Various random thoughts & observations....

[Val]

These recent days, when i've been going through the tests at the clinic, i have astonished the doctors by having a very low blood pressure (and i'm ok with it). When i was 20, i had a chronic high blood pressure and it was exhausting. I felt like i was falling into pieces, and i had dizziness, gastric ulcer, i was overweight and fatigue... I knew that it was so wrong, and desperately needed to change something, but i had no clue what it should be. I never heard of "vegans" then,- i'd heard that there were some people called "vegAtOrians" or something, but i thought they were some kind of sadhu.
And i asked my acquaintances from abroad,- they are working for "Life Technologies" (in 2014 acquired by "Thermo Fisher Scientific"), and "Biopredic". And they responded that i MUST eliminate all the animal products from my diet, and gave me a few brief recommendations,- they said i'd have to educate myself. Back then it was like a death penalty for me, but i trusted them, and i saw the positive results very quickly. There's a good Seneca's motto which we learned at school latin lessons: "Per aspera ad astra" (through difficulties to the stars).

 

[MadamSarcastra]

I think quinoa is frustrating to work with. LOL

First, you've gotta rinse the stuff... and the mesh of my wire colander is not quite fine enough, so I have to use the little one-cup dealie....

So it takes a while to rinse it all....

And wet quinoa sticks to everything!!

 

[Val]

I think quinoa is frustrating to work with.

And red rice is not much better.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

And red rice is not much better.

Never made it. I will considered myself duly warned. LMAO

 

[Val]

Never made it. I will considered myself duly warned. LMAO

I always overcook it or undercook. It's tasty though. But it doesn't taste like common rice.

 

[KLS52]

I never make quinoa for that reason. On the rare occasion I find myself craving it, I buy it ready made and frozen from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.

 

[silva]

Why do I not have a problem with rinsing quinoa? I don't really like it
I have a shallow, fine mesh strainer that doesn't have that 'rim' like the one in the pic. It just has a narrow round band around the top. I can rinse and tip into the pot, then do the other side and give it a tap. No problem.
The last time I made a Mexican quinoa bean salsa dish I couldn't wait to finish it . All quinoa texture on the tongue. I'll use it when it isn't pronouced, but yuck on being in the forefront- like that quinoa tabboleh. And what- no mint?

I'm getting so frustrated with this no oil, no salt stuff. I love tofu quiche, never an issue. Saute veggies in oil, add grated vegan cheese--yum!!!! I made this Sun-dried Tomato, Mushroom, and Spinach Tofu Quiche — Oh She Glows but no oil. One, I just hate the name-"oh she glows!" allways put me off. Anyway. I didn't like how it tastes, and doubt I'll like it baked. Had no mushrooms either. Used a hash brown crust and that's probably gonna be all hard and burnt.
I'm hot and really anxious about stuff. My chest itches. Can't seem to get very far in cleaning house either.

 

[silva]

Ok. I gotta fess up, I used oil in with the shredded potatoes for the crust, and added the last of my Teta garlic dip in the tofu mix- like a T. It really came out pretty good

What's Dos Equis XXX beer like?

 

[Skylark]

I always overcook it or undercook. It's tasty though. But it doesn't taste like common rice.

Have you ever used an electric rice cooker to cook quinoa? It’s marvelous!

 

[Skylark]

Observation: some friends are much better enjoyed on occasion than as long-term house guests. This is likely true about more friends than it is not.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

I never make quinoa for that reason. On the rare occasion I find myself craving it, I buy it ready made and frozen from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.

Ughh, I wish there were a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods less than two hours from me.... I'm lovin' on Kroger, though. And I think they actually pay attention to customer comments! I mean, I suggested they start carrying Chao quite a while ago, and now they have it... all the time! I know I'm probably not the only one to request it, but I'm impressed with some of the items they've been adding & keeping in stock lately....

While I've never cared about "trendy" sh*t, I know stores do... and plant-based is trendy as hell... so hopefully that'll "bleed" over to my area.... LOL

 

[Val]

Have you ever used an electric rice cooker to cook quinoa? It’s marvelous!

Actually, i was talking about red rice. I'm not very much into quinoa. Of all grains i prefer farro, barley and bulgur. What i meant to say, is that red rice differs from other rice varieties.

 

[MadamSarcastra]

Ok. I gotta fess up, I used oil in with the shredded potatoes for the crust, and added the last of my Teta garlic dip in the tofu mix- like a T. It really came out pretty good

What's Dos Equis XXX beer like?

It's been a while since I drank Dos Equis, wanted to buy it recently, but Kroger was out....Of USA-available Mexican-made beers, that's my fave.

What sort of beer do you usually like? Pilsner, ale, lager, stout, IPA?

I'd talk to @Jeremy & @Chryssie for specifics....

 

[Jeremy]

What's Dos Equis XXX beer like?

Depends on which Dos Equis you buy. For comparison sake it's not too far removed from Budweiser, and I recall there's one that is kind of like Michelob Amber Bock... Dos Equis is a little better than those, all in all not great beer for my tastes. You can get an app called Untappd where you can search beers to see what other users think about it, as well as checking-in and rating what you're drinking.

 

[Skylark]

If only I liked beer to be able to enjoy the craft beer boom. Or coffee. I like tea, water, kombucha, some other alcohol. I suppose it’s more budget-friendly this way.

 

[becky]

If you drink a glass of beer and leave it in the sink without rinsing it out overnight, the smell from the glass is the same regardless of what style of beer was in the glass.

Liquid bread...

 

[Skylark]

When the license and tag office and the title office are in the same building, it would make so much sense to have one staff and one line to the people who can take care of all of the issues. This artificial division serves no one.

 

[Val]

Hahahahaha! Today my gastroenterologist said that i should eat liver at least, if i don't eat meat, - i take it, she presumed that liver is not meat. She also asked me about fish. Then i explained to her that i wouldn't do it and why i wouldn't do it, and she seemed to get it. But... my mom remembered her words. When we went for a walk in the evening, she rapidly ran away (as she always does) and left me alone on the playground. She needed to drop into the bank, and then she bought me Foie gras (!!!!!) and was very proud of her noble deed. I think this is hilarious. It shows, of course, that she takes care of me, but(!) i was calling her to say that i needed more seaweed, and she forgot it immediately. Apparently, she was thinking about foie gras. Now it's all hers.

 

[silva]

I wonder

If only I liked beer to be able to enjoy the craft beer boom. Or coffee. I like tea, water, kombucha, some other alcohol. I suppose it’s more budget-friendly this way.

Kombucha looks like the latest trend! Not only is it everywhere, new brands keep popping up-GT has some with chia, I've seen pop flavors like cola and root beer...
I'm very glad I don't drink any of that stuff- too expensive, esp the beers! I do like coffee, but even the fair trade i buy is affordable
My son likes kombucha and I've been trying to get him to make it

I see matcha as the next big thing...

and non dairy milks . How did they swarm the market so fast! seems as if they'll try anything they can soak in water, grind and strain!

 

[MadamSarcastra]

Overheard my mother talking about an article she was reading in the New Yorker.... Restaurant Recommendations from Your College Friend

This is what cracked me up:

If that’s not your speed, check out Greenliness. The food is all vegan, but it’s so good you’ll swear it’s vegetarian.

LMFAO