The Vegan Manifesto: Getting Cheesy

The Vegan Manifesto: Getting Cheesy

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S’MORES & S’MORE SUMMER

          I believe the main reason I have always been a “Foodie” has to do with my lifelong habit of emotionally associating certain “comfort” foods with happy memories from my childhood. Case in point: “S’MORES”, a rich, sugary, gooey treat that was a nightly ritual at Girl Scout Camp. The S’mores were as much a part of the camp experience as was the singing of songs and telling of ghost stories around the campfire, or the fun trying to identify the constellations as we gazed at the stars.       

          My mom was one of the leaders, and she soon discovered a way to recreate some of the magic by making this special summertime dessert at home. Using the burner on her gas stove to toast the marshmallows, she would then quickly place two molten marshmallows upon a milk chocolate bar atop a graham cracker on each plate. We would quickly top the sweet “sandwich” with another graham cracker, and then go outside to gobble up our treasure on the back steps, equipped with wet paper towels for easy clean-up.

          These homemade S’mores were a special occasion treat, usually reserved for our summertime Backyard Campouts that had become a neighborhood tradition.   It was the 1950’s, and fortunately, parents still believed children were perfectly capable of creating their own fun, not having it pre-packaged for them.

           Therefore, my cousins, friends and I would prepare for our Great Camping Adventure with the same attention to details that grownups might reserve for a trip to another continent!          It became our delightful responsibility to scout our house for the necessary supplies, which we then gathered up with great enthusiasm: old blankets and pillows and a worn-out plastic tablecloth that served as a ground sheet (we had no sleeping bags), flashlights and extra batteries for reading aloud to each other from our favorite comic books plus my mom’s dog-eared copy of LEGENDS OF SOUTH JERSEY (which included the scary chapter about the “Jersey Devil” who, as legend has it, dwells deep within the bogs of the Pine Barrens in S. Jersey). We usually brought several decks of “almost-52” cards, which we could piece together to make one “good” deck, and, last but definitely not least, the chart we had torn out of an old Astronomy book showing the major constellations to look for in the sky as the night wore on.

          Our trusty old dog, aptly named Major, came along to protect us from lions, tigers and bears, and to help us eat up the food. Since we were planning to stay up all night, we needed plenty of refreshment. We made lots of Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches out of two loaves of “Wonder” bread (the wonder is that we even survived this white bread generation!) and we mixed up our own Kool-aid in jars which we had labeled with our names, to carry with us when we got thirsty. (Imagine parents entrusting children back then with glass mayonnaise jars instead of plastic bottles of water!)

          Times have changed, and I have updated that old S’mores recipe with healthy, tasty Vegan Alternatives to replace the marshmallows (which had tons of sugar and animal gelatin) and the milk chocolate bar (which had dairy, hydrogenated fat and sugar).

          Here is the new recipe, excerpted from my vegan cookbook, EARTH ANGEL KITCHEN, hopefully just in time for “s’more” summer. Since school will soon be starting up again, signaling the official end of summer, you can whip up some EASY S’MORES on your stovetop as a surprise for your family by serving them at that last outdoor after-dinner get-together or perhaps your children’s final Backyard Camp-out!       

EASY S’MORES

(Gelatin & dairy-free, low in sugar)

            It is easy to make vegan S’MORES at home that evoke memories of campouts with a scout troop or family. In this recipe, we reverse the melted ingredient. Rather than use roasted marshmallows to melt a chocolate bar, we melt the chocolate and ladle it on top of the Ricemellow crème for the same wonderfully gooey effect. You only need three ingredients to make this happen. Try it for a summertime surprise.

INGREDIENTS:

2 honey*-free graham crackers for each person

2-3 T. Suzanne’s Ricemellow Crème** for each person

2-3 T. Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips for each person

*Honey is an animal product and is not considered to be vegan.

**Available in natural foods stores in 10-oz. tubs (See “Misc. Alternatives”)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt a 12-oz. bag of chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over water brought to a boil and then lowered to simmer. Stir once in awhile until melted.
2. Lay out a graham cracker on a plate for each person.
3. Spread each graham cracker with Suzanne’s Ricemellow Crème.
4. Cover the Ricemellow Crème atop each graham cracker with 2-3 T. of the melted chocolate chips.
5. Place a second graham cracker on the top of each graham cracker, Ricemellow Cream and melted chocolate chips. This will make a gooey dessert “sandwich”. Serve with a bunch of wet paper towels for easy cleanup. Better still, take these S’MORES outside on a lovely evening and watch the stars and fireflies while eating them.

