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VeggieBytes

Chef Veggie's blog

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August 22, 2019 Blog News

20th Anniversary at Captain Howie’s

Pukalani Falls Garden Wedding Renewal

2019 is a big year for me! It’s been 20 years since I graduated from college and when I married the veggie love of my life.

We met online via CollegeClub.com (a website for college students looking to meet friends around the world ). I was looking for vegetarians to chat with. I met my husband there and we corresponded for 3 months before I flew out to Hawaii during my Spring Break to meet him. Coming back to Texas to finish my last semester was difficult but I graduated and then I moved to Oahu.

Captain Howie married us in 1999. He was recommended by friends at the ashram. At the time, he was just beginning to build a beautiful property near Waimanalo Beach to conduct weddings.
Since we were basically eloping and had no money, we paid him a little something and said our vows by a tiny waterfall. No pictures were taken. Later that year we had a full Vedic fire ceremony where family and friends could attend. But that simple garland exchange we did at Captain Howie’s is still so special.

Hawaiian Conch Shell

Pukalani Falls Garden – Heaven’s Gate

When we thought of celebrating our 20 years together, I thought about going back to Oahu and seeing if Captain Howie was still there.
Sure enough, he was and his property and wedding services has grown.
The Hobbit House has been featured on travel shows and is an artistic dwelling you won’t find anywhere else. Pukalani Falls Garden is a heavenly place full of lush greenery, waterfalls, and a koi pond. He was happy to see us! We were once two young kids escaping from the world. Now we are responsible adults with a beautiful daughter. He said we are on a sailboat together for life and no matter what comes we have to hold tight to each other.

Koi Pond at Pukalani Falls Garden

Waimanalo Beach – Angel’s Bay

Many people have their ceremony at the falls and then take a small stroll to Waimanalo beach for pictures. I recommend buying a dress you won’t mind getting wet. I found mine at Lulus.com. Waimanalo Beach is a local beach far away from Waikiki. I felt like we had a golden strip to ourselves.

Our romance novel cover
Waimanalo Walk

Captain Howie and his crew made this special day so easy for us. They arranged everything – flowers, hair, photos, video and even a cake. A vegan lilikoi macadamia cake was a tropical dream come true!
Taking photos with Dylan of Dylan Dawson Photography was so much fun.
Our best smiles came out when we gave each other a squeeze.

Lilikoi Macadamia Nut Cake
Hugs at Pukalani Falls Garden
Sweeps me off my feet!

I couldn’t have asked for a better time with my husband. He still sweeps me off my feet. Having our daughter there felt so natural and we could see just how happy she is for us.
We felt blessed by Captain Howie and the earth, water, sun, and sky.

Beach Walk

January 14, 2019 Backpacking

18 Favorites from 2018

It’s fun to reflect on the previous year when January comes around. Even though January 1st is an arbitrary time that does not really have a cosmic event related to it (no moon phase change or equinox), many of us have time off and can spend it with ourselves and those we love.
As 2019 begins, we start to think about the year ahead, but let’s not forget all that we have learned and how we have grown in 2018.

These favorites are not all food related but I think that’s OK because there is so much more to life than what we eat!

1. My Hurom Juicer

This juicer is the bomb! If you like to make fresh fruit and vegetable juices this is perfect! Even if you want to just do straight greens, the Hurom Slow Juicers are perfect because they use a masticating, pressing action instead of shredding like a centrifugal juicer. You can also make your own nut milks, including almond and also soy milk to make tofu! It comes with a tofu press. It is wonderfully easy to clean! Pomegranate juice is milkier and a beautiful rose pink color. One of the best pieces of equipment I got this year! Hurom often has sales if you sign up for their email list. I got mine for 30% off.

