Vegan Nation

How Rachel Klein is lobbying for an organic America.

The Centers for Disease Control, (CDC) estimates that the average life expectancy at birth is 78 years of age, with an increase of three years in just the last decade alone, and a whopping 30 years over the past century. While these statistics might seem impressive, they belie the grimmer numbers of obesity, which continues to reach epidemic proportions here in the United States and around the world. The CDC says that 32 American states report obesity rates of 25% or higher, with six of those states claiming obesity rates of more than 30%. So, it comes as no surprise, that Americans are literally eating themselves to death, or increasing their risk of Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer as a result of their unhealthy lifestyles. No worries. Rachael Klein is on the case, and she’s convincing even some of the greatest culinary offenders, that eating a vegan diet can not only be a palate-pleasing experience, but can literally add years to their lives.

When you first meet Rachel Klein, you can’t help but notice her maturity and drive. At just 24 years of age, she carries herself like a much older adult with an air of confidence, wisdom and experience—especially when it comes to food! A native of Southampton, Bucks County, she graduated from Temple University, with a degree in English. But food was always her passion. Even as a child, her mother, Rene, recalls her wanting to help prepare meals for the family, and taking great pride in their composition and presentation. While many of her friends and family thought she would end up graduating from a traditional culinary school, Klein had a childhood experience that would seal her fate, leading her into a career as a full-fledge vegan chef. “I guess you could say that I loved cooking at an early age. In fact, my mom said that when I was around five, I asked her where food came from and she told me it came primarily from animals. I was horrified, and told her emphatically, that I wouldn’t eat anything that had a face on it,” Klein said.

“That was the beginning of my becoming a vegetarian. At first, I tried to think of the dishes that I liked most, and then figured out a vegetarian substitute. I also took some cooking classes, but I really had to learn how to incorporate natural foods that were locally grown into my diet. Eventually, I started experimenting with recipes that I really liked, and found that I could create wonderful dishes from foods that were not processed or pre-packaged,” she added.

Klein, who last year jumped from being a vegetarian to a full-fledged vegan, is careful about pushing her views on to others. As the owner of a new catering business, Miss Rachel’s Pantry, she hopes her clients simply like the food. “When I cater events for animal rights groups, private parties, or am cooking for clients at their homes, I just want them to like the food. Then, when they ask me why I believe in the vegan movement, I just tell them that I don’t want to eat foods that infringe on the life of animals. I want to eat foods that make me feel good, both in my mind and body,” she added.

Consumers have long recognized that what they eat contributes to a healthy lifestyle. In 1994, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion in an effort to improve Americans’ health and wellbeing. That was also the decade where consumers and food companies, according to Jason English, Research Associate at J.P. Morgan Chase, “were focusing on the absence of evil,” where things like fat and carbs were being eliminated from packaged foods. “This has been a multi-decade trend, where first fat and carbs were cut out, and then on the other side, companies were adding in benefits. An example would be Campbell’s Soup lowering the sodium content of its soups, or General Mills taking out sugar from many of the company’s cereals. But, we’re also seeing them focusing more on “functional foods” to achieve a wide range of health benefits. And companies like Kellogg’s are having great success with products including Kashi and Bare Naked, that add in more good and take out the bad,” said English.

English said that when in comes to the organic, good-for-you segment, consumers are more aware of what they put in their bodies. “People who are vegan or vegetarian embrace the whole, simple food theory and shun overly-processed food. Companies like Hain Celestial embrace this as a business model, and as the mainstream commercialization of organic food drives prices lower, organic consumption will be on the rise.”

Another advocate of healthy eating, Matt Mize, is Supervising Chef at Starr Restaurants and Catering, where he overseas all of the company’s private and corporate events, and was formerly a chef at the Kennedy Center. Mize started his culinary career in the Marine Corps as a cook, then while still in the service, was only one of four people the Marines ever sent to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). After he graduated in 1995, he became the personal chef to the Commander of the Marine Corps at the time, General

Charles Krulak, who by the way cites Mize’s Lasagna as his most favorite dish. And, during his tenure as a Marine Corps cook in 1993 in Somalia, and 1991 in Afghanistan, he often prepared breakfast and dinner for 10,000 to 50,000 service personnel in giant tents, with hundreds of ranges going at any one time. But all the while, he was a stickler about giving his men and women the freshest, tastiest meals possible.

