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Tofu Balls: A Delicious Surprise

/ Kelly / 2 Comments

Tofu balls are a game-changer.

…that’s a sentence I never thought I’d say, but I am now saying it with complete and utter confidence, along with a healthy dose of humility. For many years, I associated tofu-based “meat”  items as the sole purview of 70s hippies, vegetarians who wore giant bell-bottoms and flowers in their hair and cavorted in meadows. I didn’t think I needed to bother with them – it’s 2012! We have Daiya and Gardein and Smart Grounds and hoverboards! Sure, I love a good slab of marinated tofu (…and tofu scramble and tofu “egg” salad…) as much as the next vegan, but I never felt the need to work tofu into my more traditional meat analogues, like burgers or meatballs.

Oh, how stupid I was, because I was missing out on these:

Tofu balls – not just for 70s hippies.

These are Isa’s Tofu Balls, based on a recipe from a book called Tofu Cookery. They are, in a word, delicious. The super simple combination of tofu, onions, soy sauce, bread crumbs, herbs and peanut butter all pan-fried in olive oil somehow creates an addictively tasty ball that crumbles pleasantly with some pressure but doesn’t fall apart on its own. Perfection.

I decided to make them last night after being reminded of their existence via this post about tomato sauce over at It Ain’t Meat, Babe. Paired with a variation on the tomato sauce in that post, served over whole-wheat fettuccine, and rounded off with a slice of roasted garlic bread, this was comfort food heaven.

Consider me roundly chastened. Never again will I doubt tofu’s adaptability and versatility, and never again will I doubt my hippie forebears. (Well, maybe I will… I’m pretty over bell-bottoms.)

What recipe pleasantly surprised you? Have you tried these tofu meatballs?

Seedlings, Veggies, and Cauliflower Manchurian

/ Kelly / 2 Comments

Wow, my post about the Hudson Valley Seed Library received lots of hits! Good to know that y’all are interested in gardening and such – I’ll be sure to share more garden updates and pictures this summer. The first of my seedlings sprouted yesterday, a tiny, bright green curlicue just peeking up above the soil. The weather’s been a bit erratic lately, so I haven’t been leaving my plants on the balcony – I’m afraid they’ll get drowned in the downpours we keep getting. But that means that they don’t get a lot of direct sunlight, so I’m a little worried about them. The one hardy seedling gives me hope, though, and today I took a chance and left them outside, so cross your fingers that nothing tragic happens to them and that my one little sprout has some friends soon!

Although I’ll be able to eat my own home-grown veggies soon enough, for now I must rely on produce from the farmers’ market and the co-op. Lately I’ve been on a big veggie kick. It’s not like I was terribly deficient in my vegetable consumption, but lately I’ve been cutting down on purchasing pantry staples and instead filling my bag with fresh produce. This is partly pragmatic – I’m moving in a couple months (!) and don’t want to cart around pounds and pounds of every kind of grain known to humankind – and partly because I’m inspired by spring and its delicious vegetables.

Last night, I enjoyed a meal that featured veggies and also helped me use up some of that aforementioned grain stash. I made the Cauliflower Manchurian from Everyday Happy Herbivore, added some peas, and served it over brown rice.

Cauliflower galore!

Everyday Happy Herbivore continues to impress! This is such a simple meal; the only real work is whisking together the sauce ingredients. The result is a spicy, tangy, flavorful dish with flavors you can adjust to your taste. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, especially if you’re smart (not like me) and cook up lots of rice on the weekend.

What’s your go-to method for eating cauliflower? When I’ve got time, I love to toss the florets in olive oil and sea salt and roast them to crispy perfection. So good.

Signs of Spring: Seeds!

/ Kelly / 7 Comments

Are you familiar with seed libraries? Until a couple months ago, I wasn’t. Then my dad gave me a gift membership to the Hudson Valley Seed Library and voila – instant enlightenment! (If only all enlightenment were so easy.) The idea is pretty simple. The library collects, catalogs, grows, evaluates, and then offers different types of seeds to gardeners. Many of them are region-specific, and the library invites members to purchase seeds from them and then, when the growing season is over, send seeds back. That way, the library keeps growing – if, for example, you grown an heirloom tomato that’s not in the library, you can send the seeds to the library for them to investigate, grow, and perhaps offer in a few years. Pretty cool! This particular seed library also offers “art packs,” where local artists submit designs that are then used on keepsake seed packets. The Cosmonaut Volkov Tomato is one of my favorites!

My gift membership allowed me to choose ten free seed packets, and let me tell you, it was not easy to decide which ones I wanted! But I eventually narrowed it down and received them in the mail not long after ordering. Here’s my stash:

Puppy paw not included with purchase.

