Tofu mushroom étouffée!

Wow. I think there is something addictive in this dish. It tastes so good. I adapted it from the FatFree Vegan Kitchen. I made the roux the traditional (full disclosure: full-fat) way. I'm not a huge fan of eliminating all fats either because I think fats can carry flavors, have a role in absorbing nutrients, contribute to satiety, and good blood sugar regulation. However, her take was quite creative, and I would try it again now that I've made it and understand the steps more clearly. 


The flour used in étouffée is toasted until it becomes a rich toasty brown. Getting the red-brown sauce is done by toasting the flour in a pan. Stir it a lot. You don’t want it to burn. It will smell kind of like chestnuts. I like the addition of soy sauce from the original recipe. Overall, I think this dish actually has a lot going on in terms of prep work, cooking time, and stand-by time. Read the directions all the way through, and then begin. 





Tofu mushroom étouffée
Adapted from the Fatfree Vegan Kitchen's Vegan Sausage and Mushroom Etouffee
Yield: 4-6 servings


Ingredients:
1 cup long-grain rice, prepared according to package directions
2-3 tbsp peanut oil
1 package extra-firm tofu (300 g)
2 ribs celery, chopped, about roughly 
1 medium carrot, chopped into coins
1 small onion, chopped medium dice
1 small bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks
1 cup sliced buttom mushrooms, or about 8-10 sliced, wipe clean then slice
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup parsley, divided


Roux
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp peanut oil
2 cups (16 oz) vegetable broth
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp red chili powder (or paprika if you want it less spicy)
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt (optional)


Cook rice according to package directions. 


If you use a high-qualify pressed tofu (like one from an Asian grocer) you won't really have to press much water out of it. Slice up the tofu into squares, or cubes, really however you want to serve it. Lay it out on a plate and lightly sprinkle with salt. After a few minutes dab the tofu squares with a cloth to pick up the water. Flip and repeat.


Heat up a cast iron pan over medium heat. Pour in 3 tbsp of peanut oil and heat up. When ready add the tofu to the pan, laying out in a single layer and being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook on each side until golden-brown, about 14-20 minutes. Remove the tofu, replacing it with the other uncooked ones until all of them have been cooked.


To the same cast iron pan add in the onions and cook until just beginning to get golden brown. There should be enough oil leftover that you won't need to add any new oil. Add in celery, followed by carrots, and bell peppers. Continue to cook about 5 minutes. Add in mushrooms and stir everything carefully so the uncooked mushrooms get distributed evenly.


While you are waiting for the mushrooms to cook down, add 3 tbsp of flour to a new wide skillet or a medium saucepan. Just use a pan that you can make sure and see that the flour is changing. Cook it over medium heat. It won't turn when you're staring at it, but the second you forget about it for longer than 2 minutes, that's when it goes from white to burned. Pay attention and stir it with a whisk once a minute. Give the pan a few good shakes like you're on a cooking show. It will go from white, to golden, to still golden, to still golden, to tan, to brown and toasted. Once done remove the pan from the heat, and if you want remove the flour to a bowl until ready to use.


Stir the veggies too and now add the garlic and parsley. See what I mean about a lot of stuff going on? It's ok though because you got your rice cooking, you got the veggies done, you got the tofu on the side and ready to go.


Now get your broth ready. Once it's ready stir in about a tsp or small dash soy sauce or Bragg's. In the same pan that you used for the flour, add 2 tbsp of peanut oil and heat up over medium-high heat. Once hot add in toasted flour and whisk until it becomes like a nice chunky paste almost like miso. Gradually pour the broth mixture over whisking the mixture the whole time. It should look like a lovely brownish red sauce. Stir it continuously for 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Add the spices and remaining parsley. Continue stirring.


Once it reaches desired thickness, it should be thick without being too thick like a gravy, but thicker than a sauce. It should easily coat, or smother, the veggies. In whatever pan is bigger, pour the sauce in the veggies, or the veggies in the sauce. Remember to add the tofu to the veggies, I like keeping them separate because the tofu stays chewy much longer. Stir together and heat through.


Serve over rice. I like to add the rice into custard cups and turn them out onto a plate for a nice presentation. This dish is really delicious. I love popping open a beer and cranking up the music because it's much harder to leave any of this unattended. Maybe it'll end up as one of your favorites?


Beer pairing: a lemony saison, such as Saison Dupont, or a citrusy light hopped IPA. 

Mango salsa with lavender honey

Why have I even made this? Mangoes are nowhere near local, but they showed up in ripe little packets at the grocery store and I couldn't avert my eyes. I threw a burrito party (well a "tex-mex" party) but it was kind of hard to come by many of the standard ingredients such as corn tortillas and seranno chilies and good salsa, and sigh.

I've made mango salsa, peach salsa, strawberry-kiwi salsa, pineapple salsa, chipotle salsa, and just regular pico de gallo. Keep combining and trying until you find something you like. Tomatoes (or fruit), some onions or garlic for bite, bell peppers to increase volume, cilantro, a bit of salt, and lime juice for balance, and any kind of chili pepper for heat.

