Reader Q & A — August 2006

Do you have a question on vegetarian or vegan cuisine, ingredients, recipes, or other related issues that could benefit other Vegetarian Kitchen visitors? E-mail your queries to me at nava@vegkitchen.com, with the subject line “Reader Q & A.” Let me know if I can identify you by your first name or initials (of course, last names or e-mail addresses will not be posted here!). I will post new questions and responses on a monthly basis, though I will still reply to you personally.

—Nava

Hi Nava,

I have a question about the remark you made about no white flour. I switched along time ago to unbleached white flour and most recently to organic white flour. Why is white so bad? I have tried whole wheat pastry flour and no one noticed the difference. Well, we did make pizza crust with it, and me and the kids loved it, but my husband did not.

Somehow I married a die hard meat eater, dairy and egg lover. I have never liked eggs so I don’t but them and as for meat he only gets that if we go out to eat. I think I would have gone vegan along time ago if it weren’t for him. Does anyone have any tips on how to ease him into a better way of eating? I have been trying for 10 years and know that he will never give up the meat, but what about the rest?

—Heather

Here are two common questions, one with an easy answer, and one that’s a lot more complicated. Whole wheat flours contain the bran and the germ of the wheat, and thus, more of the original vitamins and minerals. Plus, removing the bran and germ means that white flour contains little fiber. Commercial white and unbleached flours often have a few nutrients put back in, and are what is called “enriched.” But why use a product that is bleached? And even the unbleached has relatively little merit. I would use organic unbleached flour only for the purposes of thickening sauces and such, for that is truly an area in which whole wheat flours don’t do a good job.

As a compromise, I buy organic unbleached flour with germ for thickening sauces, and on those rare occasions when I want to make a super-light pastry—and even then, I mix it half with whole wheat pastry flour. I find that using straight whole wheat pastry flour (a lower gluten flour than whole wheat bread flour) in cookies, bars, and cakes, makes for a nice texture and flavor. Older veg cookbooks would recommend whole wheat flour (as in whole wheat bread flour) for everything, and this would truly make brick-like pastries!

Another alternative to use in baking is spelt flour. This is a fine textured whole grain flour that is truly all-purpose—great for pastries, pancakes, and breads.

For a nice explanation of the differences between various flours, wheat flours, go to Whole Wheat FAQ.

As for a husband, or other family member that wants to eat differently from the more veg-oriented members of the group, that’s a tough one. Habits need to be changed from within, so often, it’s rather difficult to persuade someone with entrenched, lifelong habits. For this one, I’ll have to defer to some other experts. Start with a discussion of this issue by Jo Stepaniak, a leading expert in veganism, in Mixed Marriage, with Children. For another slew of tips, see Veggie123’s article, Managing a Mixed Marriage.

Hi Nava,

Thank you so much for your wonderful web site and upbeat comments. I’ve never felt that the Teflon pans or that the aluminum pans were healthy, but now I read about titanium coated pans and wonder if this is the one.

What is your knowledge and experience on this? I noticed that Cuisinart has a titanium coated pan called by another name. Can you recommend one?

Here is some research I’ve done on titanium pans:

http://palmstategourmet.com/index.php?cPath=3&osCsid=a6dd0465e63bec99c48d3beab0f443d6

http://www.titaniumart.com/cookware-titan-pure.html

http://www.aroma-essence.com/titanium-cookware.html

http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-Cookware-All-Ceramic_Titanium_Material

There is a lot of information and controversy over which cookware is best for cooking as well as safest. The trouble with Teflon is that it can leach into foods being cooked at relatively low temperatures. Cast-iron pans are considered healthy and safe, and add small amounts of iron to food, but I’ve never been a fan. They’re terribly heavy and awkward, and everything sticks to them.

In recent years, there has been a trend toward hard anodized nonstick cookware, the kind made popular by Calphalon and Circulon. These are considered safe, and the cookware made with them is durable; they don’t peel or leach, and are stable, that is, the finish does not decompose when exposed to high temperatures. Surfaces are non-porous, so they resist sticking very well. From all that I’ve read, it seems that this kind of cookware is quite safe.

