Spring 2014 by Chickpea Vegan Quarterly

COVER

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

spring 2014 issue 11 design & content cara livermore sewindie.com sales & shipping bob lawton hooah.tumblr.com

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CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

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CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

vegetarianventures.com Shelly is a Midwestern girl who works for a music distributor by day and blogs about vegetarian cuisine by night.

megancolefreelancer.wordpress.com Megan is a 28 year-old food nerd, who is continuously experimenting with new foods and techniques. When not in the kitchen, the Victoria, B.C., Canada freelance writer is behind her computer researching and writing.

sassafraseats.wordpress.com Amandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appetite for most things could be considered voracious, including her love for guacamole, television crime dramas, Malbec, and all things consumable in bowls. A writer, she lives in Brooklyn with her boyfriend, and is currently on a quest to find the best veggie burger in New York City.

Holly J is a freelance writer living in New York. She is also a certified Nutrition and Wellness coach and spends an obscene amount of time watching makeup tutorials on Youtube.

valeryrizzo.com meowmeowtweet.com Tara is the co-founder of Meow Meow Tweet, a Brooklyn-based vegan apothecary offering smallbatch soap, personal care and soy candles crafted by hand from whole, natural ingredients.

Valery is a portrait, food and lifestyle photographer born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She loves photographing urban farming and The Polar Bear Swim, every New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day at Coney Island.

allwritefornow.wordpress.com

invegetableswetrust.com

Veronica enjoys good food, good company, and good music. She pens poems, short stories, op-ed articles, and non-fiction pieces. Her favorite place to write is under the California sunshine.

Alex is 21-year-old and blogs vegan recipes at invegetableswetrust.com. He loves yeasted baking and unusual cake pans and cookie cutters.

of 365mm Food Photography 365mm.cat/en/

baixagastronomia.cat

A couple of food photographers and foods lovers based in Barcelona. We never cease to create. We never cease to eat.

Mar is a journalist from Barcelona, Spain. Her main interests are food and travel writing, and she uses her work as the perfect excuse to pig out around the world.

chefmargopage.com

justyniannucci.com

Margo is a young vibrant vegan personal chef who loves exploring and pushing the boundaries of vegan cooking.

Justyn Iannucci is freelance illustrator based in Rochester, NY. In his spare time he enjoys drinking coffee and geeking out over Sci-fi classics.

lauriesadowski.com

veganfeministnetwork.com

Laurie really loves food of the vegan kind. But she also has celiac disease, which means she has to stay strictly gluten-free. So she started baking, got a few cookbooks published (three so far), started doing recipe development and freelance food writing... all while studying and building a career in arts and healthcare.

Ms. Wrenn is an instructor of Sociology with Colorado State University. She has been published in several peer-reviewed academic journals including the Journal of Gender Studies and the Journal of Agriculture & Environmental Ethics, Food, Culture & Society. She lives with two rescued companion animals in rural Virginia and has been vegan since 2001.

alexgibbsphotos.com

anunrefinedvegan.com

Alex is a 30-year-old southern fella drawing inspiration from everything around him. He currently freelances in lifestyle, music, and wedding photography.

Proof that vegans can live (and eat) well even deep in the heart of cattle country, Annie loves cooking and baking; walking the pastures with her dog, Ike; reading, painting, running, writing, and practicing yoga.

shakeguacandroll.com Ava writes vegan recipes from her tiny flat in London. When not obsessing over the many incarnations of fava beans, she likes cycling and hanging out with her dwarf rabbit, Aubrey Beardsley.

instagram.com/fantasticat Jade is a 27 year old California native currently living in Dallas, Texas. Between working and yelling about things on the internet, she hopes to open a vegan bakery/bookstore/community space.

camillebecerra.tv Camille Becerra is a professional food stylist, recipe developer, writer and chef with over 15 years of New York City restaurant experience. She was the owner of beloved Brooklyn restaurant Paloma and has also appeared on Bravoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hit series Top Chef.

realsimplefood.wordpress.com Currently based in Rome, Sophia is an avid baker and recipe developer. When she is not working on her blog, you can find her wandering up and down the aisles of foreign supermarkets stocking up on exotic ingredients.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

intro & tea story by Veronica An Nothing is better than enjoying the fresh flavors of spring! This seasonal tea party menu is a sophisticated (and vegan) twist on the traditional English afternoon tea. Instead of weighing you down with cream-laden scones and sugary desserts, this springtime tea menu highlights green and floral flavors. It begins with a crisp salad, offers a sampling of savory sandwiches, and ends with a variety of delicate desserts. This will surely be an afternoon to remember.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Much like wine, tea should be matched with food in order to create a well-rounded dining experience. Tea can harmonize or add a complementary note to meals. • Generally, more fermented teas work best with more flavorful meals. • White, green, oolong, and black tea all derive from the Camellia bush but undergo different forms of processing. • The lightest and most delicate tea is white tea, or Silver Tip tea. White tea is steamed shortly after harvesting and not allowed to oxidize. This lends it a very delicate and almost floral taste, making it especially suitable for enjoying on its own as it can easily be overpowered by food. • Green tea, while still subtle and generally mild, is best paired with light meals. Jasmine green tea is a popular scented variety and harmonizes with produce-rich meals. The slight, floral notes compliment raw and lightly cooked dishes, such as salads and fresh fruit. • For a slightly more robust cup, select oolong or pouching. This partially fermented tea yields a darker, fuller cup. Oolongs are often bases for herbal blends and accompany slightly heartier or spicier meals than green teas. Oolongs are also a popular after meal choice because they promote digestion. • The term black tea encompasses all varieties of fully fermented and fired teas. Black teas have a bolder flavor and work best with more flavorful meals, such as spicy or grain-based dishes. In addition, black breakfast tea’s sharp, clean flavor makes it suitable for sweet or creamy meals. • Red or rooibos tea is especially popular as a dessert tea because of its slightly minty and sweet notes. Rooibos is made from African red bush and comes in both unfermented (green) and fully fermented (black) varieties, both are naturally caffeine-free. In the end, tea pairing is subjective and should be dictated by an individual’s palate. The process of making tea is a reminder to slow down and appreciate the complex flavors and colors this beverage has to offer.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

There is a marked difference between the taste and appearance of loose and bagged tea. Loose teas tend to be of higher quality than bagged teas because they contain whole leaves and flowers. Flowering, or blossoming tea, is an especially beautiful type of loose tea which opens up when brewed. This tea usually has floral or herbal notes and should be brewed in a glass pot in order to be most appreciated. • Bagged teas consist of fannings; tea-leaf pieces and tea dust. For this reason, bagged teas tend to steep faster but may create a bitter brew. The difference between loose and bagged tea is similar to the variation between fresh and dried herbs. While loose is ideal, tea bags are convenient and some brands can be surprisingly high quality. • Both bagged and loose teas are delicate; proper storage and brewing will ensure that the tea is flavorful and satisfying. Tea should be stored in spate airtight containers to avoid absorbing food odors. Loose tea generally has a shelf life of 1-4 months if stored in a cool location, away from direct sunlight. Bagged tea can last up to a year. • Each variety of tea has separate brewing instructions but these procedures can be modified to suit individual preferences. There are some general guidelines to help brew a better cup. Be sure to use clean, hot water for every cup. Re-boiled water loses some of its oxygen and can produce flat-tasting tea. • Do not squeeze tea bags or overheat the water, this causes tea leaves to release extra tannins and become bitter. • Tea adheres to the vessel it is brewed in; thus, it is a good idea to reserve different tea ware for each flavor of tea to avoid accidental flavor pollution. • For a more robust flavor, add additional tea leaves instead of over-steeping. Tea left in water for too long loses its flavor; becoming dull or harsh tasting. • Similarly, iced tea should be brewed hot, using double the amount of tea, and then poured over ice or chilled. • Additions, such as sweeteners and milk-alternatives, vary with individual preference and can be added before or after brewing.

recipes on this page by Veronica An

2 cups (about 6 ounces) arugula (washed and trimmed) 1/4 cup walnuts (toasted) The raspberry preserves balance the peppery arugula and the walnuts provide a welcome crunch. Grapeseed oil is the key to this dressing, it infuses the salad with a subtle yet complex flavor and provides a nice change of pace from traditional olive oil-based dressings. Serves 4

Asparagus is one of the first vegetables of spring; let them shine in this dish. The asparagus should be bright green and tender, not stringy or overcooked. These mild crostini work especially well with hearty wheat or pumpernickel bread. Try adding red pepper or shredded sundried tomatoes for a more flavorful sandwich. Yields 4-8 open-faced sandwiches 1-15 oz. can white beans (about 3 cups dry beans) 1/2 cup steamed asparagus 1 tbsp sage (fresh) 1 tbsp rosemary (fresh) 2 tbsp lemon juice (more to taste) 2 tsp sea salt black pepper to taste 4-8 slices of bread 1. Cut bread with circular cookie cutter or punch circles using round water glasses and lightly toast. 2. Rinse and drain beans. Mash with fork or potato masher until smooth, incorporate lemon juice and rosemary. 3. Wash asparagus, trim woody ends and discard. Cut asparagus to fit breadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diameter. Fill bottom half of steamer with water, bring to a boil and cover with top half of steamer. Cook asparagus for 2-5 minutes, until tender but still brightly colored. 4. Spread bean mixture on bread and top with asparagus; add salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste.

2 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp grape seed oil 1 tbsp raspberry preserves 1. Wash, dry, and trim arugula. 2. Whisk lemon juice, grape seed oil, and raspberry preserves together. 3. Toss arugula, dressing, and walnuts in large bowl. 4. Serve immediately.

These delicate sandwiches are a vegan take on traditional English tea party fare. Be sure to toast the bread and serve the sandwiches promptly to avoid sogginess. For fancier sandwiches, add fresh shredded mint leaves and use cookies cutters to shape the bread. Yields 4-8 sandwiches 1 medium cucumber (washed and sliced) 2 tbsp salt (approximately) 1/2 package silken tofu 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp lemon juice 2 tbsp dill (fresh) 1 tsp parsley (fresh) 8-16 slices of bread 1. Wash, dry, and slice cucumbers, sprinkle with salt and let in colander to drain (about 10 minutes). Pat dry with paper towels. 2. Toast bread and remove crusts. Optional: spread margarine on toasted bread. 3. Mix tofu with lemon juice, vinegar, and herbs. 4. Spread tofu mixture on bread, layer with cucumber, and top with additional slice of bread with tofu spread.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

recipe by Veronica An Yields about 24 cookies Ingredients 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 1 1/2 cups brown rice syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup ground cashews (raw)

Instructions 1. Pre-heat oven to 325°F. 2. Blend cashews in a food processor until finely ground but still crumbly. 3. Combine flour, brown rice syrup, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. The dough will be very, very sticky. 4. Place tablespoon-sized balls on parchment lined baking sheet, with at least an inch between cookies. (They will spread!) 5. Bake for 15-30 minutes or until the edges are crisp and lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from the pan.

recipe by Alexander Harvey Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and line two baking sheets. Whisk the flax with the orange blossom water and set aside. 2. Beat together the vegetable shortening and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flax mixture, and beat again until combined. 3. Sift in the flour, almonds, baking powder and salt into the shortening mixture. Stir together until you get a firm dough, adding a little more orange blossom water if the mix is a little dry, then roll the cookie dough into little walnut sized balls. 4. Place on the baking sheets, slightly apart. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the cookies start to brown. 5. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack and dust liberally with icing sugar. Serve with an orange and peppermint rooibos tea. Ingredients 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 3/4 cup icing sugar 1 tbsp ground flaxseed 3 tbsp orange blossom water 1 1/2 plain flour 1/2 tsp baking powder pinch o’ salt 3/4 cup ground almonds icing sugar to coat

recipes on this page by Alexander Harvey

Instructions Ingredients 1. Preheat the oven to 4oz. vegetable shortening 150°C/300°F. Line a 8” 4oz. vegan margarine square brownie pan with 1/2 cup golden unrefined greaseproof paper. caster sugar, plus extra for 2. Beat together the vegan sprinkling margarine and the vegetable 1 1/2 cup plain flour shortening until light and 3/4 cup cornflour fluffy, then add the sugar and pinch o’ salt beat together some more. 1/4 cup dry edible lavender 3. Mix the cornflour, flour and salt in a separate bowl, then sift into the fats. Add the lavender and remaining flour and mix until it’s nice and crumbly. Press into the prepared pan then bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until golden on top. Remove from the oven and sprinkle a little sugar on top. 4. Whilst still warm, slice the shortbread into nine even pieces, but don’t remove from the pan, place on a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with earl grey tea.

