tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42328593325102659312024-02-06T18:12:50.027-08:00North Shore VeggieA vegetarian and natural living resource guide for the North Shore of Boston and beyondMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-30143524173765155162014-11-21T14:04:00.002-08:002014-11-21T14:04:56.842-08:00Easy Raw Vegan Dessert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBigqj2eRlaTysZ7V9fPucaEHNzqccbGsj-TURKBbO-eWkXx6-8U3ze_i2xjHKgFXIMmKAKtUJuenSNqZ9i3uWRJmYLB8ecN-BWhe_qLXbTslkg4FScvoFE-JJ6w2mgsWUi2y1mDt1ME/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-11-21+at+5.01.50+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBigqj2eRlaTysZ7V9fPucaEHNzqccbGsj-TURKBbO-eWkXx6-8U3ze_i2xjHKgFXIMmKAKtUJuenSNqZ9i3uWRJmYLB8ecN-BWhe_qLXbTslkg4FScvoFE-JJ6w2mgsWUi2y1mDt1ME/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-11-21+at+5.01.50+PM.png" height="320" width="316" /></a></div>
I've been wanting to make my own version of a breakfast bar because my boyfriend goes through them like crazy and they are not cheap. I was going to go all out with oats and granola but I just wanted something really quick and I didn't want to cook it, so I came up with these delights.<br />
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As usual, I don't take measurements. But I will try to give approximate quantities. It's easy enough to adjust as you go. <br />
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I use my food processor for this. I don't know what I would use without it. Maybe a blender, chopper or immersion blender would work.<br />
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Instructions:<br />
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1 cup chopped dates. I used Bob's Red Mill date pieces, but because they are dry, I soak them for a bit in a little warm water to soften them up.<br />
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1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, or nut of your choice<br />
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1/2 cup shredded coconut<br />
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3 tbs cacao (optional)<br />
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I process the dates first so the chunks are smaller and then add all the rest of the ingredients. Blend until fairly smooth. The nuts will turn into a nut butter if blended enough which adds a creamy texture.<br />
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Spread evenly on a plate. Top with more shredded coconut or nuts (optional). Refrigerate until more solid. I topped mine with So Delicious Cocowhip. It was divine. <br />
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These would also be nice rolled into little bite sized balls and rolled in coconut as well. <br />
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That's it, pretty simple. No added sugar. And a small amount is surprisingly satisfying. Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-70380013725469948492013-07-18T18:46:00.003-07:002013-07-18T18:46:28.202-07:00Salem Farmer's Market FindsI got a great haul at the farmer's market today. I intended to just pick up a few things for a side salad, but ended up with so much more. And I only spent a total of $19.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhFGL_jeMdhkhc43Ec4JZuLso0EBcUQ6cwuIUHilE-1BlDja9i7ALfVdPWpBZhliA37Vo5O7DXqqby_vxFiDW2uUGQQLB9w8Qf0ioVJUCPafmEXZIJF7EpQlyXkzrkVc9WX65Wdcp49U/s1600/IMG_9098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhFGL_jeMdhkhc43Ec4JZuLso0EBcUQ6cwuIUHilE-1BlDja9i7ALfVdPWpBZhliA37Vo5O7DXqqby_vxFiDW2uUGQQLB9w8Qf0ioVJUCPafmEXZIJF7EpQlyXkzrkVc9WX65Wdcp49U/s400/IMG_9098.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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What you see here is 2 bunches of green kale, tomatoes, 2 cucumbers, 1 green pepper, 1 pepperoncini, and blueberries, all organic, from Heavens Harvest Farm. I also picked up 2 loaves of bread- kalamata olive and ciabetta, from Pain D'Avignon. <br />
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I made a simple salad with 1 cucumber, tomatoes and both peppers. I added some black cured olives. It was tossed with some olive oil, salt and pepper and served with some of the olive bread.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hbixeobl2WX5pnVAsaSww7o5uiYbZCCEr5oXyJPbRXOKZwv_QDkfaUtMRPAg1AOXjMlrl7LX_f1OYcQma_fCBp6eFOwogTYHvNWCpHplHzK1cWBO4fVt0KVNxZ9S5-YebwLbqsbbaEE/s1600/IMG_9099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hbixeobl2WX5pnVAsaSww7o5uiYbZCCEr5oXyJPbRXOKZwv_QDkfaUtMRPAg1AOXjMlrl7LX_f1OYcQma_fCBp6eFOwogTYHvNWCpHplHzK1cWBO4fVt0KVNxZ9S5-YebwLbqsbbaEE/s400/IMG_9099.JPG" width="400" /> </a> </div>
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Next I have to get busy cooking all that kale. At least one bunch is going to be made into kale chips. Yum!<br />
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Anyone have any good kale recipes? I usually just steam or saute with garlic and add some lemon juice and salt, but am interested in other ways to enjoy it.<br />
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<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-37627103340932597492012-11-16T13:21:00.000-08:002012-11-16T13:25:49.582-08:00The Best Vegan Sausage Ever!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlflkMlleQdm0SfgNsRFIPImK5GRWZb4XiqOeUw_XmKWz61jhOG0rNgfG87hS4FX9-KvB1jdX5JT3jlX-Xw-h2sxJnO1Vz9_oSUL2gfM3phJCTSE1PRRqZBoA_FfqqJpZocli1tw1E5I/s1600/Picture+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlflkMlleQdm0SfgNsRFIPImK5GRWZb4XiqOeUw_XmKWz61jhOG0rNgfG87hS4FX9-KvB1jdX5JT3jlX-Xw-h2sxJnO1Vz9_oSUL2gfM3phJCTSE1PRRqZBoA_FfqqJpZocli1tw1E5I/s320/Picture+5.png" title="Field Roast Sausage Links" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fieldroast.com/" target="_blank">Field Roast Sausage Links</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I searched for a long time for a meatless sausage replacement and really did not like most of the types I tried. Perhaps it is because I was never a big fan of sausage to begin with, despite my father being a sausage maker. Then I found <a href="http://www.fieldroast.com/products/retail/field-roast-sausages/" target="_blank">Smoked Apple Sage Sausage Links</a> from Field Roast. They are simply amazing. And, they are not only vegan, but soy free. The ingredients are made with wheat gluten, vegetables and spices. My meat eating friends love them, they are delicious alone, in a roll, sliced and added to pasta dishes. <br />
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I have tried the other two flavors, Italian and Mexican Chipotle, but the Apple Sage is still my favorite. Apparently other people agree, as that flavor is typically the first to sell out at Whole Foods. They aren't cheap, but filling and totally worth the price. According to Field Roast's website, Whole Foods in Swampscott is the only place you can purchase them on the North Shore. <br />
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To prepare the sausage, I cook them in a frying pan with light safflower or canola oil. Sometimes I leave them whole, but if I'm in a hurry, I butterfly them so the center cooks faster. One of my friends served them sliced in rounds as appetizers at a party and they were gone in minutes.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-90449659775827443202012-11-07T15:03:00.001-08:002012-11-15T12:46:13.713-08:00Vegetarian in Salem MAI moved to Salem earlier this year and I am thrilled with the vegetarian friendly restaurants available to me here. And with the opening of Life Alive, a 100% vegetarian restaurant, my dining options are complete. Here is a breakdown of my favorite veg friendly eating establishments in Salem...<br />
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<a href="http://www.lifealive.com/" target="_blank">Life Alive</a>- Mostly vegan, organic, and holistically focused. The menu is warming and healing, plus there is finally a place to get juices and smoothies in town. Front Street does offer some juices, but they are limited.<br />
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<a href="http://passagetoindiasalem.com/" target="_blank">Passage to India</a>- there are always vegetarian options at Indian restaurants. My favorite dish here is the Palak Paneer. But the Dal Maharani is so tasty, as well as the Vegetable Masala. Mulligatawny soup is vegetarian and the best I've tasted.<br />
