i heart salsa

as i have mentioned before, i am trying to use up the items i have lying around. tonight, i opened a jar of salsa. i really liked target's black bean and corn salsa but they discontinued it. this still has corn and black beans in it so i take what i can get. as i was cutting up the carrots for the rice, i dipped one in salsa. how come i have never tried the combo before?? i realize it's nothing quite new or original, but what i didn't realize was how delightfully simple yet scrumptious it is! YES, WIN FOR MEEEEE.i made a serving of instant white rice because i am trying to use that up as well. i microwaved it [soooo lazyy] with cajun seasoning and a few dabs of hickory liquid smoke. i didn't cook the carrots because i hate cooked carrots--just threw them in after.

this is the result: a slightly smokey, spicy, tomato-y, sweet [carrot] goodness. i will definitely use this little concoction to finish off the rest of those items.

a love letter to liquid smoke

i am absolutely amazed at liquid smoke. it is glorious! i am such a fan of the smokey flavor that it provides and it has become an addiction for me. i want to put it in every single thing i make. i feel craZy.

i made baked beans the other night. i contemplated baking them, but ended up just heating them on the stove top. i put a couple pinches [actually too many pinches] of brown sugar and then added the mesquite liquid smoke. oh so delicious!

last night, i made chili. i used WAY too much liquid smoke in that. it was a bit salty. but smokey and spicy which are two perfectly delightful flavors for chili. i made it for some non-vegan friends...hope they liked it....

i couldn't stop eating it regardless of its slightly salty taste.

also, on the menu today was sugar free rockstar [disgusting might i add?]. i thought it would help motivate me to get all the school work i needed to do this week finished. not so much even if i did get some important work out of the way...

regardless, liquid smoke...i need to stay away from youuuuuuu b/c you make everything much too delightful.

the weather was so nice on thursday, my trip to the grocery store was extremely pleasant. i originally only planned on purchasing oranges, but i ended up with other things and no oranges.

today, i had a banana sprinkled with some nestle cocoa powder and a bit of peanut butter. it was sooooooo goood!!!!!!

i had some tofu hanging out in the freezer from last semester so last night i decided to use that up. i thawed it, broke it up and made a marinade of sorts. i used spicy brown mustard and hickory liquid smoke. i let it sit for about a day and a half then i fried it up. i couldn't believe how delightful this was. the smokey flavor is absolutely one of the best tastes i have ever had.

i bought a lime and used it to finish up the 2 shots of vodka that have been resting in the fridge for months upon months. i used white grape juice carbonated water and lime juice for the first one. and i used pomegranate berry carbonated water and lime juice for the second. i think i'd like to make more cocktails. perhaps, i will have that opportunity this summer!

i finished a head of cauliflower in about a day. i really love steamed cauliflower--more than you could ever believe. i used southwest seasoning on it and a little bit of salt and pepper. SO GOOD. i kept eating it throughout the day. i think i need to go back and get some more. i could eat it everyday.

2nd article in my vegan column is UP!

http://www.smilepolitely.com/food/fiesta_cafe_a_real_treat_for_vegans/

yay time to bake!

although i am not supportive of the university's requirement for professors to take furlough days, i am happy to have some time to bake.

it proved extremely difficult because of the lack of use in my right wrist, but i think baking is really great exercise for it. i need it to bend in ways it isn't used to anymore and what better way than kneading bread/crust/etc!

i made two different pizza crusts. although, my intention is to make breadsticks for dipping in spaghetti sauce. i opened the liquid smoke for one batch--i wanted to bake it RIGHT away because it smelled so delicious, but i'd already decided to make the sweet cinnamon/sugar combo first.

i made both 'pizza crusts' with the following: onion powder, garlic powder, southwest seasoning, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and basil.

the bread loaf, i threw a bunch of ingredients together including: vanilla, flour, sugar, maple syrup, coconut milk, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. i broke the dough into two portions. i laid the first one in the bread pan and then spread coconut milk on top. then i sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on top. next, i put the other portion on and repeated the cinnamon/nutmeg/coconut milk mixture.

it smelled so yummy and tasted soooo yummy. however, i am so full and think that i probably used WAY too much sugar in it...

ooops!

fiesta cafe!

i visited fiesta cafe, a local mexican restaurant here. i went because i am writing my second article for my column on vegan food in champaign on this establishment.

this experience was just as delightful as every other. i will post a link to the article when it gets posted, but here is a preview in the form of photos!!

upon reflection: the spicy salsa was my favorite, the vegetables were delectable, the blue moon with an orange complemented the slasa perrrrrfectly!!!!!

and the overall fajita was absolutely and amazingly delicious. plus, i had so many leftovers i could eat for like two more days! LOVED IT.


i am eating leftovers with andre spumante [i told you he'd make an appearance] for my valentine's day! the glass i am drinking out of was a gift from my roommates, tara and brendan....lovvvve it!

a few odds&ends

i have been eating very random foods because i'm attempting to diminish my stash of food. then, i can eat fresh fruit and vegetables when the weather warms just a bit more. i also do not feel like lugging all of my goods back home when the school year is over. see, i'm thinking wayyy ahead.

i finished the bag of soy nuts i've been working on for the entire year. i just can't get into this kind--you suck farm&fleet. [sorrrrry the picture is terrible]

earlier this week consisted of a TON of hormel chili. for some reason that was all that sounded edible come lunch/dinner time.

alas, i had MORE tomato soup---4 little cans to finish up. and i had an absurd amount of popcorn. i accidently made a humongous batch so i snacked on that for about a day and a half. thursdays, i don't have class and so i like to make it for lunch and eat it throughout the whole day while i'm reading for class/writing papers. it's a nice little treat i must say.

i also made up these little baggies of oatmeal [instant, uncooked] and coconut flakes. they are so simple, yet one of the most delicious! i think i'll take it for days when i have class and nothing for lunch. perfecto!

and lastly, the rice noodles needed to be finished so i cooked those and doused them in soy vay teryaki flavor soy sauce.

i'll leave you with that. i am seconds from leaving to visit a mexican restaurant named fiesta cafe--i will be writing my next article for my vegan column on this establishment.

look for pictures and the link sooooon!

also, i hope you all have a fabulous[!] valentine's day. i think i might make some oatmeal cinnamon bread or some peanut butter cookies tomorrow to go along with my date----my date being>>>>::::andre spumante champagne. [cheap, but delicious and very pleasant company!]

the first article is UP!

you will be happy to know that my first article for my vegan column is up RIGHT NOW! here is the link if you are interested about reading on my quest for vegan food in central illinois.

alas, my everyday food pictures are both tedious and few...however! i received an okay by the doctor to start getting my arm back to working order. YES. but, nonetheless, here is some of the food i have been eating and will continue to be eating [at least for the short time being]. if you look closely, you can see all my to-do lists in the background. [sigh] graduation where arrrrrre you?!

there's oatmeal...it looks so boring...but it is packed with flavor from maple syrup! YUM! i like it simple and sweeeeet.

i told you the other day that i was practically addicted to cinnamon life cereal...well here is one of 80,000 mounds.

and finally, tomato soup--that comforting, hearty, delicious tomato-y soup. i add southwest seasoning in it. it's absolutely wonderful until i start thinking it needs a lot. it doesn't and sometimes the pepper flakes almost kill me. but...i do love spicy. and i also love tons and tons of saltine crackers.