Tuesday 30 November 2010

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I love the autumn.  Something really amazing happens to the earth at this time of year: trees burst into brilliant colour (yes, even in London this year), we bring out coats and gloves and become immediately more stylish, and the farmer's markets suddenly become laden with plump and cheerful squashes and pumpkins.  All of these seasonal evolutions remind me that change is more exciting than it is scary.  So I thought this would be an appropriate time of the year to talk about transitioning from meat eating to vegetarianism.

If you are looking to make the leap from omnivore to herbivore, there are a myriad of approaches.  You could start by having three vegetarian days a week, and then add more.  You could turn around one day, and immediately eliminate all animal products from your diet.  You could set a day in the future to be your last meat eating day.  If your diet has been riddled with tons of animal products up to now, throwing them out the door immediately might be a shock for your body.  On the other hand, if you already eat a lot of fresh, wholesome food, an immediate meat-out might feel fantastically freeing. 

Regardless of how you decide to make the change, you are going to encounter some splendiferous benefits, and some causes for concern.  Here are some tips to guide you through the first couple of months:

DO:
  • Learn to cook.  I've said it before, and I meant it.  Don't be scared.  If you can read and follow directions, make slicing motions with a knife, and turn on a burner, you can cook.  Everyone should  cook, obviously, but preparing your own food is particularly important for anyone not eating a standard western diet, because most processed, pre-packaged food is aimed at people who do eat a standard western diet.  So unless you really, really, really like toast, you need to start cooking.
  • Buy a good vegetarian cookbook.  So, you've decided you don't want to eat meat anymore.  You've decided you want to turn over a new leaf both for yourself and for the victims of the meat industry.  You're excited and raring to go, but like many people, you were raised eating a slab of meat with some boiled carrots for dinner   What the face are you supposed to eat?  Enter the glorious and inventive array of vegetarian cookbooks.  Buy a good, all-purpose vegetarian cookbook, and try to make every recipe in it (not all at once.  Well, maybe all at once). To start off with, one all-purpose everyday vegetarian cookbook, one special occasion-oriented cookbook, and one baking book will serve your purposes very well.  I could spend the entire blog recommending books, but for newbie vegetarians I would recommend the Moosewood Collective, (UK), (CAN), Colleen Patrick Goudreau, (UK), (CAN), or Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, (UK), (CAN).
  • Scouts and new vegetarians need to be prepared.  I've never really figured out what Scouts need to be prepared for (some sort of Lord of the Flies situation, I guess?), but new vegetarians need to be prepared for the hostility they will encounter from some awesome geniuses who think it's ok to question other people's food choices.  To deal with people who are trying to convince you that carrots have feelings too, I would recommend my boyfriend's method of ending arguments he doesn't want to have: while the other person is arguing, shut your eyes and emit a high-pitched, child-like squeal until they stop talking.  After a few moments of stunned silence, change the subject to TV.
  • Feed your friends and family.  Your parents might be frustrated, worried about you, or even feel rejected, as you suddenly refuse to eat the food they've been preparing you since you were small.  Your friends might not understand, and might feel that you are getting high and mighty.  Most of my friends and family were very supportive of me, but I know that not everyone is so lucky.  The solution?  Patience and deliciousness.  Cook and bake food for everyone.  They will get off your case once you've made them sweet potato burritos.  Happy tummies do more good than all of the animal rights literature in the world.
  • If you are still living with your parents, help them with the cooking, especially if they haven't cooked a lot of vegetarian meals in the past. 
  •  When people ask you about the change that you've made, be sure to explain it personally.  Saying, "I gave up meat because eating dead animals is wrong and disgusting, and anyone who participates in the meat industry horror show should be ashamed of being culpable in the slaughtering of sentient beings, and will die of obesity-driven heart disease at 45" is being kind of confrontational.  I am by no means recommending that you shy away from giving your real reasons for your change; I think you should be absolutely honest, but people are much more likely to be on your side if you explains things in the context of personal decisions, ie "I really love animals, and I found that for me, eating them didn't feel right anymore," or "I personally feel so healthy and clean now."
  • Research nutrition.  We've talked about this before.  Everyone needs to research his or her health, but now you've got an opportunity to become more informed.  Learn what will need to plan for, in particular, vegans need to start supplementing with vitamin B12.  Researching your health will also set your family's mind at ease.  Once they see that plenty of reputable studies and doctors recommend vegetarianism and veganism, and once you've made them sweet potato burritos, they will really get off your case. 
  • Draw your own line in the sand.  Do I eat/wear red meat, white meat, fish, dairy,eggs, free-range, honey, gelatin, stearic acid, or wool?  There are a million different stances that people take on their diet.  Many veg*ns (vegetarians and vegans) debate constantly about these issues with no real answer in sight.  You have to make up your own mind as to what you think is wrong or right, unhealthy or not a big deal, or a manageable change.  That doesn't mean that other people won't come up with arguments that make sense and help you refine your diet, but ultimately it's your decision.  
