stellatex
vegan food and revolutionFeminism with atheism: two great tastes that go together
Another post that gets a “Hell, yes!” from me, by Amanda Marcotte.
Amen.
Choco-Berry Banana Smoothie
2 ripe bananas
6 raspberries
6 blueberries
3 strawberries
1 tsp agave nectar
1 drop vanilla extract
1 heaping tsp cocoa powder or 1 Tbsp ground carob nibs
1/2 cup almond milk
1 large ice cube (if you are using frozen berries, no need to add ice)
Hard to Swallow
Check out this great article by B. R. Myers in The Atlantic, subtitled, “The gourmet’s ongoing failure to think in moral terms,” in which the author takes Michael Pollan (and, by extension, other omnivorous, self-described gourmands) to task for their rather shocking and callous blindness to the animal suffering that underpins their enjoyment.
Pollan thinks that taking a hard look at human nature is more a matter of leaning over the museum rail at the caveman exhibit. Seeing only the painted mammoth on the horizon, so to speak, he derives the rightness of meat eating from the fact that humans are physically suited to it, they enjoy it, and they have engaged in it until modern times without feeling much “ethical heartburn.” (Only a food writer would use such an appalling phrase.) According to Pollan, this “reality” demands our respect. The same reasoning could be used to defend our mistreatment of children: In body and instinct, we are marvelously well-equipped for making their lives hell. If many cultures now object to abusing them, it is thanks to new values, to people who refused to respect the time-honored “reality.”
There are some great points that needed to be made here, and the article is very well written – with arguments both vividly drawn and clearly reasoned. Read “Hard to Swallow” in its entirety here.
Thanks to Desdemona for the link.
Now this is news I can use
PETA announces most vegetarian friendly NFL stadiums
PETA’s annual ranking of NFL stadiums throughout the country ranked the home of the Raiders number 1 out of 10 Most Vegetarian Friendly Stadiums due to the availability of vegan and vegetarian cuisine. Fans at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum can purchase smoky veggie dogs, beefy veggie burgers, and spicy Tex-Mex vegetarian burritos.
This year PETA was forced to double its vegetarian friendly stadium list due to the increasing number of stadiums that are providing fans with “healthy, humane, and Earth-friendly vegetarian options.”
TOP 10 Most Vegetarian-Friendly NFL Stadiums
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum – Oakland Raiders
Candlestick Park – San Francisco 49ers
Lambeau Field – Green Bay Packers
University of Phoenix Stadium – Arizona Cardinals
M&T Bank Stadium – Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns Stadium – Cleveland Browns
Metrodome – Minnesota Vikings
Georgia Dome – Atlanta Falcons
Heinz Field – Pittsburg Steelers
Qualcomm Stadium – San Diego Chargers
* * * * *
I’m shocked – shocked that the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium didn’t make this list. However, I note the Ravens made the cut. Hint, hint.
Worlds Collide Sunday Dinner
So named because the plate is comprised of equal parts Old World and New World foods: Roast Potatoes and Parsnips, Yorkshire Pudding, Southern Sweet Potatoes, broccoli, and English peas, smothered in Brown Onion and Mushroom Gravy. Hearty.
This is about all I’m going to do in the way of Thanksgiving cooking this year, as I am happily going to Pennsylvania to spend the holiday with my consort and his family. In my absence, I highly recommend you check out the 2009 PBS American Experience documentary We Shall Remain, which seeks to “establish Native history as an essential part of American history.”
Roast Potatoes and Parsnips
This is an easy and delicious recipe for autumn and winter, inspired by the many plates of roast parsnips I ate while living in England. They’re pretty hard to find here, but my local co-op was carrying the biggest parsnips I have ever seen this week, and I was so excited to finally see some!
Roast Potatoes and Parsnips
3 russet potatoes
3 large parsnips (or 6 small ones)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 cube vegetable bouillion
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Peel potatoes and parsnips and chop into medium-sized chunks.
