Bring on the Christmas Posts!

I'm putting the last post of Green Week on hold so we can jump right into...

Christmas Week!
Possible future Christmas-Week posts include:
1. Decorated cookies (true, they're not cupcakes, but fondant is still involved!)
2. Cookies for a Cause
3. Presents!
4. Christmas Dinner


Like most families I know, our family used to open Christmas presents super-early (translation: as soon as my little sister and I were successful in pulling our groggy parents from bed). But in the past few years, we've waited until after lunch to open gifts. My parents and sister say they like this better because it gives them time to relax in the morning and "prettify" before church... but I know the real reason-- it means they get to sleep longer!


Yesterday, for example, the house was still silent when I returned from running at 8:45. Honestly, who sleeps until 8:45 on Christmas?! As I brewed myself some Sugar Cookie tea and poured a big bowl of cereal (complete with lots of sweet strawberries and banana slices, most of which are hiding out on the bottom), people finally started ambling into the kitchen.

Cutest dishes ever, or what?


A few hours and a church service later, it was time for Christmas lunch. I'd originally planned to make my lazy girl tofu quiche for lunch, because the rest of my family eats Christmas quiche. But at the last minute, I decided on something else-- a new invention (I love experimenting with tofu, because it adds creaminess to blended recipes. And we all know how much I love creamy foods).


CCV's Christmas Quiche Soup
(a variation of my Quiche Dip)

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper, chopped (doesn't need to be chopped too finely, as it's just going to go in the blender anyway)
• About 200 grams Mori-Nu firm tofu (or another aseptic tofu)/ If you want a reeeeaally thick soup, or a dip, add more tofu... but you may then have to alter the spices accordingly.
• 2/3 tablespoon nutritional yeast (or more, if you're a big fan of the stuff)
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp freeze-dried chives
• 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp dried Rosemary
• 1/2 tsp salt, or more or less, depending on your taste buds
• pepper, to taste
• Water or non-dairy milk to thin it down, if you wish (I add 2 tablespoons of water to help it blend better.)

Procedure:

Blend everything with a hand blender, food processor, or regular blender. Or, cram it all into the Magic Bullet, which is my method-of-choice. (I only put in 1/2 the red pepper to begin with, because otherwise it won't all fit in the MB.)

Christmas lunch: Quiche Soup in a fun green bowl, with brussels sprouts mixed in (I like those Birdseye Steamfresh Singles, but I don't microwave them in the wrapper cuz I'm wary of microwaving plastic). On the side, a Cinnamon-Raisin Gnu Bar, apple, and a glass of my favorite new ricemilk.
Close up of the quiche-y goodness. So thick and-- you guessed it-- creamy ;o)


Chocolate-Covered Words of the Day
Thank you to everyone who's commented on my "Comment Drive" post! And if you haven't done so yet, there's still time. To recap, I'm going to donate 20 cents for every comment left on the post (until New Year's Day). If you have a blog, please help me spread the word; my goal is to get at least 100 comments. The money is going to a terrific charity, The Enough Project.