Puff pastry

Gooey and bubbly berry puff pastry

I LOVE berries. And what's better than berries with something sweet for breakfast? Nothing! :) This recipe is a jumble of all the berries I had in my fridge and the result is a quick and de-li-ciously flaky (and vegan!) treat.

Ingredients:
1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed and rolled out (Try Pepperidge farm. It has no animal ingredients!)
Grand Marnier, 1 teaspoon
1.5 cups of mixed berries, sliced
Blackberry jam, 1 tablespoon (optional)

Granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons  

Powdered sugar,  as needed for dusting (Try Florida Crystals, it's vegan) 

Directions:

1. Place 3/4 of the sliced berries (I used strawberries and raspberries) and jam (I used blackberry jam) in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add the granulated sugar and grand marnier. You'll use the rest of the berries later on. 

<<Side note: If you have it, grate a teaspoon of orange zest into the berry mixture for an added depth of flavor. I didn't have any oranges, so I left it out>>. 

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Let the berry mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Once the berries have broken down and released their juices, turn off the heat and add the rest of the fresh berries to the mixture (to give it some added texture).

 

3. Fill the rolled out puff pastry with the berry mixture in whatever shape you like. Seal the edges of the puff pastry by pressing down with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and cooked through.

4. Dust with powdered sugar and you're ready to eat! 

                  

Till Next Time, To Life!

Easy swaps.

After the initial panic (I'm never going to eat ice cream or chocolate bars ever again..AH!) of moving towards veganism wore off, I was on a mission to find reasonable substitutes for everyday things from food to body care. After many, many bumps in the road (think chalky, chewy soy milk..yuck!), I'm happy to say that I've compiled a starter list of delicious substitutes!


The best chocolate chip cookies!
Not only is each bite full of chocolatey chunks (it's in the name!), but through its collaboration with the Nature Conservancy, Back to Nature is committed to supporting conservation work around the world. Learn more here. Delicious and something I can get behind!

Vegan Mayo and Vegan butter:
I've tried many a  vegan mayo. Most of them can't hold up to being in a potato salad much less being spread on a sandwich (Hint, hint: they turn watery..not exactly the look you're going for). Just when I thought there was no hope, I came across the Earth Balance mayo. In a word, it is delicious and I actually prefer it to the regular one. As with all their products, the mayo is made from all natural and organic ingredients. Give their  butter spread a try--spread them on muffins, toast and pancakes for a healthy, alternative option. Yumm!

 

Regular and Chocolate Milk:

Ok, here is where I thought well "I have my work cut out for me." I tried a lot, A LOT of different soy milks and the verdict on most of them? YUK! Either they were chalky or had weird floaties in them. Not what you're looking for in your milk. Then came the deliciousness below. Yum yum yum. So happy to have something to dunk my delicious chocolate chip in to. Try the chocolate milk as well....my husband swears by it.

Want to try your hand at making your own chocolate milk or hot chocolate? Try Ghirardelli hot cocoa premium chocolate. Holy moly. You won't know what hit you. :)

Sugar:
Who would have known that sugar, yes sugar! would not be vegan? According to Jo Stepaniak, "During the final purification process, cane sugar is filtered through activated carbon (charcoal) which may be of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin. Over half of the cane refineries in the United States use bone char (charcoal made from animal bones) as their activated carbon source."  Ridiculous. So, try the following vegan option.

Meats: 
Try the mexican style ground "beef" on nachos, in tacos and in pasta sauce for a twist on the traditional meat sauce. Just sautee in some onions, garlic and season with salt and pepper and you're ready to go.

Gardein mandarain chick'n  is soooooo amazingly delicious. Sautee it, add some grilled red bell peppers, carrots and celery and sprinkle with a handful of scallions and serve on hot rice. It is fabulously simple and better than any chinese food take out. Also try out their beefless tip, babeque wings, bbq pulled shreds and chicken scallopini. Yumm!

Morningstar has the best chik'n strips. They are so actual chicken-like that I had to double check the label to make sure it was vegan. I use this to make thai chikin red curry to chikin pot pie to chikin soup (all recipes to come, I promise). Try it and you won't miss the real chicken. :)

More to come.

Till next time, To Life!

Onion galore!

