Vegan Mofo Vegan Iron Chef Chickpea Challenge

Katie always does Vegan Iron Chef challenges for Mofo and this year she's posting them at the main Vegan Mofo blog. I've never done one because I am not good at just tossing stuff about and coming up with something edible. But the first challenge ingredient posted was chickpeas and I just happened to have a pound soaking for a cookin' and I had no plans for them.

I am not too up on the hip vegan food trends, so I have never roasted a chickpea before. I decided to dice some onion and toss with the great garbanzos along with some olive oil, corriander, mustard seed, a wee bit of cumin, some pepper, some red pepper flakes and maybe one or two spices I am forgetting. They roasted for a good bit while I prepared cabbage vijita (cabbage sauteed with mustard seed, coriander and pepper) and then I dumped it all in a bowl for dinner.



Quite tasty! Now some of you may not think this is much of a recipe, most likely because it isn't, but I was pleased with the results of something new for me inspired by Vegan Mofo.

I Like Cats

During a recent west coast tour I took a lot of pictures of me with various cats. I just fucking love cats. They are great. So each Saturday I will have a photo of me with a cat. Because I can.
Tiny Mr. P. looks to the side. What is this?

Amazing Savings Find O' the Week

Each Friday I will be featuring my amazing find from Amazing Savings in Asheville, NC. This week, Dandies for $1.19.

Little Panda on the Prairie

Little House on the Prairie! I loved these books as a kid and I still do. My Thursday theme is veganizing recipes from The Little House Cookbook published in 1979.

First up is the rye 'n' injun bread that is mentioned in Farmer Boy and various other books. This is the bread they just toss together and put in the wood stove to cook over night. Ma and Laura were always just tossing stuff into bowls and pans and hours later pulling out some finished product.

To make this you will need:
1 1/2 c cornmeal
1 1/2 c rye flour
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 eggs -- I subbed 2 T flax mixed with about 3-4 T water
1 c cultured buttermilk -- I subbed in 1 c soymilk with 1 t apple cider vinegar mixed in.
3/4 c dark molasses

Heat the oven to 200. On the lower rack place a pan full of water. Grease your loaf pan.
Mix together the cornmeal, rye, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl mix together your flax eggs with the milk and molasses. Combine the two and stir until just moistened. Pour into your loaf pan and cover with a baking sheet. Place in the oven above the pan of water and let bake for 12 hours.


The result is a dense dark rye loaf. 12 hours seems like crazy talk, but it turned out quite fine. The top of mine sank in a bit but the bread wasn't a bit dry and I obviously went ahead and dug in before taking the photo for the blog. I am most excited to make this and have hunks of fresh brown bread with a mug of winter tea. And then I will round up my mending and sew up Pa's suspenders.

Panda Raps: Super Chip

I said, excuse me you're a hell of a chip
I mean my, my, my, my you're like a chocolate trip
I mean, you're so hip and I'm loving your dip
You're like sweeter than the chip with that whey on his lip, oh
Yes I did, yes I did, somebody please tell him who the F I is
I am panda cookie, I mack them chips up, bake shit up, and eat the cookie up

Tasteless Tablescapes

There's some grout that needs grouting in the bathroom and the trim in the living room needs a paint touch up. What did you think this was, a free dinner or something?

Panda With Cookie Giveaway

Check out the Vegan Mofo site for a chance to win my tofu pirate set o' adventure. You get the tofu pirate plush and my newest zine, The Tofu Pirate Comic Adventure Zine of Fun. Ends at midnight tonight and is open to international folks as well!