CUPCAKES:
Ingredients:
1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp vanilla extract1/2 - 1 cup finely chopped strawberries (depending on personal taste)
Directions:
1: Preheat the oven to 350F and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2: Whisk the soy milk and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside for a few minutes.
3: In a large bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4: In a separate large bowl, beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla and maple syrup. Gradually stir the dry ingredients and mix until no large lumps remain.
5: Fold in strawberries.
6: Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full and bake for 22-25 minutes until done.
Do not frost until cupcakes are completely cool.
FROSTING:
Ingredients:
1 container Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
1/2 cup soy margarine
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup berry juice (pomegranate blueberry works really well) make sure its 100% juice
Directions:
1: Combine cream cheese and margarine in a large bowl with mixer.
2: Slowly add sugar until just mixed.
3: Add and mix the rest of the ingredients.
TIP: I made this frosting on a really hot day in a kitchen with no AC, it ended up tasting amazing but it wasn't the fluffy frosting i wanted it to be. But I have a feeling if made in a cool environment without mixing TOO much it would be fairly fluffy. Either way it still tastes amazing.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Soup that will cure any illness - Onion and Garlic Soup
My roommate HATES when I make this soup, justifiably so, I mean come on its made with four onions and four cloves of garlic... if you have sensitive noses in your house i recommend opening all the windows in your kitchen AND turning on your stove fan. I personally love the smell of onions, but some folks do not.
The nice part about this is it is a REALLY easy base, if you're sick it takes very minimal effort to make! I use it as a base to start alot of brothy soups and make different variations by adding more ingredients. I included the dumpling recipe I use too, because who doesnt love dumplings?
Soup Base:
4 medium/large standard yellow onions
4 cloves garlic
1/2 t salt
4 TSP olive oil
3-5 cups water, depending on how thick you want the soup. I start with 3 and if it looks too thick I boil more water and add to the finished soup.
Vegetable bouillion - use package to measure based on the amount of water used.
1 rosemay branch, do not remove needles.
Directions:
1. Finely chop the onions, mince the garlic and then fry on low heat with the salt, COVERED, for 30 minutes or so. Don't try to speed up the process and cook on too high of a heat, the idea is NOT to carmelize but to soften and bring out the onions juices and flavor. Make the dumpling dough during the wait if you want to throw them in.
Directions:
1: Whisk together "milk" and vinegar and set aside for a couple minutes.
2: In a large bowl combine flower, baking powder, salt, oregano and rosemary.
3: Add oil to milk mixture and stir into dry mix.
Dumplings should be moist without being sticky. If too wet add more flower, if too dry add more milk.
The nice part about this is it is a REALLY easy base, if you're sick it takes very minimal effort to make! I use it as a base to start alot of brothy soups and make different variations by adding more ingredients. I included the dumpling recipe I use too, because who doesnt love dumplings?
Soup Base:
4 medium/large standard yellow onions
4 cloves garlic
1/2 t salt
4 TSP olive oil
3-5 cups water, depending on how thick you want the soup. I start with 3 and if it looks too thick I boil more water and add to the finished soup.
Vegetable bouillion - use package to measure based on the amount of water used.
1 rosemay branch, do not remove needles.
Directions:
1. Finely chop the onions, mince the garlic and then fry on low heat with the salt, COVERED, for 30 minutes or so. Don't try to speed up the process and cook on too high of a heat, the idea is NOT to carmelize but to soften and bring out the onions juices and flavor. Make the dumpling dough during the wait if you want to throw them in.
2. In a seperate pot mix water/bouillion to proper proportions, add onion mixture and rosemary branch, bring to a boil. Add dumplings here if you are making them. Cook 10-15 minutes.
Dumplings:
3/4 cup non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
3 TBSP olive oil
Directions:
1: Whisk together "milk" and vinegar and set aside for a couple minutes.
2: In a large bowl combine flower, baking powder, salt, oregano and rosemary.
3: Add oil to milk mixture and stir into dry mix.
Dumplings should be moist without being sticky. If too wet add more flower, if too dry add more milk.
Veggie Burgers
I have had alot of people ask for the recipe for my veggie burgers, which if i do say so myself are freaking fantastic. Rather than keep it to myself i thought i'd share them with everyone :).
So I borrowed the shell of the recipe from Martha Stewart. I love her... but hers were a little bland for me so i jazzed em up a bit:
Side note, this freezes really well! So if you wanna double it its totally worth it.
