A Rescue Story - Welcome Tobi

This is Tobi, a female puppy I rescued from a ditch on the side of the road.

Tobi, just waking up from nap!



My place of work is situated at the end of five-mile stretch of winding road, surrounded by forest and dotted with a few small farm houses, just off a small highway. Occasionally I’ll see deer frolicking, bunnies, opossums, and a dog or two that may have wandered out of their yards. I’ve been driving up and down that road long enough to familiarize myself with a lot of the domestic and wildlife, and recognize most of the animals’ homes and owners. Last Friday, as I was driving into work, I noticed a small white dog trotting in and around a ditch off the side of the road. I’d never seen her before that morning, and was worried that she may be lost, or worse - abandoned. All throughout the work day, I couldn’t get her out of my mind. Was their a new dog in the neighborhood? Should she be outside, in the cold, and all alone? As the day came to a close, I fully expected her to be gone, probably (and hopefully) tucked snuggly into someone’s lap by a warm fire. She was very tiny as far as I could tell, perhaps even still a puppy, and shouldn’t be outside in near freezing temperatures without any warmth.

Sure enough, she was exactly where I had seen her in the morning. I pulled over and was out of the car before I even realized what I was doing. Her demeanor was apprehensive, but she briskly trotted up to me and rolled over, exposing her belly. She was absolutely adorable, but covered in fleas and moles (which upon deeper examination, turned out to be ticks). In an instant she was in my car and I was taking her to a vet. A nurse examined her briefly (the vet’s office was closing in five minutes, and the doctor had already left) and gave her some medication to help with the fleas and ticks, and recommended some antibacterial shampoo and told me to come back tomorrow. She got a good bath that night, which she hated (I’ll attribute that mostly to anxiety). After a thorough bathing, feeding, and loving, we put her to bed on a pile of pillows and blankets in our spare room. I named her Tobi.

Tobi’s visit to the vet on Saturday went well. Parasitic and heartworm screens all came back negative, and 12 ticks were picked off of her (I also removed a few more throughout the day that were missed). She’ll be going back sometime this week for a few vaccinations, which weren’t given on Saturday because she vomited twice since Friday. Yesterday I applied some flea and tick treatment to her back and fed her a pill to prevent heartworm. She isn’t spayed, but that is something that I have planned for this weekend.

Overall, Tobi seems to be doing very well. The vet estimated her age at one year, and she’s 11.6 pounds. She clearly has dominate Terrier genes, but I also suspect some Daschund (long body & tail, short legs). Her top coat is wiry and thin, but with proper care I believe it’ll regrow. I’m not sure if she is entirely potty-trained, but she hasn’t had a single accident in the house! Her appetite for love is enormous, and she’ll happily sleep away the day on my lap. My partner and I haven’t decided if we will keep her permanently, but neither of us have any problems with fostering for an extended period of time. I want to see her with a healthy coat, no ticks or fleas, and a lot less trepidation before anything else. Our greatest concern is our other dog, Merlin (check him out in my avatar!). He’s an independent tough-guy type, but seems to be adjusting to/ignoring Tobi ok. When my partner and I are at home, we let her roam the house, but she spends nights in a closed room – I’m trying to establish regular sleeping patterns, and I don’t want her and Merlin to butt heads when no one is there to observe.

I've never raised a young dog before. All of my previous dogs have been adopted after several years of life (3-4+), all have been male, and all were large dogs. If anyone has any advice you think may be helpful to my situation, please feel free to share. I'm completely new to "owning" and raising a young dog, so that type of advice is especially welcome! I just want to do the right thing for Tobi. She's a sweetheart and I want to provide her with the best life I can.

As soon as I get a few more pictures, I'll show you how fun and lively she is!

(c&p from a thread I created at The PPK)

Vegan MoFo 2010: THE FINAL DAY

20 posts behind me...

November 30th, today, is the final day of Vegan MoFo 2010. While I may have burnt myself out within the first two and half weeks, I'm really excited to continue participating for as long as MoFo lives. Though I only ended up blogging the recommended minimum of 20 posts, I'm glad I participated. This past month was drowning in delicious vegan goodies from bloggers all around the world, and I've bookmarked so many blogs and recipes for future use. There were so many interesting, creative and compassionate people participating this year! Thanks to everyone that read and supported my blogging efforts; you've all inspired me to continue blogging for as long as I possibly can. GO VEGAN MOFO IV!

