By Jennifer L. Johnson - news@onlineathens.com
Published Wednesday, January 13, 2010
If you've ever had an Oreo cookie, drank a Red Bull or made pancakes with Bisquick, you've had vegan food.
"I love to point that out to people," said Angell Darvalics, a volunteer with Athens Vegetarians, a group that is working to debunk the myth that all vegan food tastes like cardboard.
"We're not here to force people into our lifestyle, but just to let them know that this food is good and it can be delicious."
The veggie-eaters wanted to introduce vegan food to new people and decided to start by showing their thanks to volunteers giving back to the Athens community.
In November, they dished out soups, breads and desserts to Athens Area Habitat for Humanity workers building a house on Redfern Circle in Athens.
"We targeted Athens Area Habitat for Humanity because they have a great mission and we wanted to let them know how much we appreciate it," Darvalics said. "They also work very hard, and if anyone's going to appreciate a hot meal, it will be some construction workers."
Habitat always is looking for people to volunteer to feed the workers at construction sites on Saturdays, Darvalics said.
"Thank you so much for thinking of us," said Beau Harvey, the construction manager at the site.
Harvey waited until most of the crew had eaten before he filled his own bowl.
"I like to make sure that all my workers get food first," Harvey said. "Even if I don't eat, these people are my food - they fill me up and keep me going."
The food included a no-meat chili made by Darvalics' husband, Keith; a split pea soup made her mother, Mary; a lentil soup made by Mary Fox; and a tarragon "beef" and barley stew made by Pat Priest.
Priest's husband is a physician at St. Mary's Hospital. They've enjoyed a vegetarian diet since 1991, when they saw a truck on the highway crammed with chickens.
"Since we went vegan (last) January, my husband's been evangelical about this lifestyle," Priest said. "It's so much healthier and I eat so much of a broader palette than most people do."
Shelia McAlister - whose roller derby team, the Classic City Roller Girls, helped build the Redfern Circle house - understands why some people might be turned off by vegetarians.
"I think there's nothing worse in the world than a self-righteous vegetarian, so I don't like to explain to people when they ask why I'm a vegan," McAlister said. "But it's so nice to come to something and be able to choose whatever I want."
Winterville's Artie Alford, also with the Classic City Roller Girls, wasn't surprised that the split pea soup she sampled was tasty, since she used to work at Earth Fare.
"The soup is really good," Alford said. "We volunteered a few years ago building a house out in Madison County, but they didn't feed us like this."
After lunch, Harvey - who is a meat-eater - pocketed the recipes that the vegan group offered.
"The experience was greater than the anticipation," Harvey said.
The Athens Vegetarians have about 150 people members and welcome anyone interested in vegetarian or vegan cooking to join.
"I didn't see a single full bowl thrown away," Darvalics said. "That's what these type of events are all about - getting people to see how good vegan food actually is."
The group's Web site is www.meetup.com/AthensVegetarians.
Awesome Vegan Chili
(Keith Darvalics)
3 cans red kidney beans (or a mix of kidney and red beans), drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 large can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 large yellow onion, chopped in large pieces
4 bell peppers, a mix of green, red and yellow, cut into large pieces
2 portabella mushrooms, cut into large pieces
1 package of regular mushrooms or portabella mushrooms, cut into large pieces
Chili powder (equivalent of 2 packages) or 2 packages of chili seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 cup vegetable oil
In a large pot, warm the vegetable oil. Add the chopped yellow onion to the oil and begin to sauté. With the onion sautéing add the salt, pepper and paprika. Mix routinely and cook long enough to allow the onion and seasoning to reduce into and flavor the oil (approximately 15 minutes).
Mix in the can of diced tomatoes and let simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in the kidney and pinto beans, add and mix in half the chili powder/seasoning. Cover the pot and let mixture cook on medium for 10 minutes.
Mix in the bell peppers, add and mix in the remainder of the chili powder/seasoning. Cover pot, and let mixture cook for 20 minutes.
Mix in all mushrooms. Cover pot and cook for 15 minutes.
► Note, at this point, you will want to determine if the amount of seasoning is satisfactory to your taste. If it seems to be a little light, add more at this time.
Throughout the cooking process, the goal is to get the ingredients to blend and cook down leaving all ingredients, except the mushrooms, cooked well. You want the mushrooms to be cooked, but not over cooked, leaving them firm enough not to break into too many pieces.
Variations: To spice it up, add 2 or 3 chopped jalape os. Season with chili powder to your preference.
Tarragon 'Beef' and Barley Stew
(Pat Priest)
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
About two cups diced onion
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, diced or pressed
1 bay leaf
1 stalk of diced celery
4 carrots, cut into rounds
6 potatoes, cubed
1 1/2 cups of chopped mushrooms (stems removed)
28-ounce can of chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Veggie broth or bouillon to make about 4 cups
1 cup pearled barley
1 cup cubed, dried textured vegetable protein (dark-colored works great)
2 cups frozen corn
1 can garbanzos
2 teaspoons or more fresh-frozen tarragon
1 teaspoons or more oregano
1 sprig of rosemary
Add green vegetables you have on hand for color (such as spinach or lima beans or green peas)
Season with salt and pepper and chopped chives.
Sauté onions and garlic in oil until translucent. Add bay leaf, carrots, celery and potatoes and cook about 10 minutes. Add a little water if the mixture sticks to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, vegetable broth and tomato paste. Add barley and TVP cubes and bring mixture to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer, adding tarragon and other spices. Cook until everything is just about tender. Add frozen corn, garbanzo beans and peas or spinach about 5 minutes before serving. Add salt and pepper. Season with chives or other fresh herbs you have on hand.
Lentil Vegetable Soup
(Mary Fox)
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 potato, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon basil
2 tablespoons parsley
1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cup dry lentils (cleaned and rinsed)
7 cups liquid (vegetable broth and water)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar added before serving
Mix all ingredients together in a slow cooker. Cook eight to 12 hours. Variations: Any vegetable may be added.
Split Pea Soup
(Mary Darvalics)
1 small onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
8 cups vegetable broth
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups split peas
Salt and pepper to your taste
Sauté onions in oil until tender, approximately five minutes. Add garlic and sauté one to two minutes. Add vegetable broth; bring to boil. Add spices, split peas and vegetables. Cover, reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally for at least four hours.
No comments:
Post a Comment