Plant-Based Pittsburgh group encourages home gardening amid pandemic
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As the weather begins to warm, plants begin to grow far and wide, and not just in Western Pennsylvania’s widespread forests.
Gardens throughout the state are beginning to take shape, as gardeners prepare their soil, water seedlings and prepare for another growing season.
In Murrysville, the local branch of Plant-Based Pittsburgh, a community nonprofit dedicated to spreading the benefits of plant-based eating, normally would be meeting at the Murrysville Community Library. The reason they’re not — the coronavirus pandemic — underlines the importance of growing your own food at home, according to Sally Lipsky of Murrysville, who leads the east-suburb meetings.
“In this time when we’re all concerned about being healthy and our immune systems, growing your own food means you know where it’s coming from, you know if you’ve put any pesticides on it, and they tend to be more nutritious because you’re picking them fresh off the plant.”
Studies by Penn State and the University of California have shown nutrient content in fruits and vegetables begins to degrade almost as soon as it is harvested, making a home garden an easy way to boost the amount of vitamins and minerals in your diet.
“Whether you’re growing potatoes, zucchini, whatever, they’re all health-promoting foods,” Lipsky said. “The populations that eat the most plant-based foods — fruits, nuts, legumes — tend to have the least amount of chronic disease, tend to live longer and have a better quality of life.”
Potatoes are a mainstay for Lipsky, who began a deeper exploration of nutrition and its power to help the body while undergoing treatment for late-stage cancer in 2008.
“I love them, especially sweet potatoes,” she said. “Starchy vegetables and complex carbohydrates are a great basis for a meal, because that’s where you’re going to get energy from.”
Group member Susan Greenberg of Murrysville has an outdoor garden with garlic, onions and kale, with tomato seedlings growing in the house awaiting a late-spring planting. She enjoys cooking with Japanese eggplant.
“The one I love most to cook and eat is an eggplant sauté with diced canned tomatoes, fresh spinach, mushrooms, onions and garlic,” she said. “And I tend to add garam masala, an Indian spice blend, to add a lovely aroma and flavor. I usually serve it over a grain, like rice or quinoa.”
Plant-Based Pittsburgh, which normally meets monthly in four different locations in and around the greater Pittsburgh area, recently collected a few simple recipes from its members. For more, see PlantBasedEatingHub.com.
Easy Black Bean Soup
Recipe from Linda Jones
Ingredients:
4 cans blacks beans
1½ boxes low sodium vegetable broth
2 cups store-bought salsa
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
Directions: Drain/rinse two cans of beans and put into blender or food processor. Add third can “as is.” Add remaining ingredients. Blend. Put into pot.
Mash, by hand, the fourth can of beans. Add mashed beans to pot. 3. Heat and serve. Can garnish with cilantro, chopped tomatoes, green onions, or tortilla chips.
Tomato Soup
Recipe from Brittany Jaroudi
Ingredients:
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
½ cup canned white beans, drained/rinsed
1-2 pitted dates
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 small red onion chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
salt/ pepper to taste
optional: top with extra dried basil
Directions: Sauté onions and minced garlic with 1-2 tbsp vegetable broth until onions are translucent.
Add onions and garlic and remaining ingredients to high-speed blender. Blend until well combined.
In pot, bring soup to a boil; simmer 10 minutes. Add salt/pepper to taste. Note: Can also be used as a sauce for pasta or a grain.
Curry Mushroom Delight
Recipe from Susan Greenberg
Ingredients:
1 red onion, sliced
2-4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups any variety of mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cup shredded Swiss chard (can substitute collard greens, kale, or spinach)
1 tsp. curry powder
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Directions: Heat large skillet or saucepan to medium heat. Sauté onion in 2-3 tbsp vegetable broth until wilted. Add more liquid if onions begin to stick.
Add 2 cups broth to pan; sauté mushrooms.
Add minced garlic and Swiss chard; stir to combine. Lower heat to medium low, cover pan, and let vegetables wilt, approximately 5-8 minutes.
Stir in curry and balsamic vinegar. Cover and cook gently on low heat for 5 minutes. If mushrooms aren’t soft, add more time.
Serve over grain of your choice (rice, quinoa, bulgur, etc.)
Mexi-‘Can’
Recipe from Judi Carvell
Ingredients:
Chili powder
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can white hominy
1 can corn
1 can chili-flavored tomatoes
1 can diced green chiles
Green or red onions, chopped
Optional: fresh cilantro and lime juice for garnish
Directions: Rinse the canned ingredients, except for tomatoes and chiles. Mix all ingredients together. Heat or eat cold.
Versatile Cashew Sauce
Recipe from Sally Lipsky
Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews soaked in ½ cup water to soften
½ tsp lemon juice
Optional seasonings: garlic/onion powder; dried or fresh herbs, such as dill, basil, chives, or parsley; salt/pepper.
Directions : Blend cashews with water and lemon juice in high-speed blender until smooth, adding more water as needed. The consistency can be thick (for cheese-like spread), thin (for ranch dressing), or in-between (for pasta sauce).
Sweet Potato, Oats, Berry Muffins
Recipe from Brittany Jaroudi
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked sweet potatoes
1 banana, mashed
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup oat flour or finely ground oats 1 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup frozen fruit chopped medium/small
Directions: Mix ingredients. Place in a muffin pan. Bake 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Easy Chocolate Pudding
Recipe from Brittany Jaroudi
Ingredients:
2 cup cooked sweet potatoes
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1¼ cup plant-based milk (such as almond or soy)
4-6 pitted dates
Directions : Blend ingredients in high-speed blender until smooth. Chill for at least an hour.
Chocolate Berry Smoothie
Recipe from Susan Greenberg
Ingredients:
1 frozen ripe banana
1 cup plant milk
1 cup frozen berries of choice
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
Directions: Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.