Serenity in the Storm

The Geography of Veganism: Calling all Eaters!

If I’ve learned anything by being a geographer, it’s that place matters. The places we inhabit, visit, pass through, dream about — these are important to our experience of being grounded in the world. What we do, what we eat, how we live our politics, shape these places.

When I started Serenity in the Storm, I added a “Seattle” page with vegan-friendly spots to eat that I have tried or hope to try soon (and some from people who have written in to share). I hope that this is useful for people who live in, or are visiting, Seattle. As one of my 2014 expansions of the blog, I want to expand on the number of places in my list. Instead of “Seattle” in the main menu, I want to change this to “Places” with a drop-down menu of cities, towns, etc. around the world with recommendations for places to eat.

As such, I am writing to enlist your help. What places would you like to see in the list? What local eateries or individual dishes are not to be missed in those places?

I’m thinking of adding Pittsburgh next, since it is my hometown and a wonderfully familiar place to me. Pittsburgh readers, what would you recommend?

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Tortilla Soup

We’re currently having a torrential downpour in Seattle with insane winds, sideways rain, thunder and lightning, the whole nine yards. Speaking of nine yards (is that a football reference?!), the Seahawks are playing the Saints today in Seattle. I feel bad for those guys out on the field, and the people who are actually planning to attend the game. I’m not a football fan, but there are times when the excitement of football season is hard to ignore. As a kid growing up in Pittsburgh, it was kind of hard not to be a football admirer, at least during the playoffs and super bowl season. Pittsburghers are seriously *serious* about the Steelers. I remember people painting their houses black and gold, wearing Steelers jerseys constantly, shaking their Terrible Towels like a flag, decking out their cars with Steelers paraphernalia… When the Steelers win, there are riots and when they lose, there are riots. Seattle doesn’t feel quite so intense, but there is still some pretty serious Seattle football action — especially since the Seahawks are doing so well this year. There’s something about the sports fan culture that I find so interesting. I’ve never really been a part of it, but it seems almost like a religion, a site of camaraderie and community — a belief system of sorts and a system of faith in this team. So strange and so fascinating!

Okay, I honestly can’t believe I’ve just gone on and on about football. In any case, tortilla soup strikes me as the kind of food one might like to eat while sitting in front of the game, warm and dry on the couch. Am I right?

This recipe comes from my darling sister, Lucy, and it is delicious! We hope you like it.

The Recipe:

Serves 4

1 medium onion, diced

1 bell pepper (any color), diced

1 medium-large russet potato, diced (skin on is fine)

1 14.5-oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)

1 10-oz. can red enchilada sauce (mild or medium)

1/2 6-oz. can tomato paste

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well

1/4 TSP smoked paprika

1 TSP ground cumin

1 1/2 CUP vegetable stock or water

1/4 cup cilantro, minced

3-4 green onions, minced

lime wedges (for garnish)

diced avocado (for garnish)

8 small corn tortillas

In a medium soup pot, sauté onion in a little oil or water for 5 minutes. Add the cumin and smoked paprika and stir well. Add the potato and stir frequently for a few more minutes. Add the bell pepper, canned tomatoes, enchilada sauce, tomato paste, water/vegetable stock (whichever using), and stir well to combine. Rinse and drain the beans well (you don’t want these to muddy the color). Add the beans. Simmer for 25-30 minutes on low heat until the potatoes are tender. While simmering, preheat the oven to 400° F. Stack the tortillas up in a single stack and slice them in 1/4 inch slices. Spread these evenly on a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping them halfway through. You may need more or less time; just keep tasting them. You’re looking for a nice crunchy texture.

Serve in bowls and top with cilantro, green onion, avocado and tortilla strips. Squeeze a little lime on top for a little extra zip.

6 Fascinating Documentaries

I spent quite a bit of the holiday break (when I wasn’t just working straight through it) watching documentaries. I like watching documentaries for fun because I feel like it’s a chance to relax in front of the television, but it’s still productive because I’m learning something new. I thought I’d share with you some of the documentaries we watched.

Blackfish

Blackfish is about orcas in captivity (specifically those in aquatic parks like SeaWorld). The film is really well done and, in addition to making me think about the depressing plight of orcas in captivity, it also made me think a lot about the exploitative nature of human-animal relations more broadly. Orcas are more highly evolved emotionally than humans, a point which is driven home in the film through the beauty of pod communities, and the devastation felt by the orcas when mother and baby are torn away from each other. This, juxtaposed with humans who find it entertaining to watch a whale trapped in a bathtub slap the water with his fin, is both heartbreaking and infuriating.

We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks

We Steal Secrets follows Julian Assange and Bradley (now Chelsea) Manning through the largest leak of classified U.S. government documents in history. It tells the story of how the leak occurred, the escalation in Assange’s and Manning’s lives leading up to, and following, the leak, and it explores the politics of secrecy and knowledge. This is a fascinating film, whether you have followed the story of WikiLeaks or not.

We are Legion

On a similar note, We are Legion follows the rise of the hacktivist group, Anonymous, and explores the politics of freedom of information through online channels. One of the interesting parts of this film is the evolution of the group from being hackers playing internet pranks, to becoming deeply involved in political activism.

Eco-Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson

Eco-Pirate follows Paul Watson’s life story from his involvement in forming Greenpeace to his departure from the organization and his creation of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an organization that uses direct action tactics to defend the lives of dolphins, whales and other marine mammals. A theme in this film which was also present in We Steal Secrets is the notion that society desperately needs intensely radical voices — not necessarily because we will ever end up living in the future of radical ideals, but in order to have any hope at all of moving society in the direction of a more just future for all.

Last Call at the Oasis

This film was chilling in its depiction of the water crisis – globally and in the U.S. What I took away from this film was the knowledge that we *must* be thinking (and acting!) in an immediate and serious way to have any chance of surviving the global water crisis. In the U.S., many of us are insulated from thinking about these issues. Many of us use as much water as we want without thinking; we turn on the faucet and water comes out. I’m planning to watch a number of other documentaries on water. If you have any suggestions, let me know!

Somm

I don’t know if I would necessarily recommend this documentary, but it sure was interesting — a window into a (to me) bizarre world. Somm follows four men who are studying to take their Master Sommelier exam (a sommelier is a wine expert who specializes in food/wine pairings). The exam is one of the most difficult exams in the world to pass, and the film follows the intensity of studying for, and taking, this exam. A window into a world that was completely foreign to me.

Have you watched any documentaries lately that you would recommend? I’d love suggestions for others to watch!

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Crunchy Sweet Potato Fries with Chipotle Aioli

After I posted a recipe for onion rings a couple of months ago (which turned out to be the most popular recipe I’ve ever posted on Serenity in the Storm — go figure! I guess everyone likes onion rings!), I kept thinking about creating a recipe for sweet potato fries that were similarly breaded. The smokiness of the breading mixture on the onion rings kept screaming sweet potatoes to me. As a special treat this weekend and a celebration of completing my e-book, I decided to try out making these fries, using the same basic process as I did for the onion rings, but with a few tweaks. They were delicious. Crunchy on the outside, creamy and sweet on the inside, with a hint of smokiness. Paired with this chipotle aioli dipping sauce, they are such a treat.

Crunchy Sweet Potato Fries: The Recipe

Makes 3-4 servings

2-3 medium-sized sweet potatoes

1 cup plain soy creamer (or other vegan creamer)

1 TBLS apple cider vinegar

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 TBLS cornstarch

2 TSP salt

1 TSP smoked paprika

1 TSP garlic powder

generous grinds of black pepper

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

3 TBLS vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment (hint: this makes two batches worth of sweet potato fries). If you want them all ready at once, you will want two baking sheets lined with parchment). In a bowl, mix flour, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and 1 TSP salt. In another shallow bowl, mix soy creamer and vinegar and stir. Add the cornstarch to the milk mixture and whisk to combine. Whisk in half the flour mixture. On a large plate, mix the panko, the remaining 1 TSP salt and the oil. You’ll have three stations to dip the fries in. The first is the flour mixture (I find it best with these to pour the flour mixture out onto a plate, since the fries are awkward to dip into a bowl). The second is the milk mixture in a shallow bowl. And the third is the plate of panko breadcrumbs.

It’s up to you whether you peel the sweet potato or not – either way is fine. Slice the sweet potato in long 1/4-inch wide pieces (shaped like fries). They don’t have to be perfect, just generally about the same thickness so they all cook in about the same amount of time. Start dipping! First, dunk the sweet potato in the flour, then the milk mixture, letting the excess liquid drip off before coating the sweet potato in the panko breadcrumbs. Lay the prepared fries on the parchment-lined baking sheets. The fries should not be touching each other. Bake for 12 minutes and then gently flip the fries over. Bake for another 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately while still hot with chipotle aioli (recipe below), ketchup, or your dipping sauce of choice.

NOTE: You can freeze these. Simply lay them on the parchment lined baking sheet as described above. Place the whole baking sheet in the freezer. When frozen, remove fries and store them in a zip-lock bag in the freezer.

Chipotle Aioli: The Recipe

Makes 1/2 cup

1/2 CUP vegan sour cream

1/4 TSP garlic powder

1/8 TSP salt

1/4 TSP smoked paprika

pinch of chipotle chili powder

pinch of ground cumin

1 TSP lime juice

In a bowl, mix together the ingredients for the aioli. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

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e-Book Launch: Gently Raw

My dear Serenity in the Storm readers (old and new!), I am so excited to share with you the fruits (raw foods pun intended?!) of my labor over the last several months. I have been hard at work writing Serenity in the Storm’s first e-book — Gently Raw — and it’s finally here and available for you to purchase. If you’d like to check it out further, you can go to the Gently Raw e-book page. You can view the table of contents and sample pages there and purchase the book, or you can simple scroll to the bottom of page to buy the book now.

You don’t have to be raw, or interested in going raw, to use and enjoy this book. The book is useful for incorporating more WHOLE, RAW, VEGAN, and GLUTEN- and GRAIN-FREE foods into your life in any level and capacity. When you purchase Gently Raw, you will receive a PDF file, viewable on your computer, tablet or smartphone for easy and transportable use. The book features:

78 pages of content
27 delicious recipes (some old favorites, but mostly new)
full-color photographs of every recipe
my journey to raw & how eating mostly raw has changed my life
tips on raw pantry basics and kitchen tool recommendations
thoughts on how to incorporate more raw foods into your diet, the cost of raw food, how to help others, and suggestions for seasonal eating
a moderate approach to raw foods that can fit everyone’s lifestyle

When I set out to write the book, I wanted to write a book that was mostly raw. Some of the raw foodists I know are very strict and rigid in their diets (which is great for those who respond well to that, but that’s not me), and I wanted to promote a more flexible, easy going approach to raw foods. One that could be taken up by anyone in any degree (whether that’s incorporating a green juice into your current daily routine, going fully raw, or somewhere in between). The recipes in this book are all easy to make. They are all made with predominantly raw ingredients. Non-raw ingredients in the book include things like maple syrup or certain spices, but all of the major ingredients are raw and packed with nutrition. Some require a little advance planning (soaking nuts, for instance), but most can be made and enjoyed in no time. As I was transitioning to raw foods, I was frustrated by how many raw recipes required a dehydrator. To encourage ease and accessibility, none of these recipes uses a dehydrator. They are all easily made with a knife, food processor, and/or blender.

Thank you, as ever, for your support and community and I hope this book will inspire you in health and healing! I would be so grateful if you would spread the word about Gently Raw on your social media networks and with your family and friends, if you’re so inclined.

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Serenity in the Storm: A New Year

I’ve never really written here about the blog’s name: Serenity in the Storm. The name comes from the saying: “Serenity is not freedom from the storm but peace within the storm.” This is related to the Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr, which is commonly used in recovery programs: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” I’ve always loved this piece of wisdom. A reminder that there are so many things in the world we can’t control, that there are things we do have the power to change, and that we must continue on this path of working for change. Seeking serenity for ourselves and others in the storm.

2013, for me, has been about this project of seeking serenity in the storm as I try to figure out how to balance my own emotional and physical well-being with my efforts to change the world for animals. I’ve tried to work on a few things in particular (though I continue to fail miserably at them):

To slow down. Breathe. Observe, with open eyes, the world around me.
To let go of toxic friendships and people who are emotionally draining.
To be mindful and intentional in my encounters with others.
To let go of what I can’t control.
To try to remain hopeful in spite of the overwhelming amount of suffering and pain in the world.
To remember that self-care is essential to sustaining a life of working for others.
To find serenity in the storm.

These things are obviously life-long projects, important to remember in the new year and in years to come. In 2014, I also have some tangible projects I’m excited to share with you all.

Serenity in the Storm’s first e-book. I’ve kept this under wraps completely, but I am just putting the finishing touches on an e-book. It’s called Gently Raw, and it’s a guide to eating a mostly raw diet for health and healing and contains delicious recipes, tips and full-color photos. I will be releasing it for sale here on the blog in the next few days as a special treat for the new year!
Animals in Fashion. Next week, I’ll be starting to teach a brand new undergraduate class on animals in the fashion industry. I’ll definitely be posting more details about how that’s going.
Completing the dissertation. I will be finishing my dissertation this spring and beginning the process of seeking a publisher so I can create a book on the lives of cows in the dairy industry. I’m really excited about sharing this research with the rest of the world in a book format.
Job search. As I finish my PhD in May/June of this year, I’ll be transitioning into the working world. Yikes! Whether it’s an academic job, nonprofit work, or something else will be determined. But I’m searching for jobs where I can put my skills at research, writing and/or teaching to use for animals.

More to come! Happy new year to all of you reading. As ever, I am so grateful for you all and the community we’ve created on the blog here. I love hearing from you (by email and in the comments section of each post), so I hope you’ll feel free to share your thoughts and questions this year.

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Buffalo Cauliflower

I love cauliflower. Like, really love it. It didn’t used to be a food I really thought much about, but something happened in the last few years and I just can’t get enough of the stuff. I love it raw, roasted, tandoori roasted, and I just discovered this week that I love it mashed, too (recipe coming eventually to the old blogaroo). These spicy buffalo cauliflower bites are a whole new preparation (for me, at least — I know they’re already a thing in the blogosphere) — spicy and loaded with flavor, with a creamy, moist cauliflower inside. Yum! They would be a great snack for parties, football games, or if you’re just spending the day on the couch, like me, watching movies and TV. Be sure to serve with celery at the least, and a vegan ranch dressing if you like that sort of thing. They do need something cooling to complement their spiciness.

When I started thinking about making these, I looked online for recipes for buffalo cauliflower and most of the recipes I found used a batter. I didn’t like the idea of doing a batter for these; it sounded messy and I remembered that most of the buffalo wings I ate before becoming vegan were not battered. So I looked up recipes for buffalo wings and then adapted the best of those in conjunction with some of the buffalo cauliflower recipes. The result, I think, is quite nice. A light batter feel without the messiness of the dipping.

The Recipe

1 head of cauliflower

2 TBLS vegetable oil

1/2 TSP salt

3/4 TSP garlic powder

generous grinds of black pepper

1 CUP all-purpose flour (or GF flour)

1 CUP buffalo sauce or your favorite hot sauce (I don’t have a particular brand recommendation, but see what your local grocery carries and check the ingredients to make sure it’s vegan).

Preheat oven to 450° F. Cut cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Toss in a bowl with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Put the flour in a plastic bag (a reused produce bag works well for this) with the cauliflower and shake until the cauliflower is well-coated with the flour. Prepare a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment (this is the best) and place the flour-covered cauliflower on the sheet. Bake for 18 minutes. In the same bowl you used to toss the cauliflower and oil, gently toss the cauliflower together with the hot sauce. When the cauliflower is nicely coated with the sauce, gently place the cauliflower bites back on the pan and pop them into the oven for another 5-8 minutes. Serve with celery and your favorite vegan ranch dressing (if you like that sort of thing).

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Introducing Salt

Salt spent only a few hours with us on Friday morning after we picked her up from the lab, but I wanted to share a glimpse of her story with you since we don’t always get to hear stories of hope and liberation.

Ferrets are used extensively in biomedical research. In Salt’s case, she was used to breed a litter of kits in the lab. The kits were taken away from her to be used in research, but she was able to be adopted into a home outside the lab. She was very frightened and agitated while she was with us. Understandably so. Her life until now had been spent in a lab, and leaving that place must have been frightening — lots of new sights, smells, sounds, etc. It must have been sensory overload. I remember when Saoirse came home and every noise or flash of light was terrifying to her. On Friday afternoon, my dad and I drove up north of Seattle to deliver her to her new family. We got to share just a couple of hours of her life — just one stop on her journey home — but she made an impression and I hope that her life will be full of all of the things that make ferrets happy.

Thanks to all who helped her find her way home!

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Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Topping

These pancakes are thick and filling with bursts of blueberry in them and the subtle hint of banana. Top with a delicious blueberry topping for an extra treat.

The Recipe: Blueberry Pancakes

Makes 10-12 4-inch pancakes

2 CUPS flour (feel free to use gluten-free flour if you like)

2 TSPS baking powder

pinch of salt

1 CUP frozen blueberries

1 1/2 CUPS nondairy milk

1 banana, mashed (or 1/2 cup applesauce, if you don’t like banana flavor)

1 TSP vanilla extract

In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Toss the frozen blueberries into the dry ingredients and mix together. In a separate bowl, mash bananas and add milk and vanilla. Stir wet ingredients into dry gently and add more milk as necessary. The consistency should be a thick batter. Do not overmix (some small lumps are fine). Heat a frying pan or griddle to a low-medium heat. If you’re using a nonstick pan, you can probably get away with not using oil to cook the pancakes. For a regular pan, add a splash of oil (vegetable, safflower, or coconut). When the pan is heated, use a measuring cup to scoop the batter onto the pan. You can make any size pancakes you want. The trick to cooking pancakes is getting the heat right. Too high a heat and the pancakes cook too fast on the outside, leaving the inside gooey. Too low a heat and the pancakes don’t get a nice crisp and can still be raw in the middle. On a low-medium heat, cook the pancakes on the first side until they bubble and you see little holes appear. Flip the pancakes carefully and cook on the other side until nicely golden brown. Serve with some blueberry topping spooned over the top. Enjoy!

Blueberry Topping

Makes 2 generous helpings

1 1/2 CUPS frozen blueberries

1 TBLS cornstarch

2 TSP sugar

1/4 CUP (or more) water

In a small saucepan, heat the blueberries, sugar and water, stirring frequently. When the mixture is hot and the blueberries are hot, add the cornstarch and stir well to combine. The mixture should thicken. If it is quite thick, add a little extra water, one tablespoon at a time and stir to combine. When you have reached your desired thin/thickness, turn off the heat and serve over pancakes.

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Quick Potato Tacos

I rarely make potatoes for breakfast because I have this idea that they take way too long to cook. Then I decided to dice the potatoes into tiny, tiny cubes so they would cook faster. These tacos cook up in 15 minutes or so and are really easy to make. These can be endlessly adapted to include whichever filling ingredients you like. We had these as a nice savory Sunday brunch, but they would be great for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner. Add a can of black beans for a little extra protein.

The Recipe

Serves 3-4

2 TBLS olive oil

1/2 CUP onions, diced

1 1/2 CUPS potatoes, diced in 1/4-inch cubes

2/3 CUP zucchini, diced

2/3 CUP bell pepper (any color), diced

2/3 CUP mushrooms, diced

1/2 TSP cumin

1/2 TSP smoked paprika

pinch red chili pepper

salt and pepper to taste

corn tortillas (about 3 per person) – store bought or handmade

lime wedge, optional for garnish

1 avocado, diced

hot sauce, optional

Saute onions in olive oil while you dice the potato. Add diced potato and spices (paprika, chili and salt and pepper). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Dice and add zucchini. Stir. Dice and add bell pepper. Stir. Dice and add mushrooms. If the vegetables are sticking to the bottom a lot, just add a tiny splash of water and stir. Cook vegetables until soft (about 15 minutes total). When the potato mixture is just about done cooking, heat a frying pan or griddle and heat the corn tortillas on both sides. (NOTE: If making your own corn tortillas, you can do this while the vegetables are cooking and then turn the heat off and cover the vegetables to keep them warm while you finish up the tortillas.) Scoop a spoonful of the vegetables into the warm tortillas and serve with avocado, hot sauce, and a little squeeze of lime.

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