12 March 2006

Smashed Potatoes and Crap

I woke up to some sunshine and some Bob Dylan on NPR this morning. And the ground is still wet which is amazing that it's not warm enough to evaporate. In the middle of our 18-hour + rain, I decided that if I was not going to run to the store and grab an unsweetened milk, that I would let about 1.5 pounds of Yukon Gold's go to waste. The weird sprouts were starting and they frighten me. I have been dreaming about smashed potatoes for a long time, and I bought some Yukon's last week (see midweek munchies post for complete list). Earth Balance is stock around here, so I didn't have to worry about that, but I do keep vanilla Silk as my staple milk, so I was running into problems here. Plus, after seeing Jess' post about her smashed potatoes, I decided it really was a sign (and time to make them).

I decided to go to the store and I ended up buying a small milk, a bag of red lentils and 4 carrots, although I think I left one on the line (no bag). It was so nice walking in the rain, actually being wet, not seeing blue skies, and people were all happy and chill. I was cold though (I'm a wuss when it's under 75 degrees). What a day... and to make it even better, I was about to have some smashed potatoes!

Ingredients:
Yukon Gold potatoes, about 1.5 lbs
garlic, minced, about 2-3 cloves
Earth Balance, about 1/3 cup (I didn't measure, but I eye'd it)
Unsweetened Silk Soymilk, about 2/3-1/2 cup, I'm not sure, as I just poured it in and added too
Five kinds of fresh ground pepper (black, white, red, etc..., it's a pre-mixed churner)
sea salt (to taste, I add after finished mixing)
That's it!

And I decided since this was a rare occasion that it rained, I would also indulge myself in something else that's rare... partially hydrogenated oils, UGH, I KNOW!!! Yep, sometimes I like to treat myself to crap, and this here is pretty much going for it. I love these Mary Janes, and I thought I'd have to drive back up to Camp Verde (about 1.5 hour drive) just to get some. I looked everywhere, even online. These are great, but do have some crap in them, and don't give me any more crap, because I am 100% sure these are vegan. They're peanut butter kinda chewy like taffy like sweetness, with added crap.

You know, as a vegan, as a nutritionist, and as someone that doesn't like crappy ingredients, I sure do like these. Except I think I had about 10 yesterday (while playing badminton with Ray and Killian in the house, Killian freaks out over the birdie). And then the sugar (and other crap) started to get to me and I was dizzy and light headed and I think I just ate too many. I also didn't have much in my belly to start with. I was going overboard because they taste so damn good and I think it's fun eating something so weird and chewy once in a while. And I think that having them once in a while, when it makes me happy is completely ok to do, and I am just living life how I feel is best for me (and that includes happy crappy things every once in a while) and that's why I'm sharing this all with you. Plus, I think it's funny how the wrapper is practically the same exact color as our kitchen counters!

So there you have it. I ate smashed potatoes, some almond oat balls, Mary Jane's and some ice cream yesterday! The rain sure did get to me! Oh, and let me just say that I've had Sloppy Lentie's (I changed the name) twice in the last week, that's how freakin good they are. I will post my recipe on my version of these and I may just have some again tonight. It's fast, so easy, a one-pot meal, and virtually no clean up, especially since you will probably eat it all that it's so good.

Leslie's Version of Sloppy Lenties...
Ingredients:
1 c. rinsed and drained red lentils
2c. water
1c. tomato sauce
1 T. tamari (soy sauce)
2 carrots, chopped
a big handful of kale, chopped
about 1/4 onion (unless you actually like onion, use more), chopped
pinch of chili flakes
pinch of dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced

Method: Combine dried lentils, water, tomato sauce, tamari and bring to a boil. While waiting, chop (food processor is best to get real small) carrots, garlic, kale and onion together. Add to pot of lentils. Add chili flakes and basil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir every once in a while. Enjoy with a spoon or some bread (or anything else good you can think of).

13 comments:

Shawn Powers said...

I feel bad, my kids would get those Mary Jane candies for Halloween, and I'd throw them away! (I just don't like peanut butter that much...)

My kids apparently don't like them either. We should have sent them your way. ;o)

Eat Peace Please said...

Thanks Shawn but I'd rather not have them sent this way! This is a rare, special treat! Thanks for visiting!

Harmonia said...

I will have to try a mashe potatoes of sorts soon!

:)

I have 2 potatoes that are waiting to be used and I'm hungry for them!

Flo @ Yielded Heart said...

I didn't have Mary Janes this weekend, but overindulged in some chinese bean dessert sesame balls- whatever you call them, from a restaurant!
It's good that you can have those ocassional treats, and then not think about them anymore. I have a hard time with that, because when I have something so good (and not so good for you!) I think about it and think about it some more!
The last "mashed potatoes" I made wasn't even made from potatoes, but cauliflower. I don't care much about it but the kids like it, and it's great because they get to eat so much of it without knowing they're eating their veggies! I just don't don't like the prep and cleaning-up part!

Eat Peace Please said...

Hi Kai. Sorry about your camera, is there warranty?

I wouldn't want to know it's cauliflower either because I hate it equally to mushrooms, ugh.

I don't mind cleaning potatoes, they seem to clean right up, especially when mixed with "milk & butter".

jess (of Get Sconed!) said...

I think it's adorable that you love the mary jane candies. Yay for particular sweet teeth : )
p.s. I've been on the hunt for delicious wheat and multigrain breads. I wish you could try the Dave's Killer Bread brand here in PDX, I think you'd be all about it. I'll buy it again come farmer's markets time, directly.

Julie said...

I love me some mashed tatos! There so cheap to make & yummy!

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

You really got me going on the potatoes (my stomach is growling for them) they look delicious & are a weakness of mine...being from Idaho & all! and I dig your reasoning on the crap factor -- that should be written down somewhere official. 5 kinds of pepper?! I had no idea there was more than 1. and what in the world are Mary Janes? The only thing I can think of does not come in yellow packages! LOL!!

Regina said...

We had mashed potatoes tonight for dinner. Nothing like them! Yum!

The Mary Janes sound good! You have to treat yourself every once in a while!

jess (of Get Sconed!) said...

Leslie- wierd, but I can only view your page at home, my work computer (a new one, actually) freezes up when I open your page!

Eat Peace Please said...

Jess... Weird. My loading is slow sometimes because I think I have a lot of photos. I don't know much about this stuff though, sorry. It's funny you're checking my page at work (hmph!).

Creative K... I think of smashed potatoes as treating myself as well. Thanks for visiting!

Vicki... Yep, there are all sorts of Mary Janes! I have a hard time finding these, but they are chewy peanut buttery candies with a lot of junk in them too. I can only imagine how great Idaho potatoes are. The ones here are just ok, I should check the origin. Thanks for visiting here, I like to think of this page as a "motherload" as well, but I am working on the "posting-recipes" part.

Julie... Glad you're back. Isn't the snow on the mountains amazing!?! I feel like I'm in CO not the desert! And I did know about the snow in N.S. and Cave Creek. Awesome. How was the grandparent visit?

Julie said...

I know, it's crazy to see the snow on our AZ mountains!

My trip went well. I ended up making my grandparents Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas. They liked them a lot! I have made them before, but next time I think I am gonna make more of an enchilada pie.

Oh, and I won $140 at the Yuma Casino! Yay!

Amy K. said...

For Cheryl:

zappos.com is an online shoe store, and they have a vegetarian section:

http://www.zappos.com/vegetarian.htm

I've heard they have a great return policy, but I've never needed to use it.