OrganicSeptember: Riverford Organic Veg Box

The day that my Riverford Organic Fruit & Veg Box arrived I was positively giddy! The doorbell went and then van was there, a smiley delivery chap and a big box full to bursting with organic fruits and vegetables! When I finally had it in my hands I think my exact words were 'Yeeheeheeheee!' 

I was one happy vegan.

There were all sorts of yummy goodies in the Medium Fruit & Veg box which includes 6 veg and 3 fruits. It was like a big, bright, nutritious, Christmas present! Here's what was inside:

Recipe ideas, potatoes, spinach, mixed greens salad, runner beans, raspberries, corn on the cob, bananas, beetroot, melon.

Woop! The beets had the leaves on, the corn had the husks and my toddler had his eye on the raspberries as soon as he saw them. It was early. The bananas and raspberries were perfect with our morning porridge.

We've had the box a few days and it's been a really versatile mix. When most people think about organic food they think of haute cuisine buuuuut...I don't know how to cook like that....aaaaaaannnnd I have a small child so I can absolutely confirm that there are loads of simple family meals to be had from these delicious ingredients. Simple breakfasts. couscous lunch, skin on mash potatoes and salad greens so fresh you can eat them without any dressing. 

Riverford has been bringing organic farming to doorsteps all over the UK for almost 20 years. They're pretty good at it AND their HQ is right in the heart of Devon. They offer almost 10 different box variations to more than 15 different locations around the UK. They attend farmers markets and food festivals, run farm tours, have field kitchens and farm shops, they even a cook book. Everything they grow is organic. And everything they do seems to be thought through with similarly right-on intentions. If #organicseptember had teams, they'd definitely be all-stars.

Celebrating All Things Organic for #organicseptember

I'm celebrating all things organic this September - and in Devon that means there is LOTS to celebrate!

But why organic? Well, there are many reasons but they can pretty much be summed up saying: I love bees.

I love that they like to dance. I love watching one bee who's found a really good patch of flowers go crazy getting all the goodness for himself. I love how fuzzy the bumbles are. I love that there is a queen bee named after Beyonce. I love watching them disappear into a foxglove and come back out. I love seeing them working away even when their pollen sacks are filled to bursting. They make me happy.

I mean just look at this guy?

When you see that little Soil Association organic mark in the UK, it means no herbicides or artificial fertilisers. It also means more sustainable land management and more respect for wildlife. And that means more respect for bees - and everyone else by default. And most importantly it means bigger flavours and even healthier foods.

Farming is at the root all things organic so I will be starting out the by looking at organic vegetable box schemes before moving onto farmers markets and some of my favourite organic food shops. And though food is the first thing that comes to mind, but the range of products that can be organically sourced is immense. Shoes, make-up, clothing, nappies and even holidays can be made organically, so I'll explore some of these too!

I'm really excited!

Mythbusting: Milk is the only way to get calcium

Up until the age of about 25, I thought that breakfast made me nauseous. Yep, breakfast. I'd noticed a pattern that every time I had breakfast before work or school, I was queasy by about 11 o'clock. So I got into the habit of skipping the most important meal of the day altogether and waiting for lunchtime. It wasn't until after I stopped drinking milk and eating other dairy products, that I realized that it wasn't breakfast itself, but the milk in my cereal that was causing me trouble.

When I cut out it out, other things started to make sense as well. It wasn't the stress, but the milk in the help-me-stay-up-late-to write-essays lattes that were causing me stomach aches in college. Those mysterious sharp pains in my lower abdomen that were sometimes so strong that it was hard for me to walk, also disappeared. It had all been because I was/am lactose intolerant.

Chances are that, if you're reading this, you're lactose intolerant too. I say this because you're probably a human person and despite a name that would make you think it's a rarity, as much as 70% of the world's population is lactose intolerant.

Map of Global Lactose Intolerance. See large image here

What is widely referred to as 'intolerance' is actually the general state of affairs. It is mainly people with Norther European heritage, that's white folks, whose cuisine has been linked with dairy farming for eons, that seem to be able to able to digest lactose. The rest of the world puts up with the bloating and pain because they like the taste of cheesecake and ice cream, but it's probably not doing them any good.

What happens in the body when you're lactose intolerant?

It's about your gut. Lactose is a sugar found in milk. When you drink milk, your body digests lactose with an enzyme called lactase. If you are lactose 'intolerant' then you don't have enough of this enzyme to deal with the grilled cheese sandwich or the pecan praline ice cream you just ate! As a result, your colon tries to pick up the processing slack. Or to say it in a sciencey sort of way:

In lactose intolerance, the individual has a deficiency in lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose. Normally, lactose is broken down in the small intestine by lactase and very little lactose reaches the large intestine where the bacteria break it down to produce hydrogen. In lactose intolerance (lactase deficiency), the ingested lactose is not metabolized in the small intestine and reaches the colon where it is metabolized by colonic bacteria producing a large amount of hydrogen which is measured in the breath sample. This excessive fermentation can cause symptoms and diarrhoea.

