buenas dias

Topher has the day off and we are off to The Globe for big vegan breakfast and then to Snoqualmie Falls for the afternoon. Last night we ate at La Carta De Oaxaca and it blew my mind. I think it is the best Oaxacan food I've eaten stateside.

And by the way if you're interested here is the Pumpkin Pie Brownie recipe that you see pictured below, it's the bomb!
Cheers!

settling in

So, we have been cooking a lot. It has been fun experimenting with new and different ingredients. Topher has been picking up extra hours at work and I continue to relax. Several things I am into right now; still training for the animal shelter, knitting, reading, vegan, wheat free baking and selling crafty items online. My brain is hyperactive with all the projects I want to be involved with! It's fun to not have my brain preoccupied with work crap.

Good morning...

Check this out!

Halloween! Cupcakes! Party!

Look at these beautiful cupcakes. These are cupcakes Heather is making for me to eat. Well, technically they are for lots of people to eat, we've invited a few friends over to celebrate Halloween and have a drink and a cupcake.
So Heather has spent the afternoon driving me crazy by making the apartment smell like delicious cupcakes.
Now were gonna eat some dinner and then we're gonna put on silly costumes and then I'm gonna eat some cupcakes.

yummy.

Weekend Update

Hello again,

Topher is off making brunch for people today. I had my second training at the animal shelter today and we will be doing the same types of things tomorrow morning too. The farmers market has been keeping us busy in the kitchen, natch and I have been learning the secrets of bargain shopping in Seattle.

I am enjoying my time off.

Hope Fall is beautiful where you are too.

Loving it...

Last week it was rainy and gray. I had the flu. I took it easy and Topher cooked for me! Seattle has warmed up since then and the beautiful sunsets are a welcome punctuation to our evenings together. We were longing for Indonesian food and in my fevered state I requested that Topher cook me Nasi Goreng! (Truthfully, the only Indonesian recipe that is in our collection.) Look how neat and tidy his preparations are!
Nasi Goreng (Vegan)

3 cups cooked brown rice, cold
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 tbsp or more to taste, soy sauce
1 tbsp sambol (we substituted sriaracha and sweet chili sauce)
1 cup cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
2 cloves minced garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 lb minced seasoned tofu or fake meat bits
1 Tbsp. lime juice
several lime wedges
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil or peanut oil (or combination)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup scallions, chopped

1. Heat oil in wok or skillet, add tofu, onion and garlic.
2. Saute for a few minutes.
3. Add rice and sambol and stir. Add soy sauce and one half of the carrots, sprouts, cabbage and peanuts. Cook and toss together for a few minutes.
4. Add half of the cilantro, black pepper, half of the scallions and more soy sauce if needed.
5. Continue frying for 2 minutes.
6. Serve! Top with remaining sprouts, cilantro, peanuts, cabbage, carrots and scallions. Put lime wedges and chili sauce on the side.

Living with a chef!

Vegan Cuban Black Bean Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cans black beans
1 package of Smart Bacon, cut into strips
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
1/4 cup hard cider (or regular cider)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
for our topping: 2 plantains and vegetable oil
(optional toppings: chopped hard boiled egg and onions)

1. Heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in oil, stirring occasionally.
2. When onion and garlic are cooked, add Smart Bacon, spices and cider, simmer on low for 10 minutes or so.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients, heat to boiling. Boil for 2 minutes; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 3o minutes.
4. While soup is cooking: heat oil in cast iron pan. Peel and cut medium size slices of plantain. Drop into the hot oil, fry until brown. Place fried plantains on plate with paper towel to drain off excess oil.
5. Serve soup with topping of choice.

This is one of the first recipes we worked on together and it turned out wonderful! Enjoy!

the internet

We have it in our house now! Topher has started working and now it's my turn to hang out while he is gone. I have started training to volunteer at the Animal Shelter, which is close to our place. I can not apply to be a sub until my WA teaching license is granted to me, all the paperwork is in, all I can do now is wait. I have decided to knit all my Christmas presents this year and this is my project to make sure I do not lose my mind while unemployed! So far I have completed 2 hats! I had no idea they were so easy...

Here are some of amazing pictures we have from Colorado:
Cheers!

It's raining

At this moment Topher is taking his Food Handlers Test and I am applying to be a Substitute Teacher. The time off has been good for us, but the money is dwindling. Since we returned to Seattle, we have been mostly enjoying our wonderful new home. Cooking, watching dvds, walking up and down Queen Anne, knitting, researching herb gardens and reading. We are glad to be home. We skipped some of the sites we were planning on seeing on the way back, because we were anxious to return home. Now we have places to see in the US in the future.

Hope all is well with you.

The Wild West