This is a chop and dump recipe. Chop everything finely (or food process) and then add to a medium sauce pan.  Heat up to get everything set. It will last up to a week in the fridge; it stores excellently in the freezer.

I cut everything by hand, but I'm sure if you have a food processor it would make everything easy.

Mango salsa with a touch of lavender honey
Yield: about 2 cups or more.

Ingredients:
1 jumbo ripe mango, or at least 2 medium ones, finely diced
3/4 cup very finely chopped red and green bell peppers
2 shallots, finely diced
1-2 serrano chilies, remove all seeds and veins using a knife and a small spoon (grapefruit spoons work very well); alternatively plastic gloves are a good choice. Discard the seeds and veins, but don't throw them in the sink because once you turn the water on the spices can aerosolize and make you cough badly.
1 tsp or less salt
juice of 1 small-medium lime, and a bit of grated lime zest
1 tsp of lavender honey (any honey will do fine)
2 tbsp or more chopped cilantro
splash tequila (optional)

Directions:
Put everything in a pot and heat up gradually over medium-high heat. I let it cook 10 minutes. If you leave it the bell peppers lose a bit of color. Adjust for salt, and stir in the honey once it's cooled down a bit. I funnel the salsa into glass jars and store remainders in the freezer.

Groot Begijnhof in Leuven

It seems like whenever I have something more important to do, blogging almost always takes precedence (hmm yes my creative outlet). But I have much better pictures to share, and I can say that they are better and artsy because I did not take them. Traveling or go anywhere with someone that has just discovered their love of photography is annoying, until you get to see the pics.

Plus spring is now upon us! Students are looking smarter, terraces are beginning to fill up, days are becoming sunnier. These were taken in and around the Groot Begijnhof in Leuven.

Khadi

Khadi a chickpea flour and buttermilk soup seasoned with curry leaves, cumin seeds, and turmeric.


Chickpea flour, or besan.

Khadi is a Gujarati soup made out of chickpea flour and buttermilk and seasoned with curry leaves, cumin seeds, and turmeric. It's often served with basmati rice in a thali, or it's served on top of kitchdi. Kitchdi is a rice and lentil dish, where they are both cooked together with minimal seasoning.

Kitchdi and khadi are Guju comfort food for me. Growing up, if we had come home from a trip or vacation, and the fridge needed restocking my parents would serve this; if there was nothing to cook, my parents would cook this; if we got sick, my parents would cook this. This is truly a dish you will not find at any restaurant. It is simple down-home Gujarati cooking, and one I'm sure that is passed on as tradition. Thus, the flavor varies widely, but that is half the fun. This is not a hard dish to make, but it does take a bit of pre-planning in that you need buttermilk, chickpea flour, and a few of the spices. Follow the directions as closely as possible.

Mitta limbda or mitto limdo (basically curry leaves), or cilantro are key in lending and infusing khadi with its distinctive flavor. If you can't find curry leaves, sub in generous amounts of cilantro - honestly as much as you think you'll like, I would go for 1/2 cup chopped. Although most Gujarati cuisine is sweetened with some sugar, my mom's version (and to a much larger extent all of her cooking) lacks unnecessary sugar. The basic flavors of buttermilk, cumin seeds, cilantro, and turmeric really carry this dish.

Khadi
Chickpea flour and buttermilk soup seasoned with curry leaves, cumin seeds, and turmeric. 
Serves: 2; recipe by my mom. 


Ingredients:
2 tbsp of chickpea flour (such as besan flour) plus 1/3 cup water
1 cup buttermilk (can substitute yogurt)
2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/8 tsp udad dhal (optional)
1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds (optional)
pinch asafoetida or hing (optional)
6 curry leaves
2 tbsp chopped cilantro; increase to 1/2 cup chopped cilantro if omitting curry leaves
1/2 - 1 tsp salt, add less if your buttermilk or yogurt is salty
1/4 tsp turmeric

Directions:
Dissolve the chickpea flour in a small amount (approx 1/3 cup) of water in a small mixing bowl large enough to hold 3 cups. Whisk it together (with a whisk) until it is smooth and there are no clumps. Then add the rest of the water and buttermilk. If you don't have buttermilk, yogurt is a fine substitute; in Belgium, I used plattekeis and it was delicious.

Next in a heavy bottom pan, heat up 1 tbsp olive oil (butter or ghee is much better) over medium heat. We're going to do a vaghar (and now you know a word in Guju too). A vaghar is like frying seeds and lentils, and infusing the oil with some of the aromatics from the seeds or lentils. To the oil add in 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds, 1/8 tsp udad dhal, 1/8 tsp fenugreek, and a pinch of hing or asafoetida. Once the oil begins to get hot, the seeds and lentils will give off a nice fragrance. Don't let them brown too much.  If using curry leaves, add them now. They only need a bit of time and you don't want them to brown. Turn the heat to low.

Make sure you turn the heat to low. When everything is simmering, very carefully pour in the buttermilk/chickpea flour mixture. Stir it together well, and then add in cilantro, salt and turmeric. Stir together. Leave a stainless steel spoon in the khadi. This will prevent it from bubbling over. Stay with the khadi. It will overflow if ignored, and then you'll end up with a big mess. Keep an eye on it, stir it frequently. Adjust for salt. The khadi should be done in 20-25 minutes.

