CookBOOk Mondays: Trick or Treat?

Ok, that was bad. It is the day of Halloween, but honestly I could have come up with a better play on words! Plus, there is no trick, just soup... Today is the last day of the Vegan Month of Food, even though I feel like October only just began. That said, I have enjoyed the structure of this month so much that I think I will retain certain elements (posting 3-4 times a week to preserve my sanity!). At the bottom of this post is the link to a short survey for you to provide input on your interest in blog content. It will help me gauge what you want to read, as I give My Munchable Musings a bit of a makeover.

Ok, now that those nuts and bolts are out of the way, today is a cookbook double-wammy! The first is a new acquisition from Paperback Swap about which I am exceedingly happy. And the second is a favorite macrobiotic dessert cookbook.

Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites is not an exploration in vegan cuisine, but it does have some lovely hearty dishes that served my growing desire for winter comfort foods. This weekend I whipped up a modified batch of Basque White Bean Soup - but I really want to make Callaloo and Golden Split Pea Soup in the near future.

Luscious Legume and Greens Soup
2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs ground fennel (omitted)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 cup coarsely chopped kale (substituted for cabbage)
4 celery stalks, sliced (omitted)
1 carnival squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (substituted for butternut squash)
3/4 cup minced red bell peppers
1 cups diced tomatoes (my addition)
6 cups vegetable stock
2 cups mixed black-eyed and green split peas (subbed for white beans)
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a soup pot, sautee onions and garlic in oil until onions start to caramelize. Add kale and celery (optional) until tender. Then add the squash, peppers (optional), and tomatoes. Pour in stock and bring to a boil.
2. Add herbs and cook for 5 - 10 minutes more, until squash cooked. Stir in legumes and season to taste.

Today's fall baked good recipe is an adaptation of a really fabulous Kabocha Pound Cake recipe. I actually came across Love, Eric while in Florence, which is funny considering the cookbook was published in California! Because of my excess of apples during this time of year, I altered the recipe to utilize this fruit.

Honey Crisp Pound Cake
1/3 cup safflower (or other mild) oil
1/2 cup organic apple sauce
2 tbs ground flax (substituted for 2 oz firm tofu)
3/4 cup apple cider (or sub a 1/2 cup soy milk)
1/2 cup turbinado sugar + 1/4 cup agave (substituted for maple syrup)
1 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 tbs baking powder
1 pinch baking soda
1 pinch sea salt
1 1/2 cup diced honey crisp apples

1. Whisk oil, apple sauce, flax, cider, and sugars until smooth. Let sit for five minutes.
2. Mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Add apple.
3. Bake in a greased loaf pan for 25-35 minutes at 350F.


Both of the recipes feel very homey and comforting. I hope you enjoy and get a chance to check out these two wonderful cookbooks. Happy Halloween!

Please help me make My Munchable Musings better by taking this short survey.

Seven Billion and Counting

Congratulations, you make up 0.000000143% of the world's population. The United Nations has designated October 31st, 2011 as '7 Billion Day.' Some time during this past month, the seven billionth person was born on the planet. It is astounding to consider that 12 short years ago, we were counting six billion. We only reached our first billion milestone in 1805, but since then we have seen exponential growth.

The Population Reference Bureau has put together a map of The World at 7 Billion, characterizing life expectancy, poverty, and health. National Geographic produced another interactive map illustrating these seven billion people. But ultimately we are painting a pretty grim picture of the stresses seven billion human beings place on the planet. One of the biggest concerns related to population is how to feed the world. More people means more mouths to feed, which requires methods to grow and distribute enough food. With extreme weather events, political and economic turmoil, and high food prices, this has been a hot topic this year! While the general consensus seems to be that Malthusian predictions of Earth's carrying capacity were a bit low and didn't account for technological advances of modern agriculture, it is also clear that we need to seriously rework production and consumption patterns. No small task.

So tomorrow take a moment to think about the billions on this planet - the similarities and disparities between us, the challenges such a large cohort presents, and how you can make your one/seven billionth of the pie count. Oh don't worry, you are still unique and special.

Vegan MoFo Iron Chef: Shake It!

