Boston!

Tybrus and I recently went to Boston as a late birthday present to him. We went there for the sole purpose of attending PAX East, but I think we all know why I was excited to get out of this town: typically a crowded city yields one thing- culture. And, where there's culture there are bound to be limitless vegetarian options. One place that we frequented was the Otherside Cafe. They have tons of vegetarian options and make almost all of it vegan. You have the option to add tofu or tempeh to basically everything and they even had a few raw options!

the California wrap with grilled tempeh, you can see the delicious chocolate chip cookie I ordered, too!



Buffalo tempeh sammich



BLT on Rye and the Nature Boy platter (completely raw plate: mock chicken salad, beet and carrot chips, and spicy wrap filling)


the big finish: Vegan mint chocolate cake

Oh, Boston, you will be missed.

20 Minute Paella

I haven't had paella since I was about eight years old. My dad's mother is from Spain and it was a common meal when I dined at her home. I'd been craving it for a while, but when Tybrus and I made the holy pilgrimage to our favorite Asian market and found saffron for wickedly cheap, I decided making it was essential. I used couscous because I was impatient.

20 Minute Paella

1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tsp turmeric (or saffron if ya' got it)
2 tsp paprika
1 cup peas
1 cup couscous
1 cup vegetable broth
1 15 oz can artichoke hearts
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan on medium heat, saute the onion and garlic until onions become translucent. Add bell pepper and saute for another 5 minutes. Add spices, tomatoes, peas, couscous, and broth and reduce heat to low. Before covering arrange artichoke hearts in a visually pleasing way. Let paella cook for 5 minutes and drizzle with lemon juice.

Veg-Billy Hotdogs!

I am referring to these as veg billy hot dogs to pay homage to Huntington, West Virginia's one unique dining experience, Hillbilly Hot Dogs. I've never dined at this restaurant, not even when I was omnivorous. I've always been a bit creeped out by hot dogs in general, but when you pile crap on them like eggs or pizza toppings, you have officially triggered my gag reflex. Still, I think it's pretty awesome that there is actually a unique place to eat in Huntington, despite the fact that it has an overall unhealthy menu and very limited vegetarian options.

Anyway, these hot dogs weren't anything too outrageous. Ty made a nice, simple slaw to top 'em off with and I made some sauce to go on top. It consisted of TVP, kidney beans, cumin, turmeric, paprika, veg broth, and tomato sauce. I haven't perfected the measurements yet so no recipe. Obviously things got a little messy while eating so I ended up finishing my meal with accidental chilli fries. Delicious.

Simple Carrot Soup and Cucumber Sammiches.

What a wonderfully delicate meal. I had hoped the soup would've been creamier, but my blender is a piece of shite. If you suffer from a similar affliction, I advise letting the soup cook longer before you blend it so that the carrots essentially just turn to mush. I got the recipe from How It All Vegan! I need more cookbooks...

Simply Lovely Carrot Soup (from How It All Vegan!)

1 small onion
6-8 large carrots, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups veg stock or water
1 tsp salt
1 cup soy milk
1 tsp dried dill
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper

In a large soup pot, saute the onions and carrots in oil on medium heat until translucent. Add stock and salt and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until carrots are tender. Remove half the vegetables and blend in blender/food processor with milk, dill, soy sauce, and pepper, and a small amount of cooking brother until smooth. Return mixture to the pot, mix well, and serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.

My alterations: add more like a tbsp of dill and also a few dollops of Earth Balance. I recommend blending the entire mixture because this is a soup that would really be best creamy.