My first step though is getting rid of all of the wonderful food I’ve got stored up, but will now be eating less of, like grains, beans, and soy products. I can’t think of a more delicious way to clean house than this red lentil recipe I created last night.

I’m still stuck on what to name this dish. My husband called it “Mediterr-Indian” because of the spices that borrow from both cultures. It’s pretty low on fat, and good for people with food allergies, as it’s nut, soy, and wheat free, and of course, vegan. The recipe for the lentils, and the roasted cauliflower after the jump:

Lentils:
2 Cups dry red lentils
1 Small yellow onion
2 Cloves garlic
1 Cup chopped mushrooms (button or crimini)
1 Tbsp. Veg. Oil
2 Tbsps tomato paste
1/4 Tsp Tumeric
1/4 Tsp Paprika
1 Tbsp Mediterranean seasoning*
1 Tsp salt
Sherry
Vegetable broth

Cauliflower:
1 head cauliflower
3/4 C Veg. broth
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1 Tsp nutritional yeast
1 Tsp whole cumin seeds
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch rosemary
Cracked black pepper

Rinse off your lentils and then put them in a pan, covering with 2 cups of liquid (I used a mix of water and vegetable broth). Simmer, covered, on medium heat until all the liquid has been absorbed.

While they cook, pre-heat your oven to 375. Chop up your cauliflower into bite-size pieces and place in a roasting pan. In a bowl, mix all of the sauce ingredients well, and then cover the cauliflower in it, tossing so that all the pieces get coated. Toss in the oven.

In a skillet, heat up your oil (any kind will do) and a small amount of vegetable broth, to get the pan coated. Chop up the onion, and saute it in the pan. Next add the chopped garlic, and chopped mushrooms. Use a little Sherry, or white wine to deglaze the pan, and get all those good flavors.

Now, add your spices: the tumeric, paprika, and Mediterranean blend. (*I have a pre-mixed blend that contains oregano, thyme, rosemary and fennel.) Next, add the tomato paste and mix well.

By this time your lentils should be finished. You may want to mash them up a little with a fork or potato masher. Add the veggies from your skillet directly to the lentils. As you mix, you’ll want to add some vegetable broth, as well as your salt. Use as much as you need to give everything a nice creamy consistency.

If your cauliflower hasn’t browned yet, you may want to turn the oven up to a higher heat. The lentils can sit, sauteing for a little while, while it finishes. Once it’s all done, serve side by side. I garnished with some fresh parsley.

Hot yummy meals like this certainly make going raw seem like an impossible challenge. In my next post though I’ll discuss why raw foods are great not just for your health, but for the planet. In the mean time I’ll be savoring my warm lentils while they last, though!

The dishes have such complex flavors, in combinations I’d have never thought up. One of my favorites was a lemon basil sorbet we had for dessert that was outstanding. They sell several cookbooks, but I’ve always shied away from it, as I’ve heard (and would have to imagine) that the recipes would be too complicated.

Instead during our meal this weekend, I tried to guess how some of the dishes were made and see if I could emulate them myself. This recipe is based on an appetizer we had, but I paired it with a side salad as a full meal.

Of course the greener and more authentic option would be to make your own gnocchi from scratch. However, it’s fairly time-consuming, and the two times I tried making it previously resulted in a big floury fail. I didn’t have a hard time finding it made without egg (it’s debatable which is the “true Italian” way) but here’s one recipe if you want to give it a shot.

While you boil the water for your gnocchi, start on the sauce. In a food processor combine:

1 Cup cashews (I used roasted because that’s what I had on hand, but you’ll get a lighter flavor if you choose raw cashews)
9 oz. roasted red peppers
1/4 Tsp paprika
1/4 Tsp garlic salt
Sprinkle of cayenne and black pepper

Start mixing, and as it goes add in 3/4 Cup milk of your choosing. (I used soy.) Blend until you’ve got a nice creamy consistency.

Once your water is boiling, add the gnocchi (I used a 14 oz. package). In a frying pan melt a heaping tablespoon of butter (or Earth Balance) and about 1/4 tsp of sage. It should start sizzling just about the time your gnocchi start rising to the surface of the water.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the risen gnocchi to the pan. As they cook, flip them so they brown on both sides. In a small pot heat the red pepper sauce for just a few minutes. Once the gnocchi are a nice golden color, serve them in a bed of the red pepper sauce.

While the results were no Millennium, they were very flavorful, and relatively quick to prepare. And we didn’t even need reservations.

Readers: got a favorite veggie restaurant in your neck of the woods? Let me know in the comments!

