Peas

Since I just made the fresh pea soup I thought this would be a good item of the day
I got a comment from KleoPatra asking what the difference between split pea soup is and my soup. After researching, the only difference I could find was that split pea soup is made with dried peas. Is that right guys?

ok Pea-wee Facts : )

Fresh peas are often boiled with spearamint . (I've never had that but am curious what to tastes like)

U.S. President Andrew Jackson's favorite dishes was a Pease Pudding seasoned with onions, cloves, carrots, celery, butter, nutmeg, sour cream, salt, pepper, and sugar. (source)

The pea became so ingrained into the everyday existence of so many cultures from the Middle East to the Mediterranean, Europe, and Asia that the name appeared as part of other legumes such as pigeon peas, cowpeas, black-eyed peas, chick-peas, capucin peas, and peanut. (source)

Excessive eating of peas MAY cause gout. (we're talking extreme eating of peas here) (source)

The French king Louis XIV popularized peas in the 17th century by making them an item of high regard on the menus of parties held at his palace. (source)

Christopher Columbus is believed to have brought the first peas to America in 1493, planting them on Isabella island. (source)

Peas have been around a LONG time
In Thailand, peas have been found in caves that are over 11,000 years old. (source)

Frozen peas are preferable to canned peas as they retain their flavor and have lower sodium content. (my fav fact of the post!- frozen peas are goood source)

Peas and genes : )

In the 19th century during the early developments of the study of genetics, peas played an important role. The monk and botanist, Gregor Mendel used peas in his plant-breeding experiments. (source)


Hope you enjoy and appreciate peas more!

Pea Soup

Here's the recipe for the pea soup I made last night
I never liked pea soup until I had this one! It's probably b/c it doesn't use split peas

But FIRST...
Pictures of the kitty that hangs out around my house

Her official name is "KITTY". Gorgeous huh? : )



This is how she sits when I'm blogging. (It's in my Ikea desk)

Recipe

Ingredients
About 1 lb of Either fresh or frozen peas
1 Leek
1 Shallot
about 1-2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil (actually TraderJoes had frozen cubes of basil that work GREAT if you can't get fresh basil)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions
First clean the Leeks (refer to my post on Leeks if you need any pointers)
Chop shallot
Combine leeks and shallots in frying pan (medium heat) with oil until veggies become translucent. Add basil
While those are cooking- cook your peas as you normally would
Drain peas and put into pan with the leek mixture (just so the flavors blend together a bit.)
Add half of the mixture into a blender of food processor and blend till and large chunks are gone.
Repeat with the second half of the mixture.
I like to add a little splash soy milk while I'm blending too.
Put it all in a bowl (reheat if necessary)
Enjoy!

You can strain it if you don't like chunky soup but I prefer the extra texture.

Let me know what you think. I'm trying to build a bunch of recipes so that eventually I can make a cookbook : )

Busy Busy Busy

Hi guys!
I've been trying to revamp the site and I've had a few problems.

Richard and I were busy today. We got our selves a new coffee table and assembled it ourselves (well mostly richard haha)

Here's pics of breakfast and dinner for you (since it've been so hectik no item of the day : (- the internet went out here and it JUST came back on. )








We had my verision of a Mango Lassi
Potatoes O'Brien (one of my fav's)
and Scrambled tofu (just added a touch of soy sauce and browned it up)







Dinner was Hummus with unsalted corn chips and Fresh Pea soup with Leeks, Shallots, Basil and a touch of soymilk to make it creamy.

I'll let you know the recipes tomorrow. It's late and I'm supposed to be up tomorrow (er um i guess today) at 6am. Ekk

Talk to you later! and wish me luck with changing some things around on the blog : )
night night
Teddy

Acai

(Source)

(Source)

Info is from AcaiRoots
Pronounced "ah-sigh-EE"

Eaten in Brazil for breakfast

Acai (açaí) is a palm tree that grows in the North of Brazil.

It is known by the native people (indigenas) as "içá-çai", which means "fruit that cries".

