Chaaaaaarge! Meet the first members of the Hot Vegan Army

http://olivia-wilde-pictures.blogspot.com/2009/05/olivia-wilde-pics-part-2.html

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I thought it only fitting that the first 2 members of the Hot Vegan Army here on Worldly Vegetarian should be the winners of PETA's yearly "Sexiest Vegetarian Alive" contest. And this year's winners would certainly make anyone want to swear off hamburgers for life :-)

Congratulations to House's Olivia Wilde and The Biggest Loser's Bob Harper!

Olivia Wilde: You may know this sweeping beauty from tv's House, in which she plays an opinionated (and of course gorgeous) doctor with Huntington's disease. And God bless her, this knockout is a no-joke vegan, and really vocal about it. Just check out her personal website, Wilde Things. Here, she shares vegan recipes and anecdotes, as well as book recommendations and reviews. To boot, Ms. Wilde is also an activist for humans. She belongs to the ACLU, she's a board member in Artists for Peace and Justice, and she promotes several smaller human rights efforts on other pages of her website. I also remember seeing an interview with her online once, in which she said that she wished she could go back and tell her childhood self to be more confident. It was not that there were lots of things she wasn't good at, but just things she hadn't learned yet. I think we could all stand to have that attitude, and not treat ourselves so harshly sometimes. So don't hate her because she's beautiful. Love her because she is caring and makes some darn good points.

Bob Harper: You know, I've been watching the Biggest Loser for years, and not until this whole Sexiest Vegetarian alive thing did I even know Bob was a vegan. And, judging by what I have seen on Biggest Loser, and by what you can see above, vegans sure are healthy, haha. No flies on this guy for sure. He's got energy to spare. I even have some of the Biggest Loser workout videos, and this guy puts you through your paces. Additionally, as far as reality tv goes, I'd much rather see people making positive decisions that take them to a happier, healthier place in their lives, than to watch a whole bunch of immature "pretty people" backstab and gossip about each other all day.

In addition to his work with homo sapiens, Bob is of course an animal lover. He is an advocate against puppy mills, and owns an adopted dog named Karl. Bob is also the national spokesperson for this year's fundraising walk for Farm Sanctuary, a wonderful organization that I am just starting to learn about. According to wikipedia.org:

Farm Sanctuary is an American animal protection organization, founded in 1986 as an advocate for farm animals. It promotes laws and policies that support animal welfare, animal protection, and vegetarianism/veganism by rescue, education and advocacy. Farm Sanctuary houses over 800 cows, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigs, sheep, rabbits, and goats at a 175-acre (0.71 km²⁾ animal sanctuary in Watkins Glenn, New York. They house over 400 farm animals at a 300-acre (1.2 km²) sanctuary in Orland, California which, unlike the New York shelter, also houses burros.

So Bob, I salute you for the inspiration you give to people, and the example you provide for the ethical treatment of animals. Cheers Mr. Harper.

And cheers to the first members of our Hot Vegan Army! And there will be many more to come :-)

The Hot Vegan Army: suit up.

Whenever I find out that a celebrity or other interesting public figure is a vegetarian or vegan, I get a total thrill out of it. I don't know why, but it sort of makes me feel more justified in my life choices. I start to sense a kind of kinship with this person who has made the same decision that I made about 13 years ago, to start considering just where my food comes from, and to be conscientious with the products I buy. I have actually started to add these people to a mental list I like to refer to as the "Hot Vegan Army." And the more of us there are in the ranks, the stronger impact we have on the variety of vegetarian and vegan foods on the market.

I know that globally, we of the plant-based diets may still be in the minority. However, I also know that there are much tastier and more user-friendly animal-free foods on my supermarket shelves than there used to be when I first started cutting animal products out of my diet. So really guys, we're putting our money where our mouth is, and it's having an impact.

So to help keep us motivated on the days when we feel our commitment faltering, I present to you the Hot Vegan Army. I will periodically post about a notable vegan or vegetarian figure, and add them to the special Hot Vegan Army page tabbed at the top of the blog homepage. All suggestions are welcome if you see that I have left someone out. Everyone can use someone to look up to right?

It's not ugly, it's my breakfast!

Have any of you ever tried an ugly fruit?

You may ask, "what on earth is an ugly fruit?" - but such is my point. As sad as it is to admit, PR matters a lot in the food world. I mean, if someone offers you a bite of food and says, "Here, try this. It's disgusting!" you're not exactly encouraged. Kombucha beverages seem to be selling pretty well these days, but I'm pretty sure it's because people are not saying "Try this fermented drink made from slimy mold!" but rather emphasizing the health benefits.