I changed up the ingredients a little bit, and Spring Roll Salad was born. Depending on what you’re in the mood for, you can make this more of a green salad and go heavy on the lettuce and cabbage, or more of a pasta salad, heavy on the vermicelli.

I’ll simply list my ingredients and let your taste guide the quantity.

Green cabbage
Romaine lettuce
Mint leaves
Basil leaves
Carrot
Green onion
Peanuts
Sesame seeds
Mung bean sprouts (optional)
Vermicelli noodles
Seasoned sauteed tofu (see directions)

Start with your noodles. Directions may vary according to the type of vermicelli you buy, but generally the package will tell you to soak it, and boil for just a few minutes. While you’re working on the noodles, get started on the tofu.

Chop about 1/3 block tofu into small pieces. In a small frying pan, heat up some soy sauce, garlic salt, a tsp. of canola oil, and if you have it, just the tiniest drop of sesame oil. (Flavor goes along way with this stuff!) Sautee the tofu pieces , continuing to flip until they get browned on all sides.

Once the tofu and the noodles are cooked, set them aside in a bowl in your fridge to cool. In the mean time, chop up all the peanuts and veggies (except the sprouts which can stay whole) and combine in a large bowl. Toss in the noodles and tofu when they’ve cooled.

For dressing I went store-bought again. I found a super yummy ginger dressing from a company called Makoto (although there’s nothing particularly eco-friendly about it), which I mixed with soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.

If you’re sick of soy ginger (which I probably never could be) you could also try making a heavier peanut sauce or a hoisin sauce.

This also makes a great, filling on-the-go salad that you can take to work, to picnics, wherever.

When I first went vegetarian seven years ago I quickly realized how easy it was to replace meat with junk food. After all, I’d sacrificed so much my giving up chicken that I should reward myself with donuts, right? They’re vegetarian! And so are potato chips, and candy bars, and french fries…

But not only are these instant gratification foods loaded with calories, sodium, and often trans fats, but they’re not particularly eco-friendly. Consider even “healthy” choices like Nabisco’s 100 Calorie Packs of Oreos, Chips Ahoy, and the like. All come individually wrapped, and I’ve made it clear how I feel about overpackaging.

So what’s an eco-conscious consumer to do when you just want a quick bite? I’ve done you the favor of sampling some of the finest junk foods my co-op had to offer. (The things you do for research.) Consider some of these alternatives:

Instead of Oreos/Chips Ahoy, etc., Try Annie’s Bunny Graham Friends

At only 130 calories per serving, Bunny Grahams rival the aforementioned snack packs, but without the wasteful packaging; the boxes are 100% recycled. They’re 75% organic and according to Annie’s, contain “no icky additives or pesky preservatives.” I can also certify that they are 100% yummy.

Instead of Doritos, Try Rice Chips

I promise this isn’t one of those tricks, like when people got all into rice cakes in the 80’s and tried to convince you they didn’t taste like styrofoam. These Rice Chips from Lundberg Family Farms are the real delicious deal. They come in a variety of flavors, but my favorite, and the most Dorito-esque are the Pico de Gallo chips. (They also offer a Nacho Cheese variety which isn’t vegan so I haven’t tried it.) The family company uses organic rice and has a long history of sustainable farming.

Instead of Pop Tarts, Try Nature’s Path Organic Toaster Pastries

They’re about the same in nutritional content as the Kellogg’s treat you may remember from your youth, but made from organic ingredients. And while you won’t find varieties like “Hot Fudge Sundae” and “Smores,” they do offer Cherry Pomegranate and other flavors that are actually found in nature. varieties. Nature’s Path also uses “Green Certificates” to produce their products, which according to their website come from “100% new green electricity.” Check out their cereals, granola bars, and other products as well.

Instead of Cheddar Crackers, Try Eco-Planet Organic Crackers

When I recently tried this dairy-free cheddar flavored snack cracker I was excited but skeptical. Eco-Planet delivered though, and while it’s been years since I’ve eaten a Goldfish cracker or Cheez-It, I’d say these pass pretty well. They’re educational too! The crackers are shaped like suns, earths, wind turbines and electric cars and offer info about alternative energy. The company is 100% wind powered.

Instead of Snickers Bars, Try Mojo Bars

The Clif Bar folks are at it again. Their new Mojo Bars are more oriented towards habitual snackers, like myself than mountain bikers. They’ve got a variety of sweet, salty, and nutty flavors made with 70% organic ingredients. The company also uses biodiesel for shipping.

