what to do when you're sick of cooking

Roasted Vegetables and Sauteed Spinach

One of the reasons I started this blog was that I wanted a public forum to share my kitchen adventures - chronicling all the new techniques, ingredients, and recipes that I tried as a part of my vegetarian lifestyle.  Through this blog, I am held accountable not only to myself, but also to my readership.  With my readers awaiting recipes and stories of success and failure, I avoid falling prey to lazy, unimaginative dinners of fried eggs, peanut butter sandwiches, or hummus.  And guess what?  So far, it has worked.  With only a little more than two weeks left on this little journey, I haven't had eggs for dinner once.  I've only made peanut butter and banana sandwiches when I'm on the go, like on the bus to New York, at last week's Wizards game, or during an afternoon of errand running.  And my Rockin' Moroccan white bean dip stuffed in a wrap with veggies is the closest I've gotten to a hummus-only meal.

I've published one post a day, Monday through Friday, for almost a month now.  And I hate to say it, but I've been cooking so much that I'm a little bit tired of it.  This speaks volumes.  I'm one of those weirdos that derives immense pleasure in the entire process of preparing a meal.  I love going to the grocery store or farmers' market and selecting the stars of a dish.  I enjoy selecting fresh herbs to accent and enhance the flavors of a dish.  I think sharpening my knives is fun, and take pride in the methodical way I dice vegetables into uniform pieces.  I love my handtools, like my immersion blender, vegetable peeler, and multipurpose hand grater, and the way they make it so easy to zest lemons and mince ginger.  Don't even get me started on sauteeing onions in olive oil, butter, and garlic, or removing the lid of a pot of soup and  inhaling the deep scent of herbs and vegetables simmering away. 

But as happy as those things make me, sometimes I come home and just want to microwave a packet of Tasty Bite madras lentils, poach an egg, or get takeout.  Not that there's anything wrong with doing those things, but y'all wouldn't read my blog if that's what I had for dinner every night (and likewise, I wouldn't be keeping an online journal).  So luckily, while I can get away with lazy days once in a while, I also have a convenient backup - roasted vegetables.

Now, I know I roast a lot of vegetables.  Roasted vegetable and quinoa stuffed eggplant.  Roasted vegetable salad.  Roasted brussels sprouts and quinoa.  But it's just so easy!  On the particular night that I roasted these beauties, I was tired and not particularly enthused about making dinner.  So I roasted some vegetables.  I turned the oven on 425, removed some peeled and diced butternut squash from the freezer (left over from this amaz butternut squash pasta recipe), diced a red pepper, and opened a six-ounce box of sliced baby bellas.  I tossed the vegetables in olive oil, sea salt, and pepper (but you could also choose to use fresh or dried herbs like basil and oregano).  I spread the vegetables on a roasting pan, hopped in the shower, and after 12 minutes, turned the vegetables.  I put them back in the oven, dried my hair, and another 12 minutes minutes later, they were finished.  I quickly sauteed some spinach in garlic and lemon juice, and then topped the bed of greens with the charred vegetables and sprinkled feta cheese on top (though you could easily make it vegan by removing the cheese).  I had a delicious meal in less than a half an hour, without even really doing any "cooking".  If you're hungry or in need of some protein, add some chickpeas.  Now how easy is that?

Of course, the other thing you can do when you're sick of cooking is go out to eat.  Last night I went to Cafe Ole, a hidden gem near Tenleytown.  Concentrating on Mediterranean-style small plates, and with a plethora of vegetarian options (helpfully denoted on the menu), this place was right up my alley!  Unfortunately, my pictures didn't turn out, but the food was delicious.  We ordered an all-vegetarian meal of the hummus platter, the olive orzo salad, the chickpea pizette, and the sangria....all were amazing!  The orzo salad (Toscana salata) was my favorite, an orzo lightly coated in roasted red pepper puree, tossed with kalamata olives, artichokes, and parmesan cheese, and topped with a thick lemon aioli.  My date didn't really care for it, which was fine....more for me!  I was also totally impressed by the black bean hummus (spiced with cumin and topped with cilantro) and the pizette (chickpea dough topped with wild mushroom ragout and cheesy parmesan arugula).  The only disappointment was that there was supposed to be baba ganoush on the hummus platter but it was replaced with a lackluster tabbouleh salad.  And the sangria (always, always red!) met my seal of approval, not an easy feat.  Check it out!

