.  (I was keeping it simple but I know that add in would rock).

Vegan Mofo Survey and a Picture....

I went to Busan this past weekend and had a great time with friends, including an awesome art exhibit that i can hopefully post about on a slight tangent in the near future.  Well anywho, that tis my excuse for not posting sooner.

For my love of pictures I present this fine layout.  I, at first thought giant garlic, second guessed myself and sent the image to my mom for help and she thinks onion.  Any ideas to throw at me?  It is out drying if that helps.  Probably is onion though, moms have that tendency to be right.  Here is Mom's opinion (she wanted me to be clear about opinion because she is not an expert) and I am sold: "I believe that is a picture of alot of onions, not garlic.  The skin looks like onion and if it is garlic, korea grows some huge garlic.  They pulled the onions out the the ground and looks like they washed the dirt away and put on the cement to dry the moisture (if you put them away wet they will rot).  People put this kind of vegetable away for the winter in root cellars and such,but if they are wet they won't last."

But now for a little mofo survey, inspired by Sanja's Coconut and Raspberry blog, who got it from Liz at Food Snobbery is My Hobbery (great name).

Here it goes:

1. Name a song that involves food in some way.

Sugar Pie Honey Bunch by the Temptations

2. What criteria do you use when choosing a new cookbook to buy?

I like books that people recommend to me.

3. What did you eat today?

Breakfast: Bagel with jam and a soy black tea latte in Busan before heading home.

Snack: Orange and Almonds

Dinner: Went to the Tofu House shown on this post.

and have been drinking tons of tea to battle the beginning of a cold.

4. Name a vegan food that you know exists but you have never tried.

Haha (see this list)

5. The Food Network just called and needs you to start your new show tomorrow. What will the title of the show be?

Um, I am sick and lacking further creativity so for now i will say the name of my blog.

6. Favorite hot sauce or other spicy condiment?

tabasco or cayenne or red pepper flakes....I like am all really.

7. How old were you when you became vegetarian/vegan?

Vegetarian at 15 and vegan at 22.

8. Favorite vegan cheeze?

I have only really tried tofutti.  Will try others when back in Canada though :)

9. Cutest baby animal?

All.

10. Favorite type of jam/jelly/marmalade/preserves?

Tough call, raspberry I think.

11. Do you take any vitamins/supplements?

Sure do.  At the moment it is natural factors hi potency multi, but i switch it up and am happy to take recommendations.

12. What food/dish most embodies the Fall season?

Pumpkin pie and anything in a large bubbly pot.

13. What food would you have a hard time living without?

That is a hard one.  Is it cheating if I say fruit and vegetables.

14. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?

Tea, especially loose leaf.  (Chai and thai are tops on the list).

15. It's 10PM and you're starving. What do you eat?

Depends on my mood.  Popcorn perhaps.

16. If you have an animal companion, what is his/her favorite food?

Not sure what my kitties current favorite food's are, since they are living with my parents while I am overseas (thanks mom and dad).  But Shandar used to like olives and Kharma enjoys licking EVERYTHING, especially plastic bags. My pets are strange :).  And my puppy, who is technically my parents dog, just loves food period, except cauliflower unless coated with dressing first. 

17. Worst injury you've gotten in the kitchen?

Hm, I guess the burn on my back from the crockpot when I was younger.  Mom was making something and I hopped up on the counter to sit and leaned against in.  Just a smallish burn but I still have the scar.

18. When you have a food-related question, who do you call?

As displayed above it's my mommers.  But I do check the web, so I don't have to harass her with all my questions.

19. Summer is ending- What food will you miss most?

I think pat bean soo since It noticeably leaves when cold comes.

20. What snacks do you keep in your purse/backpack/desk at work?

Usually fruit.

21. Favorite soup to make on a rainy day?

Vegetable medley or tomato.

22. What's your favorite combination of fresh vegetable and/or fruit juices?

Do salads count?  I make what my friend coined as an "everything" salad.  You take whichever veg, fruit (dry and fresh) nuts, noodles or rice on hand and combine to make a killer salad.

23. Favorite brand of root beer?

Dad's Rootbeer, I think wins.  Now I want a rootbeer float.

24. Make up your own question!

Best natural cold remedy?  My sweet friend's grandfathers elixir: Hot OJ with as much ginger as you can handle.

(Would love to hear others too).

Sending out happiness too all.

Another Reason to Love October....

Oh, how I love October.  

Not only is it fall, with the pretty changing leaves and comfy sweaters, but also, my birthday month, Canadian thanksgiving and Halloween.  Having it also be vegan food month is like drowning a sundae in chocolate sauce, oh so awesome.  

So, I have decided to participate in VeganMoFo from the ppk and will at least post 20 posts this month.  They may not all be fancy like but I will do what I can and try to squeeze a few last images out of my dying camera.

I have still been doing tons of cooking and newly found microwave baking (since I am ovenless....you do what you can).  I have recently purchased v-con (finally~I know...thanks ppk) and am loving the crap out of it.  

Speaking of books, on a non-vegan tangent, Stephanie Meyers Twilight series is fantastic.  I am half way through it and am slightly addicted.  You can check it out here at the authors website.  It may or may not have inspired my Halloween costume this year ~ Vampire madness.  Did I mention I love Halloween?

