Cheesy Coconut Zuke Noods with Kale love

      A hard night of drinking usually leads to unhealthy cravings, in Korea, people go for ddeokboki, twegeum (various battered and fried foods), or ramyeon. Being a super extra picky vegan, I steer clear of Asia's crucial staples-rice and noodles. But a while back I was craving the texture and slurpiness of noodles and ramyeon, so I made a super dressed up and healthy version~ free of noodles! A gluten-free 100% vegan ramyeon! While making it, I figured why not go for the gold and make it stupid rich and "cheezy."
     For the "noodles" I spiraled a bunch of zucchini, the only way to eat a spaghetti is if it's zuke~ For the sauce/soup, I made an extra garlicky, noochy, and cayenne spiced mix. I used coconut milk and added spinach, seaweed, and kale...along with a generous fist-full of nooch and black pepper and cayenne.
     It was packed with flavor and was almost guilt-free, if it hadn't been for the fact that coconut milk is rich! I also tend to tie any cheese flavoring with pure fat...happy belly, guilty mind...but still sinfully delicious~
     Why didn't I try this out years ago?

slobber~ photo taken by VeganBeats

Random Vegan Eats spamming...(and a guestimate recipe!)

     Not the spam that you sweep up after you mold up those hot dogs...it's been a while and this blog has been all about music, talent, photography, and kicking it...there's still some vegan nomming that happens! And there def some kitchen playing...Here's some stuff from the past week, two weeks, month?!? eiighhhh

carrot and zuke noodles~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     My genuine dislike for pasta has been solved...zucchini noodles are where it's at! Gluten free, versatile, high in fiber, high in deliciousness! I made zuke and carrot noodles and plated it up with a semi-raw cherry tomato, wine, garlic, black pepper, and balsamic redux~

     I met with a friend and slurped a morning hangover away with a wine sorbet...make sense, meh, tasty~ yes!

wine sorbet~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     One day I got all sorts of ideas in my head and wanted to make a spicy, highly flavorful, but stripped of any fat possible, tofu-based dish. I wanted crunch, heat, and variety...result~ this plate of "stir-fried" tofu, zukes, mushrooms, onion, and kale in a soy garlic and gochujang redux! 

in it's reduced glory~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I wish I had a recipe to provide...it was a kitchen craze of octopus style hand-ingredient throwing!

Here's a guess:

What you need:

1. tofu, slice it any way you want, and drain!
2. 1/2 an onion sliced...I'm all about half moons!
3. 1 small zuke, slice it the way you want!
4. enoke mushrooms...go with what you're wanting!
5. shitake mushrooms...see above!
6. 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed. 
7. as much kale as your heart desires. 
8. low-sodium soy sauce
9. 1 T gochujang

What to do:

1. maybe 1 tsp of oil heated in a pan, throw int he tofu when it's hot
2. throw in the onions and zukes when the tofu is browned
3. throw in everything but the kale, garlic, soy sauce, and gochujang after maybe 6 minutes.
4. add the kale, soy sauce, and garlic...mix
5. add the gochujang sauce....if too thick, add splashes of water...
6. cook down til it's as thick/thin as you want!
7. plate, sprinkle sesame seeds, eat, smile!

Grand apologies for not being able to provide more directed details!!

Ahhh and another picture to throw in your face!

     Man joked about breakfast that past weekend, and I threw together everything in my fridge and made a heaping amount of 전, what was in all of this?

전party~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Beansprouts, kimchi, scallions, zukes, kale, spinach, mushrooms, and loads of love! I made a bit too much...but hey, parties can't be too much right....right?

Anyways...promises on more food posts~ 

Veg-on!    

    

홍대 Hungover creations~

     홍대 is back, and in full force. Ugh~ devilish chocolate bar!!
There are always a few things that hit my mind faster than a shot of soju, 홍대 is: lots of dancing, lots of drinking, lots of laughing, and some sort of hangover. It's not always guaranteed that all of these things will happen, but being prepared for at least 80% is a smart thing to do.
     The past few weekends have granted me a "next morning" glory of groggy cooking, simple (or uncomfortably complex) head-healing noms. Here's nearly everything~ (I'm still stuck cooking with my eyes...ugh the repeated meals~)

green pea and chickpea white pepper hummus, whole grain mustard, smoked tempeh, sprouts, spinach, lettuce, and cucumber on balsamic toasted foccacia (from The Baker's Table)~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

red lentil, green pea, and torn tofu dahl~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

spicy cheezy (nutritional yeast) ramen, loaded with broccoli, carrots, and garlic along with chick'n style tofu~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

the best "pick-me-up" tea~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

premix 콩나물비빔밥 (soybean sprout bibim bap)~ photo taken by VeganBeats

post mix  콩나물비빔밥~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)  

     And the best cure for any 홍대 hangover (whether from too much fun, dancing legs shake, sleep deprivation, eye spoilings, etc.) kick it with your friends, spend the day laughing in bed, snuggle up~ 

Don't forget the Great Weekend....all smiles*!~ still....

