Wallingford Gardens, Coffee + Carmelita

Welcome to Wallyhood--or Wallingford. A Seattle neighborhood just south of Woodland Park Zoo and east of the U-district.

 My parents are avid gardeners. Consequently, they have fostered a thriving appreciation for gardens in me (even if my physical skills at gardening are, frankly, tragically late blooming).  Nevertheless, as a way to celebrate this rare day of sunshine in June, they took me out on a garden tour this Sunday over in Wallingford.  Here is sampling a pictures I took at some of the gardens this morning/afternoon.  Looking at them makes me feel all inspired :)

We could smell these roses from yards away. Now, that is a fragrant flower.

 Onions, aliums and poppies. Oh my!

This kitty, Tux, was lounging about in one of the gardens on the tour. She was so freaking friendly. Thus, a mini cat photo shoot was in order.

 Of course, no sunny day in Seattle is complete without iced coffee. 

 Another awkward photo of my lower region + shoes. Perhaps I should actually attempt to do a proper OOTD? For anyone's reference, the shoes are by Harajuku Lovers (a Japanese style brand) and are covered in animal cracker box print.  No, seriously.  The tongue of the shoes has the "nutrition facts" label embossed down the front.  Reeeeaally old and worn in. But still cute.

After wandering through the Wallingford gardens, we went for a looooooong walk around  Green Lake Park before heading over for a bite to eat at Carmelita in Phinney Ridge. The weather in Seattle was abnormally sunny *shock horror* so we took the golden opportunity to linger over our food on the restaurant's back  patio.  Utterly beautiful.  I loved their use of "windows" and flower boxes ^_^

 A big glass of tamarind-ginger lemonade. Super tangy and crisp.

 A smoked chickpea and sofrito empanada. There was much hoarding of the romesco sauce (far left in the picture) on my part. 

 My mum ordered eggplant agnolotti. 

 My Dad chose the polenta gnocci with 'shrooms.  

 And I went really crazy with my order and ended up deciding on...errrmmm... pizza. But! this pizza was loaded up with arugula, caramelized shallots, hazelnuts and nettle pesto. Yum. Not your godfather's by any means.   

We also indulged in Carmeltia's scrumptious dessert selection, but unfortunately, we plowed through our sweets before I remembered to snap a few photos. *hang head in shame*.  I can only insist that you try anything with lavender on the dessert menu.  It will change your perspective on eating floral flavored drinks/food and such. Once that door is open, no going back. 

Cheers,

kaite ;]

Overnight Carrot Cake Oatmeal (take 2)

I found this recipe for oatmeal buried amongst my university archives. Now that I have a whole kitchen at my disposal--instead of an anemic, airplane version of a kitchen--new foodie recipes to come soon. 

Guess what?

 I got coconut "extract" and dried tropical fruit!

That means Carrot Cake Oatmeal, Take Two, my dears.  The kind of oatmeal worthy of taking on bona fide desserty carrot cake.  The kind of carrot cake my father would turn down all varieties of chocolate,  spice cake and mocha desserts for.  Well, maybe not.  But, at least this version of carrot cake will power champions through morning classes and coursework.  It is just sweet enough to pass off as dessert and loaded with enough spice and nutrition to boost you out of a morning stupor.  Read on my fellow oatmeal connoisseurs. Read on.

Ingredients:
-2 medium carrots
-1/3 c. rolled oats
-1 tsp cinnamon (or less, if you are less cinnamon fiendish)
-1/4 tsp ginger
-1/4 tsp clove
-1 tsp coconut extract/ flavor
-1/4 tsp vanilla extract 
-1/3 c. water  + 1/3 c. water
-1/3 c. non-dairy milch
-2-4 tbsp shredded coconut
-dried tropical fruit (I used papaya, but pineapple, lychees, kiwi, melon or even dried ginger would work well)
- 1-2 tbsp vegan white chocolate chips (if you can find them!)
-sweetener to taste


Directions:
Pulverize the two carrots by whichever means you prefer (food processor, blender, grating etc).  It should look a bit like this:

Mix oats, carrot bits, extracts, spices, 1/3 cup water and1/3 cup non-dairy milch together in a microwave safe bowl with enough room for the mixture to double in size during the cooking process.  As stated in previous oatmeal recipes, I am guilty of over stuffing my oatmeal bowls and then bowling the contents all over my microwave.  A not fun, but yummy clean-up.  

