XIV: Birthday 2010

In my last post, I opened the floodgates to the discussion of the birthday I just celebrated on May 5. It's only fitting to continue this series with the sublime birthday dinner I enjoyed at XIV two days later with the wonderful friend to whom I've given a producer credit on two other occasions. He certainly deserves it again here.

I don't know about you, but every once in a while, I find it's best to stow my camera and be present at the dinner table. Although that means a photoless post, it was oh so worth it to just be in the moment.

As soon as the server greeted us, she wished me a happy birthday (thank you, Mr. Producer!) and asked if either of us was interested in the vegetarian menu. When I asked her for the vegan menu, she quickly retrieved it and let me know that she would not be bringing me a portion of bread because it's not vegan. A dining experience is always so much better when the staff is well-informed and eliminates the need for vegan inquiries.

My appetizer that evening was the Fried Green Tomatoes Salad (from the menu: Fried Green Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Mustard Frill, Sherry Emulsion), which was not fried at all. Instead, the plate arrived with very thinly sliced fresh green tomatoes that looked likely to be heirloom, topped with slightly-burst cherry tomatoes, all atop a bed of frisee. It was lightly dressed to allow for the flavors of the tomatoes to shine.

For my entree, I chose what had been my favorite course of the tasting menu I had my first time at XIV, the Charred Broccoli Rabe (from the menu: Charred Broccoli Rabe, Sushi Rice Cake, White Soy Vinaigrette). I loved the textural and color contrast between the tender-but-not-soft, dark green broccoli rabe and the slightly sticky and seasoned rice.

Dessert was a must for this birthday celebration and I ordered the Bitter Chocolate Sorbet (from the menu: Bitter Chocolate Sorbet, Spiced Pecans, Espresso, Cocoa Nib). If you read my Follow Your Heart birthday post, you will know that I was overjoyed when this dessert arrived bearing a lit birthday candle on which I could make a wish. Fortunately, there was no singing involved to draw the attention of other diners (I'm easily embarrassed), but I was incredibly appreciative for the thoughtfulness of the birthday candle.

With excellent conversation and delicious food, this was truly one of the most memorable birthday meals I've ever experienced. I am so grateful!

Follow Your Heart: Birthday 2010

I have told you before that Follow Your Heart Market & Cafe is one of my favorite places on earth. A homey, love-filled, 100% vegetarian cafe nestled in the back of an all-vegetarian market where you can purchase almost anything your vegan heart can dream up...well, you can see why I follow my heart there often. Interestingly, though, one of my friends (who surprised me with the revelation that he's read my blog) pointed out Friday that I haven't written many posts about this wonderful place. When I thought about it, I realized that the lack of posts speaks to the fact that I almost always order the exact same thing there: the vegan Reuben with vegan cheese (I'm not a fan of the cottage-style tofu).

Nobody was surprised when I chose to celebrate my birthday (May 5) this year with dinner at Follow Your Heart. Of course, I ordered the vegan Reuben, being my favorite sandwich ever. The menu description states that the Reuben is composed of: Thinly Sliced Wheatmeat, Natural Swiss Cheese, Sauerkraut, Mustard and Vegenaise® on Oversized Rye Bread, Oven-Baked. Served with Dill Pickle and Thousand Island Dressing. Also Available Non-Dairy with Cottage-Style Tofu Instead of Cheese.

Served with crisp carrot chips and a pickle, the Reuben is gigantic (enough for two meals) and flavorful. I love all the different tastes and textures that are packed between two huge pieces of lightly-toasted rye bread and am grateful to this sandwich for introducing me to the deliciousness and healthfulness that is sauerkraut.



Since it was my birthday and all, something sweet was in order and a vegan chocolate mint milkshake fit the bill perfectly. The only sad moment occurred when I started driving home and it hit me that I hadn't blown out a birthday candle! I tore the house apart trying to find one and settled for blowing out a scented soy candle...hopefully my birthday wish will still come true.

There are a couple more birthday posts to come, but each deserves its own mention. For now, if you're in the LA area, follow your heart and hit up my favorite spot!

Bold Native

Bold Native is not a person. It's an idea - that animals are not property. They are not ours to use. They are an end unto themselves. Their freedom is beautiful, and their slavery is a horror.

The above excerpt is from the powerful new narrative film, Bold Native; a film about animal liberation and welfare, about passion and compassion. It's a film that's presented in such an accessible way that those who might otherwise be resistant to a film that would open their eyes to the realities of animal testing will be talking about it for months to come. For those who are already aware, it is a film that will help facilitate conversations with the aforementioned resistant.

