Vegetarianism is a lifestyle choice for many Americans.  And while I don’t think that my household will go 100% vegetarian, there are certainly plenty of benefits in trying.  A vegetarian diet helps ward off coronary artery disease, helps with dieting and maintaining a healthy weight and, according to some proponents, will help people live longer.  From an environmental standpoint, the EPA estimates that chemical and waste runoff from factory farms is responsible for 173,000 miles of polluted rivers and streams.  So, in a nod to a diet that fights both disease and pollution, here is a delicious, vegetable-packed recipe to try!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger root, finely chopped
• 16 oz tofu, drained and cut into cubes
• ½ c. water
• 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp cornstarch, dissolved
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
• 1 green pepper, seeded and cut into strips
• 1 c. baby corn, drained and cut into pieces
• 1 head bok choy, chopped
• 2 c. mushrooms, chopped
• 1 ¼ c. bean sprouts
• 1 c. bamboo shoots, drained and chopped
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Here’s how to make Vegetable, Bamboo and Tofu Stir-fry:

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Stir in onions and cook for one minute.
3. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Stir in tofu and cook until golden brown
5. Stir in carrots, green peppers and baby corn, cooking for 2 minutes.
6. Add the bok choy, mushrooms, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and crushed red pepper.  Heat through.
7. Remove from heat.
8. In a small saucepan, combine water, rice wine vinegar, honey and soy sauce.
9. Bring to a simmer and cook for two minutes.
10. Stir in the cornstarch and water mixture.
11. Simmer until sauce thickens.
12. Pour sauce over vegetables and tofu.
13. Garnish with the green onions.

For more delicious bamboo recipes, visit Green Earth News Bamboo Flavors section!

Vegetable, Bamboo And Tofu Stir-fry Recipe is a post from: Green Earth News

During this cold and flu season, savory soups not only soothe the throat and satisfy the stomach but they can also help in the battle against germs and illness.  Bamboo shoots add a healthy punch to winter soups as they are loaded with antioxidants, potassium and fiber.

Here’s what you need to make Hot and Sour Chicken Soup:

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sliced bamboo shoots, drained
• 3 slices fresh ginger root
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 egg, beaten

Here’s how to make your Hot and Sour Chicken Soup:

1. In a saucepan, combine the chicken broth, water, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and hot pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
2. Place the chicken slices into a bowl and toss with the sesame oil to coat. In a separate bowl, stir together the cornstarch and vinegar, and set aside.
3. Increase the heat under the broth to medium-high, and return to a rolling boil. Add the chicken slices. Return to a boil, and then drizzle in the egg while stirring slowly to create long strands of egg. Stir in the vinegar and cornstarch. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and the broth has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Serve garnished with green onions and cilantro.

For more delicious bamboo recipes, visit Green Earth News Bamboo Flavors!

Hot And Sour Chicken Soup With Bamboo Recipe is a post from: Green Earth News

In the sweet spirit of the holiday dessert season, I searched in vain for a bamboo dessert recipe.  When I couldn’t find any such recipe, I hoped my sweet tooth would subside but no such luck in this season of cookies, cakes and homemade fudge.  Thankfully, my local and lovely dim sum restaurant serves a yummy Chinese Steamed Cake that does not require bamboo as an ingredient but DOES require a bamboo steamer.   

Here’s what you need to make your Chinese Steamed Cake:

• 6 eggs
• 1 ¼ c. white sugar
• 2 ½ tbsp. water
• 1 ½ c. cake flour, sifted
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• ¼ confectioners’ sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 9 in. Baking pan lined with wax paper
• Large bamboo steamer (should be able to hold the baking pan easily)
• Wire rack

Here’s how to make your Chinese Steamed Cake:

1. Place the bamboo steamer over simmering water.
2. Separate the eggs.
3. Combine egg yolks with sugar, water and salt.
4. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until mixture has increased three times in volume.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. 
6. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixtures slowly and fold in gently.
7. Stir in the extract to the egg mixture.
8. In a separate bowl, use the electric mixer to whip the egg whites into stiff peaks.
9. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
10. Pour the batter into the baking pan and smooth it evenly throughout.
11. Gently tap the pan to get rid of air bubbles.
12. Place the pan into the steamer.
13. Lay a kitchen towel on top of the steamer before placing the lid on.  The towel will absorb steam to keep it from condensing and dripping onto the cake.
14. Steam the cake for 20 minutes or so.  Use the toothpick test to make sure the cake is done.
15. Cool completely on a wire rack.  To finish, powder the cake with confectioner’s sugar.

