Because I don’t eat enough peanut butter already…

Today I made my first successful restaurant-impression dish: Chaco Canyon‘s Basic Bowl (with peanut sauce and quinoa). I crave this thing all the time, and though I don’t mind giving my money and love to Chaco Canyon itself (more on that below), I do feel a wee bit silly going there to order something so simple. So, I used my beautiful, sunny, free Sunday to find a recipe and find ingredients and experiment in the kitchen. It was a good idea.

The Basic Bowl is just a big bowl of quinoa with black beans on top, covered in peanut sauce. Mmmmm. I used this recipe (from allrecipes.com, a good place), and combined about half of the sauce in a sauce pan with one can of black beans, letting it simmer for a while. I made some quinoa, then dished up some of the black bean mix and added some chopped cabbage I happened to have in the fridge. So peanut-y, so gingery, so spicy! And so much protein (and yes, oil, but that doesn’t matter). I’m proud, if the blog so far hasn’t pointed that out. I’m also quite smelly. That garlic mincing just does not give my body a break. Even rubbing my hands on stainless steal and washing with soap 5 million times doesn’t stop the smell. So, I’m sorry if I see you in person in the next 3 days. I’m very sorry…

Now, I can’t take credit for this because, as I said, it was Chaco Canyon’s idea. So let me spend some time listing the many reasons I love that restaurant so much (and will continue to go there even if I can make my own basic bowl).

1. It is delicious (and 90-97% organic all year).
2. It is friendly (one time we accidentally stayed until almost a half hour after closing and they were still super, sincerely nice – that’s tough).
3. It is clean (SO CLEAN).
4. It is spacious (with both little tables and big ones, it has a perfect atmosphere for using your laptop on your own or meeting a group of friends).
5. It offers special drinks (like fresh green juices and super good teas and big, creamy smoothies).
6. It’s cheap and filling (except for dessert, but I can make that for myself).
7. It’s vegetarian (and has raw options and vegan options).
8. It’s healthy (it’s so hard to find a place that’s fresh and delicious and filling and isn’t mostly empty carbs or sugar or fried things, not that I don’t like empty carbs and fried things…).

So, if you’re in Seattle, I recommend it.

Other news…

I’ve told the Literacy AmeriCorps director that I will indeed be staying for a second year. Woo!

I might go to Iceland. Wooooooo!

I no longer live with foster kittens, or any kittens at all.

I can’t stop thinking about Zeitoun and how amazing to read/horrible to read it was. Please, go read it.

I also can’t stop thinking about some of the stories I’ve read in The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2006 (David Racoff, Julia Sweeney, Haruki Murakami, Kurt Vonnegut, David Foster Wallace – I’m talking to you). [I typed "Kurty" back there. I also often type "thanky" and I think sometimes it goes unnoticed. That's worrisome.]

It’s spring and today it’s really spring with blossoms and warm temperatures and so much sun and fresh smells and happiness. I love Seattle.

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