This post comes from my archives, I had previously posted it on my email newsletter and discovered I never posted it on the blog. It was written by my very talented sister. Chef Elisa is based in Denver, CO and is a caterer and personal chef.
I enjoyed my first artichoke of the Spring recently,and it got me thinking. I grew up eating artichokes and I have fond memories of this unique little piece of produce, which is actually a thistle. I remember savoring the ritual of dipping each leaf into Best Foods mayonnaise, scraping my teeth across it to enjoy that small bite of unique flavor. And most importantly, the delicious heart that lies inside, a prize awarded for your patience in deconstructing the little globe one piece at a time.
I’ve encountered a lot of people who have never eaten a whole, fresh artichoke. Many people have only eaten the hearts (usually from a can) in pasta and pizza. But I think everyone should enjoy an artichoke, especially when they are at their peak in Spring. If you have never tried one and are a little put off at the idea of having to pull your food apart leaf by leaf and scrape the “meat” off of it, you may be encouraged by the artichoke’s health properties. In researching this article, I was pleasantly surprised to find that artichokes contain cynarin, which is a “phenolic acid compound… that stimulates digestion, protects the liver, and lowers triglycerides and cholesterol.” So you can feel better about slathering those leaves with butter, mayonnaise or aioli knowing that the artichoke can naturally help your HDL/LDL ratio!
I think the artichoke is best simply steamed, but boiling also works well. Wash it well, trim the end of the stem and snip off any thorny points on the leaves if you like. Put a few inches of water in the bottom of your pot, put the artichokes in the steamer basket and in about 30 minutes (depending on the size and toughness of your artichoke) you will be ready to enjoy Spring’s bounty! To determine if it is cooked, simply poke a fork into the stem at the base of the artichoke, it should be able to slide in and be removed easily.
Every once in a while I like to relive my childhood memories by enjoying an artichoke with just plain old mayonnaise. It was good enough for me at 10 years old, and it is good enough now! However, the chef in me really can’t be satisfied with plain mayo all the time. Usually I like to dress up my mayo with some crushed fresh garlic and lots of lemon juice, usually called an aioli but I take a shortcut and use prepared mayo instead of making my own! You could put practically anything into your mayo – how about some pesto to pay homage to the artichoke’s Italian roots, or some chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a little spice. If you’re ever feeling ambitious, try making a stuffing with breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and herbs, spoon a little between each leaf and then steam the artichoke until cooked through. There are a number of simple recipes available on the website for the California Artichoke Advisory Board.
So the next time you’re perusing the produce at your grocery store, don’t be afraid to reach for one of those thistles and try something new. They’re delicious AND nutritious, and you might even get your little ones to eat them on account of how fun it is to play with your food!
Artichoke Recipes from the California Artichoke Advisory Board
Baked Artichokes Stuffed with Red Quinoa
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Monday, April 28, 2014
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Why Vegetarian?
Another article from my friend Allison that provides some information and resources about eating vegetarian and/or vegan. Even if you are just interested in reducing the amount of meat or animal products that you consume, she provides some very interesting statistics.
Why Vegetarian
By Allison Brewer, www.getnatured.com
There are probably as many reasons that people choose to be vegetarian as there are recipes for vegan mac and cheese. Whatever your reason for making the switch, you will reduce your carbon footprint, lower your cholesterol, increase your life expectancy, and stop participating in the business of factory farming of animals and animal products.
Whether you have chosen to transition to a plant-based diet or simply wish to reduce your intake of animal products, your choice to do so is a personal one. Regardless of others’ opinions, only you know what works for you, your family and your values.
Here are a few reasons why others have made this choice.
For Health
Switching to a vegetarian diet will lower your cholesterol and blood pressure and reduce your risk for type-2 diabetes and cancer. The top two causes of death for Americans are heart disease and cancer. Following a vegetarian diet will help to protect your body from both. Vegetarians are less likely to be obese than the general population. Vegans also eliminate their exposure to the antibiotics and hormones used in farm animals.
