THE
VEGAN NEWS
THE
VEGAN NEWS
SPRING 2004
- Recipes
- Vegan Product Reviews
- Don't Miss! This Month's Article - Indian Cookery for Vegans
- In the Veganic Garden
- New Seeds & Garden Products
- In the Wildlife Garden
- Web Sites
- Book Review(s)
- The Wildlife Database
Spring Recipes
Mixed Fruit and Cashew Nut Curry
Source: A Vegan Taste of India by Linda Majzlik (Jon Carpenter, 2002).
Ingredients
- 225g fresh pineapple flesh, diced
- 50g dried apricots, finely chopped
- 50g dried dates, finely chopped
- 50g cashew nuts, ground
- 2 eating apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 1 banana, peeled and chopped
- 2.5cm piece of ginger root, peeled and chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. garam masala
- 1 tsp mango powder
- 1 tsp fenugreek seed
- 1/2 tsp. coriander seed
- 225ml water
- 2 tbsp. plain soya yogurt
- Toasted cashew nuts
- Blend the onion and ginger, then fry in the oil until soft.
- Add the spices and fry for a further 30 seconds.
- Add the water, pineapple, apricots, dates and apple and stir well.
- Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apple is just soft.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the ground cashews, banana and yogurt.
- Return to the heat and simmer for a couple of minutes while stirring.
- Garnish with toasted cashew nuts.
Serves 4 as a side dish. Serve with rice or naan bread and perhaps a raita (see below).
Source: A Vegan Taste of India by Linda Majzlik (Jon Carpenter, 2002).
Serves 4
- Soak the sultanas in the orange juice for 30 minutes.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients and spoon into a serving bowl.
Note: A Vegan Taste of India can be ordered from the publisher, Jon Carpenter. Tel: 01689 870437 for UK orders, or email: jon@joncarpenter.co.uk for overseas enquiries. See the Book Review in this issue for more information.
Spring Product Reviews
Sunnyvale Rich Plum Pudding
This organic plum pudding contains no animal products or gluten and is thus suitable for vegetarians, vegans and for people following a gluten-free diet. It tastes lovely and is easily heated up in a microwave oven in just a minute and a half. This 400g pudding serves 2-3 people and makes an excellent Christmas pudding. It's made from raisins, dates, figs, stonemilled brown rice flour, sunflower oil and is naturally sweetened with apple juice. For those who prefer quality to quantity, this could be just the pudding you're looking for! The carton is made from recycled paper and board, so it's environmentally friendly too. Look out for it in health food shops around Christmas time. I paid £5.49 for mine in Holland and Barretts. (Information updated in January 2009 - This product is no longer available. Why not try out The Village Bakery's Christmas Pudding instead?)
Danival's Le Moulin d'Anidiran 1729 Organic Whole Rice Miso
Miso (mee-soh) is traditionally used as a savoury seasoning in the Far East and is thought to have nourishing properties. It's easily digestible and can be used to enrich spreads, soups, stews and sauces. This dark brown, unpasteurised miso is made from organic soya beans, organic whole rice and unrefined Atlantic sea salt and has a rich, although not especially salty taste. Another advantage of this particular miso is that it is sold in a glass jar. Thus avoiding possible contamination from the potentially endocrine disrupting chemicals that are often found in plastic packaging. Look out for this product in health food shops and large supermarkets near you. A 200g jar costs £2.99.Positively Healthy Dry Roasted Soya Nuts (Original)
Produced by the Food Doctor, these crunchy, roasted soya nuts are an excellent source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. High in fibre and gluten free, they also provide beneficial phyto-chemicals called isoflavones. Dr Bob Arnot mentions dry-roasted soybeans in his book The Breast Cancer Prevention Diet. Apparently half a cup of dry-roasted soyabeans will provide 39.6g of soy protein, which is far more than would be provided by a similar amount of tofu or soya milk. Perhaps more importantly though, dry-roasted soybeans are listed in this book as containing 869 micograms of genistein per gram of soy, which is about eight times as much as that found in the equivalent amount of tofu. What's more these soya nuts taste good and are easily transportable, thus making them an ideal snack. Containing soyabeans, sea salt and rapeseed oil, a 50g packet costs £0.99. Look out for them in the Well-Being section in Sainsbury's. For more information email: info@thefooddoctor.com (Updated in January 2009 - This product can still be purchased in Sainsbury's for £0.99)
