Going vegan doesn't mean going hungry. Get Kathy Freston's guide for the first three weeks.
Love Oprah`s whole go vegan promotion. This 3 week meal plan is courtesy of Kathy Freston, author of vegan health books. If you haven`t seen this, you should definitely go see it. So worth it!
Valentine's Day Vegetarian Paella
Feb 5, 2011 Giovanna De Gennaro
Why not heat things up on Valentine's by preparing a delicious vegetarian paella to light up your romance. This is a classic Mediterranean favorite that's always a success and the abundance and combination of ingredients make it a complete meal. Leftovers taste great by simply microwaving individual portions for a minute or two or oven baking the paella with your favorite grated cheese on top.
Cooking time: 15 minutes to cook the rice (or follow the manufacturer's directions), about 40-45 minutes to put together the paella. This recipe yields about four-five servings.
Drink: A sparkling prosecco such as Carpené Malvolti di Conegliano is light and bubbly, it accompanies vegetarian meals and it's perfect for celebrating any occasion such as Valentine's Day.
Dessert: Handmade chocolate truffles
Ingredients
- 3 cups semi-cooked medium or long-grain rice
- 8 ounces soy sausage
- 6 ounces veggie burgers (such as Boca or Morning Star)
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 1 large bell pepper, chopped
- 8 ounce can of diced tomatoes (drain their liquid in a strainer)
- 1 cup Italian borlotti beans (the canned variety will do)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup vegetable broth (you can make your own or use the store-bought kind such as Campbell's)
- paprika
- saffron (about 10 threads)
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped basil
- Mediterranean coarse salt (with its own grinder) and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pan, wok or 15-inch paella pan over medium heat and add the onion.
When the onion has become transparent add garlic, crumbled soy hamburger and chopped soy sausage and saute for a 2-3 minutes. Garlic must not burn or it will taste bitter.
Add all the vegetables, the borlotti beans, rosemary, saffron, paprika and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
Add rice and stir in with other ingredients.
Add 1/4-1/2 cup of the broth and stir until it's absorbed by the rice. Add the rest of the broth and stir until all the liquid is absorbed. Keep stirring to keep rice and vegetables from sticking to the pot. More broth can be added if ingredients aren't fully cooked.
When done remove the rosemary sprigs and add a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Serving suggestion
Scoop paella on plates and sprinkle chopped basil and parsley on top. Fresh herbs will give the paella a wonderful aroma, but dried herbs will do just as well. You can also grate some fresh parmesan cheese (the real stuff, Parmigiano Reggiano) or Grana Padano.
Alternative recipe
Instead of rice you can use couscous. Cook the couscous according to the cooking directions on the package and proceed as per recipe above. Fresh or frozen vegetables can be used in both recipes.
Copyright Giovanna De Gennaro. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Sounds delicious! Got to try this!
iPhone Apps for Vegetarians by doniree
doniree's picks
VegOut - Vegetarian Restaurant Guide Uses GPS to find you and then locate local vegetarian restaurants near you. Also includes vegan restaurants and places with veg-friendly options. HUGELY helpful. This is also an AWESOME app if you're traveling and exploring new places, or in my case - just moved somewhere new.
Locavore Ever wondered what produce is in season? This app tells you - includes links to Epicurious if you want to see recipes. LOVE this. What's in season in Portland right now? Well, according to this app, nothing - but rhubarb is coming soon! I can't wait to use this app in the spring and summer :)
Veggie Lovers Recipes Great recipes for cooking sans meat.
Vegetarian Cookbook and Restaurant Locator! Also a great recipe app that includes a restaurant locator.
VeganYumYum Mobile Corresponding app to the wildly popular vegan cookbook, "Vegan Yum Yum." Includes a link to everything from homemade veggie stock to cherry cupcake pies - all vegan.Curated Links & TweetsTop 10 Vegetarian iPhone Apps (Groovy Vegetarian)
OOh! Awesome post! I love my i phone and I love new apps. I only had one of these so far..the first one: Veg Out. This app is from Happy Cow. If you are traveling and need to find vegetarian restaurants on the road, in different cities, this app is indispensable! Can`t wait to discover these other apps!
