Kale Potato Burritos

Hi,

Just wanted to do a quick post about dinner: kale and potato burritos. I sauteed some kale and potato slices, and when they were tender, I set them aside. In same pan, sauteed onion and garlic with red pepper flakes and oregano...added some re-fried beans (they didn't show up in the photo, but they're there) and stirred it all together with some Bragg's Liquid Aminos and a splash of vinegar.

I used canned re-fried beans; I would have preferred to use homemade beans, but it was a hectic day and this dinner was quick to throw together. Served with fresh tomato and pepper salsa and some avocado this was really tasty.

For tortillas, I always use Food for Life Sprouted Grain Tortillas; they have lots of good texture and flavor and are healthier than regular flour tortillas. Their bread is cool too...it's based on a recipe found in a bible scripture, which I find charming in itself.

Have a good evening!

Homemade Vegan Mozzarella

I've never been a big fan of vegan cheeses...although I do buy them occasionally. And I have never found a store-bought vegan mozzarella that I like. So, finally, ( I don't know what took me so long) I got around to making some at home.

I used this vegan mozzarella recipe from Veganize It...Don't Criticize It. Here's how it turned out:


This cheese did not disappoint! It shreds well, melts well, and the flavor is good. It actually adds to the quality of the pizza, rather than detracts from it, which is what most of the store-bought stuff does in my opinion.

Pizza Margherita before:




Pizza Margherita after:


See how well it melts? And, it was yummy. I definitely recommend this recipe.

I also made a cheeze-free pizza with lots of veggies and some tempeh that I marinated in Bragg's Liquid Aminos, then crumbled and sauteed with red pepper flakes, fennel, and garlic:


I think my next few posts will be about some of the other good home-made cheese recipes that I've found in the blogosphere. Bye for now. :)

Hiking in Mt Rainier Nat'l Park

John and I went hiking yesterday, and while it's not food or gardening, I just had to post about it because it was so beautiful and exhilarating. I'm still hugging the experience and want to keep it clear in my memory as long as possible.

Mt. Rainier National Park is extensive (368 square miles) and offers hundreds of miles of trails. We hiked the Palisades Lakes Trail from Sunrise, which at an elevation of 6,400 feet, is the highest point that can be reached by car. Sunrise affords spectacular views of Mt Rainier (rising above at an elevation of 14,410 ft) and other volcanoes in the Cascade Range.

Here's John with the snow-covered tip of Mt. Rainier just discernible through the clouds behind him.


The trail cuts down along the northern side of the Sunrise precipice, and continues on through a series of valleys and ridges that are dotted with pristine alpine lakes. The first lake is Sunrise Lake--here's a view from the top of the trail:



More views along the the top of the trail:




After descending the precipice, the trail winds through several alpine meadows along the way to the first lake:




We ate lunch (tomato pesto and hummus sandwiches) at Clover Lake, which at 1.5 miles along the trail, is the second lake you encounter:



Some Gray Jays came to beg food from us; they were so insistent and adorable, we had to give in.


The hike continues on past 4 more lovely lakes until you reach the end of the trail at Upper Palisades Lake high camp... next time, we'll bring gear and camp there overnight.

The photos diminished as we hiked on and got into a primal, free-spirited, and light-hearted natural high that didn't prompt photo taking. Anyway, I wouldn't want to reveal the whole trail in the hopes that someday you can see it for yourselves, or at least create it in your imagination.

This trail makes a tidy day hike: 7 miles round trip, moderately rigorous--if you get an early start, you'll have plenty of time to tarry along the way.

Here are some other random shots:

Spot the froggy?

Pasque Flower mops

Lots of chipmunks here, although, none in photo

Mount Rainier again, just visible through the clouds in right of photo