The legend of the fruit that cries:

There was an Amazon Indian girl named Iaca, whose father was the tribal chief. His tribe had grown so large that there wasn't enough food to go around. So, the chief decreed that all newborn babies must be killed. When Iaca, his own daughter, bore a child, the chief had his decree carried out. Iaca mourned her baby’s death alone in her hut for days. Then she thought she heard a baby crying. When she went outside in search of the baby, she saw a palm tree shooting up from the earth, covered in fruit. Full of despair, she lay down under the tree and died. The next day, the tribe found Iaca's body under the new tree. The tree's fruit satisfied their hunger and renewed their energy, and the chief lifted his harsh decree, declaring that the fruit would be named after his daughter ("Acai" is "Iaca" spelled backwards). With abundant food for all, the tribe grew and flourished.


There seems to be many health benefits from the Amazon fruit. Check them out Here

It's an Oprah website but it's got a good summary of what I've found online : )

It's late late late. Talk to you all tomorrow !

Lazy Sunday

Another shake for breakfast
This one is an Acai based one
I put in frozen Acai smoothie packet
1 Bananna
Soy yogart (peach flavored)
and a handful of fresh strawberries

Acai is a Brazilian fruit.
It'll be the item of the day today.

Overall, I'd say a healthy way to start my family filled day : )

Quinoa

I tried QUINOA for the first time last night and I have to say- it was good! (well better than good) As I ate I thought "this tastes like grain caviar". Looks like I'll be eating it again for sure

I didn't really use a recipe. I looked around at what I had and made it work. What I ended up eating was-
Quinoa with sauteed leeks, black beans and fresh pearl tomatoes.
YUM YUM YUM : )






What I love most about quinoa is that I can just throw it into my rice cooker and then when it's done mix it with all my other ingredients. Quick and simple.

For dessert I melted some semi sweet chocolate and dipped strawberries into it. However, I forgot to grease the plate or put down some plastic wrap so the dessert stuck to the plate- OPPS. It tasted devine though . Okay, I need to admit I added a SECRET ingredient to the chocolate to make it have a little something extra. (I don't know if anyone else would use it but it turned out great hehe: )) Not sure if Im going to announce the ingredient just yet though.





Overall it was a great meal!

Time to enjoy my LAZY Sunday

Whole wheat bagel

I'm about to go out car shopping today with my parents. My mom wants a new, more fuel efficient car. We're thinking Toyota. I don't mind the car shopping b/c it's not me that has to purchase. No pressure hehe

Just wanted to share my breakfast with you first : )



Richard and I had Whole wheat bagels with cream cheese and avocado! I highly recommend the cream cheese and avocado combination. Tofutti makes GREAT cream cheese as well. Give it a shot and tell me how you like it : ).
Enjoy more pics too!




Looks like it's a beautiful day out. Time to go enjoy the sun. See you soon

Teddy

Mangoes!

(source)

Since there were Mangoes in the shake- here we go : )

All about the Mango
(source)

The Mango is a member of the cashew family of flowering plants; other species include the pistachio tree and poison ivy

Colour is not the best indicator of ripeness!! Squeeze the 'nose' of the fruit, if there is slight give then the mango is ripe.

The two most widely available varieties of Mango in the UK are 'Kent' - a green fruit with a red blush and a rich, sweet flavor and 'Keitt' - a green Mango with a non fibrous flesh and a mild, sweet flavor.

(source)

Half a mango counts as one full serving of a fruit.

World's heaviest recorded mango was 5 lbs 7 ounces (source)

This is the prize winning mango!


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Richard and I were supposed to have "date night" tonight but turns out he has to work :(
He works all weekend too. Oh well. I told Richard that when he gets home from work tomorrow I'm going to have a nice meal ready for us and we'll have a date at home. Any nice recipes I should try??

Tonight Cara's comming over again!

She's just picking up some fast food for us. It's my unhealthy night I guess. I'll still be working out tonight tho. Hope everyone has a fun night!


Teddy

Shake it!

