I’m not a fun person to be around when I’m running on a lack of sleep. I got woken up twice in the middle of the night when Skipper heard something in the backyard and decided to tell us all about it in barking fits. Then I got blasted out of bed 30 minutes before my alarm thanks to being on call for work, it’s not fun troubleshooting network problems before the first cup of coffee kicks in. But I can’t be mad at this sweet face, he was only trying to be our watch dog.
And it’s nice to know we have a backyard watch dog with an impressive and threatening bark. Miko would rather run up to strangers and kiss them.
But fighting a cranky, sleep-deprived mood all day at work was not fun, co-worker annoyances and frustrations seemed multiplied. Blasting through 3 miles on a treadmill helped for a little stress relief. And so did creating a punchy carrot-based salad dressing for a hearty tempeh salad.
Carrot Mustard Dressing
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2″ chunk of fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp. raisins
- 1 tsp. Mustard powder
- 1 tbsp. tahini
- 1/2 cup water
Blend ingredients to a smooth and creamy texture. Use as a dressing or dip. Makes 4 servings.
Lately I’ve been having fun with organic raisins for a cheaper alternative to medjool dates to add a little sweetness.
The vibrant color of carrot-based dressings is just fun and perfect for covering greens.
I coated a hearty meal salad of romaine lettuce, tomato, peppers, and chopped tempeh in the dressing.
For a simple and invigoratingly fresh dinner, great for combating a stale mood.
The dressing has a tangy and spicy mustard kick with a creamy sweetness and the thick texture would make a great dip too.
Sorry to hear about the sleep issues and work issues! Those are two sweet faces that’s for sure! Awwww!
The Dressing/Sauce sounds awesome!
Question – I thought I remember you doing something with Upton Sietan before? Did you!? I got some a while back – the ‘bacon’ flavor and trying to think of something to do with it fairly quickly. Ideas?
Thanks and the weekend is almost here!
I’ve had Upton’s before at the Animal Place brunch:
http://therawproject.com/?p=13378
And it was great prepared like a breakfast “meat” with a savory smokey flavor. I’ve used other brands of seitan in stir fries, vegan taco meats, and in wraps. It’s a great source of protein and very versatile, have fun with it.
Youre so patient with the pet travails! Hang in there! Weekend will be here soon. Must confess we did some shocking early celebrating tonight due to finally passing a stressful inspection after 3 weeks of ultra stress….hope you can decompress soon.