Eating in Asheville

My Rendition of Laughing Seed Cafe

We love the flavor of Asheville, North Carolina, – mostly their mountains, shops and vegetarian/vegan restaurants.  It was our anniversary destination and on route to seeing our family, mainly our grandson.

Upon arriving in Asheville, one of the first things we did after settling into our hotel was to go to Laughing Seed Cafe.  It was a late anniversary lunch before our challenge walk to Grove Park Inn from downtown.  We would need all the fuel we could get for what turned out to be a 8.22 mile walk in rain.

We ate at Laughing Seed twice before departing Asheville.  It was the first thing and the last thing we did.

 

Chilled Apple Carrot Soup

Indian Pakoras

Havana Cuban

Omega Hempnut Burger

Hodgepodge

An Impressionistic Take on Our Overgrown Lawn

Today it must be yard work.  I woke up feeling yard work calling….exterior decorating.  While in meditation this morning the term interior decorating came to mind.

The yard had become a jungle while we were gone.  So, the first task was to mow, after a day of rest from the trip.  I so love spending time with my grandson, but a toddler can be exhausting.  And, I was totally exhausted.  I guess it was also all the walking and hiking too.  My daughter and I walked together the morning we left.  It was all I could do to keep up with her.

Yesterday I discovered the special effects that you can create on Iphoto.  Yes, after all this time I figured out a few things on the computer.

 

A Picture Taken a Few Summers Ago

This picture reminds me of an Edward Hopper painting.

 

We have a day outing.  We take Wynn to the Remedy Diner.  He loves the fake crab, avocados and fries from my plate.  It’s all vegan.

Chris has the unreal hot dogs.From there we go to Pullen Park.
 He rides the train.

Before coming home it’s Starbucks where it’s time for a clothes change as well as fraps.  Wynn had orange juice, even though we texted a picture to his mom with Chris’s drink in front of him.  She freaked, exclaiming you are not giving him coffee!  No, we were just kidding.

After wanting to stay in bed for most of the day on Sunday I am revived to go see the new Star Trek movie.  Ok, clean off the porch is also on the agenda for the yard work.  The dogs had kicked a flower pot over while we were away.

Yeah! It’s Friday

 

Today an old memory hit me. I used to clean the house on Friday. It was date night, when Chris drove the 2 1/2 hour drive to see me. Our eleventh wedding anniversary is coming up. He just made reservations for Asheville, NC. We love Asheville. There is history, nice shops, great vegetarian restaurants, and most importantly lots of good hiking. So, back to the memory, a wild thought occurred that I might clean the house today.

This is yesterday’s entree.  I had it for lunch.  Chris had it for dinner, and there was enough left over for his lunch and possibly mine today.  But if I get inspired and am not too tired from cleaning I may make something else.  Basil and tomatoes are calling out to me today.

The ingredients are extra firm tofu, safflower oil, vegetable broth, cabbage, peanut sauce, grated ginger, broccoli, rice noodles, and cashews.  I love my wok which I’ve had for over thirty years.

 

It started out like this.  I cubed the tofu and stir-fried in just a dab of oil and peanut sauce.  I emptied the remainder of two jars, one from Whole Foods, their brand, and another which is actually a peanut dressing from Trader Joe’s.  I would go with the latter.  It adds more zest.  I grated a bit of ginger over that and added the rest of the ingredients.

 

For the final touch I served over Annie Chun’s Rice Noodles which takes about 3 minutes to make.

Report Card on the Beginning of this Vedic New Year

Today is an auspicious day, as it marks the Vedic New Year.  According to the Sanskrit tradition this day is of cosmic importance and marks a new beginning.  So why do I feel so sluggish today?  Perhaps I started my own new year too early.  I began on March 1st slowly incorporating in better habits.  I started on this day for various reasons.  I will name two.  I believe that this is the actual birthday of Jesus Christ.  There is a post somewhat further down in my blog regarding this belief.  It is also when the weather begins to change for the better in my own opinion.  It is the forerunner of Spring when all things begin new life.  After the coldness of winter I am in need of new life.

I began a daily practice of yoga on March 1st.  I have done this before and even kept it up for an entire year without skipping a day; however, this time I wanted my daily practice to be a complete set of poses, a routine of various setting and standing poses.  My goal is to not worry about how long my yoga practice is but how much effort I’m putting into my yoga practice.  Thus far I have kept up with that resolution.  There are days when everything seems to flow.  There are days when my back feels as if it where going to break.

On April 1st I have committed myself to a 3 mile walk each day, which could be a walk, a hike, an elliptical adventure, or a combination of any of these as long as I get at least three miles in.  The hike could even include a rock hunt, which was the case this past weekend.  I have yet to unload the rocks from the wagon.  That was a deal I cut with my husband.  He hand laundered a shirt for me in exchange for me getting all the rocks I could lift on my own from the wagon.  It was my idea.  The rock job I don’t mind at all.  On the other hand I hate doing laundry by hand.  Possibly that is sometimes why my back can get so out of sorts.

There are still so many more resolutions I am thinking about adding in to this upcoming year.  There is eating better, juicing more, sprouts, organic gardening, etc., etc.  It’s all an effort at better living and somehow avoid the chronological age of 60 that is coming upon me in August.

As far as eating better goes, I had a green juice this morning, a midday chai latte, a great lunch of mostly organic ingredients (A tofu veggie burger with avocado, salsa, cilantro, on a wheat bun – the one with only three ingredients, and some sweet potato fries), and I plan on substituting dinner with another juice.

Now out for that walk!