And yes, while the above misshapen blob does kind of look like a lumpy, semi-discolored orange, it is surprisingly refreshing. The Uglyfruit just needs a new publicist, that's all.

According to wikipedia, this homely but healthy fruit is a hybrid of grapefruit, tangerine, and orange, and it hails primarily from Jamaica. It tends to be sweeter than a grapefruit, and with fewer seeds. I myself found it to be very tasty. It was chock full of vitamin C-soaked sweetness. I think it would make a energizing change from a dull breakfast routine, especially as the weather heats up.

So God bless the company calling this fragrant side-show act of the citrus world "Unique" rather than "ugly" (Uniq fruit is one of the 2 big trade names for this hybrid). Maybe it will remind people in a subtle way that, just because you're not used to it, it doesn't mean that wonderful things don't come in imperfect-looking packages.

Any other ugli/uglyfruit fans out there? Please share your experience here.

Cheers all!

"Dear God Feed Me" Vegan Nachos

You know, when I have a she-beast sized appetite, but I'm short on ambition, I reach for vegan nachos. You can pretty much have this plate of food in your hands in about 5 minutes, with almost no work, and it is very satisfying. It's also pretty easy to keep the ingredients on hand.

All you need is:

• Tortilla chips (Santitas brand was used above; They're vegan too, with only corn, salt, and oil listed in the ingredients)

• Daiya brand vegan shredded "cheese," (see image below)

I have had this specific brand of vegan cheese recommended to me by 3 (count-em #3!) separate vegans within a short span of time, and none of them knew each other. They were totally right. This stuff is really good. I even fed it to my omnivore father, who confirmed that you really couldn't tell it wasn't real cheese. I'd say you could probably tell if you ate it cold, but warm you hardly notice. And it's tasty food with a conscience.

The cheese comes in cheddar and mozzarella styles (shredded only, no blocks that I know of), and I bought mine at my local Whole Foods. Maybe cheddar style is better for nachos, but honestly, when you're hungry, eat whichever one you have on hand and use them interchangeably. And this "cheeze" really does melt and stretch as it proclaims. It lacks a little in the salt department (in terms of imitating the flavor of real cheese), but the tortilla chips used in this recipe will help to compensate for that. If you are really interested in daiya "cheeze" look them up on their website, daiyafoods.com. Extra credit if you make their recipe here for vegan macaroni and cheese. I have not tried that recipe yet, but I am starving and could easily eat that right now...

Anyway...

Instructions:

Lay out however many tortilla chips your heart desires on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Sprinkle the daiya cheese generously over the surface of the chips. Try not to get too much of the cheese on the pan. Broil the nachos carefully between 400 and 500 degrees in your oven until the cheese starts to bubble, and the chips get some toasty brown color. This will take a few minutes, but just watch to make sure the chips don't burn.

You're done, the end. Scoop these carefully onto a plate, and serve with guacamole, salsa, refried beans, etc. Relax. Repeat.

Of COURSE you can add other ingredients to your nachos (peppers, faux taco meat, etc), but this version is a quick and dirty "OMG I am starving I might destroy Tokyo" sort of recipe.

This instructions may seem simple, but I promise this recipe will help to save you from the hunger monster...

Good luck and Godspeed. Tokyo is saved.

Super Satisfying Basil Vinaigrette

Summer is definitely the ideal time to bite into a nice crisp, cool, salad.

And on those hot, humid summer days, you may not want the heaviness of a cream-based dressing weighing you down. As a wonderful alternative, this light (and vegan!!) vinaigrette will give you a lot of flavor punch for your dining dollar. This dressing is totally refreshing, and will really dress up a simple salad with distinctive flair. This is especially true if you can snag some fresh basil from the garden to make it...

The original recipe is from Cook's Illustrated magazine, and has been reprinted here. I have made a sort of "quartered" version of the recipe below, since I don't always like to have the same dressing every night, and the original version of this dressing makes a lot; My version makes 2-4 servings, depending on the size of the salad. However, if you do not have a really tiny food processor like I do, you might have to double or quadruple the quantities to use your blender or regular-sized food processor effectively:

1 cups olive oil (or canola or other healthy oil)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (divided into two 1/4 cup amounts)
1/4 of a peeled shallot
1 really tiny clove of garlic peeled (or a quarter of a really large clove)
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (or other vinegar of your choice; apple cider vinegar should work fine)
1 Tbsp water
1/8 tsp salt
A few grinds of pepper
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard

In a small to medium saucepan, heat a few tablespoons of oil with 1/4 cup of the basil over medium heat. After a few minutes, the basil will turn an inviting bright green, and small bubbles will appear in the oil. At this point, remove your pan from the heat, and allow the mixture to steep for 5 minutes. This will allow the basil to infuse the oil with flavor.

