Mulled Cider

Here in the Appalachians, autumn is beginning to steal into the coves and hollows. I wake up each morning to cooler temperatures and find the evening hours of darkness growing longer. The dogwood trees are beginning to turn a burnt maroon and I can catch glimpses of orange bittersweet blooming along the fence rows.

This morning I had my first steaming mug of mulled cider. For me, it's a sure sign that the season has changed.

In my family, autumn was all about the apple harvest. After days of picking, my Grampy usually took some his apples to the local cider mill to be pressed (that's him in the picture). Mostly, his bushel upon bushel of Yellow Delicious apples were sold or stored for eating through the winter, but he also always made a bit of cider. Once when I was young, I accompanied him to the mill.

It was one of those magical autumn mornings when the air was brisk but the sun was warm. I recall the camaraderie of the farmers as they greeted each other and cued up to have their apples pressed. As usual, Grampy was joking with the neighbors and teasing me. I remember bees buzzing about, drawn in by the rich fermenting apple smell from the piles of pulp. Mostly I remember the golden amber juice spilling from the press into gallon jugs. Oh and that taste! Nothing in the world tastes quite as lovely as freshly pressed cider.

Grampy’s cider went straight into the refrigerator in his garage, which is where the bushels of apples were stored. The whole place smelled like an orchard – even in the depths of winter. And as the winter months marched on, that cider was changing. It fermented and bubbled and turned into hard cider. By spring, some of the cider had turned from hard cider into cider vinegar. We used that tangy vinegar for salad dressings and for making pickles during the summer months.

As summer began fading into early fall, the cycle was complete and it was time to begin picking apples once again...

1 gallon fresh, local cider
1 orange, sliced into rounds
2 cinnamon sticks
1 whole nutmeg, broken into large pieces
2 teaspoons whole all-spice
2 teaspoons star anise
1 teaspoon whole clove

1. Place all ingredients in a large stockpot and cover.

2. Warm slowly over medium heat until steaming and hot.

3. Keeping covered, reduce heat to low and serve hot.

If you want to make just one mug at a time, look for pre-packaged mulling spices at your local health food store bulk herb department or gourmet food shop.

Product Review: Cinnabon Cinnamon Crunch Cereal

I know. I can't believe it either but I am profiling something made by Cinnabon on this relatively healthy eating site. But just hear me out.

Cinnbon's Cinnamon Crunch cereal tastes awesome and is good for you, too! These tasty little cinnamon-roll shaped nuggets are lightly sweet, smell wonderful and are chock full of good ingredients: whole oat flour, whole brown rice flour, turbinado brown sugar, fruit juice concentrate, wheat flour, wheat starch, cinnamon, honey and canola oil. Pretty good for the company that brought artery-clogging sweet treats to malls and airports across America.

Other reviews online gave this cereal lower marks for having "weird" ingredients or for not being "sweet enough." Give me a break! I know that you, dear readers, won't agree. Give them a try!

Grade: A

Applesauce

I love autumn! And I love autumn cooking.

This past weekend I went to my favorite local apple orchard and loaded up on apples and cider. Their fragrance filled the car on the way home and made me dream of all the wonderful ways to put these amazing fruits to use.

There are alot of complicated apple recipes, but there are many simple ones, too. And those simple ones taste absolutely divine. For instance, if you can peel an apple, you can make applesauce.

Here's what you need:

apples

water or cider

cinnamon

pure vanilla extract

sea salt

milled cane sugar

1. Peel, core and dice a bunch of apples -- just fill your favorie stock pot nearly to the top.

2. Add a tablespoon or two of water or cider (don't go overboard here -- a tablespoon or two really does the trick). Add a dash or two of cinnamon, a few drops of vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt. Stir and cover.

3. Bring the whole mixture to a bubble over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low, remove lid and let simmer until apples break down and are very soft (the length of time it takes for this to happen depends on the kind of apple you are using). Stir often.

4. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

5. If you like chunky sauce, you're done. If you like smooth sauce, puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Eat some while it's still warm (this is a wonderful treat) and store the remainder in the refrigerator.

YUUUMMMM!!!

Chocolate Devotion Cake

Recently I was asked by a colleague to contribute a unique cake for her daughter's wedding reception. Immediately this recipe came to mind. It's a delicious chocolate-lover's treat that I've made countless times. I perfected the recipe for the wedding of my dear friends Todd and Jeanett in 2003. Even though their wedding was vegan, they wanted a handmade groom's cake. I was happy to lend a hand.

Now, you can make this, too -- but don't wait for a wedding! It's good anytime and not hard to make!

