Friday, June 06, 2008

Comforting things.

Sunday was the first day of Australia's winter, so it’s no surprise that I’ve been wearing sweatpants a lot of the time, and that we’re still eating lots of good warm meals.

This one started as a green curry and turned into a bit of a catch-all soup. Red sweet potato, carrot, spinach, snow peas, zucchini, chickpeas, and little gluten chunks were all simmered away in a mix of coconut cream, stock, and green curry paste. A bit of lime juice stirred in added a bit of tang.

And here is a good Australian staple food: meat pie. But without the meat, of course. I rehydrated some tvp (chunks and mince, for some textural diversity) in vegemite stock. We sautéed some onion, eggplant, and grated carrot with some spices. Then we added some shiitake mushrooms and their soaking liquid, and turned it all into a gravy. Some BBQ sauce, some other spices, and then puff pastry make for a yummy meat pie that has Andy thinking about it even a few days later.

What is it about small spaces that cats find so comforting? Whenever we open up a cabinet or closet, Nacho runs in (sometimes dives in). I know this photo is very dark, but she made herself cosy in the pantry, on top of our stocks of soy milk.

I’m pretty sure there is nothing more comforting than apple crumble. This recipe is a slightly modified version of the one given to me by Vaala. Delicious cinnamon-y apples topped with oats, wheat bran, butter, brown sugar, and dried fruit was amazingly good warm from the oven, but was similarly good cold to fill the afternoon hunger after a bike ride.

Beautiful hibiscus flowers are a good reminder that, even when it gets a bit chilly, I still live in the tropics and it’s really not that bad. On Sunday the new Animal Rights Townsville group set up a table at the city’s Eco-Fiesta, and at the end of the day the Townsville Hibiscus Society handed me two of their blossoms.

Even hibiscus flowers like to get comfy at night. When we woke up before the sun for the scientific testing, the hibiscus flowers had closed up shop.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful flowers! I can't wait to live in the tropics.

Alicia said...

The flowers are so beautiful! I admit it, it's a little difficult to look at your warm comforting food while it's hot... But it looks amazing!

Liz Ranger (Bubble Tea for Dinner) said...

those flowers are such treasures, I had no idea hibiscus was that... well, tropical looking! and that meat pie... :O you've outdone yourself!

x said...

Hello, thanks for the comment on my blog.
Your apple crumbles look delicious!

Also, I found that image when I googled 'Vegan'. I assume it is a tshirt but I'm not aure where to get it. If I ever find it, I will let you know! xox

The Vegan Snorkeler said...

The hibiscus flowers are amazing! How cold does it get in the winter in the north? I'm looking into an Australian vacation in July or August of 2009.

Wheeler's Frozen Dessert said...

Those flowers are so pretty!

Vegan_Noodle said...

I always seem to forget that our seasons are flipped! Nacho looks so cozy in the cabinets! I wish it was cold enough here to cozy up to a bowl of that meat pie.

YOur hibiscus flowers are gorgeous! We have a hibiscus tree and I always love seeing the flowers wake up as the day goes on...

Bianca said...

Mmmm...vegemite stock...that "meat" pie looks wonderful. Stay warm...

Veggie said...

My cat used to do that all the time.

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