While the northeastern States are being hit by an early snow storm, it is merely a chilly, rainy day in the District. The gloominess outside called for an infusion of cheerfulness. Luckily, I finally got my act together to complete an Iron Chef Challenge for Vegan MoFo! The secret ingredients for this weekend are carrots and oats; the perfect recipe for some sunshine. This yummy breakfast shake tastes reminiscent of the fall-winter in transition, with cinnamon undertones and a nice hearty consistency. I might have to make these more often!

Carrot Oat Shake
2 organic carrots
1/2 banana (I think 4 slices of frozen peaches would be lovely, too)
1/4 cup rolled oats (or a multigrain oatmeal)
3/4 cup almond milk
5 drops vanilla stevia
Dash cinnamon

1. Soak oats for thirty minutes in the milk.
2. Grate the carrots (optional, but recommended if using an immersion blender instead of legitimate one)
3. Blend everything until a nice, thick milkshake consistency. Yeah, that was pretty easy peasy...

Fast Fact Fridays: Lipid Layers

Gosh darn, it's the last Friday of Vegan MoFo! Who knew the month of October would fly by so quickly? We should celebrate by stuffing our faces with candy on Monday! Trick or treat! Well, perhaps we (as a society) should lay off the sweet sticky goodness of candy.

According to a recent New York Times article, global obesity rates have doubled in the past 30 years. Morbid obesity refers to the condition of being 50-100% heavier than your healthy body weight, or standing at a BMI above 39. By 2008, almost 10% of men were obese, and actually 14% of women. Plus, an extra 1.5 billion people are overweight. While the U.S. still weighs in at number one (woohoo?), most countries barring a few in Africa and South Asia are tipping the scales more than before.

So, I can't really blame our weight issues on Halloween. But an increase in those carbohydrate and fat-laden foods, decrease in exercise, and general wanton abandon for consuming excess calories seems like a plausible explanation.

Thirty Second Thursdays: Dare to Bake a Povitica

Turning from farm animals to floury hands, let us focus in on a baked good! The Daring Baker’s October 2011 challenge was Povitica, hosted by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk. Povitica is a traditional Eastern European Dessert Bread that is as lovely to look at as it is to eat! While the original recipe was far from vegan, I made a few minor changes for the bread to fit the bill.


A Pearfect Povitica (Makes one loaf)
To activate the Yeast:
1 tsp Sugar
2 tbs Warm Water
1½ tsp Active Dry Yeast

Dough:
½ cup Soy or Almond Milk
3 tbs Sugar
¾ tsp Salt
1 Egg Replacer or Flax Egg
1 tbs Coconut Oil, melted
2 cups All-Purpose Flour or White Whole Wheat, measure first then sift

Topping:
2 tbs Cold STRONG Coffee (I used instant hazelnut)
1½ tsp Granulated Sugar
Oil

Quarter Batch Filling Ingredients (enough filling for one loaf)
1¾ cups finely chopped English Walnuts
2/3 cup homemade Pear Butter (1/4 cup apple cider + 2 large pears chopped + 1 tbs agave)
1/3 cup Almond Milk
¼ tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Granulated Ginger

Follow instructions on original recipe for a not-too-sweet bread. It's a great accompaniment for morning tea or coffee.

My Munchable Soapbox: Musing on Meat

This is my last Vegan MoFo Soapbox, and I have yet to broach the topic of meat-eating! We have previously discussed my own journey and reasons for following a plant-based diet here, here, and here. Though on the whole I don't dwell excessively on the lack of meat in my diet, and more on the other components, since we are drawing towards the end of the month, I thought we could devote today to exploring the issue.

According to a study last year, livestock occupies a quarter of the Earth's surface and one third of the arable land grows animal feed. The team of researchers from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Swiss College of Agriculture, World Bank, Stanford University, and the International Livestock Research Institute predicted a possible double of production by 2050. If we think about the current far-reaching impacts from animal waste, deforestation and land degradation, methane and nitrous oxide emissions, etc. all associated with livestock production, it is hard to imagine a world with even more!

A World Watch Institute report released in 2005, Happier Meals, documented the impacts of factory farming, and touts organic and local animal agriculture, and increasing the number of vegetarian meals eaten in a week! Most distinctly, the report discusses the inefficiencies of converting feed, water, and fossil energy into edible calories. A more recent publication by the Institute echos the message of this earlier work. A Vital Signs (based on FAO data) on the increase in meat production describes the serious environmental impacts - deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions - associated with the twenty percent increase in the last decade.

