Yummy Fun!

Hello! Remember when I posted about winning a copy of Amey (from Vegan Eat & Treats)'s cookbooklette? Well, it arrived a few weeks ago. 

Isn't the cover adorable? There are cute illustrations on almost every page.

All the recipes sound scrumptious, but I decided to try the Quinoa-Corn Chowder with Limas.

This is such a great stew! I love quinoa, but I've only ever had it/served it as a side dish. Its light texture is a nice alternative from rice. Besides the lima beans and corn, there's red potatoes, plum tomatoes, and sriracha. Yes, sriracha as a main ingredient! It gave the chowder a bright, slightly spicy taste. It wasn't too spicy for J, who thought this was one of the best things I've made recently. So I'm sure this chowder will be popping up on the blog again. :)

 For dessert, J and I had the Vanilla Chia Tapioca Pudding from Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet. I bought a copy of CSD at least six months ago. I've been wanting to do the 21 Adventure Cleanse, but frankly, am intimidated. You drink a lot of green juices (which I'm still not that comfortable with), an optional day of fasting, and basically 21 days of whole foods with an emphasis on raw. It's the raw part that gets me. To be honest, I prefer most vegetables cooked than raw. I don't even really like raw cauliflower or broccoli, the stuff most people happily gobble up with dip.

I think I'll try the Cleanse sometime in the near future. In the meantime, I'm trying to cozy up to the idea by trying some of the recipes included in the book. Dessert sounded like a great way to start.

Here's a picture of the chia tapioca. It's not that great of a picture, but it's delicious!! The chia seeds replace the tapioca pearls, and cinnamon, vanilla extract, and agave nectar give it a mildly sweet taste. The recipe called for hemp seed or brazil nut milk, but umm, I just used rice milk. It's so nice to have a healthful, guilt-free dessert.

Snow Days, Gray Sweaters

Remember that boring gray sweater I mentioned a few posts ago? Well, I finally finished it last night. I decided to add a stripe of variegated color (from yarn I hand-dyed) on each sleeve to break up the monotony. :) Here's all the knitterly information

Project: Go-To Pullover from Get Started Knitting. It looks like this book is out of print, but Amazon has a few used copies.

Needle Size: US 8 

Yarn: Cascade 220, colorway 880, and Cascade 220 in cream which I overdyed in variegated colors. 

This was supposed to be a turtleneck, but I decided to make it a crewneck instead. Oh, and my gauge was all whacked-out on this one. I had to frog and re-knit a smaller size, because the sweater I was originally knitting would have easily fit two of me. Maybe even three. 

J's sick, which meant we stayed in last night. Then today it snowed and the roads were unplowed and icy for most of the day, so I skipped my spinning class and decided to use my leftover sweater yarn to knit a sweater for the dog. Her first handknit sweater!

Project: Little Penny Sweater from Doggie Knits by Corinne Niessner. 

Needles: US 5 and 6 circular

Yarn: See my gray sweater info :) 

See the matching stripe? 

J couldn't resist taking a picture of both of us, wearing our matching sweaters. 

And now for a trade comic book review. Gotham City Sirens: Strange Fruit by Peter Calloway and Tony Bedard. I borrowed this from the library because it features Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and Harley Quinn living in one apartment, and fighting crime together. It seemed like a fun title about women superheroes kicking butt. Unfortunately, not so much. The arcs collected in this trade were lackluster, and the characters not very well-developed. Each of these female characters are interesting in their own right, but portrayed here, they seem like watered down versions of themselves. I won't be picking up the other trades. 

Aw Yeah Tiny Titans!

I took half a day from work because of a nail-biting specialist's appointment, which luckily turned out well. I was also in and out of the doctors' office in 45 minutes -- and that's having undergone two procedures! Anyway, it was quite clear that celebration was in order, so I headed to Phantom of the Attic. None of this week's comics appealed to me except this gem: 

Tiny Titans! I heard that this children's comic book was fantastic from numerous sources, but wasn't sure if it would be too babyish of a read. Of course, I did read Chi's Sweet Home ... so yeah, that was a dumb concern. This issue is charming and cute and certain panels made me laugh out loud. Sadly, DC has announced that they're cancelling this title after #50, which is just two issues away! Sigh.

