Alright, so I'm not the most faithful blogger... But to tell the truth, I've been lying to myself about my future for some time. What I want to do, what I'm capable of, and how I'm going to achieve meaning in my life.
As I was perusing Netflix the other night, I came across Stephen Hawking's Grand Design. I've always been fascinated by the man and his mind, so I thought "Why the hell not?!" Life altering... That's all I can say... He was discussing the meaning of life, for him life is about choices. What we choose creates our perception of reality, therefore generating meaning. As I was watching, it all clicked. Yes I went to OU to study film and yes I want to work in film. So, why was I languishing in boredom considering careers that I did not want??? Simple answer, I was afraid of making choices, and ultimately afraid that my life would have no meaning... But, if one must generate their own meaning (something I have believed for a long time, but it never really clicked) then I MUST pursue my meaning. That meaning is in film, writing & directing (not editing, hate editing), so I got online and started looking for the beginning of the rest of my life...
So, short post, but a testament to my willingness to accept responsibility for creating meaning in my life. Thank you, Mr. Hawking for so elegantly pointing that out.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Rolling in Dough
I was exciting, my first foray into gluten free bread baking... I had step by step pictures and all... But what came out of the oven was not edible, it was both crumbly and doughy at the same time... It looked raw, even after extra time in the oven... A little research (ala the internet) reveals that firstly my warm water was too cold for the yeast to work, and second I didn't use enough xantham gum (which is a key ingredient due to its ability to mimic gluten without causing inflammatory reactions)... So, now I'm out of flour, iced in (yup Old Man Winter is flexing his muscles), and have nothing remarkable to share, even the restaurant I was hoping to mention that has gluten free options was a bust (as both my Mom & I felt sick after eating there).
About that restaurant, its in Mineola, TX... We found it on a fall foliage expedition (and antiquing, but that's a whole 'nother story). Big banners out front proclaimed "Gluten Free Bread", we were excited, but had already eaten that day, so decided to make another trip later (plus the antique shops). So we got home & I thought I'd give them a quick search, just see whats on the menu... With a name like La Waffalata, I didn't have trouble finding the right spot, but the site links over to their other restaurant (right next door, you can order from either menu) & neither one listed a menu... So, with no idea what sort of food (the sister restaurant is a burger joint, so their menu was pretty obvious) I guessed breakfasty (waffle is in the name)... We got there and there were, guess how many waffle options... I'll wait, go on gimmie a number...
TWO, two waffle options, buttermilk and gingerbread... Now that's disappointing, you'd think there be a dozen options, heck that pancake house that claims global heritage (goes by an acronym, you know the one) has more waffles than that, and they "specialize" in pancakes... But I digress, back to La Waffalata... Now, the menu was actually sandwiches & wraps... A small menu, with one vegetarian option, a wrap with zucchini and cucumbers. I know what you're thinking, sure vegetarian, but vegan & gluten free, no way... Well, I'm of the don't ask don't tell variety, that is if it's at least vegetarian then I don't sweat it... Plain salads and dry potatoes get real old (see life at The Abbey)... So after modifying to be mostly vegan (no cheese, no sauce) I got the wrap on the gluten free pita... It was okay, needed dressing... I got a side of salsa which helped tremendously. Mom got a gluten free burger (not even close to vegetarian, but she is a flexetarian of the Eat to Live variety)... She said it was really good, the bun was soft and fluffy (unlike my attempt)... But we both felt sick after a few hours, we can only figure cross contamination, even though they said that they have a clean area of the kitchen for gluten free orders... I don't know, it may have been unrelated, so if you're in the Mineola area, you might try them for a gluten free option that actually has bread...
When I get more flour, I'll experiment and see if I come up with a decent bread that can't be used as a paperweight... Until then, I do have several recipes to post, just have to get hoppin'!
About that restaurant, its in Mineola, TX... We found it on a fall foliage expedition (and antiquing, but that's a whole 'nother story). Big banners out front proclaimed "Gluten Free Bread", we were excited, but had already eaten that day, so decided to make another trip later (plus the antique shops). So we got home & I thought I'd give them a quick search, just see whats on the menu... With a name like La Waffalata, I didn't have trouble finding the right spot, but the site links over to their other restaurant (right next door, you can order from either menu) & neither one listed a menu... So, with no idea what sort of food (the sister restaurant is a burger joint, so their menu was pretty obvious) I guessed breakfasty (waffle is in the name)... We got there and there were, guess how many waffle options... I'll wait, go on gimmie a number...
