iEat Green with Bhavani

iEat Green - An Interview with Josh Buswell-Charkow, Executive Director of Green Corps - 11/06/14

This week, on the Progressive Radio Network, I am very excited to be interviewing Josh Buswell-Charkow, the Executive Director of Green Corps, an organization that trains the next generation of environmental and food activists. Green Corps provides training and field support for today’s critical environmental campaigns, and graduates activists who possess the skills, temperament, and commitment to fight and win tomorrow’s environmental battles. Please join me on Thursday, as we learn more about this wonderful non-profit organization.

Madras Ratatouille

2 onions, cut in half, then sliced into crescent moons

3 carrots, cut into bite sized chunks

1 small head broccoli, cut into flowerets

2 Japanese Eggplants, cut into bite size pieces

2 summer squash, cut into small chunks

4 cups chopped greens, (swiss chard, kale, collards, etc.)

3 cups of cut tomatoes

2 cups green beans

1 Tbs. grated ginger

2 Tbs. chopped garlic

Olive oil

1 Tbs. coconut oil

½ t. salt

1 TBs curry powder

½ t. Garam Masala

1 Tbs. chopped cilantro (optional) 

Cover the bottom of a large, heavy, pot with oil. When oil is hot, add onions, and cook until translucent. Add the carrots, eggplant, curry powder, coconut oil, garlic and ginger and continue cooking at med. high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Then add the broccoli, and green beans, and cook for another few minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and chopped greens and cook it down for 5 minutes. Once the greens have cooked down, add the garam masala and cilantro. Let all the tastes come together for 5 minutes. Add more salt if desired.

iEat Green - An Interview with Marla Friedman, Certified Nutritionist and Licensed Health Counselor - 10/30/14

This week, on the Progressive Radio Network, my guest will be Marla Friedman, Certified Nutritionist, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and author of a new book called, Love, Freedom and Wellness: A Guide to Living an Empowered Life. I am excited to share with all of you the work that she has been doing in the areas of Anti-Aging and Regenerative and Functional Medicine in her clinical practice, and how nutrition can play a major part. Please join me on Thursday, at 10 am, for what promises to be an informative interview with Dr. Marla Friedman.

Corn Encrusted Tofu with Black Beans,

Cherry Tomatoes and Peppers

 

Encrusted Tofu

1 Block extra firm tofu, cut 1/4" thick, about 12 pieces

2 cups organic corn flakes, pulsed in food processor into course crumbs

2 Tbs. nutritional yeast

½ t. chili powder

1/2 t. Salt

2 eggs 

Beans, Tomatoes and Peppers

2 cups finely chopped red onion

Olive oil

2 assorted peppers, chopped finely

2 jalapeño peppers, chopped finely

4 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

2 Tbs. Chopped garlic

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 t. Cumin

1 t. Chili powder

1 t. Salt, add more if desired

2 Tbs. White wine 

1. Cut tofu and lay out on clean dish towel. Cover with another dish towel and then lay a cookie sheet on top, with some weights to remove water.

2. Meanwhile, in a heavy sauté pan, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil. When translucent, add the peppers, jalapeños, cumin and chili powder. Add the white wine and cook down for 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and salt. Let the mixture cook down, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the black beans, cilantro and parsley, and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes, while cooking the tofu. Taste mixture, and adjust spices, adding more salt, cumin or chili powder, as desired.

3. In 2 pie plates, mix eggs in one, and the corn flakes with nutritional yeast, chili powder and salt in the other. Dip both sides of the tofu slices into the egg mixture and then the corn flake mixture, until fully coated. In cast iron pan, sauté the tofu slices in olive oil, until golden brown on both sides. You'll need to do it in two rounds. Drain on paper towel to absorb the excess oil, then top with the Tomato-Bean-Pepper mixture, and garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve immediately.

iEat Green - An Interview with Kathleen Flinn - 10/09/14

My guest is Kathleen Flinn, award winning author of, The Sharper your     Knife, the Less You Cry and The Kitchen Counter Cooking School. I’ve asked her on my show so we can celebrate her latest book, which just came out in August, Burnt Toast Makes You Sing, which is a memoir of her years growing up in the mid-west, and an exploration of food and love. Please join me on Thursday, as Kathleen shares with us some of her favorite childhood recipes and stories.