  • Learn how to shop.  If you are converting to lacto-ovo vegetarianism and you live in the UK, you don't really have to worry about this one.  Every single truly vegetarian food item in the UK is labelled as such by law.  Amazing!  However, if you live elsewhere, or if you are also giving up dairy and eggs, you may want to learn the names of the different additives in food.  The most significant sneaky dead animal additive is gelatin, which is made from boiled pig fat and horse hooves, and is found in jelly candies and the like.  For vegans, the big ones are casein and whey.  Some people choose to worry about every little additive in their food, and some people take the attitude that these things are the byproducts of the meat industry, not the cause of it.  
  • Get familiar with www.happycow.net. Happy Cow is a very comprehensive website and has many uses, my favourite of which is their database of vegetarian restaurants from around the world.  You'll be amazed at the vegetarian restaurants you can find in Paris, Texas, Dubai, or anywhere else in the world!
  • Feel free to experiment with different meat substitutes.  I don't eat a lot of them now, but meat substitutes are perfect for your transitional phase.  Some are amazing, some are disgusting, and some will simply suffice.  If you ever feel yourself craving a meat dish, trust me, someone somewhere has vegetarianised it.  Example?  Vegan meat cake.  Veggie burgers are great for satisfying meat cravings.  They are familiar, they can be dressed up just like their meat versions, they are easy to find even in the middle of nowhere, and there are a million different versions for you to try.  I've also had good veggie mince, chicken pieces, chicken nuggets, and meatballs.  In fact, I like them much better than the meat versions.  Vegans be warned: some vegetarian meat substitutes contain eggs, so check the label.
  • Focus on what you are gaining, not losing.  Most vegetarians find that they have more options than meat eaters, not less.  There are hundreds of different plant foods to explore.  There are only a handful of different kinds of meat.  When you start cooking vegetarian, you start to think outside of the box, and discover culinary creativity you didn't even know existed.
  •  Have fun!  Seriously, I'm a little envious of new vegetarians.  The world is your artichoke!  When people go vegetarian, they will inevitably try new cuisines, new vegetables, new flavours, new recipes, and new products.  So many people say that they feel cleaner and lighter, and have more energy.  
DON'T:
  • Stress.  If you're met with opposition from friends and family, don't worry about it.  They will come around.  Be patient, and feed them.  Trust me.
  • Expect everyone to jump onboard.  You might have watched Food, Inc, (UK), (CAN), or Earthlings and had an irreversible epiphany, but others might not have the same reaction to new information.  You might have been moved by The China Study, (UK), (CAN), to make a change in your own health, others might be moved to go to Burger King.  Your choices are your choices, you can't force them on anyone else.  Don't bother trying.
  • Assume everyone knows what you can or can't eat.  Right at this very moment, someone's grandmother is trying to convince them that vegetarians can eat chicken, because chicken is fowl, not meat.  Plenty of people still genuinely don't really know what vegetarians/vegans can or can't eat.  If someone else is preparing you a meal, you may have to be very specific about your diet, and don't forget to mention things like chicken stock and gelatin. 
  • Get on your soapbox.  When you first find out what's going on behind closed slaughterhouse doors, you might think that if only you could share this information with the world, you could single-handedly bring peace to our furry and feathered friends.  Cut to you berating everyone you meet with animal rights slogans, UN statistics, and World Health Organisation reports.  Cut to you playing Jenga with your cat on Saturday night.  Educating people is all very well and good, but you might want to wait until they ask.  
  • Try to be perfect.  Vegetarianism is not a perfect science.  Period.  You will never be a perfect vegetarian.  Ever.  Excluding every little tiny bit of animal products from your life isn't the point.  And when you take a bite of something you didn't realise contained meat, you can't beat yourself up about it.  That bite won't be the last bit of animal you accidentally ingest.  Shrug it off and move on. 
  • Don't OD on processed substitutes or cheese.  I know I said earlier to have fun with substitutes, but at the same time, a lot of the pre-made meat/cheese substitutes aren't exactly health food, so don't go too nuts.  On cheese, don't make the mistake of 1970's LO vegetarianism, and substitute the meat you've taken out with a whole buncha cheese.  Eating silly amounts of cheese isn't going to help your health or the dairy cows.
  • Worry about going out for dinner.  Almost everywhere has lacto-ovo vegetarian options, so if you are still eating eggs and dairy, you will nearly always have at least one option on the menu, even at steakhouses.  Vegans, eating out at restaurants that focus on British or French food isn't going to be the easiest, and both vegans and vegetarians will find more options at ethnic restaurants.  But don't that stop you from going to western-style place; restaurants do not exist merely as glorified butchers.  If you don't see options for you on the menu, ask for them!  Restaurants are there to serve their customers.  They aren't there so that we can beg a meal from them and eat whatever they are willing to serve us.
This post seems like a good time to give an update on my own transition from lacto-ovo veggie to vegan. 
I like gradual changes.  When I gave up meat, I cut out red meat for a year before I cut out white meat and fish as well.  Now that I'm giving up eggs, dairy, and honey, I'm taking a year to say goodbye to those things I love the most.  I like slow changes because I think it makes me less likely to feel wistful cravings for the things I've decided not to eat anymore.  I won't be turning around saying to a tub of cookie dough ice cream, "we never even got to say goodbye," because I have every intention of slowly and deliberately saying goodbye to Ben and Jerry's.  Thirteen years ago, on New Years, I gave up meat entirely.  I've set the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve as my cut-off point for eggs and dairy.