Instructions Ingredients 1.Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F 2 tbsp ground flaxseed and line a cookie sheet with 2 tbsp almond milk greaseproof paper. 2 tbsp rose water 2. Cream together the flaxseed, al1/2 cup canola oil mond milk, sugar and oil. 1/2 cup unrefined golden 3. Stir in half of the flour and the caster sugar baking powder. Using a fork, 1 3/4 cup plain flour fold in the pistachios. 3 tsp baking powder 4. Add in the remaining flour and 1 cup pistachio kernels stir together, if it becomes too hard to stir, then knead it with your hands in the bowl until fully combined. 5. Shape the dough into two 9” by 3” logs and place on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. 6. Pop the oven back onto 160°C/320°F, and slice the logs into ½” thick slices on a chopping board. Line another sheet with greaseproof and spread the slices of biscotti out between the two trays. Bake for another 20-30 minutes until the biscotti are crisp and dry. 7. Cool the slices on a wire rack, then pack into an air-tight jar to store. Serve with a cup of Ceylon and rose tea.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Instructions Ingredients 1. Preheat the oven to 1/2 cup canola oil 180°C/350°F and line 3/4 cup unrefined golden two cookie sheets. caster sugar 2. Cream the oil, sugar 1/4 cup agave syrup and syrup and stir in the tea leaves from two bags the tea. Sift in the two of chamomile tea flours and the corn1 cup plain flour flour. 1 cup self rising flour 3. Add almond milk a 1 tbsp cornflour tbsp at a time and stir almond milk, as needed together, until everything comes together as a nice dough. 4. Roll the dough into 12 equal balls and press each ball into a disc on the cookie sheet, placing each disc 2” apart to allow the cookies to spread. 5. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the tops are slightly cracked. Cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Serve with a pot of chamomile tea with slices of lemon and a little agave.

Instructions Ingredients 1. Cream the fat and the 1/2 cup vegetable shorticing sugar together until ening, softened light and fluffy. Add the 1/3 cup icing sugar vanilla and flaxseed and 1 tbsp ground flaxseed lightly beat together. 1/2 tsp vanilla 2. Sift in the flour and 1 cup plain flour baking powder, partially 1/4 tsp baking powder stir together before add2 tbsp loose leaf lady grey ing the lady grey tea, contea, roughly chopped tinue to stir until all the ingredients are evenly combined. 3. Roughly shape the dough into a 9” by 3” cuboid. Wrap in greaseproof and refrigerate until firm. 4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper. Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and slice into ½” thick slices, place evenly apart on the two lined baking sheets. 5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies start to turn golden around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with a pot of lady grey. r

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

words by Jade Degrio illustration by Justyn Ianucci I never understood tradition. I never understood rituals or devotion. And I definitely never understood these things in relation to food. I grew up in a family that placed very little importance on holidays, dinners at the table together, or preparing food in a way that connected us to our cultural history. I had a very young, mostly single mother who never spent time developing a culinary prowess, so dinner often meant easy-to-make meals from a box or bag. My mother also shied away from large family gatherings, usually showing up late, if at all. The spectacle, the ritual that goes into preparing a meal to commemorate, was something I usually missed out on. Then when I was in high school, discovering punk and the joy of older friends, I made the decision to become vegetarian. My mom was furious. She threw around words like “family meals” and “tradition,” and asked questions like, “Well what about Thanksgiving? Christmas?!” I was confused by her anger, and dumfounded at her new concern for these traditions we never engaged in. I tried to explain that it was those very things, or the lack of those things, that made my decision to stop eating meat feel easy and right. I wasn’t giving up home cooked dinners or Thanksgiving and Christmas meals with elaborate centerpieces of turkey or ham that were labored over for the entire day. I had never spent time with my nana learning how to cook traditional meals from Central America. I was never shown how to bake a birthday cake, or how to dress a chicken. I was giving up burgers from Jack in the Box. It was the first time I was confronted with sentimentality towards food. She protested on the grounds of health and my well-being to no avail. Then she refused to cook, which she seldom did anyway. The next 3 years of my life were spent navigating the menus of fast food places, often replacing meat with cheese. Once I moved out things became a little easier. I was old enough to work and make my own choices about food but I was stuck in unhealthy habits that were physically taxing. It wasn’t until I made the huge decision to move from California to Dallas that I broke free from my vegetarian fast food purgatory. I started using most of my checks towards fresh produce and started working on teaching myself how to cook. Around then I met my first vegans. I knew about veganism mostly through reactionary arguments against it from kids in the punk scene who had, allegedly, encountered MILITANT ACTIVIST types who started fights and insulted anyone who disagreed with their dietary decisions.

I knew all the arguments against it, how hypocritical and useless

ery summer the restaurant would close so the staff could travel

it was because people drive cars, or buy food at grocery stores,

overseas to an annual meditation conference that was led by the

or buy clothing which is worse for the environment than eating

Supreme Master. Elaine would let us know in advance, showing

meat. I felt sure that taking the extra step was needless… and I

genuine concern over our lunch plans. There were a few times

just really loved cheese.

she even offered to take us back to the kitchen and show us how to cook because she really thought we were going to starve

Luckily for me the vegans I met were completely unlike the

while they were gone.

urban legends. They were patient and non-confrontational, and, in fact, it rarely came up. Once we all found out we had

After a couple weeks of going I realized I was in the second gen-

similar politics by way of the bands we liked, we began talking

eration of this routine. I started meeting people who had been

about bigger things like community, ethics, and “capital A” An-

introduced to veganism and Suma through my friends, and our

archism, so veganism became more approachable. I was given

table for four often turned into a table for six or nine, and the

some books to read, and after that I realized again that I had

hour-long lunch lasted twice as long. And Saturdays were sup-

no emotional attachment to the food I was eating. I still wasn’t

plemented by Wednesdays, when the buffet featured a “Beef

involved in the ceremony of food so why not take the next step?

with Brown Sauce” that was basically heaven. Eventually we were going two or three times a week, and trips to Suma were

The first vegan restaurant I was taken to by my new friends was

right at the center of our lives, a sacred place where plans were

Suma—buffet-style Chinese food with staples like chow mien,

hatched, conspiracy theories discussed, and dreams given voice.

orange chicken, hot and sour soup, and a savory fried pancake that, to this day, ranks in my top 10 favorite things. The first

At Suma an idea and a drawing become a record label, booking

thing you noticed when you walked in was a very large and

agency, and collective. Birthdays and anniversaries were cel-

daunting portrait of Ching Hai, the Supreme Master herself,

ebrated there. My friends watched as kids turn into awkward

whose spiritual teachings borrow from Buddhism and ask that

teenagers over their years of patronage. When our lives started

followers refrain from taking the lives of sentient beings and the

to take us in different directions, my friends would forgo drinks

use of intoxicants. To the left and right of the door there were

and head to Suma to be back in touch with each other. The ideas

displays featuring literature on the Quan Yin Method and bro-

I kept to myself about how I envisioned my community, how I

chures about veganism. But while the restaurant operated in her

wanted to develop my activism, and the path I wanted to lay

name, it wasn’t directly affiliated with her organization, and it

forward took shape there. Over the course of a few months and

offered a quirky and genuine atmosphere that always felt wel-

many lunches that vision became the beginnings of a business

coming. The two owners, Philip and Elaine, were responsible

plan for a bakery of my own.

for the menu and recipes. Those of you saying “it’s not closed, it’s just under new manThe food was incredible and I quickly joined my friends on

agement!” are operating under the assumption that what makes

their weekly trips on Saturdays for lunch. We developed a rap-

Suma unique is its name. But that’s never the case with food.

port with Philip and Elaine. Philip could be mistaken for gruff

Food is about thought, intent. The same meal made by two peo-

or rude, but he loved to talk about cars and his consistently

ple never tastes identical. For Elaine, her restaurant was her life;

amazing health code scores. His table was always piled high

she told us that some of her customers were her best friends.

with books and paperwork, and there he sat reading the news-

For us, meals at Suma tasted like home and even the slightest

paper with a cup of tea. Elaine was always friendly and genuine,

change in consistency never went unnoticed.

shuttling back and forth between the kitchen and Phillip. Ev-

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

When we found out the restaurant had been taken over by

and she told us, reluctantly and while shaking her head, that

new management we rushed there for dinner. The first thing

the owners wanted to keep everything the same for the time

we noticed from the window was the new table cloths and

being. While we said thank you and talked about our years

Philip’s empty table. Once inside we saw the large framed

of patronage, we all held back tears. I made my partner, Mike,

photo of Ching Hai had been removed. The waitress had been

take a photo of Elaine and me, and when she walked away I

replaced by two younger girls, probably still in high school.

started crying, then Mike started crying and there we were,

We sat down and were handed menus, we were informed of

both of us sobbing over a bowl of something posing as our be-

the new management but saw the menu was the same. We or-

loved curry. We composed ourselves enough to pay and said

dered our usual appetizer, the beautiful savory pancake with

our final goodbyes to Elaine. I took a photo of her and Mike

scallions and perfectly burnt edges, but were met with confu-

in front of the hand drawn sign that read “All Vegan” he had

sion. Our server said she’d ask if it was available and I could

made on Philip’s request. We drove home silently.

see my partner’s heart sink from across the table—the friend who had reintroduced me to veganism had, over the years and

At its simplest, Suma was a guaranteed vegan lunch, a weekly

meals at Suma, become much more than that. He mumbled

staple. We knew exactly what to expect at each visit. Elaine

“it’s over” as the girl reappeared and said they had it. It did

would be running back and forth between the kitchen and

little to relieve the mood.

Philip, at his table with his tea and newspaper. We knew what was available each day, we knew how to tell when the food was

Once we got our orange chicken, we noticed it didn’t have the

at its best. We knew exactly how to set up our plates (a ritual

usual broccoli. “Okay, that’s fine. We can do without broccoli.”

developed over several years). Our drink orders and preferred

Eventually it was brought out in a separate bowl by the new

table were known by the wait staff and every day Philip and

owner with her apologies and another comment about the

Elaine would chat with us. At its best, though, Suma was our

new management. Then came the curry. Curry at a restaurant

congregation. Through veganism and Suma, I had discovered

is a rare thing for vegans, and it’s rarely very good. The curry at

a sentimentality towards food that I had never known. I had

Suma was a gift, proof from Elaine that there is a higher power

been included in the foundations of a tradition through our

and they really are loving and generous. When I leave Dallas

weekly visits. I was introduced to a wealth of new people and

for more than a couple days, the curry is what I think about.

ideas by the conversations that took place over our meticu-

Right from the start it was off. Served in a bowl instead of a

lously crafted plates. Suma was a rite of passage, a tradition,

plate, the consistency was off, and it had zucchini. We both

an institution.

looked at each other. I realized the last real Suma I had was days ago, in a to-go box from the Wednesday buffet I was un-

And while the changes at Suma are saddening, they’re also a

able to attend.

reminder that it isn’t the place that matters, but the people and their willingness to build a tradition. Suma has become some-

Then Elaine walked in. She made her rounds in the kitchen

thing new. It will become a new tradition for new people. For

and spoke with the new owner. She was greeted by everyone

me, Suma was my first taste of the power of food to build a

inside and waved over to three different tables. She sat and

community, to form a family, and I will always hold onto that.

spoke with everyone, and eventually made her way to our ta-

More than that, my fond memories of Suma and the lessons I

ble. She wrapped her arm around me and told us about what

learned there are the foundation upon which I hope to build

happened. She thanked us for being reliable customers and

traditions of my own. r

explained that maybe after some time away she would be able to eat there again. We asked about the recipes and the menu

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

words & photos by shelly westerhausen We vegans tend to go through vegetables much quicker than our meat-eating friends. While our bodies thank us for all these veggie-centric meals, our wallets often do not. Cost for stocking up on enough vegetables and herbs (especially organic) to meet our homemade juice, curry, and salad habits can add up fast. This is just one of the many wonderful reasons to start your own vegetable and herb garden. Not only will you save money on your weekly grocery bills, growing your own produce will guarantee the vegetables you consume are as fresh as possible. It will also give you complete control over what pesticides are seeping into your food (hopefully, none.) Another great benefit is the convenience of it all! Need more basil? Instead of jumping in your car and driving to the store, just step outside and clip some from your backyard. So, I’ve convinced you to start your own garden! What now? Even if it’s still too cold to go outside and get your hands dirty, start making a plan now. Whether this is your first time gardening or you do it every year, I’ve got a few prepping tips to help you get your garden off (or really out of) the ground this spring.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Start a garden notebook to help with prepping. Although gardening is not that complicated, there are a lot of dates and little details that need to be tracked. For example: what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to grow, when a certain vegetable needs to be planted, when to harvest, and the last frost date in your area. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also great to keep notes at the end of the season on how your plants did in order to build on your experience in future years. Did your cucumbers get too much sun? Make a note of it so you can find a nice shady spot next year.