Instead of McDonald’s Fries, Try Alexia Oven Crinkles

It’s no news flash that McDonald’s french fries are bad for you. There’s more grease in there than potato! The most eco-friendly option of course, is to make some good ol’ oven fries yourself. But if you don’t have the time, pop some of Alexia’s all organic frozen fries in the oven. Their original recipe has only 120 calories per serving. For something a little more sophisticated, try their rosemary oven fries.

Instead of Pre-Packaged Foods, Try the Bulk Foods Aisle

It’s not just for grains and beans. You may be surprised to find snack chips, pretzels and candy there. Also stock up on nuts and dried fruit. Try making your own custom trail mix. Find more tips on buying from the bulk aisle here.

Got a guilty pleasure that’s not on the list? Let me know, and I’ll try to track down a greener version of it.

I’m always surprised that quinoa hasn’t caught on mainstream, given how easy it is too cook, and its high nutritional content. Despite the fact that in cooking it’s treated like rice or barley, quinoa is actually a seed, not a grain. Known as the staple of the Incas (and also a staple of the vegans, as it’s a complete protein), this crop originated in the Andes Mountains. It’s used more often in Mexican dishes, but I really enjoy it in this Asian-inspired salad.

The kale is chock full of iron and the nori is rich in calcium and iodine. If you opt for a fat-free dressing, then the only fat comes from the avocado. (Which is, you know, a good fat… at least that’s what I tell myself when I’m scarfing down guacamole.) Here’s the full recipe:

1 Cup uncooked quinoa
3 Stalks of kale
1 Sheet of dried nori
1/2 Cucumber
1/2 Cup pine nuts
1 Avocado
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
Salad dressing to taste*

In a small point combine one cup quinoa with 2 cups of salted water and bring to a boil. Cover, and lower heat, simmering for about 15 minutes, or until all water has been absorbed.

While the quinoa cooks, remove the stems from the kale. Discard and chop the leaves finely, adding them to a large bowl. The nori can be difficult to cut, so you may find it easier to just break off very small pieces to add to the salad. You can leave the skin on the cucumber, but remove the seeds and chop into small pieces.

Add the pine nuts and sesame seeds to the kale, nori and cucumbers. Add the avocado last (as you don’t want it to brown). Halve it, remove peel and pit, and chop into small pieces. Add to the salad along with the vinegar and lemon juice. Once the quinoa has cooked, stir it with a fork and transfer to the fridge to cool.

*My short cut on this salad is that I use a pre-made dressing. My favorite is the organic Shiitake and Sesame Vinaigrette from Annie’s Naturals. They have a number of Asian-inspired dressings that would work well, and you could certainly make your own. (Any combo of soy, ginger, and sesame would be great.) Add the dressing to the salad, along with the quinoa once it has cooled.

As a full meal this serves two, but it would also be a great side dish. Because it’s served cold, it’s also a perfect meal to take to go. Take it to the office for lunch, or bring it along on your next picnic.

For some other light salads, check out these recipes:

Beet Salad with Orange and Fennel
Wild Harvested Redwood Sorrel Salad
Early Spring Sunshine Salad

1. What’s the greenest grilling option? Electric and propane grills are definitely better than charcoal. If that’s your only option though, try using cleaner burning, natural charcoals. A great list can be found here at GreenYour.com. If you’ve got your heart set on the flavor that comes from grilling over wood, Woodflame grills were the most eco-friendly option I could find.

2. Skip the meat. As if you didn’t need another reason to lower your meat intake, I also recently came across this health-related article on the 5 Worst Foods to Barbecue. (Hint, none of them are tofu.) You can replace the burgers and hot dogs with some vegetarian knock-offs (respectively, I recommend Amy’s burgers which come in a variety of flavors, and Lightlife Tofu Pups.) Or you could even try making your own ahead of time. I have to admit, I’ve never tried grilling my black bean or white bean burgers, but it’s worth a shot!

3. Go even simpler, with locally grown veggies. Really, what doesn’t taste better in kabob form? Load up some skewers with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, pepper, red onion, eggplant… even fruit like pineapple works great. For something a little different, check out Jennie’s recipe for Grilled Baby Bok Choy.

4. What barbecue is complete without some cold ones? Get your drinking in now before the beer shortage hits! Seriously though, go for locally brewed beers, even organic if possible. Check out this guide to greening your beer selection.

5. I’m told that at some barbecues there are those who don’t drink beer. While I wrap my mind around that one, here are some nonalcoholic alternatives. Santa Cruz makes organic fruit juices and sodas and is a Green-E certified business. Blue Sky also makes natural sodas as well as energy drinks. Both are nationally distributed (you can likely find them at Whole Foods).