Easy Delicious Salad

This is something I make quite a lot.  The ingredients are:

Romaine lettuce

Shredded cabbage (purple would add color)

Flax tempeh (cubed and browned)

Black olives

Marinated artichokes

Sunflower seeds

Sea Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Walnut oil – small amount for the dressing

 

Vegan Fifteen Minute Woking

I do a lot of stir fry.  It’s simple and I love using my wok which I’ve probably had for thirty years.  It’s also something that is quick, and sometimes I wait until about fifteen minutes before my husband comes home to start dinner preparation.  I’m usually waiting until the last minute to start dinner because I’ve probably just finished hiking and I just want to sit down for a moment.  So I turn on the television for the first time during the day and start getting involved in a program.  We only have Netflix.  I tend to find one program and watch all episodes until the end….not all in one sitting – over the course of  a month or more depending on the program.  I re-watched all the Star Treks, and a few others that didn’t have long life spans.  I’m currently on The Dead Zone.  Back to the cooking part.  With the wok it’s also something I can do where you can mostly throw in whatever you have in your refrigerator.  This was what we had last night.

I have no precise measurements, but I will do my best.

Brown Rice – prepare according to package

While rice is cooking, heat a little oil (I use safflower) in wok.  Throw in the following:

Chopped onion

Tablespoon of whole cumin

Cubed extra firm tofu (about half the package)

Two to Three stalks of curly kale – remove from stem

Some chopped cabbage

A sprinkle of unsalted sunflower seeds

About a fourth a cup of water to keep from burning.  I try to use very little oil.  It’s just a starter.

Don’t overcook.  The veggies should look vibrant.  I use medium high heat.

Serve over the brown rice, and use sea salt to taste.  Also, I recommend using organic ingredients.

This meal really tasted great.  It was one of those meals where you didn’t have to eat a lot to satisfy you.

Vegan Hot Dogs

I still remember the taste of hot dogs.  I grew up with them, loaded with sauce and cole slaw. Well, actually cole slaw on hot dogs didn’t come until much later.  So, I wanted to re-invent it vegan style, right down to the sauce.  I finally came up with something, which my husband agrees as I do, is much better.  Neither one of us could handle the meat taste anymore.

Pictured below are the ingredients.

 

Soy Chirzo was something we discovered quite by accident at Trader Joe’s.  My husband wanted to try it because other people seemed to be swooping them up.  When I tried to use it, it just crumbled.  Idea!  Add a little water and heat it up to make hot dog sauce.  Very easy.

I use Smart Dogs for the wieners.  Just cook them on the stove top.  A little oil might be necessary.  I just brown them on a cast iron griddle.

My cole slaw is simple – shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, mixed with Follow Your Heart Original Vegenaise Dressing and Sandwich Spread.

Mustard – Trader Joe’s Organic Yellow Mustard

Relish – Trader Joe’s Organic Sweet Pickle Relish

The buns I found were also organic – Rudi’s, however, I don’t want to recommend them since every time we’ve purchased them they have been stale.  Perhaps we just always bought them at bad times, but after three times I question this.  So, I’m on the lookout for something better in the bun department.  I’ve also tried their hamburger buns – also stale tasting.

 

Vegan Rice, Sausage, Onions & Kidney Beans

The other night it dawned on me that I was the queen of one dish meals.  I may use a couple or more burners to cook the meals, but they end up somehow in the same serving platter.

The one pictured was simple – rice of your choice (This was a mixed rice with various seeds I got from Trader Joes.)  Saute vegan sausge cut into small pieces, and chopped onions in oil with a dash of cumin and chili powder, sea salt and pepper.  Add a can of kidney beans.  Put over cooked rice.  Top with fresh cilantro.

 

I’m thankful for one dish meals.

No Chicken Sesame Chicken & Rice

I’m too stuffed to write anything tonight.  So, I’m posting tonight’s dinner.  Most of the time I don’t pre-plan meals.  It’s sort of an hour before meal time I rely on what’s in the refrigerator and cupboard and intuition.  I was working around some General Tso’s Vegan Chicken from Whole Foods.  The Whole Foods in Lexington, KY is the only Whole Foods I know of that will sell just the vegan chicken by itself.

We’ve been trying to eat organic, so almost all of the ingredients were organic, except for the General Tso’s itself.  From an internet search I did also find that nine pieces equals 279 calories.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 Red Bell Pepper chopped

1/2 White onion chopped

Handful of Fresh Bean Sprouts

Chopped Carrot

Handful of Chopped Fresh Spinach

Tablespoon of Safflower Oil

Tablespoon of Soy Sauce

Tablespoon of Sesame Seeds

1/2 Pound of General Tso’s Vegan Chicken

Saute’ all ingredients together.  Fix rice according to directions.

Hot oolong tea adds the finishing touch.

I’m thankful for a great meal with my husband.

Valentine’s Day Equals Promotion Day

Yesterday was my day out.  Today I just wanted to stay in.  I had no definite plans for dinner but wanted to fix something special.  Along with something special comes a clean house for my husband to walk into and a candlelit dinner.  The candles were a gift to us from a dear friend.

The contemplation of what to fix began formulating piece by piece as the day progressed.  The meal would be basically vegan.  The centerpiece of the meal was to be a lentil dhal burger.  I had fresh spinach and strawberries.  I could do something artistic on the plate with those items.  I made my first creamy poppy seed dressing.  It turned out great.  I had beets.  Beet chips, along with the strawberries, for the color red to adorn the plate sounded like a good idea as well as nutritional.  To top it off we had dark chocolate truffles.  And almost every item including all the ingredients on the menu was organic.

A grand day in seemed appropriate with my husband’s new promotion.  The card on the table this morning announced that after a decade he had moved up from being the happiest and luckiest man in the world to the happiest and luckiest man in the universe.  The task seems to get bigger every year.  Now, I must work on all those parallel universes as well.

Actually, I’m really thankful he is so easy to please.