2. Sahara Rose and Eat Feel Fresh

I don’t remember how I came across Sahara Rose. I think it was via Instagram and researching something about Ayurveda. I have been studying Ayurveda since I lived in a Vaisnava (Hindu) ashrama 20 years ago. I learned all about my mind-body type or dosa and in the mid-2000’s I even considered going to Santa Fe, New Mexico to study with Dr. Vasant Lad. When I stopped eating dairy products 5 years ago after being vegetarian for 15, I found it hard to reconcile not having ghee and yogurt. I thought to follow a sattvic diet that Ayurveda recommended I needed to eat these items, so I took a break from Ayurveda. Then I decided to dive back in 2017 and just tell my Ayurveda doctor that I wouldn’t be eating dairy. In 2018, I started a more consistent Abhyanga practice, doing nasya (oiling the nasal passages), eating less raw food in the winter to not aggravate my vata tendencies and more greens and sweet fruit in the summer for pitta.
I got so excited to see Sahara’s book and how all the recipes were going to be plant-based! I also loved her fresh perspective on mushrooms, which I generally enjoy, but always thought of them as being tamasic (or foods that promoted ignorance, dullness).
Her podcast, Highest Self Podcast is the best! She interviews people in the wellness and mindfulness space and also shares many of her own insights on how Ayurveda can help today’s woes. I highly recommend all of her content!

3. Mochiko

In September, I adopted a sweet white kitten named Sake at the POP Cats Convention, here in Austin, TX. It featured IamMosho the Cat Rapper! So many cat vendors selling feline fun and adorable kittens for adoption. I have always wanted to have a white kitty and after seeing her there and knowing that I had more cat love to give, she came home with me. I named her Mochiko, which is a type of sweet rice flour that is used in making all kinds of Asian desserts, including mochi! This kitty loves to give hugs and kisses! She puts her paws gently on both sides of your neck and licks you on the cheek or chin. She’s not an angel though because she loves to eat fabric. Throw pillow corners, prized stuffed animals, clothing, blankets, rugs, and shoes are all fair game. Soon my whole house will be covered in bitter apple spray…which does help!

4. Kinokuniya Bookstore

If you love all things from Japan like I do, you will love going to Kinokuniya and their stationery store Maido. Kinokuniya opened a new location in Austin, TX in August 2018. I can go here to look for Japanese language cookbooks and magazines. My daughter really got into the popular manga and anime, My Hero Academia and was able to meet the voice actors at the grand opening. I’m still trying to convince them to carry my favorite magazine from Japan, Veggy!

5. Birthday Dinner at Crossroad

I celebrated my Pisces birthday on a trip to LA and dinner at Tal Ronen’s Crossroads Kitchen. It’s not that often that I can go to a fancy restaurant and eat everything on the menu! My husband and daughter and I try to order as much as possible without busting out of our clothes. Austin, TX is great but you can only eat so many tacos and fast casual food.
One part that was especially fun was cutting into a romanesco cauliflower en croute! See the fondutta spill out on IG.

6. Trip to Ojai

A Hippie Dosa from Food Harmonics in Ojai, CA

I had never been to Southern California other than the LAX airport. I wanted to visit somewhere else besides LA. Then I learned about Ojai!
What a magical orange pixie land! The farmer’s market was full of what California had to offer despite the fires that happened during the winter. This small town is full of cute boutiques with bohemian wares, farm fresh restaurants, an outdoor bookstore, and spiritual retreat centers.

7. Fermented Meyer Lemon

Meyer Lemon Fermented Pickle

My Meyer lemon tree made 4 lemons at the end of 2017. So I quartered and covered them in salt and let them rest in a jar (with airlock) for a 2 weeks before putting them in the fridge. Fermented lemons are a great condiment for Middle Eastern dishes. I like to make mujadhara (lentil rice porridge) and have a bit of this golden goodness with it.

8. Cookbook Mastermind

In September, I joined a cookbook mastermind with Maggie Green of the Green Apron. Maggie is a wealth of knowledge and the author of 4 cookbooks, including the Essential Plant-Based Pantry.
This group has been a source of accountability for me. I get to know other cookbook writers and get support others who are going through the process of creating a cookbook.
I’m still not quite sure what route I will go for publication but as I learn more about myself and how I want to accomplish this goal, it will eventually be apparent. I’ve decided to do a cookbook diary on this blog to remember the journey. Look for upcoming posts!!!