6. Ditch the disposables for plates and utensils that can be re-used. Bonus points if they’re made from recycled materials, like my favorite brand: Preserve Tableware. These come in fun, festive colors and are dishwasher safe. You can also read about a non-reusable, but definitely pretty option: leaf plates.

7. While keeping it local in your backyard is ideal, urban-dwellers like myself are left to seek out public parks. Scope out the area ahead of time to see if they offer recycling and composting options. If not, be sure to bring your own bags or containers for cleaning up waste. BioBags are 100% biodegradeable and compostable. Leave your green spaces as pristine as they were before you got there.

Most importantly, just get outside and enjoy yourself! The best thing about barbecuing is the chance to spend time outdoors with friends and family, celebrating this beautiful planet. I hope you all have a safe, and wonderful weekend!

And check out this Ecopreneurist post for more green barbecue and camping tips!

Image Credit: Velo Steve on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

I had the pleasure of attending Carrot Mob’s first event in San Francisco a few months ago. They’ve got a unique approach to incentivizing local businesses to go green. Watch their video and check out Paul Smith’s post about Carrot Mob on Triple Pundit.

As a friend pointed out to me though, you’re almost more hard-pressed to find wineries that don’t have some sort of green aspect to them, these days. From solar panels, to wind energy, to organic growing standards, wineries are becoming more and more eco-friendly every day.

There are a number of resources on finding green wineries in California. The Bay Area Green Business Program lists wineries both in Napa and Sonoma counties that meet their requirements. You can check out this sustainablog post rating some Bay Area wineries. And though this winery guide from Green Girls LA is a few years old, it’s still fairly accurate and comprehensive.

Of the wineries my group stopped at this past weekend, my favorite by far was Grgich Hills Estate in Rutherford, CA. Don’t let the difficult to pronounce name deter you; Grgich Hills is the only winery in Napa Valley that features exclusively biodynamic wines. When you first start explaining biodynamic processes, you’re met with a lot of skepticism. (As soon as I said “cycles of the moon” I could see eyes rolling in my group.) Fortunately our server at Grgich was able to explain it in a very practical way.

Biodynamic wineries are, by definition organically certified, they just take it a few extra steps. Because they remove any chemicals from the process, they look at their vineyards as ecosystems, taking a holistic approach to the way they care for the land and their crops. A particularly interesting practice involves burying a cow horn filled with manure in the soil. It sounds almost like witchcraft, but in fact it adds calcium and other nutrients to the soil in an efficient way. (Read more about the biodynamic philosophies and processes on Grgich’s website. They’ve also recently gone solar.)

Ok, so solar panels, compost, that all sounds great… but how does it taste?

Perhaps it’s my particular palate, but the wines we tasted at Grgich were my favorite of the day. I love Zinfandels, and the ones we sampled here were fantastic. We took home a bottle of their 2005 Zin, and were also treated to an off-the-menu sample of Miljenko’s Old Vine Zinfandel, grown from vines over 100 years old. Both my husband and I who normally have very different tastes in wine agreed that it was our favorite of the day. Unfortunately, though, The release was very limited, and we tasted the last drops of it before it sold out.

I’m no wine expert by any means, so I love visiting green wineries like this, where the staff are more likely to discuss soil quality and cover crops with me, than try to woo me with tasting notes. Although, that being said, I can’t wait to try a glass of my fruit forward Zinfandel alongside a plate of pasta with tomato sauce… Mmm…

For more wine-related posts on Green Options, check out:

Wine, Tea, and TV Dinners: “The Green Does Food”

Drinking Carbon Neutral - America’s Greenest Winery

Wining about Global Warming

I decided instead to concoct a cooling summertime soup. I’m a sucker for Gazpacho, but I wanted something a little lighter today. I also needed to use up all the dill from my herb garden that’s been withering away in the heat.

Here’s my recipe for Cucumber Dill Soup that as refreshing as it is delicious (and not to mention, healthy and quick to prepare!)

3 Cucumbers, peeled
1/2 Yellow Pepper
1 Vine-ripened tomato
1 Avocado
1 Cup of chopped dill
4 Oz. silken tofu
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tsp. olive oil (or grapeseed oil)
1 Tsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Set 1/2 of one of your cucumbers aside for later. Chop the rest of the cukes, pepper and tomato into large chunks, so that they’ll fit in your food processor. Pulse it a few times to make room, and then add all of your remaining ingredients.

Once you’ve blended until liquified, take your remaining cucumber half and slice very thin. Add the slices to the mixture, and there you have it! It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

You may want to refrigerate for a few minutes before serving, as it’s best when chilled. I scooped mine up with a ciabatta roll, and it was a perfect lunch for a sweltering day.