By ERIN JENNINGS
North Kitsap Herald Kitsap Week
Feb 03 2011, 4:51 PM
Coordinating a wedding is a lot like conducting an orchestra. All the key individual players come together for a great masterpiece to kick off your new life together. It isn’t easy and it takes planning, but with expert tips from local professionals, you can orchestrate your day to perfection. Or at least close to perfection.
All of the experts gave this advice: Remember that this is your wedding. It’s not your mother’s or your best friend’s. You get the final say. Choose what you like and how you want the celebration.
Just because you’ve attended 15 weddings where the bridesmaids have all worn identical dresses, doesn’t mean that your bridesmaids need to do the same. You are an individual with style and personality. Let your day reflect it.
GOIN’ TO THE CHAPEL AND WE’RE GONNA GET MARRIED
Once you are engaged and have texted, emailed, and called all of your friends and family with your great news, it’s time to focus and set a date and a venue. If your wedding ceremony will take place at a different location from your reception, it’s important to book the two venues at the same time. Nothing like booking your ideal reception, only to find out that the church isn’t available.Think about the tone you want to set for your wedding day and match the venue to your tone. Anne Thatcher, co-owner of Farm Kitchen, has some good questions for you to think about when choosing the venue. How is access to the location for your guests? Are there enough restrooms and parking? How is the privacy? Will yours be the only wedding, or will there be others on site? Will you have the venue for the day, or a certain set amount of time? If you chose to have your wedding in a public setting, are you OK with the thought of onlookers watching?
Thatcher said in her experience, 80 percent of wedding receptions
serve the food buffet-style. Buffets are nice because they give guests a sense of choice. However, with buffets you have to order more food because you don’t want the selection to look picked over. Plated (sit-down) meals are easier to budget because each plate is proportioned out.
“You never know if Uncle Henry won’t realize there are 40 people behind him waiting in the food line,” Thatcher said. An important question to ask yourself is: “How polite are your friends and family?” Will they realize they should only take a reasonable amount of food? Or will they be stuffing their purses with smoked salmon?
Nancy Gelose with Kiana Lodge said another popular food-service choice is “family style.” Entree and side dishes are served on large platters and passed around the table, in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Thatcher suggests thinking carefully how alcohol is used and served. Perhaps limit a guest’s choices to beer and wine instead of having full cocktail service. Think about groomsmen continuously walking around with a beer in hand.
“Seemingly insignificant beer drinking all day ends up with people not having great memories at the end of the day,” Thatcher said.
As the bride and groom, you will be in high-demand and will want to talk to as many guests as possible. Be sure to set aside time for the two of you to eat and enjoy the menu that you so carefully chose. If need be, designate a close friend to make you a plate. The last thing you want is to faint because you didn’t eat. While it may fetch you top prize on “America’s Funniest Videos,” you don’t want to be the bride who passed out into her wedding cake.
Lastly, Thatcher suggests planning end-of-the-day details. Who is taking the flowers? Who carts home the gifts? On your wedding day, you want to focus on the event, not the details.
A PICTURE IS WORTH 1,000 WORDS
“Choosing a photographer is one of the more important aspects of your wedding,” said Brad Camp of Olympic Photo Group. The photographer’s job is to capture your wedding day and give you an end product that you will enjoy for years to come.To help guide your photographer selection, Camp recommends using the “Four P” method:
— Portfolio: Do the photographer’s images match the style you want? The two main styles are photojournalism, which tells the story from start to finish, and traditional which is more focused around posed portraits. “No one style is better from the other,” Camp said, “but the couple needs to decide what style they want.”
Camp said to look beyond the photographer’s glossy brochure and look at an entire wedding documented from start to finish. You need to see the complete wedding day and how well the photographer captured it.
— Personality: Do you have a good rapport with the photographer? Could you spend the day with this person? Essentially the photographer joins your family for the day so it’s important to like the person.
— Packages: Does the photographer offer the services you need? What is the end product you want? Do the packages meet your goals?
— Price: What are you paying for? What is included? How are the photos delivered to you?
If the “Four P’s” align with a photographer, than you may have chosen the right one. Camp highly suggests talking to two or three different photographers so you can feel comfortable about your decision.