Serves 6
* 2 portobello mushrooms (8 ounces), stems removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1 small zucchini
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
* 1/4 cup minced shallot (1 large shallot)
* 1 medium sized white or red onion - finely chopped
* OPTIONAL - 1/2 medium red pepper - finely chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon chili pepper paste (I use the chinese stuff, i forget what the brand is)
* 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
* 3/4 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions (2 cups cooked) - I cook my quinoa in a veggie broth made with vegetable bouillon, can use reg veggie broth or just plain water but the broth makes it way more flavorful.
* 2 teaspoons coarse salt
* Freshly ground pepper
* 1 tbsp italian seasoning
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* 1 1/2 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs
* 6 whole-wheat buns, split
I like to top mine with lettuce, sauteed onions and herbed goat cheese when i can.
Directions
1. Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped, and transfer to a bowl. Shred zucchini, place on paper towels, and squeeze to remove excess moisture. Add to mushrooms.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add shallot (minced), chili paste, onion and red bell pepper and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and zucchini, and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and add Parmesan, quinoa, and salt. Season with pepper and italian seasoning. LET COOL COMPLETELY, then stir in egg and breadcrumbs. Cover, and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 1 hour.
3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Shape mixture into six 1/2-inch-thick patties, pressing firmly. Cook in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
4. Wipe pan clean, and return to medium heat. Brush cut sides of buns with oil, and heat buns, cut sides down, until toasted, about 1 minute. Spread yogurt-garlic sauce on cut sides of bun halves.
So I borrowed the shell of the recipe from Martha Stewart. I love her... but hers were a little bland for me so i jazzed em up a bit:
Side note, this freezes really well! So if you wanna double it its totally worth it.
Serves 6
* 2 portobello mushrooms (8 ounces), stems removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1 small zucchini
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
* 1/4 cup minced shallot (1 large shallot)
* 1 medium sized white or red onion - finely chopped
* OPTIONAL - 1/2 medium red pepper - finely chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon chili pepper paste (I use the chinese stuff, i forget what the brand is)
* 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
* 3/4 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions (2 cups cooked) - I cook my quinoa in a veggie broth made with vegetable bouillon, can use reg veggie broth or just plain water but the broth makes it way more flavorful.
* 2 teaspoons coarse salt
* Freshly ground pepper
* 1 tbsp italian seasoning
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* 1 1/2 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs
* 6 whole-wheat buns, split
I like to top mine with lettuce, sauteed onions and herbed goat cheese when i can.
Directions
1. Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped, and transfer to a bowl. Shred zucchini, place on paper towels, and squeeze to remove excess moisture. Add to mushrooms.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add shallot (minced), chili paste, onion and red bell pepper and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and zucchini, and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and add Parmesan, quinoa, and salt. Season with pepper and italian seasoning. LET COOL COMPLETELY, then stir in egg and breadcrumbs. Cover, and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 1 hour.
3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Shape mixture into six 1/2-inch-thick patties, pressing firmly. Cook in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
4. Wipe pan clean, and return to medium heat. Brush cut sides of buns with oil, and heat buns, cut sides down, until toasted, about 1 minute. Spread yogurt-garlic sauce on cut sides of bun halves.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Tits, tats and a little bit of feminism
So my lovely friend and I were just discussing the “modern” connotation of the word “feminism”, she wrote a nice little diddy about it, here. And so now I will throw originality to the window and piggy-back off her brilliance.
I shave my legs. It makes me feel sexy.
I wear a bra every day. I love my tits, I want them to look their best.
I make dick jokes every chance I get.
When my boyfriend and I go out to dinner, I pay for myself.
I am not demure – I am not passive – and I don’t take shit from anyone. This does not make me manly.
I think women look better naked than men – I’m not a lesbian.
My dude does the heavy lifting so I don’t have to.
Being a feminist to me does not mean that we deserve special treatment.
In my life there have been a few things that stuck out to me:
“Girls with tattoos are easy”
I love that people think this. I don’t have a tramp-stamp. I don’t have a little butterfly on my ankle. I don’t have a fairy on my ass - I have a full sleeve of daemons depicting the apocalypse – a Viking on my back – and Odin’s raven’s on my shoulder. My tattoos are more badass than 95% of the males I have met with tattoos. My female friends with tattoos are the classiest dames I know. Try the girl with the word “JUICY” written across the rear before you try us ladies with tats.
