by: Christopher Totaro Potage (from Old French pottage, meaning "potted dish") is a category of thick soups, stews, or porridges, in some of which meat and vegetables are boiled together with water until they form into a thick mush. Ingredients 3 tbsp coconut oil 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning 2 small potatoes, chopped 12 small radishes, sliced 4 garlic scapes 2 cloves of garlic, minced 4 stalks rhubarb, chopped 1 handful of fresh dill, chopped 2 cups of simmering vegetable stock 3 tbsp vermouth ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk Directions Heat coconut oil over high heat in a large skillet and simmer broth in a separate saucepan. Add onion and dried spices (pepper flakes, oregano, & lemon-pepper) to skillet. When onions are translucent, add a small amount of the simmering stock just enough to prevent burning. Add potatoes and radishes and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Add in garlic and garlic scapes and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add rhubarb and dill. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, adding broth as necessary to prevent sticking. Return heat to medium-high and add vermouth, continue cooking until the liquid has reduced. In a blender, purée half of the vegetable mixture plus some additional broth and then add back to the pot. Stir in milk until everything is well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
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7/1/2014 0 Comments Dream of a Vegan CaravanI only recently began to venture into the world of vegan food. Previously a proud carnivore, I had ruled out any possibility of being satisfied by vegan options. After many enlightening conversations with my veteran vegan friends however, I realized I might be missing out on a great thing. That great thing materialized when I had my first encounter with vegan cuisine at Caravan of Dreams on 6th Street and 1st Avenue.
Caravan of Dreams invites you in through its unassuming entryway down several steps under a red awning. The crowd on a Wednesday night included couples, friends, and a lively group celebrating a birthday. I was pleasantly surprised to see a man grooving on the piano in the corner of the room, providing live music that still allowed for easy conversation. My friends and I agreed that the eclectic décor looked as if we’d taken a step back in time to the East Village of the 70’s. Our slightly frazzled, but very smiley waiter greeted us and proceeded to answer our many questions about the menu. Patience must be a requirement for the staff at Caravan of Dreams, as the menu has so many options including sandwiches, salads, pastas, dips, appetizers, raw foods, soups, smoothies, juices, coffee drinks, and desserts. Vegan fare always seemed limited and bland, but while perusing the menu I realized that it actually encourages innovative and interesting combinations. Everything sounded like an all too tempting splurge, but I knew the ingredients in each dish had specific health benefits I could appreciate. After much debate over what to order, we decided on chilled avocado and coconut soup, butternut squash soup and the spiced pear & blood orange sangria to start. For entrées we ordered the tri-color pasta in a tomato-cashew cream sauce, the avo-wild greens sandwich and the wild rice and cremini risotto croquettes. Everything was exceptional and left us eager to try the rest of the menu. I could hardly believe that vegan food could be so delicious that it felt indulgent. The oft-forgotten saying “you are what you eat” was owner Angel Moreno’s inspiration for opening Caravan of Dreams in 1991. After moving to New York from Madrid, Angel brought his love for food, health, music and community together to create this unique restaurant in the East Village. The passion and commitment to these values that initially inspired Caravan of Dreams are still evident today, and make it a must-visit for vegans and non-vegans alike. Buen provecho! by: Lisa Shaub Everyone is overjoyed to have a fridge stuffed with gorgeous lettuce and kale. Sometimes when I am cooking however, I do need a pinch of this and a pinch of that, or a key ingredient for a recipe that was not in this week's box. That is why I maintain a tiny fire escape garden for my summer necessities. I grow basil, jalapeño peppers, thyme, cherry tomatoes, and micro greens. It is really easy to create a small garden on your fire escape, if you have one, or on a sunny windowsill. Use as large a pot as safely fits on the fire escape. It must have a hole in the bottom for good drainage, and a small plate underneath to catch the runoff. Use organic soil and fill up the pot halfway. I believe in co-planting, because plants are social and like friends. The friends also help each other by retaining more water and giving each other nutrients. I like to plant a