The hydrogen detected in the breath and is one of the ways to discover of you are lactose intolerant.  All of these processes cause the symptoms that I'm not too proud to say I've experienced like bloating, cramping, nausea, as well as wonderful things like diarrhea, constipation, and gas. Yeah, it's the best. 

What do you do about it?
I tried a few things over then years but abstinence is the most effective. What I have is not a milk allergy, I don't break out in a rash or anything, but the more I have the more uncomfortable I become. So, though I am vegan, I could physically manage one bite of my grandmoms mac n cheese without too much trouble, but couldn't manage a bowl of Haagen Daaz, even if I wanted to. There are pills you can get over the counter that can ease the aches and pains but in my experience they also act as a bit of a laxative, meaning that you end up replacing one problem with another. Not a glamorous topic I know but truth is truth.

What about calcium?
Yes of course. The biggest side effect of being lactose intolerant is a calcium deficiency, right? Wrong. It's aaaaalllll over the internet but it is complete and utter nonsense. There are so many natural, easy, delicious, plant-based sources of calcium it's not even funny. Don't believe me? Let me spell it out...

Do you like pictures better? Let's put it another way with a little help from the folks at Viva.

There are so many things to chose from. So many many delicious things. And one of them is HUMMUS so as a vegan I'm already eating this 30 times a week anyway!

Are you worried about my calcium? because I'm not!

8 Naturally Hydrating Foods & Drinks to Beat the Heat

Summer is well and truly under way and while it's my favorite time for looking good - less rain to mess up my hair and more excuses for pedicures - all that sun and heat means paying a little bit more attention to feeling good as well. The human body is more than two-thirds water and keeping yourself juiced up goes a long way to making sure joints, eyes, brain, skin have the fluids they need while aiding digestion and keeping the skin healthy this season.

On an average day, the average woman needs about 2.2liters and the average man needs about 3 liters of water from foods and drinks to stay hydrated. As the heat increases, you are more likely to lose these fluids and natural salts through perspiration so it's important replenish yourself throughtout the day. Lots of sports drinks claim to be able to do the job but you can avoid the additives and see real results with some of these deliciously natural sources of hydrating nutrients.

Source: phuthinhco

Coconut Water
Coconut water seems to be everywhere at the moment and with good reason. Unlike traditional sports drinks, leading brands contain no dyes, fat, cholesterol or added sugars but DO provide a natural source of 5 essential electrolytes - potassium, sodium, calcium, magensium and phosphorus - for rejuvenating after even the most hardcore workouts.  Drinking the juice of young green coconuts has been standard practice throughout the tropics forever, but you don't have to go on vacation to get this nutrient rich tipple anymore.

Source: mitch98000

Cucumber Spa Water
I love this one because it tastes fantastic, looks beautiful and cost pennies!  Cucumbers on their own are not only full of water but also potassium, vitamins K and  C, respectively good for your cells, bones and the immune system. Sliced and soaked in a bottle or jug of water, they give you get all of these benefits plus a refreshingly cool taste with almost no trouble at all. Mix it up with a some lemon or fresh mint to make it a spa day any day.

Source: agemo

Lemon Water
Drinking water with lemon is another beautifully simple solution for anyone who likes eating out or going out. When you order your water with ice and slice, your adding calcium, Vitamin C and giving yourself a detoxifying boost. Lemon naturally helps the liver to break down the external toxins from smog, chemicals and air conditioning that become much more relevant as the temperatures increase. As it's generally free and easily accessible, there's almost no reason not to hit it.

Source: mynameisharsha

Watermelon
Growing up, I thought that you just ate watermelon in the summer time because it was delicious. While this is absolutely true, turns out that this perfectly pink treat has been found to be a natural source of electrolytes like potassium, magnesium and phosphorus which help you to better dissolve all the water - 92% of the fruit - in the melon.  All this plus it's fat free and contains lycopene, an antioxidant which has been shown to protect skin from the suns UV rays, making it the perfect summer snack.

Source: daviderestivo 

Tomatoes
A fresh tomato right off the vine is like a mouthful of sunshine and at almost 95% water, they are a great source of fluids on a warm day.  Like watermelon they provide a healthy dose of lycopene with every bite, as well as antioxidants like Vitamin A and C. An extremely versatile ingredient, they are easy to add to salads, munch in salsa or eat as a stand alone snack.

Source: mobilestreetlife

Strawberries
This time of year strawberries are juicy, plentiful and full of goodness. Each little fruit is 91% water and just 8 strawberries can provide more vitamin C than an orange. High in manganese, potassium and fiber, they make a fantastic summer treat that is easy to share, or not!

Source: thedeliciouslife

Celery
A single stalk of celery is made up of 96% water but also contains natural healthy salts and lots of fiber. All of these things help to keep digestion on track during challenging warmer weather. Great for juicing or eating raw, celery is also unique in that it maintains up to 99% of its nutrients when steamed.

Source: pettacolopuro

Water
And finally regular everyday water. If you're feeling thirsty, this is your body telling you that you need more to drink more water, so respond accordingly. If you're taking it easy then drinking water should provide everything you need. But if you're working up a sweat, then your body will start to using up its electrolytes after about an hour and may need something with a higher nutrients mix. As the mercury rises it's useful to keep a reusable bottle to hand so that you can quench your thirst whenever and wherever you need.

