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.