...Where no noodle has gone before.

Microwaves freak me out. My feelings are backed up by absolutely no scientific research about cancer. Perhaps by extension of my hippie-ass-minimalist-vegan ethos, I just get a bad vibe from them. Also, they make my food soggy.

But I have recently begun to explore the art of microwave cooking, that being my only option at work aside from restaurant takeout. Occasionally I remember to cook extra the night before so I just have leftovers to warm up, but remembering is not my strongest asset.

As I left the house today, I grabbed a packet of organic soba noodles that says "to go where no noodle has gone before" next to a rocket ship graphic, some stir-fry sauce, soy sauce and pumpkin seeds. I first microwaved the noodles in a tiny paper bowl--a terrible idea--then drained them, added the sauces, microwaved the combo, added pumpkin seeds and chowed. Not as good as stir-frying, but tasty nonetheless. The issue with microwaves is, I think, compromised texture (well, that and unadulterated evil). So I guess this dish works microwaved because noodles are soft and squishy anyway. I did miss veggies, which I don't particularly like microwaved.

So, yeah. Viola! Another vegan delicacy. I should say I don't put a ton of work into making sure I get my recommended daily values, I just eat lots of different foods. I'm still learning the basics of what each nutrient does for the body, what my foods contain and how much of each nutrient I need. My current approach is to think about it most while I'm grocery shopping, then eat most of what I bought before going back to restock. So when I run out of peanuts, I'll make sure I also finish my almonds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds before replacing the peanuts--forcing me to eat a variety of foods.