Feeling a little full after the Thanksgiving holiday? How about reaching for a bowl of miso soup for a light meal instead of putting that brick back into your stomach by filling yourself with leftovers. Miso not only serves as an ingredient to make a quick and easy soup, but it also serves as a natural health enhancer that will boost your immune system for the next forthcoming holidays.
Similar to yogurt, miso contains probiotics that help aid in digestion. It’s particularly beneficial to vegans because of the naturally significant amounts of vitamins K and B12 that it provides. It also contains the immune-boosting trace mineral zinc, as well as iron, copper, and manganese. Let’s take a closer look at this nutrient-packed flavor enhancer.
What exactly is miso? Miso is a paste that originated in Japan that is made from grinding fermented soybeans and usually another grain, such as soybeans or rice. It’s texture is similar to peanut butter- whether chunky or creamy depends on the variety you choose. It has a salty taste and can often provide a unique and healthy twist as a replacement for salt.
Why use miso? If the nutrient info. above wasn’t enough to convince you to buy some miso, there are also numerous studies that have shown that miso is an advantageous ingredient. For instance, according to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, miso has been linked to reducing breast cancer by as much as 50%. It has been said that miso helps to regulate the hormone in women known as oestrogen, a hormone that can cause tumors to develop.
I see a handful of varieties in the store. Are there differences between these types of miso?
Yes. Each type contains variances in the duration of fermentation time, and each will offer slight differences in taste and texture.
Below are some details about a few of the varieties of miso.
White Miso: White miso is typically made from a 60:40 ratio of white rice and whole soybeans. It has a short fermentation time of approximately 3-5 weeks. Of all the misos, white miso has one of the smoothest textures and contains the sweetest and mildest taste. It’s perfect for salad dressings and light soups.
Red Miso: Red miso is also made from a combination of soybeans and white rice but contains a higher concentration of soybeans than white miso, giving it it’s deep red color. It is typically fermented for a 1-3 year period. Red miso has the highest content of protein out of all the miso varieties. It’s taste is stronger than that of white miso and is typically used in stir-fries, soups, and marinades.
Barley Miso: Barley miso mainly consists of soybeans and barley. Since it doesn’t contain white rice, 
barley miso has the darkest color of all the misos. It’s fermentation period is similar to red miso’s and is typically between 1 to 3 years. The closer the fermentation time is to 3 years, the deeper the color and richer the flavor will be. It has a robust flavor and is often used in sauces, heavier soups, and rich bean dishes.
Chickpea Miso: Chickpea miso is a great alternative for those who are sensitive to soy. It is 
generally made from a combination of brown rice and chickpeas and is aged from 1-3 months. It’s texture leans on the side of resembling chunky peanut butter, rather than creamy like white miso. In fact, it often contains whole or pieces of chick peas. It’s flavor is stronger than white miso but still relatively m
ild and sweet. Chickpea miso is also great for spreads, dressings, soups, and dips.
If you’re legs and mind are burnt out from Thanksgiving cooking and your stomach is burnt out from Thanksgiving eating, try a simple miso-centered recipe for your next meal. Miso soup can be whipped up in no time, or try making a variation of tea by simply disolving a teaspoon of the variety of your choice into a cup of hot water. Enjoy.
So the Vegetarian Times Thanksgiving was a success! My stomach was full and my taste buds were happy. The meal was actually entirely vegan except for the few pats of butter put on top of the pie before it went into the oven (could’ve easily been left off).
Butternut Squash-Bartlett Pear Soup
Carrot-Walnut Salad & Cranberry Sauce
- Citrus Collards with Raisins
- Smothered Seitan Medallions in Mixed Mushroom Gravy
- Fruit and Toasted Almond Stuffing
- Cumin-Cayenne Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
- Finished Plate
- Delicious
- Grace’s Homemade Apple Pie
However, my favorite part of the meal wasn’t from the VT magazine…
Later today or tomorrow, I shall be lacing up my running shoes, hitting the road, and making my body happy. As of now, I think I’m still happily in the process of digesting last night’s food…or maybe this morning’s apple pie breakfast 
.
Have a wonderful Friday, and don’t stress yourself out too much if you’re out there in the mad pandemonium of shoppers.
