Sicilian-Style Broccoli
from The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen (Klein)
makes 4-6 servings...
1 head broccoli (about 1.25 lbs)
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 Tbsp drained capers, slightly crushed
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt & pepper to taste
Cut off and separate the broccoli florets. Trim the tough ends of the stalks; peel, if necessary, and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices.
In a large skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, 1-2 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and stalks, vegetable broth, capers, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer over med-high heat. Reduce the heat to med-low, cover, and cook until the broccoli is tender but still firm, 5-7 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to high, and cook, tossing and stirring constantly, until any remaining broth evaporates, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Dear Omnivores,
Please forgive me while I take a moment to vent.
I try not to take it personally. Really, I do. Since most studies put the percentage of US population claiming vegetarianism at around 4%, and veganism between .02-.09%, most of the people I meet every day are omnivores. It would be crazy for me to begrudge everyone that eats animals. In fact, I love you omni's; I really do. I even love you ex-veg*ns! Some of you are simply curious as to WHY I do what I do, and I really appreciate honest questions. What I have a hard time with is the condescending tone that I hear from a number of folks when they refer to veg*nism.
On more than one occasion, I have encountered folks telling me about a veg*n family member. Usually a teenager, sometimes even referred to as "going through some sort of phase", they tell me about how accommodating they are to this person's recent decision...
-"It's so cute... she did all this research. And she's really trying to be healthy!"
-"Uh, oh. Don't talk to my daughter! She's already trying to be vegetarian, I don't need her thinking about being vegan, too." (That one is my favorite!)
-"We're doing our best to feed him, but..."
Tell you what: stop talking to me like I'M going through a phase and I might offer you a few suggestions!
Interestingly enough, I get quite a bit of flack from ex-veg*ns, as if they had tried it once and then came to their senses. If this is you, please don't berate my choice just because yours didn't last. Also, please don't patronize your teenager (or ANY family member/friend) as if SAVING THE WORLD is a childish objective.
Animals are sentient creatures that deserve protection and a voice. Vegans help conserve the planet's precious resources, including water and fertile soil. And finally, YOUR KID WILL LIVE LONGER as a vegan, which might be helpful when the standard American diet puts you in the hospital. Try not to take it personally. :)
Thank you for your time.
Love,
JenB.
I try not to take it personally. Really, I do. Since most studies put the percentage of US population claiming vegetarianism at around 4%, and veganism between .02-.09%, most of the people I meet every day are omnivores. It would be crazy for me to begrudge everyone that eats animals. In fact, I love you omni's; I really do. I even love you ex-veg*ns! Some of you are simply curious as to WHY I do what I do, and I really appreciate honest questions. What I have a hard time with is the condescending tone that I hear from a number of folks when they refer to veg*nism.
On more than one occasion, I have encountered folks telling me about a veg*n family member. Usually a teenager, sometimes even referred to as "going through some sort of phase", they tell me about how accommodating they are to this person's recent decision...
-"It's so cute... she did all this research. And she's really trying to be healthy!"
-"Uh, oh. Don't talk to my daughter! She's already trying to be vegetarian, I don't need her thinking about being vegan, too." (That one is my favorite!)
-"We're doing our best to feed him, but..."
Tell you what: stop talking to me like I'M going through a phase and I might offer you a few suggestions!
Interestingly enough, I get quite a bit of flack from ex-veg*ns, as if they had tried it once and then came to their senses. If this is you, please don't berate my choice just because yours didn't last. Also, please don't patronize your teenager (or ANY family member/friend) as if SAVING THE WORLD is a childish objective.
Animals are sentient creatures that deserve protection and a voice. Vegans help conserve the planet's precious resources, including water and fertile soil. And finally, YOUR KID WILL LIVE LONGER as a vegan, which might be helpful when the standard American diet puts you in the hospital. Try not to take it personally. :)
Thank you for your time.
Love,
JenB.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Quote
"Think of the fierce energy concentrated in an acorn! You bury it in the ground, and it explodes into an oak! Bury a sheep, and nothing happens but decay." ~George Bernard Shaw
My body is not a graveyard.
