Andalusia, Spain on plants

First paella in Sevilla

Another adventure for us in Spain - by now we have been in Andalusia - the area of the south of Spain for over 2 weeks and have settled into the live of nomads - moving from one province to another.

We have already been in several of the big cities - Seville and Granada with side trips from them to a few very small villages - Aracena and Lanjaron. This is not a country that is dedicated to plant based eaters BUT we have found in almost every place an option or two for us to choose from. Most excitedly is when I find vegetarian paella on the menu. 

Paella with tofu in Aracena - a very small
town north west of Sevilla. What a surprise
to find tofu in this little village.

This is a traditional Spanish dish with saffron and rice and always some vegetables but usually with different meats and shrimp, etc. Of course, tapas (small dishes) are the custom in all small restaurants and bars and we have discovered a few favorites there as well. One is Salmorejo (a chilled tomato soup ) and another is Pisto -  a ratatouille-like vegetable stew. I am going to mention specific restaurants that we enjoyed during this trip, especially ones who are dedicated to those of us who enjoy the plant based lifestyle. Seville is a big city with lots to offer.

Large market in Triana, Seville

Surprise - sweet potatoes on the street as a snack

many "meat substitute" products in
Seville grocery store

A vegetarian restaurant in Sevilla - Gaia
this was a tofu cutlet with salad

Richard's stew at Gaia

The side trips took us to Aracena for 2 nights with 2 walks to small villages - each with a local eatery and options for us. We have also cooked in our apartments when possible, enjoying the local vegetables and beans. Here all little stores have jars of beans and lentils already prepared and very inexpensive. I like trying them all. Our daytime snacks include fruit and local nuts. Figs both fresh and dried are very common here as well.

Salmorejo in Aracena - cold tomato soup

Pisto with patatas and gazpacho

Olive trees - everywhere in Andalusia

Vegan cheesecake with cherries and
chocolate cake - yummmm

After our time in Seville we went to Granada. You can imagine my amazement when discovering that our apartment was above a yoga studio and just one block from an amazing VEGAN restaurant called Hicuri. We managed to eat there 3 times during our 6 day visit. 

Pisto with vegan sausages

Now we are at the southeast point of Spain at Parque Natural de Cabo de Gatas. We are here for one week again in an apartment in a small village called Pozo de los Frailes. The coastline is dotted with tiny villages and we have a car to travel daily from one beach to the other for nice walks. There are no tourist crowds now (as there are during the summer) and so the little village we are in has NO stores! The closest is San Jose where we can buy the usual beans and veggies so I have concocted some good meals here as well.Since we have had Pisto at so many different restaurants, I looked on line for a recipe to include for you (and for me). 

Pisto Andaluz 
(http://www.rondatoday.com/pisto-andaluz-traditional-vegetarian-stew/)
2 onions
2 green peppers
1 red pepper
4 ripe tomatoes
2 zucchini
2-3 cloves garlic
olive oil
dash of salt (and sugar, optional)

We start by preparing our vegetables prior to putting them all in a large flat skillet. Blanch the tomatoes then remove the skin and cut into cubes. Peel and dice the onions and the zucchini, and slice the peppers.

Place a small amount of extra virgin olive oil in the pan and fry the garlic and onion over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Then add the peppers and cook together for another 5 minutes making sure to stir so none of it burns in the bottom of the pan.

Now add the zucchini for 2-3 minutes, and finally add the tomato, letting the mixture simmer for a further 15 minutes.

Add the sugar and salt, and quickly bring to the boil then remove from the heat. If your pan has too much tomato juice, let it boil away whilst stirring to avoid burning. Fresh basil or oregano are often added to give the pisto a pleasant herby taste.

Serve hot in small terracotta tapas dishes for that authentic feel, or place on the side of a plate with some fish or even a fresh salad. This pisto andaluz goes down very well with a glass of La Rioja red wine, or if you can get it, one of many excellent Ronda red wines.

By the way....Ronda is next on our list to visit next week. Stay tuned for more from southern Spain.

Random travel tidbits

We have been in Mexico over the last few months and always find new and different plant based food items that I want to share with you.