I'm kicking my weekend off tonight with a Tarot card reading courtesy of Brittany's mom and aunt.  Yes.  Not a joke.  I'm openly skeptical about those things, but it's all in good fun, and plus, there will be plenty of libations to smooth anxiety and lessen the damage from any not-so-stellar readings.  I'm actually really excited to see what the ladies think my future holds!  Then, I'm looking forward to a Mexican dinner for Lindsey's birthday and karaoke with some visiting friends from NYC.  Should be a whirlwind of a weekend!   

What does everybody have planned this weekend? Pin It Now!

what do vegetarians eat at sporting events?

Wizards v. Cavaliers

Nats v. Braves

I spent most of the weekend doing something kind of atypical for me - watching sports.  I am all for getting together in a social setting to watch exhibitions of athletic prowess, but I certainly wouldn't choose to spectate all weekend long.  But, it just so happens that we're in that crazy time of year where there's a plethora of sporting events going on, with some seasons winding down and others starting up again.  So, I got together with some friends and bought nosebleed tickets to watch some of DC's "professional" sports teams.

Friday night was spent watching the Battle for First Pick at the Verizon Center.  Thankfully, the Wizards narrowly beat the worst team in the NBA.  I love The Wiz, but really, step up your game, boys.  Your apathy is sickening, and almost had me wanting to cheer for the Cavaliers. (I actually kept getting confused because I went to UVA, so I am pre-wired to cheer for the "Cavaliers").  I was also upset because I am now 0 for 2 in attempts to actually watch wonderboy John Wall play a game of basketball.  He was injured when I went to the Wiz-Heat game back in December, and Friday night he was serving a one-game suspension.  #dobetter.  Saturday evening I was on the edge of my seat during the Final Four games and shed a few tears after VCU's Cinderella story came to an end.  (Not really, but has anyone seen this video?  Gave me the chills.)  Sunday I went to the third game of the Nationals opening week against the Braves.

Last night after the Nats game, I was telling a male acquaintance about my 40-day endeavor, and he asked me how, as a meat lover, I had been able to do it.  I do get this question a lot, but boys, for one reason or another, always find the promise really shocking.  I am generally able to answer quickly and honestly, because the truth is that it really hasn't been that difficult, especially compared with how hard I originally thought it was going to be. 

However, when faced with the question last night, I waffled a bit.  It's not that the whole experience has been hard, but coming off of a weekend of sporting events, the inconvenience of going vegetarian was at the forefront of my mind.  The sports world is not vegetarian-friendly in the least!  On Friday, I didn't see any real vegetarian options at the Verizon Center - the ladies and gents I went with chowed down on BBQ sandwiches for dinner, and truthfully, I almost resented them.  Luckily, I had anticipated that there would be few options, so I ate before I arrived.  If I had wanted food at the Nats game, I would be limited to peanuts and Cracker Jacks instead of a half-smoke from Ben's Chili Bowl or a burger from the Shake Shack (yep, it's coming to Nats Park this summer!)  My experienced begged the question: What do vegetarians eat at sports venues?  Are they reduced to cheese pizzas and soft pretzels?  Do they sneak in their own snacks?

My favorite vegetarian eats this weekend both were on Sunday, and neither of them came from my kitchen.  I really try to eat out as little as possible, but I have a bumpin' social calendar so some things can't be helped.

1.  Sunday brunch at Justin's Cafe before the Nats game.  I loved this place!  Justin was formerly the manager at one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants, but he recently opened up this gem two blocks from Nationals Park.  I had the King sandwich, a delicious panini of grilled eggplant, zucchini, tomato, roasted pepper, and baby spinach, served with a sweet basil mayo.  If I could offer one suggestion, it would be nice if there was some kind of cheese on the sandwich, possibly a mozzarella or a goat, to bind the ingredients together in a gooey melt.  Complementing my sandwich quite nicely were crispy and cinnamony sweet potato fries and a few spicy Bloody Marys.

King Sandwich from Justin's Cafe (sorry, I ate half of it first)

2.  Sunday night, I ordered the Vegetable Lo Mein from my favorite Chinese place in DC - Full Kee.  If you haven't been to this place, you NEED TO GO.  I went with three guys (who all ordered meat), but we did also share a plate of the spicy squid.  I had a mild tantrum when I saw that the "Vegetarian" egg roll actually had pork in it, but luckily the boys took it off my hands.  This was post-Nats game but before our futile attempt to buy tickets for the Lil' Wayne concert at Verizon Center (a really stellar idea we got after seven hours of Sunday Funday.)  Needless to say, the scalpers laughed in my face when I tried to offer them $100 for two tickets.  They were asking $120 a piece for the nosebleeds....

