Apricot cake and the uncomfortable relationship between vegetarianism and veganism

 

Since the dawn of history, some people decided to embrace vegetarianism for various reasons, such as religion, health, ethics or for the environment. Vegetarians have a meat-free and fish-free diet. Different labels apply: lacto-ovo vegetarians include eggs and dairy in their diet; pesco-vegetarians eat fish and are considered pollo-vegetarians; the flexitarian is someone who eats vegetarian sometimes but non-vegetarian at other times. The pesco- or pollo-vegetarian and flexitarian are not considered vegetarians.

The vegan. A vegan will not eat anything to do with animals, which includes meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and honey.  And as erstwhile vegetarians they may have come to embrace veganism for several reasons.  However, being a vegan can be a lifestyle as well. Such vegans also shun clothing, shoes, cosmetics or anything that has to do with (use and exploitation of) animals.  Although it is often hard to make the distinction, there are dietary vegans, who are vegans because of their health, and there are the ethical vegans who have embraced veganism on political or moral grounds. They respect all animals as sentient beings and take a stand against any form of exploitation, suffering and killing of animals.

When talking about the uncomfortable relationship between vegetarians and vegans, it is mostly due to the ethical vegans. A vegetarian may be opposed to the killing of animals but when consuming dairy and eggs not aware that these are products of the exploitation of animals, and even killing of animals, such as the killing of male chicks as an unwanted byproduct of egg production, not being able to lay eggs and not fit for consumption. Hence they claim that vegetarianism and veganism have nothing to do with each other; while ethical vegans simply do not differentiate between meat-eaters and vegetarians as both eat products that come from the exploitation of animals.

However, in their zeal they forget about another aspect: their own road to veganism. The personal history of each and every vegan illustrates how at some point in their life someone started to embrace a vegan lifestyle. Some may have ‘converted’ to veganism overnight, however, the majority of vegans started out as vegetarians, and few, a very few grew up in a vegan household, but that is still a very small minority. Does this imply that one can speak of gradual growth in morality? No, absolutely not, but I presume that gradually (or very fast) more and more people become aware of the suffering and exploitation of animals. Most people have no idea of the cruelty in the food industry, no idea what is really happening with our food before it gets to the store. Most people need the transitional step of vegetarianism, that is, no longer willing to be responsible for the exploitation of animals, and along with that dawns the awareness of suffering of animals as sentient beings.

Therefore vegetarians and vegans can and do break bread together, or for that matter, scrumptious apricot cake!

Apricot cake

Ingredients

• 350 gr. fresh apricots
• 175 gr. almonds
• 100 gr. candied orange peel, cut in pieces, ca. 1 cm.
• 125 gr. sugar
• 200 gr. flour
• 75 gr. sunflower oil
• 2 tablespoons ground linseed, 6 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon psyllium
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 

Method

Mix the powdered linseed with water and leave for ten minutes until glutinous 

Grease and line a small loaf tin.

Cook the apricots until soft, remove the pits and mash.

Grind the almonds.

Mix apricots, almonds, sugar and a pinch of salt, mix well to a smooth mixture

Add sunflower oil, glutinous linseed mix well.

Add flour and psyllium, mix well

Add chopped orange peel, baking powder and baking soda, mix and pour immediately into the prepared tin.

Bake for 45 min at 180⁰C

Bulgur salad with olives and preserved lemons

Superfood is an interesting label. Used by many people as if it were a real food category. Superfood is considered to be nutrient-rich and to be especially beneficial to your health. Examples would be seeds (are we birds?), nuts (are we squirrels? Yes, I am.) and berries in general, and dark green vegetables (which suddenly made kale very fashionable), citrus fruits, many vegetables, legumes (in particular lentils), grains and fatty fish (poor animals, let them keep their fat to themselves, please!).

But let’s be frank, it’s just a marketing tool and lots of people are literally buying it. Although it sounds great, we should be critical as many health benefits ascribed to superfoods are under scrutiny by scientific studies and the jury is still out.