 

DR. BODO OTTO’S VINEGAR REVOLUTION & HOMEMADE FIRECRACKER HOT SAUCE

“Hot July brings cooling showers, apricots and gillyflowers*.”

                                                                    -Sara Coolidge (1802-1852)

*Gillyflowers are carnations or other flowers of the “Dianthus” family.

          HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY! Today I will relate the true story about my ancestor Dr. Bodo Otto and the American Revolution. You will soon see the connection between Dr. Otto’s own “Vinegar Revolution” and his part in revolutionizing medical practice in the New World!

          For added fun, I also give a recipe for EASY HOMEMADE FIRECRACKER HOT SAUCE with just three ingredients: vinegar, hot chili peppers, and sea salt. I first learned how to make this fiery condiment while living in Hawaii, our 50^th state.

          Most of you already know many recipes employing the fermented wonder food called VINEGAR: homemade vegan “buttermilk” for baking, pickled cucumbers or beets, salad dressings, barbecue sauce, etc., and may have heard of its healing qualities as well. Foods were first fermented in order to prolong their keeping qualities before the era of refrigeration. It was soon discovered, however, that some of these foods became more easily digested, and actually helped to digest other foods, while supplying added flavor to simple meals. It has since been discovered that, along with the increase in enzymes caused by the fermenting process, many of these foods contain antibacterial microbes and vitamin B12, making them invaluable to vegans.

          In my own family, vinegar and other fermented foods such as sauerkraut have been used for centuries. One of my ancestors, Dr. Bodo Otto, who had been born in Hanover, Germany in 1711, migrated to the United States, along with his family, in 1755, setting up his medical practice in Philadelphia. He went on to become the first Chief Surgeon at the Yellow Springs Military Hospital (near Valley Forge, Pa.) during the Revolutionary War, under General Washington’s command. When Dr. Otto first came to Yellow Springs, he saw the despondency of the soldiers, who knew that, because of the reputation of that hospital, chances were slim they would go back home alive.  

          Dr. Otto soon turned the hospital upside down with his “revolutionary” approach to health and hygiene: the bed linens were to be changed after each patient, and if a person were to die in the bed, the ticking was to be burned. Hands were to be scrubbed before each surgery. When the spring came, Dr. Otto had a medicinal herbal garden planted for his apothecary needs.  According to the biography by James E. Gibson, DR. BODO OTTO and the MEDICAL BACKGROUND OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (1937, Coastal Printing) among his extensive hospital supply orders, he always included a hogshead of VINEGAR (a hogshead is a giant container holding anywhere from 63 to 140 gallons of liquid). Dr. Otto knew about the liberal use of vinegar for sanitizing equipment, deodorizing hospital rooms and neutralizing the smell of urine, all of which he had learned while apprenticing under a Master Surgeon at age 13 in his mother country.

           It is interesting to see that in this New Millenium, some hospitals are returning to the use of vinegar to replace the OVER-use of antibacterial soaps, germicides and disinfectants used to rid institutions of the germs prevalent whenever there are so many people present in one area (The “bugs” which survived actually grew into “superbugs”, which are so much more difficult to kill.). Old fashioned vinegar does not cause this problem. By destroying germs safely and effectively, there is not the backlash from the mutating, surviving germs to deal with.

          Within three years of taking over as Chief Surgeon, Dr. Otto saw a marked improvement in both patient and staff morale. The hospital became famous for its excellent quality, and soldiers were always relieved if they knew they were going there because of the hygiene and care demonstrated by his now enlightened staff.

          Like my ancestor before me, I have relied upon different forms of vinegar to help with my needs and to use in cooking. Below are a few of my favorite tricks that really work.

          WHITE VINEGAR is fine for the purpose of household cleaning and to neutralize and deodorize any unpleasant smells.  Although I don’t recommend its use in recipes because it is sometimes made cheaply as a by-product, it is fine to use in everyday household chores.

          A drop or two of vinegar added to dishwater along with dishwashing detergent (I like to use “Seventh Generation” natural brand) enhances the degreasing and antibacterial quality of the dishwashing liquid.