Not sure what I have coming for you on the blog this week....I was supposed to go to the grocery store yesterday, but I accidentally didn't get back home until 10pm.  Oops.  Have a good Monday and I will certainly serve up some delicious vegetarian fare tomorrow!

P.S.  While I was lazily watching sports all weekend, Whitney was busy crushing the Cherry Blossom 10-miler.  Congrats, Whit! Pin It Now!

the weekend in food

How was everyone's weekend?  Per usual, mine was a little overindulgent.  Again. (Are you noticing a trend here?  I think I whined about the same thing last week or the week before!  #mondayanxiety)

Friday night was "girls night" for my DC besties and I.  We had been looking forward to this night for a while - even though we live within a two mile radius of each other, we've all been so busy with work, travel, and fun that it had been a while since we'd hung out together!  This night had been on the calendar for a while, but we didn't know what we felt like doing until a couple of days before.  Anna-Catherine suggested a late dinner at Bangkok Joe's, a Thai restaurant on the Georgetown waterfront.

Bangkok Joe's has a très chic ambiance - very swanky and trendy, even though you can't tell by the picture of our corner table.  The food was solid and flavorful, with huge portions, but overall I didn't think it was anything to write home about.  I got the tofu basil rice bowl and also tried Randi's tofu pad thai; everyone else got noodle bowls with chicken, so I didn't try theirs.

I wish my dish had been a tad spicier; it just didn't pack enough punch for me.  Admittedly, I like my Thai food really spicy, so most people probably would have thought it was perfect.  The "upscale Thai bistro" put me even more solidly in the camp that ethnic food is best when cheap and from a hole in the wall.  (The one exception may be Indian food - which seems to be pricey everywhere.)  However, I will say that the company was a blast.  It was so good to see everyone because I think it has been a couple months since all six of us sat down together.  I have no idea when my friends and I all got so old.  Dinner conversation ranged from office woes to friends' upcoming weddings to wrinkles and anti-aging regimes. Whaaaat?  Slow down, Father Time!

 

After dinner we popped by Daily Grill to have a beer and watch the basketball games.  After a while, "a beer" multiplied into many drinks.  Randi, AC, and Kate left and it was just Brittany, Whitney, and me.  It was a slow night for the bar, and the bartender, with whom we are pretty friendly, was soliciting ideas for a new cocktail.  We wound up with something pink that was "girly, but sassy, snarky, and bitchy".  Whatever that means.  Was he trying to describe us? I was skeptical, as I hate sugary girly-tinis, but it actually wasn't that bad.  It tasted like strawberry pineapple juice with a kick.

Saturday, one of my sorority sisters from college, Ann-Somers, was in town for her birthday and the National Half Marathon.  She works as a consultant based out of Dallas, so we got our girlfriends from all over the East Coast (New York, DC, Richmond, and Charlottesville) to meet in the nation's capital.  Our friend Sarah made a reservation at Farmers and Fishers, another restaurant at the Georgetown waterfront.  Farmers and Fishers is a farm-to-table sister restaurant of one of my DC favorites, Founding Farmers.

It was my first time at the restaurant, and even though I had heard varying reviews, I was impressed with most of the food!  (And all of the made-in-house cocktails!)  We started with crab dip, fried calamari, a sprawling hummus platter, and a caprese salad tray for the table.  The apps were delish.  By the time the main course came, I wasn't even hungry, which was probably a good thing because my beet and goat cheese salad was kind of boring.  I suppose that's my fault for not ordering something more interesting.  Apparently Lyssa's tacos were 100% inedible, but other than that, I think everyone was happy with their meals. I had a bite of the roasted vegetable pizza and a couple different types of fish, which were all pretty tasty.