“I am a firm believer in the slow food movement,” said Mize. “Even when I am preparing menus for my clients, I always think of the health component, as well as only use fresh, local seasonal vegetables, and bring them in fresh each and every day, like mushrooms from Kennett Square or tomatoes from New Jersey. I think the trend is catching on that eating fresh, organic food tastes good, and is good for the planet, too. Mize, like Klein, believes that eating healthy, organic food also helps promote togetherness. “I think people want to eat less frou-frou foods and focus on fresh meals that bring their family and friends together,” Mize said. “Some of my favorite things to eat are really very simple—like good comfort food. Often, my wife Jacquie and I cook on the grill, and we love making things like a hearty black bean stew, or a Pad Thai stir fry,” he added.

Some of the ways both Klein and Mize prepare flavorful, vegan dishes is by substituting foods such as Tempeh, a form of Tofu, and Seitan, often called the “wheat meat” for animal-based products. “People generally like heartier dishes, so I use Seitan, for example, to make a wonderful meatless meatloaf, or barbeque chicken, mashed potatoes and collard greens. And, even though a lot of the meals I make are not low calorie, they are very low in saturated fat and cholesterol since they are all plant-based,” Klein said. “Once people realize they can eat the same foods they are used to enjoying, and be vegan at the same time, they become more into eating healthy, and know they can support their local communities at the same time.”

Klein has a loyal and growing client base through her two year-old catering business  (www.missrachelspantry.com), which also does in-home cooking, individually-prepared vegetarian and vegan meals, as well as events for a wide range on for profit and non-profit organizations. She is also writing a vegan cookbook, along with her college friend and local photographer, Sheena Allen called, “Just Like Mom Never Made.”

“I believe when people think more about what they are putting in their mouths, they will come to appreciate the beauty of a diet that is less processed and purchased locally. Most of all, they will feel better, and really enjoy eating the food,” said Klein.

Dava Guerin is Bucks & Montgomery Living Magazine’s People Editor and lives in Washington Crossing.

Sometimes, it’s difficult to find everything you need organic or locally produced. The best thing to do in that situation is to try and incorporate organic/local ingredients with what you have available.

This Risotto-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is perfect for the colder winter months, and is filling and creamy without adding a lot of fat. The trick to making risotto is to slowly add liquids—just a little bit at a time—so they can be quickly absorbed by the rice, which allows for the starches to break down nicely and get creamy. Don’t be overwhelmed by making a meal in three parts! The total cooking time is just over an hour. Save time by preparing your seitan while your squash bakes in the oven.

The most important thing to remember when cooking is that a recipe isn’t perfect for each individual. You are welcome to tweak it to suit your tastes.

Risotto-stuffed Spaghetti Squash

For Two

For the squash:

Two medium-sized spaghetti squash

A few tablespoons of light tasting olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher (or coarse) salt

For the seitan:

2 tablespoons light tasting olive oil

8 ounces of Michael’s Savory Seitan or Ray’s Seitan (both local)

2 teaspoons of agave nectar

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 pinch of salt

For the filling:

¼ cup light tasting olive oil

1 cup of dry Arborio (risotto) rice

1 medium shallot, diced small

1 clove of fresh garlic, minced

½ cup organic soy milk

Approx 5 cups water

1 small Yukon Gold or locally grown potato, peeled and diced

1 small handful shitake mushrooms, sliced

1/3 cup organic button mushrooms, diced

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons salt

As much of the “meat” of the spaghetti squash as you can scoop out

All of the prepared seitan

1. Carefully cut the tops off of each squash, so that you’re removing approximately 2 inches from each, and set aside. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp and discard/compost. Coat the inside of each squash lightly with the olive oil, and wrap individually in aluminum foil. Place on a baking dish, cut side up, and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 minutes, until tender. Let your squash cool, then unwrap and scoop out as much of the meat as you can, while keeping the outer intact.

