On a crisp Michigan day like today, when most of the country is focused on football and bonfires and hayrides and the like, I am back in my kitchen stirring the soup and toasting the bread. I have pulled out the slow cooker and put on a little Mary Chapin Carpenter. I dance and converse with myself and just mentally check out. I am in a place where others are not welcome. This is my place and I won't be long, I will be back, but for now it is my place and only mine.
The welcoming of friends and family back into my world will happen when the light on the cooker says "READY". The time will come when I ladle and plate and garnish and serve. I will say things like, "Wash your hands," and "Not until everyone sits down!" and "For pete's sake, some manners." I will ask about days at school and at work and about life in general. And I will no doubt discover at least one interesting previously unknown to me fact that may not change my life at all, but was fun for the sharer to share. And I will shoo away dogs begging for crumbs, begging actually for the entire dish, but settling for crumbs.
I have found two recipes that I absolutely must share. These actually began in for real recipe books but have morphed into the soups that appear here. I can never seem to follow word for word any recipe, even those that I write. And I always serve my soups with plenty of oyster crackers and Dreena Burton's Jumbo Croutons from Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan (basically, giant cubes of bread--I like sourdough--sloshed around in a bit of olive oil and sea salt, then toasted in the oven until crunchy).Whatever is left goes in the fridge for lunch the next day or in the freezer for a special quick treat later in the month. So here's hoping that you find your own crisp autumn day happy place............have fun and enjoy!
White Bean Soup
(adapted from Dreena Burton's White Bean Rosemary Soup with Jumbo Croutons and Fresh Basil in Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 1/2 c. celery, diced
4 lg. cloves garlic, minced
1 t. sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. dried Great Northern beans, soaked, drained, and rinsed
1-32 oz. box Imagine brand No-Chicken Broth
2 c. water
few fresh rosemary sprigs, chopped
2 T. fresh lemon juice
Throw all of this in a slow cooker and cook all day. Just before serving, remove most beans into large mixing bowl. Slightly mash with electric mixer, leaving somewhat chunky. Return beans to soup and stir to mix.
Potato Leek Soup
(adapted from Devra Gartenstein's Potato Leek Soup in The Accidental Vegan)
2-32 oz boxes Imagine brand No-Chicken Broth
4 c. water
6 lg. peeled potatoes, quartered
5 leeks, halved lengthwise, cleaned, and sliced in thin strips
3 lg. cloves garlic, minced
2 t. dried dill
2 t. sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Throw everything in a slow cooker and cook all day. Before serving, remove potatoes into large bowl or stock pan. Mash with electric mixer or by hand until slightly lumpy (the goal is to mostly mash, but leave some chunks of potato). Spoon potatoes back into soup and gently stir to mix. Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Can I Sell You on Veganism Today?
It happened again yesterday, the booger thing (see previous post). What exactly, I wonder, is a vegan supposed to look like. It would be interesting, I think, to get a room full of plant eaters together and snap some photos for comparison. What intrigued me most, however, was the five minute conversation that followed. It was the same five minute conversation that always follows confession of my dietary status. Why have I not noticed this before? It is, in essence, a five minute sales pitch opportunity for veganism.
Upon finding out that I'm vegan, the conversation partner usually falls into classic reporter mode. He or she will inevitably cover the five questions of standard journalistic practice: When, Why, What, Where, How. I recognize this now as the perfect time to pitch a plant-based diet. Following basic sales techniques, I can introduce my product (veganism) providing enough information but not too much, I can cover any questions and overcome objections, and I can move in for the close, suggesting of course that this is a much easier way to eat than most people realize and might actually be great for the listener to try.
A super salesperson is prepared. She knows her product, knows her clients, and has a polished presentation at the ready. In that spirit, I've covered here the basics of that five minute conversation. Feel free to jot it on a post-it, commit it to memory, or just print it out and share as is. And remember, it's all about the numbers. Not every listener will care, but one will.
WHEN:
Q: When did you decide to go vegan?
A: Share with the listener how long you've followed a strict plant-based diet, but also your transition. Were you lacto-ovo for a few years before? Did you hop straight into a vegan diet? Transition slowly?
WHY:
Q: Why did you decide to stop eating meat?
A: There are three basic answers here that most people can relate to: for the animals, for my health, and for the environment. Sometimes it helps to figure out where the listener is coming from and what they might most connect with, focusing on that aspect of veganism. Not every vegan cares, for example, if they are lowering their chances of Type II diabetes or heart disease.
