Earth Day and Food Waste

Written 4/22/13:

Today is designated as the day we celebrate our planet and begin to make changes in our lives to make our world better for today and tomorrow. However, each day it is becoming more difficult as we are heading toward rapid population growth and food shortages all over the world. Because of this, major corporations are cashing in and using biotechnology as a means to produce a crop that will withstand drought and insect damage.

The only thing we can really do is make sure that our own food supply is not tainted with artificial additives and our vegetables are not GMO's. One way we can do this is be a part of the change by not wasting food.

At some points in our lives we have wasted food. I am guilty of this, despite being vegan and food conscious. I bought two eggplants that I was supposed to cook and they are turning soft and wrinkled. I bought bread a while ago that I forgot I was supposed to refrigerate, because it's organic. The other day I made a sandwich with the bread and it turned out that it was covered with mold. I got really sick from my mistake of not doing my part of buying only what I need and ended up discarding slices of bread that could have made three sandwiches.

Food waste is a serious problem in the West and this problem contributes to the millions of people in the world that could have a bite to eat.

Here are ways to save money and end food waste:

1. Set a budget according to number of people in household, income and schedule during the week. For example, a one person household with a college budget could probably spend at most $40 a week on groceries. I try to spend no more than $20 on groceries.

2. Make a list of favorite foods: I made a list a while ago of all the foods I like and that list is evergrowing.

3.Try not to eat out when possible. Packing lunches is hard to remember, easy to forget.

4. Think about the kind of grocery stores you get your food from. Try to shop different places that are the least expensive and most accessible for healthy organic foods.

5. Farmer's Market trips: Farmer's markets are the best places to get inexpensive, local and in-season produce and they are usually held once or twice a week.

6. Make use of leftovers: on a budget, leftovers are your best friend. Just make sure they are not spoiled.

7. Gow vegetables at home if possible: Chain grocery stores tend to spray pesticides and other chemicals onto fruits and vegetables. Growing produce at home ensures that the food you eat is fresh and one hundred percent natural.

New Recipe: Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup with Vegan Sausage

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups soaked brown lentils, drained and rinsed*
2 vegan sausages, chopped into disks, add more to taste*
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 8 ounce can diced tomatoes with liquid
6 cups veggie broth*
Sea Salt or Kosher salt to taste

Method

1. In a large pot, add olive oil, chopped onions and chopped vegan sausages. Stir until onions are soft and sausages are browned.
2. Add the broth, canned tomatoes and soaked lentils and stir until well incorporated.
3. Add the garlic powder, dried basil and parsley and turn the heat low and simmer for about
forty minutes or until the lentils are soft and still whole and the flavors are melted together.
4. Serve with brown rice or pasta.

*Note:
-Tofurky vegan sausage is great for this. It costs about three dollars at Trader Joe's and I
still have enough left to make another recipe calling for them.
-I also soaked the lentils for 24 hours and they turned out great. If you have some left over, it's best to
freeze them and use them when needed.
-For the broth I used the six cups of water and a vegan bullion paste (about a tablespoon)
-Although I made this recipe with what I had on hand, I recommend fresh herbs, whole garlic
and for a more filling soup adding green vegetables such as kale and broccoli.

I made this soup the other day and it turned out to be amazing. It got an omnivore approval and it
can be tailored to the taste of anyone who wants a vegan soup that is still healthy and filling.

Holiday 2011

This year for Thanksgiving I did more cooking than last year and only made a couple of dishes. I made a vegan version of a family recipe and I made a potpie. The next day I made a sweet potato pie from scratch, crust and all. I loved the food I made and I have perfect confidence in my own cooking. However, I can improve in some areas with the American dishes. Like, for the potpie, the crust could have more salt in it and the filling can have more variety of vegetables and more sauce. Also, intead of using soy margarine for the potpie crust, I will use palm oil or coconut oil instead. Palm oil may not be healthier than the hydrogenated oils, but at least it's more natural. Coconut oil adds a unique flavor  crusts. I used it for the sweet potato pie. I also used agave nectar and maple syrup in place of sugar. Next time I'll add molasses to the mixture and I'll use arrowroot powder and EnerG egg replacer instead of flour as a thickener.

I don't know if I want to post the dishes yet. I want to try a different recipe without the use of store bought vegan cream cheese and with homemade vegan sliced cheddar (Uncheese Cookbook would have been perfect).

