Archive for February, 2008

Easy Tempeh Sloppy Joes

Published on February 24, 2008 in Uncategorized, food, nutrition and recipes. 0 Comments
Tempeh Sloppy Joe (before things got sloppy)

When I made the list of High Protein Vegan Foods, tempeh stood out as most mysterious. I mean, what is it? The dense speckled brick looks more like a diseased internal organ than food. But in fact, tempeh IS food, and a highly nutritious, protein-rich food at that.

Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans. However, unlike tofu, which is made from soy milk, tempeh is made from whole soybeans, fermented through a natural culturing process that binds the beans into a cake. Because tempeh retains the whole bean, it is higher in protein and fiber than tofu.

Aperture-1.jpg My easy tempeh recipe is an evolution of my Auntie Jo’s sloppy joes, a quintessential American food for sure, traditionally made with ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, and bbq seasoning, then slopped on a bun and eaten with lots of napkins. You don’t need to make this with tempeh - my mom makes hers with MorningStar Farms soy crumbles. I tend to prefer cooking with unadulterated whole ingredients and the tempeh does a nice job of crumbling into the sauce and soaking in the flavors.

The hardest part about this recipe is finding vegan bbq sauce; many sauces contain Worchestershire sauce (i.e. anchovies), honey, and dubious processed ingredients. The only bottled vegan bbq sauce I’m aware of is Annie’s Naturals BBQ Sauce. Of course, you can always make your own, which would make this recipe less easy, but probably much tastier!

Tempeh Sloppy Joes

serves 4

200g tempeh, roughly crumbled
100g bbq sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 can of stewed tomatoes
A dash or two of liquid smoke
salt to taste

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan
  2. Add the onion, celery and green pepper and sauté until tender
  3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes or more (the longer the better, the tempeh will crumble more as it cooks)
  4. Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato and sliced onion (if desired). Or, for a tidier sandwich, stuff it in a pita, or wrap it in a tortilla!

Per serving: 200 Calories (kcal); 9g Total Fat; 11g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate
Per serving (with whole grain bun): 310 Calories; 12g Total Fat; 15g Protein; 41g Carbohydrates

Approximate total cost of preparation, including buns: £6.30 (£1.60 per serving)

Nutrition information derived from the USDA food database.

What the World Eats

Published on February 24, 2008 in food and photos. 0 Comments
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Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55
Family recipe: Potato soup with cabbage
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United States: The Revis family of North Carolina
Food expenditure for one week: $341.98
Favorite foods: spaghetti, potatoes, sesame chicken

I discovered Time’s Photo Essay, “What the World Eats” on Mark’s Daily Apple. I agree with Mark: these photos are a fascinating window into the world’s food cultures:

From a traditional MDA perspective, we were struck by not only what the collective grocery items say about each culture’s diet, but also by the relative cost and what we choose to pay for in each society. Finally, some photos were all too telling with the comparative “volume” of food that feeds each family.

From a not-so-typical MDA stance (if you’ll allow us the liberty), we found ourselves fascinated by this photo essay’s window into the cultural and, well, simply human experience of food – in its traditional significance and regional roots, its healthfulness and indulgence, its necessity and scarcity. It’s a view that is, at once, intimate and universal.

The photos are part of a larger book, Hungry Planet: What the World Eats, by Peter Menzel and Faith D’Alusio.

Crossposted to SmarterFitter.com

WNYC Interview with Patrick Stewart

Published on February 23, 2008 in Personal. 0 Comments

Monica and Jean-Luc, circa early 1990's

Thanks to Tim for sending me this interview with Patrick Stewart on Leonard Lopate’s show. I saw Patrick Stewart in Macbeth a few months ago and was totally floored. No surprise, really: I’ve been a fan of Patrick since Star Trek.

Listen to the whole show here

Bob Mondollo on “Away from Her”

Published on February 23, 2008 in Freelance Writing, Personal and movies. 0 Comments

3E6461A8-0D78-4A91-B44F-F2741D91ECED.jpg My writing teacher asked us to bring in a piece of journalism we like to discuss with the class. I’m sure she meant print journalism, but the first thing I thought of was an NPR film review of “Away from Her” by Bob Mondello.

“Away From Her” is about a husband who watches his wife slowly slip away to Alzheimer’s disease. I’ve not seen the movie, and I probably never will (I seem to suffer an endless attention span for film reviews but little patience for films themselves). However, Bob’s review was so powerful that I don’t need to see the film to feel its effect.

As Fiona withdraws over months and months of visits, Christie’s eyes tell you less and less, until the moment when Grant sees her in a garish sweater he knows she’d never wear. And confronts her: Fiona, I’m your husband, Fiona it’s grant we’ve been married for 45 years. Look at me, Fiona. We had a good life together. Those are your words, Fiona, Not mine. (pause) That is not your sweater.

