Another Favourite Dish

Another Favourite Meal


Our Vegan Nasi Goreng


I've often tried to incorporate a risotto-type meal into our family repertoire, with varying 

degrees of success. My first attempt was Ottolenghi's lovely multi-vegetable paella 

recipe featured in a treasured pamphlet that came free with the Guardian one 

Saturday. I loved the way you left it to rest for 10 mins under foil before you served it.

Everybody ate it, but there was something that prevented it being one of those "mmmmm" 

dishes, so I stopped cooking it for a while.

Recently, I was tempted to invest in an enormous bag of Basmati rice. We usually cook 

curry every weekend & chili in the week and I thought I would seek out another rice based 

dish to justify the outlay.  When I came across a Rick Stein recipe for Nasi Goreng, I 

remembered the dish from a packet of Cauldron marinated tofu, so I decided to adapt his 

fish based version by using tofu. 


I looked up the dish to discover that Nasi goreng means "fried rice" in Indonesian. 

Apparently, it's popular and ubiquitous across that country, to the extent it's been called 

their national dish. It can be a simple meal of pre-cooked rice fried, spiced with sweet soy 

sauce, onion, garlic, tamarind & chilli. A variety of other ingredients can be added such as 

egg, chicken & prawns to make it the dish everyone (but me ) recognises as Nasi Goreng. 


 An online poll by CNN International in 2011 declared Nasi Goreng as the number 2 of the 

World's 50 most delicious foods. Number 1 was Rending which is,  apparently, a Thai curry. 

Therin awaits another delight to discover and adapt !

There are 3 elements to this dish :      The rice

                                                                   The spicy sauce

                                                                   The tofu

                                                                   Garnish


THE RICE


You can use left-over rice kept covered in the fridge or cook some fresh. If you cook extra, 

this can be saved in the fridge for a couple of days as long as you take the extra portion(s)

out as soon as it's cooked, let it cool for about 15 mins then put, covered with a small plate

or tin foil in the fridge. 

I'm using up my white basmati rice but there are some lovely thai rices to be had. 

Sometimes I do half and half brown and white basmati. When I do this, I add the white

basmati to the brown after the brown has been simmering for about 15 mins then cook 

them together for another 10 mins.  If I'm not going to save any, I usually throw in a small

cup -ful of frozen peas about 5 mins before the rice is finished. I'm not sure about saving 

rice with peas in it !




THE SPICY SAUCE OR BASE GEDE


All the ingredients should be prepared and set aside in a dish :


3/4 teaspoon black peppercorns - grind

15 grammes cashew or pine nuts  -  grind to a powder. Pine nuts are oily so they're easier 
                                                                 to grind if you toast them lightly first - spread them
                                                                 on a baking tray and pop in the oven at 180 for 
                                                                 5/10 mins

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

15 grams fresh ginger - grate finely

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 garlic cloves - crushed with salt

1/2  red chill - remove seeds and chop finely

1/2  green chill - remove seeds & chop finely

1/2  lime - juice only

1 tablespoon soy sauce - I like Meridian Tamari soy sauce

3 or 4 tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce - I take this from a tin of plum tomatoes 




THE TOFU

1 Packet Cauldron marinated tofu

1 onion - chop finely

1 garlic - chop finely then crush with salt, either sea salt or iodised salt




GARNISH

A few chopped coriander leaves

A handful of toasted cashew or pine nuts

A quartered fresh tomato



TO MAKE

Prepare the 4 component parts.


Taking the chopped onion from the tofu part, fry in about a tablespoonful / tablespoon & a 

half of oil until just about turning golden, then add the garlic. 


Continue to fry until garlic is about to turn light golden.


Add the marinated tofu & fry for about 3 mins, stirring all the time.


Carefully add the spicy sauce, taking care it doesn't spit out at you and stirring the 

ingredients as you trickle it in. Alternatively, you could turn the heat off and add it slowly,

stirring after you add some.


When it's added, continue to stir and cook gently for a couple of mins.


Now add the rice, stirring all the time.

Mix thoroughly and if you're using re-heated rice, ensure you cook it long enough so that

it's "piping" hot !


Put into a large serving dish, garnish and serve with soy sauce. 


Enjoy !!!!!