As always, remember to take a moment to breathe, get some fresh-air, and treat yourself well.
P.S. After advice from several people, I’ve succumbed and have finally gotten a Twitter. It’s mainly to help promote my blog. Feel free to follow me! I currently have a measley few followers and am definitely still figuring out all that it entails. It’s under my name: Grace Dickinson.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Take a moment out of your day today to reflect on some things that you are thankful for.
Use today as a launch date to start making this a habitual, everyday practice. Just by taking 2 minutes a day to meditate on what you are thankful for can truly increase your overall appreciation for life. From the broad to the details, from the complex to the simple, any area of life can truly be appreciated.
Here are a few things that I am currently feeling thankful for:
-How comfortable my bed at home is
-How tasty the pear was that I just ate
-My friends
-My puppy patiently and adorably lying on the floor
-My family
-Food
-Holidays
-Fresh-air
-This present moment
-You
-Life
Late post…got stuck in mad traffic on the way home from Philly for Thanksgiving Break! Speaking of Thanksgiving…
I have always loved Vegetarian Times magazine. I used to look forward to receiving it every month. Now that I’m at college, I get excited every time I come home and see a stack of Vegetarian Times magazines awaiting me to read them. It keeps me up to date on the latest vegetarian news and provides me with innovative recipes to spice up my diet.
So this year, when my mom asked if I’d be interested in basing our Thanksgiving around the suggested compilation of Thanksgiving dishes in this November’s issue of Vegetarian Times, I immediately approved. Usually, we have the whole extended family come over so we always get a huge turkey. My mom and I, the strict vegetarians/pescetarians in the family, would simply pass on eating the turkey.
This year, for the first time since I can remember, we’ll not only be keeping the celebration small with just our nuclear family, but we’ll also be skipping the turkey all together. This means one more turkey will be staying alive! Instead, we’ll be replacing the bird with…Smothered Seitan Medallions in Mixed Mushroom Gravy. The picture looks tremendously delicious, so I’m so pumped to try it!
Check out VT’s recipe for Smothered Seitan Medallions in Mixed Mushroom Gravy
-1 lb seitan, cut into medallions
-5 Tbs. arrowroot powder
-1 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
-1 large onion, thinly sliced (2 cups)
-5 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbs.)
-2 cups Mixed Mushroom Gravy (see below)
-2 cups mushroom stock
-1 cup finely chopped green cabbage
-2 jalapeno chiles, minced (2 Tbs.)
-1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
-2 Tbs. chopped parsley
Coat seitan pieces in arrowroot. Heat 1/2 cup oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Fry half of seitan in 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate. Discard oil, wipe out skillet, and repeat with 1/2 cup oil and remaining seitan. Discard oil. Add remaining 2 Tbs. oil and onion in hot skillet. Increase heat to high, and saute 3 minutes. Stir in Mixed Mushroom Gravy, mushroom stock, and seitan. Cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Add cabbage, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in jalapenos, green onions, and parsley.
Mixed Mushroom Gravy
-2 Tbs. olive oil
-1/4 lb. button mushrooms
-1/4 lb. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
-2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
-1 cup unflavored rice milk
-1 cup of mushroom stock
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. white pepper
Heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add all mushrooms, and saute 5 minutes. Stir in flour and remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes, or until flour begins to brown, whisking constantly. Whisk in rice milk, mushroom stock, salt, and white pepper. Simmer 15 minutes, or until thickened, whisking often.
We will also be making Vegetarian Time’s featured Butternut Squash-Bartlett Pear Soup, Citrus Collards with Raisins, Carrot-Cranberry-Walnut Salad, Fruit and Toasted Almond Stuffing (curious about this one), and Cumin-Cayenne Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions. I will also be making an apple pie. The apple pie recipe won’t be coming from VT, but it’s sure to be delicious. Hopefully pictures to come tomorrow. All of this food has got me excited!
What will you be making and/or eating for Thanksgiving?
My previous post on tofu seemed to be a hit, so I’ve decided to share a few more tips and recipes for making tofu. My last post featured tofu recipes that I’d normally make for lunch. Check out two of my favorite effortless tofu dinner dishes.
Tofu Marinara
The key to this recipe is freezing the tofu beforehand. This will create a nice chewy, meaty texture.