For the Animals
Farms aren’t what they used to be. The idyllic barnyard scenes in children’s books couldn’t be further from reality. Do you know how a cow on a farm became the burger that you ate for lunch or how the eggs in your refrigerator got to your grocery store? By purchasing those products, you are likely participating, as a consumer, in the business of factory farming. Factory farming processes are extremely cruel to animals (and, in some cases, farm employees).
For more information on the issue of animal cruelty in farming, watch this video (http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming.asp). (WARNING: use discretion when viewing this website and video as they include graphic images).
For the Environment
Going vegetarian is the single most effective thing that you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. In fact, moving to a vegetarian diet will reduce your impact by about 1 ton (2 tons for a vegan diet). Here are some other facts to consider:
Resources
The China Study - A book containing research results demonstrating the link between consumption of animal proteins and cancer and heart disease.
Food Inc.- A movie about the business of food in the US.
GoVeg- PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) website for new vegetarians/vegans.
Local Harvest - Locate farmers’ markets near your home.
World Cancer Research Fund- Recommendations for preventing cancer.
Why Vegetarian
By Allison Brewer, www.getnatured.com
There are probably as many reasons that people choose to be vegetarian as there are recipes for vegan mac and cheese. Whatever your reason for making the switch, you will reduce your carbon footprint, lower your cholesterol, increase your life expectancy, and stop participating in the business of factory farming of animals and animal products.
Whether you have chosen to transition to a plant-based diet or simply wish to reduce your intake of animal products, your choice to do so is a personal one. Regardless of others’ opinions, only you know what works for you, your family and your values.
Here are a few reasons why others have made this choice.
For Health
Switching to a vegetarian diet will lower your cholesterol and blood pressure and reduce your risk for type-2 diabetes and cancer. The top two causes of death for Americans are heart disease and cancer. Following a vegetarian diet will help to protect your body from both. Vegetarians are less likely to be obese than the general population. Vegans also eliminate their exposure to the antibiotics and hormones used in farm animals.
For the Animals
Farms aren’t what they used to be. The idyllic barnyard scenes in children’s books couldn’t be further from reality. Do you know how a cow on a farm became the burger that you ate for lunch or how the eggs in your refrigerator got to your grocery store? By purchasing those products, you are likely participating, as a consumer, in the business of factory farming. Factory farming processes are extremely cruel to animals (and, in some cases, farm employees).
For more information on the issue of animal cruelty in farming, watch this video (http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming.asp). (WARNING: use discretion when viewing this website and video as they include graphic images).
For the Environment
Going vegetarian is the single most effective thing that you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. In fact, moving to a vegetarian diet will reduce your impact by about 1 ton (2 tons for a vegan diet). Here are some other facts to consider:
- According to the Environmental Defense Fund, if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than a half-million cars off U.S. road.
- A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gasses than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined.
- The production of one pound of meat releases the same amount of greenhouse gasses as driving an SUV 40 miles.
- Going vegan is 50% more effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions than driving a hybrid car.
- Factory farms contribute to pollution, soil erosion, and wasted resources such as water and fossil fuels.
Resources
The China Study - A book containing research results demonstrating the link between consumption of animal proteins and cancer and heart disease.
Food Inc.- A movie about the business of food in the US.
GoVeg- PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) website for new vegetarians/vegans.
Local Harvest - Locate farmers’ markets near your home.
World Cancer Research Fund- Recommendations for preventing cancer.
Basics of Vegetarian Cooking
Before I was writing in this blog on a semi-regular basis, I had a email newsletter people subscribed too. I realized that some of the articles I had in the newsletter have not be added to the blog. I have two about eating vegetarian and vegan and wanted to be sure and post them here as it's long overdue.
Basics of Vegetarian Cooking
By Allison Brewer, read more from Allison at Get Natured.
Imagine this scenario: your college roommate is in town and you haven’t seen her for years. You have invited her and her family to dinner at your house and, after agreeing to come, she shares with you that she and her family are vegetarian*.
What do you do?
First, don’t panic! While you may not be able to serve your signature crowd-pleasing spaghetti Bolognese, there are a variety of delicious and easy-to-make vegetarian options.
So, where do you start?
