Continuing the Meatless Cuisine

I didn't expect some of these traditional meat dishes to turn out so well with meat-substitutes! We've had some long-standing favorites on the menu rotation and the traditionalist inside of me can't just archive the recipes. So, we've adapted! Quorn makes these awesome "chick'n tenders" which essentially is a mushroom that looks like, has the texture of, and cooks like cubed chicken. We've tried sauteing it, and it was tasty. The true test - make our classic Cashew Nut indian sauce (made from scratch of course) and use it...the result is in...it's bliss!



In the background is Potatoes in Red Sauce, which is a tamarind/tomato goodie. It would have looked better with small red potatoes, but I only had big russets and stirring everything turned it into a mashed potato glob of sorts. So I added green and yellow beans to make it prettier...



While most italian food is fairly easy to veg out, what does one do for Fettuccine Bolognese?? I submit to you this picture and the fact that Ryan (who does not eat leftovers) at up all of our leftovers of this one:



I used SmartGrounds on this, which we've used for about 3 years now in other dishes to make them low-fat. It's a textured vegetable protein crumble.

We're entering month 3 of a veggie diet and we're feeling great, the cooking is fun, my workouts are still as productive, and I still get red-faced and flustered when someone asks me to explain why. I'm so happy, though, to have friends like Melissa and Bobby who made an awesome Indian Vegetable Curry this week...MMM!!!!

Tschüß!

Summer Adventure #1: Hill Country Road-trip!

Road trip through the Hill Country! We took off early on a Sunday up Highway 71, a direction we hadn't gone before, and followed the Lower Colorado river lake chains all the way up...past Lady Bird Lake (in downtown Austin) and Lake Austin...up past the way-low Lake Travis and stretchy Lake LBJ up to Lake Buchanan. I never realized how close these lakes are together, only thinking Lake Travis was the nearest lake.



Overlooking Lake LBJ


We took Nigel on this adventure - he did well


Stopped to check out and test-drive a vintage MG


Didn't find any Marble Falls in Marble Falls, TX, but found where lots of our granite countertops come from!


Literally, a train hotel.


If we were to "go country" we found Ryan's hair salon...

We ended it all back in Austin with a beer and pizza at Homeslice (click here for our view). So great to see what's right outside your own door!

Tschüß!

Apfelrotkohl

One of the Central Market's in Austin just expanded its German offerings - they even had cute little signs separating the "German" items from the "Thai" novelties. I picked up a few things, but could not pass this packet - and it was tasty!



We also tried out Fabi and Rosi, a new European Bistro in downtown Austin, on the west-side. It was fantastic! Ryan tried to Schnitzel and Spätzle - his first question was, "is it deep fried or pan fried?" Our server, who was a bit blank in general, replied, "pan fried" and so he ordered it. My spätzle is better, in my unbiased opinion, but their Schnitzel was paper thin and fabulous! We will definitely return, although this vegetarian thing makes it super limiting since the only veggie item was a Vegetable Shepherd's Pie. I had that and it was awesome! Other than a bit of Schnitzel and some Proscuitto in Lasagna Rolls that I made for Ryan's family, we've not had a thing and feel great! After seeing about 100 dead chicken heads in a National Geographic article last weekend, it reiterated my feelings.

Tschüß!

Hires Cheese Fries

Dipped in Fry Sauce, a Utah delicacy...one part mayo and one part
ketchup.

Hires in Utah...yum!

Ending the roadtrip at the Slice

Herb Watch Day 14

Doing well! I love using them in salads, on potatoes, or taking a
bland microwave pizza and making it a bit fab with fresh oregano and
thyme leaves sprinkled on top. Mmmmmm!

Summer Adventure Challenge 2009

Alrighty, Corinne, GAME ON!



Although our efforts were good-natured last year, we blended a little of our normal exploring around the city and met the requirements, but perhaps not the spirit of the challenge.

So, here are some ideas for our summer challenges:

1) Texas Hill Country Road Trip (Completed June 2009)
2) Schlitterbahn water theme park in New Braunfels
3) Shiner Brewery
4) Shopping in Dallas
5) Canoeing on Lady Bird Lake

It's on!

Come on pecans

For Katie-- Check out the trees! It goes twice as high as what is
showing. Can't wait for the pecans to grow!!

Jealous much? Mottled mint, basil, strawberry, and gin

Done