Class focuses on vegan cooking

February 28, 2006

From The Hawk Eye - Iowa Class focuses on vegan cooking By SHAWNA RICHTER srichter Tofu doesn't have a taste, so it can be turned into catsup, mustard, mayonnaise, nacho cheese and even eggs. Three women proved it Sunday afternoon at their vegan cooking class. "The latest food guide no longer has four food groups," said Denise Dowell. "Whole grains take first place. Raw fruits and vegetables are second. And there is only a small amount of daily dairy and even fewer meats.Nutritionists are largely in favor of a vegan diet," she added. "It is high in fiber, vitamins and minerals." Vegan diets can lead to less weight gain and healthier bodies, but switching to a vegan diet shouldn't happen overnight. Dowell suggests adding vegan foods to your diet one at a time, and slowly eliminating the others. (It took her quite a while to adjust to soy

milk.) "We were vegetarian for eight years before deciding to be vegan," added Sandie Howells, another presenter. "We ate spaghetti for three weeks because we didn't know what else to cook." A vegan diet does not include any product derived from animals, such as gelatin. Vegetarians can eat dairy products, and some even eat fish or chicken, but not red meat. As things started, Joy Jackson taught the group to make cashew pimento cheese sauce, which tastes just like nacho cheese. Using water, cashews, silken tofu, brown rice, pimentos and yeast flakes, lemon juice, sea salt and onion and garlic powder, anyone can make nacho cheese, free from all meat products, in a matter of minutes. "Make sure you get real or Celtic sea salt," Jackson said. "Real salt has brown flakes and minerals in it. It is better for your body because it's not 90 percent sodium." That fact would come in handy for cooks Howells and Dowell, who taught the class to make

mustard, mayonnaise, cream of mushroom soup, potato fries and catsup, also using sea salt as an ingredient. As the trio shared their recipes with the group of nine, they also shared bits of wisdom about the vegan diet and the health benefits of some vegan food products. "Tofu is very good for you," Jackson. "It digests very easily and it is pure protein. People don't realize tofu is almost the perfect food. It has the perfect balance of calcium and protein." According to Jackson, the protein in milk binds up with the calcium so a person's bones cannot soak up the calcium they need. Tofu's protein does not bind to the protein as the product is made from soy beans. Flax seed also is a good food product high in omega 3 fatty acids, though the body can't break down the shell unless it is ground up first. Once ground, flax seed can be used on cereal, toast, in eggs and in other products. "You can find flax seed meal," Dowell said. "Some people say to

use fish oil to get omega 3s, but then you also get mercury poisoning." The group also suggested using olive oil or grape oil in and on foods; both are better fats for the body. Other suggested products that can be found in Burlington: Earth Balance butter — it is not genetically modified, Sour Supreme — a tofu sour cream, Tofuti brand cream cheese and Follow Your Heart products. The trio reminded the group that unless the package says, "Vegan," meat products can be used in it. For example, most cheeses contain casein, a tasteless protein precipitated from milk by rennin. According to the trio, casein is made from the worst part of the milk and is a glue–like product. Karen Nickelsen, of Burlington, soaked up every word. "I've been coming to the classes because I want to learn to eat healthier to eat better," she said, adding that she has been slowly adding vegan products to her kitchen. "Everyone should be here." Nickelsen said she's looking

forward to additional classes — she wants to learn more about tofu. The next vegan cooking class will be at 4 p.m. April 2, at 802 S. 14th St. To pre–register, call (319) 572–5977. Peter H

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