Ayurvedic-Spiced Pumpkin Granola

So let’s discuss the fact that I haven’t written a new post in a week—as in seven days without offering you, dear readers, a new recipe, restaurant review, COK internship update, or philosophical musing on the ethics of eating animals. Let’s discuss the fact that between my daily 9:00-4:00 stint as a tireless non-profit worker and my almost nightly moonlighting as a yogi, my role as a blogger has unfortunately experienced a bit of neglect. Let’s discuss the fact that, far from complaining about this busyness, I’m perpetually reveling in my fortune of spending the summer spreading the message of universal compassion, practicing yoga at an activist-driven studio, sampling the best vegan cuisine DC has to offer, and experimenting with farmers’ market produce in the kitchen…but not really so much blogging.

This will change.

Employing my magical blogging powers (or a humble process known as “Writing Your Posts in Advance Over the Weekend When You Actually Have Spare Time”), I fully intend to restore Farmers Market Vegan back to its’ usual thrice-weekly posting status during my DC summer. The upcoming posts that you can expect to grace your computer screen include a review of the community gathering place/bookstore/art gallery/poetry slam venue/super vegan-friendly restaurant Busboys and Poets, a glimpse into DC’s farmers’ market scene, a recounting of the revelation I experienced from reading “Vegan for Life,” and my newly formed meaning of “Farmers Market Vegan.”

Today, however, I’d like to introduce you to the third batch of granola I’ve concocted whilst in DC—one whose complexity and uniqueness earns a well-deserved spot alongside my other unorthodox cereal recipes, such as my Berry Lemongrass Granola with Coconut and Cashews, Chocolate Kale Granola, and Sweet Corn Thyme Granola. Discovering an absence of crunchy clustery smoothie toppings from my refrigerator this morning, I hopped on over to the pantry to find a can of pumpkin puree and a bag of dried apricots, for both of which I yet had no future plans. Recalling my beloved “Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen” cookbook that I sadly left in storage over the summer, I decided to combine these two ingredients with an amalgamation of warming spices to create a grounding granola that would balance out the hectic feelings of the past week.

According to ayurveda, since I harbor a pitta dosha (aka body type), I can easily become controlling, judgmental, impatient, and argumentative if overstimulated, as I have been since commencing my whirlwind of a summer in DC. In order to rekindle balance within my emotional and physical self, I should consume sweet, bitter, and astringent foods, all of which I implemented in this golden granola. For example, apricots, pumpkin, oats, buckwheat, cardamom, cinnamon, and walnuts all fall under the sweet category; walnuts and turmeric offer astringency; and cinnamon and turmeric provide bitterness. In addition, ayurveda highly recommends that to maintain balance, pitta types should regularly consume all of the spices that I’ve included in this granola. Basically, if I don’t feel the frenziedness fleeing from my body after eating a spoonful of this granola, I’ll immediately lose hope of all notions of ayurvedic healing…except how could I when they inspired such a nourishing, comforting, and vibrantly hued breakfast treat? A cluster of this granola reminds me of an Indian-spiced pumpkin pie. Man, Ayurveda is scrumptious.

Ayruvedic-Spiced Pumpkin Granola—Soy Free, Oil Free, Low Sodium.

Makes about 6 cups.

Ingredients:

10 dried apricots, chopped
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade, can also used sweet potato or squash puree)
1 tbsp almond butter
Juice of 1/2 an orange
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground fennel seeds
1/8 tsp turmeric
4-6 tbsp water or plant-based milk
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup raw buckwheat groats
2/3 cup flaxseed meal
1/3 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup raw almonds, chopped
1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 315°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the chopped dried apricots in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with water and microwave for 1 minute. Let sit for at least 5 minutes until soft.

In a food processor or blender, combine the soaked apricots, pumpkin puree, almond butter, orange juice, and spices. Process until well-combined, adding the water or milk as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, buckwheat, flaxseed meal, hemp seeds, almonds, and walnuts. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until well-coated.

Divide the mixture in half and spread each half out over your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes, stir the granola and rotate the pans in the oven, and bake for another 15 minutes until golden-brown and crunchy.

Recipe submitted to Healthy Vegan Fridays, Wellness Weekend, Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays, and Allergy-Free Wednesdays.

Until next time, Ali.

First Days Interning with Compassion Over Killing and a Tofu-Kale Benedict on Homemade Muffins

As I mentioned in my last post, last Saturday I trekked from my beloved Vassar home in New York to my summer residence in Washington D.C. Just north of the nation’s capital, Takoma Park, MD houses the headquarters of the phenomenal animal advocacy and vegan outreach non-profit known as Compassion Over Killing, for whom I’m proud to intern until mid-August.

In 1995, current vice president of the Humane Society Paul Shapiro founded COK as an all-volunteer high school club and served as its campaigns director until 2005, when my current boss and tireless animal activist Erica Meier took over the organization. Though COK has always functioned with a small staff and limited budget, it has and continues to tremendously impact the lives of farmed animals and spread the message of compassion for all beings, both human and non. In fact, COK has carved out a public reputation comparable to much larger animal advocacy organizations like PETA and Mercy for Animals. To name a handful of COK’s impressive campaigns, the organization has exposed numerous factory farms of egregiously cruel practices with undercover investigations, aired national pro-vegan commercials on MTV, worked with Morningstar Farms and Boca Foods to drastically reduce or completely eliminate (respectively) eggs from their products, and filed a successful lawsuit to end the egg industry’s continued use of the deceptive “Animal Care Certified” logo on egg cartons. Currently, COK works with Subway to provide more substantial vegan options than simply veggie subs with guacamole, hosts the U.S. Veg Week in April and the D.C. Veg Fest in September, continues their undercover investigations, and enacts strong legal pressure on the egg industry to stop misleading labeling practices. I could not harbor more pride toward working for a noble organization, uncorrupted and uncompromised in its core values thanks to its perpetually small size, and led by a strong-willed woman—one of the only female leaders in the American animal rights movement.