<a href="http://www.feedyourwolf.com/cms/" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.feedyourwolf.com/cms/" target="_blank">Howling Wolf Taqueria </a>- Finally a really good, affordable Mexican restaurant. The guacamole tacos are great, as is the burritos and nachos. Highly recommended for $2 Tuesday Taco night. <br />
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<a href="http://www.theoldspot.com/" target="_blank">The Old Spot</a>- Yes, this is an Irish pub, but they have a super tasty black bean burger that I crave all the time.<br />
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<a href="http://www.gulugulucafe.com/" target="_blank">Gulu-Gulu Cafe</a>- Great drink selection and entertainment. Many vegetarian options to choose from.<br />
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<a href="http://www.kushcobistro.com/" target="_blank">Kushco Bistro</a>- many vegetarian and vegan sandwich options<br />
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<a href="http://www.thaiplace.net/print_menu.php?m=Dinner" target="_blank">Thai Place Restaurant</a>- weird location in the almost barren Salem Mall, but the staff is so friendly and appreciative. Only problem with Thai food in general is the possible addition of fish flavoring. It's a little harder with the language barrier, but the vegetarian food I get there is always tasty.<br />
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<a href="http://www.beerworks.net/" target="_blank">Salem Beer Works</a>- Most of their menu is typical American bar food, with lots of meat, but their fried pickles and nachos are quite good, despite being really bad for you.<br />
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<a href="http://www.62restaurant.com/" target="_blank">62 Restaurant & Wine Bar</a> - Upscale Modern Italian with plenty of vegetarian small plates to try. Some of my current favorites are the Arancini, Chickpea Fritters, and Beet Salad. They always offer a vegetarian pasta dish as well.<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Damatas-Pizza/135396804697" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Damatas-Pizza/135396804697" target="_blank">Damatas Pizza</a> - I recently discovered this place and have to say their pizza is cheap and really delicious. If you are a cheese eating vegetarian I highly recommend this place.<br />
<a href="http://www.takeouttonight.com/menus/massachusetts/salem/01970/hong%20kong%20king_9787408727/lunch-dinner/index.html" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.takeouttonight.com/menus/massachusetts/salem/01970/hong%20kong%20king_9787408727/lunch-dinner/index.html" target="_blank">Hong Kong King</a> - For the occasional Chinese food cravings I get, this place always satisfies. I know its not the best food for you, and despite its sketchy looks, the food is actually pretty decent. I typically get the spring rolls and vegetable fried rice. I only tried it because of the high Yelp ratings and they did not disappoint.<br />
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There is one place I haven't tried yet that looks promising- <a href="http://www.okeagrill.com/" target="_blank">Okea Grill and Sushi</a>. I hear great things and they have many vegetable rolls on the menu, but I have not been able to get over there. If you've tried it, let me know what you think. <br />
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Happy Dining!<br />
<br />Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-51797714311083839042011-01-24T00:21:00.000-08:002011-01-24T00:47:15.128-08:00Vegetarian Swedish Meal TimeIf you haven't seen any of Swedish Meal Time's videos, you should check them out on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/SwedishMealTime" target="_blank">youtube</a> asap. Hilarious. But, the meals include meat. Lots of it. Despite that, I still got really hungry after watching the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/SwedishMealTime#p/u/2/itXjAuUTs2U" target="_blank">Spaghetti Explosion video</a>. So I decided to make my own vegetarian version in response. <br />
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Ingredients: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNohTNOHcj_TXUgIj0hm35O1bph1BrvO81Lvb8Mi1QPnHI-ImBaYoXnHHHFeMzekJsCuBwWD-VNjK4ggLN1qYjukVurw0jRJfgm_4ecE-e4dfNkBpc2Pj80zZ4dS2r6J9I_HPNolUV-_w/s1600/IMG_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNohTNOHcj_TXUgIj0hm35O1bph1BrvO81Lvb8Mi1QPnHI-ImBaYoXnHHHFeMzekJsCuBwWD-VNjK4ggLN1qYjukVurw0jRJfgm_4ecE-e4dfNkBpc2Pj80zZ4dS2r6J9I_HPNolUV-_w/s320/IMG_0072.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><ul><li>pasta- preferably spaghetti, but I didn't have any so I used orecchiette.</li>
<li>vegetarian ground sausage - I like Gimme Lean brand</li>
<li>1 onion, chopped</li>
<li>1 tomato, chopped (I used tomato paste because I also didn't have any tomatoes)</li>
<li>olive oil</li>
<li>safflower, sunflower, or other high heat oil</li>
<li>milk (I was tempted to use soy milk, but I just decided it wouldn't taste right) I also used a little heavy whipping cream because I thought I should fatten the recipe up just a little. </li>
<li>salt/pepper</li>
<li>dried basil</li>
<li> garlic salt</li>
<li>sugar</li>
</ul>**Forgive me. Once again I don't have exact measurements. I just add ingredients until it seems right. <br />
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To Make:<br />
<ul><li>Add olive oil and salt to water. Boil. Add pasta and cook according to box instructions.</li>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbYv3NUNBCakfigl3y4vyL2g2NsaUqbwYSK3FuMdSPg2Jp9n6_SS24i9zrEUzrtemtmNZsdf_b30R_KcYMptrNYgeXmQJOdgj71sEMREskLnrXXoFWu-kRcJ0vJvDU62-waN9bbXCqxA/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbYv3NUNBCakfigl3y4vyL2g2NsaUqbwYSK3FuMdSPg2Jp9n6_SS24i9zrEUzrtemtmNZsdf_b30R_KcYMptrNYgeXmQJOdgj71sEMREskLnrXXoFWu-kRcJ0vJvDU62-waN9bbXCqxA/s200/IMG_0066.JPG" width="149" /></a></div><li>Heat safflower oil in frying pan. </li>
<li>Add vegetarian sausage, garlic salt, basil and pepper to taste. </li>
<li>Add onion and tomato or tomato paste.</li>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23-weKmzsFbjflXUptBqUK193gOFfeAUWvEem71uGvwyRkOZREt3UCE3-fpyrNvxNXxrLKmnMIkr_i0O4yDq1yiUkGMmCzNs0ZzKQT5-jvUFIPiHhBu5Y2DgxXNljcW03ZNWidNEdnzg/s1600/IMG_0071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23-weKmzsFbjflXUptBqUK193gOFfeAUWvEem71uGvwyRkOZREt3UCE3-fpyrNvxNXxrLKmnMIkr_i0O4yDq1yiUkGMmCzNs0ZzKQT5-jvUFIPiHhBu5Y2DgxXNljcW03ZNWidNEdnzg/s200/IMG_0071.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><li>I added sugar since they use ketchup in the video so I thought it could use a sweetener. I really don't like ketchup so I skipped that. Otherwise, add ketchup.</li>
<li> Cook until brown. </li>
<li>Pour a good amount of milk/cream over sausage mixture and stir until combined. </li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBYTx5jzpiJImCNXBOUtAnmD-TkiHSRojcbH74uiJL4PZ7vblzlZQrKHn8dE7tTPhGmdz4bs8E2X0pbvcC9eZa2kb6EF9uWPtRuvrFdCxZ0YDyRzfWdFt7PGx9nysnoRuwSRBEvAtop4/s1600/IMG_0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBYTx5jzpiJImCNXBOUtAnmD-TkiHSRojcbH74uiJL4PZ7vblzlZQrKHn8dE7tTPhGmdz4bs8E2X0pbvcC9eZa2kb6EF9uWPtRuvrFdCxZ0YDyRzfWdFt7PGx9nysnoRuwSRBEvAtop4/s200/IMG_0073.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I should have added more milk to make it more saucy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><li>Cook until milk is heated and well combined. </li>
<li>Serve sausage over pasta.</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;">Smaklig Måltid</div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildhhcB9a2XYSXZ5JEc471_RaXcVA-aABWqCRfzsZCY548O64cbEhHWXPNck2P4wj6629Da01KhAD8hTpDTtdDyU1_gKNsDwYso8sBqz-ciNcJbrLm_cB7Qdk_bdnsSG1VjRVY3ojclhQ/s1600/IMG_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildhhcB9a2XYSXZ5JEc471_RaXcVA-aABWqCRfzsZCY548O64cbEhHWXPNck2P4wj6629Da01KhAD8hTpDTtdDyU1_gKNsDwYso8sBqz-ciNcJbrLm_cB7Qdk_bdnsSG1VjRVY3ojclhQ/s200/IMG_0075.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beer I enjoyed with dinner is Saint Botolph's Town from <a href="http://www.prettythingsbeertoday.com/site/" target="_blank">Pretty Things</a>, based in Somerville MA. Oh, and that's June peeping in the background. Isn't she pretty?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-64239417679325413972010-11-15T18:22:00.000-08:002010-11-15T18:25:44.859-08:00Common Mistakes of a New VegetarianI was 16 when I decided to become a vegetarian. With 2010 being my twentieth meat free year, I have mistakenly eaten quite a few meals that contain meat products, especially in the first few years. While most of these mistakes may seem like common sense in hindsight, I was very naive about food production when I started out.<br />
