Freezer Food, Pretzels, and “Catifying” Updates

Hi everyone! This week I’ve been working on using up stuff that’s in the freezer; here’s the Daiya pumpkin spice cheesecake that I’d gotten back in fall and then forgotten about – I had it with some So Delicious coco whip, and it was really good! 

I also enjoyed some delicious mashed potato bowls with carrots and a chopped-up Boca turk’y burger, topped with gravy I’d frozen back in November… 

I tried the sweet & salty pretzels last week and really enjoyed them, and then I saw the gluten-free version this week when I was grocery shopping, so I’ll try these next! 

The “catification” is progressing nicely, and the kitties have seemed to enjoy testing out the changes. Here are the shelves I’d mentioned Zach had installed; I got some mats and double-sided tape at Lowe’s, so now the shelves are safer, and I moved the dog bed that Leela had sometimes slept on up to the top of Zach’s old desk that he doesn’t use anymore. (And yes, Zach added Tigger as a masthead to the longest shelf, haha!) 

I got this tablecloth at Goodwill and draped it over the shelves we use as a shoe rack, so now it’s nicer for the kitties when they want to hang out at the window. Here is Cringer modeling… 

We’ve had this cat tower for a while, but I experimented with turning it ninety degrees, and now Daisy is watching the birds more often! 

I got this new scratcher on sale at Pet Supplies Plus; the one we’d had there was a lot less sturdy and kept getting knocked over. Here’s Rogue with a nice big stretch! 

I moved this lidded plastic bin to a low window and added an old seat cushion and folded sheet for some padding… 

And last but not least, I moved this cat bed that had been Leela’s up to the top of the fridge. No one had shown any interest in it when it was on the ground, and they were ignoring it on the fridge as well, until Zach caught Cringer hanging out up there one night and managed to snap a pic for me! 

To end today’s post, here’s Daisy posing so perfectly… 

Peace. :)

Mashed Potato Bowl with Simple Gravy

Hi everyone! I made a simple gravy as part of a mashed potato bowl. I used 1 cup water, ¼ cup flour, 1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast, and 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, whisking the ingredients together over medium heat. It worked out nicely. 

Here’s Rogue, lounging in the kitchen… 

Peace. :)

Mashed Potato Bowl

Hello on the 13th day of the Vegan Month of Food! Last night I made one of my favorite recipes for dinner. It's pretty simple, relatively quick to make, and quite delicious, so it's a win in my book.

Mashed Potato Bowl

Ingredients:

--1 medium potato (I like red potatoes best!)

--1/4 cup corn

--1 cup spinach (I prefer to use kale, but we were out)

--vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)

--salt

--pepper

--1 Boca Original Chik'n patty

Boil the potato (if you're impatient like me and want it to cook faster, chop it up first into several chunks). Lower the heat and add the corn and spinach (or kale) when the potato chunks have softened. Allow the corn and spinach about five minutes before turning off the burner and straining the potatoes, corn, and spinach. Transfer the potato chunks from the strainer to a bowl, mash them up good with a fork. Cook the Boca chik'n patty (I generally just microwave it for this dish). Add some vegan butter, salt, and pepper to the mashed potatoes and mash them again. Add the corn and spinach to the mashed potatoes, stir/mash again. Cut the Boca chik'n patty into smaller pieces and add to the mashed potatoes. Mix in and serve.

It wouldn't be a Vegan MoFo without the appearance of a big insect (see last year's "zombie" praying mantis). This individual has been hanging out here for a while today; she has wings (folded on her back) and six super long legs. My guess is she's a crane fly.

the crane fly of Vegan MoFo '13

Also, I hope everyone's having a good Friday the 13th!

Photo from: http://theofficenbc.tumblr.com/post/46531384433/2-37-wise-words-of-michael-scott

Mystery doesn't think it makes sense that some people believe black cats are bad luck, but she certainly won't hesitate to use such superstitions to her advantage. 

"Better not cross my path..."

"...unless it is to give me noms."

Peace. :)