Make Christmas Merrier With This Mulled Cider Recipe

Bobby Flay's Quick & Easy Mulled Apple Cider

From www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 2 quarts apple cider
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 whole allspice berries (or ground allspice)
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 orange, thinly sliced

Directions

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer on the grates of the grill or over a burner. Divide among individual mugs and serve hot. Add a candy cane to each, if you wish.

Cruelty-Free Baklava

From The Joy Of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Serves: 12

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 3 cups nuts (Pistachios, walnuts, almost, or pecans)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough , thawed (you will only use about half)
• 3/4 cup margarine , melted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Margarine the bottom and sides of a 9X13 - inch baking dish.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the water and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the vanilla and agave nectar. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. You want this to be completely cooled before pouring onto the baked baklava.
3. Pulse the nuts in a food processor until they're a coarse meal (not fine crumbs). Add the cinnamon and mix. Set aside.
4. Carefully unroll the phyllo dough from the package. Trim the stack of dough into 9x13 inch sheets, so they fit into the pan (I use Athens Fillo Dough and it fits almost perfectly, so I don't trim it down). Keep the sheets that you're not working with covered with some waxed paper and a damp cloth (the waxed paper goes directly on top of the dough, the wet towel on top. If you have a helper, they can lift the paper/cloth as needed, makes it easier). Place 2 sheets of dough in the pan, and using a pastry brush, coat the top sheet completely with margarine. Spread a thin layer of the nut mixture, add 2 more sheets of phyllo. Repeat with the butter, nut mixture, and 2 phyllo sheets until you have a total of 8 layered sheets. For the top layer, place 2-4 phyllo sheets, but this time brush margarine between each individual sheet.
5. Using a very sharp knife, carefully cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. This is important to do now because you won't be able to cut the baklava once it's baked without crushing the pastry.
6. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the baklava is golden. Remove from the oven and immediately pour or spoon the (completely cooled) sauce over. Cool uncovered for at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.

"Ask Amy" On New Year's Resolutions

"Ask Amy"

Q: I'm not ready to go totally plant-based but I would appreciate some New Year's resolution ideas to move in that direction. Any ideas?

 

A: Happy to hear you want to make some positive changes that will benefit your health and the animals.

Here are some suggestions:

 

1. Commit to eating plant-based meals only for at least one day each week. Or commit to cooking three dinners each week that are meatless (you'll soon see how easy and delicious vegan cooking can be!).

 

2. Substitute one tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with three tablespoons of water for each egg you'd normally use while baking. Replace cow's milk with non-dairy milk (soy, almond, rice, hemp, hazelnut, oat, coconut) in baked goods. Use applesauce in place of butter or oil when baking.

Saute using water or vegetable broth instead of butter. Swap tofu/tempeh/seitan/meat substitutes for meat in recipes like meatloaf, tacos, chili. You'll find plenty of free, mouth-watering recipes at www.vegnews.com.

 

3. Try out local veg-friendly restaurants. Visit www.happycow.net to locate those near you. You may find some new favorites and you'll be supporting businesses that care about health, the animals, and the environment.

 

4. Read a book on plant-based nutrition (like Janice Stanger's Perfect-Formula Diet or Dr. Joel Fuhrman's Eat For Health).

Check out a book on the animals (like Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer or The Face On Your Plate by Jeffrey Moussaief Masson).

 

5. Consider joining a meetup group (www.meetup.com) that focuses on vegan/vegetarian interests. I participated in a wonderful vegan book club through this meetup site. It's a great opportunity to meet others with similar ideas or to ask questions and obtain resources from long-time plant-based eaters.

 

6. Volunteer with an animal advocacy group. National organizations like Vegan Outreach (www.veganoutreach.org) offer one-time or recurrent opportunities to pass out information on college campuses and public events. Local organizations (in San Diego, the Animal Protection and Rescue League www.aprl.org, for example) often seek volunteers for informational booths, fundraisers, etc. You also can volunteer for groups like the Humane Society or at a farm sanctuary.

