Project Food Budget on TV

A few weeks ago, WTAE, a Pittsburgh-based news channel, did a great story on the Project: Food Budget I participated in earlier this year. Thanks to Emily (pictured above, being interviewed by Michelle Wright) for inviting me to be a part of it! The story focused on how to save money by setting a food budget and sticking to it through strategies like meal planning, buying ingredients only on your grocery list, and buying only in season. I've been waiting to write about this until they posted the video, but unfortunately, it doesn't look like that will happen. Also unfortunately, I was on vacation when it aired and never got to see it. But so many people saw it and said they learned a lot from it.

I participated in the project for 25 weeks, learned a lot, and ended up going from a weekly grocery bill of about $150 to about $80. I posted everything I learned here and continue to use the strategies and tips from that project. Emily is starting the project again for the next 52 weeks (!), so sign up if you're interested. Details are here.

Pumpkin and Shiitake Risotto with Crispy Sage

My lame photo doesn't do this dish justice (with the gray, rainy days of fall comes the end of good lighting). It was delicious! This creamy risotto has a very light pumpkin flavor, perfectly complemented by the sage.

Pumpkin and Shiitake Risotto with Crispy Sage
Recipe adapted from the October 2011 issue of Women's Health Magazine

4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup olive oil
10 sage leaves, plus 2 tsp minced fresh sage
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 cup arborio rice
1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom cups (I rehydrated dried ones)
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1. Heat broth in a saucepan until boiling then keep at a simmer on the stove top.
2. Heat olive oil in a saute pan until hot but not smoking. Add sage leaves and fry until crispy, about 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate
3. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the sage oil to a 4-quart saucepan and save the remaining oil for another use. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until translucent but not browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the minced sage and cook for 30 seconds. Add rice and cook, stirring, until rice is glistening and coated with oil, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and wine; cook, stirring, until most of the liquid is evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup broth and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid is evaporated. Continue to add broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring, until liquid is evaporated after each addition and rice swells but is still ad dente, 17 to 20 minutes.
4. Add pumpkin puree, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with fried sage leaves.

Seitan Pot Roast & Truffled Mashed Potatoes

Nothing says fall comfort food like pot roast, gravy, and mashed potatoes!

First I made the Seitan Pot Roast from The Happy Herbivore Cookbook. It called for No-Beef Broth and Vegan Worcestershire Sauce, also recipes in the cookbook. They were so quick and easy to make, I didn't mind the recipes within recipes. The seitan is quick and easy to put together, then you simmer it in the no-beef broth with veggies for an hour, then bake it for another 25 minutes until it's firm and the outside is crispy.

I topped it with No-Beef Gravy, which was also simple to make because I'd already made the No-Beef Broth.

Yum! The pot roast was meaty without being, well, meaty. It was tasty, filling, and a true comfort food with the gravy on top.

I made Truffled Mashed Potatoes, a new recipe from Vegetarian Times, as a side. Recipe below. Confession: I've never made mashed potatoes before! The version from my childhood is full of butter and sour cream. It looms so large and perfect in my memory that I've never wanted to make another version...and I haven't tried a vegan version.

The Truffled Mashed Potatoes didn't disappoint. It was definitely different, but the truffle elevated it to a level of fanciness not normally found in this gold ole' dish. It was also very quick and easy to make, which is always a plus in my book.

Truffled Mashed Potatoes from November 2011 Vegetarian Times

• 2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 2-3 Tbsp truffle oil (I used 2)
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley (I used dried)

1. Bring potatoes, garlic, and enough water to cover all by 1 inch to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
2. Transfer drained potatoes and garlic to a mixing bowl and mash or mix with hand mixer (what I did) with enough cooking liquid until everything is smooth and creamy. I didn't use much cooking liquid--probably 1/4 cup. 
3. Stir in truffle oil and parsley and season with salt and pepper if desired. 

Special Kittens Need Special Home

When I trapped a feral mom and her kittens to get mom spayed, I misjudged the kittens' ages and kept them to socialize them and get them adopted. The older kittens are, the harder they are to socialize (that is, get them used to people), and if they're not socialized, they will never be able to be handled. They were about 12 weeks when I brought them in at the beginning of August, and they were tough cookies. It was five weeks--five long weeks of them hiding from them, hissing at me, and running when I tried to touch them--before the first one warmed up to me (he has already found a home). After that, it was the kitten domino effect: each of them warmed up to me slowly, and now they are finally ready to be adopted! They both love to be petted and brushed...and play, of course!

