News Roundup April 7, 2017

Via NPR

Historic marker for '85 MOVE bomb site

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has approved a historical marker for the West Philadelphia site of the 1985 MOVE bombing, near Osage Avenue and Cobbs Creek Parkway.

The marker was nominated by students of the private, Southwest Philadelphia-based Jubilee School who for two years have studied the 1985 incident in which Philadelphia police dropped a bomb on a residential neighborhood, leaving 11 dead — including five children – and 61 rowhomes destroyed.

“The students were determined to get the whole story and not just one perspective,” said Karen Falcon, history teacher and director of the Jubilee School. “They understood that the neighbors had a different perspective than the MOVE members, and that everybody’s perspective – other than the city government – had some relevance. The students had a very complex view of what happened.” Read more. 

This creative project grant started from a loan a business consultancy gave to an ice cream business

It was when Little Baby’s Ice Cream was first starting out that cofounder Pete Angevine met Kate Strathmann, CEO and director of Center City-based small business consultancy Elysian Fields.

After some consulting on financials and business development for the local ice cream business, which has since expanded to Baltimore, the two became friends through their experiences as company leaders — something that Strathmann admits might initially seem weird to people questioning how a business consultancy has anything to with a place that sells ice cream. Read more. 

Fight Islamophobia in West Philly Schools

West Philadelphia Coalition Against Islamophobia is raising money to donate books featuring Muslim kids to local neighborhood elementary schools. We invite you to join us in this exciting project making an important, concrete step towards building the self-worth of our young, Muslim community members and toward increasing intercultural understanding locally. Donate now. 

10 Philly transwomen who made history

Philadelphia celebrates Trans Day of Visibility today, an international holiday to highlight transpeople, their experiences and the issues that affect them. Yesterday, City Council adopted a resolution to observe it.

Since today is also the last day of Women’s History Month, we decided to delve into the city’s trans history to find some of the pathbreaking local women who’ve left a mark or are forging one. Read more. 

Eggless Chocolate Mousse

Via Creative Commons

A true mousse is an airy concoction, in which rich chocolate is held aloft by thousands of tiny bubbles. Aquafaba does an amazing job of lifting and holding a gorgeous egg-free whipped texture.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces semisweet vegan (optional) chocolate, not chips
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup aquafaba
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation

1. Melt the chocolate and allow it to come to room temperature.
2. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the cream of tartar and aquafaba. Mix on low just to combine, then raise the speed to high. Beat for 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches firm peaks. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat for 2 minutes, sprinkle in the remaining sugar and beat for 3 more minutes.
3. Drizzle the chocolate gently over the aquafaba mixture, and use a rubber spatula to gently fold the chocolate into the whip. It will deflate quite a bit, but stay fluffy. Transfer to goblets, a bowl, or storage tub and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes, then serve.

Authored by Robin Asbell. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Aquafaba Meringue Pie

Via Creative Commons

This is an epic pie. It takes a little time to make all the components and assemble, but the tangy filling and stunning toasted meringue on top is worth the effort. You can make the crust and the filling a day ahead and refrigerate, then whip up the meringue on the day of serving for a pie that is sure to impress.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 stick vegan margarine (not soft spread)
• Up to 1/2 cup ice water

Filling

• 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon agar powder
• 2 pinches turmeric or a few drops yellow food coloring
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch

Meringue

• 3/4 cup aquafaba
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 cup sugar, ground and divided (see Tips & Notes)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

Crust

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine the flours and salt, and whisk to combine. Using the large holes of a grater, grate the cold vegan margarine into the flour mixture, tossing to coat the shreds with flour. Work the margarine in just a little by squeezing the mixture with your fingers to break the shreds into smaller pieces, about the size of peas. Sprinkle in about 3 tablespoons of ice water, fluffing the mixture with a fork. Add water a tablespoon at a time, and start to gently turn and squeeze the dough as it forms. Once all the flour is moistened and the dough starts to hold together in a ball, flatten the dough ball to form a disk.
2. Flour the counter and roll out the dough to fit in a 9-inch deep pie pan. Place the dough into the pie pan and flute the crust. Chill half an hour.
3. Line the crust with foil and fill it with dry beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the weights and foil. Return the crust to the oven for 15 minutes more until the crust is fully baked, crisp, and golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Filling

