DECEMBER 1998

Recipe of the Month

Pauline's Chili Bean Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of skinned, chopped tomatoes
  
• 2 tbs tomato puree
  
• 1 pt (550 ml) vegetable stock
  
• 3 oz (80 g) dried red kidney beans
  
• 3 oz (80 g) dried butter beans
  
• 2oz (55 g) dried black-eye beans
  
• 1 peeled, chopped onion
  
• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces
  
• 1 potato, peeled and chopped into large pieces
  
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  
• 1 tbsp cornflour, mixed with a little cold water
  

Method

1. Soak the dried beans overnight in cold water, or in boiling water for 1 hr. Drain.

2. Prepare carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and onion as described above.

3. Place all of the ingredients into the pressure cooker, except for the cornflour.

4. Bring to pressure. Cook the stew for * 16-17 minutes. Release pressure and remove the lid.

5. Stir in the cornflour and cook the stew, uncovered, until it has thickened.

* If you have an older pressure cooker, then you may have to adjust this time. Read your model's instructions and find out the recommended time for cooking butterbeans, then add on 1 or 2 minutes extra. Note: if the time is very different from the one given above, then you may need to add some extra fluid as well.

Readers' Contributions

Ingredients:

• 1 large cauli
• 1oz (25g) vegan margarine
• 1oz (25g) flour
• 1/2 pint (275ml) soya milk
• 2 teaspoons miso
• 2 teaspoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• pepper to taste

Method:

1. Wash the cauli, break into large florets and boil in a large pan - I add the leaves too (yummy!).
2. Meanwhile place the margarine, flour & milk in a large pan and heat slowly, stirring with a whisk.
3. Bring to the boil and whisk until thickened - add milk or flour to get a custard type texture.
4. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients - ensure miso does not boil as its enzymes will be destroyed.
5. Place cauli florets on plates and pour over sauce.
6. Serve with salad, veg burgers or whatever you like.

This recipe is adapted from a sauce recipe devised by Amanda Sweet in her excellent book 'The Vegan Health Plan' (ISBN 0-85140-699-8).

December Product Review

Tiki Marigold Cream
Made from marigold extract, wheatgerm and natural oils e.g. almond oil, this cream can be used during the day as a base for make up, or it can be used to nourish and moisturise the skin at night. This non-greasy product leaves the skin feeling smooth, but be careful not to get it in your eyes, as it can sting a bit! Entirely free from animal ingredients, it has not been tested on animals either. I paid £3.25 for a 60 g pot in Holland and Barretts.

Martlet Organic Mincemeat
Produced by Martlet Natural Foods, this organic mincemeat contains no added sugar and is sweetened only with organic agaven syrup. Made from carefully selected ingredients, this traditional mincemeat claims to be moist and bursting with flavour and it is suitable for both vegetarians and 'people on cow's milk-free diets'! Usually I only review things here, that I have tested personally, but as I won't be tasting my jar of mincemeat until 25th December, I decided to mention this product in this issue in case anyone else would like to try it out this Christmas. (I'll let you know my verdict in a later issue.) Look out for this mincemeat in your local health shop, although I have to confess I was very naughty and purchased my jar from Sainsburys for £1.49!

Vegan Xmas Cakes and Puddings
If you can't find a vegan Christmas pudding in your local shops, then the following organisations all offer animal-free puddings and Christmas cakes by mail order:

Vegan Nutrition - Focusing on Iron

The daily dietary intake of iron, as recommended by the Department of Health (UK), is 1.7 mg for young babies, 7.8 mg for 1 year olds, 6.1-8.7 mg for children, 11.3-14.8 mg for teenagers, 14.8 mg for adult women and 8.7 mg for adult men. When the diet is low in iron, iron deficiency anaemia can occur once the body's store of iron has been used up and common symptoms of this disease include breathlessness, palpitations, giddiness, tiredness and poor concentration. Are vegans more prone to iron deficiency anaemia than omnivores? Studies have shown that iron deficiency is no more common in vegans than in the general population and that on average British vegans have a dietary iron intake of more than double the recommended amount. The best vegan plant sources of iron are listed below:

Iron-Rich Plant Foods:

1. Dulse = 150 mg
2. Kelp = 100 mg
3. Cumin Seed = 66.2 mg
4. Hijiki = 29.0 mg
5. Nori = 23.0 mg
6. Blackstrap Molasses = 16.1 mg
7. Kombu = 15.0 mg
8. Wakame = 13.0 mg
9. Bran = 12.9 mg
10. Arame = 12.0 mg
11. Pumpkin Seeds = 11.2 mg
12. Sesame Seeds = 10.5 mg
13. Wheatgerm = 10.0 mg
14. Sunflower Seeds = 7.1 mg
15. Soya Beans = 7.0 mg
16. Soya Flour = 6.9 mg
17. Chickpeas = 6.9 mg
18. Lentils = 6.8 mg
19. Millet = 6.8 mg
20. Dried Peaches = 6.8 mg
21. Parsley = 6.2 mg
22. Dried Apricots = 5.5 mg
23. Fresh Yeast = 5.0 mg
24. Oats = 4.6 mg
25. Dried Figs = 4.2 mg
26. Rye = 3.7 mg
27. Wholewheat = 3.3 mg
28. Beet Greens = 3.3 mg
29. Chard = 3.2 mg
30. Spinach = 3.1 mg
31. Buckwheat = 3.1 mg

Please note that only 1-8% of the non-haem type of iron present in plant foods is absorbed, but that iron absorption can be increased by consuming iron-rich plant foods at the same meal as foods which are high in vitamin C (e.g. orange juice, fresh salad or cauliflower). And don't forget that cooking in iron pots and pans will also provide additional iron.

What's Happening in the Veganic Garden This Month?

First of all, if you would like to attract more wildlife into your garden in 1999, then you may be interested in these two new wildlife books. On p. 62 of the catalogue you will find 'Gardening for Butterflies' by Dr Margaret Vickery (£5.50). This book lists the top 100 butterfly plants and helps you to identify some of the butterflies which are likely to come into your garden. On the same page, for £15.99, you will also find 'The RSPB's Birdfeeder Garden' which profiles a 100 of the trees, shrubs and plants which can be planted in order to attract more birds into your garden. And if you enjoyed reading my worm composting article recently and want to know more about worm composting, then you can find out all about worms and maintaining a worm bin by reading the book 'Worms Eat My Garbage' (£9.30) which you will find on the back cover of the catalogue. Why not ask Santa for a copy of this book for Christmas and make a firm resolution to start recycling your garbage? Alternatively, 'The Sprouters Handbook' (price £4.25) will tell you how to produce your own sprouts and salad greens and is well worth reading. And if you simply don't feel like reading at all, then you could put your feet up and watch the new 'Living Foods' video (price £16.50 ) instead. In this video Elaine Bruce shows you how to set up a living foods kitchen.

Vegan Christmas Gift Ideas: