what's going on

This post is alitte Seattle, a little Portland restauranting and some steady PPK recipe testing.

Speaking of the PPK, if you haven't seen it, check out the ladies being interviewed in yesterday's New York Times, which is now always said in Jon McGuirk's voice in my head. I like the part where Isa says yea, a lot ofvegan food isn't tasty, because it's so often true, especially in the world of mass-produced packaged goods - unfortunate, but true. She's not being a snot about it, just real.
When vegan food is good - it's good. I think back to the crap I ate when I first when vegan, and now I just don't even think about things like frozen meals as food options. Well, that's also because I'm weirded out by defrosted items and love/have time to cook.

Moving on to what I've been testing..


Herbed Scalloped Potatoes.

Spicy Tempeh and Broccoli over whole wheat pasta - satisfying my love of heat and tempeh, and greens, and pasta.. I


Sure, I've posted this one before, but I made it for a 3rd or 4th time Sundayevening, as it's soup season and it absolutely hits the spot - Roasted Garlic Tomato Rice Soup, served with a piece of organic rustic baguette.

Onto Seattle..
We went to Wayward Cafe in the University District for our second day's lunch. It is a worker owned coffee shop, and if I recall correctly, all - vegan. Thomas had the battered tempeh 'Truck Stop' plate, with tangy greens and a hunk of bread or biscuit? with gravy. The tempeh almost had a fried fish thing going on, maybe some seaweed something or other in the breading.

There's often a pattern when Thomas and I dine out - he orders something fabulous, and I'm less than thrilled for one reason or another. And then I order whatever he ordered next time.

These tofu migas were tasty, especially with the freshly fried tortillas an black beans, but I was under the assumption there were no onions (okay, told) and the tofu was chock full of them. I picked my way around some of it, but most of it ending up being snacked on by my sister and her boyfriend when we met up with them. Kudos to them eating their first tofu-scrambly meal!

Sidecar for Pigs Peace Vegan Store, across from Pizza Pi and a short walk from Wayward Cafe. I picked up an orange mango soda and agave nectar, since I've been out for a while.

This is from a meal we had a couple weeks ago, at the famous Ya Hala in Portland. I was not disappointed at all, other than the attached grocery closing before we left, but that's no big deal. The food was delightful, and very, very well priced. I took many photos with are up on flickr, but this was my favorite dish - the Baba Ganouj. I never knew I was such a fan of this smoky, exquisite dish until that evening. Thank you, Ya Hala. I just wish you were closer!


My sister works at a Greek restaurant and was craving pita melts, so she made them for dinner one night. Here is the vegan one she made me - with homemade tomato sauce by Mike, sauteed spinach, portabella, chickpeas with garlic and olive oil, nooch and a little tofutti mozzerella. It was such a good combo it even made the tofutti delish.


Oh, and this is just my sister holding her strawberry shortcake (with green strawberry-vanilla cake). Her first decorating job was greatness. (p.s. I got a new decorating bag, whew)