These kittens need an owner who will be very loving and patient with them until they adjust to their new home. They are normal kittens in every way except that they are very shy at first with new people...remember that they were born on the streets, and their mom taught them to be fearful of people to ensure their survival. It will probably take a few weeks to a month, but once they have adjusted to their new home and bonded with their new owner, they will be great companions! I have a formal feral that I socialized for an animal shelter, and he bonded with me so strongly that I just had to keep him. Usually formal ferals bond strongly with their owners, so they are perfect for someone who wants total love and devotion from their feline friend. They are about four months old and have been spayed, neutered, and vaccinated, so they are ready to go to their forever home! Please contact me if you know anyone who is interested. And if someone has room in their hearts and home, they are great friends and would love to be adopted together.

Max

This handsome, buff-colored boy is laidback and gentle. He loves to fall onto his back for belly rubs and is very affectionate. He likes to play, but he is just as happy watching his crazier sister play. He loves to pick rubber balls and anything else he can find in his mouth and put them in his water bowl...he loves to play in water! My family watched both kittens at their house for a week, and Max let them pet him within just a few days. He's very sweet.

Hester

My husband called this kitten "the one that looks like a hyena," so she became Hester Hyena. She is a beautiful medium-haired calico with a big puffy tail and an even bigger personality. She's one of the smartest cats I've ever met, and as such, gets bored easily, so she will do best in a home where someone can play, play, play with her. She goes nuts over a feather wand and plays fetch. She is a bossy little girl--she was the leader of the litter--and would do best either in a home by herself or with other submissive cats (or with her brother Max!) She constantly chirps and talks and is constantly looking for a new adventure. She will need the most time to adjust, though...perhaps because she is so smart, she is also very wary of new situations, but her new owner will be able to win her over by playing with her lots.

Last Hurrah: Smoky Baby Portobello Sliders

We took advantage of the gorgeous, sunny, 80-degree day yesterday by grilling out. In my last hurrah before grilling season ended, I decided to make Smoky Baby Portobello Sliders, a favorite summer recipe from Vegetarian Times. Baby bellos are seasoned with BBQ spice, grilled in BBQ sauce, and topped with onions caramelized in olive oil and herbes de provence. I've made these fabulous little sliders for friends, and they've been a big hit. Find the recipe here (vegans, omit the cheese; I promise you won't miss it).

To go with the sliders, I grilled some seasoned tofu slices and avocado. It was a perfect meal for a perfect day--a perfect way to say a final goodbye to summer.

Braised Cabbage with Seitan

I like cabbage and I like seitan, so this Braised Cabbage with Seitan recipe from Appetite for Reduction seemed like a great fall dish.

First I made the Surefire Seitan also from Appetite for Reduction. I've made it before and loved it, but this time it didn't turn out! My dough never became elastic like it should. I used a different type of vital wheat gluten, so maybe that's why. It tasted good but wasn't as firm and chewy as it should have been.

The Braised Cabbage recipe is pretty basic. I started by sauteing sliced seitan in olive oil...but I hesitated when it called for adding two teaspoons of thyme to the seitan. I'm not a huge thyme fan so added only a half teaspoon and then some red pepper flakes. Then it was just a matter of adding vegetable broth and sliced cabbage and simmering until the cabbage was tender.

The final dish was pretty bland. All I really tasted was the thyme (damn that thyme!). I loaded my bowl up with salt and pepper, but it wasn't much better. Unfortunately, this recipe was a waste of seitan...and because my seitan was a flop, a waste of eight cups of vegetable broth!

Falling Back to Cooking

Even though I've refused to put my sleeveless dresses and short skirts away, I have to admit that summer has ended. My summer was filled with laid-back meals I cobbled together from fresh-from-the-farmers'-markets produce. A typical meal would be sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, cannellini beans tossed with olive oil, and watermelon for dessert...or grilled veggie and tofu skewers. They were simple and delicious, and I rarely cooked.

It's hard to say good-bye to summer, but I've welcomed fall (my favorite season) by getting back into cooking. This week I made some oldies but goodies:

• Unfried Fried Rice, Steamed Broccoli, and Hoisin Mustard Tofu
• Curried Chickpeas and Greens
• Bowls of Brown Rice, Chickpeas, Butternut Squash, Sauteed Red Onions, and Caesar Chavez Dressing from Appetite for Reduction (pictured above)

I nearly forgot how much I love cooking and how delicious a healthy, nutritious, homemade meal can be. I'll wear cardigans over my summer dresses and tights under my skirts because I can't bear to part with my summer clothes just yet, but I'm happy to get back into cooking and experimenting with some new recipes using seasonal produce (Vegetarian Times has had some great ones I want to try.)

Anyone have a great fall recipe they want to share?