It was chilly the other day so I made a big pot of white bean and kale soup. My husband had to work later than expected, so I picked up the pot to put it in the fridge for later. As I opened the fridge door, however; the pot handle broke off and the soup fell to the floor drenching the fridge, floor and me in scorching soup.
I was wearing flip-flops and my toes were badly burned so I ran to the bathroom to douse them in cold water. Then I changed into dry clothes and went back to the kitchen to clean the mess. As I was soaking up the soup on the floor my husband came home, saw me and said, “Does this mean we’re eating out tonight?”
After my husband helped me pull out the fridge to mop up the soup under it, we decided to go out to a Japanese restaurant. Japanese food is not a good choice for people like us on a no oil plant-based diet. I was feeling bummed, however; so I wanted to indulge on deep-fried vegetable tempura.
We drove to a local Japanese restaurant that was highly rated on Yelp and walked inside. The atmosphere was nice and the soup fiasco faded from my mind as I studied the menu.
I looked for a plate with vegetable tempura, rice and a salad, but I didn’t see anything like that. They only served vegetable tempura as one of their small plates. I ordered it with another small plate of mushrooms. My husband followed suit and ordered small plates of eggplant and spinach.
The spinach and mushrooms dishes arrived first and they were exceptionally small plates! Each dish had maybe three mouthfuls of food; certainly not the generous portion of veggies we’re accustomed to eating. My husband gave me a look and I said, “We can always order more food.” Inside, however; I was kicking myself for my insistence on Japanese food.
Once we finished everything we’d ordered my husband said, “We’ve had an appetizer, so what are we going to have for dinner?”
After considering our options, we decided to pay our bill and go to the Veggie Grill, a vegan fast food restaurant, for something substantial. We were satisfied after this, but what an ordeal!
Photo courtesy of shine.yahoo.com.
Honk If You're Vegan 
Hope your toes are better now, Celeste! 🙂
Yes, my toes are all better Priya – thanks so much for asking chica!! Celeste 🙂
Aw you poor thing, how horrible! Sounds like it turned in to a fun. spontaneous night with your husband though! 🙂 Veggie grill looks like an amazing cheat/treat dinner place! Nothing like that exists in Ireland! Maybe in another twenty years haha.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment! I hope you don’t have to wait twenty years to get a Veggie Grill. I have to say that having vegan fast food restaurants like that (another one is Native Foods, which I actually like a lot better) is really convenient for times when I don’t feel like cooking. The food they make isn’t nearly as healthy as what I make at home because they are generous with using oil, but at least they’re vegan and a lot healthier than McDonalds!!! Have a lovely weekend! Celeste 🙂
Are your toes OK? I guess this means you will not be going back to the Japanese restaurant. Perhaps buy a new pot and make the soup again…with shoes on!
Hey Mary! Yes, I’m fine – thanks for asking chica! And yes, I’ve learned a few lessons, but who knows if I’ll actually heed them. Especially when it comes to wearing shoes when I cook because I hate wearing shoes. I only put them on when I absolutely have to – hehe!
Yikes! Sounds painful…and messy. I always get so mad at myself when something like that happens, even though I know it was an accident…silly, huh? Eating out just isn’t as much fun as it used to be, for me at least. Seems like I’m always disappointed and beat myself up over wasting money on something I could have made at home for less cost…and that would have tasted better and been better for me. I’m not totally vegan yet, but I’m making my way there…slowly. Thanks for helping make that move easier…and sometimes funnier! Not that I was laughing at you dropping the soup…hope your little toesies are okay now.
Hey there Patti! Thanks for stopping by despite your busy schedule this month girlfriend!! And yes, eating out is often a disappointment for me these days too. You would not believe how much we paid for that Japanese food – yikes!! I’m really excited about your vegan transition. It took me a lot of time to make the transition too. I don’t know if people reading my blog realize this, but it did. Good luck with NaNo!! Celeste 🙂
Good grief, I didn’t even know a pot could lose its handle. That’s scary! Glad your toes are ok and you had a vegan restaurant option…eventually. I’m getting tired of eating salads at my kids’ restaurant choices; it’s time to shake them out of their ruts!
I had the kind of pot with handles that were screwed on, and one of the handles has been about to come off for some time. I went out and bought a new soup pot with handles that can’t come off!!! And yea, you’ve got to shake your kiddos out of their ruts!! Good luck with that girlfriend!! 🙂
Ok, this pretty much takes the cake for a horrible day. I hope your feet are not too badly burned!
Not long ago, I bought a brand new pair of boots, it was my first time wearing them and I was packing a salad to take to work….I was shaking the container and the lid flew off, salad dressing all over the kitchen, and all over my new boots, which were destroyed. Wasn’t ever able to wear them again! Way to start the day. 🙂
Hey Sophia!! I think ruining a pair of boots the first time wearing them is even worse than the day I had!!! I would have been so bummed! Anywho, I hope you had a great weekend!! Celeste 🙂
Yes, it sucked. 🙂
Have a great week, Celeste!