Microwave the whole mixture on HIGH for about 3 minutes.  For my microwave, this is the perfect length of time to not boil over the mixture and cook the oats to the right consistency for the next step.  Start out microwaving your oats for 2 minutes and then microwave the mixture in 30 second intervals until the oatmeal is, frankly, the overall consistency of snot.  If it can hold a spoon up in a hurricane, you're golden.

Mix the oatmeal to help release some of the steam and then allow the mixture to sit for about 2-5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/3 cup of water and then rather vigorously stir to fully incorporate the water. Mix in the shredded coconut and tropical dried fruit.  Stick the whole concoction in the fridge to settle up overnight. 


In the morning, the oatmeal will have absorbed the remaining liquid. Stir in about 1-2 tbsp of water or non-dairy milch to the oatmeal to add a bit more moisture back to the porridge.  Reheat until desired eating temperature.  Some like it cold, others like it hot.  Stir in the white chocolate chips and sweeten to desired taste.

Now, enjoy your dessert for breakfast (and feel smug about it too).


Cheers, kaite k ;]

Overnight Zucchini Bread Oatmeal

Sometimes I go to the grocery store, have a slap-happy hay-day in the produce department, trudge back to my dorm and whilst unloading my haul wonder, why the frex did I buy that?  At the time, standing in front of said produce item in the grocery, I probably had some brilliant recipe inspiration.  But between the produce department, the bulk section, the refrigerated tofu section, check out, swinging by the barista to pick up a cup of coffee and marching through the snow the bus stop, that inspiration floated off into the snow flurries of Missoula. Enter snow flurries:

(second picture taken by Michael Gallacher, published in the Missoulian) 

On my recent expedition to the grocery store I came back with a zucchini. Yes, a zucchini. In February.  In the middle of a snow flurry in February in Montana.  Someone, please tell me what grand foodie inspiration struck me when I saw a freaking zucchini.  I also so happen to have some dried strawberries in my mini pantry arsenal. 

 Since strawberries are oh-so-middle-of-winter fare like zucchinis, I decided to put the two together in celebration of out of season foods.  And how do I plan to put them together?  If you have already read the title of this post (or just read this blog frequently), oatmeal is the natural medium to use up unsuspecting zucchinis and winter strawberries.  

People, I am making Zucchini Bread Oatmeal. 

Ingredients:

-1 medium-large zucchini

-1/3 c. rolled oats

-1 tsp cinnamon 

-1/4 tsp ginger

-1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

-1/2 tsp maple flavor (or just sub with vanilla)

-1/3 c. water  + 1/3 c. water

-1/3 c. non-dairy milch

-6-7 dried strawberries (or any other dried fruit)

- 1 tbsp vegan dark chocolate chunks, I used Enjoylife

-sweetener to taste

Directions:

Pulverize the zucchini into a mush by whichever means you prefer (food processor, blender, grating etc).  It should look a bit like caterpillar green apple sauce.

Mix oats, zucchini sauce, extracts, spices, 1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup non-dairy milch together in a microwave safe bowl with enough room for the mixture to double in size during the cooking process.  I myself am guilty of over stuffing my oatmeal bowls and then bowling the contents all over my microwave.  Over stuff and make a green explosion at your own peril. 

Microwave the whole mixture on HIGH for about 3 minutes.  For my microwave, this is the perfect length of time to not boil over the mixture and cook the oats to the right consistency for the next step.  Start out microwaving your oats for 2 minutes and then microwave the mixture in 30 second intervals until the oatmeal is, frankly, the overall consistency of snot.  If it can hold a spoon up in a hurricane, you're golden.

Mix the oatmeal to help release some of the steam and then allow the mixture to sit for about 2-5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/3 cup of water and then rather vigorously stir to fully incorporate the water. Plop in the dried strawberries or other dried fruit.  Stick the whole concoction in the fridge to settle up overnight. 


In the morning, the oatmeal will have absorbed the remaining liquid. Stir in about 1-2 tbsp of water or non-dairy milch to the oatmeal to add a bit more moisture back to the porridge.  Reheat until desired eating temperature.  Some may like it cold (pudding-like), others may like it hot (fresh from the oven).  Stir in the dark chocolate chips and sweeten to desired taste.

When life gives you zucchinis and snow flurries, make zucchini bread oatmeal.


Cheers, kaite ;]

POTD: What I Made with Baked Beans

Does everyone remember that post where I asked how I could serve up baked beans? Hmmm, me thinks not. {click here for a reminder}


A few days ago I made made myself up a plate of baked beans, complete with all the other unusual suspects.  Instead of the more traditional cornbread, BBQ, English toast, sausage or collard greens, I paired my saucy beans with crock-pot roasted parsnips, cheezy rice and onion jam. Unconventional, but it was what I had in the fridge.