To quote: “it toughens girls in a strange way that makes people feel like they are just less ashamed in general. And that gets flipped in a negative sense when sexuality comes into the picture.” You’re damn right I’m less ashamed. I am proud of who I am, where I’ve been, what I’ve done. But this has nothing to do with being female.
A side note when dealing with people with a lot of tattoo’s:
DON’T TOUCH US. I hate being touched by strangers, my tattoos do NOT give you the right to touch me. In fact don’t even ask if you can look at them up close. You can stare at me from afar, but I don’t want you to compare your quarter sized butterfly to my extensive work. Doesn’t compare. If you have sat in that chair long enough to forget now many hours you have spent there, then and ONLY then can you compare your work to mine.
“You can’t possibly know what you’re talking about, you’re a girl.”
“You can’t possibly know what you’re talking about, you’re a girl.”
I listen to metal, primarily the extreme forms, death metal, black metal ect… (we aren’t talking slipknot here kids – yeesh) - stuff most girls wouldn’t touch with a 10 ft pole. It is, and will forever be, a male dominated musical genre. When I go to shows its always entertaining to me to watch the reactions of the guys around me. They stare at me like I am an oddity, perplexed by my presence. I am never worried at a show – I know that most of the dudes there will kick someone’s ass if they ever mess with me, not that I couldn’t deal with it myself, but its nice to know that they have my back.
Now here’s the negatives: I constantly have to prove myself. I am frequently not taken seriously, “you can’t possibly know what you’re talking about, you’re a girl.” Yeah, I’m a blonde girl, with big tits, I am bubbly and get really stoked on a lot of shit. But I am tough as nails and I love metal. I am more versed than most guys. I am “one of the guys” and I like it that way.
I don’t wear plaid mini skirts.
I don’t wear a corset with my boobs falling out.
I don’t dance when I head-bang.
Yes, I AM dating a guy in bands – he did not get me into metal.
I love when I come across awesome female metal musicians. It makes me so happy. I just think “fuck you, see we can do this too!”
I love being a girl.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Life in the SLOW Lane
I have always been the sort of person that rushes from task to task or event to event, always thinking about the next thing I have to do in the midst of doing the current task at hand. As a result I have missed a great many things in life, and never took much joy in the things I was doing, because I was simply doing them just to get as many things done as I could. There would also be times that I would get so overwhelmed that I would shut down and lock myself in my room for days and just watch whatever mindless show happened to be on and just zoned out and thought about nothing.
Over the past year or so I have made a commitment to myself to just slow down. Not let life pass me by, I am 22 years old now, before I know it I will be 40 years old, and I do not want to look back over my life and realize I rushed through everything and didn’t look up from the path I was on to see how blue the sky is or feel the sun on my face. I don’t want to look back and think “I wish I could go back and live that over so I could actually enjoy it”.
Life is the journey, not the destination.
Slow life and the AA way: I don’t talk much about my actual experiences in AA with people that I am not exceptionally close to, or in the program themselves. Mostly because this is a private thing to me, and being an already private person it is important to me to keep it close to my heart. Not so say that I have an issue with people knowing, clearly or I wouldn’t be including this… at any rate, I will say, I have been sober for five and a half years. Counting back, that would make me 17 when I sobered up. I am eternally grateful to have been given the opportunity to learn the things that I am learning now at such a young age. It has not only saved my life but given me a new, happy one. I am not perfect, but as they say, it’s about progress, not perfection.
The reason I include this, simply stated, is because without it I would not have even thought to simplify and slow down. There is a saying in the program that goes “One day at a time”. Normally we say this when someone is going through a hard time, and the meaning is, to look only at the day ahead of you. You can do anything just 24 hours at a time. I am not normally for kitschy sayings or slogans, but in the early stages of my sobriety it kept me going. Now, five years later, I see it in a whole new light. It is not only applicable in times of hardship, but rather, a modus operandi. I like to live only in this day. I plan for the future, but live in today. But I also think this could be changed; one hour, one minute, one moment at a time. Live in the moment, because as the saying goes, it will be gone in the blink of an eye.
Show up. Be present. Good things will come your way if you’re there to get them. All it takes is getting yourself there.
A slow vegetarian: naturally I can’t make it through something of this sort without discussing being a vegetarian. This is not because I want to change the world and convert everyone to a meat-free diet. It’s not for everyone, and each person should do what’s right for them.