Poor you! From one thing to the next! Strangely enough, I’ve had a very similar experience eating at a Japanese restaurant. I had the recommended main-dish and was still starving afterwards, I had to make myself something to eat when I got home. I wouldn’t even say I have a particularly large appetite…
Japanese restaurants generally do serve small portions, and when it’s small portions of veggies it just doesn’t make a meal! Oh well, live and learn! 🙂
ooouch…sorry about your tootsies! vit e oil is very good for burns. take care in that kitchen.
Hey Geraldine! Thanks for the vitamin e tip girlfriend! I actually cooled my feet under the faucet quickly enough that they didn’t end up with much of a burn. Hope you had a great weekend! 🙂
Oh, so sorry to hear about that horrible experience!
Aww thanks!!! 🙂
I’ve definitely been there. It’s a terrible, terrible feeling when you get hungry and excited anticipating a delicious meal and something goes awry– and it happened to you twice in one night, poor thing! Sometimes, when I’m in a restaurant with good vegan items but no vegan entrees, I’m tempted to ask to talk to the chef so I can give him menu recommendations. I mean, how hard would it have been for them offer a vegan bento box or something? Anyway, glad you got to finish the night with something tasty at least!
Thanks for your thoughtful comment!! I would have loved a vegan bento box – that would have been fab!! I don’t think I’ll be going out to Japanese food again for a while (and next time I’ll check out the menu online before hand!). 🙂
That was a truly painful experience in more ways that one. Painful on your feet, painful on losing your dinner and having to clean up the mess to, painful in having to change your clothes painful on paying a lot for small portions and painful in having to go to a second restaurant for more fulfilling food. The silver lining is getting a new heavy duty pot and handle to make soup in the future..
Thanks to you mom, I’ve now got a new set of pots!! 🙂
Oh dear, oh dear !! Did you have a screw loose ? On the pot, I mean 😉 Celeste !? Who puts a pot of scalding hot soup in the fridge ? Is this another California thing ?
I do hope that your feet weren’t burnt and that you are okay now. If not, a kiss to make them better. Ralph xox 😀
Putting a scalding soup is not a California thing, it’s a Celeste thing – hehe! I think maybe I do have a screw loose, so don’t ever give me a chain saw!!!!
😆 Off you go then to MGM to sign a deal for “Honk – The Movie” 😉
Honk – The Movie, I can see it now. My name in the lights – haha or more appropriately, honk, honk! But seriously, I think you’ll be in a movie way before me Ralph. You’ve got the big personality and the hats. Just think about all the leading men who wore hats like Indiana Jones. 🙂
Thank you my friend. You have a blockbuster disaster movie in the making …… veg soup drowning LA 😉
I’m so sorry you lost the soup! But you have to admit it makes for a good story 😉 Glad you didn’t burn too badly. What a tale. And good save with the meal out 🙂
Thanks so much for your comment – I appreciate it!! Looking back, it is a funny story – hehe!
So two takeaways. 1. Always inspect the handles on our pots (and I also put hot pots into the frig) and 2. Keep a broken pot around the house to use as an excuse for when you want to go out to dinner. Instead of actually burning ourselves we just show the broken pot to the spouse, tell them what happened, and head for the nearest restaurant. You’re a genius Celeste! 🙂
I think Paul is too smart to fall for the broken pot again, but maybe you can slide it by Mike. Let me know how that goes – hehe!
i read above so i know the toe are okay good my first thought was she need some ointment for it by i see it better. we can also say see our food on the floor when we’re finished cooking is never a good thing but you have fun after so hmm i wont say another word
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment! Like you say, It all turned out in the end, so it’s all good!!
Oh what an awful ordeal Celeste, I’m so sorry! Your poor tootsies!
Good for you for not admitting defeat to the soup though!! 😀
Hey Poppy! Always a pleasure to see you here – thanks for your comment girlfriend. 🙂
Hope your feet are better now celeste. Atleast you got a free lunch out of it? or snack 🙂
Hey Adam! Yea, it all turned out in the end. It’s all good!! 🙂
Hope your toes are ok! You’re so lucky you have a place that serves vegan tempura for when you have a craving! The only thing that gets me through my tempura cravings is the fact that it takes 45 mins to get to the only veg japanese spot! Gotta learn to make it myself:)
I guess I am lucky!! I highly doubt I would have driven 45 minutes to feed my craving. I feel for you!!!! 🙂
Aww it sounds like sometimes it’s tough being a vegan, especially when dinning out. I love Japanese food but never thought of them to be a good vegan choice. I can’t believe you have a fast food vegan alternative but then again you live in Cally 😉
We actually have two fast food vegan restaurants near us! Native Foods is another local vegan chain. I heard that Native Foods is in the process of opening up 200 new restaurants. So there may be one coming to your neck of the woods soon! 🙂
We have a lot of independents here for good vegan fare. And a few major chains for groceries but no fast food ones .