In this weekly series we have been discussing the benefits of a vegetarian diet including: better health, animal rights, public health, food safety, frugal living, resource depletion, food and water insecurity and the immense contribution of livestock/meat production to climate change/resource depletion.
Hope you'll be joining me tonight to watch the must see Gasland, Part II by Josh Fox on HBO.
Future generations living in a climate-ruined world will be stunned that we drilled hundreds of thousands of fracking and reinjection wells:
. Even though we knew that fossil fuels destroy the climate and accelerate drought and water shortages;
. Even though we knew that leaks of heat-trapping methane from fracking may well be vitiating much of the climate benefits of replacing coal with gas; and
. Even though each fracked well consumes staggering amounts of water, much of which is rendered permanently unfit for human use and reinjected into the ground where it can taint even more ground water in the coming decades.
Trailer: Gasland II
Macca's Meatless Monday/Meatless Advocates is a solution oriented activist group, with solutions for some of the most pressing issues of our time including: climate change, global food/water insecurity and public health. Here we don't just talk about the severity of the crisis. Armed with knowledge about how our actions can contribute we become part of the solution.
I was inspired to create this series by former Beatle and vegetarian advocate Paul McCartney(Macca) who partnered with the Meatless Monday campaign to promote less consumption of meat. We not only discuss the advantages of a less meat diet; we also do some cooking, share recipes and listen to great Beatle music!
credit:pipa12 on flickr
POPCORN
On a movie night gotta have some popcorn and tonight since we're watching such a special movie; we're going to have two popcorn flavors!
Chile Lime Tequila Popcorn
On the right above
4 quarts freshly popped popcorn (see recipe below)
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon tequila
1/2 small jalapeno, seeds and membrane removes, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Preheat the oven to 300F degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat (hs note: or unbleached parchment paper). Set aside.
Put the popcorn in a large, clean paper bag or a washable muslin bag. In a medium-size bowl whisk together the butter, lime juice and zest, and tequila. Add the jalapeno. In a small bowl combine the black pepper, salt, red pepper, and cumin.
Drizzle half of the butter mixture over the popcorn, fold over the top of the bag, and shake until the popcorn is coated and moist. Taste. Add more of the butter mixture if you like, and give a second shake. Sprinkle (most of) the pepper mixture over the popcorn, fold over the top of the bag, and shake a few times to coat. Taste, and if you'd like more pepper flavor add the rest of it.
Spread the popcorn evenly over the baking sheet and bake until the popcorn is dry, five to seven minutes.
To pop 4 quarts of popcorn, heat 1/4 cup clarified butter, coconut oil, or olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Add a few kernels to the pot. Once they pop, add 3/4 cup popcorn kernels and shake the pot until they cover the pot evenly. Cover the pot and shake intermittently until the popping slows to 5 seconds between pops. Remove the popcorn from heat and transfer it to whatever bag you are going to use for tossing.
Nigela Lawson's party popcorn
On the left above
2 tablespoons wok oil or other neutral oil
1 cup (un-popped) yellow popcorn
1/2 stick butter (I use Earth Balance)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground paprika
4 teaspoons table salt
4 teaspoons sugar
Put the wok oil into the biggest pan you have with a lid over high heat, add the popcorn and quickly put on the lid. Let the popcorn pop, shaking the pan every now and then to keep the kernels moving. You will hear it but don't be tempted to look, unless you want to get shot at, and once it has stopped popping - a couple of minutes or so - take it off the heat.
Melt the butter with the spices in another pan and then pour it over the popcorn and put everything into a large paper carrier bag/shopper. Shake, shake and shake the bag again to mix the popcorn and get it thoroughly coated in the spicy butter.
credit: farm3.static on flickr
SPAGHETTI WESTERN CHILI
I love movie night at home. Here it means watching a classic movie on TCM and tying in a themed dinner. If spaghetti westerns are your thing you can 'make my day' by serving this yummy chili mac.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 14 1/2-ounce can Mexican recipe stewed tomatoes (like Rotel) with juices
8 ounces frozen veggie crumbles, thawed
1 cup canned red kidney beans, rinsed, drained
1/4 cup water
1/2 cups shredded Mexican-style 4-cheese mix (optional)
cook 12oz. spaghetti and drain
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder; stir 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with juices, veggie crumbles, beans and 1/4 cup water. Cook until slightly thickened, breaking up any large tomato pieces and stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve chili over spaghetti; top with cheese and serve.
credit: tofu666 on flickr
EGGPLANT PARMESAN
When watching any favorite foreign language Italian film, I love serving one of my fave Italian dinners.
1 globe eggplant, peeled
pan 1:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. dried Italian herb blend
salt & pepper
pan 2:
1 tbs. cornstarch
2 tbs. water
pan 3:
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1 tbs. nutritional yeast
salt and pepper
Canola (or peanut) oil for frying
Using a thermometer, heat about 3" of oil in a large pan, pot or wok to 375F.
Slice the eggplant into roughly 3/8" thick rounds.(I know, but 1/4" is too thin and 1/2" is too thick)
Prepare the three (pie) pans for dredging the eggplant. In the first pan, add the salt & pepper to the flour and mix together well. In the second pan whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. In the third pan add the nutritional yeast and salt & pepper to the bread crumbs and mix to combine.