I've read the first eight trade paperbacks of Fables, but then lost interest. Honestly, I can't pinpoint a reason why. But I saw the ninth trade at the comic book store a few weeks back, and bought a copy. And it was really good! The Homelanders are preparing for war against the Fables and all of Mundy (i.e. human). Snow and Bigby's wolf-children are getting older and developing interesting personalities of their own. Oh, and the artwork is great, with a noir flair. My only complaint about this volume, and of what I've read before, is that the female characters aren't very memorable. You could argue that either Snow or Rose Red are the strongest female characters, but in this arc they are confined to supporting roles. To his credit, Bill Willingham has announced a spin-off series called Fairest, debuting in March, which will feature the women of Fables. Very exciting! 

One more graphic novel to review: Lynda Barry's lovely One Hundred Demons! God, I loved this book. It's funny, heartbreaking, insightful, and true. Each section is a "demon" Barry tackles, based on an ancient Zen  practice. These includes Barry's Filipino heritage, her painful descent into teenagehood, and quirky thoughts on hate and what it means to hate another person. The art is beautiful. I highly recommend this book!

Now onto the vegan food. J and I are just to going to have leftovers tonight, but the other day we had Tapas Night! 

This basically meant that I got really hyper and cooked a whole bunch of different dishes. From the top left hand corner: Polish Neighborhood Soup (leftover from the previous day), Warm Spinach and Mushroom Salad from Ripe From Around Here, polenta mishmash, and an adapted version of Southern Bowl: Chipotle Black-Eyed Peas (regular mashed potatoes without maple syrup, and no collard greens).

Here's a closer view:

Earlier this week, I made Pasta Puttanesca from Quick and Easy Vegan Celebrations by Alicia C. Simpson. Quick and easy are the key words here. This tasty linguine dish required the chopping of garlic, and then the ability to stir. Really. It took less than twenty minutes to make.

It's All About the Soup

When winter rolls around, I kick into super-hyper soup mode. I make at least one soup per week. Tonight I found myself with a craving for cabbage, plus leftover red potatoes from the corn chowder last week. I looked through the cookbooks I borrowed from the library and decided on Polish Neighborhood (Cabbage Potato) Soup from Jae Steele's Ripe From Around Here. 

This soup has Tofurkey Beer Brats in it! I'd never tried the beer brats before, and they're really good. J described them as tasting like "real bratwurst, but without the grainy bits." Here here to no grainy bits! 

Apple cider vinegar and caraway seeds give this soup a tangy aftertaste. With a nice loaf of Italian bread, this made a hearty, warming dinner. 

 Okay ... you know how I wrote that I was committed to reading the new Batgirl series? Well, #5 came out this week. I read it as soon as I got home from the comic book store. And, well, it was kind of lacking. In just about everything. I've read other bloggers' complaints about Barbara's constant narration. It didn't bother me until this issue. At first, I thought the narration was charming because it showcased all of Barbara's insecurities. But now it seems like more of a cop-out. Instead of artwork that really shows us her anxieties about being a superheroine again, or a compelling plot line, we get what is basically a tepid voice-over.

I was thinking about putting together an official pull list (comics my local store will reserve for me on a weekly basis), and Batgirl will not be on it. I'll pick up #6 from the shelves next month, just to give it one final chance.

What will be on my impending pull list? Batwoman, Animal Man, Rachel Rising, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I'm still interested reading in Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey, and Swamp Thing. Oh, and I will pick up a copy of Dial H when it comes out. DC recently announced the cancellation of six titles, and six new ones. Dial H is one of these new titles, with China Mieville at the helm. Here's an interview with Mieville. The premise sounds pretty interesting.

Despite my excitement about Dial H, the cancellations seem a bit premature to me. As Sue from DC Women Kicking Ass points out here, several of these titles feature men of color, which is troubling. It also makes me feel guilty that I wasn't picking up issues of O.M.A.C or Static Shock.

Okay, time to eat half a gigantic piece of chocolate "cheesecake" from Good Foods Co-op. Here is the cheesecake in question. 

Corn Chowder and Animal Man!

I've finally been doing some slightly innovative (i.e. not taco night, spaghetti, salad, or our weekly intake of Indian food) cooking. Corn chowder from the wonderful Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook and Southern Bowl: Chipotle Black-Eyed Peas with Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Collard Greens from Jae Steele's Get it Ripe. 

