One of the things that impressed me then, and has stayed in my mind ever since, was the way the turkeys’ voices, their “yelps,” floated about the place in what seemed like an infinitely plaintive refrain. Another was how one or more of the turkey hens would suddenly sit down beside me in the midst of my work, rigid and quivering, with her wings stiff and her head held high, awaiting my attention.Read more on the UPC website. 

By Karen Davis, PhD, President of United Poultry Concerns & author of  More Than a Meal: The Turkey in History, Myth, Ritual, and Reality.

 

Novemeber is World Vegan Month! 

Every day, we at Friends of Animals meet people who are thinking of going vegan.

Maybe you are thinking about it too. And you might wonder why people become vegans, why we consider the commitment so important, and what the decision means in everyday terms. Check out our Vegan Starter Guide where we’ll explore some of the many reasons people decide to live vegan, and offer you some recipes and resources.

You can also view our Vegan Restaurant guides for New York City and San Francisco where we highlight our favorite vegan-friendly estamblishments around each city. 

We will also be sharing with you a few delicious vegan recipes this month that come straight from our very own vegan cookbooks which you can purchase right here. 


Sweet Potato Gnocchi

“Green” is a mother-and-son restaurant located in San Antonio, Texas that opened in January 2006. In 2007, the restaurant was named Best New Restaurant by the San Antonio Express-News Critics’ Choice Awards. This delicious, fragrant gnocchi, by Chef and co-owner Mike Behrend, will tell you why.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes

About 11 ounces all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups crushed canned tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic minced

4 tablespoons fresh basil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon oregano

 

Preparation:

For gnocchi: Cut sweet potatoes in half and boil in salted water.

Peel potatoes, mash and add nutmeg, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Add flour and knead until dough is smooth (but don’t overwork the dough). On a floured table, roll dough out to a thickness of 1-inch.

With a knife cut into 1-inch squares, and drop into boiling water.

Remove the gnocchi with a strainer when they begin to float. Add sauce and serve.

For the sauce: Place a large saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, then garlic, then tomatoes, then herbs. Bring to a simmer.

 

Cauliflower Steak with Quinoa

Thanks to Chef Dan Barber whose recipe appears in Great Chefs Cook Vegan by Linda Long. This creative and delicious recipe brings together flavorful cauliflower and nutty quinoa. The fresh herbs and apple make this dish sensational.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 large heads cauliflower, cut into

1-inch-thick steaks

Olive oil for coating and sautéing

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup quinoa

1 ½ cups vegetable stock, divided

2 shallots, sliced

1 leek, rinsed and sliced (white part only)

1 small apple, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ cup zucchini (courgettes) in ¼-inch dice

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Basil oil

2 cups well-washed basil leaves

1 cup grapeseed oil, chilled

Preparation:

At the largest part of each cauliflower head, cut two cross-sections to create two 1-inch-thick steaks. In a large sauté pan coated with oil, brown the cauliflower steaks until golden brown on each side.

Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Over medium-low heat, sweat quinoa in 1 tablespoon oil until a nutty aroma is achieved. Turn off heat and add 1 cup stock; simmer until almost dry. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Cut remaining cauliflower into small florets and blanch in salted water until tender. Drain and spread florets on a baking sheet and place in a 300 degree F oven for about 15 minutes, or until florets have dried.

In a sauté pan, gently sweat the shallots, leek, apple, and garlic. Add the cauliflower florets and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, place in food processor, and puree. (You will only need a few teaspoons for this recipe. The remaining puree can be frozen or thinned with stock for a cauliflower soup.)

In a large sauté pan coated with oil, sauté zucchini until slightly golden brown. Add quinoa and remaining vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 teaspoons cauliflower puree to thicken, add thyme and chives, and drizzle with oil.

To make the Basil Oil: Blanch basil and then shock in ice water; dry leaves well. In a blender, puree basil and grapeseed oil; strain.

How to plate: Place cauliflower steak on bed of quinoa and zucchini mixture and drizzle Basil Oil around the plate.

 

 

 

Side Dishes

Baby Artichokes Provençal Style 

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled, then crushed

Fresh thyme or rosemary, optional

½ cup flavorful black olives, pitted

Salt

12 little (or baby) artichokes

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved or left whole, or about 1 ½ cups any other tomatoes, chopped

Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish.

Preparation:

Combine oil and garlic in a large skillet (cast iron is good), over medium-low heat. When garlic sizzles, add herb, olives and a pinch of salt.

Meanwhile, prepare artichokes: remove hard leaves, then cut off spiky end, about 1-inch down from top; trim bottoms, cut artichokes in half. Immediately put the cleaned artichokes into a large ceramic or glass bowl of cold water to which you have added the juice of 1 lemon. Leave them in the water until you are ready to fry them.

Next drain the artichokes and dry them thoroughly. Add them to pan as they are ready, cut side down. When about half of them are in pan, raise heat so they brown a bit; move them around as you add remaining artichokes so that they brown evenly.

When artichokes brown, add tomatoes and a splash of water. Cover until artichokes are tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Add water if needed.

Adjust seasoning, garnish and serve hot or at room temperature.

 

Mashed Potatoes with Celery Root

Serves 4 – 6

Thanks again to Trish Sebben-Krupka. Sometimes the tried and true is in need of reinvention—a little something new. Celery root brings this ever-popular and ever-versatile side dish to new heights. Luscious.

