The LA Times recently caught up with Sea Shepherd’s Paul Watson (we’ve been seeing interviews with ‘the captain’ all over the place, so the media blitz is obviously on) and of particular focus was the vegan nosh served on board the S.S. Steve Irwin during campaigns. “I run my ship as a vegan vessel,” says Watson. “It’s not for animal rights reasons but to set an example and to try and get people to think about the connection between what they eat and what we’re doing to the oceans, because it’s quite simple, really.”
The Steve Irwin’s main chef is Laura Dakin, who Watson regards as a great vegan cook. “People think we’re some wacky animal-rights group,” he adds. “We’re not. We’re a conservation organization but what we’re saying is, look, we’ve got to be very aware of what we eat if you’re going to call yourself an environmentalist or a conservationist.”
Want a sampling of the grub Sea Shepherd enjoy while on the high seas? Hit the fold below to check out some vegan recipes Laura uses to feed the crew.
Fluffy Vegan Pancakes
This is the favorite Sea Shepherd breakfast for sure!
10 cups of plain flour (or buckwheat flour for gluten-free pancakes is also yummy)
5 teaspoons sea salt
5½ tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
16 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla
10 cups soy milk (or half soy, milk half water works well)
16 tablespoons vegetable oil
Mix together dry ingredients, sifting to avoid lumps.
Beat together wet ingredients, and then add to the dry and mix well until smooth.
For each pancake I put a little vegetable oil in a pan and then pour in desired amount of batter. When pancake is bubbling and almost cooked through, flip it and fry for about 30 seconds on the other side.
You can add 6 mashed bananas for banana pancakes or 2 cups of dark chocolate chips (they are usually vegan but be careful because some brands include milk products), or both, or anything else yummy you can think of.
This makes enough pancakes for a crew of 50! Any leftover goes well in the fridge for a few days.
Sea Shepherd Chili
Nice thick chili fills your belly and warms your core after a day on deck in freezing Antarctica. This also freezes well.
6 onions, diced
10 medium carrots
3 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
6 tablespoons olive oil
Place vegetables in a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 1 hour or so on about 150 degrees, stirring from time to time to get an even roast.
In a stock pot, add:
18 cups diced tomato (cooked)
3 cups tomato paste
12 cups chickpeas (cooked)
3 cans of corn
6-10 tablespoons of chili powder ( depending on how spicy you like it!)
3 tablespoons pepper
8 tablespoons curry powder
10 cups of vegetable stock
Add the roasted vegetables.
Simmer on medium-low heat for up to 1 hour, stirring from time to time
If it dries out, add a little vegetable stock. If it is too moist, cook for a little longer.
Add the very end, drop in a few large handfuls of chopped fresh parsley. Add a handful of chopped spring onion and 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano if you have it.
To grab another recipe for Chocolate Banana Cake, hit the rest of the article here.
About Michael dEstries
Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.View all posts by Michael dEstries →
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