I think I may have gone a bit heavy on the greens, but it’s okay… you can never have too many greens, right?!

I plan to grow many of these delicious veggies in my work garden plot this year, and probably next year too. The work garden isn’t open yet, but I planted some seeds in temporary homes last week (late, I know!) and I’ll transfer the seedlings once the garden is open and the weather seems to have stabilized (it’s been a bit finicky lately…).

Pretty packets.

What are you growing this year?

A Simple Supper

/ Kelly / 9 Comments

I don’t know about you, but the onset of spring and summer always makes me crave simple meals that let me focus on the deliciousness of fresh, seasonal veggies. In Madison, there are ample opportunities to purchase just such produce. Two of our farmers’ markets opened this past weekend, including the one I most often attend: the West Side Community Market. Although it’s nowhere near as large or happenin’ as the Dane County Farmers’ Market (it’s difficult to outshine the largest farmers’ market in the country, one that surrounds Madison’s gorgeous capitol building!), I love the west side market because it’s nowhere near as crowded and it’s closer to where I live. So S and I made a point of stopping by this past Saturday, where we picked up a modest selection of produce, including two big, beautiful golden tomatoes.

When it came time to make dinner, I knew I wanted something simple that would let us savor the tomatoes, not drown them in sauce or hide them in a jumble of other flavors and ingredients. So I sauteed lots of garlic and a dash of red pepper flakes in a bit of olive oil, cooked up some whole-wheat fettuccine, chopped up one of the tomatoes, and then tossed the tomatoes and pasta in the warm, garlic-infused oil and topped it all with some freshly ground black pepper. With a simple side salad, it was the perfect way to celebrate spring and its bounty of fresh produce.

Simplicity at its finest.

What simple meals do you enjoy? I’m sure I’ll cook lots of beautiful, simple dishes this summer, because S and I have purchased a CSA share! I split one with my roomie two years ago, but didn’t get one last year. I’m very excited. :)

New Cookbook: Everyday Happy Herbivore

/ Kelly / 3 Comments

I recently found myself in possession of a $50 Amazon gift card. By “found myself in possession of,” I mean that Amazon gave it to me because I signed up for an Amazon Rewards Visa card. I did not really sign up for this card by choice – I was perfectly happy with my one credit card – but I needed two more forms of credit to raise my credit rating so that my mom can get removed as a co-signer on my student loans. Really logical, right? I need to potentially put myself in more debt to prove to the loan agency that I can pay off my large amount of existing debt. Yeahhh. I try not to think about it too much because it makes me more than a little angry.

Anyway, the upshot is that I signed up for the credit card (which I will use sparingly, pay off in full every month, and most likely close when Mom’s off my loans) and got a gift card. I spent it on a couple non-necessity items as a treat to myself, including two new cookbooks! One of them is Lindsay Nixon’s Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes. I’m a big fan of her original cookbook, and so far this one is equally impressive. Lindsay promises that the recipes in EHH are quick and easy, so quick that you can get them on the table in 30 minutes or less. While I do enjoy labor-intensive and time-consuming recipes, I also appreciate easier ones for days when I’m hungry and don’t feel up to spending hours toiling in the kitchen.

Last night, for example, I got back from the gym and was not in the mood to spend much time cooking. So I whipped up a Grilled Cheeze sandwich (featuring an oozy, tasty, cheezy sauce) and had Natala’s Chocolate-Cherry Shake for dessert.

Rich & creamy.

Sorry that the photo isn’t great; it was cold outside and the light was fading fast. But the shake was delicious! I kind of failed to measure my ingredients and just eyeballed them, and I think I skimped on the cherries just a bit. Next time I won’t do that.

So far, I’ve also tried the Veggie Biscuit Potpie (so easy and really yummy!) and the Chickpea Tenders (meh – the texture wasn’t great). What else should I try? (Psst – you can check out the table of contents here, if you don’t own the book.)

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through my link, it costs nothing extra for you, but I get a few pennies. I’m not looking to make a fortune, just to cover hosting costs. :)

I Tried a Kumquat (and I liked it!)

/ Kelly / 4 Comments

My first introduction to Brussels sprouts was in a magazine. I can’t remember what it was exactly – some women’s home magazine – but there was a photo spread that featured a dollhouse, with a picture of a Brussels sprout as a tiny cabbage. I’d never eaten Brussels sprouts or cabbage at that point, but that didn’t stop me from becoming instantly enamored with the idea of a tiny, edible version of a larger vegetable. Ever since then, I’ve had a special place in my heart for the small cruciferous orbs, even if it took many more years before I tried them.

