iEat Green - Kendra Pierre-Louis

Kendra Pierre-Louis is a senior climate reporter with the Gimlet/Spotify podcast How to Save a Planet. Previously she was a climate reporter with The New York Times and a staff writer for Popular Science (PopSci) where she wrote about science, the environment, and, occasionally, mayonnaise. In addition, her writing has appeared in FiveThirtyEight, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Modern Farmer, and Slate. 

Kendra is also the author of the book, "Green Washed: Why We Can't Buy Our Way to a Green Planet."

Kendra has an S.M (M.S) in Science Writing from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), an M.A. in Sustainable Development with a focus on Policy Analysis and Advocacy from the SIT Graduate Institute, and a B.A. in Economics from Cornell University. 

She's appeared on C-SPAN, and Cheddar, as well as several radio shows including WNYC’s The Takeaway. 

Kendra occasionally hangs out with astronauts, and seriously loves the arctic. When she’s not achieving dramatic feats like living in France without eating butter, Kendra can often be found on Twitter railing against mayo. 

You can join her newsletter to stay up to date on her latest writings.

 

Asian Pumfu Vegetable Bowl

 

1 cake Pumfu, (8oz) cut into cubes- (Similar to tofu, but made from pumpkin seeds and water)

1 onion, cut in half, then sliced into crescent moons 

2-3 carrots, cut into matchsticks        

1 head broccoli, cut into florets

½ red pepper

8 oz baby bello mushrooms, sliced

1 t., plus 1 Tbs. minced ginger, 

1 t., plus 1 Tbs. minced garlic, 

olive oil 

2 Tbs/ Nutritional Yeast

1 t. plus 2 Tbs. tamari (to taste)

1 t. plus 2 Tbs. Aji Mirin

2 Tbs. water

½ cup roasted peanuts

¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro or parsley

Sesame seeds for garnish

2 cups cooked red and brown rice

 

For Sauce

3 Tbs. Tahini

3 Tbs. water

1 Tbs. Aji Mirin

1 Tbs. Tamari

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. minced ginger

 

Lay out Pumfu cubes on dry towel, cover with another towel, and press lightly, to dry.

Cover bottom of cast iron or heavy skillet with oil. When oil is hot, add the Pumfu. Allow the pumfu to develop a golden skin by shaking the pan to prevent sticking, but not stirring until the Pumfu is golden on one side. Then turn Pumfu over and add 1 t. minced garlic and 1 t. minced ginger. Cook for a few more minutes until the other side is golden. Splash 1 t. of Tamari and 1 t. of Aji Mirin on Pumfu, shake well to cover and set aside. 

 

Meanwhile, cover the bottom of a wok with oil. Sauté onions for 1 minute, add carrots, 1 Tbs. ginger and 1 Tbs. garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the broccoli. and red pepper. Add the nutritional yeast, the Tamari and Aji Mirin. Add 2 Tbs. of water, and the peanuts. Stir well, and cook for 2 minutes more. Mix in ¼ of fresh chopped cilantro or parsley

 

Quickly combine all of the sauce ingredients into a mini mixer or blender.

 

Serve in bowl with rice, mixed vegetables and Pumfu. Drizzle sauce over rice and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve with remaining sauce on side.