Veggie Teens

Why I wrote this book

My name is Elyse and I wrote a cookbook called Veggie Teens: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers. It’s for teenage vegetarians, teenagers hoping to convince their parents to let them try becoming a vegetarian, vegetarians of any age, and anybody else who loves to cook and eat great food.

 

I’ve been a vegetarian for two years now. I decided to write this cookbook for a school project called “Project Imagine.” My dad is a chef and my mom is a doctor so a vegetarian cookbook seemed like the perfect idea. From the moment I started, I knew this would be more than a school project because there had to be thousands of teenagers out there just like me. Just because we don't like to eat animals doesn't mean we don't like to eat!

 

I'd love to hear your comments and ideas - just post them in this blog. You can also buy your own copy of Veggie Teens here: Spiral bound for $17.95 (plus 3-day shipping) or E-book for 12.95 (will be delivered to your email box now)!

Meatless Monday: Blueberry Peach Almond Crisp

Post by Elyse May

Today's Meatless Monday recipe, Blueberry Peach Almond Crisp, is a delicious fall dessert. Try it with apples or pears in place of the peaches, dried cranberries or cherries in place of the blueberries, and pecans in place of almonds. From Veggie Teens: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Almond Topping

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into chunks
1/3 cup oats
3 tablespoons sliced almonds

Blueberry Peach Filling

2 cups ripe peaches, chopped
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
¼ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon powdered ginger

Directions
 
1. To prepare topping, put the flour, brown sugar and salt into a medium bowl and stir with a fork. (Note: Topping can also be made by pulsing in a food processor.)
2. Add chilled butter and press into the mixture with the back of the fork until mixture is coarse
3. Stir in oats and almonds. Set aside.
4. To prepare filling, combine blueberries and peaches with the other filling ingredients.
5. Spoon into four ramekins or custard cups sprayed with cooking spray.
6. Sprinkle topping over the blueberry peach filling.
7. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
8. Serve warm. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Vegetarian diets are safe - even healthy - for kids

Post by Michelle May MD (mom of Veggie Teen)

The critical question that every parent of a veggie teen must ask: "Are vegetarian diets safe for kids?"

The Los Angeles Times published a nice article called Vegetarian Kids that outlines the changing perspective on kids who follow a vegetarian diet. According to the article, "Based on an exhaustive study review, the American Dietetic Assn. concluded in July in a new position statement that as long as vegetarian diets are planned well, they're safe for people at every stage of life..."

Taking it one step further, the artcle reviewed the potential health benefits for vegetarian children.

There are, of course, caveats included in this article that are important to emphasize:

1. A balanced vegetarian diet is more difficult with picky eaters
2. Restrictive eating among adolescents can be a sign of an eating disorder and should be viewed with caution if the behavior accompanies other warning signs (read my post about this issue)
3. Failing to plan carefully can deprive developing brains and bodies of essential nutrients -- notably protein, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium and vitamins D and B-12
4. Just because a meal is technically vegetarian doesn't guarantee that it's good for you.  

Bottom line: Vegetarian diets can be safe, even healthy for kids with proper information, support, and planning.

Culinary Techniques: How to Dice an Onion

Post by Elyse May (aka Veggie Teen) from my book, Veggie Teens: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers.

In addition to hundreds of recipes, there are 21 "Veggie Teens Culinary How To" instructions in Veggie Teens, each with three-step photos. Here is an easy way to dice an onion.

Slice off the top of the onion then peel off the papery skin. Set the onion upright on the root end and hold it firmly with your fingers. Make sure your fingers stay behind the knife blade. 

Make parallel slices in the onion without cutting all the way through (the closer the slices, the smaller the dice will be). Turn the onion ¼ turn and repeat so you end up with a criss-cross pattern in the onion.

Turn the onion on its side and cut thin slices which will fall apart, giving you diced onion.

Meatless Monday: One Pot Vegetarian Southwestern Stew

Post by Elyse May

Today's Meatless Monday recipe, One Pot Vegetarian Southwestern Stew, is great for this busy time of year because it is easy, hearty, and nourishing. Our family eats some version (depending on what we have on hand) of this simple, one-pot meal a couple of times a month. From Veggie Teens: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers.

Serves 4

Ingredients

6 cups vegetable broth
1 medium onion, diced (See Culinary Techniques: How to Dice an Onion)
1 16-ounce can of beans, drained and rinsed (pinto, black, or kidney beans all work well)
1 16-ounce can of corn, undrained
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium yellow squash, diced
1 16-ounce jar of chunky salsa (mild, medium, or hot)
½ cup uncooked instant brown rice
Optional: Cornbread mix, prepared according to package directions

Directions

1. Spray the bottom of a large pot with nonstick cooking spray and sauté the onion until it is translucent.
2. Add broth, beans and corn and bring to a boil on medium high heat.
3. Reduce heat to simmer and add cumin, chili powder, zucchini, yellow squash, salsa and rice.
4. Simmer for 30 minutes.
5. For a simple meal, serve with tortillas or crackers.
6. For a great presentation, simmer for just 15 minutes then transfer to a large casserole dish. Prepare cornbread according to the package directions and spread over the Southwestern Stew and bake as instructed. Serve when the cornbread crust is golden brown.