While you wait, process your shallot, garlic, vinegar, water, salt, pepper, and mustard in your food processor (or blender) until the garlic and shallot are finely chopped.

Add your steeped basil oil and process again. Next, add more of your plain olive or canola oil and continue to process until dressing is smooth and emulsified. (You don't have to use all of the remaining oil if you don't want to. You'll just get a more intense flavor if you add less oil). You may or may not be able to keep your food processor or blender running as you do the above step. I had to turn mine off and add a little oil at a time. But it still worked fine for me.

Pack the remaining 1/4 cup of basil into your processor and pulse until dressing is as smooth as you like it.

This dressing will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, depending on how many people intensely love basil in your house (like I do).

Note**: If you have difficulty in digesting raw onions, shallots, or garlic, you can soften the sharp flavors of these items by cooking them briefly before adding them to the recipe. Just chop your shallot (and/or garlic), and put it in a saucepan with a little oil. Cook over low heat until the shallot becomes somewhat translucent. Just a few minutes should be all you need. You may even be able to get away with adding more shallot to your recipe if you cook it in this way before adding in.

Hope you enjoy your ride to flavor country folks. Happy Father's Day!!!

Ridiculously Tasty Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

So, I know it may not look like much, but this really is a super delicious strawberry rhubarb pie. I got the original recipe here, but changed it just slightly. I added half a cup more strawberries than called for (making about 4 cups) and half a cup less rhubarb than listed (about 3 cups). I also used about 3/4 cups brown sugar (the granulated kind, not the packed kind), and 1/4 cup regular white sugar, instead of using 1/2 cup each. Fruit pie recipes are more like guidelines than rules anyway...

To see some pictures of our rhubarb plant, and the process of harvesting rhubarb, keep reading. My slightly altered version of the recipe is also listed below. Bon appétit!

Super Tasty Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe

For crust

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces; I used Crisco, but if you prefer to eat organic, you could always try

Spectrum Naturals vegetable shortening

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces; You may be able to use Earth Balance here to make this vegan, or you could probably substitute another vegan pie crust recipe here; Keep in mind though that the recipe below makes a 9" pie, and the fruit below is proportioned to fit a 9" pie; And the cook times reflect a 9" pie also

• 10 tablespoons (about) ice water

For filling

• 3 cups rhubarb, trimmed to about 1/2" lengths

• Just over 1 16-ounce container strawberries, hulled, halved (about 4 cups)

• 3/4 cup granulated brown sugar (please see note immediately below)

• 1/4 cup sugar ( I am sure if you put in 1 cup total of demerara sugar - or another sugar of your choice - that it would not adversely affect the recipe, as long as you use no more than 1 cup total sugar in the filling

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 large egg yolk beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze); I am sure you could find a vegan substitute for this also

Method:

Make crust.

Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor. Pulsing the food processor on and off, cut in shortening and butter. Do not overmix. Mixture will resemble wet sand when ready. Next, blend in the ice water 2 Tablespoons at a time, until the dough starts to hold together in clumps. You may not need to use all of the water for this to happen. Gather dough into ball and cut in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap separately in plastic, and chill about 1 hour. The dough can be made 1 day ahead, but just keep it chilled until you are ready to use it. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.)

Make filling:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine first 7 filling ingredients in large bowl, and toss gently to blend.

Flour your work surface, and roll out 1 dough disk to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim excess dough, leaving 3/4-inch overhang.

Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Cut into fourteen 1/2-inch-wide strips. Spoon filling into crust. Arrange 7 dough strips atop filling, spacing evenly. Form lattice by placing remaining dough strips in opposite direction atop filling. Trim ends of dough strips even with overhang of bottom crust. Fold strip ends and overhang under, pressing to seal. Crimp edges decoratively if you like.

When finished, brush your egg glaze over the crust. Transfer pie to baking sheet (Very important! The baking sheet will catch drips before they become a burnt mess on your oven floor!). Bake at

400°F for

20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie until crust is golden and filling has thickened, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Transfer pie to a rack to cool for 30-60 minutes.