Mmm. Corn chowder with red potatoes. Is there anything better than red potatoes? With a little bit of celery to liven things up. All the recipes in Skinny Bitch are consistently excellent. I can't wait to try more. :)

I subbed kale for collard greens in the Southern Bowl. So good. I'm happy I finally picked up a copy of Get it Ripe. I borrowed this cookbook multiple times from the library, and found it at an amazingly low price at Half Price Books this weekend.

And now, on to..... (drum roll!)

Animal Man #1, 2, 3, and 4 by Jeff Lemire! I mentioned I picked up #1 and 2 at the Monroeville Phantom of the Attic last weekend. I liked those issues so much I swung by the Oakland PoA and got #3 and #4. #5 just came out last week, but sadly was sold out.

This is such a weird, amazing, fascinating book. Buddy Baker is Animal Man, a semi-retired superhero with a wife and two kids. His four-year daughter begins to show signs of having terrific powers of her own, starting off by re-animating all the dead pets in the neighborhood when her father tells her she can't have a dog. There is a creepily endearing scene where she's attempting to feed milk to a skeleton cat. 

Anyway. They journey off into a mystical zone called the Red, while Baker's wife and older son are fighting for their lives against a grotesque skin-stealing entity. Oh, and there's a talking cat that comes to Baker and his daughter's aid! Not the cat I mentioned earlier, this one comes from the Red and has all its furry parts.

As the cover of the first issue attests, some of the art in Animal Man is disturbing. This is actually the reason I put off buying an issue for so long. I kept staring at the covers at the comic book store and thinking to myself, Ewww. But it's a great story. Jeff Lemire's writing makes you care intensely about the fate of this family, and the implications of the Red and the Rot for the world at large. I can't wait to read #5. 

Thoughts on the New 52, Plus Adventures in Vodka Infusion!

So. DC's New 52 are on their fifth issues (or will be in the next few weeks). This massive reboot was intended to draw new readers into the DC universe, making the comics accessible. I am one of those new readers -- I never picked up a DC comic book before the relaunch. It was through comic book podcasts that I became interested in the New 52, so I ended up picking quite a few of the #1 issues.

I started out with Justice League Dark, All-Star Western, Batgirl, and Batwoman. Of these original four titles, I dropped two of them after reading the third issue. Justice League Dark has a great premise behind it: apocalyptic events are occurring due to the machinations of the Enchantress, and the traditional superheroes (Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman) are unable to save the world. Enter a hodge podge of occult-based superheroes (and possibly villains?), who must assemble themselves and take charge. In this case, I feel that there just wasn't enough of an introduction to Madame Xanadu, Zatanna, and company, especially for someone with a zero superhero comic book background. There are too many characters, and while the art is nice and the plot interesting, I feel like I'd have to read some kind of back story for each member of JLD to truly understand what's going on and why it's so significant that this particular cast of characters are being put together on one team. Honestly, I don't care enough to do the extra work. I decided not to pick up the fourth issue of this one. 

All-Star Western was a title I was initially very excited about. I saw the Jonah Hex movie and thought he was interesting enough to follow in a comic book. I also liked the idea of a western set in early Gotham City. Oh yeah, and there's a Jack-the-Ripperesque serial killer on the loose. What could be better than that premise? Sadly, I didn't like this one. Jonah Hex is actually not that compelling of a character. More disturbingly, there are no memorable female characters anywhere in the first three issues. They are either prostitutes who are then immediately murdered, or timid, nameless shopgirls. I realize that this is the Old West, and women aren't running around emancipated, but surely they could have more a personality or function! At the end of the third issue, a young woman who has been abducted by a group of renegades is summarily killed in the street. This signified the end of All-Star Western for me. 

For many DC readers, the first issue of Batgirl was a source of controversy. Barbara Gordon was the second Batgirl, but was shot and paralyzed by Joker in 1988. She was then replaced by a succession of two new Batgirls, while forging ahead to create her new persona, Oracle. Oracle became a beloved superheroine and the founder of Birds of Prey. She was also the only disabled superhero in the DC universe. I found this wonderful essay on Barbara Gordon here. I didn't know any of this when I first read Batgirl #1, of course. I didn't understand how offensive it might be for DC to erase Barbara Gordon's past as Oracle (which it appears they have essentially done), opting instead for a miraculous cure that allowed her to regain use of her legs. 

