Vegetarian Pot Pie

I've been making this dish for about six-seven years or so and I update the ingredients based on what it is in the crisper and the freezer. This recipe can also be expanded for a make-ahead frozen dinner, just cover and freeze after you've put the sauteed vegetables in the baking dish and before it goes in the oven. Thaw it out when you're ready and bake it for about a half an hour.

Vegetarian Pot Pie
inspired by the Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook

In a large stockpot heat about a half a cup of vegetable broth over medium heat to simmer. Add one diced onion and let simmer for a minute or two until slightly translucent. Then add the following vegetables:
1 cup of chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup green beans (I use frozen)
1/2 cup peas (I use frozen)
1 cup diced red peppers
1/2 cup corn (I prefer frozen over canned)

Sometimes I mix and match vegetables, again based on what is available in my fridge.

While the vegetables are sauteing in the broth prepare a 2 quart or larger casserole dish with olive oil spray and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook the vegetables for about ten minutes then add 1/4-1/3 cup of whole wheat flour, stirring until well combined. The veggies will start to get pasty and sticky. Then add two cups of vegetable broth and a cup of milk or milk substitute (I prefer whole organic milk but have used unsweetened soy milk). Season with soy sauce (a teaspoon or splash should do), thyme, sage, black pepper or your other favorite herbs. Today I used fresh sage and savory and a dried herbs de province blend from Red Monkey. You can also add a sprinkle of cayenne if you want a little heat.

Stir the vegetables frequently until the mixture has thickened. Pour it into the prepared baking dish and add a biscuit topping - I use Jiffy mix ratio of 2-1/3 cups of mix to 2/3 cup milk and slather over the top. Make sure you don't seal the edges with the biscuit dough so the juices can breathe and not bubble over.

Put the uncovered baking dish in the oven for 20 minutes to a half hour. You want the biscuit topping to be golden and the juices to be bubbling.

No yogurt for you! No fishies for you!

The So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage is delightful! I love it in my coffee (they should make a creamer - hint hint), on my cereal and with my protein shake on mornings I am flying out the door. But, I can't get the darn stuff to turn into yogurt. In my last posting you'll see my ill-fated attempt (and excitement) in making coconut milk yogurt with my first jug of this stuff. Alas, it came out as thin as it first went into the thermos, but tasted strongly of the yogurt starter. Maybe I'll try again.

In sad news: 'Google', my studio's Red Moor Pop-Eyed Goldfish, passed away today after struggling over the weekend of nitrate poisoning. Apparently we discovered the poisoning too late to give him a full recovery. :-(

And since I was feeling rather fishy after flushing my precious goldfish down the toilet (did his tail move? Nope, that's just the water flow Amy), I decided it was time to add an Omega-3 supplement to my diet. Being a vegetarian, and fish lover, I was delighted to find Udo's Choice 3 6 9 "fish free" liquid supplement in the Natural Food Exchange's refrigerated cooler.

So, I pour my fish free Omegas over my pasta and wish Requiescat in pace (may he rest in peace) dear Google.

This must be Heaven

Who knew a Wednesday could be so cool?! I trekked over to the Natural Food Exchange for some of the So Delicious coconut milk (the kind in the refrigerated section), and I also picked up some wheat bran, coconut flakes and sesame seeds.

So Delicious Coconut Milk

So yes, So Delicious' milk is exactly that: So Delicious! Slightly sweet with a subtle coconut flavor at the end. And here I thought this was going to taste like drinking a pina coloda!

I promptly heated two cups of the coconut milk beverage, added a half packet of Yogurmet yogurt starter and poured it into the purple thermos seen in this image. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Nutty Carob Truffles

I ran across this amazing recipe for Nutty Carob Truffles on one of my Twitter friend's blog over a month ago and kept telling myself to make it. I procrastinated for weeks and finally got the rest of the ingredients this morning. These little guys are super tasty. My rendition was as follows:
*Mike's local honey from Jamaica Plain
*Creamy Organic Almond Butter
*Coarse Organic Wheat Bran
*Carob Powder
*Black Organic Toasted Sesame Seeds
*Toasted Organic Walnuts (chopped)
*Zante Currants

I can't wait to share these with my girlfriends at the knitting group tonight!

Work like you don't need the money

"Happiness is a process, not a destination. So work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. And dance as though no one is watching." - anonymous

My first job was for a ranch that ran snowmobile tours in the winter and horseback rides in the summer. I could only work on weekends and holidays but this was the best first job one could have. When the weather was bad I would stay in the main lobby and bake coffee cake and serve it with cider or cocoa. Some days I would be backup guide on a tour, which was delightful!

I learned early on that I do my best work when I have varied tasks to perform (i.e. bathing horses, fueling up snowmobiles, sending direct mail campaigns, answering the phone, baking cakes). And over the years I have discovered that there is no reason for work to feel like work. Perhaps I have the seven dwarfs complex but I truly love what I do, and do what I love. Somewhere along the lines I get paid for it.

Don't worry! Be happy!

Half of Beantown Hospitals won't let you have a VBAC

I'm quite upset about this month's news from ICAN. Almost half of the hospitals polled in Massachusetts have either out right bans on VBACs or simply have de-facto bans because their rules are so strict no practitioner will perform them.

So where does this leave a woman in Massachusetts that had a cesarean previously but wants a vaginal birth? Either driving further to a hospital and practitioner that will support her, or to find a homebirth midwife that will support an HBAC: Home Birth After Cesarean.

Vegetarian Confusion

I went to the Midwest Grill on Route 1 recently. My partner loves these Brazilian grills and I usually tag along for rice and plantains. Imagine my surprise when the menu says they offer a vegetarian plate from the kitchen, awesome! So our server comes over, explains the process and starts to take our drink orders - two large glasses of fresh mango juice. I begin to order the vegetarian option and she repeats "seafood and vegetarian plate," ummm, no, just the vegetarian plate. She argues with me that seafood *is* vegetarian, at least according to their menu. After going in circles a few times I finally explain that I get violently ill if I consume ANY animal products. Okay, okay, she understands, but they don't have a vegetarian plate without meat. Ugh! I browse the buffet - they do have rice, and plantains, I go for the buffet instead.

In the last week I've had four instances of vegetarian confusion. It goes like this:
Me: I'm a vegetarian
Them: Oh, but fish is okay, right?
Me: Nope, can't eat fish
Them: Hmmm, what about tuna?
Me: No meat, at all
Them: Do you eat chicken?
Me: No

What is a vegetarian you might ask? Well, a vegetarian, is someone who does not consume any fish, meat, poultry or animal byproducts. So, if I am a vegetarian why do people assume I eat fish or poultry? I may be more confused about it than they are.

Goodbye holidays, hello foot pain

As it turns out I seem to have developed that painful condition called plantar fasciitis. This occurs in the heel of the foot and can be related to injury, inappropriate footwear or occupations that require a lot of standing. With my luck the first time I wear house slippers in my life I develop heel pain within 14 days.

My self-prescribed plan is to receive weekly Reflexology sessions and bi-weekly therapeutic massages. Between the two and a rigorous self-care routine I should have my foot happy in no time! Or at least hoping that it won't take the typical six months to two years to heal.