iEat Green - Guest Steven McFadden -Author- Deep Agroecology: Farms, Food, and Our Future

Independent journalist Steven McFadden has been writing about the Earth, farms, and food for decades. With Trauger Groh, he is coauthor of the first two books on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA): Farms of Tomorrow: Community Supported Farms, Farm Supported Communities (1990) and Farms of Tomorrow Revisited (1998). 

He’s also the author of The Call of the Land: An Agrarian Primer for the 21st Century and Awakening Community Intelligence: CSA Farms as 21st Century Cornerstones.

He is the author of a contemporary epic, nonfiction saga of North America that is freely available online: Odyssey of the 8th Fire (www.8thfire.net). It tells a true story arising from the deepest roots of our land but taking place in the present and the future. In it, circles upon circles, elders of the Americas make a generous giveaway of the teachings they carry.

In the early 1990s, Steven served as director of The Wisdom Conservancy at Merriam Hill Education Center in Greenville, New Hampshire, and as the national coordinator for the annual 1993 Earth Day Celebration. In partnership with the Seventh Generation Fund, Steven helped develop the curriculum and launch the nationwide Council Circles program for community gatherings.

His newest book is Deep Agroecology: Farms, Food, and Our Future

His nonfiction books also include; Profiles in Wisdom: Native Elders Speak About the Earth; Teach Us to Number Our Days; Legend of the Rainbow Warriors; A Primer for Pilgrims; Native Knowings; Tales of the Whirling Rainbow; Classical Considerations

His websites:

DeepAgroecology.net 

ChironCommunications.com 

8thFire.net

 

Vegan Ziti Siciliano with Cashew Ricotta

Preheat oven to 375°

Cashew Ricotta Filling

3 cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours or more

3 cups filtered water

2 Tbs. Nutritional yeast

¼ t. minced garlic

½ t. salt and ¼ t. pepper

 

Fried Eggplant

1 large Italian Eggplant

2 Tbs. flax seed

2 Tbs. water

¼ cup milk alternative

1 cup Bread crumbs (reg. or GF)

1 Tbs. nutritional yeast

1 Tbs. dried oregano

1 Tbs. dried Basil

¼ t. garlic powder

¼ t. salt

1/8 t. black pepper

Olive oil

 

Sauce

1- 32 oz. Jar  Organic Marinara Sauce 

2 Tbs. minced garlic

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried basil

1- 28 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes

1 onion

1 yellow or orange organic pepper 

½ cup white wine

olive oil

¼ cup chopped parsley

 

1 box org. Penne (Whole Wheat, Brown Rice or Quinoa Pasta)

¼ cup chopped parsley for garnish

½ lb. Miyoko’s Cashew Mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions

For Sauce- In heavy saucepan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. When onions are soft, add peppers, and sauté for another 5 minutes.  Add ½ cup white wine, and cook down for 5 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, can of diced tomatoes, oregano, basil and ¼ cup chopped parsley. Let cook for 10 minutes.

 

For Cashew Ricotta

Meanwhile, drain the cashews and pulse in food processor with 3 cups water, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth. Scrape down sides and pulse again. Taste and adjust S & P.

 

For Pasta-

Cook al dente according to directions. Set aside.

For Eggplant- 

Cut off the ends, and partially peel the eggplant. Slice the eggplant into ¼” thick slices, In pie plate or shallow dish, make a mixture of the flax seed and water. Add in the milk alternative, and mix well. In another pie pan or shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs with nutritional yeast and spices, and S & P. Dip both sides of the eggplant slices first into the flax seed mixture and then into the bread crumb mixture. Cover bottom of cast iron pan or heavy skillet with olive oil. Heat oil until it shimmers. Sauté the eggplant slices on medium heat, until golden brown on one side. Turn over and repeat. Drizzle more oil slowly around sides as needed. (Option- You can choose to bake the slices in a 375° oven on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and lightly greased, for 10 minutes on each side instead)

 

Assemble the Ziti

Remove 2 cups of marinara sauce from pot. Cover bottom of casserole pan with 1 cup of sauce. Add the penne to the pot with the remaining sauce and mix well. Add ½ of the penne to the casserole pan. Cover with the fried eggplant slices. Cover with ½ of the cashew ricotta. Add the remaining pasta to the pan. Cover with remaining cashew ricotta, and then the cup of remaining marinara sauce. Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and cover with grated Miyoko’s mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and cook for another 15 minutes, until cheese is melted. Garnish with remaining chopped parsley.