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Vegan Bites:
Whole Foods
by Hope Matthews, illustrated by Joseph Stengal; from the January 2007 newsletter
Hard to believe that the holidays are behind us and January is here yet again, in full force with its long, oppressive days. Every year, I try not to get a bad attitude about the cold months. “The air outside is invigorating,” I say, coaxing myself out of the house. “Enjoy the snow while it’s here.” Watching the snow fall onto the majestic trees outside of my window is quite a sight, and I enjoy going sledding at least two or three times. However, the first snows are usually before January and all of the holiday parties and get-togethers and family dinners and overindulging are over too.
Okay, before I appear too negative about the first month of our New Year, there is plenty to look forward to as well. January is a time of reflection and beginnings. Here starts a new year full of rethought goals and ideas. This is the best time to relax inside while journaling and meditating. Take a hint from some of our animal friends and do a little hibernating — you won’t find a better time. Go inward, nurture yourself and cook heart-warming foods.
January is a prime month for exploring cookbooks packed with hearty, nutrient-rich recipes. Eating well is a great way to reverse the damage of holiday overeating, overdrinking, too much driving and handfuls of Hershey’s kisses. Choosing food that nourishes and energizes can help uplift your mood in this seemingly dreary time of the year too. For months, I’ve wanted to write a newsletter article about whole foods, and this is the perfect time for one, as whole foods are healing, nurturing and adjusted seasonally.
A definition explaining what whole foods means is pretty simplistic, but so is the concept itself. “Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed.” (Wikipedia, online) Many whole food dieters embrace eating no dairy except for yogurt; no coffee or alcohol; very little meat, and only meat that has been organically fed, free-range and antibiotic free. Being vegan on whole foods is incredibly easy, as most of the recipes are naturally vegan. While the whole food diet does not demand a purely organic diet, it definitely recommends eating mostly organic and local foods, to maximize nutritional value.
At the root of the whole foods philosophy are Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic principles, which consider different recipes and foods by their ability to promote health and prevent disease. There are many macrobiotic elements in the whole food diet, as well, since food combination is an integral part of pairing certain foods with one another to aid in proper digestion. However, not all whole foodists adhere to a strict macrobiotic philosophy.
I love that most of the whole foods literature I’ve read focuses on promoting respect and love for our bodies at all moments in time. Even though it discusses the health benefits of abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and dairy, many of the books or websites that I have read find that indulging sometimes is completely fine. Personally, I need to know that I can drink a mocha latte once every couple of months guilt-free. Experiencing food amongst others should be pleasurable, not stressful. Placing too many restrictions at every eating opportunity discourages the idea that the food we are given is a gift from the universe, as there are many who go without. However, boundaries and systems that encourage eating responsibly most of the time in order heal and thwart illness proves integral to our well-being.
There are some fantastic whole foods books out there. I recommend Rebecca Wood’s The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, The Book of Whole Meals and Food & Healing by Annemarie Colbin, and The Self-Healing Cookbook by Kristina Turner. For those of you who are more Internet savvy, check out Christina Pirello’s website on all things whole foods: www.christinacooks.com.
Happy New Year!
Noodles with Tofu and Bean Sprouts
from The Book of Whole Meals by Annemarie Colbin
1 8-oz. cake tofu
1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 c. bean sprouts
4 cups cooked noodles
1 heaping tsp. white (shiro) or brown rice miso
Cut tofu in 1/2-inch cubes and place in a 1-quart saucepan with water to cover. Add ginger and boil for 5 minutes. Drain the tofu, reserving water. In a large bowl, mix tofu with bean sprouts and noodles. Dissolve the miso in 1/4 cup reserved water. Pour miso over noodle mixture, and toss.
Lentil Noodle Soup
from The Self-Healing Cookbook by Kristina Turner
1 c. lentils
6 c. water
1 strip wakame seaweed cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot, sliced diagonally
1 parsnip diced (optional)
1 c. diced kale or watercress
2/3 c. whole-wheat noodles (or whole-wheat alphabet noodles)
3 T. barley miso
Layer lentils, wakame, onion, garlic and root vegetables in a pot. Pour in water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add greens and noodles and simmer for another 20 minutes. Dissolve miso into soup just before serving.
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