Okay, my net keeps cutting out, so I must post this before it cuts out for good.

But first a little picture.

(Kimchi pots on a mountain)

Cheers to Vegan Month of Food.

Grill to the Cheese and Soup

Oh heavenly combo, how I heart thee.  I  haven't had this bad boy in sooo long.  So, when I purchased the The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook (you get a little sample of it here) and made the colby cheese from it, I knew what I would be making.  And I must say it was pretty superb, even though my uncheese making skills have not been perfected.  The cheese turned into more of a spread than the block it should have been and was very mustardy.  I didn't have onion powder or dry mustard so I tried regular mustard to compensate, being the brilliant genius I am, using wet to replace dry, hence the spread like quality.  But, all in all, it fulfilled my craving.  

Pictured with this fine sandwich is a variation of the Classily Classic Tomato Soup I made.  The only difference is I used 2 red peppers instead of the tomatoes.  Mmmm, I wish I had some more right now.
Now for the teensy bit of sad news.  My well used, aged, little camera has given up on life and is rolling around in his death bed in pain.  I am going to try the hospital and I have a beautiful new camera coming for my birthday, but I will not get to fondle her until I am back in Canada for a visit in 2 months.  So, in the mean time I hope to fix my little dude and/or borrow a friends camera for posting.  I have a couple items still waiting to be posted as well, so i will swing them out soon.  I do wish I had a camera on hand since I still have been making all sorts of goodness, chickpea cutlets, microwave pumpkin bread, mock tuna rolls, to name a few.  I wil be posting the mock tuna soon, but not in roll form.  That will have to wait until new camera time.  Yay, can't wait. 

To finish with a couple food related quotes I likey:

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." ~ Harriet Van Horne

"If you ate pasta and antipasti, would you still be hungry ?"

"My hearse will be followed not by mourning coaches but by herds of oxen, sheep, swine, flocks of poultry and a small traveling aquarium of live fish, all wearing white scarves in honor of the man who perished rather than eat his fellow creatures."  ~ George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish playwright. 

"Vegetarians have wicked, shifty eyes, and laugh in a cold calculating manner. They pinch little children, steal stamps, drink water, favor beards."  ~ J. B. Morton 

(It just makes me laugh.)

"If life gives you a lemon, make lemonade. However — if life gives you a pickle, you might as well give up, because pickle-ade is disgusting."  ~  Clifton J. Gray

"I can't believe you can get banned from a bakery for mispronouncing 'focaccia' !"    — Hikeeba.

Vegan 100

(I needed to put a picture with the post.  This is one I like, taken in a vegetarian restaurant in Bangkok)

I have been seeing the 100 list all over and figured I ought to put mine out there.  Better late than never as my moms would say :).  I believe Hannah from Bitter Sweet started the vegan 100.  Check her site out and her 100 list.  She has linked many of the foods listed that make question marks appear above your heads.  I had not heard of many of these either and I have a ways to go to have my 100 complete.  I think I have tried 41 of them.  But in all fairness I have only been vegan a year and most of my vegan time I have been in Asia, so I am not able to get my hands on some of these fabulous treats.  In due time, oh yes, in due time.

Well here is how this works:

1) Copy this list into your own blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.  (I high lighted mine in green and the yet to try's are red.  I like the colours together, what can I say...and in no relation to christmas.)
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.  (I will try anything once, so no crossies here.)
4) Post a comment here once you’ve finished and link your post back to this one.
5) Pass it on!

1. Natto
2. Green Smoothie
3. Tofu Scramble
4. Haggis
5. Mangosteen
6. Creme brulee
7. Fondue
8. Marmite/Vegemite
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Nachos
12. Authentic soba noodles
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Taco from a street cart
16. Boba Tea
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Gyoza
20. Vanilla ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Ceviche
24. Rice and beans
25. Knish
26. Raw scotch bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Caviar
29. Baklava
30. Pate
31. Wasabi peas
32. Chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Mango lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Mulled cider
37. Scones with buttery spread and jam
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Fast food french fries
41. Raw Brownies
42. Fresh Garbanzo Beans
43. Dahl
44. Homemade Soymilk
45. Wine from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Stroopwafle
47. Samosas
48. Vegetable Sushi
49. Glazed doughnut
50. Seaweed
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Tofurkey
54. Sheese
55. Cotton candy
56. Gnocchi
57. Piña colada
58. Birch beer
59. Scrapple
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Soy curls
63. Chickpea cutlets
64. Curry
65. Durian
66. Homemade Sausages
67. Churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake
68. Smoked tofu
69. Fried plantain
70. Mochi
71. Gazpacho
72. Warm chocolate chip cookies
73. Absinthe
74. Corn on the cob
75. Whipped cream, straight from the can
76. Pomegranate
77. Fauxstess Cupcake
78. Mashed potatoes with gravy
79. Jerky
80. Croissants
81. French onion soup
82. Savory crepes
83. Tings
84. A meal at Candle 79
85. Moussaka
86. Sprouted grains or seeds
87. Macaroni and “cheese”
88. Flowers
89. Matzoh ball soup
90. White chocolate
91. Seitan
92. Kimchi
93. Butterscotch chips
94. Yellow watermelon
95. Chili with chocolate
96. Bagel and Tofutti
97. Potato milk
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Raw cookie dough