TWO, two waffle options, buttermilk and gingerbread... Now that's disappointing, you'd think there be a dozen options, heck that pancake house that claims global heritage (goes by an acronym, you know the one) has more waffles than that, and they "specialize" in pancakes... But I digress, back to La Waffalata... Now, the menu was actually sandwiches & wraps... A small menu, with one vegetarian option, a wrap with zucchini and cucumbers. I know what you're thinking, sure vegetarian, but vegan & gluten free, no way... Well, I'm of the don't ask don't tell variety, that is if it's at least vegetarian then I don't sweat it... Plain salads and dry potatoes get real old (see life at The Abbey)... So after modifying to be mostly vegan (no cheese, no sauce) I got the wrap on the gluten free pita... It was okay, needed dressing... I got a side of salsa which helped tremendously. Mom got a gluten free burger (not even close to vegetarian, but she is a flexetarian of the Eat to Live variety)... She said it was really good, the bun was soft and fluffy (unlike my attempt)... But we both felt sick after a few hours, we can only figure cross contamination, even though they said that they have a clean area of the kitchen for gluten free orders... I don't know, it may have been unrelated, so if you're in the Mineola area, you might try them for a gluten free option that actually has bread...
When I get more flour, I'll experiment and see if I come up with a decent bread that can't be used as a paperweight... Until then, I do have several recipes to post, just have to get hoppin'!
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Thanksgiving Mayhem
So, I started cooking on Wednesday, finished on Thursday, and got around to blogging on Friday... You might be thinking that I had a huge crowd of people, well you would be wrong... Just 6 including myself, but within that group you have a strict vegan (me), a gluten-free (my Mom & me to a lesser extent), a refuse to eat vegetables, or anything mixed together (my brother), and three old-fashioned raised on lard types (my Dad & Grandparents)... So, that meant we did have a turkey on the table, and despite my making a huge pan of gluten-free, vegan cornbread dressing, my Dad "had" to make a "regular" pan of dressing (exact words). Now, he didn't really have to make the dressing, he said mine was fine, but there was no way he was going to stay out of the kitchen... Not a chance, besides he had to make (no emphasis, he really did have to make) gravy and cook the turkey.
I had a Tofurky languishing in the freezer, so I decided to have it despite going gluten-free. If you don't know vegan products all that well, let me explain... Mock meat products are usually made from one of two sources, soy (non-glutinous) or wheat protein (gluten). Many are actually a mix of both soy and wheat bases... Seitan is pure wheat gluten, Tofurky is seitan based, ergo Tofurky is pure gluten... Now, I know I ate a big plate of food, but when you still feel overly stuffed nearly 24 hours later... I'm going to venture a guess and say that I am done with gluten... Not that there is anything wrong with Tofurky as a product, it is great if you can tolerate gluten, I've been eating them and other seitan based products for years... Of course that's before I learned about the damage that wheat proteins can do to the body (very inflammatory) and the inability for the human body to properly digest wheat proteins.
All that aside, I'd say my first go at Thanksgiving was a success (except for the gluten-free, vegan pecan pie). Especially the Pumpkin Cake, veganizing the recipe was easy, and gluten-freeing (is that a word?) it was even easier... It doesn't turn out as tall & light as the "regular" version, but still tasty. I'll post recipes for several of my dishes that received passing scores from the family soon... For now, here's a tasty & simple Pinto Bean recipe: sort & rinse 2 cups of dried pintos, meanwhile put a large pot of water on to boil. Get the water to a rolling boil before adding the beans (it helps to keep a kettle of water hot too, in case you need to add water during cooking, since the pot should never go dry, or stop boiling). Add the beans slowly, so the boil doesn't stop, and turn the heat down (not enough to lose the boil) Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. In the last 30 minutes add 1 cup of onions, 2 Tbs garlic, 2 Tbs chili powder, and salt & pepper to taste. See gluten-free & vegan can be easy and delicious...