Decide what you’d like to grow. The best advice I can give you for this is to think about what produce you usually buy

from the store. Do you live off of bruschetta during the hot August months? Make sure you stock up on tomato plants. Another

great tool is to think about what has been in abundance at your farmers’ market in the past. Are there always endless piles of zuc-

chini? Or buckets of corn on the cob? Chances are these vegetables probably grow well in your area if local farmers are selling

them in abundance. After you’ve made a list of all the possible herbs and vegetables you

want to grow, check if they can thrive in your climate by looking on the back of their seed packets or online.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Figure out where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be planting. Are you planting in pots or will you be making a garden bed? The advantages of pots is that you

can move them around (this would be good if you are moving halfway through the summer or if a particularly chilly evening comes along then you

can bring them inside). The downside of planting

in pots is that the soil dries out very quickly and it becomes essential to keep your plants well-watered. If planting in the ground, will

you be making a raised bed or planting right into your yardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soil? Making a raised bed will cost

more to build and fill but you will most likely yield more produce since youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have more con-

trol of the type of soil that goes into it. Most plants strive in moist, well-drained soil with

lots of organic matter (compost). Chatting with someone from your local garden center will most likely be the best bet here. They will know what

kind of soil is most likely to be in your area or can help you select a soil tester to use on your garden space.

Will your garden be in a sunny area or part shade? You will most likely need to pick a spot that gets full sun (at least 8 hours of direct

sun a day) so it may mean planting away from your house a little bit. There are several part shade

vegetables plants if that is the only area you have to work with. Again, check the back of seed

packets to find out how much sun each plant needs.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Decide how early youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to start. You can plant from seeds several weeks before the last frost (this is the cheapest and you will have endless

variety this way, but it does also take longer) or you can get starter plants from your local garden shop right

before you plan to plant. I encourage you to check out a local garden center if possible, instead of a chain store, because they will have a more unique variety of starter

plants and are likely to carry organic ones. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t limit yourself to just vegetables - pick up a fruit bush or try

a few edible plant and flower varieties which make a beautiful edition to any summer salad.

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Draw out a map of your garden ...in order to visualize where everything will go. Some plants work better together than others; this is because some types will hog nutrients while other plants help repel certain insects. Check a ‘companion guide’ (easily found online or in a gardening book) to make sure all of your plants have neighbors who will help them thrive. All that’s left to do is play in the dirt. Let’s get planting! r

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Written by Chef Camille Becerra Photographs by Valery Rizzo Food Styling Camille Becerra Prop Styling Valery Rizzo Ceramics by CLAM LAB and Helen Levi

Whole grains make a worthy fit to most dishes…sprinkled in stews, on top of salads or served with a poached egg. The general rule to cooking the larger denser grains such as farro, spelt and wheat berries is to treat them as you would pasta, boil in a pot of generously salted water till al dente. Smaller grains like quinoa, millet and rice are best to cook according to the package instructions then fluffed with a fork and allowed to sit covered for 10 minutes to achieve a light and airy end product.

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serves 2 2 cups cooked grains (if using a mix of grains make sure to cook each separately) 3 cups of varying market vegetables, grilled or roasted 1 handful of baby lettuces 2 springs mint pickled ramps ramp dressing

1 cup apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup sugar 2 pinches salt 1 bay leaf 1 whole chili pepper 1 bunch ramps, only the bulbs (reserving leaves for dressing) Combine all ingredients except the ramp bulbs and warm gently in pot, until sugar is dissolved. Slice the bulbs and pour warm solution over them, reserving some for the dressing. Allow to pickle for at least 2 hours before using.

1 bunch ramps, leaves only 1/4 cup canola oil pickling solution, to taste Blanch ramp leaves in a pot of salty water for 30 seconds. Combine leaves and oil in blender, whiz till smooth. Gradually add the pickling solution to taste. Adjust salt if necessary. Assembly Spoon and spread 2 tablespoons of dressing on two plates, top with grains, vegetables and lettuce. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of pickled ramps and top with torn mint leaves.

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serves 2 1/2 cup whole grain 2 cup water pinch of salt The night before combine ingredients in a small pot and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Take the pot off the stove, let it cool and refrigerate until the morning. In the morning simmer the grains for 10 minutes.

2 blood oranges 3 stalks rhubarb 1/4 cup sugar 2 fresh bay leaves 1/2 of a vanilla bean Cut the rhubarb into 3-inch pieces and place in a non-reactive pan. Supreme the oranges and place fruit over rhubarb. Squeeze the orange core to expel its juice over fruit and rhubarb. Sprinkle with sugar, and top with fresh bay leaves and a split vanilla bean. Bake at 325째F for 15-20 minutes. Serve over porridge. r

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words by Holly J Coley It was finally happening. I was living out what I had seen played in my head over and over like a movie scene: Girl Gone Vegan, starring Holly J. This was a long time in the making. I walked through the aisles of my health food store slowly, putting things up and down, reading the labels tentatively as if studying the contents for poison. It was a familiar feeling, sort of like deja vu. I had been there before. Years ago, back when I lived in the land of the mirror, I could easily spend two hours walking through the super market, trying to build an entire dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menu from five hundred calories. How much food can I get for this? How much food? This was the song of my mind.

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I would look over the shelves of canned goods, creating equations only a certain type of person seeks to solve. I can have an entire cup of sauerkraut for twenty-seven calories! But I don’t need an entire cup of sauerkraut. I’ll have half a cup- only thirteen point five calories. Ooh, prunes! Prunes have fiber. Fiber makes you full. Five prunes equal one hundred calories. One hundred plus thirteen point five calories! That’s good, that’s good, only three hundred and eighty-six point five calories to go. And so I went, walking back and forth doing math in my head, eventually getting so frustrated that I’d often leave the store empty handed. You’re not that hungry, I’d tell myself. This was a lie, of course. I was always hungry. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, there are more than 11 million individuals living in the United States suffering from an eating disorder. That would be roughly a little more than the number of people living in Osaka, Japan. Indicators of an eating disorder can include a preoccupation with appearance and weight, distorted body image, binging, purging, and food restriction. While eating disorders can manifest themselves in physical ways those who are afflicted may not appear be. But make no mistakewhether or not the disease fully claims the body it ravishes the psyche. Of all the mental illnesses, eating disorders have the highest morality rate. I knew some of these things when I was diagnosed with anorexia in the summer of my seventeenth year. How could I not? I had sat through numerous health classes, listening as teachers outlined warning signs. But listening to all the figures and stats was like listening to someone talk about cancer.

You hear about it so much you become desensitized. When I’d leave those lectures I’d find myself feeling annoyed. Not everyone who diets has an eating disorder, I’d think. Some people just didn’t want to be fat. I think on those thoughts now and get chills. It was like I knew I was about to do something bad and was already trying to convince myself otherwise. I had gotten fat, you see. A strict regimen of inactivity and horrendous eating habits had left me chunky and lethargic. At the time I was ignorant about real nutrition. But I knew enough to know that my current diet of Special K and Burger King wasn’t helping my figure, so I stopped eating them. I stopped eating a lot of things and began working out. Speed forward past my diagnosis and graduation. Speed forward to when I’m spending too much time cruising around the grocery store. Did I say cruise? It was more of a shuffle, because by then my energy was depleted. I had taken time off from college. My eating disorder had suddenly become a full time job. Instead of class my mornings were spent in the gym. The rest of my day was a mix of scales and avoiding food. Sometimes when my parents were asleep I’d shovel the contents of their fridge into black garbage bags and drive them away from the house, only to drop them on a random street. I was afraid if they stayed in the house I would eat them. I had good reason to fear. I was starting to binge. I had spent a long time controlling what and how much I ate and now suddenly, without warning I was finding myself waking up in the middle of the night to march down to the kitchen. In a drug-like stupor I’d fix a bowl of cereal, shovel the soggy flakes into

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my mouth and then spit it out. I would dissect bran muffins with the precision of a surgeon, dumping out parts I deemed forbidden and eating what I deemed safe. Food now seemed very dangerous. Whatever I ate had difficulty leaving my system and I had taken to ingesting copious amounts of laxatives to help myself along. This practice was only leaving me more malnourished, which naturally left me more hungry and prone to binge. Imagine tiptoeing downstairs and finding your loved one sitting in the shadows, picking out the raisins from a muffin like a rabid rodent. Out of all the doctors, nutritionists and therapists I had seen not a single one informed me that after a period of starvation the body, in efforts to save itself, will override the brain and take over. In short, binges were inevitable. They also didn’t tell me that severe food restriction perpetuates food obsession and sometimes psychosis. The phenomenon has been studied for decades. One of the more infamous food restriction studies dates back to the forties. Thirty-six men were made to drop their caloric intake of 3,200 calories to 1,600 for several months. They were also forced to exercise. In that time the men reported feeling fixated with food, conducting intricate rituals around mealtime, and watching others eat with a voyeuristic pleasure. Starvation makes you do weird things. I was only aware of this because I was experiencing it firsthand. I was literally going crazy. My legs buckled when I walked. I couldn’t sleep. My period had left and because I was now legally an adult, my parents couldn’t force me into a hospital. My life was becoming unbearable. But in fairness, life hadn’t been great before the eating disorder either.

Most of my life I felt responsible for the happiness of others, even if it was at the expense of my own. I was dating a guy who liked to control every aspect of my life, from what I ate to who I spoke to. My grades were suffering and I had lost friends. While some of my drive to lose weight came from insecurity, much of it stemmed from an overwhelming desire to reclaim a life I felt had been stolen. Dieting despite the disapproval of others made something click inside. It was as if I had just realized that no one could actually make me do anything I didn’t want to do. For someone who frequently felt forced into things that piece of knowledge was exquisitely addictive. A voice in my head said, “This is the way to show them you can’t be pushed around anymore.” I couldn’t bring myself to dump my boyfriend. I couldn’t bring myself to tell anyone I worried about my future. But I could focus on being thin. Making this the single focus of my life seemed to shut out all the noise around me. You don’t care your boyfriend shadows your every move when you’re busy tallying up what was in your last meal. I had found what I thought was the perfect way to prolong facing the things that unnerved me the most and for a time it felt like things were okay. The diagnosis changed everything. I had felt fine when I initially was brought in to the doctor. With the exception of feeling a little cold, I was doing well. I was a few pounds below what was considered a healthy for my age and height, but I was eating lots of fruits and vegetables and arguably receiving more nutrients than I had on my previous diet of refined carbs and fast food.