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Here is my top 10 list of mistakes in no particular order:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Soup</span>- Just because you order a vegetable soup, does not mean it is vegetarian. Most soup is made with a chicken or beef stock. I was in love with Friday's broccoli-cheddar soup and ordered it every time I went. Then I found out that it was made with chicken stock. I felt kind of dumb at first, but I was just starting out cooking. I don't even think I ever made my own soup or really thought about how it was made. Since then, I find that most restaurants use a meat-based stock by default, which is always so disappointing.</li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beef Fat</span> - So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Twinkies</span> are my second mistake (for many reasons!). Many snack food items, including most of the Hostess brand from what I can tell, are made with beef fat. Apparently its much cheaper than butter. Always check your labels. </li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheese</span>- Many cheeses contain rennet. What the heck is rennet, you ask? Rennet is a natural enzyme used to coagulate milk, which is ideal for making cheese. The problem is where rennet comes from- the stomach lining of mammals, mainly baby cows. So even though you may think veal is the most evil of all meats, many cheeses that you eat are made using the byproduct of the veal industry. I suspect most vegetarians are probably guilty of this oversight, including me. I'll admit, I'm weak. And maybe I'll lose some credibility saying this, but up until now, I've been reluctant to really look into the ingredients in my cheese. I'm Italian and most of the best cheese in the world is made with rennet. How can I live without the occasional <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Parmesan</span> and buffalo mozzarella? After researching the details of rennet production just now, I can honestly say that I'm going to make a serious effort to eliminate rennet-based cheese from my diet. Now, there is good news for you fellow cheese lovers. There are several non-calf <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">rennets</span> available: vegetable rennet made from plants, microbial rennet made from molds, and even genetically modified <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">rennet</span>, although some GM rennet may still be derived from animal genes.</li>
<li><b>Gelatin - </b>Gelatin is made from the collagen inside animals' skin and bones. You can find gelatin in Jello, many gummy candy products, and in marshmallows. Gelatin is a binding ingredient. So that chewy candy you love so much may very well be made with gelatin. Oh, and my friend and I realized the low fat cookies she loved so much contained gelatin. Go figure. By the way, the emulsion on photographic film also contains gelatin. :(</li>
<li><b>Lard - </b>Lard is a pig fat used in cooking many foods, such as in tortillas, to fry foods, in traditional refried beans, to make flaky crusts, etc. If you eat out, its hard to tell if the food is cooked with lard. If I eat at a Mexican restaurant I try to ask about the tortillas and beans. McDonalds and other fast food restaurants used to use lard to fry the french fries. Supposedly they don't anymore, but I don't take any chances. In my opinion, nothing good can come from eating fast food, especially places with cheap hamburgers as the primary option. </li>
<li><b>Rice - </b>A lot of traditional rice is made with some kind of stock, probably meat based. I can't even count how many times I've eaten rice at a Mexican restaurant that contained some kind of animal stock. Always ask about the rice, even if its in a "vegetarian" burrito. Seriously. </li>
<li><b>Fish in Asian food - </b>Traditional miso soup contains fish. The dashi, or soup stock may contain niboshi (dried baby sardines) and katsuobushi (thin shavings of dried and smoked bonito). If you ask if there is fish, the server may say no. I typically ask if the soup contains bonito and they understand. Also, I once purchased a premade seaweed salad at a grocery store and realized it contained fish. So now I ask about seaweed salad. Many sauces used in Thai and other Asian food contain fish. Very often Thai curry has a fish flavor in it. And when ordering vegetable sushi, make sure your selection isn't topped with fish eggs. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></li>
<li><b>Carmine/Cochineal - </b>This is the red color pigment obtained from small insects such as the South American cochineal. Yum! It is also called Crimson Lake, Cochineal, Natural Red 4, C.I. 75470, or E120. If your candy, juice, ice cream, yogurt, etc is red or pink, check the label. Due to concerns over allergic reactions, the FDA has recently passed a regulation requiring carmine and cochineal to be listed by name on the label, effective January 5, 2011.</li>
<li><b><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;">Isinglass</span></b> - This is my most recent horrific discovery. Isinglass is a type of collagen used in some wine and beer production. And guess where isinglass is derived from? The swim bladder of fish. Supposedly very little isinglass remains in the beer that you drink, so I guess whether you care or not depends on your level of vegetarianism. Keep in mind this is mostly in cask-conditioned beers, such as Guinness (why!!!). I found this out shortly before my honeymoon to Ireland. I still had to have a few Guinness there, all the while trying pretend I had never heard about isinglass. But, fear not. There is a fantastic website called <a href="http://barnivore.com/">Barnivore.com</a>. They contact every brewery you can imagine and find out if their line is vegan friendly, then post the results. It's a brilliant site. </li>
<li><b>Look before you eat - </b>OK, you would think after 20 years I wouldn't be mistakenly biting into chicken, beef or fish, but it happens. A lot. Like I order a bean burrito and end up with beef. Most recently I ordered scallion pancakes at a Korean restaurant without realizing the the regular scallion pancakes contained fish. I should have specified the vegetable scallion pancakes. After two bites and wondering why a scallion was extremely chewy, I finally realized it tasted like fish. Yeah, I managed to eat octopus. Yippie. At least now I can say I tried octopus. So, lesson learned is, no matter how hungry you are, always take a moment to look and smell your food before digging in. And try to be really clear that you are a vegetarian up front before you order. </li>
</ol><br />
How do you avoid these mistakes? Always read food labels. Don't just assume that the package of low-fat cookies you want are vegetarian because cookies don't typically contain meat products. And when eating out, ask, ask, ask. Yes, sometimes I feel like the server hates me because I ask so many questions, but it's important to me. My first question is typically "Is this dish vegetarian." Then, I ask about specifics- animal stock, fish flavor, lard, etc if I suspect the dish might contain them. Even today with so much more vegetarian awareness, there are still people who think just the absence of visible meat makes it vegetarian. And be especially careful in ethnic restaurants, where the cultural and language barriers make it difficult to be certain about what you are eating. <br />
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Remember, all vegetarians make mistakes and eat animal products at some point. It really is unavoidable unless you always cook your own food and never buy anything processed. The most important thing I've learned over the years is to go easy on myself. It's a lifelong learning process. And I try to maintain a sense of humor when mistakes do happen. Eating meat goes against everything I believe in, but it's not going to kill me.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-2580122043593889492010-11-07T01:21:00.000-07:002010-11-07T01:21:50.042-07:00Super Sweet & Healthy Mochi DessertI came up with this recipe when I wasn't eating sugar, flour or dairy. I felt great and had so much energy, but I still craved a sweet dessert once and a while. I got creative in the kitchen and the result was so delicious. It reminds me of jelly donuts, but without the added sweetener, flour or dairy.<br />
<br />
The ingredients:<br />
Mochi*<br />
Strawberries<br />
Mejoul Dates<br />
Shredded Coconut<br />
<br />
