for the past four out of five weeks, i have been sick. and not just your annoying sniffling, sneezing, stuffy head, common cold. round one: walking pneumonia. round two: strep throat. i spent the entirety of yesterday in a fever induced sleep-state. delirious and dreaming. fun times, let me tell you. one of my coworkers commented that i might want to "tone down all the late night partying" in an effort to stay healthy. this is funny if you know me. in the past two months i have been out late three times. 1. ozomatli 2. david byrne 3. a random wednesday with sarah.
granted, i have been under the weather and unable to partake in a lot of the late night festivities. but when given the chance i usually lean towards something more laid back. i'm a dork. dinner parties rule over partying at the bars. long hikes over hangovers. don't get me wrong. i like to go out. but if there isn't a good band or plenty of dancing then i may feel just as contented in my pj's with a movie and the marley dog. cooking yummy food has become our greatest pastime here on oak street. and conquering the trails around town. last week i completed the wasatch trail all by my lonesome. with my trusty canine, of course! twelve miles. 2,700 vertical miles. bass ass. kicked my ass. on the most glorious of days, weather wise. and on a week long stretch of good health. ahhhh. good times.
my roomies are concerned my sudden stint of maladies may be due to my recent elimination of all animal related food-type-products. that is to say a vegan diet. except for honey. i haven't been able to give that up. but the dairy was a no brainer. milk = anaphylactic shock. and i didn't really eat that much meat or eggs in the first place. lots of green leafy veggies and tofu. whole grains and nuts. learned how to bake with out butter and eggs too! i made delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. you'd never know if i hadn't told you. i promise. mmmmmmm. although i highly doubt this is a contributing factor (especially since i got sick only two days in). it's more likely my body's failed attempt at acclimating from charlotte's hot and humid summer to the damp cold that persists. and a physical manifestation of emotional stresses. it's all good. i'm looking into supplements. omega3's, zinc, iron, and B12. the aussie's swear by their vegemite!
-here's to making a full recovery.
[potato rosti and tofu with fresh tomato and ginger sauce]
[vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies]
substitute 2tbs soy milk, 1tbs oil, 1tsp cornstarch for every egg. earth balance spread for butter. and i found delicious chips that are dairy and gluten free. just cocoa, cane sugar, and vanilla!
[butternut squash and apple soup recipe]
note: pairs well with rosemary foccia
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or substitute earth balance)
1 1/2 cups sliced leeks, white parts only
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 cups peeled and roughly diced butternut squash
3 cups peeled and roughly diced apples
2 teaspoons Toasted Spice Rub, recipe follows
6 1/2 cups chicken stock or 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth mixed with 3 cups water
Sea salt, preferably gray salt
Directions:
-Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, and cook until it turns nut brown. Add the leeks and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute briefly to release its fragrance.
-Add the squash and apples, raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Toasted Spice Rub and cook briefly to toast it, about 1 minute.
-Add the stock or broth-water mixture, bring to a simmer, and partially cover. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the squash and apples are tender, about 40 minutes.
-Transfer in batches to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to the pot, reheat to serving temperature, and season with salt.
-Divide the soup among warmed bowls and garnish each portion with some of the walnuts, if using. Serve immediately.
Toasted Spice Rub:
1/4 cup fennel seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup pure California chili powder (about 1-ounce)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
In a small heavy pan over medium heat, combine the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. [or else you'll burn your lungs off...no joke] Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put in a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.
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