Meatless Monday has come to Vancouver!

May 13th, 2013 · · Eat Less Meat One comment

For Immediate Release: May 13, 2013

Vancouver to Proclaim June 10, 2013 Meatless Monday

Vancouver is scheduled to become the first Canadian city to endorse Meatless Monday, the growing movement that encourages citizens to eat less meat for the environment and health.  Following a request from the Vancouver Food Policy Council, Mayor Gregor Robertson will sign a Proclamation declaring June 10, 2013 Meatless Monday.  On that day people will be urged to go meatless.

 

“It’s a great start, and an excellent way to bring attention to the environmental and other benefits of being more careful about our meat consumption, ” said Trish Kelly, co-chair of the Food Policy Council.  It’s all part of making our food systems sustainable, she said.

 

The initiative fits with Vancouver’s Greenest City Action Plan, according to the Proclamation, and with environmental goals laid out in the city’s recently-released Food Strategy.  That’s because scientific research increasingly demonstrates that large-scale intensive meat production uses disproportionate amounts of land, water, and feed, adds markedly to climate change, and is a factor in water pollution and food contamination, according to meatlessmonday.com.

 

“While livestock can be good for environments and meat can be good for health,” says Vancouver’s Proclamation, “excessive amounts can harm ecosystems.”

 

The Proclamation adds that programs and policies such as Meatless Monday have educated global citizens to moderate their intake of animal-source foods and choose meat, dairy and seafood that have been produced sustainably.

 

A wartime conservation strategy, Meatless Monday was revived a decade ago as a way of recommending that people cut back on meat for ecology, health, and animal welfare.  Meatless Monday has been endorsed by U.S. cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, DC, by hundreds of school districts and universities in the U.S., and by organizations and food professionals around the world, as listed on meatlessmonday.com.

Organizers of Meatless Monday in Vancouver say the event has widespread support, and will be celebrated with media and community events. Accomplished local chef Andrea Carlson will host a press conference at her recently-opened Main Street restaurant Burdock and Co. A facebook page has been created for the day so that individuals and groups can post how they plan to celebrate Meatless Monday, and find out how to take part.   https://www.facebook.com/events/266505080159862/

 

 

Contacts for interviews:  

Trish Kelly, co-chair, Vancouver Food Policy Council: trishkellyc@gmail.com; 604.879.1386;  Eleanor Boyle, Author: High Steaks: Why and How to Eat Less Meat: eleanorboyle@gmail.com; 604 – 230-2561;  Dave Steele, President, Earthsave Canada: dsteele@earthsave.ca. 604-454-1919

More background information:

vancouverfoodpolicycouncil.ca/meatless-mondays

https://www.facebook.com/events/266505080159862/

meatlessmonday.ca

meatlessmonday.com

 

 

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We love Beans on Toast.

May 1st, 2013 · · Uncategorized No comments

“Whatever are ‘beans on toast’?” asked my editor. “Is that some kind of Canadian dish?”
Okay, I shouldn’t have just thrown that phrase into my article, especially when my editor was Chicago-based. It’s not as if beans on toast is standard North American fare. But when I was a child, we ate it often.
I’m now aware that’s because it’s an English dish that my mother would have learned from her own mother who immigrated to Canada from the West Midlands. As children, we loved this dish. It’s simple and wonderful food.
Lately my husband and I have become a little addicted to our own version of beans on toast.
Our favourites are garbanzos or chick peas. We keep it simple and buy cans of organic legumes, rather than soak and cook them ourselves. Aside from that, all you need are a couple of slices of hearty and nutritious bread for toasting, a couple of teaspoons of olive oil, and a little salt.
There are lots of good recipes out there suggesting additional ingredients. You can add a few herbs or spices or fine-chopped tomatoes or vegetables. Here’s our straightforward version.

Eleanor and Harley’s Beans on Toast

¼ – ½ cup cooked garbanzo beans, drained
2-3 t olive oil
2 slices toast
sprinkle of salt

Crush the beans with a fork, drizzle olive oil and twist a little salt on top.
Toast the bread. When it’s done, drizzle olive oil on the toast, then pile on the beans. Optionally, you can add a little parsley or other herb.
Enjoy!

The web is full of fascinating discussions on the history of this hearty snack. And there are many variations. For a gorgeous photo of black beans on toast with a stunning side salad, see a Chatelaine recipe called Southwestern Beans on Toast: http://www.chatelaine.com/recipe/vegetarian/southwestern-beans-on-toast/

For alternative ‘takes’ on how to pile beans onto toasted bread, here you go:

http://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.ca/2009/09/beans-on-toast.html

http://voices.yahoo.com/baked-beans-toast-so-typically-british-perfect-6392304.html

Thou shalt not put a stumbling block in the path of the blind.

April 25th, 2013 · · Uncategorized No comments

It’s not often you read a verse from the Bible in a food blog. But this is one of my favourites, and it strikes me as relevant to the food business. From Leviticus 19:14, of the Torah or Old Testament, it translates roughly as: “You shall not curse the deaf nor place a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God – I am your Lord.”

The verse states literally that we should refrain from exploiting people’s disabilities to put them in harm’s way. But figuratively it says much more. It implies that we shouldn’t take advantage of people’s youth (or age), their ignorance, their naivete, or any other weakness, personality characteristic, or situation. So it’s wrong to offer wine to an alcoholic, or a fashion magazine to a shopaholic.