Cut the Mochi in 1.5" squares, then bake in a pre-heated 450° F oven for 8-10 minutes. While the Mochi is cooking, mash the strawberries, dates and shredded coconut together. When the Mochi is done, remove from oven and top with the fruit mixture. Enjoy!<br />
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*Mochi is a traditional Asian snack, made of rice. It is wheat-free, gluten-free and dairy free. When baked, the Mochi puffs up and is chewy on the inside yet crunchy on the outside. I use <a href="http://grainaissance.com/mochi.html">Grainaissance</a> brand Mochi, which I purchase at Whole Foods.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdKjNipIXV2hQlyLhMKkqCHDBzdEGg1dJfhkbVjOZFscUDC8t_hRy-HGDf-lw1roJvI5HCpxa6xLI1J0c3Z3HRuqJm3dnIY5bF2qdn0wihmoiGGSGURQN2tAuNKrmAtUlltdiA5g4q_Q/s1600/mochigroup2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdKjNipIXV2hQlyLhMKkqCHDBzdEGg1dJfhkbVjOZFscUDC8t_hRy-HGDf-lw1roJvI5HCpxa6xLI1J0c3Z3HRuqJm3dnIY5bF2qdn0wihmoiGGSGURQN2tAuNKrmAtUlltdiA5g4q_Q/s320/mochigroup2.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: grainaissance.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-74201294013934642552010-04-18T16:33:00.000-07:002010-04-18T16:46:17.926-07:00Great Vegetarian Cookbook Resourse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3O5zZCVFm2BIkc8_mhrru647QU9ll-3LG1VoDoVBXQggfIDE1AiYz6kvrcG7LbVDBmhAK_6PcB23zCc3QCXsfAeaetojDlWogYPF9tyvqQgH_m-mpCOKb_s6H2K-bBqXvyyPpy5MrPlM/s1600/htcev.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 106px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3O5zZCVFm2BIkc8_mhrru647QU9ll-3LG1VoDoVBXQggfIDE1AiYz6kvrcG7LbVDBmhAK_6PcB23zCc3QCXsfAeaetojDlWogYPF9tyvqQgH_m-mpCOKb_s6H2K-bBqXvyyPpy5MrPlM/s200/htcev.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461627457681533618" border="0" /></a>I just discovered a blog all about vegetarian cookbooks, <a href="http://www.vegetariancookbooksite.com/" target="_blank">vegetariancookbooksite.com</a>, that you may want to check out. This is a great resource and I've already added to my wishlist of cookbooks. Now I just need to find a bigger shelf to fit my books! The blog reminded me that still need to get <span style="font-style: italic;">How to </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Cook Everything Vegetarian</span>, by Mark Bittman. I have the original <span style="font-style: italic;">How to Cook Everything</span>, which I love for its practical advice on storage and use. It is probably the most referenced cookbook in my kitchen.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-70527487761479391502010-04-11T21:05:00.001-07:002010-04-19T20:42:29.624-07:00Whole Food Breakfast BurritosI just started my 1-2 month whole food diet in the hopes of increasing my metabolism and energy and also maybe losing some of the extra pounds I gained this past year. This means I will not be eating any flour, sugar, dairy, caffeine or alcohol. Yikes! No bread, cheese, wine, or coffee. It's definitely going to be hard, but with the help of my good friend Kelly, who is a Nutritional Health Counselor, I know I can do it.<br /><br />For this coming work week, we came up with the idea to make breakfast burritos because I love me a good burrito. But these burritos can't be made with bread or dairy. They will contain the following:<br /><br />brown rice<br />black beans<br />mashed avocado, mixed with lemon juice, flax oil and herbs<br />shredded carrots<br />shredded daikon<br />cucumber<br /><br />I will assemble and wrap all of the ingredients in a large piece of romaine lettuce. The best part of this meal is that I made all of the rice and beans for the week ahead of time. This is especially important because I hate to wake up early and the less time I need in the morning, the better. I was also able to mash several avocados ahead of time. Kelly says if I mix lemon juice with the avocado it won't brown. I can't wait to try these tomorrow morning.<br /><br />If you are interested in nutritional counseling, feel free to contact Kelly at <a href="http://lifeshine.net/">Lifeshine.net</a>.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-2705787832635876742009-12-05T08:39:00.000-08:002009-12-05T12:36:24.380-08:00Post Thanksgiving Feast Part I - Tofu Turkey and all the fixingsI have been making Tofu Turkey every Thanksgiving since 2001. This is not to be mistaken for the store bought <span style="font-style: italic;">Tofurky</span>, which in my opinion is not as tasty. This is a "mash up 5 pounds of tofu, press in fridge for 8 hours, stuff, baste and bake for 4 hours" production. Its a lot of work, but I love every minute of this yearly tradition. And the results are well worth it.<br /><br />This year, Jim and I were in England for Thanksgiving. He had an opportunity to present at a conference on Thanksgiving day and we jumped at the chance to visit another new country. We decided we could have a post-Thanksgiving feast when we returned. So, here I am, surrounded by pounds of tofu and vegetables and slightly stressing about all the details for my meal tomorrow, but happy all the same. After all, its only once a year, and its so much fun to prove that you can have a fantastic, tasty and amazing holiday feast without all the meat.<br /><br />On the schedule today:<br /><ul><li>prepare the tofu</li><li>make cranberry/orange chutney</li><li>make creamy spinach/parsnip dish</li><li>double layer pumpkin cheesecake<br /></li><li>make carrot ginger soup if there's enough room in the fridge to store :)</li></ul>Check back soon for photos and details of the process.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-86788469111698197002009-11-12T15:42:00.000-08:002009-11-12T17:10:09.026-08:00Chocolate Chip Cookie Apple Crisp<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cJ8DkvJ2OsTcZQqHp6tRmw45GL-PqFBI6mzxsaY4Mlm_M3it-LtOrBFXrCOcL3THABiZYQcna_LrEEHp1L2qW3tcov2Nu2eoac27mZtzExbhTOC1_636ZoDNqymUW68OfS5pdLgYdu0/s1600-h/cookiecrisp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 237px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cJ8DkvJ2OsTcZQqHp6tRmw45GL-PqFBI6mzxsaY4Mlm_M3it-LtOrBFXrCOcL3THABiZYQcna_LrEEHp1L2qW3tcov2Nu2eoac27mZtzExbhTOC1_636ZoDNqymUW68OfS5pdLgYdu0/s320/cookiecrisp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403370371409963506" border="0" /></a>I recently had a dessert epiphany- what would happen if I combined <span class="il">apple</span> pie and chocolate chip cookies, two of my favorite treats? Without quite knowing what I was doing I whipped up this crazy combination and the result was delicious!<br /><br />Basically, you prepare the apples as you would an <span class="il">apple</span> pie or <span class="il">apple</span> crisp, using your favorite recipe. Then you layer them in a baking dish and top with cookie dough. Its pretty simple, but here are the details of my version.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span><br /><ul><li>5-6 med-large apples, peeled, sliced and cored</li><li>1-2 tablespoons lemon juice</li><li>1 cup brown sugar</li><li>2 Tablespoons Flour</li><li>1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</li><li>1/2 teaspoon nutmeg</li><li>1 tablespoon corn starch or other thickener (optional, but helps with runniness)</li><li>1 package of pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough at room-temp, or you can make your own from scratch</li></ul><br />Preheat oven to 400. Mix sliced apples with lemon juice. In separate bowl mix brown sugar, flour, spices and corn starch. Combine. Butter a baking dish. Fill dish with <span class="il">apple</span> mixture. Top with cookie dough. For the topping, you just need to work the cookie dough into flat pieces and place over the top of the apples. I pretty much made an almost solid sheet of cookie dough, approximately 1/2" thick.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Baking instructions:</span><br />First you need to cook the apples without burning the cookies. I covered the dish with aluminum foil and baked until the apples got bubbly, approximately 30-40 minutes. I would recommend setting a timer for 30 minutes, then every 10 minutes until they are cooked. Remove the foil, turn down the temp to 350 and cook for about 10 minutes until the cookie dough sets and topping is brown. Please note, these times and cooking temperatures are approximate. As much as you will want to eat this right away, you should let it sit for a few minutes so the juice can coagulate a little and it will be easier to serve.<br /><br />Top with whipped cream, ice cream or both. Enjoy!