2 ½ cups unbleached flour

1 ½ cups milled natural cane sugar

1 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

dash of ground cinnamon

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 cup strongly brewed cold decaf coffee

¾ cup expeller-pressed canola oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

½ tablespoon vanilla

1 cup tempered non-dairy dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a fluted Bundt pan with baking spray. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together applesauce, coffee, oil, vinegar and vanilla.

Slowly add dry mixture until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan. Bake until a probe comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes.

Cool 10 minutes, invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.

To decorate, melt chocolate in a double boiler. Drizzle melted chocolate over cake. Finish with organic, edible flowers, if desired.

Biorefining of Corn Brings Gelatin Production Into the 21st Century

Newswise (08/23/07) — Scientists are reporting an advance toward turning corn plants into natural factories for producing gelatin to replace animal-sourced gelatin widely used by the pharmaceutical industry for manufacturing capsules and tablets. The advance, described today at the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, may lead to a safe, inexpensive source of this protein for manufacturers who now rely on material obtained as a by-product of meat production.

Today, production of gelatin, a jelly-like substance, relies on the same fundamental methodology employed since commercial production began in the 17th century: Gelatin is derived from the break-down of collagen, which is a component of skin, tendon, bone, cartilage and connective tissue of animals. While there are no naturally occurring plant sources of gelatin, scientists have successfully modified plants, such as corn, to have a gene that results in the production of “recombinant” gelatin.

About 55,000 tons of animal-sourced gelatin are used every year to produce capsules and tablets for medicinal purposes. Plant-derived recombinant gelatin would address concerns about the possible presence of infectious agents in animal by-products and the lack of traceability of the source of the raw materials currently used to make gelatin. However, finding ways to recover and purify recombinant gelatin from plants has remained a challenge because only very low levels accumulate at the early stages of the development process.

Now, scientists at Iowa State University in Ames and FibroGen, Inc., in South San Francisco say they have developed a purification process to recover these small quantities of recombinant gelatin present in the early generations of transgenic corn. The method uses a four-step recovery system to separate the recombinant protein from other corn proteins with sufficient purity that its structure and composition can be verified, says Charles Glatz, Ph.D., a chemical engineer at Iowa State University who directed the work.

“Protein production from transgenic plants is a challenging process, with potential pitfalls all along the way,” Glatz says. “It is important to develop methods in the early stages of the development program to purify gelatin to demonstrate that it can be produced properly.”

The studies establish transgenic corn as a viable way to produce gelatin and potentially other products, Glatz says. In time, researchers may also be able to develop a variety of “designer” gelatins, with specific molecular weights and properties tailored to suit various needs of products containing gelatin.

“Corn is an ideal production unit, because it can handle high volumes at a low cost,” he says. In addition the recombinant gelatin is free from the safety concerns of using meat byproducts.

The purification process relies on chromatographic and filtration techniques, building upon methods developed by FibroGen to recover recombinant gelatin produced in yeast.

Glatz says ultrafiltration allowed the group to take advantage of the size difference between the recombinant protein and other corn proteins.

“This step greatly reduced the process volume for later chromatographic steps, and was crucial to achieving a high purification factor.”

The group is now working to refine the method and boost the overall recombinant protein yields in corn, he says. Though the procedure requires more testing, Glatz says the technique could someday be used to produce high-grade gelatin in a safe and inexpensive manner.

Overall costs could be further reduced by combining the production of gelatin in corn with the extraction of non-protein parts of the grain — such as oils and starches — that are now grown and harvested for biodiesel and ethanol production, he adds.

“Corn wouldn’t be planted for its gelatin alone, but those products could help off-set the cost of biorefineries that use corn to produce other products,” he says.

Cheng Zhang, a doctoral student at Iowa State University, presented details of the new purification process at the American Chemical Society meeting.

Product Review: Yummy Earth Candy

Looking for a truly delicious candy without all that "yucky stuff?" Then you need Yummy Earth Candy! These awesome candies come in a wide assortment of flavors -- from Pomegrante Puckers to Wet-Face Watermelon -- and are made with some of the best stuff on earth. They're perfect for veg*ns and those of us who wish to avoid high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and artificial colors. And best of all, they taste fantastic! I can't keep my hands off the pomegrante ones!

I was also impressed by the customer service Yummy Earth provides. I sent an e-mail via their web site's online form asking about an allergy concern. Within three hours the co-owner of the company e-mailed me back with complete information! Now that's impressive!

If you can't find Yummy Earth candies at your local healthy foods store, you can order them online. Thank goodness!

