Busy Business Woman Needs Fast Food Quinoa Recipes

Message For Savvy Vegetarian:

Hello, I don't know if you know the answer to this question but I am trying to incorporate Quinoa into my diet and want to make it in some sort of portable form.

For example, I wonder if anyone has had success in cooking it (with some spices perhaps), frying patties of it in olive oil or guana butter, and putting patties in the freezer in zip lock bags so that they can be grabbed on the run to work, heated moderately in a microwave and eaten mid-morning.

I am trying to find a way to make healthy foods in my own fast-food manner so that a healthy diet is more realistic for a busy working business owner. Do you know if this way of cooking -freezing/reheating quinoa would keep it full of it's nutrients? Do you know of other ways or foods that are high-nutrient that can be made into fast-food self-packaging, any books on this, etc.

Thanks for your help or guidance on this...J. R.

Savvy Vegetarian Advice:

Hi J. Thanks for writing!

Regarding quinoa patties, I don't have a recipe on my website (sad, I know!), BUT I just found this tasty looking recipe from Homespun Happiness by googling quinoa burgers, and it sounds like just what you need. Here's the text of the recipe:

1 C cooked quinoa, 1 C okara (or mashed beans), 1/3 C flaxmeal and energ egg replacer whipped (or 2 egg whites), 1/4 cup tomato based sauce, 1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard, 1 1/2 tsp garlic granulated, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 2 Tbsp horseradish, 1 C bread crumbs, 3 Tbsp, 1/4 C green chiles (I used chopped leeks), 3 Tbsp vital wheat gluten (opt), salt and pepper to taste. Shape into 4 1/2" patties and pan cook until browned and firm... thay will firm more when left set to cool for about 5 minutes.

Okara, by the way, is the mash left over from making soy milk, but apparently any mashed bean will do. I'd use chickpeas, kidney beans, or pinto beans, and just off the top of my head, I'd use the flaxmeal + egg replacer OR the vital wheat gluten, but I feel like it may not be necessary to use both. I'd also make the patties a bit smaller - I'll have to test the recipe!

Other quick quinoa recipes that you can make and take to work - not in baggies, but in serving size plastic containers which you can freeze or refrigerate:
Quinoa Tofu & Veggies (substitute beans for tofu if you like)
Quinoa Black Bean Salad (delicious! serve cold or warmed)
Quinoa With Almonds & Cranberries
Crockpot Quinoa Red Lentil Stew

Try also:
Lentil Loaf (sub quinoa for bulgar if you like)
Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Soups and stews are quick to make, and marvellous take along foods. They're easy to make in large batches (think crockpot) and freeze or refrigerate in serving size containers. Savvy Veg has lots of substantial one dish meal type soup recipes.

Hummus, tempeh and baked or fried tofu are other quick veggie wrap or sandwich fillings with many other uses - very good to make in quantity and keep in the fridge for speedy meals.

I think you should be able to expand your food horizons a little without taking up a lot of time. Crockpots are wonderful time savers, pressure cookers, blenders and food processors likewise.

There is inevitably some loss of nutrients when freezing, fridging, storing, transporting & reheating home cooked foods, but in my opinion, the nutritional advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Taking your own food to work is far healthier (and cheaper) than eating out.

When re-heating food in the microwave, of course, don't use the plastic container, because plastic is Bad For You. Use a ceramic or glass container or dish, or paper plate or towel (not planet friendly however).

Please be consious of food safety issues - food poisoning at the very least isn't fun and can kill you. Re-heat food hot enough to kill nasty bacteria. Refridgerate or freeze foods promptly after cooking in sealed containers. Invest in a food thermos and/or an insulated food carrier to keep food cold until you can re-heat it, or hot so you don't have to.

Books on the subject of fast veggie food for busy people - there are quite a few, actually! You're not alone! Here are several I recommend:
Quick Fix Vegetarian by Robin Robertson
The 5 Ingredient Vegetarian Gourmet by Nava Atlas
30 Minute Vegan by Mark Reinfeld & Jennifer Murray

All the best, Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

Mom Says Vegetarian Son Not Getting Enough Protein

Message For Savvy Vegetarian:

My 19 yr old son went vegetarian 5 months ago, and to me, he just doesn't seem to be getting enough protein. Can you help me out with things he SHOULD eat. He eats no meat whatsoever, doesn't eat fish either. I'm worried that he will drop all kinds of weight, he's 5'11" and weighs like 155 lbs. To me, that's worrisome. Could you please help me? I want to make sure he gets adequate nutrition.
M. M.