This year, I decided not to make Christmas dinner, because I wasn't feeling too well with the sinuses and allergies. However, when I have the chance, I'll be making my infamous kale soup with vegan chorizo sausage from scratch. This time I'll be adding my own touch. In addition to my original recipe based on an online recipe, I'll be adding canellini beans and maybe some carrots. Mom is out of town and grandma is in town, so I think it's the perfect time to make this soup. My grandmother loves the kale soup, even as a staunch meat-eater and my mom likes the flavor of kale, but she doesn't like the texture.

I found something pretty interesting that I didn't think that I'd find in a mainstream grocery store, let alone a mainstream company. I found a Betty Crocker gluten-free cake mix with no animal products. I was so happy about it that I went ahead an purchased it and it's going to be for the New Yr's cake I'll be making. I was going to make cupcakes, but I think a regular box cake will work. I want to do a comparison between the two brands I found of vegan box cakes.

The Betty Crocker brand comes in other flavors such as chocolate, cookies and brownies. This is perfect for those who are either gluten free, vegan or both.

I bought the vanilla cake mix and I will try the chocolate in forms of red velvet cupcakes and other recipes.

Besides the uneventful holiday season, next year I plan on having my own place anyway, so Thankgiving (which won't be called such anymore and instead celebrated as a fall festival on a different weekend), Solstice (aka Christmas) and New Year's will be much better.

Why I'm Giving Up Processed Foods and Alternatives For Them

I made the conscious decision to give up as many processed foods as possible with the exception of tofu, tempeh, Earth Balance and soy milk. Everything else such as canned foods, packaged fake meats, veggie burgers etc will be gone from my diet. I found from numerous documentaries and commentary that canned foods have animal particles in them such as rat hairs, dander, pieces of bugs and fly eggs fall into the food easily. In a large processing plant, it is extremely difficult to control what gets into the food, so the FDA regulates how much animal particles are allowed. Knowing this is very scary, because canned and frozen foods are convenient and inexpensive. Food costs are one of the reasons against veganism and with the recession, this argument against it would be better than other arguments against veganism that I heard. It's an argument similar to whether or not we give people in starving countries genetically modified food and DDT to eradicate the malaria threat. Both may cause cancer later in life, but is it better to eat well now and not care about what may happen in fifty years.

However, I created this blog to share that there is a way of eating a healthy vegan diet without having to shop at places like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's everyday.

I remember the other day, my mom went into an emotional rant about why hard work and personal accountability are not good arguments for why people are in lower class bracket . In the moment, I felt guilty for feeling that way, but now I don't. I feel like we live in a culture that makes excuses for others instead getting things done when they are supposed to be. I can understand the vegan side of the argument about food costs that there are ways to pay for a vegan diet. I agree more on this than the argument that it's too expensive to eat well. When I go to the Farmer's Market, I buy fresh breads that have only fresh ingredients in them for $3, maybe a little more, but I'm not sure. At Albertson's, I saw a package of bread that was about $4.35. I may investigate on that. Although I hate crowds of people and being around people I don't know, I enjoy going to the Market. The last time I went I got a pretty good deal, a free loaf along with a loaf that I tried. I think it's pretty good. I think if I didn't spend the money on the mutabal and the garlic basil spread, I'd have enough for fruit and veggies. I think getting the vegetables at the farmer's market may be a bit more expensive, but Food4Less should have them pretty cheap. My mom got alot from there for $20. Growing a garden on a patio or in a back yard may also help to cut food costs, but not everyone has the time or resources to grow their own food.

Alternatives to processed foods:

Homemade Tomato Sauce Italian Recipes require tomato sauce and in some cases stewed tomatoes. However, it's does not have to come from a can. (Substitute the vegan margarine for the butter)

Freezing beans and veggies etc: This is useful for left over fresh vegetables and cooked beans. Freezing is even useful for homemade veggie burgers.

Fresh from scratch: Many vegans love food made from scratch. Home cooking can be simple and unsophisticated, but it can be creative and delicious.

Red Bean Burger

Other Recipes

Vegan Tempeh Burgers : Substitutions can be made in this recipe. I plan on using potato in place of flour because I believe that it will make a better binder than flour.

Basic Sandwich Recipe and Orange Tofu Stir Fry Rice

Last Friday I went to the Farmer's Market just to scope out a few things. I haven't cooked in a while, as dormlife would not have allowed me to. Being back in Long Beack allowed me to experience fresh foods and true vegan cuisine. I made a vow to stay away from non-vegan restaurants and non-vegan prepackaged foods.

So, the other day I bought a loaf of vegan sheppard's bread, caponata (vegan), basil garlic spread (vegan), mutabel (vegan) and some tabouleh. I made some hummus earlier in the week and it a bit plain for my liking, but my mom loved it. I toned the garlic down a bit. Sometimes when I make sandwiches, I like to toast the bread. It depends on how I feel about making the sandwich, what I'm making and the ingredients going into it. If I made a vegan "cicken" sandwich, I would not toast the bread. If it's a hummus sandwich, I prefer the bread toasted with oil or vegan margarine.

