les violettes » food

carrot ginger soup and bitter greens

michele — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:21:11 +0000

So healthy and tasty as well. This recipe is from chef, Terry Walters. She has a new book out titled Clean Food, “The cleaner we eat, the clearer we think, and the better we can embrace good health and nutrition.” Now I know that this seems contradictory after that killer chocolate pecan cake. Well it’s all about balance – something decadent, something healthy. Right? Anyway, no packaged food here. Terry’s approach

“is not about denying ourselves the foods we love. Rather, it is about looking at the big picture, delving into our imbalances and incorporating the nutrients and life practices that we are missing in order to be healthy – mind, body and soul.”

Some may be allergic to soy and nuts or gluten so, use your own judgment. She recommends eating more of the following foods:

* Whole Grains
* Vegetables (especially dark leafy greens!)
* Legumes
* Soy
* Nuts and seeds
* Fruit
* Sea vegetables
* Herbs

Sounds good to me.

pecan chocolate cake

michele — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:58:22 +0000

Hello all. October – in additional to being the time when autumn kicks in and Halloween trick-or-treats appear – is Vegetarian Awareness Month. At this point, we’re a week into the month. What better way to celebrate than to have a decadent chocolate cake! Three of the skills necessary to be a successful vegetarian are: substitution, adaptation and modification. Today’s recipe requires replacements if you go vegan. Soyatoo or coconut cream are both suitable substitutes for cream. If you don’t eat eggs be sure to use an egg replacement such as Ener-g egg replacer or 1/3 cup of apple sauce (per egg) . Ditto for butter: vegetable oil and a substitute like Earth Balance spreads will work. With a little planning and know-how adaptation is no problem.

delicious crostini

michele — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:03:01 +0000

Ann Gentry, chef and editor of Vegetarian Times, makes this truly delicious crostini from relatively simple ingredients. There’s tofu, shallots, garlic, portobello mushrooms, some spinach and a baguette. Simple but good!

pizzetta

michele — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:44:19 +0000

Another one from the Hippy Gourmet. This really delicious raw pizzetta is from the Blossoming Lotus in Kauai. If you don’t have access to flax seed crackers for this recipe, a good substitute would be one of the larger sized crackers from your local grocery store. Can’t handle tree nuts? Try the new vegan cheese from Daiya or just whatever cheese you prefer if you’re lacto-ovo. Yes, the raw nature is changed, but part of being vegetarian is coming up with creative substitutes! Before I forget, Happy International Peace Day.

national farmer’s market week

michele — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:31:26 +0000

Here in the U.S.A. we are right in the middle of the National Farmer’s Market Week. This August 2 – 8, 2009 marks the 10th annual celebration of the more than 4,800 farmer’s markets here in the United States. More than 94% of all farms are what the U.S. government refers to as Small Farm Operators (those with receipts of less $250,000 years and are operator owned and managed). In addition to supplementing the income of farmers, farmer’s market provide a much needed community service to those who many not have fresh fruits or vegetables readily available in their area. Special programs for seniors and WIC (Women, Infants and Children) are also available at many of the markets.

Three of my favorite farmer’s markets are the at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, the Lake Merritt market in Oakland and the Downtown Berkeley market. So many tasty treats! For a list of local food sources go here. If you would like to add a farmer’s market to your area, go to Growing for Market for advice and resources. For management resources and seller locations go to Manage My Market. To find out more:

Farmer’s Market Hotline: 1-800-384-8704
Farmer’s Market Coalition: http://www.farmersmarketcoalition.org
American Farmland Trust: http://www.farmland.org/
Center for Urban Education and Sustainable Agriculture: http://www.cuesa.org/
The Inadvertent Gardener’s blog: http://www.theinadvertentgardener.com/
Food Routes: http://www.foodroutes.org/
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service: http://www.ams.usda.gov/WholesaleFarmersMarkets

it’s moby!

michele — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:51:37 +0000

Since I’m on a roll here with the fun food videos, how about a few short pieces with vegan musician Moby?

More with Moby sharing a few of his favorite kitchen tools. Cool – except for his preference for microwaves. Yes, they may use less energy than a standard stove and preserve a few nutrients, but microwaves also change the structure of food in a way that may well be quite unhealthy.

Didn’t expect to see Moby on Epicurious did you? Well there’s time for one more, a recipe for vegan pancakes.

food justice, community and equality 2 by bryant terry

michele — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:59:58 +0000

As many of you know, today – July 17, 2009 – is “Bloggers Unite for Human Rights” day. While the focus of this particular day is censorship, torture, journalistic freedom and crime among others, food is a crucial element in equality and human rights. Megacorporations, GMOs, the uneven distribution of food and food resources the list goes on. So… how about an example of local, community-based healthy food that is locally grown and also vegan! Are you are familiar with Oakland, California based Bryant Terry? Terry is a soul food chef and a community leader in the “food justice” movement.

Bryant Terry’s philosophy:

Now for a recipe.