Farinata- A taste of the Liguran Coast

Recently I was on a trip to the Ligurian coast of Italy. One of the affordable and delicious vegan foods that I encountered was farinata, a baked flatbread made of chickpea flour and not much else. It has deliciously crisp, toasty edges and a custardy soft inside that makes it a delicious portable snack. I tried one while in the cinque terre town of Riomaggiore from a small bakery, and was so impressed that I had to bring back the recipe! 

It can be challenging to get protein-rich vegan food in Italy if you stick to the tried-and-true pastas as your staple, but Italian food is also excellent for its resourceful use of beans and lentils in creative and delicious ways, even if these recipes unfortunately are relatively unknown in North America. While this recipe details the Ligurian style flatbread, there are tons of regional variations of chickpea-based flatbreads and similar foods all over the country, so you're bound to find something wherever you travel to.

I ate mine topped with fresh tomatoes and some dried thyme I brought back from Genoa, as well as a little basil from my garden. It would also be good with a lot of other toppings, so go wild! It's unassuming in appearance but very filling and satisfying, and a great way to eat more legumes in an unconventional way. It's best served hot, but you can reheat if it you don't finish it all in one go.

Farinata Genovese
Serves 2-4

130 g. Chickpea flour
400 mL Water
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 TBSP Olive oil
Herbs and spices to taste- Black pepper, rosemary, oregano, chili flakes, or whatever you want!

Whisk the chickpea flour, water and salt into a very thin batter and let rest at room temperature for at least half a day, or overnight in the fridge. (It does smell very beany at this stage... don't worry, it smells fantastic once you bake it.)

Whisk in the olive oil and whatever other seasonings you want to use. Pour into an oiled 8'' x 8 '' pan and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the top is blistered with light brown spots.

Let set for about 10 minutes, but serve while hot! Top with your favourite meltable cheese, fresh or roasted vegetables, and/or extra olive oil. Enjoy!

A Little Irony- the importance of iron in a plant-based diet

Iron is one of those mysterious minerals you know your body needs but you aren't exactly sure why. Well, look no further!

 In simple terms, iron is necessary for the production of blood. A lack of iron can lead to fatigue, pale skin, weakness, and a whole bunch of smaller but still unpleasant symptoms. If your'e unlucky you might develop anemia which will give you all of these conditions to a level where it might begin to interfere with your day to day life. Not fun! But luckily, you can get it from many foods, even if you are vegetarian or vegan like myself. Of course, if it's serious you should be taking iron supplements but if you just want to fit more into your meals there's many options which won't take a lot of effort to incorporate into your diet. I personally have a serious iron deficiency and I've been looking for sources of iron that I can easily fit into my diet alongside my supplements. Let's start off with some that you probably already eat,

Tofu! Truly going beyond once again with 5.4 mg of iron per 100g. I'm assuming if you use this website, it's probably already a food that you are used to.

Spinach packs in 2.7 mg of iron per 100g. Try adding it to salads and smoothies for an extra boost. However, don't overdo it; spinach is also notorious for its high levels of oxalic acid. Try other dark greens as well, such as collard greens and kale.

Sunflower seeds are one of the best iron sources I've found. They contain 5.3mg of iron per 100 grams! That's just shy of tofu and these are a lot more transport friendly. They're great as a snack, in a salad, or even as a butter (think peanut butter but nut free, they'll sell it at your local health store).

If sunflower seeds aren't your cup of tea, try pumpkin seeds. You may have never considered these Jack-O'-Lantern left overs as a health food but they contain 3.3mg of iron per 100g. With fall having recently rolled in, you should have no problem finding them, or roasting your own. They make a terrific snack but the sky's the limit.

This one will hopefully encourage you all on your path to an iron-filled lifestyle. Dark chocolate contains 11.9 mg pre 100 g. That's more than you'd get from 200g of tofu. Black bean brownies, anyone?

Oatmeal is a really easy way to get a lot of iron without too much effort. With 6 mg per 100g you can get a whole day's supply of iron at breakfast. The great thing about oatmeal that also applies to dark chocolate is that you can add it everywhere! Bake some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and demolish any chances of iron deficiency!

Now there's many other great iron sources but follow a few guidelines to get the most out of your new iron heavy diet. For maximum absorption make sure your vitamin C levels are up, otherwise you might not be getting the full impact of your diet. Remember, how much iron you need depends on a lot of personal factors. If in doubt, ask a doctor or someone else versed in medicine. For a run of the mill estimate however, I found an excellent table courtesy of the US National Institutes of Health:

Now the examples I chose are parts of larger groups which typically contain a lot of iron. Leafy greens, grains, beans, and seeds all typically have high iron contents. When in doubt google's your friend. Now if your iron needs are serious like mine, I'd recommend Polyride Fe ultra which has the added bonus of already including vitamin C as well as B12, meaning absorption won't be an issue. I've been taking it for over a month on my doctor's recommendation and it's been working well for me, though once again this is for the truly iron deficient. Best of luck everyone!