Good-bye, sweet Winston

Winston LeRoi Jones
6-24-98 - 10-27-10

We are heart-broken to loose our sweet boy, Winston. He brought us so much joy. He was a bright light and we miss him terribly.

When I fell sleep last night I didn’t know

That you would leave today.

You went so quickly and I’m left here

With all these things around me

That remind me that you are gone

And I don’t know what to do.

Your dinner bowl sits there

By the big green water bowl.

It still has speckles of your breakfast

And I can’t bear to wash it.

So your papa does it

And I can hear him crying.

Your toys are still in the basket

But I know you won’t mind

If I leave them there for

Your brother to use.

Your bed has a clean blanket because

I couldn’t stand to leave it empty.

Your papa cries again

This time because he found

Your brand new dog tag

Lying on his desk.

How will I sleep tonight

Without you curled into my belly?

Who will sit and give me the

Silent Stare that says “Let me out,”

But what it really means is

“Go get me a treat”?

Your brother doesn’t stand

At the door and bark like you do.

And I know I really need

To clean the blood spots off

The top stair but I don’t want to

Because it feels like

I am washing you away,

Sweet boy.

These tears keep on coming

Falling, rolling, pouring now.

They don’t wash away the hurt.

I knew that you would be leaving soon

But when I went to sleep last night

I didn’t dream it would be today.

My Favorite Things (or Things I Can't Cook Without).....

She's baaaaaaack.......

Sorry for the long absence. Life has been kinda nuts. Like I said in my last post, there has been a vacation (white-water rafting in Tennessee), 2 car accidents (a fender-bender on the freeway and the garage door opener malfunctioned and smashed my car), a bad case of bronchitis which set off my asthma in a big way, work madness, and lots of fun stuff going on in the sports and fitness ministry of my church, where I volunteer teaching spin and doing other cool stuff.

Then there is the fact that my little poodle, Winston, is sick with a mysterious illness that causes his nose to bleed. That all by itself has made me a basket case. The last severe bleed put him in the veterinary ICU for 4 days. He is home now and sometimes he goes for 3-4 days with no bleeding, but usually there is at least a small trickle of blood. I say mysterious because the vets that have examined him all concur that this is most likely a nasal carcinoma, but all the scopes and scans he has had reveal nothing other than inflammatory tissue. No tumor at all. He doesn't act sick - he eats well and he is energetic and happy and doesn't act like a 12-year-old dog.

Statistically, dogs who demonstrate this kind of bleeding and are diagnosed with kind of cancer are usually dead within 90 days of diagnosis. Winston's first bleed occurred over 2 years ago. I don't know - maybe it's his vegan diet keeping him alive. And maybe it's his sweet nature and tenacious spirit.

I'm happy to say that I am healthy and exercising again, although the bronchitis interrupted my training for the Army 10-miler to the point that I had to withdraw from the race. Sorry Jenny - you're gonna rock it even without your mom! You too, Jason!

I've been relying on lots of tried-and-true favorite standby recipes. Not much experimenting or innovating lately. So, I thought I'd write about some of the things you will always find in my pantry, spice cabinet, fridge/freezer. If I have these things on hand, I can always come up with a tasty, healthy vegan meal. These are items that I will buy even if they aren't an ingredient in my meal plan for the week, just because there will usually be a glitch in the plan or something unexpected come up during the week where I need something quick and easy. So, here they are, in no particular order.



With Vegenaise (I think this is the only decent-tasting vegan mayo) and some relish (I like dill best), I can use a can of chickpeas, some poultry seasoning, and some celery seed to make chickpea salad. Makes yummy sandwiches!



Vital gluten for seitan, vegan sausages, or chickpea cutlets is a must.



Many different herbs and spices. Cumin, ginger, cumin seed, fennel seed, coriander, thyme, basil, rosemary, chili powders (ancho, chipotle, regular - several to choose from), marjoram, herbs de provence, poultry seasoning, several paprikas, several curry powders, garam masala, saffron, fenugreek.... the list goes on and on. If I have to choose a few I can't live without, I'd have to say cumin, cumin seeds, coriander, basil, thyme, and a couple I'll mention later. Thanks to Paul for installing the sheet of stainless steel which holds the magnetized canisters.



Yeah, I know this is funky-looking. These are chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. They come in a small can in the Mexican foods section. I never use but one or two of them at a time, so I put the rest in a plastic freezer bag and store them in the freezer til I need them. These are delicious in Cashew Chili-Lime Sauce.



For soups or stews.



Pan-roasted broccoli is the BEST!



Tahini for roasted cauliflower, seitan, or hummus.



Slice these sausages up with cabbage or pizza or grill them just like brats!



Sometime I just like a bowl of rice cooked in broth.



I always have several types of pasta. Rotini or fusilli is my favorite because the ridges hold whatever sauce you use. Easy tomato sauce and Cashew Chili-Lime sauces are my favorites.