This post is not about Brussels sprouts.

It is, however, about a different tiny piece of produce – the kumquat. Like my first introduction to Brussels sprouts, I have only shadowy, vague memories of the moment when I became aware of kumquats. I recall a fruit tray, and someone telling me I could eat the entire fruit, skin and all, and tentatively yet excitedly trying one.

I don’t, however, remember what I thought about it or what it tasted like. I do remember thinking they were awfully cute, those lilliputian ovular fruits. Not unlike tiny oranges…

So colorful!

When I purchased a large handful of kumquats at the co-op a few days ago, I didn’t know quite what to expect. S had tried a sample recently and reported that they were too tart, which only served to heighten my interest – I’m a big lover of all things sour, so I knew I had to try them. And when I realized that Hannah Kaminsky has a recipe for Kumquat Poppy Seed Scones in Vegan Desserts: Sumptuous Sweets for Every Season, I knew the time was ripe for a purchase. If I didn’t enjoy the fruit raw, I could chop ’em up and put them in a baked good!

Reader, I did enjoy the fruit raw – very much so. S might find them too sour, but I think they’re perfect – just bursting with juicy, lip-puckering goodness, surrounded by a thin, sweet rind that tempers the tartness just the slightest bit. Delightful! However, that didn’t stop me from baking up a batch of scones.

Can you spot the kumquat?

I really enjoyed these, too. They’re a creative twist on the more quotidian lemon-poppy seed combination, offering a greater contrast between the sour and the sweet. And the orange flecks of chopped kumquat are very visually appealing. Admittedly, I was dubious about these while they were baking – my dough was very dry and required more soy milk than the recipe called for, but they emerged from the oven perfectly baked, tender and moist with a beautiful, hefty crumb. I should know to trust Hannah’s recipes and guidance!

All in all, I’m more than glad that I’ve welcomed kumquats into my life. Discovering a brand-new (to me!) piece of produce is a rare treat, and I’m glad to have found one I like so much.

What are your feelings on kumquats? How do you like to eat them?

Restaurant Review: Macha Tea House

/ Kelly / 3 Comments

“Ooh, have you been to Macha?! They give you free cookies if it’s your first visit!” This is what I inevitably hear whenever Macha Tea House comes up in conversation. Needless to say, the thought of free cookies doesn’t thrill me as much as it does my non-vegan friends – odds are slim to none that the cookies are vegan, so I knew that the most pleasure I’d get out of them would be the selfless thrill of giving mine to S and watching him devour two cookies while I sipped my tea. Ho hum. But after hearing more than one friend rave about how cute and quaint and cozy Macha is, S and I decided to check it out for ourselves. We like tea, and we like trying new places – even ones without the allure of free cookies.

Macha is located on Monroe St., a hip neighborhood not quite downtown that still feels bustling and busy. You might recall that I cited it as the location of Pizza Brutta, where I ate my birthday pizza. Macha is set back from the street a bit, in what looks to be a renovated house. This enhances its cozy feel and makes it possible to have a few small tea rooms upstairs, set apart from the more traditional restaurant seating below. The tea rooms are raised slightly, so you have to step up to enter them. You’re encouraged to take off your shoes before entering, which S and I did after ordering at the front desk, receiving our pot of steeping Yunnan tea, and proceeding upstairs.

Each tea room has a low table and a few cushions on the floor, along with bamboo floor mats and Japanese-inspired wall decor. It’s a pleasant, calming atmosphere. S and I chatted and watched the sand in the timer drain as we waited for our tea to steep.

I'm a little teapot, short and square...

When it was done, we poured our tea and sipped it, enjoying the warm sunlight while waiting for our food. The Yunnan tea was delicious – I’m so used to drinking Irish and English black teas that I sometimes forget that there are other varieties out there! Unlike the one-note, almost bitter flavor of an Irish or English black tea, the Yunnan was nuanced and deeply satisfying. And when our food arrived, we eagerly dug in. S ordered the miso soup with tofu, while I enjoyed the donburi bowl with tofu.

Donburi for lunch!

My rice bowl featured jasmine rice, scallion, black sesame, shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, and daikon. I ordered it with a sweet, soy-glazed tofu, which came in large chunks. The whole dish came with a mixture of soy sauce and sesame oil on the side, but I found the sauce almost unnecessary – my bowl was well-seasoned as is. For such a seemingly light and simple meal, I found it surprisingly (and happily) filling. And the price was right – just $6.50 for a tasty lunch. Next time, I’ll forego the tofu and save a dollar.

And there will definitely be a next time – S and I both enjoyed our visit, especially getting to sit in a more private room. Macha also offers tea services, where you can reserve space for a party and receive lots of tea, baked goods, and delicate sandwiches and nibbles. Delightful!

