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.

Study Abroad Trip in Greece: Part 1

The Olive Tree: Athena's Gift to the Ancient City

Garden produce used in ancient
Greek feast at UNC Asheville
(photo by Kristina Webb)

Cabbage rolls filled with
barley and herbs
(photo by John Armstrong)

To travel in Greece with a dozen bright and shiny college students and to engage them in learning about the foodways of this region is both an honor and a pleasure. We study the culture, theater, medicine and food ways of ancient Greece and experience the modern ones. Our journey begins with 4 days of classes on campus including spending time in the campuses ancient garden and making a meal together using only ingredients available in the mediterranean region in 500 to 300 BCE. A major theme throughout is the importance of olive oil to Greek history, culture, cuisine and health (though I am a bit skeptical about the last one).

View from the rooftop garden at the
(aptly named) Acropolis View Hotel
(photo by David Ammon)

Our first meal in Athens was late in an evening in mid-June on a rooftop that had a striking view of the Parthenon lit up on the Acropolis. It was around the corner from our hotel, the Acropolis View that itself has a lovely rooftop garden (but no restaurant). This was to be one of our shared group meals…and the first one ever in Athens for a number of the students. I suggested that we start with a round of meze (or shared small dishes) and they agreed. The waitstaff brought water, fresh bread, and small dishes of olives and we ordered grilled mushrooms dressed with balsamic creme, meltizana salata (a smokey smashed eggplant spread with bits of pepper, onion and garlic with olive olive and parsley), dolmades (rice and herb stuffed grape leaves) and a baked or fried feta dish for the non-vegans. We eventually went on to mains (I ordered a salad without cheese and more of the mushrooms) and the 14 of us enjoyed a wide array of fresh delicious typical Greek dishes in the glow of the Acropolis.

Grilled mushrooms with
Balsamic Creme, Napflio

Grilled Vegetables, Crete

Salata Mista and Fried
 Zucchini Strips, Athens

Meze, salads, and pasta are the most regularly available dishes in Athens that are or can be made vegan. Vegan meze choices in addition to the above include fried zucchini, fried eggplant topped with marinara sauce, mushrooms cooked with garlic, grilled vegetables, boiled greens, or boiled mixed vegetables, fried potatoes, fava bean spread, gemista (peppers and tomatoes stuffed with rice and herbs). Salads range from very simple such as grated cabbage and lettuce or cucumber and tomato to complex and delicious like the one Sophie and I had in Napflio at our bus driver's Uncle’s restaurant Φέρεἰπείν (Pher’ eipein or “come, speak”). The salad was named after the owner's wife, Angeliki and was a delicious assortment of lettuces, grated cabbage, corn, grated carrot, cherry tomato, and sun-dried tomatoes with a  lemony oil and vinegar dressing. We forgot to ask for it without parmesan, but I was able to work around it. We rounded out our meal with delicious fresh fried potatoes sprinkled with herbs and grilled mushrooms topped with balsamic cream and olive oil. 

Fresh Fried potatoes with Herb

Angeliki's Salad

Reliably, one can find either spaghetti with marinara sauce or pasta with oil and garlic. One eve in Tolon, I ordered the plain pasta and baked eggplant topped with tomato sauce (no cheese) and ate the two dishes together. Many cafe style places offer vegetarian pizza that can be prepared without cheese. And some souvlaki shops offer vegetarian pita which is literally souvlaki pita without the meat--fried potatoes, onions, tomatoes, sometimes peppers and lettuce, tzazkiki (or ketchup or mustard or spicy cheese spread) in a toasted thick round of flat bread. These are the equivalent of fast food and are quite filling for about $2.50.  On some occasions I have succeeded in getting grilled or fried vegetables added to the mix or I have ordered it with a salad and combined them myself.

Vegan Breakfast at the Acropolis View

Traveling in Greece with students, we generally stay in hotels that provide breakfast. The breakfast buffet is usually some variation on bread, cereal, fresh fruit, yogurt, honey, hard boiled egg and sliced cheese and meat in addition to tea, coffee and milk. Some places also include tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, olives, fresh juice, jams, and tea cakes or pastries.Whenever I visit Athens, I always try to have at least one meal at a lovely restaurant called Avocado (I’ll tell you more in a later post). Not only is everything on the menu vegetarian (and most is vegan), but they also are right next door to a international health food grocery store. For the last 4 years running, I have purchased vegan staples like almond or soya milk, avocados, baked tofu or soy yogurt at this lovely shop. These few items can be used to turn a pretty boring vegan breakfast into a treat.

