You know that quiz...

You know that quiz that's been going around? Well, if you're bored to tears by the thought of reading it again, then leave my blog now. If you're remotely interested, or obsessively interested (huh? I love you.) then read on....
I saw this on fellow Portlander Anja's adorable Clever Nettle Kitchenette blog and started filling it out a couple days ago, and got around to finishing just a few minutes ago. Check out her Etsy shop for even more adorable-ness.
Now it seems like sure, I've seen this quiz all over the place the past couple days, but I still consider it VeganMoFo worthy....

1. Favorite non-dairy milk?

When it comes to soymilk, not that I ever actually buy it (due to price and evil associations) I do think Silk makes the flat out tastiest and most-drinkable one. My actual favorite is probably the Vitasoy Chocolate Peppermint, but that’s seasonal. Personally, I routinely buy whatever’s cheapest and try to mix up soy/rice/nut/other. I also really enjoy Hemp, Hazelnut and Chocolate Almond milk.

2. What are the top 3 dishes/recipes you are planning to cook?
I received Eat, Drink & Be Vegan! in the mail recently and I’ve got hummus and the chickpea and rice soup on my mind. Yesterday’s shopping list was for the Tempeh Shephardess Pie in Nomicon, that I just may make tonight. Well, I may not since it’s Friday night, we may go out, and who wants to eat leftovers on the weekend? I am currently trying to resist the urge to make Katie's Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls that are calling out to me.... I really want some darn roasted cauliflower with nooch sauce.

3. Topping of choice for popcorn?
Melted earth balance or canola spray, homemade parmesan and sea salt. Sometimes I leave out the parm, and sometimes I’ll add cayenne. Webly got me hooked on sundried tomato-nooch-sea salt & basil for a while.

4. Most disastrous recipe/meal failure?
Like Anja, I have a lot of problems with pancakes. Sometimes they’re awesome; sometimes I get stuck on a bad roll for a few months and abandon thoughts of waffles. I also made a roasted butternut squash soup last month that I put WAY too much garlic into for a half batch of soup, and only ate a small bowl’s worth. I’ve also had quite a few UGHHHHHs on my gluten free adventures.

5. Favorite pickled item?
I don’t think I could handle anything else pickled except for cukes. I like the traditional Jewish deli ones.

6. How do you organize your recipes?
I have file folders, bookmarked recipes, cookbooks on a shelf, a couple notebooks I jot in and printed out recipes all.over.my.bedroom.

7. Compost, trash, or garbage disposal?
Trash, recycling & garbage disposal. I never had a garbage disposal growing up and use it all the time.

8. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 foods…what would they be (don’t worry about how you’ll cook them)?
How much? Am I growing something, or do I have an endless supply? Would they go bad? Potatoes keep well, chickpeas and what the hell, homemade parmesan.

9. Fondest food memory from your childhood?
My mom’s sweet potato pie.

10. Favorite vegan ice cream?
Double Rainbow Soy Cream (but not the flavors at TJ’s). Blossoming Lotus' is probably the best in town, though.

11. Most loved kitchen appliance?
My mom’s old Kitchen Aid mixer is rad. My knives are handy, too.

12. Spice/herb you would die without?
I wouldn’t die, but I’d be less of a person without sea salt and pepper. I’m also a big user of thyme (thanks, Isa) and oregano.

13. Cookbook you have owned for the longest time?
A Fannie Farmer Junior Cooks book my mom gave me.

14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly?
Strawberry Mango jam from Jam on Hawthorne. I also enjoy marionberry jam. I’m pretty open to local jams.

15. Favorite vegan recipe to serve to an omni friend?
coooooooookies. I actually haven’t had many opportunities to serve food other than baked goods to omnivores. Lame. Realistically I actually know mostly veg*ns, though, and I'm not about to bring a tray of baked tofu to work instead of cookies.

16. Seitan, tofu, or tempeh?
It’s tough! I would say tofu followed closely by tempeh. Often I will prefer tempeh to tofu, though seitan – I still like ya (finally). Tempeh bacon is kinda my love.

17. Favorite meal to cook (or time of day to cook)?
I think brunches are fun to put together, but I’m hungriest and think the longest about dinner. Dinners are versatile, and brunch can be for dinner anyway.

18. What is sitting on top of your refrigerator?
Bottles of oil, vinegar, bulk containers of rice, popcorn and a couple boxes of tea. Aka everything I need a stool to reach.

19. Name 3 items in your freezer without looking.
Edamame, tempeh and chocolate.

20. What’s on your grocery list?
see my last post! Plus garbage bags, yams, pecans and brown sugar…

21. Favorite grocery store?
New Season’s, even if I drop more money there than I’d like to. I’ll say it for a millionth time – I adore shopping at the farmer’s markets and should go tomorrow for the first time in over a month! I also shop at Fred Meyer, Trader Joe’s (more so in the winter when the markets close), Limbo and the lovely People’s Coop – which as a year round, albeit smaller, farmer’s market on Wednesdays.

22. Name a recipe you’d love to veganize, but haven’t yet.
uhhhhhhh ? It’s not that this hasn’t been veganized by people other than me, but roast pork lo mein – similar to the chicken chow mein I had recently at Bamboo Garden. Really, chow mein/skinny lo mein. What’s my point? I didn’t really ‘like’ a lot of foods before I went vegan. I’m not going to veganize gouda cheese or cream puffs successfully, so whatev.

23. Food blog you read the most (besides Isa’s because I know you check it every day). Or maybe the top 3?
I have Have Cake, Will Travel and What the hell does a Vegan Eat Anyway?, Jewish Vegan & Fueled by Popcorn on my Livejournal friends list, so those three. I have some more on my google reader, but forget to check it, so I mostly find myself food blog hopping after I receive a comment and then touring the community from there. I always make a point to check out Utopian Kitchen, Urban Vegan and Conscious Kitchen, Veganshizzle (even if she doesn't update a lot) and Kitteekake, but I need to stop naming names because I’ve already thought of half a dozen more….

24. Favorite vegan candy/chocolate?
Peppermint Ritter Sport. Hands down.

25. Most extravagant food item purchased lately?
I’ve been meaning to buy some more fancy olive oil, but have yet to. I have a drop left in my current TJ's bottle, which is okay since I’ve been cooking lower-fat lately because of it, ha. It’s not exactly extravagant, but I did buy natural orange flavoring last month for cupcakes. Oh, and Portlanders – New Seasons has Spice Hunter Madagascar Vanilla Extract on sale for $2.50. I did indulge in Sweet & Sara marshmallows a while back – over $6 for a teeny tiny box. Since I just had my heart and mind touched while watching BlackGold (I highly recommend watching this) at Coffeefest, I’m going to be purchasing more ethically than ever (reason to buy fancypants organic fair trade chocolate, sure~)

26. What was your favorite food BEFORE becoming veg*n?

cheese. Although I didn’t actually eat and enjoy Mac & Cheese until college, it would be on the list. And gouda. I’ve even been there! Ricotta Salata was a favorite when I was younger, but I wouldn't want to veganize cheezes, and developing a taste for expensive faux cheez is not a smart habit, financially or creatively.

And just so we get some Food Porn up in this hiz-ous, here's Tuesday's $5 BIG BIG BIG lunch special from the all veg India Chaat House food cart:

I want to swim in Channa Masala, okay?