I’d been thinking about this Biblical verse when the New York Times Sunday Magazine arrived, the issue of February 24, 2013. On the front cover was a close-up of a human mouth inhaling a potato chip, plus an arresting quote from a former chief scientist for Frito-Lay: “I feel so sorry for the public.” And lower on the page: “Inside the hyperengineered, savagely marketed, addiction-creating battle for American ‘stomach share.’ By Michael Moss.” The magazine article was adapted from Mr. Moss’ new book Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us, and I’ve since been reading it.

“Exploiting the Biology of the Child” is Chapter One. “How Do You Get People to Crave?” is Chapter Two. The book lays out one example after another of processed-food companies’ strategies for consumer addiction. Companies have war rooms, peopled by competitive and aggressive employees whose job it is to hook us. That’s despite the companies’ knowledge that modern food plays a role in obesity and food-related chronic disease.

Food corp executives would probably be offended at the suggestion that they are contravening a Biblical directive. But it seems to me an example of an industry working hard to put stumbling blocks in the path of the blind. It’s wrong to push junk food on overweight people who can’t resist, but that’s what the industry does every day.

Salt, sugar and fat are indeed stumbling blocks, and humans are indeed blind. Because our ancient brains still direct us to obtain as much salt, sugar and fat as possible. That’s one reason we have so much trouble denying ourselves processed food.

But that’s their job. Food companies are supposed to make us want their products, and any legal approach is fair game. Or is it?

Meanwhile, there are more and more small-scale, organic and other food companies determined to provide minimally-processed foods that meet human ‘needs’ rather than creating unhealthy ‘wants.’ Processed-food corps are unlikely to change their ways, but as consumers we can choose.

Let’s speak respectfully of all people, no matter what their food choices.

April 18th, 2013 · · Eat Less Meat, Eating for Ecosystems, Eating for Health 3 comments

A recent food article in my local newspaper repeated an annoying phrase.  Recovering vegetarian.  Not even in quotes, but stated as if it were fact.  The expression was used to describe a young woman who for years did not eat meat but who for various reasons has taken up the steak knife again.

It’s not the first time I’ve heard the expression ‘recovering vegetarian.’  I’m sorry to report I first heard it from food activists.  There are also websites written by people who use it to label themselves. Nevertheless, I’ve never liked the phrase and don’t like it now.

To say it is to suggest that vegetarians have a disorder, and that those who resume eating meat are on the road to becoming normal and healthy again. Or it suggests that vegetarianism is a fad followed by misguided individuals, some of whom thankfully see the light and go back to consuming animal products.

The phrase sounds clever.  But it’s a disrespectful dig at people who make the decision not to eat meat. That decision is courageous and difficult today when most menus and meals are centred on animal products, and when most of the people around us eat flesh food twice a day.  Check out the offerings at almost any restaurant, and you’ll see that avoiding chicken, pork and beef takes commitment. But vegetarians do it because they’ve decided to be kinder to animals, or to the planet, or to their health.  That’s because scientific evidence shows that eating conventional meat in the amounts we do today produces huge amounts of greenhouse gases, water pollution, and deforestation, as well as fueling avian flus, antibiotic resistance, and chronic disease. Whether or not you agree with vegetarians’ specific approach to the problems, their ideals are worthy of regard.

In my work, I encourage people to eat sustainably and compassionately.  And one way they can do that is by consuming a lot less (and better) animal products.  I don’t recommend that people become completely vegetarian, because most people won’t and because avoiding meat altogether is not necessary for the environment or for health.  But those who decide to stop eating meat deserve our respect.  And we can show our respect by not using phrases like ‘recovering vegetarian,’ but rather by speaking kindly of others no matter what their food decisions.  That kind of compassion will probably help us make faster progress toward better food systems.  It’s also the right thing to do.

NDP candidates say sustainable agriculture will be a priority.

April 12th, 2013 · · Eating for Ecosystems, Eating for Health, Food Policy No comments

It’s refreshing to hear politicians talk about policy for sustainable agriculture and healthy food.  That’s what Lana Popham did this past week when she spoke to a community group in North Vancouver.  The provincial NDP Agriculture Critic (and former farmer) outlined a few of the steps the NDP will take if – or when – it forms government in BC after the election in mid-May. Here are some of the points she made:

Lana Popham and Craig Keating speaking about sustainable agriculture and healthy food

(1) An NDP govt would put high priority on agriculture. While Ms. Popham has been ag critic over the last four years, she said there have been four different agriculture ministers, a sort of revolving door in a dept that has been considered relatively unimportant by the governing Liberals.

(2) The NDP would re-name the department — as The Ministry of Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems.  It’s only a name, but words can be powerful. In this case, it suggests an emphasis on ecological production and consumption.  Issues would be addressed under the pillars “Grow B.C., Feed B.C., Buy B.C.”

(3) Local, small-scale producers would be supported, e.g. through ‘extension services’ in which farmers can get help from govt agronomists and other experts.   When she used to farm, said Ms. Popham, and had problems with plant diseases or other challenges, she had the option of phoning a provincial office and having a knowledgeable person come out to her farm to assist.  Much of that service has been disbanded, she said, though it cost little to the taxpayer.

(4) The NDP govt would have a strong policy for institutional purchasing of local and sustainable food. That means that food in B.C. hospitals, for example, would be sourced increasingly from farmers in their regions, creating a more stable market for B.C. agricultural products as well as healthier options to patients.

North Vancouver city councilor Craig Keating introduced Ms. Popham, and also spoke to the issues.  He’s running himself as an NDP candidate in his local riding, and said his personal priorities, and those of his party, emphasize supporting local farmers and healthy food.