(Serves 4-5)
-1 8 0z. block of tofu, prefrozen and thawed
-2 1/2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce (If I don’t use homemade, I enjoy Classico’s Basil and Tomato sauce or Trader Joe’s Tomato and Basil sauce)
-Brown Rice or whole wheat pasta, cooked
-A few basil leaves, chopped
Press the block of tofu between a towel, squeezing out any excess water. Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. Place the tomato sauce into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the cubed tofu and cook an additional 5 minutes, letting the flavors of the sauce melt into the tofu. Remove from heat and spoon sauce over a bowl of brown rice or pasta. Sprinkle with chopped basil.
Miso Soup
Ever wonder how they make the miso soup you order at your favorite Japanese restaurant? Let me tell you, it’s not hard! Miso soup makes a great, healthy vegetarian replacement for chicken noodle soup when you’re feeling a little under the weather, or if you simply have the winter blues.
-2 Tbsp miso (Take your choice of red, white, or barley miso)
-2 scallions, chopped
-3-5 shitake mushrooms, sliced
-1 5×5 inch piece of wakame, shredded
-1/2 block medium or firm tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
For a new tofu-eater, a plain, white block of tofu can be as daunting as a blank canvas to a new artist. The pale slab certainly doesn’t look all that appealing on its own. However, tofu’s plainness makes it extremely versatile, and if you know how to prepare it, it can be quite tasty.
As a vegetarian, I frequently cook with tofu as a way to incorporate some protein into my diet. Per serving, tofu has about 7 grams of protein, or 14% of your daily recommended intake.
It absorbs the flavors it’s paired with so when put together with tasty ingredients, this meatless source of protein can easily be turned into something that tastes delicious.
During the weekdays when I’m often rushing to get in lunch before the afternoon’s over, I often whip out some tofu and quickly whip it into something good. If you’re not sure what to do with that block of tofu hanging in your fridge, check out some of the quick and easy ways I utilize tofu.
Level 1: The Plain and Simple
Tofu Sandwich
-2 slices of whole grain bread
-2 1/2 inch slices of extra firm tofu
-Mayonnaise
-1/3 of an Avocado, sliced
-Sprouts/lettuce/any other of your favorite sandwich toppings
-Salt and pepper
Spread a layer of mayonnaise one side of each of the slices of bread. (You can also experiment with mustard, hummus, or any other spread, but I prefer a simple layer of mayo). Sprinkle salt and pepper on one of the slices. Firmly pat dry the tofu to remove any excess water. Place the slices of tofu onto the bread and add the avocado/lettuce/sprouts/etc. Cut in half, and enjoy!
Level 2: Adding some heat
Fried Tofu Sandwich
-2 slices of whole grain bread
-2 1/2 inch slices of extra firm tofu
-Soy Sauce
-2 tsp. Olive Oil
-Mayo
-Lettuce and/or sprouts
Toast the bread, and then spread a thin layer of mayo on one side of each slice. Add a sprinkle of S&P to each mayonnaised side. Use a paper towel to firmly press and remove any excess water from the tofu. Heat a small frying pan and add the oil. Place the tofu into the pan and coat the top side with soy sauce. Cook until the edges become crispy (2-5 minutes), and then flip the tofu. Drizzle the top layer with soy sauce. Cook a remaining few minutes until the bottom face is crispy. Remove tofu from pan and place on bread. Add the lettuce/sprouts, cut in half, and enjoy.
Level 3: Changing Shape
Mashed Tofu
-1 inch strip of extra firm, or firm, tofu (about 1/3 of a block)
-1 Tbsp sesame tahini
-1/2 tsp of miso paste
-1/4 tsp cumin
-Whole wheat pita
Use a paper towel to pat the tofu dry. Place tofu in a bowl and mash with a fork until it’s almost fully crumbled. Add tahini, miso paste, and cumin and mash until completely crumbled. Place in a pita pocket, or if you don’t have pita on hand, use it as a dip with some chips.
I won first place in…YOGA! My sirsasana (headstand) was far more linear and I had twice as much blood flowing to my head than my competitors. My deep breathing surpassed everyone’s around me. I also found my Zen and inner being in half the time of the 2nd place winner!
