In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including: better health, animal rights, public health, food safety, frugal living, global food crisis and the staggeringly huge contribution of livestock/meat production to climate change/resource depletion(pdf).
The UN Climate talks in Durban have ended with an agreement that puts us on the road to a 4C increase in global temperature well above what scientists have said is a safe level to prevent the worse effects of climate change. They did enough to continue talking but not enough to prevent our planet and our children from catastrophic events due to climate change. We have to continue to push for more action from governments but we also need to take the action that we can in our own lives by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
There is consensus developing among climate scientists that the most effective action that we as individuals can take to reduce greenhouse gases is to eliminate/reduce meat consumption.
Amy Goodman interviewed Dr. Rajendra Pachauri chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) at the Durban talks this week.
Amy Goodman: Dr. Pachauri, you're a vegetarian?
Dr. Rajendra Pachauri: I became a vegetarian some years ago for environmental reasons.
AG: Why?
RP: Because the meat cycle is highly intensive in emissions of greenhouse gases. If you look at the global meat cycle today and, you know, this is a personal view; I'm not saying this as chairman of the IPCC. Since you asked me a personal question, I'm giving you a personal answer. You cut a number of forests in several parts of the world to create pastureland. Then you feed animals with a lot of food grains, which incidentally are produced with the use of fertilizers and chemicals. Then, when you kill these animals or birds or whatever, they have to be refrigerated. They often have to be transported long distances under refrigeration. And then wholesale stocks of these are kept under refrigeration. Retail stores keep them under refrigeration. Our refrigerators have large freezers, and all of this uses a lot of energy, most of it dependent on fossil fuels.
Here eminent climate scientist Dr. James Hansen says most effective action individuals can take to mitigate climate change is to go vegetarian
And here Gerard Wedderburn Bisshop, senior reseach scientist at the World Preservation Foundation, stresses importance of radically reducing livestock production
Macca's Meatless Monday/Meatless Advocates is a solution oriented activist group, with solutions for some of the most pressing issues of our time including: climate change, global food/water insecurity and public health. Here we don't just talk about the severity of the crisis. Armed with knowledge about how our actions can contribute we become part of the solution.
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 less meat diet we also do some cooking, share recipes and listen to great Beatle music!
Tis the season and today we are going to talk about gifts. I've been told that I'm very difficult to gift and that's true because I'm not into stuff. For myself I like to restore, recycle and even with jewelry I prefer up cycled materials with eco friendly histories. Some of my fave gifts of all time have been first editions of Austen and Dickens. My friends and family know that I love to receive food gifts especially hard to find ingredients that I would never take the time or money to purchase for myself. Some more recent gifts from friends include black quinoa, black/red rice and some to die for pimenton from Spain. It's said that people give what they like to receive and so today I'm going to show some recipes for food gifts that I would like to receive.
But first, I want to say Thank you to a fellow kossack who has presented me with the perfect gift; a lifetime subscription to DKos. A virtual friend whose support has meant a great deal to me from my first days here. It's amazing how much you can get to know someones character from our back and forth conversations here. So to my kind, brilliant, dear friend...Thank you.
CURRIED LENTIL SOUP
This is a gift I love to give! So pretty and makes a delicious soup.
Ingredient List:
2 bay leaves
1 dried chile pepper
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder (sealed in a plastic bag or sachet)
5 sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 cup yellow lentils
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 cup yellow lentils
glass jar holds about 2 1/2-3 cups
Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 4 smashed garlic cloves and 1 diced red onion; saute 6 minutes. Add the contents of the spice bag, the bay leaves and chile pepper from the Curried Lentil Soup mix and cook about 3 minutes. Add the rest of the soup mix and 8 cups water or vegetable broth; simmer until the lentils are soft, about 1 hour. Season with salt.
NUTTY CRUNCHY CHOCOLATE COVERED PRETZELS
A universally popular snack and a fast, easy gift.
1 medium bag of salted pretzels
1 12 oz. bag of semi - sweet chocolate
1 cup of walnuts (pecans or almonds would also be fine), chopped
Over a double boiler melt the chocolate. Using a butter knife spread the chocolate on the pretzel (it doesn't matter how messy it looks). Repeat. Before the chocolate hardens, sprinkle the chopped nuts all over. Let cool completely, bag, and enjoy!