Celestial Seasoning Bengal Spice Tea
Why is it that I always find Celestial Seasoning teas quite impossible to describe? Probably because each mouthful seems to taste completely different from the last, although I'm not sure why. However, what I can say with certainty is that all of the teas I have tried in this range have tasted really nice, this one being no exception. Bengal Spice, is a warming, spicy tea made from cinnamon, chicory root, carob, vanilla, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, cloves and nutmeg. It's great for drinking in cold weather, completely caffeine-free and it smells nice too. I found it's smooth, sweet flavour almost addictive and kept going back for another sip. In fact sometimes after I had emptied my cup, I poured another half cup of hot water over the tea bag, so that I could have some more! Celestial Seasoning describe their teas on the Internet as 'unexpected'. In my opinion the word 'unexpected' sums this range of teas up very well indeed.
What's Happening in the Veganic Garden this Spring?Spring Sowing and Planting Schedule:
- March: Plant out untreated onion sets and shallots this month. Make outside sowings of early peas (e.g. Feltham First), broad beans, summer spinach, parsnips, carrots, turnips, salad onions and lettuces such as 'Winter Density' or Little Gem', as soon as the weather allows. Sow seeds of cauliflowers, cabbages, Brussels sprouts and leeks, either indoors or in a cold frame outside. Towards the end of the month sow tomato seeds in trays of compost, placing the trays in a warm place such as on a sunny windowsill indoors. Consider creating a herb garden for 2004 and visit your local garden centre/nursery to see which herbs they offer. Alternatively, grow your own plants from seed. Parsley, chives, basil and mint are probably the most useful herbs to grow for culinary purposes. Whereas hyssop, lavender, lemon balm and oregano are great for attracting wildlife into your garden. For more guidance on which herbs to grow consult the herb article.
- April: Continue to make outside sowings of parsnips, lettuces, carrots, peas, broad beans, spinach and radishes this month. Landcress and parsley can also be sown outside in April. Plant up new asparagus beds and plant out chitted second early potatoes, protecting the potato shoots with polythene if night frosts are forecast. Young Brussel sprout plants can also be planted outside as soon as they are large enough to handle. Make indoor sowings of tomatoes in early April, if this was not done at the end of last month. Start making sowings of sprouting broccoli and kale in a coldframe and don't forget to sow those herb seeds you bought last month!
- May: It's bean planting month once more. Sow French beans, runner beans and any beans for drying. Sweetcorn can also be sown in May. Continue to plant out young Brussel sprouts when they reach a good size and as space becomes available in your garden. Continue to make sowings of kale, winter cabbage/cauliflowers and purple sprouting broccoli in trays of compost, for planting out later.
For more information on what to plant this Spring, please visit the Gardening Diary.Top of Page
What's New in the 2004 Seed Catalogues? (Section updated January 2009)
Thomson and Morgan of Ipswich are offering a new soya bean called Ustie in their 2004 catalogue (price £1.49). Ustie has been especially bred to suit the British climate. The Vegan Organic Trust are encouraging UK veganic gardeners to try out this bean and to report to them how well it grows. Please report your findings to VON by emailing: p.a.white@ukgateway.net.
January 2009 Update: Ustie has now been replaced by 'Elena' in the Thompson & Morgan 2009 Catalogue with 400 seeds costing £1.69. Elena is supposed to have better germination, standing ability and an earlier and higher yield than Ustie. If I am fortunate enough to be offered an allotment before May, then I will be trying out this new variety myself. If anyone else wants to try it out too, then I am sure Peter White at VON ( email: p.a.white@ukgateway.net) would love to receive your comments! Incidentally, there is also another soya bean called 'Envy', which will grow in the UK and this one is available from Suffolk Herbs (Order Code: CH59). Tel: 01376 572456 to order.
The Organic Gardening Catalogue are offering a nifty garden tool cleaner, which could be invaluable for cleaning the dirt off your garden tools. It's handmade from FSC certified oak and not too expensive at £5.95. (January 2009: This product is no longer available.) Also in the latest Organic Gardening Catalogue are FSC certified wooden seed trays, made from Western Red Cedar. Useful perhaps if you are looking for an alternative to plastic seed trays. (Updated in January 2009 This product is no longer available, but it is possible to purchase natural wooden seed trays instead (Order Code: WOOD). Finally, if slugs are causing problems in your garden you may be interested in the new Slugstops, which are listed in Suffolk Herb's 2004 catalogue. These green plastic collars fit over young plants, offering protection against slugs and wind. (January 2009 Update: This product was still available. Order code: S45141. Price £10.25.)
Supplier Details:
- Chiltern Seeds, Bortree Stile, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 7PB. Tel: 01229 581137. Email: info@chilternseeds.co.uk
- The Organic Gardening Catalogue, Riverdene Business Park, Molesey Road, Hersham, Surrey, KT12 4RG. Tel: 0845 130 1304 for a catalogue. Email: enquiries@chaseorganics.co.uk.
- Suffolk Herbs, Monks Farm, Coggeshall Road, Kelvedon, Essex, C05 9PG. Tel: 01376 572456. Email: sales@suffolkherbs.com.
- Thomson & Morgan, Poplar Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP8 3BU. Tel: 01473 688821. Email: ccare@thompson-morgan.com.
In the Wildlife Garden
Many of our wildflowers and commonly grown garden plants are beneficial to animals and can be used to attract wildlife into your garden. Here, I will cover another three plants that are especially attractive to wildlife. Details of other suitable plants are given in earlier issues.Cuckoo Flower (Cardamine pratensis)
Cuckoo flower (lady's smock) is quite a pretty member of the cress family, which in the wild grows in damp meadows and by streams. Reaching about 60cm in height its flowers vary in colour from almost pure white to a pinky-lilac colour with darker lilac veins. In the garden, cuckoo flower is ideal for planting in a marshy area by a pond, but will also grows well in moist borders, moist meadows and in damp woodlands. Cuckoo flower will provide nectar for bees and for orange tip and wood white butterflies in spring and early summer. Perhaps more importantly though, it's also the larval food plant for orange tip and green veined white butterflies. The plant's young leaves are high in vitamin C and can be eaten raw in salads, making it a useful addition to the veganic garden from the human point of view as well. Seeds are available by mail order from the Organic Gardening Catalogue (Tel: 0845 130 1304) and from Suffolk Herbs (Tel: 01376 572456).
Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis)
Pot marigold (calendula) has very attractive daisy-like, yellow, orange or red flowers that will attract butterflies such as commas, red admirals and tortoiseshells into your garden and will also supply nectar for various moths. And if you watch your plants carefully, you may even spot some chalk hill blue caterpillars feeding on them! Calendula is ideal for growing in containers, although it can also be used to create a cheery display of flowers in a sunny border. Sow seeds annually in pots of compost in early spring, keeping the pots at 20 degrees C. Transplant young plants to their final flowering position when large enough to handle. Alternatively, seeds can be sown in late spring where they are to flower. As well asbeing of some value to wildlife, pot marigold flowers are often used in herbal remedies and in cosmetic products. In addition, the flowers can be eaten raw in salads, or used to colour rice dishes. Slugs like to eat the leaves, so you may need to protect young plants from attack. Pot marigold seeds can be obtained from the Organic Gardening Catalogue by phoning: 0845 130 1304.
