There's a Hummus Among Us!

I'll tell you one thing: hummus doesn't survive for very long at our apartment. CH and I are completely and utterly obsessed with it. (We don't even flinch at the nearly 30 minutes it takes drive to our favorite Middle Eastern restaurant just to achieve hummus nirvana!)

And although we often buy big tubs of it from Costco, I also like to make my own whenever the mood strikes. That's why I was so excited to discover all of ED&BV's hummus recipes when I first got my copy several months ago. (FYI: The cookbook's hummus ingredients involve everything from sun-dried tomatoes to roasted red peppers and almonds. Cool.)

Zucchini + Tomato Pizza

Ah, zucchini. It's one of those vegetables that my subconscious constantly tries to convince me that I don't like...

You see, I'm a really big "texture" person when it comes to food. As a result, certain types of veggies freak me out if they're too mushy (ex: zucchini and tomatoes), while overly-ripe fruits (like brown bananas) make me want to run into the corner and cry.

An Obama Breeze

Something weird happened today.

I arrived home early from work this afternoon, and have been walking around in pajamas ever since. (No, that's not the weird part.) My PJ's currently consist of a t-shirt, a long-sleeved flannel shirt, long "sleeping pants," and a pair of socks. And I've been wearing all of these clothes despite the fact that the heat is on, and despite the fact that I've been wrapped up in a blanket for hours.

Notwithstanding all of these warming efforts, I wasn't quite able to shake my chilliness. So, I decided to settle in for a bit of TV watching (AKA homework procrastination) and to make a conscious effort to stop worrying about it. After all, it is like -5 degrees outside!

Thus, it wasn't until CH called that I made a discovery.

Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup

If there's one thing in life that I know for sure, it's that a warm bowl of lentil soup will cheer just about anyone up.

Personally, I've witnessed cold weather, pessimism, and even a general disdain for lentils be overcome by this simple, yet delectable, soup. Honestly, it's pretty amazing what can be done with just under an hour and only a few basic ingredients...

¡Tacos Muy Guapos!

Tacos are, without question, one of my absolute most favorite foods. I especially love how versatile (even if "inauthentic") they can be. And obviously, as a result of their flexibility, almost everyone has his/her own spin on tacos. There's the rice v. no rice rule; the refried beans v. whole beans policy; and even the taco "meat" v. just veggies maxim.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Oatmeal

I don't know about you, but all of this "wind chill" action has really been cramping my style lately. It takes so long to scrape the ice off of my car and get it warmed up in the AM that I'm starting to become concerned about the safety of my alarm clock. Seriously - if my 7:05am wake-up time has to be compromised solely so I can freeze to death, that little clock just might have to take a trip to "the farm."

As you can probably tell, I've been feeling a bit of hostility toward the cold weather lately. So, to counteract the situation, I've decided to start making oatmeal again. It's warm, filling, and so simple and comforting that it helps to calm me down in the morning.

This oatmeal is particularly delicious - especially because it happens to taste a lot like an oatmeal raisin cookie (which hopefully explains the redundancy in my "Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Oatmeal" title). I like making it for CH and myself on Saturday mornings, but it's quick enough that you could prepare it before work or school during the week as well.

So, enjoy - and stay warm (to hell with the wind chill)!

Vegan Puppy Chow

image borrowed from Pug Blog

Ah, yes, Puppy Chow...

It seems like the perfect "olive branch" to extend as my apology for being blog-sent (absent) for so long. And truthfully, while it has only been about 2 weeks since my last post, it feels more like an eternity.

Since my Jan. 8th (birthday!) blog entry, Winter Break has ended and I've returned to school. In fact, Monday marked the beginning of my last semester of law school, which means that the pressure is officially on. (Not as if it were ever "off" to begin with!)

Pink Lemonade Birthday Tartlets

"You know how I remember what day your birthday is?" my uncle asked me, fourteen years ago today.

"No, how?" I inquired, curious and excited about the fact that my uncle cared so much about my special day that he had actually developed a method for remembering it.

"You were born on the same day as Elvis," he announced. "So, when it's his birthday, that means it's yours, too."

Yea, it was a bit of a let-down - especially from the perspective of a slightly self-involved, 13-year-old girl.

Vegan Tostada Pizza

Ahhh...the Vegan Tostada Pizza. It's fresh, colorful, and delicious - not to mention the fact that it's another exceptional platform for a bit of Vegan Ranch Dressing - yay!

This pizza was born out of my adoration for black beans, specifically, and for pizza, generally. And the coolest thing is that it's completely versatile: Don't like black beans? Have pinto beans instead. No time for home-made salsa? Try the pre-made stuff. Not feelin' avocado today? Go ahead - skip it entirely.

Maple Corn Fritters

It's true - I've decided to try and get a little bit more organized for the new year. However, this "organization" - which despite taking place at the beginning of the year, and despite being something of a promise to myself - is NOT a resolution.

(You see, JD and resolutions don't get along all that well...)

So, whatever it's called, my goal includes:

1. Cleaning up the study
• (AKA: small room that CH and I delusionally call "The Study" to make our apartment sound bigger)
2. Recycling my growing collection of magazines/newspapers
• Of course, this includes saving/filing the good articles/recipes, too
  
3. Organizing my blog postings
• So far, this means instituting a weekly Saturday post for recipes that I've tried from other people's blogs
4. Instituting my own "Pantry Challenge"
• In other words: grocery shopping less/not at all for a period of time, yet to be determined

There you have it.