Broccoli with Beef--Veganized!

My wife and I recently went through about fifty banker's boxes full of paperwork, receipts, holiday decorations, and odds and ends from closets and drawers after our most recent move.  We also repaired and reorganized a secretary desk so that we could actually store office supplies in it and use it as a desk. (What a novel idea!)  This activity was strewn over several days and produced two very important results: 1) we discarded a lot of old paperwork that was now trash, donated unused items and reduced the number of banker's boxes we needed from fifty down to twenty two! and; 2) we found a few stashes of unused gift cards to various stores, over $400 in value!

Among these gift cards we had $50 to spend at Barnes and Noble.  Since my wife and daughter both have Kindles, there weren't a lot of books they wanted to physically purchase, so they let me buy several more vegan cookbooks to have on hand.  Later at home, as I was thumbing through new recipes, I came across a new product called Soy Curls in one of the books.  There was a brief description of what they were and it intrigued me enough to look them up online--what a find!  Here is the website so you can look at the product information yourself: Soy Curls  There was a list of retailers on the website and I was hoping to find that our brand new Whole Foods in Lynnwood carried them, but no such luck.  An Albertson's just a few suburbs away did carry them, however, so I took a twenty minute drive on a beautiful day to try them out.  The following Broccoli with "Beef" recipe was my first use of them and the result convinced me that I would transition from using TVP (textured vegetable protein) to using Soy Curls instead.

As you know from previous posts, I use TVP or dehydrated soy chunks a lot and it can mimic meat texture and flavor really well when re hydrated properly.  TVP is made from defatted soy flour and is highly processed so it is a fractionalized food as opposed to a whole food.  Soy Curls are processed as well, but are made from non GMO whole soy beans without chemical pesticides.  So, it's closer to a whole food than TVP is, and because it has the natural fat left in, the texture is actually more genuinely meaty and gave my recipe a superior result.  The best news is that you use them the same--re hydrate with water or broth or, as I always do, half broth half wine.  Soy Curls end up producing "beef" strips or "chicken" strips instead of chunks, but if you are making a stew, for example, you can cut the strips into chunks after re hydrating.  So now, when you think of beef strips, you can use Soy Curls for Asian stir fry recipes, Mexican fajitas and burritos, stroganoff, "steak" sandwiches, etc.  And when you think of chicken strips, again think of stir fries, fajitas, pasta with "chicken," etc.  You can make them more like pork and put them in a slow cooker with barbecue sauce for a pulled "pork" effect, or you can cut the "beef" strips into chunks for stews or the "chicken" strips into chunks for chicken salad.  You have to try these out to wean your families off of meat--they are less expensive* to buy, better for you, and can probably fool most people!

Veganized Broccoli with "Beef"

• 1 8 oz bag Soy Curls
• 2 cups vegan Merlot wine
• 2 cups water
• 4 tsp half sodium Better than Bouillon No Beef paste
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp minced ginger root
• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• 1 additional cup cool broth
• 3 lbs organic frozen broccoli
• Ground black pepper to taste

In an extra large skillet (I use my 14 inch skillet which I also use for things like paella) heat the wine and water and bouillon paste to  boiling.  Turn burner off, add Soy Curls, place lid on skillet and set timer for 10 minutes.  You can remove the lid and stir every once in a while to make sure that all the curls have contact with the hot liquid.  While the curls re hydrate into strips, slice your onions, mince your garlic and ginger, and mix the corn starch with the additional cup of cooled broth.  When the timer goes off, remove the lid and turn your burner to medium heat and add onions, garlic and ginger.  Saute with the curls until onions are translucent and there is little liquid left in the pan. At this point add about a half cup water to deglaze the pan and stir until brown bits come off the pan, add frozen broccoli and put lid back on, turn heat to low and simmer until broccoli is cooked but still bright green.  Remove lid, add soy sauce and remaining broth with corn starch and continue stirring until sauce is thickened.  Turn heat off and serve with steamed brown rice.  This quantity will easily serve eight people.  I think next time I have to make something sweet and sour!  MMMMMMMMMMMM!

Lower fat, lower sodium and way cheaper than take out!

*An 8 oz bag retails for $3.99 and will produce 24 oz of "meat." If you buy bulk direct from Butler Foods you can get the cost down to $2.54/8 oz, and that cost includes shipping expenses!

Whole Food Smoothies

Here is something I started making for my family on mornings when there is little time to cook or eat.  Yeah, it's a smoothie, but there are no added sugars or even fruit juice.  It's made from tofu, walnuts, and whole fruit only.  It comes either extra thick or super extra thick!  The ingredients are per 16 oz smoothie.  I can make three in my Ninja blender.  My wife and I go out walking every morning and sometimes this is our reward when we get back--yum!