Always buy organic soy milk. Organic will never be made from genetically modified soy beans. I like to have unsweetened on hand for sauces that don't need to be sweet.



I go through this stuff like water.



Coconut milk - the large can is the lite to save calories. Bit I keep a small can of full fat when I want more richness and flavor. For Asian recipes, especially soups, and adding richness to baked goods.



These are the best canned tomatoes ever. Throw a can in the blender, add one clove of garlic, some basil and thyme, an a bit of salt. Process, then add a little unsweetened soymilk. Heat. Voila! Almost instant Tomato Bisque!



I keep a variety of canned beans on hand. Hummus, chickpea cutlets, soups, chickpea salad. Lots of quick easy meals start with a can of beans.



Had to include this tea. We make tea in our coffee maker. It's crazy how much tea we drink. Four tea bags and 1/2 cup raw sugar make one gallon of the best iced tea any southern girl ever drank!



Red lentils are a life saver! They are a great meat substitute in pasta sauce and make a delicious dahl. Even my dogs eat red lentils!



Paul loves to snack on these,but I keep them on hand to make Cashew Chili-Lime Sauce, which takes about 5 minutes to make and is wonderful on veggies and pasta.



Red pepper flakes are one of those things I try to never run out of. Even if you don't want much heat in a dish, red pepper flakes add depth and flavor to any recipe.



Yes, fresh is always better, but when you're in a hurry...... And note, these are GRANULES not powder. Yes, there is a difference.



Smoked paprika, how do I love thee...... I love thee in cabbage, I love thee in seitan, I love thee in vegan sausages...... If you have never tried it, you really must buy some smoked paprika. It is my new favorite spice.



I really cannot cook without these wonderful veggie cubes. Rice, soups, seitan, I use them in everything!



Full spectrum sea salt has not been bleached or processed. It has less sodium and lots of trace minerals, including iodine, that are lost when salt is processed. Try some pink Himalayan sea salt and you'll never go back!



My kitchen shuts down when I run out of nutritional yeast. Really. I use it just abut everything. Seitan, salads, sauces, you name it. I try to buy it in bulk and when I have to buy the cannister, I save it to store the yeast in.



This is one of those ingredients that once you try it, you'll use it in everything. Use it in any recipe that calls for soy sauce and in many recipes instead of salt.

So, there are most the things I have on hand on any given day. I'm sure there are probably other things I could have mentioned, but these are the biggies.

What are the ingredients you can't do without? I have learned about many of these items by reading other blogs. Leave me a comment. Maybe I'll learn about a new can't-live-without ingredient!

Spicy Southwestern "Steak" Salad, a rainy race day, and a sick puppy

Looks like a wet, stormy weekend has begun. Paul is running the Derby Festival Mini-marathon this morning with about 15,000 of his closest friends. Sadly, I am not running it this year. Stepped in a hole in the back yard on Easter Sunday playing badminton and badly strained my calf muscle. There are more races to come, but this one is special and I hate missing it. Praying that the storms hold off for another few hours and that all the runners finish safely.

***UPDATE ON THE RACE: Paul finished in 2:47. This by the man who used to weigh over 430 pounds!! SO proud of him!!!

One of our poodles, Winston, has been having nosebleeds off and on for the past year. He had a massive bleed on Thursday and scared me to death. The vet can't find a tumor or any other cause for the bleeding. Mostly it has been an inconvenience because he sneezes blood all over the place, but this one was different. He is 12 years old, but is so healthy in every other way. Worries me. I love my fur babies......


Top - my sweet Winston. Above - Winston interrupting Paul's daily crunches.

Okay, on to a brighter note.

Here is the first of at least a couple of recipes that I will be sharing using Delight Soy products. If you have ever eaten vegan General Tso’s Chicken, vegan Beef and Broccoli, or vegan Southwest Steak Salad from Whole Foods’ salad/hot bar, then you are already familiar with these products. I did not know until recently that you can special order them from their deli department. Check these products out at this website: http://www.delightsoy.com/product.php

Here are some observations about these products:

• I had to order in advance (2-3 days) and in bulk. I ended up with 5 pounds of popcorn chicken and 3 pounds of sliced beef. Both came frozen.

• The popcorn chicken comes with or without General Tso’s sauce. I originally ordered it without the sauce, but when I got home, I found that they had given me the product with sauce. I wasn’t very happy about that, but I made my own sauce anyway and added it when I made the General Tso’s. It was still yummy. I will be blogging about that recipe on another post, hopefully within the next few days.

• This stuff ain’t cheap. I paid $8.99 a pound for both the chicken and beef products. It’s worth it, however, if you have a special meal to prepare or just want to treat yourself!

• I like the popcorn chicken much better than the beef. That isn’t to say the beef isn’t good. In fact, both products are so much like the real thing I have to keep reminding myself that it is not a dead animal! The recipe I am posting this time uses the beef, although I am sure you could use the chicken instead – we had already eaten up all the chicken when I made this and I needed to finish up the beef.

