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 :-)