Romanesco - the coolest vegetable ever?

Romanesco is a hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower, with a fractal pattern that almost makes it too pretty to eat! I bought it at the farmers market last week, and a few nights ago cooked it up in a panang curry. I'm crazy about the Thai and True curry pastes - they are easy to prepare and there's no need to try to replace stupid fish sauce! In Portland, they're available at the farmers market, Food Fight, and many of the local food co-ops, or you can order them online! I use half the jar with a can of coconut milk for a good sized pot of curry.

Panang curry with tofu, romanesco, green beans, carrots, and red pepper

The romanesco was actually the best part of the curry, and I'm usually all about the tofu! Jesse snuck back in the kitchen to pick out all the leftover romansesco from the pot and add it to his dish!

But that's not all!

I've been tagged by the fabulous VeganView!

1. Link person who tagged you and post rules on your blog

2. Share 7 random/weird facts about yourself

3. Tag 7 people at the end and include links

4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving comments on their blogs

All righty, let's give it a go:

1. I can't smell most things. I remember losing the sense when I was in 3rd grade and shared a room with a persian cat that my grandma was always powdering, but now I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it. I can sometimes smell really potent things.

2. I grew up living with my grandma, who I loved, but she was crazy. By the time she stopped drinking she was pretty senile, so there wasn't much difference. We always had around 10 cats, and she insisted that her favorite cats had their own bedrooms (hence me rooming with Esmeralda).

3. I hate bathing. I must have been French in a past life, right?!? I don't like swimming pools or hot tubs much, either.

4. I don't know how to swim!

5. I have a phobia that bothers me so much I can't even type it.

6. I don't have a dad.

7. I play World of Warcraft, but I'm not a nerd, I swear! It's my husband's fault!

Now I get to tag 7 of you:

Agnes of Agnes' World of Vegan Pleasures
Bianca of Vegan Crunk
Jen of That Pain in the Ass Vegan
Jess of The Domestic Vegan
Jessy of HappyVeganFace
Melynda of Veganic Adventures
Shelby of La Belle Vegan

Cookie says "hello vegan friends!"

Panang curry is goooooooood!

For dinner last night, I finally cracked open the jar of Thai and True panang curry paste that has been sitting in the cupboard for a few months. Thai and True products are made locally in Lake Oswego, and sold at the Farmer's Market as well as Food Fight. In my opinion, they are FAR superior to other curry pastes (like Thai Kitchen brand). I mixed 1/2 a jar with a can of coconut milk, and cooked on low until I put the veggies in. At the same time I sauteed some tofu. I wasn't very authentic about the veggies, and just threw in what I had: potatoes, carrots, and onion, which is better suited for mussaman curry, but whatever! It was still tasty! After tossing in the veggies and tofu, I turned up the heat to medium and covered the pot, letting it cook for about 30 minutes. It will cook down a lot, so make sure and add about 1 or 2 cups water and turn down the heat to low while your rice is cooking. And don't pull a Chelsea! Actually turn on your rice cooker instead of leaving it on warm for 30 minutes while complaining about how long it's taking! :) Waiting again was pure torture!






Plated panang curry with brown rice










Yesterday, Tiny Kitteh was sleeping innocently in Zoey's favorite cat bed (an empty water bottle flat that she won't let me recycle!) when Zoey decided to come join her.







Tiny Kitteh didn't quite fit anymore...















...but she tried to make it work!















Until she saw Zoey's tail...















...and she just couldn't help but attack it!

Crazy kittehs!!!