While I’ve only spent a mere week interning with COK, I’ve already contacted numerous locations of a national restaurant chain to inquire as to what vegan options they offer, handed out nearly 100 leaflets, staffed the first and wildly successful Rehoboth Beach Veg Fest, which took place just this weekend, and helped launch the Twitter campaign to promote national restaurant chain Tropical Smoothie’s recent addition of Beyond Meat chicken-free strips to its menu. Thanks to help from COK, Tropical Smoothie now offers the option of substituting with no extra cost the acclaimed Beyond Meat for the animal-based chicken normally used in its salads, sandwiches, wraps, and flatbreads. If you live near a Tropical Smoothie location, from now until June 30 you can help raise money for my darling organization by snapping a photo of your Beyond-Meat-ified Tropical Smoothie meal, sharing the photo via Twitter or Instagram, and tagging both @TSmoothieCafe and @BeyondMeat in the post. If Tropical Smoothie and Beyond Meat receive 500+ posts before June 30, Beyond Meat will make a donation to COK. Yay for animal-free options in national chain restaurants!

Though my 9:00 am-4:00 pm internship doesn’t allot me much free time, especially if I decide to attend a yoga class at my newly adopted D.C. studio of Yoga District after work, I’ve still managed to spend a good healthy chunk of time in the kitchen. My most recent endeavor in the surprisingly well-equipped kitchen of my D.C. apartment featured a vegan take on the brunch classic of Benedicts. Looking for a means of creatively employing the muffins I adapted from the Buckwheat Batter Bread recipe in Gluten-Free and Vegan Bread, I stumbled upon Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s “Tofu Benny” while paging through the COK office’s copy of her cookbook Vegan Brunch, and decided that regular muffins would prove just as delicious as the English variety normally featured in Benedicts. After adapting both Isa’s recipe for marinated tofu and Kristy’s recipe for cashew hollandaise sauce, as well as adding a succulent sauté of kale and mushrooms into the mix, I created a truly delectable dish that would put any cruelty-based eggy Benedict to shame. Indeed, since COK devoted much of its attention toward combatting the egg industry, it seems perfectly fitting that my first recipe post since beginning my internship would feature a compassionate version of a dish normally based in the suffering of hens. Erica and the rest of the COK staff—this one’s for you.

Tofu-Kale Benedict—Nut Free, Low Sodium.

Serves 2-4.

Ingredients:

4 Buckwheat Muffins (recipe below)
1 batch Smoky Miso Tofu (recipe below)
1 batch Cashew Hollandaise (recipe below)
1 batch Kale-Mushroom Sauté (recipe below)
4 cherry tomatoes, halved or 4 slices of heirloom tomato

Carefully slice the muffins in half horizontally, taking care not to crumble the more delicate muffin top. Toast the muffin halves to your liking. Spoon a dollop of the Kale-Mushroom Sauté on top of the cut side of both of the muffin halves. Layer each half with a slice or two of tofu, a generous drizzle of Cashew Hollandaise, and either two cherry tomato halves or a slice of heirloom tomato. Serve.

Four-Grain Muffins

Makes 4 muffins.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup medium grind cornmeal
1/3 cup teff flour
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
2 tbsp + 2 tsp brown rice flour
1 tsp coconut nectar or maple syrup
2/3 cups water

In a large mixing bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until very well combined. Cover with a dish towel and let rest in a warm spot (about 70 degrees) for 10 to 12 hours, and up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease four tins on a muffin tray and dust with flour. Pour the rested batter evenly into the four tins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Smoky Miso Tofu

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

1 lb extra firm tofu, sliced into about 16 slabs
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp sweet white miso
2 tsp tamari
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp liquid smoke
2 tbsp olive oil, divided

Combine all the marinade ingredients, using only 1 tbsp of olive oil for the marinade, in a shallow dish. Lay the tofu in the dish, taking care that each slab of tofu comes is contact with as much contact with the marinade as possible. Marinade for at least an hour and up to overnight, flipping the tofu halfway through the marinating process.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tofu slices in the skillet and cook for about 5-7 minutes each side, until a golden-brown crust forms on the outside. Reserve the unused marinade (you will use it in the Kale-Mushroom Saute).

Cashew Hollandaise

Makes about 1 cup.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked at least 1 hour
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Water to blend

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender, adding as much water as needed to reach the desired consistency (I used about 6 tbsp of water).

Kale-Mushroom Sauté

Serves 1-4.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp coconut or olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 bunch kale, chopped
4 cremini mushrooms, sliced

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the cumin and paprika, then add the kale and mushrooms. Sauté for about 7-10 minutes, until the kale is wilted and tender.

Recipe submitted to Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Healthy Vegan Fridays and Wellness Weekend.

Until next time, Ali.

Brooklyn-Bound: Champs Family Diner & Dun-Well Doughnuts

As a congratulatory gift to myself for successfully completing my first year as a student at Vassar College, I planned one last pre-fall semester jaunt down to New York City—well, to Brooklyn, more exactly. Though a live show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg by my all-time favorite band Of Montreal provided the trip’s impetus, I undoubtedly managed to integrate a scrumptious sampling of Brooklyn’s finest vegan offerings into my 24-hour journey, shared with my fellow Ferry House member and native Brooklynite Gabe. After jumping wildly about to Of Montreal’s eclectic musical majesty, trekking southward to Gabe’s brownstone home, and promptly collapsing on his living room couch, Gabe and I awoke eager to explore Brooklyn’s vegan scene.

Gabe and I began our culinary expeditions at Champs Family Diner—a lively 50′s-style diner and bakery that boasts seitan Philly cheesesteaks and tofu-scramble-and-chili-topped French toast alongside green juices and raw kale salads (all vegan, of course!). Clearly, the eatery offers compassionate cuisine suited for all dietary preferences and moods (including gluten-free), and its constant flow of customers speaks to its skill in doing so. Not only does Champs serve its impeccably fresh and filling breakfast fare all day everyday, it also hosts a themed three-course prix-fixe dinner and movie screening every last Sunday of the month. For example, this January saw a Spanish-themed “Drive-In/Dine-In” that featured vegan churros with chocolate and ice cream, soy ham croquettes, and paella with soyrizo, chik’n, and prawns during a screening of Pan’s Labyrinth. How’s that for an unassuming neighborhood diner? With VegNews’ recommendation of Champs as one of Williamsburg’s nine hottest vegan-friendly eateries, Gabe and I determinedly paid a visit to the acclaimed restaurant.

Seated at the bar among classic metal-paneled walls, black-and-white checkerboard napkins, and soda fountain spigots, Gabe and I launched our hungry selves into an excited analysis of the Champs menu. Both of us opted to order from the all-day breakfast section, choosing the Awesome Bowl and the Belgian Waffle Breakfast (gluten-free, if you can believe it!), respectively.

