Saturday, October 15, 2016

Caturday

Can you handle the cuteness?
Happy Caturday! I feel so lucky to have gotten this picture, because you know how cats like to move as soon as they've been noticed. Luckily for me Joan loves the camera, and Kanye loves the cuddles, so it all worked out. It reminds me of the picture of them from my GoFundMe page! They love to watch the kids play, and I swear they love it when the kids see them in the window.
Tandoori tofu marinating
After baking served with Jasmine rice
Leftovers became breakfast quesadillas!
I made the Tandoori tofu from Vegan Eats World by Terry Hope Romero. The recipe calls for plain, unsweetened soy yogurt, or I'm sure any plain, unsweetened plant yogurt would do. I always dread it when recipes call for that, because is it just me or is plain, unsweetened plant yogurt hard to find? I had some coconut cream, so I used that and just used extra lime in the marinade for that yogurt-y tartness. It seemed to work out fine. My apartment smelled SO GOOD while this was baking, I actually couldn't believe the smell was coming from something I made, it smelled like the best restaurant ever. I think this might be the stand-out dish from this book.
Natural Grocers had these kombuchas on sale for $1.50 each! That's insane, so I had to get some. That's like two for the price of one!
I saw they had drinking vinegar, and I was scared, and also intrigued enough to try one. Don't sales make everything feel safer? This is made with coconut vinegar, which I have never had, but I can only assume it's a little less harsh than regular vinegar. When I opened the bottle, I was scared. Very strong vinegar smell, with cherry as an afterthought. It took awhile for me to actually taste it. I kept sniffing it and telling Roxy I couldn't do it. She finally convinced me I could, and it's not as bad as it smells. I mean, you're drinking vinegar, make no mistake, but the cherry flavor is strong enough to make it tolerable. For my gut health, I'll probably just stick to kombucha, but I'm glad I tried this. They also had a concord grape flavor, and one other flavor I can't remember.
When I was at Natural Grocers, they had a television all set up right in the produce section and the television was playing this infuriating video of some "humane" turkey farm, and it showed the turkeys in their "open space", moving around and then the people were telling us all about how the turkeys are treated kindly, and not fed any crap, and whatever the key words are for people to feel less bad about their choices. I of course see that this is progress, and obviously humane is preferred over inhumane, but still that stuff pisses me off. And to have it right in the produce section of all places! Play that video in the meat aisle. I was so upset. I ended up calling the store, and Emailing the company and expressed my disgust at the insensitive placement of the TV. They sure don't mind taking money from vegans who go there to shop, so they should have a little consideration. I actually got an Email back saying they didn't think about the placement of the TV, and have since moved it to their lobby area. So now that stupid video is the first thing you see when you walk in. Progress not perfection I guess.
Every time I hear any kind of crash coming from the kitchen, it's usually this little thing knocking things over in the pantry. My pantry has a lot of empty space, like a lot, but she just has to tip toe through the spaces that have stuff. My soy sauce has been knocked around so much I can't believe the bottle hasn't broken. But I love it, and wouldn't have her any other way.
Happy Caturday!



12 comments:

  1. This post made me laugh with Roxy talking you down off the ledge ;). I want to hear more of those conversations. "Don't sales make everything feel safer?" TRUE DAT!!!

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    1. Ha ha, my cats talk me off of ledges all day! They are my little cheerleaders.

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  2. I've not seen drinking vinegar like that before! Do you have it as a shot? I used to have a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water in the morning but that was ok as it was really watered down. Love that picture of Joan and Kanye and which one is that in the pantry? Your baked tofu sounds wonderful. I have that book but have used it very little so far. I did make the chai poached pears from it the other day though when someone gave me a bag of pears and we had them for breakfast with yoghurt and they were lovely.

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    1. I sipped on the whole bottle, but it took most of the day to drink it. After the first few sips it was little more enjoyable. If the sale is still on when I go there next, I might try the concord grape because maybe it will taste a little like sparkling wine?
      That's Kanye in the pantry. She loves it. She and Joan sometimes chase each other in there, and then it's a real mess!
      Chai poached pears sound delicious! I have a few other recipes bookmarked from this book, but the tandoori tofu is a tough act to follow!

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  3. Kanye and Joan are so incredibly adorable in that picture; they fit together like two snuggly puzzle pieces! :D
    How upsetting about that video; good for you for speaking up about it!

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    1. I know, it almost looks too staged, but it really is how I found them!
      I'm glad I spoke up too, and I'm really glad they moved the video. I really loathe this time of year, because Thanksgiving is soooo about food, and there is just no escape from the constant marketing. But good on them for at least listening.

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  4. I'm glad you said something about that video, it sounds horrible...! Honestly the very premise of omnis thinking "humane meat" is somehow guilt free because the animal was treated well before being killed for their dinner really gets to me

    I actually make an apple cider vinegar shot that i drink every night - i swear it has done wonders for my tummy and keeps it very happy. I mix about 2TB of the cider vinegar with the juice from half a lemon, a little agave or sugar, and a splash of water. Goes down easily that way.
    That tofu recipe sounds fantastic!! Totally brilliant to add leftovers to the quesadilla too. I think unsweetened plant milk yogurt is a myth. I live in freaking nyc and have only found it at one store! Probably because it's really just not so yummy to eat as is.
    You find the best stuff on sale!! And my god that is the best photo ever of your kitties.... so stinking cute
    Ttrockwood

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    1. It really makes me sick too. Like I said, I appreciate that people at least care about the humane treatment and all of that, but to feel like it's totally cool to eat them because they were treated well just makes me gag. And to have it in my face like that was too much. Like they were showing actual turkeys, living life. Really hideous.
      I'll have to try your ACV recipe. I've only ever tried it with water, but the lemon and sugar/agave sounds much better.
      I agree about the plain plant yogurt. That's why I dread when recipes call for it. I mean, if it's hard to find in NYC, come on!
      I have really lucked out lately with the awesome sales.
      I know, it looks like Joan and Kanye were posed!

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  5. Hmmm... I actually don't mind vinegar in strong doses... I would be interested to try drinking vinegar, though I wonder if the flavour added would make it gross?

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    1. I have had ACV mixed with water, so this was kind of similar except for the added cherry flavor. If you don't mind vinegar, you would probably like these!

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  6. I hate how many places put TVs up to begin with. My local OBGYN office just installed TVs and I am constantly seeing videos on how to prep meats and which types of fish to eat when pregnant. And it just isn't something I want to see.

    I should really try that Tandoori tofu recipe. Looks so good!

    I know you weren't 100% sold of the drinking vinegar, but I would recommend googling some recipes. I liked to have some when I had live active vinegars (Bragg's does one, and so does Wegman's so maybe there are some other store brands?) I would mix about 8oz water with 1-2 tbsp vinegar, and usually some sort of sweetener or a splash of juice or something like that. I think some of the Kevita bottles have a shot of apple cider vinegar in every bottle (I think it is the tonic line?)

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    1. I can't stand the TV's everywhere either. Everyone is glued to their phones anyway, it's not really needed at this point.
      The Tandoori tofu is seriously amazing. It's definitely a keeper.
      I've had the grape Bragg's vinegar drink before, I don't think I hated it, but I didn't love it. I got a grape drinking vinegar today because they're still on sale. I wasn't keen on kombucha at first either, so maybe I will learn to love it.

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