THE VEGAN NEWS
JANUARY 1999
The 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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In This Month's Issue:
- Wash the bok choi and
roughly chop both the white stalks and green leaves into
fairly small pieces.
- Mash the tofu in a small
bowl. Add the turmeric, Engevita, chopped onion and
tamari. Mix well. (Incidentally, this recipe is based on
the 'tofu eggless' recipe in Dr Michael Klaper's book
'Vegan Nutrition: Pure and Simple' and can also be used
uncooked as a sandwich spread if the pak choi is missed
out.)
- Heat the oil in a
non-stick pan/wok. Add the tofu mixture to the pan and
cook over a low-medium heat for 7 mins, stirring
occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add the chopped bok choi
and nori flakes (if using) and cook for a further 5 mins,
or until the tofu is well heated and the vegetables are
cooked.
Recipe Serves 2.
Serve the scrambled tofu on top of wholemeal toast. High in
calcium!
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VOHAN are trying to
raise funds to purchase a farm where controlled research can be
carried out into the vegan-organic system of agriculture. They
need to raise £100,000 to purchase the farm, plus a further
£15,000 to finance trials at a temporary centre which is being
set up in Commins Coch (Wales). If you would like to make a
donation (and no amount of money is too big, or too small), then
please make cheques payable to 'The Vegan-Organic Research Centre
(VOHAN)' and send them to: VOHAN, Anandavan, 58 High Lane,
Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester. M21 9DZ. If you would like
more information phone: 0161 860 4869, or e-mail: vohan@net-work.co.uk
The Association for
General Practitioners of Natural Medicine wants to establish a
Hospital for Natural Medicine which would provide post-graduate
training for GP's of Natural Medicine, as well as research
facilities into healing, prevention and cure of disease by
natural means. The cost of acquiring the site and buildings will
be about £12 million and further money will be required to meet
initial running costs. If you would like to make a donation to
this appeal, then cheques should be made payable to A.G.P.N.M.
and sent to: The Hon. Secretary, 38 Nigel House, Portpool
Lane, London. EC1N 7UR. (Tel: 0171 405 2781 for more
information.)
On 12th January 1999 there
will be a co-ordinated global screening of the 52 minute McLibel
documentary. The plan is that this film will be shown on every
cable/public access/alternative TV station all round the world,
all at the same time, as well as in cinemas, colleges, bookshops,
cafes, web-streamers and community centres. If you are able to
hold a screening of the film, then e-mail: oops@spanner.org
for more information. And if you would like to order a copy of
the video, then you will find the address and price details in
the advertisement
section. Update: - 5th January
1999. So far there have been just over 80 confirmed, or
nearly-confirmed, screenings of the McLibel Documentary. Click here if you would like
to find out if there is a screening near you.
A Global Ban on the Testing of Cosmetic
Products and Ingredients?
No doubt you all know that on the 16th of
November 1998 a voluntary ban was passed on the testing of
cosmetic products and ingredients in the UK. Animal Aid are
campaigning to ensure that this becomes a worldwide ban and are
urging consumers to write to global cosmetic companies, as well
as to the manufacturers of household products (such as washing up
liquid and cleaning fluid) who are still using animal testing. If
you want to find out how you can help, then contact: Andrew Tyler
or Becky Smith on 01732 364546 (after hours: 0421 326329)
or e-mail them at: info@animalaid.org.uk.
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Sea vegetables are rich in
minerals and vitamins and have been harvested and eaten for
thousands of years because of their valuable health-giving
properties. They are usually sold dried in packets, but are also
available as pills, flakes or powders and can be purchased from
macrobiotic suppliers and in many health food stores. Sea
vegetables are still very popular in many areas of the world,
especially in the Far East. They are often eaten in the
macrobiotic diet and are now becoming increasingly popular in the
UK, as people become more interested in wholefoods. I think that
they are a valuable addition to the vegan diet, particularly with
regard to supplying iodine, calcium and iron and so this month I
am going to review some of the most popular varieties.
Clearspring Nori Sheets
Nori is a popular sea
vegetable which is rich in protein, iron, calcium and vitamins.
Before use, nori sheets need to be lightly toasted over a flame
(or an electric burner) for a few minutes until they go a
brighter green and become crisp. Nori is perhaps the most well
known of all of the sea vegetables because it is frequently used
as the outer layer of Japanese rice sushi, but pieces of toasted
nori can also be used to wrap rice balls, or else nori can be cut
into thin julienne strips and used to garnish noodles, grains,
soups or salads. Ground nori makes a tasty condiment and toasted
sheets of nori make a nice, tasty, high-protein snack for kids.
