Posts Tagged ‘ plant foods ’

Interviews with Talia Fuhrman and Miyoko Schinner 9/11/2012

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode #166

9/11/2012:

Part I: Talia Fuhrman
Healthy Eating: Fun, Delicious, Easy

Talia Fuhrman, daughter of author Joel Fuhrman M.D., has a degree in nutritional sciences from Cornell University. She is on a mission to help people understand that eating healthfully can be fun, delicious, and easy. A lover of cooking and journalism, she understands that disease prevention must be made tasty and easy for even the most newbie nutritarians and basic aspiring chefs. As a freelance nutrition journalist, she writes for Vegetarian Times and VegNews regularly and has her own blog www.taliafuhrman.com. She has written for numerous websites and magazines including www.collegecandy.com, www.crazysexylife.com, www.girliegirlarmy.com and Positive Impact Magazine.

She has put in countless hours studying how food interacts with the body and throughout her teenage years and early twenties you could easily find her curled up on the couch with the latest health and wellness book. A health guru to her friends, Talia has always enjoyed teaching people about how to protect their health and hopes to write, lecture and cook delicious food now and into the future in order to help increasing numbers of people achieve ideal health and feel full of energy all while eating mouth-watering meals.

9/11/2012:

Part II: Miyoko Schinner
Artisan Vegan Cheese

Miyoko Schinner has been teaching, cooking, and writing about vegan foods for more than thirty years. She lives in Northern California and is known for having written The New Now and Zen Epicure and Japanese Cooking: Contemporary and Traditional, and owning a very successful vegetarian restaurant in the bay area. Miyoko is host to a new vegan cooking show, Vegan Mash Up


TRANSCRIPTION

PART I:

Caryn Hartglass: We are back. Again, I’m Caryn Hartglass. You’re listening to It’s All About Food. It’s September 11. 2012. And thank you for joining me today. Read more »

Take Back Your Health Conference – 2012

Responsible Eating And Living (REAL) was one of the sponsors of the Take Back Your Health Conference in Washington, DC. In this segment, Responsible Eating And Living founder, Caryn Hartglass, gets REAL about the hazards of dairy as well as what to be skeptical of at so-called health conferences. She also comments on the talk given by one of the conference’s invited speakers, author, John Robbins, highlighting his latest book, No Happy Cows.

Have Caryn Hartglass speak at your next event.
Send an email request to info@RealMeals.org

Interviews with Rae Sikora, JC Corcoran and Dreena Burton

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

5/23/2012:

Part I: JC Corcoran, Rae Sikora
Plant Peace Daily

Jim (JC) Corcoran co-founded and served as president of VegMichigan, the state’s largest vegetarian organization, for seven years. He is a retired fire captain/paramedic/training officer, has a BS in Emergency Medicine and is certified in the Living Foods Lifestyle. Jim also is a certified fitness instructor and former softball champion/all-star. He has been leading life altering programs on health and the environment for over a decade now. His talks empower people to make informed and lasting changes in their lives. Since retiring from the fire service, Jim has been busy starting and developing several other successful outreach organizations. He co-founded Plant Peace Daily; founded Santa Fe Veg and co-founded VegFund, an international organization which helps vegan activist spread the word through food and other means.

Rae Sikora has been a spokesperson for animals, the environment and human rights for over 30 years. Her programs have been changing people’s vision of what is possible to create in our lives and in the world. Rae has worked internationally with participants ranging from teachers, students and prisoners to businesses and activists. As co-founder of the Institute for Humane Education, Rae created interactive critical thinking tools that are now being used by people around the globe. She holds degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Environmental Education from the University of Wisconsin. Rae draws from years of experience to help individuals and groups discover how implementing changes personally/locally can bring about positive change globally. She is co-founder/co-director of Plant Peace Daily and VegFund.

5/23/2012:

Part II: Dreena Burton
Let Them Eat Vegan!

Dreena Burton is the author of bestselling vegan cookbooks and an at-home mom to three girls. She has been vegan since ’95, when little was known about eating and cooking vegan. Not long after graduating with her business degree and working in the marketing field, Dreena followed her true passion of writing recipes and cookbooks.

The Everyday Vegan was her first project, following her father-in-law’s heart attack. When the cardiologist strongly advised a low-fat plant-based diet to her husband’s parents to reverse heart disease, Dreena knew there was information needing to be shared – most importantly, how and what to eat as a vegan. After having her first child, she wrote Vive le Vegan!, which represented her journey as a mom, and more wholesome, easy recipes. Then came eat, drink & be vegan, a celebratory vegan cookbook. The Everyday Vegan became known for its lower fat and ‘everyday’ recipes. Vive le Vegan became known for its healthy baked goods and easy but tasty family-fare. Eat, drink & be vegan became known for its entire chapter on hummus, as well as inventive flavor combinations and a mix of wheat-free and gluten-free recipes.

Dreena has also written for VegNews and alive magazines, True/Slant, and has been featured in other publications including First magazine. She has won several blog awards including VegNews VegBloggy and Vancouver’s Ultimate Mom Blog. Dreena starred on the Everyday Dish cooking dvd in 2007, and her “Homestyle Chocolate Chip” video from that dvd has become a signature cookie and has received over 200,000 YouTube views. More recently, Dreena’s “Frosted B-raw-nies” recipe won the Everyday Health Gluten-Free Recipe Contest (February 2011).

Dreena’s newest book is “Let Them Eat Vegan: 200 Deliciously Satisfying Plant-Powered Recipes for the Whole Family” This book represents an evolution in vegan cooking, with an emphasis on whole foods. Dreena utilizes her experience cooking with the ‘vegan basics’ – beans, nuts, seeds, whole-grains and whole-grain products, vegetables and fruits – to bring delicious, wholesome vegan meals, snacks, and treats to the table for everyday plant-powered eating. You won’t find any ‘white processed stuff’ in Dreena’s recipes… no white flour, no white sugar, and also no vegan substitutes like vegan cream cheese, sour cream, or vegan meat. And, these recipes are wheat-free and also largely gluten-free, and a sprinkling of raw delights for good measure. Let Them Eat Vegan dishes up plant-powered specialties for everyone!

TRANSCRIPTIONS

PART I:

Caryn Hartglass: Hello, I’m Caryn Hartglass and you’re listening to It’s All About Food. Hey, how are you doing today? It’s kind of a cool, cloudy thing happening here in New York City on May 23, 2012, but I’m liking it. It’s a good time to relax and put on some cozy clothes, make a nice pot of tea. I like organic, fair-trade varieties. Read more »

Gary De Mattei Interviews ASK A VEGAN host, Caryn Hartglass

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

5/20/2012: Responsible Eating And Living Creative Director interviews the host of the Ask A Vegan show, Caryn Hartglass. Caryn talks about her journey from vegetarian to vegan. They discuss transition foods, farmers markets, CSA’s, locally grown food, grilling and vegan cheese.

Going Vegan, Is It Really That Big A Deal?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I reviewed the recent New York Times blog post, The Challenge of Going Vegan, especially the over 1000 responses (and counting) to it. I debunked popular myths and covered the most popular topics including vegans being “preachy”, the connection behind rainforest destruction and soy beans, needing a chef, requiring scientific knowledge to eat vegan and, going against tradition.

REAL Enchiladas

Enchiladas are easy and fun to make with the family. You can make everything from scratch with our REAL Tomato Sauce and vegan cheese recipes or buy ready made vegan cheese, tomato sauce and it’s ready to go. They are awesome!

