VEGAN MAC N' CHEESE

my vegan mac n' cheese

I adapted this version from a basic recipe of Allison Rivers Samson.  I skipped the bread topping and baking, switched out the potatoes for the healthier beans and added a whole head of broccoli.  The result was stunning.  I couldn't eat enough of it!  Here's my version.

INGREDIENTS:

6 oz. whole wheat macaroni
1 head of broccoli, cut into small flowerettes
1 cup white beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup water
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. garlic, minced
1/3 cup Earth Balance
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. smoky paprika



DIRECTIONS:

Start to bring water to a boil.

In a saucepan, add beans, carrots, onion and water, and bring to a boil.  Cover the pan and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.

softened vegetables in water

Meanwhile in a food processor, process the cashews, salt, garlic, Earth Balance, mustard, lemon juice, and seasonings. 

cashews etc

Add the bean mixture to the mixture in the food processor and blend until perfectly smooth. 

Cook the pasta and the broccoli together for about 7 - 9 minutes.  Drain and mix in the sauce.

pasta and broccoli cooking together

If you prefer a baked version, put into a 9 x 12 baking dish, top with buttered crumbs and bake 30 minutes at 350 or until golden brown.

DEBUNKING THE MILK "FACTS"

Thanks again to brother Bill and his NY Times health and fitness articles.  Mark Bittman's article,  July 7th, Got Milk?  You Don't Need It" sets the record straight on the need for milk consumption. 

It's a great article.  The bottom line for me is that Americans have been sold a bill of goods.  Thank you lobbyists.  It's true,  milk and the other dairy products are the largest source of saturated fats, and there are definitely credible links between dairy and the top 15 diseases (a point reiterated at Summerfest). 

But sugar?  From the article:

"Sugar - in the form of lactose - contributes about 55% of skim milks calories, giving it ounce for ounce the same calorie load as soda."

WHY would we give milk to our children???  Why do the schools?  Could it be the billions of dollars worth of subsidies that the US government has paid to the milk industry?

Read the entire article:  http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/07/got-milk-you-dont-need-it/?src=me&ref=general

What should we be drinking?  Check out the article.

Vegan Palooza

FREE Vegan Palooza / Vegetarian World Summit Hosted by Dr. Will Tuttle and Steve Prussack FREE tele- summit July 11 to July 15' 2012 http://http://veganpalooza.com/

WINE IN A HOT CAR

OOPS!  Recently I was traveling with wine stashed in the car;  I totally forgot to remove it from the car on a very hot day.  Here's what I found when I went to the car to retrieve a bottle (yes, I travel with wine and coffee bags).

YIKES!  does this change the wine?  LOOK at those popping corks!

Apparently, this car cooking method actually helped to age this wine and make it less tannic.  The wine was consumed in a relatively short period of time.  The long term effect of the "cooking" isn't known.

Read more about how The 30 - Second Wine Advisor tested this theory  :

http://www.journalnow.net/index.php/dishingitout/entry/cooked-wine1/



TRAVEL AND GARDENS #2

Jon's strawberry earth box

Brother Jon has always had a lovely garden.   He was featured in the local newspaper a few times in recent years.  He's known for his sun flowers.  Apparently he babies them in his basement till planting time.  They are so large that they caught the attention of a local reporter. 

I was happy to see that the SC lesson on earth/grow boxes was a successful one.  His earth box of strawberries is bearing more fruit than mine!  Good job Jon.

yep that's me taking the picture

notice the beautiful mountain in the distance and

don't miss those tomatoes

GREEN AND RED SALSA

I used a combination of red cherry tomatoes and large green tomatoes

I found a basic salsa recipe and made changes to accommodate my garden's harvest and my taste buds.  I'm now using this as a dip as well as substituting this salsa for a more unhealthy salad dressing.  Just pour this over your salad...great flavor and texture!

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. firm tomatoes, core and eighth the green ones, cut cherry tomatoes in half
1 medium Vadallia onion, peel and coarsely chop
3/4 of a dried ANCHO Chili Pepper, chopped small and rehydrate in a bit of water
1 small can of chopped green chilies, mild, use the liquid too (since I eliminated all oil)
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. lime zest
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. Agave nectar
1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

the dried Ancho Chili Pepper, I get mine from Penzeys Spices

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the tomatoes, onion, chili pepper, chilies, garlic, salt, cumin and water in a stock pot.  Bring to a boil and cook covered on a medium-low heat burner for approximately ten minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add more water only if needed to maintain the most minimal broth.

Stir in and simmer for an additional five minutes, the lime zest, lemon juice, Agave and cilantro.  Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning, if needed, by adding more lemon juice and/or salt to taste.

Use an emulsion blender to obtain the desired "chunky" consistency.

salsa at the beginning of the cooking process

yield was this jar full and 1 pt. container for the freezer

contains some small and large chunks, great

as dip or used as a salad dressing

salsa atop a garden salad

TRAVEL AND GARDENS #1

On my travels I love to stop and peruse the gardens of others.  On my most recent trip, I was delighted to find that my motel was up the hill from a Virginian's garden.  I MUST CHECK THIS OUT.  And it was there that I met the most welcoming Indian man. 

what a lovely man; he gladly shared his

knowledge and I walked away with

seeds for both coriander and fenugreek

in return I left some fresh-picked yellow squash

his garden;  I don't have the entire story BUT the man that

lives in this house helps him tend the garden. 

Both were full of "garden" knowledge.

Is my kind, knowledgeable Indian friend the landlord?

nestled in VA