          I had an elderly friend whose doctor had her soak her feet every evening in white vinegar and water to soothe the soreness and keep the foot fungus she was experiencing at bay. White vinegar has natural antifungal

qualities.

          APPLE CIDER VINEGAR is wonderful to use for cosmetic purposes. Plain old supermarket cider vinegar is fine for these needs.

          I have baby-fine, flyaway hair, and I often use cider vinegar as a final rinse, because it gives my hair body, making it more manageable and lending it a lovely sheen.

          As a child, whenever I would suffer from severe sunburn after a day at the beach or out in my Dad’s boat, my dear and wise Granny Goose would bring out the cider vinegar to spread all over my burn. It almost immediately took away the sting and itching, and amazingly, within hours, the sunburn would change to tan!

          When I am camping in primitive conditions (no shower available) I find that a small squirt bottle with a little water, apple cider vinegar and a drop or two of lavender oil (optional but nice) is perfect for “washing up” with. There is no need to rinse, as the vinegar smell soon dissipates, leaving me feeling fresh and clean again.

           BRAGG RAW ORGANIC UNFILTERED APPLE CIDER VINEGAR is excellent to use in salad dressings and cooking. It looks cloudy because the mother culture is still in it and it is unpasteurized, which translates to it being a living fermented food, full of beneficial enzymes and minerals.

          

          Below is an easy recipe for HOMEMADE FIRECRACKER HOT SAUCE that resembles Tabasco sauce in color and flavor. BRAGG’S APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, fresh red chili peppers and sea salt are its only ingredients. Summer is a great time to grow your own red chili peppers or pick them up at your local Farmer’s Market or fresh produce market. Place this EASY HOMEMADE HOT SAUCE in a pretty bottle, label it, tie a ribbon around it, include the recipe on a card, and you have a uniquely personal gift to give to anybody who enjoys a little zip to their food.  

EASY HOMEMADE FIRECRACKER HOT SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ c. fresh red chili peppers*

2 T. Kosher or sea salt

Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar to cover

1 clean pint size jar with a lid

*Any red or green chili pepper works fine in this recipe. Try green Jalapeno peppers if you like a milder sauce. In the particular batch of hot sauce that you see pictured here, I used locally-grown (VERY hot!) “Ghost” red hot peppers. Assorted hot pepper plants that grow well in Florida are available right now in the local Farmer’s Markets.

DIRECTIONS:

1.     After putting on disposable gloves**, wash and de-stem the peppers. Remove some of the seeds if you prefer a less searing sauce.

2.     Place the peppers and salt in the jar and pour apple cider vinegar over them to the top of the jar, and then place the lid on it.

3.     Refrigerate the peppers for 5 to 6 days, after checking to make sure the vinegar is completely covering them.

4.     Remove the mixture from fridge and pour into a blender to blenderize it until smooth.

5.     Strain well using fine mesh or cheesecloth.

6.     Pour the sauce into a pretty bottle, adding a whole chili pepper or two for decoration. Label the jar and store in the fridge for future use.

**Please remember to always wear disposable gloves when handling fresh hot peppers to prevent burning up your hands or (if you inadvertently touch your eyes) your eyes also.

www.earthangelkitchen.com

PAPAYA-MAMAYA

          As summer approaches, most of us find ourselves eagerly looking forward to more fresh fruit and veggies, whether we grow them ourselves, pick them up at our local farmer’s market, or shop at our favorite co-op or natural foods store. Having lived much of my life in tropical areas, I have a hunger for all foods tropical. This includes papaya, mango, kiwi, pineapple, bananas, coconut, passion fruit and guava.

          This month’s blog will focus on the luscious, juicy, nutrient-rich fruit known as PAPAYA, a.k.a. “fruta bomba” or “pawpaw”, native to Central America. Although the peak season for papayas is from January to April, they are available year-round. In today’s blog I will share some information about this fruit and include a few recipes using papaya seeds to try.

          Rebecca Wood states in THE NEW WHOLE FOODS ENCYCLOPEDIA that when Columbus first saw the large papayas growing on what resembled a palm tree, he called them “tree melons”. Lane Morgan in THE ETHNIC MARKET FOOD GUIDE tells us that once he had his first taste of this “tree melon” he happily dubbed it “the Fruit of Angels”.