Serve, steaming hot, with some plain cooked rice, or kitchdi (recipe will be posted soon), ghee, and papad.

Rome

(all of these pictures were taken by Karlos; full set here)

Of all the history that I've learned about since living here, Roman history is by far my favorite. Ancient Roman remains traverse Europe, and as the saying goes, all roads lead to Rome. It is true. Here were my favorites: walking everywhere, biking the Appian way, drinking cheap good red wine, sampling some excellent craftbrews in the Trastevere neighborhood, the fact that arugula and artichokes are everywhere, and that it was sunny everyday. In trip planning, we made a map, checked out a Lonely Planet Rome guidebook, found places on RateBeer, and read the Wikitravel Rome site.

The more I travel around, the more I tend to see that although many cultures have extensive food cultures, the impending explosion of cheap fast junky eats prevails. If you're visiting a city you have to try very hard to find good local foods (a saved map is a good option with researched locations, such as Bir and Fud in the Trastevere neighborhood). While finding oases of delis, restaurants, and mom and pop shops is becoming an increasing rarity, they do exist, they are just a lot harder to find. It's extremely depressing to see junk foodification of so many places occurring. While there isn't the sheer number of obvious fast food chain outlets as say there are in the US, the overall experience I see is the dumbing down of foods to the point where you can eat the same in Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Holland, Austria, and now Italy. At the end of the visit, I couldn't stand to see another shop selling pizza by the slice, doner kebab, hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries. I realize that cost of rent and the influx of constant tourism makes monotonous, easy to prepare, cheap foods a much more normal experience. The sad part is that we weren't even in the touristy areas that long. Maybe this doesn't bother others as much as it bothers me.

I don't know, maybe I'm just jaded, or incorrectly recalling my experiences before moving, but I certainly felt that I moved from a place where locals took their food seriously, and that innovative menus, seasonal local foods, and culture were sort of becoming the norm for budding and established restaurants, (I guess you have to have the food environment in the US to drive that?). As long as you aren't eating fast food or at a place that is trying to replicate fast food, you'd generally find something good and decent on the menu. In contrast, what I've noticed in most of my travels is that restaurants in tourist and neighborhood areas have similar offerings, as if trying to venture out and offer different, seasonal foods was going to veer the restaurant directly off course. Wouldn't you be frustrated as an eager foodie traveler if most of the restaurants you were eyeing hungrily had basically slight variations of menus from Appleby's or Ruby Tuesdays . This is the stuff of my nightmares people. 

So what did I find? The smaller supermarkets were a good option on stocking up for lunch and breakfasts. The delis in the back always had lots of marinated veggies, olives, a dozen kinds of dried ham, breads, and cheeses. Even scanning the shelves you see lots of more normal foods showing up such as lots of whole grains, good olive oils, fresh veggies, lots of dried beans, and of course pastas. The fresh markets in open air plazas, and dedicated fruit and vegetable shops were a treat for the eye and stomach (and obviously the kitchen if you so happen to book a place with a kitchen). Museum cafes tend to have good menus. I enjoyed the general laid back approach to dining, and loved sampling some local brews from the craft beer scene at Bir and Fud and Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà. I kept an eye out for local specialties that weren't too tourist looking too. Rome has drinking water fountains all over the city; what a delight to have free drinkable water everywhere. 


I type all this opinion-crap after only spending 4 days in the lovely city of Rome, so what the heck do I know? The Roma Pass is a good option if you are going to see the sites. We didn't actually end up doing many indoor museums, although if I had a week or longer, I would certainly have done so. Since some of our friends went a few days before us, they recommend buying the ticket for the Colosseum, Roman Forum and the Palatino, at the Palatino. We did this and spent an afternoon at the Roman Forum and Palatino, and since the ticket was valid for 2 days, we did the Colosseum the next morning, but avoided the long queue. To get out of the city, you'll see it's easy to leave behind, consider biking or walking the Appian way. We used only public transport and walking to get around. Actually from Termini station, you can ride Metro B to the Garbatella stop and then walk down Circonvallazione Ostiense towards the Appian way (use a map that shows you street signs). You'll cross a major road, and then walk up what looks like a bike path. There will be signs. Walk along the path for a while and it'll dump you out on another road. On this road, make a right and you'll be next to the bike rental spot. We rented bikes, got a map and detailed explanation (EUR 10 per bike, all day rental until 4 pm).

The walking tours in the Lonely Planet guidebooks were really well organized and easy to follow. We spent a lot of time walking everywhere. Everything is close by, takes some navigating effort, but the stumble upon stumble of beautiful lovely things keeps you entertained even when your feet in their most comfy shoes have swollen and are banging the sides of your sturdy cons. I brought back olives (natuurlijk!), farro, and some spices.

Tofu a la BBQ

Tofu a la BBQ


Stir-fried veggies in a cast-iron pan.