9. Cooking with Avocado Oil

This year I cooked mostly with avocado oil and coconut oil. Avocados create a neutral oil high in monounsaturated fats, like olive oil. I use it for stir frys, baking, roasting etc. I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of any polyunsaturated oils and avocado oil has made big difference.

10. HMART Opens in Austin

My full cart at Hmart

I didn’t go to the official opening but decided to check it out a month later. Talk about Asian supermarket heaven! I think I was there for 2 hours.
So many mushroom varieties are available at such a good price.
I was able to find Hawaiian papayas, ube, lumpia wrappers, shiso leaves, coconut icecream mochi and more. Even though it’s quite a trek from Southwest Austin to Hmart it’s well worth the trip about every 2 months.

11. Miyoko’s Vegan Butter

Along with using avocado oil, this year has also been all about Miyoko’s Vegan Butter. It feels so decadent and really tastes creamy. No weird film on the roof of your mouth after eating it. Goodbye Earth Balance and other non-dairy butter and margarine using palm oil. Even though palm oil isn’t made from animals, it’s a commodity that wreaks havoc on the local ecosystem in Indonesia and other countries that have huge palm plantations. Orangutans are suffering from habitat loss. It’s an example of how eating only plant-based foods still can cause great harm. Unfortunately, a lot of processed food, especially in Asia, has palm oil in it to make shelf stable foods. Another reason to look at food labels, even if it says “Vegan”.

12. Pacifica

Wearing Pacifica sunscreen on Lani Kai beach on Oahu while being hugged by the Mokulua islands.

Even though this brand is now marketed to millennials or younger, I have really enjoyed this fun, vegan natural beauty line. I used to buy Pacifica candles and solid perfume tins 10 years ago but this year I really dove in and bought so many products. Shampoo and conditioner, mascara, facial oils, and lip balm are staples. They even have a mineral sunscreen that is a coconut bronzing body butter with SPF 50. It’s tinted and has a little mica for sparkle. When I was on Kauai this past December, there was no need for me to be zinc white!
Pacifica is something I feel like appeals to my teenage daughter but not full of toxic chemicals. She can get her glitter on and still be healthy!

13. Dungeons and Dragons

Shakuntala (my WoW druid character from 15 years ago!)

I’ve always felt comfortable with the fantasy genre and even spent 2 years playing World of Warcraft. I even won an honorable mention for an official World of Warcraft cookie contest when I made the Exodar building out of vegan sugar cookie dough.
I wanted to have a Dungeons and Dragons party for my 40th birthday but my husband said none of my lady friends would come. So I had to wait a few years. Then came Stranger Things and a renewed passion among people in the US for D&D! We’ve hosted several D&D evenings with my daughter’s friends and they are so sweet to let me play. I’m a wood elf druid named Shakuntala (Shak for short.) My awesome husband is a super dungeon master and is resuming the role he had in childhood.
It’s a great way to spend time with family and friends, requires teamwork, creativity, and embodying a character for several hours. I highly recommend it!

14. Backpacking Salmon River Trail

A little piece of heaven

This past summer my husband and I celebrated our anniversary with a backpacking trip to the Salmon River near Portland, Oregon. We both love the Pacific Northwest in the summer! The forest and mountains fill me up more than the beach ever would. Heaven would be living in an alpine meadow in the spring with flowers blooming everywhere!
Even though I still have bruised toenail beds from a 3 mile downhill hike with hiking books that somehow shrank from our Yosemite trip, I would definitely love to do this hike again. Cooking while on the trail, getting your water from the stream, and sleeping under the stars really makes you feel alive. I feel connected to humanity who had lived like this for thousands of years. I crave the dirt, sweat and the earthy feeling of surviving. And then I love the feeling of a hot shower and going to eat a fabulous brunch or dinner somewhere!