Savvy Vegetarian Advice:

Hi M. M. Thanks for writing! Your son might be on the thin side for his height, but I don't know anything about him - he could also be completely normal.

How much protein he needs depends on how active he is, and whether or not he's still growing. If he's getting enough calories and nutrients to support his size, his growth, his health, and his physical activities (e.g. sports), and he's eating a wide variety of whole foods, then he's probably getting enough protein.

From what I know about teens, it's likely that he's NOT getting enough calories or protein and NOT eating right, just as you suspected. You've indicated that neither of you knows just what he should be eating as a vegetarian. So you and he should do some studying up on this.

Start with the SV Nutrition Report, for a general overview.

Take a look at these 4 articles about protein in a vegetarian diet:
How To Get Enough Protein In Your Vegetarian Diet
How Much Protein & Calories Do We Really Need
Plant Food Protein Chart
Veg Protein Sample Menus

All those links should help you and your son figure out what he should be eating as a vegetarian. Plus, please buy and read this book: Becoming Vegetarian by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis It's the veg nutrition bible that all vegetarians should own and know by heart.

Finally, I have to say, your son's vegetarian diet is really his responsibility. He's19, he chose to go veg, and HE needs to learn how to do it right and avoid malnutrition, which is NOT FUN! If he's too stubborn or not interested enough to learn, then you don't have much choice but to let him do his thing and take the consequences.

All the best, Judith Kingsbury

Overwhelmed By The Soy Buzz - Is Tofu OK?

Message For Savvy Vegetarian:

HI - just found your site and am excited to have a good resource. Have been reading some "real food" blogs that are wonderful but not vegetarian. Feel a bit overwhelmed by the soy buzz (have eaten and fed to my 9 yr old boys for years - now feel scared of what I have done!).

So 2 questions - is tofu ok? How is it that Japanese have been ok with soy all these years - how does it differ from what we are eating (I do recognize the difference b/w soy protein isolate). Also - what is good vegetarian women's multi for good energy and taken only 1x a day! I do eat some dairy eggs and some fish but have been meatless for 23 yrs or so.

I appreciate any advice you can give me ! S. T.

Savvy Vegetarian Advice:

Hi S. T.,

About soy: The great thing about tofu is that you can do just about anything with it, and kids will eat it! Like any other food, you shouldn't try to live on it. But I think that traditional soy products like tofu, tempeh, miso and soy milk are fine to eat, as part of a balanced veg diet, including a variety of whole grains, beans & lentils, nuts & seeds, hemp, rice and almond milk, fresh & dried fruit and lots of fresh veggies.

Read this excellent article about soy by Virginia and Mark Messina, RDs - The Truth About Soy.

One big difference between the traditional soy products of Japan, and the soy products we get in this country is genetic engineering. It's so important to eat organic, non-gmo soy products, because GE is scary stuff! Here's an article from non-GMO expert Jeffrey M. Smith. He explains why you should avoid GMO foods like the plague that they are.

Rainbow Light makes a good food based one a day multi-vitamin for women. It's a lot cheaper at Vitacost ($17.95 vs $31.95)

Here's a liquid multivitamin which I haven't tried: Adult Complete Liquid Nutrition from Go Natural Health.

All the best, Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

New Vegetarian Is Pale & Breaking Out

Question For Savvy Vegetarian:

I have recently started a vegetarian diet switching from poultry and fish. I never really ate a lot of red meat to begin with. I have noticed in the past 4 days since I've started eating only veggies that my skin is breaking out A LOT more (on my back, neck and arms) and everyone has been saying that I look pale. Has this happened to any other vegetarians out there? I don't know if its the food I'm eating which is a pretty healthy combination of salads and other veggies..or if I may be allergic to something I have eaten.

Just wanna know if this is normal and will go away or if I need to see a doctor. F. K.

Savvy Vegetarian Advice:

Hi F. K,

It doesn't sound normal. You could be allergic to something you're eating that you've never eaten before. Soy is a possibility. But you should have other symptoms if you're having an allergic reaction. You could be detoxing, you could be constipated, you could be iron deficient or some other deficient. It could be unrelated to your veg diet. I honestly don't know.

You may want to see a doctor for deficiency and allergy testing. A veg friendly dietitian is also a possibility. But in the meantime:

Check out the vegetarian nutrition report for info on how to eat a balanced vegetarian diet:

Plus read this book: Becoming Vegetarian, by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis - I recommend it highly for all vegetarians. Here's the review

And don't forget to drink LOTS of water! It'll help move those toxins out, as will a general intestinal cleanse if you're inclined.

Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

Multi-Level Dilemna: Hyperthyroidism, B12 Deficiency, Craving Steak

Dear Savvy Vegetarian,

I'm having a multi-level nutritional dilemma.

I've been a vegetarian for 6 years. I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism and severe B12 deficiency.

Having watched many of my holistic friends spend thousands of dollars trying to find "natural" treatments for their thyroid problems, I went mainstream and started taking 25mcg of Synthroid a day as well as 2,000 mcg of sublingual Vitamin B12 a day.

My doctor told me to steer clear of soy, which was at least 50% of my daily diet - everything seems to have soy! Now, I have been on B12 and meds and soy free for two weeks.

I am dreaming about steak. And I mean all night long. It's the first thing I think about when I wake up. Why am I craving steak when I'm on a supplement which also has folic acid, B6, and Vit. C? I finally ate steak last night and it was so good I wanted to eat more. It's such an unfamiliar feeling. Does iron help B12 is some way?

I thought I had a well rounded diet, but this whole no-soy thing is new to me. What do you suggest? Thank you! B. S.

Savvy Vegetarian Advice:

Hi B. S.,

Your question is a bit beyond my expertise. You should consult a veg-oriented dietitian. But I have a few thoughts:

1. If soy was 50% of your diet, cutting that could leave you protein deficient. Eat a lot more beans and lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Here are a few links to help you get a better nutritional balance:
How To Get Enough Protein In Your Veg Diet
Plant Based Diet Protein Chart
Savvy Vegetarian Nutrition Report

2. The medication plus the high daily dose of B12 could be upsetting your nutrient balance, esp. the B vitamins. That might account for your steak craving. I think that B12 and iron are related, though I don't know how exactly. Here's an article on iron and vegetarian diet.

You might want to take a daily food based multivitamin (Rainbow Light makes a good one for women) to try to balance things out.

3. Cravings could be your body telling you that you aren't giving it what it needs. Could be B-vitamins, could be iron, I don't know. One way to find out is to get tested for iron deficiency, folic acid deficiency and other vitamin deficiencies, such as zinc & magnesium. This book excerpt has some interesting info.

3. Nutrition is holistic. For the long term, you shouldn't just rely on a pill to fix things. You need to fix your diet too. Start with the vegetarian nutrition report, and read the book 'Becoming Vegetarian' by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis. I recommend it for ALL vegetarians.

I'm forwarding your letter to a vegan dietitian I know, to see if she has better, more specific info. I'll let you know.

...............................................................................

I had a reply from Virginia Messina, MPH, RD. Always good to consult a real expert! She has a different view of food cravings, which makes a lot of sense. This is what she said:

"With a few exceptions, food cravings are usually more psychological in nature than nutrition-related. I think the fact that you have eliminated a whole category of foods--soy--from your diet, has you feeling somewhat deprived and looking for ways to replace those foods. The steak might look especially good if you were eating some fake meats made from soy, like veggie burgers. But even if you were eating lots of tofu, tempeh and other more traditional soy foods, you might be feeling like you want something very protein dense to replace those foods."

"Variety is always key to good nutrition, so getting 50% of your calories from soy foods wouldn't be a good idea no matter what. But, many people who are taking synthetic thyroid hormone medication do continue to eat soy. Soy foods have compounds that can very slightly raise your need for thyroid medication. But the key is to be consistent, by eating about the same amount of soy every day and then working with your doctor to adjust your thyroid medication accordingly." Read The Truth About Soy - an excellent article by Virginia and her husband Mark Messina.

"It's probably going to take a little while before you really start to feel better since you need to get your Vitamin B12 levels raised. So maybe that should be the first thing you work on. Once that is normalized, you could move back to a vegetarian diet and add one serving of soy foods to your diet per day. Make sure your doctor knows you are doing that, and have your thyroid levels tested."

"It will take a little bit of experimenting, but you should be able to find a level of soy intake that is satisfying to you and compatible with your dosage of medication."

Virginia Messina, MPH, RD, the Seattle Vegan Examiner

SV Note: Virginia is right about food cravings, I think. If you didn't know about steak, you couldn't crave it. It has been a long time since I ate meat, I never liked it, and I don't think of it as food, so I don't crave it. On the other hand, I do crave sugar and chocolate, which I ate for quick energy as a malnourished child. If I'm run down and not eating right, I think of them as "the fix". But of course, they aren't - just the opposite!

