Brunch at Bread and Brew

What remains of a delicious vegan mushroom frittata eaten on the deck of Bread and Brew on 20th Street NW. We went there for nourishment after the Humane Society Walk for the Animals.

What a great find! They even had vegan whoopi pies in chocolate and pumpkin. Curt enjoying the pumpkin.

And Jasper and I hamming it up after the walk.

Off to a Good Start - Sweet Potato Muffins

October 1st the start of Vegan MOFO. Played with a muffin recipe to up the nutritional value. Including 1/2 C of locally grown flour. Isn't that too cool!

These have gotten great reviews from the 4 people who've eaten them.

1 1/2 C Organic Unbleached Flour

1/2 C Organic Whole Wheat Flour

1 Tbs Baking powder

1/2 tsp of salt

1 C Organic Sugar

1 1/2 tsp ENER G Egg Replacer mixed w/ 2Tbs warm water

1 tsp flax seed

1/2 C mashed sweet potato

1 C Soy Milk

4 Tbsp melted Earth Balance Margarine

1/2 C Raisins

1/2 C Walnuts chopped

1/2 C Pecans chopped

1/2 C Dried Cherris chopped

Set a 350f oven with rack in the middle.

Grease a 12- cup muffin pan with margarine.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl till combined.

Whisk sugar with ENER G water briefly. Add sweet potato mash, and butter and combine. Then whisk in the soy milk.

Gently toss the nuts and dried fruit to the dry ingredients until combined.

Fold the wet mixture into the dry with a rubber spatula until batter is just mixed. Divide mixture into the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15 minutes and then rotate the pan back to front and back for another 10-15 minutes.

Some Vegan inspiration

This is a sweet little recipe zine available from GasTankZine@hotmail.com. Looking for inspiration this zine has great recipes for yummy stuff like Rhubarb cake and Vegan Marshmallows. An added plus are the hand written recommendations sprinkled through the pages providing advice on equipment, measurements, equivalent ingredients and where to buy food products at a good price. Very fun.

veganmofo

veganmofo
Originally uploaded by kittee

October is a great month to cook and eat vegan. This is the third year that vegan chefs have been celebrating the cuisine. In keeping with this effort, I will try to post some yummy vegan eats through October.

What I'm reading for fun

A friend gave me "The Coroners Lunch" the first in the series set in Loas written by Colin Cotterill And I am hooked on them having purchased the entire series printed thus far. I've read the first 4 and have another two to left untouched. Inclined to re-read each book I'm savoring the stories, setting and characters. There is a soft under current of Buddhism, Shamanism and Taoism in the stories that feels real. Five star!

iPhone 3G bliss

I know I've been talking about it for awhile. Barking Dog and I got his and her's iPhone 3G's today. I've already downloaded the Koi Pond Application. Just love making waves in the water.

"Paint like a 5 year old" with Marcia Sandmeyer Wilson

Here is the fantabulous Marcia Sandmeyer Wilson with two of her paintings. Two friends from WDC and I went to the Newark Museum of her class in early August. The theme was to get away from self critism and enjoy the painting. The Newark Museum has an incredible program and space for adult creative arts. I definitely want to take more classes.
My friends Elizabeth and Kate beginning to paint.
One in Elizabeth's "Crow watching zazen" series.

I did a "Wood Spider helping me with my zazen" series as a boost to my next mosaic piece. Will need to take a few photos of the paintings to post.

Body, Mind and Spirit Retreat at Tassajara in July

Kenny, Michael and I are preparing to depart from SFZC for the drive to Tassajara.

This little guy looked a little smokey from the fires last summer.
Finishing another delicious lunch with the Body, Mind and Spirit retreat group.
Our last dinner together overlooking the creek was beautifully laid out and fabulous tasting too!
The valley's surrounding Tassajara are beautiful even with the blackened tree's paying testament to last summers fires.

San Francisco Pre-Tassajara Retreat

This is my favorite place to eat pancakes in San Francisco Dottie's True Blue Cafe. It is a tiny place in the tenderloin district. It has a great vibe, great food and great service.

Found this little park by chance walking back to Zen Center.
Wonderful murals adourn the walls and it has a "tell me your story" recording booth to the left. I love the national park style sign.

Below is the money shot that makes everyone think California is some kind of paradise. It was a fabulous day in S.F. But is was fabulous because it doesn't usually look and feel like this photo. I've got to agree with Mark Twain when he lamented that "the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco".

July Project - Refreshing the Studio/Zendo space

Upon returning from Tassajara with the help of friends I began the process of refreshing the studio/zendo. This entailed washing lots of blankets, windows, walls and floors. Moving the furniture around to apply two coats of tung oil to the heartwood pine floors. Many thanks to Francy, Amy and Elizabeth for their time and efforts.

The floor had not been treated with tung oil since originally laid about 10 years ago. It was beginning to show the signs of many persons and four leggeds coming and going. Below is the surface drying from the application of new oil.
With the bathroom doors closed, this might be a good new location for this cabinet. Waiting to see how the Feng Shui of it feels for a few days before deciding one way or the other.