Oh, and those free cookies? Nobody mentioned them! Where did that rumor start?!

Loans & Pizza

/ Kelly / 8 Comments

Hello! I’m on the other side of 25 and feelin’ fine. In the twoish weeks since my birthday, I’ve already accomplished one of my goals – I paid off a loan! Granted, it was one of my smallest private loans, but it’s GONE. Woo! That rush of minimal-exertion accomplishment felt so good that I’ve decided to pay off my Perkins loan next month, I think. I have the money – I’ve been shoring up my savings account for the past couple years, and even though it’s hard to drop a couple thousand dollars at a time, it’s saving me money in the end because, hello, that interest accrues mighty fast! Anyway, I’m excited to already cross one thing off my list. I’m so productive now that I’m old and mature! Ha ha ha.

So, what did I do on my 25th? Well… I ate pizza. Yes, for my big birthday dinner, I chose pizza. What can I say? I’m a little tired of the vegan options in Madison (appreciative though I am of their existence!), and S had raved about the delectable pizzas that are birthed from the wood-fired ovens at Pizza Brutta on Monroe Street, and I’d been craving a simple, thin-crust pizza with garlic and marinara sauce… so pizza it was. And it was good.

So simple, yet so delicious.

Ahh, the pizza marinara. A perfectly baked crust topped with vibrant crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, and garlic – exactly what I was craving. Perfection!

Although the pizza was definitely a highlight of my birthday, I also really loved my gifts and talking with my loved ones. I have the best family and friends. They know me so well – many of my gifts were kitchen-related, from the homemade vanilla extract (made with organic vodka!) from my dear friend Nicole to the gorgeous cast-iron pan from S and the double boiler/steamer from my parents. My parents also framed a truly adorable picture of my mom and baby-me, and it now sits in a place of pride on my windowsill, nestled between my basil plant and a photo of me with my best ladyfriends from college. I could go on, but nobody likes to read a litany of someone else’s gifts. :) Suffice it to say that my 25th birthday, though low-key, was wonderful – a great way to usher in this year of Actually Accomplishing Things and Figuring Stuff Out.

Would you prefer an all-out birthday bash or something quieter? And what should I make to showcase the flavor of my new vanilla extract?!

In Which I Share Some Self-Indulgent Musings on Turning Twenty-Five

/ Kelly / 13 Comments

What’s strange about the way we measure age is that by the time you “turn” a given age, you’ve actually already completed that many years of life. So when I turn 25 tomorrow, I’ll have already been kickin’ around this ol’ planet for a quarter of a century. It’s a little unsettling to think about. I’m sure that all you, ahem, mature readers are shaking your heads and calling me a whippersnapper, but you’ve all been there. You’ve celebrated (or maybe tried to deny) a birthday that seemed monumental in some way, that made you step back and say, Wow.

For me, it was my last birthday. Turning 24 signaled the undeniable end of my early twenties, and the fact that I was in my mid-twenties seemed impossible and laughable and terrifying. When I was younger, I naively decided that 24 was the age when I’d have it figured out, it being things like A Job and Marriage and Life in General. I know, I know – laugh away. It’s silly to think we’ll ever have it all figured out, right? When it became clear that my grasp on it would be as tenuous at 24 as it had been at 23, turning 24 became something I couldn’t help but dread. I felt unsettled and, well, old.

I didn’t want to give up my early twenties. I associated those years with a sort of post-college, pre-adulthood time of fun and freedom before I’d settle in for the long ride of adulthood, for it. Not that my early twenties were all frivolity and fun; I got a real job and starting paying back my loans and bought a car and did all those big-girl things that, let’s face it, mark an unceremonious and undeniable entrance into adulthood. But I still felt young, fresh out of college and ready to take on the world. 24 meant moving into the years when I should start settling down and being responsible… or something.

But then I turned 24 and nothing changed and I realized that 24 is just like 23 and 22, except I more often forget how old I am and more of my acquaintances are starting to get hitched or pop out kids. So I decided to stop fretting about my age. And I shed the idea of setting what are inevitably arbitrary deadlines for myself, because life has an infuriating way of laughing at your deadlines, and those deadlines have a way of passing by while you chase something else. I haven’t figured it out yet, and I’m not settled yet (whatever that means for me), and I’m fine with that. I still have so many countries to visit and things to try and people to meet before I put down roots and stay put. And that’s okay.

