Vegetarian Cuisine
© Jill Harris
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Jul 19, 2008
Zucchini Recipe Ideas
‘Tis the season – and I don’t mean Christmas in July. It’s Zucchini season, and it’s time to start thinking about ways you can transform a bumper crop into tasty dishes.
Zucchini is a tricky vegetable. When prepared improperly it turns into a slimy, weird-tasting mush. It's not particularly flavourful on its own. But it's a summer staple and incredibly versatile. Embrace the zucchini squash with these tasty ideas.
Cooking Tips
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your zucchini recipes.
- Choose zucchini that are no bigger than a medium-sized banana. Large zucchini get tough inside and out and the seeds grow large and become bitter. If one of your ‘zukes hid out and grew too big before you could pick it, grate it into zucchini bread or muffins instead of eating it as part of a main dish
- Instead of trying to cram zucchini into every summer meal, why not freeze some for later in the year? Slice squashes into half-moons, slices or grate into freezer bags and seal tightly.
- When defrosted, the zucchini will become watery but will still be fine to use in soups, stews, casseroles, or baked goods
- Pair zucchini with other summer flavours like tomato, corn and fresh herbs for best results.
Zucchini Recipes
Jul 12, 2008
New Vegetarian Booze Site
Think wine, spirits and beer and vegan? Think again. Barnivore.com makes it easy to check whether your favourite bevvy is veg-friendly.
Did you know that your favourite summer-time beverage might not be vegan? We’ve explored why
some wines aren’t vegetarian. The same holds true for beers and spirits, too.
Because manufacturers tend to change their formulas and processes without alerting customers, staying on top of which products (whether food or drink) are vegan and vegetarian can be a full-time job.
Luckily, there are now websites like
Barnivore (a play on “omnivore” and “herbivore”) that are dedicated to helping veg*ns get their drink on without compromising their principles.
Barnivore was started by the same person who ran the now-defunct website about green living called
Taste Better. While it’s sad to see a great website go under, it’s fantastic news that Barnivore will be taking its place.
Readers can use information from the site to guide their purchase of – and support for - animal-friendly manufacturers of beer, wine and spirits. Web viewers (like you!) are also invited to corroborate information that’s already present. This helps to catch when companies do change their formulas.
Barnivore is a truly vegan site, recognizing that even though finished wines do not
contain the animal parts that are used in their production, using the products in processing at all is not ok.
Looking for ideas after you’ve bought a vegan wine? Check out
Vegetarian Food and Wine Pairing , or
Choosing a Vegetarian Wine.
Jul 3, 2008
Summer Meals and Outdoor Eating
Barbecue season doesn't mean steak and burger season. Meatless burgers and other grillables can shine on a summer menu. Here are some delicious outdoor eating ideas.
For everyone who can get out and enjoy the great summer weather, there are plenty of tasty vegetarian and vegan dishes to barbeque, take to a potluck or serve to a crowd. Summer is about fresh food and easy preparation – who wants to be in the kitchen all day with warm weather outside?
Grilling IdeasVegetarian grilling is less messy, healthier, and faster than grilling meat.
Try grilling something new, like
- Vegetarian burgers, or great burger substitutes like garden patties or portabello mushrooms. For people who miss meat, try vegetarian spareribs, sausages or hot dogs.
- Something new from the refrigerated or frozen food section of the supermarket
- Seasonal vegetables next to the burger to complete a no-fuss meal.
Salad RecipesNothing highlights seasonal flavours like a salad. Add protein like beans or tofu to make them a full meal. Try
- Strawberry recipes, including a dee-lish strawberry-feta salad (and an easy no-cook dessert or two)
- Greek salad
- Pasta salad with chickpeas
- Bean salad with garden vegetables
Easy No-Cook Dessert Ideas- Fresh fruit with whipped cream or vegan whipped topping (and chocolate sauce, why not?)
- Watermelon slices
- Grilled peaches
- Strawberries in balsamic vinegar (add a touch of sugar)
- Strawberries or berries and ice cream
- Vegetarian smoothie or milkshake served with a straw
- Fruit trifle or pudding
Handy TipsIt’s easy to provide vegetarian and vegan options at a picnic, barbeque or outdoor dinner. Here are some additional tips to make sure things run smoothly and are as delicious as possible:
- Refrigerate perishables like salads and cheeses before serving
- Pack wet and dry ingredient separately if they are going to sit for very long
- Garnish dishes with seasonal garden herbs like chives or parsley (but don’t limit yourself to these!)
- Shuck corn or prepare vegetables outside, where trimmings can go right into the compost bin
- Keep meat on the grill separate from the vegetarian dishes to avoid cross-contamination, and scrape the grill well after cooking meat
Jun 30, 2008
Cooking with Fresh Local Produce
When vegetables and fruits are at their freshest (and least expensive), why not let them take centre stage? Base a meal around veggies for flavour and good nutrition.
Happy Summer everyone. I hope you’re enjoying some great weather, wherever you are.
From my desk in Ontario, Canada I am drooling over local farmers’ market peas, strawberries and tomatoes – the first signs of the season here. And nothing beats their flavour.