Beer pairing: Brasserie de la Senne's Taras Boulba

Texas-style BBQ sauce is where I owe my allegiance too, however I have no fond memories of devouring beef brisket because I stopped eating beef in the 2nd grade. What I do have are wild memories of my mom and I accompanying my dad to his company parties where they would always serve Texas BBQ. Since none of us ate beef, we'd eat Texas-toast sandwiches stuffed with potato salad, macaroni salad, pickles, and we'd top off our plates with (most-likely processed) cheese slices, baked beans, and salad. Partake in Texas BBQ we did not, but I've always loved the smell from the BBQ-sauce (particularly the hickory chips from Mesquite Grill over on Bay Area Blvd).

I enjoy reading the Homesick Texan because I've finally realized what the heck is wrong with me when I think I miss Mexican. I don't miss Mexican, I miss Tex-Mex. I never stopped missing it. It's a void of emptiness that never leaves once you've resided in Texas (which btw, shame on you TX for putting women's health back in the dark ages). Lisa Fain's write-up for Sam Houston's BBQ sauce is full of history too. I've prepared Vegan Dad's barbecue sauce and enjoy his addition of whisky; so I sort of combined both recipes, but then (this might shock some of you) I used tomato chunks instead of ketchup. Perfect Sunday afternoon lunch. Don't judge. Go on try it and see for yourself.

BBQ (barbecue) sauce for Tofu a la BBQ
Adapted from the Homesick Texan and Vegan Dad BBQ recipes. 
Yield: approx. 2 cups; sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to one week. 


Ingredients:
1 tablespoon peanut oil (you can add more, such as 3 tbsp or even 1/4 cup, I think it makes a better sauce, but I find less oil, such as 1 tbsp, perfectly acceptable).
¼ medium yellow onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup (I used 1 cup of diced tomatoes because I hate ketchup)
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce (I used soy sauce, sorry cannot find it here)
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I subbed in 1 tsp red chili flakes)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 tbsp ancho chili powder
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1-2 tbsp whisky (e.g. Jack Daniels, optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
In a medium-sized sauce pan heat up 1 tbsp of peanut oil. Once it gets hot add in the onion and garlic. Saute until it becomes fragrant, but don't let the onions change color too much. Keep the onions translucent. This should take about 4 minutes or less on medium heat. Add in the ketchup through salt and pepper. Stir everything together to ensure it mixes well.

Let it simmer partially covered for about 25 minutes. Adjust for taste. You might want to add more chili powder, smoked paprika, or salt. The sauce will store well in the fridge for a week.

Here's how I serve it: I pan-fry extra-firm tofu in a cast-iron pan. I heat up 2 tbsp of peanut oil over medium heat in a cast iron and once hot, I add in the tofu. You can do both while the BBQ sauce simmers. The tofu can go mostly ignored because you don't want to touch it until it starts to get visibly golden on the bottom. I cut the tofu into 2" long rectangles. Use a high quality tofu, preferably one from an Asian store that is slightly sour and pressed very well. Once the tofu is golden, I remove it from the pan and then slice the 2" rectangle in half. I add the tofu to the BBQ sauce and let it heat up and then serve it immediately.

Since the cast iron pan is still hot, I stir-fry veggies (mushrooms, bell-peppers, and onions) and serve the BBQ tofu with some couscous to soak up the sauce. You can also serve up some collard greens (there's my NC roots showing), and some macaroni and cheese. As an undergrad at the University of Houston, there used to be a vegan truck at the back of the stadium parking lot (I think off Cullen); they used to serve the best vegan soul food. They'd routinely serve battered tofu "fish," bbq-tofu, collard greens, macaroni and cheeze, and cornbread. My god. It was the best.

A grassy, dry, and light (at 4.5%) Taras Boulba (essentially a light Belgian-style pale ale) was an excellent complement to the spicy tofu. I can't believe I haven't been to this brewery yet, or at least quaffed more of their beers. It looks like they are still settling into finding a brewery. Check out there awesome artwork. A dry, and slightly citrusy beer would be a good choice. Recommendations gladly accepted.

Eet smakelijk!

Tex-Mex veggie burgers

Lately, I've been addicted to the Homesick Texan blog which I found from Rabbit Food Rocks, which I found from Herbivoracious. That is what I call blog shopping. So many cooks, so little time.

I spent an entire afternoon carefully gleaning what I wanted to cook from the Homesick Texan blog. Because I'm resourceful and a planner, I brought ancho chili powder back with me from my US visit.  Planner: bring back hard-to-find ingredients; resourceful: I came up with these Tex-Mex veggie burgers.

Oats make an excellent binder in veggie burgers. I think these could easily do without the eggs. Plan to use cooked rice and cooked beans (or canned beans) in the burgers. It saves time.

Tex-Mex veggie burgers
Recipe inspired from various postings on the Homesick Texan blog
Yield: 8 patties; use 1/2 cup measurement to shape and mold. 