June 2013

Our Favourite Stir Fry





Monday night's stir fry night. It has been for the past year since our son came back to live with us after completing his degree. He took it upon himself to cook a couple of times a week and since he's keen on using a wok and I'm not, we settled into the routine of me chopping and him frying every Monday evening. Our recipe has evolved over time and this is our current favourite :


INGREDIENTS -                    For 4 People


NOODLES - Dried fine Sharwood's egg noodles - 3 nests for 4 people


SAUCE      -  one small cardboard pack of Tesco's organic chopped tomatoes

                    -  grated fresh ginger - approx 3cm

                    -  2 crushed garlic cloves

                    -  teaspoon of dried basil

                    -  pinch of paprika

                    -  teaspoon of organic tomato puree

                    -  tablespoonful of Meridian tamari soy sauce

                    -  1/4 chopped fresh red chill
                       
                    -  pinch of dried seaweed

                    -  teaspoonful of sesame seeds



TOFU         - pack of Cauldron firm white tofu



VEG            - grated savoy cabbage

                     - about 6 broccoli florets

                     - about 4 chopped baby sweetcorn



NUTS         - about 1 tablespoonful of toasted, chopped almonds or toasted pine nuts




TO COOK


                    TOFU

                    1 Slit the pack and drain the liquid away.

                    2 Rinse the tofu under the cold tap

                    3 I use a clean tea towel to pat the tofu dry. You could use kitchen roll.

                    4 I put the tofu in a large seive which rests over my sink. A colander would

                        also work. The idea is to press some of the liquid out of the tofu before 

                        frying it.

                   5 I place the tea-towel over the tofu and put my heavy mortar on top. Weights 

                       from an old-style weighing scale would be good or a clean stone.

                   6  Leave it to drain for about half an hour.




                    NOODLES

                     1    Bring a  large pan of fresh water to the boil

                     2   Place the noodle nests in carefully

                     3   When the water comes to the boil again, turn the heat down until they're
                           just simmering

                     4   Wait for 3 mins

                     5   Turn the heat off and put a lid on the pan

                     6   You can leave these for about 4/5 mins while you do some more prep

                           then drain & fill the pan up with cold water, drain them, fill up with cold

                           water again,  fork through and leave to drain
                   
                      7   Again, after about 4/5 mins, you can return them to the pan and pour about

                           a teaspoon of your favourite oil over them, eg sesame or olive. fork it through

                           to coat the noodles and put the lid back on until you're ready to add them to

                           the stir fry.

                           Straight - to - wok noodles are nice too !



                       SAUCE

                    
                     1   Empty the carton of chopped tomatoes into a large flat dish and, using a 

                          potato masher, squeeze any large lumps into oblivion. You could use a 

                          liquidiser of course, but think of the electricity, the mess, the noise ! I've

                          always hankered after one of those hand-held whizzers. Perhaps they're

                          the answer.......

                     2  Peel and grate the ginger. I use the middle-sized side of the grater. You don't             

                         want great big slivers. Add to sauce and mix with a fork.

                    3   Peel & finely chop the garlic. I read that leaving chopped garlic to the air for a

                         bit of time allows it to develop some of its good properties so before crushing

                         it with salt, I just let it lie for a bit.

                    4  I do tend to love the aroma of dried basil when my sense of smell's functioning.
      
                        It's not really the right herb for a stir-fry but I'm a bit reluctant to leave it out

                        because of its familiarity. I put a level teaspoon in this sauce.

                    5  I started using paprika alot when I discovered the expensive but delightful

                        smoked variety. Suma's is fabulous. You only need a pinch.

                    6  I don't always put tomato puree in but it does thicken the sauce a little and

                        I think tomatoes are very nutritious !

                    7  Meridian soy sauce is a lovely natural product. It says its made from whole

                         soy beans & the only added ingredients are sea salt & Koji which I assume is

                         the brewing agent.

                    8  I usually use half a red chill, assuming it's a big fat one, putting a rubber
   
                        glove on to wash it then slice it lengthways in four in order to carefully slice

                        the seeds out. If you like your food really hot, of course, the seeds can be left

                        in, but ensure no-one is allergic to the seeds first ! I chop the chilli into really 

                        tiny pieces.

                    9  I'm trying to remember to pop a pinch of seaweed into any sauce I make

                         these days to ensure we have a natural source of iodine and it seems 

                         particularly appropriate to the flavours of this dish.