I thought at this point I would be dragging my heels, desperately clinging onto some brie, but actually, I'm really excited to make the change.  I think I'm going to feel amazing.  I think I'm going to relieved not to be eating any animal products at all, and I'm looking forward to exploring more vegan food.  I'm already noticing that I've stopped thinking of dairy as a staple food, and as for eggs, giving them up is a non-issue.

I'm also really, really looking forward to those vegan superpowers I heard so much about in Scott Pilgrim vs the World, (UK), (CAN).  Who knew?

Karing Kitchen


Dan Gerou's Meatless Spaghetti Bolognese

This yummy recipe is my boyfriend's culinary pride and joy, and with it's familiar, meaty texture, pretty perfect for your transitional phase.  He is reluctantly letting me borrow it.  I asked him if he wanted to contribute an introduction for the recipe, and his contribution is, "don't mess it up." 

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 carrot, grated
4 mushrooms, chopped
400g of veggie mince*
2 tins tomatoes
1/4 cup red wine
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
pepper to taste

100g spaghetti per person

Heat the oil a frying pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic, saute until onions are golden brown.  Add mince, season with first tsp of salt, mix together.  Add carrot and mushrooms and saute together for a minute or two.  Add two tins of tomatoes and mix together.  Add herbs, remaining salt, pepper, sugar, and red wine.  Bring to a boil, then simmer.  Dan says to simmer for a minimum of an hour, but he's done it for 20 minutes or so before and it's been good.  In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta until al dente.  Plate the spaghetti and top with the sauce.

This recipe makes a large amount of sauce, and will keep well for a few days.

*Choose your favourite veggie mince, but be warned that Quorn contains eggs.  If you are in Canada, Yves Veggie Ground Round is a good option.

    Monday 15 November 2010

    In Defense of Carbs

    We have no idea what to think about carbs.  We're completely baffled by them, even terrified of them.  We know that we like things that are high in carbs, but we're pretty sure we're not supposed to like them.  They're bad for you, right?  They make you fat. We have some idea that there is a difference between starch and sugars, but we're pretty unclear about what the difference means, so just to be safe, we should probably avoid both.  Because they make you fat. 

