Zucchini is a type of squash, typically green and best picked when it’s about 6 inches in length (although I’ve forgotten to pick mine early and they can end up as big as my calf). I like this recipe because you can shred the zucchini in the Summer/Fall, freeze it, and make this tasty, cozy bread all Winter long.

Zucchini Bread

Sift: 3 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
3 t. cinnamon
¼ t. baking powder

In a separate bowl, beat 3 eggs.

Add to the eggs: 2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
3 t. vanilla
Flour mixture
2 c. shredded zucchini

Pour batter into two loaf pans and bake 45-55 minutes at 325 degrees.

Most recently, the City of San Francisco and partnership with non profit LightsOutSF.org has issued a "Lights Out" ordinance from 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. The city’s landmarks like Alcatraz, TransAmerica building, and parts of our lovely bridges will shut off their lights to announce the importance of energy conservation.

My friends at SF CityDish tell me that there are numerous trendy restaurants in town that are hosting "romantic candlelight dinners" in support of the Lights Out event on October 20th proving once again that activism is sexy.

Whether you desire to buy trees to help the environment for personal reasons, for investment purposes or you simply refer others to buy trees through our Affiliate Program,  PanAm BioFuels has made the process so simple that everyone can find a way to participate in it.

1) Purchase Trees for Investment

Jatropha trees can be bought directly from Pan-Am Biofuels for only $4 each in lots ranging from 250 trees for $1000 to 25,000 trees for $100,000.  Though delivery is possible for larger volumes, we will believe most people will take advantage of our Contract Farming Program where we will actually plant your trees on our plantations. 

With our Contract Farming Program we do all the work from planting to harvest to sale of the oil.  The only fee for all of this is a 10% fee from profits.  Then 90% of the profits are passed on to you, the tree owner.  All you have to do is purchase your trees in lots for only $4/each.

If you have priced trees at your local nursery you will see most prices range from $10 to $25. So now you may be thinking…

"How can you produce, plant and sell these trees at only $4 each?"

There are several reasons, including, but not limited to,

• Because the cost of living as well as labor is much cheaper in Central America where our nurseries are located.
• The efficiencies and economies of scale we enjoy by the huge volume of trees our nursery outputs allow us to save a tremendous amount of money passing the savings on to you.
• Our nursery is in close proximity to our Jatropha Tree plantation in Costa Rica where our Contract Farming Program is being implemented so there are minimal transportation expenses.

"So how much money do I stand to earn by buying your Jatropha Trees? What is the return on my investment?" 

Your trees can potentially bring  as much as 45% PER YEAR calculated  from your original investment once the trees start producing within 3-4 years.   Jatropha trees start bearing seeds the second year and reach maximum production at about 4 years.  You can review the full details and Financial Projections once you register and login.

Pan-Am Biofuels has truly created a unique situation and opportunity for the average person to take advantage of.

Now you can participate in an industry that has produced the wealthiest individuals and corporations in the world. The only difference is, instead of drilling for oil and destroying the environment, you will be growing oil and restoring the environment by owning oil producing Jatrpha Trees

2) Sell trees for Commissions as an Affiliate

We will pay you to refer customers! Pan-Am Biofuels has created a lucrative opportunity for webmasters,  business owners and individuals alike. By becoming an Affiliate you can help promote our Jatropha tree project, earn commissions and at the same time you’ll be doing your part to better our environment.  Learn more about how our Affiliate Program works.

There’s no need for a deep fryer and gallons of cooking oil, either. All you need, in addition to a few root vegetables, is a microwaveable plate, a hand-pumped sprayer with olive oil (I use a Misto), a little popcorn salt and a microwave oven.

Ingredients:

Fresh whole potatoes, sweet potatoes or beets

Olive oil

Popcorn salt

Directions:

1. Peel the vegetables.

2. Slice into 1/16-inch to 1/8-inch slices. (A chip-slicer or mandoline slicer is ideal, but a good, sharp knife — and careful slicing — will do as well.)

3. Lay the slices flat in a single layer on a lightly-oiled, microwaveable plate. Be careful not to overlap slices.

4. Pump-spray the chips lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with popcorn salt.

5. Set on a revolving tray in your microwave and cook at high power for 3 minutes.

6. Check chips. They’ll probably still be soft, rather than crispy, but you don’t have to turn them over.

7. If they need more cooking, return chips to microwave for another 3 minutes on high. Watch your chips carefully during this second stage of cooking: chips can go from crispy to blackened to burning (I had flaming beet slices in my oven once!) in 15 seconds or less.

8. Remove plate carefully from microwave (some plates can get very hot). Use a small spatula to lift chips from plate to a serving bowl or plate.

9. Repeat Steps 1 - 8 until all your slices are cooked.

Serving suggestions:

• Serve on their own as a healthful snack.
• Use as a garnish for grilled vegetables, fish or barbecued chicken, tempeh or tofu.