And there you have it – a sweet, somewhat low in calorie treat for your holiday enjoyment!  For more delicious bamboo recipes, be sure to visit Green Earth News Bamboo Flavors section!

How To Make A Chinese Steamed Cake is a post from: Green Earth News

Just in time for the holiday season and an endless schedule of office luncheons and house parties, here is an easy-to-make spinach dip with an interesting twist.  Add texture to a party favorite by including bamboo shoots! 

Here’s a hint to keep the calories under control:  Substitute the mayonnaise in this recipe with plain organic Greek yogurt or low-fat cottage cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 can bamboo shoots, drained and finely chopped
• 1 pint low-fat sour cream
• 1 cup of mayo
• 1 pkg vegetable soup mix, dry
• 1 pkg onion soup mix, dry
  

To make the dip, simply mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate for at least two hours.  Serve with vegetables, bread or pita chips.

Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes, visit Green Earth News Bamboo Flavors section.

Bamboo Spinach Dip: Perfect Party Appetizer! is a post from: Green Earth News

A delicious curry recipe with healthy bamboo shoots and asparagus, this green curry tends to be a bit spicier because of the green chiles.  Pair it with rice noodles for a satisfyingly warm dish on cool autumn nights.  An added bonus:  if you’re trying to drop some weight for the holiday season, some studies suggest that eating spicy foods improves digestion and increases the metabolic rate helping you in your weight-loss goal.  Add chicken or tofu for a protein boost and enjoy!

Ingredients for Bamboo & Basil curry:

• 1 can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• ½ c. vegetable stock
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 medium zucchinis, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 2 c. fresh basil leaves, cut into large pieces
• ½ c. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. soy sauce, reduced-sodium
• ¼ c. cashews, crushed

Ingredients for green curry paste:

• 5 fresh green Serrano chiles or 10 fresh green thai chiles
• 3 stalks lemongrass
• ¼ c. fresh cilantro leaves & stems, chopped
• ¼ c. shallots, coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
• 5 black peppercorns or ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
• 1 tbsp. lime peel, minced
• 1 tsp. salt

To make the Green Curry paste:

1.  Stem the green chiles, chop coarsely and set aside.
2. Over medium heat, dry-fry the coriander seeds until they darken, stirring often for 2-3 minutes.  Put aside.
3. Using the same pan, dry-fry the cumin seeds for 1 – 2 minutes.
4. Place the coriander, cumin and pepper into a small food processor and grind to a fine powder.
5. Trim the lemongrass by discarding the root sections below the bulb.  Cut off the tops leaving the stalk at six inches.  Remove the dry leaves and finely chop the stalk.
6. Combine the lemongrass, chopped chiles, ground spices and remaining ingredients for the green curry paste in the food processor.  Grind to a smooth puree making sure to scrape the sides.  Add a few tbsp. of water if needed to get a smoother paste. 
7. Place in airtight container and store at room temperature until use.  (Any leftover curry paste can be stored in the fridge for up to a month.)

To make the Bamboo & Basil curry:

1. Shake the coconut milk well and pour 1/3 of it into a wok.  Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
2. Cool until it thickens, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.
3. Add 1 – 2 tbsp. of the green curry paste and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring the paste to avoid clumping.
4. Add the bamboo shoots and chopped onion.  Stir gently to cover them up with the curry paste. 
5. Add the remaining coconut milk, vegetable stock, sugar, soy sauce and stir well.
6. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender and the curry thickens, roughly 15 minutes.
7. Stir in the zucchini and basil leaves and cook for another minute.
8. Switch off the heat and add the cashews. 
9. Let the curry stand for 5 minutes and serve with sprinkled cilantro leaves on top.

 For more delicious bamboo recipes, be sure to visit Green Earth News Bamboo Flavors section!

Bamboo And Basil Green Curry Recipe is a post from: Green Earth News

Summer is at an end but there’s still time to fit in one more taste of summer with this delicious soup recipe.  Fish Soup with Bamboo and Pineapple (known as Can Mang Chua Thom in Vietnam) is a sweet yet savory summery-dinner option. 

Ingredients:

½ lb. parboiled bamboo shoots, sliced
½ pineapple
1 tsp. sugar
2/3 lb. perch, pike, sunfish or bream fillet
½ tsp. salt
Dash of White Pepper
1 ½ tsp. hot dipping sauce
Water
½ lime (juiced)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 ½ tsp. mint (chopped)

To Prepare:

1. Peel pineapple, removing woody center and eyes.
2. Cut pineapple into chunks.
3. Cut fish into ¼ inch pieces.
4. Heat oil in wok.
5. Add pineapple chunks and drained bamboo shoots.  Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with sugar.
7. In large saucepan, bring 1 cup water and ¼ tsp. salt to a boil.
8. Add fish pieces.  Season with ginger, white pepper, hot dipping sauce and lime juice.
9. Add sautéed bamboo shoots and pineapple chunks.  Simmer 2-3 minutes.
10. Spoon into large bowl and sprinkle with mint.

Serves 4

Complement the meal with a crisp eco-friendly wine and enjoy!  For more bamboo recipes, visit Green Earth News Bamboo Flavors section.

(Recipe courtesy of MidAtlantic Bamboo)

Fish Soup With Bamboo And Pineapple Recipe is a post from: Green Earth News

Fewer things taste better on a hot summer day than juicy, refreshing pineapple.  Eat it plain with breakfast, toss it on a salad for lunch or pair it with equally light summer ingredients, scallops and bamboo shoots, for a quick and easy meal.

Here’s what you need to make Pineapple Pepper & Sea Scallop Saute:

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 lb. scallops
• 1 c. bell pepper strips
• 1 c. unsweetened pineapple chunks
• ½ c. bamboo shoots, drained
• ½ c. sweet & sour sauce

Here is the quick and easy way to make your sauté:

1. Heat oil in a wok or non-stick skillet.
2. Add bell pepper strips and saute’ for 5 minutes.
3. Add scallops and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add pineapple, bamboo shoots and sauce.
5. Cook for 5 more minutes.
6. Serve over rice.

For more delicious bamboo recipes, visit Green Earth News section on Bamboo Flavors.

(recipe courtesy of GroupRecipes.com)

Pineapple Pepper and Sea Scallop Saute Recipe is a post from: Green Earth News

Just in time for the hot temperatures, here is a refreshing summer salad recipe!  Refreshing with a twist, this spicy bamboo salad is the perfect addition to a summer grill.

Here’s what you need to make your Spicy Bamboo Salad:

• 3.5 oz. Bamboo Shoots
• ¼ c. red & green chilis
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 small red onions
• 2 tbsp. old fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 50 ml. water
• ¼ c. mint
• 1 tbsp. peanuts
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. toasted sticky rice
• Cooking oil

Here’s how to make your Spicy Bamboo Salad:

1. Put a frying pan on very high heat with small amount of oil.
2. Add the chili, garlic and red onion and fry for 5 minutes.
3. Pound the chili, garlic and red onion in a mortar to break down the mixture.
4. Grate the bamboo into fine pieces (or use a food processor to get the same result).
5. Put the bamboo pieces, old fish sauce and water into a large pot and boil for 5 minutes.
6. Add the bamboo mixture to the mortar.
7. Pound the whole mixture with the fish sauce, lemon juice and toasted sticky rice.
8. Fry the peanuts in a small dry frying pan for 2 minutes until brown.
9. Serve on cabbage, cucumber, mint and sticky rice and top with the peanuts.

Enjoy as a main dish or a perfect summer side to your grilling menu.  For a more festive meal, pair it with an eco-friendly wine or eco-friendly beer!

For more delicious bamboo recipes, visit Green Earth News Bamboo Flavors section.

Summer Salad Recipe: Spicy Bamboo Shoot Salad! is a post from: Green Earth News

In a bit of very exciting health news that was first reported last week, researchers at Newcastle University have found that an extremely low-calorie diet can cure type-II diabetes in just two months.  This amazing information gives new hope to the many diabetes sufferers who assumed the disease to be a lifelong affliction.  It also supports the belief that the body’s failure to secrete insulin is caused by a build-up of fat in the pancreas and liver.  These fat levels were shown to be reduced in study participants, seven out of eleven of whom were free of diabetes three months after the conclusion of the diet.