Cherimoya fruit

Inside a cherimoya

Join me as I write about these unique plant based food tidbits. First let me share this new fruit which I tried once in Ecuador several years ago and still remember its delicious taste - sort of like a creamy custard. I bought one in San Miguel de Allende and tried it again with the same enthusiasm. The season for them is short and I saw them only this one day so will have to be on the look out for them in the future. It is the "cherimoya" which some say is a cross between a pineapple and banana. The creamy texture of the flesh gives the fruit its secondary name, custard apple. Mark Twain called the cherimoya "the most delicious fruit none to man". I hope you get a chance to try it.
I ate one just scooping out the flesh with a spoon. I also used a second one replacing an avocado in the recipe for chocolate mousse below. It tasted good though was a little less creamy than the avocado. Try them both if you find a cherimoya.

Garbanzo beans (close up)

Garbanzo (chickpeas)

Another subject....I just celebrated another birthday and we went to Guanajuato for an overnight trip - a beautiful colonial city about 1 1/2 hour away from San Miguel de Allende. We wandered the streets, stayed in a lovely apartment up a narrow alleyway and enjoyed a few delicious plant based meals. While walking we passed several vendors of steamed garbanzo beans in their shells. They were offered plain, with lime or with salt and spices. We chose the lime and they were delicious. It reminded me of travels in New York City in the winter with chestnuts roasting. We have seen these before but not tried them and will surely try them again.

falafel platter at Habibi Restaurant

We ate at a delicious falafel restaurant (not a common food here in Mexico!) called Habibi and had a cappucino with soy milk at another favorite - Santo Cafe which sits over a bridge with a view of all the comings and goings on the street below.

Soy cappucino

A few days later we celebrated Thanksgiving - not a typical holiday here in Mexico. Many of the gringos have their own celebrations at home or in restaurants. It is a favorite holiday of ours as both Richard and I have such fond memories of family gatherings during childhood and adulthood and this year we both missed our families very much. The turkey part of the holiday is not part of our celebration and I am always happy to be eating the delicious side dishes that make the meal special. This year we celebrated with just the two of us at home for dinner but spent the morning in a rural community with an organization called "Libros for Learning" giving out books to set up a library in a very small one room schoolhouse about 20 minutes outside of town. This organization is indirectly connected to our organization called Libros para Todos. Giving of ourselves on a holiday of Thanksgiving felt good as we have SO VERY MUCH to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving at the Neulist's

My thanksgiving meal consisted of roasted vegetables, gingered sweet potatoes and cauliflower/quinoa with tomato mushroom gravy.

Chocolate mousse 

Now to my special dessert - which I usually make with avocado but you can see from my note above - it can be made with cherimoya or even a banana. I got the recipe from my friend Marcia and when I make it I think of her - especially her idea of having just one or two spoonfuls/day which makes it last almost a week. (that is if I don't share it with anyone else!!)

Vegan Chocolate Mousse       

1 ripe avocado, mashed
1/4 cup chocolate cocoa powder (dark, no dairy)
1/4 cup almond milk (or soy milk)
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3 packets stevia

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Keep in refrigerator.

Thanks for traveling with us and stay tuned.....the next post from me will be from Spain.

Amy's thoughts on Thanksgiving and the Joy of Sharing Food

Blue, the resident Turkey

Whether you are making and offering or accepting and receiving an ingredient, dish, treat, or meal, one of life’s great pleasures is sharing food with people dear to you.

As a nutrition professor, I regularly have the opportunity to think about and discuss with others all of the ways the procuring, preparing, offering, and receiving of food is intertwined with human interaction. Just think about it for a moment. From the moment we are born we need food. In those early years we are not yet capable of procuring our own food so we rely on others, often our parents or other family members for gifts of nourishment. For many, even after we no longer need to be given food to survive, we find comfort, joy, and peace from receiving food.

The sharing of food takes all different forms. In some traditions everyone eats from one pot. In others, no utensils are used and food is picked up with small pieces of flatbread. Perhaps take a moment to think about the sharing of food. How might you use your creative spirit to further enjoy the sharing of food? How does the place you are eating, the dishes and utensils used, whom you eating with, and the food itself influence the sharing of that food? For example, eating upright at a table using the proper fork is formal, while consensually putting a piece of food into another person’s mouth is a rather intimate act.

Food and love

When I bring this topic up in the classroom, the conversation invariably starts with someone talking about his or her grandmother and the fabulous feasts she prepares for the entire family. My Nana and Pap were farmers. Nana made most everything from scratch using the main ingredients from food she and Pap grew. Noodles, mashed potatoes, pickled eggs, biscuits, sweet pickles, icebox cookies, grape and other fruit pies, and corn—glorious Pennsylvania summer corn. In the summer we’d have corn at nearly every supper and Nana would steam up 3 to 4 ears per person at the table. When a bunch of family was in, that resulted in a literal mountain of cobs on a platter. Of course, she and some others only ate one ear each so that left an inordinate number of ears to be eaten by the corn enthusiasts in order to avoid disappointing the chef. Also, each of us grandkids had our favorite sweet treat—Nana would make them all. I would always have a tin of date nut icebox cookies to take home with me when I left.