Gabe’s Awesome Bowl featured a mildly spiced mix of quinoa, scrambled tofu, roasted potatoes, sautéed bell peppers, and leafy greens in a generously sized cereal bowl. After the woman behind the counter informed us that the Awesome Bowl comprised one of Champs’ most frequently ordered menu items, Gabe held high expectations of the dish, yet experienced no disappointment. Hearty, nutrient-packed, and boasting a medley of complementary flavors and textures (succulent peppers, chewy browned tofu, crusty potatoes, garlicky greens), the Awesome Bowl provided ideal brunch fare for my health-minded and large-appetited (just pretend this is a real adjective) buddy.

Awesome Bowl.

Beckoned to by the golden, baseball-sized baked goods showcased ‘neath a countertop glass display case, Gabe also partook in one of Champs’ Cornbread Muffins. Unfortunately, the muffins contained gluten, hindering me from sampling them, but Gabe assured me of their moist sweetness studded with flecks of fresh corn.

 

As for myself, after glimpsing the words “gluten-free Belgian waffles,” I required no further consideration of the Champs menu. As an avid proponent of savory waffles, I felt an immediate, passionate connection with Champs’ Belgian Waffle Breakfast—a fluffy gluten-free waffle served alongside a perfectly browned tofu scramble, two capacious triangles of spiced tempeh, and a pile of garlic-sautéed leafy greens. Garnished with a liberal drizzle of maple syrup, the dish nourished both my body and spirit, especially after an exhilarating yet exhausting night of ecstatic rollicking.

Belgian Waffle Breakfast

Bellies contentedly full of highest-quality vegan noms, Gabe and I set out yet again for a quick walk to Dun-well Doughnuts—the vegan doughnut shop widely touted to offer the best doughnuts this side of the Mississippi River, if not around the globe. The brainchild of college companions Christopher Hollowell and Dan Dunbar, Dun-well Doughnuts began with a craving of Christopher’s for the ideal vegan doughnut, unsatisfied by other animal-free fried-and-glazed dough in NYC. On a mission “to be the premiere vegan doughnut shop on planet Earth and reverently carry on the tradition of doughnut making in a manner that is both innovative and ethical,” Dan and Christopher now craft over 200 varieties of organic, artisanal, and compassionate doughnuts, baked fresh twice daily. In 2012, Dan and Christopher’s realized vision earned the title of New York City’s Best Doughnuts by the Daily News—not the best vegan doughnuts, mind you, but the best doughnuts period. Tell that to your naïve friends when they once again ask what on earth vegans eat.

Dun-well Doughnuts Interior

I had long intended to visit Dun-well Doughnuts, but unforeseen circumstances during my spring break in March hindered me from engaging in the vegan bucket list item of biting into one of the shop’s creations…until now. After building up such anticipation of the perfect doughnut experience, I required a couple calming deep breaths and a decisive “It’s time” from Gabe before entering the Dun-well storefront. Upon opening the shop’s door, a mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked sweet bread flooded over us, only adding to my blissful state.

Before I continue my fairytale of fried dough any further, I must acknowledge that yes, Dun-well Doughnuts do indeed contain gluten. While I maintain a gluten-free diet the vast majority of the time, I find that small amounts of gluten on very seldom occasions do not majorly agitate my digestion. However, continued consumption of glutinous substances does condemn my tummy to an unhappy state, so I will not partake in my next encounter with gluten for a good long while after this glorious doughnut experience.

Though on the day of our visit the Dun-well shop did not offer the mouthwatering flavors I had most looked forward to sampling (Rose with Dark Lavender, Caramel Popcorn, Peach Mango, Raspberry Pistachio, Green Tea, Lychee, Sweet Potato Pie, and Tangerine Basil, to name a few), the fresh doughnut case still boasted a wide array of tantalizing fried yumminess. Gabe and I opted to purchase a dozen mixed doughnuts of the following varieties (starting in the upper-left hand corner and snaking around to the bottom-left): Strawberry Cream (2), Peanut Butter & Jelly (2), Sugar Cookie (1), Cinnamon Sugar (2), Lemon (1), Blueberry (1), Jelly-Filled (1), and Toasted Coconut (3). For myself, I saved the Strawberry Creams, one Peanut Butter & Jelly, the lemon, and the blueberry, while Gabe shared the remaining doughnuts between himself and a couple of our Ferry housemates.

The Lemon and Blueberry doughnuts both boasted a flavored glaze over a pillowy, tender, magnificently delicate round of fried wonder—two truly impressive specimens. However, the Dun-well team showcased their doughnut-making prowess with the Strawberry Creams and Peanut Butter & Jellies. Denser and cakier than the other doughnut varieties and featuring a thick layer of silky strawberry frosting, the Strawberry Creams reminded me more of whoopie pies than of traditional doughnuts. But hey, I’m not picky about this disparity as long as the doughnuts taste good; and damn, they did. I must, though, crown the Peanut Butter & Jellies as the kings of the Dun-well Doughnut universe (at least, the section of the universe I had the pleasure of exploring on this particular visit). Glazed in an unctuous peanut butter frosting and filled with an oozy, generously sized blob of strawberry jelly, these doughnuts laughed in the face of the humble PB&J sandwich, seeing it and raising it a million in their game of delectable poker. So, uh, yeah, I liked them.

Not only do the Dun-well boys stuff their shop with top-notch doughnuts creations, they also cram it full of vegan literature and wall décor supporting various animal rights organizations. For example, their bookshelf boasts such books as James McWilliams’ “Just Food,” Woodstock Farm Sanctuary founder Jenny Brown’s “The Lucky Ones,” and the tome of vegan nutrition “Becoming Vegan,” while their wall features a hand-painted wooden plaque celebrating Mercy for Animals. Clearly, the Dun-well Doughnut team dedicates itself not only to crafting artisan, animal-free pastries, but also to spreading the message of compassionate living.

Even the Dun-well Doughnut tip jar partakes in animal advocacy.

Though I always find it difficult to say goodbye to New York City, it proved particularly painful to do so in this instance seeing as my summer will not feature any trips to the Big Apple, for as I scribe this blog post, I sit in my Washington D.C. apartment eager to begin my 12-week internship with Compassion Over Killing. You can certainly bet that the ol’ blog will feature plenty of narratives recounting my adventures of animal activism in the nation’s capital, but we’ll have to save that until I’ve spent more than a single day in the city.