Are there other cool summertime soups that you enjoy? Let me know in the comments; I’m always eager to try new soup recipes!

Here are a few warmer varieties:

Kid-Friendly Corn Chowder

Red Pepper, Black Bean, and Quinoa Soup

Herbed Tofu and Vegetable Soup

A day that’s supposed to celebrate Mexican patriotism, instead conjures up images of frat boys in factory-made sombreros, red, white, and green beads, drinking out of plastic margarita cups. All of this festive decor will find itself in the dumpster tomorrow. (And we had just finished getting rid of all the plastic Easter eggs and St. Patrick’s Day streamers.)

This year instead of wallowing in holiday cynicism, I decided to let it inspire me to create a great meal. Luckily, my neighborhood has dozens of small Mexican shops and produce stands, where the veggies are a steal. (I bought my supplies for this entire meal for under $10!)

I decided, rather than serving up some seitan, or veggie crumbles, which are taco staples in my vegan household, to go with something a bit more authentic and light: black bean tacos with mango salsa. Here’s my recipe:

For the salsa, chop up the following:

1 mango, peeled and pitted
1/2 cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/3 Cup red onion
1/2 Cup jicama
1/2 Cup red pepper
8 mint leaves (most people would use fresh cilantro, but I have an allergy to large quantities of it, and the mint works well.)
Also add: juice of one small lime, a few shakes of cayenne pepper, and salt. Combine all in a large bowl.

You’ll want to prepare the salsa ahead of time and let it chill in the fridge for an hour or so. I also pre-prepared some of my tomatillo sauce. You can find my sauce recipe here. (Full Gringo disclosure: this time around, I added 1/4 block of tofu, medium firmness, to make it a bit creamier.)

To prepare the beans, I just heated them up in a sauce pan and seasoned with a Mexican blend I have on hand. (Cumin, chili pepper, black pepper, onion or garlic powder would all be good in a blend if you want to make your own.)

I used two fresh corn tortillas per taco, for… structural support. I layered on some chopped lettuce and tomato, and then topped with a scoop of black beans, a spoonful of mango salsa, and then I squeezed on some tomatillo sauce. My husband and I gobbled up two tacos each, and were stuffed. We’ll have plenty leftover, so this recipe could easily serve 4.

The publication profiles several weddings every year. I highly recommend picking up a copy (because I also love their recipes and features.) If you can’t find it at your newsstand, here’s a scan of the article where I’m featured.

I’m not just posting this to brag (but seriously, squeeeeee!). I also wanted to point you towards some green catering resources. Whether you’re planning a wedding, a fundraiser, or any other special event, we all know that large groups of people can create a lot of waste. So choosing caterers who specialize in local, organic food is one way to lower your event’s carbon footprint.

When shopping around, we were excited to find just that type of service with our caterers, Back to Earth located in Berkeley, CA. In addition to our buffet dinner, they made our fabulous cake pictured here (flowers, courtesy of Oak Hill Farm). While our menu was all vegan, they work with all kinds of menus. From their website:

“You can taste every element of our food - the organic free-range chicken roaming free in Marin, perfect strawberries from Fully Belly Farm, the fresh spring greens from Riverdog Farm in Mendocino, Wild Salmon caught just miles from the San Francisco Bay, juicy portobellos from Solano Mushroom, artisan organic cheeses from Cowgirl Creamery, and a rustic fresh baked organic bread from the Acme bakery, a local Berkeley treasure.”

Not only is their food spectacular, but a number of the vehicles they use for transportation run on biodiesel, and they can help you “green” a number of aspects of your event.

Some other catering companies I’ve found from across the U.S. with a commitment to the environment include:

Seedling Catering in Los Angeles focuses on vegan and macrobiotic menus.

Gail’s Vegetarian Catering in Washington, D.C. does a variety of events, but specializes in vegetarian weddings.

Eco-Goddess Edibles in Aspen, CO bills itself as “organic vegetarian cuisine” although their sample menus featured a number of fish dishes.

Phresh Organic Catering in Portland, OR caters to a more omnivorous crowd, and features a “commitment to sustainability” on its website.

Chowgirls in Minneapolis, MN has an adorable website, and puts a unique spin of things, with a section of “Retro Fare” on their diverse menu.

Pharm Catering in Chatanooga, TN was a bit light on the veggie options, but specializes on organic, local foods.

Herban Feast in Seattle, WA was my favorite of the caterers I looked at in Seattle, which has a number to choose from! Also worth a look is Ravishing Radish.

Lucid Food in New York, NY seems to have primarily done large upscale events, but also does corporate lunches.