If you are nervous about trying sea vegetables, then this is a
good sea vegetable to start off with, for it is mild and not at
all slimy. Nori is also frequently sold as packets of flakes
which are also very good for the beginner. They can easily be
added to food, perhaps instead of mixed herbs and provide
nutritional benefits, without really being very noticeable. Nori
flakes are good for garnishing salads, grains and soups, or they
can be mixed in with sandwich spreads, added to pancakes, salad
dressings, dips, scrambled tofu or vegan omelettes. Look out for
both nori sheets and flakes in your health shop. I purchased my
packet of nori sheets by mail order from Pure for £3.25.
They also sell packets of green nori flakes for £1.39 (20
g).
Sanchi Wakame
Wakame is another edible
Japanese sea vegetable. I rather like wakame, as it also has a
mild flavour and is an attractive green colour. I use it mainly
in salads, miso soup and stir-fries. Wakame needs to be soaked in
cold water for 10 minutes before use and can then cut into
smaller pieces, discarding the central hard stem. I bought my 60
g packet in the health shop for £2.59, but Clearspring
also produce packets of wakame and these can be purchased from
Pure by mail order for £2.79 for a 50 g packet.
Clearspring Hijiki
An excellent source of
calcium, hijiki has a strong taste and a black string-like
texture and I have to confess that I am not terribly keen on this
sea vegetable, which is a pity because it is very nutritious!
Hijiki is usually cooked with tempeh or tofu, but it can also be
sauteed with root vegetables, or eaten cold in salads. It needs
to be soaked in cold water for 10-20 minutes before cooking. I
paid £2.95 for a 50 g packet in a health shop. However,
it can be also be purchased by mail order from Pure for £3.49.
Clearspring Kombu
Kombu is a type of kelp. It
should be soaked in cold water for at least 10 minutes before use
and is usually used either to make a dashi broth for noodles, or
else it is simmered in water and shoyu to make soup stock. Try
adding a piece of kombu when you are cooking beans and it will
make them more tender and digestible. Kombu can also be cooked
with tofu, tempeh, seitan or root vegetables, or it can be deep
fried to make special 'chips' which are used in party dishes.
Roasted kombu can be ground up with seeds to make a condiment
which is used on grain dishes. I purchased my packet of kombu
from Pure for £2.45 for a 50 g packet.
Other Sea Vegetables
Other sea vegetables which I
would recommend include Agar Flakes which are often
used as a setting agent for kanten, jellies or other desserts and dulse which makes rather nice
'crisps' when toasted under the grill. (Both of these products
are available from the Pure catalogue if you are unable to find
them in your health shop.) Arame is also a popular sea vegetable
with a sweet, delicate taste. However, as I haven't tried this
variety yet, I am not going to review it here. It is usually
added to soups or salads, and is often sauteed with root
vegetables, tofu or soybeans.
* For a copy of the Pure Mail Order
Catalogue ring: 0181 771 4522.
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Iodine is an important trace
element which is needed by the thyroid gland in order to produce
the hormone thyroxine. The thyroid gland, which is situated at
the base of the throat, controls the metabolic rate and a
deficiency of iodine can cause it to become underactive, leading
to symptoms, such as goitre, weight gain, a reduction in appetite
and lethargy.
Iodine deficiency is rare in
the UK and does not appear to be any more common among vegans
than in the general population. However, some studies have shown
that vegans may have a rather low dietary intake of iodine and it
is therefore important to try to include some iodine-rich foods
in your diet, on a regular basis. Sea vegetables, such as kombu,
kelp, arame, nori and hijiki, are an excellent source of iodine
and one of the best ways of increasing your intake of iodine is
to include some nutrient-rich sea vegetables in your diet. If you
are not already familiar with the many types of sea vegetables
available, then take a look at this month's product review
section, or alternatively read my earlier article on Sea Vegetables. Clearspring also produce an interesting and useful 'Sea
Vegetable' leaflet which includes some recipes from Montse
Bradford's booklet called 'Cooking With Sea Vegetables'. This
leaflet can be obtained (free of charge) from Pure, or it can be
ordered at the Clearspring website.