2 cups of cooked beans (I used a mixture of pinto and red kidney 3:1)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, shredded or minced fine
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup mixed chopped parsley and cilantro
1 cup cooked long-grain rice (approx.)
3/4 cup oats, can use up to 1 cup, or a bit more
2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs, or homemade ones
2 eggs
SECRET (not-so-secret anymore!) ingredient: about 2 tbsp canned jalapeno chunks and a bit of their juices

Ancho chili powder
1 tbsp ancho chili powder
1/3 tsp cayenne chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp dried basil or oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika (such as Spanish or Hungarian hot paprika)
pinch cinnamon

To prepare the ancho chili powder, mix everything together in a small bowl and set aside. You'll use up all of it in the burger recipe.

Directions:
Note: Things that make this dish go faster: 1. have all the beans cooked before you begin. 2. have rice cooked. If you don't have cooked rice to start, begin by cooking 1 cup of long-grain rice (in a medium sized sauce pan add 1 cup of long grain rice and 2 and 1/4 cups water. Heat up over high heat, stirring the rice about two times, until the rice looks porous. Once it looks porous and filled with wholes and is bubbling like crazy but you don't think the water will cook off. Cover the rice with a lid, turn the heat off and let it sit there until ready to use (or let it sit there for at least 15 minutes, don't touch it). 

Alright have you located your beans and rice? Good.

Take cooked beans and place them in a large mixing bowl. To this bowl add chopped canned jalapeno chunks along with some of the canned juices. Add in herbs and mix together. Remove about 1 cup of the mixture and set this aside, then smash (with a potato masher) the remaining beans in the big bowl together.

Next, heat up 1 tbsp of peanut oil in a cast-iron pan over medium heat. Saute the onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers. When the mushrooms begin to brown at the edges, toss in the garlic and stir around until just fragrant. Is there anything better than the smell of sauteing garlic? For real.

Now back to the mashed beans. When the sauteed veggies are cool enough to handle add them to the bowl along with the chili powder. Using your hands or a big spoon mix everything together. Add in 1/2 cup of the oats and 1/2 cup of the rice. Start mixing everything together. You want everything to stick together without falling apart. Add the eggs and work it in little by little with the remaining rice and oats, and breadcrumbs. Using your hands is the best way to tell if everything is sticking together.

Place the bowl in the fridge and allow it to set for 30 minutes or longer. This does two things, it allows the oats to expand a bit, and it makes the mixture stick together. Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup as a mold, spoon the mixture and tamp it down with a spoon (or your hand). Carefully, remove it; give it a few smacks against a cutting board and shape it into a patty.

Fry them 4 at a time in a cast-iron pan about 4-5 minutes each side before flipping. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber slices, pickled jalapenos, and anything else.

So you're moving to Leuven, Belgium?

Author's note August 8, 2014: I lived in Leuven from January 2010 to April 2012; after a brief 1 month move to Barcelona, Spain, I relocated back to the US in May 2012. I now live in Seattle, WA. Most of the information on here is reflective of spring 2012. I have had so many inquiries to this original post that I have added updates below. Readers, thank you so much for your awesome comments, and for reaching out to me through the contact form. Neeli. 

Moving abroad is thrilling and exciting, but once the adventure of moving settles a bit, questions about meeting friends and doing basic stuff will undoubtedly arise. But who to ask? This post is a collection of bits and pieces of advice given to me from friends, personal experiences, and browsing the internets.

While we initially moved to Belgium for work, we were totally falling over ourselves at the idea of exploring Belgian beer and biking more closely, and to travel around Europe (with a European country conveniently as home-base). I think the context of "the why" you move is very important in your overall adjustment. Your personal viewpoints on adventure can help you ease into what you get vs. what you expect. Take for example the work on which we moved, a research position at the university. The private employment sector may help you with relocation, housing, moving, lease agreements (3-6-9 year ones), vehicle rental/purchase, obtaining a driver's license (it's easy), visa paperwork, enrolling in health insurance (SIS card), and the bureaucratic Belgian integration. Coming over on an academic position meant that we got support with the visa paperwork and the integration. I found these two things essential in relocating and would not recommend moving without them. Navigating the paperwork solo is daunting and difficult. Having an employer know exactly what steps to take is essential.

Part of adjusting is obvious, but other parts aren't. It took me 6 months to figure out the schedules of the bakers, markets, grocery stores, pharmacies, recycling and trash pick up schedules, and the correct way to set out recycling paper. While Belgium is a country where English is spoken and understood well, it is still culturally different in ways that don't become obvious until you go through the process of setting up your life again. Google translate and common sense are essential.

Meeting others:
Meetup: The Leuven New in Town Meetup organizes social outings monthly. It's laid back, English-speaking, and a great way to meet other international residents. Brussels has many more Meetup groups (beer trekking, crafting, language groups) including other expat groups such as InterNations or the American Women's Club. Joining a sports club, volunteering at an organization, or taking language courses are all great ways to meet others too.

City and practical:
Leuven.be There is always something going on in the center. Subscribe to the city's RSS feeds. Read it in Dutch (use Google Translate if needed); the English site is only geared towards tourism - not towards living in Leuven. The site has all of the essential living information on it.

