MMmmm.

I just finished lunch. The conversation was awesome (!) (The Five List: Alan Rickman, Peter Mansbridge, John Stewart, Natalie Portman, and Patrick Dempsey), and the food was a perfect mid-day snack.

I picked up a Lima Miso Soup box on Saturday, which I dipped into for the first time today. The little 60 grams of soup (for a total of 53 calories wasn't going to be enough to hold me after a killer workout this morning and only a bit of puffed rice and soy milk for breakfast). I added to my soup snack a little memory of my time in China. Beihia had this great 'cafeteria' ish hall of a restaurant (easily fit 300 people) and it was just a long line of windows where, in a very science fiction-like manner, you selected food stuffs by looking, pointing and being served by masked men behind a sheet of glass. One of the best foods that I would always dash for was the cucumber salad (which you could also find at almost any bar, night market, or park). I loved it so much that I started making the dish at home - and it was fantastic. Oh, and super simple for the hot chinese afternoons.

Ingredient:

1 cucumber (doesn't really matter which variety you use)

Sauce/Dressing

1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 teaspoon of vinegar (I like the sushi vinegar, but apple cider is good as well)

How To:

Just shred the cucumber and let it sit in the sauce for a while.

Ahhhh.....I miss China. Some great meals were had in China. Some great times were had in China. I would give my left arm for a good afternoon of rice-field mountain biking. But, I have heard rumours that a mint-tea awaits me at Cafe Belga. This totally (way too) funky (for me) cafe is at the heart of Place Flagey and serves vegan speculous treats with their coffee.

Also - check out the link of the week. Vegan Vancouverite is a cute little site, whose author, as a good catholic, is in the middle of Lent. Giving up cooked food as a vegan takes a special disposition. Her recipes look great, and her writing is quite endearing. And! It is from B.C. - who doesn't love B.C. Check it out.