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.

Food

Finished Sprouts

 

 

Food – We all love it.  We are always trying to eat healthier.  I struggle, being lacto-vegetarian.  I have way too much dairy in my diet.  Then there is wheat.  Recently I went twenty-one days without wheat.  Perhaps that wasn’t long enough.  I saw no change in the way I felt.  For the last three days I haven’t eaten dinner.  When I skip dinner I DO see a change.  It’s like a mini fast for me.  Yesterday while doing yoga and walking I felt so much lighter.  I have been trying to make meals I think my husband will really appreciate.  I practice with lunch, since that is my main meal.  Then I repeat at dinner, and sometimes change it around a little or add to it.  I have begun sprouting again.  I love sprouts, on salads, on sandwiches, but not really for juicing.

Some of the latest food entrees:

Veggie Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

On this non-gmo veggie burger is cilantro, salsa, and avocado.

Salad using the sprouts

Black Beans with Veggies and Cheese on Spinach Tortilla

 

Rueben with Hummus

I use tempeh when making ruebens.  I added dandelion greens to the hummus.  For the evening meal I added fries for my husband.

Rueben with Fries

 

Sprout Beginnings

Lintel Soup and Tortilla with veggies and cheese

 

Making Kale Chips

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.

Spring, A Time for Projects and Soup

This past weekend we had a touch of Spring.  Today winter is trying to edge its way back in, for I hope what is a short and final curtain call.  Speaking of curtain calls, we got to see the broadway musical, “Hair,” which came to the town where my husband works.  I was of the hair (hippie) era.  That makes the second broadway play I’ve seen.  The first was “Wicked,” which we saw in New York City.  That was quite the experience.  We had excellent seats.

During the warm weather we worked on planing barn wood in the hopes of turning it into a floor.  We are over half way there on getting the planing done.  I think it gets more complicated from there.  There is the tongue and groove which will be a learning process.

Even though the weather was so nice for working on the wood, we had to stop.  The saw blade was wearing out.  I said to my husband, that sure didn’t last very long; but he said it was mostly the deck we built this past summer that did the blade in.  So, we took a break and traveled to Home Depot to get a new saw blade.  Lowe’s is nearer; however, Starbucks is next to Home Depot.  It was the first time this year I wore sandals.

 

We are project crazy.  It doesn’t help that we live in a house that just turned 100 years old.  We spend as much time as we can outside.  Being that the weather was so nice, we ate for the first time this year out on the deck.  It has taken several years, but we now have the deck wrapped almost all the way around the house, if you count the front porch.  The rock on the side of the house was last year’s project.  It all came from our woods.

The same week we had the 70 degree weather, we had snow.  It was a one day affair.  But it meant soup.  We just got back from seeing our grandson who lives in North Carolina, 7 hours away.  While there we visit vegan/vegetarian restaurants, something a bigger city has to offer.  It always inspires me in the kitchen arts.  So, I tried my hand at Italian Wedding Soup.  We got the fake sausage from Whole Foods.  Unless I’m baking I don’t measure anything, so it would be hard to give a recipe.  This is especially hard for soups in which I usually throw whatever I have on hand in.  But I will give it a try.

Italian Wedding Soup

2 tsp safflower oil

1 cup chopped celery

1 onion chopped

vegetarian meatballs ( I used one half of a vegetarian sausage pack which I couldn’t form into meatballs, so I just used chunks and crumbles which worked out well)

4 cups vegetarian broth

3 oz pasta shells

5 oz baby spinach

Grated parmesan cheese (omit this if you prefer vegan)

Heat oil in large saucepan.  Add celery and onion, cooking until softened.  Add vegetarian meat substitute and brown.  Add broth and 2 cups water.  Add pasta and cook time allotted on package.  Add spinach and cook for about two minutes longer.  Salt and pepper.  I prefer sea salt.  Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Juice Fast?