This seems like the apt point to include a basic summary of how I roast vegetables in my crock-pot.  


Method: chop a variety of solid vegetables (such as carrots, parsnips, squash, onions, brussel spouts, beets, Jerusalem artichokes, potatoes, etc.) into 1 inch chunks.  I usually chop enough to fill my crock-pot about 3/4 of the way full.  Place all of the veggie chunks into the crock-pot, drizzle with 1/2 to 1 tbsp each of olive oil and vinegar depending on the amount of veggies in crock-pot.  Cook on HIGH for about 2-3 hrs, or until the veggies are soft and have a slightly "crisp" exterior.   Try to stir once or twice while cooking to ensure even "roasting."


But if we are being frank, this is a crock-pot.  Don't miraculously expect oven fries with this method.


Anyone have other suggestions on how to pair baked beans?  Would you like a separate post with more detailed picture steps on how I roast food items in my crock-pot?  Please comment!


On a side note, I mentioned earlier how mid-term weeks usually entail:  increased coffee consumption, repetitive drawings of molecules and body systems on my mirror, chipped nail varnish, minimal-to-no-showering, insomniac pacing blah blah blah. As today is Saturday, here is what my hand looks like at the end of said week... in a little need of TLC.

Needless to say, I am about to repaint me nails and give my digits a break. (Does reading psychology or about the cardiovascular system count as a finger break?)


What does everyone else do after a exam-packed week?  Do you have a personal pamper ritual or special activity reserved for "winding down"?


Cheers, kaite ;]

POTD: Broccoli + Cheeze Soup

Since I still had some frozen broccoli left in my freezer that need some using up (I detest freezer burned veggies), I made broccoli and cheeze soup. Yum. This soup recipe fit perfectly in with my frazzled schedule and the recent snow flurries around Missoula. Combine 1/2 cup soup mix + 1 cup water + 1 cup frozen broccoli + a few more tidbits floating around in the fridge = warm-me-up-ever-comforting soup.

A little more about the soup mix... It is a product from  Leahey Gardens, a vegan food company that makes soups, macaroni and cheeze, gravy, etc.  As an added bonus, most of their products are also gluten-free.  While the company does use some food additives (such as maltodextrin for thickeners), I was delighted by how much the soup tasted like "real soup." Often near-instant soup mixes can taste waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too salty, or garlicky, or the vegetables lack any lust, or the seasonings are just bland, or the texture is blah.  This soup, however, has me wanting to try other products by Leahey. The texture and flavor before adding all my extra tid-bits was creamy and rich.  I could even spoon up chunks of broccoli and onion in each bite.  (Sales pitch over).  Just go try one of their products and let me know what you think. 

More posting to come soon. But what would you like to hear about next?  I could do a "What to Love", "7 Favorites", a recipe, a Missoula coffee shop review or a restaurant review.  Let me know and I will start drafting new posts in my free hours. 


Back to the world of academia,


Cheers, kaite ;]

Apple Crisp Oatmeal

Mmmmmm. Apple crisp.  There's something particularly comforting about a bowl of spiced apple goop topped off with biscuit-cookie-like crumble.  Especially when you wake up to snow at 6.45am and need be across campus in 50minutes for a Chem lab. Brrrrrrrr

The fact that there is a bowl of apple crisp waiting in my fridge to re-heat is plenty of motivation to clamber out of bed to power-up for a hike across campus and a morning of determining decay rates.

 To make the "crumble" topping I used graham crackers.  (Graham crackers--more specifically their flavor--have always remained a mystery to me.  How exactly does one describe it without using the word "graham"?  The closes approximations I can come to are: "biscuit-like" and "brown sugar with butter").  I found this breakfast an ideal way to use up those awkward graham crackers crumbs at the bottom of the wax paper liner.

Biscoff--or "Cookie Butter"--is another key ingredient in this recipe (although, you can substitute with nut-butter or earth balance and the oatmeal still tastes scrumptious!  I find almond butter makes the best alternative).  Biscoff adds that authentic brown-sugar-buttery crust flavor to the oatmeal.  It takes wholesome porridge to granola-cookie-ness.  You can purchase Biscoff in jars or mini-1-tablespoon-packets at foreign foods stores and online.  My parents purchased these packets at Sidecar for Pigs (a vegan supply store) in Seattle.

