Thursday, November 25, 2004
Happy Thanksgiving
Creole Thanksgiving Roast
excerpt from: A Vegetarian Cooks' Book, The Green Cutting Board Press, 2004
Ingredients
1 large sweet potato
1 6 oz pkg soy turkey slices
4 cups seasoned bread stuffing
1 small onion
1 12 ounce bag fresh cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice
6 Tbsp vegan spread
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Creole seasoning
sage
salt
pepper
Preparation
Prepare the stuffing according to package directions, add 1/2 cup chopped onion and 1 Tbls Creole seasoning. Firmly pack the stuffing mixture into a loaf pan, bake in a 350 degree oven until browned on top. At the same time bake the potatoes, skins on, until fork soft and refrigerate. Peel the cooled sweet potatoes and slice into 1" thick medallions. Remove the baked bread stuffing from the oven turn out and let cool.
In the mean time prepare the cranberries. Boil 2 cups of water with 1/2 cup of raw sugar, add orange juice and the cranberries, continue to boil until the cranberries pop. Remove from heat, stir in the Dijon mustard and set aside.
In the same loaf pan, layer 1/3 of the stuffing. Next layer 1/2 the turkey slices, then a layer of 1/2 the sweet potato, repeat this process and top with the last third of the stuffing. Top with a few dollops of vegetarian spread, salt pepper and sage. Add a generous portion of cranberry sauce as a glaze. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking until top crust forms. When the dish has cooled turn out the set roast onto a cutting board slice and serve with hot vegan turkey gravy.*
serves 2-4 with side dishes
vegan
___________________
Protecting Poultry
A Times Editorial
Published November 25, 2004
Serving turkey on Thanksgiving Day is one of the cherished and enduring American traditions. Each year, the president publicly spares a turkey from its intended fate, though millions more are served up with stuffing and gravy. Yet few Americans may be aware that the law that protects other animals from inhumane slaughter doesn't include turkeys and other poultry.
The Humane Society of the United States wants to change that circumstance. In a campaign called Petition for Poultry, the animal rights organization is asking people to sign a petition that urges Congress to add turkeys and chickens to the list of animals that must be rendered "insensible to pain" before slaughter.
It is a worthy effort and is not intended to make meat eaters feel guilty or exaggerate the conditions under which some slaughterhouses operate. In October, an undercover investigation at a poultry processing plant in Maryland showed workers torturing chickens on the assembly line - throwing live animals against walls, "spiking" one on the floor as though it were a football and generally causing the animals unnecessary pain.
It is unethical for a civilized society to ignore the unnecessary suffering of animals, said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States. While the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act protects cattle, hogs and sheep from such treatment, it excludes poultry, which are the majority of animals slaughtered each year.
"It's especially important that we think about this during the holiday times when we're thinking about others and thinking about kindness and thinking about all sorts of good values," Pacelle said. "We should apply those same values to the animals that are reared for food."
Anyone interested in more information about the petition can get it on the Humane Society's Web site. Congress shouldn't have to wait for a petition to know that most Americans favor the humane treatment of all animals, even those that end up on the dinner table.
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Monday, November 22, 2004
An egg is an egg, or is it?
It may seem nonsensical to substitute tofu for the whole egg in this sandwich since there is some egg white in the soy strip but that simple switch reduces the cholesterol from 213 milligrams to 0 and increases the protein by 28% according to figures provided by the Egg Nutrition Center.
Breakfast sandwich
Ingredients
1/2" slice firm tofu drained
slice of good bread: French or whole grain
1 Tbls soy spread
1/2 ounce soy cheddar
1 soy bacon strip
Veganaise
salt & pepper
Preparation
Melt a small amount of soy spread in a fry pan and fry the tofu on one side. Place the soy strip in the same pan cooking on both sides until slightly crisp. When the tofu slice begins to crisp add the cheddar on top, cover and cook until it melts.
Spread Veganaise on the bread, add the cooked tofu and soy strip, salt and pepper to taste.
serves one
vegetarian
Breakfast sandwich
Appearance is everything, when it looks this good - you can be sure it will satisfy the diehard eggist in your family.
Ingredients
1/2" slice firm tofu drained
slice of good bread: French or whole grain
1 Tbls soy spread
1/2 ounce soy cheddar
1 soy bacon strip
Veganaise
salt & pepper
Preparation
Melt a small amount of soy spread in a fry pan and fry the tofu on one side. Place the soy strip in the same pan cooking on both sides until slightly crisp. When the tofu slice begins to crisp add the cheddar on top, cover and cook until it melts.
Spread Veganaise on the bread, add the cooked tofu and soy strip, salt and pepper to taste.
serves one
vegetarian
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Friday, November 19, 2004
Thanksgiving 2004, stuffed, baked acorn squash
Before dessert, before the main course and prior to the side dishes what a true Thanksgiving meal needs is a traditional American gourd cooked up sweet and savory.
Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash
excerpt from: A Vegetarian Cooks' Book, The Green Cutting Board Press, 2004
Ingredients
2 whole acorn squash
1 tsp. soy spread
1/2 C. wild or long-grain rice
1 Tbsp. finely minced onion
1-1/4 C. vegetable broth, heated
1 tsp. packed light brown sugar
1 (1”) piece cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp. golden raisins
Generous pinches of ground clove and freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 c. chopped walnuts, toasted
1/4 c. chopped fresh or dried parsley
3 oz. soy Feta cheese, about 1/3 c. crumbled
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down in a roasting pan large enough to hold halves in a single layer. Add about 3/4 c. water to pan and cover tightly. Bake until squash is tender, about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt soy spread in a small saucepan. Add rice and onion; stir well to coat evenly. Stir in broth, sugar, cinnamon stick, raisins, cloves and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 20 minutes for white rice (or 30 minutes for wild rice). The liquid should be reduced and the rice remain a bit firm. Remove rice from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in toasted nuts and parsley.
When cooked, remove squash from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Divide rice mixture evenly among cooked squash. Sprinkle with crumbled Feta. Add 1/4 Cup water to pan. Cover tightly and continue to bake for 25 minutes.
serves 4
vegan
excerpt from: A Vegetarian Cooks' Book, The Green Cutting Board Press, 2004
Ingredients
2 whole acorn squash
1 tsp. soy spread
1/2 C. wild or long-grain rice
1 Tbsp. finely minced onion
1-1/4 C. vegetable broth, heated
1 tsp. packed light brown sugar
1 (1”) piece cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp. golden raisins
Generous pinches of ground clove and freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 c. chopped walnuts, toasted
1/4 c. chopped fresh or dried parsley
3 oz. soy Feta cheese, about 1/3 c. crumbled
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down in a roasting pan large enough to hold halves in a single layer. Add about 3/4 c. water to pan and cover tightly. Bake until squash is tender, about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt soy spread in a small saucepan. Add rice and onion; stir well to coat evenly. Stir in broth, sugar, cinnamon stick, raisins, cloves and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 20 minutes for white rice (or 30 minutes for wild rice). The liquid should be reduced and the rice remain a bit firm. Remove rice from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in toasted nuts and parsley.
When cooked, remove squash from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Divide rice mixture evenly among cooked squash. Sprinkle with crumbled Feta. Add 1/4 Cup water to pan. Cover tightly and continue to bake for 25 minutes.
serves 4
vegan
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Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Wedding Soup
excerpt from: A Vegetarian Cooks' Book, The Green Cutting Board Press, 2004
Italian wedding soup known as Minestra Maritata has little to do with weddings. Maritata is the Italian word for marriage - a marriage in this case between different vegetables. Culinary history confirms that recipes for soups of this type were called simply, minestrone.
Ancient Roman culinary traditions have that, although we don't find recipes with this name, there is evidence of the existence of vegetable soup.
Public restaurants in 18th century Paris were places where soup, long credited for nourishing the sick and keeping hungry bellies full, was served in order to restore (from the French verb "restaurer") health.*
Ingredients
1/2 small head of cabbage cored and quartered
12 ounces homemade or packaged vegan meatballs
8 cups of water
2 medium potatoes washed and cut into large cubes
1 16 0z can of navy beans (undrained)
2 carrots peeled and sliced thick (about 1/2 inch)
6 ounces button mushrooms halved
1/2 small sweet onion coarsely sliced lengthwise
1 jalepeno pepper halved, deseeded and deviened
1 1/2 Tbls vegetable bouillon paste
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Creole Spice*
Preparation
In a large pot start heating 8 cups of water. Add cabbage, carrot, onion, potato and jalepeno. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes.
Add the beans, garlic, bouillon and Creole spice. Cover again and simmer very low up to 1 hour. Add the vegan meatballs about 15 minutes before serving just to let them heat through. Taste and re-season as necessary with additional Creole spice.
serves 4
vegan
*History exerpt courtesy Food Timelines
Italian wedding soup known as Minestra Maritata has little to do with weddings. Maritata is the Italian word for marriage - a marriage in this case between different vegetables. Culinary history confirms that recipes for soups of this type were called simply, minestrone.
Ancient Roman culinary traditions have that, although we don't find recipes with this name, there is evidence of the existence of vegetable soup.
Public restaurants in 18th century Paris were places where soup, long credited for nourishing the sick and keeping hungry bellies full, was served in order to restore (from the French verb "restaurer") health.*
Ingredients
1/2 small head of cabbage cored and quartered
12 ounces homemade or packaged vegan meatballs
8 cups of water
2 medium potatoes washed and cut into large cubes
1 16 0z can of navy beans (undrained)
2 carrots peeled and sliced thick (about 1/2 inch)
6 ounces button mushrooms halved
1/2 small sweet onion coarsely sliced lengthwise
1 jalepeno pepper halved, deseeded and deviened
1 1/2 Tbls vegetable bouillon paste
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Creole Spice*
Preparation
In a large pot start heating 8 cups of water. Add cabbage, carrot, onion, potato and jalepeno. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes.
