Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale

Sierra Nevada
Southern Hemisphere Harvest
Fresh Hop Ale

6.7%

Brewed and bottled in Chico, CA

Look: Amber/Carmel colored

Malts: Pale and Caramel
Yeast: Top-fermenting ale yeast
Bittering hops: Pacific Halertau


Taste: Slightly bitter with a strong hoppy after-taste (not as bitter as an IPA, but is certainly reminiscent of one in terms of after-taste.)
-Hints of citrus and perhaps pine

Other notes: This ale features fresh hops from New Zealand (hence the name Southern Hemisphere Harvest). The hops are picked as whole cones, dried, and shipped to the brewery in CA within days of their harvest.

Sharing the knowledge!

This past week, I've had more than one person ask me about how to live a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle and what were some key food components to my everyday routine.

The first thing I always stress is: it's not as hard as it seems. Really! And it's delicious, too! You just have to keep an little arsenal of goods and learn to be creative.

Since I started cooking/eating this way, I've always found breakfast and dinner to be the easiest meals to make. Breakfast is almost always a green monster (specifically the smoothie I featured on Halloween) and then dinner is a hearty, filling meal that usually produces leftovers for Jon's lunch the next day.

I usually plan the week's dinners in advance so there's never really a question of what to make...we have a list of meals and set ingredients that are just begging to be made at the end of the day.

But, lunch is a fickle meal - it can't be too filling and it can't be too sparse. There has to be enough carb component to keep me moving through the afternoon, but it can't be so heavy that it feels like an anvil in my belly.

I've developed some lunch solutions this past year that are waaaay more interesting and flavorful than the typical, proto-type vegetarian salad-lunch...

1. Wraps.
They're fast to make and the possibilities are endless. They're usually composed of:
- 1 Flat Out Wrap (usually the  original light kind, but they have different flavors, too!)
- A spread (e.g., hummus, olive spread, pesto, re-fried beans, tomato paste)
- 1/4 cup of a soft bean (e.g., black beans, great northern beans, kidney beans)
- Lots of veggies (basically everything and anything you can think of here: avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, corn, cucumbers, carrots...whatever fits the "theme" of the wrap)
- Some kind of sauce/dressing for a little flavor (e.g., mustard, hot sauce, salsa)

2. Soup (with something in it). Usually composed of:
 - Well, soup! We always buy (organic) Imagine soup (e.g., red potato, sweet potato, Butternut squash, tomato)
 - 1/4 - 1/2 cup of beans or lentils to give it some substance.
 - Some spices to give it a zing (e.g., Adobo light sodium, garlic, onion, cracked pepper)

3. Grain and veggie bowl. Usually composed of:
 - One kind of hearty grain (e.g., brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, wheatberries)
 - A variety of veggies that taste good warmed up (e.g., edmame, corn, sweet peppers, peas, mushrooms, sauteed spinach)
- Maybe a chopped up bocca burger for a little something more to chew on
- A sauce/dressing of some kind (I almost always give my grain bowls a good dash of hot sauce, but I suppose you could always use salsa, vinaigrette, or tahini sauce)

These have proven to be fast, easy, filling lunch solutions and they've become trusted lunch buddies.

Do you have a favorite go-to lunch to make?

Finally Winter

Well, it's about time!

 Winter finally decided to show up to Buffalo.

I was beginning to worry it might not snow at all this winter, but I was proved wrong this past Thursday-Friday. We got around 3-5 inches of snow in about 12 hours. It was a great scene to wake up to -  I don't think looking out the window to a fresh blanket of snow will ever get old for me.

When the fresh snow sticks to the dark, wet branches, it creates a beautiful contrast. 

It's wonderful to take a walk in the woods when it's snowing because when the air is cold, sound actually travels faster through the air than when it's warm outside. So, when you're walking in the woods during the winter, you can actually hear the snow hitting the ground. It's humbling, almost, to hear such a delicate event.

So, what's better to accompany a snow storm than a warm, hearty breakfast? Here's an easy recipe that will keep you warm, full, and stocked with energy for a day of play in the snow.

Creamy Pumpkin Oatmeal

 (For 1 serving)

You'll need:

1/3 C steel cut oats

1 C unsweetened almond milk

1/2 C pumpkin

2-3 T brown sugar 

1 T chia seeds

1 T cinnamon

1/2 t vanilla extract 

Walnuts (optional) 

To make:

1. In a saucepan, heat oats and milk over medium heat until mixture comes to a low boil.

2. Stir in the chia seeds and the pumpkin.

3. Heat over med-low heat for about 5-6 minutes, stirring almost constantly.

4. Add in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla and cook for another 5-6 minutes, stirring almost constantly.

5. When the oatmeal looks thick, it's should be ready. Pour into bowl or mug and sprinkle walnuts and maybe some extra brown sugar on top if you're feeling adventurous.

The result is a thick, creamy, comforting winter breakfast that (like I mentioned) provides plenty of energy for outdoor winter activities.