There are dozens more in the Bay Area, and plenty more around the world. I’d love to hear your recommendations if you know of any. In the mean time, I’m going back to drooling over pictures of my vegan chocolate wedding cake… mmmm…

Photo by Donya Photography

I learned that Ashkenazi Jews also avoid a group of foods categorized as kitiniyot which includes rice, peas, lentils, beans, and corn. (Now I know what Meredith was referring to in her recent Passover foods post, when she mentioned becoming aware of so many corn additives!) So no legumes, eh? No soy products… no grains… Ok, that does in fact rule out a major chunk of my vegan diet.

But I wasn’t ready to back down from this challenge just yet…

Last night I invited some friends over for a vegan Passover dinner. One made Charoset, a traditional Jewish dish made of nuts, apples, cinnamon and wine. Often it’s made with honey, which some vegans avoid. An easy substitute is agave nectar. He prepared a bit chunkier than it’s sometimes served, as you can see here, and we ate it spooned onto some matzah. Delicious!

Another friend made the amazing leek patties you see pictured to the left. I realized a bit too late that he’d used tofu to substitute as a binding agent for eggs, so the strict Jews couldn’t eat it. Normally I use cornstarch with water to bind patties, but since that would be out too, if anyone has a Kosher and vegan suggestion, I’m all ears!

As the only Goy amongst our group, I had to do a little research for our main course, which came courtesy of PETA’s Passover pages. They feature several great Kosher recipes, some more traditional than others. I went with the Eggplant Casserole, and it was a big hit.

Through my recipe research I also learned more about the growing movement amongst Jews to move toward vegetarianism. As investigations of unethical slaughterhouses become more and more commonplace, there has been much outrage in the Jewish community over Kosher slaughterhouses, which are typically thought of as being more humane. Turns out that’s not always the case. You can watch a video called If This is Kosher narrated by prolific author Jonathan Safran Foer at GoVeg.com which explores this issue more in-depth.

Back to my original question though, is it possible to keep Kosher, and keep up a vegan diet? Our dinner last night proved that it’s possible, though not without a bit of research and creativity. The hardest part is finding protein, but you can consider these plant-based, Kosher protein sources:

Quinoa is actually a seed, and not a grain, so it makes a great protein packed meal and is great with veggies.

Any nuts (excluding peanuts, which some consider kitiniyot as well). This actually opens up the door for a number of raw food recipes, packed high in nutrients. Raw foodists definitely know some great tricks for turning nuts and seeds into “breads.” Definitely worth exploring if you’ve gotten your fill of matzah this week!

For other resources, check out this sustainablog post on green Passover celebrations.

I have an abundance of fresh mint from my herb garden. Drinking Mojitos with every meal seemed a little impractical, so I did the next best thing and combined my mint with chocolate. While scouring the internet for a basic chocolate cake recipe. I was so excited to find this great recipe from FatFree Vegan Kitchen that included an unusual ingredient: beets!

Beets are admittedly not high on my list of favorite vegetables. But a co-worker brought me some from his CSA and assumed the office vegan would know what to do with them. They’ve actually been sitting in my crisper for weeks, so I was quite happy I got to use them before they went bad. Here’s the (only slightly modified) recipe for this delicious cake, published with permission.

1 large beet (I used 2 smallish ones)
5 mint leaves
unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Peel and dice your beet(s). Place the pieces in a saucepan with water to cover and boil until soft. Allow the beets to cool, and then drain them, reserving the red water. Put the drained beets into the food processor with 1/4 cup (clear) water. Give your mint leaves a quick chop, and add them to the beets. Process until pureed.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Oil or spray your cooking pan (mine was 8″x12″). Put the pureed beets into a 2-cup measuring cup. Add enough apple sauce to reach the 2-cup line. Add the 2 tablespoons of the red water, along with the vanilla extract, and apple cider to the beets and mix well.

Mix the dry ingredients together, and then add the beet mixture and stir until well-combined. Bake for 35-60 minutes, depending on the size of pan you use. (For my 8″X12″ pan, it took about 40 minutes.) Test by inserting a toothpick into the center; it’s done when the toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely and remove from the pan and put onto a plate. While it cools you can whip up the chocolate mint frosting — my own creation, and unfortunately not fat free:

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 and 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsps soy or rice milk
6-10 large mint leaves

Allow the shortening to soften a bit before adding the sugar, cocoa and milk. Mince the mint leaves as finely as possible. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mash until you have a smooth, creamy consistency. Feel free to vary the amount of sugar depending on how sweet you’d like it.

