Hottie Black Eyed Peas and Greens January 1, 2012

Happy New Year! I decided this year was a good one to try the southern tradition of having black eyed peas and greens on New Year’s Day for health, wealth and prosperity. The tradition is collard greens and black eyed peas, but when I went to the store last night I could tell that I wasn’t the only one making this meal today. They had no collards and the bulk bin was almost out of black eyed peas. I got rainbow swiss chard and about a cup of black eyed peas and some hot sauce and went home to pick a recipe to make. I decided to make the “Hottie Black Eyed Peas and Greens” from Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, since it seemed simple and more interesting than simply steaming some greens and making black eyed peas.

It went really well, I will be making this recipe every year I think. The greens were nice and soft, the beans were great, it was a nice touch to smash up part of them to thicken the sauce, it made for a great texture. I think next time I will add more hot sauce, I didn’t put in very much because I bought Siracha despite the warning to get a milder hot sauce and didn’t want to make it so spicy I wouldn’t eat it. I served it with the rice from last night’s Indian food and ate some leftover dumplings on the side, along with some champagne. I think it was a great start to 2012.

Black eyed peas and greens

Happy New Year!

Coworker Christmas- Vegan Potluck December 18, 2011

As promised in one of the last posts, the Christmas potluck with my coworkers was entirely vegan. Unfortunately for this food blogger, it wasn’t exactly made up of the most photogenic foods, but it was all pretty tasty.

First up, we have spiced potatoes from my boss. She said it was made of potatoes, homemade tomato paste, vegetable stock and various spices. It had a little bit of heat to it, but I think she held back on the spice because she wasn’t sure if we would all be able to handle the amount of heat she usually puts in her food.

Spiced potatoes

Next up is the lentil stew that one of my coworkers made. This is made of lentils, swiss chard, onions, coriander, garam masala and possibly some other spices I am forgetting.

Lentil stew

I made a version of the Confetti Macaroni Salad that is in Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s cookbook, Color Me Vegan. I used gluten free, brown rice pasta since one of my coworkers is gluten intolerant. It was my first time cooking with brown rice pasta and I am not impressed. Even though the package said it wouldn’t get mushy, it totally did, and that was before I even mixed it in with any of the other ingredients. I also forgot to add mustard to the salad, so it was missing the tangy element I love so much about macaroni salad. Everyone said it was good though, so it is possible that I am just hard on it since it was my creation.

For dessert we had the same cherry pie that we had at our Thanksgiving potluck, but with more trees (yes, this time they are trees, not leaves) on top this time.

Cherry Pie

I also made gluten free chocolate peppermint cupcakes with chocolate peppermint frosting and candy cane pieces on top. I used a cake mix from Bob’s Red Mill and I think they turned out really well. I couldn’t tell that they were gluten free, and when I put the rest of the pan in the library for the rest of the people who work on my floor to take, I don’t think any of them knew they were gluten free either, they were just excited I baked for them again. So, way to go Bob’s Red Mill, I know that I can buy that mix again and make great cupcakes for my gluten intolerant friends.

Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Cupcake

We had great decorations on the tables as well. The building management put out these fake poinsettias all around the building and we borrowed one for the centerpiece of the table.

Poinsettia

One of my coworkers gave each of us a little pot of rosemary, mine (not this one, mine is in a blue pot with snowflakes on it) is currently living on the windowsill near my cubicle at work. Partially this is because I didn’t have enough room to take it home with me on Friday with the cupcake carrier and salad bowl I had to carry, but also because my office sadly gets more light than my apartment does. I lack actual windowsills in my apartment, but I think it will be just fine to have it live at work, and make my office smell like rosemary. I can always harvest it a little at a time, and take it home as I need it.

Rosemary plant

It was nice to once again share a meal with my coworkers, and it was nice of them to make it so I could enjoy everything. I have a feeling that sharing vegan food is going to be a reoccurring event now that we have two very successful, tasty events behind us.

Thanksgiving at Work (Giving Thanks for Thoughtful Coworkers) November 24, 2011

This year, I didn’t go home for Thanksgiving, but that didn’t meant that I didn’t get to enjoy a nice meal with some of my favorite people in my life: my coworkers in the library at the nonprofit I work at. Yes, that is right, I actually like my coworkers and all of the traditions that my team at work participates in every year, such as holiday meals together for lunch one day prior to major holidays (and birthdays). I am still fairly new to the team, only having been there for 6 months, but I have already made an impact on the group, changing the course of the potlucks to be all vegetarian, mostly vegan (without having to ask, they just are nice that way). That means that everything on the table was made so that I could eat it.

We set a very nice table in the cafe, using tableclothes brought in by one of my coworkers, some of the dishes we keep on hand in our “party stash” and dishes found in the kitchens at work( yes, we are spoiled and have a sizable stash of real dishes to use, and dishwashers to wash them in, in kitchens all over our building).

Thanksgiving table 2011.

One of my coworkers made mashed sweet potatoes using coconut butter to give them a nice nutty flavor and to make them dairy free.

Sweet potatoes made with coconut butter and spices.

My boss made pasta with plenty of veggies and made homemade marinara sauce fresh that morning to go with it. (She also brought cheese on the side, which you can see in the background for those who chose not to keep it vegan.)

Pasta with vegetables and homemade spicy marinara sauce.

I made a wheatberry salad (with a special wheat free version for a gluten free member of our team) from Angela’s site Oh She Glows.
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Wheatberry salad

Another of my coworkers made cherry pie, and she would like you to know that those are leaves, not Christmas trees, despite what they may look like.

Cherry pie

It was nice to take some time of the work day to sit and share food, stories and laughter together. My job might be stressful at times, but I am thankful to have been given a chance to join these women and have them be a part of my life.

Stay tuned for the Christmas dinner we are having next month, they decided the theme is “bring your favorite vegan dish.”