Red Curry Tofu

My mother is known for her amazing curry. When I say "known for", I mean it's literally a taste you will never forget, it will remain in your immediate food memory for the rest of your life.  You'll compare all other currys to it, you will request it every time you come over, it will become your birthday wish dinner, it will be your answer to the "if you could only eat one meal before you die what would it be?" question  you'll crave it when you're PMSing (ok maybe that's only me...) POINT IS, it's glorious. I don't have her recipe, and to be honest I'm not sure if I want it- might take away some of the magic- but I wanted to make my first attempt at this tasteful dish.

Now she does a yellow curry, I wanted to do a tomato based curry (blaze my own trail!) 

Here is my recipe I put together: though I added lots of spices as it was simmering so the measurements might be a little off. I combined two different sauce recipe concepts together- sorta followed an outline, but it's a matter of taste (Spicy vs. sweeter.) 

Ingredients:

      BULK:

• 2 full packages of Tofu
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 head cauliflower 
• 1 cup snap peas, chopped
  
  RED CURRY SAUCE:

• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 
• handful fresh basil 
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/2 can vegetable broth
• 2-3 Tbsp. minced fresh lemongrass
• 1/4 cup green onion, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 4 Tbls tomato paste
• 1 tbls paprika
• 2 Tbls chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 cup Cilantro, finely chopped
• 1-2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 squeezed limes (juice)
• 2 Tbls curry powder (yellow)
• 1 tsp salt
• add chili sauce for spice (if needed)

1. Cut up cauliflower and place in boiling water, soften and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
2. Cut up Tofu in cubes, bake (BAKE at 400) for about 10 minutes on both sides. Just lightly brown them, just for texture.
3. Combine all the sauce ingredients into food processor (Basil, Coconut milk, Vegetable broth, lemongrass, green onion, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, tomato paste, paprika, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, drown sugar, lime juice, curry powder, salt) pureed into a creamy sauce.
4. Combine tofu and cauliflower with the sauce in wok on high. Bring to boil, then reduce temperature. Add bell pepper and snap peas and cinnamon. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Cook Sushi Rice (because it's extra sticky!) 2 cups rice, 2.5 cups water. Bring to boil then allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Warm up naan for 2 minutes at 400 in oven. 

VOILA. 

This fed Juan and I PLUS I have enough for a couple more meals (LOVE curry leftovers, they get better every day.) I'll probably get four more full meals out of the leftovers :)

Bikram Yoga

I'm so behind in posts. I've been meaning to update for months, but work has been kicking my butt the past few weeks.

                 I.E. Today in one of my fifth grade classes I gave a speech on "legacy" (which I'm convinced fell on deaf ears..) Tried to explain that teachers feel things too! I said, "sometimes I think you guys forget we're human too and we get worn down too. The difference is teachers can't just decide we're not gonna do our work anymore, or we're gonna be rude or jerks because we didn't get our way- we have to keep up a positive attitude and push forward. You make it very difficult to do that sometimes. Just keep in mind, we get frustrated and hurt and tired too, and there is only so much disrespect a person can take before they start to lose all respect for you...." One of the girls started crying and ran up to me after class and said she thought I was talking about her and that she's sorry....so maybe one kid was listening. She said, "I want to be remembered for good things not for being disrespectful." One victory at a time...

That being said, I want to update on my Greensboro activities- like I said I would on this blog!

                                                                  Bikram Yoga. 

1. What:  26 postures that systematically work every part of the body, to give all the internal organs, all the veins, all the ligaments, and all the muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function. 
1. Translation? You sweat all your toxins out of your body while balancing the heck out of your body!
2. What to Expect: You enter into a mirrored room and lay your mat on the floor. There can be anywhere from 25-55 people there. The heat is set to 106 degrees and you start sweating profusely about 3 minutes into your time int the room. The instructor will begin to call out the poses. It last 1.5 hours (which is incredibly long!) The hardest part about this type of yoga is the slipperiness of your skin- it was difficult to hold positions because my feet would roll off my soaking wet skin. 
3. Important facts: 
1. Seriously Hydrate for the the WHOLE DAY leading up to going. (The first time i went I made the mistake of hydrating only DURING instead of BEFORE and I got a stomach ache.)
2. They don't like you to leave to use the bathroom so make sure you pee before you go in...
3. Don't eat junk food or heavy foods before you go, it will weigh you down (i'm not kidding!!)
4. Bring your own mat if you can, because you sweat all over it and if you care about germs at all you won't want to use another person's mat
5. Don't wear any rings or jewelry! 
6. BRING WATER and a towel 
7. WEAR LITTLE CLOTHING you will not want layers, the bare min is best, most girls wear spandex shorts and sports bras (or a tank top in my case.)
4. Price: Grouponed this gem, the groupon reappears about four times a year and it's an unlimited month for $26 (though I think it's $36 now...)
5. Location: West Market right between the Sheetz and the Nazareth resteraunt (that I'm dying to try!)
6. Watch Kumare: This documentary is amazing and extremely entertaining.  This class will put you in an entirely different mindset if you watch that movie. HIGHLY reccommend.
   