T_T  It's been so long since I've last posted...so many issues this week...but none to let me lose sight of an AWESOME weekend...(I'm loving that the greatness of weekends is not getting old, and instead is a silver lined singing glowing glimmering consistency....knock on wood**)

Let's start with Friday...Midnight shopping happened in 동대문 with Jaxs, Patricia, Brian, and Meeyun. Haven't kicked it with Brian in a while, OR with Patricia so it was super nice to kick it with them and catch up.

The markets were filled with people and I set a goal for myself ot NOT spend any more money...so lots of window wander shopping for a couple hours...Brian had to get up early so left and the ladies and I went to 홍대 around 4am! We met up with Stephanie there, another wonderful fabulous Seoul*!~

We wandered the streets for a while and checked out a couple new clubs (new phbbbt), I forgot what the ones we went to were called.

Went to a HOF and got some persimmon soju...yumm*!~

photo taken by VeganBeats

It was super sweet, but so yummy ㅎㅎㅎ ended up getting another sojut o mix with this pitcher...only 8,000W!!!
At HOF's you have to order food, and they're rarely vegan but do come up with vegetarian possibilities, so Meeyun and Jaxs got this bad ass boat of fruit, ice cream and blueberry sauce....


aparently the icecream was "super good vanilla" ...why are you not soy green tea ice cream?!!!
photo taken by VeganBeats



The fruit was beautiful, and smelt wonderful....but it was a bit pricey...about 18,000W!!! I thoroughly enjoyed my persimmon soju though*!~

cheers to Soju*!~
photo taken by VeganBeats

So I ended up discovering some more places in 홍대 super early Saturday morning...and spent the day napping at Jaxs*!~

Around noon we met up with fellow Vegan George and galavanted around Gangnam to find some eats...we stumbled into about four places that just didn't understand Veganism...or veggies only please and found Sinpo Woori Mandoo! They had english on their menu and suprisingly a lot of Vegan and Veggie options*!~

Sinpo Woori Mandoo menu
photo by VeganBeats

George got the bibim-myun, which is bascially bibimbap with noodles as opposed to the rice fix...The noodles were thick buckwheat udon noodles, and the ingredients looked really fresh. I loved the mountain of veggies*!~

pre-mix, look at those veggies*!~ nom nom nom
photo taken by VeganBeats

 ...I love all the gochujang on this, and it looks so colorful and vibrant...I'm not a noodle girl, but I tried some of the veggies and they were crisp, fresh, and had a great snap to them!!! chyea*!~

post mix...(O:
photo taken by VeganBeats

I can't find a link to this place, but turns out through researching it is a chain place...I would def check this place out again, and maybe this time I'll be hungry.

I met up with my fam later at a Chinese place and needless to say I got pretty sick after...and the pics of the food are not what I want ot brag about at all....nothing like the Chinese glory I was spoiled with when I went last year...sigh::: China......

Anyways, after dinner with the family I kicked it back home to Junggye and then went back to 홍대, and to Gorilla!! I know I go often, but I do love it there...the beautiful Seouls*!~

A night of 진 mix drinks and kicking it with my ladies, Patricia, Jaxs, and Stephanie....lots of dancing, laughing, drinking (ai ai ai) and kicking it with good people.

Sunday I spent most of the day with a friend, walking around laughing and smiling....I'm loving my weekend...and so glad that it's Thursday...

The stress of my work is making the weekends so essential for my mental and emotional balance....

Thursday night...plans with the Jaxs, and then maybe...my go to again*!~

Wandering, cooking, and Dongdaemun*!~

This week has been AWESOME*!~

I've been wandering a LOT while on break and been seeing some pretty spectacular things SUPER close to my area, check this mountain out!!! 



photo taken by VeganBeats

 I am definitely hiking this guy sometime soon. I'm sure the view will be more than beautiful*!~  

photo taken by VeganBeats

  And super close to my school is some completely appropriate statues...

photo taken by VeganBeats

  Also did some flash cooking...was super hungry and forgot about the POUNDS of tofu in my fridge...so attempted to make what my halmuni perfects everytime. Garlic, tofu, oyster mushrooms and a light kimchi broth!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

Some noodles I whipped up. Kimchi spicey broth, simmered carrots, oyster mushrooms, spinach and chinese broccoli..hiding in there somewhere. I don't usually eat noodles, but yumm!!! 

photo taken by VeganBeats

 Can't forget Ddeok!!

