Thursday, January 03, 2008

2 Fruit & 5 Veg

That's the recommended daily intake of produce in Australia. I think it's a bit low, but then, I'm a kooky vegan.

1. Look at this super ripe, red tomato. Andy was having mouth-gasms over this farmer's market find. "This is the way tomatoes should be!"How does one eat such a perfect specimen? Simply--on toast with salt and pepper.
2. From red to green... leafy greens. Spinach and tofu calzones, with a bit of red capsicum thrown in for colour and crunch.

3. Funny little eggplants, another farmer's market find. The man at the market told us they were good in stirfries, or cut in half and tossed in a salad. He said they grow on big trees. We put them in a stirfry, some cut in half and some left whole. They were disgusting. Maybe we got a bad batch, but they were so bitter and gross.4. Mahogany Eggplant, a recipe from Vegan Planet. Instead of just eggplant, I used some zucchini and carrot as well. Served with fluffy jasmine rice.
5. Pumpkin vindaloo, based loosely on a recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance. Lots of fresh mint on top, because the mint grows much quicker than the coriander.
For fruit? It's obvious...
1. Mango. Actually, coconut pancakes (from VwaV) with a fresh mango sauce. The sauce is just mango, about a T. of brown sugar, and a pinch of ground ginger.
2. Our fruity christmas bounty, a buttload of mangos for $6. We worked it out--25 cents a mango. Now we're talking! And you can't forget about the lychees. $6 for a "farmer's kilo" from the friendliest couple at the market. Nacho is actually yawning, but it looks like she's being very overprotective of her fruit. She loves pumpkin, but barely sniffs at mango.
And what better side dish to fresh produce than some left-leaning news? A friend sent me this article and I thought I would share. I think the most interesting part is towards the end, so don't forget to flick to page 2!

11 comments:

cristy said...

I doubt that the little eggplants were a bad batch - they always taste bitter and nasty to me. Some people just like them that way... apparently.

Amy said...

Awesome food!!!! Nacho looks adorable as always. What was in the calzones? Looks tasteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Pink Theory said...

Nacho, how can you not like mangoes?! Great looking produce and food as usual. omg, that mango sauce and those pancakes sound and look awesome!

vko said...

Nacho is the absolute cutest!

Happy New Year Theresa!

Theresa said...

Amy, the calzones were: 1 block of crumbled firm tofu, 1 block of thawed frozen spinach, 1 red capsicum, some spices, a dash of olive oil, and a thick garlic cream sauce (sautee garlic, add oil, stir in flour, whisk in soy milk). The sauce thickened up a LOT in the oven, so we didn't really notice it, but it was meant to make the filling a bit saucy since Andy *hates* boring old dry food. He still covered the calzones in tomato sauce. What a poop.

Lori- the Pleasantly Plump Vegan said...

everything looks wonderful. i am especially drooling over those coconut pancakes and mango sauce.

Anonymous said...

Hey Theresa,

Just wanted to drop a note saying that I love your blog! I am an Aussie expat now living in the UK. I sometimes envy your tropical lifestyle.... it is a little cold here right now. Please post often! I have been flirting with veganism for 2 years, and finally hubbie and I have decided to go the 'whole hog' so to speak. Blogs like yours are inspiring. Have a GREAT 2008,

Marie.

urban vegan said...

Nacho's markings are adorable. The girl likes her fruit, right?

The USRDA is 3 Vega and 2 fruit=--laughable. But damn-the meat and dairy lobby are still so powerful. To eat more produce would mean eating less flesh and drinkiing less pus...

Anonymous said...

i cant wait for mango season here.

that tomato look awesome as the food. yum!!

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

I too think that the recommended amount of produce is too low - so that makes me a kooky vegan as well ;0)

oh wow, that tomato is gorgeous!! and I'm simply head-over-heels for the mango, leafy greens - yum!! all my favorites.

Nacho never ceases to display his cuteness :0)

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

with lychees & mangos like that, I could and would eat much more than 2 servings a day! the pancake shot has my mouth watering! off to read your article - thanks! and happy 2008!