If you prefer to take a supplement rather than
actually eating sea vegetables, then a company called Seagreens
produces 'Wild Seaweed Food Capsules' which contain wild Ascophyllum,
Pelvetia and Fucus seaweeds. Two of these capsules,
taken daily, will provide 465 mcg of iodine as well as many other
important nutrients. The capsules are a 100% vegetable and cost £12.99
for 60 tablets. Also produced by Seagreens, there is a granulated
'Seaweed Culinary Ingredient' which can be used in place of salt
in many recipes. This product can be added to bread and pizza
bases, or it can be used in soups, casseroles or on top of baked
potatoes. It costs £3.99 for 50 g. Finally, you could
also try Seagreens 'Seaweed Table Condiment' which is made from
organic wild Knotted, or Whistle Wrack seaweed and is ground in a
mill like salt or pepper. (Price £4.99 for 100g.) All of
these products can be purchased by mail order from the Pure
catalogue (Tel: 0181 771 4522 for a copy) or more information can
be obtained from the Seagreens website which is listed in the
website section of this issue.
Sea salt and iodized table salt also contain
iodine. However it is not really a good idea to obtain your
supply of iodine from salt because a high intake of cured or
salted food has been linked to an increased risk of stomach
cancer. Salt is also known to be a major factor in the onset of
high blood pressure and excess salt can increase the amount of
calcium lost from the body in the urine.
Other sources of iodine which are suitable for
vegans include: Vecon yeast extract (which contains seaweed
powder) and there is also some iodine in vegetables and grains .
How Much Iodine Do We Need?
The UK Reference Nutrient Intakes for iodine
are 50-60 mcg/day for infants, 70-130 mcg for
children/adolescents and 140 mcg/day for adults.
If you are not sure about how to cook with sea
vegetables, then you will find recipes and more information in
the following books:
Further Reading:
- Cooking With Sea Vegetables by Montse
Bradford. (Price £3.99. Tel: either 01963 240641,
or 0181 771 4522 to order a copy of this booklet.)
- Macrobiotic Diet by Michio and Aveline
Kushi. (P. 151-164. Note: This book does not
contain any recipes.)
- 365 Plus One Vegan Recipes by Leah Leneman
(Chapter 13, Sea Vegetables, p. 106-113).
- Macrobiotic Cooking For Everyone by Edward
and Wendy Esko. (Chapter 6, p. 192-199.)
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-
Make a list of any
seeds and garden products that you will need this year
and either send off for them by mail order, or purchase
them from your local garden centre. Order your onion
sets, seed potatoes, and shallots and there is still time
to order and plant garlic cloves this month. Seed
potatoes can be set to sprout as soon as they are
available. Place the seed potatoes eye end up in
cardboard egg boxes (or shallow wooden boxes) and leave
them to sprout, exposed to some light, at a temperature
of about 5-7 degrees C.
-
Make sure that all
your garden tools are in good condition and do any
essential repairs, or purchase new tools if necessary.
Get your lawnmower and shears sharpened now, so that they
are ready for the new season! If it's not too cold
outside, then you can also treat garden woodwork with a
non-toxic preservative. Do not use creosote which gives
off toxic fumes.
-
The frost will help to
condition the soil this month, but you may wish to
consider using a a special soil conditioner as well.
Conditioners which can be used in the veganic garden
include: compost, seaweed meal, gypsum, potash and rock
phosphate. Although calcified seaweed is an excellent
soil conditioner, it should not be used because it is
obtained from the temperate ocean equivalent of coral
reefs and is not harvested in a sustainable way. Quite a
few animal-free fertilisers can be purchased from the
Organic Gardening Catalogue. (Address.)
Garden Planning
Make up a crop rotation plan to ensure
that vegetables of the same kind (or family) are not
grown in the same place again this year. Rotating crops,
in this way, will help to prevent the build up of pests
and disease and will ensure that soil nutrients are not
depleted.
Early Sowings
If you want to make some early sowings,
then raise the temperature of the soil by covering the
ground with black polythene, about two weeks before you
intend to sow your seeds. Some indoor sowings can also be
made this month. Try sowing Temptation F1 Strawberry
seeds in your propagator, or start off some early
lettuces indoors.
