Thursday, July 24, 2008

an anecdote and a plea for help

Well, I dragged my ass to belly dancing last night, and I feel much better now. Shakira came on the radio on my way home from work yesterday, and "My hips don't lie" - or whatever it's called - got me back into the groove.

Later, after Swee'pea had gone to sleep, and Sugar D was washing dishes, I snuck up behind him. He was listening to his ipod, as he always does when he washes dishes. I pressed up against his back suggestively and let my hands roam his body. It seemed like maybe things were heating up.

Suddenly, he fumbled in his front jeans pocket, and I wondered why. He pulled his earphone out and grabbed for the ipod in his back pocket, "I have to turn this Chinese lesson off!"

* * *

I've gotten really sick of the meals I cooked all winter and need some inspiration. I can already do a good potato salad and a pasta salad. We usually have veggie burgers at least one night a week. Got any suggestions for vegetarian summer dishes? We usually prefer one-pot cooking.

16 comments:

Beck said...

Are you a vegetarian? I did not know.
Okay: pasta tossed with fresh tomatoes, cubed mozzarella and fresh basil.
Patio Pizza: whole wheat pizza crust with herbed cream cheese, black olives and chopped veggies (I would guess sort of Greek saladish ones), served cold.
Marinated barbecued tempeh, with a spicy homemade barbecue sauce, served on big slabs of bread and with coleslaw on the side.
Potatoes, wrapped in foil and baked on the grill, served with sour cream and parsley.
A middle eastern platter, with hummus and bread for dipping, black olives, hard boiled eggs and raw veggies.

Kyla said...

Hahaha. Distracting the man from his language learning.

I haven't a clue on the meals. Josh is planted firmly in the meat-eating camp and since he is the cook, we eat meat regularly. If it doesn't have meat, he considers is a snack generally.

moplans said...

I can vouch for cantonese not being the most romantic of languages.

As for meals I am glad beck was here and I would recommend the quinoa salad kgirl made on MBT.

Defiantmuse said...

well. it's not a one pan meal. it's a pot and a pan. but I've been making it a few times a week.

in the pot cook udon noodles w/ salt. drain and set aside.

in the pan w/ olive or sesame oil saute garlic, onion, mushrooms, tempeh or tofu.

toss everything together w/ fresh chopped cilantro and green onions. add a bit of soy sauce.

let it sit in the fridge until cool and then voila. tasty stuff, dude.

S said...

i was going to suggest hummus, but beck covered it...

and i LOVE that little story!

wordmama said...

Hee-hee! Talk about conflicting senses. Way to put your belly dancing moves to good use outside of the studio!

My absolutely favourite summer vegetarian meal is gazpacho! It doesn't even require cooking and after cutting up the veggies, takes just seconds to make! Now, I don't have the recipe in front of me, but here it is off the top of my head:

1 large can of tomatoes or 6 large fresh tomatoes (minus the skin)
1/2 green pepper (cubed)
1/2 english cucumber (cubed)
6 green onions (sliced)
10 large green olives (halved and seeded)
3 cloves of garlic (rough chopped)
1 cup of veggie stock
1 + 1/2 tsp of salt
3 tsp of white wine vinegar
1 piece of stale bread

Combine everything but veggies in food processor. Add tomatoes and blend until smooth. Throw in veggies, pulse until roughly chopped. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed (fresh tomatoes may need more salt).

Enjoy!

Unknown said...

veggies on a skewer with parmesan cheese over couscous. becoming a standby thanks to CSA share.

Janet said...

Chinese is hot.:)

There is a really good salad you can make when tomatoes are in season. Take little grape tomatoes and a container of soft bocconcini cheese. Toss with oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh basil. It's yum.

I can send you the exact recipe if you like. Just email me and I'll look it up.

NotSoSage said...

You've had this, so you can decide for yourself, but here's the magic bean recipe. All the garlic in the tahini sauce should be as lubricating (ahem) as Cantonese lessons once Swee'pea is in bed.

Magic Beans

STEW

4 tbsp olive oil
2 cooking onions, diced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups cooked or canned adzuki beans (or mixed or use any other small bean, really)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup tamari
2 cups vegetable stock

TAHINI SAUCE

1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp flax seed oil
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare tahini sauce in advance, by mixing all five ingredients together, for best flavour.

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat.

Add onions and ginger; cook five minutes until softened.

Add oregano, cayenne and cinnamon. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add beans, tomato paste, tamari and vegetable stock.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, or longer, depending on desired consistency.

Serve over brown rice and top with tahini sauce and your choice of toppings.

SUGGESTED TOPPINGS

Diced avocado
Nori (dried roasted seaweed) strips
Sunflower seeds
Steamed bok choy
Grated carrot
Pea green sprouts

Jennifer said...

Oh, hello fellow vegetarian?! :)

Rice and beans is a favorite of ours all year. We have it at least 2 times a week, but mix it up by adding different things. Sometimes fresh tomatoes is enough. Sometimes we throw in red and yellow peppers. Sometimes avocado. Cheese. Sour cream. Onion. Sometimes black beans, sometimes garbanzos. Sometimes we'll throw in mashed tofu. Sometimes it's all of the above. We'll eat it as is or roll it up in a burrito shell and crisp it in the oven. But it's quick and easy and yep, one pot. :)

LOVE the dishwashing, seduction, Chinese lesson story. Ha!

karengreeners said...

Oooh, a while ago I posted the very very best quinoa-black bean salad recipe ever on Eat Me at Better Than a Playdate. Check it for sure - easy and yummy.

I also always have marinated tofu on hand to cook up with some veggies and rice.

Also, I just borrowed a vegetarian slow cooker recipe book from the library, and on Wednesday we had barley pilaf with leeks and mushrooms. I sauteed up a little kale to go with it, and it was so good.

We eat meat about twice a week, so I could go on for a while here. Basically quinoa or couscous with some sauteed and some fresh veggies squirted with Braggs is our staple 'what to eat' meal. And of course, pasta.

Also, fresh veggies dipped in guacamole with pita.

See? Now I'm going on.

crazymumma said...

My husband washing dishes always gets me all fired up. I certainly hoped things progressed after he turned his ipod off. Heres hoping.

Oh gawd I know! I hate my meals!
The boredom!

um Ratatouille? refired beans and cheese on burritos?

I'm lousy at this...so sorry.

Run ANC said...

My favourite recipe is not one-pot, but it's fairly easy to make, keeps well, and also travels well. (Makes a lot - so you could have leftovers..): Golden Rice Pie with Spinach Filling. It's from Mollie Katzen cookbook(s).

http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=rice_pie

mamatulip said...

I have a recipe for a FABULOUS cous-cous salad; it's really yummy and it makes a great snack or side. Email me if you want the recipe.

kittenpie said...

Ha, Misterpie would be loving it if I was awake to heat things up, no matter what was playing in the background these days, since I'm normally passed out by 8:30! Lucky Cinammon Boy.

Sus said...

don't let the Chinese get in the way of your nookie!

I make a great one-pot summer dish that I learned in Catalonia, Spain - Make brown rice. Add the following to it (and whatever else sounds good): tuna, corn (from a can), avocado, tomato, green olives, oh and I always forget stuff... really whatever you want. Cooked new potatoes might be good in it. Something green like peas or asparagus. But those make it harder. :) Serve with - oh yes - mayonnaise. (Or not. But I love the mayo.)

Serve with french bread that you slice and doctor up this way: cut juicy tomato in half. rub juice onto bread slices. then add olive oil & salt & pepper. you have traditional catalan pan-con-tomate! delish.