Vegan cookbook stemmed from author's time cooking for bed-and-breakfast

[Guest guest]

From The Canadian Press

 

Vegetarianism was never just a fleeting trend, and in fact "it is changing and developing," says Laura Matthias, who has been vegan for 20 years.

Vegans refuse to eat all animal-derivative foods, including butter, cheese, eggs and milk.

"There is a whole range of reasons why people are changing their diets," she says. "It is not necessarily that everyone is going to go strictly vegan, but I think people are realizing they need to make fundamental changes in the way they eat."

And the growing trend by Canadians to attempt to eat local "has been significant in bringing the issue to more people who realize that eating lower on the food chain is the healthy way to go these days," she adds.

A field biologist, Matthias, 34, and her seven-year-old son Kinkade now live on Salt Spring Island in B.C. But up until a year ago, she co-owned a farm and a bed-and-breakfast outside Victoria. In that capacity, she did a lot of gardening and cooking for her guests, family and friends and the result is the publication of her first cookbook.

"ExtraVeganZa" (New Society Publishers, 2006) contains plant-based recipes from appetizers to soups, main dishes and baked goods including pies, cookies and cakes.

"They are all recipes that came out of years of cooking and experimenting for others and myself," says Matthias. "A lot of them stem from what is in season and I try to eat seasonally."

Here to enjoy on a chilly night is her recipe for a hearty, creamy vegetable soup.

Parsnip Potato Soup

45 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil

2 onions, diced

2 ml ( 1/2 tsp) nutmeg

5 ml (1 tsp) turmeric

2 ml ( 1/2 tsp) dried thyme

1.375 ml (5 1/2 cups) unpeeled potatoes, cubed

500 ml (2 cups) unpeeled parsnips, cubed

4 ribs celery, thinly sliced

1 apple, cored and cubed

22 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) coarse sea salt

Several dashes ground black pepper

250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine

1 l (4 cups) water

Cilantro, parsley and green onions, for garnish

In a large pot, allow olive oil to warm on medium heat. Add onions, spices, herbs and potatoes, stirring regularly for about 10 minutes, ensuring they do not stick to the bottom of the pot. As potatoes begin to soften, add parsnips, celery, apple, salt, pepper and wine. Allow vegetables to simmer in wine for 5 to 10 minutes, then add water. Cover and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. Blend soup (half at a time) in a blender until a creamy consistency is reached.

Serve bowls of hot soup with a garnish of cilantro, parsley or green onions alongside fresh bread or biscuits.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Peter H

 

Rise to the challenge for Sport Relief with for Good