THE VEGAN NEWSTHE VEGAN NEWSThe Vegan News is written and edited by P M Lloyd. Please e-mail your contributions to the editor at: pauline@bury-rd.demon.co.uk or fill in the form provided.
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September Product ReviewInstant Miso Soups
Although it doesn't take long to make your own miso soup, if you are feeling really lazy, or simply don't have the cooking facilities, then why not try an instant variety of miso soup instead? These instant soups are also a good way to find out if you like miso soup before purchasing the ingredients to make your own.Westbrae Natural Hearty Red Instant Miso Soup
This soup is sold in health food shops and costs about £2.29 for four individual 10g sachets. Each sachet makes one large cup of soup - simply add boiling water and leave the soup to stand for one minute to allow the vegetables to rehydrate. Because these soups are so easy to make, they are ideal for travelling, camping/backpacking, or taking to work. The soup contains miso, wakame seaweed, dried green onion and fu-wheat gluten. I would recommend that you keep a spoon handy as the wakame seaweed sinks to the bottom of the cup - don't waste it as its rather nice. There are also rather delicious 'bits' which float on the surface of the soup (these are probably the fu-wheat gluten). These miso soup sachets can also be used as a gravy base. They are made in Japan and have 35 calories per sachet. Westbrae also produce a white miso variety of soup which has added tofu.
Wakama Instant Miso Soup with Tofu
Similar to the above miso soup, but each box of Wakama soup contains five, individual, foil-wrapped, soup sachets. Again simply add boiling water. Ingredients include white miso, dried tofu, wakame, spring onion and onion powder. A free pocket guide to Japanese foods was included with the packet I bought. This is a useful little fold-up leaflet which has information on Japanese sea vegetables, Japanese teas, miso and many other Japanese foodstuffs. It also has a good selection of vegan-friendly, Japanese recipe ideas. Look in your health food shop for these quick and tasty little soups. Priceabout £1.99 Made in Japan.
Recycling Tips
And finally, I want to tell you about Green-Fill.....
What's Happening in the Veganic
Garden This Month?If you didn't harvest your onions last month, then this should be done urgently this month, before the weather turns wet. Onions can be stored in an airy shed. Tie the onions in small bundles (about 6 onions in each) and hang the bundles on nails or hooks which have been knocked into the rafters. Other crops which can be harvested this month include: some types of sweet corn, cucumbers, beetroot, runner beans and calabrese. Remove any large seeds from old runner beans and dry them on a windowsill for sowing next year. Store them in jars or envelopes when completely dry. Bring in any marrows and pumpkins (as these vegetables do not like frost either) and store them in a cool, airy place, such as suspended in nets from the ceiling of your shed.
Autumn/early winter is the best time to plant fruit trees and soft fruit bushes. Visit your garden centre to see which varieties are available, or order some from a catalogue. Hortico have a good range of fruit bushes and dwarf fruit trees, all of which can be obtained by mail order. Ring 01775-711388 for a copy of their autumn catalogue. Most soft fruit is planted from October onwards, but new Strawberry beds can be planted up this month.
Sow seeds outside from May to August, or under cover from September to April. Mizuna can also be grown in a container as a cut-and-grow again vegetable, but use potting compost, rather than garden soil, to fill the container. Summer crops should always be sown in a slightly shaded spot (to prevent the crop from going to seed) and the crop should be kept well watered. Mizuna needs to be covered with cloches or a frame in late autumn. Alternatively, soil can be mixed with water to make mud which is then used to make a wall (at least 8 inches high) around the mizuna. Plastic sheeting is then stretched over the top for protection and weighted down with bricks on the outside of the walls. Price £0.99 (See p. 20.)
If you would like more information on how these vegetables are used in Japanese cookery, then please read this month's article on Japanese Cuisine for Vegans.
Any Queries?I have had a complaint about the yellow background used in 'The Vegan News'. Do any other readers find the text difficult to read in their browsers? If you feel that a grey background would be preferable, then please e-mail me, or send a message on the form. I would also like to hear from anybody who likes the yellow colour.
Vegan Organisation Review
To join, costs between £4.99-£100, depending on which one of the above categories you select. It is also possible for people who live overseas to join VIVA as well.
For more information contact:
VIVA sells many vegetarian and vegan books by mail order. These include vegan cookery books (e.g. The Cookbook For People Who Love Animals and The Japanese Vegetarian Cookbook, mentioned in this month's issue.) Other veggie products which can be purchased include: T-shirts, vegan wine and vegan chocolates. Contact them for more information on their national animal anti-slaughter campaign and don't forget to visit VIVA Vegan Recipes.
Other Interesting Vegan Websites.
September Book ReviewVegan Vitality. By Diane Hill. Thorsons £5.99.
If you are feeling a little short of energy, then this book could be just what you need to pep you up a bit!
The introduction covers the health, animal rights and moral reasons for going vegan. And, if you ever thought that vegan cookery meant going without milk and cheese, then think again. The Vegan Dairy section of this book has many delicious vegan alternatives to yogurt and cream and quite a few recipes for homemade cheese, ranging from firm cheese to vegan cottage, cream and curd cheese.
This interesting cookery book has the usual sections on soups, pates, main courses, salads, salad dressings, sauces (including vegan cheese sauce), vegetables, puddings/desserts, cakes/biscuits and homemade bread. I have tried out the pistachio risotto recipe, which is rather nice, although I thought the portions were rather small and needed to be increased in size! And, I have made up the tofu pasta recipe which I am going to use to make some home-made ravioli (most shop-bought ravioli contains either dairy cheese or eggs) and it is lurking in my freezer at the moment, until I have time to invent a suitable ravioli filling.
On page 181 of this book, you will also find a quick and easy way of making your own tofu, using soya flour and lemon juice. There is a good recipe for a scone pizza base on p 101. This recipe is very quick to make and the pizzas only take 20-25 mins to cook, so they are ideal if you want to save gas. Other interesting sounding recipes include: crispy tofu crunches - p. 52; chili con coconut; tofu loaf; strawberry ice cream; pumpkin coleslaw; tofu pancakes and spinach lasagne.
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