That diet consisted of an intake of only 600 calories per day, maintained over eight weeks.  To achieve this, the participants were kept on a diet consisting mostly of liquids, along with non-starchy vegetables.  The specific menu for the former diabetes patients is not known, but it is clear from the overall findings and an assessment of the nutritional information for bamboo shoots that those particular vegetables would be an excellent option for anyone trying to emulate this diabetes-curing, crash-course diet, or just for anyone hoping to maintain a diet that may prevent or help manage diabetes.

With only forty-one calories per one-cup serving, raw bamboo shoots can help a person to achieve a dramatic reduction in caloric intake if made a significant part of one’s diet.  Doing so is quite feasible, since many of the calories in bamboo come from carbohydrates, providing the basic nutritional energy needed by the body for its day-to-day activities.  Sugars are, of course, the very source of trouble for diabetics, but they are necessarily part of any diet, and so it is important to derive them from healthful sources, which do not bring fat, cholesterol, or starches along with the simple carbohydrates.  This means fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, and bamboo shoots are a good example.  If the consumption of sugars in bamboo is evenly spaced and regulated, one can help the body to maintain blood-glucose levels and avoid sudden spikes or deficiencies.

In addition to offering energy through few calories without undesirable contents like fat and cholesterol, bamboo has the added benefit of being a terrific source of dietary fiber, which is a recommended component of a diabetes diet, as it helps to control blood sugar levels.  Among the many minerals contained in bamboo, it provides 4.5 milligrams of magnesium per serving.  If this is augmented by other low-calorie sources of the same nutrient, or by supplements, it can be of further benefit in preventing or potentially reversing diabetes.  A high magnesium intake is associated with reducing the risk of diabetes by about half.

Diabetes afflicts 25.8 million people in the United States, which is more than eight percent of the population.  It is vitally and increasingly important to be vigilant in preventing and combating this disease, and it is thrilling to know that it can be cured.  And for the sake of either staving off or reversing diabetes, bamboo offers a versatile and tasty option for part of a diet that is low in calories, starches, and fats, and high in vitamins and minerals like magnesium.  Bamboo shoots are not just good for diabetes, but good for health over all, and they represent just one of many extraordinary uses to be found in an extraordinary resource.  In bamboo you’ll find food, building material, paper, and clothing, and all of them high quality and sustainable, and good for both the consumer and the Earth.

For delicious bamboo recipes, visit Green Earth News’ Bamboo Flavors section!

Bamboo And The Diabetes Cure is a post from: Green Earth News

In honor of Food Network’s grilling week, 7 days dedicated to barbecue and forcing as many shows as possible into using a barbecue grill (it works for Chopped, not so much for Cupcake Wars), here’s a creative recipe that will impress friends and family.  Most Asian markets will carry all the ingredients you need or just pluck some bamboo from your own bamboo garden.  And make sure to green your grill with some eco-friendly barbecue tips!

Here’s what you need to make your Grilled Bamboo Shoots with Crabmeat & Asparagus:

• 18 oz. whole bamboo shoots
• 11 oz. crabmeat, cooked
• 3 oz. fresh asparagus
• ¾ c. teriyaki sauce

Here’s how to make your Grilled Bamboo Shoots with Crabmeat & Asparagus:

1. In a large saucepan, boil the asparagus for about 3 -4 minutes until cooked but still a little crunchy.  Drain and cut into 3 inch pieces.  Slice each piece lengthwise into 2 pieces.
2. Cut off the top of the cooked whole bamboo shoot, leaving an even cylindrical shoot of 3 inches.  Using a sharp knife, cut a long thin sheet of bamboo from this shoot.
3. Slide the knife under a thin layer of the bamboo shoot lengthwise, moving the knife in a circular direction along the circumference of the shoot.  Then slice the resulting bamboo sheet into 3 pieces measuring roughly 3 in. x 6 in. rectangles.
4. Place a strip of asparagus and some crabmeat on a rectangular sheet of bamboo before rolling the bamboo sheet to form a firm roll.
5. Pierce a bamboo skewer through the centre of each roll.  Brush teriyaki sauce onto each roll and grill for about 5 – 7 minutes.  Continue to baste the rolls with teriyaki sauce while grilling.
6. When done, cut the rolls into halves and serve.

Pair the delicious dish with some eco-friendly wine for an elegantly grilled meal.  For more bamboo recipes, visit our Bamboo Flavors section.  Enjoy!

Grilling Bamboo: Grilled Bamboo Shoots With Crabmeat & Asparagus Recipe! is a post from: Green Earth News