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BBQ Black-Eyed Pea-Collard Rolls

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     Robert and I were recently talking about why people think it’s so much harder to be vegan than it actually is. He made the point that people don’t always recognize that what they like most about animal-based dishes are the seasonings and sauces, not the actual flesh itself. This is an unfortunate misconception because so many seasonings and sauces can easily be enjoyed on plant-based foods and would result in a meal that is so much healthier (and much less harmful to animals and the environment). So this week I’ve been making new recipes with a specific goal in mind: to show that even the most seemingly not-vegan-friendly cuisines (i.e. BBQ) can easily be enjoyed without the use of animals and without sacrificing taste.
   Since becoming vegan, we have each been exposed to so many new foods and both feel that being vegan is incredibly expansive. For me, these collard rolls are a perfect case in point. I’d heard of collard greens before as being major part of southern cuisine but the only time I’d ever seen them was in my college cafeteria (in New England) and they kind of looked like sewage. I also had very low exposure to black-eyed peas. The only time I’d ever eaten them was once a year on New Years and that was because my mother would insist we needed to have “at least one bite” or we’d be cursed with bad luck for the entire year. So, obviously collards and black-eyed peas weren’t foods for which I had a great deal of affection. Robert, on the other hand, lit up when he saw what I was cooking. “Wow! It’s so southern!” he exclaimed. And then he went on and on reminiscing about his dad’s cooking growing up. So there you go, a prime example of my experiencing something new and Robert’s rekindling the flame of the comforting flavors of his past.
   These rolls were so much fun to make! They were also really, really tasty. Collard greens are pretty and delicious, and make for perfect rolling material because of their sturdiness. Collards are GREAT for heart health because of their high folate content and fiber-related nutrients. They are also an excellent source of vitamin K and a very good source of omega-3’s. AND, 3/4 cup of collard greens has more calcium than a glass of cow’s milk. How nice that good-for-you food and good-tasting comfort food can easily be one and the same 🙂
Ingredients:
12 collard leaves
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced thickly
3 cups copped collards
1 1/2 cups black-eyed peas, cooked (or 1 15 oz can, drained and rinsed)
3 cups Dillon Panthers BBQ Sauce (click on link for recipe)
note: One bunch of collards should give you enough to prepare this recipe.
Instructions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. When the water is boiling, submerge the 12 collard leaves and cover for 6 minutes. When done, use tongs to transfer them to a strainer and let cool. Handle them gently so that they don’t rip.
3. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, until softened.
4. Add the chopped collards. Cook for 7-10 minutes, or until most of the moisture has cooked off.
5. Add the black-eyed peas and cook through.
6. Pour on 2 cups of the BBQ sauce and cook for about 5 minutes more. If it looks watery, turn the heat up a bit and cook a few more minutes.
7. Let cook just a bit so that you can make the rolls without burning yourself.
8. Place a collard on a flat work surface. Place about 2 tablespoons of the black-eyed peas and company in the lower third of the collard. Fold the bottom up over the mixture, then fold in the sides. Roll the collard up, gently but firmly. Continue this way with the remaining collards. Spoon extra BBQ sauce over the rolls and/or make available for dunking.
Sources: nutritional benefits of collard greens, recipe from “Veganomicon”
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Golden Rice with Curried Apricot Dressing

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This dish is similar to paella but it has more sweetness in flavor. The apricot dressing is loaded with richness and spice, and makes the whole rice mixture really creamy. This recipe could easily satisfy 4 people, but keep in mind that before we started eating we were certain there would be leftovers but it was so good that we didn’t want to stop eating. But hey, that’s another great thing about eating a plant-based, whole foods diet– it’s all good-for-you stuff, so helping yourself to seconds (and thirds and fourths) is fine!

Update: I tried adding a can of chickpeas to this dish and really enjoyed it. It’s delicious either way, but I now prefer it with the chickpeas.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon water or vegetable stock, for sauteing
1 medium sweet yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 cups uncooked brown basmati rice
2 teaspoons turmeric
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tart apple, diced and tossed with lemon juice
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Curried Apricot Dressing
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup water

Instructions:
1. In a medium saucepan, heat the water or stock over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until just softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the cumin, fennel seed, pepper, and salt. Saute for 1 minute.
3. Add the rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes or until the rice smells fragrant.
4. Add the turmeric and the 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock. bring to boil and cover.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
6. Meanwhile, to make the dressing combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
7. After step 5 is done, remove the pan from heat and add the carrots, apple, and scallions. Stir so everything is all mixed in and then transfer to a large serving bowl.
8. Pour most of the dressing onto the rice and mix thoroughly. Taste and add the rest of the dressing, if desired, or reserve for another use. Serve, savor, and enjoy!

