Finally watched Food, Inc

I have been trying to eat well for a long time. I cook from scratch most of the time and I try to buy organic and sustainable produce and meat. I make yogurt, I used to make all of our bread, we don't eat at fast food restaurants, I limit our meat intake, and I try to eat as little processed food as possible.

I've read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver, "Omnivore's Dilemma" and "Food Rules" by Michael Pollan. In my huge stack of to be read novels, is Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food. I'm trying to do Weight Watchers, but I've been getting frustrated by the amounts of what Mr. Pollan calls edible foodlike substances in many of the recipes.

Because both Patrick and I love to cook and eat, I've been trying to get him to read either "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" or "Omnivore's Dilemma" so that he could understand what I was trying to accomplish and why. He has been so busy with work and studying for a certification exam that he hasn't had the time to spend reading. I knew that watching "Food, Inc" would be a good idea for both of us, but I also knew that it would be very disturbing.

So, I put it off.

For a long time.

We finally sat down this past weekend to watch it. And yes, it is difficult to watch. But I think it is important for everyone to see where our food is coming from. If you haven't watched it - watch it. But know that it will disturb you.

Now we are on a mission. I am not working right now. So, I'm upping my game so to speak. It is probably going to be a little more expensive, but that is a price I am willing to pay. I am going to cook even more than I did before. I am going to make crackers, granola bars, and other things most people don't even think about making by hand anymore. We are going to buy only organic or sustainable meats. And this is just the beginning!

For those who want to make a change, but aren't sure where to start. I recommend reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" first. I found it easier to read than "Omnivore's Dilemma". Both of the books will make you turn away sometimes, but "Omnivore's Dilemma" is much more graphic, and for the faint-hearted it can be disturbing. I had to put it down a few times, and it was very hard to pick it back up!

I recently found and absolutely adore Michael Pollan's "Food Rules". It is described as a definitive compendium of food wisdom. Almost all of us know most of these rules, we just forget them from time to time. The basic premise is: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Which is so true. It has many rules that will make you laugh - such as #20 It's not food if it arrived through the window of your car. Even before I read this book, I was already thinking I was going to try to be and eat more like my cousin Robin and her family in Switzerland. So, rule #41 really hit me close to the heart - Eat more like the French. Or the Japanese. Or the Italians. Or the Greeks. The American diet is flawed in so many ways, and it doesn't matter which food culture you decide to try to follow, as long as it makes you happy and is possible for you. For me, and the Swiss diet, it will be eating smaller portions of very good food with little or no snacking.

Below is a short list of websites that I recommend you visit if you are interested in learning more.

Food, Inc - the movie
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - Barbara Kingsolver
Michael Pollan website
Local Harvest, is a fantastic website to find local produce all throughout the US, as well as to order organic or sustainable meat from reputable providers.

A Tale of Two Black Bean and Squash Soups, Part One

This is the first part of a story of two very similar soups.
They are both black bean and squash soups,
yet they are very different in their making and their presentation. And I think they are both absolutely delicious.

I have both the original "The Vegetarian Epicure" and "The New Vegetarian Epicure",
so imagine my delight when I saw that Anna Thomas had a new cookbook out called
"Love Soup". Which is perfect for me, because I truly do love soup. I also love beans, so after thumbing through the book a bit, I found a black bean and squash soup that looked very interesting. I have a short memory sometimes, and had forgotten about the other black bean soup, until I tasted this one!

This incarnation of black bean and squash soup will take you a couple of hours to put together.
This is the type of soup that you are going to start on a lazy Sunday afternoon,
when all you have to do is read the newspaper and relax. You could substitute canned black beans, and frozen butternut squash, to similar results. But I hope that you will take the time to make this from scratch once.

I love the way fresh vegetables look when they are sitting and ready to go in a dish.
Doesn't this butternut squash look good?

And will you laugh at me if I tell you that I enjoy running my fingers through chopped vegetables and beans? I feel like Scrooge, playing with his coins. The textures make me smile.

The only thing that I dislike about soup is that it is not the most photogenic subject.
Especially bean soups that have been pureed.
Although this may not be the most beautiful pot of soup, it sure does tastes good!