My body is not a graveyard.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Recipe!
OOH, I wanna make SCONES.
Found this recipe in Vegan With A Vengeance... and I'm so excited to try it!
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar, plus an extra teaspoon for sprinkling the tops
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy cream (rice or soy milk makes a fine substitution)
3/4 cup rice or soy milk plus 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 400*F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the oil, soy cream, and rice milk. Mix until just combined; the dough should be clumpy and not sticky. Even if there is still a light dusting of flour, that's okay.
Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto the greased cookie sheet and pat the tops just a bit to round them out; sprinkle with a bit of sugar. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until slightly browned on the bottom and firm on the top.
variations...
Berry Scones: Fold in 1& 1/2 cups fresh berries.
Chocolate Chip Scones: Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the liquid ingredients, add 2 Tbsp of sugar, fold in 1 cup chocolate chips.
Maple Walnut: Add 2 teaspoons of maple extract to the liquid ingredients, add 2 Tbsp of sugar, fold in 1& 1/2 cups walnuts.
Enjoy!
Found this recipe in Vegan With A Vengeance... and I'm so excited to try it!
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar, plus an extra teaspoon for sprinkling the tops
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy cream (rice or soy milk makes a fine substitution)
3/4 cup rice or soy milk plus 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 400*F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the oil, soy cream, and rice milk. Mix until just combined; the dough should be clumpy and not sticky. Even if there is still a light dusting of flour, that's okay.
Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto the greased cookie sheet and pat the tops just a bit to round them out; sprinkle with a bit of sugar. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until slightly browned on the bottom and firm on the top.
variations...
Berry Scones: Fold in 1& 1/2 cups fresh berries.
Chocolate Chip Scones: Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the liquid ingredients, add 2 Tbsp of sugar, fold in 1 cup chocolate chips.
Maple Walnut: Add 2 teaspoons of maple extract to the liquid ingredients, add 2 Tbsp of sugar, fold in 1& 1/2 cups walnuts.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Quote
"Even in the worm that crawls in the earth there glows a divine spark. When you slaughter a creature, you slaughter God." ~Isaac Singer
Monday, June 21, 2010
Juice?
So... I know that the raw movement is kind of a big deal nowadays. And I absolutely understand the ideas, reasoning, and fundamentals. That being said, I'm a "comfort food" kinda gal. I have a hard time imagining giving up my casseroles, stews, and stir-fry.
I do my best to eat veggies in their natural state as often as I can (salads, sandwiches, okay-way more sandwiches than salads). And with the summer heat just really kicking in, that task will be easier than ever! So... I want to start juicing. "What?" You ask, "You don't already juice?" Um, nope.
How do I get started? I need recommendations for a good juicer, to start! Something powerful, of course, but I don't need your top-of-the-line, take-up-too-much-space situation. I'm a gal on a budget in a smallish kitchen. :) Also, recipes! There's a great article in this month's "Yoga Journal" (Aug '10, p. 35) offering a ton of ideas; I'd like YOURS, too!
Tell me what has worked for you, and what hasn't. Tell me that you have more energy and I will, too. Oh, and feel free to tell me that you have a juicer you're not using and that you'd love to donate to my "research!"
I do my best to eat veggies in their natural state as often as I can (salads, sandwiches, okay-way more sandwiches than salads). And with the summer heat just really kicking in, that task will be easier than ever! So... I want to start juicing. "What?" You ask, "You don't already juice?" Um, nope.
How do I get started? I need recommendations for a good juicer, to start! Something powerful, of course, but I don't need your top-of-the-line, take-up-too-much-space situation. I'm a gal on a budget in a smallish kitchen. :) Also, recipes! There's a great article in this month's "Yoga Journal" (Aug '10, p. 35) offering a ton of ideas; I'd like YOURS, too!
Tell me what has worked for you, and what hasn't. Tell me that you have more energy and I will, too. Oh, and feel free to tell me that you have a juicer you're not using and that you'd love to donate to my "research!"