WHAT:
Q: What DO you eat?
A: I've found that most people don't really care what you really eat. They wonder instead, what THEY would eat if THEY were vegan. I try to have on hand some basic everyday dinner ideas that I can share. For example, "Well, I like spaghetti and veggie burgers and a good pancake dinner once in awhile. If I don't have time to cook, I might just pick up some subs or burritos to take home."
WHERE:
Q: Where do you get your protein?
A: I'm sure every vegan has this answer down. If you need help on this one, check out any of the great veg websites, www.vrg.org being my favorite pick on nutrition based questions. I usually start with the fact that everything we eat except for fats and fruits contains some bit of protein. Then I throw in the fact that Americans actually get twice as much protein as what we need. Then I spout off the answer they were originally looking for: "beans and nuts and tofu and seeds and whole grains and soymilk and veggie burgers and ............."
HOW:
Q: I've been thinking about eating less meat. I'm not sure I could be a strict vegetarian, but HOW would I find more information on this?
A: Move in for the close. The listener is interested and wants more information. They will not go vegan cold turkey. But they may try vegetarianism for a week, or a month or whatever they decide. Have some favorite book titles ready. I especially like Christina Pirello's This Crazy Vegan Life. Give some websites that might help. I always start with www.tryveg.com or www.goveg.com. They both cover most of the basics of a plant-based diet and are great for transitioning readers.
Good luck with the sale...............now, GO GET 'EM!!
Upon finding out that I'm vegan, the conversation partner usually falls into classic reporter mode. He or she will inevitably cover the five questions of standard journalistic practice: When, Why, What, Where, How. I recognize this now as the perfect time to pitch a plant-based diet. Following basic sales techniques, I can introduce my product (veganism) providing enough information but not too much, I can cover any questions and overcome objections, and I can move in for the close, suggesting of course that this is a much easier way to eat than most people realize and might actually be great for the listener to try.
A super salesperson is prepared. She knows her product, knows her clients, and has a polished presentation at the ready. In that spirit, I've covered here the basics of that five minute conversation. Feel free to jot it on a post-it, commit it to memory, or just print it out and share as is. And remember, it's all about the numbers. Not every listener will care, but one will.
WHEN:
Q: When did you decide to go vegan?
A: Share with the listener how long you've followed a strict plant-based diet, but also your transition. Were you lacto-ovo for a few years before? Did you hop straight into a vegan diet? Transition slowly?
WHY:
Q: Why did you decide to stop eating meat?
A: There are three basic answers here that most people can relate to: for the animals, for my health, and for the environment. Sometimes it helps to figure out where the listener is coming from and what they might most connect with, focusing on that aspect of veganism. Not every vegan cares, for example, if they are lowering their chances of Type II diabetes or heart disease.
WHAT:
Q: What DO you eat?
A: I've found that most people don't really care what you really eat. They wonder instead, what THEY would eat if THEY were vegan. I try to have on hand some basic everyday dinner ideas that I can share. For example, "Well, I like spaghetti and veggie burgers and a good pancake dinner once in awhile. If I don't have time to cook, I might just pick up some subs or burritos to take home."
WHERE:
Q: Where do you get your protein?
A: I'm sure every vegan has this answer down. If you need help on this one, check out any of the great veg websites, www.vrg.org being my favorite pick on nutrition based questions. I usually start with the fact that everything we eat except for fats and fruits contains some bit of protein. Then I throw in the fact that Americans actually get twice as much protein as what we need. Then I spout off the answer they were originally looking for: "beans and nuts and tofu and seeds and whole grains and soymilk and veggie burgers and ............."
HOW:
Q: I've been thinking about eating less meat. I'm not sure I could be a strict vegetarian, but HOW would I find more information on this?
A: Move in for the close. The listener is interested and wants more information. They will not go vegan cold turkey. But they may try vegetarianism for a week, or a month or whatever they decide. Have some favorite book titles ready. I especially like Christina Pirello's This Crazy Vegan Life. Give some websites that might help. I always start with www.tryveg.com or www.goveg.com. They both cover most of the basics of a plant-based diet and are great for transitioning readers.
Good luck with the sale...............now, GO GET 'EM!!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Things I've Noticed
• When I tell people I’m vegan they stand staring at me as if I have a booger in my nose.
