Although not one to pontificate - nor tell people how they should be living their lives, I recently ran into something that has completely altered mine. Since I'm on a Spring health-food kick, I cruise the vegan cooking sites, to find recipes that are free of all animal products, since I know it is good for the human body. Then, I went here: http://living-vegan.blogspot.com/
What I saw about the way the animals who are raised for our consumption are treated, changed me. I've always been an advocate of healthy eating, and an animal lover, and I seriously do not know what to do with this information. Reading the famous "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson when I was growing up - subscribing to Organic Gardening Magazine by the time I was sixteen - being a horse groom, a dog groom, a veterinary assistant and life-long animal lover - is all this coming together for a reason? I also firmly believe that cows milk is for baby calves - read "Fit for Life" by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond, and see what I'm talking about.
Can I give up meat, cheese and eggs? I gave up cows milk a very long time ago, but I honestly don't know the answer to that question. I can start by trying, though. So, I found this in the cupboard....
And decided that I was going to stretch that can of beans like a rubber band! After all, I'm trying to eat well, too! I think I will make that famous Israeli street food; felafel, AND some hummus. Today, though - it simply HAD to be the felafel - mainly because I bought some whole-wheat pita bread that I must use up....so the gathering of ingredients went as follows;
Clockwise from left to right...flour pita bread, onion, the garbanzo beans, cumin, ground coriander baking powder, dried pepper flakes, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley and cilantro, and one half an onion.
Now, we put everything except for the flour, baking powder, and a little of the onion into the food processor.
Blitz this until it is well blended...
Now add about 3 Tablespoons of flour, and a half teaspoon of baking powder. (I loosely went by this recipe, but cut it in half, and made some minor modifications).
Now, scoop that mixture into a small bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge while you make the fake tahini sauce...
Why do I make fake tahini sauce? Well, to be honest, I don't use tahini in much, and I'm sure that it would go bad awaiting use. So - easy (and tasty) fix. Take the following...
About 3 Tablespoons water, about 1/4 cup peanut butter, and a Tablespoon and a half of sesame oil, and whip together with a fork until light and fluffy...
It is a great substitute for tahini, and the sesame oil overpowers the taste of the peanut butter!
Get ye some fixin's for your pita bread - because it's almost felafel time!
Now, take your mixture out of the refrigerator (after about 20 to 30 minutes) and, using floured hands, make into little balls, and smoosh (that's the technical term....why yes, yes it is) onto some plastic wrap...
Get some extra-virgin olive oil to medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet, and start shallow frying the felafel's..
Turn and fry on the other side until GB and D. That's right, golden brown and delicious! About 4 minutes per side.
The results?
And....
I popped in some of our fake tahini sauce, and of course, some hot sauce....and absolutely devoured it! It was so good! I don't miss having meat in a sandwich that is this good - and I know I'm saving an animals' life.....and potentially mine, too. This was/is so good, my mouth is watering while I'm writing this post, and as soon as I am done, I'm going to have another one!
Eat well, my friends, and if you get the nerve to watch Gary Yourofsky's mind-blowing video - congratulations. At least we can all go forward making an informed and intelligent decision for ourselves. I don't know what the future holds for my own diet and choices, but I can tell you this....I'm going to try.....for our friends, the animals of our wonderful earth.
Love and kindness to all,
Pixie
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