Go Green with Vegan Cuisine This Earth Day - Part 1 (Southwest Tempeh Chili Recipe)

nn Commit to Protect and Preserve Earth Day is the perfect day to commit to doing what you can to help preserve and protect our environment. Many do not realize that making changes to your diet is perhaps the most effective way to lighten our footprint on our fragile planet. Those accustomed to eating meat may shy away from some of the facts surrounding the environmental impact of an animal-based diet. The statistics are staggering and challenging to ignore.nnLower Your Impact with a Plant Based Diet A UN report entitled “Livestock’s Long Shadow” indicates that livestock production contributes to more greenhouse gasses than the entire worlds transportation industry combined. That’s a lot of gas! In addition to the global warming angle, there is a convincing case for switching to plant-based foods when you consider the following: The environmental impact of a vegan diet is a fraction of that of a meat-based one. According to Conservation International, the average carbon emissions from an animal product based diet are 11 tons per year per person. The average emissions on a plant-based diet are 6 tons per year. Another interesting tidbit of information is that it takes approximately 3 ½ acres of land and 2500 gallons of water a day to support an animal product based diet. A plant-based diet utilizes only 1/6 of an acre of land and 300 gallons of water a day. According to the USDA, 1 acre of land can produce 20,000 pounds of vegetables. This same amount of land can only produce 165 pounds of meat. While all of this information may be persuasive on an intellectual level, when it comes to our food choices we are dealing with a primal instinct that is not so easy to change. At Vegan Fusion we specialize in helping people who want to include more vegan foods in their diet do so in a gentle and delicious manner. Many of our recipes are designed to replicate the tastes and textures of dishes that contain animal products, so there is never a feeling of deprivation. Here is one of our favorites, from our cookbook, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine:nnSouthwest Tempeh Chili 35 min prep / 25 min cooking / 5-6 servingsn¾ C Onion, choppedn½ C Celery, choppedn1 Tbl minced Garlicn1 tsp Jalapeño pepper, roasted, seeded & mincedn8-12 oz. Tempeh, cut into 1?8” cubesn4 C Filtered water or vegetable stockn14.5 oz. Fire-roasted, crushed tomatoesn1 large Ancho chili, soaked in water until soft, seeded & mincedn2 Tbl Tomato pasten1 Tbl Barley malt syrup, optionaln1½ C cooked & drained kidney or black beans or one 15-ounce cann1 ½ C Corn, fresh or frozenn¾ C Cashews, roasted, no salt, choppedn6 Tbl soy sauce, or to tasten1 Tbl Lime juice, fresh squeezedn1 Tbl Chili powdern1 tsp Cumin powder, toastednPinch Cayenne pepper, or to tasten• Black pepper, ground to tasten• Sea salt, to tasten3-4 drops Liquid smoke (optional)n1½ Tbl Cilantro, mincednn1. Place onion, celery, garlic, jalapeño, tempeh and water or stock in a 3 qt pot and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Add tomatoes, barley malt syrup, and tomato paste and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and corn and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients, remove from heat, mix well and enjoy. Flavor improves over time.nnServing suggestionnGarnish with a small scoop of Vegan Sour Crème (try tofutti brand), additional minced cilantro, and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds. Image by bookgrl & harold.lloyd (was there life before bokeh?) via Flick Mark Reinfeld is the founding chef of the Blossoming Lotus Restaurant. He is the coauthor of Vegan Fusion World Cuisine, winner of 9 national awards. His latest book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Raw coauthored with Jennifer Murray and Bo Rinaldi is available through booksellers everywhere. Please visit www.veganfusion.com for more information.nn nnn