I’m always on the look out for new “green wine” trends. And now that I live here, I am especially interested in what’s happening in California. Two wineries have new offerings worth taking note of.

By choosing this 3L Premium Wine Cask versus 4 glass bottles, one can reduce packaging waste by at least 92% and carbon emissions by 55%. Eliminate heavy glass, expensive closures and corks (don’t have to worry about keeping the corks wet). With this package it is easier to store and more efficient to ship.

All true. Although its not clear exactly how sustainable Big Houses’ other practices are, they state that their wines ‘are created  from hand-selected, individual lots’ and they strive to “stay true to the natural qualities of the grapes as much possible and make wines that are friendly both to foods and the people that consume them.” As much as possible… I’d like to know more.  But boxing, oh sorry, casking wine is a great start.

I’ve often written about small, artisanal wineries that make their juice sustainably. But, for years the big players domestically have had a tough time of implementing sustainable practices. Bigger wineries that have done a great job include Hess and Coppola, but there really aren’t too many.

Now, from Red Truck, known for flavorful values, comes Green Truck—wines made from certified organic grapes. The award-winning Green Truck wine brand includes all-organic Petite Sirah, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Green Truck Wines are produced by Red Truck Winery of Sonoma and marketed nationally. I haven’t tasted it yet, but its great to see a big brand create an organic line that doesn’t scare people away.

Memorial Day is coming up, and for most folks, that means firing up the grill. If you’re not used to plant-based cooking, it might be hard to imagine grilling without a slab of meat, but there are lots of ways you can cook up veggies on the grill!

Of course, I’d love to see folks totally eschew the animal products on Memorial Day, but if you can’t stomach a totally meatless Memorial Day meal, you can at least go meat-light by incorporating some plant-based recipes alongside the more conventional food you’d serve at a cookout.

Even just cutting back on the meat can make a big environmental impact, and if you choose to serve less meat, you can also spend a bit more to get meat that’s raised in a less environmentally detrimental way, since veggies are a lot more budget-friendly. Yay for saving money, helping the planet, and eating a bit healthier!

On the Vegan Grill

Make a little room on the grill for these tasty, plant-based recipes:

1. Classic Veggie Burgers – you can buy these pre-made, just check that ingredients list! Some brands, like Morningstar Farms, are full of mystery ingredients, but you can find frozen veggie burgers that are pretty healthy, too. Sun Burgers are a good brand, if your grocery store has them. Of course, you can also make your own veggie burgers, too!

2. Grilled Portabellas – I like to marinate my ‘bellas in store-bought salad dressing, like Annie’s Sesame Vinaigrette. It saves so much time! Or, you can check out Tanya’s grilled portabella mushroom recipe right here (#6 on that list).

3. Grilled Eggplant – Just like portabellas, sliced eggplant is perfect for the grill! You can slice, marinate, and grill for 3-4 minutes per side on high, or get fancy with these grilled eggplant stacks instead.

4. Maple-Chili Grilled Tofu – Tofu cooks up beautifully on the grill, and this grilled tofu topped with fruit salsa is such a crowd-pleaser!

5. Kebab It – Skewers are a pretty classic grilling staple, and veggie skewers are super delicious. The best part? You can really use whatever veggies you have handy! I like to combine mushrooms, cubed pineapple, onion, and tomato. Just brush with a little oil and vinegar, and grill for a few minutes on each side.

Plant-Based Sides

No cookout is complete without some delicious side dishes. Here are a few yummy sides that are perfect for completing your cookout:

6. Dill Pesto Potato Salad  – Sure, you can make a plain ol’ potato salad vegan by choosing vegan mayo instead of the egg-based sort, but this dill pesto version is seasonally delicious!

7. Grilled Tomatoes – Take Mary’s advice and make a super yummy grill pouch with fresh tomatoes and veggies. Get the details here (under “Slice ‘Em”).

8. Kale Salad – Instead of a boring lettuce-based salad, try Scott and Andrea’s amazing raw kale salad. Raw kale might sound kind of weird, but it’s all about massaging and marinating – the marinade breaks down the tough, raw kale and makes it the perfect texture!

9. Macaroni Salad – I have nostalgic feelings about macaroni salad – we had it almost every time we cooked out when I was growing up, but macaroni salad usually has an egg-based mayo base. Jessi shares a super yummy recipe for classic macaroni salad with no animal products in sight!