1. Pour the coconut milk into a 2-quart pot, and whisk over low heat to melt any lumps. When melted, whisk in the sugar, vanilla, agar powder and turmeric or yellow food coloring. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil, then reduce to hold a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking occasionally, for 5 minutes, to melt the sugar and agar completely.
2. In a cup, whisk the fresh lemon juice with the cornstarch. Slowly pour into the simmering pot, whisking until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Lower the heat and whisk for 1 minute more to thicken. Stir in the lemon zest. Scrape the filling into the cooled pie crust and place in the refrigerator to set.

Meringue

1. Preheat the broiler. Place a rack so that the top of the pie (it will be tall) will be about 3 inches from the heat. For the meringue, place the aquafaba, cream of tartar and 1/4 cup sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or a large bowl with an electric beater. Mix on low for a minute to combine well, then turn the speed to medium-high. Whip for 10 minutes, until the mixture is light and glossy. Gradually whip in the remaining sugar, a tablespoon at a time, sprinkling the sugar very slowly over the surface of the mixture for at least a full second before adding the next tablespoon. The mixture will be billowy and shiny. Whip in the vanilla at the end, just to mix it in well.
2. Dollop the meringue mixture over the lemon filling and spread it decoratively. Don't make very deep indentations in the meringue, as the broiler will not reach them to brown them. If you have a creme brulee torch, you can make any shapes you want and use the torch to brown everything evenly.
3. To brown the meringue, place on the rack and leave the door open as you monitor the browning, turning the pie every few seconds. It will brown very quickly, so don't look away. As soon as it is golden and toasted, remove the pie from the oven.
4. Refrigerate the pie to set the topping for at least an hour before slicing. Serve cold. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Tips & Notes

To prevent grittiness in meringue, it’s best to use sugar that’s more finely ground than standard granulated sugar. For a 3/4 cup yield measure out 3/4 cup plus an additional 2 teaspoons, to compensate for smaller granules. Grind the sugar for about 30 seconds in a blender, food processor or clean coffee grinder. Do not overgrind or you’ll end up with powdered sugar.

Authored by Robin Asbell. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Cooking with Aquafaba

Via Creative Commons

Thank vegans for this exciting new phenomenon. 

What is aquafaba?

Aquafaba is actually something we have been pouring down the drain for years. Also known as chickpea water, aquafaba (derived from the Latin word "aqua" for water, and "faba" for beans) is the liquid that forms when you cook dried chickpeas.

With a little help from sugar, starch, and a little something acidic to help stabilize it, aquafaba can be whipped up to a lofty peak, with nearly the same structure as whipped egg whites. 

How to make aquafaba

Via Creative Commons

Many aquafaba recipes call for draining a can of cooked chickpeas to get started. That is certainly easy and it works pretty well, but you can actually make better aquafaba at home from dried chickpeas.

1. Start with 2 cups dried chickpeas, sorted and cleaned, a piece of kombu seaweed, and water. Kombu is important, as it adds some minerals that make the aquafaba work better.
2. Use 6 cups of water, and cover the pan so you don't boil off too much liquid. To get the best results, use a slow cooker or stovetop, not a pressure cooker. Long, slow cooking extracts the most active ingredients from the beans.
3. Slow cook on low for 8 hours or on the stove top for about 4 hours.
4. When the beans are very tender but not falling apart, they are done.
5. For best results, refrigerate the whole pot so that the beans can continue to marry with the aquafaba. You can strain them immediately after cooking, if you prefer.
6. Discard the kombu.
7. Measure the strained aquafaba, and if it is more than 3 cups, put it in a pot on the stove and boil it to reduce it down and thicken it to about 2 1/2 to 3 cups.
8. Refrigerate for up to a week, or portion and freeze it. Save the cooked chickpeas for another use.