This soup is quite sweet, but in a good way. I added a generous seasoning of Sriracha, and Patrick added a touch of Smack my Ass, our favorite hot sauce from a fantastic Mexican
better-than-fast-food restaurant called Tijuana Flats. Unfortunately there are none in the Missouri area, so we have to order our hot sauce online. If you have a moment, check out their manifesto, which makes me laugh every time I read it! I served this with my favorite cornbread, and the red cabbage an apple salad from "Love Soup".


Black Bean and Squash Soup
from Love Soup by Anna Thomas

1 1/4 cups dried black beans
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled
6 fresh epazote leaves or 1 1/2 teaspoon crumbled, dried epazote ( I omitted)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
1 small kabocha or butternut squash (1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 scant tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

garnish with:
fruity green olive oil
crumbled fresh white cheese such as queso fresco

Rinse the black beans and combine them in a large soup pot with 7 cups water, the peeled garlic cloves, and the epazote. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the beans, covered, for at least an hour, or until they are tender. The time will vary with the age of the beans. When they are tender but not mushy, add a teaspoon of salt. Using a slotted spoon, lift out about a cup of the beans and put them aside.

While the beans are cooking, preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds, and lay the halves cut side down on a lightly oiled baking pan. Roast the squash for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it is soft. Allow it to cool slightly, then scoop out all the soft pulp.

At the same time, heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the chopped onion, the bay leaf, and a pinch of salt, and gently saute over medium-low heat, stirring often, for about 25 minutes, or until the onion is soft and golden brown. Remove the bay leaf.

When the beans are tender, add the chopped carrot, celery, and jalapeno peppers to the beans and their broth and simmer for about 10 to 12 more minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the roasted squash, the caramelized onion, the cumin, and the vegetable broth.

Allow the soup to cool slightly, then puree it in a blender, in batches, or with an immersion blender, until it is smooth. Return the soup to the pot and add the reserved whole beans and the lemon juice. Taste, and correct the seasoning with more salt if needed.

Serve the soup hot with a thick drizzle of fruity olive oil and a sprinkle of crumbled white cheese on top of each serving.

A spinach salad for those who don't like spinach salads

I have a small confession to make: I've never been a huge fan of spinach salads. I know, I know... how could I? There is just something about spinach that I've never warmed up to. Actually, I have an even bigger confession, I'm not a huge fan of spinach.

I do love spinach in certain dishes, particularly Spanakopita and any Indian style spinach dishes, such as Saag Aloo. There may be a few more dishes that I am forgetting about, but I think that's it. I want to like spinach. With all of the nutrients that spinach provides, I have always wanted to serve it more, but I just can't seem to fall in love with it.

But then I found this recipe for Roasted Squash, Spinach and Leek Salad with Maple Syrup Dressing in "Dave's Dinners" by Dave Lieberman, and now I'm a convert. I've made this recipe twice, the first time I made it with roasted butternut squash, and the last time, I roasted up a sweet potato which was just as good. In the picture that accompanies the recipe in the book, it looks as though the salad has blue cheese crumbles, although the recipe does not call for them. To serve as a main dish, I think the addition of either blue cheese or slivers of Parmesan cheese (which I have used) really help to finish the recipe. All I require to make this perfect is some good crusty bread.

So, even if you are not a spinach fan, I urge you to try this salad - maybe you'll become a convert like me!

Roasted Squash, Spinach and Leek Salad with Maple Syrup Dressing
adapted from Dave's Dinners by Dave Lieberman

For the salad:
1 small butternut squash or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
1 cup pecan halves
1 small leek
10 ounces spinach, rinsed, dried, and large stems removed
blue cheese crumbles or slivers of Parmesan cheese

For the Dressing:
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 to 20 grinds fresh black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Toss the squash cubes on a baking sheet with olive oil and salt. Roast 25 minutes or until tender, tossing every 10 minutes or so. Remove the squash from the oven and allow to cool fully.

Spread the pecans out on another baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes.

Remove the green tops and bottom root from the leek. Cut the remaining portion of the leek in half lengthwise and rinse under cool water to wash away any grit inside the leek. Cut each half in half crosswise, then thinly cut vertically to create leek matchsticks.

Make the dressing by shaking together all the dressing ingredients in a seal-able container or whisk together in a bowl. Toss the spinach with the dressing, divide the spinach between serving pates, and top with the squash pieces. Scatter the leek matchsticks around the salad, then finish with the toasted pecans and cheese.