On the day I wrote this I had finished my last half of avocado on bread served at the hotel breakfast and added almond milk to my hot black tea. The father of the proprietor of the hotel we stayed at in Tolon has a citrus fruit orchard so the orange juice is deliciously fresh and the marmalades are made from fruit from his farm. Together with my avocado, these made for a very yummy breakfast. And I added the baked tofu I had been carrying around for a few days to my fast food "Mamas" salad at Goody's (a Greek fast-food restaurant at a highway rest stop). Without the cheese, it was rusks (hard pieces of bread made from barley flour), chopped tomatoes, chopped olives, capers, olive oil and vinegar. It was actually quite filling and delicious.

Fruit in Open Market,
Thessaloniki

Vegetables and Beans in
Open Market, Thessaloniki

All this to explain that it is decidedly possible and usually quite delicious and nutritious to enjoy an entirely plant-based eating style when traveling in Greece. If I was strict about avoiding added oils (olive oil is in and on most dishes) it would make it more difficult when one is limited to eating out for most meals. However, if you have cooking facilities where you are staying you are golden. Food is fresh, generally local, and often sustainably grown even if not certified “biologico” (organic).

Frankfurt without Frankfurters!!!

Vegan food display in
airport supermarket

I spent a wonderful week during June in Frankfurt, Germany as a guest of the City of Frankfurt am Main Visiting Program for former Jewish Citizens and their Descendants. I have written much about this trip from a personal point of view on my other blog (http://mexicotravel-susan-ricardo.blogspot.com/) so will confine this post to my experiences related to plant based food and meals.

My cousin Rolf Sturm and I
- sampling the special vegan food at the
Welcome Reception at the Palmengarten

I wondered before traveling what the situation would be like as I knew from growing up in a German family that there is a large focus on meat, sausage, etc. In fact, I have some fond memories of some of those foods during another lifetime! I had some time at the Frankfurt airport to wait for my sister who was arriving from NY on another plane so I headed to a grocery store that was right in the airport (amazing) and found this vegan display of all kinds of foods that I never expected to find. With that in mind, I realized that I would probably find all kinds of options around the city and I am pleased to say that I was correct. I rarely worry in this world as there are so many options. People always ask me about travel and how I eat. Since I have other constraints as well because I choose not eat any sugar nor any gluten, I still never miss a meal and find food wherever I go. Being flexible (and sometimes repetitive) is my key.

Asparagus season - everywhere

White and green Spargel - asparagus

It was asparagus season in Frankfurt. We were lucky to be served this delicious veggie in many places and to see it everywhere in markets and small stands around town - including one near out hotel on the outskirts of the city. They have these special large white asparagus at this time. Also plentiful everywhere were strawberries. We did not have any cooking facilities for the week so were left to the preparations of others.

Saturday we had time to wander the city and came upon a gigantic food market, festival and farmers market. As always, this is a feast for my eyes of food, color, smell and genuine fun.

Saturday market in Frankfurt

Saturday market in Frankfurt

I found it amazing that there were so many vegan signs, including this one in a train station marking special vegan pastries. We also went to several wonderful restaurants where I was always able to find something good. In a typical "German" restaurant, I found eggplant schnitzel instead of meat.

Vegan pastries - this was in a subway station

My sister was also part of this trip and it was great to share time with her as we explored our family roots. We were joined by many others, and especially important was the time with my cousin, Rolf Sturm from Basel, Switzerland who is an activist for veganism in his city and country. Because of the two of us, the City of Frankfurt, when providing us meals went out of their way to make sure that we were satisfied. At the opening reception the whole catered meal was vegan for everyone (many were kosher so this worked for them as well) and at the closing reception in City Hall, you will see in photos the special menu for us as well as the beautiful meal that was prepared.

Menu for our closing reception

Delicious dinner at the closing reception

So, if you are wondering about traveling in this city of Frankfurt, and I suspect in many other German and European cities....do not worry - you will find delicious food everywhere.