Eating disorders are diseases of the mind, brought about by a combination of genetics, personality traits and circumstance. But ironically, they are often measured physiologically. It was as if the doctor just placed my results against the BMI chart, noted I was a few pounds off and slapped a label on me. At the time no one questioned whether the BMI was a fool-proof way to measure someone’s health. The emphasis my medical team placed on numbers perpetuated the vicious cycle beginning to take place in my head numbers mattered. Within a single moment those who allegedly had the tools to help me most had joined the ranks of all the people I was fighting against. While vile, eating disorders have become fetishized in our society. From pin boards dedicated to thigh gaps to celebrities joking that they’ve “tried anorexia,” there is a sort of cavalier attitude toward the diseases. We make the mistake of focusing on the outside instead of what is going on on the inside. The disorders are insidious in nature and long before muscle wastage takes place or neurosis sets in, damage can take place in the body. Of all the experts I saw, no-one spoke to me about nutrition or why food was important. Only now am I not surprised to find that many doctors are not trained in the science of it. A 2010 survey revealed that only twenty-five percent of medical schools offered twenty-five hours of nutritional education. Some schools revealed that taking a course in nutrition was optional, while others lacked to offer medical students an actual course dedicated to the subject. A 2012 PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) showed that Ameri-

cans as a whole lacked basic nutrition knowledge. Of the 1,015 adults surveyed, only twenty-two percent knew that broccoli and beans were high in calcium. Only thirty-six percent realized that both fish and beef had no fiber. Like me, my medical team focused on numbers. Someone should have brought up health. No one saw it pertinent to tell me that if I didn’t get the right amount of vitamins and minerals my body would cease to function properly. Everything from my thought processes to my metabolism was affected by what I ate, and yet, I was clueless to these things. Whenever anyone spoke to me about food it was in terms of calories and their ability to make me grow bigger or smaller. No one pointed out that thin, fat or somewhere in between, my body could still be starving for nutrients and without them I’d be screwed. Instead I was left to figure these things out the hard way. Finally I hit rock bottom. On a night my mother had not so lovingly expressed a lack of faith in my future I decided to take a drive. I thought of my life before I got sick and it hurt to realize that all the things I had once loved, like writing and music, had all taken a backseat to my disorder. My heart was still beating, but my life was gone. Anorexia had eaten it up. I knew behind it all lay painful things like the issues with my boyfriend and family. I wanted to try to face them all, but even as I tried to think about it a frantic, ever-present voice screamed in my head. What about food and the weight and the worrying…just thinking about it made me cry in fear. How could I tackle my issues if the sickness took all of my energy?

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Recovery for me was long and sometimes painful. Eventually I left the boyfriend, moved from my parents’ house and went back to school. But learning how to eat again was exasperating. My internal hunger cues had been drastically altered. Although I had healed to the point where I could see that my weight shouldn’t be a concern, I still experienced bouts of food anxiety and it could be crippling. Following the food pyramid left me feeling lethargic and heavy. Logically I knew I was not fat, but when you feel bulbous after every meal it’s hard not to think the old thoughts. The nutritionists I went to were little help. I frequently broke out into rashes, experienced joint pain and had chronic stomach problems. I thought what I was eating had something to do with it, but they were unable to fathom that chicken could leave me constipated for a week. I wanted to understand more about how food operated in the body, but my questions were swept aside. My diagnoses kept me from being taken seriously. Refusing to stop my quest for information I began researching health and nutrition. I read books like Prescription for Nutritional Healing and The China Study. It was compelling to know that even with all our medical advances few in the medical mainstream seemed to recognize the importance of a whole diet. When a friend of mine suggested I read Skinny Bitch I did so reluctantly. With my history I felt there was little I didn’t know about diets and weight loss. But to my surprise the book was about the benefits of adopting a vegan lifestyle; the title was merely a marking ploy. Page after page revealed how a plant-based diet

worked to not only fuel the body but heal it. I was fascinated by the studies that showed the connection between the consumption of animal products and chronic disease and ailments. The more I researched the more it became clear a non-animal diet was the way to go. What better way to feel alive again than by eating living, whole food? But I was scared. Embracing a vegan diet would require me to change a lot of the habits that I had struggled to adopt. I was able to eat with my loved ones again. I was able to walk through the store without doing complicated equations. Days could go by without a single thought about weight. In the past I had clung to the identity of anorexia like a blanket. I was afraid I’d be doing the same thing if I went vegan. I didn’t want who I was to be determined by what I put in my mouth. Reluctantly I put Skinny Bitch and my interest in veganism back on the shelf of my life. Still, I wasn’t one hundred percent better. There were days my bloating and fatigue was so bad I was tempted to take a day off from classes. If I had over indulged at a meal I’d feel anxious and angry. That sinister voice that had been my companion for so long would make itself known. “You know you have an eating disorder. Why are you setting yourself up to feel bad, you stupid idiot?” I still had a hard time seeing food as nothing but calories and once you know the caloric count of a rice bowl or tempura it’s hard to forget. When I felt my weight was in a good place I could will myself to go through my day, but if my pants felt tight it was hard not to cry. It occurred to me that even though I had been in “recovery” for a few years my relationship with

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food was still poor. I had now learned enough to know that food was meant to help, not harm. There were certain foods that did this better than others. I had gone to extremes with food for years, treating it as a friend or an enemy. I wanted this to stop. Food was fuel and I needed fuel. After a container of Greek yogurt left me curled up in a ball one evening I knew what to do. The next day I found myself in the health food store, trying to decide what I would like to eat. It wasn’t as scary as I thought. I had learned enough about vitamins and minerals by then to know how each benefited the body. I shopped the perimeter, pulling vegetables, fruits, and nut milks into my basket. The more I allowed myself to adopt a new perspective on food the easier it was for me to step outside the box of old thinking. I became excited to try new things like hemp powder and mushroom noodles. I began cooking, creating Alfredo sauce from tofu and smoothies to sip in class. If I overate and found myself feeling upset I quickly shrugged it off. “Are you really going to cry because you ate too much broccoli?” I’d ask myself. In a few weeks I noticed that my cravings for sugar had stopped. My skin and hair were better. My stomach and joint issues dissipated. I had energy. One day as I sat down to a meal I noticed the voice that had been nagging me about fat grams and calories was gone. A sweeter voice had taken its place. “Eat well,” she said. “Be strong.” r

words & recipes by Mar Calpena photos by Martí Sans and Mireia Pérez Winter is almost finished, but the air is still cold. In the middle of a field, in a Mediterranean landscape dotted with olive and almond trees, a crowd stands around a long makeshift table. Children are playing hide and seek, and the scent of burning vines drifts in the wind. A grill rests upon an open flame, laden with long green scallions. They are called calçots (kahl-suds) and the people around the table have come from all over Catalonia, in Northeast Spain, to eat them. And Catalonia loves calçots. If you look at the Twitter or Instagram feed of a Catalan on any given Saturday or Sunday between the end of November and mid April, you are bound to see many photographs of these country barbecues, named “calçotades”. But what, then, is a calçot? Calçots belong to the onion family, and technically their variety is called “blanca gran tardana”, which aptly means “big white late”, since calçots are a) much bigger than regular spring onions and b) harvested much later in the year.

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The main calçot producing area lies near Valls, in the Tarragona province of Catalonia. It’s the kind of place where you imagine a Roman legion marching in the distance, and, in fact, it was also one of Rome’s most important provinces. Calçotades often provide an excuse for a cultural trip to one of the landmarks of the area, such as the Roman amphitheater and the city walls of Tarragona, or maybe a visit to one of the early 20th century “wine cathedrals”, art noveau cooperative wine cellars that peasants built in an attempt to obtain some leverage in the wine market after the phylloxera plague. This was also twhen the first modern calçots were developed, the idea of a peasant known as Xat de Benaiges, but it’s hard to know who really invented the process that produces them: during their growth the onions are removed from the soil twice, and then replanted. Every now and then, the sides of the plant are covered with soil (a process called “calçar”, from which calçots take their name) to encourage them into developing their long shape. However, while calçots were a much loved snack among peasants, it wasn’t until mid 20th century, after Spain’s civil war, that their popularity gained momentum. After a bloody conflict that left much of Catalonia ravaged –the region had mostly fought against Franco’s bloody uprising and was punished for it- hunger was widespread (until 1952 the country ran on ration stamps) and any large meetings were regarded as politically suspicious. Calçotades were a picturesque and inoffensive way to spend an afternoon, something very few people knew or cared about. And then came the sixties. There’s an old photograph of my father at a calçotada, from that time, which pretty much illustrates how change came about. My father wasn’t Catalan, and it’s likely that he hadn’t heard about calçots until little earlier. He was from Murcia, much further down the Mediterranean coast. He had arrived in Catalonia in the mid fifties, like two million other Spaniards between 1940 and 1975, in search of a better future. He met my mother, had children –not me, yet- and, slowly but steadily, became one of what writer Francisco Candel termed as the “New Catalans”. My mother, whose family hails from not far to the Valls area, was born in Barcelona, and grew up as an urban child. As with other members of their generation, they managed to scrimp and save a little, and soon they had a mortgage and a car. Catalonia’s roads filled every Sunday with tiny Seat 600 full of city denizens who wanted to either rediscover their roots or find new ones. The craze caught on, and peasants became restaurateurs, converting their decrepit masies into restaurants that catered for the calçot-eating masses.

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These days calçots are no longer a hyperlocal delicacy and can be enjoyed in all Catalonia, even if most people will still prefer travelling to Valls for an authentic calçotada, rather than eating calçots tempura or ice cream in a posh Barcelona restaurant. From 1995, Valls calçots have been protected by an EU Protected Geographical Indication (IGP), and have to conform to certain standards, but only 10 to 12 million of the 70 million calçots sold each year actually do. The University of Tarragona conducts research on the genetics of the plant, which has so far produced two new, sweeter and more productive cultivars. And there’s the massive Calçot Fest, that takes place the last Sunday of January in Valls, with, of course, calçot samplings, a Calçot Queen, a sauce contest, workshops and a calçot eating competition (the current champion ate 275 of them in 45 minutes). Calçotadas are sometimes derided as touristy, rustic fare, and indeed they may become rowdy affairs. We are back on the field I described at the beginning. Imagine, maybe, a coachful of pensioners, plus, eight or nine families with their kids, and throw in a group of loud hipsters couples. Everyone is wearing a bib, but only the prissiest have put on some cheap plastic gloves. The calçots are nearly ready, and every adult is tipsy, because the porró, a classic glass pitcher with a tapered, conical nose, has been going around the table. Drinking from a porró without getting soaked takes some practice, which makes it all the more fun. And the calçots finally arrive, wrapped in bunches in old newsprint, resting on terracotta tiles, their limp green tails the only visible part. You rush to grab one, even though they are very hot, and holding the outer skin where the tails meet the shaft, you remove it, revealing a naturally caramelized onion. The skins, which are unceremoniously discarded, leave your fingertips blackened, but you don’t stop to clean them. Instead, you dip the calçot in the orangey romesco sauce, and lifting it above your face, you eat it in one go: sweet, mellow, and spicy, you have just devored the first taste of the nearing spring. -Keep in mind that, while calçots are strictly vegan, calçotades are not, and meat is usually served as an entrée. Having said that, more often than not, even the staunchest omni stuffs him or herself so much on the starter –many restaurants have an all-thecalçots-you-can-eat policy- that they don’t leave room for much more. Sometimes a few potatoes and artichokes are cooked on the embers of the calçotada, and an orange is often offered as a palate cleanser before dessert.

Ingredients 1 bunch of calçots per person (around 20 of them) if using the oven method, you will need one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil per bunch and a few drops of liquid smoke Stateside, you can buy them in 12 unit bunches from tienda.com. In Europe, 3pfruits.com ships calçot bunches to the UK, Netherlands, Germany, France, Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Portugal and Sweden. If you can’t find calçots where you live, there are several alternatives. Either pick even-sized green onions (closer to the original flavor) or smallish, narrow leeks (easier to grill). For both methods you’ll need to start washing and stripping the outer layer of the calçots’ skin, and cut the rooty tip, too. Don’t bother being too thorough, as you’ll be removing the charred skin with your fingers when you eat them. Method 1 (barbecue) Set a grill on an open flame, and lay the calçots on it in a single layer. Roast them slowly (about 20-30 min, depending on their width), turning them from time to time until they are charred on all sides. Wrap them up in newsprint, and let them rest for about ten minutes on a terra cotta tile (or a dish, at a pinch) before serving them. This makes peeling them easier. Method 2 (oven) Calçots aren’t as tasty when prepared in the oven – but if you are a city dweller don’t let that deter you; they are still delicious. Preheat your oven at 390º F (190º C). Cover an oven tray with foil, so as to make your life easier when cleaning afterwards, and place it on the bottom of the oven. Put the calçots on a grill in a single layer, daub them with the oil and the liquid smoke, and cook them for about 40 minutes, turning once or twice, until they are slightly browned and appear juicy on the outside. Serve.