Source: This is based on a recipe from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s “Color Me Vegan”. (Her recipe calls for saffron, which I had planned to use but forgot to purchase. I used turmeric instead and we loved how it turned out so I’ll continue to make this dish with turmeric in the future. I also omitted the oil.) 

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Dillon Panthers Team BBQ Tofu

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     We recently completed the first four seasons of Friday Night Lights in less than a month and now the imaginary people of Dillon, Texas hold a big place in our hearts. If Tim Riggins had more sense he’d probably eat this sweet BBQ sauce on his tofu all the time.

Ingredients:
BBQ Sauce:
1 tablespoon vegetable broth or water
1 medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz) can tomato paste
2/3 cup blackstrap molasses
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoon liquid smoke
Tofu:
1 pound tofu, drained and pressed, cut widthwise into eighths
1 tablespoon reduced- sodium soy sauce or tamari
Ground pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat a saucepan over medium heat. Place the onions in the pan and saute in broth until browned (5-7 minutes).
2. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
3. Add all the other ingredients except the mustard and liquid smoke. Cook for 1 hour, uncovered, stirring occasionally. If the sauce starts to splatter, lower the heat.
4. Add the mustard and the liquid smoke, and taste for sweetness/sourness. Adjust if necessary, and cook for another 5 minutes.*
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place tofu slices in a 9×18-inch (preferably glass or ceramic) baking pan. Drizzle with soy sauce and pepper, then flip the slices and do the same to the other side.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the slices and bake for another 15 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and smother the slices with the BBQ sauce. Really let yourself go wild and lay it on thick! Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and serve.
(*Steps 1-4 can be done days in advance if you want. Just store the sauce in the fridge. Makes about 2 cups.)

Source: Inspired by recipes in “Veganomicon”

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Why We Stopped Eating Dairy

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No animal dies for a glass of milk or a piece of cheese, right?

That’s what we thought, too. But there is actually more suffering and death in a glass of milk than a piece of steak. This is because the veal industry is a byproduct of the dairy industry.

Cows are like all mammals in that they produce breast milk for their young. In order for a cow to produce milk, she must be pregnant and give birth. It’s funny how easily we forget this. We convince ourselves that cows just conveniently produce milk for the taking.

A dairy cow is constantly impregnated so that she will continue to produce milk. Her milk never reaches her baby, but is instead pumped out of her for human consumption. A cow is pregnant for 9 months. If she gives birth to a male, he is considered useless to the dairy industry. What happens to him? He is immediately taken from his mother and is sold and slaughtered as veal.

Cows form strong bonds with one another, particularly between mother and child. As Michael Klaper M.D. recalls: “The very saddest sound in all my memory was burned into my awareness at age five on my uncle’s dairy farm in Wisconsin. A cow had given birth to a beautiful male calf… On the second day after birth, my uncle took the calf from the mother and placed him in the veal pen in the barn– only ten yards away, in plain view of his mother. The mother cow could see her infant, smell him, hear him, but could not touch him, comfort him, or nurse him. The heartrending bellows that she poured forth– minute after minute, hour after hour, for five long days– were excruciating to listen to. They are the most poignant and painful auditory memories I carry in my brain.”

A dairy cow’s life is spent mourning the loss of baby after baby as she continues to be impregnated so humans can consume her milk. And she too is destined for the same horrific slaughter when her body has finally become too ravaged and overworked by constant pregnancy to continue producing milk.

We were slow to realize the direct connection between dairy products and the veal industry. But once it clicked, we were eager to stop consuming dairy. With all the dairy-free milks, cheeses, and yogurts out there, this was an incredibly easy change.
Why choose to contribute to such suffering when it’s so easy to make less harmful choices?

For a great list of commercially available non-dairy milks click here.
Also, see my post about why you don’t need cow’s milk for calcium here.
And go to my FAQ section for advice how to transition off dairy.

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Basil-Cilantro Pesto

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Robert and I agree that this basil-cilantro pesto is the best pesto we’ve ever tasted. It’s lemony and bright, and because it uses almonds in place of cheese, the texture is has just the right amount of creaminess. We enjoyed it with cannellini beans, but it would also be great on pasta, baguettes, or anything else you enjoy eating with pesto. This recipe makes about 1 cup.