Yummy kale salad

The ritual of the family meal—however it manifests—is an important one. Gathering together to share food and stories from one’s lives has been shown even by researchers to result in physical, emotional, and behavioral health benefits. But for anyone who partakes in that ritual, its importance need not be documented. Many of my favorite conversations in my life have taken place over food carefully prepared by or for me. A meal eaten sitting down intentionally with others provides an opportunity to slow down, look each other in the eye, and commune while nourishing ourselves.

Celebrations and other gatherings

I love thanksgiving. It’s a holiday that is truly about expressing joy over the bounty of the earth, giving thanks for the earth’s gifts and one’s good fortune and, of course, central to the holiday is the sharing of a magnificent meal. Indeed, most life transitions are marked with the sharing of celebratory or ritual food—births, birthdays, coming of age gatherings, graduations, retirements, even deaths. We often use these occasions to reconnect with our families and celebrate each others lives. Most of these occasions have specific food traditions (at least within families) associated with them.

Gathering around food is used to make friends and to help build community. My friend Joe is a master at hosting events designed to get people with common interests together. He organizes dinners out, monthly potlucks, and family gatherings for vegetarians where he lives and has done a remarkable job of building community among like-minded individuals in his area. Similarly, church or fellowship meet and greet events, such as the “Eat, drink, and be merry” dish-to-pass suppers at a local church are a great way for newcomers and longtime community members to get to know one another.

Dips and pita

Preparing Spanakopita

This day of giving thanks I am at my brother and sister-in-law’s home in NC. Lori, Sophie and I spent yesterday prepping and today the first (brunch meal) is on the table and deliciously nourishing the guests. (see dips and pita chips image)The main feature of this meal is a delicious mushroom and spinach spanakopita dish. (see before and after photos) I think I have had 3 portions.

Spanakopita

We’ll be gearing up in a couple of hours for the main evening meal for about 30 people. It is an amazing spread with every manner of vegetable included! I had a bit of time this morning to play with some leftover ingredients. And I came up with the sweet and sour carrot recipe included below.

The offering of a healthy delicious meal is a gift of magnificent proportions. In part because the energy and intention the maker puts into the food is eaten. A meal lovingly prepared, nourishes the person consuming it well beyond its nutritional value. Today I am grateful for the gifts my brother and Lori are offering to all of us.

In the spirit of thanksgiving, Amy

Sweet and Sour Carrots

Sweet and Sour Carrots

6 cups sliced carrots

3 cups of pineapple juice

½ jalapeno, seeded and minced

¾ cups fresh cranberries, minced

1 slice of candied ginger or 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, minced

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Wash clean and slice carrots into coins. Boil until soft. Put pineapple juice into a sauce pan and simmer until reduced to ½ the original volume.  Stir cornstarch into a teaspoon or two of water. Add to pineapple juice and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens. Mix together minced jalapeno, minced ginger and minced cranberries.

Happy in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Yes...these are tortillas with beet juice
artwork. Tortillas are a mainstay of
all of us here in Mexico

Living in Mexico has become the "norm" or "home" for Richard and I over the last 5+ years so I thought I would take this blog post to talk about some of the plant based events and favorite places that I have in San Miguel de Allende, this "disney-like" town. I say this because it is so beautiful and almost perfect with its weather, old colonial buildings, kind and gentle Mexican people and there is truly something here for everyone. It is one of the reasons it has been given the title of #1 City in the world in 2013 by Conde Nast Traveler. This is not the only award. To some of us locals, we understand these ratings but do not necessarily feel good about what it means for tourism and overwhelming the infrastructure. Anyway, because of this - we have food to please all palates and plants abound in all ways. The Mexicans do have a way of mixing their beautiful delicious fresh produce with loads of cheese or animal ingredients but it is still possible to avoid it with conscious effort.

Free workshop - vegan milks and cheese

Ready for our "students" at TOSMA,
San Miguel de Allende, MX

I have a new friend, Dulce (means sweet in English) who I joined for a special vegan class to make plant based milks at our weekly Saturday Farmer's market.

It was fun sharing this knowledge with others and for me, some of the recipes were new too. Dulce has a little tea shop in SMA with many plant based items for food and body care as well.

