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Roasted Cauliflower and Kale with Tahini

I looked in my fridge and had half a bag of kale and a head of cauliflower. What to do? To the Google! I came across a recipe for roasted cauliflower and kale salad that I modified to create an incredibly satisfying dinner! And it’s vegan! Weird!

Roasted Cauliflower and Kale with Tahini
One head cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
about 4 cups raw kale, stemmed and cut into bite sized pieces
about 1/4 med red onion, sliced very thinly
1/2-3/4 cup toasted pine nuts (toasting makes them taste 100% better!)
1/2-3/4 cup golden raisins (or currants or any dried fruit you like)
Olive oil
S/P
about 1/2 cup tahini
Lemon Juice
Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tbl garlic paste (or 2 cloves garlic, minced/pasted)

Toss the cauliflower with lemon juice, olive oil and S/P and roast in a 400F oven for about 20 minutes or until soft and brown on the edges. While that is roasting, cook kale in a big pan with a bit of water until wilted but still bright green. Drain kale and toss in a large bowl with the raisins and onions. This will partially cook the onions.

Mix tahini, about 2 Tbl lemon juice, 1 Tbl rice wine vinegar, garlic and about 2 Tbl olive oil. Adjust the acids and S/P to your taste. The tahini might sieze up on you, that’s ok, it’ll mix well when it’s on the hot veg. Toss the dressing in with the warm kale. When the cauliflower is done, toss it in with the kale and add the pine nuts. Check to see if your flavours are right and adjust acids and S/P if needed. Serve immediately.

This is a surprisingly satisfying dish! It’s loaded with fibre and vitamins from the kale. Try it!

Heroes Con, here we come!

So it appears that our grand plans to gtfo of GA have been squelched by the shitty economy and lack of jobs. FINE.

We WILL NOT be denied!! ::shakes fist at Universe::

I’ve had to pull out every bit of patience in my being to deal with this. It’s immensely frustrating, yet I’m awash in CALM. WTF is that about? I’m afraid it’s my soul dying and giving up, to be honest. Either that or I’m becoming a Zen motherfucker in my old age. That has yet to be determined.

While the people in Phoenix are pretty cool, there is also an undercurrent of ageism that’s a little unnerving. I hope it’s just this one group we’ve run across (Ad2PHX, I’m looking at YOU) but it’s hard to tell. In any case, there ain’t SHIT in Nick’s fields of expertise (PrePress Manager and/or Macintosh Systems/Network Admin).

So here we sit.

It sucks to be stuck, but on the other hand, it’s not like we’re homeless. Nick’s got a good job (albeit boring as fuck) and I’ve picked up bookkeeping again. I’m trying really hard to think of this time as training time. I’m bugging everyone I know in the restaurant biz to let me come and cut veg in their kitchens. I really need some kitchen training. I want to make this stuck time count for something, dammit. At least I can learn more about running a restaurant and all that.

It was interesting when I was talking to Rob about it, he told me that I already know how to be a kitchen manager. I was surprised by that, but as it turns out, a KM is the numbers person, which I am. Who knew? THIS is why I need training! I need to know this shit!

To assuage our depression at being stuck in ATL for the immediate future, we have decided to go to Heroes Con. No table, of course, but just as attendees. I’m sure it’ll be a grand time and we certainly NEED it. We are heading to Wilmington NC afterwards to ogle the battleship and lay drunk on Wrightsville Beach. DAMN RIGHT.

Money be damned, that’s the plan. :)

My Checkered Career Path

I’ve done lots of stuff in my 47 years. I’m going to list off all the jobs I’ve had, the approximate time period and any comments about the job. I’m including internships and my rock n roll stuff, too.

First Job: Shoney’s waitress. During High School, early 80s.
Quincy’s Steakhouse: line girl
Domino’s Pizza: phones, delivery, pizza maker (Back when it was 30 mins or less!)
Long John Silver’s: Cod girl (aka morning shift prep) First full time job.

Got my first apartment around this time: Sans Souci Apartments approximately 1985.

Went to University of TN for a couple of quarters. Worked as Assistant Master Electrician in the theatre and worked security for concerts at the venue. MUCH FUN!! I lived with a couple of friends in a shitty student house in South Knoxville.