The Cuisinart Titanium pans are also hard anodized, so they are another variant on this kind of surface. Calphalon, Cuisinart, Circulon, and lots of other brands offer anodized cookware, so it’s basically a matter of preference and price. I hope this helps!

Dear Nava,

I have enjoyed your cookbooks for years as an on-again, off-again vegetarian. I have recently recommitted myself to a vegetarian diet but I have new concerns as my family includes my 3-yr-old son. I just read an article that makes soy seem dangerous for children and people with a risk for heart disease (one of the reasons I chose to be vegetarian is because of my family’s poor health history.) As my son happily consumes as much soymilk as I let him and many other soy products, I wonder how concerned I should be. Is this another faddish health threat based on poor research? Or should I make sure my son avoids soy until he is an adult?

Here’s a link to the article I read: www.slate.com/id/2148758/

I’d appreciate any answer you can give, especially with alternative authoritative sources for health information. Thanks for reading this!

Jenny

I’m not an expert on the soy controversy, but I can share my opinion with you, and refer you to some good resources. Our family of four, which includes myself and my husband, who are not exactly youngsters, and our two teenage sons. As longtime vegetarians, and vegans for the past 4 years, we’ve always enjoyed lots of soyfoods, though I try not to go too crazy with them. I believe in moderation in everything. After reading all that I have about dairy products, I can’t believe that there isn’t a louder, just-as-controversial debate about them as there is about soy! Imagine, we are the only species that drinks milk—and that of another species—after being weaned. But, there is a powerful dairy lobby in this country that keeps this product in our consciousness.

That said, though, there is also a powerful soy lobby that got the USDA to proclaim that soy protein is good for the heart some years ago. I wonder how much study really went into this claim. Plus, there is all that soy protein left over from the production of soybean oil. What to do with this cheap product? Make it into TVP, soy powder for protein shakes, “burger crumbles,” soy sausage, and the like. Most of the soy protein used for these products is not even organic. And these products add even more unnecessary protein into the American diet, even the American vegetarian diet, which already contains too much protein.

Asians have been using tofu and tempeh for centuries, apparently without ill effects. These are pure soy products, made from soy milk, unlike soy protein products, which are highly processed. Personally, I have no qualms having one to two servings daily of products made of soy milk, like tofu, soy milk, or soy yogurt. I limit or avoid soy protein products for my family, though once in a great while it’s fun to have soy hot dogs and the like.

I don’t claim to have the entire answer, but for some very informative articles on the pro-soy side here are some links:

• Do You Have Soy Concerns? by Bryanna Clark Grogan

• What About Soy? by John Robbins

• Response to Anti-Soy Article in Mothering magazine by John Robbins

• Is Soy Safe to Eat?

And for the anti-soy side, all you need to do is google “Sally Fallon” or “Mary Enig” but keep in mind that they are very pro-meat, a point which in itself can be argued endlessly.

As with all controversies, it’s good to get information on both sides, and weigh which seem to be based on solid research, and which on opinion.

Hi!

Our local co-op had a free 1/2 hr lecture last night on kids nutrition. She said she most recently had parents of a two year old come in because the ONLY thing she would eat was Mc Donald’s chicken nuggets and the ONLY thing she would drink was mountain dew! Why would parents give a child mountain dew in the first place. She had many other sad stories about kids with weight issues due to nutrition and lack of exercise.

She did talk briefly about organics where she said to start organics with dairy, meat, and then vegetables. Since the girls and I don’t eat meat and I am trying to cut out dairy, cheese is the only thing left. My question is that after the lecture I walked by briefly to look at the soy cheeses. The prices were so different and all the different choices. Which would you recommend? I have been trying to get sliced rice cheese but they always seem to be out. Is that any good?I am guessing it is if they are always out. I also found out that our co-op gives a 20% discount if you volunteer 8 hrs per month, stocking shelves, whatever.

—Heather

When we were not “pure” vegans yet, my sons really liked Rice Slices for grilled cheese sandwiches. But these have casein in them, a milk protein which allows the cheese to melt better. It’s too bad, as I’d love to have a rice milk-based alternative to cheese once in a while, so we are not doing soy 24/7! If you are not yet vegan and are transitioning, I can almost guarantee that your kids will like Rice Slices.

The brand I use most often is Vegan Gourmet. This is a soft, meltable soy cheese that comes in several varieties. More and more natural foods stores, co-ops,, and even supermarkets have been carrying this brand, as it is truly vegan and tastes pretty cheese-like when melted, such as on pizza, macaroni and cheese, etc. Other brands of truly vegan soy cheese are not as good tasting in my opinion; they have a slightly “beany” taste and don’t melt very well, unlike Vegan Gourmet.

Vegan Gourmet and other non-dairy cheeses are not cheap, as you might have discovered already. But I find that a little goes a long way. Another thing you might like to explore is making cheese-like foods at home from things like raw nuts (if you’re not allergic), silken tofu, beans, etc. A book filled with these kinds of recipes is The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Joanne Stepaniak. I keep meaning to do more of this myself!

Dear Nava, I have not yet converted to veg. but I am investigating and strongly considering it. I want to lose about 20 pounds and keep it off. Will a veg way of eating do that for me? I also want to get the health benefits I believe I could derive from a veg. way of eating. Will your cuisine do that for me?

—Diane

If I could guarantee that my cuisine would help people lose weight and keep it off, I’d be very rich! What you weigh, and what you will potentially weigh, with a change in lifestyle and eating, depends on a number of factors, not the least of which is how much exercise you get. No matter how fancy the theory behind all these diets, I still believe that calories in vs. calories out is still a primary criterion.

There are a number of articles and studies out claiming that, on the whole, vegetarians and vegans are slimmer than nonvegetarians. To quote a new one from the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine:

A scientific review in April’s Nutrition Reviews shows that a vegetarian diet is highly effective for weight loss. Vegetarian populations tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters, and they experience lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other life-threatening conditions linked to overweight and obesity. The new review, compiling data from 87 previous studies, shows the weight-loss effect does not depend on exercise or calorie-counting, and it occurs at a rate of approximately 1 pound per week.

Rates of obesity in the general population are skyrocketing, while in vegetarians, obesity prevalence ranges from 0 percent to 6 percent, note study authors Susan E. Berkow, Ph.D., C.N.S., and Neal D. Barnard, M.D., of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).

Here’s another interesting article on a large-scale study.

One of the theories behind why vegetarians and vegans are slimmer is that the diet is much higher in fiber than the Standard American Diet (SAD!), which is heavy on animal foods and white starches, which have little fiber. High-fiber foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains and whole grain breads, beans, nuts, seeds, and the like, are filling as well as nutrient-dense. One thing vegetarians need to be wary of is a diet too high in dairy foods, which can do the same damage as meat—cheeses, for example, are very high in fat and cholesterol.

I think you are already wise to think of vegetarianism as a Way of Eating rather than as a diet. A way of eating implies a steady lifestyle rather than a weight loss diet, which is, as everyone knows, impossible to stick with over the long haul.

Coupled with a vegetarian way of eating, consider a daily walking program plus doing hand weights 3 times a week, join a gym, or take up yoga. And the book I recommend for people making the transition are Becoming Vegetarian by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina. It’s companion book, Becoming Vegan, is equally valuable, and has an entire chapter on overweight, and how a plant-based diet can help keep the pounds off.

Good Morning, I have Textured Vegetable Protein in the dry form. I’m not sure how to use it, outside of adding it to stews and soups. I want to “Powder” some TVP flakes to make a protein shake for myself, and probably add fresh ground flax.

