Wednesday, October 29, 2008

loaf of veggie awesomeness. and spring rolls!

Thank you all for your get well wishes.  I am not really feeling much better, but today I am resigned to being sick.  Yesterday it hit me like a sack of bricks.  But Michael took good care of me (and is now kind of sick, himself).  I went to work anyway, which was a huge mistake because I hate my job enough when I don't feel like I'm about to fall apart...  That and my boss likes to say things like, 'If you ate some meat, you'd feel better' and 'You need a cheeseburger!  That'll set ya straight!' which makes me more annoyed than anything else on this earth.  I have a crappy immune system because I had mono when I was 18 and now I just catch things.  Apparently, veganism hasn't helped it out much yet.  Oh well.  Anyway...on to the food.

This loaf was waaaaay better than my last loaf.  I'm not even going to link to that last one.  That's how much better this loaf is.  
yeah...i used flash in that picture

I based it off this recipe from VegWeb, but changed it around to make it even better.  Instead of cilantro and the curry powder, I added a bunch of dried sage and thyme and I used 2 cups of brown basmati rice (cooked) instead of 1 cup of regular.  Also, when I sauteed the veggies, I added in a big handful of spinach leaves and a bunch of fresh basil.  Oh!  And I also added a stalk of celery, diced.  And I added more like 1/4 cup nutritional yeast instead of 1 tablespoon.  I really didn't change it that much...  It ended up so savory and so yummy.  I surprised myself, even.
better than any meatloaf in this world

I roasted a head of garlic, which got added to mashed potatoes.  I added a couple cloves to those green beans (canned by my mom!) too.  Michael made up a packet of accidentally vegan turkey gravy.  All in all, it was a damn good dinner.
and we finished the leftovers for lunch today, oh yes.

Then yesterday I got sick.  Boo.  Michael surprised me at lunch by making a potato and onion soup.  I'm not totally sure what was in it...but here's a basic idea:  red potatoes, red onions, liquid smoke, garlic, earth balance...flour...and now I've run out of ideas.  Whatever was in it, it was really good.  I'm not a HUGE potato soup fan, and I was impressed by this one.  The onions made it perfect.
michael put bacos on his

I had planned for spring rolls, but was honestly unable to help with them at all.  Luckily, Michael stepped up and made them for me.  I did make some coconut beans (black beans, black eyed peas, coconut milk, scallions, garlic, cayenne, and cumin) which were topped with avocado and mango.  The spring rolls contained green cabbage, carrots, scallions, and ginger tossed in some hoisin sauce.  We didn't realize that you're supposed to maybe saute your filling first because we thought that the steaming of the rolls would soften everything up.  The result was a tad crunchy for both of us, but I still thought they tasted totally awesome.
asian and carribean mix...it's a wonderful thing

Michael said he liked my beans better than the spring rolls, but I think he's just being a little overly critical of his own cooking.  Which I can totally understand because I do that too, sometimes.  We also whipped up a sauce each.  Mine is peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, rice wine, and cayenne; Michael's is chili garlic sriracha and soy sauce.  My sauce was a little too thick...  but they were both really yummy.  I liked mixing them together.

All in all, besides being sick, I've had a couple of really good food days.  I wanted to end out vegan mofo with a bang, but...  I'm not sure that my energy level is up to it right now.  We are slacking a bit on dinner tonight, I think (but it'll still be good...just good sick kid food).  And then Friday is Halloween (by the way, I still have no idea what to go as.... any ideas for me? keep in mind that i'm poor).

But this is my 27th (26 about food) post this month, so I feel pretty damned good about that.    

15 comments:

Marni said...

Your veggie loaf looks awesome and those mashed taters with gravy? Yum! That looks like a huge plate of straight up comfort food.

I hope you get to feelin' better soon. As for your meat-pushing boss ... :::grumble grumble::: ... just smile and ignore.

Bex said...

that loaf looks so good! I think I might use this in my Thanksgiving dinner line up somehow.

Georgia said...

holy moly - that loaf looks GREAT!! How well did it hold up the next day (I am thinking of potential sandwich fillings).