15. Organic Roasted Chestnuts

I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of grain-based snacks I eat. I’m not a big fruit eater. I enjoy savory foods so I instantly get pulled toward salty and crunchy items. It’s easy for me to have a Vata imbalance (look up Vata dosha and Ayurveda if you don’t know what that is.) Here is where organic roasted chestnuts come in! These tasty nuggets are popular in Asia as a snack. They taste a bit like sweet potatoes but will be a lot less messy to bring with you. They are a good source of manganese, Vitamin C & B6, copper, and fiber. You can buy chestnuts and roast them yourself, or find them in shelf stable snack packs.

16. Meow Wolf

This is the best interactive art exhibit I have ever been to. Meow Wolf defies explanation! If you travel to Santa Fe, NM be sure to check out the House of Eternal Return and look for a special refrigerator and clothes dryer!

Forest spirits at The House of Eternal Return in Meow Wolf

17. Alakai Swamp Trail

Boardwalk in Alakai Swamp

We did this great hike again and actually made it to the lookout out! It was incredibly sunny at the swamp this year. Lots of rotted boards have now been replaced with fibercrete and should last quite a while in those damp conditions. The view of Hanalei Bay after the fog and clouds floated away was magnificient. My favorite part of being on the Hawaiian islands is being high on a mountain and looking down at the beach. Being there with Nature and sharing it with my loved ones is one of Life’s greatest moments.

Kilohana Lookout

18. Family Gatherings

This year my grandma/lola, Inay, was very ill in the spring and had a pacemaker put in. I visited her a lot in the spring and we talked a lot about family, the Philippines, and Filipino food. I can’t wait to celebrate her 100th this year. A couple of aunts and uncles came to visit from New Zealand. In December, we traveled to Kauai to meet family, including new nieces and nephews. We took this big photo at Shipwreck beach on the south shore.
I’m grateful for having a supportive family in all corners of the globe!

I hope you all have a wonderful 2019! I’m looking forward to finding new favorites!

October 17, 2018 Blog News

DSLR Dreams

Plumeria with tropical fruit

 

A friend let me borrow her awesome DSLR camera – Canon EOS D.  Besides the body being worth thousands of $$$,  the lenses, tripod etc made it such a wonderful set up. Even though the weeks of rain made it quite dark in my dining room, I was able to find a nice window of time from 11am-2pm in my living room.  I am finally learning what f-stops are, the different lens lengths, ISO, RAW vs. compressed files and so much more! I was able to take some great mushroom and tropical fruit and flower photos. Can you name all the mushrooms?
Here’s what they are: Maitake (Hen of the Woods), Matsutake (Pine Mushroom), Woodear, Enoki, Golden Enoki, Hon shimeji, Buna shimeji (Beech Mushrooms),  Shiitake, Yamabushiitake (Lion’s Mane)

Mixed Mushrooms
After I return this awesome camera with gratitude and some homemade meals, I’m probably going to use some $ I saved to get the basic Canon 6D and a 50mm lens.
What other lenses would you recommend? Another fixed lens or perhaps a zoom lens?

Happy Food Photography Time!
Cristina

December 28, 2017 Blog News

Chef Veggie’s 7 Favorites of 2017

Did 2017 treat you nicely?
I had a great year that included lots of travel, injuries healed, some fears assuaged and better body awareness.

Here are 7 tools that came into my kitchen this year that I fell in love with.
Let me know in the comments if you have any of these items and what you think.
What are your favorite kitchen items?

Number 1

Danica Studio Cellulose Sponge in the Mystique Print
Isn’t this such an ethereal composition? Magic moth and mushrooms, the moon, and a little twinkle here and there!
It does a bit of magic cleaning too! This sponge is known as a Swedish sponge and is made of both recycled cotton and cellulose (plant fiber). It’s eco-friendly, last 6 months or more, dries quickly and can be sanitized by going in the dishwasher or microwave and also washed with your kitchen linens.
Danica Studios has lots of whimsical prints! You can find some locally here in Austin, TX at wonderful Wheatsville!