10. Grilled Fruit – There is something so special about fruit hot off the grill. You can grill so many different things: pineapple, plums, or whole skewers of fresh fruit. Need some fruit grilling inspiration? How about some sweet grilled peaches?

Do you have a favorite vegan recipe for the grill? Tell us about it in the comments!

Image Credit: Memorial Day Recipes photo via Shutterstock

My husband and girls adore a good bowl of salsa. We buy Mi Cocina‘s stuff in quart-size containers, and it disappears speedily. So yesterday, I tried a new recipe for a homemade version. Twas mighty tasty, so I thought I’d share with y’all…

Roasted Tomato and Árbol Chile Salsa

Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine

Ingredients

• 5 plum tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise (or 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled, and coarsely chopped
• 12 dried árbol chiles, stems discarded
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

1. Preheat your broiler.
2. Arrange the tomato halves cut side down on a rimmed sheet pan, and broil until the skins are charred and blistered, about 5 minutes.
3. Turn the tomatoes over, and broil until charred in spots, about 5 minutes more. Discard the tomato skins.
4. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
5. Add the chopped garlic, and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. (Don’t let them get too brown as you will continue to cook them.)
6. Add the árbol chiles to the skillet, and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
7. Scrape the chiles, garlic, and oil into a food processor or blender. Add the water and pulse, scraping down the sides, until a chunky puree forms, about 2 minutes.
8. Add the tomatoes, cumin, and oregano and pulse until the texture is right for you.
9. Season with salt to taste.

This recipe delivers a garlicky, hot, not-so-tomato-y salsa, which was muy delicioso. Consider the following variations to get the taste and texture you prefer:

• Double the tomatoes to make it sweeter and more tomato-y. I followed the original recipe — tasted it and loved it — but decided to add a can of fire-roasted tomatoes to get it closer to the kind of salsa we prefer. Bueno, bueno.
• Stir in a few tablespoons of chopped cilantro at the end. We didn’t have any, but it would be a great addition.
• If you prefer a less spicy salsa, consider reducing the number of chiles and/or deseeding the ones you use. I used all 12 and deseeded about half of them by cutting them in half and shaking the seeds out. The resulting concoction is a bit hot for my taste, but the family thinks it’s awesome.

A bit of chile trivia: The chile de árbol (Spanish for “tree chile”) is a Mexican pepper. It’s also referred to as the “bird’s beak chile” and the “rat’s tail chile”. I learned its heat index is between 15,000 and 30,000 Scoville units, compared to a jalapeno with a heat index of 3,500 – 8,000.

If you crave more, check out these other salsa recipes from the Important Media network:

• Black Bean Papaya Salsa
• Salsa Cruda
• Green Tomato Salsa
• Garden Fresh Salsa
• Fruit Salsa (How clever!)

Image Credit: rossination via flickr/CC

New research shows that people report that organic junk foods taste healthier than their conventional counterparts. When trying food – even junk food – with an organic label, participants guessed that the snack was lower in fat and calories than snacks with a conventional label.

The trick? The food was all the same – just the label was different.

We’ve talked here before about how organic does not necessarily mean healthy, but after reading over the details of this study in Atlantic Magazine last week, I felt like this bore repeating!

The study provided samples of junk food like cookies and chips to passers-by in a mall. They told random tasters that some were organic and some were not and asked a series of questions about how the food tasted and whether it was healthy.

Choosing Healthy Organic Food

So, how can you tell the organic junk food from the good-for-you organic foods? Here are a couple of quick tricks:

• Is it in a box, bag, or jar? While not all organic convenience food is unhealthy, pre-packaged treats tend to include a healthy dose of sugar, salt, and calories. Instead, opt for whole foods, like fresh fruits, veggies, and unsalted nuts.
• Did you read the back of the box? If that organic snack or pre-made meal is packaged, don’t spend a lot of time looking at the pretty front of the box. Flip that sucker over and read the ingredients. How long is that list? What is the nutritional information telling you? A bag of organic chips with half your daily dose of salt is not healthy. Neither are those organic cookies with 22 grams of sugar in a serving.