I made two batches of this. Paul loved it and says it’s “Reneé at her very best – tasty, spicy, pretty, healthy, and very filling.” Awww…. thanks sweetie…….

You can substitute tofu, seitan, or even marinated tempeh for the sliced beef. But I recommend trying the sliced beef at least once! Try to make the vinaigrette a day in advance so the flavors can meld.

Spicy Southwestern Steak Salad

Salad
16 oz. Delight Soy sliced beef (or substitute of your choice)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
*2 cups roasted corn kernels, fresh or frozen will work
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
2 red peppers, thinly sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, sliced, with green parts
8 oz grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 head romaine, torn into bite-sized pieces
1-2 heads red leaf lettuce (depending on size), torn into bite sized pieces

Spicy Vinaigrette
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of 2 limes
**½ tsp chipotle chili powder
**½ tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp onion granules
1 heaping tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbs dried cilantro
2 tsp salt

Preparation
In a 9” x 13” glass baking dish, combine all the salad ingredients except for the lettuce. Toss to combine well. Set aside.

Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a glass jar with screw-on lid or in one of those make-it-at-home bottles that come with packaged dry salad dressing mixes. Shake vigorously until emulsified.

Pour ½ of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat everything. Reserve the rest for serving at the table. Cover and chill for a couple of hours, if possible. Note: some diced avocado would be fabulous on this. Although I adore avocado, I am severely allergic to it, so you won't see it in anything I make. So sad......

Garnish with toasted slivered almonds. Serve over the lettuce with the extra dressing on the side.

*To roast the corn, preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly spray a baking pan with non-stick spray. Spread the kernels out in a single layer in the pan and roast until brown. It should take 10-12 minutes. Watch it so it doesn’t burn! Alternately, roast the corn on top of the stove in a dry cast iron skillet.

**If you prefer less heat, use 1tsp of regular chili powder plus a tiny pinch of cayenne. The chipotle and ancho chili powders, however, give it a wonderfully smoky taste and smell!

Pantry Challenge Day 10 - Beans, Greens, and Barly Soup and some Doggie Treats

This really is day 10 of the pantry challenge we started the first week of January. It's crazy how little we have actually spent on groceries in the past two weeks. I am beginning to suspect, however, that once I decide to actually grocery shop normally, I'm gonna be out of EVERYTHING! Either way, it's been fun!

It's a cool, rainy Sunday. For lunch we had Amy's No-Cheese Pizza with shredded mozzarella-style Follow Your Heart cheeze. That doesn't mean I didn't cook today, though! Still in pantry challenge mode, I used a bunch of leftovers to create this soup, and from initial tasting, it's a keeper!

I cooked a big pot of dried beans last week and had a bunch of those left. I also had some leftover tomato soup, a couple of carrots and the end of a stalk of celery. I used all of these plus a bag of frozen collards.

When I cook dried beans, I usually do it in a crock pot on low for 5-6 hours (or while I am at work). I season them with 2-3 dried chipotle peppers and don't salt them until they are done cooking. I'm sharing this with you now because the flavor of these beans really contributes to this soup. Here's how it went together:

Beans, Greens, and Barley Soup

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (fire roasted, of course)
5-6 cups water
3 Rapunzel vegetable bullion cubes
1 cup pearled barley
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup chopped celery
1 onion, chopped (or 2 tbs onion flakes)
1 bag frozen greens (I used collards)
3-4 cups cooked beans
salt and pepper to taste

Combine tomatoes, water, and bullion cubes in a dutch oven or soup pot. Bring to a boil and add barley. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20-25 minutes.

While the barley is cooking, slice the carrots and chop the celery.

After cooking the barley, add the carrots, celery, onion, and greens. Return to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Stir in the beans, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Cook for another 10- 15 minutes. For a beefier flavor, add a couple teaspoons of marmite and a couple teaspoons of Kitchen Bouquet.

This is gonna make some killer lunches this week!

Peanut Butter Dog Treats
Now for something that's just fun! Here is the recipe for the treats I give to our poodles, Winston and Wesley. They love, love, love these things and beg (politely, of course) for them!

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 1/2 - 2 tbs unsulphured molasses
2-3 tbs canola oil
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine everything except water. Process until the mixture is fine and crumbly.

While food processor is running, add the water, a little at a time, until a dough forms and no longer sticks to the sides of the food processor bowl. Add a bit more water or flour as needed.

Roll the dough out to about 1/2" thick. Use a pizza cutter to cut into the size squares you desire. If you're really cool and have a bone-shaped cookie cutter, use that!

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for about 20 minutes, turning after the first 10 minutes. Cool. Let the begging begin!

NOTES: Some dogs are sensitive to wheat. The whole wheat pastry flour can be replaced with brown rice flour or cooked quinoa. If you use cooked quinoa, reduce the amount of water you use in the recipe. For a little variety for your puppers, the peanut butter can be replaced with the same amount of steamed sweet potato.

"Treats, please......"