This weekend I went to Dongdaemun Market with Amy!! My coworker and it was a blast!!! Here's a whole round of pics from the adventure!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

First we kicked it in Chungbu market...also known as dried fish market! I found flax seeds here!! And macadamia nuts, cashews in bulk...There is so much you can find here!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

 Some ajumas with chesnuts....tons of them!

photo taken by VeganBeats

 lots of beans and grains of all sorts..Get ready for the fishes....I know I'm vegan and jazz, but there is something pretty spectacular about all of this stuff...

photo taken by VeganBeats

 eel

Fish eggs (photo taken by VeganBeats)

Garlic Ajashi (photo taken by VeganBeats)

 fish...photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

  These donuts from Krispy Creme are too cute!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

I am not sure the correct name for this but there is this candy like ocnfection that's literally just sugar. All these ajumas were squating at tables and etching designs into boiled sugar...the kid above is choosing which one he wants...mmm sweetness!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

This is Amy!!! My coworker and my shopping adventure partner for the day! She showed me/guided me around Dongdaemun, sososo much fun!! She's AWESOME!!! 

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

Ajuma with promoting the various foods her restuarant serves!

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

 Plastic menu options!! One of my many favorite things about Korea, you can see what you want...AND the food looks like what you order. When I was in China, I'd order things that NEVER looked like their picture.


photo taken by VeganBeats

A really spicey fish stew/soup, Amy said it's amazing. So omnivores...go for it!!

photo taken by VeganBeats

 Cute baby shoes!!!


photo taken by VeganBeats

This was super good, a rice bun with sweet red beans inside. It was only 1500W ($1.00 US) and filling, sweet, and served warm!!

photo taken by VeganBeats



Amy and I split one!!

Dondaemun and Nangdaemun was so much fun, and I have a lot to credit Amy for that. Saw a lot of things, spent a lot of money (eeep) and left with some great buys!!

Some 콩국수 Kongguksu and 김밥 kimbop

The other day while running errands, it slipped my mind I was so weak and tired. I was out of the house since 7am just exploring, wandering, people watching, kicking it really, it was nearing 3, I hadn't eaten and all my stuff was really wearing me out. Fuel, needed fuel.
I stopped at a food court *I cringe at this...but food courts are not nearly the same as American ones...* Scrolling through all the Korean I know (not much) I managed to say "I can't eat meat, chicken, fish, or egg, I have an allergy, I cannot eat meat, chicken, fish or egg." This super sweet ajuma hooked me up with the summer dish of Kong-guk-su.


photo taken by VeganBeats

I didn't touch the kimchi, who knows if there was baby shrimp or fish in it, but the kong-guk-su really hit the spot! It was cool, healthy, and a hint of salty. It was served with a side dish of salt and of course the kimchi. And this was a HUGE portion, I paid 3500W, about $3 USdollars.

photo taken by VeganBeats

Later that night, again I did the same thing. Forgot to refuel. Was cleaning my apartment, writing, reading, and more wandering...my stomach started lurching and then it hit me...so I stopped into this tiny place across the street from me called "KIMBOP." Kimbop is seasoned vegetables and meats all wrapped in rice and kim/laver, It is similar to sushi, except the vegetables aren't raw, everything is cooked and prepped....and yummy!

The ajashi who owned the place was really kind and when I explained to him my dietary lifestyle in as much broken Korean as I could muster, he let me point to what I wanted in my kimbop. I brought some of my own kimchi with me and he hooked me up! I got yaetchae (vegetable) kimbop and my own kimchi kimbop. 
The kimchi kimbop was sooo good, he put in some sesame leaves so there was an extra tang to it, I love sesame leaves so...as embarassing as it is I couldn't hide my excitment and let out a small yelp of happiness. This ajashi laughed at me too much, but hooked me up. I only spent 4000W for all this and he even gave me some extra veggies! So only about $3.50ish US Dollars.

Must remember to refuel...and luckily I found some extra spots that my vegan tummy can tolerate!

I leave you with a sign I found at the subway...





콩국수 Kongguksu

photo taken by VeganBeats

A great Korean summer dish is kong-guk-su, it's make with soy milk, some salt, cucumber, and rice vermicelli noodles. Very simple, superbly flavorful!
What you need:
*1 cup dried soy beans (can be more like 3+ cups)
*ice cubes
*1 cucumber (sliced thinly into strips~save the cucumber juice though!)
*thin vermicelli rice noodles (as much as you want..)
*salt, adjusted to your taste
*black sesame seeds

What to do:
1. soak the soy beans overnight, drain them then put in pot, remove the casings
2.Boil the beans for 15 minutes or so
3. Rinse the boiled beans in cold water, cool down, and remove more skins...MAKE SURE THE SKINS ARE GONE!
4. Put 1 cup of the clean soybeans into the blender and blend until very fine and liquid. skins are removed.
5. Add 2 trp of Salt and blend more...get this to as liquidy as possible.
6. Pour the soup into bowls and add ice cubes into each bowl
7. Boil some water and once the water is boiling add the noodles.
8. While the noodles are cooking, slice up the cucumber and place all of it into a bowl. 
9. Once the noodles are cooked, rinse with cold water, you want these noodles to be cold.
10. Put the cold noodles into the soup and add 2+ Tbs of the cucumber on top of the noodles. Sprinkle on some black sesame seeds and divide the cucumber juice between all the bowls!

Enjoy the summer dish!!

photo taken by VeganBeats