1 package corn tortillas (12)
3/4 (10 oz) package frozen mixed vegetables
3 cups REAL Tomato Sauce Recipe or 1 (24 oz) jar of enchilada sauce
1 red jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
7 oz baked tofu (finely diced)
6 oz grated cashew jack vegan cheese, (save 2 oz for garnish)
1 (15 oz) can Black Beans or 2 1/2 cups
Large baking dish

1. If you are making the REAL Tomato Sauce from scratch, add the jalapeno pepper, cumin and red wine vinegar in step 2 of that recipe, and saute along with the onions and garlic. If using a jar of ready-made enchilada sauce you can skip this step.
2. In a large bowl mix together the diced tofu, frozen veggies and 4 ounces of cashew cheese.
3. Cover bottom of baking dish with a ladle of sauce.
4. Pour half the sauce in a shallow dish, take a tortilla, one at a time and soak in sauce, place in baking dish and spoon a generous (approximately 2 Tablespoons) portion of mixture in the center of the tortilla. Roll it and place in baking dish seam side down. Continue until all 12 tortillas are used. You may need a second baking dish to fit all the enchilads. Ladle sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake at 375F covered for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional five minutes until bubbling hot.

Interviews with Atina Diffley and Karen Le Billon

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

4/4/2012:

Part I: Atina Diffley
Turn Here Sweet Corn: Organic Farming Works.

Atina Diffley is an organic vegetable farmer who now educates consumers, farmers, and policymakers about organic farming through the consulting business Organic Farming Works LLC, owned by her and her husband, Martin. From 1973 through 2007, the Diffleys owned and operated Gardens of Eagan, one of the first certified organic produce farms in the Midwest. To contact Atina or Martin Diffley, visit www.organicfarmingworks.com.

4/4/2012:

Part II: Karen Le Billon
French Kids Eat Everything

Born in Montreal and based in Vancouver, Karen Le Billon is an author and teacher. Married to a Frenchman, she has two daughters, and her family divides its time between Vancouver and France.

French Kids Eat Everything (HarperCollins) is Karen’s newest book, a memoir about family and food, inspired by a year spent in her husband’s hometown–a small seaside village in Brittany.

Karen has a PhD from Oxford University, and is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Rhodes Scholarship, a Canada Research Chair, and Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 award. She currently teaches at the University of British Columbia.

She is one of the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation’s Real Food Advocates.

TRANSCRIPTION PART I:

Hello I’m Caryn Hartglass and you’re listening to It’s All About Food. Hi and Happy April. It is April. I think it’s my favorite month. Not just because it’s spring but because I was born in the month of April and I’m celebrating my birthday all month. Read more »

Pumpernickel Bread, Gluten-Free

When my father was young he worked in a bakery. He explained that they would take the cake that did not sell during the day, crumble it up and turn it into pumpernickel bread. This fascinated me – using cake to make bread? Maybe that’s why pumpernickel tastes so good. This is my vegan, gluten-free version. And no, I do not use leftover cake!

1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups garbanzo flour
2 cups arrowroot, corn or potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour
4 teaspoons xanthan gum
4 Tablespoons sugar (evaporated cane juice)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 packages active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup molasses
4 1/2 cups warm water (more water may be necessary)

Preheat oven to 200F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, garbanzo flour, starch, tapioca, cocoa and xanthan gum.

In a medium size bowl mix the sugar with the yeast and pour in about 1 cup of the water. The water should be lukewarm, not hot, or the yeast won’t work. Beat the mixture with a fork and let sit for about 5 minutes. The top should foam. If it doesn’t the yeast is not good and the dough won’t rise. Mix in the molasses and oil. Pour the yeast mixture over the dry ingredients and incorporate with a fork whisk. Mix in another cup of water. Continue adding water until the mixture has the consistency of thick cake batter. It will be a creamy, very thick liquid.

Pour batter into two greased loaf pans, filling each pan about half-way. Place on the top of the oven and cover with a towel. I have a gas oven with the burners raised above the top surface of the oven so that the pans are not directly touching the heat – they are just in a warm environment. If you have a flat surface cook top you many want to place the pans on a rack so they are not in direct contact with the heat. Allow the batter to rise and double in size – rising above the top of the pans. This can take from 30 to 60 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 400F and bake loaves for 10 minutes. Remove loaves from the oven and cover each with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake the covered loaf pans for about 35 minutes. To determine if the bread is done, insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. I like a moist bread, so I baked it for 35 minutes after covering. The toothpick was free of crumbs but there were some gummy spots which when cool becomes a moist, spongy bread. Remove from oven and let cool.

Delicious served with our REAL Prune butter.

Choucroute Garnie

Choucroute garnie is a famous Alsacian recipe for preparing sauerkraut with potatoes, chopped onion, sliced apples, black peppercorns, cloves, garlic, juniper berries, bay leaves and white wine. I have created my own “traditional” recipe here with tempeh instead of the traditional meat and sausages. Cooking sauerkraut and potatoes in white wine is simply heavenly.

1 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups sauerkraut
8 small potatoes or 4-6 medium/large potatoes, scrubbed, (peeled only if not organic) and cut in quarters.
3 cups white wine
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 cup water
Optional: 1 package of tempeh or other veggie meat: baked tofu, sausage, seitan, cut in chunks
Dijon mustard
Horseradish

In a medium to large heavy pot or French oven (3 1/2 quart or larger), pour enough wine to coat the bottom – about 1/4 inch in depth. Turn the heat to medium. When hot, add the onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add a little more wine if it starts to dry. Add in the remaining ingredients, sauerkraut, potatoes, peppercorns, bay leaves, wine, water and veggie meat (if using). Cover, stirring occasionally and cook until potatoes are soft. Serve with Dijon mustard and horseradish.

Kale, Red Cabbage, Daikon, Ginger Stir Fry

Sometimes I go out of my comfort zone and create something new. I rarely use daikon radish although I can’t say why. It’s a very versatile root vegetable and I have enjoyed it raw in salads and cooked as well. I recently bought some and made a dish with several ingredients I don’t typically put together. And it was GOOD. Here it is.

1/2 pound kale
1 pound red cabbage
4 or 5 cloves of garlic
1 inch fresh ginger
1 daikon radish
2 shallots
juice of one large lemon
water

1. Mince shallots and garlic. Scrape skin off the ginger with the edge of a spoon and mince.
2. With a knife, scrape the exterior skin off the daikon. Slice into 1/4 inch or thinner rounds.
3. Wash the kale. Rip the leaves away from the stalks. Roll the leaves up into cigar shape cylinders and slice kale into strips (chiffonade).
4. Slice the cabbage into thin strips, 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide.
5. In a heavy cast iron frying pan or a wok, on medium high heat, add 1/4 cup of water. When the water starts to sizzle add the garlic, ginger and shallots. Stir regularly and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. If the pan dries out add a little more water. There should never be too much water or too little, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan, less than 1/4 inch.
6. Add the daikon slices and cook until they are soft.
7. Toss in the red cabbage. If your pan is not very big it may take a minute or two for the cabbage to shrink before you can stir it and mix it in with the other ingredients.
8. Add in the kale. Let it wilt and stir in with other ingredients.
9. When all the vegetables are soft, turn the heat off and toss in the lemon juice.
10. Serve immediately.

Interviews with Kim Barnouin and Amie Hamlin

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE PROGRAM BELOW AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST. 

Listen to: PART I WITH KIM BARNOUIN

Listen to: PART II WITH AMIE HAMLIN

3/14/2012:

Part I: Kim Barnouin
Skinny Bitch Book of Vegan Swaps

She is the co-author of the New York Times Bestseller Skinny Bitch, and Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, as well as Skinny Bitchin, Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven, and Skinny Bastard. She released her first solo book Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook in October of 2010. She is the founder of her website www.healthybitchdaily.com, a fun and informative green living guide for women.

