Collards and Mac

Mixing a vegetable in with your mac and cheez isn't exactly a novel idea anymore.  I've done broccoli, cauliflower, and peas, but perhaps my favorite mix-ins are collards.  I like to cut them into long ribbons so I can swirl them up with my fork, each bite having a plentiful amount of both the veg and the mac.



Kristen from the Noochy Noodle spoke really highly of the Cheezy Mac recipe from Julie Hasson's Vegan Diner.  I just got a copy of the book from the library, so I thought it would be a perfect recipe to try for this dish.  And it was!  This recipe is creamy with a great smokey flavor.  It's only been recently that I've started liking smokey flavors, so it was my first time using smoked paprika, but certainly not the last!

So how did I prepare the collard ribbons?
I started out with enormous collard leaves, cutting out the stalks (and giving them to patiently waiting doggles), and lining them up on the cutting board.

 Then, I rolled them up, lengthwise and started slicing.

I plopped the collard ribbons into a pan and steamed them for about five minutes.

For dessert I made the couscous cake that won me over at A Bug and a Fish.  However, I flavored mine with rosewater instead of vanilla and used pistachios and home-grown strawberry slices for the top.  It was quite good.  Apparently couscous cakes have been around forever, but I've never heard of them before!  I think I'm going to try making it with quinoa for a nutty, gluten-free dessert.

Oy.  It wasn't ready in time for natural light.  And I wasn't going to wait until the next day to eat it!

Lastly, I leave you with photographic evidence of Andy's method of opening a soy milk container.

Oh, Andy.