What do you like to do when it snows? Do you even like when it snows? :)

Dreaming Tree: Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast 2009

Dreaming Tree: Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast 2009

Winery: The Dreaming Tree

 13.5%

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Year: 2009

Look: Plumy purple with raspberry rim

Smell: (when poured) Soft fruit, oak-y vanilla, sugary finish.
(When swirled) Sweet upfront with a punchy grape

Taste: Slightly watery on the tongue, but fuller bodied when swallowed. More acidic than alcoholic. Vanilla finish with a hint of oak.

Overall: Average - Slightly below average

Other notes:

- Malolactic fermentation evident.

- A little flat on the tongue, but more flavor and body in the swallow.

Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes With Maple Glaze

To make up for my absence, I'll give you a most delicious doughnut recipe...and it's guilt free!

During the holidays, when I was asked to bring an appetizer or dessert to parties, I wanted to bring something a little non-traditional. I figured everyone already had their spinach artichoke dip in the oven and their cheese and crackers all arranged on festive plates...I wanted to bring something a little sweet, a little spicy, and a lot Vegan. 

When people tasted my holiday treats, I wanted to be able to slide in, "oh, and it's vegan, too". 

It's tough to break the stigma of a no meat, no dairy diet, but these little babies sure did the talking...

Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes (with maple glaze)

recipe from OhSheGlows

You'll need:

Dough 

1 T water 

1/2 T ground flax 

1.2 t egg replacer (I just used more ground flax) 

1 T water 

1/4 t apple cider vinegar 

1/3 cup soy milk or almond milk 

1/4 cup pumpkin 

1/2 t pure vanilla extract 

1 T EVOO 

1/2 cup white sugar (I used raw cane sugar) 

3/4 cup + 2 T all purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour when I made them) 

1 t baking powder 

1/2 t salt (or a bit less) 

1 t cinnamon 

1/2 t nutmeg 

1/4 t ginger 

Maple Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar 

1.5 T pure maple syrup 

1.5 t soy milk or almond milk

To make:  

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix the egg replacer with the tablespoon of water and whisk together in a bowl. Next add the ground flax and 1 T water and whisk. In a separate small bowl mix together the vinegar and the soy milk and set aside. In a saucepan over low heat, add the pumpkin, vanilla, sugar, and EVOO. Stir well several times until sugar dissolves. Now add the flax mixture and stir well. Finally add the soy milk mixture and stir well. Make sure you keep the saucepan on the lowest heat setting as you only want it to get warm. 

2. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg). Now take the wet mixture and beat it on high speed to get it frothy and bubbly (see picture below). Now pour it over the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined but no longer. It should only take about 10 strokes to mix the batter. 

3. Now spoon the dough into un-greased doughnut pans or shape the doughnuts or doughnut holes by hand using wet hands. Bake for 11 mins. 

4. While baking, make the maple glaze. 

5. Maple Glaze: Stir the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and soy milk very well. You might want to sift your icing sugar beforehand to get the clumps out. If your mixture is too thick, add soy milk gradually to thin out. 

6. After removing the doughnuts from the oven, let cool for a couple minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. 

7. Once they are cool, dip them in the maple glaze and let sit to dry.

 Makes 20 mini doughnuts.

The result was a spicy, sweet, dense (because of the whole wheat flour) treat. Definitely a crowd-pleaser!

Did you make any 'different' treats this holiday season?

New year, new internet!

Hello friends! 
I'm back...and it's about time, huh? We finally got an internet connection last week, so I'm back in business.
Besides not being able to blog and keep up on my blog roll, the worst part of having no internet was not being able to do online shopping during the holidays! Relying on spotty WiFi from coffee shops to get a good bulk of my shopping finished did not help my holiday spirit. But, the presents were bought, delivered, and Christmas was a success. *Whew*

One thing I did a lot of during my internet black out was catch up on my reading! I forgot how much I missed binge reading :)

I got through:

Into The Wild
By: Jon Krakauer

A young man from a well-to-do family who can't deny his contempt of materialistic society ventures across the country towards Alaska to live off the land and find peace in the most wildest of climates.

Mother Earth, Father Sky
By: Sue Harrison

Young Chagak is thrown cruelly into womanhood and is forced to survive, cope, and overcome her situations in the primitive arctic world.

The Adventures of
Huckelberry Finn

By: Mark Twain

The classic character of Huckleberry Finn narrates his shenanigans and provides a playful view of a boy's childhood adventures.

Kitchen Confidential

By: Anthony Bourdain

A deliciously gritty view of the restaurant business, the people who work in it, and the 'real way' the whole operation works.

Along with reading, there was also much cooking, baking, eating, drinking, visiting family, cheering on our struggling Buffalo Sabres and trying to burn calories at the gym as fast as they were being consumed.

So, as you can imagine, I have a lot of recipes and wines to share, and now, all the internet to do so! Keep your eyes peeled! 

Did you get to do any reading during the holidays? What book(s) are you currently reading?

I'm still here!

Hello friends!


I just wanted to let you know I've been without internet for the past week and it's looking like I won't get for the next few weeks. *sigh*


I will try and update ya'll with a post this weekend using some Wifi from a coffee shop or something.


Until then...enjoy this: