Rennet: Cheese's Dark, Little Secret

Most of us know that cheese is basically milk that's been aged and cultured into solid form. What many of us don't know are the forms in which we obtain starter culture. Commonly and traditionally, cheese is made using animal rennet. Animal rennet is comprised of the stomach lining of a veal calf. So, not only are you eating stomach lining if you eat animal rennet, you are also supporting the veal industry. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rennet There are, however, two types of vegetarian-friendly rennet: 1) Vegetable rennet: made of seeds from fruits like cantaloupe, etc. 2) Microbial rennet: made of fungus. Both are perfectly vegetarian, and safe to eat. If you're not sure -- i.e. the label says "enzymes" or "cultures"-- then it's probably a safe bet to not assume, and simply pass on that product. If you're on the road -- as I often am -- almost any fast food or major-market restaurant chain will have a toll-free number to which you can pose the question, "What's in your cheese?" Taco Bell, for instance -- woot -- does not use animal rennet. I'm sure they do it for cost effectiveness, as I can't see there being too high a concern for anything other than the bottom line at PepsiCo, but still...

McCruelty? Yeah... We're Hating It...

http://www.mccruelty.com/RonaldMcDonald.aspx?c=peta2_enews

Ads: Why Do We Love Them?

Well, we don't. But we need them to pay the bills. As it is, ad revenue accounts for a total of 0.0% percent of the monthly intake here, at The Vegetarian Viewpoint. About that: Do us a favor and get to clicking on the ads every now and again, mmmkay? Bueller? Thanks.

Cooking 101: Some Basics for the Kitchen

Pre-heat everything! This goes for your oven, tea pots, frying pans and even your microwave! I do find microwave preheating -- done by microwaving a mug of water for 30-60 seconds prior to nuking your food... which changes its protein consistency!!!! -- a bit excessive, but it's recommended by cooks, nonetheless. Your pan is pre-heated when you can drizzle a few drops of water on the metal, and they dance and roll around the pan. If they crack, explode or react violently, your pan's too hot! Invest in a garlic smasher! These bad boys let you squeeze the hell out of your garlic, and I promise you that you will immediately smell and taste a difference in your food. That is, of course, unless you can't smell... or taste. If you don't have a garlic smasher, and don't want to invest in one, you can still cook like a pro by peeling your garlic, and smashing it with the flat end of your kitchen knife. Lay the knife on top of the garlic and press down. That should do it. From there, I chop the garlic a bit, but nothing says "No!" to vampire loving like garlic fed through a garlic smasher!!! You don't have to measure everything! Cooking is to taste. Baking? You better follow the directions... Invest in a good knife/cutting board/pan/etc., because if you're anything like me, you spend a good amount of time in the kitchen. The more enjoyable an activity is -- such as, cutting veggies and creating healthy sauces -- the more likely I am to engage in it, so I'm sure to be comfortable and well-equipped in the kitchen. Plus, my apron's kinda fly. Be creative! Some of my very favorite dishes have been born out of curiosity. A few spoons of this, a couple shakes of that, some of that minced up and voila, we have a dinner that I can't replicate -- because I have no idea what the hell I put in there -- but that's sure to knock a few socks off in the process. Try experimenting with peanut butter, vinegar, sugar, etc.

Canola vs Olive: The Greatest Oil Wrestling Match Ever!

If you're anything like me, the primary oil in your home is Olive Oil. It's great to put on everything, it's tasty, it's historically linked to low blood pressure and general wellness, etc., etc., etc. A few months ago, however, I heard some craziness that Canola Oil somehow held more health benefits per spoonful than Olive Oil. So I did some research, and one of the many supporting pages of documentation that I found can be accessed by clicking on this blog's title. Canola Oil contains Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which are both expensive and difficult to come-by as a vegetarian. Typically, Omega 3s are found in deep-sea fish. Thus, "fish oil" is literally that: squished fish juice. A vegetarian alternative is Flax Seed Oil, but if you've ever tried to buy a bottle of it -- health food stores, etc. -- you've noticed the insane price tag. Enter Canola! It seems to be rich in ALAs and Omega 3s, which are Essential Fatty Acids, or EFAs. These fats provide a range of positive effects in the human body, ranging from the prevention of heart disease to healthy brain function, and possibly help humans in the fight against cancer. So, that's why I've switched to Canola Oil. My recipes use it, but really, unless otherwise specified, you can use any oil you damn well please!

Vegan Steak Strips that really Sizzle!

A friend of mine asked me how to make really good vegan steak strips. Funny you should ask!!!! First off, there are many vegetarian steak strip varieties on the market, but would-be-vegans beware: Morningstar -- a subsidiary of Kellog's Foods -- makes both a vegetarian steak strip and a vegan option. My experience is that the vegan strips are harder to find, and a little on the dry side, but that's just an occupational hazard. Morningstar's strips are probably my favorite, though I seldom buy them due to the fact that their animal-based ingredients -- egg & dairy -- are not advertised as being organic and/or free-range. A bag of Morningstar also costs circa $4, and I rip through a whole bag at each meal. That adds up. Enter, Trader Joe's. They make a vegan steak strip that's not big on flavor -- I'll help you fix that in a few sentences -- but that costs $3/pack. 15 meals per week = $60/month savings. Just sayin... Also, Light Life makes wonderful fake-chicken/steak strips that are great for making a chewy, steak/chicken sandwich of sorts. I think their overall texture and consistency makes them a great forerunner in the vegan steak world. Plus, they come from an all-vegetarian company, so unlike, say, Kellog's, it leads this blogger to think that Light Life cares about the cause, and not just the market. In fact, when doing a news piece on vegetarianism in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area, Light Life was the only company that responded to my requests for products to showcase in my story. Bonus points for the fine folks at Light Life. http://www.lightlife.com/index.jsp Now then, as promised, how to make some tasty vegan steak strips.... If you have frozen strips, the key is to drop them into a frying pan that's pre-heated. Pour a couple of tablespoons of your favorite oil in there -- I've been using canola oil instead of olive oil (read my post on canola oil to find out why!) -- and then toss your individually separated strips into the warm oil. There should be a satisfying sizzle if done correctly. Once these bad boys have begun to brown -- this will give the outside a "skillet seared" feeling, while leaving the inside soft and "juicy" from the oil -- dust them with kosher salt, and crank the heat from medium to medium-high for around a minute. This will bond the salt to the steak. I like to squeeze a fresh lime on mine, garnish with your favorite greenery, and you're ready to go. If you're using non-frozen strips: First, I pre-heat the pan. This is an essential step, much like pre-heating an oven. I empty a package of strips into a plastic food container, pour in a couple of tablespoons of oil, and pour in a blend of 3-4 manly pinches of kosher salt, some fresh-ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and anything else my heart desires. Shake this goodness like a madman - or woman - and dump the whole thing into your warm, waiting pan. It should sizzle immediately if your pan is hot enough (see my post titled "Cooking 101") Bon apetit!

Vegan Pudding... of sorts

Pudding kicks ass. It's cool, it's sweet, it's yummy... but it's typically got non-organic milk, and sometimes even contains the G-word: gelatin. My recipe for Kickass Vegan Pudding: 1) 1/2 block of high-protein, extra firm tofu 2) 2-3 bananas 3) 1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup 4) melted, dairy-free dark chocolate 5) a food processor or blender This is pretty easy: Take #s 1-4 and toss them into #5. Turn on #5. Pour contents into a dish. Put dish in fridge. Voila, mon ami, you now have vegan pudding that's packed with protein!