Matt and I just returned from a long weekend in Tallahassee, FL. We spent the last four days with best friends, cooking, drinking and laughing. Thursday was spent at Meg and Sebastian's house, cooking up an awesome all-vegan thanksgiving spread. Honestly, we made way to much food for four people, but everything was delicious. And because we were just visiting, I didn't have to worry about what to do with all of the leftovers. Still enjoying that cheesecake after four days, Meg?!

Sebas and Meg, cooking green beans and sweet potatoes


I spent the last week and a half planning Thursday's menu and exceptionally pleased with the results. For an appetizer, I made the Pepper-Crusted Cashew Goat Cheese from Vegetarian Times magazine. If you've ever planned to make this, which I highly recommend that you do, remember that it requires advanced preparation. You'll need to start making this atleast 36 hours prior to your planned serving time. The cheese was excellent; it was tangy, soft and spreadable, but hard enough so that it kept it's shape. I ended up baking the cheese for about 15-20 minutes longer than the recipe suggested.



Parsley and Pepper-Crusted Cashew Goat Cheese from VT...half-eaten!

In addition to the cashew "goat cheese," I made Seitan en Croute, a recipe originally published in 500 Vegan Recipes that author Joni Marie Newman featured on her blog, Just the Food. Not only does it look amazing (I'm midly obsessed with braided pastry dough...ok, ok, all things pastry dough!), but it was one of the finer tasting seitans I've ever made or had prepared for me. Matt and I tested the recipe earlier in the week, halving all of the ingredients. The tester was dry, which slightly worried me. Thursday's loaf was much moister, though I think I may have added too much liquid smoke. Regardless, it was tasty!



Seitan en Croute

Fine food and finer company, wouldn't you say. Below is a photo of Sebastian, Matt and Meg behind all of the glorious grub. Spread from left to right: green beans and veggie sausage with sweet potato puree, sweet potato casserole with dandies (vegan marshmallows), off-center piece of Seitan en Croute, mini macaroni and cheese pies topped with walnuts and parsley, extra-creamy macaroni and cheese, maple-roasted brussel sprouts with pistachios, and a bottle of beaujoulais nouveau! YUM

It was a great weekend away from Baton Rouge and the ol' job. I've missed Tally so much these past few months; that trip was everything I needed and more. I can't believe I'm already back, sitting in my office at my desk. I miss you Tallahassee!

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Ninteen

Ok, I've comed to terms with the fact that I haven't and won't be posting every single day this month (for MoFo). By the end of last week, I was utterly burnt out on kitchen creativity, blogging and my bank account had taken a serious hit from ingredient purchasing. I'll definitely complete the 20 recommended minimum posts for the month, and I should have a lot to write about by Friday. Matt and I are driving to Tallahassee today. We'll be leaving straight after work and getting in around midnight, traffic permitting. I've already planned a holiday feast for an inevitable potluck. Today, however, is devoted to some of my favorite ingredients all piled into one bowl. Chickpeas, eggplant, and a peas took a nice long bath in a creamy tomato sauce and I managed to spill vegan mozzarella all over it!

That's all, because I'm at work and have nothing more to say on the matter.

Also, I've just spent the last two hours making origami, at work!

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Eighteen

Well, it looks like I've finally broken my perfect posting record! I've been working 10-12 hours a day all week, and my evenings have been dark, cold and short.  We're implementing a new accounting system at my job, and the training has been tedious. I haven't cooked much in the way of MoFo-worthy fare, but I have managed not to starve myself. The other night I made tempeh marinated in teriyaki sauce (recipe here) with lo mein noodles and frozen broccoli-stirfry veggies. It was a really satisfying meal and didn't require anything other than what I had on hand. In an effort to strictly budget my spending for the next week, I have not allowed myself to venture to the grocery store for any reason. While I did falter and purchase a bottle of wine (Thursday was the 2010 release of Beaujolais Nouveau!!), I haven't bought anything else in a while - almost three weeks.