You will get protein and B vitamins from steak. You'll also get them from enriched non-dairy milk, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds. But what you eat is your decision, your business, and you should do what feels right to you.

All the best, Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

How To Avoid GMOs In Your Food

Message For Savvy Vegetarian:

I am fanatical about eating only non-gmo foods. I've heard there are a few foods one has to be careful about: potatoes, tomatoes, soy, yellow squash, corn, canola oil. Are there others?

A friend recently told me there is a problem with strawberries--they may be genetically modified.

Could you please tell me what you know about strawberries re: gmo (quickly, if possible; I love them--but will not buy any more until I hear about this.)

Do you have a list of foods that one must be careful about re: gmo?

Thanks. C. C.

Savvy Vegetarian Advice:

Hi C. C. Thanks for writing!

As far as I know strawberries are not genetically modified. But that doesn't mean that they're safe to eat. They're on the Top 10 list of foods contaminated with pesticides. Try to get organic strawberries if you can't live without them.

GMOs are present in 75% of processed foods. That's because most of those foods have some form of soy, corn or canola oil - e.g. soy protein isolates or high fructose corn syrup. That's why you should buy organic, and make your own food from scratch, as much as possible. Most fruit and veg, grains and beans are not genetically modified, so far, with the exception of some (not all) potatoes, squash and papaya. Blue corn isn't GM. Most animal foods - meat, poultry, eggs and dairy are from animals that are fed GM corn and soybeans. So going vegetarian is also a good idea.

GM foods have never been adequately tested, have never been shown to be safe for human consumption, and the scientists who have spoken out that they're NOT safe have been fired, threatened, ignored, shunned and hushed up. Here's an article which explains why GMOs are extremely dangerous: Campaign For Healthier Eating In America, by Jeffrey M. Smith

The trouble is that there are no labels to tell consumers when foods have GMOs! If there were, that would put Monsanto etc out of business pretty fast. Most people are not aware that they're eating GMOs and get pretty upset when they find out. After all, who wants to be an involuntary participant in a dangerous and illegal mass food experiment? Not me!

Here is the Institute For Responsible Technology's Non-GMO Shopping Guide - also available as a PDF download.

All the best, Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

The Vegetarian Hundredth Monkey Effect

Message For Savvy Vegetarian:

I've been a veggie since 1973. My partner has been increasingly more of a "flexetarian," (I like to think) because of me. Without realizing it, she's been cooking a lot more vegan-going weeks without eating animal products. We CAN influence the masses! - R. D.

Hi R. D.,

Thanks for writing! Yes, we can influence the masses - one by one, without making a big effort to convert people. It doesn't seem like much, but it's powerful because it's viral.

The hundredth monkey effect comes to mind. When a group with a certain set of behaviors becomes large enough, they have an influence on the behavior of other groups, without any direct contact. It's collective consciousness, and it's why the number of vegetarians is growing exponentially world wide. It's why people just wake up one morning and seemingly out of the blue, know that they have to go veg!

Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Veg

Teen Vegan Suspected of Being Anorexic & Superior

Dear Savvy Vegetarian,

I am having a huge dilemna with my meat eating family. Most of my relatives are extremely old (70+ years old) and have never heard of this. They put strange ideas into my parents' heads that I will become anorexic. Worse of all, a family friend who is a doctor wants to do a check up on me to make sure I do not have an eating disorder. This has made my parents totally opposed to my vegan diet and my father is threatening to take me out of a good private school he has just put me in.

Even more absurd is that whoever I speak to of my diet thinks I'm some communist and tries to stay away from me. How can I get out of the check up and how can I try to get my family to understand that I am just sensitive to animal abuse but not anorexic, and nor do I think that I am better than anyone else. Lastly, I need a way to explain my diet to others without having them freak out. :( A.W.

Savvy Vegetarian Advice:

Hi A.W. My advice is to get a medical exam and set your parent's minds at rest. The reason they want you to have it is because they've heard all the horror stories about anorexic teenage girls & vegan diet. They probably aren't aware that the eating disorder almost always pre-dates the vegan diet, which becomes just another way to starve themselves.

Do you have your own family doctor, who knows your medical history? Maybe you could go to that one instead of the family friend. Get your doctor to check your blood levels for iron, B12, and other common nutritional deficiencies. Take a nutritional supplement if recommended. Of course, you know whatever doctor you see will likely try to talk you out of your vegan diet.