Until next time, Ali.

Raw Granola Adventures and a Recipe for Sprouted Hemp & Green Superfood Granola

After unintentionally undergoing a three-month-long hiatus from my weekly granola-crafting ventures, I’m thrilled to say that—aided by my new best friend Mr. Ferry House Dehydrator—I’ve returned with a vengeance to the ever-rewarding realm of granola-making. Desperate to whip up some crunchy raw breakfast goodies in my ancient Excalibur, I turned to one of the best sources I know of for guidance in the ways of raw granola: Fragrant Vanilla Cake. Though deciding between Amy’s array of tantalizing cereal recipes proved quite difficult (how could I not have had trouble when presented with titles like Raw Carrot Cake Granola, Raw Strawberries and Cream Granola, and Raw Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Granola?), my enthusiasm for the always pleasing combination of bittersweet chocolate and tart berries drew me toward the Raw Chocolate Berry Love Granola.

Unfortunately, my impatient hankering to slip a batch of granola into the dehydrator prevented me from taking the time to sprout some buckwheat, and I thereby had to change up Amy’s original recipe a bit. My tweaks to the recipe include:

• Substituted gluten-free rolled oats for the sprouted buckwheat.
• Used sprouted almonds and sunflower seeds in placed of the soaked nuts for which the recipe calls.
• Used maple syrup as the sweetener and reduced the amount from 1/3 to 1/4 cup.
• Omitted the cacao nibs (I didn’t have any on hand).

Incomparably flaky, unbelievably clustery, and beautifully aromatic, the results of my first endeavor with dehydrated granola rendered me wholly unwilling to return to oven-baked granola anytime soon.

Indeed, my immediate conversion to dehydrated granola inspired me to sprout a batch of buckwheat and experiment with my own recipe. Perhaps you recall the mention of my current favorite packaged granola—the Hemp and Greens Superfood Cereal from Living Intentions—during my recent journey to Austin. Since the Vassar area boasts no Whole Foods locations (the closest market is in Connecticut, for goodness’ sake), out of my yearning to once again enjoy this particular granola I decided to create my own homemade version of it. A gander at the Living Intentions ingredient list aided me in formulating my interpretation of the cereal: the buckwheat sprouts, coconut, banana, and vanilla extract remained, while I substituted date sugar for the coconut sugar; chopped dried figs for the sultanas; hemp, chia, and flax seeds for the sunflower sprouts, rice bran, and sesame seeds; and Amazing Grass Green Superfoods powder for the green protein superfoods blend. While 2 1/2 cups of the packaged version of the Hemp and Greens Superfood Cereal costs a pretty $8.59 ($1.70 per 1/2 cup), 4 cups of my homemade iteration costs approximately a mere $5.59 ($0.70 per 1/2 cup—a whole dollar less!). Saving money, invoking a sense of accomplishment, and enjoying delicious granola? What a win-win-win situation.

Sprouted Hemp & Greens Granola—Raw, Soy Free, Oil Free, Nut Free, Low Sodium, Low Fat.

Makes about 4 cups.

Ingredients:

1 cup buckwheat, soaked and sprouted
1 large ripe banana
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup dried fruit of choice, chopped (I used figs)
1/4 cup date or coconut sugar
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp hemp seeds
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 heaping tbsp green superfoods powder (I used Amazing Grass)
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, mash the banana. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Spread the mixture evenly over two dehydrator sheets and dehydrate at 115° for 8-12 hours, or until nice and crunchy.

Recipe submitted to Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Raw Food Thursdays, Foodtastic Fridays, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Wellness Weekend.

Rest assured that you, dear reader, will see plenty more dehydrated granola adventures in the blog’s future.

Until next time, Ali.

Brunch with the Vassar Animal Rights Coalition and a Recipe for Apple-Raisin Waffles

Within a week of arriving at Vassar last fall, I had discovered a thriving community of likeminded vegans and animal rights activists joining together to promote the message of compassionate living throughout campus. Individuals in this community soon became some of my nearest and dearest companions, upon whom I can now consistently depend to validate, question, contemplate, discuss, and commiserate about the myriad vegan/animal rights/social justice-related musings constantly running through my psyche. Formally, I and my fellow members of this community call ourselves the Vassar Animal Rights Coalition (VARC), and this year we have proven an inexhaustible force, both on and off campus. Below, I’ve compiled a list of our endeavors throughout the past few months.

• Continued our ongoing Meatless Monday campaign, in which nearly a quarter of the Vassar campus currently participates.
• Handed out a large amount of animal advocacy leaflets and literature at the Arlington Street Fair—an annual event that takes place just outside the Vassar campus.
• Hosted multiple special event vegan dinners in our campus dining hall, mostly surrounding the holidays (go Tofurkey and pumpkin pie!).
• Toured the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary (led by none other than sanctuary owner and author Jenny Brown) before enjoying lunch at Woodstock’s incredible vegan eatery known as Garden Cafe on the Green (check out my summary post of our visit to the sanctuary here).
• Attended the “Finding a Niche for All Animals” ecofeminist conference at Wesleyan University, where we had the immense honor of meeting such animal rights tour de forces such as Carol Adams, Sarah E. Brown, Lori Gruen, Lauren Ornelas, and Mark Hawthorne.
• Worked with Poughkeepsie community members to combat the deer cull enacted on the Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve, including organizing a public protest and communicating with Vassar administration to discuss alternative deer management measures.
• Hosted the first annual Students for Critical Animal Studies Conference.
• Attended the 2nd annual Ivy League Vegan Conference at Yale University and interacted with an impressive array of passionate young collegiate activists.
• Attended the New York City Vegetarian Food Festival.
• In conjunction with Vassar’s Health Office of Education, hosted a campus screening of the top-notch documentary Forks Over Knives, the impetus for my own mother’s veganism.
• Planned how to approach Vassar’s science departments to discuss the implementation of a warning on course descriptions for classes that engage in animal testing (this endeavor is still in the works!).
• Most recently, we launched the Veg Pledge as part of Vassar’s Earth Week events, hosted in part by Vassar Greens and Slow Food. Within the first four days of tabling for the event, we received over 120 signatures from students promising to adopt a meat-free diet for Earth Week.

Whew, I didn’t realize the extent of the above list before I actually scribed it! Next year, I and my dear friend Katie have the honor of leading VARC as the club’s co-presidents, and you can rest assured that we plan to greatly add to this already commendable list of vegan outreach, activism, and education.