Fearful and confused, she pulls him into a corridor and looks pleadingly into his eyes: Please, don’t. Please please don’t. You’re very persistent arent’ you. We’ll see you again tomorrow I suppose? And she’s gone again Still there, but gone.

I’m not inclined to write for TV or radio, or watch movies it seems. But the reviews entertain me, and might even teach me a thing or two. In this case, Bob’s commentary adds emotional weight to what is already a powerful clip. I’d like to be able to do that with quotes.

If only I paid as much attention to the rest of the world as I do to film reviews. This is something I need to practice. My writing teacher gave us some tips on how to pay attention to a piece as a writer, but these ideas could just as well be applied to radio, tv, meals, concerts, any life experience:

Ask questions

  • Am I interested?
  • Does the this leave me wanting more?
  • Does the story stimulate my approval? Confirm my opinion? Antagonise me? Why?
  • Does the story ring true?
  • Have I learned anything?
  • Does it make me wonder what’s been left out?
  • Who is this aimed at?
  • Does it achieve its goals?
  • Is the language suitable?
  • Is there an assumption of knowledge?

Try and notice style devices

  • Rhythms
  • Words
  • Phrases
  • Similes and metaphors
  • Puns
  • Repetitions
  • Images

Listen to Bob Mondello’s review of “Away from Her”
Read an interview with Bob Mondello in Seven Days

So much for a swim

Published on February 18, 2008 in Swimming. 0 Comments

After all that wondering, it turns out it’s half term and swim lessons are off for the week. Frankly, I’m a bit relieved.

USDA Order’s Largest Meat Recall EVAH

Published on February 18, 2008 in food. 0 Comments

A California meat company on Sunday issued the largest beef recall in history, 143 million pounds, some of which was used in school lunch programs, Department of Agriculture officials announced.

The recall by the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company, based in Chino, Calif., comes after a widening animal-abuse scandal that started after the Humane Society of the United States distributed an undercover video on Jan. 30 that showed workers kicking sick cows and using forklifts to force them to walk.

The video raised questions about the safety of the meat, because cows that cannot walk, called downer cows, pose an added risk of diseases including mad cow disease. The federal government has banned downer cows from the food supply.

Largest Recall of Ground Beef Is Ordered (via VeggieChic)

Should I exercise with a cold?

Published on February 18, 2008 in Personal, Swimming and fitness. 0 Comments

As mentioned, I have a mild cold. I’m supposed to go to my swim lesson tonight, and I really don’t want to skip it because I already missed last week. Seeking answers, I typed my query on the Goog. Here’s what exercise physiologist Elizabeth Quinn reckons:

The average adult has two to three upper respiratory infections each year. Many athletes wonder if they should continue their training routine when sick. While research is limited, most experts recommend that if your symptoms are above the neck and you have no fever, exercise is probably safe. Intensive exercise should be postponed until a few days after the symptoms have gone away. However, if there are symptoms or signs of the flu, such as fever, extreme tiredness, muscle aches, swollen lymph glands, then at least two weeks should probably be allowed before you resume intensive training.

A small study conducted by Thomas G. Weidner at Ball State University backs up her claim. Researchers infected a group of volunteers with a rhinovirus and divided them into two groups: exercising and non-exercising. The exercising group trained at 70% of their measured heart rate for 40 minutes a day.

At the conclusion of the study, analysis of exercise training data, physical activity profiles, symptom severity scores and actual mucous weight measurement showed no statistically significant difference between the exercising and non-exercising groups.

The authors reiterated a useful model for exercising during a cold. If symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing or a scratchy throat exist (so-called “above-the-neck” symptoms), it is probably safe for an individual to exercise at a lower intensity. If these symptoms recede in the first few minutes of exercise, intensity may be increased accordingly. Exercise is not, however, recommended for individuals experiencing “below-the-neck” symptoms of a cold, such as fever, sore muscles or joints, vomiting or diarrhea, or a productive cough.

I’ll see if I can back up Thomas and Elizabeth’s claims after my swim tonight. I’ve exercised on a cold in the past but this always seemed to make it worse, but it’s quite likely I pushed myself too hard. In fact, I took two very leisurely turns around Clissold Park this morning and it felt terrific; it cleared up my nose and, well, I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day.

Dog walker

My swim is from 7:30-8:15. I am going to have a light meal at 5ish, and then something small after my swim, following which I am going to crawl into bed and try to sleep for a very long time.