So now I know. And still, it will not deter me from picking up issue 5 when it comes out. Barbara Gordon is charming in this new series, a bit awkward and unsure of herself, still traumatized by her past. Gail Simone writes Batgirl as a three-dimensional person, and I'm interested in her ongoing adventures.

At the same time, I plan on picking up the graphic novels of Barbara Gordon's previous incarnation as both Batgirl and Oracle. I'm also going to read about the other two prominent Batgirls, Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown. 

I cheated a little when it came to Batwoman. I heard through the podcast/blog grapevine about Batwoman: Elegy, which is the graphic novel about the events preceding the first issue of the 52. There was nothing but wonderful reviews about Elegy, so I read it before picking up #1. And indeed, it was lovely. So is this new Batwoman series. Kate Kane is an assertive, brave woman who stands up for her ideals. She is also a formidable superhero. And wow, the art in this is freaking gorgeous. I'm so excited about issue #5. 

I picked up the first two issues of Animal Man at the comic book store yesterday. I haven't had the time to read it yet, but I have a lot of respect for writer Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth is brilliant!), so I expect to add this to my New 52 pull list. 

I'm also hearing good things about Birds of Prey (despite the absence of Oracle), Wonder Woman, and Swamp Thing. I might wait until these come out in trades to pick them up, however. 

In non-comic book news, I'm catching up on Doctor Who, Season Six, Part Two. I love Doctor Who, and it's even more enjoyable on the new blu-ray player I got for Christmas! I'm thinking about picking up the blu-ray copies of David Tennant's run as Doctor Who, just so I see the episodes in HD. Tennant is my favorite Doctor, hands down.

I've been kind of slacking off in the kitchen, but I did manage to make a nice batch of tofu scramble this morning. J reminded me that we had flour tortillas in the fridge, so we made insanely huge breakfast burritos.

I also made a small jar of Lifesaver candy cane-infused vodka. For some reason, J got a crapload of vodka for Christmas this year. I'm not much of a drinker, but I had a tiny amount of green apple vodka over the holidays, and liked it enough to try my own experiment using Lifesaver flavored candy canes. 

Here it is, after I added the vodka to the candy canes. 

And here it is, a few hours later. Look how pretty it is! 

2012 = Gluttony?

New Year's Eve started out with truffles. I planned on making the Decadent Chocolate Truffles from The Vegan Table for Christmas, but an unexpected trip to the emergency room made that kinda impossible. So my mother and I made a batch of them for New Year's Eve instead. 

I rolled them in walnuts pieces, crushed graham crackers, and crystalline candy sprinkles. The candy sprinkled truffles were seriously sweet (really, what did I expect?), but the other two varieties were the perfect balance of salty and sweet. Here's a close-up picture:

I ended up munching on the leftovers for almost a week. Delicious, but definitely indulgent. I probably shouldn't eat any more desserts for a month and a half! 

Speaking of indulgence, my Christmas comic book/graphic novel haul was pretty impressive. 

Jeff Lemire's Sweet Tooth! I've been dying to read this for months now.

And the complete edition of Terry Moore's Echo! Love, love, love.

My brother also lent me his copy of Planetary volume one, by Warren Ellis and John Cassady, and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller. 

Oh yeah, and I'm going to the local comic book tomorrow!!!

So lots of indulgence going on in all areas except yarn. I've accumulated quite a stash over the past year, and am now trying to "knit it down." Here's the first project of 2012, made with a skein of yarn my brother gave me last Christmas. 

For all you yarnies out there, it's a lovely skein of Noro Silk Garden. And yup, so not vegan. I have a soft spot when it comes to non-vegan yarn.

I'm currently working on a slouchy gray turtleneck pullover, made with Cascade 220 yarn. The biggest challenge so far is the color. I typically knit with bright, vibrant yarn, but sometimes you really don't want to wear a bright pink or sparkling blue sweater. But gray can an be awfully boring color to knit with. 

I wanted to share my thoughts on DC's new 52, but since this is a pretty long post, I think I'll save it for next time.