In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including: better health, food safety, global food crisis, animal rights, frugal living, public health and the staggeringly huge contribution of meat/livestock production to climate change/resource depletion (pdf)
LIVESTOCK DOMINATE GLOBAL POPULATION PRESSURE
. 64 Billion livestock bred each year
. Livestock outweight wildlife 8:1
. Livestock consume 6X megafauna
. Humanity consumes 12% of appropiated Net Primary Consumption NPP--Livestock consumes 58% NPP
. Livestock provide 17% of our calorie intake (fish 1%)
_________________________________________________________________________
If we ate a plant based diet, we would have a 50% surplus of grain (UNEP,2005)
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(Macca) 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!
Don't know about you but I'm in need of a getaway. It's been pretty stressful around here lately what with election fever, denial gate and rush, rush, rush. So today I'm heading back on a virtual trip to someplace where I always feel right at home and that's Nice, France. Two years ago we made our first trip France Tonight and it has remained one of my all time fave diaries. The recipes I used for that post have become the mainstay for one of my most popular company dinners. So today I'm going to share some new recipes that I've been incorporating and interchanging into that menu.
Why do I feel so at home when I visit Nice or the Cote d' Azur? It's the weather, being so close to the water, the natural beauty and the food! Everywhere you go in Nice you are very close to a purveyor of socca one of my all time favorite foods.
Almost every street has a small restaurant or stand that specializes in Socca.
And in all the markets you can find vendors preparing and selling Socca to order.
But we don't have to be in Nice, France to have some delicious Socca as it's very easy and fast to make right at home and it's a wonderful gluten-free crepe or wrap that's perfect for just about any filling.
SOCCA
Socca is perfect as an appetizer, as a side for soup and as a compete meal alongside a crisp salad.
1 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon, at least, freshly ground black pepper
4 to 6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced, optional
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, optional.
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a well-seasoned or nonstick 12-inch pizza pan or cast-iron skillet in oven. Sift chickpea flour into a bowl; add salt and pepper; then slowly add 1 cup lukewarm water, whisking to eliminate lumps. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. Cover, and let sit while oven heats, or as long as 12 hours. Batter should be about the consistency of heavy cream.
If using onion and rosemary, stir them into batter. Pour 2-3 tablespoons oil into heated pan, and swirl to cover pan evenly. Pour in batter, and bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until pancake is firm and edges set. Heat broiler, and brush top of socca with 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil if it looks dry.
Set socca a few inches away from broiler for a few minutes, just long enough to brown it spottily. Cut it into wedges, and serve hot, or at least warm.
4 to 6 appetizer servings. For lunch or dinner it serves 2 with a salad
FRENCH COUNTRY SALAD
A perfect salad to go with Socca is this recipe from "Cheesecake Factory" for one large salad
3 cups green leaf lettuce
1 oz semi-soft goat cheese
1/2 cup roasted beets, sliced or cubed
1/4 cup pecans
1 t sugar
1/2 cup asparagus, blanched
Toast pecans with the sugar in a non stick pan or find them pre-made in the store.
Grill or blanch the asparagus. Slice into 1 inch pieces.
Roast the beets and slice into large bite-sized pieces.
Plate the lettuce
Top with all the other toppings.
Add your favorite light dressing. I like light balsamic dressing with this.
Smile and enjoy because you didn't pay $8 for the salad!
PROVENCAL SOUP
A hearty one dish meal, serves 8-10 h/t Mark Bittman
3/4 cup olive oil, more or less
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch parsley, washed and chopped, thick stems discarded
2 or 3 cabbage leaves, chopped
1 bunch chard, preferably white, washed and chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 to 4 cups cooked white beans, like cannelloni, with their liquid if possible
Put about a third of the olive oil in the bottom of a deep pot and turn the heat to medium.
Add half the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, which takes about 10 minutes.
Add about half of the remaining oil and repeat the process, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.
Add the remaining oil with the parsley, cabbage and chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is softened but not browned.
Add the tomato paste and stir.
Mash the beans so that they're about half mashed and half more-or-less whole. Add this mixture to the pot, along with any bean cooking liquid and enough water to make the whole mixture stewy but not watery.
Continue cooking, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as necessary, until all the vegetables are very tender and the soup is hot. Serve hot or warm with grated cheese(optional).
VEGETARIAN CASSOULET
A fantastic company dish, serves 8-10
3/4 cup olive oil
2-1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
2 tablespoons roasted garlic
2-1/2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch rounds
5 cups packed, roughly chopped kale, washed and dried (I like black kale in this recipe.)
1-1/4 cup roughly chopped, oil marinated artichoke hearts
1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh oregano
2-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1-1/4 cup roughly chopped, peeled canned tomatoes
1-1/4 cup dry white wine
2-1/2 cups vegetable stock
3-3/4 cups cooked cannellini beans
2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup melted, unsalted butter or vegan butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Use about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to coat the bottom of a large pot. Place the pot over medium-high heat and add the onions. Stirring every few minutes or so, cook the onions until they are very tender and are beginning to become brown, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted garlic and stir to blend.
Add the carrots and cook until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Then add the kale and cook until it’s completely wilted, again, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the artichokes, oregano and thyme, and cook for a few minutes, until it’s very aromatic.