Ran off w/ the Mister Mister tour for a weekend.

Chili’s: waitress (awesome job, had WAY too much fun!)
American Favoritz Cafe: waitress (locally owned restaurant)

Met Dave Klepsig at this time, moved in with him at Londontown Apartments. I was also taking classes at Pellissippi State.

O’Charley’s: probably the shittiest restaurant job I’d ever had. Manager was a DICK who sexually harassed the waitstaff.

Moved to Atlanta to attend Art Institute of Atlanta for AA in Music Business. This was late ’87 or mid ’88.

Various office based temp jobs with several temp companies all over Atlanta.
Shop’n Save: mystery shoppers; hated it
OptiWorld: optometric technician (I did all the testing and acuity stuff before the Dr went in; loved it)
Interned at a radio consulting firm. Can’t remember the name, but it was very famous.
Gemini Agency: receptionist (big promo company in Atlanta and is still operating!)

Graduated Art Institute with a stupid AA and immediately enrolled at Georgia State University for a four year BA. Circa 1992.

Coffee Plantation: front counter (what Starshmucks calls a barista; LOVED IT)
SteinMart N Dekalb Mall: retail clothing (I worked women’s and men’s – I liked men’s the best)

I spent six weeks in Mexico with an exchange programme via Valdosta State circa 1993. Lived in Guadalajara and visited Guanajuato, Tlaquepaque, Laguna de Chapala and spent a few days in Mexico City (Distrito Federale). It was fun and VERY eye opening. Mexico is a shithole, no wonder people leave in droves. Really cranked up my white guilt, fer sure.

I graduated Georgia State in 1994 with a BA in Spanish w/ French minor. I’m grateful every day that I got a full degree.

I moved back to Knoxville after I graduated (in 95), mainly to get a new car since my poor little 85 CRX was on its last legs (I got my CURRENT vehicle, 94 Civic EX at this time). Andy and I had been living in my Derrydown Apartment, and he remained there. While back home I did these jobs:

SteinMart, Walker Springs: retail clothing, women’s.
Internship at a radio station in Knoxville, can’t recall which. Helped me get the next job.
Star 94 Radio: outside sales (HATED IT, but I did get the job thanks to the AA in Music Biz)
Softkey International: Macintosh software phone support. My entrée into GEEKDOM, ladies and gents. Fell in love with the Mac and being a geek. I’ve never looked back. I adored this job and the people I worked with. I still have friends from there.

Moved back to Atlanta with my new Mac skills. Moved back in with Andy and we moved up the street to a two bedroom apartment (circa 97).

On-site Training company: Macintosh instructor. (Not sure of year or the name of the company, it was a short gig. Enjoyed it.)
Creative Loafing Newspaper: Macintosh Systems Administrator (HATED THIS PLACE. Loved the job, but this company was rife with ageism, sexism and nepotism. It totally sucked and I was treated like shit.)
SteinMart, N Dekalb Mall: yes, again. Worked full time and really enjoyed it.
Starbucks Coffee: barista (SUCKED and I only worked there a few weeks, but it was the first store in ATL, tho, which was kinda cool)
Très Bien: front counter and retail specialist (locally owned gourmet sandwich shop in Decatur)

Started up my freelance Mac support company IndigoDragon Enterprises, circa 99.

Oracle 20/20 Magazine: Mac support and web admin (I still do web admin for them!)

Around 2000, I met my Nick at a Macintosh User Group meeting. I’d just revamped their website and he was all over me like a cheap suit. Ha! It was an instant attraction and I knew he was The One. :) Andy moved to California around this time.

Crescent Moon Eatery: weekend hostess (this job is one of the most influential in my life, circa 02)
Michael’s Coffee: barista (locally owned shop, didn’t last long)
Mimosa Salon: front desk and retail (they didn’t last long, either)

Alternative Dining (dba Crescent Moon Eateries): Accounts Payable, basic bookkeeping, contract negotiator and all other office duties (circa 03-04). This job turned out to be pivotal for me. I learned all about running a restaurant (from the numbers side, anyway) and it has been a big part of our wanting to open our own place. Rob (owner) taught me everything about running restaurants and I really loved this job and it also morphed into my doing the menus, graphics and the website as well. He expanded to two stores and the wheels fell off, leading to a sale of the whole thing around 07.

