I should buy stock in eyeliner

It seems to be in copious use these days.  What is that all about? 

And to you high school girls out there, massive amounts of eyeliner do not make you look more mature.  It just makes you look slutty.  Or maybe that's what you're going for. 

Summer soups

Now that summer has arrived, Soup Sunday may become a bit of a challenge.  I'm not a huge fan of chilled soups, although there are a few exceptions I've tasted.  Cafe Brazil in Denver makes a very good gazpacho, as well as a cucumber yogurt soup that is to die.  I've not had much success with chilled soups at home, though.  But, I will soldier on and continue with Soup Sunday through the summer.  Another culinary challenge.

Tonight's soup is not only chilled, it's also raw.  Might as well do it up for the first installment.  Anyway, it's Cream of Tomato Soup from some raw food cookbook I picked up at some point.  It wasn't too bad, but it for sure would have been better with garden-grown tomatoes.  Alas, not for a couple of months yet.  In addition to the tomatoes, it has some garlic, avocado, onion powder and olive oil.  Pretty simple.

BBQ tempeh burgers and Brooklyn Deli macaroni salad, too.  Good dinner.

Nice!

A man rode his bike 1600 miles to his 50th high school reunion!

Quizzical

Why does my stomach burn all day only on the days I'm at work?

Curious thing.  Shan't be an issue much longer.

Yum

Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie.  From Happy Herbivore (this links to the actual recipe).  Really, REALLY good.  Highly recommended.  You could use regular milk, too, if you're so inclined.

The picture isn't great, but trust me, you want to make one of these right now.

if you don't like garlic, go home

I think that used to be a tagline for an Italian restaurant here in Denver.

Tonight's Soup Sunday offering is White Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup.  Recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance.  I do adore white beans (specifically, cannelini beans) and garlic, so of course I loved this soup.  I haven't roasted garlic in awhile and had forgotten how much I love it!  Time for some roasted garlic on bread.

Anyway, here's the pictorial:

I'll be emanating garlic for the next day or so.  Good stuff.  Maybe not for those in proximity to me, but good for me.  And it is all about me.

Someone's living right

Holy cow.

Ride here

KSAcott_20100514_4448b, originally uploaded by Ken Scott.

I think I need to ride the Long Haul Trucker on this two-track. Okay, so it's a driveway, but it beckons.

Lowest common denominator

I make it a point to avoid blogging about every altercation I have with motorists.  By and large, I don't have many of them.  I get yelled at on occasion, a honk here and there, but it doesn't happen very often.  I'd like to think it's due to my extensive cycling skills, but it's probably just luck, chance or whatever.

And, when I do have a confrontation with a motorist, there are days that I engage and days that I let it go.  It's hard to tell what the trigger is--probably a combination of factors.  I know full well that I'm better off not reacting or responding, but some days I just can't help myself.  Today was one of those days.

I was at an intersection waiting for a light.  I was in the through lane, as I was...duh, proceeding through the intersection.  I had a right turn lane to my right and 2 left turn lanes to my left.  A vehicle pulled up next to me in the right turn lane.  I heard voices but figured it was just conversation in the vehicle.  Then I heard someone say, in conversational tone, "Do you stay in the lane or move over?"  I should have ignored him, as the light was about to turn, but his tone seemed to indicate actual curiosity.  So I said, "I stay in the lane."  Then he says, "Well, you're an ass."  It was so unexpected and caught me off guard.  Of course, I respond with "You're an ass."  Then he goes for the jugular with the "f*&$ you" and I responded in kind.  I was doing my best parrot impression at this point--it was all I could muster.  Then he peeled out and turned right and I rode across the intersection IN THE LANE.  Funny how a 5-second interaction can cast a pall over a lovely day and a lovely ride.

It's just interesting how these interactions quickly devolve to the lowest common denominator, which is profanity.  The more vulgar, the better.

I'm sure that if only I'd had the time to explain vehicular cycling principles to that fine, upstanding man, he would have seen the error of his ways and become a card-carrying member of the League of American Bicyclists.  I have a way of winning people over that way.  Okay, not really.

Sigh.

Soupy soup soup

Apologies for the bad cell phone pic.  I picked up the camera and it was dead.  So, lest I disappoint all 3 of my readers, I used the cell phone.

Today was tortilla soup from Quick Fix Vegetarian.  I'm losing track now.  I can't remember if I've featured this soup before and am too lazy to go back and check.  Still, even if I've blogged it before, that I'm doing it again means that it's tasty and worth it.

Can't get much simpler than salsa, garlic, broth, lime juice and avocado.  And my trusty immersion blender.

And tortilla chip crumblies from the bottom of the bag.  That's okay, they taste just as good.

I think this was the first (intentionally) vegan soup I made after making the dietary switcheroo.  And it's still one of my favorites.  So easy, creamy and wonderful.

Love this!

Such an elegant dance.



No spandex.  No high-viz clothing.  No helmets (gasp).  No crashes.  No yelling.

I think we all have days like this

Amazingly, today is not one of them. Yet.

Food, food, food

Seems as though my posts have been quite food-centered lately.  This is likely a reflection on the things going on in my life these days.  Food brings comfort, so I must be in need of comfort...But that's a post for another day.  Today, though, it's Soup Sunday.

This is another rerun soup--but it's more of a redux than a rerun.  I made Spicy Tomato Soup with the addition of...you know it's coming...cashew cream.  Comfort, indeed.

Thai green curry

I was more motivated than I generally am after a day at CRCG, so I made Thai green curry for dinner tonight.  We typically order Thai every couple of weeks or so--and to tell you the truth, I don't much care for their green curry tofu.  I've tried a couple of green curry tofu recipes in the last couple of years and didn't love them, so I decided to give this one a try.  And I am glad I did!

This dish is kind of anemic-looking due to the white bowls, and it looked even more so with the bean sprouts on top--so I'm not including that pic.  Anyway, I must say that it turned out incredibly well.  I broiled the tofu so it would be nice and crispy/chewy.  This dish is just so much better than anything we could get in a restaurant.  Yum.  I will defintely make this again.  Soon.  Recipe from 30-Minute Vegan.  Or I think so.  Can't remember for sure and I'm too lazy to get up to confirm.  My belly is contentedly full of Thai green curry.

Red hot black beans and rice

From Short-Cut Vegan.

A little Cinco de Mayo-esque.  I guess that would be Seis de Mayo.

Elementary school

Many of the teacher comments on my elementary school report cards said, "Tracy spends too much time daydreaming," among other unsavories.  Not that I think daydreaming is unsavory.

My daydreams weren't about pterodactyls, but there was flying involved.

And, I still spend too much time daydreaming.  Just ask my employer.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Now, while I think that Cinco de Mayo has become yet another excuse for people to, shall I say, overindulge (specifically in tequila drinks), I do partake in the spirit of participation.

Tempeh fajitas for dinner tonight!  I also made guacamole and refried black beans.  Can't go wrong with that meal.

No margaritas for us.  I just am not a tequila drinker.  It gives me a headache, and not the result of a previous overindulgence.  Luckily, vodka goes with everything.  Cosmos for us this Cinco de Mayo.

Rerun soup

A lack of time and imagination has resulted in yet another rerun soup.  At least I think it is.  This week is Bean and Corn Chili from Short-Cut Vegan.  You'd think I would have had enough of chili, what with the emotional scarring of not winning the chili cook-off last weekend.  But I rallied enough to saute a few veggies and open some cans.  Hmm, maybe this should be my entry into next year's contest.  I'd just need to add some cinnamon and this would be sure-fire winner.  Nah, I refuse.