Are so called superfoods healthy? Well, I presume it is certainly not unhealthy and the majority of the people consuming superfoods supposedly have a healthy diet. Consumption of superfoods is more an indication that one belongs to a subgroup of consumers who observe a healthy, modern lifestyle and for some reason fall for the perhaps (super) myth projected on this category of food.

Real superfood is clean, fair, and local, food that in the production and sales process is free of exploitation. To me that is really super!

Let’s enjoy this thought with a super summery salad.

Bulgur salad with olives and preserved lemons

Ingredients 

1 cup Bulgur (200 gr)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups vegetable stock (400 ml)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 can (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (400gr)

1 cup fresh coriander, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

2 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced

1 cup large green olives or Kalamata olives, pitted, roughly chopped

¼ finely chopped dried apricots

½ pound zucchini, diced

1 tablespoons chopped roasted pistachios

2 tablespoons minced preserved lemons

Lemon dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon agave nectar or pure maple syrup

½ teaspoon salt

Method

In a large saucepan, heat 2 table spoons of olive oil, toast the bulgur over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just slightly toasted, about 5 minutes.  

Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and turn down the heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat, remove the lid, and cool while you prepare the other ingredients.

Place the chickpeas, coriander, mint, scallions, olives, apricots, zucchini, pistachios, and preserved lemon in a large mixing bowl.

Prepare the dressing: heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the shallots, and sauté for 2 minutes, or until softened and golden. Stir in the corianders, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne and fry for 30 seconds, then remove from the burner. Cool for 1 minute, then stir in the lemon juice, agave, and salt and whisk until smooth. Add the couscous to the chickpea mixture and pour the dressing over it. Stir very well to coat everything with dressing. Cover and chill salad before serving.

By the way, the salad looks super colorful and festive! Problem is for that reason it was finished before I was able to take a picture.

... but this is what it looks like ...

Clean food, clean conscience

What is the idea behind clean food and clean eating? Washed hygienically? Alright then,  let’s not be silly. Is it the latest hype in culinary land? Let’s hope it is not a hype but a movement back to fresh, non-processed food, GMO-free, etc.

For most people, clean food and clean eating implies GMO-free food, organically grown, etc. , and for others, it is about healthy food. Clean eating stresses healthy, whole, unprocessed foods.

But is that really clean? For me, clean food is food for a clean conscience. Clean food implies that no sentient being has been exploited and/or killed, or had to suffer for the food. But also that the earth was not exploited, being left polluted or exhausted because of all kinds of agricultural poisons and monoculture. No human being has been exploited in the process from growing to selling to preparing. No animal is involved in the clean food chain. And growing awareness that food should not be wasted, don’t buy and cook more than you can eat as too many people overeat or else waste food while others starve. Be grateful and share. Cultivate a clean conscience.

Is this a vegan dream? No, lots of people are already nourishing themselves like this and adapting it has become a complete lifestyle, a philosophy of life in which life is perceived as a phenomenon to be treasured, revered and respected.

Let’s celebrate life with a mushroom stir.

Mushroom stir

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of cumin seed

½ teaspoon of mustard seed

1 small red onion

3 cloves of garlic

½ fresh red pepper (or to taste)

250 gr. Chestnut mushrooms

250 gr. Oyster mushrooms

100 gr. Shitake

250 gr. green asparagus or green beans (use what is in season)

Black pepper to taste

Salt to taste?

2 tablespoons of freshly chopped coriander

½ teaspoon fresh lime juice, or to taste

Method

Boil 1.5 liters of water. Blanch the green asparagus or green beans. Cool them briefly after blanching in cold water and cut the asparagus or beans in pieces of about 5cm.

Heat the oil on medium heat for about 1 minute and add in the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds and wait until these begin to crackle.

Add in the red onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions begin to turn slightly crisp at the edges.

Stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes, adding in garlic, salt, and black pepper and stir.

Add coriander leaves and asparagus or beans and mix well.

Squeeze in the lime juice to taste and serve.

Eat hearty!

Then do the dirty dishes with a clean conscience :-)