I decided to wake up a little eariler than usual today so Richard and I could have breakfast together. It was a bit hectic and rushed but here's what we got to eat:





Peach SHAKES!! : )
Recipe (modified from Kleopatra's)
2-3 Peaches
Handful of Frozen Mangoes
Almond Milk

I took out the ice in this shake by freezing the fresh peaches over night. I felt like ice would water it down. It was GREAT. I just happened to have some extra frozen mango chunks in the freezer too. They aren't needed at all. Put just enough milk in to cover the fruit 3/4 of the way up. Blend to all together and enjoy.

Item of the day coming up soon! : )

Spaghetti Squash

(source)

That's our MAIN DISH
Spaghetti squash with basil, sweet tomatoes, shallots and olive oil. It's cooking now : )

For desert?? hmm something fruity
Facts

• Spaghetti squash originated in Mexico/Central America (source)

• Spaghetti squash is considered a fruit (source)

• The flesh is very low in calories (50 per 100 g edible portion), an excellent source of folic acid, high in fiber, contribute a fair amount of potassium, and small amounts of vitamin A to the diet, but are very low in sodium. (source)

• They weigh 4-8 lbs Spaghetti Squash is related to the pumpkin. (source)

• The more yellow the squash, the more flavorful (source)

• Spaghetti Squash can be baked, boiled or steamed, and served with sauce as for pasta. (source)

Pics from our dinner : )





It was delish and easy!! and I'm pretty sure he loved it

Work out!

Hi everyone
Only 2 1/2 more hours till I get to go home and start cooking. Why am I so excited? It's Richard's first meal with me now that he's moved in!! : )

I'll be sure to post pics of it

oh and can I just say that quitting working out for one month was a BAD idea. I went running last night and phew my legs have been complaining ALL day. Oh well, I love to run and as they say "no pain, no gain"

Talk more later!

Teddy


haha I like this one! : ) (source)

MISO SOUP

Wednesdays are my Family days
So I have no idea what's on the menu. It's usually veggie sushi (one of my FAV'S)
and it'll go along with what I had for lunch (Miso Soup)

MISO SOUP Facts from Wikipedia

Source

• Made from made by fermenting soybeans with sea salt.

• Miso soup and white rice make up the traditional Japanese breakfast, and so most Japanese people eat miso soup at least once a day.

• How Miso was invented:
• "In the days of the shogun, sieges of village keeps frequently dragged on for months or years. This was a technique to starve the samurai and peasants, to force their surrender. In one particularly long siege, someone noticed a horse eating fermented beans out of a barrel. The person thought, if it could sustain a horse, it could certainly do the same for a human. The people survived the siege and miso was born."

Source

• Most cooks recommend never cooking miso for more than a few minutes, and not above a simmer, to avoid decreasing the nutritional value of miso.

• There are over 10 kinds of Miso.

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The Brand of Miso I ate today was a Trader Joes brand

Yum yum eh?
I added Spicy Nori, brown rice and Tofu.

A great meal. Welp, I got a lot of laundry to do and I need to work out before heading to my parents house tonight. Talk to you all later!!

Teddy

Avocado Facts

(source)

I decided to go with something that i was having wiht my dinner tonight- I LOVE living in CA. : )

Facts from: CA Avocados

• Avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable!

Many countries eat them with/as desert

(Source)

• Brazilians add avocados to ice cream

• Filipinos puree avocados with sugar and milk for a dessert drink.

• Latin Americans wrap avocados up and give them as wedding gifts

• San Diego County is the Avocado Capital of the U.S., producing 60% of all the avocados grown in California. ( Used to live there!)

AND

• California produces about 90% of the nation's avocado crop.

Avocados are a good source of Vitamin C, E, Iron, Potassium and Manganese.

Recipe for Avocado Shake (modified for vegans)

1/2 an Avocado
1 1/2 cups almond or soy milk
1/2 cup ice
3 table spoons of sugar (i'm thinking of trying some maple syrup instead and perhaps a little cinnamon and nutmeg)
Combine and BLEND till smooth

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Tonight's dinner is a Veggie burger w/ pickles, mustard, tomatoes and AVOCADO.
and
sweet potato fries
and
half an avocado with salt and pepper : )
(posting pics tomorrow!!)