Everyone seems to have a different recipe for the calçot sauce, and every family seems to use some sort of secret method when making it, so I’ve indicated the most common variations for you to try. Heck, there’s even a heated debate on whether the sauce should actually be called salvitxada or romesco! Whatever you call it, you’ll probably want to double the recipe, since it keeps well in the fridge and it’s very nice with, say, a salad of scarole, black olives, and butter beans (this is the vegan version of salad called Xató, which is, incidentally, another name for the same sauce!). Whatever you do, do not google the recipe, unless you want to read an array of crazy variations made with ingredients that are not even easy to come by in Spanish shops, such as chipotle peppers. Ingredients 6 tomatoes 1/2 head garlic 2 dry nyora (Catalan; in Spanish, ñora) peppers, presoaked in hot water the night before. If you can’t find them (they are available online from tienda.com and souschef.co.uk), substitute 1/2 cup of roasted piquillos + 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspon sweet paprika 2 tbsp toasted almonds or hazelnuts (or one of each) salt, vinegar and extra virgin olive oil if you’d prefer the sauce to be more like a dip, use also a slice of toasted bread, or a couple of biscotti to thicken it Preheat the oven at 390º F (190º C) or, while you cook the calçots, roast the tomatoes and the head of garlic. If you are preparing them separately, you can do it the night before. And, should you be feeling particularly lazy, you can use a can of fire roasted tomatoes, too. Squeeze the garlic pulp and peel the tomatoes. Blend the pulp of both with the rest of ingredients.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

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CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

These days most calçotades finish with a serving of Crema Catalana, a cousin to France’s Crême Brulée which is most definitely not vegan, as it includes several eggs. However, the second most popular desert after a calçots meal is vegan, and it has rich history. Menjar blanc (“White meal”) is in fact Crema Catalana’s ancestor, and it is documented from Roman times. Indeed, Menjar Blanc, which in its present form originates smack dab in the middle of the calçot growing area, was almost ubiquitous in the Middle Ages, as it seems to have been enjoyed all over Europe. Ingredients 2 1/8 cups raw almonds 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup cornstarch or rice flour 1 cinnamon bark 4 1/4 cups water 1 lemon peel pinch of salt 1. If your almonds aren’t shelled, blanch them in the water. Grind the almonds in the liquid, and let them soak for a few hours. Strain the liquid with a cheesecloth (if you are in a hurry you may use almond milk). Heat it in a pan with the cinnamon, sugar, salt and the lemon peel. 2. Stir the cornstarch or the rice flour in a little water and add it to the pan, and keep stirring until it thickens. 3. Remove the cinnamon bark and the peel, and let it cool in a deep dessert dish. 4. Decorate with a pinch of ground cinnamon, a carquinyoli (which is similar to Italian biscotti minus the amaretto flavor), or more lemon peel. r

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words, recipes, and photos by Sophia Real If you have an interest in vegan desserts you will likely have already come across the myriad of vegan egg replacers that are used to try and mimic the binding, leavening and structure providing properties of eggs in baking. While many of these egg replacers like apple sauce, banana or tofu work in a number of simple recipes, none of these are as versatile in replacing eggs as flax seeds. Moreover, while you might already use flax seeds frequently to make vegan cakes, what you might not yet know is that flax seeds can not only be used in vegan baking but can even be used to create vegan mousses and many other recipes traditionally requiring whipped egg whites. Vegan baking typically uses a gel made from ground flax seeds and a small amount of cold water, so-called ‘flax eggs’. The reason for this is that the outer layer of flax seeds is made up of a mucilaginous material which is drawn out when the seeds come in contact with water and which forms a liquid gel with the water (similar to what happens when you soak chia seeds in water). As a result, flax eggs have similar binding properties to egg whites, effectively acting as a glue holding together the different ingredients in cakes or muffins. If instead of soaking ground flax seeds in cold water you boil the flax seeds whole in plenty of water (and then strain the liquid to remove the seeds) you end up with a neutral-tasting slippery gel not unlike raw egg whites both in texture and appearance and which can do much more than simply glue together different ingredients. While flax seed gel does not look like anything the beaters of your electric whisk might be able to coax into a meringue-like foam that is exactly what it is. Once cooled down to room temperature and with a lot of elbow grease you can whip the flax seed gel into a light and airy foam several times its original volume and with none of that earthy flavor or unappealing color you have to deal with when using flax eggs. This flax meringue can be used to create vegan mousses, lighten vegan custards or create delicious vegan buttercream to frost someone special’s birthday cake.

Volume: 1 egg white equals approximately 2 tablespoons in volume, so for each medium egg white required in a recipe use 2 tablespoons of flax seed gel. Weight: you can use the flax seed gel to replace egg whites 1:1 (a medium egg white typically weighs 30g so for each medium egg white, use 30g of flax seed gel). Given the high viscosity of the gel it can be difficult to portion out with only a spoon – I use a small kitchen knife as well as a spoon to divide individual portions.

A small word of warning - as flax seeds lack the protein which egg whites rely on for a lot of their work, using flax seed gel will not give you identical results in all recipes requiring whipped egg whites. In particular, flax meringue is very heat sensitive so is not a straight substitute for egg whites in recipes like angel food cake or pavlova. To save you from any kitchen failures and to get you started on creating mouthwatering desserts and sweets using flax seed gel, below you will find not only a quick and simple recipe for making the flax seed gel and a short guide on replacing egg whites with flax seed gel, you will also find a recipe for a thick and velvety Dark Chocolate Mousse, soft and pillowy Vanilla Bean Marshmallows, and a deliciously rich Meringue Buttercream. Do play around with these recipes to incorporate your favorite flavors, swap the vanilla bean in the marshmallows for lemon zest and make some summery s’mores using lemon curd, add some ground cardamom to the mousse au chocolate for a Turkish coffee twist or flavor the buttercream with your favorite jams or nut butters.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Makes 4 small pots of mousse I first learned to make chocolate mousse from a friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s French stepmum. Her secret? She added strong espresso to her chocolate mousse - the coffee manages to bring out both the delicious bitter and sweet sides of the chocolate so I now add espresso not only to my chocolate mousse but also to brownies and chocolate cakes. Makes 1/2 cup (approx. 120g) - the equivalent of about 4 egg whites

Note: The flax seed gel should be stored in a closed container in the fridge where it will keep for about 1 week. The leftover flax seeds, which will keep for a few days in the fridge, can easily be added to whole grain bread dough or muffin batter, added to granola or porridge or even turned into vegan crackers. Ingredients 1/3 cup (50g) flax seeds 3 cups (750ml) water

Instructions 1. Add the flax seeds and the water to a large saucepan and place on medium heat.

2. Once the water has started to boil cook the mixture for about 20 minutes or until the water has turned into a liquid gel and the liquid has reduced to about 1/2 cup. To test whether the liquid has reduced sufficiently, pass the contents of the saucepan through a sieve and measure the liquid - if this measures more than 1/2 cup return both the liquid and the seeds to the saucepan and continue simmering, testing every 2-3 minutes until you are left with 1/2 cup of gel after straining out the seeds. 3. When the liquid has reduced sufficiently, strain and discard the flax seeds (or use them for another recipe). When cooling, the gel will thicken further. 4.Once the flax seed gel has cooled to room temperature you can whip it in a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, whipping on medium speed for approximately 5 minutes (just long enough for small bubbles to appear) and continuing to whip on high speed for another 12-13 minutes for a firmer foam and up to a total of 20 minutes for stiff peaks. The gel whips best when fridge cold.

Ingredients 2/3 cup (150ml) rice cream or soy cream 1.5 tsp ground espresso 1/3 cup (75ml) olive oil or a neutral-tasting vegetable oil 1.5 bars of dark chocolate (70%) (150g), chopped roughly 6 tbsp (90g) flax seed gel generous pinch of salt Optional: a pinch of fleur de sel Instructions 1. In a small saucepan heat the rice cream on a low flame until it starts to steam. Turn off the heat, add the ground espresso and leave to infuse for 2-3 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve lined with a cheesecloth, pressing on the ground coffee to squeeze out all of the infused rice cream. 2. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan and set the saucepan over a slightly larger saucepan containing simmering water set over a small flame. Pour the infused cream and the olive oil over the chocolate. Once all the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat and whisk briefly to combine the chocolate with the rice cream and the olive oil and the mixture is smooth. 3. While the chocolate is melting, whisk the flax seed gel together with a generous pinch of salt using an electric mixer, starting on medium speed. Once small bubbles have started to form (approx. 5 minutes), turn the mixer to high and continue beating until the flax seed gel has turned into a firm and white foam (this should take a total of between 15-20 minutes). Add a third of the flax seed foam to the melted chocolate and stir to combine. Add the remaining flax seed foam and carefully fold into the melted chocolate being careful not to deflate the mousse. 4. Divide the mousse between 4 small ramekins or glasses, cover each ramekin or glass with clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least a couple of hours to set before serving. If you like, you can scatter a few flakes of fleur de sel on top of the mousse right before serving.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Makes enough buttercream to frost an 8 inch (20cm) layer cake Ingredients 8 tbsp (120g) flax seed gel 1 serving of vegan protein powder containing about 12g worth of pure protein (this should be equal to 1/2 or 1 serving of protein powder) seeds of 1 vanilla bean pinch of salt (250g) icing sugar, divided (500g) vegan butter, softened

Instructions 1. Whisk the flax seed gel together with the protein powder, vanilla bean seeds and pinch of salt on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes or until small bubbles start to form. Add half the sugar one tablespoon at a time, while continuing to whisk. Once the first half of the sugar has been added, turn the speed up to high and continue beating the mixture for a total of 15 minutes and until the mixture has significantly increased in volume and has developed into a firm foam. 2. Add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, alternating with adding the remaining sugar one tablespoon at a time, while continuing to whisk. The mixture might look as though it is splitting at some point, if so, it should come back together as you continue whisking. 3. Once all the sugar and butter has been incorporated, continue beating for 2-3 minutes and until the buttercream is light and fluffy. If you are using any fruit purees, nut butters etc. to flavor your buttercream you can add this to the bowl at this stage, whisking briefly to incorporate it. Once ready, the buttercream can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for a week. If not using straightaway, rewhip the buttercream with an electric mixer for a few minutes before using.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Makes 16 bite-sized marshmallows Note: Making marshmallows isn’t hard but working with hot sugar can be tricky the first time - to make your life easier make sure you read through the recipe before getting started so you can measure all of your ingredients before you start cooking the sugar (once the sugar starts cooking things move fairly quickly). You will also need a candy thermometer. And while most people recommend making marshmallows in a stand-mixer, I have always made them with a handheld mixer - once you start beating the marshmallow mix it has a tendency to climb up the beaters but I find using a single beater solves that issue. The marshmallows are best eaten the day they are made but will keep for a few days stored somewhere dry. Ingredients scant 1/2 tsp (1g) agar agar 5 tbsp (75ml) water seeds of 1 vanilla bean 3/4 cup (185g) caster sugar or light muscovado sugar 4 tbsp (60g) flax seed gel 1 serving of vegan protein powder containing approx. 6g worth of pure protein* 1 tsp (3.5g) xanthan gum Enrobing mixture 1/3 cup (40g) icing/confectioner’s sugar 1/3 cup (40g) cornstarch

Instructions 1. Prepare a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and dusted all over with a thin layer of the enrobing mixture. 2. Whisk the agar agar together with 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the water in a small bowl until fully dissolved and set aside. In a saucepan combine the sugar, the remaining 3 tbsp (45 ml) of water and the seeds of the vanilla bean and bring the mixture to a boil, using a candy thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. 3. While the sugar is cooking, add the flax seed gel and the protein powder to a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld mixer or a stand-mixer beat on high for about 5 minutes by which stage it should have turned into a fairly firm foam and have increased in volume. Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the flax egg foam and continue beating the mixture while the sugar syrup is cooking.