Of course, if you’re going to eat chips and cookies anyway, you’re definitely better off buying organic. There’s nothing wrong with the occasional indulgence, and high five if you opt for treats that don’t contain GMOs, pesticide residues, and any of the other problems that come with conventional junk food!

Just remember the lesson from Cookie Monster: cookies are a sometimes food. Even if they are organic.

Image Credit: Junk Food photo via Shutterstock

We met about three years ago, on my birthday. I’d checked out his profile, and new he was interesting… but I never dreamed how well we’d hit it off! I’ll never have a dehydrator-free kitchen again, if I can help it – here’s why.

10. Dog treats. Little-known fact: if you slice seitan roast into strips, and dry them overnight in the dehy, they become crunchy dog treats much-sought-after by 4-legged snacking enthusiasts!

9. Potato chips. Boil organic potatoes, season to taste, and thin the mixture to a pourable consistency with water. Line dehydrator trays with parchment paper, pour potato mixture onto trays, and spread to about 1/8″ thickness. Dry overnight at about 145 degrees. Break into pieces, and voila! Perfect non-GMO non-fried potato chips!

8. Cashew yogurt. Temperature is crucial for making home-made yogurt. I love the cashew yogurt recipe from Artisan Vegan Cheese, but my first efforts failed. Then I used a kitchen thermometer and my dehydrator (with the ‘front door’ open) to ensure a constant 110 degree temperature — now my yogurt turns out perfect every time, I save bucks by making it from scratch, and by not buying pre-packaged yogurt I’m using less plastic… plus, it’s delicious. It’s a win-win-win-win!

7. Never waste fresh herbs again! I love fresh herbs, but used to have trouble getting through a whole bunch of cilantro or parsley before it passed its prime – now I dry half the bunch, and store the dried half in an airtight container in the fridge until I need it. Presto: no more wasted herbs!

6. Tofu jerky. Back-packin’ kayakin’ road-trippin’ nom! Drain and press 2 blocks of firm or extra-firm tofu, slice in 1/8″ to 1/4″ slices, and marinate overnight — find two good marinades for jerky here (double or triple recipe to cover tofu) or here (I like it with a bit less soy sauce and real maple syrup instead of brown sugar). Dehydrate at about 145 degrees for about 8 hours… Makes some seriously yummy fast food, when you don’t have time to stop (hiking/ driving/ working/ paddling/ whatever)!

5. Unchicken tofu filets. My favorite path to chickenless salad runs straight through the dehydrator! Drain and press 2 blocks of extra-firm tofu, slice crossways into eighths, and marinate in unchicken broth (or prepared vegan no-chicken bouillon) overnight. Dehydrate 6-7 hours at 150 degrees, flipping slices once if possible. Filets prepared this way develop a nice firm texture with minimal effort, perfect for use in salads, sandwiches, wraps, and casseroles.

4. Kale chips. HOLY GOODNESS, you guys: if you haven’t tried kale chips yet, you are simply cheating yourself! Yes, technically you can make them in the oven; but it’s soooo much easier in the dehydrator. In the oven — for me anyway — it can be tricky to achieve even cooking; I tend to end up with a few leaves perfectly crisp, a few still soft, and a few burned. Not so, with a dehydrator! Just wash a kale bunch thoroughly, and tear leaves into chip-sized pieces. Toss well with about a tablespoon each of cider vinegar and olive oil, plus dry seasonings to taste… I like salt, cayenne, garlic powder, and about 1/4 cup of nooch. Put kale leaves on dehydrator trays in single layers, for about 4 hours at 145 degrees, for crisp crunchy happiness with no tending a’tall!

3. Chickpea crunchies. Same deal as kale chips: in theory I can make them in the oven, but in reality my results were discouragingly inconsistent — they need careful oven-tending to avoid under- or over-toasting (and I don’t excel at careful tending!)… Instead, now I just marinate cooked chickpeas (I like one of the same marinades on chickpeas I use for tofu jerky), spread ‘em over parchment paper on dehy trays, and dehydrate overnight on about 150 degrees. They make an easy, portable, nutritious, delicious snack — again, with almost no effort!