I have been slowly transitioning to a vegan diet for almost a year now. I've moved away from consuming dairy milk, eggs, butter, and seafood. Additionally, I only use products that are cruelty free (so, no animal testing or animal ingredients. It's amazing how many everyday products, such as sugar (yes!), soap, lotion, shampoo and cleaning supplies have animal ingredients). All in all, the slow transition has helped me to sustain this change. As you've probably gathered from the title of this post, the one product that has held up the full change to veganism is....CHEESE! That curdled and fermented deliciousness is holding me hostage. :)

I felt a lot of guilt at my difficulty giving up cheese. And then I remembered Ms. Patrick-Goudreau's (author of the Vegan Table) words "Our connection with food is powerful." And it is as simple as that. Food is a part of our life. They remind us of where we've been: the soul food restaurant in Harlem, the outdoor bbq in Jersey, eating curried lamb with the village women in India or the quiet evenings spent with Mike with a bottle of wine and cheese. Many of our deepest, most meaningful experiences occur around food and so my difficulty should come as no surprise. I also know that this revelation is not an excuse to stop my progress towards veganism. But, understanding and acknowledging my emotions (without judgement) associated with food is an important first step in my continued evolution. So, to all of you out there who are thinking of decreasing or giving up animal meat and products, I have some advice that I've discovered along the way. This is a process..challenge yourself and if you fall, acknowledge the reason and move on. Remember, the goal is to decrease suffering..(whether it be through giving up meat once a week, or removing household products with animal ingredients etc.) I wish you luck in your journey of aligning your behavior with your values.

Caramelized Onions and goat cheese (optional) on flat bread

Serves two

 

What I've learned along the way:
1. Be  careful not to over handle basil. It tends to bruise easily (gets a blackish color) that can detract from the presentation. Just run it under moving water and you're done.
2. When cooking garlic, it is best to cook it on low heat to allow the delicious garlic flavor to infuse the oil. You don't want the garlic to start sizzling when you add it to the oil.

Ingredients:
2 Flat breads, one per person
Two large yellow onions, sliced
Apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons
Salt, as needed
Black pepper, as needed
Sugar, 2 tablespoons
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Handful of basil, julienned
Olive oil, as needed
Herbed goat cheese, a few crumbles

Directions:
1. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and add the sliced onions. Add salt and pepper and cook the onions on medium heat for approximately 25 minutes until they have wilted. Turn occasionally. About halfway through, add the apple cider vinegar and continue to cook.

2. While the onions are cooking, add a tablespoon of olive oil and slow cook the garlic and half the julienned basil on low heat.

3. Once the onions have wilted more, add sugar and combine well. Cook for an additional 35 to 40 minutes until the onions have turned a lovely golden brown. Remember to turn the onions occasionally to prevent them from burning.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Now, you're ready to assemble. Brush the flatbread with the garlic and basil infused olive oil. Next, add a layer of the apple cider caramalized onions and sprinkle with a few crumbles of herbed goat cheese (optional).
5. Cook for 10 minutes or until flatbread crisps up and the cheese melts.
6. Remove from oven, cut into wedges, sprinkle some basil and serve with wine. I particularly love an Argentinian Malbec with this.

Enjoy!

Till Next Time, To Life!

Kale!

Curried kale with chickpeas

Recipe adapted from 1,000 vegetarian recipes

Kale, a type of cabbage (who knew!), is very rich in vitamins, calcium and indole-3-carbinol, a chemical involved in DNA repair. It's also really, really delicious! I came across this recipe in the book "1,000 vegetarian recipes," by Carol Gelles (a gift from my lovely sister-in-law, Bridget) and it has quickly become a go-to recipe. Try it once and you'll see what I mean!

Things I've learned along the way:

1. When cooking with greens (collards, spinach, kale etc), it is best to only cook them for a short period of time to preserve nutrients, color etc. Click here to read more.

2. When using canned beans (such as in this recipe) be sure to thoroughly wash them in cool water.

So, how do you chop kale?

   

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

Garlic, 4 cloves minced

3 cups of Kale, chopped

3 cups of cooked chickpeas, thoroughly washed

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

1 cup of vegetable broth, or as needed

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon of curry powder, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Salt, as needed

2 cups of brown rice, cooked according to package directions

Directions:

In a sautee pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions and cumin and cook 2 minutes, until softened.

Stir in the curry powder, ginger and coriander until it is well absorbed. Add broth and bring to a boil. Once the broth has boiled, add tomatoes, chickpeas and salt. Bring to a boil again and let it boil for a few minutes. Then, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. If the liquid has absorbed too much, add another quarter cup of vegetable broth.

Add the kale and cook, on low heat, for 5 to 10 mintues until the kale is cooked through (it will turn limp) but still retains its color.

Let the curry sit for another 20 minutes (off the heat) before serving.  Ladle over a bowl of brown rice and enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

Soup Du Jour

Roasted vegetable soup with bulgur

I know, I know. Bulgur. What an unfortunate name for such a tasty and highly nutritious grain. <Click here for more information on bulgur>.  But, what can I say, this is one delicious soup. Yumm!

Things I've learned along the way:
1. Leeks are sandy little buggers. Make sure you thoroughly wash them before use or you'll end up with sandy soup.
2. Wash all greens, even the ones that are prewashed.
3. An oldie but a goodie, flavor every layer. This is particularly important if you are roasting veggies.

