된장찌개, sprout black soybean 밥, and 김치

        While everyone's been complaining about this weather I've been loving it!! It's dreary, biting frigid and my eyelashes frost over every morning, but it's refreshing...my tepid being and extreme lack of sleep has caused my mental state to blend easily almost completely with the environment. Not unpleasant but not preferable...feels sounds looks accurate. I'm enjoying outside because it's reflecting my mental capacity.
        I can't believe it's already Friday, I haven't posted anything, I haven't slept, barely been social...teaching non-stop...any human contact I've had besides with my students has been at the produce stand by my work. I've found a warm embrace there and have been finding myself going there after work just to relax. Broken communication, laughter, a genuine calmness exists there...a tiny 8 by 10 foot produce store, the other half of it covered by a plastic tent, boxes of frozen fish, cartons of eggs, baskets of fruit...peace. Tuesday I went to find mushrooms...a strange habit...or meditation for me- when really stressed, overwhelmed, minds too busy, in need of something still, I go to produce stalls, coops; wander around the fruits and vegetables, admire their shapes, colors, smells, etc. Vegan stuff calms me, stuff from the earth. I feel grounded, even for a matter of seconds, that grounding, something solid to step is worth the 30 minute, 1 hour walk or subway ride. In the states...I was all to often found wandering the aisles of the coops and foreign markets.
        This week has got me standing on my toes on top of brass nails, I'm nauseous, exhausted, busy minded...I feel like an elder. (ranting WARNING) back aches, I can only bend my neck so much until my trapezius muscle (between the shoulderblades along the back of your neck, diamond shaped) swells and feels like any more weight and it will snap, my shoulders won't allow my arms to freely rotate, hips very very stiff...my yoga practice is suffering. I led yoga this morning and my body is definatley holding a lot of stuff in. There's so much compacted, emotions, thoughts, stress origins...I don't know where to begin to alleviate most of it...a loose seam may tear all the fabric..complete overwhelment (word?)

I need to find a bookstore.

I'll cut the arts talk off for now...initial intention of this blog, oh ya...vegan noms!^^*!~
The other day I made some nummy stuff, a classic and staple Korean dish, 된장찌개 (dwe-jang jiggaye)*!~

김치, black soybean steamer 밥 with sprouts, 김 and 된장찌개^^*!~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

 What you need:~
* dwejjang paste (된장 paste) ~can be found at Korean foreign markets
*water
*tofu/ 두부 preferabley firm, cubed...and go with how much you want (I did about 1/4 a block)
*1 medium onion
*zukes (I did peas...I know, not the same family at all)
*mushrooms (had none, but had one teeny 고구마 (sweet potatoe) left...hodge podge


What to do^^*!~
1. In a pot boil a couple cups of water, I did about 4 or 5, I wanted lots of broth!!
2. When the water is boiling add about 1-2 TB of 된장paste and stir...make sure it breaks up, when all mixed in, turn heat to medium high (taste the broth as you go, the color should be a darkish brown...add more paste if bland!!)
3. Add in the veggies, and cover the pot until the veggies are cooked (depends on what you got could take longer)
4. Add the mushrooms once the onions are cooked through and the tofu (두부) and cover the pot. 
5. Let the pot "boil" for ten minutes or so, you want everything cooked up!
6. enjoi^^*!~


I was craving the broth for this...it does smell strong, but for me it reminds me of home and of Korea...coincidentally enough ^^*!~


I ate this with some of the 김치 my 이모 made me (vegan love) and some black soy bean steamer 밥 (onlya little though, don't want to load too much on salt...but I hate rice )O:
and of course, 김*!~


The 된장찌개 came out much better than other attempts because I added the paste first versus after throwing all the veggies in...Oops^^*!~


Anyways Happy Friday*!~


AH, and all you kids out thee playing in Seoul, check out 
The VEGAN BAKESALE FUNDRAISER FOR THE ASAN ANIMAL SHELTER 
this Saturday January 29th at Cafe Harunohee

Directions to Cafe Harunohee:
Gunja Station, Line 5&7, Exit 6. Walk straight for about 5-7 minutes. The cafe will be on your left.
Children's Grand Park Station, Line 7, Exit 1. Walk straight for about 5-7 minutes. The cafe will be on your right.
Address: 서울시 광진구 능동 283-17
Tel: 02-453-0508
Daily Opening Hours: 11am-11pm