4. When the sugar syrup reaches 250°F/120°C - this should take about 7 minutes immediately take the pan off the heat and slowly pour it into the flax seed foam while continuing to whisk on high. Once all the syrup has been added to the flax seed foam switch off your mixer and add the agar agar plus the soaking water to the saucepan you cooked the sugar syrup in. Briefly return the saucepan to the stove and heat the agar agar and water on a medium flame just long enough for the agar agar to melt and start to gel (this should take no longer than 1-2 minutes). Scrape the agar agar into the mixing bowl and beat the marshmallow mixture on high until it feels only warm to the touch, the mixture has significantly grown in volume and looks fluffy and is pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl (this should take 8-10 minutes). 5. Scrape the mixture onto the prepared baking tray, trying to distribute it evenly (I find it easiest to do this with an oiled offset spatula). Leave to set overnight or for a minimum of 12 hours before turning the marshmallow slab onto a cutting board covered in a thin layer of the enrobing mixture. Dust some more enrobing mixture onto the side facing up before cutting the marshmallows into small squares or any other shape you would like (this is easiest if you use a well-oiled knife or a knife that has been briefly held under hot running water and dried thoroughly). Dust the cut marshmallows with the enrobing mixture and leave to dry for a couple of hours before storing them in a closed container, using parchment paper to separate layers. *The protein powder is necessary to help give the vegan marshmallows structure (together with the agar agar), the same way egg white and gelatin do in traditional marshmallows. While some recipes recommend using soy protein isolate, I have found that regular store-bought protein powder works equally well (although you should try and use a plain or at least neutral-flavored protein powder). As the protein content of commercially available protein powders varies not just depending on the specific brand but also the source of the protein (e.g. soy protein has a very high protein content whereas hemp has a very low protein content), how much protein powder you will need will

depend on your specific type and brand. What you are looking for is to replicate the amount of protein you would normally get when using egg whites in order to get the right texture for your marshmallows. As a guide, you will need 3g pure protein for every 2 tablespoons of flax seed gel (i.e. the average protein content of a single medium egg white); for the amounts stated in this recipe you will thus need a total of 6g protein as a minimum (which should equal 1/4 or 1/2 of one serving of most protein powders). Don’t worry if you go slightly above that if it is difficult to measure your protein powder in such small amounts, just make sure you don’t go below the 6g. r

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

words, photos, & recipes by Tara Pelletier

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Exfoliating your skin once or twice a week is the best way to improve your skin tone. Scrubs unclog pores, promote a speedy turnover of skin cells, balance your body’s oil production, and rid your pores of toxins and dirt, creating a fresh overall look and feel. Scrubs are very easy to make at home - once you have all of the ingredients prepared and measured, the process takes only minutes. The recipes I’ve created use organic turbinado cane sugar as the main exfoliating ingredient (which means that you can nibble a little in the shower and it’ll be tasty). If you are a savory person, you could use sea salt in place of the sugar, the main difference being that sugar is a little softer on the skin. These recipes call for virgin coconut oil, which soaks into your skin quickly, is naturally anti fungal, and helps to lock in moisture and promote skin hydration. Not to mention, virgin coconut oil also lends its sweet scent and taste to create dessert-like recipes. You could use another pure oil in place of it, like olive, walnut, avocado or sunflower oil. Keep in mind that some have a stronger savory scent or might feel oilier on your skin. These recipes require the oil to be in liquid form for thorough mixing. The easiest way to melt coconut oil is in a saucepan on your range, at low heat. Keep stirring the oil while it is heating until it’s just melted, and take it off the heat to cool to room temperature. As oils are heated their healing properties change, so the less heat used, the better. To melt oil in the microwave, heat for 10 seconds at a time until liquefied. The best place to use a scrub is in the shower. After an initial rinse, scoop out a handful of scrub and massage it onto wet skin. You might step out of the water stream as you do this to keep the scrub from dissolving as you spread it over your entire body. Rinse the scrub off thoroughly and pat your skin dry when you exit the shower. These recipes use ingredients that can be found in most grocery stores, and you can store the scrubs you make for up to 3 months in a sealed jar.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

mixing bowl spoon measuring cups and spoons jars with lids food processor (optional) coffee grinder (optional) sharp knife vegetable peeler spice grater (optional) zester (optional) tea towel or sandwich bags hammer (optional) saucepan or microwave safe bowl

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

1/2 cup coffee grounds 4 tbsp mint leaves or 4 peppermint tea bags 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup coconut oil

If the coconut oil is solid, melt it and cool to room temperature. If you are using fresh mint, pluck all mint leaves from the stalks and spread onto a cookie sheet. Bake at lowest temperature for one hour. Let the leaves cool completely before crumbling them between your fingers into a powder. If you are using peppermint tea bags, snip open the tea bags and use the leaves. In a bowl, combine coffee, mint and sugar. Pour the oil over the ingredients and mix to combine. Store in a sealed jar.

1/2 cup almonds 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 tbsp coconut flakes, unsweetened 1/2 cup coconut oil

Grind the almonds in a food processor. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a food processor, put the nuts in a sandwich bag or tea towel and lightly hit with a hammer to pulverize. You can also use pre-ground almond meal. In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Pour the oil over the ingredients and mix to combine. Store in a sealed jar.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

4 small lemons 1 tbsp poppy seeds 1 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup cornmeal 1/3 cup coconut oil

If the coconut oil is solid, melt it and cool to room temperature. Zest the lemons, then leave the zest to dry for 1 to 2 hours. (You can make lemonade while you wait!) If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a zester, carefully remove the lemon peel with a vegetable peeler and then mince the peel with a knife. In a bowl, mix poppy seeds, sugar, cornmeal, vanilla, and lemon zest. Pour the oil over the ingredients and mix to combine. Store in a sealed jar.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

1/4 cup black tea 1 tbsp dry ginger, ground 1 tbsp cinnamon, ground 1/4 tsp cloves, ground 1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground 1/2 tsp cardamom, ground 1/2 tsp black pepper, ground 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup coconut oil

Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg can be bought already ground (easiest method) or you can use a grater and coffee grinder to grind them. In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and vanilla thoroughly. Pour the oil over the ingredients and mix to combine. Store in a sealed jar. r

GETTING YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR The Social Psychology of Donating, Cutting Back, and Going Vegan by Corey Wrenn

Foot-in-the-door theory is a social psychologi-

who have gone vegan for health or environmental

cal concept utilized by salespersons, social move-

reasons to adopt an ethical stance as well. After

ments, and others in the business of persuasion. If

all, the foot is already in the door, they’ve made a

you succeed in convincing someone to make one

change. They should be receptive to further change.

small change, they will be more likely to accept larger requests in the future. The idea is that atti-

This is one reason why many organizations rightly

tudes follow behaviors (not the other way around

target college students—their foot is already in the

as we like to think.) For example, if you convince

door to liberal thinking. We might utilize foot-in-

someone to put a sticker in their window sup-

the-door theory when appealing to pre-existing at-

porting your cause, and you later ask them to put

titudes about companion animals, human equality,

a sign in their yard or even to volunteer, you will

and unnecessary suffering. Many people value egal-

be much more successful. The reason is that people

itarianism and already think fondly of the cats and

will adjust their attitude to reflect their behavior.

dogs in their life. These folks do not want Non-hu-

They supported your cause by putting your sticker

mans to suffer needlessly, and these mindsets are

in their window, now they feel more positive about

easy springboards into veganism.

that cause and they have become emotionally invested. Therefore, they will see further requests as

Despite the potential for improving outreach effec-

congruent with their previous behavior and their

tiveness, many Non-human Animal rights organi-

changing attitude. These approaches allow people

zations only use foot-in-the-door research to pro-

to believe they can do next to nothing and consider

mote their status quo activism. They often claim

themselves someone who cares about Non-human

that promoting vegetarianism and other forms of

Animals without ever being pushed to take that at-

reduction is to break down a major change (vegan-

titude seriously through veganism.

ism) into manageable chunks (cutting out flesh, or just flesh on Mondays, or perhaps eggs from caged

Oftentimes, the professionalized animal rights in-

birds). Once a person reduces their Non-human

dustry chooses to apply foot-in-the-door phenom-

Animal consumption, that person’s “foot is in the

enon to their pre-existing tactics that prioritize

door” and they are expected to be more receptive

moderated strategy and fundraising. But could we

to veganism. But why does applying this theory

not apply this theory more practically? Why not

often entail compromising the interests of other

focus on those who have already gone vegetarian

animals?

and ask them to go vegan? We might also ask those

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

And even more telling, there are very, very few cam-

the Non-human Animal rights movement as experts

paigns that are explicitly promoting veganism. The

on the interests of Nonhuman Animals. If the pub-

foot gets in the door, and then what? The end goal

lic is being told that, at their own discretion, giving

seems to be reductionism, not veganism.

up some products some of the time is consistent with respecting the interests of other animals, how could

Why not have individuals sign up for a vegan men-

we seriously expect meaningful change? When that

toring program or a newsletter instead? Why not

movement is going so far as to reject vegan education

ask them to try veganism for a month, then follow

(as oftentimes happens), we have a serious problem

up with them and ask them to extend the period?

on our hands.

Alternatively, we might ask people to incrementally adopt veganism over a few weeks. We might also be

I suspect that organizations are utilizing foot-in-

honest about the learning process of veganism and re-

the-door theory to entice the public into making

iterate that it is an inherently incremental process. It’s

small, arbitrary behavior changes that will instill a

impossible for anyone to go vegan overnight, for in-

pro-animal identity that should encourage them to

stance, because there is a learning curve in navigating

donate. Meat-Out Monday makes as much sense as

a speciesist society. All of these approaches would be

Gary Francione’s satirical suggestion for “No Factory

consistent with foot-in-the-door approach and seem

Farmed Small Fish Fridays.” These requests are not

infinitely more consistent with social justice efforts.

consistent and they fall short. These approaches allow people believe they can do next to nothing and con-

When organizations promote reductionism instead

sider themselves someone who cares about Non-hu-

of veganism because “the world won’t go vegan over-

man Animals without ever being pushed to take that

night,” they’re constructing a straw man argument.

attitude seriously through veganism.

Very few advocates for any social change campaign honestly believe change would happen so quickly.

I suggest that the major organizations are not exact-

Even violent revolutionary change requires signifi-

ly utilizing foot-in-the-door theory to create a vegan

cant planning and public support. But anti-specie-

world, but rather, they are utilizing the theory to so-

sism is not based in violence. Anti-speciesism attacks

licit an ever-growing constituency of donors. Asking

ideological and structural inequalities. No one in the

people to make trivial behavior changes gets people

Non-human Animal rights movement is so naive to

to see themselves as animal rights supporters. This,

think the world is going to become vegan overnight.

in turn, gets them to donate more. Asking people to

Vegan education is inherently incremental. It is an

go vegan, on the other hand, involves real change for

approach that will gradually gain momentum until a

the animals and circumvents the donation trap. Po-

critical mass is reached. Dismantling the ideology of

litical power is within the individual, not their bank

speciesism will be a process.

account. Most people truly care about animals, and, hence, already have their foot in the door. Why sell

There is no compelling reason why foot-in-the-door

that short by encouraging reductionism instead of

theory could not speak to incremental abolitionist

veganism? r

change. We should consider that the public looks to

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

words & recipes by laurie Sadowski Something about spring in the air inspires me to put aside the cocoa, molasses, and rich spices, and focus on floral, fruity, and simple in my cake baking. And when it comes to baking both gluten-free and vegan, there’s no reason why these flavors need be masked by dense textures, bitter aftertastes, or crumbly consistencies. Cakes are my favourite dessert to bake—specifically when I’m baking for others or writing my books. Along the way, I’ve gathered a few techniques and ingredients that will have you whisking your way to delicious success. Either that or just come over for tea—I’ll have a cake specially for you.

A common issue with the combination of gluten-free and vegan baking is the room for error when you’re swapping out essential ingredients. As a baker, the most common question I receive is, “How do you bake a cake without eggs, butter, and flour?” My answer is easy—I give them a bite of what I’ve made (and sometimes a whole slice… if they’re lucky). So in order to really win them over, here’s what you need to do: • When measuring gluten-free flours, fluff your flours and starches before measuring, then spoon and level rather than dip and sweep, otherwise, you’ll get too much flour and a heavier result. • The right flour combination can make or break a recipe: resist swapping the ones indicated for alternatives, as the fiber, fat, and protein content, along with the weight, can completely change the recipe. • If you need to substitute the flour or starches (in these recipes or others), my cookbook, The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Cakes and Cookies gives you details on how to do it successfully. Even better: it’ll tell you how to modify wheat-based and non-vegan recipes, too. • There’s no need for your kitchen to be equipped with vegan alternatives, such as egg replacer. A few of the right ingredients (that you probably have on hand) do the same job, without cramming more in your pantry and taking extra dollars from your pocket. Eggs are designed for

moisture, leavening, and binding—all of which can be done without them. • Ground flaxseeds are one of those ingredients that add extra moisture and binding power— but if you don’t want brown flecks in your lightcolored cake, go for the golden version: it works the same but blends into the batter. • Coconut oil is available in two varieties: virgin/ unrefined and “nonvirgin” (though usually just not labeled the former). For a neutral flavor, opt for “nonvirgin” varieties—you’ll still get the same tenderness and all the benefits. • If a buttery flavor is desired, opt for a vegan buttery spread, rather than a nondairy margarine, for optimal results: the water content tends to be too high in margarine. • To make vegan buttermilk, put 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar in a liquid measuring cup, then pour in enough nondairy milk to make 2 cups total. Let stand about 5 minutes, until curdled.