It is unfortunately true, even if you're not anorexic, that it's common for vegan teens to develop nutritional deficiencies because they don't know much if anything about nutrition, or don't have access to the right foods, so they're not getting what their growing bodies need. Malnutrition can be quite serious. If I were your non-veg parent, I'd be concerned too, and I'd want to know - does your school support your vegan diet (assuming you eat there)? Are you getting what you need nutritionally?

I recommend you get 2 copies of the book, 'Becoming Vegan' by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis - 1 for you, and 1 for your parents. It's an excellent nutrition reference for vegans written by knowledgable & responsible vegan RD's. Highly recommended.

You'll get all sorts of responses from people toward your vegan diet, mostly coming from understandable ignorance. Read the book so you'll have some info to share when people ask how you get your protein and so on, and also so you can make sure that you're getting the nutrients your body needs. If you're healthy & energetic, and seem well up on vegan nutrition, that will help to reassure people who care about your welfare.

If you tell people that you're vegan to avoid being cruel to animals, that implies that you think they are being cruel to animals by eating meat. That's why they think you're saying that you're better than them. Keep a low profile about your vegan diet, and if the subject comes up, make it clear that this is a personal choice for you, and that you respect other people's personal choices. Try to mean it, and try not to preach.

If you find you have to back off being totally vegan for a while, but even (or especially) if you don't - take the time to study up on vegan nutrition, and learn how to cook vegan food whenever you have a chance. Start showing your parents that you can be responsible about your diet, and they'll eventually feel better about giving you more freedom to choose for yourself what you eat.

All the best, Judith K., Savvy Vegetarian

25 Year Vegetarian Agonizes Over Eating Meat

Question(s) For Savvy Vegetarian:

OMG. This topic is so hot on my head right now. I so envy the people that have a black and white opinion on this topic. I was vegetarian for 25 years and I have eaten meat for two years. It was not an easy choice.

I did it because I wanted a high protein; moderate carb diet that I really feel is a great way to maintain muscle and keep body fat low. I kept reading 1.5 grams per kg of body weight and thought this would be virtually impossible with a vegetarian diet.

I also started after watching a lion eat a gazelle. I decided that nature is cruel and I shouldn't deprive myself of meat because I've been brought up to be more sensitive than I should be. The subject is hot again because I give my son meat.

But after talking to my Dad who doesn't know I eat meat I am once again back to this place where I wonder how I can eat a carcass when I would never kill that chicken/cow/pig myself. Doesn't that make me hugely hypocritical? I'm condoning its early death, unnatural lifestyle and preventing it from wondering round a field, eating grass, rolling in mud, having a family so I get convenience in my life.

I chose to eat meat to up my lean protein but the by products are the ability to eat a lean meal at a restaurant and a happy mother in law who no longer makes me soya burgers.

Are we supposed to eat meat, is it morally wrong to eat animals, do we really need as much protein to gain muscle, can we get the same goodness from plant and vegetable?

Are humans naturally omnivores or herbivores as we share similar characteristics (sweat through pores, shorter intestines, blunt teeth).

Can we trust scientifically proven research from hippies that want to be kind to animals, can we trust scientifically proven research from conglomerate meat industries that like tobacco and alcohol make a fortune from their death riddled product?

Was the appendix designed so we could remove the toxins from raw meat? Is meat brain food? If I stop eating meat and eat moderate levels of carbs to aid body fat loss; what the hell can I eat? Did we evolve to humans by eating bone marrow?

If I go back to being a vegetarian will I frustratingly beat myself to death with a tin of lentils? Aaaaarrrgggghhhhh. Does your head hurt? Mine does.

Pick and choose what you answer if any, but if possible a non biased answer would be awesome.
Thanks. TC

Savvy Vegetarian Advice:

Hi TC,

No matter how you rationalize your dietary choices, in the end it's entirely personal and subjective. I think that your real reasons for eating meat after 25 years of being raised as a vegetarian have less to do with the pros & cons of a veg diet, and more to do with wanting to establish your own identity, and also fit in with your new family, have an easier life and so on. Which is your choice, and OK by me, but you seem just a little conflicted about it! So I'll go through your points and answer them one by one as briefly as I can.

