Happy (Belated) Holiday/Christmas!

     Happy belated Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa  Christmakah, etc    veggie eaters, food lovers, and all around sexy crews!~

     Christmas ever started with a complete lack of sleep and a meek attempt at dehydrating tomatoes...which took over 12 hours!! But first...my oven got tickled hardcore this time around. I had a Christmas/Holiday party to share with a lovely group of buddies and we played a sort-of Yankee Swap/Secret Santa type of deal. I made up funky money banana bread~ chocolate chips, cinnamon, ginger, cranberries, raisins  walnut, pecans, coconut~ everything was whole wheat, organic, and I slipped in vitamin B12 drops, vitamin C drops, etc... I got a bit too excited. 

Funky Monkey Bread, before and after~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     The next day was the day before Christmas Eve, and I had a lot of dehydrating and baking to do. But I got pretty awful and heartbreaking news...so I lazed up. I had planned on baking four cakes, dehydrating tomatoes, and making a peppermint brittle. These buggers owned my oven...for about half a day!

Oven-dried tomatoes...before the 12 hour marathon~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     Christmas eve rolled up and thanks to tomatoes, cake baking happened all day Christmas eve. I spent this Christmas eve with the ever talented and wonderful Scotty Soul...where the plan was chill, make dinner, exchange gifts, listening to silly Holiday tunes, and watching far too many Christmas movies...
     I didn't get a picture of the yummy dinner we made but I'll gloat a bit. We stocked up on two massive bags of veggies and spices and made a big and beautiful pot of veggie soup.
     Menu~ Scotty Soul's favorite...Soup and toast!

     The recipe is a bit all over the place, but here's a gist:
What We Used:

1. 1 med-large onion, chopped
2. 2 medium sweet potatoes chopped
3. 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, or 0.66 Kg of tomatoes chopped
4. 1 large carrot, chopped
5. 2 small head of baby napa cabbage, chopped
6. 4 leaves of dinosaur kale, chopped
7. 3 leaves of chard, chopped
8. bag of enoke mushrooms, chopped
9. 1/2 medium zucchini, chopped into half moons
10. 1-2 T olive oil
11. 1 T garlic minced
12. 1-3 T black pepper
13. 1 t salt
14. 1 T Chinese pepper
15. 1 T mixed herbs

What we Did:

1. heat a medium/large pot to medium high heat, add the oil
2. When the oil is hot, add the onions and sweet potatoes~ set to low heat and watch
3. After you can smell the sweetness, add the chopped tomatoes *Let this Stew and boil down to make a broth of sorts*
4. Add carrots and garlic.
5. After 10 minutes, add everything else and let boil down to desired thickness!

~Toast optional~

Scotty Soul and dins~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     Scotty Soul gave me such amazing and perfect things...that soon enough I'll get to use ALL THE TIME~ Right now I've got a SICK electric blanket that keeps me super super snugly  And I got some perfume that makes me feel like a sassy lady (hell yea), and as soon as I update to an Iphone5...food will start looking sexier. But the thing I'm beyond tickled for has been chilling at Incheon International...soon...soon~
     Christmas day was a joll at Kia and Sean's!!!! I made an intense and drunky cake for the occasion! So..what is this complexity?

My Christmas cake!! photo taken by VeganBeats

     Ginger rum cranberries, blueberries, and raisins in a dark chocolate cinnamon cake with a green tea, ginger, and rum butter-cream frosting! Rich is flavor and alcohol~ whasa!
     Enough squiggling, let's see what Kia and Sean stabbed and stretched my stomach with! Get a napkin...

scalloped potatoes~ photo taken by VeganBeats

spinach and artichoke dip~ photo taken by VeganBeats

tomato, shitake mushroom, cashew cheese pizza~ photo taken by VeganBeats

stuffed mushrooms~ photo taken by VeganBeats

lentil loaf~ photo taken by VeganBeats~

     There was also olive tempanade, baguettes, babaganoush, jello (agar) shots, alcohol...lots of alcohol, and  a stupid delicious salad chalk full of pomegranate (!!!), apples (!!!!), lettuce (AHHHH!!!!!!), pecans (!!!), and a tofu based dressing. I had bowls of this....bowls....stomach stretching greens gamble~

Grasshopper pie~ photo taken by VeganBeats~

peppermint fudge~ photo taken by VeganBeats~

Grasshopper pudding cups~ photo taken by VeganBeats~

chai cake~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     I drank loads, laughed a lot, ate too much, smiled, and was full of immeasurable amounts of love...

I think I need a tissue break...

Happy Late Holidays!!

