05 June 2007

Re-Inspired Cooking


One of my co-workers told me about a Sushi Salad with Thai dressing she saw on a morning talk show last week. i googled it looking for a recipe, but none of them sounded particularly appetizing (and most had shrimp or bonito).

i decided to figure out the salad on my own and wow did it work out. i cooked sushi rice for the base and mixed it with black sesame seeds. i used the vegetables i normally use when making sushi - and cut them "the sushi way". i thought about what i would want for a dressing and the thai dressing just seemed overpowering. i wanted something light to complement the rice and veggies, so i started by seasoning some rice vinegar with sugar and salt, then added sesame oil, thinly sliced pickled ginger, some of the juice from the pickled ginger jar and a squeeze of wasabi. i whisked it together and stirred it into the rice and vegetables, then topped it with a sheet of nori cut into thin diagonal slices. jay and i thought it captured the essence of sushi without the work of rolling.

i have been pretty un-inspired in my cooking lately but the thought of posting this creation to my blog has made me want to try more yummy foods - just to post them :) (and eat them of course).

03 June 2007

i watched Waitress pie


i went to see the movie "Waitress" today. It was a really fantastic movie and i highly recommend going to see it. It inspired me to want to make a pie and what better pie to make than Isa's "Black Bottom Peanut Butter Silk Pie" from Vegan with a Vengeance. The pie turned out really well - i have always thought that peanut butter and chocolate are the perfect pair. i made a few modifications to the recipe, nothing major though - more crust, less oil and more soymilk in the crust, more agar (mine didn't boil down to 1/3c.) and crunchy peanut butter in the filling, and of course - i used all organic ingredients. i called it - "i don't know what i want to do with my life organic pie".

i will definitely be making this one again. i always try to stick as close as possible to the original recipe the first time i make something. Next time, i think i will make a much thicker crust and pour 1/2 the peanut butter filling directly in the crust, then add the chocolate layer, then the other 1/2 of the peanut butter filling.