          Papaya has long been appreciated both for its delicious taste as well as medicinal properties. Besides being an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium, it contains the protein-splitting enzyme known as “papain”, which greatly aids digestion. This is even more present in green (unripe) papaya and papaya seeds as well as the leaves. (Papain is also the main ingredient used in most meat tenderizers.) This papain enzyme is often used as a natural remedy to reduce the itching and swelling of mosquito bites by breaking down the irritating proteins injected by the insect.

          According to Kathy Hoshijo in her classic book, KATHY COOKS NATURALLY, the inside of the peels with the little bit of fruit remaining (after eating the papaya) is used as a facial mask by rubbing it into the skin, allowing it to dry and then rinsing it off. Kathy has even used the peels to rub onto her baby’s sore bottom to cure diaper rash!

          When I lived in Hawaii, the PAPAYA SEEDS, rich in papain enzyme, were not usually thrown away. Rather, they were used to make a delicious peppery-tasting salad dressing. There are many variations to the basic recipe and I offer my own here.

TROPICAL PAPAYA SEED DRESSING

          This dressing is very popular in Hawaii. The spicy seeds from the inside of the papaya, which are quite high in digestive enzymes, are used to make this unusual dressing. A blender quickly turns them into a tasty and healthy salad dressing.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 c. agave nectar

1 t. dry or prepared mustard

3/4 c. apple cider or red wine vinegar

1 c. olive oil

¾ c. peanut or canola oil

1 small onion or 2-3 green onions, minced

Seasonings to taste

Sea salt to taste (optional)

3 rounded T. fresh papaya seeds, pulp rinsed

DIRECTIONS:

1.     In a blender, mix all ingredients except oil and seeds.

2.     Slowly add oil in thin stream, continuing to blenderize.

3.     Add papaya seeds and blend just until well mixed. Serve or refrigerate.

Use this dressing as you would any other vinaigrette dressing on your

favorite salads.

WARM SPINACH SALAD with PAPAYA SEED DRESSING

          You can also go fancy with the recipe below for a popular Hawaiian-style luncheon salad. It is a WARM SPINACH SALAD wherein the tofu chunks are first marinated in the PAPAYA SEED DRESSING, and then the dressing is used to gently sauté the mushrooms and red bell pepper, which are next arranged over the raw spinach and other ingredients. The final step is to pour the warm PAPAYA SEED DRESSING over the salad to serve.

INGREDIENTS:

1 recipe PAPAYA SEED DRESSING (above)

1 pkg. firm tofu, cut into chunks & marinated in the PAPAYA SEED DRESSING*

2 large pkg. or 2 # fresh organic spinach

½ papaya, sliced**

½ red or other sweet onion, thinly sliced

½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts***

½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced

½ # fresh Cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

     *After you have marinated the tofu chunks, you can use the same 

     PAPAYA SEED DRESSING to sauté the pepper and mushrooms.

**Use the same papaya to slice for the salad from which you extracted the seeds for the dressing.

***Although in Hawaii you might use Macadamia nuts for this salad, here on the Mainland, pecans or walnuts are more economical. If you can easily pick up Brazil nuts, they are a good substitute for the rich, fatty Macadamia, and are high in Selenium. You would thinly slice them for this recipe.

    

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Marinate the tofu chunks in the PAPAYA SEED DRESSING for at least one hour.

2.     Wash and arrange the spinach on individual plates.

3.     Add the sliced papaya, red onions, and nuts on top of the spinach on each guest’s plate.

4.     Gently drain the marinated tofu chunks, reserving the PAPAYA SEED DRESSING.

5.     Arrange the tofu chunks on top of the plates.

6.     Gently sauté the mushroom and pepper slices, and then arrange over the spinach salad on the plates.

7.     Pour the warm PAPAYA SEED DRESSING over the salads and serve at once.

PAPAYA SEED “CAVIAR”

          One day I was eating some papaya seeds, along with the fruit, and noticed that these round shiny black seeds resembled caviar! So I came up with the idea to serve them with tofu cream cheese on whole-grain crackers or matzos as an appetizer. All you need for this is some commercial non-dairy cream cheese such as Tofutti brand cream cheese (available at Publix), some water crackers or other vegan whole-grain crackers or matzo crackers, and the papaya seeds, separated out from the fruit and rinsed. Spread some cream cheese on a cracker, pile some papaya seeds on top, place some of these on a pretty platter, and you have an elegant and healthy, mildly spicy hors d’oeuvre, one which will definitely be a conversation piece at your next party.