For me this has been the second most life changing decision I have made. Thanks to conscientious eating my body, mind and spirit have done a complete 180. I could write volumes about this. But I won’t, today. Over time I have developed an appreciation and love for everything alive in this world. I feel apart of something large. People think that being a vegetarian is simply a diet choice. Its more than that, it is a life choice. The decision to eat only whole, real foods, and learning about what it takes to grow and create these things has given me an appreciation for the majesty of this world.
Drive in the slow lane.
Ride a bike instead of driving.
Over the past year or so I have made a commitment to myself to just slow down. Not let life pass me by, I am 22 years old now, before I know it I will be 40 years old, and I do not want to look back over my life and realize I rushed through everything and didn’t look up from the path I was on to see how blue the sky is or feel the sun on my face. I don’t want to look back and think “I wish I could go back and live that over so I could actually enjoy it”.
Life is the journey, not the destination.
Slow life and the AA way: I don’t talk much about my actual experiences in AA with people that I am not exceptionally close to, or in the program themselves. Mostly because this is a private thing to me, and being an already private person it is important to me to keep it close to my heart. Not so say that I have an issue with people knowing, clearly or I wouldn’t be including this… at any rate, I will say, I have been sober for five and a half years. Counting back, that would make me 17 when I sobered up. I am eternally grateful to have been given the opportunity to learn the things that I am learning now at such a young age. It has not only saved my life but given me a new, happy one. I am not perfect, but as they say, it’s about progress, not perfection.
The reason I include this, simply stated, is because without it I would not have even thought to simplify and slow down. There is a saying in the program that goes “One day at a time”. Normally we say this when someone is going through a hard time, and the meaning is, to look only at the day ahead of you. You can do anything just 24 hours at a time. I am not normally for kitschy sayings or slogans, but in the early stages of my sobriety it kept me going. Now, five years later, I see it in a whole new light. It is not only applicable in times of hardship, but rather, a modus operandi. I like to live only in this day. I plan for the future, but live in today. But I also think this could be changed; one hour, one minute, one moment at a time. Live in the moment, because as the saying goes, it will be gone in the blink of an eye.
Show up. Be present. Good things will come your way if you’re there to get them. All it takes is getting yourself there.
A slow vegetarian: naturally I can’t make it through something of this sort without discussing being a vegetarian. This is not because I want to change the world and convert everyone to a meat-free diet. It’s not for everyone, and each person should do what’s right for them.
For me this has been the second most life changing decision I have made. Thanks to conscientious eating my body, mind and spirit have done a complete 180. I could write volumes about this. But I won’t, today. Over time I have developed an appreciation and love for everything alive in this world. I feel apart of something large. People think that being a vegetarian is simply a diet choice. Its more than that, it is a life choice. The decision to eat only whole, real foods, and learning about what it takes to grow and create these things has given me an appreciation for the majesty of this world.
Drive in the slow lane.
Ride a bike instead of driving.
Cook dinner instead of going out.
Spend a long time with one friend rather than rushing to many.
Love your family. Appreciate the craziness. It’s what makes you who you are.
Be good to you.
Spend a long time with one friend rather than rushing to many.
Love your family. Appreciate the craziness. It’s what makes you who you are.
Be good to you.
Friday, January 29, 2010
The Call to Greatness
I have both great hopes and great fears for my generation.
I have met people who have been truly enlightened, intelligent individuals with the ability to grasp the world around them and think for themselves, always with a great desire to learn and do more to better our society.
On the contrary I have also met people who have carried on the same backwards thinking and "moral values" as their ignorant parents - People who merely parrot homophobic, sexist, and racist ideals that have been passed down through generations of small-minded people.
My greatest hope is that the majority lies with the enlightened.
As a generation benefiting from the past experience of two World Wars won, global police efforts failed, and the complete collapse of a financial system, as well as living through two wars with no end in sight, and the failure of government to protect the financial well being of its country and citizens, we are poised to take the great step forward. We are obligated to change the face of our nation and our world. We must change the entire system.
In my own ideal world our government would return to the pricipals that our country was founded on.
Small government: Our country was founded as a reaction to a totalitarian monarchy in which individuals had no freedoms. Each person should have the freedom to make their own choices and feel responsible for the consequences of those choices. The only reason why one should not act on those choices is if it impedes the rights of others. As the Libertarians say - life, liberty and justly acquired property. The only role the government should take is to protect the rights of its people, and nothing more. It does not have the authority to define the choices we can make or limit them in any fashion.
All men, women, and children are equal and we are all responsible to the others around us. We are mankind together, and only together.