Bold Native is poignant, moving, and told by spectacular filmmakers, cast, and crew. Please support the film by attending screenings, purchasing merchandise, and spreading the word.

The red carpet world premiere takes place this Wednesday, June 16, in Los Angeles (details here)! The filmmakers and cast will be present (so will I). I strongly encourage you to come show your support and see this amazing film in an environment where you'll also have the opportunity to speak directly to these talented people. There is a second L.A. screening taking place this Friday, June 18, at Tree People. While the screening is sold out, waiting list spots are still available.

If you live outside of Los Angeles, you'll have a chance to see Bold Native very soon. The filmmakers will be presenting it in Portland on June 24, Seattle on June 29, and Washington D.C. on July 16. They are also planning a college tour this year, so please continue checking the website for details. In the meantime, get a sneak peak by watching the trailer.

We've got some trouble to start.

Teese Challenge (Part 2)

Do you remember the Teese Challenge I mentioned at the end of March? I was able to create two additional dishes with what the Chicago Soy Dairy folks sent me.



At the end of April, with the contents of my fridge and pantry, I whipped up this unusual pasta dinner. First, I grated half a package of Teese mozzarella. Then, while I cooked a pot of quinoa elbow pasta, I soaked half of a bag of Soy Curls in boiling water. Once the Soy Curls had soaked for about ten minutes, I drained them and sauteed them with about half a bottle of Follow Your Heart Balsamic Spicy Barbecue Sauce over medium heat until heated through. When the pasta was al dente, I drained it, returned it to the pot in which I'd cooked it, then tossed in the Soy Curls and Teese, mixing well. Served very hot, this meal was spicy and creamy; good for an off-the-cuff meal.



The Saturday after my birthday, our vegan friends had a potluck birthday party for me and a fellow vegan Taurus. My contribution was a layered dip using my remaining Teese. In a glass 8"x8" pan, I spread a can of Trader Joe's refried black beans with jalapenos, the second layer was a package of Teese Creamy Cheddar-Style Sauce, the third was two cans of rinsed and drained black beans, the fourth was a package of Mild Nacho-Style Teese Sauce, and I topped it with a package of Teese cheddar that I shredded. I covered the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil to transport it to the party where I put it in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, I removed the foil and returned the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes to melt the top layer of Teese. Served with tortilla chips, this was a fantastic potluck contribution! I will definitely make it again.



Thank you to Chicago Soy Dairy for providing me with Teese for experiments. I understand that there is a new formula of Teese that melts better and stretches. Since one of our local vegan-friendly pizza places carries it, I'm looking forward to trying it soon!

Happy Herbivore Yellow Dahl

It's the end of May and I have much to share to you, including the vegan fare I enjoyed on the gorgeous island of Jamaica, the vegan extravaganza that was my birthday week, and a couple great classes at Spork Foods. However, I'm feeling like writing a short post tonight about what I whipped up for work lunches the next few days. This is quinoa (simply cooked in water), steamed Southern greens (a Trader Joe's mix of collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, and spinach), and Yellow Dahl. The Yellow Dahl is a terrific recipe from the upcoming Happy Herbivore cookbook, which the Amazon pre-order page states is due in January 2011. Trust me when I tell you that this cookbook is full of delicious, healthful recipes with something for everyone.

Cleansed

For some reason, this has been an extremely difficult post for me to write. Not difficult in the sense that I'm at a loss for words, but something has kept me from writing it way back in early February when I originally intended to do so.

Twice so far this year, I have embarked on month-long entirely whole foods "cleanses" (the second time, I took to calling it a "regime"). The parameters are pretty simple: I ate only vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds (in moderation), with a heavy emphasis on dark leafy greens. I did not eat anything processed (good-bye tofu) and I did not eat anything that included a sweetener of any kind (no sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, etc.). It also goes without saying that I did not consume anything containing oil with the exception of a few times when I ate salads at Hugo's.




My first cleanse month spanned the entire month of January. My main goals were to eat really healthfully and to eat a mainly anti-inflammatory diet (www.nutritiondata.com has an inflammation factor listed for each food item). Having just read the book, I set out to follow many of the principles from Christina Pirello's Glow, including her daily breakfast plan of greens, grains, and wakame-laced miso soup. Knowing that I don't care for sea vegetables (it's the fishy taste that gets me), I decided to suck it up and stocked up on several varieties with the intention of making Pirello's recipes for miso soup and hot, nutrient-dense elixirs. I really thought I could do it, but that wakame was impossible for me to choke down after two days. Also, with my busy schedule, preparing her elixirs were just too time-consuming for me. So, I took some of the knowledge I'd gleaned from Glow and created a plan that worked for me and didn't compromise what I'd set out to achieve.