Whole Food Smoothie Ingredients

• 3 oz silken firm organic tofu--1/4 of a 12.3 oz package (I use the aseptic Mori Nu Organic Non GMO) The silken blends better than the non silken; the firm tofu has higher protein content than the softer tofus
• 1 organic banana, peeled
• 1 organic seedless orange, peeled (the riper and juicier the better!)
• 1 oz walnuts (I keep a huge bag in our freezer)
• 1/3 cup organic frozen blueberries
• 2-6 (depending on size) organic frozen strawberries

Depending on the size banana and orange you use, this smoothie will have between 500 and 600 calories with approximately 14 grams of protein, no added sugar, a serving of omega 3 fat from the walnuts and it will fill you up--as long as you can suck it through the straw! (You may want to get some of those extra wide bubble tea straws for these smoothies!  LOL)

"Do you want your smoothie thick or thick thick?"

What's Easter Without Vegan Deviled Eggs?!!

You're heading toward another holiday, and suddenly you decide that you miss some of the special foods of the season.  What's a vegan to do?  Fake it.  Veganize it.  Pre-vegans eat eggs; we eat feggs.  You could make your own ham flavored seitan, there are plenty of recipes for that, but again it's usually going to be full of sodium and more processed components.  These feggs are made from organic tofu, organic potatoes, seasonings, Veganaise, and they will satisfy your craving for deviled eggs.  You bring these to the family get together and let everyone eat cholesterol free feggs.  They will simply wonder why they are in potato shells!

Deviled Feggs

• 2 lbs organic extra firm tofu (drained and crumbled)
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• black pepper to season
• 1/2 cup Veganaise
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• 15-20 baby potatoes (look for red and russet potatoes that are approximately the size of eggs)
• black salt
• paprika to garnish

Clean potatoes and place in cold water in pot to boil.  Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and let boil for about 20 minutes (time will depend on size of potatoes; check by inserting sharp knife into center of largest potato).  While potatoes are boiling, add tofu to large cast iron skillet and add seasonings.  Stir and saute over medium heat until tofu resembles scrambled eggs.  Turn heat off and transfer tofu to a large mixing bowl.  When potatoes are done, drain hot water and replace with cold tap water to cool potatoes.  Cut each potato in half and place on serving plate (they will cool faster so you can better handle them).  When potatoes are cooled, use a melon baller to scoop out most of the potato flesh leaving the skin and about a 1/4 inch of potato.  Add the potato flesh to the bowl of tofu mixture.  When all potatoes are scooped, use a fork to thoroughly mix in potato flesh with tofu, add Veganaise  and mustard and mix well.  Spoon in tofu/potato mixture into scooped out potatoes and mound on top.  Sprinkle with paprika to garnish, and for an authentic eggy aroma, sprinkle a tiny bit of black salt on each fegg just before serving.  Black salt is available at Indian food stores.  It is a mineral salt that is purplish or pinkish gray and has some sulfur in it, hence the eggy aroma.  Go easy on it--it just takes a tiny amount to give a salty hit to your feggs!

If you have some of the tofu mixture left over, "How about a nice fegg salad sandwich with a left handed glass of Tang?"  "Thank you, Mrs. Loopner, but I'm vegan now and I don't drink Tang anymore!"

Beans and Greens

Well, I have been using canned beans for so long that I have not made a recipe using dried beans in ages.  But, I had some dried beans in the pantry and decided that I wanted to test out the true ease of the pressure cooker for these tough legumes.  Perfect results, every time!

Now, most cooks know that when you begin a recipe with dried beans, you need to soak them first.  There are a number of reasons for soaking beans, and if you need any convincing about this step, here is a site that explains what you need to know: Why should I soak dry beans?  If you are going to soak beans the traditional way, you would need to soak them overnight in 3-4 times the amount of water as you have beans (lentils, split peas and other softer legumes do not need pre-soaking).  To quick soak beans in a pressure cooker, rinse and sort beans, add to pressure cooker with 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt per cup of beans.  (Do not worry so much about sodium content, this first batch of salt water will not penetrate the beans too much and it will be drained away).  Turn heat to high and lock lid in place, bring to full pressure, reduce heat to low and cook for two minutes.  Quick release by running cold tap water over top of pressure cooker in sink.  Drain beans, rinse with fresh water and drain again.  Now your beans are ready for your recipe.