That’s why I end up including a lot of raw ingredients in my summer meals – it seems almost a shame to cook foods that taste so perfect already. So, for example, I keep my peas fresh in
Macaroni and Cheese with Fresh Peas, a more sophisticated version of the children’s favourite.
On of about seven varieties of Ontario strawberries get sliced onto my cereal or oatmeal, or blended into a smoothie. I have also been known to eat them on ice cream, plain, with a touch of sugar…one of life’s simple pleasures. Eat strawberries for breakfast, lunch and dinner with these
strawberry recipes.
Benefits of Local ProduceThe reason I am making myself drool is that eating what is fresh and in-season locally will make your food taste better. It will cost less, and in many cases retain more nutrients if it’s picked just before you eat it, instead of being transported halfway around the world.
We don’t get fresh everything in Canada (if I could plant avocados in my yard, trust me – I would!) so I am a little bit jealous of everyone living in warmer climates. Use what you've got!
Meal Planning with Fresh VeggiesIn-season produce inspires meals - instead of picking a meat replacement (protein) source first for your meal, why not base it around whatever vegetables are fresh and ripe? It may just lead your meal in a new, unexpected direction. And who couldn't stand to get a few more servings of fresh veggies into their diet?
Jun 19, 2008
Expensive Organic Milk
As world grain prices rise, so does the cost of feeding animals with them. With organic milk becoming the most expensive item in my basket, should I swap it for regular?
I was going to write about how it has finally become financially viable for dairy farmers to switch from conventional to organic production. I went to the grocery store first – and the price of milk is Up, with a capital “U’.
At my local chain store, two litres of organic milk would set me back about six dollars; nearly 50% more than convetionally-produced milk. I support organic farming when I can, especially when it comes to animal products like milk and eggs. If there is extra cost associated with treating animals more humanely (giving them more space, natural grazing/feeding, and antibiotics only when absolutely necessary) then to me, the cost is justified.
But why have prices spiked?
Is it the world food “crisis”, resulting from increased competition for grains? It is my understanding that organic cows are “free range”, munching on a natural diet of grass. Has the price of grass gone up, too?
To temper the steep price increases, I can either resort entirely to conventional alternatives or change my diet. I will probably change my diet. Less milk, definitely less cheese, less junk food and more beans and vegetables will be on the menu. At least some vegetarian staples remain price-steady. Of course, I won’t sacrifice nutrition for price.
It has become “economically viable” for dairy farmers to switch to organic methods because decreased production per cow is offset by eliminating the cost of chemicals and fertilizers.
That’s good in the long run, because it should drive prices down. But for now at least, I can’t imagine feeding a family on it. There is no better time than the present to reduce consumption of animal products like meat and milk, or to take the plunge into vegetarianism or veganism. Money is an excellent motivator.
Reference:
Going organic eventually pays off (Toronto Star).
Jun 5, 2008
KFC to Sell Meatless Chicken
Kentucky Fried Chicken has finally succumbed to the pressure from animal-rights groups to introduce veggie-friendly options and updated slaughtering procedures in Canada.
In an unprecedented move stemming from years of pressure from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), Kentucky Fried Chicken - or “KFC” as they prefer to be called – have finally agreed to more humane slaughtering conditions and vegetarian menu options.
According to the
Globe and Mail article, 461 KFC chains (of a total 786 in Canada) will offer “Chick’n” or “un-chicken”; vegetarian or vegan versions of their popular fried poultry. KFC has also agreed to switch to the most humane method of killing their chickens, which apparently is by gassing them.
The move to add vegetarian items to their menu will at least give herbivores an option when grabbing a bite with meat-eating family and friends. In most Canadian fast-food joints it’s difficult to find something meatless, with the exception of some French fries (those not cooked in animal fats) or an occasional slice of veggie pizza.
Veggie burgers have gained acceptance in some chains, like Harvey’s; though in others apparently support has not been so great (McDonald’s no longer carries their meatless version).
Will I be venturing out to the nearest KFC to try their un-chicken? Probably not. But at least if I’m stuck in a town somewhere that’s not veggie-friendly, I will have options. And maybe this is the first step to the ultimate humane fast food: the kind that doesn’t have to be slaughtered at all.
May 31, 2008
Breakfast Brain Boost?
Is there a connection between breakfast eating and mental health? Australian researchers think so, at least among teens, thanks to the extra vitamins.
Australian researchers have
made a connection between teenagers’ breakfasts and their chance of developing depression, anxiety and “disobedience”. Although it’s impossible to call the relationship causal – there may be other factors besides just breakfast at work – this study offers some more evidence that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
The researchers suggest that combining food groups – fruits and vegetables, dairy and alternatives, meat and alternatives, and grains – leads to the intake of more nutrients than a single food-group breakfast.
Interestingly, most breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals, precisely to make them a more “complete” breakfast choice. But nothing beats real food like fruits, whole grains, nuts and vegetables.