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">photo credit: <a href="http://ambalogic.com/lucio">Lucio Lecce</a></span>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-27959176262310992652009-10-29T09:35:00.000-07:002009-10-29T09:41:19.375-07:00Boston Vegetarian Food Festival<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I can't believe this has been going on for 14 years and I still haven't gone. I'm typically not too happy in big crowds, so have avoided the festival despite the temptation of free admission and vegetarian food. I've heard great things about it from my vegetarian friends and they've expanded to two days so maybe I'll venture over this year. <br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"></span></span></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><br />The Boston Vegetarian Society proudly presents</span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;"> The 14th Annual Boston Vegetarian Food Festival </span><br /><br /> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Now Expanded to Two Days!</span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Saturday, October 31, 2009, 10 AM - 6 PM</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">and</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Sunday, November 1, 2009, 10 AM - 4 PM</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> Reggie Lewis Athletic Center</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> 1350 Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> Subway stop across the street</span></span> <br /></div><br />More Info: <a href="http://bostonveg.org/foodfest/index.html">http://bostonveg.org/foodfest/index.html</a>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-36804661673323530812009-10-24T16:08:00.000-07:002009-10-27T19:54:31.782-07:00My Vegetarian Version of Colcannon<div style="text-align: left;">Jim loves potatoes. I love making home fries for breakfast, but hardly ever cook potatoes for dinner. Last night was a cold and rainy fall night, and Jim and I were both craving some warm, filling comfort food. I decided to make use of all the potatoes piling up from our coop. What I really wanted was mashed potatoes, however, I had some kale and leeks that I really needed to cook soon. So, I decided to make my own version of the Irish dish, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colcannon" target="_blank"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Colcannon</span></a>. Here is the recipe for your enjoyment.<br /></div><br /><ul><li>6 large Potatoes, peeled (optional)</li><li>1 head of Kale, remove stems and chop into bite-sized pieces</li><li>1 Leek, finely chopped</li><li>8 veggie breakfast links or sausage patties</li><li>butter</li><li>light cream or milk</li><li>salt and pepper</li></ul><br />1. Boil large pot of water. I used a mixture of Red and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Yukon</span> potatoes which did not need to be peeled. If you prefer your mashed potatoes without skins, peel the potatoes first.Chop potatoes into equal size pieces and add to boiling water. Cook until soft.<br /><br />2. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a saute pan or wok until it just starts to bubble (medium heat). Add leek and a little salt and cook until softened.<br /><br />3. Add chopped kale and cook for a few minutes, just until kale starts to wilt. Don't overcook the kale, it really only needs to be heated for 2-3 minutes.<br /><br />4. Cook veggie sausages or links according to package instructions. I cook my veggie links in a skillet until brown on all sides. Chop into bite-size pieces.<br /><br />5. When potatoes are done, drain and mash with 2-3 tablespoons butter and about 1 cup of milk or cream. I like chunky mashed potatoes and just add a little milk as I go until I get the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">consistency</span> I like.<br /><br />6. Stir in Kale, Leek and Veggie Links. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Serve.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">This looks a little crazy, but tastes so yummy!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV47t0GC2wN5UbfHCcxBYyjY19TDjPjCQYfQFgUNufI3GjkdGHGrab7sHlM0Sang95XXOB2SLE-aPaRPa2isIAa_sZ2qRqaaSmqzWC1uqkPjb52t7_N0UK08r8ebvC3bg0XyEoAfCEdF8/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV47t0GC2wN5UbfHCcxBYyjY19TDjPjCQYfQFgUNufI3GjkdGHGrab7sHlM0Sang95XXOB2SLE-aPaRPa2isIAa_sZ2qRqaaSmqzWC1uqkPjb52t7_N0UK08r8ebvC3bg0XyEoAfCEdF8/s400/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395844020181603362" border="0" /></a>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-83889749306150863682009-10-16T05:53:00.000-07:002009-10-16T13:02:36.555-07:00Scientists have discovered a "Vegetarian" Spider!"Scientists have discovered the world’s first known vegetarian spider. <p> Bagheera kiplingi, a South American species, lives almost exclusively on leaf buds and is thought to be the only spider of about 40,000 species to have rejected a carnivorous diet."<br /></p><p>Read more about this fascinating creature at <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/biology_evolution/article6869475.ece" target="_blank">TimesOnline</a>.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/biology_evolution/article6869475.ece" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRPhp_z7Mk87MgYth_8bPuZNkglFsJJNvNiy_15mSOsFhaEVLbGCuZ3IyH7J8AWNXEwQTQzObfleVas9I-C4jAyipkoWZJ8dBW31rY9_2AqBJj5Z9AdCJGU1LZtlPSNS_C4t2QSDy4yo/s400/veggiespider.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393182253282318690" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">photo credit: Robert L. Curry </span></p>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-14493622152394642032009-09-13T08:50:00.000-07:002009-09-13T08:57:28.729-07:00Vegetarian Borscht RecipeI know, I know- I haven't posted in a while! I'm not sorry to say that I've been enjoying the summer, traveling a little, and mostly just avoiding being on the computer too much. Anyway, I threw a bridal shower for my sister last month and we requested the guests bring a vegetarian recipe for her. One of them really appealed to me as I had tons of beets from my <a href="http://farmdirectcoop.org/">veggie co-op</a> just waiting for the right recipe.<br /><br />I didn't have any potatoes (not in my share yet) so I added 2 carrots instead. I actually worked out just fine. Sorry no pics, it was late and I was hungry! I ate this with my blueberry-cheddar pancakes which I will follow up with in a later post.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><br />Jovie's Vegetarian Borscht recipe:<br /><br />Take:<br />2 big potatoes<br />4-6 beets<br />Wash and cube them. Then place them in a pot with<br />enough filtered water that the potatoes & beets are<br />about a 1/2 inch under the water, and boil. <br />(If you want you can add a veggie bouillon cube into<br />the mix.)<br /><br />Meanwhile take:<br />1 big onion<br />3+ cloves of garlic (depending on how much garlic you like)<br />Slice pretty thinly and saute in 2 tablespoons of<br />olive oil.<br /><br />When the beets and potatoes are soft, add the<br />onions-garlic-oil into the potato-beet-broth pot. Add 1<br />T-spoon of sesame oil, then salt and pepper to your own<br />taste. Stir. Then pour all the ingredients into a<br />blender. (It will probably be a few batches.)<br /><br />Serve with: a dollop of plain yogurt on top, dill<br />(dry or fresh), and roasted sesame seeds!<br /><br />Thanks to Jovielle for sharing!!!Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-34413120166101206402009-07-24T13:52:00.000-07:002009-07-24T14:06:15.619-07:00Blueberry Oatmeal Crisp<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDd7kTC9vSod0jBj-hNHaFBfNQ6e7Fwm4LjOyBd7Lrdvmls5SJTo5tovettCSdL2wzy-hqSwGzS9rRHFzaZd6t75d8u1F-WFOy0UR0AdavbHRJgyuhY3dA_bvA4wB6l9zFZXUyD6fFzYg/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDd7kTC9vSod0jBj-hNHaFBfNQ6e7Fwm4LjOyBd7Lrdvmls5SJTo5tovettCSdL2wzy-hqSwGzS9rRHFzaZd6t75d8u1F-WFOy0UR0AdavbHRJgyuhY3dA_bvA4wB6l9zFZXUyD6fFzYg/s200/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362135579189015506" border="0" /></a><br />Normally I do not get a fruit share at the co-op, but I was lucky enough to be able to purchase a few pints of lovely blueberries this week! I have to say that blueberries are probably my favorite fruit. And these are big, plump, gorgeously juicy, slightly tart, super yummy ones. I am trying not to eat them all as I type :)<br /><br />In the spirit of the blueberry season, here is a recipe taken from <a href="http://www.yankeemagazine.com/recipes/search/onerecipe.php?number=1735" target=_blank >Yankee Magazine</a> for Blueberry Oatmeal Crisp. I bet it is so good with vanilla ice cream!