Number 2

Lekue Fresh Cooking Silicone Storage Bags
If you are wondering how to store soups and sauces in your freezer without using plastic Ziplocs or glass containers, look no further than these resealable silicone bags. They have a reinforced base so that you can set them on the counter and pour in your liquids. The silicone has some stretch. The side of the bag gives you measurements in cups, mL, and ounces. A plastic slider seals in all of the goodness you have created. The bags themselves can go in the microwave or even in a pot of simmering water for reheating. They are also dishwasher safe even though I have been washing mine by hand.
I’ve used them to store soups, fresh juice, salsa, leftovers, cut up veggies etc. I even have one that I keep in the freezer for extra mushroom stems that I use for making stock. It’s so easy to open and then toss one in and put back in the freezer.
I think some of my Pyrex has met its match!

Lékué TV | Cooking Bag

(video from Lekueusa.com)

Number 3

If You Care Automatic Dish Tablets
This is the only dishwasher detergent I have used this year. The name of the brand gets me every time. I also use their parchment paper a lot! It has consistently cleaned everything with no chalky residue and no synthetic smells emitted during the washing process. My dishwasher is from the 90’s so it goes without saying that this product really works and makes me happy. The less time I spend washing, the more time I can spend cooking!

Number 4

Handmade Spoon Made By My Daughter
Have you ever received a handmade gift from someone that was REALLY NICE?
Something with your aesthetic, made from real materials (not bought a craft store glued on to other stuff made cheaply in a factory in China), and something practical?
My daughter who is now 13, carved this wooden spoon at school and gave it to me for Mother’s Day.  I feel fortunate that she is receiving a real education with some practical skills and isn’t glued to a school-issued computer all day. I don’t use it all the time because it has just a simple oil finish.  It’s mostly for serving up warm grains.
I will treasure this for a long time! *I try not to get weepy!*

Number 5

Mousco Silicone Spoon Set
These silicone utensils with acacia handles are beautiful and practical.  I love the feel of the wood handle.  Acacia is a more sustainable tropical wood source and can last a long time.  My mom is from the Philippines and acacia wood is very common there.  The silicone is flexible, and heat resistant up to 450 degrees.
I use one of the utensils every day!  They look good in a group along with my other wooden spoons on the countertop next to my stove.

Number 6

IKEA BITTERGURKA Hanging Planter
I love having herbs growing near the kitchen.  I got this planter in October so that some more delicate herbs would survive through the winter, ie. basil etc. When it was full of goodness from the Natural Gardener, I felt so much pleasure just looking at it.  I had never grown Stevia before and it was a treat to see the numerous white flowers bloom. The planter itself is two of the same white pieces. A loop on the underside and a hook on the top mean you can continue to add sections.  It is now hanging with my other tropical plants in a corner near the sunniest South facing window. Little nasturtium plants that we grew from seeds live their now.

Number 7

Messermeister Peeler

This peeler is a happy green color and has the best grippy feel to the handle.  The swivel blade makes peeling anything easy. A very pointed tip removes potato eyes in one quick and simple motion.  This is one of the best peelers I have ever used!

 

That’s it for now!  I got a new kitchen gadget as a holiday gift from my husband and I feel so excited about it.  It will be revealed in 2018 after I have some time to play around with it.  You’ll just have to wait to hear about the *JUICY* details!

 

 

*This post includes affiliate links.

 

September 1, 2014 Blog News

Vegan MoFo 2014 Begins

Vegan MoFo 2014 It’s the 1st of September and I hope you are enjoying yourself this Labor Day!

Get ready for a great month full of vegan goodness all over the web.
I’m so happy to participate this year and hope it will be an awesome community building event.

Here’s what I have planned for the month:

Meet You Mondays – I hope to visit new vegan blogs and send lots of love and encouragement.
I will make a list of at least 5 and mention something special about them.

Recipe Wednesdays – I’ll send out some of my best recipes to my blog readers

Fermentation Fridays – I’ve really got into fermenting lately and will be sharing all of my bubbly creations.

[ipic id=”791521094401301185″ size=”300″ link=”yes”]
Follow me on Instagram

I may have occasional posts on the other days of the week, but I didn’t want to get over zealous! Since it’s Monday, let me introduce you to a few new-to-me vegan blogs that I found on the Vegan MoFo feed:

TofuParty – This cookbook addict is going to make 20 different dishes from 20 different vegan cookbooks during Vegan MoFo.