Ingredients:
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
1/3 cup almonds
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water (if necessary)

Instructions:
1. Place the basil, cilantro, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor. Blend till pasty, scraping down the sides occasionally.
2. Add the water if necessary and blend till smooth. Yum!

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We’re All Cookie Monsters!

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When I originally wrote this post, I hadn’t had a chocolate chip cookie in a really, really long time. Cookies generally aren’t wheat-free, so I stopped eating them for my stomach’s sake. By the time Robert and I decided to go vegan, cookies had already become such an unfamiliar and far-away memory for me that I didn’t even think to look for vegan cookie recipes.

Well, not only are there tons of recipes for vegan cookies out there, I found a recipe for vegan AND wheat-free cookies! And let me tell you, these babies were gooood. So chewy and so soft. I swear my eyes were closed the whole time while I was eating them because I was in dreamland. 

Plus, when I licked the spoon and the bowl, I didn’t have to worry about salmonella because the batter had no eggs, or any butter. If anyone you know thinks being vegan means a living a life of culinary sacrifice, bake them these cookies and their minds will be changed. Guaranteed.

 
Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup oat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup organic canola oil
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds or flax meal
1/4 cup almond milk (or soy is fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl add oat flour and baking soda and whisk. Add the flax, almond milk, sugars and stir. Add canola and vanilla and whisk vigorously for about 1-2 minute.
3. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Drop batter by the tablespoon onto an ungreased baking sheet, leaving 1 1/2 inch between cookies. Stick ’em in the oven.
5. Remove from oven after 10-12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and then remove with a spatula and put them on a cooling rack.

Source: Inspired by a recipe in Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Their recipe called for more white sugar than brown sugar, but I prefer to use more brown sugar than white sugar.

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Robert’s Power Breakfast! (And, Why You Don’t Need Cow’s Milk for … Anything!)

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Did you know that humans are the only species on that planet that 1) drink the breast milk of another species, and 2) continue to consume milk far past weaning age?      

I certainly didn’t think about it like that until recently, but once I did, I got the heebie jeebies all over.

The practice of consuming the milk of other animals is actually a fairly recent phenomenon in human history, and our bodies aren’t built to handle it very well. After the first few years of life, we stop producing the enzyme lactase and lose our ability to digest lactose. It’s no wonder so many people have trouble digesting milk (let alone the milk of another kind of animal) past weaning age. What is often called “lactose intolerance” (the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose after weaning age) shouldn’t be thought of a disease. It’s the normal “condition” for most human adults–a whopping 75% worldwide–because adults aren’t babies, obviously, and no longer need to be able to digest milk

Like most people, I thought humans consumed cow’s milk to meet our calcium needs, but it’s believed that the amounts of calcium consumed by humans in the late Paleolithic era were more than double the intakes of today–with no cow’s milk at all. Humans evolved in a calcium-rich, salt-poor dietary environment, and our basic metabolism has changed little from that of our Stone Age ancestors.

Where did their calcium come from? Plants! That’s right, calcium-rich plant food! Calcium-rich foods that are widely available today include kale, collard greens, broccoli, mushrooms, green beans, seaweed, romaine lettuce, (the list goes on!) as well as beans, nuts, and seeds. There’s even some calcium in whole grains and fruits, which are already loaded with health benefits in their own right.

There are lots of plant-based milks and yogurts out there (I eat plain soy yogurt every morning for breakfast). Robert has started drinking almond milk, which he uses in his daily breakfast smoothie. Almond milk is delicious and nutritious. It’s free of cholesterol and saturated fat but contains omega fatty acids (that’s the good stuff). It’s rich in vitamins D, E, and A. It has high levels of magnesium, potassium, selenium and 30% of daily calcium needs in each cup. Robert absolutely LOVES this smoothie. He comes home from work every night and says something about how good his breakfast was.

Ingredients (top photo, from left to right):
Almond Milk
Walnuts
Peanut Butter
Blueberries
Almonds
Ground Flax Seeds
Banana
Agave Nectar
Sources: 
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Brussels Sprouts + Apples + Pecans

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Brussels Sprouts are so cute! They are also really nutritious, boasting high amounts of vitamins C and K, and containing an abundance of disease-fighting phytochemicals, including sulforaphane, which helps rid the body of carcinogenic substances.
This dish was inspired by a recipe in “Color Me Vegan” by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. I absolutely LOVE this cookbook and I think the author is awesome. Her podcast Vegetarian Food for Thought (which you can listen to for free) is so inspiring and informative. Not only is she well-versed in nutrition–which is why I started listening to her in the first place–but she also has helped me see that our food choices can be, and should be, an extension of who we are and what we value in life. It’s such an empowering outlook. Her words have really broadened my perspective.