Variation suggestions:

• Instead of popcorn salt, try sprinkling chips with garlic salt, Cajun seasoning or whatever other seasonings you enjoy.
• Experiment with different root vegetables. Among those I haven’t tried yet: turnips, rutabagas, parsnips and taro.

Ingredients

Hummus (store-bought or made from scratch – see below)
8 corn or flour tortillas
½ cup chopped green onions
1/2-1 cup favorite salsa

Directions

1. Spread a tortilla with 2 to 3 tablespoons of hummus and place in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.

2. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and salsa. (You could also eliminate the salsa here and instead top the finished quesadilla with it.)

3. Top with a second tortilla, and cook until the bottom tortilla is warm and turning golden brown, about 3-5 minutes, depending on how high you have your flame. Turn and cook the second side for another few minutes, until it, too, is golden brown.

4. Remove from pan and cut in half or into triangles. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Basic Hummus Recipe

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup water-packed, roasted red peppers
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed butter)
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ teaspoon cumin
Salt, to taste

Place the beans in a food processor or blender with roasted peppers, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, and cumin. Process until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. You may add a little water to thin it out. Salt to taste.

Serving suggestions and variations:

• Serve with a side of rice and beans.
• Great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner – or just as a snack.
• Serve as party finger food; though they really are best served hot!
• For some extra spice, add minced jalapeno peppers to the hummus. Or add a pinch of cayenne.
• You can also serve these with guacamole and non-dairy sour cream.
• Non-dairy sour cream: Wildwood or Tofutti brand sour creams are both delicious. You can find them at Whole Foods or other large health food stores. (Or ask your grocer to carry them.) If you want to make your own, simply add one 12-ounce box of silken tofu to a blender or food processor along with 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Add a dash of cayenne for some color and "bite."

Copyright © 2007 Compassionate Cooks, LLC – All rights reserved

The recipe for bourbon chicken didn’t originate, as some might think, at some eatery on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. In fact, it’s a staple of food-court Chinese restaurants, which serve varieties ranging from rubbery sweet to deliciously savory. But I’ve never seen a vegetarian version, so I’ve had to create my own, using a recipe I found at Recipezaar and tempeh in place of chicken. (I prefer tempeh over tofu: its firmer consistency holds up better in a dish like this, which needs to be stirred frequently during preparation.) This recipe has since become a staple in my household.

Ingredients:

8 ounces plain of three-grain tempeh, cut into half-inch squares
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/3 cup organic brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (about one-half a large orange)
2 tablespoons organic ketchup
1 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 - 2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
2. Add minced garlic and tempeh and heat until lightly browned.
3. Add remaining ingredients and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
4. Bring to a hard boil while stirring frequently.
5. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until sauce is about the consistency of thick maple syrup. (Don’t cook too long, though, or the dish will become too dry.)

Serving suggestions:

• Serve on its own with complementary sides like home-baked sweet-potato chips, beans and rice, or fresh-made cornbread.
• Serve over rice, noodles, polenta or even quinoa.

Variation suggestions:

• Use apple juice instead of orange juice (the original recipe for bourbon chicken I use called for apple juice).
• Use tofu instead of tempeh (choose extra-firm and stir carefully, though).

Image: uncooked tempeh. Source: Cdc, Wikimedia Commons

Advance Preparation: Pesto freezes very well. Defrost pesto at room temperature, about 20 minutes. To reinvigorate frozen or refrigerated pesto, add a drizzle of olive oil and stir.

Ingredients - Pesto
3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
6+ tablespoons pine nuts
2-4 cloves garlic
1-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Ingredients - Pasta and Veggies
1 pound penne pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
Bunch of chopped spinach, raw or blanched
Fresh, seasonal tomatoes, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped

Directions
Combine the basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor, and blend until the ingredients are finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add salt, to taste.

Add the oil slowly and a little at a time, and process until smooth and creamy. (You don’t need a lot of oil – just add enough to smooth it out a little, but very little is needed.)

Prepare your favorite pasta according to the package directions (penne works great!). Drain. Toss the pasta with the pesto and remaining ingredients.

Serving suggestions and variations:

• Toss the pesto with roasted vegetables.
• Use walnuts instead of pine nuts.
• Add ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and rinsed.
• Replace half of the basil with parsley.
• Add a squeeze of lemon while you’re grinding all the ingredients together.
• Make a pesto pizza, spreading a layer of pesto on your dough and adding some fresh tomatoes and minced fresh herbs.
• Use as a cracker spread. Add non-dairy cream cheese and use as a spread for bread and crackers.
• Prepare it as a dip for chips or raw veggies. Just add it to non-dairy sour cream (Tofutti or Wildwood brands are great.)
• Make garlic pesto bread. Spread pesto on bread and bake like you would garlic bread.
• Grill it. Coat polenta squares, vegetables, or tofu with pesto and grill.
• If you’re not using it immediately, you can store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or place in ice cube trays (or a regular container), cover tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the freezer (for no longer than one month for the best flavor).
• To make extra, for every cup of loosely packed basil leaves, add the following to the above recipe: 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 1 clove garlic (or to taste), ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste), and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• For an oil-free version, eliminate the oil and replace it with 1-2 tablespoons light miso. Add a little water to thin it out a little.

