The Fat Lady Has Sung

I have to post something dedicated to the food we had on our trip because we ate alot but also because Daddy and I were vegans for 2.5 days and that's big for us. We eat meat. We eat alot of meat. But we have been shown a different way. A way to cut back on that. Probably a good thing cause Daddy just got back a bad cholesterol report. So first here are some recipes that my cousin made for us that I promise you were oh so good. Here she is:



Zucchini Bread

2 cups grated zucchini, about 6 zucchini
Egg replacer for 3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 bread pans.
Stir together the zucchini, egg replacer, oil, sugar and vanilla. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.

Pour the batter in to the pans and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Pinto Bean Burgers With Chipolte Mayonnaise

1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no salt-added whole-kernel corn, drained
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon canned minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 (1 1/2-ounce) whole wheat hamburger buns toasted
4 romaine lettuce leaves

To prepare burgers, combine the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pinto beans and corn; partially mash with a fork. Divide bean mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 3 1/2-inch patty, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

To prepare chipotle mayonnaise, combine mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon chipotle in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heated. Place patties on bottom halves of buns; top each patty with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 lettuce leaf, and top half of bun.

She also made us falafels, tabuleh salad (shhh it came from a box) and she served that with this little dilly of a sauce. Mmmmmmm.

Cucumber Sauce

1 cup soy yogurt, unsweetened
1/2 large cucumber, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon turbinado sugar (to taste)

Ok. So in NYC, we got back to eating a little meat. We ate a burger at the The Frying Pan. Oh Sweet Jesus, the seasoned fries. We had tacos and burritos at Harry's Burritos on the Upper West Side. Please get the chicken tacos (hard) when you go. Oh my yum yum. Then, we got another falafel from Mamouns on Macdougal and 3rd. You gotta go there. Finally we finished it all off with a "Grandma Pizza" from Bleeker Street Pizza. I'm teary-eyed just thinking about it. Tissue please. Alright. All of this was of course sprinkled with random "Dirty Water Dogs" from the street vendors. I know its gross but I - Have - To - Eat - Them.

I got home and realized that I gained 5 pounds folks and I don't even care. So the fat lady has officially sung.