Ingredients:
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, washed and shredded (cut into strips)
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
1 large tart apple, unpeeled and cubed
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon pomegranate syrup (if you can’t find that, use maple syrup)
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1. In a large saute pan, heat broth over medium heat. Add the shredded Brussels sprouts and a touch of salt and saute for 7-10 minutes until the sprouts begin to brighten.
2. Add the apple cubes, garlic, and syrup, and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the apples are heated through but not too soft.
3. At the end of the cooking time, add the pecans, and salt and pepper to taste.

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Follow Up: The Truth About Chicken + Cholesterol

I was asked an interesting follow-up question to my post on chicken and cholesterol: “If chicken were really as bad for your heart as red meat, why do we always hear that chicken is ‘healthy’? Food companies wouldn’t be telling us that if it there weren’t some truth to it, right?”

In the book I am currently reading, “Appetite for Profit,” author Michele Simon examines why we cannot expect food companies to be the guardians of public health. Food companies are corporations. (In fact, they are some of the world’s largest corporations.) The most important guiding principle of all corporations is to maximize profits for shareholders. Individual corporate actors are legally and financially obliged to be motivated first and foremost by profit. “In fact, managers who willfully allow the bottom line to suffer to protect the public good can be sued by company shareholders for breach of their legal obligations.”

You may be thinking, “well, of course corporations care most about their bottom line, but can they really get away with lying??”

Not only can they get away with it, they are protected by law. The Supreme Court has granted corporations certain “personhood” rights, such as limited free speech, which allows companies to advertise largely unhampered by government regulations.

However, unlike actual people, corporations don’t have any moral or ethical constraints. As legal analysts Frank H. Easterbrook and Daniel R. Fishel note, “Corporations can no more be said to have moral obligations than does a building, an organizational chart, or a contract.” They aren’t guided by a respect for humanity or faith or a reverence for truth and justice. Rather, a corporation’s sense of “doing the right thing” is based upon continuing to make profits.

Food companies have no obligation to give us the straight facts in their advertising campaigns, and they won’t unless it’s in their financial interest to do so. Our best interest–good health!–isn’t their main motivation. And just because something has been advertised for years doesn’t make it any more true.

Asking questions and examining some of our assumptions about food is in the best interest for ourselves and the ones we love.
Thanks for reading.

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Baingan Bharta (Indian-Style Eggplant) + Garbanzos

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   Whenever I eat out at a restaurant, I am drawn by a powerful magnetic force towards any dish with eggplant. It’s in some of my most favorite things– baba ganouj, bharta, caponata. It’s just so delicious. I’ve been hesitant to include eggplant in my cooking at home, however, because it can take a long time and I thought it wasn’t as rich with nutrients as some other vegetables.
   Well, it turns out that eggplant is loaded with health benefits. In addition to high containing high levels of antioxidants, which help to stimulate the immune system and energy levels of the body, eggplant also contain a compound called terpenes, which are known to lower cholesterol. I’m thrilled! And while it’s true some prep time is required, it’s hardly complicated– if you can open the oven, then you can do it.
   This recipe is based on my favorite Indian dish, bharta. I chose to include garbanzo beans so it could be a one-pot-meal with plenty of fiber and protein. When you bring these spices home from the market, the wonderful smell will make your dream of far away lands. Once you start cooking, you’re practically on your way. Mmmmmmm….
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell-pepper, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 15-oz can of garbanzo beans
1 14-oz can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon garam masala
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick eggplant with a fork several times and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel and chop the eggplant.
2. Dribble a few tablespoons of olive oil on a non-stick skillet and turn to medium-hight. Add the onion and cook until it begins to turn golden. Add the bell pepper and cook for a few more minutes.
3. Clear a spot in the center of the skillet and sprinkle the cumin seeds directly on the hot surface. Stir and toast them for about 1 minute, until they become fragrant. Then stir them into the onions and peppers and add the cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, tumeric, and diced tomatoes.
4. Add the eggplant and cook over medium heat, pressing eggplant with the back of a spoon to break up large pieces, for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the garbanzos and enough water (approximately 1/2 cup) to keep the mixture moist. Cover tightly and turn heat to low. Cook for at least 15 minutes, stirring periodically, until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have blended.

Sources:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=22, http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2009/10/09/baingan-bharta-eggplant/