So in the spirit of saving dough (and staying classy!) I made a white bean picatta! I've had picatta once in my life, and only after going vegan. Sublime Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale makes a seitan picatta served over mashed potaotes (I think) and it was delicious. I whipped up a quick lemony sauce, tossed in some frozen peas and beans I cooked earlier in the week alongside whole wheat penne for a very satisfying dinner.

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Seventeen

Day Seventeen: The Frugal Vegan

Last night's snack left me craving something warm and filling. In a successful attempt to use only foods from my current pantry stock, Matt and I created just that. Half a block's worth of tempeh triangles were marinated in a sweet and salty teryaki sauce, adding dimension to a simple vegetable lo mein. A frozen bag of stir fry vegetables (broccoli, red peppers, mushrooms and carrots) was cooked alongside flat pasta to create this tasty dinner. I'll definitely post the recipe tomorrow! Happy MoFo!

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Sixteen

What a long, busy day! Work meetings filled up most if my day, even resulting in a few hours of overtime. Rush hour traffic was heinous and it took me twice as long to get home. I'm exhausted, stressed and not hungry in the least. I promise to get back on track tomorrow. I'm thinking about terykai tempeh with broccoli stir fry. Tonight, I'm having tea to settle my nerves and chills (cold front!) and popcorn to accompany The Abyss.

While I don't normally grab the Earl Grey (I'm more of a chai drinker), Matt was having a cup and it's his preferred. I added almond milk, agave and cinnamon to make it much more comforting.

 

I don't know about you, but I'd rather not eat plain popcorn. I like to dress mine with an assortment of spices, depending on my mood. Tonight, I wanted something warm and a little spicy. I opted for nutritional yeast (as always with popcorn) and a mild curry powder. This popcorn was full of flavor and  swiftly disappeared between my roommates and I.

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Fifteen

Day Fifteen: I'm broke

It's week three here in Vegan MoFo land, and I've decided to temporarily abandon my weekly theme: The Five Course Vegan. Before the riot ensues, let me explain myself. With the approaching holidays, traveling expenses are eating up my funds. I'll be flying to south Florida for a good friend's wedding in the middle of Decemeber, and Matt and I have decided to take a road trip to Tallahassee, FL at the end of next week. We'll need to rent a car, pay for gas and food while we're away. In an attempt to save as much money as I can, I'll be featuring some of my favorite recipes that rely strictly on pantry staples. It's been over a week since my list visit to the grocery store and produce market, but I'm determined to make this work. I do plan on going to the produce market for a few vegetables (all I have is a head of garlic, 2 small sweet potatos, and 1 carrot), but I'm not carrying more tha $5 in my wallet. Food and gas are easily my two greatest expenses, and in an effort to reduce my consumption of the latter, I'll be biking to anywhere that isn't work. I drive about 60 miles roundtrip for work, and anything I can do to reduce my car's mileage and my exhaust output is worth my while. 

Last night I conducted a kitchen inventory, excluding items like flours, spices, condiments, etc. because they aren't common purchases and don't play a heavy role in my budgeting. I'll use these items to make meals for two (Matt and I) and try my hardest not to purchase anything from the grocery store. Here is a list of items from which I'll need to make lunch and dinner (for two) for the next week or more:

sweet potatoes (2)

carrot (1)
garlic (1 bulb)
lemon (1 - large)
pasta (3 boxes - opened; farfalle, medium shells and spaghetti)

chickpeas (1 can)

canned tomatoes (1 28 oz. can)

dried navy beans (1 medium bag)
coconut milk (1 can)
lentils (1 cup)
quinoa (1 cup)
frozen corn (2 cups)
frozen peas (1 cup)
frozen stirfry vegetables (1 bag)

frozen bananas (2)
frozen pie crust (1)
cashews
pepitos
Earth Balance
tomato paste
miso
tempeh (1 block)
ackee (2 cans from grammy!)
calalloo (also from grams)

With a little planning and creativity, I don't think this will be too difficult. To kick off my budgeted week, I made an ackee and calalloo quiche. For those of you unfamiliar with ackee, it's the national fruit of Jamaica and one of my favorite foods. The consistency is similar to crumbled tofu or scrambled eggs, making it the perfect stand-in for tofu in a breakfast scramble and it has a tangy flavor. You can't find it fresh in the US (it's illegal to grow or ship fresh ackee) because the seeds are seriously poisonous, but canned varieties are available. Just check out your local caribbean market or a well-stocked grocery store.


