My Dinner Has The X Factor

I know I've hit a new place in my life (I refuse to call it a low) when I'm standing in the rice isle of the grocery after yoga (make a note of that; not all is lost if I'm still practicing yoga) trying to decide if I should buy quick-cooking rice so that I can have my dinner ready 10 minutes faster, before The X Factor starts. Is this even me, who rarely watches television? I don't even believe in quick-cooking rice!

Chris Rene

My rice still isn't quite yet ready when I find myself (feel free to poke out your mind's eye after reading this sentence) doing my best 50-year-old hip hop dance to the talented Chris Rene, whom I worry would just die if he knew I thought he was ahhhsome. He is cool, and I'm well, just a middle aged white lady shaking my middle aged white lady groove thang while I wait for my not quite quick enough rice to cook.

Melanie Amaro

Whoa... the kid in the wheelchair on Glee can walk???? I have no idea what that commercial is for, but the kid CAN WALK!!!

Rachel Crow

Rachel Crow??? Only 14 years old? And, golly, Marcus Canty and Melanie Amaro, too. Each of them are packed with talents. My favorites, LeRoy Bell (a fellow Nor'Westerner whose sound I've dug for years. Got his 2006 CD, Two Sides to Every Story, which is great,) Astro (who is genius with his lyrics) and Drew (whose otherwordly sound transforms me) have already had to say goodbye.  Oh, my rice is finally ready.

Josh Krajcik

 I'm shocked at how grabbing I find the television ads. Being a mostly PBS watcher (may I hear a whoop for The News Hour and Washington Week with Gwen Ifill?), I'm rarely exposed to flashy commercials. I pride myself on being impervious to the sway of Madison Avenue, but did you know that Ford has a car that parks itself? The X Factor taught me that. And my life would be so tidied if I'd get the newest iPhone-- Siri would eliminate the need for any human relationships whatsoever, and when I lock myself out of the house, can even call a locksmith if I whine just right into it. Who knew?

While I may have just immersed myself in the realm of cheap and guilty pleasures for the mind by watching The X Factor, at least my dinner is wholesome. I do consider it fast food; any meal which includes fresh veggies, rice and beans and can be completely prepared in the time it takes to cook a pot of rice is wholesome fast food.

Some time ago I posted about this terrific "fast food" which originated right here in Oregon, but it was early in the game and not many of you followed then. It is worth reposting. This is a favorite meal of mine. Please do give it a try.

HOW TO MAKE A YUMM BOWL:
Original Yumm Sauce
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup almond meal (Trader Joe's carries this)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 15 oz. can low-sodium garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder

Throw all ingredients into bowl of food processor, and blend until very smooth. Makes about 3 1/2 cups sauce. Store tightly covered in refrigerator. Keeps about one week. Use on sandwiches, lightly steamed veggies, burritios, and wherever else your imagination takes you.

Variations:
Roasted Garlic
Replace the fresh garlic for 6-8 cloves of roasted garlic.

Chipotle
Add one canned chipotle chile to mixture before blending smooth.

To build an original Yumm Bowl:
(Makes 2 large bowls.)
In each of two deep bowls, layer 1/2 cup or so of hot brown rice. Drizzle liberally (we go whole-hog here, maybe even 1/3 cup each) with Yumm Sauce. Drain and rinse one can of black beans and divide among bowls. Top bean layer with your favorite fresh salsa. In each bowl, layer on 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 chopped tomato, 1/2 sliced avocado, and 2 Tablespoons sliced black olives. Add a small dollop of sour cream and some coarsely chopped cilantro. Feel free to riff on this, using various beans, rices, salsas, cheeses, veggies, etc. Yummmm!