wine, making “meaty” soup stocks with dried mushrooms or Parmesan cheese rinds to teaching uses of condiments like Japanese sesame salt.


“The least successful cuisine for translation into vegetarian cooking is American comfort food,” he notes. He always encourages cooks to think creatively, not literally, when translat- ing a meat-based dish to a plant-based equivalent. Instead of trying to do a faux turkey for Thanksgiving, for ex- ample, he recommends serving a main dish that looks celebratory and mouth- watering, saluting the traditional role of the centerpiece turkey in a fresh way.


Growing Trend


According to a national 2012 Harris Poll, 47 percent of Americans eat at least one vegetarian meal a week. The Values Institute of DGWB, an advertis- ing and communications firm based in Santa Ana, California, confirms the rise of flexitarianism, or eating meat on oc- casion rather than routinely, as one of the top trends of 2012. Finally, New York Times food col- umnist Mark Bittman remarks, “When I ask audiences I speak to, ‘How many of you are eating less meat than you were 10 years ago?’ at least two-thirds raise their hands. A self-selecting group to be sure, but nevertheless, one that exists. In fact, let’s ask this: Is anyone in this coun- try eating more meat than they used to?”


Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFood AndLifestyle.blogspot.com.


Grilled Tofu


and Pepper Tacos Vegan and gluten-free dish in 30 minutes.


Makes 12 small or 8 medium-size tacos


“The secret to delicious Mexican vege- tarian food is to amp up the flavors and use lots of contrasting textures,” says food blogger Michael Natkin. “These tacos—filled with grilled tofu and sautéed peppers, all basted with tangy achiote paste—have serious street-food flavor. They are meant to be eaten in just two or three bites.”


Achiote, made from annatto seeds, is available as a paste at markets that carry Hispanic products. Natkin likes the El Yucateco brand because it’s free of synthetic food coloring.


Fillings 1 1


/2 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp Tapatío or other bottled hot sauce 1 tsp kosher salt


1


10 oz extra-firm tofu, cut into 1 slabs and patted dry


/3-inch slabs


1 medium onion, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1 strips


1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 /3-inch


1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1


/4-inch /4-inch strips Fresh lemon or lime juice (optional)


/2 oz (about 4 tsp) achiote paste (also called annatto)


Shells


24 (4-inch) or 16 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas


Taco Toppers Guacamole Choice of salsa


1. Break up the achiote paste in a small bowl with a fork and mash in the oil, a lit- tle at a time, until it forms a lumpy paste. Mix in the cumin, hot sauce and salt.


2. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Brush the tofu with the achiote oil on one side and grill, oiled-side-down, until well-marked. Then do the same on the other side.


3. Repeat with the zucchini, brushing the slabs with achiote oil and grilling until well-marked and tender, about 3 minutes per side. Allow the tofu and


zucchini to cool and then cut both into 1


/3-inch diced pieces.


4. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of achiote oil. Add the onion, garlic and bell peppers and sauté until very soft.


5. Add the tofu and zucchini to the pepper mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning. It may need more salt, a little lime or lemon juice, or more heat.


6. To serve, wrap the tortillas in a damp, clean dishtowel and microwave until soft and warm, about 2 minutes.


7. Make stacks of 2 tortillas each. Top with a moderate scoop of the filling and a spoonful of guacamole and salsa. Pass the hot sauce to the more adventurous.


natural awakenings October 2012


43


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64