A Year Without Kale (and the best tofu scramble you’ve ever tried).

Before I explain the title, I want to say that I’m very excited to be speaking at the 5^th Annual New York City Vegetarian Food Festival. I’ve attended each year in the past and having watched the event through its evolution, I can honestly say it has constantly gotten better. This year the speaker line up includes some of the countries foremost experts on fitness and nutrition including Dr. Joel Kahn, Rich Roll, and Sid Garza Hillman, among many others.

I will be presenting a talk called the “Facts and Fallacies of Fats.” The talk will examine the research on which fats are truly healthy, and how much fat our bodies actually need in an attempt to clarify a topic which has become increasingly confusing. I’m very excited for the opportunity, and look forward to seeing many of you there! I talk on Sunday afternoon so be sure to stop by and say hi!

Now, back to the title… A year without kale.

Wait? What!? Why?

Yes, it’s true; you’ve read that correctly. As some of you may know, I announced the other day that I’m about to make a large, life-altering change. It’s easily the biggest and scariest decision I’ve ever made, which is also what makes it so exciting.

At the end of April, I will be saying goodbye to my home in New York City and getting on a plane bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a one-way ticket in hand.

If you are curious as to why I would move to a city famous for it’s beef and it’s leather, it’s simple… my time in South America begins as many such adventures do… the pursuit of a beautiful woman.

Two Octobers ago, I met a woman at Jack Rabbit Sports Running Group. She is a doctor from Buenos Aires who was doing a month long observership at a New York hospital. We made an instant connection, and since then it’s been a wild ride of facetime phone chats and wonderful visits, which always seem far too short with far too much time in between. Anyway, we’ve now reach the point were it is time to take the next step.

But why a year without kale? Well, sadly, kale hasn’t caught on down in Argentina the way it has in the States, and it’s pretty hard to come by.  That said, I am being a little disingenuous, because we know of one market that has it on occasion, and I’ve also purchased over 1,000 seeds of different heirloom varieties, which I hope to grown on our balcony.

Now don’t worry, BYOL will continue and I’ll never be further than an email or skype message away from my readers in the States. During my time in Argentina, I plan on hosting some plant-based nutrition seminars and hope to work on some larger writing products. I will also continue the BYOL Nutrition & Wellness Counseling. And of course, I will be sharing many new recipes throughout the year!

Thank you to everyone for all of your continued support. It means more to me than I can adequately express.

***

Now for the reason you’re all really reading this post. The best tofu scramble you’ve ever tried!

I’ll do another post going through some of the questions and controversy about soy, but for now, know that whole sources of soy such as edamame, tempeh, and tofu can all be part of a balanced and health promoting diet.

That said, I always recommend purchasing organic soy products. I try not to be too much of a stickler about organics, because I don't want a plant-based diet to seem cost prohibitive. Soy, however, is a bit different, and to ensure you are getting a healthy, non-genetically modified product, organic is the way to go.

This tofu scramble is perfect for lazy weekend mornings or as a power dinner after a hard workout. But there are a few tricks to getting this just right.

Tofu Scramble:

Serves 2-3

½ block of organic tofu – drained and broken into small pieces

½ cup of quick cooking or old-fashioned oats (gluten free if desired)

4 – 5 stems of kale or spinach or any dark green

1 handful of fresh cilantro -chopped (optional)

½ avocado – cubed (optional)

1 tsp nutritional yeast

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp cumin

¼ tsp Indian black salt* (aka kala namak)

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Black pepper to taste

Roughly 2 cups of your favorite sautéed veggies: (try)

Broccoli

Bell pepper

Carrots

Mushrooms

Onion

* Black Salt is actually pink and is often found in Indian dishes. This is one of the secrets for the scramble, as the salt has a sulphur odor and taste that helps replicate the smell and taste of eggs. It will be found in almost any Indian market as well as online.

First, you need to make sure you drain the tofu well. You can easily do this with any number of tofu presses available for purchase. However, as a person who has been criticized for owning one too many kitchen gadgets, I’ve resisted making such a purchase. Instead I place the tofu on one plate and then place another plate (or two) on top of the tofu. I normally leave the tofu with the plates stacked on top of it for at least 30 minutes. This will help ensure you get all of the water out of the tofu. If you skip this step, your scramble will be watery.

While the tofu is being pressed, start chopping all of your chosen veggies. As I mentioned above you can make an endless amount of different combinations.

Once the tofu is done, use a fork to break it up into a mixing bowl. Add the spices and oats and mix well. Depending on the type of veggies I use, I normally add them to the bowl once the tofu and oats are well combined. If using the veggies above, consider keeping the greens as well as the onion and carrot to the side for now.

Now heat a pan and add the tofu and the veggies (consider adding the onion and carrot first to let them soften). Keep the greens, cilantro and avocado to the side for now. Stir the scramble frequently to prevent it from burning.

As the spice mix starts to cook into the tofu, the tofu will begin to turn a bright yellow color. Once this happens you can add the greens and cook until the greens begin to soften.

Serve and top with fresh cilantro and avocado and a piece of toasted Lentil Bread.  If you like, add hot sauce.

As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.

Cooking without Oil

A while ago, I presented two research pieces on oils in general and one specifically on coconut oil. Not only are oils highly processed and bad for your arteries, but oil has around 4,000 calores per pound, making it the most calorie dense but nutrient-poor item in the American diet. Since my earlier postings, several people have asked, “well then, how do you cook?” Here are a few tips.

First, when buying pans, it’s best to buy heavier stainless steel or cast iron cookware. While any type of cookware will work, these higher grade metals are less likely to burn.

Dressings and Sauces:

·         My biggest suggestion is to become accustomed to using vinegars – particularly on salads. These are highly alkalizing and health promoting foods that taste great and can be found everywhere.

o   Try apple cider vinegar, balsamic, red and white wine but also look for flavored infused vinegars. I’ve had some delicious fig and berry infused vinegars. Even chocolate! I’ll be honest, pomegranate vinegar is gross.

·         To re-create creamier sauces or dressings replace the oil with blended silken tofu. I find 1 – 2 tablespoons does the trick.

·         You can also add ground flaxseed or chia seeds to hot water. Start using the same amount of water as you normally would use oil. Slowly add the ground seeds to the water and mix well until the water starts to almost gel and thicken. White chia seeds help make the most appetizing dressing color.

·         White beans or cashews are other great options for creating creamier sauces. Use the same amount of white beans as you normally use oil. If using cashews (always get the raw if you can,) I typically soak the cashews for at least 1 hours before – longer is better. I normally will do 1 part cashews and 1 part old fashioned oats. This creates a delicious creamy blend and helps cut the total fat from the cashews.

To sauté or Stir-fry:

·         Simply replace the oil you would normally use with either water or vegetable broth. First heat the pan and then add your food, add a small amount of water or broth as needed –note you will need less than you are expecting. Depending what you’re making, you can also try juices as well. Be sure to stir often.

·         Several vegetables such as mushrooms or onions contain enough liquid which will release while cooking. Heat the pan first and then cook at a slightly lower temperature for several minutes to caramelize onions or brown mushrooms. Stir constantly.

Baking:

·          To replace oil or margarine in baking, try using non-sweetened applesauce as a substitute for cookies, cakes, and other sweet baked goods (check out our Peanut Butter and Oat Cookies, the Quinoa and Chocolate Chip Cookies, or Engine 2’s Banana Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies.)

·         Mashed or pureed tofu can replace oil in other (non-sweet) baked goods.

·         Ground Flaxseed can also be an excellent sub for oil as well as for eggs (mix 1 tbsp ground flax with 3 tbsp water to create an egg replacer). For baking, use 3 parts flaxseed for every part oil or fat you are replacing. This can cause baked goods to brown more quickly so keep an eye on your dish.

·         Parchment paper is a game changer. It’s safe to cook on and makes clean up a breeze!

As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.