Well, I have a Twitter account. Actually, I've had one since February, but my lovely friend and co-worker persuaded me to start using it. So, I have one 'follower' (I'm awesome!) and no idea how to use it! I mean, I kinda know how... but I only know how to snoop on other peoples accounts. And by 'other people' I mean celebs and musicians.
Anyway, it seems like twitter would be really addictive and I think I would probably tweet something every minute if I had that kind of time. But I'm wondering if there is any point to tweeting if there is no one around to read it? It's kind of like the tree falling in the forest... if no one's around... well, does it make a sound?
So, how do you get people to follow you? And how do you find your friends, assuming that they even have an account? I have no clue, but I intend to find out! Wish me luck! Oh, and 'follow me' if you have a twitter account too. And maybe you can teach me a thing or two while you're at it! Ha!
Happy tweeting!
Love,
Ves
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
You Made What?
Today I made Seitan for the first time. Say what, you ask? Seitan, pronounced say-tan, is a 'wheat meat' made from Vital Wheat Gluten. Two things I had never heard of before becoming vegan.
I honestly can't believe I had the guts to make this before ever trying it. Seitan is something that you should be able to buy at a grocery store or Health Food store, but I have yet to find it anywhere. I have heard (read) so much about it and have been dying to try it that I finally broke down and made it.
By the way, I love that I can just make my 'meat'! So far I haven't come across anything that I hate about being a vegan. Accept maybe the way some people act towards me. I won't name any names... ahem, my brother.
Anyway, I had no idea what this would end up tasting like, or looking like for that matter. But luckily I read so many blogs and visit so many websites that I couldn't go wrong with a recipe from the Post Punk Kitchen. I have made quite a few recipes from the PPK website that it seemed like a no-brainer to go with her Seitan recipe. Since it was my first time experimenting with this recipe I followed it to the T.
Here's how I made it... or rather, here is the recipe from the PPK (ha!):
1 cup vital wheat gluten flour
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 cup cold vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated on a microplane grater
For the simmering broth:
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
1/4 cup soy sauce
Fill a stock pot with the water, broth and soy sauce, cover and bring to a boil.
In the mean time, in a large bowl mix together gluten and yeast. In a smaller bowl mix together broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Pour the wet into the dry and combine with a wooden spoon until most of the moisture has absorbed and partially clumped up with the dry ingredients. Use your hands and knead for about 3 minutes, until it’s an elastic dough. Divide into 3 equal pieces with a knife and then knead those pieces in your hand just to stretch them out a bit. Let rest until the broth has come to a full boil.
Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Add the gluten pieces and partially cover pot so that steam can escape. Let simmer for 45 minutes, turning occasionally. Turn the heat off and take the lid off, let sit for 15 minutes.
Remove from broth and place in a strainer until it is cool enough to handle. Slice and use as desired.
I didn't take step-by-step photos but I did take a few pictures. Here's what it looked like:
I honestly can't believe I had the guts to make this before ever trying it. Seitan is something that you should be able to buy at a grocery store or Health Food store, but I have yet to find it anywhere. I have heard (read) so much about it and have been dying to try it that I finally broke down and made it.
By the way, I love that I can just make my 'meat'! So far I haven't come across anything that I hate about being a vegan. Accept maybe the way some people act towards me. I won't name any names... ahem, my brother.
Anyway, I had no idea what this would end up tasting like, or looking like for that matter. But luckily I read so many blogs and visit so many websites that I couldn't go wrong with a recipe from the Post Punk Kitchen. I have made quite a few recipes from the PPK website that it seemed like a no-brainer to go with her Seitan recipe. Since it was my first time experimenting with this recipe I followed it to the T.
Here's how I made it... or rather, here is the recipe from the PPK (ha!):
1 cup vital wheat gluten flour
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 cup cold vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated on a microplane grater
For the simmering broth:
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
1/4 cup soy sauce
Fill a stock pot with the water, broth and soy sauce, cover and bring to a boil.