LEMONCELLO
I love this stuff! You need to let this sit about 4 days so plan accordingly....makes about 7 cups
10 lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.
Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.
CHOCOLATE EXPRESSO BEANS
I don't like candy very much but these babies are addictive yummy pick-me-ups Makes about 1 cup...makes a fab gift when packed in a pretty cup and wrapped.
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
5 tablespoons espresso beans
Slowly melt the chocolate in a pan or double boiler over low heat, stirring as you do. You can also heat in a microwave oven on high for about a minute.
When the chocolate is completely melted, spoon in the espresso beans and stir to coat. Take two forks (Short tined forks such as salad forks work best) and lift several beans out of the chocolate, letting them drip a little if needed. Take one fork and gently push off the beans one at a time onto a cookie sheet. If more than one bean comes off, it's okay. Just separate them.
Continue until all the beans are on the cookie sheet.
Let the beans dry completely before storing them in an airtight container, such as a decorative jar. Keep in mind that drying takes longer under hot and humid conditions, and in some cases, you may want to dry them overnight. Don't worry if they're not perfectly round they'll still be delish!
GINGERBREAD GRANOLA
This is a great holiday house gift, very festive. Makes enough for 2 1 qt. jars. h/t tasty yummies
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (if you are gluten intolerant, be sure these are certified gluten-free oats.)
1/2 cup chia seeds (flax seeds would also be nice)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (or pecans, almonds, etc)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses (light or dark molasses will also work)
1/4 cup coconut sugar (optional, you can also use brown sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 325ºF.
Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. You can also use a roasting pan, which is nice since you can just mix all of the ingredients right in it, without losing things over the edge.
Combine all of your dry ingredients, oats, seeds, nuts, dried fruit etc., in a large bowl (or in your roasting pan). Add in your spices and salt. Mix well.
Pour the molasses and vanilla over the dry ingredients and stir until well coated. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes. Give the mixture a little taste and add the coconut sugar (or brown sugar) if it’s too bitter for you.
If you aren’t using a roasting pan, spread the granola on the baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes. Toss every 10 minutes or so to provide even toasting.
Let cool completely – it will get crispier as it cools. Keep in airtight container
HOT CHOCOLATE MIX
Always welcome
You'll need - a large jar to hold about 4 cups, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup cocoa, I cup full cream milk powder, 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate, 3/4 cup mini marshmallows. You'll need to attach a gift card that reads - empty hot chocolate contents into a bowl and mix. Return to the jar. Add 1/3 cup of mixture (less for kids - too rich) to 1 cup hot milk, or 1/2 cup hot water and 1/2 hot milk, and stir. Yum yum
HOMEMADE BARBEQUE SAUCE
This is gluten free no added sugar!! About 2 cups
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup shallots, minced
1 (7 ounce) bottle Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste or other tomato paste..but this is awesome!
1 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Warm oil in a saucepan over medium low heat
Add garlic and shallot; cook until soft
Add tomato paste, orange juice, vinegar, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper
Simmer over low heat 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often. Let cool before pouring in gift jar. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Have never tried freezing but may work.
PEANUT BUTTER and PUMPKIN PUPPY TREATS
A great way to score points with man's best friend. Please check to make sure your doggy friend can have these ingredients before gifting.
3 cups brown rice flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1. Heat oven to 350° F. In large bowl stir all ingredients until soft dough forms.
2. Divide dough in half. Using brown-rice-floured rolling pin, roll each dough half to 1/2 inch thickness on brown-rice-floured surface. Cut with 3-inch cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheet, place cutouts about 1 inch apart.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until dry and golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4. Store in dog treat jar at room temperature up to 1 week. For longer storage keep in refrigerator or freezer.
Tip: To dress up your puppy treats, melt 1 cup yogurt chips (available at pet stores) and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in microwavable bowl uncovered on High about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over puppy treats.
"She's A Woman" The Beatles my love don't give me presents
This vid from when The Beatles occupied Shea Stadium in 1965. Police doing their jobs then just like now...dragging people out.
"Can't Buy Me Love" The Beatles Shea Stadium 1965
What have you all been cooking? Please share your recipes and fave Beatle music here!