The Afvalkalender: Garbage, recycling, compost, and paper are all collected twice per month; this ain't America strict rules apply on how and when to set these out. If you never recycled before (what kind of person are you) and choose to throw it out with the trash sometimes the city garbage collectors will leave your garbage (also if it is not tied correctly) conveniently for you to sort out. It is essential to get the Afvalkalender (trash calendar). The city mails them out in early January.

The Library: Tweebronnen Bibliotheek. Leuven's library has a good collection of English, French, German, and Spanish books, music, and DVDs. I hope it is obvious that they have an excellent Dutch book collection. To obtain a card, bring your ID card and EUR 5 and ask to obtain an abonnement (membership). You can check out up to 15 items at a time. Everything is automated, and the staff are very helpful. There is a nice cafe downstairs where you can read your books and enjoy a nice lunch or beer.

No one uses Craigslist: They use Tweedehands, Kapaza, and ebay. If there is some listserv that contains this info for ex-pats please someone tell me! De Spit, a second-hand store, is hit or miss with household goods, but often sells furniture, large appliances, and kitchen goods for dirt cheap. They'll pick up or deliver for EUR 25. Obvious mention: IKEA. Amazon is not widely used, but many stores will ship. The hubs was able to purchase brewing supplies from a Belgian vendor. 

Housing: most posts for housing are on Immoweb. I think email is used less reliably than the US, always follow up with a phone call.

Get a bike: Long term bicycle rental can be done at Velo.  You can rent out a bike month-to-month, or yearly (all good rates). Bike theft can be very common if you leave your bike outside overnight, and it isn't locked to anything; it is a national past-time to steal bikes. Storing bikes indoors, or locked to something with heavy duty U-locks can be a deterrent. My Dutch course had a section on how to report bike thefts.
Short term bicycle rental can be done at the Fietspunt in the station (also operated by Velo). This is a good option for weekly or daily rentals. 

Bike routes: Flanders and Holland have a bike number network called the Fietsnet. I've written about using it here and here. I credit usable bike lanes, excellent city infrastructure, and the Fietsnet for living without a car the entire time we've lived here (ok, I credit my friends too because they are so kind and incredible to help out and take us along on trips). 

Gyms and sport clubs/halls: If you're affiliated with the university you can apply for a membership to use the sports facilities they are all very good and affordable; Sportoase is the biggest gym/wellness facility in town. It costs more, is centrally located, has weight machines, group lessons, indoor pools, squash courts, climbing wall, and a basketball gym. In September, the papers publish a listing of all the sports clubs and activities. Leuven has a well-organized ultimate scene too (search for JetSet). 

Driver's License: If you are from the US, you can usually trade in your current (cannot be expired) US driver's license for a Belgian one at the city hall. Are there other readers that have done this? If so, please comment, I'd love to hear about your experiences. Go with recent passport photos and bring cash. You'll trade your current license and be issued a Belgian one; if you move away permanently return the Belgian license and the city will return your original license. I had no problems obtaining this, and I was able to use the Belgian license abroad and back in the states. It took 20 minutes and I walked out the same day with the license. On a trip back to the states, I went ahead and got an international permit to accompany the license (again passport photos and cash), but I never needed it. Your identification card will be your "main ID" not your license (this is a pain in the wazoo when you go back to the US, when you only have a Belgian ID card and now a Belgian license, oh what fun when trying to explain it as your form of ID). The cheapest place to get passport photos is the train station (5 for EUR 5). 

Haircuts: Of all the things moving will do to your life, finding a new stylist is always the hardest. They don't use a razor for cuts. Always take a picture of what you want, or maybe an older picture of you with your desired haircut. Don't worry so much, if you end up with a new haircut it's not the end of the world. Bangs/fringe are called frou-frou which are typically straightcut fringe or bangs; for swept over bangs do the hand motion or be descriptive enough. Layers are called lagjes; if you take a pic along with you, you can say ik wil hetzelfede kapsel houden which means the same hairstyle as before, then use descriptors such as alleen een beetje korter of hoger of langer (a bit shorter or a higher or longer). Remember use cm to designate how much of the bottom you want off (for example één of twee centimeters is genoeg (1-2 cm is enough). I would recommend Sizoo on the Diestestraat and Academy-Coiffure on the Muntstraat. 

Travel:

Trains. Give yourself enough time to buy tickets if you purchase them on the day of travel. You can only use bancontact or proton at the automated stations (idiotic, I know) and the automated stations are few and far at any of the stations (Brussels Zuid/Midi I'm talking about you). If you must catch a train and haven't purchased a ticket, find staff on the train and let them know as soon as you get on. They will often waive the buying on board fee. You can usually find them by hanging back on the platform towards the center of the train. They'll whistle and indicate "all clear," and you can let them know. A go-pass (for those under 26 y/o at EUR 50) or a 10-time pass can be purchased at the station (EUR 74). The ticket should be filled out before entering the train (or as soon as you sit down). You can have multiple people use the ticket (one line per person). Just fill in the origin and destination. Each line is good for one 1-way journey at EUR 7.40. Book tickets for the high speed trains like, Thalys and Eurostar, in advance. You'll always get a better rate. On weekends (travel beginning after 7 pm on Friday up until 11:59 pm Sunday) a weekend ticket can be purchased for a much lower rate, and it includes one outward journey to your destination and one return journey. The advantage of this is that you don't have to complete travel on the same day. It is not for "x" amount of travel between 2 destinations (e.g. Brussels to Gent) for an entire weekend. 