Tofu scramblin’ for the VARC brunch.

Brunch–the prime venue for animal rights discussions.

Of course, we’ll also continue to host various informal VARC get-together, such as the vegan brunch we enjoyed last Sunday. That morning, I whipped out my handy dandy waffle iron to create a batch of fluffy Apple-Raisin Waffles (recipe below), and sauteed up a gorgeously unctuous tofu scramble with spiced peanut butter sauce based upon this recipe from Ashlae at Oh, Ladycakes. While savoring delicious morningtime goodies, I and my fellow VARC members discussed in depth our thoughts on the profound and hugely important article by author and psychologist Melanie Joy entitled “Speaking Truth to Power: Understanding the Dominant, Animal-Eating Narrative for Vegan Empowerment and Social Transformation.” I urge you all to take a good long gander at the article, published on One Green Planet, and to also read Dr. Joy’s truly consciousness-shifting book—Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows. Why not do so while dipping the following Apple-Raisin waffles in a good hearty dose of maple syrup?

Stack of tantalizing Apple-Raisin Waffles.

Apple-Raisin Waffles—Can be Soy & Nut Free, Low Sodium, Low Fat

Makes 5 Belgian-style waffles.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob’s Red Mill, but you could certainly craft your own; if gluten doesn’t upset you, you can substitute whole wheat flour and omit the flaxseed meal)
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cups plant-based milk of choice
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp maple syrup or agave
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup raisins

Preheat your waffle iron.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, and cinnamon until well combined. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, milk, oil, maple syrup or agave, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir together until well combined. Stir in the raisins.

When the waffle iron has heated, spray it with oil. Cook waffles according to the instructions specific to your waffle iron.

Serve immediately, keep warm in a 200° oven, or freeze the waffles for up to one month. Reheat frozen waffles in a toaster.

Until next time, Ali.

Granola of the Week #7: Vanilla Bean-Sprouted Sunflower Seed Cereal & Why Honey Isn’t Vegan

I regret to say that I’ve recently fallen off my weekly granola-crafting track, preferring the succulently sauteed breakfast greens featured in the Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen accompanied by soy yogurt and fruit instead of my previously habitual green smoothie topped with granola. Last week, however, the insatiable urge to make granola once again gripped my being, compelling me to bake up a pan of grainy-nutty goodness that I hold so near to my heart. However, rather than producing yet another variation on my never-fail template recipe for fresh fruit-sweetened granola, I opted to experiment with a breakfast cereal more akin to crunchy squares rather than clustery bites. As my inspiration, I utilized the sprouted granola recipe that Juli Novotney highlights on her clean-eating blog, PUREmamas, to yield a pan of intensely fragrant, hearty, golden-brown cereal ideal for stirring into soy yogurt (can you tell how crazy I am about soy yogurt lately?).

Below, I’ve listed the changes I made to Juli’s original recipe:

• Substituted cardamom for cinnamon, because cardamom holds the title of Ali’s favorite sweet spice, far above the more conventionally used cinnamon.
• Substituted flaxseed meal for coconut sugar. I fully understand that these two ingredients fulfill completely different functions, but allow me to explain my choice of substitution: I prefer minimally sweet granolas, for who wants to wake up to a sugar shock (just humor me and pretend that people don’t eat Froot Loops or Cocoa Puffs for breakfast)? Instead, I like for my granolas to contain a generous amount of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and various superfoods. Flaxseed meal fulfills all three of my aforementioned breakfast cereal preferences while not contributing added sweetness, and harbors the same powdery texture as does coconut sugar. Thus, flaxseed meal=coconut sugar for all intents and purposes in this particular granola experiment.
• Substituted maple syrup for honey, because honey ain’t vegan, folks! Not only do bees require their own honey to provide their means of sustenance, many commercial apiaries function essentially as bee factory farms, “stacking honeybee colonies in interlocking boxes and treating them much like the dairy industry treats cows: as biological honey machines to be milked for profit,” according to the March+April 2013 issue of VegNews magazine. The article also offers this unfortunate information about large-scale honey production, which most likely serves as a contributor to the recent epidemic of colony collapse disorder:

“…bees make honey so their colony will have enough food to survive the winter. Many beekeepers sell all of that honey and replace it with nutritionally deficient sugar water or corn sytrup. Additionally, queen bees can live for five years but are routinely killed and replaced after only one or two to increase the hive’s honey production. Some industrial beekeepers destroy entire colonies after the fall honey harvest because it’s cheaper for them to simply start new hives in spring than to maintain them over winter.”

Though some vegans seem to regard honey as permissable, I personally find it equally as unacceptable to consume as dairy and animal flesh. Why shouldn’t our compassion extend to insects? Why draw the line of humane living at animals of the mammalian, avian, marine, etc. domains? Frankly, I don’t feel comfortable consuming honey for the same reason I don’t feel comfortable consuming other animal flesh and secretions: it’s not mine to take.

• Used 2 tbsp coconut oil + 1/2 small apple in place of the 4 tbsp coconut oil. I also prefer to limit the amount of oil in my granolas, simply because oil does not offer as many nutrients as the vast majority of my other staple granola ingredients, including the ever-popular and oh-so-healthy apple, which provides adequate moisture to replace oil when pureed.
• Omitted the salt, because research conveyed by the lovely Dr. Fuhrman purports that vegans and vegetarians actually must pay closer attention to their sodium intake than meat-eaters, since the arterial plaque build-up that ensues from eating animal-based saturated fat actually protects the fragile blood vessles from rupturing (but also causes coronary heart disease, so…).

What an unexpectedly interesting discussion of a range of vegan issues, and all from a simple breakfast cereal recipe! What can’t granola accomplish?

Until next time, Ali.

What I Ate Wednesday #66: My Last WIAW

Yes, I understand that another “What I Ate Wednesday” constituted my last post, as well. Yes, I understand that recipes, ethical/philosophical musings, and restaurant reviews serve as vastly more intriguing topics than my weekly eats do (perhaps some of you may argue to the contrary, but that’s simply my humble opinion). However, in the midst of authoring an important piece for a vegan-related, non-blogging outlet as well as beginning my second essay in my three-part series exposing Michael Pollan’s ulterior motives, I’ve devoted much of my intellectual/writing-related energies toward venues other than my beloved blog. Fear not though, dear readers, for I hope to soon channel these energies back to the world of the vegan blogosphere. Once that happens, I intend to no longer participate in this weekly meal recap as I have for 66 past Wednesdays, for I’d prefer for my blog to cultivate a more professional atmosphere fostering intellectual discussion among innovative recipes. Hopefully, the elimination of What I Ate Wednesdays from my blog will allow me to provide more intriguing content on a more regular basis. So now, for the last time, please enjoy another round of my stupendously intriguing meals.