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yield</span>: 8 to 10 servings<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fruit</span><br /><ul><li>3 pints blueberries </li><li>1/2 cup sugar </li><li>juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon </li><li>3 tablespoons flour </li></ul><br />Mix the berries, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and flour in a large bowl. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and butter a 13x9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Topping</span><br /><br /><ul><li>1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour </li><li>1 cup packed light-brown sugar </li><li>2/3 cup rolled oats </li><li>1/2 teaspoon cinnamon </li><li>1/4 teaspoon salt </li><li>1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces </li></ul><br />For topping: Combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter, and pulse the machine repeatedly, in 2- to 3-second bursts, until the mixture is clumpy, like damp crumbs. Transfer the berries to the baking dish, and spread the crumbs evenly over the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly hot. Serve at any temperature, although it is best to let it cool at least 10 minutes.<p></p>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-18687912974621282892009-07-08T13:38:00.001-07:002009-07-09T05:15:34.816-07:00Zucchini and Summer Squash SauteLast week I got my first zucchini and squash of the summer from the co-op. I found a super simple recipe in my <span style="font-style:italic;">Heaven's Banquet</span> cookbook for sauteed zucchini. The following is my adaptation for 2 servings:<br /><br />1 med zucchini / 1 med summer squash<br />1 garlic clove, minced<br />1 tsp salt<br />1 tbs safflower oil<br />1 chopped scallion<br />1 tbs minced herbs from garden (basil, parsley, chives)<br /><br />Peel and grate the zucchini/squash. I also scooped out some of the squash seeds because I'm weird about seeds in my food :)<br />Add salt and let sit for 10 minutes.<br />Place handfuls of mixture in strong paper towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out water.<br />Stir in garlic<br />Heat safflower oil in pan on med heat. Add zucchini mixture and saute for about 5 minutes.<br />Mix in scallion and saute 5 more minutes until it just starts to brown, but you don't want to fry it.<br />Mix in minced herbs and serve.<br /><br />This kind of felt like a pasta replacement, similar to when I make spaghetti squash, but it also had a slight egg taste. Either way it was really good. I served it with a salad made from lettuce and radishes from the co-op, topped with pan fried tofu.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-20939825215623441452009-07-02T08:43:00.001-07:002009-07-02T08:44:56.275-07:00Dean Foods Sells Out Organic Farmers With Release of New "Natural" milk<a href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18437.cfm" target=_blank >Breaking News: Dean Foods Sells Out Organic Farmers With Release of New "Natural" Horizon Milk</a><br /><br />Shared via <a href="http://addthis.com">AddThis</a>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-41956606810862436362009-06-19T09:00:00.000-07:002009-06-20T15:22:11.834-07:00Farm Direct Co-op - Week 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdqE4CkQ1KABDb95Doxp3dDpoRXucs7x9s1E8r-RLjelxApSowJuYO5_YEB-fxREGHE0l1-rbRnkULMGOCWm5QVnJMmSNYyMHvUGyvaZp1-Cj0KX39veo7aQl0fEyl7V0BFfDZWAREu4/s1600-h/scapes.jpg"><img style="margin: 5pt 5pt 7px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 167px; height: 111px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdqE4CkQ1KABDb95Doxp3dDpoRXucs7x9s1E8r-RLjelxApSowJuYO5_YEB-fxREGHE0l1-rbRnkULMGOCWm5QVnJMmSNYyMHvUGyvaZp1-Cj0KX39veo7aQl0fEyl7V0BFfDZWAREu4/s200/scapes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349538438621951442" border="0" /></a><br />Thursday was my second <a href="http://farmdirectcoop.org/" target="_blank">co-op</a> delivery. I picked up napa cabbage, <a href="http://www.viddler.com/explore/Gardenfork/videos/3/" target="_blank">garlic scapes</a> (3), green lettuce, and I got my choice of either mizuna or pea tendrils, and scallions or kohlrabi. Feeling a bit adventurous, I chose pea tendrils and kohlrabi. I've had tried kohlrabi before, but had never even realized you could eat pea tendrils.<br /><br />That night after a bit of research I decided to cook the pea tendrils since they don't last long and are best used right away. Most sources mentioned they are common in Asian stir-fries, and some recipes used them raw. Upon sampling the shoots raw, I decided that they were a bit too tough to eat raw and decided to chop them and do a quick stir fry with sesame oil, hoping to soften them up. Although I mostly liked the flavor (Jim did not!), they were way too tough for us to eat. I kept having to spit out the unchewed fibrous clumps. Unfortunately the entire dish was a lost cause.<br /><br />Wondering what I did wrong, I researched pea tendrils further. Every blog post and recipe mentioned how delicious they were and what a nice subtle pea flavor they added to each dish. Then, I hit upon one post that mentioned that the tendril and tougher stems should be removed first. I think if I had done that, or just used the leaves only, the dish may have been more of a success. Since Jim really didn't like the earthy pea flavor, I doubt I will be giving them another try soon, which is a shame. If anyone has any suggestions, or has had a similar experience, please let me know.<br /><br />The good news is that I made a fantastic garlic scape pesto for my potato gnocchi. Here is the recipe:<br /><ul><li>3 Garlic Scapes, chopped</li></ul><ul><li>a small handful of organic pine nuts (sorry, I didn't measure- add more or less as you go, per your taste)</li><li>olive oil (again- no measurement, but I would suggest to start with 3 tablespoons and add more as you go)</li><li>Salt to taste</li></ul><br />I added all ingredients to my small electric chopper/blender until I had a finely chopped, bright green blend.<br /><br /><br />I look forward to experimenting with the kohlrabi this weekend. I have to find a good recipe for the napa as well, since we never seem to use up cabbage in time.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-35652494257602579932009-06-18T08:04:00.001-07:002009-06-18T12:27:31.442-07:00Farm Direct Co-op<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcOBwwe-nao1ILPVsyJkiz7v2iU4pr0-rLnntYXJJ1_1K9OLZzTQGOO1cgC6wAp3nj6dc92Qa1OO5vJr-NiYuepr1Qh_IPPN_8EfUbg1ry9SCa6Ll-1bBT8cQMgrxlc5tHBqc-IdzDog/s1600-h/coop.gif"><img style="margin: 15pt 10px 3px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 156px; height: 71px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcOBwwe-nao1ILPVsyJkiz7v2iU4pr0-rLnntYXJJ1_1K9OLZzTQGOO1cgC6wAp3nj6dc92Qa1OO5vJr-NiYuepr1Qh_IPPN_8EfUbg1ry9SCa6Ll-1bBT8cQMgrxlc5tHBqc-IdzDog/s200/coop.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348691452200507842" border="0" /></a><br />It's one of my favorite times of the year again- my <a href="http://farmdirectcoop.org/" target="_blank">food co-op</a> has begun! I now get fresh local produce every Thursday until some time in October. I truly love eating with the seasons and discovering new local veggies. I also like how it forces me to cook and eat good food. And I save money at the local supermarket. Not to mention the environmental and health benefits to eating local.<br /><br />Last week we received red leaf lettuce (2 heads), a pound of spinach, some beautiful bok choy, and a choice of salad turnips or radishes (I chose radishes). So many greens- whats a girl to do? Well, for starters, I've been making salads all week. My father gave me some fresh, peppery arugula from his garden, so I made a mix with the spinach and lettuce, added sliced radish, grated parmesan, and olive oil for a quick healthy lunch. I added most of the spinach to an improv mac and cheese dish, which turned out great (recipe below). Last night I made a miso based, Asian-inspired soup which included much of the bok choy, as well as carrot, broccoli, baby corn, tofu and thin rice noodles. Today, I added lettuce to our sandwiches. And, I still have a head of lettuce, two radishes and a little less than half of the bok choy left. I'll have to invite some friends over for dinner soon to eat up my veggies.<br /><br />Spinach Mac & Cheese<br /><ul><li>Prepare your choice of pasta. I used 12 ounces of a soy, rice, quinoa pasta that was quite nice. Drain and set aside.