Link to Should I exercise with a cold? at About.com
Link to Can you still exercise even with a runny nose? at BlueSuitMom.com

Saturday

Published on February 16, 2008 in photos. 2 Comments

Saturday Brunch

Hackney Empire

Swim Lesson 5: A lesson in not swimming

Published on February 13, 2008 in Personal, Swimming, fitness and running. 2 Comments

I’ll start with the good news: I ran on Sunday for the first time in months. I did two loops of Clissold Park, running solely on grass, and walking over the odd stretch of pavement. It was something like 2 miles.

While the run wasn’t hugely difficult muscularly or cardiovascularly, I could definitely feel it in my joints, especially my knees. But fortunately not my ankle.

This was supposed to be a light jog to get me used to running again, so I was really surprised when I woke up (after a very broken sleep) with very sore legs on Monday morning. I usually like this kind of physical feedback, but instead I immediately thought “Ugh, I don’t want to go to my swim lesson tonight”. All day I had this on my mind, feeling dread at the thought of going, but guilt at the thought of skipping.

Eventually I decided that these mind games were stupid and I should just do what would make me and my body happiest. So I skipped my swimming lesson in favour of rest. That night, I slept 8 hours straight, and went for a swim at the London Fields Lido before work on Tuesday morning. It was only the second time I’ve been to the Lido this year, instead tending towards the closer and newer Clissold Leisure Centre. But the CLC doesn’t beat the Lido in length (50m) or ambience (outdoors, heated). And on Tuesday morning, the Lido was enshrouded in fog, so much fog that I couldn’t see the few brave swimmers around me (unless I looked under water). And after such a good sleep, the swim felt great. My legs were still sore but the swim loosened them up. For those 26 laps (1300m) and 35 minutes, I focussed my thoughts on swimming, breathing, kicking, the task at hand. At the end of it, I felt totally relaxed and wondered why I ever traded this pool for anything else.

This is what swimming is about for me: the relaxation, the quiet, the peace. It’s not fun when I’m swimming back in forth in a crowded pool, thinking more about not bumping into people than on the swim itself. These quiet spots are hard to find in London.

I started with good news, which usually means some bad news to follow. But now that I’m at the end of the story, I realise there is no bad news at all. If anything, it’s that the Lido will become more crowded as the days get longer and the weather gets warmer. Even so, the atmosphere is so completely other from the rest of London that it’s impossible to complain. And more people in the pool is a sign that winter is ending and summer is on it’s way. Good news triumphs again!

The best news of all is that I’m looking forward to swimming again. Tomorrow. In the morning. At the Lido.

“News is something someone wants suppressed”

Published on February 10, 2008 in Freelance Writing, London, Personal, Swimming and fitness. 0 Comments
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My second Freelance Writing assignment was to write a local news story. But what is “news”, anyway? Lord Northcliffe describes it well:

News is something someone wants suppressed. All the rest is advertising.

But there’s more to news than just being, well, new. This is where the “Six W’s” come in. You may have heard of them:

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who
-Rudyard Kipling

All of this should fit into the first sentence of the news story. The rest of the article is just support, and from what I hear, you’re pretty lucky if the reader reads on past the first sentence; might as well give them what they want to know straight away.

What do my readers want to know?

To answer that I needed to pick a publication (a useful requirement for all of our assignments, to get us used to writing for a specific audience). As this was to be a local news story (for local people), I chose the Hackney Gazette.

I decided to answer a question that I hear over and over again in the locker room of the new Clissold Leisure Centre:

“Why is the leisure centre sucking? And what are they going to do about it?”

If news is something someone wants suppressed, then this certainly fits the bill. I considered trying to get this published for real, but in the end ran out of time. In fact, I barely had time to get real quotes and had to rely on the trusty blogosphere for user comments. I did attempt to obtain a quote from the centre’s manager, Paul Whiteman, but was brushed off when I told him that this was for a class assignment and not a real publication (unless this blog counts?).

Maybe I should pursue this for real; there’s an interesting public interest story here. The Clissold Leisure Centre was all over the news when the building, which more than quadrupled in price during construction, shut down after just 2 years due to multiple defects, some causing injury to users. But since it re-opened, no one’s really followed this up. And now here I go giving away an idea, but I’ll take the chance that the commissioning editor of the Guardian isn’t reading this.

I struggled to write this news story because it would work better as a feature, an exposé! But I plowed on, considering a few openers before settling on this one:

Frustrated Hackney residents are not impressed by the £32m Clissold Leisure Centre despite high expectations after it reopened last December.

What do you think? I think it could be better, but will save further effort for the commission.

Read my full article here:
£32m Clissold Leisure Centre falls short of expectations

References:

Other stuff worth noting (for that commission):

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