Copyright © 2006 Compassionate Cooks, LLC – All rights reserved

Wild Vegetarian Cookbook

Late summer brings many treats, but my favorite is ripe wild blackberries. Blackberries are an abundant and delicious “wild” food in many parts of the world. There are many varieties within this large family, from the Japanese wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius) to the Arctic raspberry (Rubus arcticus). Take advantage of the season while you can and sample some of nature’s offerings by picking these tasty berries wherever you find them. The next time you walk through a woody area or park, take a look around and see if you can spot the woody, thorned vines and generally white, rose-like flowers characteristic of blackberry plants.

The recipe, which serves 6 to 8, calls for a number of other ingredients that you can find growing locally, either wild or cultivated: apples for apple juice, oranges for orange rind, salt from the sea, and berries from the common spicebush. Depending on how many ingredients you can find around you and where they come from, your blackberry cobbler can be both inexpensive and organic.

Before we start, rest easy knowing that for this recipe there is an excellent backup plan. If you’ve gathered a basketful of berries only to realize that baking is not really your forte, sit back, relax, and enjoy a bowl of fresh, raw, local blackberries!

Now, on with the show. You’ll want:

• 5 cups wild blackberries
• 2 tablespoons tapioca pearls, ground into powder
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon apple juice
• 1 teaspoon dried orange rind or 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 teaspoon dried mint, finely crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seeds
• 1 1/2 cups sweet brown rice flour or 7 ounces any whole grain flour
• 2 tablespoons apricot kernel oil, walnut oil, almond oil, or corn oil
• 1/4 cup corn oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
• 1/4 teaspoon common spicebush berries, finely chopped, or ground allspice [if available, freshly ground from berries]
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons soy milk, almond milk, or unsweetened fruit juice, or as needed.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix the blackberries, ground tapioca, 1/2 cup of the apple juice, the orange juice, the orange rind, mint, and cardamom together in a large bowl. Transfer the mixture to a 14 x 9 x 2-inch oiled baking dish.

3. Sprinkle the fruit mixture with 3 tablespoons of the flour and dot with the apricot kernel oil.

4. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the remaining flour, the cream of tartat, baking soda, cinnamon, spice-bush berries, nutmeg, and salt. Mix in the corn oil, and then stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon apple juice and enough soy milk to make a dough that’s neither sticky nor crumbly.

5. Using a rolling pin [or, in a pinch, a wine bottle] covered with a floured sleeve and working on a floured pastry sheet, roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick in the shape of your baking dish. Transfer the rolled out pastry onto the berry layer, cut slits for steam to escape, and sprinkle on more cinnamon for color, if desired. Bake the cobbler until bubbly, about 40 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

In all instances I know of, blackberries and raspberries are such hardy plants that you can eat your fill from a plant, and still there will be more to pick for tomorrow’s cobbler or pie. In North America, blackberries have done so well by cultivation and cross-pollination with non-native strains that in many places certain varieties are now considered a “weed” that out compete other, native plants. Preparing this scrumptious cobbler is therefore also a good way to make some a small but rewarding impact in protecting native plant populations.

For a wild vegan blackberry cobbler that also combats climate change, try cooking your cobbler during the day in a solar oven, then serving it in the evening for a truly green gourmet treat! This may require a longer cook time, but it turns your cooking into a fun, green adventure.

Bon apétit!

References and Resources:

Learn more about wild foods with “Wildman” Steve Brill.

Buy Wild Vegetarian Cookbook.

This recipe was reproduced with permission from The Harvard Common Press.

Identifying blackberry bushes:

Photo Sources:

Wild Blackberry Cobbler: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38229873@N00/940551013/

Blackberries: http://www.flickr.com/photos/44987917@N00/1223686687/

Himilayan Blackberries: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maximillian_millipede/370352385/

Blossoming Blackberry Bushes: http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035720546@N01/743028652/

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds tofu, extra firm or super firm*
1/2 cup eggless mayonnaise (Nayonnaise and Vegenaise are great, but Wildwood’s Garlic Aioli is my fave)
2 red bell peppers, finely chopped
4 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
4 teaspoons pickle relish
1-1/2 tablespoons prepared mustard
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
Black pepper, to taste
10 slices good-quality sliced bread

Directions
1. In a large bowl, mash tofu with a fork, potato masher, or your hands.