Theresa Aubin-Ahrens of Aubin Ahrens Photography stressed the importance of choosing a photographer with a business license and liability insurance. It’s also imperative to have a signed contract by both parties. Aubin-Ahrens has heard of bridal nightmares when a photographer skipped town or backed out of the event. In both cases, the couple didn’t have contracts and lost their deposits.
“When you are hiring people to work six months from now, you need to make sure their business is legitimate and will still be in business six months from now,” Aubin-Ahrens said.
Aubin-Ahrens said a popular trend is for brides and grooms to have “first look” photographs. Aubin-Ahrens estimated that 95 percent of her clients chose this feature. This is a time set aside before the wedding when the bride and groom can have a quiet moment and catch their breath before embarking down the aisle. The moment is photographed and it is a tender time, Aubin-Ahrens said.
As for the old wives’ tale of not seeing the bride before the wedding? Aubin-Ahrens said 99 percent of couples she has photographed in this setting are still together. Doing a “first look” also allows for family and bridal party photos. This way, immediately following the wedding ceremony, the couple can head to the reception and not have to wait for photos.
A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD SMELL AS SWEET
Bernadette Stephen-McRae of Diamond Custom Floral said brides are very savvy and usually have a specific floral vision. She said current trends seem to lean toward vintage bouquets with garden roses. Dana Kugler of Old Town Flowers, said she’s seen a lot of looser, more “wildflower-like” bouquets. Again, it is suggested to get three different referrals for florists and choose the one that most aligns with your vision.Stephen-McRae believes once the floral budget is determined, you should give the greatest importance to the most photographed part of the wedding: your bridal party. The next priority should be flowers for the reception because the guests have a close-up view of the centerpieces. The last priority should be flowers for the ceremony.
Stephen-McRae said ceremony venues often have very strict rules on what you can and cannot use. Besides, all eyes will be on you and your beloved when you have your first kiss. Save the grander flowers for the reception.
Kugler said that centerpieces for the reception should be proportionate to the size of the tables. If the tables seat 10 or more people, having a taller center piece is fine, because guests cannot talk across a table that large. If your tables are smaller and seat six or eight, a lower center piece should be used to allow the guests to talk to each other.
Stephen-McRae said many brides like to incorporate a sentimental item into the bridal bouquet. Items like your aunt’s locket or your grandmother’s handkerchief provide a nice tie-in with the “something old” aspect of wedding traditions. A smaller “toss bouquet” can then be used during the bridal toss. Another benefit of not tossing your bridal bouquet is that you can save it and have it freeze dried to keep the flowers in your bouquet preserved for years to come.
Kugler said you can keep costs low by choosing in-season flowers. Thanks to airplanes, just about any flower can be obtained, but it will cost a pretty penny. She also cautioned against having your wedding near Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, when florists are extremely busy.
Kugler suggests limiting the number of people you bring to your floral consultation. “A lot of opinions get confusing and overwhelming,” she said.
DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND
Wedding rings provide a subtle “taken” message. More importantly, wedding rings symbolize ever-lasting love.Megan Cooper of Blue Heron Jewelry said white metals such as white gold and platinum are still a popular choice for wedding bands. Palladium, which is part of the platinum family, offers different working properties. It is a good choice because it weighs less and costs less than platinum, but still gives a bright white, very polished look.
Square or round-shaped diamonds are the most favored. Cooper said the current trend is to have a clean, uncluttered look. Couples are also looking for interesting designs in the metal.
“Younger couples aren’t looking at jewelry as a lifelong investment. If their mood changes in the next five to ten years, they have no problem changing the ring,” Cooper said. “Older generations bought one ring and they stick with it, maintaining and repairing it. It symbolizes the point in time when they got married.”
In her opinion, the most important quality of a diamond is the cut. Not to be confused with the shape of the stone, the cut refers to how well the diamond cutter extracted the diamond. “If the diamond is cut well, it returns the light back to your eyes with power,” Cooper said.
Cooper recommends ordering wedding rings six to eight weeks in advance. She also stressed that couples should ask a lot of questions. “Go to the jewelry stores and look and touch. Connect with the rings. Don’t just rely on pictures,” she said.
HERE COMES THE BRIDE ... ALL DRESSED IN WHITE
Lynanne White, owner of American Rose Bridal, has a job that many girls dream about … she helps brides choose their wedding dress.Surrounded by pretty dresses that would make Barbie drool, White sorts through the racks and helps brides find the “one.” Lately the trend has been for wedding dresses to be more casual, White said.