New Years is around the bend!!!!

Scotty Soul's Surprise

     October has been more than busy, stressful, emotional, and brilliant. It started off with the death of a brilliant man, upsetting family realizations, emotional roller-coasting, a draining wallet, and rounded off with birthday celebrations, party preperations, smiles, laughter, growth, an anniversary, new family members, Halloween jams, and November began with a SURPRISE!
     This is a silly side-note and apologies to my girl, but Hamlet and I celebrated two years together on October 26th! She has brought so much joy and love into my life! The nights I've ended snuggling up to her are immeasurabley blissful!

baby~ photo taken by VeganBeats~

     Anyways, Scotty Soul had his birthday on October 29th and since Halloween is on the 31st, it's been a bit neglected. For his actual birthday I made him a super veggie friendly but NOT vegan birthday dinner paired with a massive yummy salad~

up close, and not that pretty~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     When I was a little thrasher, my nanna used to make baked macaroni and my entire family and I would literally melt in it's scent. She would make a creamy roux, rich buttery smells and whole wheat flower, with soft cheeses, and baked with a crunchy ritz cracker and butter topping. Not healthy, but very comforting, and delicious. Scotty Soul isn't vegan, and I wanted to make something homey, comforting, and special...

     The non-vegan dish was a baked three cheese macaroni. The cheeses were feta, extra sharp cheddar (VT!), and pepper jack. The veggies I threw in were broccoli, spinach, kale, caramelized onions and bell peppers, and the topping was blended tortilla chips (less salt overall chyea)~ 

Scotty Soul's plate~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     The salad I made was chalk full of greens and all sorts of textured roughage. Iceburg lettuce, romaine, green and red leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, onions, broccoli chunks, celery, cucumber, and bamboo shoots! The dressing I made was my "friends with salad" dressing.
      One of the gifts I made for him was a custom deck~ Got a board, sanded it down (thanks to my neighborhood grocer for finding sandpaper for me~) and spent all night painting finishing touches while ruining four cakes...ugh

his deck~ photo taken by VeganBeats~

again~ photo taken by VeganBeats~

     But...BUT this past weekend a community that has nothing but love for Scotty Soul joined up at Braii Republic for a Surprise party! I still managed to ruin a couple cakes but eventually made two that I aimed to make! The first one was Jake the Dog from Adventure time WATCH THIS SHOW!!!

Jake the cake~ photo taken by VeganBeats~

     ...and the second was one of his childhood "dream" cakes!~ (Thanks to the goddess and stunning Carrie for helping me out =^ㅊ^=)..

dream pool cake~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     The Jake cake was a dark chocolate cake with white chocolate and cranberries with a coconut butter cream frosting with cocoa essence. The dream cake (the swimming pool cake) was a dark chocolate, cranberry, white chocolate, and peanut butter swirl cake with a dark chocolate and coconut butter cream frosting with raspberry and strawberry essence. The "pool" part was organic strawberry jam.
     The cakes themselves were vegan but the frostings weren't due to actual butter used (baked birthday dinner leftover ingredients) and the peppero sticks~
   

Eating Seoul...after a couple week (?) hiatus

     Whoa~ it's been a hella while! Where have I been?

     working...playing...baking...dancing...and inebriating...

     Since the camera and robbing jam, I've been trying to figure things out, naturally detaching from those "WHY ME!?" and "GODDAMNSHITBAGGINMOTHERPOOPINGCRUMBLYFACESNOTMUNCHER!" thoughts... I've been absent, not in life, but from the blog...aiaiai

     There is a silverlining though, there always is. I had a camera gigging promise and it fell on the Saturday right after the steal, but a wonderful Seoul reached out to me and lent me his camera. (Thanks Chris!!) Regardless of the favor, I was and am far more excited about the fact that I got to kick it with Chris, it's been far too long!
     We had plans to wander off in some restaurant, but it was closed. So we kicked it at his place, watched UFC, drank maekgoli, and ate some homemade DELISH miso soup~

oh hey you....I'm eat you...DEAL~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     The maekgoli was delicious...and hella strong! We shared a bottle and even after filling our bellies, got red-faced and tipsy!