Grade: A+

Bamboo Rice

I love trying new foods and wasn't disappointed when I prepared a lovely pale green rice called "Bamboo Rice" for dinner last night. This short-grain Chinese rice is infused with natural bamboo juice and has a light, herbal flavor reminiscent of green tea with hints of jasmine. It cooked up quickly, was slightly sticky, and best of all, retained its lovely green color. It tasted delicious under a steaming mound of stir-fried vegetables -- and was a fun twist on dinner!

Look for it at Target sold under the store brand "Archer Farms" or at your local gourmet shop. It's a colorful addition to your pantry.

In the News

Today's news has unusually high number of troubling animal stories --

Group says sharks face extinction due to soup
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19827244/

Boat runs over whale in view of sightseers
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19828605/from/RS.1/

Video shows fishermen killing dolphins
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19813646/from/RS.5/

Manatee, calf released off Fla. Keys
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19827252/

Vick indicted on dogfighting case
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-07-17-vick-indicted_N.htm

Dolphin and Iraq veteran share wonder of prosthetics
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-07-17-dolphin-iraq-veteran_N.htm

"Meat-Sweet" Diet Raises Risk of Breast Cancer in Asian Women

Newswise (07/10/07) — Postmenopausal Asian women who eat a “meat-sweet” or Western diet are at greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who eat a “vegetable-soy” diet, according to a new study. The findings mark the first time an association between a Western diet and breast cancer has been identified in Asian women

The study, published in the July issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, involved women in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study. Eligible cases included all women 25 to 64 years of age who with a new diagnosis of breast cancer from August 1996 to March 1998. Controls were selected from the Shanghai Resident Registry of permanent residents in urban Shanghai.“The issue [of diet] is of particular relevance to women in Asia, for whom breast cancer rates are traditionally low but increasing steadily in recent years,” explained Marilyn Tseng, Ph.D., an associate member in the population science division at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

The transition in breast cancer risk has been attributed to environmental factors, possibly the incorporation of Western dietary pattern foods into traditional dietary habits as a part of broader, societal socioeconomic changes. However, the association of dietary patterns with breast cancer risk has not been studied previously in Asian women.

Through in-person interviews with the Shanghai study participants and residents of Shanghai, researchers established the existence of two primary dietary patterns—the “meat-sweet” diet and a “vegetable-soy” diet. The “meat-sweet” diet includes various meats—primarily pork but also poultry, organ meats, beef and lamb and with saltwater fish, shrimp and other shellfish as well as candy, dessert, bread and milk. The “vegetable-soy” pattern is associated with different vegetables, soy-based products, and freshwater fish.

Of 1,602 eligible breast cancer cases identified during the study period, in-person interviews were completed for 1,459 (91.1%). In-person interviews were completed for 1,556 (90.3%) of the 1,724 eligible controls.

The “meat-sweet” pattern was significantly associated with increased risk of breast cancer among overweight postmenopausal women. Specifically, high intake of the “meat-sweet” pattern was associated with a greater than twofold increased risk of estrogen-receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer among these women. The results showed no overall association of breast cancer risk with the “vegetable-soy” pattern.

“Our study suggests the possibility that the “meat-sweet” pattern increased breast cancer risk by increasing obesity, Tseng said. “Low consumption of a Western dietary pattern plus successful weight control may protect against breast cancer in a traditionally low-risk Asian population that is poised to more broadly adopt foods characteristic of Western societies.”

Running of the Bulls

I just *really* do not get this...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-07-08-bulls-spain_N.htm

Veggie Hero Talks Healthy Diet for Children

Our own Veggie Hero Dr. Amy Joy Lanou has an excellent guest editorial in the Houston Chronicle today. Dr. Lanou, who served as an expert witness in the recent court case involving vegan parents who had undernourished their child, expounds on a healthy diet for children.

Check it out at:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/4919336.html

Product Review: Minute Maid Soft Frozen Lemonade

I love frozen treats during the summer but don't always want a fake non-dairy frozen ice cream-like dessert. This weekend as I was scanning the freezer case at my local grocery store, I discovered Minute Maid Soft Frozen Lemonade. I bought two boxes, which contained four flavors: lemonade, limeade, raspberry lemonade and cherry limeade. All four are vegan but aren't exactly health food -- they are mostly sugar and contain high-fructose corn syrup. Still, each contained only 70 calories and at least 10 percent fruit juice.

I was blown away when I tried these frosty treats. They are delicoius! Creamy -- not icy -- with rich citrus flavor. Each comes in a push up container, so no spoon is required to eat them. I sat on my back deck in the sun slurping one up and it felt like summer.

Be sure to check these out. They are great!

Grade: A

Smoothie Extravaganza: Swamp Monster

It's getting hotter outside and these smoothies are tasting pretty good!

