mannyfrench's Profile

I am a feather. I've also lived in a busy house growing up (big family), dorms, and communal houses to follow. It's not consistent, I'm either out or tossing and turning (and getting mad about it). I'll have to try the white noise machines as I have used fans in the past but they really set off my already horrible allergies.

I work evenings in a restaurants and some day time shifts at a vet clinic. The schedule really sucks because coming home from a restaurant job at 1am, I need a natural 2-ish hours of wind-down, tea, a movie, reading, but when I know I have to be up at 6 am, it's just not possible. I suppose I may as well do it since crawling into bed right after work only leads to me waking up and tossing and turning all night.

Any recommendations for white noise devices? Prices?

Arielle! We host a Friendsgiving and accomodate quite a few of dietary needs, here are a couple of ideas:

Vegan mashed taters: I usually make my non-vegan version with mostly butter, sometimes a little cream, and goat cheese. I've found that subbing in the vegan smart balance (careful some have whey protein added to them), or margarine, with vegan sour cream, chives/green onion, make a really delicious version that vegans and non-vegans will enjoy! Plus, it's really simple to cook big batch of potatoes, make one non-vegan batch and one vegan.

One of my favorite soups in the world is Curry Carrot Ginger, very much a fall/harvest meal, and totally appropriate for Thanksgiving. I believe that thekitchn recently posted a version of the soup-- and this is my version, totally vegan!
This makes what I'd call a medium amount of soup, probably enough for 6?
3 Shallots, half of an onion, or something else aromatic (leeks would probably work too). I use shallots because I find their flavor more subtle.
olive oil OR butter (oil makes this vegan, easy substitution)
2lbs carrots
2 large parsnips (adding parsnips seems to make a less sweet soup-- which I like)
Curry - I think most any will do, I like the richness of good ole standard yellowy curry
Cayenne (optional)
Herbs/spices (i round up whatever is in the house, usually BAY LEAF, thyme, basil, sage -- tumeric, coriander)
Stock- if you're making a meat version, chicken stock is delicious, homemade veggie stock is obviously the tastiest, and a canned/boxed/prepped stock/broth is also just dandy! (For emergencies, when we don't have stock in the freezer, we keep a jar of better than bouillon in the fridge, very salty but pretty flavorful regardless)
can o coconut milk

Cut your shallots or onion-y product
Roughly chop carrots and parsnips (I aim for the same size)
Heat a stock pot on med/high heat, add your butter or oil, sautee the onion-y product, once warmed add in your curry, let that heat up with your onions, I like adding cayenne (a couple shakes) because I think that curry and spicy work for me, ..get them sauteeing-- add in the bayleaf, thyme, herbs you're using, once translucent/beginning to brown, I add in the carrots/parsnips, let them cook a bit, probably between 5-10 minutes, depends how impatient/distracted I am. Add in the broth, bring up to boil, turn down the heat, partially cover, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes.. take off heat, retrieve your thyme/herb sticks, and bay leaves, blend the crap out of it, I use an immersion blender, but you can also do it in batched in a regular blender, or use a food mill. return to stove top, make hot, but do not boil, add your coconut milk.. and viola!

there are a number of tabouli/quinoa dishes that we have cycled in over the years.