Here's a Trailer- you can find it on Netflix.
1. 
   

All in all it was a good workout, you burn a TON of calories and feel AMAZING the next day. During the actual class I felt kinda awful, the heat messed with my head and I didn't much care for the feeling. (Plus the girls in front of me were SICK at the poses and I felt completely ridiculous..ok not the one lady in the leopard print romper uni-tard, she was pretty terrible.I don't plan on ever going back (since that month) because the last time I went it gave me a migraine. The next day you feel like a whole new person! BUT it's not worth a migraine for me.

-Abigail

Quinoa Salad

There are many protein options for vegans, one of my favorite is quinoa.

This is my favorite quinoa salad recipe:

Ingredients:
2 cups Quinoa
2 cups of Water
Two cucumbers (I prefer English, b/c they are crispier.)
Small box of Cherry Tomatoes
Three Shallots
2 Tbs Olive Oil
One Lemon
2 Tbs of the following fresh herbs (I never measure these out, I kinda just eyeball it.)

• Parsley
• Mint
• Cilantro

Step 1: Make quinoa (cup to cup ratio with water), you can follow your box for this: Me? I just eyeball when I feel like it's about done (10-15 mins on the stove top)

Step 2: Chop up cucumbers and seed the tomatoes (I cut these in fourths)

Step 3: Chop up your herbs ( I forgot to buy mint, so this picture is missing that ingredient.)

Again, I eyeball the amount. Harris Teeter has the Mint and Cilantro for $2.09, generously boxed up- lasts a few meals.

Step 4: pour the warm quinoa into the cucumber/tomato bowl, mix in the herbs and shallots, add one FULL lemon and 2 Tbs Olive Oil. DONE.

The addition I make to this salad was pan fried tofu, just cuz I had it left over from the night before.

If you're a Carnivore, like this one, you might add shredded chicken to this mix (boiled, shredded, soaked in lemon and cilantro then added to the salad.)

Enjoy!

Pan Fried Tofu

Most of the time when I cook my tofu I bake it, but I didn't have the time to bake this batch so I tried something new. Turned out great. Pan fried Tofu, comes out in a chicken strip type texture, very good for Chinese food, salad topping, or anything Thai. 

Step One: Cut Tofu and press in cheese cloth:

Step Two: Sprinkle salt on one side (I like sea salt the best.)

Step Three: Pour either olive oil or grade-seed oil in a saucepan, let heat and stand for a minute or two on high heat.

Step Four: Place tofu in oil and let sit on med/high heat for five minutes. (**note** don't mess with it, let it Caramelize!)

Step Five: Flip and cook other side for 3-5 minutes. This can be added now to stir-fry or topping for a salad or soaked in a marinade. It's entirely up to you!

(I made goddess salad for my dinner tonight!)

Maxi B's Vegan Cupcakes.

The Vegan Life: After six months of vegan ism (8 of vegetarian) I feel more energized and happier when I'm committed and strict about the lifestyle. Even with this knowledge I find myself fighting the (sometimes uncontrollable) desire for foods that I KNOW contain egg or cheese products.

I love cheesecake and I love soft pretzels. 

Ginny and I decided that Natty Greens has the best soft pretzels in Greensboro.

I have resigned to the fact that I can't eat cheese anymore, months of living without has almost killed my addiction (although I do sometimes look at Mexican food and think- if only....) I've found that if I avoid Mexican restaurants altogether, I more likely to avoid the trappings of cheese lust. I can go Tex/Mex (i.e. Chipotle) because they have so many vegetarian options. My SAVING GRACE is that I'm obsessed with Guacamole, so give me some warm tortilla chips and a well made guach and I'm a happy camper:)

Jules and I eating Vegan Pizza at Sticks and Stones, realized we dressed the same...