Bus: De Lijn is the bus system in Flanders; busses are well connected, and in rural parts shuttle busses can be called (see this useful post from the Thirsty Pilgrim). De Lijn also runs the trams. 

Use-it maps. These are free tourist maps written by locals. Ask at any tourist office, they are free! If you use the Leuven map, you might even teach your local friends new things about Leuven.

Car Share: Cambio is a carsharing service. I've rented cars from the aiport at Zaventem and at an Avis in Korbeek-Lo. Car rental is a major pain in the arse, and expensive. I would love to get feedback if you've used Cambio.

Medical:

In Belgium, accessing the doctor (huisarts), and medical system is easy. English will not be a problem. Dentists are tandarts, veterinarians are dierenarts. If you need to see a specialist, your normal doctor will refer you after an initial consultation. Going to the doctor is easy. Once you find a doctor, you'll call and set up an appointment (often you can go the same day, or that week). When you arrive to the doctors office, you are rung in, and asked to wait in a waiting area. Many huisarts offices are located in neighborhoods, and many are independent (zelfstandige). In a main clinic you can check in with reception, but in an independent office, you let yourself in, and you wait. The doctor comes and meets you, escorts you to the office (office and examining room are often the same), and at the conclusion of your visit, you pay (bring cash), and the doctor escorts you out. The cost of medical care is affordable. An office visit without health insurance is usually EUR 20-25 and you'll leave with a green or white rectangular document. Once enrolled in the Belgian health system (probably CM), your health insurance (de ziekteverzekering) will give you a sheet of yellow stickers (kleurtjes), which you paste onto the top of the document; bring these same labels to a doctor's appt. Then you drop it in a box at any health insurance office to get up to 75% of your costs reimbursed. A doctor recently told me that the sheets are basically money. CM is very efficient.

If you're used to preventative care in the US (regular blood and cancer screenings, blood pressure and weight checks) the system here is slightly different. Some screenings are viewed as not medically necessary. It depends on the reason for your visit. On request, these can be done. When I inquired about this difference, I was told that they follow evidence-based medicine and guidelines, along with basic common sense. Of course, I went back and looked these up. Although, I think screening is cost-effective, and generates baseline data about basic health, I've concluded that Belgians access the health care system as needed, they have efficient electronic medical records, they are probably more likely to visit the same doctor over time (Belgium is a tiny country); the doctor may manage risk factors more effectively, or manage symptoms before they become risk factors, and develop a broader understanding of the patient's health. On average, visits are longer. A doctor will develop more of a rapport with patients because they are obtaining a lot of the subjective data (e.g they are learning about their patients, instead of managing the symptoms they come in with). Costs for visits, prescriptions, routine procedures are all much cheaper than the US. The point that is made from every American I talk to about the medical system is that Belgian's pay a much higher tax rate; the benefits/drawback, rights, and monetary expenditures of healthcare in a private or socialized system warrants its own post. However, I have been very happy with the care here - and I have never had a to deal with a disgruntled receptionist, and overall I think the US could benefit and learn from many of the ways that other countries manage their health care models. 
Random note: Since I moved back to teach nutrition courses at a large public university, I actually taught about health care and researched the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) extensively, along with how Americans access the health care systems in the US. My experience in Belgium made me far more passionate about fixing the health care system in the US - and far more knowledgeable about the issues that make the US model an extreme health care model compared to economically similar industrialized countries where citizens access a universal tax subsidized model. 

Pharmacies: around town pharmacies, or apotheeks, are designated with a green plus sign. Most are open normal hours. For instance, they are open 8-12 pm, closed for lunch ~12-1:30 pm, and then reopen 1:30-6:00 pm. Although it's weird that they sell make-up and other "health" products, apotheeks are where you can find most OTC meds, and of course where you go to get prescriptions filled (voorschrift). Honestly every time I've had a prescription filled I literally go through shock. The costs are so affordable; some prescriptions for women's health (shall I point out the terrible political mess that is being made of birth control in the US?) can be filled every 3 months, or once per year. Once. per. year. Go on, guess how much. OTC drugs are not sold in grocery stores or drugstores. Most major apotheeks rotate weekend and overnight hours. This info is posted outside of the apotheek, or online here and here.
Update: one year of mostly generic oral contraceptives cost me 54 EUR without health insurance. 

Pets:

Pets: Belgium is pet friendly. The paperwork for bringing your pets is almost as long as the paperwork you will have had to fill out to move here. Check the Belgian consulate for the necessary paperwork, and allow 3 months to get it done. You'll need an international microchip (even if you already have a domestic one), proof of rabies vaccination within a specific time before emigrating, and have your paperwork cleared by your state's (e.g the state that you depart from) USDA office. Mr. Duds is a cat; once his paperwork was done, we carried it, him, (and copies) with us while traveling, and it's become a distant memory. It was a pain at the time, but it was uneventful. We had no problems at immigration/customs. There are lots of vet offices (dierenarts).
Update: Going through security with a pet at Zaventem (Brussels National Airport) was painless. All the airport personnel that I encountered were proper and friendly. They were also excited to see the cat. In contrast, when we left Europe, we left from Spain, and the airport security personnel were total dimwits when it came to pet security inspection. 