small cherry tomato plant with a basil plant, a thyme plant, and a marigold plant. I do the jalapeño in a separate smaller container. Another medium sized pot can hold your micro greens, which usually include lettuce, kale and arugula. Once you place your plants in the pot, fill it up the rest of the way with organic soil so that the roots are completely covered and only the stems and leaves are visible. Try to water all your plants at least once a day, and twice if the weather is above 85 degrees. If you are more ambitious you can plant a rooftop garden like the one shown at left. Even if you don't have much space, you can still work vertically by hanging pillowcases, or trellising on fences. Now that is what summer is all about! by: Kim Rust Although we have many vegetarian friends in our CSA, I admit to dreaming up meat dishes to pair with my farm-fresh veggies. However, I like to be as careful with the meat I put in my mouth as I am with my CSA veggies. Knowing where my food is from, how it is raised and what it is fed is incredibly important to leading a healthy life. Here are some great meat spots in the East Village for delicious and ethically raised finds: Honest Chops – New to the neighborhood! Location: 319 E. 9th St. (between 1st and 2nd Ave.) Hours: Saturday – Thursday 11AM – 8PM, Friday 2PM – 8PM (but check online, Ramadan is around the corner so hours may shift for most of July) Reservation: Call ahead or email to reserve what you need plus delivery to 3 boroughs Website: http://honestchops.com On the Menu: ABP (not Au Bon Pain, anything but pork) Honest Chops, a Halal meat shop on 9th St., opened just this spring and is a reliable stop for chicken and beef basics as well as creative sausage combos. As a Halal shop, they do not carry pork, but they aim to have nearly every other kind of meat including goat and lamb (coming soon). The shop owners emphasize the importance of the relationship between patrons and their butcher as well as the importance of the relationship between a butcher and his meat. The Honest Chops team treks to Maryland and Pennsylvania to hand pick each animal themselves. They ensure the animals have been humanely treated, and raised without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics. The animals must also be vegetarian fed without genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to get their stamp of approval. Although not certified organic by the USDA, the team meets all of the USDA’s criteria. Honest Chops is a whole animal butcher too so waste is limited and you can often find (or call to request) rare cuts of meat (sweetbreads, anyone?). The cherry on top is their excellent customer service. They will even customize a meat-to-fat ratio for your ground beef order. If you need something particular, just call ahead to request it. DiPaola Turkey Farm Locations: Tompkin’s Square Greenmarket and Union Square Greenmarket Union Market (Ave A & Houston – very select items) Farm Location: Hamilton, NJ Website: http://www.dipaolaturkeyfarm.com On the Menu: Turkey, turkey, and turkey DiPaola is a great stop for turkey - a bird often thought to be a bit more flavorful than chicken. In addition to traditional cuts, they will always have plenty of ground white and dark meat as well as pre-formed burgers and seasoned sausage meat. I keep a small supply of their ground turkey in my freezer, which makes for a great quick, one stop meal if added to quinoa (or any other grain) with loads of veggies. Union Market offers only select products, so be sure to find them at a greenmarket for the biggest selection. B & Y Farms Locations: Tompkin’s Square Greenmarket and Stuyvesant Greenmarket Farm Location: Spencer, NY Website: http://www.byfarms.com On the Menu: Pork, lamb, chicken, and eggs – oh my! B & Y Farms is run by Judy and Allan, a couple who practice intensive rotational grazing on approximately 10 acres of land. Their pigs spend their lives outside in the forest, the chickens in clover pasture, and the sheep are raised on pasture and unsprayed hay. All of the animals are humanely treated. Having tried nearly everything the farm has to offer, I can say their meat never disappoints. Their Moroccan lamb sausage ($15/lb) and pork apple sausage ($14/lb) are great staples to keep on-hand for an easy meal. Their eggs run $5 per dozen and are pastured, free range, and gluten-free fed. Although not available by default, lamb and pork are also available custom USDA butchered. For notice of discounts and weekly updates of what will be at the market, sign up for their mailing list. If you have special needs, like a pork butt for those 4th of July pulled pork sliders, just shoot them an email and they will reserve what you need. Supply can be limited at the Tompkin’s Square Greenmarket so get there early for best picks! Price Comparisons:
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