I haven't had a chance to eat my peaches yet.. but Richard is moving in tomorrow so I might make us a nice desert with them or breakfast...

Talk with you all tomorrow!

Teddy : )

Potstickers

Last night's dinner with Cara
So i'm not the best photographer in the world- but you get the jest. and once i get a new camera taking pics should be much easier :)


Dumplings and soy sauce. I prefer to first boil my dumplings then put them in a frying pan for a couple of minutes to make them a little brown and crispy.



Since it was Cara's first night here, I thought I'd try and make a desert she'd like. She love chocolate and peanut buttner so I melted some semi sweet chocolate, added some peanut butter to the mix and poured in some Koala Crisps (organic puffed rice cereal). Put it all in the freezer for and hour and you have what I've dubbed "Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunchies"

Not bad for winging it, if I do say so myself haha

okay. I'm going to go work out then come back and it'll be time for the "food item of the day"
hmm I'm thinking some sort of grain?? we'll see : )

San Diego

Graduation Pics! : )

Steve's Grad!

Congrats Julie :)

We went Mini-golfing

And here's the FOOD. We had spinach pasta and Bannana Pie : )











Okay I need to head off to work now. More to come later!

Peach Facts

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I was at the market tonight and I saw that Peaches were on sale. I bought some and am wondering what I should use them in.
Here are some fun facts about them:

• They range in color from gold to deep red (I prefer the red)
• When purchasing avoid overly soft peaches b/c peaches are extremely fragile and bruise easily. (you could be buying a bruised one : P)
• Peaches taste sweeter when at room temperature BUT should be kept in the fridge to preserve freshness. I suggest putting one in your lunch and letting it sit on your desk at work till it warms up.
• Peaches are a good source beta carotene, which lowers the risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer.
• Peaches originated in China and in China the peach is a symbol of longevity and good luck. (source)
• 300 varieties of peaches grown in America (source) and 700 varieties worldwide
• The phrase "you're a peach" came from the tradition of giving peaches to people you liked (source)
  

In Gaffney South Carolina there is a 7 TON peach shaped water tower!
(source)



Am I a nerd because I kinda want to go there now?? hahahaha
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Cara's over tonight!
We're watching the basketball game. Well I'm blogging haha
Does anyone have any peach recipe suggestions?
I made dinner for us (I'll post pics later)
Cara seemed to like it and that makes me happy b/c I don't want to be the only one that thinks I can cook haha

Here's the recipe I'm considering trying:
PEACH SOUP- WHAT?? : ) sounds fun. (vegweb.com)

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

2-3 medium peaches slightly under-ripe, chopped into wedges
3 cups of orange juice
2 tablespoon margarine, cut into small chunks
pinch nutmeg and cinnamon
red raspberries

Directions:

Simmer the orange juice over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until reduced by about one-third. Add the margarine until sauce takes on a gravy-like consistency (coat the back of your spoon with the sauce and drag your finger through it - if the finger trail stays, the sauce is thick enough). Add the peaches and cook until soft, about five minutes, depending on ripeness. Ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and a few raspberries, and serve warm.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 15 min

hmmmm we'll see!!

Mama Testa's

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Every time I drive down to San Diego I look forward to this place. They are Veg friendly and probably the tastey-est Mex I've had.
Take a look!

http://www.mamatestataqueria.com/

















They have some of the best salsa! and plenty of it : )

I had the Guaca Tacos (it's tacos filled with avacados, lettuce, fresh salsa with some SPICY jalpenos and some sort of Mexican cheese- easily made vegan for those who prefer it!)



















Richard had Muchos Machos- soft tacos with poblano peppers on the inside. I stole a bite or two, they were wonderful but my fav will always be the Guaco Tacos







Don't forget to say Hola to the Mr. Mariachi while you're there too!