2. Fast food for camping, hotels, or busy days. Soups, stews, chilis, dals, and curries dehydrate well for ‘fast-food’ later. So if I make potato soup, say, we’ll eat half the batch and then dry half (in thin layers on parchment paper) and store it in single-serving Pyrex bowls. When we’re camping or road-tripping, all we need is boiling water to revive it. For more on camp-ready cooking with your dehy, be sure to check out Backpack Gourmet (not all-vegan but very veganizable, and extremely helpful for learning to use a dehydrator for camp cooking) and Lipsmackin’ Vegetarian Backpackin’ (I don’t use the ‘cook in ziplock bag’ strategies authors use, but embrace the many vegan or veganizable camp-cooking recipes). Good food cheap and fast, trail-and-hotel-friendly!

1. Farmer’s market power: activate! By using my dehydrator to preserve my farmer’s market harvest, I can shift more of my food dollars to local growers. I buy in-season produce in mondo quantities, dry it, and store it in the freezer, refrigerator, or pantry (depending on food type and space available). It saves me money, reduces packaging waste, and supports small-scale organic farmers in my community. Who could ask for more, from a kitchen appliance?!

As I’ve explored and experimented with my dehydrator over the years, I’ve come to understand and appreciate that old adage: truly, love is a many-splendored thing!

Image credit: modified Creative Commons photo by ljguitar.

Earlier this month, three Senators submitted a bill to require the FDA to report on data about the use of antimicrobial drugs in livestock.

The Antimicrobial Data Collection Act (S.895) intends “to improve the ability of the Food and Drug Administration to study the use of antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals”.

Currently, drug companies, farmers, and feed mills report to the FDA the drugs that are added to the feed of livestock. This bill asks the FDA to compile that information into reports in order to study the relationship between “…the sales, distribution, end-use practices of animal drugs containing an antimicrobial active ingredient in food-producing animals and antimicrobial resistance trends.” The bill also asks the FDA to provide recommendations for preventing antimicrobial resistance.

It’s important to note that the bill would not require extra effort by anyone outside the FDA. The reporting requirements for farmers and others involved in the feeding of livestock would not change. Within the FDA, the information is already gathered and sorted. It simply isn’t reported with much detail and it isn’t studied to find any relationship with antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in humans. With antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food on the rise, this legislation is timely.

Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Dianne Feinstein, and Susan Collins sponsored the bill. A similar bill has been submitted to the House of Representatives by Representatives Henry Waxman and Louise Slaughter.

Full text of S.895 online
Full text of H.R.820 online

Livestock antibiotics photo via Shutterstock

Oooh, it’s that time of the year! Farmers markets are reopening and going strong as early spring produce comes of age. But as I’ve started to buy more of this good stuff, I’ve noticed an increase in my food waste. I bought fresh spring onions and tossed the green tops (guiltily). I didn’t use all of the greenhouse-grown tomatoes I bought at the farmers market — a few went to waste. (Crap.)

So at my house, we will start paying more attention to the ends we cut off zucchini and carrots and the bits of produce we normally wouldn’t eat, like onion tops, celery stumps, and assorted stems. Think of it as “nose-to-tail” cooking for fresh produce. Let’s seek to use all parts of the vegetable.

Here are two no-fail ways to turn waste into wonderful:

1. Make Soup. Most unused vegetable chunks can contribute to the flavor of a homemade stock or broth, whether chicken, beef, seafood, or vegetable. Keep a zip top bag in the freezer and toss in leftover or not-so-fresh chunks of onions, carrots, celery, greens, and herbs. Come up with your own flavor combos by adding unconventional stock-making ingredients, like lemons, squash, or peppers. Homemade broth is easy to make, stores neatly in the freezer, thaws quickly, and tastes great. Take a look at this simple chicken broth recipe and some creative combinations for vegetable broth.
2. Make Soil. I’ve tried composting, and I have to admit it’s not one of my strengths. Compost takes some attention, but you can invest as much time as you have and still get results. The less you tend your compost pile, the longer it will take to turn into a nutritious addition to your garden, but eventually, you’ll have black gold. Take a look at this infographic that outlines composting basics.

For more ways to use the “unusable” parts of your produce, read this post from Andrea at our sister site, Vibrant Wellness Journal. We’ve written a lot about reducing food waste, but it bears repeating now that spring is bringing us the good stuff.

What’s the most unusual way you use produce parts people normally don’t eat?

Infographic courtesy of PBS, Vegetable image courtesy of mhaller1979/CC

About 200,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States this year. The disease will kill nearly 40,000.

Texas researchers are studying how compounds found in mango affect may help lower those numbers.

Scientists at the Institute for Obesity Research and Program Evaluation at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, studied how the polyphenolic compounds found in mangos act to fight cancer cells and reduce inflammation. Other studies have already shown that bioactive compounds, like phenolic acids, flavonoids, and carotenoids in mangos display anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. Bottom line — mangos are good for you.

This particular study used polyphenolics extracted from mangos to treat non-cancer and cancer breast cells in vitro (outside their normal biological environment). It showed that at a certain concentration, the mango polyphenols decreased breast cancer cell proliferation by about 90 percent while decreasing the proliferation of non-cancer cells by approximately 20 percent.

Dr. Susanne Talcott, director for research at the institute and assistant professor, nutrition and food science department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences stated the research has ”moved us closer to determining whether mango polyphenols will have cancer-fighting effects on human beings.” She also notes: “So far, the indications are positive, but a lot of work will have to be done to determine the actual concentration of mango metabolites in target tissues.”

Our bodies are designed to eat natural, whole foods — not manufactured, overly-processed crap.

Fresh mangos of various varieties are available year round. Watch this National Mango Board video to learn how to select and prepare a nutritious, delicious mango. Try it in a mango banana smoothie or a mango black bean salad. And please share your favorite mango recipes in the comments below!

Image and Video Credit: National Mango Board

Wondering where vegans get our iron? Check out these 10 foods that are high in iron and cruelty-free!

A lot of people – especially women who have heavy periods or are pregnant – need a little help to get enough iron, but for the average person, it’s really not very difficult to meet your iron needs with a plant-based diet. As vegan dietician Ginny Messina points out:

this is not a problem that is specific to vegans. Rates of iron deficiency anemia are actually very high among pre-menopausal omnivore women. It can help to take a low dose supplement (high doses can be hard on the stomach) with orange juice to boost absorption, or to include some fortified foods in the diet. There is some evidence that taking supplements of the amino acid L-lysine boosts absorption of supplemental iron.

Foods that are High in Iron

This list is based on 100 gram servings of each food. I left out things that would be insane to eat 100 grams of at the same time, like herbs and salt.

10. Sprouted Lentils – 3 mg

9. Raw Scotch Kale – 3 mg

8. Pinto Beans – 3 mg

7. Tofu – 5 mg

6. Dried Peaches or Apricots - 6 mg

5. Baked Potato with Skin – 7 mg

4. Raw Cashews – 7 mg

3. Pumpkin Seeds – 15 mg

2. Spirulina – 28 mg

1. Enriched Cereals – the amount of iron per 100 g serving varies, but these topped the list for sure.

[Source: SELF Nutrition Data]

Spotting Iron Deficiency

If you’re worried that you aren’t getting enough iron, your doctor or ob/gyn can do a simple finger prick test to find out if you’re deficient. You can also keep an eye out for these symptoms [source: Mayo Clinic]:

• fatigue or weakness
• shortness of breath
• pale skin
• irritability
• cold hands and feet
• brittle nails
• pica – craving things that are not food, like dirt
• restless leg syndrome
• headaches, dizziness, or shortness of breath

Bonus Tips for Meeting Your Iron Needs

As long as you’re not deficient, it’s really not too tough to meet your daily needs for iron. The RDA for iron varies by age and gender, and the CDC has a comprehensive table showing the iron needs for different age groups. Check it out here!

Once you know how much iron you need, it’s just a matter of choosing enough iron-rich foods – like the ones listed above – throughout the day to meet that need.

Like Ginny Messina mentions, vitamin C improves iron absorption. There are also foods – like  spinach and coffee – that hurt your iron absorption, so try to avoid eating those foods with the ones you’re depending on for your daily doses of iron!

You can also add a little bit of iron to your food by cooking in a cast iron skillet, but that’s not something you can totally rely on, especially if you’re good about seasoning your skillet. The better seasoned it is, the less iron is going to leach into your food. If you do want to get iron from cooking in a cast iron skillet, your best bet is oily, acidic foods. Think tomatoes sauteed in olive oil.

Image Credit: Foods that are High in Iron photo via Shutterstock