                  10  Sesame seeds are also an appropriate flavour for this dish, and add a 

                         good balance of amino acids to the tofu. I've taken to toasting them in 

                         the oven by spreading them on a baking tray and popping them in the 

                         oven at about 180 C for about 10 - 15 mins until light golden then they

                         can be stored in a jar.

                         TOFU

                       
                   1    Chop the tofu into small cubes and roll in plain flour.

                    2   Fry carefully in a frying pan until crisp

                    3  Put in a bowl & keep warm in the oven - only barely on.

             

                        VEG


                   1   Slice about one quarter of the cabbage into fine slivers, wash then

                        leave in a colander to drain.

                    2  Wash the baby sweetcorn and chop into small (1 - 1 1/2 inch) pieces

                    3  Break the broccoli florets into bite-size pieces and chop the hard part of

                         the stem off. Wash and drain with the cabbage.



  COOKING

      

                      Tofu

           
                      What makes this particular stir fry our favourite, is the way returning son

                      instigated the genius process of frying the tofu separately before adding

                      it to the wok. He uses our old heavy frying pan to fry the coated cubes

                      until they're quite golden, then pops them in a dish in the oven with the warming 
             
                      bowls until the last minute.


                     STIR FRY !!!!!!!!!!

                     I've recently got interested/obsessed with the qualities of different oils & have

                    been seeking out cold-pressed ones which apparently have been made 

                    without the use of chemicals. My favourite one recently is Borderfields British 
    
                    rapeseed oil, but I've also seen a Yorkshire one which I'm very excited about -

                    I'm easily excited ! The only problem is, it's quite a strong smelling oil, so I tend

                    to mix it with our usual sunflower oil. 


FRYING

                    The order for frying would be :


                   1 - Heat up oil

                   2 - Place prepared veg in, starting with sweetcorn, then broccoli, then cabbage.

                   3 - Fry for about 3 mins, stirring & avoiding burning!

                   4 - Add sauce, mix in, turn heat down & fry for a further 3 mins.

                   5 - Add noodles, mix in well, heat through - takes about 3/4 mins

                   6 - Add tofu cubes & mix through. Heat for about 2 mins.

                    
                   7- Serve in the warm bowls, leaving the toasted nuts and the bottle of shoyu

                      out for people to help themselves !

                    

                      
                    

                      








                       

16th April 2013


Becoming a Cliche - The Middle Ages

During my fiftieth year, I started to write a poem. It went :


In my 50th year,

on the ascent to the birthdate,

strange thoughts & feelings come

over the horizon.


Seeing them on my way up,

they appear out of focus,

&  I'm not sure if they're

coming straight at me.


As the first one approaches,

I'm surprised by its anger,

running full pelt towards me.

It aims directly at my heart.


It breaks all known rules

of engagement or behaviour.

It hurls itself and whacks

its wounding weapon across my defending arm.


I am shattered and tearful

at this unmitigated attack

and I bow myself down

to avoid another onslaught.



Well I know I'm no poet, but I do find it a useful device for identifying feelings and crystallising thoughts. I can see how the hill metaphor seemed appropriate because life has felt like a long, hard climb to me and as I approached 50 I began to find the "hill" almost unsurmountable. Symptoms of tiredness, emotional volatility and  physical weakness which have featured on and off throughout my life increased in intensity and frequency to the point where they were dominating me.

As I told doctors and close women friends how I felt, they would nod knowingly, sometimes smiling wryly and, being a bear of little brain, it took me a while to realise that they all thought it was my age. 

I went slightly crazy that year, looking up long-lost friends, lamenting my sins and failures and generally drove myself & those around me mad with my anxiety. Life sometimes seems to conspire to make you ill. A hectic 18months getting our house ready to sell then trying to sell it left me utterly depleted in every sense. My body spiralled out of control & I ended up on the edge of collapse. 

A very learned and well-written site on-line came to my rescue. It's called CemCOR - the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research and if I ever have any spare cash, this site will be one of the beneficiaries. I urge all women, young and old, to go to it and learn from their research and carefully considered conclusions. 

One of the things I took from this site was that I could live with and manage the drama that was being enacted by my body. I went to the doctor with confidence and felt armed with enough information to be able to choose how to manage my symptoms.