With the disclaimer that I'm far from an expert on human physiology, or nutrition: from my own experience, and that of many other vegetarians, it's quite possible to have a healthy high protein, low carb vegetarian diet to maintain a good body weight and build muscle. Many successful athletes and body builders are vegetarian or vegan. For more info on this topic, see 'How To Get Enough Protein In Your Veggie Diet'. From there, link to the plant protein chart and sample menus.

For the rest, it's hard for me to be non-biased, but here are my opinions, take them as you will:

I disagree that nature is inherently cruel. It's the way God or who or what made it, and includes both good & bad, beautiful & ugly - often together. Lions are designed to be meat eaters, and like all creatures, they must eat to live. They hunt the old, slow, lame or sick animals, culling the herds.

Comparing humans to carnivorous animals such as lions is absurd. There's no way that a human could run that fast, bring down a running gazelle, kill it with teeth and claws, then eat it raw - all in competition with other predators.

From the evidence of our teeth, digestive tracts, muscle & skeletal structure, and other physical characteristics, humans are designed to be herbivores. We have adapted to an omnivorous diet, although there's really no solid evidence that we need to eat meat for health, and plenty of evidence to the contrary.

As for the moral issues, it's well documented that nearly all animals raised for food are kept in horrifying conditions, and treated with unimaginable cruelty. Not to belabor the point, but that's what you're eating when you consume beef, pork, poultry, even dairy and eggs. Even if you eat only animals raised organically and humanely, that's not a widely available option, and in the end you still kill and eat them after being nice to them.

I doubt if you're more sensitive than you should be - that's more of the 'life is cruel' line of thought. This may not seem like a fair question, but could you happily catch, kill, skin, eviscerate, cut up and eat an animal yourself? Personally, I killed a chicken, and caught a fish - once - and those were the last I ate.

What else can you eat? Pick from the enormous variety and endless possible combos of beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Check out Savvy Veg recipes, and download the nutrition report.

Even if you choose to eat meat for the personal reasons you've mentioned, which you feel are valid, you should still eat mostly vegetarian. That's the norm in many cultures - lots of beans, grains, veggies, small amounts of fish or fowl, occasionally meat. Frequent meatless meals. That's a possible compromise for you - easier on your conscience, better for your health, kinder to the environment.

I don't see why you need to be frustrated. Just do your best to think for yourself, be who you are, and keep things in balance. Relax and enjoy life instead of beating yourself up with tins of lentils!

Thanks for writing, and all the best - J Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

What To Do With Tofu? What Is Braggs? And Hing? Help!!

Question for Savvy Vegetarian:

We have a Barbarito's restaurant in our area which serves fresh foods such as wraps, salad etc., made to order. Tofu is on their menu and I finally made the leap. I have since bought my first Tofu for home cooking, but don't have the least idea what to do with it. I looked for recipes on your site, and found ingredients with which I am not familiar. What is Braggs...Braggs what?...a sauce, a spice, a marinade? How is it used? What is Hing? Help!! - C.S.

Savvy Vegetarian Advice:

Hi C.S. Sorry! I need to be more specific about ingredients. What I really need to do is make an index of descriptions for cooking ingredients. Then I can link to it whenever I mention something unfamiliar to most people. That'll be our project this week.

Braggs is Bragg's Liquid Aminos, a salty high protein soy bean extract which isn't fermented like soy sauce. It can be used interchangeably with soy sauce, as a marinade or a salty flavoring for any food. It's sold in natural food stores, and sometimes you can find it in the natural food aisle of regular grocery stores. There's no need to buy it especially for a specific recipe. Just use soy sauce.

Hing is also called asefetida. It's an Indian spice, quite strong and smelly. It helps to reduce gas in cooking with beans and lentils. It's also a garlic substitute. I didn't use garlic in cooking much until recently, so often added hing. Now I'm fond of garlic, but use hing for Indian recipes if its listed in the ingredients.

Use just a tiny pinch of hing, and keep it tightly sealed so all your spices and your whole kitchen don't smell like hing! I keep mine in a sealed plastic bag in a tightly sealed jar.

You can find hing or asefetida in the spice section of some grocery stores or natural food stores, and you can buy it at Indian groceries. If you can't find it, don't fret, just leave it out, or use a garlic clove.

One of the best ways to use tofu if you're not familiar with it is in a familiar food with plenty of taste. E. G. Tofu burgers, or tofu stir fry, or lasagna. Firm or extra firm tofu is best for these recipes. If you bought soft tofu, press it between paper towels or an old dishtowel, with something heavy on top, to get out the excess water.

Thanks for writing, and I hope this helps - J. Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian