Friday, June 15, 2007

Something simple, something special

I'm afraid there's not a whole lot to share right now... I haven't had much of an appetite, really, and I've been studying like mad for my 6 July exam. I am still trying to eat fresh, healthy, and non-processed as much as I can, though I have caved and drunk coffee several times. It just helps so much when I'm stuck at home studying all day, to at least have something cozy to sip on.

One of the easiest and best lunches ever: Bake a sweet potato, then cut it open and serve it topped with homemade black beans. The beans are spicy, a perfect answer to the mellow, sweet spud.


Well, this isn't exactly unprocessed... but it was in my freezer, and I didn't have time to go grocery shopping on Wednesday. But I had recently spied these Dominex Eggplant Burgers at the health food store, so I picked up a box for just such an occasion. I actually really liked it... better than a Boca Burger or something like that. It actually tasted like eggplant, and the box assured me that it was vegan. I ate it on half a whole wheat bun, dressed it up with mustard and sprouts, and topped it with some cucumber slices. Pretty tasty.


This was my excitement for the week--it had been so long since I made my own sushi. Bob helped me with the miso soup (Quick Miso Soup For One, from LDV, but we split it into two portions), which contains diced silken tofu, baby spinach, and green onions, and I took care of the sushi rolls.



The roll on the left contains green onions with baby bellas, marinated in rice vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, and chopped ginger. The marinade was really tasty. The roll on the right is made with strips of grilled zucchini and grilled sweet potato. Nothing beats the taste of grilled veggies, and I loved this roll. With a small decanter of warmed rice wine, this meal was every bit as good as a sushi meal out on the town.

That's all for now. Hope your weekend is fantastic.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

beautifull food.
good luck in the exams!

Carrie™ said...

The sweet potato & bean dish might not be fancy, but it sure sounds good and filling! Your sushi looks incredible!

Anonymous said...

Your sushi looks beautiful! I am very impressed! I like the idea of grilled veggies in sushi too. I have always done raw, but I will have to give grilled a try.

Courtney

KleoPatra said...

Wishing you easy studying. Love the idea of the sweet potato drenched in the beans. Wow, talk about a powerhouse of a healthy dish there!!!

Gorgeous, stunning sushi. The food AND the photos. Lovely, Laura.

Monika K said...

You've inspired me - I'm going to try my own sushi as soon as possible...my stomach is growling already!

(What rice did you use - Calrose?)

laura k said...

Johanna, thanks!

Carrie, "filling" is definitely right! I love a meal that's low in fat and high in fiber and as filling as black beans and sweet potatoes...

Courtney, I love raw veggies in sushi too, but I'm not too into raw sweet potato so I always grill it up a little bit - it really brings out the goodness in the sweet potato!

Kleo, thanks! It makes me happy to pack as much nutrition as I can into one meal...

Monkia, I don't know what brand my rice was - I get it in bulk at the local health food store. But it's just short-grain sushi rice... it will probably be labeled as sushi rice wherever you get it. I hope your sushi-making endeavours go well - it takes some practice to get the rolls looking good but it's not as hard as it sounds!

Don't Get Mad, Get Vegan! said...

Mmmmmmmm, your sushi looks divine.

love the idea of black beans on the sweet potato. will certainly have to try that.

Best of luck with the exam!

Julie said...

I can't believe I haven't made sushi at home yet! They actually had really good vegan sushi on the cruise (one of the few good things).

Good luck with your exam!!

Teresa said...

Ah Yes- black beans and sweet potato, what a great and simple combination. Oh and I'm jealous of your sushi making! I wish that they had those eggplant burgers in California. They look awesome, and I love eggplant. I guess I'll just have to go out and visit you. And then you can make me sushi too (haha)!

Good luck on the exams!

-Teresa

aTxVegn said...

I love sweet potatoes with black beans. It makes a great chili in the winter. Your sushi is beautiful! Everything looks very healthy - great brain food for all your studying.

laura k said...

DGMGV, black beans and sweet potatoes are a great natural pair!!

Julie, I'm so glad that at least they had good sushi!

Teresa, that could be fun! :)

Diann, I have never put sweet potatoes in chili before but I've thought about it - it sounds great.

Anonymous said...

mmm!!!