Chris' miso soup~ ughhhhh (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I barely ever have miso soup, and having some with a wonderful friend may have made it even better~ a friends making it for you, sharing it with you...BEST~~
     There has been a bunch of eats from the past that...well I'm going to lay on you~
Coco Bruni is a swank and pricey cafe that kicks it around Sinsa and Apgujang and during a lunch tutoring session I got a DANK loaded, vegan sando...but only after over half an hour of explaining what I'm not very keen on shoving down my throat.
      "No mayo."
      "okay."  and then five minutes later. "Mustard okay?"
      "Yeah! Sounds great!" and then ten minutes later.
      "The mustard sauce has mayo, is okay?"
      "Ahh, no mayo, so no thank you."
      "Ahhh, aiiii, what do we do...no mustard, no mayo, it;s not sanwichi."
      "....do you have balsamic?"
      "uhhh yes....but..." scurry to the back, conversin with the boss....shuffle back "balsamic is with salad, sanwichi maybe, okay, maybe...no, yes..."
     etc etc etc....

the monstrously delish sando~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     Well WELL worth the confusion! I got a toasted ciabatta sandwich filled with caramelised onions, slivered grilled zukes, slices of pumpkin, grilled balsamic eggplant, sweet tomato slices, green leaf lettuce, spicy green lettuce, sprouts, and a generously garlic kissed balsamic...they even threw in a salad...ughhhhh~
     Hit up hospital dining also...a buddy decided to climb trees...then snap them~

hospital 비빔밥...rice niente~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I've also done some itchin'n'the kitch...'cooking' for myself lately has involved grab'n'go cucumbers or carrots...I've been translating the "I'm hungry" into cooking kitch challenges~~

jajangmyeon for breakfast?~ had mine with cucumber noodles~ photo taken by VeganBeats

chickpea, black-bean, pea burgers with a sesame, garlic, tofu-sauced salad bedded on top~ photo taken by VeganBEats

 Oh...and being summer I had my first official So Delicious ice-cream!! nom nom nom

chocolate mint chip~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     I got the chocolate mint chip~ perfect for a hungover and heated Sunday! SoulScience and I went for a bit of a wander, sipping and knocking back an orange hooch (hungover healers?) and indulged in these coconut sweetened vegan darlings~ I think he got the cherry amaretto...I didn't try it but it's got to be SO DELICIOUS!!!



ahhh I'm done, mind in gutter...growing up (phbbbt chyea)

anyways~ in the next couple days (or week) they'll be loads more posting...annnnd atem~

Dessertin Dips a Daze!

     This past weekend I got together with the lovely Melissa, we were ready to dance, super chilly, and prepped with high protein noms! The plan was a 'RETROSKANKMANIA' dance party, 80's hair whipped, and florescently adorned but that kind of fell through but it was still AWESOME! Melissa whipped up a delicious turmeric and garlicky hummus (we both like hummus) that was...so good! Homer moans deserved!

Melissa's yummy hummus!! (photo taken by VeganBeast)

     I played with some ideas and made some desert dips...but SUPER HEALTHY dessert dips! I'm not into sweets very much (gimme them salty stuff) but maybe it's the rounding Vday situation or the overwhelming lack of sweets that had me really thinking "Snickerdoodles drool"~
     I wanted healthy and guilt free, high protein preferably and I wound up with a Snickerdoodle raisin dip and a chocolate chip cookie (with green tea kisses) dip!

snickerdoodle raisin's a blazin (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I've never been one to gorge in cookie-dough but I imagine the is a close one, right? So...what did I do for the snickerdoodle jam?

Snickerdoodle Raisin's a blazin~
What you need:

1. 1 can of chickpeas
2. 1-2 T nut butter (I used chunky peanut...nommm)
3. 1-2 T of cinnamon...up to you really, this veganbeat LOVES cinnamon~higher fiber!!
4. 2 or more T water, add more for preferred consitency!
5. 1+ T liquid sweetner...feel free to add more if you want more sweet 
6. 1/2-3/4 C raisins (OR dried cranberries!) 

What to do:

1. Got a blender? Mix the first five ingredients..then throw in them dried yums!

Enjoy with apple and asian pear slices, or some whole wheat crackers! YUM

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip with some Green tea kisses (photo taken by VeganBeats)

      Cookie dough, the mere thought of it and I start thinking some sort of post-break up "I WILL REGRET THIS" therapy...but after working out hard, and barely eating anything sweet (How I've avoided this in Korea) this is deserved...hell it always is, it's nearly fat free!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip with some Green tea kisses
What you need:

1. 1 can chickpeas
2. 1/4-1/5 dark DARK chocolate
3. 1/4 t green tea salt
4. 1-2 T nut butter (again, the crunchy peanut butter)
5. water until preferred consistency
6. 1-2 T liquid sweetner (or dry sugar)...sweeten to your liking!

What to do:

1. blender this jam! Just do it...and love it!

Serve with some sort of hard stone fruit or whole wheat cracker

So much protein, fiber, and all around goodness! If you can find some date sugar, I bet this would taste even better. Maple syrup, where you at?

