Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles |
I could collect something, I thought. Nah, what would I collect and where would I put a collection? I could learn to knit or crochet; those are two trendy hobbies that many of my friends already participate in. Nah, I don't have the patience or attention span to count four and do whatever to two.
I could do half-marathons! Actually tried that one and did several, but it gets kind of expensive when you have to go out of town and get a hotel room the night before for a 7 am start. I did enjoy the sense of accomplishment, but the time involved in preparing became too much once my teaching day started at 7:20 a.m.
Ooh, photography! That's a hobby I could do. Actually, this is sort of a hobby, but I don't seem to get out enough to really practice. The last time I was really out to take photos was when my husband and I visited the ruins of the Sutro Baths (see photo slideshow at right). Photography, as much as I enjoy it, isn't something that I can really practice weekly.
Blackened tofu w/ Jerked Asparagus |
Lately, I've been into vegan baking. I have two cookbooks from which I'm working and every recipe has been delicious. The carrot cake cupcakes were the best carrot cake I've ever had, period.
Vegan Chocolate Chip Scones |
I've often thought about how foreign it sounds to my American palate to bake without butter or eggs. It also seems odd to cook without cheese or meat (I've been doing without the meat for 20 years though). Think about this, during World War II, food was rationed. Home cooks had to do without butter, eggs, cheese and meat for many of their recipes. Don't forget that flour and sugar was rationed too (along with most other foods unless they were grown in home Victory Gardens). I want to hunt down some of those old recipes and cook them up.
At the same time, I'll probably work on my food photography. I usually have my phone handy so that will probably be my camera of choice, but it will require some adjustments because of flash quality.
Strangely, I feel better now that I know I have a hobby. I imagine I'll stick with this one since it's been around for years (my earliest kitchen memory is helping my mom do the canning when I was about five) and I just seem to enjoy it more and more.
*this is a fairly common word on vegan blogs. Veganize=to make a standard recipe vegan.
I had no idea you were vegan. I'm working on it. Let me introduce you to a friend of mine who is also. Wes Novack screams veganism and loves it. Here is his post on it: http://wesnovack.com/vegan-what-do-you-eat-in-north-phoenix/
ReplyDeleteWhat is your favorite vegan recipe and why?
Wes' post is great! He recommends "The China Study." I just started it and love it. I have been vegetarian for years, but last year went vegan. I don't know that I have a favorite vegan recipe. Nearly every one I have tried has been delicious. I love recipes with beans (garbanzo, black, pinto, etc.) and some sort of green (spinach or kale in particular) and lots of tasty spices.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite summer dish is probably tomatoes and basil fresh from the garden with a bit of balsamic vinegar.