White helps brides choose the dresses based on the scope of their wedding, their body shape and their budget. White said brides have to dig in and start trying on the dresses. Often, the idea they had when they walked into the store, is different from the dress they choose. Sometimes brides are set on a white dress, only to chose an ivory dress because ivory is better with their skin tone, she said.
White also helps with bridesmaids’ dresses. Lately, the trend has been for brides to choose a color scheme and for the bridesmaids to pick a dress in the color that suits them. If you have a wide-range of different sizes represented in your bridal party, they are going to look better in dresses styled for their shape, White said. Plus, if the bridesmaids get a say of what they wear, there is a better chance the dress will be worn again.
Jason Evans, owner of Defining Moments Salon, said the key to styling your hair for your wedding is to plan ahead. Evans suggest brides do a trial run with their hairstyle. This way, the hairstylist and bride can tweak the style to make it work best. Lately, Evans has seen the hairstyles be more natural and relaxed. He sees brides take their current style and amp it up a bit, but not go too wild. After all, you want to look like yourself.
As for bridal parties, Evans suggests the bridesmaids have a “cohesive style, but let their individuality shine through.”
CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, COME ON
Music provides the mood and entertainment for your reception. Music choices range from live music, to a disc jockey to using your own music. It depends on your taste and budget.— Live Band: This is the most entertaining option, but also the most costly, said Sunny Saunders-Housen of Gordon Sound. A live band also limits your musical choices. A great band may have 200 songs in their repertoire but a DJ might have 10,000.
— DJ: A DJ is usually less expensive than a live band and may be able to appeal to a wider variety of listeners. A DJ is capable of playing songs to get your grandparents dancing, as well as the current hits that will attract the younger audience. And don’t forget about disco. DJ Don Sears said, “People will tell you they hate disco, but it gets people out on the dance floor.”
A DJ also acts as the emcee for the night. A DJ helps coordinate the first dance, the bridal bouquet toss and other reception activities. Plus, a good DJ can read the crowd and adjust the music accordingly. Certain songs get people dancing and an experienced DJ should be able to get your party rockin’.
— Rental equipment: The least expensive choice is to rent sound equipment and plug in your own music. Design your own playlist for the night. Chose a friend or family member to run the music for you.
Saunders-Housen said when it comes to music, it’s not all about the bride and groom. “If you only play what the bride and groom like, but everyone else hates it, people will leave early, and say ‘That was awful.’” She suggests thinking about your guests and what would appeal to both you and them.
Sears agreed and said some music styles just don’t work for wedding receptions. A successful party is when you can reach everybody, young and old. It’s usually not all at one, but rather continually throughout the night.
Sears also advised the bride and groom to chose their “first dance” song carefully. Do they want the crowd to join in on the dancing after a while? Or do they want to dance solo for the entire song? If so, keep the song length in mind. A long song can seem extra lengthy when you are the only couple on the dance floor.
LET THEM EAT CAKE
Beautiful and tasty, the wedding cake is often a highlight of the reception.Heidi Umphenour of Blackbird Bakery said local flavors that represent the region are popular wedding cake choices. Flavors like Triple Shot, Three Berry and Lemon Lavender are among couple’s favorites.
Umphenour also said that she’s been asked to bake pies instead of cake. “Some people just don’t like cake,” she said. Again, if a bride and groom adhere to the motto “It’s your day” and one of them prefers pie, why not? She’s also had requests to do dessert buffets, providing guests with choices.
Methia Gordon of Sweet Life Cakery said she likes it when couples think creatively and request interesting cake flavors such as chocolate with raspberry filling. She cautions couples who wish to do different flavors on different cake tiers. Often, guests assume “Great! I get to try both flavors” and instead of having one serving, they have two. This could lead to a cake shortage.
Cupcakes are also a well-liked wedding choice. Amie Lacher and Donna Wharton of Bella Bella Cupcakes said cupcakes are “budget friendly, both in price per serving and by the elimination of slicing and plating fees charged by most venues.” Their popular flavors include Very Vanilla and Vella Red Velvet.