PAPAYA SEED “CAPERS”

          There is one last trick that I like to use, since I don’t really care that much for capers. Capers are the small bud of a Mediterranean plant which are pickled and are available in jars. As a condiment, they are often served in salads, sauces and as a garnish.  I simply replace them in recipes with the papaya seeds. These black shiny seeds are especially gorgeous in salads.

          If you are buying a papaya, using the seeds gives you an added “free” ingredient to use in any of the above recipes. I welcome feedback and more ideas on the use of this healthy and delicious ingredient, the black pearls which grow in the womb of “Mamaya” Papaya.

THE MERRY MONTH OF MAY

          Here is a Tibetan Blessing Prayer that I always think is appropriate for this month of MAY:

MAY I be happy

MAY I be peaceful

MAY I be free

MAY all my friends be happy

MAY all my friends be peaceful

MAY all my friends be free

MAY all my enemies be happy

MAY all my enemies be peaceful

MAY all my enemies be free

MAY ALL BEINGS be happy

MAY ALL BEINGS be peaceful

MAY ALL BEINGS be free

          This last verse reminds me that when I allow other sentient beings, the many-legged, four-legged, two-legged, no-legged, finned, winged, scaled, shelled, tailed, furry and bald, to live, I am creating more happiness, peace and freedom for myself. So I naturally feel MERRIER as I celebrate this month of flowers and gorgeous weather, named after the Roman goddess of “growth”, when all things are alive and sprouting up again.

          May is also the month designated for the 5^th Annual North Central Florida EAT LOCAL CHALLENGE. It is all about accepting the challenge to “eat local, seasonal food, at home or in locally-owned restaurants, every day, for the entire month of May!”

          Appropriately enough, it had its kickoff last Sunday, with a Community Celebration at the CITIZENS CO-OP, in Gainesville, Florida. If you have not yet gone to visit this wonderful downtown venue, owned by its members (who are people like you and me who make a commitment to join and then receive its many benefits such as a vote in decision-making and an everyday discount when shopping there), this is a great time to see it! Do you realize how fortunate we are to FINALLY have a vibrant, growing and thriving co-op right here in our home town?

          As an active member of community food cooperatives ("co-ops" for short) for most of my adult life, I had been hoping for a co-op to open in my own town, because it is so much more than just a place to buy food at a discount. It is a community center, family activity center, and educational facility all in one.  When the CITIZENS CO-OP had its Grand Opening last July, I was so excited to be able to shop there the first day!

The folks on the staff are caring, open-minded individuals who go the extra mile to offer a diversity of products to represent all of the members. Thus you will find within this store something for everyone: locally-grown, usually organic, fresh produce from nearby farmers, Jose’s Tempeh (Yum!), vegan specialties for all of us vegans, bulk items, hand-made soaps, hand-crafted jewelry, recycled and repurposed items, and a lovely patio for Sunday afternoon mini-outdoor market and music Celebrations. For shoppers who want it, they also carry locally-produced honey, free-range chicken and organic meats.

I also have been able to special order specific products through the Co-op, such as Arrowhead Mills’ Vital Wheat Gluten flour in 25-# bags, for making my homemade Seitan. Did I mention that there are some copies of my EARTH ANGEL KITCHEN vegan cookbook on display for sale at the Co-Op at a special discount?

Other clues that the people who make up the Co-op care about it and their community: The walls of the Co-op have beautifully hand-painted murals, and there is a corner set aside for posting community events and opportunities. The Citizens Co-Op is located next to the Civic Media Center on South Main St. in Gainesville, and shares their parking lot. Sometimes they collaborate on local events.

If you are attempting the May challenge to “eat local” and do not have your own garden, local Farmer’s Markets are a good option. However, because of my schedule, I am often not able to visit them. What I usually do instead is simply bring my cloth bags to the CITIZENS CO-OP, which is open 7 days a week, and do as MUCH of my shopping there as I can. Like most folks, I am on a budget, but I am finding more Co-op items each week that have a comparable price to other stores in my town. Since I would rather give them my business, I make an effort to “Shop Co-op” (as their new bumper sticker reads) as often as I can, and each time I do, I feel as though I am Blessing and Nurturing my community.  Learn more at:

www.citizensco-op.com

 Peace, Love & Tofu, Linda Joy