2. In a casserole dish, mix potatoes and parsnips. Drizzle with a fair amount of olive oil, both to cook and to prevent sticking.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients. Sprinkle spice mixture over vegetables, and top with some freshly ground black pepper.
3. Place dish in oven and cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, taking out once to stir vegetables. Remove when veggies are nicely browned and easily penetrable with a knife. (For a faster bake, boil the veggies first.)
4. Serve with brown gravy. Delicious!
Stella’s Brown Onion and Mushroom Gravy
Brown Onion and Mushroom Gravy
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
4 cups portobello mushroom stock
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. In a large pan, sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil, over medium heat, until soft.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients to the flour and whisk until evenly mixed.
3. Add the flour and broth mix to the pan, stirring continuously. As mixture begins to thicken, over about ten minutes, lower heat to simmer until you are ready to serve.
Makes about 4 cups.
Yorkshire Pudding
This is a veganized version of a recipe taught to me by a dear Yorkshirewoman, in a village kitchen. I’ve missed the Sunday institution of the roast with Yorkshire pudding (and the Monday institution of the leftovers), but this is the first time I have dared to attempt to make them since I moved back to the U.S. in 2005.
Yorkshire pudding originated from the county of the same name sometime before the eighteenth century, as a way to catch and utilize the drippings from a roasting joint, then – as now – the centerpiece of a traditional Sunday lunch. The filling, puffed batter puddings were served as a first course in hopes of filling one’s stomach before the main course, and thus making the roast meat go further.
Now they are usually served alongside a plate of roast meat and vegetables, with a large helping of brown gravy (whereas Americans usually spoon a little gravy onto their potatoes, the Brits tend to smother the whole plate). You will also often see giant Yorkshire puddings, the size of a plate, served as a main course. They are filled with gravy and a mix of vegetables and bits of meat, and act as a bowl. You can even get these as a cheap, frozen meal – though I wouldn’t recommend it.
Another fun fact: in 2003, while gluttonously digging into a giant homemade pudding, I overzealously shoved the fork into my mouth and chipped my front tooth! The damage is still visible today.
The perfect pudding is browned and crunchy on the outside, and light and fluffy on the inside. It’s easily cut with a butter knife, yet strong enough to hold pool of gravy. The odd shape comes from putting a dollop of butter (in England, we used lard) in the center before cooking, which causes the batter to puff up around the center like a delicious, edible brown thunderhead. The puffier the better! As with other baked goods, achieving this lightness and rise is the biggest challenge when veganizing this dish.
Requiring a bit of kitchen alchemy even in the original milk-and-eggs version, vegan Yorkshire pudding has been a sort of Holy Grail of vegan cookery for me, so I am very excited to present this easy and authentically flavored recipe to you.
Stella’s Yorkshire Pudding
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp water
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup soy milk
1 cup cold water
3 tsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp vegan margarine
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a small bowl or cup, mix baking powder, vinegar, and water. The mixture will fizz.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, mix flour and salt. Make a small well in the center and pour in the baking powder mixture, then fold into flour. Add soy milk and water, alternating small splashes of each and continually stirring. Whisk with a fork until the mixture is smooth, being careful not to overbeat.
3. Evenly distribute vegetable oil into 9 molds of a muffin tin (so, about 1/3 tsp in each mold). Place in the oven for about five minutes to heat the oil, then remove.
4. Pour pudding mix into each mold, filling the cavity about one half way with batter. The vegetable oil will rise around the edges a bit. Pour a small amount of melted margarine into the center of each pudding, creating a yellow center with a ring of batter.
5. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Resist the temptation to open the oven for a peek! This will cause your puddings to fall.
6. After 20 minutes, remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool for a few moments on the stovetop. Your puddings should be large muffin-like puffs, and nicely browned, with a cavity in the center.
7. Pop out and serve immediately with warm brown gravy and your choice of roast vegetables, seitan, etc.