As seen in Clutch Magazine

How to Survive Your First Year as a Vegetarian

Make friends with Avocado Toast

I will soon celebrate my veggiversary and after four years, I've learned a thing or two about how to hold your own as a vegetarian. Your first year can be tricky but whether you're new to it or just considering making a change, it's easier than you think.

1. Bring your A-Game
You got skills in the kitchen? Then don't let them go to waste just because you've got a taste for kale. Tracye McQuirter, author of By Any Greens Necessary, suggests looking in your recipe repertiore  for 3 meals that are already vegetarian, 3 meals that could easily become vegetarian, and 3 vegetarian meals you'd like to try. So, lose the meat but don't lose the flavor.

2. Enjoy the fruits of eating fruit
It's a big change and the first few months can be a challenge, so make sure to appreciate the fun things about being vegetarian. I've lost weight, I get to snack all day on lots and lots of low calorie high nutrient fruit and veg, I've met lots of new people, tried so many new recipes and sometimes, at restaurants, I have an excuse to have the chef whip up something special just for me.

3. Don't go it alone
If you've made this change for yourself, while your friends or family have not, then don't think your riding solo. Hit up blogs for recipes, try Happy Cow for restaurants, there are even clubs and meetups you can join. Vegetarians and vegans can be found in country, every city and every state, and they just love potlucks.

4. Fear not the fake meat.
In the first few years especially, meat substitutes can be a life saver. They allow you keep some of the recipes that you know and love while settling into your new found vegginess. Veggie burgers, sausages, and faux ground beef help make the transition easier. Not sure where to start? Look a little closer in the frozen food aisle at the supermarket or pop into a whole foods store for a larger selection.

5. Educate yourself
There are some amazing books available on all aspects of vegan and vegetarianism. Jonathan Saffon Foer takes up the philosophical argument for vegetarianism in Eating Animals. While, Tracye McQuirter's bestselling By Any Greens Necessary is an all in one guide for transitioning to a vegan diet. Bryant Terry's delicious Vegan Soul Kitchen is over flowing with recipes that will make you cry they're so good. And the ladies behind veggie classic, Skinny Bitch, will have you laughing out loud with they're no nonsense approach to food and nutrition.

6. Name drop like a boss
I won't lie: the haters will hate BUT just remember that you're in good company. Lots of beautiful, intelligent, successful and inspiring black people are vegetarian and vegan. Tia Mowry, Serena Williams, Erykah Badu, Prince, Russell Simmons, Mos Def, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Williams, Brandy, Samuel L Jackson and Angela Davis to name but a few. Stand proud, there are more people in your camp than you might think.

7. Get friendly with fresh produce.
Since I stopped eating meat I've tried kolrabi, jackfruit, calabash, spaghetti squash, persimmons, pomegranate seeds and even cactus! What we see in an average grocery store is just the tip of the iceberg lettuce (see what I did there). Think of it this way: you haven't given up meat, you've discovered fresh produce.  Explore your local supermarket, but don't forget to check the farmers markets, vegetable delivery schemes and even you neighbourhood swapmeet - really though - for new and interesting fruit and veg. There's a whole new world of flavours out there for you. So that the next time someone asks you "what" you eat, you can blow their mind!

Vegan Chipotle Carrot & Coriander Soup

Vegan Chipotle Carrot & Coriander Soup

Soups are so comforting, warming and simple. Served with a lovely lump of bread there are few things that can make me feel more like I'm being hugged from the inside than than a big old mug of warmness. As someone who is vegetarian and dairy free, soup in a can is not really something that I can get down with because even when it's veggie, nine times out ten, they put milk all up in it. But that's cool, that's alright, I'll just make my own! Making soup from scratch means that you can miss out the dairy AND all of that extra salt that they use to store it for ages.

This carrot and coriander soup is a spicy little number inspired by the jalapeño pickled carrots that you get in quality Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles. I'm a little bit obsessed with chipotle chilli flakes at the moment and the smokiness is put to great use here.

Vegan Chipotle Carrot & Coriander Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients

500g carrots, peeled & chopped
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp chipotle chilli flakes
2 tbsp soy margarine
1 clove garlic crushed
600g vegetable broth
2 tbsp almond milk

1. Dry roast the cilantro seeds and chilli flakes in the bottom of your sauce pan for 1 or 2 minutes or until you can smell them. Once toasted, remove from heat, and crush in a pestle and mortar.
2. Add margarine to the saucepan along with chopped carrots, garlic and all the coriander seeds. Stir everything around until everything is evenly coated, then cook on a low heat until carrots begin to soften - 10 mins or so. 
3. Add the vegetable stock and season to taste with salt and pepper, before bringing to a boil.
4. Reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook for another 15 mins until everything is tender. Remove from heat and liquidise with a hand blender or food processor. To finish, return to heat and stir in almond milk. Dish up and eat.

Vegan Recipe: Lemon Basil Butter Bean Salad

Mmmm butter beans, also known as lima beans, also known as in my belly. They have a flavour that is so stand alone indulgent that they don't need much doing to them. This makes these little pulses perfect for salads, so I set about making it happen. A little bit of dressing and the mineral rich sources of protein, potassium and b vitamins are ready to eat.

Lemon Basil Butter Bean Salad

Ingredients

250g cooked butter beans
2 medium tomatoes
1 tsp chipotle chili flakes
1 clove garlic minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 bunch of basil, chopped
pinch of salt

1. Mix tomatoes, chili, garlic lemon and basil together in a medium sized bowl. 
2. Add butter beans and mix until distributed evenly. 
3. Serve chilled over a bed of mixed leaves.

Vegan Recipe: Oven Baked Red Pepper & Sun Dried Tomato Risotto

I bought some risotto rice ages ago and had big plans to add it to my repertoire. Everyone says how easy it is and that it's really versatile and blah blah blah. So I get the bag home and whip out my recipe book and suddenly realise that traditional risotto requires a lot of stirring. Like a whole lot. Like a where is Sweet Brown when you need her because I shouldn't have to tell you that ain't nobody got time for all that stirring, amount of stirring. And I did remember being at college with an Italian room mate who made risotto once and watched him stir it for what seemed like days. He made it look so simple, but he didn't leave that pan alone for a second.

So I procrastinated. For months. And every time I opened my cupboard, that bag of rice was starring at me like 'Whatcha gonna do?', 'What's that matter? You afraid of a little bag of grain?'.  ENOUGH, I thought. There must be a way to do this and keep my sanity - though I was already talking to vacuum packed food at this point.

Enter oven baked risotto. The no fuss, simple, one stir cousin of the traditional method. I made this recipe this afternoon and it was delicious first time - which is exactly what we like. It took me about 10mins to prep then I popped it in the oven and wandered off to check my Twitter feed. Came back gave it a stir. By the time I had retweeted the latest raw vegan smoothie in a mason jar, it was ready to eat. That's 30mins from start to finish. Now that I can do!  

But it's not all about convenience, this risotto was off the charts. The sweetness of the peppers and the tang of the sun dried tomatoes makes for a beautiful combination that tastes as good as it looks.

Oven Baked Red Pepper & Sun Dried Tomato Risotto

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 finely chopped yellow medium onion
4 sliced garlic cloves
1 finely chopped red pepper
1 cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes (about 15 slices)
2.5cups or 600ml of vegetable stock
250g risotto rice
pinch pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1. On the stove top, cook finely chopped onions and sliced garlic in olive oil until soft in an oven safe pan.
2. Add coarsely chopped red pepper and sun dried tomatoes to the pan and mix well. Add rice to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add vegetable stock to pan, stir through, cover and place in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring once in between. 
4. Season with pepper and vinegar to taste and serve.

And that's kind of it. Really simple right? Enjoy!

Vegan Recipe: Ginger Cranberry Granola

I'd never made granola from scratch before but it was actually simple, satisfying and pretty tasty if I don't say so myself.   I found that making my own was a really good opportunity to clear out odds and ends of tasty little tidbits from the pantry and I'm looking forward to trying more combinations in the future.

Making your own is also a good way to get high grade granola a a reasonable price. There are lots of different brands and flavours available to buy readymade but the good stuff often comes at gourmet prices and the cheap stuff tends to come with preservatives and questionable ingredients like palm oil. I got packs of the dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds for just 99cents each, and I had all the other ingredients in the cupboard already so it worked out to be cost effective and delicious. And this particular recipe made about 700g of granola which should keep me happily munching for days.

Ginger Cranberry Granola

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1 cup dried cranberries

1. Mix oats, seeds, salt, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl.
2. Add agave nectar and oil to mixture and stir until well coated.
3. Spread oat mix on a baking sheet or tray, and cook at 300F/GasMark2 for 30mins or until a little bit golden brown.
4. Remove oat mix from oven to cool, then add cranberries.
5. Store in an air tight container and eat with milk, I like almond milk, or ice cream!

Sweet Potato and Fennel Pizza

Sweet Potato & Fennel Pizza

Yes, sweet potato pizza a pile of carbs. That is true. But my goodness if it isn't tasty, so you know...every thing in moderation! I had the authentic version of this Italian potato pizza at a friend's house and was fascinated. The original, pizza bianco con patate, is generally served vegan and consists of thinly sliced white potatoes, on a sauceless pizza base topped with rosemary and can be found throughout the pizzerias of Italy.

For my version, I joined up earthy sweet potato with fiery chili and subtlety flavoured fennel for something with a little vitamin K and that nostalgic taste of home.

Now, I must admit that this particular recipe is a bit of a cheat because I didn't make the base from scratch - I don't think this is something to be ashamed of because sometimes life happens and while mastering pizza dough is generally and aspiration of mine, it was not on this particular night - but if you are looking to have a pizza party or make your own there are a few good recipes around the web. That said, let's eat!