But at the same time, the report also notes that 70 percent of the 800 million in abject poverty (living on less than $1/day) rely on livestock for their livelihoods. In Zimbabwe, cattle's role in turning the soil has reversed the path of desertification that was threatening crops and food security. Manure is an important nutrient provider; chickens serve as pest control by eating bugs off crops; and goats, well, can clear weeds...

Ok, so perhaps you thought when I started this blog entry about the eating of animals, that it would be vegan-centric, touting the benefits of an herbivorous lifestyle. I have to say that for my part, I believe in the benefits of such a diet for health and the environment. But I think the issue of livestock-raising and meat-eating merit more critical scrutiny and informed discussion. This is particularly true in cases outside of industrialized countries, where animal protein is a luxury not a norm (or an excess!), and where that may be the difference between starving and feeding a family.

I welcome and encourage comments, in hopes of inciting perhaps a little more discussion than usual on the benefits and shortcomings of a diet inclusive of meat, dairy, and eggs.

Off the Grocery Shelves: Okra

Okra has only recently entered my repertoire, kicking off the Vegan Month of Food! But because of my new-found attachment to this vegetable, I thought it would be interesting to explore a bit further. The red okra at the community farm spurred my interest in this topic. Okra is not something one would regularly find in a supermarket produce section, not even necessarily a Whole Foods. But this pod has classically been used in Southern cooking and can be happened upon in ethnic markets.

The plant stems from the ancient region now known as Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Sudan. In fact, the preparation in a "meal" batter as generally used in Southern cuisine hails from this Northern African center of origin.

Okra, too, has its share of exciting varieties. From the Red Burgundy's crimson pods to the Cow Horn that can reach eight feet high! Well, reaping the benefits of some pretty tall okra at the farm, on Sunday we prepped some fun okra fritters (non-vegan). These were so enticing that I decided to dig up a few a recipes to try out in the coming week:

• Fold-over corn pancakes with okra
• Okra fritters with horseradish cream
• Indian-inspired okra fritters

Down to a week left of Vegan MoFo!!

Cookbook Mondays: In Celebration of Food Day

Today is Food Day. Now, do not confuse this with World Food Day, which took place last weekend. The U.S. version was founded by two congress people, seeking to rally public advocacy around reforming the domestic food system. Six basic principles make up the agenda:

1. Reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods
2. Support sustainable farms and limit subsidies to big agribusiness
3. Expand access to food and alleviate hunger
4. Protect the environment and animals by reforming factory farms
5. Promote healthy by curbing junk food marketing to kids
6. Support fair conditions for food and farm workers

That is a hefty set of goals, but I encourage all of you to sign the petition on the website to garner as much support! In the meantime, it seemed like a good time to break out a cookbook I had acquired and not yet consulted: A Cook's Book of Vegetabales: Peas, Beans, Greens. This is an out-of-print Aussie cookbook focused on just what its title insinuates.

So I made this lovely dinner (and week's lunches) and forgot to take a photo (not very photogenic food, anyhow)! So, instead you get some old photos of an eggplant, and my contributions to Wellness Weekends on Diet, Dessert 'n' Dogs (both adapted from the aforementioned cookbook). I think this roundup1 is well-suited for Food Day, in so much as it promotes healthy meals and avoids the need to rely on factory farms by being completely animal-product-free!

Creamy Sweet Potato Polenta
1 orange sweet potato, washed and aerated with a fork
t tsp coconut oil
1/4 cup soy or almond milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup polenta
3 cups water

1. Microwave potato for 3-4 minutes, until soft but not dried-out.
2. Meanwhile, heat 3 cups of water to boiling, adding polenta at the beginning. Continue to stir and add liquid as necessary, until loses its coarse, grainy texture. Add cinnamon, salt and milk.
3. Mush potato and oil together until smooth. Add to polenta with a fork, and combine until even.
4. Serve warm.

Eggplant and Lentil Salad
1 medium eggplant, diced into 1/4 inch cubes
2 tbs olive oil (I tried a smoky one!)
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup red lentils
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tbs red wine vinegar (optional)
1 tbs olive oil (good stuff, optional)

1. Place eggplant in a bowl with salt. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
2. Heat 1tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add eggplant and cumin. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until onions are translucent and eggplant soft.
3. Remove mix back to a bowl. Heat second tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
4. Add garlic and brown for a minute or two. Then pour in vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
5. Cook lentils until soft and liquid is gone. Return eggplant to pan and cook for another five minutes.
6. Toss in vinegar and good quality olive, if so desired, before serving up.

