Green Options

In my family, tofu pot pie is comfort food. This recipe is a great way to pack a bunch of veggies into your child, and it is perfect in all seasons. In the winter, we enjoy its warming qualities, and in the summer we pack it full of garden veggies. If you make a crust with oil, this recipe is vegan, but I prefer a flaky buttery crust. Be creative with your own pot pies and mix together the veggies you have in the refrigerator. Every pot pie comes out differently, but they are always delicious, especially when using organic ingredients.

Tofu Vegetarian Pot Pie

Prepare the crust

Combine:

• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• dash of salt

Cut into flour mixture:

• 2/3 cup chilled butter

Add:

• 5 to 6 Tablespoons cold water

Knead until the dough holds together (you may need to add a little extra water), but do not overwork it. The warmth from your hands will soften the butter, and you will lose the flakiness of your crust.  Divide the dough into two balls and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer. Roll out a top and bottom crust.

Ina May Gaskin is the most famous midwife in the United States. As one of of the founding members of the intentional community the Farm, Ina May and the Farm Midwives have thirty years of statistics that demonstrate the safety and benefits of natural childbirth. For example, only 1.4% of births attended by the Farm Midwives have required a Cesarean section compared to the national average of about 25%. Ina May has long been respected for advocating women’s rights, as well as changing people’s perceptions about natural childbirth. Instead of an agonizing ordeal, Ina May believes that childbirth can be an orgasmic experience.

When I first became pregnant 16 years ago, a pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage, I read Ina May’s first book Spiritual Midwifery. Not only was this book full of information on natural pregnancy and childbirth, but it was packed with images and stories of labor, in which the parents saw psychedelic colors and experienced orgasms. I thought that these hippies had done too many drugs and were just having flashbacks, but by the time I read her second book Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth before the birth of my second child, I decided to try out some of the visualizations described in the birth stories.

I have a sweet tooth, but it is a very picky sweet tooth. I love chocolate, but I hate candy, and I am particular about my cookies. One thing I adore is chocolate chip cookies, especially a little spoonful of dough when mixing up the batter, and with vegan cookie dough, you don’t have to worry about getting sick from eating raw egg. This is another great recipe, like last Friday’s Vegan Kid-Friendly Soup, modified from The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook. Of course, always use organically-grown ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Sift flour with the baking powder and salt (I sometimes skip the sifting).

• 1 cup Sucanat (or use 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup oil (or melted butter if you aren’t vegan)
• 1/4 cup water or soymilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

In a separate bowl, stir together the Sucanat (sugar) and oil (butter). Add water (soymilk) and vanilla to this “wet” mixture and blend well. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

When the weather turns cold, I want soup; however, my children are not big soup fans. There is one recipe they always eat heartily, and it resembles chicken soup. This recipe is very easy to follow and adapt to whatever vegetables you have on hand. My personal favorites to add to the pot are kale, peas, and carrots. This simple, vegan kid-friendly soup is also a great way to use up leftover rice, and it is quick to make. Of course, organic ingredients are a must!

Simple, Vegan Kid-Friendly Soup:

Saute 1 onion in 3 Tablespoons of oil (you can use butter for added flavor if you aren’t vegan). Add to the cooked onion:

• 5 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. celery seed
• 1/4 cup dried TVP
• 1 tsp. soy sauce (I prefer Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
• Vegetables of your choice (kale, carrots, and peas)