Alongside this, I reflected on how I had not paid attention to my diet properly for a long time. I had bored myself silly over the years getting overly anxious about nutrients & eating/not eating certain foods to the extent where I had become a laughing-stock over the size of my supplement collection. So, I tried to let myself relax about what we ate as a family, only stressing out on the rare occasions when one of us fell ill. This seemed a much healthier approach, but I  also ignored my own increasing growing malaise, thinking that one day I would wake up and feel well, i.e. full of energy and not plagued by painful joints and aching muscles. I was doing alot of house-painting at the time, along with gardening and taking our collie for long walks and, disappointed as I was that my fitness wasn't improved by all this intense physical activity, I didn't think too hard about why that might be so. 

Now forced to take stock, I decided to make a concerted effort not to approach it over-zealously, but to focus on the foods and meals we, as  a family, enjoyed eating and see if I could supplement them with other foods which would round them out, nutritionally speaking.



IRON

Since I was officially declared anaemic, I had to take iron supplements for a while. I chose to take an iron tonic called Ferroglobin from my health food store rather than prescription iron since the tonic contains other nutrients necessary for the production of haemoglobin & it doesn't upset my digestive system like tablets.

Contrary to popular misconception, iron is easily obtained from a veggie diet as long as you're eating properly balanced meals and not too much processed stuff. However, for your body to absorb it efficiently, I know you need vitamin C, E and some other nutrients like copper alongside it. Then, for your body to utilise it, you need other things like B vitamins. Phew !  I'm trying not to get too bogged down by detail, just buying organic veg in the hope they'll provide a better source of minerals and trying to encourage my daughter in particular to drink a vitamin rich drink like orange juice with her meals. Small steps !

I regret not taking an adequate iron supplement each month over the years. I think it would have helped me to build up my iron stores, but I had been put off by Adele Davis's warning that iron supplements destroy vitamin E. I am now of the opinion that  as a vegetarian who finds it hard  to eat a large quantity and range of food, it would have been wise for me to take an iron supplement during menstruation, counterbalancing it with a vitamin E capsule taken at a seperate meal 8 hours later. 


ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

In Margaret Atwood's book "After the Flood" one of the main characters , trying survive after a terrible illness has swept across the world, draws upon her knowledge of what she needs to survive and begins to get worried when she starts running out of a source of essential fatty acids. I've since forgotten what her source was & I've given the book to a friend so I can't look it up easily, but I remember that the character is a vegetarian and is forced to eat a dead animal in order to stay alive. 

This sent me running to my nutritional "bibles" to look up what these fatty acids are. I knew that Omega 6 & 3 had become popular supplements but I'd never looked up why. Adele Davis explains how every cell in our body is partly comprised of certain types of fat and that our brain, nervous , adrenal and digestive systems rely on particular types of fat in order to function. These fats seem to  be the most fundamentally important aspects of our nutrition ! Ms Atwood certainly seems to know her onions (or at least her fats). 

Ms Davis is the supreme expert and explains the chemistry and biology of it all beautifully in her book "Let's Eat Right To Keep Fit". The gist of it is that our bodies can cleverly make most of these acids from sugar, but she tells us that there are 3 that our bodies are unable to make and these are the essential 3 - LINOLEIC  ARACHIDONIC  & LINOLENIC. If we don't get sufficient linoleic acid, we eventually die. It seems that if this is missing but the other two are provided, they can sort of cover up for the deficiency, but we eventually get ill. 

Adele Davis recommends Safflower oil as one of the richest sources of linoleic acid. I see that you can buy it from my health food store and I might do that, (but it's very expensive) . I also note that they sell hemp oil which is advertised as having a perfect balance of Omega 3 & 6 . Oh dear. My supplement cabinet will start to fill up again at this rate! 

The Vegan Society's website comes to my rescue ! The explanation of the complex interactions between fatty acids is very good. It's as clear as you can make this topic I think! I also draw inspiration from their list of good sources of Linoleic (Omega 6) and Alpha-Linoleic (Omega 3) oils. I decide that I will put the following foods on my shopping list :

RAPESEED OIL  -  It seems we've been consuming a bit too much sunflower oil which is a  
                                   very rich source of omega 6 & you need a balance of 6 & 3. Rapeseed               
                                   oil  is a good source of Omega 3. This will help us get a better balance
                                   of fatty acids apparently.

GREEN LEAFY VEG - We tend to only eat cabbage in stir fry so I'm going to look for another 
                                          green leafy veg so we're eating it at least twice a week. We do eat a            
                                         lot of broccoli though & I assume this is sort of leafy.

