deviled eggs and pad thai

in the past 2 weeks things have changed dramatically. i am now working nights instead of days, on my feet instead of in front of a computer, getting home last instead of getting up early, and it is really messing with my head. i really have no sense of what day of the week it is, what time it is when i wake up, or what i'm supposed to do with my daytime. this is my decision; it is my choice to have left my job so that i can take time to reevaluate my life and really think about what it is i want to do, but this is no easy feat. it is not as simple to figure out what you want to do with your life as i may have expected when i was 16 or 18 or even 22. now that i am approaching 30, i can not trivialize what it feels like to be taking dinner orders and being asked if i am in college, but i also know that i made the right decision for myself and i do need to use this time to really pursue what will be my next step. for now, i am reacquainting myself with the simple pleasures of the afternoon--there are so many. not waking up to an alarm, reading in bed, sitting in a coffee shop, not having to wait for a machine at the gym---there are many benefits to be an evening worker, and i missed them all while i was working days. for now, i am going to keep enjoying these little luxuries, and in my hours of sunlight and contemplation, i am going to listen, quietly, to myself.

in the meantime, it is has turned cold and winter has settled in. the air that was crisp only a few weeks ago is now harsh and unforgiving. i wanted to make something hearty for dinner last night but i wanted something less conventional than pasta. in the winter months i tend to crave warm, spicy food that is best  showcased in asian dishes. i decided to make pad thai, which is not that exotic but fun to make every now and then. i have also been craving deviled eggs lately and while i was at trader joe's i picked up a bag of their already hard-boiled eggs (genius). when it comes to deviled eggs, i am at a bit of a cross roads--i have a fear of mayonnaise. i always have. i just don't understand it; it's white, kind of gooey, sort of nondescript- i just don't get it, and therefore fear it. but i LOVE deviled eggs, and when i make them at home, i use my good friend nayonaisse, which isn't any less confusing, but somehow comforting and invaluable to me when it comes to tuna salad, and our friend, the deviled egg.

DEVILED EGGS

(makes 8-10)

2 tbsp nayonaisse or mayonnaise

2 tsps dijon or brown mustard

1 tsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp celery salt

1/2 chipotle (or to tastes)

scoop out egg yolks and place them in a bowl. add all ingredients and use a spoon to mash yolks and mix with all other ingredients until creamy (or use a blender). add puree back into egg whites. garnish with chipotle and serve.

i made these quick, so please pardon the untidiness of them. they may not seem like a traditional hors d'oeuvre for thai food, but they are perfect with a glass of wine while you're cooking up the main course. speaking of wine, after i went to trader joe's on court st. yesterday, i popped in the new wine store that opened up next door. they're called brooklyn wine exchange, and i think i'm in love. this place is fantastic--chock full of interesting yet unpretentious wine, including a section devoted to organic & biodynamic wines and a table full of good choices for under $12. i picked up a $10 primitivo but i was tempted by a sparkling shiraz and their tidy sake section. the staff is approachable and eager, and i had a lengthy conversation with one of the employees who explained their featured selection of umbrian wines from the paolo bea vineyard in montefalco. they were a bit out of my price range, but i was very happy for my free lesson in italian wines. brooklyn wine exchange doesn't have a website yet, but check out this article in the village voice with owner patrick watson. him and his wife, michele, have the monopoly on cheese and wine in cobble hill. brooklyn wine exchange is the newest addition to their family that already includes smith & vine,  stinky bklyn, and the jakewalk, and what a lovely family it is. welcome to the neighborhood, bwe!

oh yeah, pad thai. that turned out pretty well and my less greasy version of the traditional was very satisfying for a winter night. i made my own peanut sauce, which is different than a traditional pad thai but the sweetness and spiciness made for a complete meal in a bowl.

PAD THAI

serves 4

1 package of that rice noodles

1 package of firm tofu cut into small pieces (or the already pre-seasoned that flavor variety works great)

1/3 cup exotic mushrooms (shitake, oyster, etc.)

1/3 cup bean sprouts

1/4 cup snow peas

1/4 cup sliced scallions

1/3 cup sliced bell peppers (any color)

1/2 cup chopped bok choy

PEANUT SAUCE

1/4 cup low-sodium tamari or shoyu

2 tbsp natural creamy peanut butter

2 tbsp thai red curry

1 lime

1 tsp brown sugar or unrefined sugar

1 tsp hot sauce

simmer all vegetable and tofu on low heat in olive oil. cook noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes or until soft. mix all ingredients of sauce together until there are no lumps from the peanut butter or curry. add noodles and sauce to the pan with with vegetables and stir. cook for 5 more minutes. add lime or lemon juice to taste.