</li><li>Heat olive oil in pan on a med-low heat, saute 2-3 cloves chopped garlic, some optional red pepper flakes, then add 1/2 lb to a lb of chopped spinach until just wilted. </li><li>Add pasta back to pan</li><li>Here is where the cheesy magic starts :) I added chopped Asiago cheese and stirred until it started getting melty. The amount is subjective. I only used 3 slices of cheese, because Asiago has such a strong flavor. You can certainly add more. Just remember to chop it up small so it melts quickly. </li><li>Add milk or unsweetened soy milk slowly until the mixture gets creamy instead of lumpy and stops sticking to your spoon.</li><li>I also added salt, pepper and a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast. </li></ul>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-78573992517027492932009-06-03T11:22:00.000-07:002009-06-03T11:49:00.757-07:00Make Your Own FlourI got this article in an email newletter from the <a href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/" target="_blank">Organic Consumers Association</a> today. I wish I had a bigger yard so I could grow some grains. How fantastic would it be to make pancakes or bread grown from your backyard? Maybe I'll try a little corn next year, but oats or wheat would be great.<br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">________________</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Homegrown Grains: The Key to Food Security -- How to Grow and Make Your Own Wheat Flour</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><br />Freshly ground wheat flour has a high vitamin content; vitamins that degrade all too quickly when exposed to the air. The whole grain flour that we buy from stores is often quite stale and may have significantly reduced vitamin content when compared to freshly ground.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">GROW YOUR OWN WHEAT</span><br />(from breadinfo.com) Planting a plot approximately 10 feet by 10 feet will, when all is said and done, yield between 10 and 25 loaves of bread. To begin, find a nice backyard plot and choose the type of wheat you wish to plant. In the United States two varieties are grown, white and red. Red wheat is more common. Red wheat also produces bread with a much more intense flavor. Consider the advantages of growing winter wheat as opposed to spring variety. <a href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18082.cfm" target="_blank">(continue to entire OCA article)</a>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-55576710229232386542009-05-26T15:00:00.000-07:002009-05-27T13:03:46.352-07:00Healthy, Whole Food GrainsWhole grains should be a staple of any healthy, nutritious meal. Because of their increased fiber content, one benefit to whole grains is that they make a meal feel more filling so you stay full for longer. This is especially helpful to those of us trying to shed some extra winter weight. Many grains also come with increased vitamin and mineral content.<br /><br />Some of my favorites include quinoa, barley, millet, oatmeal and wild rice. I typically purchase my grains bulk at Whole Foods as that is the least expensive option, but sometimes will resort to packaged grains if the bulk version is unavailable. I love how simple grains are to cook. Basically you put the grain in a pan with water and simmer. Its also great to cook extra for leftover or to add to another dish, such as soup or stir-fry.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FLdpqJtSbvdoNNjliq3KS7zjQRCJWWsjmI__lT4nOs61Ns7N0erGmNuIwta22DzYwasAb1kzO2tuwmFZpXPcgX6hiRPKAPS5OU4M9siW7zFuZH2prUxmKnpsCpS9oncmjV8kwNaw_88/s1600-h/quinoa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 174px; height: 118px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FLdpqJtSbvdoNNjliq3KS7zjQRCJWWsjmI__lT4nOs61Ns7N0erGmNuIwta22DzYwasAb1kzO2tuwmFZpXPcgX6hiRPKAPS5OU4M9siW7zFuZH2prUxmKnpsCpS9oncmjV8kwNaw_88/s200/quinoa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340209430401818514" border="0" /></a>Quinoa (pronounce Keen-wah) is my new favorite dinner grain, although technically quinoa is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like Kale and Swiss chard. I usually just add some garlic and olive oil and have a quick and super nutricious side dish or meal base. Of course, there are tons of quinoa recipes out there. You can add veggies, herbs, nuts or fruit for breakfast. Pasta made from quinoa is also very delicious and available at most health food stores.<br /><br />My new favorite quinoa dish was found on Vegan Yum Yum (<a href="http://veganyumyum.com/2008/06/sweet-chili-lime-tofu-with-wok-steamed-collards-and-quinoa/" target="_blank">Sweet Chili Lime Tofu w/ Wok Steamed Collards and Quinoa</a>). I typically replace the collard greens with kale or asparagus, but even the quinoa from this recipe on its own is so delicious. I made the mistake of substituting ground cinnamon for the cinnamon stick. If you are going to do this, add the cinnamon when the dish is done, or better yet, just leave the cinnamon out.<br /><br />The World's Healthiest Foods website has some great nutritional info on <a href="http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142">quinoa</a> and all types of grains.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-10378408499237645672009-05-11T17:34:00.000-07:002009-05-12T19:14:48.727-07:00Famous Vegetarian MusiciansIt seems that our society is so fascinated with celebrities. Although I try not to put too much stock in what famous people do in their daily lives, I can totally understand the fascination, especially with musicians and other artists. Here is a brief but impressive list of some musicians I admire, who also just happen to be or have been vegetarians.<br /><br /><ul><li>John Coltrane (1926-1967) - jazz legend. "His work 'A Love Supreme' was a testament to the power, glory, love and greatness of God. Coltrane felt we must all make a conscious effort to effect positive change in the world, and that his music was an instrument to create positive thought patterns in the minds of people." - excerpt from <a href="http://johncoltrane.com/" target="_blank">johncoltrane.com<br /></a></li><br /><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Yi4Ubd0KKf-4f63D3cpMeyke_872cuPUUKEj6G8MhhcaYDYOQ0mAmpEb456HX_U-3uGgG9c7_L8IR4vNqfj_zknExoH3lJYK9YvHagNHF3N2VRJ9MaY5cQ26zKoXKjlrSDfXMECM62g/s1600-h/ra.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 88px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Yi4Ubd0KKf-4f63D3cpMeyke_872cuPUUKEj6G8MhhcaYDYOQ0mAmpEb456HX_U-3uGgG9c7_L8IR4vNqfj_zknExoH3lJYK9YvHagNHF3N2VRJ9MaY5cQ26zKoXKjlrSDfXMECM62g/s200/ra.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334703498701587186" border="0" /></a>Sun Ra a.k.a. Herman Poole ""Sonny"" Blount (1914–1993) - jazz musician. One of the first musicians, regardless of genre, to make extensive use of electronic keyboards. Sun Ra "maintained that everyone should be vegetarian and eat natural foods and large quantities of fruit and fiber." - <span style="font-style: italic;">Space is the place: the lives and times of Sun Ra</span>, by John F. Szwed. Check out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NJ2oXwWEvw&feature=related" target="_blank">video excerpt</a> from Sun Ra's movie Space is the Place</li><br /><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5toOfmxOkjAgKWzjAs08LtaaIbFvqVbDxdYRcT4Ig6jyQU5r2ZdZ_oLJu0nHy9NuhvK6DDh9MKwX9YBVK5MwA3otTusen3d66L3oyFzB3duCdSsLcCyyeULbTduYt-vENOQDhQKmarJE/s1600-h/ornette"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5toOfmxOkjAgKWzjAs08LtaaIbFvqVbDxdYRcT4Ig6jyQU5r2ZdZ_oLJu0nHy9NuhvK6DDh9MKwX9YBVK5MwA3otTusen3d66L3oyFzB3duCdSsLcCyyeULbTduYt-vENOQDhQKmarJE/s200/ornette" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334705867173846130" border="0" /></a>Ornette Coleman (1930-) - one of the most influential jazz artists to emerge in the last century. Jim and I were lucky to see him perform at the Newport Jazz Festival a few years ago.</li><br /><li>George Harrison (1943-2001) British guitarist best know as the lead guitarist for The Beatles. He also happens to have written my favorite Beatles song, <span style="font-style: italic;">While My Guitar Gently Weeps.</span></li><br /><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGGfgEuF4_F3z6aTEgX8srqmh1aDRXKyzmRe-EG8nOHPKMEU_P2ZeNBMhCHLNV54D_6FevD2Fzpz9TxsLMdNSNtiHpa2kPH6fN3z5zvMW_2xaf-SYNWcjYCjYIofpS1dLgBdbtckqwww/s1600-h/joanjett.