3/14/2012:

Part II: Amie Hamlin
NY Coalition for Healthy School Lunches

Amie Hamlin began as Executive Director of New York Coalition for Healthy School Food in when the organization was founded in 2004 and has worked to expand the reach of her organizations work over the years. NYCHSF currently partners with the New York City Office of SchoolFood and the Ithaca City School District Child Nutrition Program, offering plant-based entrees to over 17,000 students. NYCHSF also offers Wellness Wakeup Call, a nutrition education program available in K-5 and 6-12 versions, written by Registered Dietitians. Amie has worked in the non-profit world since 1996 when she was Director of a Tobacco-Free Coalition and then of two environmental non-profits.

TRANSCRIPTION PART I:

 

Hello everybody. I’m Caryn Hartglass and you’re listening to It’s All About Food. It is an absolutely gorgeous day here in New York City on March 14th, 2012. I am so happy to be here this hour to talk to you, especially about my favorite subject: food. It’s going to be a good one today, a good hour. Read more »

Online Shopping, Dairy Farming, Ensure, Ligans, Ginger and Shallots

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

3/11/2012 – Join me on my second live broadcast from REAL Worldwide Radio where I give time saving tips with online shopping, talk about the economics of dairy farming, where to get your healthy lignans and delicious things to do with ginger and shallots.

Glutamate, GE Corn, Sugar and Bioplastics

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

March 4, 2012: Responsible Eating And Living presents it’s first live broadcast featuring the ASK A VEGAN show. In response to a listener’s question regarding nutritional yeast being an excitotoxin, I talked about glutamate and glutamic acid including MSG, Monosodium Glutamate and other foods with glutamate, whether or not they are healthy or not? Next I discussed Monsanto’s newly approved GE sweet corn, GE corn in the United States, bioplastics, recylcling plastics, the new National Center for Health Statistics report on Consumption of Added Sugar Among U.S. Children and Adolescents 2005-2008.

Listen to the next LIVE broadcast here on the REAL Worldwide Radio very Sunday from 7-8pm Eastern Time.

Blueberry Pan cake, Gluten-free

This is literally a blueberry pan cake. In other words, you pour it in a pan and bake.

12 ounces blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup rice flour
1 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup Ener-G Egg Replacer
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup sugar (evaporated cane juice)
1/4 cup sesame tahini
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup brewed Chai tea (strong)
1 cup soy milk or other nondairy milk
1/2 cup of boiling water

Preheat over to 375F. Grease a large Pyrex baking dish with a tablespoon of vegan butter or oil and set aside.

1. Mix the dry Ingredients in large bowl: rice flour, garbanzo bean flour, tapioca flour, baking powder and baking soda.
2. In another large bowl, mix the Ener-G Egg Replacer with cold water. Add sugar, tahini and cream together. Add in vinegar and mix well.
3. Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.
4. Add hot tea and nondairy milk.
5. Mix thoroughly and let set for 20 minutes.
6. Spread the blueberries evenly at the bottom of the greased baking pan.
7. After the 20 minutes resting period, add the 1/2 cup of boiling water to the batter and mix well. Batter should be the consistency of heavy cream. If it’s too thick, thin it with a little more boiling water.
8. Pour batter over the blueberries.
9. Put pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test by piercing with a clean tooth pick, it should come out clean and dry. Otherwise it will need to be cooked a few minutes more. Cool for 1 hour before slicing. Serve with your favorite spreads – jellies, nut butters, vegan butter, etc.

Chemicals – the good and bad.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

2/26/2012: The show theme was chemicals, good chemicals and the bad.
Marty Krutolow, the pilot, a.k.a. the Flying Vegan, joined me and we compared “lab meat” to Quorn. I also talked about Monsanto losing a chemical poisoning case in France; herbicides and pesticides; and some delicious new recipes on REAL. This was the final ASK A VEGAN show on the Progressive Radio Network. ASK A VEGAN can now be heard live here on the REAL Worldwide Radio very Sunday from 7-8pm Eastern Time.

LISTEN to hear the entire 2/26/2012 program.

Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies, Gluten-Free

Chocolate and mint are perfect partners. Here’s a gluten-free version of the chocolate chip mint cookie. They are especially good to dunk in Teeccino Herbal Coffee.

1½ teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer in 2 tablespoons water
¾ cups vegan butter (Earth Balance buttery spread)
½-3/4 cups sugar (evaporated cane juice), I use 1/2 cup but if you like a really sweet cookie use 3/4 cups.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1½ cups white rice flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 cup semisweet nondairy chocolate chips

1. In a small bowl, beat together the egg replacer and water.
2. Cream together vegan butter and sugar. Add the egg replacer mixture, vanilla and peppermint extracts.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together – rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum and cocoa powder. Add to the shortening/sugar mixture and knead into a dough. If the dough is too crumbly add a tablespoon or 2 of water. Knead in the chocolate chips. Cover bowl with wax paper and let dough chill for about 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Take a small piece of dough, about 2 tablespoons, flatten with your hands into a circle about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and place on the cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
6. Bake for about 12-14 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Light Rain Soup

Vegetable Soup? All my soups are made with vegetables, but should I call them all “vegetable soup”, when they are all so different and unique? I named this soup after the weather today, Light Rain. The herbs give off a lovely, cozy fragrance to the home. I used a lot of dried herbs in this recipe. I buy them in big bags, not in small jars. It’s more economical this way especially when I use herbs so frequently.

Dark green tops from 2 leek, chopped into 1/3 inch pieces
(I steam the white and light green parts to make Leeks with Vinaigrette)
3 carrots, cut into small squares, 1/4 inch
1 onion chopped
1/2 bulb of fresh garlic, minced
4 medium organic potatoes with the skin, cut into 1/2 inch cubes. (if not organic, peel off the skin)
1/2 cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried leeks/parsley/fennel mix
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kelp powder
8 cups water

1. Place a large soup pot on the stove on medium heat.
2. Add in leeks, onions and garlic. Dry saute for about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add wine. Stir occasionally and cook for about 10 minutes until all the vegetables are soft. Make sure there is always some liquid in the pot.
4. Add the potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and herbs. Stir well.
5. Pour in the water, stir, cover and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes until potatoes are soft.
6. Remove from heat and serve.

Serves 3-6

Raisin Cookies – Gluten-Free

When I was in college in Pennsylvania we would go to the farmer’s market. There was an Amish bakery that sold raisin cookies. They were so simple, soft, gooey and so good. I have not had them in decades! I have recreated a vegan, gluten-free version here.

Cookie dough
4 cups white rice flour
4¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup Earth Balance buttery spread
1 cup sugar (evaporated cane juice)
1 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2½ teaspoons xanthan gum

Raisin Filling
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cups boiling water
1 cup seedless raisins

In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, nutmeg and xanthan gum. In another bowl, blend shortening with sugar and add vanilla. Slowly add in the flour mixture, making a dough. Add in the water, a little at a time. The dough should be damp and slightly sticky. Cover with wax paper or towel and put in the refrigerator for about an hour.

In a medium saucepan, mix together cornstarch and sugar with boiled water. Cook on medium high heat. Add in the raisins. Stir occasionally and cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. With a hand blender, or in a blender, puree the filling. Set aside to cool.

When ready to bake the cookies, preheat over to 350F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Divide the cookie dough into quarters. Make a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Make 1/4 inch thick slices and place them on the cookie sheet. Spoon about a teaspoon of filling in the center of each cookie. Take another quarter of the dough and make another log, slightly larger than the first. Slice the dough a little bit thinner that the first log. Top each cookie with another slice, pinching down the edges to seal. It’s okay if the dough cracks a little or the filling oozes out. Repeat with the other half of the dough. With the tips of your fingers you can smooth any cracks or rough edges.

Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Let cool. Makes about 18 cookies.

TIP: This dough can be sticky. The extra moisture eliminates the gritty texture of the rice flour when the dough is cooked. Keeping the dough very cold helps minimize sticking when handling. Use 1/4 of the dough at a time, keeping the rest refrigerated until ready to sue. A small amount of potato or corn starch on your hands may help when forming the cookies.