Sweet Potato & Fennel Pizza

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 small sweet potato
1 chopped layer of a fennel bulb - about 1-2 tbsp
1 pizza base
1 finely chopped deseeded red chili pepper
1 tsp dried basil
2-4 tbsp olive oil

1. Heat your oven to 450F/Gas Mark 8.
2. Peel and very thinly slice your sweet potato into little discs, lightly toss them in olive oil and set aside.
3. Coarsely chop the fennel, toss in olive oil and set aside.
4. Grab your pizza base and place on a pizza tray or baking sheet. Brush with a thin layer of olive oil and add your toppings. Sweet potato first, then fennel sprinkled on top, then chili and herbs.
5. Bake for 10 -15 minutes or until the crust is brown. Drizzle pizza with remaining olive oil.
6. Serve with salad.

Serve with salad greens for a balanced meal

Mythbusting: Vegans & Vegetarians Don't Get Enough Protein

Little old me, flexing some veggie muscle

Everybody knows  that if you don't eat meat or fish then there is no possible way that you could get enough protein in your daily intake of food. Right? You will wither away, your grandmother should be worried and you won't possibly be able to function in life because protein is, of course, the most important part of any meal.

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me about how I get my protein, I might be able to afford that Vitamix Blender I've been lusting after all these years!  But is it all old wives tales?  Is there any factual basis for this?

Protein is important for cell development and maintenance of vital bodily functions like enzyme creation and fueling neurotransmitters. In a single day the average adult human female needs about 46g of protein per day, the males require about 56g. Meat is a really easy source of protein but it's certainly not the only one. Bodybuilders are protein obsessed and two of the most popular protein supplements are whey (a vegetarian cheese derivative) and hemp (which is vegan cuz it's from from seeds).  Gram for gram there are plenty of plant based sources of protein - nuts, seeds, beans and even oats - that deliver the goods in a real and tangible way.

And while we're talking about it, there is some protein in most foods. So in practice, here's how you might get more than enough protein in an average plant based day of eating:

Breakfast

2 slices of wheat toast = 7g

2 tbsp peanut butter = 8g

1 glass of OJ = 1.7g

Snack

1 banana = 1.5g

Lunch

Lil pot of hummus 1/2 cup = 10g

10 tortilla chips = 1.4g

100g spinach = 2.9g

1 avocado = 4g

Snack

20 almonds = 4g

Dinner

1 cup white mushrooms = 2.2g

1/2 an onion = 0.6g

2 cloves garlic = 0.4g

1cup brown rice = 4.5g

1 green pepper = 1g

1 tomato =  0.8g

2 wheat tortillas = 10g

TOTAL PROTEIN = 60g

How easy was that? Meat eating folks need not worry that I will waste away or that a diet like this is bad for my health. The reality is totally to the contrary and we haven't even gotten into useful things like meat substitutes, nutritional yeast or juicing! Furthermore, vegetable sources of protein so completely out perform fleshly counterparts on overall nutrition it's almost laughable. So 100g of peanuts contains not only 26g of protein but 4 x the potassium, 5 x the iron, 9 x the calcium, and 8 x the magnesium of a 100g piece of chicken. That's right: peanuts!

Studies show that getting protein isn't an issue for vegetarians in the west, while scholars are currently debating whether a diet which is high in meat proteins might be as 'bad for you as smoking'. So really people, us veggie folks are doing fine.

Vegan Recipe: Black Eyed Bean Dip Boats

Vegan Black Eyed Bean Dip Boats make perfect party food!

I grew up eating one recipe for black eyed peas - soul food classic stewed in pork fat. But these little beans are packed with so many nutritional goodies - Omega 6, Omega 3, dietary fiber, protein, folate, iron and potassium - that it's a crying shame not to get them more involved with daily kitchen proceedings. Alongside the soul food recipes of the American south, black eyed peas are found in dishes from Sephardic Jewish, African, South American, Vietnamese, Indian, Greek, Brazilian and Indonesian cuisine. So there is plenty of inspiration for getting creative with these earthy beans.

For this recipe, I wanted to get down with a little bit of finger food, because it's picnic season and eating with your hands is always fun. The main element of this is a Black Eyed Pea Dip that can be dressed as you like in it's tiny tostada. I sandwiched the dip between a green salad base and a chopped tomato topping, but you could easily mix it up with a creamy avocado sauce, cashew crema, or spicy salsa. But I would recommend something with a little bit of  juice - not too much though, you don't want your boats taking on too much water!

I was really pleased with how these came out because as well as being tasty and cute, they're the kind of thing that looks impressive on the pot luck table but doesn't take that long to make! Win and win! Enjoy.