Enjoy the deliciousness. :-)

The above is the green rhubarb I used when I made this pie. Note that not all species of rhubarb get completely ruby red why ready to harvest.

When you harvest rhubarb, you are supposed to grasp the stalk as close to the ground as you can, and twist the rhubarb away from the rest of the plant. It is not good to cut or break the rhubarb stalks to pick them, as it can make the rest of the plant susceptible to rot or pests. You should also shake all of the rhubarb that you harvest before bringing it in the house, just in case any little critters decide to come along for the ride...

If all goes well, you will end up with a stalk of rhubarb that looks like this at the end; You'll want to use this rhubarb rather quickly if you can, to ensure the most possible freshness. But if you can't make your pie right away, you can wrap your bunch of rhubarb in paper towels, and store in the fridge for a few days.

This giant prehistoric-looking leaf is a rhubarb leaf. Rhubarb leaves should be trimmed off before you use your rhubarb. They are not to be eaten. I trim them off and leave them in the compost pile and don't even bring them in the house for safety's sake. Rhubarb leaves contain a substance called "oxalic acid," which is definitely not good for you, and I am sure not good for your pets or inquisitive children. In fact oxalic acid is poisonous. So please take care in preparing your rhubarb. The stalks of the rhubarb plant are more than safe to eat. Just avoid the leaves.

Well, I hope that you have enjoyed my pictures, and that you have a wonderful and tasty June! If you make this pie, please tell us about it and comment here. Thanks guys!

Garden herb and turmeric basmati rice (baked)

This may be my first post referencing How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman, but I ASSURE you it will not be the last. I loooooooooove this book. I would recommend it to anyone, vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores alike. But I'll write more about this amazing book at another time. Down to business!

The recipe below has been adapted from Mark's (we're on first-name's terms you see) Simpler Baked Rice with Herbs recipe (page 515 for you lucky book owners!):

• 1 Tbsp grapeseed or other neutral oil; The original recipe notes that you could use 2 Tbsp butter instead, but I used grapeseed oil to keep this vegan; I suspect you could use Earth Balance to keep it vegan but still add more of a "butteriness" to the rice

• 1 cup basmati rice (or another long-grain rice); I used basmati here and it was awesome :-)
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (onion or shallot would work too)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (cilantro would also work really well)
• 2 Tbsp dried parsley (I didn't actually grow any of the fresh stuff this year, and this works just as well)

• 1/2 to 1 tsp turmeric powder (You can find this pretty cheaply at the Indian grocery store, or less cheaply at your regular grocery store; It adds really awesome color, and it's an antioxidant; I don't think it has an easily distinguishable flavor, so go with the amount that gives you your preferred shade of yellow)

• 1 tsp ground coriander seed (I'd also recommend picking this up at the local Indian grocery)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups water

An ovenproof pot/pan with a lid (I used a dutch oven for this)

Method:

1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Put your oil into your ovenproof pot/pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, coriander, turmeric, parsley, and approximately half of your chopped dill/cilantro to the pot, and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add your rice and salt and pepper to taste, and cook for another minute or so.

2) Now add the water to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat on the stove, make sure the lid is on your pot, and place the pot carefully in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.

3) Carefully remove the pot from the oven and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 more minutes.

4) Stir in the remainder of your chopped dill or cilantro, and serve immediately.

Serving suggestions: This rice would be great as part of an Indian meal. In fact, I ate mine with my leftovers from an Indian restaurant (i.e. my favorite mutter paneer). Often enough, I run out of rice before I finish the rest of my meal, so this recipe would be helpful to supplement the leftover goodies the next day. This rice is also not super overwhelming in flavor, so it could go well as a side to virtually any meal, such as a vegetarian chicken cutlet and some veggies.

As a side note, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian tends to give you a lot of interesting info about your food, beyond just the recipes. Mark Bittman writes that basmati rice is one of the world's most expensive rices. He notes that the premium grade is aged for at least a year, which would somewhat account for the price difference. But, though basmati may be pricier than some of the other types of rice you could buy, it is generally worth the extra financial output. In recipes like the above, in which the rice itself is basically the primary flavor, you really will get more bang for your buck with basmati. And if you decide you really love basmati rice, and you want to buy in bulk, I again highly recommend the Indian grocery store.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the recipe! Let me know how it comes out! Or if you have any questions, or ideas about variations, please post them here. Thanks everyone!