Breakfast: A breakfast salad of baby spinach, amaranth, brown rice, goji berries, wild blueberries, and chia seeds tossed in a dressing of plain unsweetened soy yogurt, homemade sprouted almond butter, and Amazing Grass Green Superfoods Powder, sprinkled with the contents of one capsule of Rainbow Light’s Advanced Enzyme Systems digestive enzymes.

Breakfast Checklist: Protein—soy yogurt, sprouted almond butter, chia seeds. Whole Grain—brown rice, amaranth. Fruit—goji berries, blueberries. Leafy Green—baby spinach. Superfoods—goji berries, chia seeds, Amazing Grass powder.

Morning Tea: Rooibos Red Tea from Alvita.

Lunch: An open-faced sandwich of a lentil-brown rice-roasted sweet potato & broccoli burger on top of a brown rice cake slathered with tahini, sauerkraut, and dulse seaweed flakes, accompanied by a bowl of mushroom, leek, and spinach soup sprinkled with nutritional yeast.

Meal Checklist: Protein—beluga lentils, tahini. Whole Grain—brown rice. Vegetables/Fruit—sweet potato, broccoli, cabbage, leeks, spinach, mushrooms. Leafy Greens—spinach, broccoli, cabbage in sauerkraut.

Afternoon Beverage: Kukicha Twig Tea from Eden Organics.

A bottle of GT’s Kombucha in Cosmic Cranberry flavor.

Dinner: A breakfast-dinner of savory Sweet Potato Belgian Waffles (made with my new, very own waffle iron!) topped with Coconut-Braised Kale and served alongside strips of Tempeh Bacon, courtesy of Kathy Patalsky—my biweekly dinner contribution to the Ferry household.

Meal Checklist: Protein—chickpea flour, fava flour, tempeh. Whole Grain—sorghym flour. Vegetables—kale, garlic, onions, sweet potato. Leafy Greens—kale.

After-Dinner Beverage: Traditional Medicinals’ Organic Eater’s Digest tea.

Happy WIAW!

Until next time, Ali.

What I Ate Wednesday #65

Before I dive into regaling my weekly eats, I’d like to direct you toward the essay on Michael Pollan’s that I recently published on the blog. In it, I demonstrate how Pollan manages his audience’s emotions in order to persuade him both of the acceptability of eating meat, and of the impossibility of vegetariansim. I also argue that Pollan wrote the book essentially to justify his own meat-eating. I do hope you’ll check out the piece. Thank you.

Breakfast: A plate of baby kale water-sauteed with cumin and fennel seeds, wilted down, and mixed with nutritional yeast, Bragg’s liquid aminos, ground ginger, and coconut oil—my new favorite way to prepare greens, introduced to me by The Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen cookbook. I accompanied the greens with a bowl of Whole Soy’s unsweetened plain soy yogurt, 1 tbsp homemade sprouted almond butter, about 3/4 cup Hemp and Greens Superfood Cereal, and about 1 tbsp goji berries.

Since returning to Ferry Haus from my two-week-long spring break, I’ve eschewed my habitual morning smoothie in favor of this new breakfast pairing of lightly cooked, ridiculously flavorful, and (dare I say…) downright buttery greenswith a crunchy-creamy bowl of granola, soy yogurt, goji berries, and almond butter. After returning from Austin, I ventured straight to Whole Foods to purchase more of the absolutely astounding raw sprouted granola from Live Superfoods that I enjoyed while in Texas. To my sheer glee, Whole Foods now stocks that very granola in their bulk section, along with a fairly large selection of other sprouted granolas, trail mixes, nuts, and grains. I also partook in a large bag of sprouted almonds, with which I pureed up a batch of homemade sprouted almond butter. After experiencing the ease and frugality of homemaking nut butter, I’m never again purchasing another jar of the stuff. Yay, economics! I’ve seen on a number of blog posts offering directions on how to make almond butter that the almonds take quite a long time to transform into creamy lusciousness; however, my sprouted almonds made the shift from ground to buttery relatively quickly—after about 7-10 minutes as opposed to the 20 that I’ve commonly heard other bloggers experiencing. Moral of the story: if you want more digestible almond butter more quickly, use sprouted almonds.

Breakfast Checklist: Protein—soy yogurt, sprouted almond butter, sprouted sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, hemp protein. Whole Grain—sprouted buckwheat, brown rice bran & germ. Fruit—coconut, bananas, sultanas, goji berries. Leafy Green—baby kale. Superfoods—spinach powder, spirulina, chlorella, alfalfa powder, dandelion leaf powder, goji berries.

Morning Tea: Eden Organic Genmaicha tea.

Lunch: A waffle sandwich of two herbed carrot-chickpea waffles slathered with pesto chutney from the Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen and encasing a brown rice-beluga lentil-roasted sweet potato & broccoli burger inspired by Gena’s Leftover Grain & Bean Burgers. I served the sandwich alongside a simple salad of mixed greens and dulse seaweed flakes tossed with Liquid Gold Dressing and topped with brown rice and kimchi.

Waffles: A savory take on my Spirulina-Mango Waffles with Goji Berries that omits the cardamom, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and spirulina while replacing the mango puree with the parsley and thyme carrot sauce in the Modern Vegetarian Kitchen, the plant-based milk with salt-free vegetable stock, and the goji berries with chickpeas.

Pesto Chutney: a generously herbed and spiced spread of tahini, dulse seaweed, lemon juice, flax oil, dill, parsley, fennel seeds, and cumin based on the recipe in the Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen. Perhaps due to my minor substitutions as well as my accidental purchasing of lemon-flavored flax oil, the pesto imparted much too harsh of a flavor for my liking and adopted a displeasing bitterness after a few days of refrigeration, even though the directions assure that it will keep for up to three weeks.