Fast Fact Fridays: No, No, We Won't GMO!

You probably ate something today that was genetically engineered (GE). 95% of sugar beets, 91% of soybeans, and 85% of canola and corn are genetically modified. The bigger issue, whether you agree with GMOs or not, is that there is just no information about what products contain them.

• 48% of GMO cropland is planted in the U.S.
• 31 countries, plus the 27 European Union member nations, have labeling laws/regulations for GE crops and food products. The U.S. (except Alaska!) has nothing.
• Over 80% of Americans support GE labeling.

Last Sunday, the Right to Know March landed at the White House to show our government that the American public wants...no, needs...information to make decisions about what we purchase and what we consume!

Thirty Second Thursdays: A Caffeine Jolt

My friend is amidst qualifying exams for her PhD work in mechanical engineering. This means months and months of studying for three thirty minute technical oral exams at a white board; in other words: months of long hours and late nights. So, in her final weeks, I sent off a batch of these tasty (caffeinated) cookies!

Jumpin' Java Chip Cookies
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup instant hazelnut coffee (or plain + 1 tsp hazelnut extract)
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup hot water
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs ground flax
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Whisk together sugar, oil hot water, and instant coffee until coffee is completely dissolved. Add vanilla and flax, allowing to rest for a minute or two.
2, Sift flour, salt, and baking soda over wet ingredients. Mix only until combined then fold in chocolate chips.
3. Spoon tablespoons of dough onto a lined/greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes, until starting to brown and set, but still pretty soft to the touch. They will harden as they cool. 

"Dangerously delicious...satisfyingly crunchy" -RZP

My Munchable Soapbox: Frankenfood or Hunger Hero

This week, let's focus on genetically modified organisms, or more commonly referred to as GMOs. Why? Well, this past Sunday, a march that began in New York on the first of the month ended with a rally in front of the White House. The Right to Know March focused on the lack of information around GMOs in our food supply and the American public's desire to know what we eat.

That is a fair concern, considering how many of the products on grocery shelves contain GMO ingredients. We've had big stories about round-up ready crops created superweeds and controversy over patent law cropping up in farmers' fields! Genetically engineered (GE) crops are quite a polarizing topic of conversation, particularly in countries in the European Union and other regions where labeling is required and many products banned entirely. However, I think the topic of GE crops is even more fascinating in the context of rural development and food security.

I have struggled with the concept that genetic engineering can play a crucial role in creating drought-tolerant crop varieties, improve nutritional content ("Golden Rice" is the classic example - enhanced with vitamin A to combat blindness), and feed a growing population. A couple of years ago the New York Times Room for Debate column took on this issue, with both sides of the spectrum weighing in. While the pros cited biotechnology as the way to combat climate change impacts and boost yields, harping on those who would write off these scientific feats, it seems as though very little evidence has shown the outstanding benefits resulting from GMOs. Raj Patel brings up the critical point that at present we produce enough food to feed the planet, but lack of access to these calories from poverty and poor infrastructure is ultimately at the root of hunger.

So after all this reading and musing, what are my thoughts on the topic? For me personally, the issue of GMOs is a no-brainer. I don't want to eat them. While there probably is more hype and hysteria than is merited, the fact remains that we are playing with something we don't fully understand.

As for feeding the world, I don't believe we need to go there. From an ecological perspective, engineering traits into our crops is not the same as boosting the natural systems that confers properties of adaptability and resilience. Building soil healthy, harboring pollinators, and ensuring the function of surrounding ecosystems is essential to a whole system with adaptive capacity. On the development side of things, many of the proposed GMO crops, as did the rice and wheat of the Green Revolution, require more inputs, more water, more seeds (since they often can't reproduce on their own)...for a poor African farmer, who knows if these added expenses and inability to save seed outweigh whatever engineered benefits they convey.

So, that was perhaps a bit longer and more rambling than intended, but hopefully it shed some light on the range of issues associated with genetically modified foodstuffs. I did not march on Sunday, but I do think that knowledge is power and we do need to increase awareness around the ubiquity of GMOs, both domestically and in our humanitarian aid and international development work!