Today's featured smoothie was inspired by the "Swamp Thing" smoothie at an old-school health food store in Charleston named "Books, Herbs and Spices." In its heyday in the early 1990s before health food hit the main stream, this little shop was a local hangout for those who sought better health. And their Swamp Thing smoothie was one of the most popular items on the cafe menu. It's still one of my favorites.

2 frozen bananas
2 cups vanilla soymilk
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1-2 tablespoons Greens+ powder (or any spirulina powder)

Add all ingredients into a blender. Puree until smooth. Serves two.

Grade: *****

Smoothie Extravaganza: Berrylicious

My husband says that this smoothie tastes like a classic old-school smoothie -- whatever that means! I just think it tastes good. I hope you will, too. Be sure to let me know if you've tried any of the flavors I've posted so far and what you think of them.

1/2 fresh banana
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 1/2 cups vanilla soymilk

Add all ingredients into a blender. Puree until smooth. Serves two.

Grade: ****

Photo credit: www.wikipedia.com
(Because I can't seem to take a decent picture of a smoothie!)

Warning: New Doritos Aren't Vegetarian!

I love crunchy snacks and fall into a bag of Doritos every now and then. I picked up the new mystery flavor "X-13D" today and discovered that not only are they not vegan, they are not vegetarian! The new flavor is supposed to resemble a classic cookout burger and have beef flavoring and beef tallow (i.e. fat). YUCK! Steer clear of these nasty snacks.

Smoothie Extravaganza: Sweetheart

The sweetheart smoothie is probably my favorite. It taste like a chocolate-covered cherry. YUMMY!! My husband agreed. He gave it the highest rating, five stars!

1 heaping cup frozen dark cherries
2 cups light chocolate soymilk

Add all ingredients into a blender. Puree until smooth. Serves two.

Grade: *****

Photo credit: www.wikipedia.com
(Because I can't seem to take a decent picture of a smoothie!)

Smoothie Extravaganza: Peaches and Cream

Peaches are the true taste of summer and this smoothie showcases them in a really delicious way!

1 cup unsweetened frozen peaches
1/2 frozen banana
2 cups light soymilk

Add all ingredients into a blender. Puree until smooth. Serves two.

Grade: *** 1/2

Photo credit: www.wikipedia.com
(Because I can't seem to take a decent picture of a smoothie!)

Animal Lovers Called to Boycott Amazon.com

I thought you might be interested in the Human Society of the United States' campaign to stop Amazon.com's sales of illegal animal fighting materials. Amazon sells both cockfighting magazines and bloody, graphic dogfighting DVDs. The company is so determined to continue selling these materials that it filed a motion against the HSUS in federal court, essentially asking that federal and state laws to protect animals be gutted to accommodate Amazon's sales of animal fighting paraphernalia.

Please ask Amazon to remove these materials from its website.

Here is a link for more information and how to send a letter:
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/US_2007_amazon_fighting3?rk=g1zcur51R8-dW

Smoothie Extravaganza: The Velvet Elvis

Summer is here!

When hot weather hits, most of us hate to think about cooking, but of course we still need to nourish ourselves and our families with delicious food. One easy answer is smoothies. These thick, refreshing drinks make a great breakfast, after day camp snack, or before bed treat. Even grownups love to drink them when heading out the door for a busy day.

I've decided to share some of my favorite innovations. I asked my sweet husband to grade them on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the highest score. I hope you'll try a few out this summer.

Velvet Elvis Smoothie

A yummy concoction honoring the King's favorite sandwich combo: peanut butter and banana. And because it is dark in color, it reminds me of a velvet Elvis painting!

1 1/2 frozen bananas
1 tablespoon smooth-ground natural peanut butter
2 cups light soymilk or cow's milk

Add all ingredients into a blender. Puree until smooth. Serves two.

Grade: ***

Red Lentil Dahl

What are you cooking for dinner tonight?

How about a culinary journey to India for a taste of a simple dahl -- a mildly spicy lentil stew? Try serving it with naan (an Indian flatbread available in the freezer of ethnic markets or natural food stores), a green salad, and some tropical fruit, like pineapple or kiwi. Yummy!

1 teaspoon expeller-pressed canola oil
1 teaspoon organic butter or soy margarine
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons curry powder
4 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup dried red lentils
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

In a large saucepan, warm canola oil and butter over medium heat until melted. Add onions and sautee until translucent and soft – about five minutes.

Add garlic and spices. Sautee until fragrant – about 1 minute.

Add water, salt and lentils. Cover. Bring to a boil, boil 1 minute, reduce heat and let simmer until lentils are soft – about 30 minutes.

Stir in cilantro and lime.

Serve hot. Makes about 4 servings.