Black Eyed Bean Dip Boats

Makes 9 Boats

Ingredients

3 soft tortillas, 8 inch
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
175g (just over 1 Cup) Black Eyed Peas
2 cloves garlic
1/4 medium yellow onion
1 tbsp jalapenos in brine
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garnish with chopped salad underneath and chopped tomatoes with cilantro(coriander) on top

1. To make the tiny tostadas, heat your oven to Gas Mark 6/400F/200C and grab a muffin tin from the cupboard. You can use any size muffin tin for this, as long as you can find a stencil that is about 1 inch larger in diameter than each muffin hole. So for a tin that made 3 inch muffins, I got a "stencil", aka "a bowl", that was about 4 inches across to cut my tortillas into smaller circles.
2. Once they're all cut out, I got about 3 per tortilla, brush each side of the shells with a bit of olive oil and place into the muffin holes. The should fit easily if you pinch them into a sort of  wonton shape like a cross. Place in the oven for about 5- 10 mins or until they are brown.
3. While this is cooking, put the garlic, onion, jalapenos, and olive oil into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more jalapenos if you like it spicier or another spoonful of olive oil if you like it smoother.
4. When your shells are brown, remove from the oven to let them cool. While this is happening prepare your garnishes.
5. To serve, fill shells with shells with salad, then bean dip then saucy topping like chopped tomatoes or guacamole. Yum!

My "stencil"

Cut tortillas in the muffin trays

Black Eyed Bean Dip Boats

Vegan Recipe: Wild Garlic Potato Salad with Crushed Almonds

No Mayo Necessary: Vegan Wild Garlic Potato Salad with Crushed Almonds

Yeeeessssss. Potato salad. It's the quintessential BBQ side dish with the starchy fluffiness making the perfect counterpart to the saucy smokey mains. Get the flavours right, and it will set off your whole plate.

This no mayo masterpiece is as simple as it is delicious, and can be eaten warm or cold. The wild garlic add a layer of depth to the whole affair, while the crushed almonds add texture and nutrients to this fabulously simple side.

I whipped this up in about 20 mins and it was ready to eat straight away. Yum!

Wild Garlic Potato Salad with Crushed Almonds

Makes 2 Side Portions 

Ingredients

1 large potato
1/4 onion
4-5 leaves wild garlic
1 handful of almonds
2 tsp mustard
1 tbsp vinegar (use a light vinegar like ACV or a white wine vinegar. I used rice vinegar on this occasion)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Chop the potato into bite sized chunks, place in a sauce pan with water and bring to a boil.
2. While the spud is cooking, finely dice your onion, coarsely chop your garlic, and crush your almonds. Put in a large bowl to wait for the potato.
3. In a smaller bowl, whip up the dressing. Whisk to together the mustard, vinegar and olive oil. And let stand.
4. When the potatoes are soft, drain them and add the dry potatoes to the bowl with the onions, almonds and garlic. Pour in the dressing and mix until everything is coated. Cover the bowl for a 2-3 minutes to let the warmth of the potato soften the almonds and then mix through again.
5. You can serve warm or chill it in the fridge for later.

Vegan Recipe: Easy Watercress & Potato Soup

Vegan Watercress Soup

I adore watercress. It's got such a unique combination of spicy bitterness and is such a versatile green. Delicious for salads but hearty enough to stand up to a bit of cooking. No to mention that it's generally pretty cheap, available almost year round and has some nutritional vitals that are out of this world. Yes and Yum.  

I grabbed a bag the other day and whipped up this tasty bowl of soup that would have served two, it I hadn't eaten it all!

Vegan Recipe: Easy Watercress & Potato Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/4 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp vegan margarine
500 ml vegetable stock
4-5 small potatoes chopped (with or without skins is up to you I generally go with skins)
100 g watercress
2 tbsp almond milk

Instructions

1. Saute onion and garlic in margarine on low/medium heat until onions are soft.
2. Add coarsely chopped potatoes and stock to pan, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover for about 10 minutes or until the the potatoes fall off the fork when you give them a poke.
3. When the potatoes are soft, add the watercress to the pan and stir until the leaves wilt into the spuds. 
4. Add the almond milk and stir for another minute or so.
5. Remove pan from heat and blend mixture into a soup using a hand blender or tabletop blender.
6. Once smooth, return to heat and stir for another minute or so before serving.
7. Grab some bowls and dig in.

Vegan Recipe: Avocado Yeasadilla with Scallion Salsa

Avocado Yeas-adillas & Scallion Salsa

¡Felicitaciones! Hoy es Cinco De Mayo! As a California girl, I don't really need any excuse to eat more Mexican food. I genuinely LOVE it. The spices, the vegetables, the chilies, the cilantro, rice, beans, tortillas and of course, avocados. This quick little rececta is a vegan take on the classic quesadillas that I grew up eating in Los Angeles and San Diego. Avocado gives it that gooey satisfaction while the nutritional yeast adds a slightly cheese flavour to the mix, and the simple scallion salsa refreshes the palette. I promise that you won't miss the grease and it will make a great addition to your vegan sandwich repertoire. Now who's got the margaritas?

