William Penn Life, 2007 (42. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2007-05-01 / 5. szám
T^he jlixD&vlsn Kitehet form of meat. • LACTO OVO VEGETARIANS eat eggs and dairy products along with veggies and fruits. • OVO VEGETARIANS eat vegetables, fruits and eggs only. • VEGETARIANS eat only vegetables and fruits. • VEGANS eat vegetables and fruits, but won't consume anything that has any traces of anything that comes from an animal. A Vegan won't have Jello because the gelatin comes from the hooves of a cow. They also won't eat anything that comes from anything with a face. A chicken has a face so they don't eat eggs. A fish has a face so they don't eat fish. A tree doesn't have a face so they would enjoy apples, pears and cherries from the tree. You get the idea I'm sure. • The last type of vegetarian is called a MACROBIOTIC. This type eats unprocessed vegan foods, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. They do not use sugars or refined oils in their diet. When cooking, they keep it as simple as possible. They do, however, enjoy Asian vegetables which include daikon radishes, seaweed and kelp, all healthy foods. There are many reasons why people choose to be vegetarians. Hindus and Buddhists do not eat any meat for religious purposes. Some folks become vegetarians due to the ethical treatment of animals, but most like the healthy lifestyle that keeps them fit and in shape. In some parts of the world there is not a good supply of meat, so one must eat something and that leaves veggies. I enjoy the variety of vegetables and fruit that you can consume along with grains and rice products. It makes a body feel good! By combining vegetable products with pastas, noodles and breads, you can have quite the menu to choose from. Tomato sauce on pasta, cabbage and noodles and a bowl of oatmeal are three nice meals one can enjoy in a day. Vegetables can be cooked in many ways, but the easiest is to boil them, like carrots, potatoes, beets and other BASIL is an annual herb in the mint family. Native to Asia and Africa, it is grown in abundance in California, Hungary and other parts of Europe. It can also flourish indoors during the winter months by growing in a small pot on the window sill where there is sunlight. Most varieties of basil have green leaves, but OPAL basil has distinctive purple leaves. LEMON BASIL, ANISE BASIL, CLOVE BASIL and CINNAMON BASIL all have green leaves, but they have distinctive fragrances that make basil a pleasure to use when enhancing food. Basil is a key herb in Mediterranean cooking especially in Italian cuisine. It grows in abundance during the summer months and is available in most markets around the world. While basil has been around since BC, the British started using it in the 16th century. In addition to its culinary purpose, basil is used in soaps, perfumes, shampoos and some dental preparations. Ancient Greeks and Romans believed basil would only grow if you shouted wild curses when sowing the seeds. Salome hid John the Baptist's head in a pot of basil to cover the odor of decomposition. In Italy, basil is a token of love, and Hindus go to rest with a basil leaf on their heart to get into paradise. root veggies. For the leafy green types (like Swiss chard, spinach and escarole), you can steam them until they wilt. They can also be baked, roasted, pureed, made into soup, mashed and fried. The possibilities are endless once you get started, and the benefits to your body are rewarding. While fresh veggies and fruits are good, remember that if you can't get fresh, get frozen and stay away from the canned high sodium products. If you live in southern California or somewhere that has a long growing season, you can enjoy veggies and fruits for the better part of the year. It is also better if you can get produce in its growing season. In this day and age we can get anything anytime of the year because somewhere in the world products are growing and easily transported. With refrigerated trucks and climate controlled warehouses we can have strawberries in December and apples in February. Here's one last thought about the vegetarian diet. While it is a healthy lifestyle, and eating produce does provide many vitamins and minerals, it does not have a lot of protein so you must consume a lot in order to feed your body. This is one reason why vegetarians supplement their diets with grains, nuts and legumes. Legumes (peas and beans) are readily available in fresh or dried and they are easy to prepare. Next time you're in the supermarket spend a bit more time in the produce department and see the many selections that await you. And now you know a little bit more about the vegetarian world! Congratulate yourselves and have fun with the recipes! Trivia Answer: Tomatoes. Thomas Jefferson was one of the first Americans to grow tomatoes; Colonel Johnson ate tomatoes on the steps of the Salem, N.J., Courthouse in 1820 to prove they were safe to eat since tomatoes at this time were considered part of the nightshade family and thought to be poisonous; the Florentines led the way for tomatoes to be part of European cuisine and they started in Italy. Have a great month. "TheHungarian Kitchen" is a trademark of WilliamS. Vasvary. 1 1 William Penn Life, May 2007