Add the beans, garlic, bouillon and Creole spice. Cover again and simmer very low up to 1 hour. Add the vegan meatballs about 15 minutes before serving just to let them heat through. Taste and re-season as necessary with additional Creole spice.
serves 4
vegan
*History exerpt courtesy Food Timelines
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Sunday, November 07, 2004
Cool blue green Thanksgiv...eeng
November, a cold snap in Fla.(60s) and the advent of our annual Vegetarian Thanksgiving reminds us that this year we're settin' out a cool blue Cajun feast for the first holiday meal of the season. To kick off the festivities and in honor of those intrepid cyclers who finished the first end-to-end run; Maine to Key West along the East Coast Greenway, and because we always start with dessert we offer:
Key Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
2 Cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/3 Cup raw sugar
2 Tbls soy spread
2 Tbls key lime juice
2 Tbls bourbon (Lousianna, Kentucky - makes no difference)
1 Tbls orange juice
2 tsps egg replacer
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch of kosher salt
1 tin Pillsbury original crescent rolls (vegan)
Topping
1/4 Cup Tofutti cream cheese
2 Tbls key lime juice
1 Tbls confectioners sugar
Preparation
Line a 9" pie tin with the crescent roll dough and pre-cook for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Cream the mashed sweet potatoes, with all the remaining ingredients and pour the mixture into prepared pie shell. Cook at 400 degrees Farenheit for 30 minutes covered. Remove and allow to set at room temperature.
Wisk Tofutti, lime juice and confectioners sugar until it forms a light green whipped cream.
Serve topped with whipped cream and a slice of lime.
serves 6
vegan
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Monday, November 01, 2004
Inaugural "East Coast Greenway" bicycle tour finishes in Key West
Key West, Florida - Nov. 3, 2004 - On Sept. 12 a group of cyclists departed
Calais, Maine aiming to be the first people ever to traverse the full
length of the East Coast Greenway, the nation's first long-distance urban,
shared-use trail for non-motorized users. Some 2,800 miles and 53 days
later they have finally achieved their common goal, concluding the historic
ride in Key West, Fla. on Nov. 3.
Often referred to as the "Urban Appalachian Trail," the East
Coast Greenway crosses 15 states plus Washington, D.C. and links the major
cities of the East Coast using scores of urban greenways, park paths,
abandoned railroad corridors, and waterfront esplanades. Now 20 percent
off road with another 30 percent in development, trail organizers expect
the Greenway to be 80 percent off road by 2010.
"One thing that really stands out from this tour is the need for
completing the Greenway as a safe walking and cycling route along our
eastern seaboard," said Karen Votava, executive director of the East Coast
Greenway Alliance, the group spearheading the project. "With only 20
percent of the trail to ride on, the cyclists encountered many challenging
stretches of roadway with heavy traffic and inadequate shoulders. The need
for better bicycle and pedestrian facilities as part of our long-range
transportation plans became unquestionably clear."
Riding along US 17 in South Carolina and Georgia, for example,
the riders were forced to compete daily with high-speed traffic and large
trucks. Several portions of the tour necessitated riding in a support
vehicle across bridges that were otherwise impassable. Other sections
required police escorts, particularly areas like the highly developed
northern region of New Jersey.
"The need for the East Coast Greenway was made very evident by
this tour," said cyclist Dave Wood of Maine. "In contrast, riding the
completed segments of the Greenway were only that much more appreciated
and enjoyable. Overall it was a magnificent experience."
Highlights of the tour included cycling some of the more well-known segments of the Greenway, including Boston's Charles River Bikepath, New Jersey's D&R Canal towpath, Durham's American Tobacco Trail, and the completed sections of the Overseas Heritage Trail, a 106-mile route from Key Largo to Key West. The cyclists enjoyed the diverse rural and urban landscapes of the East Coast and the hospitality of the numerous individuals who welcomed the tour riders into their homes and communities.
Of the 11 cyclists who participated in the tour, seven of them, all over age 50, rode the full distance from Calais to Key West. Among them were several remarkable individuals who overcame great obstacles to complete the journey.
Anne and Mike Kruimer, an inspiring couple from New Jersey
defied paraplegia, riding a special tandem bicycle fitted with a hand crank
so the wife, who was struck by a car in 1992, could pedal with her hands
while her husband peddled with feet behind her. Another cyclist,
74-year-old Jack Kurrle of Arizona, made the trip after surviving a nearly
fatal bicycling accident just two years ago that left him with a broken
neck, hip, and back.
"Completing this tour was a major challenge," said Kurrle. "Without question it's one of the greatest things I've ever done. I only hope it showcases the need for the Greenway and gets people on board to speed up its completion."
The East Coast Greenway is a trail system that promotes more livable communities. Benefiting both the individuals who use it and the communities it passes through, the Greenway promotes health through physical exercise and cleaner air while increasing tourism dollars to towns and cities along its route.
For more information on the East Coast Greenway, the inaugural end-to-end tour, or how you can get involved with the project, please visit the trail's web site at The East Coast Greenway.
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You can see more photos of the tour here
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