Aquafaba uses

When substituting with aquafaba, remember it has none of the fat other substitutes may have. Use aquafaba as a vegan egg white substitute or in cakes and meringues. Aquafaba is a great mayo starter that can be easily blended with garlic and herbs to make aioli for dipping, meat, or seafood.

Recipes that call for an egg or two to bind them are your best bets, like meat or nut loaves, veggie burgers, or savory breads. You can blend part tofu and part aquafaba with seasonings, then scramble to make a softer, lighter version of a tofu scramble.

Authored by Robin Asbell. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Pho with Shrimp

Classic Vietnamese pho is based on a slow-cooked beef stock, one that takes beef bones and lots of simmering. This easy rendition relies on good boxed stock, quickly infused with star anise, cinnamon and other pho flavors that add fragrant notes. You can opt for making the soup in each bowl, or making one big pot of soup and ladling it over noodles, whatever is more convenient for you.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 3 slices fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 8 cups chicken broth, 2 boxes
• 2 whole star anise
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorn
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce, to taste
• 4 small baby bok choy, cut in 2 inch pieces
• 16 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 4 ounces rice noodles, flat
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1 8-ounce package baked tofu, sliced
• 2 cups bean sprouts, rinsed
• 4 large scallion, sliced on a diagonal
• 2 large limes, halved and sliced

Preparation

1. In a 2 quart pot, heat the oil over medium high heat, then saute the ginger and garlic just until fragrant, about a minute. Add the stock, anise, cinnamon, peppercorns and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and lower heat to keep it at a gentle bubble. Cook for 20 minutes. The stock will reduce to about 7 cups.
2. While the stock takes on flavor, prepare the garnishes. Chop the bok choy, prep the shrimp, and have all the vegetables in separate piles on a plate. Cook the noodles, and divide them between six wide soup bowls.Arrange the tofu and bean sprouts on top of the noodles.
3. When the stock is ready, strain it, taste for salt-adding more fish sauce if you think it needs it, and bring it to a boil. At serving,simmer shrimp, bok choy and carrot in the stock until cooked, about 3 minutes, then ladle the hot soup over the noodles, tofu and sprouts.

Serving Suggestion

Serve piled with scallion and lime wedges on the side. If desired, you can cook the shrimp, bok choy and carrot in the simmering stock and serve the soup from a communal pot, ladling it over the rice noodles and tofu in each bowl and garnishing with scallions.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Spring Greens Pizza

Baked crust is topped with fresh mozzarella, spring greens and chicken for a delightful twist on traditional pizza.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 ounces fresh mozzarella, bocconcini size
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 prepared pizza crust
• 1 15-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins or thighs
• 3 cups spring mix lettuce

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, reduce 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to 1/4 cup, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and reserve. Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, basil, oregano and garlic in a small bowl. Let sit 10 minutes.
3. Brush pizza crust with half the olive oil mixture and bake according to package instructions. Slice the fresh mozzarella into thin slices and add to the remaining olive oil mixture. Toss to coat.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve. Return the pan to the heat and deglaze with 1 tablespoon water and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Slice the cooked chicken crosswise into 1-inch pieces and add to the tomato mixture. Simmer until sauce has thickened, about 7 minutes.
5. Remove the pizza crust from the oven. Spread the sauce evenly over the crust and top with marinated mozzarella slices. Cut the pizza into four slices and top each with a handful of spring mix. Drizzle each slice with a tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar reduction and serve.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Springtime Spring Rolls

Spring rolls are a fun and delicious way to enjoy a wide variety of fresh produce and leftovers you have on hand.

