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Matt Suoja Budgeteer News
Published Thursday, July 24, 2008
Jillian Forte, a line cook and a kitchen manager at At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Café, recently crossed over to the dark side (it was the bacon at work that got her back on meat).
But she still cooks up a great vegetarian meal. In fact, the restaurant is well-known for its many vegetarian and vegan offerings.
So, what’s the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan?
“A vegetarian just won’t eat meat,” Forte said. “A vegan won’t eat any meat products or dairy products; some won’t even eat honey because it’s made by a bee.”
There are some semi-vegetarian diets (if they can be called that) that do include fish and/or chicken.
Forte said that between 10 and 15 percent of her customers are vegetarian, but it’s hard to judge who is a vegetarian because the restaurant has many vegetarian dishes.
Even though the vegetarian diet doesn’t include meat, Forte said it’s not difficult to get enough protein in one’s daily meals.
“It takes, like, two or three tablespoons of peanut butter, and that’s all the protein you need for a day,” she said. “They say most people eat too much protein.”
No matter what the diet, it can affect one’s mood.
“I think I did feel better (when I was a vegetarian),” Forte said. “I think I feel more sluggish now.”
Carla Blumberg, one of the owners of the restaurant, is a former vegetarian.
“The only reason I’m not a vegetarian now is because I’m lazy and because I like the taste of meat,” Blumberg said. “It’s not good for me, and I shouldn’t be eating it. It’s too high up on the food chain. It would be better for the planet if we were all vegetarians.”
To possibly make for a better planet, enjoy some of the vegetables in season.
Blumberg said some of the top vegetables around this time of the year are the “leafy stuff” like kale, broccoli, lettuce and maybe cabbage.
Now, on with the recipes.
Bruce’s Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Ingredients:
8 red bell peppers
4 yellow bell peppers
2 cups walnuts
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup Italian parsley
6 cloves garlic
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions: Cut in half and seed bell peppers. Roast in oven or over flame until skin is charred. Place in bowl and cover with tight lid or film to cool. Place walnuts, basil, parsley and garlic in food processor. Remove charred skin from peppers and chop coarsely. Put peppers in food processor. Start blade and slowly add olive oil until emulsified. Serve on pasta or use as pizza sauce.
— Recipe courtesy of At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Café
Shane’s Northern Italian Caponata
Ingredients:
2 red onions, small dice
4 medium carrots, small dice
2 peeled eggplants, small dice
7 to 10 par-boiled Yukon potatoes, small dice
1/2 cup roasted pine nuts
2/3 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons orange zest