40 years of Vegetarian /Vegan life
Transforming a decision to choose
On Oct. 28.1970 I arrived in NYC after two months in Cuba. On that day I stopped eating meat. I had eaten mostly pork for those 2 months and for most of my 24 years on the planet. I had many reasons, which informed my decision. I meet some assume black revolutionaries from California who were brilliant, healthy, beautiful, and vegetarians. I wanted to be clear like them. I herd that it took 12 hours to digest meat and I needed that energy to do my political work. I was a seven attacks a day asthmatic. When I clammed El Segundo Frente del Escambray where Che was during the Cuban Revolution, I wondered how Che did it. The Cubans’ had a medical team ready for all of who were sick as we clammed that mountain slowly in the back. At that moment I committed to a life free of asthma and revolution.
I also attribute my vegetarianism to my reaction to coming back to Capitalism. I had a visceral reaction cultural clash. When we got back some folk’s cried non-stop, others went into a deep depression and I stopped eating meat. As you can see I had many good reasons for choosing Vegetarianism. What is important to me is that I stop eating flash cold turkey and since that day in October I have not eaten any meat, eggs or drank milk.
I love the Macrobiotic still of life and healthy seasonal eating. It allows some fish especially in cold weather. It is a challenge for me because I love a will season spicy meal and we need to cut back on the spaces. With acupuncture, herbs, colonics, and Macrobiotics I healed the asthma, allergies, dissolved two ovarian cysts, chemical poisoning and other illnesses course by the consumption of animal products and a polluted environment. However I am still working on letting go of my addiction to Pizza, potato chips, wheat, milk chocolate and night shads which create constipation, incontinence, yeast infection, physical pain and itchiness, of course all these imbalances are all connected. I am choosing powerfully to let go of all my addictions. I begun this summer and I am doing great. This is how I am Celebrating 40 years of Vegetarianism. I am excited every day more and more of a year of Macrobiotics. I cannot wait until next year at this time and the rest of my life.
I invite all of you to join me as I Celebrate 40 years of Vegetarianism Oct 28. 6:30 at my favorite Macrobiotic Restaurant the SOUEN SOHO.
210 Sixth Ave at Prince St, 10014
Tel: 212-807-7421
Monday-Friday 11:30am-10:30pm
Saturday 11am-10:30pm
Sunday 11am-10pm
Veggie Asopao de Gandules con Guineo y Plátano
Bolitas / dumplings de Guineo y Plátano / la Masa
2 Green Bananas and 1 large Green Plantains peeled and Grated
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tsp. crushed garlic
1/2 tsp. Oregano Black Pepper and Salt to taste
To make the peeling of the Banana and Plantains easier put them in hot water for a few minuets.
Mix the Masa and Set aside.
To form the Bolitas / dumplings add 1/2 tablespoon full of Masa to the pot slowly about 15 minutes before the Asopao is done.
Asopao
2 cans gandules
2 quarts Vegetable Broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup diced
½ cup sofrito
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups short-grain rice
½ pound West Indian pumpkin, peeled and diced
1/2 tablespoon salt, or to taste
½ cup olives and capers
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
In a large Caldero / Pot, combine the Rice and Gandules with the stock. Heat until boiling.
While the stock and gandules boil, add the sofrito and cook about 4 more minutes. Add tomato sauce and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the soup has thickened. Add the cilantro just before serving.
To form the Bolitas / dumplings add 1/2 tablespoon full of Masa to the pot slowly about 15 minutes before the Asopao is done.
Asopao is a thick soup - just perfect for a cold day, Enjoy.
The aroma of fresh, homemade sofrito, is intoxicating.
Sofrito is the 'base' for Puerto Rican cooking. Traditionally, sofrito is made by sauteing achiote seeds: ½ cup vegetable oil, add approximately 1 tbsp. annatto seeds and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until the oil turns red. At this point you need to remove the achiote seeds, if the seeds are cooked too high they will turn the oil bitter and you will have to toss both seeds and oil and start again. Once the seeds are removed add the sofrito (defrosted) and bring to a medium-low simmer. The pan will begin to sizzle - cover it. Cook this over low heat for about 10 minutes until mixture begins to thicken. Now add the rest of the ingredients per your recipe. This is how you start any yellow rice, beans, soups, and meats for stuffing pasteles, alcapurrias, etc.
Simple Puerto Rican Sofrito Recipe
1 bunch Cilantro
1 bunch recao
1 head of garlic
3 large onions
1 lb. ajíes dulces
2 cubanese peppers or 2 large bell peppers
2 tbsp. crushed oregano
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cheyenne pepper (optional)
1 cup (extra virgin olive oil)
Prepare the ingredients - peel, wash, seed and coarsely chop, what needs to be and just dump it all in the blender or food processor, in batches. Dump in a bowl and mix well. When making sofrito, make plenty, and freeze it in ice cube trays - once frozen dump into a large freezer bag and freeze (I like to double bag mine and squeeze out as much air as possible). That way you can have a stash in the freezer and only use what you need without any spoilage. Sofrito can be refrigerated up to a week but then must be frozen.
Enjoy!
Adapted from Ivonne Figueroa