Language:

Language courses: if you have time to commit to 6-12 hours per week of language courses, the intensive language courses at the Institute voor Levende Talen (ILT) and Centrum voor Levende Talen (CLT) are exceptional. You will be speaking the language in some format when you leave. I have nothing but gushing compliments - and you'll meet lots of other people in the courses. I took Dutch and Spanish through both institutes and I can say that I'm functionally fluent (can go to the markets, talk on the phone, set up appointments, speak with medical staff, bank, and get by on my Dutch) after completing Level 2 at ILT. I took Spanish (Level 1) at CLT this summer and it was a great course for the value and time (2 weeks intense summer course). Groep T offers courses which can accommodate working hours, so this may be a great option, however friends that took courses at ILT and CLT complain about the courses lacking intensity. In addition, reading newspapers, watching TV, trying to speak Dutch/Flemish everywhere you go, and forcing your Belgian friends to speak with you are all good ways to gain confidence in speaking, and they are all great ways to learn about Belgian culture and history.

Shopping, finding exotic foods, where to buy good coffee and beer:

The major shopping sales (Zolden) occur during January and July. Smaller sales do occur, but these are the largest. You might have price sticker shock, and the customer service is different (at store like H&M, Zara, Pimkie you put your clothes away after trying them on). Most stores are open from 10-6 pm; grocery stores are open 8 am - 8 pm (approx.). Most stores are closed on Sundays. At grocery stores, be prepared and bring your own bags.

The markets. Sunday is Heverlee, Monday is Wijgmaal, Wednesday is Kessel-Lo, Friday and Saturday are Leuven. The markets sell everything from fresh produce, cheese, eggs, breads, meats, seafoods, to clothes, crafts, fabrics, plants, and flowers. The prices are all very good; be prepared to look very local and assert yourself when you're next in line. Using the markets is the best way to pick up the language and get a bit more comfortable using it.

Food and cooking: in Leuven, you can purchase Mexican ingredients, like chipotle peppers, pinto beans, and black beans, at Exotic World on the Brusselsesteenweg. They have Indian, Chinese, Korean, African, Turkish; for southeast Asian go to Thai House Supermarkt on the Tiensestraat. There are many ethnic food shops along Brusselsesteenweg. I have never been too pleased with their selection of produce, it often looks days old.

Coffee: Koffie Onan. Always full of Spaniards and Americans. They started self-roasting their own beans. The staff are excellent, knowledgeable, and very kind.
Update: Recently, I read that a Starbucks is coming to the Leuven train station. Someone send me a picture!

Beer: Most grocery stores have a decent selection of beers. For harder to find items head to ABS Drinks in Winksele or ABC Drinks in Leuven. They carry hundreds of different Belgian beers.

Bottle deposits (e.g. beer bottles): As you live here, you'll see that most people buy crates of Stella or Jupiler. When you purchase them this way, you pay some extra as deposit (between 10-20 cents) for the bottles and crate (often EUR 4.50). As for other beer bottles, check the back, and look for a coin deposit sign. Most grocery store have an automated bottle return where you can bring beer bottle back for a deposit. Print out a receipt and take it with you to the cashier (kassa) on checkout.

Embarrassing things I hate to admit:

1. I did not know that you had to put dishwasher salts in the dishwasher. 

2. I was caught throwing bottles away; a woman saw me dumping loads of beer bottles into the recycling bin and she had to show me the deposit sign. Groan!

3. Karl got a EUR 50 ticket for biking with his backlight off. The police are serious about enforcing traffic regulations; biker's beware!

If you use this and it's helpful, or you have a suggestion/update please comment below. I'll likely update this. I've been abroad since Jan 2010.

Things I now miss:
1. the laid back and constant use of the bicycle for nearly all modes of transportation
2. Certain aspects of the food culture: dairy foods in Europe, the markets, smaller portion sizes for drinks and beverages, very little mark-ups on beer and wine at restaurants. The smaller portions of foods at the grocery stores, and the total cost of healthier, whole, foods is cheaper in Europe than the US. 
3.  Terraces in pedestrian-only plazas. In general, I miss the plazas and the social nature of how well connected the plazas are to the rest of the center. 
4. The ease at accessing the medical system there. Even as a foreigner it was easier to get an appointment at a doctor's office than an insurance-carrying person in the US. 
5. The way that news is reported. 

Author's note August 8, 2014: I lived in Leuven from January 2010 to April 2012; after a brief 1 month move to Barcelona, Spain, I relocated back to the US in May 2012. Most of the information on here is reflective of spring 2012. I have had so many inquiries to this original post that I have added updates above. Readers, thank you so much for your awesome comments, and for reaching out to me through the contact form. Hartelijke dank! Neeli