2. While the squash bakes, rinse and strain your seitan. Heat the oil in a pan, and add your seitan (as-is, or chopped). Let it cook on each side for a minute, then coat in agave, onion, garlic and salt. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, until lightly crisp.

3. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the rice, shallot and garlic, making sure that the rice is coated very well with the oil. Mix for a minute and then add in the soy milk and ½ cup of the water. Mix well, continuously. Next add the potato, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Whenever you see that there’s not much liquid left in the pot, add more water (just enough to almost cover the other ingredients). Continue to mix and add water when necessary for the next 15-20 minutes. The risotto should have about 10 minutes left until it’s tender. Add the squash and mix well—it will break up and form rustic pieces throughout. Add more liquid as necessary and cook the risotto until tender and creamy. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

4. Fill each squash ¾ of the way up with the risotto mixture, then top with the seitan. Enjoy!

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A light yet filling Asian-inspired dinner, packed with protein and freshness!

To make a chewier textured tofu, put the whole packaged block in the freezer overnight. Defrost under hot water for about an hour, then squeeze out any excess water. When the water freezes, it expands in the tofu and completely changes the texture.

Rice Noodles with Peanut Tofu

You’ll need:

1 block of organic, extra firm tofu, drained well

1 package—approximately 15 oz—of Rice Vermicelli (thin rice) noodles

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

½ teaspoon of fresh chopped ginger

¼ cup of chopped scallion – only the lighter, sturdier section—set the leafy sections aside

1 splash organic tamari or organic soy sauce

For the sauce:

2 teaspoons organic tamari or organic soy sauce

2 tablespoons organic creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons store-bought hoisin (plum) sauce

1 teaspoon water

For topping:

1 medium cucumber (organic, if available), seeds removed, sliced thinly with skin on

1 large organic carrot, grated

1 handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Approximately 8 mint leaves, sliced thin

1/4 cup of chopped scallion – only the dark green section

1/3 cup crushed raw peanuts

Lime wedges

1. Open and drain your tofu cube very well. Wrap in paper towels and give it a gentle squeeze. Then chop into small cubes.

2. Prepare the rice noodles according to the directions on the package (typically this means soaking them or boiling for 2-3 minutes), until they are just about soft. Rinse in cold water and set aside.

3. In a large pan over medium heat, add the oil, ginger and scallion and cook for 30 seconds before adding the chopped tofu. Once the tofu is in the pan, mix well to coat and let it lightly pan-fry on each side for 3-5 minutes.  It’s important that the flame isn’t too high, or the tofu will burn before it cooks thoroughly. Next, add the tamari or soy sauce, and let the tofu cook ‘til golden brown.

4. Add the rice noodles to the still hot pan, and mix to coat with the remaining oil and the tofu. Add a few teaspoons of water if you find that the noodles are dry.

5. Mix together the sauce ingredients in a large bowl. If the peanut butter is hard to mix, you may put all of the ingredients in a food processor and mix til smooth.

6. For a fun presentation, serve each person a bowl with the noodles and tofu. Put each of the topping ingredients and the peanut sauce in small bowls or plates so that everyone can make it themselves!

Serves 3-4.

Presto Pesto

A very easy sauce for anything from whole wheat linguine to tomato salad or crisp bruschetta, this pesto combines the creaminess of pureed, raw cashews with fresh, clean herbs.

You’ll need:

1 handful of raw cashews

3/4 cup water

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 large handfuls of fresh basil

¼ cup fresh parsley

¼ cup cilantro

½ garlic clove

Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, puree the raw cashews until they’re very fine (like thick sand). Add the water, lemon juice and olive oil. Puree again. Next add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Your pesto should be a loose consistency: add water, a teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Since the pesto contains raw cashews, it’s extremely perishable and should be refrigerated and used within two days. If you’d like it to last longer, simmer in a sauce pan for 15-20 minutes to cook. This will extend its life up to 4 days.