    Our confusion didn't come out of nowhere.  While the low-carb movement was not actually started by this infamous man, we can put the blame for the popularity of carbophobia squarely on his pudgy shoulders: Dr Robert C. Atkins.  Most of us know all about this diet, but just to recap, Dr Atkins looked around at the widening waistlines of contemporary America, and decided that the reason behind our plumpness, is that we weren't eating enough meat and cheese.  Genius!  He looked around at our inability to turn off the TV, the computer, and the playstation; our obsessive intake of chocolate; Mcdonald's 245 billionth sale of greasy burgers; our massively excessive intake of animal protein, grease, and fat; our continuously effed-up relationship with food and body image; and our overdependence on machines to do everything for us including walking, and decided the problem wasn't the Big Mac, the problem was the bun the Big Mac came on. Ok, I'm exaggerating a little (but only a little).  What he actually decided was that simple carbs, including white flour and sugar, were responsible for the obesity crisis.  Ok, sugar's culpability is something Bob and I can agree on; sugar is a big, fat problem in our society, which I will give a big, fat post all on it's own later on.  But I can't help feel that he was missing something, namely, the burger.  And greasy fries.  And the fatty milkshake.  And the minivan you stuck your arm out of in order to obtain the food.

    Atkins proposed a diet in which the first phase restricts your carbohydrate intake to 20g a day.  To limit your carb intake to only 4% of your diet you must not only out cakes, cookies, and white bread,  you also have to do away with wholemead bread and pasta, potatoes, both white and brown rice, fruit, and most veggies.  Ah yes.  Raspberries and their infamous fattening powers. The final "life maintenance" phase of the Atkins Diet restricts you to 90g of carbs a day.  That's still only 18% of the average diet, and general medical recommendations are to consume no less than half of your calories from carbohydrates.  So what can you eat without restriction on Atkins?  Red meat, chicken, fish, cheese, eggs, mayo, cream and butter.

    Let me repeat that, because you probably thought you misheard me.  To lose weight, you must replace the brown rice and apples in your diet with cream and steak.  Really?  Really?  Are we that stupid, really?

    Yeah, we are.  Atkins died a millionaire.  Proof, if we ever needed it, that people will believe anything you tell them if they think there's a chance it will make them skinny. 

    But carbs make you fat, so who cares, right?  The low-carb movement has a lot of followers, and there is a reason for this loyalty.  When people go on Atkins or the Zone, or any of the similar diets, they tend to lose a lot of weight very quickly, as much as 10lbs a week.  You can see how the diet made the evening news.  The problem is, this weight loss mostly comes from water loss and muscle loss.  Muscle is heavier than fat, but more compact...so if you trade in some muscle for fat, the number on your weigh scale will be lower, but you will look heavier.  And lumpier.  Do we think the lumpy look is coming back anytime soon?  What's more, muscle tissue burns calories even when you are at rest; therefore losing muscle mass means a decrease in your metabolism, which is not exactly condusive to continued and sustainable weight loss.  

    Low carb diets are notorious for being unsustainable.  Know anyone who initially lost a lot of weight on one of these diets?  Maybe.  Know anyone who kept it off for more than a year or two?  Doubtful.  These diets are unsustainable because your body hates them.  Studies have found that these diets cause artery damage,  long-term damage to blood vessels, inflammation that is linked with heart and artery disease, reduce blood vessel dialation (this is a bad thing), and could more that double your risk of certain cancers.  In 2001 the American Heart Association stated that low-carb diets contribute to heart and kidney disease, and that high protein diets are missing certain essential vitamins, nutrients, minerals and fiber.

    The problem isn't just what low-carb diets lack: fiber, fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, and the above mentioned essential vitamins.  Low-carb, high-protein diets also contain too much, well, protein, and we've already discussed the problems with that in the protein blog.  They also contain way too much saturated fat.  The American Heart Association recommends that fat intake in total comprise no more that 35% of your diet, but only 7% of your calories should come from saturated fat.  Eating less than 7% saturated fat is pretty much impossible on a low-carb high protein diet.

    I ran a sample Atkins diet through an nutritional anaylisis tool, and eating this menu would involve consuming 103g of fat (64% of this hypothetical daily menu) and 24.4 grams of saturated fat (27% of the hypothetical daily menu).  I feel greasy and gross just looking at those numbers.  I'll do a seperate post about fat someday soon, but for right now I'll just say that the confusion over saturated fat is driven, not by the general medical reseach community, but by the media and a few rascally instigators.  Saturated fat is just as bad for you as we thought it was in the 90's.