For assembly, take a piece of eggplant and roll it around in the seasoned flour, making sure to coat the sides as well. Next, dip the eggplant in the cornstarch slurry, again making sure to coat the entire piece. Finally, add it to the seasoned breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all the eggplant is coated.
Fry the eggplant in small batches, making sure you don't crowd the pan too much -- this can make the oil drop in temp, which will take longer to cook and will make the eggplant absorb too much oil and come out soggy.
Drain the eggplant on a wire rack or paper towels, or both. Serve over pasta with a quick tomato sauce (onion, garlic, tomato, sugar, salt and pepper)
credit: parutron on flickr
CURRIED NOODLE PATTIES
Some of my happiest movie nights are spent watching classic martial arts films such as Enter the Dragon. For me, the fight sequences are the best and I watch with an eye for appreciating technique. A fantastic drop kick or round house and I'm in film heaven. Makes 8-12
These noodle patties are perfect for movie watching as they are easy to eat and non spill. Wonderful served with summer rolls.
1-2 teaspoons (red) Thai curry paste or use green or yellow
4 eggs
6 ounces tofu, diced (roughly 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups noodles, cold (I used whole grain angel hair) but any would do
2 tablespoons sesame or olive oil
peanuts, green onions and cilantro for garnish
Smash and spread the curry paste around the bottom of a medium bowl. Add one of the eggs and stir until the curry paste is well incorporated. Whisk in the rest of the eggs. Stir in the tofu, cilantro, green onions, and salt. Add the noodles. I've found it is easiest to work the egg evenly through the noodles if you use your hands and you don't get any noodle breakage.
Heat a well-seasoned skillet over medium heat. Place 1/3 cup of the noodle mixture into egg rings or handle-less, metal biscuit cutters and cook in batches for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden. If the little bits of tofu and onions are escaping the noodles in the mixing bowl, just toss them into the egg ring on top of the noodles, those will end up on the bottom of the patty - nice and golden. To serve, season with salt and garnish with a sprinkling of green onion, cilantro, and peanuts.
credit: Chef Tanya on flickr
SUMMER ROLLS with PEANUT SAUCE
I love making and eating these rolls. Perfect with the noodle patties above or on their own for a light summer meal while watching your fave films on TCM. No cooking required!
8 ounces smoked tofu, julienned
1 seedless cucumber, julienned
2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro, trimmed of bottom third coarse stems
1 cup loosely packed mint leaves
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
Twelve 16cm rice paper spring roll skins
Arrange the vegetables, tofu, and herbs in neat piles on a plate or shallow bowl.
Heat several cups of water in a kettle until just shy of boiling. Pour the water into a baking dish so it comes up the sides about 1/4 inch. Keep the remaining kettle water handy.
Two at a time, dip the spring roll skins into the warm water to coat on both sides, shaking off any excess. Immediately remove to a large cutting board or clean work surface. Wait about 30 seconds for the skins to soften. Then arrange 2 tofu spears, 2 cucumber spears, 1 tablespoon of shredded carrot, and a sprinkling of scallions in the middle of the spring roll paper, parallel to the edge of your cutting board. On top, place a few sprigs of cilantro and a small handful of basil and mint leaves. Fold in the sides of the wrapper lengthwise - you should have about an inch on either end to play with. The fold over the flap closest to you. Pull that flap tight around the vegetable pile so it seals with the paper on the other side. Then roll the whole thing up. You should have a tight package. Repeat with the remaining skins, two at a time. It's easiest to do this in one motion, holding the veggies in with your fingers as you roll. If your roll tears, have no fear. You can double wrap. Simply repeat with a second skin.
Cut each roll in half and serve alongside peanut or nuoc cham sauce.
Peanut Dipping Sauce
1/3 cup hot water
4 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp agave nectar
2 Tbsp vinegar or fresh lime juice
1 Tsp sesame oil
1 Tsp Chinese Chili Garlic Sauce or Sriracha
2 Tbsp chopped green onion
Mix ingredients thoroughly and serve with rolls above.
credit: superhoop on flickr
BLACK BEAN MOLE
How many times have I watched the Spanish language Mexican film "Like Water for Chocolate"? Impossible to say but I always have to serve some chocolate or cocoa to enhance the experience. This easy, fast mole does the trick. Servfes 3-4
2 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, diced
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp cinnamon
14 oz. can of chopped tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup vegetable stock
Small handful of tortilla chips, crushed
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp sugar
Tin of black beans, drained and rinsed
Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan. Fry the garlic and onion for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft.
Mix all the herbs and spices together, then chuck them in and stir briefly before adding the tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, add the tortilla chips, cocoa and sugar and simmer for 15 minutes.
Taste and season - you're unlikely to need much salt thanks to the stock and chips. Add the black beans, stir well, turn off the heat and leave for 10 minutes to let the flavours mingle.
Serve on a bed of rice with a few of those tortilla chips on the side.
"Movie Magg" Paul McCartney with Carl Perkins cover
"Act Naturally" The Beatles with Ringo!
What have you all been cooking? Please share your recipes and fave Beatles music here!