Conscientious Cookie – Alicia creates gluten and allergen free baked goods, especially cookies.  I look forward to see her opening her own bakery!

Faster Pussy Cat, Run! Run!  –  I detest running but maybe you love it.  If so, this blogger shares her running tips, vegan energy bar recipes and the like. I look forward to reading about her DIY tofu press.

Elephantastic Vegan – Bianca lives in Austria and shares vegan recipes and urban gardening tips.  I love mushrooms and her Chanterelle Pizza looks fantastic.

Mary’s Test Kitchen – Mary is a vegan graphic and web designer who also shares recipes and reflections on being vegan. I’ve made hemp milk and she has an easy tutorial to share with you so you can make it at home too.

See you on Wednesday with a recipe!

April 30, 2014 Blog News

Mom’s Visit to the Philippines

My mom recently went to visit the Philippines. Since she went during the school year, I could not go with her.
I have been to the PI several times in my life but not as a vegetarian.  The last time I was there was in the late 80’s and I’m sure many things have changed.  I remember staying in an open atrium Hyatt hotel in Baguio but this later collapsed with the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991.

She got me some goodies including ube jam, candied pili nuts, pinipig, filipino coffee & chocolate and various sweets. I would love to go an eat lots of unprocessed tropical food.  I think it would be easy to be a raw food vegan in the Philippines!  I rarely eat dairy products anymore but I did try some of the sweets like polvoron and pastillas which do have milk as an ingredient. My 95 year young grandma makes polvoron around Christmas time with a spring mounted brass mold  that she has used for decades. I am working on some vegan versions of these classic filipino sweets, which brings up some exciting news.

I am devoting much of my time this summer to working on a cookbook that I started 2 years ago.  Chef Veggie is taking a break from the personal chef business for June, July and August. The cookbook will be Vegan Filipino Food along with perhaps fusion/Asian/Hawaiian recipes using whole food ingredients.  The Filipino community in Hawaii has some interesting dishes that I would like to include. My daughter did a school project about the Nipa Hut (Bahay Kubo) and I will incorporate that into the title. I have a bunch of recipes tested but need better photos and also testers that are not familiar with Filipino food.  Let me know if you are interested. I am hoping to have the script and photos done by September!

Here are some recipes that I know will be included so far:

Bulanglang

Bulanglang

Achara
Various Adobo dishes
Arroz Caldo
Bulanglang
Tofu Fish Escabeche
Jackfruit Kaldereta
Torta Talong
Sweet Tempeh Longanisa
Siopao
Tinola
Lumpia (3 kinds)
Mongo Soup
Pan De Sal
Pancit (3 kinds)
Putong Puti
Bilo Bilo
Bibingka
Halo Halo
Turon
There will be vegan potluck ideas and also how to have a Kamayan (Hands only!) feast! I will be visiting a Moringa (Malunggay) Farm in June!

I will have an English/Tagalog ingredient list and also resources to find or grow rare items. I’m really looking forward to sharing this and will be posting more recipes soon!

 

 

 

September 27, 2013 Appetizers

Citriburst Finger Limes

While looking at the local sunflower sprouts at Whole Foods, I spotted some interesting little limes.  They are actually called finger limes and are native to Australia.
These are grown in California by an artisan farm,  Shanley Farms, and are marketed as Citribursts.

Citriburst Finger Limes

When the limes are squeezed, they literally burst with small pulp spheres that stay intact. Here are the hands of my 9 year old pinching a halved finger lime.
Doesn’t that look fun!  She couldn’t wait to try them.

Squeezing a Finger Lime

The flavor profile is similar to that of lime, lemongrass and citronella.  My daughter said it kinda smells like my essential oil blend for combating mosquitos.

Fingerlime Guacamole

In this photo, they are sprinkled on top of homemade guacamole made with our garden’s mini orange tomatoes.  While it’s fun to feel them pop in your mouth, I think the flavor is better suited to Thai or lighter Asian style dishes.  It would also make a fun substitute for caviar on vegetarian sushi or salads or in cocktails.

