A book, a movie and success with soy yogurt

We have two more cooks joining our email circle this week----Denise Levesque in Bolton, Massachusetts (a new state for us!) and Shana Groseclose here in Portland (whom I met at Donna's showing of Cowspiracy). Welcome, Denise and Shana! We hope you will join the conversation----send us your thoughts and your favorite recipes. If you have any kitchen questions, there are 129 of us now and I'm sure someone will have an answer.

Here is the last of the recipes from our August picnic in the park----Susan's delicious pasta dish:
Cool Ziti with Eggplant and Tomatoes

Susan posted the recipe herself. Do you all know you can do this? Just log in and follow the steps under "post new recipe". The first time you do this the recipe won't appear right away (I have to confirm that you are a "trusted user") but from there on your recipes should pop right up.

Susan posted 3 more recipes while she was at it-----her Galactic Green Smoothie (I got to taste this and can tell you it is wonderful!) and two ricottas, one made with almonds and one with tofu. See them all under Newest Recipes on our home page:
http://mindfulcooking.org/

Do you remember a couple of times ago when Alison in New Hampshire hit an "all time low" with cooking and put out the word for suggestions on overcoming it? She sent this follow-up soon after and I've been forgetting to share it with you (sorry, Alison!)---
Please thank Lara and all others who have commiserated over my intemperate doldrums for her kind thoughts. And you can let folks know that I bought a book called The Indian Slow Cooker: 50 Healthy, Easy, Authentic Recipes and have started trying them out. Where yogurt is an ingredient, I substitute coconut milk. Fun fun fun! When I want the fastest meal ever, like breakfast, I tend to make a shake using Blue Diamond Almond Milk, Unsweetened, with Garden of Life Raw Organic Meal Chocolate, thickened with a scoop of organic cooked pumpkin. Life is good indeed!
Alison

I'm glad to hear that life is good again, and also glad to hear about a new slow-cooker book-----and that most unusual breakfast!

Both Betsy in California and Susan in Portland have been making soy yogurt. Here is the scoop:
Hi Eve. The non dairy yogurt turned out very well, better than expected. I did use non gmo soy milk (4 cups) simmered and then cooled then added the starter and incubated it for just 12 hours at 108 degrees F. Next time will incubate for 24 hours, same temp. I would say that about 85% was solid and 15% liquid that I just threw on the garden. I had put some chia seeds in before incubating so maybe that helped in keeping it more solid. I used 1 bowl for incubating since I lost track of my old yogurt maker too many moves. The yogurt had a nice tart flavor and both of us were quite happy with it. I will continue exp. with different nut milks and will update you on my progress.
I am so happy about Miyoko's new nut cheese venture! I wish her the very best.
Wish I could be there to see Cowspiracy, I understand that it is quite a good film + good food and discussion afterward I am sure.
betsy

Thanks to Betsy for the vegan yogurt culture. I have used the unflavored/unsweetened Whole Soy & Co. yogurt that is again in Portland stores in small containers only. the first batch came out watery, so I used Miyoko Schinner’s idea of adding 2/3 cup cashews to 1 cup soy milk and processing this in a blender till smooth. Then adding 3 more cups of soy milk, heating slowly to 110 degrees and removing from heat. Quoting from Miyoko’s Artisan Vegan Cheese: Add 3 tablespoons of plain, unsweetened nondairy yogurt [I suppose this is where you’d add the vegan yogurt culture if you had it] and stir till thoroughly combined. Pour into a clean 1-quart glass jar and cover. Let rest in a warm place for 4 to 8 hours, until set and the desired degree of tartness has been achieved. Refrigerate the yogurt; it will thicken even more as it cools.
Adding the cashews worked for me!
I am excited about Miyoko’s new venture and hope to order some “cultured nut product” from her soon.
Susan

Betsy also sent Miyoko Schinner's recipe for Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Cheese. I promise to post that soon!

Last news item----several of us met at Donna's house to watch "Cowspiracy". It's an important film ---highly recommended! It looks at food as an environmental issue and delves into the question of why we hear so little about that. I appreciated that the film is not sensationalized or judgmental but does make it clear that the situation is urgent. I'd love to know what others think. Would someone like to post a review on our website?

Happy cooking,
Eve