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

3. Spread a few tablespoons of the tofu mixture on the bottom bread slices. Top with remaining slices of bread. (Toasted slices make this even more scrumptious!)

4. Carefully cut the crusts off the sandwiches with a sharp knife. Cut in half diagonally, then cut in half again so you’re left with small triangle-shaped finger sandwiches. (Throw the crust out to the grateful birds.)

*A word about tofu: There are many different types of tofu available, ranging from silken and soft to firm and extra firm - and even super firm, in the case of my favorite brand, Wildwood Organics, but there are also differences within those variations depending on the brand you buy or the way it’s packaged. The perfect textured tofu for this dish is one that is very firm. I recommend an extra-firm tofu (in the refrigerated section of the grocery store). Wildwood brand is my favorite, but if you can’t find it or can only find one that is in a tub of water, you might want to press out the water first. To press tofu: just dump the water and give the tofu a quick rinse. Wrap the tofu in a towel and place on a plate. Place something heavy on the tofu and leave it there for about 20-30 minutes; the towel will be soaked through.

Serving suggestions:

*Wonderful as a sandwich filling on a hard roll or stuffed in a pita
*Serve on crackers as an appetizer or party dish
*Serve as a side salad – great for picnics and BBQs!

Variation suggestion:

*Use cubed, steamed tempeh for a “better than chicken” salad.
*Use potatoes for a tasty potato salad.
*Use garbanzo beans/chickpeas for a “better than tuna” salad. (Grind the beans in a food processor for a tuna-like size and texture.

Other tofu recipes can be found at www.compassionatecooks.com

Also on GO:

All About Tofu - Part 1

Israeli Coucous With Roasted Tomatoes

Serves Six

For the roasted tomatoes and dressing

2 pts grape or cherry tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)

3 large garlic cloves, left unpeeled

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup warm water

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

For the couscous

2 3/4 cups vegetable broth

2 1/4 cups Israeli couscous

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

handful chopped parsley

handful chopped basil

Roast tomatoes and make dressing:

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Halve tomatoes through stem ends and place, cut sides up, in 1 layer on a baking sheet. Add garlic to pan and roast in middle of oven until tomatoes are slightly shriveled around edges, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes.

Peel garlic and purée with oil, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup roasted tomatoes in a blender until dressing is very smooth.

Make couscous:

Bring broth to a boil in a saucepan and stir in couscous, then simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes.

Spread couscous in 1 layer on a baking sheet and cool 15 minutes.

Transfer couscous to a serving bowl and stir in remaining ingredients, dressing, roasted tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.

Summer Vegetable Risotto
Use this recipe as a model for many of your favorite seasonal vegetables, so long as those on the sturdy side (bell peppers, artichoke hearts, broccoli, beets) are precooked until not quite tender, either by blanching, steaming, or roasting. As a general rule, for every cup of rice, you will need about 3 cups of simmering broth.

Cooking time: The total cooking time from the first addition of liquid to the rice to the completion of the risotto containing vegetables is typically about twenty-five minutes. But let your taste buds be the guide. Risotto is not as complicated as many think. It just requires some time at the stove. Use that time as an opportunity to engage in "cooking meditation." It really is very therapeutic!
Makes 4 main course servings

INGREDIENTS
6 cups vegetable broth, plus additional (if necessary)
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup
3 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
1 yellow summer squash, diced
1 or 2 zucchini squash, diced
4-5 ears corn enough for 3-1/2 cups kernels (you may used canned or frozen)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mixed herbs (basil, dill, sage, etc.)
1-1/2 cups arborio rice
Salt and pepper to taste
Toasted pine nuts (optional)
Yellow pear tomatoes, for garnish (optional)
Fresh herbs, finely chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove husks and silk from corn. Working over a large bowl to catch the corn kernels and juices, cut kernels from corncobs with a sharp knife. (If using canned or frozen, just drain the water.)
2. Heat the broth in a large pot.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat and saute the zucchini and yellow squash until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Sauté the onion and garlic in the remaining oil until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
6. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add ½ cup of the simmering broth mixture to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the broth mixture ½ cup at a time, cooking and stirring until it is almost completely absorbed and the rice begins to soften, about 15 minutes.
7. When down to last two cups of liquid, add corn kernels. Continue cooking, adding liquid 1/2 cup at a time.
8. Stir in the squash and another ½ cup of the broth mixture. Continue to stir constantly until the liquid has almost been absorbed, until the mixture is creamy, not runny, the rice is tender yet firm to the bite, and the vegetables are heated through, about 5 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs. Serve at once, garnished with the pine nuts, pear tomatoes, and finely chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, and tarragon, if using.