• By my rough estimates, at least a third of Americans think a fish is not an animal.
• Another third has a brother or sister or cousin or distant relative who at one time tried to go vegetarian and got incredibly ill with some life-threatening nutrition deficiency.
• And none of these people have any idea where to get protein unless from what flies, forages, or farts.
• The longer I’m vegan, and depending on the time of the month, the more honed my skills in tracking down high-calorie, trans fat-laden, bad for me, bad for the earth, and just bad carb dairy-free crap.
• A vegan diet is not necessarily a weight-loss diet.
• There are some people, however, who would like to try a vegan diet to drop twenty pounds, as if this is the new South Beach or Atkins, only opposite. Sort of.
• Most people are curious.
• Great tasting vegan food is prepared by great cooks. If you couldn’t prepare a family famous sausage lasagna or much requested mushroom beef stroganoff before you went veg you are not magically going to develop these skills after the transformation.
• Sometimes I have to double check for the “faux”.
• Packaged, processed egg-, honey-, and dairy-free food is still packaged, processed food.
• A great fun way to pass a boring afternoon is to play “Vegetarian or Meat-eater?” attempting, of course, to guess if the people you run into have sworn off bacon and pork chops or if they regularly dine on once-living creatures. The advanced version of the game has you betting on whether the Prius-driving middle-aged chick in the J.Jill sweater is lacto-ovo or hard-core vegan.
• Eating, as is life, is about learning. The more, the better. The more learning, not the more eating. Well, sometimes.
• By my rough estimates, at least a third of Americans think a fish is not an animal.
• Another third has a brother or sister or cousin or distant relative who at one time tried to go vegetarian and got incredibly ill with some life-threatening nutrition deficiency.
• And none of these people have any idea where to get protein unless from what flies, forages, or farts.
• The longer I’m vegan, and depending on the time of the month, the more honed my skills in tracking down high-calorie, trans fat-laden, bad for me, bad for the earth, and just bad carb dairy-free crap.
• A vegan diet is not necessarily a weight-loss diet.
• There are some people, however, who would like to try a vegan diet to drop twenty pounds, as if this is the new South Beach or Atkins, only opposite. Sort of.
• Most people are curious.
• Great tasting vegan food is prepared by great cooks. If you couldn’t prepare a family famous sausage lasagna or much requested mushroom beef stroganoff before you went veg you are not magically going to develop these skills after the transformation.
• Sometimes I have to double check for the “faux”.
• Packaged, processed egg-, honey-, and dairy-free food is still packaged, processed food.
• A great fun way to pass a boring afternoon is to play “Vegetarian or Meat-eater?” attempting, of course, to guess if the people you run into have sworn off bacon and pork chops or if they regularly dine on once-living creatures. The advanced version of the game has you betting on whether the Prius-driving middle-aged chick in the J.Jill sweater is lacto-ovo or hard-core vegan.
• Eating, as is life, is about learning. The more, the better. The more learning, not the more eating. Well, sometimes.
Friday, October 2, 2009
A new techie challenge
I am now on twitter but have no idea how to link to that here. So check me out @vegnchk.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Now What?
This post has nothing at all to do with veganism. It does relate to middle age. Mostly, it is just me talking out loud.
I am at a stuck spot in my life. Some might call this a mid-life crisis. I like to think of it as a transition. I’m big into transitions. I like empowering others to move to a more positive place in their lives, helping them transition, to put the term out there, to a richer existence. I suck at doing the same for myself.
Oh, I’m great at understanding what makes a rich life. We should focus on our strengths, use the talents we have been given, make every opportunity to put ourselves in positions that leave us feeling refreshed, exhilarated, strong, and yearning for more. This is the ideal. I am saddened, in fact, by those who waste away their days in jobs they don’t enjoy and are possibly not very good at. We should look forward to going to work. We should wake up excited that we get another opportunity to do what we love to do. We should. And we should do this every day.
Tom Rath has a great book out on the topic, StrengthsFinder 2.0. In it, Rath discusses the importance of focusing on the positive, on what we do best. Readers can take an online assessment that lists and describes their top five strengths. Personally, I would follow this up with Marcus Buckingham’s Go, Put Your Strengths to Work. Buckingham basically says ok, now that you know who you are, what do you do with that information? The subtitle of the book says it best—“6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance.” Not okay performance, but, holy-shit-that-was-frickin’-unbelievable performance. This is where we should be.