We took the party back to Sarah's house, where we were joined by a few more girls and some of our guy friends from college.  Then, by request of the birthday girl, we went dancing.  Look how happy we all are to be reunited! #dimples

Sunday was a lazy day.  Whitney made shrimp and grits on Saturday night so I threw a fried egg atop a block of leftover grits and called it brunch.  I spent the afternoon watching basketball and doing some boring, administrative Sunday activities.  I also did some trip planning for the vacation my sisters and I are taking in May, following B's graduation.  We're going to Italy for 18 days and I could not be more excited!  We're flying in and out of Milan, stopping in Bologna, Parma, Modena, Ravenna, Florence, Siena, Rome, Cinque Terre, and Turin along the way.  If anyone has suggestions on places to eat (or see!), please send them on over.


What did everyone do this weekend?  Any tasty vegetarian eats? Pin It Now!

when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, il Canale....

Admittedly, I am a bit of a pizza snob.  Don't get me wrong - I believe there is a time and a place for every type of pizza - from high-brow gourmet pies to a 3am heap of melted, cheesy goodness from Jumbo Slice in AdMo.  I sometimes like a cold slice of Papa John's for breakfast.  And, disgustingly enough, I have been known to polish off an entire Kavanagh's pizza in one afternoon, but let's not go there.  All-time low. 

In DC, gourmet pizza shops are a dime a dozen.  People rave about 2 Amy's, but I've always been a bit underwhelmed.  Their sauce is too thick and not quite zesty enough for me, and I think the crust is undercooked.   I am always happy with Matchbox and Pizzeria Paradiso, both excellent choices in my book for a quality pie with premium toppings.  However, when I really want pizza, there's only one failsafe place in my book - Il Canale.


Il Canale is a charming pizza restaurant that I stumbled upon last summer completely by mistake (another failure that ended up okay).  I was actually searching for another pizza restaurant, Fratelli La Bufala.  Unbeknownst to me, FLB was only in DC for a hot minute.  When I walked up to the shuttered door on 31st Street, a notice taped to the door revealed that they had moved out due to a lease dispute, and were apparently not planning on returning to the city.  An additional notice said that another restaurant, Il Canale, was to move in soon, and a few weeks later I checked it out.  The Georgetown establishment (I refuse to call it a "pizza joint") boasts my favorite type of 'za - the high-quality Neopolitan variety, complete with a D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) qualification.  Tim Cameron, I apologize for the blatant elitism in that statement, but just work with me on this one - D.O.C. pizza is one of a kind.  


Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there are only two places you can find a D.O.C-certified pizza in the District - Il Canale and 2 Amy's.  The certification essentially means that the Italian government deems the preparation and ingredients "authentic" and respectful of the art of Neapolitan pizza making.  Similar certifications are common with wine, cured meats, and fine cheeses, and are not unique to Italy.  For D.O.C. pizza napoletana, the pie must be tossed by hand, prepared with authentic Italian ingredients (for example, San Marzano tomatoes and bufala mozzarella), and cooked in a wood-burning oven.  In fact, it takes less than 2 minutes to cook a pizza this way!  

I had the pleasure of dining last night at Il Canale when Whit's parents were in town.  Every time I go there, I'm reminded of why I love it.  First, it's never full.  This must be the best kept secret in DC!  I arrived a bit earlier than my fellow diners and was chatting with the pizzaiolo and watching him assemble one pizza after another.  That's the other thing about this place - the staff is so friendly.  I think they only have about three waiters on staff because I usually always get the same server, Ben.  The meal itself is 100% Italian from beginning to end.  Your dinner starts with complimentary bread served with a delicious olive oil that has whole roasted garlic cloves swirling around.  Your server may or may not be interested in taking your order, so you might have to flag him down.  Very Italian.  Best of all, food aside, is that this place has the most legitimate rooftop seating in Georgetown.  You could easily fit twenty of your closest friends on the upstairs terrace on a warm summer's night.   


The restaurant has a ton of vegetarian options, and any of the pizzas are customizable (you can ask them to hold the meat, if desired).  I've ordered almost every pizza on the menu and they are all delicious.  Whitney loves the Regina.  I am obsessed with the Ortolana and the Margherita, but last night I ordered the Capricciosa (sans ham) and it was also delicious.  My favorite salad is the Ciliegina, but Whitney's mom ordered the Mediterranea and raved about it.  You also can't go wrong with a create-your-own antipasti platter.  Also, because everybody loves a good happy hour special, Weekdays from 5-7pm - $10 for a Margherita pizza and a glass of house wine or a beer!!  That can't be beat.  You must check out Il Canale!


I forgot my trusty point-and-shoot, so these are from the Il Canale page on yelp.  Head to the website or facebook page to check out more pics!

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