Beans and Greens (Kidneys and Kale)

2 cups dried organic kidney beans
2 bunches organic kale
6 cups water
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp turmeric
2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Broth paste

Quick soak your beans as above, rinse, and add 6 cups of water to beans in pressure cooker.  Turn heat to high and lock lid in place.  Bring up to full pressure, reduce heat to low and set timer for 15 minutes.  While beans are cooking, rinse and finely chop kale.  In a small, non stick saute pan, add cumin, coriander and turmeric and heat over medium heat for five minutes or so, stirring every so often so all the spice gets some heat.  It may smoke a bit and fill your home with some nice aromas.  When your timer goes off, quick release steam by running cold tap water over pressure cooker in sink.  When valve drops, remove lid, add remainder of ingredients, including spices, and stir until combined.  Lock lid back on pressure cooker and place back on same burner but be sure heat is turned off.  Set timer for 15 minutes.  Kale is a green that really holds its texture even when cooked.  The resulting "stew" is chewy and meaty without meat!  Serve over cooked brown basmati rice.  This is simple comfort food that will satisfy you and your family any time the weather says "soup tonight?"

Does Natural Always Mean It's Good for You?

I often grow weary of advertising hype, buzz words, and flavor of the month mentality.  And we, so many of us being lemming like, get caught up in that hype and sometimes lose our sense of critical thinking.  Consider the term natural.  One hundred percent natural, no artificial ingredients, no added chemicals, etc., etc.  Well, here's some common sense news for you.  Many chemicals are found in nature, and so are, by definition, natural.  And just because something is found in nature, it does not mean that it is good for you!  Opium comes from poppies; cocaine comes from the coca plant and was in the original recipe for Coca Cola--and you thought the buzz was only from caffeine!  Caffeine occurs naturally in coffee, and tobacco grows in nature.  Do you think that if a carton of cigarettes was labeled with "100 percent natural and organically grown" it would change your mind about taking up smoking?  Supplement and vitamin companies and stores have lots of products that are all natural.  But all natural does not always mean safe for you in all circumstances.

Research things online before you purchase.  Look up individual ingredients in supplements and see what experts have to say.  Which chemicals in the long list of ingredients are actually vitamins?  Are they from a vegan source?  Are some of the chemicals actually toxic?  Did you know that the talc in talcum powder is more than likely carcinogenic?  How many generations of families used talcum powder on their infant children?  Here's a link that gives you the low down on cosmetic grade talc: Talc Talk.  There are a lot of food additives that simply don't need to be there, like the dissolved human hair in bakery products that I discussed in a previous post.  Now that we have the interwebs, it's so much easier to do your own research!

Does vegan equal healthy?  Well, no.  I could be completely vegan and eat no animal products at all, but still have a poor diet.  If I had Mighty-O donuts for breakfast every morning, vegan hot dogs for lunch every day, and a Boca Burger with French fries for every dinner, do you think that would be a healthy diet?  It would be completely vegan, but it would also be completely unbalanced!  So, vegans need to strive for balanced nutrition.  Focus on all of the great, healthy foods that you can eat, and eat a wide variety of those.  Get creative about new ingredients and new recipes and remember that you need to make your vegan diet a healthy, balanced, plant based diet!

Did Someone Say, "Curry?"

This recipe first appeared in my wife, Kate's blog Vegan Wife.  I have modified it a bit, and you can certainly adjust seasonings and ingredients to your heart's content!  This recipe makes an insane amount of food, so cut the recipe in half or freeze half of it for future meals.  It is also great for potlucks or a buffet meal with a bunch of friends.  For a buffet meal, make a pressure cooker full of brown basmati rice, buy some whole wheat naan bread, and serve along side the curry with a nice green salad with lemon tahini dressing.  YUM!

Vegan Curry:

In a large Dutch oven (or large stew pot) brown 1 onion in water or broth
While doing that, microwave 1 cup white wine and 1 cup water with 1 "Not Chick'n" bouillon cube.
When onion is translucent, add 2 cups dry soy chunks (textured soy protein chunks) and boiling bouillon liquid into the pot.
Turn heat off. Put lid on the pot and set timer for 10 min.
While chunks are re-hydrating, cut up 2-3 medium sized potatoes and 2-3 medium sized carrots.  Add the following to the pot:
1 heaping Tbsp curry powder
1 heaping Tbsp cumin
1 heaping Tbsp garam masala (available in any spice aisle)
1 heaping tsp minced garlic
1 heaping tsp minced ginger root
Stir and add
2 15 oz cans chick peas with liquid
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with liquid
1 15 oz can coconut milk
2 cups additional boiled water and 1 bouillon cube (no additional wine)
turn heat back up to high
add potatoes and carrots
put lid on and turn heat to low, simmer for 20 minutes
after 20 min, add
1/2 cup tahini
2 cups frozen peas
1 pound bag frozen cauliflower
1 pound bag frozen chopped spinach
put lid back on and simmer another 10 minutes

Serve over brown basmati rice and enjoy!  Makes enough for 12+ people.