I had a Tofurky languishing in the freezer, so I decided to have it despite going gluten-free. If you don't know vegan products all that well, let me explain... Mock meat products are usually made from one of two sources, soy (non-glutinous) or wheat protein (gluten). Many are actually a mix of both soy and wheat bases... Seitan is pure wheat gluten, Tofurky is seitan based, ergo Tofurky is pure gluten... Now, I know I ate a big plate of food, but when you still feel overly stuffed nearly 24 hours later... I'm going to venture a guess and say that I am done with gluten... Not that there is anything wrong with Tofurky as a product, it is great if you can tolerate gluten, I've been eating them and other seitan based products for years... Of course that's before I learned about the damage that wheat proteins can do to the body (very inflammatory) and the inability for the human body to properly digest wheat proteins.
All that aside, I'd say my first go at Thanksgiving was a success (except for the gluten-free, vegan pecan pie). Especially the Pumpkin Cake, veganizing the recipe was easy, and gluten-freeing (is that a word?) it was even easier... It doesn't turn out as tall & light as the "regular" version, but still tasty. I'll post recipes for several of my dishes that received passing scores from the family soon... For now, here's a tasty & simple Pinto Bean recipe: sort & rinse 2 cups of dried pintos, meanwhile put a large pot of water on to boil. Get the water to a rolling boil before adding the beans (it helps to keep a kettle of water hot too, in case you need to add water during cooking, since the pot should never go dry, or stop boiling). Add the beans slowly, so the boil doesn't stop, and turn the heat down (not enough to lose the boil) Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. In the last 30 minutes add 1 cup of onions, 2 Tbs garlic, 2 Tbs chili powder, and salt & pepper to taste. See gluten-free & vegan can be easy and delicious...
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Broccoli Rice Casserole
Last night I made the afore mentioned Vegan, Gluten-free Broccoli Rice Casserole! How does one make such a dish, you might ask??? Well it takes just a few ingredients, the only one that is "special" is the gravy mixes which are Road's End Organics (also known as Edward & Sons)... This brand is perfect for both vegan and gluten-free diets, as they have numerous products for either and many that are both veg & gf... If you are not vegan (I don't judge), you can follow the recipe using dairy, check your favorite grocer for similar gravy mixes to Road's End...
·
2 cups cooked rice
·
1 head broccoli, chopped (pre-steamed if you like it more tender)
·
1 can of sliced mushrooms (4 ounce)
·
1 package Road’s End Organics Shitake Mushroom
Gravy Mix
·
1 package Road’s End Organics Cheddar Style
Sauce Mix
·
1 ½ cup milk (I prefer coconut milk)
·
1 cup cheddar cheese (I prefer Daiya vegan
shreds)
Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix both the shitake mushroom gravy and cheddar sauce into the
milk. In a greased casserole dish,
combine the rice, broccoli, and mushrooms.
Pour half the sauce mix into the
broccoli rice, stir to combine. Smooth
the mixture into the dish and pour rest of sauce over the top. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with cheese before
serving.
And the final product... 
Paired with stewed cabbage: simply cut cabbage, put in a large pot with one can of petite diced tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Salt, pepper (and caraway seeds if you have any) as desired. Maple carrots, another easy one: just put baby carrots and 1/4 cup maple syrup in a pot with enough water to cover, bring to a boil until tender (20 minutes or so). Oh and the leftover broccoli stalks, just slice them into rounds or planks and throw them on a pan in the oven to roast whilst everything else is cooking, and you've got roasted broccoli (which is what you see hiding behind the bowl of cabbage)
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Extreme? Couponing
Alright, in addition to going gluten-free, we have begun our foray into couponing... Today's savings $100 off of $200 dollars worth of merch (50% off, not too shabby) of course the serious couponers would probably laugh at our first go, but hey everybody starts somewhere. Of course our "haul" didn't really look like a hundred bucks worth of stuff to begin with (ahh inflation). Still, it pays to save, as they say (at least I think that's what they say (who are 'they' who come up with these little gems anyway?)).
So, what does couponing have to do with being a gluten-free vegan? Well, being either gluten-free or vegan is expensive enough, but throw both together and... you get the idea. Besides if we are eating for our bodies to be healthy shouldn't our pocketbook be healthy too ('they' would be me on this one).
Given that Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I'll posting several of my recipes soon... Starting with my vegan (and gluten-free) broccoli rice casserole, which I am making tonight!
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