Baking for specific dietary needs—whether it‘s gluten-free, vegan, or a combination—can seem intimidating when you’re nixing the “normal” ingredients. And, as you know, nothing trumps warm, home-baked desserts fresh from the oven. There’s no reason for settle for anything less than stellar. So with spring as my inspiration, here are three cakes designed to highlight the new season with hints of citrus, earthy aromas, fragrant herbs and spices, and fresh fruit—all in flavor combinations unlike you’ve had before.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Like your favourite pancakes loaded into each bite, this cake features the flavors of maple with chocolate, raspberries, and a hint of fragrant buckwheat. Free of: gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts Cake Instructions 3/4 cup sorghum flour, plus more for sprinkling in the pan 1 cup buckwheat flour 1/2 cup millet flour 1/2 cup tapioca flour 1/4 cup arrowroot flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp fine sea or Himalayan salt -1 1/4 cups unrefined cane sugar or granulated sugar 2/3 cup melted coconut oil* 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds* 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp maple extract -2 cups vegan buttermilk* 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries 1 1/4 cups nondairy semisweet chocolate chunks 1 tbsp cider vinegar Icing Ingredients 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (see Tip) 1/4 cup unsweetened nondairy milk* 2 tbsp vegan buttery spread* 1/4 tsp fine sea or Himalayan salt 1 tbsp sorghum flour 1/4 tsp maple extract 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Makes 12 servings

Cake Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 10-inch (12 cup) Bundt pan, using a pastry brush to thoroughly coat the bottom and side of the pan. Sprinkle with sorghum flour, tapping out the excess. 2. Put the buckwheat flour, sorghum flour, millet flour, tapioca flour, and the arrowroot flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. 3. Put the sugar, coconut oil, flaxseeds, maple extract, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl. Turn the stand mixer or a hand mixer on medium-low speed. Beat until well combined. 4. Turn the mixer to low speed. Add the flour mixture and the vegan buttermilk, beating well. Fold in the raspberries & chocolate chunks. Immediately stir in the cider vinegar until just combined. 6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan using a rubber spatula, smoothing the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake will be golden brown, begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, and will spring back when lightly touched. 7. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert the cake directly onto a serving dish. Cool to room temperature before preparing the icing. Icing Instructions

Put the maple syrup, nondairy milk, vegan buttery spread, and sea salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce to a simmer, add the sorghum flour, and cook for one more minute. Remove from heat and add the maple extract, mixing well. Add the confectioners’ sugar. Mix well. Set aside to cool for about 30 minutes. To serve, spoon the icing over the cake, letting it run down the sides, completely coating the cake. Let stand about 15 minutes to set. Serve at room temperature. Leftovers taste best when stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Tip: For the best maple flavor, look for Amber or Dark varieties of maple

syrup, but if you can’t hunt it down, be sure to get Grade B.

*See “Bake Me A Cake”

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

This light, moist, and fluffy cake is my “go to” cake and infinitely adaptable. It’s inspired from my Boston Cream Pie in my book The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Cakes and Cookies, and a fan favourite across the board. The heritage frosting is also known as flour frosting (among other names), dating back to the pre-war era… just like grandma used to make.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Free of: gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts Makes 10 servings

Cake Ingredients 1 1/4 cups unsweetened nondairy milk, plus more as needed* 1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves 1 vanilla bean -1/2 cup warm water 2 tbsp ground flaxseed* -1 1/4 cups sorghum flour 1 cup millet flour 1/2 cup tapioca flour 1/4 cup arrowroot starch 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp xanthan gum 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp fine sea or Himalayan salt — 1/2 cup vegan buttery spread* 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened* 1 1/2 cups unrefined cane sugar or granulated sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp cider vinegar

Frosting Ingredients 2 tbsp sorghum flour 2 tbsp tapioca flour 1 cup unsweetened nondairy milk* -1 cup vegan buttery spread* 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 tsp peppermint extract

*See “Bake Me a Cake”

Cake Instructions 1. Put 1 1/4 cups of the nondairy milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. When it starts to steam, remove it from heat, add the mint leaves. Slice open the vanilla bean and use a knife to scrape out the filling. Put it in the pot, and add the bean. Cover and let stand 2 hours. 2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil two 9-inch round baking pans. Line with parchment paper. Lightly oil the parchment paper. Put the warm water in a small bowl. Stir in the flaxseeds. Let stand until thickened, at least 5 minutes. 3. Strain the nondairy milk mixture into a liquid measuring cup at least 2 cups capacity, pressing down to ensure all the flavor gets into the mixture. Discard the leaves and the bean. If needed, top up the cup so there is 1 1/4 cups nondairy milk total. 4. Put the sorghum flour, millet flour, tapioca flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a dry whisk until combined. 5. Put the vegan buttery spread and oil in a stand mixer or large bowl. Turn the mixer or a hand mixer on medium-high speed. Beat for 4 minutes. Add the sugar. Beat well for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, until well combined and fluffy. Add the flaxseed mixture and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary. 6. Turn the mixer to low speed. Add the flour mixture and vegan buttermilk until well mixed. Turn off the mixer and quickly stir in the vinegar until just combined. 7. Scrape the mixture evenly into the prepared pans using a rubber spatula. Smooth out the tops. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. The cakes will be lightly browned and begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, and the centers will spring back when lightly touched. 8. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cakes from the pans and put them on a cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature before frosting.

Frosting Instructions 1. Put the sorghum flour and tapioca flour in a small saucepan. Slowly pour in the nondairy milk, whisking constantly, until lump-free and well combined. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Let boil 30 seconds while whisking. Remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Put a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the mixture. Let cool another 15 minutes. Refrigerate for 1 hour, until completely cooled. 2. Once the mixture has cooled, put the vegan buttery spread and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Beat for at least 5 minutes, until light and fluffy, and the granulated sugar is no longer gritty. Add the chilled nondairy milk mixture and extracts. Beat for until fluffy. It might look curdled at first but don’t worry—it will smooth out. Once the cakes have come to room temperature, carefully transfer one layer to a serving dish or cake stand. Use an offset metal spatula to spread about a third of the frosting evenly on the layer. Top with the other cake, pressing down slightly. Use the spatula to frost the top and around the sides of the cake. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving. Leftovers taste best when stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Tip: The frosting is a cross between buttercream and whipped cream—light and fluffy with a hint of density when first made, and firmer when refrigerated. It’s a lovely alternative for those who don’t love the richness of buttercream, but for layer cakes that need a little more strength than a whipped (nondairy) cream.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

Free of: gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts Makes 8 servings An earthy and textural olive oil-cornmeal batter is layered with creamy mango, then a spicy cardamom crumb, all in a simple not-too-sweet cake perfect for brunch or tea.

Cake Ingredients 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sorghum flour, divided 1/2 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal 1/4 cup millet flour 1/4 cup tapioca flour 1/2 cup unrefined cane sugar or granulated sugar 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp xanthan gum 1/2 tsp fine sea or Himalayan salt 1/4 tsp baking soda -3/4 to 1 cup vegan buttermilk* 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (see Tips) -1 1/2 cups finely chopped mangos (see Tips) 1 tsp lemon juice Crumb Topping Ingredients 6 tbsp sorghum flour 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 tbsp cornmeal 3/4 tsp ground cardamom 1/4 tsp fine sea or Himalayan salt 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (see Tips) Glaze Ingredients 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted 1/2 tsp lemon zest 1/8 tsp ground cardamom Pinch fine sea or Himalayan salt Unsweetened nondairy milk, as needed* *See “Bake Me a Cake”

Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. 2. Put 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp of the sorghum flour, the cornmeal, millet flour, tapioca flour, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the vegan buttermilk and oiland mix until consistent. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. 3. Put the mango in a small bowl. Add the lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sorghum flour. Toss to combine. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the batter, gently pressing down. 4. To make the topping, put the sorghum flour, brown sugar, cornmeal, cardamom, and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the olive oil and stir until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the mango. 5. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake will be golden brown and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. 6. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Put a plate or large cutting board on top of the pan. Carefully invert the cake so the crumb topping is on the bottom. Remove the parchment paper. Put a serving plate on top, and holding the cake in between the plates, carefully invert it so the crumb topping is on top. 7. To make the glaze, put the confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, cardamom, and salt in a small bowl. Mix to combine. Drizzle over the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature. Tips: I love using ataúlfo mangos for this. They have a smaller stone, are less stringy, and are creamier than the larger varieties that tend to be more common. You can generally find ataúlfo mangos in the regular grocery store. A good quality olive oil will make all the difference here. Choose a Robust or Medium variety with a crush/bottled date within 6 months of your purchase for the best flavor. r

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

VEGAN PLANET

AFRO-VEGAN

Robin Robertson

Bryant Terry

Available Now

Available April 8, 2014

$19.95 in print, $9.99 for Kindle

$27.50

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR new vegans, new cooks, someone looking to learn more

the mix of art, stories, and references that pair with the beauti-

THE BEST PART

recipes than a basic pasta dish

ful recipes

whenever a processed ingredient is included in an ingredient list, there’s always a homemade version to back it up, giving you the option to make

FIVE FAV RECIPES

THE BEST PART

it either way, depending on your mood

FIVE FAV RECIPES tiramisu cheesecake potato pierogi and cabbage with pear and dried plum compote butternut squash and wild mushroom lasagne coconut-cardamom rice pudding sausage breakfast casserole This is one of those books that immediately becomes a must-have in your kitchen. First published in 2003, this is the latest updated version of what we could call a vegan tome. It comes in at almost 600 pages, zero of which are photos - there are none in this book, as it’s packed full of useful information and classic, proven-great recipes. It includes all the basics of vegan cooking, including substitutions, food storage, and important information about new-to-many

favorite

vegan

ingredients.

It’s the kind of book I would’ve loved to get when I became vegan years ago, but even so, I’ll be cooking from it often because of the quality and inventiveness of the recipes.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

maple-glazed banana johnnycakes berbere-spiced black-eyed pea sliders creamy coconut-cashew soup with okra corn and tomatoes sautéed sugar snap peas with spring herbs smashed potatoes peas and corn with chile-garlic oil As someone who was raised on sugar cereals and boxed mac n cheese, I so appreciated reading & cooking through Afro-Vegan. Not only are the recipes on point, but the mission is refreshing to see in a huge marketplace of new cookbooks. Terry works to not only recount his experience with Afro-diasporic

(African,

Caribbean,

American)

cooking & its cultures, but also offers to infuse more of its origins into modern-day meal-making by including more whole foods such as yams, millet, hot peppers, and more. But it’s not just about food - he places emphasis on spending time together, creating a more sustainable & fun life, and even shares book, film, and music recommendations throughout. This book is all about cultivating a nourishing, healthy, and flavorful experience with food, while celebrating the history behind it, whether you’re familiar with it or learning about it for the first time.

VEGAN SECRET SUPPER by Mérida Anderson $26.95 Available now

FIVE FAV RECIPES: apple smoked tofu & caramelized onion spring rolls with carrot tamarind & avocado aioli mustard roasted nugget potatoes with crispy fennel & smoky portobellos butternut squash & almond gnocchi sautéed with sage garlic butter pipián pesto tortellini with seared asparagus & roasted tomatillo sauce white chocolate cashew mousse with date caramel & cardamom Spotlight by Megan Cole Up a flight of stairs in a small East

chose to give up meat and dairy, and

planted for what would eventually become

pretty upset, she dumped a whole bunch

Vancouver attic apartment the seeds were Merida Anderson’s debut cookbook Vegan Secret Suppers: Bold and Elegant Menus from a Rogue Kitchen.

Once a week Anderson would invite diners into her home and serve a three to

five course plant-based meal. She isn’t a

seasoned

chef

preparing

extravagant

become vegan. “I told my mom and she was

of cookbooks at my spot at the table and

said ‘we’re having chicken for dinner,

what are you having?’ I was like, what-

ever I know how to cook, and I definitely didn’t, because I remember the first thing I ever made and it was horribly disgusting.”

meals in chef’s whites; instead Ander-

Growing up on Vancouver’s North Shore,

seemed natural to add vegan chef to the

son learned to cook out of necessity. Anderson says the meals were what you would expect from a ‘80s household: white rice, boiled vegetables and chicken. “I

definitely didn’t what to emulate that,” says Anderson. “I would make up things, I

would find one ingredient and stick on it for months until I felt like I would die

if I would eat it again, and then move on to something else.” At

15-years-old

Anderson

got

fashion mix,

accomplished

and

artist,

designer

and

through

out

musician,

ceramicist,

Anderson’s

life

she’s continued to add new projects to the mix – at one point she was planning

on taking a bike-frame welding class.