Avocado Yeas-adillas

Makes 2

Ingredients

Avovado Yeas-adilla

1 avocado
1 scallion/spring onion
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp vegetable oil
tortillas (I used tortillas that are about 8 inches in diameter)

Scallion Salsa

1 chopped tomato
1 scallion/spring onion chopped
1 tbsp dried cilantro/coriander

Instructions

1. Place the avocado, scallion, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, nutritional yeast and lemon juice in a blender/food processor and blend until smooth. Place to one side.
2. Mix chopped tomato, scallion/spring onion and cilantro/coriander together in a bowl and leave to one side.
3. On a medium heat, heat 1 tbsp oil in large flat frying pan, big enough to fit your tortillas. When the oil is hot add a tortilla to the pan and move it around to make sure that all parts have a thin layer of oil, then flip and do the same thing on the other side. Reduce heat to low. Add about half your avocado spread to one side of the tortilla and spread evenly. Then fold the blank half of the tortilla onto the part with the spread. Flip and cook until both sides are golden brown. Repeat or second tortilla.
4. To serve, cut yeas-adilla in half and plate up on a bed of salsa with a few scallions on top. Perfecto!

15 Light & Luscious Latin Inspired Recipes for Cinco De Mayo

Jackfruit Ceviche Tacos

Cinco de Mayo might be my favorite excuse for drinking too many margaritas and eating my weight in chips and dip. But you don't have to run out to Chipotle to get your grub on. Mexcian food is incredibly versatile and with healthy ingredients like avocados, chilies, cilantro and fresh vegetables, it can be an easy way to veggie load your day. These Latin inspired recipes vegan and vegetarian recipes from around the web show how just a few signature elements and flavors can get your kitchen muy caliente in no time.

Starters

Margarita Soaked Watermelon by Divas Can Cook
Peach Guacamole at Sweet Potato Soul
Smoked Paprika Corn Cobs by Food Heaven Made Easy
Tomatillo Corn Soup on Marcus Samuelsson.com
Strawberry Salsa at Yoli's Green Living by Yoli Ouiya
Vegan Queso Cheese by Vegan Cooking with Love
Stuffed Jalapenos with Grits by Marcus Samuelsson

Mains

Black Bean Soup on Michelle Johnson's  Vegan Cooking with Love
Jackfruit Ceviche Tacos at Roots N' Greens
Quinoa Burrito by Deborah Davis on Urban Naturale
Roasted Mushroom Pepper Tacos by Cheryl Lee at Black Girl Chef's White
Black Bean Burrito Bake on Cuisine Noir

Jackfruit Chipotle Arepas by Ayinde Howell at I Eat Grass

Drinks

Strawberry Margarita Punch at Divas Can Cook
Aloe Lime Detox by Lauren Von Der Pool

Vegan Recipe: Sweet Bean Pie with Coconut Whip Cream

Vegan Sweet Bean Pie with Coconut Whip Cream

This recipe for Vegan Sweet Bean Pie is inspired by the traditional Bean Pie that has been a staple for followers of the Nation of Islam for generations. It is also part of my personal mission to make friends with silken tofu. BUT, as I found out after I cooked it, this is not actually something that could be eaten by anyone in the Nation of Islam because tofu is made from soy, which is actually a forbidden food for that religion! Clever me.

So I went back and forth in my mind about whether or to post this or not, and in the end I thought it was tasty enough to stand alone outside of it's original religious context. It's got seasonings that are similar to the pumpkin or sweet potato pie and pairs surprisingly well with the coconut whipped cream and coconut water instead of milk. And though beans might seem like a strange thing to make a pie out of, there is plenty of precedent for making sweet treats from beans in East Asian cuisines, specifically the candies from sweet bean paste seen in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cooking. So lets just think of this as an opportunity to expand our beany repertoire.

BEFORE YOU START: If you want to make the coconut whipped cream you will need to place a can of coconut milk in the fridge for a few hours so that it will separate.

Bite Sized Sweet Bean Pie

Vegan Recipe: Sweet Bean Pie

Makes one pie large pie

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked navy beans or cannelloni beans
1 vegan pie shell
120 ml of blended sliken tofu
1 cup coconut water (this will come from the bottom of the separated coconut milk that you use for the whipped cream)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp clove

1 cup thick coconut cream separated from the top of a cold can of coconut milk
2-3 tbsp of powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F/220c/Gas Mark 7 for 15 minutes.
2. Open your can of coconut milk. Carefully scoop the cream from the top of the can in to a large bowl and let stand. It should separate into about 1 cup of coconut water and 1 cup of coconut cream.
3. Blend the coconut water, should be about a cup, and silken tofu in a bowl until smooth.
4. Add spices and beans, and blend until this is smooth.
5. Pour batter into the pie shell and bake in the oven at 425f/220c/Gas Mark 7 for 15mins.
6. Now is a good time to start on the whipped cream.
1. Grab your bowl of cream, which should now be room temperature and add the powdered sugar and cinnamon.
2. Get a whisk or electric beater and whip until it looks like whipped cream.
3. Let stand until ready for use.
7. Reduce the heat to 350f/180c/Gas Mark 4 and bake for another 35 minutes. 
8. Serve warm with coconut whipped cream on top.