Ingredients:
5-6 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup of bulgur, washed and rinsed
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
2 stalks of leeks, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 onion, diced or julienned according to preference
3-4 turnips, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 can of cannelini beans, washed thoroughly
Arugula, handful
Salt, as needed
Black pepper, as needed
Dried Oregano, Thyme and Parlsey, as needed
Olive Oil, as needed 

Directions
Preheat the oven at 400 degrees. Once preheated, place the leeks, turnips and bell peppers on a cookie sheet, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper and roast for approximately 15 minutes or until the veggies have a nice char.
While the veggies are roasting, sautee, on low heat, the garlic and onions in a large stock pot, approximately 5 minutes. Once the onions start to become translucent, add the tomato paste and tomato and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and the dried spices and bring the heat up to medium high. Once the stock boils, lower the heat to medium and allow it to keep cooking for another 10 minutes.
While the stock is boiling on medium heat, remove the veggies from the oven and allow them to cool.

     

                                

Add the prewashed bulgur to the stock and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until the bulgur is cooked through. <Cooked bulgur should still remain al dente>.  

Add the cannelini beans and the roasted veggies and allow the stock to come back to a boil. Add salt as needed.  Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. 

 

Ladle a healthy portion in a bowl, drizzle with good olive oil and garnish with a handful of arugula. Mix the arugula into the soup right before eating.

Enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

    

Sane Cooking, redefined

A few months ago, I decided to become a vegan (in short, vegans do not eat or consume animal products or byproducts including milk, eggs and cheese), a decision that was met with a range of reactions. Some, such as my sister and husband were incredibly supportive and proud. Others, such as my mom, were scared that my nutritional needs wouldn't be met <a fear that has been greatly alleviated once she saw what I actually eat!>. Still others, such as my mother and sister-in-law were wonderfully sweet and made sure to always have vegan friendly food. Some people, however, were immediately defensive and/or mocking. In the few months since becoming vegan, I've heard comments from "..why don't you just go munch on the grass outside.." to "Well, I don't really eat that much meat.." to "We [humans] aren't meant to eat only veggies and besides, we've always eaten meat.." and so on.

What is it about veganism that elicits these defensive reactions?  I suspect it is partly related to what Colleen Patrick-Goudreau refers to as the "intimacy of food".  We have a strong connection to food--it is the center of many of our holidays and celebrations, and adopting a vegan diet may be viewed by our family and friends as rejecting those traditions and by extension, them. It isn't! In fact, my husband and I celebrated a fully vegan holiday meal where animals were at the table--as friends. :)

Reading books, articles and blogs <such as my sister's http://indefenseofanimals.blogspot.com/> about veganism has helped me to understand and appreciate people's reactions. A (cook) book that has been particularly helpful has been The Vegan Table by Ms. Patrick- Goudreau.

Here's an excerpt that I find particularly compelling: " I didn't stop eating animals because I didn't like the way they tasted. I stopped eating animals and their "products" because I didn't want to contribute to the violence and exploitation of another when I didn't have to. It is a powerful and empowering way to live. The sense of peace you feel when you align your behavior with your values is intangible. It connects you with everything and everyone around you, and I can't think of a better way to deepen our participation in this world than by feeding our loved ones food that heals rather than harms. Most people don't look inside a slaughterhouse because they know if they did, they might be compelled to make different choices. It is our fear of change--our attachment to old habits--that drives us to keep eating animals and their products. Our ability to compartmentalize our emotions and justify the pain of other living creatures in favor of momentary pleasure cannot but [emphasis in original text] affect us at the most fundamental level. How can we function as whole human beings when we consciously cut ourselves off from a part of ourselves every time we sit down to eat?"

We humans are capable of so much love and compassion. We care for, love, and fiercely protect our pets. Thousands of us donate money to animal welfare organizations, foster abused and neglected animals, adopt from shelters or rescue organizations or take action when we hear of animals in need. We are collectively appalled when we hear of senseless violence towards animals (such as the recent mutilation of Mr. Aden's cat). What if we focused but a small part of that compassion towards other living beings? To creatures such as the intelligent and affectionate pigs, the gentle cows or the silly ducks? Trust me, ducks are silly! I have a few hooded mergansers that live in the pond in front of my home and their daily antics are amusing!

For many of us, turning vegan overnight is not a possibility; my evolution to veganism spanned months. Good news is, it doesn't have to be an all or none decision. What all of us can do is decrease the immense suffering we cause by lessening our intake of animal products and byproducts to the extent possible. Perhaps that means not eating meat for one day per week or leaving the pepperoni off the pizza...or passing on that leather coat.

Finally, for those of you contemplating a shift to a vegan diet, please do so responsibly. Consult a registered dietitian or a knowledgeable physician to help you transition to a vegan diet. Although a vegan diet is healthier for you and the planet, it does not provide one key vitamin--B12. This vitamin, which is not found in plant or animal products (it is produced by bacteria), is essential for normal functioning of the brain and the nervous system and must be supplemented through vitamins or fortified foods. There are a number of vegan B12 supplements and you should consult with a professional to determine the right one for you. 

I hope you will join me in doing what we can to decrease the pain and suffering to which our fellow living beings are subjected.