With my new, refreshed, and realistic outlook, turning 25 is kind of exciting. While I’m a little shocked that it’s happening already and a little weirded out by the number itself, I’m also looking at it as an opportunity. I have a better sense of who I am now than I ever have before, in a large part thanks to S, whose candid, clear perspective helps me think about myself from a slightly less self-effacing point of view than I usually do. And I’m ready to try new things and accomplish so much.

With that in mind, I’ve spent the past few months compiling a list of 25 things I will do when I’m 25. Making it public is nerve-wracking for me, but I want to be accountable for it. I want to talk about things I accomplish, and I want to cross them off my list. And even if I try something and it’s a big, giant failure, that’s okay. I’ll still have tried it.

So here’s my list of goals, full of silly things and serious things and everything in between. And yes, I know that there aren’t actually 25 items on here – some of them just aren’t things I want to share with the whole wide world. :)

  1. Pay off a loan.
  2. Sew myself a dress.
  3. Blog at least five times a month.
  4. Drive in a big city.
  5. Send people birthday cards and gifts on time.
  6. Work out weekly.
  7. Learn how to use InDesign.
  8. Knit myself a sweater.
  9. Do more creative writing.
  10. Start making Christmas gifts during the summer.
  11. Make a pie with a lattice crust.
  12. Re-learn how to crochet.
  13. Get another tattoo.
  14. Read more poetry.
  15. Take the GRE.
  16. Try hot yoga.
  17. Start and maintain an Etsy shop.
  18. Consistently make some of Moria’s food.
  19. Knit a pair of socks.
  20. Call (or write to) far-away family and friends more frequently.
  21. Visit a new country.
  22. Do more hands-on volunteering.

There it is. Maybe this seems like an odd post for a mostly-food blog, but I think it’s relevant. There’s the accountability thing I already mentioned, for one. But I also just feel like sharing more personal things about myself here, not just meals I eat or desserts I make. My favorite blogs are the ones that seamlessly blend personal anecdotes with food-related musings and chatter, and I’d like to incorporate more of that on here. Plus, one of my goals is to post more often, as you can see. :) I’m excited to get started with my list, and I’ll check in when I accomplish a particularly meaningful or memorable goal!

If you’ve read all this, thank you! As a token of my appreciation, here’s a picture of Moria after her most recent (and most drastic!) haircut:

I swear she’s not really grimacing. She just has a snaggletooth.

A Tale of Two Pizzas

/ Kelly / 5 Comments

In a world that existed solely for my blog-writing needs, I’d be able to begin this post with “It was the best of pizzas, it was the worst of pizzas.” I can’t do that, however, because both of the pizzas I’ve eaten in the past couple months have been far from “the worst.” If the trade-off for an expected-yet-amusing opening line is good pizza, I’m okay with that.

If I’m adhering to reality, the closest I can come to that opener is nowhere near as parallel or as catchy: “It was the most eclectic of pizzas, it was the easiest of pizzas.” It’s no Dickens, but it’ll do.

It was the most eclectic of pizzas…

There is so much going on here.

…because it was basically a mish-mash of topping ideas I found on the internet. S and I made this pizza some time in January. His side has mozzarella Daiya, mushrooms, onions, and Tofurky deli slices cut into strips. My side features broccoli, thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes, soy curls, onions, mushrooms, barbecue sauce, and a bit of Daiya. Clearly my side had no uniformity of theme! But you know what? It was awesome! The Daiya was totally unnecessary, but other than that, the random assortment was delightfully surprising. I can’t believe I haven’t put barbecue sauce on pizza before this one! It was so tasty! And potato slices are an equally delicious addition. Mine were the tiniest bit undercooked, but they added a unique textural element I haven’t experienced on pizza before. A revelation!

It was the easiest of pizzas…

Such a fluffy crust!

…because it was a mother-flippin’  TAKE-OUT PIZZA. As far as I know, Glass Nickel Pizza Co. is the first Madison pizza parlor to offer Daiya on a delivery/take-out pizza. Glass Nickel has a location just minutes away from me, so one lazy weekend night, S and I decided to build our own pizza and pick it up there. I really appreciate that Glass Nickel’s online menu clearly calls out which sauces and toppings are vegan – no more wondering whether the marinara sauce has parmesan in it! Their pizzas aren’t exactly cheap, and Daiya does cost a bit extra, but S pointed out that, for ~$20, it’s cheaper than going out to dinner, AND we had leftovers. Sold. This pizza featured Daiya, tomatoes, green peppers, and mushrooms. Yum! It was a bit heavy on the Daiya, but for a rare weekend treat, it was fine by me.

Apologies to the ghost of Charles Dickens for co-opting his powerful and lasting opening line and using it to talk about pizza. Oops?

What was your most recent pizza experience? Your most eclectic toppings?