NUTS                    - Well we do eat nuts but I'm always running out. I think I'll buy a few larger
                                  packets. I like to toast them and put them on the table with our meal.
                                  I think I'll get walnuts as the oil contains Omega 3.           

SEEDS                 -  I usually put sesame seeds in our stir fry because of their good amino-
                                  acid content but it seems they're also good for Omega 6 so I think I'll
                                  add them to other dishes too.

MUSTARD SEEDS - Well we all love these anyway ! As the Vegan Society reckons they're
                                   a good source of Omega 3, I think I'll sprinkle them on everything!

I'm beginning to feel excited now. I can feel an idea for a lovely, healthy curry or stir-fry coming on!


IODINE

The Vegan Society's site also jogged my memory about the importance of iodine. It is thought that most people don't get enough iodine and there is an optimum range between which the body benefits - between 100 - 300 micrograms. I have been using a bit of iodised salt but, other than my dreaded supplements, this seems to be the only reliable source in my family's diet looking at the list. Usefully, I read that alot of vegans keep a jar of dried seaweed in the kitchen and crumble it over food sometimes. I note some types are so iodine rich, you can over-dose so I'll buy some and refer back to the site  to see how much to use.

I note that potatoes in their skins and strawberries are a good source (dependent on the soil).  I also read that dairy products are, but since there's only me who eats them in any significant quantitiy in this house, I'll be stocking up on the seaweed and strawberries !

                                           ****  THANK YOU VEGAN SOCIETY!   ****



CLICHE - The origin of this word, apparently, is from the past participle of the French verb         clicher - to stereotype.

I like the dictionary definition of the word. It says it's a "widely held but fixed and over-simplified view of a person or thing ".

As a middle-aged vegetarian woman, I do feel a bit cliched sometimes! Must try not to just slip into my own fixed view of how I should be.........................





                                             >*< 
                                       

Fasting & Abstinence

March

It's Lent and for the past 3 or 4 years, my daughter and her friend have been prompted to give up crisps for the duration. The first time they attempted it, I stocked up with all sorts of alternative salty snacks such as crackers, nuts and bombay mix. I even toasted  cashew nuts and sesame seeds in soy sauce in the oven. This meant that my daughter would go all day at school without crisps then gorge on these alternatives on her return home. I don't think she suffered any hardship at all ! I know this was cheating really, but my intention was to assist her to find a way to change her habits if she wanted to and it seemed to work. She gave up crisps for the whole of lent and didn't rush to eat them as soon as it ended. As far as I was aware, she didn't crave crisps at all. 

With each attempt, I have made less and less effort at providing substitutes and this year, she seems to be avoiding crisps with very little effort, although I haven't discussed it with her, not wanting her to become too self-aware about it and possibly break the spell!

I am mindful of my own tendency towards abstinence. I don't think this was the main driver for my vegetarianism, but it certainly facilitated it. I started to think about not eating meat in my late teens when I left home and decided that I could finally take control of my own life. Therein lies the complexity of my impetus ! I  had consciously adopted the abstainer's mind when, at about 14, my two closest friends decided to fast every Friday, mainly in order to lose weight. On other days, they would forgo lunch so that they could eat a Mars Bar instead. They adored Mars Bars. I didn't share their craving for chocolate, my preference always being for salty snacks like my daughter, but I decided to join them in their fasting and to my surprise, found it remarkably easy and even pleasurable. I enjoyed the empty sensation and even the light-headedness. This was before the days of bottled water, so I think  I did suffer from dehydration, but found myself quite able to go the whole day without waning too much. My mother was complicit, after my explaining about starving children etc and all the moral reasons for not over-eating rather than the truth which was a curiosity about whether I could do it or not. The first thing I would eat on a Saturday morning would be several large pieces of buttered toast, which I wouldn't normaly have thought about eating. However, it is significant that I have a memory of my mother's disapproving glance as I devoured the toast and in that memory is a feeling that she dislikes me eating the toast because she sees it as unhealthy.

Now the history of food in my family is a strange one. We spent the first 6 years of my life living with my Nana and Uncles and the menu for this large family was verging on revolting for me. It was the early sixties and my Nana's recipes and cooking methods grew out of her poverty, exacerbated by rationing and were not intended to delight the senses, but rather to stave off hunger and make use of available ingredients. The adults in my family appreciated every bite of food. I can never remember feeling hungry, but I do remember many incidences when I felt too full. I avoided eating apples, having once been castigated for not finishing one. (No-one thought to chop it in half for me). Meals were carefully planned and the weekly menus varied little, so some days of the week were to be dreaded more than others meal-time wise as far as I was concerned. Whilst the adults tucked into dumpling-topped  "scouse" with relish, I would push it around my bowl miserably. Even my Nana's home-baked pies were an anathema to me since her pastry was made with lard. Of course, I didn't know this until I grew up,  I just thought  I didn't like the taste of pastry.

It got to the stage where I must have been eating next to nothing because I remember my mother and I sitting alone at the table, me with a bowl of oxtail soup in front of me, her gently coaxing me to eat it. Other members of the family would invent favourite foods for me. I remember my dear old dad declaring that I loved cheese during one particularly difficult Sunday dinner-time and proceeded to put cheese, crackers and Pan Yan pickle in front of me in lieu of the tough, indigestible lamb. Of course, I relished the crackers and pickle, but only nibbled the slightly sweaty, limp slices of red leicester kept under a dish in the pantry - fridges were not ubiquitous in those days. My Nana decided I loved "Angel cake", a very dry, plain cake redeemed only by the scattering of delicious caraway seeds on the top. I would eat a couple of slices of this to please her and please her it would, enough for her to dig into her pinny pocket and offer me a coconut mushroom from the bag she always kept there.

Along with my Nana's coconut mushrooms, I also enjoyed the blackcurrants growing in the garden and pickled cauliflower to be found in the jars of mixed pickles which stood permanently in the middle of our dining room table. I did love Pan Yan pickle and would sometimes make sandwiches with it. When we moved into a home of our own, my Dad took to making a cooked Sunday breakfast and would fry lots of bread for me, which I would smother with Daddies brown sauce. I could have eaten a whole loaf of bread that way, but, another interesting memory, my mother would intervene and say that was enough with a disapproving frown at my Dad long before I was satiated.

I can't remember enjoying the whole of any meal at home, even as I got older, and so giving food up seemed to involve little hardship for me. I did get hungry, but I think what I lacked was a real craving for specific foods which seems to hamper anyone trying to diet. It will come as no surprise, therefore, when I confess that my foray into fasting led me inexorably towards becoming anorexic for a while. And therein lies another tale..................

As the chocolate fest that is Easter draws nigh, with all my years of antipathy towards food behind me, I relish the thought of lots of children gorging greedily on chocolate and thoroughly enjoying it. And although my health-conscious offspring will not do that this year because we've agreed to only get one, albeit large one, each, I do hope they will savour that lovely rich, satisfying food and feel happy. I also look forward to my daughter eating a bag of crisps and hopefully thinking they're nice, but I can do without them if I want !

Methionine & Other Things

February

            A long time ago, I had two copies of a very useful book entitled "Diet for a Small Planet" by Frances Moore Lappe and I often referred to it because it had some informative tables showing the various food combinations which made up a "complete protein" in a diet excluding meat. I gave these books away, one version to someone who wanted to omit meat from their diet and the other to someone who was a sceptic about the whys and wherefores of it and this book puts an excellent case for it being a good thing all round. I think I'll have to order another one because I find myself wanting to refer to it more and more these days.

Another nutritional "bible" for me is Adelle Davis's "Let's get well". I must have read this book hundreds of times over, considering how often I have referred to it, though never cover to cover. Davis's proposals can sometimes seem extreme and scary, but I have found it an invaluable and trustworthy source. I only ever use it as a reference and a pointer, adapting her advice with a large dose of common sense and practicality.

Recently, I bought her other book "Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit". I tend to forget to refer to this first as I'm so familiar with the other, but today I remember I have it and that I wanted to look up methionine, prompted by my pancake day encounter with eggs.

I am led to a chapter entitled " One Trick in Staying Young" which sounds hopeful. However, I am soon depressed by two things she says:  1. That if you eat an inadequate amount of good quality protein, you will quickly age and  2. That "If milk, cheese or eggs are unobtainable, getting adequate protein becomes a serious matter indeed.  Since I am the only member of our family (excepting the dog) who will willingly eat egg in recognisable form, the egg may as well be unobtainable to us. My son will only drink soy milk and my daughter has hated milk with a vengeance since toddler-hood. My husband thinks any dish with a discernible abount of cheese in is sure to give him a migraine so my repertoire is basically vegan. I begin to worry about protein again.

On reading the whole chapter, I am reminded that although there are 22 amino acids essential to health, only 8 are considered to be "essential" in that they cannot be synthesised by the body and so have to be provided in the correct amounts by our daily diet. Since Davis also declares that " Some of the World's leading scholars and athletes have been vegetarians " I become more hopeful and read on to see which foods she recommends.  Here's what I find (I have omitted meat sources).

SUPERIOR SOURCES                          FAIR SOURCES

(Furnishing complete proteins i.e.            (Deficient in one or more of the 8 essential amino acids)
all 8 amino acids)

Eggs                                                          Nuts

Milk                                                           Beans

Yoghurt                                                     Peas

Cheese                                                      Grains

Soybeans

Powdered Yeast


Frustratingly, Adelle Davis states that some nuts contain all the essential amino acids, but fails to say which ones. She highly recommends soybean flour, along with wheatgerm, but I am mindful that in every chapter I have ever read, she always makes the proviso that your diet has to be adequate in all other respects in order that your body can utilise any one nutrient. So, balance is key.

I remember from "Diet for a Small Planet that combining wholegrain rice with nuts makes a complete protein, but decide to investigate the protein content of nuts further.

Tonight I am making pasta with tomato sauce, topped with a couple of Tesco's meatless burgers (let's hope they're not horse), and broccoli. Tesco's burgers are apparently soya protein and also contain pea protein, so they sound positively perfect, apart from being processed and, naturally, I don't really think they will be high-quality ingredients. However, they're yummy from what I remember and they seem to make up for the amino-acid deficiencies of the pasta and broccoli, so I'll go ahead and do it. We all enjoy my tomato sauce and although it's simple, I'll describe it:

SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients

Good cooking oil e.g. Sunflower or Corn  (or a bit of both)

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 tin of plum or chopped tomatoes

 1 Tablespoonful of tomato puree

1 Teaspoon of dried basil

1/2 a small fresh chilli or 1/4 large one

1/2 teaspoon of dried paprika


Method

1.  Peel and chop the onion into fine bits

2. Peel and crush the garlic cloves ( I do this by chopping them finely and sprinkling with sea salt
    then crushing with a fork )

3.  If using fresh chilli, I always discard the seeds and sometimes I don't chop it very finely, but
     use quite large chunks so you don't have to eat them.

4. I usually squish the tomatoes with a potato masher and remove any really hard chunks. If I'm
    going for a really smooth sauce, I put them in the liquidizer but I avoid this because of all
    that clearing up ..

5.  Put enough oil in the pan to cover the bottom of it generously but not so the onion will be
     swimming in it.

6.  Heat it up for a couple of minutes - don't forget about it ! until it's hot enough for the onion to
     sizzle as it goes in. I sometimes throw a tiny piece of bread in oil to see if it's hot enough.....

7.  Carefully put the onions in, let them sizzle for a bit then turn the heat down very low to cook
     them until the ones at the edge of the pan are just beginning to turn brown, stirring them
     now and then.

8.  Put the garlic in and cook, still stirring now and then, until the garlic is just beginning to go
     golden.

9. You can put the finely chopped red chilli in now if you're using it. Cook a tiny bit then slowly
     add the tomatoes .This will lower the temperature so you can turn it up again to get
     them bubbling. Stir in the tomato puree and mix well.

10.  When they've been bubbling a bit for a few minutes, you can turn the heat down to very low,
       stir in the paprika if using, and dried basil, pop the lid on and leave to simmer, stirring
       occasionally, until you're ready to use it. If you're being energy-conscious, you only need
       cook it for about 10 mins.

If I don't use all this sauce, I find it keeps well in the fridge, in a bowl, covered with a plate for
about 2 to 3 days. I sometimes use this for pizzas, fleshing it out with another tin or half a
tin of tomatoes and sometimes about half a tube of best tomato puree. I usually liquidise this
mixture when cooled. The puree apparently has iron in it and although it's not alot, every
little helps!

I know everyone likes this meal,  but I think for next time, I'll consider using tofu or chick peas in lieu of the burgers ...................

Meanwhile, the dog wonders when I'll remember to give her a tripe-treat.....................