On work days, my breakfasts consisted of 1/4 cup of cooked quinoa or millet (cooked only in water), about 3/4 cup of steamed greens (usually Trader Joe's Southern Blend of mustard greens, turnip greens, collard greens, and spinach), and a serving of baby carrots. For me, it's an extremely satisfying meal that's easy on the digestive tract, full of nutrients, and comforting, as well. On weekends, I usually ate fruit or green smoothies for breakfast.

I always take my lunch to work and these usually consisted of big salads, the base of which was always 2/3 cup of thawed frozen corn, about 4 cups of dark greens (either the Southern Blend or spinach), about 3/4 cup of broccoli slaw, about 1/2 cup shredded carrot, and a drizzle of red wine vinegar as a dressing, topped with one teaspoon of ground flax and one teaspoon of hemp seeds (in the second month, I added one teaspoon of nutritional yeast, as well). Additions I made to these salads included shredded raw daikon, finely chopped cauliflower, and sugar snap peas. If I wanted a hot lunch, I would bring a plain baked sweet potato or dry roasted Brussels sprouts, or brown rice and beans and greens. I always follow lunch with a red grapefruit.

Dinner was a little more difficult for me to figure out. I'm usually on the run after work at least three nights of the week and often more, whether it be to a yoga class or another activity. I needed something I could eat on the run that would fuel me through yoga and keep me full, but not too full. At first, I was just eating a banana and I found that I was feeling really weak during class. I decided to eat 14 grams (1/2 serving) of raw almonds along with the banana. That gave me the protein boost I apparently needed to feel strong during class. I'd follow that up with an apple or some vegetables when I got home.

When I wasn't eating dinner on the run, I experimented a little and found that I really love steamed cabbage served over plain cooked quinoa and sprinkled with two teaspoons of hemp seeds. I'm pretty amazed that something so incredibly simple is so delicious, but when I think about it, I've always been just as happy with simple meals than with complex ones.

Another treat I found myself craving repeatedly was a sliced apple sprinkled with ground cinnamon and ground ginger. The two warming spices really take the apple to a new level!

The effects of the January cleanse were interesting. I had really even, consistent energy, without the highs and lows usually associated with eating (i.e. some people get sleepy after meals). My energy level stayed that way even when I hadn't gotten enough sleep the previous night. It was such a good feeling! That being said, I found myself being far more introverted that month than usual. I chalked it up to my body and mind detoxing. The only foods I missed were my daily breakfast Luna bar and tofu.

The second time around started March 22 and ended April 21 when I left for Jamaica for my brother's wedding. My food intake was essentially the same as it was in January, but I did not experience the introversion I mentioned. I think that could be because I made it a point to consume nutritional yeast, which is loaded with vitamin B12, something present in the Luna bars that I'm used to eating, but that isn't present in vegan whole foods. This is why knowing the nuances of one's one body is so important; I was able to remedy the introversion by simply fortifying my food intake with a little vitamin B12.

For me, eating whole, unprocessed, low-fat foods feels very healthy and feels like excellent fuel. I will obviously continue to indulge in treats occasionally (especially with my birthday being in a week), but I want to also continue eating a mostly whole foods regime. My body thrives on it and so does my mind. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments and I'd be happy to answer.

[P.S. Unfortunately, I can't recommend Glow. While some of the information was interesting, it wasn't presented in an interesting or engaging way. Also, I felt that Pirello ignored the fact that sometimes ones food intake or genetics aren't the only factors of an ailment. For example, wrinkles can be caused by outside factors like spending too much time in the sun without sunscreen, but Pirello fails to recognize that. I feel that her information needs to be coupled with a significant amount of outside knowledge because it's incomplete on its own, so it shouldn't be used as your primary source of information.]

Corn and Kidney Bean Chili

Yesterday was my soon-to-be sister-in-law's bridal shower and guests were asked to bring a potluck dish plus the recipe to compile a starter cookbook for her. I had three challenges as far as I could tell: to bring something that 1) I could eat on my all whole foods regime; 2) was something easy for a beginner cook; and 3) other people would eat. Since chili is usually a crowd-pleaser, I scoured a couple of my cookbooks for a really easy recipe that would not require me buying extra ingredients. Out of my pantry, I made the following recipe that I adapted from Alex Jamieson's The Great American Detox Diet:

2 1/4 cups frozen corn
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-ounce can Muir Glen fire-roasted crushed tomatoes

Add all the ingredients to a 4-quart or larger saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Yield: Approximately 5 cups