Off the Grocery Shelves: Eating Your Greens

Kale is one of those vegetables that is experiencing a resurgence of interest among eaters in this country. A staple winter crop of yesteryears, few of the varieties once cultivated still make their way onto the dinner plate. Even at the farmers market, pickings are a mere shadow of what they could be: lacinato/dinosaur kale, Red Russian, and curly. With origins in Italy and the Mediterranean, this older sibling of cabbage has been a part of a human diet for 2,000 years. In fact, the hardy winter green played a critical role in the survival of the Scottish Highlanders!

Browsing the Cornell University Vegetable Variety Database, I came across 49 distinct varieties that made the phytophile in me almost giddy! A few different types of Siberian, the Lily White, Even'Star, and Pentland Brig, not to mention some Asian transplants like Ryokuho and Suiho. So now I am waiting with bated breath for kale for sale to diversify. In the meantime, I'll stick with some delightful Lacinato.

In fact, on Sunday, we made caramelized pears and kale with the kids at the community farm. My hopes weren't high considering we were cooking some green leafy substance. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how receptive and even enthusiastic the kids were about eating this slightly sweet superfood combo. Guess that just goes to show every veggie is worth half a chance!

Cookbook Mondays: A Taste of Veganopolis

Once upon a time there was a fantastic vegan restaurant in Downtown Portland. I know, not all that unheard of. But, this was the lunch spot my mother, sister, and I frequented every year around New Years. We'd usually split a tempeh sandwich or salad with seitan chicken. At one point, we sampled the mac 'n' cheeze with peas, only to miss all the days they served that delectable dish from that point forward. And then one year it was gone. The cafe up and moved to Chicago. Well, I don't know how well it fared out in the Windy City, but I do know we sorely missed it in Portland. Luckily, I finally came across The Veganopolis Cookbook and now can make cheezy macaroni to my heart's content!

Ok, so maybe not. Instead, this weekend I cooked up an exotic soup and some down-home greens!

Curried Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Green Peas (adapted for a large single serving)
1 1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1 tbs garam masala
1/4 tsp salt (more to taste)
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup soy or almond milk
1 1/2 tbs white spelt flour
1/2 cup peas

1. Massage 1/2 tbs olive oil, salt, and garam masala into cauliflower. Spread on baking pan and roast at 450F for 30-45 minutes until well-browned.
2. Meanwhile, heat rest of oil and flour in a saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking until color begins to darken. Add milk and stir until the mixture thickens. Turn off heat until cauliflower finishes.
3. Once roasted, add cauliflower to saucepan and puree until smooth. Return to heat to reach a simmer and add peas. Cook until peas are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve!

Cajun Slow-Cooked Greens (I also halved this recipe)
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced onions
1/2 cup finely diced sweet peppers
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder (omitted)
2 tsp ground white pepper (omitted)
2 tsp ground black pepper (omitted - ok, I don't like pepper. So sue me)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 bunches of collards (or mustard greens), chopped
1 cup tomato stock (liquid from roasted tomatoes, or vegetable stock)
salt to taste
seasoned rice vinegar, to taste (omitted)

1. Heat onlive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add celery, onions, and peppers. With dry spices, sautee until onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add chopped greens. Cook everything at least 30 minutes.
3. Add salt and vinegar to taste. Easy peasy!

B.A.D: At What Cost?

Today is Blog Action Day (B.A.D)! This event really served as the impetus for rejuvenating my blog in 2009, with climate change as the year's theme. Food is actually this year's theme, but it has thrown me for a loop. Everything I write about has some connection to food, so choosing one topic on which to focus is rather a toss up. However, as it happens, today also marks the 30th annual World Food Day. Coincidence? I think not! This year's theme is Food Prices - From Crisis to Stability.

We have explored food prices to some extent, particularly with regards to how increases have already impacted my baking inclination. According to FAO, rising food prices, at their all-time highest this year, have set 70 million people back into poverty. Now it seems that the cause of food price volatility would be a pretty straight-forward, supply side issue. But in fact, there are many drivers including trade policies, distorting trade policies, and extreme weather and temperature events.

In the States we don't experience these food price hikes in the same way as those in developing countries. Particularly for the portion of the population which spends a disproportionate amounts its income on food, even purchasing the staple grains and starches to feed a family is a stretch. Curiously enough, many small-scale farmers in the developing world are actually net buyers of food, despite producing crops. This means, that you get a very poor subset, suffering acutely from higher food costs.