Via Creative Commons

Ingredients

• 1 package spring roll wrappers (see Tip)
• 1 pound tofu or leftover cooked meat
• 2 cups cooked rice or wild rice
• 3 cups assorted veggies, such as:
• kale, shredded cooked or raw
• spinach, cooked or raw
• carrots, shredded or thinly sliced
• cucumbers, seeded and thinly sliced
• kohlrabi, peeled and thinly sliced or shredded
• cabbage, shredded cooked or raw
• green onions, thinly sliced
• red peppers, thinly sliced
• cilantro, chopped
• Sesame Orange Sauce or Maple Dijon Sauce

Preparation

1. Place all filling ingredients in separate bowls or on large baking sheet
2. Fill a separate baking sheet or large pie pan with 1/2-1” of warm water, and place 2 damp kitchen towels unfolded on either side of baking sheet. One at a time, place dried spring roll wrappers in the water for about 30 seconds (you can move it around or just let it sit). Remove the spring roll wrapper and place it on one of the towels (which will soak up some of the extra water).
3. Place your desired fillings (about 2 tablespoons rice, handful of veggies and 1/4 cup protein) on bottom third of wrapper closest to you. Roll the bottom of wrapper over the fillings (away from you) and pull the roll back towards you to tighten the wrap over the fillings. Fold in the right and left ends and roll the wrap away from you—just like a burrito—to complete. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.
4. Serve with Sesame Orange Sauce or Maple Dijon Sauce for dipping.

Authored by Molly Herrman. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Poached Pears

For such a delicious and elegant dessert, poached pears are amazingly simple to prepare.

Via Creative Commons

Ingredients

• 6 firm pears (not quite ripe),
• peeled with stems on
• 3 cups red wine
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 1 star anise
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

1. Choose a cooking pot that will hold the pears snugly. Place red wine, water, and sugar in the pot. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pot; add the pods along with star anise, honey, and lemon juice.

2. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to make sure the sugar is dissolved.

3. Add the peeled pears, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes until pears are tender.

4. Remove the pears and continue simmering the liquid until it becomes thick and syrupy. Use this syrup to glaze the pears before serving.

Serving Suggestion

Serve pears warm or cold, with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraiche, if desired.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Celebrate our anniversary, donate to the International Refugee Assistance Project

As Cooperative Principle #7 states, "cooperatives work for the sustainable development of communities through policies and programs accepted by the members." This is why we are celebrating our anniversary by hosting donation drives throughout the month of March.

Hand selected by Mariposa staff, each organization is important to the progression of our community. Donate at the register the next time you shop and check back each week to find more information about each organization.

International Refugee Assistance Project

MARCH 22 - MARCH 28

Total donated: $311

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) organizes law students and lawyers to develop and enforce a set of legal and human rights for refugees and displaced persons. Mobilizing direct legal aid and systemic policy advocacy, IRAP serves the world’s most persecuted individuals and empowers the next generation of human rights leaders.

IRAP is on the frontlines of the fight against the discriminatory executive order signed by President Trump. By mobilizing an emergency taskforce of legal advocates and leading the fight in the courts and the press, IRAP is playing a critical role in protecting the rights of thousands of affected refugees and immigrants.

How to Help:

• Direct those affected by the travel ban to this page: Know Your Rights – اعرف حقوقك
• Stand with us: Donate!
• Get involved by signing up for 

If you or someone you know needs legal help, please email info@refugeerights.org in any language with as much information as possible about your situation and any relevant documents. Please see the Get Legal Help page for more instructions on how to request assistance.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD

Ingredients 

• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• ¼ c. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 bag semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips 
• 2 c. bananas (2-3 ripe & mashed bananas)
• ½ c. butter, melted
• ¼ c. milk
• 2 eggs
• Cinnamon for crust (optional)

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, whisk together bananas, butter, milk, vanilla and eggs. Pour over the flour mixture and stir until blended. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Pour mixture into the loaf pan.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a rack or serving plate. Serve warm.

Reprinted from Equal Exchange.