Dill Poppy Seed Bread – gluten-free

This gluten-free, yeast bread is perfect for sandwiches. I like it because I can make very thin slices with it. I usually make one standard loaf and 2 mini loaves. I like to slice the mini loaves and toast them to use a crackers with dip.
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups garbanzo flour
2 cups corn starch (potato starch may be used instead)
1 cup tapioca flour
4 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt (OPTIONAL – personally I don’t use any salt)
2 Tablespoons sugar (evaporated cane juice)
2 packages active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 1/2 cups warm water (more water may be necessary)
1-2 tablespoons dill weed
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 200F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, garbanzo flour, corn starch, tapioca and xanthan gum, and salt.

In a medium size bowl mix the sugar with the yeast and pour in about 1 cup of the water. The water should be lukewarm, not hot, or the yeast won’t work. Beat the mixture with a fork and let sit for about 5 minutes. The top should foam. If it doesn’t the yeast is not good and the dough won’t rise. Pour the yeast mixture over the dry ingredients and incorporate with a fork whisk. Mix in another cup of water and the olive oil. Continue adding water until the mixture has the consistency of thick cake batter. It will be a creamy, very thick liquid. Stir in dill and poppy seeds.

Pour batter into two greased loaf pans, filling each pan about half-way. Place on the top of the oven and cover with a towel. I have a gas oven with the burners raised above the top surface of the oven so that the pans are not directly touching the heat – they are just in a warm environment. If you have a flat surface cook top you many want to place the pans on a rack so they are not in direct contact with the heat. Allow the batter to rise and double in size – rising above the top of the pans. This can take from 30 to 60 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 400F and bake loaves for 10 minutes. Remove loaves from the oven and cover each with aluminum foil. Bake the covered loaf pans for about 35-45 minutes. To determine if the bread is done, insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. I like a moist bread, so I baked it for 35 minutes after covering. The toothpick was free of crumbs but there were some gummy spots which when cool becomes a moist, spongy bread. Remove from oven and let cool.

For a plain bread, just omit the dill and poppy seeds.

Natural? Processed? What does it all mean? In Search of the Ideal Human Diet.

I am a believer in eating whole, fresh, organically grown plant-foods. But in this world where food can come from any part of the globe and labels on food can suggest all kinds of characteristics (organic, low fat, no fat, low sodium, low carb, natural, etc.) knowing what’s healthy can be really confusing. Add on top of that, information that is put out in conference presentations and blogs by people who are respected when it comes to the best knowledge in nutrition. Some information contradicts other information and we can start to feel panicky. It can be so overwhelming, some just give up, and eat whatever seems appealing in the moment.

I follow a lot of nutrition experts. I have my own biases of course, my own favorite experts, and those who make me roll my eyes in disbelief. There are a few things that are certain. We simply do not know what the ideal diet is for humans, in order to achieve maximum longevity and wellness. We do know that our diets need plant foods, and lots of them. Yes, we are capable of consuming the flesh and bodily fluids of other animals. Yet we know that eating too many animal products dramatically increases the risk of chronic disease. In general, people can do very well on a small amount of animal food or with none at all, as long as the bulk of the diet consists of whole or minimally processed fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds. I personally prefer and promote the latter, a vegan diet, not only for health, but for ethical and environmental reasons as well.

Now that more people are focusing on plant foods we are hearing about the wide range of diets available with different experts stating that their diet is best. What’s a wellness-craving human to do? Read more »

Our Pancake House: Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup, Gluten-free

Memories of buttermilk pancakes and syrup? Here’s our REAL version using soymilk soured with vinegar in place of buttermilk. Serve with REAL blueberry syrup – surprisingly made only with blueberries!

1 cup Brown Rice Flour
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten-free flour
4 tablespoons ground flax seeds (I buy them whole, grind them and keep them in a glass jar in the refrigerator)
2 tablespoons Ener-G Egg Replacer
1 tablespoon baking power
3/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups non dairy milk
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons Agave or Maple Syrup
vegan butter for oiling the griddle
REAL blueberry syrup

Pancakes:
1. Mix together flours and baking powder in a large bowl.
2. In a medium bowl add the vinegar to the soy milk.
3. In a small bowl beat together ground flax seeds with 1/4 cup water.
4. Add the flax mixture and the agave or maple syrup to the soymilk mixture.
5. In a medium to large bowl using a hand mixer or whisk whip the Ener-G Egg Replacer with 1/2 cup of water until foamy and forms light peaks.
6. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour and mix well. Fold in the Ener-G Egg Replacer mixture.
7. On a lightly greased hot griddle, pour about 1/3 cup batter and smooth into a circle about 5 to 6 inches wide. I use a small ladle and use the back side to gently smooth the batter into the size I like. After a minute or 2 small bubbles will appear and the edges and top surface will start to dry. Flip and cook for another minute. Repeat until all the batter is used. Re-grease the pan with a very small amount of vegan butter before pouring the batter.
Serve immediately with REAL blueberry syrup. Makes 8-10 pancakes.

1/25/2012 Interviews with Hannah Kaminsky and Alan Roettinger

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

1/25/2012:

Part I: Hannah Kaminsky
Sweet Vegan

Hannah Kaminsky began playing in the kitchen at a very young age, encouraged by her drive to create accessible and delicious animal-free eats. By her senior year of high school, she was already busy working on her first cookbook, a vegan dessert book titled My Sweet Vegan. Now Hannah is the author two vegan dessert books, an award-winning blog, and a handful of eBooks. Here, Vegan Mainstream dishes with Hannah about blogging, baking and her newest project, a vegan ice-cream book titled Vegan A La Mode.

1/25/2012:

Part II: Alan Roettinger
Cooking Skills for the Home

Alan Roettinger has been a private chef for over 28 years, serving a broad spectrum of high-profile clients, from entertainers to presidents. A world traveler, he absorbed elements from many cuisines to synthesize a unique, creative, personal style. Alan’s first cookbook, Omega-3 Cuisine, showcases his ability to bring health and flavor together, offering a wide range of dishes that are simultaneously exotic and accessible to the home cook. In Speed Vegan, Alan has kept flavor and health, but expanded these parameters to include quick, easy, and strictly plant-based.

 

TRANSCRIPTION
PART I:

Hello! I’m Caryn Hartglass and you’re listening to It’s All About Food. Happy, happy, happy January 25th, 2012. Time marches on and here in New York City it is a beautiful, clear, very unlike-winter day. It’s like autumn—keeps going on and it’s really delicious. Can’t help but take advantage of it and be outside. But I’m inside right now and I’m talking about my favorite subject: food. And it’s going to be a very, very sweet, yummy show. I hope you’ve eaten because if you haven’t, you might start salivating sometime soon and that can be dangerous. Read more »

Tofu Leek Stir Fry

I love making something new, something satisfying – out of what’s available in the kitchen just BEFORE going grocery shopping, finishing up what’s fresh and leftover before buying new food. Today’s 1/2 package of tofu, leftover leek tops and a fresh crop of home grown sunflower sprouts came together with some pantry essentials to make a great dish.

8 oz firm organic tofu
1 cup chopped leek tops
1 handful sunflower sprouts
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander
4 dried black mushrooms, soaked in hot water
water

Use a heavy cast iron skillet or frying pan on medium heat. Toast the cumin, turmeric and coriander in the pan for about two minutes, stirring regularly. Add in the garlic and leeks and dry saute for another few minutes, stirring to keep from sticking, until the leeks begin to wilt. Toss the tofu in and fully cover with the spices and cook another couple of minutes. Drain the mushroom, slice them in small pieces and add them to the pan. Add a small amount of water, about 1/2 inch in depth from the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir occasionally for another couple of minutes. Add the sunflower sprouts and cook another minute. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Serves 2.