Pear Date Chutney

 

4 cups of diced pears

½ cup pitted dates, chopped

1 Tbs. Lemon juice

1 Tbs. ginger, grated

pinch of salt

2 cinnamon sticks

1 Tbs. Jaggery, (can substitute honey or brown sugar)

1 Tbs. fresh coriander, chopped (aka cilantro)

¼ t. garam masala

 

In a heavy saucepan, combine the pears, dates, cinnamon stick, lemon juice, pinch of salt, ginger and garam masala. Cook for 5 minutes, then cover the saucepan and lower the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes, until the pears are soft, stirring occasionally. When finished, add the fresh coriander and serve either hot, room temperature or cold.

iEat Green - An Interview with Taylor Cocalis Suarez and Dorothy Neagle, Co-Founders of “Good Food Jobs” - 10/02/14

 

This week, my guests on the Progressive Radio Network are Taylor Cocalis Suarez and Dorothy Neagle, the co-founders of the website, “Good Food Jobs”, an online community of people working within the sustainable food movement. After graduating from Cornell University in Hospitality Management, Taylor went on to get her Masters in Food Culture at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Parma, Italy. Dorothy also graduated from Cornell, but found her work in interior design unfulfilling and yearned for the connection to nature that she had growing up on a farm in Kentucky. Together, Taylor and Dorothy have built a community based on the desire to find fulfillment through one’s day-to-day work. Please join me on Thursday, to hear the story behind, “Good Food Jobs!”

iEat Green - 09/24/14

This week, my guest on the Progressive Radio Network is food writer and author, Casey Barber, to talk about her food journey and path to writing Classic Snacks Made from Scratch. In this book, Casey shares 70 recipes, on how make some of your favorite childhood memory “Brand-Name” treats. using real food! What a concept! Please join me on Thursday, as we explore some of these recipes, and the inspiration behind them.

Stuffed Mushrooms

15 Large Mushroom caps, stems removed and chop stems

1 celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

¼ cup chopped red pepper

1 Tbs. chopped garlic

¼ cup butter or olive oil

¼ cup red wine

1 Tb Tamari

½ t. thyme

¼ cup parsley

S & P to taste

½ cup organic bread crumbs

2 Tbs. chopped walnuts

2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese

 

1. Sauté onion in olive oil or butter.
2. When translucent, add celery. After 5 minutes, add garlic and chopped mushroom stems.
3. Add walnuts, parsley and 2 Tbs. red wine. 
4. Add remaining ingredients. Adjust spices to taste.
5. Stuff mushroom caps with filling.

Grease a baking pan or cookie sheet with butter or oil. Pour remaining 2 Tbs. of wine around mushrooms and bake at 375* oven  for 20 minutes                       

iEat Green - An Interview with Gia Giasullo from The Brooklyn Farmacy - 09/18/14

My guest this week on the Progressive Radio Network is Gia Giasullo, a co-owner of the Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain. I stumbled upon this place while exploring Brooklyn, and instantly fell in love! It wasn’t so much about the soda fountain offerings that attracted me, it was the memories it sparked from my childhood, and it seems I am not alone! When Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain opened their doors in 2010, they launched a revival of the Soda Fountain Shoppe to a new generation of foodies, complete with local, seasonal and artisanal ingredients. Please join me on Thursday, as I talk with Gia about The Brooklyn Farmacy and her new book, the Soda Fountain.

Mediterranean Tofu with Eggplant and Tomato

 

Olive oil

1 cake extra firm organic tofu, cut into cubes

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

3 long Asian Eggplants, cut into cubes

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 Tbs chopped garlic

1 t. cumin

¼ t. cinnamon

¼ t. cloves

¼ t. allspice

tamari to taste

water

2 Tbs. chopped parsley

 

1. Lay out tofu cubes on dry towel, cover with another towel, and press lightly, to dry.
2. Meanwhile, toss eggplant cubes with olive oil and bake at 425* for 15 minutes, until soft.
3. Cover bottom of cast iron pan with olive oil. When oil is hot, add the tofu. Allow the tofu to develop a golden skin by shaking the wok to prevent sticking, but not stirring until the tofu is golden on one side.
4. Turn tofu over and add the garlic and onions. Continue cooking at med. high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.  
5. Add the cooked eggplant and spices, and stir for a few minutes, then add the cherry tomatoes,
6. Add a few splashes of tamari to taste and a little water, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Add fresh parsley to garnish

iEat Green - An Interview with Kate Galassi, Co-Founder of Quinciple - 09/11/14

I will be interviewing Kate Galassi, one of the Co-Founders of Quinciple, an on-line farmers market service, bringing boxes of fresh produce to New Yorker’s doors. Kate spent three years foraging for New York City restaurants, and built wonderful relationships with the local farmers growing the food she now delivers. Please join me on Thursday, to learn more about Quinciple, and the work Kate is doing in the city for the local food movement.

