I have just received it due to some timing issues and a move that I made back in August. Thank you so very kindly for thinking of me and purchasing for me such a lovely gift. I apologise for my tardiness in receiving it!
Also, thank you to everybunny who sent over Christmas cards and gifts, including the amazing Dorwayin who made me incredibly tasty vegan treats while the rest of you suckers just got truffles. Obviously I am his favourite.
I still have a couple of things for sale in the SG Sales Group - the corset I wore in Bushido and the skirt I wore in Basement. Head on over to my post in SG Sales to bid on these lovely vegan-friendly items, both womens' size smalls.
This evening I am hanging out with Cherry and Linds, and then later on with S_Eldorado, redmess and that crew... so my social needs will be satisfied for the week!
This weekend I am attending a conference at UBC called Seeds For Change - there's a speaker early in the morning on Saturday that I'd like to see on the topic of ecological sustainability and art... it's just so damn early, but hopefully I can force myself out of bed and on to the bus in order to catch it.
Last night I made the most amazing cream of mushroom soup - here's the recipe, adapted from one my friend Chelsea adapted. I never measure things exactly so measurements are approximate. I think I used more celery.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil (I subbed in a bit of Earth Balance for part of the oil)
1 cup minced onion
1 cup chopped celery
3 cups chopped white mushrooms
1 head baby bok choy, chopped
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups plain rice milk
3 cups veggie broth (I made mine with vegetable boullion cubes)
Spices to taste - I used a lot of thyme, some bay, some fenugreek. Didn't have rosemary but I would have used it. Also, pepper. The more spices the better.
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large soup pot.
2. Saute onion, celery, bok choy and mushrooms until tender. You may need more oil. Also add dried herbs in this step.
3. Once veggies are tender, mix in flour and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. My flour lumped pretty quick, so I didn't cook it 2 minutes. I'm bad. Oh well.
4. Add broth slowly, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5-10 minutes until soup thickens.
5. Stir in rice milk. Heat through.
6. I blended about 2/3rds of the soup in my VITA-MIX (yes! I have one!) to eliminate chunks, but left a few chunks because they are tasty.
Seriously, seriously, this soup is absolutely amazing. Make it and see. You can use other vegetables as well - the onion and celery is necessary but sub anything else in for mushrooms and bok choy. Spinach would be great, and red pepper, or carrot. Blending in a potato can help to make it even creamier, as well.
Eat it with soda crackers or a piece of thick, hearty whole-grain bread lightly Earth Balance-d.
A recent self-portrait.