 

 

Veg-Friendly Mexican Stew

Quicker Red Posole with Beans

By Terry Hope Romero, from www.vegnews.com

"Posole is a Mexican stew chock full of history, endless variations of ingredients, and the common thread of hominy corn—lime-soaked corn kernels that have been cooked then dried again—simmered for hours for a soothing, filling dish. This recipe is just a little faster, made with pantry staples like canned beans, tomatoes, and canned, ready-to-use hominy. It’s a rather light and healthy tasting meal one it’s own, or play up that posole and top it with tons of fresh tasting salad-style ingredients—crunchy cabbage, radishes, avocado—for a cool contrast to the warm hearty stew."
Serves 4

What You Need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion
1 large poblano chili or mild green Cubanelle pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Mexican or regular oregano
1 teaspoon red chili powder such as ancho or guajíllo
1 24 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 15 ounce can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 ounce can white cooked hominy, drained and rinsed
1 cup Mexican light colored beer or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice
Freshly ground pepper

To garnish:
Large tortilla chips or fried tortilla strips
Chopped fresh cilantro
Thinly sliced white radishes
Chopped fresh tomato
Finely diced fresh onion
Finely shredded white cabbage or a crunchy lettuce like Romaine
Slices of ripe avocado
Lime wedges

What You Do:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine oil and minced garlic. Cook garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds and add onion and chopped Poblano chile. Stir and cook until vegetables are softened and onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add ground cumin, oregano, and chili powder and cook for another minute.
2. Add diced tomatoes with juice, beans, hominy, beer, and salt. Stir, increase heat, and bring mixture to a simmer.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Turn off heat and stir in lime juice and season with freshly ground pepper. Let posole sit for about 10 minutes prior to serving to cool slightly and allow flavors to meld.
4. Ladle into large individual serving bowls and garnish as desired.

What Really Happens To Fish?

From www.peta.org , Vegetarian Starter Kit:

"Like other animals, fish feel pain and experience fear. Dr. Donald Broom, animal welfare advisor to the British government, says, "Anatomically, physiologically, and biologically, the pain system in fish is virtually the same as in birds and mammals." When they are dragged from the ocean depths, fish undergo excruciating decompression -- the rapid pressure change often ruptures their swimbladders, pops out their eyes, and pushes their stomachs through their mouths. Then they're tossed onboard ships, where many suffocate or are crushed to death. Others are still alive when their throats and bellies are cut open. Now that commercial fishing has basically emptied the oceans of "target" fish, the seafood industry has turned to raising fish in contained farms, a practice known as "aquaculture," which uses either tanks on land or cages in the ocean. The fish are packed so tightly together that they constantly bump into each other and the walls of the enclosure, causing painful sores and damage to their fins. The enormous amount of feces in the enclosures leads to rampant outbreaks of parasites and disease. In order to keep the fish alive in such unhealthy conditions, large quantities of antibiotics and other chemicals are poured into the water. When the fish are fully grown, they are killed by having their stomachs cut open or die of suffocation when the water in their tank is simply drained away."

5 Ways To Cook With Cocoa

From Delicious Living Magazine, 12/11

"Not to be confused with sweetened hot cocoa mix, antioxidant-rich pure cocoa comes from roasted cacao nibs; after extracting most of the natural cocoa butter, the resulting "liquor" gets ground again into powder."

Cookie Recipe Below!

1. Hot Chocolate: Blend or whisk 1/4 cup cocoa, 3 cups hot non-dairy milk, and your favorite sweetener, plus a dash of vanilla, cayenne, and cinnamon. For an authentic touch, use a molinillo, a traditional Mexican tool spun between your hands to create a frothy drink.

2. Shake: Make a satisfying snack by blending 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter, 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, and a couple of ice cubes. You also can add 1 banana if you choose.

3. Soup: Cocoa's rich flavor and depth enhance soups and stews; stir a tablespoon or two of unsweetened cocoa powder into chili.

4. Baking: Dust greased cake or muffin pans with cocoa powder instead of flour for a gluten-free and tasty no-stick assist.

5. Cookies: Cocoa-Almond No-Bake Cookies*

"These vegan cookies are a breeze to make. For a completely gluten-free treat, use gluten-free oats."