Red Cabbage Masala Soup

This soup features a rich, distinctive, flavorful broth. The secret is a small amount of garam masala: a mix of spices that include cinnamon, roasted cumin, caraway seeds, cloves, nutmeg (and/or mace) and green cardamom seed or black cardamom pods, dried red chili peppers, dried garlic, ginger powder, sesame, mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander, bay leaves, and fennel.

1/2 medium head of organic red cabbage, shredded in 1/2 inch ribbons
1 organic onion, coarse chopped
2 organic carrots, cut in 1 inch round slices
2 organic potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup organic garbanzo beans
1 tablespoon minced organic garlic
8 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1. Place a large stock pot on medium heat.
2. Add the turmeric and garam masala and lightly toast the spices for about a minute, stirring occasionally.
3. Toss in the red cabbage and garlic and let cook for about 7 minutes, stirring regularly. The moisture from the cabbage will start to self-steam itself.
4. Add the onions and carrots.
5. Add about 1 cup of water and saute the vegetables together for about 5 minutes.
6. Add the potatoes, garbanzo beans and the remaining water. Stir.
7. Add in the bay leaf, parsley, dill, pepper, paprika, caraway seeds, lemon juice and vinegar.
8. Let cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Soup can continue to cook over low heat until ready to serve.

Vegetable Corn Cakes, Gluten-Free

Breakfast, brunch or appetizer, try these savory Vegetable Corn Cakes. Top with salsa, guacamole, hot sauce or vegan sour cream.

1/2 cup corn meal (polenta)
1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds in 1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons Ener-G Egg Replacer in 1/2 cup water
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, stringbeans)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional, I don’t use any)
oil

Preheat oven to 200F
1. In a small bowl beat flax seed and water until creamy.
2. In a blender or food processor pour in flours, pepper and chopped onion. Pulse to make a coarse mixture. Scoop batter out and place into a large bowl. A hand blender with the blade attachment can also be used.
3. Add flax seed mixture and mixed vegetables and stir well to incorporate.
4. In a medium bowl add the Ener-G Egg Replacer and water. With a hand blender or mixer, using the whisk attachement, beat until white and foamy and forming soft peaks. Fold gently into batter.
5. Lightly oil a cast iron skillet. Heat to medium.
6. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter to form 1/2′ wide, 2 1/2 inch patties. The batter is stiff and you can shape and flatten them in the frying pan to the desired size. Let cook 2 to 3 minutes until nicely browned. Using a thin spatula carefully get underneath the patty to lift and flip. Let cook 2 to 3 minutes on the other side. Remove the corn cakes and place on an oven proof plate or platter. Place in a 200F oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter. Keep corn cakes in the oven until ready to serve.

Serve with salsa, hot sauce, vegan sour cream or guacamole. Makes 8 or 9 corn cakes.

Organic Agriculture, Fracking, Earthquakes, Contaminated Water and Weight Loss

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

1/8/2012 Caryn commented on criticism regarding organic agriculture and discussed fracking’s connection with earthquakes and contaminating water. She talked about the very popular New Year’s resolution of weight loss and gave her thoughts on lap band surgery and the recent US News Best Overall Diets report.

LISTEN to hear the entire program.

Holiday tips, osteoporosis, avoiding bloating and feeding the world.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

12/11/2011: For the holidays: ideas for weight control, beverage ideas and how to not feel deprived not eating the unhealthy, non-vegan treats. I spoke about osteoporosis, avoiding bloating and gas, and how organic farming can feed the world. I described a bit of our latest video series called “IT’S ALL ABOUT GREENS” now showing at http://responsibleeatingandliving.com/?p=3503 which shows how to eat more healthy, dark green leafy vegetables. Have you seen it yet?

LISTEN to hear the entire program.

Buckwheat Noodles in Peanut Sauce

As an appetizer or main dish, cook up your favorite noodles and toss with this easy, creamy sauce. It’s too good.

2 tablespoons peanut butter – almond butter or sesame tahini can be used instead of peanut butter
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon mellow white miso paste
1/4 water for the sauce
4 ounces dry noodles (100% buckwheat noodles shown in the picture)
3 cups water for cooking the noodles

1. In a large pot, boil water. Stir in noodles, cover the pot and cook until soft. Remove from heat. Place a colander in the sink and carefully drain off the water.
2. While the noodles are cooking, put the peanut butter in a medium size mixing bowl. With a fork, add 1/4 cup water, about a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is creamy. Beat in the nutritional yeast followed by the miso. The mixture should be a thick paste.
3. Add the hot noodles to the paste and toss well, coating the noodles with the sauce. Serve immediately.

Serves 2-4.

Lettuce Wraps

The fun way to get your greens – lettuce wraps. Even kids that don’t want to eat lettuce like wrapping stuff up in the leaves and eating them up.

One head lettuce
3 carrots, diced, about 1 cup
3 celery stalks, diced, about 1 cup
1 large leek, white and light green parts, cleaned and diced, about 3 cups
5 cloves garlic, minced, about 2 tablespoons, or 1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 package silken tofu, 4 ounces
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
water

1. Carefully remove each leaf from the head of lettuce. Rinse each leaf and pat dry. Set aside.
2. Place a large cast iron frying pan or other heavy frying pan on medium high heat. Cover the bottom with about 1/4″ of water (or wine, beer or tea). Add the carrots, celery, leeks and garlic. Stir to even out in pan. Sprinkle in the ginger and turmeric. Stir occasionally until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium size mixing bowl or blender, add the tofu, mustard and water and blend until creamy.
4. Remove vegetables from heat and stir in Dijon sauce.

Place the vegetables in a bowl and the lettuce leaves on a large plate. Each person may serve themselves by scooping about 1 heaping tablespoon of the vegetables onto a leaf. Depending on the kind of lettuce, it may be eaten rolled up or open. Serves 4-6.

Tomato Onion Quiche

REAL men and women eat quiche. Vegan Tomato Onion Quiche.

Basic Wheat Crust (or use your own favorite recipe)

3/4 cup white flour and 3/4  cup whole wheat or 1/1/2 cups white flour
1 stick (1/2  cup) vegan butter (We use Earth Balance)
Ice Water, 6-8 tablespoons

Filling

One cup organic diced tomatoes (one half of a 15 oz can salt-free tomatoes)
1 small onions finely chopped
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 1-4 hours
1 12-16 ounce package Tofu (silken will make a creamier filling, regular tofu will give more of a ricotta cheese texture)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons Red Star Nutritional Yeast, vegetarian support formula
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste
dash pepper
One large organic tomato sliced thinly in half moons

Cut vegan butter into flour and knead dough. Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of water at a time until dough is moist and elastic. Roll out dough on a floured cloth to a round for an 8” pie plate. If the dough is too crumbly you can add more water or just press it into the plate.

In a large frying pan, turn heat to medium. Add oil and saute onions until transparent and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Blend onions, tomato, tofu and cashews in a food processor. Start by pulsing, then once everything is mixed, puree until smooth. Add salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders. Pour over crust. Garnish top with sliced tomatoes. Bake at 375F for 40 minutes or until filling is firm and crust is nicely browned.

Soupe au Pistou

Another dish I made very often while living in France was this vegetable soup. Made with a few simple vegetables and herbs, it can be served as a first course or as a meal in itself. It’s the turnip that gives the soup its full flavor.

Soup
12 organic carrots, washed and sliced
3 small to medium turnips, peeled and sliced
3  large leeks or 6 slim ones, cut in pieces from the white part up to the beginning of the green until the green is too fibrous
1 Tablespoon olive oil for sautéing
salt to taste
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
8 cups water or Vegetable Stock
   or Two, 32 oz cartons of low sodium Vegetable Stock
¼ cup chopped parsley

Pistou
one bunch basil
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil for the pistou

1. Sauté carrots and leeks in a large soup pot with oil for 15 minutes.
2. Cover with water, so that water level is 1 inch higher than vegetables. Add turnip and parsley.
3. Cook, covered over low heat until all vegetables are soft.
4. Remove from heat and purée in blender or with a hand mixer, slowly stir in add soy milk to thin and give desired creamy texture.
5. To make the pistou, finely chop basil and garlic and place in a small bowl or jar.
6. Add 1/2 cup olive oil to the garlic and basil and blend ingredients together well. Pistou may be refrigerated.
7. Serve soup and top with a tablespoon of pistou.

Watch the videos below for making the soup and the pistou.

PART I – Soup

Part II – Pistou

We must change the way we feel about food.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

9/25/11: In this show I continue the dialog about the obesity/health epidemic touching on the UN General Assembly meeting in New York on the prevention of noncommunicable diseases, the CalPIRG report on food subsidies, the new Harvard Healthy Eating Plate in comparison to the new USDA My Plate. I talk why it is important to change the way your feel about food and give tips on how to do it. On the delicious side I talk more on homemade Vegan Ice Creams and how to make Japanese noodle soups.

LISTEN to the entire program.

V-BLAT: Vegan Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato

Autumn is here. We are trying to get in a few more days of outdoor eating and V-BLT’s or V-BLAT’s (Vegan Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato) hit the spot. On a busy day, we keep it simple with our favorite store-bought tempeh bacon and vegan mayonnaise, although you can certainly make your own. Try it on our gluten-free Sesame Seed Burger Bun or your favorite bread

One package Tempeh Bacon – we use LightLife Fakin’ Bacon
Vegan Mayonnaise – we use organic Follow Your Heart Vegenaise
Two small avocados or one large, peeled, pitted and sliced thinly
Two small tomatoes or one large, sliced in thin rounds
1 cup shredded lettuce

Spread the insides of the bread with vegan mayonaise.  Top one side with letuce and tomato the other side with avocado and tempeh slices, cut in half.  Put the sides together and enjoy! Serves 4.

9/7/2011 Interviews with Demetria Clark and Karyn Calabrese

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

 

09/7/2011:

Part I – Demetria Clark, Herbal Healing For Children

Demetria Clark started learning about herbal healing at a very young age from friends and mentors she had during her youth and in childhood. She has formally studied and apprenticed with Rosemary Gladstar (in beginner and advanced trainings), apprenticed with Jane Smolnik, studied the Wise Woman Way with Susun Weed and attended workshops given by scores of well-known herbalist from all over the world including David Hoffmann, Christopher Hobbs, David Winston and scores of other amazing teachers. She received her aromatherapy education from the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy and Jeanne Rose.

Demetria has taught herbal and aromatherapy classes since 1996 and in 1998 founded the Heart of Herbs Herbal School. The school offers Herbal and Aromatherapy Certification Programs. Teaching herbs either in workshop format or an apprenticeship model has allowed Demetria to model her herbal and aromatherapy correspondence classes after the apprenticeship programs.

A graduate of SUNY Empire State College with a BA in Human Services, Demetria has also taken many graduate level college courses in forestry, botany, horticulture, and nutrition. She has also done graduate work at Midwives College of Utah and Open University in the UK, was on faculty at the Midwives College of Utah, and adjunct faculty at NH Community Technical College, where she taught herbal and aromatherapy classes at conferences, and apprenticeships. Demetria has also worked for UMASS Medical School in a research capacity.

She is a member of the Northeast Herbal Association, an organization dedicated to merging ancient traditions of Herbalism and the needs of the modern herbalist, and is also a member of United Plant Savers and the American Herbalist Guild. She has published numerous articles in medical, herbal and parenting journals.

A midwife, doula and trainer, Demetria runs Birth Arts International. She is married and the mother of two boys.

For more information visit www.heartofherbs.com.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH Demetria Clark

 

09/7/2011:

Part II – Karyn Calabrese
Soak Your Nuts

Karyn Calabrese is a successful entrepreneur and popular holistic health expert based in Chicago. At 64 years old she looks nearly a generation younger and enjoys boundless energy and great health. She started on her journey of health after suffering from a host of allergies and ailments as a child. In her 20’s, she adopted a vegetarian diet and began juicing to improve her health. After meeting teachers and raw food pioneers, Anne Wigmore and Viktoras Kulvinskas, Karyn gradually transitioned from vegetarian to vegan to a complete raw vegan diet. For the past 30 years, Karyn has been committed to taking care of her body and helping others to do the same. In addition to a raw diet, she believes in regular detoxification and has developed a program that she has shared with thousands of people over the years and is now available in her debut book, ‘Soak Your Nuts: Cleansing with Karyn.’ Karyn’s business also includes 3 vegan restaurants, a holistic wellness center, and a line of all natural supplements, skin care and makeup. Karyn has enjoyed huge success as a health expert in the local and national media including two appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show that featured age-defying women. Karyn was awarded the First Annual Raw and Living Foods Golden Branch Award in 2002 for introducing the idea of raw and living foods to the greatest number of people in the mainstream public.
For more information visit karynraw.com. http://karynraw.com/

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH Karyn Calabrese

 

LISTEN TO BOTH INTERVIEWS

Red Cabbage Soup with Leeks and Potatoes

Whenever I make Leeks with Vinaigrette I like to use the leftover green tops for soup. Leeks go great with cabbage and potatoes. Red cabbage is especially flavorful in this soup.

1 red cabbage, shredded
1 onion, diced
4 leek tops, just the green tops not used in the Leeks with Vinaigrette recipe, diced
4 organic potatoes, rinsed and cut in small cubes.
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 cups water
Tofu Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons chives, finely chopped

Put about 2 cups of water in a large soup pot. Turn heat to medium high. Add the cabbage, leeks and onions and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the turmeric, caraway seeds, pepper, potatoes and remaining water. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Serve hot with a dollop of tofu sour cream and chives.

Leeks with Vinaigrette

Leeks are extremely popular in France and when I lived there I had this dish several times a week. It’s hard to find slender leeks here in the United States but when I do, I make this dish.

4 slim leeks
Vinaigrette

Rinse the leeks. Peel away the out leaves to make sure there is no dirt inside. Cut off the roots and the dark green leaves, leaving at least 8 inches of leek.

Place leeks in a large pot. Cover leeks with water. Turn heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook, covered for about 10 minutes, until leeks are soft. Remove and drain leeks and place on a serving dish. Top with vinaigrette.

Tofu Sour Cream

This is my vegan version of sour cream. Other tofu sour cream recipes have oil, vinegar, sugar and salt. I like this simple version best.

1 package (12 oz) silken firm tofu
6 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons water

Blend the tofu, water and lemon juice until smooth. Store in the refrigerator. Tofu sour cream will last 3 to 4 days.

Poached Pears with Raspberry Coulis and Chocolate Sauce

While living in the south of France, I often saw Poached Pears on dessert menus of upscale restaurants. It’s a beautiful dish, very fresh and light with just enough sweetness to finish a perfect meal.

8 oz. fresh or frozen raspberries or strawberries
1 tablespoon or more Sweetener to taste (Evaporated cane juice, Succanat, Agave Nectar, etc.)
8 oz. non dairy semi sweet or dark chocolate
¼ cup nondairy milk: soy, rice, almond
4 organic pears

Raspberry/Strawberry Coulis: Cook raspberries in a sauce pan over low heat until fruit has broken apart and is syrupy. Add sweetener to taste. Set aside to cool. When cool, purée in blender until smooth.

Chocolate Sauce: Melt chocolate in a double boiler (or carefully in a saucepan over low heat). Add milk and stir until smooth.

Carefully peel pears, keeping the stems (if available) in tact. Turn the pears over and remove the core and seeds from the bottom to the middle. The pears should keep their form, and once upright, it should not be obvious that the cores are removed. They do not need to be peeled if they are organic.

Place the pears upright in a sauce pan and fill with water to reach one third the height of the pears. Cook , covered, over medium heat until pears are soft but still keep their shape (about 15 minutes). Pears can also be placed in a microwave for several minutes until soft.

Place two or three tablespoons of the berry coulis on the bottom of each individual dessert plate. Set one pear on top of each pear. Drizzle 1 – 2 tablespoons of chocolate sauce over each pear.  Serve with a small scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream if desired.  Serves 4.

Cassoulet

When I lived in the south of France I learned about Cassoulet, a rich, slow-cooked white bean stew made with different meats, like pork sausages, pork, goose, duck and mutton). This was an easy dish to veganize, adding tempeh, seitan and tofu in place of the meats. The French are very particular about ingredients remaining true to the name of a dish. I apologize to anyone who may be offended because I call this vegan version Cassoulet as well. Whatever you call it, it’s hearty, delicious and satisfying. Bon Appétit.

16 ounces Tempeh or Tempeh Bacon (optional)
16 ounces Seitan, Firm Tofu, Baked Tofu or Vegan sausage (optional)
1 pkg. Navy Beans (small white beans) or 4 cans of Navy Beans
1 cup organic, salt-free tomatoes
3 tablespoons Herbes de Provence (thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, lavender)
3 cloves garlic
4 carrots, cut in 1 inch chunks
3 onions, cut in 1 inch chunks
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
salt to taste
1 cup water or white wine

Soak beans over night. Rinse, drain and replace water and cook, covered in large pot until soft but still whole, not falling apart. Drain. In a large soup pot, sauté garlic, carrots and onions with 3 tablespoons Herbes de Provence in water or white wine for 15 minutes. Add more water if necessary. Cook until vegetables are soft. Add the beans, tomatoes, tempeh, seitan and/or tofu and mustard. Cook, covered for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Salt to taste.

Cassoulet can be served immediately or reheated and served later, adding more water if it gets too dry.

Watch the video on making Cassoulet

Coconut Cake

There’s something about coconut that irresistible. When I was young I loved coconut cream pie, coconut ice cream and any other coconut treat that came my way. I forgot about coconut for a while, maybe because most coconut desserts had dairy in them. I decided to make a coconut cake several years ago and made this recipe. It’s heavenly.

CAKE:
1 and 2/3 cups sugar/evaporated cane juice
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oat flour (I take ½ cup of oatmeal and grind it in a blender)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 ½ cups coconut milk (1 can)
2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

FROSTING:
2- 8 oz vegan, nondairy cream cheese, nonhydrogenated oil version preferred (Follow Your Heart brand is organic)
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar or more, to taste
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Adjust oven rack to middle position, heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans; set aside. Mix sugar, flours, baking soda and salt into a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add shredded coconut. Combine coconut milk, water, vinegar and vanilla in large measuring cup. Place vegan butter in a medium bowl. Add coconut milk mixture, whisking until smooth. Add vegan butter-coconut milk mixture to dry ingredients, fold in gently until just incorporated. Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, switching position of and rotating pans after 12 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Sift powdered sugar, removing any clumps. Blend vegan cream cheese, almond and vanilla extracts and sugar with a fork, whisk or beater. Beat at low speed until smooth, do not overbeat. Let chill several hours.

Frost top of one layer, place the other layer on top and cover with frosting. Add shredded coconut to top and sides by gently tossing it onto the frosting. Coconut that does not stick can be pressed into the frosting with a knife.

Pizza: Gluten-free

Pizza is one of America’s favorite foods. But white flour and cheese are two of America’s worst foods in terms of health. Try REAL’S pizza, with organic tomato sauce, chick pea flour crust and cashew grated cheese. Everyone will gobble this up because it looks and tastes just like pizza. And it is.  It’s also REAL good and REAL good for you.

1. For the crust, use REAL’s Flatbread recipe. It’s made with chick pea flour so it’s gluten-free. It’s perfect for pizza and a lot easier than making a wheat flour yeast dough.
2. Once the flatbread is made, place it on a greased 9×13 sheet pan. Cover the flatbread evenly with REAL’s Classic Italian Tomato Sauce.
3. Grate REAL’s Cashew Jack Cheese on top of the sauce.
3. Top with your favorite pizza toppings – mushrooms, olives etc.
4. Bake in oven at 425F for 15 minutes, remove from the oven, slice and serve.

Classic Italian Tomato Sauce

Classic Italian Tomato Sauce, made with organic tomatoes, so flavorful, no salt or sugar is necessary. Great for all recipes that call for tomato sauce, including REAL’s Baked Eggplant.
1 large red onion
1 bottle of red or white wine or water (750ml or about 3 cups)
3 garlic cloves
1 bunch parsley
1 stalk rosemary (just leaves)
4 cans whole ORGANIC tomatoes, salt-free
2 cans ORGANIC tomato paste
pepper to taste (no salt is necessary) 

1. Chop the onion, garlic, parsley, rosemary.
2. Heat 1 cup of wine (or water) in a large sauce pan until it begins to simmer, add the onions, garlic, parsley, rosemary, and pepper.
3. Sauté until tender. The wine will be reduced by about 75%.
4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and 2 cups of wine or water.
5. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat. Simmer with the lid on the pot for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Melanzane al forno con formaggio vegano e salsa di pomodoro – Baked Eggplant with Vegan Cheese and Tomato Sauce

Whether you are stuck inside preparing for a summer hurricane or want to make a dish for a summer dinner party, REAL recommends our Baked Eggplant with Vegan Cheese and Tomato Sauce.
1 large eggplant
1 large red onion
1 bottle of red or white wine or water (750ml or about 3 cups)
3 garlic cloves
1 bunch parsley
1 stalk rosemary (just leaves)
4 cans whole organic tomatoes, salt-free
2 cans organic tomato paste
pepper to taste (no salt is necessary)
1 package of tofu
1 pound of REAL’s vegan jack 

Eggplant Prep
Wash eggplant (be sure to remove the sticker(s) that some produce departments put on their vegetables and fruits). Lay the eggplant on its side and slice the eggplant on the bias in 1/4 inch thick circles, keep the vine top for another use. Lay the slices on a clean kitchen towel and lightly salt on both sides, lay another kitchen towel on top and repeat until all of the slices are used and lightly salted. Set the eggplant slices wrapped in clean kitchen towels to one side for approximately 2 hours (longer if you’ve more time; this sweats the eggplant which removes the bitterness. If you don’t mind the bitter taste, skip this step). Rinse the salt off of the eggplant and pat dry with a clean salt-free kitchen towel. Follow the instructions for grilled vegetables or lightly brush the eggplant slices with olive oil, lay on a sheet pan, and place under a broiler for approximately 10 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. Let the slices cool before handling.

Sauce Prep
Chop the onion, garlic, parsley, rosemary. Heat 1 cup of wine (or water) in a large sauce pan until it begins to simmer, add the onions, garlic, parsley, rosemary, and pepper. Sauté until tender. The wine will be reduced by about 75%. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and 2 cups of wine or water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat. Simmer with the lid on the pot for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Tofu Prep
Remove tofu from the package and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Crumble the tofu in a mixing bowl, add 2 cups of the tomato sauce, lightly mix and let cool.

Cheese prep
Grate the vegan jack cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Take an oblong baking dish. Ladle 1/2 to 3/4 cup tomato sauce on to the bottom of the dish and evenly spread out the sauce. Stack the eggplant and slice it in half. Take the half slices and make an even layer at the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle the top of the eggplant with about a 1/2 cup of the shredded vegan jack. Take about a half cup of the tofu/sauce mixture and randomly drop full teaspoons on top of the eggplant. Ladle another half cup of sauce on top of the tofu, this helps spread the tofu evenly over the eggplant and cheese. Repeat the layering process until all of the eggplant slices are used. Add the remaining cheese and tofu sauce mixture to the top and a ladle of sauce. Bake in the hot oven for 30 minutes or until it is bubbly.

Remove the dish from the oven and let set approximately 10 minutes before slicing into large squares and serving. Serves 4 to 6 depending on the size of your squares.

Chemo and Soda on the Rocks, Put it on Uncle Sam’s Tab

Today’s New York Times had two articles in it that made my chemo-tainted blood boil: U.S. Scrambling To Ease Shortage of Vital Medicine and U.S Rejects Mayor’s Plan to Ban Use of Food Stamps to Buy Soda.

In the first article we learn that there has been an increase in shortages in drugs used to treat cancer, infections and other diseases. The shortages appear to be due to the consolidation of the generic drug industry that “compete only on price and have foreign plants that are rarely inspected”. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment who go to their appointments for an infusion are told to go home and wait for new supplies to arrive.

The second article informs us about an administrator of the U.S.D.A. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) who explains that New York City’s proposed 2-year experiment to not allow people to buy sodas with food stamps in order to see if it would reduce obesity was “too large and complex” (no pun on my part intended) to implement and evaluate.

What is wrong here? Why are we so sick that we need all these drugs? Read more »

8/17/2011 Interviews with Mia McDonald and Lois Dieterly

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

 

08/17/2011:

Part I: Mia McDonald

Executive Director, Brighter Green

Based in New York, Brighter Green is directed by Mia MacDonald, a public policy analyst and writer who has worked as a consultant to a range of international non-governmental organizations—including the Ford Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, the Green Belt Movement, the Sierra Club, and Save the Children as well as several United Nations agencies, among others—on issues of environment, gender, sustainable development, women’s rights and gender equality, reproductive health and population, and conservation and animal protection. She has published many articles in popular and environmental media, authored a number of policy papers and reports, and has contributed to four books, including Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai’s best-selling autobiography, Unbowed. She is a Senior Fellow of the Worldwatch Institute and has taught in the human rights program at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and the environmental studies program at New York University. She serves as a director on the boards of Farm Sanctuary, Food Empowerment Project, and the Green Belt Movement International – North America. She received a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a B.A. with honors from Columbia University.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH MIA MCDONALD

 

 

08/17/2011:

Part II: Lois Dieterly

Sinfully Vegan

Lois Dieterly is an elementary-school teacher in Pennsylvania and bakes vegan desserts for a local restaurant. She has been a vegetarian for the last decade and a vegan for four of these years. Dieterly lives with her family outside Reading, Pennsylvania.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH LOIS DIETERLY

 

Tempeh Skillet Dinner

One skillet dinners are easy and have that good, old-fashioned home-style cooking feeling to them.

 tempeh skillet dinner

1 package, 8 ounces, tempeh
1 onion
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 medium hot chipotle chile powder
1 teaspoon parsley
1 cup water
1 can, 15 ounces, diced tomatoes (I use the no added salt variety)
1 cup frozen corn
salt to taste (I don’t add salt)

1. On a cutting board, grate the entire package of tempeh.
2. Peel and chop the onion into 1/2 inch size pieces.
3. Turn heat under skillet to medium high. Add all the ingredients above. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Serve with your favorite tortillas. Top with grated Cashew Jack cheese. Serves 2-4.

Only REAL disclaimers please.

 

SAD is the acronym for Standard American Diet and it is sad indeed. The health of Americans is degrading quickly with some predicting that today’s generation of children will not live as long as their parents.  Our diet is killing us and the planet – with animal agriculture warming the atmosphere and degrading the environment faster than you can say “Do you want fries with that?” A diet of organic, whole, unrefined fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds is the answer to health, longevity, and mitigation of environmental destruction. Books, cookbooks, documentaries and websites keep popping up to spread the news about the power of a plant-based diet. Yet every time I read an article or hear a program about vegan diets there is always a warning. Read more »

Oatmeal Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies: Gluten-Free

These are perfect anytime, for holidays, celebrations and especially everyday moments like treating children to warm oatmeal cookies after school or for dipping in your afternoon tea.

2 sticks (1 cup) Earth Balance natural shortening
2 cups sugar (evaporated cane juice)
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds and 4 tablespoons water.
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1½ cups oat flour*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats
¾ cup ground raw almonds (if allergic to almonds, use sunflower or pumpkin seeds)
½ cup raisins
½ cup nondairy chocolate chips or non dairy chocolate bar cut into small chunks (about 1/4 inch)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Preheat over to 350F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl beat together water and flax seeds. Add vanilla.

Cream shortening and sugar, add flax seed mixture.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, rolled oats, almonds, baking soda, xanthan gum and cinnamon. Add flax/sugar/shortening mixture and mix well. This is a dry, stiff dough. It is easiest to mix with a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or hand electric mixer. You can also knead it with your hands. Add raisins and chocolate chips.

The cookie dough can be used immediately or refrigerated. If using immediately, scoop out a small amount of dough, roll into a ball in your hands and flatten to a round circle. Place on the cookie sheet. Continue with remaining dough, leaving about 1/2 inch between cookies. If refrigerating dough, first roll dough into a log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in wax paper. When ready to use, slice dough into 1/2 inch rounds and place on cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

*TIP: Oat flour can be made by grinding rolled oats in a coffee mill, food processor or blender until fine and powdery.

Green Juice

I can not say enough about the importance of green juice. This is a great way to cram nutrients and super charge the immune system. Many people have asked me how I make green juice. I use a Breville Juice Fountain Elite. The ingredients in my juice vary based on what I find in the market.

green juice
I might use 3-6 stalks of celery, 1/2-1 cucumber (with skin if organic), 5-10 dark green leaves with stalks (can be kale, collards, chard), 1/2-1 whole lemon with the skin, 1 to 2 inches of whole, fresh ginger (with skin). Optional: 2-6 carrots, 1/4-1/2 beet, 1/2 bunch of parsley with stems, 1/4-1/2 onion, 1/2 bunch mint, 1 whole apple (with skin if organic). I also like to take the fiber that is separated from the juice and run it through the juicer 2 or 3 times. You’ll get more juice that way. Broccoli stalks are great too. You can cook the flowery heads separately and juice the stalks, since most people don’t like to eat the stalks. The lemon peel has vitamins and minerals and really smooths out the bitterness of the greens. I love ginger, but the more you add the hotter it will get. Some people like a little onion or raw garlic. I don’t like raw garlic. Here’s an interesting and important point: Many of the wonderful nutrients in the greens are fat soluble so you need to eat a little fat when you eat greens, in juice or salads or whatever. That’s why it’s nice to add a small amount of raw nuts and seeds with the salad. You can munch on a small amount of nuts, like 6 walnut halves when having the juice if you are not having any fat at the same time. If you really don’t like the juice then you can back up and start with a sweeter mix like carrot, apple and ginger and/or lemon. Little by little you can add a leaf or two of kale and get used to the taste. Cucumber and celery are great too, the flavor is very light.

Watch how to make it here:

SUBSCRIBE to the REAL News

Get the REAL News

View Past Newsletters

RADIO: IT’S ALL ABOUT FOOD

Tuesday 5/21
4-5pm ET on
LISTEN ON PRN


Part I
Paul Graham Eating Vegan In Vegas

Follow Us

Follow Me on Pinterest

FEATURED RECIPE

HEAVENLY SALAD

REAL Thanks

Friedman-Klarreich Family Foundation

NALITH, INC

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

A Well-Fed World

FAVORITE READS

Here are our best REAL reads for 2012.