I’ve not been able to find out how much TVP I should use, in order to have a required portion of protein for one meal. I’d also like to take this TVP to make “Burgers” and “Sausages”. Any recipes for that?

—Ken

For readers who aren’t familiar with TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein), it is a byproduct of the production of soybean oil, granular chunks made of soy flour. TVP is often sold in bulk; it’s dry, pretty bland, and stores in a cool, dry place for a long time.

As you mention, it’s ideal for adding to soups and stews, in which it can absorb the flavors around it and add a kind of “meaty” texture and lots of protein. It’s texture is perfect for any dishes in which you’d use ground beef—in chili, sloppy joes, tacos, burritos burgers, etc.. To reconstitute dry TVP, combine it with boiling water in a heatproof dish, and let stand 10 minutes,1 cup TVP, to 3/4 cup boiling water. But if you are using it in soup or stew, just toss some in and make sure to add a bit more water to make up for that which will be absorbed.

TVP is a highly concentrated form of protein—between 50 and 60 percent protein. It’s a highly processed food, though, and loses many of its original nutrients save for the protein. Sometimes, packaged TVP is fortified (that is, some vitamins and minerals are added back in), but if you buy in bulk, you can’t really tell what you are getting.

From what you are asking, it sounds like you want to powder the TVP somehow and add it to protein shakes. If you do that, you may as well just use soy flour. Either way, it probably won’t taste very good. If you want a high-protein shake that tastes good, perhaps you could consider using silken tofu.

And all this said, I would not consider this an ideal source of protein. TVP is a highly processed product that often comes to us via major corporations that make soybean oil. I don’t even think TVP is organic, and I would be suspect of non-organic soybeans (are they GMO? Heavily sprayed?). Also, it may even contain too much protein. Most Americans eat way too much protein. The body can’t store protein, so it becomes a stress on the kidneys and other organs to get rid of the excess.

Read the entry on TVP in Wikipedia — it scarcely even sounds like food! Even though I’m not a big fan of TVP, you did ask where you can find recipes. A Google search on the phrase “TVP recipes” will yield some good results; and the definitive book on the subject is The TVP Cookbook by Dorothy R. Bates.

Dear Nava,

I’m in somewhat of a jam when it comes to vegetarian eating. I don’t like beans. Never have. I have been known to eat refried beans that have been spiced up to hide the actual bean flavor and texture, somewhat like the canned refried beans for dipping chips in. I will also eat hummus. My kids like peas, chili with beans, and a couple like green beans. I can just barely stand to cook them. How do I find a way to overcome this?

—Anastasia

I remember that when I was pregnant, I couldn’t stand beans; it was mainly the smell (seems like there is a heightened sense of smell during pregnancy!).

Do you actually cook the beans, or do you used canned? Using canned beans (try organic beans, they’re less salty) allows for less handling and also the smell does not permeate your kitchen as much.

If you just can’t stand them, don’t fight it. Try using more soy foods and whole grains like quinoa and brown rice for protein. Continue to use hummus if you like it. Once your kids are old enough, they can volunteer to make chili if they like it. Also, consider lentils, which are incredibly healthy and less “beany,” especially red lentils. Green peas are great, too, and more like a vegetable. Edamame (green soy beans) are very healthy and usually a hit with kids; also less beany.

Don’t fight your natural inclination. Nothing will turn you off more that forcing yourself to eat foods you don’t like. Rather than forcing a change, just go with the flow and one day, things may change for you if you find a couple of dishes you like to eat.

Dear Nava,

Could you please recommend some groups/organizations to get involved in regarding eco friendly/vegetarian stuff? I’d like to join a group that encourages my education and involvement in this area—but only see strange groups like PETA. Can you give us some advice?

—Lisa

One of the best national organizations you can join in EarthSave, which is deeply involved in environmental issues and strongly correlates them with food choices. Browse their site, then see if there is a chapter near you.

