The Food Matters Project: Spicy Tomato Soup with Egg Crumbs

I'll be honest. I'm not the world's biggest curry fan, though I'm certain there's a recipe out there that will sway me. For the time being, though, I'm not keen on adding any extra spices to my pantry if I'm not certain I'll be using them. I've effectively taken the curry out of Mark Bittman's Curried Tomato Soup, but I was really pleased with how it turned out.

First, I sauteed onions in olive oil, then added 1 28 oz. can of whole, peeled tomatoes, 2 small Yukon potatoes, and a couple of chopped carrots. I also added a generous teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, which gave the soup a nice heat. Instead of bothering with stock, just fill up the tomato can about halfway with water and add it to the pot, enough to just cover everything. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, then puree everything in batches in a blender until smooth. For the garnish, add 1 chopped hard boiled egg to a few tablespoons of homemade, toasted breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the soup before serving.

For the original recipe, visit Joanne's blog.

The Food Matters Project: Red Pepper and Walnut Pesto

When I set out to make this week's Food Matters Project recipe, I wasn't ready for the obsession that ensued. In just a matter of hours, I deeply regretted only making enough to last for two days worth of dipping and spreading. This is magical stuff, and almost entirely hands-off, unless you count the few seconds you use your finger to pulse the food processor.



You can find the full recipe for Red Pepper and Walnut Pesto on Heather's website. For my version, I reduced the recipe a bit using just two extra-large red peppers and about 1/4 cup of walnuts (which, as mentioned, I regretted, so consider using more peppers!). When freshly roasted, the peppers will be filled with their own natural oils, so you won't need to add as much olive oil.  After blending it in the food processor, I spread it into a warm pita along with cucumber, avocado, lettuce and feta cheese. It's a spectacularly good lunch, especially when you need something healthy to take to work that will keep you full for several hours. I also recommend sprinkling it with feta cheese and dipping it with crispy pita chips.

Animal Welfare and the Revolution of Meatless Mondays

"Our generation should be able to look back and say we took the side of the vulnerable."

-Paul Shapiro, Humane Society

On November 12th I attended "Ethics and Your Plate," an inspiring seminar at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History sponsored by Go Vegan Santa Barbara and the National Museum of Animals and Society. The speakers brought a range of expertise on matters of animal welfare, factory farms and sustainable agriculture. Fresh off feeling somewhat melancholy that all we seem to be doing is preach to the choir, I left feeling newly inspired about what we can accomplish together to change the food system.

Paul Shapiro from the Humane Society spoke about animal welfare and gave an overview of animal rights in this country. Pets in the U.S. have a certain amount of legal protection, with several states making abuse of animals a punishable crime. Farm animals, on the other hand, have almost no legal protection whatsoever. This makes them vulnerable to a host of unacceptable abuses.

Interestingly, he cited a survey conducted by the American Farm Bureau in Oklahoma where results showed that Americans care deeply about the way the animals they eat are treated during their lives (e.g. 95% said it is important that animals are well cared for; 75% would vote for laws requiring better treatment). Unfortunately, there is a disconnect between the way we feel and how we shop for our meat. The reason? Consumers simply don't know what they're eating and what takes place at factory farms.

Paul, a committed vegan, is interested in "common ground campaigns," or issues that vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike can come together and agree on. He cited 1) banning factory farm practices and 2) reducing the number of animals raised and killed as the two campaigns to pursue to do the most good.

Progress has already been made on many states, but he spent some time recalling the 2008 Prop 2 campaign in California which required animals to have basic human rights including the ability to lie down, turn around and extend their legs. People from all walks of life came together that year to support animal rights. Religious leaders, public health workers, vegans and meat eaters, all believed that our animals deserved better. The proposition passed by a 63% vote, the largest majority than any other state initiative to date.

I was able to speak with Paul after his presentation and he told me that he felt the Meatless Monday campaign is one of the best ways to promote change in our food system. But it can't only be in our individual homes. Meatless Monday needs to take hold at an institutional level, so that means corporate cafeterias, school lunch rooms and restaurants should collectively promote this effort which would ensure that millions of Americans have at least one meat-free day per week, saving approximately 1.4 billion animals per year from a life on factory farms.

I appreciated his optimism and practical application to an overwhelming topic. I immediately felt more confident not only in my own food choices, but in the possibility to significantly reduce the practice of factory farming in this country. Following are a few more facts from the day you may find interesting

• North Carolina is the second largest pig producer in the country, but you could drive through the entire state without seeing a pig due to factory farm practices.


• 1 million animals are slaughtered every hour in the United States; 10 billion are slaughtered each year


• Due to feed and waste automation, the average amount of time a pig experiences human contact per day is 8 seconds