jae steele - Get It Ripe: A Fresh Take on Vegan Cooking and Living

PRAISE FOR GET IT RIPE

jae offers practical advice and truly delicious recipes in her friendly, never-judgmental voice. This book is a breath of fresh, yummy air.

Jessica Porter, author of The Hip Chicks Guide to Macrobiotics

Get It Ripe is awesome! Here is a book that tells us how eating luscious foods will make us healthy. jae pays homage to Eastern traditional understandings of the body and the most recent findings of Western nutritional science. Her enthusiasm for healthy eating is contagious. With her simple-to-follow and uncomplicated recipes, she creates dishes that will tempt vegans and omnivores alike. In this book, packed full of culinary tips for beginners and seasoned chefs, jae has gone well beyond the basics of vegan eating, affirming that we vegans never have to compromise on taste.

Ruth Tal, owner of Fresh restaurants (Toronto) and
author of Juice for Life, Fresh at Home, and reFresh

GET IT RIPE

A Fresh Take on Vegan Cooking & Living

jae steele

GET IT RIPE
Copyright 2008 by jae steele

2nd printing: 2008

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form by any means graphic, electronic or mechanical without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may use brief excerpts in a review, or in the case of photocopying in Canada, a license from Access Copyright.

ARSENAL PULP PRESS
Suite 101-211 East Georgia Street,
Vancouver, BC V6A 1Z6
arsenalpulp.com

The publisher gratefully acknowledges the support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program and the Government of British Columbia through the Book Publishing Tax Credit Program for its publishing activities.

The author and publisher assert that the information contained in this book is true and complete to the best of their knowledge, however it is intended as a reference volume only, and not as a medical manual. The information provided here is designed to help you make informed decisions about your health. It is not intended as a substitute for any treatment that has been prescribed by your doctor. If you have concerns regarding your health, we urge you to seek competent medical help.

Text and design by Electra Design Group
Cover photography by Kristin Sjaarda
Food photography by Roderick Chen
Food styling by Alison Lush
Illustrations by David Powell and Ann Powell
Author photograph by Michelle Clarke
Editing by Bethanne Grabham

Printed and bound in China

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication:

Steele, Jae, 1980

Get it ripe : a fresh take on vegan cooking and living / Jae Steele.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-55152-234-0

1. Vegan cookery. 2. Cookery (Natural foods) 3. Veganism.

I. Title.

TX837.S84 2008 641.5636 C2008-901630-0

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1: INFORMED EATING

PART 2: STOCKING UP

PART 3: THE SKILLS

PART 4: DISH IT OUT

PART 5: FURTHER HEALING

Twenty-One: Cleansing & Detoxification

To all the fine folks in whose kitchens I have cooked.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I have been blessed with an impressively generous and skilled cheerleading squad. Meet the team Id like to thank:

Team Captain: my mum, Nancy Steele, the wonder woman wearing a dozen hats. Im not sure I will ever be able to truly thank you for your limitless support.

Assistant Captain: Elise Moser, my secret agent. What a blessing that you should have myriad skills that you were willing to offer to help get me through this process with a greater amount of ease. Youve truly been the midwife in this adventure.

The Squad:

Ryan Johnston. You always want the best for me and give me so much. I am such a big fan of yours, and am so grateful for everything we share.

David Powell, who makes amazing meals that for years I was too picky to appreciate. And who provided most of the illustrations that line these pages.

Alison Lush, food-stylist extraordinaire. Thank you for your reliable support in so many areas, and for believing in this project since my very first zine.

Andrew Fair, my favorite cooking companion. You are wonderfully generous.

My dad and step-mum, Gerald and Alison Steele. I really appreciate your encouragement. Thank you for pouring roast beef gravy on the Spelt Sunflower Bread I bring to Sunday night dinners. And my little brothers, James and Charlie enough with the teasing already! Maybe now you believe my food choices dont make me nuts?

Ann Powell, skilled illustrator and warm supporter.

Sharon and Harry Weisbaum. I am so blessed to have you two for all that you bring to my life.

Cheendana, who planted the seeds that helped to shift the way I looked at food and the natural world.

Michael Armstrong. You generously give support, and supply me with great organic (and often local) produce.

Michelle Clarke, who always licks the batter out of the bowl.

Daphne Gordon. You have been so generous with your time and space and thoughts.

Kristin Sjaarda and Roderick Chen who made sessions with cameras such fun!

Caroline Dupont, one of my greatest health inspirations! Ive got some deep appreciation for what you put out into the world and the time youve given me personally.

Maya Guruswami, who has offered a wealth of knowledge and enthusiastic support.

My chosen family, The Big Cedar Crew: especially Tim, Karla and Heather Holland, and Derek Pinto. You nourish me, and I am blessed to have lived and grown with you all.

Ann-Marie MacDonald and Alisa Palmer, as well as Isabel and Lora, who have one of my favorite kitchens, where many a recipe in this book was created! And thank you for your enthusiastic taste-testing.

Susan Baker, who has offered help with enthusiasm.

Howie Shia and Marco Crawley. Im so glad I have you two to ask about the kind of techy things Id rather know nothing about.

Anna Lee-Popham, Adrienne Connelly, Rebecca Singer, Eric Arner, Emily Bitting, Melina Claire, Bryn Rawlyk, Daniel Mongraw, Dan Olsen, Cathy Bouchard, Lindsay Shapiro, and Gayla Trail. Thank you all for the skills, recipes, and/or encouragement you brought to the table.

Bob Walberg and Omega Nutrition (omeganutrition.com), Eden Foods (edenfoods.com) and Cocoa Camino (cocoacamino.com), who made very generous donations that allowed me to test these recipes with high-quality ingredients without breaking the bank! Enthusiastic, belly-warming thanks! Thanks also to La Maison dOrphe (maisonorphee.com) and MaraNatha (maranathanutbutters.com) for your support. Im so glad your food products are becoming increasingly available.

The people who run the organic farms where Ive gotten dirty: La Rcolte dOsiris, Osho Gardens, Stein Mountain Farm, Stowel Lake Farm, the Miller Family Farm, Alpha Farm, and the Sun Run Centre.

My recipe testers, many of whom Ive never met, and especially Alisa Marrs Fleming who was so enthusiastically committed right down to the wire!

All the dedicated readers of my blog, Domestic Affair especially those of you who offer encouragement and feedback in the comments!

And finally, to the fine folks at Arsenal Pulp Press to Brian, Shyla, and especially Bethanne a sweeter editor I couldnt ask for. Im so thrilled that youve introduced me to this exciting world beyond zine making!

PREFACE

T he book you hold here in your hot lil hands is the product of almost a decade of self-education, formal education, work-exchanges on organic farms, family dinners with meat-eaters and wheat-eaters, and a whole lot of time in the kitchen my kitchen, my parents kitchen, kitchens I shared in co-op houses, my friends kitchens, my friends parents kitchens, a vegan restaurant kitchen, and a vegan bakery.