After a visit to Eastern Canada where she encountered a vegan secret supper in Halifax, Nova Scotia, her new endeavor

would be hosting a multi-course meal for strangers in her home.

involved

Anderson launched the Sunday suppers in

cluded a vegan contingency. After watch-

made the suppers mobile and now hosts

with Vancouver’s punk scene, which in-

ing several animal cruelty videos, she

Vancouver in 2008, and since then has them in Brooklyn and Montreal.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

“I just fell in love with the idea, and because I was trying to write a cook-

book for so long, I thought it was a

have to think of it as vegan, it is just food.”

perfect way to test ideas,” she says.

Instead of tofu and soy, the recipes

like a perfect direction to go.”

ty but also her passion for locally

“I was in between careers and it seemed

Even though the essence of the supper club is the same on both coasts, An-

derson says the response from the com-

munities in Vancouver and New York are different. As she’s worked to develop her recipes and dishes, Anderson has

faced what she describes as ‘false ex-

reflect not only Anderson’s creativiproduced ingredients and flavors. From Asian-inspired miso and Japanese eggplant pierogies to pumpkin maple cinnamon buns, Vegan Secret Suppers offers recipes that inspire other vegan cooks

and showcase the elegance and even decadence of vegan food.

pectations’ around vegan food and the

Sunday night after Sunday night, An-

food is definitely seen as being more

which she tested on the diners that

lifestyle. “On the west coast, vegan like ‘hippy food.’ But when I moved

to the east coast to New York, I found people didn’t want to eat vegan food because it was all processed and fake,” she says.

“I did a private supper a couple nights ago, and I always kind of dread those

because there will be a few people who

are very excited because they are the

ones who wanted to have it, but the rest of their family members and friends are

more heavy meat eaters who just want to

derson created new dishes and recipes,

attended the supper club, and by the time she began working on her cookbook,

she had recipes that spanned nearly five years.

Even before Anderson penned her deal with the Vancouver publishers, Arsenal

Pulp Press, she had dreams of having her cookbook be part of the catalogue,

which includes the book that inspired her in the early days of her vegan cooking.

make fun of the food, even though they

Like Anderson, Sarah Kramer came from

have to constantly defend yourself.”

the DIY world, and when How It All Veg-

are enjoying it, and it’s hard when you

Anderson doesn’t defend vegan food and

the dishes she serves to doubters, and she doesn’t try to emulate non-vegan food on purpose. “It’s not my goal to

create something that looks and tastes

like chicken,” she says. “There aren’t

many vegans and if you want to make an impact, you don’t want to scare them

off with tofu, and you just want to show them that food is food. You don’t

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

a similar background and gravitated to an was released in 1999 it became a

best seller changing the way home cooks approached vegan food and cooking. Sim-

ilar to the way How It All Vegan was received, Kramer sees Vegan Secret Sup-

pers as an important addition to the world of vegan cuisine. “I think her book is amazing and one of the best vegan cookbooks to be released in a long, long time,” says Kramer. “I think it’s a game changer.”

VEGAN CHOCOLATE Fran Costigan Available now

Myra Goodman & Marea Goodman

$30

Available March 2014

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR bakers, dessert-lovers, chocoholics

STRAIGHT FROM THE EARTH

and

WHAT THIS BOOK IS FOR

an ultimate guide to creating vegan chocolate dishes

THE BEST PART

the primal-hunger-inducing photos that make you want to try each and every recipe

FIVE FAV RECIPES lemon olive oil truffles opera cake white chocolate and matcha mousse pudding chocolate crostini raw chocolate fudge and mandarin orange tart

$27.50

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

non-vegans who want to try great vegetable-based dishes (that just so happen to be vegan), people who want to bring more whole-foods, organic meals into their repertoire

THE BACKSTORY

Co-founder of Earthbound Farm Myra Goodman and her daughter Marea Goodman share their favorite meal ideas, creating in the truest sense of the word, plant-based dishes.

THE BEST PART

the design & photography make all the whole ingredients look irresistible to put together

FIVE FAV RECIPES blueberry cornmeal pancakes cabbage and carrot crunch salad coconut curry cashews summer pesto pizza acorn squash with crispy maple pumpkin seeds

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

ISA DOES IT

VEDGE

Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Rich Landau & Kate Jacoby

Available Now

$30 in print, $14.99 on iOS

$24.95

FIVE FAV RECIPES

spliced little carrots with chickpea-sauerkraut purée potato & spring vegetable tart squash empanadas with green romesco chocolate stuffed beignets pomegranate sangria In the foreword of the book, Landau & Jacoby repeat again and again that Vedge is a vegetable restaurant. Although we’ve never been there in person, you can certainly see their expertise and passion for vegetables in the

gorgeous

recipes

throughout

the

book. A certain kind of person might scoff at the inclusion of vegan sour cream, butter, or mayo, but it brings a little relief from making an otherwise completely

wholesome,

from-scratch

meal, which is the main focus of Vedge. (Both in its restaurant and book form.) Though these are chef-created dishes, the ingredients are easy to find and their preparation familiar. Overall we appreciate and enthusiastically concur with the authors’ mission, and we can’t wait to try more recipes as the temperature rises.

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

twenty- and thirty-somethings, busy people, new cooks and new vegans

WHAT THIS BOOK IS FOR

making satisfying, interesting vegan meals when you’re in a rush or don’t have a lot of motivation to cook

THE BEST PART

this may be biased because we use it all the time, but we dig the hand-lettering

FIVE FAV RECIPES

korean bbq portobello burgers goddess noodles dilly stew with rosemary dumplings sweet potato gnocchi puffy pillow pancakes (our new favorite pancake recipe!) Okay, so full disclosure, we bought this for our tablet the day it came out, mainly because we were so excited to see the recipe cards we designed used as props for the photos, and we’ve always liked Isa’s books. But it ended up becoming a staple in the kitchen because the recipes are so good. As we get more into digital books, cookbooks included, it’s becoming easier to use them in a practical sense. It’s really nice to click links instead of flip through pages, and have stepby-step instructions with built in timers, or be able to email yourself the ingredient list for the grocery store. Isa Does It shines in a digital format, and we’re excited to see it as one of many books that are embracing a new age of publishing. r

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

recipe by Ava Szajna-Hopgood A labour of love, but totally worth it for the light, fluffy goodness in a blustering springtime. History has adopted crumpets as a companion to chilly fire-sides for a reason- they are pretty much the tastiest thing to toast while breakfasts are still eaten in the dark. Crumpets are the type of food that make cycling home in a blizzard zip by, their warm, soft, spongy centres offering plenty of comfort when all else feels hostile. With the oil or vegan margarine they already have quite a buttery texture, so just team with fall’s jam or some preserves. There’s no absolute need for particular crumpet rings or a griddle to make these- a well-oiled round cookie cutter will work just as well with a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Makes enough for 12 Ingredients 3 cups flour 1 packet (2 and 1/4 tsp) fast-action dried yeast 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 1 1/2 cups soy or almond milk 1 tsp baking soda 2/3 cup warm water vegan margarine for greasing

Instructions 1. Sift the flours into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast, salt and sugar and mix until combined. 2. Warm the milk in a saucepan until luke-warm. Make a well in the center of the mixture and gradually add the milk, stirring as you go with a wooden spoon. Continue to mix for 3-4 minutes until the batter is thick and elastic. Cover the bowl in a tea towel and leave somewhere warm for an hour, or until the batter doubles in size.

3. When the batter has risen, mix the baking soda with the warm water and beat into the mixture, stirring for a couple of minutes. Cover again and leave to rest in a warm place for another 30 minutes, until the mixture rises and is covered with little bubbles. 4. Grease the chosen cookie cutters or egg rings for your crumpets, and then heat a large frying pan or griddle over a medium high heat. Place the cutters in the pan to warm, (two or three at a time is best so you still have room) and add a small amount of vegan margarine in the center of the rings, to grease the pan where the crumpets will cook. 5. Using a tablespoon, dollop the crumpet batter into each ring, so the mixture is about ½ inch thick. Cook for around ten minutes on a medium heat, or until lots of tiny bubbles rise to the surface of the crumpet and burst, and the top looks dry. Be sure not to let the pan overheat in this time- it’s better to go slow than burn the bottom of the crumpet. 6. Once they are set on top, carefully lift off the rings using an oven glove, at which point the crumpets should ease back from the sides. Flip the crumpets over and cook on the other side for a few more minutes until they are light brown on both sides. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

recipe by Margo Page photo by Alex Gibbs Granola bars are these lovely little things we often treat ourselves to after rigorous activity, maybe a snack, and sometimes even as a meal. There are so many out there with lots of additives and junk you really are trying to avoid by eating a granola bar in the first place. Why not try to make them yourself ? They are quite easy to make and everyone in your family will love them. They are also gluten free and nut free so just about anyone can eat them. Bon Appetite! Ingredients 2 cups gluten free oats 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds 1 cup raw sunflower seeds 1 cup puffed brown rice 1/4 cup chai seed 1/4 cup flax seed 1 cup cocoa powder 1 cup sunbutter 1 1/2 cup maple syrup 2 tsp vanilla 8 oz. carton of raspberries Instructions 1. First you will need a large mixing bowl. Add oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, puffed brown rice, chai, and flax mix well and set aside. 2. Next in your food processor or mixer add cocoa powder, sunbutter, maple syrup, vanilla and half the carton of raspberries. Combine until a smooth silky consistency appears. 3. Add the mixture from the food processor to the dry mix as well as the other half of the berries. Use your hand or a spatula to mix all the ingredients together. You really want to mix this well insuring everything gets coated with the wet mixture and that the chia, and flax get evenly distributed throw out. 4. Divide the granola mixture evenly over 2 dehydrator trays. I like to mound it up and press from the center out creating an even 1â&#x20AC;? thick, 6x6 square in the dehydrator tray. Place the trays into your dehydrator. Set temperature to 110Â°. Allow to dry for 12 hours or until no longer sticky to the touch. 5. Once dehydrated flip granola tray onto a cutting board and cut into bars and enjoy. Will keep for 1 week refrigerated or unrefrigerated in a pyrex or a ziploack bag.

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

recipe by Ann Oliverio

Serves 6-8

Filling Ingredients 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats 4 cups strongly brewed chai tea (use 1 teabag per cup of water) -1/8 cup chia seeds 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cardamom 1/8 tsp ground cloves dash black pepper 1/4 tsp ground ginger -1/4 cup dates, chopped & soaked, then drained 3 tbsp pure maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup non-dairy milk

Filling Instructions 1. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the steel cut oats with 3 cups of the chai tea. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight, or for about 8 hours. 2. In the morning, add more tea to the oats if necessary. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer gently - adding more tea if the mixture becomes too dry. Stir in the chia seeds and spices. Cook until the oats are very soft, about 20-25 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, process the dates, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour in about half of the oat mixture and process until smooth. Pour the processed oats back in with the whole oats and stir well.

Crust Ingredients 1 1/2 cups figs, stems removed, and chopped 1 cup walnuts 4 dates, chopped -1/4 cup crystallized ginger dash of cinnamon & ground cardamom 2 tbsp water -1 cup fresh or frozen thawed raspberries (plus more for garnish) 1/4 cup fruit-juice sweetened raspberry preserves

Crust Instructions 1. In a food processor, add the figs, walnuts, and dates and process until chunky. Add the crystallized ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, & water and process until fairly smooth. Pat mixture into a 10” tart pan* (with removable bottom), bringing it up along the sides. If it’s too sticky, use flour or cornmeal to pat it down. 2. In a small bowl, lightly crush the raspberries and then stir in the raspberry preserves. Pour the mixture onto the crust and spread evenly. Cover and chill until needed. Bring it Together 1. Pour the oat mixture into the prepared crust, smooth the top and add additional raspberries, if you like. 2. Put the pie into the refrigerator to set - this only takes a couple of hours.

*the pan I use is about 1 ½” deep. r

CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013

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CHICKPEA MAGAZINE winter 2013