Dear Nava, I am having a BBQ for my husband’s gardening club in August. A few of the guests are vegetarian. I am not sure if they are vegans. Is there a polite way to ask? I do need to know as i could use cheese in my salads if they eat dairy. If not, do you have a few suggestions for a main meal idea? Also, is there anything that can be grilled on the BBQ for vegetarians that I could put in a pita with a sauce that I make?

—Sophia

I don’t think your guests would mind a bit if you asked whether they were vegetarian or vegan. In fact, I think they would really appreciate it!

Here are a few things you could grill on the BBQ with your sauce:

• Chunks of seitan
• Tempeh, cut into thick strips
• Extra-firm tofu, very well blotted and cut into large dice or cutlets
• Tofu hot dogs or veggie burgers

However, please make sure not to BBQ them on the same surface that the meat is cooked on. That would be objectionable to both vegetarians and vegans alike. As for the salads, perhaps you can just go ahead and make whatever salad recipe you were planning, but put cheese on the side. Some people avoid cheese for other reasons—too high in fat and cholesterol, dairy intolerant, etc.

Aside from green salads, grain and/or bean salads are great for BBQs as well, such as a cold rice and bean salad with diced veggies and a vinaigrette, or the classic 3-bean salad, dressed up with tomatoes and a good dressing.

Dear Nava, I have almost all of your cookbooks—they are definitely my favorites and have been very helpful over the years as we have transitioned to healthier eating habits. I am currently trying to move away from white to whole wheat flour and an wondering if you have a good recipe for whole wheat challah. Thanks so much.

—Judi

I have a recipe for a kind of half whole wheat challah in my book, Vegetarian Celebrations. You can increase the amount of whole wheat if you’d like, but I would keep some of the unbleached flour in it, otherwise it may have too heavy of a texture. Here’s the recipe:

Challah (Jewish Egg Bread)

Makes 2 loaves

Challah is eaten at many Jewish holidays, but this moist egg bread is a must for Rosh Hashanah. It’s traditional to eat it, not surprisingly, spread with honey. This bread is not usually made with whole wheat, but I have added some to this version for more flavor and body, and it works well.

• 1 1/2 packages active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Egg white for glazing top
• Poppy or sesame seeds for topping

Combine the yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, or until dissolved. Stir in the oil, honey, and another 1 1/2 cups of warm water.

Combine the flours and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the wet mixture and the beaten eggs. Work together, first with a wooden spoon, then with hands. Add additional flour until the dough loses its stickiness.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a floured bowl, cover with a tea towel, and put in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch the dough down and divide into two parts. Divide each part into three parts. Make long strands, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, from each part. Attach three strands at one end by pinching together. Braid the strands and pinch together at the bottom. Place on a lightly floured baking sheet and let rise until doubled in bulk again, about 1 to 1 l/2 hours.

Brush the tops of the braids with egg white and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the loaves feel hollow when tapped. Cool on a rack.

Dear Nava, I have your cookbook The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet and throughly enjoy cooking from it. I have a question however, do you have any recommendations for a good brand of stir-fry sauce? Which have you had the best results with? I’m concerned of course about high-fructose corn syrup as well as the high-sodium levels in many products I’ve seen at grocery stores (including Whole Foods). Any suggestions?

—Grant

I agree with you, it’s really hard to find a low-sodium stir-fry sauce. I generally use what it in the natural foods store, as these don’t have corn syrup, but they are not low-sodium. Your question made me curious about this, so I did a little search. The only thing I found was a natural no-sodium ginger stir-fry sauce. No sodium at all! But I suppose it is always better if you can control the amount of salt or soy sauce yourself. I wish I could order this product, but it has honey in it, which makes it unsuitable for my family’s vegan diet. It’s also a pretty good price. Check it out.

If you are not concerned about honey, this could be a nice find.

Postscript to this reader's question: Grant apparently continued to do some research on his own, and found this line of relatively low-sodium sauces from Nasoya. Sizzling General Gao and Wasabi Ginger, each with less than 200 mgs of sodium per serving, seem like good choices. And they all sound delicious!