This, of course, varies between countries and regions within a country. Oxfam International has created its own visual to depict the hunger predicament in countries in the global south, influenced largely by food prices, addressing the key culprits behind each country's situation. World Food Programme (WFP) has set up a FAQ around these price changes.

I don't have any answer. Policy changes and research and development have been proposed over and over as solutions to overcoming these recurring and worsening challenge. That said, it is difficult with such a complex global food economy to ensure that funds go to those who need it most. Have a happy Blog Action Day, and I hope you have some quality time to dwell on issues of food!

Fast Fact Fridays: A Cacao Catastrophe

Most of the world's cocoa is grown in Ghana or the Ivory Coast. These areas, sadly, are slated to be impacted considerably by climate changes. A study by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) predicts that by 2030, we will see a significant decrease in cacao production. Now I don't know about you, but that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth!

Thirty Second Thursdays: Save Some Green; Grow Your Own

Gardens are the new insurance policy. From country dwellers to urbanites, the number of backyard gardens keeps on growing as the economy remains stagnant. 'Food gardens,' as they are deemed, supplement families' grocery purchases. A recent New York Times article documented the boom of vegetable gardens out in Kentucky. And if you remain unconvinced about the merits of vegetable gardening, leave it to Sesame Street!

My Munchable Soapbox: Growing a New Generation of Eaters

Do you remember your favorite food as a child? During elementary school, I recall counting down the hours until lunch; the hours until I could whip out my bright red squeeze-it, a nutty-chocolatey Little Debbie bar, or perhaps a Lunchables mini pizza. Junior high school was not much better, with the freedom to buy lunch resulting too often in milk shakes and fries being my vegetarian version of a complete meal. The cool food to eat is that which is the worst for our health, particularly for young, growing bodies.

Well, this October marks the first year of Farm to School Month. A resolution enacted by congress (I know, holy cow!) last November, this month shines a spotlight on those farm to school programs meant to improve childhood nutrition by education on the origins of food and support local farmers. The goal in mind is getting kids out in the garden, connecting them on a whole new level to their food, and cultivating an appreciation for those fruits and veggies produced from the soil.

At the same time, school lunch programs are starting to get a much needed makeover. The reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act last December tightened the health requirements on federally-funded school lunches. But it's not as easy as removing the strawberry pink milk or the pizza slices, said a New York Times blog article this week. School lunches need a champion, someone to make "the salads and the sweet potatoes" fun and enticing, and increase awareness around these healthier options. 

Looks like there is a long way to go before young eaters pick peas and carrots over chips and candy, but these small tremors will eventually add up to a large wave! Find out about farm to school programs in your State here.

Off the Grocery Shelves: Apple of My Eye

America has a particular affinity for apples. There is nothing, supposedly, as patriotic as apple pie; An apple a day keeps the doctor away; and who didn't try buttering up a teacher by offering up a shiny red apple? It's not as though I haven't written about apples before, either! But the intersection of apple season and Vegan MoFo merited a revisiting of apple diversity, in particular.

Growing up I was confronted with two apples - green and red; sour and sweet; Granny Smith and Red Delicious. How deprived I was, with these poor excuses for apples. Now there may be ten or so varieties on your grocery shelves; perhaps a Gala or a Fuji, a Golden Delicious or a Macintosh/McIntosh (yes kids, Apple computers was very clever...). But apples are over 8,000 years old and have had plenty of time to diversify to the over 2,000 varieties in existence today.

As with many fruits and vegetables, creative farmers are starting to bring these heirloom varieties back to the mainstream, starting out with their local market audience. I have become endeared to the crisp white flesh inside the deep burgundy skin of the Black Twig. I anticipate the appearance of the gold-flecked skin of the Golden Russet.  When I want the tartness of a Granny Smith with considerably more apple flavor and character, I reach for a Spartan. For a beautiful and sweet red apple, there is the Wealthy.

And some apple varieties are in danger of falling into oblivion. The Gravenstein, classically know for its applesauce because it travels poorly, faces pressure from wine grapes for orchard land. Endangered apples are no joking matter, and also present such interesting and exciting apple experiences. On the other hand, Pink Ladies and Honey Crisps have only recently hit the shelves, as newer products of apple breeding, and tend to pack a punch of sweet juiciness.

So there you go. If you are not content reading about the fruit, or just eating the apple straight up, check out Mark Bittman's matrix of apple-y uses!