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

1 celery root, about 1 pound, peeled

½ – ¾ cup hot vegetable broth

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper

Garnish with snipped fresh chives

Preparation:

Cut the potatoes and celery root into large pieces. If more than a few minutes will pass between peeling the celery root and cooking it, cover it in a bath of cold water and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to keep it from discoloring.

Put potatoes and celery root in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return the vegetables to the pan. Over low heat, mash the vegetables and beat with a hand-held mixer, adding vegetable broth, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Stir in snipped fresh chives or chopped parsley before serving.

 

Miso Gravy

2 teaspoons white miso

¼ cup vegetable broth

2 tablespoons minced Vidalia or other onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 ½ tablespoons flour

½ cup soymilk, unflavored

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon tamari

Sea salt

Ground pepper

Preparation:

Place the miso and half cup of vegetable broth in a small bowl and whisk until blended. Set aside.

Over medium heat, sauté minced onion and garlic in olive oil for four or more minutes, until onion is slightly browned. Add flour and stir. Then add the remaining ¼ cup vegetable broth and soy milk; whisk into pot, stirring as mixture thickens. Bring to a boil. Add thyme, tamari, and miso mixture, cooking for an additional four minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Succotash

Serves 6 or more

4 cups fresh corn (about 6 to 8 ears) [Or use organic, fresh-frozen]

2 cups small, shelled fresh lima beans

2 cups fresh string beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 tablespoons olive oil

4 scallions, trimmed

2 to 3 tablespoons non-dairy creamer

Preparation:

Husk the corn and remove all the silk. With a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the cob, slicing from the top of the ear downward and not too close to the cob. With a small spoon, scrape the pulp from the cobs into a mixing bowl. Add the kernels and reserve.

In a medium-sized pot of lightly salted boiling water, blanch the lima beans until they are almost tender, then cool under cold water. Reserve and repeat the process with the string beans.

In a large heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the corn and its juice, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Slice the scallions into ½-inch pieces, including some of the green, and set aside. Add both types of beans to the corn and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often. After five minutes, add the scallions and fold in the creamer to loosen the mixture. Spoon the succotash into a warm serving bowl. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

 

Cauliflower and Potato-Leek Soup 

Serves 4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound leeks (white and pale

   green parts), well rinsed and chopped

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled,

   cut into ½-inch dice

½ head chopped cauliflower florets

4+ cups vegetable broth

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

4 thin lemon slices, seeded

1 tablespoon very thinly sliced green onion tops

This creamy soup surprises with hints of ginger and lemon. Amazing all by itself or serve with some fresh-baked bread 

Preparation:

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Add leeks, potatoes, cauliflower and 3 cups broth and ginger. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender,

about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let mixture cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, transfer all solids in saucepan to food processor. Process until very smooth, stopping to scrape down side of work bowl as necessary. With machine running, gradually add liquid in pan to processor. Return soup to saucepan. Bring to simmer, adding remaining broth for desired consistency. Season with salt and stir in lemon juice. Ladle into bowls. Garnish each with lemon slices and green onions if desired.

 

The Best of Vegan Cooking, Priscilla Feral, Friends of Animals

 

 

Manhattan Vegetable Chowder

Serves 6 to 8

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups diced onion

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

1 cup fennel, cored, halved and thickly sliced

1 cup diced zucchini 

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

½ cup dry white wine

6 cups light vegetable stock

2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced, with juice (or one 28-ounce can diced tomatoes)

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon dried marjoram

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of dried chili flakes

2 cups peeled, diced russet potato

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Hot pepper sauce, to taste

This refreshing, satisfying and slightly spicy soup evokes Manhattan Clam Chowder.  Bacon and clams are replaced with chunky fresh vegetables, tomatoes, fresh herbs and spices, and a hint of sweet orange. This soup freezes well, and tastes even better the next day.

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, smoked paprika and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft (but not browned), about 10 minutes. Add carrots, celery, fennel, zucchini and thyme, season with a little more salt, and cook for about another 5 minutes, stirring often. Pour in white wine, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add vegetable stock, tomatoes, bay leaf, marjoram, oregano and chili flakes. Return to a boil, add potatoes, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 30 minutes, add orange zest and juice along with a dash of hot pepper sauce, and continue to simmer until vegetables are soft.

Remove from the heat and add parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings with lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper. 

 

Butternut Squash Soup 

Serves 8

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium carrots, peeled anddiced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into half inch cubes

One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

2 cups cooked cannellini beans (one 15-ounce can)

8 cups light-colored vegetable stock

1 small head Savoy cabbage, core removed and leaves thinly shredded (8 cups)

1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and discarded, and leaves coarsely chopped (6 cups)

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Grated vegan parmesan for serving

 

This soup is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food. With greens and beans, it also happens to be a nutritious, one-pot meal. Serve with crusty bread.

Preparation:

In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and onions, and salt the vegetables lightly. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened and the onion is translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the butternut squash, tomatoes, cannellini beans, broth, cabbage, chard, and bay leaf. Stir to combine the ingredients.

Bring to a boil, cover and cook over medium heat for approximately 45 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.

Remove bay leaf.

Using a stick blender, puree the soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grated vegan parmesan.