5 minute read
Beautiful Bounty
Thinking of ditching meat? The new Florida Vegetarian Cookbook makes it easy.
BY MARCIA BIGGS
Anyone who who has watched Dalia Colón as co-host of WEDU Arts Plus on Tampa Bay’s PBS television station knows her wideeyed enthusiasm for the local arts scene. As executive producer and host of The Zest podcast from WUSF Public Media and the NPR network, she loves to dish with people in Tampa Bay and across Florida about their cultural experiences and knowledge relating to food.
In her latest venture, the Emmy Award-winning multimedia journalist has authored a new cookbook that goes far beyond a compendium of recipes. The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook is Colón’s personal tome to the state’s bounty of produce presented in a beautiful 200-page hardcover book ($32, University Press of Florida).
Part cookbook, part family photo album, the book is an enjoyable read from end to end, packed with anecdotes from the author’s life and family experiences relating to the various produce. Recipes begin with a personal note by the author, accompanied by lovely photos by Tampa food photographer Chip Weiner. Interesting side stories with history and facts about Florida’s native fruits and vegetables are interwoven throughout.
In a phone interview shortly after the book’s release in early April, Colón was excited to share the story behind the book’s creation, how she spent 10 months experimenting with various staples like rice, beans, and nuts, and seasonal Florida produce to come up with the final 120 recipes. Her target reader, she confesses, is not longtime vegetarians.
“This book was not really meant for people who are already vegetarian or vegan, although I am sure they would enjoy it,” says Colón, who lives in the Tampa area with her husband and children and has been vegetarian since 2013. “They generally know how to go meatless and get protein in their diets. But I know a lot of people lately are leaning into a vegetarian diet, and it can be overwhelming to go cold turkey. This book is for those people who are moving to more of a plant-based diet with lots of helpful information and easy, accessible recipes.”
At the beginning of the book, the author offers tips on how to get started on the road to vegetarianism. She writes: “ I know what you’re thinking: Where will I get my protein? It’s really not so hard. There are plenty of plantbased protein sources: nuts and nut butters, all manner of beans, sunflower seeds, lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, almond flour, tofu — and these are available at almost any grocery store. Hit up a specialty supermarket and the options expand: farro, spelt, seitan, bulgur, tempeh, chia seeds, and more. Keep in mind that many vegetables and grains contain protein, so you’re likely getting more protein than you realize.”
She offers these tip for anyone thinking about moving to a vegetarian diet:
Start small. Consider doing Meatless Mondays or going plant-based for breakfast. Then build from there. Slow and steady wins the race.
Reframe what counts as a meal. Today, a meal can be anything, from a grain bowl to a snack plate.
Celebrate the season. From Dade City’s Kumquat Festival to the Swamp Cabbage Festival in LaBelle, there’s always an event celebrating Florida produce. Learning new ways to enjoy what’s in season, no matter where you live, will keep you motivated. Hit up your farmers market, roadside fruit stand, or U-pick farm. Plan meals around what’s in season.
Lean on beans. They’re an affordable, filling source of protein that can bulk up any meal.
Go nuts. They’re a bit more expensive than beans, but nuts are another good source of protein and you only need a little. Sprinkle them on salads, pasta, or oatmeal.
Go global. Take a detour from your usual supermarket and explore your town’s Asian, Latino, African, and other specialty markets.
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Readers will find interesting twists on seasonal foods such as Watermelon Sorbet, Sweet Potato Enchiladas, Couscous-Stuffed Eggplant Boats, Butternut Squash Pasta Bake, and Creamy Pumpkin Soup. The book is divided into Breakfast, Salads, Main Dishes, Hot Veggies, Snacks and Sides, Desserts and Treats and Beverages.
The process of developing recipes for the book began with “tried and true” personal recipes, says Colón, then the creativity took hold. “I thought about how to create plant based-versions of classic meat dishes. I also paid attention to whatever produce was seasonal and experimented with using it various ways … for example, using mangoes in a salad, in a main dish, in salsa, and in a dessert. I would serve it to my family and friends for their seal of approval. … Not every recipe made the final cut.”
At one point she said collard greens were in season so she wanted to experiment. She was able to make crispy collard chips similar to kale chips and her recipe for Kelly Green Collard Cake is shockingly green and shockingly good. “People who eat it assume it’s a pistachio cake,” she adds, “they are pretty surprised when they find the main ingredient is collards.”
To find a copy of The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook, check with your favorite bookstore or go online to amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com