In the Fruit Garden
If it is fairly mild and the soil is
workable, plant fruit trees, such as cherry, damson and
plum this month. Prune your apple and pear trees and
autumn raspberry canes should be cut down to the ground
in mid winter. Tidy up your strawberry beds, by removing
old leaves and unwanted runners and then apply a top
dressing of compost and sulphate of potash. There is
still time to purchase and plant new fruit bushes, such
as blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries.
Crops Available This Month
Crops available this month include:
leeks, Brussel sprouts, winter cabbage (e.g January
King), kale and Jerusalem artichokes.
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Where can I find
vegan recipes that are low in fat?
Jo Alger, London.
Many vegan recipes
are not particularly low in fat. However, I have found
that it is often possible to reduce the amount of fat
used in a recipe by half (or sometimes even more than
this) without affecting the taste of the dish very much.
Favourite recipes, which are rather high in fat, can thus
be modified by gradually reducing the amount of fat that
they contain. However, if you prefer not to tamper with
recipes, then there is a nice collection of low-fat
vegetarian recipes on the Internet in The Low-Fat
Vegetarian Archive.
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If any vegan
organisation would like to be reviewed in this section,
then please email: pauline@bury-rd.demon.co.uk.
The following
organisations have been reviewed in earlier issues:
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An excellent site and a particularly
good starting point for obtaining information for the new
or intending vegan. You can now visit their online shop or become a member.
This company produces sea vegetable
capsules, granules and a condiment. The wild seaweed,
used to make these products, is harvested every 3-4 years
- the plants are not harmed and are allowed to grow back
to maturity before they are harvested again.
Merchandise, membership, cruelty-free
toiletries, books, non-leather boots and shoes, plus
loads more.
A brochure which explains the reasons
why more people are choosing a vegan lifestyle. 'Why
Vegan?' covers the health and environmental reasons for
going vegan, as well as vegan nutrition, some simple
vegan meals and a section on product testing.
An interesting site which covers:
Animal rights, health and nutrition, recipes, shopping,
events and vegetarian groups.
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If you enjoyed reading
about macrobiotics in the November issue and would like
to do some further reading on the subject, then the
following three books are all quite interesting and the
first two contain a selection of vegan recipes. They are
worth reading if you are searching for unusual ways of
combining grains, beans and vegetables, so look our for
them in your public library.
The Practically
Macrobiotic Cookbook by Keith Michell. (Thorsons
Publishing Group.) With foreword by Michio Kushi.
Based mainly on grains,
beans, vegetables and sea vegetables, you will find that
more than 150 of these macrobiotic recipes are vegan. In
this book the author clearly explains the basics of how
to put a macrobiotic meal together, including the
preparation and cooking of macrobiotic food and there is
also an informative and extensive A-Z of ingredients
which I'm sure you will find useful if you are unfamiliar
with macrobiotic ingredients.
Macrobiotic Cooking
For Everyone. By Edward and Wendy Esko. (Japan
Publications, Inc.)
The first part of this
book clearly explains the macrobiotic way of life and
introduces the main macrobiotic principles. However, this
book is largely a macrobiotic cookery book and contains a
wide selection of both basic and advanced macrobiotic
recipes which use whole, natural foods. A lot of the
recipes are vegan, but steer clear of the 'fishy' recipes
in the soup section and the 'seafood' chapter towards the
rear of the book.
The chapter on 'grains'
is particularly interesting, as it contains recipes which
use fu, seitan and noodles and similarly the bean section
has some interesting recipes which use okara and tofu.
And if you are intested in sea vegetables, there's a
whole chapter of nice sea vegetable recipes, as well as
plenty of soup, sugar-free dessert, pickle, beverage and
yeast-free bread recipes.
Macrobiotic Diet. By
Michio and Aveline Kushi.
An interesting and
useful reference book which clearly explains the main
macrobiotic principles and contains lots of information
on macrobiotic foodstuffs. Ideal for anybody who isn't
quite sure of the difference between burdock and daikon;
fu and seitan; arame and wakame; tempeh and tofu or udon
and soba! This book does not contain any actual
macrobiotic recipes, but provides plenty of ideas of how
to prepare and use these somewhat unfamiliar items.
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Main Index
HTML written by P M Lloyd
Copyright © Pauline Lloyd 1999
Recipe of the Month
Vegan
Campaigns:
January
Product Review
Vegan
Nutrition - Iodine
What's
Happening in the Veganic Garden This Month?
Any Queries?
Vegan Organisation Review
Other
Interesting Vegan Websites.
January
Book Review