No surprises: discuss if you are going to be a couple who smashes cake on each other’s face or not. Honor your new spouse’s request. You don’t want your first argument as husband and wife to be over smeared icing.
And lastly, remember with an event this involved, something always goes awry. Think of the blips as minor issues. They become your battle scars. They become great stories to tell years later. And really, the most important part of the day was when the two of you said “I do.”
North Kitsap Herald Kitsap Week Erin Jennings can be reached at ejennings@northkitsapherald.com or (360) 779-4464.
Great article on personalizing your wedding!
The question
My 12 year old wants to become a vegetarian. How can I support her but ensure she is getting proper nutrition?
The answer
A vegetarian lifestyle is becoming more and more popular among families with children and adolescents. It may be driven by an increased respect for the environment, or simply by scientific data, mostly showing health benefits, such a reduced risk of cancer, a longer lifespan and a reduced risk of becoming obese.
More related to this story
- How do I cope with angry vegetarians?
- Vegetarian diet protects against some cancers
- Meatless menus are all the rage
For a 12-year-old girl you must be sure to cover all the bases, since she is about to enter a time of rapid changes in her body - puberty, menstruation, and coping with more stress as she enters junior high school
Extra attention must be given to her intake of protein, calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin B12.
The recommendation for protein is 0.43 grams per pound of weight (one kg is 2.2 pounds). One cup of cooked dried beans have 12 grams of protein; a cup of soy milk or soy yogurt has 7 grams of protein; 4 ounces of tofu has 9 grams; a tablespoon of peanut butter has 4 grams.
Good sources of calcium are tofu, dried figs, green leafy vegetables such as kale and collard green, sesame butter, fortified soy milk or fortified orange juice
Foods that are high in iron are broccoli, spinach, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, lentils and pinto beans.
Vitamin B12 supplements must be considered to avoid a deficiency. (5 to 10 micrograms daily)
The Vegetarian Resource Group has great resources. In the U.S., there is a pending lawsuit against the government for not including vegetarian options in their national food guide. The suit was launched by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The point is that in North America more people are demanding options beyond the home for those who want be vegetarians.
Working closely with a registered dietitian can be most reassuring if you're afraid that deficiencies may result from your daughter's vegetarian lifestyle.
Send pediatrician Peter Nieman your questions at pediatrician@globeandmail.com. He will answer select questions, which could appear in The Globe and Mail and/or on The Globe and Mail web site. Your name will not be published if your question is chosen.
The Big Game is coming up, and some of you out there might already be scrambling for recipe ideas. Pleasing everyone food-wise on game day is hard enough as it is, but when you’re aiming to cook vegan… well, it can be downright daunting. But don’t you worry your eco-minded head, because we have a list of ten vegan football-food recipes that will have you doing your own touchdown dance.
Photo via TofuForTwo.net
Bite-size finger foods are key for any Super Bowl party, and these faux-meaty snacks fit the role perfectly. Slightly spicy, slightly sweet, and all vegan, these mini meatballs are full of flavor courtesy of garlic, chili sauce, and red currant jelly. You’ll need some mock meat, egg replacement, and vegan bread for this one, but the recipe is about as easy as it gets, and the results are fantastic.9. Buffalo Tofu
Photo via vegan8korean.wordpress.com
Buffalo wings and football go together like… well, like buffalo wings and football. But put that deliciously spicy buffalo sauce on tofu and you will see them fly off the plate just as fast as regular wings! The idea is simple: just fry up some tofu until golden brown and crispy and then toss in buffalo sauce. Serve them up with carrots and celery, and if you’re feeling industrious you can even make your own vegan ranch dressing for dipping.
8. Chips and Guacamole
Photo via Foodnetwork.com
No tricks or surprises here, no faux meats or dairy replacements, just good ol’ chips and dip. Most of the time you can get vegan-friendly tortilla chips from the store, but if you’re worried about lard you can always make your own chips! Find some vegan tortillas of your choosing, then bake or fry them and season as you please. As far as guac goes, Alton Brown has a simple, straightforward recipe that also happens to be delicious. You can also peruse Food Network’s 50 Game Day Dips for more ideas, which includes many vegan options (and many very NOT vegan options, so be careful!).
Photo via whisk-kid.blogspot.com
All those savory fried foods are great, but sweets are a must as well. And few vegan desserts work as well and taste as delicious as a batch of vegan cupcakes. This recipe gives you a choice of almond or chocolate cupcakes with vanilla or chocolate frosting (just add cocoa powder wherever you want it). For an added twist, you can try some vegan cream cheese frosting on top. Oh, and don’t forget the green/yellow/black food coloring!
Photo via Flickr (Vagabond Shutterbug)
Forget popcorn. If you’re going to bring out a big bowl of snack food for everyone to dig into, make it something fried! Regular potatoes are fine of course, but sweet potato fries add an extra level of flavor (and a little more nutritional value, too). For a healthier batch, you can always bake them… but hey, it’s the Big Game. Indulge a little! As far as dips go, you can go with ketchup or you can let your imagination run wild: for instance, a vegan garlic aioli goes great with these fries.
5. Potato Angels (Deviled Egg Substitute)
Photo via VegWeb.com
Those ubiquitous staples of game day finger foods—deviled eggs—are not an option with eggs out of the running. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a rich, silky, flavorful substitute! These “Potato Angels” use small potatoes and vegan mayonnaise to replicate (surprisingly faithfully!) the classic deviled egg. Plus, you won’t have to do all that hard-boiling and peeling!
4. Corn Puppies or Sweet Potato Hushpuppies
Photo via Flickr (Adactio)
At the risk of sounding obsessed, fried food is really the best thing ever, isn’t it? If you’re in agreement, then these Corn Puppies are for you. Using flour and cornmeal, this recipe takes the classic hushpuppy and adds tofu dogs for an extra twist. For a richer, non-cornmealy option, you can try these Sweet Potato Balls as well (just use egg substitute). Try adding corn into the mix for extra sweetness, and dip them in some vegan sour cream before taking a bite. These are so delicious, even non-vegans will be begging you for the recipe.
3. Vegan Nachos
Photo via VegWeb.com
With so many dairy and meat toppings, nachos can be a daunting idea for the vegan host. Luckily, VegWeb.com has an effective “melty cheese” recipe that makes this whole vegan nachos thing a heck of a lot easier. You’ll need a few strange ingredients (pimento, yeast flakes, and cashews all go into this cheese, oddly enough), but the soymilk-based melty cheese turns out great. Past that, just throw whatever toppings you want onto your nachos (don’t forget the guacamole you made, and the vegan sour cream!) and you’re ready for the Big Game.
Photo via Flickr (Icrontic)
Yes, you read that right. Oreo Truffles. Listen, we’re not making healthy vegan foods here, we’re making delicious vegan junk food fit for football (and nothing says junk food like Oreos). You know that cream filling in Oreos? That’s just hydrogenated oil, so believe it or not, Oreos are actually vegan. But still, you will probably want to go with the organic “Newman-O’s” from Newman’s Own, which has a filling made from palm fruit oil that is not hydrogenated and does not have trans fats. The page lists both a vegetarian version (which includes cream cheese and white chocolate bark) and a vegan version (which uses vegan cream cheese and vegan dark chocolate instead), so you can make your pick depending on your diet. Either way, they make a perfect dessert. Just don’t eat the whole plate yourself.
Photo via Flickr (Kirti Poddar)
Samosas make a perfect little fried treat, packed with flavor and spices enveloped in a crunchy shell. Samosas often have meat in them (usually lamb), but they can be easily made with vegetables as well, and in a healthy vegan dough. You can choose to bake or fry these as you see fit (Fry them! Fry them!), but either way they make a great finger food. Vegans and non-vegans alike will love these, and you have the luxury of preparing them in advance, letting them sit, and then baking/frying them when the time is right.
So there you have it: 10 delicious vegan recipes to get you ready for the Super Bowl. For more assistance in putting together a vegan spread, be sure to check out PETA’s list of vegan snacks, which offers many vegan-friendly brand-name products that you can put out on the table, some of them quite surprising. Little Debbie Cake Donuts are vegan? Ritz crackers? How can anything that buttery not have butter in it?
Happy vegan cooking, everyone!
What great suggestions to feed the gang and keep appetites satisfied on a vegan diet. Just be sure not to advertise that your feedings are vegetarian unless your gang is very open and already vegetarian!