Can vegetarians and vegans reap the potential benefits of a balanced breakfast? Absolutely. And while children were the focus of this and other breakfast studies, adult breakfast-eaters have a chance to keep their blood sugar more level throughout the day, are less likely to overeat and less likely to be obese than non-breakfast-eaters.
Need balanced breakfast ideas? Try these recipes that contain all four food groups:
May 26, 2008
Oprah on Vegan Diet
First she interviewed food scavenging guests and now, Oprah’s at it again. This time, she will try to follow Kathy Preston’s 21-day cleanse.
“I never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying.”! Oprah proclaims on her blog.
Oprah’s 21-day cleanse version aims to “eliminate sources of toxins and allergens, giving the digestive system a break from working overtime to process the substances that inhibit optimum performance the most.” It is a caffeine-free, vegan plan.
I’m not a firm believer in cleansing, but I do find it interesting that they do not include meat or dairy. Why? Milk is a potential allergen (although so is soy, but it’s allowed), and apparently meat is very difficult to digest. I’ve had friends tell me they’ve felt better after cutting meat out of their diets – they have more energy and feel somehow “lighter”. Could there be something to cleansing?
It’s hard to tease out the effects individual foods have on the body, but it makes sense that cleansing could help you do just that. By removing potential problem foods and becoming more in tune with your body, it would be easier to pinpoint a source of discomfort (for example, milk in somebody with lactose intolerance) when you do add it back in. And by eating lots of fibre, digestion will almost certainly improve.
Even on a caffeine-free vegan diet, Oprah is apparently satisfied and loving it. There are some good vegan meal ideas (“cream” of asparagus soup, tempeh Creole) and recipes on her
blog site.
I have to give her credit – it takes guts to embrace meatless meals filled with seaweed and soy yogurt, coming from a typical American diet. I question the usefulness of including processed sugary foods like
soy creamer, but the rest of the plan looks sound.
If Oprah can do it on National TV, you can do it your home. Check out some
vegan recipes now, or read more about
Freeganism on Oprah.
May 20, 2008
Advocating for Vegetarianism
I wonder how many people will read this – advocacy is something I have always shied away from too. But after realizing how little most omnivores know, how could I not?
Advocacy is a topic I guiltily avoid while convincing myself that I do my part for the vegetarian cause in other ways. Like, being vegetarian. But this morning I found mysefl reading a
National Post article entitled
"Dear Omnivore" whose author seems to be in the same boat.
Like her (him?) I deliberately do not tell others about my dietary choices, lest I be associated with granola-crunching hippies. I like to promote a modern image of the vegetarian who fits in, and who is fit. Nothing like telling the trainers at the gym I don’t eat tuna after my workouts and yes, I’m still strong.
At work, I never mentioned the fact that I was vegetarian. About six months in, I finally let it slip when our company ordered a catered lunch. Am I neglecting my vegetarian-ista duty to spread the Good Word of meatless meals?
After nearly a decade of vegetarianism, my answer is still "no". I try not to preach. I know that meat-eaters can get defensive around vegetarians, so I let them get to know me before casually mentioning my diet. By then, most people are comfortable enough to ask questions and actually re-consider the idea of vegetarianism, especially when they see how “normal” I seem.
It feels bad to be attacked for personal choices, dietary or otherwise. By advocating for a healthy, meat-free diet covertly, I influence more people in more meaningful ways. While only one or two of my friends have become vegetarian since I gave up meat, nearly everyone I know has reduced their meat consumption by education, familiarity and proximity. I feel like through social networking, I make a bigger difference.
Do you stand up for what you believe in? Rally against KFC? Support PETA? Share your experiences with the latest poll on
Vegetarian Advocacy.
May 11, 2008
More Vegetarians by 2020?
The number of Canadians eating meatless meals is rising, independent of the growth of vegetarianism. Should we be happy or disappointed?
Surfing the Internet can lead to discoveries of all sorts of new ideas. Last week I was scanning the Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (a branch of the federal government) website. I was looking for information not related to vegetarianism – but found some by accident.
It was one covert little paragraph in the “Canadian Food Trends to 2020” summary document listing the top 10 food and health trends to the year 2020.
“True vegetarians may not grow dramatically, but consumption of meatless meals will continue to increase.”I ran a
poll asking you – the reader – whether you are vegetarian or not. Almost 60% of you said you are vegetarian or vegan. But almost 20% consider themselves “pescatarian” (eat fish but no other meat), and an additional 22% are not vegetarian, but cook meatless meals for sometimes or for loved ones. Together, pescatarians and non-vegetarians make up more than a third of my readers!
I was surprised - but delighted - by these numbers. Of course I'd like to see and meet more vegetarians. I believe that becoming vegetarian is a positive move. But I also recognize what a huge achievement it is to know that Canadians are becoming mroe receptive to new food ideas, especially ones that do not revolve around meat.
We all know those "meat and potatoes" types, so I think baby steps are much better than no steps at all.
The bottom line is that not everyone can become vegetarian overnight, but those who make an effort to include more meatless meals are doing wonders for the environment, their health
and their palates. So hello all you adventurous non-vegetarians! Welcome, and give yourselves a pat on the back.
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