Okay it's bed time for this girly.

I'll write more about this weekend later : )
Night night!

Graduation weekend!

Hi guys. This weekend Im out of town because I me boyfriend and friends are graduating college!! It's going to be a lot of fun. I got this picture from my friend Cara's blog (dognabbit.com).
The puppy's name is Emily. Cara's one of my friends that's graduating and I couldn't be happier for her! In fact I promised her some sweet potato fries haha

Since it's a weekend of celebrating I want to make everyone a celebritory cup-cakes

I'm thinking about giving this recipe from Vegweb.com a whirl. I'll let you know how they turn out.

Hopefully like this!

Choc chip and Peanut butter cupcakes

cupcake:
1 cup of white flour
1/4 of a cup of wheat flour
1 cup of brown sugar
1/4 of a teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce
1 1/8 cups of water
1/2 of a teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 of a cup of vegan chocolate chips
1/3 of a cup of cocoa powder
filling:
2 or 3 pinches of salt
3/4 of a cup of reduced fat peanut butter
3/8 of a cup of powdered sugar

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together and then add them to the dry ones. Add the chocolate chips - they will sink. It is a good idea to use a 1/4 of a cup and scoop out the batter (make sure you get it from the bottom so that there are chocolate chips in it) and spoon it into FOIL muffin cups or a greased muffin pan. NOT PAPER! The cupcakes stick to them and you can not get them out unless you have magical powers. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.

To make peanut butter filling: mix everything together. You should fill each cup cake with about (a little more) 1/2 of a tablespoon of it.

When cool enough to handle, cut out big holes in the top of the cupcakes and fill with peanut butter filling device. Spread it out a bit and put the big chunk of cake back on and press it down a wee bit.

When they are done, the chocolate chips all sink to the bottom and they are so good. I like to wait a little while after I stuff them so that the peanut butter food stuff somewhat melt a bit and it is not just like a glob of peanut butter that was put inside, but more like it spontaneously generated there. Also, I would recommend eating when they are cool because the chocolate chips get hard again and it adds a happy crunchy texture.
(source)


With that I just want to let you know one fact about chocolate (believe me I DEFINATELY will be posting a whole blog on it!)

Because chocolate is considered an aphrodisiac, the Aztec Indian women were forbidden to eat it. (source)

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Oh the interview yesterday!! It went very well. I think I interview well because I went to business school. I usually know what they'll ask. But perhaps I'm being a little to confident. Overall good tho. Like I said tho, it's not a big deal if the job falls threw b/c I have a job already! YAYY that makes me so happy.


Have a nice weekend guys : )

Mangosteen Facts

"The Queen of Fruits" (in Asia)

(source)

Where I've had them: Thailand. Actually I've read that you can not buy them whole and fresh in the US because of fears of the asian fruit fly. It's every disappointing. So... Go to THAILAND or anywhere in the South Pacific actually. It's gorgeous.

How to eat them:
See how the outside is DEEP purple? Yea, that stains like crazy. So much so that some hotels in the South Pacific ban you from eating them in their rooms. To eat you should use your hands and not a knife. It will tempting to use a knife b/c they appear to be hard- they aren't really though. Just use your thumbs and press gently until the skin cracks, then peal like an orange. The white flesh hide bitter seeds so be careful (source).

Tastes like
I would say texture of a soft apple but more citrus-y.

Fruit Size- The of a small orange or a Tangerine.




Medical Uses in Asian Countries:
For years it has been used as an antibotic and general stomach aide
Now Western countries are studying the fruit to see it's reported affects on cancer and it's anti-inflammatory properties. (source)

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Okay everyone needs to wish me luck. Tomorrow I have a job interview! : )
I'm a little nervous but not as much as usual. I already have a job, when you're looking around and you don't NEED a job it's a lot lets nerve-racking

Either way, I'd love to do well because it would mean a 15% raise for me. That would be nice.
Richards here, but in some sort of training for his new job so I don't get to see him. Oh well, he moves in next week.

I'm off to eat some dinner. Bye Bye