Burgers: Based on Gena’s instructions, in a food processor I mixed together 3 cups of leftover short-grain brown rice; 2 cups of a salad of beluga lentils, roasted broccoli, and sweet potatoes in a lemon vinaigrette (a take on this recipe from Cookie and Kate); and 1/4 cup flaxseed meal to create 14 hearty patties of smoky, crispy deliciousness.

Meal Checklist: Protein—chickpea flour, fava flour, flaxseed meal, chickpeas, tahini, beluga lentils. Whole Grain—sorghum flour, brown rice. Vegetables/Fruit—carrot, parsley, dill, sweet potato, broccoli, dulse seaweed, kimchi veggies. Leafy Greens—broccoli, mixed greens, dill, parsley, cabbage in kimchi.

Afternoon Beverage: Choice Organic White Peony tea.

A bottle of GT’s Kombucha in Original flavor.

Dinner: The French Lentil Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing from the Modern Vegetarian Kitchen served alongside roasted brussels sprouts and brown rice.

Peter Berley, author of the Modern Vegetarian Kitchen and former executive chef of 37-year-old NYC vegan restaurant Angelica Kitchen, combines toothsome French lentils; finely diced carrots, celery, and bell peppers; and plenty of fresh herbs with a tangy dressing of yogurt, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in his French Lentil Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing. Naturally, I substituted soy yogurt for dairy-based, added mixed greens along with the rest of the veggies, and served this refreshing, light salad to my fellow Ferries for dinner to yield rave reviews.

Meal Checklist: Protein—lentils, soy yogurt. Whole Grain—brown rice. Vegetables—carrots, bell peppers, celery, dill, parsley, brussels sprouts. Leafy Greens—mixed greens, parsley, dill, brussels sprouts.

After-Dinner Beverage: Traditional Medicinals’ Organic Eater’s Digest tea.

Happy WIAW!

Until next time, Ali.

Spirulina-Mango Waffles with Goji Berries

In my most recent What I Ate Wednesday post, I revealed my embarrassing failure of a first experience with a waffle iron, one that ended in all but a couple of crumbs sticking hopelessly to the cast-iron grates. Never one to throw in the proverbial towel after a single bout of culinary experimentation, however, I remained quite enamored with the notion of enjoying blissfully fluffy, perfectly checkerboarded waffles crafted from scratch. Since I plan on returning to a waffle-iron-less Ferry Haus tomorrow due to the end of Vassar’s spring break, this morning began a mere 24-hour countdown during which to transform my waffle-based dreams into reality with the help of the rather ancient waffle iron lurking in the kitchen cabinets of my parents’ subletted NYC apartment. Waffling, away!

After adequately stocking my parents’ pantry and refrigerator with homemade almond milk, gluten-free flour, various superfoods, and coconut oil, I rendered myself well-equipped to craft successful waffles, much moreso than when I had relied upon the various questionable flour substitutions already in my parents’ kitchen (Important note to readers: a mixture of cornmeal, kasha ground in the food processor, almond pulp, and nutritional yeast does not equal flour). I decided to establish round two of my waffle-crafting adventures upon this recipe from Ashlae at Oh, Ladycakes, whose dependably tasty recipes I trust wholeheartedly; under her guidance, how could my waffles fail? Inspired by Ashlae’s note regarding the substitution of the sweet potato puree in her recipe with any other fruit/veggie puree, I turned to a bag of frozen mango to utilize as the base of a fruity, rather tropical variation of Ashlae’s original waffles.

As you can clearly tell from my posting of this recipe, my second bout of waffle-making endeavors proved quite triumphant, yielding the fluffy, chewy, immensely satisfying breakfast treats about which I’ve dreamed since first spotting that old beaten-up waffle iron in the cabinet of my parents’ apartment. Adding to my morning meal delight, I drizzled the waffles with a caramel-like sauce of 1 tbsp tahini, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tsp maca powder, and 2 tbsp water. You can certainly opt to do the same (and I would highly recommend it), or you can simply top your waffles with fresh fruit, maple syrup, and/or jam.

Though I didn’t intend to include spirulina in the waffles when I began making them, the jar of plant-based milk that I had on hand contained an experimental homemade blend of sprouted sunflower seeds, dates, and spirulina. The inclusion of the algae did not hugely alter the tangy, bright flavor of the waffles, and added a couple micrograms more of complete protein, essential fatty acids, and vitamin B12 to the batter. However, you could certainly omit the spirulina if the waffles’ belated St. Patty’s Day greenness doesn’t jive with you.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to search for an inexpensive waffle iron to call my own—after these homemade waffles, I’m hooked.

Spirulina-Mango Waffles with Goji Berries—Can be Nut Free, Soy Free, Low Fat, Low Sodium

Makes about 12 small waffles.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend (I used Bob’s Red Mill, but you could certanly make your own)
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cardamom
3/4 cup mango puree
Scant 1 1/2 cups plant-based milk (I used almond)
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2-1 tsp spirulina (optional)
1/4 cup goji berries

Preheat your waffle iron.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, and cardamom until well combined. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the mango puree, milk, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it. Stir together until well combined. Stir in the goji berries.

When the waffle iron has heated, spray it with oil. Cook waffles according to the instructions specific to your waffle iron.

Serve immediately or freeze the waffles for up to one month. Reheat frozen waffles in a toaster.

Recipe submitted to Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Allergy-Free Wednesday, Foodtastic Friday, Healthy Vegan Friday, and Wellness Weekend.

Until next time, Ali.

What I Ate Wednesday #64

Breakfast: A green smoothie of 1 cup frozen mango, 3 deglet noor dates, 1 scoop Amazing Grass Green Superfoods powder, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 4 large leaves lacinato kale, and 1 cup homemade almond milk, all topped with a homemade granola of apples, buckwheat groats, cooked brown rice, walnuts, goji berries, blueberries, hemp seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, maple syrup, and coconut oil.

I crafted this particular granola on the first morning of my stay in my parents’ NYC apartment over Vassar’s spring break, implementing the limited supply of items in their pantry as well as the various superfood ingredients that had traveled with me. Thus, instead of abiding by my usual template for fresh fruit-sweetened granola by pureeing up a mixture of fresh & dried fruit with various spices and coconut oil in which to coat nuts and grains, I shredded an apple and mixed it with about 2 tbsp each of maple syrup and olive oil to provide adequate moisture for the rest of the granola. Quite crunchy, nicely spiced, and bejeweled with bursts of juicy blueberries, this makeshift granola turned out surprisingly well for a creation comprised of odds and ends.