So, I’m at this place where I know who I am. This is progress. Many people struggle even to get here. Not so with me. I know who I am. According to Buckingham and the Clifton StrengthsFinder, I am a “learner, maximizer, futuristic, strategic, activator.” In plain words, I love to learn new things, motivate others to greatness, project, find a way around obstacles, and get things started. And I do. Except that now I am having trouble with the getting things started part or maybe the looking ahead to the future part. And it wouldn’t matter except that I feel something needs to be getting started. Have you ever felt called, but not sure what you’re being called toward? That’s me right now.
So possibly this is a mid-life crisis. I could just go buy a sporty little red convertible. And I truly would love that. But it wouldn’t satisfy the nagging inside of me. I’ve already gone back to school, so that’s not the issue. And I am in no way interested in that whole perimenopausal pregnancy scene, thank you very much. But I do feel called. Maybe I am being called to part ways with something. I have considered recently laying down my pen and paper, or casting aside the keyboard as it is, in favor of other, more fulfilling pursuits. Only I can’t not write, just as I can’t not lead or speak or move others forward. Writing for me just happens, just comes into my head and then ends up on screen in the same sort of way that vomit just happens. And, besides, I’ve never experienced a mid-life crisis before so how would I know if this is it?
I’ve heard that we too often tend to the immediate and ignore the important. I’m not sure that is always necessarily a bad thing. For example, as mothers, we diaper and bathe and rock and soothe and nurse and dress. We go about our routine in a state of utter exhaustion hoping to merely make it to the next day. There is the thought somewhere in the back of our spit-up encrusted brain that we are shaping a life, that we have a child’s entire existence in our hands, that we are partnering as scriptwriter for a future that is not our own. There is this thought and yet we cannot attend to it because we must run to get dinner before it is burned to the proverbial crisp. And yet, in our diapering and bathing and soothing, we impart our ways in a manner that says this is me, this is how I do things, this is the important.
I am hoping that I can limp along attending to the immediate in the way that I do and that that will ultimately see to the important. I am hoping that by putting myself in spots that leave me feeling refreshed, exhilarated, strong, and yearning for more the calling will become more a shouting. I am hoping that by focusing on the positive, on my strengths, and by finding opportunities to use those, I will move myself from merely knowing who I am to discovering what I am here to do. I am hoping. I am hoping and I am waiting. But, hey, in the meantime it wouldn’t hurt to test drive that sporty little red convertible, right?
I am at a stuck spot in my life. Some might call this a mid-life crisis. I like to think of it as a transition. I’m big into transitions. I like empowering others to move to a more positive place in their lives, helping them transition, to put the term out there, to a richer existence. I suck at doing the same for myself.
Oh, I’m great at understanding what makes a rich life. We should focus on our strengths, use the talents we have been given, make every opportunity to put ourselves in positions that leave us feeling refreshed, exhilarated, strong, and yearning for more. This is the ideal. I am saddened, in fact, by those who waste away their days in jobs they don’t enjoy and are possibly not very good at. We should look forward to going to work. We should wake up excited that we get another opportunity to do what we love to do. We should. And we should do this every day.
Tom Rath has a great book out on the topic, StrengthsFinder 2.0. In it, Rath discusses the importance of focusing on the positive, on what we do best. Readers can take an online assessment that lists and describes their top five strengths. Personally, I would follow this up with Marcus Buckingham’s Go, Put Your Strengths to Work. Buckingham basically says ok, now that you know who you are, what do you do with that information? The subtitle of the book says it best—“6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance.” Not okay performance, but, holy-shit-that-was-frickin’-unbelievable performance. This is where we should be.
So, I’m at this place where I know who I am. This is progress. Many people struggle even to get here. Not so with me. I know who I am. According to Buckingham and the Clifton StrengthsFinder, I am a “learner, maximizer, futuristic, strategic, activator.” In plain words, I love to learn new things, motivate others to greatness, project, find a way around obstacles, and get things started. And I do. Except that now I am having trouble with the getting things started part or maybe the looking ahead to the future part. And it wouldn’t matter except that I feel something needs to be getting started. Have you ever felt called, but not sure what you’re being called toward? That’s me right now.
