Thursday, February 21, 2008

Blog Report Card


I always loved seeing E for excellent on my report card when I was in elementary school... and now as an adult, it still feels great!! Holler over at Tinned Tomatoes (who is very deserving of this award for her mouthwatering creations) has bestowed upon me an Excellent Blog Award. I am so honored, my first blog award :-) I was so touched that she thought of me with the many amazing blogs that are out there! And of course, this makes me only want to try harder to improve my blog for all my readers (I'm really hoping I'll get a new header soon). I think this also means that I get to pass this award on to five more bloggers of my choice, which will be tough to do, since I love so many. I need just a bit more time to think about it, so expect that next week!

I have been immersed in ED&BV lately, and dinner on Tuesday was no exception. I made the blackened tofu with a side of roasted green beans and smashed sweet potatoes (added coconut milk anda agave nectar). Dreena meant it when she said blackened! John was very impressed and said it reminded him of the spices on blackened red fish. But no fish had to suffocate for this meal :-)
Also on Tuesday night I made a batch of homemade truffles for some special friends. Ever since Emilie's inspiring truffle post, I have wanted to try my hand at these. I used a combination of coconut milk and hazelnut liquor for my liquids. Half I rolled in cocoa powder and the other half in chopped hazelnuts. So simple to make! The centers of the truffles are so creamy... I hope they travel well because I had to send them in the mail!
I'm out for the next few days. Off to sunny Colorado for some skiing with friends. I can't wait to see my first snow this year! I love returning to Colorado, reminds me of my college days in Fort Collins and Boulder. I am also really excited to try Watercourse Foods, Denver's premiere vegetarian restaurant. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

31 comments:

Liz Ranger (Bubble Tea for Dinner) said...

congratulations! you really do deserve it, your blog is a breath of fresh air! and as for the lemon cake design, I just cut a stencil out of a piece of paper, snowflake-style, and dusted over that. really easy and fun!

those truffles sound so good, too. :o

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

I second what liz2 said-- you definitely deserve the E... in fact, you deserve 5 of 'em hehe. I love reading your blog :o), and it's great to know that there's another "crazy" Texan vegan out there ;o).

On a different note, those truffles look absolutely amazing!

Tracy said...

You have a great blog, and those truffles look delicious!

Leigh said...

Your truffles are so pretty sitting in that little purple box! :)

...and well done!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on winning the award! Your blog is truly deserving, and you are truly inspirational. =)

Those truffles look sooo yummy! Your friends will love them.

Have fun skiing!! Snow is so much fun when you haven't seen it in ages. =)

Cakespy said...

Oh, I love anything blackened like this. LOVE the flavor. And the truffles--what a sweet ending! Nice mix as usual, you crafty little devil. What lucky buddies to receive them!

Lori- the Pleasantly Plump Vegan said...

yeah, yr blog is one of my favorites. you make a lot of food that I would make (and have made)and yr writing style never bores me. congrats!
those truffles look so great, and I'm not even a huge chocolate fan.
Have fun in Colorado!!!

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

hooray for the well-deserved "Excellent" blog award!! and hooray for a delicious blackened tofu meal and homemade truffles :0)

have a WONDERFUL trip to Colorado - can't wait to read about it when you get back!

Ashasarala said...

Blackened tofu? Now there's an interesting concept!

Congrats on your 'E for Excellence'! You really deserve it. I love reading your posts! I hope someday my blog is good enough for one of those. I'm still in the beginning stages, so I guess I haven't really found my 'true blog self'. LoL But mine is in dire need of a makeover, I'll tell ya that!

Have fun in Colorado. My drummer went there on vacation and he said it was amazing, so I'm sure you'll have a blast!

Ashasarala said...

PS- How could I forget to mention- the truffles look delicious!

jd said...

Congrats to you, Ms. Excellent Blogger - I'm excited to hear that you got Tinned Tomatoes' stamp of approval!

However, just so you know, I would have given you an Excellent blog rating, too :)

Keep up the good work!

MeloMeals said...

Have fun skiing! I love Colorado... spent a good portion of my life there..

Congrats on your blog award.

The truffles look beautiful.

Melisser; the Urban Housewife said...

Have a great trip, you excellent blogger, you! Those truffles look amazing!

Anonymous said...

The truffles looks so fancy ooo :)

Congrats on your award and have fun in CO!

Jenni (aka Vegyogini) said...

You absolutely deserve that stellar report card! I've had my eye on the blackened tofu recipe; I'll be sure to try it out soon.

Tofu Mom (AKA Tofu-n-Sprouts) said...

Oh PRETTY! What a wonderful surprise those truffles would make for just about ANY occassion! Yum!

Anonymous said...

Oh damn that blackened tofu looks good! That alone earns you an E!

J said...

The truffles look so cute in their box!

Congrats on the award! You really deserve it! Your blog is one of the ones that inspired me to start my own, and also to go completely vegan! Keep up the great work!

Anke said...

well deserved E, your blog is always fun :-)

and those truffles, my oh my, the picture makes my mouth water...

Animal-Friendly said...

Congrats on the award- very well-earned :)

Oh- and those truffles look delicious!

Lindsay (Happy Herbivore) said...

i really dig the purple box..

and

CONGRADS!

vko said...

This post alone with gorgeous blackened tofu & decadent truffles is so E-worthy! Congratulations!

Bet those truffles taste as good as they look, I would order those up in a heartbeat...you could be selling Vegan Noodle Truffles!

Have fun in Colorado!

Anonymous said...

The tofu looks good, but I think I'd REALLY like those sweet potatoes! And, of course, the truffles are truly evil.

Congratulations on the E award!

toni L. said...

beautiful photo of the truffles. they look so good!

Ruby Red said...

Colorado would be a great place to live since it's so health-conscious! The WaterCourse Food menu selection is overwhelming - how are you ever going to decide what to get?!

Congrats on your award! Your blackened tofu looks great, and I bet coconut milk is nice and creamy in your smashed sweet potatoes. The truffles look beautiful, and so does the box!

BitterSweet said...

Gorgeous truffles, they look totally professional!

bazu said...

Ooooh, congratulations on your award! You are definitely deserving. Because of my all-too-frequent blogging absences, I see that I've missed a lot on your blog, so I'm going to go through and read every missed post now! I hope you're having fun in CO.

aTxVegn said...

I used to make an awesome blackened tofu salad and I really should make it again. I just love all things spicy. I also love chocolate! I know those beautiful truffles were delicious. Too easy not to make more often.

You are an excellent blogger!

Ruthie said...

Amanda ~

You are so cute. I hope you had fun skiing. Everyone around here goes skiing like every weekend so I am kinda impartial. I think it'd be the scariest thing in the world. X-Country skiing is fun though.

I know this sounds weird but I saw a pair of cupcake undies at Target and thought of you! LOL

Yogurt containers (the ones with lids) make good small containers to carry hummus in so you don't get soggy bread sandwiches. You can also make kinda big popsicle molds out of them.

I think its funny you love quinoa but not millet. I love millet but hate quinoa! he he

I also think your typ-o's in the very sweet comments you left on my blog are very funny. I'm not sure if you had indulged a little before commenting, but I think it's adorable.

I'll definitely teach you to knit... while watching "fone with the wind" with my greens "groeing" in the backyard. :-)

J said...

Ok, I am a huge sucker for sweet potatoes (or yams, whatever I can find) and the idea of adding coconut milk and agave never occured to me. Yum!

Enjoy your vacation!

(and I like Kucinich too by the way, damn the media and their ability to make a candidate 'unviable')

Veggie Cookster said...

Congratulations on your award... definitely deserving! :) The blackened tofu looks awesome!