Last week I attempted a juice fast.  I lasted three days.  I even had a friend who said she would go on it with me.  She is now on day 9! I did start feeling pretty good and could notice some differences such as a clearer complexion, but I caved.  I just think about food too much.  I DO juice everyday.  I just add regular food to it.

This is my big green juice.  I make it by the pitcher.  It consists of kale, chard, cabbage (I love kale and cabbage), cilantro, apples, celery, and carrots.  I’ve also made fresh pineapple and orange juice this past week.  I think the pineapple was the only item that wasn’t organic.

I love kale chips.  I bake with a touch of olive oil, Himalayan sea salt, mixed pepper, and nutritional yeast.

Lately I’ve been making a lot of veggie broth soups and adding kale, romaine lettuce (my lettuce of choice), green onions and mushrooms.  It’s very easy, and takes about ten minutes, tops.

Last night we had quinoa to which I added a chopped red pepper, green onions, black beans and romaine lettuce.

Next week I hope to start sprouts.  

 

Salad Inspired by Jamie Oliver

Awhile back we saw the show, “Food Revolution,” hosted by Jamie Oliver.  This took place in Huntington, WV, the town my husband works in.  Just recently they added vegetarian selections to Marshall University cafeteria entrees.  I don’t know if this was inspired by the show, but am glad to see it happen.

These directions were taken from www.oprah.com.  I put in my own changes.  I can’t seem to ever follow a recipe exactly, unless it is something baked.  And, even lately, I’ve been veering off in my own direction with baked items, as I adapt for vegetarian or vegan, and get more confidence in the kitchen.

Most all ingredients I used in the following salad were organic.  I would love to see more organic being used.  Well, actually, I would love to see all organic being used in schools.  Don’t we owe the best to our children?  Why couldn’t local organic farmers supply the schools?  Wouldn’t that be cheaper, as well as greener, and provide jobs locally?  Perhaps I’m living in a dream world.  In the show the cooks were dismayed at having to peel real potatoes.  I can certainly understand this.  My own grandmother was a school cook.  I know the hard work involved.  However, if organic were to be used, the whole potatoes, peel and all, could be eaten.  This would certainly save on time.  Plus, the skin of the potato, if free of pesticide, provides valuable nutrition including fiber.

From what was being thrown in the garbage, in which there appeared to be no composting or recycling going on, the children shown in the show were dismissing the healthier food prepared by Mr. Oliver.  I, myself, think this would require time.  It takes taste buds a while to adapt to what is actually real food as opposed to what I consider artificial food.  I know my own eating habits took time to develop.  There are so many “so called foods” that I used to eat that I couldn’t stomach at all now, and still I feel I have a long way to go in the healthy eating department.

At any rate, I certainly congratulate Mr. Oliver and applaud him in his inspiration and good work.

Everyday Green Chopped Salad Inspired by Jamie Oliver

 

• 4 scallions
• 1/2 cucumber
• Handful of fresh basil leaves (I also used cilantro.)
• 1 small avocado, just ripe (He called for two.)
• Combination of Sweet Gem, Tango & Oak Lettuce (He used 1 head butterhead lettuce.)
• Large handfuls sprouted cress or alfalfa (I used alfalfa.)
• 2 ounces Cheddar cheese, optional (I used a little bit of goat cheese grumbled on the salad.)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• English mustard (I used Dijon.)
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper (I used mixed pepper.)

Directions:

Get yourself a big chopping board and a large sharp knife. It’s best to start by chopping the harder, crunchier veggies first, so trim and chop your scallions and slice your cucumber. Slice your basil. Bring it all into the center of the board and continue chopping and mixing together. Halve your avocados around the big pit. Carefully remove the pit and peel the skin off. Add the avocado flesh, lettuce leaves and cress or alfalfa to the board. Crumble over the cheese, if using, and continue chopping. When everything is well chopped, you’ll have a big mound of salad on the board. Make a well in the middle and drizzle in 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Add a teaspoon of English mustard and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix up so everything gets well coated and serve on the board or in a bowl.