Hi, and How the Hell Are You!

Wow, a week since my last post. I should be bitch-slapped or something. Fact of the matter is, folks, I've been soooooo busy. So busy, in fact, that thoughts of abandoning this blog altogether have flitted through my brain on more than one occasion. However, I've decided to keep showing up now and again for the time being, at least.

I still have a project ongoing that's causing me all sorts of stress. Still under my hat for now, but believe me when I tell you, from time to time this week there were a few occasions when I could have choked someone. Anyway, it's now a peaceful Sunday morning and I'm not grinding my teeth, (at the moment, anyway) so it's all good.

Food wise (and that was the point of this blog, I think) nothing much of note. Bob is going through a nacho phase, so it's hard keeping the whole wheat tortilla chips in the house. Here's a batch he made last Sunday using his homemade chili, made a la Rachel Ray with tomato paste thinned with beer. I did not partake...

Still using up a big batch of seitan that I made. Here's a meal made up of leftovers we had one day this week..seitan "fries", spaghetti with wine sauce, and corn. Yes, corn again. I'd kill to have me some nice fresh veggies out of the garden right now.

Seitan again last night. Bob and I acutally had a (gasp!) night alone without the kids. (And yes, there was nookie involved.) We had the seitan from La Dolce Vegan, at Bob's request. He really loves it, but I find it too wet and wiggly. I prefer Bryanna's method. Anyway, we also had baked potatoes from the root cellar and some fresh 'shrooms fried in olive oil. He ate brussel sprouts, and is right at this moment farting like crazy and stinking up the joint.

I even went all out for breakfast this morning, revelling in my child-free home. I scrambled us up some tofu, something we haven't had in a long while.

In terms of baking, I still haven't done much in a while. The kids are satisfied with lots of fruit, raw veggies, and trans-fat free snack crackers to munch on. We've also been making lots of smoothies and homemade applesauce. But I did make some cupcakes on Valentines Day (I mean, you must have a little treat on Valentines's Day!) I must say, they turned out excellent, and perhaps a smidgen healthier than I might have made a year ago. In case anyone is interested, here is the recipe as well.

Quinoa-Cocoa Cupcakes

Before baking, pre-cook the quinoa. First, rinse just over 1/3 cup of dried quinoa. ) It has a bitter coating that must be rinsed off. ) Place quinoa in a covered pot with about 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, and simmer approximately 25 minutes. Check to ensure quinoa does not boil dry. Allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix:

¾ cup cooked quinoa
1/3-cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup white sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup cocoa
½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup white flour
2 Tbsp water

Mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for about twenty minutes, or when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Frost with chocolate icing.

**********************

BTW, today is the Daytona 500, in case anyone out there cares. Nascar racing is the only sport my husband watches, so I do feel grateful for that at least. Most Sunday afternoons from now until November will probably find us curled up on the sofa together, he with his remote control and me with a good book. Now that's gotta be love...

Have a great day everyone! Peace.