African marigolds and French marigolds (especially the variety of French marigold known as 'Naughty Marietta' shown above) will also provide nectar for butterflies and moths. 'Naughty Marietta' can be obtained from the John Chambers seed catalogue (Tel: 01933 652562). This low-growing annual is ideal for container growing, but also looks nice when planted at the front of a sunny border. Don't forget to save some dried French or pot marigold seed at the end of the season for planting the following year!
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
Foxgloves are easily grown from seed. These tall, rather stately looking plants are ideal for growing at the back of a flower border, in a hedgerow, or under trees in a woodland area. Foxgloves often grow wild by the roadside, as well as on wasteland and heaths. Just a word of warning though. If you intend to grow this plant in your garden you should know that all parts of the plant are poisonous, especially the seeds. Despite this, foxgloves make excellent wildlife plants, although it is probably best to avoid growing them if you have young children. Birds such as finches, siskins and linnets eat the ripe seeds and bees adore the plant's large, usually purple, but sometimes white bell-shaped flowers. In addition, foxgloves are the larval food plant for heath and marsh fritillary caterpillars and they are also eaten by various moth caterpillars, including those of the foxglove pug moth.
Note: If you are unable to purchase suitable seed from a local supplier, then contact either John Chambers (Tel: 01933 652562) or Suffolk Herbs (0136 572456) for a copy of their latest catalogue.
Other Interesting Websites
The Vegan Society (UK)
An excellent site and a particularly good source of information for the those who are new to veganism, or for anyone who is thinking of going vegan. You can shop online.
Americans For Medical Advancement
This site exposes the often life-threatening results produced by animal-modelled biomedical research and explains how carrying out such research wastes money and why these results cannot safely be applied to humans. The site provides plenty of useful information on the alternatives to animal experimentation such as clinical research, autopsies, computer and mathmatical modelling, epidemiology and in vitro research, as well as informative articles, links and the chance to find out about voluntary opportunities or to make an online donation.
An easy-to-use UK guide to vegetarian and vegan restaurants, which covers 95 towns and cities with over 180 customer reviews of vegetarian and vegan restaurants. If you know of a good vegan restaurant, don't forget to write a review!
Happy Cow
A global guide to vegetarian restaurants and health food stores, with over 237 listings in England, plus additional listings for Scotland and Wales. Some information provided on raw living food. Free newsletter available.
A Vegan Taste of India by Linda Majzlik (Jon Carpenter Publishing, 2002)
This is a really nice collection of very tasty and quickly-prepared Indian recipes. Linda has cleverly veganised the recipes for you by replacing meat and dairy products with soya alternatives, producing authentic and pleasing results. Containing over a hundred recipes, A Vegan Taste of India is clearly written and easy to use. You'll find recipes for starters and snacks, dhals and soups, rice dishes, breads, main meals, side dishes, salads and raitas, chutneys, desserts and drinks. Just mix and match to your heart's content for a complete Indian meal. Incidentally, I found that many of the side dishes make excellent main meals for one, when quantities are halved. Alternatively, make up the full amount and use leftovers reheated as part of your next day's meal, perhaps served with another quickly-prepared side dish such as mushroom masala, or with a leftover rice dish served cold as a salad. The recipes are also ideal for entertaining because they can be made in advance and reheating or marinating for a longer period simply enhances their flavour. In fact, these recipes could be ideal for that dinner party you've been planning! Incidentally, I really liked the two recipes reprinted in the recipe section above and would especially recommend that you try out the kashmiri pilau.
A Vegan Taste of India can be purchased direct from the publishers for £5.99, post free. Write to Jon Carpenter, Alder House, Market Street, Charlbury, OX7 3PQ. You can also purchase a copy by credit card by phoning: 01689 870437. For overseas enquiries email: jon@joncarpenter.co.uk.