In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including; better health, global food crisis, frugal living, animal rights, food safety, and the huge contribution of meat production to climate change/global warming.
Nearly half of all the water used in the United States goes to raising animals for food.22
It takes 5,000 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat, while growing 1 pound of wheat only requires 25 gallons.23
A totally vegetarian diet requires only 300 gallons of water per day, while a meat-eating diet requires more than 4,000 gallons of water per day.24,25
You save more water by not eating a pound of beef than you do by not showering for an entire year.26
I was inspired to create this series by former Beatle and vegetarian advocate Paul McCartney who partnered with the Meatless Monday campaign to promote less consumption of meat. We not only discuss the advantages of a vegetarian diet we also do some cooking, share recipes and listen to great Beatle/McCartney music!
Kudos to the city of San Francisco for embracing Meatless Monday! This past week, the city by the bay raised the bar in both arenas by becoming the first Meatless Monday city! The resolution passed by San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors ensures that residents will gain greater access to healthy, meatless options while learning about the connection between what they eat and their health.
I am always searching for new recipes and food combinations to make my (and your)meatless diet interesting and diverse and about six months ago came across Alicia Silverstones new book The Kind Diet. The Kind Diet promotes a vegan diet so at first I was not interested as I am vegetarian and do consume some dairy products. But, as I was browsing through the book and reading a few excerpts I was impressed by the sincerity and passion evident in the text. The recipes especially stood out as being creative and with some new and fresh approaches to plant based cooking. Since then, I have tried many of the recipes and have enjoyed the simplicity of preparation and the complexity of flavors which mark most of the recipes. Today all of my recipes are from The Kind Diet or from Alicia's website The Kind Life.
THICK BEET SOUP
6-8 large beets, peeled and chopped
10 small boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 yellow onions, diced
6 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 pinch cayenne pepper
STEPS
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and onions over medium heat.
Sauté until tender and translucent (about 5 minutes).
Toss in the beets, carrots and potatoes.
Cook until tender
Add vegetable stock, red wine and water.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender when pierced (about 40-45 minutes)
.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat.
In a blender or food processor, puree everything until smooth.
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Put in a serving bowl, and garnish with finely chopped cucumber.
If you want, you can also put a dollop of vegan plain soy yogurt on top.
MOROCCAN COUSCOUS with SAFFRON
2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/4” to 1/2” cubes
2 cups yellow onion, large dice
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into 1/4” to 1/2” cubes
1 1/2 cups zucchini, cut into 3/4” cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons Earth Balance butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 1/2 cups whole wheat couscous
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
STEPS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the squash, onion, carrots and zucchini on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once with a spatula about midway through.
While the vegetables roast, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan.
Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the butter, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cumin, saffron and salt to taste.
Cover the pan and steep for 15 minutes.
Scrape the roasted vegetables and their juices into a large bowl, and add the couscous.
Bring the vegetable broth back to a boil, and pour over the couscous mixture all at once.
Cover tightly with a plate and allow to stand for 15 minutes.
Add the scallions, toss the couscous and vegetables with a fork, and serve.
TUNA SALAD SANDWICH (kinda)
Okay, this is the recipe that did it for me. I have a very real history with Tuna Salad and in fact had a Tuna Salad Sandwich for lunch for the entire 4 years of high school! I no longer eat fish but feel eminently qualified to critique this recipe. It is very good and I did not miss the fish at all and it seems that Eco-Veg Gal in the review above agreed with me.
1 8-ounce package of tempeh
1 red onion, minced
1/4 cup umeboshi vinegar
(I used rice-wine vinegar)
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels
1/3 cup fresh or frozen and thawed peas
1/2 small cucumber, chopped (peel only if the cucumber is not organic)
1/4 cup chopped kosher dill pickles
1 tablespoon Veganaise
1/2 tablespoon Dijon or stone-ground mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon drained capers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
STEPS
Bring water to a boil in a pot fitted with a steamer basket.
Cut the tempeh in half, and place in the steamer basket.
Steam for 20 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.