    I know that a lot of people are confused about the difference between good carbohydrates and bad carbohydates, so here's a quick explanation for you.  Carbs are a ideal source of energy for our bodies.  They are more readily converted into glucose than either protein or fat, and sources of complex carbs tend to be high in fiber.  They are divided into two main different kinds:  Complex (good) and Simple (usually bad).  Complex carbs are composed of starches, which are again divided into natural starches, such as some fruits and veggies, beans, legumes, wholemeal bread, potatoes, and whole grains, and refined starches, such as white bread, white pasta, and white rice.  Simple carbs are divided into natural sugars (still good), such as those found in fruits and vegetables, and refined sugars (bad), such as found in, well, sugar, as well as, cakes, cookies, and all kinds of other sugary crap.  Complex carbs are the carb heros, they provide slower, more sustained release of energy.  Refined sugars should comprise of no more than 10% of your diet; your focus should be on the fruits, veggies, beans, potoatoes, wholemeal breads and pastas, and whole grains.

    It's probably no secret that the vegetarian community and the low-carb community are constantly at ends with each other.  Following a diet like Atkins and being vegetarian would be pretty darn difficult, and trying to do it vegan would be pretty darn impossible.  So, while it's true that when you attack carbs, to some extent you attack vegetarianism, I'm not promoting the consumption of carbs to trick anyone into vegetarianism.  Everyone should be eating complex carbs, whether vegan or steakatarian.  Reading stories about diabetics avoiding carbs hurts me deeply, especially when they are one group of people who so desperately need the fiber present in complex carbs.  As long as you are getting at least 10% protein and 10% healthy fat in your diet, you are very unlikely to eat too many complex carbs.  Really. You need to focus on the quality of your carbs rather than the quantity.

    So what makes for high-quality carbohydrates?  Just like in drinking buddies, a lack of refinement is best.  The less stuff done to your carbs, the better.  Think about it: sugar cane is ground, juiced, clarified, evaporated, crystalized, and then refined to removed any remaining molasses and minerals, then evaporated again, and then dried.  Not health food.  The much maligned potato is...plucked from the ground.  And then washed, but even that part is optional.  Generally speaking, the closer the food that you are eating is to the state it's found in nature, the more you can pat yourself on the back for eating it.  What does this mean when it's at home?  Good, unrefined sources of carbs include fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, potatoes, and whole grains.

    Now, those of you who know me well probably assume that I'm going to spend the rest of this post talking about potatoes.  Well, I'm a little tempted.  I love potatoes.  I love them a lot.  But no, I think there is another group about the deserves more attention right now.  The mysterious whole grain.  I say mysterious because I think that a lot of people don't really know what to with whole grains, and sometimes don't even know what they are.  I'm not saying this to make anyone feel stupid; whole grains simply aren't talked about enough in the media, which is unfortunely the main source of nutritional information for most of us.  I mentioned wholegrain pasta and bread above, and while I do think these foods are nutritious sources of complex carbs, I really think that wholegrains should have a higher place in our diets than any flour product, which are always more refined than the humble grain.

    Here are some grains with super-amazing nutritive powers of complex carbozation.  Most of this info is borrowed from Alex Jamieson's The Great American Detox Diet, (UK), (Can).

    Barley:  Not only fun to make Brits pronounce, this high-fiber grain has been traditionally used to support the gallbladder, digestive system, and nervous system.  Barley also prevents dietary cholesterol absorption, which is something those Atkins diet followers could sure use.

    Buckwheat (gluten-free):  Known around Eastern European parts as kasha, buckwheat is a complete protein, neutralizes toxic acidic wastes in the blood (I'm not really sure what this means, but it definitely sounds like a good thing), improves circulation and kidney function, and is high in calcium and vitamins B and E.

    Millet (gluten-free):  If you attended Brownies or Boy Scouts, this grain might sound familiar.  Possibly you earned your bird-feeding badge by filling a bird feeder with this stuff.  Good for the birds.  Millet is high in protein, iron, lecithin and choline, and is once again good for keeping cholesterol down.

    Oats (not technically gluten-free but most people with gluten sensitivity can handle them):  Oats are not only comfortably familiar, they are high in fibre, used to stabilize blood sugar levels, high in protein, lower cholesterol, and according to Jamieson, improve stress resistance.  Whatever that means.