Ingredients:

1 medium/large apple (I used a Jonagold)

1/3 c. rolled oats

1 tsp vanilla butter nut flavor

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp clove

1/3 c. water + 1/3 c. water

1/3 c. non-dairymilch

1/2 to 1 tbsp Biscoff or nut-butter

1 tbsp vegan white chocolate chips (if you can find them! nuts, raisins or dark chocolate are tasty alternatives I have used before)

1 vegan graham cracker sheet, crumbled

(optional), sweetener to taste

Directions:

Pulverize half of the apple by whichever means you prefer (food processor, blender, grating etc).  It should look a bit like apple meal or chunky apple sauce.

Mix oats, apple bits, vanilla, spices, 1/3 cup water and non-dairy milch together in a microwave safe bowl with enough room for the mixture to double in size during the cooking process.  As stated before, I am guilty of over stuffing my oatmeal bowls and then bowling the contents all over my microwave.  A not fun, but yummy clean-up.

Microwave the whole mixture on HIGH for about 3 minutes.  For my microwave, this is the perfect length of time to not boil over the mixture and cook the oats to the right consistency for the next step.  Start out microwaving your oats for 2 minutes and then microwave the mixture in 30 second intervals until the oatmeal is, frankly, the overall consistency of snot.  If it can hold a spoon up in a hurricane, you're golden.

Mix the oatmeal to help release some of the steam and then stir in the Biscoff or nutbutter.  Allow the mixture to sit for about 2-5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, chop up the other half of the apple into moderate sized chunks.

Add the remaining 1/3 cup of water and then rather vigorously to fully incorporate the water. Mix in the apple chunks.  Stick the whole concoction in the fridge to settle up overnight.

In the morning, the oatmeal will have absorbed the remaining liquid and will look a bit like this *insert Psycho theme here *:

Add about 1-2tbsp of water or non-dairy milch to the oatmeal to add a bit more moisture back to the porridge.  Micowave on HIGH for about 2 minutes.  Stir in the white chocolate chips, crumble the graham cracker on top and sweeten (if needed--I find the Jonagold apple made this oatmeal sweet enough).

Dig in my fellow oatmeal fiends.

...then mourn its loss.

Cheers, kaite ;]

POTD: HerbTofu Bowl (with Roasted Roots!)

I apologize for my lack thereof recipe postings over the past few weeks.  But frankly, most of what I have been cooking since I returned to Missoula has not been very 'photo worthy.'   For breakfast: oatmeal! rice porridge!  For lunch and dinner:  rice bowls! soba noodles!    My food is one giant mush pile in a bowl.  Not the most exciting to take a photo of— or write directions on how to make.  

Such directions would read much along the lines of this: dump a little bit of everything in your fridge into a bowl. Reheat.  Add vinegar + seasonings to taste.  Stir and scarf.

But that is what I am going to give you.  A picture of my mainstay meal for the past few weeks.  The ingredients change a little as the contents of my fridge dwindle and are replenished with new food stuffs, but in essence, my rice/noodle bowl always ends up looking much like this:

This particular week's edition consisted of:

·      crock-pot roasted carrots + parsnips

·      brown rice

·      savory baked tofu, cubed (Wildwood or Trader Joe's)

·      medley of herbs, chopped (dill, green onion and cilantro!)

·     balsamic onion jam*

·     rice vinegar

·     tamari pumpkin seeds

·     nutritional yeast

*Crazy delicious. Go make a jar right now! Caramelize 2 jumbo onions over a low heat in 2tbsp of olive oil for about 1-2 hrs.  Add a few tbsp of balsamic vinegar and water to help deglaze pan as they cook.  I made this jam in my dormitory kitchen over the weekend.  Waaaaaaaaaay more labor & hoop jumping than should every be required to use a pan on a broken oven.  But that's another story.

Nomnom.

Many of my 'meals in a bowl' inspirations have come from the lovely Kathy Patalsky, author of the Happy. Healthy. Life. blog.  Many of her 'dump everything in a bowl and mush it around' recipes can be found here.  I made a variation of here Shiitake Balsamic Mushroom Spinach bowl and Peanut Ginger Kale Spinach bowl last week to use up my two bags of frozen spinach.

Anyone else love bowls?  Perhaps its just their convenience that makes me love them. (Uni student!)  But,  in the end, a bowl allows you to mix everything that strikes your fancy together in one big mess.  End of bowl story.  

Let me know if you have a favorite meal in a bowl combination I should try out.  Next week I want to tackle  a soup.  And baked beans.  Any  meal pairing  or inspirations are welcome.

Cheers, kaite ;]