Once the cake has cooled, spread the frosting across the top, evenly, with a butter knife. An 8″x12″ cake can be cut into 8 pieces. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

And if that hasn’t satisfied your sweet tooth, you can also check out these recipes:
Jennie Love’s Apple Dumplings (which can easily be veganized)
Beth Bader’s Slow Cooker Oatmeal (also easily veganized)
Jennifer Lance’s Blueberry Oat Muffins (via Eco Child’s Play)

So I decided to stick with something I’m much better at: creating new recipes. After my black bean burger recipe got such great reviews from testers, I was inspired to make a new version of the recipe. Jeff had asked if one could substitute pine nuts for pumpkin seeds (sure!) and I started concocting from there.

This week I decided to make an Italian version: White Bean Burgers! The directions for this version are nearly identical — all that’s changed is the ingredients.

Wet Ingredients:
1 Can white (canellini) beans (16 oz. or soak your own)
1 Cup chopped, fresh spinach
1 and 1/2 Tsp cornstarch, mixed with equal part water

Dry Ingredients:
1/2 Cup pine nuts
1/2 Cup bread crumbs
2 Cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 Tsp Thyme
A pinch each of salt, black pepper, and powdered sage

You’ll want to steam your spinach a bit before adding it to the beans and cornstarch mixture. Other than that, simply follow the directions here. Another tip I found useful: because the spinach adds a lot of moisture, I was afraid the patties might fall apart. So I let them sit uncovered in the fridge for about half an hour before I cooked them, and it seemed to help.

Once they were nice and brown, I put mine on a ciabatta roll, which was the perfect chewy complement. I almost always have a jar of tomato sauce on hand. (Apologies to my Italian ancestors — sometimes you need pasta and don’t have two hours to make it from scratch.) Top with a nice spoonful or two of sauce, and some chopped fresh basil.

The Tuscan take on the Southwestern burger made me wonder what other variations you could try. A Greek chickpea burger topped with tahini, served in a pita? A black eyed pea burger topped with mushroom gravy, on a biscuit for some Southern flair? You could probably tweak it in all sorts of ways. I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments!

Furthermore, let’s take a look at the three leading producers of veggie burgers. Boca Foods, makers of the Boca Burger is a subsidiary of Kraft Foods. Morningstar Farms is owned by Kellogs, as is Gardenburger. While it is possible to find small independently run veggie burger producers (Dr. Praeger’s comes to mind), these three dominate the market. There’s nothing particularly eco-friendly about the packaging. None of the brands I checked use recycled materials, and the patties come individually wrapped in plastic.

So what’s an earth-conscious herbivore to do? Make your own, of course!

I cooked up some black bean burgers last night that were filling and delicious. Here’s my recipe:

Wet Ingredients:
1 Can black beans (16 oz. Or you could soak your own)
1/4 Cup ketchup
1 and 1/2 Tsp cornstarch, mixed with equal part water

Dry Ingredients:
1/2 Cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 Cup bread crumbs
2 Cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp minced shallots
1/4 Tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 Tsp paprika
A pinch each of salt, black pepper, and bay leaves, if you have them.

Combine all of your wet ingredients, mash slightly with a fork and set aside. In a food processor, grind up all of your dry ingredients until they all resemble breadcrumbs. Mix the dry in with the wet ingredients. Now for the fun part: dig your hands in and mash everything up. Form the mixture into 3 or 4 patties, depending how big you like them.

Coat your skillet with cooking oil and put the heat on high. Cook your patties two at a time, for about 3-6 minutes, depending how hot your oil is (and how “well done” you like them). Flip with a spatula and repeat on the other side. Once they’re nice and dark brown, set them aside on a paper towel to cool.

While they cool, you can make this easy Tomatillo Sauce that’s a perfect complement. Rinse out your food processor and toss in:

1/2 of an avocado
1 Can tomatillos, drained (12 oz.)
1 Tsp salt

Blend until you have a lovely green paste. Add a heaping spoonful to a toasted kaiser roll. Top your burger with lettuce, tomato, and red onion, and you’re good to go. You’ll have plenty of leftover Tomatillo Sauce. Try using it as a topping for burritos, tacos, in a salad, or on another sandwich.

1.Don’t think of things as being “off limits.” Some things haven’t changed since childhood. When we tell ourselves we can’t have it, it often makes us want it more. Remember that each meal you consume is a choice, and you will feel empowered to pursue the best choice possible.

2. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. I often hear people say “I could never be vegan because I couldn’t give up cheese.” Or bacon, or ice cream, or some other food. OK, so then give up everything but that. The Veggie Police will not come and arrest you if you indulge in a sustainably raised piece of fish every now and then.