This sounds ridiculous right? Almost as ridiculous as when I found out yesterday in the New York Times that the Bikram school of yoga is trying to turn yoga into a competitive sport. Bikram set up two organizations, The United States Yoga Federation, and The World Yoga Foundation, which 
have been holding competitions for the past seven years. I’m surprised I haven’t heard about this absurdity before now.
Bikram yoga is already a little seedy in itself. Bikram Choudry, the founder of Bikram yoga, wanted legal protection for “his” yoga, a sequence of 26 postures and 2 breathing techniques. So, he somehow ended up getting a copyright for the yoga sequence. Besides the fact that the actual poses and breathing exercises in his sequence weren’t invented by him but rather date back to thousands of years ago, I find it dishonorable as a teacher to so desperately seek out a patent on a yoga sequence. As a teacher, you should be emphasizing and embodying the importance of the nontactile, peaceful principles of yoga, rather than exemplifying that outter objects and money are just as important. Choudry’s response: “It’s the American way.” (Quoted in USA Today). What? Yeah, I guess you could say it’s the American way of feeding one’s ego, something that true yoga tries to help Americans minimize!
Choudry and his wife are currently working towards taking yoga to the Olympics. While I think the Olympics are wonderful, they are not the right place for yoga. Almost ever yoga class I teach, I remind my students that “yoga is not a competition”. How can I get them to believe me if they see Olympic athletes turning it into a contest?
Yoga is about acceptance of one’s own self, something that’s not possible if you’re trying to compete with the person next to you. This is one area of yoga where the commercialization has gone a little too far. Yoga accepts anyone, and I wouldn’t ever want people to think they have to look or perform like an Olympic athlete to take part in a class.
In fact, I wouldn’t want yoga to get anywhere near the label of a competitive sport. The practice is intended to alleviate stress, not add extra taxing pressures to one’s life. It’s about feeling good on the inside, not purely looking good on the outside.
Yoga is a practice for one’s own individual self, uninhibited by anything in the outside, materialized world, a principle that I hope can stay in tact.
Since I’ve become a yoga teacher (and even really before this marking point), I’ve had numerous people ask me what I think about yoga going mainstream. I had yet to post my opinion on the issue because I hadn’t really developed a strong stance either way about the commercialization of yoga. In some aspects, I’m repulsed by the the marketing scheme that yoga has become. I see more and more studios devoting twice as much space to their clothing line than their actually classrooms, and smack the word “yoga” on a shirt, bottle, or bag, and you’ll be sure to pay a $50 minimum.
This is not yoga. Those bags, shoes, shirts, pants, bottles, etc. are not yoga. Yoga is so much more than things.
It’s not just the labeling factor that bothers me. If business could coexist with genuine yoga, then so be it. But classic yoga is increasingly being abandoned for a new-aged, artificial version. Classes are progressively heading down a path of degradation. Instead of the traditional mindful mind and body experiences one could once guarantee they would be walking into, an elevating amount of classes have become similar to mindless, overexerting aerobic routines. Instead of feeling relaxed yet rejuvenated after a class, one will often feel worn out and drained. And if the class doesn’t leave one exhausted, many students will walk out, never wishing to return. I see this in my own classes, as I struggle to try and find a happy medium between those who are looking for the traditional yoga experience, and those who are seeking an intense workout. Don’t get me wrong, yoga can definitely be a great workout, but when you’re teaching beginners, it’s more important to emphasize connection with the breath and body. This becomes difficult if you have the students huffing and puffing their way through continuous warrior I’s and II’s, with 
their minds primarily focused on how much more time it will be until their teacher says, “Now you can slowly come out of the pose”. This entirely prevents them from enjoying and living in the present moment, one of the main goals of yoga.
Many people expect yoga to simply be another weight loss formula similar to their typical cardio routines at the gym, and this partially stems from the numerous classes that reflect this attitude. However, actual yoga classes are not intended to be for the purposes of weight loss. Instead, traditional yoga classes are intended to get students to accept and love the bodies that they are presently in. Through this acceptance, one can more easily work towards living a healthy lifestyle, and from these lifestyle changes, it is then that students will be able to lose weight.