The workshop in SMA

Preparing an Indian meal in Mexico!

Another very special event was the serendipitous meeting with Gaia and Jen (my yoga instructor). Gaia was visiting from India and learning about Mexican cooking so I was able to connect her with one of our favorite chefs, Javier at Don Lupe Grill for a shopping and cooking class. That night Richard and I were invited to Jen's for a special and very delicious Indian meal made by Gaia. I sure hope to connect with her again sometime in this world.

Spinach-mushroom quesadillas without
cheese at favorite Don Lupe Grill

And now to some of my very favorite meals and the restaurants that I frequent the most. I like to support restaurants who have plant based items on their menus.....not the ones who will make something special when requested, but the ones who treat us as important enough to put it right out there on the menu. I do my best to educate restaurant owners when it is possible that we just want to be like anyone else - read a menu and make our choices, not be treated differently.

Falafel salad at Media Naranja

"Cookie" and fruit at Oso Azul

My favorite salad for sure is Media Naranja on the corner of Hidalgo and Calz de la Luz - falafel salad.
My favorite breakfast place is Oso Azul - with my new favorite addiction - vegan, sugar free, gluten free cookie - a whole meal in itself.

Richard's favorite spinach soup at Oso Azul

Hearty and Delicious English Breakfasts by Amy

I love visiting England, especially after I have been traveling in other places. First of all, when I am in the UK I am usually staying at a friend's or family member's home so I can put together favorite ingredients into a meal. Secondly, most cities have plant-based milks in the grocery stores and often in cafes, and finally, I speak the national language (if somewhat differently that the locals) and this makes it easier to communicate my dietary wishes.

I remember the first time I was going to visit my, then friend, now partner Sophie at her mother's home in West London. Sophie told her mother about my plant-based dietary pattern before I arrived. Among other incredulous questions, she asked, "what can she eat for breakfast?" She wanted to know that she had all the requisite supplies to make sure I was happy and well-nourished while visiting. Luckily I had visited England before and remembered that a common simple vegan breakfast served is baked beans on toast. I emailed Sophie a whole list of breakfast foods that I enjoyed (toast, fruit, oats, potatoes, etc.), but it was this item that set her mum at ease.

I still love a good English Breakfast Vegetarian-style (hold the eggs), though I didn't have one this visit. Vegetarian English Breakfast is usually toast, pan-grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, and baked beans. A fancy one will also include a vegetarian sausage and/or potatoes. Who really needs the eggs? 

This trip I visited dear friends in Buxton England, Fiona, Dan, Aidan and Will, and then Sophie and her mum in West London over a period of about 10 days. The breakfasts were hearty, healthy and delicious. My favorite breakfast in Buxton this trip was Alpro lemon-lime soya yogurt with muesli with raisins, malt squares cereal, and fresh strawberries.

Best part about it was getting to eat breakfast across the table from Will. 

Breakfast with Will

I love Alpro products and the company’s organic line Provamel. I was first introduced to Alpro about 9 years ago when I was visiting England to see my "fairy god-child" Aidan. The company is based in Belgium, and makes (still in my opinion) the best soya yogurts and puddings, as well as top-notch soya milks. Late June and early July are strawberry season in England; and the berries are very good--densely flavored and juicy.  

Breakfast in the London flat most mornings was some variation on vegetarian sausages on toast with pan-grilled mushrooms. A couple of mornings we had sautéed onions, green garlic and chard (these latter two ingredients traveled with me from Dan's allotment in Buxton), a couple mornings, we had sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes, and often a handful of strawberries. 

As often as possible I like to include fresh from the garden greens for breakfast. I keep a garden at home and regularly work cooked greens into our breakfast. It's a great way to get a jumpstart on meeting vitamin and mineral needs over the course of the day and high “qi” foods in the morning get you started off well energetically as well. On my last morning in Buxton, Dan and I spent a few hours at the allotment weeding, harvesting and planting. He had a veritable forest of overgrown chard plants as well as kale, garlic, rhubarb, herbs, lettuce, and gooseberries ready for harvest. 

On my last morning, I had a delightful vegan breakfast at the WonderTree in Terminal 2 of London's Heathrow airport. Right there on the menu was whole grain toast topped with avocado smash and crushed red pepper. I paired it with a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice and fueled up for a long day of travel. 

I have had great luck eating at Heathrow airport. In addition to the place I had my yummy breakfast this trip, I have also had great vegan meals at Giraffe Restaurant at Heathrow. And on my way to Greece shared a great lunch in Munich airport at place called 4URBS. 