I am going to the Austin Food Blogger Alliance Photography Camp tomorrow and hope to learn more about taking great photos.  Most of my current pics have been taken with my Samsung Galaxy phone.  I hope I can learn to get out my camera again an actually learn to use the manual setting. This will be presented by Chris Perez who writes for the new Citygram magazine.  The phone camera session will be taught by Jane Ko (of Taste of Koko).  I hope the vegetarian option for lunch will be good and photo-worthy.  Better Bites Bakery (which is just down the road from me) will be there too!  They have lots of mini desserts that are made without common allergens (gluten, dairy, peanut) and with better ingredients.

What fun veggie or fruit have you tried lately?

September 6, 2013 Blog News

Vegan MoFo, Taco Cleanses and More

There’s a lot of fun stuff happening in the vegan blogosphere!

Check out Lazy Smurf’s Taco Cleanse!  Even though I’m not hardcore and won’t be able to reach the “FUEGO” level, I probably eat some kind of taco at least 4-5 times a week.
Yesterday I had lunch with my sister at Lucky Robot on South Congress.  It’s the perfect place for us to get nostalgic about our time living in Japan during our youth.  I hope one day I can sit in the coveted swing chairs.  Anyway, I had the Happy Hippie Taco along with the Veggie Caterpillar Roll and the Brussel Sprouts with Lemongrass Soy.

Happy Hippie Taco

September is also Vegan MoFo time (Mofo meaning month of food).  Lots of bloggers with be posting at least 20 posts this month about vegan food.  There will be recipes, reviews, and lots of gorgeous food.  I missed the deadline with it being a little crazy with back to school and back into personal kitchens. However, I do plan to post more than normal and here’s a couple projects I’m working on:
hemp burger
lime pickle
more Kimchee!
making apple sauce with kids
vegan food for Sukkot (Jewish harvest festival food)

Happy September!

 

May 10, 2013 Blog News

Happy Mother’s Day Move

Did you have an awesome Mother’s Day?
My gift from my husband this year was a successful migration of my entire Blogger site over to self-hosted WordPress!  We had some problems with the initial import because the clock on the server was not in sync with Google.
I am very excited to be using this platform and the ability to customize more professional themes,
functional widgets, have slideshows, gallery, smart archives etc.

So even though all my old posts going back to 2007 are here now, I still need to beautify the space.  Hopefully I can have the basics done before the school year ends.
I usually cut back on my schedule as Chef Veggie so I can spend more time with my daughter
and a lot of clients have irregular schedules as they leave Austin to escape the 100 degree days.

I hope you were able to partake in a favorite food today and had a special time with family.

Cristina

 

 

March 16, 2011 Blog News

Chef Veggie’s Food Blog Commitment

I recently went to Austin’s SXSW food blogger conference called TECHmunch  and learned more about the latest and greatest ways to be a wonderful food blogger. Lots of high profile foodies on the scene explaining the wonders of Twitter, getting your site sponsored by major brands, and creating kick-ass multimedia content (that was an actual title of a segment.)

I realized that while I do have some of the skill sets and definitely the ability to create tasty dishes, my desire to post a recipe/article/review everyday and have blogging be my life is not where I am at.

However, I think when one wants to have a space that people want to visit and interact with, there should be a consistent level of activity.  If I want to make genuine connections with others they need to know what to expect.  One of the goals I have is to be better connected with my local food community. Austin has one of the greatest number of food bloggers in the US and also happens to be a very friendly bunch.  The group (Austin Food Blogger Alliance) plans on having lots of events to further education and also to help the community at large.  There is already a bake sale being planned to help the relief efforts in Japan.  As a former resident of Japan, this warms my heart.

So here before the world and the day before St. Paddy’s Day (I am married to an Irishman afterall), I plan to post at least twice a month.

If you are looking for some healthy fare for tomorrow, here’s a previous post about my St. Patrick’s Day Salad!   Spring is here and there’s lots of GREEN out there.

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