Place 1 cup natural cane sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond or other non-dairy milk, 1/2 cup coconut oil, 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; boil for 90 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 3/4 cup almond butter, 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats, 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto parchment paper, flattening slightly. Chill 30 minutes to set. Store in refrigerator. Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

*Could substitute peanut butter for almond butter. I left out the coconut oil and shredded coconut, too.

What You May Not Know About Foie Gras

Sadly, I remember eating foie gras years ago at holiday parties, having no idea how much suffering and cruelty is inherent in its production. The production practice is so awful (see below) that I no longer consume this nor frequent restaurants that serve this so-called "delicacy". Sometimes, I let the restaurant managers/owners/chefs know exactly why I won't spend my money there and urge them to stop supporting this cruel practice.

 

From nofoiegras.org (Farm Sanctuary):

Foie gras (pronounced 'fwah grah') has been exalted in some gourmet food circles as a prized delicacy, but if most people knew how foie gras is produced, they would be horrified.

Foie gras, the French term for "fatty liver," is the product of extreme animal cruelty. It is the swollen, diseased liver of ducks and geese who are force-fed just up until the point of death before being slaughtered. Birds suffer tremendously, both during and after the force-feeding process, as their physical condition rapidly deteriorates. In just a few weeks, their livers swell up to ten times their normal size, and the birds can scarcely stand, walk, or even breathe. At this point, they are slaughtered, and their livers are peddled as a "gourmet" delicacy.

 

Confinement and Cruelty

Today foie gras production is concentrated in France, which produces and consumes roughly 75% of the world's foie gras. Roughly 24 million ducks and half a million geese are killed annually for France's foie gras industry. Nearly all of the birds are raised in intensive confinement systems, and all of them endure brutal, intensive force-feeding, several times a day, in the weeks prior to their deaths. Approximately 500,000 ducks are killed annually for foie gras in the United States and in Canada, respectively.

In modern foie gras factory farms, geese and ducks are confined, usually in either small pens or in tiny cages that virtually lock the birds in place. Thus restrained, the birds cannot escape the "feeder" and the mechanized feeding machine. One by one, the feeder grabs each bird and plunges the metal pipe of the feeding machine down the birds' throat. The machine pumps a huge amount of a corn-and-oil mixture directly into their gullets in just a few seconds, equivalent to one-fourth to one-third of the birds' own body weight each day.

This brutal treatment is devastating to the health of the birds. In a matter of weeks, their livers swell up to ten times their normal size. Breathing and walking become difficult as the liver pushes against other organs, causing respiratory stress due to decreased air sac space in their lungs, and forcing the legs to move outward at an unnatural angle. Ducks at foie gras farms have been observed panting and struggling to stand, using their wings to push themselves forward when their crippled legs can no longer support them. Struggling to move causes infection-prone open pressure sores to develop and fester on their hocks (legs) and keels (chest area).

In this compromised state, depressed birds can no longer engage in normal preening behaviors, and this is compounded by the fact that they are denied access to water sufficient for them to engage in normal, instinctual behaviors. Their plumage becomes encrusted with filth, and most of them develop what foie gras farmers call "wet neck"-when their unpreened feathers curl up and become coated with dirt and oil.

They also suffer, as do all factory-farmed ducks, from debilling, which is performed ostensibly to prevent them from pecking each other when they are so severely confined. Shortly after birth, the birds' beaks are cut off, slicing through tissue rich in nerve endings. Debilled poultry suffer from chronic pain for the rest of their lives, often having trouble eating and preening.

As a result of these egregious conditions, the birds suffer both physically and psychologically.

 

Not surprisingly, the mortality rate on foie gras farms can be up to 20 times higher than the death rate on conventional duck farms. Ducks can die when the metal feeding tube punctures their necks, from ailments related to liver failure, or when force-feeding overfills them to the point of suffocation. Necropsies performed on foie gras birds have shown them to suffer from grossly enlarged livers, lacerated tracheas and esophagi, pneumonia, throats and gullets severely impacted with undigested corn, massive internal bacterial and fungal growth and sore feet from bumblefoot - all consequences of the production method for which veterinary care is not profitable.