You might begin by browsing recipes online or consider modifying one of your favorite dishes.
Modifying or “vegan-izing” meat-based dishes
Modifying a meat-based meal to be vegetarian doesn’t always mean simply removing the meat from the dish. In the case of the Bolognese sauce, that might work (using marinara instead) but you may also choose to add a meat substitute in place of the meat. For vegans**, there are non-dairy “cheeses” available (make sure that what you use doesn’t contain casein- a common milk-based ingredient found in many non-dairy cheeses). Here are a few vegetarian versions of common meals:
**Vegans (or strict vegetarians) do not consume any animal products (meat, dairy products, eggs, or honey).
Substitutes for common ingredients
Meat:
A variety of soy-based meat substitutes are available to replace sliced lunch meats, sausage, ground meat, hot dogs, burgers, and more. An alternative to soy is seitan (or “wheat meat”) made from high gluten flour. Both the soy products and seitan contain a considerable amount of protein and they make for good substitutes for those who desire the heartiness and/or texture of meat in their meals. Other protein sources, such as legumes or nuts, may be used in place of these meat-like substitutes as well.
Cheese:
There are many non-dairy cheeses available that are made from soy, rice, or nut milks. They can be purchased in blocks, as slices, or pre-grated and come in a variety of flavors to simulate the flavor of dairy-based cheeses.
Milk:
Beyond soymilk, you can find milks made from rice, almonds, oats, hazelnuts, hemp seeds, and more. Many of these milks come in flavored versions such as chocolate, vanilla, or even “nog” during the winter holidays. Soy creamer is also available for adding to coffee or tea or for replacing cream in recipes. Unsweetened versions are available for some of these milks. Soymilk is the highest in protein, followed by hemp milk. Look for milk that is fortified (i.e. calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 have been added).
Other dairy products:
Creamy sauces can be made using nutritional yeast, silken tofu, or raw cashews. Raw cashews are a terrific way to create a cream-like texture- they can even be used to make vegan “ice cream”. Tofu can be used in place of ricotta cheese. Vegan yogurt and ice cream (usually made from soy, rice, or coconut milk) are delicious alternatives to the dairy versions.
Eggs:
Firm tofu can be used to make a tasty scramble. For recipes where egg is not center-stage (e.g. for baked goods) there are a few different options including using silken tofu, flax seeds, or non-dairy yogurt. See the resources section below (under “Other resources”) for a link to instructions for using these substitutes.
Honey:
Agave nectar is a great alternative to honey.
Resources
Cookbooks:
• Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison
• Vegan With a Vengeance and any other books by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
• Vegan Planet and other books by Robin Robertson
• The Joy of Vegan Baking and other books by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
• Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan and other books by Dreena Burton
• Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson
• Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann
Magazines:
Vegetarian Times
VegNews
Recipe websites:
VegWeb
101 Cookbooks
Fat Free Vegan
Vegan Yum Yum
A few recipes to start with:
Tofu scramble
Gnocchi with Thyme Vinaigrette and Lemon Cashew Cream (vegan)
Mac ‘n’ Cheese (vegan)
Enchiladas
Other resources:
Egg substitutes for vegan baking
What about soy? Is it safe? or What’s going on with soy?
Where do you get your protein?
Raising a vegetarian or vegan family
Vegetarian nutrition
Basics of Vegetarian Cooking
By Allison Brewer, read more from Allison at Get Natured.
Imagine this scenario: your college roommate is in town and you haven’t seen her for years. You have invited her and her family to dinner at your house and, after agreeing to come, she shares with you that she and her family are vegetarian*.
What do you do?
First, don’t panic! While you may not be able to serve your signature crowd-pleasing spaghetti Bolognese, there are a variety of delicious and easy-to-make vegetarian options.
So, where do you start?
You might begin by browsing recipes online or consider modifying one of your favorite dishes.