Changed IndigoDragon Enterprises to IndigoDragon Studios to reflect our new direction: webcomics. Think Weasel! was born and I was dabbling in jewelry and some other crafts. We love doing the comics. Nick did over 300 comics before taking a hiatus in mid 2012. We are still on hiatus, but the comics will be back.

Taqueria El Vecino: graphics, logo, menus, Tshirts, website, social media. This is Rob’s current endeavor, started in 08. I helped with the books initially, but he found someone else to do them so I was just media. Shortly after getting the taqueria going, he opened a small bakery for his wife, Carolyn’s Cupcakes, and we did all the media for that one, too.

And here we are in 2013. I’m getting ready to take over the books again for Rob and we are trying desperately to move to Phoenix to pursue our dream of having our own pub. I’ve not had a “real” job in a long time and I am virtually unemployable at this point. Which is probably for the best since I don’t play well with others. :) I’ve had a long and checkered career path but I wouldn’t change a thing. My diverse path has given me diverse skills and that, in turn, gives me the ability to do lots of things. I like that. I’ll update this list as time passes.

The Skin Tag Incident

I am plagued with skin tags. I hate those little bastards and they are all over my neck. I use the Tag Away stuff, which works sort of, to get them to dry up and be ready for excision. The first one came off relatively easily. Nick assisted with taking it off. But the one today. ARGH. That little bastard was holding on pretty good so cutting was necessary.

I pass out whenever anything involving needles or cutting is done to me. Yes, I even pass out for tattoos. Nothing I can do about it. So I was prepared to get woozy with this tag.

What I wasn’t prepared for is the hurty and the bleedy! Poor Nick! He’s game enough to offer his services as Tag Remover™, but he wasn’t prepared for the “Monty Python blood gush” as he put it. This one bled like crazy and he was running around trying to figure out what to do. Meanwhile, I’m bleeding everywhere and fighting the wooziness to instruct him how to make a gauze bandage. It was truly comical.

Larry the Llama is having a great day today, I’ll bet.

Bastard.

//end TMI post

Vegan Creamy Tomato Curry Soup

I do NOT cook vegan dishes normally, but I was trying out a variation on my creamy tomato soup and realised that this recipe is indeed vegan. Of course, I also added heavy cream as a variation and liked that best of all, but you can use 100% coconut milk and get great results. Caution, this soup is SPICY. If you don’t like a lot of spice, cut down the curry paste.

1 large can whole San Marzano tomatoes
Olive oil for sweating veg
3/4 cup mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions diced) Feel free to use frozen.
1 Tbl garlic paste (or 3 cloves minced garlic)
2 Tbl flour
1 Tbl red curry paste
1 tsp curry powder
1 or 2 small cans of coconut milk (the heavy creamy kind, not coconut water)
S/P
Sugar or agave

In a 2 qt saucepan, put a few turns of olive oil over med-hi flame and add mirepoix. Cook until the veg is translucent. Lower heat if it starts to brown, you want sweated, not sautéed. Add garlic, flour, curry paste and curry powder. Stir thoroughly. Crush in the SM tomatoes by hand. Stir. Add in one or two cans of coconut milk depending on how creamy you want it. I like it more creamy, so I use two small cans or one soup size can. At this point, cut the heat and use a stick blender to purée the veg. Or you can use a blender. Once the soup is as smooth as you want it, check S/P, add sweetener if it’s too acidic and then turn back on the heat. Bring to gentle boil for a couple of minutes, then simmer for another couple of minutes. Serve with crusty bread!

As I mentioned, I like the soup fine in this form, but if you’re not vegan and want a more creamy taste, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream. The spice of the curry still shines through, but the cream gives a lovely mouthfeel. Mmm!

This recipe yields about 6 cups or so.

Roasted Cauliflower and Kale with Tahini: I looked in my fridge and had half a bag of kale and a head of cauli... http://t.co/mCCbpsd2EQ about 2 hours ago from twitterfeed Reply Retweet Favorite
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I made another accidental vegan meal tonite. And we liked it! CRAZY! I'll write it up tomorrow. It involved kale, cauliflower and tahini.#fb about 14 hours ago from Twitter for Mac Reply Retweet Favorite