So possibly this is a mid-life crisis. I could just go buy a sporty little red convertible. And I truly would love that. But it wouldn’t satisfy the nagging inside of me. I’ve already gone back to school, so that’s not the issue. And I am in no way interested in that whole perimenopausal pregnancy scene, thank you very much. But I do feel called. Maybe I am being called to part ways with something. I have considered recently laying down my pen and paper, or casting aside the keyboard as it is, in favor of other, more fulfilling pursuits. Only I can’t not write, just as I can’t not lead or speak or move others forward. Writing for me just happens, just comes into my head and then ends up on screen in the same sort of way that vomit just happens. And, besides, I’ve never experienced a mid-life crisis before so how would I know if this is it?
I’ve heard that we too often tend to the immediate and ignore the important. I’m not sure that is always necessarily a bad thing. For example, as mothers, we diaper and bathe and rock and soothe and nurse and dress. We go about our routine in a state of utter exhaustion hoping to merely make it to the next day. There is the thought somewhere in the back of our spit-up encrusted brain that we are shaping a life, that we have a child’s entire existence in our hands, that we are partnering as scriptwriter for a future that is not our own. There is this thought and yet we cannot attend to it because we must run to get dinner before it is burned to the proverbial crisp. And yet, in our diapering and bathing and soothing, we impart our ways in a manner that says this is me, this is how I do things, this is the important.
I am hoping that I can limp along attending to the immediate in the way that I do and that that will ultimately see to the important. I am hoping that by putting myself in spots that leave me feeling refreshed, exhilarated, strong, and yearning for more the calling will become more a shouting. I am hoping that by focusing on the positive, on my strengths, and by finding opportunities to use those, I will move myself from merely knowing who I am to discovering what I am here to do. I am hoping. I am hoping and I am waiting. But, hey, in the meantime it wouldn’t hurt to test drive that sporty little red convertible, right?
Friday, September 25, 2009
What I Eat When I Cheat
I am officially sick of vegetables. With the endless supply of beets and broccoli and corn and cabbage from my CSA box, early season rhubarb, parsnips, and leafy greens from the farmers’ market, and surplus summer squash and zucchini from my neighbor’s garden, I have had my fill of antioxidants, fiber, and good carbs. I do understand that vegetables are a key component of a healthful vegan diet. In fact, the American Dietetic Association’s latest position (July 2009)on plant-based diets goes something like this:
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes.
I’ve got it. I’m fully on board with the program. I’m hoping to give myself the best shot at avoiding those diseases the ADA is talking about, such nasties as heart disease, obesity, type II diabetes, and certain cancers. I totally understand that vegetarian diets are lower in cholesterol and saturated fats than meat-based diets and that vegans enjoy all of these health benefits to an even greater degree than do their lacto-ovo counterparts. I fully grasp the concept of improved well-being and increased longevity gained through nourishing my body with a potpourri of foods that have not required a can opener to prepare. But hear me now, enough is enough.
Sometimes I just want to rip open the bag of Fritos and have at it.
I have eaten fresh, local, organic all summer. I have even incorporated many raw dishes into my dinners. As a result, I have reaped maximum nutrition benefits by keeping heat to a minimum in my meal prep. And, yes, the food has been tasty. I truly never realized the gustatory difference between a cucumber picked from the vine in my backyard and one shipped to my front door via interstate highways. I am spoiled now as far as my deep reds and leafy greens. I snub my nose at trucked-in tomatoes, picked too early melons, and hard as rock peaches. I dub myself prima donna of produce.
But let’s get real. I am no purist. Sometimes I just have a hankering for a pb & j on Wonder Bread. And I’m talking Skippy! While I’m at it, maybe I’ll have that bag of Fritos for my side. Lots of colors, plenty of textures, passes the seventh grade home ec test. So what do I do when I’m feeling this need for back of the class kind of carbs, those that tried really hard, but never quite made the grade? I grab my favorite bowl and whip up a batch of homemade muffins, that’s what I do.
If you must know, and I’m confessing here, I’m just a muffin kind of gal. These little treaties are quick, they’re easy, and they feed me fast. Plus, you can throw in all kinds of crap and nobody ever knows the difference. So, pardon me if you will, I’m headed out to the kitchen right now. I think I’ll tie on an apron, start up a little Jason Mraz, and get the chocolate chips flying.
Try these when you’re in a muffin kind of mood: (The first two are a couple of my recipes that appeared in VegNews last year. The third is just a chocolate dream I once had…….)