Ravioli topped with cashew cream sauce is part of a vegetarian meal that doesn’t require too much kitchen savvy or cooking skill. (By Pam Spaulding, The Courier-Journal) / cj
Bibb lettuce salad with pears, pecans and Gorgonzola can be arranged and refrigerated in advance, then dressed lightly before serving. (By Pam Spaulding, The Courier-Journal) / cj
Chocolate of the gods mousse with raspberries and mint gets a creamy texture using avocados and no dairy. (By Pam Spaulding, The Courier-Journal) / cj
Aside from those who cook for a living, men still seem to be averse to immersing themselves in the pleasures of preparing food. An insight from a recent cookbook, though, struck me as compelling.
Lucinda Scala Quinn, in the introduction to her “Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys” (Artisan Publishing, 2009), said, “A man who knows how to cook is more self-sufficient, is a better roommate, boyfriend, father and son. And as any wife knows, a husband who can cook is like one who can dance — the deluxe package.”
I often feel chagrin at never having learned, like many guys, to dance. But unlike many guys, I have learned to cook, a skill that seems to have endeared me to my wife and made her the envy of many of her women friends.
Valentine's Day is approaching, and although I have heard it argued that this is a phony holiday, like Mother's Day, seemingly devised by florists, restaurateurs and greeting-card manufacturers as another way to pry money out of guys' wallets, any guy who acts on such curmudgeonly suspicions is likely to suffer.
There are many ways a man can fail at Valentine's Day, but there is one fairly surefire way to impress: Cook a meal for your sweetie. Some years ago I offered up a romantic dinner menu focused around broiling lamb chops and baking potatoes — what seemed to me a fail-safe menu any guy who could turn on the stove could master. (For that menu, with recipes, go to www.courier-journal.com/food.)
Nowadays, many men are romantically connected to women who are vegetarians — a food concept that poses additional challenges. A meatless menu is a bit harder for many guys to figure out, and might seem more difficult for the kitchen-averse to cook, perhaps, than one focused around simple grilled meat.
But if a girlfriend or wife is a sensible vegetarian who eats balanced meals, it is possible to put together a homemade dinner that will delight her and fill you up too. One who knows quite a bit about constructing such filling and satisfying vegetarian menus is Carolyn Gilles, graduate of New York City's Natural Gourmet Institute's Chef's Training Program, a small-business consultant, cooking teacher andMidway College MBA student. She also blogs and features Kentucky foodies and chefs on her website, www.BourbonAndBeans.com.
The following Valentine's Day vegetarian menu is a collaboration. The salad is my inspiration, but the soup, entree and dessert are recipes Gilles provided. No dish requires much kitchen savvy or cooking skill, though having a blender or food processor is necessary. But those are machine tools, really, adaptable to all sorts of projects. Every guy should have at least a blender, to crush ice. Remember to scrape down the sides of the blender to purée everything evenly.
Everything can be prepared before your sweetheart arrives, except for the cooking of the ravioli, which takes five minutes or so right before you eat. The wine choices were suggested by David DuBou of Vintner Select.
Bibb lettuce salad with pears, pecans and Gorgonzola
Constructing a composed salad (the ingredients are arranged on the plate prettily, not just tossed in a bowl) takes little time, and the gurgles of admiration will be worth it. Arrange salad and refrigerate until dinner. Dress lightly with vinaigrette just before serving.
2 small heads Bibb lettuce
1 ripe red Bartlett pear
½ cup pecan halves
½ cup Gorgonzola chunks
Carefully remove the leaves from the head of lettuce, keeping them whole. Wash the leaves under running water, and spin, shake and/or pat dry.
Use two salad plates. On each, build a sort of lettuce “rose” by arranging the lettuce leaves, rounded-side outward, around the plate and overlapping each other. Try to build up the “rose” three leaf layers high, three or four leaves to each layer.
Slice the pear in half, then in quarters. Slice out the core with the seeds, and discard. Slice each quarter into three or four wedges. Arrange the pear wedges attractively around the lettuce leaves. Use as many pear wedges as you think look good, and eat the rest — cook's treat.
Scatter the pecan halves and the Gorgonzola chunks around the lettuce leaves. Use as much as you think looks good. Save any leftovers for your own salad later in the week. Just before serving, dress lightly with raspberry vinaigrette (which you have made beforehand, of course).