Ackee and Calallo Quiche with Peas

If you do happen to find a can or two of ackee, why not try this quiche!? It sets nicely and have a really smooth, velvty texture. I seasoned mine with jerk spice (allspice, cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper) and baked it in a premade pie crust that has been sitting in my pantry since my last quiche.

Ackee and Calallo Quiche with Peas
makes 1 quiche

1-28 oz. can of ackee
1-28 oz. can of calalloo
2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
1/2 frozen peas
1 ready-made pie crust, or your favorite vegan recipe
tomato slices

Preheat over to 375 degrees Farenheit. Mash ackee in a large bowl until smooth and uniform. Add calalloo and spices, stiring to combine. Add frozen peas, stirring again. Pour filling into pie crust and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Garnish with tomato slices and black pepper. Place pie in oven for 40 minutes, or until filling has firmed up. Remove quiche from oven and allow to cool for atleast 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Fourteen

Day Fourteen: Brewing Brown Ale

Matt and I finally comitted to brewing beer this weekend! We've talked about it for ages, and everything came together yesterday afternoon. We went to the brew store as planned and purchased most of what we would need to complete the process. For this batch we'll be brewing a brown ale, similar in style to the Newcastle Brown Ale (which is NOT a vegan beer by the way; ours is!). After sanitizing every inch of our kitchen, the equipment and ourselves, we were ready to begin the process.

We started with our a bag of barley purchased from the brew store and set it to simmer in a large pot. After all the malty goodness was extracted we removed the barley husks, and munched on a few handfuls. The grains' sugars had been released and it tasted delicious! All that was removed will be composted, while the remaining liquid (wort) was set to a boil.

A powdered malt extract was added, creating more sugary food for the yeast to munch on. After some more boiling we tossed in the first set of hops, known as bittering hops. This was done to provide the basic "bitter" flavor component. After about twenty-five minutes we added another dose of hops in two parts. In order to bring a delightful herbaceous aroma back to the wort, we added a second, sweeter batch of hops during the last 7 minutes. This way they aren't in the boil long enough to have their aroma boiled away.

     

We then added the wort to our sanitized carboy along with three and a half gallons of distilled water. Before pitching the yeast, ice was added to the sink around the carboy to help the cool the wort. After about thirty minutes, the yeast was added, and the lid and airlock were in place. The carboy full of soon-to-be beer was set to rest in our back room; it'll be atleast a week before we can bottle. By tomorrow or Tuesday, the yeast should be having a frenzy, which I hear is really cool to watch. I'll try and snag a picture tomorrow.

And just so this post isn't completely devoid of food, we made baked polenta fries and festival. Festival is a slightly sweet fried bread popular in Jamaica and can be eaten with savory meals or as dessert. Why are they called "festival," you ask? Because eating one is like having a festival in your mouth. They are very similar to hushpuppies, but I don't think they contain as much cornmeal. Though traditionally oblong-shaped and sort of flat; mine were much too round and puffed up quite a big! But oooh were they tasty.

Jamaican Festival: because eating them is like a having a festival in your mouth!

 

Baked Polenta Fries

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Thirteen

This day has been tolerably uneventful, with only a few moments worth noting. I slept in and wasn't hungry in the least, so cooking a weekend-worthy breakfast was not on the agenda. Last night, Matt and I went to Chelsea's Cafe for what has swiftly become our Friday night ritual. They offer excellent drink specials until 7:00 PM, which is just enough time to order a pitcher of beer and snag a table on their back patio. Dinner ensued as usual: two veggie burgers - hold the mayo! - and a side of french fries. Chelsea's offer several other vegan options, including a plate of grilled veggies over cousous or focaccia. The latter does come with cheese, but a request for the server can easily remedy that. The also serve a creamy hummus dip with toasted pita, chunky tomato slices and a few kalamata olives. The staff is great, as is the atmosphere. I've never been greeted with anything less than a smile and a couple of laughs. The interior is dressed with several large paintings by local artists, and blues  and jazz can be heard in the afterhours by local musicians. I can't vouch for the bands that play there (10PM is too late for me to be out on a Friday; I'd be falling asleep in my chair!), but they definitely draw a crowd. I recommend arriving a little early, ensuring you're able to find a table!

