[Eco] article!

[TVTom]

Here's a good start, especially for vegans who have replaced  cancerous
environmentally-icky cheese with avocados:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/07/18/FDGIJQVG8D1.DTL&type=printable
The Accidental Vegetarian Soups to chill when it sizzles

Amanda Berne <aberne at sfchronicle.com>

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Those of us who live in San Francisco sacrifice warm summer weather to live
in a beautiful city and enjoy mild temperatures the rest of the year. But
that means we might not necessarily yearn for the cold foods the rest of the
country eats to chill out on hot days.

I'm talking about dishes made of ingredients straight from the fridge or
freezer -- no cooking, no toiling around hot stoves, and no time in an
un-air-conditioned apartment. Gazpacho and other cold soups come to mind.

Yet those foods don't need hot days to make them attractive. Earlier this
month I was in Jackson Hole, Wyo., where, despite being in the 90s during
the day, the mountain temperatures cool off in the evening. Even when the
heat dissipates, cold soups are refreshing, light, clean-tasting.

Cold soups make a perfect starter for a light summer meal, or a great snack
to pull out of the fridge and serve by the cupful to visitors stopping by on
a rare sunny weekend.

The best part? No cooking. Many cold soup recipes -- including the famed
gazpacho -- take little more than a whiz in the blender or the wielding of a
knife. Then the mixture just needs time to chill, melding flavors and coming
to the right temperature.

In Spain, where gazpacho is treated more like a pitcher of iced tea and
sipped all day from the fridge, there are many takes on the classic,
including a white gazpacho and a creamier salmorejo, which tends to have
more oil and bread.

Many other countries with hot weather also enjoy cold soups. In Turkey, cold
yogurt soups have a long history and are often made with either cucumbers,
or for a more special occasion, rosebuds. Eastern Europeans prefer bright
fuchsia beet soup chilled when it's hot out.

And in Korea, a cold soup with seaweed and sesame acts as a restorative
tonic for new mothers.

Avocado Soup with Cucumber, Melon & Mint is my California take on cold
soups. Whiz cucumber and avocado in a blender until smooth and make sure to
completely process all of the ingredients for at least 3 to 5 minutes, until
the soup is airy.

There's buttermilk in the soup, which is naturally lower fat than cream, and
has a tanginess similar to yogurt. It's thin enough to be a good base, but
creamy enough to add body to the soup.

For a vegan soup, substitute vegetable stock for the buttermilk, and thin it
out with water.

It's important to check for balance after the soup has been blended and
chilled. Re-taste it, then add salt or lemon juice as needed to brighten the
flavors.

Experiment with different vinegars, perhaps tossing in a spoonful of sherry
vinegar for a deeper flavor.

For an elegant starter, strain the soup, pushing on the solids, and ladle it
around a garnish of melon, cucumber and mint arranged in a low, shallow soup
bowl.

For more impromptu presentation, feel free to not strain the soup and mix in
a few spoonfuls of the garnish. It actually packs up nicely in a water
bottle for a surprisingly transportable picnic dish.

You can also experiment with the basic ingredients, as buttermilk works well
with cucumbers, tomatoes and corn. Adjust the garnish accordingly: melon
plays off the sweetness of the avocado, but lightly fried croutons would be
more appropriate with a soup made of corn or tomato. You can also add cubes
of seared tofu for a boost of protein.

After making the soup, the next step is to get invited to someone's house
where the weather follows traditional summer, as in the East Bay, South Bay
or way up north.

Or wait it out. It may not be hot now, but when the real San Francisco
summer strikes -- October, anyone? -- I'll be sipping this soup while
catching some rays on my fire escape.
------------------------------
Avocado Soup with Cucumber, Melon & Mint

Serves 6

This cold soup can served either strained, with the cucumber and melon
garnish on top, or unstrained, with a few spoonfuls mixed in.