Add the onion, and boil for 10 to 15 seconds (if you dig raw onion, you can skip this step)
Use a strainer or slotted spoon to transfer the onion to a mixing bowl.
Keep the water boiling in the pot on the stove.
Add the vinegar to the onions, stir well, and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
While the onion marinates, blanch the celery, carrots, corn, and peas in the reserved boiling water for 10 seconds each, scooping them into a mixing bowl as each vegetable is done.
Set aside to cool.
Drain the marinate onions through a sieve, and rinse quickly under running water.
Squeeze the excess liquid from the onions, and add to the bowl with the vegetables.
Cut the cooled tempeh into small cubes, and add to the bowl along with the cucumber, pickles, Veganaise, mustard, lemon juice, and dill.
Stir well to combine.
Serve topped with capers and parsley.
Note: This is Alicia's recipe but I have to tell the truth as I tweaked it a bit and did not blanch any of the veggies just used them fresh as I like a crunchy salad. I did marinate the onions in the vinegar and that was perfect in cutting the raw onion taste. I serve mine in a whole wheat pita and it's yummy.
GNOCCHI with SPICY VODKA TOMATO CREAM SAUCE
1 pound of gnocchi
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
4 minced garlic cloves
A 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes
1/2 cup silken tofu
2 tablespoons of vodka
Put the gnocchi in a pot of water, and bring to a boil.
Boil for 3 minutes, and then drain and set aside.
Sauté the olive oil, parsley, red pepper flakes, and garlic cloves in a medium saucepan.
Add the can of whole tomatoes, and bring to a boil.
Puree this in a blender along with the silken tofu.
Transfer back to the saucepan after blended.
Heat gently, and add the vodka.
Heat for one minute, and then toss with the gnocchi.
QUINOA COUSCOUS
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup toasted almonds
1 tablespoon olive oil
STEPS
In a saucepan, pour in 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed (about 10-15 minutes).
Remove and put in a bowl.
Chop the basil and parsley, and mix into the quinoa.
Toss in the raisins, chickpeas, almonds, and olive oil.
Salt and pepper to taste.
RED CABBAGE, CARROTS and APPLE SLAW with GINGER
3 cups red cabbage (thin slices)
6 carrots (peel and slice thin)
1 granny smith apple (thinly sliced)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup peeled and sliced fresh ginger
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
STEPS
Use a food processor to chop the cabbage, carrots and apple Julienne style.
In a frying pan, toast the sesame seeds on medium heat until they pop.
Toss all of this together.
In a blender, combine the ginger and vinegar.
Put in a bowl and add the oil.
Add this to the cabbage, carrots and apples evenly.
Top with sesame seeds.
Salt and pepper to taste.
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
Vegans are not deprived...no way!
1⁄2 cup Earth Balance butter
3⁄4 cup crunchy peanut butter
(preferably unsweetened and unsalted)
3⁄4 cup graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares
1⁄4 cup maple sugar or other granulated sweetener
1 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
1⁄4 cup soy, rice, or nut milk
1⁄4 cup chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts
STEPS
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. (If You Care makes unbleached liners made from recycled paper.)
Set aside.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar and mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat.
Evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup, among the muffin cups.
Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan.
Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted.
Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture.
Top with chopped nuts.
Place in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.
They are great soft, but even better a little firmer!
THUMBPRINT COOKIES
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup almonds
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup corn or safflower oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
Fruit-sweetened jam of your choice
STEPS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the oats and almonds in a blender or food processor and blend until they have the consistency of flour.
Pour into a large bowl, and add the spelt flour.
In a small, separate bowl, mix the oil, maple and brown rice syrup together.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix well.
Make 1 inch balls with your hands and press flat onto a cookie sheet.
Make an indentation with your thumb into the center of each cookie.
Fill each cookie with a teaspoon of jam.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Cool and enjoy!
"How Kind Of You" Paul McCartney from Chaos and Creation
"Rocky Raccoon" The Beatles
What have you all been cooking? Please share your recipes and fave Beatles/McCartney music here!