I ended up polishing off an entire burger and plate of fries (on top of a tall whiskey and coke), so breakfast was out of the question. Instead I made a green smoothie to prevent any late-morning hunger pains from sneaking up on me. Featured below is a green flax-berry smoothie made up of micronutrient-rich flax seed, banana, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries (originally fresh, but frozen during the peak of summer for the upcoming colder months), in addition a handful of kale and spinach. Vegetables in smoothies? Of course! The taste of the fruit is so much more powerful than vegetables, but the latter provide a wealth of hidden nutritional value. I blended this with almond milk to thin it out and drizzled a small amount of maple syrup for sweetness. A+.

Even puppies love green smoothies!

Our afternoon was spent having a mediocre lunch at Truly Free Bakery. I've written on this establishment before, and my opinion hasn't changed much. Some of their vegan menu items, like the Grilled Eggplant and Avocado Panini or one of their many burgers, are delicious and well prepared, while others appear to forgo any forethought or execution. Today I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and try again one of their wraps. Instead of getting a panini, I ordered a cabbage wrap to be filled with tempeh, eggplant, artichoke hearts, red onion, greens and hummus. Not only was there no hummus, but the eggplant and tempeh were not cooked. At all. Neither was even marinaded and everything was just...bland. I've also tried their vegan Rueben wrapped in nori (my first vegan Rueben!), and was pretty disappointed. Oh well, so they can't make wraps! There panini's are grand, Matt loves their garden burgers, they have a vegan thousand island dressing, and a plenthora of gluten-free baked goods that are fairly priced and pretty tasty. Did I mention that everything is gluten-free?! Because it is! Truly Free also makes their bread in house! Sorry, no pictures of lunch because it just wasn't good enough. Maybe next weekend!

Matt and I have decided to brew some beer over the next few weeks. We  picked up almost everything we'll need at Red Stick Home Brewing Supplies, and we'll begin sanitizing everything in the morning. The brown ale is our brew of choice for this run, and I can't wait to document the process. More on this to come!

One hour left for Saturday's MoFo...*submit!*

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Twelve

Day Twelve: Free Rein Friday

Following last week's precedent, I'm breaking this week's theme to celebrate the end of the work week. It's Friday!!! Those of you with nine-to-five weekday jobs understand my glee. While I may be spending nearly all of Friday's sunshine in a poorly lit office and infront of a blinding computer screen, my mind and actions revolve around what is to be. Once the computer is put to sleep, the weekend cometh.

What better way is there to kick start the weekend than with a good ol' sammy?! Easily my favorite type of food, sandwiches are a definite staple in my diet. From the moment I discovered my very first Sticky-Crunch as a kid, (toasted bread, peanut butter and potato chips smashed together by pounding fists - handmade panini!?), I knew I'd be a sarnie-lover for life. What I admire about the sandwich is it's inherent freedom, spontaneity and portability. There are virtually no restrictions when construction a one. All you really need is an exterior that will hold it's shape throughout consumption and an interior of harmonious flavor! I'm so overwhelmed by the thought of sandwiches right now. Ah!



Jamaican Jerk TLT(S)



Last night I had the aforementioned craving. I needed to eat a sandwich. My cupboard was bare, but I had just enough to satiate my appetite. Half a block of tempeh, baby romaine, tomato, sprouts and two slices of gluten-free bread was all I would need, and all I thought I had. Lo and behold, a jar of Jamaican jerk marinade mailed from my grandmother in south Florida! The tempeh was put to the marinade, and I whipped up a spicy stone-ground mustard and vegenaise spread, seasoned with some jamaican curry powder (also sent by grandma). What resulted was a sweet and spicy sammy known, from this moment on, as the Jamaican Jerk TLT (plus sprouts!). Inspired by the classic BLT, this sandwich awakens the palate with a sweet heat from the pimento (allspice) and scotch bonnet peppers in the marinade. It's crunchy and moist all at once! I'll post a complete recipe over the weekend.

Happy Friday!