Further reference: Morgan, Joan and Alison Richards. The Book of Apples. Random House, London: 1993.

Cookbook Mondays: Happy Blogiversary!

It was just two short years ago that this little blog came into being (well, actually was resurrected from an earlier start). As the beginning of the second week of Vegan MoFo, I think that this is excellent timing! I had just returned from nearly three months traipsing around Europe, soaking up the cultures, getting my farmin' on, and generally enjoying good food and interesting places. My blog was a venue through which to voice some of my own struggles on issues regarding food and sustainability. In fact, the second post attempts to explain the link between veganism and environment, and how that is not a one-size-fits-all approach. And since then, My Munchable Musings has gone through its own set of growing pains, taking on issues beyond the local farmers market and oven.

Well, here on my blog's second birthday, I stand before you, once again dwelling on the oven and the market. Somehow, after closing down the stand at the Sunday market, I managed to acquire a large quantity of Italian plums. Perhaps I look like I'm in need of all the market produce I can carry, because this happens not too infrequently. So, seeing how a day of celebration was only mere hours away, I sat down with my cookbooks to determine what to make with this early fall bounty. That is when I came across a recipe for strawberry-rhubarb galettes in The Millennium Cookbook. This book hails from the vegetarian restaurant based in San Francisco, and offers up creative and delicious dishes. While I did not quite adhere to the strawberry-rhubarb filling, this galette is no exception.

Ginger Plum Galette (adapted from the Millennium Cookbook)
 Pastry Dough
3 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup unrefined sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup soy milk

1. Combine all dry ingredients. Add oil, working through flour until thoroughly mixed. Add soy milk a little at a time until the dough comes together in a ball.
2. Roll out dough  to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out circles of 5in in diameter. Gather scraps, form ball, and repeat until most of dough is gone.

Filling
2 cups ripe Italian plums, pitted and quartered
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup tapioca starch

3. Mix together all ingredients.
4. Place dough circle on baking sheet. Scoop 1/4 cup into each circle. Fold edges in and press corners together.
5. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes, or until starting to brown and filling bubbling.


Serve warm with non-dairy ice cream, and reflect on the year past!

Fast Fact Fridays: Experiencing Hunger

Tonight marks the eve of Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. From sundown to sundown, we abstain from eating and drinking, devoting time to self-reflection. This one day during the year Jews around the world experience some form of hunger. Yet, on a daily basis nearly one billion people live in a chronic state of hunger.

• 925 million people are undernourished, approximately one in every seven.
• 2/3 are found in Asia and the Pacific, but Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest percentage of its population suffering from hunger.
• 25% of children in developing countries are underweight.

Sign onto the One Billion Hungry campaign. It's a start.

Thirty Second Thursdays: A Pesto Plight

How many times have you sat down to make pesto and realized you were missing a crucial ingredient? Pine nuts, for example. Or basil. Ok, maybe that's just me. But lucky for you, pestos are what you make them! Take the really basic recipe and fly with it:

    3 cups fresh basil leaves
    6 tablespoons pine nuts
    2-4 cloves garlic
    3/4 teaspoons course sea salt
    6 tablespoons olive oil

Try these alternative combos:

• Lacinato kale, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, and walnut/hazelnut oil
• Arugula, sunflower seeds; garlic, salt, and olive oil
• Mizuna, soaked raw cashews, sesame seed oil, and sea salt
• Mustard greens, pumpkin seeds, green garlic, grape seed oil, sea salt, and lemon juice. 
• Pistachios, olive oil, salt, and green garlic

Spread on crackers; toss with cabbage or roasted potatoes; eat with a spoon...

My Munchable Soapbox: Dealing with Disaster

Do you ever feel like the world is crumbling around you? Perhaps in a figurative sense. But lately I have felt as though the Earth itself is conspiring against humankind. We have had a record tornado season, a heat wave, a cold spell, and even an earthquake in the eastern U.S. A drought in the Horn of Africa is leaving over 12 million people suffering from hunger, children being hit hardest. While political instability has contributed to the food crisis in the region, crop failure is largely to blame. Floods continue to ravage Pakistan, leaving many homeless and hungry.