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Quote
"It is difficult to picture the great Creator conceiving of a program of one creature (which He has made) using another living creature for purposes of experimentation. There must be other, less cruel ways of obtaining knowledge."
~Adlai Stevenson, American statesman (1835–1914)
~Adlai Stevenson, American statesman (1835–1914)
Monday, June 14, 2010
Recipe!
Celebrate the Summer Solstice with...
First Berries Pudding
2 cups seasonal berries (strawberries, raspberries, or thawed blackberries from last fall-YUM)
1 cup brown sugar
9 slices bread (no crusts)
Set aside 1/2 cup berries that are the nicest looking. To the rest, add brown sugar and crush. Leave to sit for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, take a nice glass bowl and place the 1/2 cup of "pretty" berries in the bottom. Add a layer of bread. Layer with 1/2 of crushed berry mix. Cover with a layer of bread. Layer the last bit of crushed berries, followed by the last slices of bread. Cover with wax paper.
Place a plate on top of the mixture (smaller than the edge of the bowl), and then a small bowl filled with something heavy on top of that. Leave this for at least 6 hours in your fridge.
To serve, remove the place at wax paper. Hold a large plate onto the bowl and flip it over. With luck you should have a nice dome-shaped pudding, but it will taste good regardless of form. Serve with some vanilla "So Delicious" frozen dessert, and celebrate the solstice.
From Llewellyn's Witches' Datebook
Enjoy!
First Berries Pudding
2 cups seasonal berries (strawberries, raspberries, or thawed blackberries from last fall-YUM)
1 cup brown sugar
9 slices bread (no crusts)
Set aside 1/2 cup berries that are the nicest looking. To the rest, add brown sugar and crush. Leave to sit for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, take a nice glass bowl and place the 1/2 cup of "pretty" berries in the bottom. Add a layer of bread. Layer with 1/2 of crushed berry mix. Cover with a layer of bread. Layer the last bit of crushed berries, followed by the last slices of bread. Cover with wax paper.
Place a plate on top of the mixture (smaller than the edge of the bowl), and then a small bowl filled with something heavy on top of that. Leave this for at least 6 hours in your fridge.
To serve, remove the place at wax paper. Hold a large plate onto the bowl and flip it over. With luck you should have a nice dome-shaped pudding, but it will taste good regardless of form. Serve with some vanilla "So Delicious" frozen dessert, and celebrate the solstice.
From Llewellyn's Witches' Datebook
Enjoy!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Recipe!
Red Lentil Pasta
This comes from the pages of LA DOLCE VEGAN (Kramer), and to be fair--let me tell you that I haven't tried it yet... However, one look and I know I want to! I think this might be Friday night's post-yoga feast; it looks So Easy to make. Check it out!
ps. You'll need your food processor (or a good blender if you don't have one).
dry noodles (your choice & enough for two people)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup red lentils (dry)
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup toasted cashews
In a large pot of salted water, boil the noodles. While noodles are cooking, in a medium saucepan on medium heat, saute the onions in oil until translucent. Add the garlic, stock, lentils, tomatoes, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat; simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. In a food processor, blend half or all of the sauce until smooth (be careful, it's HOT); return to pot. Reheat and serve over noodles garnished with cashews. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.
Enjoy!
This comes from the pages of LA DOLCE VEGAN (Kramer), and to be fair--let me tell you that I haven't tried it yet... However, one look and I know I want to! I think this might be Friday night's post-yoga feast; it looks So Easy to make. Check it out!
ps. You'll need your food processor (or a good blender if you don't have one).
dry noodles (your choice & enough for two people)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup red lentils (dry)
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup toasted cashews
In a large pot of salted water, boil the noodles. While noodles are cooking, in a medium saucepan on medium heat, saute the onions in oil until translucent. Add the garlic, stock, lentils, tomatoes, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat; simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. In a food processor, blend half or all of the sauce until smooth (be careful, it's HOT); return to pot. Reheat and serve over noodles garnished with cashews. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.
Enjoy!
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