Thursday, November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving

We celebrated early last night with our own vegan Thanksgiving feast!

A friend stopped by to see me at work yesterday looking for Brussels Sprouts. She shared this recipe with me from recipe.com.  Of course, I don't eat pancetta, but I do love brussels sprouts, and balsamic vinegar, and garlic, and, well, everything else in this salad!  Result:

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad
1 lb brussels sprouts
1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oils
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup veggie broth
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
1. Pick all the Brussels sprouts apart so you have one big pile of leaves. 
2. In a large saute pan, toast sunflower seeds for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the olive oil and heat.  
4. Add separated Brussels sprouts leaves, cranberries, onions, and garlic. Toss well to combine all the ingredients. 
5. Add the balsamic vinegar and veggie broth and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the Brussels sprouts leaves have just wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm. 
 
Next, I had some butternut squash hanging out in the fridge. Next to it I found zucchini. What's more perfect for Thanksgiving than squash?? I found this recipe on vegweb.com and gave it a shot, with a twist.  It turned out pretty delicious! Could have used a little more crisp - but it worked!

Warming Butternut Squash
2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small butternut, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 medium - large zucchini, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup vegetable stock
sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 - 2 tsp curry powder
pinch cinnamon

1. Put the oil and garlic in a large, deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. When the garlic begins to color, add the squash, zuchinni, and stock and sprinkle with salt, pepper, curry powder, and cinnamon.

2. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover the pan and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally and stirring somewhat less often, until all the liquid is evaporated and the squash has begun to brown, 5-10 minutes.

3. Turn the heat back down to low and cook until the squash is as browned and crisp as you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or other spices as needed.
4. Put squash in small baking dish(es) and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes.


What would Thanksgiving be without baked potatoes? Baked at 400 degrees, rubbbed with olive oil & salt, baked for 45 minutes. Top with Vegenaise instead of butter & sour cream! 


Today, I will join my family(s) for their Thanksgiving feasts. Luckily, they are considerate enough to make sure I have 2 dishes to eat with them. I see lots of sweet potatoes and salads in my future.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I've been busy...

Sorry for the lack of updates. Holiday season is never a good time to expect crafters to be very good at posting updates regularly.

I've been busy with craft fairs & making stuff (most of this can be read about over at my crafting site).

I've been keeping my eye out for cheap plane tickets to Austin so that I can visit my dream school - I'm hoping to make it out sometime in January or February.  I've been getting (& filling) a ton of orders from friends, and am planning on sending out some letters asking for donations/help to a few key people.  If you have any tips on finding free money for school (financial aid won't work) please let me know! 

This past Sunday, Indy Vegans had an AH-mazing vegan Thanksgiving pitch-in! The food was delicious, people were kind, and fun was had. I commend Matt & Gnat for all the amazing work they're doing to bring veganism to the forefront of Indianapolis folks! So often I hear how people think they are the only vegan around, or there is just a small group. Well, with 60 people showing up for a pitch-in, I don't think that constitutes a small group!

It's 2 days before Thanksgiving, so if you'd like to order a knit item for a holiday gift, get your orders in now! Browse the site for designs & colors, and order via the paypal drop down menu, or simple drop me a line.

If you'd rather check out items already done, stop by Homespun:Modern Handmade, Indy Swank, Nom Nom Nom on December 3rd at the Murphy Art Center (studio #216) or check out the Handmade Promenade Last Minute Market on December 18th at Pure Eatery.  Every shop/show will have a different selection of items, and plenty of other neat stuff that make wonderful holiday gifts (hint hint)!

Happy Thanksgiving!