How Donuts Could Save The World
I walked into the small shop with the large windows and took a deep breath in through my nostrils. A warm and sugary swirl of baked goods calmly wafted by as my eyes fixated on the glass case sitting in front of me that was filled with freshly baked donuts, cupcakes, and loaves of sweetened bread. I walked behind the line of people who took their time ordering their breakfast and coffee with the hopes of snapping out of their drowsy state of shortened sleep.
A short woman with rounded cheeks smiled and peered out through the glass that sat below the marble counter. “How may I help you?”
“Hi, yes.” I gestured my finger towards the tire-shaped snacks in the glass case. “Can I get an assortment of a dozen and a half donuts?” (more…)
L is for the Locals
A visitor drives in from over the Grapevine and into the thin layer of smog covering the lid of the Central Valley that has been collected from cites all over. The non-local knows only of what he has been told. For the strange new face, Bakersfield is this mystic town filled with locals riding horses on city streets in barren desert. However, he eventually changes his tune after his personal tour guide and former local resident takes him on a journey.
The stranger is taken onto the fertile land, where the majority of the nation’s produce is grown. The visitor realizes how close everything is to the city at the base of the valley. The mountains of Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Los Angeles, the beaches along the coast, and the family owned farms and dairies, surround the growing city creating new and exciting events and ideas for vacations. (more…)
“F” is for Food #VeganMoFo
Easy Peasy Vegetarian Recipes: Quinoa Guacamole with Vegan Chicken
So, last week I realized that I had forgotten about a rogue avocado sitting next to my blender on the counter. I figured it was time, once again, to play my favorite kitchen game: “Let’s get rid of stuff that’s about to go bad and Google a recipe that includes these random ingredients.”
I had some uncooked quinoa lying around, a tomato that was going soft, and I spotted an onion out of the corner of my eye. These ingredients led me to Guacamole Quinoa recipe by foxeslovelemons on Food52, which was a perfect recipe for VeganMoFo, or the Vegan Month of Food.
Serves 4
What You’ll Need
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
Juice of 1 1/2 limes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup of cooked brown rice
1 garlic clove, crushed with a press or minced and ground into a paste
1 Roma tomato, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
4 servings of Gardein Chik’n (more…)
Easy Peasy Vegetarian Recipes: Chunky Tomato Potato Soup
After the removal of my wisdom teeth I was left with enough tomato soup to feed the entire state of Maine. I had made way too much tomato soup and it was on the verge of going bad. However, pared with potatoes and other veggies, my new tomato soup diet doesn’t have to be so bland. So here’s a veggie-friendly chunky tomato potato soup recipe that you can try at home.
Chunky Tomato Potato Soup
What You’ll Need:
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 cups soy or almond milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 (14.5 ounce) can tomatoes
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste (more…)
Traveling As A Vegetarian #StudyAbroad
Caprese Salad from Italy
Traveling as a vegetarian isn’t impossible, and it doesn’t have to be such a difficult thing. If you have already been a vegetarian for a while and you are used to going out and eating veggie-friendly foods at restaurants then you can definitely find vegetarian food abroad.
After a month of travel I’ve picked up a few tips that helped me remain a vegetarian while studying abroad. Here are some of those tips: (more…)
