Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts

Friday, November 4, 2011

Veggie 'meatballs'

These are simple and delicious! They make for great vegan spaghetti and 'meatballs', or change the spices (add fennel and crushed red pepper flakes) to use these as a faux Italian sausage.

dried White beans, cooked in a slow-cooker on high 6-8 hours until well done
bread crumbs
whole wheat flour
dried oregano, thyme, parsely, and garlic granules
salt
Combine all but the flour. Puree with a blender, and add flour slowly, a couple tablespoons at a time, mix thoroughly by hand, aiming to achieve a very stiff dough. Refrigerating the dough for at least an hour before cooking helps it to stay together.

You can bake the little veggie balls on an oiled cookie sheet, or I chose to sautee in a little less then 1/4 inch of high heat oil, like safflower. Keep moving them as they become golden/medium brown. Serve with tomato sauce.

For a gluten-free version, perhaps sticky white or brown rice would work, possibly adding GF cracker crumbs as well.
Enjoy in good health and clear conscience! Namaste!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Grocery-store Vegan vs. Whole-Food vegan

Grocery-store Vegan: Herbivore-abstaining from all animal products. Still eating produce out of season, eating highly processed meat substitutes often, and eating industrially made processed snacks & cereal bars. Synonym: junk-food vegan

Whole-food Vegan: Herbivore- abstaining from all animal products. Eats nearly 100% locally-grown in-season produce, uses whole grains & beans, rarely if ever eats industrially processed foods. Makes snacks from vegetables, whole-grains, beans & nuts, such as crunchy chickpeas, baked veggie chips & homemade crackers, hummus, and more. Doesn't depend on store bought tofu, but makes it easily in an hour per week at home (3.5 lbs from 3 cups yellow soybeans)! Doesn't buy soymilk from the store, as even organic soybeans can be GMO! Makes soymilk, or even cheaper, faster & easier, oat or other grain or nut milks. Flour, grains, beans & other staples are bought in bulk, as much as 10, 25, or 50 pounds at once to reduce negative environmental impact.
Synonym: sustainable diet, healthy diet


I know now through experience- it feels healthier, its less wasteful, its fresher, its cheap! It doesn't take much work at all! Well, it takes more work in Summer- canning & putting up food for Winter. Then all Winter cooking is all fast & convenient, unless you choose to bake or be fancy. Its living the high-life of a gourmet with out the disease or expense!