Crumbs

Having concluded our third class out of a series of ten, it's time to start sweeping up some crumbs that have been left on the table – questions and minor issues that have come out of our discussions.

Kathy asked about omega-3 fatty acids and questioned whether a diet that never includes fish will provide adequate levels. My research turned up an article provided by the Harvard School of Public Health on-line: www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/questions/omega-3.

The type of omega-3 fatty acid of primary concern is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which needs to be consumed every day as the body cannot manufacture it. Vegetarian sources include soybeans, canola oil, flaxseed and walnuts, some green vegetables like brussels sprouts, kale and spinach. In our discussions, I remind us all that the once-a-week vegetarian need not be overly concerned with compensating for important nutrients normally consumed with an animal-based diet, because, as the title says, we are (at this point) aiming for a 1/7th vegetarian diet. Whether or not individuals take further steps to reduce their animal consumption is up to them.

Another related question is how to get enough protein if you're not eating meat. We know that many plant-based foods contain protein and there is plenty of information available to give amounts for commonly consumed vegetables. The Institute of Medicine recommends about 64 grams of protein per day for a 160 pound adult. Their formula is a minimum of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight – you do the math!!

Ruth's quinoa dish got rave reviews. If you didn't already know about quinoa, this was a great introduction. An article in the New York Times last November (Martha Rose Shulman, 11/2/08) tells us that quinoa contains all the essential amino acids and as such is a superior source for protein compared to other grains. If you buy quinoa, check to see if it has been pre-washed; otherwise soak and rinse it before cooking as it has a bitter coating (to protect it from birds – isn't nature smart?).

Third Class - Here's What Ruth is Feeding Us

Recipes from Ruth Wade

Red Quinoa Salad

2 cups red quinoa
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 cup golden raisins
2 teas. orange zest
1 cup scallions, sliced
¼ teas. ground cumin
½ cup brown rice vinegar
½ cup orange juice
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

Rinse quinoa until it runs clear, bring vegetable broth to a boil, add the quinoa. Reduce heat to low and simmer the quinoa, covered for 20-25 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
Once the quinoa is cooled, add raisins, orange zest, scallions, cumin, vinegar, orange juice and chopped cucumber. Toss everything gently and serve chilled (but not cold).


Pesto Primavera

1 cup water
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. instant vegetable bouillon cubes, slightly crushed
1Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
8 oz. fresh asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 medium carrots, very thinly bias-sliced (1 cup)
6 oz. pea pods, halved
2/3 cup sliced almonds
¼ cup snipped fresh parsley or 1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh basil or 1 ½ tsp dried basil, crushed
¼ tsp pepper
6 oz linguine or other pasta, cooked (2 ½ cups)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a small bowl, stir together water, cornstarch, and bouillon granules; set aside. Preheat a wok over medium-high heat; add oil. Stir-fry garlic for 15 seconds. Add asparagus and carrots, stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add onion; stir-fry for 2 minutes more. Add pea pods, nuts, parsley, basil, and pepper. Stir-fry about 1 minute more or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetable mixture from wok.
Stir cornstarch mixture; add to wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Return vegetable mixture to wok; toss to coat. Heat through. Spoon vegetable mixture atop pasta. Top with Parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Second Class

Gazintas and Gazontas


The dishes we enjoyed at our second class do not have recipes as such. I “created” them based on a simple principle of piling a variety of ingredients on top of some basic foundational food (that's the “gazontas” - foods that go on top – the “gazintas” are what goes in.).

The salad starts with wheat berries (from Whole foods) – 2 cups – which were slowly boiled with water to cover for about 45 minutes. (There were no gazintas - just water and wheat)
Watch carefully so they don't dry out. Add water as necessary, and test a few wheat berries to determine if the consistency is what you'd like. They should have some resistance to the teeth, but not enough to cause dental damage. I cooked them the day before so they were cool to start with. Additional ingredients (the gazontas) were red onion, avocado, dried cherries, parsley, raspberry vinaigrette and a sprinkling of pine nuts. The pine nuts had been toasted in a dry frying pan to bring out the flavor and aroma. Be careful not to let them burn.

The hot dish was polenta which was cooked in vegetarian broth. I used 1 cup of dried polenta meal (again from Whole Foods) and 4 cups of broth. I heated 3 cups of the broth and stirred the polenta into one cupful cold broth to make a “slurry” which was then slowly added to the hot broth. The idea is to prevent the polenta from clumping. (I think I was successful with this). Another gazinta was about a teaspoon of butter (more would have been even better). The polenta cooked up rather quickly and was poured into a round cake tin to set while I made the tomato topping.

The tomato-based sauce started with a small amount of chopped shallots sauteed in olive oil. Then chopped red pepper, a can of (rinsed) ready-cooked black beans, a large can of diced tomatoes, a handful of chopped black olives, cumin, adobe chili powder and some oregano were added (amounts to taste). This all simmered together for ten or so minutes and then was set out to be spooned on top of wedges of polenta. Extra “gazontas” were chopped cilantro, chopped jalopeno pepper and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Other ideas for ingredients in the polenta are diced reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes, shredded spinach, shredded pimentos, parmesan cheese. Yummy.

The principle is easily applied to create many other dishes based on polenta, whole wheat pasta or some other staple food that can support the weight of the sauce. Other toppings could be braised greens like kale, spinach or chard with a dollop of balsamic vinegar and possibly nuts. Sauteed onions and mushrooms would be good, as would pureed squash with ginger, or green peas with celery, sauteed broccoli with shredded cheddar cheese. Alternative “gazontas” for the wheat berry salad could include cold beets with feta cheese, cherry tomatoes with basil and mozzarella cheese, cranberries and walnuts. Experiment with different salad dressings. You get the idea. Remember you're saving so much money by not buying meat you can splurge on the extras like pine nuts and cilantro.

Now it's Ruth's turn. I can't wait.

This looks tasty

The following recipe is similar to the couscous dish we had last week

The Nutrition Source
Whole Wheat Penne with Pistachio Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
Recipe courtesy of The Culinary Institute of America
Serves 4
8 ounces pistachios, unsalted, roasted, shelled (about 1½ cups)
1 cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup pecorino cheese, grated fresh (1 ounce)
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ cup silken tofu, reduced-fat (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups whole wheat penne pasta, hot, cooked (about 8 ounces uncooked tube-shaped pasta)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup pasta cooking water, reserved
Place first 4 ingredients in a food processor and process until finely minced. Add tofu and lemon juice. Process until smooth. With processor on, slowly pour oil through food chute, and process until well blended. Reserve.
Combine penne, cherry tomatoes, and pesto in a large bowl; toss gently. Use pasta water to thin as needed.
Calories: 630 ⁄ Protein: 26 g ⁄ Carbohydrate: 62 g ⁄ Fiber: 14 g ⁄ Sodium: 270 mg
Saturated fat: 5 g ⁄ Polyunsaturated fat: 9 g ⁄ Monounsaturated fat: 19 g ⁄
Trans fat: 0 g ⁄ Cholesterol: 5 mg
Copyright © The Culinary Institute of America
web resources: Mayo clinic--- mayoclinic.com; meatless monday