Basic Hummus Sandwich

2 Tbsp Basil Garlic Spread

4 Tbsp Hummus (preferrably from scratch)

1 Tbsp vegan Margarine

1-2 pieces Vegan Sheppard Bread (if the piece is large like mine it can be cut in half before putting the sanwich together)

Romaine Lettuce, Tomato and other trimmings for typical sanwiches.

Method

1.In a skillet, spread the slice of bread with margarine on both sides. Toast the bread until it is golden brown on both sides. You want the bread to have a crunchy bite.

2. Allow the bread to cool for about five minutes. If the bread is one large piece, cut it in half. Spread the garlic spread on both pieces, then the hummus on one of the pieces. Add the trimmings such as lettuce, tomato and onion (I just used lettuce). Place both pieces together and serve with a side or on its own.

*I would not recommend adding anything like avocado to this sandwich as it will take away from the flavor of the spread and hummus. I couldn't find the tomatoes or the onions for this recipe, so I think it would be a good idea to purchase some trimmings for sandwiches next time I go to the market. Since it's so hot this summer, sandwiches are perfect for brunch, lunch and dinner.

Orange Tofu Stir-fry Rice

This recipe cuts the time in half for the stirfry portion, but it's still a bit time consuming and pricey. I got found a fresh premixed stirfry vegetable medly that was perfect for this dish. At Albertson's I purchased a vegan orange sauce (Simply Asia).

Ingredients

Tempura tofu to taste (refer to my tempura tofu recipe)

1 pkg fresh stirfry vegetables

1/2 small onion sliced

2 cups brown rice (cooked)

1 Tbsp applecider vinegar (or rice vinegar)

Soy sauce to taste

Method

1. It is best to prepare the tempura tofu while preparing the brown rice, as both take a while to cook. After both are prepared, set the rice in a cold place (refrigerator) and drain the tempura tofu on a paper towel and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, with tablespoons oil in wok, cook onions until they are barely brown. Stir in vegetables until they are slightly soft, but still crunchy.

3. Add the chilled brown rice and stir in the applecider vinegar and soy sauce. Continue to stir until the rice is toasted. Add the orange sauce to the veggie stirfry rice. Stir enough to incorporate the sauces into the mix. Once the sauce is mixed into the veggies and rice, add the tempura tofu. Carefully fold the veggies and rice into the tempura tofu until the orange sauce coats them. The key is to have crunchy tofu that is lightly coated with orange sauce. Serve hot or warm.

*This dish is so amazing that I ate the whole wok pan. I think this is a way better alternative to take-out and it's much healthier and more guaranteed to be vegan. Some vegans do not like the taste of tofu, especially firm tofu. Other meat alternatives such as tempeh, seitan or even the packaged meat substitutes may go well with this dish. A homemade orange sauce can be used as an alternative to the prepackaged sauce. A recipe (homemade or linked) or an alternative brand will be posted. I plan on trying other sauces with the tofu and tempeh. I want to cut back on packaged meat substitutes due to expense and high salt content. A tip for a more "chicken-y" texture, it's best to freeze the tofu and then thaw it when ready. Marinating the frozen tofu in a vegan chcken broth before adding batter to it may also work with the taste and texture.

*I found an alternative to tempura batter for the fried tofu. It's faster than making it from scratch. In a bowl, add 1 cup soda water to 3/4 cup flour and/or cornstarch. To season as a dry mixture, add sea salt and any spice such as garlic powder and onion. I' not sure if this will make the batter as fluffy as tempura, leaving a light, flaky coat, but it's faster for those who want to speed the cooking process.

Recipes and Some Other News

I found some recipes that I think would be great for this summer.

Red Lentil Burgers- I bought alot of red lentils while I was at the store a few weeks ago. I want to try this recipe because it's the only one that does not require bread crumbs. I would add a few spices according to how I want them.

Focaccia Buns (use vegan ingredients)- This recipe is for an Italian bread that is traditionally flat. I think making buns from scratch is a much healthier alternative to buying them from the store. For some reason, store bought breads never seize to surprise me with their peculiar ingredients that I have to look up on Wikipedia.

Raw Key Lime Pie- Key lime pie is one of those old recipes that people don't prepare much anymore. I like to think that it's up there with the fruit cake. However, this raw alternative can be a better fit than the traditional recipe.