    Quinoa (gluten-free):  Quinoa is so trendy right now, you can't look at a hippie menu without running into it.  But who's complaining?  This sacred grain of the Incas is a complete protein, a good source of iron, B3 and B6 vitamins, and phosphorus.  It's also kidney supportive, and just darn cute.

    Brown rice (gluten-free):  Switch from white rice to brown rice and in a few months you will see the obvious superiority of nutty, chewy brown rice, not just nutritionally, but gastronomically.  Brown rice is simply more flavourful and has a more pleasing texture.  I hear you groaning that it has to be cooked more than double the time of white rice, which is true, but it's worth the wait.  Brown rice is packed full of protein, lysine, fibre, vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, copper, folate, and iron.

    Wild rice (gluten-free):  Wild rice not only gave it's name to the Southern Ontario lake I grew up nearby, it is also rich in protein, vitamin B3, calcium and potassium.  It does tend to be very expensive, so you may want to mix it in with other, cheaper rices.

    Other grains worth getting to know are cornmeal, kamut, rye, spelt, amaranth, sorghum, and teeny-tiny teff.  Preparing these grains and fitting them into your diet is easy-peasy.  A general method is to combine one part grain with one to two parts water or vegetable stock, a dash of salt, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot and simmer until ready.  The cooking time varies from the quick cooking quinoa, to slow cooking brown rice, so check the package.  Grains can be used in salads, pilafs, as the base for curries and stir-fries, porridge, or mixed with nuts, herbs, and dried fruit for a side dish.  Remember that grain has been at the base of many cultures for years.  Asian countries are fanatical about their rice, South American countries love their corn and quinoa, Ethiopian runners blow Westerners away fueled by teff, and Italians fight off heart disease with pasta and polenta.  And we too used to reap the benefits of barley and oats until we decided to kick our own asses and replace grain with meat and fast food. 

    Dr. Atkins liked to broadcast his own good health as a promotion for his diet.  However, at the age of 72, he died after injuring his head, apparently falling after slipping on a patch of ice.  Through some morally questionable actions of a fellow doctor, his medical examiner's notes were released to the public.  Ethics of this relase aside, we now know that Atkins suffered from coronary artery disease, had suffered a previous heart attack, and was overweight.  Quite a lot of debate has occured over the last revealation.  The medical report shows that at the time of his death Atkins weighed 258lbs, which at his height (6 feet) was obese.  Both his wife and brother have claimed that this weight was due to the coma he suffered as a result of the fall, and that upon being admitted to the hospital, he was only 195lbs.  Well, his wife and brother may well be correct, but I think it's worth a passing mention that 195lbs is still overweight for a 6 foot tall man.  I'm not bringing any of this up to make a personal attack on a dead man.  He is, after all, a dead man, and we will never know how much he really believed in his own diet, and how much he was motivated by money, so we may as well give him the benefit of the doubt.  But I don't think we can ignore his medical status, any more than we can ignore the fact that in 2000, 16 year old Rachel Huskey died of cardiac arrest, after following the Atkins diet for seven weeks.  She had no pre-existing health complications.

    Vital Vittles

    Rice Pilaf with Dates and Almonds

    This recipe is borrowed from the vegetarian/pescatarian, Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home, (UK), (CAN), a very useful cookbook that is one of my favourites.  This sweet dish seems and tastes very decadent, but is really very healthful.  The concept of this pilaf could be adapted for a variety of different grains, or even wheat products such as bulgar and cous-cous. Serve it as a main dish, or serve it as a grain side dish with some steamed greens and tahini dressing, and spiced chickpeas.


    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 onion, chopped
    1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
    1 bell pepper, finely chopped
    1 tsp turmeric
    1/2 tsp cinnamon
    1/2 cup dates, chopped.
    3 cups cooked brown rice
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
    1/4 cup hot water
    1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds
    salt and pepper to taste

    Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and add the onions and garlic.  Saute on medium high heat until soft.  Add the bell pepper and mix in.  Stir in the turmeric and cinnamon.  Add the chopped dates, rice and parsley.  Sprinkle on the water, and heat for a few minutes.  When the rice is hot, stir in the almonds, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

    YUM!