In the mean time, in a large bowl mix together gluten and yeast. In a smaller bowl mix together broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Pour the wet into the dry and combine with a wooden spoon until most of the moisture has absorbed and partially clumped up with the dry ingredients. Use your hands and knead for about 3 minutes, until it’s an elastic dough. Divide into 3 equal pieces with a knife and then knead those pieces in your hand just to stretch them out a bit. Let rest until the broth has come to a full boil.
Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Add the gluten pieces and partially cover pot so that steam can escape. Let simmer for 45 minutes, turning occasionally. Turn the heat off and take the lid off, let sit for 15 minutes.
Remove from broth and place in a strainer until it is cool enough to handle. Slice and use as desired.
I didn't take step-by-step photos but I did take a few pictures. Here's what it looked like:
This is what mine looked like in it's broth after it's done simmering.
And this is what it looked like in the strainer.
I did end up slicing a tiny piece and sauteing it up so that I could taste it, but I didn't take a picture of that. If you are wondering, it was delicious!
When it cooled down, I took one of the pieces and put it in a container in the fridge and I put the other two pieces in the freezer. I'm the only vegan in the house and I am going away next week so there was no way I was going to let this go bad.
Oh, and if you are wondering about the broth that the seitan was simmering in, it was too yummy to throw out so I ended up making a miso soup with tofu out of it. So delish!
I hope you guys are feeling adventurous enough to try this out even if you aren't eating a vegan diet. I had members of my family taste the sauteed seitan and they liked it too, so give it a shot!
Happy eating!
Love,
Ves
Thursday, June 16, 2011
I'm still here!
Hi all!
I've totally missed writing on my little blog. I've been so busy lately that I feel like I can't even catch my breath. So much has been going on, it seems like everyone has had a Birthday, Wedding or Shower of some sort! Between family, friends, work and life who has time for a blog? I'm envious of those people who post something daily. Do they go to work? Well, I'm going to make it a priority! If I can't post daily I'll at least try and post weekly and maybe even twice weekly...although that may be pushing it. Ha!
So what's been happening around here? Well, lots of events with the fam and friends actually.
We had a combined birthday for my sis and sis-in-law which was filled with good food, great people and a little craziness in the mix. Probably the only adult party with pinata's in the front yard. Sure my 6 year old nephew was there, but the adults swung first!
That's my crazy cousin... he broke the giant wooden spoon swinging at the pinata. Did I mention that the pinatas were the size of a CD? Just another family party!
I've also been having a blast attending weddings and bridal showers for my friends. I love dressing up and getting together with friends eating, drinking, and dancing! I also love that they requested vegan meals for me at the Banquet Halls. (It totally didn't occur to me to put anything on the RSVP cards.) I love my friends!
This was my main course at the bridal shower, and even though it's not balanced - just veggies! - it was so delish. Even the non-veg people at my table were salivating at the sight of my meal!
My favorite part of the bridal shower was the games. My table won prizes for one game and I won a prize for my shoes!
I've totally missed writing on my little blog. I've been so busy lately that I feel like I can't even catch my breath. So much has been going on, it seems like everyone has had a Birthday, Wedding or Shower of some sort! Between family, friends, work and life who has time for a blog? I'm envious of those people who post something daily. Do they go to work? Well, I'm going to make it a priority! If I can't post daily I'll at least try and post weekly and maybe even twice weekly...although that may be pushing it. Ha!
So what's been happening around here? Well, lots of events with the fam and friends actually.
We had a combined birthday for my sis and sis-in-law which was filled with good food, great people and a little craziness in the mix. Probably the only adult party with pinata's in the front yard. Sure my 6 year old nephew was there, but the adults swung first!
I've also been having a blast attending weddings and bridal showers for my friends. I love dressing up and getting together with friends eating, drinking, and dancing! I also love that they requested vegan meals for me at the Banquet Halls. (It totally didn't occur to me to put anything on the RSVP cards.) I love my friends!
My favorite part of the bridal shower was the games. My table won prizes for one game and I won a prize for my shoes!
This was the dress making game - we didn't win, but look how cute!
This was our idea of a perfect (kidding) Honeymoon using playdough and we won!
Look at the pretty shoes! Mine are the pink ones - they won me a prize!
So much more has been going on but I'll save it for the next blog! I promise I won't be a stranger.
Until next time... get outside and enjoy the weather!
Love,
Ves
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