Breakfast Checklist: Protein—chia seeds, almond milk, walnuts, hemp seeds. Whole Grain—buckwheat, brown rice. Fruit—mango, dates, apples, goji berries, blueberries. Leafy Green—kale. Superfoods—Amazing Grass powder, chia seeds, hemp seeds, goji berries.

Morning Tea: Mayan Secret Green Tea from local NYC store Spices and Tease.

Though the aroma of this tea (which includes sencha green, mate, rooibos, and darjeeling teas mixed with lemongrass and bits of carrot, pineapple, and papaya) promised a complex fruity flavor, the amalgamation of various teas created a harshness that vastly overpowered any hope of a pleasingly refreshing tang. Perhaps I’ll simply have to play around with the steeping time and amount of tea used for each cup, but my experiences with this tea thus far have proved rather unfortunate.

Lunch: A sandwich of BBQ Tempeh strips, celery-apple-carrot slaw coated in Luscious Lemon Dressing from the Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen, and avocado slices between two experimental cornbread fritters. I served the sandwich alongside a salad of mixed greens, alfalfa sprouts, mixed bean sprouts, sprouted almonds, and dulse flakes, tossed with Liquid Gold Dressing and topped with Green Raw Slaw from Bao’s. For dessert, I enjoyed a raw truffle made with sprouted sunflower seeds, sprouted almonds, dates, and maca powder, inspired by this recipe.

The impetus for this sandwich began with my discovery of a waffle iron hidden in the back of a cabinet in the NYC apartment currently subletted by my parents. Inspired to craft a savory waffle in part by this recipe of Kristy’s, I contemplated a southern-flavored checkered quickbread to complement the Barbequed Tempeh Sandwich Filling that I had made earlier that day from a new cookbook of mine—the James Beard award winning Modern Vegetarian Kitchen by Peter Berley, who apparently served as the executive chef at NYC vegan staple restaurant Angelica Kitchen for nine years. Unfortunately, the lack of gluten-free flours in my parents’ sparse pantry rendered me scrounging for waffle base options. In a bout of vegan MacGyver-ness, I combined 1/2 cup white cornmeal (already in the pantry), 1/4 cup roasted buckwheat grouts finely ground in the food processor, and 1/4 cup almond pulp leftover from the milk I had made that morning to comprise the full cup of flour required for four waffles. After mixing the flours with nooch, baking powder, baking soda, paprika, cumin, oregano, tomato paste, maple syrup, liquid smoke, almond milk, and coconut oil, I excitedly heated up the waffle iron, oiled it, spooned the batter in to yield a satisfying sizzle, closed the iron, waited for the light to signal the waffle’s completion, opened the iron, and…experienced utter failure. The batter had all but completely stuck to the iron, probably due to both an inadequate oiling of the iron and an overly thick batter lacking in a starch of any sort. Sigh. I managed to salvage the remaning batter by pan-frying it into thick pancakes, but still reeled from crushed waffle-based dreams. Curse you waffle iron! I shall prevail eventually.

Meal Checklist: Protein—tempeh, sprouted almonds, sprouted sunflower seeds, almond meal, tahini. Whole Grain—cornmeal, buckwheat flour. Vegetables/Fruit—celery, apple, carrot, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, dulse flakes, ginger, pears, dates. Leafy Greens—mixed greens, kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, radish greens.

Afternoon Beverage: Choice Organic White Peony tea.

A bottle of Carpe Diem’s Kombucha in Quince flavor.

With an off-putting taste of artificial sweetener (certainly not one of the actual ingredients, though) and an inadequate amount of carbonation, this particular brand of kombucha failed to fully satisfy my mid-afternoon beverage needs. Try as I might to find a brand of local kombucha (other than the Madison-based NessAlla, of course) of as high a caliber as GT’s, I’ve not yet honed in on one. The search continues!

Dinner: A Middle Eastern feast, shared with my parents in their temporary NYC apartment, of Cookie & Kate’s Crispy Baked Falafel with Creamy Tahini and Dill Dressing, sandwiched between Cara’s Gluten-Free Pita Bread along with mixed greens and cherry tomatoes, accompanied by a side of cauliflower and carrots roasted with cumin, paprika, and coconut oil.

My changes to Kate’s original falafel recipe include substituting canned chickpeas for dried (I worried about the digestibility of merely soaked rather than fully cooked beans), adding 1/2 cup sprouted almonds and 1 tbsp GF flour blend to the mixture, and omitting the salt. Though Kate warns against implementing canned beans in the recipe, I found that adding the almonds and flour ensured adequate binding of the falafel, even when using the more moist canned chickpeas. Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and not at all dry or mealy like many of the falafel recipes with which I’ve experimented in the past, the falafel verily impressed my parents (and fulfilled my mother’s three-day-long craving for falafel), who helped me to scarf down the entire batch of herby chickpea fritters. My only critique of the recipe pertains to the Creamy Tahini and Dill Dressing; the lemon tasted a bit too harsh, in my opinion. However, that minor flaw certainly did not prevent me from slathering the dressing all over my falafel sandwich.

As for the pita bread, I utilized the gluten-free flour blend from Bob’s Red Mill instead of Cara’s homemade blend, replaced the sugar with maple syrup, substituted 1 tbsp flaxseed meal for the xanthan gum, and decreased the salt to 1/4 tsp. I had rather excited myself about the prospect of perfectly crisp, toasty, homemade pita pockets, and therefore became thoroughly disappointed when the pitas would not puff up or slice open as promised (reasons for this fault include the omission of xanthan gum, not allowing the water bath to adequately heat up in the oven, or over-working the dough). Regardless of cooking complications, the pitas still tasted delicious, acting as sliced of bread between which to sandwich the falafel and fixings, rather than as pockets in which to stuff the ingredients.

Meal Checklist: Protein—chickpeas, sprouted almonds, tahini, chickpea flour, fava bean flour. Whole Grain—sorghum flour. Vegetables—onion, garlic, tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots. Leafy Greens—mixed green, parsley, cilantro, dill.

After-Dinner Beverage: Traditional Medicinals’ Organic Eater’s Digest tea.

Comment Provoking Questions: How do you adapt your cooking to kitchens not as well-stocked as to which you’re accustomed? Do you own a waffle iron? Have you had luck with it? What is your favorite brand of kombucha other than GT’s? Have you made pita bread yourself before?

Happy WIAW!

Until next time, Ali.