Punkinberry Muffins
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup firm tofu, mashed
1-1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cloves
1 cup dried cranberries
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray or oil a 12-cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
2. Mix pumpkin, syrup, oil, vanilla, and tofu in large bowl.
3. Sift dry ingredients, except cranberries, separately. Add to pumpkin mixture. Stir just until moist. Fold in cranberries.
4. Spoon into muffin tin. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.
Banana Split Muffins
2 ripe bananas, mashed
½ cup turbinado sugar
½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup firm tofu, mashed
½ cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup crushed walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray or oil a 12-cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl combine first nine ingredients. Stir just until moistened.
3. Fold in chocolate chips, cherries, and nuts.
4. Spoon into muffin tin. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.
Fudgy Banana Muffins
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 c. plain soymilk
¼ c. olive oil
½ c. pure maple syrup
1 T. vanilla
1 c. unbleached white flour
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 T. baking powder
½ t. sea salt
1 T. cocoa
1 c. vegan chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray or oil muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
2. Stir together bananas, soymilk, oil, syrup, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended.
3. Sift together separately flours, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Add to liquid ingredients.
4. Fold in chocolate chips. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops spring back to a light touch.
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes.
I’ve got it. I’m fully on board with the program. I’m hoping to give myself the best shot at avoiding those diseases the ADA is talking about, such nasties as heart disease, obesity, type II diabetes, and certain cancers. I totally understand that vegetarian diets are lower in cholesterol and saturated fats than meat-based diets and that vegans enjoy all of these health benefits to an even greater degree than do their lacto-ovo counterparts. I fully grasp the concept of improved well-being and increased longevity gained through nourishing my body with a potpourri of foods that have not required a can opener to prepare. But hear me now, enough is enough.
Sometimes I just want to rip open the bag of Fritos and have at it.
I have eaten fresh, local, organic all summer. I have even incorporated many raw dishes into my dinners. As a result, I have reaped maximum nutrition benefits by keeping heat to a minimum in my meal prep. And, yes, the food has been tasty. I truly never realized the gustatory difference between a cucumber picked from the vine in my backyard and one shipped to my front door via interstate highways. I am spoiled now as far as my deep reds and leafy greens. I snub my nose at trucked-in tomatoes, picked too early melons, and hard as rock peaches. I dub myself prima donna of produce.
But let’s get real. I am no purist. Sometimes I just have a hankering for a pb & j on Wonder Bread. And I’m talking Skippy! While I’m at it, maybe I’ll have that bag of Fritos for my side. Lots of colors, plenty of textures, passes the seventh grade home ec test. So what do I do when I’m feeling this need for back of the class kind of carbs, those that tried really hard, but never quite made the grade? I grab my favorite bowl and whip up a batch of homemade muffins, that’s what I do.
If you must know, and I’m confessing here, I’m just a muffin kind of gal. These little treaties are quick, they’re easy, and they feed me fast. Plus, you can throw in all kinds of crap and nobody ever knows the difference. So, pardon me if you will, I’m headed out to the kitchen right now. I think I’ll tie on an apron, start up a little Jason Mraz, and get the chocolate chips flying.
Try these when you’re in a muffin kind of mood: (The first two are a couple of my recipes that appeared in VegNews last year. The third is just a chocolate dream I once had…….)
Punkinberry Muffins
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup firm tofu, mashed
1-1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cloves
1 cup dried cranberries
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray or oil a 12-cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
2. Mix pumpkin, syrup, oil, vanilla, and tofu in large bowl.
3. Sift dry ingredients, except cranberries, separately. Add to pumpkin mixture. Stir just until moist. Fold in cranberries.
4. Spoon into muffin tin. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.
Banana Split Muffins
2 ripe bananas, mashed
½ cup turbinado sugar
½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup firm tofu, mashed
½ cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup crushed walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray or oil a 12-cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl combine first nine ingredients. Stir just until moistened.
3. Fold in chocolate chips, cherries, and nuts.
4. Spoon into muffin tin. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.
Fudgy Banana Muffins
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 c. plain soymilk
¼ c. olive oil
½ c. pure maple syrup
1 T. vanilla
1 c. unbleached white flour
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 T. baking powder
½ t. sea salt
1 T. cocoa
1 c. vegan chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray or oil muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
2. Stir together bananas, soymilk, oil, syrup, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended.
3. Sift together separately flours, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Add to liquid ingredients.
4. Fold in chocolate chips. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops spring back to a light touch.
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