3. Go veggie when you’re dining out. One commenter on my last post said she knows where her food comes form when she cooks at home, but not necessarily when she’s in a restaurant. Try eating vegetarian for your next meal away from home.

4. Go veggie when you’re cooking at home. On the other hand, depending where you live, it may be difficult to find vegetarian dishes at some dining establishments. Or you may find yourself in a social situation with few options. So go veggie at home, where you control the menu, and omni when you’re out.

5. Do it with a buddy. I had always thought veganism would be too difficult, until I met my vegan husband. But having someone who knew the best places in town to eat, helped me learn nutritional information, and happily tried my new recipes certainly helped my transition.

6. Join a group. Many cities and towns have vegetarian societies or groups that have meetups. Do a Google search for one in your area. I also recently learned of Vegifide — a vegetarian social networking site where you’ll find no shortage of advice and support.

7. Stick with what’s comfortable. If words like tempeh or quinoa scare you, then go for the things you already like that are vegetarian, like pasta dishes, black bean burritos, or hummus. I was once a tofu-phobe, and now I can’t get enough of it. Your tastes also change over time.

8. If you can’t cut it out, cut down the quantity. If you really want meat with your potatoes, cook only a small portion, but pile on the side dishes. Every little change helps.

9. Sneak it in. I switched to soy milk long before I went vegan simply because it lasted so much longer in my fridge! If you’re using it for baking, in mashed potatoes, or other dishes in smaller quantities, you won’t taste the difference. Same thing goes for butter — try cooking with olive oil or margarine instead.

10. Go at your own pace. Nobody says you have to go cold turkey (or in this case, I suppose it should be cold Tofurkey). Start with one vegetarian day a week, then ease into two or three, etc. It’ll only get easier as you go. Set goals for yourself. And when you reach them, reward yourself with a veggie meal in a great restaurant! (If you’re in the SF or NY area I can make a few suggestions.)

If you have any tips or questions on incorporating more veggie options into your diet, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. You can also check out the recent discussion in the Green Options Forum on Green Health, Food, and Lifestyle.

Every Spring, thousands of activists and educators get together at events all over the world to raise awareness of vegetarian diets. Despite the event’s name, it has in fact grown into an international phenomenon. You can find a calendar of events here to see what’s going on near you. This is certainly a great place to start in terms of resources, and I plan to address that further in my next post.

For today I want to look at Mark’s question, “Should we be eating animals in the first place?” Here’s my take…

There are three basic issues when it comes to looking at vegetarianism and veganism: health, animal rights, and the environment. Given the nature of this blog, I’m going to focus on the latter. Livestock production contributes to a number of hot button environmental issues, including:

• Climate Change: A 2006 study from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations found that meat production contributes 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, which is larger than the automobile industry. (Source: Vegan Outreach)
• Desertification: While livestock itself contributes to this problem by overgrazing land, the larger problem is producing enough food to feed these animals. It takes approximately 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, and about 25 gallons of water to produce one pound of wheat. Not only is the biological inefficiency staggering, but farmland all across the U.S. and other countries is going dry. (Source: VegSource.com)
• Pollution from Factory Farms: The enormous amounts of animal waste produced in small areas by factory farms contributes to water contamination and air pollution. Studies have found these effects leading to death in local fish populations and disease in residents living near these farms, not to mention health effects on workers. (Source: Sierra Club)

There are a number of other environmental impacts caused by the meat industry, and I’ll provide some more resources at the end of this post. But many of you may say, “These issues apply to factory farms. I only eat grassfed, locally-raised, organic meat.”

Well, for one I’d question if that’s really true. Do you really know where all of your meat, eggs, and dairy products come from? If you do, more power to you! But unless you cook every meal at home, this seems near impossible. Secondly, this ignores health, and many animal rights concerns. And finally, I ask, how sustainable is this? If you truly believe that eschewing factory farms for small, local alternatives is the answer, then we as a society sure need to cut down on the amount of animal products in our diet. Learning more about ways to at least supplement your lifestyle with vegetarian or vegan meals is key.

The Great American Meatout encourages people to try going vegetarian for the day tomorrow. I say, try to challenge yourself further — try going vegan for the day, or for a week! And that’s why tomorrow I’ll be focusing on another of Mark’s questions, “Do you have any suggestions on managing the conversion to vegetarianism now that half the food on my plate is off limits?” Boy, do I.

For further reading on the environmental impacts of the animal industry, I recommend Vegan Outreach, Vegan Action, and former cattle rancher Howard Lyman’s first book, Mad Cowboy, available for preview on Google Books.