By John Chappell •
May 27, 2009
In news that may make supermarket label readers and organic consumers even more wary, a recent report raised serious questions about many brands of soy products.
The investigation by The Cornucopia Institute included a survey, in person visits to farm and processing facilities, and a review of import data from over 60 soy product companies. The report included a scorecard of each company as well as a comprehensive 54 page report outlining their findings of the overall industry.
Some of their more disturbing findings include:
Tofu. For those of us who have learned to master this culinary chameleon, its sort of miraculous. Tofu takes on the flavor of whatever its seasoned or marinated with, while its texture can vary depending on the mode of preparation. I always keep a couple of blocks of the stuff onhand for quick stir-frys or sandwiches, but really, that’s just the beginning of what tofu can do.
There are two main different types of tofu: Silken and firm. The silken variety is Japanese in origin, and is soft, delicate, and creamy. It doesn’t hold it’s shape too well, so is best used in its pureed form for smoothies, eggless/dairyless pies, dips, or soups. Firm, or Chinese-style tofu, is (as its name implies) much firmer, and holds its shape when sliced for marinating and baking, cubing, or crumbling.
If you’re seeking to expand your tofu repertoire, look no further than this list:
By Gina Munsey •
May 11, 2009
Most of us have a love/hate relationship with dill. If you grew up on Scandinavian-inspired dishes, as I did, you no doubt have a fond appreciation for its distinctive flavors — I loved to feel dill’s feathery-soft leaves against my hand when exploring in my mom’s garden as a girl. On the other hand, if your only association with dill is soggy, sickly-green supermarket pickles, then you might not be quite so keen on the herb.
Often overlooked, dill — from the Norse dilla, meaning, “to soothe” — possesses surprising characteristics. Among its little-known superpowers are antibacterial and calming properties; the annual herb can be made into a stomach-soothing tea. Dill has been popular since Biblical times, and is even mentioned as a valuable commodity in the Gospels: “You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.”
Traditionally used in food to season fish or as a balance to yogurt’s tanginess, dill can also be used to brighten this protein-rich, vegan-friendly, summery rice salad.
By Amy Bell •
January 23, 2009
According to legend, miso was a gift from the gods to ensure humanity’s health, longevity, and happiness.
It may do just that.
Miso is a traditional fermented Japanese food with amazing health benefits. This creamy salty paste is commonly made with soybeans, but other beans and or grains such as rice and barley are often used as well. After being inoculated with a vitamin B12 synthesizing fungus, the mixture of ingredients is allowed to ferment from as little as five days to as long as several years. The result is a versatile food that contains protein and vitamins such as B12, along with trace minerals such as zinc, manganese, and copper.
By Jessica Mordo •
January 12, 2009
Chicago’s health commissioner recently urged Windy City denizens to give up meat for the entire month of January, in a bid to improve locals’ health. Getting residents of Chicago—a city famed for its sausages—to go vegetarian for a month, or even a week, may seem like a tall order. Heck, I’m a vegetarian-leaning omnivore and it seems a bit challenging even for me!
However, the guy’s got a point.
By Marc Rose •
December 30, 2008
I suppose it all started with tofu, some three thousand years ago. Logically, soymilk, with its nine essential amino acids quickly followed. Many of us, as infants, were fed soy formula instead of milk. Now you can walk in to just about any major chain restaurant and find a veggie burger, made from soy. But the soy revolution has only really just begun. Soybeans are used to make paints, insulation, adhesives, inks, foam for seat cushions, and biodiesel, of course.
Is there anything that soy cannot do? Perhaps not. Scientists at Agricultural Research Service (ARS), a scientific research agency of the USDA, are experimenting with the use of defatted soy flour, to take the place of traditional petroleum based fillers that increase tensile strength and wear in tires.
By Jennifer Lance •
September 27, 2008
I’ve been on a tempeh buying kick lately, which has forced us to dig through our cookbooks and memories for good tempeh recipes. Tempeh is less processend than tofu, and thus it is healthier and higher in protein. We tend to eat a lot of tofu, so adding tempeh into our diet helps us cook beyond our usual meals. Of course, organic ingredients are a must!
Organic Vegan Tempeh Sloppy Joes
Saute:
- 3 Tablespoons oil
- 2 diced green peppers
- 1 diced large onion
By Beth Bader •
July 2, 2008
Image Courtesy of the National Honey Board
Just in time for the holiday, the Honey Board has a few recipes to recommend — for the grill. Honey is a pretty common ingredient for marinades and sauces. These recipes capture that sweet-spicy combination of flavors I personally love.
Before you go for the tongs, the Honey Board has a few pointers on why this food is sustainable AND an eco-friendly choice:
- Honey is an all-natural food that leaves a small eco-footprint.
- Purchasing local honey encourages growth of the local economy and reduces production waste.
- Many farmers have hives on their land, in part because bees are responsible for one out of every three bites we consume.
- If it weren’t for honey bees, we would suffer from a limited supply of oranges, apples, blueberries, cucumbers and strawberries.
Recipes for your holiday cook out include Grilled Tofu Kabobs with a Honey-Chipotle Glaze.
By Sharon Troy •
June 11, 2008
Well, after my last post on eco-friendly junk food, I feel like I need to redeem myself a bit with another healthy salad. (See, my Kale, Quinoa and Avocado Salad recipe for the first installment of this series.) This recipe came about when I had a craving for home made spring rolls, but couldn’t find any sheets of rice paper in the five block vicinity of my apartment that I was willing to walk.
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.
Despite a mild insecurity with shopping in grocery stores where the latin alphabet graces few labels, I was overcome with a desire to shop in Chinatown today upon seeing the perfect, sunny weather. More than picking up a few veggies, I was hoping to gather some inspiration. I have gotten into a bit of a cooking rut lately, which seems to be a consequence of farmer’s market shopping: always the same vendors, little variation from week to week. But much like a farmer’s market excursion, the Chinese groceries along Spadina Avenue offer a pleasurably ambling shopping experience without the neon lights, air conditioning and tasteless, overpackaged food that can be found at my local supermarket.
After fortifying myself on BBQ Pork steam buns, I walked into the first grocer
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:
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.