Over Christmas I aptly titled myself a "seasonal vegan." I eat baked good (eggs) on Christmas day, and I eat cheesecake (all KINDS of dairy) on my birthday. (Pretend you didn't read that confession all you die-hard-veganists out there, I am so faithful ALL other days of the year.) My ONLY other slip is...soft pretzels. I will, in fact, eat a Philly-doughy-delicious-twisted-little-piece-of-heaven and NOT feel guilty for the intake of egg....almost no guilt:)

Maxi B's with Jules.

There are, however, two saving graces in Greensboro for the baked goods craving vegan. Spring Garden Bakery and Maxi B's Bakery, (also They have a BLOG.)

1. Spring Garden Bakery: They literally have THE BEST pumpkin chocolate chip vegan muffins. They are so filling too, it serves as a lunch for me (along with a cup of coffee.) Their coffee isn't my favorite, but it's good enough that I'll couple it with a muffin and experience a little piece on heaven on earth (I much prefer the Green Bean's coffee flavor.) 
2. Maxi B's:  I ordered a vanilla cupcake with vanilla icing... OH.MY.GERSH. It was Divine. haha. You laugh, I laugh, because it's true. I thought I died for a second and came back to life. So all you Vegans out there looking for an escape, order up a cupcake to savor in that sweet little inviting bakery on a cloud.

I'm in Charelston right now, but I'm going to try baking THESE VEGAN COOKIES when I get home, check out the link, because they look good. If any g-boro peeps want to join in this endeavor I'm thinking wednesday night.

Peace Out.

Spaghetti Squash

Some people say that the biggest question when approaching the daunting spaghetti squash creature is: cook it cut up or whole? I have been battling this creature for quite some time (especially during my gluten free days) and have finally come up with a method that works...95% of the time without frustration.

Step one: Set Oven to 375.

Step two: Fill a glass bowl with water and place your squash into the bowl, put in microwave and cook for five minutes. (This will make the rind soft enough to cut in half, otherwise GOOD LUCK.) First time I tried to cut that rind without softening it I almost chopped my fingers off...

Step Three: cut squash in half and place face down on a cookie sheet. Bake for 40 mins.

Step Four: Remove the Squash and pull our the seedy layer on top, throw that away.

Step Five: pull out the "spaghetti" and place on a olive oil greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes at 400.

Step Six: Make some sauce. I take a can of organic Harris Teeter brand tomato sauce and mix it will basil, oregano, garlic, and thyme.

Step Seven: Add meat. I use soy chicken strips, stuck those suckers onto the George foreman for a couple mins and they were ready to go. You can choose whatever, pour the sauce over the meat and "noodles" and Voila, you have a low-carb spaghetti meal.

A Weekend Getaway

I'm really excited about this blog. Not only is it a little bit of inspiration for us to get out and about in our city, but I think it's a great way to embrace the crazy adventure of a life I already live. One thing that gives me so much life is being a Young Life leader. If you know me, you probably already know all about that, and if you don't, you should ask me about it! I'll talk your ear off.

All that is beside the point for now, though. This past weekend, I, along with a room full of crazy, fun, lovely fellow Young Life leaders took a mini vacation to the lake to get away, get encouraged, and plan a little business. I mean come on, ya gotta do what you gotta do.

The thing that was so great about the weekend was being encouraged as a group. My eyes were really opened to the importance of community, and living in that community. Like really in it! I saw my college girl friends that live all the way on the other side of campus, therefore they are (obviously) like strangers. I miss them! But we had an amazing slumber party in the basement of the sickest lake house ever. Windows everywhere! Check out the sunrise that we caught the morning of! Also, shout out to my girl Laura who rocked my socks by being such a girl filled with the joy of the Lord! She shared her story and I felt so thankful for what God does in so many lives.

I also got to spend time with some adults that I adore. I have been so blessed to see pictures of friends living such wonderfully full lives with families. They are some of my closest confidants and I try to soak up all the time I can with them, hearing how they love their husbands and their kids and their Young Life friends and, most importantly, how Christ plays a roll in all of that.

These are some leaders playing a game where they had to dress like hipsters. My boy, Jim, won by saying "I live in Portland." Heyo!

The weekend was also great because the speaker spoke plain and simply about the good news of the Gospel. Although I love Young Life, there is so much discouragement in ministry, which is exactly why we need to be reminded of a God that is so great, and that does all the hard stuff. All we have to do is show up with open hands and a repentant heart. I know I am so thankful that He is guiding my journey and leading me to such exciting opportunities like this past weekend.