Farmers in the U.S. have not been exempt from the craziness on this planet. Storms in the wake of Hurricane Irene left much of the northeast under water, leaving many farmers in the region with less than 20% of their crop remaining. The New York Times published an article on how farmers in New York are coping with the devastation. While some of the stories are heartbreaking, the resilience of the farming community and how they take everything in stride is inspiring!

Off the Grocery Shelves: Grapes

First of all, happy 200th post to my lovely blog! Let's pop the champagne...or talk about other varieties of grapes...

I recently returned from a weekend expedition to the sunny San Francisco Bay Area. Besides seeing friends and enjoying the lovely weather, I of course made it to one of my old haunts - the California Avenue Farmers Market. It is astounding how much more amazing are California farmers markets than those on the east coast. Despite September coming to a close, I could get almonds and walnuts, green beans and long beans, plums and peaches galore. And yes, I bought grapes.

While grapes do grow out here, California is known for its wine country and associated vineyards. Humans have had a long love affair with this fruit, dating back to ancient Persia. Evidence of wine-making dates back to 6,000 BCE in Georgia (the country, not the state) and domestication around 3,200 BCE. Don't forget that grapes figure into biblical passages over and over, making this "fruit of the vine" a popular edible.

But grapes have become so banal. You have your green and your purple; your Thompsons and Flames. But grapes come in many shapes and sizes, at least 100! At the market I picked up some Concord, reminiscent of that Welch's grape juice box you slurped as a child. The petite muscats possess a delicacy that is hard to pinpoint. I grabbed some bunches of crisp gentle reds and some juicy seeded greens to complete my haul. And what enjoyable plunder it was!

Cookbook Mondays: Best of Bloodroot V.II

Cookbooks come in all shapes and sizes. There are the hard-bound volumes, with glossy pages, and crisp photos. There are thin-paged tomes, with more words than your favorite epic novel. Some have illustrations; some have stories. While I love beautiful food photography, the cookbooks I keep returning to are pretty unassuming, low 'fluff' guides to cooking good food.

The Best of Bloodroot Volume Two: Vegan Recipes is one of those. Born out of a small veggie restaurant out in Connecticut, this cookbook has a very DIY attitude to food. It is organized by season, which is fantastic, and has a really great variety of cuisines. The other nifty bit is that a large portion of the baked goods call for a sourdough starter...not your usual chocolate cake!

I gave okra a shot - my first time prepping it! It is suspected that okra originated in Africa (or possibly south Asia), and spread to the U.S. along with the 17th century slave trade. You can probably see how it has become a staple of good ol' Southern home cooking! Too avoid the sliminess that follows cooking the mucilaginous seeds, a quick fry is recommended. I tried the 'dry roasted okra' in the book, modifying the spices slightly. My version is included below:

3 lbs baby okra
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 1/2 tsp curry powder (or your own mix of turmeric, cumin, coriander, etc.)
1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Stem and slice okra in about 1/4 inch pieces. Heat oil over medium heat and cook until crispy. The hotter the oil, the faster it crisps. DON'T add water.
2. Season okra in the last five or so minutes and let spices cook into it. Serve warm with some tasty grain (quinoa?) and curried mung beans.

What else can I do with okra?

Pickle it!
Fry it!
Braise it!
Gumbo it up times two!
Or just eat the darn thing raw!

What an exciting adventure!

A Vegan Month of Food

It's October 2nd. Yes, you heard me correctly. We have completed three quarters of the year 2011. Not to dwell upon the obvious, but that just astonishes me. Well, another astonishing little tidbit, is that the Vegan Month of Food (MoFo) has already rolled around again. The idea is to post once per weekday for the entire month. Like last year, I've given themes and my month-long plan a little thought, but have failed to pre-generate the content I had hoped for. However, below is my current plan for the month:

• Mondays: Cookbook of the Week - my culinary library has been feeling neglected as of late, what with the wealth of online recipes and a busy schedule. However, I've dusted off a couple to try out some new recipes.
• Tuesdays: Off the Grocery Shelves - it's a vast world of edible plants, so let's look at something you wouldn't necessarily find at your local supermarket.
• Wednesdays: My Munchable Soapbox - there is always something going on in the vast planet related to food. I'll pick out some interesting news bits and provide a little food for thought.
• Thursdays: Thirty Second Thursdays - quick tips for makers and eaters
• Fridays: Fast Fact Fridays - yeah, that sums it up.

Stay tuned to see how the month pans out. Hopefully, I'll find time to sleep!