Woohoo!
I am so excited to announce that BerryRipe.com has named Lisa’s Project: Vegan one of the top 50 vegan blogs of 2013!
BerryRipe.com’s mission is to make the world a healthier place for all of us. Search their site for vegan recipes, fitness tips, and healthy lifestyle information.
Thanks BerryRipe.com!
Lisa
Oil free and low salt is a great way to go!
I have eliminated oil from my everyday cooking. I now sauté vegetables in water and bake instead of fry. I have also eliminated oil from salad dressing. We are not deprived of any flavor and feel even better than ever. I have even lost 2 lbs.! Bonus!
And a pinch of salt is enough to bring out the flavor of food. There is no reason to salt every layer of every dish as I have seen chefs on television do and I had been doing prior to this experiment. Our palettes adjusted and it is fine.
There is pretty much only one food and one cooking method that require oil: the mighty potato and roasting.
Let’s talk potatoes first. I am not talking about straight up baked potatoes or mashed potatoes. I am talking about oven fries and home fries. I LOVE them and they are just not the same without oil – I tried, believe me. But that’s okay. Since we are not sick with heart disease or diabetes, a little oven fry or home fry once in a while will be fine for us and I pledge to use the littlest amount of oil I possibly can for each dish. But for the most part, I will be making regular old jacket potatoes from now on.
As for roasting vegetables, this is off the table if I want to be completely oil free. But for a recipe or two that calls for roasting vegetables, I will use as little oil as possible to still get the crispiness desired. I did not have luck “roasting” vegetables tossed with vegetable stock.
As far as baking, I have several cookie recipes up that are oil free. I have been experimenting with turbinado sugar (raw sugar) which is less processed than cane sugar (and part of the WFPB lifestyle.) I have come up with a brownie recipe using butternut squash (to be posted soon) but an entire cake has not happened yet. But since we don’t eat cake everyday, I think a cake with a little oil in it is okay for us too.
All in all, this month has proven to me that further dietary changes require a little bit of effort and adventure. And it only takes about 10 days to adapt to a new way of being whether it is in food or life. So think about it, try it, and let me know how your food project is going. You might just be surprised.
First of all, look at that basil! I grew it in these Greenbo planters on my railing.
My friend Cindy helped me plant organic basil seeds only 4 weeks ago. And now I have my very own basil. Next year, I am starting in March!
As for the oil free experiment, oil free pesto is the ultimate test. Is it possible? Yes, but, can it really be called pesto? Maybe not, but it makes a great sauce for pasta, mixed with tomato sauce (Ligurian style pasta sauce), a dip, or an addition to tofu scramble.
I used a zucchini to add some creaminess and it helps the texture. And I kept it basic because the basil is so fresh. But miso or nutritional yeast would be a great addition.
1 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup water
1/2 medium sized zucchini, peeled
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 garlic clove
Add all ingredients into the food processor and process until combined. Enjoy!
Back in for another CSA weekend. I am so happy we are having company today – we will be having a big salad of lettuce, cabbage, arugula and tomatoes. Of course, a stir fry is in the mix one night this week with the bok choy and guy lon. And I am thinking tacos with the cilantro and peppers.
1 head Green Boston Lettuce
1 head Red Cabbage
1 bunch Arugula
2 Tomatoes
1 lb. Cherry Tomatoes
2 lbs. Potatoes
1 bunch Guy Lon
1 head Bok Choy
1 bunch Cilantro
4 pcs. Chili Peppers
2 Eggplants
Tofu cutlets. baked. No oil, no problem. Serve with grains and greens for a blue plate special, on top of a salad, or on a sandwich with fresh lettuce and onions.
1 box extra firm tofu
Flour, about a cup
Rice milk, about a cup
Panko, about a cup
Chopped fresh parsley, about a handful *
Lemon zest, about 1/2 a lemon
Press the tofu. Cut the tofu in half through the middle, then half again, and then in half again to make 8 small rectangles. Set up a breading station by pouring each element into a bowl.
These measurements are not exact. You have to use your judgement.
1 – flour
2 – rice milk
3 – panko + parsley + lemon zest mixed together
4 – plate for breaded tofu
Dredge the tofu in the flour, then the rice milk and then the panko. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes in a 350 oven.
Place under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes for a little extra crispiness, if desired. Enjoy!
