Vegan Meetup Picnic -- Furry 5k -- Andy's bday

The Seattle Vegan Meetup group (meetup.com) is having a potluck picnic on Saturday, June 6th. I went to the 4th of July picnic last year and it was fun. There was also a LOT of delicious vegan food. I hope I see you Seattle peeps there.

~~~~~

The Furry 5k is on Sunday, June 7th. It raises money for the Help the Animals Fund, which provides veterinary care and supplies for sick, injured or abused orphaned shelter animals.

I'll be taking the walking option w/ Kobie, Andy, some friends and possibly a new foster dog. Kobie loves to hang out and eat sandwiches, which is what we'll be doing after the walk.

~~~~~

Andy's bday was this month. I decided to make him a bday feast. 4 items doesn't make a feast, but I was tired all the same.

I made miso soup (no pic) using this stock recipe (dashi). It was the easiest stock I've ever made. Just boil up some kombu and dried shitake mushrooms, then strain.

I asked Andy if he wanted green tea, he said "can't we have orange soda"? About 1/2 way through the meal, I asked him why he wasn't drinking his "tea". Apparently, he confused the orange soda (in the teapot)for green tea because natural soda is not nuclear orange.


I made the chinese dumpling recipe that I got in a class I took at PCC. It worked out well because it called for rehydrated shitake mushrooms, so I used the ones from the dashi I had made. They were perfection. I cheated and used a gyoza press.

3 kinds of Sushi. (V'con Elephant Roll: avocado & chopped peanuts), (teriyaki tofu/green onion/red pepper/cilantro), (avocado)

Tomato Soup Cake with lemon glaze & zezt. The recipe is from Passions, a truly bizarre soap that was cancelled. It is a spice cake.

Campbell's tomato soup is accidentally vegan. I replaced the butter w/ Earth Balance, eggs with Ener'G egg replacer, milk with a soy/rice milk blend. I typically tone down the amount of certain spices, but I followed the recipe on the spices. The batter should be sort of thick, but not so thick that it is hard to smooth in the pan. I always add more soy milk. The batter looks really nasty, but when it's baked, it looks and tastes really good.

Lemon glaze = powdered sugar, lemon juice, soy milk, vanilla. You just add stuff until it's the right consistency. Start with powdered sugar, then slowly add/mix lemon juice. I add soy milk when it starts to taste too lemony, but is still too thick. When I'm happy w/ the consistency, I add in about 1 tsp of vanilla. You have to taste it a lot. As you can see from the picture, I always make a huge mess with this stuff.
In honor of Andy's bday, Peepa practiced yoga pose #2329B aka Downward Facing Tummy Lick. Yes, he is cleaning his stomach.

Hillside Quickies Saturday Brunch

Somehow I'm about 5 posts behind. I have lots to blog about because I have been stuffing myself w/ really good food lately. In fact, I'm currently eating a vanilla glazed doughnut from Mighty-O's. I blame it on PirateWA because he was eating one when I went into PCC to buy a tomato.

The U District Hillside Quickies started serving brunch on Saturday (only) and it is really good. It all starts w/ a choice of beverage (bottomless if I rememeber correctly) and muffins. I hit the blueberry jackpot with mine. What you're looking at is not french toast. It's 2 super thick perfectly browned tasty pancakes coated in maple syrup. I'm still dreaming about them.

It shared it's plate with fruit compote and scramble. It was a really unique and delicious scramble. If you aren't a saltoholic, then ask them to use less salt.
Oh yeah! Of course Andy had to order the biscuits and gravy, and I was super crabby because we ususally split our plates. My crabbiness disappeared after my first bite. I hereby proclaim that Hillside has the best biscuits and gravy in Seattle, hands down.

Guava, I really hope that you are reading this right before a meal so that you are forced to whip up a batch of biscuits and gravy. And of course, tater tots.

~~~~~

No pics, but I volunteered at the greyhound booth at the Puyallup farmer's market this weekend. The purpose of the booth is to promote greyhound adoption. Somebody stopped by with an Italian greyhound. They are so tiny compared with the kind you typically see in the US.

I should be getting my next foster soon...

~~~~~

Now that the weather is much better, I love to lay around in the cat cage and knit whilst listening to books on tape. We're currently about 1/3 of the way through Wizards First Rule. We're also watching the TV series based on this book, The Legend of the Seeker. I have already read the book, but figured since Andy was so far behind with his reading that he'd never get to the book. Plus I like being confused with how the book differs from the TV show.

As you can see, the cats are just as leechy outside as they are inside. Poor Andy has to share his lawn chair with the likes of The Judge and Tubs.

Dear Vegan Assistant,

Yes, I am grouchy. Perhaps this wouldn't be so if you did your job and massaged my back instead of annoying me w/ that camera all the time. How is one supposed to enjoy life if the catnip bowl is half full?

Yours Truly,
Spotted Devil Cat