Optional: Add non-dairy butter in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Earth Balance is the best non-dairy butter out there! No GMOs, no hydrogenated oil, no saturated fat, no animal protein, no cholesterol. Some variations (like the whipped) are organic.

More recipes and resources at Compassionate Cooks.

Horchata is a traditional rice drink first developed in Spain and modified in Mexico. This is a delicious, sweet drink that has been around for thousands of years and is best served cold. Plan ahead when making it, as it requires some advanced preparation (the rice needs to soak overnight).

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain rice

Hot water

4 cups non-dairy milk

1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Ice for serving

Place the rice in a bowl and add enough hot water to cover the rice completely. Let cool, and then place the rice in the refrigerator and let it sit overnight.

The next day, drain the water from the rice. (The rice will still have some crunch/texture; it will not be completely soft, but it’s fine.)

Place 1/2 cup of the rice, and 2 cups of the non-dairy milk in a blender, and blend until the rice is all ground up. Add the rest of the rice and milk, and blend for another minute. Finally, add the sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, and blend until the rice is all ground up and the ingredients are completely combined.

Strain through cheesecloth, a fine sieve, or a small strainer, and serve over ice.

Yield: 5-6 cups

Food Lore

In Spain, Horchata or Horchata de Chufas is made from chufas (tiger nuts), water and sugar. Originally from Valencia, it is served ice cold as a refreshment. In Central American and Mexican cuisine, Horchata is a rice-based beverage served at home and in restaurants. (Some restaurants do add cow’s milk to their Horchata, so ask before ordering.)

This recipe is included in my new cookbook, The Joy of Vegan Baking: Compassionate Cooks’ Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets, due out in October 2007.

The traditional version is made by processing parsley, garlic, and lemon zest into a fine grind. The mixture is then spread over meat (most commonly used in Osso Bucco) or fish and baked or broiled, but it can also serve as a topper for roasting veggies, a sauce for pasta, a seasoning for rice or couscous, and the list goes on. Gremolata is delicious and versatile adding a subtle character and depth to anything it touches. Prepare it, spread it on your food, and cook! It's that easy.

My version replaces the parsley with cilantro and adds ginger and shallot. The result, an Asian inspired gremolata, with a flavor that will keep you coming back for more. Below is the recipe with both a meaty and veggie application. Enjoy!

Cilantro Gremolata (Di Schidlowski)

One bunch of fresh cilantro
2-3 garlic cloves
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp fresh grated lemon zest (optional)
1 shallot (optional)
½ tsp salt

Remove stems from cilantro for use in the compost pile. Process all ingredients to a fine dice. That's it, the gremolata is ready to go. Now choose your application:

Pork Tenderloin with Cilantro Gremolata

2 Pork tenderloin (bought farmer direct if possible)
Cilantro Gremolata di Schidlowski

Lay tenderloin flat on counter. Spread gremolata on one side. Roll loin, small end first, like a sleeping bag. Tie with string or set inside small bowl (choose a bowl that will fit the loin snuggly so it retains it's rolled shape). Cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes or until pork is cooked through. Cooking times may vary by oven and loin size. Remove from dish and discard fat. Serve rolled or slice into medallions. Your main dish is ready to be accompanied by grains and veggies for a complete meal.

Roasted Potatoes with Cilantro Gremolata

4 Potatoes (any roasting variety will do)
Cilantro Gremolata di Schidlowski
Cut potatoes into 1-2 inch cubes, no need to peel. Toss lightly with olive oil and salt. Top or toss with gremolata. Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, covered for 20 minutes. Remove cover and cook for additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft throughout. Cooking time may be adjusted according to oven, dice size, and vegetable used (try carrots instead of potatoes for example). Enjoy!

I've also seen thousands of people change their diets from one based on animals to one based on plants, and the transition they experience winds up being a lot easier than even they anticipated. Whatever you want to say about how humans eat, the fact is we're not true carnivores. We don't crave flesh the way a lion does: we have neither the strength, claws, teeth, or desire to take down our prey with our bare hands, and we wouldn't die without meat, as would a true carnivore.

The truth is whereas we don't crave the flesh of an animal, we do crave texture. We crave flavor. We crave fat. We crave salt. We also crave satisfaction and familiarity, bringing an entire emotional history to the table when we sit down to eat. When someone says "I tried to eat vegetarian, but I just craved meat," I tell them with confidence that it wasn't meat they were craving. It may have been salt, it may have been fat, it may have been calories, but it most certainly was not the flesh of an animal. Anyone who's ever lived with a true carnivore (i.e. a domestic cat) knows how a carnivore reacts when he spots his prey: teeth chatter, tail flickers, mouth waters. If this happens to you when you spot a bird in your yard or a steer grazing peacefully on the hillside, frankly, I don't want to know.