Sweet Bean Pie

This post is shared at Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop

Vegan Soul Chef Bryant Terry talks the new Afro-Vegan cookbook

Photo: Paige Green

Chef, author, educator, and 'food activist' Bryant Terry's delectable follow up to groundbreaking cookbooks Vegan Soul Kitchen and The Inspired Vegan, launches next week. With an emphasis on bold flavors and fresh ingredients, Afro-Vegan, brings tastes from every corner of the Pan-African pan. From Atlanta to Jamaica, Senegal to South Carolina, he's left no yam unturned. We caught up with man himself to chat books, food and tunes. 

Bestselling cook book, Vegan Soul Kitchen, is full of influences from southern and creole cuisine. And Inspired Vegan has lots of family focused stories and feasts. For your latest book, 'Afro Vegan', you've pulled inspiration from throughout Africa, the Americans and the Caribbean. Where have you found the richest flavors?

In the book I illuminate many of the similar food traditions seen throughout the African Diaspora, for example my Coconut Rice Pudding with Nectarines is a nod to dishes of rice cooked in milk on the African continent, in South America, and the American South (i.e., gossi from Senegal, arroz de viuva of northeastern Brazil, and the rice pudding that my maternal grandmother used to make). Afro-Vegan is a celebration of the rich flavors in many of the places that our African Ancestors touched throughout the globe.

So is plant based cuisine something that is new to these communities?

These are the communities that originated “farm-fresh” and “plant-centered” cooking. While animal products are eaten throughout the African diaspora, there are clear patterns of diverse diets centered around nutrient-dense leafy green vegetables, tubers, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts. I’m simply trying to help everyone remember.

Courtesy of Ten Speed Press

You've been campaigning for food justice for more than 10 years now with community gardening projects, educational programs like Nourish Life and on this year's 'Afro Vegan World Tour.' How have the challenges changed since you began this work?

I first started working around health, food, and farming issues around 2002, and things have dramatically shifted since then. Before I started writing books, I founded an initiative in New York City called b-healthy; it used cooking as a way to politicize young people from the lower economic strata of the five boroughs around food issues. It was such a struggle back then to convince funders of the importance of this work. 

Nowadays, everyone is talking about food issues - from the grassroots to the White House. It is also so exciting to see so many people open to moving meat to the margins of their plates and consuming more fresh, whole, seasonal, and local plant-based foods. 

What role does a plant based diet have to play in tackling these issues?

One of the most important lessons that I try to impart is that we need to listen to our bodies. There is no one size fits all diet or panacea; when contemplating the best diet, I encourage people to consider a number of factors: age, bodily constitution, health status, ancestral foods, season (eating seasonally is so important), and the like. That being said, more mainstream medical institutions have been acknowledging that the over consumption of animal protein puts people at increased risk of preventable, diet-related illnesses such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. So I see plant-centered diets as another tool for addressing the public health crisis among the communities most impacted by preventable, diet-related illnesses.

After the food of course, the playlists peppered throughout are one of my favorite ingredients in your books - nothing like a little Al Green with your collard greens - do you feel that music and food are particularly connected?

I want my books to facilitate multi-sensory experiences. I have always understood the power of food as a means of building deep connections among people. So I encourage people to not only eat together, but also to make meals together - all while listening to good music, drinking, and talking to each other. 

Finally, is this a book that you'll be able to enjoy even if you don't have an organic veg patch in your back yard?

I emphasize fresh, local, ingredients in all my cooking, and I encourage people to support small farms by shopping at farmers’ markets and joining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). And if people have the space, I encourage them to grow their own food. I actually invited my colleague Michael W. Twitty to provide tips in a section called “Think Like You Grow.” But I understand the barriers that many people have to growing food and getting locally grown food in many communities. So I try to craft most of my recipes to work for folks who might only have a conventional supermarket as their only option. I also encourage people to use my recipes as a guide and modify them to suit their needs. So if a recipe calls for collard greens and one is growing swiss chard in their garden, it only makes sense to use that leafy green instead.

Bryant Terry's 'Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean and Southern Flavors Remixed' (Ten Speed Press) hits the shelves on 8 April.

Mos Def and Talib Kweli's Black Star bring the noise to London

Source: echolot

Laaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwd, lawdamercy! Talib Kweli and, vegetarian bad *ss Yasiin Bey's, Black Star is coming to London this weekend and I can hardly contain myself. I've had classic tunes like 'Definition' and 'Brown Skin Lady' on rotation for the original Black Star album dropped back in 1998. Musically both have done amazing things a solo artists, but in Bey's journey through Islam, Hollywood, Broadway and political debate he's always kept it real. He's used his voice to push for more awareness on injustice in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, racism in the American criminal justice system and forced feeding in Guantanamo Bay.

This level of activism is not unusual for hip hop's vegans and vegetarians - consciousness and plant based diets seem to go hand in hand. The Roots, Stic.Man of Deadprez, Russell Simmons, Saul Williams, KRS-One, Q-Tip, Andre 3000, RZA, GZA, and Masta Killa, all get down with beats and beets, as well as bringing righteousness to their lyrics and their communities.

Aside from being in the presence of such a right on MC, I am of course looking forward to the music.  So, for your listening pleasure, here's a little soundcloud playlist featuring some of the newer tracks, remixes and collabs from Yasiin Bey, aka Mos Def.