Fish Tacos, Home "Assembled"

I'm not going to be doing much cooking this summer, with a less-than-frosty AC and 103 degree days... But these tacos didn't require too much heat in the kitchen. Mostly assembly--I used frozen fish fillets, which could be heated in the toaster oven. Store bought tortillas and chips (not that I ever make those).

Not bad, but the next time I'll have some kind

of creamy sauce on them as well.

Taco!

I was especially proud of the cabbage slaw, having never made anything with cabbage before. This was green cabbage, cilantro, onion, lime, and salt. I think I put a little honey in with the lime juice too. It was really good when first made. Next time I'll ask for a quarter cabbage instead of a half though--a little goes a long way!

Coconut Water Taste Test

So, it's that time of year when pretty much all I want to eat is cold/frozen things. High on the list of rehydrating yet natural and tasty beverages is coconut water, which only recently started being sold in natural food stores but has been around for a while in the "ethnic groceries," from what I can tell.

Fun fact: Coconut water can be used as an intravenous liquid.

But I prefer to drink it.

Faced with an overwhelming number of options for different brands of coconut water, I decided to have friends help me with a taste test, to scientifically determine which brand deserved our continued patronage.

Of course it's worth mentioning that the best coconut water is straight from the coconut, but they're still working on a pop-top coconut.

A few observations from our taste test session:

* All the waters came from either Brazil or Thailand. The way to tell the difference is by the can: metal cans are from Thailand, laminated paper ones are from Brazil.

* Some waters have chunks of coconut, others do not. Chunks add variety and interest to the taste experience.

* There is a major difference in the sweetness levels of the "natural" brands (#2, 4, 6, 7, 8) versus the others, which have sugar added. The ones with sugar added are more like a dessert beverage, whereas those that are just straight-up coconut water could be considered a sports drink.

* Overall, the water is probably best over ice, not just chilled. Straight from the can it can have a "fermented" smell (that's a quote). Sometimes the smell can be quite funky ("locker room") but we speculated that quality may depend on the batch.

* Winners of the taste test were #1 (Goya-Sugar Added) and #8 (Amy & Brian-Natural)

June at the Farmer's Market

June always means lots of wonderful fruits and vegetables--the kind that are really best grown locally, and in season, like peaches and tomatoes. What better place to explore the bounty of the month than the farmers' market? Last weekend I went to Sunset Valley to buy a few things, but mostly just to admire what the farmers had grown.

Entry to the market, 10 AM

Corn, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers

Squash, peaches

Beets, squash

Bell peppers, squash

Onions

Cabbage, carrots

Squash! (under a yellow awning)

Mushrooms

About half of the vendors at the market are farmers; the other half sell hand-made goods, or prepared foods. This vendor, Empanadas La Boca, always has tempting pizzas and baked goods.

However, I was more in the mood for a mango-chile popsicle.

Just the right mix of sweet and salty

Ahhh, refreshing on a hot morning :)

Vegan Dining in Dallas

Made a trip to Dallas last weekend, for my cousin's high school graduation. Dallas is not usually thought of as a hotbed of vegan activity, but I managed to have two vegan meals while I was there, both of them quite decent.

First was the Spiral Diner in Oak Cliff, located at an intersection where the other businesses are car repair shops and fruterias. 

Outside the diner

Inside the diner

Agave-sweetened sodas in the fountain

Vegan biscuits and gravy!

I could have gone for seconds.

Vegan migas (tofu scramble)

Later, we grabbed a quick dinner in Highland Park Village, home to high-end retail and an unassuming burger joint called Who's Who. They offer a nicely done veggie burger, as well as fancy beef burgers and hot dogs.

Specially-made patty and mushrooms 

top all the veggie burgers