When we embrace the endless plant options available to us, we recognize a world of foods we didn't even see before. Though we may experience a transition as we let go of certain habits, we can also anticipate the excitement and joy of reshaping old traditions and creating new ones. There's nothing wrong with seeking out familiar-tasting and familiar-looking dishes that we may have enjoyed in the past, because it is the texture and familiarity we still have a right to enjoy.

This "Better Than Tuna Salad" is an example of a dish that provides familiarity and gustatory pleasure without the ethical, environmental, and health concerns associated with eating aquatic animals.

Better-than-Tuna Salad
Serves 4-6, depending on serving style: sandwiches or side dish

1 can organic garbanzo beans/chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (or more) eggless mayonnaise (Wildwood’s Garlic Aioli, Nayonnaise, or Vegenaise are great options)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 scallions (white and light green parts), finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
Black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the chick peas to a food processor or blender and grind them down into small pieces. You can even grind them down so it becomes somewhat like a thick puree. The ultimate texture is up to you. Grinding the beans is optional, but I find that it’s easier to eat it as a sandwich this way; plus, it really does resemble tuna in taste and texture when the beans are ground up. It's best if you use the "pulse" button on your food processor so you can control the ultimate texture of the beans.

2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, and the amount of aioli/eggless mayonnaise you desire.

Serving Suggestions:

*Wonderful as a sandwich filling on a hard roll or stuffed in a pita
*Serve on crackers as an appetizer or party dish
*Serve as a side salad – great for picnics and BBQs!

Variation Suggestions:

*Of course you may also use beans made from scratch, as opposed to canned beans.
*Use cubed, steamed tempeh for a “Better Than Chicken Salad."
*Use potatoes for a tasty potato salad.
*Use mashed extra firm tofu for an “eggless egg” salad.
*The walnuts are optional, but they add a really nice texture.
*You may sprinkle some kelp flakes in as well, to really add to the “fishy” flavor.

Copyright © 2007 Compassionate Cooks, LLC – All rights reserved - More recipes, resources, and information can be found at Compassionate Cooks' website.

Summer is here, and for many, that means time to start cooking outdoors. For some, bottled gas (propane, most commonly) is a preferable choice for a number of reasons, while many others prefer to cook over charcoal. I'm not going to get into a long debate about which is the best. It's something like the 'paper-or-plastic' debate. Given some of the issues around the extraction and processing of propane, as well as it's non-renewability compared to wood charcoal, I think that it's possible to make the case either way.

If you choose to cook over coals, there are some considerations that can help make your grilling a greener experience. A chimney starter is a simple, inexpensive, easy-to-use tool that quickly gives you coals ready for grilling. Most importantly, there is no need to rely on starter fuels to get a good fire for grilling. I was introduced to the chimney starter by a good friend several years ago. I was immediately drawn to the simplicity and efficiency of it. It concentrates the heat to start the coals more quickly and evenly than just lighting them in the grill. (Cooking celebrity Alton Brown famously even uses a chimney starter as a kind of concentrated mini-grill for quickly searing tuna. I haven't tried this myself yet, but I plan to, when I have a suitable opportunity. The recipe for Chimney Tuna Loin is fairly quick and easy, but requires a high quality piece of tuna.)

The chimney starter is a simple tool. Very basically, it is an open ended metal cylinder with a grille in the middle, and a handle on one side. Stuff a single sheet of crumpled newspaper into the bottom, and fill the top part with as much charcoal as you need, then light the newspaper. The paper serves as kindling to get the coals started, and the cylindrical shape keeps the heat focused on the coals themselves. After a few minutes, you'll have flames coming out the top, and the coals are ready to go.

In addition to how you start your coals, you can also make greener choices in your selection of the charcoal itself.

First of all, choose natural, or lump, charcoal rather than processed briquettes. Briquettes have undergone more fabrication, so there's more energy spent to make them. They also have various ingredients in addition to charcoal, binders which hold them in their shape, for example, as well as sprayed-on hydrocarbons which are used to make the "easy light" or "match light" briquettes. Some other things that can be found in briquettes include: coal dust, starch, sodium nitrate, limestone and borax. If you really want to get into it, I found that there is a website with lots of information specifically about lump charcoal, and even has reviews of different brands of charcoal.

Secondly, look for the origin of the charcoal. A couple years ago, I bought a bag of lump charcoal rather than briquettes, and was proud of myself for doing so until I saw that it came from Brazil. (Wonderful, someone's found a way to make even more money off of clearcutting rainforests.) Charcoal isn't something that you need to import from thousands of miles away. I've since found a store that carries charcoal that is domestically manufactured, and that is what I've used since then.

Lastly, if you are sticking with hamburgers, but have decided to try some locally-raised, grass-fed beef, remember that there is typically less fat in it than there is in most typical supermarket ground beef, and you should adjust how you cook it in order to have it cook properly.