Veggie Teens part of the Meatless Monday movement

When we started posting our Meatless Monday recipes, we didn't realize we were part of a much larger movement. Turns out there's a great website called Meatless Monday, a non-profit initiative in association with the Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Meatless Monday featured an article called Veggie Teens: A Family Affair which talked about our family's book Veggie Teens: A Cookbook and Guide and Vegetarian Teenagers and this blog. The site also includes great Meatless Monday recipes, an interesting history of Meatless Monday (did you know it started during World War I?), info about why going meatless benefits your health and our planet, and cooking videos.

We love this site and we think you will too. Watch for some of our recipes to be featured on the site in the near future and become part of the Meatless Monday movement!

Meatless Monday Recipe: Broccoli and Almond Salad

Post by Elyse May

Today's Meatless Monday recipe, Broccoli and Almond Salad is from Veggie Teens: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers.

Salad Ingredients:
4 tablespoons dried cranberries
4 cups raw broccoli florets
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
2 tablespoons onions, finely diced (See Culinary Techniques: How to Dice an Onion)

Broccoli Dressing:
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Mix dressing ingredients in a medium sized bowl until creamy.
2. Add salad ingredients to the dressing and stir until well coated.

Meatless Monday Recipe: Summertime Succotash

Post by Chef Owen May

Take advantage of the fresh summer zucchini and corn. For more easy vegetarian recipes for teens, see Veggie Teens Cookbook: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers. 

Ingredients:
½ tablespoon olive oil
2 cups onion, diced (See Culinary Techniques: How to Dice an Onion)
4 cups zucchini, sliced
2 cups corn kernels (fresh, cut from the cob, or canned and drained)
32 ounces tomatoes, canned, diced
16 ounces garbanzo beans, canned 28 ounces vegetable stock
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ cup brown rice, instant
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pan. When hot, add onions and sauté approximately 5 minutes.
2. Add zucchini; cook 5 minutes (if using fresh corn, add when you add zucchini)
3. Add dried herbs and cook 30 seconds.
4. Add tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and vegetable stock (and corn if using canned).
5. Bring to a boil and add rice.
6. Cover and reduce to a simmer and cook until rice is done, approximately 8-10 minutes
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meatless Moday Recipe: Lunch Wrap

Post by Elyse May

This easy recipe is perfect for a cool summer lunch or dinner! For more easy recipes for teens, see Veggie Teens Cookbook: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers. 

Ingredients:

Romaine lettuce
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Red peppers, cut in thin strips
Black olives
White American cheese or cheddar cheese, Tortilla
Italian dressing

Directions:

1. Cut salad ingredients into bite-sized pieces.
2. Toss with salad dressing.
3. Wrap in a tortilla; close with a toothpick if necessary.

Any salad can be wrapped in a tortilla, flat bread, or pita for an easy meatless meal!

What to do when there's a mouse in the house

My week has been full of animals. We have a baby rabbit in our backyard, accompanied by a family of quail. A couple of scorpions and a mouse were sharing our house too. Because I love animals, I asked my dad if we could find a way to catch them without killing them. My dad caught the scorpions in a jar. 

The easiest way to catch the mouse would have been with a mouse trap or a sticky trap but we decide to use a cage instead. We loaded the cage with sweet apricot pits (the kind you buy, not fresh) and the next day the pits were gone--but no mouse. We reloaded
the cage a couple of times with no success. We needed to attach the food to the trigger somehow. We had no idea how to do this until my dad came up with the idea of using peanut butter. It worked! The next day we had him in the cage. 

We released the scorpions and the rodent into the desert. If you have rodent problems, instead of using a trap that will kill the animal, use a cage so you can catch it in and release it back into its natural habitat. 

Meatless Monday Recipe: Cherry Tomato Pasta

Post by Chef Owen May:

Meatless Mondays are a great way to experiment with vegetarian meals without making a major commitment. My daughter Elyse is the only vegetarian in our family but we all eat meatless meals numerous times during the week. (If we're lucky, she's the one who makes them!)

Meatless meals are generally less expensive, often easy to make, may be better for the environment, and are usually healthier. Those are all nice, but if they don't taste great (or worse yet, if they taste "weird"), the rest won't matter because your family won't buy in.

This Meatless Monday series is a weekly recipe for a meatless meal that is inexpensive, simple, healthy, and that your whole family will love. This one is straight out of our book, Veggie Teens Cookbook: A Cookbook and Guide for Vegetarian Teenagers. Bon appétit!

Cherry Tomato Pasta
Serves 4

Ingredients:
8 ounces of whole wheat pasta (any shape)
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved (or two medium tomatoes chopped)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded (see Culinary Techniques)
½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, sauté tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add minced garlic and sauté for about a minute. Be careful not to burn garlic or it will become bitter.
3. Drain pasta and return it to the pot.
4. Toss with tomatoes, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, vinegar and basil.
5. Add the salt and fresh ground pepper or red pepper flakes to taste.

Dr. Michelle May's Notes: The whole wheat pasta, tomatoes and monounsaturated olive oil make this a great dish for even the most health conscious diner. For a little more protein, add grated parmesean or goat cheese.