General Tao Tofu - This is for those vegans who still love fried foods. I think the Southern part of my background can attest for this. Fried, tempura based tofu can be tricky and difficult to perfect sometimes. Still, the finish product is amazing. Making Asian-inspired dishes is better than ordering tak-out. It beats eating in mystery.


Raw Vegan Alfredo Sauce- This recipe is great for the fettucini recipe that I linked last year. For an extra richness, I would make this recipe pure vegan and no so much raw by adding soymilk or almond milk or something else for extra richness.

Watermelon Cooler (Raw) - This is a raw vegan cooler made of watermelons. For those who are just vegan, sweeteners such as turbinado sugar, agave, maple or stevia extract can be added to this along with other fruit juices. This can even be spiked with an alcohol such as hard liquor or wine or both.

Sweet and Sour Tofu -This recipe is similar to the regular sweet and sour recipe except it's vegetarian.

Tetrazzini - When I was an omni, I used to love tetrazzini and any Italian dish with cream sauce in it.

Club Sandwich (Vegan) - Club sandwiches are not traditionally vegan. Most consist of a slab of meat, lettuce, tomato, bacon and a mustard. However, this recipe is a healthier and cruelty version of the classic sandwich.


Apple Cake - This cake is an original twist because it uses apples, not as a glaze but in a cake. This a great cae for a special even such as a wedding or birthday.

Vegan Caesar Dressing- A modern, vegan version of an ancient recipe.
Some other News

Vegan Meatballs - This is another meatball recipe I found online. I want to try this recipe as opposed to the others that I posted, because this one seems more interesting and versatile.

Vegan Meatball 2- This recipe will work better for the vegan meatballs than the previous because the ingredients are easier to find. I plan on adding mushrooms, celery and carrots to this to make it "meatier".

I decided that I don't want go to this school or live in this city. I feel so detached. I never understood why until I went back home. Maybe it's better off that I live in the same place as my family. Good friends are hard to come by. Some people can handle living on their own without close friends or relatives near them. I am one of those people who could live on my own as long as if I am close to the basics and the city is good enough to walk somewhere at two in the morning. Sounds crazy, but I don't think that I should be punished for walking out late just because I'm a woman. I hope that I'll like living at home again as much as I like having my own space here in where I am now.

Living Arrangements

The economy is tanking as usual for the past six years. Gas prices are rising like a NASA space shuttle and people are losing job left and right. The economy is so bad here in the States that people are telling young highschool graduates to skip college all together and persue their dreams. Despite our economy receding back to the Great Depression and our declining culture, there should be some hope out there for our future. Each semester I am reminded of my reality and what I'll face after college.

Going "Free-Spirited" - Living in a vehicle is out of the question for most people. It is illegal to sleep in a parked vehicle in most communities and most people consider it as homeless, despite the vehicle being a home. Because we are so tied to consumerism and traditional thinking, we are in this economic situation in the first place. I know that the gas prices are soring and maintainance for a car can be expensive, it is still less expensive than living in a cheap apartment. Living in a vehicle can save thousand of dollars per year if planned correctly.  Another unconventional way of life is pitching a tent somewhere in the desert or wilderness. I cannot say that it's more or less acceptable to do this as a permanent way of living. It's environmentally friendly and for those who live the outdoors, doing this will make anyone feel closer to nature.

Freeganism - This lifestyle is based on our consumerist, postmodern society. Some may criticize this way of living with the belief that without consumerism this way of living would not exist. However, this lifestyle is still goes against mainstream society by placing value on the disposed and exploited.

Comunal Living - Communal living is more people oriented and more involved than living in a car or living in the fringes of consumerist society. anyone who should want to live or start a commune must take precaution against the encroachment of mainsteam society.

I want to try to live in a vehicle until I save enough to live in a small apartment, or at least pay off my student loans. It seems more convenient than starting a commune and if I want to be a part of mainstream society by going to work or school, I can still do those things while living in a van. My mom does not believe in the idea of living in a van or anyother vehicle when I can simply move back home. She does not understand that living alone for so long and then moving back home is a huge adjustment. At least living in a van I have my own space, even it it's on a set of wheels.

To make living in a vehicle comfortable, I do not recommend a small set of wheels such as a car. I recommend something that's at least as big as a minivan. As for a vegan lifestyle, it is going to be difficult to maintain a vegan diet without a stove or a refrigerator. There are many companies that sell packaged vegan meals such as Tasty Bite. They can be found at most major grocery stores. Hygiene is going to be another concern. A gym membership allows access to showers and public beaches have showers and bathrooms, although they are not the cleanest.

I recommend this as something temporary. Living in a vehicle can get old like any other living arrangement.