Of course, bakers should use organic ingredients to make this recipe pesticide free! I use organic Sucanat , which stands for Sugar Cane Natural, for all my baking. Sucanat is Fair Trade certified from Costa Rica and is made by crushing sugar cane, extracting and heating the juice, then hand paddling the juice until it dries into porous granules. Unlike refined sugars, Sucanat retains many vitamins and minerals present in sugar cane, such as iron, calcium, vitamin B6, potassium, and chromium.

Strawberry Almond Cream Cheese Tart

Crust:
9 sheets graham crackers
2 tablespoons Sucanat (or other granulated sugar)
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 teaspoons water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Crumble graham crackers by hand or in a food processor. Add sugar, melted butter, and water. Mix/pulse until just moist. Butter or oil a tart pan (or pie plate if you don’t have one) and press graham cracker mixture into the pan to form a crust. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned and cool completely.

Filling:
2/3 cup light cream cheese
1/4 cup Sucanat (sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Combine cream cheese, sucanat, and extracts in a medium bowl until smooth. Spread the mixture onto the bottom of the cooled graham cracker crust.

Topping:
6 cups strawberries
2/3 cup Sucanat (sugar)
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
2 tablespoons sliced almonds (you can toast these for added flavor)

Yum, Strawberry Almond Cream Cheese TartTo prepare topping sauce, puree 2 cups of strawberries in a food processor, blender, or by hand. It is best to cull the strawberries for the glaze sauce, leaving the prettiest, most uniform strawberries for the actual tart topping. Add Sucanat and corn starch to pureed strawberries in a pan, and heat over medium high heat while whisking. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to low heat for a minute (keep stirring!). Let the sauce cool completely, while stirring occasionally. You can halve the topping recipe, as it makes twice as much as needed. However, I like to freeze the extra sauce for the next time I make the pie or to serve of organic vanilla ice cream.

With the remaining four cups of strawberries, combine with lemon juice and toss. Arrange the berries bottoms up in a circular, spiral fashion over the cream cheese filling. Spoon half of the cooled glaze topping over the strawberries (freeze the other half), then sprinkle the almonds around the outside edge of the tart. Chill the tart in the refrigerator for 3 hours before serving. We sometimes cool our tarts quickly in the freezer, but you do have to be careful and watch that the tart doesn’t freeze.

The Palouse is known as the most important lentil growing region in the United States, producing about a third of all lentils grown nationally. So obviously, local lentils are easy to come by around here, and thankfully they don't have to travel far, which makes them a very sustainable option. There is a large lentil farm just a few miles east of me, and many varieties of local and organic lentils abound in the Co-op's bulk bins. Lentils are a great vegan source of protein, fiber, and other nutrients, so they are one of my favorite kitchen staples.

There are many varieties of lentils, with a range of beautiful colors and textures. Green lentils and red lentils are quite common, but there are also yellow, brown and black varieties. I prefer red lentils because they cook very quickly. For the following recipe I also used quinoa, which is a small, versatile grain that is high in iron and protein, making it another great vegan staple. You can add any veggies that are in season, I just used whatever I could find in the fridge! Be sure to use local and organic ingredients whenever possible, and buy in bulk to cut down on packaging waste.

Curried Lentils & Quinoa With Veggies
Serves: 2 - 4. Preparation time: 30 - 45 minutes.

1 small head of cauliflower, broken into pieces
1 Tablespoon canola or olive oil
1/2 a yellow or red onion, diced
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1/2 a zucchini
1/2 cup fresh snap peas
3/4 cup red lentils
1/2 cup quinoa
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
2 Tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
dashes of: salt, pepper, cumin, and cinnamon to taste
fresh chopped cilantro

Chop the cauliflower and steam. (I use a pot with a steamer basket over about 1 inch of water).

Dice onions and mince ginger and garlic. Heat oil in a large saucepan or soup pot and when it's hot, sauté onions, garlic, and ginger in it. Meanwhile, snap the ends off of the snap peas and dice zucchini. Once the onions are softened, add the peas and zucchini to the saucepan.

After about 5 minutes, add the lentils, quinoa, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Add all spices and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes or until quinoa and lentils are tender. Add the cauliflower once it is crisp-tender. Cover the pot and simmer, stirring often, and add more liquid if the mixture looks dry.

Once the lentils and quinoa are soft, taste and adjust seasonings. Remove from heat, add chopped cilantro, and serve. I like to top mine with a dusting of nutritional yeast for extra vitamin B12.

Cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) would also make a great addition to this recipe, as they go very well with curry.

If you'd like to experiment with raw and living foods, summer is a great time to do so! And you don't have to give up lentils to eat raw either. Lentils can be soaked and sprouted for optimum nutrition and digestibility. Just soak lentils in water overnight (about 8 hours), then strain them into a colander and set it on a bowl. Leave the lentils in the colander for about 3 days, rinsing each day in clean water, until small "tails" sprout from the lentils. Once the "tails" are about 1/4 inch long, the lentils are ready to use or store in a jar in the fridge. I like using sprouted lentils on salads, in soups, and in raw burritos.