Deglaze the pot with the tomatoes, wine and stock. Use a flat-bottomed wooden spatula to scrape any stuck bits of food from the bottom of the pot, back into the mixture.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Then uncover the pot, turn the heat to medium and cook to reduce the liquid by about half. This should take about 20 minutes.
Fold in the cooked cannellini beans and season generously with salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture into a baking dish (approximately 9 X 13 X 2-1/2-inch baking dish — something like Emile Henry stoneware is perfect.)
Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on top and then drizzle it with the melted butter and the remaining olive oil.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 1-1/2 hours. Then cover loosely with foil, and bake for another 30 minutes.
Let it “rest” for at least 20 minutes before serving.
CHANPIGNON BOURGUINON
Mushroom Bourguignon You won't feel deprived. You can have this luscious, rich, iconic entree and still save the planet! Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vegan butter (I use Earth Balance), softened
2 pounds portobello mushrooms, in 1/4-inch slices (cremini work as well)
5 carrots, finely sliced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup full-bodied red wine
2 cups organic vegetable or mushroom broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup pearl onions, peeled or if frozen thawed
Egg noodles or rice, for serving
Sour cream or vegan sour cream (I use tofutti) and chopped parsley, for garnish
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy stock pot over high heat. Saute the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet release any liquid — about three or four minutes. Remove them from the pan.
Lower the heat to medium and add the second tablespoon of olive oil. Add the carrots, onions, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper into the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute.
Add the wine to the onions and carrots, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Turn the heat up to high and reduce the wine by half. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth. Stir until the tomato paste is evenly combined, and not clumpy. Add back the mushrooms with any juices that have collected and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the temperature and simmer for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Add the pearl onions and simmer for five more minutes.
In the meantime, prepare egg noodles or rice.
Then combine the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the flour with a fork until combined; stir the butter mixture into the stew. Simmer for 10 more minutes. If you feel like the sauce is too thin, boil it down and reduce to the right consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over a bowl of egg noodles or rice, dolloped with sour cream (optional) and sprinkled with parsley (optional).
NICOISE GREEN BEAN SALAD
A favorite at my house. Add 2 cups cooked Cannellini beans to make an entree salad
Serves 4–5
1 lb green beans (preferrably thin, tender ones)
8–10 small potatoes (about 1 lb). New potatoes of any variety, or small Yukon Gold for example. I prefer silky rather than starchy potatoes, but both make great warm salads.
1 small shallot
Dressing:
1 1/2 Tbsp old-style Dijon mustard (with whole grains), or regular Dijon mustard (Try to find a French brand, such as Maille or Amora, for a more authentic taste.)
1 Tbsp Jerez vinegar (sherry vinegar from Spain), or regular red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sunflower oil, or other mild-tasting oil
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Start with the potatoes: peel them and boil them in salted water until cooked but still firm (stop cooking as soon as a knife can go through easily), about 15 minutes.
Hull the beans (unless they are very thin) by carefully snapping each end and pulling the string that runs along the bean (which is only a problem in more mature beans). Rinse the beans.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the dressing. Place all the ingredients in a small sealable container3. Close tightly with a leak-proof lid. Shake well until homogeneous.
Thinly chop the shallot and place at the bottom of a large salad bowl.
As soon as the potatoes are cooked through, drain them and place them in the salad bowl. Pour 2 or 3 Tbsp dressing on them and toss. The warm potatoes will absorb the oil and flavors of the dressing and shallot.
Steam or boil the green beans in salted water for no more than 5 minutes. They must be firm but not crunchy, soft but not floppy. They loose the brightness of their green color without really tarnishing...
Drain the beans and add to the salad bowl. Pour a couple more Tbsp dressing if all has been absorbed by the potatoes. Toss gently (avoid breaking the beans). Serve immediately.
These are so delicious and such fun to make and I found a vegan recipe! You do need a traditional Madeleine pan..but if you have one around now is your chance!
MAPLE MADELIENES
1/4 Cup butter (or to make it vegan, lactose free margarine), melted
1/2 Frozen banana, thawed and pushed through a sieve to puree.
1/3 Cup Soy milk
3 Tablespoons Orange Juice
1 Tablespoon Orange Zest
1 Cup All Purpose Flour, sifted
1/4 Cup cornstarch, sifted
1/4 Cup Sugar,
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Sift dry ingredients together.
Add juice to the soy milk and let rest.
Melt butter/margarine and let cool.
Beat banana and sugar together until very smooth.
Add the soy milk and maple syrup and zest to the banana mixture and combine well.
Whisk in the melted butter then, gradually whisk in dry ingredients with the wet until combined.
Allow the batter to set for about an 1/2 hour in the fridge while you
evenly grease and lightly flour your Madeleine pan.
While the oven preheats to 375ºF, fill each shell 3/4 full with batter and let the batter rest in the pan, popping any bubbles that rise to the surface.
Bake until centers have puffed and the edges are crisp and browned; about 15 minutes.
Cool completely
"I'm So Happy Just To Dance With You" The Beatles
"Ou Est Le Soleil" Paul McCartney
What have you all been cooking? Please share your recipes and fave Beatles music here!