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 106px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGGfgEuF4_F3z6aTEgX8srqmh1aDRXKyzmRe-EG8nOHPKMEU_P2ZeNBMhCHLNV54D_6FevD2Fzpz9TxsLMdNSNtiHpa2kPH6fN3z5zvMW_2xaf-SYNWcjYCjYIofpS1dLgBdbtckqwww/s200/joanjett.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334704540580037474" border="0" /></a>Joan Jett (1958- ) Bad-ass American Rock & Roll Goddess. Link to her interview with <a href="http://www.goveg.com/f-joanjett.asp" target="_blank">GoVeg.com<br /></a></li><br /><li>Dizzy Gillepse (1917-1993) - American Jazz trumpeter, bandleader, singer, composer. Check him out on the Muppet Show <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIvCJC8oAIE" target="_blank">here</a>.</li><br /><li>Philip Glass (1937-) - American composer. He describes himself as a composer of "music with repetitive structures". Vegetarian for over 50 years.</li><br /><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdtuaw45G4hHk2RsHaACJ7l1iBF4lKJS2jzUrNnJsja_qbkR3Rkmw_HjcLAyAaKtJYPl-NyGxTjKYDeCOGTpqU9JOXVOhI0dYr9drHxCe_kkw9gB5u90uR7ssanmzj5qLJw2fGiB6ugk/s1600-h/andre"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 111px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdtuaw45G4hHk2RsHaACJ7l1iBF4lKJS2jzUrNnJsja_qbkR3Rkmw_HjcLAyAaKtJYPl-NyGxTjKYDeCOGTpqU9JOXVOhI0dYr9drHxCe_kkw9gB5u90uR7ssanmzj5qLJw2fGiB6ugk/s200/andre" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334705264529393186" border="0" /></a>Andre 3000 (1975-) - American Rapper, actor, best know for his work in OutKast. When he was asked what he would do for his last day on earth, he replied, “I’d probably go for a great meal—some broccoli probably, because I’m a vegetarian.”</li><br /><li>Moby (1965-) Vegan. DJ and musician who plays keyboard, guitar, bass guitar and drums. His <span style="font-style: italic;">The End of Everything</span> album included an essay about veganism ("Could you look an animal in the eyes and say to it, 'My appetite is more important than your suffering'?)"</li><br /><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1s2QsjgXBC-Q6hQjtt838-IX2gri5ngDfvzslVm92r51WRd3wLsFOOF3KXEvj-kKf8N_Sim5CCFeWkQb5IXvrtO2zQv-HXwer9tKZwnhH6A_b1ajsP97J_zmN8F2y2eZ7TKlznkIEd94/s1600-h/krs-one.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 152px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1s2QsjgXBC-Q6hQjtt838-IX2gri5ngDfvzslVm92r51WRd3wLsFOOF3KXEvj-kKf8N_Sim5CCFeWkQb5IXvrtO2zQv-HXwer9tKZwnhH6A_b1ajsP97J_zmN8F2y2eZ7TKlznkIEd94/s200/krs-one.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334706924536343298" border="0" /></a>KRS-One (1965-) - American Rapper. Recorded a song "Beef", on the 4th Boogie Down Productions album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Edutainment</span>. Here is an excerpt from the song:</li></ul><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Let us begin now with the cow<br />The way it gets to your plate and how<br />The cow doesn't grow fast enough for man<br />So through his greed he makes a faster plan<br />He has drugs to make the cow grow quicker<br />Through the stress the cow gets sicker<br />Twenty-one different drugs are pumped<br />Into the cow in one big lump<br />So just before it dies, it cries<br />In the slaughterhouse full of germs and flies<br />Off with the head, they pack it, drain it, and cart it<br />And there it is, in your local supermarket<br />Red and bloody, a corpse, neatly packed<br />And you wonder about heart attacks?</span></blockquote><br />There are so many other vegetarian musicians. Here are some rumored vegetarians that I haven't had a chance to 100% verify...<br /><br />Barry White, Billie Joe Armstrong, Billy Idol, Bonnie Rait, Brian Bell (Weezer), Brian May (Queen), Chris Martin (Coldplay), Daniel Kessler (Interpol), Fat Mike (NOFX), Fred Schneider (B52s), Jane Weidlan (Go-Gos), Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), Larry Mullen Jr, (U2), Melissa Etheridge, Mike Gordon (Phish), Nelly, Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Paul McCartney, Philip Collen (Def Leppard), Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead), PJ Harvey, Prince, Richie Havens, Ravi Shankar, Ringo Starr, RZA, Steve Perry, Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Weird AlMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-48628881424692635762009-05-06T11:39:00.000-07:002009-05-27T13:01:34.304-07:00Fiddleheads Are HereWhen I went food shopping yesterday I was happy to see Fiddleheads available once again! Although they weren't organic, they were local and I bought a nice big bag. I think I will either steam them and serve them with wild rice or pasta, or try the following recipe from <a href="http://veganyumyum.com/" target="_blank">Vegan Yum-Yum</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://veganyumyum.com/2009/04/pan-fried-gnocchi-with-morels-and-fiddleheads/" target="_blank">Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Morels and Fiddleheads</a><br /><br /><br />It is now truly spring for me!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Nl0q0wmZ4fDseFHi8cnhJ6mHVO79VQCySgewHnRdM93IajWnF9Ob285-xim8VUU6Y2aHg-qKKynCJHku0V7NDDIhJexYF2tSmnAQnDsgxOaHd_OWce3LDE9Xg04SrT-IisQ71qaLh1M/s1600-h/fiddleheads.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 0px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 148px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Nl0q0wmZ4fDseFHi8cnhJ6mHVO79VQCySgewHnRdM93IajWnF9Ob285-xim8VUU6Y2aHg-qKKynCJHku0V7NDDIhJexYF2tSmnAQnDsgxOaHd_OWce3LDE9Xg04SrT-IisQ71qaLh1M/s200/fiddleheads.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332786689077792418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">image gratefully borrowed from <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/libraryman/427415907/">Libraryman</a><br /></span>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4232859332510265931.post-37264522445755961912009-04-24T13:28:00.000-07:002009-04-27T19:22:51.693-07:00Mango Salsa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXB-amr244mIkTv8PvlJTR_ziRciPtkqlyxYv_s6IUm-nqeqDvX4utD_gyIKj1_RnRawiS8l3QoL2MuGMBunagqjZEjZuTWM4TOIeIuKliXlMQ_ji3icB4-Yuqz-XTfwoEAkagZmFf2BE/s1600-h/mango.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 15px 5px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 110px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXB-amr244mIkTv8PvlJTR_ziRciPtkqlyxYv_s6IUm-nqeqDvX4utD_gyIKj1_RnRawiS8l3QoL2MuGMBunagqjZEjZuTWM4TOIeIuKliXlMQ_ji3icB4-Yuqz-XTfwoEAkagZmFf2BE/s200/mango.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328385424070917650" border="0" /></a>More often than not I don't have any particular meal in mind when I go food shopping. I like to let the fresh produce availability inspire me. This week, I walked into Whole Foods and they had a lovely display of organic mangoes on sale. Mango Salsa was my first thought. Ok, that's great, but what do I serve that with? Hmmmm... mangoes make me think of South America and that made me think of corn, so... Polenta! And black beans. Now that's a healthy meal, and a fairly simple one at that. Here's my mango salsa recipe for your enjoyment. I can tell you, after snacking on it at lunch today, its even better two days later.<br /><br />I used:<br /><ul><li>2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cubed <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvLdPjpELyU&feature=related" target="_blank">(How to cut a mango)</a></li><li>4 tbs of chopped, fresh cilantro</li><li>2/3 medium red onion, diced</li><li>2 cloves garlic, minced</li><li>diced green chiles- I used 1 small can</li><li>a dash of salt to taste</li><li>2 tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice, or to taste</li></ul><br />Combine all ingredients and serve- its that simple. I also topped it on the plate with fresh, cubed avocado and served it with chopped lettuce. If you plan on making this to scoop with tortilla chips, cut the mango smaller.<br /><br />I do highly recommend making this salsa ahead of time as well, although it was quite delicious fresh.<br /><br />For the polenta, they were out of bulk polenta grain, so I got an organic, pre-packaged tube. I sliced it in 1/2" slices, sprayed a baking sheet with canola oil, cooked both sides for 10 minutes at 400 degrees (or until slightly brown on both sides). For the last 2 minutes I sprinkled a little shredded cheddar on top and on slice of jalapeno.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">*I apologize for the poor quality photo, although I am grateful to Jim for quickly snapping a pic of his plate with his iPhone before we ate it all up.</span>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16741799134352757142noreply@blogger.com0