Additionally, I believe we need a new monetary system.
Cooperative Market: I believe neither a totally free-market nor a non-existent one would work, or benefit society. Banks should be a publicly owned commodity, not in the current way that it is, but I believe banks should be governed by community officials elected by its citizens and all major decisions or investments should be voted upon by those participating a bank. There should be no Federal Reserve. A privately owned business should have no control over the financial system of an entire country and should not regulate inflations rates. These should be determined by a nations citizens, and ultimately have the say in what happens with their livelihoods. Money is not the end goal, but a tool which enables us to realize our liberties. We are entitled to work harder for the things we want, provided that our needs, shelter, good food, warmth, and fulfilling work, are first met.
Health and education need complete reform as well. First and foremost good health is a right, not an option. This means that healthcare is a requirement. Good food free of pesticides and preservatives is a requirement. Lack of such things is a violation upon individuals’ rights and hinders their lives and their liberties. Food producers should have no representation in government, as well as government should have no representation in food, other than to ensure that it is free of chemicals and maintains the highest standard of nutritional value. Equally, education is a right. Enlightenment and fulfillment is only possible through education. Higher education should be accessible to all peoples, as little and as much as desired by the individual themselves.
Military is a necessity, however, only in the defense of the lives of its citizens. A nations’ government should not attempt to interfere on the practices of another. It is neither our right, nor our responsibility to decide what is best for any other society. Military, like government, must only exist to protect its people.
For the sake of time, I must leave out the other issues at this time. I could write an entire manifesto to this!
I feel a great call to greatness for myself, my generation, and the people of our nation. It is possible!
I have met people who have been truly enlightened, intelligent individuals with the ability to grasp the world around them and think for themselves, always with a great desire to learn and do more to better our society.
On the contrary I have also met people who have carried on the same backwards thinking and "moral values" as their ignorant parents - People who merely parrot homophobic, sexist, and racist ideals that have been passed down through generations of small-minded people.
My greatest hope is that the majority lies with the enlightened.
As a generation benefiting from the past experience of two World Wars won, global police efforts failed, and the complete collapse of a financial system, as well as living through two wars with no end in sight, and the failure of government to protect the financial well being of its country and citizens, we are poised to take the great step forward. We are obligated to change the face of our nation and our world. We must change the entire system.
In my own ideal world our government would return to the pricipals that our country was founded on.
Small government: Our country was founded as a reaction to a totalitarian monarchy in which individuals had no freedoms. Each person should have the freedom to make their own choices and feel responsible for the consequences of those choices. The only reason why one should not act on those choices is if it impedes the rights of others. As the Libertarians say - life, liberty and justly acquired property. The only role the government should take is to protect the rights of its people, and nothing more. It does not have the authority to define the choices we can make or limit them in any fashion.
All men, women, and children are equal and we are all responsible to the others around us. We are mankind together, and only together.
Additionally, I believe we need a new monetary system.
Cooperative Market: I believe neither a totally free-market nor a non-existent one would work, or benefit society. Banks should be a publicly owned commodity, not in the current way that it is, but I believe banks should be governed by community officials elected by its citizens and all major decisions or investments should be voted upon by those participating a bank. There should be no Federal Reserve. A privately owned business should have no control over the financial system of an entire country and should not regulate inflations rates. These should be determined by a nations citizens, and ultimately have the say in what happens with their livelihoods. Money is not the end goal, but a tool which enables us to realize our liberties. We are entitled to work harder for the things we want, provided that our needs, shelter, good food, warmth, and fulfilling work, are first met.
Health and education need complete reform as well. First and foremost good health is a right, not an option. This means that healthcare is a requirement. Good food free of pesticides and preservatives is a requirement. Lack of such things is a violation upon individuals’ rights and hinders their lives and their liberties. Food producers should have no representation in government, as well as government should have no representation in food, other than to ensure that it is free of chemicals and maintains the highest standard of nutritional value. Equally, education is a right. Enlightenment and fulfillment is only possible through education. Higher education should be accessible to all peoples, as little and as much as desired by the individual themselves.
Military is a necessity, however, only in the defense of the lives of its citizens. A nations’ government should not attempt to interfere on the practices of another. It is neither our right, nor our responsibility to decide what is best for any other society. Military, like government, must only exist to protect its people.
For the sake of time, I must leave out the other issues at this time. I could write an entire manifesto to this!
I feel a great call to greatness for myself, my generation, and the people of our nation. It is possible!
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