Raspberry vinaigrette
Yes, you can buy a bottle of salad dressing. Homemade is, over time, cheaper, and always better. Invest in a bottle of raspberry red wine vinegar and a bottle of good olive oil. You will enjoy both long after Feb. 14. Make the vinaigrette a day ahead. Put it in a sealable bottle, and shake before using to mix it up.
1/3 cup raspberry red wine vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
In a bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, honey, salt, pepper and mustard. Whisk together vigorously until well blended. Or put all ingredients in a blender and whip until blended. Whisk again just before serving.
Beet and parsnip soup with dill cream
The soup, which Gilles adapted from “Simply Organic” by Jesse Ziff Cool (Chronicle Books, 2008), can be made a day ahead, and reheated just before serving.
6 cups vegetable broth
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into small cubes
6 beets, trimmed and scrubbed
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 whole cloves
3 whole peppercorns
3 tablespoons sugar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sour cream or yogurt
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the parsnips. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the parsnips to a bowl.
Add the beets, shallot, cloves and peppercorns to the simmering broth. Cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the beets are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beets to the cutting board, reserving the liquid. When the beets are cool, slip off the skins by rubbing with your fingers, using a small knife to cut out any skin that remains. Cut peeled beets into small cubes. (Then wash your hands — they will be stained red. Sort of cool.)
Strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large bowl. Return the broth to the pot. Add the parsnips, beets and sugar. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, green onion and dill. Ladle the soup into a bowl, and top with the sour cream mixture.
Ravioli topped with cashew cream sauce
Lotsa Pasta makes several kinds of vegetarian ravioli, which can be found frozen at its store, 3750 Lexington Road, or at ValuMarkets around town. Other brands of fresh ravioli can be found in most dairy cases. The cashew sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated and heated as the ravioli cooks. I think 6 ravioli apiece is enough for a serving, but ladle on more if you want.
1 cup raw cashews, whole
1 cup water, more as needed to reach desired consistency
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
12 spinach, mushroom or cheese-filled ravioli
Minced parsley (optional, for garnish)
In a blender, combine cashews and water. Blend on high speed until smooth.
Stir in the oregano, Parmesan and salt and pepper, adding more water to create desired creamy consistency. Place in a small pan, and right before serving, heat through over low heat.
In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add 3 tablespoons salt. Add the ravioli (no need to defrost if frozen). Cook over medium heat (the water should return to a slow boil) until ravioli float to the surface. Let ravioli cook about 1 more minute, then scoop out and serve.
Divide ravioli between two serving plates. Top with cashew sauce, and sprinkle with minced parsley, if desired.
Variation: For a tomato cream sauce, combine 1 part tomato sauce (your choice) with 2 parts cream sauce.
Chocolate of the gods mousse with raspberries and mint
Gilles adapted this recipe from “The Balanced Plate,” by Renée Loux (Rodale books, 2006). Make mousse ahead of time and refrigerate. The avocados make it lusciously creamy and smooth, with no dairy. Be sure to taste — I used no additional sugar and liked the bittersweet chocolate taste a lot, but others thought it too bitter. Add sugar a bit at a time, and taste until you strike the balance you and your date will enjoy. Gilles recommends Green & Black's gourmet cocoa. I used the Hershey's on the shelf, and it turned out fine.
2 cups avocados (2 to 3 ripe avocados)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (aged balsamic is best)
½ teaspoon soy sauce
1 cup pure cocoa powder
4 tablespoons sugar (optional, for the sweeter tooth; taste before adding)
1 pint raspberries, rinsed
Handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
In a food processor or blender, purée the avocado, maple syrup, vanilla, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce until creamy.
Sift the cocoa powder before adding to prevent lumps — just push with your fingertips through a simple metal strainer into a bowl. Add the sifted cocoa powder to the avocado mixture, and blend until smooth. Taste, and blend in more sugar as needed.
Serve in a wine glass or martini glass. Place some raspberries on the bottom, sprinkle with some mint leaves, then fill with mousse. Decorate top with more raspberries and a little more mint.
Reporter Ron Mikulak can be reached at (502) 582-4618.
Wow! What a great article and vegetarian menu. We can all dream of having our sweethearts make this for us:)