For more vegan recipes using lentils, see VegCooking.com. For more information on raw and living foods and lots of delicious raw recipes, I suggest the wonderful book RAW: The UNcook Book by Juliano Brotman and Erika Lenkert. Enjoy those lentils!

One of my earliest childhood summer memories is of strawberry shortcake; however, it was always made with spongy, store-bought shortcake. I never much cared for the soft, fluffy shortcake, but I thoroughly enjoyed the strawberries and cream. When I made the shift to organic eating and later wanted to provide my children with the same strawberry summer pleasure, I could not find an organic readymade shortcake in the local coop. In my searches for a recipe, I discovered that traditional strawberry shortcake is not made with an airy cake but sweet biscuits. The first time I tried strawberry shortcake made with biscuits, the taste reminded me of a time when people milked their own cows and had small family farms. I felt like I was sitting in a midwestern farm house eating a treat made by my great grandmother.

This recipe, modified from Simply Recipes, is far from vegan, as the rich cream and buttery biscuits complement this summer fruit. To make this recipe organic, use all organically grown, natural ingredients, especially the strawberries and dairy products. Strawberries receive the most pesticides of any crop grown in America, and 90% of commercially grown strawberries test above safe levels of pesticide contamination. In addition, pesticides are concentrated in dairy products, as well as growth hormones and antibiotics.

Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake

serves 9-16

Shortcake Biscuits (click here for gluten free):
2 1/2 cups of unbleached white flour (can substitute 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of other grains and seeds, such as oats, flax seeds, bran, etc.)
1/2 cup wheat flour
3 Tbsp granulated sugar (can use Sucanat, Rapudura, etc.)
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder (aluminum free)
3/4 tsp sea salt
12 Tbsp cold butter
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or soymilk)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Into a large bowl, sift and stir the flour, salt, and baking powder. Using a pastry cutter, knife, or fork, cut the cold butter into pea size pieces into the dry mixture. Make a well in the center and pour in the cream. Stir until the dough is just combined, as the dough should be mixed but remain bumpy. Knead the dough five or six times in the bowl. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 3/4 inch thick and 8 inches square. Transfer the dough to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Depending on how many people you want to serve or how large you want your biscuits, cut the dough into 9 or 16 squares (I prefer the smaller biscuits). Place the squares about 2 inches apart from one anther on the parchment lined cookie tray (you may need another tray), bake fro 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Macerated StrawberriesStrawberries and Whipping Cream:

3-5 baskets fresh strawberries
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on sweetness of strawberries)
whipping cream
vanilla

Thinly slice strawberries and place in a bowl with sugar. The sugar will macerate the berries by softening them and releaSummer Sweet Strawberriessing the juice. Let the strawberries and sugar sit for 20 minutes at room temperature. Whip the cream by adding vanilla and a dash of sugar and shaking vigorously in a jar, stirring rapidly, or using a blender.

To serve, place a biscuit in a bowl or plate, add the macerated strawberries, then top with fresh whipping cream. I prefer a lot of strawberries in proportion to the whipping cream and biscuit. Strawberries are rich in iron, vitamin C, folic acid, fiber, potassium, and cancer fighting antioxidants, and I don't want to miss a delicious bite. Old fashioned organic strawberry shortcake is very rich, fulfilling, and satisfying. Close your eyes, take a bite, and imagine a simpler life.

Balsamic Asparagus

• 1 lb fresh asparagus spears, washed and ends trimmed
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. On baking sheet or in baking dish, drizzle asparagus with olive oil, then toss with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Roast in oven for ten minutes, then drizzle with vinegar. Return to oven, roast 2-3 more minutes, until spears are bright green and "popping" in the oven. Spears should still have crunch.

Tip: Asparagus will tell you where the ends should be trimmed. Just bend in half gently–wherever the spear snaps is where you should trim. Compost the ends or add them to a veggie stock.

Green beans with onion, garlic, and tomato

• 1½ pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2 medium onions, peeled and cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into fine slices

• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced very fine

• 1 pound red-ripe tomatoes

• 4 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil (either works fine)

• ½ cup water

• 1½ - 2 teaspoons salt

• Pepper to taste

1. Drop tomatoes into boiling water for 15 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon, rinse in cold water, and peel. Chop tomatoes into ½ inch dice.

2. Heat oil in large, 8 or 9-inch wide pot over medium low heat. When hot, put in garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add onions; stir fry for 2-3 minutes more until onions begin to turn translucent.

3. Now put in the tomatoes, beans, salt, pepper, and water. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and simmer for 20-40 minutes until beans are cooked through.

Serves up to 10 people.