All that food looks so awesome. mmm... comfort food at its finest (and still healthy which is a bonus).

Ohhh - your boss's comment makes me annoyed - I haven't had a comment like that for ages but whenever I get the slightest cold I can see non-veg people assuming that its my diet... they don't take into account that the whole office is sick etc etc.
Hope you start to feel on top of things again.

aTxVegn said...

Your loaf looks fantastic! How do you two cook and eat so well when you're sick?!!

If I hear "if you ate something besides salads all the time".....

Jen Treehugger said...

Mmmm yummers! I'm liking that Loaf recipe and I would have made the same changes as you. And Garlicky Mashed Taters!!
Heavenly....
Hope you're 100% real soon.

Anonymous said...

Your boss sucks.
How do you find the energy to cook so well when you are sick??
As for Halloween~ go as a Vegan~ that always seems to freak people out, right?! ;o)
Maybe go as a black cat? It's easy, halloweeny, and everyone loves a cat :o)

Virginia said...

oooh makes me want a loaf! and that soup looks so good! again, lucky you with the man that cooks!! ah well, at least mine cleans. and the rolls look awesome, crunchy or not.

Anonymous said...

Hope you feel better soon. I went to a Halloween party last week as Betty Crocker (1965 version)- apron, pumps, pearls and bouffant hairdo. Oh, and a wooden spoon!

Sal - AlienOnToast said...

that veggie loaf dinner looks so tasty! i am so hungry now!

Lindsay (Happy Herbivore) said...

that potato soup looks great!!! feel better soon!

I posted two cheap recipes lately $1 black bean and salsa soup and also teriyaki chickpeas with pineapple salsa! i love cooking cheap.

miss v said...

i hope you feel better by halloween. what a bummer of a day to be sick on!

that loaf looks yummy. i've been wanting to make one too lately, but i'm in throws of thesis-hell and haven't had much time in the kitchen.

feel better girly, and don't forget to try those spring rolls with kraut next time. you don't even have to steam them! ;)

Kristin said...

Those spring rolls look great!

BadYogi said...

dude. I was totally going to make "thank god we live in a socialist democracy but let's watch the US elections anyhow" night be pizza night, but this may take its place.

here is your hallowe'en costume: take a white bath towel. wrap it around yourself like you just got out of the shower. put soap suds on your arms. you are now the dove campaign for real beauty, congratulations! I am doing this with 3 friends plus my boyfriend in a wig :P

jessy said...

that's one helluva awesome veggie loaf! oooo, yum! it looks scrumptious with those potatoes. sweet awesomess! yay!

sorry you're still feel'n ill. i didn't get mono until i was about 22 - it sucked "the balls", the odd thing was i was only sick for 4 days. went to the dr and everything - they told me to rest and i laughed at them. i drank lots of vodka, oj, and ate the shit outta some papa john's breadsticks. i swear that combination will cure anything. although i don't know if those breadsticks are vegan. and one could probably rock out breadsticks that are most glorious, but anyways. mono will totally screw with your immune system though - sadface!

that's awesome of michael to make you some yummy soup. dan's actually planning a potato soup for this thursday night dinner this evening - how crazy is that?! ooooh - i hope it's as yummy as yours looked. spring rolls - i usually put soba noodles & raw veggies in 'em and call it a day - i don't bother to steam 'em 'cause we don't have a steamer - but i do dip them in peanut sauce, too. your coconut beans sounds rock'n. i still need to try something like that.

i'm not too creative for halloween ideas. i'm going as the Morton Salt Girl. it should be interesting. ahahahahaa! you could totally go as a ceiling fan. all you've gotta do is write "GO CEILINGS!" on a tee shirt and you're totally a ceiling fan. i saw that idea online a while ago - made me laugh. freak'n brilliant!

feel better! and 27 posts is freak'n moFo AWESOME! w00t!

For the Love of Guava said...

wow... that's amazing stuff... puts the stuff I cook when I'm well to shame! :) Hope you feel better!