Although yoga is increasingly stemming away from it’s wholesome roots, I also see several positive aspects of yoga going mainstream. For one, yoga is now everywhere. Classes are ubiquitous and are offered at all times throughout the day. If you wake up one morning and your body’s craving yoga, or you decide last minute in the evening that you feel like getting your stretch on, there’s bound to be at least one class available for you to drop in on.
You no longer need to travel to 5 different stores just to find a quality mat, and stretch pants can be found in almost every store, from Walmart to J. Crew.
Yoga simply has become more accessible.
Yeah, there are people who are doing yoga merely because they think it’s “cool”, but at least they’re doing it. The proliferation of yoga has opened up the eyes of so many people to this wonderful practice. And it’s available for all shapes, sizes, ages, and genders. It’s no longer a faux pas for a man to publicly do yoga in America. More and more men are participating, with classes being filled up by both sexes. It’s an open forum that allows anyone to unwind, destress, and reap its benefits. However, if yoga goes too far astray from it’s original roots, yoga will slowly lose it’s much of it’s openness and revitalizing benefits. I think that it’s amazing that so many people are getting into yoga. However, I hope that the future generation of yoga will carry with it the true philosophy of yoga as peaceful forum that works to connect the mind, body, and soul.
I will be following this post with some more of my opinions about the commercialization of yoga. While I still don’t feel entirely devoted to one side about whether the commercialization is negative or positive, I’m definitely leaning towards the negative side. My next post will be directed towards this issue and will explain what prompted me to finally write this post.
If you are a fan of pumpkin pie, then you must try pumpkin butter! It has all of the cinnamon, nutmeg, and spice-filled flavors of the traditional pie without any of the fat.
I picked up the butter on my last trip to Trader Joe’s and have been consistently using it ever since. I particularly liked the Trader Joe’s brand because it has a mere 5 simple ingredients. It’s sweet like pie, but doesn’t have any more sugar than a corresponding fruit jelly would. The pumpkin butter contains 9 grams of sugar per tablespoon. Not too shabby. This is definitely less than most sugary breakfast cereals.
Plus, one serving has 20% of the daily recommended serving of vitamin A. I don’t know of too many jellies
than can offer that.
The butter is pretty versatile and can replace any item where you would normally use jelly. For instance, it pairs nicely with peanut butter, either on bread or crackers. I’ve also been enjoying swirling it into both my morning bowls of oatmeal and yogurt. When combined with low-fat cream cheese, this makes a delicious and unique spread for toast.
Pumpkin butter is a nice sweet, smooth treat that will fill your taste buds with the spirit of fall. And who knows, maybe it will even spawn you to make your own homemade pumpkin pie.
Ghent is the first city in the world to have an official vegetarian day that will be recognized once per week. While it is not mandatory, every Thursday citizens of Ghent will be encouraged to go meatless for the day.
What exactly does this mean? It means that every Thursday, school and public building cafeterias will serve vegetarian fare, and restaurants will offer at least one meatless option (with many places offering more).
Additionally, numerous vegetarian street maps are being distributed to guide both tourists and residents to the best vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Ghent. For a relatively small city, Ghent already has a pretty significant number of completely meat-free restaurants. Among a city of just 240,000 residents, a population that’s over 12,000 times smaller than the U.S., Ghent contains 13 established vegetarian restaurants.
The official vegetarian Thursdays began in mid-may. They were initiated by Belgium’s largest vegetarian organization, the EVA (Ethical Vegetarian Alternative).
As posted on their website, the EVA along with Councilman Balthazar (who helped in in officially proclaiming Veggie Days in Ghent) gave four reasons to start eating vegetarian more often: “It’s healthy, it’s good for our planet (and climate), it’s good for the animals, it’s good for people in the south, and (most of the times) it’s very tasty.”
Wouldn’t it be amazing if this idea were carried to the United States? I’m always yearning for restaurants to serve more vegetarian options and am ecstatic
when I see new meatless meals being offered. Plus, this is a great way for meat-eaters to start lessening the amount of artery clogging, cholesterol-raising meat in their diets. Skipping meat just one day a week would not be that difficult. It would increase overall health and would show people that vegetarian food truly can be delicious!
I’m sure I’ll have to keep dreaming for awhile, but hopefully one day this dream can become true. For now, I’ll just have to take a trip over to Ghent.