3 cucumbers, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks (unpeeled)

3 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced

1 shallot, chopped

2 cups vegetable stock (or buttermilk)

1 1/2 cups water or light vegetable broth + more to thin the soup as
necessary

2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar

1/2 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped mint

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

For garnish

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1/2 cup diced melon (honeydew or cantaloupe)

1 tablespoon minced mint leaves

Salt to taste

Lemon juice to taste

Instructions: Put the cucumber, avocado, shallot, buttermilk (or vegetable
stock), water, lemon juice, salt, mint and cayenne into a blender. If the
blender is too small, work in batches. Puree the soup for 3 to 4 minutes per
batch, until it is completely smooth. For a smoother soup, strain and put in
the refrigerator and cool until very, very cold, about 1 to 4 hours. It can
also be left unstrained, but it won't be as silky. The soup can be made a
day ahead. Thin the soup as necessary it should be the consistency of thick
pancake batter.

In a small bowl, toss together the cucumber, melon, mint and salt to taste.
For a fancier presentation, use a ring mold to make a small cylinder of
garnish at the bottom. Otherwise, evenly distribute the garnish among the
dishes. Once the soup is chilled, season to taste with more lemon juice and
salt. Ladle the soup around and serve.

Per serving: 245 calories, 7 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 17 g fat (3 g
saturated), 5 mg cholesterol, 640 mg sodium, 7 g fiber.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/18/FDGIJQVG8D1.DTL

This article appeared on page *F - 1* of the San Francisco Chronicle


On 7/26/07, Ginohn <ginohn at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.vegetarian19jul19,0,7931388.story<http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal->
> _______________________________________________
> By Patrice Green July 19, 2007
>
> Temperatures are rising around the world, ice caps are melting, and storms
> are becoming more severe. Even the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding island
> communities are at risk. Death tolls from the increasing heat are also
> rising, according to a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health's
> department of environmental health.
>
> It's time for action. Sensational headlines may leave many people feeling
> overwhelmed about climate change. But global warming can be slowed - and
> many Americans are trying to do just that.
>
> We're getting "greener": Recycling, energy-saving light bulbs and
> fuel-efficient hybrid cars are now a part of our culture and economy.
>
> But most people are neglecting one of the most important steps toward
> stopping global warming: adopting a vegetarian diet.
>
> Americans need to know that what we eat has a huge impact on the
> environment - and changing our diet can make a difference. Animal
> agriculture, a major source of water pollution and deforestation, has become
> one of the biggest culprits in global warming. The Food and Agriculture
> Organization of the United Nations released a report this year showing that
> farmed animals are a top contributor to today's serious environmental
> problems, including greenhouse gases.
>
> The report found that livestock produced 35 percent to 40 percent of all
> methane emissions (which have 23 times the global warming potential of
> carbon dioxide), 65 percent of nitrous oxide (which is 320 times as warming
> as carbon dioxide) and 64 percent of ammonia, which contributes to acid
> rain.
>
> Nearly 30 percent of the Earth's land surface is used for grazing animals,
> and that number is expected to increase with the global livestock sector
> growing faster than any other agricultural subsector. That's because in
> almost every region of the world, consumption of animal products is on the
> rise.
>
> This trend has another disturbing consequence. The global increase in meat
> consumption has caused rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other
> diet-related illnesses to soar.
>
> If we're going to reverse the damage we've done to our health and the
> environment, we have to begin now.
>
> Eliminating or reducing meat and other animal products is easier than most
> people think. I've seen this firsthand among my patients in Baltimore: They
> experience improvements in their weight, blood pressure and cholesterol
> levels after making healthful dietary changes, and they stick with their new
> diet because they enjoy the food and feel better.
>
> It's time to go beyond greening our cars, light bulbs and cleaning
> products. By piling more leafy green vegetables on our plates, we can
> literally green our diets - and reduce environmental damage to the planet.
>
> Studies have shown that people who follow a plant-based diet are slimmer
> and have less risk of chronic, diet-related diseases than people on
> high-fat, meat-based diets. In fact, America could begin to reverse its
> diabetes and obesity epidemics by turning to a high-fiber, low-fat
> vegetarian diet consisting primarily of vegetables and fruits, whole grains,
> and beans, lentils and peas.
>
> Other side effects of a meatless diet include lower cholesterol, lower
> blood pressure and increased energy.
>
> Staying healthy and fighting global warming can go hand in hand.
>
> By greening our diets, we just might be able to save ourselves - and the
> planet.
>
>  Dr. Patrice Green, a primary care physician in Baltimore, is a member of
> the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which promotes
> vegetarianism and alternatives to animal experiments. She may be reached at
> info at pcrm.org.
>
>
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