Sugar free is very possible, and you won't substitute taste...agave!!~

Happy nomming!

Ending the Lunar New Year down by the river

     새해복 많이 받으세요!~
Happy Lunar New Years to everyone!

     Being Seoul-side, I'm counting this as my actually New Years. The state-side one was spent teary-eyed on a plane (with a bit more wine in my system and fresh memories seranading my mind). Due to the Lunar New Year, there is a mini-break/vacation happening for most of the teaching type and though not yet over (but close) this has been an AWESOME break!

     Friday was a gathering of some fine folk before Jaxs was peacing to the states for some well-deserved vacation time. The evening started in 신사 at a restaurant that I've been to several times before  (will write about it later) and wanted to share it with friends, turned out we all discovered it separately!

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     The staff knows what vegan is so they made up a HUGE vegan friendly spread (most of their banchans are vegan anyways!) and even whipped up vegan dwenjjang! What goes well with delicious Korean food when you're out with your friends...drinks~

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     After dinner we wandered over to a self-service bar and traveled down memory lane with a "classy" game of Kings....Ah, Jaxs~ this is the Cape!

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     After, some of us parted ways, either homeward bound or 이태원 where the evening was filled with gay clubs, dancing, more drinks and a wonderful lost walk with the ladies. 

photo taken by VeganBeats

      I've been in a rut of a bit...in that so bitter and on a fire-setted mood. I'm easily frustrated and finding myself jumping to swearing profusely by internal means. This break came at a very convenient and necessary time. 

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     I need more Han river walks to clear my mind...

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     The weekend only improved after this~

Thanksvegan~ the binge of gastronomic proportions

     Saturday evening was all about friends, appreciation, and an abundance of delicious food at gastronomical proportions. Kia and Sean hosted another amazing party in honor of that good ol'binging holiday dubbed "Thanksgiving" but this one was (and is) Thanksvegan...a massive spread of cruelty free Homor-Simpson-drooling-sounds noms...ugh~

     Kia is a magician in the kitch, she made such a beautiful spread of visual-groans and moans. (I'm so glad that I didn't eat anything for nearly two days...I stretched my stomach by consuming jugs upon bottles upon cartons of water....ㅠㅠ). She whipped up the classics, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, biscuits, stuffed mushrooms, and some other new and funky dishes. She made honeyed-ham out of seitan, a stuffed seitan roast, squash gnocchi with a sage cream sauce, and stuffed pumpkin with a lemon lentil salad. Ugh~ feast your eyes...(I'm still digesting!)

vegan ham in a pineapple glaze (photo taken by VeganBeats)

cranberry sauce from scratch (photo taken by VeganBeats

stuffed mushrooms (photo taken by VeganBeats)

bisquits (photo taken by VeganBeats)

Sean made a spinach dip ^^*(photo taken by VeganBeats)

from left to right: green bean casserole, stuffed seitan roast, squash gnocchi with asparagus and a  sage cream sauce (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Mipa brought over a green bean casserole!! This was my first time EVER having one...and..nom nom nom~ it's all I can say^^*

ughhh~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

the roast and loads of veggies! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

cutting of the roast! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     For a starter, Kia whipped up a bacon-cheese potato soup and this was divine! I used it as a gravy for everything...savory, warm, comforting...amazing!

     My plate(s) were full....and there was dessert for later! ^^*

the plate..(photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Mipa, Anna, and Dan all brought some goodies over (ugh I really wish I had!!) and they were yummy as well! Dan brought over "burgers" that were kidney bean based, and so yummy! I kept nomming on this with the spinach dip and Anna's sun-dried tomato spread!

Dan's bean burgers (photo taken by VeganBeats)

Anna's sun-dried tomato spread on veggies! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Dessert was a big spread of amazing sweets~ literally amazing~ Kia made a pumpkin cheesecake and chocolate pudding pie with coconut whip cream! Anna made an apple crisp with bitters and Mipa brought some gingerbread cookies~

pumpkin cheesecake (photo taken by VeganBeats)

pumpkin cheesecake and the chocolate pudding pie! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

Anna's applecrisp (photo taken by VeganBeats)

sliced up! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

photo taken by VeganBeats

tehe! ^^* (photo taken by VeganBeats)

photo taken by VeganBeats

     I am still in the process of digesting, I'm thoroughly stuffed, have had more than many plates of delicious noms...a great change from the daily carrots, cucumbers, and ssamjang~

Thank you and again, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!~

Go to Mipa's shop to get vegan goodies!!