Pesticides and Foods You Never Realized Weren't Vegan

So here's a post without a recipe.  Already in withdrawal?  Fear not, the next post will definitely go back to having something yummy for you to create.  But I wanted to share some other information with you because you don't already have enough decisions to make when you eat out or shop for food as a vegan!  LOL

The first thing I wanted to share was something about pesticides and Conventionally Grown vs. Organically Grown produce.  The following list ranks forty nine common Conventionally Grown  produce items from worst to least, meaning celery is likely to have the highest levels of pesticides and onions the least amount of pesticides.

1. (worst) Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries - U.S. Grown
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale and Collard Greens
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes – Imported from outside U.S.
13. Lettuce
14. Blueberries - Imported
15. Carrots
16. Green Beans – U.S. grown
17. Pears
18. Plums - Imported
19. Summer Squash
20. Cucumbers - Imported
21. Green Beans - Imported
22. Hot Peppers
23. Red Raspberries
24. Oranges
25. Grapes – U.S. grown
26. Cantaloupe
27. Cucumbers - U.S. Grown
28. Cauliflower
29. Tomatoes
30. Bananas
31. Broccoli
32. Winter Squash
33. Cranberries
34. Plums - U.S. Grown
35. Honeydew Melon
36. Sweet Potato
37. Grapefruit
38. Watermelon
39. Cantaloupe - U.S. Grown
40. Cabbage
41. Eggplant
42. Kiwi
43. Asparagus
44. Sweet Peas (frozen)
45. Mango
46. Pineapple
47. Sweet Corn (frozen)
48. Avocado
49. Onions (least)

For produce higher up on the list, say the first 12-15 items, you would probably want to opt for Organically Grown instead of Conventionally Grown items.  For the last 15 items you can more safely opt for Conventionally Grown.  For the items in between, well, I personally try to buy organic whenever possible.  The fewer pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and non food chemical food additives you consume, the healthier you will be.

Your liver not only assists in the digestion of fats (emulsification of lipids), but it also functions to detoxify your blood.  So, if you have a high fat diet, and eat a lot of conventionally grown produce as well as a lot of processed foods with long lists of non food chemical additives, and drink tons of diet soda on top of that, then you are being particularly unkind to your liver.  It truly becomes overworked, and if you consume alcohol as well, I think your liver just might want to put in for a vacation or disability leave!  Keep chemicals out of your body as much as possible, keep fat close to only what your body truly needs, and eliminate any drinks with added sugar, Aspartame, Sucralose, etc.  Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum or eliminate it altogether as well.  Drink lots of water--before meals to curb your appetite, but also so your liver and kidneys can more efficiently filter your blood.

Non Vegan Foods--Who Knew?!!

• White Sugar is sometimes not vegan.  Why?  If cane sugar is processed into white sugar, bone char (yes from burned animal bones) is usually used in the processing.  Processed beet sugar is fine for vegans.  Organic cane sugar is fine for vegans.  If you use powdered sugar or brown sugar, use organic.  So eliminate the processed stuff and stick to less processed organic options, then reduce your overall consumption of any added sugar.
• Bread and Baked Items often have dairy and eggs in them if not whey or whey protein.  But even if you find something that has no dairy or eggs, if it has dough conditioners, it may very well have L-cysteine which is an amino acid.  Our bodies synthesize this amino acid when needed from proteins (plant or animal) that we eat.  The source of L-cysteine in dough conditioners, however, is usually dissolved human hair.  Did I just hear you choke a little while you were eating that Wonder Bread or Twinkie?  I thought so.
• Wines and Beers are often clarified with animal products such as milk, blood, albumen (egg whites) and gelatin among others.  Isinglass is a gelatin made specifically from the swim bladders of sturgeon and other fish.  So, that white wine you love so much may have been combined with fish guts to pull out sediments.  Use this helpful website to discover if your libations are truly vegan or vegan friendly!  Barnivore
• Fortified Milks, Yogurts, Orange Juice and Breakfast Cereals are often fortified from animal sources such as sheep wool lanolin, pig skin, or cow skin.  YUK!  I prefer my vitamin D3 from vegan sources, thank you very much.  So make sure that soy milk you drink is labeled vegan so that it has no vitamin fortification from poor dead animals!

Are you on information overload yet?  I know, it's a lot to pay attention to, but just think of all the disease you will be preventing in yourself and your loved ones.  Totally worth the up front time to prevent the worry and sadness if you or a relative were to get chronically or seriously ill!