Athens airport offers a point and pick salad place with a wide variety of ingredients.

In all cases, my UK breakfasts were accompanied by at least 2 large mugs full of English Breakfast tea and soya milk. The option to have English black tea with a smooth, non-curdling, non-bean tasting plant-based milk is a real pleasure. And whenever she is anticipating a visit from me, Sophie's mum still makes sure that there is fresh fruit and soya milk in her home for me.

Summer plant based eating adventures in the USA

At Candle Cafe, NYC

Susan writing here...

Vegan combo plate

This summer brought us to many friends and family while driving in the USA as we do every year. Eating a plant based menu is not very difficult in this country with an abundance of goodies in all restaurants and grocery stores. I will highlight a few of my favorite moments through words and photos.

A special time was a visit to the home of "carnivore" friends Nancy and Gary. (These were Nancy's words to describe themselves.) They were both challenged with a few health problems so I offered to bring some things and cook for them in their kitchen, using some of their garden crop. This was the menu:

Decadent...coconut non dairy frozen
dessert with parfait and cherries

Kale chips made by Nancy with fresh kale from her garden

Chips/guacamole and bean dips

Black beans, mushrooms and sweet potato, served with quinoa and brussel sprouts.

Avocado, mango, lettuce salad with lavender vinegrette (also made by Nancy)

Fruit salad

Ginger sun tea

Nancy and Gary were so happy to have a meal of all plants served in their kitchen with the usual interest and joy that such variety was so easy to create and so delicious. It was better than a restaurant meal because we could just relax together while cooking and eating. We topped off the visit with a dip into their hot tub! Great way to spend a summer evening in New Hampshire.

Here are a few recipes from Nancy:

Kale chips

1.  Cut and de-vein the kale into bite-sized pieces. Pour a thin layer of olive oil in a cookie sheet. Toss pieces to coat.

2.  Bake in a hot 425 oven about 5 to 8 minutes until crisp. Watch carefully so they don't burn.

3.  Top with sesame seeds and sea salt to taste.

Lavender vinegar

1.  Use fresh lavender flowers. Rinse stalks and dry. Strip flowers from stems.

2.  Pack dry flowers in a sterile jar. In a proportion of 1 to 4 or 1 to 2, heat white wine or champagne vinegar in the microwave and pour over flowers.

3.  Cover the jar with plastic or wax paper before putting the metal lid on. Store in the fridge for 4 to 6 weeks. Strain out the flowers when ready to use.

4.  Mix in equal proportion with a mild oil (avocado, almond or walnut) for a vinagrette dressing.

Ginger sun tea

1.  Use a clean quart jar. Tie 6 or 8 tea bags together (ginger, lemon ginger, gren tea) and add cold water.

2.  Cover and set in the sun for at least a day. Serve over ice with sweetening if desired.

chips and dips

Lavender vinegar and
Ginger sun tea

cutting a mango - porcupine method

Ready to serve

We ate out quite a bit during the travels and another favorite (and new) restaurant was Life Alive in Central Square, Cambridge, MA. Hard to make choices in this spot.

Life Alive in Cambridge, MA

Amazingly delicious salads at Life Alive

And our beginning and end were in Carrboro/Chapel Hill, NC. The Saturday Farmers Market brought back great memories of our days here and how lucky we are to find great markets like this in all our favorite places...NC, SMA, San Cris.

Always fun at the Farmers Market, Carrboro, NC

Flowers, flowers, flowers

Lastly I would like to mention that we had a chance to see the movie 

"Plant Pure Nation". 

From the Producer and Writer of FORKS OVER KNIVES comes a breakthrough documentary, PLANTPURE NATION which features Dr. T. Colin Campbell Co-Author of THE CHINA STUDY. 

A short visit with Director Nelson Campbell and his wife Kim (friends of ours from our days in Ithaca, NY) made it even more special for us. Please check out their website for a synopsis of the film and information for screenings near you. 

http://plantpurenation.com/the-film/#press

The documentary film PlantPure Nation tells the story of three people on a quest to spread the message of one of the most important health breakthroughs of all time. After renowned nutritional scientist and bestselling author T. Colin Campbell gives a stirring speech on the floor of the Kentucky House of Representatives, his son, Nelson, and Kentucky State Representative Tom Riner work together to propose a pilot program documenting the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Once the legislation goes into Committee, agribusiness lobbyists kill the plan. Undeterred, Nelson decides to try his own pilot project in his hometown of Mebane, North Carolina.