Pesto

 

 

4 cups Basil leaves

8 cloves garlic

½ - ¾ cups toasted pine nuts

1 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheese (either one or combination)

1 cup Olive Oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ t. pepper

 

 

In food processor, pulse the basil until finely chopped. Add garlic

 

cloves, salt, pepper and pine nuts. Pulse some more, occasionally

 

scraping down sides to incorporate all of the mixture. When fully

 

pureed, add the parmesan cheese and pulse some more. Finally,

 

while the food processor is on, add the olive oil and blend.

iEat Green - An Interview with Dr. Bob Brinkmann, Professor and Director of the Sustainability Studies Dept. at Hofstra University - 09/04/14

This week, my guest is Bob Brinkmann, Professor and Director of the Sustainability Studies Dept. at Hofstra University, and the Director ofSustainability Research at the National Center for Suburban Studies. I invited Dr. Brinkmann on my show to share with us some of the innovative ways that college campuses are engaging students to take up Sustainability as a major, and the type of real life challenges that the students’ research projects are aiming to solve. I have also had the opportunity to work with Dr. Brinkmann as the liaison between Hofstra University (host of the upcoming 2015 Long Island Food Conference and the 2012 LI Small Farm Summit) and the organizers of the Conference. 

Peach Torte

Preheat oven to 350 °

 Ingredients

¾ cup organic sugar

½ cup unsalted butter

1 cup organic unbleached flour (sifted)

1 tsp. baking soda

Pinch salt

2 organic eggs

1 t. vanilla

10 small peaches, blanched, pitted and sliced

Brown Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the peaches and let boil for 3 minutes, then remove from water and transfer to ice bath. This will make peeling the peaches easier. Then slice them and put in separate bowl.

In electric mixer, cream sugar and butter, until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, and beat.  Add in vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Add dry mix to butter mixture and beat well.

Spoon batter into 10 or 12” tart pan. Place peaches skin-side up on top of batter.  Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice depending on sweetness of fruit.  Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. 

Bake for one hour.  Remove and cool to lukewarm and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.  Refrigerate or Freeze if desired. 

iEatGreen - An Interview with Chef Marc Anthony Bynum - 08/28/14

My guest this week is Chef Marc Anthony Bynum, best known as a champion of the Food Network’s television series Chopped, and as a chef committed to local and sustainable foods. Chef Marc is a native to Long Island, and has worked at some of Long Island’s finest restaurants, before deciding to open his own restaurant in his hometown of Farmingdale. His new restaurant, HUSH Bistro is scheduled to open in the next couple of weeks, highlighting locally grown and sustainably raised ingredients. Please join me in welcoming Chef Marc Bynum to my show.

Corn Encrusted Tofu with Salsa Verde

1 lb Sprouted organic tofu, cut into slices 10 slices

For Egg Dip

(can substitute2 Tbs. ground flax seeds, 1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar and 5 Tbs. water)

2 eggs beaten 

For Corn Crust

2 cups Organic Corn Flakes

2 Tbs. Good Tasting Nutritional Yeast

2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese (optional)

¼ t. salt

¼ t. cumin

½ t. chili powder

Salsa Verde

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cups Tomatillos,

3 Jalapeño Peppers, chopped

1 purple pepper, chopped

1 Anaheim pepper, chopped

2 t. chopped garlic

½ t. cumin

¼ cup chopped cilantro

½ t. organic sugar (optional)

1 t. salt

Juice from ½ lime

1. Roast the tomatillos under the broiler until charred. Turn over and repeat on other side. Pulse roasted tomatillos in food processor until pureed.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, approx. 5 minutes. Add the garlic, peppers and cumin, and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the pureed tomatillos, sugar, cilantro and lime. Let simmer for another 5 minutes.
3. Lay out the tofu on a dish towel, and cover with another dish towel. Press down to remove the water.
4. Crush the corn flakes with your hands, so they are not such big flakes, and put into shallow pie pan. Add the nutritional yeast, Parmesan Cheese, salt, cumin and chili powder and combine well.
5. Beat together eggs in shallow pan (or egg substitute.)
6. Dip the tofu slices into the eggs or flax seed mixture, and then into the corn flake mixture, coating both sides with the flakes.
7. Pour a little olive oil into the bottom of a heavy skillet, and heat until shimmering. Sauté each piece of tofu on both sides until golden brown.
8. Serve immediately, topped with the Salsa Verde and fresh cilantro for garnish
9. Suggestion: Serve with Corn and Tomato Tapenade.

iEat Green - An Interview with Ayla Nereo & Jasmine Saavedro of “Pushing Through The Pavement: A Permaculture Action Tour” - 08/21/14

Tomorrow, on my radio show, I am so excited to introduce to all of you, two women who, along with David Sugalski, (aka The Polish Ambassador,) are setting out to transform the way we think of concerts! Ayla Nereo is a musician, who sings like an angel, and tours with the Polish Ambassador, and Jasmine Saavedro is a permaculture farmer & dancer, and one of the organizers of their upcoming tour. This tour is unlike any they have done  before, because this time, they are using their platform to merge sustainability and celebration, by bringing their fans together to build, grow and plant community gardens, in every city they play in. They are calling it “The Pushing Through the Pavement: A Permaculture Action Tour” where fans can sign up to work with permaculture experts in each city, the day following the concert, and make it all happen. They have started a crowd-funding campaign, and I am thrilled to help them make this a reality, and I hope you will help them too. To find out more information about their Permaculture Action Tour, go to their website by clicking here.