Modifying or “vegan-izing” meat-based dishes
Modifying a meat-based meal to be vegetarian doesn’t always mean simply removing the meat from the dish. In the case of the Bolognese sauce, that might work (using marinara instead) but you may also choose to add a meat substitute in place of the meat. For vegans**, there are non-dairy “cheeses” available (make sure that what you use doesn’t contain casein- a common milk-based ingredient found in many non-dairy cheeses). Here are a few vegetarian versions of common meals:
- Vegetable pizza (use vegan or no cheese for vegans): Try bell peppers, onions and mushrooms for toppings or get fancy with roasted fennel and caramelized shallots. You may consider adding vegetarian sausage, pepperoni, or soy crumbles to make the pizza heartier.
- Pasta primavera: Toss your favorite al dente pasta with sautéed broccoli, garlic, onions, spinach, and sundried tomatoes. Use marinara or alfredo (use a non-dairy version for vegans) sauce or toss the pasta with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon. You may add vegetarian “meatballs” or crumbles (ala ground beef) if you wish.
- Enchiladas (use vegan or no cheese for vegans): Vegetarian enchiladas can be made using your favorite traditional recipe as long as the sauce is vegetarian (not made with chicken broth). For filling, try spinach, zucchini, corn, and onions. You may add beans for extra protein, iron, and fiber.
- Macaroni and cheese: Homemade macaroni and cheese is delicious and, usually, vegetarian. For vegans, there are recipes available online that use sauces made with nutritional yeast or raw cashews. The vegan versions don’t taste exactly like traditional macaroni and cheese, but they are delicious in their own way.
**Vegans (or strict vegetarians) do not consume any animal products (meat, dairy products, eggs, or honey).
Substitutes for common ingredients
Meat:
A variety of soy-based meat substitutes are available to replace sliced lunch meats, sausage, ground meat, hot dogs, burgers, and more. An alternative to soy is seitan (or “wheat meat”) made from high gluten flour. Both the soy products and seitan contain a considerable amount of protein and they make for good substitutes for those who desire the heartiness and/or texture of meat in their meals. Other protein sources, such as legumes or nuts, may be used in place of these meat-like substitutes as well.
Cheese:
There are many non-dairy cheeses available that are made from soy, rice, or nut milks. They can be purchased in blocks, as slices, or pre-grated and come in a variety of flavors to simulate the flavor of dairy-based cheeses.
Milk:
Beyond soymilk, you can find milks made from rice, almonds, oats, hazelnuts, hemp seeds, and more. Many of these milks come in flavored versions such as chocolate, vanilla, or even “nog” during the winter holidays. Soy creamer is also available for adding to coffee or tea or for replacing cream in recipes. Unsweetened versions are available for some of these milks. Soymilk is the highest in protein, followed by hemp milk. Look for milk that is fortified (i.e. calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 have been added).
Other dairy products:
Creamy sauces can be made using nutritional yeast, silken tofu, or raw cashews. Raw cashews are a terrific way to create a cream-like texture- they can even be used to make vegan “ice cream”. Tofu can be used in place of ricotta cheese. Vegan yogurt and ice cream (usually made from soy, rice, or coconut milk) are delicious alternatives to the dairy versions.
Eggs:
Firm tofu can be used to make a tasty scramble. For recipes where egg is not center-stage (e.g. for baked goods) there are a few different options including using silken tofu, flax seeds, or non-dairy yogurt. See the resources section below (under “Other resources”) for a link to instructions for using these substitutes.
Honey:
Agave nectar is a great alternative to honey.
Resources
Cookbooks:
• Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison
• Vegan With a Vengeance and any other books by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
• Vegan Planet and other books by Robin Robertson
• The Joy of Vegan Baking and other books by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
• Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan and other books by Dreena Burton
• Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson
• Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann
Magazines:
Vegetarian Times
VegNews
Recipe websites:
VegWeb
101 Cookbooks
Fat Free Vegan
Vegan Yum Yum
A few recipes to start with:
Tofu scramble
Gnocchi with Thyme Vinaigrette and Lemon Cashew Cream (vegan)
Mac ‘n’ Cheese (vegan)
Enchiladas
Other resources:
Egg substitutes for vegan baking
What about soy? Is it safe? or What’s going on with soy?
Where do you get your protein?
Raising a vegetarian or vegan family
Vegetarian nutrition
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